سایبر نواب,CYBER NAWAB

Maulana Barakatullah: An Indian Muslim Revolutionary in America

2009-06-29T01:01:00.002-04:00

Maulana Barakatullah: An Indian Muslim Revolutionary in America

by Ayub Khan

It was a hot summer night in 1927. An elderly and weak looking man entered a community hall in Marysville, California. The gathered crowd of over 800 Indians became ecstatic and greeted him with a thundering applause. Strings of sparkling tears rolled down the face of the elderly man. He went up to the stage and began speaking with his usual forceful delivery but suddenly stopped. He couldn't utter a word. There were wails and sighs from the audience. The elderly man composed himself and smiled; it's glow sent a cheer through the audience. But he did not speak. A voice that has shaken the corridors of British colonial authorities was soon going to be silent forever. This voice belonged to the great, but almost forgotten, hero of Indian independence movement Maulana Barakatullah Bhopali. Maulana Bhopali's life is one full of dedication and service-a fiery journalist, a brilliant orator, an erudite Islamic scholar, a nationalist to the core, an author of several books, a polyglot who knew more than seven languages, a prime minister of India's government -in-exile. He was all this and more.

Maulana Barakatullah passed away on his way to San Francisco on September 20, 1927 and was buried in the Old City Cemetery of Sacramento. His funeral was attended by Indian Americans of all religious persuasions and they hoped that the Maulana's remains would eventually be transferred to India once it attains independence. But, alas, the wish remained unfulfilled and the Maulana rests in peace in a particularly beautiful section of this historic cemetery.

Headstone of Maulana Barakatullah's grave in Sacramento Historic Cemetery (Courtesy: Sharon Patrician)

Maulana Barakatullah Bhopali was born somewhere between 1859 and 1861 in the princely state of Bhopal in India. His father Maulvi Muhammad Shujaat Ullah was a Madrassa teacher originally with meager resources and income. A bright student Barakatullah successfully completed his religious education at Madrasa-e-Sulaimaniya and qualified as an Alim in 1878. He served as a teacher at the same school from 1879-1880. He was able to utilize the intellectual milieu of princely Bhopal and was likely to have come in contact with the scholar-prince Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan Qanauji. He is also reported to have met the pan-Islamist and reformer Jamaluddin Afghani in 1882 and was much impressed of his ideas.

In 1883 he disappeared mysteriously from Bhopal and ended up in Bombay where he enrolled himself in Wilson High School in Khetwadi. Despite being a mature student he did not mind attending the elementary grades. At the insistence of a certain Mr. Scot he began taking private lessons in English from him in return for teaching Urdu. Within three years he was proficient enough to qualify for the university entrance examination.

He went to London in 1887 and served as a private tutor teaching Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. He himself learned German, French, and Japanese. He was invited by the British convert Abdullah Quilliam to work at the Muslim Institute in Liverpool in 1895. He subsequently taught at the Oriental College of University of Liverpool. He later distanced himself from the Muslim Institute over its style of functioning.

While in England he came into contact with Indian revolutionaries at India House. In response to the then British Prime Minister Gladstone's racist comments about India he launched a flurry of articles and speeches criticizing the policies. As a result his activities were severely restricted.

He left for New York in 1899 at the insistence of Muslim scholar and activist Muhammad Alexander Russell Webb. In his six year stint in New York he churned out a prolific number of articles related to Islam and India which were published in Webb's The Muslim World and also in mainstream newspapers such as the Forum. To earn an income he taught Arabic. He developed contacts with the Indian community in other cities of US and Canada and sought to instill the revolutionary spirit in them. While in America he kept in touch with fellow revolutionaries in India and had a scholarly exchange with the poet and nationalist leader Maulana Hasrat Mohani. In these letters he stressed on the need for Hindu-Muslim unity in the freedom struggle. He became a founder member of the Ghadr Party started by the Indians in San Francisco.

Maulana Barakatullah reached Japan in 1909 and was appointed a professor of oriental languages at the University of Tokyo. He brought out a journal The Islamic Fraternity which was known for its anti-colonial content. After its suppression he brought out another newspaper by the name of El Islam which was banned in British India. As a result of his activities his appointment at the university was terminated in 1914. This, however, did not unnerve Maulana Barakatullah. He treated the world as his playground and moved his activities elsewhere.

Maulana Barakatullah (extreme right) with the Turko-German Mission

He accompanied the Turko-German Mission to Kabul in 1915 and joined Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi and Raja Mahendra Pratap to form the Provincial government of India. He served as the Prime Minister of the government-in-exile. In 1919 he met Lenin and sought his help in India's struggle for freedom. Throughout the the early 1920s he travelled widely in Germany, France, and Russia organizing the expatriate Indian communities on the revolutionary path.

His 1927 visit was his second one to the New World and would prove to be his last. He was suffering from diabetes and had a host of other ailments but his love for the nation was such that he undertook the long journey from Germany along with long time friend and fellow revolutionary Mahendra Pratap. He arrived in New York in July 1927 and stayed at a hotel in Times Square. On 15th July 1927, he was given a reception by the Indian community at Ceylon Indian Inn on 49th Street. He also met the Pan-Africanist Marcus Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. The two also spoke at a joint gathering of African-Americans and Indians. He also travelled to Chicago, Gary, and several other cities of the Midwest renewing his links with the Indian and Irish communities among whom he had many friends.

He arrived at the Yugantar Ashram, the Ghadr Party's headquarters in San Francisco and was pleased with its work. He then proceeded to Marysville where he was destine to give his last public speech. Throughout this trip his constant companion was Raja Mahendra Pratap who was himself not keeping well and aging. According to Mahendra Pratap's autobiography the Maulana last words were: "I have been sincerely struggling all my life for the independence of my country. Today, when I am leaving this world, I have regret that my attempts did not succeed. But at the same time I am also satisfied that hundreds and thousands of others have followed me who are brave and truthful...With satisfaction I place the destiny of my beloved nation in their hands."

Maulana Barakatullah Bhopali was an epitome of sincerity and dedication towards one's nation. A die hard to the core he never married as he considered it be distracting from his duty to the freedom struggle. It is an irony that this legendary son of the Indian freedom movement is reduced to the margins of Indian history. His name doesn't find a mention in the country's text books nor does his portrait grace the famed halls of the Indian parliament. There is, however, a university named after him in his native Bhopal.

Maulana Barakatullah's sojourns in America also testify to the long standing links which Indian Muslims have maintained with the new world. Contrary to popular perceptions Indian Muslims did not begin arriving in America in the 1960s but at least sixty years earlier. The registers of cemeteries across California will verify this fact.

sir syed aur zarafat nigari

2006-06-26T10:11:00.000-04:00

The Case for an Urdu State

2006-05-22T14:52:00.000-04:00

The state of Hyderabad was divided on linguistic lines in 1956. Telugu, Kannada and Marathi speaking population of the erstwhile state got their own states. A great injustice was committed, however, when the Urdu speaking population was denied a state of their own. Fifty years since the creation of Andhra Pradesh the movement for a separate Telangana is gaining ground but once again the Urdu speaking population is being deliberately kept out of the debate. The militant tendencies of the current Telangana movement and its constant warnings of bloodshed should be a cause of concern for all citizens of the country. It is imperative that the government and civil society counter such forces while at the same time correct historical injustices.

Urdu was and continues to be a language spoken by the large proportion of the population of the erstwhile state cutting across religious lines. Hyderabad city, Rangareddy district in Andhra Pradesh and the adjoining Karnataka districts of Bidar and Gulbarga have a shared linguistic and cultural history dating back to four centuries. Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs of these areas speak Urdu effortlessly and are representative of the composite culture of the region. This harmony is now under threat by the rise of TRS and its call for a separate Telangana.

When TRS was first launched it received considerable support from the Urdu speaking Muslim community as they hoped that the new state will pull them out of their miserable plight in the fields of education and economic conditions. TRS leaders gave them all kinds of assurances and reminded them of their glorious past. But such promises turned out to be short lived and exposed the true face of TRS with its inclusion of several communal leaders from RSS backgrounds like union minister A.Narendra and K.Umakant, former Vibhag Pramukh of RSS in Hyderabad. Despite enthusiastic support from the Muslim community the TRS did not bother to allot a single seat for any Muslim candidate in the last Assembly and Parliamentary elections. To add insult to injury many Muslim members of TRS were sidelined and they quit the party in disgust.

Under these circumstances it is but natural for the Urdu speaking community to demand a Urdu state as has been done by Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi. Ideally the state should include Hyderabad merged with the Rangareddy district and the Gulbarga and Bidar districts. But due to the time consuming complications in such an endeavor MIM has limited itself to demand Union Territory or state status for Hyderabad alone.

To discredit this movement communalists charge that such a state will be tantamount to creating a second Pakistan. If only these people would look at the facts and the map they would radically change their position. Contrary to the false perception Urdu is not an exclusive language of Muslims but is spoken by a wide majority of people belonging to diverse communities. This is attested to by fact that several non-Muslim students study in Urdu medium schools and the region has produced many non-Muslim poets, writers and academics of the language. The Muslims of Hyderabad are staunch believers in Indian democracy and sovereignty and there has never been any Muslim separatist movement in the region ever since its inclusion in the Indian Union in 1948. Hyderabad’s landlocked location, in any case, would never allow for such tendencies to emerge.

The demand for an Urdu state is one of pluralism, civility and shared ganga-jamuni culture of 400 years old. It is for a state that endorses shared values, common interests and goals, and ongoing relationships that bind groups of people together. This legitimate demand should be given a sound hearing. It will only strengthen India and empower all its citizenry.

Muslims in Indian Economy

2006-05-15T05:59:00.000-04:00

Muslims in Indian Economy
Omar Khalidi

Pages: 240

Three Essays Collective

P.O.Box 6, B-957 Palam Vihar, Gurgaon, Haryana, India

www.threeessays.com

Price:Rs:575

Reviewed by Mohammed Ayub Ali Khan

It is an undeniable fact that Indian Muslims live under precarious socio-economic and educational conditions. Illiteracy, unemployment, low professional skills, poverty and other socio-economic ills are rampant in this community of 130 million. But whenever the issue of Muslim backwardness is raised, it is quickly dismissed by the communalists and bigoted elements as a figment of someone's imagination. They claim that the Muslim minority is pampered at the expense of the Hindu majority. Others, including some from secularist and progressive traditions, while acknowledging backwardness, insist that the reasons for backwardness lie within the community. They assert that the Muslim population needs to free itself from rigid observance of religious and traditional values to get on the path to progress. Is there such a thing as Muslim backwardness in India? What are the reasons for it? How does Muslim economic condition in the early twenty first century compare with the recent and distant past? Dr.Omar Khalidi in Muslims in Indian Economy attempts to answer these and related questions empirically and analytically.

Khalidi provides a macro analysis of the economic condition culling data from various sources including historical accounts, governmental gazettes, interviews and news reports. The data from 1870s until the 1940s is easily available as the colonial government published routinely compiled the educational condition and economic levels of population groups in general and their shares in state employment. This changed when the Nehru administration decided that the collection of such data heightens communal tension. However, this policy was never fully implemented and the successive governments collected such data for internal use but did not declassify them even after the passage of several decades. Understandably, Khalidi’s micro-analysis is limited to the regions/states of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra due to the absence of or lack of access to reliable data from the other states.

The early Muslim community largely consisted of military aristocracy and did not take part in commercial ventures. It was busy “soldiering and governing” and its worldview on money did not stress wealth creation. The gradual conversion of some castes and outcastes of Hinduism led to the emergence of the Muslim commercial artisan classes (Khojas, Labbis Memons, etc). The conversion to Islam of peasant communities while improving their social standing did not improve their economic status. Khalidi writes that the pattern of economic stratification of the Muslim community which emerged during medieval times continues to this day : “a community of miniscule numbers in trade, slightly large numbers in military numbers in military and bureaucracy , larger number of artisans, and the largest number of landless peasants.” However, a cursory look at the available data in military and police services (compiled by Khalidi in his Khaki and Ethnic Violence) and bureaucracy shows that the first two categories in this classification should be interchanged.

Challenging the popular perceptions Khalidi shows that the Muslims coming from military, bureaucratic and learned backgrounds did take to modern education during the colonial era in a majority of provinces and regions. It is true that early on they shunned modern education while the Hindus adapted quickly to changed circumstances. “Most Muslims were too conservative to learn English, many considering it the highway to infidelity. But the Hindu classes were not; they had learnt Persian for a livelihood, in the past, so why not English and they soon monopolized the subordinate services.”

However, thanks to the efforts of pioneers like Sir Syed they tried to catch up and by 1871 they were showing remarkable improvement. Their representation in governmental services was on par with their population percentage and in some instances they were even over represented. A report compiled by the Aitchison Commission in 1886, for instance, showed that Muslims who accounted for 13.4% of the population in N-W Provinces and Oudh held 44.8% of executive positions and 45.9% of judicial positions. They were 2.4% in the Central Provinces and yet held 18.1% of the combined executive and judicial positions. The reservation granted to them in 1925 ensured that they were adequately represented in governmental services. The British Army consisted of 30-36%, against the 23 percent Muslims in the national population as per the census of 1941.

Just as there were signs of improvement things took a turn towards the worse with the onset of the partition. Apart from the killings and the loot the most tragic thing for the Indian Muslims was the migration of highly educated Muslims to Pakistan leaving them without any role models. This “migration to Pakistan” theory was valid up until 1971 when Pakistan finally tightened up its migration policy. Other reasons include a lack of modern education and discrimination (“plausible for some jobs” but “hard to establish court-admissible evidence”). Despite the limitations the book offers a number of instances where discrimination. Khalidi draws on personal interviews to document several such instances of blatant discrimination. Mian Azim Hussain, a Punjabi IFS officer, opted for India in 1947. In the mid 1960’s, when “the post of Foreign Secretary was about to fall vacant, it was openly said in the corridors of the service were ruled out for selection to the top job.” The reservation of seats made things tougher for Muslims argues Khalidi. “The reservation system made competition that much more difficult for poor Muslims, whose educational condition has not been any better than those of SCs and STs (Interestingly this fact is now being forwarded by opponents of reservation like Bhalla).

To the successive governments’ credit the book also provides detailed information on the various government schemes and commissions initiated for minorities. It is another matter that there have been numerous instances of fraud and mismanagement.

Khalidi limits his discussion on the role played by Islam to say that “Islam itself is certainly no impediment to education and critical inquiry. However, interpretations of Islam by certain vested groups can certainly be a roadblock to modern education.” It would have been informative if the author had examined this issue in detail as some observers (most notably former VC of AMU Hashim Ali Akhtar in his Riba & Credit Needs of Muslims) have claimed that Muslim aversion to interest bearing loans and the lack of alternatives to them are a major roadblock in their path to progress.

Also missing from the study are some important reports. One such report was compiled by the leading advocate and anti-Shuddhi leader Ghulam Bhik Nairang. He was delegated by the Muslim League to draft the Delhi University Amendment Bill in which it had argued to raise the number of Muslims in departments where they were few of them (Kalaam-e-Nairang Ed.Dr.Moinuddin Aqeel).

Muslims in Indian Economy is a densely documented book put together through years of research and analysis. It gives statistical support to the claims of Muslim backwardness and impoverishment. It is expected that the author will provide a more complete analysis of the economic condition of Indian Muslims, covering all the states, in the near future.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They Came, They Saw, They Ate…Mostly Halal

2006-04-05T02:36:00.000-04:00

Iqbal in London (1908)
They Came, They Saw, They Ate…Mostly Halal
By
Mohammed Ayub Khan
Muslim travelers, explorers, migrants, scholars, missionaries and others have been traveling to non-Muslim lands since ages. Their interaction with the dominant groups in these areas provides a complex and fascinating view on inter-faith relations. “They Came, They Saw, The Ate…Mostly Halal,” is a series which explores how these Muslim travelers tried to observe their religious dietary requirements when in alien lands. This series is however not limited to dietary observance, or lack thereof, alone and offers a captivating look into the lives of these travelers and other interesting historical incidents.

Allamah Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938)

Allamah Muhammad Iqbal, the renowned poet-philosopher of the east, was born on November 9, 1877 in the Sialkot city of Punjab province in the then undivided India. His poetry continues to inspire generations of readers with its profound universal insights into all aspects of humanity.

In 1905 Iqbal left for Cambridge to pursue his higher education. During his stay in Europe he obtained his BA from Cambridge (1906), qualified as a barrister at Lincoln’s Inn in London (1906), and earned a PhD from Munich University (1908).

His living arrangements in Cambridge where made by his mentor Prof.Thomas Arnold. Iqbal asked Arnold to arrange for accommodation at a place where Zabiha meat is available. During that time the Muslim population in Western Europe was negligible and only the Jewish community observed their religious requirements which were similar to the Muslim practice of Zabiha.

Iqbal stayed with an orthodox Jewish family and sometimes even joined them in their prayers by saying that Prophet Moses (AS) was the prophet of Muslims, etc. He was provided with the Kosher meat, as during that time it was the next best thing available in lieu of Zabiha Halal.

Iqbal praises the Jewish family for their religious observances but one thing soured the relationship. He found out that the family used to take commission from shopkeepers for every single he ordered through them.

While pursuing his legal studies in London he had to attend the dinners of Lincoln’s Inn. It is not known what he ate during these dinners. It is also not know what kind food was served at the various dinners and picnics he participated in with his friends. There is also evidence that he dined at the cafes of Europe. But history is silent as to what he ordered from the menu. However, it can be said with certainty that he tried to observe Halal as far as possible. This can be attested to by the fact that during his stay in Heidelberg he cooked his own food.

References
Iqbal, Javed. Zinda Rood: Allama Iqbal ki Mukammil Sawaneh Hayat. (Electronic edition, IqbalCyberlibrary.net) Accessed on March 11, 2006.

Mir,Mustansir. Tulip in the Desert. McGill University Press, 158.

عالمی حلال کانفرنس جنوبی افریقه میں

2005-06-25T21:08:00.000-04:00

عالمی حلال کانفرنس جنوبی افریقه میں
عالمی حلال فوڈ کانفرنس ۲۰۰۵ ستمبر ۸ اور ۹ تاریخ کو جنوبی افریقه کے شھر ڈربن میں اسلامک فوڈ اینڈ نیٹریشن کاونسل﴿افانکا﴾ کی زیر سرپرستی منعقد ھوگی۔ افانکا کے جاری کرده پریس نوٹ کے مطابق اس کانفرنس کا موضوع "حلال:اعلی معیار اور پاکیزگی کی علامت" رکھا گیا ھے۔

اس کانفرنس کی تنظیم ساوتھ افریقا نیشنل حلال اتھارٹی اور اس کی مشترک سرپرستی افانکا کرے گی۔ ان کے علاوه اس کانفرنس کو کیء سرکاری ایجنسیز اور کارپریشنس کی حمیایت حاصل ھے۔

عالمی حلال کانفرنس ۲۰۰۵ ورلڈ حلال کاونسل کی ستمبر ۱۲ اور ۱۳کو ھونے والی میٹنگ کے بشمول ھونے جا رھی ھے۔

تفصیلات کےلے

ھےifanca2southafrica@yahoo.com یاا 773-283-3708 پر ربط قایم کیا جا سکتا۔

آندھرا پردیش میں ۱۰۰ میں ۶۶ مسلمان بے روزگار

2005-06-24T22:40:00.000-04:00

آندھرا پردیش میں ۱۰۰ میں ۶۶ مسلمان بے روزگار

اردو زبان کو کوءی خطره نھین

2005-06-24T14:39:00.000-04:00

ٹورنٹو میں عالمی اردو کانفرنس ڈاکٹر گوپی چند نارنگ اور دوسروں کا خطاب
http://www.siasat.com/english/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=7552&Itemid=56&cattitle=World

امریکا میں ایک بار پھرقرآن کریم کی بے حرمتی کی کوشش

2005-06-24T14:33:00.000-04:00

۲۳ جون ۲۰۰۵/ ابھی امریکی فوج کی گوانتنمو بے میں بدنام زمانه ھرکت کی تلافی ھو بھی نھین پای کی ادھر ایک اور فوجی کی طرف سے قرٓان کریم کی مبینھ بے ھرمتی کا انکشاف ھوا ھے
تفصیلات کے لءیے یھا ں کلک کریں
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=228880&r=1&Category=11

Islam, Caste and Dalit-Muslim Relations in India (2004)

2005-06-13T10:52:00.000-04:00

Islam, Caste and Dalit-Muslim Relations in India (2004)
by Yoginder Sikand

Pages: 127

ISBN: 81-88869-06-6 (PB)

Global Media Publications

J-51-A, AFE, Jamia Nagar

New Delhi-110025, INDIA

www.gmpublications.com

Reviewed by Mohammed Ayub Khan

Islam calls for uncompromising social equality of all humanity. Race, color, caste and ethnic origin have no value in Islamic understanding of things—piety being the only determinant. This, however, has not stopped the Muslims from adopting un-Islamic practices of social discrimination. Caste differences within the Muslim society are more apparent in the sub-continent than anywhere else. The book under review claims to ‘explore various dimensions of the caste question among Muslims in India.’

The first chapter provides the development of caste in the Indian Muslim society. It was historically divided in the ashraf or the ‘noble’ and ‘respectable’ castes and the ajlaf or the ‘inferior or lowly castes.’ Sikand argues that to the medieval scholars, ‘Muslims of Arab, Central Asian, Iranian, and Afghan extraction were superior in social status to local converts. This owed not just to racial differences, with local converts generally being dark-skinned and the ashraf lighter complexioned, but also to the fact that the ashraf belonged to the dominant political elites, while the bulk of the ajlaf remained associated with ancestral professions as artisans and peasants, and as such were looked down as inferior.’ (p.22). This claim is supported by references to a translation of a singular text of Ziauddin Barani, a courtier of Muhammad bin Tughlaq.

Barani’s Fatawa-i-Jahandari, essentially a treatise on political theory, emits a racist attitude towards the natives of India and promotes the supremacy of the ashraf. He advised the Sultan to consider his religious duty to deny the ajlaf access to knowledge, branding them as ‘mean’ and ‘despicable.’ Relying on this solitary text Sikand makes this far-fetched claim that Barani’s views were shared by many of his contemporaries. However, no proof is provided to support this allegation. If these assertions are indeed true to the extent claimed then how does one explain the almost century long rule of the ‘Slave Dynasty’ in India ? As on many other significant questions on this topic Sikand is silent on this and ignores the ‘Slave Dynasty’ to the extent that it is not even mentioned once.

The book deals with considerable length on the all-important issue of inter-case marriages and the concept of kafa’a (suitability and compatibility in marriage). For this he relies on the comprehensive tract written in Urdu on the topic by Maulana Abdul Hamid Nu’mani, a senior leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e- Hind. Nu’mani has forthrightly brought to light, in no unambiguous terms, the internal hypocrisy of the community which claims to be belonging to a universal brotherhood while at the same time shunning marital relationships with fellow Muslims. He deconstructs the widely misunderstood concept of Kafa’a and decisively proves that it has no basis in Islam. He also does not hesitate to criticize the revered ulema like Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi and Maulana Ahmed Raza Khan Barelwi whose views on kafa’a contradicted that of the Qur’an and Sunnah.

Chapters 2 provides an insight on the Dalit (‘low caste’) Muslims, their leadership, the formation of the All Indian Backward Muslim Morcha and the assertion of their rights. This chapter provide context to the current debate over reservations for Muslims in India. The Dalit Muslim leaders argue that instead of giving reservations to the Muslim community as whole, they should only be given to the backward classes among them. Other Muslims object to this suggestion calling it divisive.

The book also covers briefly the Dalit attempts to free themselves from the Brahmanical caste oppression by converting to Islam, the Muslim mission to them and calls for Dalit-Muslim unity in the face of rising right-wing Hindutva nationalism. The case of the leading Dalit intellectual Rashid Salim Adil who converted to Islam and has successfully integrated into the larger Muslim society is a classic example of what could happen if Muslims demolish the artificial walls of caste that they have constructed around themselves. Adil is married into a family of Syeds . His children are also married into well off Muslim families and their ‘taint of their having once been ‘untouchable’ has disappeared.’ (p.83)

The fourth chapter is a review of the writings in the radical journal Dalit Voice. Here Sikand gives undue importance to writers with exotic names and suspect identities, whose outbursts contribute nothing at all to the development of Dalit-Muslim unity. The critiques include that of the Jamaat-e-Islami, Tablighi Jamaat and the custodians of the Sufi shrines. It is a fact that all of these organizations are lacking in creating intra-Muslim brotherhood terms of speaking out against oppression on the Dalits. Far from alleviating the prevailing situation the militant rhetoric of the writers of Dalit Voice offer nothing substantial and instead create even more disunity. One writer calls the Ulema as the ‘progeny of iblis’ and appeals to the Muslims to stop reading their literature at once. (p.98).

The last section of the book titled ‘Liberation and the Plurlaist Predicament: A New Islamic Vision,’ offers nothing instructive except for incoherent statements like: “This new understanding of Islamic (sic) departs from traditional Islamic theology on several important counts. Firstly, in contrast to traditional Islamic theology, it is inductive in its methodology and contextual in its approach, in that it emerges from reflection, in the light of the Qur’an, on the actual context in which oppressed Muslims find themselves confronted with.’ (p.114)

There is no denying that the evil of casteism continues to exist among Indian Muslims and will destroy the community if it is not addressed as a top priority issue. But there is also positive change setting in. Just a glance through the matrimonial columns in the newspapers will now show that education and job security are more important for prospective candidates than caste. Organizations like Jamiat Ulema have also launched several initiatives in addressing the issue. These include the organizing of communal meals where Muslims and Dalits (non-Muslims and Muslims) eat from one large plate. It is interesting to note that Sikand had earlier written an article on this communal meals phenomenon but for some unknown reason haven’t even mentioned it in the book. While concentrating on extremist and marginal proponents of Dalit-Muslim unity he ignores the saner voices of Dalit intellectuals and leaders like Udit Raj of the Indian Justice Party. Similarly, the work of Muslim leaders of recent past like Bahadur Yar Jung finds no mention. To Sikand’s materialist theory influenced vision painful but curable cankerous sores appear as terminal cancer requiring radical surgery. He cuts and pastes the Brahmanical caste structure on the Muslim society, which while being influenced by the former has its own dynamics. In short Islam, Caste and Dalit-Muslim Relations in India is an important and path breaking but disjointed collection of essays which provide an incomplete and partial analysis of the topic.

Muslim, non-Muslim ratio unaltered by new admission policy: AMU

2005-06-06T11:48:00.000-04:00

Muslim, non-Muslim ratio unaltered by new admission policy: AMU
NEW DELHI, JUN 6 (PTI)
http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=302769
In an effort to allay fears that the Aligarh Muslim University's new controversial admission policy would alter the traditional ratio of Muslims and non-Muslims students, the University today said the community-wise break-up of admission results this session showed that the proportion has hardly changed.

The newly-introduced provision for 50 per cent reservation for Muslims in AMU courses did not prevent candidates from other communities from gaining admission there, a senior University official told PTI here.

In fact, the toppers in the admission tests for three key courses were Hindus, he said.

"The overall percentage of Muslims at AMU has traditionally stood around 70 per cent in the past several decades and the granting of reservation rights for Muslims this year has in the ultimate analysis harldy altered the scene," the official said, adding that in two of the three courses, the percentage of Muslims had "marginally gone down." The number of Muslims admitted to the Faculty of Engineering for the Bachelor's course has gone down from 76 per cent last year to 68 per cent this year.

On the other hand, the number of Muslim candidates selected for admission in the Faculty of Medicine has increased from 75 to 88 out of the 127 seats offered.

Noting that the aim of the new admission policy was to restore the "all India character" of the University, he said applicants from 16 different states had made it to the final list this time in just one course.

AMU Registrar Faizan Mustafa said that the real issue was that Muslims should be admitted on the basis of a transparent and honest system which will give a fair opportunity to talented Muslims and non-Muslims from all over the country.

He said that the earlier system was "riddled with nepotism, corruption and cronyism." "Unfortunately, the media has been misled into believing that the real debate is about denying admissions to students who are non-Muslims," Mustafa said.

"The University had been reduced to an institution catering to just about half-a-dozen districts including Aligarh, which form the stranglehold over the admission system," Convenor of AMU's new admission policy committee M Saleemuddin said.

The University had introduced the provision of 50 per cent reservation for Muslims in 36 out of the 289 courses offered by it, which has been strongly criticised by the Sangh Parivar outfits as well as the Left parties, who dubbing it as "communal appeasement." Meanwhile, more than 150 teachers of the AMU, in a signed memorandum to the Vice Chancellor Naseem Ahmad, today urged him not to back off from the new admission policy.

Paswan Plays Dalit Card in Uttar Pradesh

2005-06-06T11:30:00.000-04:00

PASWAN-DALIT
GARH MUKTESHWAR (UP), JUNE 6 (PTI)
http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=302810
Playing the Dalit and minority cards to the hilt ahead of the Assembly elections in Bihar, LJP leader and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan today accused BSP leader Mayawati for not having done enough for backward classes and stuck to his demand for a Muslim Chief Minister in Bihar.

Addressing a party rally here, Paswan charged Mayawati did not "give representation to the Dalits and Muslims besides being herself mired in controversies." "What is this Taj Corridor scam? What is Mayawati doing there for the Dalits? Prior to the polls, all parties talk big but when time comes for ticket allocation, Muslims are sidelined," he alleged.

"The Bahujan Samajwadi Party should be renamed Brahman Samaj Party," he quipped referring to BSP's efforts to woo upper caste votes.

"I stand by my demand - Bihar should have a Muslim Chief Minister," Paswan said at a rally here.

"Before the Bihar Assembly was dissolved, I was even willing to let go my resolve of not associating with the RJD in order to facilitate installation of a Muslim in Bihar as the Chief Minister," he said.

Accusing the RJD and BJP of conniving to break up his party, the LJP President said "it was better to have let go its MLAs than to compromise with its ideologies.

Resolutions of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind Convention

2005-06-05T22:05:00.000-04:00

Ameerul Hind Maulana Seyed Asad Madani, right, President of the Jamiat-Ulama-I-Hind, speaks as Sonia Gandhi Congress Party President and Chairperson ruling United Progressive Front, looks on at the 28th Jamiat-Ulama-I-Hind all India General session, in New Delhi, India, Sunday, May 29, 2005. The Jamiat-Ulama-I-Hind demanded reservation for the Muslims in Indian Parliament, legislative assemblies and government jobs. They also criticized the alleged desecration of Koran by U.S. troops. (AP Photo/Manish Swarup)

Resolutions Adopted at the 28th General Session of the Jamiat ul-'Ulama- i Hind, Delhi, 29th May, 2005

Resolution : 1

Reservation for Muslims

This session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind deplores diminishing representation of Muslims due to discrimination in Educational Institutions, Jobs, Parliament, Assemblies and Municipal Bodies. It is clear violation of constitutional rights. Compared to 13% Muslims population officially their over all representation is only 2% leading to their extreme marginalization. Their recruitment in armed forces, intelligence agencies and key positions is withheld. The discrimination in administration and public servies continues unabated. The session demands:

Proportional representation of Muslims in every department and removal of respective constitutional hurdles.

Fixation of quota and elimination of discrimination in implementation of reservation granted to certain backward classes of Muslims under Mandal Commission.

Amendment of Article 341 of Constitution by removing the restriction of religion and broadening its scope to include Muslims, Christian, Dalits and backward classes.

The Govt. has included non-Muslim weavers and artisan classes in the scheduled caste. This discrimination should be removed by including Muslim and other artisan classes.

Resolution : 2

Bill to prevent Communal Riots

This session appreciates commitment of UPA Govt. in CMP to enact law for prevention of communal riots but practically nothing has come out so far. The proposal should be implemented at the earliest.

All central and state governments have proved ineffective in prevention of communal riots with horrible consequences in terms of huge loss of lives and property.

In this respect, on 8th March 1999 Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind presented memorandum with 21 Lakh signatures to the president of India but with no practical consequences so far.

Therefore, this session demands from the central and state governments:

To enact law introducing appropriate punitive measures against negligence and dereliction of duty on the part of respective administrative and police officials.

Prompt and full compensation to riot victims in the light of relevant judicial verdicts.

Resolution : 3

Establishment of Maktab (Basic Education) Centers in Backward Areas

This session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind stresses the need to establish basic education centers in the remote backward rural areas and appeals to all Islamic educational institutions and Madrasas to allocate 10% of their annual outlay for establishment and sustenance of such centers.

Resolution : 6

Communal Harmony

In a pluralistic society communal harmony is a must. without it the country can't march ahead towards peace and progress. Therefore this session stresses the need for:

All out effort at all levels to ensure communal harmony.

Keeping with Islamic traditions and values tolerance and good neibourly relations with followers of all the religions and all classes of people specially Dalits and Minorities.

Joint eating program is an effective measure to bring Muslims and Dalits closer. Such programs should be encouraged.

Organization of Joint Conferences and meetings of Dalits, Muslims and other communities on wider scale.

Maximum possible cooperation and help in the hour of need.

Promotion of mutual respect and human values as taught by Islam.

Resolution : 7

Muslim Aukaf (Endowment)

Deploring the misappropriation of Musilm Wakf property by vested interests the session demands from central and state governments.

Honest implementation of wakf Act. 1995 to ensure proper administration of wakf income of billions of rupees.

Exemption of Wakf properties all over the country from rent act and it should not be left to bureaucratic discretion.

Wakf Act should be suitably amended to get the wakf properties vacated as in the case of public properties act.

The administrative system of Wakf properties should follow the model of Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee.

Resolution : 8

Repeal POTA Retrospectively and Release all POTA Detainees Immediately

This session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind welcomes repeal of draconian law of POTA by UPA Govt. However it is strange that many of the accused held under POTA in different parts of the country have been arrested due to political and ideological differences with the ruling party.

A number of accused in the Godhra case were in the process of being bailed out. Their prosecution proved to be extremely difficult for the State Govt. Therefore it decided to arrest them under POTA. There are 174 persons held under POTA in Gujarat. With the exception of 3 persons all others belong to the minority community. POTA review committee has recommended withdrawal of POTA against 131 accused of Godhra case. The central and State Govt. must implement the recommendations of review committed Post haste. This session demands:

1. Immediate release of all the accused detained under POTA.

2. Repeal of POTA with retrospective effect.

Resolution : 9

Protection of Citizen Rights in Assam

This session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind passed its deep anguish over the recent suster campaign to force the Muslim residents of upper Assam districts to leave their homes. It is clear case of harassment of minority and violation of human rights which must stop immediately. Jamiat Ulama support any move to identify foreigners and their extraditions as per the provisions of IMDT Act but it totally opposes any attempt to push out poor, illiterate Muslim labours by alleging baselessly that they are foreigners. This session hopes that immediate measures will be taken to redness the plight of poor genuine Assamese citizens.

Resolution : 10

Protection of Islamic Identity and Social Reform

This session recommends various measures to cleanse the society of social evils such as dowry, lavish spending in the marriages, licentiousness drug addictions alcoholism etc. Islamic teaching advocating piety in personal life should be utilized to control spread of AIDS.

Resolution : 11

Condemnation of Israeli Aggression against Palestine

While appealing to both parties to demonstrate perseverance and tolerance to each other in order to establish lasting peace in the region the session demands:

Establishment of Palestine Govt. with full authority.

Vacation of Baitul Muqaddas by Israel and handover to Palestinians in terms of Oslo accord.

Israel should refrain from further expansion and must stop immediately new Jewish Settlement in Palestinian territory.

US and international forces should disarm Israel of its weapons of mass destruction to ensure durable peace in Middle East.

Demolition of boundary wall separating Palestinian and Israeli territories which has bee erected unjustifiably.

Resolution : 12

Condemnation of US Aggression against Iraq

This session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind while condemning the aggression by US and its allies against Iraq deplores the ineffectiveness of the role played by Muslim countries. Expressing concern about ever increasing woes of Iraqi people it deprecates the grass violation of human rights by US and its allies. US had launched attack upon Iraq on the pretend of liberation of Iraqi people from oppression and injustice and restoration of democracy and freedom but none of the claims are even remotely visible. The destruction of Iraqi people has rather multiplied. US forces have openly contravened all limits of human and civil behaviour. The treatment meted out to the prisoners of Abu Gharib jail is the worst example of barbarism. In the name of democracy and freedom Iraq has been pushed into anarchic disintegration.

In view of the despicable conditions in Iraq we demand:

UN must come forward to withhold US from its aggressive actions.
The occupying forces must vacate Iraq immediately and self rule should be restored.

Resolution : 13

Establishment of Institutions of Contemporary Education

This session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind perceives strongly extreme backwardness of Muslims in contemporary and technical education which directly affects their economic condition. The students entering Govt. and Private educational institutions get alienated from their religion due to anti-religious atmosphere there. Therefore this session advises Muslims and particularly their well to do section and appeals to them:

To establish primary and secondary schools and colleges as per the need.

To establish commerce, engineering, technical and medical institutions.

To impart education in there institutions as per the contemporary syllabus but students behaviour, dress code, worship and Islamic way of life should be preserved. Teachers should be specially trained for this purpose. Otherwise the basic aim of these institutions will fail.

To establish non-boarding institutions for the religious and contemporary educations of girls keeping in view the specific Islamic code to avoid co-education and preservation of modesty of women.

Resolution : 15

Protection of Women Rights

In order to protect rights of women Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind had passed rerolaclion in 1985 and deems it necessary to bring forth their resolution in front of the Muslim Community as an instrument to reduce marital discords. It can't be overlooked that the rights granted to women by Islam are not only denied to them time again but they are rather aggressively victimized.

Due to such violations they are forced to knock the doors of the Courts resulting into terrible consequences. As a precautionary measure to avoid bitter repercussion in future both parties to a marriage can be asked to testify to the following covenant at the time of performance of Nikah ceremony.

Draft of Covenant

I, ....... Son of ....... Resident of ....... Distt ....... And

I ....... Daughter of ....... Resident of ....... Distt. .......

While binding the nuptial knot covenant that we will keep fulfilling each others rights in accordance with Shariah and in case of occurrence of any unwanted bitterness,

We will first try to resolve it amicably otherwise we appoint with mutual consent (Name of the Person) ....... s/o ....... r/o ....... Distt. ....... and

(Name of the person) s/o ....... r/o....... distt. ....... as arbitrators who are shrewd and devout. It they fail to resolve the dispute we authorize them and sharia courts completely to decide as per their discretion and their decision will be binding upon us. Even if they annul our Nikah we will accept their decision and shall not revert to court against it.

Signature of Spouses Signature of Witnesses

.......... ..........

.......... ..........

Resolution : 16

Condemnation of Desecration of Holy Quran by US Forces

This session of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind while expressing deep anguish over desecration of Holy Quran by US soldiers condemns vociferously this shameful inhuman, immoral and despicable act. It has caused tremendous hurt not only to Muslims but the whole humanity feels ashamed.

This session wishes to make the US government realize that the Muslims can tolerate anything but the desecration of their Holy book and religious values. Instead of making serious investigation into the incident the true facts are being disguised showing connivance on the part of US officials.

This session demands:

US Govt. should apologise unconditionally for the shameful act.

After judicial enquiry by an impartial enquiry commission the guilty officials should be duely punished.

International law should be introduced banning desecration of Holy Book.

Indian Govt. should also convey to the US Govt. the deep anguish of Indian Muslims.

Resolution : 18

Deplorable conditions of Handloom and Power Loom Industry

In view of ever worsening situation of handloom and powerloom industry which is second largest source of employment after agriculture this session demands:

Handloom and Powerloom industry should be given the status of cottage Industry.

Handloom and Powerloom weavers should be granted the same subsidies and concessions as those given to farmers.

Supply of electricity and yarn at subsidized rates to enable the local Handloom and Powerloom products to complete successfully with imported cloth. Subsidy should be given to weavers directly. Govt. should purchase from weavers and procurement centers should be restored.

Resolution : 20

President's Massage

Invitation to form Common Alliance for Common Goal

Highlighting the role of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind as the forum to bring together Ulemas belonging to various sects and denominations for the common cause of the community and the country, the 28th session invites all denominations sects, parties, organizations, small and big units and classes of Muslims to form common alliance for common causes such as reservation, educational upliftment, power sharing, prevention of communal riots and employment guarantee programs etc.

Arguing the possibility and usefulness of such an alliance, President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind declared if UPA and NDA can be formed and a labour party can join hands with the capitalist party despite direct clash of interest then why not the Alliance of different sects of Muslims.

"Indian Hitler" Softens Stance

2005-06-05T16:33:00.000-04:00

This is surprising come from a man who was called Indian-Hitler. We will be waiting for his statements after he returns to India

Jinnah a great man: Advani
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=1&theme=&usrsess=1&id=78954

Press Trust of India
KARACHI, June 4. — In an attempt to shed his Hindu hardliner image, Mr LK Advani, today paid homage at the mausoleum of Pakistan’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, becoming the most senior Indian politician to have done so.
Calling Jinnah a “great man”, the BJP chief said he had espoused the cause of a secular Pakistan.
Mr Advani, who had sought to dissociate himself from the Sangh Parivar’s Akhand Bharat (an undivided India) theory by declaring the emergence of India and Pakistan as an “unalterable reality of history”, placed a wreath at Jinnah’s mazaar as the navy’s bugles played (Photo on right) and he stood in silence when a cleric offered prayers.
“The Qaid-e-Azam was a rare individual who created history,” Mr Advani wrote in the visitors’ book. Recalling that Sarojini Naidu had described Jinnah as an “ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity”, he reminded the people of Pakistan that he had actually favoured a secular state. He said Jinnah’s 11 August, 1947 speech in Pakistan’s Constituent Assembly was “a classic, a forceful espousal of a secular state in which, while every citizen would be free to pursue his own religion, the state should make no distinction between one citizen and another on grounds of faith. My homage to this great man,” Mr Advani said.
Ironically, a pamphlet distributed to the Indian media said: “The necessity of a separate homeland became all the more vital as the Hindu majority made it increasingly difficult for the Muslims in India to live a free life according to the tenets of Islam.”

Book Review:My Life with Votaries of Religion and Law

2005-05-30T13:45:00.000-04:00

Amid Gods and Lords
My Life with Votaries of Religion and Law
by Tahir Mahmood
Pages:334
Amity Press, 2005

Reviewed by Mohammed Ayub Khan

Former National Minorities Commission Chairman Tahir Mahmood is a brilliant scholar and academic known for his legal acumen. His prodigious works, especially relating to Hindu and Muslim personal laws, have been cited even by the Supreme Court of India. The awkwardly titled Amid Gods and Lords: My Life with Votaries of Religion and Law is his tell all autobiography. No stranger to controversy and with a reputation for bluntness he tells the story of his life and the people he encounters in his own inimitable style.

Born in the small town Bahraich in a family of men of law and letters Prof.Mahmood always had a certain competitive nature in him which reflects throughout the book. He does not take lightly any criticism or perceived slights that he had to face right from the beginning. He names and shames people who have ever dared to cross him. He was supposed to be many things----Supreme Court Judge, Rajya Sabha member and the Vice Chancellor of Hamdard University. But every time his progress was sabotaged by overt enemies and others who he thought were his friends.

The author cites instances of religious bias practiced against him that are to be faced by any Indian Muslim. Despite being a committed nationalist his loyalty was doubted by his colleagues. In one instance, a colleague on hearing that he was going to read a poem reflecting his outrage over Radio Pakistan’s anti-Indian propaganda remarked, ‘did you really feel outraged?’

He is a deeply spiritual man who reportedly saw Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in a dream ‘recruiting’ him as one of his soldiers in his youth. That does not stop him from having some very unconventional religious views. He holds Qur’an Khwanis and Fatehas for the departed souls of non-Muslim neighbors and friends and does not believe that only Muslims will attain salvation . “If there is a God, in my opinion, it must be one and the same for all—there cannot be a God for the Muslims and another for the followers of any other religion; and if he is a Merciful and Compassionate God I cannot visualize Him reserving Heaven for one chosen community and committing all others to Hell,” he writes.

Chief Justice Chandrachaud in his landmark Shah Bano judgment had quoted Mahmood at length from two of his books. This angered many including his friend Syed Shahabuddin who described him as a “darling of the Supreme Court.” But Mahmood wasn’t offended by such comments and instead took them as a compliment. Regarding the controversial judgment itself he has mixed views—“Though happy with the honor the Supreme Court had conferred on me, and in agreement with the ratio decidendi of the Shah Bano judgment, I was unhappy with some of its obiter dicta. The court, in my opinion, should have avoided beginning the judgment with a reference to a biased orientalist’s provocative statement that ‘degradation of women is a weak point of Islam.’

He was disgusted with the way the Muslim Women Bill was being debated by the laymen in the country and agreed with Justice VR Krishna Iyer’s view that “if Muslims pressed to much for the bill ‘the sleeping Hindu giant will wake up from its slumber.’ And it sure did in the form of the Ram Janma Bhoomi movement. Here again Mahmood foresaw the dangers of what would happen when Muslims would make this a life and death issue but no one listened to him. In the thick of the Shah Bano controversy he addressed a gathering of Muslim women in the Calcutta Maidan. On that occasion Syed Shahabuddin also spoke but deviating from the theme he lamented on the loss of Babri Masjid. When Mahmood requested him not to turn ‘that local issue into a national struggle’ he became furious. ‘Masjid mein agar but rakkhey houn tou ham nahi dekh saktey (if idols are placed in a mosque we cannot stand the scene)’ Shahabuddin reportedly shouted.

Mahmood’s analysis of the Babri Masjid is very pertinent. According to him it was a ‘local issue which Muslim religious leaders turned into a national – and Hindu politicians misusing Hinduism into an international—issue.”

Since Prof.Mahmood has already written a book on his work at the National Minorities Commission and he does not elaborate much in this one. He does however provide a glimpse of how he was elevated to that position, praised it received and how many people tried to take credit for it. Saiyid Hamid, another leading choice for some for that post and the declared government’s ‘final choice’ by the Urdu press , was kind enough to congratulate him on his selection. But Mahmood in his sarcastic style leaves us in no doubt what he thinks of him: “ …Saiyid Hamid, although he did phone to congratulate me in the style of a defeated candidate congratulating his winning rival. I was, and remain, at a loss to understand how in view of his ripe age and total absence of any legal background Saiyid Hamid could really be the ‘only trustworthy name’ name to head a quasi-judicial body like the NCM. But, is not anything possible in this country ?”

Mahmood writes at some length on his dealings with Ali Miyan, Asad Madani, Qazi Mujahidul Islam Qasmi and other leading lights of the Indian Muslim’s religious leadership. At the insistence of Qazi Mujahidul Qasmi he translated the Majmu’ah-e-Qawanin-e-Islam, all 200 pages of it, from Urdu into English in a record two weeks.

Amid Gods and Lords is an interesting book which provides a unique insight into today’s Indian society and the many struggles that Muslims have to face in it. A little more humility on the author’s part would have made it a more worthwhile read. That said, however, there is never a dull moment anywhere in the book. It makes for ideal in-flight reading on long distance routes.

The Fear of Shariah

2005-05-26T06:27:00.000-04:00

By Ayub Khan

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board has become the favorite punching bag of almost anyone who carries the fear of traditional Islam and who has a flair for writing. The non-event of the board’s Bhopal meeting has received the severest criticism for not doing enough on women’s issues, ironically, by the same opponents who say the board is irrelevant and is not representative of Indian Muslims. Amidst the volley of shots launched at traditional understanding of Islam by these critics was the attack on the board’s reiteration of its long standing plans to establish a nationwide network of Darul Qazas or Islamic courts. Here again the noises are being made by the usual Hindutva commentators in unison with those with radical Marxist-Humanist leanings. Prominent among these is the Rediff columnist Kanchan Gupta (Secular ? That’s a laugh, Rediff, May 9,2005)and the prolific academic Yoginder Sikand ( The Muslim Personal Law Boards (sic) Shariah Court Campaign, posted on several email lists on May 13, 2005) who sends daily dispatches on his email list apart from being published in Outlook and other newspapers and magazines. Swapan Dasgupta and others have also made passing references to the issue. While this has not been of much focus by the media it certainly has the potential to become explosive in the near future.

Kanchan Gupta in her analysis relies on the information from AIMPLB’s website and news reports. After a brief history of the board she writes: “Lost in the debate is the crucial fact that the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board is nothing more than the personal enterprise of ulema and alim, apart from maulanas who teach at seminaries.” Contradicting this earlier statement and reality she goes on to say: “The All-India Muslim Personal Law Board has been quietly consolidating its position as the only arbiter of Muslim destiny in secular, republican India.”

She concludes by saying: “So, we have a fast-unfolding situation where the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board is setting up sharia courts as a parallel system of justice. By the time authority in secular India wakes up to this reality, the government will be presented with a fait accompli-- accept it, or be damned as anti-Muslim. And let there be no doubt: Government will accept the sharia courts lest it upsets India's progressive, secular activists.”

Sikand’s narrative on the subject is based on two Urdu booklets written decades ago by the board’s late president Qari Muhammad Tayyab Qasmi. He hypes up Qari Tayyab’s call for the election or appointment of an Amir and goes on to berate the Ulema as being out of touch with modern day realities. Sikand takes the ideals set out by Qari Tayyab too literally and reads too much into it without offering a historical perspective. Maulana Abul Kalam Azad was once the leader contender to the position of Amir-ul-Hind but he was not to be due to sectarian differences. If the diverse community of Indian Muslims couldn’t agree on a person of the stature of Maulana Azad how can any person or group lay claim to that position in contemporary times when the differences are more widespread ?

“Despite the fact that Muslim Personal Law is recognized by the Indian state, Tayyeb, echoing the views of the ‘ulama associated with the AIMPLB, insists on the need for Muslims to have their own parallel system of courts to judge their personal affairs. He sees this as an ‘Islamic necessity’. For this he suggests the need for Muslims to elect, unanimously or by majority vote, their own leader (amir) at the all-India level, whom all Muslims must obey. Through this, he quotes a noted fellow Deobandi ‘alim as declaring, ‘All the problems that Muslims are today confronted with would be solved’. The amir ul-hind or the ‘amir of India’ should be a pious Muslim male well-versed in the intricacies of the shariah. One of his principal tasks would be to nominate qazis or judges and muftis at the provincial and local level to dispense Islamic justice through a network of dar ul qazas,” writes Sikand.

Despite his criticism he is also not shy of exploring the positives aspects of establishing Shariah courts. He writes, “The Board’s project of what is, for all practical purposes, a parallel legal system in the country is bound to generate considerable controversy. On the one hand, it does appear to offer a cheaper and speedier means of justice, and one possibly less corrupt, than the state courts.” But is quick to add: “Yet, this is overshadowed by what many might see as its ominous implications. It is bound to meet with stiff opposition, not only from the Hindu Right but also from secular activists, Muslims as well as others, who might well see this as a move towards Muslim separatism and as an indication of a lack of faith in India’s judiciary… For their part, many women’s activists will undoubtedly find the dar ul qaza project a distinct move towards legal apartheid for Muslim women. Given the overwhelming presence of traditionalist ‘ulama on the Board who have been reluctant to allow Muslim women access to even their full range of Islamic rights, and considering that the ‘ulama who would staff the dar ul qazas are all trained in a tradition of extreme patriarchal fiqh, it is obvious that Muslim women can hardly expect the dar ul qazas to provide them with the justice that they promise to.”

Kanchan Gupta’s critique is based on an irrational fear of everything Islamic. Sikand makes some valid points but his critique is also dominated with a number of stereotypes. Both of them overemphasize the influence of the board. By the board’s own admission it is not a legal body. It can only issue recommendations. Its influence is significant but limited and is similar to that of village Panchayats. It can act as a pressure group but its authority and enforcement of its directives will be severely restricted due to the lack of confidence in it by the community and the existing laws of the land. A scenario where a large number of Muslims will abandon the mainstream courts to opt for the Shariah courts appears to be highly unlikely. There are a number of shariah courts operating throughout the country. The most important of these the Iamarat-e-Shariah of Bihar , Jharkand and Orissa has decided only 34,000 odd cases. There is certainly not a mad rush towards these courts on part of the Muslim citizenry. Not only the masses but even the ulema turn to the regular courts when disputes arise. A number of Muslim organizations have been slugging it out in the courts. Currently, contenders for the management of a prominent Hyderabad Madrassa are involved in bitter litigation in the courts. To say that the Islamic courts are weaning people away from regular courts is too far fetched.

Both Gupta and Sikand are also ignorant of the legalities of the issue. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms and other forms of legal pluralism are now being accepted in countries like Canada which have a stricter separation of church and state. The province of Ontario has been allowing such practices a number years. A government appointed commission after a thorough review late last year has recommended that such arbitration be allowed to continue despite vocal protests by Islamophobes. Closer to home we have the example of Lok Adalats which saves time and money for the litigants as well as the overburdened courts system. The Shariah courts operate in a similar manner. A survey of the Imarat-e-Sharia’s record has been conducted by former Minorities Commission chairman Taher Mahmood and he did not find any violation. So far whatever accusations have been hurled have been pure hearsay. If Sikand and Gupta have any evidence that any violations of the law of the land or discrimination occurs they should bring it forward.

This is not to say that the existing or proposed Islamic courts are without any problems. They do have a number of them. The absence of women judges and the dominance of a certain group of thought are issues that need to be addressed. Several structural adjustments like the inclusion of qualified lawyers to oversee the process for correcting possible violations, review of the Sharia Court decisions by judges of regular courts for review and enforcement thus guaranteeing a more open and just system are all the options that should be explored.. The world is moving towards a system which offers choice. There is no reason why two disputing parties are not allowed an alternative legal system if both consent to it and as long as it does not violate the law of the land.

Indian Muslim Orgs Awaken to the Web

2005-05-25T11:57:00.000-04:00

Indian Muslim Orgs Awaken to the Web
By Ayub Khan

In the past one month two major Indian Muslim organizations launched their websites. Several other websites were redesigned to give them a more professional look. Indian Muslim leaders, activists, Ulema and others who have been loath to use the internet are now flashing emails on their tastefully designed visiting cards. All this indicates that the Indian Muslim organizational leadership is finally waking up to the potentialities of the web as an effective communications medium. While these websites leave much to be desired in terms of design and content their very presence is nevertheless significant. Following is a brief analysis of some of them.

All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat website launched in May, 2005 is an epitome of organizational efficiency and accountability. Full text of the constitution, members list, minutes from meetings and current activities are listed. Perhaps a rarity for Muslim organizations it also presents a detailed budget. It is regularly updated with press releases and policy statements. Emails are promptly responded.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (www.aimplboard.org) also launched its website this month. A short introduction and history, aims and objectives, text of the constitution, lists of publications and committees are provided. Not all members of the various committees are listed and the details provided on their activities are sketchy.
The site only provides the date and place of the general body and executive committee meetings. The resolutions section lists one line summaries which are sketchy and incoherent. Even though launched after its important meeting at Bhopal the website does not provide information on the Model Nikahnama. AIMPLB can use the site in dispelling the criticism frequently unleashed against it by updating the website regularly with timely, detailed, and coherent policy statements. The model Nikahnama should be posted on the site along with translations in English and other major languages of India. AIMPLB had announced that it will launch a Islah-e-Muashara campaign. Several such announcements were made in the past but nothing much came out of them. The web site can be used to mobilize such campaigns in major urban centers and also keep the people and media aware of its activities. The email listed on the website bounced.

The Jamaat-e-Islami Hind website (www.jamaateislamihind.org) is probably the best designed of all Muslim organizations in India. It is user friendly and neatly structured.
The site is available in English, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi. History, text of the constitution, organizational and leadership structure, biographies of the current leadership, newsletter is all provided. Its press releases are divided under sections like ‘Present Situation,’ ‘Babri Masjid,’ ‘Kashmir,’ ‘AMU/Jamia Millia,’ etc.

The JIH’s student wing Students Islamic Organization of India website (www.sio-india.org) is updated with frequent postings on activities from district to national level. The leadership interacts with the membership via scheduled chat sessions. It lists its monthly publications in Urdu, Hindi and English but the sections have no content posted as of yet. With a web based automatic translation program the site is also available in French and German.

Markazi Jamiat Ahle-Hadees Hind (www.ahlehadees.org) has been under construction for quite some time. Most of the information provided is in Urdu and in old Arabic windows font. It’s ‘About Us’ section provides a summary of its history and aims and objectives in English. State wise list of organization functionaries, report from their 2005 convention and the January 2005 of their Urdu newsletter Tarjuman in PDF format are provided. Use of a more user friendly font in the future will be helpful.

Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind’s website (http://jamiatulama.org) has been online for a number of years now. During the Gujarat riots it provided detailed maps, tables, etc of its relief efforts. Of late however the site has become static. It now documents its relief activities in the flood ravaged areas of Assam from last year. It was last updated on January 2004.
Most of the contents have disappeared. Jamiat should reactivate the site as it has launched several significant initiatives including communal meals with Dalits, dialogue with RSS, etc.

The Raza Academy of Mumbai is an outfit associated with the Barelwi school of thought. It is in the news for organizing demonstrations and issuing press releases on issues of Muslim concern, most recently against the desecration of the Holy Qur’an. Their website (www.razaacademy.com) provides a list of its activities from 1998-2000, biography of Allamah Ahmed Raza Khan Barelwi, issues relating to Islamic jurisprudence, directory of Madrassas and organizations of Barelwi thought, information on Tsunami relief activities. It also has a English transliteration of an Urdu report on a debate between Deobandi and Barelwi scholars. Its current press releases are posted on the homepage.

Paracham Party of India (www.parchampartyofindia.org) is currently the only Muslim political party in India which has a web presence. The Indian Union Muslim League ‘s website (http://www.indianunionmuslimleague.com/) has been down for several months now. The Parcham Party’s website is frequently updated. The links to its philosophy and party leadership sections do not work. Even though the Parcham party is yet to make a political breakthrough its website rivals and in some cases excels those of other political parties.

The website of Kul Hind Tanzeem Aimma Masajid (http://imamindia.tripod.com/main/main.html) is an example of how even small organizations can utilize the web using a host of free services to get their message across. This website, updated only once, lists the demands of the Imams regarding their salaries, representations, judgments, schemes, and articles on Madrassas, Wakf Boards, and Personal Law.

Conclusion
Realization of the utility of the web by the Indian Muslim organizations is a welcome development. Regularly updating these websites with original content by the respective organizations can play a major role in informing, educating the public on the burning issues of the day, dispelling wrong notions about Muslims in the media and also in mobilizing collective campaigns online. Most organizations in India have low credibility in the public. This scenario can be corrected by providing details of the activities and fund utilization online. The non-presence of the Indian Union Muslim League and the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen is surprising. The cadre of both organizations has a large presence of workers with technical expertise. They cannot continue to ignore the importance of the internet if they realistically want to be the organizations of the future.

Message of Hope

2005-05-12T20:40:00.000-04:00

Muzaffar Iqbal offers a ray of hope for the Ummah when most have fallen in a state of despair and fatalistic hands-off.

Winds of change are once again blowing throughout the lands of Islam. These winds are violent and they are tearing apart the social, political and economic orders that had come into existence through the emergence of independent Muslim states around the middle of the previous century. What will be the shape of the Muslim world in fifty years from now remains an open question, but the emerging pattern indicates that we are on the verge of a historical process that will result in the emergence of a new Islamic civilisation.

http://jang.com.pk/thenews/

2005-05-07T05:53:00.000-04:00

Jama Masjid

2005-04-17T10:41:00.000-04:00

byj

Nawab Bahadur Yar Jung

Good Bye, John Paul

2005-04-04T20:51:00.000-04:00

Good Bye, John Paul
You will be missed by one and all

For Poland you were the liberator
A nightmare you were for the communist dictator

With Muslims you had a few problems
Yet,relations under you blossomed

You apologized for the crusades
And many other Church mistakes

Wholesome and worthy values you espoused
Immorality and injustice you denounced

Of peace you were an ambassador
You spoke out against war and terror

In these uncertain time O John Paul
You will be missed by one and all

why dont Muslims work hard ?

2005-03-24T19:42:00.000-04:00

Writing in Jang (February 1, 2005) Nazir Naji said that Muslims did not work hard to enrich themselves in this life because their real life began after death. To pay attention to national projects of uplift was a far cry, Muslims did not even think of providing for their children because Allah is already supposed to provide for them.

More appropriately, it is the conduct of the warrior race. The warrior race syndrome has been reinforced by jihad in the 20th century. It is the race involved in commerce that doesn’t fight because it has assets to protect. The warrior doesn’t provide because he is unconsciously relying on the concept of ghanima or war booty, which is the policy of wresting assets from those engaged in commerce. Allah is made the agency of provision but racial memory insists on war as the provider.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_25-3-2005_pg3_5

Indian-American Hoteliers Modified

2005-03-02T23:22:00.000-04:00

The Asian American Hotel Owners Assocation's refusal to disinvite the Hitler-loving Modi proves that the predominantly Gujarati organization has been completely 'modified.' Association President Shwartz said: "We invited him from a business perspective, to discuss investing in Gujarat ... regarding infrastructure and the socio-economic situation."

Imagine if a German businessman had said the same thing about a visiting Nazi general : "We invited him from a business perspective, to discuss investing in Germany ... regarding infrastructure and the socio-economic situation."

AAHOA has also invited Hardball show host Chris Matthews. Please write letters to AAHOA demanding that they cancel the Modi invitation. For more info visit:
http://www.coalitionagainstgenocide.org/index.php

Indian Minority Empowerment through Political representation

2005-03-02T22:58:00.000-04:00

Indian Minority Empowerment through Political representation

By Ayub Khan

Numerous studies of democracies around the world have shown that minority representation strengthens representational links, promotes positive attitudes toward government, and encourages political participation. One study of the United States and New Zealand showed that redistricting of electoral constituencies to maximize the number of black voters in the former and reserving of seats exclusively for voters of Maori descent in the latter has led to a marked increase in minority representation in their national legislatures (Minority Representation, Empowerment and Participation by Susan Banducci, Todd Donovan and Jeffret A. Karp). It is a known fact that minorities in India are not adequately represented in the nation’s political institutions. Correcting this flaw in our democracy demands the urgent attention of the decision makers before these communities get further marginalized.

Several innovative as well as not so innovative solutions to this problem have been suggested. Dr.Krishnasamy of Tamil Nadu’s Puthiya Thamizhagam for instance is calling for a separate electorate for schedule castes and tribes. This demand was first made by Ambedkar in 1931. Krishnasamy dismisses claims that separate electorates would further divide the society: "It is a fact that Indian society is divided along caste lines. Even after 57 years of independence, nowhere in the country are inter-caste marriages a norm." In this regard, the Puthiya Thamizhagam and Piranthamann Trust of Tamil Nadu even organized a national seminar last December with several politicians, activists and academics of note in attendance. Surprisingly, there was no reaction to this seminar from the Sangh Parivar.

But when Dr.Omar Khalidi, the Hyderabad born MIT academic, suggested another way for improving Muslim representation, he was attacked for allegedly advocating the “Islamization” of India. Explaining his call for creating Muslim majority districts in an interview to the Radiance he said : "We need Muslim-majority districts for three reasons. First, concentrated areas provide security. Second, they provide an environment that is conducive to our cultural independence. Third, they provide a political base through which our people can be elected. At present, constituencies have been created in a way that our numbers don't add up to elect adequate legislators.... Hyderabad and Rangareddy in Andhra Pradesh and Gulbarga and certain talukas could be merged to create a Deccan province. Similarly in Bihar, the regions of Katihar, Kishanganj and Purniya can be made into an Urdu-speaking province or a Union Territory. There are regions in Bengal and UP where Muslims can be in majority. Though, a large number of Muslims would still be left out, having these strongholds is important for their future. This would ensure proper political representation in States and we would have our voice in Parliament.... A decade ago, it was not fashionable to talk about reservation for Muslims. Today, Muslims have reservation in Kerala and Karnataka. In Andhra, too, we are likely to get reservation. Don't judge everything from what's happening today. Huq liye jaten hain pesh nahin kiye jate."

Dina Nath Mishra writing in The Pioneer (Feb.26, 2005) claimed that Khalidi’s suggestions are nothing but a call to “Islamise the whole world.”

“Jehadis are fighting for it. In India, they, too, have an agenda. Dr Khalidi has just put it in words and has, in fact, given a clarion call. Jinnah propounded the 'Two-Nation Theory' and carved out a nation of Dar-ul-Islam (land of believers). The rest of India is Dar-ul-Harb (land of non-believers) which needs to be conquered,” Mishra wrote.

One is at pains to understand where in the interview has Khalidi has given such a call. Examining his thesis in the light of current events reveals that there is some merit to it. Security is of utmost importance for all Indian Muslims after what happened in Gujarat in 2002. A community cannot pull itself from poverty and illiteracy if it lives in constant fear for its safety. Muslim concentrated areas if not an ideal solution seem to be the only alternative for the near future. As a matter of fact such ghettos are already a reality. After the indiscriminate Gujarat massacres even the educated elite has permanently moved to Muslim areas. Investigative reports by NDTV and others have shown that even if they want to, Muslims are unlikely to get accommodation in majority dominated neighborhoods in urban areas. Apart from safety such concentrated areas ensure that Muslims are able to maintain their cultural identity in the multi-cultural democracy of ours. These politico-cultural enclaves will, more importantly, send Muslim candidates in numbers that are proportional to their numbers to political office.

It is important to note here that Khalidis’ is but one possible solution to address the dismal figures of Muslim and other minority representation. Several other options like the open list proportional representation system where parties are given seats in proportion to votes that they get via their candidates can be explored.

Far from leading to another partition or “Islamizing” of India such an exercise would further strengthen the faith of Muslims in India’s democracy and remove the divisions and disparities of the society. Doubters are advised to read what experts have to say on this issue. “It is increasingly being recognized that an electoral system can help to “engineer” co-operation and accommodation in a divided society. Electoral system design is now accepted as being of crucial importance to wider issues of governance, and as probably the most influential of all political institutions,” says The International IDEA Handbook of Electoral System Design,” published by International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, Stockholm, Sweden. It is high time for India’s electoral system to undergo an overhaul.

Remembering the Forgotten Genocie

2005-03-02T22:51:00.000-04:00

Book Review

Hyderabad 1948

Remembering the Forgotten Genocide

By Mohammed Ayub Ali Khan

Police Action Ki Bhooli Tareekh Ka Aik Janbaaz Shaheed (Urdu)

Author: A.R. Yaf’ai

Pages: 294

Price:Rs.200

Publisher: Darul Isha’at , All India Majlis-e-Tameer-e-Millat, Madina Mansion, Narayanguda, Hyderabad, 29, A..P. India

The 1948 military action of the Indian army to annex Hyderabad and the resulting mass slaughter of Muslims that followed in its wake remains one of the forgotten episodes of modern historiography. Apart from Dr.Omar Khalidi’s classic Hyderabad: After the Fall, a dozen or so non-fiction and fictional works in Urdu, a few in English by scholars like V.K.Bawa and Narendra Luther and isolated references in the research of Western scholars like W.C.Smith, Lucien Benichou and Margrit Pernau, nothing much exists on this topic. What is even astounding is the total absence of eye witness accounts of the survivors of these massacres.

In the years’ immediately preceding the military action (deceptively termed as ‘police action’) the State Congress as well as the Arya Samaj and other organizations had launched an propaganda campaign alleging that the Nizam government and the para-military Razakaars are harassing the Hindu majority of Hyderabad and that their lives and property are in great danger. Influenced by such propaganda and emboldened by India’s independence, activists of the above mentioned organizations and criminal elements started attacking border areas of Nizam’s Dominions from within as well as from India.

In Police Action Ki Bhooli Tareekh Ka Aik Janbaaz Shaheed, A.R. Yaf’ai provides an account of his father Muhammad Isa Yafa’I’s activities in defending Hyderabad from the nefarious onslaught of communalists and highway robbers who in the name of independence had unleashed a wave of violence in the Udgir area of modern day Bidar district.

Trouble started brewing in Udgir in 1938 when the Arya Samajists took out a provocative Dussehra procession and murdered a Muslim resident. Sensing the coming upheaval and the disorganization of Muslims Isa Yaf’ai left his governmental post as sub-inspector in the excise department to lead the Razakaars in his native Udgir. Isa Yaf’ai immediately set to work and started organizing the Razakaars and strengthening the defenses and was conferred with title of Salar.

He faced an uphill task as the Muslim community there was rife with opportunists. The local Majlis-e-Ittehad ul Muslimeen, of which the Razakaars were an off shoot, was also not prone from such characters. Help from Hyderabad was not forthcoming. Numerous requests to the government and Razakaar and Majlis leadership fell on deaf ears as situation worsened by the day. Salar Yaf’ai did whatever he could relying on the local resources. Enjoying the fruits of this situation was the highway brigand Appa Rao who regularly carried raids on Muslim settlements.

As political deliberations failed between Hyderabad and New Delhi and with an all out military attack looming Yaf’ai moved the town’s Muslim community to one of the interior villages hoping that this will save their lives. The military came and assured them that they will not be harmed if they give up their arms. However this was not to be and thousands of unarmed Muslims were killed indiscriminately even as the army watched. Not only this but the author present eye witness testimony to prove that the army provided arms to the attackers and actively participated in the killings. According to the author’s estimates as many as 30,000 people were killed in the Udgir area alone.

Rejecting claims that Razakars looted and killed Hindus the author contends that they were not at all communal and that they in fact protected their (Hindus) lives and property. This is attested by the fact that their were many Hindus like Lakshayya who actively collaborated with them.

The book at times reads like a hagiography. The recreation of some events (the skirmishes, etc) appears to be exaggerated as the author was still a child during that time and was not present at each one of them. Some of the speeches and statements that the author attributes to his father cannot be entirely of his own as they are clearly those of the late Majlisi leader Nawab Bahadur Yar Jung.

Despite theses flaws the book is an eye opener and brimming with long forgotten facts. A short history of Hyderabad , the Nizam’s government, Majlis and its leadership, and the political and military situation of the time is presented in a readable manner. In writing this book the author has not only interviewed the victims but also their persecutors. He presents a neighborhood wise list of 125 of those who were killed and another one consisting of the names of the 25 leaders of their attackers. Many of these attackers reportedly led gangs of 500 men.

It is heartening to know that at least one survivor of the 1948 massacres has come forward with his reminisces of a tragic era. There are many others who continue to hide their experiences fearing persecution. Such individuals should be sought out and encouraged to bring forward their and their relatives diaries and writings of those events so that a clearer picture of what really happened can emerge. The long suppressed Sunderlal report whose full text was finally obtained by noted columnist and legal scholar A.G.Noorani in 2001 should also be made available to wider public as it sheds much light on the massacres.

Those who forget history are condemned to repeat it goes the saying. For the Muslims 1948 serves as a lesson as to what can happen when they ignore reality and let their passions take over. It is vital that Indians know of the gory events of its attack annexation of Hyderabad. No longer can this be put on the backburner by claiming that it will instigate violence or threaten national integration. When the Germans and the Americans can objectively study their past and acknowledge their darker aspects why can’t we ?

From RSS with hate

2004-11-11T19:29:00.000-04:00

No one can argue with the fact that the ethnic Indian media in Canada (print as well as broadcast) is way below the professional standards. Incompetence and plagiarism are rampant in this business (yes it is a business) which meets the classic definition of the yellow press. But this is not limited to Indo-Canadian press alone and not all newspapers or broadcast programs fall in this category. The Indian community in Canada is still growing and the day is not far when it will have a media of which it can be genuinely proud of. The growing interest of young Indo-Canadians in pursuing careers in journalism indicated towards this trend. Before that can happen, however, there are some serious issues which need to addressed. While the community continues to ignore this problem, one Mohan Lal Gupta has offered his critique. Curiously enough the article titled “Indian media of Canada” was published in the November 7th issue of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh publication, The Organiser.

Gupta complains that most of the Indian broadcasters use many English and Urdu words in their programs and this according to him is a problem. In his opinion the best program in Toronto is "Bhajanawali" because: “When a Hindi sentence is spoken, there is no English or Urdu word used in it.” He has somehow completely missed the Canadian concept of multi-culturalism. Also lost on him is the fact that Urdu is very much an Indian language born and bred in India and reflective of country’s composite culture.

In his juvenile critique Gupta crosses all norms of decency. Labeling Darshan Sahota’s program as “worst” he writes : “The whole family knows no language properly. His daughter does not speak a single word of Hindi/Punjabi. When she is on the air, Darshan Sahota´s programme truly becomes a programme of slave-mentality and meant for mentally slave people. The whole family is in the broadcasting business for more than 10 years. If they are presenting a programme in the name of Hindi, then at least these people should learn some proper Hindi.

She must be understanding Hindi/Punjabi to some extent. She should encourage the audience to speak in Hindi to her, while she may speak in English. People who do not know English would know what is going on. The Sahota daughter has so far never made any attempt to speak in Hindi. Whenever there is any special programme or activity, then the programme is such that either the Hindi news is completely deleted or it is cut short, but Urdu news is never deleted or cut short. On Sunday one can hear only Urdu news, and there is no Hindi news. A person who puts himself and his family on sale—anything can be expected from him.”

Darshan Sahota’s Geetmala Radio on Toronto’s CHIN network has its flaws and flaws there are many. But it also a fact that his program is one of the most widely listened to program in Greater Toronto Area and does offer some interesting programming. The program can be improved by offering more informative programming which can be of benefit to new immigrants, students and the youth and featuring interviews and other segments which are not influenced by advertising. But all these are no issues at all for Gupta whose only issue is that of the never ending Urdu-Hindi debate.

By indulging in cheap smear attacks and name calling Gupta has also laid bare his bigotry against some specific Indian communities. He thinks that Hindi is read by Hindus only. Here is how he narrates a story: “Some years ago I was travelling on a train. At one station, a Sikh companion got down from the train and bought about 20 Hindi magazines. I was surprised that being a Sikh, he bought Hindi magazines and secondly, I wondered why he had bought so many Hindi magazines. He told me he worked in Tamil Nadu where he could not buy Hindi magazines, therefore, he had bought so many magazines, which would last him for three or four months. To the question, why he had bought only Hindi magazines, he replied that Punjabi magazines are confined to Punjab only, what to say of world events. Punjabi magazines even do not cover national events. Moreover looking at the size of the Punjabi magazines, they do not provide the money´s worth.”

If Gupta is surprised at a Sikh buying Hindi magazines imagine his shock when he sees a Muslim or Christian doing the same.

People usually think that immigrating to Canada makes them tolerant and open-minded. But Gupta’s article proves that this is not always the case. In today’s globalized world, not only does hate travel but it also immigrates. It also reports back to the home country.

Naxalites and Muslims

2004-11-06T15:47:00.000-04:00

Naxalites and Muslims

by Ayub Khan
The recently concluded first round of talks between the Andhra Pradesh government and the Naxalites have received widespread (if sometimes cautionary) approval from all sections of the society and polity with the understandable exception of the Sangh Parivar affiliates. The merger of the People’s War and the Maoist Communist Centre of India into a new outfit called the Communist Party of India (Maoist) is also being watched with great interest by observers as it will determine their future strategy in accomplishing their goal of creating a classless society. Naxalite leaders who emerged out of their hideouts for the talks also focused on some issues relating to Indian Muslims. This is significant because for quite some time they have been accused of being indifferent to Muslim issues.

Writing in the November 1, 2003 issue of Economic and Political Weekly Suman Banerjee blasted them for being “inert” during the past decade in fighting communalism.

“During the last decade which saw the emergence and rise of the Sangh parivar in its most demoniacal form under which some of the worst cases of genocide of Muslims were carried out, the various Naxalite outfits - ranging from the armed to the parliamentary groups - were found to be totally inert. Beyond issuing fiery statements (and these also few and far between) condemning the Sangh parivar, none of these outfits came out on the streets to actively resist Advani's rath-yatra, or deploy their armed squads to oppose the marauding gangs of the RSS-Bajrang Dal. I have not yet found any report of such acts of protest in any of their various publications and reports. Are they scared? Or is it because communal riots are considered lowest in the list of their priorities of intervention? Or - let me hazard a dangerous guess - is it because all these various Naxalite groups are still dominated by Hindu upper and middle castes and the Hinduised tribal poor (for whom the plight of the minority Muslims remains an invisible issue)?”

Naxalite leaders have obviously taken such criticism to heart. Ramakrishna (People’ War State secretary) addressing a press conference while meeting Dalit and minority representatives vowed to target “the fascist and communal forces'' in the country and reiterated their decision to "physically eliminate'' the forces which were out to disturb communal harmony and perpetrated atrocities against the Dalits.”

Their interaction with Muslim leaders was however limited to fringe elements with the notable exception of Lateef Khan of the Andhra Pradesh Civil Liberties Committee and Zahid Ali Khan (Editor of Siasat Daily) .

They met with Mehboob Ali of Darsgah-e-Jehad-o-Shahadat and Maulana Naseeruddin of Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Shair-e-Islam, who complained to them about the increasing harrasment of Muslim youth in Hyderabad. The Naxalite leaders reportedly assured them that protecting the minorities is their obligation. Later on when Naseeruddin was arrested by Gujarat police for allegedly having links with ISI and terrorist organizations, Ramakrishna issued an open letter to the state government calling for his unconditional release. He demanded the suspension of officers who permitted the arrest, filing of a criminal case against Gujarat police, public condemnation of its action and a public apology. He also wanted the state to issue a blanket order to prevent police from entering Muslim houses or areas without permission.

Their only interaction with a mainstream Muslim leader was that with Zahid Ali Khan on October 19th when they arrived unannounced at Siasat’s offices. Ramakrishna, Sudhakar, Ganesh and Jan Shakti’s Amar and Riyaz attended the meeting along with legendary balladeer Gadar. In their interaction with the staff of Siasat, the Naxalite leaders reiterated that their fight is against five forms of injustices:

1. Class divisions

2. Oppression against women

3. Injustices against and harassment of Muslims

4. Backwardness of the tribals

5. Lack of development of backward areas

Ramakrishna said that Muslims are being treated like outsiders in their own country and blamed the Hindutva forces for creating divisions in the citizenry which have led to tragedies like Gujarat. He further claimed that Maoist forces have “always supported Muslims” and said that Naxalites support an eleven percent reservation policy for Muslims. He said the “revolutionary forces” are totally committed to secularism and are the only ones who can effectively combat the Hindutva organizations. His appeal for the Muslim community was to join their struggle and work unitedly on a single platform.

While the Naxalites’ sentiments and concerns need to be appreciated, it would be suicidal for Muslims or anyone else to join an armed struggle. Whatever grievances there might be they should be addressed within the democratic framework of the country in ways that are legitimate and non-violent and which do not violate the sovereignty and integrity of India. Naxalites have already proven their point and highlighted the exploitation and oppression that is rampant in the country. Now is the time for them to hang in their guns, join the mainstream and bring in the desired change through democratic and non-violent means. They are disciplined and committed and can make ideal politicians. However, this scenario seems highly unlikely at least in the near future. This does not mean that there is no scope for Naxal-Muslim cooperation. Muslims can still work and cooperate with “overground” Naxalites like Gadar . He routinely attends Muslim events and was instrumental in Jamiatul Ulema’s Dalit-Muslim communal meal programs which were designed to foster brotherhood between Muslims and other communities. Efforts should be made to increase the occurrence of such constructive social justice and equality campaigns.

Ayub Khan's Canadian Muslim News Briefs (Politics)

2004-10-27T22:59:00.000-04:00

Ayub Khan's Canadian Muslim News Briefs (Politics)

Wajid Khan's Ramadan Greetings, Shafiq Qaadri's 'hot flashes', Yasmin Ratansi's fearless criticism and Rahim Jaffer's crude comparison
Ramadan Greetings

Canada has three Muslim Members (one veteran Conservative and two Liberal rookies) in its recently inaugurated 38th parliament and now is a good time to start monitoring what they have to say and intend to do. Like all politicians they too made long and tall promises. It remains to be seen how far they will live up to their promises.

Speaking for the first time in the house on October 19th Wajid Khan (Mississauga, Streetsville, Lib.) thanked his family,constituency and volunteers "who worked so tirelessly and selflessly to make it possible for me to be here today. I intend to work hard to keep their trust."
"I would also like to take this opportunity, on behalf of all members in the House from all parties, to extend our warmest greetings to over 600,000 Muslims in Canada celebrating the holy month of Ramadan. May their prayers for happiness, prosperity, health and peace in the world be fulfilled. God bless us all. God bless Canada," he added.

Most of the media, including the ethnic press, have somehow missed this greeting. It would be interesting to watch Wajid Khan's performance as his name has been proposed to the foreign relations and finance commitees.

Incidentally, Khan wasn't the first person to send the greetings. It was Bloc Quebocois leader Richard Marceau (Charlesbourg-Haute-Saint-Charles) who did the honors in the parliament on October 13th.

Conservative MP Rahim Jaffer congratulated Muslims on behalf of the official opposition on October 19th.

Yasmin Ratansi: Fearless critic of US policies

Yasmin Ratansi (Don Valley East, Lib.) is arguably the hardest working Muslim member of parliament so far. Eventhough a rookie she has her work cut out for her.

From health care to tough anti-child porn laws, she has emerged as a strong supporter of family values.

She also spoke out fearlessly against US government's policies in an interview to Vancouver Sun.

Here is an MP who certainly knows what she is doing not only inside the parliament but also outside.

"There are no weapons of mass destruction," Ratansi said in the interview.

"You (the U. S. administration) have bombed a city, Baghdad, that used to be the centre of civilization in the Muslim world. And you have bombed it in to
smithereens.

"I mean give me a break. And you expect people to respect you. I don't think so. You have destroyed the very lifestyle they have. You have destroyed everything."

"Who wrought this terrorism?" Ratansi asked during the interview. "Where did they come from? They are the result of the policies of the
United States. They have been interfering in the world."
She further said that she will not be cowed down if her statements are considered by some to be anti-American. "I'm not afraid to speak out," she says. "It's not
anti-American."

Crude Comparison

This is the third time that Conservative Rahim Jaffer has been elected to the parliament. He was first elected to the parliament in 1997 at the age of 25. He has been named as the Conservative Critic for infrastructure and Communities. This session he has spoken on such important issues as rising gasoline prices and initiatives to curb drunk driving.

Known for his polished oratorical skills he takes frequent shots at Liberals. In one crude attempt he compared the Liberal's search for the perfect caucus to one television station's search for a perfect "p----."

He said, "Mr. Speaker, on October 8 it was reported that a Toronto film company used classified ads to search for “the perfect p----”. The project received three separate grants totalling over $133,000 from the Canadian Television Fund.
Why would the government fund such a project? The answer lies with the Prime Minister and the teachings of Freud. The hypothesis is that the Prime Minister related a search for a perfect p----. to the search for the perfect caucus. Not only frustrated by having such a small caucus for a governing party, the Prime Minister suffers the humiliation of having a smaller caucus than his predecessor, Jean Chrétien....

To avoid a crisis we would recommend that the Prime Minister stop popping Velotrin and just accept what he has: a minority.""

Hot flashes" land Shafiq Qaadri in hot water
If you thought that was crude then get ready for another one. Dr.Shafiq Qaadri, a member of Ontario's provincial parliament, landed himself in hot water when he joked that an MPP from the rival party had menopausal "hot flashes" in the legislature. According to the Toronto Star Dr Qaadri, a physician, suggested that heckling by New Democrat MPP Marilyn Churley was due to menopause.

"Okay, the hot flash is over," said Qaadri, 41, signalling to Speaker Alvin Curling that the House could come to order.

When an enraged Churley, 56, demanded he apologize for the remark, the Liberal MPP added insult to injury.

"Mr. Speaker, I believe you said I will give the member opportunity to vent. I was speculating on the cause," he said, provoking chants of "shame" from New Democrats and Conservatives.

Things quickly spiralled out of control even as Qaadri tried to damage control. He added more fuel to the fire when he went over to Churley to apologize.

"He put his hand on my arm and made things worse by saying: `I'm sorry, but you have to understand I'm a doctor and my mother is a gynecologist so we understand these things,'" said Churley, who suggested Qaadri needs "sensitivity training."

He later told reporters "I think I probably didn't do such a good job on both the initial heckle as well as on the apology and so probably I'd like to do a double apology to the MPP for Toronto-Danforth," he said, blaming "temporary insensitivity."

Old habits hard to die

A newly elected South Asian Member of Parliament from Ontario announced the inauguration of his constituency office and invited everyone to come. At the urging of one his supporters I went along to watch the show. In a riding which is overwhelmingly white there was only one white man in the whole crowd. Apart from two Canadians of African origin almost everyone there was South Asian and that too of a particular type . This despite the fact that he advertised the event in a mainstream newspaper.

The MP was encircled by people of his own sub-ethnic background and paid scant attention to others. That same MP a day earlier had said : "Don't hyphenate yourself."
So much for loose talk.

One woman's journey from Christianity to Islam via Buddhism

2004-10-21T15:47:00.000-04:00

Unlike the Florida basketball player who reverted back to Christianity, Sr.Nancy Nelson found a strong support group of fellow converts.

In the words of a scholar the only support that the "born Muslims" offer is that of "Takbeer Allahu Akbar." After that you are on your own.

It is also interesting to note that one of the reasons that she and her husband converted to Islam is because they were fed up with the fact that the clergy of other faiths did not practice what they preached.

Search For God: Bethel Township woman shares journey of faith

BETHEL TOWNSHIP -- At age 29, Nancy Nelson was ready to become a Buddhist nun until she found out a shocking secret about Buddhist teachings.

Today, Nelson is a member of the Islamic faith and a part of the Muslim community, located on Pearl Road. Almost 100 percent of the residents in the community converted to Islam as adults. And she and her husband feel that Christians, Jews and Muslims could get along if they would focus on a list of rules they have in common as part of their faith.

First Islamic Bank Opens Doors in Britain

2004-09-21T20:12:00.000-04:00

The UK's first Islamic law compliant stand-alone High Street bank is to launch in London on Wednesday.
The Islamic Bank of Britain's first branch will open on Edgware Road, popular with London's Arab community.

The venture was given the go-ahead by the City regulator the Financial Services Authority in August.

The bank will be run along strict Sharia Law Muslim guidelines, which forbid interest payments and stipulates charges should be agreed in advance.

Three takbeers to that.

Madonna & the Gender Segregated Synagogue

2004-09-20T13:34:00.000-04:00

Recently, some sham Muslim feminists have been making a hue and cry over the gender segregation in the Masjids. These characters are being promoted by the media as some kind of civil rights activists which they are not. While the issue of women in mosques needs some serious discussion and debates these ultra-liberals are using the issue as tool to propel themselves into media limelight. Shame on them.

I wonder what the media thinks of Madonna's going to Israel and praying in a converted synagogue with segregated men's and women's sections. Why is it that when Muslims follow their tradition it is considered anti-modern and when others do the same thing it is respectfully accepted ? This is hypocrisy at it peak. Shame on the hypocrites.

Madonna came to Israel with some 2,000 fellow followers of cabala, a form of Jewish mysticism, and spent most of her five days here holed up in the luxury David Inter-Continental Hotel, across the street from the Tel Aviv beachfront.

She and her husband, the British filmmaker Guy Ritchie, took part in cabala sessions in the hotel's conference room, which was converted into a synagogue, with segregated men's and women's sections.

The foundations of civilization are but modest

2004-09-19T13:37:00.000-04:00

The foundations of civilization are but modest: consider for instance games of peekaboo and patty-cake...

Stalled since 9/11, a Muslim gathering resumes in US

2004-09-18T20:03:00.000-04:00

Stalled since 9/11, a Muslim gathering resumes in US

JILL P. CAPUZZO

Posted online: Sunday, September 19, 2004 at 0243 hours IST

JACKSON (NJ) I SEPTEMBER 18: It may have been Aqsa Khan’s first visit to Six Flags Great Adventure, but she knew enough to hustle over to the park’s largest roller coaster as soon as the midday prayer ended. ‘‘I thought I was going to die,’’ said Khan, a sophomore at New York University, after her ride on the Nitro, a mile-long roller coaster that drops 230 feet at about 85 mph.

Accompanied by half-a-dozen classmates, Khan was among the estimated 15,000 Muslims who came out for Muslim Youth Day on Friday, when the park was set aside for Muslims. ‘‘It’s nice to see so many here,’’ said Khan’s friend Maheen Farooqi, a junior from Long Island. ‘‘I haven’t really been around so many Muslims at one time before.’’

Let them eat Litchis

2004-09-17T07:50:00.000-04:00

Chinese farmers are suffering. No they are not starving to death or facing a drought. The overabundance of their Litchi crop is killing them. Let them eat Litchis.

In China, Farmers' Labor Bears Too Much Fruit

Nuisance Value

2004-09-16T15:35:00.000-04:00

Philosophers are a nuisance, as are children – and neurotics. Nuisance creates a resistant, or even hostile, environment, inviting the avoidance it fears...

Muslim numbers down even in Uttar Pradesh

2004-09-15T18:25:00.000-04:00

The Muslim population growth rate in India has been declining steadily as the following article shows. Then why do the Hindutca extremists continue to cry about the "exploding Muslim population bomb ?" My answer will be provided in these pages soon, Insha Allah.

LUCKNOW, SEPTEMBER 15: Forget the debate over whether family planning is allowed by Islam or not. The facts tell their own story. The Census figures for 2001 show that even in Uttar Pradesh, the state with the maximum number of Muslims in the country, the Muslim rate of growth has registered a decline over the past 10 years while the Hindu rate has actually increased by 1 per cent.

In the 1991 Census figures, the growth rate of the Muslim population was pegged at 36.3 per cent, which came down to 31.3 per cent in 2001, a decline of 5 per cent. In comparison, the Hindu population growth rate was 23.2 per cent in 1991 and 24.5 per cent in the current Census, showing an increase.

Daniel Pipes's incitement to violence

2004-09-14T10:33:00.000-04:00

In his latest article veteran Islam hater Daniel Pipes writes in not so many words that whenever there are terrorist attacks the Muslim citizens of the victimized country should be targeted.

"Returning to recent events: the abhorrent Nepalese violence reflected an instinct for self-preservation - hit me and I will hit you back. In contrast, the sophisticated French reaction was supine - hit me and I will beg you to stop. If history is a guide, the Nepalese thereby made a repetition of atrocities against themselves less likely. And the French made such a repetition more likely."

It is ironic or rather hypocritical that this proponent of violence now sits on the board of US Institute of Peace.

Study: Racial profiling a growing U.S. problem

2004-09-13T13:01:00.000-04:00

WASHINGTON (AP) _ A human rights group says racial or religious profiling is a deep-rooted problem in the United States.

Amnesty International U-S-A says nearly 32 (m) million people have reported they've been racially profiled.

The group also says at least 87 (m) million people -- or one in three people -- are at risk of being victimized in the United States because of their racial, ethnic or religious background.

Infanticide by any other name

2004-09-12T17:12:00.000-04:00

Looks like this hoopla surrounding the supposed growth in Muslim population in India has been engaged in to divert the attention from the real issues like the disproportionate male-female ratio in the non-Muslim communities. The national average according to the 2001 census is 933 females per 1000 males. The average of Muslims is above the national average: 936:1000. For Hindus it is 931:1000 and for Sikhs is 893 females per 1000 males.

There are many reasons for the disproportionate number of males as compared to women in non-Muslim communities. One of the main reasons are the modern day versions of infanticide.

According to a recent report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) up to 50 million girls and women are missing from India' s population as a result of systematic gender discrimination in India. In most countries in the world, there are approximately 105 female births for every 100 males. In India, there are less than 93 women for every 100 men in the population. The accepted reason for such a disparity is the practice of female infanticide in India, prompted by the existence of a dowry system which requires the family to pay out a great deal of money when a female child is married. For a poor family, the birth of a girl child can signal the beginning of financial ruin and extreme hardship. However this anti-female bias is by no means limited to poor families. Much of the discrimination is to do with cultural beliefs and social norms. These norms themselves must be challenged if this practice is to stop.

Diagnostic teams with ultrasound scanners which detect the sex of a child advertise with catchlines such as spend 600 rupees now and save 50,000 rupees later. The implication is that by avoiding a girl, a family will avoid paying a large dowry on the marriage of her daughter. According to UNICEF, the problem is getting worse as scientific methods of detecting the sex of a baby and of performing abortions are improving. These methods are becoming increasing available in rural areas of India, fuelling fears that the trend towards the abortion of female foetuses is on the increase

Bigots in Switzerland

2004-09-11T21:44:00.000-04:00

Extremist Islam haters from India to France often throw the bogey of the so called population explosion of Muslims in their countries. The contention of Hindutva extremists that Muslims are soon going to overtake the Hindu population in India was found to be totally unfounded.

Now it is the turn of Swiss Islam haters to attack Muslims. The Scottsman newspaper reports:

But now its most radical party of the right has outraged anti-racism groups and Muslim communities by painting a future of the country with a Muslim majority by 2040 in a campaign against a ballot to relax immigration laws.

The anti-Muslim adverts, with the hard-hitting title "Muslims soon the majority", have been posted in newspapers by the right-wing group Committee against Mass Naturalisations.

The controversial adverts caused outrage as they were published less than three weeks before the country is due to vote on easing restrictions on Swiss citizenship for second and third generation foreigners.

The adverts claim that the number of Muslims in Switzerland is doubling every 10 years and by 2040 they would make up 72% of the population.

Hindutva extremists go berserk

2004-09-10T22:54:00.000-04:00

Hindutva extremists go berserk

Hindutva extremists are resorting to desperate means to overturn their electoral misfortunes. These criminals are now planning to demolish the tomb of 17th century Muslim general Afzal Khan who was killed by Shivaji.

"Afzal Khan is an insult to Hindus. We will climb the hill and demolish his tomb," Vyankatesh Abdeo, a VHP leader said yesterday.

The Hindu extremists are masters at giving communal colors to historical events. This is their latest attempt to draw political mileage from next month's elections in the state of Maharashtra where the tomb is located.

Hindutvawadis have gone bankrupt on ideas.

Men with beards not preferred in Hyderabad

2004-09-09T13:18:00.000-04:00

This is true not only in Hyderabad but other cities as well. Not only men with beards but also men in Sherwanis, Topis and other outward signs of religiosity are shunned upon. And this spurning is mutual.

Religiously oriented women also reject men without beards. Doesn't matter how pious these clean shaven men are.

It used to be that only the West was witnessing the commercialisation of love and marriage where only outward appearances matter. This materialistic disease has now reached the heart of the Eastern world.

http://www.deccan.com/home/homedetails.asp#Ladies%20like%20’em%20rich,%20smooth
Hyderabad, Sept 7: Girls in old city would rather get married to a handsome clean-shaven young men earning in dollars or Euro, than fantasise about the local bearded lot. The educated, cultured, modern and attractive girls are dropping hints to their parents to look West for eligible bachelors. The parents, too, in fact are starting to look beyond the city-bred bearded men. People from a cross-section of the Muslim society in the old city revealed to Chronicle that beard which is popular among the religiously inclined local boys do not attract girls. “Bearded people are least preferred. Most of the brides are looking for guys who are clean shaven and are settled abroad,” says Mohammed Iqbal of Iqbal Marriage Bureau, Azampura. “Even girls with MBBS or other higher educational qualifications insist on foreign-settled grooms.

Even if the groom is academically far superior to her, it does not pose a problem, as long as he is settled abroad and is eligible to take her along with him,” says Syed Abdul Majeed of Payam-e-Naaz, Mehdipatnam. However, the word “settled-abroad” by itself cannot ensure a pretty wife. “Abroad” has to mean the US, Australia or the European countries. Demand for men working in the Gulf has gone down over the last few years. The boys who are settled in England, Germany, Australia, Canada and the US are more in demand. This preference is stemmed from the fact that people in western countries are perceived to be earning more than their counterparts in the Gulf. Least in demand are the local young men. “Only parents who cannot live without their daughters are choosing grooms based in the city,” adds Mohammed Iqbal.Hundreds of marriages are taking place in the city at present because of the lunar Islamic month Rajjab which is considered auspicious for weddings.

All the function halls in the old city are doing roaring business with no day free in the week. Most of them have been booked a month or so in advance. They are also reserved for the next month. Speaking about her preference Shameem Sultana, a girl working as a marketing executive in a local company says that she would like to marry a guy who is good looking sans beard and is settled abroad. “If you want to lead a comfortable life then you need money. Most of the guys settled in the city do not earn that much income that can make me happy. So obviously my first choice would be a guy from abroad,” says Shameem Sultana. She says that she would give preference to a clean shaven guy.

Christians serving their faith, 'Muslims' serving themselves

2004-09-08T17:30:00.000-04:00

Christian missionaries have a way with creatively using their talents, abilities, and professions in the service of their faith. Ken Eldred of Living Stone Foundation is one such missionary businessman who has been using his profitable business empire to do missionary work. This article provides an insight into his work.

Contrast this with the work of some individuals with Muslim names who use Islam and Muslims to serve themselves instead of the other way around. It has become fashionable and profitable these days to run all kinds of scams just by adding "Muslim" or "Islamic" to your business name. In India these unscrupulous criminals have left many a family in ruins (See Al Barr, Al Fahad, Charminar).

North American Muslims are not immune to this kind of fraud. The proliferation of Islamic financial institutions in the continent is bound to attract criminal minds as well. Before you get involved in any of these schemes check out the backgrounds of the directors of these organizations. If you have been conned by people claiming to offer Islamic financial services we would like to hear from you. Please email us at muslimfraudbusters@gmail.com

2004-09-07T13:47:00.000-04:00

imperialist bootlicker

V.S.Naipaul: The Imperialist Boot Licker

2004-09-07T13:44:00.000-04:00

You spit on your people,
Your people applaud,
Your former oppressors laurel you.
The thorns biting your forehead
Are contempt
Disguised as concern.

'At Last', Sea Grapes, 1976. From a poem on Naipaul by Nobel laureate Derek Walcott

Nobel Laureate (See A Nobel for Islamophobia) and Imperialist Boot Licker Vidhyadhar Surajprasad Naipaul has done it again. This character never misses an opportunity to attack Muslims.

He justified the 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid by Hindutva fanatics.

Now this bigot calls multiculturalism as a "racket" and "absurd." In an interview with Tatler he says:

What do they call it? Multi-culti It's all absurd, you know. I think if a man picks himself up and comes to another country he must meet it halfway.

He can't say I want the country, I want the laws and protection, but I want to live in my own way. It's become a kind of racket, this multicultural. Jobs for the boys.

This snob vent out his anger on Saudis as well. He accused them of financing terror and said

"It (Saudi Arabia) has contributed nothing to the world - it has just filled the gambling dens and brothels. They are not fine people actually."

Looks like butler Naipaul had a bad encounter with the Saudis at his favorite hang outs and that's why he is so bitter. And this nouveau riche cheapstake has forgotten one important thing. The Saudis may or may not fill the brothels and gambling dens but they do fill the fuel tanks of his cars.

2004-09-06T21:51:00.000-04:00

Lalu Ban Gaya Gentleman

Laloo Ban Gaya 'IT' man

2004-09-06T21:39:00.000-04:00

Bihar's strongman Shri Lalu Prasad Yadav has once again surprised everyone by demonstrating his knowledge of the internet. He had earlier dismissed IT out of hand as "what IT-YT?" and had said that IT doesn't help feed the poor farmer.

But according to family sources he has been making good use of the internet for the past several months and has been digging out information against the right wing Hindutva leaders.

Lalu's new love for Internet is evident in that he often suggests to newspersons to download material from Internet. He also makes regular reference to material downloaded from Internet while interacting with his Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers.

His new love was evident on Sunday when he dubbed Leader of Opposition and top BJP leader LK Advani as "international absconder" on the basis of material gathered from Internet. "It (fact) is all there on Internet. Go and download (from) Internet," Lalu Prasad said regarding an old case registered in Pakistan.

2004-09-06T05:52:00.000-04:00

advani

The Criminal Past of L.K.Advani

2004-09-06T01:04:00.000-04:00

India's most talked about politician has accused the right wing extremist L.K.Advani (former Deputy Prime Minister, current opposition leader) of being an international absconder and an accused in the conspiracy to kill Pakistan's founding father Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

"Advani is an accused in a conspiracy case to kill Jinnah. He is an international absconder," the RJD leader alleged.

"This fact is very much available on internet. Anybody can have access to it," he claimed at a press conference in Patna and asked Advani to explain his position on the issue.

Shri Lalu Yadav also took shots at Samajwadi Party Leader Amar Singh and accused him of being a Dalal, a broker for corporates, and one who is seen "dancing with girls."

Muslim condemnation and context of the Chechen war

2004-09-05T23:56:00.000-04:00

Muslims have condemned the the brutal murders of innocent children in North Ossetia. ( here, here, here, here and here).

But all such condemnations are never enough for Muslim haters. Some bigots still complain that there has not been enough condemnation.
While condemning such attacks it is also important to understand the context in which this atrocity took place . Masha Gessen of the Bolshoy Gorod, a Moscow weekly, provides the explanation in this article: What drives the separatists to commit such terrible outrages?

Harvard Prof. wonders: Why exclude Tareq Ramadan ?

2004-09-05T11:16:00.000-04:00

Dr.Diana L. Eck is professor of comparative religion and director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University. She has defended America's religious diversity through books like A New Religious America: How a "Christian Country" Has Become the World's Most Religiously Diverse Nation.

In this Boston Globe article she wonders why centrist Muslim voice Tareq Ramadan has been barred from entering US:

To bar Ramadan sends a signal of paranoia. The most progressive, engaged, dialogical voices are essential to the robust discussion of issues. How can America encourage "the voices of moderation and tolerance and pluralism within the Muslim world" when, because of fearful ignorance, we insult and exclude them?

Muslims denounce Beslan atrocity

2004-09-05T00:37:00.000-04:00

Muslims from around the world have condemned in no uncertain terms the brutal killings of innocent children in Beslan.

Instead of just condemning the killings, the Muslim world should also engage in peacefully resolving the Chechen issue and find a lasting solution.

2004-09-04T19:17:00.000-04:00

Muslims for Bush booth at ISNA convention

Bushies at ISNA convention

2004-09-04T18:32:00.000-04:00

"At the largest annual convention of American Muslims, a pro-Bush booth has stirred anger among attendees who believe the president's actions since Sept. 11, 2001, have hurt more innocent Muslims than terrorists."

American Muslims are participating full throttle in this year's election. Apart from Muslim Bushies there are also muslims for kerry , and muslims for nader.

So far there have been no Muslims for Badnarik (Libertarian)
, Cobb (Green), or Peroutka (Constitution Party).

Ulema to mediate in Darfur

2004-09-03T13:58:00.000-04:00

A group of ulema lead by Sh.Yusuf Al QaradAwi is visiting the Darfur region of Sudan to mediate between Muslims who are at each others throats. The last time when a Sh.Yusuf Al Qaradawi led delegation tried to mediate was in Afghanistan when the Taleban were intent on destroying the Buddha statues. They failed.

Lets pray they are successfull this time.

Booze ban no bar to Pakistan brewery boom

2004-09-03T10:28:00.000-04:00

Bootlegged alcohol industry is growing by leaps and bounds in Pakistan. The country's only beer industry has seen a 12 % rise in sales since last year. Its Zorastrian owner says : "Ninety-nine per cent of our customers are Muslim."

Muslim unity in America

2004-09-03T09:14:00.000-04:00

For many years there have been talk about bridging the divide between immigrant and African-American Muslim communities. But apart from some cosmetic changes nothing worthwhile has happened.

To confound matters further there are divisions within the community of Imam W.D.Mohammad over adopting mainstream Islamic thinking.

Now some concrete efforts are taking place thanks to efforts of activists like Najee Ali, leader of Project Islamic Hope youth movement who also happens to be the son in law of Imam Warith Deen Mohammad, and Rami Nashahibi of IMAN (Inner-City Muslim Action Network).

Are Virtual Nikahs Valid ? Yes and No

2004-09-03T08:48:00.000-04:00

The fatwa department of Deoband have ruled that a Nikah over the internet between a man living in US and a girl in Pakistan is valid only when the man appoints someone in Pakistan to accept the bride in Nikah on his behalf. The appointee should also identify the groom on the net and the identification should be done public.
Without these conditions the Nikah would be invalid. Maulana Shafi Monis of Jamaate-e-Islami Hind agrees.

But Mufti Muazzam Ahmed of the Barelwi school of thought disagrees. He says: "In Islam, marriage is a contract between two people. It has nothing to do with public gathering. Public gathering is important but not necessary. Public gathering is done just to avoid any misunderstanding in future. It is just a safeguard so that someone does not deny about his or her marriage in future."

"If two people know each other and identify each other, then the nikah is valid."

2004-09-02T17:16:00.000-04:00

Free at last

Anwar Ibrahim:::Free at last

2004-09-02T16:52:00.000-04:00

I couldn't believe it . I just woke up from my qaylula at the ding of a message received to find out that Anwar Ibrahim, the former Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia has been set free from jail after six years imprisonment.

After a public spat with his mentor and the then Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed over the country's economy he was sacked and arrested over trumped up charges of sodomy and corruption. Mahathir, the iron man of Malaysia, at that time rejected several pleas from notable international figures including Sh.Yusuf Al Qaradawi, to release Anwar.

But now Malaysia's highest court has overturned the conviction and released him. Alhamdulillah. Time for me to offer two rakat Nafil and time for Mahathir and Anwar to make up.

Turmoil in Hyderabad, Jews in Guntur

2004-09-02T11:54:00.000-04:00

Hyderabad (India) police recently arrested eight Muslims on suspicion of them being members of Pakistan based militant organization Lashkar-e-Tayyeba. Among the arrested is Maulana Naseeruddin of Anjuman Tahaffuz Shair-e-Islam. Soon after their arrest, burqa clad women barged into the office of the city police comissioner demanding the release of the arrested persons. They were mecilessly beaten and pushed out. Among the demonstrators outside was Muslim legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi.

The arrested men have been accused of planning attacks on Jews and Americans in Andhra Pradesh. According to the police the Telugu speaking Jewish community in the nearby city of Guntur were also a target.

Four days later doubts have already been raised about the veracity of the Police's claims.

According to a mainstream news source one top official told the Chief Minister that the police have erred and that excesses have been committed.

2004-09-01T19:17:00.000-04:00

none

Backlash against Muslims in Nepal

2004-09-01T18:54:00.000-04:00

Whoever were the killers of Nepali hostages in Iraq, they were certainly not friends of Islam and Muslims. The Nepalis were in Iraq not to take part in the war but were laborers who worked as cooks and cleaners for a Jordan based company. Their killing was nothing but a mindless atrocity and has now unleashed a violent backlash in Nepal against the majority Hindu kingdom's Muslim minority (3.8%). Ther crowd attacked and burnt the Kathmandu Jama Masjid. Until now Nepal had no history of anti-Muslim violence unlike neighboring India.

Spam Artists Get Smarter

2004-09-01T14:32:00.000-04:00

I have been unable to understand what motivates people to send spam. I wonder what kind of satisfaction they get by bombarding people with unsolicited emails.

We all know of the Nigerian scams. The supposed son of the late dictator Sani Abacha keeps on sending the spam asking people to wire him couple of thousand dollars so that he can free up his father's frozen assets.

These spammers, or "Spam Artists" as I call them, are turning smarter and creative.

Today I got an email from Mrs.Tahseen. She writes:

"From Mrs.Seema Tahseen.

As salam Alaikum ! ! !

I am Mrs.Seema Tahseen from India. I am married to
Alhaji.Abdul Tahseen who worked with our Indian
Embassy here in Ivory Coast for nine years before he
died in the year 2003 February 14. We were married for
eleven years without a child. He died after a brief
illness that lasted for only four days.

When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of
$1.6 Million with a Bank here in Cote D lvoire.
Presently this money is still in the custody of the
Bank.

Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for
the next Eight months due to my cancer problem. Having
known my condition (cancer of the lever and stroke).

I decided to donate this fund to an Imam or any
faithful Islamic brother or sister that will utilize
this fund the way I am going to instruct herein.

I want somebody that will use this fund for
orphanages, widows , propagating the good news of
Allah and to endeavor that the Mosque of Allah is
maintained and to help lessprevillaged people in the
Islamic Word.

The Quoran made us to know that Blessed is the hand
that giveth. I took this decision because I don't have
any child that will inherit this money and my husband
relatives are not Muslim's they are (Hindus)and I
don't want my husband's efforts to be used by self
acclaimed Hindus.

I don't want in away where this money will be used in
an ungodly way. This is why I am taking this decision
to hand you over this Fund.

I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am
going. I know that I am going to be in the hand of
Allah, because he says in the Holy Quoran that he is
going to fight my battle and I shall hold my peace.

I don't need any telephone communication in this
regard because of my health hence the presence of my
husband's relatives around me always.

I want you and the Mosque to always pray for me.My
happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Muslim
Mom. Whoever that Wants to serve Allah must serve him
in spirit and Truth. Please always be prayerful all
through your life.

Write back as soon as possible, Any delay in your
reply will give me room in sourcing another person for
this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act
accordingly as I Stated herein.

Hoping to receive your Urgent and Positive reponse.

Yours Sister in Islam.

Mrs.Seema Tahseen.
Allah Hafiz.

Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa so now these spam artists not only know my religion but also my national origin.
That is scary

2004-09-01T13:19:00.000-04:00

The new johnnies for Janis

Johnnies for the Janis

2004-09-01T12:43:00.000-04:00

For anyone who ever had the misfortune of being admitted in a hospital wearing the "johnnie" was probably a major embarassment. The short hem and open back of the flimsy robe were especially problematic.

The Maine Medical Center in Portland has devised a new johnnie which meets the religious requirements of Muslims and the cultural and modesty requirements of others.

As always any "concession" (no matter how small or frivilous) to Muslims attracts attacks. The Medical Center has received a dozen emails from people angry that it quickly responded to a request from Muslims, noting that they themselves had complained for years about hospital gowns to no avail.

"Shame on you. What's really sad is our taxes are paying for these morons to go to the doctor in the first place," one bigot said.

Such hatred is expected.

But average Janis of the community have brushed aside such comments. Babu Jani is happy that neither him nor Mrs.Jani would ever have to wear the earlier "johnnies" which apart from exposing them also made them look riddiculous.

Welcome Brothers, Friends, Holy Men & Worldly Men

2004-08-31T23:54:00.000-04:00

Dear Brothers, Sisters, Friends, Holy Men & Worldly Men (or the latter pretending to be the former or a combination of both),

Assalaamu Alaikum

Welcome to the blog of yours truly. For several years I have been thinking of starting a blog but the circumstances where such that the plan never materialized. But at the recent urging of a member of royalty and techno geek I have finally decided to plunge in the deep well of blogging.

This site will keep you updated on my daily wanderings on the net as well as my insensitive, crass, unabashed, and in your face comments. (just kidding ...i am very sensitive person after all).

In other words this site will give you news, views, and all the juice associated with it.

Feel free to take me on any time. Always love a good fight.

salaams for now.

Ayub Khan