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India-Pakistan
Fatwa against terrorism
2017-06-02
[DAWN] WHEN violence is justified in the name of religion, it is best countered with the language of religion. Last Saturday, 31 prominent scholars from all Moslem schools of thought issued a unanimous fatwa condemning extremism and terrorism. Declaring the supporters of suicide kaboom as traitors, the religious decree defined jihad as being the purview of the state and disallowed the use of force to compel obedience to Islamic laws. The fatwa came at the conclusion of a national seminar organised by the International Islamic University in Islamabad to discuss the reconstruction of Pak society in the light of the Madina Charter. This document, often described as the oldest written constitution in the world, places emphasis on -- aside from various other issues -- peaceful resolution of disputes between people of different faiths, and the right of non-Moslems to autonomy and freedom of religion.

Granted, the fatwa contains little that is original: the Learned Elders of Islam have issued decrees along similar lines several times. There has been, in particular, a general consensus among them against suicide kaboom -- even if it has not always been unequivocal -- in which they have also been targeted. For instance, in 2009, Mufti Sarfaraz Ahmed Naeemi paid with his life for his robust condemnation of suicide kaboom in precisely such an attack. More recently, the JUI-F’s Maulana Ghafoor Haideri was injured when a jacket wallah struck his convoy, killing 27 people. The stance pertaining to jihad in the recently issued fatwa, however, is comparatively unusual. It harks back to the founder of Jamaat-e-Islami
...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
, Maulana Maudoodi, not to mention other religious scholars of yore, who held that only a state can declare jihad and no individual or group has the right to wage a private jihad of its own.

The eminently sensible, if obvious, assertions in the decree have been met with disapproval by Maulana Samiul Haq
...the Godfather of the Taliban, leader of his own faction of the JUI. Known as Mullah Sandwich for his habit of having two young boys at a time...
, who heads his own faction of the JUI. Known as the ’father of the Taliban
...Arabic for students...
’ because his madressah in Akora Khattak, KP, is the alma mater of several senior Afghan Taliban -- including their late leader Mullah Omar
... a minor Pashtun commander in the war against the Soviets who made good as leader of the Taliban. As ruler of Afghanistan, he took the title Leader of the Faithful. The imposition of Pashtunkhwa on the nation institutionalized ignorance and brutality in a country already notable for its own fair share of ignorance and brutality...
 -- the maulana has long been among the most strident supporters of militancy. Expressing concern over the fatwa, he contended that the rulers of the Moslem world were puppets of the West and could not therefore declare jihad against their masters. This is a perverse argument that has never lost currency among the ultra right and has been used to advocate armed struggle against the state. Certainly, resistance against the excesses of undemocratic or dictatorial regimes is morally justifiable, but its objective must be clear and violence should never be used to achieve it. Now, more than ever at this juncture, when various purveyors of violent extremism are creating mayhem in Pakistain and the region, it is important once again for religious leaders to reiterate the principles of peaceful coexistence.

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India-Pakistan
Stop it, for God's sake -- Shumaila Raja
2013-11-15
[Pak Daily Times] In the debate, 'Who is a shaheed (martyr) and who is not', we have gone too far, much to the amusement of our enemy. What the Jamaat-e-Islami
...The Islamic Society, founded in 1941 in Lahore by Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, aka The Great Apostosizer. The Jamaat opposed the independence of Bangladesh but has operated an independent branch there since 1975. It maintains close ties with international Mohammedan groups such as the Moslem Brotherhood. the Taliban, and al-Qaeda. The Jamaat's objectives are the establishment of a pure Islamic state, governed by Sharia law. It is distinguished by its xenophobia, and its opposition to Westernization, capitalism, socialism, secularism, and liberalist social mores...
 (JI) Ameer said was unfortunate, and it really hurt the sentiments of people, the army and the polity. But most of all unfortunate is the JI's opting to stick to its Ameer's stance, probably to gain political mileage. The JI was not in the mainstream. The blurb only served to retrieve its 'lost glory'.

This tiny issue has itself helped to distract the nation's attention from more pressing issues. The Pakistain intelligence agencies have issued reports indicating a rise in sectarian strife in Punjab during the month of Muharram. Two banned
...the word banned seems to have a different meaning in Pakistain than it does in most other places. Or maybe it simply lacks any meaning at all...
organizations will assail opponents during the last three days of Muharrum on the dates of 8th, 9th and 10th respectively. Terrorists will carry out targeted attacks on Shia gatherings, majaalis (commemorative gatherings) and mourning processions, as well as assassinating specific and prominent personalities in order to accomplish their ulterior motives.

This news came amidst reports that the US Senate Intelligence Committee has quietly approved a plan to step up both public and internal government oversight of the use of armed drones to kill suspected gunnies overseas, including US citizens. According to Rooters, the committee voted in closed session earlier this week to approve legislative language that would require the US spy agencies to make public statistics on how many people were killed or injured in missile strikes launched from US-operated drones. The committee also approved language intended to bolster scrutiny of spy agency deliberations over decisions about targeting US citizens or residents for lethal drone strikes overseas. The B.O. regime has been under pressure from foreign governments, the UN and human rights
...which are usually open to widely divergent definitions...
 groups to be more transparent and rigorous in accounting for the civilian casualties caused by drone strikes. Though the committee did not release full details of its deliberations on the measures, sources familiar with the discussions said that some committee Republicans were opposed to the drone-related clauses in the bill, which would authorise intelligence activities for the current government fiscal year that began on October 1.

With this in mind, some saner elements have stepped forward and started creating an environment of rapprochement, urging the JI to offer an apology and asking the military leadership to ignore it. One of the leading analysts, Ehsan Mahmood Khan, who recently authored a book, Human Security in Pakistain, said: "Syed Munawwar Hasan's statement looks to be an isolated and personal opinion. Consider a while that Liaquat Baloch, Jamaat-e-Islami's Secretary General, visited the native town of Major-General Sanaullah Khan Niazi in Daud Khel, Mianwali, on September 18, 2013. He offered condolences with the martyr's younger brothers, Rehmatullah Khan Niazi, DIG, and Ameenullah Khan, ex-Nazim, and paid rich tribute to the dear departed. The JI's local leadership was also accompanying him. Addressing a conference there he told the media that the Pakistain army's sacrifices in the defence of the country were matchless and unprecedented. 'The whole nation is proud of its brave soldiers and officers.' He said that the external involvement in this tragic act could not be unattended, as it has been traced in many cases in the past. This is the time that the Pakistain army, people, political government and media are on one page, which is good omen indeed. Does it mean that Munawwar Hasan and Liaquat Baloch have different views or their point of view is not that of the Jamaat-e-Islami?"Addressing a presser on the spot, he said that the sacrifices of Pakistain army to curb extremism are matchless, and that the entire nation is proud of its army men.

However,
man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them...
 another analyst, Hussain Naqi, has a different opinion. He said, "Howsoever belated, the ISPR retort to JI Amir Munawwar Hasan is interesting but one is surprised that the ISPR spokesperson was unaware that Munawwar's mentor Maulana Maudoodi, whom the ISPR spokesperson mentioned with admiration, had exactly similar views about the shuhada of Pakistain army's 1948 Kashmire war, and what Maulana Maudoodi had said about the creation of Pakistain is also well known. For almost half a century, the army top brass has been collaborating with the Jamaat-e-Islami and its political philosophy in violation of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah's secular standpoint about Pakistain's polity."

In Shahbaz Thuttal's view, the Indians and CIA must be enjoying the outburst of the JI Ameer, as what they have been trying for the last over 60 years to divide the Pakistain nation in two groups and spread hatred against the army is now being actively done by the JI, who were the great supporters of Zia ul Haq
...the creepy-looking former dictator of Pakistain. Zia was an Islamic nutball who imposed his nutballery on the rest of the country with the enthusiastic assistance of the nation's religious parties, which are populated by other nutballs. He was appointed Chief of Army Staff in 1976 by Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, whom he hanged when he seized power. His time in office was a period of repression, with hundreds of thousands of political rivals, minorities, and journalists executed or tortured, including senior general officers convicted in coup-d'état plots, who would normally be above the law. As part of his alliance with the religious parties, his government helped run the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan, providing safe havens, American equipiment, Saudi money, and Pak handlers to selected mujaheddin. Zia died along with several of his top generals and admirals and the then United States Ambassador to Pakistain Arnold Lewis Raphel when he was assassinated in a suspicious air crash near Bahawalpur in 1988...
 and even became ministers under him. The Nawaz government should take a firm and strong stand. Now, otherwise, they will continue to be blackmailed by the JI. It is very strange that the PML-N is the only party that has not given any response so far, except for its Sindh Assembly minority that joined the resolution against the JI Amir's salvo. All other parties have supported the blurb.

In his view, Riaz Jafri said, "I think we should bury the hatchet right here. The JI Ameer said something and the army and the general public gave their own point of view. That should be the end of it instead of insisting upon an 'unconditional apology' and the Ameer sticking to his own guns. Any further digging into the issue is likely to widen the chasm within the nation. Who is a shaheed and who is not, is not for them to decide. As a general belief all soldiers laying down their lives for their country and cause are assumed to be shaheed. Even in the Indian army any soldier dying on the front is called shaheed -- irrespective of his being a Mohammedan or non-Mohammedan. Muhammad Rafi's famous song has become immortal in this context and he is not addressing only the Indian Mohammedans in it: "Watan ki raah me watan ke naujavan shaheed ho/Pukarate hai ye zamin-o-aasama'an shaheed ho/Shaheed teri maut hi tere watan ki zindagi/Tere lahu se jaag uthegi is chaman ki zindagi." However,
man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that sometimes he has to eat them...
 he said, Syed Munawwar Hasan should have refrained from giving his opinion on such a sensitive matter and his utterances can only be termed as most untimely, immature and thoughtless to the extent of being reckless on his part.

Professor Alya Alvi has, however, raised very pertinent questions. She says that the former JI Ameer Qazi Hussain Ahmed
...the absolutely humorless, xenophobic former head of the Pak Jamaat-e-Islami. He was also head of the MMA, a coalition of religious parties formed after 2001 that eventually collapsed under the weight of the holy egos involved. Qazi was the patron of Gulbuddin Hekmatyar during the Afghan mujaheddin's war against the Soviets. His sermons are described as fiery, which means they rely heavily on gospel and not at all on logic. Qazi once recommended drinking camel pee for good health, but that was before his kidneys went...
 (late) twice survived murder attempts. If he were killed, what would then Munawwar Hasan call him: shaheed or killed? If, God forbid, Munawwar Hasan is killed in a kaboom, what would the JI call him: a martyr or just killed? The TTP forces of Evil killed namazis while offering Juma prayers in the Parade Lane mosque, and many other mosques and Imambargah
...since they're religiously correct™, Shia Moslems in Pakistain can't call their houses of worship 'mosques,' which are reserved for Sunnis. It's not clear if imambargahs are used for explosives storage like mosques are...
s. Were those innocent Mohammedans not shaheed?" In fact, the JI and Maulana Fazlur Rehman
Deobandi holy man, known as Mullah Diesel during the war against the Soviets, his sympathies for the Taliban have never been tempered by honesty ...
's statements have tried to damage the national cause and create confusion among the people, particularly the soldiers of our armed forces who are ever ready to sacrifice their lives as and when the nation calls for it.
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India-Pakistan
Extremism in action
2013-01-03
[Dawn] EXTREMISM is one thing as a debatable philosophy, and quite another in its barbaric, physical manifestation. Two examples of the latter, as the world exited 2012, were particularly blood-curdling. The Pak Taliban killed the 22 Levies they had kidnapped, and in Nigeria, Boko Haram
... not to be confused with Procol Harum, Harum Scarum, possibly to be confused with Helter Skelter. The Nigerian version of al-Qaeda and the Taliban rolled together and flavored with a smigeon of distinctly Subsaharan ignorance and brutality...
 marauders slit the throats of a number of men, women and kiddies. The Taliban and Boko Haram both claim to be fighting for causes they deem Islamic, yet farthest from their philosophy is that spirit of compassion which for so many Moslems across the world is fundamental to Islamic teachings.
Well, I just gagged. How about you?
There is a warped logic at play here. Even if the Taliban considered the Moslem Levies 'infidels', and thus deserving of death in their eyes, which Islamic law, especially in early examples, justifies the murder of non-Moslem prisoners of war? They have not stopped there. The Taliban have displayed the remains of their victims as trophies and videotaped executions as a chilling message. Even their arch enemies, no angels when it comes to the rights of prisoners of war (e.g. America in Guantanamo), prefer to hide their excesses.

In the subcontinent, none of the leading Islamic scholars -- including Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi, Maulana Maudoodi and the entire Deoband group -- ever advocated mass slaughter to establish Sharia rule. The examples of PoWs' murder came to Pakistain in the wake of the Afghan war when some foreign faceless myrmidons killed Soviet prisoners.
The Sovs knew very well it was curtains if they were captured, just like ISAF knows it today.
But that was rare and no mainstream cut-thoat group declared this its official policy. The Taliban's record shows there is nothing sacred for them -- schools, mosques, shrines, hospitals, religious processions, peace jirgas or funerals. Their aim is to sow terror as they are averse to employing peaceful means to gain power.
That's why we call them "terrorists," isn't it?
In Nigeria, the Boko Haram is opposed to 'Western' education, but the methods it employs to resist it, take a leaf out of the barbarism prevalent in mediaeval times. In Pakistain it's a matter of deep shame that civil society has maintained silence on these depredations, while the mainstream Learned Elders of Islam have chosen to look the other way, some because they approve of this barbarism, others out of fear.
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India-Pakistan
Nuggets from the Urdu press
2007-11-04
Women not allowed to shop without male relatives
As reported in Daily Pakistan, the local Taliban threatened women shopping in the very busy Main Khel Bazaar in Kohat. Hand written letters threatened shopkeepers, saying that they shouldn’t let women sit on the sofas in their shops. The letters also commanded women not to roam the bazaars without a mehram (male relative). The local police brushed these threats aside as a joke, not to be taken seriously.

Kashmiris’ struggle is for political freedom, not jihad
In an interview with Daily Pakistan magazine, Dr Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Qadri said that fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan was a jihad because Russia forcefully tried to capture Afghanistan. Kashmir can only be solved by the government of Pakistan. People can’t form jihadi organisations and jump into Kashmir. Their acts, which are morally wrong, give India an excuse to oppress Kashmiris. Kashmiris are not waging jihad for Islam, but are struggling for political freedom.

Stock market bullish after presidential election
As reported in daily Express, stock market brokers consider the election of President Musharraf for the next five years a good omen, and expect that the stock market index may cross the psychological barrier of 15,000 points if present economic policies continue for the next five years. The ex-chairman of the Lahore Stock Exchange, Syed Asim Zafar, said that Pakistani stock markets are attractive for foreign investment because of the presence of a large profit margin.

Muslim ummah suffering because of extremism
According to Daily Pakistan, the chairman of Awami Tehreek, Dr Tahir ul Qadri, speaking to journalists in Shehr e Ihtikaf, said that Osama bin Laden has endangered the Muslim ummah, and extremists are spreading atheism. He said that suicide bombing is forbidden in Islam, and it is not serving the Muslim ummah, rather it is causing great difficulties for them. He also said that in the national interest, Musharraf should reconcile with Nawaz Sharif.

Ghazi brothers created fitna
In an interview with Daily Pakistan magazine, Dr Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Qadri said that the Lal Masjid crisis was not jihad, but fitna, which the Ghazi brothers created. The kidnapping of Chinese citizens and other people is not jihad. He said that Muslims should not harm other Muslims or non-Muslims. He said that the ulema’s obligation is to spread the message of Islam. Forcing Islam on others is not the job of the ulema. Jihad is the obligation of the government, and the government alone.

Aiyla Malik cast her vote in burqa
As reported in daily Express, national assembly members, Shaukat Aziz and others were stunned when a minister, Yar Mohammad Rind, refused to bring his wife Aiyla Malik to cast her vote in the National Assembly in the presence of other members. After all the members left the assembly, Yar Mohammad Rind brought his wife Aiyla, in burqa, to cast her vote. Pakistan TV was prohibited from showing her picture.
Boggle.

Miandad criticises Mohammad Yousuf
According to daily Express, ex-cricketer Javed Miandad criticised Mohammad Yousuf’s decision to play for Pakistan while he had a contract with the Indian Cricket League. He said that as a Muslim, Mohammad Yousuf should have honoured his contract, and that even a verbal commitment is binding upon a Muslim. He asked what message we were giving the world by ignoring transparency and principles?

Wife divorced for watching male TV anchor alone
As reported in daily Nawa-e-Waqt, a Saudi Arabian national divorced his wife for watching a male anchor on television alone, according to the Saudi newspaper Al Shams. The Saudi national remained unnamed. In Saudi Arabia, men can divorce their wives without approaching the court.

Lashkar e Islam against long moustaches
As reported in daily Express, the organisation of the Afridi tribe, Lashkar e Islam, gave a one week deadline to every male to cut their long moustaches off. The Lashkar warned that if anyone tried to escape the area, his house would be burned down. The Lashkar termed long moustaches against both Islam and tribal traditions.

Buddha sculpture under attack in Swat
As reported in daily Khabrain, a 2,200 year old statue of Buddha was blasted with gunpowder, destroying its head and other parts. According to an Archaeology Department spokesman, this sculpture is the second largest in Asia, after the destruction of the Bamayan sculptures by the Taliban. Swat was the centre of the Gandhara civilisation and has hundreds of Buddhist monuments and sculptures.

Islam doesn’t order women to cover their faces
In an interview with Daily Pakistan magazine, Dr Mufti Ghulam Sarwar Qadri said that according to the Holy Quran, Hadith and the ulema of Fiqa Hanafia, Islam doesn’t order women to cover their faces. He said that he gave his book to Qazi Hussain Ahmad, who changed his views after reading it. Qazi was convinced that women should cover their faces in the light of Maulana Maudoodi’s books.

Benazir’s statement changed judges’ verdicts
Famous columnist Haroon ur Rashid wrote in daily Express, that famous negotiator Mohammad Faisal disclosed on Tehran TV that Pakistani judges who were hearing the case against President Musharraf for holding two offices changed their decisions after Benazir Bhutto’s statement regarding her willingness to provide access to Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan. The upper echelons of the government were anxious that if the president was disqualified from running for elections, then anarchy would prevail in Pakistan.

Nawaz Sharif’s vendetta against Shahid Nadeem
In daily Express magazine, Ajoka theatre member and writer Shahid Mahmood Nadeem said that in 1997, when Nawaz Sharif became prime minister and came to record his speech at the Lahore PTV station, he was standing to welcome him, as the General Manager of PTV Lahore. Sharif stepped down from his car and asked did you write, “Zard dopahr?” Nadeem said “Yes,” and Sharif stared at him and said that he should prepare to face the consequences. Nadeem thinks he had been briefed by famous journalist Nazir Naji, who was accompanying Sharif.
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India-Pakistan
"We are working to create an Islamic state"
2007-03-20
An Interview with Asiya Andrabi
Born in 1963 in Srinagar's Khanyar locality, Asiya Andrabi was more interested in science than spirituality in her youth. Today, however, she leads Dukhtaran-e-Millat, an all-female group that is older than both the Taliban and Al Qaeda and which the Indian government has branded a "soft terror" group. Dressed in her habitual dark Burka and black leather gloves, an engaging and fervent Andrabi welcomed Kashmir Observer correspondent David Lepeska into her home on a recent Friday morning. Over tea and biscuits the two discussed the justice of sharia law, the progress of Kashmir's independence movement, and the assassination of the President of the United States.

KASHMIR OBSERVER: I've read that as a teenager you wanted to be a scientist but were diverted and became interested in Islam. Could you tell me about that?
ASIYA ANDRABI: : After my graduation I was planning to go to India for my studies because biochemistry was not offered in Kashmir University in those days. My brother, who is a doctor, didn't allow me to go to India for further studies as he was aware of what was happening in India to Kashmiris, especially to Muslim girls. So after a few days I went into my father's library and found this book, "The Inner Feelings of a Woman," compiled by Indian author Miya Faribad. One of the lead stories was of Mariam Jamilah and how she converted to Islam from Chistianity. She had a conversation with Maulana Maudoodi and they spoke and wrote letters and she was converted. When I read this whole it was the turning point of my life. And I made up my mind that Insh'allah I too would spend my whole life devoted to Islam. Before that I did not even know the ABC's of Islam, and that too from such a family that was known for their prominence in Islam (Andrabi's say they are part of the Sayyid clan, originally from Afghanistan ). And then I decided that a Muslim is incomplete unless he or she knows Arabic, because most of the books and key Islamic works are in Arabic. So I started reading Arabic. My father too was an Arabic scholar, and he guided me very properly, and I graduated in Arabic from Kashmir University.
KASHMIR OBSERVER: And soon after that you started Dukhtaran-e-Millat?
ASIYA ANDRABI: In 1981 I started a school, a madrassa in Srinagar, and the response was very warm from the women folk. And then I started my organizational work. I went door to door and I went to the mosque and delivered speeches from the loudspeakers. I talked to women just to tell them the status of women in Islam, and how we were exploited by West as well as East – everybody exploits us. So let us see what Islam has given us.
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India-Pakistan
Nuggets from the Urdu Press
2006-12-23
9/11 done by Jews
Writing in daily Khabrain, Dr Israr Ahamd stated that we are facing discord and hypocrisy at the personal and national level. We lie, don’t keep our words and we are involved in corruption. At the national level, we are victims of hypocrisy and for this we had to face the wrath of God in 1971 in the form of defeat by Hindus who were ruled by Muslims for one thousand years. At the international level, Jews with the help of neocons want to break our nuclear arm and throw us in front of India as a slave. September 11 was the work of Jews. They used the powerful media under their control to turn it against Al Qaeda, which the world didn’t know about before. I heard the name of Al Qaeda from the mouth of GW Bush, otherwise I was completely ignorant of this organisation.

Police investigation, Pakistani style
As reported in daily Express, recently released British resident Mirza Tahir said he was beaten and harassed in Pakistani jail. Talking to a British newspaper, 36 year old Tahir said that the taxi driver Jamshed Khan tried to sexually assault him and he fired a gun to defend himself. Instead of escaping, he went to a police station and reported the incident. Police started beating him mercilessly and kept asking him about the other members of his gang.

Dacoits snatch policeman’s car near station
According to Daily Pakistan, unknown dacoits snatched the car of the SHO of Model Town police, Omar Rashid Butt, at gunpoint, just a few yards from his own police station. The SHO registered his case against car snatching at his own police station against the unknown dacoits.

Father of Pakistani journalism
As reported in daily Pakistan, the father of journalism, Maulana Zafar Ali Khan, was a staunch Muslim who served the Muslim cause by printing Zamindar for 50 years from Lahore. During the welcome of King George V in the Red Fort in Delhi, a majority of the ulema were standing in long lines. When the time for prayer came close, Maulana announced the unity and greatness of God and said azan for prayers, and then spread his coat on the lawns of the Red Fort and offered his prayers.

Hyenas of establishment
Quoted in daily Express, allegedly from the BBC website, wildlife films show a tiger or hyenas stalking thousands of bulls. The hunters separate a weak and young bull to attack him. The mother resists for some time and then joins the herd watching from a distance. The BBC said the hyena of the Pakistani establishment is constantly taking its prey from the Pakistani herd. People were arrested before but now they are disappearing with regularity. The hyenas of the establishment know that thousand of civil society members are only united like the bulls of a herd. Whenever a journalist disappears, only the relevant organisation or newspaper makes noise for some days and then it keeps quite.

Ulema to decide about WPA
As reported in daily Nawa-i-Waqt, the leader of Jamiat Ulema Islam, Maulana Ghafoor Haideri, said that Chaudhry Shujaat shall answer whether the Islamic verdict about Women Bill would be decided by the likes of Mehnaz Rafi, Kashmala Tariq, Sumera Malik or ulema karam (clerical scholars). He said the statements of Qazi Hussain Ahmad are printed as challenges but we talk about facts. The leaders of Jamaat Islami issue their statements from their party level instead of from the platform of Mutahidda Majlis-e-Amal.

No entertainment in province of the pious
As reported in daily Khabrain, Peshawar High court justice Dost Mohammad Khan said that a circus shall be installed in Punjab instead of the NWFP. A writ petition was filed in Peshawar High Court for permission to put a circus in Pakistan International Park in Pabbi. The learned judge said after the passing of Hasbah Bill, now the hasbah force will have sticks (danday) and the MMA government is against these activities. So this circus shall be organised in Punjab, as the situation has changed in NWFP after the Dargai suicide bomb attack. There is danger of another attack at such crowded places.

Maulanas not qualified
Writing in daily Express, Asar Chauhan stated that Allama Iqbal accepted the ijtehad (to find religious solution to a problem) of parliament by the votes of common man. Maulanas of every sect consider the right of ijtehad exclusively for themselves. In the parliament there were individuals who were more learned than the maulanas in Sharia and in legislations. They knew about the religions of the world and other issues of humanity. On this basis, the claim of MMA of sole authority on religious issues can’t be accepted. Maulana Maudoodi first claimed the existing electoral system was un-Islamic. They did ijtehad and then participated in 1971 elections and got only four seats. Again, Maulana Maudoodi said Islam can’t be imposed in Pakistan through elections.

Rameses II locks on sale on internet!
Sarerahe wrote in daily Nawa-i-Waqt that a French national was arrested when he tried to sell the locks of hair of a Pharaoh (Rameses II) on internet. The father of the French citizen was a doctor who did surgery on the mummified body of Rameses II. He pulled out a lock of Rameses hair. That is how the west has developed their heritage. The Pharoah was unlucky as when he was alive Moses pulled his beard and when he died, the French stole locks of his head. It is the favourate hobby of western countries. They do it in a different style. Today the pharaohs should take lesson from the ill treatment of Rameses II. The Pharaoh killed the sons of Egypt but the modern pharaohs are killing the sons of Muslims.

Internet love in Waziristan
According to daily Khabrain, in Bannu district near Waziristan agency, a young man, Aman ullah, started friendship with a Canadian woman, Sharon, on internet, which soon blossomed into true love. She came to Pakistan and accepted Islam because of her love and was named ‘Fatima’. The internet love reached its logical conclusion of marriage. She spent two weeks in Waziristan and then left for Canada with her old mother. Her husband would soon follow her to live in Canada. She was impressed with local customs and said the inhabitants of Waziristan are peace loving, contrary to the assertions of western world.

Holy war on internet
According to daily Nawa-i-Waqt, the Al Qaeda group in Iraq, in a statement on the internet has said that Pope Benedict’s tour of Turkey is part of a crusade. The statement said that the crusaders are now preaching in Turkey after their defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan and the visit of Pope is part of that policy.

Rulers divided, opposition united
As reported in Daily Pakistan, the Pakistan People’s Party leaders on the 39th anniversary of the party, claimed that the ruling government is divided and won’t last longer than 10 days. When secretary general Ghulam Abbas came on stage to deliver his speech, the jiyalas (party workers) started fighting each other and pandemonium spread thoughout the crowd gathered in a ground. At the end of the convention the stage collapsed and all the leaders fell on each other. They included Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Qasim Zia and others.
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Afghanistan/South Asia
'Foreign militants used JI institute'
2004-08-18
Some foreign students who attended the Maulana Maudoodi Institute in Lahore fought for jihadi groups, but the Jamaat-e-Islami school never supported foreign militants, Jamaat sources told Daily Times on Wednesday. "The Maulana Maudoodi Institute in Lahore was once a hub of Arab Mujahideen but the administration was not aware of their activities. After September 11, some of the Arabs disappeared mysteriously and the administration made a conscious effort to look into foreign students," a teacher at the institute said.

The Jamaat is considered the best-organised political party in Pakistan with close links with Islamic movements all over the world and branch offices around the globe. There are independent JIs in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Indian-held Kashmir, but the braches in other countries are controlled by the Pakistan organisation. These branches usually work among overseas Pakistani communities and their basic purpose is to collect funds for the party. The Jamaat has recently faced accusations from Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat that it is supporting Al Qaeda-linked militants. The JI also came under criticism when Al Qaeda members were arrested from members' houses.

However, when Khalid Sheikh Mohammad, considered the top Al Qaeda leader after Osama Bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri, was arrested from a JI man's house in March 2003, the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), in its first ever official press conference, stressed that the Jamaat had no links with Al Qaeda.
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India-Pakistan
Jamaat says NGOs spreading ‘vulgarity’
2003-12-08
I hate it when NGOs fart...
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Naib Ameer Prof Ghafoor Ahmad has warned against organised moves by certain western non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to spread “vulgarity” in the name of human and women’s rights. Speaking at the last session of a conference commemorating scholar Maulana Abul Ala Maudoodi on Sunday, Mr Ahmad said that such moves were aimed at making Muslims stray from the right path. He said Islamic forces would not allow them to impose western values on Muslims.
"No titties, dammit!"
Many religious leaders and scholars from all over the Muslim world spoke on the occasion and asked the participants to pressure Islamic rulers to enforce Sharia and end slavery to America. Nazrul Hassan from Nepal said Muslims in his country were only four percent of the total population and most of them were backward. He sought scholars’ help for translation of the Holy Quran into the Nepalese language.
What better way to cure them of their backwardness?
Dr Kamal Ubaid, foreign affairs director of the ruling National Conference in Sudan, said that Islamic movements in the world must coordinate to fight challenges facing the Muslim world. He said the Islamic movements would succeed if Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) teachings were spread in the world through a well-thought-out plan.
Luckily for us, there's nothing more un-Islamic than a well-thought-out plan...
He said 9/11 was planned to destroy seven Muslim countries besides controlling Islamic movements. Afghanistan and Iraq had already been destroyed.
That leaves five to go...
He said that Islamic movements were bearing fruit in about 80 countries and this bothered capitalist countries.
Ever notice that communists are all but non-existant in the countries with the most visible Islamists, like PakLand and Saudi Arabia?
Sheikh Rashid Al Ghannoshi, president of the Al Nehzat (Al Nahda) Movement in Tunisia, praised Muslim revolutionary leaders like Saiful Islam Ibne Hassan Al Banna Shaheed, Maulana Maudoodi and Imam Khomeini for fighting the West. He warned Pakistanis of a conspiracy to take them to an age similar to the pre-Islamic era of ignorance. He said former president Habib Bourgiba closed down Islamic universities, changed Islamic laws and Tunisian official language from Arabic to French, declared Heaven and Hell as mere illusions, banned polygamy, jailed women for covering their heads, promoted drinking in Ramazan and upheld that adultery was no crime. He said Mr Bourgiba imprisoned about one million Muslims. Most women wore hijab on the streets, but were banned from wearing them at work places, universities and hospitals. He said the young thronged the mosques to offer prayers in Tunisia.
"God, please send more beer!"
The Secretary General of the World Institute for Unity among Islamic Schools of Thought, Ayatollah Muhammad Ali Taskhiri, said the West was trying to divide Muslims by promoting the Al Azhar University scholars. He said that the enemy that earlier attacked Muslims on economic, cultural and religious fronts, now wanted to make “immorality” legal in the name of human rights.
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