By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The Social Democratic Party of India, (SDPI), has demanded that Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram should clarify his position forthwith and immediately tender a public apology to Muslims for having hurt their feelings by reportedly equating Jihad with terrorism.
The SDPI General Secretary A. Sayeed in a Press statement deplored Chidambaram for his reported remarks about Islam by equating Jihad with terrorism. The double-speak of his now stands exposed and his outrageous comparison of the two has hurt the feelings of Muslims to the core. His remarks show the shallowness of his knowledge about Islam and its teachings, h said.
The statement said: "The SDPI wonders how an erudite person like Chidambaram can stoop so low and indulge into balancing act. A few months back he had praised Islam in high terms while addressing the gathering of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind in Deoband and said that terrorism has been wrongly attached with Islam which preaches peace. However, now addressing police and intelligence officials last week he has equated Jihad with terrorism.
It was never expected of Chidambaram to play such a dirty game when Muslims had propelled Congress to retain power in the last Lok Sabha elections. This time round Muslims having high hopes from the Congress to extricate the community, which has been pushed down even below Dalits according to Justice Sachchar Committee report, from the quagmire of fear and hunger, the two worst hallmarks of any underprivileged class in any society, the statement stated.
Sayeed said the tag of terrorism in the name of Jihad is haunting Muslims since very long time. A number of bomb blasts over last few years in the country was even before any investigations was always branded the handiwork of Muslim youth and they were targeted inside-out so vehemently so much that the community was at its wits end as how to tackle the situation. However, investigations by some upright officers of law enforcing agencies stumbling over some concrete evidence found a link between Hindutva forces and these blasts has given relief to one and all as no more blasts are now occurring. The needle of suspicion moving 180 degrees from Muslims to the saffron brigade had given Muslim community a sigh of relief and hoped truth would come out but the calculated elimination of some of these upright officers has dampened it all.
He said now Chidambaram equating Jihad with terrorism has nullified all the gains of investigations which the Muslims thought were working in their favour. For Chidambaram's information Jihad actually is a pious war and it is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. Jihad is a struggle against evils and evil forces. It starts from oneself and goes to the struggle with weapon. It does not always mean war.
The statement pointed out that it is incorrect to say Jihad began from a particular date. Jihad is part of the teachings of Islam. Islam asks its followers to forgive their enemy but also asks them to wage Jihad against them when required. Prophet Muhammad has done both. He forgave his enemies – even those who were his blood thirsty – but at times waged Jihad against them. The Quran has given both instructions.”
Chidambaram's reported statement that Jihad began after 1989, shows his ignorance about the issue. Jihad is as older as the teachings of Islam. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) did Jihad so also his companions (Sahabis).
It seems Chidambaram could not understand the meaning, conditions and limitations of Jihad when he reportedly said Crusades were traditional wars but Jihad is terrorism. Islam says that killing of a single person is like killing of all human beings, the statement added. (pervezbari@eth.net)
Friday, January 01, 2010
Muslims do not share global revival of optimism: survey
By IRNA,
Islamabad : According to a global survey of more than 36,000 statistically selected men and women from 33 countries across the world, global population has become more optimistic than it was a year ago.
However, the rising optimism is not fully shared by men and women of the Muslim faith from both Muslim majority areas and other parts of Europe, North and South America and Asian countries with Muslim minorities.
These findings have emerged from a study carried out by Gallup International in 33 countries across the world: the sample comprised more than 36,000 statistically selected men and women, approximately 9,000 of whom were of Muslim faith.
In response to a question: would you say that new year (2010) will be better, worse or the same as the year just ended (2009), 45% of the global population said it would be better; however the figure was only 34% among the Muslims in the sample.
While overall expectation levels were different among the Muslims and the rest of the world, expectations about economic conditions were roughly the same. 29% of the total global sample expected the new year to be better and 36% expected it to remain the same.
The comparable figure among the world Muslim population was 27% expecting new year to be better and 37% expecting it to remain the same. The balance in both cases expected the new year to get worse or did not respond.
The following comments were made by Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani, Chairman of Gilani Research Foundation in Pakistan and a member of Gallup International Board, the apex body which runs its global polls: “considering that many Muslims consider the current global war on terror discriminating against them, the survey findings present a cause of concern.”
The findings of the survey have been released by Gallup International Association headquarters in Zurich.
http://twocircles.net/2010jan01/muslims_do_not_share_global_revival_optimism_survey.html
Islamabad : According to a global survey of more than 36,000 statistically selected men and women from 33 countries across the world, global population has become more optimistic than it was a year ago.
However, the rising optimism is not fully shared by men and women of the Muslim faith from both Muslim majority areas and other parts of Europe, North and South America and Asian countries with Muslim minorities.
These findings have emerged from a study carried out by Gallup International in 33 countries across the world: the sample comprised more than 36,000 statistically selected men and women, approximately 9,000 of whom were of Muslim faith.
In response to a question: would you say that new year (2010) will be better, worse or the same as the year just ended (2009), 45% of the global population said it would be better; however the figure was only 34% among the Muslims in the sample.
While overall expectation levels were different among the Muslims and the rest of the world, expectations about economic conditions were roughly the same. 29% of the total global sample expected the new year to be better and 36% expected it to remain the same.
The comparable figure among the world Muslim population was 27% expecting new year to be better and 37% expecting it to remain the same. The balance in both cases expected the new year to get worse or did not respond.
The following comments were made by Dr. Ijaz Shafi Gilani, Chairman of Gilani Research Foundation in Pakistan and a member of Gallup International Board, the apex body which runs its global polls: “considering that many Muslims consider the current global war on terror discriminating against them, the survey findings present a cause of concern.”
The findings of the survey have been released by Gallup International Association headquarters in Zurich.
http://twocircles.net/2010jan01/muslims_do_not_share_global_revival_optimism_survey.html
Shariath Protection Council mulling legal action against Chidambaram
By TCN News,
Chennai: In a latest development showing that the pressure is being mounted against Home Minister P. Chidambaram to withdraw his objectionable statement on Jihad, Tamilnadu’s Shariath Protection Council is considering to take a civil or criminal action against the minister.
Shariath Protection Council has written a letter to the Union Minister urging him to clarify his position on the media reports about his statement equating Jihad with terrorism and describing it as a war against unbelievers. The Council has termed the minister’s statement on Jihad as baseless and a gross insult to Islam and Muslims.
“In your 22nd Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment lecture in New Delhi on Wednesday the 23rd (December 2009) instant, you are reported to have termed jihadh as “a war or struggle against unbelievers.” Kindly let me know: whether you said that sentence, which the media has reported? On what authority have you based your assertion, which, I have the least hesitation to state, is baseless and a gross insult to Islam and Muslims,” said S M Pasha, Convenor of Shariath Protection Council in his letter to Chidambaram written on December 30.
Shariath Protection Council has asked him to clarify his position in a week otherwise it will be forced to take civil or criminal action against him.
“If I fail to receive your reply within a reasonably short period – say, one week from the date of receipt of this letter, I will constrained to take such civil and/or criminal action as I deem it fit and necessary in the circumstances of the case,” Pasha said in the letter.
Meanwhile, various Muslim organizations and religious leaders have condemned Chidambaram for his statement on Jihad. They include Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Social Democratic Party of India and Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam.
Chennai: In a latest development showing that the pressure is being mounted against Home Minister P. Chidambaram to withdraw his objectionable statement on Jihad, Tamilnadu’s Shariath Protection Council is considering to take a civil or criminal action against the minister.
Shariath Protection Council has written a letter to the Union Minister urging him to clarify his position on the media reports about his statement equating Jihad with terrorism and describing it as a war against unbelievers. The Council has termed the minister’s statement on Jihad as baseless and a gross insult to Islam and Muslims.
“In your 22nd Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment lecture in New Delhi on Wednesday the 23rd (December 2009) instant, you are reported to have termed jihadh as “a war or struggle against unbelievers.” Kindly let me know: whether you said that sentence, which the media has reported? On what authority have you based your assertion, which, I have the least hesitation to state, is baseless and a gross insult to Islam and Muslims,” said S M Pasha, Convenor of Shariath Protection Council in his letter to Chidambaram written on December 30.
Shariath Protection Council has asked him to clarify his position in a week otherwise it will be forced to take civil or criminal action against him.
“If I fail to receive your reply within a reasonably short period – say, one week from the date of receipt of this letter, I will constrained to take such civil and/or criminal action as I deem it fit and necessary in the circumstances of the case,” Pasha said in the letter.
Meanwhile, various Muslim organizations and religious leaders have condemned Chidambaram for his statement on Jihad. They include Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Social Democratic Party of India and Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Earthquake damages property in northeastern India
Guwahati : An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale shook India's northeast Tuesday, damaging property in some parts, including in Assam's main city Guwahati.
The tremor shook the region at 2.30 p.m. with the epicentre plotted near the India-Myanmar border, according to the US Geological Survey.
Cracks have developed in some buildings in Guwahati. In some flats, toilets and wash basins have broken into pieces.
Further details are awaited.
The tremor shook the region at 2.30 p.m. with the epicentre plotted near the India-Myanmar border, according to the US Geological Survey.
Cracks have developed in some buildings in Guwahati. In some flats, toilets and wash basins have broken into pieces.
Further details are awaited.
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