Is Riba ( Interest ) Haram for Muslims ? What are the alternative that you can say about it ?
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Monday, January 24, 2005
Sunday, January 23, 2005
Thousands of Muslims Celebrate Eid Al-ADHA in US
Thousands of Muslims Celebrate Eid Al-Adha in US
Barbara Ferguson
Arab News
WASHINGTON, 22 January 2005 — In the US, Eid Al-Adha was overshadowed by President Bush’s inauguration Thursday. But at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center thousands of worshippers gathered to celebrate one of Islam’s holiest days. The mosque, one of the largest in the Washington region, sits quietly behind tall Cyprus trees off a busy highway. But yesterday, 12 policemen were on hand to direct traffic and keep it flowing.
Dar Al-Hijrah’s Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, director of the Outreach Program, met Arab News yesterday to facilitate meeting some of the mosque’s members, after prayer. During prayers, this correspondent sat in the ladies’ section, where some women volunteered to help her retie her scarf, which had slipped revealing some hair. Another woman approached, saying: “Will you please pray with us?” After prayer, an American Muslim, named Aisha, came forward to introduce herself. “I’ve just moved from the West Coast,” she said, “and I’m looking to meet other Anglo-Muslims.”
Aisha said she converted to Islam 21 years ago, when she married an Iraqi. “I’ve never lived on the East Coast before. There’s a big Muslim American community in Seattle, with more American Muslim women converts. It’s a very nice community that’s well-integrated, I feel more comfortable there than here,” said Aisha, who works at art museums in Washington, DC.
She said she comes here to meet other American Muslim women who understand the Arab culture, and who share similar values. “Someone to speak to, who will understand,” she said. The conflict in Iraq “contributed to the breakdown of our marriage,” with her former Iraqi husband. But she recently decided to marry another Muslim, a Pakistani. “I’m still a bride,” she said, smiling.
Although it’s hard for her to get away from work on Fridays, she managed to get away for Eid. “Muslims are requested to pray on this day, which is why I came.” It’s nice when everyone gathers together.”
Hoda, who emigrated from Syria five years ago, said she also came to pray with other Muslims. With her two daughters clasping at her, she said: “I prayed our family will be happy, and for goodness in our lives, and in the lives of others.” She encountered no problems since 9/11. “Everyone is very nice where we live. I think that if a person tries to be nice, people are nice in return.”
Asli Amin, an American Muslim who lives locally, works as an account technician at National Airport, and also volunteers at the mosque’s school office. Asked if wearing a hijab at work causes problems, Asli said: “Some passengers have a little problem with me when they see me, they may look twice. They don’t think I’m American.” But if someone makes a comment to her, she said other people “immediately come up to say they’re so sorry and that I shouldn’t pay attention to someone who was rude to me. The airport authorities have been very kind to me.”
Nadifa Mohamed, of Somalian origin, works in the school off of Dar Al-Hijrah. “The most important message we try to give the children here is to know who they are, and to be able to defend themselves against the people who are ignorant and call us terrorists,” said Nadifa. “If they know their ‘deen’ (religion) they will be able to respond by giving a clear message about who we really are, and not the kind of people the media here describes us to be.”
Imam Johari Abdul-Malik, who ushered Arab News into the director’s office to meet Muslim men after prayers spoke of the “team approach” at the mosque. “The resident imam is a Muslim scholar in Shariah law. I’m the director of Outreach.”
Having an American at the mosque who understands the American mentality and can deal with non-Muslims is vital, he said. “It’s important that there’s an American at the mosque to speak with media, to defend Islam who can talk about the rights of Muslims. It would be difficult for us if we had an imam who didn’t understand the process here,” said Imam Johari.
Asked about his prayers at Eid, he said: “I prayed to strengthen Muslims in this time of difficulties and to let them be proud that they are a living example of how people can live together, despite different ethnic, economic, and social backgrounds.”
Rain Disrupts Final Day Of HAJJ
Rain Disrupts Final Day of Hajj
Syed Faisal Ali, Siraj Wahab & Hassan Adawi, Arab News
MINA, 23 January 2005 — A torrential downpour that swept Mina disrupted the retreat of pilgrims as this year’s Hajj drew to a close yesterday. The rare spell of rain started belting down across the arid valley around 3 p.m. as many of the 2.56 million pilgrims began streaming out of the tent city after performing the stoning ritual for the third consecutive day.
On the final day of Hajj the valley was abuzz with rumors about some kind of incident or accident at the Jamrat Bridge. However top security sources denied any untoward incident had occurred. The sources, however, did acknowledge that there was some kind of trouble brewing in the area near the bridge after pilgrims had massed in large numbers with their bag and baggage.
According to an independent estimate some 20-25 pilgrims sustained injuries as a result of a minor stampede. The situation was immediately brought under control by alert security men. They stood their ground and helped the elderly and infirm when the rain came pouring down and the pilgrims began to run helter-skelter. Many pilgrims were also reported missing in an otherwise trouble-free and peaceful Hajj which according to old-timers was the best organized ever. No one was reported dead or sustaining serious injuries though eyewitnesses said many were bleeding as they were taken to hospital.
As trouble started at the Jamrat Bridge area security forces monitoring the area from helicopters alerted ground staff who immediately sprang into action and brought the situation under control. Dozens of ambulances with their sirens blaring were at hand to ferry the injured pilgrims to nearby hospitals.
Indian and Pakistani Hajj missions contacted by Arab News denied any knowledge of any incident. “All our pilgrims are safe,” they said. Among the missing were, however, many Indians and Pakistanis. They included Hafeezunnisa of Ambedkarnagar, her husband Khaliqur Rahman, Kunhi Moinuddin, Shamsuddin and Amina (all Indians); and Sherbhadur from Pakistan, Bilal and Moinuddin from Bangladesh and Raisul Islam from Nigeria.
Right from early morning Mina was enveloped by thick black clouds and a strong wind was blowing across the valley. The skies finally opened up at 3 p.m. Though the rain subsided after a couple of hours it was still drizzling at press time. Water and electricity supplies were cut soon afterward but restored after an hour. Knee-deep water flooded all streets from Mina to Makkah and threw traffic off gear.
Vehicles were stranded in the waterlogged streets. Traffic police were seen helping small cars out of the floodwaters. Huge cranes were used to lift stranded buses out of the way.
Eyewitness accounts from pilgrims trapped in the flash floods showed that they were caught off-guard and were paralyzed by fear of being drowned. At least one of the victims contacted by Arab News was overwhelmed with emotion as he gave a graphic account of the panic that had gripped the pilgrims.
Mujib Ibne Raza Siddiqui, who works for Saudi Research & Publishing Co., told Arab News that “the swirling floodwaters came rushing down the hills and gushed forth into tents sweeping away mattresses and other things lying on the floor. There was total chaos, each one for himself or herself. People were running helter-skelter to escape from the torrents.”
He continued: “We ran out carrying whatever we could in knee-deep waters. At one point the water level rose so high that some cars began floating. Should anyone, God forbid, slip and stumble, he could have been swept away. The main reason was that these tents were located right on the path of the floodwaters racing down this hilly region.”
In another eyewitness account, Manzar Khan, a bank employee, said the force of the floodwaters swept away bags and brief cases from the tents. “Our entire camp has been deserted. We are simply unable to go out for the stoning rituals, because there is no place where we can deposit our luggage.”
Jamil Yousuf, a Filipino who works for Elaf Hotel in Makkah, said the downpour was so sudden that the pilgrims were caught unawares. This created chaotic scenes leading to the loss of their belongings.
Munseer Rafee, a Sri Lankan national, said one of the main reasons for the flooding was the poor drainage system in the Mina area. In the absence of storm water drains, the streets got flooded creating panic and confusion in their wake. However, ambulances and civil defense personnel rushed to the scene to rescue people marooned in the floodwater, said Rafee, who had to wade through knee-deep waters.
As the rain force decreased, the streets of Mina were littered with all kinds of trash. Watches and costume jewelry were swept downstream as wayside vendors abandoned their wares and ran for cover when the downpour came. But the vendors who were fleecing the pilgrims for the past four days suddenly turned do-gooders, removing old Hajis from harm’s way.
The ferocity of the downpour caught the pilgrims by surprise but if did not surprise officials at the South Asia Establishment for Pilgrims. Engineer Mahmoud of the establishment said: “We were prepared for the rain as it was forecast. Thankfully, the rain came on the final day of Hajj when the pilgrims are in Mina. Had it rained earlier the entire administration machinery would have been thrown out of gear.”
“Mina is a valley. There is an outlet for water in the valley,” said the official.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims were still in Mina without finishing the lapidation ritual. According to convention, these pilgrims who fail to leave Mina before nightfall should stay back for another day to complete their rituals.
Many of the pilgrims were ecstatic at the day’s rain because according to them this was a sure sign that God had accepted their Haj.
Authorities have called this year’s Haj the largest in history, saying up to three million people attended. Latest figures put the number at 2.56 million.
Saudi television showed images of the pilgrims under the heavy rain performing the stoning ritual and the mandatory circumambulation of the Kaaba.
Authorities have introduced measures to deal with the crowd passing over the Jamrat Bridge in Mina. Last year, 251 people were trampled to death when they were caught in a stampede.
This year, lines of security men have created a human barricade forcing pilgrims to exit the opposite end of the bridge which can carry 160,000 pilgrims per hour, according to authorities.
The pilgrims will start heading home late today.
— With input from Javid Hassan in Riyadh
Syed Faisal Ali, Siraj Wahab & Hassan Adawi, Arab News
MINA, 23 January 2005 — A torrential downpour that swept Mina disrupted the retreat of pilgrims as this year’s Hajj drew to a close yesterday. The rare spell of rain started belting down across the arid valley around 3 p.m. as many of the 2.56 million pilgrims began streaming out of the tent city after performing the stoning ritual for the third consecutive day.
On the final day of Hajj the valley was abuzz with rumors about some kind of incident or accident at the Jamrat Bridge. However top security sources denied any untoward incident had occurred. The sources, however, did acknowledge that there was some kind of trouble brewing in the area near the bridge after pilgrims had massed in large numbers with their bag and baggage.
According to an independent estimate some 20-25 pilgrims sustained injuries as a result of a minor stampede. The situation was immediately brought under control by alert security men. They stood their ground and helped the elderly and infirm when the rain came pouring down and the pilgrims began to run helter-skelter. Many pilgrims were also reported missing in an otherwise trouble-free and peaceful Hajj which according to old-timers was the best organized ever. No one was reported dead or sustaining serious injuries though eyewitnesses said many were bleeding as they were taken to hospital.
As trouble started at the Jamrat Bridge area security forces monitoring the area from helicopters alerted ground staff who immediately sprang into action and brought the situation under control. Dozens of ambulances with their sirens blaring were at hand to ferry the injured pilgrims to nearby hospitals.
Indian and Pakistani Hajj missions contacted by Arab News denied any knowledge of any incident. “All our pilgrims are safe,” they said. Among the missing were, however, many Indians and Pakistanis. They included Hafeezunnisa of Ambedkarnagar, her husband Khaliqur Rahman, Kunhi Moinuddin, Shamsuddin and Amina (all Indians); and Sherbhadur from Pakistan, Bilal and Moinuddin from Bangladesh and Raisul Islam from Nigeria.
Right from early morning Mina was enveloped by thick black clouds and a strong wind was blowing across the valley. The skies finally opened up at 3 p.m. Though the rain subsided after a couple of hours it was still drizzling at press time. Water and electricity supplies were cut soon afterward but restored after an hour. Knee-deep water flooded all streets from Mina to Makkah and threw traffic off gear.
Vehicles were stranded in the waterlogged streets. Traffic police were seen helping small cars out of the floodwaters. Huge cranes were used to lift stranded buses out of the way.
Eyewitness accounts from pilgrims trapped in the flash floods showed that they were caught off-guard and were paralyzed by fear of being drowned. At least one of the victims contacted by Arab News was overwhelmed with emotion as he gave a graphic account of the panic that had gripped the pilgrims.
Mujib Ibne Raza Siddiqui, who works for Saudi Research & Publishing Co., told Arab News that “the swirling floodwaters came rushing down the hills and gushed forth into tents sweeping away mattresses and other things lying on the floor. There was total chaos, each one for himself or herself. People were running helter-skelter to escape from the torrents.”
He continued: “We ran out carrying whatever we could in knee-deep waters. At one point the water level rose so high that some cars began floating. Should anyone, God forbid, slip and stumble, he could have been swept away. The main reason was that these tents were located right on the path of the floodwaters racing down this hilly region.”
In another eyewitness account, Manzar Khan, a bank employee, said the force of the floodwaters swept away bags and brief cases from the tents. “Our entire camp has been deserted. We are simply unable to go out for the stoning rituals, because there is no place where we can deposit our luggage.”
Jamil Yousuf, a Filipino who works for Elaf Hotel in Makkah, said the downpour was so sudden that the pilgrims were caught unawares. This created chaotic scenes leading to the loss of their belongings.
Munseer Rafee, a Sri Lankan national, said one of the main reasons for the flooding was the poor drainage system in the Mina area. In the absence of storm water drains, the streets got flooded creating panic and confusion in their wake. However, ambulances and civil defense personnel rushed to the scene to rescue people marooned in the floodwater, said Rafee, who had to wade through knee-deep waters.
As the rain force decreased, the streets of Mina were littered with all kinds of trash. Watches and costume jewelry were swept downstream as wayside vendors abandoned their wares and ran for cover when the downpour came. But the vendors who were fleecing the pilgrims for the past four days suddenly turned do-gooders, removing old Hajis from harm’s way.
The ferocity of the downpour caught the pilgrims by surprise but if did not surprise officials at the South Asia Establishment for Pilgrims. Engineer Mahmoud of the establishment said: “We were prepared for the rain as it was forecast. Thankfully, the rain came on the final day of Hajj when the pilgrims are in Mina. Had it rained earlier the entire administration machinery would have been thrown out of gear.”
“Mina is a valley. There is an outlet for water in the valley,” said the official.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims were still in Mina without finishing the lapidation ritual. According to convention, these pilgrims who fail to leave Mina before nightfall should stay back for another day to complete their rituals.
Many of the pilgrims were ecstatic at the day’s rain because according to them this was a sure sign that God had accepted their Haj.
Authorities have called this year’s Haj the largest in history, saying up to three million people attended. Latest figures put the number at 2.56 million.
Saudi television showed images of the pilgrims under the heavy rain performing the stoning ritual and the mandatory circumambulation of the Kaaba.
Authorities have introduced measures to deal with the crowd passing over the Jamrat Bridge in Mina. Last year, 251 people were trampled to death when they were caught in a stampede.
This year, lines of security men have created a human barricade forcing pilgrims to exit the opposite end of the bridge which can carry 160,000 pilgrims per hour, according to authorities.
The pilgrims will start heading home late today.
— With input from Javid Hassan in Riyadh
Viktor Yushchenko sworn in as president of ukraine
Yushchenko Sworn in as Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko was sworn in as president of Ukraine, Sunday, January 23, 2005, ending weeks of turmoil and setting the stage for the ex-Soviet state to edge closer to Europe while upholding traditional links with Russia. Yushchenko took the oath of office during a parliament ceremony attended by hundreds of guests, including outgoing US Secretary of State Colin Powell and presidents of seven countries. The president-elect urged the Ukrainian nation to overcome deep-seated divisions after a bruising election.
Indian Nationalist Party (BJP) with its communal slogan gears up for early election
Guwahati, Jan 22: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gearing up for the forthcoming assembly election in Assam six months before schedule as indicated by Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
Disclosing this at a press conference here today State BJP president Indramoni Bora said,”We are ready for election even six months before schedule”.
On the election in the BTAD, Bora informed that BJP would contest 40 seats. “An election co-ordination committee has been formed to prepare for the election”, he added.
Condemning the Congress led state government failure to maintain law and order in the state, the BJP president alleged, “ The recent blasts and Minister-militant links signifies deteriorating law and order situation”.
Apart from criticizing Government’s recent decision to increase the pension age by one year, Bora also condemned the recent price hike of essential commodities including LPG cylinders.
Another senior party leader Narayan Borkotoki demanded an immediate action plan for the repair and rehabilitation of the damage caused by recent flood in the state. “Government have failed to take relief measures and an immediate action plan is necessary”, he demanded.
Earlier the BJP president informed that the party would contest the Morpang Assembly seat in the upcoming bi-election in the three assembly seats in Meghalaya the other two being in Garo Hills. BJP leader Ramen Deka and Kamakhya Prasad Tasa were also present on the press conference.
Asserting that it was well prepared in the eventuality of an early Assembly poll in the State, the BJP today held the Tarun Gogoi government responsible for an administrative and law and order collapse in the State, and said that it had been befooling the people by failing to honour its pre-election commitments. “The gross anomalies in the distribution of food grain meant for below poverty line (BPL) families have exposed the hollowness of the Congress’ pretensions as to its concerns for the poor,” BJP State president Indramoni Bora told a press conference. Bora said that hundreds of BPL families were not getting rice meant for them, something that lays bare the deceit played by the Congress on the people who had been promised BPL food grain. Terming Mangaldoi as a case in point, BJP MP Narayan Barkataki said that the beneficiaries of BPL food grain had not been getting their share, which should otherwise be available under various schemes, for quite some time. “There has hardly been timely distribution of BPL food grain in Darrang district, and the State Government is least bothered to check the anomalies and ensure easy availability of the food grain to the beneficiaries,” he said. Describing the law and order situation and the administration as “in total doldrums,” Bora said that the Government was running the affairs of the State through the backdoor. “By its own admission, it is the bureaucrats who are running the Government,” he said and questioned the necessity of the Government. “The job of the Government is to formulate policies and let the bureaucracy implement those, but the Tarun Gogoi Government has given a free hand to the bureaucrats,” he added. Bora also came down heavily on Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for his “refusal” to see the grave threat posed to the State by the Pakistan’s ISI that has been aiding and abetting militancy in the region. “The State Government had been warned against the growing activities of the ISI by the Central intelligence time and again, and the recent arm seizures also confirm ISI presence in the State, but the Government never wants to admits it for the fear of losing its Bangladeshi vote bank,” he said. Elaborating on the party’s preparedness for the next Assembly polls, the State president said that right now the thrust was on strengthening base of the party at the grassroots, and the issue of forging any alliance would come up later. A three-member committee to look after poll-related affairs has also been constituted with Narayan Barkataky, Rameswar Boro and Biswarup Bhattacharya.
It is to be mention that from where will this time INP wil get its support , from the out siders or from the fanatic brahmins , during the last national election - their famous slogan ''india is shining'' , they whole heartly were in fantastic world or in the world of ali baba , and now without mentioning ''india is shining '' , they have come to some problem , for which they are responsible i.e people living below poverty line , it is interesting to note that , about their partner in andra pradesh ,where farmers did sucide but why if india is shining . They are saying that about growing ISI activities , but are they saying about the influx of millions of hindus .
Disclosing this at a press conference here today State BJP president Indramoni Bora said,”We are ready for election even six months before schedule”.
On the election in the BTAD, Bora informed that BJP would contest 40 seats. “An election co-ordination committee has been formed to prepare for the election”, he added.
Condemning the Congress led state government failure to maintain law and order in the state, the BJP president alleged, “ The recent blasts and Minister-militant links signifies deteriorating law and order situation”.
Apart from criticizing Government’s recent decision to increase the pension age by one year, Bora also condemned the recent price hike of essential commodities including LPG cylinders.
Another senior party leader Narayan Borkotoki demanded an immediate action plan for the repair and rehabilitation of the damage caused by recent flood in the state. “Government have failed to take relief measures and an immediate action plan is necessary”, he demanded.
Earlier the BJP president informed that the party would contest the Morpang Assembly seat in the upcoming bi-election in the three assembly seats in Meghalaya the other two being in Garo Hills. BJP leader Ramen Deka and Kamakhya Prasad Tasa were also present on the press conference.
Asserting that it was well prepared in the eventuality of an early Assembly poll in the State, the BJP today held the Tarun Gogoi government responsible for an administrative and law and order collapse in the State, and said that it had been befooling the people by failing to honour its pre-election commitments. “The gross anomalies in the distribution of food grain meant for below poverty line (BPL) families have exposed the hollowness of the Congress’ pretensions as to its concerns for the poor,” BJP State president Indramoni Bora told a press conference. Bora said that hundreds of BPL families were not getting rice meant for them, something that lays bare the deceit played by the Congress on the people who had been promised BPL food grain. Terming Mangaldoi as a case in point, BJP MP Narayan Barkataki said that the beneficiaries of BPL food grain had not been getting their share, which should otherwise be available under various schemes, for quite some time. “There has hardly been timely distribution of BPL food grain in Darrang district, and the State Government is least bothered to check the anomalies and ensure easy availability of the food grain to the beneficiaries,” he said. Describing the law and order situation and the administration as “in total doldrums,” Bora said that the Government was running the affairs of the State through the backdoor. “By its own admission, it is the bureaucrats who are running the Government,” he said and questioned the necessity of the Government. “The job of the Government is to formulate policies and let the bureaucracy implement those, but the Tarun Gogoi Government has given a free hand to the bureaucrats,” he added. Bora also came down heavily on Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for his “refusal” to see the grave threat posed to the State by the Pakistan’s ISI that has been aiding and abetting militancy in the region. “The State Government had been warned against the growing activities of the ISI by the Central intelligence time and again, and the recent arm seizures also confirm ISI presence in the State, but the Government never wants to admits it for the fear of losing its Bangladeshi vote bank,” he said. Elaborating on the party’s preparedness for the next Assembly polls, the State president said that right now the thrust was on strengthening base of the party at the grassroots, and the issue of forging any alliance would come up later. A three-member committee to look after poll-related affairs has also been constituted with Narayan Barkataky, Rameswar Boro and Biswarup Bhattacharya.
It is to be mention that from where will this time INP wil get its support , from the out siders or from the fanatic brahmins , during the last national election - their famous slogan ''india is shining'' , they whole heartly were in fantastic world or in the world of ali baba , and now without mentioning ''india is shining '' , they have come to some problem , for which they are responsible i.e people living below poverty line , it is interesting to note that , about their partner in andra pradesh ,where farmers did sucide but why if india is shining . They are saying that about growing ISI activities , but are they saying about the influx of millions of hindus .
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