By Alaa Abul-Enein
TALLINN – After decades of oppression under the Communist rule, Muslims in the northern European republic of Estonia are happily enjoying their religious festivals with congregational prayers and outdoor festivities.
"There are no restrictions on Muslims celebrating `Eid or performing their religious rituals," Liya Iman Makhmutova, director of the Islamic Society of Estonia’s women section, told IslamOnline.net.
In the early morning of Friday, November 27, Muslims in the capital Tallinn will flock to the Islamic Center for a special prayer marking `Eid el-Adha.
"After prayers, people stay in the mosques until the preacher finishes his sermon," she said.
The `Eid sermon is delivered in four languages; Russian, Estonian, Arabic and Tatari.
"It feels great when you see each worshipper enjoying the sermon delivered in his own language," explains Mufti Ildar Muhhamedsin.
The details of the `Eid might sound very common and basic for many Muslims around the world.
But for people who suffered for decades under the yoke of the Communist rule, they are not.
"Under the Communist rule people would gather in `Eid inside the house of one Muslim or maybe in the cemetery to pray and celebrate in secret," Makhmutova recalled.
"Now the situation has totally changed."
There are nearly 8,000 Muslims in Estonia, making up one percent of the country’s 1.2 million people.
Muslims are mainly Sunni Tatars and Shiite Azeri whose ancestors immigrated to Estonia after the passing of Livonia and Estonia into the Russian Empire in 1721.
The northern European country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and joined the European Union in 2004.
Outdoor
Following the `Eid prayers, the Islamic Center in Tallinn organizes a small tea and cake part for the worshippers.
"This get-together is very important for Muslims," said Makhmutova.
"Many of those who attend the prayers are new reverts, who don’t have relatives to celebrate `Eid with," she explained.
"Therefore we meet after the prayers to celebrate `Eid together."
Muslims then go to make their sacrifice.
"Estonian Muslims are keen on performing Udhiyah," says Mufti Muhhamedsin.
A financially-able Muslim sacrifices a single sheep or goat or shares six others in sacrificing a camel or cow as an act of worship during the four-day `Eid Al-Adha.
The ritual commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail to Allah as an act of obedience and submission.
The Udhiyah meat should be divided in three equal parts, one each for one's own family, friends and the poor.
The festivities begin on the second day of `Eid el-Adha.
"Many families prefer to celebrate `Eid in the open air," said Makhmutova.
"We rent a guesthouse in a forest where contests are organized and barbecues are served."
Families also prepare popular delicious meals such as Kabsa (a family of rice dishes, meat and vegetable).
Mufti Muhhamedsin says the outdoor celebration helps strengthen relations among Estonian Muslims.
"It is an opportunity to meet people we have not seen for long.
"It also allows youth and children to know each others and strengthen their relations."
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1258880571360&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
Friday, November 27, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Twin blasts rocks Assam, five killed, 50 injured
By IANS,
Guwahati : Two powerful explosions rocked Assam's Nalbari town Sunday, killing five people and wounding more than 50, police said.
The explosions are seen as a retaliatory strike by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) after two of its senior leaders were arrested earlier this month, officials said.
The blasts took place in a span of about 20 minutes, beginning at 10 a.m. Nalbari town is about 70 km west of Assam's main city of Guwahati.
"Preliminary reports indicate five people were killed and more than 50 injured in the twin explosions," a senior police official said.
Police had earlier claimed there were three explosions. They later confirmed there were just two blasts, and the third was just firecrackers going off in a nearby locality.
The first explosion took place just outside the Nalbari police station, while the second went off about 20 meters away around 10.20 a.m. near a market.
"Both the bombs were packed in sacks and kept on parked bicycles," the official said.
Most of the victims were morning shoppers or vendors as there was a Sunday market teeming with people close to the blast sites.
"It was total panic and chaos with human limbs strewn all over the place and blood splattered on the road," Ankur Das, a witness, told IANS.
"The sound of the first blast was deafening. The second explosion took place in front of our eyes. Many people who came rushing to the site of the first explosion got injured in the second blast," another witness Biplab Barman said.
Police blamed the ULFA for the twin explosions.
"The modus operandi of the two blasts suggests it was the handiwork of the ULFA. The explosions are nothing but attempts to make a point after two of their top leaders were arrested," the official said.
ULFA "foreign secretary" Sasha Choudhury and "finance secretary" Chitraban Hazarika, in police remand since Nov 6, were arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) near Gokul Nagar in Tripura Nov 5 while trying to sneak into India. The duo were based in Dhaka. The ULFA has denied their arrest.
There have been reports in a section of the media that the two were arrested in Bangladesh and handed over to the Indian authorities Nov 2.
On Monday, ULFA rebels blew up a petroleum-laden train in eastern Assam. At least 20 wagons went up in flames and a loss of Rs.100 million was estimated.
The ULFA is a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland in Assam since 1979. The insurgency in the state has claimed about 10,000 lives in the past two decades.
Guwahati : Two powerful explosions rocked Assam's Nalbari town Sunday, killing five people and wounding more than 50, police said.
The explosions are seen as a retaliatory strike by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) after two of its senior leaders were arrested earlier this month, officials said.
The blasts took place in a span of about 20 minutes, beginning at 10 a.m. Nalbari town is about 70 km west of Assam's main city of Guwahati.
"Preliminary reports indicate five people were killed and more than 50 injured in the twin explosions," a senior police official said.
Police had earlier claimed there were three explosions. They later confirmed there were just two blasts, and the third was just firecrackers going off in a nearby locality.
The first explosion took place just outside the Nalbari police station, while the second went off about 20 meters away around 10.20 a.m. near a market.
"Both the bombs were packed in sacks and kept on parked bicycles," the official said.
Most of the victims were morning shoppers or vendors as there was a Sunday market teeming with people close to the blast sites.
"It was total panic and chaos with human limbs strewn all over the place and blood splattered on the road," Ankur Das, a witness, told IANS.
"The sound of the first blast was deafening. The second explosion took place in front of our eyes. Many people who came rushing to the site of the first explosion got injured in the second blast," another witness Biplab Barman said.
Police blamed the ULFA for the twin explosions.
"The modus operandi of the two blasts suggests it was the handiwork of the ULFA. The explosions are nothing but attempts to make a point after two of their top leaders were arrested," the official said.
ULFA "foreign secretary" Sasha Choudhury and "finance secretary" Chitraban Hazarika, in police remand since Nov 6, were arrested by the Border Security Force (BSF) near Gokul Nagar in Tripura Nov 5 while trying to sneak into India. The duo were based in Dhaka. The ULFA has denied their arrest.
There have been reports in a section of the media that the two were arrested in Bangladesh and handed over to the Indian authorities Nov 2.
On Monday, ULFA rebels blew up a petroleum-laden train in eastern Assam. At least 20 wagons went up in flames and a loss of Rs.100 million was estimated.
The ULFA is a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland in Assam since 1979. The insurgency in the state has claimed about 10,000 lives in the past two decades.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Pilgrims Ready for Hajj, Unfazed By Swine Flu
IslamOnline.net & News Agencies
MAKKAH – While the swine flu panic is spreading across the world, the nearly three million Muslim pilgrims packing the holy city of Makkah for the spiritual journey of hajj are unfazed by the virus.
"People are not talking about the H1N1 flu,” Palestinian pilgrim Ibrahim Qanan told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Saturday, November 21.
“They reserve their time for their devotions.”
Around three million pilgrims from over 160 countries are expected to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, this year.
Preparing for the world's largest gathering, Saudi authorities are on alert to prevent outbreak of the virus during hajj.
Stockpiles of generic Tamiflu vaccine have been brought to vaccinate the pilgrims.
Thermal cameras have also been installed at air and sea terminals in Jeddah where most pilgrims arrive.
Thousands of 15,000 health workers are deployed, and hospitals have hundreds of extra beds to handle any rise in illness.
Saudi authorities have also deployed mobile units which can instantly send to a central monitoring centre the locations of infections, to monitor outbreaks.
In Medina, Makkah and Jeddah, Saudi authorities have also placed a number of special mach-virus in suspected cases.
Fliers and posters are hung in the streets and facades of hotels warning the pilgrims about the virus.
"The situation is under control and, God willing, it is very reassuring," said health ministry spokesman Dr Khaled Marghlani.
So far, despite a number of infections, no pilgrim has died from the H1N1 virus.
The swine flu, a mixture of various swine, bird and human viruses, first emerged in Mexico in April.
The virus has so far killed around 6,750 people in 191 countries.
Devotion
The pilgrims, however, are unfazed by the swine flu panic, dedicating their time to their devotion.
"People are not paying too much attention to all these posters," said Ashraf Abu Nimr, a 26-year-old Algerian from France.
"Personally, I'm not worried as I received a swine flu vaccination before leaving home.”
Umm Said, a Mauritanian pilgrim, is also unworried.
"The pilgrims take care of themselves,” she said.
“We don't need all these facilities.
"More than a million of us pray at the same time in the heart of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, and there is no sign of the disease."
Every able-bodied adult Muslim -- who can financially afford the trip -- must perform hajj once in their lifetime.
Hajj will climax on Thursday, November 26, when the faithful descend the Mount `Arafat.
MAKKAH – While the swine flu panic is spreading across the world, the nearly three million Muslim pilgrims packing the holy city of Makkah for the spiritual journey of hajj are unfazed by the virus.
"People are not talking about the H1N1 flu,” Palestinian pilgrim Ibrahim Qanan told Agence France-Presse (AFP) on Saturday, November 21.
“They reserve their time for their devotions.”
Around three million pilgrims from over 160 countries are expected to perform hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, this year.
Preparing for the world's largest gathering, Saudi authorities are on alert to prevent outbreak of the virus during hajj.
Stockpiles of generic Tamiflu vaccine have been brought to vaccinate the pilgrims.
Thermal cameras have also been installed at air and sea terminals in Jeddah where most pilgrims arrive.
Thousands of 15,000 health workers are deployed, and hospitals have hundreds of extra beds to handle any rise in illness.
Saudi authorities have also deployed mobile units which can instantly send to a central monitoring centre the locations of infections, to monitor outbreaks.
In Medina, Makkah and Jeddah, Saudi authorities have also placed a number of special mach-virus in suspected cases.
Fliers and posters are hung in the streets and facades of hotels warning the pilgrims about the virus.
"The situation is under control and, God willing, it is very reassuring," said health ministry spokesman Dr Khaled Marghlani.
So far, despite a number of infections, no pilgrim has died from the H1N1 virus.
The swine flu, a mixture of various swine, bird and human viruses, first emerged in Mexico in April.
The virus has so far killed around 6,750 people in 191 countries.
Devotion
The pilgrims, however, are unfazed by the swine flu panic, dedicating their time to their devotion.
"People are not paying too much attention to all these posters," said Ashraf Abu Nimr, a 26-year-old Algerian from France.
"Personally, I'm not worried as I received a swine flu vaccination before leaving home.”
Umm Said, a Mauritanian pilgrim, is also unworried.
"The pilgrims take care of themselves,” she said.
“We don't need all these facilities.
"More than a million of us pray at the same time in the heart of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, and there is no sign of the disease."
Every able-bodied adult Muslim -- who can financially afford the trip -- must perform hajj once in their lifetime.
Hajj will climax on Thursday, November 26, when the faithful descend the Mount `Arafat.
3 Million Muslim Pilgrims in Makkah to Perform Haj
‘Haj boost Muslim unity’
Hamid Al-Sulami | Arab News
November, 20, 2009
MAKKAH:
Millions of pilgrims, who have come from different parts of the world for this year’s Haj, attended Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
The Makkah imam reminded the faithful of the annual pilgrimage’s role in strengthening Muslim unity.
“We can see here people praying to God in different languages, who have come from different corners of the world. They try to know each other and understand the meaning of unity and solidarity,” Sheikh Saud Al-Shuraim said at his Friday sermon. He urged the Muslim faithful to stand united under the banner of Islam, following the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
At the Prophet’s Mosque, Shaikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Qassim led the Friday prayer. “The Haj will cleanse the faithful of sins they committed in the past,” the imam said in the Friday sermon, quoting a Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). “Paradise is the reward for a blessed Haj,” he pointed out.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who have been in Madinah since the beginning of the Haj season are arriving in Makkah now. “A bus departs for Makkah every five minutes,” said Muhammad Abdul Rahman Al-Bijawi, director of the Madinah branch of the Haj Ministry.
Almost 800,000 pilgrims have visited Madinah to pay homage to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and pray at his mosque. They have also visited the historic sites, including the Quba Mosque, the Qiblatain Mosque and Al-Baqeea graveyard. Of these pilgrims, half arrived by land and the rest by plane.
Faisal bin Abdul Rahman Usra, director of the office for pilgrim bus guidance, said 28,656 buses carried 1.24 million pilgrims to Makkah as of Friday.
Meanwhile, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah arrived in Jeddah on Friday en route to Makkah to closely supervise this year’s Haj operation. Senior officials including Intelligence Chief Prince Muqrin and Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah accompanied him.
Nearly three million pilgrims are expected to perform Haj this year, which begins on Nov. 25. According to a Haj official, there was a 13 percent increase in the number of pilgrims who have come from abroad this year compared to last year.
— Input from Yousuf Muhammad and Muhammad Humaidan
17,000 pilgrims enter Kingdom from Tuwal
Muhammad Al-Majid | Arab News
JAZAN:
Despite the tensions at the border in Jazan province, more than 17,000 pilgrims have entered the Kingdom at the Tuwal border crossing as of Friday evening. These pilgrims come from different countries apart from Yemen, including Indonesia, Egypt and Russia.
Muhammad Ghulam, an Indonesian pilgrim, expressed his satisfaction at his opportunity to enter the Kingdom across the border and the warm welcome he received from Saudi officials.
“The officials simplified the entry procedures and supplied us with bottles of drinking water and fruit juice. They also gave us ihram (the two pieces of cloth worn by male pilgrims) and umbrellas in addition to booklets on Haj rites printed in Bahasa,” Ghulam told Arab News.
Egyptian pilgrim Ramadan Mutawalli said he was satisfied with the services at the crossing point. A special team from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance supplied booklets containing instructions on Haj rites.
“About 15,000 copies of booklets about the correct rites, special supplications and the rites to be performed at miqat, entry points for a pilgrim, CDs and tapes of lectures by eminent religious scholars were given to pilgrims,” an official of the Islamic Affairs Department said.
Hamid Al-Sulami | Arab News
November, 20, 2009
MAKKAH:
Millions of pilgrims, who have come from different parts of the world for this year’s Haj, attended Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah.
The Makkah imam reminded the faithful of the annual pilgrimage’s role in strengthening Muslim unity.
“We can see here people praying to God in different languages, who have come from different corners of the world. They try to know each other and understand the meaning of unity and solidarity,” Sheikh Saud Al-Shuraim said at his Friday sermon. He urged the Muslim faithful to stand united under the banner of Islam, following the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
At the Prophet’s Mosque, Shaikh Abdul Mohsen Al-Qassim led the Friday prayer. “The Haj will cleanse the faithful of sins they committed in the past,” the imam said in the Friday sermon, quoting a Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him). “Paradise is the reward for a blessed Haj,” he pointed out.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who have been in Madinah since the beginning of the Haj season are arriving in Makkah now. “A bus departs for Makkah every five minutes,” said Muhammad Abdul Rahman Al-Bijawi, director of the Madinah branch of the Haj Ministry.
Almost 800,000 pilgrims have visited Madinah to pay homage to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and pray at his mosque. They have also visited the historic sites, including the Quba Mosque, the Qiblatain Mosque and Al-Baqeea graveyard. Of these pilgrims, half arrived by land and the rest by plane.
Faisal bin Abdul Rahman Usra, director of the office for pilgrim bus guidance, said 28,656 buses carried 1.24 million pilgrims to Makkah as of Friday.
Meanwhile, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah arrived in Jeddah on Friday en route to Makkah to closely supervise this year’s Haj operation. Senior officials including Intelligence Chief Prince Muqrin and Education Minister Prince Faisal bin Abdullah accompanied him.
Nearly three million pilgrims are expected to perform Haj this year, which begins on Nov. 25. According to a Haj official, there was a 13 percent increase in the number of pilgrims who have come from abroad this year compared to last year.
— Input from Yousuf Muhammad and Muhammad Humaidan
17,000 pilgrims enter Kingdom from Tuwal
Muhammad Al-Majid | Arab News
JAZAN:
Despite the tensions at the border in Jazan province, more than 17,000 pilgrims have entered the Kingdom at the Tuwal border crossing as of Friday evening. These pilgrims come from different countries apart from Yemen, including Indonesia, Egypt and Russia.
Muhammad Ghulam, an Indonesian pilgrim, expressed his satisfaction at his opportunity to enter the Kingdom across the border and the warm welcome he received from Saudi officials.
“The officials simplified the entry procedures and supplied us with bottles of drinking water and fruit juice. They also gave us ihram (the two pieces of cloth worn by male pilgrims) and umbrellas in addition to booklets on Haj rites printed in Bahasa,” Ghulam told Arab News.
Egyptian pilgrim Ramadan Mutawalli said he was satisfied with the services at the crossing point. A special team from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance supplied booklets containing instructions on Haj rites.
“About 15,000 copies of booklets about the correct rites, special supplications and the rites to be performed at miqat, entry points for a pilgrim, CDs and tapes of lectures by eminent religious scholars were given to pilgrims,” an official of the Islamic Affairs Department said.
NIA exposes militant-politician-bureaucrat-contractor nexus in Assam
By Syed Zarir Hussain, IANS,
Guwahati: The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has come up with some startling revelations about the politician-militant-bureaucrat-contractor nexus in Assam with government funds to the tune of millions going to the coffers of a separatist group.
The NIA, in its final chargesheet submitted in the court of the Special Judge in Guwahati Nov 17, said elected members of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) helped the outlawed Jewel Garlosa faction of the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD-J) to siphon government funds.
"The main activity of the DHD-J after 2006 was to siphon off government funds through extortion with the help of elected members of the Council, contractors, and government servants, in order to finance their subversive activities," the NIA charge sheet, a copy of which is available with IANS, said.
The NIA was entrusted by the central government in June 2009 to investigate a criminal case after Assam police arrested two DHD-J rebels in April with Rs.10 million cash and weapons.
The two arrested rebels, Phojendra Hojai and Babul Kemprai, spilled the beans during initial interrogation by Assam police, saying the cash was handed over to them by the Chief Executive Member of the NCHAC, Mohit Hojai.
The North Cachar Hills district is in southern Assam where the writ of the DHD-J reigns supreme. The DHD-J in September surrendered en masse before Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
"Mohit Hojai and other accused public servants, along with accused contractors, committed criminal misconduct and defalcated huge sums of money from the funds available with NCHAC, which was channelized through Hawala (illegal channels) operators in Guwahati and Kolkata to reach arms smugglers, who in turn supplied weapons to the DHD-J," the NIA charge sheet said.
The NIA accused 14 people in the charge sheet of whom 11 are in jail. The two arrested DHD-J militants are out on bail. Another DHD-J leader Niranjan Hojai, named as an accused in the charge sheet, has not yet been arrested as he led the surrender ceremony in September and is presently at a government-run designated camp.
The state Social Welfare department Deputy Director R.H. Khan, also an accused, is in jail now for conniving with the militants in swindling development funds in the same case.
"Elections to the NCHAC were held in 2007 and the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) party was elected to power in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The ASDC had the tacit support of the DHD-J," the NIA charge sheet said.
"Investigations revealed that a portion of funds allotted to two Public Health Engineering (PHE) departments and Social Welfare department were utilized by the DHD-J. Rs.130.5 million was directly siphoned away from the Social Welfare department and about Rs.30 million from the PHE department in 2009," the charge sheet said.
There was also large scale corruption by the NCHAC under its chief Mohit Hojai with business contracts being given to fictitious firms and payments made without the job actually completed or in some case not even started.
The NIA charge sheet also sought permission to produce DHD-J leader Niranjan Hojai in court to face trial as he was the person who received the funds from the NCHAC.
NIA is a new federal agency approved by the Indian government to combat terror and is empowered to deal with terror related crimes without special permission from the states.
The NIA has now referred the matter to the central government for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe as there were government officials involved in criminal misconduct.
Guwahati: The National Investigating Agency (NIA) has come up with some startling revelations about the politician-militant-bureaucrat-contractor nexus in Assam with government funds to the tune of millions going to the coffers of a separatist group.
The NIA, in its final chargesheet submitted in the court of the Special Judge in Guwahati Nov 17, said elected members of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) helped the outlawed Jewel Garlosa faction of the Dima Halim Daogah (DHD-J) to siphon government funds.
"The main activity of the DHD-J after 2006 was to siphon off government funds through extortion with the help of elected members of the Council, contractors, and government servants, in order to finance their subversive activities," the NIA charge sheet, a copy of which is available with IANS, said.
The NIA was entrusted by the central government in June 2009 to investigate a criminal case after Assam police arrested two DHD-J rebels in April with Rs.10 million cash and weapons.
The two arrested rebels, Phojendra Hojai and Babul Kemprai, spilled the beans during initial interrogation by Assam police, saying the cash was handed over to them by the Chief Executive Member of the NCHAC, Mohit Hojai.
The North Cachar Hills district is in southern Assam where the writ of the DHD-J reigns supreme. The DHD-J in September surrendered en masse before Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.
"Mohit Hojai and other accused public servants, along with accused contractors, committed criminal misconduct and defalcated huge sums of money from the funds available with NCHAC, which was channelized through Hawala (illegal channels) operators in Guwahati and Kolkata to reach arms smugglers, who in turn supplied weapons to the DHD-J," the NIA charge sheet said.
The NIA accused 14 people in the charge sheet of whom 11 are in jail. The two arrested DHD-J militants are out on bail. Another DHD-J leader Niranjan Hojai, named as an accused in the charge sheet, has not yet been arrested as he led the surrender ceremony in September and is presently at a government-run designated camp.
The state Social Welfare department Deputy Director R.H. Khan, also an accused, is in jail now for conniving with the militants in swindling development funds in the same case.
"Elections to the NCHAC were held in 2007 and the Autonomous State Demand Committee (ASDC) party was elected to power in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party. The ASDC had the tacit support of the DHD-J," the NIA charge sheet said.
"Investigations revealed that a portion of funds allotted to two Public Health Engineering (PHE) departments and Social Welfare department were utilized by the DHD-J. Rs.130.5 million was directly siphoned away from the Social Welfare department and about Rs.30 million from the PHE department in 2009," the charge sheet said.
There was also large scale corruption by the NCHAC under its chief Mohit Hojai with business contracts being given to fictitious firms and payments made without the job actually completed or in some case not even started.
The NIA charge sheet also sought permission to produce DHD-J leader Niranjan Hojai in court to face trial as he was the person who received the funds from the NCHAC.
NIA is a new federal agency approved by the Indian government to combat terror and is empowered to deal with terror related crimes without special permission from the states.
The NIA has now referred the matter to the central government for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe as there were government officials involved in criminal misconduct.
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