Displaying items by tag: jihad
Suicide bombings are un-Islamic
SUICIDE falls under the Quranic prohibition of killing without a just cause simply because a Muslim does not have the right to take his own life. Since life is a God-given gift, it may not be subjected to destruction and abuse even by oneself. This is why syariah prohibits suicide as a heinous sin for which the perpetrator is liable, in the event of an unsuccessful attempt, to a deterrent penalty of ta’zir. If the attempt succeeds, the person is still liable...............Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)
Concept of ‘jihad’ misunderstood
THE concept of jihad fisabilillah (striving in the path of God) as contained in the Quran and Hadith has often been distorted and misused by the perpetrators of military violence and terrorism, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. Matters are made worse by the fact that the word has gained commercial appeal in Europe and the United States. Writers seeking to make their publications commercially successful have...............Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)
Uncertain endgame in Afghanistan
Before a somber seminar on the country's future in Petaling Jaya, Selangor, last week, Mohmand tried to lighten his pessimism by exaggerating for effect. But between the candour and humour of his chat at the International Institute of Advanced Islamic Studies Malaysia was a sorrow that could not be concealed by bluffness........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)
The Rise and Fall of the G.D.P.
Talking Turkey: The Underlying Causes of the Israeli-Turkish Rift
Until recently, the “special relationship” between Israel and Turkey appeared unbreakable. Underpinned by shared perceptions of the threats and opportunities in their regional environment and cemented by an extensive web of joint initiatives in trade, intelligence, and defense, the Turkish-Israeli alliance blossomed in the 1990s. Any differences that arose between these two regional heavyweights paled in comparison to the overarching affinity and mutuality of interests that existed between them.
At least that’s the way it seemed at the time. Beneath the apparent façade of goodwill between the two countries lay a growing gap in values and political cultures that set the stage for a deterioration of relations as two major crises transpired. The first of these was Israel’s offensive against the Gaza Strip in the winter of 2008/2009, followed a year and a half later by Israel’s attack on the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish-flagged ship attempting to deliver humanitarian aid to the still-besieged Gazans. The divergence in values between the two countries began to take shape at the turn of the twenty-first century, and accelerated after Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan came to power in 2003—a period that coincided with significant strides toward democracy in Turkey ....... Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)
Peace & Security: Islamic Perspectives
Venue: IDFR, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jalan Wisma Putra, 50460 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Date: 4rth October 2011 (Tuesday)
Time: 09:00am - 04:30pm
Read more from the event link here >> Peace & Security Forum, Tuesday 4th October 2011
9---11: Ten Years After
On the 10th anniversary of the 9-11 tragedy, it would be instructive to reflect on the disastrous impact of that tragedy upon the entire human family.
One, hundreds of thousands, perhaps a couple of million, lives have been lost in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Afghan-Pakistan border and other places as a direct or indirect consequence of the so-called “war on terror” that followed 9-11. It is not just the violence generated by the US helmed occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan that is responsible for this. Terror groups that resist occupation or are seeking to avenge the death of innocent children and women at the hands of the occupiers, or those who are embroiled in the tussle for power or enmeshed in inter-sectarian and inter-factional feuds---like Al-Qaeda--- are also culpable.
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Palestine's Hidden History of Nonviolence
Last weekend, as tens of thousands of unarmed refugees marched toward Israel from all sides in a symbolic effort to reclaim their right of return, the world suddenly discovered the power of Palestinian nonviolence. Much like the "Freedom Flotilla," when nine activists were killed during an act of nonviolent international disobedience almost a year ago, the deaths of unarmed protesters at the hands of Israeli soldiers drew the world's attention to Palestine and the refugee issue............ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)
Islam has no Room for Terrorism
There are two groups promoting the concept that Islam is tolerant of terrorism. The first is those wishing to hijack Islam for their political purposes and who have distorted and misquoted religious text to justify their abhorrent actions. The second are those who wish to spread fear and hatred of Muslims to suit their political or economic agendas, and similarly distort and misquote religious text to claim that Islam condones such abhorrent actions. However, mainstream traditional Muslims are and always have been very vocal in condemning both such extremist groups.......... Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)