Displaying items by tag: Islam

Monday, 21 May 2012 11:00

Maqasid made simple

Al-Maqasid al-Shari’ah, or the higher objectives of Shari’ah, is a manifestly important and yet somewhat neglected discipline of the Shari’ah. The Shari’ah generally is predicated on benefits to the individual and the community, and its laws are designed to protect these benefits and to facilitate the improvement and perfection of the conditions of human life. The Qur’an is expressive of this when it points to the main purpose of the prophethood of Muhammad (SAW): “We have not sent you but as a Mercy to the worlds” (Qur’an 21:107). This can also be seen in the Qur’an’s characterization of itself as “a healing to the (spiritual) ailments of the hearts” and “a Guidance and Mercy” for the believers and mankind (Qur’an 10:57). The objectives of rahmah (mercy or compassion) mentioned in these two verses are further substantiated by other provisions in the Qur’an and Sunnah (the Traditions of the Prophet) that seek to establish justice, eliminate prejudice, and alleviate hardship. The laws of the Qur’an and Sunnah also seek to promote cooperation and support within the family and the society at large.)........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)


Given the fact that the basic principles of international law, which today is generally accepted to govern relations between states within the international community, originate from the traditions of “just war” It would be appropriate to see to what extent the basic doctrines of major religions,particularly Christianity and Islam, accord with the principles upon which the “just war” tradition is based. More specifi cally, it seems to be appropriate to see to what extent these general principles are intrinsic to both traditions, even if it has been Christianity that has most overtly been involved in their evolution. Of course, this assumes that the principles of international law are acceptable to both religious traditions and thus to the states that have evolved within the cultural domains in which they have emerged.)........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)
Friday, 25 November 2011 11:14

The Rise and Fall of the G.D.P.

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Whatever you may think progress looks like — a rebounding stock market, a new house, a good raise — the governments of the world have long held the view that only one statistic, the measure of gross domestic product, can really show whether things seem to be getting better or getting worse. G.D.P. is an index of a country’s entire economic output — a tally of, among many other things, manufacturers’ shipments, farmers’ harvests, retail sales and construction spending. It’s a figure that compresses the immensity of a national economy into a single data point of surpassing density. The conventional feeling about G.D.P. is that the more it grows, the better a country and its citizens are doing. In the U.S., economic activity plummeted at the start of 2009 and only started moving up during the second half of the year. Apparently things are moving in that direction still. In the first quarter of this year, the economy again expanded, this time by an annual rate of about 3.2 percent........ Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)
Published in Media Articles

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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)

Published in Media Articles

Often, but loosely, referred to as a “religion”, Islam may more accurately be depicted as a religiously based way of life, or Din—the Arabic term by which it is described in the Qur’an. This Quranically sanctioned way of describing Islam has the two important merits of, firstly, avoiding the dangers of misunderstanding which can easily arise from using the term “religion” with all the socio-cultural nuances and associations derived from the historical (mainly Christian) heritage and experience of the West in the context of which the term was primarily honed. Secondly and more importantly, it captures the essential characteristic of Islam as a comprehensive system of values and principles which encompasses the entire range of human experience—personal and social, economic and political, artistic and intellectual, creative or otherwise. All of these are sustained in Islam, by faith and endowed with religious meaning and ethical significance.......... Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

 

Wednesday, 14 September 2011 10:57

Peace & Security: Islamic Perspectives

IAIS Malaysia & Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations (IDFR) will convene a One-Day Forum highlighting Islamic teachings on Peace & Security from Islamic perspectives. Seven speakers offer presentations addressing theoretical and pragmatic issues on how Islam conceives of peaceful relations within society, and harmonious relations between nations.

 

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

 

Wednesday, 07 September 2011 09:38

9---11: Ten Years After

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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.

.......Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)

Published in Media Articles
Sunday, 14 August 2011 12:53

Pakistan Zindabad

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Today is our Independence Day. Pakistan Zindabad – Long Live
Pakistan! To have survived 63 years, more ―moth eaten‖ than at birth, is a
great achievement indeed, especially in the face of so many problems
within and without, so much leadership failure, so much callousness. Its
called resilience.
Achievements there are many, but good achievements precious few. For
starters, we broke Jinnah‘s Pakistan in 1971 – Zulfikar Ali Bhutto named
the leftover ‗New Pakistan‘. To be perverse, the anniversary we celebrate
today is the 40th anniversary of Bhutto‘s Pakistan. Was Bhutto solely
responsible? Certainly not! He was responsible in part, but in very large
part. Most responsible was
Today is our Independence Day. Pakistan Zindabad – Long Live Pakistan! To have survived 63 years, more "moth eaten" than at birth, is a great achievement indeed, especially in the face of so many problems within and without, so much leadership failure, so much callousness. Its called resilience. Achievements there are many, but good achievements precious few. For starters, we broke Jinnah‘s Pakistan in 1971 – Zulfikar Ali Bhutto named the leftover 'New Pakistan‘. To be perverse, the anniversary we celebrate today is the 40th anniversary of Bhutto‘s Pakistan. Was Bhutto solely responsible? Certainly not! He was responsible in part, but in very large part. Most responsible was........... Download the full article in pdf attachment (below)
Published in Media Articles
Wednesday, 18 May 2011 14:07

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)

Wednesday, 03 August 2011 10:58

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)

 

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