Wednesday, August 31, 2011

USA: President and First Lady Obama Send Eid Greetings to Muslims Around the World

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"As Ramadan comes to an end, we send our best wishes for a blessed holiday to Muslim communities around the world. Eid Mubarak."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The US State Department
By DipNote Bloggers | August 30, 2011

On August 30, 2011, President Barack Obama issued a statement on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. President Obama said:

"Michelle and I would like to send Eid greetings to Muslim communities in the United States and around the world. Ramadan has been a time for families and communities to share the happiness of coming together in intense devotion, reflection, and service. Millions all over the world have been inspired to honor their faith by reaching out to those less fortunate.

"This year, many have observed the month while courageously persevering in their efforts to secure basic necessities and fundamental freedoms. The United States will continue to stand with them and for the dignity and rights of all people, whether a hungry child in the Horn of Africa or a young person demanding freedom in the Middle East and North Africa.

"As Ramadan comes to an end, we send our best wishes for a blessed holiday to Muslim communities around the world. Eid Mubarak."

You can read the full statement here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/08/30/statement-president-occasion-eid-ul-fitr



Read original post here: President and First Lady Obama Send Eid Greetings to Muslims Around the World

Beautiful Mosques: Ahmadiyya Muslim Bait’ul Futuh Mosque voted in the top 50 buildings in the world

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The Baitul Futuh Mosque has also been acting as the center for the ‘Loyalty, Freedom and Peace Campaign’ in order for the west to recognize Islam as a peaceful religion and to improve the Integration of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Archives
Source/Credit: Beautiful Mosques
By Beautiful Mosques | May 9, 2010

The Bait’ul Futuh Mosque (Engl.: House of Victories) is the largest mosque in Western Europe. It was built by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in 2003. It is in the south-west London suburb of Morden.

The Bait’ul Futuh Mosque organises several events to serve Muslims and the wider community. Other than holding regular prayers, its services to the wider community include annual Peace Conferences, School tours and local community events such as the ‘Merton Youth Partnership Annual Conference.’ and hosting the BBC Radio 4 Programme ‘Question time?’

The Baitul Futuh Mosque has also been acting as the center for the ‘Loyalty, Freedom and Peace Campaign’ in order for the west to recognize Islam as a peaceful religion and to improve the Integration of Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

USA: Muslim Holy Month Of Ramadan Ends

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"We kind of recall what we went through in the fast and also we eat together, have a big meal and eat and be joyous about the fact that we can eat now," said Dr. Sabir Muhammad of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: WISN - ABC 12
By ABC 12 News | August 30, 2011

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee-area Muslims mark the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

WISN 12 News was invited in to the celebration at the Ahmadiyya Muslim community at 56th Street and Fond du Lac Avenue in Milwaukee.

 The day of thanks marks the end of Ramadan and the 30 days of fasting.

"We kind of recall what we went through in the fast and also we eat together, have a big meal and eat and be joyous about the fact that we can eat now," said Dr. Sabir Muhammad of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

Ramadan is based on the lunar calendar and moves back by about 11 days every year.


Read original post here: Muslim Holy Month Of Ramadan Ends

Atlanta, USA: Islamic Community Celebrates The End Of Ramadan

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"Basically, it's like missing your lunch. And this time of year, water is especially missed, but it helps you understand how it is to go with out like some other people do."

Hazeem Pudhiapura - Photo: CNN/File
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Gwinnett Daily Post
By Meghan Kotowski | August 30, 2011

NORCROSS -- "Eid mubarak!" -- or happy greetings in Arabic. Everyone hugged each other and wished "eid mubarak" to those around them after the hour-long prayer service and khutbah (sermon) given by Hazeem Pudhiapura, Jamat President of Atlanta's Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.

On Tuesday, the mosque of Bai Ul Baqui in Norcross gathered together to celebrate the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting with an event called Eid Ul Fitr or "festivity of breaking the fast."

For the celebration, everyone bought new clothes in bright, vibrant colors. Gifts were given to small children and immediate family. Then the men and women separately enjoyed a meal composed of Basmati rice, chicken in a spicy sauce, a salad and desserts to honor the month's sacrifices.

UK: Global Muslim Community Renews Pledge for Peace

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"We wish Eid Mubarak to all Muslims, and extend goodwill to all across the globe, irrespective of religion or no religion. May Allah bring peace and harmony to us all."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: AMJ - Intn'l | UK
By AMJ / Press Release | August 31, 2011

LONDON,  /PRNewswire/ --The Ahmadiyya Muslim community UK will mark the end of Ramadan and celebrate Eidul Fitr on Thursday September 1 in a way the community has done from its very inception over 100 years ago- by devout prayers for peace.

The community, one of the oldest Muslim organisations in Britain, is engaged with 'Muslims for Loyalty, Freedom & Peace' bus advert campaigns, fundraising for UK charities, blood donor sessions, and inter-faith symposiums across the UK.

After a month of fasting, Ahmadi Muslims will be reminded that the lessons of Ramadan should continue throughout the year.

Rafiq Hayat, President Ahmadiyya Muslim Community UK said:

"Peace, charity, humility and steadfastness are all qualities that Ramadan inculcates, but as the month ends we must be reminded that these are qualities that are part of our daily lives throughout the year, and not just for the holy month. Ahmadi Muslims should be beacons of good citizenship in their local communities and contribute to the well-being of the nation in which they reside.

USA: Hundreds mark the end of Ramadan at Willingboro Ahmadiyya Muslim mosque

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“God doesn’t show up physically anywhere, but one of the ways he does show up is when people get together to celebrate peace, harmony and love. People coming together in harmony, that is a manifestation of God. This blood drive is just an extension of that.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: PhillyBurbs.com
By Rose Krebs | August 30, 2011

WILLINGBORO — Hundreds marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan by praying and sharing a feast together Tuesday at Al-Nasr mosque on Bridge Street.

Many of the about 350 members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community were in attendance, donned in traditional Islamic dress, to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, the end of the holy month of fasting and the second holiest day in the Islamic faith.

After a prayer service and sermon by Farooq Padder of Moorestown, members hugged and greeted each other before sharing a meal together.

Pakistan: Qadri connection | 12 in custody in connection with kidnapping of late governor's son

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 “We have also quizzed Qadri. Some progress has been made in the case but it can not be disclosed at this stage because of the sensitivity of the matter.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Hindu | India
By PTI | August 30, 2011

At least 12 suspects have been taken into custody in Pakistan in connection with the abduction of 27-year-old son of slain Punjab governor Salman Taseer.

The suspects include the people who recently had met Taseer’s assassin Mumtaz Qadri in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi.

The others have been picked up from Defense Housing Authority (DHA), Gulberg and adjoining areas in Lahore.

Mr. Shahbaz was kidnapped by four armed men near his company head-office in Gulberg area on last Friday.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Pakistan: Kidnapping may influence Salman Taseer murder trial outcome

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The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, whose patron was also killed for demanding reform of the controversial laws, also condemned the abduction of Taseer in a resolution passed on August 28th.

Father Emmanuel Yousaf Mani lays a floral tribute on Salman Taseer’s
grave in Lahore (Photo: CathNews)
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Catholic News | India
By UCA News | August 30, 2011

Christian groups have condemned the kidnapping of the son of an assassinated governor who criticized the blasphemy laws in Lahore, Pakistan.

Government agencies have failed to recover Shahbaz Taseer, son of slain governor Salman Taseer, who was abducted August 26. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani visited the residence of Taseer yesterday and assured the family of government’s support.

“The family is suffering since their head spoke up for Christians. One of the daughters, a journalist, has already fled the country after receiving threats. The abduction will only make situation more tense”, said Archbishop Emeritus Lawrence Saldanha of Lahore.

Although no terrorist group has claimed responsibility, Church workers fear it is an attempt to influence the trial of a bodyguard who allegedly killed the governor for vocally opposing the blasphemy laws in the country.

Everything You Think You Know About the Collapse of the Soviet Union Is Wrong

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"We tend to forget that in 1985, no government of a major state appeared to be as firmly in power, its policies as clearly set in their course, as that of the USSR."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Foreign Policy | Articles
By Leon Aron | July / August Issue

Everything You Think You Know About the Collapse of the Soviet Union Is Wrong - And why it matters today in a new age of revolution.

Every revolution is a surprise. Still, the latest Russian Revolution must be counted among the greatest of surprises. In the years leading up to 1991, virtually no Western expert, scholar, official, or politician foresaw the impending collapse of the Soviet Union, and with it one-party dictatorship, the state-owned economy, and the Kremlin's control over its domestic and Eastern European empires. Neither, with one exception, did Soviet dissidents nor, judging by their memoirs, future revolutionaries themselves. When Mikhail Gorbachev became general secretary of the Communist Party in March 1985, none of his contemporaries anticipated a revolutionary crisis. Although there were disagreements over the size and depth of the Soviet system's problems, no one thought them to be life-threatening, at least not anytime soon.

Muslims and Islamophobia: Norwegian Muslim Imam wants beheading for failing to observe the fast

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It is not be difficult to realize that -on top of daily reports of suicide bombing of Muslims killing Muslims - what kind of fear of Islam such videos must generate. 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | EU Desk
Source/Credit: NewAgeIslam.com
By Ahmadiyya Times | August 29, 2011
Adapted from the article by the Editor of New Age Islam

Most of us berate growing Islamophobia in the US, Europe and other parts of the world. But listening to one Norwegian Imam it is not difficult to realize that perhaps fears are not unfounded.

Herein-under is a video of an Imam, Syed Farasat Ali Bukhari - appointed to a position of great respect as their Imam by the Norwegian Muslims – preaching his version of Shariah laws that he hopes to see established in Europe.

The Imam had applied for a license to open a children primary school and the video has created a media uproar about the preacher's points of view.

He falsely claims that all revered Muslim scholars and experts of Islamic jurisprudence are agreed that in an Islamic state those who fail to observe fast in Ramadhan should be beheaded.

Ghana: Vice President Commends Religious Leaders For National Peace

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The Vice-President said the prevailing peace and stability in Ghana is our priced possession, because it is the peace that has helped us to make progress. He said Ghana’s Constitution guaranteed freedom of worship, and indicated that Ghanaians had respected that constitutional provision.

Maulvi Wahab Adam of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community meets
with dignitaries and govt officials (File photo)
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: Modern Ghana
By Daily Graphic | August 30, 2011

The Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama, has commended religious leaders for ensuring peaceful coexistence among the various religious faiths in the country.

He said it was the prevalent peace among Muslims, Christians and other religious faiths that had enhanced the nation’s democracy and made it possible for socio-economic development to take place.

He, however, urged Ghanaians not to take the peace for granted but rather make strenuous effort toward maintaining it.

Mr Mahama was speaking at a special national prayer and thanksgiving ceremony dubbed: The Night of Power organised by the Parliamentary Muslim Caucus at the Banquet Hall of the State in Accra.

ANALYSIS: The Jinnah discourse

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The Right thrive by making questionable claims about faith and community, but since they go unchallenged by the liberals, who hesitate to enter debates about ethics and morality, they stand true and proliferate at an alarming rate.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Times | Pakistan
By Ahmad Ali Khalid | August 24, 2011

The Right thrive by making questionable claims about faith and community, but since they go unchallenged by the liberals, who hesitate to enter debates about ethics and morality, they stand true and proliferate at an alarming rate

The ‘Jinnah’ argument is the heart and soul for the case of a “secular Pakistan”. It is the very reason why Pakistanis still cling to a vision for a secular state that guarantees a liberal framework of rights and liberties. The liberal discussion is very simply the ‘Jinnah discourse’. But sadly it has not evolved or built up a case that has greater reach and more clout.

Let me be clear — I do not think Pakistanis can ever move towards any form of secularism or liberalism without first negotiating the legacy of Jinnah. Every nation-state has to negotiate the existential legacy of their founding father(s), which act as a compass for any future ideological trajectories. In many ways whether we like it or not, it is the personality of the founding father that gives rise to the nature of the state. But we must build on it instead of parroting the same old tired arguments.

Monday, August 29, 2011

Abdul Sattar Edhi: Pakistan’s only true living hero

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“I decided not to knock on the door of the industrialists and the landlords, because they are the root cause of all our social problems. The rich have deprived the people of their rights, and the state does not take responsibility for their welfare. It is my dream to build a welfare state in Pakistan, but I have not seen it come in my lifetime.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Washington Post
By Pamela Constable | August 26, 2011

KARACHI, Pakistan: The office is scarred and shabby, with files jumbled on desks and phone numbers scribbled on walls. There is an air of glee and gravitas, mayhem and mission, like the campaign office of a young firebrand running his first political race.

But the firebrand is in his 80s now, and the office is the headquarters for a revolutionary charitable movement he has built over the past four decades. His mission is to serve poor Pakistanis who are shunned by society, while trying to shame the elites that ignore them and to change the traditions that condemn them to suffer.

His name is Abdul Sattar Edhi. He is a legend in Pakistan, where he has been hailed as a Mahatma Gandhi and Father Teresa — and denounced as an infidel, communist and madman. In a patronage-based nation where wealth and bluster often pass for leadership and cruelty is more common than mercy, he may be Pakistan’s only true living hero.

New York, USA: Blood drive to honor 9/11 victims

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The Rochester chapter will hold its drive to honor the victims of Sept. 11 at the Baitun Naseer Mosque, 1609 E. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Democrat and Chronicle
By D&C | August 28, 2011

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA is conducting a blood drive campaign to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of Sept. 11.

The Rochester chapter will hold its drive to honor the victims of Sept. 11 at the Baitun Naseer Mosque, 1609 E. Main St., from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

The 71 chapters of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA are hoping to collect enough blood to save 30,000 lives. For more information, call (585) 953-6825.

"No one can change the past," says Allison Khan of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, "but everyone can help save Americans who need blood now. We hope you will come out and remember the victims of 9/11 in the best way possible."

Read original post here: Blood drive to honor 9/11 victims

Eye on history: The Jinnah debate —Yasser Latif Hamdani

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The irony is that instead of coming up with a well reasoned critique of Jinnah’s politics, self-professed liberals merely parrot the rhetorical revision Jinnah has been subjected to by the Nazaria-i-Pakistan (ideology of Pakistan) crowd.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Times | Pakistan
By Yasser Latif Hamdani | August 29, 2011

Jinnah’s politics is not and should not be beyond criticism but that criticism should not be based on ideological snippets cobbled together as a consequence of the state’s right wing bias post-General Zia

Ayesha Jalal, probably the finest historian that this country has produced in 64 years, said in a recent interview that the Jinnah discourse as Ahmad Ali Khalid put it in his article ‘The Jinnah discourse’ (Daily Times, August 24, 2011) makes her hopeful that Pakistan will at some point hark back to the original vision that Quaid-e-Azam gave this country. As Mr Khalid put it in his well argued piece, the reason why the impulse for secularism in Pakistan survives in Pakistan is the deep structure that Jinnah, like any founding father, forms for this country.

Georgia, USA: Ahmadi Muslim EID Celebration to Focus on Gratitude

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 Fasting during Ramadan not only fosters discipline, strength and increased focus on worship, it also inspires sympathy for the hungry and poor and encourages Muslims to donate generously to those who need it the most.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Neighbor Newspapers
By Allison Khan | August 28, 2011

The annual Muslim festival commemorates the month of fasting. Muslims across the world prepare for a day of thanks on Eid-ul-Fitr, the celebration that marks an end to Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting.

This joyous day is celebrated to remind Muslims of the importance of caring for others. As the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA prepares for its September memorial efforts honoring the 10th anniversary of 9/11, it opens its doors to everyone who would like to join or observe the Eid-ul-Fitr service, which will begin with a congregational prayer in the morning, followed by a sermon.

Event: Eid-ul-Fitr, Islam's second most important holiday, marks the end of the month of fasting. A complimentary light lunch will be served.

Malta: US Embassy Hosted an Iftar Dinner

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America is known for its diversity and freedom of faith and expression and it has accepted and honoured people of different colours, races and religions. And leaders of this nation show respect to the traditions and customs of different faiths.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: AMJ - Malta
By Laiq Ahmed Atif | August 26, 2011

The US Embassy Malta hosted its annual Iftar Dinner on Thursday 25th August with about 100 guests including the Imam of the Paola Mosque Muhmmad El-Sadi and the National President Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta, Laiq Ahmed Atif.

The Chargé d’ Affaires of the US Embassy Mr. Richard M. Mills and his respected staff welcomed the guests at the dinner.

America is known for its diversity and freedom of faith and expression and it has accepted and honoured people of different colours, races and religions. And leaders of this nation show respect to the traditions and customs of different faiths. This Iftar Dinner was also a great manifestation of great human values and dignity.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Malaysia Church Raid Stokes Religious Tensions

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A coalition of about two dozen Muslim civil society groups also issued a call to make apostasy a national crime. Converting from Islam is already banned in most of Malaysia's 13 states and three federal territories that have Islamic Sharia courts that run parallel to civil courts. Muslims, however, are allowed to proselytize.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Jakarta Globe
By TJG | AFP | August 28, 2011

Kuala Lumpur. A raid by state Islamic enforcers on a church function in predominantly Muslim Malaysia has stirred religious tensions and revived fears of growing Islamisation in the multi-ethnic country.

Officials swooped on a dinner at a Methodist church hall outside the capital Kuala Lumpur on Aug. 3, saying they had information that a group of Muslims were being converted, which is prohibited in much of the country.

The relatively tame incident has unnerved some in one of Southeast Asia's most prosperous nations, where religion and race are intertwined and the various ethnic groups have generally co-existed peacefully.

The Damansara Utama Methodist Church denied the event was held to convert Muslims, but Islamic officials and pro-government media pounced on the case to allege a widespread Christian proselytizing campaign.

Eye on terrorism: Al Qaeda-Linked Islamist Threat Grows In Nigeria

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In the past two years, Boko Haram has met and trained with Qaeda affiliates outside the country, American and Nigerian officials and analysts say.

Nigerian-born Mutallab training at Al Qaeda camp; making threats
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The New York Times
By Adam Nossiter | August 17, 2011

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria -- A shadowy Islamist insurgency that has haunted northern Nigeria -- surviving repeated, bloody efforts to eliminate it -- appears to be branching out and collaborating with Al Qaeda's affiliates, alarming Western officials and analysts who had previously viewed the militants here as a largely isolated, if deadly, menace.

Just two years ago, the Islamist group stalking police officers in this bustling city seemed on the verge of extinction. In a heavy-handed assault, Nigerian soldiers shelled its headquarters and killed its leader, leaving a grisly tableau of charred ruins, hundreds dead and outmatched members of the group, known as Boko Haram, struggling to fight back, sometimes with little more than bows and arrows. [Read more here]


Read original post here: Al Qaeda-Linked Islamist Threat Grows In Nigeria 

For the Record: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America

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Geller and Spencer co-founded the organization Stop Islamization of America, a group whose actions and rhetoric the Anti-Defamation League concluded “promotes a conspiratorial anti-Muslim agenda under the guise of fighting radical Islam. The group seeks to rouse public fears by consistently vilifying the Islamic faith and asserting the existence of an Islamic conspiracy to destroy “American values.”

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: American Progress
By Wajahat Ali, Eli Clifton, Matthew Duss, Lee Fang , Scott Keyes, Faiz Shakir | August 26, 2011

Fear, Inc.: The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America

On July 22, a man planted a bomb in an Oslo government building that killed eight people. A few hours after the explosion, he shot and killed 68 people, mostly teenagers, at a Labor Party youth camp on Norway’s Utoya Island.

By midday, pundits were speculating as to who had perpetrated the greatest massacre in Norwegian history since World War II. Numerous mainstream media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Atlantic, speculated about an Al Qaeda connection and a “jihadist” motivation behind the attacks. But by the next morning it was clear that the attacker was a 32-year-old, white, blond-haired and blue-eyed Norwegian named Anders Breivik. He was not a Muslim, but rather a self-described Christian conservative.

Indonesian Muslim youths keep faith amid reform

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"I worry that Islamic radicals will exploit religious conservatism and influence youths to take their side and push their interests. This may give rise to religious conflicts." 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Yahoo News | AFP
By Arlina Arshad | August 28, 2011

JAKARTA — As a pious young Muslim in Indonesia, Didit Sukmana prays five times a day, recites the Koran daily and fasts during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

That's not all. The 23-year-old student and Jakarta resident refuses to shake hands with women, will not marry a non-Muslim and approves of such Islamic Hudud sanctions as cutting off the hands of thieves and stoning adulterers to death.

"I wholeheartedly agree that sharia law should be implemented in Indonesia. If beheading and hand-chopping put people off crimes which then results in a more orderly society, why not?" he told AFP.

USA: Blood drive by Muslims for Life Campaign set in Georgia

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A blood drive for Georgia will be held at Baitul Baqi Mosque in Norcross, Georgia on Sunday, September 11, 2011. Please come out and support our cause! Many churches across America are supporting us by donating blood.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Neighbor Newspapers
By Allison Khan | August 27, 2011

Join the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community as we launch “Muslims for Life,” a nationwide campaign to honor the victims of 9/11 on its 10th anniversary and uphold the message that Islam values the sanctity of life.

During the month of September, we will hold blood drives at all our mosques and prayer centers in the United States, and in collaboration with other community organizations. Our goal is to collect 10,000 units of blood—which can help save 30,000 lives—during the month.

A blood drive for Georgia will be held at Baitul Baqi Mosque in Norcross, Georgia on Sunday, September 11, 2011. Please come out and support our cause! Many churches across America are supporting us by donating blood. The mosque is at: 6113 Oakbrook Pkwy, Norcross, GA 30093. We look forward to working together with you in this worthwhile cause.

If you cannot get to the mosque on September 11, 2011, you can still go to the closest Red Cross location to donate blood. Tell them that you are donating blood for the Muslims for Life Campaign. The Red Cross, who is all in favor of the campaign, has extended their deadline so that anyone can contribute any day during September.

No one can change the past, but everyone can help save Americans who need blood now. We hope you will come out and remember the victims of 9/11 in the best way possible.


Read original post here: Muslims for Life Campaign

History: Myths about the Golden Age of Islam

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The history of Islam, especially the golden age of Islam, is full of instances of narrow parochial, sectarian and tribal divisions. The 'Islamic world' was never united, and it is highly unlikely that it will ever be united in the future.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Archives
Source/Credit: Chowk | History
By Yasser Latif Hamdani | January 2, 2005

The history of Islam, especially the 'golden age of Islam,' is full of instances of narrow parochial, sectarian and tribal divisions.The modern age is characterized by the existence and the acceptance of nation state as a legal entity in the world order. Islamic world is no exception. Early 20th century saw the rise of nation states in the Muslim world. The process started with the emergence of the Republic of Turkey. The Second World War and the subsequent decolonization resulted in the creation of several new nation states in the Muslim world, such as Iraq, Jordan, Pakistan, Indonesia etc. In Iran, even Khomeni’s famous Islamic revolution in 1979 accepted the existence of this modern reality, choosing to set up an Islamic Republic instead of some sort of a pan-Islamic Kingdom of God. Hence the shift that has occurred within Muslim politics from a reformist agenda as espoused the by the modernists like Jamaluddin Afghani, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, Mohammed Iqbal and Mahomed Ali Jinnah, to the exact opposite in form of Maudoodi and Khomeni has so far been accepting of the ground reality i.e. the nation state.

There is however a new thought process (or lack thereof) that has captured imagination of a few uneducated youth, usually A-Level dropouts from the UK, though their rank and file include a few professionals as well. They call themselves the Hizb-e-tahrir, and are agitating for something that they call “Khilafah”. They reject the nation state and present a vision of a utopia.

Saturday, August 27, 2011

USA: Florida Ahmadi Muslims organize blood drive to honor 9/11 victims

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It’s part of a nationwide campaign by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC) to collect 10,000 units of blood around the time of the attacks’ 10th anniversary.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Miami Herald
By Elinor J. Brecher | August 22, 2011

Muslims for Life, a blood drive to honor the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, is planned for three Broward County locations.

It’s part of a nationwide campaign by Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC) to collect 10,000 units of blood around the time of the attacks’ 10th anniversary.

Donors can register at www.amcmiami.info.

The blood drives will take place:

• Sept. 8, 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.: Holy Cross Hospital, 4725 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale;

• Sept. 9, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.: Hallandale Beach Cultural

Center, 410 SE Third St., Hallandale Beach;

Indonesia: Idul Fitri Brings Little Cheer to Ahmadi Shelter

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The women band together in preparing the predawn and sunset meals during Ramadan, crowding the shelter’s corridor as they toil over smoky stoves. The meals themselves are basic, heavy on starchy ingredients to mask the lack of vegetables or meat. However, they carry on fasting like most other Muslims.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: The Jakarta Globe
By TJG | August 27, 2011

Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara. Nothing has changed at the Transito shelter in the five and a half years that it has served as home to 138 members of the beleaguered Ahmadiyah Islamic sect.

A sixth successive Idul Fitri in cramped conditions without even the most basic of amenities beckons, with no word on when they will be allowed to return to their home village of Gegerung in West Lombok, from where they were driven out by fellow Muslims in February 2006.

The electricity to the shelter was cut off three years ago, food aid from the government — which has perpetuated their limbo by refusing them the right to return home or register as residents of Mataram — was halted last year, and sanitation facilities are non-existent.

A stipend from the state was stopped in 2007. Not being registered residents, they have been denied the free gas stoves distributed by the government to all citizens, and they now resort to gathering scrap to burn as fuel.

USA: Bin Laden's last laugh? New York becomes the Occupied Territories | Opinion - Mark LeVine

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Today the CIA, FBI, and it seems, the NYPD, are involved in a tangled and troubling relationship that is bringing together the worst of these past programmes in a 21st century redux, using the Patriot Act, ideologically supportive courts, subservient lawmakers and a broadly incurious citizenry to achieve their aims.

Photo: Gallo/Getty
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Al Jazeera | Opinion
By Mark LeVine | August 26, 2011

As the US security state grows and civil rights and liberties erode, Osama bin Laden gets the last laugh.

Only two weeks before the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Associated Press has broken a story that reminds us of just how much America has changed during the last decade, and how the government - and as important, some of the country's most powerful corporations - routinely intrude into the lives of communities and individuals in a manner that would few would have thought imaginable the day before the planes struck the World Trade Center. [more]

Faith and Loyalty: The Ahmadiyya Muslim response to 9-11

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As a member and missionary for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – Muslims who believe in the Messiah, Mirza Ghulam Ahmad – I have been directly engaged in striving in the true Jihad to bring to as many people as possible the real, peaceful message of Islam and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Imam Shamshad Nasir
By Shamshad A. Nasir | August 25, 2011

The epic tragedy that struck America on September 11th, 2001 scarred the very heart and soul of our nation and its people. For many that scar will never heal, and for many millions more the anger and questions that arose demanded answers and action. Who did this? And why? And is this what the religion of Islam really teaches?

Some claim the Muslim world celebrated the events of 9-11, but this is patently false. Muslims in America and the world over were overwhelmingly horrified and devastated by 9-11. Millions of Muslims proclaimed their sorrow and grief over the attacks and their sympathy for the victims. Not only was an unspeakably evil act perpetrated against innocent people of all races and religions who died on that day, but the religion of 1.4 billion people was instantly maligned and declared the founding force behind the attacks.

It has been a decade since that awful day, and its tenth anniversary brings on the inevitable questions: How did the attacks affect you, change you? How has the aftermath of 9-11 affected you? Mostly, the questions are always about “affects” instead of what they should be about: “effects.”

USA: Honor 9/11 Victims. Give Blood –Save Lives

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The goal of the “Muslims for Life” campaign is to collect enough blood to save 30,000 lives in honor of those who lost theirs on 9/11. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is inviting all Americans to join in this effort to demonstrate the true spirit of peace and collaboration—values that all Americans hold dear.

News featured in The South Florida Sun Times &
The Aventura Digest
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Miami Islam Examiner
By Mansura Minhas | August 26, 2011

This September, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA will commemorate the 10th anniversary of Sep 11, 2001, with a nationwide blood drive to collect 10,000 units of blood.To honor the victims of 9/11, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA has launched “Muslims for Life,”  to reiterate the message that Islam values the sanctity of life.

The goal of the “Muslims for Life” campaign is to collect enough blood to save 30,000 lives in honor of those who lost theirs on 9/11. Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is inviting all Americans to join in this effort to demonstrate the true spirit of peace and collaboration—values that all Americans hold dear.

To register for one of these local blood drives in South Florida, please visit www.amcmiami.info. "Muslims for Life" Blood Drives will be held at these locations:

Holy Cross Hospital 4725 North Federal Highway Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33308 September 8th 11:30 am– 5 pm

Indonesia: Pluralism vs. Vigilantism

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A pattern of violence against the Ahmadiyah religious community, in which the perpetrators enjoy near-impunity and official indulgence, is disfiguring Indonesia. It also presents a wider challenge to the country’s vital search for a model of religious tolerance in public life.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: ISN | openDemocracy
Byy Charles Reading | August 26, 2011

Indonesia’s political and social progress is shadowed by the indulgence of violence towards members of the country’s Ahmadiyah religious community. An example is the fallout of an attack in Cikesuik on 6 February 2011 that killed three people, of which a disturbing and graphic recording was made and used in evidence at the trial of led of twelve men accused of inciting hatred and mob violence. In the event the district-court verdict on 28 July found the men guilty only of a secondary charge of “participation in a violent attack that resulted in casualties”, and they were given lenient sentences of three and six months’ imprisonment.

A worrying aspect of the trial is that the judges held the Ahmadiyah community itself responsible for the assault on the grounds that it had not left the scene as the police had requested, but rather stood its ground in face of the mob.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Pakistan: Brazen and in broad daylight: Salman Taseer’s son abducted from Lahore

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The kidnapping brought the Punjab government, particularly its security apparatus, under sharp scrutiny – ironically, at a time when the provincial chief minister was in Karachi lecturing his Sindh counterparts on the worsening law and order situation in the port city.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By Asad Kharal | August 27, 2011

LAHORE: Misfortune struck the Taseer family a second time this year. Shahbaz Taseer, eldest son of slain former governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer and his wife Amna, was abducted in broad daylight from Lahore’s Gulberg area on Friday morning.

In the second high-profile case within a fortnight in Lahore, Taseer was abducted on the way to his office by at least three armed men.

The kidnapping brought the Punjab government, particularly its security apparatus, under sharp scrutiny – ironically, at a time when the provincial chief minister was in Karachi lecturing his Sindh counterparts on the worsening law and order situation in the port city.

Eye on extremism: Muslim Countries Financing Jihad in Spain

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Muslim countries in the Persian Gulf and North Africa are funnelling large sums of money to radical Islamic groups in towns and cities across Spain in a competing effort to exert control over the estimated 1.5 million Muslims in the country.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Hudson New York
By Soeren Kern | August 4, 2011

A newly leaked secret report prepared by Spain's National Intelligence Center (CNI),

excerpts of which were published by the Madrid-based El País newspaper on July 31, says the Spanish government is struggling to stop the flow of tens of millions of dollars to Islamic groups in Spain from Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and above all Saudi Arabia.

The CNI report states: "The financing is having negative consequences for [multicultural] coexistence in Spain, such as the emergence of parallel societies and ghettos, Islamic courts and police that operate outside of Spanish jurisprudence, removing girls from schools, forced marriages, etc."

Canada: Large mosque's final approval expected soon

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Noting the mosque would serve primarily Surrey and Delta residents of the faith, the panel was told the space is meant to have clean lines and openness in a simple design, providing daylight for an environment suited for meditation.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Surrey Now | Postmedia News
By Sandor Gyarmati | August 25, 2011

Overlooking Fraser River, Baitur Rahman would be the largest in B.C

It's been planned for years but Delta's final approval has yet to be granted for what would become the largest mosque in B.C.

The Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam wants to build a 25,000-square-foot mosque at 9750 River Rd. To be called Baitur Rahman, or House of Gracious God, the house of worship would overlook the Fraser River. The new mosque would be similar, but smaller in scale, to a stunning 48,000-square-foot mosque the Ahmadiyya opened in Calgary three years ago. Prime Minister Stephen Harper participated in the unveiling of the Baitun Nur mosque, Canada's largest mosque complex.

Facts are Facts: [Abstract Analysis] Ghazwat-e-Hind and Zaid Hamid’s Intellect!

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The very form and format of this series, Abstract Analysis, does not permit me to write a full fledge critical article against anybody, but the last programme I saw on a Pakistani Satellite Television Channel has ignited the flare of critique in me to tackle this middle aged, silver bearded, red capped self proclaimed Defence Analyst.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | EU Desk
Source/Credit: Al Ufaq | Archives
By Naeem Shamim | March 5th, 2010

If you are a Pakistani young man and are frustrated by the current socio-political scenario in the country and if you are not fully aligned with any of the religious or political parties; and if even Imran Khan has also not fascinated you as an alternate forward looking leader; and if you think that Pervez Musharraf was an agent of the Zionists; and if you are, like most young men , an opponent of the sitting government and the current Head of State; and if you think that India as a country must either be disintegrated or must be eliminated from the face of the planet; and if you love to believe that Jinnah was a practicing Muslim like Molana Maududi and was as eager to introduce the Shariah and Caliphate as Dr. Israar Ahmed ; and if you like to see Iqbal something more-than-a-philosophical-poet ; and if names like Ghauri, Ghaznavi and Qasim put your patriotism on a pedestal and elevate your morale and urge, to conquer the world, to the seventh sky; and if you have heard phrases like Economic Terrorism, Radio Pakistan – Delhi,Takmeel-e-Pakistan and United States of Islam then it is least likely that you could not figure out correctly that I am mentioning none other than Mr. Zaid Hamid.

The very form and format of this series, Abstract Analysis, does not permit me to write a full fledge critical article against anybody, but the last programme I saw on a Pakistani Satellite Television Channel has ignited the flare of critique in me to tackle this middle aged, silver bearded, red capped self proclaimed Defence Analyst.

Canada: Raising awareness of Islam

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On Saturday, Aug. 20, a number of posters were on display, sharing information about the Holy Qur'an through peace, science, prophecies, interfaith and humanity.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: Paris Star
By Sylvie Berry |  August 25, 2011

After a visit this past March, members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community returned to the County of Brant Public Library Paris branch to host an open house and raise more awareness of the Islamic religion and it's positive message.

On Saturday, Aug. 20, a number of posters were on display, sharing information about the Holy Qur'an through peace, science, prophecies, interfaith and humanity.

Numerous people walked through the open house, and were encouraged to take home any of the informative literature available. Their shared message expressed "love for all, hatred for none, react in a peaceful way, right war with the pen."

Indonesia: Rights denied | Ahmadiyah religious activity banned during Idul Fitri in S. Sulawesi

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Syahrul refused to comment on whether Ahmadis could conduct worship activity in their mosques. “I cannot answer that. But their religious activities are certainly forbidden.”

Pro-Extremists governor. of South Sulawesi Syahrul Yasin Limpo
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: The Jakarta Post
By TJP | August 26, 2011

The South Sulawesi administration says it forbids members of the Ahmadiyah Muslim community to conduct religious activities during the upcoming Idul Fitri holiday.

South Sulawesi governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo said according to his subordinate’s report, the condition in the province was conducive, but he said he was concerned that Ahmadiyah members would still conduct activities over the holiday, which could promote violence.

“We don't want a repeat of conflicts, we will guard the Ahmadiyah mosque,” Syahrul said Friday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com

Syahrul refused to comment on whether Ahmadis could conduct worship activity in their mosques. “I cannot answer that. But their religious activities are certainly forbidden.”

USA: Mosque invites community to break Ramadhan fast

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Muslims around the world abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset and increase their focus on worship, charity and human welfare for the month.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Mercury News | Milpitas Post
By Milpitas Post Staff | August 24, 2011

More than 200 guests, including Congressman Michael Honda, D-San Jose, Milpitas Mayor Jose Esteves, Milpitas Police Chief Dennis Graham, Milpitas Fire Chief Brian Sturdivant and other political, religious and community leaders, joined members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Silicon Valley chapter Saturday at the Bait ul Baseer Mosque in Milpitas for its annual Iftar Dinner.

There was a brief program when members introduced all attendees to Ramadhan, which commenced Aug. 1 this year, a holy month of fasting, spiritual renewal and purification for Muslims. During that time Muslims around the world abstain from food and drink from dawn to sunset and increase their focus on worship, charity and human welfare for the month.

Indonesia: WikiLeaks Cables Deal Fresh Blow to Yudhoyono, Indonesian Government

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Yudhoyono has previously been forced to deny allegations contained in US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks of improper conduct, including that his family had received money from banking and construction tycoon Tomy Winata. It was also alleged that the president used Indonesian intelligence to spy on his political rivals.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Jakarta Globe
By Jakarta Globe | August 25, 2011

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has been heavily criticized in a new batch of US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks on Wednesday.

The cables, which originate from the US Embassy in Jakarta, also criticize a number of senior or former state officials and lay bare concerns and shortcomings regarding the nation’s justice system, particularly in regards to corruption.

Youth and Sports Affairs Minister Andi Mallarangeng, a key figure in Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party, has already dismissed the significance of the leaked cables, saying that as the government did not know the source of the information contained in the documents, they did not need to respond.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Pakistan: Spy agencies claim banned militant groups back in business, recruiting in Punjab

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According to the agency’s report, these activities have been observed since the last week of July in many cities in central Punjab. Both Salahuddin and Hafiz Saeed have been delivering emphatic speeches at public gatherings and Iftar parties.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By TET | August 25, 2011

Intelligence agencies say 51 freed terrorists also regrouping

LAHORE: Amid reports that banned militant organisation Jaish-e-Muhammad has resumed full-scale public activity, intelligence agencies have said that other militant groups have also begun recruiting young men from Punjab to fight, particularly in Indian Kashmir.

These recruitments, agencies say, have begun following visits from renowned militant leader Syed Salahuddin to different cities in Punjab. Salahuddin heads Hizbul Mujahideen, the most prominent militant outfit in Kashmir, and heads terror alliance Muttahida Jihad Council which supports Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan.

Eye on extremism: Cleansing Indonesia

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Mistreatment of the Ahmadiyah has escalated dramatically since 2008 when the Indonesian government decreed the Ahmadiyah to be a deviant sect whose followers could face up to five years in prison for practicing their faith. Since then, over a hundred violent incidents against the Ahmadiyah have been recorded, incidents which include the torching of mosques and homes.

Ahmadiyya women shocked by the disparity of the verdicts issued by the court
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Font Page Mag | Articles
By Frank Crimi | August 25, 2011

A shocking verdict rendered by an Indonesian court underscores the rising tide of violence and discrimination against religious minorities in Indonesia, long purported to be the world’s most tolerant Muslim nation.

In February 2011, Deden Sudjana, a 48-year old Indonesian male, was one of twenty members of a Muslim minority sect called the Ahmadiyah who were violently attacked by an enraged Muslim mob while they gathered in a house in the Indonesian village of Cikeusik.

The fury of the mob attack — which ironically occurred during Indonesia’s Interfaith Harmony Week — was engendered by the presence of Ahmadiyah in Cikeusik.

Indonesian journalists support Islamic fundamentalism: Survey

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Andreas, who is also a member of the New York-based Human Rights Watch, said that the inclination of journalists toward Islamic fundamentalism should be considered as an alarming sign for the nation’s future democracy and pluralism.

Journalists running away from a squabble in Timika, Indonesia
Photo: REUTERS/Muhammad Yamin
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
By TJP | August 25, 2011

More than 50 percent of Indonesian journalists agreed that the religious sect Ahmadiyah ... should be banned, while sharia ... laws should be enacted, a survey has revealed.

The Pantau Foundation, a Jakarta-based journalism research and training organization, conducted a survey in late 2009 about the influence of Islam, the nation’s principal religion, upon 600 journalists from mainstream newspapers, radio and television.

Using the multi-random sampling method, Muslims accounted for 85 percent of the survey’s respondents, while 7 percent were Protestants, 4 percent Catholics and 3 percent Hindus and others.

Zion, USA: Workshop | Extremism in Islam and Christianity

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Representatives from area churches and the Ahmadiyya Muslim community will lead the workshops that will include presentations, small group discussions and opportunities for further dialogue.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Lake County News-Sun
By Religion Notes | August 24, 2011

Zion, IL - Workshop: The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Zion, with United Protestant Church of Grayslake and neighboring Christian leaders, will host its second workshop in a series of dialogues designed to better understand and appreciate the diverse understandings found within the two faith communities.

 The workshop will take place on August 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Zion Mission House, 2103 Gabriel Ave.

Topics will include: Extremism in Islam and Christianity; the Role of Women in Religion; Misconceptions and Commonalities; and others.

Representatives from area churches and the Ahmadiyya Muslim community will lead the workshops that will include presentations, small group discussions and opportunities for further dialogue.

USA: Muslim-organized blood drives honor the dead, save the living

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"...Whoever supported 9/11 is not a true Islam. There's no religion in this world where you're allowed to kill anyone, let alone Islam. No religion can afford to even put a finger on someone." [Idrees Munir]

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Mercury News | Milpitas Post
By Shannon Barry | August 24, 2011

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is honoring the nearly 3,000 people killed on Sept. 11, 2001 by saving the living as the 10-year anniversary of the terrorist attacks approaches.

The community will launch "Muslims for Life" next month a nationwide campaign to uphold the message that Islam values the sanctity of life by holding more than 150 blood drives at all its mosques and prayer centers, and in collaboration with other organizations including the American Red Cross and Blood Center of the Pacific. A drive will be held in Milpitas Sept. 4 at the community's mosque on Evans Road.

The goal of the campaign is to collect 10,000 units of blood which can help save 30,000 lives during the month.

USA: Muslim Community Spearheads Nationwide Effort to Honor 9/11 Victims Through Blood Donations

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"Our hope is to convey to the community in which we live that the face of true Islam is one of tolerance and unity; sponsoring blood drives across the nation in order to save lives is a way to honor and remember those who lost their lives on 9/11 at the hands of those who have defamed the true meaning of Islam." 

Dr. Wajeeh Bajwa, President of the Orlando Chapter
of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Yahoo! Contributor Network
By Rhetta Peoples | August 23, 2011

As we embark on the 10th anniversary of 9/11, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has launched a nationwide campaign to encourage all Americans to donate blood to save lives. The campaign, "Muslims for Life" has 71 chapters across the country and is charged with the goal of collecting 10,000 units of blood in hopes of saving an estimated 30,000 lives.

Dr. Wajeeh Bajwa, President of the Orlando Chapter of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community said, "We invite all Americans to join us as we collect 10,000 units of blood in the month of September, to demonstrate the true spirit of peace and collaboration - values that we hold dear in this country."

Locally, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has joined forces with the various organizations to host a blood drive to remember the victims of 9/11.

USA: Local Muslims observe month-long fast

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Ramadan is based on a lunar calendar. The month’s end varies by a day or two based on which calendar system observers use, but it is roughly the same as the month of August.

Photo: Dalton Daily Citizen
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Dalton Daily Citizen | Excerpt
By Rachel Brown | August 24, 2011

The following is a portion of the larger story published in Dalton Daily Citizen

Khola Humayan isn’t on a diet, but she abstains from eating or drinking for most of the day.

She’s been doing so for weeks, putting nothing in her stomach — not even water — from sunrise to sunset, she said, in honor of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Muslims dedicate the month to fasting, prayer, reciting the Quran and doing good deeds. The main purpose of the month is to “gain nearness to God,” Humayan said.

Ramadan is based on a lunar calendar. The month’s end varies by a day or two based on which calendar system observers use, but it is roughly the same as the month of August.

USA: The Chron speaks to Northamptonshire Muslims about the challenges of Ramadan

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“To become a true practising Muslim, this is a person who is a good human being. You don’t do it for the creator alone, if you love the creator you must love his creation. We strongly believe that should be the basis. The whole purpose of Ramadan is to show the goodness of God. God is for everyone.”

File Photo: Northampton, UK Ahmadiyya sponsored Interfaith event 
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Excerpt
Source/Credit: Northhampton Chronicle and Echo
By Northhampton Chronicle and Echo | August 24, 2011

Following the rules and restrictions of Ramadan is an important part of faith for the Ahmadiyya Muslims, for whom one important priority is emphasising the peaceful message of Islam.

Dr Naveed Zafar is president of the Northamptonshire branch of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, an organisation which believes that the long-awaited Messiah has already come in the person of Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.

As an A & E doctor, Naveen works nights, which fits in well with Ramadan as he is able to eat for much of his waking time. As he explains, in his work he cannot afford to feel ill through lack of food.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Eye on History: Parallel lives — II

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[Dr Abdus Salam] was a Pakistani patriot throughout his life who, despite having lived in the UK for many years, refused to take up British citizenship. For, as he told my father, if the day came that he was ever awarded the Nobel Prize, he wanted the honour to go to Pakistan.

Dr. Abdus Salam receiving Nobel Prize
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Times | Pakistan
By Munir Khan | August 25, 2011

Read previous part here: Parallel lives — I 

The lives of both Professor Abdus Salam and A Q Khan are linked inextricably with Pakistan’s nuclear programme. Both represented the two faces of Pakistan and its twin curses

A Q Khan was born in Bhopal, India and, unlike Salam, was an immigrant to Pakistan and migrated to the new nation with his family at the time of the partition of India. The journey to Pakistan as a refugee was a traumatic one and it clearly had a profound effect upon Khan, who developed a lifelong antipathy for India. He grew up in a devoutly Muslim household that held orthodox Sunni views. Following his fall from grace, his cause has been championed by many Islamists (amongst others), and they have always claimed him as one their own.

Eye on History: Parallel lives — I

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Whilst Salam himself rejoiced in his Muslim roots, he faced one major difficulty: a section of Islamist opinion regarded him as a heretic because he belonged to the heterodox Ahmedi sect within Islam.

Dr. Abdus Salam received Nobel Prize while
dressed in his Pakistani native outfit
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Times | Pakistan
By Munir Khan | August 24, 2011

In 2005, the front cover of Time magazine displayed a photograph of Dr A Q Khan under the heading ‘Merchant of Menace’. At the time, Khan was under house arrest following a dramatic televised mea culpa, which sent shockwaves around the world. Khan confessed to having been responsible for the worst act of nuclear proliferation that the world had yet witnessed. Khan admitted to betraying the nation’s trust and selling nuclear secrets to North Korea, Libya and Iran amongst others. The then military government of Pervez Musharraf, to much scepticism was content to portray Khan as a solitary rogue scientist, and exonerated the military of any involvement or knowledge of the ‘Khan network’ as it later became known.

The recent revelations in the Washington Post alleging that the North Koreans had paid Khan large sums of money and “jewellery” to be paid to at least two Pakistani general’s, confirmed the worst fears of most Pakistani’s. For a highly suspicious western audience already baying for blood following the discovery of Osama bin Laden living in a military garrison city some 20 miles from the nation’s capital, this was further evidence of double dealing and perfidy, to add to the growing list of Pakistani transgressions.

Investigations continue internationally at the scale and depth of the proliferation alleged to have been carried out by the Khan network. No doubt, another investigation continues within the Pakistan military to establish how high up the chain of command the corruption and pay offs permeated and who knew what and when.

USA: Efforts have increased transparency about Muslims

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Eight million Muslim-Americans and 200 years later, one would think Islamic practices would be common knowledge. However, most people's knowledge of Islam is largely based on misconceptions and fear. These misconceptions spread to new heights after the horrific attacks on 9/11.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Letters
Source/Credit: Lancaster Eagle Gazette
By Usama Awan | August 23, 2011

To the Editor:

It is Ramadan, and Muslims all over the world are well into their routines for the month.

Readers might be asking, "What is Ramadan?"

In short, this is the month where Muslims are prescribed to abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset. Muslims wake in the middle of the night to offer optional prayers and eat their meal for the day before the sun rises.

Canada: Ahmadiyya Muslims holding open house

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"Within the last eight months we have reached out to almost one million people and I'm confident we'll be able to spread Islam's message of peace to one million easily within this month."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Windsor Star
By The Windsor Star | August 23, 2011

A Toronto-based youth association is hoping to dispel misconceptions about Islam and the Qur'an by hosting an open house in Windsor this week.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association Canada has met with Canadians across the county over the last few months to promote peace, condemn terrorism and raise awareness about Islam.

The open house will be at the Forest Glade Community Centre on Thursday.

"Our way of reacting to Pastor Terry Jones' burning the Qur'an is to create a global awareness among people so they can know what Islam actually is," said AMYAC member Faran Rabbani.

"Within the last eight months we have reached out to almost one million people and I'm confident we'll be able to spread Islam's message of peace to one million easily within this month."

USA: Capitol Hill most recent to register for 2 'Muslims For Life' blood drives

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“The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has, since its founding, upheld the sanctity of all life as emphasized by Islam. The Holy Quran teaches that life is sacred and reaffirms Biblical teaching that whoever unjustly kills a single person is as if he had killed all of mankind; and whoever saves the life of one person is as if he has saved the life of all of humanity (5:33)."

Imam Naseem Mahdi apprised the president about the progress of
Muslims for Life campaign. [Photo: AMC-USA]
Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Times | AMC-USA
By Imran Jattala | August 24, 2011

During his recent attendance of an Iftar-Dinner hosted by the White House, National Vice President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community (AMC), Imam Naseem Mahdi briefed the US President, Barack Obama, about the Community’s Muslims for Life campaign, the community officials have disclosed.

Imam Naseem Mahdi apprised the president about the Community’s two successful campaigns - Muslims for Peace and Muslims for Loyalty - and about the purpose of Muslims for Life campaign.

The president was informed that the campaign is devised to honor the 9/11 victims and the community aims to collect 10,000 units of blood to help save 30,000 lives.

“President Obama was very happy to hear this,” AMC said.  “9/11 was very much on the President's mind and so when he heard our plans he was visibly moved and expressed his satisfaction.”


Muslims for Life campaign organizers explains that when terrorists caused death and destruction on September 11, 2001, they also hijacked the faith of Islam.

Top read stories during last 7 days

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