From: RCIRIT%DENVER@VAXF.Colorado.EDU (REMZI CIRIT)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.turkish
Subject: Islamic World News (8th) fwd
Date: 11 Dec 1992 15:26:12 -0600
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From:	VAXF::IN%"imnet@u.washington.edu"  "Islamic Movement Network"  9-DEC-1992 14:58:01.26
To:	IN%"imnet@u.washington.edu"  "Islamic Movement Network"
CC:	
Subj:	IWN (8TH)

==========================================================================
I     IN THIS ISSUE:                                                     I
I                   * NEWS UPDATE (NOV. 7th)                             I
I                   * DEFEATING RACISM (PART II OF II)                   I
I                   * ANNOUNCEMENTS (UPCOMING CONVENTIONS)               I
==========================================================================
INDIA
Hindu fanatics have committed the ultimate outrage by destroying
the 460-year-old historic Babri Mosque in Ayodhya, in the state
of Uttar Pradesh (UP).
An estimated 200,000-strong Hindu mob had started to converge
on Ayodhya from December 1 onwards. Led by the Hindu group, the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP),
a fascist Hindu party, the Hindu mob completely took over the
small north Indian town which has a total population of only
15,000.
The Hindu fascists had vowed to destroy the Mosque and start building
a temple to their mythical Hindu god, Rama, on its site. While the
Indian supreme court had in a ruling on November 24, ordered the
state government in UP to prevent any alterations to the Mosque
site, the BJP-controlled government was also in league with the
fascists.
On December 6, Hindu mobs attacked the historic Mosque and demolished
it. The small contingent of police actually joined in the demolition.
The Hindus have started erecting their temple on the site.
The city of Ayodhya is still under the control of the mob and
as the news of the destruction of the Mosque spread throughout India,
fighting flared up between Hindus and Muslims.
The latest news is that more than 200 people have died so far
in the violence. The worst-affected area is reported to be
Bombay where there is a large concentration of Muslim businesses.
The Hindus deliberately target those areas where Muslims are
well-established so that they can be crippled economically.
There has also been a strong reaction from the Muslim world. The
governments of Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Bangladesh have
condemned the destruction of the historic Mosque.
In Pakistan, there were also incidents of violence against Hindu
temples in certain parts of the country while the government
appealed for calm.
On December 7, the government of India announced that it will
rebuild the Mosque and punish those responsible for its
destruction. While the state government in UP has been dismissed
and president's rule imposed there, the government is still not in
control of Ayodhya because of the presence of 200,000 Hindu
fanatics who are being egged on in their frenzy by the VHP and
BJP.
The destruction of the historic mosque lays bare India's claims
to being a secular democracy. It is really a country moving in
the direction of mob rule.
Violence is widespread in India against minorities and if even the
order of the supreme court cannot be enforced, then there is little
hope for any member of the minority to seek justice there.

AFGHANISTAN
At least 1,200 members are to be chosen for the shura that will
nominate the next president of Afghanistan for 18 months. The shura
is to be completed by December 10 to be able to convene on
December 15, the date on which the term of Ustad Burhanuddin Rabbani
as president ends.
There has been fighting in some parts of Kabul, however, between
members of the Hizb-e Wahdat and forces loyal to Ahmed Shah Masoud,
the defence minister. At least 30 people were reported killed
in three days of fighting that started on December 4.
The immediate cause of the fighting was not clear since both the
Jami'at-e Islami to which Ahmed Shah Masoud belongs, and the
Hizb-e Wahdat, are part of the coalition government. It was however,
speculated that some mujahideen groups had complained that the
Jami'at was involved in vote-buying before the election of
of the president while the Hizb-e Wahdat had demanded more seats
in the government.

KUWAIT
Kuwait University is beginning to be as generous with degrees as
the amir of Kuwait is with money; to the Americans and the British,
that is.
Kuwait University has decided to give George Bush an honorary
doctorate degree for his role in liberating Kuwait from the
clutches of Saddam Husain.
Now what would Bush do with a degree from Kuwait was not immediately
clear. It could not get a half-decent job in the US. Perhaps,
the Kuwaits thought it would be a good consolation prize for
a president who had just been consigned to the dustbin of
history by the American people.
Last year, the Kuwaitis heaped a degree on Margaret Thatcher, that
hot-tempered former British prime minister who was unceremoniously
thrown out of her job because of a revolt against her in the
conservative party of Britain.
The Kuwaitis have also been generous with money, or at least
the amir has been. He has given away the store to the Americans
and the British for helping to put him back on the throne.
The Palestinians and other Muslims workers in Kuwait have been
given the boot.
So much for gratitude!
  
OCCUPIED PALESTINE
Three zionist soldiers were shot dead in the Gaza Strip on December
7 by members of the Islamic Resistance. The zionists immediately
ordered a clamp-down and a curfew in the area. The resistance to
zionist occupation continues unabated despite attempts by the
zionists to create the impression that things are settling down.
On December 6, the zionist occupiers shot dead a young boy in
Gaza. Zionist settlers too routinely kill innocent Palestinians
but the maximum punishment for such zionist crimes is a few
months in jail.
When the Palestinians attack a zionist occupier, he is sure to
get at least 20 years in jail, if he is fortunate to be alive
by the time the zionist thugs finish with him.
It has often been observed that zionist soldiers beat and
torture Palestinian youths. Many have been murdered before
they are even presented before a court.
Not that they can expect any justice from the court of the occupiers
but the fact is that at least, there he can present his arguments.
The zionists' attacks in the Gaza Strip will simply reinfoce the
determination of the struggling youths of Palestine.

 
*******COURTESY OF CRESCENT INTERNATIONAL, The newsmagazine of the global  
         Islamic  Movement. Phone # (416) 474-9292, Fax (416) 474-9293.
ADDRESS: 300 Steelcase Road West, Unit8, Markham, Ontario, L3R 2W2 Canada.
**************************************************************************
EVENT SCAN ###############################################################

               DEFEATING RACISM IN ITS LATEST FORM

PART II OF II
By Ahmed E. Souaiaia
(excerpts from a presentation)

                        (. . .)

     Having said all this, I would like bring to your
intention an other misconception and stereotype that dwells
in these quoters. Are we the - Arabs - the chosen people, or
at least the favored ones, whom Allah ta'ala has trusted to
carry on his last message to this world?
     Before answering this question, let me assert that
history never recorded a moment where the Arabs were united.
They lived all the pre-Islamic period as tribes and small
communities governed by a set of rules dictated in most
cases by the nature and the environment. Further more, even
the terminology indicated this primitive state of affairs.
All early recorded history books, including the Holy Quran,
referred to them as "A'rab" not "Arabs."  So Islam was the
only force that united the Arabs and made them the most
influential people in the modern history.  Before going any
further, we will try to consult the Quran to travel through
time in order for us to read the mind of the contemporary
`Arab' and see if there is any roots of their `nationalistic
attitude.'

     "The A'rab are the worst in unbelief and hypocrisy and
most fitted to be in ignorance of the command which Allah
has sent down to his messenger, and Allah is all knowing,
all-Wise." [9:97]

     "And some of the A'rab look upon their payments as a
fine and watch for disasters for you: on them be the
disaster of evil; for Allah is he who hears and knows."
[9:98]

     " The A'rab had said: `we believed.' Say: `You have no
faith; but you only say: We have submitted, for not yet has
faith entered your hearts. But if you obey Allah and his
messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds; for
Allah is Oft-forgiving, most Merciful." [49:14]

     These verses do not in any way indicate that the Arabs
carry hypocrisy and mischief in their genes or in their DNA,
rather it is the culture they promote and the values they
inherited from their `fathers' that cause them to be as
such. So every one has the potential to be harmful or
harmless, constructive or distractive, integrationist or
supremacist and all of us have the free will to choose our
way in this maze of life. Allah says: "And among the A'rab
some who believe in Allah, the last day, and regard what
they are spending in charity as a pious gifts bringing them
nearer to Allah and the prayers of the Messenger. Indeed it
brings them nearer; soon will Allah admit them to his mercy;
for Allah is Oft-forgiving, most merciful." [9:99]

    (. . .)

     Regardless who receives the revelation there has been
always a tendency to identify with it in its narrowest form
and paint it with racism, bigotry, and favoritism. The most
obvious examples are the case of the Jews who claimed - as
mentioned above - that they are the chosen people, his
beloved. . .  Or the Christians who say they are the sons of
the son of God!! this is the result of the limited insight,
bad vision, and fake pride that resides in the human emotion
centers!

     We usually evaluate things laterally, horizontally,
that is: we create a center, a criterion, a model, a unit,
or an image that is on this earth and we measure our
achievements in retrospect to it. Islam call on us to
evaluate things vertically: that is we look to the havens to
judge our activities and our actions. In the light of all
the above; you might be very eager to know: Who are the
Muslims then?

     In previous presentations I've been reminded that my
approach leads to a clear contradiction in the Quran; On one
hand, we say: non-Muslims ,too, will enter Paradise; On the
other hand the Quran says: "Indeed, The true religion before
Allah is Islam . . ." [3:19] and "Who ever follows other
religion besides Islam will not be accepted from him ..."
[3:85]
     At this juncture, It is noted that The religion of
Islam goes beyond the time of the prophet Mohammed (UHBP).
In fact the Quran is a criterion and a natural continuation
of the religion of Ibrahim (UHBP).
     "Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian but a true
Muslim." [3:67]
     "And when I inspired the disciples to have faith in me
and my messenger; they said: `we have faith and you do bear
witness that we are Muslims.'" [5:111]
     "And strive in his cause as you ought to strive with
sincerity and under discipline. He has chosen you and has
imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the
religion of your father Abraham. it is he (Abraham) WHO HAS
NAMED YOU MUSLIMS, both before and in this revelation that
the messenger may be a witness for you and you be witness
for mankind. So establish regular prayer, give zakat and
hold fast to Allah, He is your protector - the best to
protect and the best to help." [22:78]

     The two approaches in evaluating things (what I called
horizontally and vertically) do not only have negative and
positive effects in the hereafter, but also - and most
importantly - in this life. It is the earthly centralized
model that causes wars, hatred, racism, and exploitation of
other people. The modern history revealed many examples that
will stay witness of human barbarity and arrogance. . .
Didn't the Europeans say that the Africans are primitive,
backward, and uncivilized and therefore it is legitimate to
invade them, take over their land, and enforce European
`modernity' and `civilization?'  Wasn't that the reason to
kill 1,500,000 Algerian?  Wasn't pure racism and supremacy
tendencies that caused the murder of millions of people in
Europe by the hands of those who thought one day (and may be
still think) that they are the `purest race' on earth?
Wasn't in the name of socialism and communism - thought to
be the most evolved system - that people around the globe
are suffering? What encourages the Serbs today or the racist
regime of South Africa to continue their policies of terror
and brutality? Did all these people look at least once to
the havens before they commit such crimes?
Not only the past that has been injected with such social
poisons, but the future is also pregnant with more dangerous
events veiled in a pretty-sounding slogans.

     That is why the Islamic approach makes the difference.
Because it liberates our mind from worshipping man's made
values, rules, and laws. And make us look up to the havens;
a motion by itself causes us to realize that we are one big
family with one destiny under the law of one God. . . Before
I conclude, I would like to quote Martyr Malik Al-Shabazz
(Malcolm X) who had the chance to witness what Islam has
done to races from the five continents:

     "During the past eleven days here in the Muslim world,
I have eaten from the same plate, drunk from the same glass,
and slept in the same bed or on the same rug - While praying
to the same God - With follow Muslims, whose eyes where the
bluest of blue, whose hair was the blondest of blond, and
whose skin was the whitest of white. And in the words and in
the actions  and in the deeds of the `white' Muslims, I felt
the same sincerity that I felt among the black African
Muslims of Nigeria, Sudan, and Ghana. We were truly all the
same brothers, because their belief in one God had removed
the `white' from their minds, the `white' from their
behavior, and the `white' from their attitude.
     ... With racism plaguing America like an incurable
cancer, the so-called `Christian' white America heart should
be more receptive to a proven solution to such a distractive
problem. . ."

     I hope I have made an effort today in bringing into the
domain of the `questionable' not only some preconceived un-
Islamic ideas, but also some of the beliefs previously held
by Muslims as a `given fact' or `common knowledge.'  If I
said some thing wrong it is from me, if I said some thing
correct it is from Allah to whom all praise are due
wassalam.
 (Nov. 1992)


ANNOUNCEMENTS: *********************************************

The Islamic Committee For Palestine Fifth Annual Conference
will be held Dec. 25 - 28 1992. in McCormick Center Hotel
Chicago, Illinois. For more info. call:
(813) 980-2572.
Speakers from North America and the midle east had been 
invited to participate in this event.

==========================================================
The MSA (PSG) will be holding its 22nd Annual convention in
Dallas, Texas from 24-27, 1992. Local and International
scholars will be participating in the convention including
Br Zafar Bangash, Imam Mohammed H. Asi, Br A. A. Musa, Ahmed
Hubert (Swetzland), Sartaj (Pakistan) and many others. For
more info. call: (510) 644-0955.
************************************************************
##########################################################################
*------- Note to contributors and readers:  
   ****Islam, as a universal Religion, forbids any sorts of racial 
bigotry; country names are to be used for and understood as a mere designation
of the geographical locations. Criticisms are for that particular system
or power structure and NOT the people. 
__________
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----------
PRODUCTION:
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PHONE #: (206) 685-3309 ******************************************************
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