zaterdag 6 maart 2004

Sharia News Watch 108 - dd. 06 Mar 04 Sharia News Watch 108 : a collection newsquotes on Sharia, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/108 The Sharia Newswatch provides a regular update of news quotes on Sharia (Islamic Law) & Islamic news, as appearing on the major news searchengines. All editions : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ AUSTRALIA When legal absurdity is watched world-wide - 04 Mar 04 http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1292&;storyid=986134 .. In a case being closely followed around the world, the Victorian Government has effectively placed Islam on trial under its controversial Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001. It didn't mean to, of course. The legislation was intended to shield religions – particularly Islam – from scrutiny and was championed by the Islamic Council of Victoria and other Muslim organisations before being passed by the Bracks Government in mid-2001. .. The case in the Victorian Equal Opportunity Commission bears all the hallmarks of a set-up, but it has exploded in the equal opportunity industry's face.  Consider the facts. The matter had its genesis in a seminar held under the aegis of Catch the Fire Ministries, one of the major opponents of the legislation. .. Unfortunately for both the EOC and the Victorian Islamic Council, the three complainants – whose evidence is critical to the case – have scant knowledge of the Koran.  Pastor Scot, on the other hand, has testified to having read the Koran more than 100 times and has made a study of Islam and Islamic scholars. Attempts to discredit his knowledge of the topic have backfired embarrassingly for the complainants' counsel, Brind Woinarski QC, and have highlighted some crucial differences between Christian and Islamic teachings. Among the arguments Mr Woinarski has tried to develop is the claim that laughter during Pastor Scot's reading of the Koran at the seminar may have breached the Act's prohibition on "severe ridicule". The screwy law was already on dangerous ground concerning freedom of speech, but now freedom to laugh is also under threat in Victoria. .. Pastor Scot has also been asked to comment on the Koranic verse which calls for the cutting off of the right hand of a thief, and another verse which mentions repentance.  As Pastor Scot's barrister, David Perkins, noted, there is nothing about re-attaching the hands of those who later repent. Pastor Scot was also able to point out that Mohammed cut off the hands of thieves and that Muslim scholars, four schools of Sunni Islamic law, as well as Shi'a law, all say that a hand can be cut off and do not link the verse relating to repentance with the earlier verse about such punishment. Indeed, he explained that the Koranic law as well as the hadith (the collected teachings second only to the Koran) say that if a thief steals again they also will have their right leg chopped off.  Islamic mercy, he said, was shown by the fact those who had been punished by having a hand chopped off did not have their leg similarly treated – so long as they changed their ways. [..] AZERBAIJAN Authorities In Baku Target Shi'a Mosque  - 04 Mar 03 http://www.payvand.com/news/04/mar/1019.html .. Authorities in Azerbaijan face growing criticism at home and abroad for clamping down on political and religious freedoms. The latest target appears to be a Shi'a Muslim congregation whose imam was recently arrested for alleged anti-government activities. .. Azerbaijani officials at the time said [imam] Ibrahimoglu was linked to radical Shi'a groups in neighboring Iran. Shortly after his arrest on 16 December 2003, authorities gave the members of the congregation of the Cuma mosque two weeks to stop using the building. But worshippers refused to comply. .. A new order to vacate the Cuma mosque was issued on 1 March by the Sebail district court in Baku. Reading the verdict, chief judge Yusif Kerimov said the decision came into force immediately. .. The order to evacuate the mosque follows a legal suit filed by a cultural association known as Iceri Seher. The group claims the Cuma mosque -- which has a 15th-century minaret -- is a historical building and should be closed to the public.  Last November, authorities resorted to a similar strategy to obtain the closure of Musavat Party headquarters, saying the building was of special architectural interest and should not be let out to tenants. Musavat has been one of the main targets of the political repression that followed the October presidential elections. .. Rafiq Aliyev chairs Azerbaijan's Religious Affairs Committee, the state body that oversees religious activity in the country. He dismisses as "disinformation" the allegations that the Cuma mosque will be turned into a museum and says the government has no plans to close down the building. However, he tells RFE/RL the mosque may not be returned to the Cuma congregation.  "To vacate the mosque does not mean that it will be closed down. We are talking about vacating a building that is being illegally occupied. Whether we're talking about a mosque or any other sort of building, people who illegally occupy it must leave. What we are proposing is that [worshippers] vacate the mosque, register themselves, and file an application to occupy this building again," Aliyev said. Aliyev justifies the court's decision by saying the Cuma mosque is the property of the Culture Ministry, which reportedly never authorized religious rituals to be performed within its walls. CANADA Despite fear of torture, Iranian faces deportation    - 06 Mar 04 http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=bfc57c62-ce75-4bd3-9d92-c76c88a581d2 DENMARK Criticism over new Danish laws against Muslim preachers  - 04 Mar 04 http://www.kuna.net.kw/English/Story.asp?DSNO=608274 .. According to the new laws, only few Imams all over Denmark were given the right for giving marriage certificates for Muslim expatriates. Other laws  stipulate that Muslim preachers should have academic background for involvement in religious activities.  The Council of Danish Churches said in press statements today that the new practices were a clear violation that should be confronted. The Danish Minister of Integration has rejected to comment. DUBAI UAE Islamic jurisprudence conference starts today  - 06 Mar 04 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=112973 .. Islamic scholars gathered here for the six-day 15th annual conference of the Islamic Fiqh (jurisprudence) Academy (IFA) to discuss various topics, including challenges faced by Islam. .. "We will discuss one topic per session and everyday two sessions will be held," said Dr. Mohammed Habib Ibn Al Khodja, Secretary General of the IFA, at a press conference to announce details of the conference. The membership of Islamic Fiqh Academy, which is a subsidiary organ of Organisation of Islamic Conference, comprises Islamic Jurisprudence. .. "The aim behind IFA was to set up with an objective of forming a common forum for the interpretational reflection ('Ijtihad') of Islamic jurisprudence, scholars and philosophers so as to provide the Ummah with an authentic Islamic answer to each question that may arise from the developments of contemporary life," Al Khodja said. The academy is in the process of publishing a Fiqh Encyclopaedia which would address the major issues in old as well as new social dealings and the rules governing them. There are 52 members in the academy and 10 Islamic scholars are designated including one from the Islamic minority of North America. There are three representatives from academies, one being operated in India, one in Al Azar and the third in Amman. .. Al Khodja stressed that all decisions are taken by consensus. Hundred and twenty delegates have arrived in Muscat to discuss among other things the threat posed to Islam, expropriation of private property for the public utilisation, credit cards, its wider use and issues of interest involved with it and Islamisation of education.      FRANCE Senate Vote Assures Ban on Scarves   - 04 Mar 04 http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/ap_story.html/Intl/AP.V9257.AP-France-Head-Sca.html .. With an overwhelming vote [276-20], France's Senate has assured that a law banning Islamic head scarves from public schools will be on the books for the new school year in September despite protests at home and abroad. .. The legislation stipulates that "in schools, junior high schools and high schools, signs and dress that conspicuously show the religious affiliation of students are forbidden.'' It does not apply to students in private schools.  Sanctions for refusing to remove offending apparel will range from a warning to temporary suspension to expulsion.  How the law will be applied remains unclear. Instructions are to be distributed to schools around the nation. However, no one is yet certain whether Muslim girls wishing to cover their hair will be allowed to wear smaller apparel like bandannas -- or whether Sikh boys will permitted to keep their turbans. INDONESIA Muslim allowed to take donations from politicans - 04 Mar 04 http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20040304.C02 .. Muhammadiyah chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif asked on Wednesday Islamic boarding schools across the country to respond wisely to the intensifying visits of politicians ahead of the elections. .. "Muslim leaders should teach their followers how to deal with the politicians. They have to remain critical of political visits and ask their students to follow suit," Syafii said on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the handover of a Japanese government donation to Muhamamdiyah for a humanitarian mission in Aceh. ..  "Muslim leaders can accept donations, but never make promises of political support in return," he remarked.  ..  Muhammadiyah is the second largest Muslim organization in the country, claiming 30 million followers and running thousands of boarding schools across the country. IRAQ [comment] Sunnis and Shias must play an equal part in a new Iraq http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1162498,00.html .. [comment] The rise of Shi'a Petrolistan by Mai Yamani   - 05 Mar 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_5-3-2004_pg3_5 Islamic Media Review 28 February - 5th March [BBC] - 05 Mar 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=48007838 .. Initial reaction on the day of the [Ashura] attacks was particularly strong ('Today war has been launched on Islam' - Thaer al-Shimri of Iraq's Shia al-Dawa party). But spokesmen from both the Shia and Sunni communities, interviewed on the pan-Arab TV channels, appeared united in stressing the need to avoid a sectarian response. Mahmud Othman, a Kurdish member of Iraq's interim Governing Council, took a typically cautious view: "The main aim is to create problems between the Sunni and Shia people. We have to be very careful."  The Baghdad-based press (eg Al-Manar, Al-Mada, Al-Nahdah) described the attacks as acts of "terrorism" and called on Iraqis to unite against "sectarian sedition". Many commentators agreed, but several clerics and analysts, and some newspapers (eg Ayatollah Sistani representative Ahmad al-Safi, SCIRI member Ammar al-Hakim; Al-Jaridah) held the US responsible for failing to fulfil its obligation as the occupying power to provide better security. Several papers (Al-Adalah, Al-Manar, Al-Nahdah, Al- Furat) carried Ayatollah Sistani's statement making the same point. By contrast, participants in several Sunni jihadist bulletin boards welcomed the attacks: "It is time, God willing, for the Sunnis to take vengeance on the Shia," wrote one contributor. .. [comment] Betraying ignorance of Muslim world - 05 Mar 04 http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=29037 .. Reporting the bomb blasts in Karbala and Baghdad, The Guardian, London, said: "The attacks were aimed at Shia pilgrims celebrating the festival of Ashura." The phrase "celebrating the festival" betrays ignorance of Ashura, Muharram, Shias, Iraq and, possibly, the Muslim world.  ..  No, Muharram is not "celebrated" but very solemnly observed. Ashura is the tenth day of Muharram, climax to the tragedy of Karbala. It is not a festival, but a period of mourning. It was on this day that the Prophet’s second grandson, Imam Hussain, and 72 relatives and friends were martyred at the hands of vast armies in the epic battle of Karbala. [Bagdad] Shiites mobilize militias in Iraq  - 04 Mar 04 http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/auto/epaper/editions/today/news_0464faba7232311e0048.html .. Rifle-toting Shiite Muslim militiamen, some in crisp uniforms and others in civilian attire, deployed in force Wednesday around a bomb-scarred shrine in Baghdad, setting up dozens of checkpoints on bustling streets devoid of U.S. soldiers and Iraqi police officers. The militiamen, loyal to various Shiite political parties, joined a contingent of armed guards from the Imam Kadhim mausoleum in asserting control over the neighborhood surrounding the gold-domed shrine, which a trio of suicide bombers attacked Tuesday morning as tens of thousands of Shiites gathered to commemorate a religious holiday. Shi'i leader decrees an end to illegal border crossings    - 05 Mar 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=48014167 ..    [United Arab Emirates Abu Dhabi TV] The Shi'i religious authority Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issued a fatwa [religious ruling] considering the entry of Iraqi territory via unofficial outlets as religiously prohibited [Arabic: haram]. He also considered as religiously prohibited the acquisition of money generated from smuggling operations and any effort that facilitates these operations. Al-Sistani's fatwa comes in response to news reports that thousands of Iranians enter Iraq via unofficial outlets on a daily basis, and that smuggling operations, particularly operations involving oil by-products, via the south, are widespread. .. Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani: The real face of power in Iraq -05 Mar 04 http://news.independent.co.uk/people/profiles/story.jsp?story=498357 .. Most revealingly he is a specialist in ijtihad, the use of reason to apply Koranic values to contemporary situations - a discipline which only the most distinguished Shia clerics are allowed to practise. (The "gates of ijtihad" were closed to Sunni Muslims 1,000 years ago). This allows Islam to be reinterpreted in light of changing circumstances. Thus Sistani's website concerns itself with such contemporary obsessions as whether Muslims can use perfume which contains alcohol (yes), use interest-bearing investments (in some circumstances), gamble (on horses but not lotteries), masturbate (no), perform anal sex (yes, though it is "strongly undesirable") or oral sex (yes, so long as no fluid gets into the mouth). All of which is some distance from current Western values but which at least offers the possibility of engagement with the West in a way which is inconceivable with such Sunni fundamentalists the Taliban, al-Qa'ida or the Wahhabi puritans of Saudi Arabia. Iraqi women face old, new hurdles  - 04 Mar 04 http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/edit/archives/2004/03/04/2003101107 .. Those suspicions have arisen lately because of efforts by religious parties in the Governing Council to push through Resolution 137, which would abolish a 1959 law that Minister of Justice Hashem Abdul-Rahman al-Shibli says drew on the most generous protections for women and children from different schools of Shariah. "Women don't want clerics to write the constitution," Salman said. According to Shibli, the resolution would stipulate that a Shiite woman, for example, would have her divorce adjudicated by Shiite law, a Sunni by Sunni law. Besides atomizing the law into many laws, Shibli noted, such a move would strip every woman of some rights. Inheritance rights for women are more generous under Shiite law than Sunni, but divorce protections are better under Sunni law. So a Shiite woman would still have some good inheritance protections but would see her divorce rights diminished. .. Interim Constitution Shortchanges Women - 05 Mar 04 http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/03/05/iraq7936_txt.htm .. [The interim constitution] does not specifically guarantee equality between men and women in at least three critical areas where women in the Middle East have historically suffered discrimination:  * The interim constitution offers no explicit guarantee that women will have equal rights to marry, within marriage, and at its dissolution.  * It does not explicitly guarantee women the right to inherit on an equal basis with men.  * It fails to guarantee Iraqi women married to non-Iraqis the right to confer citizenship to their children. The interim constitution contains certain equal protection clauses, including the provision granting Iraqi women a substantial number of seats in parliament and explicitly states that any references made in the masculine tense apply to both men and women. The plight of the widows of Anfal on the edge of Kurdish society http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=48013450 ..    [Irish Times]  - 05 Mar 04 As many as 100,000 Kurdish women are thought to have lost their husbands during Anfal [1988 genocide*]. But whereas war in the west may have had the incidental effect of speeding women's emancipation, here in Germian genocide has only confirmed their marginal status. .. "Because Saddam never confirmed that their husbands had been killed, the status of these women was ambiguous," explained Dilshad Ferez, assistant director of the office of humanitarian aid in nearby Kalar. "Many found themselves living with their parents again, but receiving financial support from their in-laws."  With remarriage the only real option if widows were to be able to begin again, the Kurdish authorities passed a law in March 1999 confirming that the missing should be considered legally dead. But that has only solved the problem for a small minority of women. .. "After the law came out, relations of mine told me that there was a man interested in marrying me", she said, sitting in the Smood women's centre where she now earns $35 a month working as a cleaner. "But my former husband's family wanted both my dowry and my children. I turned the offer down," she said. "My son and my daughter are my flesh and blood." "Widowers who have children do not have this problem," explained Dilshad Ferez. "But women are still seen here as little more than chattels, last on the list to take decisions which affect them personally."  ..  A widow wanted to get married, and her former husband's family wanted to have her children, in essence because they were afraid her new husband would refuse to support them. .. the problems widows with children face often have little to do with any desire they may have to marry again. "My husband was a peshmerga [Kurdish militiaman] and a deserter from the Iraqi army during the Iran-Iraq war," she said. "We were married by a local imam, but obviously we couldn't register with the civilian authorities. My daughter is 15 years old now, but officially she does not exist." She laughs. "Officially I am still a virgin." .. * [maps] The Anfal Campaigns Overview Page  - 2000 http://www.rightsmaps.com/html/anfalbeg.html KENYA Ufungamano demands that Ghai quits Bomas - 05 Mar 04 http://www.eastandard.net/headlines/news05030411.htm .. The Ufungamano group yesterday demanded the resignation of Constitution of Kenya Review Commission chairman Yash Pal Ghai and secretary PLO Lumumba, charging that they had taken sides in the Bomas talks. .. "It is our view that members of the commission who cannot restrain themselves from taking partisan positions on the review process should resign," the letter read in part. They said the statement represented views from the Catholic Church, National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK), Hindu Council, Anglican Church of Kenya, Presbyterian Church of East Africa, the Methodists and the Organisation of African- instituted Churches. They cited as the reason to Lumumba's views at the weekend on the Kadhi courts, among other contentious issues. .. The faiths leaders said Kenya was a secular State where religion and State are kept separate. They demanded that the Kadhi courts be expunged from the draft Constitution. "We are unable to decipher the logic behind inclusion of Islamic religious courts in the body of the Constitution," the leaders said.  They proposed the creation of a multi-sectoral representative forum to conclude the stalled negotiations on contentious issues. The group that would take over where the consensus group left, should have technical back-up. According to the leaders, the draft should then be taken to a referendum where Kenyans can ratify it. KUWAIT Nuwa Wea hears horror stories of RI maids - 04 Mar 04 http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20040304.C03 .. Kuwait has sent 99 Indonesian workers to prison, including seven women who fell pregnant and gave birth in prison after having a relationship with their employers. .. [Spokesman for the Indonesian manpower ministry] Hotma explained that the Indonesian prisoners, mostly women, have been jailed mostly for having affairs with their employers, a crime punishable with a prison sentence in the small but prosperous country. .. Aidah of Kerawang, West Java, who along with her eight-month-old son has been jailed for one year said she wanted to go home so that she could give her son a normal life. She said she gave birth in prison and would tell her son to kill his father when he grows up for refusing to take responsibility for the child. "I will train my son to shoot his father," she said in a emotional tone. She said she had an affair with her employer's son during the four years she worked there, but later was sent to jail after being sentenced by an Islamic court. .. Hotma said that of the 99 jailed workers, almost 90 percent were women and seven were bringing up their children born in the prison. MALAYSIA [Sabah] Student held in Khalwat raid  - 04 Mar 04 http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=25206 .. Eighteen people, including a Form Six student, were picked up on suspicion of khalwat (close proximity), consuming liquor and illegal entry in an integrated operation conducted by Jheains, Immigration Department and City Hall on Tuesday night. Seven hotels, one dwelling place and four entertainment outlets around the city centre were raided between 9pm and 12.30am. Of those detained, five couples were picked up in hotel rooms for allegedly committing khalwat, another five for suspected liquor consumption and three on suspicion of illegal entry. Two of the couples were picked up in adjoining rooms in a hotel at Kg Air, another two couples in separate rooms on the same floor of another hotel at Jalan Pantai and the fifth couple at a hotel at Bandaran Berjaya [in Kota Kinabalu]. .. A surprise awaited the raiding party in one of the locked rooms in a dwelling above an entertainment outlet on the second floor of a block of shops at Jalan Pantai. The door to the particular room was obviously locked with a latch from inside, but after the personnel forced it open, no one was in the room, the only means of escape in this case being two grilled windows. According to a Jheains (Sabah Islamic Religious Affairs Department) spokesman, the raided places were identified as possible locations of illegal activities, based on observation and information received from the public. MAURITIUS MPL: the decision is up to the Muslim community - 02 Mar 04 http://www.lexpress.mu/display_article_sup.php?news_id=13888 .. The question of application of the Muslim Personal Law (MPL) has been raised time and again.  ..  The MPL concerning Mauritius will deal mainly on the marriage and heritage aspect.   NIGERIA [Kano] Muslim State In Nigeria Seeks Alternative Polio Vaccine http://framehosting.dowjonesnews.com/sample/samplestory.asp?StoryID=2004030420300013 ..     - 04 Mar 04 Kano state government spokesman Sule Ya'u Sule said his government was sticking with its position that vaccines procured by the Nigerian government - with U.N. assistance - last year were "contaminated with anti-fertility agents," despite repeated assurances by U.N. experts to the contrary. Sule's state government was in touch with predominantly Muslim countries, "especially in Asia, with a view to seeking alternative vaccines."  Alternatively, Kano might decide to permit Nigeria's government to send new batches vaccines to replace existing stocks which have expired, but only after tests conducted by the state determine the new arrivals "are safe," Sule told The Associated Press. PAKISTAN Govt to table Hudood ordinance before parliament soon - 04 Mar 04 http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=56976 .. Chairman Senate Muhammadmian Soomro has said that government will soon table much controversial Hudood ordinance before the parliament for discussion, saying presence of large number of women parliamentarians showed government's earnest efforts for the progress and prosperity of women.  The Chairman Senate expressed these views while talking to journalists here on Thursday after inaugurating the "Inquiry report by the National Commission for Women Development." Instead of advocating or opposing the Hudood laws, Mr Soomro said that it is best way to table the said ordinances at the floor of the house for discussion, whether parliamentarians, representatives of the people wanted to retain it as it is or wanted to reverse them. Angry Pakistan Shias delay burial   - 03 Mar 04 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3530287.stm .. Shia Muslims have delayed the burial of most of the 43 people killed in Tuesday's attack in south-west Pakistan [Quetta] in protest at arrests of Shia youths. About 15 people were detained in Quetta after reprisal attacks, although Shias later reportedly secured their release and set the funerals for Thursday. .. Leaders of the community said Shias had been arrested when they went to hospitals to donate blood. [FATA] Stampede in Shi’ite mosque kills 13 - 04 Mar 04 http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&;subsection=Pakistan+%26+Sub%2DContinent&month=March2004&file=World_News2004030492735.xml .. A stampede sparked by a power blackout at a crowded Shii'te mosque in northwest Pakistan left at least 13 women and children dead, a local official said yesterday. The mosque was packed with devotees observing the Shiites' holiest day Ashura in the town of Parachinar late on Tuesday. A short circuit caused a blast and plunged the mosque into darkness, sending worshippers fleeing in panic, Parachinar official Azam Khan said. "It triggered a stampede and dozens of women and children crammed on a staircase which collapsed under their pressure," he said. The dead included eight women and five children, he said. Black magic casts its spell on the aggrieved - 04 Mar 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_4-3-2004_pg7_20 .. On the upper floor of the Mairaj building on Lytton Road [Lahore], Haji Abdul Razzaq sits on the floor scribbling on a piece of paper. This is his office, from where he has dispensed amulets to ward off evil spells for the last 14 years. "Even the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) was once a victim of black magic," said Mr Razzaq, holding up a copy of the Tahfim-ul-Bukhari, a collection of Hadith or the sayings of the Prophet (peace). "By the grace of Allah, he recovered," he said, "but if even the Prophet (peace) can be targeted, you must realise anyone can."  This realisation is perhaps what takes many to the some 200 houses of magic or talisam kadas in the city. And most are doing well, charging up to Rs 500 [EUR 108,-] for the first of many sessions, which pretend to be solutions to everything from a broken heart to a bad career. Many of those who come to Mr Razzaq, also known as Diwan Bawa, are coping with disease or financial crisis. Mr Razzaq says he only uses his knowledge of black magic to save people from evil, though he could make a lot more money if he acceded to the demands of the disgruntled and put curses and vexes on their perceived tormentors. "Only 20 percent of the people who visit us do so for a positive purpose," said Mr Razzaq. "The other 80 wish ill on others." .. Akmal Raza Mir, a trained homeopathic, learned the art through his elder brothers. He runs an office on Ferozepur Road near Shama Chowk. "You have to be very skilful in manipulating the psychology of the target," said Mr Mir. "The basic aim is to agitate him to such an extent that the required objective is achieved." Mr Mir puts curses on people through non-human agents known as moakals, whose services are acquired by reading scripture in a prescribed way. It is not an easy job. "Catching a moakal takes three or four months and if not done properly, these moakals can turn against you," he said. "To get the attention of a moakal, you chant mantras, to get him to do your bidding you must use perfume essence or blood, usually from an owl," he said, adding that he did not use his powers to hurt others. PHILIPPINES Policewoman tops Shari'ah examination  - 04 Mar 04 http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2004/mar/04/yehey/metro/20040304met4.html .. A Policewoman topped the 2003 Shari'ah Bar Examination administered by the Supreme Court of the Philippines in July last year opted to remain with the police force instead of joining the judiciary as a Shari’ah (Muslim Law) judge.  ..  Jalman was the first and only Filipino Muslim woman to have topped the special bar exam given every two years since 1983 for graduates of the Shari’ah. The police bar topnotcher obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree from Jose Rizal University in Mandaluyong City.  .. Examinees who took the exam included Filipino Muslims who studied Islamic law and jurisprudence in known universities abroad such as Al Azhar University in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.  SAUDI ARABIA Haram Imam Blasts Al-Hurra for Causing 'Intellectual Chaos' -06 Mar 04 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;section=0&article=40668 .. Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Sudais, the imam of the Grand Mosque in Makkah, yesterday .. also blasted the newly established US-run Al-Hurra television channel for causing "intellectual chaos and confusion" among Muslims. Delivering his Friday sermon to hundreds of thousands of faithful who packed the large mosque complex. .. Sheikh Sudais denounced a "war of ideas" being waged by parts of the Western media with the aim of imposing particular cultural and intellectual patterns and dictating specific reforms in the name of globalization, openness and freedom. The US government-funded Al-Hurra Arabic channel was aimed at sowing doubt among Muslims, especially women, about Islamic teachings and discrediting Islamic principles. "It spreads intellectual chaos and destroys the correct thinking of the Ummah and its cultural heritage," he said. First independent rights body set up in Saudi Arabia  - 04 Mar 04 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=112812 .. According to the Arabic daily Asharq Al Awsat, the National Human Rights Organisation (NHRO) held its first meeting at the headquarters of the Saudi Shura Council in Riyadh last Thursday. The organisation has 41 members, out of which 10 are women. .. At the meeting, the members appointed nine individuals to form an executive body and submitted a plea to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, requesting official approval to allow the organisation to function. The organisation aims to reinforce human rights in Saudi society and stand against injustice, despotism, intolerance and torture. It will work to protect human rights inside the kingdom in compliance with regulations and rules followed in the field of human rights and Islamic Sharia.  The organisation will also follow up the implementation of international human rights charters signed by Saudi Arabia, including the charters of the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Conference and the Arab League. The meeting saw the formation of four committees, the most important of which is the committee for follow up, and the family committee. The family committee will be responsible to discuss and follow up on family related issues, particularly those concerning women. .. There will be another, government-run human rights body, the prince said, adding that each organisation will serve a different role. The government rights body will be charged with implementing "government decisions regarding human rights, and to reformulate local laws so they are consistent with the basic system of governance, which focuses on human rights", he said. .. The formation of the organisation comes after the first human rights conference in Riyadh last October when Minister of State Mutlab Al Nafeesa said the existing human rights committee at the Shura Council would coordinate with the two human rights bodies. .. The minister added that the Shura's Islamic Affairs Committee planned to set up a supreme family council to work for the welfare of women and children, including the increasing number of divorces and the rise in the number of unmarried women. .. Human Rights Society discusses group's objectives [Al-Sharq al-Awsat] http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47981902 ..      - 04 Mar 04 Dr Abd-al-Haq Abd-al-Hay, political sciences teacher at the King Sa'ud University and member of the Saudi National Human Rights Society, has stated that the society will be taking retroactive action in connection with former human rights cases. .. Regarding the society's inclusion of names from various tendencies, which might arouse the reservations of some parties, he explained that the others "must realize that disagreement does not disappear just because the members are Saudis and also that society is diverse. This is a fact that cannot be ignored. Man consists of three souls: The evil, the admonisher and the assured ones. Diversity is found even in the small single family." SINGAPORE More eateries caught using fake halal certificates   - 04 Mar 04 http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/latest/story/0,4390,238325,00.html .. Muis [Islamic Religious Council of Singapore] has taken 33 companies and restaurants to court in the last five years for this, and all were fined. Under the Administration of Muslim Law Act, it is an offence to display the mark or even use the word halal if the food is not prepared according to Islamic laws. The penalty is a fine of up to S$10,000 [EUR 4.800,-] or 12 months' jail, or both.   SUDAN [Amnesty] Making Violence Against Women Count    - 05 Mar 04  http://www.southamericadaily.com/p/03/4de4311d99e404.html .. A husband's rights in relation to his wife are, according to Section 52 of the Muslim Personal Law Act of Sudan of 1991, to be taken care of and be amicably obeyed as well as to have the wife preserve herself and his property. If she refuses to obey her husband, her right to be provided with a living ceases to be valid. (Section 92). Under Article 146 of the Criminal Act of 1991 a woman stands the risk of being prosecuted and punished if she fails to prove that she has been raped. THAILAND Thailand to end martial law in some Muslim areas - 03 Mar 04 http://www.abc.net.au/asiapacific/news/GoAsiaPacificBNA_1058527.htm .. Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, says the easing of martial law, which allows detention without charge, will start in a couple of weeks. He says it will be lifted initially in only a couple of the 10 or so districts in each of the three southernmost provinces bordering Malaysia. Muslim leaders in the region have complained that stringent night patrols disrupt work in a region heavily dependent on rubber tapping, for which workers leave early in the morning. UK Qur'anic Ideas Have Consequences  [Jihad Watch]    - 01 Mar 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47942553 .. Hate preacher loses appeal: Sheikh Abdullah el-Faisal, a London- based imam, has lost an appeal of his conviction for soliciting murder and making threats during his taped lectures. The BBC reports that in the lectures he was "urging followers to kill non- believers, Jews, Hindus and Americans." He also "told young British Muslims they would be rewarded with 72 virgins in paradise if they died in a holy war." At his trial, el-Faisel argued that "he was interpreting and updating the words of the Qur'an, the Islamic holy book." .. When asked how he could say such things while holding British citizenship, Bakri was dismissive. "As long as my words do not become actions, they do no harm. Here, the law does not punish you for words, as long as there is no proof you have carried out actions. In such a case you are still on the margins of the law, and they cannot punish you...."  El-Faisel, meanwhile, is being punished for his words. he was originally sentenced to nine years in prison; last week this was reduced to seven. he is also liable to be deported back to his native Jamaica. UK minister affirms students' right to wear head scarves - 04 Mar 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47963430 .. "We certainly will continue to allow girls to wear the hijab in schools just as we allow Muslim women police officers to wear the hijab and Sikh male officers to wear the turban,'' said Patricia Hewitt, who is the minister for women as well as trade secretary. [statement in the House of Commons]. .. Only two schools in England attempted to ban the head scarves, and both have reversed their position. USA Disney Movie Under Fire For Stereotyping Muslims    - 04 Mar 04 http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2004-03/04/article01.shtml .. A new Disney movie, due for release on Friday, March 5, came under fire for negative stereotyping of Muslims and Arabs. "Hidalgo" tells the so-called "incredible true story" of a 5,000-km horse race across the Arabian Peninsula, showing a U.S. cowboy hero pitching up in Aden in 1890 with his American mustang to compete against a hundred Bedouin riders on their Arab steeds, the Gulf News said. .. critics insisted that no ever source pointed to such a race or an American called Frank T. Hopkins, the hero of the movie, nor his horse "Hidalgo". .. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, wrote to Disney's chairman to express concern that the movie negatively stereotypes Muslims and Arabs. It also demanded the removal of the "True Story" tag line that is touting the production, the Saudi-owned Arab News reported. .. Saddled with a sorry script, 'Hidalgo' gallops to mediocrity - 05 Mar http://www.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment/orl-calhidalgo05_mvrv030504mar05,0,3882910.story .. [B-movie] Hidalgo is a Disney Western about a man, a Bedouin princess, a femme fatale and a painted horse -- and a race across about 3,000 miles of Arabian desert, circa 1890. [Viggo] Mortensen plays Frank T. Hopkins, a U.S. Cavalry courier and long-distance horse racer who is rescued from a life of touring with Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show by sheiks with an eye for competition. Even though his horse is "of impure blood," they invite him to take part in the greatest horse race on Earth, a death-ride gallop from the Persian Gulf to Damascus for a big prize in gold.  An English noblewoman (Louise Lombard) has a horse in the race and her eye on a fine Arabian line of horses that she hopes to score with a victory. She may even have her eye on Frank. Omar Sharif is the sheik with the favored horse and rider. But there are treacherous relatives at work, and the sheik's daughter is kidnapped. Will the laconic American cowboy ride to the rescue or keep his nose in the race? WORLD  REGIONS Religion guides views of fertility treatment in Middle East  http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47979366 ..  [Health & Medicine Week] - 08 Mar 04 University of Michigan researcher Marcia Inhorn has used medical anthropology methods for the last 20 years to study infertility and in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the Middle East, where Israel and Lebanon are home to some of the highest per capita numbers of IVF centers in the world. .. In qualitative, ethnographic interviews with nearly 400 patient couples, Inhorn identified major differences in cultural attitudes toward reproductive technologies between Shi'ite Muslims in Lebanon and Sunni Muslims in Egypt. Results of her work in Egypt are part of a book published in 2003, Local Babies, Global Science: Gender, Religion, and In Vitro Fertilization in Egypt. Egypt's first fatwa, or religious proclamation, on medically assisted reproduction came in 1980, not long after the first IVF baby was born in England. More than 90% of Egypt's citizens practice Sunni Islam. Sunni religious rules state that IVF is allowed, but that since marriage is a contract between a husband and wife, no third party should intrude into procreation, thus prohibiting such things as sperm or egg donation. Most leaders of Shi'a Islam, the minority branch of Islam found in countries including Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan, and India, concur with Sunni religious authorities about the strict prohibition on third-party donation. But in the late 1990s, an Iranian leader issued a fatwa stating egg donation "is not in and of itself legally forbidden." Inhorn notes that Shi'ites practice a form of individual religious reasoning called ijtihad, in which various Shi'ite religious leaders come to their own conclusions. Shi'ites who are strict in their interpretation of a third-party donation in IVF believe a couple should get approval from a religious court first, and the husband needs to do a muta'a, or temporary, marriage with any egg donor so the child is not born out of wedlock. However, since a married Shi'ite Muslim woman cannot marry another man, sperm donation from a man other than her husband is akin to adultery. Middle Eastern societies expect all married couples to produce biological children, since legal adoption as it is practiced in the West is prohibited in both Sunni and Shi'a Islam. In the absence of adoption and gamete donation, infertile Muslim couples in countries such as Egypt have no choice but to turn to IVF using their own gametes. [comment] Shi'ite attacks pave way for rapid responses - 04 Mar 04 http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/FC04Df02.html .. Muslims of the [Indian] sub-continent and Iraq have a tradition of mourning the martyrdom of Hussein on Ashura, the 10th day of the Muharram month. This is when, in the 7th century, Hussein, a grandson of the Prophet Mohammed, was assassinated by the army of Yazid, the Umyaid ruler.  It should be noted that on the day of Ashura, notably in Iraq, India and Pakistan, Muslims, both Shi'ite and Sunni, take part in processions. There is a difference, though, as Shi'ites whip and torture themselves in sympathy with the killing of Hussein, Sunnis do not in their Tazia (mourning) processions. In Pakistan's NWFP and Balochistan provinces, though, the population follows a version of Islam (Deobandis) closer to the Salafi version, and Sunnis in these regions never participate in the Ashura mourning rituals. Pakistan has a long history of conflict between Shi'ites and Sunnis, resulting in hundreds of deaths over the years, as opposed to Iraq, where such sectarian violence between the two branches of Islam is highly unusual - there were a few isolated events in 1991 in Basra after the Gulf War. Searching for a soul mate  - 28 Feb 04 http://cjonline.com/stories/022804/rel_soulmate.shtml .. Part of her hoped she would find her soul mate when she joined Naseeb, a new online Muslim community. But getting a marriage proposal just three months later -- while on a snowboarding trip in Pennsylvania -- was way beyond Saara Sheikh's expectations. Raised by conservative, Pakistani Muslim parents, Sheikh knew dating was out. Still, she rebelled at the idea of a traditional arranged marriage, skipping out on meetings her parents set up with potential spouses. .. Like the company, which is based in San Jose, Calif.[USA], but has engineering operations in Lahore, Pakistan, many of Naseeb's users are a blend of East and West, comfortable with technology yet tied to tradition. In Naseeb, they have found a culturally sensitive middle ground that lies somewhere between dating, which experts say is discouraged by Islamic law, and the old-fashioned practice of marriages brokered by parents. .. More than 45,000 Muslims have joined Naseeb.com since it went online last fall, some searching for a spouse, others looking to make friends. Silicon Valley entrepreneur Monis Rahman said he founded Naseeb, which means "destiny" in Arabic, Urdu, Persian, Malaysian, Indonesian, Turkish and Hindi, in response to a desire for community that arose after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. .. About 84 percent of Naseeb's users are in North America and the United Kingdom, and most are invited to join by a friend. Online, they create a profile that includes links to their friends' profiles, and so on, for up to four degrees of separation.  Connecting with people who are friends of friends is especially important in Muslim culture, which frowns upon sharing personal information with strangers. .. Naseeb also offers a religious compatibility quiz that allows users to display their responses to questions such as how frequently they pray, whether it is inappropriate to have dancing or music at weddings and how they'd react if alcohol was served at a company party. FINANCE [Pakistan] Islamisation of economy - Sharia Board to be constituted http://jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2004-daily/05-03-2004/business/b1.htm ..      - 05 Mar 04 Governor, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Dr Ishrat Hussain on Thursday announced the formulation of new prudential regulations for structuring and devising sharia-compliant financial products. .. Dr Ishrat announced the constitution of the Sharia Board of the SBP to supervise the Islamisation of the financial system of the country. The governor SBP also announced the issuance of Ijara Sukuk (government bonds) based on sharia, to replace the present T-bill system in due course of time. .. The governor announced that since over 40 commercial banks and DFIs need to be merged, therefore, in the near future, all new licences for commercial banks have been restricted for the establishment of new Islamic banks in the country. Dr Ishrat said: "We do not want to take hasty steps for the Islamisation of the country's banking system." This, the governor claimed, may lead to the failure of Islamic banking in Pakistan. He said the government wants to establish Islamic banking on firm and solid footings so that it could flourish on sound financial basis. He categorically mentioned that the SBP would not press the business community or individuals to switch over to Islamic banking rather "they should act according to their faith." With the introduction of Islamic banking in the country, Dr Ishrat saw a tremendous rise in the number of bank deposit holders. The reason being that currently, many potential bank clients are reluctant to do business with banks because of the involvement of Riba, he claimed. He predicted that with the rise in Islamic banking, the deposit base of the country's banking and financial system would increase, the currency in supply would get down, resulting in a decrease in inflation and facilitation of the documentation of the national economy. .. [Dr Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi] said the Sharia Board would not re-start its basic work; instead, it would complete the already set target - as per the decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan - to eliminate riba from the national economy. [UK] ABC International Bank launches alburaq - 04 Mar 04 http://www.tradearabia.com/routes/sections/News.asp?Article=65362&;Sn=BANK .. Arab Banking Corporation International Bank (ABCIB) has announced the launch of 'alburaq', created to be the premier retail Islamic financial services brand in the West. The new alburaq brand, aimed primarily at the UK's Muslim community, will offer a range of competitively priced financial products that adhere to religious values and comply with Sharia'a. .. 'There is an obvious need and a large demand for Islamic retail products for the vastly under-served Muslim communities in non-Muslim countries in the West.'   .. ABC's principal shareholders are Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Libya.  .. the majority of group-wide Islamic banking activities are carried out by ABC Islamic Bank (Bahrain) and ABCIB Islamic Asset Management Limited (London). [Indonesia] Signs of "overheating in Syariah banking - 04 Mar 04 http://www.antara.co.id/e_berita.asp?id=139476&;th=2004 .. Signs of "overheating" in the syariah banking system have begun to appear following the Indonesian Ulema Council's fatwa on interest rates, a senior banker said on Wednesday. Syariah banks' funds showed an increase in their BI Wadiah (demand deposits and saving) Certificate, Burhanuddin Abdullah, Bank Indonesia governor, said at a convwing the issuance of the MUI`s binding rules. (1 US dollar = Rp8.500). According to Abdudllah, if the liquidity increase was not balanced with larger capacity, it would create overheating in the syariah banking industry. [Malaysia] Global adoption of IASB standard - 04 Mar 04 http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/3/4/business/7451948 .. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) hopes its system will be adopted worldwide in the next three to four years. .. Zainal also said Malaysia was in discussion with the IASB to formulate methodology for a syariah-based standard."Forty per cent of Malaysia's issuance of private debt securities are Islamic based and there has been a lot of interest generated from the Middle East for these Islamic products," he said.  MASB executive director Dr Nordin Mohd Zain said a standard of presentation for Islamic banks' financial statements was introduced in December 2001 and became effective on Jan 1, 2003. "We are currently developing other standards like ijarah, takaful and zakat." .. http://www.theedgedaily.com/article.cfm?id=29018  - 03 Mar 04 .. The Malaysian Accounting Standards Board (MASB) is drafting four new Islamic accounting standards, with the first one on Ijarah (leasing) to be issued in the first quarter of next year. [Saudi] Insurance companies look to make gains in Gulf - 04 Mar 04 http://www.zawya.com/Story.cfm?id=ZAWYA20040304091511 .. The main [insurance] market in the Gulf is Saudi Arabia, followed by UAE and Kuwait. Bahrain, Qatar and Oman are almost the same size. Furthermore, the Saudi market is certain to develop much more over the next few years.  The main reason is because the Saudi government is now issuing a new insurance law. In the past, people were doing insurance in Saudi Arabia, but the legal framework was not very clear. But recently three things have happened: They made third-party motor insurance compulsory, they made medical insurance compulsory for expatriates, and they are now issuing a new law for establishing and registering insurance companies. These factors will considerably improve the growth of Saudi insurance business. Qatar Government Issues Islamic Trust Listing On Labuan Exchange http://www.tax-news.com/asp/story/story.asp?storyname=15283 ..      - 05 Mar 04 The government of Qatar last month issued a $700 million Sukuk, or Islamic Trust Trading Certificate, on the Labuan International Finance Exchange (LFX). The move has been described as a significant step away from the LFX's listing of more conventional western instruments, as Islamic finance begins to gain in popularity. [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 4:45:30 PM    comment []

vrijdag 27 februari 2004

Sharia News Watch 106 Sharia News Watch 106 : a collection newsquotes on Sharia, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/106 The Sharia Newswatch provides a regular update of news quotes on Sharia (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines. All editions : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ BAHRAIN Ashoora events lined-up    - 26 Feb 04 http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/arc_Articles.asp?Article=75140&;Sn=BNEW&IssueID=26343 .. A series of events are being lined up in Naim to mark Ashoora, which commemorates the Death of Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him). For the first time, Hussaini lectures which relate the story of the Imam and his martyrdom will be accompanied by sign language at the Mohammed Hassan Ma'tam in Naim, starting from tonight. .. The lectures will continue in the ma'tam until Tuesday. .. Martyrdom insight for non-muslims  - 26 Feb 04 http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/arc_Articles.asp?Article=75142&;Sn=BNEW&IssueID=26343 .. A temporary centre opens tonight to help non-Muslims experience and understand Ashoora. Tents are being set up in the processions area in Manama suq to create the centre, which will highlight the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, grandson of Prophet Mohammed. The Ashoora Cultural Centre, which will be open until March 1, is a part of the Islamic Enlightenment Society's First Ashoora Festival.   Arab version of Big Brother upsets Bahrain Islamists - 26 Feb 04 http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=World_News&;month=February2004&file=World_News2004022675938.xml .. The Arab version of the controversial reality TV production Big Brother has incensed Islamist MPs in Bahrain, where the show is being filmed, and who want it stopped. .. "We do not agree that the programme be filmed in Bahrain because it goes against our traditions. We support any development and tourism project provided it is not at the expense of our values and our traditions," Khaled said.  MBC is producing Big Brother at a villa in a resort called Amwaj on Muharraq island, the second largest in the Bahrain archipelago. Twelve young men and women from across the Arab world are living in the villa in separate quarters but meet in the lounge, kitchen and garden. Film of their daily life and interaction imitates, in a more restricted way, scenes which angered traditionalists in the West when the programme first appeared in the Netherlands in 1999 and later in Britain, the United States and France. .. MBC, owned by Sheikh Walid al-Ibrahim, a brother-in-law of Saudi King Fahd, shifted headquarters from London to Dubai last year taking advantage of the media free zone and reduced costs. GHANA [editorial] Why the Chief Imam Must Be Non Partisan - 26 Feb 04 http://allafrica.com/stories/200402260424.html [Accra Mail - Accra] .. We have been observing the cynical exploitation of the Zongo (Islamic) communities for dirty political actions for some time now. By some historical arrangement, the Zongos hold the largest concentrations of Ghana's Islamic communities. The National Chief Imam is currently based in one such community. Sadly, the Zongos are beset by poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, ignorance, superstition, poor housing, and all the other factors that make life unbearable. .. this is where we think the National Chief Imam should come in. He has a moral obligation to preach peace and condemn violence. He has a moral obligation to preach against Zongo/Muslims being used as cannon fodder in dirty political escapades.  He has a moral authority to reaffirm the non-partisan nature of the office he occupies. He has a moral obligation to help the Zongo/Muslim communities in the country to break from decades of superstition and illiteracy and move into enlightenment and above all, he has the moral obligation of championing the cause of peace in the country.  .. He must maintain his dignity and play the role of babangida where all of us in the house are his children, without any favouritism. INDIA [Bombay] The 'spectacular success' of Indian Taliban - 24 Feb 04  http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=28724 .. In September last year, Cheetah Camp* in suburban Trombay took to heart an edict issued by the local Muslim clergy and did away with the loudspeakers blaring Bollywood numbers at every wedding and festive occasion. Now, following the "spectacular success" of the existing ban, the talk in the narrow bylanes and street-corners is that the next to go will be the household telly."‘Even the Ulema Council praised our September farmaan (edict)," says Abdul Jalil Khan, a highly influential member of the local clergy and one of those who issued the diktat. Called 'Sadar Saab', Khan says 50-odd weddings have been conducted in Cheetah Camp since September, "without loudspeakers or fireworks". .. Khan is now rolling up his sleeves for the bigger battle, against the "corrosive power" of the visuals on the air-waves. All television programmes, informative or entertaining, are replete with images "of lust and of semi-nude models" Khan adds. Along with the welcome respite from the noise pollution caused by the loudspeakers, there's also a silent revolution underway. Around the mosques and madrasas, conversations are liberally peppered with references to the holy Quran, the Hadith and 'ittefaq-i-rai' (consensus on any issue). That's why, when 17-year-old Mohammed Alam steps outside the high-walled precincts of the Al Jamiatul Arabia Merajul-Uloom Madrasa, he's particularly careful not to stray from the path of "pure Islam". "My teachers are very clear. I should shun any external influence, especially women and Western things," he says. .. "Even news programmes bristle with nudity -- thanks to the commercials," ays Mohammed Azad (29), a teacher who gives taqreers (religious sermons) at the Merajul mosque and at Alam'smadrasa. The madrasa and the mosque are both housed in a common campus in Sector C of Cheetah Camp, the structure standing out amid the irregular rows of shanties. Inside the madrasa, kids hover around the sole telephone -- one of the few links with the world outside Cheetah Camp. Can Alam use the radio? "Only for news. He should switch it off when there's music coming on," offers one teacher. .. * http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/feb/14muslim.htm .. Cheetah Camp is located in northeastern Mumbai and has a population of around 150,000 people, nearly 80 per cent of who are Muslims working as either artisans or daily wage workers. "We found that our Muslim brethren were creating too much of noise by playing music on loudspeakers. This is un-Islamic and at the same time disturbs the entire neighbourhood. So we issued a fatwa stating that maulvis from our area won't conduct Muslim marriages if they play music." .. Asked - didn't he feel that this was Talibanisation and a threat to Muslims who want to celebrate their marriages with music, Ahmed says, "We are not like the Taliban. We are not boycotting such families socially. We only boycott their marriages. This is mentioned in our hadith and shariah (Islamic law) that music should be not played during marriages, which are supposed to be very simple affairs and without wasteful expenditure. So, we are only propagating the view of our religion." INDONESIA International Islamic scholars conference ends on critical note http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaillatestnews.asp?fileid=20040225145313 ..      - 25 Feb 04 The three-day international Islamic scholars conference ended here on Wednesday by issuing "Jakarta declaration".  The 240 Muslim scholars concluded they strongly "condemn acts of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations" and "reject the identification of terrorism with "any particular religion". The Muslim scholars agreed to empower the Islamic community to promote Islamic economic practices and international cooperation so that they can actively participate and effectively compete in the future global economy. The conference, co-hosted by the Indonesian government and the country's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), agreed to establish a secretariat, which will be based in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. .. The conference, which gathered more than 200 Islamic scholars from 42 different countries to discuss such issues as Islam's role in education, globalization and human rights, had a goal of "easing East-West" tensions. Islam Never Recognizes Concept of State, Gus Dur Says - 25 Feb 04 http://www.antara.co.id/e_berita.asp?id=138001&;th=2004 .. Former chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama, the biggest Islamic organization in Indonesia, Abdurahman Wahid, popularly called Gus Dur, said Islam never recognized the concept of a state and therefore the idea of an Islamic state was an illusion. "My opinion is supported by many people who say Islam has never recognized the concept of a state. Therefore, it is not an obligation for Moslems to form an Islamic state," Gus Dur told the press after speaking in the International Conference of Islamic Scholars here on Tuesday. Fraud trial calls Indonesian justice system into question - 24 Feb 04 http://www.abc.net.au/ra/newstories/RANewsStories_1052395.htm .. The head of Indonesia's largest Islamic organisation has warned the fraud-trial acquittal of parliamentary speaker Akbar Tanjung may endanger the country. Hasyim Muzadi, the head of Nahdlatul Ulama, which claims 40-million supporters, says the decision could be seen as incompatible with people's sense of justice.  Indonesia's supreme court cleared Tanjung of misappropriating $ US 4.7 million in state funds, which had been allocated in 1999 to feed the poor. The court found he could not be penalised for following orders from then President, BJ Habibie. US to send books to Islamic schools  - 26 Feb 04 http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/asia/story/0,4386,237120,00.html? .. The US Embassy said on Tuesday it would distribute books on US history, geography and other topics to Islamic schools to counter rising anti-American attitudes in Indonesia, home to the world's largest Muslim population. But there seems to be a wrinkle in the plan - some of the books in the US State Department collection are up to 12 years old. One book, on political history, ends in 1992 with Mr Bill Clinton becoming president.  Embassy spokesman Stanley Harsha played down the age of the books' contents, saying the important thing was getting them into Islamic boarding schools whose students often base their view of the United States on what comes out of Hollywood. .. 'They get all their information from television, movies and rumours. We want to give them a real and deeper understanding of American democracy, pluralism and the way the economy works.' The embassy translated the five-book American Online Series - with volumes on American history, economics, literature, politics and geography - into Indonesian and plans to distribute them to some 1,000 Islamic boarding schools. IRAN New political conflict shaping up in Iran   - 25 Feb 04 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2004/02/25/MNG4J57MUD1.DTL .. Analysts say a new conflict could be brewing between the religious fundamentalists, who want to tighten social controls, and pragmatic conservatives who want to follow the "Chinese model" by adapting to new domestic and international realities. .. The hard-liners' carefully crafted takeover of parliament comes as Iran prepares to reopen its economy to the world for the first time since Iranians toppled pro-Western Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in 1979. .. Political unknowns calling themselves the Association of Advancement of Islamic Iran, known locally as Abadgaran, won the biggest block of votes. Their leader, incumbent lawmaker Gholamali Haddadadel, is married to a daughter of Khamenei. The group has endorsed many of the good-government slogans of the reform movement -- for example, vowing not to crack down on women with hair showing beneath their headscarves or young people listening to pop music. "Our goal is to solve economic problems," said Emad Ghetassi, who works in Abadgaran's public relations office. "The last parliament ignored economic problems. We've promised to solve unemployment. We've promised to increase people's purchasing power and solve the inflation problem." .. The pragmatic conservatives talk of a new approach: a Chinese model, in which the country would open itself to foreign investment, provide jobs and limited social freedom while keeping most political dissent in check. Adherents of this approach disdain the tactics of the clerics' most strident supporters.  .. the Chinese model will be no easy fit for Iran. Although the country has reformed foreign investment laws and set up tax holidays for investors, its market potential -- 68 million Iranians, compared to 1.2 billion Chinese -- is relatively small, while the potential for a public relations fallout is immense, especially with foreign companies that have significant U.S. investments. Our Religious Literature Is Multidimensional: Poetess - 23 Feb 04 http://www.mehrnews.com/wfNewsDetails_en.aspx?NewsID=61079 .. Contemporary Iranian poetess Simindokht Vahidi said that it was not common for women to compose laments and epics from the time of the advent of Islam until shortly before the Islamic Revolution of 1979. She added that laments recited to encourage soldiers on war fronts were only written by a few Arab women, but in recent years more women writers have begun to work in the field of religious literature, creating precious works.  "Considering the form of poetry, the development of language in religious literature attracted more readers, and it has been a long time that our religious poetry does not talk only of death, but also describes epics, social issues, and politics as well, making it multidimensional," she said. IRAQ Iraqi feminists see 'tiny gap for democracy'  - 24 Feb 04 http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&;c=Article&cid=1077663704533 .. Dozens of women's groups have sprung up since Saddam Hussein's regime collapsed in April, but few appear to know how to seize the opportunity and make a clear set of demands as politicians draw up an interim constitution. Time is running out as the June 30 deadline nears when the United States, their most solid supporter, transfers power to Iraqis and ends its occupation. .. Resolution 137 was passed by the council in December abolishing the previous, liberal Personal Status Law - which governs family law - and allowed each sect in Iraq to apply its own religious law. Abdul-Aziz al-Hakim, a hard-line Shiite Muslim who headed the council in December, pushed the decision through, apparently taking advantage of the absence of several council members.  The decision sparked widespread protests by women, who feared it would roll back the rights they have. It hasn't come into effect because L. Paul Bremer, the top U.S. administrator in Iraq, who must approve all measures passed by the council, has shown no intention to sign it. This month's president of the council, Mohsen Abdul-Hamid, a Sunni fundamentalist, also raised worries about the future of women's rights when he demanded that it be written into the constitution that Islam is "the primary source" of legislation in a future Iraq. Bremer suggested he would block any such move and said Islam would be "a source" out of many. .. Role of Islam in Iraqi Constitution    - 27 Feb 04 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7&;section=0&article=40166&d=27&m=2&y=2004 .. Iraqi Shiites opposition to a religious state, however, is not solely doctrinal. It is also dictated by practical politics. Though Shiites account for some 60 percent of the Iraqis, they cannot be regarded as a monolithic bloc even on issues of faith. Like other Shiites they are divided into dozens of ways (tariqats) and countless forms of allegiance (taqlid). As the Iranian experience has illustrated, it is impossible for Shiites to agree on a single political reading of Islam. But even if such a single reading were to be imposed by conjecture, as was the case in Iran in 1979, it would not be sustainable for long. The Iraqi situation is more complex still because 40 percent of the country's population are not Shiites and have no reason to accept any Shiite political reading of Islam. [comment] Dangerous illusions of a democratic Shi'ite Iraq - 26 Feb 04 http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FB26Ak01.html .. Though in the past (and continuing into the present) these varied Shi'ite groups have nearly as often been at each other's throats as at the Ba'athists, they share a radical Islamic outlook more akin to Khomeini's or the current Iranian supremo Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's than Sistani's. I consider it a dangerous illusion that - after a putative electoral victory of Shi'ites under Sistani's leadership - the likes of Muqtada al-Sadr or al-Da'wa and Badr Corps leaders and their followers could be smoothly integrated into a peaceable Shi'ite political body leading a unified, democratic Iraq. Quite understandably, with thousands of their former comrades in arms buried in Saddam's mass graves, hatred for the once Ba'ath Party-led Sunni minority runs deep, as do motives of revenge and retribution. In the long run, more importantly, these radicals will not foreswear the ideas for which many of them have fought for decades. With a popular following and armed to the teeth, why should they subordinate their goals and aspirations to those of a weaker leader's? Badr Corps commander Abdul Aziz al-Hakim spelled out the strategy quite clearly: first have elections, in which Shi'ites under moderate leadership win an absolute majority; then use popular pressure and force transformation into a Khomeini-style Islamic republic. It's the old Leninist two-stage strategy by the precepts of which the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia in 1917 after intermittent moderate Menshevik rule under Alexandr Kerenski [Karbala] Clout of Iraq's Shiite Clergy Growing - 25 Feb 04 http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/world/8034227.htm .. After a two-hour meeting, the provincial council finally came to a solution to resolve a dispute over whether it is a legitimate political institution - ask the ayatollah. .. The dispute erupted last week when local Shiite Muslim religious figures urged the faithful not to accept the council as a legitimate governing body because its members were appointed by the U.S.-led occupation rather than elected by the people.  According to council members, the coalition decided to expand and reorganize the council from 16 to 40 members. Coalition authorities asked tribal leaders and other dignitaries to provide a list of 160 candidates. The coalition and some Iraqi officials then picked new council members from that list. The 40-member council then elected a new provincial governor. Coalition officials also used the reorganization to replace some members of the old council who were deemed inactive or ineffective. During his Friday sermon, Sheik Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalayee, the Karbala representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Husseini al-Sistani, asked worshippers to boycott the council. .. Meanwhile, a leaflet circulated in this city accusing the Americans of disregarding the will of the people in the provincial council flap. The leaflet called for protests to demand the right to choose their leaders "without foreign intervention." All that didn't sit well with some members of the American-appointed leadership, who accused opponents of stirring up trouble to promote their own supporters. "We think that the way the council was chosen represents democracy," said Karbala Gov. Saad Sfouk. "Some of the clerics may be hoping for more representation for their supporters." With clerical influence in the ascendancy, however, there was little the coalition or Iraqi officials could do. Ten new council members submitted their resignations or asked that their memberships be suspended until the matter could be resolved. The council met Monday and decided after a two-hour discussion to send a delegation to Ayatollah al-Sistani in nearby Najaf to try to sort out the problem. KENYA No Kadhis' Courts, Say Delegates [The Nation - Nairobi] http://allafrica.com/stories/200402250923.html - 26 Feb 04 .. Christian delegates yesterday revived the controversial issue of Kadhis' courts in the new constitution and accused the consensus building committee of failing them. The delegates, led by Rev David Oginde of the National Council of Churches of Kenya, expressed fear that there was "a deliberate and well co-ordinated agenda" behind moves to entrench the courts in the new constitution. .. The bone of contention is Muslims' demand that the courts, which deal with personal, marriage, property and inheritance law, be entrenched in the new constitution, a position vehemently opposed especially by the evangelical churches. KUWAIT Kuwaiti MPs, lawyers back Shiite call for high court - 27 Feb 04 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=112210 .. Shiite MPs and lawyers have backed calls for the establishment of a Shiite Court of Cassation to serve the needs of Kuwaiti Shiites because the current court uses a branch of Islamic jurisprudence which they say is at odds with that of Shiites, the local English daily Arab Times reported yesterday. .. MP Saleh Ashour, one of five Shiite parliamentarians, said litigation was simple and less complicated in the 60s and Kuwaiti courts used the Imam Malik branch of Islamic jurisprudence, including Shiite cases. However, in modern times, cases have become more complicated and for this reason, Shiites called for separate courts for their cases at the Court of First Instance to adjudicate according to Imam Jaafar's branch of jurisprudence to which they adhere.  "When litigations involving Shiites became mired in complications we called for a Shiite Appeals Court, which was granted. Now things have become worse as lots of cases at the Appeals Court cannot be settled. That is why we are calling for a Shiite Court of Cassation," said Ashour. "We do not blame the Sunni judiciary for this quagmire. They are not specialised in Shiite jurisprudence, that is why their verdicts create problems for Shiites."   He pointed out Law 15/1987 on personal status cases stipulates that Kuwaiti personal status courts judge according to the teachings of Imam Malik. It also allows other adherents of teachings other than Imam Malik to be judged according to their branch of jurisprudence. .. He said such verdicts need to be overturned because Shiites and Sunnis have different interpretations for child custody, divorce and inheritance matters.  "Even the legal teachings differ among the four schools of jurisprudence (Maliki, Shafii, Hanbali and Hanafi) professed by Sunnis. Citing examples to show the differences of opinion, Ashour said if a man passes away and leaves only a daughter, the late man's brothers share the estate with his daughter according to Imam Malik. But according to Imam Jaafar the entire estate goes to the daughter. He said this has forced some Shiites to bequeath their properties to their daughters to prevent their uncles from sharing it with them when they pass away and the Maliki teachings are invoked. In the case of divorce, it becomes binding when the husband invokes the term once according to the Jaafari school.  However, the Maliki school rules that divorce is binding only after three invocations. The Jaafari school also maintains divorce can only hold when it is invoked in the presence of two witnesses whereas there is no need for a witness in the Maliki school. .. "Some people believe that Shiites are trying to get a separate court for themselves, but we are only asking for a branch of the Cassation Court for Shiite personal status cases," he said.  Shiites are said to comprise about 30 per cent of Kuwait's population. MALAYSIA Rights of non-Muslims guaranteed, says PM  - 24 Feb 04 http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/2/24/nation/7381328&;sec=nation .. Non-Muslims do not have to fear the Government’s efforts to instil Islamic values and practices among Muslims, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said. .. "The Government will always respect and protect the constitutional rights of non-Muslims and they are free to go about their own activities and programmes," Abdullah said in his speech at the launch of the state-level Islam Hadhari (The Management of an Islamic Country) at the USM hall in Kubang Kerian yesterday. .. Earlier, Abdullah said the Governments' moves to make it mandatory for Muslim students in primary and secondary schools to learn the Arabic language and master the Quran were to enable them to evaluate any "confusing fatwa (edict)" issued in the language. "When they have good command of Arabic, they can crosscheck the fatwa with the Quran." Currently, only students in secondary religious schools are compelled to take up Arabic studies while it is an optional subject in all primary schools. NIGERIA Polio vaccines meet resistance in Nigeria     - 24 Feb 04 http://www.timesstar.com/Stories/0,1413,125~10859~1975787,00.html .. Bearing droppers of polio vaccine and promises of its safety, hundreds of thousands of volunteers fanned out across 10 African nations Monday in a drive to stop a polio outbreak spreading from Nigerian states that have banned the vaccine. Islamic leaders in three northern Nigerian states have blocked polio inoculations since October, calling them part of a U.S. plot to spread AIDS or infertility among Muslims. One of the states, Kaduna, lifted the ban on the eve of Monday's emergency campaign -- but even here, many Islamic neighborhoods turned away the volunteers with their iceboxes of vaccines, drops administered orally. .. Until the Nigeria-based outbreak, endemic polio had been narrowed to six nations, including three -- Nigeria, Niger and Egypt -- in Africa. Global cases had been reduced from 350,000 in 1988 to fewer than 1,000 last year. The outbreak helped trigger the emergency campaign in Nigeria, Ghana, Togo, Niger, Cameroon, Benin, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast and Chad.  In Ivory Coast, women in the Muslim-Christian rebel-held city of Bouake lined up by the dozens under scorching sun to get the vaccine for babies strapped to their backs or toddlers holding their hands. Ivory Coast, previously thought freed of the disease, this month saw its first polio case since 1999. Monday's immunizations were the first in the country in two years because of a 2002-2003 civil war.  In Nigeria, health workers made no attempts to launch the campaign in the two states -- Kano and Zamfara -- that banned immunizations.  After months of prohibiting door-to- door vaccinations, Kano state officials last week withdrew stocks of vaccine from hospitals where patients had received inoculations upon request, U.N. officials said. .. Panel Says Polio Vaccine Probe Inconclusive  - 25 Feb 04 http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=healthNews&;storyID=4427561 .. Nigeria set up the 23-man committee earlier this month to clear up the controversy after Islamic leaders urged Muslims in the north, where the crippling disease is endemic, not to immunize children because the vaccines could cause infertility. "The result we have cannot be released now because it is not conclusive," committee chairman Kyari Umar El-Kanemi told reporters in the capital Abuja. "One part of the result is still being awaited...We will release our final report to the general public by early March," said El-Kanemi, a Muslim elder in northeast Borno state.  Nigeria and international donor agencies had hoped the committee's report would finally allay the concerns of Islamic elders that the vaccine has been adulterated. .. [Kano] Muslim state leader defends polio vaccine boycott  - 26 Feb 04 http://www.adn.com/24hour/healthscience/story/1158791p-8073390c.html .. A Nigerian state governor defended a boycott of a polio immunization campaign, asserting a spreading outbreak of the disease was a "lesser of two evils" than rendering women infertile with vaccines that some Islamic leaders have deemed a U.S. plot against Muslims. .. Bauchi, another predominantly Muslim state, on Wednesday rejoined the four-day immunization campaign.  United Nations Children's Fund spokesman Gerrit Beger said vaccinators were "quite successful" in Bauchi where he said officials allowed the campaign to begin on Wednesday morning. Bauchi had just two days earlier suspended participation in the vaccine drive. Reasons for its apparent reversal were unclear and officials there could not be reached for comment. U.N. officials have declared that Kano is the epicenter of a polio outbreak spreading from Nigeria to at least seven other African nations where the disease had been eliminated. Kano Police Arrest Mastermind of Sudan-Saudi Inspired Bloody Revolt http://mathaba.net/x.htm?http://mathaba.net/0_index.shtml?x=38667 ..      - 25 Feb 04 Nigerian Security agents in Kano have arrested the Sudanese head of a Saudi-funded charity accused of funding a shortlived but bloody Islamic rebellion. .. "The arrest followed the discovery of financial transactions running into millions of naira (tens of thousands of dollars/euros) between Sheikh Muhiddeen and a Kano-based businessman, Alhaji Sharu," an official said. .. In late December last year a group of young Nigerian Muslims launched a small-scale uprising in Yobe State, calling for an Islamic state. The gang fought a series of clashes with security forces, but was dispersed after about two weeks of fighting left at least two police and more than a dozen rebels dead, and some 47 Islamists in custody. Security agents swooped on a suspected militant hideout and arrested Sharu, who has since confessed to acting as middleman between the group and Almuntada, the official said. Almuntada al-Islami is a charity reputedly funded by wealthy Saudi individuals. It is said to have built 42 mosques in Kano, and promotes the conservative Wahhabi brand of Islam espoused by Afghanistan's ousted Taliban regime. .. The senior Sudanese intelligence agent was working for the "Islamic Call" (Munazama Dawa) organisation of Sudan, which acts as a front for Sudan foreign intelligence operations. The Islamist military general Swar al Dahab, who recently received an international Islamist prize, is patron of the Munazama Dawa. Dahab prevented Sudan from falling to a popular revolution after the masses rose up against the Nimeiri dictatorship. Kano Emirate Moves to Retrieve Stolen 1807 Constitution - 25 Feb 04 http://allafrica.com/stories/200402250571.html [Daily Champion-Lagos] .. As the Sokoto caliphate celebrates the 200 years of Uthman Dan Fodio's revolution, Kano Emirate Council has raised a high profile team to storm London and retrieve the emirate's stolen written constitution. The constitution which was written in 1807 by the Habe rulers was ferried away by the invading British colonial overlords following the fall of the emirate in 1903.  Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero and other traditional authorities in the emirate had repeatedly expressed serious concern at the non-return of the precious document by successive British governments. Addressing newsmen on the matter yesterday, the Wambai Kano, Alhaji Abbas Sanusi, who is also a senior councillor in the emirate, said the document was a guide to the then rulers of the emirate as well as a tool for propagating the Sharia legal system. Alhaji Sanusi hinted that at the time the constitution was written, none of the 32 states conquered by Danfodio, had anything like it. He said the 1807 constitution was taken to Sokoto in 1809 during the reign of Sultan Muhammad Bello, the son of Danfodio, who edited it and made it more readable for Kano emirate to work with. "Unfortunately in 1903, when the British colonialists captured Kano Emirate Council, they packed away the constitution, some valuable properties which have traditional bearings and many things," Sanusi said. [Plateau] Religious violence kills 48   - 26 Feb 04 http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_1489639,00.html .. Suspected Muslim militants armed with guns and bows and arrows killed at least 48 people in an attack on a farming village in central Nigeria. Most of the victims died as they sought refuge in a church, police said. The latest bout of Muslim-Christian violence in the region occurred on Tuesday night in Yelwa, a mainly Christian town in Nigeria's Plateau State, police commissioner Innocent Ilozuoke said. .. The killings appeared to be the latest retaliatory attack in a sporadic conflict that has rocked the central region since an outburst of sectarian violence in 2001, pitting Christians against Muslims in once-peaceful Jos. In the initial outburst in Jos more than a thousand people died in one week. .. On February 19, gunmen suspected by the police to belong to a Muslim militia ambushed a patrol car, killing four police officers. The ambush followed an earlier attack by a Christian militia upon a Muslim village that killed 10.  For decades, the majority Christian inhabitants of Plateau and the minority Muslim population - mostly Hausa and Fulani tribespeople with origins farther north - had lived in harmony. OMAN Oman To Host Islamic Fiqh Council Meeting  [Info-Prod Research] http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47507265 ..      - 24 Feb 04 According to "Oman Observer", the Sultanate will host the fifteenth meeting of the Council of Islamic Fiqh, which will be held between March 6 and 11. The meeting is being organized for members of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).Shaikh Ahmed bin Hamad al Khalili, Grand Mufti of the Sultanate, said that the hosting of the Islamic Conference in Oman follows invitations made by Sultan Qaboos.He added that the idea for establishing Fiqh Council emerged from the Islamic Summit held in Saudi Arabia, in which the king headed Oman's delegation. He said that two sessions were held in Kuwait, one in the UAE, one in Bahrain, one in Qatar and one in Brunei Darussalam. The future sessions will be held in other Islamic countries. PAKISTAN Lessons from Karbala - I  by  Farhan Bokhari  - 26 Feb 04 http://jang.com.pk/thenews/feb2004-daily/26-02-2004/oped/o4.htm .. Today, for students of Islam, understanding the personality of Syed Bibi Zainab, remains as important a basis for appreciating the significance of Karbala, as the events during the first ten days of ' 'Muharram' till 'Ashura' (10th of Muharram-the day of Imam Hussain's martyrdom). Syed Bibi Zainab spent her life before Karbala behind a veil, in accordance with Islamic tradition. Over the years, some of the best accounts by scholars of Syeda Bibi Zainab's life have often mourned the desecration of her 'chadar' (veil) in Karbala as one of gravest tragedies that befell upon her. Indeed, the significance of such a tragedy should never be down played. Despite Reform Plan, Few Changes Seen At Most Radical Madrassahs http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/2/E7AFCF76-7D7A-4282-9946-0E08F9F6BC0A.html ..      - 24 Feb 04 When Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf announced plans to reform the madrassahs in his country almost two years ago, he said the move was necessary because some of the private Islamic schools had become breeding grounds for "intolerance and hatred." Reports now suggest, however, that there have been few changes at the country's most radical madrassahs, the religious schools that spawned Afghanistan's Taliban movement.  To be fair, International Crisis Group terrorism expert Najum Mushtaq says it is wrong to label Pakistan's entire madrassah sector as a hotbed of Islamic extremism. "We should make no generalizations about madrassahs,” he told RFE/RL. “Madrassahs are of so many kinds. To associate militancy with madrassahs is only to avoid the real issue, which is that the Pakistani state has been promoting religious extremism itself -- initially with the help of the West [to stop the spread of communism from Afghanistan during the 1980s], and then on its own as a tool of Pakistan's military strategy and defense strategy. Madrassahs were, at best, a pawn in the game of religious extremism. And [even] that [refers] to a very small section of madrassahs."  Pakistan's government last month approved more than $100 million for madrassahs participating in the modernization program. About 80 percent of an estimated 10,000 madrassahs are to receive those funds -- meaning 20 percent of the madrassahs have not met Islamabad's reform criteria. According to a World Bank study, that is about the same number of madrassahs that were sending their students to camps for military training when Musharraf's reform program was launched. .. Musharraf's reform scheme calls for modern disciplines such as English, science, mathematics, economics, and even computer science. The plan aims to curtail the enrollment of foreign students and to block funding -- both from Islamabad and from abroad -- for madrassahs that fail to register and adhere to the modern curriculum. The scheme also calls for madrassahs to stop sending students to military training camps. .. Unlike Mushtaq, de Borchgrave considers Pakistan's madrassah sector, as a whole, to be a potential source of Islamic extremism. "To this very day now, you have madrassahs that have spread all over Pakistan which were originally encouraged by the United States and Saudi Arabia," he said. "They are churning out hundreds of thousands of kids - about an estimated 700,000 this year from about 10,000 madrassahs - all still paid for by the Wahhabi clergy in Saudi Arabia to the tune of about $300 million a year. And that is the clear and present danger. Not Iraq. Iraq was a clear and distant danger."  Other recent international studies are critical of madrassahs that focus solely on Islamic teachings. Some madrassahs use texts from the 11th century to teach medicine and that others teach mathematics based only on the works of the ancient Greeks more than 2,300 years ago. Fallacy of religious reasoning - Khaled Ahmed's Urdu Press Review http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_27-2-2004_pg3_5 ..      - 27 Feb 04 The truth is that different exegeses of the Quran have led to different courses of action. The judge favours the concept of the "wali" under the Maliki "fiqh" although he knows that the Hanafi "fiqh" ignores it and gives primacy to consent. .. We think "shariah" is based on the Quran but find that it is based on the "fiqh" as well. Our "fiqh", not someone elses. Because if another "fiqh" contradicts ours, we denounce it. Above all facts are not important when seeking to defend our faith. .. Writing in "Khabrain" (5 January 2004), Justice (Retd) Abdul Majeed Tiwana said that asking for the repeal of Hudood laws was not within the power of any institution of the state as it was divine law as enforced by the Quran. He said as far as the question of "wali" is concerned the different schools of thought in Islam have been discussing the question since 1979. He thought that while an adult girl could marry without the permission of her "wali" society would not tolerate that a girl run away from home and marry someone stealthily after dishonouring her family and parents, and starting a vendetta between the two families involved in the runaway marriage. The judge thinks we can't reform anything related to the text of the Quran, but doesn’t say if by the text of the Quran he excludes interpretation of it. The "hudood" are supposed to be the "nas" (clear edict) of the Quran, but we ignore it in some cases and accept "nas" when it is not even in the Quran. The truth is that different exegeses of the Quran have led to different courses of action. The judge favours the concept of the “wali” under the Maliki “fiqh” although he knows that the Hanafi “fiqh” ignores it and gives primacy to consent. Then he takes flight into emotion and fantasy. He thinks that a girl marrying on the basis of her consent runs away from home and marries someone “stealthily”. He presumes that the parents (father as “wali”) did not agree. Before assuming that the girl fled her home, he has to legally consider whether the parents were right in refusing her choice? It is thinking like this that misleads us. The judge is an intellectual delinquent. He lives under Hanafi law but is dying to go Maliki or Hanbali. What he wants is hardline Islam. But facts tell us that after hardline Islam is forced upon people the state collapses. Lahore High Court says nikah with sister-in-law is no offence - 27 Feb http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_27-2-2004_pg10_2 .. The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday observed that the Hudood has no ban against a person who enters into a Nikah (marriage agreement) with the sister of his wife without divorcing her. LHC Justice Sheikh Abdul Rasheed said such a Nikah was irregular, but by no means constitutes an offence under the Hudood Ordinance. The court said this irregularity would be resolved if the husband divorced his first wife. The court, while quashing the Hudood case registered against Nazir and Khalida at a Shekhupura police station, said marrying a sister-in-law in the presence of her sister as a valid wife or a fifth-wife in the presence of four legitimate wives, or marrying a non-Muslim lady comes under the definition of "Faasid Nikah" (Irregular Nikah), which was not an offence. One who marries two sisters cannot keep both in wedlock, and if he does so and tries to establish conjugal rights with both of them, then he could be said to have committed an offence, said the court. Earlier Mr Nazir's counsel said his client did not enter into Nikah with his sister-in-law, instead his nephew Shahzad had married Khalida without the consent of her parents. [NWFP] Body to review Hisba legalities   - 26 Feb 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_26-2-2004_pg7_28 .. NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has formed a subcommittee to review the legal aspects of the Hisba Bill and its present status and demanded final recommendations within four days to set the course for approval of the draft law. .. Various legal proposals were tabled to facilitate the smooth passage of the Bill, said the minister, who wished not to be named. The present status of the draft Bill and its legal aspects were discussed and the participants came out with consensus to wait for the final recommendations of the subcommittee that was directed to submit the final recommendations within four days and these recommendations would set out the future strategy for the Bill's approval. PALESTINE Radical Islam spreads among Palestinians  - 22 Feb 04 http://www.swisspolitics.org/en/news/index.php?page=news_inhalt&;news_id=4737099 .. The growth of religion is not confined to Gaza, which was traditionally fairly conservative. More women also cover their heads in the relatively westernised West Bank city of Nablus. Attendance is rising at mosques everywhere. Even left-wing militant groups that once took a firmly secular line have become part of the trend. The Marxist Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine now uses verses of the Koran on posters and political leaflets. .. Helping the growth of religion has been the failure of Yasser Arafat's secular Palestinian Authority to resist the Israelis, to assuage poverty, to root out corruption and stop the gun law of militant factions. Palestinian leaders blame the Israelis for destroying their internal security services in the conflict. The Islamic group Hamas -- at the forefront of a suicide bombing campaign that has killed hundreds of Israelis -- has filled a social and financial vacuum through its widespread network of charity organisations and mosques. But Palestinians say groups like Hamas do not have to work hard to get people to turn to God.  "Palestinians have been exposed to a situation that turned their villages into prisons, but prisons without roofs," said psychiatrist Eyad Sarraj, a founder of the Gaza community Mental Health Programme. "When the Israelis strike, they fill the streets with panic because nobody knows where to hide. Total exposure and vulnerability have resulted in intense fear that is translated to the children through the behaviour of their parents." .. Sarraj said women had become even more devout and radicalised than men as a result of their experience and that could only help to encourage a new generation of children to become more militant than their parents. A recent study by his department of 12-year-old children found that the ambition of nearly a quarter was to die by the age of 18 in a "martyrdom attack" -- suicide bombing to kill Israelis. Many see the only hope for stopping the steady drift towards religious and political radicalism as being a revival of the peace process, but there is scant sign of that. UK Yes, jilbab girl can sue her school   - 25 Feb 04 http://www.lutontoday.co.uk/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=541&;ArticleID=745784 .. A 15-year-old Muslim girl has been given permission to bring a High Court challenge against her Luton school in a dispute over her right to wear traditional religious dress in the classroom. Her lawyers confirmed on Monday that a judge who considered the case papers found that she had an "arguable case" to seek judicial review. A full hearing will take place some time after April. Shabina Begum has been out of school since September 2002 when she was sent home after arriving for classes at Denbigh High School in the jilbab – a long, flowing gown. Her lawyers are arguing that Shabina's right to practise her religion is being infringed unlawfully. .. Luton's Icknield High School recently made national headlines over a ban that meant Muslim girls cannot wear their traditional headwear. The ban is currently under review by the governors. Denbigh, a 1,000-pupil comprehensive where almost 80 per cent of pupils are Muslim, maintains it has a flexible school uniform policy which takes into account all faiths and cultures and is not acting in a discriminatory manner. Pupils can wear trousers, skirts or a shalwar kameez, consisting of trousers and a tunic. Although not officially excluded, Shabina's lawyers argue she has effectively been prevented from attending the school. Originally, she wore a shalwar kameez to school, but her deepening interest in her religion led to her wearing the loose, ankle-length jilbab.  When she turned up for the first day of the new school year in September 2002, Shabina, who wants to become a doctor, was told she had to go home and change. USA ADV27-01     - 26 Feb 04 http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/ny-bc-ny--terrormoney0226feb26,0,3258623.story .. The Brooklyn case stemmed from a broader crackdown on informal money-transferring operations known as "hawalas." U.S. authorities allege the system is used by terrorists to secretly launder and transfer millions of dollars, including money siphoned from Islamic charities.  Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Treasury Department has used provisions of the Patriot Act to freeze the assets and revoke the nonprofit status of several Middle East-based charities with branches in the United States, citing alleged ties to terrorists. Some of the non-profits have denied any wrongdoing, insisting the money only went to the needy.  In Brooklyn alone, more than a dozen Arab or Muslim men have been charged with illegal money remitting and other crimes. Foremost among them is another prominent Yemeni sheik, Ali Hassan al-Moayad, accused of funneling more than $20 million to terrorist networks; another Brooklyn man was convicted of illegally transmitting millions of dollars to Yemen and elsewhere through the bank accounts of his Brooklyn ice cream shop. [Washington] Muslim cemetery in Covington fulfills teachings of Islam http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001862816_cemetery22m.html ..       - 22 Feb 04 It seems an unlikely final resting place for immigrants of the Islamic faith -- men and women from countries such as Afghanistan, Somalia, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria -- and their children. The 3-year-old graveyard is one of only a few in the United States exclusive to Muslims. It's the only one in the state of Washington. Dr. Mahmood Sarram, a retired Tacoma obstetrician from Iran, who first envisioned this place more than 16 years ago, thought the region's growing Muslim population needed a burial site that fulfilled the teachings of Islam -- and a place where "future generations could come, pause and reflect," he said. Plans also call for a Muslim school and a mosque on the site. .. In many cities, Muslims must reserve sections of traditional cemeteries to bury their dead, a process that can be complicated. Islamic tradition calls for the body to be wrapped in white cloth and placed in the ground -- returned to the earth, dust to dust. At All-Muslim and other Muslim cemeteries and cemetery sections across the United States, the body is typically placed on soil within a concrete vault, primarily for environmental reasons. Islamic tradition also calls for burial to be within 24 hours of death, which can overwhelm some cemeteries and funeral homes, said James Noel, executive director of the Washington State Funeral Directors Association, who is also an adviser to the All-Muslim Cemetery. "Muslim tradition requires that graves face in the direction of Mecca -- it's a very important tenet, so much so that they will come out and measure to make sure it's correct down to the degree," Noel said. Noel, who retired from Mountain View Funeral Home in Tacoma after 34 years, said that in some cemeteries, Muslim families have had to buy as many as six grave plots to get two that could be properly aligned. .. Landscaped, with fencing separating it from the residential subdivision next door, the property includes a pair of houses -- one for gatherings and prayers, and a second, smaller one where bodies are prepared for burial. From this second house, the washed and wrapped body is carried in a wooden casket a few yards to the burial site. While Muslim traditions differ by country and sect, here the body is removed from the casket and placed in the earth facing Mecca. .. Some similar cemeteries in other parts of the country have had a tougher time getting established. In January, a long-planned all- Muslim cemetery near Lawrenceville, Ga., finally opened after a fierce, years-long rezoning battle that drew world attention. The Georgia Islamic Institute of Religious and Social Sciences spent $140,000 to comply with a list of rezoning requirements, such as groundwater monitoring and fencing that included an 8-foot-high privacy fence along the abutting neighborhood. The institute also must use stone grave markers, a practice often eschewed by Muslims wanting modest graves. Muslim Girl Has Right To Wear Scarf, AU Tells Okla. School - 01 Feb 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47536273 .. [Church & State, Publication: 2004-02-01, Arrival time: 2004-02-25] A Muslim student attending an Oklahoma public school [Muskogee] has the right to wear a headscarf as dictated by her religious beliefs, Americans United has told school officials. .. School officials contend that the scarf violates a school policy that prohibits students from wearing hats, caps, bandannas or other headgear. In a Dec. 10 letter to school officials, Americans United Legal Director Ayesha N. Khan urged the school to reverse its policy. Khan noted that while public schools are not permitted to promote religion, individual students have the right to express their religious beliefs in a nondisruptive way. FINANCE Islamic Finance: Prerequisites of Murabaha in view of today's needs http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=112036 Seminar To Discuss Publication Of Fiqh Encyclopedia [Info-Prod Research - Middle East]    - 24 Feb 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47507262 .. According to IINA, a scholarly seminar is to be held to look into ways and means of publishing an encyclopedia of Fiqh and Economics. The seminar is being convened by the International Islamic Fiqh (Jurisprudence) Academy and the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and is scheduled for February 26. The encyclopedia would be the first of its kind, and would contain such things as the Fatwas (religious pronouncements) and juridical rulings relating to economic matters. New financial instruments in Gulf, Malaysia evolve out of Bahrain http://www.dailystar.com.lb/business/25_02_04_b.asp - 25 Feb 04 .. Bahrain announced Monday it was issuing $250 million worth of global Islamic bonds. The small island state will pitch the new financial instruments in the Gulf and Malaysia later this week. The move comes amid efforts by the Bahrain Monetary Agency (BMA, the central bank) to strengthen the country’s position in the market for Islamic banking. Bahrain is a major offshore center. But it is rapidly beefing up the number of Islamic financial institutions, currently numbering 26. .. The BMA offered around $800 million worth of Islamic bonds in 2003 and plans to issue a similar amount this year. The bonds are guaranteed by the government of Bahrain, and the issue has already been assigned a preliminary rating of A ­ by Standard & Poors. The rating is in line with Bahrain’s long-term foreign currency rating by S&P and Fitch. Rashdan said the bond issue would be used to refinance an existing 100 million Bahraini dinars ($265 million) 30-year conventional bond issue which was made by the Bahraini government in 1999, and matures in 2029. [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 12:23:30 PM    comment []

dinsdag 24 februari 2004

Sharia News Watch 105 Sharia News Watch 105 : a collection newsquotes on Sharia, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/105 The Sharia Newswatch provides a regular update of news quotes on Sharia (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines. All editions : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ ALGERIA Newspapers Hit Back at Muslim Preachers   - 22 Feb 04 http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-briefs22.3feb22,1,598063.story .. Independent Algerian newspapers hit back at a government-sponsored barrage of sermons by clerics who accused the papers of betraying Islam and urged a boycott of the press.  "Hateful preachings were made yesterday against the independent press, and particularly against our daily, Liberté," one national paper said. Religious Affairs Minister Bouabdallah Ghoulemallah confirmed that the government had advised the imams on what to preach, but said it only concerned Liberté, which he said had "offended Islamic values."  The government appoints imams, and papers have recently accused them of urging congregants to reelect President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April. AUSTRALIA Australia resumes Middle East sheep export amid tight security -19 Feb http://business-times.asia1.com.sg/story/0,4567,108442,00.html .. Thousands of sheep have been loaded onto a ship bound for the Middle East amid tight security, officials said on Tuesday, marking the first live sheep export since animal rights saboteurs disrupted the trade last year. Exports to Islamic countries came to a standstill last November when animal rights activists broke into a feedlot and fed pork - considered unclean in Islamic nations - to some of the 70,000 sheep due to be shipped to the Middle East. Subsequent testing found that 1,800 of the sheep had come into contact with the pork and the federal government ordered them to be slaughtered and turned into pet food and halted the export of the remaining animals. .. Australia ships live animals to Islamic countries that require halal meat products - meat from an animal that has been killed by a Muslim who slits its jugular vein and drains all the blood from the carcass. Animal rights activists have called Australia's live export trade cruel, claiming the animals suffer in hot and crowded conditions. Prime Minister John Howard has insisted the trade, worth A$195 million [EUR 121 m] a year, will continue despite protests. Islam illegal under law, court told   - 19 Feb 04 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/19/1077072778607.html .. Islam was an illegal religion because the Koran preached violence against Christians and Jews, a Christian group told a judge yesterday. The group's barrister, David Perkins, said that Christianity was established under Australia's constitution and had special protection, especially through the blasphemy law. Mr Perkins told the Victorian and Civil Administrative Tribunal that if the state's new religious hatred law intended to fetter the teaching of Christian doctrine it was invalid. Victoria's Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 referred to lawful religion, and it was in that sense, he said, that by preaching violence Islam was disqualified. "The Koran contradicts Christian doctrine in a number of places and, under the blasphemy law, is therefore illegal," he said. In the first case under the act, the Islamic Council of Victoria has complained that Catch the Fire Ministries, Pastor Danny Nalliah and speaker Daniel Scot, also a pastor, vilified Muslims at a seminar in March 2002. .. [Mr Perkins] said Australia's blasphemy law - still in force, if little used - took precedence over the state act, and the Victorian Parliament could not legislate away protection given by the blasphemy law. Mr Perkins cited the Choudhury case in England, involving Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses, which held that the blasphemy law protected only Christianity, not Islam. DENMARK Denmark to impose curbs on imams  - 19 Feb 04 http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=8&;id=36272 .. Denmark is proposing to curb the activities of radical Islamic leaders given permission to teach in the country. The measures, to be presented to the Danish parliament tomorrow, are aimed at imams who preach against Western values, encourage Muslims to wear the hijab — the Islamic head scarf, and demand that women do not work. The initiative is part of a package of tough immigration reforms that reflects mounting concern in Denmark about the growth of Islamic communities who reject the country’s values. There is also alarm about the rise of Islamic fundamentalism. .. Christian missionary society critical of clamp-down on imams - 17 Feb http://www.dr.dk/nyheder/fremmedsprog/English/article.jhtml?articleID=149249 .. Under the new regulations, imams who have the right to perform the Muslim marriage ritual must be fluent in Danish or take classes in Danish language and culture, and all imams must have "a relevant background and education."  The Danish Integration Minister told Danish media last week that the bill went as far as possible without infringing on the religious freedom of Muslim communities in Denmark, but the Missionary Society disagrees. According to the Missionary Society, the vague wording of the draft legislation gives the Danish authorities a free hand to decide which of the imams are desirables and which are not. EGYPT Cabinet approves draft laws on family court, nationality - 17 Feb 04 http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/040217/2004021725.html .. The Egyptian Cabinet approved today a final draft for the law on family court in preparation to referring it to President Hosni Mubarak and then to the Shura Council and People's Assembly. In statements after the meeting, Minister of Information Safwat Al-Sherif said that the draft law, which comes in response to an initiative by the National Democratic Party (NDP), regulates litigation on personal status affairs to bring in one package all matters related to the family to expedite procedures and ease off burdens. He said that a non-profit fund will be set up to enforce rulings on nafaqa (alimony), which will be affiliated to the Nasser Social Bank, adding that the fund will be financed by donations and allocations from the Finance Ministry. INDIA Ulema wants pay hike for Imams, Moazzans  - 19 Feb 04 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/505167.cms .. Outlining a charter of demands, which were earlier submitted to all the parties, he said the Muslim community should be placed under the backward classes in view of their social status. [The All-India Sunni Ulema Board president] also wanted the establishment of a Wakf Commissionerate. The Wakf board should fix minimum remuneration of Rs 4,000 [EUR 70,-] per month for Imams and Rs 3,000 for Moazzans in urban areas while fixing Rs 3,000 for Imams and Rs 2,000 for Moazzans in rural areas, he said. [opinion] Muslim women, dominant ideologies and the media - 23 Feb 04 http://www.asianage.com/main.asp?layout=2&;cat1=6&cat2=44&newsid=90386 .. Right from 1988, the courts have engineered divorced Muslim women's rights through innovative interpretations of the Muslim Women's Act (MWA), ushering in a new set of rights within the established principles of Muslim law. Several judges declared that "provision" contemplates "future needs" and that Parliament has replaced one set of obligations of a Muslim husband with another. The claim under the Muslim Women's Act does not operate through a rider of sexual purity. The judicial pronouncements delivered divorced Muslim women from the cumbersome burden of recurring monthly dues, which hinged upon post-divorce chastity. .. the advances made by divorced Muslim women under MWA have been invisibilised and glossed over by the media. During the Shah Bano controversy, the denial of rights of a meagre maintenance dole was lamented by all and sundry, notwithstanding the fact that the maintenance awarded to the wife of an advocate with a flourishing practice was just Rs 25 in the first instance and Rs 179 [EUR 3,-] in appeal. So long as the debate could be used as a stick to beat the community with, these minor details didn't seem to matter. What did matter is the fact that a communal campaign could be mounted upon a patriarchal paradigm and thereby legitimised. .. But how can one logically explain the recurring motif of "Muslim appeasement" even after the Supreme Court's decision when the controversy was finally laid to rest by upholding the constitutional validity of the Act and simultaneously securing for the Muslim women, maintenance rights which in actual terms are superior to the rights bestowed upon a Hindu woman? .. In the final battle in the Supreme Court, both sides, the women’s rights groups who had challenged the constitutionality of the Act as well as the Muslim religious leadership who had pressed for their claim that the Muslim woman’s entitlement ought to be limited to three months of iddat period, lost out. Who emerged victorious was the divorced Muslim woman who had waged a relentless battle to defend her rights. It’s time the media took note of this silent revolution waged by individual Muslim women and acknowledged the fact of their agency in bringing about changes within their personal laws. [Uttar Pradesh] Muslims unmoved by Mulayam's Friday order http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/509244.cms - 20 Feb 04 .. A political sharpshooter, Mulayam Singh Yadav has appears to have misfired this time.  To woo the Muslim vote, he announced all Uttar Pradesh schools to shut by noon every Friday so Muslim children could offer namaaz . This political buckshot, however, went way off its target. Except for a few odd clergymen, Muslims at large refused to buy this tokenism. In fact, by showing such blatant appeasement, he gave the Sangh Parivar ample to shout about. .. Islamic scholar Maulana Wahiduddin Khan added: "Earlier, when Mulayam used to attack the BJP and its brand of Hindutva, he used to get support from Muslims. But now for political reasons, he has stopped doing that. He, however, realises he needs Muslims for his political survival. With this move, he wants to hold on to the Muslim votebank." INDONESIA Muslim body seeks kingmaker role in Indonesia poll - 19 Feb 04 http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/JAK224241.htm .. Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of the moderate Nadhlatul Ulama (NU) [40 mill. members], said his organisation would endorse a presidential candidate at a meeting in April after parliamentary polls in the world's most populous Muslim nation, and may strike a deal for the vice-presidency. .. Muzadi said the key issues for most Indonesians in the elections were morals, law enforcement and the economy, and most were opposed to the introduction of strict Sharia law as advocated by a number of Islamic-based parties.  "It is not necessary to formally implement strict Islamic Sharia law, rather it is important to follow its values. If we formalise Sharia law, then it would cause many conflicts."  The NU was working with law enforcement officials to combat radicalism in Indonesia, which has been struck in recent years by a series of deadly bombings blamed on Islamic militants, he said. MUI declares lottery 'haram'   - 18 Feb 04 http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20040218.@02&;irec=1 .. After about a month of controversy, the planned fund-raising program proposed by PT Metropolitan Magnum Indonesia (MMI) has been deemed to resemble gambling and should thus be forbidden, the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) announced on Tuesday.  The MUI, at a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission VI, concluded that the fund-raiser had the potential to exploit people.  The program, which had previously been OK'd by the Ministry of Social Affairs, aims at raising funds for national sports through ticket sales at tournaments. The program was expected to start early April. By offering prizes through the tickets, as in a lucky draw, the MMI has been reiterating that people would be encouraged to attend sports events. .. "Although no element of gambling has been found according to the presentation from by the MMI and the Ministry of Social Affairs, the program tends toward gambling and other similar activities prohibited (haram) under Islam," MUI secretary-general Din Syamsudin told the hearing, and called upon the Ministry of Social Affairs to reevaluate its approval for the program.  The MUI also questioned the aims of the program, given that only five percent of revenues were allocated to sports needs. The House commission backed the MUI's edict, but, as deputy spokesperson Anwar Arifin said, they would need to meet with the Minister of Social Affairs and other religious community groups. IRAN Conservatives unlikely to tighten Islamic law - 23 Feb 04 http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/02/23/1077497513708.html .. Iran's conservatives appear to be ruling out an immediate crackdown on recent relaxations in Islamic law following their disputed victory in last Friday's parliamentary elections.  "We have no such plans," said Dr Riaz Sayid Ali of the Abadgaran Iran-e-Islami (Developers of Islamic Iran), the largest parliamentary block endorsed by the country's unelected Islamic rulers.  "We are not a regressive movement. We reject being called conservatives, as journalists always say. We should remember that our Islamic code is ingrained in our politics but, at the same time, we have to abide by the social roles and we have to meet the needs of the people according to the times." .. The head of the Abadgaran and the man likely to lead the new parliament, Dr Gholamali Haddad-Adel, believed "every development or change that is going to happen should be in a gradual way and in accordance with the times, and very slow". Asked if this meant sharia law would be tightened, Dr Haddad-Adel said only that "the last 25 years that have passed since the revolution has proven that our understanding of Islam is not rough and terrible". .. there has been a big change from the days of the revolution, when religious vigilantes hunted down transgressors and women could be assaulted, even disfigured, on the street if judged to be improperly veiled.  Although the head scarf is still compulsory, female dress codes and other restrictions have been relaxed. The internet and free speech are tolerated and association between unmarried members of the opposite sex is no longer taboo. Iran, Iraq, and two Shiite visions   - 20 Feb 04 http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0220/p01s02-woiq.html .. Iran's Wilayet al-Faqih doctrine (governance of the religious jurist, preached in the Iranian city of Qom) was devised in the mid-1970s by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini and served as the ideological underpinning of the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran which he led. It grants absolute authority over all matters - religious, social, and political - to a marja who has earned the title of mujtahid, a blend of judge and theologian.  Although the Wilayat al-Faqih system was successfully introduced into Iran's homogenous Shiite society, exporting the doctrine elsewhere has proved difficult.  Its most successful adaptation outside Iran is by Lebanon's Hizbullah organization which considered Khomeini and then his successor Ayatollah Ali Khameini as the group's marja. Establishing an Islamic state in Lebanon on the Iranian model remains one of Hizbullah's ideological goals, on paper at least. But Hizbullah long ago accepted that the tiny country's multiconfessional character mitigates heavily against the creation of an Islamic state. IRAQ Iran, Iraq differ on vision for leadership by Shiites   - 20 Feb 04  http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001861625_iraniraq20.html Baghdad's book vendors doing brisk business in religious books -23 Feb http://www.newsalert.com/bin/story?StoryId=CqdMi0aidvvnjuKfrlujpt0Tt [alcohol] In Iraqi city, a dangerous trade  - 18 Feb 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47251214 [Sunni] Muslim scholars condemn US sharia threat    - 21 Feb 04 http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/9CBB1903-FF67-482A-B756-78970EDD1173.htm .. The Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) has condemned Iraq's US administrator's remark that Islam will not be the main legislative reference in Iraq's temporary law. The AMS issued a statement on Friday accusing the Americans of imposing unacceptable authority on the Iraqis, just as the former Iraqi regime did. Paul Bremer threatened last week to use his veto should the interim Governing Council choose Islam as the main basis for legislation. .. Speaking to Aljazeera, spokesman of the Association of Muslim Scholars (AMS) Sheikh Muhammad Bashar al-Faidi said that the new Iraqi constitution should be based on the main Islamic rules. Al-Faidi has assured that Islam, as the main legislative reference, will guarantee the full rights of all Iraqi groups including the minorities. "The majority of Iraqi groups are absolutely with us, and that is why US administrator Paul Bremer threatened to veto," al-Faidi said. "Bremer would not have threatened to veto if he was sure all Iraqi groups would be with him," he added.   Shia rising possible Marjaiya option  - 17 Feb 04 http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/world/Viewdet.asp?ID=2005&;cat=a .. Iraq's powerful Shiite elite has drawn up compromise proposals to rescue the community from a heated political standoff with the Americans over its demand for snap elections. The Marjaiya, the top clerical body for the country's Shiite majority, has established a series of alternatives as it awaits the findings of a UN mission tapped to render a verdict on whether polls are possible before the US-led occupation ends on June 30. .. Even as the Shiite majority's clerical leadership signaled readiness to compromise with the US-led occupation over its demand for snap polls, the rank and file did not seem so eager to go along. A Religious Awakening    - 19 Feb 04 http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/ny-wohawz19q3677561feb19,0,6868781.story .. Hemadi and other women from a Baghdad-based group, the Islamic Women's Movement, note that Islamic scriptures accord women considerable rights - inheriting property, for example, or declining an unwanted husband. They say it's the way male authorities interpret those writings that keeps women from exercising them. To address that disparity, they want a hawza, or Shia religious academy, of their own. Teaching women their rights under Islam, they say, is the way to end injustices against them. "If we go to hawzas or religious classes to learn that this is not right - that it is forbidden, that there is a penalty - then [men] will change their actions and follow the straight path," Hemadi said. Female experts on Islamic law could pose a powerful challenge to male dominance in Islam, experts said. "If they can proceed to do what they're proposing, then they would have done a huge service to the Islamic world as a whole," said Amira Sonbol, a Georgetown University professor who specializes in women and Islamic law. "Give them a chance to talk from within Islamic culture, and we will have real reform." .. Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, barred public schools from teaching the doctrines of Islam according to Iraq's Shia majority. While Shia men were allowed to study in hawzas, the women had to try their luck with Sunni-run seminaries, which rarely admitted them. "For years, I went to the sharia college and tried to apply, but they wouldn't let me study," said Bushra Abed Ghareeb, 34, a soft-spoken poet. When the regime fell, Shia women eagerly joined the national religious awakening. Mothers began teaching their daughters at home. Prominent clerics began sending imams to mosques to lecture women. Gradually, mosques began offering introductory religion classes for women. .. They want to study sharia and Islamic jurisprudence, just like men, and earn advanced religious degrees. And they also want a share of the alms left by pilgrims at Shia religious shrines, which feed the small stipends male seminarians live on. .. To issue legitimate religious degrees, a women's hawza would have to be affiliated with Al-Hawza Al-Ilmiya in Najaf, the 1,300-year-old seminary widely regarded as the pre-eminent center of Shia learning. Essentially, they need recognition from male religious authorities. Iraq's largest Shia political party, the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq, supports religious education for women. But Sheik Hamid Maalla al-Saedi, a spokesman for the group in Baghdad, was quick to draw the line between such a project and the hawzas that produce Shia scholars. Ignoring Iraq's Islamists    - 17 Feb 04 http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/marshall200402170846.asp .. The Minister of Higher Education, Ziad Abdel Razzaq Muhammad Aswad, a man of Wahabbi persuasion, has fired all university presidents except for those in the three Kurdish universities, and has replaced them with Islamists. Several of those ousted are now afraid to speak publicly because they fear retaliation by extremists. The new presidents have sent circulars throughout the universities demanding that all women in them conform to "Islamic dress." Even though the fired presidents had been elected by their peers under Coalition Provisional Authority supervision, Bremer has refused to intervene. The Governing Council has also removed the politically independent Sawson al-Sharafi, the deputy minister of agriculture, because Islamists refused to work under a woman. Even though the growing pressure on her was highlighted in a January 16 letter to Bremer from Senator Rick Santorum, he again chose not to intervene. Her case is reminiscent of Nidal Nasser Hussein, whose judicial appointment in Najaf last July was blocked when Shiite religious authorities, including the highest-ranking, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, issued fatwas stating that all judges must be male. The moderate governor of Nasriyah has also been removed from office because of pressure from Islamists. .. Arab female judges speak of their struggle  - 18 Feb 04 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=8951 .. Nidal Nasser Jreiwo, who hails from Iraq's holy Muslim Shiite city of Najaf, was appointed judge by the US-led civilian administration after the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003. "A few female and male lawyers opposed my appointment arguing that it was 'haram' (illicit under Islam) for a woman to be a judge, prompting me to appeal to Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani," Iraq's top Shiite cleric, she said. Sistani's reply did not contain a clear-cut ban on women being judges, but influential members of the Najaf community nevertheless interpreted it as rejecting her appeal, she said. "There is a backward religious stream trying to influence people in order to prevent women from reaching top positions, although Islam allows women to enter the job market," Jreiwo said. According to Jreiwo there are only seven female judges in Iraq since the 1980s. JORDAN Scepticism over curricula review   - 20 Feb 04 http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/779A6DD2-2F0C-47A0-8B57-11D635D70CA1.htm .. A controversy is building up in Jordan and some other Arab countries over plans to introduce "human rights and peace culture" into school curricula. .. The opposition Islamic Action Front (IAF), Jordan's largest political party, considers the simultaneous declaration by pro-US governments in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to amend curricula as bowing to American pressure. The front is leading a campaign to derail the move through legal means. .. "The plan does not run counter to the rules of Islamic sharia (law), values of the Arab culture, the constitution or the education philosophy and guidelines as adopted by the landmark education conference held in 1987," [Education Minister Khalid Tuqan] said. .. Jordanian Islamic scholars confided that they believed the textbooks relating to Arabic and Islamic culture would be targeted with a view to "removing Quranic verses and Prophet Mohammad's sayings that urge jihad and martyrdom, which Western nations consider as the driving force for alleged acts of terrorism". KENYA Let Kadhi's courts remain as they are, say delegates  - 18 Feb 04 http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/Today/News/Review1802200466.html .. Delegates yesterday rejected attempts to reinstate a powerful Kadhi’s court in the draft constitution. They could not open up the debate on the entrenchment of the courts in the constitution as they had made their decisions by consensus, they resolved. .. The committee had resolved not to make the Kadhi’s courts parallel to the High Court and Court of Appeal, and had instead recommended that they retain the legal status they enjoy today as subordinate courts. The Kadhi's' Court will deal only with issues of a personal nature such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and succession among Muslims. But the reports presented to the committee yesterday questioned the powers of the technical committee to delete entire clauses in the original draft. .. http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/Today/News/News2002200498.html ..      - 20 Feb 04 The Kadhis' courts will adjudicate disputes among Muslims. However, all feuding parties must profess the Islamic faith and submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the courts, the technical committee on the Judiciary resolved. The courts will be subordinate to the High Court. The committee became the first to finish revising the Zero Draft yesterday and now awaits the report of the consensus building team to resolve contentious issues. The draft constitution prepared by the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission had suggested 18 commissioners among them the Chief Kadhi. But the delegates deleted the Chief Kadhi, reduced the commissioners to 11 and included three new members among them representatives of Christian, Muslim and  . Delegate Garvase Akhwabi also questioned the rationale of having a Christian and a Hindu named as members of the commission. KUWAIT Fatwa issued for 'shameless' reality TV  - 18 Feb 04 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8718716%255E29677,00.html .. The dean of Kuwait's Islamic Law College has issued a fatwa, or religious edict, calling on Muslims to boycott a popular reality TV show for its "shamelessness and decadence." Star Academy brings together talented young men and women from different Arab countries - including Kuwait - to learn music while they live under the same roof. One participant is voted off each week. "Following this program or supporting it (by voting for candidates) is sacrilegious," Mohammed al-Tabtabai said in comments published Tuesday. .. Star Academy is aired from Lebanon by the privately owned Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation. Viewers can watch the participants 24 hours a day on a satellite music channel, Nagham, as they cook, eat, fight, hug, kiss and attend sports, music and dance classes. Men and women have separate sleeping quarters. MALAYSIA Don't politicise Islam, say students    - 23 Feb 04 http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/Frontpage/20040224071004/Article/indexb_html .. Politicising Islam threatens the unity of the ummah, a large majority of university students said in a recent survey. Sixty-eight per cent of 2,567 students surveyed feel Islamic unity is undermined by the religion being used for political purposes. .. Suhaimi said two-thirds of the respondents also agreed that Malaysia was an Islamic country, while 18 per cent disagreed. The study, conducted between September and December last year, largely involved final-year bachelor's degree students from seven universities. .. Suhaimi said the study also showed that 64 per cent of the respondents disagreed that jihad meant armed struggle, while 11 per cent said it did. The remaining 25 per cent were either uncertain or did not know. He said 64 per cent of the students also wanted those involved in militancy to be held under the Internal Security Act, while 13.9 per cent disagreed. Institute explains what constitutes an Islamic State - 24 Feb 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47488666 ..     [New Straits Times] Implementing the hudud and qisas (Islamic penal laws) does not make a country an Islamic State, a noted Islamic scholar said today. Malaysian Institute of Islamic Development director-general Datuk Dr Abdul Monir Yaacob said hudud and qisas were a small part of an Islamic State, as there were many other elements which constituted such a State. Among other elements that make a true Islamic State are educational development, poverty eradication, sound economic policies which benefit the people and social justice. He said policies which allowed Islam to prosper such as the building of mosques and Islamic learning centres and facilitating Muslims in the practice of their rituals, were also characteristics of an Islamic State. "According to these principles, we can say that Malaysia's Government has succeeded in fulfilling its duty to develop the country into an Islamic State. Hudud itself is a small part of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh). "In fact our Penal Code already covers offences in hudud, such as theft and rape. The only difference is in the penalties for such crimes," he said at the Fiqhul Aulawiyyat (priority Islamic jurisprudence) seminar of the Kedah Ulama and Islamic Intellectuals gathering here today. MAURITANIA Mauritania man says his family is enslaved - 18 Feb 04 http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/africa/02/18/mauritania.slavery.ap/ .. A free man in Mauritania pleaded for the liberation of a wife and children he said were still caught in slavery, saying they were being held by their owners in Mauritania's remote east.  The account of Cheikhna Ould Beilil, a free-born man who says he is married to a slave, Kelizima Mint Bota, was the second case to emerge in recent weeks of traditional slavery that international rights groups say still binds hundreds of thousands into servitude in West Africa. .. Ould Beilil and his wife, both black Africans, settled just outside the compound of the Arab family that owned her, he said. After Ould Beilil squabbled with Mint Bota's masters, he attempted to move his family away from the compound -- but the owners prevented her and the children from leaving in March. .. Traditionally, a slavewoman's children become her masters' property, even if the father is a free man. Ould Beilil provided the AP with a copy of what he said was a ruling from a local Sharia court, enforcing Islamic law, in June. The alleged ruling said the family should be together under Ould Beilil's direction. It said nothing about slavery. Despite the ruling, Mint Bota's masters still will not allow his family to leave their conditions of forced work -- and local police have told him to forget the family, Ould Beilil said.  "The mother and daughters are used for housework, the boy looks after the herds," Ould Beilil said of his family's ongoing situation. NIGERIA WHO begins polio campaign   - 20 Feb 04 http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/4618831.html .. The World Health Organization (WHO) will launch a massive immunization campaign Monday targeting 63 million children in 10 African countries as a polio outbreak spreads from heavily Muslim northern Nigeria. Islamic leaders in the heart of the Nigerian outbreak say they will uphold their ban on the polio vaccine, calling it part of a U.S. plot to spread infertility or AIDS among Muslims.  Health workers say the 5-month-old ban has spread the crippling disease back into seven African countries where it had been eradicated and threatens a 16-year effort -- the world's single-largest public health project -- to eliminate the disease worldwide. Monday's campaign launch will send hundreds of thousands of volunteers house to house to administer the oral vaccine, from arid Niger on the edge of the Sahara to the savannas of central Africa's Congo. [Bauchi] Emir Commends Sharia Commission - 16 Feb 04 http://allafrica.com/stories/200402160852.html  [This Day - Lagos] .. The Emir of Bauchi, Suleiman Adamu, has commended the state's sharia commission for its efforts towards the successful implementation of the sharia legal system in the state, just as he condemned the non-challant attitude of well-to-do Muslims to the propagation of Islam. .. The Emir noted with delight, the re-introduction of Zakkat by the Commission, to assist the less privileged in the society and called on the general public to support the sharia commission to achieve its desired goal. [Katsina] 200 Yrs of Sokoto Caliphate Marked - 24 Feb 04 http://www.thisdayonline.com/news/20040224sta02.html .. Katsina Emirate Council over the weekend marked 200 years of Sokoto Caliphate with a mini durbar, at Kofar Joto playground, opposite the emir's palace. The dubar, signified the victory of Sheikh Uthman Dan Fodio* 200 years ago, during the war in Hausaland in order to spread Islam within the caliphate. Prominent citizens of the emirate, including all district heads led their people to pay homage to the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Usman, who is the titular head and representative of Uthman Dan Fodio jihad in the state. .. * http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/U/Usumanda.html .. Usuman dan Fodio 1754–1817. Fulani religious and political leader. Beginning as an itinerant Muslim missionary in northern Nigeria, he gained a large following for his syncretic visions, establishing a base in Gudu. After Usuman successfully conducted jihad (holy war) against the king of Gobir (1804–8), his followers conquered most of the other Hausa states of northern Nigeria by 1812. He established the Sokoto caliphate, which he left to his brother and son. After his death, his son, Mohammed Bello, gained sole control. PAKISTAN New Islamic year begins as Muharram moon sighted  - 22 Feb 04 http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=55699 .. The Muharram-ul-Haram 1425 AH (the first month of Islamic calendar year) has been sighted, announced Chairman Ruet Hilal Committee Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman on late Saturday evening.  The first Muharram will be today (Sunday) and Aashoor (one of the most sacred day of the Islamic calendar year would be marked on March 2 (Tuesday). .. Security arrangements have been finalized by the district administration Attock to avoid any untoward incident during the month of Moharamul Haram as 20 cities including Attock district of the Punjab were declared sensitive by the secret agencies. While, a comprehensive plan has been chalked out to vigilant the activities of the defunct religious outfits. The district and Tehsil nazmeen will be responsible to maintain law and order situation. Source said, the sensitive areas of the Punjab are include Attock, Rawalpindi, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Jhang, Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Toba Tak Singh, Lodhran, Sheikhupura, Narowal, Sialkot, Sargodha, Qasur, Okara, Layyah and Gujrat as well. .. Pak bans Islamic clerics from travelling  - 21 Feb 04  http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=28667 .. The Pakistani government has banned more than 300 hardline clerics from leaving their home districts to prevent them inciting violence when minority Shiites start a key holy month next week. Shiite Muslims hold big processions and meetings during the month of Muharram, in which they mourn the 7th century slaying of Imam Hussain, a grandson of Prophet Mohammad.  Hardliners among the Sunni Muslim consider Muharram, expected to start on Monday, to be against the spirit of Islam and accuse Shi-ites of making derogatory remarks against companions of the Prophet Mohammad. President vows action against publishing inflammatory material http://www.balochistanexpress.com/frontpage/news.asp?news=2498&;page=FrontPage .. Reiterating a firm commitment to fight against extremism, President General Pervez Musharraf Thursday said strict action would be taken against elements involved in publication of inflammatory material. The President told a delegation of Ulema and Mashaikh, who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr that the Government would continue its fight against extremism and terrorism and deal strictly with anyone found involved in spreading hate material. He said those who try to fan sectarian hatred through posters and other publications not only work against the interests of Pakistan but their actions also run counter to the spirit of Islam, which calls for unity, love, tolerance, moderation and brotherhood. Commenting on some Ulema's mention of the inciting material finding its way into the country from abroad, the President said the concerned authorities would be directed to foil any such attempt. .. On Ulema's pointing out some drawbacks in the Zakat distribution system, the President agreed that the alms should be disbursed equitably, fairly and transparently. He assured the Ulema that the Government will look into the points raised by them for improvement in the Zakat distribution system. Women religious leaders set against repeal of Hudood - 20 Feb 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_20-2-2004_pg7_8 .. "The Hudood Ordinance merits discussion, and slight changes are acceptable in it. But it should not be repealed," Dr Fareeda Qadri, a member of the National Assembly belonging to the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), told Daily Times. According to her, only two articles in the ordinance carried controversial laws related to women and the society should hold a debate for the amendments to satisfy all segments of society. .. Dr Qadri was a member of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) headed by Judge (r) Majida Rizvi, which recommended the repeal of the Hudood Ordinance. But the MNA said she opposed the NCSW chairperson’s viewpoint in the report and suggested 'minor amendments" purely relating to women. .. 'Before preparing my final viewpoint, I extensively visited the country's jails and met victims of the Zina Ordinance. I saw a number of women who were put into jail by their ex-husbands because (the women) remarried, because there is no provision in our law which formally registers a divorce," she said. She said she met many girls in jails who had been imprisoned at the behest of their parents for marrying men according to their own choice. 'This matter has nothing to do with religion. It relates to our social values. We should educate our people to develop friendly relationships with their daughters," she said. For victims of rape, she was opposed to the practice of police putting the victims in jail instead of providing them with quick justice. "We should have investigation centres with a magistrate and a doctor included in each of these units, which perform instant medical checkups of the victims and provide them with justice," she said. But she does not want the Zina law repealed. "Its bylaws can be improved, but the law is itself is a necessity because our normal penal laws do not consider rape an offence," Dr Qadri said. .. There are 216 female religious schools in the country, out of which 24 are located in Karachi and 21 in the rest of Sindh. Daily Times tried to interview women at their schools, but the institution administrators refused all interview requests. [Punjab]  Ban on kite-flying reimposed   - 23 Feb 04 http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en54974 .. The Punjab Cabinet has decided to impose a complete ban on kite-flying throughout the province with immediate effect. The provincial cabinet, met on Sunday, also decided to undertake legislation to evolve a permanent policy in this regard. LHC moved to take action against CEC under blasphemy law http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=53351   - 19 Feb 04 .. Majlis-e-Tahaffaz-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwwat (AMTKN), has filed a petition against the chief election commissioner (CEC) in Lahore High Court Rawalpindi bench under blasphemy laws for deletion of declaration on finality of prophet hood from the electoral forms.  .. The petitioner, in his petition has taken the stance that parliament had declared the Ahmadis and Qadianis non-Muslim minorities after hectic process. In pursuance of the parliament decision, it is imperative to mention Qadianis and Ahmadis as non Muslims in electoral lists and all other legal documents. [NWFP] Schools dynamited to oppose female education - 20 Feb 04 http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=28602 .. Islamic militants have dynamited seven primary schools for girls in Pakistan's remote north in a bid to discourage female education, a government official said on Thursday. The attacks occurred in two districts of the mountainous northern areas but caused no injuries as they were carried out at night, a senior government official told Reuters from Gilgit, the region's capital. He blamed the attacks on local tribesmen encouraged by "religious elements" opposed to education of girls. SAUDI ARABIA The Writings of Liberal Saudi Journalist Raid Qusti  - 20 Feb 04 http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD66504 [Batterjee] How Saudi wealth fueled holy war - 22 Feb 04 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&;u=/chitribts/20040222/ts_chicagotrib/howsaudiwealthfueledholywar Arab female judges speak of their struggle  - 18 Feb 04 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=8951 .. Mayssa Abu Dalbuh works as a "legal consultant" in a law office in the Saudi Red Sea city of Jeddah, where she deals exclusively with female clients. "I listen to their problems and draft their cases, but I cannot go to court to represent them and therefore I must hand the cases over to a male colleague who will follow it up," Abu Dalbuh said.  A law regulating the legal profession in Saudi Arabia that was issued two years ago did not make any gender difference "but tradition is what prevents us from following court proceedings," she said. Nevertheless, according Leila al-Doghaither, who works in a legal office in Riyadh, "Saudi women can represent themselves in court but not accompanied by a female lawyer". Doghaither also complained that although there is a need for female lawyers in Saudi Arabia, only a few have studied civil law compared to "thousands who have studied Islamic law". Saudi gays flaunt new freedoms    - 24 Feb 04 http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=493196 .. In the glass and marble shopping malls of this cosmopolitan and comparatively laid-back city on the Red Sea, young Saudi Arabian men are taking advantage of the emergence of an increasingly tolerated Western-oriented gay scene.  Certain malls are known as cruising areas, and there are even gay-friendly coffee shops. A big gay disco takes place at a private villa in the north of the city once a week. And young Saudis who frequent these venues, many returnees from the United States after the 11 September 2001 attacks, say that they get to know one another through the internet.  The paradox of Saudi Arabia is that while the executioner's sword awaits anyone convicted of the crime of sodomy, in practice homosexuality is tolerated. .. Saudi Arabia's domestic reform initiative, combined with the kingdom's eagerness to shed an international reputation for fostering extremism and intolerance, may even have some benefits for this strict Islamic society's gay community. Shortly after the attacks on America - most of the suicide-hijackers were Saudi nationals - a Saudi diplomat in Washington denied that the kingdom beheads homosexuals, while openly admitting that "sodomy" is practised by consenting males in Saudi Arabia "on a daily basis". Even the head of the notorious religious police has since acknowledged the existence of a local gay population. .. While homosexuality is illegal in Saudi Arabia, doubt surrounds specific punishment for it. Some gay foreigners were deported in the 1990s, "but no Saudi has ever been prosecuted for 'being a homosexual'. The concept just doesn't exist here," the Western diplomat said. Since the uproar over the beheadings, the kingdom's Internet Services Unit, responsible for blocking sites deemed "unIslamic" or politically sensitive, unblocked access to its home page for gay Saudi surfers after being bombarded with critical e-mails from the US. .. Ibrahim bin Abdullah bin Ghaith, the head of the religious police (the Committee for the Prevention of Vice and the Promotion of Virtue) acknowledged, in unusually tempered language, that there are gay Saudis, while also speaking of the need "to educate the young" about this "vice". But he denied media reports that gay and lesbian relationships were the norm in the strictly segregated schools and colleges, that homosexuality "is spreading". [Mina] Religious cops bust Valentine's party  - 17 Feb 04 http://iafrica.com/news/worldnews/303178.htm .. Saudi Arabia's religious police arrested more than 200 workers from Bangladesh and Myanmar as they celebrated St Valentine's Day outside the holy city of Mecca, where the traditional event for lovers is banned by fatwa or Muslim edict, a newspaper reported on Tuesday. The cleaning workers were caught on Monday at dawn partying at a tent camp used by pilgrims at Mina, close to Mecca, Al-Madina said. The enforcers from the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice found that 16 were drunk. The men, aged 16-28, were employed by a cleaning company to clear the camp after the annual hajj ended at the start of February. Organisers of the party, who sold alcohol and food and brought in musicians for Sunday night, a day after the real St Valentine's, managed to escape the clutches of the religious police, the daily said. They charged five riyals a ticket ($1.4) without dinner, and put a large banner outside a tent where the all-night fiesta was held, next to a site where Muslims gather to "stone the devil" during the piligrimage. TANZANIA Tanzania Charity Officials Expelled   - 16 Feb 04 http://www.nationaudio.com/News/EastAfrican/current/Regional/Regional1602200435.html .. The Tanzanian branch of a Saudi charitable organisation, Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation, has shut down its offices after two of its top officials were deported for obtaining citizenship fraudulently. .. The assets of Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation are said to have been distributed among different peoples, organisations and individuals. The Tanzania Muslim Council (Bakwata), the apex organisation of Muslims in the country, has denied any links with Al-Haramain. Bakwata Secretary General Alhaj Othman Ntaru told The EastAfrican, "Most of the information we have (on it) comes from the press. We did not know their offices or leaders and how they operated." Muslim Missionaries Recruiting Africans For Holy War - 23 Feb 04 http://www.thewmurchannel.com/news/2867050/detail.html .. Muslim missionaries from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Pakistan have been visiting mosques in East Africa to recruit young men for holy war. Moderate Muslim leaders say the part-time preachers go from mosque to mosque spouting sermons of hate, then offer young men a chance to wage holy war in Iraq, Afghanistan or Pakistan. A moderate Muslim leader in Tanzania says most older clerics try to warn their congregations that the extremists distort Islam.  Most people in Zanzibar follow a mystical form of Sufi Islam, which emphasizes peace and harmony, so they tend to reject the missionaries' fiery rhetoric. UK Imams debate Muslim marriages   - 21 Feb 04 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3503741.stm .. Some of the UK's Muslim religious leaders are meeting to debate problems arising from marriages within the community. Imams will discuss issues including forced marriages and so-called "honour killings". The event in Manchester has been organised by the self-styled Muslim Parliament of Britain. .. The conference would particularly focus on regulating Islamic marriages which are not recognised by British law unless a civil marriage has also taken place, Dr Siddiqui told BBC News Online. He said he knew of a growing number of cases of women who had lost their home and been denied a share of the marital assets because their marriage had never been registered according to British law. The emphasis would be on persuading imams to register their mosques as venues for civil weddings so that Islamic marriages performed there would be valid under British law, he added. .. the child brides who are forced to marry in Britain    - 22 Feb 04 http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1153446,00.html USA Alabama Driver's Photo Rule Changed to Allow Hijab - 20 Feb 04 http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=114-02202004 .. A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group [CAIR] today applauded a decision by the state of Alabama to allow Islamic heads scarves, or hijab, in driver's license photographs. .. According to the new policy:  "The photograph of each applicant must be a 'full face' photoAlthough variations in hairstyles and head covering make it difficult to rigorously define the term 'face' in general, the head of the applicant shall be shown from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin and from hairline side-to- side...Head coverings and headgear are only acceptable due to religious beliefs or medical conditions..." .. Hooper [CAIR] said Alabama is now in conformity with the majority of other states that already allow religious and medical exemptions to prohibitions against head coverings in driver's license photographs. FINANCE Saudi Mutual Funds Perform Better in 2003  - 22 Feb 04 http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=42173 [Saudi] Seminar to be held for publication of encyclopedia -22 Feb 04 http://www.islamicnews.org/english/en_daily.html#_Toc65228423 .. A scholarly seminar is to be held here to look into ways and means of publishing an encyclopedia of Fiqh and Economics. The seminar is being convened by the International Islamic Fiqh (Jurisprudence) Academy and the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank (IDB), and is scheduled for February 26 . The encyclopedia would be the first of its kind, and would contain such things as the Fatwas (religious pronouncements) and juridical rulings relating to economic matters. [Malaysia] PUTB fund to sell out in 1 week - 20 Feb 04  http://www.theedge.com.my/article.cfm?id=28650 .. Prudential Unit Trusts Bhd (PUTB) expects its new RM300 million [EUR 63 m] Syariah- based trust fund PRUdana dinamik to be fully subscribed within a week, says chief executive officer Mark Toh Chin Hian. .. Toh said PUTB trust funds were likely to outperform the market again. "Last year, the Syariah index rose 28.93% while our Syariah fund registered a return of 53.64%." PUTB had RM 1.3 billion in assets, or a 5% market share, under its management as at Dec 31 last year. [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 1:20:33 PM    comment []

maandag 16 februari 2004

sharia News Watch 104 Sharia News Watch 104 : a collection newsquotes on Sharia, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/104 The Sharia Newswatch provides a regular update of news quotes on Sharia (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines. All editions : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ BAHRAIN Bahrain quietly pushes reforms, democratisation as new order emerges in the region     - 13 Feb 04 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=110756 CUBA Muslims awaiting approve for mosque construction    - 12 Feb 04 http://www.islamicnews.org/english/en_daily.html#_Toc64365892 .. The Muslims of Cuba are still awaiting approval for the construction of a mosque in which they could perform their worship, notwithstanding the fact that permission for the construction of a number of churches has already been given during the last few years. So far, the Cuban Government has turned down all such requests from the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL), as well as from the Latin American Islamic Organization. At present the Muslim are meeting for prayers at the Arab House, an Arab cultural center in the capital, Havana, or in their homes. There are around 1,000 Muslims in Cuba, out of a total population of 11,000,000. CHECHNYA Saudi warlord leads Russian bombers  - 08 Feb 04 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,1-993767,00.html .. Abu-al-Walid al-Ghamidi, 36, has been identified by the FSB, the Russian intelligence service, as one of the most powerful figures in the Chechen rebel leadership. As the commander of several hundred Arabs fighting alongside the rebels, he is thought to have been responsible for a wave of suicide bomb attacks that have killed more than 200 people in just over a year. .. Amir Abu al-Walid and the Islamic component of the Chechen war http://www.religioscope.info/article_88.shtml - 26 Feb 04 EGYPT Unwanted life    - 11 Feb 04 http://www.cairotimes.com/content/archiv07/abortion0747.html .. On 6 January, Al Azhar released a fatwa which said that "it is impermissible for the mother to induce abortion if it is proven that the fetus is deformed or suffers from mental retardation... It is not a justifiable excuse." This fatwa only adds to the already existing religious doctrine that forbids abortion. However, these religious rulings, compounded by cultural traditions, have not stopped abortions. They have only made them unsafe. .. Another study by the Population Council, an international public health research group, extrapolated the rate of post-abortion treatment in Egyptian public hospitals to find the overall abortion rate. After studying over 22,000 admissions to hospital gynecology departments, the researchers found that out of every 100 pregnancies, 15 were ended by induced abortion. Nearly all of these abortions are done illegally.  Egypt's prohibition on abortion stems from a verse in the Quran that forbids parents from killing their children. It is reinforced by a hadith that details the stages of pregnancy. The hadith says that 120 days after conception, God sends an angel to breathe life into the fetus, giving it both a heartbeat and soul. "The legal position on abortion is very clear," says Makram Nasif, a lawyer with the Court of Cassation. He says they are illegal from the moment of conception and are only permitted when the woman’s life is in immediate danger. The illegality of abortion in Egypt is a relatively recent phenomenon, however. According to the authors of the landmark book Planning the Family in Egypt, medieval Muslim texts contain "descriptions of female contraceptive methods and abortificants," suggesting that the practices were once widespread. In addition, there was popular acceptance of abortion in Egyptian society until it was outlawed by Muhammad Ali in the 1830s in order to increase the male population available for his armies. .. The rate of post-abortion treatment in hospitals shows just how dangerous these [illegal abortion] methods can be. More than half of all admissions to gynecology wards in Egyptian public hospitals are for post-abortion care. .. In addition to health problems, unwanted pregnancies and abortions bring shame to the family name. In the case of unwed mothers, the father of the household is often blamed for not properly raising or controlling his daughter.  ..  Unwanted pregnancies are often the result of rape or incest. But even in these cases, abortion is not permitted. If a woman has an abortion after being raped, "she will be responsible for this crime before God," says Nasif. .. Only education about contraceptives and reproductive health, she says, can reduce abortion rates. Breaking through the religious and cultural barriers is not easy, however. "Virginity belongs to the family," she says, not to the woman. "The key question is 'who controls a woman's body?' "  According to Islam, the human body belongs to God, and according to tradition, a woman belongs to her father before marriage and her husband after marriage. "It is this sense of family honor, which comes from our blend of Islam and Arab and African culture that prevents women from understanding their own bodies," says Bibars. "The problems we have with abortion, the problems with promoting contraception and women's health, these are all symptoms of this obsession with honor. It's so stupid," she adds under her breath. .. There are no groups in Egypt that currently deal specifically with abortion. "It is impossible for NGOs to take on the issue," says Bibars. "There will be too many obstacles. You would be terrorized by everyone, and probably shut down in the end." Instead, groups like ADEW [Association for the Development and Enhancement of Women] focus on educating women about contraceptive methods as a way to reduce unwanted pregnancy and the resulting abortions. FRANCE Ban on Religious Apparel Advances in France - 10 Feb 04 http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/10/international/europe/10CND-FRAN.html .. The vote [in parliament] by a 494-36 margin, with 31 abstentions, came hours after Minister of National Education Luc Ferry said that the law will stretch much further than religious symbols and require all students to attend physical education classes and accept what is taught on the Holocaust and human reproduction. .. The draft law bans "ostensibly" religious signs that have been defined by President Jacques Chirac and a blue-ribbon governmental advisory commission as Islamic head scarves, Christian crosses that are too large in size and Jewish skullcaps. Sikh turbans are also likely to be included.  But the legislation also includes a lengthy preamble that demands that public schools must be "protected" and guarantee total equality including "coeducation of all teachings, particularly in sports and physical education." Schools, it said, are "the best tool for planting the roots of the republican idea."  Today, Mr. Ferry made clear that religious beliefs could not be used as an excuse to avoid gym or biology classes and that questioning the veracity of the Holocaust would not be tolerated. .. The law does not specifically deal with the issue of students' behavior, but Mr. Ferry said that the preamble would require students to follow the official curriculum that is used throughout France. In the Europe 1 interview, Mr. Ferry did not single out Muslims for censure, but he did not have to. Most Orthodox Jewish schoolchildren who would object to mixed-sex gym and biology classes, for example, go to private Jewish schools that are already sex-segregated, keep kosher kitchens and teach the Torah. The first -- and only -- private Muslim high school in all of France opened last fall in Lille. ..  Former Education Minister Francois Bayrou, head of the small, center-right Union for French Democracy, abstained, as did most of his party, saying it would be difficult to enforce. As minister, Bayrou wrote an advisory ruling for school principals urging them to deal with Muslim headscarves on a case-by- case basis. Alain Madelin, one of the few members of Mr. Chirac's governing Union for a Popular Movement, to vote no, said in an interview published today in the popular Tablois Le Parisien, "At best it's a useless law; at worse it's a dangerous law." .. in a telephone interview, Dalil Boubakeur, the head of the Paris Mosque and an umbrella organization of Muslim groups in France, praised today's vote as "impressive" and a "buffer" against Muslim fundamentalists intruding into French secular institutions. "Those who wanted to Islamize the institutions like schools or hospitals have been stopped," he said. "Those who wanted to import a non-secular vision will now bump against this secular law. It's a buffer." GERMANY [Hesse] German State Proposes New Hijab Ban - 12 Feb 04 http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2004-02/12/article08.shtml .. The dominant party in a German state has proposed a ban on Muslim civil servants wearing hijab, claiming that the covering is a political rather than religious statement, according to a press report. The conservative Christian Democrats' leader in the state legislature, Franz-Josef Jung, argued that the headscarf is a political rather than a religious signal and a symbol of repression, The Guardian reported Wednesday, February 11. The party, which has a majority in Hesse, hopes to push its so-called "bill to secure state neutrality" through by the summer. The measure, the paper said, goes further than three other states' proposals to outlaw hijab for public school teachers. INDIA [Mumbai] Muslim priest bans music in marriages  - 14 Feb 04 http://www.rediff.com/news/2004/feb/14muslim.htm .. [Zafar Ahmed, the imam of Juma Masjid, Cheetah Camp] has clout that very few imams can boast off in the metropolis. Reason? He gave a call six months ago to ban music in Muslim marriages in the Cheetah Camp area. Other maulvis in the area have also issued similar fatwas though they are from different sects of Islam, -- Deobandi, Barelvi, Shahfi and Al Hadees. Result: For the last six months, music has been absent at all Muslim marriages in the area and no one is complaining. Cheetah Camp is located in northeastern Mumbai and has a population of around 150,000 people, nearly 80 per cent of who are Muslims working as either artisans or daily wage workers. "We found that our Muslim brethren were creating too much of noise by playing music on loudspeakers. This is un-Islamic and at the same time disturbs the entire neighbourhood. So we issued a fatwa stating that maulvis from our area won't conduct Muslim marriages if they play music," says Ahmed. .. Asked didn't he feel that this was Talibanisation and a threat to Muslims who want to celebrate their marriages with music, Ahmed says, "We are not like the Taliban. We are not boycotting such families socially. We only boycott their marriages. This is mentioned in our hadith and shariah (Islamic law) that music should be not played during marriages, which are supposed to be very simple affairs and without wasteful expenditure. So, we are only propagating the view of our religion." A staunch follower of the Deobandi school of thought, which does not believe in playing music or watching television, Ahmed has never watched television and prevents his six children also from doing so. .. Ahmed believes the media has blown their diktat out of proportion and is misreporting the entire event. "They wrote that we are giving instructions like Al Qaeda to our Muslim brothers. This is not true. The change at the ground level has been tremendous in the last six months ever since the ban was imposed. We have small lanes and bylanes in our area. The houses are very close to each other. People don't quarrel with their neighbours at the time of weddings as they used to do earlier. So in our locality is peaceful during weddings," he adds. IRAQ U.N. Team, Cleric at Odds Over Iraq Vote - 12 Feb 04 http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/Intl/AP.V5152.AP-Iraq.html .. U.S. officials say they're willing to adjust the caucuses plan but oppose any delay in the handover [of power]. Al-Sistani calls the caucuses undemocratic and says it's possible to properly organize a ballot before the deadline. Officials in al-Sistani's office refused to comment on Wednesday's meeting. The Arab newspaper Al-Hayat cited sources close to al-Sistani saying that if experts feel elections can be properly organized within 10 months, he is willing to delay the handover of sovereignty--or to carry out just a partial handover--long enough to allow the vote to take place. If 10 months were not enough for a fair vote, al-Sistani proposes a system of proposing candidates to be put to a referendum, Al-Hayat said. U.S. May Veto Islamic Law in Iraq  - 16 Feb 04 http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/world/sns-ap-iraq-women,0,3224402.story .. The top U.S. administrator in Iraq suggested Monday he would block any interim constitution that would make Islam the chief source of law, as some members of the Iraqi Governing Council have sought. L. Paul Bremer said the current draft of the constitution would make Islam the state religion of Iraq and "a source of inspiration for the law" -- as opposed to the main source. .. Bremer used the inauguration ceremony at a women's center in the southern city of Karbala to argue for more than "token" women's representation in the transitional government due to take power June 30. .. Mohsen Abdel-Hamid, the current council president and a member of a committee drafting the interim constitution, has proposed making Islamic sharia law the "principal basis" of legislation. The phrasing could have broad effects on secular Iraq. In particular, it would likely make moot much of Iraq's 1959 Law of Personal Status, which grants uniform rights to husband and wife to divorce and inheritance, and governs related issues like child support. Under most interpretations of Islamic law, women's rights to seek divorce are strictly limited and they only receive half the inheritance of men. Islamic law also allows for polygamy and often permits marriage of girls at a younger age than secular law. In December, the council passed a decision abolishing the 1959 law and allowing each of the main religious groups to apply its own tradition -- including Islamic law. Many Iraqi women expressed alarm at the decision, and Bremer has not signed it into law. Iraqi Ulemma issue fatwa against violence  - 14 Feb 04 http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/archives/2004_02_01_healingiraq_archive.html#107678180312859737 .. Several Iraqi Muslim clerics, from both the Sunni and Shi'ite sects, issued a collective fatwa against inter-Iraqi violence, asssasinations, and terrorist attacks. .. "Unity between all Muslims is a legal duty above all others, and that any statement or action which may result in weakening or dividing the Umma is absolutely prohibited legally, and that a Muslim's blood is haram (forbidden) on his brother Muslim, according to the honourable Hadith: "A Muslim is haram on a Muslim: his honour, his possessions, and his blood". Therefore, any attacks or aggressions against Iraqis, their scientists and intellectuals, their mosques and holy places are legal sins which no true Muslim should commit. It is our legal duty as Ulemma and heralds of the Umma to emphasize the spirit of tolerance, unity, and harmony, and to warn against division and dispersion, and any statement or deed which may lead to them, not taking into consideration the interest of the Umma. Shia Building Economic Power   - 14 Feb 04 http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/ny-woshia0215,0,1491281.story .. Ahmed's friend and business partner, Mahmoud Khozai, 40, explained that the Shia business community must rely on good relations with leaders of the sect's religious hierarchy. "The businessman needs the religious powers to support him," said Khozai, who is starting work on setting up an airline for ITI. "They need the ayatollahs. For people to trust these business people they need good relations with the ayatollahs." Iraq's powerful Shia clergy have something to gain from the businessmen, too: Shia tradition holds that a man must give 20 percent of his income to the poor, usually through the clergy. One Shia imam in Baghdad was cagey about whether the 20-percent donations, known as khoumous, have increased since the end of the war but implied that they have. "When there is little money, there is little khoumous,"  said Sayed Muslim Sayed Taher al-Haidar, of the Husseinia Albu Jumaa mosque in the Karada neighborhood. "When there is a lot of money, a lot of people will pay khoumous."  During the Hussein years, the regime expelled Shia businessmen, seized their property and divided up the most lucrative businesses among members and friends of Hussein's family and tribe. Now many of those regime-era Sunni businessmen have fled the country or are no longer able to divvy up the Iraqi economy as they once did. Into that gap are stepping Kurdish and Shia businessmen who are beginning to take advantage of the newly open market and the large reconstruction projects under way in Iraq. Unemployed plan Protests   - 12 Feb 04 http://www.juancole.com/2004_02_01_juancole_archive.html#107657558182476098 .. Al-Zaman reports that the Union of Unemployed Workers has decided to begin its demonstrations outside the headquarters of the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Interim governing Council again on the coming Sunday. These demonstrations were common last fall, and sometimes turned a bit violent. Although estimates for Iraqi unemployment have fallen, the rate is still extremely high. (In the Great Depression in the US, 25 percent of workers were unemployed. In Iraq now it is probably 45 percent). In the meantime, the Iraqi ministry of labor has issued a report saying that 5 million Iraqis, or 20 percent of the population, are living in dire poverty. [weblog] Where is Raed ?  :: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 :: http://dear_raed.blogspot.com/2004_02_01_dear_raed_archive.html .. I walked thru Karada street [Bagdad] last night only to be surprised by men standing in the middle of an intersection giving away sweets and candy to people in cars and a couple of kids with what was supposed to be fireworks. Karada (which is a predominantly Shai neighborhood) was full of signs congratulating the Shia nation on the occasion of the Eid al-Ghadeer (Eid is a religious celebration). Not wanting to look like an idiot I took the candy, shook hands with the nice gentlemen and ran home to my in-house Shia expert, my Mom. She gave me the strangest answer ever: "oh yes, Ghadeer, of course. You have to go find and kiss 7 [illwiya]s. It will bring you good luck" – illwiya is a female descendant from the family of the prophet. .. They were the people who have and are still trying to assert the right of the Prophet’s descendents to lead the Muslim community. And Eid al Ghadeer is a big thing because they plaster the streets that bit from Muhammad’s speech “Man Kuntu Mowlahu fa haza Aliyun Mowlahu - this Ali is the mawla of all those of whom I am mawla”. .. On the long list of things that I have not seen or experienced before the fall of Saddam I can now add a new item, Eid al-Ghadeer. Happy Eid al-Ghadeer to you all. .. Every year right after the Haj ceremonies the Saudi Government make sure that the pilgrims from Shia nations are on the move and not anywhere near the Ghadeer where that speech took place. Just imagine it, A celebration of Shia legitimacy in a Sunni country; Advertising boards spring up in Baghdad  - 13 Feb 04 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/business/?id=8876 .. A panoply of advertising boards have sprung up in Baghdad in recent weeks, a sign of the growing liberalisation of the economy after decades of state control under Saddam Hussein's Baath party. .. Another source of revenue comes from the abolition of the ban on advertising tobacco, alcohol and women's garments that were imposed by the ousted regime. .. The old regulations also stipulated that Arabic should be the main language used in ads, said Ibrahim, whose office is full with posters of trade-mark signs and projects for shop-front advertising in English. "Every street corner or building wall is now used," while in the past the location was subject to specific approval. "I'm ready to print anything," he said.  Contracts are also flowing into his office because local television and press advertising is still embryonic. .. The four local television companies, run by the Kurds, Christians, Islamic groups and the US-led coalition "don't have the means or the will to relaunch small-screen advertising," he said. Basra's musicians fight Shiite radicals  - 10 Feb 04 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/culture/?id=8829 .. Famous across Iraq for their mesmerising sea shanties, musicians in southern Iraq's Basra port who have endured conflict and poverty under Saddam Hussein are facing a new threat from Islamic radicals who want to silence their instruments. Grenade attacks blamed on Shiite extremists have already targeted the cluster of shops crammed with drums, lutes and trumpets in the backstreets of old Basra's Semar district, where musicians meet to practice and take bookings. Concert halls and clubs in the city have also been shuttered by religious leaders in the city, which lies in Iraq's Shiite Muslim heartland, flexing their muscles after years being held back by Saddam's largely secular regime. .. Denied public performances, Nasrir's 15-man Al-Suror, or Happiness, band and some 130 other singers and musicians in Basra must now rely for business on weddings and birthday parties held in private homes. Although there have been no official proclamations to stop their work, the performers fear the worst, with several closing down their businesses. .. Dozens of Shiite movements have sprung up in and around Basra, which has remained largely free of the violence still gripping much of Iraq. The Shiite political groups have taken much of the credit for maintaining law and order, with several deploying their own militias to deter criminals and ensure the will of the newly-powerful clerics. Abdullah al-Faisal, general secretary of the Organisation of Islamic Bases, one of the most feared Shiite political militia groups in Basra, denied that intimidation tactics were being used, blaming "enemies of Iraq" for attacks on musicians and minority Christian alcohol vendors. KENYA No extra roles for Kadhis courts   - 13 Feb 04 http://www.eastandard.net/headlines/news1302200429.htm .. Kadhis courts will not be entrenched in the new Constitution if the Bomas Constitutional Conference accepts the recommendations of the drafters. According to the drafters and the Final Technical Committee, who have been meeting in Mombasa, Kadhis courts should retain the legal status they enjoy today. Their recommendations are, however, not final and will be tabled before the Bomas plenary on Thursday for further deliberations. Named Draft Zero, it has been prepared by the convenors and drafters who concluded their work at Leisure Lodge in the South Coast yesterday. The suggestion that there be Kadhis Courts of Appeal has also been removed from the final draft. Similarly omitted from this document, are suggestions by Muslims that those to be appointed to the Kadhis courts be graduates with higher Islamic education. According to the recommendations, the Kadhis courts will remain subordinate courts, dealing only with issues of personal status such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and succession among Muslims. There have been suggestions that the jurisdiction of Kadhis courts be widened to include issues such as crime among Muslims. But the draft proposes the creation of a Supreme Court, which will be the highest court in the land. KUWAIT Writer jailed for private lecture on Islamic Studies    - 12 Feb 04 http://www.indexonline.org/indexindex/20040212_kuwait.shtml .. A one-year prison sentence was handed down to writer, journalist and researcher Yasser al-Habib on 20 January 2004, when he was reportedly convicted of 'questioning the conduct and integrity of some of the companions of the prophet Muhammad' in a lecture he had delivered. Al-Habib, who has worked for several Arabic-language newspapers, including the monthly al-Menbar (The Pulpit), was abducted in Kuwait City on 30 November 2003 by unknown individuals and taken away in an unmarked vehicle. His family was not informed that he had been detained by security forces until the following day. Al-Habib was reportedly arrested in connection with an audio cassette recording of a lecture he gave to a small audience in a private lecture on Islamic historical issues. His research is believed to have relied heavily on Wahhabi references and texts, and is said to have angered hardline Wahhabi groups who have used their influence within the establishment to bring about the maximum punishment against al-Habib. ..  Al-Habib has reportedly been subject to several orchestrated violent attacks in prison by Wahhabi inmates. MALAYSIA   [Selangor] Sisters in Islam sets up legal clinic in PJ [Petaling Jaya] http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/2/16/nation/7325131 ..      - 16 Feb 04 Sisters in Islam (SIS) has set up a legal clinic to help communities who would be affected by legal and policy reform. Ever since SIS started a legal column in Utusan Malaysia in April 2002, they have received many enquiries and requests for assistance.  "Women have been approaching us for help because we are active in promoting women's rights in Islam." .. "Some clients had gone to the religious departments or other bodies for assistance but they came back to us for further clarification," said SIS legal officer Nora Murat at the launch of the clinic on Friday.  She said SIS did not give counselling but focussed on telling their clients their rights and how they could obtain legal redress. .. The SIS office, which has moved from Kuala Lumpur to No 25, Jalan 5/31 here, had handled 600 such cases last year. Nora said that most of the women seeking help were married and wanted to know their rights in cases of divorce, division of property, and custody and maintenance of children. [Perak] Do not celebrate Valentine's Day, Muslims warned - 13 Feb 04 http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/2/13/nation/7304892 .. Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harrusani Zakaria has warned Muslims that they can be considered apostates if they celebrate Valentine's Day, Utusan Malaysia reported. Quoting Harrusani, the daily said those who celebrate Valentine's Day could be considered as apostates based on a hadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad), which states that "one who follows the acts of another, would belong to the other group (Sesiapa yang melakukan perbuatan yang menyerupai sesuatu kaum itu, maka ia turut termasuk bersama golongan tersebut)." Harrusani also said the act of celebrating Valentine's Day was against Islamic teachings, particularly if it was related to commemorating, as stated in ancient Rome history, the death of a priest.  "We Muslims do not need such a culture or practice, which is clearly against the teachings of our religion, Furthermore, the teachings of Islam is complete, perfect and credible," he added. Harussani was commenting on the attitude of many Muslims youths in the country, who are still inclined to celebrate Valentine's Day although many views had been given by the ulama on the matter.  [Terengganu] Imams can make political speeches in Friday sermons http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=46949129 ..    [New Straits Times] - 11 Feb 04 An imam is allowed to make disparaging remarks on individuals who have sinned and can take to the pulpit to deliver political speeches in his Friday sermons, Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said today. He said a sermon was a medium to propagate a better understanding of Islam in its entirety and should not be restricted to the religious aspects. Hadi, who is Terengganu Menteri Besar, said this in an apparent reference to an alleged incident in Permatang Pauh, Penang, recently where a preacher ridiculed the death of rape-cum-murder victim Nurul Huda Gani in his Friday sermon. .. Hadi said Pas would not sack any imam who used Friday sermons to spread party influence or who made remarks on individuals. "Our guide is solely based on Islamic teachings. We know what is right and wrong. We are unlike the Federal Government who will sack an imam it believes had caused disunity," he added. MALI Mali: Snippet on spread of Islam in cities  - 13 Feb 04 http://www.islamicnews.org/english/en_daily.html#_Toc64453370 .. Timbuktu is among a number of cities in this country that have contributed to the development of Islamic civilization, and to the strengthening of the Islamic identity among the various communities and tribes of this country. It is recorded that Mali was among the countries that saw the dawn of Islam since the eighth century of the Gregorian calendar, when Arab caravaneers started to visit the country, many of eventually opted to settle in it. Islam first took root in some of Mali’s important cities, such as Timbuktu, Janat, and others, which still bear Islamic characters and landmarks, but later it started to spread to other parts of the country. The Niger River was of great help in moving goods and people to various parts of the country, and this enabled Timbuktu, situated on the banks of the river, to transform itself from a point of rest and relaxation to a trading post of substantial significance, where goods of various kinds were exchanged. These included ivory, gold, hides and skins, and others, mostly destined for the Egyptian and Moroccan markets. This trade exchanging had been going on since 1322 AD, during the era of Emperor Kankan, the era in which Timbuktu prospered. Then Timbuktu went on to develop as a center for education and learning, to which many students, from various parts of West and North Africa came, and at one time there were 120,000 students and 180 Qur’an Madrasas in the city, says the historian Leon the African. .. There are a number of other cities in Mali that have, over the years, developed into centers of Islamic learning and bear landmarks of bygone Islamic eras and their cultural impact on their people. NEW ZEALAND New Zealand: Snippet on Islam   - 12 Feb 04 http://www.islamicnews.org/english/en_daily.html#_Toc64365890 NIGERIA [Bauchi] Nigerians charged with removing boy's eyes - 11 Feb 04 http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2811618a12,00.html .. Four Nigerian men have been charged with plucking out the eyes of a 13-year-old schoolboy for use in witchcraft, the state news agency reports. They face charges ranging from criminal conspiracy to grievous bodily harm and permanent disfigurement for the attack on the boy, who was taken to hospital in the northeastern state of Bauchi. Police suspect the attack was commissioned by one of the defendants to make a charm believed to make people invisible. The case will be heard by an Islamic court in Bauchi on February 18, the News Agency of Nigeria said today (NZT).  If found guilty, the defendants could have their own eyes removed under the Islamic sharia code, the agency added. [Bauchi] Sharia Commission Issues Ultimatum to Liquor Dealers - 11 Feb http://allafrica.com/stories/200402110645.html [P.M. News - Lagos] .. Bauchi Sharia Commission has given liquor dealers in the state a one-week ultimatum to either close their businesses or face the wrath of the law. .. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) learnt that in spite of the several efforts made by the Commission to stop the liquor dealers from their trade they are still turning deaf ears to it. NAN also learnt that the dealers were recently given a soft loan of N25 million by the state government to undertake new businesses. NAN, however, gathered that most of those who collected the loan have continued with their liquor businesses, in spite of repeated warnings. More than half of the 300 liquor dealers who benefitted from the loan had since fled the state. [Kano] Amnesty International told to 'stop interfering' - 11 Feb 04 http://www.mg.co.za/Content/l3.asp?ao=31026 .. The warning by the Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI), the umbrella body for Nigeria's Muslims, followed Tuesday's report by Amnesty condemning the use of the death penalty in 12 northern Nigerian states where the Sharia legal system is in operation. JNI spokesperson Zubairu Jibrin told a local radio in a report monitored in Kano that the rights group is hiding under the guise of human rights to attack Islam or the Sharia legal system. [Katsina] Sharia: Hotels, Brothels Ordered Shut  - 13 Feb 04 http://www.thisdayonline.com/news/20040213sta05.html .. The Katsina State Government has ordered all Local government chairmen to close down all hotels and brothels within their local councils in compliance with the full implementation of Sharia in the state. The order to close down hotels and brothels in the sixty four local councils in the state was given by the state acting governor, Alhaji Abdullai Aminchi following complaints received from local committees of sharia implementation during the monthly meeting of the committee chaired by the state deputy governor on Tuesday. According to the new order, the committees have been mandated to monitor the food vendors who usually use their abode to commit all sorts of atrocities which runs counter to sharia code in the state. The meeting agreed to set up a six-man committee to put into writing the sharia code in Hausa language and Aljemir Islamic words and to circulate it round the local councils to enable people to know all the offences the sharia code forbids. The meeting also condemned the playing of local cha-cha in which some of the players used money in exchange of such things which the meeting believed is contrary to sharia code in general. PAKISTAN Loopholes in law helping honour killing'  - 13 Feb 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_13-2-2004_pg7_32 Govt undecided on Hudood laws   - 11 Feb 04 http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en53468&;F  .. With the controversial Hudood Ordinance completing 25 years of their enactment on Tuesday, the federal government is yet to adopt a firm stance on the fate of the laws. Five Hudood laws were introduced on Feb 10, 1979, by the then Zia regime that had enacted various other laws for "Islamizing the criminal justice system". .. These laws are: Offence Against Property (Enforcement of Hudood) Ordinance, 1979. It deals with crimes of theft and armed robberies. Offence of Zina Ordinance deals with the offences of rape, adultery, fornication, etc. Offence of Qazf Order relates to false accusation of Zina.   The Prohibition Order deals with the manufacture, possession and use of intoxicants, including alcohol and narcotics. The Execution of Punishment of Whipping Ordinance prescribes the mode of whipping for those convicted under the Hudood laws.  Though the laws remained controversial throughout their existence, yet none of successive governments, including those of PPP and PML-N, tried to either repeal these laws or to amend them for removing controversial provisions, said a local NGO activist. .. The issue has come under limelight again after the NCSW recommended recently repeal of these laws. The commission had set up a committee in 2002 after the famous case in which an additional district and sessions judge in Kohat had sentenced Zafran Bibi to death by stoning under the Zina Ordinance. .. Musharraf wants open debate on hudood law - 11 Feb 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_11-2-2004_pg1_1 .. President Musharraf also called for debate on the country's Hudood Ordinance, which mostly deal with crimes of adultery and rape and are widely considered discriminatory towards women. The laws were introduced by late military dictator general Ziaul Haq as part of an Islamisation drive during the 1980s and Islamists stridently support them as sacred laws. Under the laws, a rape victim has to produce four witnesses in court to testify that they saw the woman being assaulted; otherwise she can be tried on charges of wilful adultery while the rapist goes free. "It's not a question of violating the Quran and Sunnah, but there is a need for their correct interpretation. The Hudood Ordinance is our creation. It was created during the Zia regime," he said. He asked why Pakistanis were not willing to openly debate the Hudood Ordinance. "Why this taboo? We must show ourselves as a progressive Islamic society and develop consensus by following Ijma (consensus) and Ijtehad (reasoning)," he said urging female lawmakers to take up the matter at appropriate forums. LHC validates love marriage   - 14 Feb 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_14-2-2004_pg10_2 .. Lahore High Court on Friday validated a marriage that took place without the permission of the wife’s parents. Fatima Hasan and Ahmed married on December 13, 2003, but the parents of Ms Hasan lodged a criminal case saying the consent of the parents was necessary for the marriage. The court declared the marriage legal and directed Okara Sadar Police to quash the case registered under the Hudood Ordinance against the couple. In another case, the LHC on Friday validated the marriage of Gull Naz and Faqir Wasif who married each other on November 6, 2003 without the permission of the parents of Ms Naz. Her parents had lodged a criminal case saying the consent of the parents is necessary. PALESTINE Palestinian journalists protest attacks on them by "Fatah gunmen" http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=46853301 ..   [The Jerusalem Post web site on 8 February] Alarmed by a rise in the number of attacks on journalists, the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate and human rights groups have once again appealed to the Palestinian [National] Authority to take stiff measures against perpetrators. The journalists are also planning a one-day strike later this week to protest against the attacks, all of which have been carried out by Fatah gunmen. Mufti shoulders Israeli authorities responsibility for road collapse http://www.islamicnews.org/english/en_daily.html#_Toc64707400 ..      - 16 Feb 04 Sheikh Ikrima Sabry, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine, who is also the head of the Supreme Islamic Commission, has said that the Israeli authorities should be held responsible for the collapse of a portion of the road that leaders to the Moroccan Gate, one of the pathways leading to the Aqsa Mosque.  He attributed this to the unending excavations that are being carried out by the Israelis on that road. He said on several occasions he had issued such a warning about the dangers paused by these excavations, adding that the Israeli authorities and the extremist Jews do not hide their intention of wanting to demolish the Aqsa Mosque. "Martyr" faces haunt West Bank print shop - 09 Feb 04 http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&;storyID=454545 .. The grimy, dimly-lit shop is one of two in Jenin that print what are known as "martyr" posters, which eulogise Palestinians who have killed or been killed in the conflict with Israel and cover almost every wall in town. .. Since then, Abu Hamza, 24, has printed posters commemorating the deaths of more than 100 of his neighbours, some of them friends or acquaintances. Fearing reprisals, he agreed to be interviewed only if an alias was used to hide his identity. He offers one-stop shopping, a necessity considering the posters have to be up within hours to meet Islamic rules for quick burial. "Sometimes gunmen call me out of bed." .. If the dead person is a militant, his faction commissions the work. Al Aqsa is his biggest repeat customer. It picks the photo. The family has no say. When a non-combatant is killed, a coalition of local Islamic charities pays for the print run. .. In his work, he draws no distinction between suicide bombers who target Israeli civilians, gunmen killed fighting Israeli soldiers and unarmed bystanders shot dead during tank raids. "Each one is a sacred 'shahid'," Abu Hamza said, using the Arabic word for martyr, defined by Islam as one who dies during "jihad", or holy war, a guarantee of instant entry to paradise. [Gaza] Al-Aqsa explodes in bomb plotter's face  - 08 Feb 04 http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&;cid=1076233681027 .. Shokeh was believed to be head of Hamas's military wing in Central Gaza. He was also the lover of suicide bomber who blew herself up at the Erez Checkpoint, killing three soldiers and one civilian and leaving behind two children.  After Reem Salah al-Rayashi's husband discovered the affair, her erstwhile lover apparently supplied her with explosives and chose the place where she should kill herself and any Israelis she could take along with her.  Hamas said that an Arab Israeli who had supplied Shokeh with an army uniform gave him a model of Al-Aqsa Mosque as a gift. A few hours later, the model exploded, killing its new owner. SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia Says Valentine's Day Incurs God's Ire   - 13 Feb 04 http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=4353365 .. Saudi Arabia's religious authorities have ordered Muslims to shun the "pagan" holiday of Valentine's Day so as not to incur God's wrath, the local al-Riyadh newspaper said Friday.  "It is a pagan Christian holiday and Muslims who believe in God and Judgment Day should not celebrate or acknowledge it or congratulate (people on it). It is a duty to shun it to avoid God's anger and punishment," said an edict issued by Saudi Arabia's fatwa committee published in the Arabic-language daily.  "There are only two holidays in Islam -- Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha -- and any other holidays, whether to celebrate an individual, group or event, are inventions which Muslims are banned from," said the committee, headed by Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh. Saudi clerics discuss "martyrdom", jihad on TV talkshow   - 12 Feb 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=47034545 .. "The lawful shedding of blood" in Islam and how its relation to "martyrdom" operations was the topic of discussion on Saudi TV's "With the events" programme broadcast on 10 February. The guests were Ministry of Islamic Affairs preacher Shaykh Muhammad Ibn-Ahmad al-Fayfi and Riyadh's Khalid Ibn-al-Walid Mosque preacher and imam Shaykh Sultan Ibn-Abd al-Rahman al-Id. The presenter was Dr Muhammad al-Uwayni. [..] SINGAPORE Azhar Shiekh Supports Singapore's Hijab Ban - 12 Feb 04 http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2004-02/12/article01.shtml .. Continuing a trend deemed controversial by many and one that exposed him to bitter criticism, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Mohammad Sayed Tantawi has said that Singapore has the right to force a ban on hijab in the country's schools. "Singapore has the right to impose a unified code of dress, which also bars students from wearing hijab," Tantawi said after a meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Tong in Cairo Wednesday, February 11. .. Tantawi, the head of the world's largest Sunni refrence, had earlier sparked outcry among world Muslims after saying in December that France had the right to ban hijab in state schools and Muslim women living in France can take it off if forced by the necessity. UGANDA Scribes Welcome Supreme Ruling  [The Monitor - Kampala] http://allafrica.com/stories/200402120133.html - 12 Feb 04 .. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously yesterday that Section 50, which criminalises publication of false news, was inconsistent with the 1995 Constitution. "Now it's official," Niju's Nabusayi said in a statement yesterday, "Section 50 of the Penal Code Act must be struck off the law books."  The journalist said the media has jumped the first major battle and opened the way for professionals to unite and fight the restrictions to press freedom.  Niju is the umbrella body for all journalists in Uganda. The secretary general of the Uganda Journalist's Association, Haruna Kanaabi, who was sentenced to a year in jail in 1995 under the law while editor of the Shariat newsletter, said: "It is a big achievement for journalists to challenge the law that Parliament had failed to remove from the law books." USA A mosque proposal frays interfaith relations in Illinois - 15 Feb 04 http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2004/02/15/a_mosque_proposal_frays_interfaith_relations_in_illinois/ [New Jersey] N.J. defers on defining halal - 13 Feb 04 http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/7941920.htm .. New Jersey has decided not to involve itself in a dispute over what type of food should be considered acceptable under Islamic dietary laws, leaving that decision to consumers.  The state has reworked its regulations governing halal food by requiring businesses to complete disclosure forms outlining how they prepare and store their food products. Consumers then can decide whether those procedures are acceptable under Islamic dietary law. For many New Jersey Muslims, the issue is second in importance only to civil-rights concerns in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. New Jersey passed a halal food law three years ago, but critics said the bill lacked teeth, including criteria that could be used to enforce it. About a week ago, the state Division of Consumer Affairs disclosed its latest proposal. The Majlis Ash-Shura of New Jersey, the state's council of mosques, had wanted the law to spell out what could be labeled and sold as halal. Council chairman Yaser El-Menshawy said the compromise was probably as far as state regulators could go. .. The disclosure regulations will become effective this year. WORLD  REGIONS U.S. Working Paper For G-8* Sherpas  - 13 Feb 04 http://english.daralhayat.com/Spec/02-2004/Article-20040213-ac40bdaf-c0a8-01ed-004e-5e7ac897d678/story.html .. The Greater Middle East [i] (GME) region poses a unique challenge and opportunity for the international community. The three "deficits" identified by the Arab authors of the 2002 and 2003 United Nations Arab Human Development Reports (AHDR) - freedom, knowledge, and women's empowerment - have contributed to conditions that threaten the national interests of all G-8 members. So long as the region's pool of politically and economically disenfranchised individuals grows, we will witness an increase in extremism, terrorism, international crime, and illegal migration. .. While the U.S., the EU, the UN, and the World Bank have already undertaken numerous initiatives to promote legal and judicial reform, most are working at the national level in areas such as judicial training, judicial administration, and legal code reform. A G-8 initiative could complement these efforts by focusing at the grassroots community level, where the true perception of justice begins. The G-8 could establish and fund centers at which individuals can access legal advice on civil, criminal, or Sharia law, and contact defense attorneys (which are very uncommon in the region). These centers could also be affiliated with law schools in the region. .. [i] The "Greater Middle East" refers to the countries of the Arab world, plus Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, and Israel. .. * G8: France, Canada, USA, UK, Germany, Russian Federation, Japan, Italy. Religion guides views of fertility treatment in Middle East - 4 Feb 04 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-02/uom-rgv021104.php .. Inhorn, an associate professor of health behavior and health education and of anthropology, presents a talk titled "Finding 'Culture' in Science and Biotechnology: Perspectives From Medical Anthropology" at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science Feb. 14.  In qualitative, ethnographic interviews with nearly 400 patient couples, Inhorn has identified major differences in cultural attitudes toward reproductive technologies between Shi'ite Muslims in Lebanon and Sunni Muslims in Egypt. Results of her work in Egypt are part of a 2003 book, "Local Babies, Global Science: Gender, Religion, and In Vitro Fertilization in Egypt." Egypt's first fatwa, or religious proclamation, on medically assisted reproduction came in 1980, not long after the first IVF baby was born in England. More than 90 percent of Egypt's citizens practice Sunni Islam. Sunni religious rules state that IVF is allowed, but that since marriage is a contract between a husband and wife, no third party should intrude into procreation, thus prohibiting such things as sperm or egg donation. Most leaders of Shi'a Islam, the minority branch of Islam found in countries including Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan and India, concur with Sunni religious authorities about the strict prohibition on third-party donation. But in the late 1990s, an Iranian leader issued a fatwa stating egg donation "is not in and of itself legally forbidden." Inhorn notes that Shi'ites practice a form of individual religious reasoning called ijtihad, in which various Shi'ite religious leaders come to their own conclusions. Shi'ites who are strict in their interpretation of a third-party donation in IVF believe the couple should get approval from a religious court first, and the husband needs to do a muta'a, or temporary, marriage with any egg donor so the child is not born out of wedlock. However, since a married Shi'ite Muslim woman cannot marry another man sperm donation from a man other than her husband is akin to adultery. Middle Eastern societies expect all married couples to produce biological children, since legal adoption as it is practiced in the West is prohibited in both Sunni and Shi'a Islam. In the absence of adoption and gamete donation, infertile Muslim couples in countries such as Egypt have no choice but to turn to in vitro fertilization using their own gametes. FINANCE First timeshare property in Saudi on way  - 16 Feb 04 http://www.tradearabia.com/routes/sections/News.asp?Article=64609&;Sn=REAL .. The first timeshare property in Saudi Arabia is being built in the holy city of Mecca, next to the Grand Mosque, it was reported. The Zam Zam Tower Complex will offer leases ranging from royal suite to studio for periods of one or two weeks over 24 years, Arab News said. .. The project, which enjoys official backing, is funded by Sharia- compliant finance based both on an Islamic bond, Sukuk Al Ijara, and on a Sukuk Al Intifaa or timeshare bond. Bondholders may trade their stake via the Internet, the daily said. Interest in the timeshares has been so strong that plans for similar projects in Medina are underway, it added. The Waqf religious authorities who own the land adjacent to the mosques in Mecca and Medina leased the land for 28 years to the giant Binladen Construction Group on a Build-Operate-Transfer agreement involving a shopping centre, four towers and a hotel. The Binladin Group in turn leased the project to the Kuwait-based Munshaat Real Estate Projects KSC. Munshaat in December issued a $390-million sukuk, which, according to Munshaat managing director Meshal Al Ameri was oversubscribed within the first two weeks. [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 9:32:40 PM    comment []

dinsdag 10 februari 2004

Sharia News Watch 103 Sharia News Watch 103 : a collection newsquotes on Sharia, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/103 The Sharia Newswatch provides a regular update of news quotes on Sharia (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines. All editions : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ BAHRAIN MP proposes motion to segregate sexes in university  - 08 Feb 04 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=110215 .. An Islamist member of the Bahraini Parliament said yesterday he has proposed a motion to segregate the sexes in the class rooms of the kingdom's national university. The proposal aims to "allow women to continue their high education without any harassment," MP Jassim Al Saidi told Gulf News. .. The Bahraini Parliament, elected in October 2002, is dominated by Islamists who control up to 22 of the house 40 seats. Bahrain is considered one of the most open and multicultural societies in the Middle East where most people lead a Western life style.  But the constitution states Bahrain is a Muslim country, Al Saidi argued. "And according to the Islamic Sharia, men and women sexes must not mingle in public places," he said. He claimed the desegregation of the sexes at the university denied "thousands of women" the chance to progress. .. "This bill doesn't make any sense," commented Dr Anissa Fakhro, an education expert and social commentator. "It seems that these people have yet to realise that we are living in the 21st century," she added.  Anissa's latest book is called The Psychological and Social Tendencies of the Bahraini Youth. In the book, she argues that mixing the sexes in at schools "helps create a more tolerant and less violent generation."  "Based on the interviews I had with hundreds of students from both segregated and desegregated schools, those who have been studying since elementary level at mixed schools tend to have less psychological and social tensions. They look at the members of the other sex as equals," she explained. FRANCE French politicians pave way for hijab ban  - 06 Feb 04 http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/401B9A16-7670-483B-93A5-06D15B157E2C.htm .. The country's ruling conservatives and left-wing opposition approved the deal over a controversial draft law on Thursday before a formal vote by the National Assembly next week. The Socialists said their backing depended on an amendment requiring the law to be reviewed after a year. Their support also hinged on the understanding that the law would not be wielded in a way that would alienate religious communities. .. The amendments were seen as a way to bring those hesitating on board to back the bill, which goes to the vote in the lower chamber of parliament next Tuesday. It will then be passed to the upper chamber, the Senate. Ban on veils may spread to hospitals   - 06 Feb 04 http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,11882,1142313,00.html .. As France's national assembly neared the end of a four-day debate on a ban on religious emblems in state schools, the prime minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, said "similar legislation" was planned to stop hospital patients refusing to be treated by male doctors. .. Health administrators have reported cases of Muslim husbands who would rather their wives were denied treatment than be examined by a man. Women in labour have refused epidurals because the anaesthetist was male.  The government is also considering a "secularism charter" for other public institutions. These include town halls, where Muslim women must remove their veils for official ceremonies, and public swimming pools, where Muslim women have demanded segregated bathing. INDIA Muslims urged to reinterpret personal laws affecting women - 07 Feb 04 http://www.deepikaglobal.com/ENG3_sub.asp?ccode=ENG3&;newscode=40516 .. The National Commission for Women (NCW) today called upon the Muslim community to review existing personal laws relating to talaq, maintenance and polygamy etc to ameliorate the socio-economic condition of their women. Pointing out that so many Muslim countries like Turkey, Indonesia, Iran and Pakistan had amended laws relating to these subjects to meet the demand of the changing times, NCW chairperson Poornima Advani said that in India also, these laws demanded a new interpretation. .. Ms Advani, who has taught Muslim Personal Law at the Bombay University, said there were so many laws which were intended to be good and arose according to the demands of the day when they were formulated, but later they came to be misinterpreted to do injustice to women. In this connection she cited a sub-clause in the Dissolution of Muslim Marriage Act, 1939 under which a woman can seek divorce only if her husband does not treat her equally with his other wife. But, she pointed out that there is no such man as can ensure this equality and the provision continues to be misused. She said the NCW during the hundreds of public hearings it held over the year has found that the problem of instantaneous talaq and multiple marriage were the ones affecting Muslim women most adversely. .. A number of other speakers on the occasion stressed the need of launching an intensive campaign to make Muslim women, specially those living in samall towns and villages, aware of their legal rights relating to their share in property which in most of the cases they surrender to their brothers out of social pressure. INDONESIA [Opinion] Haj tragedies: Time for a look in the mirror - 07 Feb 04 http://www.thejakartapost.com/detaileditorial.asp?fileid=20040207.F03 NU alleges rampant corruption over haj  - 10 Feb 04 http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20040210.C01&;irec=0 .. Rampant corruption, including price markups, at the Ministry of Religious Affairs involved many officials, businesspeople, politicians and foreigners, a respected Muslim leader alleged on Monday. Hasyim Muzadi, chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), said that reforms within the ministry required extra effort from all parties, including lawmakers, non-governmental organizations and the press. .. Hasyim doubted, however, that the private sector would be able to handle the haj pilgrimage professionally -- as some have recently suggested -- saying that the government had once delegated the matters to private firms and similar problems still took place. The government handed over the management of the special minor haj, with about 15,000 people, to a private firm two years ago, but later dropped the firm after the organizers failed to carry out their duties properly. This year, some 30,000 haj pilgrims, mostly under the ONH Plus arrangement, were not able to go to Mecca despite promises from the government, that it would grant a higher quota. Indonesia's quota stood at 205,000 people this year. Intl Halal Standards To Be Formulated In Jakarta - 07 Feb 04 http://www.antara.co.id/e_berita.asp?id=135140&;th=2004 .. Representatives of certification bodies from many countries will gather in Jakarta on February 11-12 to formulate international halal (allowed under Islamic law) standards to protect Muslim consumers. "So far, the halal status of food products originating in non-Muslim countries entering Muslim countries is always in doubt," the president of the World Halal Council, Aisjah Girindra, said here Friday. Aisjah said, the halal certificates issued in food producing countries had yet to remove the doubts. Government to blame for stampede in Mina: Gus Dur   - 05 Feb 04 http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20040206.C01&;irec=0 .. Former president and former chairman of the country's largest Muslim organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid said on Thursday that the [Indonesian] government did not provide clear guidance on how and when to perform the devil-stoning rite.  "If we refer to the Wahabi sect's regulations, the pilgrims should perform the devil-pelting rite in the afternoon, but the government (reportedly) never told our pilgrims what time they should go. So the incident was our government's fault," Gus Dur said.   "I understand the situation because I once went for a pilgrimage and no government official informed us about the procedures. Of course, the lack of information meant that we could go to Mina anytime we wanted ... in the morning, afternoon or evening," Gus Dur explained during a press conference at the NU headquarters on Thursday. .. Several haj pilgrims had claimed that they were never told there was to be an allotted time for the trek to Mina.  Acting Minister for Religious Affairs Jusuf Kalla claimed that the Saudi government had scheduled Indonesian pilgrims and other pilgrims from Southeast Asian countries to go to Mina between 4 p.m and 10 p.m. He claimed that the incident happened at 9 a.m, obviously with a lot of Indonesians involved, but the morning schedule had been allocated for pilgrims from Arab and African countries. The Ministry of Religious Affairs's Haj Information Office head Nunun Firdaus suspected that Indonesian group leaders had not informed their fellow pilgrims about the stoning schedule. IRAQ Iraqi Official Wants Law Based on Islam  - 10 Feb 04 http://www.diario.com.mx/nota.asp?notaid=c9c70068d73e5a0b3536805fa57e3c21 .. Iraq's current top official has demanded that Islam be the principal basis for Iraq's laws, a move that breaches a previous agreement among the framers of the interim constitution and creates the possibility that Islamic law could rule the land. If approved, the proposal could have broad effects on secular Iraq, taking away rights of women in divorce and inheritance cases, shuttering liquor stores and banning gambling, legal advisers here say. Elements also run counter to President Bush's goal of turning Iraq into a beacon for democracy in the Middle East. "There could be changes in the Iraqi state," said Salem Chalabi, a legal adviser to the Governing Council and a member of the 10-member committee framing the basic transitional law, which acts as an interim constitution and is to take effect at the end of this month. "If someone proposes a law of inheritance that conflicts with sharia, or Islam, then it´s invalid," Chalabi said. "The registration of liquor stores may become illegal." Mohsen Abdel-Hamid, the current president of Iraq's U.S.-picked Governing Council and a member of a drafting committee, proposed the change last week. Abdel-Hamid is a Sunni Muslim scholar who heads the Iraqi Islamic Party, which espouses a conservative view of Islam. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Abdel-Hamid said he wants "a constitution that represents the Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people, with all the respect due to other identities." .. Abdel-Hamid's measure would not take away freedom to practice other religions, but would make Islamic codes the arbiter of future laws, with exceptions made for minority religions. The proposal sparked what framers of the law called "heated" discussions. Perhaps the largest effect would be to moot much of Iraq's 1959 Law of Personal Status, which grants uniform rights to husband and wife to divorce and inheritance, and governs related issues like child support, Chalabi said. Representatives of Iraq's Kurdish and Christian parties, and those with liberal Western views have voiced opposition to the Islamization of Iraq's legal code, and the issue remains under discussion. Women would be most affected, said one opponent. "If this happens 50 percent of Iraqi society will need to be liberated," said Younadem Kana, a Christian member of the Governing Council. "We need to fight for the rights of all Iraqis _ women and minorities as well." .. To take effect, the Islamic law proposal would have to be approved by the framing committee and added to the transitional law, which must be accepted by the full Governing Council. .. Saudi cleric criticizes Arab League stand against empowering ethnic, religious groups  http://www.dailystar.com.lb/10_02_04/art23.asp ..     - 10 Feb 04 A leading Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia criticized Monday a recent Arab League report that warns of empowering religious and ethnic groups in Iraq which could lead to destabilizing neighboring countries. "The saying that granting political rights to religious and ethnic groups in Iraq would constitute a threat to neighboring countries indicates a sickness in the Arab political mentality," said Sheikh Hassan al-Saffar from his office in the mainly Shiite city of Al-Qatif in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. .. The report, prepared by an Arab League delegation that spent two weeks in Iraq in December, reflects concern among Arab states that giving too much authority to Kurdish and Shiite groups would inspire minorities in neighboring countries to rise up and demand more power. Iraq Draft Constitution Calls For 40 Percent Women in Assembly http://www.occupationwatch.org/article.php?id=2880 - 02 Feb 04 .. Members of the United States-appointed Iraqi Governing Council started debating a proposed constitution for Iraq's interim government. According to the Washington Post, the plan calls for a three-member presidency and for at least 40 percent of the assembly and constitutional convention to be women.  The deadline for the document's completion is February 28. Iraqi officials are expecting major disagreements and debates over the issues of quotas for women, the role of religion, and the possibility of federalism, reports the Washington Post. The legal advisor to the Governing Council, Salem Chalabi, believes that the quota for women will be reduced to 20 percent. In regards to religion, the proposed constitution states that Islam will be one source, rather than the sole source, of legislation. The designation of Islam as only one of the sources is also a source of contention for the conservative members of the Council. 'Iran, Iraq should remove visa restrictions' - 08 Feb 04 http://www.aljazeerah.info/8%20n/Iran,%20Iraq%20should%20remove%20visa%20restrictions.htm .. A senior Iranian official said Saturday that Iran and Iraq should remove visa requirements on each other's citizens as a step towards improved relations between the two former enemies. "We wish in the future Iraqis could visit Iran without any problem and vice versa," Ali Asghar Ahmadi, an Iranian deputy interior minister in charge of security, told reporters. Ahmadi is part of an Iranian government delegation that arrived Friday for talks with Iraqi officials on border issues and travel between the two countries. It is believed to be the first official team to visit Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime last year. Ahmadi said about 10,000 Iranians come to Iraq daily, mostly pilgrims to the holy Shiite cities of Karbala and Najaf. But Iranian border officials say the number is likely double with most of the visitors crossing the border illegally before boarding buses to visit the holy places. .. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians visited Iraq every year until1980 , when the two countries went to war that ended only in1988 . There was virtually no travel between the two peoples until July 1998 when Saddam allowed 12,000 Iranians a month to visit holy shrines. .. In pilgrims' rush, Iraq's shrine city of Najaf sees new fortune - 09 Feb 04 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=110304 [comment] Al-Sistani's Vision Of Iraq's Political And Religious Future http://www.rferl.org/features/features_article.aspx?id=3F49ABB3-2FE9-461E-9BEA-6C12E36ADF80&;m=2&y=2004 ..     - 05 Feb 04 The sociologist [Faleh Jabar, University of London] says al-Sistani is often portrayed by the media as a man of spiritual concerns with a highly ascetic lifestyle. But as one of a handful of top Iraqi Shi'a leaders regarded as a "marja" -- or "model for emulation" -- by the faithful, al-Sistani also is the head of one of his community's richest religious foundations, thought to have assets worth tens of millions of dollars. Jabar says that, as leaders of institutions with vast networks of social services, al-Sistani and other top Iraqi Shi'a clerics are in constant touch with the concerns -- both spiritual and worldly -- of their community. "Seemingly they are isolated, living like hermits. But this is a myth," he said. "They have thousands of students, of novices, of agents, of representatives, and they have the best feedback in the world. They can feel [the concerns of their community]. This is an institution that we are talking about. We are not talking about a person living in a small room." Iraq's religious foundations, which are supported by contributions from a marja's followers, fund institutions and services ranging from religious schools, to dormitories for religious students, to welfare grants to the needy. Al-Sistani inherited his vast endowment network from the late Grand Ayatollah Abd al-Qasim al-Khoi, who named him as successor before his death in 1992. .. "He issued several fatwas," Jawar said. "First, he said, we will not have a government like Iran, meaning [theocracy] is not applicable in the case of Iraq. The Shi'a Islamic parties would like to forget this [fatwa]. The second fatwa is that he forbade clerics from assuming any administrative and government office at all."  Jabar says these fatwas were in part motivated by al-Sistani's belief that clergy should not become part of the political system and thus risk losing their spiritual authority. But they also may be an effort to balance the interests of distinct groups within the Shi'a population. These include a strong middle class of professionals that is uncomfortable with the Islamist political parties. Tensions between the groups have risen as Islamist parties have sought to impose dress codes on women in some parts of southern Iraq where their armed militias hold power. .. The sociologist says al-Sistani's writings suggest he would be comfortable with a constitution that enshrines Islam as the state religion, assures freedom of worship to all communities, and accepts sharia as just one of several sources of legislation. That is a position closer to the sentiments of the Shi'a middle classes. However, al-Sistani also is reported to have said in his religious rulings regarding personal behavior that men and women should not mix socially, that music for entertainment is prohibited, and that women should veil their hair. KENYA Parliament and Bomas: Who'll have the last word on review? http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/Today/Comment/News_Analysis080220042.html ..     - 08 Feb 04 As far as Muslims are concerned (North Eastern is predominantly Muslim), the faction that will win their support is the one that affirms two issues they hold close to their hearts: The kadhi's courts as contained in the draft constitution coupled with a promise to soften the Anti-Terrorism Bill.  The fact that Ufungamano dropped the kadhi's courts from their draft constitution was enough to make the Muslims pull out of the group. LEBANON [opinion] Explaining the addiction to jihad  - 05 Feb 04 http://www.dailystar.com.lb/opinion/05_02_04_c.asp .. Individually, the terrorists I interviewed cited many reasons for choosing a life of holy war, and I came to despair of identifying a single root cause. But the variable that most frequently came up was not poverty or human rights abuses ­ as has been posited in the press ­ but perceived humiliation. Humiliation came up at every echelon of terrorist group members ­ leaders and followers. MALAYSIA Objections to UN homosexuality view [New Straits Times] - 10 Feb 04 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=46878917 .. Legal experts and religious groups today expressed their objection to the United Nations' threat to punish nations which banned homosexual activities through a new human rights resolution to be tabled in April. Bar Council president Khutubul Zaman Bukhari said civil and syariah laws clearly stated that homosexual behaviour was illegal. Section 377 (A), (B) and (C) states that any penile penetration through the anus or mouth is considered carnal intercourse against the order of nature. An offender could be jailed a minimum of five years and maximum of 20 years. He said most State Syariah Criminal Offence laws imposed a RM1,000 fine and a minimum one-year imprisonment for men who publicly wore women's clothing and posed as women for immoral purposes. MP: Issue fatwa on use of mosques near homes -   08 Feb 04 http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/2/8/nation/7270769&;sec=nation .. The National Fatwa Council has been urged to issue an edict (fatwa) for Muslims to perform Friday prayers at mosques near their homes. Tasek Gelugor MP Datuk Seri Mohd Shariff Omar said yesterday that the council should issue the fatwa because some Muslims preferred to perform the Friday prayers at mosques elsewhere which were inclined towards a certain political party.  He said these Muslims did not want to pray at mosques set up by the Government or with an appointed imam, thus causing disunity in the community.  "The council must issue a fatwa as the situation will cause a further split if it is not checked," he said at a ground-breaking ceremony for the RM 2.5mil [Eur 518.000,-]  Merbau Kudung mosque here yesterday. Speaking to newsmen later, Mohd Shariff said the fatwa should specify those who pray at mosques of their choice outside their khariah (committee or area).   NIGERIA The Death Penalty and Women under the Nigeria Penal Systems http://www.web.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGAFR440012004 ..      - 10 Feb 04 The new Sharia penal codes which came into force in 12 states(5).in northern Nigeria since 1999, define someone who has committed zina as"whoever, being a man or a woman fully responsible, has sexual intercourse through the genital [sic] of a person over whom he has no sexual rights and in circumstances in which no doubt exists as to the illegality of the act" (6). Zina was previously punishable by flogging for Muslims under the Penal Code. However, in the States that have introduced Sharia penal laws, zina carries a mandatory death sentence if the accused is married, while 100 lashes is the mandatory sentence if the accused is not married. The charge of zina and the punishment for it prescribed in the law applies to Muslims only. Of particular interest is that by using the death penalty in this way, other rights are being violated, such as the right to be free from discrimination, freedom of expression and association and the right to privacy. While Amnesty International opposes the death penalty under any circumstances whatsoever, Amnesty International believes that zina as a criminal offence for Muslims only negates the principle of equality before the law and equal protection of the law and the organization furthermore opposes the criminalization of consensual sexual relations between people over the age of consent. The application of the death penalty for zina offences combined with the gender-discriminating evidence rules within the Sharia penal codes have meant that women have disproportionately been sentenced to death for zina in northern Nigeria since the introduction of new Sharia penal codes. Amnesty International has raised this concern by campaigning on the cases of Safiya Yakubu Hussaini, Amina Lawal and Fatima Usman. Amnesty International is aware of at least 11 death sentences handed down since 1999 by Sharia courts in the States of Bauchi, Jigawa, Katsina, Niger and Sokoto and in four of these the convicted are women. Three of these cases concern women accused of zina. Only two men were sentenced for zina in the same period. (7).s of November 2003, four people have lodged appeals against their death sentences and are awaiting dates for a hearing. Two of the women, Safiya Yakubu Hussaini and Amina Lawal, have had their convictions for zina overturned on appeal. The most recent woman convicted of zina is Fatima Usman who received her death sentence in May 2002 by the Sharia court of Gawu-Babangida, Niger State. Although at present no-one sentenced to death for zina under the new Sharia penal legislation, has yet had their sentence carried out, Amnesty International remains concerned that prescribing the death penalty for the crime of zina is in violation of international standards including Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), to which Nigeria is a state party, which states "sentence of death may be imposed only for the most serious crimes" (8). The organization is additionally concerned that the practice of prescribing the death penalty for zina violates the right of women to be free from discrimination and the rights to freedom of association and expression and the right to privacy. The definition of zina de facto recognizes that men have in certain cases, namely marriage, sexual rights over women. This in itself is a violation of the principle of equality between the sexes and results in women in reality having less control over their sex life than men. This social context results in women's human rights being violated and Amnesty International fears that the definition in law endorses an unequal relationship between men and women and leads to men having power over women, denying them the right to exercize control over their own sexuality and control over their reproductive rights(9). .. During a mission to Nigeria in March 2003 Amnesty International interviewed seven women detained at the Katsina prison, Katsina State, and found that one of the interviewees had already been convicted of culpable homicide and sentenced to death by hanging for having had an abortion. Of the women still awaiting trial, three had been charged with the capital offences of culpable homicide. Two of the women had been charged or convicted under the Penal Code and one under the Sharia penal code of Katsina. .. A common characteristic of all these cases is that they concern women from rural low-income backgrounds, and that most of them had conceived outside a functioning marriage as they were either unmarried, separated or divorced at the time of their arrest. They had generally been reported to the police by third parties, including village heads and neighbours. Two of the interviewees from Katsina State told Amnesty International that they had had still births in the last three months of pregnancy, but had been reported for inducing abortions. None of the women from Katsina State or Sokoto State had legal representation at the police station at the time of the arrest or during the investigation/interrogation, or appeared to have been informed of the reasons for their arrest. Furthermore, several of them appeared to have signed or thumb-printed confessions they had not written, as most of them could not read or write, and were apparently fabricated by the police. Upon charge the women were not kept informed by the authorities of their rights. Furthermore, medical evidence which could have been used to exonerate some of them was either never obtained by the police or in the case of the woman who has been convicted may have been deliberately excluded by the police in order to secure a conviction. It is also not clear whether these women have been charged with the correct offences. .. Cases attracting the capital punishment, such as zina, are tried by the lower Sharia courts. The right of appeal to an Upper Sharia court is guaranteed in all the Sharia criminal procedure codes. For instance, the Sharia Criminal Procedure Code of Sokoto State establishes: "Whoever is dissatisfied with the order, ruling, decision or judgment made by a Sharia Court may appeal to the Upper Sharia Court sitting in its appellate jurisdiction."(37) The subsequent appellate court is the Sharia Court of Appeal in each of the 12 states, and if that particular state does not have one the case may be transferred to the Sharia Court of Appeal in another state. When the judicial remedies at the state level have been exhausted, the case can be taken to the Federal Court of Appeal. (38) So far no case has yet been brought to this level. Finally, the President has the right to exercize mercy. .. Under the newly introduced Sharia penal codes(52), the behaviour of women and men of Muslim faith is now governed by legislation that defines criminal offences some of which carry the sentence of death by stoning. The death penalty has been introduced under the hudud for criminal offences such as zina(53), rape(54), "sodomy" as termed in Sharia penal codes(55) and incest(56), but also for robbery(57). Intentional homicide(58) under the qisas category(59) and a few witchcraft and juju offences under tazir(60) also carry the death sentence. With regard to the first four offences the convicted is executed by stoning, however in the latter cases the method of execution is not specified. Amnesty International has encountered violations of the right to a fair trial and due process of women in the context of the offence of zina within the Sharia penal system. Zina is punishable by death by stoning if the convicted is married or divorced(61), otherwise by imprisonment(62) and flogging. Judges in cases of zina do not have any discretion with regard to the sentences they are handing down; they are mandatory. One sentence applies if the defendant is married or has at some point entered a legal marriage, and another one applies if the defendant is not married and has never been. Partly as a consequence of the way the evidence rules operate, the number of women sentenced to death on conviction of zina as compared to men, is disproportionately high. In the cases known to Amnesty International, four women and two men have been convicted. .. Many abortion-related offences are, in the cases known to Amnesty International, deemed to fall under the capital offence of culpable homicide under the Penal Code and the Criminal Code. (75) However, there are also specific provisions for abortion-related offences not imposing the death sentence under the Penal Code and the Criminal Code. For example, the Penal Code imposes a penalty of 14 years imprisonment for a woman causing a miscarriage. (76) Likewise, the Criminal Code prescribes imprisonment for up to seven years for any person who attempts to procure an abortion, and up to 14 years for a woman's own attempt to procure an abortion. However, in all cases of which Amnesty International is aware, women involved in abortion-related cases have instead been charged with the offence of culpable homicide and are therefore subject to the death penalty. (77) Culpable homicide is defined in Section 221 of the Penal Code. .. Amnesty International has different human rights concerns with regard to the Sharia penal system as compared to the Penal Code and the Criminal Code. Although Muslim women are being discriminated against on the basis of religion and gender by all three penal legislations, Amnesty International's main concern is that the death sentence is applied to offences which are not punishable with the death penalty under the Penal and Criminal Codes. Hence, a married or divorced Muslim in the north will be sentenced to death by stoning in the northern Sharia states if proved guilty of zina, whereas for a Muslim living in southern Nigeria, where the Criminal Code applies, consensual sexual relations between people over the age of consent is not punishable. This negates the principle of universality of human rights, equality before the law and has a discriminatory effect on women on the basis of religion, and as already outlined, on the basis of sex. .. Amnesty International is concerned that during some trials in Sharia courts international standards of fair trial and due process are not upheld. Furthermore, the evidence rules under Sharia penal codes of procedure in Nigeria, in some cases such as in the Katsina State rules which are unwritten, have a discriminatory effect on women and make it more likely than men that they will be convicted of acts of consensual sexual relations between people over the age of consent. According to the dominant Maliki interpretation of Sharia in Nigeria, pregnancy is often considered sufficient evidence to convict a woman for zina. (95) The oath of the man denying having had sexual intercourse with the woman is considered sufficient proof of his innocence unless four independent and reputable eye-witnesses declare his voluntary involvement in the act of sexual intercourse. .. The age when a person reaches taklif is flexible under Sharia penal law, and is defined as the age at which a person attains legal and religious responsibility. (99) This is commonly regarded as being the age of puberty and is therefore widely variable. Young girls and boys therefore face no dispensation when faced with being charged and tried for capital offences, contrary to the ICCPR and the Convention on the Rights of the Child which prohibits the use of the death penalty on those who were under 18 years of age when the act was committed. .. In all cases known to Amnesty International of women tried for capital offences under the Sharia penal legislation in northern Nigeria, the accused had no access to legal representation during their first trial. The Sharia codes of criminal procedure and the Sharia penal codes introduced in some of the states does not make explicit mention of the right to legal representation of every accused who is being tried. For example, the only provision on legal defence in the Sharia criminal procedure code of Sokoto is: "A legal practitioner shall have the right to practice in the Sharia courts in accordance with the provisions of the Legal Practitioners Act, 1990" (100), but the code does not guarantee the right of the accused to have access to a legal practitioner. .. The majority of death sentences for zina are handed down to women. One of the reasons for this is that in relation to the weight of evidence women and men are subjected to different requirements. According to scholars under the Maliki school of thought, but which appears to be contrary to some interpretations of the Qur'an, pregnancy is often considered sufficient evidence to condemn a woman for zina. However, the mere fact of her being pregnant does not mean that she has committed zina. Pregnancy can also occur as a result of non-consensual or coerced sexual relations. Amnesty International is concerned that the Sharia penal law in its application in Nigeria does not allow protection from assault for women. .. Another problem with evidence in relation to women under the Sharia penal codes, is the issue of confession as evidence. According to the Evidence Act(107) used in conjunction with the Penal Code, a confession is not deemed to provide sufficient evidence to secure a conviction. However, under the Zamfara Sharia criminal procedure code for example, a confession in the absence of any corroborative evidence can be used to secure a conviction. Although both systems of criminal procedure impose formal duties on the police and courts to ensure that all evidence is obtained free of duress, the reality is that there is a long history of torture and ill treatment of people in custody by security forces across Nigeria and reports of pressure exercized by state-endorsed vigilante groups in order to enforce the new Sharia penal legislation(108). .. The Sharia criminal procedure codes in Nigeria vary in their requirements regarding the number of judges which make up properly constituted courts and which can conduct the hearings and pass sentences in criminal, including capital, cases in the lower Sharia courts. On appeal the requirement is generally for three judges to hear a case. When a case is heard by one sole judge in the lower Sharia courts this raises the concern of a potential lack of guarantees for adequate safeguards of fair trial standards. Amnesty International fears that this could also distort the impartiality of the courts. Furthermore, judges ruling in capital cases are often the same judges who adjudicate in civil matters and have rarely received adequate training to judge criminal matters under the new criminal procedures. (110) .. 5. Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, Yobe, and Zamfara. 6. Each state shares a similar definition of zina, see for example Section 121 of The Sharia Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes 2002 of Kaduna State. 7. Two of the men allegedly involved in these cases were acquitted, on the basis of swearing on the Qur'an and for 'lack of evidence'. They are Yahaya Muhammad in the case of Amina Lawal and Yakubu Abubakar in the case of Safiya Yakubu Hussaini. .. 37. Section 233(2)(a) the Sharia Criminal Procedure Code Law 2000 of Sokoto State. 38. If the person does not appeal the case to the Federal level he/she can turn to the State Governor who can exercize his prerogative of mercy to commute the sentence. .. 52. It should be noted here that to date Amnesty International has not been able to acquire all Sharia penal codes and criminal procedure codes of the states which have introduced Sharia penal codes. The reason for this is twofold; firstly, acts are not always properly published, and secondly, the ones which are not necessarily made available to the public. Hence we refer to the codes which Amnesty International has access to. These are from the States of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina (the Law to make Provision for the Establishment of Sharia Courts and related matters Law No. 5 of 2000 and the Law to provide for the Adoption of Islamic Penal System for the State Law No. 6 of 2000), Sokoto and Zamfara. 53. Sections 126 and 127 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Zamfara State; 128 and 129 of the Sharia Penal Code Law of Sokoto State; Sections 121 and 122 of the Sharia Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes 2002 of Kaduna State; and Sections 124 and 125 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Kano State. 54. Note that the death sentence is applied if the defendant is married and the subject for the act is somebody else than the spouse. Hence, rape within marriage is not a criminal offence within the Sharia penal system. Sections 128 and 129 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Zamfara State; Sections 130 and 131 of the Sharia Penal Code Law of Sokoto State; Sections 123 and 124 of the Sharia Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes 2002 of Kaduna State; and Sections 126 and 127 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Kano State. 55. Sections 130 and 131 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Zamfara State; Sections 132 and 133 of the Sharia Penal Code Law of Sokoto State; Sections 125 and 126 of the Sharia Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes 2002 of Kaduna State, note that according to the Sharia Penal Code of Kaduna the act of "sodomy" is defined as "whoever has anal coitus with any male person is said to commit the offence of sodomy"; and Sections 128 and 129 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Kano State, where the act is sanctioned by death by stoning if the defendant is or has been married. In Kano the Sharia penal code defines "lesbianism" as "whoever, being a woman, engages another woman in carnal intercourse through her sexual organ or by means of stimulation or sexual excitement of one another commits the offence of lesbianism" and is sanctioned in the same way as "sodomy", see Sections 183 and 184 of the same code. 56. The death penalty applies if the defendant is married, see Sections 132 and 133 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Zamfara State; Sections 134 and 135 of the Sharia Penal Code Law of Sokoto State; and Sections 127 and 128 of the Sharia Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes 2002 of Kaduna State. 57. Note that for robbery to be punishable by the death penalty the defendant must have caused death in the process of the robbery. See Sections 152 and 153 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Zamfara State; Sections 154 and 155 of the Sharia Penal Code Law of Sokoto State; Sections 147 and 148 of the Sharia Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes 2002 of Kaduna State; and Sections 139 and 140 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Kano State. 58. Sections 199 and 200 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Zamfara State; Sections 201 and 202 of the Sharia Penal Code Law of Sokoto State; Sections 192 and 193 of the Sharia Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes 2002 of Kaduna State; and Sections 142 and 143 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Kano State. 59. Qisas in short means the right of relatives to choose that a deliberate offender be punished in the same manner as his or her act, in certain cases of murder or grievous bodily harm. 60. Exemplified by offences relating to ordeal, witchcraft and "juju" (Sections 408-413) in the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Sokoto State, and Sections 405-409 of the Sharia Penal Code Law 2000 of Zamfara State. 61. The word zina, both in general use and as a term defined in the Sharia penal codes does not accurately translate as "adultery". Zina is intended to cover consensual heterosexual relations where neither partner is married, where one or both are married to another, or where one or both are divorced. The punishments vary according to marital status. 62. Under the Kaduna State Sharia Penal and Criminal Procedure Codes 2002, Section 122 unmarried women can only be sentenced to flogging, whereas unmarried men are both sentenced to flogging and imprisonment for zina. .. 108. In the judgment in the case of Amina Lawal, the Sharia Court of Appeal in Katsina State has stated that they do not consider pregnancy outside marriage alone to be sufficient proof of zina and cites an unknown source which claims that a divorcee can be said to be pregnant for five years after divorce. PAKISTAN 222 women await trials in NWFP jails  - 09 Feb 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_9-2-2004_pg7_20 .. As many as 222 female under-trial prisoners are languishing in various jails of the NWFP, including 83 of them detained under Zina Ordinances. ..  Among the 94 convicted female prisoners, 13 of them are imprisoned under the Zina Ordinances. Sources said 74 children were accompanying their detained mothers in various jails and eight of them attend school regularly. .. Among the 94 convicted prisoners, 14 are detained under murder cases, 60 under narcotics smuggling cases, 13 under Zina Ordinance, 4 under robbery/abduction cases, and 3 are detained under sections 107/151/55/109 of the PPC. RUSSIA Russian Islam      - 05 Feb 04 http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/article.php?id=2353 .. It must be mentioned that as a rule, Russian Muslims are young energetic people, whose communities are scattered all across various cities of Russia. Up until recently, Karelia Muslims (in Northwestern Russia) have been considered to be most active thanks to the missionary work of Abu Ahmad Mustafa (Oleg Starodubtsev). There are all reasons to believe that the number of Russian Muslims will not be just increasing, but it will be multiplying at the rapid rate. There are all prerequisites necessary. Russians can now freely get familiarized with the translations of the Holy Quran, among which there is the poetic translation of 1991, made by ethnic Russian Muslim woman Iman (Valeria) Porokhova. If in the past people in the mosques of Russia were speaking the languages of ethnic Muslims, today they are speaking Russian to one another. Many Russian Islamic mass media have appeared, some of them are owned by Russian Muslims. For example, www.koran.ru website by Shamil Matveev or www.islam.ru by Ali Polosin. Little by little the misunderstanding that Islam is an attribute of the cultures of Russia's ethnic minorities and a symbol of their national identity is disappearing. SAUDI ARABIA Kuwaiti criticises Saudi plan to expand stoning site    - 06 Feb 04 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/saudi/?id=8800 .. The death of pilgrims while stoning the devil during the annual Muslim hajj pilgrimage could best be avoided by raising peoples' awareness of the risks and not by expanding the site of the ritual as proposed by Saudi authorities, a Kuwaiti official was quoted Friday as saying. But a senior Saudi cleric said educating pilgrims about hajj rituals is the responsibility of their governments. .. A plan drawn up by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Institute for Hajj Research and the ministry of municipal and rural affairs envisages boosting the capacity at the stoning site "from 160,000 pilgrims to 500,000 pilgrims per hour," according to the institute's dean Osama al-Bar. The kingdom's influential Council of Senior Ulemas, or religious scholars, endorsed the project Thursday. UK Long waiting lists at Islamic schools in Britain  - 07 Feb 04 http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/world/story/0,4386,233985,00.html%3F .. Such institutions often offer both Islamic classes and a broad secular curricula for students aged between seven and 18.  Compulsory subjects include English, English literature, maths, science, geography, art, Arabic studies, Islamic studies, Islamic history and information technology.  Other than Arabic-language classes, all other classes, including Islamic studies, are taught in English.  Mr Ibrahim Hewitt, former director of the Association of Muslim Schools, told The Straits Times that over the past decade, the number of Islamic schools had grown by more than five times - from about 20 to more than 100 now. Their increasing popularity is clear from long waiting lists all over the country. .. Mr Ibrahim put it more starkly: 'There is an increasing awareness among parents of the success of Islamic schools, and an increasing disillusionment towards state schools.'  He recounted how a teacher in a state school told a school inspector that he was proud of having persuaded a number of Muslim students not to fast during Ramadan. 'The fact that such things can happen after so many years is telling,' he said.  As students take the GCSEs and A levels like those who go to state schools, they can go on to universities without problems. London Islaamic Conference Review: "Salafiyya" Onslaught - 04 Feb 04 http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre_internal.php?article=93547 .. Sunday the 18th January 2004, saw one of the largest gatherings in London this year of Muslims professing the ideas of authentic- Salafiyyah according to the understanding of Ahl Al Sunnah Wal Jama'ah. The key note speaker was Sheikh Omar Bakri Muhammed, Judge of the Shariah Court of the UK and worldwide supreme leader of Al-Muhajiroun, an Islaamic group within Ahl Al Sunnah Wal Jama'ah. [the people who most correctly follow the teachings of the Prophet of Islaam] The conferences aim was three-fold, to act as a Statement and Clarification of authentic Salafiyyah, its true concepts and principles and to distinguish that from the fake Salafiyyah of the Saudi Government. It also attempted to examine the call and the works of the great Imaam, Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (rh). It also examined the affect this call had as a driving force behind the activities of the greatest of the magnificent contemporary mujahideen and martyrs in the universal revival of Islaam across the world, since the destruction of the Islaamic Khilafah State in 1924 at the hands of the Taghout. .. In other words, the first step on the road to becoming a monotheist is the complete and total rejection of any form of Taghout. The word Taghout was defined as: "Any thing that is worshipped (Ma'boud), any thing that is obeyed (Mutaa') and anything that is followed (Matbou') instead of Allah, is Taghout" [Hadith Mowqouf of Ibn Masood].   .. Examples cited included: Ahl ul-Hawaa (the people of rational desires) whose criteria of judgment for right and wrong comes from their own weak and limited minds and is not based on the Shariah (Islaamic laws); the rulers (hukaam) in the Muslim world who do not rule by whatever Allah has revealed as legislation, and instead implement man-made laws; the parliaments in the world who legislate law (majaalis ash-shaab) and usurp the right of Allah; the United Nations (ummah mutahhida); the kufr and nationalistic parties existent in the Muslim and non-Muslim world’s e.g. the U.K. Labour party or Conservative Party, the UK based Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), the U.S. Republican and Democratic parties, the US based Islaamic Supreme Council (Haqqani branch), CAIR; Human Rights (al-insaneeyah); the nation-state concept and nationalism (al-qawm'u wal qawmiyyah); the majority of the people (sawaad al-a'tham) amongst others. .. The conference reaffirmed the Islaamic view that the world was divided into two distinct camps. The camp of Haq (Truth) characterised by Islaam Tawheed and Eemaan, and the camp of Baatil (falsehood) characterised by Kufr Bid'ah and Shirk. [..] USA [Chicago] Hard-liners won battle for Bridgeview mosque   - 08 Feb 04 http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/specials/chi-0402080265feb08,1,7392742.story [Indiana]  Appointment of Muslim scholar causes unease in US http://nzz.ch/2004/02/08/english/page-synd4700038.html - 08 Feb 04 .. The controversial Swiss Islamic scholar, Tariq Ramadan, has accepted a professorship at Notre Dame University in the United States. The Catholic college says the accusations of anti-Semitism levelled in France against the Muslim philosopher are unfounded. Ramadan, who currently teaches in Geneva, will begin his teaching and research duties at the university in South Bend, Indiana, in the new academic year. .. Notre Dame is standing by its new professor, who will take up the Luce chair for religion, conflict and peace-building at the Kroc Institute for Peacebuilding.  "We are convinced Ramadan's calls for non-violence and dialogue between religions are genuine," Julie Titone, a spokeswoman at Notre Dame, told swissinfo. Notre Dame is one of the better-known Catholic universities in the US, ranked in the top tier of national colleges. .. The scholar was branded an anti-Semite after he accused French Jewish intellectuals in October of supporting war in Iraq to bolster Israel's interests – despite having publicly taken position in the past against anti-Semitic acts. His speeches all over the country attract many young, and often disenfranchised, Muslims from France's poorer neighbourhoods. Tapes of his talks sell by the thousands. Ramadan's central message is that Islam and European society are not mutually exclusive. He wants Muslims to integrate fully and learn from Europe, while remaining rooted in their religion. Critics have their misgivings about Ramadan's philosophy though, saying that he doesn't have anything to offer to Muslims who choose not to practise their religion. .. Doubts also persist about his position on Sharia law, the Islamic legal system. His elder brother, Hani, director of Geneva's Islamic centre, was fired from his public teaching job after he told a French newspaper that stoning a woman for adultery was acceptable. Ramadan has so far only called for a moratorium on stoning. He has also become embroiled in the debate over young women wearing headscarves at French government schools. WORLD  REGIONS Female Circumcision Not Obligatory: Qaradawi - 07 Feb 04 http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2004-02/07/article06.shtml .. Female circumcision is not obligatory in Islam, a leading scholar said Saturday, February 7, as the international day against the practice was marked by calls of zero tolerance. More than 130 million women around the world have undergone the procedure as female circumcision is still performed every year on 2 million girls, United Nation's Children's Fund (UNICEF ) said on the first anniversary of the International Day of Zero Tolerance of Female Genital Mutilation and Cutting (female circumcision). .. Islamic scholar Sheikh Youssef Al-Qaradwi asserted that the practice is by no means obligatory in Islam. "Muslim countries differ over the issue of female circumcision; some countries sanction it whereas others do not. Anyhow, it is not obligatory," Qaradawi said in an edict published by IslamOnline.net. Qaradawi said that "whoever chooses not to do it is not considered to have committed a sin for it is mainly meant to dignify women as held by scholars". He said that some scholars even hold that whoever finds that some Muslims have stopped practicing male circumcision should force them to revert to the procedure. But there is nothing  in the Islamic sources, either the Qur'an or the Sunnah, to suggest that it is a prescribed ritual of initiation for women in Islam, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Canada, said in a separate edict. .. Female circumcision - or Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as UNICEF calls it - is practiced in 28 African countries as well as in Asia (Indonesia) and the Middle-East (Yemen), according to the U.N. organization. But the procedure is also increasingly found in Europe, Australia, Canada and the USA, primarily among immigrants from these countries, it added.  ..  UNICEF further said that at current rates, by2010 , sixteen million more girls will be cut.  So far, only 14 of the overall 53 African countries have adopted laws banning the practice, Amnesty International said in a separate release. .. The immediate and long-term health consequences of female genital mutilation vary according to the type and severity of the procedure performed.  Immediate complications include severe pain, shock, hemorrhage, urine retention, ulceration of the genital region and injury to adjacent tissue. Long-term complications include and recurring urinary tract infections, the group said. Other diseases could also show up as pelvic infections, infertility (from deep infections), scarring, difficulties in menstruation, fistulae (holes or tunnels between the vagina and the bladder or rectum), painful intercourse, sexual dysfunction, and problems in pregnancy and childbirth (the need to cut the vagina to allow delivery and the trauma that results, often compounded by re-stitching). FINANCE Islamic financial services awards for HSBC - 09 Feb 04 http://www.tradearabia.com/routes/sections/News.asp?Article=64215 .. HSBC has been recognised as best international provider of Islamic financial services and best international Sukuk House in Euromoney's 2003 Islamic Finance Awards.  In selecting HSBC, the magazine said: 'The breadth of services and the respect with which it is held in both Asia and the Middle East meant that the award was won by HSBC, which has not only developed a comprehensive range of products and services at its Islamic division, Amanah Finance, but has also marketed them aggressively through its global banking network. Significantly, it is selling its Islamic products to non-Islamic as well as Islamic customers.'  For the sukuk award, the magazine said: 'This award has gone to HSBC for the highly professional management of its deal for Qatar, with which it built on an already strong reputation gained when it issued the first sovereign sukuk for Malaysia.' HSBC's work on the Government of Malaysia sukuk in 2002 was previously recognised by Euromoney, as Best Asian Sovereign Bond, and by Institutional Investor, which named it Deal of the Year, reflecting the pre-eminence of HSBC Amanah Finance in the provision of Islamic financial services. [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 1:31:46 PM    comment []

donderdag 5 februari 2004

Sharia News Watch 102 Sharia News Watch 102 : a collection newsquotes on Sharia, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/102 The Sharia Newswatch provides a regular update of news quotes on Sharia (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines. All editions : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ Hajj, Eid-al-Adha, hijab, mixed marriages, secular, constitutions AFGHANISTAN [comment] Judiciary not upholding Afghan law - 30 Jan 04 http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/158606_afghanwomen30.html .. [Chief Justice Mawlavi Fazl Hadi Shinwari] has put scores of unqualified mullahs on benches at all levels and has created a "fatwa council" in the Supreme Court to issue religious edicts. Another justice on the court who has more than 30 years experience as a judge told me that this fatwa council, a throwback to the Taliban era, is illegal under Afghan law. .. [Afghanistan's new constitution] has a very dangerous loophole: It states that no law can be contrary to the "beliefs and provisions" of Islam. (This formulation replaced the more liberal phrase, "principles of Islam," in last-minute politicking at the loya jirga, Afghanistan's constitutional convention.) "Provisions" can be interpreted by extremists to allow for the imposition of Sharia, or strict Islamic law. Another section of the constitution gives the Supreme Court the power to determine whether laws and treaties made by the government are in accordance with the constitution. Together, these two articles give the Supreme Court the power to reject virtually any law or treaty as un-Islamic. .. It is critical that Karzai take decisive action. First, his administration should make clear that the Supreme Court can issue opinions only on legal cases that have been properly argued before it. Second, Karzai should disband the current Supreme Court and appoint new members, a power granted to him by the constitution. This new court must consist of respected and experienced Afghan jurists. .. http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=53691     - 04 Feb 04 .. In a specific recommendation to the president, the secretary of state, and Congress, the Commission [U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom] says the Afghan constitution should also exclude the use of blasphemy, "offending Islam," apostasy, or similar offenses to stifle debate or restrict religious freedom. Afghan paper calls on elders to help prevent poppy cultivation http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=46487640 ..    [Afghan newspaper Anis on 28 January] [enemies of lives and health of human beings and particularly of the youth] have also restarted their efforts for poppy cultivation in some parts of the country. They have encouraged a number of our farmers to grow this haram [forbidden] plant instead of wheat and other useful plants. Our farmers do not know that poppy cultivation is forbidden by Islam and that the illegal drugs made from the nectar of the poppy crop destroys the lives of a number of uninformed human beings, particularly the youths as a result of efforts made by the traffickers of illegal drugs inside the country and in different parts of the world. .. Therefore, influential elders and ulema of the country; let us use our humane, Afghan and Islamic feelings and tell all those farmers who own lands to destroy their poppy crops if they have already cultivated them and urge the relevant authorities to provide these farmers with assistance considered by the international organizations. In this way they can benefit both in this world and in the life hereafter. Let us tell them that in the future they should only grow halal [allowed by Islam] crops and not haram [forbidden by Islam]. BANGLADESH Blood problem for Bangladesh festival  - 29 Jan 04 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3440799.stm .. Eid ul Adha, Islam's annual festival of sacrifice is here. But Sadiq Hossain, the mayor of the Bangladeshi capital, wants this year to be different. Hundreds of thousands of cattle will be sacrificed in the capital and across Bangladesh on 2 February. Mr Hossain is urging those who can to carry out the sacrifice in public parks. But he knows that in this crowded city most animals will be slaughtered in the street, leaving the stench of blood hanging in the air for days. "Wherever you go in the Islamic world - Pakistan, Saudi Arabia or Qatar - you will never see such a slaughter in the streets as in Dhaka," Mr Hossain says. The festivities are held every year to commemorate the readiness of Ibrahim to sacrifice his son, Ishmael. .. On the day of the Feast of Sacrifice, teams of mullahs will travel around the city to carry out the slaughter. Bystanders use a rope around the animals' legs to bring them to the ground. Verses from the Koran are recited before the cattle are despatched with a sword across the throat. .. "This year there are fewer cattle than last year," said trader Khazi Mohammed Selim at Gabtali market. "Officials at the border are being very strict. They are not allowing any cattle through from India." .. For those tired of beef, a novel but expensive option is a camel. Abdul Zabar specialises in them. "I went to Rajasthan, in India, just before Eid to buy camels," he said. .. Eid also means bumper sales for blacksmiths.  ..  "During Eid I get lots of orders for knives. Everyday I make eight to ten."  By tradition, the meat from the sacrifice will be divided into three parts, one for the owner, one for friends and relatives, and one for the poor. But off-cuts and offal will be discarded, leaving a big clean-up job for the city authorities. BRUNEI DARUSSALAM Khalwat, Divorce Cases On The Rise In Brunei - 31 Jan 04 http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Jan04/310104/nite01.htm .. Religious authorities in the country yesterday expressed concern over the reported rise in the number of lose proximity (khalwat) cases, adultery and consumption of alcohol by Muslims. According to records there were 304 Khalwat cases, 77 adultery cases and 60 alcohol abuse cases last year. .. In an interview with the Weekend yesterday, the Acting lead of Religious Enforcement said religious enforcement officers have carried out a series of talks at schools and colleges like Maktab Dull, villages in Tutong and Belait with plans to expand these to the village consultative councils in all the four districts, besides carrying out spot checks and raids. .. Other violations under Civil Criminal Section include eating, drinking and smoking during Ramadhan and two cases of preventing Muslims from performing prayer, twenty nine cases of non-Muslims aiding in the offence of close proximity. Divorce outside the court contributed the largest slice of the cases recorded under Family Section last year with 121 cases, 17 cases getting solemnised without the approval of the Syariah court and 16 cases with failing to report divorce. Others included six cases of polygamy without the consent of the Syariah court, one unfaithful wife, two cases of wife abuse and two cases of wife leaving house without the consent of husband. In total, 168 cases were reported under the Family Section last year. The Acting Head of Religious Enforcement Division also cautioned Muslims to think twice before having their marriages solemnised abroad. BULGARIA Biggest Mosque in Bulgaria Close to Ruin Down - 03 Feb 04 http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=30616 .. Tombul Mosque, the biggest Bulgarian mosque based in the northern town of Shumen, is on its fast way to ruin down soon, as it has seen no reconstruction works since its erection in 1744. The 260-year-old mosque is also the biggest one on the Balkan Peninsula, besides the Turkish Islam-praying religious temples. The Bulgarian mosque, distinguished as a cultural monument, forms a complex of its temple and the monastery school attached to it. According to the estimations of the National Institute for Culture Monuments, the religious building reconstruction demands over half a million levs. [EUR 255.000,-] Residents say that the mosque is frequented not only by prayers, but also by tourists from Germany, Japan, the United States, attracted by its historical and cultural merits. An agreement between Turkey and Bulgaria envisages common financing of reconstruction works at the Tombul Mosque, the Bulgarian share amounting to BGN 520,000. CANADA Islam's Feast of Sacrifice    - 02 Feb 04 http://www.canada.com/ottawa/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=f1187010-752b-4ef2-9be9-2448955cabd5 CHINA Cellphone for Chinese Muslims   - 02 Feb 04 http://www.cellular-news.com/story/10530.shtml .. China's official Xinhua News Agency has reported that China Mobile is to start selling a mobile phone designed specifically for China's Turkic Muslim population. The new Uighur compatible phone went on sale last week in the Uighur heartland, the strongly Muslim region of northwestern China known as Xinjiang.  The phone was developed by Beijing Capitel, and features Uighur-language menus, text-messaging ability and voice-activated dialing. Chinese and English can be used as backups. EGYPT Egyptian butcher sold dog meat for Eid  - 03 Feb 04 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=8746 .. The Egyptian police arrested a butcher who allegedly sold dog meat to his customers who believed they were buying lamb for the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Adha, a government newspaper reported Tuesday.  A veterinarian alerted the authorities and the 29-year-old butcher confessed to police that he slaughtered three dogs and sold the meat as lamb to earn enough money to get married, Al-Akhbar said, quoting police. FRANCE Paris Suburb to Televise Slaughter of Sheep  - 31 Jan 04 http://www.aljazeerah.info/31%20n/Paris%20Suburb%20to%20Televise%20Slaughter%20of%20Sheep.htm .. The Paris suburb of Evry, which has one of France's largest Muslim populations, has decided to install video screens to enable the local faithful to watch some 3,300 sheep being slaughtered for Eid this year.  The televised ritual slaughter which will take place in a large mobile abattoir is the idea of a local meat wholesaler. .. The new approach to the slaughter of the Eid sheep comes after years of difficulties for French Muslims who, having bought a sheep for Eid, thought it was their right to see them killed in a local slaughter- house. That, however, contravened strict governmental regulations on security and hygiene. Additionally, there were relatively few slaughterhouses available for the killing of the sheep according to Halal practice.  However, with the number of sheep to be killed this year rising to 110,000, the government decided it was time to introduce new methods by which they might be slaughtered under government sanitary regulations but also religiously-authorized conditions. INDIA [Kashmir] Truce on borders, lessening violence cheers Kashmiris ahead of Eid      - 31 Jan 04 http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&;u=/afp/20040131/wl_sthasia_afp/india_kashmir_eid_040131054443 .. Taking advantage of a ceasefire on Kashmir's borders and lessening violence inside the region, Kashmiri Muslims have been crowding markets to shop for Islam's second biggest festival of Eid al-Adha. [Maharashtra] Camel to be sacrificed on Bakr-Id    - 31 Jan 04 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/456312.cms .. A four-year-old camel is all set to be slaughtered in Dongri on Bakr- Id on Monday. Mohammed Khan of Attargali Lane brought the camel, named Kaveri, all the way from Hyderabad on Wednesday. Advocate Kamal Kishore, who fights for animal rights, said that it was illegal to kill camels without permission under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. .. Secretary of the Raza Academy, Sohail Rokadia, said that the sacrifice of camels was uncommon in Mumbai -- around  10 to 12  camels are sacrificed in Mumbai every year. However, in Arabian countries camels are commonly sacrificed during  Id. Mr Rokadia claimed that it was not illegal to kill camels who are beyond their productive years. The average lifespan of a camel is 40 years, though it is usually retired from active work at 25. Mr Rokadia said that as per Shariat law, a camel should be more than five years before it can be slaughtered. [Uttar Pradesh] Cow sacrifice on Eid not mandatory: Deoband seminary http://www.keralanext.com/news/index.asp?id=25309 - 01 Feb 04 .. One of India's leading centres of Islamic learning Sunday said Muslims were under no compulsion to sacrifice cows, an animal considered sacred by Hindus, on the occasion of Eid ul Zuha. The Darul Uloom Deoband, however, dismissed reports that its leaders had issued a 'fatwa', or edict, banning cow slaughter by Muslims during Eid, which will be bserved Monday. .. He, however, noted that religious leaders in Deoband had even in the 1940s issued an appeal advising Muslims that sacrificing cows was not mandatory on the occasion of Eid. .. "There are states like Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh where cow slaughter is banned and it is natural that Muslims in these states should respect the laws of the land," said a student at Deoband. [West Bengal] And the garland goes to... by Bhusan Nandy - 29 Jan 04 http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=4&;&id=34506 .. Nasreen's arrival in Kolkata to release her next book added a disturbing new dimension to the controversy over Dwikhandita [Split in Two]. Interested quarters were out to engineer a facade of communal tension brewing in the state to retrospectively justify the ban. They found an agent provocateur in the Shahi Imam of the Tipu Sultan Mosque who issued a post-prayer fatwa on 16 January that Nasreen be greeted with a garland of shoes and her face be tarred black. The Sunni cleric also announced on behalf of the Ulema Council a payment of Rs 20,000 to any one who would implement the punishment.  The Kolkata mullah's action is dreadfully reminiscent of the spate of fatwas his Bangladeshi counterparts had issued in 1994 pronouncing death sentence on Nasreen because her book, Lajja [Shame], was a chilling expose of the post-Babari, no-holds-barred Hindu cleansing in Bangladesh – wanton arson, murder, rape and destruction and desecration of temples and deities. The BNP government of the day let the perpetrators of the genocidal crimes go scot-free but proscribed the book and exiled its author. The Left Front here didn't ban Lajja fearing that would alienate Hindu voters, but in order to humour the minority community, Marxist elements maligned Nasreen on the sly. At the height of the anti-Nasreen agitation in Dhaka, at a wining and dining session hosted by a Bangladeshi diplomat in Kolkata, a CPM politburo member reportedly told his host that R&AW had sponsored the writing and publication of Lajja. Though the Bangladesh High Court has declared fatwa illegal, Islamic zealots there continue to commit atrocities on ordinary Muslims for alleged violation of the Shariat, albeit in remote, rural areas. .. http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=46549394 ..     - 01 Feb 04 Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasrin's latest book is selling well in India, her publisher said Sunday, despite threats to her personal safety from Islamic leaders here who allege the book insults Islam. The Bangla language book "Sei Sob Andhakar,'' or "Those Dark Days,'' has sold more than 1,500 copies in two days at the Calcutta Book Fair, said her publisher Shibani Mukherjee of People's Book Society. The figures are high by Indian publishing standards. .. "Sei Sob Andhakar'' -- the book fourth in an autobiographical series -- covers the two months that she spent in hiding in Bangladesh after Islamic fundamentalists ordered the fatwa against her. INDONESIA Indonesia Backgrounder: Jihad in Central Sulawesi   - 04 Feb 04 http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/10759031951.htm .. The International Crisis Group's latest report, Indonesia Backgrounder: Jihad in Central Sulawesi, http://www.crisisweb.org/home/index.cfm?id=2500 takes as a starting point an outbreak of violence in Poso and Morowali districts in October 2003 in which thirteen people were killed, most of them Christian villagers. Most of the attackers proved to be locally recruited men from the Mujahidin KOMPAK militia group, and most had family members killed in a wave of attacks on Muslims in May-June 2000 and were likely motivated by revenge.  Mujahidin KOMPAK is an organisation that was spawned by Jemaah Islamiyah (JI), had JI members among its leaders, but was institutionally distinct from South East Asia’s largest terrorist organisation. In trying to piece together why it was created and how it had come to Poso, ICG uncovered new information about rifts within JI. "JI is not a monolithic organisation with a single set of goals", says Sidney Jones, South East Asia Project Director for ICG. "There are serious differences over how, when, and where to wage jihad, and the gap appears to be widening". The report found that Mujahidin KOMPAK and JI cooperated and competed in Poso. Both aimed to strengthen local groups for jihad so that they do not need outside assistance, but their approaches differed significantly. JI insisted on religious indoctrination as an absolute prerequisite to war; Mujahidin KOMPAK focused on "learning by doing" and getting recruits into battle as fast as possible. "JI was viewed as slow and bureaucratic", says Jones. "Mujahidin KOMPAK was seen as leaner, meaner and quicker". IRAQ Iraqi Council to Debate Plan for Transition - 31 Jan 04 http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-iraq31jan31,1,7392077.story .. Iraqi leaders are to begin debate today on a newly crafted proposal for a transitional government that would fuse European and American styles of democracy, with executive, legislative and judicial branches underpinned by a bill of rights. .. The document does not call for the strict version of Sharia religious law in place in countries such as Saudi Arabia. Rather, it says that the broad sweep of Islam -- encompassing a vast landscape of thought and legal concepts -- should be the principal source for legislation. .. Others familiar with similar ethnic power-sharing arrangements in Bosnia-Herzegovina and elsewhere said that a tripartite presidency could cement rather than ease ethnic rivalries in Iraq. "You are defining the political dialogue in terms of ethnic and religious identity, which is not the way to start building a democracy," said Paul Williams, an American University professor of law and international relations who has been a legal advisor to the Bosnian government. Such a system would likely exclude Iraq's minorities, such as Turkmens, Christians or Assyrians, from holding the presidency, Williams said. .. Included in the draft law is a bill of rights that guarantees freedom of speech, the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of movement, the right to demonstrate and strike and the right to schooling and healthcare. The proposal also grants an array of other rights unheard of in Hussein's time, including a ban on arbitrary arrest or detention; the right to a fair and public hearing; the right to speedy public trial; the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty; and a ban on the use of physical or psychological torture. .. Details of Iraqi Draft Fundamental Law   - 02 Feb 04 http://www.juancole.com/2004_02_01_juancole_archive.html#107570900566603237 .. The Kuwaiti newspaper al-Qabas ["Firebrand": arabic url : http://www.alqabas.com.kw/news_details.php?cat=2&;id=55661] has published a draft of the Fundamental Law on which the Interim Governing Council is working. It will function as Iraq's constitution until a new one can be fashioned, and will allow a transitional government to be installed this summer. .. The Fourth Article, says, "Islam is the official religion of the state and is considered a fundamental source of legislation. This Law respects the Islamic identity of the majority of the Iraqi people and guarantees the complete freedom of the other religions and their practice of their rites." This article had been insisted on by Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani, and its insertion was one of the first attempts by Bremer and the IGC to compromise with him. It is similar to a provision put into Egyptian law to mollify the Muslim Brotherhood there. The Egyptian constitution initially recognized Islamic law as "a" source of legislation. After the MB agitated (and after splinter groups now related to al-Qaeda engaged in violence), the government changed the phraseology to "Islamic law is the principal source of legislation" and reviewed thousands of laws to ensure they did not contradict Islamic law. It is not entirely clear that fundamentalist forces in Iraqi society do in fact interpret Islamic law in such a way that they would protect the rights of the religious minorities. Article six recognizes Arabic as the official language, but says the situation in Kurdistan will be respected. .. Article 7 recognizes "the people" as the "source of authority." Article 9: "Iraqis are equal in rights and duties regardless of race (al-jins), national origin, sect, or ethnicity (al-'irq), and all are equal before the law." Article 11: "An individual has a right to education, well-being, work and security, and the right to a just and open trial." .. Article 16: "It is not permitted to carry a weapon for self-defense without a permit issued in accordance with the law." .. Article 18, point 1: "No Iraqi citizen may be deprived of Iraqi citizenship." .. Article 20: The transitional parliament will have one member for every 100,000 citizens, i.e., about 250 seats at the moment. Several later articles create a "presidential council" (with 3 rotating presidents!) that will appoint the prime minister and his cabinet (!) and have the power to veto the parliament's legislation. This is an extremely cumbersome executive. Article 41, point 5: The transitional parliament will specify the decentralized prerogatives of the provinces, which are not included in the Federal purview. point 6: "The guarantee of the rights of women to political and other participation in a manner that is equal to the rights of men in the entire society." .. [comment] Interim Iraqi Constitution - January 2004 draft  - 03 Feb 04 http://www.geocities.com/nathanbrown1/interimiraqiconstitution.html secular parties unite in effort to prevent religious government http://www.thestate.com/mld/thestate/news/world/7827974.htm ..     - 29  Jan 04 The umbrella group, whose Arabic name roughly translates as the "Consortium of Democratic Forces," met for the second time Thursday, with representatives from the two main Kurdish factions, the Iraqi Communist Party, the Arab Socialist Movement and two other secular democratic parties. It's impossible to gauge the parties' appeal in the absence of elections. However, in a poll last August by Zogby International in four Iraqi cities, 49 percent of Iraqis said they preferred a democracy guided by Islamic law, 24 percent wanted an Islamic state dominated by clerics and only 21 percent desired a secular democratic state. The poll of 600 adults has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points. .. Politicians and community groups that stand by their secular message are increasingly the targets of attacks. [comment] I wanna secularise you up  - 29 Jan 04 http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2004/675/re6.htm .. An article in the 17 January issue of Al Zaman daily newspaper marvelled that the IGC found time to worry about marriage laws in the face of Iraq's other problems, asking "Is the personal status law an obstacle that stands in the way of rebuilding the telephone network, or the electrical and water systems or repairing schools or establishing security or, most importantly, ending the occupation?" Al-Damluji criticised the decision as symbolic of a short-sighted and simplistic view of Iraqi society. The idea of locking familial law under a single religious banner ignores the ethnic and religious diversity of the country and this blurring of lines has become commonplace in diverse cities such as Baghdad and Mosul. .. However, Al-Damluji is not opposed to the idea of a comprehensive review of the law to streamline it and make it more relevant to modern times. The original 1959 law was liberal and secular, but it has been tampered with over the years, according to the political conditions of the time. The law contravened Shari'a by decreeing equal inheritance shares for male and female children, and banned men from polygamy without the consent of the first wife. But the inheritance rule was abolished shortly after Abdul-Karim Qassem was ousted by the Ba'ath Party in 1963, and the polygamy ban was later cancelled by Saddam Hussein. .. [comment] The GC's view of women in Iraq by Raqiya Al-Qaisi -24 Jan 04 http://healingiraq.blogspot.com/archives/2004_01_01_healingiraq_archive.html#107495900426007029 .. US lawmakers say Iraqi women's rights in jeopardy   - 05 Feb 04 http://www.dailystar.com.lb/05_02_04/art23.asp .. The letter made reference to GC resolution 137, approved by the 25-member GC on Dec. 29, which replaces Iraq's 1959 personal-status laws with religious laws, to be administered by the clerics from the religious group to which the parties in the dispute belong. The laws in question span a wide range of domains, from the right to education, employment and freedom of movement, to property inheritance, divorce and child custody. .. While the CPA is considered highly unlikely to ratify the resolution, there is concern Muslim conservatives could push it through the transitional government, to which sovereignty is supposed to be returned by the CPA by June 30. Shiite clerics are not only expected to increase their representation in the government, but they may be supported by conservative Sunnis, as well. Since the ouster of Saddam Hussein by US-led forces last April, religious conservatives in both Shiite and Sunni parts of the country are reported to have become increasingly prominent and influential. Religious disputes agitate situation in Iraqi holy city of Najaf http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=46654998 ..     - 03 Feb 04 Aswad Al Abayachi, a government employee, told Xinhua that followers of the young Shiite cleric, Muqtada Al Sadr, are not on good terms with the members of the Badir brigade, the military wing of the High Council of Islamic Revolution, headed by Abdul Aziz Al Hakim, member of the Interim Iraqi Governing Council (IGC).  "The shrine of the Imam Ali (the forth caliph at the Islamic State) is closed to visitors for days now, and the situation is very tense," Al Abayachi said and advised us to return immediately to Baghdad. .. Tension started when the followers of Ayatollah Al Sistani, the top Shiite cleric, demanded the closing of the Sadr followers office, which is said to be carrying out special trials of some people inside the shrine. .. Some political parties, which are interested in Iraq, expect the dispute to aggravate between the Shiites during Ashoraa, a Shiite occasion with special rituals banned at the time of the former regime. The gatherings at that time would help in heightening the feelings of the followers to pronounce their aims and goals in that period. Some Iraqi newspapers mentioned lately that the IGC gave Al Sadr a 48-hour deadline to cancel the court that he formed and close the prison that came with the court and hand the detainees to the government. .. Iraqi sources say that Muqtada Al Sadr arrested a number of people in the city within a frame of legitimate sues to be tried by a court he formed, which had an Islamic characteristic and works inside the shrine of Imam Ali. KENYA Muslims mark Idd Ul Hajj    - 02 Feb 04 http://www.eastandard.net/headlines/news0202200404.htm .. Muslim leaders asked the Government to declare the second Idd Ul Hajj a national holiday. Idd is recognised as an Islamic holiday by the United Nations Organisation and Islamic states. The Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya (CIPK) and the unregistered Islamic Party of Kenya (IPK) said the UN has declared today (Monday) a holiday to all its staff to compensate for the Sunday holiday. .. Only the Idd-Ul- Fitri, which follows the Holy Month of Ramadhan, is recognised by the Government. KYRGYZSTAN Interview with prominent Uighur human rights activist - 29 Jan 04 http://www.uzbekdaily.com/p/9b/3eb0f69df79508.html .. Since 9/11, Chinese officials have portrayed Uighur radicals in Xinjiang as separatists and terrorists with links to a range of extremist Islamic groups throughout Central Asia. In Bishkek, these charges have found a sympathetic ear. In 2000 and 1999, Kyrgyzstan struggled to contain armed incursions by militants affiliated with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU). Uighur activists maintain that they are trying to preserve their cultural identity in the face of relentless assimilation pressure from Chinese authorities in Xinjiang. Some 10 million Uighurs live in China and roughly 50,000 Uighurs are believed to be living in Kyrgyzstan, though unofficial estimates put the number at twice that amount. Tursun Islam, head of 'Democracy' - a local rights group helping the Uighur minority in Kyrgyzstan, told IRIN in an interview about his concern for Uighur asylum seekers, who had been extradited by Kyrgyz security forces and sent back to China. Many have been accused of terrorist offences and executed. MALAYSIA Conflict of laws in mixed marriages   - 30 Jan 04 http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=24425 .. Conflicts could arise in a mixed marriage to determine the custody of the children when one of the parents converted to Islam, he said at the opening of Legal Day 2004 here.  "Under the Syariah law, the children will follow the Muslim parent and adopt the Muslim religion and the Muslim parent will also have custody over the children. However, under civil law the non-Muslim parent will also have custody over the children," he said. Mohamed Bazain said in the case of properties succcession in a mixed marriage, the Syariah Court would apply the Syariah law principle to the children who embraced Islam as their religion, while the non-Muslim children might take the matter before the Civil Court. "Where do we draw the line? It is not clear in the present context of the law," he said.  Mohamed Bazain also said only time would tell whether there would a symbiosis between the Civil Court and the Syariah Court. However, he said that at the appellate stage of the Syariah Court, High Court Judges were already sitting together with Syariah Appellate Court Judges. In terms of procedures, Mohamed Bazain said there were many procedural similarities between the two courts, like the Sabah Syariah Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure Code were almost equivalent to the provisions in the Civil Court. The Syariah Civil and Criminal Procedure Codes were now in the process of being standardised throughout the country and very soon there would be very little difference between the Civil Court Procedure and the Syariah Court Procedure, except on the jurisdictional powers of the judges, he said. .. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/1/30/nation/7207740 .. Lawyers may be compelled to study Syariah law as the line between conventional and Islamic judicial systems blurs in the country, Sabah Attorney-General Datuk Mohd Bazain Idris said.  He said there was already a standardisation of the Syariah civil and criminal procedure codes while there were minimal differences between the civil court and Syariah Court procedures except for the jurisdictional power of the judges. [Terengganu] Islamic Party Prohibits Lunar New Yr Celebration http://framehosting.dowjonesnews.com/sample/samplestory.asp?StoryID=2004020510180003 ..     - 05 Feb 04 Malaysia's Islamic party [PAS] has rejected permission for a major Chinese New Year celebration in a state under its control, criticizing plans for women performers to sing and dance. Organizers vowed Thursday to defy the ban, saying the state government's refusal to grant a permit challenged traditions of tolerance between the Malay Muslim majority and the large ethnic Chinese minority. The refusal put the state government of Terengganu, controlled by the Pan-Malaysia Islamic Party, on a collision course with the organizers, led by the national Culture, Arts and Tourism Ministry and the state chapters of two ethnic Chinese parties.  Abdul Hadi Awang, chief minister of Terengganu, was quoted as saying by the New Straits Times newspaper that permission had been denied because women would be performing during the time of Muslim evening prayers. "We will not tolerate any activities with female performers dancing and singing, especially when Muslims are supposed to perform the evening prayers," Abdul Hadi was quoted Thursday as saying. MOROCCO Row over Morocco's 'commercial' Eid  - 30 Jan 04 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3445411.stm .. The Eid season is considered to be a time when Morocco's impoverished farmers earn extra income to see them through hard economic times. But increasingly, it is the middle men who make the profit.  There are sometimes three middlemen in the sheep's journey from a rural farm to the city, who inflate prices leaving farmers with very little profits. A sheep can cost anything between $160 to $450 in the capital, Rabat. But there have been complaints in newspapers and from politicians, that the Eid festival has become too commercialised. .. Abdelkader Amara of the Islamist Justice and Development Party says the adverts are corrupting the idea of the Eid al-Adha.  "This is influencing people to go to the bank, to get money for something which is not an obligation," said Mr Amara.  He says according to Islam, you cannot be condemned if you cannot afford to sacrifice a sheep.  The Eid festival also presents a challenge in Morocco's cities. Often those who buy a sheep do not have anywhere to keep it, before it is slaughtered. Many families keep the animals waiting to be sacrificed on the balcony or in their bathrooms. NIGERIA Zamfara issues dress code for female corps members   - 03 Feb 04 http://www.guardiannewsngr.com/news/article03 .. Alleging series of complaints about indecent dressing, the Zamfara State Governor Ahmed Sani has announced a dress code for female youth corps members. Speaking at the weekend in Gusau, the governor declared: "Any female corps member deployed to the state will be issued with a new pamphlet to serve as a guide on how to dress decently." The move, according to him, was necessitated by the series of complaints received about indecent dressing among the female corps members. The governor added: "I want to tell you that we have drawn the attention of the concerned authorities, we have gone to the extent of discussing the issue with the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN)." .. The state governor, the first to introduce the criminal aspect of the legal system in the Fourth Republic, has constantly urged moslem scholars to commit their knowledge into writing to erase misgivings about the Sharia legal system. Speaking in October last year at the launch of the book: Sharia and Justice by Justice Bashir Sambo in Kaduna, Sani argued that the sustenance and establishment of the legal system could only be successful if it was properly documented at every stage. NORWAY Norway Muslim woman wins Hijab case  - 31 Jan 04 http://www.iribnews.com/Full_en.asp?news_id=197560&;n=34 .. A Norwegian store has overturned its own ban on staff to wear a hijab to allow a Muslim woman to return to work after a ruling by the country's gender equality Ombudsman. .. The decision comes two weeks after several hundred people in Oslo joined an international day of protest against French plans to ban the hijab in state schools and offices. Oslo daily, Aftenposten reported that the dispute over Pervez was resolved at a meeting with the store's administration director, Anniken Aaseth, after which it was agreed that nothing more about the case would be said to the press. .. Pervez filed a complaint with the gender equality, which concluded that A-Mobler could not prohibit employees to wear headgear unless it is a danger for life and health. PAKISTAN The Hijab Syndrome II - By Burhanuddin Hasan - 31 Jan 04 http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en52228 .. I have received a large number of e-mails from Muslims living in the westerns countries, both for and against my point of view.  I thought in view of the growing controversy in France and England over the issue of Hijab (head scarf) worn by some girl students and working women, I should present both points of view on the subject. It is however; amazing that only some obscurantist Muslims living in western countries have strongly reacted to my liberal approach to the Islamic dress code. There has been no feedback from Pakistan or any Muslim country.  [..] [Punjab] Women acquitted in Hudood case - 02 Feb 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_2-2-2004_pg7_39 .. District and Sessions Judge Chakwal Chaudhry Riaz Ahmad acquitted two women and another accused man involved in Hadood Ordinance case of Choa Saiden Shah by giving them the benefit of the doubt. Choa Saiden Shah Police reported an accused Muhammad Nadeem, Kalsoom Bibi and Kaniz Bibi as they were arrested red handed in a poultry farm in a sexual compromising position. The prosecution could not prove the case because of which the accused were released. QATAR Overload hinders phone services during Eid holidays - 04 Feb 04 http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&;subsection=Qatar+News&month=February2004&file=Local_News200402043138.xml .. Mobile and fixed line telephone users in the country experienced some delays in getting their International Direct Dialling calls through from January 31 evening until late yesterday, owing to an apparent overload of international switches. Some mobile phone users also experienced a temporary outage of the Calling Line Identification and Presentation (CLIP) service.  According to available reports the delays were, however, not as severe as those witnessed during the Eid Al Fitr season in November last year, when Qatar Telecom (Qtel) handled nearly three million mobile phone calls and almost half that number of outbound IDD calls.  International routes on which delays were experienced included India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt and GCC countries. Qtel was charging the lower, off-peak hour rate for calls made during the Eid Al Adha holidays. SAUDI ARABIA Eid-ul-Azha Special - Fifth pillar of Islam  - 01 Feb 04 http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/02/01/d40201090283.htm The pilgrimage to Mecca: one woman's journey - 30 Jan 04 http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/0130/p07s02-wome.html Haj Reflections: Day One   - 31 Jan 04 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;article=38892 Haj Reflections: Day 3    - 02 Feb 04 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;article=38963   Hajj pilgrims continue stoning rituals - 02 Feb 04 http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apmideast_story.asp?category=1107&;slug=Saudi%20Hajj The Stoning: A Symbol of Complete Devotion   - 23 Jan 04 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=5&;article=38444 Hajj: The journey of a lifetime – III - 30 Jan 04 http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp?ArticleId=20795 Pilgrims Pour Into Mina    - 30 Jan 04 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;article=38812 Muslims Gather at Mount Arafat for Hajj - 31 Jan 04 http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&;u=/ap/20040131/ap_on_re_mi_ea/saudi_hajj_040130191331 'Illegal' Hajis Breach All Barriers   - 31 Jan 04 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;article=38887 .. Yesterday, there were thousands without Haj permits who had successfully crossed various barriers and checkpoints set up specifically to turn them back. Many of them were seen squatting on the pavements. By law, anyone living in the Kingdom needs a Haj permit from the passport office. Both Saudis and expatriates are limited to performing Haj once every five years. However, many disregard the rules and have made it their practice to perform Haj annually. Their zeal unfortunately adds to the logistic pressures at the holy sites and makes it harder on the legitimate pilgrims. Death Toll In Hajj Stampede Tragedy Rises To 244    - 02 Feb 04 http://www.indolink.com/displayArticleS.php?id=020104104720 .. At least 244 people, including three Indians and 15 Pakistanis, were trampled to death and an equal number injured in a stampede as pilgrims scrambled to stone the Satan on Sunday in Mina valley near Makkah.  Hajj Minister Iyad Madani told reporters in Mina, Saudi Arabia, that the stampede occurred at 9:00 am and lasted for four and a half-hours. He said 244 pilgrims died in the incident in Jamarat and 244 were injured. The stampede took place as pilgrims flocked to Jamarat Bridge in Mina to stone the Satan. According to the minister, some pilgrims were not organised and there was a crush by people carrying personal belongings which caused obstacles to the movement. He said most of the dead were believed to be from among illegal pilgrims. These are people who came to Makkah to perform Umrah during Ramazan, as well as residents of Saudi Arabia who never registered to perform this year's Hajj. But the minister could not provide the nationalities of those who lost their lives. .. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/02/02/international0411EST0446.DTL .. Most of those killed in Sunday's tragedy on the plains of Mina outside Islam's holy city of Mecca were Asians, with the biggest number of dead identified thus far from Indonesia and Pakistan, the official Saudi Press Agency reported. .. Fifty-four Indonesians and 36 Pakistanis were among the dead, plus about a dozen citizens each from Turkey, Egypt, Algeria, India and Bangladesh, SPA reported. It said other pilgrims to die in the stampede were from China, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and several African countries. Two of the dead were Saudis, and 53 bodies remained unidentified, SPA said. The crowd got out of control Sunday as people moved along a wide ramp leading to the "stoning of the devil" ritual -- where pilgrims throw pebbles at three stone pillars, symbolizing their contempt for the devil. Saudi authorities said that with pressure from behind, a few pilgrims fell down and panic set off a stampede. .. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3450333.stm .. Pilgrims traditionally throw stones at the pillars - called Jamarat al-Aqaba, Jamarat al-Wusta and Jamarat al-Ula - before beginning the religious feast of Eid al-Adha, when animals are sacrificed. Hundreds of thousands crossed over and under the 15-metre (50-foot) bridge spanning a small valley between two cliffs at Mina. "There was more than 400 metres of people pushing in the same direction (which) resulted in the collapse of those next to the stoning area... and those behind. That led to panic," said Hajj minister, Iyad Madani. .. Recent history of hajj marred by tragedy  - 02 Feb 04 http://www.iht.com/articles/127582.html .. King Fahd orders modernisation of Mecca, Medina after Hajj tragedy http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=8731 - 02 Feb 04 .. The 20-year project, announced by royal decree, would be drawn up by ministers and senior regime officials who would "gradually put forward proposals" and could call on expertise from abroad as well as within the kingdom, the official Saudi Press Agency said. SWEDEN Slaughter Ban Mars Eid Al-Adha In Sweden  - 30 Jan 04 http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2004-01/30/article04.shtml .. Some 500,000 Swedish Muslims will celebrate Eid Al-Adha, to be marked on Sunday, February 1, with prayers and new clothes, but animal sacrifice will not be an easy job. The Swedish law bans the slaughter of the animals in general, an act of worship where Muslims revive the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim. .. The ban leaves some Muslims with no other option but to travel for villages where they buy and sacrifice sheep. .. Swedish Muslims do not only have to worry about sacrificing animals, but also about distributing the meat. A Muslim who makes a sacrifice should give at least third of the meat to the needy and poor, who almost do not exist in this rich high-standard country. The Swedish government pays a monthly allowance to unemployed citizens until they get a job. With these difficulties in mind, some of the Swedish Muslims who hail from other countries send money to relatives in their homeland to make the sacrifice on their behalf. TUNESIA Tunisia holds out welcome cup  - 29 Jan 04 http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/Features/0,,2-11-37_1475919,00.html .. Women are seen as men's equals, she notes. This is unusual in a Muslim country but the tradition stems from 19th century personal status traditions that were passed into law in 1956 - revolutionary legislation for the region. Intermarriage is illegal and divorce can only be settled in a court of law. A family planning programme was initiated to curb excessive population growth. Women vote, study and serve in government. And women earn equal salaries to men in similar professions. Legislation giving women status as equal partners in marriage was passed in 1993. Over a quarter of the work force is female (including teachers and health care workers). In excess of 10.000 Tunisian companies have women at the helm. In politics the country boasts five female cabinet members and 11,5% of women are members of parliament. UGANDA Muslims reject new family law   - 02 Feb 04 http://www.monitor.co.ug/news/news020211.php .. Several Muslim leaders in Uganda celebrated the Idd Adha holiday yesterday vowing to disobey a proposed new family law. Several speakers here - at the headquarters of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council - opposed the Domestic Relations Bill, which proposes, among others, to outlaw polygamy. Muslim leaders said the proposal violates the Muslim holy book, the Koran, which allows Muslim men to marry up to four women. One of the speakers, acting Mufti Sheikh Rajab Kakooza, who is also the director of Sharia law, said the DRB contradicts the Koran. "In Islam we are taught to obey our leaders, but when they are diverting us from the Koran, we have to oppose them and obey Allah," he said. Kakooza asked politicians to always consult religious leaders over spiritual matters before making laws that could spark off chaos in the country. Both the Mufti, Sheikh Ramathan Mubajje, and his deputy, Sheikh Twaib Mukuye, are in Saudi Arabia for the hajj pilgrimage and did not attend the prayers. UK [Lancashire] Muslim body scan to avoid post mortems   - 05 Feb 04 http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancashire/bolton/news/NEWS2.html .. Muslim families opposed to traditional post-mortem examinations will soon be able to pay for MRI body scans under new rules set to be approved by the council. The move was suggested by Islamic leaders whose religion disapproves of bodies being dissected by pathologists attempting to find the cause of death. Bolton coroner Jennifer Leeming has agreed that, where possible, families will be able to pay £ 750 [EUR 1.100,-] to use a scanner at the Royal Bolton Hospital. But full autopsies will still have to go ahead in cases where Magnetic Resources Imagery scans cannot determine how death was caused. No date has been set for the introduction of the rule change which is being recommended by council advisors.  Town hall bosses were approached by Bolton's Council of Mosques after the idea was suggested by Derby ward councillor Dr Ebrahim Adia, who had become aware of a similar arrangement being used by the Jewish community in Manchester. Muslim parents to withdraw kids unless school lifts hijab ban http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/00328203060.htm - 28 Jan 04 .. Muslim parents at Lutan in Bedfordshire have threatened to take their children away from the local Icknield High school unless its headmaster revoked his decision to ban wearing 'hijabs' by Muslim girls. The secondary school in Bedfordshire is the only school in the UK which has banned the use of hijabs (veils), provoking al-Muhajiroun, a radical Muslim group, to take up the issue. .. News of [the headmaster's] decision, which is rooted in the school's strict "no hats" uniform policy, quickly reached the local branch of al-Muhajiroun. Within days, community activists had condemned the school as racist and the local Labour MP was urging a rethink. Last night, as the school's governors held a meeting to discuss the issue, Muslim parents were threatening to take their children away from the school, while non-Muslims were urging the governors to resist the pressure. USA Prayer: A central part of Islamic religion - 29 Jan 04 http://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/Stories/0,1413,209~22484~1923201,00.html FINANCE Islamic Finance: A look at irrevocable and revocable contracts http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=109486 [UK] Islamic funds breeze in to new cash source - 30 Jan 04 http://www.timesonline.co.uk/printFriendly/0,,1-5-982346,00.html .. Wind power and the stable, bond-like returns it promises to investors have convinced First Islamic Investment Bank to make its first step into the UK’s complex renewable energy market.  Producing electricity from wind may currently be more costly than generating it from the black stuff, but Islamic investors are hoping that getting in at the early stages of the Europe-wide push to reduce carbon emissions will pay long-term dividends. .. http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1134690,00.html .. The City - in the unlikely guise of Bahrain-based First Islamic Bank and a new private equity fund, Englefield Capital - has finally woken up to the fact that the government's target for producing 15% of our electricity from renewables by 2015 is for real. The two, courted for a year, are together taking two-thirds of the £400 m [EUR 585 m] vehicle being set up by RWE Innogy, the German-owned power group, to fund the expansion of its National Wind Power offshoot. Green energy costs a bundle and the government's plans require a multi-billion investment. For debt-laden RWE it is, as one adviser put it, "better to lease the assets rather than own them, a bit like leasing an aircraft". [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 3:00:10 PM    comment []

donderdag 29 januari 2004

Sharia News Watch 101 Sharia News Watch 101 : a collection newsquotes on Sharia, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/101 The Sharia Newswatch provides a regular update of news quotes on Sharia (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines. All editions : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ AFGHANISTAN Karzai signs post-Taleban constitution into law - 27 Jan 04 http://www.dailystar.com.lb/27_01_04/art26.asp .. The constitution outlines a tolerant, democratic Islamic state under a strong presidency ­ as sought by Karzai ­ a two-chamber Parliament and an independent judiciary. Ratified Jan. 4 after a sometimes bruising debate at a 500-member Loya Jirga, the text also declares men and women equal before the law ­ a victory for human rights advocates. Two Thousand Ulamas Issue Fatawa Against The Karzai Regime http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre_internal.php?article=92426 ..      - 26 Jan 04 Two thousand Ulamas in Afghanistan have declared the regime of Karzai to be Kufr and have called for the Jihad against the regime. The Ulamas have issued a fatwa that states it is compulsory to fight the Hamid Karzai regime and any support for the government, either financially or in any other way is not permissible. They have said that the regime is not implementing Shariah law and is proactively resisting the calls to implement Islam. One recent event that caught attention of the people was when the supreme court of the country was rebuffed when it called for the ban on women on Afghan National TV. and any future Islamic government will punish those that do not adhere to these edicts. The fatwa was faxed from Hamid Agha, spokesman for Taliban, to various newspaper offices in the country. The Fatwa states that there is no difference between the government of Karzai and the previous communist government, calls for the youth to join the jihad and for all Afghans who consider themselves good Muslims to keep their families and friends out of the government and to stop supporting them. It also calls for the implementation of Islamic veil on women, the establishment of an Islamic education system and to fight the hypocritical regime just as they fought the British and Soviet regimes. The Fatwa goes on to say that the attack on Afghanistan not only destroyed an Islamic government, but it also is trying to erase the Islamic identity of the nation and that the "crusaders" have come to this land to spread immorality and Christianity under the guise of aid. It called for Muslims to resist their efforts and not to accept any kind of aid being given to the government regardless of its form and declared that helping the regime either materially or financially means would be considered a crime punishable by death. In a related event, Taliban distributed pamphlets inside Afghanistan to warn people to stop supporting the Karzai regime and to keep their family members from working for the regime because any government worker will be considered a legitimate target for attacks by Taliban. BAHRAIN All set for Eid Al Adha celebrations  - 28 Jan 04 http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp?ArticleId=20694 .. From festive parties to the more subdued but joyful family reunions, everything's set for Eid Al Adha celebrations this year. Come Sunday the three-day celebration begins and there will be glitzy nightouts or afternoon parties. With the added Arafa holiday on Saturday, it will be a long holiday week ahead. Eid has always been the season to bring families together either relaxing at home for simple but finely prepared dishes or a visit or two for a good family treat at hotels or restaurants.  After the traditional Hedabiya on the eve of the Eid, entertainment activities begin. Museums will be closed but there will always be the alternative open public parks and other places to see. BANGLADESH Belief of Ahmadiyyas by Annie Habib, Stuttgart, Germany - 29 Jan 04 http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/01/29/d40129110296.htm .. There has been much misunderstanding about the true belief of Ahmadiyyas because of one-sided propaganda against them. The Ahmadiyyas believe in all the tenets of Islam and is spread over almost 180 countries of the world, having 200 million members, and preach Islam in a most rational and peaceful way. They believe in Holy Prophet Mohammad (SM) as the last Prophet in the sense that there will be no new sharia after him. It is inferred from the Holy Quran, Hadith and writings from earlier Muslim divines that the promised reformer (Imam Mahdi) of the latter age would be an 'ummati' (follower) of the Prophet not bringing any new law and not discarding any teachings of the Holy Quran. This sect was not founded by the British and is run by the money of its own members. BELGIUM Whatever happened to tolerance?  - 28 Jan 04 http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=48&;story_id=4083 .. the odious far right Flemish Vlaams Blok party has played on the current climate of Islamophobia in its recent campaign against plans to allow non-EU foreigners to vote in Belgium's local elections. This week the Blok proudly announced that it had managed to gather nearly 70,000 signatures for a petition it is supporting against the new law. .. Anti-racism groups say the vast bulk of opponents to the law are more concerned about immigrants from the other side Mediterranean than about transatlantic expats. .. The Strasbourg-based European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI), one of Europe's most respected anti-racism organisations, is so concerned about racism at the extreme ends of Belgian politics that it this week openly condemned the casual way parties like the Vlaams Blok and its French-speaking counterpart the Front National use racist language in their propaganda. In a detailed report on racism in Belgium ECRI quite rightly called on the Belgian authorities to prosecute parties like the Blok when they incite race hatred in their literature. BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA Bosnian cleric urges Europe to show support for Muslims - 25 Jan 04 http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0125bosnian25.html .. Mustafa Ceric, the grand mufti of the estimated 2 million Muslims in this former Yugoslav republic, said in an interview in early January that Europe was failing to engage with Muslims, allowing militants to step in and create the kind of groups that have been used to recruit terrorists. In the interview, he called for European governments to help finance Islamic schools as well as to contribute to building mosques. Europe, he said, needs to "institutionalize" Islam, to give it "an official voice."  Ceric also criticized countries that gave support to any single religious group. .. Muslims make up about half of Bosnia's population. The other two main religious groups are Orthodox Christians and Roman Catholics, but no census has been completed since 1991, before the war broke out. Although the Islamic community here contends it is the "European" branch of Islam, with an awareness of democracy and human rights, it has come under increasing pressure from more conservative movements, promoted by Saudi Arabian groups, which have provided support to some Bosnian groups. EGYPT Freelance Jihad - Crusaders and the Soldiers of Allah    - 27 Jan 04 http://www.islamonline.org/English/Views/2004/01/article06.shtml .. The 43 detainees are awaiting a trial in a martial court after they were picked up in Alexandria, Beheira, and Mahalla 15 months ago. The government charged the suspects with forming an underground group, dubbed as "Jundullah" (Soldiers of Allah), and planning attacks on "Western targets" in Egypt. .. According to defense lawyers and Islamist sources in London and Cairo, the detainees, most of whom are in their mid 20s and 30s, do not have political records. "Everyone is talking about the Intifada," said defense lawyer Mr. Youssef Saqr, in his house, few kilometers away from the military court. The suspects "are simply a group of people who sat down, gave it a thought, and wanted to travel to carry out jihad in Palestine. When they couldn't, they decided to attack the American and Israeli embassies in Cairo."  The state-owned Al-Ahram had reported, on January 5, 2003, that the defendants had allegedly vowed revenge for the Israeli atrocities in Jenin in April 2002. The 67 -year-old Islamist lawyer proudly stated that he would include, in his defense, studies on the "Crusader-Zionist conspiracy plans" against Muslims, hoping "the military judges would realize the threat all Muslims are under today."  The arrest of Jundullah's suspects was followed by a series of security crackdowns on other new amateur groups.  ..  "The group's members confessed they endorsed jihadi thought [regarding it as a way] to protect Muslim minorities under oppression in some Asian countries, and because they were enraged by US and Israeli practices in the Arab region," the minister added. "More of these [amateur] groups will appear, due to the rage against the US policies in the Middle East," commented Islamist lawyer Mr. Montasser Al-Zayat, in his office in downtown Cairo. The expected damage could vary in scale from a couple of rocks thrown at a McDonald's branch to "disastrous operations," he warned. FRANCE French cabinet approves hijab ban  - 28 Jan 04 http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/C41C5497-BCBD-49FC-ABEA-4B3754CAA20B.htm .. Wednesday's cabinet approval opens the way for the bill's passage through parliament before it finally becomes a law.   .. The bill has its first reading before the National Assembly, parliament's lower house next Tuesday. GERMANY Gunman, allegedly insulted, kills 2 at German mosque  - 26 Jan 04 http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0126MosqueKilling26-ON.html .. A gunman opened fire during morning prayers Monday at a mosque in western Germany, killing two men who reportedly insulted him and his wife, police said.  Shortly after the shooting in Gelsenkirchen, about 25 miles northeast of Duesseldorf in North Rhine-Westphalia state, authorities arrested a 59-year-old Turkish man, who admitted shooting the men in the head before about 20 worshippers. The victims, ages 58 and 48, were Turkish. The man, whose name was not released, told police he killed the victims because they insulted him and his wife. Authorities arrested the suspect after he fled to his home. INDIA The Haj - An Orientation Manual for Trainers of Indian Pilgrims of Haj-2004 http://www.hajcommittee.com/training2.html IRAQ [comments] Iraqi Personal Law Draws Criticism - 26 Jan 04 http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2004-01/26/article07.shtml .. The major criticism against the new law - yet to be effective - stems from the fact that it virtually complicates matters in Iraq and encourages sectarianism through "establishing a court for each and every faction." This is despite the fact that the law is based on the Islamic Shari'a in general. The 1959 law, on the other hand, has been in breach of some provisions of the Shari'a. .. The second article of the annulled law, passed in 1959 to regulate Iraqi family affairs regardless of their factional affiliations, stipulated that the law was to be applicable to all "Iraqis save those exempted by a special law."  The law had been applicable to all Iraqi factions and to Muslim foreigners residing in Iraq. Yet, it exempted Jews and Christians as they have their own laws and regulations. .. In statements to the Saudi Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper last week, deputy chief of Shiite Waqfs Divan Galal Al-Saghir expressed his strong support of the newly-approved Law. "The law is about referring each claimant in cases of marital affairs to his own sect," Al-Saghir said.  He described the marital affairs law issued by former Iraqi President Abdul-Karim Qassem as being "the worst of laws, as it gave women free reign to divorce themselves and put them on an equal footing with men with regard to inheritance," in a clear breach of the Islamic Shari'a, which is the main source of legislation. .. "The decision has been said to be based on Islamic Shari'a but what provisions it has been based on? There are no specific articles. There are four Sunni doctrines and I do not know the reasons behind it," the [Sunni] member of the Governing Council said.  Kurdish leader and Governing Council member Galal Talbani has opposed the decision and deemed it "invalid and illegitimate" for procedural reasons, reiterating that it has not been approved by the majority of two thirds of Council members, in conformity with the existing regulations of the Governing Council. .. In statements to IslamOnline.net, political analysts deem the decision as being a step "to lebanize Iraq" (To turn it into another Lebanon), as it does not only affect the Iraqi family file but it hits at the Iraqi public interests and encourages sectarianism. Some sources said that the Lebanese example does not have a unified personal law, as each religious sect organizes its family affairs, reducing the possibility of marriages among different sects. Such Lebanese method was a factor in the build up to factional wars that lasted for 15 years. [comment] A Reclusive Cleric Holds the Power - 27 Jan 04 http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-nakash27jan27,1,7593271.story .. It is hard to know exactly where Ayatollah Sistani wants Iraq to go, but he appears to envision a government founded on Islamic law and precepts in keeping with the tradition of his mentor, Abdul Qasim Khoei, who died in 1992. Sistani accepts, in principle, the political reality of the modern state and advocates that clerics should keep their contacts with the government to a minimum, focusing instead on matters relating to personal status and Islamic learning and worship. .. In statements posted on his website (sistani.org) and related by aides, he has called for a government based on freedom, justice and equality. These terms, as well as the idea of Islamic democracy, have often been invoked by moderate Shiites, who have yet to articulate a clear meaning for these words in the Iraqi context or to demonstrate a commitment to apply these concepts to both men and women. KENYA Team is set up to reconcile factions  - 27 Jan 04 http://www.eastandard.net/headlines/news27010405.htm .. A committee to reconcile warring political and religious factions at Bomas was formed yesterday. Constitution of Kenya Review Commission chairman Yash Pal Ghai said the committee, with the mandate to iron out contentious issues on the Executive and the Kadhi courts, would operate under the umbrella of the steering committee.  ..  The chairman, who refused to name the members, said the group’s responsibility would be to take on board factions operating outside Bomas.  ..  The Judiciary Committee has entrenched Kadhi courts in the Constitution, sparking a row with the Ufungamano masterminds, who walked out to draft a parallel constitution. MOROCCO House of advisors in Morocco adopts Family Code     - 24 Jan 04 http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/040124/2004012403.html .. The House of Advisors unanimously adopted on Friday the new family code that aims at promoting the situation of women in the Moroccan society. Last Friday, the code was adopted by the House of Representatives. The reformed Code puts family under the joint responsibility of spouses, imposes difficult conditions for polygamy, and raises women's age of marriage from 15 to 18. .. Specialized jurisdictions have been set up in Moroccan courts to implement the new Code. .. Changing status of Morocco's shunned wives - 28 Jan 04 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3435153.stm .. Under Morocco's old family code Hadija's husband and thousands of other Moroccan men could verbally divorce their wives at any time, and their decision was legally binding. .. Under a new family code, or the Mudawana as it is known, husbands will now have to go to court to make their repudiation binding and women will no longer be legally required to be "obedient" to their husbands. .. "Under the new family code, whoever keeps the children keeps the marital house. So they will no longer be on the streets. This is an important protection for women." .. Azziza's marriage was not legal, but what was legal in accordance with the Koran, was that her father as a Walli, or male guardian, should decide her fate for her. Under the new Mudawana a woman from the age of 18, may be her own Walli. .. Now a backer of the king's Mudawana, perhaps surprisingly, Nadia Yassine says it does not go far enough because women remain minors under the penal code, which has not changed. On paper at least, with the adoption of the new Mudawana, Morocco is set to become one of the most progressive countries in terms of women's rights in the Arab world. Next, says Layla Rhiwi of Spring Time of Equality, the magistrates and judges must be retrained. .. http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3565668D-2B39-4CC5-B1BF-EA90F0E81AEA.htm .. While polygamy is not completely outlawed - a man may take a second wife as soon as his first wife submits a request for divorce on grounds of "wrongs suffered" - women will be able to draw up a pre-nuptial agreement that forbids husbands from taking another wife. .. It offers a new guarantee for wives, giving them the possibility of drawing up a contract to share out goods acquired during marriage in the case of divorce. .. The new law also offers new rights for the protection of children, notably the right of women to have custody of their offspring and the right for children born out of wedlock to trace their fathers. Specialised family courts will oversee the new code. NIGERIA Nigeria to test polio vaccine to counter suspicion - 28 Jan 04 http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L28121303.htm .. Nigeria is to test samples of the polio vaccine next month in the hope of resolving a dispute with Muslim authorities which has helped spread the crippling disease to children across Africa. .. "A meeting has been scheduled in two weeks' time with all the states that are opposed to the immunisation programme," Health Minister Eyitayo Lambo told Reuters. He said during the meeting, and in the presence of all, the vaccine would be tested for impurities. .. Nasiu Baba-Ahmed, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Sharia (Islamic law) in Nigeria, backed the idea of a joint test with the government. He said tests commissioned by Nigerian Islamic groups in Italy and India confirmed the presence of contaminants in vaccines taken from northern Nigeria. ..  "There are serious suspicions of a conspiracy by the U.S. government to depopulate Nigeria, among other developing countries," he told Reuters.   ..  Baba-Ahmed questioned why there was so much emphasis on polio, which affects hundreds of children in Nigeria, when thousands are killed every year by other preventable diseases such as measles, typhoid, malaria and meningitis. Analysts warned the joint test may not clear up the dispute, as its roots went beyond purely scientific matters. "The problem is geopolitical, not a health matter," said political commentator Pini Jason. "The controversy over the vaccine is similar to the debate over Sharia. Those who oppose the vaccine are making a global political statement against the United States as regards its foreign policy to Islamic nations," he said. Sharia: Kano Warns Hotel Proprietors  [Vanguard - Lagos] - 28 Jan 04 http://allafrica.com/stories/200401280669.html .. Addressing the hoteliers at a one day meeting organized by the commission, the chairman of the State Sharia Commission, Sheike Ibrahim Kabo said the meeting was meant to establish an effective working relationship with Hoteliers and come up with ways to sanitize their business activities in the state.Sheik Kabo pointed out that the commission had identified, prostitution, gambling, alcoholism, etc as some of the social menace bedeviling the state, adding that ther is need to work together to address the ugly development in the state. .. His words ' by this directives Sharia commission is assigned with the serious challenge of carefully studying the social ways of living with a view to sanitizing it from anti Islamic activities which are alien to Islamic culture'. .. [Chief Adeaga] recalled that some of their members have been victims of some ruthless Hisba officials (Islamic voluntary sharia enforcers) in the past, and appealed to the commission to help caution the Hisba members against destroying vehicles of hoteliers or burning their houses. Contractors, Govt Officials to Face ICPC in Kano - 26 Jan 04 http://allafrica.com/stories/200401260387.html [Weekly Trust - Kaduna] .. All contractors and senior government officials found to be involved in the misappropriation of monies meant for contracts in Kano State during the last administration are to be arraigned before the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC. .. Governor Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau promised that no stone will be left unturned in carrying out the final report of the committees and as required by the Sharia. Taraba Dep Gov Under Probe   [P.M. News - Lagos]  - 27 Jan 04 http://allafrica.com/stories/200401270733.html .. A seven-member panel set up by the Taraba State Government to probe allegations of gross misconduct against Deputy Gov. Uba Maigari by the House of Assembly has begun sitting in Jalingo. .. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the deputy governor was present at the Sharia Court of Appeal in Jalingo, venue of the sitting. But the case was adjourned to Tuesday to enable witnesses to appear before the panel. Maigari was served with six-point allegations of gross misconduct in December last year, but has denied all the charges. OMAN Four-day Eid holiday in Oman   - 26 Jan 04 http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/middleeast/2004/January/middleeast_January578.xml .. Oman on Monday declared a four-day holiday for the private sector to mark Eid Al Adha; government offices will remain closed for five days. The holidays for both sectors will start on Saturday. PAKISTAN [editorial] 'Zalim' on Line [on religious tv channels] - 26 Jan 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_26-1-2004_pg3_1 [Punjab] LHC tells police to stop harassing couple   - 28 Jan 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_27-1-2004_pg10_2 .. The Lahore High Court on Monday directed the police not to harass a woman whose parents had registered an abduction case against her husband, whom she had married against their consent. .. Ms Nooshi, through advocate Nawab Ali Mayo, told the court she was over 18 and had married of her own will. She said her parents wanted her to marry an elderly man because he was rich. When she refused and married Mr Akhtar instead, her father Ghulam Hussain had a false abduction case registered against Mr Akhtar, she said, adding the police were harassing her and her husband. The judge said that the police could not take action against an adult couple that married of their own will. .. LHC frees 21 kiln workers .. The Lahore High Court has set free 21 people who were illegally detained by a Manga Mandi kiln owner. The court directed the detained people to approach the district police officer of Lahore for action against the kiln owner. The court observed that Islam and the law prohibit using anyone for bonded labour and strict measures should be taken against those involved in such activities. .. Food, Labour depts issued notice .. The Lahore High Court on Monday issued notice to the Labour and Food departments on a writ petition alleging that labourers at various markets in the Punjab are being forced to carry weight on their back greater than that permitted under the law. NWFP courts yet to take up case under Shariat Act  - 27 Jan 04 http://www.dawn.com/2004/01/27/nat11.htm .. The courts in the province have not dealt with even a single case under the NWFP Shariat Act 2003, enacted last year by the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government, as the law is not practicable, observed speakers at a seminar on Monday.  The provincial parliamentary leader of the People's Party Parliamentarians, Abdul Akber Khan, and former president of the Peshawar Bar Council, Sher Afgan Khattak, said under the Shariat Act the courts in the province had to interpret laws in accordance with Islamic Shariat, but despite the passage of more than seven months the provisions of the act had not been followed by any of the courts. "Even the members of the MMA or the provincial government have not asked any of the court to decide their cases in accordance with the said act as they also know that the law was faulty and could not be implemented," said Mr Khattak. .. [The NWFP Minister for Law] said: "We have finalised debates on laws aimed at safeguarding the right of inheritance of women, prohibiting the inhuman custom of Swara and honour killing." He added that Talaq Mughaliza (pronouncement of three Talaqs in one go) would also be declared a penal offence. .. Mr Khattak said there were more than 100 judges of different categories in the province. If all of them were empowered to interpret laws in accordance with Shariat, he remarked, it would create complete confusion in society as they might not be well versed in Islamic Shariat.  Under the Constitution, he added, only the Federal Shariat Court was empowered to decide cases in accordance with Shariat and even the high courts were not given those powers. He asked when a power could not be exercised by the high court how could the courts subordinate to it exercise it. [NWFP] PHC dismisses plea against Hasba push     - 29 Jan 04 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_29-1-2004_pg7_25 .. A division bench of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday dismissed a petition of lawyer Sher Afgan asking the court to stop the provincial government from presenting the proposed Hasba Act in the Frontier Assembly.  The bench consisting of Chief Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan and Justice Dost Muhammad Khan dismissed the petition by declaring it premature. The chief justice observed that it was premature to hear the petition because the assembly had not passed the proposed act into law. He also observed that the act was under consultation with different sections of the society. .. The petitioner stated that 25 laws already covered the offences mentioned in Section-23 of the proposed Hasba Act and there was no need for fresh legislation for them. RUSSIA Despite Difficulties, 5,000 Russian Muslims Perform Hajj  - 26 Jan 04 http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2004-01/26/article03.shtml .. Many Russian Muslims complained about the highly-priced visa issuance, hajj costs and the hardships faced by pilgrims traveling by buses. Traveling by road costs about 36,000 Russian rubles ($1300), while by plane around 51,000 ($1800). According to the Saudi consul in Moscow, Abdal Razek Al-Kashmi, 3500 pilgrims were traveling by road this year. In sub-zero temperatures, the last 180-strong batch of pilgrims left the capital of Ingushetia, Nazran, saturday, January 24, for the holy places in Saudi Arabia. .. Dagestan makes up the majority of Russian pilgrims this year with 1582 people and followed by Tatarstan with 559. SAUDI ARABIA Women Allowed to Pray on Grand Mosque's Terrace   - 27 Jan 04 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;section=0&article=38708&d=27&m=1&y=2004 .. The authorities at the Grand Mosque have allowed women to pray on its terrace for the first time this year as part of their efforts to reduce congestion inside the mosque. Several escalators have been installed to take the worshipers to the terrace. A light system has also been installed on the mosque's 126 gates to let worshipers know in advance whether the mosque is crowded. If it is crowded, a red light is on; if not crowded, a green light will be on. .. Dr. Abdul Mohsen Humaid, director of the department of projects and studies at the presidency, said the expansion of the mataf (circumambulation area) on the mosque’s first floor and terrace had reduced the tawaf length from 662 to 572 meters. There are special areas for the handicapped and elderly to perform tawaf.  He said the shifting of the entrance to the Zamaam Well and Zamzam water drinking area from the mataf had created more space for circumambulation this year. The mataf will be crowded when the faithful come to perform tawaf al-ifada on the third day of Haj. .. Numbers swell as Haj start nears   - 28 Jan 04 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=109251 .. Makkah and the nearby holy city of Madina were hit with torrential rains last week causing floods. The cold weather has caught some of the pilgrims coming from warm countries by surprise, with health experts blaming some of the recent deaths on that. At least 113 pilgrims, mostly from southeast Asia, have died, many of them from exhaustion, chr-onic illnesses or road accidents, the Saudi Gazette reported on Sunday. Many pilgrims were seen wearing masks as the bird flu grips Asia and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), appears to be making a comeback in Hong Kong. .. More than 100 medical specialists and nurses from Britain, the United States and Malaysia have been brought in to work in emergency, intensive care and anaesthetic units bolstering 9,500 local doctors, nurses and administrators. The Haj Ministry is focusing on preventive measures and checking pilgrims as they arrive at 24 entry points. .. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_29-1-2004_pg7_40 .. Last year 14 people were trampled to death on the third day of the haj -- the latest in a series of tragedies to hit the holy rite, a duty for every able-bodied Muslim. .. The main trouble spot has been the Jamarat Bridge, where pilgrims will flock on Saturday night and Sunday to stone thrones where Muslims believe the devil appeared to Abraham. .. Sami Angawi, who set up the state's Haj Research Centre in 1975, said crowd control plans had been obstructed by "five-star pilgrims" who refuse to walk and insist on performing rites at the time specified by the kingdom's creed of Sunni Islam. Following Wahhabi religious teaching, clerics say the stone-throwing should take place in the afternoon, as booklets handed out to pilgrims advise. Most pilgrims are not Wahhabi. Angawi said the problem was that there could be an estimated 50,000 cars at the same time in one location. The haj rituals, laid down by Prophet Mohammad 14 centuries ago, see Muslims move around a circuit of several km in the mountainous terrain around Mecca over a five-day period. [comment] clerics set boundaries on reforms - 27 Jan 04 http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp?type=worldNews&;storyID=4212773 .. Some analysts and academics say the country was not always so restrictive, pointing to a period of liberalism in the 1960s when Saudi Arabia had a Shura (advisory) council, municipal elections and women could work and mix with men.  They attribute the change to the 1979 takeover of the Grand mosque in Mecca, Islam's holiest city, by a group of Sunni fanatics who opposed modernisation in the birthplace of Islam. A disconcerted royal family empowered the clergy to bolster the validity of its rule; the House of Saud bases its legitimacy on safeguarding the holy mosques in Mecca and Medina. .. Wahhabi clerics then waged a campaign against art and other pleasures of life. Music was banned from public places and the few cinemas closed. Religion hijacked most of the school curriculum with students having less time for other topics. .. No significant changes in the kingdom, from the introduction of telephones and television to the start of education for girls have ever gone ahead without fierce resistance from the clerics. .. Crown Prince Abdullah has pledged to press ahead with reform but said change would be gradual and in harmony with Islam. "This country is either Muslim or nothing at all," he said. .. "It was the mistake of the government to allow them (the clerics) to expand their influence," said [analyst Khaled] al-Fadely. "The state gave them power and the magic turned against the magician." SUDAN Chief Justice Suspends Flogging of Girl  - 23 Jan 04 http://www.sudan.net/news/posted/7537.html .. The London-based human rights organisation Amnesty International has welcomed the suspension of a flogging sentence against a 16-year-old girl convicted last year of adultery, but urged the Sudanese authorities to treat the case in accordance to their obligations under international human rights law.  Sudan's chief justice on Wednesday suspended the sentence against Intisar Bakri Abd al-Qadir, pending her appeal against it. She was to have received 100 lashes, with the punishment due to be carried out on Friday. .. According to [Amnesty's] Goderiaux, the law was applied unfairly against Intisar, whose pregnancy was used in court as sufficient evidence for a conviction, yet the man involved only needed four witnesses to prove his innocence. Intisar's lawyer Ghazi Sulayman, who is also a human rights activist, told IRIN on Thursday that he had appealed against the sentence on the grounds that she was not only a Christian, and therefore not bound by Shari'ah, but also that she was still was a minor. "The chief justice of Sudan ordered a stay of execution and promised to look at my appeal," Sulayman told IRIN from Khartoum. "I am very optimistic that the high court of Sudan will dismiss the case against her," he added. .. The girl, who reportedly lives with her mother in a shanty town outside Khartoum, gave birth in September to a son. The man who she alleged to have raped her has, however, denied having had any connection with her. The punishment had initially been postponed because she was pregnant, and then in December because she was in poor health. .. Nine people were at risk of execution and cross-amputation, without the right to further appeal, the Supreme Court in Khartoum having dismissed their initial appeals against their sentences, which had been issued by a specialised criminal court, the organisation said in a statement.  THAILAND 'Religious conflict' worries premier  - 27 Jan 04 http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Southeast_Asia/FA28Ae03.html .. "Don't take what happened as a religious conflict, otherwise we could become a tool of the [Muslim] separatists," warned Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after three members of the Buddhist clergy were killed in Thailand's Muslim-majority south. Muslims fighting for a separate Islamic nation are suspected of countless bombings, arson attacks, shootings and other assaults during the past several years in southern Thailand, to destabilize Bangkok's grip and allow Islamic Sharia law to dominate there instead. .. Islam and Buddhism are at different ends of the spiritual spectrum because, unlike Islam, there is no "god" in Buddhist belief. Muslims also denounce the "worshipping of idols", while statues of Buddha appear throughout Thailand and are revered by bowing Buddhists who comprise more than 90 percent of this Southeast Asian nation's population. .. Thai officials suspect that returnees from Afghanistan, plus Wahhabi-financed religious schools, have influenced some Thai Muslims at more than 100 small, private Islamic campuses in the south. Relentless arson attacks on government schools in the south during the past decade have been blamed on Muslims who want to cripple the official education system so more Muslim children end up in local Islamic schools or fundamentalist institutions in the Middle East. TURKEY Many Turks Become Christians     - 23 Jan 04 http://www.beliefnet.com/story/139/story_13903_1.html .. Some 35,000 Turks converted from Islam to Christianity last year,with most joining evangelical congregations the newspaper, "Milliet," reports. If true, this would amount to a mass movement, considering Christians make up only 0.2 percent of Turkey's 68 million population. .. The German protestant news service Idea reported most converts are descendants of Orthodox Christians who ostensibly became Muslims to avoid being killed in Turkey's 1914-22 genocide of its Armenian minority. UGANDA Kibuli PTA Reject 'Hijab'  [New Vision - Kampala]  - 26 Jan 04 http://allafrica.com/stories/200401260610.html .. Members of the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) of Kibuli Senior Secondary School have rejected the school management proposal of making every girl student put on a hijab. [change in school uniform]. .. "The members of the association as a policy body have not been officially informed and have not met over the new regulation requiring all girl students to put on long skirts and long sleeved blouses, so we are not part of it and don't accept it," UK [Cambridgeshire] Teacher 'insults' Muslim girl - 27 Jan 04 http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1474821,00.html .. A 16-year-old Muslim student told a British court on Tuesday how a senior teacher at her high school insulted her religion after pulling an Islamic scarf from her head.  .. The jury trial has been told that the girl arrived for class wearing a black hijab, and that Dick told her to change it for a [school] uniform hijab which was black-edged with a red and grey stripe. .. http://www.edinfo-centre.net/cgi-bin/croner/jsp/Editorial.do?cache=true&;contentId=101895 .. yesterday (27 January), the case against the teacher collapsed. Judge Nicholas Coleman halted the trial and discharged the jury following a series of legal discussions between lawyers. A new trial has been ordered for 8 March 2004. More people attend mosques than Church of England: Census http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5983_548391,00430005.htm ..       - 26 Jan 04 More people in Britain attend mosques than the Church of England. It is for the first time that Muslims have overtaken Anglicans. According to figures 930,000 Muslims attend a place of worship at least once a week, whereas only 916,000 Anglicans do the same. Muslim leaders are now claiming that, given such a rise of Islam in Britain, Muslims should receive a share of the privileged status of the Church of England. .. Although the census recorded 1.59 million Muslims but Ceri Peach, professor of social geography at Oxford University said the census could not record the correct balance because the question was voluntary. Academics believe the figure to be at least 1.8 million. Tariq Modood, a professor of sociology at Bristol University has found that 62 per cent of Muslims pray in places of worship. The figure, after excluding young children, most of whom do not worship in mosques, is about 930,000. The figure is said to underestimate the number of practising Muslims. Many, it is said, pray at home. .. The Church of England has 26 seats in the House of Lords. However, the recent figures do not include Catholics. The Catholic church has 1.5 million British worshippers. USA [California] Muslims acquire burial ground in Oceanside - 28 Jan 04 http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2004/01/29/special_reports/religion/1_28_0421_53_38.txt .. Burial is a collective obligation for Muslims, he said, and the mosque has recently contracted for an exclusive burial area in Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside. The allotted space, which will include "72 spaces with some land around it," will be enclosed by a fence. A sign outside will indicate that it is a Muslim burial ground.  "The fencing is because Muslim burial grounds have to be identified differently," Khan said. "No other graves are allowed."  Muslim scholars say the burial segregation is to maintain the placement of the bodies in an unbroken pattern.   All the spaces will be aligned toward the Ka'ba, or Kaaba, the place in Mecca toward which Muslims turn when they pray. The body rests on its back, but the face is turned toward the right. The depth should be at least half the body's length, but deeper is better. This is according to the Islamic Sharia, or law. Burials are not extravagant. If not for the fence, it might be difficult to discern what lies beyond it. Markers, statues and mausoleums are not used to mark graves. And the amount of earth mounded above the grave should not be higher than the breadth of a man's hand, said Imam Nader Dehaini.  ..  Essentially the poor and the rich go into the ground the same way, and that's the important thing."  The mourning or grieving period should last no more than three days. After 33 years, the space can be used to bury another person, scholars say. .. There are five phases to prepare a Muslim's body for burial: * The obligatory washing, or ghusl, which is conducted according to strict rules: Men wash men and women wash women; * Wrapping (kafan) the body in a clean, preferably white cloth, three pieces for men, five for women, and tied to allow differentiation between the head and legs; * Prayers (salat) and supplication (du'a) are offered for the dead, the Prophet Mohammed and for all Muslims. The burial prayer is done standing. * Funerals are conducted without music, screaming or crying; the deceased is buried with the head slightly elevated but with nothing inside the grave other than the body. * Burial should take place as soon as possible to minimize contact with the dead. Planting flowers or wreaths on the grave or returning to visit it is strictly forbidden. [Texas] Islamic academy receives accreditation - 26 Jan 04 http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/local/7798388.htm .. Fort Worth's Al-Hedayah Academy has become the second Islamic school in Texas to receive accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. .. Open since 1992, the school, which teaches students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, offers classes in Arabic and Muslim religious classes and Muslim history. Children also learn the Islamic way to conduct themselves in daily routines and relationships and to respect nature and the environment. .. Receiving accreditation will allows Al-Hedayah's 180 students to move more easily to a public school system when they graduate. .. Al-Hadi School of Accelerated Learning in Houston became the first full-time Islamic school in 2001 to receive the association's accreditation in the region. [Virginia] Woman fights for equality in mosque  - 26 Jan 04 http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/world/Viewdet.asp?ID=1886 .. [Asra] Nomani, a journalist who has written for the Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, is trying to change a rule that women should enter the Morgantown mosque through a side staircase and pray separately from the men. A growing number of mosques have such rules. "I can interview the Taleban," said Nomani,38 , "but I can't walk through the front door of my mosque." Before ever approaching the front door, Nomani asked the mosque's board of trustees for equal access for women. But when she later went to the mosque, the board president stood at the front door and said, "Sister, please, the back entrance," Nomani noted in a discrimination complaint she filed with the Council on American-Islamic Relations. .. About three months ago, Nomani, her mother and her12 -year-old niece rejected the women's entrance for the front door. Once inside, the women chose not to pray in a balcony built for women in the rear of the mosque - where the main prayer space cannot be seen. Instead, they began praying under the same vaulted, sunny ceiling as the men - but several feet behind them. "The men interrupted the start of 'taraweeh' prayer," Nomani recalled in the discrimination complaint. "A man said, 'We cannot pray until she leaves.' A group of men told my father to tell me to leave. He said he would not. "Four men assembled around me and told me to leave. Two men took positions directly behind me and started to pray. [comment] Team Jackson and the Nation of Islam    - 20 Jan 04 http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17607 .. Nation officials have been prominent at team Jackson's press conferences, the advisor's meeting, and Muslim bodyguards will probably surround the Pop King at his court appearances. But there's no evidence that they are anything other then one more ornament in Jackson's traveling ménage. In the past decade, Jackson has had a penchant for drawing into his circle anyone that he takes a momentary liking to, and believes can be useful. .. Though the black Muslims have long drawn public fire for their past black separatist, anti-white, anti-Semitic rhetoric, the Nation is run as a top down, hard-nosed corporate structured, money making operation.  It provided security for political, entertainment, and sports figures Jesse Jackson, P. Diddy Combs, and O.J. Simpson attorney Johnnie Cochran. It has brokered contracts with various municipal agencies to provide security and run anti-drug and anti-gang prevention programs. (These contracts have raised howls of protest from conservative groups and demands that they be rescinded). It has established numerous farms, stores, and restaurants. The Nation has waved its rugged, capitalist business prowess as an emblem of black pride that other blacks should emulate. WORLD  REGIONS Islamic Medieval Medical Manuscripts on the Web - 06 Jun 00 http://www.nlm.nih.gov/news/press_releases/islamicmedPR00.html [al Qaeda] Muslim web sites under terror spotlight    - 28 Jan 04 http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040128/80/ekklb.html .. Analysts say the sites, used by al Qaeda backers to spread their message, are unlikely sources of exact information on where or how Osama bin Laden's network might strike next -- though an experienced eye may spot the more probable comments.  Mainly, the Arabic-language sites, usually bulletin boards where anyone can post anonymous messages, provide a forum for users with nicknames like erhabi (terrorist) and abuosama (Osama's father) to vent anger at the West and United States. "There's no official al Qaeda site, only sites run by Qaeda supporters but even these lack credibility as anyone can post there," London-based Islamic activist Yasser el-Serri said on Wednesday. .. London-based analyst Paul Eedle who closely follows pro-Qaeda sites, agreed that a trained eye was needed. "The way to assess the authenticity of statements is to see what other Islamists on the Net think of them," he said. "In this and other spheres, the Internet is a self-authenticating community." .. Gary Bunt, a University of Wales lecturer who runs a site on Islam, virtuallyislamic.com, said Islamists had proven much more tech-savvy than their governments. "A number of these site are exciting to take a look at. They've been designed very intelligently, a great deal of thought goes into how to put the message across," he told Reuters by telephone. "That has had an impact." ISLAMIC FINANCE Special standards needed for Islamic banking - 29 Jan 04 http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=40363 .. The Basel II agreement, which is expected to enter into force by the end of 2006, imposes stringent new standards on banks around the world, which will have to increase their capital adequacy ratios and apply a more thorough rating of operation and market risk to avoid receiving low credit ratings from international agencies. .. " The new Basel II standards, which will become mandatory to all banks around the world, apply to banks in general and do not address the characteristics of only particular banks, such as Islamic banking," Joseph Torbey, president of the Union of Arab Banks, said at the opening session [in Lebanon] of the three-day conference on Basel II Standards and Islamic Banking. .. Islamic banks around the world have achieved an annual growth rate of 15 to 20 percent over the last few years, and currently have $262 billion in combined assets, Torbey said. Roughly 265 Islamic banks collectively handle investment portfolios worth $400 billion, and have $202 billion in deposits and $13 billion in capital, he added. .. "These standards will make it difficult for Arab banks in general to attract international capital flows due to our low credit ratings if these ratings ever existed," he said, adding that the "standards will also impose new capital adequacy ratios due to the new risks, particularly operational risk." [Indonesia] 'Sharia banks should invite foreign investors - 28 Jan 04 http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailbusiness.asp?fileid=20040128.M01 .. Sharia banks need to improve their capacity to absorb risks and deliver loans by expanding capital through inviting foreign investors or going public, Bank Indonesia (BI) deputy governor Maulana Ibrahim said.  ..  "When they raise capital, their risks will decline and they will be ready to lend more," he announced on the sidelines of an international seminar entitled Money and the Real Economy from an Islamic Perspective organized by Trisakti University on Monday. .. "Sharia banks have a higher financing-to-deposit ratio (FTR) as they are not disturbed by the (government's previous) recapitalization program," said Maulana.  Bank Muamalat recorded an FTR of 80 percent as of August 2003, while conventional banks' average loan-to-deposit ratio (LDR) stood at 52 percent. .. Currently there are two fully Islamic banks and about eight sharia branches of conventional banks. The trend of conventional banks opening sharia branches started with the enactment of dual system banking by the government in 1998. [Malaysia] Qatar Sukuk pushes up LFX market cap to US$ 3 bil - 29 Jan http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2004/1/29/business/7197125 .. The listing of the inaugural Sukuk by the Government of Qatar on the Labuan International Financial Exchange (LFX) yesterday increased the market capitalisation of the exchange to US$ 2.95 bil.  The secondary listing of the US$ 700 mil Trust Certificates (Sukuk) due 2010 of Qatar Global Sukuk is the 14th listing on LFX, said a joint statement by LFX and Commerce International Merchant Bankers Bhd (CIMB). ..  The Sukuk has an A+ rating by Standard & Poor's Rating Services and was listed on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange on Oct 9, 2003.  It was also endorsed by the Bahrain-based International Islamic Financial Market in September 2003. .. The Qatar Sukuk is the fourth Syariah compliant instrument listed on LFX after Kumpulan Guthrie Bhd's Serial Islamic Lease Sukuks due 2004 (US$ 100 mil) and 2006 (US$ 50 mil) and the Government of Malaysia Sukuk Trust Certificates due 2007 (US$ 600 mil). [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 2:17:25 PM    comment []

dinsdag 21 oktober 2003

Sharia News Watch 77 Sharia News Watch 77 : a collection newsquotes on Shariah, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/77 The Shari'ah Newswatch provides a weekly update of news quotes on Shari'a (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ AFGHANISTAN Raw Data: Excerpts From Tape  - 18 Oct 03 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,100519,00.html .. Excerpts from the purported Bin Laden tape broadcast Saturday on the Al-Jazeera television station: [..] Taliban make a return, punish the beardless - 19 Oct 03  http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=240626 .. The operation was carried out late Friday by a group of 50 Taliban on a road linking the western part of Khost province with Gardez, provincial capital of adjoining Paktia, the Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) reported. Quoting unidentified sources in the area, the private news agency said the fighters set up a picket, raised their flag and searched vehicles. Some clean shaven drivers were punished with three strokes of a stick for violating the Taliban’s ultra-orthodox interpretation of Islamic Sharia laws which insist all men grow beards, it said. They also snatched and smashed music cassettes and gave drivers pamphlets warning of harsh penalties for breaches of Sharia, ordering they be distributed on their routes, it added. After maintaining the picket for several hours the group retreated to their mountain hideouts. BOSNIA And HERZEGOVINA Izetbegovic: Symbol of a Muslim struggle  - 19 Oct 03 http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/113D2696-9691-4CA5-991A-E0180F491EC5.htm BRUNEI DARUSSALAM Brunei To Sight New Moon On Saturday Marking Fasting Month - 21 Oct 03 http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Oct03/211003/nite04.htm .. Brunei will sight the new moon of Ramadhan on Saturday the 25th of October. Syarie judges and officials of the Syariah courts, as well as officials from the state Judiciary Department, the Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Survey Department will be at vantage points throughout the country on that day to sight the new moon. ..The first day of Ramadhan will be announced over Radio Television Brunei as soon as the result of sighting the new moon is confirmed. Meanwhile, by the command of His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei, working hours in all government ministries and departments during the fasting month will be from 8 am to 2 pm. DUBAI  UAE Ramadan working hours for govt institutions - 21 Oct 03 http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2003/October/theuae_October575.xml&;section=theuae&col= .. The Ministry of State for Cabinet Affairs has released a circular on the official working hours during the holy month of Ramadan for ministries and other federal government institutions. According to the circular, ministries and federal government institutions will open at 9 am and close at 2 pm. GHANA Muslims urged to look for appearance of the new moon - 18 Oct 03 http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=45012 .. The Office of the National Chief Imam and the Ameer and Missionary In-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Mission in Ghana, on Saturday urged Muslims to look out for the new moon on Friday October 24 2003. .. Currently, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah have their weekend holiday on Friday.  In Alor Star, Kedah Religious Affairs Committee chairman Fadzil Hanafi said that Islam never designated any particular day as a holiday and when to carry out worldly affairs.  "If a state has a holiday on Friday but its people don’t pray and perform religious obligations, it is also not right because Islam states that we must work after we pray, not sit around holidaying," he said. INDIA [Gujarat] Now, maulvis' fatwa spins out of control  - 20 Oct 03 http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=33761 .. A recent fatwa issued by two Muslim clerics has created problems for Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) vice-president Kadeer Peerzada. The fatwa, issued by Imam of Hazrat Khwaja Dana Saheb Mufti Mohammed Murtazakhan Razwi of the Sunni sect and Mufti Ismail Wadiwala of the Tablique sect, states: "Idol worship is against Islam. Any Muslim found worshipping idols should be boycotted from the community. If he has to return to the community, he should remarry and apologise to the Almighty." The similarity in both the fatwas is striking and they both do not name anyone. However, why it means trouble for Peerzada is because he was shown holding a puja thali at a Navratri function on October 2. Copies of the fatwas and newspaper cuttings carrying Peerzada's photograph are being widely circulated among Muslims in the city. But the two clerics claim they were tricked into issuing the fatwas. Mufti Razwi said a person had asked him a written question on what Islam has to say about a Muslim found worshipping an idol, to which he had given a written answer, which was the fatwa. He said: "Though the fatwa is binding on Muslims, I neither knew the purpose for asking the question nor the man who has being targeted for political gains. I did not name anyone." .. Peerzada said: "I have not performed any puja. I was only holding the prasad plate. My detractors have done this to malign my image in society." But, at a meeting in Patni Colony on Wednesday, about 5,000 Muslims, including religious leaders, condemned the way Peerzada was maligned and lauded him for attempting to bring about communal harmony. We'll abide by court verdict: Muslim panel  - 20 Oct 03 http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?msid=241799 .. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Sunday reiterated its stand that only the court verdict on the Babri Masjid would be acceptable to it. The Board expressed its satisfaction over the way the Mulayam Singh Yadav government in UP handled the "tension created by the Sangh Parivar and its affiliate Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)" on the issue last week.  On the question of Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Board said it has no problem with most aspects of the UCC, but it would not compromise with matters relating to family law. "The executive committee has called upon Muslims to abide by the rules of Shariat in their life and to solve and settle their family disputes according to the Shariat law," Board secretary A R Qureshi said. INDONESIA Shirin Ebadi epitomizes women's jihad [Jakarta Post] - 17 Oct 03 http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42712999 .. Yet Muslim women have been playing a great role in jihad, not in its military-like associations, but in the struggle against discrimination, domestic violence and social injustice. This type of jihad involves the struggle for basic women's rights both in the domestic and the public spheres. Muslim women have demonstrated multiple voices of jihad, but most have emphasized the moral and spiritual struggle against backwardness, poverty and social injustice. Muslim women also believe in the universal applicability of jihad and agree on the high status of women accorded by Islam, but they interpret and implement jihad according to different perspectives in their local contexts. Aisyiah, the women's wing of the Muslim organization Muhammadiyyah, and Muslimat, that of Nahdlatul Ulama, have been among the active Indonesian women's organizations in such "gender jihads''. Both organizations engage in religious propagation, and educational and political activities. They run orphanages, maternity clinics, hospitals and day-care centers. They are actively involved in establishing cooperatives in villages. Most of their activities are conducted in rural areas where they attempt to help eradicate illiteracy and to encourage women to be more independent. Other, more recently established organizations, such as Rahima, Puan Hayati, Cut Nyak Dien and the Liberal Islam Network, involve many young and educated Muslim women working in groups and developing networks in pursuit of their goals. They have raised various issues such as domestic violence, unequal domestic relations (including the issue of polygamy), a greater role for women in politics, and economic independence. In dealing with such issues, Muslim women have attempted to use different channels and means, including the media, the Internet, publications, workshops, and advocacy. They never use violent, military means to promote their ideas. Some join demonstrations, but every time women are involved, demonstrations turn out to be peaceful, including demonstrations involving Muslim and non-Muslim women demanding an end to the violence in Maluku. Ramadhan crackdown on nightspots  - 21 Oct 03 http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/tue/oct21w16.htm .. Indonesia's Islamic authority urged the government on Monday to close nightspots and ban television shows featuring pornography and violence during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhan. "We call on the government to close all entertainment spots and put in order television shows which exhibit pornography and violence," the Indonesian Council of Ulemas (Muslim scholars) said in a statement. .. Local soap operas featuring violence and romantic intrigue are popular among Indonesians. .. Muhammadiyah, Indonesia's second largest Islamic organisation, has announced that Ramadhan will start on October 27. The largest organisation, Nahdlatul Ulama, has not yet announced a start date. The two organisations -- which claim tens of millions of members -- traditionally differ on when the month should begin. IRAQ Iraqis to celebrate first post-Saddam Ramadan - 21 Oct 03 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=7475 .. "It is the first Ramadan celebrated in freedom," said Sheikh al-Araji, a cleric at Al-Kazem, the most important Shiite Muslim mosque in Baghdad.  ..  "The mosque is ready to receive close to a million people a day," said Araji. But security concerns are ever-present in the war-shattered country where violence remains rampant six months after the overthrow of Saddam. .. Sunni Sheikh Abdel Salam al-Kubaissi is less upbeat about Ramadan 2003. "This year there's a new element. It is the first Ramadan under the occupation. The country is occupied by an enemy who is not easily evicted," said Kubaissi, a member of the council of leading Sunni clerics formed after the former regime collapsed on April 9. He says this is the time for Sunnis and Shiites - whose differences usually include the day that Ramadan starts - "to bridge the gap that separates them." Unity is needed "to face the enemies and the invaders who play on the differences in faith," he said. Question of Iraq's future dogs Islamic summit to end   - 18 Oct 03 http://www.etaiwannews.com/Asia/2003/10/18/1066440889.htm .. Leaders of the world's largest Islamic organization [OIC] watered down a proposed statement yesterday that had urged a quick end to the U.S. occupation of Iraq, after the country's U.S.-picked government insisted the withdrawal of American troops anytime soon would be a "disaster." Top Iraqi cleric urges crackdown on spread of wepaons     - 21 Oct 03 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=42827271 .. Iraq's most influential Shiite Muslim cleric warned of "grave problems'' if nothing is done to stem the proliferation of firearms in the country and blamed clashes between his supporters and followers of a radical cleric on the weakness of Iraq's U.S.-backed authorities. In written comments given Sunday to The Associated Press, Grand Ayatollah Ali Hussein al-Sistani, spiritual leader of most of Iraq's Shiite majority, also said there could be "no substitute'' for a general election to choose delegates to a convention to draft a new constitution despite U.S. demands for a quicker selection process. The U.S.-led coalition has repeatedly stated its preference for a faster method to choose the delegates -- such as having the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council select from a list of legal experts put forward by tribal and other leaders. Coalition officials believe choosing them by general election would take too long. .. Al-Sistani's demand for measures against illegal arms possession appeared to be a call on U.S. and Iraqi authorities to take action against the Imam al-Mahdi Army, a militia set up by firebrand cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, whose members fought nightlong battles against al-Sistani's supporters a week ago in the holy Shiite city of Karbala. .. Elaborating on an earlier edict, al-Sistani said there was not one party or authority in Iraq that can select delegates to a constitutional conference in a way that would ensure fair representation of all segments of society. "Furthermore, it is certain that personal, party, religious and ethnic interests will interfere one way or another in the selection process, rendering the conference illegitimate,'' he said. "There is no substitute for a general election to choose members of a constitutional conference.'' KENYA Secrets of the Ringera Report   - 19 Oct 03 http://allafrica.com/stories/200310200371.html .. Like fictional crime based on the actitivies under world, Justice Aaron Ringera's report on corruption and the misconduct of judicial officers is a compelling mixture of dark humour and cruel betrayal by custodians of justice, we can now reveal. Although none of the 23 judges suspended from their duties pending investigations by two tribunals has admitted being notified of their misdeed, few are likely to survive a full hearing if they contest allegations against them. The corruption and unethical conduct enumerated in Ringera's "dragon" range from the shocking to the preposterous. Some judges are accused of openly taking sides in cases before them. Others allegedly took it upon themselves to advice litigants to change advocates if they hoped to win. In the more macabre cases, some judges openly solicited bribes, which they personally went to fetch from their victims in parking bays and lobbies of Five-Star hotels in the wee hours of the morning. .. Constitutional Review Officials On Law Society of Kenya List for New Judges   http://allafrica.com/stories/200310200688.html  - 20 Oct 03 .. Yesterday, the Chief Kadhi, Sheikh Hammad Kassim, defended the Ringera report against accusations that it was not fair, saying it was a credible record of the state of the judiciary. Urging those named to resign or face the tribunals set up last week, Sheikh Kassim said the spotlight should now be turned on lawyers and other judicial officers. He said graft in the judiciary would only be eliminated if the campaign targeted all those in the justice system, including lawyers and the police. "It is not only judges and magistrates who are corrupt but also lawyers and prosecutors. The government should target all these people to effectively deal with the problem of graft in the judiciary." The Chief Kadhi said academic achievement should not be the only qualification necessary in the selection of those to serve in the judiciary. Muslims Slow in War On AIDS, Laments Don   - 20 Oct 03 http://allafrica.com/stories/200310200646.html  [The Nation - Nairobi] ..     The chairman of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims, Prof Abdulghafour El-Busaidy, said Muslims had a misplaced belief that the scourge was not an Islamic problem. Contrary to the belief, he said, Aids was ravaging the worshippers and there was need to come up with strategies to fight it. Prof El-Busaidy said it was unfortunate that their response had remained slow, limited, fragmented and uncoordinated while the problem was taking root in the community. .. "As you are all aware, Islam as a faith and a way of life has a very strong component of preventative health, destigmatisation and care of the sick and orphans in general situations as well as HIV/Aids," he said. He said mosques, madrassas (Islamic classes), imams, teachers and other service organisations had not been fully tapped as potential media for communication to the Muslim community. KOSOVO Kuwait panel inaugurates two mosques in Kosovo    - 21 Oct 03 http://www.kuwaittimes.net/today/local_news.shtml#3 .. Secretary General of the Kuwaiti Joint Relief Committee Faisal Al-Mugahwi inaugurated two new mosques financed by Kuwaiti donors, in two villages of the Frizai province. .. He added that the committee's aid covered several aspects, including offering foodstuff and cloths, in addition to building houses and new mosques, which spread all over Kosovo, as well as rebuilding the ones destroyed during the war. .. The number of mosques in Kosovo will reach 31 by the end of this year. The committee will inaugurate ten mosques on several stages throughout this year; in addition to that it will provide health services for the people of Kosovo through the Kuwaiti Medical Centre, which was inaugurated last year. LEBANON Lebanon To Mark Ramadan On October27 : Shiite Scholar   - 21 Oct 03 http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2003-10/21/article09.shtml .. Lebanon's grand Shiite authority Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah announced that Monday, October 27, will be the first day of the Muslims holy fasting month of Ramadan. "It has been ascertained to us, in accordance with accurate astrological calculations and the possible sighting of the lunar crescent, that Sunday, October26 , completes the month of Shaban," said the veteran Shiite scholar in a statement, a copy of which was received by IslamOnline.net Tuesday, October21 . Moon sighting has always been a controversial issue among Muslim countries, and even scholars seem at odds over the issue. While one group of scholars sees that Muslims in other regions and countries are to follow this sighting as long as these countries share one part of the night, another states that Muslims everywhere should abide by the lunar calendar of Saudi Arabia. A third, however, disputes both views, arguing that Islam is against division and disunity, since Muslims, for instance, are not allowed to hold two congregational prayers in one mosque at the same time. This group believes that the authority in charge of ascertaining the sighting of the moon in a given country (such as Egypt's Dar al-Iftaa [House of Fatwa]) announces the sighting of the new moon, then Muslims in the country should all abide by this. MALAYSIA Harmonising Syariah and Civil Laws must be done through proper process http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/content.asp?y=2003&;dt=1021&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Home_News&pg=hn_03.htm ..      - 21 Oct 03 Chief Justice Tan Sri Ahmad Fairuz Sheikh Abdul Halim Monday said any changes made in the effort to harmonise the Syariah and Civil laws must be done through a proper democratic process. He said whatever deliberations made and conclusions reached at the International Conference on the Harmonisation of the Syariah and Civil Laws must be made or reached within the existing framework of the Federal Constitution, especially on provisions relating to fundamental liberties, such as freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and freedom of religion. "We must always remember that the roles that fundamental liberties play are many and no less important in shaping a democratic society. .. The conference is organised by the Harmonisation Unit and Law Centre of the Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyah of Law of the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM). "I understand that this is the first international conference of its kind wherein special emphasis will be given towards harmonising the Syariah and Civil laws in Malaysia with the hope that it will be a major contributory factor towards the realisation of our very own common law based on local values." .. Meanwhile, the Dean of the Ahmad Ibrahim Kulliyah of Laws, Prof Dr Nik Ahmad Kamal Nik Mahmod, said the objective of the conference was to present the findings of researches undertaken by specialists of their disciplines and to share their expertise with others involved in the related fields. "The conference will focus on the formulation of theoretical guidelines and methodology on the Islamisation of human science in general and the harmonisation of Shariah and Civil laws in particular," he said. He said in making the guidelines, the areas of agreement and conflict between the principles and dogmas of Islam and particular disciplines were to be ascertained. The question still is: Do Jews control the world? - 18 Oct 03 http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/Columns/20031018084932/Article/ .. However, singling out Jews here may not go down well with those in the West as any remark or statement that has a negative connotation may result in those making the remark being labelled anti-Semitic, a racist or even being equated with Adolf Hitler. Those were the labels Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad received for saying that "Jews controlled the world". Forget about the fact that his statement was taken out of context. .. It is accepted among Third World nations that Jews in the US control the country's foreign policies, hence the reason why the US has always vetoed resolutions in the United Nations that favour Palestinians, even though the majority of members support them. .. Malaysia says: Jews are smarter than Muslims - 17 Oct 03 http://web.israelinsider.com/bin/en.jsp?enPage=ViewsPage&;enDisplay=view&enDispWhat=object&enDispWho=Article%5El2873&enZone=Views&enVersion=0& Kelantan to maintain Friday weekend holiday - 18 Oct 03 http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/10/18/nation/6517289&;sec=nation .. Kelantan will maintain Friday as a weekend holiday despite suggestions to have it reverted to Sunday, Berita Harian reported.  .. Currently, Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah have their weekend holiday on Friday.  MOROCCO Morocco to stage all-out information campaign on family code reforms http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031018/2003101812.html ..      - 18 Oct 03 The Moroccan government is to stage an all-out campaign to explain to the public the nature of the amendments brought to the "Mudawana (Family Code)" announced last Friday by King Mohammed VI at the opening of the Parliament fall. The awareness campaign will be conducted in two steps, announced Moroccan minister of Habous (endowments) and Islamic affairs, Ahmed Taoufiq, during a cabinet meeting held here Thursday. The first step, prior to the adoption of this new Code by the parliament, will be carried out by Ulemas (Muslim theologians) who will explain the effort of Fiqh's (Islamic Law) interpretation implied by the proposed reforms, through their participation in debates including in the media. The second step consists in associating qualified preachers to this process once the draft Code is adopted by the parliament. They will explain to the public in mosques the positive contribution of this Code to the stability and serenity of the society, bearing in mind the guarantees offered by the Muslim religion. NIGERIA Lawyer in Sharia Death Case Makes  US Circuit  - 21 Oct 03 http://www.liberiaorbit.org/lonewshauwai.htm .. The lead defense counsel in the globally publicized Sharia death case of Amina Lawal in Nigeria has been making the circuits in the United States. Hauwa Ibrahim successfully led a team of lawyers for the acquittal of Amina by the Sharia Appellate Court in the Nigerian State of Katsina. .. "I was born, bred and have lived as a Muslim," Defense Counsel Hauwa Ibrahim says, pointing out however that her major objective is to see the triumph of the rule of law and due process. She says her campaign is not one of anti-Sharia, anti-Muslim, or anti-tradition. "My humble desire is to use legal skills to help the voiceless, the illiterate, the poor, and the vulnerable." Hauwa has worked in 47 Sharia cases without pay, and she says most of the accused fall in the category of the vulnerable and voiceless she is committed to helping. .. In her remarks at the program, Hauwa Ibrahim said the ruling of the Sharia Appellate Court in the Amina Lawal case would be remembered for a number of precedents in Nigerian Sharia law and practice. She said while the lower courts refused to make any reference to the Nigerian Constitution, the appellate court recognized the Constitution in its ruling. She said  also important was the appellate court's shifting of the burden of proof of guilt to the prosecutor from the accused. The court also ruled that the duty of the police was not going into homes to search for alleged adulterers and bringing them to court, Hauwa disclosed. [Jigawa] Removal of Religious Studies in Schools Irks Parents - 21 Oct http://allafrica.com/stories/200310210242.html [Daily Trust - Abuja] .. Parents in Jigawa State have kicked against the state's new education policy which removes the teaching of religious studies from the normal schools timetable. Some parents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dutse at the weekend that it is inconceivable that a government could adopt Sharia and then remove the teaching of religious studies in schools. The new education policy has removed teaching of religious studies from the normal lesson hours and placed it between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. .. [Speaker of the state assembly, Alhaji Mujitafa Malan] insisted that the two-hour period set aside for the lesson was not abnormal but was unable to say how the government intended to woo students back to school after the normal academic period. PAKISTAN Elaborate arrangements to facilitate Pakistani Hajjaj during ensuing Hajj season   http://www.nni-news.com/current/main/news-05.htm [Urdu Press Review] The tragedy of the Muslim woman - 17 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_17-10-2003_pg3_6 .. Writing in "Insaf" (26 September 2003) Maulana Abdur Rasheed Arshad said that a judge of the Sindh High Court had recently passed a judgement giving equal share in inheritance to a woman while there is a clear edict (nas) in the Quran that she should receive half a share. He said the judge while quoting the UN human rights charter violated the charter of the Quran. He said the UN was a "londi" (slave girl) of the Jews and could not be in favour of the Muslims. He added that the Lahore High Court too had applied a new reasoning to a case of love marriage between two Christians which was wrong. .. According to "Nawa-e-Waqt" (26 September 2003) one Nasima Bibi of Shadbagh who was accused of insulting the Quran died in jail in Lahore after being bailed out by the High Court in June with Rs 50,000 [EUR 750,-] bond for her and her two sons who were also arrested. No one came forward to stand bail for them and the mother died. The sons then prayed to the court that they be allowed to leave and bury their mother as no one was willing to stand bail for them. They said their mother was wrongfully accused by a man to get hold of her house. She was a God-fearing person and could not think of insulting the Quran. The court let the sons below 18 years of age go on a bail of Rs 5,000. [Punjab] Legislator Fights Pakistan's 'Blood' Marriages - 20 Oct 03 http://www.womensenews.com/article.cfm/dyn/aid/1569/context/archive .. Humaira Awais Shahid's campaign to outlaw forced marriages of women in Pakistan began with a letter from an illiterate girl named Sitara Isakhel. A tribal jirga, or council, last year sentenced the 17-year old and her 8-year old sister, Sameera, to marry members of a more powerful tribe after their brother was accused of impregnating a woman he was not married to. .. Vinni, which comes from the Pashtun word for blood, vanay, is a centuries-old practice in Pakistan and parts of Afghanistan of giving women into marriage as compensation in cases of murder, territorial disputes or other serious disagreements. The "aggrieved" party normally seeks young, beautiful, virgin girls to assuage their need for revenge and in the process forever damaging the reputation of the "guilty" family. The custom is also known as swara in the northern areas of Pakistan. It is common in three of the four Pakistan provinces, including the Northwest Frontier, Sindh and Punjab. In exchange, the accused parties--almost exclusively male--escape further punishment. "The councils play a major role in this, as the decisions are taken and implemented by them," Shahid tells Women's eNews in an interview. "And in most cases, no matter the evidence, the panchayat (tribal elders) rule in favor of the more influential party." Standard rates do apply. One girl above the age of 7, or two girls younger than 7, is viewed as commonly acceptable compensation for murder. .. the politically inexperienced Shahid pushed forward, presenting a resolution last February calling on the federal government to enact legislation against vinni, setting a five-year imprisonment for any person involved in ordering or carrying out a sentence issued by the tribal elders. The resolution passed unanimously. "Truth be told, half of them didn't even know what they were voting on," she recalls with a laugh. "For weeks after, other members came up to ask me what precisely vinni is and, to their credit, once I explained, they gave me full support." Over the ensuing three months, Shahid enlisted the help of lawyers, human-rights activists and politicians to create a draft bill, which wound its way through the Punjab Law Department and then the Home Department and has now landed with the Federal Interior Ministry for approval. Once the ministry signs off on the draft, Shahid will have to persuade a member of the National Assembly to sponsor the bill and press for a final vote. .. Confident her vinni bill will pass, Shahid has already begun looking at other inhumane practices to tackle during her five-year tenure as a provincial legislator. In August, she put forth a resolution calling on the federal government to amend the Pakistan Penal Code to classify throwing acid as attempted murder. The practice is widespread and can permanently scar a woman. Again, her resolution passed unanimously. [Balochistan] Draft Shariat Bill ready: minister - 19 Oct 03 http://www.dawn.com/2003/10/19/nat9.htm .. Senior Balochistan Minister Maulana Abdul Wasay said on Saturday that the Nifaz-i-Shariat committee had finalized the draft Shariat bill, that would be reviewed in a provincial Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal meeting before being submitted to the cabinet for approval. Talking to this correspondent, he said the finalization of the bill was delayed to include the recommendations of religious scholars of different schools of thought in it. [NWFP] NWFP governor objects to Hisba Act  - 20 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_10-10-2003_pg7_54 .. Governor Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah said on Thursday he had sent the Hisba Act back to the provincial government with objections and received a reply on Wednesday.  “I returned the Hisba Act with objections, or whatever you call it, comprising four pages, and on Wednesday the government side sent a reply I haven’t received yet,” the governor told reporters after a seminar called “Role of Media in Vision 2020 Pakistan” organised by the Pakistan National Committee for Prevention of Blindness, at a hotel. [NWFP] Islamic bank approved in Pakistan  - 21 Oct 03 http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Articles.asp?Article=64683&;Sn=BUSI .. Pakistan's central bank has authorised a government-owned bank in the conservative North West Frontier Province to begin interest-free banking in accordance with strict Islamic law, the provincial finance minister said yesterday. Sirajul Haq, the province's finance minister, said Pakistan's State Bank was allowing the Khyber Bank, owned by the provincial government, to work according to Islamic principles of not giving or taking interest. The first branch to offer Islamic banking will open in about one month, fulfilling a promise by the coalition of religious-based parties that won provincial elections last October to extend the policy to government-controlled lenders. Previously, only private banks adhered to the policy. [NWFP] Barbers announce to stay away from shearing beard http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=41973 - 18 Oct 03 .. Barbers community of this hilly town [Basham] has pledged to relinquish the shaving job with announcing penalty of Rs. 20,000 [EUR 300] and sealing off shop for a term of six month for violators of the pledge. The move initiated by the barbers association is having backing from local police so that no injustice is done to any barber. The association has set up public committee representing all walks of life for mustering the support of masses for their initiative. Talking to Online a group of people vehemently opposed this move saying that such campaign can obstruct the process of enforcement of Sharia in the country in the wake of evolving global situation when the international media is focusing on Pakistan particularly frontier province. .. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3207848.stm - 20 Oct 03 .. The ban on shaving beards is not expected to affect the locals in a town where almost all men can boast bushy facial hair. But Bisham has also been a popular stopping-point for tourists from Pakistan's cities, who come seeking the mountain air. The clean-shaven amongst them may now have trouble maintaining a stubble-free appearance, according to Jehanzada, a local man. Sher Ali of the Bisham Barbers' Association says the ban is the result of "an ongoing debate about our work". "There were concerns that our earnings from shaving beards were un-Islamic and tainted - so we have decided to stop." The town's barbers will continue to trim men's hair, massage scalps and groom those who use the public baths. They are reportedly considering a further ban on "Western-style" haircuts.  .. The fall of the Taleban in 2001 was followed by a barber shop boom in the Afghan capital, Kabul, as thousands of men flocked to be shorn of their regulation facial hair. SAUDI ARABIA Boom Time for Business as Ramadan Approaches - 21 Oct 03 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;section=0&article=33956&d=21&m=10&y=2003 .. Businesses are gearing up to meet consumer demand during Ramadan, which starts on Sunday or Monday, amid complaints that some are taking advantage of the shopping season to put up their prices. Ramadan means big business for traders, and according to an estimate the total turnover of the Eastern Province market during Ramadan last year was nearly SR 1.3 billion [EUR 296 m]. Projections for this year are that it could reach SR 1.8 billion. Fast-moving consumer goods have the largest share of the market, amounting to almost 40 percent, followed by garments, textiles, electronic goods, furniture and jewelry. Saudi opposition site interviews "wanted" Saudi security suspect http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42691472 .. One of nineteen Saudis wanted by the authorities has denied fighting in Iraq, according to an interview with an opposition web site. Abd-al-Aziz al-Muqrin said that his aim was to "purge" Saudi Arabia of non-Muslims, the web site said. In the interview Al- Muqrin discusses previous operations in Afghanistan and Algeria. The following is the text of the report of first of two part interview with Al-Muqrin; by unidentified interviewer; place and date not given; entitled "Interview with Abd-al-Aziz al-Muqrin, one of 19 wanted Saudis", published by London-based Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia web site on 13 October. [..] Saudi Arabia: too little, too late   - 16 Oct 03 http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jid/jid031016_1_n.shtml .. Proposals to introduce a modicum of local democracy in Saudi Arabia have been announced against the backdrop of mounting internal discontent within the Kingdom. JID has asked a leading expert on the Gulf region to analyse the latest developments and to assess whether these will be sufficient to stem the tide of opposition to the House of Saud. .. However, although growing numbers of Saudi citizens are deeply dissatisfied with the present system of royal government, in reality there is very little support for a Western-style democracy which, it is feared, would undermine the country's Sharia code of Islamic law. Opposition groups in Saudi - and many of the émigré organisations which operate abroad - are not pursuing a vision of Western democracy, but an even more rigid interpretation of Sunni Sharia and the ousting of those sections of the royal family which they regard as having been corrupted by association with the West. These are not the sort of people with whom Washington - or Western human rights campaigners - will be comfortable doing business. Government Cracks Down as Beggary Turns Big Business   - 19 Oct 03 http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;section=0&article=33845&d=19&m=10&y=2003&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom .. With expatriate beggars remitting an estimated SR250 million [EUR 57m] annually, the government is cracking down on begging ahead of Ramadan. The campaign started last Thursday under the slogan "Not Every Beggar Is in Need," Okaz newspaper reported, but already officials from the Anti-Beggary Department in the last two months arrested some 1,100 beggars, most of them overstayers. .. The slogan of the campaign in borne out by a study conducted by the Anti-Beggary Department. "The annual income of a beggar ranges between SR18,000 [Eur 4.000,-] and SR35,000 [Eur 8.000,-]," the study said. "More than 7,000 beggars including women and children were arrested in the recent past in Jeddah alone, of which the majority were African nationals." .. The total number of beggars in the Kingdom is estimated at about 100,000, with an average individual daily income of about SR50 [Eur11] . The situation is not helped by the fact that there are about half a million unemployed expatriates in Saudi Arabia. But Saudi nationals too are involved in the profession. Another survey conducted by Dr. Abdullah Al-Yousif of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University, says 69 percent of child beggars in Riyadh are Saudis, including 56.6 percent of them girls. SINGAPORE What 'mujahideen' means in Arabic  - 20 Oct 03 http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/forum/story/0,4386,215560,00.html? .. 'Mujahideen' is the plural of the word 'mujahid'. A 'mujahid' is anyone who struggles for a noble cause against enemies, tyranny, oppression or bad desires in order to regain honour, freedom or personal upliftment. 'Jihad' comes from the root word 'jahada', which means to endeavour, to strive or to work hard. In Islam, 'jihad' means to strive in the name of God, by disciplining oneself against desires such as greed, anger or lust. Jihad can also mean to defend one's country or religion against aggressors. The words 'mujahideen' and 'jihad' were included in the glossary of Islamic terms issued by Muis in October 2001. SOMALIA Somali War Children Explore Life Without Guns - 08 Oct 03 http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&;u=/nm/20031008/lf_nm/somalia_childsoldiers_dc_1 Somali bodyguards arrested over thwarted VIP trip   - 12 Oct 03 http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L12231562.htm .. Officials of Mogadishu's Islamic courts arrested 10 bodyguards after they stopped a former Somali president they once protected from flying overseas in a row over pay, aides and city residents said on Sunday. SOUTH AFRICA 'Madrassas' a concern in South Africa  - 16 Oct 03 http://www.washtimes.com/world/20031016-085537-6257r.htm .. The information officer at the Pakistani Embassy in Pretoria said his government is concerned about the flow of illegal immigrants from Pakistan to South Africa via Mozambique, but that the office was working closely with South African authorities to combat the problem. .. Muslim officials in South Africa say there has been a surge in the construction of madrassas in the country in recent years to deal with the influx of foreign students barred from schools in Pakistan and the Middle East. The majority of the new schools are located in Cape Town, with others in Johannesburg and Durban. Ihsaan Hendriks, deputy chairman of South Africa's Muslim Judicial Council, recently told the Agence France-Presse news service: "Several Islamic colleges have been established in South Africa for local Muslim communities and for Muslims in neighboring countries."  Mufti Muhammad Jamil, spokesman for the Pakistan-based Federation of Madrassas, told the news service last month that some 500 foreign students who had been in Pakistani Islamic schools have relocated to South Africa. SUDAN Statement by Embassy of Sudan; 'Making Money out of Conflict: Francis Bok and 'Slavery' in Sudan' - 17 Oct 03 http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=127-10172003 Freed Sudanese Islamist calls for elections - 18 Oct 03 http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/africa/10/18/sudan.islamist.reut/ .. Turabi, who heads the Popular National Congress Party and was once the ideologue for Bashir's government, said elections were key to preventing secession of the south. "Elections should be as soon as possible," the 70-year-old told Reuters and Sudan's daily Al-Khartoum at his home in the capital. He said government in Sudan should be decentralized. "Sudan is too big to be governed from one center," he said. He said Bashir's government had warped his ideas on implementing sharia, saying most laws -- including those on freedom of worship and alcohol consumption -- should be determined by individuals, not the state. "Family laws, personal laws ... what you drink, the way you dress, the way you associate with people ... Those laws have to be personalized. Other laws have to be local. Each federated state parliament should develop its own laws," he said. .. Turabi's release was seen as a government attempt to rally support from Turabi's northern support base for any peace deal with the SPLA, which is seeking more autonomy for the south. For many southerners, Turabi is a symbol of Khartoum's attempt to impose Arabic and Islam in the south. USA General issues apology for religious war comments    - 18 Oct 03 http://www.tribnet.com/news/story/4190369p-4203401c.html .. An Army general who has been widely criticized by framing U.S. battles against Islamic militants in religious terms said Friday that he was "not anti-Islam or any other religion" and apologized to "those who have been offended by my statements." In a short statement aimed at quieting calls for his removal, Lt. Gen. William Boykin said he does not regard the war on terrorism as a war between Islam and Christianity. He said the main point of his church speeches has been to urge Americans to pray for their leaders. .. News reports this week quoted several instances over the past two years in which Boykin, appearing in uniform before evangelical Christian groups, portrayed the war on terrorism as a religious struggle. In one videotape he was shown saying "the enemy that has come against our nation is a spiritual enemy" named Satan. In another, he said President Bush "is in the White House because God put him there." And discussing a 1993 battle with a Muslim militia leader in Somalia, he said: "I knew that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God, and his was an idol." Implications of Islamic values in the public workplace  - 01 Oct 03 http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42668977 .. To help public managers better understand issues of religious practice in the workforce, we begin with a brief review of the place of religion in the United States and its workforce. We follow that with an explanation of Islamic religious practices and the constitutional and legal principles that allow religious practice in the workplace. We then review current case law that illuminates some of the problems and resolutions to accommodating Muslim employees. YEMEN Yemeni cleric sees militants splitting Muslims     - 18 Oct 03 http://www.yobserver.com/topstories/hometopstories.php?id=2474&;issue=91 .. A moderate Yemeni cleric is leading a campaign to fight Islamic extremism with a message of peace and tolerance in one of the worst hotbeds of religious militancy. Omar Bin Hafidh is one of the five leading scholars in Yemen, the ancestral home of Osama Bin Laden, helping a government drive to "re-educate" militants, mainly prisoners held for planning attacks on Western and Yemeni targets. Hafidh, who teaches at the Dar Al-Mustafa Centre for Islamic Research in the eastern Yemeni town of Tarim, said Islam has greatly suffered from acts of religious extremism such as the September 11 hijacked plane attacks on US cities. .. Government officials say some 20 people have been released after "re-education", while some 60 suspects remain in jail. Amnesty International and the UN Human Rights Committee have criticized the arrests, saying suspects were held on unclear charges or outside the legal framework. Hafidh said the "re-education" campaign employed tapes and other media to persuade militants to abandon violence, as well as discussions about the interpretation of the Koran. WORLD Main elements of OIC communique  - 17 Oct 03 http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42712327 [Africa] Time to abolish the death penalty  - 10 Oct 03 http://www.madagascarnews.com/p/93/e14c7cbffb7f.html?id=1697dc9 FINANCE [World Bank] Jakarta banks vulnerable to corruption  - 20 Oct 03 http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_425898,00020008.htm [Qatar] Finance Ministry signs deal for $700mn Islamic bond http://www.gulf-times.com/2003/10/11/finance.htm   - 11 Oct 03 .. The Ministry of Finance on Thursday signed an agreement with a special purpose company - Qatar Global Sukuk (QGS) - to raise $ 700mn through the seven year Islamic bond (Sukuk al-Ijara).  The company that was formed on Wednesday represents 45 major investors who are participating in the issue. .. The A3/A+ rated Sukuk al-Ijara follows Islamic-compliant bonds from Malaysia, Bahrain and the Islamic Development Bank, he said.  The minister said Sukuk al-Ijara is the largest Islamic bond issued so far. Region-wise the bond has been distributed as follows: Middle East 72%, Asia 14%, Europe 13% and US offshore 1%.  The distribution in terms of investors is: Islamic banks and funds 52%, conventional banks 24%, central banks and government authorities 13%, fund managers 10% and private banks 1%. .. http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm?id=ZAWYA20031020055357 .. The entry of the Saudi Ministry of Finance would be a major psychological boost for the Islamic capital market. The Kingdom is by far the largest market for liquidity. It would also signify a vote of confidence by the Saudi authorities for the Islamic bond market. Iran, which is contemplating going to the Eurobond market with two new issues, could contribute by issuing an Islamic Eurobond. An Iraqi reconstruction bond issue, underwritten and guaranteed by the IDB, could also go a long way in adding market depth and political credibility. Malaysia set the ball rolling last year with its $600 million Malaysia Global Sukuk, the first Islamic bond to be issued. It was rated BBB and Baa2 by S&P and Moody’s respectively. The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in June this year launched an Islamic bond, a $400 million sukuk al-ijara, which was rated AAA and AA by S&P and Fitch. The reasons why the sukuks al-ijara seem to be so successful are many. They are new and there is behind-the-scene pressure put on domestic subscribers. But above all, there is a dearth of investment opportunities with varying maturity profiles for Islamic financial institutions, awash with liquidity especially short-term investments. The result is that there is a serious mismatch between their short-term deposits and their long-term assets. Thus, the need for tradable instruments that can be liquidated easily when cash is required becomes paramount. The Malaysia Global Sukuk is listed on the Labuan International Financial Exchange and the Luxembourg Stock Exchange. In the first six months after issue, the sukuk saw only two trades on the Labuan exchange. It was only listed on the Bahrain Stock Exchange three weeks ago, becoming the first Malaysian bond to be listed on a stock exchange in MENA countries. Qatar aims to use some funds raised from its sukuk to finance the construction of the $450 million Hamad Medical City in Doha, which will initially be used as the athletes’ village for the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. .. The challenge for Islamic bond structurers also is to come up with a more varied profile of issues, beyond the bai-salam sukuk and the sukuk al-ijara. These would include al-istisna bonds, mudaraba bonds, and musharaka bonds. Even seasoned Islamic bankers agree that to add depth to the market, the innovators will have to get their thinking caps on. After all the sukuks-al-ijara depend on quality assets which are then securitized. The Muslim world does not have that depth of quality assets. Furthermore, these assets have to be acceptable from a Shariah compliance point of view; and have to have proven rental and other income streams to effectively guarantee the securitization process. Central Bank Watch: Malaysia As Islamic Banking Center - 20 Oct 03 http://sg.biz.yahoo.com/031020/15/3f4as.html ..  In July, the Islamic Development Bank issued a $300 million Sukuk securitizing a mixed portfolio of leased assets and receivables, and Malaysia may well be studying it as a model for its next Sukuk issue expected sometime in 2004, industry participants said. On Friday, Islamic Development Bank President Ahmad Mohammad Ali said the IDB will tap the market for more funds, following the success of the issue, national news agency Bernama news reported. .. Islamic issues are fast gaining popularity in the domestic market as well. In 2002, Islamic debt issuance in Malaysia amounted to $3.6 billion, or 52% of total private debt securities. That is the first time the amount of Islamic issues surpassed conventional market issues. At the OIC business summit Thursday, industry leaders called for a broader ownership base for Islamic banking products to better tap the 1.3 billion Muslims in the world. But the market participants said that the success of these ventures isn't dependent on Muslim investors alone. Around 70% of the IDB's Sukuk that went to market in July was bought by conventional institutional investors, Saad Ashraf, head of Citigroup Islamic in the U.K., said at the summit. The prospects for takaful products also are bright. Malaysia was the first country in Asia to provide Islamic insurance, beginning in 1984, and now controls close to 40% of the global market, Mohd Fadzli Yusof, the chief executive of Syarikat Takaful Malaysia Bhd., said at the OIC summit Thursday. He noted that there is big potential for growth in this sector, given low market penetration. While Muslims make up around 14% of the world population, Muslim countries account for only about 5% of total insurance premiums. Over the last five years in Malaysia, takaful insurance has grown at an average of about 30% a year, compared with just 10% for conventional insurance. [Bahrain]  More Arab investors opt for Islamic banking    - 16 Oct 03 http://www.dailystar.com.lb/business/16_10_03_d.asp .. "The region is witnessing a rapid improvement in real estate ­ about a 40 percent increase in the last year alone ­ and stock markets are also booming.These are indications of high liquidity available for investment in the area after being repatriated from abroad," Saeed Fahim,the Chairman of Al-Fahim Group of the United Arab Emirates said this week. Fahim was speaking on Monday after announcing the establishment of a new Islamic investment bank ­ International Investment Bank (IIB) in Bahrain ­ in which his group will own 24 percent. Forty-five investors from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar will own the bank which will focus on real estate in Gulf Arab states and Europe as well as direct investment in successful companies. IIB Chief Executive Aabed Zeera of Bahrain said a European investment firm was negotiating to have a stake in the $43 million bank. [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 9:44:59 PM    comment []

donderdag 16 oktober 2003

Sharia [Islamic Law] News Watch 76 Sharia News Watch 76 : a collection newsquotes on Shariah, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/76 The Shari'ah Newswatch provides a weekly update of news quotes on Shari'a (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ AFGHANISTAN Afghan women life still a misery: says report - 15 Oct 03 http://paktribune.com/news/index.php?id=41612 Taliban Campaigns for Muslim Support  - 16 Oct 03 http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/news/nation/7025808.htm .. After remaining relatively quiet for months, a bevy of Taliban spokesmen have been turning up on Arab TV and the Pakistani media, and a handful have started making direct phone calls to the international press, including The Associated Press. The calls have increased in step with a bolder, bloodier insurgency that has shaken faith in the Washington-backed Afghan government's ability to assert its control, and the U.S. military's resolve at crushing the rebels. Omar Samad, the Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman, said the Taliban are using the media blitz to try to get their message out to hard-liners in neighboring Pakistan who share their strict brand of Islam. Afghan scholars and clergy back government, condemn Jihad http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42507164 ..   [Text of report by Afghan radio on 10 October] Over 500 scholars from five provinces of the country offered their full support for the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan during a major gathering today. According to the report by a correspondent of Bakhtar Information Agency, at the beginning of the session held in the congregational mosque of the Holy Kherka, Governor of Kandahar Yusof Pashtun read out a telephone message from Hamed Karzai, head of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, to the participants. .. They have strongly rejected the verdicts issued from the outside by the enemies of the country and its people about the need for Jihad in Afghanistan. The session of scholars with the consensus of opinions approved this agreement. Witnessing punishments on Sharia law still haunts Afghan teen - 13 Oct http://canadaeast.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20031013/CPW/23163023&;cachetime=15 .. After prayers on the Muslim holy day, Shaheed and his friends would head down to the national stadium to watch punishments meted out under Sharia law in the form of executions, stonings and dismemberment. A shot to the head for murder, a hail of rocks for adultery, a hand carefully removed for thievery. Only about 200 or 300 people would attend, recalls Shaheed, but they were almost all young boys, including him, whom he referred to in the third person throughout his gruesome account. BAHRAIN Women stage mosque vigil   - 11 Oct 03 http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/arc_Articles.asp?Article=63848&;Sn=BNEW&IssueID=26205 .. A group of Women's Petition Committee members yesterday staged a silent vigil outside a mosque in Hamad Town to demand the dissolution of the Supreme Judiciary Council. .. Ms Jamsheer said the council was a failure and urged reforms to Bahrain's judiciary system that would ensure the independence of the courts. Scores of divorced women and their children attended the vigil in front of Kanoo Mosque in Hamad Town, roundabout two, during Friday prayers. They were protesting at a decision taken by Judge Shaikh Jalal Al Sherqi, who leads prayers at the mosque, to ask the opinion of Bahrain University Islamic Studies and Arabic Language Department head Dr Shaikh Abdullatif Al Mahmood about an agreement reached by a divorced couple. In his written and signed response, Dr Shaikh Abdullatif said the eight-year-old boy involved in the case had the right to decide whether he he wanted to see his mother or not, even if the agreement stated that the mother had the right to see the boy. BRUNEI DARUSSALAM Consumers claim contests tainted by gambling - 16 Oct 03 http://www.brudirect.com/DailyInfo/News/Archive/Oct03/161003/bb03.htm .. Not only are Muslims at risk of inadvertently buying products which are passed off as halal items, they are also of late in danger of being exposed to lucky draws and similar competitions that are tainted by an element of gambling. Gambling in whatever form is prohibited in Islam and a crime in Brunei. But, pointed out several non-Muslim consumers who are concerned over the trend, some lucky draws and other prize-offering sales promotion actively practised here have some degree of gambling. CHINA China's Islamic Association celebrates 50th anniversary  - 16 Oct 03 http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/16/content_272392.htm  ..The Islamic religion entered China over 1,300 years ago, and now boasts 20.3 million Chinese members. DUBAI  UAE 95pc small hotels recruit illegals   - 16 Oct 03 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=100341 .. Around 95 per cent of one-star and two-star hotels, and those not classified, are violating labour rules, official sources said yesterday. Hotel owners, however, say long procedures to obtain proper visas prompt operators to illegally recruit visitors. "Nineteen out of 20 hotels were found to be recruiting workers on visit visas," sources said.  ..  The Labour Ministry has plans to provide its inspectors with the right to issue a ticket if they notice illegal practices at a workplace as per the amendments of the law passed recently by the Fatwa and Legislations Authority. EGYPT Egyptians following twins surgery  - 12 Oct 03 http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/10/12/egypt.twins.ap/index.html .. In the Egyptian capital, Cairo, an Islamic scholar criticized the parents' decision to agree to the surgery to separate the twins. "This operation is haram (not allowed by Islam)," according to Souad Saleh, an Islamic theologian who sits on a committee entrusted with issuing fatwas, or edicts, at Egypt's Al-Azhar University, the world's highest seat of Sunni Muslim learning. She told the AP that with the risk of one, or both, of the twins dying, that advice from Islam's Prophet Muhammad that "harm shouldn't be treated by harm" should be followed. Last year, however, Abd Al Moati Bauomy, a retired dean of the Faculty of Islamic Jurisprudence at Al-Azhar, said it would be hard for the twins to live a proper life conjoined, but the dangers of surgery should be taken into account. "If there are two points of view from two religious authorities, a person goes with the one that makes most sense to him," he said. "It's a personal decision." Respected Egyptian neurosurgeon Said el-Guindi said the boys' parents had no choice to go ahead with the surgery, despite the risks. "There was no single option for the parents," he said. "They couldn't choose to let the twins live such a hard life. At least one of the two might survive." Egyptian monks help Muslims banish demons - 16 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_15-10-2003_pg9_9 .. Muslims and Christians gathered in the underground chamber have come to a festival in honour of a Christian saint to seek his help in banishing demons they believe are afflicting their relatives. The monks at the church of St George, or Mar Girgis as the saint is known in Egypt, in Mit Damsis, 75 km north of Cairo, are renowned in the predominantly Muslim country for driving demons away. .. Egypt's Muslim majority and roughly 10 percent Coptic Christian minority generally live and work together in harmony, although there have been cases of sectarian violence in the past. Their history has been intertwined for more than a thousand years in Egypt, where they observe many of the same beliefs and traditions. In Mit Damsis, both communities came together in a carnival atmosphere to honour the Christian saint. Veneration of saints, part of the Coptic worship, is frowned upon by orthodox Muslim scholars. But like many other ancient traditions, it is widely practiced by Muslims in rural areas. Some say such veneration pre-dates Islam and Christianity, and has roots in Egypt's ancient pharoanic religion. The practice, along with exorcisms, is often a central feature of rural religious festivals, known as mulids. "Mulids to honour saints go back to pharaonic times when people worshipped one national god and a host of local gods," said Milad Hanna, a prominent Coptic writer and thinker. .. "The monks are large, imposing figures robed in black with big beards. They order the demon to leave the body. This has an effect on the people watching. They imagine it to be effective because it seems powerful," Hanna said. The reasoning of reform     - 13 Oct 03 http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_5471.shtml .. A 1959 graduate of Al-Azhar University's School of Arabic Studies, [Hamdi] Zaqzouq's life-both personal and professional-were irrevocably changed when he received a scholarship to do his PhD at Germany's University of Munich. His thesis was a comparative study of Cartesian thought, on the one hand, and the teachings of Mohamed Al-Ghazali, the 11th century theologian considered mediaeval Islam's most important scholar, on the other. After six years in Germany, Zaqzouq came back with a Phd-and a German wife. He took on a job as a professor of Islamic thought at Al-Azhar University, rising to become dean of the Usul Al- Deen (Islamic theology) School from 1987-1995. A year later, he took on the ministerial post he still holds today [Minister of Waqfs]. .. Zaqzouq insisted that initiatives to reform religious discourse find their roots in the Islamic faith itself. "Reform," he said, "is among the basic precepts of the faith and is based on rigorous scholarship, so that it carries weight." He also argued that self- criticism was very much needed and that this was part of the soul-searching process that Muslims were undergoing because, he said, mistakes have been committed. "The issue of reform is too complex to be obscured by simplistic arguments that it is being done based on the requests of external forces. Actually, long before the events of 11 September, we thought it was inevitable." .. It has, therefore, become increasingly difficult for him to remain faithful to this doctrine of separation, especially when defending ideas like reforming religious discourse, changing religious textbooks, and urging imams to address certain issues in their Friday sermons. These measures have been vehemently attacked by both opposition movements and establishment conservatives, who have consistently accused the government and Zaqzouq of bowing to US pressure. Zaqzouq flatly denies that he is forcing Egypt's religious establishment to dilute its discourse against US policies in the region. He insisted that his policies "have absolutely nothing to do with America's plans for the region. The US might have its own grand designs for 'reforming' the region's religious discourse or introducing changes to its textbooks, as is claimed, but Egypt is not concerned about this at all", Zaqzouq said. "There have not been any directives or external pressures-American or otherwise-to reform our religious discourse. If there were, they would be rejected outright." INDONESIA NU rejects sharia for Criminal Code  - 13 Oct 03 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=42576406 .. The country's largest Muslim organization the Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) rejected on Friday the inclusion of sharia in the planned amendment to the Criminal Code (KUHP), saying it would create disputes between people of different religions or even among Muslim groups. .. [Chairman] Hasyim suggested that universal principles such as justice and equality, which could be accepted by all religions and groups, be incorporated in the draft KUHP. He agreed that the prevailing KUHP, which was based on a similar code in the Netherlands and applied here by Dutch colonialists, should be reviewed as it was out of date and some of its articles were no longer relevant. .. Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mehendra earlier admitted that the review was to accommodate particular groups who were demanding the implementation of sharia. Group threatens to shut down bars during Ramadan   - 15 Oct 03 http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Wednesday/World/20031015083917/Article/ .. Muhammad Riziq Shihab, chairman of the Front for the Defenders of Islam (FPI), said city officials "must be stern in carrying out the law" or they could face wrath from "people who will take matters into their own hands". "As long as my followers go out on raids to uphold the law and their faith, why should I stop them?" Shihab said by mobile telephone from his jail cell in Jakarta. He is serving a seven-month term for instigating violence during a series of vandalistic attacks on entertainment centres by FPI members in Jakarta last year. Jakarta governor Sutiyoso is expected next week to issue a decree ordering nightclubs, bars, discos, saunas, massage parlours and games parlours closed for the month, which will start in Indonesia around Oct 25. Cafes, restaurants and live music halls are allowed to operate for reduced hours except on six days considered especially holy. The decree does not explicitly order a ban on the sale of alcohol but says any violation of the closure order would cost businesses their licences. Ban demanded on VIP haj service  - 14 Oct 03 http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42617299 .. A team of lawmakers evaluating the services for Indonesian haj pilgrims called on Monday for an end to first-class services given to state officials while on pilgrimage. The team suggested that the Indonesian Embassy in Saudi Arabia focus on services for regular haj pilgrims. "Extra services given to state officials in the past had been provided by sacrificing services for regular pilgrims,'' said Heri Akhmadi, deputy chairman of House Commission VI for haj and education affairs. There were more than 200 state officials, both from legislative bodies and government institutions, requesting extra facilities while they were making the haj pilgrimage in the last season early this year. The first-class treatment was estimated to reach Rp 5 billion, taken from the fees paid by the regular pilgrims. Jakarta silent over jihad teachings  - 16 Oct 03 http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,7573351%5E954,00.html .. Indonesia's infamous Muslim boarding school, Pondok Ngruki, has churned out some of the top terrorists, including three of the 10 main Bali plotters. .. A recent report by the International Crisis Group, a respected think-tank, called Pondok Ngruki one of the "Ivy League" of JI schools. The report said the terror group had relied on a network of 10 linked Islamic boarding schools for "ensuring that the jihadist ideology was passed down to a new generation". And for a school which claims to promote non-violent Muslim struggle, there is an alarming emphasis on jihad and military-style exercises. If students wanted to go and fight a jihad against Americans in Iraq, Pondok Ngruki would not object, says Wahyudin. .. Despite these worrying signs, the Indonesian authorities appear reluctant to close down the school or to investigate what exactly is being taught at Ngruki, where nearly 2000 students are studying. Chief security minister, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, told a conference in Australia recently that he had no plans to close down any Islamic schools. IRAN [Nobel Prize] Ebadi a thorn in side of hardliners - 10 Oct 03 http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/10/10/nobel.peace.profile.reut/index.html .. Now a lawyer, writer and part-time lecturer at Tehran University, Ebadi has spent much of her time since the revolution campaigning for better rights for women and children in her native country. She argued passionately that Sharia law could be adapted to modern times without undermining religion in the officially Shi'ite Islamic Republic. "The legal keys that Shia religion has given us enable us to transform and act according to the times," she wrote in a recent article. .. Nobel Peace Prize winner wants independent judiciary in Iran http://www.helsinki-hs.net/news.asp?id=20031014IE15   - 14 Oct  03 .. "The judiciary should be outside politics, but now it looks like politics has found its way into the court system," Ebadi says, pointing out how conservative elements have started to use the courts as a means of silencing prominent members of the reform movement. Authorities constantly violate the law by keeping people in prison without charges. Long periods of time can pass after an arrest without anyone knowing where the detainee is being held. Political prisoners are also often placed in special cells. Even forced and televised confessions appear to have made a comeback. .. "Changes are also needed in laws that dictate the position of women. For instance, a man can still divorce his wife without reason. This is not the case for women, for whom getting a divorce is very difficult. Consequently men can simply trade in their wives for a newer model", Ebadi huffs.  In a divorce the mother has the right to have custody of a son only up to the age of two, and a daughter up to the age of seven. Older children automatically go to the father."These issues apply to nearly all Iranian women, because nearly all women here get married." Some reforms to practices based on Islamic Sharia law have been implemented. A girl now has to be 13 years old before a marriage can be arranged for her. The minimum age used to be nine years, but Shirin Ebadi feels that 13 is also too young an age. In divorce cases women are now entitled to force their husbands to pay compensation for the years that the woman took care of the home. A woman still needs her husband's permission to get a passport, and a woman's testimony in a court is considered to have half the value of that of a man. Family violence is commonplace, as are so-called morality crimes; mere suspicion of adultery can entitle a man to kill his wife, sister, or daughter. These kinds of laws give men permission to commit violence." IRAQ [Karbala] Mosque standoff into second day - 15 Oct 03 http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,7569734%5E1702,00.html .. Sadr's Mehdi Army militia clashed yesterday with followers of senior Iraqi cleric Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani after his group attempted to seize two of the most revered shrines in Shiite Islam, the mausoleums of the seventh-century leaders Abbas and Hussein. .. Shiite Muslim factions in the holy city of Karbala were negotiating to try to end a tense standoff at a mosque where followers of firebrand cleric Moqtada Sadr took at least eight hostages, a police source said today. "They are negotiating about the situation at al-Mukhaiyam mosque," the police source said. .. A peaceful solution also looked possible as Sadr scrapped plans Wednesday for an Islamic-style government he had announced last week in the aftermath of clashes that left two US soldiers and two Iraqi Shiites dead in Baghdad's Sadr City, his stronghold of support. .. Iraqi Shiite split widens   - 15 Oct 03 http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1015/p01s01-woiq.html Iraqi Shiites Converge in Iraq Hily City  - 12 Oct 03 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=42547515 .. Up to one million pilgrims gathered in Karbala to mark the birthday of Mohammed al-Mahdi, the last of 12 Shiite leaders who disappeared in the 9th century but who devout Shiites believe will return to rule the world. There was no violence, and by midday the crowds were returning home. The celebrations took place about two weeks before Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, and were expected to heighten religious sentiments as radical cleric Sheik Muqtada al-Sadr is challenging the authority of the U.S.-led coalition and the U.S.-appointed Governing Council, which serves as Iraq's interim leadership. Postwar crime confining women to house arrest - 12 Oct 03 http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2003/10/12/2003071396 .. The US occupation has ushered in an explosion of organized crime, trafficking in drugs and stolen cars - and there are particular horrors for women. .. Amid the ordinary lawlessness of a city of 5 million with a barely functioning police force, there are particular horrors for women. The last few months have seen the emergence of organized crime, trafficking in drugs and stolen cars -- and, the evidence suggests, in women as well. At the same time, Baghdad remains a city consumed by thoughts of revenge, against Baathists at first and now increasingly against rival gangs. Many scores are settled by kidnapping and rape. .. Last week she reached breaking point. Armed thugs from a gang involved in prostitution tried to kidnap the apprentice on her first day at work, and beat up Amina's husband and two other men who managed to save the girl. A day later, on Sept. 29, Nada, a prostitute who has become one of Amina's regulars, was not so lucky. Four armed men stormed into the coffee shop where she works, and dragged her by the hair to a waiting car. Nada says they stopped the car once, to grab another woman wearing a headscarf. They punched her in the face, and shoved her in the car. They drove the women to the riverside north of Baghdad and raped them. Nada believes her attackers wanted to punish her because she intervened to save a woman friend from a gang. Other women have been raped to avenge wrongs committed by men of the same clan, or singled out for their own associations with the regime. .. Asma was bundled inside, where two men pushed her head to her knees, and drove for several hours to a farmhouse on the edge of Baghdad, where she was repeatedly raped. It is unclear why she was targeted, but she was admonished for wearing trousers and for failing to cover her hair. The next day she was encased in hijab -- the traditional headscarf -- and dropped off near her parents' home. She has barely spoken since, and sits at home playing cards with her mother. .. All of the women recount stories of abduction -- a great horror in a society like Iraq's, where a family's reputation is measured by the perceived virtue of its women. A woman suspected of transgressing social codes suffers extreme consequences for bringing shame on her family. Such codes also apply if she has been raped. She may even be murdered by her family to wipe out the stain on their reputation. KUWAIT Govt planning to ensure ISPs take measures to block obscene sites  http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/kuwait/Viewdet.asp?ID=1091 ..      - 16 Oct 03 Minister of Communications, Minister of Planning and State Minister for Administrative Development, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah said Wednesday Ministerial Decree 70/2002 stipulates all Internet service providers (ISPs) must install monitors to block access to obscene sites. [..]  Sheikh Ahmad said with the coordination between Ministry of Finance, the Bids Central Committee, Fatwa and Legislation Department and the Auditing Bureau, the Ministry will not renew contracts of some companies as long as they continue to violate this decree. MALAYSIA Malaysian National Library to Develop Digital Library on Islam 16 Oct http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&;articleid=CA329018&display=NewsNews&industry=News&industryid=1986&verticalid=151&publication=libraryjournal .. The National Library of Malaysia will launch the International Islamic Digital Library (IIDL) this week during the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Summit. http://www.iidl.net/  ..  The library aims to create a comprehensive, reliable, and authoritative source of information about Islam. Infad to set up global fatwa database  [New Straits Times] - 16 Oct 03 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=42668566 .. Local and international fatwa (Islamic religious rulings) bodies will soon be able to gain access to a universal reference facility for the operating mechanisms of fatwa issuance, methodologies and framework of Muslim and Muslim-minority countries. This follows the efforts by World Fatwa Management & Research Institute (Infad), an institution within the Islamic University College of Malaysia (IUCM), to set up a Web-based system to collate findings and information on fatwa as well as share and extend their knowledge systematically. Infad's acting director Prof Dr Abdul Samat Musa said the Fatwa Management System (FMS) is core to the institute's effort to contribute towards the social and economic development of Islamic countries through a more holistic, multi-dimensional scope via the use of information and communications technology (ICT). .. The content management system comprises the fatwa management system itself which lists the types of fatwa produced throughout the world and classifies them according to issues, subject matters, date of issue, place of issuance, and the respective issuing institution. It also comprises a Quran database, Hadeeth database, publications excerpt database, article management system, community management tools and external partner content management system which provide linkages to bodies such as State Fatwa Councils and Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim). Islam allows cord blood donation [New Straits Times]- 11 Oct 03 http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42565113 .. Cord blood donation is permitted in Islam if the donors do it willingly, according to the Minister in Prime Minister's Department, Datuk Seri Abdul Hamid Zainal Abidin. .. Cord blood is the blood left in the umbilical cord and placenta after childbirth and is rich in stem cells, which can be used to repair damaged immune systems, tissues and organs. In January, it was reported that the National Fatwa Council welcomed the use of stem cells derived from embryos of fewer than 120 days. On Jakim's celebrations, Abdul Hamid said the department had launched a digital library which could be accessed at www.jakimdilworldwide.com or www.islam.gov.my . Johor standardises religious bills with federal laws    - 16 Oct 03 http://www.utusan.com.my/utusan/content.asp?y=2003&;dt=1016&pub=Utusan_Express&sec=Home_News&pg=hn_10.htm .. In MUAR, the Johor State Government on Wednesday agreed to standardise five of the State's Religious Enactment Bills with the Federal Religious Laws. The five are the Johor Islamic Administration Enactment Bill (Johor State) 2003, Islamic Family Enactment Bill (Johor State) 2003, Syariah Court Testimony Enactment Bill (Johor State) 2003, Syariah Court Criminal Procedure Enactment Bill (Johor State) 2003 and the Syariah Court Mal Procedure Enactment Bill (Johor State) 2003. Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman said when the five bills were passed, the existing religious legislations will be abolished. The five existing enactments are the Johor State Islamic Administration Enactment (No.4) 1978, Johor State Syariah Court Enactment 1993, Johor Family Law Enactment 1990, Syariah Court Testimony Law Enactment 1993 and the Johor State Syariah Court Criminal Procedure Enactment 1997. "All the bills will be tabled in the State Legislative Assembly soon for approval," he said after chairing the weekly State Executive Council meeting at the Gunung Ledang Resort, Sagil, here Wednesday. Pahang Assembly: Syariah court backlog not as alarming - 14 Oct 03 http://www.mmail.com.my/Current_News/NST/Tuesday/NewsBreak/20031014143317/Article/ .. Syariah Courts in Pahang are not facing a huge backlog of cases as only 498 cases remained to be settled, the House was told today. .. "The main reason is that the authorities cannot get in touch with most parties involved in the proceedings because their postal addresses have changed. "The parties involved here are the witnesses and lawyers who do not notify us about the changes in postal addresses when the proceeding dates have been fixed." Ahmad Munawar, who is also Luit State Assemblyman, said another reason was lawyers seeking postponements of their cases. "There is also an acute shortage of judges and courts here especially high courts.” [Terengganu] Hudud: No need for police aid, says Hadi - 15 Oct 03 http://www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/NST/Thursday/National/20031016082152/Article/ .. The State Government will implement the Terengganu Syariah and Criminal Offence Enactment (Hudud and Qisas) with or without the co-operation of the police when the law is gazetted on Oct 27. .. http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/10/16/nation/6499940&;sec=nation .. Hadi said although the laws would not apply to non-Muslims, they could choose to be tried under the laws.  He also expressed confidence that non-Muslims would eventually prefer the Hudud and Qisas laws.  Citing an example, he said those found possessing firearms could face the mandatory death sentence under existing laws. Under the Hudud laws, he said, the death sentence was not allowed if they were merely found possessing firearms and had not committed any crime.  MOROCCO Morocco women win rights   - 11 Oct 03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3183576.stm .. Women will get property rights within marriage, and both spouses will have equal authority in the family. Divorce will be made easier for women, and the age of marriage for girls will be raised from 15 to 18. Polygamy will not be outlawed but will be made more difficult - a man will need to get consent from his existing wife before marrying another. .. the King stepped in, setting up a Royal Commission, made up of both Islamic scholars and women's representatives. It was meant to report last year, but the controversial and sensitive nature of the subject has meant they have had difficulty reaching agreement. Announcing the changes to parliament, the King said he wanted to prevent society from splitting apart over the issue. .. King Mohammed surveys reforms of the family law    - 11 Oct 03 http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031011/2003101124.html .. "As a token of my special concern for my dear subjects residing abroad, and in order to reduce the hassle they face to get marriage contracts processed, I have decided that the procedure shall be simplified. The marriage contract shall simply be drawn up in the presence of two Muslim witnesses, in accordance with the procedures in force in the country of residence, and shall then be registered with the relevant Moroccan consular or judicial authorities. In this regard, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon Him, is quoted as saying: "Seek ease, not hardship." The reforms make the husband's right to resort to repudiation limited by specific restrictions and conditions designed to avoid misuse of this right. For this purpose, mechanisms for reconciliation and mediation, through the family and the judge, shall be strengthened, king Mohammed VI said. The sovereign expand the woman's right to file for divorce if the husband fails to observe any of the conditions in the marriage contract, or if he harms his wife through lack of financial support, abstinence, violence, or any other wrongful deed. This provision is in line with the general legal principle which advocates balance and moderation. Its aim is to promote equality and fairness between husband and wife. A provision allows divorce by mutual consent, under judicial supervision. Other stipulations introduced are meant to further protect children's rights by making the provisions of the relevant international agreements ratified by Morocco, to protect the child's rights to acknowledgment of paternity in case the marriage has not been officially registered for reasons beyond control, to grant them the right to inherit from their grandfather, as part of the compulsory legacy. .. No progress possible if women' rights are violated, says king - 11 Oct http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031011/2003101123.html .. He also insisted that "the Family Law should not be considered as a legislation devised for women only, but rather as a code for the family: father, mother and children. The proposed legislation is meant to free women from the injustices they endure besides protecting children's rights and safeguarding men's dignity. .. Family law amendments, a revolution, justice minister - 14 Oct 03 http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031014/2003101427.html .. The minister recalled how the king has given instructions to activate the law enforcement by set up, as a provisional measure, facilities for the new family jurisdictions Moroccan courts. .. Morocco's Islamist party welcomes reform family law - 13 Oct 03 http://www.arabicnews.com/ansub/Daily/Day/031013/2003101323.html .. Moroccan Party of Justice and Development (PJD) (moderate Islamist party represented in the parliament) welcomed the reform of the family law (Mudawana) announced Friday by king Mohammed VI at the opening of the fall parliament session. The party says in a communique-release this Saturday it "welcomes and supports the review of the Family law announced by Amir Al-Muminin (commander of the faithful) as a pioneering reform, and considers it to be in favor of the family and of women, in addition to being a substantial asset for the entire Moroccan nation." The PJD adds that "it values the keen concern of Amir-Al Muminin, His Majesty king Mohammed VI to see to it that the reform of the family law is in line with the prescriptions of Islam and with the aims of our religion, which advocates justice, equity and call for honoring human beings." NIGERIA UBE to Integrate Qur'anic Education  - 13 Oct 03 http://allafrica.com/stories/200310130807.html [Daily Trust - Abuja] .. In its bid to provide basic education to all children of school age in the country, the Universal Basic Education, (UBE), programme has worked out a blueprint for the proper integration of the qur'anic education into its activities. The National co-ordinator of UBE, Professor Gidado Tahir, who made the disclosure in Kaduna during the inauguration of the technical committee on the integration of qur'anic education into UBE, also explained that the programme was 'aimed at providing basic education to all Nigerian children of school age inspite of whatever circumstances they may find themselves in." .. Professor, Tahir further explained that the integration would involve the provision of basic literacy, numeracy and basic skills without interference with the modes of operations of the Qur'anic schools. [Kaduna] Sharia is Justice, Says Buhari  - 12 Oct 03 http://www.thisdayonline.com/news/20031012news02.html .. Former Head of State and the All Nigeria People's Party (ANPP) presidential candidate in the April general elections, major-general Muhammadu Buhari, (rtd) has advocated a special enli-ghtenment programme for the Islamic Sharia legal code.  Buhari spoke yesterday in Kaduna at the launch of a book "Sharia and Justice" where Zamfara state governor, Alhaji Ahmad Sani, vowed that northern Nigeria would not succumb to pressures aimed at stopping the implementation of Sharia in the area.  .. [Buhari] defended the implementation of sharia in parts of the north adding that," I challenge Nigerians to show me a non-Muslim taken to a sharia court." .. The Zamfara governor regretted that it was erroneous to credit him with the introduction of sharia in Nigeria. He explained that, "what I simply did was to revive and make it (sharia) practical in Zamfara state, by expanding its scope to include Hudud (capital punishments) which were hitherto removed from our laws." .. The author of the book, Malam Bashir Sambo, was at a time Grand Khadi of the sharia Court of Appeal, Abuja and later appointed chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Abuja. Muslim Women Protest "Passport Without Headcover" Requirement http://allafrica.com/stories/200310100273.html  - 10 Oct 03 ..     [Daily Trust - Abuja] Controversy and protest from Muslim Women over the use of hijab has greeted the issuance of Electronic Tax Clearance (e-TCC) and pay-at-sight exercise of Lagos State government currently going on in the state for the civil servants. The Muslim women civil servants in the state are protesting the requirement of "passport photographs without headcover" being demanded by some ministries. .. It was gathered that despite frequent audit control system the phenomenon of ghost workers still persist in the state. PAKISTAN Hudood cases domain of Shariat Court  - 13 Oct 03 http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en41567 .. The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) has ruled that high courts have no jurisdiction to interfere with cases relating to Hudood laws as those fell into the exclusive jurisdiction of the Shariat Court. The FSC which, apart from examining the laws to bring them in conformity with Islamic injunctions, sits as an appellate court in criminal cases covered by Hudood laws, held that high courts' writ jurisdiction under Article 199 could not be invoked in respect of matter falling within the jurisdiction of the FSC. .. The FSC, after examining all the constitutional provisions relating to its jurisdiction, ruled: "By taking into consideration the accumulative effect of above provisions of the Constitution, no doubt it felt that High Court stands denuded of powers to exercise writ jurisdiction under Article 199 in respect of any matter falling within the jurisdiction of Federal Shariat Court." [NWFP] Ban on registration of madressahs opposed - 14 Oct 03 http://www.dawn.com/2003/10/14/local41.htm .. NWFP Senior Minister Sirajul Haq on Sunday alleged that the rulers under pressure from the West had stopped financial assistance to the seminaries and banned their registration. Speaking at the certificate awarding ceremony of the Iqra Rozatul Quran, Hayatabad, he termed the charges against the seminaries ofspreading terrorism baseless. "These seminaries are the cradle ofreligious knowledge and humanity, which have played an exemplary role in maintaining discipline and respect of law as compared to othereducational institutions," he said. Mr Haq said the provincial government had restored funds for the madressahs by providing Rs39.5 million this year besides releasing Zakat funds to their students. He said the funds would be increased next year. He said the provision of education, food, clothing and residential facilities to millions of children helped reduce the burden on the government. RUSSIA Religious official in Russia's Dagestan justifies anti-Wahhabi steps http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=42549870 ..  [BBC Monitoring Central Asia] - 12 Oct 03 The chairman of the Dagestani committee on religious affairs has hailed the religious situation in the republic as "satisfactory". In an interview to the Dagestani newspaper Molodezh Dagestana, Akhmed Magomedov spoke about the work done by his committee and said that it aims "to coordinate interaction between religious denominations". He also said that the republic had to take steps against Wahhabis because they refused "to give up their aggressive plans, did not hand in a single item of weaponry, they went on calling traditional believers 'kafirs' and issuing threats against them". SAUDI ARABIA Saudi Arabia holds first human rights forum   - 14 Oct 03 http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=3609510 .. Saudi Arabia was hosting a human rights conference on Tuesday, the first in the conservative kingdom which has faced international condemnation over its own rights record. The Gulf state, the cradle of Islam, has come under harsh criticism from Western human rights groups for severe sharia law punishments, including public beheadings, and for discrimination against women. They also accuse Saudi Arabia of arbitrary detention without trial and torture. But the more controversial issues were unlikely to be addressed at the Human Rights in Peace and War Conference in Riyadh, organised by the Saudi Red Crescent Society. .. "There is a misunderstanding between Islamic and Western societies and we believe the reason is a lack of intellectual contact. The more we can provide such contact, the wider the understanding for Islamic sharia in the West," [the organizer] said. .. In January, a team from New York-based Human Rights Watch became the first international independent human rights group to visit the oil-rich country and said then that Riyadh signalled its intent to implement tougher human rights standards. .. Saudi Police Break Up Demonstration for Reforms  - 14 Oct 03 http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&;storyID=3611671 .. Saudi police fired into the air during a rare demonstration Tuesday and arrested up to 50 protesters calling for greater political reforms during the country's first human rights conference. The demonstration and arrests in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, came a day after the kingdom, an absolute monarchy, announced it would hold its first ever elections to vote for municipal councils.The announcement by the cabinet under de facto ruler Crown Prince Abdullah followed growing demands for reform to allow wider political participation, elections and freedom of expression in the conservative Muslim state. Witnesses said police fired into the air to disperse demonstrators Tuesday and arrested up to 50 individuals. The authorities also set up roadblocks to prevent them from reaching the building where the human rights conference was being held in central Riyadh. Witnesses told Reuters protesters, mostly under the age of 30 and wearing traditional Saudi flowing robes, chanted the Islamic rallying cry, "God is greatest," and called for reforms. Carrying banners, they also called for the release of political prisoners held in the kingdom. .. Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia's profile - 15 Oct 03 http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/?id=7403 .. The Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia (MIRA), which succeeded in organising a rare protest in Riyadh, is the best-known Saudi opposition group, but few are aware it is also inspired by the same brand of conservative Wahhabism that reigns in the kingdom. Based in London, MIRA was created in 1996 after it split from the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), a Saudi group founded by academics and Islamists in May 1993 to rally against the ruling regime's "corruption and anti-democratic methods." .. MIRA defines itself as an "organisation aiming to achieve total reform in Saudi Arabia with political reform being its foremost goal ... and all its work is governed by Islamic sharia (law), the Koran and sunna (prophet Mohammad's teachings)," according to a message posted on its website www.yaislah.org . Seventeen girls suspended from Saudi school for uncovering their faces on school bus       - 16 Oct 03 http://www.fox23news.com/news/world/story.aspx?content_id=1DAEF1DF-F306-4802-B5E7-E49F54CBDFCE .. At least 17 expatriate teenage girls in eastern Saudi Arabia [Dammam] have been suspended from school for a week for uncovering their faces on the school bus, the school's headmistress said in remarks published Wednesday. SINGAPORE Muslim serial divorcees a growing concern    - 14 Oct 03 http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,4386,214500,00.html .. The rising number of Muslims who have gone through two or more divorces is worrying social workers and MPs. ..  In 1997, 380 Muslim marriages that broke down had one or two partners who had been previously divorced. They made up 31 per cent of all Muslim divorces that year. In contrast, 8 per cent of non-Muslim divorces involved previously divorced people. The figures for the Muslim community rose steadily in the late 1990s but dipped to 26 per cent in 2001. However, last year, they climbed again, such that 30 per cent or 452 divorces out of a total of 1,532 Muslim divorces involved previously divorced individuals. The problem afflicts mainly the very poor. According to figures from the Syariah Court - which administers Muslim divorces - three in four serial divorces involve men and women who are either unemployed or earn less than $500 a month. The wives in such marriages which break down are also more likely to stay at home rather than work, said social workers. Social work lecturer and Sembawang GRC MP Mohamad Maliki Osman said many Malay men still hold fast to the idea that they should be the sole breadwinner. 'They don't realise how hard it is to survive on a single income these days. 'Their financial struggles then put a strain on the marriage,' he said. When a divorce occurs, the women are often left to fend for themselves and their children. .. As cohabitation and casual intimacy are frowned upon in Islam, some couples marry to avoid disapproving stares from fellow Muslims. Syariah Court executive counsellor Siti Aishah Hashim said: 'Many younger men marry or remarry for short-term goals, mostly to satisfy physical needs. 'They don't think about the long-term needs of the children.' Although it makes financial sense for the poor to have fewer children, few heed this arithmetic, say social workers. 'Lower-educated couples are often not the best family planners,' said Covenant Family Service Centre director Florence Lim. SUDAN Sudan Islamist leader released    - 13 Oct 03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3187776.stm .. Sudan has freed the Islamist leader Hassan al-Turabi after more than two years in detention and lifted a ban on his party's activities. .. [President] Mr al-Bashir accused Mr Turabi of trying to grab power and was detained soon after signing a peace deal with the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), the main rebel group fighting the government for greater autonomy of Southern Sudan. .. Profile: Sudan's Islamist leader   - 14 Oct 03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/3190770.stm .. Analyst says Turabi's release due to confidence at home - 16 Oct 03 http://www.irinnews.org/report.asp?ReportID=37241&;SelectRegion=East_Africa&SelectCountry=SUDAN .. [ICG's co-director for Africa] Prendergast said Turabi's party, which has about five percent hardline support among the electorate, might choose to campaign on specific issues that are relevant to the peace process, such as the issue of Sharia in the capital, or the territorial integrity of Sudan. UK Medieval script shows Islam's role in learning  - 13 Oct 03 http://www.news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1131512003 .. Sotheby's will hold its annual Arts of the Islamic World Sale in London on Wednesday. As an illustration of the influence of Islam in modern-day Britain, this is now one of the most important sales to take place in the firm's New Bond Street salerooms, attracting attention from around the world. A sale of this nature demands a very special highlight, and on Wednesday, Sotheby's will duly oblige. On offer will be the earliest known manuscript of one of the most influential medieval texts on medical remedies and drugs. Entitled Kitab al-Musta'ini, or Book of Simple (or Single) Drugs, the manuscript is dated 1130AD, and is written on paper in Arabic script with Latin headings, and was presented by its Jewish author, Yanus Ibn Baklarish, to his Arab patron, al-Musta'in bi-llah Abu Ja'far Ahmad, the Muslim ruler of Saragossa in Spain. The manuscript stands as a uniquely important monument to the central role of Jews and Muslims in the spread of knowledge and learning throughout medieval Europe, as well as being possibly the earliest known example of Latin script of any kind written on paper. Sotheby's says that only four other copies of this work are known. The most important is that in the National Library in Madrid, which is not dated, but has been attributed to the 12th century. Another, also undated, is in Leiden in the Netherlands, while that in the National Library in Naples was made in 1482. The fourth, in Rabat, is a very late copy made in Morocco in 1891. USA [Oklahoma] US schoolgirl in hijab victory  - 16 Oct 03 http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/9A905A11-1711-4876-A45F-AA83FB0E1E2D.htm .. The case is the first of its kind in the US, involving a state school pupil.  After a high profile camapign by civil rights groups and Nashala's family, the Muskogee school district council in Oklahoma, reversed their decision and Nashala returned to the classroom. A future meeting on uniform and dress code policy is pending. WORLD HISTORY MAN: Sweet Schimmel of Islam  - 15 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_15-10-2003_pg3_6 Sweet Schimmel of Islam II   - 16 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_16-10-2003_pg3_6 FINANCE Islamic Finance: Contract - A look at the definition and ingredients http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=100371 [Malaysia] IDB urged to formulate masterplan for Islamic finance http://www.mmail.com.my/Current_News/BTimes/Thursday/Nation/20031015232703/Article/ ..      - 15 Oct 03 The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) should formulate a masterplan for Islamic financial system to improve trade among Muslim countries in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Commerce International Merchant Bankers Bhd (CIMB) chief executive Nazir Razak said such a plan would help to set the standards of Syariah-compliant financial system and products. He also said there is a lack of participation from OIC-member countries to invest in Malaysia despite having one of the most developed Islamic financial system. [UAE] Islamic Retail Banking With NSBC   - 13 Oct 03 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=42588280 .. HSBC has rolled out the first ever Islamic banking service from a major international bank in the UAE. Sharia compliant current accounts and personal finance facilities are now available to existing and new clients. Local Islamic banks face their biggest challenge yet as HSBC moves into their core market. [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html] 7:34:58 PM    comment []

vrijdag 10 oktober 2003

Sharia [Islamic Law] News Watch 75 Sharia News Watch 75 : a collection newsquotes on Shariah, for research & educational purposes only. [*]  Shortcut URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/message/75 The Shari'ah Newswatch provides a weekly update of news quotes on Shari'a (Islamic Law) & related subjects, as appearing on the major news searchengines: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shariawatch/ AFGHANISTAN [Amnesty] "No-one listens to us and no-one treats us as human beings" http://www.mongolianews.com/p/68/288f41a1d0b2.html - 06 Oct 03 [International Crisis Group] Peacebuilding in Afghanistan  - 09 Oct 03 http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/106571220972.htm .. Different legal systems – customary law, sharia (religious law), and state law – operate simultaneously. Official structures such as police forces and the judiciary are highly politicised, corrupt, and not trusted by most Afghans. Traditional structures such as councils of elders do function in some areas; however, they often reflect a very narrow, traditional view of authority, which many young people and returning refugees are reluctant to submit to. Other councils have been essentially creations of aid groups and the UN, used to channel money to communities. They may have legitimacy and be relatively representative, but their authority is not always accepted. In this environment it is difficult to establish methods for the containment and resolution of local disputes. Enhancing the effectiveness of the police and judiciary is vital but takes a generation, even with sustained assistance. Local structures need to be developed but represent a risk of either enhancing the authority of people responsible for much of the conflict or trampling on the rights of the persecuted. Reconciliation initiatives thus need active promotion at three interdependent levels. There must be sustained international engagement – something to which the sponsors of the Bonn Agreement committed themselves – particularly during the run-up to elections next year. At the same time, the Afghan central government needs to pursue security sector reform and the disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration of fighters, which can improve the overall security situation, restore the rule of law, and build confidence in processes of political and social reconciliation. This, in turn, should create the conditions in which the local means for solving problems can be effective. [full report: http://www.crisisweb.org/home/index.cfm?id=2293 ] Jalalabad cable operator banned for second time  - 08 Oct 03 http://www.nni-news.com/current/world/news-01.htm .. Reporters Without Borders (Reporters sans frontières) have called on the Afghan authorities to reopen Afghan Cable Centre, a cable TV service based in the eastern city of Jalalabad (Nangahar province) which local authorities banned some 10 days ago despite a national government undertaking to support the development of cable television. .. Authorities in Jalalabad cited complaints about "shocking" programmes as the reason for bang Afghan Cable Centre and charging its manager, Mohammed Humayun, with breaking the law. They were apparently alluding to programmes of Indian or western origin showing men and women singing and dancing together, which conservatives often describe as contrary to Islam and Afghan culture. Humayun denies violating a ban on broadcasting "anti-Islamic images." .. The government has meanwhile set up a commission to establish whether the operator broke any rules. Afghan Cable Centre, which currently has about 700 subscribers and carries six news and entertainment channels, was previously banned by the Jalalabad authorities in December 2002. A few weeks later, the supreme court banned cable TV throughout Afghanistan. The government thereafter drew up a broadcasting code and a list of authorized TV stations, and new licences were issued in May. AUSTRIA Voice for Muslim women terrorised by their families  - 05 Oct 03 http://www.news.scotsman.com/international.cfm?id=1102842003 .. She has published a book entitled, Sabatina: From Islam To Christianity - A Death Sentence, in which she describes her father’s death threats, which he made under the Muslim laws of Sharia. [Sabatina] James comes from a Muslim family but attempted to convert to Christianity, a decision which met with extreme hostility from her [Pakistani] parents [in Linz, Austria]. .. The book has made James a figurehead for persecuted women in Austria and Germany, but has also forced her to live under constant police protection at her home in the Austrian capital Vienna. She said: "The fear is still there. The fear that my parents could murder me under the laws of Sharia." BAHRAIN Bahrain king blames clerics for attack on police - 04 Oct 03 http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0479385.htm .. Bahrain's king blamed Muslim preachers on Saturday for fuelling extremist behaviour two days after five policemen were injured in a petrol bomb attack on their bus. "Speeches that encourage extremism and violence...cannot be separated from the acts of terror, the killing of innocents," King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa said. On Thursday, unidentified attackers flung a petrol bomb at a police bus with 12 policemen on board, wounding five. Clerics in different parts of Bahrain have severely criticised the Bahrain government's performance and policies in recent weeks. Bahrain, headquarters of the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet, has arrested this year five Bahrainis allegedly planning attacks. The motives for Thursday's attack were not clear but Bahrain was racked by sectarian violence in the 1990s, mainly spearheaded by Shi'ite Muslim opponents of the Sunni Muslim dominated government. Shi'ites are the majority of this island nation's population. Bahrainis have also rioted against the U.S. presence in their country and their anger boiled over during the U.S.-led war on Iraq earlier this year. BOSNIA Al Qaeda bogeyman at work as US rethinks Balkans  - 06 Oct 03 http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L06396345.htm BULGARIA Bulgaria's young Turks embrace old ritual  - 05 Oct 03 http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/3FEA49FA-FB94-4832-90EE-0912CE99CDBF.htm .. Nearly 1000 people from Bulgaria's ethnic Turkish minority have taken part in a mass circumcision ceremony for young boys, a Muslim ritual that was suppressed during communist times. A procession of parents carried the boys, aged two to five and clad in white shirts and blue hats, through the mainly Muslim town of Kardjali on Saturday. .. Mass circumcision ceremonies are organised without charge for poor families. Kardjali, in the southern Rhodope mountains, is the centre of Bulgaria's Turkish minority, which represents about 10% of the Balkan country's population of eight million. The country’s Turkish Muslims previously suffered significant discrimination and mistreatment, notably in the mid-1980s, under a policy of Bulgarisation and cultural assimilation. As a result, a large number of Bulgarian Turks fled to Turkey. DUBAI  UAE Big families vulnerable, says police researcher  - 07 Oct 03 http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/news.asp?ArticleID=99586 .. Families comprising a large number of people living together are more prone to violence, according to a researcher at the Sharjah Police Research Centre. ..  Amna [Juma Al Kotbi] said research shows there are many reasons for family violence such as husbands' inability to solve problems, alcohol and drug addiction. She said other reasons are marriage to foreigners and health problems. The violence includes physical, verbal and psychological abuse. EGYPT [fatwas] Only where applicable    - 09 Oct 03 http://www.cairotimes.com/news/Fatwa0726.html .. The controversial fatwa–issued without the approval of Dar Al Iftaa–states that dealing with Iraq's governing council is haram (sacrilegious) because it was not established on the basis of Al Sharia Al Islamiya (Islamic laws) and because it was not elected by the Iraqi people, but rather appointed by the occupying power. .. Al Eish states in the fatwa that Iraq is an Islamic country that might lose its "Islamic identity" if it is not governed by a legitimate Islamic council chosen and elected freely by Iraqis. He adds that Iraq might lose the riches and stability given by God if Iraqis do not move toward having a legitimate government. .. Tantawi stated that the rulings of the Sheikh of Al Azhar apply only to Egypt and that the sheikh is not permitted to do the job of Iraq's religious leaders for them by issuing fatwas concerning their affairs. .. Tantawi's statement, however, has not been met with approval. "There is no one on earth who does not know and see what is happening to Iraq and its people, in addition to the conspiracies that aim to demolish this Islamic country," said Sabri Abdel Raouf, professor of Islamic Law at Al Azhar University to Al Hayat on 29 August "Therefore it is haram to deal with this governing council and it is forbidden for any country to deal with, help or cooperate with it because it is an unelected government." .. "Al Eish's fatwa is ijtihad [discretionary interpretation] of some of the verses in the Holy Quran and it should be respected by Tantawi since Islamic jurisprudence is full of ijtihad," he said. "It is also the first time since the establishment of Al Azhar more than one thousand year ago that a sheikh has said that Al Azhar's role should be only in Egypt," [a sheikh] told the Cairo Times. .. Meanwhile, the Jordanian Islamic Action Front, the political arm of the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood, issued a similar fatwa on 11 August. The fatwa stated that is haram for any Muslim to join Iraq's governing council or to cooperate with it. Salah Eddin Muhammad Bahaa, an Islamist member of Iraq's governing council, was quoted by Al Wafd newspaper on 27 August as saying that he does not agree with the Jordanian fatwa, pointing out that understanding the current sensitive situation in Iraq is essential before passing judgment. "It is not appropriate to issue religious fatwas to deal with political issues like the Iraqi case." The Battle for Young Minds  - 06 Oct 03 http://www.egypttoday.com/issues/0310/CDF7/0310CDF7.asp .. What should be a national debate has taken on an international tone after the Bush administration, as part of its war on terror, tied millions of aid dollars in part to education reforms in the Middle East. .. A number of local newspapers and magazines began running reports alleging the ministry was going to abide by US demands - allegedly channeled through USAID - and eliminate all religious education in both public and private schools in favor of a new subject called Al-Akhlak (ethics), to be taught to both Muslims and Christians in the 2003-2004 school year. .. "These were merely accusations or concerns that were being voiced," says Abdel Rahman El-Adawy, an MP, professor at Al Azhar's School of Islamic Theology and member of the prominent Center for Islamic Research. "What took place during our last session was by no means a debate over the merits of canceling religion in schools. "Religion in our schools cannot and will not be replaced," he stresses. .. Ethics will be taught this school year, [the minister] confirmed, but not as a substitute for religion. .. The new "Morals and Ethics" (Al Qeyam wal Akhlak) book that has been issued to students starting first grade is a series of short stories that highlight basic virtues like responsibility, kindness, appreciation of beauty, freedom, care for the environment, honesty, love, cleanliness, and cooperation. The first thing you notice is that all of the lessons try to make clear there are no differences between Christians and Muslims; we are all brothers in humanity, and decent behavior is common to all. The characters in the short stories invariably seem to be threesomes, with combinations such as "Ali, Joseph and Zeinab" or "Mohammed, Mahmoud and Gergis." .. "It's a shame, what we've gotten ourselves into," says Sheikh Gamal Kutb, the former head of Al Azhar's Fatwa Committee. "This new subject that they have introduced is simply a naïve repetition of what is taught in both the Muslim and Christian religious curriculums." [..] .. Filling the void are new private Islamic Language schools, the rise which has been quite noticeable over the past 10 years. There are at least a dozen of these schools today, emphasizing Arabic and the Quran in their daily curriculum. One new school, Al Hayah Academy, has even gone a step further. In an attempt to tap into the growing market of upscale, religious parents demanding quality education in five-star facilities, Al Hayah is the first Islamic International School in Egypt to teach an American curriculum within an overall Islamic theme. FRANCE 50,000 French Accepted Islam In 50 Years: Intelligence   - 08 Oct 03 http://www.islamonline.org/English/News/2003-10/08/article04.shtml .. Some 50,000 French have accepted Islam since the 1950's, a French intelligence report revealed, saying that most of the converters were heathens "who embraced Islam to fill their spiritual vacuum." The report, parts of which published by the daily Le Figaro Tuesday, October 8, said converting to Islam "has become a phenomenon (in France) that needs to be followed up closely." The "top-secret" report, as described by the daily, warned that Salafi groups might be behind the rising number of Muslim converters in France. It said that L'Essonne, 17 miles (27km) southeast of Paris, has the largest number of those who accepted Islam, with 1000 to 2000 out of a total of 50,000 converters in 53 years' time. The intelligence report said from two to three people are visiting the Islamic council in Evry, a department of L'Essonne, on a weekly basis to embrace Islam. .. The classified report further said the Pakistani Al-Da'wah and Tabligh group (inviting people to Islam and spreading the religion) plays a pivotal role in encouraging French youths to embrace Islam. It said the group is heavily represented in L'Essonne with 400 members and devotees, adding it promoted a "spiritual discourse competing with the dominant worldly pleasures." The report argued that the group and  Salafi groups are competing, noting that the Salafis have gained more ground over the past two years. It warned of the ideologies adopted by Salafi groups, recalling that one of the Casablanca bombings convicts was a French Muslim, who was sentenced to life imprisonment. French Leftist Groups Oppose Ban On Hijab In Schools   - 09 Oct 03  http://www.islam-online.net/English/News/2003-10/09/article06.shtml .. To express their opposition, several French leftist societies have organized a gathering on Tuesday, October7 , in front of the Henri Wallon lycee in the Paris northern suburb of Aubervilliers, during which they called for the return of French sisters, Lila and Alma Levy, to the institute. Lila and Alma, 18 and 16, were expelled after the school claimed they were wearing clothes "of an ostentatious character". .. In the same context, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy opposed passing a law that bans veils in schools. "There is no need to pass a law that bans religious symbols in France," Sarkozy said before the Commission of Bernar Stasse that is assigned with applying secular principles in France and preparing recommendations on the possibility of passing a law that bans veils in schools. .. Noting that many towns refused building permits for mosques on technical grounds, he remarked: "We've spent more energy using zoning laws to block the building of mosques than we have to protect our seashores."  Muslims also had no schools in France to train imams, or prayer leaders, forcing congregations to recruit men abroad who often speak no French and sometimes preach extremism.  Sarkozy also criticized French intellectuals who single out Islam for discriminating against women, saying this was a problem in all religions. "I don't see a lot of women in the Catholic Bishops' Conference in France," he observed. INDIA Jhatka vs halal: Sikh body raises meaty issue - 07 Oct 03 http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_407297,0008.htm .. If the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) has its way, all hotels, restaurants and fast-food chains will soon have to carry displays specifying the kind of meat they serve: halal or jhatka. SGPC honorary secretary Manjit Singh Calcutta has said he would write to the Union government to issue a notification in this regard because the consumption of halal meat is strictly prohibited for Sikhs. "It is, in fact, one of the cardinal sins for a Sikh to consume halal meat," said Calcutta. "In case a Sikh does so, he has to be re-baptised. Hence, it's important for eating joints to display what meat is served”. .. J.S. Grover of Nirula's, Delhi, said that most of the non-vegetarian items at their outlets were cut and processed with the help of machines. "Hence, it's difficult to ascertain whether it's halal or jhatka meat," he said. INDONESIA Clerics meet to push for sharia law  - 08 Oct 03 http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailnational.asp?fileid=20031008.C01 .. Around 200 extremist clerics began a national two-day meeting [National Mudzakkaroh (dialog)]  here on Tuesday to push for the introduction of sharia law in the predominantly Muslim country ahead of the 2004 general elections. The forum is aimed at consolidating ulemas and habaib (ethnic Arabs who claim to be able to trace their ancestry back to the Prophet Muhammad), grouped in the Islamic Propagation Center (Pusdai), in anticipation of a national leadership change after the 2004 election. Committee chairman Inqa Faqurroqobah said the participants were expected to agree on support for presidential candidates who were committed to promoting the implementation of sharia in Indonesia. IRAN [Ayatollah Khamenei] Magnificent Voice of Imam Khomeini Is Still Alive http://www.jihadunspun.com/intheatre_internal.php?article=78367&;list=/home.php& Ebadi thorn in side of clerical hardliners  - 10 Oct 03 http://www.reuters.co.uk/newsPackageArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&;storyID=386554 .. Iran's first woman judge before the 1979 Islamic revolution, Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi's work as a human rights activist has landed her in jail and seen her branded a threat to the Islamic system. .. The country's first woman judge, Ebadi was prevented from continuing in that role after the Islamic revolution when Sharia law was enforced. Women were too emotional and irrational to pass judgement in the courtroom, Iran's new leaders said. .. Ebadi found herself on the wrong side of the law in 2000, when she was accused of disseminating a politically-explosive videotape of a violent Islamic vigilante group member who confessed to links with conservative politicians in Iran. That incident landed Ebadi in Tehran's notorious Evin prison where scores of political dissidents are held. She was also banned from practising law for five years. Iranian woman executed for murder  - 09 Oct 03 http://www.iranmania.com/News/ArticleView/Default.asp?NewsCode=18576&;NewsKind=Current%20Affairs .. A 34-year-old Iranian woman convicted of murder has been executed by hanging in a Tehran prison, the Etemad newspaper reported Thursday. Zinat al-Sadat, a nurse, was found guilty of strangling a 70-year-old man and his 11-year-old grandson with a rope four years ago. The woman was charged with caring for the man, and had strangled him to rob him. The paper said she was executed. Executions of women are rare in Iran. Last year, some five women were executed in Iran, four of whom had been convicted of killing their husbands. Iranian Woman Faces Execution in Official's Death    - 05 Oct 03 http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/05/international/middleeast/05IRAN.html?ex=1065931200&;en=b4ce7eb7e47dc69c&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE .. An Iranian woman accused of killing a police chief in southern Iran who she said tried to rape her has been convicted and is to be executed, the Shargh newspaper reported Saturday.  The woman, Afsaneh Noroozi, 32, who has been in jail since 1997, said during her trial that she stabbed the chief of police intelligence on the island of Kish in self-defense when he tried to rape her. The police chief, whose name has not been made public, was a friend of Ms. Noroozi's family, and she was at his house as a guest. IRAQ Iraqi Religious Leaders Receive Threats from Militants - 04 Oct 03 http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=D4993D6A-7F63-4AE1-891A6F7D447CC13F .. Religious leaders in Iraq have received death threats from religious militants and followers of former President Saddam Hussein. The clerics say they won't give in to blackmail. Mujahedin, or religious fundamentalists, ordered a Sunni Muslim cleric in the Adhamiyah suburb of Baghdad recently to broadcast their message from the minaret, calling on followers to pick up weapons to wage holy war against the United States. When he refused, the militants said they would kill him. Iraq's governing council takes steps to assist Mecca pilgrimage http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/bw/Qiraq-saudi-pilgrims.RPRL_DO5.html ..      - 05 Oct 03 Iraq's transitional Governing Council announced it was taking steps to help people planning to make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Islam's holiest site, in Saudi Arabia, Baghdad's Al-Hadath daily reported Sunday. ..The pilgrimage, known as the Haj, will be held in January. The committee's creation follows the scrapping of the religious affairs ministry, the daily said. JORDAN Jordan, the al-Aqsa intifada and America's "war on terror" http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42325107 [Source: Middle East Policy journal]  - 01 Oct 03 KUWAIT Kuwait strengthens grip on charities  - 05 Oct 03 http://www.arabtimesonline.com/arabtimes/kuwait/Viewdet.asp?ID=1036&;cat=a .. Kuwait has stepped up measures to impose strict controls on assets of local charity organizations run by Islamic groups. Al-Qabas daily reported the Central Bank of Kuwait (CBK) has instructed all banks, financial institutions and money exchange firms to comply with a Cabinet decree banning the opening of accounts for charities without prior approval from the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour. The decree, passed after the Sept11 , 2001 terror attacks in the United States, also bans charities from transferring funds abroad without securing approval from the Foreign Affairs and Social Affairs ministries. According to the decree, charities' accounts are to be examined by ministry auditors and funds to be sent abroad only on a state-to-state level. Distribution of funds and donations is to be carried out under the supervision of Kuwaiti embassies abroad. The decree also requires charities to spend 70 per cent of raised funds in the country. NORWAY Journalists given police protection over Muslim sex article - 09 Oct 03   http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_827204.html .. Two Norwegian journalists have been given police protection after publishing an article on how to get sex from Muslim women. It comes after a man who shares the same name as writer Bård Torgersen was beaten by a gang of 15 Asian youths outside his flat. Both Torgersen and Gaute Drevdal, editor of Natt & Dag which published the article, have now been given police protection, reports Nettavisen. They have also apologised for using text from the Koran to illustrate the piece, entitled Natt & Dag's guide to getting sex from Muslims. Mr Drevdal said: "This is a frightful attack on free speech. The article is very satirical and mocks, in all possible ways, our prejudices. "It focuses on the cultural conventions and prejudices. However, Natt & Dag is not a supporter of blasphemy, and I therefore apologise for using text from the Koran." PAKISTAN Obituary: Azam Tariq — a Sunni supremacist - 07 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_7-10-2003_pg7_24 .. Maulana Muhammad Azam Tariq, gunned down on Monday near Islamabad, was a Sunni supremacist. Under him, the Sipah-e-Sahaba [Millat-e-Islamia, as the SSP is now known] often resorted to violence in its struggle to have Pakistan officially declared a Sunni-Muslim state. .. Born in Chichawatni to a family of self-described religious scholars, Mr Tariq was schooled in madrassas in Faisalabad and Karachi. He spoke Arabic, knew the Quran by heart and was a frequent visitor to Afghanistan during the Taliban years. .. Despite support from the Islamist alliance, Mr Tariq threw in his lot with the Muslim League-Quaid. He even chided the MMA government in the Frontier for refusing to hew the federal line and quarterbacking the Sharia. .. http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=981CA418-E0EC-4745-B93F465761656236 .. Hundreds of Islamic seminary students went on a rampage Tuesday after the funeral for Maulana Azam Tariq. Students ran toward Islamabad's business district, chanting anti-Shi'ite slogans and smashing shop windows and cars. They also tried to torch the city's only movie theater. .. Shiite Mob Goes on Rampage in Pakistan  - 04 Oct 03 http://news.findlaw.com/ap_stories/i/1104/10-4-2003/20031004041504_3.html .. Hundreds of Shiite Muslim protesters threw bricks at a fast food restaurant, burned cars and damaged a gas station Saturday in southern Pakistan before the funeral for a member of the minority group killed in an attack on a bus. .. Violence Wracks Sunni Politician Funeral  - 07 Oct 03 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=42401212 .. Rioters attacked police and burned Shiite Muslim mosques in several Pakistani cities Tuesday demanding revenge as a hard-line Sunni Muslim politician was buried a day after he was gunned down in the capital. .. Curbing sectarian violence - By Sadia Saeed - 07 Oct 03 http://www.hipakistan.com/en/detail.php?newsId=en40985 .. Pakistan's militant Islamic groups   - 07 Oct 03 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3170970.stm [HRCP] 'Hudood Ordinance repugnant to Islam' - 06 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_6-10-2003_pg7_10 .. Speakers at a seminar on the Hudood Ordinance, which was promulgated in 1979, on Sunday demanded the government repeal the law immediately because it was unjust and against Islamic injunctions. The seminar was held at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) office. [..] National body to review laws on women  - 04 Oct 03 http://www.dawn.com/2003/10/04/local26.htm .. The National Commission on the Status of Women will shortly review the Qisas and Diyat, and the Blasphemy laws. The chairperson of the commission, Justice Majida Rizvi (retired) told Dawn that they would ascertain whether the two laws were affecting the status and rights of women or not. When asked whether it was in the purview of the commission to review the blasphemy law, Ms Rizvi stated that they were empowered to review all laws and rules affecting the status and rights of women. Ms Rizvi, who visited Peshawar in connection with a consultation on Hudood ordinances, said that under the law the commission could only put forward recommendations to the government and had no powers of implementing them. .. 88pc women in jails due to flaws in Hudood Ord - 08 Oct 03 http://www.dawn.com/2003/10/08/nat14.htm .. As many as 88 per cent of women prisoners in the country are languishing in jails as a result of ambiguities in the Zina Ordinance. This has been stated in the final report of the special committee on Hudood Ordinance, which was constituted by the National Commission on the Status of Women to repeal or amend the controversial law. .. It said majority of the meetings of the committee were dedicated to the most complicated of all the ordinances - the Zina Ordinance. Short of conviction, women have been held for extended periods of time on charges of Zina after they reported rape. "Therefore, majority of the women in jails are there due to the Zina Ordinance." .. However, after the introduction of these ordinances, in particular the one relating to the offence of Zina and Qazf coupled with the subsequent enforcement of Qisas and Diyat Ordinance, it has been found that instead of remedying social ills, the laws led to an increase in injustice against women and, in fact, became an instrument of oppression. "There have been hundreds of incidents where a woman subjected to rape or even gang-rape was eventually accused of Zina and subjected to wrong and unjust persecution and great ordeal." .. The condition of four witnesses was most of the time ignored or sidelined depending on irrational suppositions. As a result of strong and sustained pressure from women's rights groups in civil society, no woman was subjected to the punishment of flogging or for that matter "Rajam", but nevertheless, the threat remained and that in itself caused great distress to the women who even otherwise remained the most exploited individuals in society. Lawyer moves Lahore High Court for enforcement of Sharia  - 05 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_5-10-2003_pg10_2 .. Advocate MD Advocate MD Tahir on Saturday filed a petition before the Lahore High Court, seeking the enforcement of Shariah Act 1991 and the 1973 Constitution. The petitioning lawyer also demanded the government help Islamic countries instead of big powers. Mr Tahir said the government should be prevented from declaring Muslim freedom fighters terrorists. He also demanded the government take action against those who are criticizing Hadood laws, and eradicate evils from society. This petition will come up for hearing on Monday. .. Plea against runaway girls' marriages  - 05 Oct 03 http://www.dawn.com/2003/10/05/local31.htm .. The Lahore High Court was requested through a writ petition filed on Saturday to direct the federal government to frame laws to discourage marriages of runaway girls and the legal protection being accorded to such marriages. The petitioner, M.D. Tahir, invoked the constitutional jurisdiction of the LHC, arguing that it was obligatory for the federal government to implement the provisions of both the Shariat and the 1973 Constitution, which did not permit marriages involving runaway girls.  He said the younger lot had started contracting marriages without the consent of their parents after elopement, leaving the parents of girls involved in such incidents with no option but to get a Hudood case registered against the boy. However, the courts quashed these FIRs in almost all such incidents with the observation that nobody could interfere in these matters once two persons had accepted each other wilfully. .. The legislature was bound by the Shariat Act 1991 to promulgate laws in accordance with Islam, in which there was no concept of marriages involving runaway girls. Once a complaint has been lodged with police by the aggrieved parents under Section 154 of the CrPC, investigation was a must and the FIR could be quashed only if it was lodged with malafide intentions, the petitioner submitted, seeking strict action against the NGOs opposing the Hudood laws and supporting marriages of runaway girls. [Kashmir] A strange 'hudood' case?  - 09 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_9-10-2003_pg3_1 .. In a BBC radio report last week, the case of a Pakistani woman stranded in Held Kashmir has become highlighted. The case is several years old and concerns a Pakistani woman who jumped into Jhelum River with the intent to commit suicide but was washed to the other side of the riverine boundary. The Indians arrested her for illegal (sic!) entry and sent her to jail where she was raped by a jail official. By the time she was out of jail she had a small daughter with her. The Indian court decided quite rightly that pending her repatriation to Pakistan, she should be given accommodation and a stipend from a Rs 300,000 account opened in her favour in a local bank. While her case for repatriation was being prepared her daughter grew up and is now able to express her views. However when the Indian border force offered to repatriate the two through their Pakistani counterparts it got a refusal. It is not known clearly why the Pakistani authorities refused to repatriate a Pakistani citizen. One reason could be that the Indian-born daughter was not a Pakistani. How could an Indian national be allowed entry into Pakistan? The dilemma that arises from this observation is: how can the Pakistani authorities refuse to take back a national of Pakistan being repatriated from another country? But the real reason could be the Pakistani laws in force concerning the morality of women. The woman will have to face trial in Pakistan on two counts: the attempted suicide, which is a crime, and illegal crossing of the border. A third case is sure to be brought against her by the pious citizens of Pakistan: how can she account for the illegitimate child she has brought back from India? The police will be keen to register the case under the Hudood Ordinance concerning Zina. She will not be able to bring four male witnesses to prove her allegation of rape, whereafter the judge's hands will be tied to punish her for having committed fornication, the minimum sentence for which is stoning to death. It is much better therefore to let the woman and her daughter rot in Held Kashmir! [NWFP] Tribesmen get notices for sheltering Qaeda men    - 05 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_5-10-2003_pg7_12 .. The South Waziristan Agency's political administration served notices to the Zalikhel tribe on Saturday to hand over three people suspected of sheltering Qaeda suspects in violation of an agreement the tribe signed with the federal government last year. Prayers to be compulsory in NWFP during Ramazan - 10 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_10-10-2003_pg1_5 .. The Sharia Council on Thursday said interest-free banking would be launched during Ramazan in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and offering prayers would be compulsory in all government departments. .. The council was formed in January 2003, which prepared a comprehensive Sharia document within three months. The document contained both the Sharia Bill and the Hisba Act but the provincial government separated the Hisba Act from the bill, Mufti Kafayat said. [NWFP] PPPP terms Hasba Act supra constitutional - 06 Sep 03 http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/sep2003-daily/06-09-2003/national/n2.htm .. Parliamentary leader of Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) in the NWFP Assembly Abdul Akbar Khan has strongly opposed the proposed Hasba Act to be presented by Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) in the assembly and termed it as supra constitutional. .. Akbar Khan expressed his wonder that the bill was a unique law as it has no sections or rules but the whole authority was the provincial or district qazi. He said that in the constitution qualification and character of a person has been defined under section 62 and 63 but here in the Hasba bill both the provincial and district qazi have been empowered to disqualify a person from a parliamentary election while their decision could not be challenged in any court therefore, it is above the constitution. RUSSIA Dagestani Mujahideen made an address  -  05 Oct 03 http://www.kavkazcenter.com/eng/article.php?id=1748 .. Informational Center of the United Command of the Mujahideen of Dagestan contacted Kavkaz Center news and information agency via e-mail and forwarded the address to the Muslims of Dagestan, which over the past few days has been actively distributed in the form of leaflets on the territory of the Republic (of Dagestan).  [..] .. Today Dagestan is a typical model of a so-called democratic society deprived of any spiritual or moral values, where people are moved solely by craving for profits and by the inept mentality where the highest goal is to get a place at the government's sinecure. This is the thinking they are living by without seeing the problems of the society and of Islam behind the horizons of their home villages. And all of it is going on by total consent and actual betrayal by the Republic's so-called «clergy». SAUDI ARABIA Action Is Taken Against Erring Officials: Religious Police Chief http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&;section=0&article=33061&d=5&m=10&y=2003 ..      - 05 Oct 03 Sheikh Ibrahim ibn Abdullah Al-Ghaith, president of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, has admitted that his officials have held married couples for questioning when they were found in "suspicious circumstances".  ..   he said violating the privacy of people engaged in forbidden acts was necessary in order to protect society from crimes. SOUTH AFRICA Idols show forbidden, council tells Muslims - 07 Oct 03 http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20031007143933221C930065 SYRIA I told you so: Syria, Oslo and the Al-Aqsa intifada    - 01 Oct 03 http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42325106 [Source: Middle East Policy journal] TURKEY Turkish sisters re-arrested over hijab  - 07 Oct 03 http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/A30164A1-0E41-4C43-B452-5F648D537680.htm .. The London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission [www.ihrc.org] said Nurilhak and Nurcihan Saatcioglu have been arrested several times in the past four years after they attended an anti-hijab ban rally in 1999. The pair were taken back into custody on Saturday after the Turkish appeal court reimposed an extended sentence for their participation in the rally in Malatya. They are currently being held indefinitely in the Bakirkoy Woman and Child Prison in Istanbul. .. The four women were originally charged with attempting to overthrow the Turkish government, but the charges were changed to "violating the gathering and demonstration act". Turkish law upholds a ban on the hijab in universities, higher educational establishments and Islamic colleges. Harassment of women workers who wear the headscarf is also common in public offices, hospitals and government buildings. UK Ahmadiyya mosque opens in London  - 04 October 03 http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s959933.htm .. An Islamic group which says it has more than 200 million followers worldwide has inaugurated one of Europe's largest mosques. More than 10,000 followers gathered in the grounds of the Baitul Futuh mosque, a huge white marble structure in southwest London. The Ahmadiyya community mosque features two minarets, a library, three conference rooms, a gym and a dome 23 metres high. It cost more than $US16 million to build and followers say it is the largest and most sophisticated mosque in Britain. The Ahmadiyya community claims to stand for moderation and believes Islam can not be imposed by force or jihad. USA Pro-U.S. Fatwas  [Source: Middle East Policy journal] - 01 Oct 03 http://beta.yellowbrix.com/pages/beta/Story.nsp?story_id=42325105 [Arts] Quest for the Muslim niche market  - 04 Oct 03 http://www.msnbc.com/news/972579.asp Iraqi war brides caught in red tape - 04 Oct 03 http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/iraq_conflict/article/0,1406,KNS_9217_2321077,00.html .. Two Florida National Guard soldiers are being investigated for allegedly defying a commander's order by marrying Iraqi brides and the Army is trying to prevent the women from coming to the United States, their families said. The men, both Christians who converted to Islam so they could be married under Iraqi law, had expected to return to the Florida Panhandle this month, but a new Army policy that requires troops to remain in Iraq for 12 continuous months may keep them there until April. .. Blackwell's wife, now working as an interpreter for an American company in Baghdad, wrote that her husband already is being punished because the Army has prevented him from seeing or talking to her since the double wedding on Aug. 17. .. McKee said the soldiers are being barred from using e-mail. For a time they also were prohibited from calling home, but that privilege has been restored, she said. .. Blackwell wrote in his letter to Miller that the Army Inspector General's office has told him he cannot be punished for getting married, but that he could be disciplined for disobeying an order. .. Blackwell wrote that the [Iraqi] threats began even before they were married because of his wife's Western way of dress and thought. The marriages just increased the threats, McKee said. Muslim teen falls foul of anti-gang rules in US school  - 10 Oct 03 http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/s964485.htm .. A Muslim teenager's battle to wear her religious headdress to school has landed her in hot water with authorities in the American state of Oklahoma. Education officials in Muskogee have twice suspended Nashala Hearn for violating a dress code by wearing the Muslim head scarf, or hijab. The 11-year-old is scheduled to return to school next week after her latest suspension, but officials say she will not be admitted if she continues to wear the scarf. The school dress code bans the wearing of hats, caps, bandanas or other headwear inside school buildings, and was initially devised to deter gang-related activity. [North Carolina] Lawmaker targets D.C. Islam group - 05 Oct 03 http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&;u_pg=54&u_sid=876767&PHPSESSID=a009595748d13aff5a6c238280e07ab4 .. U.S. Rep. Cass Ballenger blames the breakup of his 50-year marriage partly on the stress of living near a leading American Muslim advocacy group that he and his wife worried was so close to the U.S. Capitol that "they could blow the place up." WORLD Edward Said (1935 - 2003) [a number of the obituary pieces we have received, together with Edward Said's first and last articles for the Weekly]  http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/658/special.htm [Fatwa] My Aunt Breastfed Me Twice: Can I Marry Her Daughter? - 04 Oct http://www.islam-online.net/fatwaapplication/english/display.asp?hFatwaID=12569 .. Q:  I proposed marriage to the daughter of my maternal aunt, but when the time for marriage drew close my aunt told me that she had breastfed me twice when I was little, but I had not drunk my fill on those occasions. A: [Sheikh M. S. Al-Munajjid, S.A.:] "It is permissible for you to marry the daughter of your maternal aunt in this situation, because breastfeeding (rada'ah) only makes the woman (and her daughters) the mahrams of the child who nursed if it takes place five times. [A mahram is a relative whom one is forbidden to marry and with whom the rulings of hijab or covering do not apply]." .. A: [An-Nawawi:] The majority of scholars said that the ruling applies if breastfeeding occurs once.  .. .. A: [Sheikh Ibn 'Uthaymeen:] One session of breastfeeding does not have any effect, rather it must be five sessions of breastfeeding that occur before the child is weaned and before he reaches the age of two. A person does not become the woman's (foster) child if he breastfeeds once or twice or three or four times. It must also be five known sessions of breastfeeding.   [www.islam-qa.com] .. [Fatwa] Siblings through Breastfeeding   - 09 May 03 http://www.islam-online.net/fatwa/english/FatwaDisplay.asp?hFatwaID=36350 Authoritarianism : Southeast Asian dares to say enough is enough http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailfeatures.asp?fileid=20031005.G08 .. Challenging Authoritarianism in Southeast Asia: Comparing Indonesia and Malaysia Edited by Ariel Heryanto and Sumit K. Mandal, RoutledgeCurzon, London, 2003, 247 pp. .. In the editors' words, Southeast Asian authoritarianism has been critically challenged in the 1990s and beyond. Civil forces, which the book examines so richly, have been shown to have resisted the authoritarianism found in both Indonesia and Malaysia, with salutary results.  Women activists, public intellectuals, artists, the industrial class, environmental and Islamic activists continue to make significant inroads into hegemonic and panoptic edifices of the state. FINANCE Moin A Siddiqi analyses banking trends across the Middle East region http://www.zawya.com/story.cfm?id=ZAWYA20030928112523&;Section=Industries&page=Financial%20Services [Bahrain] Full support to Islamic banks  - 06 Oct 03 http://infobrix.yellowbrix.com/pages/infobrix/Story.nsp?story_id=42375655 .. ''The pioneers of modern-day Islamic banking and finance recognized the importance and reliance on a single, international Shari'a board to undertake the function of issuing all Shari'a standards and requirements for Islamic investment and finance structures so that its resolution may be binding on all. No doubt, the Shari'a Board of the AAOIFI [Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions] satisfies the criteria as board members are highly respected scholars representing several Islamic countries. "The BMA [Bahrain Monetary Agency] has accorded due recognition to the AAOIFI Shari'a Board by adopting all Shari'a standards as well as all accounting and auditing standards issued by the organization and mandating them for the IFIs licensed by the agency. I urge all monetary authorities and central banks to adopt a similar strategy and implement all Shari'a standards and requirements issued by the organization.     [Bahrain Tribune] [Pakistan] Banks, NBFCs to set up common Sharia board  - 10 Oct 03 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_10-10-2003_pg5_3 .. Banks and non-banking financial companies interested in launching Islamic financial products are considering setting up a joint association to help develop the market for Islamic finance. .. According to the source, the main reason for establishing the association is to form a "Common Sharia Board" for the whole financial sector to get the required fatwas on new Islamic financial products. .. The source informed that a Sharia board at government level is operational in Malaysia under the chairmanship of the prime minister. "This experience is successful in Malaysia and Pakistan can share the expertise," he said. The source added that the religious board especially designed for the modaraba sector has been ineffective for the last one year, which is the main cause in the delay in launching of new Islamic products. Moulana Taqi Usmani was the chairman of the board, but he was removed from the position due to differences with the government. Islamic banks can play key role in development/ Bahrain - 08 Oct 03 http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=30989 .. Chairman of Dallah Al Baraka Group, Shaikh Saleh Kamel .. speaking at the opening session of the fifth International Conference on Islamic Economics and Finance ..  underlined the importance of Islamic banking industry in efforts to cope with the future challenges. "Islamic banks have remained restricted to fighting usury (riba), and hence ignored other aspects of the Islamic economy and Shari'ah objectives with regard to financial activity such as cultivation of land and achievement of economic development through new innovative, diversified and multi-activity tools having different terms and periods," .. "The increase in the balanced demand is a very important aspect of the Islamic economy which secular economic systems have ignored. They (secular economic systems) speak about the importance of creating and increasing demand and explain its importance, but they do not lay down effective tools to guarantee this increase or to create effective demand. In this respect they advise to carry out advertising, promotion or create new tools, which are all harmful. On the other hand, Islam creates and increases effective demand which is related to an actual purchasing power motivated by Zakah recipients' categories, charity, atonement, Qard-e-Hassan," he explained. "Unfortunately, Islamic banking has exerted all efforts to get rid of riba in form and reality. However, they (Islamic banks) have not shown us clearly the difference between application of the Islamic banking and riba-based banking due to the limited success achieved by Islamic banks in use of resources by, treating money as a means of transaction, not an instrument of transaction. In competing with conventional banks nationally and internationally. the Islamic banks have neglected problems of the nation such as alleviation of poverty, countering unemployment, and providing job opportunities," he said [Pakistan] MAP seeks permission for housing finance - 30 Sep 03 http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/sep2003-daily/30-09-2003/business/b4.htm .. Modaraba* Association of Pakistan (MAP) has approached policymakers and regulators to allow modaraba financing in housing sector. .. [MAP chairman] said that many modarabas had approached the regulators to grant permission for the start of specific housing modarabas. They wanted to start housing finance on the basis of Islamic mortgages, he added.  He disclosed, at present, the draft of new Modaraba Ordinance and rules were under process of approval and the policymakers were also framing new prudential regulations for the modarabas. .. He said during 2002-03 out of 32 modarabas 12 modarabas had declared cash dividends ranging from 4.50 per cent to 50 per cent. Results of 15 modarabas were still awaited while the market capitalisation of modarabas had reached Rs 9.20 billion [EUR 136 mill.]. .. * Mudaraba / Modaraba (Trust Financing) http://www.islamicconferences.com/glossary.htm [*]  Copyright: In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107 - http://liimirror.warwick.ac.uk/uscode/17/107.html - this material is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this list for purposes that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. [USA:  http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.html]   5:31:37 PM    comment []