Muslims must rethink Islam, learn from the West -- Syed Akbar Ali

[Asadullah Syed]

	Muslims must rethink Islam, learn from the West
	If Muslims want to succeed in anything useful, determine new directions and new dimensions and if they want to influence the world and restore their glory they need urgently to re-examine their religion. The Muslim hatred of democracy, pluralism, religious tolerance, co-existence and freedom of expression still continues unabated. The battle between the rigid, closed and dogmatic ideology of religion and unfettered thinking is by no means decided but its outcome will determine whether Muslims will embrace freedom, democracy, pluralism, coexistence, progress and tolerance or succumb to non-compromising fundamentalism, conflict and relentless war against the civilized world. The incessant rage, hostility and violence of the dejected Muslims will further destabilize the entire world. … Indeed the West runs almost entirely on ’ilm or knowledge. On the other hand the Islamic countries are often shackled by the ideas of the habar or the priests of religion who run on hot air. -- Syed Akbar Ali
		More...

 

	Urdu Section
	Islamic Way of Life
	By Javed Chowdhury
		More...

 

	Islam and Politics
	Pakistan's perfidy on Gilgit-Baltistan: New Package, old policy
	It is a ‘New Package with old policy’, which aims to maximise Pakistani gains at the expense of the local people. Aim of Pakistani policy makers has always been to subjugate people, deprive them of fundamental rights, strengthen undemocratic forces, and promote communalism, extremism and hatred to divide people and plunder resources of this area. Malika Baltistani, Chairperson Gilgit Baltistan National Alliance, in a letter to PM of Pakistan said: ‘It is a mournful reality that you have further continued a tradition to prolong our slavery by only altering the titles of the portfolios of our future "masters" than transforming our constitutional, democratic and basic rights from darkness to enlightenment. -- Dr Shabir Choudhry
		More...

 

	Islamic World News
	First female minister in the history of Islamic Republic of Iran
	Systematic discrimination in Saudi Arabia against Shia Muslims Saudis 'must offer Shias equality': Human Rights Watch Turkish Hackers Facilitate Assyrian Book Sales by Rosie Malek-Yonan Moderate, Progressive Malaysian Islam Fascinates China Too many Hindu temples making Muslim Malays uneasy, say radicals SIM racket uncovered in J&K, over 30,000 connections cancelled Pak Army against allowing US to expand its war on terror Three Houthi leaders killed' in northern Yemen 'Fast during Ramadan to understand Muslims'': Boris Johnson Gaza sewage 'a threat to Israel' UP ‘mystery cat’ attacks may fuel Hindu-Muslim riots in Ramzan Canadian jihadist gets 14-year sentence A New British Muslim newspaper set to hit newsstands Turkish President confirms support to Iraq Dozen bombings in Iraq kill at least 6, wound 85 WAMY condemns assassination attempt of Saudi Prince Many die in Afghan tanker blasts Israel: IDF Arrests Terror Suspect in Shechem Compiled by Nasir Kashaf
		More...

 

	Islam and Sectarianism
	Are Wahhabis up-keepers of a purer form of religion than other Sunnis?
	"The Messenger will say: ‘My Lord, surely my people have taken the Quran for a joke” Surah 25:30. Wahhabis feel that they are up-keepers of a purer form of religion than other Sunnis. The Wahhabis believe that their version of religion is derived from the salaf or the earliest three generations that succeeded the prophet - the generation of the sahaba or companions, then the tabiin (second generation) and finally the tabii tabiin (third generation) after the Prophet. They reject many rituals and other understanding of religion which is practiced by the Sunnis which they say were liberal innovations or bida’a that came after these three earliest generations. They use this word bida’a or liberal innovations very freely to describe many things that came into being after the first three generations. Before and soon after Abdel Aziz Ibn Saud the founder of Saudi Arabia established the Kingdom his supporters set off on murderous religious expeditions inside the land where they would wipe out entire villages including men, women and children who were not Wahhabis. This was done to cleanse Saudi Arabia of bida’a. -- Syed Akbar Ali
	7 Comments	More..

 

	Muslims must rethink Islam, learn from the West
	If Muslims want to succeed in anything useful, determine new directions and new dimensions and if they want to influence the world and restore their glory they need urgently to re-examine their religion. The Muslim hatred of democracy, pluralism, religious tolerance, co-existence and freedom of expression still continues unabated. The battle between the rigid, closed and dogmatic ideology of religion and unfettered thinking is by no means decided but its outcome will determine whether Muslims will embrace freedom, democracy, pluralism, coexistence, progress and tolerance or succumb to non-compromising fundamentalism, conflict and relentless war against the civilized world. The incessant rage, hostility and violence of the dejected Muslims will further destabilize the entire world. … Indeed the West runs almost entirely on ’ilm or knowledge. On the other hand the Islamic countries are often shackled by the ideas of the habar or the priests of religion who run on hot air. -- Syed Akbar Ali
		More...

 

	Urdu Section
	Islamic Way of Life
	By Javed Chowdhury
		More...

 

	Islam and Politics
	Pakistan's perfidy on Gilgit-Baltistan: New Package, old policy
	It is a ‘New Package with old policy’, which aims to maximise Pakistani gains at the expense of the local people. Aim of Pakistani policy makers has always been to subjugate people, deprive them of fundamental rights, strengthen undemocratic forces, and promote communalism, extremism and hatred to divide people and plunder resources of this area. Malika Baltistani, Chairperson Gilgit Baltistan National Alliance, in a letter to PM of Pakistan said: ‘It is a mournful reality that you have further continued a tradition to prolong our slavery by only altering the titles of the portfolios of our future "masters" than transforming our constitutional, democratic and basic rights from darkness to enlightenment. -- Dr Shabir Choudhry
		More...

 

	Islamic World News
	First female minister in the history of Islamic Republic of Iran
	Systematic discrimination in Saudi Arabia against Shia Muslims Saudis 'must offer Shias equality': Human Rights Watch Turkish Hackers Facilitate Assyrian Book Sales by Rosie Malek-Yonan Moderate, Progressive Malaysian Islam Fascinates China Too many Hindu temples making Muslim Malays uneasy, say radicals SIM racket uncovered in J&K, over 30,000 connections cancelled Pak Army against allowing US to expand its war on terror Three Houthi leaders killed' in northern Yemen 'Fast during Ramadan to understand Muslims'': Boris Johnson Gaza sewage 'a threat to Israel' UP ‘mystery cat’ attacks may fuel Hindu-Muslim riots in Ramzan Canadian jihadist gets 14-year sentence A New British Muslim newspaper set to hit newsstands Turkish President confirms support to Iraq Dozen bombings in Iraq kill at least 6, wound 85 WAMY condemns assassination attempt of Saudi Prince Many die in Afghan tanker blasts Israel: IDF Arrests Terror Suspect in Shechem Compiled by Nasir Kashaf
		More...

 

	Islam and Sectarianism
	Are Wahhabis up-keepers of a purer form of religion than other Sunnis?
	"The Messenger will say: ‘My Lord, surely my people have taken the Quran for a joke” Surah 25:30. Wahhabis feel that they are up-keepers of a purer form of religion than other Sunnis. The Wahhabis believe that their version of religion is derived from the salaf or the earliest three generations that succeeded the prophet - the generation of the sahaba or companions, then the tabiin (second generation) and finally the tabii tabiin (third generation) after the Prophet. They reject many rituals and other understanding of religion which is practiced by the Sunnis which they say were liberal innovations or bida’a that came after these three earliest generations. They use this word bida’a or liberal innovations very freely to describe many things that came into being after the first three generations. Before and soon after Abdel Aziz Ibn Saud the founder of Saudi Arabia established the Kingdom his supporters set off on murderous religious expeditions inside the land where they would wipe out entire villages including men, women and children who were not Wahhabis. This was done to cleanse Saudi Arabia of bida’a. -- Syed Akbar Ali
	7 Comments	More..

 

--
Asadullah Syed