Some thoughts on the news, religion and life in general
Archive for August, 2009
Sacking of Ramadan – a deeper problem
Aug 25th
Tariq Ramadan, Islamic scholar, a professor at several universities including Oxford in England – was sacked this week by a Dutch university and as advisor on integration to the City of Rotterdam. His crime was hosting a show on the Iranian channel Press TV. The university claimed that appearing on the Iranian television show was endorsing the policies of the Iranian regime.
So how does someone who is so highly regarded, appointed for two separate posts in the Netherlands, suddenly become ‘irreconcilable’? Of course, the issue is a lot more deeper than merely appearing on Press TV. More >
Foreign Secretary justifies terrorism
Aug 16th
So David Miliband has finally accepted that Hamas has a legitimate right to resist occupation! I haven’t made this up, just look at what he said on BBC Radio 4. Asked whether he thought terrorism can be justified, the British Foriegn Secretary replied:
‘Yes, there are circumstances in which it is justifiable, and yes, there are circumstances in which it is effective.’ More >
Jim’s on his way out – trust me!
Aug 14th
I was utterly disgusted and fuming when I read my local MP’s despicable attack on Muslim culture, traditions, Islamic wedding customs, the Shariah, the London Muslim Centre (LMC) and the Islamic Forum of Europe (IFE) – all in a short press statement made to the East London Advertiser. More >
Define irony
Aug 12th
A coachload of Muslims en route to maintain a Prophetic tradition – the Walima (wedding feast), begin the journey with a Bollywood song which starts with ‘Oom Mangalam Mangalam’.
It was clear from the dress and some other antics, that the majority would get their way and make it a Bollywood themed trip. However, starting the journey with a Hindu Mantra instead of a supplication (Du’a al-Safr) was one step too far. More >
What will you plan this Ramadan?
Aug 11th
Yes Ramadan is at our doorstep. Only 10 days or so to go before we are in what is known in the Islamic calendar as the best of months, in which there is even a night better than a thousand months.
Indeed it was in this month that God, in His infinite mercy decided to send the His eternal Speech, His guidance to humanity: the Qur’an. So what will we get out of it this time? More >
You have 1 new PhD in text messaging
Aug 8th
I think it is common knowledge to everyone reading this that as Muslims we are commanded to learn and study, and knowledge occupies a grand and sacred position in our heritage.
Islam calls us to seek knowledge from the cradle to the grave. ‘Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.’ [Sunan Ibn Majah]. Even the first verse or command to be revealed to the Prophet was Iqra, which means to read or to lean.
Scholars like Imam Shafi’i categorise knowledge into two types, he said: “Knowledge is only of two kinds: religious knowledge and worldly knowledge. The knowledge that belongs to the domain of religion is Islamic Law and the knowledge that belongs to the domain of worldly matters is medicine.” More >
