ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 1

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32 Pages Rs. 25 Bengaluru English MonthlyAugust 2016 Vol. 29-8 No. 356 Shawwal/Zeeqaida 1437 H

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

New Delhi: Despite almost trebling in the decade ending 2010 from 5.2 percent to 13.8 percent, the rate of Muslim enrolment in higher education trailed the national figure of 23.6 percent and that of other backward classes (22.1 percent) and scheduled castes (18.5 percent). Scheduled tribes lagged behind Muslims by 0.5 percent.The rate of enrolment is a measure

of the number of enrolments in higher education, regardless of age, in a given academic year compared to the 18 to 23 year-old population eligible for higher education in that year.In proportion to their population, Muslims were worse-off than scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. Muslims comprise 14 percent of India’s population, but account for 4.4 percent of students enrolled in higher education, according to the 2014-15 All India Survey on Higher Education.The situation has worsened over

the last half century, according to the 2006 Sachar Committee, appointed to examine the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community.Among younger members of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, (aged 20 to 30), the committee reported three times the proportion of graduates as in older scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (aged 51 years

and above). Among Muslims, the committee found double the proportion of graduates among younger Muslims compared to older ones, “a widening gap between Muslim men and women compared with ‘All Others’, and an almost certain possibility that Muslims will fall far behind even the SCs/STs, [scheduled castes and scheduled tribes] if the trend is not reversed”.Since Justice Rajindar Sachar completed his report a decade ago, the gross enrolment rate of Muslims doubled from 6.84

percent to 13.8 percent. Despite this, they trail the national average.The 147 percent increase in enrolment rate for scheduled

castes and 96 percent increase for scheduled tribes since 2001, though it lags in comparison to the general population, is the outcome of affirmative action.

Hindus who are not classified backward and other minorities, spent 60 percent more than Muslims on education. No more than 81 percent of urban male Muslims are literate, the lowest literacy rate among urban males from Indian religious groups Hindus (91 percent), Christians (94 percent), Sikhs (86 percent) and Others (95 percent), according to Employment and Unemployment

All India Survey on Higher Education

Muslims Have Lowest Rate of Enrollment Muslims comprise 14 percent of India’s

population, but account for 4.4 percent of students enrolled in higher education, according

to the 2014-15, All India Survey on Higher Education, released recently. Muslims are worse-off than scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

In the North, lack of schools holds back Muslims from higher education. “There is a spectacular ‘digital divide’ between South and North Indian Muslims

in terms of education, and thereby in political empowerment,” wrote Syed Iqbal Hasnain, former

vice chancellor of the University of Calicut.

37% of Americans view Islam Unfavorably

Majority of them support Trump, reveals a latest survey

Washington: Many Americans view Islam unfavorably, and supporters of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump are more than twice as likely to view the religion negatively as those backing Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, according to a Reuters online poll of more than 7,000 Americans.It shows that 37 percent of American adults have a "somewhat unfavorable" or

"very unfavorable" view of Islam. This includes 58 percent of Trump supporters and 24

percent of Clinton supporters, a contrast largely mirrored by the breakdown between Republicans and Democrats. By comparison, respondents overall had an

equally unfavorable view of atheism at 38 percent, compared with 21 percent for Hinduism, 16

percent for Judaism and 8 percent for Christianity.The race for the Nov. 8 US presidential election has put a spotlight on Americans' views of Muslims with Trump

proposing a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. The ideological divide between

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim

civil rights group, attacks on American Muslims and on mosques in the United States rose in 2015 to their highest level

ever recorded

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 2advertisement

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 3UPdate

By A Staff Writer

Bhatkal: The Jukaku Shamsuddin Memorial Administrative Building and S. M. Yahya Memorial PG Block were commissioned here on July 17 in the premises of Anjuman Group of Institutions. The inauguration took place at the hands of Mr. R. V. Deshpande, Minister for Higher Education. The Anjuman Hami e Muslimeen, Bhatkal which runs a

string of educational institutions in Bhatkal, dedicated its newly-built administrative office building to the memory of Jukaku Shamsuddin, who served as the general secretary of the Anjuman between 1938 and 1958. The elegant edifice in Anjumanabad campus has currently 13,000 sq. ft. area in the ground and the first floor with scope for further expansion. It was designed by Muzammil Design Studios and constructed by Thomas & Sons. The construction was funded by sons and daughters of Shamsuddin, settled in different parts of India, the Middle East and the US. The complex will also have offices for all the office-bearers of the Anjuman. The office complex will serve as an enduring tribute to the illuminating legacy of the

great soul who worked tirelessly for the people of the region. The function was presided over by Jukaku Abdur Raheem, son of late Mr. Shamsuddin.

The elegant edifice in Anjumanabad

campus has currently 13,000 sq. ft. area in the

ground and the first floor with scope for further expansion

Building Dedicated to Late Shamsuddin Sab

The elegant edifice in Anjumanabad campus has currently 13,000 sq. ft. area in the ground and the first floor with scope for further expansion

An advocate, Jukaku Shamuddin was a pious man who initiated several programmes for the educational

and industrial development of the region.

Muslim Kids Lead their Teams to ‘Mini Football World Cup’The SKF management

said religion has nothing to do with sports and

both Shaista and Aaqib have been picked to lead their teams on the basis

of their merit.

Pune: Two Muslim kids from the slums of Pimpri-Chinchwad area of Pune Metropolitan City in Maharashtra are making the community and the country proud as they prepare to leave for Sweden to take part in Gothia Cup, touted as the ‘Mini Football World Cup’, The Indian Express reported. Both of them are not just going as players, but have been selected to lead their respective under-12 teams. Incidentally, most of the team members are from the slums of Pimpri-Chinchwad. Shaista Mohammad Patel 12 year-old

and Aaqib Ansari are studying in Class VII and VI in municipal schools. Both the youngsters have been selected as captains by the selection committee of SKF Sports Education Programme, which is sending the 24-member team for Gothia Cup to be held at Gothen-burb in Sweden from July 17-23. “We have been sending our team from 2007 to participate in the tournament described as the mini football World Cup in view of the participation of a large number of teams from across the world,” said Shrikant Savangikar Director of Business Excellence, Quality and Sustainability, SKF. Shaista says when she told her parents that she has been selected as the captain, they were highly excited. “My father said go ahead and do well for the country,” she

beams. Aaqib said his family was equally delighted. Activist Ikhlas Shaikh said, “It is a moment of pride for the community that two kids, especially from the poor community, are leading their sides on the football field at the

international level. Intellectuals and well-to-do people from within the community should also come forward and encourage children at a time when some forces are bent on taking them on the wrong path.” The SKF management said religion

A book authored by Mr. Aftab Kola, a businessman from Mangalore, chronicling the life and achievement of Mr. Shamsuddin was also launched on the occasion.

Shamsuddin sab was a minister in the Mysore Government headed by chief minister Nijalingappa and initiated development programmes to set up Sharavathy Power Station which became the major power supplying house for the state in the 1950s. Thanks to the power station, electricity reached the rural homes in the area triggering economic development. He represented the Honnavar constituency first in legislative assembly of Bombay Presidency and later in the Mysore Legislative Assembly. An advocate, Jukaku Shamuddin was a pious man who initiated several programmes for the educational and industrial development of the region. He brought up six daughters and four sons who received modern education and took up employment in Dubai, Saudi Arabia and the United States. n

has nothing to do with sports and both Shaista and Aaqib have been picked to lead their teams on the basis of their merit. “Both are excellent players and have shown leadership qualities and hence were selected to lead the team,”

said an SKF member. All players in the two teams are slum-dwellers who are picked by a special bus on every alternate day from their homes for training on the SKF grounds and dropped back two hours later. Savangikar said of the 24 players, 18 are from the slums of Pimpri-

Chinchwad, while the other six are from the slums of Ahmedabad. “The Sports Education Programme is our company’s holistic development programme for children belonging to the economically weaker sections of society. Our

objective is to bring a new dawn in the lives of these poor children and encourage sports in them, primarily football,” Savangikar said. SKF has set up a sports academy for encouraging children from the underprivileged sections of society to take to sports. “The academy is equipped with modern amenities to train young footballers through audio-visuals. We also provide the children healthy and nutritious food recommended by a sports nutritionist,” Savangikar added. Vijay Chaudhary, head of the company’s communications department, said the Pune programme is implemented with the help of Pune Football Club and the Ahmedabad programme through Kahani Sports Academy. “There are at least 20 teams from India which participate in different age groups in the event,” he added. (siasat.com.news)

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 4events

5,000 Advocates Receive Copies of the QuranBy A Staff Writer

Bengaluru: Nearly 5,000 advocates at the Civil Court Complex in the City received a copy of the Kannada translation of the Holy Quran and other books introducing Islam, published by Salaam Centre on June 23,

in an impressive function. The ceremony synchronising with the unveiling of the 5th edition of the Kannada meaning of the Quran was held in Vakil Bhavan. The function was presided by Justice Somashekhar and Mr. Shivaramu, President of the Bengaluru Advocates Association was the chief guest. The Vakil Bhavan was jampacked with around two-thirds of the 8,000 lawyers who work in the eight-storey complex of the Civil Court located on the Vidhana Veedhi.

While launching the 5th edition, Justice Somashekhar called for study of the Holy Quran which he said talked about administering justice among people and building peace and amity in the Society. He said several articles of the Criminal Procedure Code could be comprehended fully if one has

the basic understanding of the Quranic teachings.Salaam Centre Chairman Syed Hamid Mohsin said the Quran seeks to solve the problems of the human society rather than kicking them up. He said it lays equal stress on spiritual and material aspects of life. Mr. Shivaramu thanked the Salaam Centre for choosing the Court Complex for the distribution of the Quran copies. Nearly 4,000 copies of the Kannada translation and around 1,000 copies of the English

translation were distributed among the advocates at the counters set up by the Salaam centre at the venue. A dawah kit prepared for the occasion contained the new booklet titled "Stand United Against Terrorism" prepared by the Salaam Centre.Talking to Islamic Voice , Mohsin

said such programmes should be organized in all the courts across the country to disabuse the minds of the people and allow them direct access to the Holy Quran about which some vested interests were spreading hate and disinformation. He said 98% of the country’s population believed in peace, amity, communal harmony and camaraderie. Advocate Ubaidur Rahman who played a key role in organizing the function, presented the vote of thanks. n

More Photos from Sharief Fetch Awards

Jodhpur: Two photographs from P h o t o g r a p h e r Mohammed Shariff were awarded gold medals at the Argentina F2 International P h o t o g r a p h y Contest 2016. The photographs depict a villager carrying his camel and in another photograph, a chemeleon is laying an egg. Around 160 photographs of

Shariff were selected for 20 international contests held in 17 countries during the last two months. n

Book on “Animals in the Holy Quran” ReleasedAligarh: “Eat and drink, but waste not by excess, for Allah loveth not the wasters”, reminded Dr. Mohd. Iqtedar Husain Farooqi, while highlighting the Quranic injunctions regarding the flora and fauna, and animals, at a book release ceremony organized by the Ibne Sina Academy. The programme was presided over by the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Lt.

Gen. Zameer Uddin Shah, along with the Pro-Vice Chancellor, Brig. S. Ahmad Ali. Two books by Dr. Farooqi “Animals in the Holy Quran” and “Dictionary of Flora and Fauna of Quran,” were released. Making a special reference to the animals and plants mentioned in the holy Quran, Dr. Farooqi said, “Biological diversity means the variety of life forms of different categories

in a region or on the globe and protecting this diversity on Earth is prime duty of all Muslims”. Reciting several verses from the Quran, Dr. Farooqi made it clear that “Allah does not like those who create disturbances (mischief), whether ecological or otherwise on Earth”. In his presidential address, AMU Vice Chancellor, Lt. Gen. Zameer Uddin Shah congratulated Dr.

Farooqi, hoping that his books will go a long way in teaching

man his responsibilities towards other creatures. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 5taLKinG PeaCe

Peace More ImportantJakarta: Nahdlatul Ulema (NU), Indonesia’s biggest Islamic organization, is of the opinion that making Indonesia a peaceful country is more important than forcing it to adopt Sharia law, the organization’s leader has said. NU chairman Said Aqil Siradj emphasized that NU wanted Indonesia to become a darussalam country, which in Arabic means an “abode of peace”. Citing a principle from late NU leader Wahid Hasyim, Said said that Islam should become the protector of minorities in Indonesia. “We want a Darussalam, a peaceful land where everybody can live in

harmony, which does not enforce the legal codes of Islam in the country. Islam is not a political commodity,” Said related. The NU

chairman further praised the role that Islamic leaders, or kyai, had played in the villages to prevent the Indonesian people from extremism and radicalism. Unlike

Middle Eastern Islamic leaders, whose preachings often lead to conflict, the kyai in Indonesian

villages were successful in tamping down religious conflict in the country. “Rural areas are the vital points in preventing the spread of radicalism, and I’m grateful that we have kyai in villages who teach the creation of national character. This situation is very different from

Middle Eastern countries, where conflict can easily flare up only because of provocations on social media,” Said added.

(Source:thejakartapost.com)

Religious Groups in Nun’s Island, Unite to Spread Peace Nuns' Island, Montreal: Christians, Muslims and Jews in Nun’s Island in Montreal, Québec, Canada, have come together recently under the same roof, hoping to spread the message of peace and unity. A Jewish Chabad

centre, the Al-Jazira Islamic Centre and the Catholic Ste. Marguerite Bourgeoys Church have all moved into the same building, a project that began after the church approached land developer Samuel Gewurz, about building a bell tower, CTV News Montreal, reported. “That was a novel request for me,” he said. “I thought about it for a moment and I told him, if we could consider the bells on the tower as bells of unity, then I’m in.”Gewurz and church administrator Roger Legare approached the other clergy and expressed their very specific vision. “It’s not a religion

idea,” said Legare. “In all our religions, charity and involving ourselves in the community over our feelings is what is needed at the moment.” The others quickly agreed.The first project was establishing

a collection centre for Syrian refugees. A mission that began in Bendjennet’s garage was able to move to donated space in the building as the other places of worship came onboard. “Absolutely

no religion, no politics,” said Al-Jazira administrator Mourad Bendjennet. “It’s absolutely social and humanitarian work.” “Above and beyond anything else, we’re human beings,” added Rabbi Levi Itkin. “The three faiths share a lot of common values." “I’ve never seen such energy and efficiency,” said Bendjennet. “All working together for the same goal.” The feedback has been very supportive from worshippers in all three religions. “Very positive reaction, actually, because we hear so many bad things, because of lack of communication, sometimes we

don’t understand one another,” said Legare.Opening those lines of communication is something they all hope can lead to a better world. “You know, with what happens in the world now, it’s better to send a message of peace,” said Bendjennet. n

French Religious Leaders Unite in Solidarity

Paris: France’s main religious leaders have sent a message of unity and solidarity following a meeting with French President Francois Hollande, after two extremists attacked a Catholic church and slit the throat of an elderly priest, last month. Hollande was presiding over a defense council and cabinet meeting after speaking with Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Muslim and Jewish leaders. The attackers took hostages at the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray, in the northwest region of Normandy, during morning Mass. A nun at the Mass slipped out to raise the alarm and both attackers, one of them a local man, were then killed by police outside the church.Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois,

archbishop of Paris, called on Catholics to “overcome hatred that comes in their heart” and not to “enter the game” of the Daesh group that “wants to set children

of the same family upon each other.”The rector of the main Paris mosque, Dalil Boubakeur, said France’s Muslims must push for better training of Muslim clerics. Candles were placed in front of the town hall as residents called for unity. “We are scared,” said Mulas Arbanu. “But, be we Christians, Muslims, anything, we have to be together.” n

Mobile Travelling ExhibitionThe Mobile Muslims Exhibition, a 40 day journey, is a coast-to-coast campaign that is looking to debunk some of the common misconceptions about the religion and culture through community education, Canadian CTV News reported. “We want people to know the good side, the true side of this religion. Islam is a very peaceful and loving religion,” says Farhad Ghaffar, with Mobile Muslims. Six Muslims, all from different countries and backgrounds, are partaking in the exhibition on wheels. The goal of the trip is to educate people about the true meaning of Islam. “The slogan we want to be recognized by, love for all, hatred for none, this is what Islam teaches,” says Ghaffar.

They say in many ways their religion has been hijacked by terrorists, committing inhumane acts who proclaim to follow Islam.James Sinclair, a Nova Scotian, says that misconception has created the idea that Islam is associated with terrorism. “There are more than 1.6 billion Muslims in the world and it's less than 0.001 that are extremists,” says Sinclair. “So the ones that are peaceful and loving Muslims, who practice their faith without harming anybody, or doing anything extremist, they are struggling with the fact that they have to basically accept responsibility for this, because a lot of people assume that all Muslims are branded with this

terrorist label.”Jamal Badawi isn't part of the travelling group, but has dedicated his life to educating others about Islam, teaching and writing about religion. “The problem is that some people compare the worst of others with the best of theirs,” says Badawi. “Islam is the pure teaching of the Qur’an.” “ The success would be to be embraced by all of Canada and for Canada to understand that Islam is completely removed from terrorism,” says Sinclair. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 6sOCietY & HUmanitY

Kamal Tarazi, a 55-year-old Christian, leads his blind friend and neighbour, 45-year-old Hatem Khries, to mosque five

times a day during Ramadan (MEE/ Mohammed Asad)

In the early morning, Tarzi

accompanies Khreis to the market to

help him buy what he needs. Once the shopping is done, Tarzi goes to his friend's house, and the two sit

together to read the headlines.

Gaza City: Kamal Tarzi, 55, is a Christian from Gaza, and he has stuck by his Muslim friend, also from Gaza, 45-year-old pharmacist, Hatem Khreis since Khreis lost his sight preparing a prescription five years ago. Tarzi says he is Khreis’ best friend and eyes. “Hatem and I have been friends for 15 years, and we have been through joy and pain,” Tarzi says. “I always accompany him, and people are shocked when they learn that I am Christian and that he is Muslim, given the depth of our relationship.” “Growing up, Hatem would always perform prayers at the mosque,” he says, “but after the incident five years ago, he was no longer able to do so because there was no one available to guide him there. I saw how he would shed tears whenever the call to prayer would come from

the mosque. That is why I decided to take him to the mosque to pray as he did in the past.

Found Something He Had Lost“The first day I helped him get to the mosque, four years ago, he was so happy. So I told him I would be taking him every day to perform

all the prayers. He was thrilled to hear my decision. It was as if he had found something he had lost for a long time,” Tarzi continues.In the early morning, Tarzi accompanies Khreis to the market to help him buy what he needs. Once the shopping is done, Tarzi goes to his friend's house, and the two sit together to read the headlines. Tarzi says that if experts said some sort of transplant would be successful and allow his friend to regain his sight, he would gladly sacrifice one of his eyes so his friend could see his

five children again.“When I lost my sight, I was not able to do anything,” Khreis told Al-Monitor. “I couldn't even make it to the mosque where I usually pray. I stopped seeing my friends because of their preoccupation with other things. My life changed a lot.

“At first, I was upset and sad since I would not be able to do what I used to do in the past, but after my Christian friend Abu Elias volunteered to help me go to the mosque and started spending most of his time with me, I felt better

because the void I was struggling with, got filled.”Khreis prefers Tarzi’s company over his other friends and relatives because he feels comfortable with him. Khreis is, nonetheless, sometimes obliged to turn to someone else when Tarzi is sick or busy.

Rejoicing for Each OtherKhreis said that what Tarzi is doing shows how Palestinians do not differentiate between Muslims and Christians, who share almost the same customs, traditions and everyday life. Tarzi agreed, saying, “Nothing distinguishes Christians from Muslims in Gaza. Christians and Muslims in Gaza

face the same reality. In such difficult times, Christians cannot escape the situation experienced by other Gazans, especially as economic conditions are affecting both Christians and Muslims. Christians in Gaza protect Muslims just like Muslims

How a Gaza Christian became a Blind Muslim's Eyes protect Christians. They are both united. They support each other and rejoice for each other. They suffer from the same occupation and the same blockade.”Tarzi stressed that like every other Palestinian who loves Palestine, he does not distinguish between himself and his Muslim brothers and friends because he grew up with them under the same circumstances. He asserted that Christians in Gaza are respected, appreciated and treated well by everyone. They freely perform their religious rites and rituals and enjoy the legal protection to do so.Out of the 2 million people living in Gaza, there are some 3,500 Christians. There are three churches, which were all damaged by the Israeli bombing during the 2014 war, but eventually restored. They are an integral part of Palestinian society’s fabric and structure. n

Tarzi stressed that like every other Palestinian who loves Palestine, he does not distinguish between

himself and his Muslim brothers and friends because he grew up with them under the same circumstances.

Dear ReadersWe thank you immensely for your continued support and encouragement all through these years and God willing for many more years.

Your feedback is extremely important for us. We welcome your letters of appreciation or brickbats which we will take in the right spirit. Let us know which pages inspire you in Islamic Voice which, if any, you think we could improve or even do without.

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ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 7FeatUre

By Maqbool Ahmed Siraj It was the year 1974. A burqa-clad woman of Mysore was being whisked away by a moneylender. Her only crime was that she was asking for an appropriate amount of money in loan for the gold ornament she had mortgaged. Dr. Mohammad Naseeruddin who was passing by the way, could not restrain his tears at the sight of a poor woman suffering the indignity.He resolved to set up a Baitulmal in the City so that men and women in need of help should not pledge their assets with unscrupulous loan-sharks who thrive by sucking blood of the poor. Dr. Naseeruddin who happened to be the secretary of the Masjid e Azam then, made an emotional appeal before the Shab e Qadr congregation on October 13, 1974 in the stately mosque. A gentleman stood up and presented a donation of Rs. 10 (a sizeable amount in those times) for the purpose. This was the first seed capital for the Azam Baitulmal. Others too came forward. A sum of Rs. 349 could be raised the same night. A Seed SowedA seed was thus sowed and an idea took birth. The first general body meeting of the Baitulmal was held on December 4, 1983 and elected Dr. Naseeruddin as the President. Fresh blood was injected with Prof. Riaz Ahmed being appointed secretary of the Baitulmal. The pious intention of the man who had made the princely contribution of Rs.10 resulted in bountiful growth. Today the Baitulmal easily raises Rs. 50 lakh annually and disburses the amount among the needy and the destitute in the city and its

environs.But initial days were hard as no Muslim NGOs existed in Mysore. Most people disbursed their zakat and other charities on poor and destitute within the family. With

low credibility, general appeals for funds for collective endeavours met with poor response. Riaz Ahmed reminisces the day a textile merchant placed a Rs. 5 note on his counter and pushed it with the iron measuring scale (with contempt writ large on his face) towards the collectors of the baitulmal who

had approached him. “Today most donors walk down to the Baitulmal office to donate their charities”, he writes in Nuqush-e-Rah (literally ‘footprints’), the chronicle of the 40-year voyage of the Baitulmal

published to celebrate the four decades of service. More FruitsNoble intentions started bearing fruits soon. In 1995, a kind-hearted late Nasrullah Khan sahib sold his house at much lesser than market price to the Baitulmal to start its

library. It became a favourite haunt for the members to gather and plan new ventures. The old structure yielded place to the new 3-storey building of the Library in 2002. It became a hub for diverse activities ranging from tutorials to sittings of the Urdu literary forum

under the guidance of Prof. Agha Mahmood Sarosh. Around 2010, a Guidance Centre and a Computer Centre too were added. Towards Medical ReliefYet another kind soul, Abdul Azeez Saheb, donated a building on Sawday Road in 1990. A charitable clinic began to operate there shortly thereafter with several Muslim lady doctors providing free service. Another Mysorean philanthropist Adil Ahmed, based in Abu Dhabi, donated a clinic in Shantinagar, an underprivileged area of the city. It was dedicated to the memory of his mother Sahira Khanam sahiba. A diagnostic lab was donated by florist Farooq Pasha sahib in 1996. Azam Baitulmal opened Munawwarullah Turabi Memorial Azam Public School in 2001 in the house owned by Mr. Turabi near the famed Five Lights Circle

in 2001. The house was donated after Mr. Turabi’s death by his US-based daughters Tasneem Shameem and Vaseem Firdous. Today over 260 kids are enrolled in the school. The Baitulmal set up yet another school, Abdul Jabbar Memorial Azam Nursery School in 2011 in Shanthinagar which has around 150 children today. Firm StepsAzam Baitulmal’s hesitant steps in social service in 1974 have firmed up today with the Institution having celebrated its 40th anniversary. It currently funds education of 87 poor yet merited students and arranges admission of 600 students at entry level. According to its report for the year

2016, it has set up two tailoring institutes and Hidayath Centres at Azeez Sait Nagar and Sawday Road besides running two public schools and two clinics. It spends 45% of its total budget on stipends of students, devotes another 13% for medical aid and nearly 6% on pension for widows and disabled persons. Azam Baitulmal has blazed a pioneering trail of social service in the royal city of Mysore which till 1970s had no tradition of collective effort at alleviating poverty, ignorance and disease. One hopes the Azam Baitulmal would remain consistent in its progress towards the goal of socio-economic development of the community.(For more info contact: Azam Baitulmal, Masjid e Azam, Ashoka Road, Lashkar Mohalla, Mysore-570001, Ph: 0821-2529674. Secretary Prof. Riaz Ahmed 0821-2449816).

It blazed the pioneering trail of

social service in the erstwhile royal city

of Mysore.

Azam Baitulmal, Mysore

Steady Progress, Consistent Growth

When a kind soul felt pain in the heart at the sight of a burqa-clad woman being humiliated by a moneylender,

an idea germinated. Azam Baitulmal was the materialization of the idea into tangible shape.

Clockwise from left: Azam Baitul Maal's Library, Nuqush_e_Rah magazine Cover, Prof. M.J. Sadiq

President Azam Baitul Maal, Prof.Riaz Ahmed Secretary Azam Baitul Maal, Event of Magazine release, Students

at Library

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 8

Page 1

FOCUs

People shun their duty towards the poor, the destitute

and orphans and divert their

resources on naf’l (optional)

Hajj and Umrahs. They are deluding themselves, not

Allah.

Umrah, or Holy Picnic?By Aleem Khan Falki

Go through this narrative reported from Maulana Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi, the noted scholar from Lucknow, who narrated it to a gathering:Basheer bin Abdul Harris was a great scholar. Once a disciple of his approached him and said: “O my mentor! I want to perform Hajj yet again. Should I be doing this? Would you permit me to undertake the pilgrimage?”

Basheer asked: “What is your intention? Is it seeking the pleasure of Allah, or just seeing and going round Makkah and Madinah or attaining piety?”The disciple replied that he wanted just to seek the pleasure of Allah. Basheer told him he would tell him something that would fetch him the reward equivalent to performance of a Hajj without actually undertaking the journey and would also gain for him the acceptance of God, besides offering him the satisfaction of performing the Hajj a second time. Disciple: “Yes, wonderful, tell me the thing that would fetch me all of these.”

Basheer: “If you could distribute the funds you have set aside for Hajj pilgrimage on the destitute, poor and orphans in your neighbourhood, or spend it on someone who is sick or is in debt or provide this as a seed

capital to one who is in need of funds for starting a business and has no source for this kind of money, it will not merely fetch you divine rewards but would also be accepted in lieu of Naf’l (optional) Hajj, and Allah would accept this gesture too.”

The disciple began to ponder over the option placed by his mentor and very reluctantly began to speak: “O my Master! I am more inclined towards undertaking the pilgrimage”.Basheer replied: “Satan tries to

overwhelm man only through the routes of virtues and lets them engage in those virtues which bring them enjoyment.”Just look at the ironical situation in the entire Muslim world. There is no socio-economic and political stability anywhere in the Muslim world. Hunger, illiteracy, ignorance and disease are all pervasive. But millions of Muslims are rushing to Makkah and Madinah to perform Hajj and Umrah. (Mind it, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia issued 46 lakh Umrah visas this year.). How could their prayers for imparting stability to the Muslim societies be answered when Allah finds the Muslims shirking their essential duties towards society? Excuses AplentyThis is all because today we undertake only those forms of worship that thrills us, that provides some entertainment. We avoid doing all that Allah would like us to do otherwise but which does not conform to our mood or appeal to our logic. We make excuses for not doing that. We even secure fatwas for spurning what we should do. For instance, ask a Muslim individual as to why he does not engage in dawah, he would say, one should himself be practicing Islam completely before beginning to preach it. Ask someone taking dowry from the bride’s family. He would deny demanding it and would say all that was being voluntarily, without his asking. Ask anyone indulging in backbiting, fraud, suspicion or envy. He would flatly refuse to accept this, and would say that his heart was transparent and that

Allah knows what is in his heart.Even though people may say their prayers regularly, go on

Hajj, keep the fast and grow a beard, they catch hold of only those rituals that are easy on their conscience and convenient to

follow while offering a sense of satisfaction. They would not do what is urgent or imperative in a particular context and would keep repeating rituals and clone excuses for avoiding the call of the hour or situation. The Quran talks about this in the following verse of chapter Al-Hujarat, verse 14: The Bedouins say, “We have believed.” Say, “You have not [yet] believed; but say [instead], ‘We have submitted,’ for faith has not yet entered your hearts. And if you obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not deprive you from your deeds of anything. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.”

Seeking PleasureThis means that some people are contented with carrying out all the rituals, but avoid undertaking rigorous assignments warranted by situations and necessary to make a forward push. They rather take up easy things and think that they are on the right path by following rituals. This is self-delusion. What needs to be understood is that a person demanding dowry will be held accountable before Allah for

dowry extortion. Allah will not ask if he was doing his namaz or fasting. A rich man will have to account for the kind of money he spends on noble causes, rather than naf’l Hajj and umrah. People remember that they would emerge pure after they have performed the Hajj, but easily forget that they would have to account for five things on a priority basis on the Day of judgment and they would not be able to move a step without this. The five things are: How they spent their time; their energy and capability they had during their youth; the sources of their earning (halal or haram); where they spent their resources, and how they acted on the knowledge

they had acquired. How is it that we do not feel any pain while shelling out a couple of lakh of rupees for flights that take us for Umrah but think twice before handing out just

200 rupees to a person who is sick, hungry, or asking money for education or treatment of his wards? Unless we are convinced

that he would be obliged to us all through his life for the gesture, not even ten rupees will come out of our pocket.

Self-DelusionThe money spent on our own worship and pilgrimage delights us as it is spent on the selves. It gets spent on the flights, transport, comfortable star hotels, sumptuous food and some shopping. One could attribute all these to the expenditure in the way of Allah, but Allah knows how the individual is deluding himself and how his personal instincts persuade him to divert his resources from relieving the pain of the society to rituals that bring him delight and enjoyment. Will these ‘holy picnics’ be ever acceptable to Allah? (The author is a businessman hailing from Hyderabad, India and is resident in Jeddah where he is engaged in business. He has initiated several initiatives in Hyderabad for socio-economic upliftment of the community. The article appeared in Urdu journals and has been translated by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj for Islamic Voice in English for the English–reading audiences).

Umrahs are turning into holy picnics what with air journey, stay in star

hotels and sumptuous food, all being invested on their selves.

Muslims are rushing to Makkah and Madinah in millions for Umrah but avoid

attending to key issues that would provide stability to Muslim society.

Situation among Major Religious Groups in India, a 2010 National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) report.Among Muslims, the work participation rate, another key determinant of socio-economic well-being, representing the workforce per 1000 population, was the lowest of all the major religions-536, below Sikhs (568), Christians (540), Hindus (563) and others (573) according to NSSO 2010.In the North, lack of schools holds back Muslims from higher education. “There is a spectacular ‘digital divide’ between South and North Indian Muslims in terms of education, and thereby in political empowerment,” wrote Syed Iqbal Hasnain, former vice chancellor of the University of Calicut and a visiting fellow of the USA’ Stimson Center, a nonprofit, in a 2009 book, Muslims in North India: Frozen in the Past.“South Indian Muslims, particularly of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharastra have shown impressive progress in education, compared to their counterparts in Bihar, UP (Uttar Pradesh), Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Haryana,” wrote Hasnain.

Muslims Have Lowest Rate ...Affirmative action in south India is only one reason for this divide.In south India, a push for education particularly by local leaders has boosted enrolment at all levels. In contrast, Muslims in north India have fewer schools to access.The dropout rate among Muslims is higher than the general population: 17.6 percent, compared to the all-India average of 13.2 percent, according to a 2014 study based on 2005-06 National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data.In Rajasthan, 18.5 percent of Muslim primary school students dropped out, as did 20.6 percent upper primary students, compared to the state averages of 8.4 percent and six percent, according to a 2013-14 survey by the state’s district information system for education and independent bodies.“High dropout rates among Muslims, especially after middle school, are to blame for the community’s small pool of youth eligible for higher education and therefore, low share of higher education enrolments,” said Rakesh Basant, professor of economics at Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and a member of the Sachar Committee. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 9

Page 1

OPiniOn

People’s power was seen succeeding in a Muslim nation for the first time against armed

forces’ overarching ambitions.

By A Political Analyst It has happened for the first time in Turkey that people have revolted against the armed forces who made an abortive attempt to depose the democratically-elected government of Turkish President, Recep Teyyip Erdogan. The coup attempt by Kemalist elements in the armed forces on July 15 was thwarted by people, owing allegiance to the ruling AKP party.It was a Friday. The coup attempt was made around 7-30 pm by a section of generals loyal to the Kemalists. The rebels stationed tanks and armoured vehicles on important bridges, squares and thoroughfares of Istanbul and Ankara. Helicopters began hovering on the skies and radio and TV stations began announcing takeover of reins of the Government by the rebellious section. They also announced suspension of the Constitution and dislodging of President Erdogan, who was holidaying somewhere in the Anatolian region. Massive Personal VictoryIt was well known that AKP’s successes in three consecutive general elections had caused

despair among the Kemalists. A general feeling was that the Islamists had thrown deep roots and were not going to be routed through exercise of franchise anytime soon. The re-run of elections in November 2015 had seen the AKP (Turkish acronym of Justice and Development Party) returning to power with 49.5% of the vote and 317 seats. The party

won a comfortable majority of 84, while the principal rival CHP retained its main opposition status with 134 seats and 25.4% of the vote. The results were widely seen as a 'shock' win for the AKP and was hailed as a massive personal victory for President Erdoğan. Even as the tanks trundled in the streets and announced clamping of the Martial Law over the nation, Erdogan’s appeal from the resort went viral and the AKP loyalists

poured onto the streets braving the tanks and the armoured cars. Such was the outpouring of public opposition that the rebels could not withstand the public fury. Finding popular support, even the much vaster sections of troops loyal to the Government began to counter the rebels and forced them to return to the barracks. As the scale of support tipped to the Government loyalists, the people tore down the uniforms of the rebels and handed them over to authorities. The coup plotters and rebel troops were crushed within 22 hours and restored Erdogan to his seat. AKP’s First Decisive WinDominated by Kemalists in yesteryears, the Turkish armed forces had staged coups successfully and dislodged the democratic governments in 1960, 1971, 1980 and 1997. The last coup in 1997 had seen Necmettin Erbakan, leader of the predecessor of the AKP party being dislodged from power. Following this, his Virtue Party was dissolved. The same elements regrouped in AKP later. But things have changed since

the turn of the century. Kemalist elements have been on retreat since AKP’s first decisive win. They have largely exited the

Army either through retirement or were purged for staging smaller attempts to overthrow the government earlier. Meanwhile people loyal to AKP have entered the Army in large numbers and the internal flavor has changed to a larger extent. Larger section of the Army now favour the armed forces staying away from power and defending the country and fighting the insurgency by Kurdish rebels in the south-eastern region bordering with Kurdish dominated areas in Iraq and Iran’s north. External Challenges Nearly 250 people were killed in the rebel’s unsuccessful bid to take over the reins of government. Over 6,000 officers and troops have been rounded off for interrogation and legal proceedings are on. It seems a massive purge would rid the Army of even the remnants of the Kemalist elements

opposed to democracy thereby largely blotting out prospects of future coups against popular governments. But Erdogan’s government faces several challenges. The most serious challenge comes from Kurd insurgents and the ISIS, which has been sending suicide bombers’ squads from the northern territories of Iraq and Syria. Turkish bombings over ISIS held areas has angered the blood-thirsty terrorist force to avenge Turkish Government’s no-nonsense approach in dealing with it. Turkey’s relations with Syria do not seem to be anywhere near mending as Bashar Al-Asad’s forces are gaining strength. Turkey’s southern

borders are hosting almost five million Syrian refugees. These are of course external challenges faced by Turkey. But even within, the AKP’s constant success at the husting, has strengthened the fears of AKP turning authoritarian. Erdogan is suspected to be working to usurp more powers for himself and turn the parliamentary system into a Presidential one. The Presidential Palace complex inaugurated in July 2015 has angered wide sections of people. It sprawls over thousands of acres and the built up area alone accounts for three lakh square metres. One fears Erdogan might declare himself lifetime President. Such apprehensions have fuelled rage of followers of Fatehullah Gulen, the mentor for hundreds of thousands of followers of the current ruling party. The AKP would need to address these issues to continue to have popular favour and deliver on its promises. n

Turkish Coup Crushed

People Thwart Kemalist Dreams

It were the followers of AKP who crushed the revolt by the Kemalist

followers in the Turkish armed forces. There are signs of authoritarianism within the

Erdogan’s presidency. His huge presidential palace and his intention to turn the parliamentary system into Presidential system fuel fears of him

turning into a dictator.

Trump and Clinton supporters is set against a backdrop of increasing violence and discrimination against Muslims in the United States. The poll shows 78 percent of Trump supporters and 36 percent of Clinton supporters said that when compared to other religions, Islam was more likely to encourage acts of terrorism.Trump supporters were also about twice as likely as Clinton supporters to say that Islam was more encouraging of violence towards Americans, women and gay people. Polling on none of

the other belief systems and their perceived connection to terrorism or violence came close to matching those numbers.Clinton has called for a more inclusive environment within American society and for a joint effort between the US government and Muslim countries to battle the spread of Islamist militancy..Party affiliation accounted for the deepest division among Americans where their views on Muslims were concerned. Respondents' status as rich or poor, young or old, or male or female did not offer as

pronounced an overall view as did their identification as Democrats or Republicans. According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil rights group, attacks on American Muslims and on mosques in the United States rose in 2015 to their highest level ever recorded. The group said 31 incidents of damage or destruction of mosques were reported; there were 11 incidents in which a Muslim person was the target of a slur or another kind of harassment. The Reuters poll ran in all 50 states from June 14 to July 6. It included 7,473 American adults..

Support Trump ...

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 10

Letters

Positive InsightsI have been a reader of your esteemed monthly for long many years. The contents of your monthly have always been multifarious and provide deep insights into subjects. The Analysis of the performance of Bengaluru’s Muslim schools by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj is an eye-opener and stresses the need to look into the working of the major Muslim institutions like Central Muslim Association, Quwathul Islam Group of Institutions etc whose results leave much to be desired. Likewise the profile of efforts by Mr. Abdur Raqeeb of ICIF, Delhi too prove that

effective lobbying can secure positive results for new initiatives. I am happy to note that Islamic Voice focuses on issues that would take the community forward such as education, employment, entrepreneurship etc. It also introduces to us people who are engaged in constructive work rather than highlighting those who have entangled the community in worthless identity struggles. V. Abdullah BashaKhaderpet, Vaniyambadi-635751,

Chilcot’s Anatomy of a WarWestern democracies pining for new Wars to sustain their industry nullifies the very essence of their being. Peace has become a threat for Western democracies. At least this is broadly evident from the Chilcot Report which presented its findings leading to involvement of Britain in the Iraq War launched in league with big brother the United States on March 20, 2003. The War caused 1.3 million deaths and completely devastated Iraq, pushing it to the verge of balkanization and unleashing the satanic ISIS upon the region. The 2.6 million-word report stops just short of branding the then British Prime Minister Tony Blair ‘a liar’. It makes no bones about Blair government’s complete absence of judgment in rushing to war without exhausting peaceful alternative options. The British Government depended upon flawed intelligence report, mainly from the CIA, which were neither challenged nor tested for sound legal justification. Attorney General Lord Goldsmith’s advice was not adequately scrutinized. The Report points out that the justification for war was built upon fabricated evidence of Saddam Hussein’s Government manufacturing Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and Saddam being a threat to peace and security to the region (read oil supplies to the Western Industrial powers). There was no need to rush into the war as UN Inspectors were engaged in inspection of stockpile of Iraqi arms. The British Government could not fulfill the objectives it had fixed prior to the war. It mourns the loss of 200 Britons in the War and death of nearly 150,000 Iraqis till July 2009. The committee was appointed by former British Prime Minister Mr. Gordon Brown in July 2009 and was assigned a year for the submission of the Report. But the Committee took nearly seven years to probe the circumstances that led to the War and Britain’s involvement. The Report is mysteriously silent on the role of the media whose hysterical campaign had considerably influenced the public opinion, but not to the extent desired by the then dispensation. Home Secretary Jack Straw is on record to have stressed the need for aggressive campaign to rope in the media and ease the task of building the case for the British Government. What is fairly evident now is that the Western democracies—in this case one being the oldest and the other being the strongest—could employ lies, half truths, untruths and outright falsehoods to mislead the public opinion with the so-called free press just being another cog in the wheel of the propaganda machine. If indeed these democracies feel threatened with the continued reign of peace and absence of war and opportunities for new contracts for their MNCs, why blame dictators and despots for violation of human rights, bloodletting, suppression of civil liberties and mayhem. It is now clear that capitalism-linked democracies are new threats to peace. Their high consumption societies, the energy-guzzling industries and transport, their huge standing armies, the weapon manufacturers, and finally their lobbies build constant pressure to promote war and more wars. The peace-loving nations can ignore these factors only at their own peril. If indeed the Western democracies have come to depend on wars to satiate the bellicosity of their manufacturers, why flaunt the fig leaf of peace, prosperity and progress. It is time the world realized the dangerous trajectory the West has come to pursue and see through their designs that come wrapped up in elegant slogans. n

Speaking Up For Religious TolerancevieWPOint

The character of faith is to recognise that love of God and fidelity to religion are manifested in kindness towards all humanity.

By Shad Saleem Faruqi

Differences of religion should not make people fight one another or commit aggression. Rather, people of different faiths should cooperate in doing good and warding off evil.It is a sad reality that around the world, many people of faith nurture the mistaken belief that true devotion to their religion necessitates hatred for followers of other faiths.The extremists in all traditions believe that their religion is the only true way and that they have a monopoly over God and salvation and that everyone else is condemned to eternal damnation.This should not be so. There are many paths to the Truth. Worshipping God in a certain way does not require hating others who love God differently or fail to see God at all.The character of faith is not a sense of superiority over others because of what you have and they have not. The character of faith is not violence towards and vitriol for “the other”.The character of faith is to recognise that love of God and fidelity to religion are manifested in kindness towards all humanity.A truly religious person must reject hatred, ill-will and prejudice. At least this is the message of Islam that I was brought up in.

Religious ToleranceIn innumerable passages, the Holy Qur’an recognises religious pluralism. In 2:256, it states: “There is no compulsion in religion.” In 109:6, there is the exquisite passage: “Unto you your religion, unto me mine.”In Surah 11:118, it is declared: “If thy Lord had so willed, He could have made mankind one people: but they will not cease to dispute.”In Surah 10:99, there is this admonition: “Had your Lord willed, those on Earth would have believed, all of them together. Will you then compel people against their will to believe?” In 18:29, it is commanded: “Let him who will, believe; and let him who will, disbelieve.”“Allah alone is the One who will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection” (2:113).

Places of WorshipAll places of worship are sacred and must be defended. In Surah 22:40, the Qur’an speaks of monasteries, churches, synagogues and mosques “as places in which God is commemorated in abundant measure”.

Respect for Other ReligionsIslamic civilisation is not hostile towards previous religions. The Prophets of all revealed religions are regarded as brothers. Muslims are obliged to believe in them all.

Every Nation Has Its Messenger (10:47).“Nothing has been said to you save what was said to the messengers before you” (41:43). In Surah 2:136, it is stated: “We believe in Allah and that which has been sent down to us and that which has been sent down to Ibrahim (Abraham), Ismail (Ishmael), Ishaq

(Isaac), Yaqoob (Jacob), and to Al-Asbaat (the offspring of the 12 sons of Yaqoob), and that which has been given to Musa (Moses) and Esa (Jesus), and that which has been given to the Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and we are Muslims in submission to Him.”The Hebrew prophets and Christ are deeply respected by Muslims. The tombs of the Hebrew prophets are revered by Muslims. The Virgin Mary is given an exalted spiritual position in the Qur’an: a whole chapter is named after her. All Christians and Jews are given the special status of ahl-e kitab (believers in a book)..

Peaceful Co-ExistenceIn Islamic history, the clergy in the churches were given full authority over their flocks with regard to all religious and church matters. When the Muslims conquered Egypt, they gave the Coptic churches back to the Copts and restored their rights.In the early history of Islam, Muslims and Christians often prayed simultaneously in many churches, e.g. at the Cathedral of Saint John in Damascus. Likewise, Prophet Muhammad allowed the Christians of Najran to pray in the mosque in Madinah.When Prophet Muhammad migrated to Madinah, one of the first affairs of state that he dealt with was to establish a treaty with the Jews, according to which their beliefs were to be respected and the state was obliged to ward off harm from them. Prophet Muhammad’s Message to the Monks of Saint Catherine in Mount Sinai is a shining example of religious tolerance.

Duty of Civility:In the book, Civilisation of Faith by Mustafa as-Sibaa’ie, it is stated that the Qur’an obliges the Muslim to believe in all the Prophets and Messengers of Allah, to speak of all of them with respect, not to mistreat their followers, to deal with them all in a good and gentle manner, speaking kindly to them, being a good neighbour to them and accepting their hospitality.“And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best” (29: 46). “And insult not those who invoke other than Allah, lest they should insult Allah wrongfully without knowledge” (6:108).Cooperation with and courtesy towards other religions is recommended (5:5, 6:108). There is no bar to visiting non-Muslim places of worship. It all depends on the purpose of one’s visit. If the purpose is aesthetic or to seek knowledge or to negotiate goodwill, there is no religious bar. Allah is everywhere, and Muslim texts exquisitely state that “the whole earth is a mosque”.(Shad Saleem Faruqi is Professor of Law and Legal Advisor to Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia. He is the author of many writings on the Malaysian Constitution, Asian perspectives on human rights, Islam and modernity and interfaith relations).

(Source: thestar.com).

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 11

Only One Lakh Pilgrims from Haj CommitteeMumbai: India will send around 135,000 pilgrims to perform Hajj this year. It was announced at the high level meeting of the Central Haj Committee on July 17 held at the Baitul Hujjaj, the headquarters of the Committee. The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Haj Committee, Mahboob Ali Qaiser and vice chairman, Sultan Ahmed who is member of Lok Sabha representing Trinamool Congress Party.

The Committee will send 100,020 pilgrims while another 35,000 will travel through private Hajj tour operators. It was mentioned that the Saudi Government has permitted only 135,000 pilgrims from India due to ongoing construction work in the Masjidul Harem premises. The usual quote for Indian pilgrims is 170,000.The Committee will charter flights from Air India, Saudi Airlines and Spicejet companies.

The Committee decided that the inaugural flight for Hajj would be flagged off by either Prime Minister Narendra Modi or Home Minister. Chief Ministers of the respective states would be invited to flag off the flights from the state capitals.The Committee also recommended that the Hajj affairs should be under the Ministry of External Affairs instead of the Ministry of Minority Affairs. n

Kozhikode Students’ Noble GestureKozhikode: For Muslims, Ramadan is month of charity and relief. However, unlike many Muslim organizations that conduct relief activities in cities and mosques, this year, students of TK Public School at Engappuzha, a hamlet in Kerala’s Kozhikode district expressed their charity by focusing on a nearby tribal colony. Under the aegis of the Social Service League, the students provided families

in the colony with food during Ramadan. What makes this effort even more praise worthy is that the students collected the entire amount from their own pockets!

(Extracted from twocircles.net)

Hard taLK

photo credit craigconsidinetcd.com

I have lost a good amount of friends

because of my efforts in shedding a positive

light on Islam and Prophet Muhammad.

Fraternity brothers who do not share my political beliefs have de-friended me on

Facebook

The Price I Pay For Respecting IslamBy Craig Considine

Never in my wildest imagination did I ever think I would become a scholar focusing on Islam and Christian-Muslim relations. Growing up, my passion was playing basketball and following the Boston Celtics. I never had any Muslim friends. In fact, I did not even know a single follower of Islam until my college years. If you had asked me when I was 16 years old, "What is a Muslim?" I would not be able to answer you.Everything changed when 9/11 happened. Muslims were seen as "terrorists" and Islam was an "evil" force that had to be crushed by "freedom loving people." When it came time to choose an academic discipline in college, I chose "Islamic studies," not because I wanted to learn about a great religion and world civilization, but rather to work for the CIA and become a spy to nab the "bad guys."

Media, Islam and MuslimsOne of the first classes that I enrolled in at American University was "The World of Islam." I figured this was a way for me to learn about why an event like 9/11 happened. On the first day of class, I learned about basic Islamic principles like giving alms to charity and praying five times per day. I was told about a hadith, or saying of the Prophet Muhammad, which stated: "the ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr." I remember one of the Muslim students in the class standing up and reciting a Qur'anic verse, which read: "taking the life of an innocent person is like killing all of mankind." What I learned on that first day of class was not reflective of what you hear daily in the media about Islam and Muslims.Since 2004, I have focused

most of my time on researching Islam, US foreign policy with the "Muslim world," and ways of bridging the gap between Christians and Muslims worldwide. My dedication to these academic pursuits have been enriching beyond imagination. I have made dear Muslims friends who I hold in the highest esteem. I have been able to travel the world and spend time with Muslim communities of various backgrounds. They have opened their schools, homes, and mosques to me. The hospitality, warmth, and love

that Muslims have showed me over the years has made me an admirer of Prophet Muhammad and an individual who has deep respect for Islam. There is no doubt that these activities and experiences have made me a better person. Muslims have brought me closer to God. For that I am ever thankful. However, researching Islam and becoming friends with Muslims have also come at a serious cost to my relationships and social interactions.

Lost Many FriendsI have lost a good amount of friends because of my efforts in shedding a positive light on Islam and Prophet Muhammad. Fraternity brothers who do not share my political beliefs have

defriended me on Facebook. I have been told by some of them that I am on an "FBI watch list" because of my "radical" views on improving relations between Muslims and non-Muslims. Other friends who do not care as much about religion or politics simply cannot understand the kind of work that I do. Years ago, one of my friends asked me "So what is the difference between Islam and Muslims?" Most of my friends have no idea about either of these subjects, therefore it is difficult for me to share my passion for learning with them.

They simply cannot comprehend the benefits of a non-Muslim studying Islam. Some people in my family consider me to be "weird" because I have an interest in studying a religion that they think is "foreign." This is difficult for me because these are my family members who are supposed to care about things that matter to me. One person in my family has been so brainwashed by media coverage of Islam that he once told me: "Muslims kill us because that's what they're supposed to do to Christians. It's in the Qur'an." One Christmas, a family member wanted to buy me a book that she thought would be interesting to me. It turned out that the book was "The Politically Incorrect Guide

to Islam" by the anti-Muslim activist Robert Spencer. On

another occasion, someone close to my immediate family went through my library and picked up a book called "The Mystics of Islam." He looked at me and said sarcastically "Remind me to read this one!" He said that in a condescending tone as if the book was useless. To be honest, it is painful to be seen as someone who studies something that other people consider to be irrelevant. As you can imagine, it does not feel great to feel unappreciated.Non-Muslims are not the only people who look down on me for researching Islam. I tweet regularly about interfaith dialogue and ways of improving Christian-Muslim relations. Muslims will tweet loving messages to me about the great work that I am doing. When I

respond back with "peace be with you" and "Amen," two typical Christian phrases, they start to question me on my religious background. "Are you Muslim?" these tweeters ask, to which I respond "No, I am Catholic." Seconds later, I realize that I have fewer Twitter followers. These people "unfollow" me for the simple reason that I am not Muslim. Other Muslims on Twitter do their best to convert me to Islam. They tell me that it is impossible to fully understand a religion if you do not follow that religion. They suggest that I "revert" to Islam "before it's too late, before the end times," as if I am going to hell for being Catholic. Granted, I have many Muslim followers who genuinely admire my work in bridging the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims, but to be put down as a non-Muslim scholar leads me to believe that some Muslims are not tolerant of my work.Studying Islam has come at a price. Old friends see me as a traitor; family members see me as "strange," and Muslims see me as someone who will never be good enough. These developments make me think deeply about the issues of loyalty, love, and knowledge. Thankfully, I do have kindred spirits around the worldwide who understand my mission and who appreciate the courage it takes for an individual to put relationships on the line in an effort to acquire knowledge and understand the mysteries of our world. I certainly will carry on with this journey. To stop now would be to surrender to narrow-mindedness, bigotry, and religious supremacy. These are the evils in our world and I will not stop challenging them until my days on this planet are over.(The writer is a Sociologist, Speaker & Writer)

(TheHuffington Post)

I certainly will carry on with this journey. To stop now would be to surrender to narrow-mindedness, bigotry, and religious supremacy.

These are the evils in our world and I will not stop challenging them until

my days on this planet are over.

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 12POLitiCaL anaLYsis

Uttar Pradesh ElectionsTime to Test Alliance Chemistry

Muslims and Dalits need an alternative alliance to tap their

anti-incumbency votes. An alliance between Congress

and BSP can possibly do this.

By An Analyst India’s most populous State, Uttar Pradesh, is heading for Assembly elections early next year. Having cornered 71 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP would be trying its utmost to capture power in the key state. Currently, the BJP is in no position to claim any moral superiority on the strength of its performance. The two year rule of the party at the Centre has nothing to offer by way of positive achievement. Most of its promises remain unfulfilled. One could ask as to where are the sixty million (six crore) jobs. Statistics reveal that the economic growth is not yielding jobs for the unemployed. Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill is yet to be passed. Work is yet to be initiated on Agri-Rail Network promised in the President’s speech on June 9, 2014. Far from taking the Kashmiri Pundits back to the Valley homes, the Valley is in turmoil. Skill India programme is proving to be mere hogwash with India producing more engineers than technicians. The Forest Policy unveiled by the Union Government had to be taken back as it was seen as industry-friendly. It will be a tall order for the BJP to face the electorate with this extremely negative record. But what it cannot achieve on its

own, may be possible to achieve if the Muslim and Dalit votes get splintered. It is here that the main task lies before the two vital communities. It is now time that these social groups put their act together and unify their ranks. Communal HarassmentThe BJP’s phenomenal success in the State owed itself to communal polarization which saw swing of Hindu votes towards the BJP and Muslim votes getting divided between the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party and to a

lesser extent the Congress. This must not happen now that the BJP is aiming at capturing the most vital Hindi state. It has been kicking up controversies and trying to whipping sentiments on beef-eating, ghar wapasi

(conversion) and Love Jihad. Communal harassment fuelling exodus from Kairana and Kandhla towns in Shamli district is latest divisive ploy.Akhilesh Yadav’s Government has though been successful in leading the State on trajectory of economic development, but his record in checking the communal riots has been less than creditable. Mayawati was in fact more successful in keeping the communal elements under check. Currently, it is not certain how much of her votebank is intact after it proved ineffective during

the 2014 elections, handing the advantage to the BJP. Meanwhile, the Congress too is trying its burnish its image and re-energise its moribund cadre in the State where the party lost the power in 1989 to the regional parties

and even completely lost its votebank in the aftermath of 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid.

The party has announced Sheila Dixit as its chief ministerial candidate in a campaign being directed by Prashant Kapur who was behind the phenomenal success of the Narendra Modi’s campaign in 2014.

Anti-Incumbent VotesIt is certain that the SP and BSP cannot come together in the State. The Muslim votes have mostly been going the way of these two parties for the last quarter century. For the sake of the Muslim votes, which have alternately swung between them, the two parties cannot afford to have an alliance with the BJP. But it is quite possible for either of them to ally with the Congress. But the SP being the incumbent in power, may not like to have Congress as its ally. It leaves only the BSP and the Congress as possible alliance partners. This is possible only if the Congress gives up its idea of being the dominant partner and settles for a

junior partner and the BSP gives up self-aggrandized notions of itself. Only an alliance like this can ensure that the sizeable Muslim and Dalit votes would consolidate behind a front capable of giving the BJP a run for its money. This will also allow the two parties to jointly tap the anti-incumbent votes

of these social grouping which will otherwise be squandered. But then the declaration of Sheila Dixit as the chief ministerial candidate puts paid the hopes of the two sides coming together for a meaningful alliance. n

It is certain that the SP and BSP cannot come together in the State. The Muslim votes have mostly been going the way of these two parties for the last

quarter century. For the sake of the Muslim votes, which have alternately swung between them, the two parties cannot afford to have an alliance with the BJP.

“The summit’s final communiqué was

largely meaningless. The assertions it made are unlikely to affect

any results on the ground. The summit

will not serve to resolve any of the Arab world’s ongoing crises,”

says Hassan Nafaa, a political science professor at Cairo

University.

Mauritania: 27th Arab League Summit

Short on Tangible ResultsBy Rabie al-Sukkary and Hussein Mahmoud

Nouakchott: The final communiqué of the 27th Arab League Summit, which wrapped up in Mauritanian capital Nouakchott, last fortnight, largely reiterated positions on which Arab states agree, while studiously ignoring issues of contention.“The summit’s final communiqué was largely meaningless,” Hassan Nafaa, a political science professor at Cairo University, told Anadolu Agency. “The assertions it made are unlikely to affect any results on the ground.” The summit, he went on to assert, “will not serve to resolve any of the Arab world’s ongoing crises”.The league communiqué began by congratulating Ahmed Abul-Gheit, a former Egyptian foreign minister, on his recent appointment as league secretary-general.It went on to reaffirm the importance of the Palestinian issue, stressing the need for “joint Arab action” in this regard and making standard calls for an end of Israel’s decades-long occupation of Arab land. It also expressed support for a French peace initiative that seeks to restart

dialogue between Palestinian and Israeli negotiators with a view to reaching a final settlement.In terms of the Syria conflict, the communiqué merely expressed hope that “our brothers in Syria are able to reach a political solution” that preserves the country’s unity, territorial integrity and independence in line with the 2012 Geneva Declaration and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.The league did not, however, adopt an explicit position regarding the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with a view to avoiding disputes between Arab states that demand his immediate departure and those that have adopted a softer line.“Arab divisions run deep over Syria,” said Nafaa. “Not all Arab states insist on Assad’s departure; some see him as less harmful than other forces that are active in Syria, such as the Nusra Front and Daesh.”“This summit won’t change the Russian or U.S. positions on Syria,” he added. “Nor will it change those of the Arab states with direct relations with the main

actors in Syria.”On Iraq, meanwhile, the league likewise stressed the need to preserve the country’s unity and territorial integrity in the face of terrorist groups and amid the ongoing liberation of Iraqi territory from the Daesh terrorist group.The communiqué made no reference to the Turkish military presence in northern Iraq,considered a contentious issue after a number of Arab countries refused to issue a resolution condemning the Turkish military deployment in the country.“Although some countries, especially Iraq, had sought to pass a draft resolution condemning Turkey’s military presence in Iraq, the issue was excluded from the final communiqué,” Nafaa said.This, he added, “was due to Iraq’s relatively weak political presence at the summit and the success of Turkish foreign policy”.On Iran and the perceived growing Iranian influence in the region, however, the league was explicit, reiterating its rejection of “Iranian interference in the internal affairs

of Arab countries, especially that which could threaten Arab national security”.But according to Nafaa, “even this assertion wasn’t as strong as states like Saudi Arabia and some other countries would have liked, because some Arab states, such as Iraq and Lebanon, differ with the Saudi position in this regard”.The summit in Nouakchott entirely failed to mention an earlier proposal to establish a joint Arab force, an idea first floated last year by Egyptian President Abdel-

Fattah al-Sisi.According to Nafaa, this was due to “the ongoing lack of agreement between Arab states as to who exactly would finance and lead the proposed force and the power allocated to it”.What’s more, he said, it still remains unclear until now what enemy the proposed force is meant to protect the Arab region from.The summit was one of the least attended in the league’s history, with only eight Arab heads of state in attendance. The remaining 14 failed show up for different reasons, not all of which were made public.The event was attended by Mauritanian President Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz; Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir; Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansour Hadi; Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud; Djiboutian President Ismail Omar Guelleh; President of Comoros Iklil Zanin; Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al Sabah.It was also one of the shortest-ever Arab League summits in terms of duration, observers noted, lasting only six hours; Arab League summits are usually held over two days. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 13PeOPLe

tidBits

Doctorate for 19-yr old Somali GirlFahimah Mohammad conducted campaign against female circumcision Bristol: The Bristol University has conferred honorary doctorate on Fahima Mohammad, a British citizen of Somalia origin. The 19-year Fahima had been an activist against female circumcision (a tribal practice in Somalia, Eriteria, Sudan, Egypt and some African countries and wrongly attributed to Islam). She has also been campaigning against forced marriages, honour killings etc prevalent among Britons of Indian and Pakistani origin. Fahimah has enrolled for degree course in Kings College, London for a degree in biology this year.Fahimah migrated to Britain at seven years of age with her parents. She began talking about the orthodox and obnoxious custom at a very young age. She also played the central character in a drama against the custom. Her campaign led to introduction of a law in Britain under which victims of female genital mutilation (FMG) could be reported in the country. The law enacted in 2014 could lead to prosecution of parents or relatives who force the young girls to undergo the circumcision (and also those who do not protect their daughters from such a surgery). They could be jailed for the same.A report from UNICEF estimates that nearly 200 million have been forced to undergo the FMG around the world, of which 44 million are under the age of 14 and less.

Sajid Javed is Minister for CommunitiesLondon: New British Prime Minister Ms. Teressa May has appointed Sajid Javed as the Minister of State for Communities and Municipal Administration in her cabinet. The MP of Pakistani origin earlier held the portfolio of Commerce in the previous ministry headed by David Cameroon. Sajid had opposed Britain’s continuance in the Europe Union, but he had voted for remaining with the EU

Seminar on Woodcarving IndustrySaharanpur: The historic woodcarving industry in this town of Uttar Pradesh is in pathetic state. The extremely talented woodcarving artisans here have been reduced to mere daily wage workers while the traders who collect the produce and export the handicraft items lap up huge profits. These views were expressed at a seminar organized by the Handicradfts Artisans and Exporters Association in the second week of July. The seminar was organized by V. P. Singh Memorial Society, Lucknow. President Abdun Nasir said the artisans were not receiving even the subsistence level wages. Deputy Commissioner of the UP Industries Department, Smt. Anjurani introduced the welfare scheme started by the UP Government. Juffali’s Expensive divorceSixty one year Saudi sheikh Walid Juffali’s divorced wife Christina Estrada, aged 54 won a court case against her husband from a British court which awarded her 53 million

pounds. She had demanded 196 million pounds. Walid had divorced her under Islamic law without her knowledge. Child Marriages BannedBanjul: Gambia, which has a 90% Muslim population banned child marriage in the first week of July. Anyone marrying their below-18 children will be jailed which may extend to 20 years. Nearly a third of girls in the country are married away before they turn 18. People who are aware of the child marriage, but did not inform the authorities too would be punished with 10 year jail sentence.

Mass Marriages for MuslimsRunning an association called Khalandariya, Khadri has roped in wealthy members of his community to fund these mass marriages.Mohammed Anwar Khadri (62) is an unassuming social worker from Shimoga, Karnataka. He hosts mass marriages for poor Muslims. An agriculturist and owner of a small timber yard, Khadri quit his comfortable profession two decades ago and became a social

worker after making a promise to his “baba”. “Fifteen years ago, I visited Hazrath Qalander Shah Peer Baba at his abode, where lakhs of devotees come from across the country. I stayed there for almost a month as a devotee and volunteer. One day, Baba spoke to me personally and made me pledge that I would strive to wipe the tears of the poor, without discrimination.” Today, he tries to fulfill that promise by conducting mass weddings by “living by his words. Atma mein parmatma (‘God lives in everyone’s soul’),” he says. “Since then, I have never looked back,” he said. Running an association called Khalandariya,

Khadri has roped in wealthy members of his community to fund these mass marriages. The association has 2,000 members as of this year. Following

a screening of the prospective couple, the families of the bride and groom are called separately to Shimoga, and given a choice of five sets of clothes, with a gold chain for the marriage ceremony. (Extracted from timesofindia.com)

in the referendum held last month. Javed was an investor Banker before he was elected an MP.

Mahatma Gandhi Prize for Non Violent Peace Gyeonggi (South Korea):Man Hee Lee, Chairman of Heavenly C u l t u r e , World Peace, Res tora t ion of Light (HWPL) was honored with the “Mahatma G a n d h i Prize for Non-Violent Peace” on July 19th at the Peace

Palace in Gyeonggi, Korea. Dr. PrasannaKumar Patasani, Chairman of Mahatma M.K. Gandhi Foundation for Nonviolent Peace and Secretary-General, Dr. Jyoti Mohapatra were present at the award ceremony. “The greatest peace prize is peace on Earth and this is the legacy that we should leave to our future generations. This will become the peace prize that will pave the way to the peaceful lives of humanity. I would like to accept this prize as a lesson that keeps me going for the work of peace,” said Chairman Lee during his acceptance speech.

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 14WOmen’s vOiCe

Beacons of ChangeHyderabad: At the Shaheen Resource Centre, in Sultanshahi, Hyderabad, a group of young girls laugh and sing a qawwali: Kab tak mera maula, dil mera pukara hai, shaadi meri marzi se kabhi hoti nahin hai, mujh ko kya pasand hai koi poochta nahin hai (Till when, O Lord, My heart calls! My marriage never happens in accordance with my wish. No one asks what I like.) Jameela Nishat, feminist poet and founder of Shaheen, says about the girls’ singing qawwali as a beacon of change. “Women are not given space in public, they are allowed to write poetry but not allowed to perform in public. This is our effort to bring a change in that mindset.” The group from

Shaheen has performed qawwalis with a social message at several places for three years now, including on issues related to women’s marginalization. “The response is amazing as qawwalis

are enjoyed by all,” says Sania Fatima, a staff teacher and volunteer. The songs these girls sing carry a social message articulated in familiar tunes. The group comprises members of various ages and stages in life. A first-year student

Swati Kulkarni is also part of the group. “I have knowledge of music but singing a qawwali was new. Everything, from the costume, changing one’s voice, to singing in rhythm to the claps was different,” she says.(Extracted from thehindu.com)

Jameela Nishat of Shaheen Resource Centre

Muslim Women Crush Stereotypes on their March to Rio Olympics Muslim women are also seen excelling in all other sporting and

outdoor competitions.Rio de Janeiro: Since London 2012 Summer Olympics games, the world witnessed how things are starting to change in favor of the Muslim women through sports.The last Olympics games in London recorded the highest number of female Muslim

athletes who participated. It’s also inspiring to note that some of these participants have successfully won a medal.In the upcoming Rio Olympics, the number is expected to further increase, and countries, which have never been represented in the top sporting event will eventually, have their representative.The trend is not only observed during the Olympics, Muslim

women are also seen excelling in all other sporting and outdoor competitions.Here are some of the women athletes who challenged life and are trying to change the role of Muslim women.Starting with a 2016 Rio Olympics qualifier, Amna Al Haddad is

proud of being the very first athlete to represent UAE in the Olympics and other international weightlifting events.Though raised in the United States, Kulsoom Abdullah represents Pakistan in most of her local and international competitions. Abdullah is considered to be a pioneer when it comes to Muslim women who are engaged in weightlifting. Additionally, she

made history by legally fighting to be the first woman to wear a hijab during competition.When she was just 16, Woujdan Ali Seraj Abdul Rahim Shahrkhani made headlines for being the first female athlete to represent Saudi Arabia in the 2012 London

O l y m p i c s in the Judo/Martial Arts.From a former g r a p h i c d e s i g n e r , Mona Seraji has pursued

her passion and is now called as Iran’s snowboard ambassador.Shinoona Salah al-Habsi, represented Oman in the 2012

London Olympics. Though she did not won a medal that time, she is determined to get back and eventually become the champion.

In addition to all these, Raha Muharraq is the very first Saudi woman to successfully reach the summit of Mt. Everest. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 15

Religion has not only served to advance scientific discovery in many cases, but can also exert a

significant influence on the practical application of scientific discoveries—on the ethical questions

of advances in technology and medicine.

BOOK revieW

Religion and Science in Harmony

The Language of Science and FaithAuthors: Karl W. Giberson & Francis S. CollinsPublisher: Authentic Books, SecunderabadPages: 250Price: Rs. 149

Religion and science need not be seen

as enemies of each other, the authors contend, in this

thought provoking book.

Reviewed by: Roshan Shah Karl Giberson is a professor of physics and a prolific writer on faith and science, while Francis Collins is a world-renowned geneticist, known for spearheading the Human Genome Project and for directing the National Institutes of Health, the world’s largest medical research institution. In this thought-provoking book, they challenge the widespread belief that science and religious faith are necessarily mutually incompatible. They adduce evidence from the natural world, using scientific arguments, that suggests that the universe has a creator—God.

People Who Deny GodReligion and science need not be seen as enemies of each other, the authors contend. The changing understandings of the natural world that scientific investigations engender may necessitate, they say, continuous reconsideration of some of the ways in which we understand religious texts, particularly sections that relate to the natural world. On the other hand, the discovery that the laws of nature are finely tuned for life, clearly indicates that people who deny God in the name of science should reassess their

understandings of science and the world. Far from disproving God, science, properly understood, actually enriches our understanding of God’s amazing creation. Believers thus have no need to fear or even reject science as being incompatible with faith.As scientists, the authors are convinced that the truths about the natural world must be confronted. But as believers they are convinced that there are certain theological truths—such as that God is the Creator—that must be integrated into any meaningful understanding of the natural world. God has provided two distinct, complementary and reliable revelations—divine scripture and the natural world.

Proliferation of SpeciesThe question of the origins of life lies at the root of the ideological conflict between believers and atheists. The authors insist that scientific explanations of the origin of life do not rule out God as creator. It is not necessary, the authors stress, that one denies God in order to accept evolution as a theory that seeks to account for the proliferation of species. They point out that evolution makes no direct statements about religion and God. You could be a believer in God and believe in evolution at the same time without any contradiction. While this might come as a major relief to some, not all believers, needless to say, will be enthusiastic about the authors’ embrace of evolution as an explanation of the diversity of species. The theory of evolution, the authors stress, does not deal with

the origin of life: whether chemicals can combine on their own to produce life is not a part of it. The origin of life remains unexplained by evolution, which focuses specifically on what it posits as a process that causes one species to evolve from through mutations, which it claims has led to the diversity of living

things today. Most evolutionary theorists, the authors remark, consider the origin of life to be outside the scope of biological evolution. This means that belief in God as the creator of life can be compatible with the theory of evolution. Many scientists, the authors note, accept the theory

of the evolution of species from simpler to more complex life forms as the mechanics of God’s creative plan.

Result of God’s ActionScientists, the authors relate, presently do not for sure know how life—in the form, or so it is said, of single-cell organisms, began. For their part, the authors believe it was a result of God’s action. The universe, they explain, is so finely-tuned that it points to the existence of an All-Powerful Creator who consciously designed it. As evidence, they point out that if any of the physical constants of nature (including gravity, the speed of light, the mass of the electron, and the electromagnetic force and some other parameters) differed even slightly from their actual values, the result would have been a universe, incapable of hosting life. This indicates that the universe has been finely tuned by an intelligent Designer, a Creator, to support life.

Scientists and Faith in GodThe book suggests that religion and science can work together symbiotically. It points out that many of the European philosophers who laid the foundations of what is regarded as modern science were devout believers. Even today, many leading scientists have faith in God. Religion has not only served to advance scientific

discovery in many cases, but can also exert a significant influence on the practical application of scientific discoveries—on the ethical questions of advances in technology and medicine, for instance, for which the scientific method cannot provide an answer. On the other hand, the book suggests, science can also inform religion in useful ways, bringing

our understandings of religion in harmony with God’s revelation in nature, reforming and refining believers’ understandings of God’s creation and clarifying the limitations of understandings about the creation that may be based on erroneous or too literal readings of scriptures.

Questions that Only Science can AddressThat said, it is important to remember, the authors remind us, that there are questions that only science can address, and religion should allow it to do so. On the other hand, scientists should admit that science cannot answer questions about life’s purpose or the existence of God. Scientists must recognize that science will never fully answer the ‘why’ questions that religion deals with. Science can only tell us how the world is, never the reasons or purposes for why it is that way. The authors are both Christians, but the book does not seek to prove the distinctive claims of Christianity as such. Instead, it adduces scientific arguments that suggest the existence of God, seeking to explain the origin of life as a result of Divine decree creation and attempting to reconcile evolution with belief in God. As such, then, the book is likely to resonate equally with people of different faiths, even if many may not agree with their attempt to reconcile their particular belief in the theory of evolution with faith in the Creator God. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 16

In Singh’s approach to interfaith dialogue as a spiritual quest and task, the issue of the

purpose of human life is of special significance. Singh says, materialists claim that the purpose

of life is simply to ‘enjoy’ or accumulate as much money as possible. They seek to fill the vacuum created by their denial of God and spirituality

through false, materialistic ideologies.

BOOK revieW

The Science of Interreligious Dialogue By T.D Singh (Bhaktisvarupa Damodara Swami)Publisher: Bhaktivedanta Institute, Kolkata

Reviewed By A Staff Writer The late T.D Singh (d. 2006) was a man of many talents. He was a scientist (with a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California), at the same time as he was a deeply spiritual person. For several years, he headed the Kolkata-based Bhaktivedanta Institute, which seeks to promote dialogue between religion/spirituality and science. A passionate peace activist, he was also a prolific writer. In this timely book, Singh makes an impassioned plea for interfaith dialogue, calling on people of different faith traditions to work together to face the many challenges that the world today confronts, including terrorism and the threat of nuclear war that could put the very survival of life on the planet at stake. Unity of ReligionsFor Singh, the basis of the interfaith dialogue, peace and harmony is recognition of the One Supreme Being or God. Singh quotes Srila Prabhupada, founder of the Bhaktivedanta Institute, as describing the glorification of God as the basis of the unity of religions and the way to lasting peace and prosperity in the world:“All the great acaryas, like Ramanuja, Madhva, Caitanya, Sarasvati Thakura or even, in other countries, Mohammed, Christ and others, have all extensively glorified the Lord […] Because

the Lord is all-pervading, it is essential to glorify Him always and everywhere […] The Lord is the master of all time and all space, and therefore the Lord’s holy name must be heard, glorified and remembered everywhere in the world. That will bring about the desired peace and prosperity

so eagerly awaited by the people of the world.” God is the supreme goal of life, and, as is stressed in various spiritual traditions, true religion is rendering loving service unto Him, Singh says. If our hearts and minds are tuned to these traditions, he writes, we can appreciate and support one another, despite our religious and other differences.

Stressing the spiritual basis of the approach to interfaith dialogue,

Singh writes that all human beings,

irrespective of religion, are “eternal

spiritual beings in temporary material bodies” and that

“the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve love of the

Supreme Lord”.

An Impassioned Plea for Interfaith DialogueStudying the wisdom of the world’s religions can, he says, help us develop compassion for each other and discover that the message of love and mercy is common to all our faiths. “The hope for a global peace is within the grasp of those visionaries that can work to utilize this universal wisdom” he tells us. Since there is only one God and all of us, no matter what religion or ideology we claim to follow, are His creatures, we are all brothers and sisters to each other, members of one vast family. Recognition of our common connection with God, a core teaching that unites different religions, leads to mutual respect.Stressing the spiritual basis of this approach to interfaith dialogue, Singh writes that all human beings, irrespective of religion, are “eternal spiritual

beings in temporary material bodies” and that “the ultimate goal of human life is to achieve love of the Supreme Lord”. “Through spiritual education”, he says, “we should all come up to the consciousness that we are all pure spirit souls. In that consciousness, we can see the brotherhood and sisterhood of all people and that we are all

spiritual children of God”. In this way, people of different faiths can begin to respect and care for each other.

Supremacism, Conflict and ViolenceSome religionists claim that the particular set of dogmas and rituals they believe in represents the sole truth. Such an attitude can easily lead to supremacism, conflict and violence. Singh, however, reminds us that true religion is “beyond any sectarian concept.” “A true religious principle”, he says, “is a gift of the Supreme Being, God, to humanity revealed through saintly persons” to help us revive our original spiritual identity. The essence and ultimate significance of religion, Singh says, is not religion in an ethical, ritualistic or esoteric sense, but what he terms “the spiritual and universal function of life”. The natural and inherent function of a living being, he says, is to recognize that he or she is “an eternal servant of the Supreme Being”. This, Singh says, is

dharma or eternal religion. Such a universalistic understanding of religion can serve to bring people from different faith traditions closer together, leading them to realize that, in the words of Nobel Peace Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, whom Singh quotes, “God’s love is too great to be confined to any one side of a conflict or to any one religion”. It can also help us discern the essential oneness of the spirit of the different spiritual traditions that lies under the variety of their forms. In Singh’s approach to interfaith dialogue as a spiritual quest and task, the issue of the purpose of human life is of special significance. Singh says, materialists claim that the purpose of life is simply to ‘enjoy’ or accumulate as much money as possible. They seek to fill the vacuum created by their denial of God and spirituality through false, materialistic ideologies, Singh says, but, he adds, “a false meaning of life will never be able to bring lasting peace in the world.” Singh points out that the only way for our collective survival today is to promote understanding, peace and harmony between individuals, communities and nations, and this should be based on a spiritual foundation. The root cause of challenges such inter-community conflict, terrorism and the threat of deadly wars that can put the very survival of humanity at stake, is, Singh says, lack of spirituality and knowledge of God. This book is a real gem, a precious contribution to contemporary discussions about inter-religious relations that today have assumed immense salience, including at the global level. n

FrOm Here & tHere

The hate Islamberg expected from an

anti-Muslim rally was overshadowed by an outpouring of love

from their neighbors.

Responding to Anti-Muslim Hate With LoveIslamberg, a rural enclave in the USA, is home to a predominantly Muslim population. The town’s name and unique history has often made it a target of Islamophobic threats. But recently, the hate Islamberg expected from an anti-Muslim rally was overshadowed by an outpouring of love from their interfaith neighbors. More than 400 people reportedly traveled to Islamberg to show a solid front against the “American Bikers United Against Jihad”, a group whose stated goal is to mobilize like-minded “patriots” against “violent and stealth Jihad,” which they claim is threatening their freedom and security. On a Facebook page for the event,

advertised as a “Ride for National Security,” the group called on bikers to join them in protest against Islamberg, claiming the town had links to terrorist

organizations. Although 73 people accepted the online invite, only about five bikers showed up. But Islamberg’s 200 residents were surrounded by hundreds of people who traveled to the town to participate in a counter-rally

for peace. They held up signs and waved American flags as the bikers rode by. After the rally, the counter-protestors banded together for a luncheon, a series

of talks, and a tour of the town and its mosque.Islamberg officials said that the peace rally was proposed by people who did not live in the town and who found details about the bike rally online. Dr. Bilqees Abdullah, a resident of Islamberg

for about 30 years, said that the show of support from the local community was “heartwarming.” “To see so many people come and join and actually say: ‘This isn’t right, this isn’t fair, and we’re not going for it,’ it’s wonderful. Very

wonderful,” she said.Peace activist, Michelle Osterhoudt said that it was important for her to support Islamberg’s residents because “they have been target of hate for over 10 years now.” “I hope that by showing up in such a large group, we could show the nation, and perhaps the world, that peace and love prevail,” Osterhoudt

wrote in an email. “I can now speak on behalf of my Islamberg friends and let everyone know what I always believed to be true: the residents of Islamberg are a peaceful community with families just like yours and mine.”In October 2015, armed protestors tried to set up hate rallies at mosques and Muslim community centers around America. The majority of these events were canceled and in the end, the rallies ended up encouraging interfaith activists in local communities to show up to show their solidarity for their Muslim neighbors. (Extracted from Carol Kuruvilla’s article “5 Bikers Showed Up For An Anti-Muslim Rally. 400 People Had Another Idea” on huffingtonpost.com].

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 17triBUtes

Hashim AnsariHe wanted restoration of Babri Masjid, but

did not allow his stance to cause a rift with the opponents who fought for the

conversion of mosque into a temple.

Lucknow: The key petitioner of Babri Masjid case, Hashim Ansari passed away on July 20. He was the most known face of resistance against the conversion of historic Babri Masjid into a temple as claimed by the VHP and strident voice for its restoration as a mosque. He was 95.He had deep attachment to Babri Masjid and had prayed there till the December 22/23, 1949 night when idols were installed surreptitiously by communal forces. He was also sentenced for two-years jail for calling azan from the Babri Masjid in 1952. He maintained staunch friendship with Akshay Brahamchari, a Gandhian who too advocated restoration of Babri Masjid and Hindu-Muslim

unity. Brahamchari died in 2010. Ansari had inherited the profession of tailoring from his father and was a man of austere habits. He led a frugal life and was dedicated to the cause of restoration of Babri Masjid and spared no sacrifice for the cause.According to Masoom Muradabadi, Editor of Urdu fortnightly Khabardar Jadeed from Delhi, a leading politician from the ruling party met him soon after the demolition of Babri Masjid (on December 6, 1992) and offered him Rs. 2 crore and a petrol pump in lieu of withdrawal

of the case. But he refused to accept anything and continued his legal battle. He headed the Ayodhya branch of BMAC as well. He attended several demonstrations and sit-ins organised for the recovery of Babri Mosque. On 30th

March 1987, when a massive demonstration was organised at Boat Club, Delhi, Hashim Ansari was the centre of attraction for everyone there as well. He was given a place in line with Muslim leaders at the public meeting at Boat Club.Moradabadi writes: “What is noteworthy here is that despite such a long nerve racking legal battle, Hashim Ansari had no bitterness and antipathy against his opponents. He used to go to the court with his opponent Paramhans Ramchandra Das in the same rickshaw. When Paramhans

Ramchandra died, there were tears in Hashmi Ansari’s eyes and at Hashim Ansari’s death, tears were noticed in the eyes of the leader of Rama Temple Abhiyan Gayan Das. He laid a wreath of flowers on Hashim Ansari’s dead body and walked with the hearse along

Hashim Ansari had no bitterness and antipathy against

his opponents. He used to go to the court with his opponent

Paramhans Ramchandra Das in the same rickshaw

Abdul Sattar Edhi, was a prominent Pakistani philanthropist, social activist, ascetic and humanitarian. He was the founder and head of the Edhi Foundation in Pakistan and managed the organization for the better part of six decades. In 2013, The Huffington Post said that he might be "the world's greatest living humanitarian."Revered by many as a national hero, Edhi created a charitable empire out of nothing. He masterminded Pakistan’s largest

welfare organisation almost single-handedly, entirely with private donations. To many, Edhi was known as the “Father Teresa” of Pakistan. Edhi was born on January 1, 1928 in Bantva in Gujarat. His mother would

give him 1 paisa for his meals and another to give to a beggar. When he was eleven, his mother became paralysed from a stroke and she died when Edhi was 19. His personal experiences and care for his mother during her illness, caused him to develop a system of services for old, mentally ill and challenged people. The Partition led Edhi and his family to migrate to Pakistan in 1947. He then shifted to Karachi to work in a market at a wholesale

shop. He initially started as a peddler, and later became a commission agent selling cloth in the wholesale market in Karachi. After a few years, he established a free dispensary with help from his community. Edhi resolved

to dedicate his life to aiding the poor, and over the next sixty years, he single handedly changed the face of welfare in Pakistan. Edhi founded the Edhi Foundation. Additionally, he established a welfare trust, named the Edhi Trust. Regarded as a guardian for the poor, Edhi began receiving numerous donations, which allowed him to expand his services. To this day, the Edhi Foundation continues to grow in both size

and service, and is currently the largest welfare organisation in Pakistan. Since its inception, the Edhi Foundation has rescued over 20,000 abandoned infants, rehabilitated over 50,000 orphans and has trained over 40,000

nurses. It also runs more than 330 welfare centres in rural and urban Pakistan which operate as food kitchens, rehabilitation homes, shelters for abandoned women and children and clinics for the mentally handicapped.The Edhi Foundation, founded by Edhi, runs the world's largest ambulance service (operating 1,500 of them) and offers 24-hour emergency services. It has run relief operations in Africa, Middle East, the Caucasus region, eastern Europe and United States where it provided aid following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. His son Faisal Edhi, wife Bilquis Edhi and daughters managed the daily

operations of the organization during his ill health. Edhi was married in 1965 to Bilquis, a nurse who worked at the Edhi dispensary. The couple had four children, two daughters and two sons. Bilquis runs the free maternity home at the headquarters in Karachi and organizes the adoption of abandoned babies including those born out of wedlock. Edhi was known for his ascetic lifestyle, owning only two pairs of clothes, never taking a salary from his organisation and living in an apartment next to his organization's office.On 25 June 2013, Edhi's kidneys failed, it was announced that he would be on dialysis for the rest of his life unless he found a kidney donor. Edhi passed away on 8 July 2016 at the age of 88 due to kidney failure after having been placed on a ventilator. His last wishes included the request that his organs were to be donated, but due to his ill health, only his corneas were suitable. He was laid to rest at the Edhi Village, Karachi. n

with his other Hindu neighbours, up to the graveyard.Ansari was against politicizing the issue which led to lot of bad blood between the Hindus and Muslims and lent an issue to political parties to grab power. Hashim Ansari also pleaded the Babri Mosque case in Allahabad High Court as well. This case is under review in the Supreme Court as the parties have challenged the

bizarre decision of the High Court in which Babri Mosque site was divided into three parts, one of which was granted to Nirmohi Akhara and the other two equal parts were handed over to Sunni Waqf Board and Ram Lalla.In 1992, the Karsevaks torched Hashim Ansari’s house. But his Hindu neighbours put it off. n

(Source: excerpted from Urdumediamonitor.com)

Edhi created a charitable empire out of nothing.

He masterminded Pakistan’s largest

welfare organisation almost single-

handedly, entirely with private donations.

Abdul Sattar EdhiGuardian of the Poor

Edhi was known for his ascetic lifestyle, owning only two

pairs of clothes, never taking a salary from his organisation and living in an apartment next

to his organization's office.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,

“Three things follow the funeral of a dead man. Two of them

return and one remains:

his family, his wealth, and his deeds.

His family and wealth return, but

his deeds remain.”

Source: Sahih Bukhari 6149, Sahih Muslim 2960

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 18

Setting Standards of Social MoralityIn the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Allah does not love evil to be spoken openly unless it be someone who has been genuinely wronged. Allah hears all and knows all. Whether you do good openly or in private, or pardon others for evil (done against you), Allah is indeed Most lenient, Powerful.

(Women: An-Nisaa: 4:148-149)

As the Quran was being revealed, it undertook the process of establishing a new nation out of the scattered groups of people who were picked up from their little corners of ignorance. After their characters were re-molded by Islam, they were set up on their way to a much higher human standard. They were then assigned their great role of leadership of mankind. One of the elements which helped remold these characters was to give this community a pure conscience and to purify the general atmosphere of their new social set-up and to set for them a new moral standard.

When the new Muslim community attained that standard, its superiority over the rest of mankind in personal and social morality was equal to its superiority in idealogical concepts. The Muslim community was then able to accomplish, by Allah’s will, what he had determined for it, and assume its role as custodian of the divine system, and a guide to mankind.

Role of LeadershipSuperiority of moral standards makes a nation naturally fit for the role of leadership. It provides

the right foundation which enables that nation to achieve a higher standard of civilization and scientific advancement and formulate a better economic and political system. Superiority in these matters comes as a result of superior beliefs and moral values. Part of the purification of consciences at individual and social levels is represented by the two verses which provide the subject of the commentary: “Allah does not love evil to be spoken openly, unless it be by someone who had been genuinely wronged. Allah hears all and knows all. Whether you do good openly or in

private, or pardon others for evil done against you, Allah is indeed Most-lenient, Powerful.”

Standard of Social MoralityBeing highly sensitive, a human society needs to establish a proper standard of social morality. A word said unwittingly and a rumour intended against only one person may have highly detrimental effects on society, its traditions and values. Unless checked by conscience and by the quality common to believers, namely fear of Allah, it is very easy to use evil language, which will inevitably leave profoundly

harmful effects on society. It often destroys mutual confidence among people, giving a general impression that evil has become commonplace. It also encourages those with evil tendencies to bring them out into the open. People tend not to express their disgust at hearing evil words, or indeed evil acts, when they become widely used or done.Result of Evil LanguageInnocent people are grouped together with those who are guilty, accusations fly around, psychological and social considerations which restrain

people from using foul language become ineffective. The fact is that the use of evil words starts in the form of individual accusations, but it leads to social corruption and moral chaos. No individual or group of people are given their due credit and people have no confidence in each other, when baseless accusations circulate and scruples are totally disregarded. For these reasons, Allah does not like that the Muslim community should allow evil words to be common usage. The only exemption in this regard is given to a person who suffers injustice. It should be pointed out

here, that such evil words which are allowed to be spoken openly originate with a particular person who has been wronged, for a particular reason, i.e, the wrong

itself and leveled at one person in particular who is the wrong doer. The exemption given in this verse is justified by the end in view, namely to restore justice to a person who has been wronged.To be sure, Islam does not allow libel in any form. It protects people’s reputation and integrity as long as they do not wrong others. If they do that, they relinquish their rights to be protected. By giving this exemption, Islam maintains a balance between its two desires, to maintain a high standard of justice which admits of no breach and a standard of morality which allows no violation of personal or social propriety. Commenting on the prohibition and the exemption, the Quran states: “Allah hears all and knows all.” The conclusion relates the whole matter to Allah’s law, after it has been given at the outset, within the context of what Allah loves and what He dislikes: “Allah does not love evil to be spoken openly.” This comment emphasizes to us that the evaluation of motive and intention as well as the truth of the words uttered and the accusation expressed is made by Allah who hears whatever is said and who knows what is in people’s hearts.

Pardoning OthersThe surah does not stop at giving an order not to speak evil openly, it encourages the positive aspect of doing good generally and pardoning others for any evil. It reminds people that Allah Himself is Much-forgiving, Most-lenient, when He is able to punish offenders. This reminder also

serves as an incentive to believers to follow, within the limits of their ability, Allah’s example in dealing with people: “Whether you do good openly or in private,

or pardon others for evil done against you, Allah is indeed Most-lenient, Powerful.”

Refining Our CharacterHere, Islam takes its followers, individual and communities, up another stage in educating them

and refining their characters. In the first stage, it spoke to them about Allah’s dislike of evil being spoken openly. It gave a concession to a person who has been subjected to injustice, to speak against the person who had wronged him, in order to remove that wrong. In this second stage, it raises them all to the level of doing good. As for the individual who has been wronged, he is encouraged to pardon and forgive, when he is able to take a legitimate step in retaliation in order to remove that injustice. It is forgiveness given freely, despite the ability to retaliate. Needless to say, this stage of forgiveness is higher and more worthy of believers than that of retaliation. All this, helps good to spread in the Muslim community if it is done openly. If it is kept in secret, it helps keep hearts and souls pure. Good is beneficial when done in public or in private. When forgiveness becomes common, little room is left for evil words said in public. The only condition is that it should be forgiveness granted, when one feels able to retaliate in some other way. We forgive because we like to be forgiven by Allah, who though able to punish us, pardons us: “Allah is indeed Most-lenient, Powerful.” n

The fact is that the use of evil words starts in the form of individual accusations, but it leads to social corruption and moral chaos. No

individual or group of people are given their due credit and people have no confidence in each other.

The surah does not stop at giving an order not to speak evil openly, it encourages the positive aspect of doing good generally and pardoning others for any evil. It reminds people that Allah

Himself is Much-forgiving, Most-lenient, when He is able to punish offenders.

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 19FOLLOW-UP

A Hadith (related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad) quotes

the Prophet (peace be upon him) as

saying: “Ambiguity provides a way out

of telling lies.”

Speaking Lies: Unacceptable in IslamThis is a clear sanction to resort to ambiguity in order to avoid telling a lie. It is well known that telling lies is totally unacceptable in Islam. No matter what the situation is, and how one stands to be adversely affected by telling the truth, one must not tell a falsehood. This is the standard attitude of Islam. Exceptions are permitted in three situations: In war, when one may tell a lie to protect himself and his colleagues; to achieve reconciliation between two persons who had fallen out; and between man and wife in the interest of good family life. However, no lies are permitted in order to gain unfair advantage, or to cover up deception.

Stating the TruthBut if these are the only exceptions, and telling lies is a grave sin, how can one avoid an embarrassing situation? A person may need to tell a lie in a very innocent situation, simply because stating the truth could cause some difficulty or put a person in an untenable position. In such circumstances, we may resort to ambiguity in what we say. An ambiguous statement carries more than one meaning, and the listener may very well take the meaning the speaker wants him to understand.

A Hadith (related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad) quotes the Prophet as saying: “Ambiguity provides a way out of telling lies.” This is a clear sanction to resort to ambiguity in order to avoid telling a lie. Scholars have resorted to this sort of ambiguous statements in order to attend to their business and not to turn people away. Al-Nukha’ie, a scholar of the generation that succeeded the Prophet’s companions, told his servant that if someone called on him when he was busy, she should not say that he was not in, but should only say to the caller:

“Try to meet him at the mosque.” The caller was likely to think that the man had already gone to the mosque when the servant did not tell him anything of the kind. She only suggested that he should seek him there, where he would

certainly be at the time for the next prayer. There are a variety of ways by which this could be achieved, and they all depend on common sense. What is important to know is that if the benefit achieved from such use of ambiguity is greater than the loss incurred, then it is permissible. If it is not, using it is not forbidden, but may in some situations be reprehensible.

Warning Against Reporting Everything We HearAnother Hadith quotes Umar ibn Al-Khattab as saying: “It is sufficient lying that one should

report everything one hears.” He is also reported to have said: “Does not ambiguity provide a Muslim with a way out of lying.” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, , Abu Dawood and Al-Hakim)

The first part of this Hadith draws our attention to a fact of

life that shows that if we were to report everything we hear, we will be telling lies. This is due to the fact that some people do lie, and if we were to take their words and relay them to others without checking whether they are true or not, we will be sharing their guilt. Moreover, sometimes people do not deliberately tell lies, but they may be confused about something, or unaware of the full facts. They may be only stating what they heard without checking its truth. It is well known that when people do that, they are likely to miss a point

here or there, or to misunderstand something and report it wrongly. If we relay what we hear, we may, in turn, do the same. This will mean that what we report will be even further from the truth, and we may inadvertently tell a lie. Therefore the Hadith gives us a warning against reporting everything we hear.

To Watch What We SayNumerous are the Hadiths that advise us to watch what we say. Indeed, the Prophet has warned against every type of unacceptable behaviour, even when it is limited to words. One type is to make fun of others, particularly if the person being made fun of has some defect or illness or an unsightly appearance. Some Hadiths warn that God may inflict immediate punishment on people who are guilty of such unacceptable practice. This Hadith does not state what our attitude should be when we see someone suffering an illness or having a defect, deformity or handicap. The right behaviour is detailed in some other Hadiths which make clear that a Muslim must always be ready with help and must look at anyone with such a disorder or handicap with respect and kindness. We must in no way impart to such a person an impression that he loses his or her esteem because of his handicap or illness. This Hadith simply warns that God’s punishment may be near at hand. It could be that we will become subject to the same ridicule we leveled at that person by contracting the same illness or suffering the same physical defect. We do well to heed the Prophet’s warning. n

The Prophet has warned against every type of unacceptable behaviour, even when it is

limited to words. One type is to make fun of others, particularly if the person being made fun of has some defect or illness or an

unsightly appearance.

Positivity in the QuranPositivity is about feeling thankful and focusing on the good. Here are four examples of how the Quran teaches positivity.

By Sheima Sumer

1. The Quran teaches that being thankful benefits YOU:

“...Whoever gives thanks benefits his own soul…” (Holy Quran 31:12)

2. The Quran encourages us to focus on the good:

When Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) experienced the tragic death of another child, Allah sent down a Quranic verse to console him with positivity: The Prophet was encouraged to focus on the positive during an immense loss.

“Indeed, We have granted you (O Muhammad), Al-Kawthar (a grand river in Paradise).” (108:1)

3. The Quran teaches that problems are opportunities to learn: The point of our growth in this world is to reflect and learn wisdom:

“It is He Who created you from dust, then from a drop of fluid, then from a tiny clinging form, then He brought you forth as infants, then He allowed you to

reach maturity...so that you may reflect.” (40:67)

4. The Quran teaches you to look for the best in yourself, because Allah looks for the best in you:

“To whoever, male or female, does good deeds and has faith, We shall give a good life and reward them according to the best of their actions.” (16:97)

Allah will reward us according to the best of our deeds. Focus on your positive qualities, nobody is perfect. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 20QUestiOn & ansWer

Spirituality and ‘Modern’ EducationAnswered by Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Alternate System of Schooling

Q: ‘Modern’ schools, by and large, are geared to preparing students for material ‘success’, and not to making them better, God-conscious, kinder, more compassionate and caring human beings. They generally have little or no room for spirituality. Partly as a result of this sort of mis-education, many students grow up to think that becoming materially rich is the purpose of life. Few such students care for religion or spirituality or the Hereafter, and for this, the system of education they go through has a major role to play.How do you respond to this? What suggestions would you have for people who would like their children’s spiritual side to be nurtured, which the present ‘modern’ system of education pays little or no attention to?

A: As a matter of fact, the present situation is indeed what you have pointed out. At the same time, according to the law of nature, even after achieving material gain, a person does not get peace of mind. Many people who experienced this and later read our writings revised their course of life: they made spiritual gain their priority over material gain.My experience has been that many people want their children to develop spiritually. However, I do not find them truly sincere. If they were really sincere, they could prevent, partially or totally,

their children from becoming victims of materialism.I have a two-point formula for parents who want to nurture their children spiritually. First, the atmosphere of the house should be totally in control of the parents. The parents should make an effort to turn their homes into spiritual places. For example, instead of their discussions centering on food, clothes, furniture and other such material things, there should be discussion on spiritual issues. In Muslim homes, there is often a lot of negative conversation. If parents truly

want their children to change, they should try, in the real sense, to change the atmosphere of their homes. Second, parents should not only be well-wishers of their children but they should also be well-educators of their children. Parents should engage in deep study and, based on this, address the minds of their children. Reason-based guidance addresses people’s minds.If parents adopt this two-point principle, then it is nearly certain that they would be successful in the spiritual upbringing of their children. n

Q: Given that spirituality is hardly, if at all, addressed in the present ‘modern’ educational system, would you suggest an alternate system of schooling, or would you suggest reforms within the present system?

A: I do not believe in reform of the education system. Today, the system of education is aimed at training professionals. A high kind of professionalism is possible only if the education provided is as it presently is. If spirituality were added to the existing curriculum, it would lead to neither development of spirituality nor of professionalism. The saying ‘If you run after two hares, you’ll catch neither’ will be applicable if you tried such an approach!In the case of professional

education, we in India need to improve our standards and bring them at par with US standards. And as far as inculcating of spiritual values is concerned, it is a subject of informal education. This kind of education is received outside of the college or university campus, for example, in seminars, conferences, libraries, constructive journalism, and through magazines, discussions, and interactions. I too am involved in this work of informal education. n

Are Islamic Schools Necessary?Q: What do you think of the growing number of ‘Islamic schools’—schools that provide students general as well as Islamic education? On the one hand, they provide students with religious education and what they regard as a religious environment, which is something that their parents value. On the other hand, since such schools are attended only by Muslims, they tend to further isolate Muslims from others in religiously-plural societies. In such societies, what system of schooling for Muslim children do you suggest, so that they can acquire religious education (in addition to general education), and, at the same time, be able to enjoy opportunities to study with and befriend students from other communities?

A: I am not a proponent of such kind of Islamic schools prevalent among Muslims today. This would make Muslims a ghetto community. The right method is

the one followed by Christians: they make seminaries for their theological education and have established secular institutions too. n

Is Life Insurance Halaal?Is it okay to go for life insurance? What is the Islamic position on this? Could the life be insured? - Sana Sultan, Bangalore

Editor replies:Life is of course God-given and it is He who withdraws it. The time of death is not known except to God himself. So what emerges from it is that no one can ensure durability of life or predict the time of death. Life Insurance companies too do not claim that they can ensure a term of a life for an individual who is opting to buy their policy.So the question is why Life Insurance? Life insurance is a financial instrument for covering the risk of untimely death for an individual. Policy documents of Life Insurance merely cover the risk of an early or untimely death, accident or injury or hazards faced during a journey or sickness during foreign travel. One can remain sure that Life Insurance companies do not infringe any Islamic rule or law. When one goes for a Life Insurance Policy, he or

she promises to pay a fixed amount for a fixed term towards Insurance to the company. The company provides a guarantee that it would pay fixed sum to him or her after the maturity of the period. Or in case the policy holder dies before the term of maturity, his nominees (mostly spouses or children) would get the sum ensured even if only the first installment of the fixed sum has been paid, no questions asked.This is done on the basis of general life expectancy in a society at a particular time. It is presumed that most people would die only at ages between, say, 65 to 80. But it is common to see that generally 5% people in a given society die prematurely, say at 40 or 50 or meet fatal accidents. The Life Insurance is run on the basis of thinly spreading the risk on all people and helping the next of kin of those who die early. n

Look Within To Find Solutions LivinG isLam

There is wisdom in the ants going into their dwellings in dangerous times. It emphasises the importance of turning inwards to our true dwelling, that is the heart, to find solutions rather than engage in aimless confrontations.

be admitted to the ranks of the righteous servants.It is understood that Solomon ordered his army to step aside to avoid crushing the ants. While most readers of the Quran marvel at Solomon’s amazing powers, few reflect on the wisdom of the tiny ant. The queen ant called her people, acknowledged the crowd, identified the problem and prescribed a strategy. The three aspects of the queen’s speech are contained in a single sentence. The Quran gives the mike to the little ant, but just one or two Quran commentators listen to her. Ibn Hazm, the famous Islamic scholar of the 11th century, called it the best short speech in history!The ant realises that Solomon and his army do not intend to destroy them. The deeper message is that we cannot be conscious when we hurt or kill people. Violence is an act of heedlessness, committed when one is unconscious of one’s conscience. There is wisdom in the ants going into their dwellings in dangerous times. It emphasises the importance of turning inwards to our true dwelling — that is the heart — to find solutions rather than engage in aimless confrontations.(Sadia Dehlvi is a Delhi-based writer and author of Sufism: The Heart of Islam).

By Sadia Dehlvi The Quran has an entire chapter called Naml (ant), named after one of God’s tiny creations. It contains the enchanting story of Prophet King Solomon and his encounter with the ant colony. God gifted Solomon, son of David, with special powers to hear and understand the communications of all Jinns, birds and animals.The organisational capabilities of ants, their colonies and ability to carry almost 50 times more than their body weight are fascinating qualities. Ants usually nest in soil with colonies containing millions of ants. They communicate with each other, heading out in large groups to collect food. Ants have clear divisions of labour amongst themselves and a God-given ability to solve complex problems.Over more than a thousand years ago, Imam Ali gave a sermon in which he reflected on ants, and asked people to notice the different species created by the Almighty. “Look at the ant for its small body and delicate form. It carries the grain to its hole and deposits it in its place of stay. It collects during the summer for its winter and during strength for the period of its weakness. Its

livelihood is guaranteed, and it is fed according to fitness. Allah, the Kind, does not forget it and does not deprive it. If you tread on the paths of your imagination and reach its extremity, it will not lead you anywhere except that the originator of the ant is the same as he who is the originator of the date-palm, because everything has

delicacy and detail.”Ant colonies are ruled by a queen with male ants few in number. Male ants don’t survive for long after performing their role of mating with the

queen. Interestingly, the Quran clearly refers to the female gender of ants in inscribing their story.One day Solomon along with his massive army that consisted of men, birds, animals and Jinns were marching to the country of Ashkelon. Seeing them approach the ant colony, the queen ant addressed her nation saying, “O ye ants.” She warned them of the impending danger and commanded them to go inside their dwellings, “lest Solomon and his men crush you unconsciously.”Grateful to God for the special gifts bestowed on him, Solomon smiled at the ant’s speech. Thankful to God, the Prophet King prayed that he works to please God and

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 21OPiniOn

Given Islam’s clear teaching about all

creatures being members of God’s family, it is ironical that some Muslims care nothing about

killing innocent people, and that too in the name of Islam.

Islam is Opposed to TerrorismBy Maulana Wahiduddin

Khan If properly understood, Islam is the very opposite of terrorism and has nothing to do with it. The word ‘Islam’ is derived from the root s-l-m, which means ‘peace’. Hence, Islam, correctly interpreted, is a religion of peace. Naturally, a religion that describes itself as a religion of peace can have no relation with terrorism if that religion is interpreted in the right manner. In the Quran the Prophet Muhammad is referred to as rahmatul-lil-alamin, or ‘mercy unto the worlds’. He is thus a source of mercy for all of humankind, and not just Muslims alone. Naturally, then, his teachings can have no room for terrorism at all. In a report recorded in the books of Hadith, it is said that every morning, before the fajr prayer and after completing the tahajjud prayer, the Prophet would beseech God, saying, ‘Oh God! I bear witness that all humans are brothers of each other.’ This being the case, how can anyone kill his innocent brethren? All men and women are brothers and sisters unto each other. Hence, they must have love and concern for the welfare of all. This is precisely what Islam requires of its followers.

True UniversalismAccording to another hadith, the Prophet is said to have declared, ‘All creatures are part of God’s family.’ This is a wonderful expression of true universalism. It clearly announces that all of humankind, irrespective of religion or community, belongs to the same family of God. In this way, this hadith is a declaration of the saying about the world being a global village which we are today so familiar with. Given Islam’s clear teaching about all creatures being members of God’s family, it is ironical

that some Muslims care nothing about killing innocent people, and that too in the name of Islam. This is wholly un-Islamic. When conflicts arise between Muslims and other communities, violence is not the right way, for it gives rise to terrorism. As the Quran instructs us, ‘Reconciliation is best’. (4:128) This means that the proper way to solve conflict is

not through violence, which leads to terrorism, but, rather, through peaceful discussion and dialogue. One must adopt constructive, not destructive, approaches to conflict-resolution. According to another hadith, God gives in return for gentleness what He does not in the case of hard-heartedness. This tradition relates to the consequences of one’s behaviour or approach. If we have a dispute or conflict with someone, fighting him or her will not solve it. In contrast, the only way to do so is through peaceful dialogue and exchange of views.

This is what Islam itself demands of us. Islam, properly understood, does not teach us to hate others. To hate others is haraam or forbidden in Islam. To cite an instance in this regard: One day, the Prophet saw a funeral procession and stood up, as a sign of respect, as it passed. One of his followers pointed out that this was a funeral procession

of a Jewish man. In other words, he indicated that the Prophet had stood up as the procession had passed despite the fact that the deceased was a Jew, not a Muslim. In reply, the Prophet responded, ‘Was he not a human being?’ That is to say, are not Jews also human beings? This clearly indicates that we have to respect everyone, in their capacity of being fellow creatures of God, irrespective of religion. This also shows that terrorism has no place in Islam, if Islam is properly understood. Complete Mockery of IslamMuslims who engage in terrorism while calling it jihad are making a complete mockery of Islam. Jihad can only be declared by a regular government or state authority, not by ordinary

citizens. Today, terrorism takes, broadly, two forms: proxy war and guerilla war. I can say with full confidence that both of these forms of terrorism are completely forbidden in Islam. Proxy war is illegitimate in Islam because Islam requires that declaration of war be explicitly made before war can be actually waged, while a proxy war by definition is one that is unannounced and engaged in indirectly, by using local agents. Likewise, guerilla war is also forbidden in Islam, because such a war involves civilians taking up arms against an established government. It cannot be considered as a legitimate jihad because the right to declare jihad rests only with the state authorities.Some Muslims complain that the media is being unfair by describing terrorism engaged in by Muslims as ‘Islamic terrorism’. They claim that the media is thereby giving Islam a bad name. But, the question is, when people who call themselves ‘Muslim’ are themselves engaging in terror in the name of Islam, by what other name should the media refer to this violence? It is for Muslims to desist from this completely un-Islamic violence and to denounce those Muslims who are giving Islam a bad name by falsely claiming terrorism to be jihad. n

According to another hadith, the Prophet is said to have declared, ‘All creatures are part of God’s family.’ This is a wonderful expression of true universalism. It clearly

announces that all of humankind, irrespective of religion or community, belongs to the same family of God.

Forget Our Own HungerPOsitive tHOUGHts

By Hazrath Inayat Khan

In order to awaken love and sympathy in our hearts, sacrifices must be made. We must forget our own troubles in order to sympathize with the troubles of others. To relieve the hunger of others, we must forget our own hunger. Everybody is working for selfish ends, not caring about others, and this alone has brought about the misery in the world today. When the world is evolving from imperfection towards perfection, it needs all love and sympathy.

Seeing the Good in the WorstIf we expected every person to be perfect and conditions to be perfect, then there would be no joy in living and no purpose in coming here.Souls on earth are born imperfect and show imperfection, and from this, they develop naturally, coming to perfection. If all were perfect, there would have been

no purpose in their creation. And manifestation has taken place so

that every being here may rise from imperfection towards perfection. That is the object and joy of life and for that, this world was created. And if we expected every person to be perfect and conditions to be perfect, then there would be no joy in living and no purpose in coming here. When in this world of

imperfection, we seek for all that is good and beautiful, there are many chances of disappointment. But at the same time, if we keep on looking for it, not looking at the dust, but looking for the gold, we shall find it. And once we begin to find it, we shall find more and more. There comes a time in the life of a man when he can see some good in the worst man in the world. And when he has reached that point, though the good were covered with a thousand covers, he would put his hand on what is good, because he looks for good and attracts what is good. n

Animals as TeachersMan can be right or wrong but animals are always right.

According to the Quran, Cain and Abel were the first sons of Adam and Eve. There arose a controversy between the two brothers, and Cain killed Abel. One part of this story is narrated in the Quran: “When they both presented an offering, it was accepted from one of them and not from the other. The latter said, ‘I shall kill you!’ The former said, ‘God accepts [things] only from the righteous. If you raise your hand to kill me, I will not raise mine to kill you…His lower self persuaded him to kill his brother, and he killed him and he became one of the lost. Then God sent a raven, which scratched the earth, so that He might show him how to hide the corpse of his brother.” (5:27-31)In this story the Quran depicts raven as a teacher of man. This is not only an isolated incident, it has a general application. It gives a lesson that in animals there are

good examples for man.Why can animals serve as teachers for human beings? The reason is that man and animals both were created on the same nature that is by following the good universal model

for behaviour. But there was a difference. Man was given freedom of choice while animals have no choice other than to

follow the pre-determined pattern.There are deviations in human behaviour but in the case of animals there is no deviation from the path of nature. As a result of this difference, man can be right or wrong but animals are always right. So, man must emulate the behaviour of animals in his life. This is the best way for man to stick to the straight path adopted by animals under the guidance of nature.

(Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Speaking Tree Website

Three things that can help after your death

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

" After the death of a person, his actions stop, except three things that he leaves behind: First, continuous charity, Second, a knowledge from which some benefit may be obtained, Third, a virtuous son who makes dua (pray, supplicate) on his behalf." Related by Muslim.

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 22natiOnaL aFFairs

Only 38% of those who called

themselves doctors in India have a

professional degree.

Health Work Force in IndiaOnly 38% of those who called themselves doctors in India have a professional degree in medicine. This the most startling revelation from a report titled “Situation Analysis of Health Workforce in India” released last month by Public Health Foundation of India.A further 25% had a PG diploma or certificate in Medicine.12% had only an undergraduate certificate or diploma in medicine.25% had no technical degree or diploma. (The ones who practice the medicine are called quacks. Situation of quackery differs from state to state. In Udaipur district of Rajasthan, it was found that 41% of those who called themselves doctors did not have a medical degree and 17% had not even graduated from high school city.) Health WorkforceIndia has 20 health workers per 10,000 people. The 2.2 million health workers include 677,000 allopathic doctors i.e., 31% of the total. Two lakh AYUSH (Ayurveda, Unani, Sidda and Homeopathy) practitioners account for 9% of the health workforce. Nurses and midwives account for 30%, pharmacists 11%. Remaining 9% consist of ophthalmic assistants, dentists, radiographers and technicians. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends 25.4 health workers for each 10,000 population for achieving 80% of birth attended by skilled personnel cross the country. When adjusted for qualification, the density falls to around one-fourth of what the WHO recommends.

There is approximately one nurse and midwife per allopathic doctor and the qualification adjusted ratio falls further to 0.6 per doctor. While there is no standard doctor-nurse ratio, a higher ratio is desirable because nurses deliver the basic medical care. ComparisonIt is also observed that India has a higher density of physicians than Indonesia and Thailand, but a substantially lower density when compared to China and Mexico.

India has 6.07 allopathic doctors and 7.39 nurses per 10,000 people. China has 14.2 doctors and 9.6 nurses per 10,000 people. Indonesia has 1.3 doctors and 8.2 nurses/midwives per 10,000 people. Thailand 3.1 doctors and 13.6 nurses/midwives per 10,000 people. Mexico has 28.9 and 39.8 nurses/midwives per 10,000 people. India has approximately one nurse or nurse-midwife per allopathic doctor, while in most countries nurses and midwives outnumber doctors. Regional Variation As for the health workforce, the situation varies from state to

state.The total number of health workers per 10,000 population varies from 10 in Bihar to over 40 in Goa. Looking at the health workforce strength in each of the states we observe that the states with low health workforce density (10-16 workers per 10,000 population) include Rajasthan, UP, MP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Assam and Meghalaya.The states of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K), Haryana, Uttaranchal,

Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur and Tripura have an average of 16-22 workers per 10,000 population.Higher workforce densities (more than 22 workers per 10,000 population) are found in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh (HP), Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu (TN), West Bengal, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, with Goa, Kerala, Mizoram and Sikkim having more than 37 workers per 10,000 population.States with low doctor density (3-6 per 10,000 population) include Gujarat, Rajasthan, UP, MP, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Assam. Low doctor density states also include HP, Kerala and TN. The states of J&K, Punjab, Haryana, Uttaranchal, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have more than 6 doctors per 10,000 population with Goa reporting a maximum

of 13 allopathic physicians per 10,000 population. Urban vs. Rural Situation Almost 60% of health workers live in urban areas, which account for 26% (latest figures suggest 31%) of the country’s population.Health worker density in urban areas at 42 per 10,000 is nearly four times higher than rural areas which have only 11.8 workers for a similar size of population, which is geographically more spread out given much lower population densities in rural India. Private Vs Public70% of all health workers in India are employed in the private sector.80% of allopathic and AYUSH doctors and 90% of dentists work in the private sector.Only 50% of the nurses and midwives are employed in the private sector. Gender RatioIt is estimated that there are seven female health workers per 10,000 populations which translates into women comprising one-third of the total health workers in the country.Female doctors constitute only 17% of the doctors in the country.But 70% of the nurses/midwives are female.(Note: Female workforce is a crucial factor as women patients hesitate to consult the male

doctors, more particularly for their obstetrical and gynecological problems.) VacanciesUnfilled position in health facilities are a bane.At the national level, it is estimated that 10% of primary health centres (PHC is the basic units of healthcare) are without a doctor.34% don’t have a laboratory technician.Up to 16% are running without a pharmacist on the rolls.This is a national level estimate. There are large regional variations. For example, at the PHC level, Andhra Pradesh has less than 10% of positions vacant whereas in Uttarakhand over half the posts are vacant. Medical EducationThere are 278 medical colleges in India now which turn out 28,000 graduates (MBBS) every year. At the time of Independence, we had 19 medical colleges which were producing only 1,200 MBBS every year.The Report notes that the private medical education is very poorly regulated.In 1990, one third of all medical colleges were privately run, that figure has now increased to 57% of medical colleges.The expansion of the private sector is particularly notable in the states of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. In Andhra Pradesh, only 13 of the 36 medical colleges are in the public sector, in Karnataka the proportion is even lower with 10 of the 38 medical colleges being run by the Government (Medical Council of India, 2011). (Source: This report has been compiled with information extracted from report compiled by Mr. Krishna D. Rao. The full report can be accessed at http: //uhc-india.org/ uploads/ sisoftheHealthWorkforceinIndia.pdf)

Mental Healthcare Crisis in KashmirA recent survey conducted by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF or Doctors Without Boundaries) found that 45 percent adults in the Kashmir Valley have "significant symptoms" of mental distress. Srinagar: Every day, hundreds of people, visit the dilapidated Kathidarwaza hospital in Srinagar to seek treatment for stress and other psychological disorders. The numbers of patients suffering from mental health issues is on the rise in the conflict-ridden Kashmir

Valley. This is one of the very few two mental healthcare facilities in the whole of Jammu and Kashmir, a state that has a huge deficiency in infrastructure and trained manpower to treat patients with psychiatric issues. Showkat Shah, who teaches psychology at the Kashmir University, said the crisis has been largely ignored despite being one of the greatest challenges Kashmiris face today. Yasir Hassan Rather, an associate professor at the Kathidarwaza

hospital, said the state is suffering from "grossly understaffed and

insufficient facilities" in mental health facilities. "We don't have

trained clinical psychologists and counsellors and no recreational facilities are available for patients in the Kathidarwaza hospital," Rather said. Decades of violent conflict in the state, which has left tens of thousands of people dead, and many more maimed, have taken a horrific toll on the state’s residents. Surveys suggest that as a result of daily violence, a huge number of people suffer from mental health disorders.A recent survey conducted by

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF or Doctors Without Boundaries) found that 45 percent adults in the Kashmir Valley may have "significant symptoms" of mental distress, while 41 percent of the population is living with symptoms of depression. An estimated 26 percent population lives with the symptoms of anxiety-related disorders while 19 percent people are suffering from post-stress traumatic disorder, the survey found. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 23sOUL taLK

Perceiving God Words of Wisdom by Some Prominent Scientists

“The universe has been brought for us by a supremely good and orderly Creator.”

(Nicholas Copernicus—1473-1543) “I have endeavored to gain for human reason, aided by geometrical calculation, an insight into His way of creation; may the Creator of the heavens themselves, the father of all reason, to whom our mortal senses owe their existence, may He who is Himself immortal…keep me in His grace and guard me from reporting anything about His work which cannot be justified before His magnificence or which may misguide our powers of reason, and may He cause us to aspire to the perfection of His works of creation by the dedication of our lives…”

(Johannes Kepler—1571-1630).

“This most beautiful system of the sun, planet and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.”

(Isaac Newton—1642-1727) “We ought to value the privilege God’s truth far beyond anything we can have in this world.”

(Michael Faraday—1791-1867)

“Almighty God, Who has created man in Thine own image, and made him a living soul that he might seek after Thee, and have dominion over Thy creatures, teach us to study the works of Thy hands, that we may subdue the earth to our use, and strengthen the reason for Thy service; so to receive Thy blessed Word, that

we may believe on Him Who Thou has sent…”

(James Clerk Maxwell—1831-1879) “I believe in mystery and, frankly, I sometimes face this mystery with great fear. In other words, I think there are many things in the universe that we cannot perceive or penetrate and that also we experience some of the most beautiful things in life in only a very primitive form. Only in relation to these mysteries do I consider myself to be a religious man. But I sense these things deeply…the most beautiful and most profound religious emotion that we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. And this mysticality is the power of all true science. In essence, my religion consists of a humble admiration for this illimitable superior

spirit that reveals itself in the slight details that we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power which is revealed in the comprehensible universe forms my idea of God.”

(Albert Einstein—1879-1955) “I saw in it [the atom] the key to the deepest secret of nature, and it revealed to me the greatness of the creation and the Creator.”

(Max Born 1882-1970)

This spiritual goal of Islam of attaining a state of peace has

been expressed in the Quran in these words: `A soul at peace'

(89:27). According to the Quran, this is the ultimate stage in a

person's spiritual development.

Valuable Lessons From the HoneybeeThe Creator has sent us to Earth, not without purpose, but to strive

towards the perfection of our spiritual personality.

By Farida Khanum

Once we come to terms with the notion that our thinking and actions may be marred by negativity, we should not allow this problem to go unresolved. Let's look at an example from the animal kingdom, that of the honeybee. Consider how it extracts nectar from flowers and how it wings its way, without once stopping, to a multitude of gardens, and then unerringly lands on the flower of its choice.Of course, there are always thorns in plenty in the path of the honeybee. But adroitly steering clear of them, the honeybee gently alights on the flower its pre-determined destination. We have to reflect on how it finds its way to the flower, how it poises itself above it and how assiduously and devotedly it extracts the nectar!

Totally Focused on the TaskAlso worthy of reflection is how, having completed its task,

the honeybee does not waste a single moment. Flying straight back to the beehive, it deposits its share of honey. To be able do this, the honeybee has to be totally focused on its task. It is only fitting that we should learn a lesson from the honeybee in being diligent and persevering and never swerve from the pursuit of our goals. The Creator has sent us to Earth, not without purpose, but to strive towards the perfection of our spiritual personality. Moreover, we must remain fully aware of how the Creator expects us to exhibit an extraordinary spirit in extracting spiritual nourishment from both good and bad experiences. We must never lose sight of the fact that, whatever our mission, we must stay fully focused.

We Beat Back NegativityOur path, of course, is strewn with distractions and it is all too natural

that we should be tempted at times to pay undue attention to them. But the Creator uses these distractions to test us on our ability to remain patient, to be compassionate, and to give up being vengeful. In eschewing vengeance, we beat back negativity, we steer clear of unsavoury incidents, and, rising above petty vendetta, we are able to forgive others their follies. In so doing we enhance our own spiritual personality, and ensure that we get closer to Paradise.Shrugging Off FalsehoodNegative experiences are a

“An equation for me has no meaning, unless it represents a thought of God.”

(Srinivasa A. Ramanujan 1887-1920) “There is a higher power, not influenced by our wishes, which finally decides and judges.”

(Werner Heisenberg—1901-1976)

challenge to test us on our reactions in provocative situations, because the purpose of the test cannot be served in normal situations. What we are being tested on is how patient, forbearing, compassionate we are.Faith in the Almighty at every step, shrugging off falsehood, remaining firm in carrying out our civic and religious responsibilities, and the exercise of restraint in the face of provocation are all virtues that show that we have been continually receiving spiritual sustenance.

This spiritual goal of Islam of attaining a state of peace has been expressed in the Quran in these words: `A soul at peace' (89:27). According to the Quran, this is the ultimate stage in a person's spiritual development. When he reaches this stage, he qualifies to be ushered into Paradise, the perfect and eternal world of the Hereafter. The Quran addresses such souls in these words: `O serene soul! Return to your Lord, joyful, and pleasing in His sight. Join My servants and enter My paradise' (89:27-30).

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PROPHET (PBUH) SAID:

WHEN A HUSBAND AND WIFE LOOK AT

EACH OTHER WITH LOVE, ALLAH

LOOKS AT THEM

WITH MERCY

SAHIH BUKHARI / TIRMIDHI

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 25mUsLim PersPeCtives

A survey of Muslim institutes of higher learning finds them lagging behind the rest of world when

it comes to providing quality science and

tech education.

Scientific Research Are these the Dark Ages in the Muslim World?

By Dr. Athar Osama & Prof. Nidhal Guessoum

It is a well-known fact that 1.6 billion Muslims contribute a disproportionately smaller share to the world’s knowledge. This global community – forming the majority population of 57 countries and spanning virtually every single country of the world – has had only three Nobel laureates in science in the history of this prestigious prize. The number of universities from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries in the top 500 universities of the world is only a little better than that.Clichés aside, there is a widely shared view that science in the Muslim world is significantly lagging behind the rest of the world. This view is partly based on indicators, such as global university rankings, research spending, researchers per million people, performance of pre-university students etc. The causes of this bad performance and potential remedies are hotly debated.

Of Recent OriginWe recently studied the status of universities in the Muslim world and found that while several countries have made progress, at least in terms of jumpstarting a culture of research and publishing, significant issues remain to be addressed. In particular, it has been found that science education at pre-university level fares worse in the Muslim world and there is little evidence that the situation improves when the young men and women join the university.

Only 17 among the top 400Universities of the Muslim world have not ranked highly in the various global university rankings. In the 2014-15 edition of the QS World University Rankings, no university of the Muslim world was in the top 100, and only 17 ranked among the top 400 (11 between 300 and 400). Similarly, the most recent Times Higher Education World University Rankings had only 10 universities from the Muslim world in the top 400 (five of them between 300 and 400). This has often led to repeated calls to enhance rankings of universities in the Muslim world and to create world-class universities. While there has been some advancement on the former, the latter has remained largely inaccessible.Broad, liberal, holistic education in scienceOne of the most significant findings were rather narrow disciplinary focus of science teaching in most universities of the Islamic world. In most OIC countries, the age at which children decide whether or

not to pursue a scientific career and which discipline is between 14 to 18 years after which most of what they study is within the narrow confines of their chosen discipline. This not only does not augur well for their development as individuals of diverse and multiple interests, but also creates challenges for a fruitful scientific career.

Another area of weakness in teaching of science in the Muslim world is the absence of philosophy and even history of science from the university curricula. As a result, the scientists who are very good resources on the bench often fail to engage with this fascinating body of knowledge at a much deeper level to ask critical questions that they are supposed to do in the first place.The notion of a university that mixes science with history and philosophy in modern times can help deal with this situation.

Oasis in the DesertThe American University of Sharjah is one such university that is an oasis in desert when it comes to providing a holistic liberal educational experience to its students who have to take courses in humanities, history, culture, and language regardless of their chosen disciplines. The university was recently ranked among the top 10 in the Arab world. Other American universities in Beirut and Cairo also follow a similar approach.

Curricular and pedagogical developmentsThe inability to engage with philosophy and history also reflects in the timidity to constructively engage with religious objections to science. While science curricula are often imported as is from the West, the controversial scientific ideas such as Darwin’s theory of evolution are taught in superficial and disjointed manner. As one observer notes the damage is often done in the “closing remarks from the instructor.”

Not well-trained in EnglishAnother major challenge is the language of instruction. More often than not, particularly in the science subjects at the university level, the language of instruction is English, but only a few people

are fully trained to absorb what is being taught in a non-native language with others suffering from significant information-loss.

Some Shining ExamplesScience curriculum is heavily loaded in most Muslim nations instead of aiming for a deeper understanding of how the sciences

work and scientist think, and how to analyse problems. Globally, sciences are today taught by using evidence-based practice

instead of mere lecturing which promotes rote-learning rather than comprehension. It also owes itself to hiring Ph.Ds who may have some teaching experience during their doctoral studies, but would not have received training in the art of teaching. But there are a few shining experiences like Prof. Djebbar’s programme, titled Découvertes en Pays d’Islam in Tunisia helps teach scientific ideas by relating

great examples and stories from the Golden Age of Islam, the 1001 Inventions traveling exhibition and its educational component, among others. The greatness of the Muslim Golden Age of science did not come from the fact that those scientists were somehow better people, it was because they lived in a society that was open to rationality, inquiry, and doubt, but above all, merit. The magic comes not from the scientists but from the society. Without making these tough choices to make science central to the affairs of Muslim societies, the dream of a scientific revival in the Muslim world shall remain a dream.

(Source: Scroll.in)(Ather Osama is an honorary senior associate at Center for Research and Evaluation of Muslim Education at UCL Institute of Education, London. Prof. Nidhal Guessoum is a professor of Physics and Astronomy at American University of Sharjah)

The contribution of 1.6 billion Muslims to Science

and Technology is disproportionately lower

than what it must be.

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 26“Stop Funding War in Syria”: Pope to World Leaders

GLOBe taLK

In his message for a campaign promoting peace in Syria, global head of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis referred to world leaders who speak of ending the conflict but at the same time fund the war through the sale of arms. “While the people suffer, incredible quantities of money are being spent to supply weapons to fighters,” he said. He noted that some of the countries supplying the weapons “are also among

those that talk of peace. How can you believe in someone who caresses you with the right

hand and strikes you with the left hand?” The Pope encouraged people of all ages throughout the world to use the Holy Year of Mercy as an occasion to “overcome indifference and proclaim with strength that peace in Syria is possible! Peace in Syria is possible!” His message accompanied the launch of a new campaign by Catholic charity organization Caritas International, titled “Syria: peace is possible.” n

Refugees at Highest Ever Level, says UNThe number of people displaced by conflict is at the highest level

ever recorded, the UN says. It estimates that 65.3 million people were either refugees, asylum seekers or internally displaced at

the end of 2015, an increase of 5 million in a year. This represents

one in every 113 people on the planet! Over half of the total comes from just three countries: Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee chief says a worrying "climate of

xenophobia" has taken hold in Europe as it struggles to cope with the migrant crisis. In its annual report marking World Refugee Day, the UN said “it was the first time the number of refugees worldwide had passed the 60m mark. Half of all

refugees are children under 18”. Turkey is the biggest host country for refugees worldwide, with 2.5m people, followed by Pakistan and Lebanon. nBangladeshi Muslim Scholars Issue

Anti-Terrorism FatwaDhaka: After recently issuing a set of fatwas against militancy, a group of Muslim scholars from Bangladesh have stressed the need for taking their message to the masses to stop militancy and violence in the name of religion. Bangladesh Jamiyatul Ulama (BJU), a national body of scholars, issued the fatwas, saying that those killing people in the name of religion were heading for hell. The edicts came in the wake of continued terrorist attacks across the country. Signatures of 1,01,850 Islamic clerics, including 9,320 women, have been collected in support of the fatwas, prepared in light of the

Quran and Hadith. Explaining the initiative, Farid Uddin Masoud, chairman of Jamiyatul Ulama, said the law enforcement agencies alone cannot resist the criminals who are ready to kill themselves

in the name of religion. The first thing needed is to dispel the militants' misconceptions about Islam, he added. The fatwas say “suicide and suicide killings are strictly forbidden in Islam. Those who have been involved in terrorism wrongly thinking

that it would take them to heaven should apologise to the Almighty and return to the path of Islam. God doesn't like those who create chaos and violence”, the edicts add. n

Islam Means Peace: Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi

Minneapolis: “Islam means peace”, Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi said as he decried the backlash against Muslims and made a strong call to nations to welcome refugees, particularly children, and not generalise them based on the actions of a few who have “tarnished” the image of Islam. “Islam means peace. There are hundreds of references) in the Quran where peace, justice, freedom and equality are taught,” Satyarthi said at the opening of the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize Forum held under the auspices of the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Minneapolis recently. Satyarthi said it was unfortunate

that a “handful of people” were “manipulating” Islam and bringing a “bad name” to the

religion for their selfish “political” ends and sometimes “emotional” reasons, when Muslims across the world have been ambassadors of humanity and peace and people from Muslim countries have shown courage to speak out the truth. n

part of the fabric of our country,” he said. The Obama administration has faced criticism for its plan to

Obama Calls Discrimination Against Muslims Affront To American Values

Huffington post Ayesha Rascoe

Washington DC: President Barack Obama praised the contributions of Muslim immigrants to the United States, saying any effort to discriminate against the Islamic faith plays into the hands of terrorists. “Muslim Americans are as patriotic, as integrated, as American as any other members of the American family. Whether your family has been here for generations or you’re a new arrival, you’re an essential

President Barack Obama speaks to Muslims gathered at a reception at the White House on July 21, 2016 in

Washington, DC.

admit as many as 10,000 Syrian refugees to the United States this year, with some Republicans warning that violent militants could enter the country posing as refugees. While not naming Trump specifically, Obama said that discriminatory policies against Muslims are an affront to the “values that already

make our nation great.”(Reported by Ayesha Rascoe, Huffington Post)

European Union Court Advocate Backs Muslim Woman Fired for

Wearing HeadscarfA Muslim woman in France who was fired for refusing to remove her headscarf should have been allowed to cover her head at work, a legal advisor to the European Union’s top court has stated, adding that the request amounts to “unlawful direct discrimination.” “There is nothing to suggest she was unable to perform her duties as a design engineer because she wore an Islamic headscarf,” Advocate General Eleanor Sharpston said in a written opinion recently, as quoted by Reuters. The case arose in 2009, when Asma Bougnaoui was asked by her employer, Micropole SA, to remove her headscarf when dealing with clients. When she refused, she was fired. Although companies can impose strict rules for appearance if it is a “genuine and determining occupational requirement,” Sharpston said it

was hard to see why the restriction was valid in this particular case. Sharpston’s statements come just one week after a Muslim law

trainee in Germany won the right to wear a headscarf at work when a court ruled that there was no legal basis for the state of Bavaria to prevent her from doing so.

( rt.com/news)

First European Muslim Heritage Exhibition in LondonLondon: Muslim travel writer, Tharik Husain, who has been uncovering some of Europe's forgotten Islamic history for nearly two decades, launched London's first European Muslim

Heritage Exhibition, last month. Hosted at the London Muslim Center in the heart of Tower Hamlets, east of the capital, the exhibition

attracted a diverse crowd of both

Muslim and non-Muslim visitors, with a sold-out launch event. The exhibition highlights a selection of photographs from Husain’s travels across Europe, Spain, Bulgaria, Estonia, France and England, as

Page 31

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 27reFLeCtiOns

Imagine if the only people we knew and interacted with were people who thought, behaved or looked just like us. How

boring it would be.

The Beauty of DifferenceBy A Staff Writer

If you’ve observed bird behaviour, you would have noticed that parrots, for instance, ‘hang around’ only with fellow parrots,

pigeons with fellow pigeons, sparrows with fellow sparrows, and so on. “Birds of a feather flock together”, as the well-known saying goes. The same holds true for other creatures. Bees always buzz around with fellow bees, not with dragon-flies, and you won’t find lady-birds or dung-beetles joining an ant parade. The fact that stories about close bonds between members of two different species of animals—a kitten, for instance, being reared by a dog, or a baby monkey having fun playing with a tigress—so fascinate us is because they are so exceedingly rare. Exceptions like these only prove the rule—that in the animal, reptile, insect and bird realms, members of different species confine intimate relations to themselves. This is how God has made them to be.

Confining Close FriendshipsOften enough, we humans behave just the same way, although, unlike other creatures, we aren’t genetically programmed to necessarily do so. Many people like to confine close friendships only to those who are ‘like them’—people of the same caste or class, the same religious, cultural or linguistic community, the same ethnic or ideological group, the same nationality or race. Their interactions with people outside this narrow circle

may be minimal, and possibly only for purely economic or survival purposes.Some people find comfort in confining themselves to people of their own kind. In some cases, this

might be a reflection of a belief, shared among significant numbers of members of their social group, of being (supposedly) superior to others. In some other cases, members of marginalised or stigmatised social groups might prefer to bond among themselves because they feel that others may not accept them or may look down on them.

Lamentable TendencyHuman clannishness can sometimes go to extreme lengths, manifesting itself in conflict and even bloody wars, directed against people who are projected as the menacing ‘other’ and as sub-human or even worse. Probably most of the innumerable wars that have marred human history have stemmed from this lamentable tendency.It is perhaps natural that many people tend to have closer relationships with those whom they have more things in common with than with others. But, unlike other creatures, we don’t necessarily have to confine such relationships only to those who are just like us. It isn’t something that we are biologically programmed to do, by force of instinct, unlike

in the case of other creatures.Imagine if the only people we knew and interacted with were people who thought, behaved or looked just like us. How boring it would be! We would never learn anything new at all. It would put a complete stop to human progress, and our lives would be terribly monotonous. It would be as tedious as, saying, having to eat just one dish—say, boiled rice—three times a day every single day, for the rest of your life!

Just as eating just boiled rice all our life would gravely damage our health, depriving us of essential minerals, proteins and

vitamins that we need, which food other than rice can provide us, interacting only with people who are just like us would gravely impoverish our lives. A garden’s beauty is enhanced by the sheer variety of trees and flowers that it hosts. In the same way, our lives, at both the personal and the collective level, can be greatly enriched when people from different backgrounds—class, ideological, ethnic, religious, national and so on—interact with and learn from, with and through one another and share the unique gifts that each of them has by virtue of being different. n

Human clannishness can sometimes go to extreme lengths, manifesting itself

in conflict and even bloody wars, directed against people who are projected as the

menacing ‘other’ and as sub-human or even

worse.

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 28LiFe & reLatiOnsHiPs

The Third “Discover Yourself- Train the Trainers” residential workshop was held in the out skirts of Bengaluru in a green environment (WRAC resort), from 10-17, July 2016.Around ten participants were selected from across the country.Some of the participants share their experiences.

MAHMOOD ASHRAF: One of the best workshops I have ever experienced. It was so enlightening for me that I felt, I was taken out from darkness to light. It gave me a correct understanding and the true perspective of Islam, the message of the Qur’an for my journey of life towards Aakirah, Allah’s prescription of code of conduct and the direction of my efforts to serve humanity. I have found many answers today about Islam and my core purpose. It gave me some vital tools to guide me in making the correct choices that define me and the experiences that I gather. Relationship management was one of the vital teachings, a complex component of life, made so simple. I commend the efforts made by Dr. Sadathullah Khan, to understand the crux of the message of Islam from the Quranic perspective, the life of the prophet Muhammad (Pbuh), his companions, apply the perspective of modern science, human psychology, quantum physics and derive simplicity in the delivery of this message that anyone can easily understand. Extraordinary! I enjoyed the flow of topics that connected one to the other, explanations with examples from history, current events, our environment and culture, videos and

role plays. Overall, a life altering experience for me. I consider myself to be very fortunate to have experienced this opportunity that has impacted my life forever.

Words cannot express my gratitude and commendations for you and your efforts to make people understand the reality of Allah so easily which, in fact is so difficult otherwise, to come out of my stubborn filters and my satanic ego. You have shown light, I shall continue to spread this light to every aspect of the humanity I touch. I shall also work to promote this workshop among our youth who are confused and need direction today.

SHABBIR: It was not a workshop, but a journey to make you realize who you are and your hidden potentials. It was a clear mirror displaying what world you were in and what world you make in your life. It was a place where we got new spectacles, spectacles which shows how really the world is – what is expected out of us - a world where no one is right or wrong. A world of understanding what complete submission means, a world where there is peace, a world where there is respect for all no matter who they are. It was the

best seven days of my life, full of energy from 5 am to 12.00 am at night, still no fatigue- in fact we wanted this workshop to be there for more

days, but it was just for seven days. A disconnect from the world of laptop/mobile to connections where realization of love for friends, family, relatives, other religions, humanity, country, etc. I started seeing my environment with clarity than what I was doing before the workshop. This workshop has helped me to read and understand Quran from Allah's perspective in a better way, practice Islam without any noise in the head and be a good representative of Islam to serve humanity. Salute to Dr. Sadathullah Khan for his brilliant efforts for humanity.

FAHEEM: This workshop has changed my life. It has given me unshakable patience, commitment and gratitude. I must say I am a better individual at family and professional front than I was before the workshop. It has prepared me to control and execute tasks for results. To simplify, the workshop has taught me how to operate for the greater results I always wished to achieve, but couldn’t. I am at peace and have a spearheaded approach towards my business and family front. I had sharpened my problem solving skills here. It immensely helped me to make real life (tough) decisions. Results I always wanted, but could never come close to them. My family is happy so am I. I am a practicing Muslim now, than I was before. My Salah has improved. This workshop has a holistic approach towards life. Muslims and non-Muslims alike should grab the opportunity to attend this workshop as soon as possible.

HIDAYATHULLAH: I am participating for the second time and this workshop enhanced further my concepts and purpose of human beings in this world. New concepts have opened the heart and we could experience the resonance and positive magnetic energy among the participants. Team building exercises and physical activities were awesome. DYS-TT workshop, if possible should be hosted in different cities in India and other countries as many may not afford travelling to Bengaluru.

JONAIDUR RAHMAN: This one week Train the Trainer workshop has been an eye opener. Many

doubts have been cleared and I got the concept of how to live Islam as a way of life and apply it in our daily life. I feel and experience peace in and around me.

HADI: This is my second Train the Trainer workshop. My experience all through these workshops is "Everything can't be learnt in a single workshop and the same applied in our life" This is like a school curriculum - Learn gradually and apply at the same pace. Hence all through these workshops, I used to learn and understand one or two areas and practice the same.

Prerequisite to become a Trainer is "Gain knowledge, practice and practice, apply in real life, make a difference to self as well as others, so that people around me perceive me differently. I am ready to take off”. This workshop gave me an ability to think as well as feel. All through these workshops my faculty of listening was getting focused. The opinion and judgment machine began diminishing. I could very well differentiate the faculty of mind and heart, the belief system is very clear. And also through the video sessions, I discovered how my values and thought process affect me, others and the

environment. In the time to come, what matters is how I practice in my real life. The coach has given his 100%. May Allah reward him. The workshop being residential, has made a lot of difference. It was totally focused being in the natural and serene environment, without any disturbance from the external world. A complete nourishment to mind, heart, body and soul. Thank you Coach! Who I am is my Word, Commitment, Responsible, Grateful, Generous and focus on others.

KHALID: After attending numerous workshops and

seminars in the last 30 years, all I could learn was "how to become so and so". But this workshop taught me what it means to " BE". It really transformed my attitude towards my day to day activities and also gave me the ability to look into myself rather than looking meaninglessly standing in front of the mirror. Rectification of self is something I had missed all through. Thanks to Sadath bhai for his fabulous effort and genuine interest he exhibits during his training sessions. This programme is an ideal one which in my view is a must for everyone to make the best out of this life gifted to us by the Almighty. n

DISCOVER YOURSELF WORKSHOP SCHEDULE WORKSHOP IN MADURAI

DATES: 03, 04 & 05 SEPTEMBER 2016TIMINGS: 8.30 AM TO 5.30 PM

Organized by: Islamic Peace Centre Trust, Admin Off: 16/4 Hajee Sathar Complex, Kuruvikkaran Salai, Anna Nagar, Madurai-20.

Contact for Details: A.Kamaruz ZamanCell: 9003522687, Email: jusdialuae@gmail.com

WORKSHOP IN SOUTH AFRICA1. SEPTEMBER 24 & 25 - CAPE TOWN2. SEPTEMBER 01 & 02 - AZADE VILLE3. OCTOBER 08 & 09 - DURBAN

4. OCTOBER 15 & 16 - PRETORIAContact for Details: S ANVAR SULIMAN

SAYIDDINA ABUBAKR SIDDIQUE MASJID (ERASMIA) MUSLIM EDUCATION INSTITUTE TRUST (MEIT)076 785 6751/ 012 370 1069/ 086 617 7021

Email: crescentint7861@gmail.comwww.discoveryourself.in, Email: awskhan@gmail.com

Amidst Chirping of Birds & Swaying of Trees

A Discovery into Who Am I?

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 29advertisement

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 30enHanCe YOUr WOrd POWer

Terms Related with Forests (جنگالت سے متعلق الفاظ و اصطالحات)

Agroforestry: Farming activities are undertaken between widely spaced trees usually cultivated for timber, firewood and/or fodder. واےل) جاےن ُاگائے لئے ےک مقاصد جتاریت (درخت

Biodiversity: The variety of life forms in a given area; can be categorized in terms of number of species, variety of plant and animal communities, genetic variability or some combination of these categories. (حیااتیت تنوع)

Canopy: The “roof” of the forest formed by the crowns of the tallest trees. (پڑیوں ےس بنا چھت)

Cellulose: The scientific name for wood fiber. (لکڑی ےس حاصل شدہ ریشے)

Conifer: A class of trees that are evergreen, have needle or scalelike foliage and conelike fruit; often called softwood. Examples include pine, hemlock, cedar and cypress. (قسم یک صنوبر پھل اور نوکدار پّتے ےک جس درخت اک (خمروطی ہوےت ہںی

Deciduous: A group of trees that lose all of their leaves every year. سال) ہر پّتے ےک جس جنگل ریز برگ (ھجڑ جاےت ہںی

Evergreen: A group of trees that do not lose all of their leaves every year but go through a

gradual replacement by dropping only their oldest leaves each year. Instead of being bare in winter, these trees have leaves all year. (سدابہار)

Forestry: The art and science of managing forests to produce various products and benefits including timber, wildlife habitat, clean water, biodiversity and recreation. (جنگل ابین اک عمل)

Pulpwood: Wood used in the manufacture of paper, fiberboard or other wood fiber products. Pulpwood-sized trees are usually a minimum of 4 inches in diameter. (اکغذ بناےن یک لکڑی)

Sawtimber: Wood of large enough size to be used to produce lumber for construction and furniture.(فرنیچر ےک لئے اسستعامل ہوےن وایل لکڑی)

Habitat: An area in which a specific plant or animal naturally lives, grows and reproduces; the area that provides a plant or animal with adequate food, water, shelter and living space. (قدریت ٹھاکےن)

Hectare: Unit of land area equal to 10,000 square metres. There are 100 hectares in a square kilometre. (دس ہزار مربع میرٹ زمنی)

Hardwood: Descriptive term used for the wood of broad-leaved trees. Also old-fashioned term for the broad-leaved trees. چوڑے پتوں واےلدرختوں ےس نلکنے وایل)(لکڑی

Lumber: Timber cut into planks, pieces. (ختتوں یک شلک مںی تراشسیدہ لکڑی)

Turpentine: A distilled chemical produced from tapping into a living pine and harvesting the sap. ٹرپنی اک تیل جو صنوبر ےک پڑی ےسرِسستا)(ےہ

Wood or woodland: A smaller area of trees than a forest, usually

applies to broad-leaved trees. The distinction between a "forest" and a "wood" or "woodland" is simply one of scale, and to some extent the words are interchangeable. (چھوےٹ جنگالت)

Sustainable development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (حتّظ پسسندانہ تریق)

Sapwood: Living wood making up the outer annual rings of tree trunk through which water from soil is conducted up the tree. پڑی ےک تنے ےک مرکز اور چھال ےک درمیان)(یک لکڑی

Scrub: Area of poorly formed trees or bushes unsuitable for conversion to timber. (ھجاڑیوں پر مشسمتل جنگل)

Windthrow: Trees uprooted by excessive wind. (ہواؤں ےک ھجّکڑ ےس ُاکھڑ جاےن واےل پڑی)

ISLAMIC VOICE, August 2016 31YOUtH sPaCe

Page 26

Young Engineers Help Distressed FarmersAfter downloading the ‘Niyantran’ app, farmers can seek expert

opinion regarding the problems they face in farming.Hyderabad: Concerned over the plight of farmers, whose fortunes depend on the vagaries of weather, four engineers have shouldered the task of developing an app to help them out. S Saquibuddin, Shaik Mukheet, Neha Bandari and Asma Fatima, working at the T-hub in Hyderabad are in the process of developing ‘Niyantran’, an app to provide crop related information to the farmers and help them seek help of experts for better yield. “As we

The quartet who are part of the start-up Toe-Up

came to know about the plight of farmers, who land in debt-trap due to vagaries of weather, we decided

to develop an app for the farming community,” said S Saquibuddin, CEO and co-founder of the startup

christened ‘Toe-Up’. “After downloading the ‘Niyantran’ app, farmers can seek expert opinion

regarding the problems they face in farming. They can click the picture of the plant or crop affected by pest or other problems and send it to the experts. He will immediately receive guidance from experts regarding pest control. They can even record their voice and send it like in WhatsApp for information

and guidance,” explains Neha.(Extracted from www.

newindianexpress.com)

Jobless Village Man Builds AircraftAbdul Wajid, a 26-year-old jobless man from a village in Muzaffarnagar, UP, has made a one-seater aircraft after not being able to secure a job all these years. During his stint with the National Cadet Corps (NCC), he had trained in aero-modelling. The aircraft he has built, at a cost of Rs 5 lakh, is ready and awaits approval. "All I want is to show to all those who have found me worthless what I can do. I do not want anything more," he said. "The day this plane makes its first sortie, I am sure aviation industry will take note of it. Someone may employ

me, train me further and utilize my services," he says. He claims the plane, which runs on petrol and is fitted with a 25 litre fuel tank, can sustain in the air for 10km. (Extracted from timesofindia.com)

Abdul Wajid

part of his quest of uncovering the continent’s forgotten Muslim heritage, Al Arabiya reported. Highlights in this section include a photo of a medieval Muslim tomb in the Balkans, today revered by both Christians and Muslims, one of a ninth century coin found in Estonia minted by the Muslim Abbasid caliphate in Baghdad, and a man worshipping

in the mosque that was home to Britain’s earliest indigenous Muslim community who were led by converted Victorian Lords

and Ladies. Speaking to Al Arabiya, Tharik explained how the exhibition serves a role in debunking the popular myth that the heritage of Europe is exclusively Judeo-Christian: "Not many people would know, for instance,

that Muslims have in fact been part of Europe's evolving cultural identity for 14 centuries." n

Heritage Exhibition in London ...Communicate with God

“We enter this world with God as our companion, and each of us will leave this world alone, except for him. While it is God’s desire to bless us with connections and relationships when here, these relationships were never meant to circumvent or replace our love for and connection to him.”“Work on your relationship with God each day through prayer. Get to know his voice and his answers to your questions. Communicate with God. When you are in a relationship with another person, you work on that relationship through talking together. It is no different with God.”

(Extracted from Hope and Healing From Emotional Abuse, by Gregory L. Jantz)