ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 1In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

32 Pages Rs. 20 Bengaluru English MonthlyMay 2015 Vol. 28-05 No. 341 Rajab / Shaban 1436 H

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The Future of World Religions ‘Lost Generation’ of 15 Million Children Out of School in Middle East

‘Lost Generation’ of 15 Million Children Out of School in Middle EastBy Michael Pizzi

Nearly 1 in 4 children in the Middle East and North Africa is either out of school or at risk of dropping out, the United Nations said in a new report highlighting the disruptive impact of war on a region where education rates had been steadily improving for years. More than 15 million children are currently out of school, and another 6 million are believed to be “at high risk” of dropping out, UNICEF and UNESCO said in a joint study on education in 20 countries across the Middle East and North Africa. The 15 million figure includes the more than 3 million Syrian and Iraqi children who are out of school as a direct result of the violence roiling their countries.“As the violence expands, millions more are at risk of becoming a ‘lost generation,’ deprived of the knowledge and skills needed to be successful adults,” the report said. Over the past decade, Middle Eastern governments have managed to slash out-of-school rates by over 40 percent. That progress, however, has markedly slowed in recent years, the report found. Part of the explanation is that certain factors, including poverty and conservative attitudes

towards women, are persistent. Girls are still 25 percent more likely to be deprived of schooling than boys, the report found. But the spate of armed conflicts engulfing Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen have severely complicated government efforts. In Syria, which once had

one of the highest enrollment rates in the Middle East, nearly half the people have been displaced from their homes. “You have child refugees, children displaced within their

country and another group who are in their own homes but don’t have access to their school because it’s been bombed or destroyed,” said Juliette Touma, a spokeswoman for UNICEF in Beirut. “So we need to support not only Syrians, but also communities in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Egypt that have been strained for over four years,” Touma said. “Low levels of funding emerge as the most critical bottleneck for reaching conflict-affected children with education,” the report concluded. “Unless we tackle this problem, through prioritizing investment in education, we might come to a point where we have lost a generation not just in Syria and Iraq but all over the region,” Touma said. (Al Jazeera)

The latest Pew Research Projections

indicate that by 2050, there will be

near parity between Muslims (2.8 billion, or 30% of the population)

and Christians (2.9 billion, or 31%),

possibly for the first time

in history.

The Future of World Religions

The religious profile of the world is rapidly changing, driven primarily by differences in fertility rates and the size of youth populations among the world’s major religions, as well as by people switching faiths. Over the next four decades, Christians will remain the largest religious group, but Islam will grow faster than any other major religion. If current trends continue, by 2050:

The number of Muslims will • nearly equal the number of Christians around the world.Atheists, agnostics and other • people who do not affiliate with any religion – though

increasing in countries such as the United States and France – will make up a declining share of the world’s total population.

The global • Buddhist population will be about the same size it was in 2010, while the Hindu and Jewish populations will be larger than they are today.

In Europe, • Muslims will make up 10% of the overall population.

India will • retain a Hindu majority but also will have the larg-est Muslim population of any country in the world, surpassing Indonesia.In the United States, • Christians will decline from more than three-quarters of the population in 2010 to two-thirds in 2050, and Judaism will no longer be the largest non-Christian religion. Muslims will be more numerous in the U.S. than people who identify as Jewish on the basis of religion.

Four out of every 10 Christians • in the world will live in sub-Saharan Africa.

These are among the global religious trends highlighted in the new demographic projections by the Pew Research Center, released last month.As of 2010, Christianity was by far the world’s largest religion, with an estimated 2.2 billion adherents, nearly a third (31%) of all 6.9 billion people on Earth. Islam was second, with 1.6 billion

adherents, or 23% of the global population.If current demographic trends continue, however, Islam will

(See Edit, Break Those Delusive Shelters, Page 14)

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 2

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Indian Muslims Condemn all Forms of TerrorApart from other resolutions, the Anti-Terrorism Conference stated that

calling an act of terror “Jihad” as “Terrorism” is the gravest form of Terrorism in the 21st Century.

By Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi

New Delhi: The “Anti-Terrorism Conference” was held at Constitution Club in Delhi, last fortnight, with an aim to draw a clear distinction between pernicious acts of terrorism and the true essence of Jihad in Islam. The speakers strongly and categorically denounced every form of terrorism, injustice and corruption in the harshest terms. The conference proclaimed its standpoint that “peaceful coexistence” is the only way of life that can ensure peace and security for all religious communities in India. A great number of ulema, academicians, activists and politicians participated in the conference and stressed the need for elimination of extremism, terrorism calling for peaceful coexistence among all faith adherents as ‘glorious’ and ‘invincible’ principle to abide by, in all circumstances.In his inaugural remarks, Senior Sunni-Sufi Muslim scholar

Maulana Yaseen Akhtar Misbahi, the host of the event, explained why he felt the need to organise this conference. He said: “regrettably, we have witnessed in our country, during the last years, acts of violence and terror

perpetrated by the terrorist outfits such as Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad much in the same way as the global extremist organisations like Al-Qaida and ISIS are perpetrating atrocities, brazenly violating Islam in the name of Islam, Jihad and Khilafat.” Maulana Misbahi averred that the conference was planned to strongly, unambiguously and unequivocally declare all such pernicious and obnoxious acts

as mindless violence of the extremists. “We also proclaim that they have nothing to do with the peace-loving and pluralistic Indian Muslims who are vehemently opposed to the handful terrorist goons”, said

Maulana Yaseen Akhtar Misbahi. He said that “Indian Muslims are against every form of terror whether physical or theoretical.” He also appealed to Muslims to take pride in being ‘Indians’ just as they feel proud to be Muslims. He said that Muslims in India are living in a safe haven

as compared to many countries where Muslims constitute the majority. Senior journalist and former MP, Kuldip Nayyar endorsed the points made by Maulana Misbahi. He made it clear that “conflating any particular religion with terrorism is completely erroneous and misguiding”. In his speech, Justice Rajinder Sachar hit out at his critics who spread wrong

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 3Page 2

propaganda about Muslims and other minorities. He said that Muslims and Christians in India are not outsiders but an integral part of the country.Acharya Pramod Krishnan said

that Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) came as a blessing for all worlds, not only for Muslims. Therefore, he should be revered by us all, he said. General V.K Singh, Representative of Govt. of India

said: "I have also studied the holy Quran with translation, but I did not find any link to terrorism in it. The fact is that when Islam came, it emphasized moderation, equality and kindness much

more than any other religions”.At the conclusion of the conference, Maulana Ashraful Kausar read out the proposals and recommendations. The program convener Maulana Aqleem Raza Misbahi said that “the

conference states in the strongest and the most spirited words that “Calling an act of terror “Jihad” or declaring Jihad as “Terrorism” is the gravest form of Terrorism in the 21st Century”. n

Condemn all Forms of Terror ...

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 4

Thinkers, intellectuals and

academicians gathered in Aligarh

to discuss the decline

and decay within the Ummah.

Intellectual Crisis of the Muslim Ummah

Will the Traditional Solutions Work?

SPECIAL REPORT

By A Staff Writer Aligarh: The Aligarh Muslim University organized a two-day International Conference on April 6-7 under the aegis of the Centre for Promotion of Educational and Cultural Advancement of Muslims of India (CEPECAMI). It was the first of its kind of seminar to analyse the Muslim situation and find out the factors and reason that have led to disarray in and decline of the community and caused schisms among them. The conference was held in a situation when the thought process among the Muslims shows all symptoms of being moribund and a paralysis afflicts the intelligentsia. It was aimed at opening the channels of communication within the community.Prof. Rashid Shaz, Director, CEPECAMI and noted author and thinker was the convener. The Conference drew nearly 200 delegates, 40 of them from destinations abroad and outside Aligarh in India.We report below excerpts from welcome address by Prof. Rashid

Shaz, Presidential address by Vice Chancellor Lt. Gen. Zameeruddin Shah and a few other important speakers:

Lt. Gen. Zameeruddin Shah

Vice Chancellor, Aligarh Muslim UniversityEvery crisis presents an opportunity. The present crisis gives us an opportunity to reflect what went wrong. There have been wars, social

and political wars. Iran-Iraq war, the two Gulf Wars have taken huge toll of human lives. Now Yemen is under the throes of war. Something terrible has happened to the world of Islam. We need to probe what really ails the Muslim mind. We need to know where exactly lies the rot and how to stem it.Twentieth century was consumed in maintaining bipolarity. It was the bloodiest in the history. One percent of the world’s population is controlling the world’s entire wealth. The United State’s war on terror was to camouflage its intention and design to control energy resources. We must stop this bloodshed.Some disturbing question stare into our face: Who are we? Are we some sects? Why should we identify ourselves as Shia, Sunni, Barelvi, Deobandi etc. It amounts to blasphemy, shirk (polytheism).

We are destroying ourselves with internecine conflict. We must not allow the women to be powerless. The Aligarh Muslim University is playing a stellar role to bridge the

gap knowledge. Around 40% of the students are women. Our students should tell others the inclusiveness that pervades here.

Prof. Rashid ShazDirector, CEPECAMI

We are a crisis nation and since our crisis has global ramifications, we are looked at as a source of all crises. This contemporary image of ours is quite contrary to the Quranic image wherein we are portrayed as Khaire Ummah, the chosen people of God raised specifically to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.Contrary to our Quranic image, we are a nation in ruins. From Iraq to Syria and further down to Lebanon, from posh urban centers in Pakistan to the rugged hills of Afghanistan, and from the devastated lands of Libya and Egypt to Yemen, Muslims are

pitted against fellow Muslims. Imagine the chaos! Muslims are bombing Muslims. They are flying drones against fellow Muslims. The Ummah of the last

prophet is on a suicide spree.

Islamic MeltdownWe are facing an Islamic meltdown. The Muslim world is being depopulated and at an alarming rate. According to a conservative estimate, the two wars in Iraq and the sanctions in between has claimed a million lives. A civil war has gripped the neighbouring Syria where some 250,000 people have perished so far. Eleven million of the country’s 22 million people had to leave their homes, of them four million have taken refuge in neighboring countries. Some 10 million people inside Syria do not have enough to eat. Imagine the scale of devastation!Muslims are killing Muslims, and with the help of foreign weapons and advisors, has become such a huge and established industry that today we have specific websites devoted to counting our dead

bodies. Taliban and other sectarian groups have created havoc in Pakistan. Afghanistan, which lost 1.5 million Muslims during the Afghan Jihad, has become

a festering wound. Now, an all-out war is raging in Yemen. And there are all indications that the flames of war will spill over to the entire region. A Shia-Sunni sectarian frenzy lies at the heart of the conflict.Make no mistake. It is our internal contradiction that allows others to occupy our lands, grab our resources, dishonor our women, kill

our children, and depopulate our villages. They hire us for our own killing. Call it sunni al-Qaeda or Shei Hezbollah, or be they Taliban or Da’esh, Jaish al-Mahdi or Sipah Sahaba. We Muslims are strange mercenaries hired to kill our own sons and daughters. This is sheer madness, cannibalism of the worst kind. Sectarian IdentitiesThe rise and fall of a nation is no big deal. But extinction of the

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AMU VC speaking at the conference

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 5

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 6

A short Kannada

movie neatly wraps up the horrific

saga afflicting the victims of state

terrorism.

Film Review

Dissecting the Terror and Trial

UPdATE

The 15-minute Kannada film with English subtitles is a powerful indictment of the way Indian establishment takes for granted individuals in the Muslims community to be responsible for all acts of terrorism. Deeply ingrained prejudices come into play at all levels. Political bosses exert pressure on police to act fast and innocents are rounded up and tortured into confessing crimes they never committed. Merchants

of hate, agent provocateurs and the actual criminals go scot free.The story revolves round a Muslim businessman, his wife Ayesha and son who exhibits immense scientific talent. The child develops a model of a device capable of

recording the conversation on a cellphone for the school science fair. A bomb blast occurs on the

City’s main square. As people run helter-skelter, father astride the bike and the child on the pillion who were on the way to the science fair, leave their bike and flee the spot. The police find the device in the debris. A cellphone, a battery and some lose wires are picked up as vital evidences to the crime. The duo is detained and interrogated thoroughly by police who insist that chief minister is

pressing the police to arrest the culprit soon.The media goes gaga with arrest

of father and the child in connection with the blast. The duo is asked to confess the crime and the device meant for the science fair is presented as the evidence in the court. Father is pressurized into confessing ‘his crime’ to buy his child’s acquittal.The case comes up before the court where prosecution presses for conviction of the

duo for the terror incident. But as the device is played, even the inadvertently recorded black-mailing by the cop comes to notice, leading to acquittal of the duo. Meanwhile, the trial at the hand of the media leads to

stigmatization and social exclusion of the family. The bank which was about to sanction the loan to the

businessman refuses to go ahead with the deal. Mothers of students from other communities ask their kids to keep away from the stigmatized child in the school.The film neatly wraps up the tragedy that afflicts hundreds of Muslim families across the country with stunning effect.The movie is currently doing the rounds of films festivals. For special viewing contact: Narasimha Panthula, email: thoughtflowindia@gmail.com(Reviewed by Maqbool Ahmed Siraj)

The Little ScientistMercury Movies InternationalProducer : Mohammed RafeeStory, Screenplay and Direction: Narasimha PanthulaCast: Niyazuddin as Akbar Seriff, Mayuri as Ayesha & Ayan as Amir Shariff.

Prize for Designing Low-wind TurbineNew Delhi: ‘GUSTO’, a low-wind energy capturing micro wind turbine designed by the students of the Jamia Millia Islamia was adjudged the Second Prize at GRIDTECH—2015 held here in the second week of April. The students mechanically and electrically designed and fabricated GUSTO in-house in the

college labs. GUSTO was a joint project of third year engineering students from Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) and Delhi Technological

University (DTU), the team comprised of Raghav Gupta and Garima Garg from JMI and Rohin Malhotra, Sajal Garg and Lohit Gudivada from DTU and the mentor was Prof. Mini S. Thomas, Director, Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Jamia. The student Innovation Pavilion was conceived to reward innovative

Four New Courses in Jamia

International Award for Saboo Siddik Engg College

New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia will be introducing four new courses from the academic year 2015-16. The programmes would be: 1-MA in Gender Studies at Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s studies, MSc in Biophysics at Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Post Graduate

Diploma in Public Health at Department of Social Work and Diploma in Disaster Management at Department of Geography.In addition to these academic courses, new specialties have been introduced in Master in Physiotherapy (MPT) programme such as Neurology and Cardiopulmonary. n

A team from an M. H. Saboo Siddik College of Engineering in Mumbai has bagged the first position in Asia in an international competition in Aeronautical design held in USA last month. The team 'Aerosols' of the college run by Anjuman-I-Islam stood first in Asia in the international competition held on March 13-14 at Lakeland, Florida, USA, said a release here. The annual event, held since 1986, was organized by Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International in cooperation with Lockheed Martin, USA and Dassault Systems, France. Team Aerosols also bagged second highest award in the 'advanced class' category of aeronautical designs

and stood third in the 'micro class' of SAE design. However, it stood first among the teams in Asia, the release added. Altogether 75 teams from all over the world participated in this mega event. Among them were IIT Mumbai, IIT Kanpur and VIT Vellore. n

CAmPUS ROUndUPprojects from around the country, where 40 projects were shortlisted and displayed from around the country. It was organised by Powergrid Corporation of India (PGCIL) with the support of the Ministry of Power. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 7Muslim Cop in L.A. Takes on Extremism

PROFILE

Los Angeles police officer Shawn Alexander combats violent extremism with two tools not often associated with counter-terrorism tactics: a smile and prayer.

By Del Quentin WilberAlexander, a 36-year-old African-American is no typical law enforcement officer. He’s on the front lines of the fight against

extremists, working to strengthen ties with a wary Muslim population on a community relations team in the LAPD’s counterterrorism bureau. He’s also a convert to Islam — one of only several dozen Muslims on the 9,000-member police force.

“Some Muslims are suspicious of me,” said Alexander, whose partner, a Jewish cop keeps careful watch on him while he prays to ensure that nobody grabs his gun. “I mean, I pray in uniform, and I can tell they look at me and wonder if I’m being sincere or not. They wonder if I’m really a Muslim.” Alexander’s job is nothing like that of a TV cop or even the real-life police patrolling the rough streets around some of the mosques, schools and Islamic centers he visits. He sits down for coffee with imams and breaks bread with mosque directors, he attends forums and parades, passing out fliers and addressing community concerns. For over a year, he has tackled traffic woes and even rowdy congregants. Though he has yet to receive a tip that might be related to terrorism,

his goal is to break down barriers between Muslims and police that will help solve and prevent crimes. One day, it might even deter a terrorist attack. Short of that, it’s already paying some dividends. A half-dozen mosque directors say their relationship with the LAPD is known in the Muslim community and might ward off those seeking to cause trouble.

The youngest of six children, he grew up in Alabama, though he lost his Southern accent long ago. He attended a high school in which he was one of the few black students and was a self-described “good old Southern Baptist,” rarely missing a Sunday sermon or weekly bible study.After graduating in 1998, he joined the U.S. Army and became a medic. While stationed in Germany, the former Yugoslavia, Kuwait and Iraq, he began researching religions. Islam spoke to him. “I kind of stumbled upon it while

searching for a path that allows me to be more spiritual,” he said. After leaving the military, he joined the LAPD, which serves a population of almost 4 million. Alexander’s squad is involved in pure outreach. It doesn’t conduct investigations or gather intelligence. Recently, he and his partner, Guy Golan, 30, drove more than 35 miles, visiting mosques and a school and breaking bread with directors of two mosques. Their mission was to gather information for an upcoming community forum.

(MuslimMirror)

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 8WOmEn'S VOICE

First Woman Pilot of Afghan Air Force Honored

Niloofer Rahmani, First woman pilot of Afghan Air Force has been honored with the U.S Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award. Rahmani, 23,

defied death threats from the terror group and even members of her own extended family to become the first female fixed-wing Air Force aviator in Afghanistan's history and the first female pilot in the Afghan military since the fall of the Taliban in 2001.Captain Rahmani and nine other inspirational women from across the world were awarded the U.S Secretary of State's International Women of Courage Award 2015 at a ceremony last week.She was just 18 when she heard a news announcement saying the Afghan Air Force wanted to recruit pilots. She enlisted in the Afghan Air Force Officer Training Program in 2010 and in July 2012 graduated as a Second Lieutenant. She flew her first solo flight in a Cessna 182 and decided she wanted to fly even larger aircraft so she attended advanced flight school and was soon flying the C-208 military cargo aircraft.While women are traditionally banned from transporting dead or wounded soldiers Captain

Rahmani defied orders when she discovered injured soldiers when she landed during a mission. She flew the injured men to hospital and reported her actions

to her superiors who chose not to impose sanctions on her. When her achievements were publicised Captain Rahmani's family received threats from both family members and the Taliban, who disapproved of her ambition and career choices. Captain Rahmani said that ever since she was a little girl she had

dreamed of becoming a pilot and spent nearly a year studying English in order to be able to attend flight school. n

Iran’s First Woman Ambassador after Revolution

Tehran: Iran is all set to appoint its first woman ambassador since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, marking a breakthrough for women in government under the president, Hassan Rouhani. Marzieh Afkham, who is the country’s first foreign ministry spokeswoman, will head a mission in East Asia, the state news agency reported. Afkham will only be the second woman ambassador Iran has had. Under the last Shah’s rule, Mehrangiz

Dolatshahi, a three-time MP known for her advocacy of the family protection law, which gave women the right of divorce

and child custody, became an ambassador to Denmark in 1976, a post she held until the revolution.

Fadila: Israel's Only Muslim Woman Bus DriverSuhaila Fadila says she always liked to drive. 'I’m a devout Muslim, but I didn't need permission from anyone in order to accept the job.'Even in 2015 Israel, female bus drivers are a rare sight – not to mention female Arab bus drivers. And yet there is one: Suhaila Fadila, 44, a mother of four, who has been driving for the past three years. A resident of the town of Tira in the Galilee Triangle, Fadila is a devout Muslim who wears a hijab, makes sure to dress modestly and drives a Metropoline bus in Kfar Sava. The Metropoline company provides service in Be'er Sheva and Tel Aviv, along with other destinations in the southern and central parts of the country.“I’m very familiar with that city from the days when I worked with my husband in his driving school,” she says. “I’ve always liked to drive, and when my husband decided to get a bus driver’s license

I asked – Why not me?”Together with her husband, Fadila passed the tests and began a long training period that included both theoretical and practical aspects of the profession, her husband’s presence enabling her to continue to study, a lone woman among men. Her husband went on to teach driving, and meanwhile Fadila was hired as a rank-and-file driver – five days a week, seven hours a day.“They are very willing to compromise,” says Fadila of her employers. “I can’t work on Fridays, so they didn’t insist, and when it comes to clothing they are meticulous only about the colours – black and purple. So my clothes are black, and my hijab is purple.” Fadila's job is even more surprising in the light of the Central Bureau of Statistics data showing that the

vast majority of Muslim women in Israel do not work at all.To arrive at work on time, at precisely 6:45 A.M., Fadila rises every morning at 5 A.M., prays, gets organized and leaves the house at 6. Her husband wakes up their 14-year-old son (their three

other sons are already adults and have moved out) and sends him off to school.Fadila explains that everyone in her surroundings accepts the fact that she is working as a bus driver, and adds that she was not required to consult any religious authority before starting out. n

First Somali Woman to Contest

for Regional Presidency

Dahabo Abdi alias Dahabo Udd has announced that she will contest Presidency for Central regions state making her the first ever Somali women to contest that position. Dahabo Udd, a former civil servant said she was motivated by the need to change the lives of her people in Central regions whom she said are lacking leadership. Dahabo has promised to bring prosperity in Central regions should the people elect her. Dahabo’s decision is seen as a glitter of hope for many Somali women who have been sidelined in politics by chauvinistic male society. Somalia’s current Constitution grants women 30% in political leadership.

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 9

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COmmUnITY InITIATIVE

BBC’s Muslim Woman Presenter, Mishal Husain wins “Broadcaster Of The Year” AwardLondon: British Muslim presenter, Mishal Husain, has been named the broadcaster of the year at the London Press Club Awards, setting a role model for Muslim women in UK.Nominated alongside BBC's global health reporter Tulip Mazumdar and social affairs correspondent Alison Holt, Husain won the prestigious award that is primarily

The Aligarh Muslim University

has begun addressing the

longstanding need for integrating

higher education with

madrassa courses.

Bridging a Vital Gap

By Maqbool Ahmed Siraj Aligarh: A Bridge Course introduced by the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) is providing a link for the graduates from madrassas to enter the mainstream courses in colleges and universities. The International Conference on ‘Intellectual Crisis of the Muslim Ummah’ coincided with the conclusion of the Bridge Course for the second batch of the

madrassa products at the AMU. The course specially designed for the madrassa graduates (farigheen) was started under the CEPECAMI two years ago in order to facilitate the entry of the madrassa students into the higher education.India has nearly 35,000 Deeni madarassas (Islamic theological schools) and they produce around a lakh of degree-holders (basic degree is Maulvi) annually. Despite frequent calls and pleas to

modernize their curriculum, those who have really brought in changes could be counted on fingers. Most of these graduates find employment as imams, khateebs or end up setting up their own madrassas thereby perpetuating the orthodoxy that they had inherited. Beyond the precincts of madrassas and mosques, they made no impact. Still worse, their sermons on Fridays played a key role in breeding regressive tendencies.

Past AttemptsVice Chancellor Saiyid Hamid initiated some measures to bring these madrassa products into the University. Following a test of their English comprehension,

graduates from 18 different madrassas were held eligible to enter courses in the Faculties of Theology,

Arabic, Urdu, Persian and Islamic Studies. Yet the mainstream courses or professional and technical course continued to be barred for their entry. Today the number of such madrassas recognized by the AMU has gone up to 50. As a second step, the AMU began organizing training workshops for the madrassa teachers in subjects such as Natural Sciences, Sociology, Economics, and Political Science wherein

basic knowledge was provided to them. These were being organized under the Centre for Promotion of Science. But interest waned soon and the arrangement became defunct in due course.

Course ContentsAccording to Prof. Rashid Shaz, Director of the Bridge Course, it has both short and long term objectives. Among the short term objectives is to bridge the gulf between the modern educated

intellectuals and academicians and the Islamic scholars emerging from the madrassas. The products of the Bridge Course would be able to represent the community and Islam more effectively with competency in modern languages, idioms, ideas and ideology as well as a firm awareness of the Islamic sciences. He says they will be more productive with acquisition of degrees in disciplines of Sociology, Economics, Information Technology, various subjects in

Natural Sciences and may even be able to compete for the Civil Services. Besides, they will be better equipped to untangle the complex knots of theological and legal issues gathered in the wake of emergence of new inventions, discoveries and development in the field of social sciences.Current Vice Chancellor made it a point to push the project with all the zeal. The proposal for the Bridge Course was approved

Bridging a Vital Gap

Prof. Rashid Shaz,Director, Bridge Course

dedicated to print journalists.Besides being a part of the BBC's Olympics team in 2012, Husain

previously presented News at Ten, News Night and Breakfast.Born in February 1973 in Northampton, England, the Muslim presenter moved with her Pakistani

family to Saudi Arabia and Emirates where she attended a British school. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 10FOLLOW-UP

Muslim Ummah is no ordinary concern. They are the upholders of the last message of God to the humanity. Simply put, they are the continuing legacy of all the prophets and seers, and by virtue of being deputies of the last prophet they have been entrusted to lead history till end times. We acquired ungodly identities, gave in to sectarian loyalties.Today the agony that we are in is God’s judgment on us who had very clearly warned us: “Verily, as for those who have broken the unity of their faith and have become sects - thou hast nothing to do with them. Behold, their case rests with God: and in time He will make them understand what they were doing”. Maslaki Sykes-PicotTo get back to the God’s abounding mercy once again, we need to return to the fold of original Islam, the fold of one Ummah. Today, the Muslim mind is terribly confused. A vast gap exists between what the Quran enjoins and what our sectarian preachers and cult leaders preach. The crisis is a reflection of the crisis in the Muslim mind. We know of the Sykes-Picot treaty, a secret deal that fragmented the world of Islam into many nation states leaving no room for any future unification of the Ummah, but we are not aware of the many ideological, fiqhi and maslaki Sykes-Picots that took root in course of time, which have become sacrosanct and thus have made any future unification of the Ummah impossible. No Pope in IslamA new beginning cannot be made unless we reopen the Book of God and let God’s voice speak to us without any human mediation. Remember! Islam is a gift of God to humanity. It is our collective heritage. If it gets blurred or adulterated it is everybody’s concern. We cannot leave it to any group of specialists or clergy to tell us what God really wants from us. In Islam everybody is his own pope. Our Prophet came to liberate us from the shackles of clergy.This conclave is for collective introspection. The conference is a befitting tribute to our beloved founder who always used his head for hard thinking and rarely as a cap-stand. To quote Iqbal: “Sir Syed Ahmed was the first Indian Muslim who felt the need of a fresh orientation of Islam and worked for it. We may differ from his religious views, but there can be no denying

the fact that his sensitive soul was the first to react to the modern age. The

extreme conservatism of Indian Muslims which had lost its hold on the realities of life failed to see the real meaning of the religious attitude of Syed Ahmad.”

Brig. Syed Ahmed AliRegistrar, AMU

A paradox characterizes the Muslim in the current world. If we are chosen ones, why cannot we arrest the decline. We have ben

undergoing for eight centuries. We have all the resources but then why the crisis. Duality of duniya (worldly life) and Aakhira (life after death) seeps the Muslim mind. The Quran strikes a fine balance by using the two words in equal number i.e., 115 times.Knowledge was indivisible. Quran laid a ndew framework of knowledge. Islam wanted man to explore the Nature not to worship. No other holy lays so much stress on tadabbur (strategy), tafakkur (contemplation) and ta’aqqul (wisdom). But we abandoned reasoning. All best intellectuals survived or thrived till 10th century. The situation was such till then that if you did not know Arabic, you will not be recruited in any universities. Teachers of Roger Bacon’s (father of modern science) were all Arabs.But then we declined as we gave up contemplation. The Taquiuddin Observatory in Istanbul was demolished dubbing it as the source of plague, hence the reason for inviting the curse of God. Reasoning and revelation are two sides of the same coin. If you do not question, no solution will emerge. Newton and James Watt questioned what they saw and experienced. Let us question as to what happened to us in history.Ijtihaad is the catalyst for Islam’s resurgence. The holy Prophet stressed on reasoning. We should develop rational thinking. There should be no hesitation from learning from other when we do not possess knowledge. Didn’t the Prophet ask the non-believers taken captive in the Battle of Badr to seek their release by imparting

literacy to illiterate Muslims?

Swami Lakshmi AcharyaMuslims ruled this land for 550 years but could not conquer the hearts of the local people. At the end of their rule, only 20% of the people of India were Muslims. Muslims only ruled, they did not do Allah’s work. Only non-violence has succeeded in India. Do not think of anything that hurts people. Muslims have abandoned the Prophet’s approach to people with love, no revenge. His general

amnesty on the cnqeust of Makkah is a model for the entire humanity. How beautifully the Quran puts it: Whoever killed an innocent person, he killed the entire humanity. And anyone who saved one from being

killed, it is as if he imparted life to the entire humanity.

Mike GhouseWriter, Social Activist

Dallas, USANothing can happen in this world without commitment, passion. If your commitment is weak, there will be hesitation on your part. If you fail, do not blame others.We are at the crossroads of history. We had lousy hundred years. Let us not cheat ourselves by just thinking of Aakhirah. Let us live

our life fully.Fox News has made a particular image of Muslims in the United States. It took Himalayan patience on my part as a panelist and some years to convince the anchor Shaun to change the idiom from ‘Radical Muslims’ to ‘Radicals among Muslims’. I have been the only panelist among 20 of them who was not a right-winger. The power of engagement should be such that people should not hate you.

You will see that your presence will dilute what others say.

Prof. Israr Ahmed KhanIIUM, Malaysia

Muslim ummah is in critical

urgency of intellectual growth for which educationa institutions can play a role by making both teachers and students revisit and rediesgn the religious studies, including Tafsir studies.Tafsir is a sacred task. It needs highly careful and deeply conscious approach on the part of mufassirun. The four principles of Quranic interpretation (1-The Quran interprets the Quran, 2-the prophetic traditions elaborate the Quran, 3-views of the companions and the successors unfold the Quran, and 4-Judeo-Christian traditions help understand the historical narrative in the Quran)remains sofar undefined and unspecified as to their scope and modes. Hence those principles need to be defined. The Tafsir works have so far created schisms among Muslims. In order forge unity among Muslims, the Quran is to be be interpreted appropriately in the light of the Quran,the most reliable traditions and intellectual acts, tadabbur, tafakkur, ta’aqqul, tadhakkur and tahassun. Universities and colleges in the Muslim world need to introduce a new subject “critical analysis

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Award for Saboo Siddik Engg College ...

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ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 11ISSUES

Muslim evictees from slums are being stopped from moving into their new housing

units on the plea of bringing down the real estate value.

This is ‘Pragatisheel’ (Progressive) Gujarat.

Apartheid in Vadodara

Abdul Hafiz Lakhani from Ahmedabad

Vadodara, known as cultural capital of Gujarat, is in news for wrong reasons. Hundred of Muslim families are being denied the permission to move into the houses constructed for them. The ‘Gatisheel’ (progressive) Gujarat Government and the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) are finding it tough to resist pressure from the extremist elements who have formed Hindu Hit Rakshak Samiti (Committee for Protection of Hindu Interests). Some 2,500 Muslim families were evicted from Kalyannagar and Kamatipura slums near the Kamatibaug, a garden complex. The women there worked as maids while men did odd jobs while children attended the local schools.

They were promised a new colony to live after their slum dwellings. Away from SchoolIn mid-November the local Municipality demolished the entire area. Around half the residents were offered housing units constructed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNRUM) under slum clearance programme about seven to eight kms from the site. It was middle of the academic year and children faced difficulty in attending the school. Social activist Prof. J. S.

Bandukwala took up the cause and with a grant of Rs. five lakh from kind-hearted Supreme Court Lawyer Dushyant Dave to his Trust, he ran auto rickshaws to ferry the kids to school for six months. Poor are the ApartheidThe other half to be rehabilitated, have just now been allotted housing units built out of Central funds in Sayajipura. The new academic year would begin from May end. But there is opposition to their taking up residence into the newly built units from BJP and the VHP who have organized the residents of local housing societies into Hindu Hit Rakshak Samiti. They have run a propaganda campaign brainwashing the local people that the new allottees are

illegal Bangladesh immigrants. Moreover, they are being projected as ‘risk’ for the nearby Air Force station. Threat of ‘Love Jihad’ are being thrown in. Some even express fear that the real estate value of their colony would nosedive for ‘problem people’ being in the vicinity. Thus a whole new theory of Apartheid has been churned up. Committed to be PeacefulAarif Pathan, leader of the residents of Kalyannagar says, “This is getting on our nerves now. Right from day one, we are peacefully negotiating with all the authorities, and this is what we get in return. We have written to

almost all the authorities and we will keep fighting for our rights till we can. Not for a second will we get violent. We have applied to all the authorities here. Now the ultimate and supreme authority is in Delhi.”

Not in writingOn April 8, some of the BJP leaders held talks with the Muslim leaders and tried to convince them that if they let go of the Sayajipura, they will get them alternative location. But Aarif

Pathan says, “We are now ready to let go of Sayajipura, but what assurance do we have that we will get houses elsewhere? We asked them to give it in writing and they were not ready for that. What they needed was only a part of the riverfront but they demolished all the houses. Either the authorities should bring about an amicable solution or rebuild our houses in Kalyannagar”. Bogey of BangladeshisThe Hit Rakshak Samiti in a memorandum to the District Collector Avantika Aulakh have alleged that the new housing colony for the slum dwellers is illegal, having violated the

guidelines laid down by the State Government. Curiously, the Samiti has rechristened itself ‘Hindu Hit Rakshak Shanti Samiti’ recently. They also allege that they have not made a background check on the antecedents of the allottees who may be illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. They also

intend to file a PIL if the district administration goes ahead with permission to the new allottees to move into the new houses.The VMC is yet to hand over allotment letters to the 340 families whose names figured on the list of the draw put out by the department of the civic body’s JNNURM housing schemes. Official sources said that the civic body was finding itself in a tight spot with the ongoing agitation by local residents. “We do not want the situation to go out of hand. We are waiting to see if we can resolve this matter before handing over the allotment letters. Once the letters are handed over, the Kalyannagar families will begin

to move to Sayajipura and it will result in a law and order problem.”

Search for New LocationRepresentatives of the Muslim families of Kalyannagar said they were preparing a list of residents who have been “left out” by the VMC in its draw last week. Shaukat Indori, a representative, said, “We have found about 182 families who are yet to be considered. The list will be given to the VMC. However, following the

Policy of apartheid against poor is receiving support from those who have been fortunate to benefit from the development policies.

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ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 12GLObE TALk

Terrorist groups have the audacity

to interpret from the Quran

selectively to suit their own

agendas and add an “authoritative” dressing to their views.

The Extremist Mentality: Debunking the Ideological Flaws

The Extremist Mentality: Debunking the Ideological Flaws

By Dr. Shawki Allam Terrorist groups who flagrantly use religion as a cloak to cover up for their acts of violent extremism fall into some serious ideological flaws which reveal their warped logic and ill-informed and unauthentic sources which they

turn to in order to derive their legal justification for their insatiable desire for power, control and bloodshed.The first ideological flaw is related to the terror groups’ abominable crimes against the Quran and prophetic report as they take the Quranic verses and the Prophet’s words out of context and imbue them with the worst of meanings, violence, and savagery. They are totally ignorant of the tools of comprehending the Quran or Hadith, the rules of inference, the objectives of

Islamic law and its principles.As a result, the words of God in the Quran or the Prophet which should fill hearts of believers with peace and mercy and reverence for religion are replaced with ugly, bloody, distorted words which fill hearts with repulsion and fear. They willfully omit the qualifying

parts of Quranic verses they quote and only stick to misquoted verses and hold tight to their deviant interpretations.These bloody groups have the audacity to dismiss any Quranic verses which do not fit their bloody claims and they flagrantly declare unilateral war against both Muslims and non-Muslims who do not share their sick mentality of bloodshed. They completely disregard the Quranic conception of diversity, human brotherhood and peaceful relation between Muslims and non-Muslims referred to for example in the

Quran in which God says, “O Mankind. We created you from a single pair of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes that you may know each other. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. And God has full knowledge and is well acquainted with all things” (49:13).Although the Quranic emphasis on embracing diversities and entertaining differences are well established principles in dealing with people from different religious affiliations, cultural backgrounds and racial origins, the radical groups are adamant on considering anyone who rejects their extremist ideology a legitimate target who may be killed. This unjustifiable idiocy

stands in total contrast to the clear Quranic message in which God says, “If anyone kills a person, it is as if he kills all mankind while if anyone saves a life it is as if he saves the lives of all mankind” (5:32).Secondly, they narrow the concept of jihad and restrict it to combat and slaughter with the claim that such distortions represent the jihad legislated by God.Jihad in essence is the human endeavour of striving to improve the individual and the society and to bring life closer to the divine model.

The violent extremists have made physical jihad an end in itself when in fact it is a means to guidance. Whenever it impedes guidance, jihad deviates from its goal, backfiring to becoming a means of outright harm that repels people from God’s religion. Thus they cannot declare “jihad on behalf of 1.5 billion Muslims. Simply put, the declaration of armed struggle is the prerogative of the ruler of the state or his deputy and these terrorist groups as non- state actors are not allowed to declare it.Thirdly, the false belief that those terrorists who were killed in line of “duty” are considered martyrs and should be rewarded paradise is another delusional understanding of the concept of

martyrdom. The terrorists who get killed are not considered to be martyrs according to Islamic law even if they considered their act to be a form of jihad, had sincere intentions and were acting out of ignorance. Good intentions do not justify illegal acts and it is totally prohibited to kill innocent people from an Islamic perspective. Thus terrorist acts like 9/11, 7/7 or any other similar horrendous acts are sheer acts of terrorism and has nothing to do with jihad.From these three ideological flaws, we can deduce that these terrorist groups are mixing between the noble and legitimate form of jihad which is waged by legitimate state authorities to fend off aggression and establish justice on one hand and the bloodthirsty ruthless acts of killings indiscriminately against innocent people on the other.Terrorist groups have the audacity to interpret from the Quran selectively to suit their own agendas and add an “authoritative” dressing to their views. These deviant ideologies need to be fought by intellectual responses which debunk their erroneous ideologies along with the help of the international media as well as academia in publishing and broadcasting the vocal Muslim authentic scholars who deconstruct the false claims and warped understanding of the Quranic exegesis.

(www.newageislam.com)(The writer is the Grand Mufti of Egypt)

of Tafsir methodology” or include critical dimension in the already available subject Manahij al-Mufassirun.

Maqbool Ahmed SirajJournalist, Bengaluru

Muslims are a disunited lot today. Their societies are wracked by civil wars, feuds, displacement of people, militancy, terrorism, gender disparity, famine, illiteracy, unemployment and corruption. All vital indices of development are negative. Yet the rhetoric “Islam means Peace” rents the air. Peace does not mean absence of war, but it implies availability of justice.Colonial rulers created Muslim states without any regard to historical, ethnic, religious homogeneity and propped up dictators all across them. The Islamic opponents of these regimes were uncouth and bereft of of any modern vision. Now the West finds it convenient to stall democracy in the Muslims world by kicking up the chimera of militant and primordial khilafat and Islam.The seven decades of independence have not really brought any cheer for Muslims in the Muslim countries even while within the same period China became a thriving economy and India grew up as a thriving democracy. Germany and Japan wriggled out of the shadows of the past.Muslims tend to idealize the past

as glorious, authentic, perfect and desirable. Internally, taboos abound within Islam and ever new anathemas add to the misery of the people and made the entire populations uncreative. Speeches extol rationalism of Islam but when it comes to practice, reverence of conventions rules the roost. They take no cognizance of pluralism, nation-state, secularism, social complexity of new nations. The essence of the Quranic values such as truthfulness, justice, accountability, transparency eludes the Muslim societies. Women are subordinated and excluded from vital spheres of collective life.They show extreme resistance to change, inasmuch as Muslim youth in democratic societies or the new converts themselves turn away from Islam. The holy Quran was the main fulcrum of Islamic teachings. But the axis gradually shifted to traditions of the Prophet, and then to Fiqh and then again to opinion of specific imams. But there is hardly any attempt and effort to creatively interpret the traditions and old formulas.It is time Muslims engaged themselves in thoughtful and courageous interpretation of the sacred text and carry forward the principled enshrined in them, rather than the old formulas which are out of sync of the new circumstances. n

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The false belief that those terrorists who were killed in line of “duty” are considered martyrs and should be rewarded paradise is another delusional understanding of the concept of martyrdom.

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 13Page 1

FOLLOW-UP

The Future of World Religions ...nearly catch up by the middle of the 21st century. Between 2010 and 2050, the world’s total population is expected to rise to 9.3 billion, a 35% increase. Over that same period, Muslims – a comparatively youthful population with high fertility rates, are projected to increase by 73%. The number of Christians also is projected to rise, but more slowly, at about the same rate (35%) as the global population overall.As a result, according to the Pew Research projections, by 2050 there will be near parity between Muslims (2.8 billion, or 30% of the population) and Christians (2.9 billion, or 31%), possibly for the first time in history.With the exception of Buddhists, all of the world’s major religious groups are poised for at least some growth in absolute numbers in

the coming decades. The global Buddhist population is expected to be fairly stable because of low fertility rates and aging populations in countries such as China, Thailand and Japan.Worldwide, the Hindu population is projected to rise by 34%, from a little over 1 billion to nearly 1.4 billion, roughly keeping pace with overall population growth. Jews, the smallest religious group for which separate projections were made, are expected to grow 16%, from a little less than 14 million in 2010 to 16.1 million worldwide in 2050.Adherents of various folk religions – including African traditional religions, Chinese folk religions, Native American religions and Australian aboriginal religions – are projected to increase by 11%, from 405 million to nearly 450

million.And all other religions combined – an umbrella category that includes Baha’is, Jains, Sikhs, Taoists and many smaller faiths, are projected to increase 6%, from a total of approximately 58 million to more than 61 million over the same period.Similarly, the religiously unaffiliated population is projected to shrink as a percentage of the global population, even though it will increase in absolute number. In 2010, censuses and surveys indicate, there were about 1.1 billion atheists, agnostics and people who do not identify with any particular religion. By 2050, the unaffiliated population is expected to exceed 1.2 billion. But, as a share of all the people in the world, those with no religious affiliation are projected to decline

from 16% in 2010 to 13% by the middle of this century.Globally, Muslims have the highest fertility rate, an average of 3.1 children per woman – well above replacement level (2.1), the minimum typically needed to maintain a stable population.6 Christians are second, at 2.7 children per woman. Hindu fertility (2.4) is similar to the global average (2.5). Worldwide, Jewish fertility (2.3 children per woman) also is above replacement level. All the other groups have fertility levels too low to sustain their populations: folk religions (1.8 children per woman), other religions (1.7), the unaffiliated (1.7) and Buddhists (1.6).The projected growth of Muslims and Christians would be driven largely by the continued expansion of Africa’s population. Due to the heavy concentration of Christians and Muslims in this

high-fertility region, both groups would increase as a percentage of the global population. Combined, the world’s two largest religious groups would make up more than two-thirds of the global population in 2100 (69%), up from 61% in 2050 and 55% in 2010.Muslims in 2050 are expected to make up more than 50% of the population in 51 countries, two more than in 2010, as both the Republic of Macedonia and Nigeria are projected to gain Muslim majorities. But Nigeria also will continue to have a very large Christian population. Indeed, Nigeria is projected to have the third-largest Christian population in the world by 2050, after the United States and Brazil. As of 2050, the largest religious group in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands is expected to be the unaffiliated. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 14LETTERS

Book RequiredThis is with reference to the book review- Sufi Comics-Rumi by Ali Vakil and Tanzilur Rahman and reviewed by Roshan Shah in the March 2015 issue of Islamic Voice. Kindly send me a copy of the book by VPP.Shaik Abdus Sattar, Hyderabad

Dear Sir & all ReadersAll book reviews published in Islamic Voice are sent to us by publishers who post only one review copy. This is for our reference. Those interested in getting the books have to directly write to the publishers and purchase the book.Thanks, Editor

Very Encouraging TrendI am a subscriber of your marvelous Islamic Voice and the articles published are very informative. I like the “Muslim World” column also. The March 2015 issue carried a news item about the Muslim girl who has passed the chartered accountancy course. I was very happy to read this. Please continue to publish such inspiring stories that

will make the Muslim community to think ahead and choose different careers for the Muslim women. Careers which were earlier considered as the male monopoly are now being pursued by women. This is an encouraging trend indeed.S. Muneer AhmedBangalore

Great Coverage of Gender Issues

Birth Date Error

I am a regular reader of Islamic Voice and I found it a very progressive pan India journal. I specially appreciate the coverage you give to gender issues. The article 'Women in Islam: Rights and Realities- A birds eye view ' by Mr Maqbool Ahmed Siraj in the Dec 2014 issue, presented a detailed analysis of prevailing situations among Muslims. He rightly pointed out that for evil practices like female circumcision, honour killing, Misyaar, Mutaa and triple Talaq, Muslims and not Islam, are responsible. In the previous issue, the article, 'Women in Parliament' was also an eye opener. It is great to know that African countries

and some Muslim countries like Algeria, Tunisia and Afghanistan are ahead of developed countries with regard to representation of women in Parliament. The article 'South Asia: Women missing from the Universities' compels us to ponder on remedial measures. I also appreciate your effort in highlighting the achievements of Muslim women. This serves as a role model for many aspiring girls and women.

Dr Seemin RubabAssociate Professor, PhysicsNIT, Srinagar, drseeminrubab@gmail.com

The April 2015 issue of Islamic Voice had an error in the news item related to Shahir Amar Shaikh. His date of birth was mentioned as October 20, 2016. We are still in 2015. So kindly make the correction and mention the correct date of birth.Since the inception of Islamic Voice in 1987, I have been reading this esteemed magazine regularly.

It is highly informative and also publishes Islamic issues globally. I sincerely pray to Almighty Allah to give prosperity to Islamic Voice as a magazine with a very long life. I wish the team at Islamic Voice grand success in all their endeavors.K.M Mammad KuttyChaliyam House, CheruvannurKozhikode

Break Those Delusive SheltersMere numbers do not add up to anything. Muslims would need to upgrade

quality of people.

People are today looked at as a vital resource. But only when they are educated, skilled, creative, productive and disciplined. Going by this prerequisite, one can barely draw satisfaction from the religious demographic projections made by the Pew Research Centre based at Washington (see page one).The report under discussion anticipates that Muslims around the world would be on the verge of attaining parity with Christian population as this century races up to the halfway mark. While it may warm the cockles of traditional believers in numbers among Muslims, it is all likely to enhance the worry lines on those endowed with thinking heads.Demographic expansion could be a huge liability rather than an asset, if it occurs without commensurate effort at making those numbers effective in terms of quality. Muslims have the favourite tendency to take pride in “Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world” rhetoric. The current state of the ummah suggests that numbers do not add up to anything. Constituting around 23 per cent of the current global population, Muslims are the principal underdogs, in all meanings of the term. Mere expansion of the numbers would do, to them nor to the world, any good. Weighed down by the huge numbers and underdevelopment, the community neither presents a happy picture of itself, nor is viewed with comfort by others. Widespread mayhem, bloodshed, refugees, boats laden with despondency-stricken asylum seekers adrift at seas, internecine feuds, pockmarked with terror-infested no-go zones and hunger and famine ravaged Horn of Africa carry enough warnings that there is something seriously amiss with the ummah.By no yardsticks of development, Muslim nations—fifty six of them being ruled by Muslim alone—come up anywhere near to even the worse-off nations of the developed West. They form the bottom heap of nations in the annually published Human Develop Index (HDI). They take the top ranking among the nations reeking with corruption in the Corruption Perception Index of the Transparency International. Over eighty per cent of the world’s refugees emanate from the Muslim world which also has the largest share among the internally displaced people. Even as suicide bombers are wreaking death and disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Yemen on a daily basis, the ‘Very High Alert’ and ‘High Alert’ categories on the Index of Failing and Fragile States are also packed with Muslim states.One could relentlessly go on highlighting virtues of Islam and even sing paeans of the glories of the past as some Islamic TV channels and a clique of Muslim clergy tend to do. But there is nothing to detract from the sad reality that the Muslims are in a total mess today and the Muslim world is in shambles. We will be ignoring these realities only at our own peril. An individual should enjoy the right to live in hallucinations. But if a community begins to commit the same, nothing could save it from hara-kiri. It is a sure recipe for self-destruction. Self-scrutiny and introspection is therefore the only way towards the salvation.It is true, the Muslims world over are turning to God in quite visible manner. More are turning up for annual Hajj pilgrimage and Saudis could easily seek camouflage of year round booming Umrah market to hide their profligacy. One could even seek solace in minarets of the mosques seeking their share in the Western skies on par with the spires of the churches. One could also argue that families in the Islamic world enjoy the higher degree of marital bliss and aged parents are not consigned to the care of the old age homes.But then peace is not absence of crimes, it is the presence of justice that provides the essential bulwark for it. The Muslim world and societies suffer miserably on this account. In today’s idiom of discourse, individual pieties do not count much. It is the collective behaviour that is the sum total of civilization. Muslim societies may rate favourably on the scale of crime (do not forget that third world countries have a poor registration of crimes. South Asian countries have a miserable record in registration of crime against gender as the family’s integrity is invoked against filing of reports of domestic violence), but the prevalent civil strife there should be enough to convince that peace is elusive. Deficiency of democracy and absence of smooth succession are not the only minuses on the side of the Muslims. Absence of civil liberties and academic freedom is robbing these part of the world of its genius. Conservatism stifles the dissent and curbs the spirit of free inquiry. Women suffer from all kinds of disparities. Forums for discussion on issues of public interest are viewed with suspicion and struggle to survive under despotic rulers and monarchs. Demarcation lines between executive, judiciary and the legislatures are fuzzy at best and non-existent at worst. There are categories within citizenship denying the equality before law. Shahs and emirs are free to plunder and cart away the national wealth to build casinos, ranches, resorts, hotels and nightclubs in the West, much of which remain a taboo in their home countries. Expats, foreign maids, overseas labourers have nowhere to go for justice in the Islamic world. Diversity of beliefs is barely tolerated. Human rights is a one-way traffic in most parts of the Muslim world. Needless to say that creativity can hardly find a fertile land in this atmosphere. No wonder then that the Muslim genius is flowing away to the soils where it can germinate, and bear fruits. It will bring no credit to Islam or Muslims if numbers keep growing in the barren soil and harsh air that characterizes the Muslim world. Unless the Muslim world comes to realize that it needs to democratize itself, respects diversity of beliefs and ethnicities within, makes arrangements for equality before law and opportunities for all, offers a level playground for academics, researchers and entrepreneurs of all hues, removes gender disparities and corruption, it cannot ensure well-being, justice, prosperity and peace for all. It is therefore time for all of us to come out of the self-delusive shelters we have built around ourselves.

CorrectionThank you very much for pointing out the error. We truly appreciate your effort and thank you for your very encouraging kind words about Islamic Voice. We regret the error and the correct date of birth of Shahir Amar Shaikh is October 20, 1916.Editor

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 15

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PEOPLEAzim Premji, Chief of Wipro Group attended the convention by an RSS affiliate Rashtriya Seva Bharathi involved in community service on April 5 in New Delhi. Others present were Zee TV’s Subhash Chopra and G. M. Rao of GMR Group. Premji, industrialist and philanthropist said he was not there to endorse the RSS ideology but wanted everyone to recognize India’s plural character. He said he was invited by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and appreciated the social services rendered by the Sangh and its affiliates. He advised the RSS to expand its services to serve all sections of the population. He asked the RSS workers to consider the diversity as a strength rather than homogeneity. He said he considered it an honour to be invited to the convention. Detailing the work done by his foundation and university - both named after him - Premji stressed on the need to improve governance, weed out corruption and ensure safety for children, women and disadvantaged sections. Terming government investment in education - 2.8% of GDP - to be "woefully inadequate", he said it had reached 3.5% in most developing countries and 5%-6% in the developed world. Higher expenditure, he said, needed political will and prioritization.

Acquitted: Shahid Badar Falahi, President of the now banned Students Islamic Movement of India, was acquitted by a court in Delhi on March 26. Falahi was arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on May 19, 2001 for vitiating communal atmosphere by sticking posters with content that amounted to injecting communal

poison. The Prosecution could not prove the charges during the 14-year trial. Judge Sanjay Agarwal said there was no substance in the charges leveled by the Delhi police against Falahi. His case was pleaded by advocate I. L. Kapur. Falahi emerging from the detention said the judgment was a slap on the face of the Government which tried to prosecute under fictitious charges.

Hall Named After Dr. Mumtaz: The Haldia Group of Institutions near Kolkata named its Seminar Hall after Dr. Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, the founder and chairman of the Al-Ameen Educational Society, Bengaluru. In a function held in honour of Dr. Mumtaz on March 23, Mr. Lakshman Seth, chairman of the Haldia Group of Institutions dedicated the Seminar Hall to the memory of Dr. Mumtaz. The Hall measures 180 ft. by 90 ft. He commended the service of Dr. Mumtaz in promoting education among the masses by setting up as many as 180 institutions. A citation was presented to Dr. Mumtaz on the occasion. Mr. Abdus Subhan Shariff, hony. Secretary was also present at the occasion in Haldia, a town near Kolkata.

Sahar Nowrouzzadeh, the National Security Council Director for Iran for US President Obama is

Umri Elected President for third term: Maulana Jalaluddin Umri was elected Ameer (President) of the Jamaat e Islami Hind for the third term at its Majlis e Numaindagan (Representatives Council) meeting held in the first week of April. In the election held for the Ameer’s post and the Shura (Consultative Committee), Maulana was voted to remain the President for the next four years. 79-year old Umri hails from Tamil Nadu and has been an Islamic writer in Urdu. Of the two most important persons who remained in the fray for the post, Umri received 70 votes and Saadathullah Hussainy, former student body SIO President, 65 votes. (In Jamaat, there is no system for one

putting himself as a candidate, the members nominate the persons of their choice as candidate, hence the terms rivals, contenders are non-existent).

The electoral college of Council has 144 members, 22 among them being women. Umri belongs to the old school of thought following the ideology propounded by Jamaat founder Maulana Abul Ala Moudoodi which demands radical changes in an India which is emerging as an economic power. Notwithstanding its democratic structure and pan-Indian network, the Jamaat has stuck to the old pattern of Quran, Hadith and Sharia being the fountainhead of all guidance. Its corpus of literature barely reflects any new stand of

renaissance thinking. It is to be seen if the new term for Maulana Umri would leads to any changes in its style of functioning. n

Jamaat opts for Leadership of Old Guard

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 16PEOPLEsaid to have worked as a lobbyist for Iran. Breitbart online magazine informed that Sahar worked for pro-Iran lobby group National Iranian-American Council (NIAC) till 2005 and became an analyst for the Department of Defense in 2005 and graduated up to National Security Council. Critics have alleged that NIAC is a lobby for the current Iranian Government (Note that the US media dubs it Iranian dictatorship) under Ayatollah Khamenei. The Breibart report is seen as a stratagem by pro-Israeli media to tarnish and torpedo the recent P5+1 Nuclear deal with Iran.

Mass marriages Proposed: Sheriff Foundation has invited applications for those who would like to avail of the mass marriage facility. Foundation has invited those parents from Bengaluru and surrounding areas who have already engaged their sons or daughters and may be needing monetary assistance for their marriage. The Foundation would gift necessary items for the brides and arrange the lunch for relatives of such couples. Contact: Bazm e Niswan 080-22860023, Humane touch (Mehrunnisa) 99025-27244, Anjuman Khuddamul Muslimeen 080-25596200.

Nasim Zaidi was elevated to the post of Chief Election

Commissioner of India in the third week of April after being Election Commissioner for two years. He is

retired IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre from 1976 batch. He has Masters degree in Public Adminis t ra t ion from Harvard

University and PG diploma in Business Finance from Indian Institute of Finance and hold doctorate in bio-Chemistry. He was Director General of Civil Aviation and retired as Secretary to the Government of Indian in the Ministery of Civil Aviation in July 2012. He will hold the CEC post till July 2017.

Rishad Premji, son of Wipro chairman Azim Hashem Premji was appointed to the Board of the Directors of the company. He will

join on May 1. He is an alumnus of Harvard Business School and was so far Chief Strategy Officer at Wipro. He played a critical role

in setting up Wipro Ventures, a $100 million fund focused on investing in new age startups building cutting-edge technologies. Rishad joined Wipro in 2007. He earlier worked with Bain & Company for two years in the US and also worked for GE Capital for four years. He is elder among the two sons of Azim Premji, the younger one being Tariq. n

ObituaryG. D. ChandanVeteran Urdu journalist Gurbachan Das Chandan passed away in Ahmednagar on April 7. Hailing from Delhi, Chandan was staying with his daughter there. He was 93. He leaves behind his widow, a daughter and a son. He served in the Press Information Bureau, a wing of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry from 1948 to 1980. He was born in Lahore in 1922 and migrated to Delhi after Partition in 1948. He held a post graduate

degree in English literature and a diploma in Journalism from Punjab University, Lahore. He was a prolific writer in Urdu and contributed for Qaumi Awaz,

New Delhi. He was considered an authority on Urdu journalism. Books authored by him include Urdu Sahafat per ek nazar, Urdu Sahafath ka Safar, Jame Jahan Numa: Urdu Sahafath ki Ibteda,

and a biography of Jamuna Das Akhtar. He was feted by Urdu Academies in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

Noted Tamil devotional singer Nagore Esmail Mohammad Hanifa (popularly known as E. M. Hanifa), died in Chennai on April 7. He was 90. A close friend of DMK leader Karunanidhi, Hanifa mesmerized millions with his rendering of Tamil songs. His cassettes containing God’s praise sold in millions. A DMK member, he was fondly remembered as ‘Isai Murasu’ (musical drum). He sang to boost the morale of the DMK

party activists. He was a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council (now defunct) in 1970s. He has left behind two sons

and two daughters. Karunanidhi visited his residence to pay his last respects and broke down while paying homage to his long lasting friend. Hanifa was born in

Ramnad and settled in Nagore, the town of the famous Dargah in Thanjavur district. He was considered a symbol of religious harmony.

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 17AdVERTISEmEnT

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 18In the name of God, the Beneficent, the Merciful

“We have always sent messages (of guidance) as a mercy from your Lord. He alone is the One who hears all and knows all, the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is

between them, if only you were firm believers. There is no deity other than Him; He gives life and deals death. He is your Lord and the Lord

of your earliest ancestors. Yet they remain in doubt, playing about. Wait, then, for the Day when the skies shall bring forth a kind

of smoke which will make things clear. It will envelope the people. Grievous is this suffering!

(They will cry): ‘Our Lord! Relieve us from this suffering; for, indeed, we are believers. How will this remembrance benefit them? A messenger who clearly explained things had

previously come to them; but they turned their backs on him and said: ‘He is taught by others,

a madman!’” (Smoke; Al-Dukhan; 44: 5-14)

God’s Great Act of Mercy

Nothing manifests God’s mercy like the revelation of the Qur’an. With consummate ease, it appeals directly to people’s hearts as easily as the blood flowing through their veins. In this way, it transforms man into a noble creature. With Qur’anic guidance, human society becomes more like a dream world, yet it is there for eyes to see. The faith the Qur’an outlines profoundly engages hearts and minds so as to be loved passionately. The question here is not one of meticulous perfection, goodness and suitability. It is much more than that. It is a scenario in which everyone of these qualities is further enhanced until their perfection attains a beauty that permeates all details and combines and harmonizes them, while at the same time maintaining their close links to the main body. “As a mercy from your Lord;” this is how the Qur’an was revealed on that blessed night. “He alone is the One who hears all and knows all.” He hears and He knows. He reveals what He reveals to people on the basis of His knowledge of what they say and do, as well as what is suitable and beneficial for them of laws, regulations and directives. He is the One who is in control of the universe, taking care of all who live on it. He is “the Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them, if only you were firm believers.” The revelations He bestows from on high to mould people’s lives is part of His Lordship of the universe and of His laws that operate in the universe. The reference in this verse to firm belief implies an allusion to the unbelievers’ confused beliefs. They recognized God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth but they, nevertheless, associated partners with Him. This means that the central principle of God’s oneness was blurred in their minds, and this

precluded them from having firm and reassured beliefs.God is also the One who gives life and deals death, the Lord of all generations of creation: “There is no deity other than Him; He gives life and deals death. He is your Lord and the Lord of your earliest ancestors.” Both the initiation of life and its deathly end are witnessed by all and are recognized

as being beyond the power of any creature. This is clear at first sight and with simple consideration. The scene of death, like the scene of new life, touches the human heart and leaves a very strong influence on it, making it ready to respond. Hence, they are often mentioned in the Qur’an to attract people’s attention to them.At this point, the surah tells the Prophet that the unbelievers are playing about when the situation requires seriousness, and that they continue to be in doubt about God’s confirmed revelations. He is, therefore, instructed to leave them until they face a day of great hardship: “Wait, then, for the Day when the skies shall bring forth a kind of smoke which will make things clear. It will envelope the people. Grievous is this suffering.” Scholars during the early period of Islam differed in their views about what the smoke mentioned in this verse means. Some of them maintained that it will occur on the Day of Judgement, which makes the warning implied here similar to other warnings in the Qur’an about that day. They said that this will surely take place and that the

Prophet awaited it. Others said that it actually did take place just as the Qur’an states. It was then lifted after the Prophet prayed to God to remove it.We, though, are more in agreement with the view expressed by Ibn Abbas and explained by Ibn Kathir making it clear that the smoke will appear on the Day of Judgment. Similar warnings also occur elsewhere in the Qur’an. What it means here is that these people doubt and play. Leave them, then, in anticipation of that terrible day when the skies shall bring smoke that makes things clear. As it envelops people, their suffering will be particularly painful. Their appeal for help is described thus:

“(They will cry): ‘Our Lord! Relieve us from this suffering; for, indeed, we are believers.” They are told that a positive response to their appeal is impossible. It is now too late: “How will this remembrance benefit them? A messenger who clearly explained things had previously come to them; but they turned their backs on him and said: ‘He is taught by others, a madman!’” They claimed that a non-Arab person or people taught the Prophet the Qur’an, and they further alleged that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was a madman. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 19Three Types of Selfish People

Selfish and greedy people earn themselves God's displeasure that results in God ignoring them on the Day of Judgment,

when they are destined for grievous suffering.

By Adil Salahi Sometimes Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used a form of stern warning in order to impress on people the horrid nature of the action he is warning against.One of the stronger forms of warning is that which the Prophet uses in the following Hadith related by Al-Bukhari on the authority of Abu Hurayrah who quotes the Prophet as saying: “God shall neither look at three types of people on the Day of Judgment nor cleanse them of sin. They shall also endure grievous suffering. The first is one who has along the road, water in excess of his needs, but refuses to give some of it to passersby. The second is one who pledges loyalty to a governor only in the hope of receiving certain gains: if he gets that, he is happy and if he is denied it, he is unhappy. The third is one who sets up his goods in the afternoon and swears by God that he has paid (or offered) for it so much, leading others to believe him.The Prophet then read the Qur'anic verse that says: “Those who barter away their covenant with God and their oaths for a trifling gain will have no share in the life to come. God will neither speak to them, nor cast a look on them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He cleanse them of their sins. Theirs will be a grievous suffering.” (3: 77)The common denominator that applies to all three types is selfishness and greed. They are all after their own interests, caring little for other people. The first, the

one who denies some water to a passerby, is so full of greed that he will not give water, which he has no need for, to one who needs it. He forgets that water is granted to mankind by God. They need it for living and God has set in operation certain laws of nature that ensure that people get water all the time for themselves, their cattle and farmland.The second type is more common. People often pledge their loyalty to rulers and governors only for their own benefit. They are after certain gains. Unless they get such gains, they are dissatisfied. Their dissatisfaction may go further than thoughts and feelings. It may develop into encouraging rebellion or strife in society. The main factor in all this is the gain one hopes to achieve. It has nothing to do with the ruler being good, just or diligent in serving the community.An important aspect in the Prophet's warning is concerned with the need of being true to one's pledges. If one pledges loyalty to a governor, the pledge should be sincere, free of personal ambitions, and made only to serve the interests of the community. To relate one’s loyalty to what one hopes to receive of personal gains is to make a mockery of one’s pledge. Needless to say, a pledge of loyalty is a very serious matter. Hence, it must never be related to what one hopes to receive from the ruler to whom one has pledged full loyalty.The third type is again very common. People are eager to sell

their goods at a profit. The greater the margin of profit, the happier they are. If the customer tries to get a discount, the seller tries to assure him that the goods are worth more. One way of convincing people that they are not paying too much for their merchandise is to swear by God that the price is right. A trader may swear that he paid for the goods so much and that his profit is so little or very reasonable. Alternatively, he may swear that he was offered more for it. The customer is more likely to believe him when he swears by God. If, however, the truth does not match the oath, and the oath is false, the offense is very serious indeed as it seeks to cite God in support of one's false claim.In all these situations, selfish and greedy people earn themselves God's displeasure that results in God ignoring them on the Day of Judgment when they are destined for grievous suffering. n

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ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 21

Choosing the Right Spouse

OUR dIALOGUE WITH AdIL SALAHI

Q: How important is it that a person who wishes to get married should have a permanent job and enough savings to have an expensive wedding? How about a person, who has enough to pay a dower and lead a decent standard of living, but cannot afford a luxurious wedding? What is needed to change the social view that only a wealthy bridegroom is worth considering. May I also ask of a person who feels that he needs to get married but finds himself unable to arrange that? Should he resort to fasting? If so, for how long?

A: Islam encourages marriage for both men and women. It lays down a criterion for choosing the right spouse. In the case of a wife, the Prophet, peace be upon him, says: “A woman is sought in marriage for one of four things; her wealth, beauty, family and

faith. Make sure to choose the one with strong faith.” In this Hadith, the Prophet, peace be upon him, makes it clear that most of the considerations to which people attach great importance when choosing a wife, such as wealth, beauty and family, are of little value.The important consideration is that she should have strong faith,

because that is the one, which shapes her character and makes her a good wife.Similarly, when a father receives a proposal of marriage for his daughter, he should consider the character of the suitor, not his wealth or family connections. The Prophet says: “Should a man whom you find satisfactory with regard to his honesty and strength of faith propose to you for marriage, then give him your daughter in marriage”. Again the Prophet, does not attach any importance to the wealth or position of the man who comes with a marriage proposal. He speaks only of the man’s honesty and strength of faith. The Prophet also warns that if we choose different criteria, our society will soon suffer from corruption.Having said that, I should also explain that these criteria which the Prophet outlined are the ones to be given priority. Other considerations also have their importance, although they must never precede the ones the

Prophet has outlined.For example, if a family has to choose between two proposals from two persons who both meet the proper standard of honesty and strength of faith, then other factors such as the age of the suitor and his type of job or trade may be given their due importance. Hence, scholars have stressed compatibility as an important basis for accepting or rejecting a marriage proposal.It is certainly against the teachings of Islam to make marriage difficult for young people by making excessive demands of dower, housing and furniture. Fasting is recommended to a young man who feels the urge to get married but is unable to marry for any reason. He is the one to decide how often to fast. There is no specific recommendation on this point. It is when a person feels that he is liable to slip into sin that he should resort to fasting. That weakens his desire and strengthens his resolve to resist any temptation he may be facing. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 22GUIdAnCE

You need great patience to focus single-mindedly on God, given the fact

that the human mind is a jungle of thoughts and that you are surrounded by so many things on all sides—family, friends,

wealth, work, society and institutions.

Living With God

By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan Living with God is the highest state of living. God is the Lord of the Universe, the Creator and Sustainer of everything. He is the Source of all kinds of goodness. So, living with God means living with every kind of goodness—with peace, with beauty, with eternity, with joy, with solace, and so on. Given this, it is important for us to learn the art of living with God.This might seem to be a difficult task, but actually it isn’t t all. In fact, I can say that living with God is actually the easiest thing possible!Why, or how, you may ask?This is because we are already living with God.

Let me explain.All of us are live with something or the other. This means that living with something is natural for us human beings. It is a natural urge. For example, some people ‘live with’ their job, with their wealth, with their children, with their egos. These are things that they have made the centre of their lives, or their primary concern. All these things in or with or for which people live, are created things. Now, in order to live with God all you need to do is to shift your focus, from creatures or created things to the Creator, and then you will be able to live with God! It is really as simple as that!You are already living with something. So, drop that something, and shift your focus to living with God instead. It is not difficult at all. After all, it just entails a shift in focus.That is why I say that living with God is the easiest possible task.

We are already living with, and aware of, created things, things created by God—water, sunlight, air, the earth, and, in fact everything that we see around us. To live with God, the Creator of all these things, cultivate the awareness that He is the creator of all the things that you see every day around you. When you see or eat a fruit, for instance, remember that God is the one who made it. When you enjoy the sunshine, remember that it is God

who made the sun. When you see a lovely tree, remind yourself of the One who made it, with all its beauty. And so on.Remember God in this way and you will find yourself with Him. Previously, you were living with creatures, but now you can live with the Creator. All it requires is concentration, contemplation and a shift in the focus of your mind. Consider, in this regard, the example of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh). He started his mission in Makkah, in the year 610 CE. Then, after 13 years, he was compelled to leave Makkah because of the opposition he faced there. And so, he migrated to Madinah, along with a companion, Abu Bakr.The journey from Makkah to Madinah was a long and difficult one. The Prophet’s enemies were searching for him in order to kill him. On the way, he and Abu Bakr took shelter in a cave in a mountain. When Abu Bakr noticed that the enemies had reached near the cave, he mentioned this to the Prophet. The Prophet replied, “God is with us.” That is, since God was with them, they had no need to fear. This same event is narrated in a hadith report, according to which the Prophet said to Abu Bakr, “Abu Bakr, What do you think of two people with whom God is the third?”This was the experience of the Prophet.

What was the secret of this confidence?It is said that in an interview he gave after coming back to earth, an astronaut who had stepped on the moon said that when he found himself all alone on the moon, he experienced something really unique—he felt the presence of God.

How did this happen?The secret of this was that at that moment, everything else was absent to the astronaut. When he was on the moon, all the barriers, which existed on earth, between him and God were compulsively removed. Thus, he experienced the presence of God.God is omnipresent. He is present everywhere. He is always with us. But why do we fail to understand or realise His presence? It is because there are some barriers or walls between us and God. And what are these barriers? They are our wealth, our family, our children, our friends, our egos. When the astronaut was standing all by himself on the surface of the moon, these walls or barriers were all absent. And so, he was able to feel the presence of God.

From this example you can understand that the only thing that is required in order to live with God is to remove all the barriers that stand between you and Him. This is the simple secret of how to live with God. The fact of the matter is that we are actually already living with God, because God is everywhere. He is omnipresent.This happened with the Prophet, too. There were no barriers between him and God, and this was how he was able to assure Abu Bakr that God was with them.So, living in God’s presence or

with God is really very simple. When you remove the barriers that stand between you and Him and realize that you are already living with Him, because He is everywhere, you will find that there is no distance between you and God.Consider the example of man walking in a forest and suddenly spotting a tiger behind a bush nearby. The experience is like a tornado for him! At that moment, his entire attention is centralized, focused only on the tiger. This experience removes from his mind every barrier, every other concern or preoccupation. At that moment, he knows nothing but the tiger.The same single-minded focus is required if you want to live in the presence of God. Turn your attention away from all created

things, and focus it on God alone. This can be cultivated through contemplation. If you worship God with full attention, you will find yourself in God’s presence. This concentration on God will lift all the barriers that stand between you and Him.Great patience is necessary for this. The Quran (2:153) says that God is with the patient. Patience helps lift the barriers that stand between you and God. You need great patience to focus single-mindedly on God, given the fact that the human mind is a jungle of thoughts and that you are

surrounded by so many things on all sides—family, friends, wealth, work, society, institutions and so on.If you want to live with God, you need to save yourself from distractions—all sorts of distractions, such as the desire for this or that, obsession with money, friends, family, luxuries and, of course, your own ego.Saving yourself from all sorts of distractions is very crucial in this spiritual journey. You have to be constantly alert, focused always on your goal—which is living with God. Then you will be able to live with God, in this world in the psychological sense, and in the Hereafter, in the physical sense.Then, there are scriptures. Study the Quran. The Quran is a book of ideology. It gives you guidelines

and principles for a God-oriented life. Study also the life of the Prophet. The

Prophet attained the experience of living with God. He is a role model for us to emulate. His life is a practical example of living with God.So, there are three sources that can give us experiences of living with God: Reflection on created things that are all signs of God, signs of His existence and His attributes; studying and reflecting on scriptures and the life of the Prophet, and introspection and inner examination of your own self.Living with God is the greatest blessing anyone can enjoy. It requires making sacrifices in this world—temporarily—in order to gain eternity. This world is temporary, and the other world, the world after death, is eternal. If you want to live with God, you will have to sacrifice the allure of the temporary world so that you can attain felicity in the eternal world. n

Consider the example of man walking in a forest and suddenly spotting a tiger behind a bush nearby. The experience is like a tornado for him! At that moment, his entire attention is centralized, focused only on the tiger. This experience removes from his mind every

barrier, every other concern or preoccupation. At that moment, he knows nothing but the tiger.

Self – Appraisal A Little boy went to a telephone booth which was at the cash counter of a store and dialled a number. The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation:Boy: “Madam, can you give me the job of cutting your lawn?”Woman: (at the other end of the phone line) “I already have someone to cut my lawn.”Boy: “Madam, I will cut your lawn for half the price than the person who cuts your lawn now.”Woman: “I’m very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting the lawn.”Boy: (with more perseverance) “Madam, I’ll even sweep the floor and the stairs of your house for free.”

Woman: “No, thank you.”With a smile on his face, the little boy put the receiver down. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy.Store-owner: “Son… I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job.”Boy: “No thanks.”Store-owner: “But you were really pleading for one.”Boy: “No Sir, I was just checking my performance at the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!” This is called “Self-Appraisal”

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 23

Page 11

A Graceful AcceptanceMost people feel they are treated

unjustly, because they struggle to surrender

and accept God’s Will for them.

SOUL TALk

By Nigar

Some days ago, my friend Sarah called me to say that one of our common friends, Ramya, was not answering her sms-es and phone calls. “Why doesn’t she keep in touch with friends, as she used to earlier? I have so many things to tell her. I want to find out how she is doing,” she said. There was a tinge of sadness in her tone.I explained to Sarah that Ramya’s lifestyle was different and she believed in simple living. “Let’s accept her as she is,” I said. But Sarah went on, narrating to me

about the times that Ramya and she had spent together, their long conversations on the phone and their visits to each other’s houses.Sarah was not going to give up, I knew. So, I explained to her with a real-life experience that happened with me. “My closest friend since college days was Shabana,” I began. Shabana would share all her problems, her joys

and her sorrows with, me. Not a day went by without us calling each other. I stood by her side at her wedding, welcoming her guests. I was there for every birthday of her child. I was there when she suffered the trauma of living with an abusive husband. I was there when she left him for good. I was there with her when she was going through an emotional vacuum in her life after the break-up of her marriage. I was also there when she found a new life-partner,

and was the happiest for her. As years passed by, I continued the tradition of visiting her house for every Eid with sweets. I never missed wishing her on her birthday. Life continued, with both of us busy with our own work. Over the years, however, I observed that Shabana seemed to want to remain aloof from me. Her birthday wishes stopped. Her

Eid wishes stopped. Her emails stopped. I tried to think of why she might be behaving like this. Yes, there were moments of anger, too, at being “treated” this way by her. It took a while for me to accept all of this. It was during these moments of slow “acceptance”

that I realised that Shabana was now complete. She did not need me to complete her. She was happy! That really was the day of my own complete acceptance of the fact that she could handle her life well enough now.As her friend, this gave me immense joy. The feelings of bitterness, hurt, or sadness that I went through simply vanished. “There was no need for me even

to confront Shabana and question her about her behavior,” I told Sarah.“Sarah, don’t try to change Ramya. She is happy, and let’s be happy that she is happy with her way of life. Let’s accept it with grace. She remains our friend for all time to come. What

is the meaning of love between friends if we are not able to rejoice with each other about our respective habits and lifestyles?” I said.Sarah slowly allowed the thoughts I had conveyed sink into her heart.The people whom we meet in our lives and the situations that we find ourselves placed in are designed by God with a purpose. We may not know the purpose of

these encounters with people and situations, but we need to believe that they all happen for our own good and accept it. The more we deny or resist the person or the situation, the more distress it causes us. Acceptance comes with 100 per cent surrender to the will of God. It is His will alone that prevails over all things, from the smallest to the biggest, in our lives.Deep meditation, reflection and contemplation will help us to understand the true meaning of gracefully accepting the Will of God in all situations.Years ago, I attended a talk by a wise spiritual scholar. He mentioned that people come to him, requesting him to pray for them for different things. Someone wants a big house or a job. Someone else wants to be cured of an illness. And so on. The list never ends. The scholar said, “I tell them, ‘Don’t tell me all your demands. I will pray for all of you, but my prayer will be, ‘Let Allah’s will prevail over all your situations!’’” That’s really a great prayer to help us accept our situations and experiences, with grace from God! n

agitation of the residents there, families of Kalyannagar are very sceptical about moving into the area until the authorities step in and resolve the situation with a peace meeting between two communities.”The opposition on the ground has made the VMC look for other sites to relocate the Muslim families. On April 13, a closed-door meeting was held to explore “alternative relocation”.

For the Muslim families, the future is suddenly uncertain. Activist Prof. J. S. Bandukwala is pushing civic authorities to expedite the relocation. “It is unfortunate that Muslims are not welcome in these places as they are seen to lower the value of upcoming areas. The VMC does not even have one single Muslim representative in the elected wing. That says a lot,” he said. n

Apartheid in Vadodara ...

45 Selected for UPSC InterviewsNew Delhi: Thirty one students, including eleven Muslims from the Residential Coaching Academy run by the Centre for Coaching and Career Planning, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, have qualified for the interview scheduled to be held in the month of April-June 2015. The Centre will conduct Mock-Interviews for the qualified students.

The Residential Coaching Academy in Jamia, funded by the University Grants Commission, offered free coaching and residential facilities to students belonging to SC, ST, Women, and the Minorities categories. In a press release, the Crescent Academy, a division of the Maulana Abdur Rahim Educational Trust, said 14 of

its candidates who appeared in the Civil Services Main Examination, were selected for the Interviews. Till date, the academy with its limited infrastructure and resources, but through its innovative cum interactive sessions and consistent test practices has been able to produce more than 125 IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, judges and State civil servants throughout the country.New Arrivals

The Gods of WarsBy RiyazullaPublished by: Sharfun Publications, 2 Teachers Society, Banashankari. Bangalore-560070Email: irriyaz12@rediffmail.comPrice: Rs 250

MuhammadMan and ProphetBy Moin QaziMoinqazi123@gmail.comPublished by: Notion Press, 5 Muthu Kalathy Street, Triplicane, Chennai-600005Published: 2015, Price: Rs 325

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 24

Choose your career based only on interest plus aptitude, and not

because others are doing something or

choosing a particular career.

Where To? Next?Time to Choose a Career Path

Page 25

CHOICES & CAREERS

By Azeem Bolar From LKG to post- graduation, an ocean of options seems to be available to choose from. Every rung of the academic growth ladder has its own learning to be imbibed. When looked at from the outside, several of the professions seem to be lucrative and highly paying. But funnily, we fail to realize the importance of aptitude, contentment, priorities, and, last

but not the least, sheer gut feeling.In the past, there were limited professions to choose from. Being street smart was a camouflage for those who had no education. Now, it’s very different and an era of specialization has come in. Such great diversification has taken place that unlike in the past, where we had to fit into a profession (often not of our choice), today we have several options

within a profession, literally it tailor-made to suit one’s abilities.Whatever the reasons for selecting a career, one’s objective must be attained. Goal-setting is an essential link in the chain of success. This enables us to clear the mist of confusion,. Whatever the reason you opt for a particular career, the primary aim should be to succeed.First of all, take an aptitude test

to help you to realize your areas of potential. Then, set your short- and long- term goals. Once you know your destination, you can decide the path and the means to reach there. Based on what you have decided, you should chart out your career plan, which subjects, which courses and which colleges you should join, so that you can

make your dreams come true.Find out what there is to choose from. List out all possible careers. Categorize these careers in similar fields (e.g. IT, science, public relations, etc.) Research all you can about each one of them, and shortlist those you are interested in. Visualize yourself working for the next 40-50 years in that career and ask yourself whether

the work gives you satisfaction and contentment. Identify your traits and qualities. Think of all the positive attributes you have (eg. good communication skills, physical stamina, memory, etc.)Keep in mind that even some unconnected qualities can be useful in certain professions, so make sure you have not

neglected any of your traits or skills, academic or non-academic. eg. being good at debates, mind games, communication, etc. Identify all your shortcomings (eg. poor spoken English, poor public speaking skills, dislike of traveling, phobias, etc). List out the subjects

you are good in, the ones you enjoy and the ones you score high marks in and match them to each of the careers you have short-listed. Also, check what subjects you need to be good in to succeed in the particular career you want to pursue. Include in this the subjects you are not studying now but you might have to study later.Do not get misled by “scope”,

or the fact that many jobs are currently being offered in one field. In the next 40 years of your career, scope will fluctuate many times. Choose your career based only on interest plus aptitude, and not because others are doing something or choosing a particular career. If you are good in your work, there is scope for you, even if there is a recession in that particular line.Once you have narrowed down your fields,prioritize them in order of preference. Then you can start deciding what subjects to take in your coming years that will carve your future.The other side of the coin: Why do career-planning? There are moments in life when things do not go right on the career front, and that tempts us to ask ourselves: Are we on the right career path? Also, the importance of career planning acts as a warning mechanism if the growth pattern becomes turbulent and hazy.(The writer is a Bangalore-based counselor and can be reached at azeem.bolar@gmail.com)

Best International Award for EPSBhopal: Eastern Public School (EPS), the only IB World School in Bhopal, has been conferred the prestigious “Best International School in India for Service to the Community” Award at a ceremony in New Delhi on March 25. A leading Market Research Company “Worldwide Achievers” in association with ‘Headlines Today’ and ‘Mail Today’ organized the Asia Education Summit and the Awards ceremony. Abhinav Bindra, an Olympian Gold medalist in Shooting presented the awards. Other schools which were also given awards included Cambridge University Press, Amity University, Shewag International School, The Punjab Public School, Podar Jumbo Kids, National Academy of Sports Management and National Institute

TIdbITSof Fine Arts etc.EPS was founded by Dr. Mansoor Durrani 12 years ago and is currently headed by Director Mr. Umar Jaffar. EPS offers all three programmes of International Baccalaureate Organization (PYP, MYP and DP) and IGCSE of Cambridge International Examinations for age group 3 to 18. It is the only Complete IB World School in Bhopal, the second in Madhya Pradesh and tenth in the country. The School also plans to offer 50% scholarship to those students who score more than 9 CGPA or above in CBSE 10th Board examinations or equivalent in other programmes for admissions into EPS’ Grade 11 IB Diploma programmes as part of the School’s commitment to the Community. Durrani speaking on the occasion said, the school had endeavoured to empower Muslim

children with the best educational experience and at a cost that is just one-tenth of what an average parent has to incur while getting his kids into an IB School.

Muslim Girl wins Gita Contest in MumbaiMumbai: A 12-year-old Muslim girl has emerged topper at a contest on the Bhagavad Gita. Mariyam Asif Siddiqui who studies in Class 6 in a school at Mira Road near Mumbai won the contest from among 4,500 students who appeared for the competition. She received the first prize in an inter-

school competition for explaining the teachings of the holy book. “We are delighted. She prepared a whole month for the contest,” her father Mr. Asif told PTI.Mariyam studies in Cosmopolitan High School at Mira Road and participated in “Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Champion League” organised by ISKCON International Society last month with an objective to spread teachings of the holy book. Around 195 schools had participated in this competition. Of them, 105 were private and 90 were municipal schools. Mariyam said she learned from Bhagavad

Gita that humanity is the biggest religion in this world.“It was very interesting to read Bhagavad Gita as I have got a lot of information about life from it. The holy book has taught me the golden rules of life. It says that though there are many religions but humanity is the biggest religion among all,” Mariyam said. The English version of the holy book was given to students for a month for preparation purpose. A teacher was also appointed to help students understand the book in detail. After a month, a written examination

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 25

Postponing social reform and progress in order to keep the

millat united does not work in today’s age.

Social Reform – How and Why?

Page 24

mUSLIm PERSPECTIVES

By Usama Khalidi The subject of social reform is like a joke about bad weather in the West: Everybody talks about it, but no one does anything to improve it. Unfortunately, we all tend to think that we ourselves are all-right, it’s the other people who need to reform their ways, their customs and attitudes.It’s worth examining what exactly people mean when they speak of social reform,islah-e mua’shira in Urdu. The learned imams at the Juma prayers, and the speakers at public meetings always exhort their audiences to observe all the principles of Islam in their lives, and that they should stay away from bad influences on their morals, presumably referring to the Internet. No one expects that this kind of appeals would have any impact on the listeners, that anyone would be inspired to make changes in their attitudes. We all feel good after listening to these sermons and go home happy, thinking that we have fulfilled our social and Islamic obligations.A public meeting organized in April 2015 to discuss social reform attracted thousands of young people, mostly young, in Bhiwandi, according to a report in a local Urdu paper. It was addressed by many maulanas and muftis, most of them graduates of Darul Uloom, Deoband. Their speeches did not deviate from the traditional line: Muslims must observe Islamic laws and principles.

No Talk on Social EvilsThe report cited concern at the decline in people’s morals, but absent from the discussion was any mention of the social evils, such as dowry demands, wasteful and ostentatious wedding ceremonies, physical abuse within families, irresponsible polygamy among the lower classes, educational backwardness, skin-colour prejudice, even caste consciousness, so on and on, not to speak of a habit of borrowing money without knowing how or when it could be paid back. Gender

justice is far, far from our minds, although the media in the larger society has heated discussions about the subject day in and day out.No doubt, Muslims of Bhiwandi, like the minorities in Ahmedabad and Muzzafarnagar, are vulnerable to murderous

communal violence. In an atmosphere of hostility when the Shiv Sena demagogues talk of taking the vote away from Muslims, any talk of internal social reforms seems untimely, unnecessary, and harmful for social peace and unity. It seems wise to suppress differences of opinion among people, and within families and among friends, too.

Defensive PostureThe problem is that for the past 70 or 80 years we, the Muslims of India, have been in a defensive posture, closing ranks, gripped by a siege mentality, mounting

intellectual cannons from the ramparts, believing that all internal dissent is dangerous to unity, the paramount value. Collective self-criticism is taboo. Any dissent in a religious discourse leads to charges of straying or misleading, or worse: apostasy.

No Postponing DebateThe result: Total stagnation in the social sphere. The same problems confront us today as they did when we acquired a modern consciousness, hesitantly, in the 1940s, roughly speaking. The fact is if there is no debate about the nature and severity of our social problems, there can be no progress, no movement on that front. Public and private debate is a must for any social progress in any society at any time on any issue of importance. Social change has never happened in any foreign society without paying the price of some disunity, some rancour.Indian Muslims have faced a paradox: Social cohesiveness and unity and no social reforms, or debate and rancour, more social divisions with uncertain results, or fitnain the language of Muslim

scholars, the ulema.

Unity with Social ProgressIn the existing psycho-political situation, what can be done? What is possible? It seems reasonable to desire both social peace, cohesiveness, and progress

against social evils. To reach this goal, a few conditions must obtain in society: Tolerance for dissent, a broad consensus in principle that disagreement is OK, a dissent from centuries old practice, sanctioned by the Islamic scholarly establishment, does not

necessarily make one an outcaste, a denier or an apostate. The last person to exercise this kind of despotic authority was Aurangzeb, and he has been dead for 308 years. The idea of pluralism must be widely accepted. That means realizing that in matters of common social problems, nobody is in possession of all the wisdom. Once this is accepted, we will have to engage in introspection, self-criticism, individually and collectively.

We need to take a fresh look at our collective practices. Take for example public meetings in which scholars thunder about the Muslims’ accomplishments in history, the greatness of our values, and the utter moral degradation in which we have

fallen. It’s as if Altaf Hussain Hali’s Madd-o Jazr-e Islam* is being blasted out of loudspeakers, except in the harsh voices of old men. This way of dealing with collective problems is 19th century methodology, useless in the 21st. Nobody gains any great insights

into individual behaviour and starts the process of change.

Smaller Audience for DebateWouldn’t it be better to gather people in small numbers in community centres and school where everybody gets a chance to speak, if desired, and audiences participate on an equal footing? Leaders emerge from small group interactions. We all learn new ways of thinking from one another when we participate in discussions in a free and mutually supportive atmosphere. This is the bottom-up rather than top-down approach to communications. This is what is taught in business school, and used by large companies.The participatory method of debating ideas is widely used in

Malaysia and Indonesia, and to a large degree in southern India, too, where educational standards are much higher than in the north. (Bengaluru’s Janagraha movement offers a powerful model.) The subjects for such symposiums can vary widely, from marriage customs and practices, child labor, electoral preferences, violence within families, and perhaps also the evils emanating from the Internet.

Discard Old MethodsSocial change will never happen using the old way of organizing public meetings, addressed by Islamic scholars. The larger the crowd the more meaningless or superficial generalities will be expressed. The maulanas and the muftis do not have the answers for today’s problems. All they know is what they had learned as history, their understanding of Shari’a as they were taught to apply to different conditions and situations. They do not have the training, the learning to understand how and why people behave the way they do. Look at the curriculum of Darul Uloom, Deoband. None of the courses offered there teach human psychology, sociology, economic behavior, management etc. How then can they lead the way in any kind of social reform? All the learned ulema can do is sermonize, and perhaps suggest how some legalist Islamic solution was found to a similar problem in the past. That kind of historical fiqh is no use to modern problems. The writer, an Indian American, is a retired bureaucrat living in Washington; he has spent several years in India working on documentary film and writing projects. Email: usama.khalidi@gmail.com.

Our old style Islamic scholars have no answers for today’s problems. All they know is what they learned as history. We need to adopt the current idiom and methods.

was held with 100 questions. Mr. Asif said he is happy and a proud father as his daughter has shown a keen interest in reading a holy book of another religion.“I have told children to respect every religion as they show us the right path,” he said.(www.thehindu.com)

Shah Waliullah Awards: The Institute of Objective Studies has announced Maulana Rabe Hasni Nadwi as the winner of the Maulana Shah Waliullah Award for the year 2013. Nadwi currently heads the All India Muslim Personal Law Board

and has authored around two dozen books, all published by the Majlis Tahqeeqat wo Nashriyat, an in-house publication of the Nadwatul Ulama, Lucknow. It simultaneously announced name of noted writer and legal luminary A. G. Noorani for the conferment of the 6th Life Time Achievement Award. Both awards carry Rs. one lakh in cash, and a memento. A junior category Shah Waliullah Award will be given jointly to research scholars Muhammad Kifayathulla and Najmussaher. The announcements were made by Prof. Ishtiyaq Danish, member secretary of the Shah Waliullah

Award Committee on April 7.

Maymar Charitable Trust: The Maymar Charitable Trust will begin disbursing scholarships for the academic year 2015-16. The Trust helps 400 deserving students from Bengaluru and its environs and runs charitable dispensaries in underprivileged areas such as Siddapura, D.J.Halli, Padrayanapura, Avalahalli where 300 patients are treated everyday. The Trust has appealed for donations from philanthropists. Contact: Haji A. Rahman, 94489-27786, Javeed Gafoor, 98456-02586, n

Tidbits ...

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 26nATIOnAL AFFAIRS

Dear Readers We wish to inform you that Islamic Voice takes no responsibility for the validity of the commercial or matrimonial advertisements which are published in the paper. The information and content in the advertisements has to be verified by the readers themselves if they are using the products and the services.

Editor

Page 27

Slums in IndiaSlums are babies of the process of urbanization.

Congestion, insanitation, ill-health are not the only features of life in slums. It could be also

hazardous from moral point of view. More couples sharing

the narrow space, lack of privacy, poor access to water, latrines and bathrooms too

could impinge on morality or ethical norms of living. It is in this context that Muslims need to look for organized housing. We carry in brief the statistics pertaining to slums in India.

Muslim share among the slum dwelling population being

disproportionately high, the community needs to take a comprehensive

view of the situation.

What is a Slum?: Slums have been defined as mainly those residential areas where dwellings are in any respect unfit for human habitation by reasons of dilapidation, overcrowding, faulty arrangements and designs of such buildings, narrowness or faulty arrangement of streets, lack of ventilation, light, sanitation facilities or any combination of these factors which are detrimental to safety, health and morals. (Slum Area Improvement and Clearance Act, 1956) As per UN Habitat a slum is characterized by lack of durable

housing, insufficient living area, lack of access to clean water, inadequate sanitation and insecure tenure.

Slums are said to be the babies of urbanization. These are negative side of the economic growth which pulls people to urban areas which expand in an unplanned manner. Result is unorganized housing, poor access to water, power, education, sanitation and healthcare. For the first time in Census 2001 slum areas were earmarked across the country,

particularly, in cities and towns having population of 50,000 or above in 1991 Census.Three types of slums have been defined in Census, namely, Notified, Recognized and Identified.

(i) All notified areas in a town or city notified as ‘Slum’ by State, Union territories Administration or Local Government under any Act including a ‘Slum Act’ may be considered as Notified slums

(ii) All areas recognised as ‘Slum’ by State, Union

territories Administration or Local Government, Housing and Slum Boards, which may have not been formally notified as slum under any act may be considered as Recognized slums

(iii) A compact area of at least 300 population or about 60-70 households of poorly built congested tenements, in unhygienic environment usually with inadequate infrastructure and lacking in proper sanitary and drinking water facilities. Such areas should be identified personally by the Charge Officer and also inspected by an officer nominated by Directorate of Census Operations. This fact must be duly recorded in the charge register. Such areas may be considered as Identified slums

Total Number of Towns reported slums– 2,613

• Out of 4,041 Statutory Towns in Census 2011 Slums reported from 2,543 Towns (63%). A Statutory town is one that has been declared as an urban area

with a population of more than 5,000 and 75% working males having non-farming occupations, and thirdly, a density of 400 persons in one square kilometre.

• Total Slum Enumeration Blocks (SEBs) in Census 2011 is about 1.08 lakh in the country

• Largest number of Slum EBs reported from Maharashtra (21,359)

• Notified Slums 37,072

• Recognised Slums 30,846

• Identified Slums 40,309

Total: 1,08,227 Blocks

137 Lakh Slum Households in India

In terms of household, India had 789 Households (HHs) in 2011. Of these, 137 lakh HHs were slum HHs. (One Household is where people related to each other in some manner live as a family).

This means 17% of urban Indian households were in slums. 38 % of the slum households are in 46 Million Plus Cities such as

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 27CHILDREN'S CORNER

Enhance Your

Word Power

Agriculture Related Termsزراعت سے متعلق اصطالحات

Page 26 Slums in India ...Indore, Pune, Nagpur, Bhopal, Meerut, Vishakhapatnam, Raipur, Hyderabad, Kota, Agra etc. Top five states accounting for highest slums HHs in comparison to their urban HHs are: Andhra Pradesh 35.7%; Chhattisgarh 31,9%; Madhya Pradesh 28.3%; Odisha 23.1%, West Bengal 21.9%.Bottom Five states were Chandigarh (9.7%), Gujarat 6.7%, Jharkhand (5.3%), Assam (4.3%), Kerala (1.5%)Proportion of Slum HHs to total urban HHs in Metro cities: Greater Mumbai 41.3%, Kolkata 29.6%, Chennai 28.5%, Delhi Municipal Corpn., 14.6%, Bengaluru 8.5%.

Possession of Assets • 44.8% of Slum HHs consisted

of one room, 29.5% had two rooms, 12.3% had three rooms, and 4.4% had no exclusive room.

• 14.9% of slum HHs had three members, 25.1% had 4 members, 19.4% had five members, 22.2% had 6 to 8 members and 5.2% had 9 or

more members. • 70.2% of the slum HHs were

owned by the occupants and 26.3% were rented.

• 74% of the slum HHs had access to tap water, although 65.3% from treated source and 8.7% from untreated source. 12.7% depended on handpumps.

• 56.7% had the water source within the premises and 45% outside the premises.

• 90.5% had electricity in their homes. 8.5% depended on Kerosene oil lamps.

• 81% had bathing facility within the premises, 19% did not have this within the premises.

• Nearly 40% slum HHs were connected with closed drainage, 44% with open drainage and 18.8% had no drainage facilty.

• 66% of slum HHs had latrine within premises while 34% had no latrine within premises.

• Of the 34% which had no latrine, 15.% depended on

public latrines and 19% used open spaces.

• 51.3% of the slum HHs were using LPG for cooking, 25.8% firewood and 14 % kerosene.

• 53.2% of the slum HHs were using banking services, 46.8% were not availing it.

• 69.7% of the slum HHs had TV sets, and 18.7% had transistors. 10.4% had computers and 3.3% had even internet connection.

• 63.3% of the slum HHs had cellphones and 4.4% had landline phone.

• 22% of the slum HHs had two-wheeler automobiles and 3.6 % had four-wheelers.

Source; http://censusindia.gov.in/2011-Documents/On_Slums-2011Final.ppt

Also see: Housing Stock, Amenities & Assets in Slums—Census 2011, by Dr. C. Chandramouli, Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India. n

Agriculture: The science, art, or practice of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising animals for food, wool, cotton, wood, and in varying degrees the preparation and marketing of the resulting products are included in Agriculture. .(کھییت، زراعت، اک�شتاکری)Horticulture: is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, sprouts,

mushrooms, algae, seaweeds, nuts, grass and ornamental trees. It also involves plant conservation, landscaping, garden designing etc. (ابغباین)Agronomy: is the science and technology of producing and

using plants for food, fuel, fibre, and land reclamation. It deals with a combination of sciences like biology, chemistry, economics, ecology, earth sciences and genetics. (دیہ�ی معا�شیات)Animal Husbandry: is the management and care of farm animals by humans for profit, in which genetic qualities and

behaviour, considered to be advantageous to humans, are further developed. The term can refer to the practice of selectively breeding and raising livestock to promote desirable traits in animals for utility, sport, pleasure, or research. (افزائش مویشی)

Livestock: Animals that are domesticated and animals raised in an agricultural setting to produce items for food, meat, wool, leather and for transportation. (مویشی جو منافع ےک ےیلپاےلجاےت ہںی)

Crop: The act or process of cutting or gathering the crop. It also refers to timing and yield. (فصل،کٹایئ)

Fertilizer: Any substance, such as manure or a mixture of nitrates, added to soil or water to increase its productivity. (کھاد) Insecticide or Pesticide: A substance or agent used to kill insects and pests that damage crops and food or household items. (کڑیا مار دوا) Irrigation is the artificial application of water to the land

or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops. (سینچایئ،ابپایش)Sericulture: The Production of silk and rearing of silkworms

for the purpose. (ریشم یک پیداوار) Vermiculture: The cultivation of earthworms, especially in order to use them to convert organic waste into manure. (کیچووں یک مدد ےس زمنی کو زرخزی بناےن اک فن)

Hydroponics: It is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, or sawdust etc but essentially without soil. (پاین ای لکڑی ےک برادے مںی پودے اگاےن اک فن)

Cash crop: Anything grown for sale rather than use by the

farmer e.g., sugarcane, cotton, etc. (جتاریت فصل) Plantation Crop: The crops grown include fast-growing trees (often conifers), cotton, coffee, tobacco, sugar cane, sisal, oil seeds (e.g. oil palms), rubber trees, and various fruits e.g., coconut, rubber, arecanut, cardamom etc. (ابغوں یک فصلںی) Fertigation: Mixing fertilizer with water while irrigating the crops. (کھاد کو پاین مںی ھگال کر ابپایش کران)(Note: It is a new term. May not be available in dictionary).

Barn, barnyard: Place where grains are stored. (اانج یک کوٹھ�ی)

Pen: Yard for keeping animals. (مویششیوں اک ابڑہ)Pasture: Grass fields where animals can graze. (چراگاہ) Compost: A mixture of organic matter as from leaves that have decayed for being used as a manure. (انمیایت کھاد)

Did You Thank Allah for Your Eyesight?

A blind boy sat on the steps of a building with a hat by his feet. He held up a sign which said: "I am blind, please help." There were

only a few coins in the hat.A man was walking by. He took a few coins from his pocket and dropped them into the hat. He then took the sign, turned it around, and wrote some words. He put the sign back so that everyone who walked by would see the new words.Soon the hat began to fill up. A lot more people were giving money to the blind boy. That afternoon the man who had changed the sign

came to see how things were. The boy recognized his footsteps and asked, "Were you the one who changed my sign this morning?

What did you write?"The man said, "I only wrote the truth. I said what you said but in a different way."What he had written was: "Today is a beautiful day and I cannot see it."Do you think the first sign and the second sign were saying the same thing?Of course both signs told people the boy was blind.

But the first sign simply said the boy was blind. The second sign told people they were so lucky that they were not blind. Should we be surprised that the second sign was more effective?"It is He, Who has created for you (the sense of) hearing (ears), sight (eyes), and hearts (understanding). Little thanks you give." [Surah Al-Mu'minun 78]

(Source: www.islamcan.com)

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 28

WORKSHOP SCHEDULEWORKSHOP IN BAHRAIN

DATES: 30, 01 & 02 MAY 2015 Venue; Ibn Al-HYtham School, Karana,

Organized by: Indian Welfare Association (Dawah Wing)For Booking & Info Contact: Imran: 39106822

Sarwar: 38214017. Email: iwabahrain@gmail.com

WORKSHOP IN OSMANABADDATES: 08, 09 & 10 MAY 2015

For Booking & Info Contact: Mr. Zulfequar : 9423074458Email: quaziz@rediffmail.com

WORKSHOP IN KARIMNAGAR DATES: 15, 16 & 17 MAY 2015

Venue: Hotel New Peacock, Rajiv Chowk, Karimnagar, Reg Fee: Rs 1500/-, For couples Rs 2500/-

Organized by; MESWAK ( Muslim Educational Social Welfare Association )

Karimnagar , Telangana State. Contact : Dr.Syed Imam Showkath Ali

+91-9885247333 / 9059486790 , Email: meswak2007@gmail.com

WORKSHOP IN HYDERABADDATES: 22, 23 & 24 MAY 2015

Venue: Hotel Woodbridge, Lakdi Ka Pool, HyderabadReg Fee: Rs 1500/-, For Couple: RS 2500/-

Organized by: FEAT - Foundation for Education, Appreciation & Training

For Booking & Info Contact: +91-9885247333 / +91-9059486790 Email: feat.org@gmail.com

WORKSHOP IN COCHINDATES: 27, 28 & 29 MAY 2015

Organized by: Al-Ameen Institutions, CochinFor Booking & Info Contact: Mr Tanvir Haque: 9845540751

Email: tanvir@airtelmail.in

MORE INFORMATIONVISIT: www.discoveryourself.in, Email: awskhan@gmail.com.

Azan, Prophet's Sermon to be Recited in States

Microphones only for Azan, Sermons

Women Scholars in Morocco’s Religious Council

UAE Tops Passport Ranking in Arab World

“Name and Shame Animal Torturers:” Saudi Shoura Council

Michigan: To promote peace and educate people about the virtues of Islam and Prophet Muhammed (Pbuh), an American Muslim from Michigan has set on a unique tour to recite Adhan - call to prayers, and the last sermon of the Prophet in 50 US States. Jameel Syed (40), who is aiming to become the first person to perform the Adhan in all 50 U.S. states, began his spiritual journey at the Tawheed Center and performed his first call to prayer on a Friday in Indiana at the national

headquarters of the Islamic Society of North America, one of the biggest Muslim groups in the US, according to Detroit Free

Press. "We're living in a world where Muslims are being demonized," Syed told the worshippers in Farmington Hills. "We have a pretty

bad rap around the entire global community." Syed said there are already several Muslim-American groups who are "putting efforts into saying who they're not: We're not ISIS. We're not terrorists. We're

not radical. We're not extremists. You're always playing defense. You're always on your heels. I would rather spend my time telling people who I am." "I want to show Muslims can be beautiful people", he added. After reciting the call to prayer at each mosque in 50 States, Syed will deliver the last sermon of Prophet Muhammed , a talk that Syed said promoted gender equity, racial equality, trust, and peace. Syed was born in the US to immigrants from Pakistan and grew up in Ann Arbor, where his father was a professor at the University of Michigan. n

Teen Wins Race Relations PrizeAn American Muslim high school student has been awarded the 2015 Princeton Race Relations Prize for promoting cross-cultural understanding in New Jersey. “To promote cross-cultural understanding, and raise awareness for a dangerous trend that has unfortunately become ubiquitous among Muslim youth communities, I completed a series of three short stories that presented the negative psychological effects of bullying, on post 9/11 Muslim-American youth,” Adam Mohsen-Breen, of Moorestown Friends School, told

Burlington County Times.Founded in 2003, the Princeton Prize in Race Relation grants the

first place winner an award of $1,000. The prize, sponsored by Princeton University, honors high school students who have done notable work in advancing the cause of

race relations.The 17-year-old student won the award for the three children’s books he authored about Islam, in order to challenge Muslim stereotypes and discourage bullying. n

Riyadh: People who torture and maim animals should be named and shamed, in addition to other legal sanctions, the Saudi Shoura Council has announced. The

Council noted that some people would not only torture animals, but film their actions and upload the clips on social media for others to watch. The committee’s chairman, Ali Al-Tikhais delivered

the reports. He said, naming animal torturers would act as an effective deterrent. Tikhais said if the criminals were not severely punished and named, their peers

might believe such actions are permissible under the law.The Shoura Council took up the matter after several video clips showing cruelty to animals went viral on the Internet. A

video clip showing a man running over a dog several times with his four-wheeler, until the animal died, in Al-Jouf region earlier this year, prompted a strong reaction among tweeters who called for the

man and the person who filmed the incident to be brought to justice.The tweeters described the act as “inhumane” and urged the authorities to take action. The incident took place in a desert area.Another clip circulated on social media showed a driver dragging a dog that was tied to his fast-moving vehicle on a street.The tweeters asked the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA), responsible for the conservation and development of wildlife, to develop strong laws that would lead to harsh penalties for anyone who tortures animals. n

(english.alarabiya.net)

Dubai: UAE nationals have the “most powerful” passport in the Arab world as they enjoy the widest range of visa-free entry compared to their peers. A new online index, put together by financial company Arton Capital, ranks more than100 passports from around the world based on the number of countries that holders can visit, without getting a travel permit in advance.Ranked 47th globally, the UAE passport fares best in the Arab region. It allows Emirati nationals to travel to 72 countries without an advance visa. Qatar is the second most powerful passport, which provides easy access to 66 countries. Kuwait is third on the list, with access to 64 countries, while Saudi Arabia and Bahrain take the fourth spot, with access to 61 countries. Taking the fifth place is Oman, which provides access to 54 countries. Among

those at the bottom of the list in the Arab world are Lebanon, Afghanistan and Iraq.The Passport Index by Arton Capital is an online interactive tool that collects, displays and ranks the world’s passports. The ranking

Rabat: King Mohammed VI has stated that more Muslim women scholars should be represented in the country’s major religious bodies. The Superior Council of Ulema is chaired by King Mohammed VI. The Board is composed of the Minister of Islamic Affairs, 30 presidents of the regional councils, the General Secretary and 15 other theologians appointed by the King. Created in 1981, 35 women

are in regional councils and one woman in the Supreme Council.According to the Moroccan constitution, the Council is the sole authority to c o m m e n t on religious

matters and issue fatwas in Morocco. n

is based on points accumulated for each country that the passport holder can travel visa-free. United States and United Kingdom are ranked first, followed by France, Germany and South Korea. The bottom-ranked passports are those of the Solomon Islands, Myanmar (Burma), South Sudan, Sao Tome and Principe. n

Cairo: Egypt's state religious authority has banned the use of loud speakers in mosques beyond

the call to prayer (Azan) and Friday afternoon sermons. The ministry of religious endowments

(Awqaf) also warned that violators could face salary deductions or transfer. In March 2015, Awqaf

placed all non-governmental Islamic cultural institutes and preacher training centres under its direct supervision. Last year, Awqaf mandated all preachers to acquire a permit before administering sermons on the pulpit, banning all unlicensed preachers. President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi recently called on Al-Azhar to "revolutionise"

its religious discourse in order to guide Muslims to a correct understanding of Islam. n

King Mohammed VI

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 29AdVERTISEmEnT

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 30

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by the Academic Council. But there were entrenched lobbies in the teaching faculties opposing the move to commence any such course. The Course imparts instructions in English, Conceptual Writing, General Knowledge & International Relations, Political Science, Sociology, Geography, Economics, Mathematics, Computer Application and Intra- and Interfaith Understanding.Though the University wears a deserted look soon after 3 pm as dons retire to the comfort of their homes, the Department imparting the Bridge Course hums with activity till late in the evening. A number of teachers from different departments were drawn to impart instructions in varied subjects. It also bring together students trained in madrassas representing varied strands of thoughts such as Deobandi, Barelvi, Hanafi, Ahle Hadith, Jamaate Islami, and Tablighi

Jamaat. Every Saturday, the students participate in the ‘Sabbath Session’ on a selected topic. The discussion follows rational lines rather than conformism to the sectarian thought. Prof. Shaz who has designed the academic programmes and oversees its progress says, “The students enrolled for the course, besides learning ample English are also provided wide exposure to varied ideologies ruling the human mind currently in order that they could develop a worldview whereby peaceful coexistence could be achieved.”

Impressive DividendsThe success of the first batch has been impressive. Having assessed their academic achievement, the University administration decided to grant them Senior Secondary (completion of 12th grade) certificate. It also made

the Ministry of Minority Affairs to sanction Rs. 55 lakh for the Bridge Course for the next three years. The Ministry is stated to be even considering replication of the experiment elsewhere. The

First Semester report cards of the products enrolled in mainstream courses have shown that the students were able to excel in their studies.

Bridging a Vital Gap ...

REFLECTIOnS

In our obsessive drive to fulfill our ambitions

and be ‘successful’, we often, completely turn our backs to

God.

Rethinking SuccessRethinking Success

By Roshan Remember the long hours we would spend when we were young fantasizing about what we wanted to ‘become’ when we were older? We weren’t even in our teens when our parents and their friends and our teachers already began asking us what our ‘ambition in life’ was. Inevitably, we learnt from them to define what we wanted to ‘become’—our ‘ambition in life’--simply by the careers we began dreaming of pursuing. The quality of our being, the sort of people we wanted to be, found no place in that definition.That’s how most of us were trained to think about the purpose of life. Life was essentially the job you did. You and what you did for a living were virtually synonymous. There was hardly anything more to you than that. You were defined almost entirely by your profession. What sort of person you were—kind or mean, polite or rude, friendly or brash, spiritual or hedonistic, socially-concerned or aggressively individualistic—didn’t count at all.

‘Success’ in life, we were trained to believe, was entirely determined by the wealth and power that you possessed, the fame and glamour that you enjoyed, all of which emanated from what you did for a living. We were encouraged—and here the mass media, the schooling system, our families and friends all conspired to work in unison—to hanker after a

career that would get us as much of these ‘goodies’ as possible. That, we were led to think, was the very purpose of our existence on earth. There was nothing more to life than that.From childhood itself we began being socialized for the particular niches in the market that we were encouraged to dream of occupying. Of course, you were expected to dream ‘big’—of bagging a job that could get you as much money, fame, power and glamour as possible. But if you thought differently—suppose you said you wanted to be a penniless monk or a cloistered nun, a rickshaw-puller or a truck-driver, a shepherd,—the shock and horror that you would be met with from your parents and friends would be enough to force you to ‘fall in line’ at once. You risked being dragged off to the shrink if you persisted in dreaming these dreams. There were certain ambitions that you just couldn’t be allowed to entertain!Like almost everyone else, I, too, was socialized into believing that

what mattered most in life was what I would do for a living and the money, fame and glamour that would come along with it. Maximizing the titillation of the five senses was, I was taught to think, the purpose of life, and a ‘good’ job was one that enabled the maximum possible such ‘enjoyment’. I was taught to believe that being driven with ambition was a great thing. “It’s very good to be ambitious, to have drive,” ‘grown-up’ folks around me would say. But after several decades of getting and losing jobs and now being h a p p i l y

unemployable, I realize how totally impoverished this vision is. True, work is important, and it certainly shapes, as well as reflects, the sort of person you are. Indolence, of course, is awful, especially if it leads you to depend on others for your survival. That said, I am painfully aware of the terrible perils of the all-too-common tendency to reduce someone to the job he or she does, to define or evaluate him or her simply by what he or she does for a living. It completely misses out the most fundamental aspect of human life: the quality of a person’s being.

Over the decades, I held several ‘glamorous’ jobs, both at home and abroad. I earned a hefty salary, got to travel across the world, wrote many books and was awarded many fellowships. Going by the logic I was reared on, I was an eminent ‘success’. But was I really? Only I knew that despite—or even partly because of—these ‘major achievements’, I was really quite hollow inside. I

may have had the wealth, fame and glamour that many would have envied, but what was the real me like? What sort of person was I? What was the quality of my being? For many years, I never even knew I needed to ask myself such questions—so successfully had I been brainwashed into believing the logic of defining people by the job they did, the wealth they owned and the degrees

they had earned, and by whether or not they could speak and write the Queen’s English.After some years of basking in my ‘achievements’, I began to have doubts about the whole thing. What was the use of all the many markers of ‘success’ that I had earned if they had done nothing at all to make me a better human being, I began to ask myself. Despite making it ‘big’ in my career, I still harboured enormous negativity. I pontificated endlessly about changing the world but made no effort to change the only person I could have—myself. Above all,

in my obsessive drive to fulfill my ambitions and be ‘successful’, I had completely turned my back on God (ironically, for decades I made money writing about God and religion!)Being a ‘success’ according to the logic I had been reared on was truly pointless, it began to dawn on me. I certainly hadn’t become a more self-aware or better person with all the ‘success’ that I had ‘achieved’. I was a pathetic victim of the logic of defining ‘success’ by what one has—one’s job, academic degrees and wealth—rather than by what one is, as a person.I am truly fortunate that I was led to discover the hollowness of the myth of ‘success’ that I had ardently believed for decades. No longer did I feel the compulsion to compete with others and to conform to what many people around me saw as the definition of a ‘successful’ life. I could now lead my life on my own terms.We might not like to be reminded, but it’s true, isn’t it, that when we leave this world, as we all must one day, we’ll depart as empty-handed as we were when arrived here. At that momentous point in our lives, what will count and will make all the difference for our eternity is not the jobs we held and the wealth, degrees, fame and glamour that we earned, but, rather, the quality of our beings: the sort of persons we were. And at that moment we might discover—but it might then be too late—the hollowness of many of our conventional notions of ‘success’. n

Impressive FeedbackA number of students such as Sarfaraz Ahmed (product of Nadwatul Ulema, Lucknow), Md. Rafeeq (from Madrassa Shahi, Moradabad), Saadia Kaleem (Jamia Darussalam, Oomerabad, Tamil Nadu) expressed their desire to join Degree classes with specialization in English. Sharaft Hussain who completed his course in the first batch has already joined the degree course in Communicative English. Junaid Ahmed who has enrolled himself for the BA Economic Honours course, says the ‘Sabbath Session’ have diluted the sectarian rigidity among the students who have learnt to interact with each other in an atmosphere of extreme cordiality and respect for the otherness of the views. Critics tooAs is its wont, no initiative for reform or renewal remains

uncontested and unchallenged in the Indo-Gangetic plain. The Bridge Course has had its quota of criticism and attacks from diverse quarters ranging from entrenched sectarianised madrassa lobbies to ultra-Leftists. Some even wrote to the Academic Council to wind off the course. Yet others shot off letters to the Vice Chancellors. But the VC Mr. Shah has stood his ground. However, a sizeable section of academia supports its continuance describing it an effective tool in bridging the gap between madrassas and the institutions imparting instructions in modern sciences.For details: Contact, Prof. Rashid Shaz, Director, Bridge Course, Centre for Promotion of Education and Cultural Advancement of Indian Muslims (CEPECAMI), opp. Post Office, Morrison Road, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh-202001, Ph: 0571-2701145, 98188-88214. futureislam@gmail.com n

ISLAMIC VOICE, May 2015 31AdVERTISEmEnT

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