ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 1

32 Pages Rs. 25 Bengaluru English MonthlySeptember 2016 Vol. 29-9 No. 357 Zeeqaida / Zeehijja 1437 H

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

HWPL to Host “2nd Annual Commemoration of WARP Summit

Seoul, South Korea: September 17th to 19th, 2016The Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) is hosting its “2nd Annual Commemoration of September 18th World Alliance of Religions’ Peace Summit” from September 17th to 19th. At the 2nd Annual Commemora t ion , many of the world’s political and religious leaders, as well as women and youth leaders, will gather, stated, Chairman, HWPL, Man Hee Lee.Over 1,000 intellectuals from 120 countries around the world are expected to take part in this event, including former President of Croatia,

Ivo Josipović, Minister of Justice of Sri Lanka, WijeyadasaRajapakshe, President of the Spanish Society for International Human Rights Law, Carlos Villan Duran, theYouth Representative of

The United Nations Association of New York, Juan Pablo Celis Garcia, along with various ministers, chief justices, high level government officials, and former

presidents. During the event, participants will interact in various meetings for the implementation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW). Page 17

Muslim Organisations in Hyderabad Campaign Against Extravagant Weddings

The Hyderabad chapter of All India Jamiat-ul-Quresh has announced that it will impose a fine of Rs 50,000, if any of its members are found

arranging lavish weddings.

Hyderabad: Muslim organisat-ions in Hyderabad have called for a boycott of ostentatious weddings in the community and even decided to fine its members if they are found spending too much on ceremonies.They say lavish expenditure, besides the huge burden of dowry,

has alarmed some sections of the community as many poor families cannot even perform the marriages of their daughters.Siasat, a leading Urdu daily known for many social campaigns, has thrown its weight behind the initiative with its editor, Zahid Ali Khan, calling for a boycott of lavish weddings, un-Islamic

rituals, music and fireworks.Khan has also urged the ‘ulema’ or religious scholars to boycott such marriages so that the community receives a clear message.The Hyderabad chapter of All India Jamiat-ul-Quresh, a body of meat traders and exporters, has even announced that it will

impose a fine of Rs 50,000 if any of its members are found arranging e x t r a v a g a n t weddings.The organisation, which has over one lakh members in Hyderabad, said it will

constitute a ‘task force’ to monitor the implementation of the rules framed to ensure simple weddings.The body said it will take action against those who arrange ‘song and dance programme’ or fireworks during weddings. It also asked its members to desist from unnecessary rituals and

displaying household items given to the brides.Quresh’s president Mohammed Saleem, who is also a member of Telangana legislative council, said they took the initiative so that members of the community keep weddings simple and in accordance with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.He pointed out that the poor and middle-class families are landing in a debt trap while trying to emulate the rich by taking huge

loans to pay for the expenditure.“Muslims in Hyderabad spend Rs. 3,500 crore to Rs.4,000 crore on marriages every year. If we succeed in our campaign, this will improve the economy of the community,” Mushtaq Malik, president of Tehreek-e-Muslim Shabban, said.The campaign was initially launched by Shabban, a city-based NGO, with the slogan ‘Ek khana, Ek meetha’ (One dish, One dessert) last year but it did not

aggressively follow it through.Hyderabad has few parallels when it comes to ostentatious weddings in the Muslim community.Lower middle-class and middle-class families spend anywhere between Rs 5-15 lakh on weddings. The expenses on function halls and food constitute about 50% of the total expenditure. Families often compete with each other in the number of dishes served.There are at least 25 lakh Muslims in Greater Hyderabad. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 2UPDATE

Haj Bhavan Inaugurated The facility has come up after 20 years of decentralization of Hajj arrangements in the country.

By Maqbool Ahmed Siraj Bengaluru can now boast of a Haj Bhavan, a facility thrown open for Haj pilgrims after full 20 years after the city was directly connected with Jeddah in Saudi Arabia for Hajj purposes.

A look at the grandiose Haj Bhavan on the Thanisandra Main Road suggests that it was worth the wait. Situated close to the Kempegowda International Airport (just 15 kms south of it), the Haj Bhavan’s façade is a lookalike of the Grenada’s Al-Hamara Palace. Built over 2.75 acres of land, the built-up area provides over two lakh square feet of usable space for pilgrims departing to Makkah for the annual Hajj pilgrimage. Topped with three onion domes, the external court is dominated by a large pleasing fountain. Accommodation for 700The Haj Bhavan with 100 rooms can accommodate nearly six to seven hundred inmates at a time. The prayer hall on the 4th floor can take around 1,000 namazis, with provision for separate compartment for both men as

well as women. Separate wuzu facilities for men as well as women have been provided. The five-storey (ground plus four floors) edifice is fitted with seven large-sized lifts. The large lobby has provision for reception, flight check-in

counter, cloak room, immigration, baggage scan and departure of pilgrims. Cloakroom can take in 500 suitcases at a time. The auditorium has a seating capacity for nearly 700 people, while a conference room has provision for around 100 people. The latter has a provision for a library too. RwH and STP complianceThe building addresses environmental concerns with provision for rainwater harvesting through mandatory RwH compliance with a special sump having storage for nearly a million litres of rainwater which can be used for bathing, washing and for gardening purposes. Besides, the facility has its own sewage treatment plant (STP) which can recycle the entire outwash from the facility. In fact, under the current BBMP (Bruhat Bangalore

Mahanagar Palike) regulations, large facilities are supposed to have onsite water recycling facilities and mandated not to send their outwash to the BWSSB sewerage lines. The recycled water would be stored in a sump away from the sump that receives the municipal water supply. Yet another sump stores water for fire extinguishers. Altogether the three sumps could have nearly a

million litres of fresh water at any point of time.

Dining Hall, CafeteriaThe Haj Bhavan has a large dining hall attached with state-of-the art kitchen, and will soon be opening its own restaurant as well as a cafeteria. The acoustics take care of the public address system for the entire building. The facility has a 20-bed hospital with separate

wards for men and women. Power back-up can manage emergencies in the event of power failure. The basement parking can take around 250 four-wheelers.The building is surrounded by wide open courts with considerable area under flower-beds and trees. Three large entrances provide access from the main thoroughfare while service gates on sides have provision for allowing luggage and delivery vans. Karnataka has a quota for nearly 6,000 Hajj pilgrims under the Central Haj Committee, preponderant majority of whom depart from Bengaluru while a few hundred also take flights from Mangaluru and some (from Gulbarga region) even depart from Hyderabad. The foundation stone for Haj Bhavan was laid by Mr. Sadananda Gowda, then Chief Minister of Karnataka in 2011. The actual construction began in 2012. The Government of Karnataka provided over Rs. 60 crore for the purpose. The construction work was undertaken by Ms. Shirke Construction Technology Limited while consultancy was provided by Prestige Developers. Ms. Sajjad Architects prepared the

plan and guided the development of the facility. The interior would be taken up by K2K interiors following the completion of Haj flights for the current year. The project has been executed with due concern for Islamic aesthetics. Minister for Urban Administration and Hajj Affairs, Mr. R. Roshan Baig told this scribe that the facility would be used for holding of conventions and for hosting students coming to the State capital for CET (Central Entrance Test) counseling for selection of professional courses during June every year. Following decentralization of Hajj arrangements from the country, Bengaluru became the embarkation point for Haj pilgrims in 1996-97 pilgrimage. However, promise of a Hajj facility could not materialize for several years as location of the new international airport itself was mired in uncertainty for years. But once the work began, there was no stopping the project. The BJP government in the State (2008-2013) sanctioned Rs. 40 crore in 2010 for the project. The succeeding Congress Government allocated a further sum of Rs. 20 crore. n

Hajj Stoning Ritual to be Shortened after Last Year's Stampede

Riyadh: The Jamarat stoning ritual will be more tightly controlled during Haj this year,

after hundreds died in a stampede at last year’s pilgrimage. The period during which pilgrims can perform Jamarat will be reduced by 12 hours, the Saudi Gazette and Arab News said. The

symbolic stoning of the devil will be performed as usual over three days beginning September 11

at Mina, about five kms east of Mecca’s Grand Mosque. But this year there will be no stoning allowed from 6am to 10.30am on the first day, from 2pm to 6pm on the second day and from 10.30am to 2pm on the final day, the Saudi Haj

ministry said. "This procedure will enable the pilgrims to throw stones easily and will prevent any stampede that may result from overcrowding," Haj ministry undersecretary Hussain Al Sharif

told the Saudi Gazette. The stampede was the worst disaster in Haj history. It occurred outside the five-storey Jamarat Bridge, a structure resembling a huge parking garage which hosts the stoning ritual and costs more than US$1 billion to build. It is almost a kilometre long and allows 300,000 pilgrims an hour to carry out the ritual. Pilgrims blamed the stampede on police road closures and poor management of the flow of hundreds of thousands of pilgrims in soaring temperatures. In another crowd control move, pilgrims are not allowed to circumambulate the holy Kaaba one hour before or after regular prayers at the Grand Mosque when they begin their Haj. n

Chinese Haji Pedals his Way to Makkah

Makkah: Riding his bike for 8,150km, crossing several countries, a Chinese Haji has reached Makkah. Mohammed Bama Chun from Xinjiang took four months to reach Makkah despite extreme

difficulties and hilly terrains. In Taif, he was accorded a warm welcome by the local cycling club. Following a brief stay in Taif, Mohammed was accompanied by members of the Taif cycling club to the holy city. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 3EvEnTs

Prophet’s Biography in Marwari LanguageJhunjhunoo: For the first time, a biography of Prophet Muhammad has been written in the Marwari language which is widely used in the Marwar region of Rajasthan. Rajeev Sharma of the Kolsa village of Jhunjhunoo devoted ten years of his life to compile the biography. Titled “Paigambar ro Paigam”. Rajeev published the biography

on the eve of Eidul Fitr in July this year. Rajeev has even translated Hanuman Chalissa and Shyam Challissa in Urdu language.In an interview with Rajasthan Patrika TV, Rajeev said that the Prophet Muhammad pardoned his blood-thirsty enemies and talked about ‘insaniyat’ (humanity) all through his life and that his

teachings remain relevant to all times. When asked about Bangladeshi terrorists who had asked hostages to recite Quranic verses, he said they were “fasadis” (rioters). The Quran says that killing even one innocent human is like killing the entire human race.(Source: videoclip from Rajasthan

Patrika TV)

Workshop on Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Mangaluru: The Bhatkali Jamatul Muslimeen (BJM), Mangaluru, organized a workshop for Bhatkal students based in Mangaluru on the theme, 'Awaken the entrepreneur in you'. Aftab Husain Kola, the workshop co-ordinator, said, " Navayaths are a mercantile community. Right from the period they arrived on the west coast of India around the eight century AD, Navayaths have been engaged in business. But of late, our business in India is vanishing. So, it is time we re-emerge as a strong business community. That is the reason we have taken this initiative to organise a workshop to foster the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in our youngsters”. Professor

Ganim Mohtisham of Anjuman who conducted the workshop, spoke about ” entrepreneurial energy”, taking the example of late Mohammed Ali Clay, the legendary boxer. Taking real life cases of a few entrepreneurs, Ganim identified the qualities of these people which made them highly successful. He said, "P.C. Mustafa, of ID dosa batter fame, was a school dropout who went on to study at IIMB, left his software job to start an enterprise that sold idly-dosa batter. He invested just Rs. 25,000 initially and today runs a company with a 100-crore turnover. Over 55 students attended the workshop. (For more details, email: aftabkola@gmail.com)

IOS Organises Discussion on ‘Liberty and FraternityNew Delhi: The Institute of Objective Studies organised a discussion on “Liberty and Fraternity in the Constitution: A Review” at Nehru House, Jamia Millia Islamia in association with

the Democratic People’s Lawyer Association (DPLA), Citizens For Democracy (CFD) and the All India Milli Council (AIMC). Introducing the theme, Prof. M. Afzal Wani, Professor, School of Law & Legal Studies, G. G. Singh Indraprastha University and Asst.

Secretary General, IOS stressed that it was fraternity that was cardinal for integrating humanity. Vice-Chancellor, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Prof. M. Aslam, laid emphasis on the need

for inter-community dialogue between Muslims, Christians and among other minorities. He also suggested inter-community dialogue between Muslims and the majority community in order to reach a consensus on broader

issues confronting the nation. In his presidential remarks, the Chairman of the IOS, Dr M. Manzoor Alam, exhorted the youth to come up and define their role in the present context. Echoing views of Prof. Aslam, he said that the All India Milli

Council had been organising inter-community dialogues. In order to take the course of inter-community dialogue forward, he stated that a two-day programme would be organised in Gaya (Bihar) on September 24 and 25, 2016 in collaboration with the Magadh University, Bodhgaya. (For more details contact, ios.newdelhi@gmail.com)

KSP Releases Books for Weekend ClassesGoa: Konkani Shanti Publications (KSP), Goa released the “Islamiyat” books designed for the weekend Islamic classes conducted by the Board of Islamic Education (BIE), Goa. Abdul Waheed Khan, highlighted the activities of BIE, and Eijaz Ahmed Aslam, Editor-

in-chief, Radiance Viewsweekly, delivered a talk on “Guiding children in the present challenges.”

Bazm-e-Niswan Distributes Scholarships Worth Rs. 1.40 crore.

Bengaluru: The 42nd annual scholarship programme of Bazm-e- Niswan was held last month and on this occasion, scholarships worth Rs one crore, forty lakhs (Rs 1,40,00,000) was distributed to 3400 deserving girl students from under-privileged sections. This will help the students to pursue their pre-university and Master degree courses. The scholarships were given through cheques to the students.Bazm--e-Niswan is a dynamic organization of women in Bengaluru, meeting the challenges faced by the under-privileged and the destitutes. It has contributed, in the past 40 years, to solving many

problems faced by women by offering help in the field of education, social development, economic upliftment and moral reformation. It has strived incessantly to bring light and

relief into the lives of thousands of women.Its aim is to give them relief, self-confidence and dignity. Registered in 1971, as a society, by a group of women

with vision and foresight, it has continued its onward march of service with innovative approach. Bazm has emerged as a premier women's organization in Karnataka with its sight on

spreading its movement across the country. Husna Ziaulla Sheriff is the president of Bazm-e-Niswan, and she has a team of committed women who are striving to help the poor and the needy

girls and women.Bazm-e-Niswan Charitable Trust, No 37, Muniswamy Road, Tasker Town, Bengaluru-51. Email: bazmeniswan@hotmail.com Ph: 22860023, www.bazm-e-niswan.org

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 4COMMUnITY InITIATIvE

Baithu Rahma Project

League Donates 1,000 Houses to Poor in KeralaBy A Staff Writer

Calicut: One would be wrong if he or she thought of the Muslim League in Kerala to be only a political party. The Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), a wing of the party has been active in the field of social welfare and relief for quite a few years. The Centre

has built and donated houses to 1,340 families across the State in the last three years under its ‘Baithu Rahma (House of Mercy) project’. Another 129 are under construction for the purpose. Rs. 100 Cr. SpentThe League initiated the programme in 2013 under the stewardship of Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal, President of the IUML in Malappuram district. According to Mr. Siraj Ebrahim Sait, National Secretary of the League, the KMCC has so far collected and spent Rs. 100 crore on the housing scheme. Of this, Rs. 93 crore were mobilized by the KMCC members. Sait informed the Islamic Voice that the donors

belonging to the KMCC chapters in 19 countries (in the states of the Gulf, the United States and United Kingdom) collected and mobilized the funds for the purpose. Regardless of FaithThe scheme was initiated in order to help those poor families to

own a house who had their own piece of land but could not afford construction of a house. The scheme envisaged constructing a house consisting of one bedroom plus hall, a kitchen and bathroom. Currently, it costs Rs. 7 to 8 lakh in the State. Criteria for selection of the individuals was economically underprivileged status rather than religious or community affiliation. In one instance, a Hindu recipient woman wanted to perform the rite of Grihaparvesham by lighting a traditional Kerala lamp. The League leaders insisted that she must do whatever she thought was auspicious by her own faith. She lit the Kuthuvilakku (lamp) while accepting the keys and entered the house. According to Siraj Sait, the selection of the recipients is made following receipt of applications

from various Panchayats in the State and the most deserving are given the priority. The Baithur Rahma charity project of the League was launched in the name of its former President Panakkad Syed Mohammedali Shihab Thangal. Sait said the KMCC is building another

60 houses for the riot victims of Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh where a plot of land was acquired for the purpose two years ago. CH CentresUnder yet another initiative, the KMCC has built CH Centres in the vicinity of six Government Medical Colleges in the State and several district General Hospitals. These centres serve as places for stay of the attendants of inmates of hospitals and provide free food, stay facilities and in several cases, palliative care. The CH stands for late IUML leader Mr. C. H. Mohammad Koya, chief minister of Kerala for a brief period during the 1970s. One such centre named Shihab Thangal Centre is coming up on a plot of land measuring 3,800 sq. ft. near the NIMHANS (National Institute of

Mental Health and Neurological Sciences) on Hosur Road in

Bengaluru. The Rs. 10-crore project was initiated in 2014 and is nearing completion. The 28 KMCC chapters in Bengaluru donated the money for the three-storey

building which will be named Shihab Centre for Humanity. It will be ready by 2018 and provide stay for attendants of the inmates in the NIMHANS, a nationally

reputed centre for treatment of the mentally sick persons. The KMCC also maintains several units of ambulances in the City for ferrying the dead to the respective place for funeral and burial in Kerala The KMCC is also sinking borewells in the coastal villages of Kerala where drinking water becomes scarce during the summer months from February till May. Siraj Ebrahim says the Muslim League seeks inspiration from the selfless service of its founder Mr. M. K. Haji, who also founded the historic Orphanage at Thirurangadi in 1921 when several children were orphaned in the Moplah Revolt against the British. Haji who used to sell halwa in the streets of Bombay had sheltered several children in his yet-to-be plastered house in Thirurangadi after the wagon tragedy. n

The IUML’s cultural wing KMCC has built and

donated nearly a 1,000 houses to the poor and the deserving in Kerala.

Criterion for selection has been economic rather than the community

affiliation.

Siraj Ebrahim

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 5InsPIRInG PEOPLE

Ambulance DonatedJodhpur: Two ambulances worth Rs. 7 lakh were dedicated for public service under the care of Muslim Jamaat Nagori Teliyan Society Jodhpur on August 2. Former Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot flagged off the two vehicles in the Circuit House. Former Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari and social worker activist Habeebur Rahman Khilji mobilized the funds for the purchase of the ambulances. Mr. Khilji was also conferred with Samaj Ratan Award on behalf of the Teliyan Society for his long stint of social services.

The ceremony was attended by Mohammed Atique, Chancellor of Maulana Azad University, Jodhpur; Shabbir Ahmed Khilji

of Marwar Muslim Education and Welfare Society; Abdulwahid Palasni of Teliyan Samaj, Rajendra Solanki, Jugal Kabra, Ghani Foujdar etc. n

A Life Lived with a PurposeHaving risen from humble origin in Bellary, Dr. Ibrahim enrolled himself into the lives of

scores of others, having transformed their fortunes for the better.

By A Staff Writer Knowledge Empowers You is the autobiography of Dr. Ibrahim Bijli Syed, a nuclear physicist settled in Louisville, Kentucky in the United States. Dr. Ibrahim hails from Bellary (now Ballari) in Karnataka and rose from every humble origin. His father and grandfather served in the police force of the then Madras Presidency. Mother Mumtaz Begum was unlettered but knew the power of literacy, education and enlightenment and would urge him to set the aspiration bar higher and higher in life. But a large family (six sisters and two brothers besides himself) and scanty resources however stood between him and his dreams, some of which were inspired by Hollywood movies he stealthily watched. Gap of a year while pursuing academics provided him ample opportunity to gain insight into the world of Natural Science while browsing the 30-volumeEncyclopedia of Science

in the Government Library in Bellary. There was no stopping him since then. Next few years saw him acquiring a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Veerasaiva College in Bellary and M.Sc from Central College in Bangalore. A diploma in Nuclear Physics from Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) set him on the course he followed till the pinnacle of success was achieved. Life was tough for young Ibrahim (as it was for everyone else) who had married Sajida Begum of Tumkur soon after his M.Sc. Even a job as a nuclear radiologist at the Victoria Hospital in Bangalore was not fetching him enough to support his family. The Health Minister would care a damn for his pleas for a raise in salary, although talents like him were hard to find and recruit for a Government Hospital. Nehruvian Socialist economy was moving at a snail’s pace. The crucial moment that compelled him to decide saying a goodbye to his

motherland came when he found it tough to get milk for his infant son Mobin Syed. Offer of a job in Halifax Infirmary saw him leaving for Canada. Two years later he was enrolled for a Ph.D. at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore in Maryland (USA).But that is, of course, an achievement in personal life.

Dr. Syed was not the one to live life alone. Come 1990s, he had all that he had aspired for in his life. He was Professor of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. His altruist nature was urging him to lift the members of fast expanding families of his siblings in Bellary from poverty. The process of sponsorship and migration that began in 1990 continued up to 2006 when the tailender of the 45-member strong family landed in the United States. Some of the members by then had grandchildren. Accommodating them suitably, guiding the education of the younger ones and settling the elders in jobs were no mean feat. Marriages and births have taken their numbers beyond a hundred now. Retired, the grand patriarch in Dr. Ibrahim is a satisfied soul today.Ibrahim has engaged himself in writing and delivering Fridaysermons at the Islamic Center Mosque in Louisville. He is a strong advocate of rationalism and feels no qualms in questioning the prevailing

wisdom. He continues to inspire young minds through his speeches and writings. Some of the ethical dilemmas that Muslims face do figure in the books authored by him. Larger debates have found elaboration in his book titled Quranic Inspirations.Some of the well-settled members of his family have penned their reminiscences. Rich tributes have been paid by those who have known him from close quarters. Sepia-toned photographs of yesteryears from the family album enhance the value of the book. The accounts are racy and sustain the interest of the reader. Foreword has been written by Bangalore based journalist Maqbool Ahmed Siraj who has known Dr. Ibrahim Syed for over a quarter of a century.

The book can be had from the author who can be reached at irfi.1988@yahoo.com.Knowledge Empowers You An Autobiography, By Dr. Ibrhaim B. Syed, 44, II Main, Ist Cross, Cambridge Layout, Bengaluru, 267 pages, Price Rs. 500.

INSA Award for Jamia TeacherDr. Askandar Iqbal, a DST-INSPIRE faculty awardee at the Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia has won the prestigious Indian National Science Academy (INSA) Medal for Young Scientist (2016). It carries a bronze medal and a cash prize of Rs. 25,000. Dr. Iqbal received the DST-INSPIRE Faculty Award while working as a postdoctoral scientist at the

University of Texas, MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Houston,

Texas, USA. He had completed his Master’s degree in Biotechnology from Aligarh Muslim University and Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University.Dr Iqbal’s research work focuses on the metabolic

behavior of cancer cells and the role of pyruvate kinase M2 in metabolic transformation.

The Indian National Science Academy in New Delhi is the apex body of Indian scientists representing all branches of science and technology. The INSA Young Scientists Award, considered to be the highest recognition of promise, creativity and excellence in a young scientist, is made annually to those whose research work carried out in India evinces these qualities. Until last year, 737 young scientists have been awarded by INSA. n

Dr. Ibrahim Bijli Syed

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 6sOCIETY & HUMAnITY

A Heart-Warming Gesture“The religion of a person should always be

humanism. It is just a simple sacrifice for a fellow being,” says Shamshad Begum.

By Faiz Siddiqui

Kanpur: Amid the cacophony of communal strife, here comes a heart-warming gesture. A Muslim woman from Fatehpur district has come forward to donate her kidney to a Hindu woman from Pune, who has been battling for life for over a year. Donor Shamshad Begum (40) and the recipient Aarti (38) both have undergone all required medical examinations. The donor, a native of Raribuzurg village in Bindki tehsil of Fatehpur district, has submitted all the documents required at the district health department, and is now waiting for the nod from the state government's authorization committee for organ transplantation. The recipient, who is a friend of Shamshad Begum's younger sibling, Junaida Khatoon, stays in Pune. "I was shocked by the pain being

suffered by a person facing death. I underwent the blood group test which matched Aarti's group," said Shamshad Begum. "I am ready for organ transplant. The religion of a person should always be humanism. It is just a simple sacrifice for a fellow being," she said. Shamshad Begum, whose husband expired about ten years ago, stays with her father Zakir Khan, and her teenage daughter in Raribuzurg village in Bindki tehsil in Fatehpur district. The unusual story of two persons, belonging to different faiths and different places, unfolded when Shamshad, during her visit to Mansarovar area in Pune, where her younger sister Junaida Begum lives, met the latter's friend Aarti, who was going for dialysis as both her kidneys had failed. Shamshad, without giving a second thought, decided to donate one kidney to the ailing Aarti. n

Bappu HajiAn Octogenarian Who Lives Only to Serve Others

Haji dropped out of school after Class 4, but this never stopped him from helping others pursue their dreams. His charity work is beyond caste,

creed and religion.

By Shafeeq Hudawi

For Bappu Haji, charity has never been an option, it is more a way of live. Nearly 40 years ago, Haji built a school for underprivileged children in Adakkakkundu, a remote hilly hamlet in Malappuram district in Kerala, and today the school is home to 3,000 children who would have otherwise found it difficult to attain formal education. Speaking of the school, Haji says Crescent Higher Secondary School has now become a part of his family. “These are my children. I hardly feel that I am left without children when I engage with these kids, as it gives me immense pleasure,” he says.But Haji did not stop at this. For the past decade or so, he and his association, Coordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC), have been working towards realising Haji’s long cherished dream. The area, flanked by greenery, is now turning into an educational hub and the air is filled with the noise of labourers and equipments working day and night to complete a multi-storey building, the future site of a Rs.40

crore educational project. Under the project, the headquarters and the PG campus will be built at Adakkakundu.At the site, Haji, now 80, spends three hours a day inspecting the work being done. Haji dropped out of school after Class 4, but

this never stopped him from helping others pursue their dreams. Haji’s charity work is beyond caste, creed and religion. He has become a role model for others by resolving to generously allocate a major portion of land to build decent accommodation for 12 tribal families, who find it extremely hard to build one on their own.Driven by the philosophy that peace of mind comes by helping the deprived, Bappu Haji has

built a geriatric care centre on three acres of land. Named Hima, the centre boasts of ten houses, each with one hall, bedroom and kitchen.“Some of the inmates are talkative, while others are least interested in group activities. Unlike the

typical geriatric care centres, the inmates are free to select the companions and houses of their choice,” says Faisal Wafy, a teacher of A d a k k a k k u n d u Crescent Higher Secondary School, who assists Bappu Haji.

The idea to build the centre gained momentum during his visit to Wayanad. At the prime tourist destination in northern Kerala, Haji saw some hapless geriatrics. “That was an eye opening event. That day, I felt that I would be more at peace if I could help the geriatrics, thrown out by their kith and kin, and provide them with a homely atmosphere,” he reminisces. For Haji, helping others is the only way of life.

(Extracted from twocircles.net)

Bappu Haji

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 7International Symposium on Konya

Istanbul: The Research Centre on Islamic History Art and Culture will hold a 3-day International symposium at Konya in Turkey on the topic of Konya in Islamic

Civilisation on November 11 to 13. It is being co-hosted by KTO Karatay University and sponsored by the OIC which has designated

2016 as the Islamic Tourism Capital for 2016.Konya was the capital of Seljuk Turks and was active centre of education, scientific research and

art and culture during 800 to 13th century. Sufi Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi has been identified with the city in the 13th century. Later it became an important

centre for administrative training during the Ottoman Government. It still holds a prominent place in Turkish trade, commerce,

industry and culture. Its tombs, madrassas and mosques hold great tourist potential.The city's history, culture and art with economic and social structure from its conquest to present day will be discussed during the symposium. The organizers have called for papers. The abstracts will be accepted by August 30, 2016. Acceptance of abstracts would be announced by September 15. IRCICA General Director Prof. Halit Eren and Prof. Selcuk Ozturk of KTO Karatay University are co-presidents of the symposium. n

Indonesia to Start an International Islamic University

Jakarta: Indonesia’s President, Joko Widodo has signed a plan to make Indonesia the world’s centre for Islamic studies. The government plans to build a new university called Universitas Islam Internasional I n d o n e s i a ( ‘ I n t e r n a t i o n a l Islamic University of Indonesia’), the President said. Through the study centre, people from around the world could learn about ‘moderate Islam’ as exemplified by Indonesia. He said, “The time has now come for Indonesia to become a source for the Muslim world’s

thinking. As much as 75 percent of the university’s students will be foreigners, said Minister of Religious Affairs, Lukman Hakim Syaifuddin. The Indonesian

government will pay their tuition fees. Minister Lukman said that by financing their studies at UIII, the government can expect the foreigners to act as ‘ambassadors’ for Indonesia. They will tell people in their

respective countries about the values of Islam that are upheld and practised in Indonesia. Indonesia is currently home to 250 million people, of whom 87 percent are Muslims. n

Over 73,000 Victims of Disasters in Muslim World in 2015

A new statistical study has revealed that 1,224 crises and natural disasters hit the 57 member states of the OIC and other Muslim minorities last year, a

figure that is unprecedented in modern history.

Jeddah: The number of victims of crises and disasters in the Muslim world during 2015 accounted for 73,570 people, including 69,739 as a result of crises and wars, and 3,831 due to natural disasters, a new statistical study has revealed.According to the study prepared by the Islamic Cooperation Humanitarian Affairs Department of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (ICHAD-OIC), 1,224 crises and natural disasters hit the 57 member states of the OIC and other Muslim minorities last year, a figure that is unprecedented in modern history.Statistics showed a significant rise in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees in 2015, reaching 28,836,710 people, compared to 17,073,686 in 2014, an increase of 40.7 percent (11,763,024). The

statistics suggested that 39 percent of the IDPs and refugees over the past year were Syrians.The study revealed that the

number of people affected by disasters or crises in the Muslim world reached 75,410,705, with Yemen's share mounting to 22,307,182 people, followed by Syria 13,500,000 and Iraq 10,100,875.The study also indicated that Syria was one of the countries that suffered the most of human causalities resulting from crises

with 22,442 deaths, followed by Iraq 22,370, Nigeria 8290 and Yemen 6,000. Yemen suffered the most human casualties resulting

from disasters with 726 deaths, followed by Pakistan 460, while Niger suffered the most human casualties due to epidemic diseases with 1,038 deaths, according to the new statistics.The OIC seeks, within its Ten-Year Program of Action for 2015-2025 adopted by the 13th Islamic Summit

Conference held in the Turkish city of Istanbul, to enhance joint Islamic humanitarian work and develop appropriate disaster-response mechanisms, as well as strengthening cooperation and coordination with partners at the regional and international levels, especially the UN agencies, on refugees and displaced persons in the member states. n

Azerbaijan Tourism Revenues Soar High

Baku: The World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) experts predict that Azerbaijan will generate US$1.834 billion this year, a 6.4 percent increase compared to 2015. Tourism is set to become one of the main economic sectors of Azerbaijan, as new data indicates about one million tourists visited between January and June of 2016, Hotelier Middle East Business Magazine reported.The research also showed that approximately 600 to 1,000 visitors from Arab countries travel to Azerbaijan every day, mainly from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Iraq, spending a minimum of US$ 150-200 daily.

The total number of tourists coming to the country has increased by 30 times this May compared to last year, according

to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.Hospitality options became even more attractive for visitors as a result of the devaluation in the national currency in 2015. The WTTC is an international organization of travel industry executives promoting travel and tourism worldwide. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 8WOMEn’s vOICE

Fifty Books as Mehr!With a Rare Mehr, this Kerala Bride has Broken Stereotypes

Sahla Nechiyil never dreamt of a perfect, fairytale wedding. But when she decided to get married, she also sent across a social message to

the “gold-obsessed” community in Malappuram.

By Soumya Mathew

How often do you see a woman demand books as mehr, and not the customary jewellery or gold. In Kerala’s Malappuram district, a woman set an example for her community. A post graduate in political science from the Hyderabad University, Sahla Nechiyil never dreamt of a perfect, fairytale wedding. But when she decided to get married, she also sent across a social message to the “gold-obsessed” Muslims in Malappuram.Nechiyil decided to demand 50 books from her fiancé as mehr. She asked for books as mehr because of two reasons. “One, because according to the religious texts, a girl can demand anything she wants and the groom cannot disagree. And second, because I wanted to show the Malappuram Muslims that a wedding can take place without obsessing over

the amount of gold transacted between both parties,” she said.Her husband (they got married on August 11) cannot agree more with Sahla and supported her stand wholeheartedly. “Mehr is

the right of the woman, not the generosity of the man,” he said. Anees Nadodi was promptly given a list of 50 books by Nechiyil, and he went all the way to Bangalore to find all the books that she wanted. All this amidst much disapproval from both

the families. In Nechiyil’s case, however, more than her parents, her relatives disagreed. “They could not argue for long, because we were not doing anything against the religious texts,” said

Nechiyil.Nechiyil demanded a list of books that include Islamic feminist literature, feminist literature, fiction, politics etc. “The religious texts allow us to live according to our wish, yet these girls fear to speak up or decide for themselves,” she said. “ Anees had to struggle a little looking for the books I demanded. Making your husband struggle a little is the idea of mehr, anyway,”

she added.Anees, on his part, enjoyed the “book-hunt” his wife had organised for him. He went to Bengaluru’s popular Blossoms, Gangaram and Bookworm bookstores looking for the rare titles that Nechiyil had meticulously listed. n

Woman Flag-Bearer: An Olympic Breakthrough for IranWhen archer Zahra Nemati carried the Iranian flag into the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, she broke new ground for the Muslim country. Never before had a woman led Iran's team into the parade of athletes in an Olympic opening ceremony. In Iran, female fans are traditionally barred from attending male-only sporting events. Arriving in the

stadium in a wheelchair, wearing a green head covering, Nemati was the flagbearer for a team made up overwhelmingly of men. It's quite a way for the 31-year-old Nemati to make her mark on her first Olympics. n

Syrian Refugee Girl: A Winner in the Water

It was what Yusra Mardini left unsaid, rather than the conventional words of excitement, that made the bigger impression after the teenager's debut in the Olympic pool in Rio den Janeiro. "I was only thinking about water and the last competitions and where I am now," the Syrian, swimming for a refugee team at Rio Olympics, told reporters when asked what went through her mind ahead of her 100 metre butterfly heat.Rio is a life away from where she started. To get to the point where she could discuss simple strokes and times involved fleeing Syria, making a treacherous sea crossing from Turkey to Greece and arriving in Berlin with her sister last year. She swam part

of that crossing over to the island of Lesbos, helping other refugees who were in the water and were unable to swim. "It was quite hard to think that you are

a swimmer and you might end up dying in the water," she said later. A competitive swimmer in Syria, she is now part of a refugee team backed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). n

Ismat Jahan: OIC Envoy to

EU MissionIsmat Jahan, Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, has been appointed as envoy of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in the Permanent Observer Mission to the EU. The OIC, an influential bloc of 57 Muslim countries, opened the mission to the EU in June, 2013. It is a big achievement for Bangladesh as Ismat will be the first Bangladeshi to get appointed as the OIC envoy to its mission. In her diplomatic career,

Ismat served as the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh

to the UN in New York and Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands. Besides, she served in Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi, Bangladesh Permanent Mission in

Geneva and New York in different capacities. n

Afghan Woman Appointed Hu-

man Rights Com-missioner in OIC

An Afghan woman has been u n a n i m o u s l y a p p o i n t e d Human Rights Commissioner from Asia group in Organization of the Islamic C o o p e r a t i o n . Asila Wardak

received the most votes among the candidates from all three zones (Asia, Africa and Middle East) during the election process for OIC Human Rights Commissioners. Wardak completed her Bachelor’s in agricultural economy from Kabul University and received a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from New Jersey University. n

Scotland Police make Hijab Part of Official Uniform

London: The hijab or the headscarf has been made an optional part of Police Scotland’s uniform in an attempt to attract more women Muslim recruits to the force, which currently has less black and Asian representation.Previously officers could wear the religious headscarf with approval

but it is now formally part of the police uniform. Police Scotland said it is working to make the force “representative of the communities we serve”. Chief Constable Phil Gormley said, “I am delighted to make this announcement and welcome the support from both the Muslim community, and the wider community, as well as police officers and staff.” “I hope that this addition to our uniform options will contribute to making our staff mix more diverse and adds to the life skills, experiences

and personal qualities that our officers and staff bring to policing the communities of Scotland,” he said. A report earlier this year showed that just 2.6 per cent of applicants to join Police Scotland were from ethnic minorities. In order to reflect the 4 per cent figure across Scottish society, the

force said it would need to recruit an additional 650 ethnic minority candidates. There are currently six Muslim women officers working for Police Scotland, but none of them wear the hijab either on duty or outside the force, BBC reported. The most recent figure for the overall strength of the force, released at the end of June was 17,242. Official figures showed that there were 127 applications from black, Asian and ethnic minority candidates in 2015-16. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 9

Page 22

POLITICs & MUsLIMs

Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh

Unifying Muslim Choices

By Syed Zafar Mahmood Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly has 403 seats. Muslims constitute 35 to 78% in 68 Assembly segments. Of these 8 seats are reserved for the Scheduled Castes (SC). These are: Nagina (Muslim voters 68%); Nihtore (42%); Rampur Maniharan (38%); Balha (35%); Milk (32%); Balrampur (32%); Hastinapur (31%); and Dhannaur (31%).But what is more surprising is that 32 of these seats which are not reserved, did not elect a Muslim candidate for the Assembly last time i.e., 2012. These segments (with proportion of Muslim voters given in brackets) are:Kairana (63%); Thakurdwara (52%); Sahibabad (49%)Bihat (50%); Deoband (48%); Qaiserganj (45%)Dhampur (43%); Saharanpur Deh(44%); Meerut (43%);Noorpur(41%); Bareilly Cannt (40%); Gainsari (39%);Bareli Town (39%); Ismouli (39%) Itwara (38%);Talahar (36%); Bhanga (36%);

Bijnore (35%);Nanpara (35%); Nawabganj; Meerut Cantt; Meerut South; Shamli, Saradana (all 33%)Garh Mukteshwar, Muzafarnagar; (both 32%);Nikaur; Harchandpur; Bithari Chainpur; (all 31%;

Bilaspur; Gangoh: Shahratgarh; (all 30%); All that it means is that of the 68 Assembly segments where Muslims are in such numbers that they can elect one of their own candidates, they are being represented by non-Muslim MLAs. It is all owing to the fact that 12% of them are reserved

for the SCs while in another 48%, they have taken no interest and have not initiated any steps to consolidate their votes in favour of a single candidate who can represent their grievances effectively. 20-28% Muslims in 89 SegmentsBesides these, there are another 89 Assembly segments in UP, where Muslims represent 20 to 28% of the voters. Even here the community can consolidate its voting strength to elect a

candidate either from the community or one who can effectively represent them. Currently, of these 89, only 18 have Muslim MLAs. Eleven of these seats are reserved for the SCs. The seats where they were not able to elect a Muslim representative are:Rudauli; Barkhera; (both 28% Muslims);Meerapur, Mehdawal, Anupshahar, Barabanki: (27%);Dhaulana, Siwata: (26%);Shahjahanpur, Dadarul, Bishwanathganj, Chaprauli, Gonda, Mehnaun, Shekhupur, Mahmoodabad, Baghpat: (all 25%)Lucknow East, Mahasi, Badaut, Biswan, Piyagpur, Lucknow North, Sarojini Nagar, Lucknow

Central, Ferozabad: (all 24%);Lucknow Cantt, Modinagar, Anola, Dataganj, Ferozabad: (all 23%);Katra Bazar, Ramnagar, Sultanpur, Kidwainagar, Bansi, Chhatra, Lakhimpur, Nizamabad: (22%)Azamganj, Nautanwa, Gauriganj, Karnelganj, Barauli, Allahabad

West, Allahabad North, Patiali, Daryabad (all 21%);Ghaziabad, Paliya, Khadda, Padrauna, Sitapur, Ghosi, Pratapgard, Varanasi Canntt, Dhaurhara, Sivapuri, Kushinagar, Varanasi East, Rauhaniya, Shivpur, and Fazilnagar (all 20%); Analysis shows that 83 of these 89 seats are not represented by Muslims in the UP Assembly. It is understandable that 12% of the seats are reserved for the SCs,

hence could not elect a Muslim. But in 71% of the seats, Muslims could not think of a common strategy to unite their choices on one candidate, hence they go without Muslim representation despite the community commanding 25% votes. Even in other seats, Muslims

constitute 15 to 19% in 44 segments, and 10-15% in 91 segments and 5-10% in 108 segments. Even here they can influence the trend of voting in favour of secular parties. Pressure on Secular PartiesThe community should exert pressure on the secular parties to put up a Muslim candidate on those 68 seats where Muslims constitute between 35 to 68%

Nearly a fourth of the 403 Assembly seats could be considered low-hanging fruits for Muslim

electorate only if they could devise ways to unify choices for candidates.

The community should exert pressure on the secular parties to put up a Muslim candidate on those 68 seats where Muslims constitute

between 35 to 68% voters. They should nominate a Muslim candidate on at least half of the 89 seats where Muslims represent 20 to

30% of voters.

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 10

Muslims must introspectI read Islamic Voice and I am in agreement with you about the deteriorating conditions of Muslims. Please implement mass literacy amongst Muslims. Higher education like medicine, engineering, architecture, law and so many other fields are available for Muslims. For those who cannot afford, they can go into vocational job oriented courses.

In their personal lives, Muslims need to look deeper spiritually, reflect on their moral lives, ethical conduct and day to day interaction with people. Muslims lack leadership and here they need to introspect deeply.

Nisaruddin Ahmed Jeddy nisaruddinjeddy@gmail.com

The president, secretaries and the managing committee of Azam Baitul Maal is immensely happy to see the good appreciation of activities of Azam Baitul Maal which was published in the August 2016 issue of Islamic Voice. Our sincere thanks to the full team of Islamic Voice for the report which has enhanced the image of Azam Baitul Maal, and

we hope to come up to the expectations of the community. We would like to thank Maqbool Ahmed Siraj for his excellent presentation of “Nuqush-e- Rah”-the 40 years story of Azam Baitul Maal.Prof Riaz AhmedSecretary, Azam Baitul MaalMysore

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

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

We welcome your suggestions for improvement.

Please email to workmailsedit@gmail.com or you may drop a post card to The Editor,

Islamic Voice, No 3/1, Palmgrove Road, Victoria Layout,

Bangalore-560047Dear ReadersAll letter-writers must write their names, add their postal address and cell nos. contents of

anonymous Letters will not be published.ThanksEditor

A Big Thank You To Team Islamic Voice!

Healing the Wounds in Kashmir The latest round of street violence and shutdown of normal activity in the Kashmir Valley is completing nearly two months. No amount of persuasion has worked with youths incensed over killing of Burhan Vani at the hands of the security forces. Nearly 60 lives have been lost during violent engagement and scuffles with police. Young lives are getting lost and businesses have suffered immense losses. Burhan Vani’s death was just a trigger. It is no secret that the woes of the people go much beyond the recent excesses. It is also plainly evident that the discontent is rooted in what some sections of people perceive as the ‘undecided political fate’ of the state despite the State’s accession to India under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Even the BJP, currently a coalition partner in the State Government, has dropped its opposition to the continuance of the Article that integrates the State with India. Stationing of a large number of security forces and continuance of legislations like the AFSPA too pose serious roadblocks to the progress of peace and restoration of normality. Infiltration of armed militants from across the border adds huge complexity to the problem. Pakistan’s bid to raise the issue in international forums for the last seven decades has only exacerbated the tensions between the neighbours and encouraged the militants. It is a quarter century since the Kashmiri Pandits left from the State. While large sections bear no antipathy against them and want their return, some elements are hell bent on keeping them out of the State. The situation is unenviable in all aspects of its meaning. Elected Governments have been in the seats of governance since 1996. Central largesse has subsidized the essential commodities in the State for all these years. Students from the State find admissions all across the large country that India is. Similarly, Kashmir emporia and carpet-sellers carry on business activity everywhere without any hassle. Secular character of the Indian Constitution and special status of the State provide ample scope for people from the State to retain autonomy in internal affairs. The multi-ethnic character of India carries enough guarantees for the State to retain its socio-cultural hue within the colourful tapestry of the nation. Contrastingly, Pakistan has failed to be a melting pot of cultures what with Urdu-speaking Muhajirs still being dubbed ‘muhajirs’ and the country refusing to allow Urdu-speaking Biharis to return from Bangladesh despite the passage of four decades of cessation of the eastern wing from the Federal Pakistan. Moreover, it is totally unwise to rake up territorial reconfiguration in the region after seven decades of the devastating Partition of the subcontinent. Muslims had been the worst victims of the Partition.Allowing the destructive legacy of Partition will only rip open the seams of the wounds caused by the hateful politics dividing a region that was one civilizational entity all through the millennia.The issue should be viewed in this broader perspective by all parties interested in settling the issue. No purpose would be served by disturbing the status quo, which admittedly, does not work to everyone’s satisfaction. But then people everywhere have issues with their lot under every dispensation. Many nationalities are still cribbing and quibbling within Europe where nation-states were formed over a century ago. Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee’s formula ofKashmiriyat, Jumhuriyet and Insaniyat provides enough substance to work upon and heal the State back to normalcy. No other State within India has had so much autonomy than Jammu and Kashmir. Pain of Kashmiris over their distance with the kinsfolk across the Line of Control too has to be taken into account. It was during Mr. Vajpayee’s time that meaningful measures were initiated to bridge that distance with introduction of bus services between the two parts and opening of trading ties and posts. Militancy and disturbance can jeopardize that arrangement which holds some promise of reconstructing the severed links. It is also time for Pakistan to desist from abetting militancy in the Valley. The country has not merely lost its eastern wing, but has enough troubles at its western borders and in Baluchistan to handle. Encouragement of terrorism has proved counterproductive and the nation is in the throes of suicide-bombings on a daily basis. It will be better advised to promote nationalism within its borders and the contending ethnicities rather than pursuing religiously motivated irredentist dreams. LETTERs

MIsCELLAnY

Pedalling for the PresidentTailor who cycled 2700 km to meet Kalam narrates

how the former President ignited his mind

Chennai: Seventy-year-old S Nagoor Meraan is a tailor by day and a watchman by night. Meraan is one of those scores of people whom you wouldn’t bother giving a second glance unless you come across his photograph with former President Abdul Kalam that adorns his makeshift workplace under a tree in Thiruvanmiyur, in Tamil Nadu. Pointing to the photograph, he recollects the story of pedalling all the way from his hometown Tenkasi in Tamil Nadu to Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi (over 2700km) in 2003 to meet the former P r e s i d e n t . The journey lasted 35 days. During the journey, he camped at police st a t i o n s , open spaces and even st r a n g e r s ’ h o u s e s . “Curiously enough, not even once did my cycle tyres get punctured,” says Meraan, who’s now into his 70s. Initially, his plan of meeting the former President was met with uncertainty. “When I reached Delhi, I couldn’t meet him immediately. I wrote a letter of my mission and dropped it in a guest box on the Rashtrapati Bhavan premises. Fortunately, he read the letter and extended an invite,” he says.Meraan dined with Kalam during the rendezvous that spanned 35 minutes. “I had taken along with me a shawl to present to him. But he declined the offer citing the presence of many homeless in the capital city suffering due to extreme cold and asked me to give that to one of them,” he recollects. He stayed in the official residence for two-and-a-half days and had his brush with a few politicians. During the time, they discussed issues such as world peace, humanity and a charter of demand for Meraan’s hometown among other things.

(Extracted from http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 11Jamia Dental Faculty in Dental CouncilNew Delhi: The Faculty of Dentistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) has been given Membership of the Dental Council of India (DCI), a regulatory body which governs the standards of dental education in the country. The Faculty of Dentistry, JMI began its academic programmes in 2009. Fifty students are given admission every year through a highly competitive entrance exam. Two

batches of students have already graduated out of this faculty so far. Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has also notified that the Faculty’s Dean, Prof. Dr. Saranjit Singh Bhasin as elected member of the Dental Council of India. Very recently, Prof. Bhasin had also been elected as Vice-President of the Delhi Dental Council. n

Every Fourth Beggar in India is a MuslimNew Delhi: Although Muslims constitute 14.6% of the total population, around 25% beggars in India belong to the Muslim community, according to Census data released recently. According to 2011 Census data, India has a total of 72.89 crore non- workers, out of which 3.7 lakh are beggars, of whom 92,760 people belong to the Muslim community, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of the total population of beggars in India. Interestingly, the percentage of

female beggars among Muslims is higher compared to males. The national average is 53.13 per cent male beggars to 46.87 per cent female beggars. Among Muslims, however, the ratio is 56.38 per cent female beggars against is 43.61 per cent male beggars. With 2.68 lakh individuals, Hindus make up 72.22 per cent of its beggar population. Christians, who are 2.3 per cent of the population, make up 0.88 per cent of the beggar population with 3,303 individuals.

(Extracted from siasat.com)

Literacy Increases among Muslims A decade after Sachar Committee report on social, economic and educational status of Muslim community of India was tabled in Parliament, things seem to be brightening up for the country's biggest minority community, which accounts for 14.23 per cent of the total population. As per 2011 census, the literacy rate among Muslims has surged ahead to 68.5 per cent, compared to 59.1 per cent in 2001, indicating a jump of 9.4 per cent in 10 years. Literacy rate among Muslim males soared to 74.79 per cent in 2011 compared to 67.6 per cent in 2001. Literacy rate also grew to 62 per cent among Muslim females in 2011, compared to 50.1 per cent in 2001. However, the literacy rate among Muslims

was the lowest among all the religious communities and it was also much lower than the national average. While the overall literacy rate for India was 74.04 per cent in 2011, it was 82.14 per cent among males and 65.46 per cent among females. Muslims lagged behind not only Hindus, but also behind all other minority communities (Parsis, Jains, Christians, Buddhists and Sikhs). There were also wide variations in the literacy rates among Muslims (males & females) in various states. Muslims in the southern states reported higher literacy rates compared to their counterparts in northern, western, central, eastern and north-eastern states.

(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Document on Empow-erment of Marginal-ized Communities

ReleasedBy Pervez Bari

New Delhi: "India 2047: Empowering the People”, a project Document of Empower India Foundation, (EIF), was released last fortnight. The document was released by Justice Rajindar Sachar, retired High Court judge Delhi in a day-long National Conclave at the India Habitat Centre. The session was presided over by Maulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani, general secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. The keynote address was delivered by Prof. Amitabh Kundu, Chairman of post-Sachar Evaluation Committee. Speaking after releasing the 250 pages document, Justice Rajindar Sachar said that “India 2047” project is like taking up the cudgels to empower Muslims and other marginalised communities of India. E. M. Abdul Rahiman, Chairman EIF, said: “Our dream is of a strong India. Strength of the people is the real strength of the nation. Our vision is of an all inclusive just India as the nation will remain handicapped till all sections are equally empowered”. Project Document Editor, Prof. P. Koya introducing the document said that EIF’s “India 2047: Empowering the People” project carries a vision, mission, focus areas, objectives and initiatives.

(twocircles.net)

MUsLIMs & EDUCATIOn

34% Muslim Kids out of SchoolNew Delhi: The latest report on out of the school children ((OOSC) by the Unicef India reveals that 34% of the Muslim children of primary school age, have not attended any school. This proportion among other socio-religious communities is nearly 26% among Hindu, 25.6% among Christians, 23.3% among Sikhs, 124% among Jains and 18.2% among the Buddhists.Quoting from Rapid Survey on children 2014, the Unicef says the quality of primary education should be high in order to lend a strong foundation to the children. The syllabus of the primary schools should be prepared with children's need in mind.The survey found that 42.3% of the students from SC community, 52% from the ST communities, 35.9% from the

OBC communities and 34.3% from the other communities were attending Govt-run Anganwadi centres. 24.9% SC children , 17.4% ST children, 31.9% of the OBC children and nearly 40% of other children were attending the privately run centres.In 2014, out of the 74 million children of 3 to 6 years who were supposed to be going to schools, 20 million were not attending any school.India is now recording cent per cent enrolment of children in schools today. In 2009, nearly 80 lakh children of 6-13 year groups were out of schools. But this number had declined to 60 lakh in 2014. The Survey says, the Right to Education (RTE) Act had positively impacted the quality of education as nearly 80% of the teachers are trained. n

Research Rooms in JamiaNew Delhi: A Research Room with seating capacity for a hundred research scholars was commissioned in the Zakir Hussain Library of the Jamia Millia Islamia on August 2. The Research room will remain open from 9 am till midnight with wi-fi facility, air-conditioning and recharging point for electronic gadgets. It also provides lockers for research scholars. n

Guidance and Facilitation Centre Opens in Nagpur

Jamia to Start MD, Ph.D. in Unani Medicine

The fee structure for these programmes shall be at par with the National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru.

New Delhi: Jamia Millia Islamia will be starting MD and Ph.D in Unani medicine from the current academic year in collaboration with the Hyderabad based Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM) under the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. An MoU between the two institutions was signed here on August 24 by JMI’s Officiating Registrar, Dr. Abdul Malik and Director General of CCRUM, Prof. R a i s - u r - R a h m a n after the proposal was endorsed by the Ministry of AYUSH to foster research in indigenous systems of medicines in India. As per the MOU, signed in the presence of JMI Vice Chancellor, Prof Talat Ahmad, seven seats each have been allocated to General Medicine and Pharmacology, while three seats will be in each Ph.D programme. CCRUM through the Central Research Institute of Unani Medicine (CRIUM) shall provide all necessary facilities in respect of infrastructure such as hospitals, laboratories and other resources to run the programmes. JMI will conduct entrance test for admission to these courses besides holding interviews for the Ph.D programmes. Jamia will conduct examination in consonance with

the regulations of Central Council of Indian Medicine (CCIM) and JMI within the broader framework and guidelines of Ministry of AYUSH and shall award the degrees accordingly. The fee structure for these programmes shall be at par with the National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru. The CCRUM will also help set up Hakim Ajmal

Khan Chair in JMI to promote Unani Studies and Research. Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Talat Ahmad said that the MOU marked a new chapter in the long history of Jamia. He emphasised the need to modernise the old discipline by actively collaborating with advances sciences like biochemistry and biotechnology. Prof. Raisur Rahman said that in the coming years, the face of Unani medicine will change and the world will realise its potential. He also hoped that in the next five years, a Unani medicine college will be set up in Jamia Millia Islamia. n

By Moin Qazi Nagpur: An “Information and Guidance Centre” was inaugurated in the Jafar Nagar area of West Nagpur on August 15, by Syed Faiyaz Hussain, Chairman, Dulocos Conveyors and Moulds Pvt. Ltd. S W Naqwi, Ex-Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and M.I. Shaikh Rtd. Executive Director of Irrigation Department, government officials and NGO representatives were present on the occasion. Explaining the concept,

Abdul Rauf Shaikh, Retired Dy. Commissioner and Chief Coordinator of the Program said that there was a long standing need felt by students, from the under privileged sections for a permanent “Single Window Guidance and Facilitation Centre” in the city, which they could approach for guidance on government schemes, private and govt. scholarships, career opportunities through UPSC/ MPSC and other competitive examinations as well as self employment opportunities, through skill development,

training and jobs.The Afroz Jahan Memorial Trust, Amraoti, is a philanthropic partner in this project. It is providing both financial and infrastructural support.The Centre is located at Raza Apartment, Opposite Masjid Walidain, Rajaram Layout, Near Shyam Lawn, Jafar Nagar, Nagpur.The Centre will be open from 11 am to 2pm, and from 6 to 9 pm in the evening, where retired personnel from various sectors would be providing guidance. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 12HARD TALK

Triple Talaq: Call for ReformThe issue of triple talaq is a very sensitive one.

On the one hand are traditionalist Muslim scholars who wrongly regard even the slightest deviation from the opinion of their school as unlawful. On the other hand are thousands of Muslim women whose lives are being destroyed under the evil

effects of a particular method of divorce.

By Waris Mazhari

The issue of triple talaq in one sitting has once again become a subject of heated discussion. Many Muslims continue to oppose the argument that uttering the word talaq in one sitting cannot dissolve a Muslim marriage. This is because triple talaq in one sitting as constituting an irrevocable divorce has been the position of many (though not all), of the scholars affiliated with the four major schools of Sunni jurisprudence for centuries.Some Muslims wrongly believe that any rule whose origin is from outside the four schools of Sunni jurisprudence is prohibited, and that is why they oppose the argument for making three talaqs in one sitting to be just one, not three. However, this concept has no authentic foundation in Islamic jurisprudence. In Sunni jurisprudential history, there are many instances of practices which earlier were followed by others who were treated as innovators but which later on, due to changes in political and social conditions, were favourably adopted by the Sunni ulema or scholars of Islamic jurisprudence. It is hoped that the pressure of circumstance would similarly lead the ulema of today to accept suitable reforms in the law of divorce, too.

Famous Islamic Jurists and TheologiansThere have always been a

divorce, it appears that the Quran tends to put a restraint on quick divorce since it clearly suggests that ‘A divorce is only permissible twice: after that, the parties should either hold together on equitable terms, or separate with kindness.’(2:229) According to this verse, there must be room for retaining the wife after uttering the word talaq, which would not be possible if triple talaq in one sitting were considered an irrevocable divorce. It seems illogical and unnatural that a marital relationship of, say, 30 years breaks off within thirty seconds, without leaving a chance of reconsideration. The Quran (4:22) refers to the agreement which a husband and a wife pledge together as a ‘strong covenant’,

and, obviously, that cannot be so vulnerable and easily broken by a one-sided decision taken in a state of anger or depression.An Innovation is CondemnableAnother important point to consider is that according to all Islamic scholars, uttering talaq thrice in one sitting and taking it to mean a final divorce is an innovation (bid‘ah), and innovation is condemnable, as is clearly mentioned in the Hadith, reports attributed to the Prophet. This being the case, how can an innovation be enforced and made a rule in the matter of divorce?

Those who claim that three talaqs in one sitting count only as one, and not three, and so do not result in the end of a Muslim marriage also infer their opinion from a hadith recorded in the Sahih Muslim, a collection of Hadith reports widely respected among Sunni Muslims. According to this report, Abdullah bin Abbas, a famous Companion of the Prophet, said that triple talaq in one sitting was considered as one in the period of the Prophet, the period of the first Caliph Abu Bakr, and during the early years of the second Caliph Umar (Sahih Muslim, 1482). Another tradition relates that a companion of the Prophet, Rukanah bin Yazid, divorced his wife thrice in one sitting. He then regretted what

he had done and approached the Prophet. The Prophet asked him how he had divorced his wife. Rukanah answered that he had done so by pronouncing the word talaq thrice. The Prophet asked him if he had pronounced it in a single sitting, to which he replied in the affirmative. The Prophet then said that it had the effect of one divorce, and that if he wanted to take his wife back he could. And so, Rukanah took her back (Musnad Ahmad: 2387).Defenders of triple talaq in one sitting often cite the enforcement of this practice by Umar, the

second Caliph. In response, it can be said that this was intended for the welfare of the society in that particular socio-historical context. Umar thought it an appropriate ruling as men had made talaq a joke by taking back their wives even after uttering the word talaq several times, because of which their wives had to suffer, being stuck in a vicious circle and not being able to gain their freedom. Misusing the provision that allowed men to utter the word talaq and then take back their wives, men had become reckless and irresponsible, and that is why he decided to consider triple talaq in one sitting to constitute an irrevocable divorce.The issue of triple talaq is a very sensitive one. On the one hand are traditionalist Muslim scholars who wrongly regard even the slightest deviation from the opinion of their school as unlawful. On the other hand are thousands of Muslim women whose lives are being destroyed under the evil effects of a particular method of divorce. It is incumbent upon Muslims to find a balanced solution to this in accordance with the teachings and spirit of Islam and thereby protect Muslim societies from corruption. Muslims must take initiatives for the reform of the practice of talaq. This reform needs also to happen at the level of laws, too. Many Muslim-majority countries have reformed their laws in this regard, considering three talaqs in one sitting to be just one. Indian Muslims must come forth as well to support this sort of reform, realising that it is essential for their own welfare.(Waris Mazhari, a graduate of the Dar ul-Uloom Deoband, is a Ph.D from the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, where he is presently teaching. He can be contacted on w.mazhari@gmail.com)

considerable number of Muslim scholars and jurists, since the period of the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad until today, who have insisted on the other view, that if a Muslim husband utters the word talaq three times in one sitting, it constitutes one talaq. According to Ibn ul-Qayyim (d.1350), the famous Islamic jurist and theologian, some noted Companions of the Prophet, such as Ali (the fourth Caliph of the Sunni Muslims), Abdullah bin Masood, Abdullah bin Abbas, Zubair bin Awwam, and Abdur Rahman bin Awf, viewed the utterance of the word talaq in one sitting as one, not three, and, thus, as not resulting in an irrevocable divorce(al-talaq ul-mughallaza).Ibn ul-Qayyim writes that some of the followers and disciples of Abu Hanifa, putative founder of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence (with which most Indian Sunnis claim affiliation),issued rulings in accordance with this view. This is also the view of some Muslim sects, such as the Ahl-e Hadith and the Shias of the Jafari school.

Quranic Restraint on Quick DivorceWhen formulating the law about

Triple Talaq Effect?

5 In 1,000 Muslim Women Divorced in IndiaRecently released census 2011 data shows,

Muslim women have a higher divorce rate of 5 per 100 compared to 2-3 per thousand for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Christians have the highest rate of

unmarried persons of marriageable age.

By Subodh Varma|

Divorce and separation rates are higher among Christians and Buddhists, and lowest among Jains, according to freshly released Census 2011 data. Although separation rates are higher for Hindus than Muslims, divorce is more prevalent among the latter.The share of those who have lost

a spouse to death is the highest among Buddhists, followed by Christians. Widowhood rates are much higher among Hindus and Sikhs than Muslims.A complex web of religious and social factors is responsible for these trends, which are similar to those discovered in the previous Census. Although divorce is legally allowed for Hindus, it

may still carry social stigma. This could be the reason why the separation rate for Hindus was 5.5 per thousand married people, while the divorce rate was pegged at just 1.8 per thousand. Separation includes wives abandoned by husbands. Among Muslims, it seems the triple Talaq provision pushed up the share of female divorcees to five per thousand, against 2-3 per thousand for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. However, Christians and Buddhists have similar rates of women divorcees. The rate of widowhood is directly linked to the well known demographic fact that women live longer than men.

This results in two to three times the number of widows compared to widowers across all communities.Another factor at work is life expectancy. Muslims have the lowest average life expectancy of all communities and this results in the least number of widowed people, at about 73 per thousand married persons. Among Hindus and Sikhs, the share is about 88 per thousand, while it is higher for Christians (97) and Buddhists (100).An interesting dimension of the marital status details released by the Census relates to never-married persons across different communities. Among those who

have attained the marriageable age, that is, 21 years for men and 18 years for women, Hindus have the lowest share, at 16% unmarried men and just 10% unmarried women. This indicates a very high drive towards early marriage, with many tying the knot before attaining the legal marriage age.Christians have the highest rate of unmarried persons of marriageable age, at 21% among men and 18% among women. But across all communities, a smaller share of women is still unmarried after the legal age than men, indicating the relentless pressure on women to get married.

(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)

Many Muslim-majority countries have reformed their laws in

this regard, considering three talaqs in one sitting to be just

one. Indian Muslims must come forth as well to support this sort

of reform, realising that it is essential for their own welfare.

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 13Learning From the Past, Living For the Future

PERsPECTIvEs

We learned that Albania has a culture of harmony. It may lack the wealth of many other European

Countries, but it certainly has one priceless export: the love and protection of the stranger.

By Sheryl Olitzky I just returned from a trip to the Balkans. This Building Bridges Journey brought Muslim and Jewish women from the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom to Bosnia and Albania. The trip had two goals. First, we went to witness the results of the attempted genocide against the Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims) in the early 1990s. Next we traveled to Albania to honor the only country in the world that opened its borders to the Jews during the Holocaust, providing them full protection. Against the backdrop of increasing hateful rhetoric in the U.S. media, we gained additional strength and skills to confront the growing hate.

Reliving the HorrorOur time in Bosnia was painful. The Mothers of Srebrencia shared their stories as they relived the horror of watching their sons, daughters, grandchildren and husbands murdered. Over 20 years

later, many of the mothers still await the bodies of their loved ones to be identified in newly-discovered mass graves. We heard first-hand accounts of how the Dutch UN peacekeeping force, in charge of protecting the Bosniaks, deserted their posts, which allowed the Serbians to murder those they considered “other.”While the war in Bosnia is over, the fighting continues. Beyond the physical reminders–buildings scarred with holes from bullets and shrapnel–evidence of distrust of the other remains. While presidential leadership is shared among Croats, Serbs, and Bosniaks, the so-called minority populations of Jews and Romas are not permitted to be elected to the presidency.

The Jewish Benevolent SocietyWe also heard stories of hope. We met with Jacob Finci, the head of the small Jewish community. This community’s benevolent society, staffed by volunteers from all

sides, operated throughout the war to provide food and medical care to all in need. Mandated by the Jewish value construct of the sacredness of life, this benevolent society also helped several thousand victims escape during the war.During our conversation, Jacob was asked “Would you do it all over again today?” Would he risk his life in the midst of a war that was between other communities, not his own? After a few minutes of thought, he said “No, it was too risky.” Yet, when the moment came to step up and take such risks, Jacob did so without a second thought. We all felt certain that he would probably have done so again.

Darkness into the LightThe travel from Bosnia to Albania through the beautiful country of Montenegro gave us the opportunity to begin to process what we had experienced. It was a journey through the darkness into the light. A predominantly Muslim country, Albanians believe in the promise to protect the stranger, their guest. They applied this value during World War Two. At a time when the world turned its back on the Jewish community, every Albanian family was directed by

the country’s king to shelter a Jewish family in their homes. They provided these Jewish families with Albanian identification. The number of Jews increased twenty- fold during the war. As Albania’s neighbors complied with Nazi orders to round up their Jews, the Albanians refused to identify even one of its Jewish citizens or guests.We had the privilege of meeting with family members of those righteous individuals who saved Jews during the Holocaust. We came to Albania to thank these families for standing up to the Nazi hate machine. They didn’t consider themselves heroes. They simply considered their actions as “the right things to do.” They were perplexed by our admiration. We wanted to make sure that the Albanians knew that we recognized this special country and their people as exemplary. And we were determined to share what they did with the rest of the world.The Sustaining Power of DialogueThe leaders of each religious party in Albania welcomed us. They opened their hearts and their homes to make us feel like the most honored guests, just as they had done during the war years to those who came before us. Albania’s president and first lady met with us and entertained us with a special dinner. Women to women, we learned from the Alliance of Parliamentary Women how the women in government, regardless of party representation, refuse to let political differences drive a wedge in their own consensus-building. Together they protect the needs of women

and exhibit the sustaining power of dialogue.Every person whom we met expressed an outpouring of gratitude for coming to visit and to hear their stories. We were desperate to understand how this small, poor, rural country broke out of the mold of hate to protect one another. We learned that Albania has a culture of harmony. It may lack the wealth of many other European Countries, but it certainly has one priceless export: the love and protection of the stranger.We met many people during our trip to the Balkans. One thing was clear: our character–the “stuff” out of which we are made–is truly tested not when things are calm and the world seems peaceful. It is tested when there is no time to think. And we are not called to speak. Rather we are called to act. This trip will help all of us navigate our future. It helped us to see with our minds and our hearts. Only then will we be able to learn from the past and help shape a bright future.The women of the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom traveled on this Building Bridges Journey because we believe in the words found in our sacred texts (Mishnah Sanhedrin 4:9/ Quran 5:32) which is best translated as “One who saves a life, it is as if one saves the world.” What we do in times of peace determines what we do in times of war.(Sheryl Olitzky, is Co-Founder and Executive Director, Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom, a group of Muslim and Jewish women working together for peace. She can be contacted on sheryl@sosspeace.org)

Page 17

Muslim Divorce RateSome newspapers have presented a misleading and alarmist picture of the

rate of divorce among the Muslims.

By Abdur Rasheed Agwan* The divorce rate of Muslim women was 5.3 per thousand women in 2001 Census, which has risen to 5.63 in 2011 Census. It is only a slight increase in a decade’s time. What can be concluded is that nothing unusual has happened within the community as far as divorce is concerned.An article in the New Indian Express in April 2015, while quoting Census 2011, had observed: “The proportion of divorced and separated has marginally increased in case of both the sexes.” A BBC report in 2011 had highlighted the rising menace of divorce in India thus: “There’s been a 100% increase in divorce rates in the past five yearsalone.” Last year, The Hindustan Times had reported, “This is an unusual trend in a country where the divorce rate was just 1 in 1,000 ten years ago, and is still relatively low at 13 per 1,000 – as compared to the US average of 500 per 1,000. While India has no central or even state-wise registry of divorce data, family court officials say the

number of divorce applications has doubled and even tripled in cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Kolkata and Lucknow over the past five years.These reports make it evident that the general divorce rate is constantly on the rise whereas some recent articles in newspapers give the impression that this rate is on decline whereas rate among Muslims is going up.Huffington Post remarks: “Census 2011 further reveals that 5.5 in 1,000 Hindu couples tend to get separated, including cases of wives being abandoned by husbands, though the rate of divorce among Hindus is 1.8 per 1,000.” Thus, both legal divorce and separation among Hindus will amount to be 7.3 per thousand women. If this is the fact then the ‘Hindu’ divorce and separation rate exceeds that of the ‘Muslim’ divorce rate wherein ‘separation’ is not a significant factor due to easy divorce. It should be noted that the divorce rate among majority Indian women was 4.7 per thousand women in 2001. Thus, among the Muslims the rise

of marriage annulment is from 5.3 to 5.63 during the decade whereas it has been from 4.7 to 5.5 among the Hindus, showing a faster trend in case of the latter.It may be noted here that the ‘Hindu’ rate of divorce is basically due to lesser divorce rate amonglower echelon of society, otherwise in Hindu upper castes and Hindu middle and upper classes it should have been more than 13 per thousand women as some studies reveal.Zeeshan Sheikh who wrote the piece in the Indian Express observed: “Nearly 44% of divorced Muslim women belong to the age group 20 to 34” hence he seems worried that Muslim women are vulnerable in that age group. Let us quote another study of divorce cases filed in family courts, which underlines, “Couples in the 25-35 age group accounted for 70 per cent of the cases, and 85 per cent of them were filed in the first three years of marriage.” This clearly establishes that it is the younger couples which are most vulnerable for separation rather

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 14GLOBAL AFFAIRs

Contours of Israeli Lobby in United StatesObjectives:• Maintaining consistent

support of the United States for Israel’s policies against the Palestinians.

• To ensure US help to Israel to remain the dominant regional power in the Middle East.

• The West Asian states (read politico-geographical map) should be transformed in such a way that only regimes friendly to Israel survive there.

• To make the US fight Israel’s enemies in the Middle East.

• To be the only undeclared nuclear state in the Middle East.

• To pose itself as a strategic ally in the Middle East.

• To highlight Israel’s cause as morally superior, worth America’s financial aid, diplomatic and military assistance regardless of cost.

Modus Operandi• To push all the critics of

Israel into ‘richly-deserved obscurity’.

• Not to allow any candid and fair discussions on merits of relentless US support for Israel.

• Get the US to veto all resolutions in the Security Council against Israel.

• To retain focus on US and Israel sharing the same values, democracy, human rights etc.

• To portray Arab states in negative light, supporters of

terrorism, in possession of WMDs etc.

• Use US’s good offices to disallow the issue of Israel’s nuclear status on the agenda of the IAEA.

• Some Lobby groups police the academia and prepare dossiers on activists and groups that support Arabs, Palestine and peace process.

• To Defame the critics of Israel as Anti-Semites.

Major Israeli Lobby organizations in the USAmerican-Israeli Public Affairs Council (AIPAC), American Jewish Congress, ZOA, the Israel Policy Forum, the American Jewish Committee, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, Americans for a Safe Israel, American Friends of Likud, Mercaz-USA, Hadassah, and many others. The American Jewish Yearbook listed more than 80 national Jewish organizations specifically devoted to Zionist and pro-Israel national Jewish interests.The lobby includes thinks tanks such as the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA), the Middle East Forum, and West Asian Institute for Near-East Policy, (WINEP). AIPAC is the largest Israeli lobby organization whose annual budget has grown from $3 lakh in 1973 to $40-60 million today with 150

employees. In the words of Warren Bass, by 1980s, the AIPAC was a “Washington Powerhouse”.

Jewish Bodies Supporting Two-State solutions:Several Jewish organization such as Ameinu, American for Peace Now, Brit Tzedek

v’Shalom (Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace), Israel Policy Forum, Jewish Voice for Peace, Meretz-USA, and the Tikkun community—strongly favour a two-state solution and believe Israel needs to make significant concession in order to bring it about.

Notable Exception: A Notable exception is Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) which has called for the US government to

suspend military aid to Israel until it ends the occupation of the West Bank.How does the Lobby Work?Israeli lobby is effective because motivated groups can influence policies, fund campaigns, get their nominees appointed to important posts and cultivate

sympathetic journalists. In a democracy even relatively small group can exercise considerable influence if they are strongly committed to a particular issue and the rest of the population is largely indifferent. Important Israel Supporters in the US MediaJournalists like William Safire, A. M. Rosenthal,

David Brooks were passionate defender of Israel. In Washington Post, Jim Hoagland, Robert Kagan, Charles Krauthammer, George Will were all consistent supporters of Israel. Michael and William Kristol who runs the Weekly Standard not merely tended to favour Israel, but were staunch supporters of hawkish Likud Party. In Los Angeles Times, Max Boot, Jonathan Chait and Jonah

Goldberg were all defenders of Israel. Wall Street Journal’s former editor Robert Bartley once even declared: Shamir, Sharon, Bibi (Benjamen Netanyahu)—whatever those guys want is pretty much fine by me. Editorials of Chicago Sun-times, the New York Sun often look like have been written by the Israeli Prime Minister’s press office. New York Times has often been critical but remarks about himself by its former editor Max Frankel can be insightful: “I was much more deeply devoted to Israel than I dare to assert…” Israeli lobby’s most energetic media watchdog group is: Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA).

Important Soundbytes The phenomenal support Israel enjoys in the US gets portrayed through some frank comments and forthright remarks in the US media. Some specimen: Yitzhak Rabin, former Israeli Prime minister:America’s generosity toward Israel is “Beyond compare in modern history”. Richard Armey, former Majority Leader: Page 22

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 15PEOPLEDied: noted writer and former chairman, Karnataka State Urdu Academy, Dr. Abdul Ghaffar Shakeel, passed away on August 1 in his hometown Mysuru. He was 87. A linguist, Dr. Shakeel headed the department of Linguistics of the Aligarh Muslim University for several years. Author of nearly a dozen books in English as well as Urdu, Dr. Shakeel was connected with several literary, cultural and social organistions in Mysuru.

Former UN chief Annan to Head Myanmar Commission on RohingyaYangon: Myanmar's government has set up an advisory panel headed by former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to find "lasting solutions" to the conflict in Arakan state, where human rights groups have documented w i d e s p r e a d abuses against the Rohingya Muslim minority.A statement by the office of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi said an agreement will be signed between her office and the Kofi Annan Foundation to set up a nine-member advisory commission to resolve "protracted issues in the region". The council will comprise three international and six national experts. Rohingya Muslims have lived in the northwestern state of Arakan for generations, but are denied citizenship because they are considered outsiders. Iqbal Ansari is Patna High Court CJPatna: Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari was today sworn in as the Chief Justice of Patna High Court by Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind on July 29. Justice Ansari had worked twice as Acting Chief Justice of Patna High Court since December 2014 before being sworn in as its 39th Chief Justice. Born on October 29, 1954, Justice Ansari did his B.Sc. from Darrang College, Tezpur and completed graduation in law from Tezpur Law College. After joining Assam Judicial Service in 1991, he had been District & Sessions

Judge, at Karimganj, Dibrugarh and Nagaon. He also worked as Registrar General of Gauhati High Court. Justice Ansari, who was elevated to the bench of Gauhati High Court as Judge on March 4, 2002, joined the Patna High Court on November 11, 2013. He would retire on October 29, 2016.

Devaraj Urs Award for MohiuddinFormer Karnataka Minister and leader from the Beary community Mr. B. A. Mohiuddin has been named the winner of the Devaraj Urs Award for 2016. Mr. Mohiuddin was a moving spirit behind promoting modern and women’s education in the Dakshina District. He was first elected an MLA from Bantwal constituency from the district in 1978 and was later elected MLC for the Karnataka Legislative Council for two terms. He inspired a generation of Muslims in setting up modern educational institutions in the district. He was also a minister for some time.The Award is given to persons who have followed ideals of Mr. Devaraj Urs, the former Congress Chief Minister of Karnataka, who initiated agrarian reforms in Karnataka in a big way and raised the reservation limits to almost 70% in the State as early as 1970s while Mandal Commission was yet to be set up at the Union level. The award was presented to Mr. Mohiuddin on August 20, the birth anniversary of Mr. Urs.

Ajmer Dargah’s Spiritual Head asks Muslims to Protect CowsThe spiritual head of Ajmer Dargah Zainul Abedin Ali Khan has said that Muslims should

present an example by p r o t e c t i n g cows, which holds religious s i g n i fi c a n c e for Hindus. He also suggested

that those who create violence over the issue of beef should avoid doing it and called upon both the communities to live with harmony and unity in the interest of the country.(Extracted from www.siasat.com)

TribuTe

TIDBITsCytecare Hospital for BengaluruBengaluru: The Cytecare Hospitals, a group of specialized Cancer treatment hospitals plans to raise Rs. 700 crore within next 18 months, Ferzaan Englineer, co-founder of the Group informed on August 18. Located in Yelahanka on the road to the Bangalore’s International Airport, the 150-bed Cytecare Hospital has already raised Rs. 165 crore from high net worth individuals, he said. It will work on hub and spoke pattern with Bengaluru hospital serving as hub for three hospitals. More centres would come up in cities of north Karnataka. The hospital on 16,000 sq. feet area will begin

Nobel Laureate Chemist Ahmed Hassan Zewail

Ahmed Zewail received the 1999 Chemistry Nobel Prize. He is the first and only Arab to win the Nobel Prize in science.

Egyptian-American Nobel Laureate, Ahmed Hassan Zewail known as the ‘father of femtochemistry’ passed away in USA on 2 August 2016. He leaves behind many science breakthroughs and an enduring legacy. A military funeral (broadcast live on television) was held for Zewail on 7 August 2016 in Cairo, Egypt. The funeral prayers were led by Ali Gomaa, former Grand Mufti of Egypt, at the El-Mosheer Tantawy mosque in Cairo. Ahmed Hassan Zewail was born on 26 February 1946, in Damanhour in the delta of the river Nile, Egypt. He received a Bachelor of Science (1967) and Master of Science (1969) degrees in Chemistry from Alexandria University, Egypt. He then moved the United States, where he did PhD (1974) from the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia under the supervision of Robin M. Hochstrasser. He then did post-doctoral research at the University of California, Berkeley, supervised by Charles Bonner Harris. In 1976, he was appointed as a faculty member at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Pasadena. He was made the first Linus Pauling Chair in Chemical Physics. He became a naturalized citizen of the United States on 5 March 1982. Zewail served as the director of the Physical Biology Center for Ultrafast Science and Technology at the California Institute of Technology. Chemists have long studied chemical reactions by looking at the ingredients they start with, the final products they produce and, sometimes, transitory molecules along the way. But chemists could not watch the actual dynamics of the process, because the breaking and shifting of chemical

bonds occurs very quickly at the time scales of femtoseconds. A femtosecond is a millionth of a billionth of a second. Zewail took advantage of advances in lasers that could fire ultra-short pulses. One laser pulse would set off the chemical reaction, then a second pulse would record the state of the molecule through the colours of light the molecule absorbed and emitted. Using Zewail’s techniques, scientists can now observe the bonding and busting of molecules in real time. This technique developed by Zewail is likened

to Galileo’s use of his telescope which revolutionized modern astronomy. Ahmed Zewail received the 1999 Chemistry Nobel Prize. He is the first and only Arab to win the Nobel Prize in science. On that occasion he said, “If you can understand the landscape of a chemical change or a biological change,

you might be able to alter the landscape”. He received many awards including the 1989 King Faisal International Prize for Science (in the subcategory physics with the co-winner Theodor Wolfgang Hänsch from Germany). In 1999, he received Egypt’s highest state honour, the Grand Collar of the Nile. Egypt issued postage stamps in his honour. In 1999, Ahmed Zewail initiated the major project known as the Zewail City for Science and Technology in Giza, Egypt, (www.zewailcity.edu.eg). In 2009, US President Barack Obama named Zewail, to the Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and later that year made him the first US science envoy to the Middle East. He joined the United Nations Scientific Advisory Board in 2013.

operation from October. Engineer said the Group expects to make break-even in three years. The Group plans to have centres overseas too. Tablez Launches 2 OutletsBengaluru: Tablez has launched two restaurants, namely Galito’s and Colstone Creamery in Bengaluru. The Tablez Food Company is part of the Kerala based Lulu Group, International owned by Yousafali which also runs shopping malls in Dubai. Shafeena Yousuff Ali, CEO of the Tablez Food Company informed the press that the Group plans to set up a dozen outlets of Cold Stone Creamery and six Galito outlets by 2018 in India. The company runs six Galito’s outlets in the UAE and is in the process of starting six

more. After Kochi, which is the home base in Kerala, Bengaluru is the second place to see the group’s operations. Galito’s is a South African casual dining restaurant and Cold Stone Creamery is a US based ice cream brand that has been brought to India.

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 16GLOBE TALK

Liverpool Arab Art Festival The Lighter Side of Middle East

Liverpool was the first city in Britain to be awarded the title , “European Capital of Culture” in 2008. It is also home to a sizeable Arab population, particularly Yemenis who were the first known Arab community. One cultural draw growing in popularity and stature in the city is the Liverpool Arab Art Festival (LAAF) which was held from 15-24 July, 2016. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, it is a celebration of all things Arabic. The festival showcased stand-up comedians, talks, film, live music and spoken word across different venues and spaces throughout Liverpool.

Under the theme of "Undocumented" - it explored the various ways art can provide a deeper insight into the human

experience of lives devastated by war, displacement and conflict. It opened with The Queens of Syria, a play written and performed by an all-female cast of Syrian

refugees. A screening of the Palestinian film, Speed Sisters, highlighted the five-woman-team taking to the racing circuits

of Palestine, and Arabs Are Not Funny, the stand-up comedy show originally from London, had the crowds roaring in laughter. Taher Qassim MBE, the chair and founder of LAAF, is a Yemeni who has been living in Liverpool for 20 years. Qassim, who launched the first Arab Art Festival 15

years ago, proclaimed this year’s event was already the most successful to date with “the depth of the programme of the ten days being very rich”. n

California’s State Assembly Takes Stand Against Islamophobia

California’s State Assembly has taken a strong stand against a rising climate of Islamophobia in America. Recently, it passed a resolution that declared August 2016 as ‘Muslim Appreciation and Awareness Month’, as part of an effort to acknowledge the “myriad invaluable contributions of Muslim Americans in California and across the country.” The resolution was introduced by Assembly Member Bill Quirk. The writers of the resolution pointed out that

California is home to over 240 mosques, more than any other state in the country. The resolution also decried the discrimination that Muslim Americans have had to endure in the years following the September 11 attacks. “Muslim Americans have made contributions to education, science, entertainment and medicine both nationally and globally,” Quirk said. “Unfortunately, the Muslim community has been, and continues to be, the target of harassment and assaults.” n

Pope Francis Disagrees with Identifying Islam as ViolentPope Francis, global head of the Catholic Church, has questioned the claim that Islam should be identified with violence. “I do not believe it is right to identify Islam with violence,” the Pope told journalists during the July 31 papal flight to Rome following a journey to Poland. “This is not right and it is not true.” “I don’t like to speak about Islamic violence,” the Pope said, taking into account that one sees violence every day in the newspapers, even at the hands of baptised Catholics. “There are violent Catholics!” he said. “If I speak of Islamic violence, I must speak of Catholic violence.” The Pope expressed his belief that every religion has its fundamentalist

groups, including Catholicism. Such fundamentalism, when it is present, can “kill with language,” he said. “Terrorism is everywhere”, the Pope said. “You think of tribal terrorism of some African countries,” he said. “Terrorism grows when there are no other options, and when the

center of the global economy is the god of money and not the person – men and women – this is already the first terrorism!” “You have cast out the wonder of creation – man and woman – and you have put money in its place. This is a basic terrorism against all of humanity! Think about it!”

Pope Francis has urged hundreds of thousands of pilgrims in Poland to show compassion for migrants. He told young people gathered in Krakow "a merciful heart opens up to welcome refugees and migrants", a statement that puts him at odds with Poland's anti-immigrant right-wing government. He urged young Catholics to show compassion, saying a "merciful heart is able to be a place of refuge for those who are without a home or have lost their home; a merciful heart is able to build a home and a family for those forced to emigrate."

Muslims Attend Catholic Mass in Show of Christian-Muslim Unity

Muslims gathered for Catholic Mass on Sunday, last month, in churches and cathedrals across France in a powerful display of unity and solidarity with Christians following the killing of an elderly Catholic priest. France's Muslim council, the CFCM, urged Muslims to show "solidarity and compassion" over the murder. Dozens of Muslims attended Mass in Rouen, a few miles from the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray where two Muslim teenagers slit the throat of 85-year-old Rev. Jacques Hamel after pledging allegiance to the ‘Islamic State’ terrorist group. “We are very moved by the presence of our Muslim friends and I believe it is a courageous

act that they did by coming to us,” Dominique Lebrun, the archbishop of Rouen, said after the Mass. "I thank you in the name

of all Christians," he said. "In this way you are affirming that you reject death and violence in the name of God." "It's an important gesture of fraternity. They've told us, and we know they're sincere, that it's not Islam which killed Jacques Hamel", he said. (Stringer/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) YOUTH sPACE

Supercomputer by 22-year Lad

Saad appealed to parents to encourage their children in the field of their interest and not force them to become engineers or doctors if they are

not interested.

Pune: Saad Memon a 22 year old boy from Chhattisgarh has developed a mini super-computer with speed and efficiency that can match an assembly of 32

computers. The software is similar to Apple and Microsoft’s Siri and Cortana, which accepts voice commands to operate computers and smart phones.

With this, he is believed to have become India’s first mini super computer developer.Having 18 Gigabyte RAM space, the computer through automated voice command can automatically operate a car and humanoid robots. It has the capacity to give access to one lakh users at

a time if a social media group is developed through it.Saad originally hails from the backward Bastar district in Chattisgarh and has graduated in Computer Science from Pune

University and is working with first super computer developer Vijay Bhatkar.

Saad has job offers from Japan and USA, but he intends to purse higher studies in the United States.Saad credited his mother Halima Banu and father Ishtiyaq Memon for the success of his project.He appealed to parents to encourage their children in the field of their interest and not force them to become engineers or doctors if they are not interested. Instead they should be provided with other options that they can

enjoy and in which they can work efficiently.To the youth he said that time is real wealth which should never be wasted. “We should never waste our time, and keep pursuing our dreams with all our heart” Saad said.Saad was selected to represent Savitribai Phule Pune University at State Level Avishkar 2015-16 competition. He was selected to represent Savitribai Phule Pune University under "Engineering & Technology" category under (BE, ME, Ph.D,Teachers) category at Anveshan conducted by Association of Indian University. Talking to the media at a function organized to honour him by the Memon Jamaat, Saad said he would like to go to the US for further studies and take his device to a further level. n

Saad has job offers from Japan and USA, but he intends to purse higher studies in the United States. Saad credited his mother Halima Banu and

father Ishtiyaq Memon for the success of his

project.

Saad Memon with his Supercomputer

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 17BOOK REvIEW

Calling for Equality that is at the Heart of the Qur'anWomen in the Quran—An Emancipatory ReadingAsma LamrabetKube Publishing Ltd, MCC, Ratby LaneMarkfield, Leicestershire, LE67 9SY, UKEmail: info@kubepublishing.com(www.kubepublishing.com)

Lamrabet provides a detailed account of women mentioned

in the Quran, to highlight the issue

of women and gender relations in

Islam.Reviewed By A Staff Writer Islam, Muslims and women—this is a subject of a huge number of writings that reflect diverse, mutually-contradictory positions. This book is a welcome contribution to the corpus of writings on the issue. Lamrabet, a Muslim woman pathologist based in Morocco, provides a detailed account of women mentioned in the Quran to highlight the issue of women and gender relations in Islam. At the same time as Lamrabet stresses the fundamental equality and dignity that the Quran provides women and critiques critics of Islam for providing a skewed image of women in Islam, she recognises that patriarchy is deep-rooted in many Muslim societies and even in Muslim discourses about Islam, through which women are sought to be suppressed. “For a long time,” she rues, “the question of the status of Muslim women has been taken hostage between two extreme interpretations: a very rigid conservative Islamic approach and a Western, Islamophobic and ethnocentric approach.” Discourse of the Reclusive Muslim WomanBoth these approaches feed on each other. Lamrabet explains that “the discourse of the veiled, oppressed and reclusive Muslim woman” serves as “an alibi” for “political attitudes” of Western “cultural domination”, in line with the notion of the West’s ‘civilising

mission”. While critical of Western notions of the ‘oppressed Muslim woman’, which is used to justify Western domination over Muslim societies, Lamrabet also recognises “a culture of oppression of women in Muslim lands”, often in the name of Islam, or what she elsewhere describes as “this culture of demeaning women which continues to plague our Muslim societies.” “Between these two diametrically opposed visions,” she points out, “the Muslim woman ultimately remains a prisoner, despite herself, of a discourse which in both cases denies her person, her aspirations and her will [...] Between a frozen Islamic thought which assiduously ringfences women’s issues and a Western ideology which takes pleasure from denigrating Islam through those same issues, one struggles to think of a third way, through which Muslim women can emerge from this ideological impasse.”

The Real ContradictionThis "third way" lies in distinguishing between dominant Muslim discourses about Islam that are deeply patriarchal, on the one hand, and Islam itself, on the other, a task that Lamrabet handles with great dexterity. She shows what she calls the “real contradiction which exists between the spiritual message of the Qur’an and the lived reality of Muslims” that results in patriarchal readings of the Qur’an. She highlights the fact of human interpretations of Islam bearing

the imprint of the geopolitical and socio-cultural contexts in which they are produced. This suggests the critical need for Islamic thought to “evolve, in order to redefine itself, to be rethought”. Lamrabet notes that this reform is indeed happening “despite an overall chaotic general assessment in the Muslim world’ as a number of Muslim scholars, including believing Muslim women, “contest, in particular, a classical analysis which stipulates that the inequality between men and women and its corollary of discriminatory measures are an inherent part of the sacred text by demonstrating that, in fact, it is certain biased readings, bolstered by patriarchal customs, which have rather legitimated these same inequalities.” These alternate interpretations of the Qur’an, she says, are “adapted to our context and to a human reality which never ceases to evolve.”

Reading the Quran From a Feminine PerspectiveCritiquing the tendency to remain content with scriptural exegesis compiled centuries ago and which, concerning women, often reflect a “distressing literalism”, Lamrabet underscores the need to distinguish between what is from the Qur’an from what is from the domain of subjective, human interpretation of it. She notes that

nothing in the Qur’an can justify any discrimination against women. Advocating the importance of reading the Qur’an from a “feminine perspective”, she calls for a “true dynamic of liberation from within the Islamic sphere, in the sense of raising the status of Muslim women” that would allow “the development of a true autonomy and an alternate Islamic feminine identity with the totality of its rights and responsibilities”, enabling Muslim women to

“define themselves as active partners in the process of reform and religious reinterpretation”. This isn’t, she clarifies, an attempt to promote a women-only hermeneutic that would exclude centuries of classical exegetical tradition. Rather, she says, it is about deconstructing “an entire patriarchal model of reading which relegates women to a corner of Islamic history, in order to return women a part of their amputated memory”.

Context Sensitive ReadingsMuch of the book is devoted to reflection on references in the Qur’an to particular women, such as Mary, Hagar and Sarah, Zulaykha, the mother of Moses, and Asiah (wife of Pharaoh), highlighting the positive, respectful attitude of the Qur’an towards women. These references highlight these women’s independence, spiritual worth, and other lofty qualities. Lamrabet also discusses issues such as polygamy, women’s testimony, inheritance rights and so on that are mentioned in the Quran and that have been taken by both patriarchal-minded Muslim exegetes as well as critics of Islam to indicate women’s subordination to men. She provides alternate, women-friendly, context-sensitive readings of these while unpacking patriarchal interpretations thereof. Lamrabet concludes that Islam gave rise to “a movement of women’s liberation” that “shook the social sphere of the time, which was essentially grounded in a merciless patriarchal system.” It encouraged women to speak for themselves as they entered the social sphere and sought their rights that tribal tradition had denied them. However, later patriarchal misinterpretations of the Qur’an led to the erroneous impression of it being a patriarchal text, she notes. Yet, she stresses, “Nothing could be more false than this assertion”, since “from the beginning of revelation, on the contrary, Islam fought against patriarchal traditions and customs”. Hence, she writes, “One can even assert that the Qur’an is an anti-patriarchal text since, in numerous verses, one finds a critique and even a categorical rejection of the main manifestations of patriarchal culture.” A wonderful, must-read book! n

Advocating the importance of reading the Qur’an from a ‘feminine perspective’, she calls for a ‘true dynamic of

liberation from within the Islamic sphere’

HWPL Commemoration ...The meetings that will be held on the 17th and 19 in Seoul will cover important topics such as the role of the legal system to resolve religious conflicts, and the current role of the International Court of Justice of the United Nations in resolving armed conflicts, and will consist of Advocacy Forum for the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, Media Forum for Advocacy of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, the 4th HWPL International Law Peace Committee Meeting, International Religious Leaders Conference and Conference for the Implementation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War.On the 18th, there will be an

outdoor event at the Seoul Olympic Stadium. This event will mark its beginning with a parade, bringing in participants from all walks of life around the world. The parade will be followed by a card section performance by 12,000 members of the International Peace Youth Group (IPYG) with a theme of world peace and cessation of war. This performance is expected to deliver the inspiration of peace and harmony that transcends all borders of nation, race, and religion.Through the 2014 WARP Summit, HWPL signed on the Agreement to Propose the Enactment of International Law for the Cessation of Wars and World Peace. In

September 2015, HWPL launched the HWPL International Law Peace Committee, which consists of international law scholars, professors, and chief justices. In March 2016, HWPL proclaimed the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), along with international law experts from various countries.Following the Declaration, the “Legislate Peace” Campaign (a global advocacy movement aimed at establishing an international law has been conducted worldwide. Since its beginning in March 2016, over 535,493 people from 167 different countries have signed their support for the DPCW. (For more information visit www.peacelaw.org)

Page 1 Page 13 Muslim Divorce Rate ...than Muslim alones. Considering the Census figures in this case, it can be noted that in another age group, as depicted by Shaikh, Muslim women are less vulnerable than others. One more thing should be remembered here that the marriage age of Muslim women is much lower than other sections.Hence, the young Muslim couples are as vulnerable to marriage annulment at an early age as their counterparts in a somewhat higher age brackets. It may be noted that separations (which are numerically more) depress the divorce rates among the Hindus. Moreover, millions of divorce cases are always pending in family courts

and when settled will enhance the general divorce rate in the country. Even worse, several women in India are murdered while being married thereby obviating the need for divorce and alimony. In 2012, over 1.4 dowry deaths per 100,000 females were reported in India, against 3.4 homicides per 100,000 women worldwide, according to a UN report. That makes Indian brides account for a full 41% of the global toll of murdered women. It is a well known fact this phenomenon is almost negligible among Muslims. [*The author is a social activist and analyst based in Delhi. He is author of several books.]

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 18Hajj: A Spiritually Uplifting JourneyPilgrimage is an assembly of great significance. It has its historical associations which centre around the noble concept of faith which

highlights the link between man and his Creator.

Pilgrimage is a personal obligation on every individual once in a lifetime, and it becomes due when the condition of ability are fulfilled, including physical

health, ability to travel and safe passage.

Pilgrimage to the House is a duty owed to Allah by all people who are able to make the journey. As for those who disbelieve, Allah is in no need of anyone in all the worlds. One thing which attracts our attention when we read this verse is the fact that the duty of pilgrimage is made in absolutely general terms: A duty owed to Allah by all people. may also infer from the way this verse is phrased that mankind is required to accept this faith, fulfill its duties, offer its worship and make the journey of pilgrimage to the House to which the believers in Allah turn. Pilgrimage is a personal obligation on every individual once in a lifetime, and it becomes due

when the condition of ability are fulfilled, including physical health, ability to travel and safe passage. There is difference of opinion among scholars with regard to the time when this duty was imposed. Relying on the report that this passage was revealed in the 9th year of the Prophet's (Pbuh) settlement in Madinah, which is generally known in history books as “the year of delegations”, some scholars believe that pilgrimage was made an obligatory duty in that year. They support their argument with the fact that the Prophet himself went on his pilgrimage later. The point, that the timing of the Prophet's pilgrimage may not be taken as an argument in support of the view that pilgrimage was made obligatory at a late stage in the life of the Prophet. Several considerations might have contributed to that delay. One of these may have been the fact that the polytheists use to make their walk (Tawaf) round the Ka'bah completely in the nude, and they continued to do so after the liberation of Makkah. Pilgrimage: An Assembly of Great SignificanceThe Prophet did not like to join them in their tawaf. The Surah entitled “Repentance,” or At-Tawbah, was revealed in the 9th

year of the Islamic calendar, and polytheists were banned from tawaf in the Ka'bah altogether. The Prophet offered his pilgrimage in the following year. Hence, the duty of offering pilgrimage may have been legislated earlier, and this verse may have been revealed in the early part of the Prophet's settlement in Madinah, probably around the time of the battle of Uhud which took place in the third year of the Islamic calendar.This clear statement imposes this obligation of pilgrimage, in the terms of a right which Allah demands from all people who are able to make the journey. Pilgrimage is the Muslims' annual general assembly which is held

at the House from which their message was given to them at the first time, and which witnessed the birth of the pure faith of Abraham, and which was the first House Allah set up on earth for His own worship. Pilgrimage is, therefore, an assembly of great significance. It has its historical associations which centre around the noble concept of faith which highlights the link between man and his Creator. Faith means man's spiritual response to Allah, a fact of great significance considering that only with a blow of Allah's spirit, man has acquired his humanity. It is a worthy concept as a basis for human unity. Hence, it is appropriate that people should assemble every year at the Sacred Place which witnessed the birth of this call to mankind, to unite on pure faith.Having provided this clarification, the surah instructs the Prophet to address the people of earlier revelation denouncing their attitude towards the truth of this message. They know this truth fully well, yet they try to turn people away from it. They disbelieve in Allah's revelations although they bear witness to them and they are certain that these revelations are true: Say: People of earlier revelation, why

do you disbelieve in Allah's revelations, when Allah Himself is witness to all that you do. Say: People of earlier revelation, why do you try to turn those who have come to believe away from the path of Allah, seeking to make it appear crooked, when you yourselves bear witness (to its being straight)? Allah is not unaware of what you do. The essence of divine faith is the same. Anyone who knows it, is certain to know that whatever is preached by subsequent messengers is true.

He is bound to accept their call to surrender himself to Allah in the way they teach. This fact should shake those people and make them fear the consequences of insisting on their erring ways.

Aware of the TruthThose people who adhere to a divine book can no longer be so deceived as they listen to Allah's words declaring the truth about those people branding them as total disbelievers: Allah Himself is witness to all that you do. Allah is not unaware of what you do. Moreover, Allah makes it clear that they are aware of the truth which they deny and away from which they try to turn people: You yourselves bear witness to its being straight. It is absolutely clear, then, that they were aware of the truth of what they rejected. They knowingly tried to turn people away from what they realised to be a straight path. What a wicked attitude. Anyone who adopts it is not worthy of trust. He is indeed worthy of nothing but contempt and denunciation. We need to reflect on Allah's description of those people in the following terms: Why do you try to turn those who have come to believe away from the path of Allah, seeking to make it appear

crooked. This is a statement of great significance. Allah's path is straight, and every other way is crooked. When people are turned away from Allah's path and believers are forcibly barred from following Allah's constitutions, nothing remains straight. Our standards become faulty and nothing remains on earth except crookedness which can never be set straight. Corruption thus wins the upper hand. Human nature becomes corrupt as it deviates from the straight path, and life becomes corrupt as it follows a crooked

line. All this corruption is the result of turning people away from the path of Allah which generates erroneous concepts, deviant conscience, crooked morality, wicked behaviour, unfair transactions and injustice in all relations within human society and between man and the universe around him. Either people follow the path of Allah which is straight and leads to everything that is good, or they deviate from it in any direction, and this will inevitably lead to crookedness, evil and corruption. In man's life, there is no third alternative. n

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 19FOLLOW-UP

The Prophet's (Pbuh) Farewell Pilgrimage

On the ninth day of the Prophet's (Pbuh) Hajj, the pilgrims proceeded to the Plain of Arafat to stand on the Mount of Mercy. There they stood

and prayed to Allah for His mercy.

Hajj is one of the five tenets of Islam and every Muslim having the means, and healthy enough to travel, must go on this pilgrimage once in her or his lifetime. In the tenth year of the Hijrah or 632 A D, Prophet Muhammad set out for Makkah to perform his Hajj. Nearly 1,00,000 believers accompanied him. This pilgrimage is known as the Farewell Pilgrimage. Here he explained the rules of Hajj and gave his famous speech known as the Final Sermon. Upon reaching Makkah, the Prophet and his followers put on the white seamless cloth called the ihram. Then the pilgrims went directly to the Kabah and walked around it seven times in a counter-

clockwise direction to show how man's life must revolve around God. This is called the tawaf.As the pilgrims arrived, they called out: Labbaik Allahumma Labbaik, Labbaik La Sharika Labbaik. This is the prayer called the talbiya which is the answer to the divine call to come and give one's life wholly to Allah. Next, they ran back and forth seven times between the small hills of Safa and Marwah in memory of the time when Allah tested Prophet Ibrahim and his family. This is called the Sayi. On the eighth day of the Hajj, the pilgrims went to the Valley of Mina about 10 km from the Kabah where Allah had tested Ibrahim by ordering him to

sacrifice his son Ismail. At the last moment, Allah stopped Ibrahim and sent a ram to be sacrificed instead. On the ninth day of the Prophet's Hajj, the pilgrims proceeded to the Plain of Arafat to stand on the Mount of Mercy. There they stood and prayed to Allah for His mercy. This is called the wuquf.

Here, during the sermon on that day, this passage of the Quran was revealed to the Prophet: “ Today I

have perfected your religion and I have completed My blessing upon you and I have approved Islam for your religion.” After praying, the Prophet told the Muslims to let the Quran and his own example to be their guides in life. Revenge, a very old tradition in Arabia and usury were to be ended. And he said: 'Know that every Muslim is a Muslim's

brother'. After the sermon, the Prophet looked up and cried, “ My Lord, Have I delivered the message I was charged with and

fulfilled my calling. Then he told the gathering, “you will be asked about me, so what will you say?” They answered with one voice: “We bear witness that you have conveyed Allah's message and have performed your duty and that you have meant goodness for us.” Pointing his index finger towards heaven and then to the people, he said, “ Oh Allah, be witness, Oh Allah be witness” The Prophet ended his speech by saying, “ Let those present convey the message to the absent.” By sunset, they headed back towards Mina gathering pebbles along the way. On the next day, they performed the ritual of casting their pebbles at Satan, symbolised by three pillars set up in memory of how Ibrahim and his family resisted the temptation of Satan. Finally an animal was sacrificed and the pilgrims returned to perform the farewell tawaf of the Kabah. The meat from the sacrifice was sent to the poor and the needy. n

After praying, the Prophet told the

Muslims to let the Quran and his own example to be their

guides in life.

Fasting on the Day of Arafah(For those not on the pilgrimage)

Abu Qatadah reported that the Prophet (Pbuh) said: “Fasting the Day of ‘Arafah expiates the sins of two years: past one and coming one”.

The Journey of Forgiveness HAjj MEMORIEs

I feel as if I came here with an empty spiritual wallet and returning with an unbelievable amount of

spiritual richness

By Rabail Altaf and Fahad Altaf

For those on the annual Hajj the journey can be one of great discovery and self-fulfillment.Two Muslim kids share their experience of Hajj, Rabail Altaf, 10 grade student and younger brother Fahad Altaf, 7 grade student with their parents join a local group from Orlando, with Caravan of Lights.It is a journey more than anything else about forgiveness and helping you to focus on your own spiritual well-being.Any body can change no matter who you are.

A Very Personal ThingFor me going on Hajj was very personal thing. Most people I have spoken to say one thing when they return. It is indescribable.I think going on Hajj should help you become a better person. You can’t judge people’s intentions, but one should try to take as much from the Hajj experience as possible.The sighting of the Kabah was overwhelming. I was awestruck by its magnificence, its beauty cannot be described in any other way except by pure experience of its presence.I felt incredibly insignificant standing before the house of my Almighty creator. As I did my Tawaaf (circulation) around the Kabah, I couldn’t help but glance up overwhelmed by the thought that at this very moment

thousands of angels were doing Tawaaf around the superior abode of Allah. After we performed

our tawaaf we cooled ourselves down by drinking zamzam water in which I felt all my fatigue and thrist diminish. After we went to perform saee,once again I became emotional recalling the plight of Hazrat Hajarrah thinking how frantic she must have been looking for water. Finally, to end the rituals of Umra, we cut off a lock of hair, my dad and younger brother cut their hair.Over the next days, the mass of pilgrims will move outside Mecca to sites in the desert. The thunderous, melodious chants of

the talbiyah echoed from every direction, never had I felt such a strong sense of belonging.The centerpiece of hajj is a day-long vigil on Mount Arafat, the open ground was full of an incredible hum of people. It was the day where tears fell and hearts overflowed with thankfulness to Allah, with a strong belief in His mercy that all our sins will be forgiven. The day of Arafat is the day I ‘ll never forget.In Muzdalifah as far as the eye could see, all I could see was millions of people spread out on the floor, under the clear black sky. It truly is an enriching experience, it gave me the international experience of the ummah. There are people here from every corner of the world, of all diverse colours, cultures and classes. However here every one is sleeping on the floor. This spiritual equality of the races the rich and poor is the main foundation ofHajj, wearing an Ihraam further reinforces this feeling of equality.After spending the night in Muzdalifah we returned to Mina to stone the devils,It was chaolic! I had to make sure that I was not

struck by a stone and at same time make sure that I don’t accidentally harm anyone,either.After Mina we returned to Makkah to perform Tawaaf-e-Ziyarat, returned to Mina pelt the devils again for two days and then returned to Makkah,We performed the last Hajj rite, the farewell Tawaaf and left Makkah for Medina.Medina is home to the tomb of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh). It is

a structure of inexplicable beauty. When I visited the historical sight of Medina, I could not stop tears from streaming down my face, to walk in a place so steeped in Islamic History is inspiring and humbling.I feel as if I came here with an empty spiritual wallet and returning with an unbelievable amount of richness (spiritual).

(hajjstories.wordpress.com)

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 20EssAY

GUIDAnCEA Smile is a Charity!

Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) encouraged cheerfulness. He encouraged us to smile and to be good-natured. Even meeting another person

with a cheerful disposition is a powerful act of kindness. He taught us to be happy and to

spread happiness to others.

By Sheima Salam Sumer

Abdullah bin Harith ��reported, “I have never seen a man who smiled as much as the Messenger of God “ (Recorded in Tirmithi No:2641)

“A smile is a charity.” ( ��Prophet Muhammad as recorded in Bukhari)

“Do not belittle any ��act of kindness, even that of greeting your brother with a cheerful countenance.” (Prophet Muhammad as recorded in Muslim, At-Tirmidhi)

“Do not abuse anyone. ��o not look down upon any good work, and when you speak to your brother, show him a cheerful face.” ( Prophet Muhammad as recorded in Sahih Muslim: Book 032, Hadith 6359)

Anas narrates, “Allah’s ��Messenger had the best of manners. I had an adopted brother whose name was Abu Umair. He had a sick sparrow called Nughair. Allah’s Messenger used

to be playful with him and ask him: “O Abu Umair, what has happened to your Nughair?” (A playful rhyme) (Recorded in Bukhari)

A man once requested from ��the Prophet the use of a camel. The Prophet replied, “I can loan you a camel’s baby.” “What use to me is a camel’s baby?” queried the man. Laughing, the

Prophet quipped, “Isn’t every camel the baby of

another?” (Recorded in Abu Dawud, Adab, 92; Tirmizi, Birr, 57).

“Much silence ��and a good disposition,

there are no two things better than these.” ( Prophet Muhammad as recorded in Bukhari).

“Shall I tell you of him who ��will be shut out from the fire (of hell)? Every quiet, good-natured fellowman.” ( Prophet Muhammad as recorded in Tirmidhi)

(Sheima Salam Sumer is a trained Counselor and can be reached at howtobeahappymuslim@outlook.com)

Contributions of Islamic Theology to Modern Day Public Health

Practices of good hygiene and nutrition, disease prevention, and infectious disease control revealed through prophetic tradition - and essential elements

of public health today - are just a reminder that Islam was revealed as a comprehensive way of

life, that even extends to public health.

By Affan T. Shaikh

Exploring Islam’s contribution to public health has been an astounding journey for me. Working across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia in Muslim majority countries, I’m amazed at not only the history of Islamic theology in contributing to our modern day understanding of public health, but also its potential to improve its practice. Yet, what is puzzling is that very little attention is given to the relationship between Islam and public health, especially in academia. Practices of good hygiene and nutrition, disease prevention, and infectious disease control— recognized as hallmarks of public health today, were

supported over 1400 years ago through the teachings of Islam.

Islam’s Spiritual FoundationThe impact of Islam and medicine is documented in the life and scholarly contributions of the likes of Ibn Sina, Al-Razi, Ibn al-Nafis, Ibn Zuhr, and al-Zahrawi (Albucasis), as well as in European medieval texts that utilized their works. While the 14th century Arab polymath, Ibn Khaldun in his renowned textMuqaddimah, recognized that “God did not send the Prophet Muhammad to teach us medicine, but to teach us religious law,” it is from within Islam’s spiritual foundation and mandate to pursue knowledge that scientific thought flourished and advances in public health can be traced.Perhaps more than any other intervention, none has been simpler and more effective than improving sanitation and hygienic practices. Improving poor hygiene, inadequate quantities and quality of drinking water, and lack of sanitation facilities prevents many communicable diseases and has helped increase life spans across the world.Centuries before the Sanitary Movement of Europe, Prophet Muhammad taught Muslims “cleanliness is half of faith”

(Sahih Muslim). This hadith alone encompasses the breadth and depth with which a significant number of hadiths elaborate on the idea of cleanliness. From extolling the benefit of washing hands before and after eating to dental hygiene, from access to clean water to personal hygiene acts, were understood as not only acts that benefit the body, but also bring a Muslim closer to God.

Matters of NutritionBut not limited to oneself, Islamic teachings further instilled an awareness of preserving a clean environment by protecting water sources, especially standing water, from pollution and defecation.

Matters of nutrition were often mentioned as well. Islam teaches Muslims the importance of moderation in eating and drinking. Prophet Muhammad went so far as to recommend that Muslims keep only a third of the stomach for food, a third for drink, and a third for breath. At a time when a third of the global population lives without basic sanitation and more people die from eating too much than not eating enough, these virtues carry immense weight and align with public health standards of the day.Infectious disease control, a cornerstone of public health, aims to prevent and control the spread of communicable diseases. Among the notable achievements that have defined public health in the 21st century are the development of vaccines, antibiotics, surveillance methods, and quarantine practices. In fact, a large part of my consulting work centers on these methodologies.In this regard, Islam puts considerable emphasis on health and prevention. The importance of maintaining good health is highlighted in the Prophet’s statements “no blessing other than faith is better than health” and “he who has security in his community group and is healthy in

body and has his daily sustenance, is as if he had all the world at his fingertips.”

Medical Steps to Protect Against DiseasesWhile the Qu’ran and Hadith are primarily concerned with spiritual healing, forms of physical healing were also encouraged and advanced. Islam encourages Muslims to take the necessary

medical steps to protect against diseases, per the Prophet’s advice that “whoever takes measure of prevention is protected.”An example of this is the Ottomans’ adoption of the method for smallpox inoculation from the Near East. Passing the knowledge on to Europe in the early 1700s, Ottoman Egypt— facing a smallpox outbreak—began their eradication efforts after seeing the benefits of the vaccine. Where faith and science were at odds in much of the West, Prophetic traditions from the same era relay to us that Prophet Muhammad taught that, “For every disease, there is a remedy, and when the remedy is made apparent, the disease is cured by the permission of God.” As a result, early Muslims thinkers, physicians, and scientists were encouraged to advance their understanding of health and disease with a focus on preserving good health, avoiding what harms the body, and detoxification, utilizing and building upon the best practices of the day.Early Islamic thought also supported quarantining of patients. The Prophet is reported to have said: “Do not let those infected transmit their disease to those who are healthy” and “ if you know that plague is raging in a specific land, do not enter it and if it happens in a land where you are, do not seek it.” These were practices that did not spread to the West until the eighteenth century when merchant ships were quarantined by refusal to dock until some predetermined time had passed, and not codified until the twentieth century when the International Sanitary Regulations were adopted.At a time when Islam is increasingly misunderstood and politicized, it is important to remember the positive impacts. Practices of good hygiene and nutrition, disease

prevention, and infectious disease control revealed through prophetic tradition— and essential elements of public health today—are just a reminder that Islam was revealed as a comprehensive way of life, that even extends to public health.Considering a globalized world, where many lack basic access to clean water and sanitation, raging epidemics of obesity and malnutrition, and emerging and

re-emerging infectious disease threats, Islam has much to offer, not only to Muslim communities burdened by these public health concerns, but also the global community as a whole.

Motivate Local PopulationsThe challenge for Muslim practitioners in public health is to utilize these teachings in a way that will motivate local populations and activate policy implementations. Without proper education, it is impossible to promote public health awareness, and religion is a key tool in these efforts as it posits a readily available foundation for good public health practices. Conversations on public health policy requires that public health practitioners bring into practice theological teachings, both in academic conversations as well as practical policy implementation. By doing so we can more fully embrace the prophetic traditions handed down to us.(Affan T. Shaikh is a public health professional with interests in global health, disease prevention, and technology. As a consultant, he has worked on the ground in the U.S., Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, with long-term engagements in Saudi Arabia).

Where faith and science were at odds in much of the West, Prophetic traditions from the same era relay to us that Prophet Muhammad taught that,

“For every disease, there is a remedy, and when the remedy is made apparent, the disease is cured by the

permission of God.”

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 21REFLECTIOns

Old Age: Burden or Blessing?Caliph Umar said, Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh)

sought refuge from five things: cowardice, miserliness, old age, narrow-mindedness, and

punishment in the grave.’ The Prophet’s prayer was: ‘O Allah I seek refuge in You from idleness

and old age.’

Like any other phase in life, old age can be a burden or a blessing. It all depends on what you

want to make of your life and what you see as its purpose.

By A Staff WriterNot all of us will live to ‘a ripe old age’, but today, when the average life expectancy has increased, many of us might. There are fundamentally two ways of viewing life, and they offer two distinct ways of viewing old age.One way of viewing life is the materialistic way. According to this view, we are just the body—a collection of some billion molecules of matter—and when we die, that is the end of us. Accordingly, for materialists’, life has no real or ultimate purpose, or, if one has to find a purpose to live for in order to remain sane, it is to ‘enjoy’—to maximize the stimulation of the five senses as far as possible.The second way of viewing life is the religious or spiritual. According to this view, we are spirit beings or souls that happen, for a temporary period, to inhabit physical bodies. When our term on this earth comes to an end, our bodies go back to the earth while our spirit or soul lives on. Accordingly, for religious or spiritually-minded people, life has an ultimate purpose—and that is, the development or realisation of the true nature of the spirit or soul, generally in relation to God.These two distinct and mutually contradictory views about life—the materialistic and the religious/spiritual—give rise to two very different ways of handling old age.

Making Merry While the Sun Shines In his 80s, X may not be a self-confessed atheist. He may even claim to believe in God. Yet, God and religion hardly play any role in his life. For all practical purposes, X’s ‘god’ are the club that he haunts and the beer-guzzling friends he spends every second night out with. He loves partying, and every now and then he flies off to this or that country for a holiday. “I know that I’ve very little time left,” he thinks. “So, why not make merry while the sun still shines?”Z is an 84 year-old grandmother. From morning to evening, she’s after her son’s children, doing things for them even though she

needn’t because they are old enough to do these for themselves. She irons their clothes, packs their

school-bags, makes breakfast for them and walks them down to the school-bus. When they are back from school, she even volunteers to do their homework for them. While they are away at school, she is busy on the Internet, searching for recipes of ‘exotic’ dishes to make for them. She’s constantly heckling the children: “Do this!” “Don’t do that!” “What time will you come back?”, “Have you washed your face?”, “Have you done your homework”, “Wear your socks!” “Comb your hair!” “Have you put away your books?” “What will you have for lunch tomorrow?” “Will you have scrambled egg or omelet?” “Do you want butter or cheese on your toast?”

Going Mad With Boredom“I don’t know what I would have done with myself if I didn’t have my grandchildren,” Z says. “Because they are there, at least I have something to do, to keep busy with.” She dreads the day when her grandchildren will no longer be around. “What will I do then? I might go literally mad with boredom, with nothing to do!”In his late 70s, T spends most of his time at home. For much of the day, he is glued to the TV. He watches mostly violent films, and is also hooked to news channels that specialize in sensational debates, exposing this or that

politician or scandal—which only makes him more aggressive and negative. “It’s important to know what’s happening in the world,” he says in his defence, even though he doesn’t care to know what’s happening in the lives of his own children.For X, Z and T, old age, even if they may not admit it, is a terrible burden that they are simply forced to put up with. They lack a higher purpose to live for. Time, for them, is something to be ‘passed’ somehow or the other, otherwise, they fear, they would simply lose their minds. And so, they while

away their time doing the sorts of things they do just to keep themselves ‘busy’.

Life is not Just Time-Pass In contrast to them are people for whom life is not just ‘time-pass’, but, rather, a God-given opportunity

for their spiritual development. Such people think of old age as a blessing from God, each moment

a valuable treasure to be carefully spent in order to please God and do God’s Will. For such people, old age is an opportunity, rather than a burden. It provides them the opportunity to strengthen their relationship with God, through prayer, meditation and reflection, and to seek forgiveness and make amends for the wrongs they may have done in the past, thus helping to smoothen their impending departure from this world and their entry into the eternal Hereafter. S is a 90 year-old religious scholar. He is economically very comfortable, and, if he had wanted to, could have led a quiet, relaxed retired life. But no! He continues to be super-active as the head of

a spiritual organization, writing articles and books, delivering discourses, and attending interfaith conferences. He regularly meets people, listens to their problems and provides them spiritual guidance. Promoting God-consciousness is his

mission, which he continues to be busy with even at his age! He is about the most God-intoxicated people I have ever met!

Spending Time SpirituallyIn her late 60s, P is a retired teacher. She identifies herself as a ‘spiritual universalist’, appreciating the goodness in all religions. Her day is punctuated with prayers at regular hours, and she spends much time reading spiritual books. “I also do my household chores, like cleaning and cooking, and I consider these to be service to God,” she says. “I love chatting with God. I try to think of Him when I am at work. I love seeing Him everywhere around me—in a plant, in a bird, in a fellow human, in the breeze. I love singing songs to Him.”R is in his mid-80s, but that hasn’t sapped his enthusiasm for helping people in need. Twice a week, he volunteers at the help-desk in a charitable hospital. He also occasionally helps out at a home for mentally-challenged people. He is part of a group that gets together once a week to cook food for people living on the streets. “Serving God’s creatures is a way to serve God,” he explains.Like any other phase in life, old age can be a burden or a blessing. It all depends on what you want to make of your life and what you see as its purpose. n

InTERFAITH HARMOnY Muslims Serve Refreshments to Kanwars

A Brilliant Example of Religious HarmonyBy Anjali Bisaria

New Delhi: While the residents of Delhi NCR generously attributed a part of their traffic woes to the kanwar yatra, some

good people of the earth were busy dispensing refreshments to these foot soldiers. Showing the world how it's done - the very world that is bleeding at the seams thanks to terrorism - Hindus and Muslims, both,

organised refreshment centers for the hiking pilgrims who were en route Haridwar during the holy month of saavan.The camps may have been separate from one another,

but in essence, the two set the biggest example of

religious camaraderie seen in a while. Saifi Samaj ShamliOrganised by a group of Muslim social workers, this band of helpers served bananas and

biscuits to the kanwars. They also provided medical aid and these pictures show that religion knows no barriers when it comes to humanity.A 'universal brotherhood

movement', the group sees people from all religions who come together to serve the society at large. With an aim to see only the goodness of people's hearts, this social group organised a drive where they served drinks to kanwars at Delhi's Kalkaji Temple.

(www. indiatimes.com)

Old age provides people the opportunity to strengthen their relationship with God, through prayer, meditation and reflection, and to seek forgiveness and make amends for the wrongs

they may have done in the past, thus helping to smoothen their impending departure from this world and their entry into the eternal Hereafter.

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 22

voters. They should nominate a Muslim candidate on at least half of the 89 seats where Muslims represent 20 to 30% of voters. In case they are not persuaded by this view, Muslims should consolidate their choices in favour of some independent Muslim candidate or candidate of a party which is committed to address their concerns. The Muslim votes have been swinging between regional parties of Uttar Pradesh without bringing them any development dividends for the last quarter century. Don’t Outsource LeadershipMuslims should now take up two initiatives, first to organize voting by cent per cent Muslim voters, and take the women of the household to the polling booths. Preparations should start for the voting, days ahead of elections. Secondly, they should try to unify their choices in a particular constituency in order that a candidate of their choice receives consolidated support of the community. During the last elections, the Muslim electorate of the Bhojipura, Tulsipur, Kathore, Mirgan, Aligarh, Lucknow West, Allahabad South and Didarganj took some measures to homogenize the Muslim choices and succeeded in getting a favourable candidate to win

Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh ...the election. The Muslim voters from Thakurdwara, Qaiserganj, Bijnore, Nanpara, Nawabgang, Meerut Cantt., Parchandpur, Anola, Karta Bazaar, Rauhaniya and Fazilnagar should review their voting records of the past elections in order to ascertain their choice for the candidate beforehand. The community should seriously do some soul-searching and should not allow outsourcing of their leadership to other communities.Now that we know for sure the situation of Muslims in matters of education, employment, economic status and representation in Government services, how could we sit content and allow fruits of national development to elude us and our rights being trampled upon. One should not turn a Nelson’s eye from elements within the community who are out to spread confusion and obfuscate the objectives of our struggle. All Forums for UnityPrime need of the hour is to bring a turnaround in the fortunes of the community and enable it to regain its Constitutional status. If people from across the nation could be brought together through Yoga, why not utilize the Namaz to consolidate the community members. If a community which deserves to have 70 of the Lok Sabha seats is reduced to less

Page 9

Page 14 Contours of Israeli Lobby ...My no. 1 priority in foreign policy is to protect Israel.Tom DeLay, Armey’s successor as Majority Leader:“I am an Israeli at heart.”Morton Klein, the President of ZOA had quoted him saying: “He cared about Israel in every fiber of his being”. Senator Ernest Hollings (Democrat-SC): You can’t have an Israeli policy other than what AIPAC gives you around here. Roger Hilsman, Columbia University Professor and former Assistant Secretary of State :“It is obvious to even the most casual observer… that US foreign policy in the Middle East where oil reigns supreme, has been more responsive to the pressure of the

American Jewish population and their natural desire to support Israel than it has to American oil interests.Ben Gurion, a Zionist leader: “Were I an Arab, I would rebel even more vigorously, bitterly, and desperately against the immigration that will one day turn Palestine and all its Arab residents over to Jewish rule”. (Remark made in June 1937)A Pentagon official (not named by authors):”Israel’s strategic value to the US was always grotesquely exaggerated.” (Source: The above information has been extracted from The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt, Penguin Books, London.)

than half its numbers, then it is time sit up and take notice that the promised dividends of democracy are not reaching it. This is certainly not a privilege of democracy, but the enslavement of a social component which goes unrepresented. Muslims should even prepare their own Manifesto for the 2017 UP Assembly elections in order that the parties that are looking for Muslim support could align their manifestos in keeping with the aspiration of the community. If Muslims raise a demand for reservations in Uttar Pradesh, it might lead to counter polarization of votes in favour of the communal forces. This would be harmful for us. I may focus on issues that are more important than reservation in the State in my write-ups in future. Let me conclude with the appeal that we need to make a decisive step towards consolidation of our choices at every constituency level and should not allow the opponents to take any advantage of our disunity.(Note: The author is a former IRS officer and was a member of the Sachar Committee. He heads the Zakat Foundation of India, Delhi. The article appeared in Urdu daily Rashtriya Sahara in its edition dated 27th July, 2016 and has been translated in-house by Islamic Voice.)

‘Her Hijab Story’OPEn PAGE

She was being judged for not what was in her head, but what was ‘on’ her head.

By Nafeea Afshin ‘Did you see my fishnet stockings anywhere?’ questioned a frowning adolescent, in her peculiar cadence, to her roommate. The frowning adolescent was also the only child of her parents, a fact that was evident enough in her demeanor. Being brought up with a detestable degree of pampering, she had by then little been faced with harshness from the brutal world that lay outside. She was readying her stuff, her clothes and her favorite novels, carefully placing them in the travel bags. The mid-year break in her engineering college had come about, and she was going home for the holidays. Her plane landed on the hot soils of the Valley City of Guwahati, post a four-hour flight all the way from the metropolitan Bengaluru. In about an hours’ time, she was home, with her lovely set of parents.Once, at home, while looking for a journal in her father’s book shelf, she stumbled upon an old book, “Islamic Reminders”, the book was titled. As she sat down to glance at its pages (just so bored that she was), she found herself staggeringly immersed into its profound contents. Hour upon hour, she sat reading through its pages, until she felt a drop of tear slide down her cheek and fall ontothe page she was reading and soak through it. Such was the Peace, the Might and the Mercy in the words of the Almighty, which conquered her and softened her heart in nothing more than just half a day.She read about the five pillars of Islam, of the obligations of a believing Muslim, of the prescribed dress code and about the correct codes of conduct. All her life, she

had seen her parents practice this Most Perfect religion of Allah, with grit and humility that she wasn’t, until now, very capable of comprehending. Her heart foundered at the thought of the

times her father mildly requested her to wear ‘a bit more loose clothing that would cover the arms and the back, only if she would like to.’ Her soul roared in disgust of her own neglectfulness.One afternoon, while she was sitting with her family chatting about the flight timing that was scheduled for the following morning, she declared to her parents’ that she would change her style of dressing. Filled withjoy as much as surprise, they backed her up in her decision and advised her go ahead in implementing it. Stuffing her travel bag with bright colored hijabs (head and neck scarfs) and black abayas with elegant laceworks, she felt contented at her prudent yet bold decision of complying with the rules set by Allah.

The mid-semester holidays had culminated and the classes were to begin full-fledged from the very next day in her college in Bengaluru. Soon the lonely night in the lonesome hostel room metamorphosed into a fine bright morning. Buzzed aloud her alarm at the stroke of dawn, waking her up, energetic and fresh. She jolted out of her bed, hurried to make

ablution and laid the prayer mat on the floor in front of her.Shortly afterwards, with brisk movements that were characteristic of her native origin, the young teenager walked around the small room preparing herself in her brand new Islamic clothes.With the ends of her emerald-green scarf flowing in the soft breeze and a silver brooch pin gleaming from the side, she paced her steps faster than usual through the dim-lit venerated corridor, towards the end of which her classroom was situated. Making a dash at

the classroom entrance door, she stood there still for a moment with her heart pounding abnormally loud and her legs trembling. What actually would have been only a few seconds at the entrance door, seemed very nearly like an eternity to her.A questioning silence seized the entire room as she made her way to one of the empty benches.

Throughout the lecture, her classmates exchanged curious glances with one another. They flooded her with questions as soon as the break commenced. One of her close friends even complimented that her abaya looked ‘certainly more decent than those jeans’.While nearly all of her friends opined on this choice of hers as ‘quite an intrepid step’, her lecturers unexpectedly appeared to be reproachful. Not even a month passed and they began ostracizing her altogether. They criticized her so much so that one of them even

pointed out that offering prayers ‘way too much’ would consume a lot of her time which she could otherwise have spent in reading lessons or doing experiments. She was being judged for not what was in her head, but what was ‘on’ her head.The bitter consequence of her taking up hijab is something she had well contemplated before. But the fear of confronting those consequences did not stop her from obeying the words of Allah, not even to the smallest extent. Days rolled into weeks and weeks into months, their attitudes towards her underwent only subtle changes.With sabr (patience) and tawakkul (complete trust), she uncomplainingly kept enduring the moments of crisis that came her way. But she kept holding to the rope of Allah.So, that’s her Hijab-Story! And what’s yours?(The writer is a student pursuing engineering in Bengaluru, and can be reached at afshinnafeea@gmail.com)

Her heart foundered at the thought of the times her father mildly requested her to wear ‘a bit more loose clothing that would cover the arms and the back, only if she would like to.’ Her soul roared in disgust of her

own neglectfulness.

We welcome original articles based on real life experiences from readers for the “Open Page” column.... something positive and inspiring. We received this from Nafeea Afshin, a student in Bengaluru.

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 23sOUL TALK

The Wisdom Well

Power of the WordBy Hazrat Inayat Khan

There may perhaps be someone among our friends or acquaintances whose one word has weight and power; whereas another person says a thousand words that go in at one ear and out at the other. And this is because in one person his mouth speaks, in another person his heart speaks, and in another his soul speaks. There is a great difference.The word has a magic in it, it can turn friends into your enemies, and it can make your enemies your friends. The mystery of all success in every direction of life is in the word. The word has power to turn the mind of the listener warm or cold. The word can produce the effect of earth,

water, fire, air, or ether. The word can produce depress ion or joy. The one who knows the c h e m i st r y of the word does not need drugs or herbs. He

has medicine for every disease in the world, not only for bodily disease, but also for the disorders

of the mind, which still remain unexplored by science. By a constant study of life, by special thought given to one's word, by careful watching of the effects of one's speech upon others, one arrives at a state of realization where one can heal hearts.

When We Do Not UnderstandThe whole purpose of your life is to make yourself ready to understand what God is, what your fellow man is, what the

nature of man is, what life is.We often suffer because we do not understand. Many conditions and many people are difficult to tolerate because we do not understand them, but once we understand we can tolerate almost anything. All tragedy of life, all misery

and disharmony are caused by one thing and that is lack of understanding. Lack of understanding comes from lack of penetration. The one who does not see from the point of view from which he ought to see becomes disappointed because he cannot understand. It is not for the outer world to help us to understand life better; it is we ourselves who should help ourselves to understand it better.What a great thing is understanding! It is priceless. No

man can give greater pleasure to his fellow man than by understanding him. The closest friend in life is the one who

understands most. It is not your wife, brother or sister, it is the one who understands you most who is your greatest friend in the world. You can be the greatest friend of God if you can understand God. Imagine how man lives in the world -- with closed eyes and closed ears! Every name and every form speaks constantly, constantly makes signs for you to hear, for you to respond to, for you to interpret, that you may become a friend of God. The whole purpose of your life is to make yourself ready to understand what God is, what your fellow man is, what the nature of man is, what life is. n

Wonder of WondersHow blind are those who can see the skill of a conjurer’s magical feats, but not the infinitely

greater feats of God’s creation!By Maulana

Wahiduddin Khan

Looking at the human body from a purely physical point of view, one finds that it is just made up of water, carbon, oxygen and some other chemical elements. One can even work out, as scientist Robert Pattison has done, the price of material constituents of the human body. According to his calculations, their market value is about six and a half US dollars, about four hundred Indian rupees today. Yet out of this four hundred rupees worth of matter, God has created a human being so wonderful that no price can be set upon him. Not even four hundred billion rupees can buy the priceless masterpiece that God has fashioned within the human frame.One can appreciate the pricelessness of the human body when some part of it is lost. If one loses a hand, for instance, millions of dollars will not buy a new one like it. If one loses one’s sight, all the wealth in the world will not win it back. If one’s power of speech fails one, there will be no tongue in the shops of the world which will put one’s thoughts into words.How incredible is it that God should fashion something so wonderful

out of things of no value. It is only He who can bring the dead to life; only He who has the power to convert insensate matter into conscious life, to make something out of nothing. If a magician were to cast a spell on a stone, making it break into speech, everyone would be spellbound at his feat. The feat which God has performed is one of much greater complexity. He has made the inanimate matter that constitutes man’s body into a moving, talking, thinking human being. Yet God’s feat does not cause people to wonder. How blind are those who can see the skill of a conjurer’s magical feats, but not the infinitely greater feats of God’s creation! How ignorant are those who rush to become devoted disciples of anyone able to perform false tricks, but are without feelings of any adoration for or attachment to the One who performs truly wondrous acts of creative genius. If only man were to truly discover God, he would become totally absorbed in the Lord’s wondrous feats of creation. Everything in the world would appear to him as a remarkable sign of God’s power and perfection. While dwelling in an earthly abode, he would see and feel nothing but the Lord on high. n

A Positive Aspect of IllnessThe sick person must develop positive thinking, and that in the face of

illness, he must not yield to despair.

By Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Illness appears on the face of it to be something very undesirable. But if you think about it deeply, you will discover that there is a

positive aspect even in illness. It is said that whenever the Prophet visited a patient, he would say to him, “Don’t worry, God willing, it will be a means of purification.” (Sahih Bukhari, hadith no. 5656) With regard to this hadith, the

noted Hadith scholar Ibn Hajar says that the phrase “God willing” here proves that this saying of the Prophet is not to be taken in the sense of khabar, or a definite statement of fact, about sickness, but is rather a dua or supplication

to God. But the fact is that this saying of the Prophet is a khabar in the form of a dua. This means that the sick person must develop positive thinking, and that in the face of illness, he must not yield to despair. In this prayer, there is

a message of solace and comfort for people because in most cases, people recover from their illness.In this way, the case of a sick person has a lesson to teach us about life in general. And that is that the system of this world is based on the principle of recovery. Here, if you lop off the branch of a tree, a new branch will begin to grow in just the same place. If a person falls sick, then, in line with the law of nature, he can regain his health. In this way, in this world, one can gain something that one has lost. This principle of recovery after suffering a loss applies to every sort of loss that one may incur in life—economic loss, political loss, and so on. Hence, there is absolutely no place for complaint, no matter what the circumstances. This is an extremely important lesson for people, something that they can learn through personal experience in the event of illness. n

If you lop off the branch of a tree, a new branch will begin

to grow in just the same place. If a person falls sick, then, in

line with the law of nature, he can regain his health. In this

way, in this world, one can gain something that one has lost.

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ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 25

Venkat says. “The bags give women an income source and also ensure that

shopkeepers have a good quality alternative that’s available at a price-ranging from 10

to 20 rupees per bag, depending on the size-and that makes it fairly easy for them

to transit from plastic to cloth-bags.”

Lighting Up Lives: A Little Bag Can Go A Long Way!

MEn MIssIOn & MACHInEs

Walk down the narrow paths, riddled with giant pot-holes, that wind through the sprawling slums of Rajendranagar and LR Nagar and

you’ll discover a totally different world from the malls and fancy eateries just beyond. It is in this area that Swabhimaan, an NGO, headed by Venkatraman Iyer has been working for several

years now, bringing hope to many.

By Yoginder Sikand You have to see it to believe it—the grinding poverty, the terrible stench, the almost non-existent basic infrastructure, the mountains of accumulating garbage…Who would think that such misery abounds in the fringes of Koramangala, considered to be one of Bangalore’s most economically-affluent localities? Walk down the narrow paths, riddled with giant pot-holes, that wind through the sprawling slums of Rajendranagar and LR Nagar and you’ll discover a totally different world from the malls and fancy eateries just beyond. It is in this area that Swabhimaan, an NGO, headed by Venkatraman Iyer (or Venkat as he is also called) has been working for several years now, bringing hope to many.

Gainful EmploymentSwabhimaan works on several fronts: it provides English teachers to several schools in the area that lacked this facility and awards scholarships to children.

It runs a free clinic and distributes groceries free of cost to some 500 families every month. Every day, its volunteers distribute cooked food to around 150 families in the area. One of Swabhimaan’s latest initiatives is a cloth-bag making unit, which is providing gainful employment to some 40-50 women. It was Venkat’s response to the huge piles of rubbish that dotted the area, much of it consisting of plastic bags. “When efforts were being

made to ban the use of one-time plastic carry-bags, traders were in quandary,” Venkat says. “They wanted to know what the

alternative could be—something available easily and at reasonable price. We realized that this was a huge opportunity to avail the services of a large number of women from economically very poor families in the slums we work in. Most of their husbands are daily-wage earners. Some of their husbands don’t earn at all. Some of the women are widows. Most of the women had sewing machines, but very little work they could do with them. We started the bag unit to provide

such women a chance to work and earn while being in their own homes.” Bringing Meaning into their LivesSwabhimaan provides the women with the cloth, needles and thread. The women collect the cloth every morning, stitch the bags in their homes on their machines and deliver them back in the evening. If they stitch around 50-60 bags a day, they can earn between 100-150 rupees daily. Swabhimaan

has teamed up with shops in the city to buy the bags, which they, in turn, sell to customers. Around 60 years old, Gulnaz Begum heads the bag-making unit. She believes that this unit has brought meaning to her life. After all her children had married off and moved away to their own homes, she was feeling depressed, but now having to manage the unit, which keeps her usefully occupied

much of the day, she has found a new lease of life, as it were. 30 year-old Arbina Khanam, mother of two, earns around 200 a day working on the bags, which helps her send her kids to school. Sagai

Mary, a young widow with three kids, is the sole breadwinner in her family. She works as a maid in homes in the neighborhood and stitches bags in her spare time, earning about 100 rupees a day.

Empowering Women Economically“This is a complete social and not-for-profit enterprise,” Venkat explains. “The income that the women earn is far more important,

because 100% of it is used by them on their families, which is rarely the case with men’s income. Often, men spend their money on cigarettes, tea and drinks, but women spend all they earn on

their children and on buying food for the family. That’s one reason why it is so important to empower them economically.”“Using reusable cloth bags instead of plastic bags is much more environmentally-friendly. They take plastic out of the system,” Venkat says. “The bags give women an income source and also ensure that shopkeepers have a good quality alternative that’s available at a price—ranging from 10 to 20 rupees per bag, depending on the size—and that makes it fairly easy for them to transit from plastic to cloth-bags.” “Right now we make and sell some 800-1000 bags a day, and we want to expand the programme,” Venkat continues. “We appeal to shopkeepers and customers to buy our bags, which are far more durable than plastic bags and are very reasonably priced. We also appeal to people who can help fund this initiative so that it can provide employment to many more women.” (Venkat can be contacted onvenkatraman.iyer1958@gmail.com)For more details about Swabhimaan, seehttp://www.swabhimaan.org/

Swabhimaan works on several fronts: it provides English teachers to several schools in the area that

lacked this facility and awards scholarships to children. It runs a free clinic and distributes groceries free of cost to some 500 families every month. Every day, its volunteers distribute cooked food to around

150 families in the area.

Venkatraman Iyer

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 26US Servility to Israeli Objectives

BOOK REvIEW

The Israel Lobby and American Foreign PolicyIsrael Lobby and US Foreign PolicyBy John J. Mearsheimer, and Stephen M. WaltPenguin Books, England484 pages, Price: $ 26.95

Reviewed by

Maqbool Ahmed Siraj

It is an unusual book, coming as it does from a western publisher. Mustering courage to define the Israeli lobby—the book only uses the term ‘Israel Lobby’—its evolution in the United States and extension of its arms into every conceivable corridor, nay nooks and crevices of the American policy, it exposes the massive clout the Zionists lobby wields in the most powerful democracy of the world.It is no mystery that Israel not merely defies the United States, but also dictates the line it wants the global cop to follow even to the extent of ignoring its (US’s) own national interest and gets done all that it desires to do to its neighbours. Jews make up not more than three per cent of the America’s population. They are more educated and more prosperous than the general population. They have a high turnout rate in elections and are concentrated in key states like California, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania which increases their weight in determining who becomes president. Though Jews form the core of the Israeli lobby, it cannot be solely defined with reference to faith and community. A good part of the Christian Zionists too are part of the lobby. Favours and FreebiesIt is vital to understand that the Washington’s Middle East policy is shaped by the power of the Israeli lobby within America and totally ignores the misconduct of Israel. Israel bombed Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak in 1981; annexed the Golan Heights (belonging to Syria) in December the same year; invaded Lebanon in 1982 and rejected Reagan Plan for Peace in September 1982. Yet it faced no reprisals. Not alone this. It was rewarded in multiple ways with favours and freebies without any scope for candid discussion. Israel and US have joint Anti-Terrorism Working Group (formed in 1996); an electronic hotline functions between Pentagon and Israel’s Ministry of Defence; Israel has access to the US satellite based missile warning system (since 1967); the two states have an

intelligence-sharing system in place (since 1950); Israel maintains active chemical and biological weapons programme and is yet to ratify the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (non-compliance of which led to US sanctions on several countries

including Iran). Such has been the condescending attitude that the US even ignores the openly hostile Israeli actions against itself (the US), e.g., Israeli agents tried to bomb several US offices in Egypt in an attempt to sow differences between Egypt and the US; Israel sold military supplies to Iran while the US hostages were being held captive there; Israel purchased $36 million of Iranian oil in 1989 under a barter for release of Israeli hostages in Lebanon; it transferred American arms technology to China, a potential adversary of the US; and devastating espionage against US by Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard (imprisoned in 1984 and released recently after 30 years). Largesse ContinuesBut American largesse has continued undeterred. Washington has vetoed 42 UN Security Council resolutions critical of Israel between 1972 and 2006. This number is greater than the combined total of all the vetoes cast by all the other permanent member of the Security Council

in the same period. Every invasion by Israel has only brought it more

diplomatic aid and military as well financial assistance. The US has been blocking the issue of Israel’s nuclear arsenal on the agenda of International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA) every time the Arab neighbours have tried to push it. Since 1976, six Israeli leaders

have addressed joint sessions of the Congress, a higher total than for any other country. More a Liability than AssetThe authors comprehensively demolish twin pleas for relentless American support for Israel for being a strategic ally in a region festering with ‘rogue states’ and moral imperative for supporting a state that has been victim of the Holocaust, shares political values with the US, being only democracy in the Middle East and an island of civil liberties. Israel’s usefulness to the US between 1967 and 1989 (collapse of Soviet Union) could be understood but not beyond. In fact during the first Iraq War it had to be kept aloof lest the coalition against Iraq could get jeopardized. Israeli belligerence in the unipolar world only exacerbated anti-Americanism in the Arab street and the Islamic world which is clearly a liability than an asset. Similarly, the theory of Israeli partnership against terrorism also loses justification. Some of the Arab states cultivate terrorists to counter Israeli excesses and they are dangerous because US’s unquestioning commitment to Israel is the cause of their being dangerous. Moreover, when the US could make common cause with mass murderers like the leadership of China and Russia and remain ally of despotic Arab sheikhdoms and Nuclear Israel, why not deal with Iran, Iraq, Libya and Syria on similar terms which are only ‘minor rogues’.

All these only lead us to conclude that strategic and moral rationale for American support for Israel is extremely weak. Working OvertimeThe authors debunk the myth that the US media is controlled by the Jews but do concede that Israeli lobby works in a variety of ways to silence the critics; works overtime to cultivate positive image of Israel among the general populace; organizes all-expenses paid trips to bring hundreds of university students to Washington DC to listen to the Israeli lobby; tars the critics with the charge of anti-Semitism (something increasingly getting

devalued due to overuse); and has developed vested interests in portraying Israel as beleaguered and vulnerable inasmuch as today Israel has become a need for their own viability and existence. No wonder then why a Pew survey in 2005 found that 39% of Americans considered American support for Israel a major cause for global discontent. Stifling criticism of Israel to cultivate sympathy in the US has now become an industry to the extent that criticism of Israel cannot even be imagined. Weak Arab LobbyOne could genuinely question as to why wealthy Arabs cannot counter the Israeli lobby within the US. Arab lobby is mainly

represented by Arab-Americans who are too weak and too divided into disparate groups to be focused like Israeli lobby. Arab lobby’s support in the US is not indigenous, they have to rather hire professional lobbyists. Even the threat of cutting off oil supplies from Arab countries does not work because it would only deprive the dictatorial sheikhdoms of much oil revenues that they need to remain in power. Secondly, unhinging with the US is impossible as wealthy Sheikhs have sizeable investments in the US and economic downturn in the US economy would hurt themselves. Third, reduction in oil supplies would trigger a shift to alternative energy sources which would then become more attractive. Relook at ServilityHaving fought Israel’s enemies in the Middle East for nearly two decades, US finds itself in a deep muddle. Iraq has been deeply destabilized and ruled by the Shias who are more amenable to Iranian advice, something contrary to Iraq under Saddam. Of late, things are turning in favour of minority Alwite regime of Bashar al-Assad in Syria after five-year civil war. Anti-American forces like Hezbollah, Nasrullah and Hamas are much stronger today than they were two decades ago. Besides a host of terrorist bodies like Al-Qaeda, Al-Jihad al-Islami and ISIS are running amok through the chaotic Levant. Suicide bombings are the order of the day and threatening peace more than ever. The US is far from transforming the Middle East the way it imagined and Israel’s security has been compromised more seriously at the hands of non-State actors than the despots who ruled earlier. Is it not the time for the Americans to shun the Israeli servility and have a relook as to where they have been led in pursuit of objectives of the Israeli state? n

The US foreign policy in the Middle East is

guided by Israeli petty interest rather than

the US’s own national interest.

One could genuinely question as to why

wealthy Arabs cannot counter the Israeli lobby within the US. Arab lob-by is mainly represented by Arab-Americans who

are too weak and too divided into disparate

groups to be focused like Israeli lobby.

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 27Grapes

Learn To Forgive

LIvInG IsLAM

Consideration for feelings of others and graciousness in accepting gifts are etiquettes we can learn from the Prophet (Pbuh).

One day a poor man brought a bunch of grapes to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a gift. He was very excited to be able to bring a gift for the Prophet (pbuh). He placed the grapes beside the Prophet and said, ‘O Prophet of God, please accept this small gift from me’. He was a poor man who could not afford more. His face beamed with happiness as he offered his small gift. It was

evident that he loved the Prophet a lot.The Prophet thanked him graciously. As the man looked at him expectantly, the Prophet ate one grape. Then he ate another one. Slowly the Prophet finished the whole bunch of grapes by himself. He did not offer grapes to anyone present. The poor man who brought those grapes was very pleased and left. The companions

of the Prophet who were around him were surprised. Usually the Prophet shared whatever he got with them. He would offer them whatever he was given and they would eat it together.Usually he would start first, out of respect to the person who had given him the gift. But he would always offer it to others. This time had been different. Without offering it to anyone, the Prophet

finished the bunch of grapes by himself. One of the companions asked respectfully, “O Prophet of God! How come you ate all the grapes by yourself and did not offer to any one of us present?” The holy Prophet smiled and said, “I ate all the grapes by myself because the grapes were sour. If I would have offered you, you might have made funny faces and shown your distaste of the grapes. That would have hurt the feelings of that poor man.

I thought to myself that it’s better that I eat all of them cheerfully and please the poor man. I did not want to hurt the feelings of that poor man.” n

Forgiving each other, even forgiving one’s enemies remains at the core of Islamic teaching.

By Sadia Dehlvi

Humanity is created in the divine image and we know that God is absolute knowledge and compassion. Amongst the

99 known names of Allah, the two primary ones are Rahman and Rahim, most merciful and compassionate. Except for one chapter, the remaining 113 chapters of the Quran begin with Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim that is an invocation of these two names. It is God’s compassion that sustains the journey of our lives. The Quran says, “By the morning hours and the night when it falls, your Lord has neither forgotten nor forsaken you.” Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) often said that God’s mercy was akin to the love and compassion that a mother has for her child. Allah

endowed women with his primary attribute of mercy.Just as it is important to believe in God’s mercy, it is necessary to base human relations on forgiveness. We cannot expect Allah’s forgiveness unless we also forgive those who wrong us. Forgiving each other, even forgiving one’s enemies remains at the core of Islamic teaching.In one of the prayers that the Prophet taught, he said, “O Allah, you are most forgiving one, you love to forgive, so forgive me.” We need to invoke God’s love, mercy and forgiveness all the time.Love, compassion and mercy are attributes of a sound heart that is aligned with God. Prophet Muhammad once pointed to his heart and said, “Renunciation is here, the love and fear of Allah is here, sincerity is here.” When the heart becomes pure, serene and sound, it is able to hear the call of God, the call of the prophets, Sufis and sages. A sound heart is tender, compassionate and detached from worldly lusts and acts in accordance with the will of God.”(Sadia Dehlvi is a Delhi-based writer)

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 28LIFE & RELATIOnsHIPs

Coming Out From Falsehood to Reality!The Discover Yourself Personality Development Workshop was held by Dr Sadathullah Khan for the BET Sadathunisa Degree College girls on 19, 20 & 21 August, 2016.(Organized by: Bismillah Education Trust, Bismillahnagar, Gurappana Palya, Bengaluru, Karnataka.) Around 170 students participated in the Workshop and some of them share their experiences.

A. TAJ: Before the workshop, I was comparing, judging and having wrong opinions about others. I had lots of burden and tension in life. My life was complicated. But after the workshop I discovered a 'NEW ME' and I submitted my life to Allah and accepted the reality. I stopped asking the questions like why me? And I used to always compare my life with others, I stopped this now. This workshop changed my life and attitude. Now I am in the present and my ego is

dead.

NAHID: Before the workshop, my life was in darkness, revolving around the false things, not able to see the real me. After the workshop I am able to distinguish between good and evil, truth and false, and now I know the purpose of my life. Now I know who Allah is and what he wants from His human beings and who actually a human being is? I am able to see the real world and will reach the

goal to seek Allah's love, that is all, nothing else a human being needs.

SHAZIA: First of all I would like to thank you. Before this workshop I was very rude to others and I would not forgive the people easily. By attending this workshop I really changed myself, it helped me to come out of that negative behavior.

SAKEENA: My life was boring before the workshop. I was very

much busy with mobile phone, or TV, I was not concentrating on my studies and was living in the past with lots of anger. Now I have started to be responsible and now able to take control of myself and my anger. Thank you so much sir, for coming to our college and hosting this workshop.

AMRIN: I didn't expect that my problem which I was facing from a long time can easily be solved. Thank you so much for showing the way to solve all our problems in life. I will never think of the past or the future, just enjoy the present and serve humanity. I have no words to describe this workshop, it is a beautiful gift that changed my whole life.

LUFNA: Well, Before I was very sensitive, very frustrated. Now I have got confidence that nothing is impossible, to achieve our goals without negativity. I will be responsible and not dependent on anyone. Thank you for helping me to overcome all the negativity.

SUSHMA: I am very glad that I attended this workshop. I never thought this workshop will improve my life style and my way of thinking. I am very much benefitted from this workshop. Sir, you are a very good coach and your talk is very useful for people to overcome all their troubles in life. I changed myself to be responsible.

Wonderful Soul searching workshop. It is fully ��spiritual and motivational to start a new life.I changed my way of life towards submission, ��got connected to Allah and I live to seek Allah's love.All the people on this Earth should attend this ��workshop.It helped me to come out from falsehood to ��reality and find myself lucky and blessed to be here.I had the fear of coming up in front of people ��and speak, after the first day session the fear disappeared.I am really happy to attend this workshop as it ��

is helping me in my life, home, and college too.

It helped me in clearing up all ��the 'NO'S' & 'CANNOT' from my life and to live a life that Allah wants us.

A beautiful gift that changed my life.��

I have learned to have patience in every ��moment of life and my parents are happy with me.

It was just amazing, thanks to sir, he was ��fabulous and awesome.

The Discover Yourself Workshop was held at Al – Muminah School, Mumbai, for the 9th and 10th Std students, on 25, 26,27 & 28 July 2016.Around 130 Students participated in the Workshop and some of them share their experiences.

A Life Changing Workshop!Every Student must Attend!

It was a great experience. It was indeed mind ��awakening to discover one’s real self.It is a life changing workshop, every student ��must attend.I used to be rude with my family members, ��but now I am trying my best to behave well.The experience was amazing. I used to fight ��with my brother daily, but now after the workshop I say ok and forgive him.Before I was lacking in confidence, but after ��the workshop I became very bold person.It was very useful to change myself from evil ��to good.It changed my perspective to see everyone ��

as human beings. Really a life changing experience.Before I never used to offer Salah on time, ��but now really I enjoy praying my Salah on time and I feel peaceful. I learnt that the real key to success is Salah for me.After the workshop, life is full of peace, I am ��living my life with happiness, enjoyment and fun, It is now easy to tackle any problem in my life.After the workshop, I took off all my glasses ��of judgments, assumptions etc. so that I am able to see everyone as their true self, as human beings and not an object.

FATIMA: The workshop was of great benefit to me. I thank Allah) for giving me this opportunity to attend it. I learnt many morals and values and I believe I have

begun implementing them and will continue to do so. I have truly discovered as to who I am?

NUWAIRA: Before the

workshop, I was carrying the burden of others and became their slave. After forgiving everyone, I set myself free. Truly I changed myself. I came to know myself.

SHAZIA: It was a wonderful experience. I enjoyed the workshop and learned many things. It has changed me from an animal to a responsible and accountable human being. I got the tools for a successful life. I have forgiven everyone and I feel myself as free as a bird flying in the sky.

NASHITA: Before the workshop, I was a very shy person. I never thought of going on stage. Going on stage was my biggest fear. But after this workshop, I had the courage to go on the stage and speak, Attending this workshop was a wonderful and useful experience for me. It helped me to remove all veils to see the real

human beings as human beinsg and not as an object. Thank you for this workshop.

SIDRA: I was a very attitude girl. It helped me to come out of my ego and attitude. Thank you so much for such a wonderful opportunity and experience. My life is fully changed because of this workshop.

(Al-Muminah School ,Principal Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, 45/47, Sharif Devji Street, (Chakla Street), Near Zakaria Masjid,Mohammed Ali Road, Mumbai-400 003. Contact No.: 23450702/03www.almuminahschool.org)Schedule of Discover Yourself

is in Page No. 23

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 29ADvERTIsEMEnT

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 30Terms Related with Mines and Minerals)کان کنی یا معدنیات سے متعلق اصطالحات(

Mine: Underground spaces from where useful substances are excavated. (اکن)

Mineral: Naturally occurring substance with a definite chemical composition. (معدنیات)

Shaft: Vertical, narrow and long corridor to enter a mine. (اکن یک تنگ راہداری)

Extraction: The process of separating useful metals from ores. (دھاتوں یک ک�شیدگی اک معل)

Ore: Natural state of metals in mines. (کچی ای خام دھات)

Meteor: A solid body from outer space which burns upon entry in earth’s atmosphere. (شہاِب اثقب)

Meteorite: A meteor that reaches the earth. (شہایب پتھر جو زمنی تک پہنچتا ےہ)

Crater: A bowl-shaped cavity

created in the earth due to fall of meteorite. (شہایب پتھر ےس بننے والا گڑھا)

Bauxite: Naturally occurring aluminum oxide. (الومنمی یک کچی ای خام دھات)

Graphite: Naturally occurring form of carbon. (شنِگ رسمہ�)

Sapphire: Precious stone of

transparent blue corundum. (نیمل، شفاف نیال قمییت پتھر)

Emerald: Bright green precious stone. (ایقوِت �زب)

Ruby: Precious stone of red corundum. (لعل، ایقوِت امحر)

Quartz: Silicon dioxide found in hexagonal crystal form.

(ہ�ت پہلو پتھر،�وان �شنِگ مردہ)

Granite: Very hard crystalline rock. (شنِگ خارہ، عامریت پتھر�)

Limestone: Hard rock formed by sediments of calcium carbonate. (چوےن اک پتھر)

Sandstone: Porous rock consisting of sand grains. (ریگی پتھر، عام طور پر الل ای بھورا ہوات ےہ)

Fossil: Remains of plants or animals turned into stones. �شنگوارہ، زمانۂ قدمی ےک پودے ای جانور)(جو پتھر مںی تبدیل ہو گیے ہںی

Topaz: Precious stone of yellow colour which is a compound of aluminum and silica. (ایقوِت زرد)

Less Is More

Enhance Your Word Power

CHILDREN'S CORNER

When I accept myself as a traveler who’s in this world for a short time, I’m more relaxed.

By Mohammed Ali Vakil

I like this story because it reminds me of how short life is, and it puts things in perspective.

If I live my life thinking I’m going to be here forever (or for a looong time), I find myself getting stressed out very easily. Why? Because I’m either running after new things or holding on to other things that by nature are transient. So when it slips from my hands, I get frustrated.But when I accept myself as a traveler who’s in this world for a short time, I’m more relaxed. Things come and go in my life. I can play with them without the need to get attached and let it go when the time comes.Life is short. Enjoy this journey.

And I’ll see you soon. If not in this world, definitely in the next! Safe travels!

(Sufi Comics)

A Cole Mine

Mining operations

ISLAMIC VOICE, September 2016 31PROFILE

Rose Water Goblets & Purple Potions

By Nigar Ataulla

I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland as I stepped into Baitus Shifa Unani Pharmacy. Nestled in a quiet area called the Mandi Mohalla in Mysuru, this quaint place is owned and managed by Hakim Syed Moinuddin, a 68 year-old Unani physician who embodies kindness and humility despite the fame he enjoys not just in Mysuru, but across Karnataka..Hakim Moinuddin’s Unani Pharmacy building takes visitors back to the good old times. It is packed with antique furniture, pretty bottles in which are stocked Hakim’s medicines, a wooden staircase, a copper water samovar and giant goblets from Iran, which once upon a time were used to fetch rose water!It was in 1921 that his father set up a “Dawa Khana” in this antique

building. “My father would work at the Government Ayurvedic Hospital and also manage the Unani Pharmacy here. Apart from many needy and poor people

who consulted my father for their ailments, there were also members

from the Maharaja’s family in Mysuru who would consult him. He would never accept any money from the poor and needy,” says Hakim Moinuddin.

Born in Mysuru, Hakim Moinuddin has six brothers and a sister. At the age of 10 months, he suffered a polio attack. All efforts by his parents to get treatment for him failed and it seemed like he had to live life with polio. Coming to terms with this reality and encouraged by his parents to pursue his education, Hakim Moinuddin completed M.A. in History from Manasa Gangotri in Mysuru. It was a turning point in his life when he began to be guided by his father with the Unani medicine treatments. Picking up the skills and the gentle ways of his father, Hakim Moinuddin began to meet patients, talking to them, listening

to health issues and assisting his father in making Unani potions. After his father passed away, in 1979, he took over the responsibility of running the

pharmacy. Today, he is assisted by his wife Azra in making the Unani medicines and continues the tradition of treating the needy and poor without charging them anything. “My medicines work well for gastric problems, kidney stones, blood pressure, and even diabetes. I am grateful to

God that I am able to serve people who belong to different faiths, and that is my service to God. I never looked upon my polio as a handicap at all. Today, I want to help people in whatever way I can by healing their ailments, with God’s help of course,” says Hakim Moinuddin. Blessed with a daughter and a son, his wife Azra and he have kept up a tradition of being extremely generous hosts to their visitors. Heaping visitors with kind, healing words, the couple radiate an aura of peace as they follow a disciplined lifestyle of valuing time as taught to them by Hakim Moinuddin’s father. “Up for fajr at 5 am, breakfast at 7.30 am, lunch at 1 pm and dinner

Baitus Shifa Unani Pharmacy in Mysuru is a little wonderland!

Hakim Syed Moinuddin has kept his famous father, Hakim Syed

Ghouse Moinuddin’s tradition of Unani

medicine alive!

at 7 pm was the strict discipline my father taught us, and I try to follow this today too, and also advise my children and grandkids to do the same for their mental and physical health,” says Hakim Moinuddin. Baitus Shifa Unani Pharmacy is really a little wonderland and Hakim Moinuddin and his family are wonderful people. It’s all quite something one finds today only in fairy tales! If you ever visit Mysuru, do stop over to meet Hakim and his family. Their kindness and simplicity are healing and overwhelming! n

I am grateful to God that I am able to serve people who belong to

different faiths, and that is my service to God. I never looked upon my polio as a handicap at

all. Today, I want to help people in whatever way

I can by healing their ailments, with God’s help of course,” says Hakim

Moinuddin