Content about Social Issues

Government representatives and delegates representing worker and employer organizations attending a United Nations conference recently called for more rights for domestic workers: clear information on terms and conditions of employment, reasonable hours of work and rest, and freedom of association, according to a UN News Centre report.

The value of the UN International Labor Organization’s resolution to the millions of men and women forcibly trafficked and coerced into servitude will likely be very little. This has been seen in the steady increase of modern slavery despite the number of global mandates in the past on the subject. The crisis has been heightened by the increase of displaced people --those most vulnerable to human trafficking-- in direct proportion to the increase of armed conflict around the world.

Last month on World Refugee Day, Mans Nyberg of the United Nations' Refugee Agency (UNHCR) told Voice of America (VOA) the thousands of people uprooted by the uprising and conflict across the Arab World make this year especially poignant. "It's basically the last desperate move you make when you don't have any other option," said Mr Nyberg.

Fulfilling our commitment to serve humanity, the International Quranic Open University (IQOU), under the direction and guidance of His Eminence Vice Chancellor Syed Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani, will once again send forth competent students to provide assistance to our less fortunate brothers and sisters in Africa, a continent fraught with poverty, illiteracy, disease and high mortality rates.  Mali, one of the poorest countries in Africa, has been selected to serve as the launching place of IQOU’s newest project: Mali Health And Development Initiative (MHDI).

Hakima Fatimah Ash-Shakur of Aliville, Georgia, and Mahmoudou Sidibe and his family, from Montreal, Canada, will be departing for the West African country to begin work on the project in the coming months.

Islam has long been present in West Africa, with a long-standing Sufi tradition.  Due to this history, Mali represents a great base for IQOU to begin its work. Over the centuries, these Islamic spiritual orders were very instrumental in establishing true Islam.

The Taliban has denied responsibility for twin bombings in June at a crowded market in Peshawar, misleading the public in their claim, “We do not target civilians and mosques.” The latest extremist attack killed at least 35 people, wounded more than 100 others. 

The event was reminiscent of prior attacks involving the Taliban, including the assault on Sufis praying at the tomb of Hazrat Data Sahib in Lahore one year ago. The teen-aged suicide bomber whose vest failed to explode fully said he was told by his Taliban handlers, ‘These are the infidels. They are not doing what Muslims should do. Anyone who kills them will go to heaven,’  Mubarak Ahmed, a senior Dera Ghazi Khan police official handling the investigation, told the LA Times.

To head off the violent deaths that have been wracking Pakistan, it is important to gauge the areas where the poisonous venom of terrorism has infiltrated the country, as well as the source of the snake-like ideology infiltrated the country.  Necessary also, is tracking the source of the snake-like ideology .

His Eminence Muhyiddin El Sheikh  Sayyid Mubarik Ali Shah Gilani al Hasani wal Husaini wal Hashmi Al Mujadid was asked, “Who is this person, Dr. Tahirul Qadri, claiming to be Sheikh ul Islam?”  His Eminence replied, “He [Tahirul Qadri] is a fake Qadri who came here and introduced a Pakistani brand of Islam.  No one receives this charlatan as Sheikh-ul-Islam. Pakistan is full of thousands of people, like him, who pretend to be scholars and Sufis. They cheat people in the name of the Qadri Order.”

His Eminence Shah Gilani added that Dr Tahirul Qadri had been warned about defrauding the public some fifteen years ago, as mentioned in an article in the New Baghdad.

His Eminence further stressed, “Does not he know that in Holy Islamberg, New York, in the Jamia Tajalli Azam Qadriyya Baitullah, the miraculous manifestation of Allah, the Most High’s, Divine Name, has been shining for the past ten months? Why doesn’t he pay homage? True Sufis are aware of the proper ethical decorum and protocol. These pious men and women know that one’s rank and status will be raised or lowered by honoring or disrespecting the signs of Allah, the Most High. One perfect Sufi guide, who came certified with divine manifestations and miracles, was made Khalifa and Naib of the Holy Rasul (peace be upon him) in his presence, by his hand, in the Darbar Sharif, Holy Court.”

Osama bin Laden has no one to blame but himself that he was a pawn of the intelligence community for decades, inevitably to be discarded, shot in the face, his body weighted down and cast to the bottom of the sea.

The parallel of bin Laden is mirrored in the annals of history, with the founder of Osama’s terrorist creed: Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab of Najd. It is necessary to comprehend bin Laden’s Wahhabite origins in bin Abdul Wahhab to truly understand what needs to be done to destroy the modern terrorist allegiance.

In the Special Edition, January 2011 issue, of the Islamic Post an ayah from the 60th chapter in the Holy Quran, Sura Mumtahana (60:3), was explained for it more appropriately displays an Islamic perspective as concerns the treatment of Non-Muslims. Currently Islamic sentiments in this regard are negatively portrayed by an often misrepresented ayah from another chapter; Surah Tauba (9:5) in which it is frequently translated as “kill all infidels”.  Also mentioned was the fact that in order to truly understand the Quran, a multifaceted approach is necessary and part of that entails an understanding of the “asbabul nazul” or reason for revelation of the individual parts.  The danger of taking an ayah and simply disseminating the words face value is that misunderstandings are created.  In truth this is done on purpose for these very misconstructions are tools used by the agencies of hate that exist worldwide.   These evildoers are not only attempting to extinguish the light of Islam, but to also destroy the pillars of all religions.  As all mankind is the family of God we must not sit idly by and allow these agents of hate to be successful.   In light of that, if the true meanings of this Islamic holy script, the Quran, are elucidated and disseminated, then appropriate insight into the inner meaning of Islam can be achieved and the animosity that has been created between religions—especially Christianity and Islam—can be eliminated.  That being said it would be helpful to expound on the reason for revelation of this repeatedly misread ayah.  Although this subject is very extensive, an attempt will be made to cover the breadth of it in a two part article starting with the historical aspect and a discussion to follow in part two.

The newly renovated mosque, not surprisingly, funded by Saudi monies, suddenly became unavailable with doors locked- relegating the celebration to a meager recreation room.

The Milad program was orchestrated by Maulana Nur Muhammad, an American Muslim Association member who was treated  disrespectfully when he demanded to know why the  Holy Last Messenger Muhammad, peace upon him, was being treated in such a blasphemous manner. It was a surprise to all that the program would be locked out of the mosque. A renowned speaker and scholar, Dr. Faruqi, voiced his outrage and gross dismay that an observance dear to the hearts of millions of Muslims would be denigrated in such a flagrant manner by the consignment  of the festivities to the mosque proper.

Born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, in Long Island, NY, Angel is reported to have been first introduced to magic at age 6 by an aunt, who taught him a card trick.  From this his interest grew, to the point where he chose to become a professional magician, over attending university. Now aged 45, Angel has developed quite a following. Presently, he has a showCriss Angel Believe in Las Vegas, Nevada, in which he has collaborated with Cirque du Soleil. He also markets a magic kit online with promises to teach hundreds of so called illusions. A special added incentive to order his product is the promise to reveal the ‘Secret to Levitation.’

Muslims take great pride in attaining the treasure of knowledge, inspired by an Islamic tradition [hadith] that says, "Seek knowledge, even unto China." The quote points to the importance of seeking knowledge, even if it means enduring the hardship of travelling far distances. At the time of the Holy Last Messenger  Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, China was considered the most developed civilization of the period. Islam in China began during the caliphate of 'Uthman ibn Affan, upon him mercy, the third caliph. After triumphing over the Byzantines, Romans and the Persians, 'Uthman ibn Affan, dispatched a deputation to China in 29 AH (650 C.E., eighteen years after the Holy Last Messenger, peace be upon him, passed away), under the leadership by Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqaas, upon him mercy, Nabi Muhammad's  (peace be upon him) maternal uncle, inviting the Chinese emperor to embrace Islam.

Belize is a small country in Northeastern Central America bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatamala to the south and west, and to the east by the Caribbean Sea, with a population of about 333,000. It is the only country in the region where the official language is English, though Spanish and Creole are also spoken.