FROM THE HOLY HARAMS

Muslims need unity to face challenges

MAKKAH/MADINAH ­- Imam and Khateeb of the Holy Haram in Makkah Sheikh Saleh Ibn Abdullah Ibn Humaid, in his Friday Khutbah on 20 December, said it is Allah's law that His creatures cannot lead a righteous life and they cannot achieve great accomplishments unless they come together.

Islam is the religion of natural human qualities that call upon the Muslims to get acquainted with one another for the sake of unity and harmony. Allah says in the Holy Qur'an: "O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know each other (Not that you may despise each other)." (Verse 13, Surah Al-Hujurat)

Sheikh Ibn Humaid also said that disposition or tendency to know other people and mix with them is an essential trait in the Islamic way of life, that is to live with the group or gathering and have good relations with one another so that there is stability and peace of mind in the Muslim community. He also noted that in a closely-knit community knowledge is spread, Allah is obeyed in a correct manner, religious fundamentals become clear, virtue prevails and evil does not have an upper hand.

"Some people may come up with a pretext that this is in an age of corruption. It is better to lead a lonely life worshipping Allah and not being influenced by others.

"If there are ills in the society, it is the duty of its members to advise one another to get rid of these ills," he said.

"There is a greater reward from Allah for those Muslims who counsel their brethren or tell in forceful words as compared to those who (prefer to) stay aloof.

"Reward of Allah is greater of the worship that offered in congregation as compared to praying alone. The bigger the congregation, the more pleased Allah is with the worshippers," he added.

Sheikh Ibn Humaid concluded his Khutbah by saying, although Islam stresses the need to come closer, it also calls for keeping a balance between the Muslim brethren with some time spared for staying alone in order to contemplate about certain matters or carry out personal tasks.

Meanwhile, in Madinah, the Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet's (peace be on him) Mosque, Sheikh Saleh Al-Bedair, in his Friday Khutbah advised Muslims to be patient under distressful conditions and in hardships, for Allah will give them victory and domination ultimately.

"Today, the Muslim Ummah is facing a fierce opponent and a brutal war waged by the conspirators whose rancour has been unmasked by the events (of aggression). They have filled the earth with corruption and strife and have ignited fires that have engulfed all corners (of the world). How can such people bring long-lasting peace and tranquility to the world?" he said.

"Incidents are orchestrated and then allegations are fabricated in brazen arrogance, as outrageous alliance are formed among wrong-doers, thus creating a state of recurrent violence, instability and insecurity in many places.

The world has thus come to be ruled by the law of the jungle and threats and intimidation is being resorted by self-serving uni-polar system that seeks to dominate others and impose their will on the weak, trying to sow seeds of disunity and weakness among Muslims," he said.

"This is a situation, no honourable person can accept. The continued backing and support given to the crimes and atrocities of the Zionists, and aiding them to further commit brutal crimes of genocide and destruction, is an evidence of their blind hatred," he added.

Sheikh Al-Bedair concluded his Khutbah by saying injustice and oppression have reached an intolerable point and must be ended. Injustice cannot last long, and it will end, however strong the wrongdoer may be, and however weak the oppressed may be. - SPA

IDB panel elects nine members for three years

JEDDAH - Nine new members have been appointed to the Board of Executive Directors (BED) of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB).

A get-together was arranged at the IDB on 22 December to bid farewell to the outgoing BED members and welcome the new members.

The BED members, who have been elected for a three- year term are Ould Samba Achor (Mauritania), Ahmed Ibn Haji Hashim (Malaysia), Abdul Aziz Nur Hersi (Somalia), Ilgar Veysal Oglu Isayev (Azerbaijan), Dr. Waqar Masood Khan (Pakistan), Dr. Zul Kifl Salami (Benin) and Mahamad Ali Taleb (Bahrain).

Saudi Arabia and Iran have permanent members in the 14-member BED. They have replaced their nominees. The new members are Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad Al-Mofleh (Saudi Arabia) and Mehdi Ahmad Karbasian (Iran).

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Ali, IDB President, said the bank has made all-round progress. Recently, Standard & Poor, an organization that gives rating to financial institutions, had given IDB the rating of AAA for long-term prospects and A-1+ for short-term prospects.

He said this couldnot have been achieved without the hard work and cooperation of all the bank staff.

He said a number of new institutions have been established. The International Waqf Foundation will be an umbrella organization to enable philanthropists to support charitable work in Muslim countries.

During the last meeting of the Board of Governors a draft declaration was approved for support of Africa. In this connection the IDB will provide assistance for development of African countries.

Speaking on behalf of the outgoing BED members, Muhammad Sayed Uddin said a lot of new products have been introduced by the IDB. However, there is no room for complacency. The bank must move ahead to meet the demand from its members.

DR. M. Ghazali Ibn Muhammad Noor, chairman of IDB Social, Cultural and Sport Activities Committee (SOCOM), who earlier welcomed, said seven members of BED are replaced every three years. Ahmed Al-Bar, acting bank secretary, introduced the new BED members. - SG

Islam in France

Dr. Nora Ahmed

IT is only recent bias against Muslims and complete failure to absorb them into French society, which created tension with this growing large minority. France's colonial past in Algeria in which it strengthened its invasion by sending French emissaries invoking Christian solidarity against Arabs and Muslims continued until 1962 and the old bias seems infested in European culture.

It was French colonization of Algeria since 1830 due to France's irritation with the bey of the Magreb region for having demanded payment of French debts that led to the invasion. Europeans today who preach tolerance and understanding of other cultures did not practise it in the 19th century. It was only after Algerian independence in 1962 that some liberal voices began to be outspoken concerning Muslim rights in France but even then they were hardly effective.

Since World War II France absorbed large number of immigrants for economic reasons, especially from its former colonies. The Muslim population is not more than five times faster than the European one to the extent that the world Muslim population will probably match the Christian by the year 2020.

The Europeans fear that population size will be to their disadvantage, coupled with the growing military capability of the Muslim world, that would pose a serious challenge to Europe. For this reason France has tightened immigration from North Africa and began deportation of Muslim North Africans in the 1980s and 1990s. The French authorities went as far as in November 1993 to deport a Turk Imam who preached that in regarding headscarves "God takes precedence over French law," and thus bypassed civic rights of individuals.

In parts of Paris, Marseilles, Rhone-Alpes and Strasburg between a third and a half of the young people are Muslims just want to live in peace. So it is time for Europeans to revise their laws and views on Islam and Muslims.

In order to gain more understanding of Islam, France agreed to allow Muslims to share top posts on the new French Council for the Muslim Religion. The Council would be presided by Dalid Boubaker, an Algerian doctor. The task of the Council will be providing clergy to minister to Muslims in the army and universities, acquiring burial sites, delivering "halal" meat certificates, organizing the pilgrimage to Makkah and building new mosques. This is an encouraging step that would hopefully end any discrimination of minorities in the future once the Council gains more power and authority.

Rather than be fearful and bias against Muslims, France should extend its hand with tolerance towards its Muslim citizens. This is what the new French Council for the Muslim Religion aims to do. Islam, if properly understood, is compatible with the Rights of Man as they are understood in France.

Four Muslims injured in fresh violence in Gujarat

NEW DELHI - Four Muslims were injured in fresh religious violence between Hindus and Muslims in India's riot-scarred western Gujarat state, a police official said on 28 December.

He said groups of Hindus and Muslims clashed and pelted stones at each other after a Hindu religious ceremony near the industrial town of Baroda late on 27 December.

"Now the situation is totally quiet and peaceful after the state reserve police was deployed," the police officer, who did not want to be identified, told Reuters.

He was speaking by telephone from Gandhinagar, the capital of Gujarat.

At least, 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in Gujarat in a frenzy of reprisals after 59 Hindu activists were burnt to death when their train was torched by a Muslim mob in February.

The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which heads the federal coalition, stormed back to power in Gujarat earlier this month with a two-thirds majority, presenting itself as protector of Hindus against Muslim. - RD