FROM THE HOLY HARAMS

Stand United in Crisis &Adversity

MAKKAH/MADINAH - Sheikh Saleh Ibn Muhammad Al-Talib, the Imam and Khateeb of the Holy Haram, in his Friday Khutbah said, "The Muslim Ummah, which has been honoured with the guidance of the Holy Qur'an and Prophet Muhammad's (peace be on him) Sunnah, should hold fast to the divine faith and seek Allah's mercy," especially in these times of "hardship and adversity" being faced by them.

The nagging problem faced by Muslims today should bring them closer to their Lord and make them repent for their past sins, and encourage them to the righteous (henceforth). The catastrophes are trials from Allah to put to test the strength of faith Muslims have in their Lord, and help will surely come to them if they remain steadfast in the belief of One and Only Lord.

"Materialistic pursuits and obsession with worldly passions have blinded the vision and hardened the hearts of people, so they do not see anything beyond their physical pleasure, which in turn has led them to a life of anxiety, engendering fear of the future, which makes them forget that there is a divine purpose behind every trial, that is, to test the faith of believers. Belief in Allah is a sure way to the peace of mind, and true believers fear no one besides their Lord," Sheikh Al-Talib said.

"The hearts of unbelievers are always full of fear and uncertainty. Life is replete with various manifestations of grief, calamities, diseases, anxieties, poverty and wars, that can break the back of any one, but Allah, Who is Compassionate to his servants has kept open to them a door through which they can receive His mercy, get relief from agony and regain peace and tranquillity, and that is the door of supplication (Dua), beseeching Allah to ease their suffering, and release them from pain," Sheikh Al-Talib said.

Allah says in the Qur'an: "When my servants ask you concerning me, I am indeed close (to them): I listen to the prayer of every supplicant when he calls on Me: let them also, with a will listen to My call, and believe in Me: That they may walk in the right war.' (2:186),"

"Supplication is the most beloved form of worship to Allah, for it is a means to observe forbearance for the sake of Allah and entrusting one's affairs to Him. It is a simple form of worship that comes handy at every place and at any time. Sincere and whole-hearted supplications can help in getting several afflictions removed, sins and acts of disobedience forgiven by Allah and elicit Allah mercy and forgiveness. There are over 300 verses (Ayats) in the Qur'an which can be recited on any occasion when a believer faces hardship in life and asks Allah to lift the tribulation and grant comfort," he said.

"However, the supplication should fulfil certain conditions to be acceptable to Allah. A supplicant must have an absolute belief in the unity of Allah and seek from Him alone whatever he wants: for He alone is able to grant either good or bad. Addressing supplications to any one other than Allah such as angels, demons, dead persons or other mortals is a sign of weakness of belief in Allah Almighty, and (such un-Islamic practices) should be shunned," he advised.

"Supplications of those who do righteous deeds and refrain from sinful acts, have better chances of being answered. Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him) and all the prophets who preceded him, made supplications to Allah frequently in order to receive His grace and mercy in times of distress, and whenever they needed something good, and ward off evil," Sheikh Al- Talib said.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Ali Ibn Abdur Rahman Al-Hudhaifi, Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet's Mosque, in his Khutbah said, "The greatest objective of Islam is to reform hearts and reform the behaviour of its followers by urging them to believe in the Oneness of Allah and worshipping Him alone, loving what He loves and hating what He hates; both in words and deeds, overtly and covertly.

And one of the greatest injunctions of Islamic Shari'ah is the unity and amity among Muslims, for through unity and co-operation can they achieve what is good for them in this world and in the hereafter. Allah Almighty and His prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), have forbidden dissension and disunity by saying that if 'you disagree amongst yourselves, your hearts would be alienated from one another, and you will be weakened.'

Unity is required at all times, but in times of crises and adversities, it is a must, " Sheikh Al- Hudhaifi pointed out. "Unity is strength for Muslims, the Prophet (peace be on him) said,' and ordered Muslims to close ranks behind their Imam or leader. In this way Muslims can protect their lands and religion.

He has warned against sedition and falsehood as these can lead to discord and weakness," Sheikh Al-Hudhaifi added. "Therefore, Muslims should always seek consensus, closing of the ranks to stand united in the face of trials and challenges. The way out from the difficulties and hardships faced by Muslims is repentance by all Muslims and by holding fast to the Holy Book and the prophet's Sunnah," he concluded. - SPA

OIC Ready to Broker Truce in  South Philippines: Envoy

DAVADO CITY - The Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) would broker a meeting aimed at forging a cease-fire between the government and Moro fighters whose relationship soured after the military attacked the Buliok Complex in Pikit, North Cotabato, late last month.

But Libyan Ambassador Salem Adem expressed misgivings as a court issued warrants of arrest against nearly a hundred of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) fighters, including MILF chairman Hashim Salamat and other key officers, in connection with the Davao City Airport bombing.

The OIC earlier assigned Libya and Malaysia to draft the mechanism for the meeting, said Adem.

Adem said on 14 March here that the government was informed of the Islamic countries' move during a discussion between the Department of Foreign Affairs and heads of mission of the OIC member-countries.

"We had a long discussion for a cease-fire," Adem said.

He said that the discussion was attended by Executive Secretary Alberto Romulo, who represented the president.

Adem said that the proposal for a government meeting with the MILF to discuss a possible cease-fire came about after the OIC head of mission reacted to the situation obtaining in Central Mindanao.

He said representatives of the OIC member-countries were briefed by the government officials in charge of the evacuation centres in Pikit, North Cotabato, "and we believe that the problem (of the evacuees) is not only medicine and food."

"They left their homes and they have apprehension about going back," he said. "The OIC heads of mission are concerned about that." Adem went to Pikit with Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Solaiman. They too distributed medicines and food to the evacuees.

He said that the OIC has asked the ambassadors of Libya and Malaysia to draft the mechanism for the meeting of government and the MILF representatives.

"We are now drafting the mechanism," he said.

Adem admitted, however, that there would be a problem in drafting of the mechanism because of the issuance of the warrant of arrest against the MILF leaders.

Nonetheless, he said, " (the warrant of arrest) would not affect the move to bring them back to the negotiating table." He stressed, however, that "if any of them would be found guilty, then they should face the law."

"What happened was a terrorist act, because they targeted civilians. It is a crime," Adem said.

In a radio discussion among the top-ranking leaders of the MILF and the National Democratic Front and Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Vicente Emano government representatives, the MILF said that it remains open to a "peaceful and negotiated political settlement of the Mindanao problem ."

"The government should learn to implement all the agreements that we have signed since 1997 to 2003," said Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim, the MILF vice chairman for military affairs. Murad was also the head of the MILF negotiating panel.

"We are open to the talks, if we can be convinced that the government is sincere," he added.

Envoys Cancel Trip to ARMM

Representatives of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) have cancelled their visit to the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao owing to the volatile law and order situation in the region characterised by sporadic armed confrontations and bombings.

Gov. Parouk Hussain of the ARMM said on 15 March the OIC representatives were expected on 17 and 18 March. "They were concerned about their security that's why they postponed their trip to the region."

Hussain said there were efforts to convince the OIC representatives to push through with the visit but to no avail. The representatives were supposed to assess the implementation of the 2nd September 1996 peace agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

ARMM is composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Lanao del Sur, Tawitawi, Basilan (with the exclusion of Isabela City), and Marawi City.

He added that another OIC team was scheduled to arrive next month to follow- up the supposed findings of the cancelled party's recommendation.

Hussain said the OIC team did not say when they will come. Hussain believes they will stay away as long as hostilities continue. He urged government and the MILF to declare a bilateral cease-fire and return to the negotiating table.

According to him, the series of armed confrontation with Moro freedom fighters in Central Mindanao have displaced 120,000 evacuees from 12 towns of Maguindanao. Fr. Roberto Layson, parish priest of Pikit, said some 40,000 evacuees have been staying at 16 evacuation centres in his town since the war erupted on 11 February. - Today

Anti-Muslim Wave in India

Dr. Nora Ahmad

THIS month, the fascist, regional outfit suddenly announced its plans to go national and become an all-India party. The notorious Shiv Sena's ambitious blueprint for expansion, announced after the Party's first-ever organisational elections, has been welcomed by Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other hard-line Hindu groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Bajrang Dal and Visha Hindu Parishad.

The far-right Shiv Sena party of Bal Thackeray in Maharashtra, India's richest and industrially most advanced state.

The Shiv Sena has opened offices in several cities of key states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and has threatened to open its offices in all corners of India by year-end. The BJP's open support for the Sena's latest move is not surprising - the two shared power in Maharashtra state from 1995 until they lost the state elections in 2000.

Four out of 15 Sena Members of the National Parliament, all elected from its traditional stronghold of Maharashtra, are ministers in Vajpayee's Cabinet. They are from the same ideological stock and have many common goals. Political commentator, Praful Bidwai and other analysts said that the Sena is now determined to consolidate its position nationally by exploiting escalating tensions between Hindus and Muslims across the country since the state-sponsored pogrom in Gujarat in which more than 2,000 Muslims were killed.

Anti-Muslim spree tops the Sena's fanatical agenda and has paid rich dividends in the past. It was voted to power for the first time in 1995, two years after the fiercest anti- Muslim riots in Bombay, capital of Maharashtra, which left 300 dead and totally polarised Hindus and Muslims. An official inquiry commission headed by Justice Srikirishna severely indicted Thackeray for engineering the riots and leading his army of 40,000 thugs "like a general during war." Dozens of criminal cases were registered against Thackeray but he was not arrested - apparently to avoid retaliation by his storm troopers.

Thackeray, now 77, is an ardent admirer of Adolf Hitler and is bitterly opposed to democracy and a free press, which he dismisses as "anti-people."

Founded by Thackeray in 1966, Shiv Sena, or Shiv's Army, is named after a 17th-century Hindu guerrilla chieftain who took on Muslim rulers. It adopted a militantly Hindu path in the mid-80s training its guns on Indian Muslims and Pakistan. In public speeches and his mouthpiece, Saamna, which means Confrontation, he refers to Muslims as "they", "that community" or "the circumcised ones."

With this kind of mentality it is difficult to perceive any possible solution for the Kashmir crisis in which such hard- liners like their Israeli counterparts will not dispose of any land that belong to Muslims. It is these fanatics the like of the rising Shiv Sena organisations and others who have a strong influence on government policies. The threat of nuclear weapons also is a real one. The international community must move in to solve the Kashmir crisis before another tragic war threatens the Asian continent takes place since Fascists aim to have wars.

VHP: Congress Allowed Demolition of Babri Mosque

BHOPAL - Praveen Togadia, General-Secretary of Hindu fundamentalist organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), has held the Congress responsible for "opening the locks of the Ram Temple at Ayodhya and allowing the demolition of Babri Masjid there."

Addressing a press conference here on 21 March he said the Congress had launched the movement for the Ram Temple and the VHP had merely taken it over.

He said the undisputed land at Ayodhya should be handed over to VHP with full ownership rights for the construction of the Ram Temple. The Parliament must also enact a law to facilitate construction of the Temple at Ayodhya, he added.

On allegations that the BJP played the Hindutva card in Gujarat, where it succeeded, and again in Himachal Pradesh, Togadia said neither he nor any other VHP leader had visited Himachal Pradesh before the assembly elections.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had won the Assembly elections in Gujarat by playing the Hindutva card, but failed miserably in Himachal while employing similar tactics.

He said VHP did not receive any contribution or donation from any foreign country, adding that the Nagpur unit of VHP had received some checks from abroad but were ordered to return them.

Meanwhile, Togadia has alleged that the Madhya Pradesh government had arrested Acharya Dharmendra, a prominent VHP leader, with an eye on the Muslim vote-bank. He demanded his immediate release. He said that Congress- ruled Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh should be prepared for a Hindu backlash.

Denying that there was anything "inflammatory" in Acharya's speech, Togadia said VHP would go to the people's court by playing a recording of Acharya's speech all over the state on 17 March.

Acharya Dharmendra was arrested on March 16 at Ujjain railway station following a case registered by Dewas police against him for allegedly making an inflammatory speech at Dewas. - AN