Britons released after Saudi row A group of British Muslims who were held after an incident at the Great Mosque in Mecca have been released by Saudi religious police. A British Islamic group says seven Britons and one American were detained. A spokesman for Islamic group SAVEIT said the arrests were made after police became involved in a debate over religious practice.
The UK Foreign Office said it was assisting the Britons who were released on Sunday morning.
'Clothes ripped'. The people arrested were part of a group of about 30, according to Mohammed Taki, spokesman for the moderate Islamic group SAVEIT. The group - which is called Shiite Muslims Against Violence Extremism and International Terrorism - was founded by Muslims wanting to show opposition to violence. Mr Taki said Saudi police had accused the Britons and the American of being "infidels" who were outside Islam.
The debate, which had grown increasingly heated, involved about 14 people, half of whom were arrested, said Mr Taki. Mr Taki claimed that those arrested had had their clothes ripped and showed signs of being beaten.
He told BBC Radio Five Live that the group had returned to their hotel, and had been instructed not to speak until they left the country.
Source: BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6932127.stm
If the mentioned individuals were screaming "ya Ali" in Mecca, which they have a right to, regardless of what the Saudi authorities believe, then I think that it was not suprising that they were subjected to violent abuse. I mean for God sake you don't do that in an area infiltrated with 'Wahhabis' or idiot fanatics that just live to harrass pilgrims. Otherwise, and especially if they were just reciting some du'aa (supplication) then I suppose the "hay'a", as they are commonly called in "Saudi" Arabia, were just bored. Especially as they, judging by their actions, have little understanding of this complex religion and therefore could not comprehend the significance of that area. I honestly believe that Muslims groups should put pressure on Saudi authorities to abandon this despicable practice. On the second thoughts, that suggestion sounds like telling a barbar to advise his customers to grow longer hair!
Anyhow, I just want to wish the individuals an accepted umra and hope that they will carry on visiting the Holy Shrines and that one day it will be safe for all of us to visit the Holy Shrine of Imam Hussein in Karbala, Iraq. I also pray that they were not seriously injured and that the authorities did not give them too much trouble. AMEN.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Where are your promises Gibran Khalil?
More than any area in the world, the Middle East is probably the most peculiar, complex and, least we forget, divided region in the world. Nevertheless, Gibran Khalil wrote, in his work "The New Frotier" (1925), :
"There are in the Middle East today two challenging ideas: old and new. The old ideas will vanish because they are weak and exhausted. There is in the Middle East an awakening that defies slumber. This awakening will conquer because the sun is its leader and the dawn is its army.
In the fields of the Middle East, which have been a large burial ground, stand the youth of Spring calling the occupants of the sepulchers to rise and march toward the new frontiers. When the Spring sings its hymns the dead of the winter rise, shed their shrouds and march forward.
There is on the horizon of the Middle East a new awakening; it is growing and expanding; it is reaching and engulfing all sensitive, intelligent souls; it is penetrating and gaining all the sympathy of noble hearts.
The Middle East, today, has two masters. One is deciding, ordering, being obeyed; but he is at the point of death. But the other one is silent in his conformity to law and order, calmly awaiting justice; he is a powerful giant who knows his own strength, confident in his existence and a believer in his destiny."
Would we ever realise Gibran Khalil's vision of this new Middle East?
"There are in the Middle East today two challenging ideas: old and new. The old ideas will vanish because they are weak and exhausted. There is in the Middle East an awakening that defies slumber. This awakening will conquer because the sun is its leader and the dawn is its army.
In the fields of the Middle East, which have been a large burial ground, stand the youth of Spring calling the occupants of the sepulchers to rise and march toward the new frontiers. When the Spring sings its hymns the dead of the winter rise, shed their shrouds and march forward.
There is on the horizon of the Middle East a new awakening; it is growing and expanding; it is reaching and engulfing all sensitive, intelligent souls; it is penetrating and gaining all the sympathy of noble hearts.
The Middle East, today, has two masters. One is deciding, ordering, being obeyed; but he is at the point of death. But the other one is silent in his conformity to law and order, calmly awaiting justice; he is a powerful giant who knows his own strength, confident in his existence and a believer in his destiny."
Would we ever realise Gibran Khalil's vision of this new Middle East?
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
The brighter side of life - football?
I couldn't help posting this picture. Her cute face speaks volumes about the state of the war torn Iraq. Most importantly it vividly potrays hope in a nation so lost in conflict and violence.
Football has always led to divisions within people of a country. Look at the violence between the fans of Queen Park Rangers, Chelsea FC and Milwall FC. Or between Seville and Real Betis. How, then, did it lead to a period of unity in Iraq, a country that is shattered by the divisions that the illegal war has created? And why was it so brief?
Was unity caught offside?
Just a thought on the release Bulgarian and Palestinian Doctors
I feel that the release of the Bulgarian and Palestinian doctors is ridiculous. Why should people who were accused in the court of law of infecting 438 children with HIV virus be given a presidential pardon?! Had the doctors all been Arab/Muslim/Iranian would they have been given a presidential pardon? Or, at least, would they even have even been given the same attention as the mentioned doctors received? While all eyes were on Mrs. Sarkozy’s ‘shuttle diplomacy’ and the freed doctors, people failed to mention that the Libyan families are still mourning the death of their children. Unfortunately, our lives are not as valuable as others.
If, on the other hand, the accusations were wrong, would it not represent a great political failure on our side? The sad thing in either case is that we are in the wrong. In either case, we are the humiliated ones; everywhere we go we are the same degraded, dehumanised people in this planet.
What better time has this come than 20 years after the death of our beloved Naji Ali?
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Iran in the light of Mahmood Ahmadinejad's economic policies
Mahmood Ahmadinejad's days as President of Iran could soon be over after a series of extremely unpopular economic policies. Forget the pro-American elements within Iranian society; 150 of the 290 Iranian Members of Parliament signed a letter condemning Mr. Ahmadinejad's economic measure to tackle the 15% inflation rate, the high levels of unemployment, rising house prices and increased international sanctions. Even worse, many influential figures in Iran are implicitly calling for his resignation. Esa Saharkhiz, a Tehran-based political commentator, has stated that "Ahmadinejad's golden era is over and his honeymoon with the supreme leader is finished. He has problems even meeting the supreme leader. The countdown to his dismissal has already begun. There is a probability that he cannot even finish his current four-year period."
So it does not take an intellectual to understand why his party, that recieved 17 million votes for the presidency in 2005, has done so badly in the local authority elections last month, winning a mere 20% of the seats. No longer are his anti-western slogans and determination for progessing Iran's nuclear capiability winning him popularity. In fact, Iranian newspapers warn that if he continues to ignore the economic failures of his policies under the pretext of soverignty and scientific developement he will soon lose support for any of Iran's nuclear plans.
Even I, a supporter of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, find it despicable how he transforms the nuclear issue into a propaganda campaign to deflect away attention from the dismal economic policies of his. It must be stressed that having a conference on the Holocaust, which essentially, lets not kid ourselves, is designed to refute that shameful event in history whilst chanting anti-Zionist slogans, rightly or wrongly, and being firm on a nuclear programme, is preposterous.
Instead of that embarrassing conference on the Holocaust, which is not a business of his, Mr. Ahmadinejad should have organised a conference on solving Iran's current economic decline. How beneficial would it be, not just for Iran's economic performance, but for the the country's economists, its academics, businesspeople, students, and the whole Islamic world had an Iranian Economic Forum been unveiled with equal opportunities for women to participate in. Imagine that image of an Iranian woman criticising the foreign, economic or political policies of the theological regime! As for the result on Islamic Economic theory, it cannot be doubted that with Iran's enviable set of economists and clerics an improvement to the current Islamic economic theory is inevitable, keeping it in line with the current developments that are occuring.
Nevertheless, Mr. Ahmadinejad does receives unfair criticism, particularly on his decision to lower interest rates during a period of increasing inflation. The neo-Liberal magazine, The Economist, claimed that he made a "hash of a monetary policy"(June 14th, 2007) by influencing the decision of the money and credit council in that manner because whilst falling interest rates will boost investment, it asserts that, given the political instability, the investment will be on property and thus unemployment will be unaffected. It is as if The Economist has forgotten the fact that ever since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has been under sanctions, political instability and threat of war. This period of Iran is no different and it will, as it has always has, remain strong and vigilant.
Personally, I feel that Iran needs its youth, its students and academics , to participate in building this unbelievably beautiful nation. With the freedom that they have, however limited the western mainstream media potrays it to be, they can definately make a difference in the current political and economic instability. I believe that no one can stop Iranians from progressing and hopefully her nuclear development will trigger a much needed science driver throughout the Middle East. Nearly 20 years after the Islamic Revolution of Iran, what better time could there be for this rebellion?
So it does not take an intellectual to understand why his party, that recieved 17 million votes for the presidency in 2005, has done so badly in the local authority elections last month, winning a mere 20% of the seats. No longer are his anti-western slogans and determination for progessing Iran's nuclear capiability winning him popularity. In fact, Iranian newspapers warn that if he continues to ignore the economic failures of his policies under the pretext of soverignty and scientific developement he will soon lose support for any of Iran's nuclear plans.
Even I, a supporter of the Islamic Revolution in Iran, find it despicable how he transforms the nuclear issue into a propaganda campaign to deflect away attention from the dismal economic policies of his. It must be stressed that having a conference on the Holocaust, which essentially, lets not kid ourselves, is designed to refute that shameful event in history whilst chanting anti-Zionist slogans, rightly or wrongly, and being firm on a nuclear programme, is preposterous.
Instead of that embarrassing conference on the Holocaust, which is not a business of his, Mr. Ahmadinejad should have organised a conference on solving Iran's current economic decline. How beneficial would it be, not just for Iran's economic performance, but for the the country's economists, its academics, businesspeople, students, and the whole Islamic world had an Iranian Economic Forum been unveiled with equal opportunities for women to participate in. Imagine that image of an Iranian woman criticising the foreign, economic or political policies of the theological regime! As for the result on Islamic Economic theory, it cannot be doubted that with Iran's enviable set of economists and clerics an improvement to the current Islamic economic theory is inevitable, keeping it in line with the current developments that are occuring.
Nevertheless, Mr. Ahmadinejad does receives unfair criticism, particularly on his decision to lower interest rates during a period of increasing inflation. The neo-Liberal magazine, The Economist, claimed that he made a "hash of a monetary policy"(June 14th, 2007) by influencing the decision of the money and credit council in that manner because whilst falling interest rates will boost investment, it asserts that, given the political instability, the investment will be on property and thus unemployment will be unaffected. It is as if The Economist has forgotten the fact that ever since the Islamic Revolution, Iran has been under sanctions, political instability and threat of war. This period of Iran is no different and it will, as it has always has, remain strong and vigilant.
Personally, I feel that Iran needs its youth, its students and academics , to participate in building this unbelievably beautiful nation. With the freedom that they have, however limited the western mainstream media potrays it to be, they can definately make a difference in the current political and economic instability. I believe that no one can stop Iranians from progressing and hopefully her nuclear development will trigger a much needed science driver throughout the Middle East. Nearly 20 years after the Islamic Revolution of Iran, what better time could there be for this rebellion?
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