The British Muslim pilgrims to Mecca

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.

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?

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?