Iran, Gulf states make diplomatic overtures
STORY SUMMARY United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed on a rare visit to Iran Thursday called for a partnership with Tehran, ahead of a planned visit by […]
Author Archives
Rafiq A. Tschannen
Rafiq A. Tschannen is a Swiss national. He converted to Islam and joined the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community at the age of 16 after reading the German translation of the Holy Qur'an. He worked in 15 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Caribbean, first as Finance Director in the private industry and later as Chief Executive Officer of NGOs and International Governmental Organizations. He is now devoting his time to The Muslim Times as Editor for Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine and Switzerland and as Associate Chief Editor.
Philanthropists end Komala’s bill ordeal
SAUDI ARABIA: Two Pakistani philanthropists have paid the hospital bills of Komala Ahmed, the cancer-stricken 12-year-old Pakistani girl, who is currently being treated at the Saudi-German Hospital in the city. Manzur Ahmed, Komala’s father, said the two Pakistanis arrived on Wednesday evening to visit her and pay the medical bills. […]
‘Criminalize abuse of Prophet’
MADINAH: YUSUF MUHAMMED Published — Friday 29 November 2013 Delegates at a conference here have called on governments of Muslim majority nations to seek a United Nations resolution that would make the abuse of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), other prophets and caliphs a criminal offense. This was one […]
Grand Mosque project structure collapses
JEDDAH: MD AL-SULAMI Published — Friday 29 November 2013 A newly constructed structure at the Grand Mosque in Makkah collapsed on Thursday delaying work on the second phase of the […]
National Ijtima 2013 of the khuddam ul Ahmadiyya Mauritius
The National Ijtima 2013 of the khuddam ul Ahmadiyya Mauritius was held on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd of November in the Darus Salaam Mosque, Rose Hill. This time it was going to be a special one as we were also going to celebrate the 75th year of National Ijtimas’ […]
Malaysia: New ruling to maintain Muslim business legacy
The Malaysian Reserve | November 28, 2013 A fatwa issued in April has allowed the creation of trusts that will allow the family business to be preserved and passed down to ensuing generations in a non-disruptive way. by Sathish Govind & Kazi Mahmood PETALING JAYA: The Labuan International Business and […]
Angola govt denies Islam ban despite mosque closures, attacks
Reports of mosque closures and restrictions on wearing veils in public have surfaced despite Angola’s president denying the country’s ban on Islam. All of Angola’s 60 mosques are closed at present, eight mosques have been been dismantled in the past two years and Muslim women are not allowed to wear […]
German Turks: dual nationality deal a shame
Representatives of German Turks said on Wednesday they were disappointed by an accord clinched by top political parties to partially lift a ban on dual nationality under the “grand coalition” […]
Syrian regime says it won’t give up power in peace talks
Story Summary The Syrian government said Wednesday it would participate in U.N.-sponsored peace talks aimed at ending the country’s civil war but insisted that it was not going to the conference to hand over power. The meeting, which would be the first face-to-face talks between President Bashar Assad’s government and […]
Most Palestinians see fresh peace talks as error — poll
JORDAN TIMES OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Most Palestinians believe the renewal of peace talks with Israel was a mistake and over two-thirds think the negotiations will fail, according to a poll released Wednesday. Just over half the respondents — 50.5 per cent — said the decision by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas […]
Syrians warned against aiding armed groups
A member of the Syrian opposition coalition has warned the Syrian community in the Gulf countries against sending money to armed fighters in Syria. He also appealed to Syrians living […]
Saudi Arabia: Grand mufti: Beware of social media perils
Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh has warned against attempts to spread propaganda through social media platforms and attacking and faulting the state for what it does in the service […]
Pope Francis calls for big changes in Roman Catholic Church
Source: CNN “I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security,” the Pope said Tuesday in a major new address. “I do not want […]
Dutch legislators discuss law banning religious offences
Source: Morocco World News: HAGUE – The Dutch opposition suggests an amendment to a law that bans offensive speaking against religion. Dutch legislators are discussing whether or not to change a law that bans offensive speaking against religion as senators in the upper house of the Dutch parliament opposed the plan to amend […]
There was a time when ‘sectarian differences’ would have included another sect as well, namely, Ahmadis
Source: tribune.com.pk The writer is a lawyer and partner at Ijaz and Ijaz Co in Lahore saroop.ijaz@ tribune.com.pk It has now become a routine, every year we express shock and horror at the ‘intolerance’ and ‘sectarian strife’, and with longing and nostalgia remember the peaceful times of the past. The common […]
Merkel and SPD sign coalition deal
Source: The Local Chancellor Angela Merkel signed a deal to form a coalition government with campaign rivals the Social Democrats on Wednesday, two months after her conservatives won elections but fell short of a full majority. More:
France upholds firing of headscarf-wearing employee as court mulls burqa ban
Source: ET A Muslim girl has two French flags and a headband which reads “fraternity” on her headscarf during a protest defending religious headgear in 2004. PHOTO: REUTERS PARIS: A Paris appeal court on Wednesday upheld the right of a nursery to fire a female employee who insisted on wearing an […]
Pakistan Names New Army Chief
The Muslim Times Editor for Pakistan Credit: The NewYork Times By SALMAN MASOOD Published: November 27, 2013 ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — In a surprise move, Lt. Gen. Raheel Sharif was appointed the […]
Justice Tassaduq Jillani as new Chief Justice of Pakistan
Source: ET ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani to be appointed the next Chief Justice of Pakistan, Express News reported. More:
Lt Gen Raheel Sharif appointed new army chief
Source: ET ISLAMABAD: Lieutenant General Raheel Sharif was appointed as the new Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and Lieutenant General Rashad Mehmood was appointed as the new Chairman of Joint Chief of Staff Committee (CJCSC) on Wednesday, Express Newsreported. More: