The Holy Quran, revealed in the desert of Arabia in the seventh century stated that the purpose of defensive warfare is to preserve the sanctity of cloisters, churches, synagogues and mosques. The Quran named the place of worship of the Muslims as the last on this sacred list. In so doing the […]
Two of the foreign ships experienced similar forms of sabotage, creating allegations of Israeli responsibility. The reports that two of the foreign flagged ships planning to be part of the ten vessel Freedom Flotilla II experienced similar forms of disabling sabotage creates strong circumstantial evidence of Israeli responsibility. It stretches […]
(CNN) — The Syrian president sacked the governor of a restive province, a day after tens of thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets of its capital. President Bashar al-Assad discharged Dr. Ahmad Khaled Abdul-Aziz from his post as governor of Hama province, the third provincial governor to be […]
SIALKOT: The intervention of ‘elders’ in Sialkot’s Urdu Bazaar may have prevented a riot, but a Christian family accused of blasphemy still fears for its safety. Gulzar Masih, who runs one of Sialkot’s oldest book depots, was accused of telling his employees to blaspheme. The accusation was made by Khurram, […]
The Church of England is to review its policy towards same-sex relationships and consider allowing gay clergy to be ordained as bishops. It comes after a rise in the number of clergy entering civil partnerships. There is also pressure on the Church to conform to laws guaranteeing equal treatment to […]
At least 100 overseas Filipino workers, most of them distressed household service workers, are due to arrive home from Jordan this month. Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said most of the workers are now sheltered at the Filipino Workers Resource Center (FWRC) at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO) in Amman. […]
See our News of June 20th, 2011. This is an update: Officials with the group said they had to follow the guidelines of the International Weightlifting Federation, which mandated that elbows and knees be uncovered so judges could tell that athletes had fully locked them out when they lifted By […]
Bloody clashes between protesters and anti-riot police that raged overnight in Cairo’s Tahrir Square erupted in new scuffles yesterday amid mounting frustration with Egypt’s military rulers over the pace of reform. The health ministry said there were 1,036 injured in the clashes. Those included 120 who were hospitalised and most […]
QUETTA: The hardcore sectarian outfits find the deteriorating security conditions in Balochistan, particularly in Quetta, conducive to target the Hazara-Shias. The violence against them is not ethnic but sect-based and confessions given to the police by Lashkar-i-Jhangvi cadres confirm this. http://www.dawn.com/2011/06/30/murders-of-faith-in-a-land-of-violence.html
His Majesty King Abdullah’s meeting with dignitaries representing Circassians in Jordan, to discuss the current reforms and the future course of the country, shows the importance granted to minority groups living here. Circassians contributed a great deal to the development of the country and they, like members of other minorities, […]
By Ahmad Suaedy The Daily Star, Beirut In Yogyakarta, the cultural center of the island of Java in Indonesia, the governor, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, has set an interesting precedent by refusing to ban the Ahmadiyah religious group. The group was founded by a 19th century Indian religious leader, Mirza Ghulam […]
By SIRAJ WAHAB | ARAB NEWS ASTANA, Kazakhstan: The secretary-general of the renamed Organization of Islamic Cooperation has called for a decade of action on political reforms and peaceful resolutions for Palestine, Libya and Syria. “The Muslim world is confronted with some serious developments with direct impact on its stability, […]
By Eileen Ng, The Associated Press | The Canadian Press KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – A Malaysian state governed by a conservative Islamic party plans to reward “good” Muslim men who declare their polygamous marriages and are able to take proper care of their multiple households, an official said Wednesday. Muslim […]
Indonesia’s image as a poster child for pluralism has been tarnished – the actions of Islamic radicals are increasingly controlling the agenda. In the opinion of some observers, the moderate majority must display a greater sense of unity and overcome the authoritarian heritage of the country. By Anett Keller A […]
The graphic images of 19-year-old Sarfaraz Shah hauled up for allegedly attempting to rob people with a gun and mask, begging the Sindh Rangers to spare his life and eventually losing his life have shocked the nation. During the last three decades, our law enforcement agencies seem to have concluded, […]
Diplomatic immunity was originally meant to protect embassy personnel from arbitrary harrassment. But a new case in Berlin, involving the alleged abuse of a Indonesian servant, makes it clear that human rights sometimes get lost in the shuffle. The case could go to Germany’s highest court. Where else could […]
By GAUTAM NAIK The world’s 6,000 or so modern languages may have all descended from a single ancestral tongue spoken by early African humans between 50,000 and 70,000 years ago, a new study suggests. The finding, published Thursday in the journal Science, could help explain how the first spoken language emerged, […]
By Asma Afsaruddin Religious pluralism is one of the few truly modern expressions. The term refers to the acceptance of a multitude of religions existing in harmony despite internal doctrinal differences and variations in external rituals and practices. Although the term itself hails only from the 20th century, one might […]
This essay dates from November, 2005, but is still very valid. Stirrings in the Desert Heavy Hand of the Secret Police Impeding Reform in Arab World By NEIL MacFARQUHAR AMMAN, Jordan, Nov. 13 – At a cultural festival last year, Sameer al-Qudah recited a poem of his depicting Arab rulers […]
It was probably in the year 1995 when I attended a reception by the Ambassador of Pakistan to Thailand on the occasion of the Pakistani Independence Day. Tables and chairs were placed around the garden. On the next table some Quranic verses were quoted in a conversation. When I overheard […]