Pakistan: Gen. (Rtd.) Beig for shooting down intruding ISAF copters, drones

...[Gen. Mirza Aslam Beig]demanded that the Pakistan Air Force should be tasked to shoot down the helicopters and drones involved in attacks on Pakistan’s territories.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Nation | Pakistan
By Ashraf Mumtaz | September 29, 2010

LAHORE - Former army chief Gen Mirza Aslam Beig on Tuesday bitterly criticised the government for involving Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani in the conflict between the executive and the judiciary, and demanded that the Pakistan Air Force should be tasked to shoot down the helicopters and drones involved in attacks on Pakistan’s territories.

Talking to TheNation, he said while the troika meeting was a routine in normal circumstances, the one that took place on Monday had quite different implications.

He said it took place on a day when the Supreme Court was hearing a case of the government’s failure to write a letter to the Swiss authorities to request them to reopen cases against President Zardari, which had earlier been closed on the basis of an unauthorised communication sent by the previous government.

Faith and science: "100 percent' chance for life on newly found planet?

The atmosphere and gravity are similar to Earth, and if you're from the polar regions, you'd definitely feel right at home.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: CNN News | Breaking
By CNN | September 30, 2010

Gliese 581g may be the new Earth.

A team of astronomers from the University of California and the Carnegie Institute of Washington say they've found a planet like ours, 20 light years (120 trillion miles) from Earth, where the basic conditions for life are good.

"The chances for life on this planet are 100 percent," Steven Vogt, a UC professor of astronomy and astrophysics says. "I have almost no doubt about it."

The planet is three times the size of Earth, but the gravity is similar.

Dr. Elizabeth Cunningham, planetarium astronomer at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, says the discovery is a huge deal.

UK: Firm fined after dead mouse found in loaf of bread

"As I looked closer I saw that the object had fur on it." ..."As I was feeling ill I couldn't face eating anything myself. I sat with the children as they ate theirs." [Stephen Forse, Kidlington, Oxfordshire]

Photo: BBC News

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: BBC News | Oxford
By BBC | September 27, 2010

A food production company was ordered to pay nearly £17,000 after a man found a dead mouse in a loaf of bread as he made sandwiches for his children.

Stephen Forse, of Kidlington, Oxfordshire, had already used some slices when he came across the mouse.

Mr Forse purchased the loaf online, through a Tesco branch in Bicester in January 2009.

Premier Foods was fined £5,500 and ordered to pay £11,109.47 in costs at Oxford Crown Court.

USA: Interfaith Symposium | 'Holy Women of our Faith'

The event organizers have invited several faith leaders from Bhaha'i, Buddhist, Christianity, and Islam to expound on the subject and lay taking points for a question-answer session that will follow.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community | Fairfax, VA
By AhmadiyyaTimes staff | September 30, 2010

The Ahmadiyya Muslim community of Northern Virginia will host an Interfaith Dialogue at George Mason Univerity this weekend, the community has announced.

Representatives of various religions will speak about holy women of their respective religions as presented in their scriptures and traditions

The program will be held in Enterprise Hall, Room 80 at 12:00 PM and will last until to 3:00 PM.

The event organizers have invited several representatives from Bhaha'i, Buddhist, Christianity, and Islamic faiths to expound on the subject and lay taking points for a question-answer session that will follow.

Eye on Extremism: Netherlands edges towards banning burqa

Liberals leader Mark Rutte, Christian Democrat leader Maxime Verhagen and Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders announced in a news conference the details of the pact.

Photo: AFP

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By Express | Reuters | September 30, 2010

AMSTERDAM: Two centre-right parties have agreed to ban the burqa in the Netherlands as a price for parliamentary support from the anti-Islam Freedom party for their minority government.

Liberals leader Mark Rutte, Christian Democrat leader Maxime Verhagen and Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders announced in a news conference the details of the pact.

In a nod to Wilders, the parties agreed to propose banning the burqa in the Netherlands and tightening immigration rules. Wilders said the measures would cut non-Western immigration by half.

The pact still needs approval by a Christian Democrat (CDA) congress on Saturday after the party failed to resolve divisions on whether to rely on support from the Freedom Party during 15 hours of talks on Wednesday.

Gambia: Feed the poor and the needy, Amir Ahmadiyya tells Muslims

He ... extended the greetings of the worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Community, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad to all Muslims in the country. He also prayed for continuous peace and tranquility in the country.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: TODAY Newspaper
By TODAY | September 28, 2010

The Amir (head) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in The Gambia, Maulana Baba F Trawally has enjoined Muslims to feed the poor and the needy in the spirit of the lessons of the recently concluded Holy Month of Ramadan. The religious leader made this call in a press release made available to TODAY Newspaper.

According to him, the Almighty Allah has prescribed the fasting that Muslims may attain righteousness and protection from sin. He said that one of the qualities of true believers is service to humanity and feeding and helping the poor and the needy. “So much importance has been put on it that the feeding of the poor is prescribed by Islam as penalty for some crimes. Those who have not the strength to fast during the month of fasting are commanded to feed the poor as expiation. Feeding of the poor and the needy is therefore an integral teaching of Islam,” he remarked.

Continuing, the Amir said that Allah Almighty has described those who drive away the orphans and do not urge the feeding of the poor as rejecters of the true spirit of Islam, and that the Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (saw) had also emphasized the importance of feeding the poor in a number of his sayings.

Canada: Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat brings message of peace to Smithers

The AMJ is on a tour right now that passed through every corner of B.C. including a discussion session in Terrace and another one in Prince George. AMJ invites local religious leaders to discuss certain issues that are predominate in every religion and stresses that these sessions are to discuss, not debate, religion.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Smithers Interior News
By Dan Mesec | September 29, 2010

Missionaries from Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at [AMJ], a national Muslim outreach organization, was in Smithers Sept. 17 during a tour across the country to discuss the true teachings of Islam.

Recently, due to extreme negativity cast on the Islamic religion in the southern United States that was widely covered in the main stream media the AMJ of Canada decided to intensify their outreach programs to educate communities about Muslims and their peaceful practises.

“My organization has taken the task which no other community has done, to visit city-to-city and present a greeting of Islam which is of peace. And bring people together so we can discuss that we are beautiful flowers of different colours, and we can co-exist, and we’re here to promote that love,” said Rizwan Peerzada, AMJ President.

Despite the fact that the visit was short notice and didn’t attract the numbers that they’d hoped for, there is still plans for next year’s visit to be much more engaging.

UK: Ahmadiyya Muslim Association resubmits plans for Cradley Heath mosque

President of the Association Dr Masood Majoka said: “In its present state, St Luke’s Church Hall is inadequate for our requirements. It needs renovation and upgrading for the purposes of worship and service to the community.”

File Photo: Cradley Heath mosque members

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | EU Desk
Source/Credit: Halesowen News
By HN | September 29, 2010

PLANS for a mosque in Cradley Heath, complete with dome and minaret, are being resubmitted to Sandwell Council.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Association was refused planning permission for its renovation of St Lukes Church Hall, School Street, in July due to parking problems and the size of the minaret and dome.

However, the Muslim Association has resubmitted its application with a smaller minaret and dome and better parking provision.

The Association, whose motto is ‘Love for All, Hatred for None’ has been using the old church hall as a place of worship for two years.

In crisis-ravaged Pakistan, the generals are waiting in the wings

...[A] direct call for martial law coming from a man whose party is a major ally of the ruling Pakistan People's Party -- which Zardari heads -- was beyond all expectations.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Radio Free Europe
By Daud Khattak | RFE | September 7, 2010

The words "this is a critical time for Pakistan" have been used so often since the country gained independence in 1947 that it has become virtually meaningless. Practically every ruler and ruling party in the country’s history has used it, usually as a prelude to the intervention of the military in political life.

Nonetheless, when one considers the widespread devastation caused by the ongoing floods, a contracting economy that is kept afloat by foreign loans, the country’s worst-ever energy crisis, the political crisis caused by the growing chasm between the ruling party and the judiciary, worsening regional and ethnic divisions, and the Taliban-driven security crisis, a pretty strong case can be made that Pakistan is indeed at a critical juncture.

10 signs the U.S. is losing its influence in the Western Hemisphere

... [T]hey [the CIA] haven't stopped Hugo Chavez from railing against the United States for years. Clearly America has adopted a more passive regional strategy.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Yahoo News | Business Insider
By Gus Lubin | September 27, 2010

We won't be the alpha dog in the western hemisphere forever.

Even if the U.S. hadn't crashed into a financial crisis, there are demographic, material, and political forces that have been spreading power around the Americas for decades.

Brazil is first among the BRICs (Brazi, Russia, India, and China) -- four economies that are supposed to overtake the six largest Western economies by 2032.

Mexico is first among the MAVINS (Mexico, Australia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Nigeria, and South Africa) -- six economies we expect to blow away expectations and become leading powers in their regions relatively soon.

Afghanistan: Female Afghan Candidates, Voters Defy Taliban Threats

Some progress has been dramatic: hundreds of women are running for seats in parliament, just nine years since they were banned by the Taliban from attending school.

Afghan women waiting to vote PHOTO: The Washington Post

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: Central Asia Online
By CAO | September 24, 2010

Standing up to Taliban death threats, a record number of women participated in Afghan parliamentary elections September 18.

“I am happy that Afghan women are becoming interested in politics day by day,” Fatana Gilani, head of the Afghan Women's Association, told Central Asia Online. “I am optimistic for the future of women in Afghanistan.”

Out of 2,446 total candidates running for 249 seats in the lower house, Olasi Jirga, 385 are women. There are 68 seats reserved for women.

“It would be premature to discuss the number of female participants in parliamentary elections ... but based on our preliminary information, a significant number of women voted in Balkh, Herat and Khost provinces,” Jandad Speenghar, CEO of the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan told Central Asia Online.

Faith & Practice: Read books rather than burn them | Letters

As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, whose motto is "love for all, hatred for none," this letter is my form of protest but extremists, unfortunately, plan on reacting differently.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Washington Times | Letters
By Nasir Ahmad | September 27, 2010

I am not sure whether Pastor Terry Jones had read the entire Koran before he planned "Burn a Koran" day on Sept. 11. An entire chapter of the Koran is dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Koran praises Jesus himself more than 20 times.

What can this act achieve other than hurting the feelings of more than 1 billion Muslims across the globe - including 2 million American Muslims - and attempt to breed hatred between Muslims and Christians? As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, whose motto is "love for all, hatred for none," this letter is my form of protest but extremists, unfortunately, plan on reacting differently.

Sept. 11 is and will remain a dark day in the history of our beloved country. Mr. Jones still needs to realize that Sept. 11 also provides an opportunity to have interfaith dialogue to dispel misunderstandings, rather than increase the divide among followers of different religions.

NASIR AHMAD
Tinton Falls, N.J.


Read original post here: Read books rather than burn them

Faith and Practice: Basic Religion Test Stumps Many Americans

On questions about world religions, like Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism, the groups that did the best were atheists, agnostics and Jews. 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The New York Times
By Laurie Goodstein | September 28, 2010

Americans are by all measures a deeply religious people, but they are also deeply ignorant about religion.

Researchers from the independent Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life phoned more than 3,400 Americans and asked them 32 questions about the Bible, Christianity and other world religions, famous religious figures and the constitutional principles governing religion in public life.

On average, people who took the survey answered half the questions incorrectly, and many flubbed even questions about their own faith.

Those who scored the highest were atheists and agnostics, as well as two religious minorities: Jews and Mormons. The results were the same even after the researchers controlled for factors like age and racial differences.

UK: Plot to attack European cities foiled: report

Earlier on Tuesday,  the Eiffel Tower and the surrounding Champ de Mars park were briefly evacuated because of a bomb alert, the fourth such alert in the Paris region in as many weeks.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By Express Reuters | September 29, 2010

Intelligence agencies have claimed they have intercepted a terror plot to launch Mumbai-style attacks on London and other European cities according to a report in Sky News.

The foreign affairs editor of Sky News, Tim Marshall has alleged that militants based in Pakistan were planning simultaneous strikes on London and other major British cities. He said the group was also planning similar attacks in France and Germany.

Asked about the Sky News report, US security officials said they could not confirm that a plot had been disrupted. But they said they believed that the threat of a plot or plots was continuing. US counter-terrorism agencies are poring over intelligence reports suggesting a major attack plot is currently in the works against unspecified targets in Western Europe or possibly the United States, they said.

Pakistan: Beyond Aafia

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Dawn | Opinion
By Sana Saleem | September 28, 2010

For seven years now, Aafia Siddiqui’s case has remained shrouded in mystery, the ghost of Bargram has haunted Pakistan ever since. From her disappearance in Karachi to her arrest at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan and throughout her trial, Siddiqui’s case has been most peculiar. On September 23, 2010 Siddiqui was sentenced to 86 years of imprisonment by a US Federal Court in New York, after being convicted of firing at US troops at Bagram during custody.

Over the years, Siddiqui’s case has been used by religious and political parties for point scoring and to gain public sympathy. Soon after the verdict, the Pakistan government said it would write a petition Washington to secure her repatriation on humanitarian grounds. It can not be denied that the charges appear dubious, keeping in mind that her alleged association with al Qaeda has been on the forefront, with a considerable number of media outlets dubbing her as “Lady al Qaeda” even before her trial began.

Generals in Pakistan push for shake-up of government

A Pakistani official close to the president who was familiar with the conversation but did not want to be identified, said, “The president made it clear that he would not leave, come what may.”

President Zardari, PM Gilani and Gen. Keyani - File Photo: DAWN

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The New York Times
By Jane Perlez | September 28, 2010

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The Pakistani military, angered by the inept handling of the country’s devastating floods and alarmed by a collapse of the economy, is pushing for a shake-up of the elected government, and in the longer term, even the removal of President Asif Ali Zardari and his top lieutenants.

The military, preoccupied by a war against militants and reluctant to assume direct responsibility for the economic crisis, has made clear it is not eager to take over the government, as it has many times before, military officials and politicians said.

Afghanistan: Light Armored Reconnaissance Marines keep Shabu safe

Having the trust of the locals has paid great dividends for the Marines. It has helped them gather invaluable intelligence on insurgent activity in the area.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Marines | 1st Marine Division
By Cpl. Eugenio Montanez | September 23, 2010

COMBAT OUTPOST SHABU, HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan  — After Marines patrolled through the hot Afghan desert, jumping over canals and traversing cropped fields possibly laden with improvised explosive devices, they finally arrived at the remote village of Shabu.

Marines with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion have been making this journey for five months.

“Our mission is to win the civilian populace from the Taliban,” said Lance Cpl. Matthew Tipton, a rifleman with 3rd Platoon, Company A, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion. “We do this by constantly talking to them every day, asking them how we can help.”

Pakistan: The Aafia mafia

We should be spending money on her defence simply because she is a Pakistani national in trouble and convicted in a case that is doubtful. But everyone who resolutely proclaims her innocence like most of the political parties in the country do so inaccurately.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By Fasi Zaka | September 27, 2010

The writer is a columnist, and TV and radio anchor fasi.zaka@tribune.com.pk
About a year ago, I wrote a column that got the ghairat brigade on my case. The gist of the column was that the trial in the US was based on a case of evidence, and lack of, that the US had full control over in the alleged attempt to shoot a US soldier by Dr Aafia Siddiqui. That she would get a fair trial was dubious, plus the case was opportunistic because the US took the easy way out and didn’t prosecute her for her alleged links to al Qaeda but instead for a shooting during a questioning. She was, after all wanted for links to terrorism initially. Then of course, one of the main problems is the US took a third party national from Afghanistan for a trial in their domestic courts.

Pakistan: Dozens of Christians Beaten by Mob in Gujrat

About 40 Islamists – some shooting Kalashnikovs and pistols at homes and individuals on the street, others brandishing axes and clubs – beat some of the Christians so badly that they left them for dead, Pastor Khan said. So far, 10 families have been targeted for the attacks.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Christian Post | Compass Direct News
By Walter Smith | September 27, 2010

SARGODHA, Pakistan  (Compass Direct News) – A mob of Muslim extremists on Thursday shot at and beat dozens of Christians, including one cleared of “blasphemy” charges, in Punjab Province’s Gujrat district, Christian leaders said.

The attack on Tariq Gill, exonerated of charges of blaspheming the Quran on Sept. 3, 2009, and on his father Murad Gill, his mother and the other Christian residents was the latest of more than 10 such assaults on the Christian colony of Mohalla Kalupura, Gujrat city, since Sept. 8, the Rev. Suleman Nasri Khan and Bishop Shamas Pervaiz told Compass.

USA: First Sikh American named to White House Commission on AAPI

The mission of the Commission is to provide advice to the President on how all agencies in the federal government may improve the quality of life of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs).

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Sikh Sanghat | News
By GSN | September 26, 2010

(New York, New York) September 24, 2010 – The Sikh Coalition is pleased to announce that Amardeep Singh, the Sikh Coalition’s co-founder and Director of Programs, was appointed by President Barack Obama to his Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) last week. The Sikh Coalition believes this is the first appointment of a Sikh American to such a post.

“Our nation will be well-served by the skill and dedication these men and women bring to their new roles. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead,” President Obama said last week in a news release issued by the White House.

UK: MP in fact-finding mission to Cradley Heath Muslim group

With the motto “love for all, hatred for none,” the 200 strong Cradley Heath group raises in the region of £100,000 for charities, both local and to help run Ahmadiyya schools and hospitals in Africa.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: Halesoven News
By HN | September 28, 2010

 AHMADIYYA Muslims in Cradley Heath welcomed Halesowen and Rowley Regis  MP James Morris to their community centre in the latest in a series of fact-finding visits to get to know his new patch.

He said he was “very interested” in building links with all faith-based organisations within the constituency.

“A tremendous amount of good work is done by them all and my role is to bring that together, to be a facilitator in linking it all,” he said.

Conservative Mr Morris, who snatched the seat from Labour in the May elections, was presented with a Qur’an by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community local president Dr Masood Majoka to mark his visit to the School Street centre which opened two years ago.

Israel: Jewish activists sail to Gaza in defiance of blockade

The boat, named Irene, set sail on Sunday under a British flag with 10 passengers and crew. It could take up to 36 hours to reach the Gazan coast.

Aid supplies on board - Photo: BBC/Reuters

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: BBC News | Isreal
By BBC | September 27, 2010

A boat carrying a group of Jewish activists has set sail from northern Cyprus with the aim of breaching Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The 10m (32-foot) catamaran is carrying supplies including medical equipment, textbooks, nets and children's toys.

The activists - from Israel, the US, Germany and the UK - say they will not resist if Israel tries to stop them.

Earlier this year, Israeli commandos killed nine people in clashes on board a Turkish ship trying to reach Gaza.

Pakistan: A threatened government

In the current situation if a military takeover is unlikely, Altaf Hussain’s revolution against the feudals, capitalists and parasites backed by ‘patriotic generals’ is even more unlikely. But it also needs to be realised that the present chaotic, gung-ho system cannot last for another 30 months.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Dawn | Pakistan
By Kunwar Idris | September 26, 2010

One can readily agree with the president and the prime minister, and even with their far more garrulous law minister, that democracy is under no threat in the country. The only problem is that when they speak of democracy in abstract terms they, in fact, mean their coalition government.

It would also be safe to say that their government, however faltering, is not threatened by a coup. The army high command is discerning enough to know that despite its image being burnished by rescue and relief services during the floods, the people would not welcome its intervention in politics, nor does it have a ready solution for the many and serious problems besetting the country.

Ahmadiyya donates to Providenza

Ahmadiyya Jamaat provides its services to mankind irrespective of their colour, creed, race, nationality, politics and faith, on the basis of humanity first. It promotes its famous slogan 'Love for all, Hatred for none'.

Mr. Laiq Ahmad Atif and Fr. Martin Micallef

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community | Malta
By Ahmadiyya Times | September 27, 2010

Laiq Ahmed Atif, the president and director of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta visited the offices of ‘Dar tal-Providenza’ to make a contribution in the noble work and service of Dar tal-Providenza.

During his visit Mr. Atif presented food packets to Fr. Martin Micallef, the director of Dar tal-Providenza, as a donation for residents of this institution.

Mr. Atif explained about the social, charitable and humanitarian work of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta. And presented some quotes from the writings of Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad, the Founder of Ahmadiyya Jamaat, with reference to the service to mankind, he says:

Faith and Science: UN to appoint Earth’s first contact for aliens

“The continued search for extraterrestrial communication, by several entities, sustains the hope that some day humankind will receive signals from extraterrestrials. “When we do, we should have in place a coordinated response."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | EU Desk
Source/Credit: Thindian News
By ANI | September 26, 2010

Melbourne, Sep 26 (ANI): In a strange initiative from United Nations, it is set to appoint an obscure Malaysian astrophysicist to act as Earth’s first contact for any aliens that may come visiting.

Mazlan Othman, the head of the UN’s little-known Office for Outer Space Affairs (Unoosa), will describe her potential new role at a scientific conference at the Royal Society’s Kavli conference centre in Buckinghamshire.

“The continued search for extraterrestrial communication, by several entities, sustains the hope that some day humankind will receive signals from extraterrestrials,” the Courier Mail quoted Mazlan as saying.

“When we do, we should have in place a coordinated response that takes into account all the sensitivities related to the subject. The UN is a ready-made mechanism for such coordination,” she added.

A victim of the Lahore attack remembers

It was the 28 day of May – this year – a Friday. Back home in Pakistan, it was 2:30pm. Two Ahmadi places of worship in Lahore were under siege by terrorists.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Tribune Express
By Sonya Rehman | September 25, 2010

You read stories of violence and atrocities committed on faceless Pakistanis in your local newspapers on a daily basis. You absorb the news as detached consumers. Empathy and even hints of grief might stir your heart while reading a poignant story every once in a while, but try as you might, you will never be able to relate to the victims and those directly involved – because you were never there. It didn’t happen to you or, anyone you know. And for that, you’re almost relieved. Yet guiltily so.

But what would happen, if one day, you or your loved ones were victims of a cruel, intolerant act of violence? And what if, someone you knew and loved deeply was taken away from you, within a mere few agonising hours?

What then? How would you survive the horror?

UK: Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Conference Concludes with World Leader's Address

The highlight of the event was the presence of the world Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad who concluded the event with a faith inspiring address on Sunday afternoon in which he spoke about the sacrifices made by Ahmadis throughout the world.

His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad - PHOTO: MTA

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | UK Desk
Source/Credit: Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, UK | AlIslam.Org
By Press release | September 27, 2010

Thousands attend 3 Day Muslim Youth Conference in Surrey

Majlis Khuddam-ul-Ahmadiyya UK (MKA), the youth wing of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in the UK this weekend successfully held its 38th Annual National Conference (Ijtema) at Islamabad in Tilford, Surrey. The three day event, which was attended by nearly 4,000 delegates, included numerous academic and sporting activities as well as exhibitions by various organisations such as the British Army, Police and Rescue Services.

The highlight of the event was the presence of the world Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad who concluded the event with a faith inspiring address on Sunday afternoon in which he spoke about the sacrifices made by Ahmadis throughout the world, most notably in Pakistan where the community continues to face the most horrific State sanctioned persecution.

Islam and the West: Deepening rifts

This is a difficult time for inter-cultural relations between Islam and the West. The atmosphere has been vitiated by fringe elements such as Terry Jones, while American public opinion is also reflecting an intolerant streak with the vitriolic opposition to Park51, misleadingly dubbed the ‘Ground Zero mosque’.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Dawn | Pakistan
By Dawn Editorial | September 27, 2010

The chasm between the western world and Islamic countries seems to be getting ever wider. And while certain elements in the West are indeed guilty of fanning the flames of mistrust through provocation, some leaders and entities within the Islamic world are also responsible for the deepening polarity between Islam and the West.

While addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that most people believed that the US government was responsible for the Sept 11 attacks. He also called for the UN to form “an independent fact-finding group” to investigate the tragedy. Expectedly, the comments outraged the US and European delegations, which staged a walkout.

Malta: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community donates to Malta Hospice Movement

Ms Shah emphasised the importance of such donations and said it was thanks to similar acts of solidarity that the movement has been able to continue its mission for the last 21 years.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Times of Malta
By Times | September 26, 2010

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Malta recently donated €500 to the Malta Hospice Movement.

Ahmadiyya Malta president and director Laiq Ahmed Atif visited the movement’s Balzan offices, where he presented the donation to Hospice general manager Antoinette Shah.

Ms Shah emphasised the importance of such donations and said it was thanks to similar acts of solidarity that the movement has been able to continue its mission for the last 21 years.

The Malta Hospice Movement offers free palliative care to patients with cancer or motor-neuron disease.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat is a universal religious organisation, with members in over 198 countries. It advocates peace, tolerance, love and understanding among followers of different faiths.

Read original post here: Ahmadiyya donates to Hospice

Pakistan's Constitutional Showdown: 'Supreme Court cannot change Constitution': PM Gilani

Gilani’s words follow earlier statements by the parliamentary committee that drew up the 18th constitutional amendment, who cautioned the Supreme Court against undermining the parliament’s supremacy by challenging its decisions.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By Express | September 26, 2010

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that the Supreme Court has no right to make any change in the Pakistan Constitution.

Gilani was speaking to senior journalists in Islamabad today (Sunday). The prime minister also said that those who claim the government’s days are numbered should bear in mind that no political party will tolerate extra constitutional changes. He added that governments cannot be changed through speculation.

He also said the deadline before which the Swiss cases had to be re-opened has passed. He also expressed hope that the Supreme Court would not become party to any ‘anti-democratic elements’.

Pakistan: ‘Zia remnants hurting us’; 'Djinn' energy at work

Educationist Dr AH Nayyar said the general’s attempts to “Islamise” schools subjects including science played havoc with the education system. During his rule Pakistan had hosted international ‘science’ conferences at which people read research papers on bizarre subjects such as how to extract energy from djinn.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By The Express | September 26, 2010

LAHORE: General Ziaul Haq’s sidetracking of the democratic process created space for religious extremists and his influence is still a negative drain on politics, historians said at an event marking the 22nd death anniversary of the military dictator on Tuesday.

Gen. Zia, several other top Pakistani generals and the then US ambassador to Pakistan were killed in an aircraft crash near Bahawalpur on August 17, 1988. “His 11-year rule will be remembered as an age of dictatorship, extremism and fanaticism,” historian Dr Mubarik Ali told The Express Tribune.

Pakistan: Church Attacked Amid Koran Burn Row

Nine Bibles, three hymn books and three wooden crosses were found burnt last week at the Nasri Pentecostal Church in Shah Latif Town, Karachi, which is home to about 120 Christian families.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: BosNewsLife
By Asia Service | September 23, 2010

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN (BosNewsLife)-- A Pentecostal church in Pakistan's largest city Karachi was vandalized by Islamists still irate from a threat to burn Korans by an American pastor, Christians said Thursday, September 23.

Nine Bibles, three hymn books and three wooden crosses were found burnt last week at the Nasri Pentecostal Church in Shah Latif Town, Karachi, which is home to about 120 Christian families.

The attack is the latest in ongoing protests in Pakistan against Pastor Terry Jones, although he cancelled widely publicized plans to burn Korans, seen as holy books by Muslims, during the recent anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks against the United States.

USA: Religious Land Use Protection and Mosques: No reason to celebrate this anniversary

Other examples speak to intolerance and misperceptions triumphing over reason. A zoning board in Walkersville, Md. rejected a proposal from the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community to buy 224-acre farm after residents voiced opposition and fear of Islam.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |  Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Huffington Post | September 25, 2010
By John L. Esposito and Sheila B. Lalwani

It is the 10th anniversary of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act.

Hold your applause.

The federal bill President Clinton signed into law in 2000 enhanced Justice Department powers to protect planned and existing religious sites; but, in reality, cases of discrimination against Islamic centers and mosques have actually spiked. Earlier this week, the U.S. Justice Department said it is watching 11 cases of potential land-use discrimination against Muslims, a notable increase given that the law is intended to protect religious minorities in zoning disputes and its very existence suggests a growing awareness of religious pluralism and acceptance in America.

Maybe not.

Christian human rights group urges Indonesia to protect religious freedom

In one attack earlier this month, an elder of the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Bekasi was seriously injured when he was stabbed in the heart and stomach while on his way to a service. In another incident, a pastor was beaten with a wooden block.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Christian Today | Mission
By Charlie Boyd | September 24, 2010

Christian Solidarity Worldwide has called upon the Indonesian Government to safeguard religious freedom and pluralism in the wake of attacks on Christians and Ahmadiyya Muslims in the country.

The Setara Institute for Democracy and Peace says that at least 30 attacks on churches have been reported so far this year, with extremist Islamist groups targetting churches in West Java in particular.

In one attack earlier this month, an elder of the Batak Christian Protestant Church in Bekasi was seriously injured when he was stabbed in the heart and stomach while on his way to a service. In another incident, a pastor was beaten with a wooden block.

Pakistan: 'Freedom of speech is everyone's right' - State Minister Qayyum defends 'Right to corruption' also

Jatoi had said that Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary belonged to Faisalabad but that he used a domicile of Balochistan to become a judge. 

Federal Minister Qayyum Jatoi and Nawabzada Talal Bugti hold
 a joint press conference at Bugti House in Quetta. PHOTO: ONLINE

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Express Tribune
By Express | September 25, 2010

'Right to corruption' statement defended; 'Freedom of speech is everyone's right,' says State Minister Qayyum Jatoi.

ISLAMABAD: State Minister for Defence Production Sardar Abdul Qayyum Jatoi has responded to criticism of his controversial statement by saying freedom of speech is everyone’s right and that he was just expressing his views.

Jatoi had said the army is not meant to kill innocent citizens and alleged that Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary belonged to Faisalabad but that he used a domicile of Balochistan to become a judge. Jatoi had made the remarks when he was talking to the media after his meeting with the president of Jamhoori Watan Party Nawabzada Talal Bugti in Quetta.

Earlier, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had summoned Sardar Abdul Qayyum Jatoi for his remarks.

U.S. must avoid path of fanaticism

Islam is very much part of America — like Christianity, Judaism or Hinduism. For example, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the oldest Muslim organization in the country, is very active in the community.

Photo: Hasan Hakeem's Journal

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Japan Times | Readers in Council
By Riyaz Muhammad | Plano, TX | September 15, 2010

Regarding Monika Kono's Sept. 12 letter, "Double standard against Christians": I do understand and agree with the feelings of the reader when it comes to religious freedom in many so-called Muslim countries. But I cannot agree that the United States should follow the same path of religious fanaticism. This country was built on the foundation of religious freedom and that's what we stand for.

Islam is very much part of America — like Christianity, Judaism or Hinduism. For example, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the oldest Muslim organization in the country, is very active in the community. It speaks out against religious persecution (www.muslimsforpeace.org) and intolerance anywhere across the world. It engages in humanitarian activities without bias against any color, race or nationality.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.




Read original post here: U.S. must avoid path of fanaticism

Indonesia: Ahmadiyah and the definition of power

Abuse of power might be an infamous, yet relevant, catchphrase to describe the state’s continuous intervention in a matter far beyond its territory.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: The Jakarta Post | Opinion
By Setiono Sugiharto, Jakarta | September 24, 2010

A plan proposed by Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali to dissolve the Ahmadiyah congregation adds fresh rhetoric to the protracted myriads of quandaries the country is facing.

Having been the target of violent attacks, the long-practiced Jamaah Ahmadiyah seems to be facing tougher resistance from the mainstream Muslim majority following the minister’s call to allow the public to act as a watchdog to ensure Ahmadiyah’s compliance (The Jakarta Post, Aug. 31).

By disbanding the congregation and declaring it heretical or blasphemous, the state, represented by the Religious Affairs Ministry, has been too quick in exercising its power.

Pakistan: Everyone should have right to corruption, says State Minister Qayum Jatoi

He said Mir Zafarullah Jamali, Jam Muhammad Yousuf and Aftab Sherpao snatched people’s rights by supporting a dictator.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: The News International
By The News | September 25, 2010

QUETTA: State Minister for Defence Production Abdul Qayum Jatoi Saturday said everyone should have an equal right to corruption.

Replying to a question while talking media on the occasion of his meeting with Talal Akbar Bugti here at Bugti House, the State Minister said everyone including Sindhi, Pashtun, Baloch, Seraiki and Punjabis should get share in corruption.

Earlier, he said that former president Pervez Musharraf, prime minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali, Jam Muhammad Yousuf, Aftab Sherpao among others were all allegedly involved in the murder of Nawab Akbar Bugti. It would be wrong to call these people politicians; they are people of establishment, he added.

Faith and common sense: Religious freedom isn't just for Christians

Oh stop. There is no moral outrage committed in the name of Christianity that has not found its justification in the Bible, from the Crusades to the Inquisition, from slavery to the persecution of homosexuals and the subjugation of women. They were just doing God’s will. It’s the same with radical Islam.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The Reporter Online | In Other Words
By Donald Kaul | September 23, 2010


It seems that the quickest path to popularity these days is to say terrible things about Islam.

If it’s not some sleazy politician vacuuming votes by opposing a mosque near Ground Zero, it’s a tinhorn evangelist in Florida threatening to start a bonfire with copies of the Koran, the holy book of Islam.

(The Florida guy — who called off the bonfire, by the way — heads a congregation of 50. Fifty! An evangelist who sleeps in his car can get a following of 50 in Florida with a bullhorn and a street corner.)

When it comes to the Manhattan mosque, what’s fine by the Constitution is fine by me. As far as burning the Koran goes, I’m against it.

PAKISTAN: Super floods make children and women vulnerable to trafficking

News reports estimate 10 million people became vulnerable as the gushing water forced them to vacate their houses and lands and take refuge in relief camps. At least 50% of the total displaced population consists of women and children and such displacement has certainly increased their vulnerability to internal as well as external trafficking.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Asian Human Rights Comission
By AHRC | September 20, 2010

The 2010 super floods, which literally ravaged many rural parts of the country, brought countless miseries to the inhabitants of a large number of Pakistani population. It has become very clear that besides provision of shelter, food, clean water and medicines the issue of the protection of women and child rights is increasingly taking attention of civil society organizations as well as government functionaries. However, it is understood that a clear lack in planning, coordination mechanism and concrete measures make children and women vulnerable to all imaginable sorts of violence, including the violence of trafficking.

Indonesian cleric plans to promote moderate Muslim philosophy - in Europe

Indonesia has its share of religious conflict. Fundamentalist groups and a government minister have called for the Ahmadiyah sect to be disbanded because mainstream Muslims do not agree with some of its teachings. 

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Voice of America News | Jakarta
By Brian Padden | September 23, 2010

A prestigious Indonesian Islamic theologian is traveling to Europe to promote the country's tolerant, pluralist interpretation of Islam and counter the violent ideology of radical extremists. The tour is organized by groups that promote pluralism and is part of a plan to develop a network of Muslim leaders to give voice to what they call the "great silent majority" of peace-loving Muslims.

Preaching tolerance and moderation

Kyai Haji Achmad Mustofa Bisri, an influential Islamic cleric and member of the supreme council of Nahdlatul Ulama, an Indonesian Muslim organization with 40 million members, has preached tolerance and moderation for over 30 years. Now he has agreed to travel to Europe to help reconcile what he describes as growing animosity between Muslims and Christians there.

USA: Forget 2012 - fear 2018, when 43 percent of Americans will be obese, according to data projections

"There is a tsunami of chronic preventable disease about to be unleashed into our medical-care system which is increasingly unaffordable."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The New York Daily News
By Jim Farber | November 19, 2009

Put down that pudding pop, America.

You’re getting fatter. And it’s costing us all plenty of dough.

According to new data reported by USA Today, obesity will cost Americans roughly $334 billion in medical expenses by 2018. That would account for 21% of the nation’s total health-care spending.

Those figures are based on the projection that in a decade 43% of us will be obese, a term defined by when an individual is 30 pounds of more over a healthy weight level.

The added girth puts a person at risk for diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The fallout from those diseases has become newly relevant as America debates health care reform, and the cost to us all.

Faith and Practice: Opposition to Quran burning showed America at its best

According to Prophet Muhammad, I cannot be truly thankful to God without being thankful to His creation. So thank you for standing up for my Quran.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Dayton Daily News | Letters
By Tariq Malik | September 22, 2010

Thank you, America.

As a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, I must express my sincere gratitude to all of my fellow Americans who protested against the “Burn a Koran” day.

According to Prophet Muhammad, I cannot be truly thankful to God without being thankful to His creation. So thank you for standing up for my Quran. To not be Muslim, but to stand beside us, is something I do not take lightly and I will never forget it.

Once more, Americans have demonstrated that solidarity exists among the followers of different faiths or no faiths, and we desire peaceful coexistence. United we stand with love, peace and brotherhood.

Tariq Malik, Canal Winchester



Read original post here: Opposition to Quran burning showed America at its best

USA: 'We love this country' Local Muslim sect still tries to distance itself from extremists

How Muslims are treated and viewed in the United State regained focus as the nine-year anniversary of Sept. 11 was marked on the heels of an emotional debate about whether an Islamic center should be built blocks from the former World Trade Center site, and Florida Pastor Terry Jones' threats to burn the Koran, the Muslim holy book.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: Sentinel And Enterprise
By Emily Devlin | September 20, 2010

FITCHBURG -- Every Friday, at 1 p.m., about 30 members of the local Ahmadiyya Muslim Community gather for afternoon prayers at their Main Street mosque.

The group established its own center in Fitchburg three years ago to give North Central Massachusetts members a closer option for worship than their former location in Sharon. Many have lived in the region for much longer, including the group's imam, Bashir Mehmud.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a sect apart from mainstream Islam. It was founded by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad in 1889. The group believes that Ahmad, who lived in India, was the messiah sent by God to end religious war and re-establish morality.

Members walked in the annual Fourth of July parade on Main Street, waving a banner bearing their motto, "Love for All, Hatred for None."

USA: Introduction to Islam will tackle stereotypes

"There's a lot that says all these differences cannot coexist peacefully, but there is so much in common in all the faith groups and very minor differences."

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Canada Desk
Source/Credit: Record-Gazette | Local News
By Erin Steele | September 15, 2010

Conversation is a tool that can bring insight to the differences of understanding in this world. When science meets religion, conflict in thinking is inevitable. Especially controversial is the Theory of Evolution. Anybody know the Islamic perspective on Darwin's theory?

On September 25, some of that valuable insight on that specific topic will be shed at the Sawridge Inn, where Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a group dedicated to promoting peace, tolerance and dialogue about Islam is coming for an introductory seminar on the Islamic perspective of evolution and, most importantly, a conversation.

"It's a chance to satisfy people's curiosity and remove misconceptions," said Basheer Islam, organizer of the conference, while he stopped in at the Record-Gazette's office between handing out posters for the event.

USA: Muslims say they face more discrimination at work

The number of complaints filed since then will not be announced until January, but Islamic groups say they have received a surge in complaints recently, suggesting that 2010’s figure will set another record.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: The New York Times
By Steven Greenhouse | September 23, 2010

At a time of growing tensions involving Muslims in the United States, a record number of Muslim workers are complaining of employment discrimination, from co-workers calling them “terrorist” or “Osama” to employers barring them from wearing head scarves or taking prayer breaks.

Such complaints were increasing even before frictions erupted over the planned Islamic center in Lower Manhattan, with Muslim workers filing a record 803 such claims in the year ended Sept. 30, 2009. That was up 20 percent from the previous year and up nearly 60 percent from 2005, according to federal data.

The number of complaints filed since then will not be announced until January, but Islamic groups say they have received a surge in complaints recently, suggesting that 2010’s figure will set another record.

Pakistan: Jirga ‘justice’

Jirgas have ordered murder, rape and public humiliation as ‘fitting’ punishment. These practices will not end until the state makes it a priority to take legal action against those who constitute the jirgas and those who implement unlawful punishments.

Photo: AP | A Jirga proceedings in progress - File Photo

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Int'l Desk
Source/Credit: Daily Dawn | Pakistan
Editorial | September 22, 2010

Violence against vulnerable sections of society such as women and children, and the denial of their constitutional rights, continues to characterise Pakistani society irrespective, it seems, of all efforts to alter the situation. Often, this is because of lack of awareness and the enforcement of relevant laws.

Consider, for example, a jirga convened on Sunday in Kaloo Jatoi village near Shikarpur, which ordered the marriage of two minor girls as a dispute-settlement mechanism. The complainant, a Jatoi tribesman, accused two men of having had an illicit relationship with his two wives, whom he killed a month ago.

Pakistan: The letter from Qonya

A little girl with a big heart, untarnished by hypocrisy has had not only the compassion to 'feel sad', but also the courage to translate this sadness into positive action.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | Opinion
Source/Credit: The News International
By Talat Farooq | September 21, 2010

Nothing in the prevailing state of despair and devastation could have lifted the soul more than nine-year old Merve Tekinay's letter to President Zardari along with her donation of one year's pocket-money and her doll for the flood victims in Pakistan. In her hand-written letter she says "I saw Pakistan in the news and felt so sad. Please don't hesitate to ask; we are your best friends." (The News, September 11). There is no doubt that Turkey has stood by us in times of need. Those of us who have visited Turkey can vouch for the warmth that the Turks show towards their Pakistani friends, not just at the governmental level but more prominently in the streets of Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir. Merve's letter is a reminder of this friendship; it is also a reminder of our mutual heritage.

Indonesia: Rising bigotry makes extremism easier: Survey

As many as 63.8 percent of the survey’s respondents would object if other religious groups built houses of worship in their neighborhoods, while 51.6 percent objected if groups from other religions held a religious event in their area.

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch |
Source/Credit: The Jakarta Globe
By Ulma Haryanto | September 23, 2010

Jakarta. The recent forcible shuttering of churches and Ahmadiyah mosques, as well as the recent attack on two protestant church leaders, do not come as a surprise to two key organizations that track intolerance in the country.

Both the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) and Lazuardi Birru, an independent organization focused on combating extremism, have said religious prejudice was on the rise here, leading to a higher potential for people to become radial in their views.

Clear signals of religious intolerance among Indonesians came out of a national survey the groups carried out earlier this year, according to Lazuardi Birru chairwoman Dhyah Madya Ruth.

Faith and Logic: Muslim leaders support NY Islamic Center

Can we as a nation learn to accept that an Islamic center is joining the host of other religious buildings, churches and synagogues within a few blocks of Ground Zero? Or will we continue to insist that all religious buildings are fine...other than Islamic centers?

Ground Zero mosque protests

Ahmadiyya Times | News Watch | US Desk
Source/Credit: Muslim Examiner | National
By Harris Zafar | September 21, 2010

 Leaders of local and national Muslim group convened in New York Sunday to meet with Sharif el-Gamal, 37, the real estate developer spearheading the Park 51 Islamic Center project. The meeting was organized by the Majlis Ash-Shura of New York, also known as the Islamic Leadership Council of Metropolitan New York, which represents 55 mosques and Muslim groups. But it also included leaders of some (not all) other national Muslim groups, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) and the Muslim American Society.