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Misgoded reading : Christianity (By Dr Lawrence) Contd.

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Continued from here

… conceived in contempt. Christian is what disbelievers called the followers of Christ—a distasteful name to believers who knew themselves as Jews, following the latest in the line of Jewish prophets. And yet, that very label is now worn with pride, despite the fact that, “It is not the usual designation of the NT, which more commonly uses such terms as brethren (Acts 1.16), believers (Acts 2.44), saints (Acts 9.32), and disciples (Acts 11.26).”

Furthermore, with regard to the term Christian, “It appears to have been more widely used by pagans, and according to Tacitus, it was in common use by the time of the Neronian persecution
(Annals, 15.44).”

In other words, the term Christian was a derogatory label imposed upon believers by their enemies. And yet, the term stuck and with typical Christian humility, was eventually accepted.

The second difficulty with the word Christian is that of definition. If we apply the term to those who affirm the prophethood of Jesus Christ, then Muslims demand inclusion, for the Islamic religion requires belief in Jesus Christ as an article of faith.

Granted, the Islamic understanding of Jesus differs from that of the Trinitarian majority of those who would identify themselves as Christian. However, many Islamic beliefs are remarkably consistent with those of classic Unitarian Christianity.

If we apply the label, “Christian” to those who follow the teachings of Jesus, we face a similar difficulty, for Muslims claim to follow the teachings of Jesus more faithfully than Christians. That claim hurls a hefty gauntlet in the face of Christianity, but is made with sincerity and commitment, and deserves examination.

Should we associate the label of Christianity with the doctrines of original sin, the Deity of Jesus, the Trinity, crucifixion, and atonement? Makes sense, but here’s the problem: Although these doctrines define creedal differences between Trinitarian
Christianity and Islam, they also define creedal differences between various sects of Christianity.

Not all Christians accept the Trinity, and many deny Jesus’ alleged divinity.
Not even the doctrines of original sin, the crucifixion, and atonement achieve universal acceptance within the fractured world of Christianity.

Subgroups of Christianity have
canonized widely variant creeds, but no single definition has ever gained unanimous acceptance.

Reading continues tomorrow, In shaa Allah. Subscribe to our free email alerts and newsletter or send your email address to [email protected].

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India suspends ban on trade of cattle for slaughter

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The federal law enacted in May had prohibited sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter at animal markets.

Cows are held sacred by the majority of the Hindus in India [Reuters/Himanshu Sharma]

India’s Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended a government ban on sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter.

The new law, announced in May by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s federal government, had placed a nationwide ban on the sale and purchase of cattle for slaughter at animal markets, allowing cattle trade only for plowing and dairy production.

The officials had cited animal cruelty and unregulated animal trade as reasons behind the ban, while critics believed the ban to be “unconstitutional” as it endangered the livelihood of millions of Indians employed in the cattle-related industries.

Impact on bovine economy

The apex court’s suspension of the ban gives relief to the multibillion-dollar beef and leather industry. India’s bovine industry is one of the largest in the world and employs millions of people.

India's bovine economy

Cow vigilante attacks

Many believe the federal ban was intended to protect cows, which are sacred to most Hindus. The ban was widely praised by Hindu nationalist groups, who are often believed to carry out mob attacks against those who consume beef or trade cows.

The so-called “cow-vigilante” attacks have witnessed a sharp increase since the Hindu far-right government of Bharatiya Janata Party led by Prime Minister Modi came to power in May 2014.

Muslims, who make up 14 percent of India’s 1.3 billion people, said the May government decree against the beef and leather industry, which employs millions of workers, was aimed at marginalising them.

Cow vigilante attacks in India

The Supreme Court, in issuing its decision, stressed the hardship that the ban on the trade of cattle for slaughter had imposed.

“The livelihood of people should not be affected by this,” Supreme Court Chief Justice Jagdish Singh Khehar said in his ruling.

India’s meat and leather industries are worth more than $16bn in annual sales.

States where cow slaughter is already banned

A cow slaughter ban has been in place in most Indian states for decades, with violations ranging from a fine of few thousand Indian rupees to life imprisonment.

The slaughter of bulls, bullocks and buffalo is legal in several states, though the latest federal law would have prohibited trade of all types of cattle for slaughter.

Several states, including those that allow cattle slaughter, had opposed the ban in May.

States in India and cattle ban

The issue has become highly emotive with a wave of attacks on Muslims suspected of either storing meat or transporting cattle for slaughter. An estimated 28 people have been killed in cow-related violence since 2010.

Late last month, after months of silence on the violence, Modi condemned lynchings.

The media have reported at least two cases of attacks on Muslims since Modi spoke out.

Abdul Faheem Qureshi, the head of the Muslim All India Jamiatul Quresh Action Committee which supports meat sellers, welcomed the court decision.

“We have to now restore the confidence of cattle traders that they can resume their business. It’s a victory for us,” said Faheem Qureshi, who had lodged a petition with the Supreme Court against the government ban.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

US, Qatar sign deal to combat 'terrorism financing'

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US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson praises Qatar’s commitment to help track down and disable sources of terror funding.

Tillerson praised Qatar for committing to the effort ‘to track down and disable terror financing’ [Reuters]

Qatar and the United States have signed an agreement to help combat “terrorism financing” during a visit to Doha by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani and Tillerson made the announcement on Tuesday during a joint news conference in the Qatari capital.

Tillerson is in Doha pushing for dialogue to resolve a dispute between Qatar and its neighbouring Gulf countries.

Sheikh Mohammed said the signing was “not related to the recent crisis and the blockade imposed against Qatar”.

“Today, Qatar is the first country to sign a memorandum of agreement with the US, and we call on the countries imposing the siege against Qatar to join us as signatories to this MoU,” he said.

Tillerson praised Qatar for signing the deal, and for committing to the effort “to track down and disable terror financing”.

“The US has one goal: to drive terrorism off the face of the Earth,” Tillerson said.

“Together the United States and Qatar will do more to track down funding sources, will do more to collaborate and share information, and will do more to keep the region and our homeland safe.”

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates accuse Doha of funding what they call terrorism – something Qatar denies.

The four countries cut ties with Qatar on June 5 and imposed a land, air and sea blockade on the country.

Tillerson is on a four-day trip to the region to try to help find a solution to the crisis.

On Wednesday, he will meet the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt in Jeddah.

Tillerson first met Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani before his talks with Qatar’s foreign minister on Tuesday [AP]

‘Strategic timing’

He declined to comment in Doha on a timeline for resolving the dispute, saying discussions are ongoing.

 

“This has been going on for a while. I think it is timely, it is important, it is strategic for them to sign this memorandum of understanding now, because that certainly pulls the rug from under those who still are skeptical of Qatar’s attempt to stop [terror] financing,” he said.     

Shafeeq Gabra, professor of political science at Kuwait University, said Tuesday’s agreement between the USand Qatar would help ease tensions in the Gulf. 

“It will make the US and Qatar closer,” he told Al Jazeera. “It will allow the Americans to clearly say they can see through what Qatar is doing regarding at least one major accusation from the countries that imposed the blockade – terrorism.

“And that takes a major chunk of the whole story totally out the window.” 

Source: Al Jazeera News

Breaking : ISIS leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead

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Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says it has information from top ISIL commanders confirming Baghdadi’s death.

Baghdadi’s death has been announced several times before, and the latest report could not be confirmed [File: Reuters]

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says it has “confirmed information” that  Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), has been killed.

Rami Abdurrahman, director of the war monitoring group, told news agencies on Tuesday that Baghdadi died in Deir az Zor province in eastern Syria.

“Top-tier commanders from ISIL who are present in Deir az Zor province have confirmed the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, emir of the Islamic State group, to the Observatory,” Abdurrahman told the AFP.

“We learned of it today but we do not know when he died or how.”

The report could not be independently verified and Baghdadi has been reported dead several times.

There was no official confirmation or denial of the news on ISIL-affiliated websites and social media feeds.

Russia’s defence ministry said in June that it might have killed Baghdadi when one of its air strikes hit a gathering of ISIL commanders on the outskirts of the Syrian city of Raqqa, but Washington said it could not corroborate the death and Western and Iraqi officials have been sceptical.

Abdurrahman said Baghdadi “was present in eastern parts of Deir az Zor province” in recent months, but it was unclear if he died in the area or elsewhere.

Deir az Zor remains largely under ISIL control even as the group is losing territory elsewhere in the country and in neighbouring Iraq.

Iraqi and Kurdish officials did not confirm his death.

The US Department of Defence said it had no immediate information to corroborate Baghdadi’s death.

The 46-year-old Iraqi-born leader of ISIL has not been seen in public since making his only known public appearance as “caliph” in 2014 at the Grand Mosque of al-Nuri in Mosul.

ISIL destroyed the highly symbolic site before Iraqi forces could reach it as they pushed the group from Mosul, where Iraq’s government formally declared victory on Monday.

With a $25m US bounty on his head, Baghdadi has kept a low profile and was rumoured to move regularly throughout ISIL-held territory in the area straddling Iraq and Syria.

His death, if confirmed, would be a new blow to the group which is also battling a US-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters for control of Raqqa.

Source: News agencies

15 Ways to Increase Earnings With Proofs From The Quran and Sunnah

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1. The Taqwa of Allah

And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). (2) And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allâh will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allâh has set a measure for all things. [Surah Al-Talq, Verse 2-3]  And if the people of the towns had believed and had the Taqwâ (piety), certainly, We should have opened for them blessings from the heaven and the earth, but they belied (the Messengers). So We took them (with punishment) for what they used to earn (polytheism and crimes). [ Surah Al-Araf, Verse 96]

2. Seeking forgiveness and repentance

“I said (to them): ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving; (10) ‘He will send rain to you in abundance; (11) ‘And give you increase in wealth and children, and bestow on you gardens and bestow on you rivers.’ ” [Surah Nooh, Verses 10-12]  “And O my people! Ask forgiveness of your Lord and then repent to Him, He will send you (from the sky) abundant rain, and add strength to your strength, so do not turn away as Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allâh).” [Surah Hood, Verse 52]  And (commanding you): “Seek the forgiveness of your Lord, and turn to Him in repentance, that He may grant you good enjoyment, for a term appointed, and bestow His abounding Grace to every owner of grace (i.e. the one who helps and serves needy and deserving, physically and with his wealth, and even with good words). But if you turn away, then I fear for you the torment of a Great Day (i.e. the Day of Resurrection). [Surah Hood, Verse 3]

3. Tawakkul

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab reported that Prophet :sals: said, “If you were to put trust in Allah (Tawakkul) the way that Allah deserves, then you would be [b]provided for as birds are; they leave (in search of food) at the beginning of the day famished, and return at the end of the day full” [Shaykah Al-Abani’s Silsilat Al-Sahihah, # 310] And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. And whosoever puts his trust in Allâh, then He will suffice him. Verily, Allâh will accomplish his purpose. Indeed Allâh has set a measure for all things. [Surah Al-Talq, Verse 2-3]  Would that they were contented with what Allâh and His Messenger (SAW) gave them and had said: “Allâh is Sufficient for us. Allâh will give us of His Bounty, and so will His Messenger (from alms, etc.). We implore Allâh (to enrich us).” [Surah Al-Tawba, Verse 59]

4. Constantly worshipping Allah

Abu Hurayrah stated that the Prophet :saws: said, “Allah says, ‘O son of Adam! Take time out to constantly worship me, I will fill your chest with richness , and remove your poverty. And if you donot do so. I will make your hands filled with occupation, and will not remove your poverty” [Shaykh Al-Albani declared it to authentic in his Sunan Al-Tirmidhi] Ma’qal Ibn Yasaar reported that Prophet :saws: said: “Your Lord, all glory and honour be to Him says, ‘O Son of Adam! Take the time out to constantly worship Mw, I will fill your chest with richness! O Son of Adam! Do not distance yourself from Me, or I will fill your chest with poverty, and fill your hands with work ” [Shaykah Al-Abani’s Silsilat Al-Sahihah, # 1359]

5.Thanking Allah

And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks (by accepting Faith and worshipping none but Allâh), I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless (i.e. disbelievers), verily! My Punishment is indeed severe.” [Surah Ibrahim, Verse 7]

6. Frequently performing Hajj and ‘Umrah

It has been reported by ‘abdullah Ibn Mas’ud that the Prophet of Allah :saws: said: “ Follow up between Hajj and ‘Umrah (i.e. cntiniously repeat the performance of Hajj and ‘Umrah) because they both eliminate poverty and sins just like a furnace eliminates the dirty impurities of iron, gold and silver. And an accepted Hajj has no reward less than paradise” [ Shaykh Al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Al-Tirmidhi (1/245)]

7. Establishing the ties of kinship

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet :saws: said: “Whoever is pleased with the fact that his Rizq be increased, and his life-span be extended, then let him establish the ties of kinship” [Al-Bukari, # 5985] Anas Ibn Malik reported that the Prophet :saws: said: “Whoever wishes to have his Rizq increased, and his life-span be extended, then let him establish the ties of kinship” [Al-Bukari, # 5986] Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet :saws: said: “Learn enough of your lineage, so that you can establish the ties of kinship, for establish the ties of kinship increases the love amongst families and multiplies wealthand extends age” [Shaykh Al-Albani in Sahih Sunan Al-Tirmidhi (2/190)]

8. Spending in the Way of Allah

Say: “Truly, my Lord enlarges the provision for whom He wills of His slaves, and (also) restricts (it) for him, and whatsoever you spend of anything (in Allâh’s Cause), He will replace it. And He is the Best of providers.” [Surah Saba, Verse 39]  Abu Hurayrah said that the Prophet :saws: said: “ Allah has said: ‘O Son of Adam! Spend I will spend on you!” [Sahih Muslim (2/690)] The Prophet :saws: said: “There is not a single day in which a servant wakes that two angels come down (from the Heavens). One of them says, O’ Allah! Give to the one that spends a substitute (for what he has spent). And the other one says, ‘O Allah! Give to the one that withholdsm(his money) destruction!” [Al-Bukhari #1442] The Prophet :saws: said, “While a person was in an open area of land, he heard voice in a cloud above him say. “water the garden of so-and-so!” So the cloud immediately departed, and started pouring its rain out on a rocky plain. A large crevice in the rocks collected all of this water. So the man followed the water (in its course), and he found a man standing in his garden, using an instrument to direct this water in different directions *(to irrigate his garden). He said to him, ‘O servant of Allah! What is your name?’ The man said ‘So-an-so,’ the same name that he had heard in the clouds! Then the man asked him, ‘O servant of Allah! Why are you asking me my name?’ So he responded. ‘I heard a voice in the clouds- the same clouds that this water came fromo- saying, “water the garden of so-and-so” with your name. What do you interpret this as (i.e. why do you think this happened )?’ So he said, ‘If you say this (i.e. if what you say occurred), then (the reason for this is that) I see what (crops) come out of it (this graden), and I give one third in charity, and I eat wth my family one third of it, and I return one third of it (to cultivate more crops)”” and in another narration, it is reported that he said, …and I give one third of it to the poor, and the beggars, and the wayfarers.’ [Muslim (4/2288)]

9. Hijrah, Emigrating for the sake of Allah

He who emigrates (from his home) in the Cause of Allâh, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by. And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allâh and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely incumbent upon Allâh. And Allâh is Ever Oft¬Forgiving, Most Merciful. [Surah Al-Nisa, Verse 100]

10. Marriage

And marry those among you who are single (i.e. a man who has no wife and the woman who has no husband) and (also marry) the Sâlihûn (pious, fit and capable ones) of your (male) slaves and maid-servants (female slaves). If they be poor, Allâh will enrich them out of His Bounty. And Allâh is All-Sufficent for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing (about the state of the people). [Surah Al-Nur, Verse 32]

11.Supporting students of Islamic knowledge

Anas Ibn Malik said, “There were two brothers (that lived) at the time of the Prophet :saws:. One of them would come to Prophet :saws:, wheras the other one would seek his sustenance (by working). So the the one who used to seek his sustenance complained to the Prophet :saws: about his brother. The Prophet :saws:replied, ‘It is possible that you are provided your rizq because of him’” [Shaykh Al-Albani agreed it to be authentic, Saheeh Sunan Al-Tirmidhi(2/274)]

12. Showing kindness to the Poor

The Prophet :saws: said, “The only reason that you are aided in vicory (against your enemies) and provided with sustainance due to your weak?” [Al-Bukahri (14/179)]

13. Being honest in ones dealings

The Prophet :saws: said: “The two parties of a transaction have the right (to annul the contract) as long as they donot seperate (from each othe). So, if they were truthful (to one another), and honest in exaplaining (the defects of an item), then they will be blessed in their transaction. But, if they lied, and hid (the defects of an item) then the blessings of their transaction are destroyed” [Muslim, # 3836]

14.Making the Hereafter One’s main Concern

Once Zayd Bin Thabit wa with Marwan, the leader of the City, when he went to visit ‘Abd Al-Rahman Ibn ‘Uthman Bin ‘Affan, Abd Al-Rahman said, “Nothing caused him to come here, at thishour excecpt a question that he wants to ask.” So he asked him (what the matter was). He replied, “He (meaning Marwan) asked us about matters that we heard the Prophet :saws: say”. I heard the Prophet :saws: say “Whoever puts this world as his only (and promary) goal, them Allah will divide his affairs fo rhim, and He will place poveryy before his eyes, and nothing will come to him of this world except that which was already written (i.e. pre-destined) for him. But whoever made the Hereafter his goal, the Allah will gather his affairs for him, and he will place richness in his heart, and the world will come to him conquered and submissive” [Al-Albani Silsila As-Saheehah, #950 ]

15. Striving to achieve the goal (for sustenance)

He knows that there will be some among you sick, others travelling through the land, seeking of Allâh’s Bounty; yet others fighting in Allâh’s Cause. So recite as much of the Qur’ân as may be easy (for you), and perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât) and give Zakât, and lend to Allâh a goodly loan, And whatever good you send before you for yourselves, (i.e. Nawâfil non-obligatory acts of worship: prayers, charity, fasting, Hajj and ‘Umrah), you will certainly find it with Allâh, better and greater in reward. And seek Forgiveness of Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful [Surah Al-Muzammil, Verse 20]  And We have appointed the night and the day as two Ayât (signs etc.). Then, We have obliterated the sign of the night (with darkness) while We have made the sign of the day illuminating, that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years and the reckoning. And We have explained everything (in detail) with full explanation. [Surah Al-Isra, Verse 20]

 

 

Taken from Yasir Qadhi’s book “15 Ways to increase your earnings from Quran and Sunnah”

Policeman who killed Castile to get $48,500 in buyout

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Yanez’s acquittal in June sparked widespread protests across the US [Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/AFP]

A Minnesota police officer who was acquitted in last year’s fatal shooting of black motorist Philando Castile will receive $48,500 as he leaves the suburban police department that employed him at the time of the killing, according to a separation agreement.

Jeronimo Yanez will be paid the money in a lump sum, minus applicable deductions and withholdings for state and federal taxes.

Under the five-page agreement, released on Monday, the Minneapolis suburb of St. Anthony will also pay Yanez for up to 600 hours of accrued and unused personal leave pay.

The city said on Monday that the agreement “ends all employment rights” for Yanez.

Castile, a 32-year-old elementary school cafeteria worker, was shot by Yanez during a traffic stop in July 2016, after Castile told the officer he was armed. Castile had a permit for his gun.

Thousands protest against acquittal of officer who killed Philando Castile.
The shooting prompted widespread anger after Castile’s girlfriend, who was in the car along with her then-four-year-old daughter, livestreamed its gruesome aftermath on Facebook.

Yanez, 29, was acquitted of manslaughter and other charges in June.

On the day of the verdict, the city announced the “public will be best served” if Yanez were no longer an officer.

“Since Officer Yanez was not convicted of a crime, as a public employee, he would have appeal and grievance rights if terminated,” it said in a statement. “A reasonable voluntary separation agreement brings to a close one part of this horrible tragedy.

“The City concluded this was the most thoughtful way to move forward and help the community-wide healing process proceed,” the statement read.

Under the agreement, the city is released from lawsuits by Yanez. He was given 10 days to consider and sign the agreement and has 15 days to rescind it in writing. The agreement noted the official “date of separation” as June 30.

Castile’s uncle, Clarence Castile, said he is glad Yanez will no longer be an officer.

“He should be in jail,” the uncle said. “He’s like a fish that wiggled his way off a hook. … Hopefully he won’t be able to get a police job in the United States. Because he’s a poor example of a police officer.”

Yanez had been with the St. Anthony Police Department since November 2011. His annual salary at the time of the shooting was more than $72,600, not including overtime pay, according to documents released by the city.

His acquittal in June led to days of protests, including one in St. Paul that ended with 18 arrests.

At a recent city council meeting, residents of St. Anthony called on the city’s mayor to resign.

Source: News agencies

Jack Shaheen, critic of Arab stereotypes, dies at 81

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Shaheen dedicated his life to battling anti-Arab ethnic and racial portrayals in US mainstream media and pop culture.

Shaheen carved a niche for himself as a figure of authority on anti-Arab sentiment in mainstream media [ACCESS]

Jack Shaheen, a prominent scholar who devoted his life to tackling anti-Arab stereotyping in pop culture and media, has died on Monday in South Carolina at the age of 81.

Shaheen spent most of his professional life challenging racial and ethnic stereotypes about Arab-Americans, most notably in Hollywood and US media.

His acclaimed novel Reel Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People addressed and documented the US cinema’s negative portrayal of Arabs as villains throughout decades, and its similarities to anti-Semitic and racist caricatures through history.

The book was later turned into a documentary by the same name in 2006.

 

Shaheen carved a niche for himself as a figure of authority on anti-Arab sentiment in mainstream media. His other books include Guilty: Hollywood’s Verdict on Arabs After 9/11 and The TV Arab.

Born in Pennsylvania in 1935 to Lebanese immigrants, Shaheen obtained a PhD at the University of Missouri and would later go on to receive two Fulbright teaching awards.

He was a professor emeritus at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and a visiting scholar at New York University’s Hagop Kevorkian Center for Near Eastern Studies.

He worked extensively in the media industry, and was a former Middle East affairs consultant for CBS News.

With the help of organisations such as the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), he created scholarships for Arab-American students to study media.

‘Challenging bigotry and stereotyping’

One of the former recipients, Will Youmans, called Shaheen a “trailblazer“.

“He built his interest into a legitimate topic of study that many graduate students and researchers have pushed forward since then,” Youmans wrote.

A number of organisations paid tribute to Shaheen. The Council on American-Islamic Relations described his work as “instrumental in promoting accurate portrayals of Arabs, Islam and Muslims”.

“Dr. Shaheen was a scholar and teacher dedicated to challenging bigotry and stereotyping in all its forms,” said Ibrahim Hooper, the CAIR National Communications Director.

“He was a tremendous friend of the American Muslim community and will be greatly missed.”

Safa Rifka, the ADC Board Chairman said that the Arab American community “lost one of its best”.

“His work started a conversation about the representation of Arabs in Hollywood and the need for more nuanced depictions of the community,” she said.

“We will miss his sharp intellect, his enthusiastic demeanor, and his infectious personality.”

Source: Al Jazeera News

Breaking : Rex Tillerson arrives in Qatar to discuss Gulf Crisis

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US officials say the secretary of state does not expect an immediate breakthrough on his four-day trip to the Gulf.

The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah hosted a meeting with Tillerson on Monday evening [KUNA/AFP]
The Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah hosted a meeting with Tillerson on Monday evening. 

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has arrived in Doha for talks with Qatar’s emir and foreign minister on the second leg of his four-day trip to the Gulf to help seek a resolution to the ongoing GCC crisis.

The US State Department said Tillerson would first meet with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday, before holding talks with Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

 

The visit to Doha follows a meeting with the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah and other senior Kuwaiti officials on Monday.

“We are trying to resolve an issue that concerns not just us but the whole world,” Sheikh Sabah told Tillerson.

US officials said Tillerson does not expect an immediate breakthrough, which they warned could be months away.

Rather, they said, he wants to explore possibilities for sparking negotiations.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar on June 5 and imposed a land, air and sea blockade on the country.

The quartet accuse Qatar of funding “terrorism”, an accusation Qatar rejects as “baseless”.

On June 22, they issued a 13-point list of demands, including the shutdown of Al Jazeera, limiting ties with Iran and expelling Turkish troops stationed in the country, as a prerequisite to lift the sanctions.

Doha rejected the demands and the countries now consider the list “null and void”.

Kuwait is still trying to mediate the dispute.

 

The US has been supporting Kuwait’s mediation efforts, but Tillerson’s trip marks a new level of US involvement.

Al Jazeera’s Rosiland Jordan, reporting from Kuwait City, said Tillerson was basically visiting each side to “take the temperature in this dispute”.

“After some initial missteps from the White House, in which the president seemed to take sides with the Saudis and their allegations, the US’ position now is to try to shore up the Kuwait efforts to mediate the crisis and to try to bring some presure from Washington, if it’s appropiate,” she said.

Senior Tillerson adviser R.C. Hammond said the package of demands, as issued by Qatar’s neighbours, was not viable, but said there were individual items on the list “that could work”.

Hammond would not elaborate on which demands Qatar could meet, but said concessions from the others would be required.

“This is a two-way street,” he said of a dispute among parties who each have been accused of funding “extremists” in some way. “There are no clean hands.”

Tillerson is expected to also visit Qatar and Saudi Arabia [KUNA/AFP]

On Thursday, the state department warned that the crisis could potentially drag on for weeks or even months and “possibly even intensify”.

“We’ve become increasingly concerned that that dispute is at an impasse at this point. We believe that this could potentially drag on for weeks; it could drag on for months; it could possibly even intensify,” state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said.

She did not specify what type of escalation the US fears. But she said Tillerson has been in close contact with the countries involved.

 

Last month, Tillerson urged the Saudi-led group to ease their blockade on Qatar, saying it is causing unintended humanitarian consequences and affecting the US-led fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group.

“Our expectation is that these countries will immediately take steps to de-escalate the situation and put forth a good faith effort to resolve the grievances they have with each other,” Tillerson said.

More than 11,000 US and coalition forces are stationed at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, from which more than 100 aircraft operate.

Source: Al Jazeera and news agencies

Who are the people of regret? Contd.

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ﺇﺫﺍ ﺃﻧﺖ ﻟﻢ ﺗﺮﺣﻞ ﺑﺰﺍﺩ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻰ *** ﻭﻻ ﻗﻴﺖ ﺑﻌﺪ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺕ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺪ ﺗﺰﻭﺩﺍ
ﻧﺪﻣﺖ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺃﻥ ﻻ ﺗﻜﻮﻥ ﻛﻤﺜﻠﻪ *** ﻭﺃﻧﻚ ﻟﻢ ﺗﺮﺻُﺪ ﻛﻤﺎ ﻛﺎﻥ ﺃﺭﺻﺪﺍ

“If you depart to the hereafter without preparing the luggage of piety ..
And on that Day you meet those who have ..
You will regret not having been like them ..
And that you had not prepared as they had”

Notes:

[1] Al-Qur’ān, 22:2
[2] Al-Qur’ān, 73:17
[3] Al-Qur’ān, 6:82
[4] Al-Qur’ān, 22:103
[5] Al-Qur’ān, 6:31
[6] Al-Qur’ān, 32:12
[7] Al-Qur’ān, 78:40
[8] Al-Qur’ān, 19:39

[9] Bukhārī, on the authority of Abū Huraira

[10] Muslim, on the authority of Abū Umaama

[11] Abū Dāwūd, on the authority of Abū Huraira

[12] Bukhārī, on the authority of ʿĀ’isha

[13] Al-Qur’ān, 39:47

[14] Bukhārī, on the authority of Abū Huraira

[15] Al-Qur’ān, 89:24

Credit: Ustadh Ali Hammuda

Ibn Islam @Knowislam.com.ng

US military plane crash kills 16 in Mississippi

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Officials say the aircraft ‘experienced a mishap’ before crashing in a rural area of the southern US state.

Officials did not release information on what caused the crash or where the flight originated [Jimmy Taylor/AP]
Officials did not release information on what caused the crash or where the flight originated [Jimmy Taylor/AP]

At least 16 people have been killed after a US Marine Corps plane crashed in the US state of Mississippi, officials said.

Fred Randle, the local county emergency management director, told US media that all 16 victims were on the plane and there were no survivors.

The KC-130 transport aircraft crashed late on Monday in rural Mississippi about 135km north of the state capital city of Jackson.

Marine Corps spokeswoman Sarah Burns said in a statement that a plane “experienced a mishap”, but provided no other details regarding the circumstances of the crash.

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant said the incident was a “tragedy”, but provided no other details.

Images posted online showed the crumpled wreckage of a plane engulfed in flames in a field surrounded by tall vegetation, with a large plume of smoke in the sky.

The aircraft is used for air-to-air refueling, to carry cargo and perform tactical passenger missions.

Andy Jones, who was working on his family’s farm near the crash site, told The Associated Press that he heard a boom and looked up and saw the plane corkscrewing down to the ground.

Source: News agencies

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