Naji Abdelwanis and his family are in limbo now that LIbyan assets used to cover U.S. scholarships have been frozen.
Naji Abdelwanis had a plan: study hard, earn a degree in the United States and return to his country to build a better Libya.
The 45-year-old from Benghazi never doubted that he would complete his degree. He has already finished two years at Clemson University with high marks.
But now, with Libya in turmoil and its government's assets frozen overseas, his dream is in disarray.
Abdelwanis, who is earning a doctorate in industrial engineering, is one of about 2,000 Libyans studying in the United States. They are dependent on scholarships provided by the regime of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.
But with about $30 billion of the government's assets frozen by the U.S. government, Libya is now unable to cover all of the tuition, living expenses and health insurance costs of the students and their families. The money, which is administered by a Canadian non-profit group, will run out on May 31.
This leaves students like Abdelwanis -- especially those with families -- nervous about how they will keep a roof over their heads. Abdelwanis has five other family members to feed. And his options don't look promising.
"They aren't giving us any visible solution," he said. "I can't work with a student visa. I can't return because it is too unsafe. I don't even have enough money to buy a ticket."
The Canadian Bureau for International Education, which distributes the funds in the United States and Canada, is worried that the students will lose their status and possibly their right to live in North America. It is urgently looking for different avenues to secure money.
"I think that everybody realizes that the students are innocent victims of circumstances way beyond their control," said CBIE Vice President Jennifer Humphries. "It is not appropriate in any way to have them distressed or potentially in any danger because we cannot find mechanisms to provide support to them."
CBIE manages the Libyan-North American Scholarship Program with the Libyan Ministry of Education and Scientific Research. While some 2,500 Libyan students pursue graduate and post-graduate medical studies through the program, Humphries said, close to 4,000 Libyans, including family members, are dependent on it.
In February, as Libya sank into civil war, the U.S. Treasury Department froze many of the Libyan government's assets held in America. CBIE later received permission from the Treasury to distribute funds it already had for the current academic year, but had trouble accessing any new money.
Why Do They Hate Us? Not Because of Iraq
Paris
WHILE yesterday's explosions on London's subway and bus lines were thankfully far less serious than those of two weeks ago, they will lead many to raise a troubling question: has Britain (and Spain as well) been "punished" by Al Qaeda for participating in the American-led military interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan? While this is a reasonable line of thinking, it presupposes the answer to a broader and more pertinent question: Are the roots of Islamic terrorism in the Middle Eastern conflicts?
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If the answer is yes, the solution is simple to formulate, although not to achieve: leave Afghanistan and Iraq, solve the Israel-Palestine conflict. But if the answer is no, as I suspect it is, we should look deeper into the radicalization of young, Westernized Muslims.
Conflicts in the Middle East have a tremendous impact on Muslim public opinion worldwide. In justifying its terrorist attacks by referring to Iraq, Al Qaeda is looking for popularity or at least legitimacy among Muslims. But many of the terrorist group's statements, actions and non-actions indicate that this is largely propaganda, and that Iraq, Afghanistan and Palestine are hardly the motivating factors behind its global jihad.
First, let's consider the chronology. The Americans went to Iraq and Afghanistan after 9/11, not before. Mohamed Atta and the other pilots were not driven by Iraq or Afghanistan. Were they then driven by the plight of the Palestinians? It seems unlikely. After all, the attack was plotted well before the second intifada began in September 2000, at a time of relative optimism in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.
Another motivating factor, we are told, was the presence of "infidel" troops in Islam's holy lands. Yes, Osama Bin Laden was reported to be upset when the Saudi royal family allowed Western troops into the kingdom before the Persian Gulf war. But Mr. bin Laden was by that time a veteran fighter committed to global jihad.
He and the other members of the first generation of Al Qaeda left the Middle East to fight the Soviet Union in Afghanistan in the 1980's. Except for the smallish Egyptian faction led by Ayman al-Zawahiri, now Mr. bin Laden's chief deputy, these militants were not involved in Middle Eastern politics. Abdullah Azzam, Mr. bin Laden's mentor, gave up supporting the Palestinian Liberation Organization long before his death in 1989 because he felt that to fight for a localized political cause was to forsake the real jihad, which he felt should be international and religious in character.
From the beginning, Al Qaeda's fighters were global jihadists, and their favored battlegrounds have been outside the Middle East: Afghanistan, Bosnia, Chechnya and Kashmir. For them, every conflict is simply a part of the Western encroachment on the Muslim ummah, the worldwide community of believers.
Second, if the conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine are at the core of the radicalization, why are there virtually no Afghans, Iraqis or Palestinians among the terrorists? Rather, the bombers are mostly from the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, Egypt and Pakistan - or they are Western-born converts to Islam. Why would a Pakistani or a Spaniard be more angry than an Afghan about American troops in Afghanistan? It is precisely because they do not care about Afghanistan as such, but see the United States involvement there as part of a global phenomenon of cultural domination.
What was true for the first generation of Al Qaeda is also relevant for the present generation: even if these young men are from Middle Eastern or South Asian families, they are for the most part Westernized Muslims living or even born in Europe who turn to radical Islam. Moreover, converts are to be found in almost every Qaeda cell: they did not turn fundamentalist because of Iraq, but because they felt excluded from Western society (this is especially true of the many converts from the Caribbean islands, both in Britain and France). "Born again" or converts, they are rebels looking for a cause. They find it in the dream of a virtual, universal ummah, the same way the ultraleftists of the 1970's (the Baader-Meinhof Gang, the Italian Red Brigades) cast their terrorist actions in the name of the "world proletariat" and "Revolution" without really caring about what would happen after.
It is also interesting to note that none of the Islamic terrorists captured so far had been active in any legitimate antiwar movements or even in organized political support for the people they claim to be fighting for. They don't distribute leaflets or collect money for hospitals and schools. They do not have a rational strategy to push for the interests of the Iraqi or Palestinian people.
Even their calls for the withdrawal of the European troops from Iraq ring false. After all, the Spanish police have foiled terrorist attempts in Madrid even since the government withdrew its forces. Western-based radicals strike where they are living, not where they are instructed to or where it will have the greatest political effect on behalf of their nominal causes.
The Western-based Islamic terrorists are not the militant vanguard of the Muslim community; they are a lost generation, unmoored from traditional societies and cultures, frustrated by a Western society that does not meet their expectations. And their vision of a global ummah is both a mirror of and a form of revenge against the globalization that has made them what they are.
Olivier Roy, a professor at the School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences, is the author of "Globalized Islam."
Religious Freedom in Afghanistan
Editorial
by: Joseph M. Knippenberg
Sixteen years ago, while working with a Christian relief group in Peshawar, Pakistan, Abdul Rahman converted to Christianity. After spending nine years in Germany, he returned to Afghanistan in 2002. Now, in the middle of a dispute with his family over the custody of his daughters, he has been charged with apostasy from Islam, a capital crime under Islamic law. The prosecutor offered to spare his life if he recanted his conversion. To his credit, and perhaps at his peril, Rahman refused.
Just a few short weeks ago, President Bush had this to say in Kabul:
In our country, you can worship freely. You’re equally American if you’re a Christian, Muslim, Hindu, or Jew. You’re equally American if you don’t believe in an Almighty. Under the Taliban and Osama bin Laden, there is no religious freedom. You have no chance to express yourself in the public square without being punished. There is no capacity to realize your full potential.
Should he have asked, "Has anything changed in the ’new’ Afghanistan? Did we spill our blood just to change the identity of the executioners?"
Afghanistan’s new constitution has all sorts of noble words and phrases. It asserts that "liberty is the natural right of human beings," that "the liberty and dignity of human beings are inviolable," that "followers of other religions are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of law," and that Afghanistan respects the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which affirms that "everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion," including "freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom…to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." The constitution also declares that Afghanistan is an Islamic state and that "no law can be contrary to the beliefs and provisions of the sacred religion of Islam."
Given Mr. Rahman’s plight under Islamic law, it’s hard to know what to make of all the words we Americans like. How is he free? How is his dignity not being violated? What kind of religious freedom is there in Afghanistan?
One not altogether satisfactory answer is that, in Afghanistan, non-Muslims are free, so long as they don’t proselytize among Muslims. Western Christians can worship, but not evangelize, which is to say that they can’t fully live up to the requirements of their faith.
Religious freedom, in other words, exists in the context of Islam, to the extent, and only to the extent, permitted by Islamic law. The latter permits conversions from other faiths to Islam, but not from Islam to other faiths. Apostasy from Islam, as noted above, is punishable by death.
The American way, also endorsed by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is different. We place Islam in the context of religious freedom, as one religion among many, all available for conscientious adherence or abjuration. As James Madison said in his "Memorial and Remonstrance," "The Religion… of every man must be left to the conviction and conscience of every man; and it is the right of every man to exercise it as these may dictate." This is not a merely secular opinion, indifferent to religious truth. It doesn’t make us the ultimate judges. Rather, it affirms simply that consciences must be freely won and cannot be compelled. A genuine faith is a free faith.
Mr. Rahman is not the first, and surely will not be the last, ex-Muslim to be charged with apostasy. But he apparently is the first so charged in a country whose "liberation" was accomplished with the assistance of American arms and blood. I have no doubt that we and the Afghans are better off with the Taliban out of power and with the government not aiding and abetting al Qaeda. But Hamid Karzai’s government has to realize that we can’t tolerate an execution that would make a mockery of our beliefs and efforts. Other Muslim countries have found means of finessing this law, permitting ex-Muslims to settle elsewhere as refugees. Even the Taliban eventually released the Christian missionaries they detained in the run-up to the war.
I recognize that the Karzai government is in a difficult spot. They don’t want to hand ammunition to their adversaries by seeming un-Islamic. But there’s inevitably also a cost associated with antagonizing us. President Bush has to make it clear that our commitment to liberty is genuine and that we cannot continue to support a government whose only distinction from its predecessor seems to be that it is an unwilling, rather than willing, host to al Qaeda.
I recognize also that if Islam is to be reformed, if its coercive tendencies are to be weakened and its tolerant ones strengthened, reform must come from within, not be imposed from outside. Hamid Karzai and his supporters have an opportunity here to strike a blow for a kinder, gentler Islam, one that displays its kinship with the other "Abrahamic" religions. If they do so, I can only hope that responsible Muslims living in the U.S. and Europe, and their courageous brethren around the world, offer visible and vociferous support.
It’s time for President Bush quietly to step up to the plate, for President Karzai publicly to do the right thing, and for Muslims around the world to show that Islam is genuinely not our enemy, that it can coexist peacefully with us in a pluralistic world.
Joseph M. Knippenberg is an adjunct fellow of the Ashbrook Center. He is Professor of Politics and Associate Provost for Student Achievement at Oglethorpe University.
ran (or Persian) (Persian: ایران) is a Middle Eastern country located in Southwest Asia. Although in the domestic country has been known as Iran since ancient times, until in 1935 Iran was called Persia in the Western world. In 1959, Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi announced that both terms may be used. The name Iran is a kognat word "Aryan" meaning "Land of Aryans".
Iran's borders with Azerbaijan (500 km) and Armenia (35 km) to the northwest and the Caspian Sea in the north, Turkmenistan (1000 miles) to the northeast, Pakistan (909 miles) and Afghanistan (936 km) to the east, Turkey (500 km ) and Iraq (1458 miles) to the west, and the waters of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in the south.
In 1979, an Iranian Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini established a theocratic Islamic Republic of Iran so that the full name today is the Islamic Republic of Iran (جمهوری اسلامی ایران).
Islamic Republic of Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran
جمهوری اسلامی ايران
Jomhūrī-ye Eslami-ye Iran
Flag
Motto: Esteqlāl, Azadi, jomhūrī-ye Eslami
(Persian: "Independence, Freedom, Islamic Republic")
National anthem: Sorūd-e Melli-e Iran
Capital
(And largest city) Tehran
The official language of Persia
Government of the Islamic Republic
- Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei
- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Revolution
Broad
- Total 1,648,195 km2 (17)
- Water (%) 0.7%
Population
- Estimated 2005 68.017.860 (18)
- Census - -
- Density 41/km2 (128)
GDP (KKB) Estimated 2005
- Total U.S. $ 518.7 billion (19)
- Per capita U.S. $ 7,594 (75)
Currency Rial (IRR)
Time zone (UTC +3:30)
- Summer (DST) (UTC +4:30)
Internet domain. Ir
98 phone code
Early history, Empire Media and Achaemenid Empire (3200 BC - 330 BC)
From the writings of history, Iran's civilization that is the Proto-Iranians first, followed by the civilization of Elam. In the second and third millennium, the Aryan migration to Iran and founded the first Iranian empire, Empire Media (728-550 BC). Empire has become a symbol of the nation's founders and also the empire of Iran, followed by the Achaemenid Empire (648-330 BC), founded by Cyrus the Great.
Cyrus the Great also known as the first government that embody the laws on human rights, written on the artifact known as the Cyrus Cylinder. He is also the first government took the title of the Great and also the Shah of Iran. In his day, slavery is prohibited in areas conquests (also known as the Persian Empire.) The idea is then to give a great impact on the civilizations of man after his time.
Persian Empire and ruled for seven years by Cambyses (531-522 AD) and kemangkatannya followed by the seizure of power in which the end of Darius the Great (522-486 AD) declared the king.
The capital of Persia in the days of Darius I moved to Susa and Persepolis he began to build. A canal between the Nile and the Red Sea was built and helped make it a precursor to the construction of the Suez Canal. The road system also refurbished and a highway was built connecting Susa and Sardis. The highway is known as the Way of the Kingdom.
In addition, pen-syiling's in the form daric (syiling gold) and also Shekel (syiling silver) was introduced to the world. Old Persian language was introduced and published also in the inscriptions of the kingdom.
Under the reign of Cyrus the Great and Darius the Great, the Persian Empire into an empire of the largest and strongest in the world of that era. Its main achievement is a first major empire to practice tolerance and respect for cultures and other religions in the colony.
Third Iranian Empire: Parthian Empire (248 BC - 224 AD)
Arsacida Parthian dynasty began with the uniting and governing the Iranian plateau, who also conquered the eastern region of Greece in the early third century AD and also Mesopotamia between 150 BC and 224 AD Parthian is also a sworn enemy of the Roman east, and limit the danger of the Roman Anatolia. Terhagi Parthian armies of the two groups of horseback riding, riding an armored soldiers and carrying heavy weapons, and the horsemen are lightly armed and agile horse moves. Meanwhile, the Roman army was too dependent on infantry, led the Roman difficult to defeat the Parthian. However, technical deficiencies in the Parthian war prisoner, causing them hard guarding conquered the region. This causes the two sides failed to outdo each other.
Upright Parthian Empire for five centuries (AD 224 ended the year,) and final defeat at the hands of the king of the empire lindungannya, namely Sassanian.
Fourth Iranian Empire: Sassanid Empire (226-651)
Ardashir I, the first Empire Sassanid shah, at rebuilding the economy and the Persian army. Its territory includes the area of modern Iran, Iraq, Syria, Pakistan, Central Asia and the Arab region. At the time of Khosrau II (590-628) Similarly, the empire extended to Egypt, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon. People called their empire Erānshahr Sassanid (or Iranshæhr, "Mastering The Aryans".)
Sassanid Empire in the days kegemilangannya.
History of Iran onwards followed by a six-hundred-year conflict with the Roman Empire. According to historians, the Persians lost the Battle of al-Qadisiyyah (632 CE) in Hilla, Iraq. Rostam Farrokhzad, a Persian general, criticized the decision to wage war kerana kengan Arabs in the Arab world itself. Sassanid defeat in Iraq led to the army they are not frivolous and this eventually gave way to Futuhat Islam over Persians.
Sassanid era witnessed the height of Persian civilization, and is the last Persian Empire before the advent of Islam. Sassanian culture influence and then passed after pemelukan Islam by the Persians.
Islamic Persian and Islamic glories of the Persian Period (700-1400)
After pemelukan Islam, the Persians began to form a picture of Islamic Persia, where they preserve the image of a Persian but at the same time as well as Muslims. In the year 8 AD, Persia gave support to combat Abbasiyah Umayyad army, because it favors only the Umayyad Arabs and Persians look down on people. In Abbasiyah era, people involved in the first Persian empire administration. Some established their own dynasty.
In the ninth and tenth centuries, there is some revival ashshobiyyah Persian Arabic as opposed to the idea of Islam and Muslims. But this resurrection is not opposed to an Islamic identity. One impact of this resurgence is the use of Persian as the official language of Iran (to this day.)
At this time also, the scientists created the Age of Persian glories of Islam. Meanwhile, the Persians became the foundation of the spread of science, philosophy and techniques. This then affects the science in Europe and also the resurrection of the Renaissance.
Starting in 1220, Persia was invaded by Mongol army under the leadership of Genghis Khan, followed by Tamerlane, where the two explorers led to the severe extinction in Persia.
Shi'ite Islam, Empire Safavid, Qajar Dynasty / Pahlavi and Iranian Modern (1501 - 1979)
Persia began to change into at the time of the Safavid Shi'ite Islam, in the year 1501. Safavid dynasty later became one of the major world power and began to promote the tourism industry in Iran. Under his reign, Persian architecture developed back and watch the construction of beautiful monuments. The fall of Safavid Persia that followed with a field of rivalry between the Russian Empire and the British Empire (which uses the influence of the Qajar dynasty). However, Iran still preserve the independence and its lands, making it unique on the shoreline it. Modernization of Iran that began in the 19th century through, stir the desire for change from the Persians. This leads to the Persian Constitutional Revolution in 1905 until 1911. In 1921, Reza Khan (also known as Reza Shah) took over the throne by the power struggle of the weakening Qajar. As an advocate of modernization, Reza Shah began construction of a modern industry, railroads, and establishment of higher education system in Iran. Unfortunately, the attitude of aristocratic and social recovery imbalance causes many Iranians are dissatisfied.
In World War II, British and Soviet troops invade Iran from August 25 to 17 September 1941, to limit the Axis and initiated the excavation of Iran's oil infrastructure. Block Allies forced the Shah to induct his son, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi to replace him, in hopes of Mohammad Reza support them.
Unfortunately, the government of Mohammad Reza Shah's autocratic nature. With the help of American and British, the Shah of Iran to continue modernization of industry, but at the same time destroy the opposition parties through its intelligence agency, SAVAK. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini became an active critic of the opposition and against the government of Mohammad Reza Shah and later he was imprisoned for eighteen months. Through the advice of generals Pakravan Hassan Khomeini exiled to foreign countries and brought to Turkey and after that to Iraq.
Islamic Revolution and the Iran-Iraq War (1979-88)
Increasing protests against the Shah and the Iranian Revolution finally came to pass. Shah of Iran was forced to flee to another country after Khomeini's return from exile on February 1, 1979. Kemudianvmengambil Khomeini to power and form a provisional government, on February 11 headed by Mehdi Bazargan as prime minister. After that, Khomeini held levy votes to form an Islamic Republic. Lottery decision showed more than 98% of Iranians agree with that formation. The new system of government established berasaskan Islamic law, unfortunately only partially implemented.
However, Iran's relations with the United States became turbid after the revolution, especially when Iranian students captured the American embassy on November 4, 1979, on the grounds that the embassy became the center of American intelligence. Khomeini did not take any action regarding these actions and otherwise praised the students. In return, Iran wanted the Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi returned to Iran, but they do not approve this. After 444 days in captivity, the prisoners were eventually released as a follow-up to the Declaration of Algiers.
At the same time, Saddam Hussein, Iraq's current president, took a chance on a narrow after the Iranian revolution and Iran's lack of popularity in western countries, to wage war on Iran. The main purpose of this war is to conquer some territory that demanded Iraq, Khuzestan region particularly rich in oil resources. Saddam also when it gets support from the United States, the Soviet Union and some other Arab countries. Iranian Army also was a time once a powerful army, had been dissolved at that time. However, they managed to prevent the danger of the Iraqi army so reconquer the territory of Iran who conquered Iraq. In this war tens of thousands of lives, both lay people and the Iranian army, becoming a victim. The number of victims is estimated at between 500,000 and 1,000,000.
Government and politics
Iran is one of the founding members of the UN and the OIC and NAM epada. The political system in Iran berasaskan constitution called the "Qanun-e Rights" (Constitution)
Supreme Leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Supreme Leader of Iran
Iran's Supreme Leader is responsible for the "general policies of the Islamic Republic of Iran". He is also the chairman of the armed forces and intelligence agencies of Iran and has absolute power to declare war. Chairman of the judiciary, radio stations and television series, chairman of the police and soldiers and six of the twelve members of the Iranian Guardian Council also appointed by Supreme Leader. Assembly of Experts responsible for selecting the Supreme Leader and also fired upon justification of the feasibility and popularity of the individual. Assembly is also responsible for monitoring the Supreme Leader tugasan.
Executive
The second most important person in the Islamic Republic of Iran is the president. Every president elected through general elections and would rule Iran for four years. Each presidential candidate must get approval from the Iranian Guardian Council before the election is conducted so that they are 'matched' with the idea of an Islamic state. The responsibility of the president is to ensure the country's constitution is followed and also the practice of executive power. But the president has no power over matters that under the rule of the Supreme Leader.
The President inaugurating the Cabinet and heads of Iran, and the power to make decisions regarding the state administration. There are eight vice-presidents and twenty-one ministers who participated in helping the presidential administration, and they all must be approved by regulatory agencies. Unlike other countries, the executive branch has no power in the armed forces, but the Iranian president inaugurates power of the Minister of Defense and Intelligence and must be approved by Supreme Leader and regulatory bodies.
Guardian Council
Mayor Iranian Majlis has twelve experts statute, and six of them appointed by the Supreme Leader. Judiciary Chairman will reserve the remaining six aanggota and they will be officially inaugurated by the Iranian parliament, or Majles. This Assembly will interpret the constitution and have the right to veto decisions and membership of the Iranian parliament. If there is legislation that is incompatible with sharia law, it will be referred back by the parliament.
Council Policy
Policy Council has power to resolve the conflict between Iran's parliament with the Guardian Council. The agency is also an adviser to Supreme Leader.
Parliament
Majles-e Shura-ye Eslami (Islamic Talks Majlis) has 290 members who are appointed and shall serve for four years. All candidates for the Majles and expert statute of parliament must be approved by the Assembly Wali.
Judiciary
Supreme Leader of Iran will inaugurate the chairman of the judiciary, and he will also inaugurate the Supreme Court and also chairman of the public prosecutor. There are several types of courts in Iran, including the general court who is responsible for general cases and crimes. There are also "Revolutionary Court" who prosecute certain cases, including issues concerning the safety of the state.
Panel of Experts
Assembly of Experts consulted for a week every year has 86 members who are experts in religious sciences. They are drawn in general and will be served for eight years. This Assembly will determine the feasibility of presidential candidates and lawmakers. The Assembly would also cast for the office of Supreme Leader and also the power to fire him.
Local City Council
Local assemblies will be chosen in general to serve for four years in all cities and villages. Powers of this assembly area, from city leaders inaugurate hinggal maintain people's trust.
Geography
Iran Map
Iran borders Azerbaijan (length of border: 432 km) and Armenia (35 km) to the northwest, the Caspian Sea in the north, Turkmenistan (992 km) to the northeast, Pakistan (909 miles) and Afghanistan (936 km) to the east, Turkey (499 km) and Iraq (1458 miles) to the west, and finally the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in the south. Total land area is 1.648 million km ² (land: 1.636 million km ², water: 12,000 km ²).
Iran's landscape is dominated by rugged mountain ranges that separate drainage basin or plateau diverse. The west has the largest population is the most mountainous, with ranks such as the Caucasus Mountains, the Zagros and Alborz Mountains, the latter being the place of Iran's highest point, Mount Damavand at 5604 m. East of the desert in the lowlands that is not occupied as the Dasht-e Kavir salt, a salt lake that sometimes occurs.
Spacious airy fields found along the coast of the Caspian Sea and at the northern end of the Persian Gulf, where Iran borders the Arvand River (Shatt al-Arab). Plain smaller and disconnected found along the coast of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman. Climate Iran mostly dry or semi dry, although there is a subtropical along the Caspian coast. Iran is considered one of the 15 countries that make up what is referred to as the cradle of human culture.
Climate
Landscape Iran has several different climates. On the north side of the country (the Caspian coastal plain) is very low temperatures freezing and remain humid for several years. Summer temperatures rarely reach 29 ° C. The annual evaporation is 680 mm in the eastern plains and more than 1700 mm on the west side of the plains. In the west, the settlements on the slopes of the Zagros Mountains experienced low temperatures. Those regions have a great winter, with average daily temperatures and precipitation snow froze hard. Middle east and the dry valleys, where rainfall is less than 200 mm and bergurun. Summer temperatures average over 38 ° C. Coastal plains of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman in southern Iran have mild winter and the summer is humid and hot. Annual evaporation ranges from 135 mm to 355 mm.
Economy
Iran's economy is a mixture of central planning economy to oil companies and major government owned, and there are also several private companies. Iran's steady economic growth since two centuries ago.
At the beginning of the 21st century, gratuities services sector in state spending ballpark, PNK, is the highest, followed by mining and agriculture. 45% of government expenditures is the result of oil and natural gas, and 31% of the excise. In 2004, PNK Iran was estimated at $ 163 billion, or $ 2,440 per capita.
Iran's trading partners are China, Russia, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and South Korea. Meanwhile, since through the 90's, Iran began to improve economic cooperation with developing countries including Syria, India and South Africa.
Communication and transport
Map showing roads and major railways in Iran.
Road network in Iran is one of the best in the world, and connects the main towns and areas outside the city. In 2002, Iran has 178,152 km of roads and 66% paved. Meanwhile there are 30 users train for every 1000 inhabitants. Railway in Iran along the 6405 km (3980 miles). Iran's main port is the port of Bandar Abbas is located in the Strait of Hormuz. This port is connected to the system of highways and railways for transport of cargo. Railway network Tehran-Bandar Abbas, built in 1995 connecting Bandar Abbas in Iran and Central Asia all over Tehran and Mashad. Other ports are Bandar Anzali port on the Caspian Sea, the port of Bandar Turkmen are also dealing with the Caspian Sea, and the port of Bandar Khomeyni korramshahr and ports in the Gulf of Persia. Major cities in Iran are also connected by Air Freight. Iran Air Iran's national airline is responsible for air transportation in Iran and outside Iran. Transit system is also available at all major ports, while Tehran, Mashad, Shiraz, Tabriz, Ahwaz, and Isfahan are in the process of building the underground railway.
Administrative division
Iran is divided into thirty provinces governed by a governor (استاندار, ostāndār). Next map shows no Hormozgan province, (# 20 in the list) which is an island:
1. Tehran
2. Qom
3. Markazi
4. Qazvin
5. Gilan
6. Ardabil
7. Zanjan
8. East Azarbaijan
9. West Azarbaijan
10. Kurdistan
11. Hamadan
12. Kermanshah
13. Ilam
14. Lorestan
15. Khuzestan
16. Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari
17. Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad
18. Bushehr
19. Fars
20. Hormozgan
21. Sistan and Baluchestan
22. Kerman
23. Yazd
24. Isfahan
25. Semnan
26. Mazandaran
27. Golestan
28. North Khorasan
29. Razavi Khorasan
30. South Khorasan
Demography
Distribution of religion in Iran.
Iran is a country that berbilang tribe and religion. Ethnic is ethnic Persian majority (51% of the people,) and 70% of the Iranian nation is its people, descendants of the Aryan. Most of Iran's population speak a language belonging to the family of Iranian languages, including Persian. Collection of Iran is Azeri minority (24%), Gilaki and Mazandarani (8%), Kurdish (7%), Arab (3%), Baluchi (2%) eggs (2%), Turkmen (2%), and also interest- Other tribes (1%). Mother tongue speaker of Iran's estimated 40 million in Iran, and the total (merangkumi other countries) is 150-200 million.
Iran's population in 2006 was 70 million. As many as two-thirds of its population under the age of 30 years and gratuities are literate population of 86%. Rate of increase of population since the last half-century high and is expected to decline in the future.
Most of Iran's population is Muslim, 90% and 8% Shiite Sunnah Wal Jamaat. 2% more are adherents of the Baha'i faith, Mandea, Hindus, Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians. Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Kristian recognized by the Iranian government and also has representation in parliament. Baha'i religion is not recognized.
Major cities
Iran has a population growth rate in the highest city in the world. From 1950 to 2002, gratuities urban population increased from 27% to 60% [1] [2]. The UN estimates that by 2030, population in the city will reach 80% of the total population of Iran [2]. Migration toehold in Tehran is also the country which is the largest city in Iran. Tehran has a population of 7,160,094 and the region as well metropolis of 14 million. Most of Iranian industry relies on the city. Among them is the automobile industry, electronics and electricity, manufacture of firearms, textiles, and chemical industries. Here is the eighth largest city of Iran and its population.
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Asia
5250-Foot Tower Will Make Burj Dubai Look Like Pencil
2milehigh.jpgSure, the Burj Dubai tower looks amazingly tall, but it's final height— currently projected to be 2,300 feet— is less than half that of a new building planned for Saudi Arabia. It's going to be 5,250 feet high. Yup, that's just 30 feet short of a mile tall: taller than anything under construction anywhere, and making it easily the world's tallest building. Think they should stick a TV antenna on the top and go for that extra 30 feet? I sure do.
It's going to be built in a new city near Jeddah on the Red Sea and is funded by billionaire Prince al-Walid bin Talal. He bought London's Savoy hotel for a cool $2.5 billion in 2005. So you can suspect that there'll be a hotel in the building somewhere. By my calculations, the tower will have somewhere between 320 and 350 floors, so perhaps that should be "several hotels".
Not much is known about the details yet, other than the fact that it'll have two supporting flying-buttress towers to help keep it up (both more than 800 feet high). It will also have advanced damping systems to stop the swaying at high floors from making people sick, and it's going to need amazing engineering to cope with freezing wind at the top and desert heat at the bottom.
It's so tall that much of the ferrying of material and construction workers will have to be by helicopter. And that's just cool.
Burdened by debt and a devastating real estate crash, Dubai is doing what it does best: doubling down.
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The Burj Khalifa boasts the most stories and highest occupied floor of any building in the world.
Just one month after a close brush with bankruptcy, Dubai celebrated the opening of the world’s tallest building on Monday — a rocket-shaped edifice that soars 2,717 feet and has views that reach 60 miles.
The glittering celebration may have been an attempt by Dubai’s ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, to shift the focus from Dubai’s current economic troubles to a future filled with more promise.
All the same, the tower’s success by no means signals a recovery in Dubai’s beaten-down real estate market, where prices have collapsed by as much as 50 percent and many developers are having trouble finding occupants for their buildings.
With its mix of nightclubs, mosques, luxury suites and boardrooms, the Burj is an almost perfect representation of Dubai’s own complexities and contradictions. It will have the world’s first Armani hotel; the world’s highest swimming pool, on the 76th floor; the highest observation deck, on the 124th floor; and the highest mosque, on the 158th floor.
But in deciding to change the tower’s name from Burj Dubai to Burj Khalifa, in honor of the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Dubai revealed a rare streak of humility consistent with its diminished economic condition. Once the most proudly autonomous of Arab Emirates, Dubai has found that its financial troubles have made it more dependent on Abu Dhabi and more likely to be drawn closer into the federation.
“Dubai not only has the world’s tallest building, but has also made what looks like the most expensive naming rights deal in history,” said Jim Krane, the author of “City of Gold: Dubai and the Dream of Capitalism.” “Renaming the Burj Dubai after Sheik Khalifa of Abu Dhabi — if not an explicit quid pro quo — is a down payment on Dubai’s gratitude for its neighbor’s $10 billion bailout last month.”
The opening festivities had the feel of a national holiday, with fireworks, parachute jumps and shooting streams of water from the world’s tallest fountain.
At a cost estimated at $1.5 billion, the Burj took five years to build, is more than 160 floors high and has comfortably surpassed the previous record holder in Taiwan, the Taipei 101.
More than 12,000 people will occupy its six million square feet, zooming up and down in 54 elevators that can reach speeds of 40 miles an hour. It was designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill in Chicago.
At a time when several of Dubai’s newly built office towers stand empty, it is 90 percent sold, according to the building’s developer, Emaar Properties.
To be sure, some have questioned the utility of such a towering project. At least three foreign workers died during the construction. And at a time of increasing concerns over global terrorism, such a building could pose an inviting target.
But to Dubai, which from its very beginning has taken pleasure in proving its doubters wrong, the Burj is evidence that if you build it big and brash enough the people will come, from near and far.
With its strong government backing and unquestioned prestige, the Burj was a project that was destined to succeed and its developer, Emaar, had little difficulty in attracting residents — particularly since much of the space was sold several years ago in the middle of Dubai’s real estate frenzy.
Other projects, however, have not been so lucky. One is the Omniyat Bayswater, a 24-story office building that stands less than half a mile from the Burj. It opened six months ago and remains more than 50 percent vacant.
Aimed to be the flagship structure of an ambitious development project in an area by the sea called Business Bay, Omniyat Bayswater has been unable to attract tenants as a consequence of the current real estate crisis.
But its struggle speaks to a larger truth behind the Dubai real estate bubble which, despite the excitement over the Burj, could well forestall a meaningful recovery.
Like many office projects developed four or five years ago, the peak years of Dubai’s expansion, the Omniyat Bayswater is plagued by splintered ownership. It is estimated to have more than 50 landlords — more than two per floor — with some trying to lease office suites as small as 1,000 square feet.
A spokesman for Omniyat said that the developer recognized the problem of multiple owners, and had taken steps to address it and expected to see whole floors leased by the second quarter of this year.
At a time when selling real estate was like handing out candy to children, the development model of selling to many owners, known as strata title, became a quick and easy way to finance building projects. Speculators from around the world were clamoring for the smallest slice of Dubai property.
But with the crash, the building’s ownership structure has made it extremely difficult to sell or lease a floor or two to foreign companies seeking to expand.
“There has been a difficulty in creating a collective of owners,” said Nick Maclean of the real estate firm CB Richard Ellis in Dubai. “The majority of the building is empty.”
Few offers have been made for space in buildings under strata title, which is estimated to cover about two-thirds of the new buildings opening this year and 70 percent of those opening in 2011. Without government action, office vacancy rates could rise as high as 40 percent, according to real estate analysts.
As for the effect the Burj will have on the overall market, Mr. Maclean said that its opening, while heartening, was unlikely to prompt an immediate turn around in the market.
“It is a unique building and symbolically important but it is not going to stimulate demand,” he said.
This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:
An article on Tuesday about the opening of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, misstated the position of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, for whom the tower is named. He is president of the United Arab Emirates, not of Abu Dhabi. (He is emir of Abu Dhabi.) The error also appeared in a picture caption accompanying the article and was repeated in an editorial on Wednesday. The editorial also misstated the beneficiary of a $10 billion loan from Abu Dhabi. It was the emirate of Dubai, not the United Arab Emirates.
Syria Problem
Syria requires almost 400 million cubic meters water annually in order to sustain itself. Agriculture purpose uses up between 86-90 percent of the water resources of the country. The estimation may come to slight changes because of agricultural policy changes and improvements in irrigation techniques with coming years but agriculture remains the major consumer of water resources. The reason being Government’s commitment to self-sufficiency is growth of major food crops such as grains, which require damp irrigation. Keeping the statistics in mind it is estimated that Syria may soon experience water deficiency in three of its major river basins. This is the main issue of Syria’s National Environmental Action Plan cites.
Productivity in rural sector is as low as the unemployment among rural adults reach up to 20%. The illiteracy rate is still 28% of rural adults. The chief reasons of these social problems in Syria among all is small and fragmented nature of land holdings. Lack of access to credit markets and appropriate technology also contributes to the problems of Syria. Rate of poverty are shocking, percentage of Illiteracy still prevailing, high rate of rural population growth and limited employment opportunities all count up the problems in Syria
In the political scenario Syria is facing certain problems not only with Iran but with the entire international community. Syria’s relationship with Lebanon too has been stressful for more than two years. Rafik Hariri’s assassination and the machinations of international politics ruined their relationship.
Nevertheless Syria has been a self developed country, in spite of numerous problems in Syria it has a global recognition for its status.
Egypt Problem
Egypt has been undergoing a revolution that ended the brutal 30-year dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak February 11. But all of America is wondering what the end result will be after the protests have ended. This reporter told an Egyptian Facebook friend in Cairo in an on-line chat recently that every American is wondering what will come of the revolution, and he simply replied: "All the Egyptians too."
Even the establishment leaders in the United States may not know what will result from the Egyptian protests. The American establishment — personified by the Council on Foreign Relations located at Pratt House in New York City — has never been reluctant to jettison one dictator it had favored when another, more stable dictator was waiting in the wings. The mere fact that the Obama administration and its State Department under Hillary Clinton has clung to the Mubarak regime long after it became apparent the Mubarak regime would not last the year may be an indication they don't have a comparable stooge waiting in the wings to take charge.
The Egyptian problem is one of leadership: Who or what will lead?
The most hopeful answer to that question is that no one man or group of men will lead, but that Egypt will be ruled by law that restrains the government. Although Egypt unfortunately has no cultural heritage of obtaining this goal, the protests have revealed some hopeful signs.
Part of the confusion is that there was no single cause of the Egyptian protests, unlike the Tunisian rebels who were largely spurred by a 30-year legacy of corruption that had been led by WikiLeaks revelations of U.S. diplomatic correspondence documenting that corruption. Egypt has had the same 30 years of corruption, and WikiLeaks has released some documentation of that corruption. But Egyptians have also been providing their own documentation of police brutality in recent months. The June 2010 beating death of Khaled Said went viral on the Internet. Said was a blogger who was beaten to death by Egyptian police because he had video documentation of corrupt police splitting up the spoils of a drug bust. Other beatings — including some bound prisoners being sodomized by police with a nightstick — have also gone viral. And Egyptian protesters were definitely encouraged by the success of the Tunisian protests.
Frequent attempts by Western media to find a single "leader" among the mostly youthful protesters have failed to produce one. "This is the revolution of the youth of the Internet, which became the revolution of the youth of Egypt, then the revolution of Egypt itself," Google marketing executive for the Middle East and North Africa Wael Ghonim told the press after suffering more than a week of imprisonment at the hands of Egyptian police. Some in the media have tried to paint him as the leader, but Ghonim has deferred. "I'm not a hero, I slept for 12 days," Ghonim stated after being released from police captivity. "The heroes, they're the ones who were in the street, who took part in the demonstrations, sacrificed their lives, were beaten, arrested and exposed to danger."
Another person cited as a "leader" of the protests has been Asmaa Mahfouz. Noting that four Egyptians have set themselves on fire in protest of the Mubarak regime, Asmaa Mahfouz proclaimed in a Vlog posted online just before the onset of the protests: "People, have some shame!... I'm making this video to give you one simple message. We want to go down to Tahrir square on January 25.... We'll go down and demand our rights, our fundamental human rights. I won't even talk about any political rights. We want our human rights and nothing else.... I will not set myself on fire! If the security forces want to set me on fire, let them come and do it! If you think yourself a man, come with me on January 25th. Whoever says women shouldn't go to protests because they will get beaten, let him have some honor and manhood and come with me on January 25th."
But Mahfouz's role in the protests — while inspirational — was not overwhelming. Her Blog only saw 100,000 hits, most of them after January 25. She may have inspired some to protest, but was not the primary organizer.
This lack of a single leader is actually a great strength in the Egyptian protest movement. On the other hand, the youth who dominated the rallies in Tahrir Square also don't have any cohesive agenda, other than to depose Mubarak. That's a weakness. It's also possibly an indication of youthful political naivety, which elites can exploit to try to impose a new dictator to replace the old one.
Unsavory forces are waiting in the wings to take charge. The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood has been the primary opposition party for more than a generation. Officially banned for more than a generation, the Muslim Brotherhood has thrived as a large, genuine Islamic charitable organization within the mosques, and has significant support among the poor it has aided. The Muslim Brotherhood favors Shari'a Law, including a ban on women serving as government chief executives, enshrining Islam as the official religion of Egypt, and separate Islamic courts. Though it condemned violence and terrorism more than a generation ago, as an officially banned opposition group it has had loose ties to a variety of unsavory groups such as the Communist Party over the years. On the other hand, the Muslim Brotherhood is neither a communist organization nor like the Taliban of Afghanistan. It rejects the idea of the Dhimmi, which relegates non-Muslims to second class citizenship and special "protection" taxation and would allow women to serve in legislatures. And the Muslim Brotherhood did not start these protests. Instead, backed them much later, which hurt the organization's credibility. Therefore, it's unlikely the Muslim Brotherhood's fairly strict Islamic views would win a majority in any genuinely free elections when the more cosmopolitan youth involved in the protests are allowed to vote. But of course, what kind of elections actually take place, and how free or controlled those elections would be, remain to be seen.
America's Founding Fathers knew that only a legislative branch and constitution that limits government can save a free people. But many Americans today increasingly look to electing a powerful leader as President who will save them from the threat of big government. Americans will soon have either a negative example from Egypt of how seeking a powerful executive branch "leader" to self-limit is a totalitarian conceit or a positive example of how a government chained down by a limited constitution can be the path to freedom.
Palestina Problem History
The Palestine Problem: A Brief History
The Palestine Problem is one of the most difficult problems of recent history. It is over a century old now, and it has been the subject of innumerable resolutions and inquiries by the League of Nations, the United Nations, and other international bodies. Up till now, it shows no sign of impending resolution. If anything, it seems to be getting more and more complicated, as it is becomes entangled with Islamism, terrorism, and American (Western) hegemony in world affairs.
In major outline, the facts of the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are not in dispute, although many disagreements and differences of interpretation are encountered when one goes into the finer details of this history. In 1897, when the First Zionist Congress was held in order to discuss the establishment of a national homeland for the Jewish people, Palestine had about 600,000 inhabitants, about 95% of whom were Arabs, while about 5% only were Jews. Palestine was then part of the Ottoman Empire, the "Sick Man of Europe" which was to be dismembered by the victorious Allies after the end of World War I.
In 1922, the League of Nations granted Great Britain mandatory power over Palestine. This was done with the proviso that Britain was to aid in the establishment in Palestine of a national homeland for the Jews, who suffered from a long history of European anti-Semitism.
Jewish immigration into Palestine, which started before World War I, continued unabated in the years leading up to World War II. But it reached peak levels after the end of World War II, when the extent of the Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime against European Jewry became apparent. By the year 1947, on the eve on UN decision to partition Palestine between Jews and Palestinian Arabs, there were around 1.35 million Palestinian Arabs and about 650,000 Jews, who had acquired roughly 6% of the mandated area of Palestine. Yet the General Assembly saw fit to give the Jews around 56% of the territory of Palestine for a Jewish State.
The Palestinians and their Arab brethren in the neighboring Arab countries refused to accept the UN partition resolution. They waged war on the new state of Israel and lost. In the aftermath of 1948 defeat (which witnessed the birth of the State of Israel), close to half the Palestinian population (around 750,000) became refugees, inside and outside what remained of their own country. They number more than 3 millions now, with no hope of returning to their former homes, and with little chance of being integrated in the neighboring Arab countries where most of them live.
After their defeat in 1948, Arab states continued to wage wars on Israel, and they continued to lose them. Finally, "the era of peace" arrived. It was ushered by Camp David Agreement with Egypt in 1978, which was followed by the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization in 1993. The Oslo Accords lie in tatters as we speak now (2003), and it is not likely that they will be much relevant to the final status that is being contemplated by Israel, America and other strong players in the conflict. The Israelis have continued their habit of building settlements in conquered territory which regard as their own "biblical homeland", and Palestinians continue to resist, increasingly in ways which most of the world has come to regard as terrorist.
More than two years of Intifada (uprising) and massive Israeli retaliation have brought almost unbearable suffering for the Palestinians, whose social, political, educational, and economic life has come to a virtual halt. The present writer remembers well the novelty of traffic lights, which were first introduced to Palestinian streets after the start of the Oslo Peace Process. To some that signified "progress", the hope that Palestinian life, frozen for so many years under occupation, was finally starting all over again. Now there are no functioning traffic lights in Palestinian cities, and the infrastructure, modest at the best of times, has been almost completely demolished.
Of all the aspects of deterioration that has affected Palestinian life, probably nothing is more worrisome than what is happening in the sphere of education, because it is not easy to make up for losses in this area. Repeated closures which affect movement of people between cities and towns have disrupted academic schedules and lowered the quality of learning and teaching all around. In addition, economic hardship, detentions, and the constant humiliation which students face at Israeli military checkpoints which have divided Palestinian territories into so many Bantustans, have created an angry generation of young people who do not believe in the possibility of peace.
Israelis, of course, have many tales of woe to tell, about Palestinian terrorism on Israeli streets and buses, about the inability of Arabs, Muslims and Palestinians to accept their right to exist within safe and recognized boundaries. Undoubtedly, there are many question of right and wrong to discuss here. There are many things that cannot be undone, and many things that can be done. It is hoped that the present forum will present useful ideas and materials for understanding and change.
Pakistan Problem
"Don't mention the war," as Basil insists with mounting hysteria in Fawlty Towers. And, when discussing the deepening crisis in Afghanistan, most people seem deliberately to avoid such telling phrases as "Pakistani aggression" or—more accurate still—"Pakistani colonialism." The truth is that the Taliban, and its al-Qaida guests, were originally imposed on Afghanistan from without as a projection of Pakistani state power. (Along with Pakistan, only Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates ever recognized the Taliban as the legal government in Kabul.) Important circles in Pakistan have never given up the aspiration to run Afghanistan as a client or dependent or proxy state, and this colonial mindset is especially well-entrenched among senior army officers and in the Inter-Services Intelligence agency, or ISI.
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We were all warned of this many years ago. When the Clinton administration sent cruise missiles into Afghanistan in reprisal for the attacks on our embassies in East Africa, the missiles missed Osama Bin Ladin but did, if you remember, manage to kill two officers of the ISI. It wasn't asked loudly enough: What were these men doing in an al-Qaida camp in the first place? In those years, as in earlier ones, almost no tough questions were asked of Pakistan. Successive U.S. administrations used to keep certifying to Congress that Pakistan was not exploiting U.S. aid (and U.S. indulgence over the anti-Soviet war in Afghanistan) to build itself a nuclear weapons capacity. Indeed, it wasn't until after Sept. 11, 2001, that we allowed ourselves to learn that at least two of Pakistan's top nuclear scientists—Mirza Yusuf Baig and Chaudhry Abdul Majid—had been taken in for "questioning" about their close links to the Taliban. But then, in those days, we were too incurious to take note of the fact that Pakistan's chief nuclear operative, A.Q. Khan, had opened a private-enterprise "Nukes 'R' Us" market and was selling his apocalyptic wares to regimes as disparate as Libya and North Korea, sometimes using Pakistani air force planes to make the deliveries.
The very name Pakistan inscribes the nature of the problem. It is not a real country or nation but an acronym devised in the 1930s by a Muslim propagandist for partition named Chaudhary Rahmat Ali. It stands for Punjab, Afghania, Kashmir, and Indus-Sind. The stan suffix merely means "land." In the Urdu language, the resulting acronym means "land of the pure." It can be easily seen that this very name expresses expansionist tendencies and also conceals discriminatory ones. Kashmir, for example, is part of India. The Afghans are Muslim but not part of Pakistan. Most of Punjab is also in India. Interestingly, too, there is no B in this cobbled-together name, despite the fact that the country originally included the eastern part of Bengal (now Bangladesh, after fighting a war of independence against genocidal Pakistani repression) and still includes Baluchistan, a restive and neglected province that has been fighting a low-level secessionist struggle for decades. The P comes first only because Pakistan is essentially the property of the Punjabi military caste (which hated Benazir Bhutto, for example, because she came from Sind). As I once wrote, the country's name "might as easily be rendered as 'Akpistan' or 'Kapistan,' depending on whether the battle to take over Afghanistan or Kashmir is to the fore."
I could have phrased that a bit more tightly, since the original Pakistani motive for annexing and controlling Afghanistan is precisely the acquisition of "strategic depth" for its never-ending confrontation with India over Kashmir. And that dispute became latently thermonuclear while we simply looked on. One of the most creditable (and neglected) foreign-policy shifts of the Bush administration after 9/11 was away from our dangerous regional dependence on the untrustworthy and ramshackle Pakistan and toward a much more generous rapprochement with India, the world's other great federal, democratic, and multiethnic state.
Recent accounts of murderous violence in the capital cities of two of our allies, India and Afghanistan, make it appear overwhelmingly probable that the bombs were not the work of local or homegrown "insurgents" but were orchestrated by agents of the Pakistani ISI. This is a fantastically unacceptable state of affairs, which needs to be given its right name of state-sponsored terrorism. Meanwhile, and on Pakistani soil and under the very noses of its army and the ISI, the city of Quetta and the so-called Federally Administered Tribal Areas are becoming the incubating ground of a reorganized and protected al-Qaida. Sen. Barack Obama has, if anything, been the more militant of the two presidential candidates in stressing the danger here and the need to act without too much sentiment about our so-called Islamabad ally. He began using this rhetoric when it was much simpler to counterpose the "good" war in Afghanistan with the "bad" one in Iraq. Never mind that now; he is committed in advance to a serious projection of American power into the heartland of our deadliest enemy. And that, I think, is another reason why so many people are reluctant to employ truthful descriptions for the emerging Afghan-Pakistan confrontation: American liberals can't quite face the fact that if their man does win in November, and if he has meant a single serious word he's ever said, it means more war, and more bitter and protracted war at that—not less.
Global Trends by elhyath
In Iraq, where did all the money go?
The well-publicised Iraq oil-for-food scandal which the UN is embroiled in may eventually be seen as small compared to the financial unaccountability under the US-led authority that ruled the country and the subsequent interim government. Many billions of dollars were unaccounted for, and dubious contracts uncovered, helping to explain the lack of reconstruction work.
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When the subject of corruption in Iraq is brought up, most people relate this to the oil-for-food scandal which the United Nations is embroiled in.
The system which the UN supervised, in which Iraq was allowed to sell some oil in exchange for imports of food, has been the subject of investigations amid allegations of wrong doing, including by UN staff.
The UN Secretary General was found to have personally done no wrong with regard to a UN contract given to a company in which he son was linked. But he accepted responsibility for lack of proper management over the scheme, and some high-level UN staff found guilty of misdeeds were asked to leave.
The episode left the UN and especially Kofi Annan in a weakened position, especially in relation to a United States administration bent on reforming the UN to their own liking.
Recent news reports show, however, that much larger scandals of mismanagement of funds have taken place in Iraq under the US administration that ruled the country and the Iraqi interim government that took over.
The reports tell a story of almost unbelievable unaccountability and corruption, and help explain why the infrastructure of Iraq, destroyed during and after the war, remains so poor and why reconstruction lags so far behind.
An article by Ed Harriman in The Guardian on 7 July showed how at the end of the Iraq war, vast sums of money were made available to the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA) led by the US and headed by Paul Bremer, the American pro consul in Iraq.
By the time he left the post and the country eight months later in June last year, US$8.8 billion of that money had disappeared or was unaccounted for, according to the article.
When Bremmer arrived soon after the official end of the war, there was $6 billion left over from the oil-for-food programme and frozen assets and at least $10 billion from resumed Iraqi oil exports. These funds were transferred to the CPA to spend “for the benefit of the Iraqi people.”
The US Congress also voted to spend $18.4 billion to redevelop Iraq. When Bremmer left, the CPA had spent up to $20 billion of Iraqi money compared to $300 million of US funds.
Several reports from auditors working for international agencies and the US government have shown massive financial irregularities.
The CPA maintained a fund of $600 million cash for which there is no paperwork, and $200 million of it was kept in an office room. The US soldier in charge kept the key to the room in his backpack, left on his desk when he went for lunch.
The auditors have so far referred over a hundred contracts involving billions of dollars paid to American personnel and companies for criminal investigation. They also found that $8.8 billion is unaccounted for.
The audit reports concluded that the CPA did not keep accounts of the cash in its vault, had awarded contracts worth billions to US firms without tender and had no idea what happened to money from the development fund spent by the interim Iraqi government ministries.
Harriman himself was told by an Iraqi hospital administrator that when he came to sign a contract, an American army officer representing the CPA crossed out the original price and doubled it. When the Iraqi protested that the original price was enough, the American explained the increase (more than $1 million) was his retirement package.
When the Iraqi Governing Council asked Bremmer why a contract to repair a cement plant cost $60 million rather than the agreed $20 million, he reportedly said they should be grateful the coalition saved them from Saddam Hussein.
The CPA’s own inspector general’s office, which reports to Congress, found the authorities did not ensure files had the required documents, or that a fair price was paid for services or contractors were paid in line with the contracts.
In the few weeks before Bremer left Iraq, the CPA handed out over $3 billion in new contracts. The CPA inspector general’s report reviewed 225 of these contracts worth $327 million, and found understated payments made by $108 million and overstated unpaid obligations by $119 million.
Other audit reports found millions of dollars in cash missing from the Iraqi Central Bank, $11-26 million of Iraqi property sequestered by the CPA was unaccounted for, and millions of dollars were paid to contractors for phantom work. Iraqi currency worth 6.5 million pounds sterling was found on a plane to Lebanon sent there by the American-appointed Iraqi interior minister.
Another audit report found that $8.8 billion, the entire Iraqi interim government spending from October 2003 to June 2004, was not properly accounted for. One ministry gave out $430 million in contracts without the CPA advisers seeing any paperwork.
Yet another report found that American agents in the field could not account for $96 million. One agent’s account was overstated by $2.8 million, another agent was given $23 million without supporting documents and another agent had records of only $6.3 million paid to contractors out of $23 million given to him.
“So where did the money go?,” asked Harriman. “The schools, hospitals, water supply and electricity which were supposed to benefit from these funds are in ruins. The inescapable conclusion is that many of the American paying agents grabbed large bundles of cash for themselves and made sweet deals with their Iraqi contacts.”
Another report on 19 September in the London-based paper, The Independent, showed the financial scandals continued after the CPA closed. Iraq’s Finance Minister Ali Allawi told the newspaper that one billion dollars had been plundered from Iraq’s defence ministry.
Most of the money was supposedly spent buying arms from Poland and Pakistan. Allawi said the contracts were peculiar as there was no bidding, they were signed with a Baghdad-based company and not with the foreign suppliers, and the money was paid upfront.
Military equipment obtained from the contracts were in poor shape, and machine guns bought for $3500 each consisted in reality of poor copies worth only $200 each, while 16 cents were paid for bullets worth 4 to 6 cents.
An audit report on the Defence Ministry showed $500 million missing but the amount may be twice that, according to the Finance Minister. The money missing from all ministries appointed by the US in June 2004 may be close to $2 billion.
He said $500-600 million allegedly disappeared from the electricity, transport interior and other ministries. Commented The Independent report: “This helps to explain why the supply of electricity to Baghdad has been so poor since the fall of Saddam Hussein 29 months ago despite claims by the US and subsequent Iraqi governments that they are doing everything to improve power generation.”
Osama Bin Laden, al-Qaeda leader, dead - Barack Obama
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Footage from inside Bin Laden's compound
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Bin Laden killed
Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden has been killed by US forces in Pakistan, President Barack Obama has said.
Bin Laden was shot dead at a compound near Islamabad, in a ground operation based on US intelligence, the first lead for which emerged last August.
Mr Obama said US forces took possession of the body after "a firefight".
Bin Laden is believed to have ordered the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001 and a number of others.
He was top of the US' "most wanted" list.
DNA tests later confirmed that Bin Laden was dead, US officials said.
Bin Laden was buried at sea after a Muslim funeral on board an aircraft carrier, Pentagon officials said.
Announcing the success of the operation, Mr Obama said it was "the most significant achievement to date in our nation's effort to defeat al-Qaeda".
The US has put its embassies around the world on alert, warning Americans of the possibility of al-Qaeda reprisal attacks for Bin Laden's killing.
CIA director Leon Panetta said al-Qaeda would "almost certainly" try to avenge the death of Bin Laden.
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At the scene
image of Aleem Maqbool Aleem Maqbool BBC News, Abbottabad
So the trail led here, to the lush green hills of Abbottabad, a beautiful tranquil location. But footage from inside the large modern compound tells of the bloody fire fight that left the al- Qaeda leader dead.
A large area around the site has now been cordoned off but there's no concealing the fact it lies so close to the main gate of the Pakistan military academy. While residents of the area say they are stunned Osama Bin Laden was living in their midst and that there had been no rumours that he was, it will surprise many that he had been in a large building with high walls so close to an army base without the knowledge of the Pakistani security forces.
The authorities here in a statement have been hailing this as a moment of huge victory. But the amount of time it took for them to react indicates the news had surprised them as much as it had everyone else.
Crowds gathered outside the White House in Washington DC, chanting "USA, USA" after the news broke.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the operation sent a signal to the Taliban in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
"You cannot wait us out, you cannot defeat us, but you can make the choice to abandon al-Qaeda and participate in a peaceful political process," she said.
And she said there was "no better rebuke to al-Qaeda and its heinous ideology" than the peaceful uprisings across the Arab world against authoritarian governments.
Compound raided
Bin Laden, 54, approved the 9/11 attacks in which nearly 3,000 people died.
He evaded the forces of the US and its allies for almost a decade, despite a $25m (£15m) bounty on his head.
Mr Obama said he had been briefed last August on a possible lead to Bin Laden's whereabouts. He authorised the operation last week once he determined there was enough intelligence to take action.
"It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground," Mr Obama said.
Osama Bin Laden Bin Laden was top of the US "most wanted" list
On Sunday, US forces said to be from the elite Navy Seal Team Six undertook the operation in Abbottabad, 100km (62 miles) north-east of Islamabad.
US officials said Bin Laden was shot in the head after resisting.
Mr Obama said "no Americans were harmed".
US media reports said that the body was buried at sea to conform with Islamic practice of a burial within 24 hours and to prevent any grave becoming a shrine.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote
America has sent an unmistakable message: no matter how long it takes, justice will be done”
End Quote George W Bush Former US president
* Will Bin Laden haunt US?
* How raid was tweeted
* Your reaction
Giving more details of the raid, one senior US official said a small US team conducted the attack in about 40 minutes.
Three other men - one of Bin Laden's sons and two couriers - were killed in the raid, the official said, adding that one woman was also killed when she was used as "a shield" and two other women were injured.
One helicopter was lost due to "technical failure". The team destroyed it and left in its other aircraft.
One resident, Nasir Khan, told Reuters the helicopters had come under "intense firing" from the ground.
The size and complexity of the structure in Abbottabad "shocked" US officials.
It was surrounded by 4m-6m (12ft-18ft) walls, was eight times larger than other homes in the area and was valued at "a million dollars", though it had no telephone or internet connection.
The US official said that intelligence had been tracking a "trusted courier" of Bin Laden for many years. The courier's identity was discovered four years ago, his area of operation two years ago and then, last August, his residence in Abbottabad was found, triggering the start of the mission.
map of area
Another senior US official said that no intelligence had been shared with any country, including Pakistan, ahead of the raid.
"Only a very small group of people inside our own government knew of this operation in advance," the official said.
The Abbottabad residence is about a kilometre from the Pakistan Military Academy - the country's equivalent of West Point or Sandhurst.
The BBC's Aleem Maqbool in Abbottabad says it will undoubtedly be a huge embarrassment to Pakistan that Bin Laden was found not only in the country, but also on the doorstep of the military academy.
He says residents in the town were stunned the al-Qaeda leader had been living in their midst.
The senior US official said the "the loss of Bin Laden puts the group on a path of decline that will be difficult to reverse".
Bin Laden's probable successor, Ayman al-Zawahiri, was "far less charismatic and not as well respected within the organisation", according to reports from captured al-Qaeda operatives, the official said.
However, the root causes of radical Islam - the range of issues that enabled al-Qaeda to recruit disaffected young Muslims to its cause - remain, for the most part, unaddressed, Islamic affairs analyst Roger Hardy told the BBC.
"The death of Bin Laden will strike at the morale of the global jihad, but is unlikely to end it," he warned.
'Momentous achievement'
World leaders welcomed the news of Bin Laden's death.
Barack Obama gives a statement confirming the death of Osama Bin Laden
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Bin Laden had "paid for his actions".
Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said the killing was a "great victory" but added that he "didn't know the details" of the US operation.
Former US President George W Bush described the news as a "momentous achievement".
"The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," Mr Bush said in a statement.
But a spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban threatened revenge attacks against the "American and Pakistani governments and their security forces".
In Gaza, which is governed by militant group Hamas, Prime Minister Ismail Haniya condemned the killing of "a Muslim and Arabic warrior".
BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says that, to many in the West, Bin Laden became the embodiment of global terrorism, but to others he was a hero, a devout Muslim who fought two world superpowers in the name of jihad.
The son of a wealthy Saudi construction family, Bin Laden grew up in a privileged world. But soon after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan he joined the mujahideen there and fought alongside them with his Arab followers, a group that later formed the nucleus for al-Qaeda.
After declaring war on America in 1998, Bin Laden is widely believed to have been behind the bombings of US embassies in East Africa, the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen in 2000 and the attacks on New York and Washington.
They Choosing Islam and Muslims Proud of Being
Now, Milena classes Quran lessons are held every Wednesday night at the North Hudson Islamic Center, Union City, New Jersey. he is one of thousands of U.S. citizens of Latin American descent who converted to Islam.
Milena say the shahada a month ago, even though he had married a Muslim man of Pakistani descent for seven years. During this time, Milena who refused to convert to Islam if the reason just for the sake of a Muslim husband.
Like most immigrants from Puerto Rico, Milena is a devout Catholic and diligently go to church. He began to consider the religion of Islam after his first son was born.
"I became interested in studying Islam without the converted, because my son will be raised as a Muslim. That was the beginning I started an interest in Islam, "says Milena.
During that time, he enjoys just learning. "I'm looking for science, I am hungry for knowledge. I am very excited with what I feel, "he said.
After becoming a Muslim, despite only one month to convert to Islam, Milena able to quickly adapt to his new life, so the priest who guided him and a classmate in the class Milena Koran hardly recognize him as a man who had converted to Islam.
Since a week ago, Milena was wearing a headscarf. "Today last week, I went to a party veil. I do not know how to wear it. The first experience was truly impressive. Now I wear it, "said Milena about his first experience wearing a headscarf.
However he admitted somewhat embarrassed to wear the hijab because she did not know how people react when I see veiled. "But everything is fine. I feel comfortable. I feel proud, "said Milena.
Wednesday night, four Muslim descendants of Latin America also are following the Islamic studies class. Among them are Nylka Vargas who has been Muslim for 15 years.
Muslim background Peruvian-Ecuadorian family was born and raised in New Jersey. According Nylka, he chose Islam because it has long been eager to know God.
"I do not believe the things I learned as a Christian. I believe that there is greater strength. I seek the truth, the relationship between the slave and his Creator, "said Nylka.
He continued, "it teaches me a lot of discipline, Islam is in harmony and perfect; prayers and the rules of his time. Why was it all done. Islam is flexible but disciplined. "
Latino Muslim community in the U.S.
Although no official data on the number of Latin American Muslim community in the U.S. An estimated their number is large enough. According to the organization the American Muslim Council, in 2006, the number of Latino Muslims in the U.S. An estimated 200,000 people and groups possess many of the young and educated.
"In recent years, more than 60 percent of converts are women. Most of those who converted to Islam after the events of 11 September 2001, derived from the Latin American community. Perhaps, more than 60 percent of those who converted to Islam in America are Latino, "said Imam Shamsi Ali of the Islamic Cultural Center in New York.
According to Imam Ali, the most important reason why many Latin American descent who converted to Islam, because basically the Latin American community set in back of Catholic or Christian is a religious people.
"They have a tendency to religion. That's why they can turn to Islam, "said Imam Ali.
A study ever conducted Samantha Sanchez, co-founder of the Latino American Dawah Organization (Lado), shows that the most interesting part of Islam for the Latino who is looking for spirituality is, the system is structured and strict orientation in the concept of monotheistic religion of Islam.
The tragic events of 11 September 2001 attacks, no doubt, encouraged many non-Muslims in the U.S. convert to Islam. "Literature about Islam a lot. If you are an American, day and night people talk that Islam is bad, it's Islamic terrorism, then you may be looking for a book about Islam, and what you see? No, Islam says different things. In this context, Islam is increasingly sticking after the September 11 attacks, "said Akbar Ahmed.
Mustafa example, men who came from Catholic families of origin Puero Rico began to find out about Islam after the attack.
"Once I read Al-Quran for the first time. I say that this is the truth. I must admit, "said Mustafa.
However, it took him almost six years before finally deciding to utter two sentences creed in 2007.
Lation in the U.S. Muslim community is concentrated in several cities, most located in the city of New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and other urban cities. From the survey results showed Lado, California is the city most of his Latino Muslims.
They also Choosing Islam
Khalil Salgado, U.S. immigrants from Puerto Rico who grew up in Bronx, New York, converted to Islam in 1995. Now, he served as secretary of the League of Latin American Muslim Organizations and became one of the leaders of Muslim communities in the U.S..
After converting to Islam, Salgado learn Arabic and study Islam to Mecca and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He now teaches at an Islamic school in Nashville Tenn..
Just like Salgado, Anthony Omar Navarro also studied Arabic and Islam abroad after converting to Islam. The man from Puerto Rico and formerly Catholic, now lives in Egypt with his wife.
"I'm still trying to live like the Prophet. without being disturbed by the influence of modern life, "said Omar Navarro.
He revealed, before converting to Islam, he plunged into "tons and tons of problems, almost every day brawl in the street and arrested."
"I really do not care about anything, until I witnessed my best friend was killed. When he died, I wanted to know where he went, "said Umar.
He then met a Muslim from Dominica, who became an activist who deal with troubled street kids like himself. From that introduction, Umar Islam found.
"I said two sentences creed, two months before the anniversary of my 21st. Since then, I leave the street life. Before this, there is nothing I fear. But now, I fear only one thing, to God, "said Umar.
Umar admitted, Islam has changed his life and has made it a more patient person.
Gina's another story that comes from a mixed family-Dominica Panama, but was born and raised in New York. Gina had not told his parents that he had become a Muslim. But lately, he has begun to open to her sister.
Gina who is now studying Islam at the Islamic Cultural Center in New York revealed that his brother threw the negative comments are often written as the mass media, when he knew his brother converted to Islam. Gina tried to explain that what is written in the media about Islam, not entirely correct.
"A lot of people who misunderstand Islam and they believe what they hear on television as a truth," Gina regrets.
Why Muslims Become Trends in Russia
MOSCOW (AP) - The conversion of the ethnic Russian who adopted Orthodox Christianity to Islam is a politically sensitive issue in the Russian Federation, with the large number of journalists and the comments that offer various explanations for the tendency of these trends.
Now, Andrey Ignatyev, sociologist of religion at the Russian State Humanitarian University, seeks to answer the question "why is ethnic Russian convert to Islam?" without exaggerating and using apocalyptic language which is often used in the discussion of religious issues.
In a heavily footnoted article posted on Portal-Credo.ru site, Ignatyev said that the earliest discussions of this problem have failed because they have offered an explanation of what actually is a complex social phenomenon. In fact, there are exceptional reasons to convert a variety of reasons. For his part, Ignatyev offers four reasons.
First, Moscow sociologist said, the greatest number are those who convert because of marriage, a group that includes people who converted to Islam before they married and those who became Muslim after they entered the marriage with one of the adherents of Islam. "As a rule," which includes this group are mostly women and elderly men made the conversion as a prerequisite of marriage.
Although these women felt "hatred of certain Islamofobis as members of the Movement Against Illegal Immigration," Ignatyev said, most of them "very little" know about the new confidence they see themselves and rarely appear in the mosque after they officially change their religion, although some of them become active in Islam.
Second, he continued, there are those Russians who were attracted by mysticism of Sufism, the same pattern found throughout the world as "seeking God" often leads to people to "move to other religions" such as Hinduism or Buddhism. But generally, Ignatyev said, people like that "does not show interest in communion with ethnic or trying to be a part of Muslim life".
In fact, there is some question as to whether these people deserve to be called Islam. He gave the example as a Russian who follow the Sufi teachings "gave a promise to accept Islam," although "not necessary," and said that "in Moscow, 'there are Muslims, but no nation east."
Third, Ignatyev said, there are people with "consciousness accepted Islam as a religion of historical, cultural and ethnographic manifestations." They are "more serious than neofit of the first and second groups," and some of them learn the language of Muslim countries and even to travel abroad to gain knowledge about Islam.
Most of these people associate themselves with one part of Islamic history, such as the Hanafi rite of Sunni Islam, which Salafit, or Twelfth Shiia and is a devout, publicly thanked God for bringing them to the true faith. And many of them choose to live according to Sharia.
And fourth, Ignatyev said, is "the most shocking" of all, the group called "white Muslims" based on an analogy to the "Black Muslims" of Louis Farrakhan in the United States. "Representatives of this group," he continued, "combining Islam with Russian Russian nationalism, neo-paganism, and racism, or the doctrine of the radical left."
Many of the people in this group, which is relatively small, is part of Norm, the National Organization of Russian Muslims, who see Islam as a "path to national revival in Russia," or as "a tool to the world the independence of the oppressed" but have little knowledge in Muslim history.
In fact, the frequent "white Muslims," he continued Ignatyev, being unfriendly towards Muslims from abroad, with some of them defend the Muslim immigrant ethnic Russians than in cases such as the conflict that broke out two years ago in the Karelian town of Kondopoga, despite criticism sharply from the traditional Muslim leaders from their positions.
Ignatyev did not mention the amount for this group - they probably totaled less than 50,000 - but he sharply criticized the likes of Elena Chudinova Roman Orthodox writer and activist who has written Silantyev facts about "Russian Muslims" and accused them of threatening Russia's future.
According to the sociologist of religion, there is no reason for it: "If there are Arabs or the Japanese Orthodox, then why can not there is Russian Muslims as well?" Moreover, he said, this trend will grow in the world that "global transformation in which" something impossible in the past "is now" an everyday phenomenon. "
"The process that takes place in the contemporary world which is connected with the rapid development in many countries in Asia and increased migration flows lead to increase in eastern factor in Russian life," said Ignatyev, something not to be feared if they understand his character.
WHY THEY (EUROPE) in droves to Islam!
A white girl is seen talking on his cell phone. Women faced the typical Frenchman is no different from other young women who were tasting coffee at a sidewalk cafe in Paris.
Mary Fallot is her native French nationality. He was born and raised in the country known as the world's fashion mecca. What is different, Fallot was a Muslim. Visible hijab head covering petite woman who had converted to Islam three years ago.
However, the phenomenon bondongnya flock of white French woman who converted to Islam, it provoked a number of people. ''This phenomenon is booming, and it worries us,''said Chief of Intelligence of the Interior of France, Pascal Mailhos.
Mailhos view this turned out a lot of adherents. Agency that specializes in anti-terrorist activities in European countries, see the rampant phenomenon of the European population to Islam, making them extra work as oversee women Fallot. Because, in the eyes of European police, a figure such as Fallot is a figure that could potentially endanger the security.
If previously the police only need to keep an eye on possible threats from young people who are flawless in the Middle East as long as it is often identified as perpetrators of human bombs, now they must also keep an eye on her flawless in Europe. ''It is possible for terrorists exploit lengahnya's oversight of European women,''said Magnus Ranstrop, terrorist investigators from the Swedish National Defense University.
Indeed, excessive fears unwarranted are plagued most of the citizens of Europe. They worry about how the death of Muriel Degauque, Belgian citizen who converted to Islam, because it blew himself up in attacks on U.S. troops (U.S.) in Iraq, late last year, will be replicated.
Degauque human bombs by this, they generalize that converts - the designation for the newly converted to Islam - has the potential to do the same. Meanwhile, the majority of converts in France are women.
How Fallot respond to the security of France's paranoid? This young woman rejected all the baseless assumption. He embraced Islam not because of compulsion. The lack of a detailed explanation of some fundamental questions of religion before, making it attracted to Islam. ''For me, Islam convey love, tolerance, and peace,''he said sincerely.
Although Fallot recognize any of converts to radical mindset. But, of them who later commit acts of violence, can be counted on the fingers. He calls such as Richard Reid and John Walker Lindh, a U.S. citizen captured in Afghanistan.
Regardless, Muslims in Europe grows like mushrooms in the rainy season after the explosion of the World Trade Center (WTC). Although, there is no research that calculates how the exact number of European residents who converted to Islam each year.
UN data showed that Europe's Muslim population increased 100 percent in 1999 over the previous year, to 13 million or two percent of the entire population of Europe. A total of 3.2 million in Germany, two million in Britain, 4-5 million in France, and the rest scattered in other European countries, particularly the Balkans.
And undeniably, more women than men who converted to Islam. The view over the years, European women converting to Islam to marry a Muslim man. ''The fact more women to Islam undeniable,''says Haifa Jawad, a lecturer at the University of Birmingham, England. Fallot himself just laughed when her friends say, he converted to Islam because Muslims lover. ''They do not believe that I do so on their own will,''the light of Fallot.
He felt very close to God after converting to Islam. Islam is simpler, more thorough, and easy because all of his teachings have been described explicitly. In Islam, he found a mindset of living, the rules can be followed.
The reason it became the basis for many women who converts to Islam. ''Many of the women complained of the moral breakdown of Western society,''said Jawad. ''They feel a sense of what Islam has to offer.''They were also interested in the pattern of relationships between men and women. ''There is more room for the family and the role of mother in Islam. And apparently women do not become mere sex objects,''said Karin van Nieuwkerk who studies the behavior of the Dutch women's conversion to Islam.
Sarah Joseph, founder of the lifestyle magazine Emel, said similar things. He also rejected the notion of women who converted to Islam because they do not want affected the Western feminist movement, not quite true. Prof. Stefano Allievi, a lecturer at the University of Padua, Italy, said the decision to convert to Islam they have political significance. Islam offers a spiritual politics'', the idea of holy mission,''he said.
After deciding to convert to Islam, they are gradually implementing his teachings. Such Fallot, he was not ready to immediately wear the hijab. He wore a long, loose at the beginning of Islam. The converts are more devout than are born in a state of Islam.
At the beginning of an Islamic convert, the momentum is very sensitive. ''They are eager and ready to do all that is taught,''says Batool al-Toma, implementers 'New Muslims' Islamic Foundation in Leicester, England.
''They want to prove something on his belief that with a sacrifice,''Ranstorp added that it could be that sacrifice in the form of activity out of the ordinary. He pointed out that previous Degauque are drug users, have become victims of those who exploit the spirit of the proof itself. (Has / sources / Mualaf.Com)
SS Lai, Converted to Islam After Hearing the sound of Azan Dreams
Born of a family of ethnic Chinese background, SS Lai grew up in a culture that does idolatry and worship their ancestors who had died. Since kecul he had been educated to believe in many gods and goddesses in the belief agamaCina.
Every year, Lai is always hope and enthusiasm when his father took him to the temple to perform religious services offerings to the gods and goddesses. As children, excitement when it was not because he will worship but because every annual event at the temple he will enjoy the many and varied foods.
That piece of memories SS Lai, a woman who came from ethnic Chinese living in Muslim countries, Brunei Darussalam. He felt grateful that spends most of his school years in schools that the majority of students are Muslim.
"I remember a friend once took a picture of their comic books are punished in hell fire. I do not quite understand about what it was hell at the time. I just know that you should never throw away any candy or chips (food) or we will be punished in the hereafter, "said Lai.
He understood, a Muslim fasting month of Ramadan and forbidden to eat pork. By then, Lai has not been interested in Islam, although many Muslim friend. But Lai acknowledge, at the age of 7 years, he felt it odd that one day he would become a Muslim, as one of his uncle.
"But I never asked anyone about Islam. Taku they want to know, and it makes me scared and ashamed, "said Lai.
Lai journey towards the light of Islam stems from his confusion when he was studying geography. He wondered why the man could stand and walk the earth and are not thrown into a dark space. Returning home, Lai asked this of her uncle, the uncle but instead advised him not to be too much to ask "why" in all things. Since then, Lai has always refrained always ask "why" the things that caught his attention.
1988, Lai won a scholarship to study in England. Something that became his dream and he worked hard to study abroad. "I became a useful and rich, and make my parents proud. The only thing I know to achieve my ambition was to become a doctor, "said Lai.
In college in England, one night Lai dreamed he heard the call to prayer and walked toward the sound of it, then he stood in a large gate. At the gate it looks written in Arabic. In the dream, Lai felt the peace and security. He entered into a room that is lighted and there he saw a figure who was praying.
"I'm hard to describe how I felt at that time. The next day I forced myself to ask about the dream I was at my friend, a student from Malaysia. He says it is 'Hadassah' of God, "Lai told about his dream.
Talk about the dream pushed Lai for more asking about Islam. During this time, many people told Lai that Muslims are people who are evil and always oppress other religions.
When the opportunity came home kampun to Brunei, Lai told his family that he wanted to compose himself during this year and break away from all his ambition. He feels there is something more important than all that he has pursued for years. Was certain, his family refused the request Lai, which makes Lai could only cry day and night.
"I cried because that sounded in my ears was the echo of sound azan, until a friend of mine thinks I'm crazy, and I began to think so," said Lai.
He then remembered the old school friend, a devout Muslim. Darinyalah, Lai began to learn about how to become a Muslim. Finally, fateful day arrived. Dated October 5, 1991, Lai said two sentences creed and officially became a Muslim.
"I believe that every child born in a state of purity and only the parents is they who decide where the child will go. May God guide their hearts towards Islam, "Lai prayer cover story became a Muslim.
Indonesian (My Country)
Affairs of The Thousand and One Disasters: Forecast Jayabaya Approaching Reality?
WHERE WHERE TO DISASTER-
Forecast Jayabaya Approaching Reality?
Monday, November 1, 2010, 23:13:00 AM
RMOL. A lot of rain one prey and many times, and river shifted. Earth less benefits, postponing happiness. Reduce gratitude, because the dead man who still holds a lot of knowledge.
That's one state that is written in the forecast period Jayabaya, a King of the Kingdom of Kediri (1130-1157) that his predictions are known in advance among the Java community of today.
Seeing the situation is currently happening, whether forecasts Jayabaya really be true?
Because Jayabaya wrote his predictions about what will happen in the land of Java, since several hundred years ago, and from time to time almost all his predictions come true.
Here are some predictions that were written by King Jayabaya can describe the current political situation, because after the central government in Java.
Wong wadon ngango pakaean lanang, tandhane iku wong yen would nemoni wolak Walik era. Akeh wong wani nglanggar sumpahe dhewe, manungsa on whom seneng, ora ngendahake law of God.
Which means: women dressed men, a sign that people will experience times back and forth, a lot of promises not kept, many people violate their own oath, no matter the law of God.
Ukuman king ora fair, bad lan sing akeh odd rank, major luwih ngapusi, kana kene my insolence, sing cheating fierce, queen ora netepi promise, musna panguwasane, Bupati saka wong sing ana asor Imane, insolence into so-
Which means: Penalty king is not fair, many officials who behave strangely, more priority to deceive, everywhere a riot, a fraudulent charge, leaders keep their promises not lost his authority, there is a king comes from low-believers, insolence became increasingly.
Overall it is a sign of the downfall of a leader in the 20th century, which if not change the behavior will be crushed by the forces of nature and people.
Kemasa future vision capabilities is not entirely true, because with his power could have been it did not happen, but keep in mind also, that ability is also grace from Him
http://rakyatmerdeka.co.id/news.php?id=8281
Amien Rais: Disaster Indonesia How Azab Allah To The Lot
Yogyakarta (voa-islam.com) - Amien Rais, Chairman of the Advisory Council of the National Mandate Party, argued that successive-changing disaster in Indonesia is a punishment from God. According to Professor of International Relations University of Gadjah Mada, the people of Indonesia must introspection.
"This admonition and reprimand from the Lord," Amien said after inaugurating the PAN Regional Leadership Council of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sunday, October 31, 2010. "Today, our nation is a lot of injustice, moral decline, even in court was difficult to find justice and truth," he said.
... "In my opinion, of all theology, argues the same. So this is like a form of punishment, because our nation is already too much do the dissent, like the people of Prophet Lut ,"...
"I think, of all theology, argues the same. So this is like a form of punishment, because our nation is already too much do the dissent, like the Prophet Lut," said Amien added.
To note, in Islam known story of The Prophet Lut who likes to perform same-sex acts. The Lord was also destroyed, as mentioned in the Qur'an, with hail. "To that end we have to humble and make corrections as well as self-improvement," said Amien Rais shortly.
Less 24 hours after a tsunami hit the Mentawai Islands on Monday, October 25, 2010, Mount Merapi in Central Java, erupted. Tsunami until this afternoon has claimed 449 lives, while the eruption of Mount Merapi has killed 37 people. Emang ..! People Indonesia there that would allow lesbians and gay kok,sir!
Indonesia And Malaysia is Muslim (Cat and Mouse)
Indonesia VS Malaysia
Somehow, I was watching national teams for the spirit of Indonesia sparring ..
After the disappointment Indonesia lost in the finals first leg, held at Stadium Bukit Jalil Malaysia with a score of 3-0, I want ngedukung tetep Indonesia national teams ..
Although only the form of watching doang ..
Hehehehe ..
6 o'clock just me and the guy until I've at Black Canyon Coffee (not Cafe) at the Centro ..
Actually I also like clay supporters who dateng to Bung Karno, not just for watching national teams duel ..
Hahahaha ..
Following the incident yesterday (December 26, 2010) where players of national teams' diliciki "as supporters Malaysia with a color laser dazzling green eyes and distraction (pictures can be seen below)
then there are many supporters of the protest supporters Indonesia ..
Especially when Mark Harison (goal keeper Indonesia) protested to the referee for a green laser beam that is very disturbing vision in keeping wicket ..
Malaysia considers that Indonesia was exaggerating, especially in Indonesia when the news broke that the green laser beam that is more dangerous than a red laser beam (More news can be visited to http://bolapagi.com/analisis-laser-hijau-lebih-berbahaya- than the laser-red /)
Especially when there are fireworks being thrown into the middle of the pitch when Mark Harison was protesting to the referee and the match was dissolved in a few minutes
Imagine, what if the match is not dissolved?
What if there is one player or several players, or referees or linesman, who was injured by firecrackers affected?
Emang good God, a firecracker that does not hurt anyone ..
Not just about football, Malaysia has always been at odds with Indonesia because a lot of things ..
One example, when Batik Malaysia is recognized as an artificial product, and also some areas of Indonesia recognized the song as the song Malaysia ..
On twitter, various Trending Topics discussed about Malaysia ..
Such as: # # malaysiacheatlaser hatemalaysia # malayshit and manymore ..
Hmmmmmm ..
Looks like discussing about Malaysia and Indonesia will never run out ..
Back to December 29, 2010 ..
18:45 hours, the game started ..
When the national anthem "Indonesia Raya" was played, all of a sudden my skin crawl ..
The entire stadium filled with 80,000 more spectators, solemnly singing ..
Really proud to live in Indonesia, with supporters who are so compact:)
At 19:00 precisely, the second leg begins ..
National teams played very very very very good ..
But it is very unfortunate, very bad finishing ..
They probably rushed the ball to enter ..
And finalty also wasted by the Word Utina ..
In minutes the umpteenth (I forget), Word Utina replaced by Bambang Pamungkas ..
The thunder of the audience instantly makes my skin crawl ..
"Captain Badge" worn on the arm Bambang Pamungkas ..
Finally the match was won by Indonesia with the score 2-1 ..
But still it did not take chalice because Malaysia had a 3-0 lead on the previous leg ..
That's all okay ..
I'm proud to Indonesia ..
Play Fairplay, supporters compact, no riot, and everything that makes me proud:)
I love Indonesia always ♥
and congratulations for Malaysia:)
BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
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As a small country and strategically located in Southeast Asia, Brunei Darussalam is very conscious of the environment surrounding it. Obviously, developments in and around the region could affect the security outlook of the country.
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Brunei Darussalam is a peace loving country. This has been manifested in the country's external policy since the resumption of full independence in January 1984. The foreign policy has always been guided by the Titah of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam during the Proclamation of Independence in January 1984 when His Majesty stated: The maintenance of friendly relations among nations on the principle of mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality and territorial integrity of all nations free from external interference.
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In carrying out these objectives, Brunei Darussalam has also adopted a strategy of extending friendships to all countries that wish to be friendly with it. Brunei has established diplomatic relations with more than 130 countries from allover, the world and set up joint commissions with practically all Southeast Asian countries. We have also opened up diplomatic missions abroad that are now numbering more than 30.
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Besides bilateral approaches, in various ways and commensurate with its limited resources, the country has also actively participated in and contributed to, to the regional and international processes. So far, it has joined a host of regional and international organizations, all designed to foster friendship, understanding and networking for cooperation.
Perception of Regional Outlook
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Brunei Darussalam is of the view that while the overall security situation remains stable, the region continues to face uncertainties and challenges especially those arising from the sustainability of the economic recovery process and the threats of terrorism.
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Brunei Darussalam considers that terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D. C. last year had a great impact on regional security. We condemned such acts of terrorism and believed that the war against terrorism ought to be done in a comprehensive manner. Brunei Darussalam continues to work with its neighbours either bilaterally or multilaterally in order to enhance our capacity to fight against terrorism.
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The role of major powers in the region and the relationships among them continue to underpin regional security. Brunei Darussalam is pleased to note that bilateral interaction between them is taking place more regularly and this is indeed an encouraging trend that is good for the stability and security of the region. Brunei Darussalam further believes that building confidence and forging cooperation in areas of common interest among major powers are important for the promotion of mutual trust and understanding.
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In Northeast Asia, Brunei Darussalam believes that the resumption of dialogue between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is important for the inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation, in keeping with the spirit of the 15 June South-North Joint Declaration.
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In Southeast Asia, the region continues to experience relative peace and stability. Recent positive signs of growth in the global economy and in particular that of the United States augur well for the region's economic recovery. Brunei Darussalam also welcomes the independence of East Timor in May 2002 and looks forward to working closely with it on issues of mutual concern either bilaterally or multilaterally.
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We welcome the ongoing efforts by both ASEAN and China in trying to come up with a regional code of conduct for the South China Sea. We see this as an important confidence building measures for the claimant countries as well as all other countries in the region.
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Brunei Darussalam continues to attach great importance to regional processes such as ASEAN, the ARF, APEC and ASEM. These processes serve as important building blocks that reinforced regional peace and stability and complementing other bilateral networking. These processes further provided avenues for officials to interact with one another thus reinforcing mutual trust and understanding.
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We see ASEAN as playing a leading role in maintaining peace, stability and security in Southeast Asia. Brunei Darussalam likes to see ASEAN continuing to play such role and also as a driving force in regional cooperation such as in ARF, APEC and ASEM. We believe the inter- locking relationship among its members build over the years are instrumental in enhancing confidence and understanding. Notwithstanding the challenges facing it, Brunei Darussalam is confident that ASEAN will continue to remain strong and united with growing external linkages with its Dialogue Partners and the ASEAN Plus Three process.
The ASEAN Regional Forum
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Brunei Darussalam values the contribution of the ARF in promoting confidence among its diverse members. The ARF remains the key regional security forum in the Asia Pacific with the participation of all countries in the region including major powers. Since its inception, the ARF has made very good progress in building confidence thus promoting mutual trust and understanding.
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Brunei Darussalam believes it is important for ASEAN to remain a leading role in the ARF. While taking into account the numerous views about the pace of its evolution, Brunei Darussalam sees it essential for the ARF to move at the pace comfortable to everyone. Thus, it is of importance to note that the ARF has started to address the concept of Preventive Diplomacy (PD) while continuing to attach great importance to the central issue of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs).
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While holding the chairmanship of the ARF 2001-2002, Brunei Darussalam continues to promote understanding and trust among the ARF participants through its good office and coordination role. At the same time, Brunei will also continue to pursue initiatives aimed at advancing and strengthening the ARF process on the basis of the Concept Paper adopted in 1995 such as the producing of the 'stock-take' paper. Brunei Darussalam wishes to express its appreciation to all ARF participants for their valuable cooperation and contributions during the period of its chairmanship.
Brunei Darussalam's commitment and contribution to regional security
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Brunei Darussalam continues to attach great importance to the maintenance of regional peace and stability. We see this as important prerequisites in order for the country and the region as a whole to continue enjoying economic development and prosperity.
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Regionally, Brunei Darussalam has shown its commitment to regional processes through hosting important meetings like the APEC Economic Leaders Summit in 2000, the ASEAN Summit in 2001 and the annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM), the Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC), the ASEAN Plus Three and the ARF Ministerial Meeting in July 2002. These serve to reinforce the country's commitment to building better understanding, friendship and trust in the region.
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Brunei Darussalam will contin.ue to play these roles in the future commensurate with its limited resources.
A.Introduction
In Singapore, the estate of a Muslim must be distributed in accordance with Islamic inheritance laws. Islamic laws are also known as Shari'ah Laws.
Currently, PART VII of the Administration of Muslim Law Act, 1966 ('AMLA') governs the distribution of Muslim estates.
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S111(1) of AMLA stipulates that 'notwithstanding anything in the provisions of the English law or in any other written law, no Muslim domiciled in Singapore shall, after 1st July 1968, dispose of his property by Will except in accordance with the provisions of and subject to the restrictions imposed by the school of Muslim law professed by him'.
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S112(1) of AMLA states 'in the case of any Muslim person domiciled in Singapore dying intestate, the estate and effects shall be distributed according to the Muslim law as modified, where applicable, by Malay custom.'
It is important to realise that the 'halal' ('permissible') instruments available under Islamic law in Singapore are not restricted to distribution purely under what is called the 'Faraid' (see part E below). There are other means of managing one's wealth and estate. A person may want to consider drawing up a will to the extent as is allowed under the Shari'ah Laws, presenting inter vivos gifts (gifts made during one's lifetime), a 'hibah and ruqba', setting up of trusts, a 'nuzuriah' and so forth.
Indeed, contrary to popular perceptions in Singapore, there are many underlying principles governing the aspect of distribution of a Muslim's wealth and estate which can come into play when planning the distribution of one's wealth and estate. These principles would lend flexibility to the seemingly rigid determinates of the Faraid.
B. What Happens When Death Occurs
When death occurs, you will probably experience the following:
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All bank accounts of the deceased and joint accounts are frozen;
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There will be no transfer or dealings with the deceased's assets or the deceased's share of any assets whatsoever until the Court grants Letters of Administration or Probate. You will need to engage a lawyer to assist you in this respect.
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In cases of intestacy, the potential beneficiaries will have to appoint an Administrator(s) to undertake and ensure the proper distribution of the deceased's assets. This is provided for when one leaves a Will as the testator would have appointed an Executor/Executrix to assume that role.
C. Priority Payments Before Distribution
Before the estate of the deceased can be distributed to his heirs, all debts owing by the deceased and all prior claims against him must first be paid. Essentially, there is a duty on the part of the Executor or Administrator to settle all known and proven liabilities of the deceased prior to effecting any form of distribution to the beneficiaries.
Not in order of priority, payments from the estate are as follows:
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Payment of funeral expenses;
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Payment of all other debts owing by the deceased which should include the settlement of all outstanding medical or other professional bills, and so forth which the deceased had incurred;
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Satisfaction of all unpaid zakats, performance of Haj through an acceptable proxy and payment of 'fidyah' to redeem unobserved compulsory fasting days;
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Redemption of mortgaged property;
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Identify jointly-owned assets;
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Payment of legacies under a valid Will; and
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Distribution of net estate among Lawful Heirs (See below part E).
D. Muslim Wills ('Wasiyyah')
A Muslim testator (a person who write a Will) is allowed to leave a Will so long as its content is executed in accordance with the Shari'ah law.
A person may also appoint a guardian and/or a trustee in the Will to take care of the testator's minor children and manage their wealth until they attain 21 years of age, respectively. The guardian for his children must be a Muslim while the trustee need not be one.
It will be invalid, if the Will is written by a minor, written under duress or by a person without the proper mental capacity.
(i) One-Third of Estate
The testator is allowed to Will away a maximum of 1/3 of his total assets. Therefore, a Will can only be made in respect of not more than one third of the net estate of the testator. This is to protect those persons with a legitimate claim to the estate, such as spouses and children.
If the Will purports to bequeath more than one third of the net estate, the bequests may be reduced proportionally such that the aggregate will not exceed one third. On the other hand, if all the legal heirs voluntarily agree ('muafakat'), the testator's Will which bequests more than one-third of his total assets will be valid.
(ii) To Non-Faraid Beneficiaries
The beneficiaries under the Will cannot be any person who is a lawful beneficiary under the 'Faraid'. The testator can only make a Will in favour of his non-Faraid heirs, such as his adopted children, certain maternal relatives who will not receive under Faraid in that instance, or third parties such as close friends or proteges.
A Muslim can make a Will to give to charity or for any other purpose so long as these purposes are permissible under Syariah Law). Any bequest for a cause or purpose in contradiction to Syariah principles will be invalid. As stated earlier, the testator can name the Executor/Executrix to execute his Will.
(iii) Witnesses to the Will
There must be witnesses to the Will. These witnesses can be male or female, be they Muslims or non-Muslims. There must generally be 2 male witnesses or they must be represented by the correct ratio, that is, 2 females to 1 male.
There is no requirement for the witnesses to have knowledge of the content of the Will but they cannot be beneficiaries to the Will.
The witnesses should be people of good character who act voluntarily. They should also be 'sui juris', meaning they must be of full age and have full legal capacity to manage their own affairs. They must not be under any form of legal disability or under the power of another, (for example under guardianship).
A breach of these fundamental rules will make a Will invalid.
E. Faraid
Faraid stipulates how the estate of a Muslim is to be dealt with and distributed after his or her death in the event he/she passes away intestate. For convenience, all references to the male gender include the female gender. The rules described here reflect the rules practised under the Shafie school of thought; some differences or variations may be adopted under the Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali schools.
The role of the Faraid is to provide a system or method of distribution of one’s assets after death in accordance with Islamic principles. These principles are specifically laid down in the Muslim holy book, the Quran in Chapter 4, Surah An-Nisaa. This is a system fo distribution which will kick in the absence of any other instruments utilised or executed by the deceased in managing or distributing his/her wealth during his/her lifetime or after his death.
This is so unless all the lawful beneficiaries come to a voluntary agreement ('muafakat') to divide the estate by any other alternative method of calculation or in any other manner. Further, if the specified heirs voluntarily agree to reduce their own entitlements accordingly, it is possible that the aggregate amount paid on the bequests could exceed the one third limit.
Lawful Heirs ('Waris')
The lawful heirs, who are specified in the Quran, are entitled to share in the net estate of the deceased in accordance with the Faraid method of distribution which is set out in the Quran.
These heirs are classified as:
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'Ashabul-Furud': those whose shares are specifically stated in the Quran;
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'Asabah': those who are entitled to the balance of the deceased estate but whose shares are not specifically stated; and
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'Dhawil-Arham': the residual third group who are blood-relations but who do not belong to either of the abovementioned groups.
The list of those who fall in the Ashabul-Furud category are as follows:
List of Ashabul-Furud Heirs
Males
1. Son
2. Husband
3. Father
4. Grandfather
5. Full Brother
6. Brother (of the same Father)
7. Brother (of the same Mother)
8. Nephew (of brother's)
9. Nephew (of half brothers)
10. Paternal Uncle (same grandparents)
11. Paternal Uncle (same grandfather)
12. Grandson (of son)
13. Male Cousin (of Paternal Uncle)
14. Male Cousin (of Paternal Uncle)
15. Owner of freed slave
Females
1. Daughter
2. Wife
3. Mother
4. Maternal grandmother
5. Paternal grandmother
6. Full Sister
7. Consanguine Sister (of the same Father)
8. Uterine Sister (of the same Mother)
9. Granddaughter (of son)
10. Owner of freed slave
The Ashabul-Furud is entitled to certain prescribed shares which are intended to effect an equitable distribution of the estate. For instance, males are given 2 shares of the estate to every share given to his female counterpart because and on the basis that they are expected to assume financial responsibility for the women folk who should be under their care.
In addition, lawful female heirs are allocated a specified portion of the estate (e.g. half or one sixth) which means they will always be entitled to a portion of the estate, regardless of how small.
Specified heirs forfeit their claim under the following circumstances:
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he caused the death of the deceased, whether deliberately or unintentionally; or
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he is not a Muslim; or
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if the heir has renounced Islam.
F. Estate Administration
The first step is for a beneficiary to apply to the Shari'ah Court for a Certification of Inheritance ('Sijil Warisan') to be issued. The Certificate will identify the surviving Lawful Heirs, state their relationships to the deceased, and specify their precise shares to the estate (e.g. one eighth portion).
The Certificate of Inheritance must be for purposes of the administration or distribution proceedings of the said estate in accordance with the Shari'ah Law.
The applicant must be one of the following parties:
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Potential lawful beneficiary to the estate of the deceased (a Muslim);
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Islamic Religious Council of Singapore ('MUIS');
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Law firm on behalf of a beneficiary;
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Public Trustee; or
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Court
As of the 28 April 2008, all applications for the Certificate of Inheritance must be made online via the website of the Shari'ah Court at www.syariahcourt.gov.sg accompanied by a Statutory Declaration. The said Declaration has to be submitted within 3 working days from the date the application is made. The application will be rejected if the applicant fails to submit the said Declaration on time. The applicant will have to pay a prescribed gazetted fee of S$12.00 and application fees of S$34.00.
To apply on line, you will need:
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the Death Certificate of the deceased; and
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the NRIC or Passport of the applicant and beneficiaries
G. Computation of Shares of Lawful Heirs
The rules prescribing the entitlement of specified heirs to a share of the net estate of the deceased are quite straightforward, although the computation of their respective shares can be fairly complex depending on the configuration of specified Heirs surviving the deceased.
You can also visit MUIS's Faraid website at www.faraid.gov.sg and submit a trial calculation. Please note that the trial calculation is merely for your own information and no other party (whether it is an individual or any other authority or the Court), is under any obligation to follow this calculation).
The table below sets out the general rules of distribution among certain specified heirs and is intended to provide guidance only for simple cases.
Heirs
Husband
If there is no child or grandchild surviving the deceased 1/2
If there is a surviving child or grandchild of deceased 1/4
Wife
If there is no child or grandchild surviving the deceased 1/4
If there is a surviving child or grandchild of deceased 1/8
Son
If there is no daughter Residuary
If there is a daughter (he shares with his sister, but is entitled to 2 shares for every share given to her) Residuary
Daughter
If sole daughter 1/2
If 2 or more daughters (the daughters portion is shared equally among them) 2/3
If there is a son, (she shares with her brother, but is entitled to 1 share for every 2 shares given to him) Residuary
Father
If there is a child or grandchild surviving the deceased 1/6
If there is no child or grandchild surviving the deceased Residuary
Mother 1/6
Paternal Grandmother (her portion is shared with maternal grandmother) 1/6
If Mother or Father survives Nil
Paternal Grandfather
If no father, child or grandchild survives Residuary
If son or grandson survives 1/6
If father survives Nil
Maternal Grandmother (her portion is shared with paternal grandmother) 1/6
If Mother survives Nil
Brother
If father, son or grandson survives Nil
If no father, son or grandchild survives Residuary
Sister
If father, son or grandson survives Nil
If sole sister 1/2
If 2 or more sisters (they share equally) 2/3
If Brother survives (they share 2:1 with Brother) Residuary
H. CPF and Insurance
There is a recent 'fatwa' (ruling by an authorised Islamic body) issued by MUIS on the 3 August 2010, in regard the issue of CPF monies. The position of the fatwa as it now stands is that CPF monies will go to the nominees. This is unless no nominations are made, in which case the Faraid will prevail. This is in sync with the legal position in the civil law.
In light of this, the previous fatwa which stated that the CPF monies received by nominees are merely held on trust for the beneficiaries under the Faraid, no longer applies. The nominee will now take his/her nominated share without qualification.
The position the Fatwa Committee has now taken is that CPF nominations it can be considered as new-age 'hibah' which is permissible under the Shari'ah with the usual cautions to guard against misuse by those giving, for example, the nominations should be made not with the intention of depriving a lawful beneficiary of his/her share of inheritance.
The new fatwa effectively supports the position that CPF and insurance monies are not considered part of the assets of the deceased's estate. They are under the purview and subject to the CPF Act and the Insurance Act respectively. Therefore, likewise insurance monies will go to the nominees, (even an ex-spouse) unless the deceased did not make any nominations.
Proper documents need to be submitted to the appropriate institution for claims for CPF and insurance monies.
Again, if there are no nominations made, the monies of the deceased will become part of his intestate estate which will then be governed by the rules of distribution under the Faraid.
I. Real Property
If the property of the deceased, be it a HDB property or private property, is held by the deceased and other parties as tenants-in-common, then it is clear that the deceased’s share in the property is to be divided according to his Will and/or Faraid.
All properties, regardless of whether they are private properties or say, HDB properties, if shared through a joint tenancy, which is probably the case for most estates, will now give effect to the right of survivorship as per the civil law position. This is the current state of the law in relation to joint tenancies for Muslim estates after the Court of Appeal ruling in the recent case involving the Administrators of the Estate of Obeidillah Bin Salim Bin Talib in Civil Appeal No. 70 of 2009/L.
An updated Fatwa which followed on the 3 April 2010 on joint tenancy, has suggested the use of Islamic legal instruments in the form of a nuzriah or the 'hibah ruqbah' and so forth, to affirm and facilitate the intention of a party in a joint tenancy to give effect to the right of survivorship in the event of his/her demise.
The updated Fatwa also says that in cases where a party who solely inherits a property in a joint tenancy but nevertheless wishes to distribute the deceased's share according to Faraid can still do so. In such a situation, the surviving joint tenant is not obliged in any way to dispose of the said property immediately just so he/she can make the distribution to the Faraid beneficiaries.
Further information in respect of the joint tenancy issue can be found at the MUIS website at www.muis.gov.sg. You may also wish to seek the necessary legal advice if you require specific or further advice on this issue.
J. Lease or Hire-Purchase
Properties on lease or hire-purchase are deemed to be part of the estate of the deceased even though the properties in question do not legally belong to the deceased. Therefore, the deceased would have the right to Will away these assets accordingly or they are to be divided according to the Faraid.
K. Baitumal
The Baitulmal is akin to being a public treasury for the Muslim community which function is to fund community projects and to take care of the general welfare of the community. In Singapore, it comes under the purview of MUIS, which manages and administers the Baitulmal.
In certain circumstances, part or the entire of the deceased’s estate will go to Baitulmal. They can be broadly listed as follows:
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There are no legal heirs; or
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No claimant to the estate; or
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There is a remainder after; distribution.
Therefore, in the event of either of the above circumstances prevailing, that is, the deceased leaving no legal heirs at all or there is no claimant to the deceased's estate or when, having exhausted the list of possible heirs under the Ashabul-Furud, Asabah and Dhawil-Arham, and a portion of the estate remains undistributed, that portion will be given to Baitulmal.
A person who is aggrieved by being left out of the inheritance or distribution list by reason that the person is not an entitled beneficiary and the deceased’s estate in its entirety or in part has gone to Baitulmal, then the person may approach Baitulmal. This should be on the basis that the person is of the view that there are circumstances that justify he/she receiving some share of the deceased/s estate and leaving him/her out is unfair in light of the situation in that case. In such a scenario, a person may approach Baitulmal to present his/her case for their consideration.
L. Conclusion
It is only appropriate that this write-up be qualified, in that it is meant to be a very general guide on Muslim Inheritance Law in Singapore. It is to provide a rather brief overview of the Shari'ah Law and Shari'ah position in our jurisdiction with regards to this area of the law.
Indeed, in no way is this information meant to replace case-specific and detailed advice which should appropriately be sought from legal practitioners or any other qualified party in this respect, and for any matter which requires professional attention.
First Day Entry Burka ban in France, two Muslim Arrested
PARIS - French police arrested two veiled woman this morning just hours after the country's new ban on wearing the burka in public came into force. Muslim women who wear burkaitu arrested along with several others during a protest in front of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, against the new rules.
Reporters at the scene said the arrests were made after police moved to disperse the protest has not started yet.
On Saturday police arrested 59 people, including 19 veiled women, who protested against the ban on the burka. France is the first European countries to apply the rule.
Earlier, French police said they would impose the country's new ban on the burka "very carefully" for fear of provoking further violence.
They fear Muslim extremists will use the law to provoke resistance to the officers. On the other hand, wealthy tourists from the Arab - usually comes with wearing a burka - can not be underestimated, because they also bring foreign exchange into the country.
The burka ban violators will be fined 150 euros. But police admit they fear of being accused of discrimination against Muslims by this rule. "The law will be very difficult to implement," said Patrice Ribeiro, a member of Synergie police.
Not to mention, he says, if they are missing something: it turns out that herded Arab tourists. "It would be a problem when a policeman arrested a veiled Saudi who want to go to Louis Vuitton on the Champs-Elysees. In all cases, all actions must be measured and careful," he added
Lady Ani Yudhoyono, bans Reporter Veiling When Wawawancara?
NEWS surprising circulate through mailing lists, discussion forums and blogs on the internet. A reporter AntaraTV reportedly had to take off hijab when doing an exclusive interview with First Lady, Mrs. Ani Yudhoyono, April 21, 2010, in the framework of Kartini Day. Journalist named Siti Zulaikha, the everyday is known veiled.
News below taken from posts made by Rachmad Yuliadi Nasir posted on kompasiana.com. This is the content of the news excerpt:
Disallow JILBAB CASTLE FOR REPORTER ANTARATV
(KompasianaBaru-Jakarta) Istana and acting again, this time they require female journalists AntaraTV one reporter to remove her hijab during an interview with the First Lady Ani Yudhoyono President. Hijab is one of the head covering for a Muslim woman, a strange circle of protocol to do so, we note the generally among women who served in the Palace of them wear their head scarves, whether because of this interview with Mrs. Ani so it should be opened scarf?
This happened weeks yesterday, from one friend who watched the broadcast AntaraTV said, "With bu Ani veil should be opened anyway ...? hehehe ... happy with the experience pertamax, on Wednesday, April 21 at 14:57, "Reporter AntaraTV the" Victim "is the Zulek Zulaikha admitted stess with the rules of protocol, the" Ugly yes, I realize why "guns" really dah stress with the rules of protocol, on Wednesday, April 21 at 16:00, "
How could this happen in the state of Indonesia's largest Muslim population in the world? While in Europe the Muslim minority community desperately to maintain her hijab, but in Indonesia instead told to go. Moreover, the actions of students who recently graduated from school, they also arbitrarily remove the hijab because it already graduated from school. Veil Colour in Action Open Student Graduation convoy, a convoy of Action to open the veil coloring student graduation / Siwi SMA / MA and SMK in Pamekasan, Madura, East Java, last weekend. Students who are usually required to wear veils, while the convoy was no longer wearing hijab. Even the girls hijab is used as a flag as she rode with their male friends.
The students also celebrated graduation with a cut skirt. "This outfit is not I will wear again, because it was passed," said one high school student on the Road Gate, with a cheerful face. Action off the veil and skirt cut high school students in Pamekasan this is one of the acts committed by the students in celebrating the graduation of national examinations (UN) in Pamekasan. Furthermore, these students are joined by another convoy which centered on the front of the house street District Office District Pamekasan. From this location, the participants towards the convoy later bergarak Trunojo Pamekasan Street. "We will celebrate the graduation on the beach Camplong Sampang," said one participant convoy Ainur.
Teenagers with dyed red hair confessed, on the beach Camplong the students will do the race with students from Sampang regency. While the girls are already doing action shears off the veil and skirt are also seen with a group of participants convoy. Some even rode to standing up.
We need to see fresh ideas in order to be able to explain the phenomenon of 'action open veil' is. Indonesia in the future world is theirs. If they do so now fathers and mothers and senior teachers will make it clear they did not move. They did not serve, but it would still be alive and be great like the fathers and mothers. But when they then have time to run their government era, then they will come up with a new world that they want.
"O Prophet say to your wives, daughters and wives of the believers: 'Let them extend their scarf around your body.' That is so they are easier to be recognized, therefore they are not disturbed. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. "(Surat al-Ahzab: 59).
Lately there is the phenomenon of Islamophobia in European countries rife, ranging from harassment Prophet cartoons. in Denmark until the ban on building minarets in Switzerland. Included among the expressions of Islamophobia is the headscarf ban as happened in France and the murder of an Egyptian Muslim woman in the middle of the trial court in Germany because of defending the honor of himself as a veiled woman.
From Europe reported that French President Nicolas Sarkozy will ask Bill about wearing the burqa ban to parliament next May. A spokesman Luc Chatel, Wednesday, April 21, 2010, said, "Sarkozy finally decided to go ahead and endorse such a ban headscarves in public places."
This is the first political steps taken by Sarkozy on the ban even though he repeatedly asserts that the burka and niqab dress like women reining and unacceptable in France, a country with a secular government. Sarkozy stressed that everything must be done without making the person feel stigmatized. According to Sarkozy, clothes covered Muslim women does not pose the question of religion, but it threatens the dignity of women.
France is the home of the largest Muslim population in western Europe. Only a handful of French Muslim women who wear the headscarf that covers the entire face, but this ban debated issues as they relate to national identity, the right of religious communities in secular societies of France, and the integration of immigrant population of France. "Denmark is a democratic and open society in which we see the faces of people who talk to us, whether in the classroom or at work," he continued. "That's why we do not want to see the garment in the Danish society," he said.
Rasmussen says, "The Government was leaning center-right are looking for ways to restrict the use of the burka and niqab without violating the constitution of the Scandinavian countries." Rasmussen statement issued one day after a report from the University of Copenhagen on the number of users in Denmark published burka. The number of women users of the burka is mentioned very seldom. Muslim women's niqab wearer while there are about 100 to 200 people.
About 100,000 Muslim women living in Denmark. That number represents about 1.9 percent of the total Danish population, amounting to 5.5 million. Approximately 0.15 percent of Muslim women wearing the niqab. Denmark never had bad relations with Muslim countries due to the publication of cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad in 2005. A number of countries in Europe as a race. Simultaneously, they carry the veil and the headscarf ban. Belgium, for example, has brought a ban on the veil and other Islamic clothing that Muslim women are fully dressed body.
Previously, France is also pushing similar bans. Similarly, the Netherlands. "Most parties support the ban," said Leen Dierick, a Belgian member of parliament from the conservative camp. He said the proposed ban on the veil has a majority of the members of parliament. Hopefully, Dierick said, in July that the draft proposal will become law. If it has been effective, the prohibition for Muslim women to wear clothes that fully cover the body and face applies in public places, including on the road.
During this time a number of municipalities in Belgium imposed a ban on such clothing. But local governments have not fully implementing the policy. "The bottom line is public safety, not because of considerations of religious freedom," Dierick said. However, there are a variety of reasons in an effort to ban it. The emergence of Islamic symbols such as headscarves, including veils, feared to undermine the identity of a country. The reason is mingled with complaints that immigrants, mostly Muslims, have reduced employment opportunities native citizens of Europe.
MPs Belgium, Filip Dewinter said, "most politicians support a ban veils and clothes like for fear of losing support." Even his camp is a party who first proposed it. The issue of political support is also the reason the Freedom Party led by Geert Wilders anti-Islamic conduct, including encouraging the use of headscarf ban. The party hopes to gain more support, especially to get a seat in parliament.
Wilders and his supporters claim, Muslims threaten European values by wearing a headscarf and veil. On the other hand, Vice President of the Belgian Muslim Executive, Isabelle Praile, said the ban on veils was no need. Therefore, few Muslim women who wear veils. This step is actually just showing a sense of Islamophobia. "For Muslims in Europe, the actual economic problems, the cost of living, and housing becomes more important issues than worrying about the veil ban," said Praile.
Umar Mirza, a Muslim editor of a Dutch site, We're Staying Here, said, "There is still debate about the headscarf shows the Muslim community has not fully accepted." Whereas in England, they made special uniforms for the women veiled. According to him, this shows the good will of the government and increase the participation of Muslims in society. Solidarity came from the women of Afghanistan. A woman activist, Shinkai Karokhail, said there are double standards that made the European countries in banning the headscarf and veil. They claim to democratic states, but sets limits on Muslim women. "Democratic nations should not do the dictatorship, and Muslim women should also not deprived of the opportunity to wear clothing which he believed. All decisions should be based on the women themselves, "said Karokhail.
Symptoms of Islamophobia is not only happening in European countries where Muslims are a minority there, but also occurred in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world. Symptoms pelarang this veil has been rampant in the 1980s, and now began to reappear. Mainly this occurs in various private companies owned by non-Muslim people. Call it the case in Probolinggo, the case of Hospital Mitra Keluarga Bekasi and Hospital Partners International (RSMI) Jatinegara Jakarta.
Formerly banned altogether RSMI employees to wear headscarves and veils. But thanks to the struggle of the covered employee, the management RSMI ultimately create a uniform that accommodate the veil, even the RSMI request a certificate to MUI for Islamic headscarf that they design for their employee uniforms Muslim. Only in SOP mulimah employee uniforms will be determined that the employee shall enter the Muslim hijab headscarf (in Arabic the word veil called a khimar, plural khumur) them into their clothes. This is the base of the issue of suspension action and will proceed with dismissal by an employee RSMI to three people who refused to put their hoods into their clothes.
The third dismissal RSMI problem employee who has been subject to suspension as a result refused to enter the veil into the clothes they have become a labor dispute and East Jakarta Manpower stated that the actions of third dismissal the employee with reasons shall be deemed to violate the Labor Law because of the problem include the veil in the clothes contained in the SOP has not been incorporated in the Collective Labour Agreement (CLA) that Manpower recommends that the dismissal does not occur, and when this problem has been getting media coverage and public outcry has been getting, especially activists of Islamic mass organizations belonging to the Islamic People's Forum (FUI), RSMI parties said that they would meet ajuran East Jakarta Manpower Office, which will employ a third back karyawatinya to meet the new CBA between the union RSMI RSMI.
Certainly the attitude that seem "softening" of RSMI remember to watch out for in the new CBA which requires that an employee must SOP veiled Muslim woman put her veil into their uniforms. That is, a third employee who got this problem will eventually be fired anyway and RSMI otherwise violate the Labor Law.
Hopefully the rules of protocol that one court should be changed, they can not act arbitrarily simply prohibit female journalists AntaraTV, Zulek Zulaikha to open her headscarf. [Taz]
Hopefully what I publish on the blog to get the benefits for me and the entire Islamic world reader ............. pray ........... amiiinnnnnnn rise in downturn
(Kusprihanto)
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