Ramadan Mubarak!

Too many things have been going on in my life, but it has been utterly devoid of blogging or as I call it "hunting big game Islamophobes". Assignments, assignments and assignments. But here's a song of Ramadan, to accumulate some of this year's frustration and success on to a cloud, to sprinkle the earth. I am not making any sense. I know. Don't ask. Ramadan mubarak! The long overdue articles like 'The Black Armband of History' will insha'Allah be up soon. Do keep checking. Sinister laughter.

Writeous Sister Covers Chiquita Bloodshed

Aaminah Hernández, a Native American Muslim writer, has critiqued the Chiquita Banana Company on her blog Writeous Sister Speaks with references to Washington's historical support for corporations that dehumanise people in Latin America and other poor regions.

Scapegoating Sufism

I have put the word Sufism within single inverted commas in my last post because I don't want to insinuate that it is really Sufism. It is clearly not. In a similar vein, the actions of some Salafis aren't respresntive of all Salafis. We must be careful not to scapegoat Sufism or its followers. Some of the finest Muslim bloggers are students of the science of Sufism, and over time I have learned of some great Muslim bloggers who are Salafis or even those like me who simply refer to themselves as Muslims and haven't a clue otherwise :). Let us fight for each other, because that's the best way to unite in peace.

Coming Soon!

'Sufism' and US Foreign Policy

We'll talk about Bernard Lewis, 'Sheikh' Kabbani and the legacy of Richard Nixon, just another American president who committed war crimes (though we won't talk about war) -- they're all in the pigsty together, you see. This will be unlike anything you've read on this matter, I assure you. It isn't as recent a problem as it seems.

Too Cheesy

I'm editing the last sentence of the letter to Iraq's Justice Minister Hashim al-Shabli: "Because, Iraq needs your love." I think it is too cheesy. Anyway, I hope you've sent your letters. I think I am really into it because I believe it may suffice if all of us write to halt this illegal and immoral execution. Insha'Allah.

Story Background on Amnesty International Website

Bombard Iraq's Justice Minister With Protest Letters

This post is related to my last one. Please read it before continuing.

I urge all the readers to write protest letters to Iraq's Justice Minister Hashim al-Shabli. Emails (type all three in the mail address bar): minister@iraqi-justice.org, head-minister@iraqi-justice.org, deputy@iraqi-justice.org. Please forward this information to all your family and friends without delay, because we have a moral obligation toward the three Iraqi women (some reports claim there are four) who are to be hanged on March 3 for resisting the occupation. I have written my letter below for the benefit of those who don't have time though I advise it'll be better if you write your own protest letter. But a sample letter may serve as bombarding material to be forwarded by many people to many more people. If the pro-Israel lobby can have Barbara Plett removed from reporting on the occupied territories for the unforgivable crime of expressing humanity by dispatching lewd, abusive and calumnious messages to the BBC, I think we can reach a similar goal by making a well reasoned, compassionate call to those occupying the Plane of Judgement. I think we can reach this by expressing humanity. Anyway, use the "Your Excellency" salutation (cost benefit!) when you write. You may also wish to write to Prime-Minister Nuri al-Maliki (email: iraqigov@yahoo.com) and Hoshyar Zebari, Minister of Foreign Affairs (email: press@iraqmofa.net). And here's my sample email:

Your Excellency,

I write to you today to express my concern at the news of the execution of three women scheduled for March 3. Two of these women have small children, and one of whom is still nursing her baby. This execution, if it proceeds to its unjustifiable conclusion, will be the antithesis of Islamic teachings and a further bloody imprint on the battered corpse that Iraq has become. Women in Iraq are suffering the most, and I ask you in the name of Him before whom all of us will congregate on the Last Hour to spare the lives of these sisters. This execution will exemplify Saddam Hussein at his worst, and that is an ironic enigma that we in the international community don't support. If you have mercy on these sisters, it'll be a light at the end of the tunnel, even an inspiration for Iraq to greet mercy if not glory, and it is mercy that paves the way to peace. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said: "That man is nearest to God, who pardoneth, when he had in his power him who would have injured him." And I ask in the name of Allah, most Merciful, most Compassionate, to pardon the sisters and release them from prison.

Your sincerely,

Sindbad.

Fortnight Leave

I'll be back after a fortnight insha'Allah.

Some maybe wondering what's Snoopy doing in the Rabbit's plane. The Rabbit was last seen hopping into a vertical burrow by cat-lover Alice. You must be all confused. Bye!

Typos!

I noticed a few typos in my last post. I must have been in a bit of a hurry. Sorry about that. I'll try to be more careful. I'm serious about spelling and grammar :).

Kudos to the Indian Prime-Minister

Hat-tip to an Indian Muslim reader of this blog for pointing out this very interesting news in my email.

Side-note: Apologies to those readers who feel that the Islamophobia prevalent in their countries has not been represented here. This blog aims to be universal in its application without any partisanship, and not centre around a particular country. Feel free to write to me if there is any such development in your community or society. It is a fact that Muslim minorities are facing a daily struggle from China to America. It has also come to shore that pious Muslims are persecuted in the so-called Muslim countries like Uzbekistan and last I read, Egypt was demanding that girls remove their veils in some college if I'm not mistaken. One of the things I had in mind when I ran this blog was to record the experiences of Muslims everywhere. I acknowledge that I have also failed to deliver on another aspect: hypocrisy, which has a firm foot-hold in some Muslim circles. Hence, if Mullah Omar or Osama bin Laden think that they should be the next Caliphs, Islamophobia Watcher thinks they should cool it and the Muslim community is in no need of thugs. Believe me, that's the last thing we need -- a band of deranged killers who hide in caves and torture women and children. Muslims have made it clear we don't support lunatics and terrorists who have played a big role in the suffering of innocent people.

Now turning to the news:

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said plans for minorities, particularly Muslims, must have the ‘first claim’ on resources so that benefits of development reach them equitably.

"We will have to devise innovative plans to ensure that minorities, particularly the Muslim minority, are empowered to share equitably the fruits of development. These must have the first claim on resources," he said in his address at the 52nd meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) in New Delhi.

The Centre's resources, he added, will be stretched with greater responsibility given to states in this regard.

"The Centre has a myriad other responsibilities whose demands will have to be fitted within its overall resource availability," he said.

Cheers to the Indian prime-minister, Manmohan Singh, for this mammoth attempt at recognizing the plight of Muslims and other minorities in his country. This, however, has annoyed the fascists in India, who last we knew were slaughtering thousands of Muslims in a a state called Gujarat:

The RSS and the BJP flayed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for his remarks that plans for minorities, Muslims in particular, must have the first claim on resources.

"This is precisely the language used by Mohammad Ali Jinnah before the partition," RSS leader Ram Madhav said.

I also found a 1998 article on a Socialist website, during my research on these groups, that one of the persons they admire is Hitler:

While Indian Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani of the BJP refrain from praising Hitler--unlike their ally, Shiv Sena leader Bal Thakeray--they do insist that India's 120 million Muslims must "nationalize" themselves.

Good riddance that the fascists are out of power, dethroned and howling bad.

Welcome to Islamophobia Watcher

The aim of Islamophobia Watcher is not to curtail the discussion of Islam, but to point out polemics and sophistry concealed as scholarship toward Islam. Muslim populations in many countries are subjected to hate and prejudice because of their race, colour and religion. Islamophobia Watcher will also offer articles on the reality of Islam with all its inner dynamics.