Understanding Islam: The Global Impact of the World's Largest Religion

Islam is the world's largest religion, with over 1.8 billion followers worldwide. It originated in the 7th century in the Arabian Peninsula and has since spread across the globe, influencing various cultures and societies. In this guide, we will explore the history, beliefs, and cultural impact of Islam, providing a comprehensive understanding of this influential religion.

The Origins of Islam: Exploring the Life of Prophet Muhammad.

The origins of Islam can be traced back to the life of Prophet Muhammad, who was born in Mecca in the year 570 CE. world largest religion Muhammad received revelations from Allah (God) through the angel Gabriel, which he then shared with his followers. These revelations were later compiled into the holy book of Islam, the Quran. Muhammad's teachings emphasized monotheism, social justice, and the importance of community. His message gained traction among the people of Mecca, but also faced opposition from those who were resistant to change. Despite the challenges, Islam continued to spread, eventually becoming a major global religion with followers in every corner of the world. Understanding the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad is essential to gaining a deeper understanding of the origins and development of Islam.

The Five Pillars of Islam: Understanding the Core Beliefs and Practices.

The Five Pillars of Islam are the core beliefs and practices that every Muslim is expected to follow. These pillars serve as a foundation for the faith and guide Muslims in their daily lives. The first pillar is Shahada, which is the declaration of faith. Muslims believe in the oneness of Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet. The second pillar is Salah, which refers to the five daily prayers that Muslims are required to perform. These prayers are a way to connect with Allah and seek his guidance and blessings. The third pillar is Zakat, which is the act of giving to charity. Muslims are obligated to give a portion of their wealth to those in need. The fourth pillar is Sawm, which is the fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. Muslims abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sunset as a way to purify their souls and show gratitude to Allah. The fifth pillar is Hajj, which is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim is encouraged to undertake at least once in their lifetime if they are physically and financially able. The Hajj is a time of spiritual reflection and unity, as Muslims from all over the world come together to worship Allah. Understanding and practicing these pillars is essential for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligations and strengthen their faith.

Islamic Art and Architecture: Examining the Beauty and Symbolism.

Islamic art and architecture are known for their intricate designs, geometric patterns, and rich symbolism. These artistic expressions are deeply rooted in Islamic beliefs and teachings. One of the key principles of Islamic art is the prohibition of depicting human or animal figures, as it is believed to be a form of idolatry. Instead, Islamic art focuses on geometric shapes, calligraphy, and floral motifs. These designs are often found in mosques, palaces, and other Islamic buildings, where they serve as a visual representation of the divine. Islamic architecture, on the other hand, is characterized by its grandeur and attention to detail. From the iconic domes and minarets of mosques to the intricate tile work and arabesque patterns, Islamic architecture is a testament to the skill and creativity of Muslim craftsmen. By studying Islamic art and architecture, one can gain a deeper understanding of the cultural and religious significance of Islam, as well as appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of these timeless creations.

Islam and Politics: Analyzing the Role of Religion in Governance.

The relationship between Islam and politics has been a topic of debate and analysis for centuries. Islam, as a comprehensive way of life, encompasses not only religious beliefs and practices but also social, economic, and political aspects. In many Muslim-majority countries, religion plays a significant role in governance, with Islamic principles influencing laws and policies. This can be seen in the implementation of Sharia law, which is derived from the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad. However, the extent to which religion should influence politics is a subject of ongoing discussion and varies across different countries and interpretations of Islam. Some argue for a strict adherence to Islamic principles in all aspects of governance, while others advocate for a separation of religion and state. Understanding the role of religion in politics is crucial for comprehending the complexities of Islamic societies and their impact on global affairs.

Islam and Women's Rights: Debunking Misconceptions and Examining Progress.

The topic of women's rights in Islam is often surrounded by misconceptions and stereotypes. While it is true that some Muslim-majority countries have laws and practices that restrict women's rights, it is important to recognize that these do not represent the entirety of the Islamic faith. Islam, like any other religion, is open to interpretation and can be practiced in a variety of ways. There are many Muslim scholars and activists who are working towards promoting gender equality and challenging patriarchal norms within their communities. It is crucial to examine the progress that has been made in terms of women's rights in Islamic societies, as well as the ongoing challenges that women continue to face. By debunking misconceptions and understanding the complexities of the issue, we can contribute to a more nuanced and informed discussion about Islam and women's rights.

Sudan Crisis Explained: The Violence that Stunned Humanity

Sudan crisis – the northeastern african nation is on the brink of collapsing as high fighting continues between the sudanese armed forces and the rapid support forces (rsf). The ongoing collision has affected more than 1 billion people, killed hundreds, and turned khartoum’s capital into a war zone. The civilians are migrating to the neighboring countries of chad, libya, ethiopia, and egypt to shelter and protect their lives. Under solidarity, the sudanese armed forces and the rapid support forces agreed to allow civilians to leave the war zone. Moreover, they also agreed to allow humanitarian aid to enter and process the relief operations for the injured.  But what led sudan to the catastrophic war today? Here’s an explainer:

What made sudan’s capitol a war zone? 

Sudanese people have struggled to establish a democracy after decades under the one-person rule.Omar al bashir came into power in the late 1980s after a brutal military coup. Sudan Crisis He became the country’s president, ruled for 30 years before the populace erupted, and sought his resignation.Omar al bashir resigned after the former military coup, and the sudanese army took over sudan. But people didn’t want them to rule or be in charge of sudan either. So after immense pressure from the protestors, activists, and demonstrators, the army agreed to share powers.  The army led by abdel fattah al-burhan agreed to share powers with different political groups in the transitional government. It was intended to oversee the shift to a democratic system. However, the people of sudan’s’ fortune have some time else in their destiny. After two years, the army removed the new prime minister and seized power again. With the army in power, the people of sudan seemed trapped and in limbo. With no clear path or trajectory to rule the country, the armed force and political group representatives have been in ongoing talks to make the transition happen again. However, the transition process held up due to underlying revelry between the army and the rapid support force that became the second army. 

The friends that become enemies 

The effective leader of the country al-burhan, and the leader of rsf, general mohammed hamdan dagalo, aka hemedti, were friends initially. For years both were on the same stage and joined hands after the war in darfur (2003 civil war). Hemedti led a militia at the time known as janjaweed; they were used by al-bushir’s (the former president of sudan) army. The janjaweed help the al-bushier army fight rebels in the darfur region and protect the upper echelon of the army and senior commanders. However, they were accused of war crimes in darfur, and al-bashir was charged with committing genocide in 2013. Hence, in 2013 hemedti led the militia to rebrand themselves as the rapid support forces and worked with the army on different missions.  Moreover, al-burhan and hemedti joined hands and planned to overthrow omar al-bashir, the country’s longtime leader, in 2019. Besides, they planned a revolution in october 2021, upending the tenuous transition to civilian administration that had been initiated.Gen dagalo has said, in a series of tweets, that gen burhan’s government were “radical islamists” and that he and the rsf were “fighting for the people of sudan to ensure the democratic progress for which they have so long yearned.”  Though the friendship does not last for long, and gen dagalo, aka hemedti, force becomes more powerful. During the pro-democracy protest against al-bashir, the rsf force and army were accused of killing hundreds of people. In the tweets, hemedti stated: “the international community must take action now and intervene against the crimes of sudanese general abdel fattah al-burhan, a radical islamist who is bombing civilians from the air. His army is waging a brutal campaign against innocent people, bombing them with migs.”

The war of power in the sudan crisis

Since the killing during the pro-democracy protest, the hemedti force has acted more independently and grown powerfully. Hemedti forces were able to establish vast investments in the resources within the country and outside, too, especially in gold trading. So that brings us to the current sudan crisis with the realization of the rapid growth of hemedti force supremacies over sudan. And expressive political ambition of hemedti, gen al-burhan led the army and proposed integrating the hemedti force into sudan’s army. However, both heads were unable to agree on the timeline. The army initially proposed two years of integration, while rsf wanted ten years. It is unclear who started the fight, but on april 15, both sides began swapping accusations that they had attacked each other’s bases in khartoum. Slowly, they control the presidential palace, the airport, and the state tv channel. The rsf has no aircraft but a heavy army force with 10,000 men and anti-aircraft weapons. The army has air power. They have been hitting the rsf residential areas bases in the capitol. Bth forces are fighting brutally and keep damaging the country’s resources alongside the life of millions of people. There have been plenty of calls to stop the war and take the talk to the table from sudan’s neighbors. Additionally, despite the efforts of the african union, the un, the us, the uk, and the eu, there is no sign of backing up from either side. The south sudanese foreign minister was forced to mediate the war and reach a ceasefire agreement, but violations continued unabated. The two sides say they agreed to hold the talk, but they have repeatedly heard from the army that conditions are set for these talks. However, mass migration is escalating in sudan with the acceleration in the humanitarian situation. The situation is already out of control; it’s now for big cats to intervene. The un should take strict action and protect the rights of the people of sudan.

Modi Visits US Amidst Human Rights Criticism

Indian prime minister narendra modi recently embarked on a state visit to the united states, where he addressed a joint session of congress. However, modi’s visit was met with huge criticism from both india and the us. Many questioned america’s stance on modi’s illiberal and anti-democratic policies. They raised concerns about modi’s past human rights record in gujarat when he was the chief minister of the state, as well as the growing discrimination against muslims since he assumed office as prime minister. As a result, there were calls for us president joe biden to discuss these issues with modi during the visit. However, the white house declined to raise the concerns regarding human rights violations and discrimination against muslims during their meeting with modi. They stated that president biden would not lecture modi on india’s democratic record during the visit. In a joint press conference at the white house, modi faced a single scripted question, raising eyebrows as he appeared to answer from a teleprompter. Although the question was related to minority rights, modi chose to emphasize india’s democratic achievements rather than directly addressing the concerns about minority rights in the country.

Modi’s us visit: obama’s views on minority rights in india

Former us president barack obama weighed in on modi’s visit. Modi Visits US Expressing his belief, he said that that discussing the rights of ethnic minorities, particularly muslim minorities, with modi was essential. Obama emphasized that if india fails to protect the rights of ethnic minorities, it risks “pulling apart.” however, his comments drew criticism from leaders of india’s ruling government. Bjp leader and chief minister of assam, himanta biswa sharma, who was sarcastically questioned if action would be taken against obama by the assam police for criticizing the prime minister replied that he would go after “hussain obamas” within the country first. It is worth noting that the assam police is known for taking action against critics of modi.Also read: why is indian pm modi’s silent about attacks against muslims?

Backlash from indian leaders towards obama

India’s finance minister, nirmala sitharaman, also strongly rebuked obama for his statement. She suggesting that obama was the real enemy of muslims, while modi was a friend to the muslim community. Sitharaman supported her claim with data, pointing out that during obama’s tenure, he had conducted military operations in six muslim-majority countries. At the same time, out of the total 13 state honours that modi has received, six were from muslim-majority countries. Notably, egypt recently conferred its highest state honour on modi, further highlighting his international recognition by muslim dictators. In 2018, the palestinian authority also awarded him the grand collar of the state of palestine, the highest palestinian honor for foreign dignitaries.

Modi’s ban from entering the us

It is significant to mention that prior to becoming prime minister in 2014, modi had faced a decade-long ban from entering the us due to “severe violations of religious freedom”. He was the only person in the world denied a us visa for this reason. However, after assuming office, the us revoked the ban, allowing him to travel to the country on several occasions.

Strategic interests: us-india partnership

The question that arises is why the us chose to host modi despite his democratic transgressions. In recent years, there has been a growing strategic interest between the us and india, driven by the rise of china. While india had previously adopted a non-aligned foreign policy, it is now leaning towards closer ties with the us. The us sees india’s geographic location as an advantage in countering china’s influence and seeks to involve india in its strategy to contain china, especially considering india’s existing disputes with its neighboring country. As a member of the quad, a group aiming to counter china, india’s support is crucial for the us. Us’ compromised stance on human rights

It is worth noting that while the us often speaks out against authoritarian regimes with which it lacks mutual interests, it paradoxically encourages and supports worse authoritarians and dictators around the world if they align with its interests. The us operates based on the principle of pursuing its permanent interests rather than maintaining permanent friendships.

Balancing interests and ethics

In conclusion, modi’s recent visits to the us was marred by criticism regarding his human rights record and concerns about the treatment of minority communities in india. Despite these criticisms, the us government chose to host modi, prioritizing strategic interests and the containment of china over addressing human rights issues. The strategic partnership between the us and india has gained importance due to the geopolitical dynamics in the region. India’s potential as a counterbalance to china has led the us to turn a blind eye to modi’s policies against the muslim minority. India’s participation in the quad, a coalition aimed at countering china’s influence, further solidifies its significance in the us strategy.While the us is known for condemning authoritarian regimes, it often compromises its principles when there are mutual interests at stake. This inconsistency raises questions about the ethical foundations of us foreign policy and its willingness to support leaders with questionable democratic records.

Israel murders more Palestinians as an indifferent world is looking on.

Israel, the genocidal and racist apartheid state, has once again carried out another devastating assault against the Gaza Strip, killing and murdering and maiming many Palestinian civilians.The murderous onslaught, apparently totally unprovoked,   began shortly before dawn on 8 May,  when Israeli warplanes attacked several Palestinian homes the Israeli army claimed belonged to Islamic Jihad activists. As many as 15 people were killed, including four children and two women so far, More than 60 civilians were injured, some sustaining life-threatening wounds.Israel called the murdered Palestinian civilians in Gaza a mere “collateral damage,” expressing no feeling of guilt or regret.Since the beginning of this year, Israel has murdered as many as 120 Palestinians mainly in the occupied West Bank .According to human rights organizations, Israel has murdered more than 1700 Palestinian children under the age of 18 since 2008 in both the West Bank and Gaza.The habitual unmitigated murder of Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza by Israel is widely considered an established policy of successive Israeli governments.The effective banality of spilling Palestinian blood by the manifestly barbaric Israeli army seems to have created a callous and cruel society, whose main concern is focused on Justifying the virtually daily atrocities rather than voicing any compunctions about the systematic destruction of civilian lives.

Israel: Mendacious claims

However, the large and disproportionate number of innocent civilians killed in unceasing and unrelenting. Israel murders Palestinians in Gaza  Israeli raids in the West Bank and Gaza Strip shows that Israel murders civilians knowingly and deliberately.Israel routinely claims it doesn’t deliberately target innocent civilians.it underscores that the claim of the absence of malice is just a propaganda lie aimed at whitewashing crimes and justifying a murderous policy.One Palestinian commentator, Mustafa Barghouthi, described Israel as ” continually inebriated by Palestinian blood.”

Genocidal propensity

There are mounting indications that the current Israeli government, universally viewed as the most fascist and racist since the establishment of the Zionist entity, is harbouring serious genocidal tendencies against the vulnerable  Palestinian people.About two months ago, the Israeli army allowed Nazi-like Jewish settlers to carry out a hair-raising pogrom at the Palestinian town of Huwwara, south of Nablus in the West Bank.Read Also: Huwara rampage: a prova for a possible Israeli Holocaust.The settlers vandalized property and set homes on fire, with residents inside, as Israeli soldiers were looking on, passively or gleefully.Israeli officials sought to downplay the  outrageous crime, describing it as an “isolated incident.”It was amply clear that the Huwwara pogrom was intended to test the international reactions, especially American,  to any “qualitative” escalation of the rampage of murder and terror against the increasingly abandoned and helpless Palestinians.

Israel: Sigh of relief

More to the point, Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, a veteran criminal par excellance,  and his two Nazi-like ministers, Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, breathed a sigh of relief when the Biden administration treated the pogrom with the usual hypocritical ambivalence and indifference characterizing the long-standing American policy toward the Palestinian issue.The unethical American stance was viewed as an effective green light for the Netanyahu government to murder more Palestinian children and other civilians.Hence, there is mounting anxiety among political observers that the occupied territories are already witnessing a real  “Nazification and genocidalization”  of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, thanks to unbridled Israeli barbarianism against the Palestinian populace.

Israel: Vicious goals

The latest murderous onslaught in Gaza is ostensibly designed to achieve several goals: First, to reunify the divided  Israeli public following the massive demonstrations against the proposed judiciary overhaul.The second aim, which is an existential variable in the overall Israeli discourse toward the Palestinians, is simply to satiate the insatiable Israeli public’s thirst for Palestinian blood, which increases the popularity of the government in power.The third goal is undoubtedly to completely crush any expression of Palestinian resistance to Israel’s increasingly insolent policies.This conspicuous arrogance takes many forms, including the nearly daily provocations at the Aqsa Mosque as well as the rabid settlement expansion of Jewish settlement activities as well as the daily confiscation of Palestinian land in the West Bank.israel is hoping that the bullying and “pacification” of the Palestinians will  eventually enable the Zionist entity to liquidate the Palestinian cause through organized violence and terror, coupled with de facto inaction on the part of the international community.

Pakistan Crisis Explained – Looming Threat of a Military Coup

 

Pakistan Crisis: struggle with terrorism, economy, and political Dispute – over 850 innocent lives lost in Q1 2023.The South-Asian country is facing a perilous situation with a staggering toll of over 850 innocent lives lost to terror attacks in the first three months of 2023.As the economy continues to struggle, with long-term allies like China refusing to provide bailouts and political disputes escalating, Pakistan finds itself at a critical crossroads. The judiciary is also not spared from the ongoing tug-of-war.Now, the big questions are –Can Pakistan recover from its current economic catastrophe?Why terror attacks are on the rise?And is Pakistan on the route of another military coup?

The Economy in Shambles

Over a dozen people were killed as the crowd rushed to grab a pack of flour.  Pakistan Crisis Sadly, it’s not an isolated incident.Ration distribution in PakistanRation distribution in Pakistan (Source: Samaa English) With inflation at 30% high – the highest recorded in five decades – the costs of essential goods have surged. But the situation only headed south, with Islamabad forced to remove subsidies as Pakistan’s financial support from the IMF dries out.And all this is happening in a nation still trying to recover from last year’s flood, ravaging the country’s vast swaths in October. A climate catastrophe that killed 1700 people and cost the nation 15 billion USD in damages.Read More: Pakistan Flood Puts Climate Injustice in the Spotlight: The Age of CatastropheOn top of it, the currency is in a tailspin. But nobody is ready to help Pakistan bail out.

Why Nobody is Rady to Bailout Pakistan?

In the past, Pakistan has received significant financial aid from countries like UAE and Qatar, amounting to 24.4 billion USD over the last five years, and Chinese commercial banks have loaned over 30 billion USD. These bailouts were primarily driven by humanitarian, common interest, and economic reasons. However, due to the government’s inability to fulfill previous promises, the countries are reluctant to help Pakistan. IMF was another major lender of the South-Asian nation. But, the country finds itself caught in a catch-22 situation due to pressures from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reduce subsidies and curb inflation. On the one hand, to address inflation, the government needs to provide subsidies, but on the other hand, if they cancel subsidies to increase revenue, it may lead to citizen protests.But this delay in IMF’s bailout comes in contrast to its approval of a 15.6 billion USD loan for Ukraine and the United States’ decision to print 300 billion USD to save a bank in Silicon Valley.It clearly shows that the priorities of IMF and Western countries are different – which does not include countries like Pakistan and Sri Lanka.And while stuck in one of the worst economic catastrophes, terror attacks in Pakistan are also on the rise.

The Alarming Surge of Terror Attacks 

Terrorist attacks in Pakistan have been surging since the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, and 2023 has been one of the deadliest years yet.The devastating bombing in January, which marked one of the deadliest blasts in Pakistan’s history, is sadly not an isolated incident. Since then, several more attacks have resulted in loss of life and widespread destruction.Peshawar Bomb Attack Peshawar Bomb Attack (Source BBC)In Karachi, a police headquarters was targeted, resulting in the deaths of four individuals. In Balochistan’s Khuzdar district, at least two policemen were killed in a “remote-controlled blast,” and another attack in a crowded market in Balochistan claimed four more lives.February alone recorded 58 terrorist attacks that killed 62 innocent civilians, including security personnel, civilians, and terrorists themselves, with 134 others injured. The situation again escalated on March 4th when the TTP targeted a mosque in Peshawar, claiming the lives of around a hundred people, including most police officers. Despite the government’s efforts, the TTP continues to defy authority, leaving the situation seemingly helpless.These ongoing and frequent terror attacks highlight the persistent threat faced by Pakistan, with innocent lives being lost and communities being affected by violence and instability.

How is the Politics Further Worsening the Pakistan Crisis?

The government is stuck in a complex situation. The Shabbat Sharief government blames its predecessors for all the economic woes. While the former prime minister, Imran Khan, keeps challenging the very establishment. Today, Imran Khan is facing over 30 cases, including terrorism charges. The government is also locking horns with the judiciary for control over institutions. Judges are openly called out for being biased.Amidst the deterioration of the government institution, all eyes are now on the military front of Pakistan – where the real power lies.Given the country’s crumbling economy and politics, will the commander step in as they have done thrice earlier (1958, 1977, and 1999)?

Is a Military Coup Under Way in Pakistan?

The recent stampede in aid distribution centers paints a very dire picture of the Pakistan crisis. However, the country has come a long way since its last coups.The situation on the ground is getting bad to worse. The desperation of the ordinary hard-working people is on the rise. Experts fear there might be slight interventions in the decision-making process. But while the current upheaval might be ringing military coup bells, for now, the power still resides in the hand of the people.

Palestine Vs Ukraine: Stark Western hypocrisy on Palestine and Ukraine

To begin with, I strongly and unhesitatingly condemn the ongoing naked Russian invasion of Ukraine. I believe it is immoral, illegal, and quite criminal. I also believe that people with moral honesty and basic rectitude adopt similar attitudes toward this deadly and devastating aggression. None the less, I realize that many people would probably be more circumspect in their condemnation of Russian bellicosity and criminality than I do.After all, Russia is Russia, an entity that accords very little value to basic human values such as truth, freedom, justice, human life, human rights, democracy, and liberty. Moreover, even without the ubiquitous death and pornographic destruction in Ukraine, the indelible Russian crimes in Chechnya (Grozny) and Syria (Halab) still cry to the seventh heaven, testifying to Russian savagery, inhumanity, and incivility.

Western Duplicity

Having condemned the Russian policy of death. Palestine Vs Ukraine  destruction, and mendacity, I don’t believe for a second that the West, particularly the United States, occupies the moral high grounds in this phantasmagoric death game being played out on our TV screens every evening.Of course, the Ukrainian cause is a just cause as it is morally unforgivable to side with Russia as Bashar Assad, the little Hitler of Damascus, and Belarusian dictator Aleksandr Lukashenko have done.But I do rather strongly question Western motives behind this massive embrace of Ukraine. And I emphatically reject any suggestion that moral principles, not hegemony, for example, motivated the West to behave and act the way it has done as such a notion defies conscience, rectitude, and commonsense. The sun can’t be hidden with a sieve, as the Arabic adage says. 

America’s dark embrace of Zionist racism exposes America’s moral bankruptcy

There is absolutely no doubt that the enduring bleeding Nakba of 14 million Palestinians is the main exposure and indicter of American hypocrisy and betrayal of a small peaceable people, called the Palestinians, whose greatest “crime” is their enduring determination to be free from the shackles and fetters of Israel’s Nazi-like military occupation.

The original sin

In 1917, the United Kingdom perpetrated one of the most scandalous crimes in the history of humanity when it decided to give the homeland of the Palestinians on a silver platter to rapacious Zionist Jews who have absolutely no genuine connection to Jacob (Israel), son of Isaac, son of Ibrahim (Abraham), the Great Prophet, sanctified by Muslims, Christians, and Jews. Yes, Britain treated the Palestinians as children of a lesser God when its colonialist-minded government decided to issue the infamous Balfour Declaration. The genocidal declaration, which promised “Jews” a national homeland in Palestine,  continued to guide British policy in Palestine until the establishment of the misbegotten entity called Israel in 1948.Britain,  more or less, elapsed into strategic inferiority especially after the Suez crisis in 1956, leaving the international arena to its hegemonic daughter,  the United States, to play the role of God’s vicegerent on earth.         America prides itself on many things, such as the First Amendment, the Statue of Liberty, being the land of opportunity, and the melting pot. They also teach thanks in school at an early age Patrick Henry’s give me liberty or give me death.”America has many days of infamy. However, when it comes to the toxic entity called Israel, America strips herself completely naked of any semblance of political morality. The US presents itself as Israel’s guardian-ally. On every occasion, American leaders and officials must invoke the sacrosanct  compulsive mantra about “America’s iron-clad commitment to Israel’s safety and security.”Never the less, the repetition of this refrain ad nauseam is highly misleading for several reasons. Israel’s safety and security are not facing any real perils because Israel has had an absolute military edge over all Arab states combined for several decades now. Israel. A nuclear state which also has America’s state-of-the-art technology of death at its disposal is effectively a world military superpower, which means that Israel has no real safety & and security problems.On the contrary, Israel’s neighbors, especially the Palestinians, are regularly attacked and massacred by Israel’s death machine. More to the point, Israel has launched raids on Tunis, Sudan, Iraq, and Iran. Israel has been carrying out nearly daily strikes in Syria. Thus, it is Israel’s neighbors who need guarantees for their safety and security, not Israel.None the less is, it is quite obvious that the US is the guarantor of much more than just Israel’s security. America guarantees  Israel’s lebensraum policies in the West Bank and Golan Heights, its recurrent Wehrmacht-like blitzes in Gaza, regional hegemony, occupation, and repression of 7.5 million Palestinians. In short, America guarantees Israeli Nazism.  The US, always at Israel’s beck and call, also guarantees Israel’s Talmudic apartheid, insidious racism against non-Jews, and genocidal designs against Palestinians.Indeed, every evil Israeli deed in Occupied Palestine from murdering innocent civilians to the abominable practice of demolishing Palestinian homes is guaranteed by the US.And when the unprotected and thoroughly savaged Palestinians venture to submit a complaint to the UN Security Council,  in the vain hope of getting a meagre solace and some protection, America, the country of Patrick Henry, uses its veto power to castrate any international effort to help these helpless people.And when Israel showers refugee camps sheltering people expelled at gun point by Jewish gangs in 1948 or drops one-ton bombs on multi-story buildings. American spokespersons tell us that Israel has the right to defend itself. This is fornication with truth and even with language. It is like Putin justifying the Russian invasion by saying “Russia has the right to defend itself“Well, what about the Palestinians? Don’t they have the right to defend themselves and protect their children from Israel’s American-funded and guaranteed Nazism?  What are they supposed to do in the face of this malignancy occupation and oppression?

Should we hurl roses at the occupiers or play music to titillate their feelings and boost their moods?

I really don’t understand the American logic of celebrating and lauding the Ukrainian resistance to Russian invaders and occupiers while dismissing Palestinians who throw a mere stone toward Israel’s Gestapo and Wehrmacht as “terrorists and murderers” Nay, Virginia!  It is obscene duplicity and clarion hypocrisy to call the Patrick Henrys of our time such epithets just because they happen to be non-members of the holy tribe.

Muslim OBC Reservation scrapped by BJP government of Karnataka

Muslim Reservation under OBC scrapped by the BJP government of Karnataka. On March 30, the BJP government in Karnataka announced a cabinet decision to eliminate the 4% Muslim OBC quota, which had been allocated to the two most powerful communities in the state, the Lingayats and Vokkaligas. Muslims have been considered a backward class in Karnataka for more than 100 years. Following closely behind, the government granted 101 Scheduled Castes (SC) internal reservations. Both of these choices have been the subject of heated political discussion. The state has become one of the most communally polarised in India due to the policies of the Basavaraj Bommai-led BJP government, particularly the most recent official statement regarding the updated reservation formula.

Why did the BJP make this decision?

The BJP was under pressure since the community led by Kudalasangama Seer Sri Jayamruthyunjaya Swami has been fighting for 2A status in the OBC list for the community for two years. The community derives strength from the numerically significant Panchamasalis, a sub-sect among Veerashaiva-Lingayats. Muslim OBC Reservation scrapped by BJP government of Karnataka  The decision was made well before the Vokkaligas exerted any significant pressure on the BJP, which is trying to take over the Vokkaliga-dominated Old Mysore region.An allegedly pre-dated government order regarding the transfer of category was published two days after the announcement of the elections and the rationale provided for this new reservation formula is blatantly communal, defying even the ‘neutral’ language of administration, reports The Wire.

Double-faced Politics of the BJP

In order to demonstrate its commitment to secularism, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been reaching out to Pasmanda (Backward) Muslims in North India. However, in the southern state of Karnataka, the same BJP has transerred socially and educationally backward Muslims from the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category of society to the forward caste grouping, known as the Economically Weak Section (EWS). This clearly shows the double-faced politics of the BJP in India.

The Justification of the BJP Government

The BJP has used a 2010 ruling by the Andhra Pradesh High Court as a justification, which declared reservations for Muslims under the OBC quota as illegal, to support the withdrawal of the OBC quota for Muslims (Category II B). It has been maintained that the 1994 decision by the H. D. Deve Gowda administration to include Muslims in the OBC category was not supported by any factual facts.No new reports or studies were cited for the change in the OBC status of Muslims. Chief Minister Bommai and Union Home Minister Amit Shah only said there is no provision in the Constitution for reservations for religious minorities reports The Indian Express.

Rallies organized by the Muslims

In the meantime, rallies were organised by the Muslim community in Karnataka in areas like Vijayanagara, calling for the reinstatement of the reservation that had been granted to them under the “2B” category after Muslim Reservation under OBC scrapped by the BJP government. JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy took aim at the BJP administration on Monday, claiming that it planned to abolish the reservation in order to incite animosity between Muslims and Hindus and to gain electoral advantage. “The objective behind the decision is the policy of divide and rule employed by the BJP. They think that if Muslims hit the streets (to protest), they will benefit from it. Fortunately, Muslims have remained peaceful,” he said.Also, read Pro-Khalistan Activist Amritpal Singh declared fugitive- What is happening in “India’s Bread Basket” Punjab?

Communities are Protesting the BJP-led Policy

On Monday (March 27), a large protest organised by the Banjara, Bhovi, Koracha, and Korama communities in Shivamogga district, Karnataka, descended into violence when people started throwing stones at former chief minister BS Yediyurappa’s home. Banjara leader Sharda Pooryanaik, a former Shivamogga Rural (SC) JD(S) MLA, said in a media interview that “The government should have held consultations with various caste groups before bringing the changes…There have been demands for a proper caste census to arrive at the quota requirements.”The Banjara community, a Scheduled Tribe in Karnataka but also on the list of Scheduled Tribes in bordering states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, was at the forefront of the protest on Monday. The Banjaras, who are part of the group that has been given a 4.5 percent quota, are displeased with the government because they “were earlier able to corner a large chunk of the Dalit quota due to their enterprising nature, and now fear their share will be restricted to only 4.5 percent of the total,” The Indian Express reported. This is according to the leaders of the most backward SC groups in the Shivamogga region, where the demonstrations took place after reservation under OBC got scrapped by the BJP government

Agitations criticized by the BJP

The agitations have been criticised by BJP officials, who claim that the Congress is behind it. Local Congress leaders have incited [the demonstration], according to CM Bommai. They are inciting violence because they cannot stand that the BJP has brought social justice to these communities. The Banjara community must resist giving in to this. The BJP has always stood up for the neighborhood and will do so in the future.

Karnataka Elections: Setback for Modi

On Sunday, Modi’s party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) faced a setback in the state elections of Karnataka. BJP won 66 seats out of 224 seats while the main opposition party in India Congress won 135 seats. Janata Dal (Secular) won 19 and others won 4 seats. The vote share of Congress also increased by more than 4% in the previous election which was held in 2018. With Karnataka’s loss, the BJP has been evicted from all five states of South India.These elections are crucial since India is going for national elections next year.

Modi Campaigned Himself

BJP’s setback came even as Modi himself held 19 rallies and 6 road shows across the state before the elections.  Karnataka Elections Other senior politicians from the BJP, including central ministers were also seen relentlessly campaigning in the state. The party was hoping to ride on Modi’s magic to overcome anti-incumbency. However, it seems like Modi’s magic failed in the state. This has raised questions about Modi’s charisma.BJP has been capitalizing on the Modi factor in most of the elections. In Karnataka, the party had its entire bet on Modi’s magic. Therefore, BJP’s defeat in Karnataka also means Modi’s defeat. The win has thus given hope to the opposition party that Modi is not invincible after all.

Love Triumphs Hate 

For the last several years, BJP had tried to stoke communal tensions in the state. Karnataka is the same state where the BJP government last year banned Hijab in schools and colleges. The school education minister, B C Nagesh, who enforced the Hijab in educational institutions lost the elections by over 17,000 votes. The lone Muslim women elected candidate of Congress, Kaneez Fatima, has said that they will lift the Hijab ban. “God willing, we will reverse the hijab ban in the coming days and we will get those girls back to classrooms and they will be able to appear for their exams,” Fatima said. “They have lost two precious years.”Congress has also promised to ban Bajrang Dal in the state in its election manifesto. Bajrang Dal is an extremist Hindutva outfit that has been at the centre of several communal tensions across India. During his rallies, Modi was seen exhorting his supporters in rallies to chant slogans in support of Bajrang Dal.For many in India, especially Muslims, Karnataka election results provided some respite as it showed that communalism is not the only thing that matters to the voters.Meanwhile, Congress had put its entire bet on issues of development, corruption and increasing prices of commodities. It also made sure to take a stand against BJP’s communalism and hatred as the promise of the Bajrang Dal ban shows.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a statement said, “The markets of hatred have closed down, and shops of love have opened in Karnataka.” “We contested Karnataka polls with love, not hate,” he said.

Karnataka Elections Crucial Before National Elections

Karnataka elections were crucial for Congress since the national elections will be held next year.The results will also have an impact on the elections of four other states that will be held later this year. Karnataka will provide Congress with a template on how to take on BJP in these four states. Till now, Congress had been inconsistent with its strategy against Modi’s and BJP’s communal agenda. However, these elections have shown Congress how to make love triumph over hate.Further, the result will give some hope to Congress for the national elections. The election along with the election of four other states later this year will also settle the debate over who heads the opposition alliance against BJP in the national elections next year. Other opposition parties have alleged that Congress always loses when in a direct contest against the BJP. However, the Karnataka elections will change those perceptions.

National Elections Different from State Elections

Even though the Karnataka elections are being celebrated as a victory of Congress over the BJP and there are talks about its impact on the national elections next year, here is a word of caution.Indian voters vote differently in state elections and national electionsIn state elections, voters keep in mind the issues related to their state while in national elections they keep in mind the national interests. If the same voters that voted for Congress in the Karnataka elections keeping in mind their state issues feel that Modi and BJP best represent the nation’s interests, they will vote for Modi in the next elections.Hence, we will have to wait and watch if the Karnataka elections will impact the national elections next year.

Israel is and will always be a crime against humanity

Israel, the misbegotten Zionist entity,  on Wednesday, May 5  celebrated the 74th anniversary of its birthday,  an allusion to the usurpation by brutal military force of the Arab-Muslim land of Palestine.  Israel is a crime against humanity In the process, Zionist gangs, armed and funded by wealthy Jews and colonialist Western powers, such as the UK, carried out a well-devised terrorist campaign of indiscriminate murder and violence against the virtually-unarmed and defenseless  Palestinian community, during which dozens of hideous massacres, like Dir Yasin, were perpetrated by Zionist gangs, like the Hagana, Irgun, Stern, and others The grisly atrocities forced the vast majority of Palestine’s population at that time, in 1948, to flee their villages lest they face the same fate that the people of Dir Yasin, Tantura, Dawaymeh, and many other hamlets and villages had just faced.The Deir Yassin massacre took place on April 9, 1948, when 130 Jewish terrorists from the paramilitary terror groups of Irgun and Lehi stormed Dir Yasin near Jerusalem and murdered 107  Palestinian civilians. Other sources, like New York Times, put the number of victims at 200Also Read: Israel having free season on Palestinian civilians including Children and JournalistsIn his Memoirs,  the Rvolt, Menachem Begin, the head of the Irgun terror group, who eventually became Israel’s Prime minister,  described the Dir Yasin massacre as a  real miracle because it cast terror in the hearts of the Palestinian populace, prompting them to leave. Even before Dir Yasin, Begin was branded by the British government as “leader of the notorious terrorist organization and banned from entering the UK.”Since Dir Yasin  74  years ago, Zionist massacres of Palestinians have never really stopped as successive Zionist governments retained and maintained the original Zionist strategy toward the people of Palestine. This genocidal strategy was aimed at achieving three main goals: Expulsion of the bulk of Palestinians.  (There are 7 million Palestinian refugees today), enslaving Palestinians as as “water carriers and wood hewers,”   (apartheid),  or outright physical extermination. This is not propaganda or media hypes. This is the un-official but authentic ideology of the ruling Zionist establishmAlso Read: Religious Fascism in India & Israel: Tweedledum and Tweedledee In 1967, Israel launched the 6-days war, during which it seized the rest of mandatory Palestine, namely the West Bank which was under the Jordanian rule, and the Gaza Strip, under the Egyptian rule. Thus, Islam’s first Qibla and third holiest religious place,  al-Aqsqa, fell under the Zionist occupation. When East Jerusalem was seized from Jordan, the Israeli army’s rabbi Moshe Goren, strongly advised army generals to blow up the gold-gilded Dome of the Rock, which is part of the Aqsa Mosque. However, a prominent general refused to heed Goren’s exhortations.Ever since that time, Israel transferred hundreds of thousands of its citizens into the West Bank to live on land that belongs to another people. The purpose of this criminal act is to re-enact the White settlements of the defunct apartheid regime in South Africa and former Rhodesia as well as the Russian demographic presence in the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine, pending the annexation of the territory and possible expulsion and ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.Numerous UN resolutions were issued, ruling that the settlements were illegal and in a brazen violation of international law. Furthermore, Israel consistently refused to consider the West Bank as an occupied territory, insisting that the region was a “disputed” rather than “occupied” land. The Israeli defiance of the UN and its Security Council’s resolutions is attributed to the almost total American submission to the Zionist entity.A few years ago during a televised debate with an Israeli official,  I confronted him with the settlements problem as he claimed that it was Israel that really wanted peace and that the Palestinians were the party that displayed intransigence. I asked him rather tersely if he thought that a peace-loving country would build 300 colonies on occupied territories and transfer hundreds of thousands of its citizens to live on land that didn’t belong to them. He was dumbfounded.

Clearly, the brazen Israeli insolence and arrogance of power stem from the absolute, unlimited, and total backing the Jewish state receives from the United States due to the overwhelming influence of American Jewry on the US government, congress, and political life in AmericaI remember one American writer saying half-jokingly that the Palestinians will not be liberated from the Israeli occupation until America is freed from Zionist domination. The Zionist stranglehold on the American government was described amply and analyzed elaborately by the late Jewish intellectual Alfred Lilienthal in his monumental  book “The Zionist Connection: What price peace.”

The Palestinians remain the ultimate reversioner

Despite its military might, economic prosperity, and international connections, Israel still lacks the legal and moral legitimacy. ancient times and the Middle  Ages, military conquests gave conquerors sovereignty over occupied territories. However, in the modern era, sovereignty, especially de jure sovereignty, can not be acquired or gained through war. Otherwise, the occupation by Nazi Germany of 8 European states would have been perfectly legal and compatible with international law. The same thing applies to the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait nearly 30 years ago. The same thing can be said about the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.So what makes the Israeli occupation of Palestine, both in 1948 and 1967, different from the Nazi occupation of Europe, the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait, and the Russian occupation of Ukraine. In truth, Israel and the Zionist movement have no convincing answer for this crucial question. Instead, they indulge in legalistic sophistry, historical prevarication, and verbal jugglingAlso Read: Israel should stop trying to force-feed the Holocaust down people’s throats  as bloody repression of Palestinians  goes on unabatedSome Zionist apologists try to outsmart themselves by arguing that Israel came under attack and that the occupied territory were won in a  war of self-defense.However, international law experts make it very clear that coming under attack gives a country the right to repel the attack, but not occupy territories. Thus, the acquisition of territory by military force is absolutely illegal under the international law. This is the reason most countries don’t recognize Israeli sovereignty over both East and West Jerusalem as the city, indeed the entirety of Palestine was conquered by military force, which gave Israel only a de facto sovereignty, but no de Jure sovereign whatsoever.Needless to say, authentic de jure sovereignty would require all the normal qualifications of sovereignty, which Israel obviously lacks.Hence, Israel should be viewed as a belligerent occupying power, irrespective of how many countries recognize it and have diplomatic and economic relations with it.According to Hal Draper ” At the present time Israel is a belligerent occupant of the city (Jerusalem) and is bound by the laws governing such occupation.”Headly Cook,  an international law expert believes that Israel among all countries of the world possesses not a single inch of territory which she could assuredly proclaim to be her own in perpetuity.(2)This is why, Palestinians, and Muslims in general, are strongly advised not to ascribe any legal or moral legitimacy to Israel, an entity that has been and continues to be a crime against humanity. 

Will Turks choose Erdogan again?

On 14 May, Tens of millions of Turks will go to the polls to elect a President for the Turkish Republic. The main contenders are the incumbent veteran President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in office since 2014, and Kemal Killicdaroglu, a candidate of a six-party alliance for the Presidential race in Turkey.The Presidential race in Turkey will be hotly contested, as opposition parties seem determined to oust the Quasi-Islamist leader, Erdogan.Killicdaroglu, a fierce secularist, who hails from the heterodox Alavi sect, doesn’t hide his ambitions to return Turkey to the pre-Erdogan era, when the powerful military-backed quasi-fascist secular establishment, suppressed all public Islamic expressions, including the Islamic Hijab for women as well as  Quranic schools.Indeed, this utterly undemocratic “deep state”, which viewed itself as the ultimate guardian,  custodian and guarantor of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s legacy,  had carried out several coups against elected governments, keeping Turkey, the important NATO member-state and one of the most important Muslim countries, democratic only nominally, but effectively authoritarian. In 2002 the Justice and Development  Party  (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi; AKP),  a party with Islamic roots, swept the parliamentary elections.

It came to power under the leadership of Abdullah Gul, Party leader Erdogan was found ineligible to serve in Parliament or as Prime Minister because of a 1998 conviction related to him publicly reciting a few verses of poetry deemed as incompatible with the Republic’s secular principles.The international community observes closely the Presidential and parliamentary race in Turkey. Western powers, particularly the US, France, and Germany, in addition to Israel and the international Masonic movement, left no stone unturned in order to overthrow the Erdogan regime and replace it with another subservient regime that would keep Turkey revolving in the American orbit.These persistent efforts to destabilize the Erdogan regime culminated in an attempted coup on 15 July 2016, when a faction of the Turkish military carried out a coordinated attempt to topple the Turkish government.the bloody attempted coup was eventually crushed by the vigilant Turkish people who stubbornly refused to be robbed of their earned liberties, civil rights and dignity.  The failure of the coup attempt made Muslims around the world breathe a sigh of relief as Turks proved to the entire world that Turkey was not just another  Banana republic or a playground for any foreign power’s intelligence agency.Needless to say, Western powers and Israel, which had expected to hear the “good news” of Erdogan’s death, arrest or escape,  didn’t hide their frustration and indignation at the failure of the attempted coup. Thus, Turkey remained a thorn in the side of the anti-Islamic powers in Europe and North America.

Turkey must not lose its Islamic face

I realize I am not in a position to lecture, or even advise Turkey,  the Turkish people as to whom they should elect as their President in the Presidential race.None the less, for the sake of truth, and history,  certain things must be amply clarified.As a long-time observer of Turkish affairs since the 1970s, I  believe it was thanks mainly to Erdogan’s leadership that Turkey is what it is today, namely a modern, powerful, preposterous and independent state.Thanks to Erdogan, Turkey has a modern industrial infrastructure, a powerful modern army and as well as a vigorous economy. Turkey is also a chief regional and world player. This active role proved effective and vital in managing the Ukrainian crisis, the Middle East, NATO, and even Africa.There is no doubt that the present state-of-affair of Turkey is a thousand times better than it ever was during the pre-Erdogan era when the “Attaturk Cult” dominated the country, crippling creativity, Innovation and progress, and maintaining a tight grip on civil rights and liberties.Erdogan’s achievements, both domestically and externally, are too numerous to be listed in this short piece.Domestically, He restored Turkey’s Islamic face without suppressing Western-style freedoms. The Turkish leader came under all sorts of pressure from Western countries to change course.However, he smartly stayed his course until he achieved his goals. In fact, Erdogan can be a role model for many Arab and Muslim leaders who are more or less at America’s beck and call.His courageous decision to reconvert the AyaSophia Mosque in Istanbul from a museum into a place of worship was met with widespread satisfaction in Turkey and throughout the Muslim world.Moreover, Erdogan’s decision to host millions of Syrian refugees, fleeing a deadly rampage of terror, organized by their criminal sectarian regime,  testified to the Turkish leader’s moral and Islamic credentials, despite the numerous security risks and the hefty financial burden inured by the Turkish economy.More to the point, Erdogan’s adopted a brave stance, protecting millions of Syrians from what it would have been a real genocide by the army of Bashar Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers.Regionally, Turkey under Erdogan became a premier supporter of the just Palestinian cause.  Every Palestinian man, woman and child in Gaza and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, can easily see and feel the positive and tangible impact of Turkish contributions, which bolstered Palestinian steadfastness in the face of Israel’s Nazi-like oppression and occupation.Moreover, Turkey’s brotherly intervention in places like Libya and Qatar prevented anti-Islamic terrorist forces, like those of Khalifa Hafter, from having a free season on the Libyan people.Libyans know too well what Hafter’s gangs would have done had they seized the chance to enter Tripoli and other towns in Western Libya.More to the point, the deployment of Turkish troops in Qatar effectively thwarted efforts by the UAE and Saudi Arabia to overrun the small and peaceable Gulf Emirate, ransack it, savage its proud people and replace its leadership by another that is at Donald Trump’s and Jared Kushner’s beck and call.

Erdogan: The rising star must keep rising

Today, Turkey is an important and influential country on the regional and international arena.Turkey’s political, economic and military power is undoubtedly a great asset for the entire Islamic Umma as well as for peace in the region and the world. Hence, the upcoming presidential race in Turkey is crucial for the Country’s reputation.It is hoped that Turkey will continue its march toward national fulfilment, economic growth and military aggrandizement.It is also hoped that Turkey will soon overcome the devastating effects of the recent earthquake, which hit South Western Turkey and North Western Syria, killing and injuring tens of thousands of people and destroying tens of thousands of buildings.I know recovery and rehabilitation will be a formidable task and a tremendous challenge. However, it seems that the Turkish government is doing a fairly good job, accommodating the affected families and rebuilding the destroyed infrastructure, including quake-resistant homes for survivors and affected people.