Voice of Khilafah صوت الخِلٰفة

এক নজরে নভেম্বর ২০০৯

2009-11-02T05:39:00.016+07:00

৮ই নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (রবিবার):
পাকিস্তানের উত্তর-পশ্চিম সীমান্ত প্রদেশের রাজধানী পেশোয়ারের উপকণ্ঠে আদাজাই শহরের মাতনি নামক একটি এলাকায় আত্মঘাতী বোমা হামলায় মেয়র আবদুল মালিক সহ কমপক্ষে ১২ জন নিহত এবং ১৫ জন আহত। নিহত আবদুল মালিক একদা তালিবান সমর্থক ছিলেন, পরে তিনি লক্ষ্য পরিবর্তন করেন এবং তালিবানের বিরুদ্ধে লড়াইয়ের জন্য একটি মিলিশিয়া বাহিনী গঠন করেন।

৭ই নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (শনিবার):
বিশ্ব বাণিজ্য কেন্দ্রের ধ্বংসাবশেষ থেকে প্রাপ্ত ষ্টীল ব্যবহার ক’রে প্রস্তুতকৃত ইউএসএস নিউইয়র্ক নামক একটি জাহাজের কমিশন প্রদান করা হয়। ১২০ কোটি ডলার ব্যয়ে লুসিয়ানায় নির্মিত ৬৮৪ ফুট দীর্ঘ এই উদ্ধারকারী জাহাজটি ৮০০ জন মেরিন সেনা এবং বেশ কয়েকটি যুদ্ধজাহাজ ও হেলিকপ্টার বহনে সক্ষম। এ মাসের শুরুতে নিউইয়র্কে এটি প্রথম যাত্রা সম্পন্ন করে। উল্লেখ্য, ১১ই সেপ্টেম্বরের মর্মান্তিক ঘটনায় নিহতদের সম্মানে আর্লিংটন ও সামারসেট নামক আরও দুইটি জাহাজ নির্মিত হচ্ছে পেন্টাগনের ধ্বংসস্তূপ থেকে প্রাপ্ত উপাদান ‍দিয়ে।

৬ই নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):
কুড়িগ্রামের রৌমারী সীমান্তে বিএসএফের গুলিবর্ষণে বাংলাদেশী কিশোরী মঞ্জু আরা নিহত। এ দিন সন্ধ্যা সোয়‍া ছয়টার দিকে ভারত সীমান্তের সাহাপাড়া বিএসএফ ক্যাম্পের সদস্যরা ১০৬৬ পিলারের কাছে আকস্মিক শতাধিক রাউন্ড গুলি ছোঁড়ে। এ সময় ছাগল নিয়ে ফিরে আসার সময় ভন্দুরচর গ্রামের আনোয়ার হোসেনের মেয়ে মঞ্জু আরা (১৩) বিএসএফের গুলিতে ঘটনাস্থলেই নিহত হয়। বিএসএফের গুলিবর্ষণের জবাবে বিডিআরও পাল্টা গুলিবর্ষণ করে।

৫ই নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের টেক্সাসে অবস্থিত ফোর্ট হুড সামরিক ঘাঁটিতে মনস্তত্ত্ববিদ মেজর নিদাল মালিক হাসান (৩৯)-এর এলোপাতাড়ি গুলিবর্ষণে ১৩ সৈন্য নিহত এবং ৩১ জন আহত। অন্য সৈন্যদের গুলিতে ঘাতকও গুরুতর আহত হয়। ইচ্ছার বিরু্দ্ধে আফগানিস্তানে বদলীর নির্দেশ পাওয়া এই সেনা কর্মকর্তা মুসলিম হওয়ার মুসলিম জনসাধারণের মাঝে আতংক দেখা দেয়।

৫ই নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
ইতালীর আদালত মিলানের রাস্তা থেকে এক মুসলিম ধর্মীয় নেতাকে গ্রেফতারের ঘটনায় ২৩ মার্কিন গোয়েন্দাকে কারাদণ্ড প্রদান করে। ২০০৩ সালের ঐ ঘটনায় আবূ ওমরকে গ্রেফতারের পর সিআইএ তাকে মিসরে পাঠিয়ে দেয়। সেখানে গোয়েন্দারা তার উপর নির্মম অত্যাচার চালায় বলে তাদের বিরুদ্ধে অভিযোগ আনা হয়েছিল। কারাদণ্ডপ্রাপ্ত ২৩ জনের মধ্যে সিআইএ’র মিলান শাখার প্রধান রবার্ট লেডিকে ৮ বছর এবং অপর ২২ জনকে ৫ বছর ক’রে কারাদণ্ড দেওয়‍া হয়েছে।

৪ঠা নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (বুধবার):
পানিসম্পদ মন্ত্রী রমেশচন্দ্র সেন বলেন, ব্রহ্মপুত্র নদের উপর চীন সরকার বাঁধ নির্মাণের পরিকল্পনা করলেও বাংলাদেশের স্বার্থরক্ষায় সরকার প্রয়োজনীয় সব রকম ব্যবস্থা গ্রহণ করবে। ব্রহ্মপুত্র নদের উৎসস্থলে চীনে নির্মিয়মান বাঁধ সম্পর্কে বিস্তারিত তথ্য চেয়ে বেইজিংয়ে অবস্থিত বাংলাদেশ দূতাবাসের কাছে চিঠি পাঠিয়েছে পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়। জাতীয় সংসদে অধিবেশন চলাকালে এই তথ্য জানান তিনি।

৩রা নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):
লালমণিরহাট সীমান্তে বিএসএফের গুলিতে এক বাংলাদেশী কৃষক আহত। গুলিবিদ্ধ অবস্থায় কৃষক তালেবকে বিএসএফের সদস্যরা ধরে নিয়ে যায়। তাকে ফেরত দিতে বিএসএফের কাছে বিডিআর পত্র প্রেরণ করে।

২রা নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (সোমবার):

পাকিস্তানের রাওয়ালপিন্ডিতে শক্তিশালী এক বোমা বিস্ফোরণে ৩৪ জন নিহত, আহত ১২ জনের ঊর্ধ্বে।

১লা নভেম্বর ২০০৯ (রবিবার):
আধিপত্য বিস্তারকে কেন্দ্র ক’রে রাজশাহী পলিটেকনিক ইন্সটিটিউটে ছাত্রলীগ-ছাত্রমৈত্রী সংঘর্ষে আহত ৭। একাডেমিক ভবনের ‍দরজা-জানালা ভাংচুর।

কাবুলে তালেবান হামলা অব্যাহত : গুলি বিনিময়ে ৯ জন নিহত

2009-11-02T02:12:00.005+07:00

কাবুলে তালেবান হামলা অব্যাহত : গুলি বিনিময়ে ৯ জন নিহত

আফগানিস্তানের সরকারী নিরাপত্তা বাহিনীর সঙ্গে গত ২৮শে অক্টোবর ভোরে রাজধানী কাবুলের কেন্দ্র স্থলের একটি ভবনে ৩ জন তালেবান যোদ্ধার তুমুল গুলি বিনিময় হয়। এতে কমপক্ষে ৬ জন জাতিসংঘ কর্মকর্তা এবং আফগানিস্তানের সরকারী নিরাপত্তা বাহিনীর ৩ জন সদস্য নিহত হয়েছেন।

জাতিসংঘের মুখপাত্র আড্রিয়ান এডোয়ার্ডস জানান, জাতিসংঘের ২০ জন কর্মকর্তা ভবনটিতে বসবাস করতেন। তবে হামলার সময় সবাই সে ভবনে ছিলেন কি না, তা নিশ্চিত হওয়া যায়নি। ঘটনাস্থলে জাতিসংঘের একজন নিরাপত্তা কর্মকর্তা বলেছেন, দুর্ঘটনার সময় সেখানে জাতিসংঘের প্রায় ১০ জন কর্মকর্তা ছিলেন।

এক নজরে অক্টোবর ২০০৯

2009-10-31T05:13:00.002+07:00

৩১শে অক্টোবর ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):
আফগানিস্তানে বোমা বিস্ফোরণে জনৈক কানাডীয় সৈন্য নিহত। এই নিয়ে দেশটিতে ১৩৩ জন কানাডীয় সৈন্য নিহত হল। বর্তমানে আফগানিস্তানে কানাডার দুই হাজার আট শত সেনা মোতায়েন রয়েছে।

১লা অক্টোবর ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
ইন্দোনেশিয়ার সুমাত্রায় বুধবারের শক্তিশালী ভূমিকম্পের পর এ দিন ৬ দশমিক ৮ মাত্রার আরেকটি ভূমিকম্পে ব্যাপক ক্ষয়ক্ষতি। পরপর দুটি ভূমিকম্পে ধ্বংসস্তূপের নীচে চাপা পড়ে হাজার মানুষের মৃত্যুর আশংকা করা হচ্ছে। বুধবারের ভূমিকম্পে নিহতের সংখ্যা ব‍ৃদ্ধি পেয়ে সর্বশেষ ৫২৯ -এ দাঁড়িয়েছে।

আমরা সেই সে জাতি

2009-10-31T04:42:00.002+07:00

আমরা সেই সে জাতি
কাজী নজরুল ইসলাম

ধর্মের পথে শহীদ যাহারা আমরা সেই সে জাতি,
সাম্য মৈত্রী এনেছি আমরা বিশ্বে করেছি জ্ঞাতি।।

পাপ-বিদগ্ধ তৃষিত ধরার লাগিয়া আনিল যারা -
মরুর তপ্ত বক্ষ নিঙাড়ি’ শীতল শান্তিধারা,
উচ্চ-নীচের ভেদ ভাঙি’ দিল সবারে বক্ষ পাতি’।
আমরা সেই সে জাতি।।

শুধু মুসলমানের লাগিয়া আসেনি কো ইসলাম,
সত্যে যে চায়, আল্লা’য় মানে মুসলিম তারই নাম,
আমীর-ফকীরে ভেদ নাই, সবে ভাই, সব এক সাথী।
আমরা সেই সে জাতি।।

নারীরে প্রথম দিয়াছি মুক্তি, নর-সম অধিকার,
মানুষের গড়া প্রাচীর ভাঙিয়া করিয়াছি একাকার,
আঁধার রাতের বোরকা উতারি’ এনেছি আশার ভাতি।
আমরা সেই সে জাতি।।

এক নজরে সেপ্টেম্বর ২০০৯

2009-10-31T02:40:00.004+07:00

৩০শে সেপ্টেম্বর ২০০৯ (বুধবার):

ইন্দোনেশিয়ার সুমাত্রায় ৭ দশমিক ৯ মাত্রার ভূমিকম্প, ব্যাপক ক্ষয়ক্ষতি। [পরের দিন (এক নজরে অক্টোবর ২০০৯ দেখুন) আরও একটি শক্তিশালী ভূমিকম্প আঘাত হানে]

২৯শে সেপ্টেম্বর ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):

বান্দরবান পার্বত্য জেলার নাইক্ষ্যংছড়িতে বিডিআর ও নাসাকা’র মধ্যে পতাকা-বৈঠক অনুষ্ঠিত। ব্যাটালিয়ন পর্যায়ের এই বৈঠকে উভয় দেশের মধ্যে অনুপ্রবেশকারী নাগরিক, চোরাচালানি এবং সীমান্ত সংক্রান্ত বিষয়ে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ আলোচনা হয়। বৈঠকে ঈদের ৪ দিন আগে নাসাকা’র হাতে আটক কাঠুরিয়‍া ফকির আহমদ (৪০) -কে ফেরত দেয়া হয়।

How to be successful in life (writer - Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid)

2009-10-31T01:47:00.001+07:00

How to be successful in life

Question:

How to obtain success and prosperity in this world and hereafter? What kind of success or prosperity that Islam wants the Ummah Islam gain in this world?

Answer:

Praise be to Allah.

Peace of mind, contentment, happiness and freedom from worries and anxiety… these are what everyone wants, and these are the ways in which people can have a good life and find complete happiness and joy. There are religious means of achieving that, and natural and practical means, but no one can combine all of them except the believers; although other people may achieve some of them, they will miss out on others.

There follows a summary of the means of achieving this aim for which everyone is striving. In some cases, those who achieve many of them will live a joyful life and a good life; in other cases, those who fail to achieve all of them will live a life of misery and hardship. And there are others which are in between, according to what the means he is able to attain. These means include the following:

1 – Faith and righteous deeds:

This is the greatest and most fundamental of means. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Whoever works righteousness — whether male or female — while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter)” (Quran, 16:97)

Allah tells us and promises us that whoever combines faith with righteous deeds will have a good life and a good reward in this world and in the Hereafter.

The reason for that is clear: those who believe in Allah – with sincere faith that motivates them to do righteous deeds that change hearts and attitudes and guides them to the straight path in this world and the Hereafter – follow principles and guidelines by means of which they deal with everything that happens to them, be it the causes of happiness and excitement or the causes of anxiety, worry and grief.

They deal with the things that they like by accepting them and giving thanks for them, and using them in good ways. When they deal with them in this manner, that creates in them a sense of excitement and the hope that it will continue and that they will be rewarded for their gratitude, which is more important than the good things that happen to them. And they deal with bad things, worries and distress by resisting those that they can resist, alleviating those that they can alleviate, and bearing with goodly patience those that they cannot avoid. Thus as a result of the bad things they gain a lot of benefits, experience, strength, patience and hope of reward, which are more important and which diminish the hardships they have undergone and replace them with happiness and hope for the bounty and reward of Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) expressed this in a saheeh hadeeth in which he said: “How wonderful is the situation of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and that is good for him; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and that is good for him. This does not apply to anyone but the believer.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 2999).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told us that the believer is always gaining and the reward for his deeds is always multiplying, no matter what happens to him, good or bad.

2 – Being kind to people in word and deed, and all kinds of doing good.

This is one of the means of removing worry, distress and anxiety. By this means Allah wards off worries and distress from righteous and immoral like, but the believer has the greater share of that, and is distinguished by the fact that his kindness to others stems from sincerity and the hope of reward, so Allah makes it easy for him to be kind to others because of the hope that this will bring good things and ward off bad things, by means of his sincerity and hope of reward. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allah's Cause), or Ma‘roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this, seeking the good Pleasure of Allah, We shall give him a great reward” (Quran, 4:114)

Part of that great reward is relief from worry, distress, troubles, etc.

3 – Another of the means of warding off anxiety that stems from nervous tension and being preoccupied with disturbing thoughts is to occupy oneself with good deeds or seeking beneficial knowledge, for that will distract one from dwelling on the matters that are causing anxiety. In this way a person may forget about the things that are making him worried and distressed, and he may become happy and more energetic. This is another means that believers and others have in common, but the believer is distinguished by his faith, sincerity and hope of reward when he occupies himself with that knowledge which he is learning or teaching, or with the good deeds that he is doing.

The work with which he occupies himself should be something that he likes and enjoys, for that is more likely to produce the desired results. And Allah knows best.

4 – Another thing that may ward off worry and anxiety is focusing all one’s thoughts of the present day, and not worrying about the future or grieving about the past. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sought refuge with Allah from worry and regret, from regret for things in the past which one cannot put right or change, and worry which may come because of fear for the future. So one should focus only on the present day, and focus one's efforts on getting things right today. For if a person is focused on that, this means that he will do things properly and forget about worry and regret.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said a du’aa’ or taught a du’aa’ to his Ummah, as well as urging them to seek the help of Allah and hope for His bounty, he was also urging them to strive to attain the thing they were praying for through their own efforts and to forget about the thing which they were praying would be warded off from them. Because du’aa’ (supplication) must be accompanied by action. So a person must strive to attain that which will benefit him in worldly and spiritual terms, and ask his Lord to make his efforts successful, and he should seek His help in that, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“Strive for that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allah, and do not be helpless. If anything (bad) happens to you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such-and-such, then such-and-such would have happened.’ Rather you should say, ‘Qaddara Allah wa ma sha’a fa’ala (Allah decrees, and what He wills He does),’ for (the words) ‘If only’ open the door to the Shaytaan.” (Narrated by Muslim).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) connected the matter of striving to achieve good things with the matter of seeking the help of Allah and not giving in to feelings of helplessness which are a harmful kind of laziness, and with the matter of accepting things in the past which are over and done with, and acknowledging that the will and decree of Allah will inevitably come to pass. He described matters as being of two types:

1 – Matters which a person may strive to achieve or to achieve whatever he can of them, or to ward them off or alleviate them. In such cases a person must strive and make the effort, and also seek the help of Allah.

2 – Matters where such is not possible, so he must have peace of mind, accept them and submit to Allah's will.

Undoubtedly paying attention to this principle will bring happiness and relieve worry and distress.

5 – One of the greatest means of feeling content and relaxed and of acquiring peace of mind is to remember Allah a great deal (dhikr). That has a great effect in bringing contentment and peace of mind, and relieving worry and distress. Allah says:

“Verily, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find rest” (Quran, 13:28)

Remembering Allah (dhikr) has a great effect in achieving this aim because it has a special influence and because of the hope that it brings of reward.

6 – Another of the means of bringing happiness and relieving worry and distress is striving to eliminate the things that cause worry and to achieve the things that bring happiness. That may be done by forgetting about bad things in the past which cannot be changed, and realizing that dwelling on them is a waste of time. So a person must strive to stop himself from thinking of that, and also strive to stop himself from feeling anxious about the future and the things that he may imagine of poverty, fear and other bad things that he thinks may happen to him in the future. He should realize that the future is something unknown, he cannot know what good or bad things are going to happen to him. That is in the hand of the Almighty, the Most Wise, and all that His slaves can do is to strive to attain the good things and to ward off the bad things. A person should realize that if he diverts his thoughts from worrying about his future and puts his trust in his Lord to take care of his situation, and puts his mind at rest concerning that, if he does that, then his heart will be at peace and his situation will improve and he will be relieved of worry and anxiety.

One of the most effective ways of dealing with worries about the future is to recite this du’aa’ which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to recite:

“Allaahumma aslih li deeni alladhi huwa ‘ismatu amri, wa aslih li dunyaaya allati fiha ma’aashi, wa aslih li aakhirati allati ilayha ma’aadi, waj’al al-hayaata ziyaadatan li fi kulli khayr, wa’l-mawta raahatan li min kulli sharr (O Allah, correct my religious commitment which is the foundation of my life, and correct my worldly affairs in which is my livelihood, and grant me good in the Hereafter to which is my return. Make my life a means of accumulating good, and make death a respite for me from all evil).” (Narrated by Muslim, 2720)

And he said, “Allaahumma rahmataka arju fa la takilni ila nafsi tarfata ‘aynin wa aslih li sha’ni kullahu, laa ilaaha illa anta (O Allah, for Your mercy I hope, so do not abandon me to myself even for a moment. And correct all my affairs. There is no god but You).” (Narrated by Abu Dawood with a saheeh isnaad, no. 5090; classed as hasan by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Kalim al-Tayyib, p. 49)

If a person utters these du’aa’s, which ask that his spiritual and worldly affairs may be set right or corrected, with proper presence of mind and sincerity of intention, whilst striving to achieve that, Allah will grant him what he has prayed for, hoped for and striven for, and He will turn his worry into joy and happiness.

7 – If a person experiences anxiety and distress because of a disaster, then one of the most effective means of relieving himself of that is to think of the worst scenario to which that may lead, and try to accept that. When he has done that, then he should try to alleviate it as much as possible. By means of this acceptance and these efforts, he will relieve himself of his worries and distress, and instead of worrying he will strive to bring about good things and to deal with whatever he can of the bad things. If he is faced with things that cause fear or the possibility of sickness or poverty, then he should deal with that by striving to make himself accept that, or something even worse, with contentment, because by making himself accept the worst-case scenario, he lessens the impact of the thing and makes it seem less terrible, especially if he occupies himself with efforts to ward it off as much as he can. Thus as well as striving to achieve something good which will distract him from his worries about calamity, he will also renew his strength to resist bad things, and put his trust and reliance in Allah. Undoubtedly these matters are of great benefit in attaining happiness and peace of mind, as well as bringing the hope of reward in this world and in the Hereafter. This is something which is well known from the experience of many who have tried it.

8 – Steadfastness of heart and not being disturbed about the imaginary things that bad thoughts may bring to mind. For when a person gives in to his imagination and lets his mind be disturbed by these thoughts, such as fear of disease and the like, or anger and confusion stirred up by some grievous matter, or the expectation of bad things and the loss of good things, that will fill him with worries, distress, mental and physical illness and nervous breakdowns, which will have a bad effect on him and which causes a great deal of harm, as many people have seen. But when a person depends on Allah and puts his trust in Him, and does not give in to his imagination or let bad thoughts overwhelm him, and he relies on Allah and has hope of His bounty, that wards off his worries and distress, and relieves him of a great deal of mental and physical sickness. It gives indescribable strength, comfort and happiness to the heart. How many hospitals are filled with the mentally sick victims of illusions and harmful imagination; how often have these things had an effect upon the hearts of many strong people, let alone the weak ones; how often have they led to foolishness and insanity.

It should be noted that your life will follow your train of thought. If your thoughts are of things that will bring you benefit in your spiritual or worldly affairs, then your life will be good and happy. Otherwise it will be the opposite.

The person who is safe from all of that is the one who is protected by Allah and helped by Him to strive to achieve that which will benefit and strengthen the heart and ward off anxiety. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And whosoever puts his trust in Allah, then He will suffice him” (Quran, 65:3)

i.e., He will be sufficient for all that is worrying him in his spiritual and worldly affairs. The one who puts his trust in Allah will have strength in his heart and will not be affected by anything he imagines or be disturbed by events, because he knows that these are the result of vulnerable human nature and of weakness and fear that have no basis. He also knows that Allah has guaranteed complete sufficiency to those who put their trust in Him. So he trusts in Allah and finds peace of mind in His promise, and thus his worry and anxiety are dispelled; hardship is turned to ease, sadness is turned to joy, fear is turned to peace. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound, and to bless us with strength and steadfastness of heart, and complete trust, for Allah has guaranteed all good things to those who put their trust in Him, and has guaranteed to ward off all bad and harmful things from them.

If bad things happen or there is the fear of such, then you should count the many blessings that you are still enjoying, both spiritual and worldly, and compare them with the bad things that have happened, for when you compare them you will see the many blessings that you are enjoying, and this will make the bad things appear less serious.

See al-Wasaa’il al-Mufeedah li’l-Hayaat al-Sa’eedah by Shatkh ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Sa’di

Ibn al-Qayyim summed fifteen ways through which Allah may dispel worries and regret. These are as follows:

1- Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah (belief in the Oneness of Divine Lordship)

2- Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (belief in the Oneness of the Divine nature)

3- Tawheed of knowledge and belief (i.e., Tawheed al-Asma’ wa’l_Sifaat, belief in the Oneness of the Divine names and attributes)

4- Thinking of Allah as being above doing any injustice to His slaves, and above punishing anyone for no cause on the part of the slave that would require such punishment.

5- The person’s acknowledging that he is the one who has done wrong.

6- Beseeching Allah by means of the things that are most beloved to Him, which are His names and attributes. Two of His names that encompass the meanings of all other names and attributes are al-Hayy (the Ever-Living) and al-Qayyoom (the Eternal).

7- Seeking the help of Allah Alone.

8- Affirming one's hope in Him.

9- Truly putting one’s trust in Him and leaving matters to Him, acknowledging that one's forelock is in His hand and that He does as He wills, that His will is forever executed and that He is just in all that He decrees.

10- Letting one's heart wander in the garden of the Qur’aan, seeking consolation in it from every calamity, seeking healing in it from all diseases of the heart, so that it will bring comfort to his grief and healing for his worries and distress.

11- Seeking forgiveness.

12- Repentance.

13- Jihad.

14- Salah (prayer).

15- Declaring that he has no power and no strength, and leaving matters to the One in Whose hand they are.

We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound from worries and to relieve us of distress and anxiety, for He is the All-Hearing, Ever-Responsive, and He is the Ever-Living, Eternal.

See Alhomoom – Dealing with Worries and Stress, in the Books section of this site.

And Allah knows best. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and companions.

Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

এক নজরে আগষ্ট ২০০৯

2009-08-31T00:40:00.048+07:00

২৬শে আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (বুধবার):
।

২৫শে আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):
আফগানিস্তানের পূর্বাঞ্চলীয় নগরী কান্দাহারে ট্রাক বোমা বিস্ফোরণে কমপক্ষে ৪০ জন নিহত এবং ৬৫ জন আহত।

২৪শে আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (সোমবার):
আন্দামান দ্বীপপুঞ্জের সমুদ্র উপকূল থেকে উদ্ধার হওয়া ১৭৫ জন বাংলাদেশী দেশে ফিরে আসেন। এ দিন সকালে যশোরের বেনাপোলে ভারতের সীমান্তরক্ষী বাহিনী বিএসএফ কর্মকর্তারা বিডিআর কর্মকর্তাদের নিকট তাদেরকে হস্তান্তর করেন।

২৩শে আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (রবিবার):
যানজট নিরসন এবং অবৈধ গাড়ী চলাচল বন্ধে ‘অপারেশন ক্লিন স্ট্রীট’ শুরু। রাজধানী ঢাকাকে ৮টি অঞ্চলে ভাগ ক’রে ভ্রাম্যমান আদালত কাজ শুরু করে।

২২শে আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (শনিবার):
দিনাজপুর সীমান্তে বিডিআর ও বিএসএফের অধিনায়ক পর্যায়ে পতাকা বৈঠক। বৈঠকে শুভেচ্ছা বিনিময় ও উভয় সীমান্ত সংক্রান্ত বিভিন্ন সমস্যা নিয়ে আলোচনা হয়।

২১শে আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):
আফগান সীমান্তবর্তী পাকিস্তানের ওয়াজিরিস্তানে দুটি মার্কিন ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র হামলায় কমপক্ষে ১২ জন নিহত। নিহতদের মধ্যে ৮ জন নারী ও শিশু। এটি ছিল সিআইএ পরিচালিত চালকবিহীন ড্রোন বিমান হামলা।

২০শে আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
‌আফগানিস্তানে প্রেসিডেন্ট নির্বাচনে ভোটগ্রহণ সম্পন্ন । আত্মঘাতী বোমা হামলা, বোমা বিস্ফোরণ ও রকেট হামলার কারণে কয়েকটি কেন্দ্রে ভোটগ্রহণ বন্ধ ক’রে দেওয়া হয়। কাবুলে পুলিশের সাথে তালিবান যোদ্ধাদের ঘণ্টাব্যাপী বন্দুক যুদ্ধও হয়েছে। নিহত হয়েছে ২ আত্মঘাতী বোমা হামলাকারী। দেশটির দক্ষিণাঞ্চলে পৃথক হামলায় নিহত হয় ৩ মার্কিন সৈন্য।

১৯শে আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (বুধবার):
‘বাংলাদেশ রাইফেলস’ (বিডিআর) নাম পরিবর্তন ক’রে ‘বর্ডার গার্ড বাংলাদেশ’ রাখার জন্য প্রধানমন্ত্রীর কার্যালয়ে প্রস্তাব উপস্থাপন করেন বিডিআরের মহাপরিচালক মে. জে. মইনুল ইসলাম।

১৮ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):
হোয়াইট হাউজে মার্কিন প্রেসিডেন্ট বারাক ওবামা ও সফররত মিশরীয় প্রেসিডেন্ট হোসনী মোবারকের বৈঠক অনুষ্ঠিত। ইসরাঈল-ফিলিস্তীন সমস্যা সমাধান ক’রে মধ্যপ্রাচ্যে শান্তি প্রতিষ্ঠা সম্ভব বলে উভয়ে ঐকমত্য প্রকাশ করেন।

১৭ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (সোমবার):
খাগড়াছড়ির দীঘিনালা উপজেলার ৯ মাইল এলাকা থেকে ৫ ভারতীয় নাগরিক আটক। গোপন সংবাদের ভিত্তিতে সেনা ও পুলিশ যৌথভাবে অভিযান চালিয়ে তাদেরকে আটক করে।

১৬ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (রবিবার):
তিন পার্বত্য জেলা থেকে সেনা প্রত্যাহার হাইকোর্টের আদেশে স্থগিত।

১৫ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (শনিবার):

স্বাধীন বাংলাদেশের স্থপতি বঙ্গবন্ধু শেখ মুজিবুর রহমানের ৩৪ তম শাহাদাতবার্ষিকী (জাতীয় শোক দিবস) বিভিন্ন কর্মসূচীর মধ্য দিয়ে পালিত।

বঙ্গবন্ধু

১৪ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):

সাবেক প্রধানমন্ত্রী ও বিএনপি চেয়ারপার্সন বেগম খালেদা জিয়াকে ১৫ আগষ্ট জন্মদিন পালন না করতে উকিল নোটিস প্রেরণ। ছাত্রলীগের সাবেক সহ-সভাপতি শাহাজাদা মহিউদ্দিন তার আইনজীবী অ্যাডভোকেট কেএম নজিবুল্লাহর মাধ্যমে এই নোটিস পাঠান।

১৩ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):

রাশিয়ার গোলযোগপূর্ণ দাগেস্তানে অজ্ঞাত বন্দুকধারীদের গুলিতে ১১ জন (৪ পুলিশ কর্মকর্তা সহ) নিহত।

১২ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (বুধবার):

সিলেটের জকিগঞ্জ সীমান্তে বিডিআর ও বিএসএফের ব্যাটেলিয়ন পর্যায়ে পতাকা বৈঠক অনুষ্ঠিত। বাংলাদেশের পক্ষে নেতৃত্ব প্রদানকারী লেফটেন্যান্ট কর্ণেল সালাহ উদ্দিন বৈঠক শেষে জানান - বাংলাদেশের পক্ষ থেকে ৩টি দাবী উত্থাপন করা হয়, এর মধ্যে একটি দাবী বিএসএফ মেনে নিয়েছে এবং অন্যগুলো তারা বিএসএফ প্রধানের সাথে আলোচনা ক’রে জানাবেন। তিনি আরও জানান, বিএফএফ সীমান্তের দেড় কিলোমিটার এলাকায় বেড়া নির্মাণের অনুমতি চেয়েছে। আমরা বলেছি, ঢাকায় আলোচনার পর এ ব্যাপারে জানাবো।

১১ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):

শীর্ষ পুলিশ কর্মকর্তাদের সাথে দেশের সার্বিক আইন-শৃংখলা পরিস্থিতি নিয়ে এক বৈঠকে স্বরাষ্ট্র প্রতিমন্ত্রী এডভোকেট শামসুল হক টুকু বলেন - জনগণের মাথার ঘাম পায়ে ফেলা কষ্টে উপার্জিত অর্থ থেকে সরকারকে দেয়া ট্যাক্সের টাকায় আপনাদের বেতন দেওয়া হয়, তাই জনগণের নিরাপত্তা নিশ্চিত করা আইন-শৃংখলা রক্ষাকারী বাহিনীর প্রত্যেক সদস্যের দায়িত্ব।

১০ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (সোমবার):

পুলিশী বাধার মুখে টিপাইমুখ অভিমুখী লংমার্চ লক্ষ্যস্থলে পৌঁছতে পারেনি। সীমান্তের দিকে যাওয়ার পথে জকিগঞ্জ শহর অতিক্রম করার সময় পুলিশ লংমার্চটিকে আটকে দেয়।

৯ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (রবিবার):

নবনিযুক্ত পানিসম্পদ প্রতিমন্ত্রী মাহবুবুর রহমান সচিবালয়ে সাংবাদিকদের সাথে আলাপকালে বলেন - টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ বিরোধী লংমার্চকে সরকার ইতিবাচকভাবে দেখছে। লংমার্চের ফলে ভারতের সম্ভাব্য এই বাঁধের বিরুদ্ধে জনমত সৃষ্টি হচ্ছে।

৮ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (শনিবার):

ভারতের টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ নির্মাণ প্রকল্পের প্রতিবাদে ঢাকা থেকে সিলেট অভিমুখে তিন দিন ব্যাপী লংমার্চ শুরু করেছে টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ প্রতিরোধ কমিটি ও সিলেট বিভাগ উন্নয়ন পরিষদ। কেন্দ্রীয় শহীদ মিনার থেকে এই লংমার্চ উদ্বোধন করেন অধ্যাপক মোজাফফর আহমেদ।

৭ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):

ইরাকের উত্তর মসুলের রাশেদিয়া শহরে জুমুআর নামাযের পর একটি মসজিদের কাছে গাড়ী-বোমা বিস্ফোরণে অন্তত ৪০ জন নিহত ও বহু লোক আহত।

৬ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
আধিপত্য বিস্তার ও সিট দখলকে কেন্দ্র ক’রে ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের সূর্যসেন হলে ছাত্রলীগের দুই গ্রুপের মধ্যে সংঘর্ষে ‍অন্তত ১৫ জন আহত।

৫ই আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (বুধবার):

বাংলাদেশ আদিবাসী ফোরামের সভাপতি ও পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম আঞ্চলিক পরিষদের চেয়ারম্যান জ্যোতিরিন্দ্র বোধিপ্রিয় লারমা (সন্তু লারমা) পার্বত্য চুক্তি পূর্ণাঙ্গ বাস্তবায়নের জন্য সরকারের কাছে রোডম্যাপ ঘোষণার দাবী জানান। জাতীয় প্রেসক্লাবে আদিবাসী ফোরাম আয়োজিত সংবাদ সম্মেলনে লিখিত বক্তব্যে তিনি এই দাবী জানান।

৪ঠা আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):

আফগানিস্তানের রাজধানী কাবুলে তালেবানদের কয়েক দফা রকেট হামলা।

৩রা আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (সোমবার):

আফগানিস্তানের পশ্চিমাঞ্চলীয় শহর হেরাতে বোমা হামলায় মহিলা ও শিশু সহ কমপক্ষে ১২ জন নিহত এবং বেশ কয়েকজন আহত।

২রা আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (রবিবার):

পিলখানায় বিডিআর সদর দফতরে আরও একজন বিডিআর সদস্যের মৃত্যু। বিডিআরের মেকানিক্যাল শাখায় কর্মরত মোহাম্মদ শহীদুল্লাহ (৪৭) নামের এই বিডিআর সদস্য হৃদরোগে আক্রান্ত হয়ে মারা যান। গত ফেব্রুয়ারী ট্র্যাজেডির পর এই নিয়ে পিলখানায় ৩৫ জন বিডিআর সদস্যের মৃত্যু হয়।

১লা আগষ্ট ২০০৯ (শনিবার):
কিরঘিজস্তানে আরেকটি রুশ সামরিক ঘাঁটি স্থাপনের ব্যাপারে উভয় দেশের মধ্যে চুক্তি স্বাক্ষরিত।

Background of Tanzeem-e-Islami

2009-08-10T01:20:00.002+07:00

Background of Tanzeem-e-Islami

The essence of what we call the “Islamic revolutionary thought” consists of the idea that it is not enough to practice Islam in one's individual life but that the teachings of the Qur'an and those of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) must also be implemented in their totality in the social, cultural, juristic, political, and the economic spheres of life. The credit for reviving this dynamic concept of Islam in the Indian subcontinent, after centuries of neglect and dormancy, goes to Allama Muhammad Iqbal. The first attempt towards the actualization of this concept was made by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad through his short-lived party, the Hizbullah. Another attempt was made by Maulana Sayyid Abul A`la Maududi through his Jama`at-e-Islami; however, the decision by the Jama`at after the creation of Pakistan to take part in the electoral process instead of continuing the original revolutionary methodology gradually resulted in its degeneration from a pure Islamic revolutionary party to a mere political one.
When Jama’t-e-Islami entered in the electoral process in 1956, a group of individuals including Dr. Israr Ahmed resigned on account of their disagreement with the leadership of the Jama‘at on significant policy matters. They came together and tried unsuccessfully to form an organized group that was expected to fulfill the vacuum created by the post-1947 change in the direction and course of Jama‘at-e-Islami. A resolution was passed which subsequently became the Mission Statement of Tanzeem-e-Islami.

While continuing his Quranic lectures, Dr. Israr kept waiting for his former colleagues to initiate efforts of Islamic renaissance through the revolutionary process. However upon realizing that nobody was coming forward to shoulder this responsibility, he decided to step-on for this effort and call people to make a disciplined organization and he therefore laid the foundation of Tanzeem-e-Islami.

এক নজরে জুলাই ২০০৯

2009-08-09T01:11:00.053+07:00

৩১শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):
দ্বিতীয়বারের ন্যায় সম্প্রসারিত হল শেখ হাসিনার নেতৃত্বাধীন মহাজোট সরকারের মন্ত্রীসভা। প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনার উপস্থিতিতে বঙ্গভবনে রাষ্ট্রপতি জিল্লুর রহমানের নিকট শপথবাক্য পাঠ করেন ১ মন্ত্রী এবং ৫ প্রতিমন্ত্রী। শপথগ্রহণের পরপরই প্রধানমন্ত্রী তাদের মাঝে দপ্তর বণ্টন করেন -
- শাহজাহান খান (মন্ত্রী) নৌপরিবহন মন্ত্রণালয়।
- ব্রিগেডিয়ার (অবসরপ্রাপ্ত) মোহাম্মদ এনামুল হক (প্রতিমন্ত্রী) বিদ্যুৎ জ্বালানী ও খনিজসম্পদ মন্ত্রণালয়।
- ক্যাপ্টেন (অবসরপ্রাপ্ত) ডা. মুজিবুর রহমান ফকির (প্রতিমন্ত্রী) স্বাস্থ্য ও পরিবার কল্যাণ মন্ত্রণালয়।
- এডভোকেট প্রমোদ মানকিন (প্রতিমন্ত্রী) সংস্কৃতি মন্ত্রণালয়।
- মাহবুবুর রহমান (প্রতিমন্ত্রী) পানিসম্পদ মন্ত্রণালয়।
- অধ্যাপক ড. শিরীন শারমিন চৌধুরী (প্রতিমন্ত্রী) মহিলা ও শিশু বিষয়ক মন্ত্রণালয়।
এতে মহাজোট সরকারের মন্ত্রীসভার সদস্য সংখ্যা দাঁড়াল ৪৩ -এ।

৩০শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম বিষয়ক প্রতিমন্ত্রী দীপংকর তালুকদার সচিবালয়ে সাংবাদিকদের উদ্দেশ্যে বলেন -
- পার্বত্য চট্টগ্রাম থেকে সেনাবাহিনীর সম্পূর্ণ একটি ব্রিগেড প্রত্যাহার করায় সেখানে আইন-শৃংখলা ‍পরিস্থিতির কোন অবনতি হবে না।
- সেখানে আরও যে চারটি ব্রিগেড রয়েছে, সেগুলোও পর্যায়ক্রমে প্রত্যাহার ক’রে নেওয়া হবে।
বাকী ব্রিগেডগুলো কবে প্রত্যাহার করা হবে - এই প্রশ্নের উত্তরে প্রতিমন্ত্রী বলেন, বিষয়টি নির্ভর করবে ঐ এলাকার আইন-শৃংখলা পরিস্থিতির উপর।

২৯শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (বুধবার):
বাংলাদেশের প্রধানমন্ত্রীর কার্যালয়ের সশস্ত্র বাহিনী বিভাগের বরাত দিয়ে আন্তঃবাহিনী জনসংযোগ পরিদফতরের এক সংবাদ বিজ্ঞপ্তিতে জানান হয় - ১৯৯৭ সালে স্বাক্ষরিত ঐতিহাসিক পাবর্ত্য শান্তিচুক্তি বাস্তবায়নের অংশ হিসেবে চলতি বছরের সেপ্টেম্বরের মধ্যে ৩৫টি সেনাক্যাম্প ও তিন পদাতিক ব্যাটালিয়নসহ সেনাবাহিনীর একটি বিগ্রেড পুরোপুরি প্রত্যাহার করার সিদ্ধান্ত নিয়েছে সরকার। উল্লেখ্য, এক ব্রিগেডে প্রায় তিন হাজার সেনা থাকে।

২৮শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):

আগারগাঁওস্থ বাংলাদেশ-চীন মৈত্রী সম্মেলন কেন্দ্রে (বঙ্গবন্ধু আন্তর্জাতিক সম্মেলন কেন্দ্র) হুফফাযুল কুরআন ফাউন্ডেশন বাংলাদেশ আয়োজিত ১৩ তম জাতীয় হিফযুল কুরআন প্রতিযোগিতার পুরস্কার বিতরণী অনুষ্ঠান অনুষ্ঠিত। প্রতিযোগিতায় ৩০ পার‍া কুরআনের হাফেয ক্যাটাগরিতে হাফেয সাইফুল ইসলাম প্রথম এবং এক থেকে দশ বছর বয়সীদের মধ্যে হাফেয মো: সোহাগ হোসেন প্রথম স্থান অধিকার করেছে। অনুষ্ঠানে প্রধান অতিথি ছিলেন শায়খুল হাদীস আজিজুল হক।

২৭শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (সোমবার):

প্রতিরক্ষা ক্ষেত্রে ভারতের পরমাণবিক সাবমেরিন সংযোজনের ফলে এই অঞ্চলে অস্থিরতার সৃষ্টি হবে বলে মর্মে বিবৃতি দিয়েছে পাকিস্তানের নৌবাহিনী।

২৬শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (রবিবার):

বাংলাদেশের ভারতের প্রথম পরমাণু ক্ষমতাসম্পন্ন সাবমেরিন আইএনএস আরিহান্ট উদ্বোধন করেন সে দেশের প্রধানমন্ত্রী মনমোহন সিং।

২৫শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (শনিবার):

বাংলাদেশের সমুদ্র অঞ্চলের বিরাট একটি অংশ দখলের ষড়যন্ত্র করছে ভারত - মর্মে অভিযোগ করে বাংলাদেশ সামুদ্রিক অঞ্চল ও সম্পদ রক্ষা জাতীয় কমিটি (জাতীয় প্রেস ক্লাবে আয়োজিত সংবাদ সম্মেলনে)।

২৪শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):

কিরগিজিস্তানে অনুষ্ঠিত প্রেসিডেন্ট নির্বাচনে দেশটির বর্তমান প্রেসিডেন্ট কুরমানবেক বাকিয়েভ পুনঃনির্বাচিত। ২০০৫ সালে রাজপথে সহিংস বিক্ষোভের পথ ধরে বাকিয়েভ ক্ষমতায় এসেছিলেন। উল্লেখ্য, কৌশলগতভাবে গুরুত্বপূর্ণ এই দেশটিতে রাশিয়া ও মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্র উভয়েরই সামরিক ঘাঁটি রয়েছে।

২৩শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
বাংলাদেশে সফররত চীনের পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়ের বিশেষ দূত ঝাউ জেং এক সংবাদ সম্মেলনে প্রশ্নোত্তরকালে বলেন -

- গত ৫ই জুলাই চীনের পশ্চিমাঞ্চলীয় শিন ঝিয়ান প্রদেশের রাজধানী উরুমকী শহরে সংঘটিত ভয়াবহ দাঙ্গার

ব্যাপারে সে দেশের সরকারের অবস্থান ব্যাখ্যা করাই তার এই সফরের মূল উদ্দেশ্য।
- শিন ঝিয়ানে বর্তমানে স্বাভাবিক পরিস্থিতি বির‍াজ করছে।
- গত ৫ই জুলাই উরুমকী শহরে হান এবং মুসলিম উইঘুরদের মধ্যে এক ভয়াবহ দাঙ্গায় অন্তত ১৯৭ জন নিহত এবং ১ হাজার ৬০০ জন আহত হয়েছে। নিহতদের মধ্যে ৪৬ জন মুসলিম। এই দাঙ্গায় ধ্বংস হয়েছে ৬৪৩টি পরিবার।
- এই ভয়াবহ দাঙ্গার পেছনে বাইরের বা বিদেশী শক্তির উস্কানি রয়েছে।
- সংঘাতের এই ঘটনাকে পূর্ব পরিকল্পিত ও সুসংগঠিত বলে মনে করছে চীন সরকার।

২২শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (বুধবার):

দক্ষিণ-পূর্ব এশীয় (আসিয়ানভুক্ত) দেশসমূহের সাথে মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রের একটি মৈত্রী চুক্তি স্বাক্ষরিত। অঞ্চলটিতে চীনের ক্রমবর্ধিষ্ণু প্রভাবের পরিপ্রেক্ষিতে এই চুক্তি স্বাক্ষরিত হল।

২১শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):

আফগানিস্তানের পূর্বাঞ্চলের দুটি শহরে তালেবানের একটি আত্মঘাতী হামলাকারী গ্রুপ একটি সামরিক ঘাঁটি ও সরকারী ভবনসমূহ উড়িয়ে দেওয়ার চেষ্টা করে। এতে ৪ ব্যক্তি নিহত হয়।

২০শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (সোমবার):

রাজশাহী পলিটেকনিক ইন্সটিটিউটে ‘জয় বাংলা’ শ্লোগান দিয়ে ছাত্রশিবির কর্মীরা হল দখলের চেষ্টা করলে ছাত্রশিবির-ছাত্রলীগ তুমুল সংঘর্ষ। উভয়পক্ষে কমপক্ষে ২০ জন আহত।

১৯শে জুলাই ২০০৯ (রবিবার):

কুষ্টিয়ায় ইসলামী বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ে ক্যাম্পাস দখলকে কেন্দ্র ক’রে ছাত্রলীগ ও ছাত্রশিবির কর্মীদের গুলি বিনিময়।

১৮ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (শনিবার):

মৌরিতানিয়ায় প্রেসিডেন্ট নির্বাচন অনুষ্ঠিত। রাজধানী নাউকচটে পুলিশ ও অজ্ঞাত বন্দুকধারীদের মধ্যে গুলি বিনিময়।

১৭ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):

জাকার্তায় ম্যারিয়ট ও রিজ হোটেলে প্রায় কাছাকাছি সময়ে পৃথক আত্মঘাতী বোম‍া হামলায় ১২ জন নিহত এবং অর্ধশতাধিক আহত।

১৬ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
পরমাণু বোম‍া ও ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র পরীক্ষার শাস্তিস্বরূপ উত্তর কোরিয়ার ওপরে নতুন ক’রে নিষেধাজ্ঞা আরোপ করেছে জাতিসংঘ নিরাপত্তা পরিষদ।

১৫ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (বুধবার):
ইরানে কাস্পিয়ান এয়ারলাইন্সের যাত্রীবাহী বিমান বিধ্বস্ত; ১৬৮ জন আরোহীর সকলে নিহত।

১৪ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):
ইরানে বিদ্রোহী সুন্নী মুসলিম গ্রুপের ১৪ সদস্যের প্রকাশ্যে ফাঁসি কার্যকর।

১৩ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (সোমবার):

পাকিস্তানের পাঞ্জাব প্রদেশের একটি মাদ্রাসায় শক্তিশালী বোমা বিস্ফোরণে সাত শিশু সহ কমপক্ষে ১৫ জন নিহত এবং ৭০ জন আহত।

১২ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (রবিবার):
নতুন দিল্লীতে আংশিকভাবে নির্মিত একটি রেল সেতুর অংশবিশেষ আকস্মিকভাবে ধসে পড়ে ৫ জন নিহত এবং ১৫ জন আহত।

১১ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (শনিবার):
তুচ্ছ ঘটনাকে কেন্দ্র ক’রে টাঙ্গাইলের সন্তোষে মওলানা ভাসানী বিজ্ঞান ও প্রযুক্তি বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ছাত্রদের সাথে এলাকাবাসীর ব্যাপক সংঘর্ষ।

বিশ্ববিদ্যালয় অনির্দিষ্টকালের জন্য বন্ধ ঘোষণা।

১০ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):
চীনের উত্তর-পশ্চিমাঞ্চলীয় মুসলিম প্রধান জিনজিয়াংয়ের রাজধানী উরুমকীতে সম্ভাব্য গোলযোগের আশংকায় এ দিন (শুক্রবার) সকল মসজিদে জুমুআর নামাজ বন্ধ রাখার নির্দেশ দেওয়া হয়, লোকজনকে নিজ নিজ ঘরে জুমুআর নামাজ আদায়ের পরামর্শ দেওয়‍া হয়। কিন্তু মুসল্লীরা সরকারী নির্দেশের বিরোধিতা ক’রে বলছে যে, ঘরে কখনও জুমুআর নামাজ আদায় করা যায় না, তাই তারা অবশ্যই মসজিদে যাবে।

সরকারী নিষেধাজ্ঞা উপেক্ষা ক’রে উরুমকীতে মুসল্লীরা জুমুআর নামাজ আদায়ের জন্য মসজিদে ভীড় জমায়, কিন্তু পুলিশী বাধার মুখে নামাজ আদায় সম্ভব হয়নি। তবে রাজধানী উরুমকীর বাইরে কোন কোন মসজিদে জুমুআর নামাজ অনুষ্ঠিত হয়।

৯ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
বেনাপোল সীমান্তে বিএসএফের গুলিতে ৩ জন বাংলাদেশী নিহত।

৮ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (বুধবার):

বাংলাদেশের প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনা সংসদে প্রশ্নোত্তর পর্বে বলেন, গার্মেন্টস শিল্পকে ধ্বংস করতে একটি শ্রেণী বিরাট চক্রান্তের খেলা খেলছে।

৭ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (মঙ্গলবার):
পাকিস্তানের দক্ষিণ ওয়াজিরিস্তানে চালকবিহীন মার্কিন বিমান থেকে ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র হামলায় ১৪ জন নিহত।

৬ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (সোমবার):
বাংলাদেশের পানিসম্পদমন্ত্রী রমেশ চন্দ্র সেন বলেছেন, টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ মূলত কোন ইস্যুই নয়, এ নিয়ে বিরোধী দল অহেতুক ইস্যু তৈরী করার চেষ্টা করছে।

৫ই জুলাই ২০০৯ (রবিবার):
টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ নির্মাণের প্রতিবাদে ঢাকায় অর্ধশতাধিক জনতা কর্তৃক ভারতীয় হাইকমিশন ঘেরাও। পুলিশী বাধার মুখে সংঘর্ষে ৬ জন পুলিশ সহ ১৫ জন আহত।

৪ঠা জুলাই ২০০৯ (শনিবার):
উত্তর কোরিয়া পরীক্ষামূলকভাবে ৬টি ব্যালেষ্টিক মিসাইল নিক্ষেপ করে।

৩রা জুলাই ২০০৯ (শুক্রবার):
পাকিস্তানের দক্ষিণ ওয়াজিরিস্তানে চালকবিহীন মার্কিন বিমান থেকে ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র হামলায় ১০ জন নিহত।

২রা জুলাই ২০০৯ (বৃহস্পতিবার):
আফগানিস্তানে তালেবানদের বিরুদ্ধে নতুন ক’রে ব্যাপক অভিযান শুরু করে মার্কিন বাহিনী।

১লা জুলাই ২০০৯ (বুধবার):

বাংলাদেশের পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী ডা. দীপু মণি বলেন, কূটনীতিকদের বক্তব্য-বিবৃতিতে একটা সীমারেখা থাকে, কিন্তু ভারতের হাইকমিশনার তার সাম্প্রতিক বক্তব্যে কূটনৈতিক সেই সীমারেখা মানেননি। পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়ের নিয়মিত সংবাদ ব্রিফিংয়ে ভারতীয় হাইকমিশনারের বাংলাদেশের বিশেষজ্ঞদেরকে ‘তথাকথিত’ বলে মন্তব্য সহ আরও কিছু অপ্রাসঙ্গিক বক্তব্য কূটনৈতিক শিষ্টাচার বহির্ভূত কি না জানতে চাইলে ব্যক্তিগত মত হিসেবে পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী এ কথা বলেন।

The Pillars of Islam

2009-07-30T01:29:00.003+07:00

The Pillars of Islam

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem al-Tuawyjri

Praise be to Allaah.

Islam is based on five pillars which the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) has explained for us, when he said: “Islam is built upon five [pillars]: the testimony that there is no god but Allaah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah; establishing regular prayer (salaah); paying the zakaah; Hajj (pilgrimage) and fasting Ramadaan.” (Agreed upon; narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 8)

Islam is both belief and laws, in which Allaah and His Messenger have told us what is halaal and what is haraam, morals and good manners, acts of worship and how to interact with people, rights and duties, and scenes of the resurrection. When Allaah completed this religion, He chose it to be the way of life for all of mankind until the Hour begins:

“This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion

[al-Maa'idah 5:3 – interpretation of the meaning]

These are the pillars of Islam and the principles upon which it is based:

The first pillar: al-Shahaadatayn (the twin testimony of faith)

This means that a person believes that Allaah alone is the Lord, Sovereign and Controller, the Creator and Provider. He affirms all His most beautiful names and the sublime attributes that Allaah has affirmed for Himself or that His Prophet affirmed for Him. He believes that Allaah alone, and no one else, is the Only One Who is deserving of worship, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. How can He have children when He has no wife? He created all things and He is the All-Knower of everything.

Such is Allaah, your Lord! Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone), and He is the Wakeel (Trustee, Disposer of affairs or Guardian) over all things”[al-An’aam 6:101-102]

And he believes that Allaah sent His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), and revealed to him the Qur’aan, and commanded him to convey this religion to all of mankind. He believes that loving Allaah and His Messenger and obeying them are duties which are obligatory upon all of mankind, and that love of Allaah can only be realized by following His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him):

“Say (O Muhammad to mankind): ‘If you (really) love Allaah, then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’aan and the Sunnah), Allaah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allaah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful”

[Aal ‘Imraan 3:31 – interpretation of the meaning]

The second pillar: salaah (prayer)

The Muslim believes that Allaah has enjoined upon every sane adult Muslim five prayers each day and night, which he does in a state of purity, standing before his Lord, every day in a state of purity and humility, thanking his Lord for His blessings, asking Him of His bounty, seeking His forgiveness for his sins, asking Him for Paradise and seeking refuge in Him from Hell.

The five obligatory prayers which are required day and night are Fajr (early morning, before dawn), Zuhr (mid-day, just after noon), ‘Asr (mid afternoon), Maghrib (just after sunset) and ‘Ishaa’ (at night, after dark has fallen). There are also Sunnah prayers such as Qiyaam al-Layl (prayer at night), Taraweeh prayers, two rak’ahs of Duha prayer, etc.

Prayer, whether it is fard or naafil, represents a sincere turning towards Allaah alone in all one's affairs. Allaah has commanded all the believers to guard strictly the observance of the prayers, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Guard strictly (five obligatory) As‑Salawaat (the prayers) especially the middle Salaah (i.e. the best prayer ‑ ‘Asr). And stand before Allaah with obedience [and do not speak to others during the Salaah (prayers)]”[al-Baqarah 2:238]

The five daily prayers are obligatory upon every Muslim man and woman, night and day:

“Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) is enjoined on the believers at fixed hours”[al-Nisaa’ 4:103 – interpretation of the meaning]

The one who abandons prayer has no share in Islam. Whoever neglects it deliberately is a kaafir, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“(And remain always) turning in repentance to Him (only), and be afraid and dutiful to Him; and perform As‑Salaah (Iqaamat‑as‑Salaah) and be not of Al‑Mushrikoon (the polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah)[al-Room 30:31]

Islam is based on co-operation, brotherhood and love, and Allaah has prescribed coming together for these prayers and others, in order to attain these virtues. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Prayer in congregation is twenty-seven times better than prayer offered alone.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 650)

Prayer helps the believer at times of hardship and calamity. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And seek help in patience and As-Salaah (the prayer) and truly, it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khaashi‘oon [i.e. the true believers in Allaah — those who obey Allaah with full submission, fear much from His punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise) and in His Warnings (Hell)].[al-Baqarah 2:45]

The five daily prayers wipe out sins, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Do you not think that if there was a river at the door of any one of you, and he were to bathe in it five times each day, would there by any dirt left on him?” They said, “No dirt would be left on him at all.” He said, “That is the likeness of the five daily prayers, by means of which Allaah erases sin.”

Prayer in the mosque is a means of entering Paradise. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever comes and goes to the mosque, Allaah will prepare for him a house in Paradise for each time he comes and goes.” (Narrated by Muslim, no. 669)

Prayer brings the slave and his Creator together. It was the delight of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Whenever any matter grieved him, he would turn to prayer and converse with his Lord and call upon Him, seeking His forgiveness and asking Him of His bounty.

Prayer done with proper humility and fear of Allaah brings the Muslim closer to his Lord, and keeps him from doing evil, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Recite (O Muhammad) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur’aan), and perform As‑Salaah (Iqaamat‑as‑Salaah). Verily, As‑Salaah (the prayer) prevents from Al‑Fahsha’ (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse) and Al‑Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed)”[al-‘Ankaboot 29:45]

The third pillar: zakaah (poor due, charity tax)

Just asAllaah has created people with different colours, attitudes and levels of knowledge, so too their deeds and provision vary. He has made some of them rich and some poor, to test the rich as to whether they show gratitude, and to test the poor as to whether they are patient. Because the believers are a brotherhood, and brotherhood is based on compassion, kindness, love and mercy, Allaah has enjoined upon the Muslims zakaah which is taken from the rich and given to the poor. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Take Sadaqah (alms) from their wealth in order to purify them and sanctify them with it, and invoke Allaah for them. Verily, your invocations are a source of security for them”[al-Tawbah 9:103]

Zakaah purifies and cleanses wealth, and purifies the soul from stinginess and miserliness. It strengthens the love between the rich and poor, takes away hatred, makes security prevail and brings happiness to the ummah happy.

Allaah has made the payment of zakaah obligatory upon everyone who owns the nisaab (minimum amount) for one year. The rate of zakaah on gold, silver, other metals and trade goods is one quarter of ten percent. On agricultural produce and fruits the amount is one-tenth if it is irrigated (by artificial means), and one-half of one-tenth if it is not irrigated (by artificial means, i.e., it is watered by rainfall or other natural means). Concerning an’aam animals (i.e., sheep, goats, cattle and camels) the details are explained in the books of fiqh… Whoever pays zakaah, Allaah expiates his sins thereby, and blesses his wealth, and stores up for him a great reward. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And perform As-Salaah (Iqaamat-as-Salaah), and give Zakaah, and whatever of good (deeds that Allaah loves) you send forth for yourselves before you, you shall find it with Allaah. Certainly, Allaah is All-Seer of what you do”[al-Baqarah 2:110]

Withholding zakaah brings disasters and evils upon the ummah. Allaah has threatened those who withhold it with a painful torment on the Day of Resurrection. He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Verily, there are many of the (Jewish) rabbis and the (Christian) monks who devour the wealth of mankind in falsehood, and hinder (them) from the way of Allaah (i.e. Allaah’s religion of Islamic Monotheism). And those who hoard up gold and silver (Al‑Kanz: the money, the Zakaah of which has not been paid) and spend them not in the way of Allaah, announce unto them a painful torment.

On the Day when that (Al‑Kanz: money, gold and silver, the Zakaah of which has not been paid) will be heated in the fire of Hell and with it will be branded their foreheads, their flanks, and their backs, (and it will be said unto them:) ‘This is the treasure which you hoarded for yourselves. Now taste of what you used to hoard’”

[al-Tawbah 9:34-35]

Concealing one’s zakaah is better than paying it openly in front of people, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“If you disclose your Sadaqaat (almsgiving), it is well; but if you conceal them and give them to the poor, that is better for you. (Allaah) will expiate you some of your sins. And Allaah is Well-Acquainted with what you do [al-Baqarah 2:271]

When a Muslim pays his zakaah, it is not permissible for him to give it to anyone except those whom Allaah mentions in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning):

“As-Sadaqaat (here it means Zakaah) are only for the Fuqaraa’ (poor), and Al‑Masaakeen (the poor) and those employed to collect (the funds); and to attract the hearts of those who have been inclined (towards Islam); and to free the captives; and for those in debt; and for Allaah’s Cause (i.e. for Mujahidoon — those fighting in a holy battle), and for the wayfarer (a traveller who is cut off from everything); a duty imposed by Allaah. And Allaah is All-Knower, All-Wise”[al-Tawbah 9:60]

The fourth pillar: sawm (fasting) in Ramadaan

Fasting means abstaining from things which break the fast, such as food, drink and intercourse, from sunrise until sunset, with the intention of fasting.

The relationship of patience to faith is like that of the head to the body. Allaah has enjoined upon this ummah fasting for one month of the year, in order to draw closer to Allaah, to avoid that which Allaah has forbidden, to get used to being patient, to bring the nafs (self) under control, to compete in generosity and to demonstrate co-operation and mutual compassion. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“O you who believe! Observing As-Sawm (the fasting) is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you, that you may become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious)”[al-Baqarah 2:183]

The month of Ramadaan is a great month, in which Allaah revealed the Qur’aan. The reward for good deeds, acts of charity and acts of worship are multiplied in this month. In it is Laylat al-Qadr, which is better than a thousand months. The gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are shut, and the shayaateen (devils) are tied up.

Allaah has made fasting the month of Ramadaan obligatory upon every sane, adult Muslim, male and female alike, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“The month of Ramadaan in which was revealed the Qur’aan, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadaan i.e. is present at his home), he must observe Sawm (fasts) that month, and whoever is ill or on a journey, the same number [of days which one did not observe Sawm (fasts) must be made up] from other days. Allaah intends for you ease, and He does not want to make things difficult for you. (He wants that you) must complete the same number (of days), and that you must magnify Allaah [i.e. to say Takbeer (Allaahu Akbar: Allaah is the Most Great)] for having guided you so that you may be grateful to Him” [al-Baqarah 2:185]

There is a great reward with Allaah for fasting. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Every action of the son of Adam is multiplied, each good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allaah said, ‘Except for fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it, for he gives up his desire and food for My sake.’” (Narrated by Muslim, al-Siyaam)

The fifth pillar: Hajj (pilgrimage)

Allaah has given the Muslims a Qiblah (direction of prayer) which they face when they pray (salaah) and offer supplications (du’aa’), wherever they may be. This qiblah is the Ancient House (the Ka’bah) in Makkah al-Mukarramah:

“so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction [al-Baqarah 2:144 – interpretation of the meaning]

Because the Muslims scattered all over the world, and Islam calls people to be united and get to know one another, just as it calls them to co-operate in righteousness and piety, to recommend one another to the truth, to call people to Allaah and to venerate the rituals of Allaah – hence Allaah has made it obligatory for every sane, adult Muslim who has the means, to visit His Ancient House, to circumambulate it and to perform all the rituals of Hajj as explained by Allaah and His Messenger. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“And Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah) to the House (Ka‘bah) is a duty that mankind owes to Allaah, those who can afford the expenses (for one’s conveyance, provision and residence); and whoever disbelieves [i.e. denies Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah), then he is a disbeliever of Allaah], then Allaah stands not in need of any of the ‘Aalameen (mankind, jinn and all that exists)” [Aal Imraan 3:97]

Hajj is an occasion on which the unity of the Muslims, their strength and pride, are made manifest. For the Lord is One, the Book is one, the Messenger is one, the ummah is one, their worship is one and their clothing is one.

Hajj has its own etiquette and conditions which the Muslims must observe, such as restraining their tongues, hearing and sight from all that Allaah has forbidden, being sincere in their intentions, using money from good sources (for Hajj), fostering the best attitude, and avoiding everything that could invalidate the Hajj, such as sexual relations, sin or arguing unjustly, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“The Hajj (pilgrimage) is (in) the well-known (lunar year) months (i.e. the 10th month, the 11th month and the first ten days of the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, i.e. two months and ten days). So whosoever intends to perform Hajj therein (by assuming Ihraam), then he should not have sexual relations (with his wife), nor commit sin, nor dispute unjustly during the Hajj. And whatever good you do, (be sure) Allaah knows it. And take a provision (with you) for the journey, but the best provision is At-Taqwa (piety, righteousness). So fear Me, O men of understanding!”[al-Baqarah 3:197]

If the Muslim does Hajj correctly, in the manner prescribed and sincerely for the sake of Allaah, it will be an expiation for his sins. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does Hajj for the sake of Allaah, and does not have sexual relations or commit sins, will come back like the day his mother bore him.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, no. 15210)

এক নজরে জুন ২০০৯

2009-06-06T05:35:00.036+06:00

৩০শে জুন ২০০৯:
বেলুচিস্তানে রিমোট-কন্ট্রোল বোমা হামলায় ৫ জন নিহত।

২৯শে জুন ২০০৯:
বাংলাদেশের পররাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী ডাক্তার দীপু মণি বলেন, ভারত ও মায়ানমারের সাথে সমুদ্রসীমা নির্ধারণকল্পে কোন ধরনের জরিপ কাজ পরিচালনার উদ্যোগ সরকারের নেই। জাতীয় সংসদে সাংসদ রাশেদা বেগম হীরার এক প্রশ্নের উত্তরে তিনি এ কথা বলেন।

২৮শে জুন ২০০৯:
এশিয়া প্রশান্ত মহাসাগরীয় অঞ্চলের শান্তিরক্ষী প্রশিক্ষণ কেন্দ্রের প্রধানদের নিয়ে চারদিন ব্যাপী সম্মেলন ঢাকায় শুরু। বাংলাদেশ সেনাবাহিনীর চীফ অব জেনারেল স্টাফ মেজর জেনারেল আবদুল হাফিজ এই সম্মেলন উদ্বোধন করেন।

২৭শে জুন ২০০৯:

ঝিনাইদহের কালীগঞ্জে মোবারকগঞ্জ রেলষ্টেশনের কাছে একটি যাত্রীবাহী চলন্ত ট্রেনের কামরায় শক্তিশালী বোমা বিস্ফোরণে ১০ যাত্রী আহত। ট্রেনটি খুলনা থেকে রাজশাহী যাচ্ছিল।

২৬শে জুন ২০০৯:
ঢাকার কারওয়ান বাজারে প্রকাশ্য দিবালোকে সন্ত্রাসীদের ব্রাশফায়ারে তিন ব্যবসায়ী নিহত এবং গুলিবিদ্ধ হয়ে এক ব্যবসায়ী আহত। চাঁদা দিতে অস্বীকৃতির জের ধরে এই হত্যাকাণ্ড চালান হয় বলে জানা যায়। হতাহতরা স্থানীয় আওয়ামী লীগ ও জাতীয় পার্টির নেতা।

২৫শে জুন ২০০৯:
ঢাকায় নিযুক্ত মার্কিন রাষ্ট্রদূত জেমস এফ মরিয়ার্টি বলেন:
- দক্ষিণ এশিয়া অঞ্চলের ‍পানি বিতর্ক নিয়ে সংশ্লিষ্ট দেশগুলোকে আলোচনার মাধ্যমে সমাধান করতে হবে।

- ভারত থেকে কি পরিমাণ পানি বাংলাদেশে আসে এবং টিপাইমুখ বাঁধের সম্ভাব্য প্রভাব কি হতে পারে, এ সব ব্যাপারে তার কাছে কোন তথ্য নেই।

- দক্ষিণ এশিয়ার পানি বিতর্কে তার দেশের (মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্র) কোন সংশ্লিষ্টতা নেই।

নিরাপত্তা গবেষণা বিষয়ক সংস্থা বাংলাদেশ ইনস্টিটিউট অব পিস এণ্ড সিকিউরিটি স্টাডিজ আয়োজিত ‘দক্ষিণ এশিয়া এবং বারাক ওবামার পররাষ্ট্রনীতি’ শীর্ষক এক আলোচনা সভায় মূল বক্তার বক্তব্যে তিনি এ সব কথা বলেন।

২৪শে জুন ২০০৯:
৬০তম বিএমএ দীর্ঘমেয়াদী কোর্স ও ৩১তম বিএমএ স্পেশাল কোর্সের জেন্টেলম্যান ও জেন্টেল উইম্যান ক্যাডেটদের কমিশনপ্রাপ্তি উপলক্ষে চট্টগ্রামের ভাটিয়ারীস্থ বাংলাদেশ মিলিটারী একাডেমীতে রাষ্ট্রপতি কুচকাওয়াজ অনুষ্ঠিত।

২৩শে জুন ২০০৯:
পাকিস্তানের দক্ষিণ ওয়াজিরিস্তানে চালকবিহীন মার্কিন বিমান থেকে ক্ষেপণাস্ত্র হামলায় অন্তত ৫০ জন নিহত, আহত বহুসংখ্যক।

২২শে জুন ২০০৯:
বাংলাদেশের বৃহত্তম স্থলবন্দর বেনাপোলে ভয়াবহ অগ্নিকাণ্ডে কোটি কোটি টাকার আমদানিকৃত পণ্য ভস্মীভূত।

২১শে জুন ২০০৯:
ঢাকায় নিযুক্ত ভারতীয় হাইকমিশনার পিনাক রঞ্জন চক্রবর্তী বলেন:
- টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ নির্মাণ ক’রে জলবিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্র স্থাপন করবে ভারত। এই প্রকল্পে কেবল জলবিদ্যুৎই উৎপাদন করা হবে।
- টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ দিয়ে পানির গতি পরিবর্তন ক’রে কৃষি কিংবা অন্য কাজে ব্যবহারের কোন পরিকল্পনা নেই ভারতের।

- টিপাইমুখ বাঁধ নিয়ে বাংলাদেশের পানি বিশেষজ্ঞরা বিভ্রান্তি ছড়াচ্ছেন।- কোন অসৎ উদ্দেশ্য নিয়ে এ বাঁধ নির্মাণ করা হচ্ছে ন‍া।

- ভারত কোন অবস্থায়ই বাংলাদেশের শত্রুরাষ্ট্র নয়।

‘দক্ষিণ এশীয় যোগাযোগ : প্রেক্ষিত বাংলাদেশ’ শীর্ষক এক সেমিনারে বিশেষ অতিথির বক্তব্যে তিনি এ সব কথ‍া বলেন।

২০শে জুন ২০০৯:
ইরানের পরাজিত প্রেসিডেন্ট-পদপ্রার্থী মীর হোসেন মুসাভি’র সমর্থনে আয়োজিত বিশাল সমাবেশ পুলিশী বাধার মুখে পণ্ড। তেহরানে সমাবেশ ছত্রভঙ্গ করতে দাঙ্গা পুলিশ ও নিরাপত্তা বাহিনীর সদস্যরা জলকামান ব্যবহার করে, টিয়ারগ্যাস ছোঁড়ে এবং ব্যাটন চার্জ করে।

১৯শে জুন ২০০৯:
রাজশাহীতে ৪ জন মহিলা ও ২ জন শিশু সহ মোট ১৮ ব্যক্তিকে জঙ্গী (ইসলামের নামে সন্ত্রাস সৃষ্টিকারী অর্থে) গ্রেফতার ক’রে পরে মুচলেকা নিয়ে ছেড়ে দেয় পুলিশ।

১৮ই জুন ২০০৯:
লালমনির হাটের বুড়িমারী সীমান্তে বিএসএফের গুলিতে একজন বাংলাদেশী গরু-ব্যবসায়ী নিহত (ভোরে)। পতাকা বৈঠকের মাধ্যমে লাশ হস্তান্তর (সন্ধ্যায়)।

১৭ই জুন ২০০৯:
ইরানের পরাজিত প্রেসিডেন্ট-পদপ্রার্থী মীর হোসেন মুসাভি’র সমর্থক দুই প্রভাবশালী সংস্কারবাদী সাংবাদিক গ্রেফতার।

১৬ই জুন ২০০৯:
কর্ণফুলী নদীর পতেঙ্গা পয়েন্টে বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনীর একটি প্রশিক্ষণ বিমান (চীনের তৈরী FT-6) বিধ্বস্ত। পাইলট অক্ষত।

১৫ই জুন ২০০৯:

বাংলাদেশ সেনাবাহিনী প্রধান হিসেবে লে. জে. আবদুল মুবিন চৌধুরীর দায়িত্ব গ্রহণ। তিনি বিদায়ী সেনাপ্রধান মইন উ আহমেদের স্থলাভিষিক্ত হলেন।

১৪ই জুন ২০০৯:

পিলখানা হত্যাকাণ্ডের ঘটনায় পলাতক বিডিআর সদস্যদেরকে ধরিয়ে দিলে এক লক্ষ টাকার পুরস্কার ঘোষণা করেছে বাংলাদেশের স্বরাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রণালয়। এর আগে ৫০ হাজার টাকা পুরস্কার ঘোষণা করা হয়েছিল।

১৩ই জুন ২০০৯:

ইরানের প্রেসিডেন্ট নির্বাচনে আহমদী নেজাদ বিপুল ব্যবধানে বিজয়ী।

১২ই জুন ২০০৯:

সাতক্ষীরা সীমান্তে বিএসএফের গুলিতে সাঈদুর রহমান নামে একজন বাংলাদেশী নিহত।

১১ই জুন ২০০৯:

ইন্দোনেশিয়ার বেংকুলু প্রদেশে মাঝারি মাত্রার ভূমিকম্প। তাৎক্ষণিকভাবে কোন হতাহত কিংবা ক্ষয়ক্ষতির খবর পাওয়া যায়নি।

১০ই জুন ২০০৯:

ইরাকে গাড়ীবোমা বিস্ফোরণে কমপক্ষে ৩০ জন নিহত এবং ৭০ জন আহত।

৯ই জুন ২০০৯:
পাকিস্তানের উত্তর-পশ্চিমাঞ্চলীয় শহর পেশোয়ারে পাঁচ তারক‍া হোটেলে শক্তিশালী বোমা বিস্ফোরণে নিহত ১৬, আহত ৫৭।

৮ই জুন ২০০৯:
থাইল্যান্ডের দক্ষিণাঞ্চলীয় নারাথিওয়াথ প্রদেশের একটি মসজিদে মাগরিবের নামাজের সময়ে অজ্ঞাত বন্দুকধারীদের গুলিতে নিহত ১০, আহত ১২। গুলিবর্ষণের সময়ে সকলেই সাজদা-রত অবস্থায় ছিলেন। উল্লেখ্য, থাইল্যান্ডের প্রধান তিনটি মুসলিম প্রদেশের মধ্যে নারাথিওয়াথ অন্যতম। গত পাঁচ বছরে সেখানে বোমা ও গুলিতে তিন হাজারেরও বেশী মুসলমান নিহত হয়েছেন।

৭ই ‍জুন ২০০৯:
পেন্টাগণের অভিযোগ - বুশ প্রশাসনের সময় সন্ত্রাস মোকাবেলার জন্য পাওয়া সামরিক সাহায্য সেনাবাহিনীর আধুনিকায়নেই ব্যয় করেছে পাকিস্তান, যাতে যুদ্ধ হলে তারা ভারতের মোকাবেলা করতে পারে এবং এ ব্যাপারে বুশ প্রশাসন ওয়াকিফহাল ছিল।

৬ই জুন ২০০৯:
পাকিস্তান সীমান্তবর্তী আফগানিস্তানের স্পিন বোলদাক শহরে আত্মঘাতী বোমা হামলায় ৪ জন নিহত।

৫ই জুন ২০০৯:
চীনের দক্ষিণ-পশ্চিমাঞ্চলীয় সিচুয়ান প্রদেশের রাজধানী চেংদুতে একটি পাবলিক বাসে অগ্নিকাণ্ডে অগ্নিদগ্ধ হয়ে ২৪ আরোহী নিহত এবং ৪৪ জন আহত। অগ্নিকাণ্ডের কারণ জানা যায়নি।

৪ঠা জুন ২০০৯:
মিসরের কায়রো বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের গ্র্যান্ড হলে মার্কিন প্রেসিডেন্ট বারাক ওবামা মুসলিম বিশ্বের উদ্দেশ্যে ৫৫ মিনিট ব্যাপী ভাষণ প্রদান করেন।

৩রা জুন ২০০৯:
ফিলিপাইনে বন্দুকধারীদের গুলিতে জনৈক জুনিয়র মন্ত্রী আহত।

২রা জুন ২০০৯:

তালেবানের হাতে আটক ৫০০ ‍অপহৃতের ভেতরে ৮০ শিক্ষার্থীকে পাকিস্তানের উত্তর-পশ্চিমাঞ্চলীয় এলাকা থেকে উদ্ধার করেছে পাকিস্তান সেনাবাহিনী। উদ্ধারকৃত সকলেই উত্তর ওয়াজিরিস্তানে সেনাবাহিনী পরিচালিত ক্যাডেট কলেজের ছাত্র।

১লা জুন ২০০৯:

২২৮ যাত্রী নিয়ে এয়ার ফ্রান্সের একটি উড়োজাহাজ আটলান্টিক মহাসাগরের আকাশে নিখোঁজ।

President Sarkozy opens French naval base in Abu Dhabi - reporter Khalil Tawfiq

2009-06-02T07:01:00.002+06:00

President Sarkozy opens French naval base in Abu Dhabi

Khalil Tawfiq
01/06/2009

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Emirati counterpart Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed. (Emirates News Agency)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy formally opened a permanent French naval base in Abu Dhabi, the first of its kind to be located outside the country in 50 years. The UAE requested its establishment under the terms of a joint defence agreement between the two governments concluded in 1995.

The base is located about 225 kilometres from the coast of Iran and becomes operational at a time when the region is experiencing intermittent tensions between the Islamic Republic and Western states, especially considering the U.S. battleships that are currently deployed off the Straits of Hormuz, through which 40 percent of the world's oil exports pass.

In reference to Iran, which occupies three Emirati islands, Sarkozy stressed that the permanent French military presence in the UAE is not a threatening one. Instead, France intends to establish a "naval peace camp" in Abu Dhabi to carry a message of peace to the entire region. Sarkozy expressed the hope that the base will promote stability in the region and allow naval forces of other nations to receive training in the UAE.

The French newspaper Le Figaro, however, quoted a French diplomat as saying, "If Iran attacks the Emirates one day, then it will also be attacking France." He explained that Paris hopes the permanent deployment of French forces near the Straits of Hormuz will act as a deterrent against Tehran.

Sarkozy added that the Abu Dhabi base will not replace its Djibouti base, which works primarily to counter piracy. On the contrary, he explained that the roles of the bases are complementary.

The French president delivered these words at the Emirates Palace Hotel following a ceremony attended by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, at an event inaugurating work to establish a branch of the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi.

The French president's schedule was filled with meetings during his less than 24 hour visit to the UAE. In his meeting with Emirati ruler Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed, the two leaders signed a number of agreements in the areas of security, defence and diplomatic cooperation. Sarkozy's tour also included a stop at the Al-Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi.

Source: Emirates News Agency / UAE newspapers Al-Ittihad and The National / French Le Figaro newspaper

Three Point Action Agenda for the Muslim Ummah

2009-06-01T07:51:00.000+06:00

by Dr. Israr Ahmad
founder@tanzeem.org

Translator´s Note

The ideas and arguments put forward in this booklet were originally presented by Dr. Israr Ahmad, Ameer of Tanzeem-e-Islami, in his numerous lectures, particularly two of his public speeches delivered at Karachi in 1985 and 1990. Despite this gap of five years, the two lectures were published together in Urdu on account of their common purpose and subject matter, which is to educate and enlighten all those who profess to be Muslims regarding the responsibilities of the Muslim Ummah as a whole, as well as the duties of its individual members.

The issues that are discussed in these lectures revolve around three ayaat of the Holy Qur´an, which occur in the middle of its third Surah. The remarkable feature of these ayaat is that they describe, in just a few words, the entire plan of action that must be adopted by Muslims if they are to succeed in the Hereafter and redress their continuing humiliation in this world.

The present English translation, being a summary of the points covered in the public addresses mentioned above, was initially published in three issues of the monthly Hikmat-e-Qur´an, and now its revised version is being presented in the form of a booklet. It is hoped that this translation will go a long way in introducing the fundamental conceptions behind the establishment of Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur´an Lahore and Tanzeem-e-Islami — the spearheads of revivalist struggle initially in Pakistan and later spreading out to the entire world.

Absar Ahmad

December, 1997

The Article

Three ayaat (102-104) of Surah Aal-e-Imran are of immense significance as they contain in a nutshell the comprehensive three-point plan of action Muslims are commanded to undertake in order to attain terrestrial success as well as salvation and felicity in the Hereafter. These ayaat and their English translation are as follows:

Believers! Heed Allah as He should be heeded, and see that you do not die except in the state of Islam.

And hold fast, all together, to the Rope of Allah (which He stretched out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah´s favor on you, for you were once enemies and then He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace you became brethren; and you were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make His Signs clear to you, that you may be guided to the right way.

Let there arise from among you a band of people (i.e., a party) who invite people to all that is good, and enjoin the doing of all that is right and forbid the doing of all that is wrong. It is they who will attain true success.

These ayaat occur almost in the middle of the Surah Aal-e-Imran and as such occupy a pivotal position in the numerous themes with which the Surah deals. As is commonly believed by Muslims, every single ayah of the Qur´an contains both theoretical wisdom and practical guidance. Similarly, though the above mentioned three ayaat too have philosophical points of wisdom or theoretical hikmah, I shall mainly dilate upon the practical guidance provided by them. I personally believe that pure academicism or too much philosophical or critical acumen exercised in understanding a particular point quite often hides from the scholar the concrete and practical guidance contained therein. Moreover, what the Muslim Ummah as a whole needs today is a clear and precise perception of the religious obligations and imperatives and a resolve to act upon them in the right earnest.

The first ayah tells the Muslims very precisely, and yet very comprehensively, the obligations which they have to fulfill as members of the Muslim Ummah — the priorities in the conduct of life and the value-structure to be upheld during the course of this-worldly life.
The second ayah enlightens the Muslims about the binding-force which unites and welds them into an Ummah (a religious fraternity) — the instrument which turns them into a disciplined community with a common aim.
The third ayah delineates the objective and goal of the Muslim Ummah in general and that of the activist Islamic group or hizbullah in particular. In other words, it deals with the question: What is the mission and the target for which the Ummah has to strive?

One can very easily see that there is a strong logical relationship between these three points. Every organizational effort or collectivity depends ultimately upon the individual members — their existential commitment to the group´s world-view and determination to act accordingly. How can a group or a collectivity proceed in the right direction unless its individual members act and behave in the right manner? If individuals do not conduct themselves on the prescribed lines, how can the group as a whole work appropriately and achieve its envisaged targets? It is quite logical, therefore, that in organizing a collective effort the individual person himself comes first. In the context of Islamic Ummah´s mission and goal, the foremost point is that an individual Muslim should realize and perform his religious obligations. He should be quite clear as to what Islam requires him to do, and he must fulfill those requirements.

Let me illustrate this point with the help of an example. Suppose a person has to ascend a platform which has three steps. The surest and safest way for him will be first to rise up to the first step, then to the second and finally to the last. If, on the other hand, he tries to jump at the top he is most likely to fall down, thus failing to achieve his target. The ayaat cited above similarly unfold before us three steps or stages through which Muslims should pursue their ummatic goal.

So let us focus our attention on the first ayah that reads:

Believers! Heed Allah as He should be heeded, and see that you do not die except in the state of Islam.

Here two points are noteworthy before we embark upon an in-depth analysis of the contents of the ayah: First, almost two-third of the Qur´an consists of Makkan Surahs in which the expression "O Believers!" has not been used even once. This way of address was employed in the Medinan period when the Muslims had formally became a community. Thus this expression marked the formation of Muslim Ummah and Allah Almighty (SWT) used these words while addressing all the members of the Islamic polity.

Secondly, a major portion of Surah Aal-e-Imran was revealed in the third year after Hijrah, immediately after the battle of Uhud (Shawwal, 3 A.H.). If one tries to visualize, with the help of authentic historical accounts, the state of the Muslim community at that time in Medinah, one sees that the faith and belief of the community presented a wide spectrum. At the one end of that spectrum were true, staunch, and pious believers (among both Ansar and Muhajiroon) the depth of whose inner certitude and unflinching belief (Iman) was fathomless, whereas at the other extreme were those who lacked firm commitment and dedication to Islam — the vacillating and faint-hearted among the Prophet´s (SAW) followers. The highest degree of this attitude was exhibited by those whom the Qur´an terms as Munafiqun — people who had rancor or hatred against true Muslims and suffered from incredulity, impiety, shiftlessness, and dissimulation. The important point to note, however, is that these people were never treated as a separate group; rather they were included among the Muslims and the address starting with the expressions "O Believers!" also covered them. This point has far reaching implications. Legally, even the hypocrites are to be treated as Muslims in an Islamic society as they profess the Oneness of Allah (SWT) and prophethood of Muhammad (SAW). That is why in the whole of the Qur´an we do not read even once the words "O Hypocrites!" even though a complete Surah entitled "Al-Munafiqun" (the Hypocrites) deals with the wiles, plots, and false pretexts of the dissemblers, whom the Holy Book likens to propped-up timbers. At other places the hypocrites, faint-hearted, and weak-willed Muslims are described as a menace to military discipline, quislings under pressure and vacillators always guessing at their shifting fortunes. All those who profess to have Iman, the Qur´an says, are not necessarily trule believers; many have diseases of feebleness or hypocrisy in their hearts:

And there are some men who say: We believe in God and the Last Day; but they are not really believers ...in their hearts is disease…. (Al-Baqarah 2:8-10)

The Bedouins say, We believe. Say: You do not (truly) believe, rather say, "We have (outwardly) surrendered" — for faith has not yet entered your hearts. (Al-Hujurat 49:14)

O Messenger, let those who vie with one another in (the way of) kufr not grieve you, from among those who say with their mouths "We believe" while their hearts believe not…. (Al-Ma´ida 5:41)

So, here in this world, true and staunch believers as well as weaklings and hypocrites are all mixed together. However, Almighty Allah (SWT) will make a clear division between them on the Day of Judgment, when everybody will be rewarded on the basis of his belief and deeds (see Al-Hadeed 57:13). In other words, in this world a man´s being Muslim (i.e., his verbal attestation of the basic beliefs of Islam and outward actions) is all that matters; but in the Hereafter only true and sincere belief — Iman — and deeds performed with the sole intention of pleasing Allah (SWT) will save one from the torments of hell-fire.

Turning now to the meanings of the ayaat, one notes that they address all who claim themselves to be believers, and the first demand that is made is: "O Believers! heed Allah as much as He should be really heeded." This means that people who profess faith are being commanded to be true believers and to have fear and awe of Allah (SWT) to the utmost degree. The Arabic word Taqwa is very meagerly transliterated in the English word "fear." Fear is obviously of many kinds:

the abject fear of the coward;
the fear of a child or an inexperienced person in the face of an unknown danger, more properly called dread;
the fear of a reasonable man who wishes to avoid harm to himself or to people whom he wishes to protect;
the reverence which is akin to love, for it fears to do anything which is not pleasing to the object of love.

The first is unworthy of man; the second is necessary for one spiritually immature; the third is a manly precaution against evil so long as it is unconquered; and the fourth is the seed-bed of righteousness and piety. Those mature in faith cultivate the fourth; at earlier stages, the third or the second may be necessary. But even here it is both fear and reverential awe of Allah (SWT). The first, on the other hand, is a feeling of which anyone should be ashamed. To respond to the call of Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW) even after one has been smitten by injuries indicates that one fears God. Taqwa is indeed God-consciousness that makes a person righteous and pious. Steadfastness and perseverance in obedience and loyalty to Almighty Allah (SWT) necessarily characterize the pious (i.e., a muttaqi). According to the Qur´an, Taqwa is an all-embracing moral-cum-spiritual quality of the highest order — the inner driving force that keeps a Muslim on the right track.

Let us try to understand Taqwa a little further. Taqwa does not merely imply any particular form, appearance or life-style. Rather, it is a state of mind and heart which no doubt does reflect in every aspect of life. It permeates the whole being of a true believer; it is not a mere veneer or outward show. Essentially, it can be termed God-consciousness: a human being´s awe of God, consciousness of one´s duty towards Him, and an awareness of one´s accountability to Him; to be conscious of the fact that the world is a phase of trial where Allah (SWT) has sent us for a specified period of time; that Allah´s decisions on the Day of Judgment on an individual´s future in the Hereafter will depend on how he makes use of his energies and capabilities in the period of time at his disposal in this world. A conscience which is fired by consciousness of Allah (SWT) becomes alive. Man´s sensitivity becomes sharp under this influence and he avoids everything that is against Allah´s will. He starts examining his own thoughts and feelings to see what tendencies are being nurtured within him. He begins to scrutinize his life to find out in what activities he is spending his time and energy.

Once the second Caliph Umar (RAA) asked Ubai Ibn Ka´b (RAA) as to how he would define Taqwa and what its essence is. Ubai Ibn Ka´b (RAA), acclaimed by the Holy Prophet (SAW) as a great scholar and reciter of the Qur´an, explained it in such a convincing and vivid manner that everyone of the Companions sitting in that meeting appreciated it. The explanation given by him may be paraphrased like this: If a man has to cross a jungle with thorny bushes on both sides of a narrow track, he will take extreme care and tuck up his garments in order to avoid any harm to his clothes or to himself. This attitude of caution and care is to be called Taqwa.

Keeping this connotation of Taqwa in view, let us first understand what Iman or Islamic religions belief is. Iman signifies that a person has acknowledged the unity of God and believed in Him as the Creator and the Sustainer of the universe, one has testified to the Day of Judgment, and, finally, believed the messengership of Muhammad (SAW). This tripartite belief entails crucially important practical imperatives, which are, in the words of the Qur´an, as follows:

So, obey Allah and obey His Messenger; but if you turn back, the duty of our Messenger is but to proclaim the Message clearly and openly. (Al-Taghabun 64:12)

So take and put in practice what the Messenger assigns to you and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you.... (Al-Hashr 59:7).

Then guard yourselves against the Day when one soul shall not avail another, nor shall compensation be accepted from her, nor shall intercession profit her, nor shall anyone be helped. (Al-Baqarah 2:123)

In a nutshell, the first and foremost demand of Iman on a Muslim is that he should have Taqwa. Not only does a person with Taqwa scrupulously avoid things which are explicitly prohibited, he also hesitates from getting involved in affairs which are in any way dubious or worthless. His sense of duty makes him fulfill Allah´s commands in a spirit of total submission. His fear of God causes a feeling of deep anxiety and agony whenever there is a possibility that he may be in danger of exceeding limits prescribed by Almighty Allah (SWT). Ensuring the discharge of his obligations towards God and towards his fellow-beings becomes his way of life; he shudders at the very thought of doing anything unjust and against the Islamic Shari´ah. He keeps a vigil on whatever his bodily limbs (arms, legs, eyes, ears, sexual organs) perform. He thinks himself accountable for all voluntary acts performed through them. Since, according to the Qur´an an angel always records whatever a man speaks out, a God-fearing man is vigilant about what he utters. This vigilance, control, concern, and caution are the hallmarks of the Taqwa-based attitude in life.

Again, the words which accompany and qualify the commandment for Taqwa are immensely noteworthy: "...as He should be heeded." While reciting this ayah we generally take a cursory and cavalier view of these words. How radically different was the attitude and response of the Companions of the Prophet (SAW) when they came to know of this challenging demand! They became extremely perturbed and thought that it was impossible for one to fear Almighty Allah (SWT) to the highest degree due Him. They, therefore, inquired from the Prophet about this and got consolation only when the following words of Allah, Most Merciful and Most Compassionate, were revealed: "So heed God as much as you can..." (Al-Taghabun 64:15). On hearing this, they were relieved of a terrible anxiety. Allah´s Taqwa combined with "as much as you can" obviously means: "lead lives of self-restraint and righteousness to the highest possible degree." And the Companions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) amply acted upon this Divine injunction. However, on our part we should not absolve ourselves of our obligation by underestimating our own capacities and capabilities. One should not deliberately forego the struggle for restraint and piety on the false (and self-deceiving!) pretext that he lacks the required mental and physical strength. The All-Knowing Allah (SWT) knows well how much strength and capability He has given to each person and everyone will be judged according to that measure.

Now let us discuss the second injunction contained in the ayah: "and see that you do not die except in the state of Islam." What does Islam literally mean? It means submission and surrender to Allah (SWT). Islam implies belief in the unity of God and the prophethood of Muhammad (SAW). Anyone who testifies to this belief fulfills the legal requirement for entry into the fold of Islam. This belief has very significant practical ramifications. The edifice of a complete Islamic life can only be built on a belief in God´s unity (Tauheed) that permeates a person´s entire personal and social life, and which is so strong that he considers himself and all that he possesses as really belonging to Almighty Allah (SWT); he accepts Him as the sole rightful Owner, Object of worship, Receiver of obedience, and Law-giver for himself as well as for the rest of the world; he considers Him the fountain-head of guidance, and is fully aware that disobedience to Allah (SWT) or indifference to the divinely revealed law constitutes deviation from the right path of Islam. Indeed, controlling the baser prompting and desires of the self and always striving to act according to the dictates of the Qur´an and Sunnah of the Prophet is what Islam essentially means.

Moreover, the command given in a most emphatic style — "and see that you do not die save in the state of Islam" — is very significant and subtle. As a matter of fact, nobody knows as to how long he is going to live and where and in what conditions his death will take place. We often hear that a person travels in the morning to a certain place on a business or pleasure trip. His family members fondly expect him back after a few days, but instead in the evening of the very same day he left his house, his wife and children receive his dead body. Thus, if a person firmly decides that death does not take him except in the state of submission and total surrender to Allah (SWT), he will have to be extremely and ceaselessly alert so that not even a single moment of his life is spent in sinful activity. Nobody has any guarantee whatsoever that he is not to die at the time of indulging in sin and thus transgressing the limits set by the Qur´an and the Sunnah.

Many Qur´anic ayaat and ahadith emphasize that an un-Islamic act cannot co-exist with Iman, indeed to the extent that, at least while man is committing a sin, his Iman leaves him. Let me here quote a very authentic hadith.

Hadrat Abu Hurayra (RAA) says that Allah´s Messenger (SAW) said: While one is committing fornication, he is not a believer; while one is stealing, he is not a believer; while one is taking liquor, he is not a believer; while one is plundering, as people look on, he is not a believer; while one is committing fraud, he is not a believer; so beware, beware! (Bukhari and Muslim)

Leaving aside for a moment the arguments of the jurists and theologians about Iman and its relation to a´maal (actions), one must try to understand the matter in the light of the Qur´an. It is crystal clear from the Qur´an that the inner conviction of faith and the practice of Islam are essentially interdependent. Allah (SWT) almost invariably mentions faith and righteous conduct together. Verbal profession of Islamic beliefs, though important in its own right, is not sufficient for supporting the edifice of an Islamic morality and way of life and for winning him salvation in the Hereafter. Just imagine the utter misfortune of a person whose soul is overtaken by death while he is committing a grievous sin and no time is left for him to repent and make amends. This situation can only be avoided by a Muslim who makes Islam the ultimate, paramount and all-time concern in his life.

First things first. This, then, is the foremost and base-line practical step or action which a true Muslim has to undertake most earnestly. Without accomplishing this, he cannot fruitfully move on to the two higher steps of the action-agenda. Allah (SWT) castigates the religious divines of the Jews with severest reproach on this account thus:

Do you enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (to practise it) yourselves, and yet you study the Scripture? Will you not understand? (Al-Baqarah 2:44)

This attitude (of double standards) is also conspicuously visible in our own present day Muslim society. Many a preacher deliver moving and passionate sermons to others on religion and moral rectitude. A large group of spiritual mentors is seen engaged in Islamic da´wah activity across the Muslim world. High-quality and first-rate academic papers are being written and published by a host of scholars in the Muslim lands. Yet, on closer examination, one regrettably finds that most of these scholars, writers, and mentors do not practise Islam themselves. Their own lives and conduct, far from being based on Taqwa and Iman, exhibit many deviations from Islamic principles. Unfortunately, they forget that the first thing that Islam demands from them is to lead their own lives as much as possible according to the dictates of the Qur´an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (SAW).

The demand of the Qur´an as explained in the above lines is that we are required to worship and love Allah (SWT) with all our heart, with all our mind, and with all our strength. In Islam, the religious concern is ultimate, it excludes all other concerns from ultimate significance. The concern for Islam is to be unconditional: independent of any condition of character, desire, or circumstance. The unconditional concern is total: no part of ourselves or of our world is excluded from it, there is no place to flee from it. The total concern is infinite: no moment of relaxation and rest is possible in the face of a religious concern which is ultimate, unconditional, total and infinite. The Qur´anic ayah: "O Believers! Enter wholly in Islam..." (Al-Baqarah 2:208) means exactly this. Allah (SWT) demands that man should submit, without reservation, the whole of his being and life to His will. Man´s outlook, intellectual pursuits, behavior, interaction with other people and modes of behavior should all be completely subordinate to Islam. Allah (SWT) does not accept the splitting up of human life into separate compartments, some governed by the teachings of Islam and others exempt from them. Whether seen from the point of view of Islam or Taqwa (i.e., God-fearing attitude and God-consciousness), the Qur´an instructs us to believe wholeheartedly and to bow in submission and obedience to God totally and completely. It allows no fragmentation of life. Taqwa is an all-embracing moral quality of the highest order. It manifests itself in an individual´s whole way of thinking and acting. The Qur´an emphasizes that the guidance given by Allah (SWT) cannot be split into parts — the peripheral, less important ones to be followed, the fundamental, more important ones to be put in cold storage. We can see with our own eyes in the lives of those who often enjoy great fame for their Taqwa that they are so particular about the minute details of the Shari´ah that deviation from the secondary injunctions of their own juristic persuasions is to them tantamount to heresy and threatened with hell-fire. But their neglect of the fundamentals of Islam — e.g., prohibition of interest in business and concern for economic exploitation and social injustice in society — reaches such heights that compromise and expediency seem to dominate lives.

Taqwa or God-consciousness must assert itself both in public life and in the inner denizens of private life. In case it is shallow and fake, it will manifest only in the external veneer of living and conduct. Once the Holy Prophet (SAW) pointed to his breast thrice and said that Taqwa resides in here. If the heart of a man is enlivened by Taqwa, it will permeate his entire being and dye his total personality with the "color of Allah." A Muslim has been commanded by Allah (SWT) not only to pray and fast, but also to put in practice His injunctions with respect to the social, political, and economic aspects of life. Islam does not allow in the least the modern secular approach in which religion is confined to one´s private life and modes of worship. On no pretext whatsoever — economic stringency, difficulties in interest-free monetary transactions, extravagant customary practices on weddings and other social occasions — can a true and committed Muslim justify himself in indulging in un-Islamic behavior. This is the basic and foremost lesson that comes out so clearly and emphatically from this ayah of Surah Aal-e-Imran for anyone who aspires to live as a Muslim and die as a Muslim.

And hold fast, all together, to the Rope of Allah (which He stretched out for you), and be not divided among yourselves; and remember with gratitude Allah´s favor on you, for you were once enemies and then He joined your hearts in love, so that by His Grace you became brethren; and you were on the brink of the pit of fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make His Signs clear to you, that you may be guided to the right way.

The next ayah (ayah 103) of Surah Aal-e-Imran explains the second practical step that the Muslim Ummah is urged to undertake. All those who have accomplished to the maximum possible degree the requirement of the preceding ayah and attained the driving force of Taqwa (i.e., God-consciousness) in their lives — are called upon to unite and join together for the cause of Islam. Until and unless they join hands together and become like a solid steel-ribbed structure, they cannot achieve the supremacy and ascendancy of Islam at the global level. It is a well-established truth that any influential and wide-ranging mission, be it a moral or an immoral one, requires the concerted efforts of a group of people.

The noblest and loftiest end — to make humanity surrender to one God — that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) achieved in his life time was only achieved with the selfless, dedicated, and cooperative efforts of his Companions (RAA). But the Prophet (SAW) himself could achieve this within the boundaries of Arabian Peninsula and the task of disseminating Islam and making it dominant in the entire world was put on the shoulders of Muslim Ummah. This gigantic duty obviously calls for a united and organized struggle.

Now, just as a strong and solid wall requires strong blocks or bricks, the individual members of the Islamic Jihad movement should also be men of deep inner conviction and noblest character, who strive together to bring all power and all powers under God. If the individual Muslim suffers from lack of commitment to the Islamic cause and is not a dedicated worker, the Islamic Ummah cannot accomplish its Divinely ordained mission. In other words, each Muslim must first himself become a sincere, wholehearted, and authentic believer in order to play his role in the discharge of Ummatic obligations. The consolidation and invigoration of Iman or Taqwa in the individual person is the subject which has been dealt with most fully yet succinctly in the preceding ayah of the Holy Qur´an. Now, we move on to the second step.

We have seen that it is of utmost urgency for Muslims to join hands together for the realization of Ummah´s destiny as the standard-bearer of truth, the establishment of Divine Order of social justice and equity on earth; in other words, bringing God´s earth under God´s rule. The most important question that arises here is: What is that bond or cementing material which would bind the Muslims into a strongly united group or collectivity? The Qur´anic ayah under discussion provides answer to this very question: "And hold fast, all together, the cord of Allah (that he stretched out for you), and be not divided among yourselves...."

The simile used here is that of people struggling in deep water, to whom a benevolent Providence stretches out a strong and unbreakable cord or rope of rescue. If all hold fast to it together, their mutual support adds to the chance of their safety. One may wonder here as to what habl Allah — the cord of Allah (SWT) — really means. Mention of a few methodological points with regard to the commentary on, and understanding of, the Holy Qur´an will be in the fitness of things!

The first principle to be kept in mind in the interpretation and understanding of the Qur´an is that its one ayah or portion is sometimes explained and elaborated by another ayah or portion of the Qur´an. In case one does not find such explanation within the Qur´an, then the second recognized principle is to explore the backgrounds of the Qur´anic revelations called the "occasions of revelation." They were recorded by the Companions of the Prophet (SAW) as a necessary aid for fixing the correct meaning of the Word of God. And linked with this is the belief with regard to Prophet Muhammad (SAW) vis-à-vis the Qur´an, for he clarified and elaborated the Qur´an, supplementing its broad general principles by giving them precise and detailed forms, and incorporating them into practical life, his own as well as those of his followers. Thus the Qur´an affirms this role of the Prophet in these words:

And we sent down the Book to you for the express purpose that you should make clear to them those things in which they differ, and that it should be a guide and a mercy to those who believe. (An-Nahl 16:64)

In the light of these principles, for an understanding of the expression "cord of Allah," we should turn to the traditions of the Holy Prophet (SAW). In the presence of authentic historical traditions of the Prophet (SAW) about a particular issue or point, it is wrong to resort to free-play of reason or fancy. Indeed such interpretation of arbitrary opinion (tafseer bil-ra´ay) has never found favor with orthodox Muslims. Many Urdu translators and exegesists of the Qur´an have not bothered to study the more than one available authentic (i.e., sound in terms of chain of transmission) statements of the Prophet (SAW) himself which elucidate the expression. For one renowned scholar, the expression generally refers to the "religion of God." I see no reason why one should deal with it so cavalierly and ignore a genuine, trustworthy and marfu´ hadith (in which the saying of the Prophet itself is reported). As a matter of principle, knowledge of Arabic language, grammar, lexicography, Arabic literature, and familiarity with Arabic idiom of the times of the Prophet (SAW) are all important as instruments for writing commentary on Qur´an. But recourse to semantic and linguistic analysis or personal opinion should not in any way overrule the primary importance of the Prophet´s sayings and explications. Following this paramount principle of Qur´anic exegesis, I shall mention here very briefly three ahadith of the Prophet (SAW) which explicate without an iota of doubt the real import and meaning of habl Allah.

1. A rather lengthy historical tradition on the Qur´an has been narrated by the fourth Caliph Ali (RAA), in which the Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said about the Qur´an: "It is this very Qur´an that is the cord of Allah." (Tirmidhi & Darimi)

2. In another hadith, reported on the authority of Abdullab Ibn Mas´ud (RAA), the Prophet (SAW) said: "This Qur´an is the cord of Allah which He has stretched from the heavens to the earth."

3. The third hadith has been reported by Jubair Ibn Mut´im (RAA) and included in Tibrani Kabir. This hadith so vividly gives the details of an episode in the lifetime of the Prophet (SAW) that the reader begins to feel for a few moments as if he himself is sitting in the company of the Prophet. Once the Holy Prophet (SAW) came out of his hujrah and saw a few of the Companions (RAA) studying and discussing the Qur´an in a corner of the mosque. The Prophet (SAW), very much pleased with this, approached them and asked them a strange question. This question we should also put to ourselves and see if we can sincerely give the same affirmative answer that was given by the Companions. The Prophet (SAW) asked them, "Do you not attest to the truths that there is no god but Allah who alone should be worshipped, that He is one and without partner, that I am His Messenger, and that this Qur´an has come from Him?" All the Companions firmly replied in the affirmative. (May Allah enable us also to attest sincerely and with heart-felt certitude the fundamental metaphysical beliefs of Islam. Although we all verbally attest these beliefs, what is required is inner conviction and faith of the heart). On this the Prophet (SAW) said, "Rejoice at what you have got with yourselves because one end of the Qur´an is in Allah´s hand and the other end is with you. So hold it fast. If you do that, you will never perish or go astray."

Despite these three authentic traditions of the Prophet (SAW), if someone maintains that habl Allah means something other than the Qur´an, his opinion cannot be taken seriously. Indeed he has no justification whatsoever for that. Allama Iqbal has expressed this very truth in the following Persian couplets thus:

That is to say, the collective life and Ummatic existence of the Muslims is due to the Qur´an that provides them with a common legal framework and code of life. The multitudes of Muslims have no significance; all significance rests with the Qur´an that functions like a throbbing heart in the socio political body of the Muslims. Iqbal, therefore, advises the Muslims to hold fast to the Qur´an as it is the cord of Allah (SWT).

The second imperative that is laid down by ayah 103 is, therefore, that all Muslims are commanded by Allah (SWT) to hold fast to the Divine cord, the Qur´an. The Arabic verb i´tesam used in this ayah is also very significant. The root of the verb — ismat — means security and protection; and the meaning of the verb i´tesam is to hold fast to something or somebody for security and safety in the face of danger or threat. Its real sense comes out clearly when we see a child who, in all his innocence, clings to his mother, thinking that she can protect him form all sorts of dangers and odds. Clinging or holding fast to somebody for security is i´tesam. So Almighty Allah (SWT) enjoins upon the Muslims to hold fast to the Divine cord — the Holy Qur´an.

The Arabic expression Jamee´an used in the ayah can be interpreted in two ways, and I think both meanings are to be taken here. First, it may mean that all Muslims should jointly hold fast and cling to the Qur´an. Secondly, it may also signify that the whole, and not a few parts, of the Qur´an is to be taken as guide for life. If only some fragmentary injunctions of the Divine writ are put into practice and others are simply ignored, this will be like the attitude of the Israelites who were reproached very strongly by Allah (SWT) in these words:

Do you believe in a part of the Scripture and reject the other? What else, then, could be the retribution of those among you who do this than they should live in degradation in the present life, and that on the Day of Resurrection they should be sent to the severest chastisement? (Al-Baqarah 2 : 85)

Belief in the Qur´an remains imperfect until the code of life it lays down is accepted in its entirety. It is ironic to see that the majority of Westernized and secularized Muslims take a partial view of Islamic life and do not at all see the need to extend, strengthen, and complete its Qur´anic foundations, with the result that the door to the highest stages of Taqwa and Ihsan are supposed to be open for a judge of court who may give judgments in violation of the Qur´an, for a lawyer who may argue on the basis of laws contrary to the Shari´ah, for the administrator who may manage the affairs of life in accordance with a system based on kufr, for the political leader and his followers who may work for founding and building of life on the social and political principles of the disbelievers __ in short, for everyone, provided he fashions his outward style of life after a certain pattern and observes a few rituals and ceremonies of worship.

The reason for the use of the word habl (cord) is that the Qur´an both establishes a bond between man and God and joins all believers together in the religious fraternity. To take a firm hold on this cord means that the believers should attach utmost importance to their religion: this should always be the center of their concerns; they should continually strive to establish it; and the common desire to serve it should make them cooperate with each other. As soon as Muslims turn their attention away from the fundamental teachings of their faith and lose sight of establishing its ascendancy in life they begin to concern themselves with matters of secondary importance. And, just as they rent the communities of the former prophets, enticing people away from their true objective in life, so schism and dissension are bound to plague their lives. If Muslims do this they are bound to suffer indignity and disgrace both in this world and the Next as happened with the followers of the previous prophets. So a true Muslim is only one whose whole being is permeated with Islam; it is not a mere veneer or outward show.

After this, an historical evidence from the period in which the Qur´an was being revealed was presented and the believers were addressed thus : "And remember with gratitude Allah´s favor on you, for you were enemies and He joined your hearts in love, so that by His grace you became brethren."

Yathrib, and indeed the whole of Arabia, was torn with civil and tribal feuds and contentions before the Prophet of Islam set his sacred feet on its soil. After that, it became the city of the Prophet (SAW), an unmatched brotherhood, and the pivot of Islam. Before the advent of Islam, there were animosities among the tribes which regularly broke out into fighting and devastation; every now and then there was much bloodshed. Things had reached a point where the entire Arabian nation seemed to be on the verge of destroying itself. It was due to the blessings of Islam alone that it was saved from being consumed by the fire to which this ayah alludes. The people of Yathrib (which later came to be known as Medinah) had embraced Islam some three or four years before this ayah was revealed. They had witnessed the blessing of Islam as it unified into one brotherhood the Aws and the Khazraj, two tribes which had long been sworn enemies. Moreover, both tribes treated the migrants from Makkah in a spirit of sacrifice and love seldom seen even among members of the same family. The ayah under consideration ends with the words: "Thus Allah makes His signs clear to you that you may be guided to the right way." That is to say, if people had eyes to see they could conclude for themselves whether their salvation lay in adhering firmly to the teachings of the Qur´an or in abandoning them and reverting to their former state. They could decide very easily whether their true well-wishers were Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW) or those Jews, Polytheists, and hypocrites who strove to plunge them back into their former despicable state.

Before we proceed further, it is quite appropriate to see if the historical evidence alluded to in this ayah has any special bearing on the current political scenario of Pakistan. As Muslims, we believe that the teachings of the Qur´an have eternal and everlasting validity and that, as a source of guidance, the Qur´anic principles have applicability for all places and for all times to come. Seen in this perspective, we can better appreciate the gravity of the conditions prevailing today in Pakistan, and, at the same time, see a ray of hope offered to all believers in the Qur´anic ayah under discussion. Just as Allah (SWT) welded the warring Arab factions into a strong brotherhood fourteen centuries ago He can now turn the disarrayed and conflicting provinces of Pakistan into a strong unity, provided the people of Pakistan earnestly act upon the three-point action strategy explained in these three ayaat.

It is an undeniable historical fact that the Indian subcontinent was partitioned on the basis of Two-Nation theory, and that Pakistan was established on the foundation of Muslim Nationhood and in the name of Islam. Muslims living in the widely separated areas of India were united by the bond of Islamic faith, and demanded a separate homeland with the objective that Muslims of India, by removing all the taints of decadent and monarchical Islam, get an opportunity to re-establish the pristine Islamic system of political, economic, and social justice which is the most important manifestation of the Holy Prophet´s (SAW) universal mercy and blessing. We regret to say, however, that in spite of the fact that forty seven years have passed since Pakistan was established, no real progress has as yet been made towards achieving the envisaged goal. The political and economic system inherited from the British Raj has throughout been kept intact; not only in the overall system, but in matters of social and communal values also we are strictly maintaining the status quo. Both in practice and thought we exhibit the same old slavish mentality.

The system to which we are sticking in the political governance of our homeland has the following important features:

1.Territorial Nationalism, i.e., the concept of nationalism that was born of Western secularism and on whose absolute negation Pakistan movement was launched.

2.Parliamentary Democracy, the initial training of which was imparted to us by our English rulers.

3.The names and boundaries of the provinces demarcated by the British for their administrative expediency and which we consider not only permanent and everlasting but even sacrosanct.

4.The banking system — on which all our industry and trade, in fact our entire economy, is based — is contaminated to this day by the filth of interest. As a result, the entire nation and the country is, in the words of the Qur´an, at war with Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW).

5.Accursed evils of gambling, speculation and lottery —declared by the Qur´an as "an abomination of Satan´s handiwork" (Al-Mai´da 5:90) — are rampant.

6.The system of feudalism and absentee landlordism, the worst and most abominable form of oppression and usurpation, has basically not changed at all in spite of the so-called land reforms introduced twice.

7.Mixed (non-segregated) social living that debased the West as far as modesty and chastity are concerned. It destroyed the domestic peace and confounded the family structure. And this evil is such that it did not take roots in our society even during the British rule to the extent it is now in vogue, and is increasing by leaps and bounds every day.

8.The distinction between the "tribal" and "settled" areas in the N.W.F.P. is still continuing.

The current scenario of Pakistan calls for a total change in the entire body politic and socio-economic system of the homeland. Unity among the people of Pakistan and the establishment of Islamic Social Justice is the need of the day. This, in fact, was the real purpose of establishing Pakistan, and only this can ensure her continued existence, stability and progress. It is on account of deviation from this very cause that the Muslim nation of Pakistan got divided into different regional, ethnic and linguistic nationalities. This breaking of our vow with Allah (SWT) and disloyalty to His Deen has led to tremendous plunder and bloodshed among the people of various regions. Divine punishment whipped us in 1971 and even now if we do not make headway towards the real objective of Pakistan, Divine punishment could whip us again any time and would whip us more severely. Indeed, Pakistan has to prepare herself to face all the threats posed by the New World Order. If, on the contrary, Pakistanis do not come out of their deep slumber and do not give up their materialistic pursuits, the anti-Islamic designs of the so-called "supreme world power" will subjugate it to the point of virtual nonexistence. An ostrich-like attitude will not save us from perilous dangers, and it is imperative that we, at the earliest and in right earnest, read the writing on the wall.

If a true Muslim reflects on the conditions of Pakistan diligently and thoughtfully, he will realize that the situation of Pakistanis totally resembles that of the Arabs before the advent of Islam depicted in the words of the Qur´an — "you stood on the brink of a pit of fire." And the only way out of this pit of fire is the one delineated by these ayaat of Surah Aal-e-Imran. As the Qur´an is the eternal Divine message for all humanity, its teachings too have abiding efficacy and applicability. No matter how degenerate our conditions and circumstances may be, the Qur´an offers a sure panacea for all our ills.

In the Khatm Al-Qur´an prayer we most humbly pray to Almighty Allah (SWT) that Qur´an may be made our leader, guide and beacon of light. But, surely, we cannot get it all merely for the asking. We have to struggle hard to achieve our solicited desires. Holding fast together to the cord of Allah — the Holy Qur´an — is, therefore, the second practical point of the strategy laid down by the Divine Book.

To summarize the action-agenda so far covered in these pages: the first practical step of the three-point Qur´anic strategy is with regard to Taqwa and Islam. That is to say, a true Muslim should remain steadfast in his obedience and loyalty to God. He should avoid everything which is not pleasing to Him and live his entire life in total submission to His commandments. As a corollary, acting on the injunctions of the Holy Prophet (SAW) is also included in it, as the commandments of the Prophet (SAW) are in fact the commandments of Allah (see Al-Nisa 4:80). The second practical step is with regard to the Qur´an: i´tesam bil-Qur´an — holding fast and attaching oneself firmly to the Qur´an. And this obligation is to be discharged in a unified manner. Division and dissension among Muslims is thoroughly disapproved by Allah (SWT).

Now the question is : What does "holding fast together the cord of Allah" mean and imply in practical terms. In the booklet The Obligations Muslims Owe To the Qur´an, I have made an impassioned call to the Muslims to return to the Qur´an, to rededicate themselves to its study, and make it the sole guide for their lives. Instead of making purely academic attempts at describing the unique merits and magnificence of Qur´an, the most pertinent thing for us to do is that we should clearly understand our responsibilities towards the Qur´an and then assess for ourselves whether or not we are conscientiously fulfilling them. Paying lip service or pompous tributes to the Qur´an will not be enough and these cannot substitute for actually discharging our obligations towards the Holy Book. Now what are these obligations? Or, in other words, what does the Qur´an demand from us? An objective study of the Book makes it amply clear that it makes five demands from every Muslim. Put in a simple language, these demands or obligations are as follows:

1.A Muslim is required to truly believe in the Qur´an.

2.He is required to read it properly.

3.He is required to understand it.

4.He is required to act upon its teachings in his private life to struggle for the implementation of Shari´ah and the establishment of Social Justice at the state level.

5.He is required to disseminate its teachings to others and operationalize Islam at the global level. He must spend most of his energies and monetary sources for this cause.

As a matter of fact, if Muslims rejuvenate their relationship with the Qur´an on these lines, it will weld them into one Ummah with utmost mental and emotional unity as well as unique singularity of purpose and objective. All sorts of dissension, strife and antagonism among them will automatically vanish, and they will become united like a solid cemented structure (in Qur´anic expression, bunyan marsus). And this will indeed be a concrete exemplification of the Holy Prophet´s saying according to which Almighty Allah (SWT) will bestow dignity and honor on those people who hold fast to the Qur´an and will degrade and disgrace those who turn a deaf ear to it and do not discharge their obligations towards it. Allama Iqbal has expressed these very ideas in beautiful Persian verses thus:

To sum up: there are the two practical steps through which a man personally becomes a true believer and the collectivity of believers takes the form of a strong ideological fraternity. Now the question that crops up is: what methodology is to be pursued by this ideological group for its global struggle? This indeed is the subject matter of the next Qur´anic ayah to be explained in the sequel. It is a happy coincidence that this methodology too consists of three points and we will dwell upon them at some length.

Let us now concentrate our attention on the third ayah (ayah 104 of Surah Aal-e-Imran) the English translation of which reads:

And from among you there must be a party (a group or band of committed Muslims) who invite people to all that is good, and enjoin the doing of all that is right and forbid the doing of all that is wrong. It is they who will attain true success.

An objective and detailed study of the preceding two ayaat of the Surah leaves no ambiguity or doubt in the mind of the reader that both of them call for a collectivity of believers, and that a serious and sincere action on their dictates necessarily demands the formation of a group or party. Now the question arises: what is the objective or goal this group should keep in view and work for? As a matter of fact, all creations and artifacts are made for serving some purpose. Even a small and modest association of people is constituted and organized for achieving certain goals defined in the memorandum of aims and objectives. So the question that quite naturally arises is: what is the purpose or goal of that group which results from collectively clinging to the Qur´an? This exactly is what is explained in the ayah under review.

This ayah has been translated in two different ways by the translators. For some, the preposition min of minkum in the ayah is general and descriptive, while for some others it is of particularizing nature. Leaving aside the technicalities of the two types of min just mentioned, let us see what difference, if any, is made in the meaning of the ayah by either use of it. According to the former the ayah would be translated as: "And you should together form a group that invites people to all that is good...," whereas according to the latter sense of min the translation would be: "And from among you there must be a group or party that invites people to all that is good .…" Now in my view both these translations of the ayah are entirely correct, and the logical import of the meaning of the ayah in hardly changed by the minor linguistic difference of the two translations. If all the Muslims of the world unite and together constitute an ideological fraternity (i.e., the Muslim Ummah) that performs the duties of inviting people to all that is good, enjoin the doing of all right actions and forbid the doing of all that is wrong — this would be the import of the ayah according to the descriptive or indicative use of min. But since this descriptive function of the whole of Muslim Ummah is repeated a little further on in ayah 110 of this very Surah, a large majority of Qur´anic scholars take min in the particularizing sense and interpret the ayah by maintaining that it demands the formation of a group comprising of committed and motivated Muslims from among the vast Muslim fraternity of less motivated believers. That is to say, this ayah provides answer to the question: what should be done when, by and large, the Ummah neglects its religious obligations and thus pays no heed to its Divinely ordained duties.

Let us frankly acknowledge the hard facts and conditions of present-day Muslims, however unpleasant they may appear to us. Theoretically, the words "Muslim Ummah" cover in their fold all the Muslims of the world and as such it is a universalistic concept. But, as a matter of fact, one global Muslim Ummah is at the moment a non-entity. Instead, there are many Muslim nations in the world. Even Allama Muhammad Iqbal, a great advocate of the unity of Muslim Ummah, had to be realistic about the actual condition of Muslims in the world. Accordingly, in his lectures, entitled Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam, he wrote that there is no one united Muslim Ummah in the world; rather there are many Muslim nations living in different states. However, perhaps this too was true more than half a century ago when Allama Iqbal delivered the Lectures. The present situation of most Muslim nations is worse still and most Muslim nations are split into numerous regional, ethnic, or linguistic groups.

The readers of these lines can very well appreciate this fact if they consider the case of Pakistan. At the time of its appearance in 1947 as a separate homeland for the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent, Pakistanis were considered as one Muslim nation by all. Both wings of Pakistan were united and considered Islam the basis of their unity. Soon afterwards, however, regional sentiments and concern for regional languages came up on the surface and eventually paved the way for the ceding of East Pakistan. Consequently, it became Bangladesh in 1971 and asserted her Bengali identity more than the former Muslim character. Every one of us laments how savagely and brutally non-Bengali Muslims were tortured and murdered by the Bengali nationalists of East Pakistan. And in the truncated Pakistan, too, there is no ideological unity in the people. The Pakistani nation stands divided and fragmented on the bases of ethnicity, culture, and language, and different groups are constantly at loggers head with each other. Since not a single province of Pakistan has only one ethnic community, we often hear news of gruesome violence and brutalities among various communities living in one province and even in one city. For example, in Baluchistan there are at least three large ethnic groups, and to a lesser degree this is also true of other provinces of Pakistan. In Sindh the Mohajirs (migrants from India) have formally assumed the status of a politico-cultural entity. Indeed, from the very beginning, distinction was made almost every where in the country but particularly in the province of Sindh between the locals and the migrants, and this discrimination eventually led to the formation of MQM in urban Sindh. Again the Arab world, where all speak and write Arabic, is divided in a number of nation-states and people there identify themselves with reference to distinct nationalities.

So the hard fact that we must accept is that today a united world Muslim Ummah is non-existent. The de facto position is frankly none other than this. The Ummah only exists as an ideal concept in the minds of Muslims who consider theoretically all believers of Islam and the Prophet (SAW) as members of one global religious fraternity. According to this belief, each confessor of Muhammad´s (SAW) Prophethood is regarded a member of the universal Muslim brotherhood. This belief in itself is perfectly correct, but the question is whether Muslims all around the world do in fact behave as a well-knit ideological group? Is there any discipline among the Muslims? Is there a plenary leadership among Muslim nations and are the directives and recommendations of that leadership heeded by the member states? I regret to say that the answer to all these questions is in the negative. Was not a large part of Afghan army with the Russians when the latter were killing Afghan people mercilessly? Were not the most inhuman atrocities against Afghans committed by their own Islam-professing Afghan brethren? Again was not the long and devastating war between Iran and Iraq between two Muslim countries? Armed clashes between different factions of Muslims in Lebanon and brutal and murderous assaults on Palestinian refugee camps are known to anyone who is in touch with modern media. And the recent Gulf war has proved beyond any doubt that, as a matter of fact, one world-wide Muslim Ummah does not exist.

In the light of these facts the ayah under consideration with the particularizing sense of preposition in the expression minkum assumes special significance and its meanings become quite intelligible. In effect, what it means is that even when the vast multitudes of people in the Muslim Ummah are in a state of slumber, are divided among themselves and pursuing only secular ends, there must arise a group or party within the larger Ummah that performs the duties laid down by the Qur´an in this ayah, and also make the rest aware of them.

Some readers may wonder as to what an Ummah within the Ummah means. I am sure you must be familiar with the expressions of "a state within a state" and "a party within a party." For instance, those among you who have read about the freedom struggle of the Indian subcontinent know very well that the Indian National Congress was a big political party and there was a forward block of it within the Congress that consisted of rather more revolutionary members. The forward block stood for more radical strategy as compared with the ordinary political policies approved by the Congress. Despite their membership and loyalty to the Indian Congress, they constituted a separate group under the leadership of Subhash Chandra Bose.

Similarly, since in the contemporary context the universal Muslim Ummah has been reduced to the level of an abstract concept, its reification is needed in the form of a smaller group (from among the larger Ummah) consisting of such Muslims as have fulfilled, to the maximum possible degree, the requirements and demands made in ayah 102 of the Surah with respect to the individual behavior and practice of a true Muslim. They attain the driving force of Taqwa in their hearts and meticulously observe the commandments of the Holy Prophet (SAW). Moreover, in compliance, to a fair degree, with the imperatives of the next ayah, they hold fast to the Qur´an for guidance even in minor details of their lives, and unite and join together as comrades in order to make up an ideological group. Ayah 104 of Surah Aal-e-Imran enlightens us about the three aims and objectives this collectivity of God-conscious and motivated Muslims is to work for:

1.Calling and inviting people to all that is good and noble.

2.Enjoining and dictating the doing of all that is right and virtuous.

3.Forbidding the doing of all that is wrong and immoral.

First of all, let us discuss the first two objectives and goals of the real and hard-core Muslim Ummah´s struggle. The Islamic summons have, by and large, been understood by Muslims to be in general call to Iman and A´mal Saleh (righteous action) in conformity with the guidance of Revelation, summoning people to God and inviting them to follow His and His Messenger´s dictates. But the crucial question that must be asked here is: Do the Qur´anic injunctions "calling and inviting people to all that is good" and "enjoining the doing of all that is right" mean one and the same action? We, however, cannot think for a minute that Almighty Allah (SWT) has used synonymous expressions in the same ayah for pointless repetition. They certainly mean and imply different performances or levels and intensity of operations. da´wah ilal-khair and amr bil-ma´roof are obviously semantically distinct expressions and thus connote different types of activities. Most probably, da´wah ilal-khair means calling and inviting people to the Qur´an, as according to the Holy Qur´an the highest khair (i.e., good) is the Qur´an itself. To substantiate this the following ayaat of Surah Yunus can be cited:

O mankind! There has come unto you an Admonition (or an Exhortation) from your Lord, and a Healing for the diseases in your hearts, and for those who believe a Guidance and a Mercy. Say: In this bounty of Allah and in His Mercy, therein let them rejoice; it is better than all (the worldly wealth) that they may amass! (Yunus 10: 57, 58)

These two ayaat clearly tell us how majestically Qur´an describes its own magnificence. Those who do wrong have a disease in their hearts, which causes their spirits to suffocate. Allah (SWT) in His Mercy declares His Will (i.e., the Qur´an) to them which should direct their lives and provide a healing for their spiritual malaise. If they accept faith, the remedy acts; they find themselves in right guidance and receive Allah´s forgiveness and mercy. Surely this guidance — the Qur´an — is far better a gift than material gains, wealth, or possessions. Therefore, according to this ayah, the referent of khair is Qur´an itself, something far superior to what worldly people hoard. To be sure, worldly possessions and wealth have also been termed as khair by the Qur´an. For example, an ayah of Surah Al-Aadiyaat reads:

... for, verily, to the love of wealth (khair) is he most ardently devoted. (Al-Aadiyaat 100:8)

This, of course, refers to a natural inclination and disposition of man. Yet, we are told in very clear and categorical terms that the Divine gift bestowed upon us in the form of the Qur´an is in reality far better than material riches and belongings. So da´wah ilal-khair (that is to say, inviting and calling people to goodness) is, in fact, exhorting men to study and act upon the teachings of the Qur´an.

While the first objective or aim of the Ummah´s missionary work is specifically with respect to the Qur´an, the second one is quite general and broad. It includes advising, admonishing, preaching, and exhorting people to all that is morally right and virtuous. However, the literal meaning of the Arabic verb amr is definitely more, and stronger, than just advising or preaching sermons; it additionally implies commanding and implementing with force. Thus amr is quite a wide expression. Starting from moralizing it goes right up to the bringing about of a revolution in political leadership so that corrupt and ungodly people are forced to be righteous and follow Divine guidance.

Another difference between da´wah and amr is that the former (i.e., preaching and exhorting) is never undertaken in an authoritative manner. On the contrary, it is always performed in a warm and heart-moving manner. In da´wah one pleads and even requests people most humbly to uphold goodness and probity. The da´ee (i.e., one who performs the da´wah) is always on the look out for an appropriate moment when he can approach people in a receptive mood. He even requests them in the name of God to order their lives according to the dictates of Islam. His role is both of an evangelist (i.e., one who gives glad tidings on moral actions) and of a warner of the torments of hell-fire. He is always very polite and never harsh, aggressive, or authoritative. This indeed is the attitude which members of the Tableeghi Jama´at have adopted for the past several decades for their missionary activities.

In da´wah, one speaks from the depth of ones heart and strikes a cord in the interlocutor´s heart as the preacher is definitely taken as a well-wisher. This difference amply shows why calling people to goodness has been mentioned by the Qur´an as distinct and separate from "enjoining what is morally right." The mild and polite manner to be adopted in da´wah was required of Prophet Musa (AS) and Prophet Haroon (AS) when the two messengers were ordered by Allah (SWT) to go to the Pharaoh. We read in Surah Taha the following ayaat:

Go forth (then), you and your brother, with My messages, and never tire of remembering Me. Go forth, both of you, unto Pharaoh, for verily he has transgressed all bounds of equity! But speak unto him in a mild manner, so that he might bethink himself or (at least) be filled with apprehension (Taha 42:44).

Thus amr bil-ma´roof is a step higher than mere da´wah ilal-khair or preaching and, as such, it calls for a different methodology and approach. The word amr literally means to order, dictate, or enforce on the basis of authority. This necessitates, at the societal or state level, a change or revolutions in the whole power structure so that the morally good and right is implemented and enforced with the authority of governmental institutions. Supporting evidence for this is also provided by the fact that the expression amr bil-ma´roof was first used in Surah Al-Hajj when the Prophet (SAW) and his Companions (RAA) were obliquely given the glad tiding of political power. English translation of ayah 41 of this Surah reads:

(They are) those who, if we establish them in the land, organize regular prayer and give regular charity, enjoin the right and forbid wrong…(Al-Hajj 22:41).

Soon after the revelation of this Surah, the foundations of an Islamic state were laid in Medinah, and the Prophet (SAW) began to enforce the laws of Shari´ah and religious practices in the capacity of a political ruler. However, it may be noted that full and total authority in the Arabian peninsula was achieved only after the conquest of Makkah, some ten years latter.

A very important point must be clearly appreciated and understood by all of us at this juncture. Absence of Islamic political power at the state level does not imply that the Qur´anic injunction of amr bil-ma´roof has no scope or relevance for Muslims. Each individual Muslim who wields power over some persons in his home, factory, office, or business establishment, is under obligation to act upon this injunction. He or she must enforce religious and moral commandments upon his or her subordinates and dependents. If need be, even force or moderate punishment may be resorted to in this regard. No true Muslim can absolve himself of this obligation of amr bil-ma´roof (of course, within the sphere of his/her authority) on the pretext that this duty can be discharged only by the Muslim political leadership of the State. Complete and total observance of Islamic law and morality, no doubt, is possible only when a change or revolution in favor of the Qur´an and the Prophet´s (SAW) Sunnah is brought about by the Islamic revivalist movement in the country´s leadership. This all-important point was very clearly realized and forcefully presented by late Maulana Sayyid Abul A´la Maududi — one of the chief influential writers and leaders of the contemporary Islamic resurgence. I shall here quote a long relevant passage from his Tehreek-e-Islami ki Akhlaqi Bunyadain rendered into English by Khurram Murad. These lines will put into bold relief the difference between da´wah and amr bil-ma´roof:

The objective of the Islamic movement, in this world, is revolution in leadership. A leadership that has rebelled against God and His guidance and is responsible for the suffering of mankind has to be replaced by a leadership that is God-conscious, righteous and committed to following Divine guidance. Striving to achieve this noble purpose, we believe, will secure God´s favor in this world and in the next. It is regrettable that both Muslims and non-Muslims have tended to lose sight of the significance of this revolution. Muslims all too often consider it necessary only from the point of view of political expediency, and have no appreciation of its central place in their religion. Non-Muslims, partly from prejudice and partly from lack of information, do not understand that ungodly leadership is at the root of the evils afflicting humanity, and that it is essential for human well-being that the affairs of the world should be directed by moral and God-fearing people. Whenever corruption is let loose in the world, whenever injustice is done, whenever tyranny or oppression exists, whenever poison flows in the veins of human culture, economic life, and politics, whatever misuse of resources and human knowledge for destruction instead of welfare and enlightenment there may be, the reason is bad leadership. There is no lack of good and high-minded people in society; the problem is that power is concentrated in the hands of people immersed in materialism and ungodliness. To change this situation it is not enough to preach sermons, exhort people to obey and worship God or to invite them to adopt high moral standards. Rather it is necessary for morally-just people to search each other out and strive to achieve enough collective power to wrest control of society from the morally corrupt. What is needed to change the centre of power and authority is effort. The revolution requires a coming together of the righteous in a common cause. (The Islamic Movement — Dynamics of Values, Power and Change; Edited by Khurram Murad)

After having understood the first two objectives for which the Muslim Ummah should earnestly work for and the subtle but crucial difference between them, let us now move on to discuss at length the third one as delineated by the ayah — viz., nahee anil-munkar or forbidding people from all that is morally bad and evil. Unfortunately, a large majority of religiously devout and noble people remain unmoved at the sight of evil deeds and morally wrong actions. They just remain complacent or unconcerned while people are engaged in un-Islamic activities. They think that only inviting them to good and virtuous actions through advice and sermon is enough and something worth doing. The truth, on the other hand, is that I can at least cite nine such places from the Qur´an where inviting or calling people to good and forbidding and stopping them from evil have been mentioned jointly. They have been mentioned together so constantly that it seems as if the two are integral aspects of one single activity or two parts of one organic whole. Or else, one is, as it were, concomitant to the other. For example, in Surah Luqman, among the advice given by Luqman to his son, we read:

O my dear son! Be constant in prayer, and enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the doing of what is wrong, and bear in patience whatever (ill) may befall thee. (Luqman 31:17)

How much nahee anil-munkar is important and how much emphasis was put on it by the Prophet (SAW) can be seen in the light of two Ahadith from Sahih Muslim — one of the most authentic collections of Prophetic traditions. The first hadith goes like this:

Abu Said Al-Khudri (RAA) says that Allah´s Messenger (SAW) said: If any of you sees some wrong he should change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; if he cannot do even that, then with his heart; and that is the weakest Iman.

A close and thoughtful perusal of this Prophetic saying brings out the following noteworthy points:

1.In this hadith there is no mention of amr bil-ma´roof or enjoining the good. This means that nahee anil-munkar, i.e., changing or stopping the evil, is an independent and equally significant activity in the value-structure and obligations of our faith. A religiously wrong or evil action is in fact a transgression of the limits laid down by the Creator, and, as such, a true and faithful believer cannot remain passive or unconcerned on the violation of Divine commandments.

2.Changing or stopping evil with one´s hand obviously means that all available power and authority should be used in curbing wrong action and routing out evil from the society. If there is an Islamic government in the county, it is its duty and responsibility to use all its force to eliminate un-Islamic practices. But in case the government remains complacent in this regard, it is the duty of all true Muslims to force people to shun evil and loathsome actions within the sphere in which they can exercise authority. For example, a father or an employer should use a reasonable amount of force in correcting such subordinates who indulge in immoral and forbidden activities.

3.If neither the State authorities discharge their duties with regard to nahee anil-munkar nor an individual Muslim can muster the power to check all that is wrong, he must, as the second best alternative, verbally denounce it and ask or request the person concerned to give it up. In the present age this will also include writing and publishing in the print media articles condemning un-Islamic patterns of behavior so that public opinion is mobilized against the evil. Indeed, "changing or stopping the evil with tongue" involves all the variegated moves of protest and agitation permissible in a democratic set-up. Both individuals in their private capacity and Islamic groups collectively should use all their resources of speech and printed word for increasing people´s awareness and sensibility against satanic tendencies of thought and action. They should do this boldly, remaining undaunted by the criticism and harassment of the general public or government.

4.In case social and political conditions in a place are so repressive that a truly committed Muslim cannot even use his tongue or pen in denouncing the evil, then he should at least feel pain inwardly. He should feel disgusted and condemn evil with his heart. Far from showing apathy, he must feel disturbed and perturbed. This will itself be a pointer to the fact that the person has Iman or faith, even though minimal and of the lowest degree. The word ad´af used in the hadith is of the superlative degree and as such signifies the "weakest" or the "faintest." In another Prophetic saying instead of the expression "that is the lowest Iman," the following description has been used: "and after this, Iman is not present even in as meager a quantity as a small grain." That is to say, if one of the attitudes out of the above three is not adopted by a Muslim, it would mean that true faith and Iman is almost nonexistent in the core of his heart.

5.The three attitudes mentioned and the corresponding states of Iman are not to be measured and judged by any external observer. No objective formula can be used in determining the faith-state of a person. Each individual Muslim can be a judge in his or her own case and choose the best and the highest possible course of nahee anil-munkar. It all depends on the intensity and depth of one´s Iman and the degree of one´s commitment to the cause of Islam. Each individual Muslim himself can measure these for himself. Nobody else can do it for him or make a wholly correct judgment upon his assessment. Nevertheless, the inward state of one´s Iman is reflected by the external attitude and behavior. For example if a person keeps silent or remains passive when his father or mother is publicly disgraced, this attitude of his is a sure indication of his unconcern or apathy towards his parents. Or else it shows that he lacks courage or even that he is impudent or disrespectful. If a person is not shameless but somehow lacks the means to physically counteract or defend, at least his face will become red with rage, exhibiting utter disgust and displeasure.

The example given in the preceding paragraph also sheds light in a parallel way on the degree and depth of a Muslim´s commitment to Islam and Iman. If he is not in a position to check and physically stop anti-Islamic actions, he protests against them using all the means at his command. He is even ready to face the atrocities of State agencies like baton-charging and firing. Indeed, his greatest desire is to lay down his life for the cause of Islam. The last part of the hadith under consideration — "and that is the weakest Iman" — implicitly demands that Muslims as a collectivity should try their utmost to acquire strength and power so as to completely eradicate evil from the society.

Now let us study closely the text of the second hadith:

Abdullah Ibn Mas´ud (RAA) says that Allah´s Messenger (SAW) said: There was never a prophet sent before me by Allah (SWT) to his nation who had not among his people (his) disciples and companions, who followed his ways and obeyed his commands. Then there came after them their successors who said what they did not practise and did what they were not commanded to do. He who struggles against them with his hand (i.e., physically), he is the believer; and he who struggles against them with his tongue, he is the believer; and he who struggles against them with his heart, he is also the believer: but beyond that there is not even a grain of Iman.

In this long hadith the Holy Prophet (SAW) starts by mentioning the fact that whenever Allah (SWT) sent a messenger to a people, he would get from amongst them some disciples or companions who truly acted upon God´s commandments and followed the messenger´s example. This would continue for a few generations and then religious fervor would gradually start diminishing. Moral purity preached by the prophet and his companions gradually declines and gives place to degeneration and innovation. (And, as a matter of truth, each innovative addition to Islam replaces an action enunciated by the Qur´an and Sunnah.) The later generations of so-called believers have been very aptly described by the Prophet (SAW) thus: "…people who say what they do not practise and do what they have not been commanded to do." And this is all the more true about we Muslims living in the 15th century after Hijrah. Temporally, we are so far removed from the times of the Holy Prophet (SAW) and the Companions (RAA) that there is tremendous deviation from ideal Islam as projected by the teachings of the Qur´an and the Prophet (SAW). And the present hadith is a clarion call for changing and stopping all that is disliked and disapproved by the Creator of the universe.

This hadith too is a pointer to three levels of nahee anil-munkar, exactly in the same manner and order of priority as were delineated by the hadith discussed earlier. The three levels are:

1.Struggling against evil and un-Islamic actions with hand;

2.struggling against them with tongue; and

3.struggling against them with heart.

The first two have already been explained in the above paragraphs. Some additional points with respect to the third level should be noted here. Disliking the evil inwardly and struggling against it with one´s heart necessarily implies that a true and committed Muslim will not develop warm and close relationship with those indulging in un-Islamic practices. But if he does not do that, he will be generally taken to endorse or accept the un-Islamic practices and thus lose the whole point of his protest against them. Indeed, according to another hadith of the Prophet (SAW), such a complacent and "liberal" Muslim gradually ceases to have even passive inward disapprobation of evil practices, and himself starts indulging in them openly. Serious notice of this point should be taken by all of us. The criterion and the norm for all our likes and dislikes and for all our social relations and friendships should be Islam, and nothing else.

The last assertion of the Prophet (SAW) in the above mentioned hadith is particularly noteworthy. The words "...beyond that there is not even a grain of Iman" should provide an impetus to all God-fearing Muslims for deep thinking and soul-searching. They should assess their own Iman in the light of this hadith and should refrain from making a judgment about others. Earlier, in this essay, we have endeavored to state clearly the distinction between Islam and Iman and so we can, at this juncture, very well appreciate the point that the Iman that is being negated here is the true faith and Iman of the heart or inner self. A man failing in the said requirements or performatives would not cease to be a Muslim in the strict legal sense of the term. However, on the Day of Judgment only true inner conviction and Iman would be of significance in winning a man his salvation and felicity. It will be the real basis of final loss or gain as we read in Surah Al-Taghabun:

The Day that He assembles you (all) for a day of Assembly — that will be the day of mutual loss and gain (among you); and those who believe in God and work righteously, He will remove from them their sins and admit them to gardens beneath which rivers flow to dwell therein forever; that will be the supreme achievement

(Al-Taghabun 64:9).

The most significant point of the hadith should be kept very clearly in mind. The Holy Prophet (SAW) has enjoined upon all Muslims to struggle against evils, in particular those perpetrated and supported by the so-called Muslim rulers and heads of governments in Muslim countries. Since they control the print and electronic media and other influential agencies, they can very effectively promote un-Islamic ideas and practices in the society. In the hadith, the Prophet (SAW) has explicitly mentioned the gradual decline of religious and moral fervor particularly in persons at the helm of communal affairs, and has commanded the true believers to reform and correct them. Similarly, religious scholars and spiritual leaders are also covered by this category as they too influence the populace through their teachings and example. And if they go wrong, misconceptions and false notions may spread very widely. As already explained above, this hadith behoves all committed and true Muslims to mobilize their resources to the full and employ all the variegated forms of protest and non-violent agitation — rights of which are guaranteed to them by the democratic set-up — to struggle against the evil-mongers and anti-Islam agents. A recourse here to the technicalities of Khuruj (i.e., revolt or uprising against the established political authority) is simply besides the point and pure (and idle!) scholastic academicism that kills the dynamism and religious activism required for Islamic revival.

Aims and Objectives of the Khilafah State according to ayat-41 of Surah al-Hajj

2009-05-31T07:30:00.002+06:00

Allah (swt) says :

الَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَمَرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَلِلَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الْأُمُورِ

তারা এমন লোক যাদেরকে আমি পৃথিবীতে শক্তি-সামর্থ্য দান করলে তারা নামায কায়েম করবে, যাকাত দেবে এবং সৎকাজে আদেশ ও অসৎকাজে নিষেধ করবে। প্রত্যেক কর্মের পরিণাম আল্লাহর এখতিয়ারভূক্ত।
“Those (Muslim rulers) who, if We give them power in the land, (they) order for Iqamat-as-Salât. [i.e. to perform the five compulsory congregational Salât (prayers) (the males in mosques)], to pay the Zakât and they enjoin Al-Ma’rûf (i.e. Islâmic Monotheism and all that Islâm orders one to do), and forbid Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism and all that Islâm has forbidden) [i.e. they make the Qur’ân as the law of their country in all the spheres of life]. And with Allâh rests the end of (all) matters (of creatures).”

Here we have 4 fundamental objectives to establish Khilafah. They are - (You can find the answer and write it in comments).

এই ১১ দল সমূহ কি কি ?

2009-05-29T07:44:00.007+06:00

ইসলামী রাষ্ট্রের ‍পরিচয়

ইসলামী রাষ্ট্র বলা হয় এমন রাষ্ট্রকে যে রাষ্ট্র ইসলামী নীতি তথা কোরআন-সুন্নাহর ভিত্তিতে পরিচালিত হয়। এভাবেও বলা যেতে পারে, যে রাষ্ট্রে মহান আল্লাহর একচ্ছত্র প্রভুত্ব, আধিপত্য ও আইন রচনার নিরংকুশ অধিকার প্রতিষ্ঠিত। সকল মানুষ আল্লাহর বান্দা এবং তাঁর নিকট সকলেরই দায়ী হওয়ার সুস্পষ্ট স্বীকৃতির ওপরে যে রাষ্ট্র পরিচালিত হয়, তাকে ইসলামী রাষ্ট্র বলে। অর্থাৎ, যে রাষ্ট্রের পরিচালনা, নীতি-নির্ধারণ, প্রশাসন তথা সর্বক্ষেত্রে ইসলামী নীতির পূর্ণ অনুসরণ করা হয়, সেটিই হল ইসলামী রাষ্ট্র।

দারুল ইসলাম

ইসলামী রাষ্ট্রবিজ্ঞানের দৃষ্টিতে ইসলামী রাষ্ট্রকে বলা হয় ‘দারুল ইসলাম’। মুসলিম রাষ্ট্রবিজ্ঞানী, মনীষী ও ফিকহবিদগণ ইসলামী রাষ্ট্রকে ‘দারুল ইসলাম’ বলেই উল্লেখ করেছেন। এখানে ‘দার’ শব্দটি আধুনিক রাষ্ট্রবিজ্ঞানে ব্যবহৃত ‘রাষ্ট্র’ বা `State' এরই সমার্থবোধক। ফিকহবিদগণ দারুল ইসলামের সংজ্ঞা দিয়ে বলেছেন, “দারুল ইসলাম হল এমন দেশ যেখানে মুসলমানদের নেতৃত্বে ও কর্তৃত্বে ইসল‍ামের যাবতীয় নিয়ম-নীতি প্রতিষ্ঠিত”।

কোন কোন ফিকহবিদ এর মতে, ইসলামী রাষ্ট্র হওয়ার জন্য অধিবাসীদের মুসলমান হওয়া শর্ত নয়, বরং রাষ্ট্রের শাসক মুসলমান হওয়া এবং আল্লাহর সার্বভৌম ক্ষমতা প্রতিষ্ঠিত থাক‍া তথা ইসলামী বিধি-বিধান অনুসারে শাসন সম্পাদন করাই ‘ইসলামী রাষ্ট্র’ হওয়ার জন্য যথেষ্ট।

ইমাম শাফেয়ী (রহ) এই মত পোষণ করেন। তিনি বলেন, “ইসলামী রাষ্ট্র হওয়ার জন্য অধিবাসীদের মুসলমান হওয়া শর্ত নয়, বরং রাষ্ট্রক্ষমতা মুসলমানদের নেতার হাতে থাকা এবং তাকে ইসলামী বিধান মেনে চলাই যথেষ্ট।”

ইমাম আবু হানীফা (রহ) এর মতে, “যে ভূখণ্ডের অধিকাংশ অধিবাসী মুসলমান এবং শাসক ইসলামের নিয়ম-নীতি অনুসারে রাষ্ট্রের যাবতীয় কার্য সম্পাদন করেন, তাকে ইসলামী রাষ্ট্র বলা হয়।

ইবনে খালদুন (রহ) এর মতে, “ইসলামী শরীয়তের দাবী অনুসারে নাগরিকদের ইহজাগতিক ও পারলৌকিক কল্যাণ সাধনের সর্বাধিক দায়িত্ব গ্রহণকারী রাজনৈতিক প্রতিষ্ঠানই হল ইসলামী রাষ্ট্র।”

محاكمة 16 عضواً في كتائب جند اليمن

2009-05-28T02:19:00.004+06:00

محاكمة 16 عضواً في كتائب جند اليمن

صبري مجاهد
26/05/2009

To read this news in English, please visit www.khilafahonline.blogspot.com

(our another site)

اثنان من المتهمين بالتخطيط لهجمات إرهابية على السفارات الغربية والفنادق التي يرتادها الأجانب يجلسان وراء القضبان في محكمة أمن الدولة في صنعاء. (وكالة رويترز)
صنعاء - حددت المحكمة الجزائية المتخصصة، المكلفة بالنظر في قضايا الإرهاب في اليمن، جلسة الثاني من شهر حزيران/ يونيو للنظر في المرافعات الختامية الخاصة بقضية خلية تريم التابعة لتنظيم القاعدة. وتتضمن الخلية 11 مواطناً يمنياً، ومواطناً سعودياً من أصل يمني، و4 مواطنين سوريين.

وقد وجهت النيابة العامة العديد من الاتهامات إلى أعضاء الخلية، ومنها القيام بتنفيذ عمليات إرهابية خلال العامين الماضيين في منشآت عسكرية ونفطية وسياحية في كل من حضرموت، وعدن، وصنعاء، وشبوة، ومأرب. كما اتهمت النيابة العامة الخلية بتنفيذ هجمات عدائية ضد سفارتي الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية وإيطاليا، ومدرسة سبعة تموز/ يوليو للبنات، الواقعة بالقرب من السفارة الأمريكية، فضلاً عن التعرض لممثلي النقاط العسكرية وغيرها من العمليات الإرهابية.

وشهدت الجلسة التي عقدت برئاسة القاضي محسن علوان، إيضاح ممثل الادعاء أن المتهمين، وغالبيتهم عائدون من العراق، قد قاموا بالاعتداء على مجموعة السياح البلجيكيين في مدينة تريم، الواقعة بمحافظة حضرموت، العام الماضي في حادث أسفر عن مصرع سائحتين وسائق يمني.

وقام ممثل الادعاء أيضاً باستعراض عدد من التقارير الطبية حول حالة الجنود الذين أصيبوا في العمليات الإرهابية التي قام بها المتهمون، بالإضافة إلى تقديم تقريري معاينة، بتاريخ 28 آذار/ مارس 2008، للصواريخ التي سقطت على مقر شركة جيكو الصينية، الواقعة بمنطقة خشعة بمحافظة حضرموت.

وأوضح الادعاء أن المتهمين قاموا بشراء بعض المواد الكيماوية ومنها حمض النيتريك، وحمض الكبريتيك، وهي أحماض تستخدم في صنع المتفجرات. كما أكد أن رجال الأمن ضبطوا في وكر خلية تريم جهاز كمبيوتر بداخله اسطوانة تضم شعارهم وفكرهم والعمليات الإرهابية التي تمّ تنفيذها، منها الاعتداء على السياح البلجيكيين، بالإضافة إلى مجموعة من الملفات التي تشرح كيفية تصنيع المتفجرات، والتي تمّ استخراجها من شبكة الانترنت.

وقامت هيئة الدفاع والمتهمين بنفي جميع التهم الموجهة إليهم.

المصادر: صحيفة الخليج، موقع الصحوة الإخباري، صحيفة الوطن.

الأسم
البريد الالكتروني للمرسل اليه
رسالة شخصية

*ادخل الأرقام

ليس بامكانك روية الارقام أعلاه؟

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The Concept of Education in Islam (Written by Dr. Absar Ahmad)

2009-05-26T07:42:00.001+06:00

The Concept of Education in Islam

It is both fashionable and academically useful sometime to understand and analyze etymological definitions. In the case of English words, these are definitions in terms of the word from which it was derived (normally Greek or Latin). In this sense the word "education" is taken to come out either from educere or educure. In the first sense to educate is to "lead out or bring out," while in the second it means to "form or train." According to an eminent British scholar, G. Langford, education is an activity which aims at practical results in contrast with activities which aim at theoretical results. We agree with Prof. R.S. Peters when he says that education forms a "family" of ideas united by a complicated network of similarities which overlap and criss-cross.

It will be generally agreed that education forms the most important link between man’s past and future. In fact, it constitutes that process of evaluation and transmission, of coping with the present and planning for the future, which determines a community’s survival. It is through education that the cultural heritage, knowledge, and values of a social group are preserved and the continuity of its collective life ensured. In short, education imparts meaning to the existence of a culture and helps it sustain its world-view. As such, it cannot be equated with a mere inventory of the paraphernalia and instruments of instruction, including even institutions and external structures. On the contrary, in every meaningful and constructive way education is inextricably linked with the general intellectualism of a culture, the principal task of which is to provide a forum for self-analysis, criticism, and search for authenticity. Educational philosophy, therefore, not only shapes the destiny and identity of any historical community in its functions as the guardian and cultivator of values, it is also the very basis of all culture and civilization.

Endorsing the above ideas, the well-known Pakistani educationist, the late Dr. Mahmood Hussain, writes in a collection of excellent articles entitled Education and Culture: "Education is a social process and it receives its meaning and essential logic from the human society of which it is a part. In its broadest sense the totality of human experience within the society, whether tangible or intangible, is called its culture.... This consensus within a society, which is both emotional and intellectual, is what gives a culture its inner source of strength and motive force.… The cementing force within a society is a system of sentiments which we can call its value-system. The system of values is essentially a set of inter-related ideas, concepts and practices to which strong sentiments are attached. The value system is nurtured and reinforced primarily by the system of beliefs of a group and by its sense of history and traditions."

In a similar vein the above mentioned ideas are emphasized by A.K. Brohi thus: "By education we understand a participation in a cultural process by which successive generations of men and women take their place in our national history upon the foundation of an ideological commitment to the Islamic way of life, and a certain manner of thinking and action conforming to its tenets and commands." (Cf., Education in an Ideological State, published in Aims and Objectives of Islamic Education ed. S.M. Al-Naquib Attas).

One of the most damaging effects of Western colonialism has been the creation in all colonized countries, particularly Muslim countries, of a class of people called "the elite" but which may be more appropriately called the "deluded hybrids". They are the products of the imposed system of education, which is designed to create a class which is almost totally uprooted from its cultural and moral traditions. They were nurtured as alternatives to the Ulama (men of real knowledge and character) who had refused, with remarkable consistency, to have anything to do with the colonial government. The Euro-Christian educational system of the colonial powers was purposely designed to destroy the identity of its victims while at the same time exalting the European race and culture. The elite class in many Muslim countries exhibits, like their European counterparts, a servile spirit, and can only play the role of slaves to political and cultural imperialism. This obtains even when they claim to be free. This is, of course, in marked contrast to those who are imbibed with true Islamic values and are educated as Muslims. They have remained intellectually and morally independent and do not exhibit, even for one moment, the sickening servility and moral emptiness from which the colonial elite suffer. This is so because the Islamic education, as the celebrated African scholar, Edward Blyden has observed, elevates and exalts the human personality in Africa. On the other hand, the Euro-Christian education which dominates African education today, degrades and demoralizes the human personality. (Cf., Christianity, Islam, and the Negro Race, Edinburgh University Press, 1967.)

What produced this difference between Islam and imperialism, Blyden explains, is that "when the religion (Islam) was first introduced it found the people possessing all the elements and enjoying all the privileges of an untrammeled manhood. They received it as giving them additional power to exert an influence in the world. It sent them forth as the guides and instructors of their favored neighbors, and endowed them with self-respect which men feel who acknowledge no superior. While it brought them a great deal that was absolutely new, and inspired them with spiritual feelings to which they had before been strangers, it strengthened and hastened certain tendencies to independence and self-reliance which were already at work. On the other hand, Christian influences, along with other colonial menaces were imposed on the African when he had already been dispossessed of his freedom and had been put in chains." Along with the Christian teaching, says Blyden, "he [the African] and his children received lessons of their utter and permanent inferiority and subordination to their instructors, to whom they stood in the relation of Chattels.... their development was necessarily partial and one-sided, cramped and abnormal. All tendencies to independent individuality were repressed and destroyed. Their ideas and aspiration could be expressed only in conformity with the views and tastes of those who ruled over them." Consequently, those who have gone through this slave education suffer from "general degradation" and could only play "the part of the slave, ape or puppet" as Blyden laments.

A system of education derives its legitimacy from its world-view. Contemporary Western concept of education is a sibling of the reductive, arrogant, and capitalistic world-view of Western civilization. The West "secularized" knowledge in order to overthrow religion and Truth. On the contrary, the concept of education in Islam incorporates positive spiritual and social dimensions. It makes sense only within the ethical and social frame-work of Islamic metaphysical world-view. As modern ecology has taught us, and Western science is rediscovering, nothing in nature behaves as an isolated system. Everything is connected to everything else — an all-pervasive principle of interconnectedness is in operation. Thus, there is no such thing as pure physics or pure economics devoid of social, political, cultural, environmental and spiritual concerns. Looking specifically on the subject of education, it is worth remembering that data or information of any sort is not generated in a vacuum. It is accumulated in accordance with a pre-conceived pattern and purpose. Its subsequent analysis and dissemination is thus only an extension of the data generation process. Indeed, an authentic classification scheme, or — to use a somewhat Kantian phraseology — a categorical framework must precede collection, processing, storage, and dissemination of information. If it is not sufficiently realized by a Muslim intellectual and educationist, he would unwittingly end up promoting an alien world-view. Saturation with information without the analytical capabilities to sift it, and the value-bias involved in the generation and use of data, are the twin problems which need to be firmly kept in mind by a convinced and committed Muslim if one is not trapped in false illusion of the "information ocean" and if one is to remain faithful to one’s tradition and metaphysical world-view.

For a true Muslim, Islam is the norm for judging and evaluating everything. Not very long ago the dearth of information on a particular subject was the limiting factor on one’s correct cognition of events. With the advances in communication and information technologies, there is an avalanche of data being generated and exchanged. Now one can safely say the limiting factor on analysis of a particular fact or event is too much raw data and too little analysis or too ill-developed analytical tools or norms to handle the data adequately. However, as any intelligent person can see, there is a vital difference between the two situations. Previously the sheer lack of data meant that those privileged to have access could manipulate the information to serve their ends at will. Now, provided one develops sufficiently powerful analytical tools and normative categories, most situations can be understood in their proper perspective. The purveyors of information and so-called value-free empirical data have thus resorted to other means to confuse the public. They bombard the populace with a mass of raw data so that an impression is given that all that is to be known about a situation or reality is available, and the interpretation given to them by the media is the only valid one. Soon, an unshakable image about the "facts of the case" is formed in the public mind which, in turn, is used to shape events and achieve desired results. The Islamic concept of knowledge (ilm) and the process of education is diametrically opposed to all this humbug. In order to sift the relevant from the irrelevant, Muslims have their own scheme of classification, as the mental effort of "constructing" facts precedes their collection.

As a matter of fact it is the Islamic concept of knowledge — ilm — which must form the basis of the theoretical and institutional structure of education in Islam. In other words, what makes education truly Islamic is the fact that it is based on a genuinely Islamic notion of knowledge. The concept of ilm, as has been argued forcefully in recent years by numerous Muslim scholars, integrates the pursuit of knowledge with values, envelopes factual insight with metaphysical concerns, and promotes an outlook of balance and genuine synthesis. This is the ultimate difference between the western notion of knowledge which keeps "knowledge" and "values" in two separate compartments, and does not appreciate any form of knowledge which is not gained by sense perception. The integral world-view of Islam, on the other hand, furnishes us with a number of concepts which, when operationalized and actualized in all their sophistication at various levels of society and civilization, yield an integrated infrastructure for the distribution of knowledge. In addition to the core concept of Tauheed, at least five other Islamic concepts — of ilm (knowledge), adl (justice), Ibadah (worship) Khilafah (trusteeship), istislah (social welfare) — have a direct bearing on education to be pursued in the true Islamic spirit. The all-embracing Qur’anic concept of ilm shaped the outlook of the Muslim people right from the beginning of Islam in Arabia. Islam actually made the pursuit of knowledge a religious obligation: by definition, to be a Muslim is to be deeply entrenched in the generation, production and dissemination of knowledge. This is significantly borne out by the first revelation of Iqra (Read!) given to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Again the concept of ilm here is not a limiting or elitist notion. Ilm is distributive knowledge — it is not a monopoly of a few individuals, or a certain class, group, or gender; to acquire it is not an obligation only for a few, absolving the vast majority of the society; it is not limited to a particular field of inquiry or discipline but covers all dimensions of human awareness and the entire spectrum of natural phenomena. Indeed, it seems that the Holy Qur’an places ilm at par with adl; the pursuit of knowledge is as important as the pursuit of justice. One is an instrument for achieving the other. Only when knowledge is widely and easily available to all segments of society can justice be established in its Islamic manifestations. The Islamic civilization has rightly been described by some historians as the civilization of "the book."

Dr. Ismail Raji Al-Faruqi, in his perceptive work entitled Tawhid: Its implications for Thought and Life, has unfolded in a very scholarly fashion the paramount importance of the concept of Tauheed in the ideational and practical spheres of a Muslim polity. We fully agree with him that Iman is primarily and basically a cognitive or gnoseological category. That is to say, it has to do with knowledge, with the truthfulness of its propositions. And since the nature of its prepositional content is that of first principle of logic and knowledge, of metaphysics, of ethics and aesthetics, it follows that it acts in the believer as a light which illumines everything. As Al-Ghazali has described it, Iman is a vision which puts all other data and facts in the perspective which is proper to, and requisite for, a true understanding of them. It is the grounding for a rational interpretation of the universe. In itself, the prime principal of reason cannot be non-rational or irrational, and hence in contradiction with itself. To deny or oppose it is to lapse from reasonableness and hence from humanity.

In the end it must be said that only by rooting their education policy firmly in the matrix of Islamic concepts can Muslim countries generate the type of intellectual energy and productivity needed not only to meet the problems of the contemporary Ummah, but also to rejuvenate and re-establish Islam. A Muslim needs to penetrate beyond the external form of the Modern Age to understand and grasp its transcendental nature and reality. We firmly believe that a dynamic and pulsating faith is not possible to attain unless our knowledge-edifice is firmly based on the spiritual foundations of the Qur’an and Hadith. It is heartening to note that a number of Islamic revivalist movements as well as organizations in the private sector are engaged in educating and training youths and scholars from the Islamic perspective.

Written By: by Dr. Absar Ahmad (Tanzeemi Islami)

Constitutional and Legislative Framework of Khilafah - (written by Dr. Israr Ahmad)

2009-05-25T07:38:00.003+06:00

Constitutional and Legislative Framework of Khilafah

Dr. Israr Ahmad

In the present article, we shall discuss the practical issues relating to the constitutional and legislative framework of a modern Islamic State, or the structure of the System of Khilafah in modern times.

Discourse on the System of Khilafah in the 20th Century

The establishment of Hukumat-e-Ilahiyah (i.e., God’s Sovereignty) was the goal before Hizbullah, the short-lived Islamic revivalist party established by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad back in 1913. After the retreat of Maulana Azad, Dr. Abdul Sattar Khairi and Dr. Abdul Jabbar Khairi, the famous Khari Brothers — endeavored for some time to achieve the same goal. It is not clear whether these leaders had any clear framework of the envisioned Hukumat-e-Ilahiyah in their minds. Thus, although the basic principle was well-articulated, practical steps and concrete details regarding how the System of Khilafah will actually function probably remained vague and unclear.

The first individual to have systematically applied his intellectual genius in this matter and to have contributed his thoughts was none other than Allama Muhammad Iqbal. He not only explained and elaborated the concept of an Islamic State in his poetry but also presented his observations and opinions about it in his Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. Iqbal has emphasized in his poetry that sovereignty belongs to Almighty Allah (SWT) alone, Who is the Supreme Ruler, and to nobody else. He has also referred to the concept of the vicegerency of man. In the sixth lecture of Reconstruction, entitled "The Principle of Movement in the Structure of Islam," Iqbal has made the following observation:

The republican form of government is not only thoroughly consistent with the spirit of Islam, but has also become a necessity in view of the new forces that are set free in the world of Islam. (p. 125)

Concerning the issue of Ijtihad, Iqbal has said:

The growth of republican spirit and the gradual formation of legislative assemblies in Muslim lands constitute a great step in advance. The transfer of the power of Ijtihad from individual representatives of schools to a Muslim legislative assembly which, in view of the growth of opposing sects, is the only possible form Ijma‘ can take in modern times, will secure contributions to legal discussion from laymen who happen to possess a keen insight into affairs. (p. 138)

We have given these two quotes because we fully agree with both of these observations. Unfortunately, some of our intellectuals are presenting a secularized interpretation of Iqbal’s view about Ijtihad, the essence of which is quoted above. Foremost among them is Dr. Javid Iqbal, with whom we strongly disagree on this issue. (Cf., Iqbal, Dr. Javid., "The Problem of Implementing Iqbal’s Ideas in Pakistan" in the Daily Dawn, Magazine Section, June 21, 1998).

Allama Iqbal had delivered his famous lectures in 1928. Eleven years later, in 1939, Maulana Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi gave a lecture in Lahore that was later published under the title Islam ka Nazaria-e-Siyasi. As far as theoretical exposition is concerned, we believe that Maulana Maududi was the greatest political scientist among the Muslims of our times. In his above-mentioned booklet, Maulana Maududi has described two key terms in connection with Islamic political doctrine. The first is theo-democracy and the other is popular vicegerency.

By coining the term theo-democracy, Maulana Maududi has emphasized the point that the Islamic political system is neither a pure theocracy nor a full-fledged Western style democracy, but that it has elements of both. We would describe the concept of a theo-democracy by borrowing a similitude from a hadith of the Holy Prophet (SAW). According to a tradition reported by Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (RAA) and narrated by Imam Ahmad (RA), the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) compared a believer with a horse that is bound to a peg with a rope. If we extend this similitude a little further, we can see that this can serve as an excellent way of describing the combination of freedom and restriction that is characteristic of a believer’s life. Suppose you have a horse that you do not want to lose, then you must use a rope to restrain it; at the same time, you want the horse to run around a bit so that its muscles may not get weak by disuse. To prevent the horse from running away, you would secure it to a peg; but to make sure that it gets some exercise, you would use a rather long rope. If the rope is 100 meters long, for instance, the horse will be free within this circle of 100 meters radius. The horse can do whatever it wants within that circle, but it cannot go beyond the circle. Applying this similitude to the behavior that is required of us, we can see that although we are free within the limits of the Shari‘ah, we cannot — under any circumstances whatsoever — transgress those limits, as these constitute hudud Allah, the limits set by the Creator Lord. The clear injunctions of Qur’an and Sunnah constitute the hudud Allah which can be neither amended nor abrogated. No one has the authority to change these limits, not even the entire body of a legislative assembly!

The restriction of staying within the limits of the Shari‘ah constitutes the theo element in the Islamic political system. There is no special or privileged class of priests or infallible religious divines in Islam. The inclusion of the word theo, therefore, does not imply the rule of any particular ecclesiastic class or group. Instead, it refers to the fact that, just like an individual Muslim, the Islamic State must remain within the limits of the Shari‘ah and must not transgress the hudud Allah.

In the similitude described above, the area enclosed by the circle represents all that is lawful, permissible, and legitimate, what is called mubah in Islamic terminology. This circle of freedom deals with what the Holy Qur’an calls amruhum — "their affairs." According to the Qur’an, "…the conduct of their affairs is by mutual consultation…" (Al-Shura 42:38). Of course, no legislative assembly in an Islamic State can change in any way the injunctions of Qur’an and Sunnah, even by full consensus. The "mutual consultation," therefore, is meant only for those affairs in which the choice is between two or more lawful alternatives. In the Islamic scheme of things, if all the available options in a particular case are mubah, the matter should be decided by discussion, deliberation, and mutual consultation. In this regard, there is absolutely nothing wrong if the final decision is reached by a counting of votes. Under the System of Khilafah, all the higher values of democracy can be incorporated within the circle of the lawful or mubah. However, it should be clear that one of the basic principles of democracy that "sovereignty belongs to the people" is totally incompatible with the Islamic spirit, as it challenges the basic Islamic principle of "Divine Sovereignty" which necessitates the supremacy of Qur’an and Sunnah.

The second term coined by Maulana Abul Ala Maududi to describe the political theory of Islam was that of popular vicegerency. He coined this term to delineate the fact that Islam rejects the idea of "popular sovereignty." Although this is a satisfactory term, we would suggest an improvement to prevent any misunderstanding. In the Islamic political system, the Khilafah or vicegerency actually belongs to the Muslims rather than to all the citizens of a given nation-state irrespective of their beliefs. Instead of popular vicegerency, therefore, we use the term collective vicegerency of the Muslims.

Khilafah — Essence & Form

The entire concept of Khilafah is based on the rejection or negation of human sovereignty. The Holy Qur’an repeatedly proclaims that absolute sovereignty belongs to Almighty Allah (SWT) alone. Since human beings cannot claim to be sovereigns, all they are left with, therefore, is vicegerency. Man is not sovereign in his own right, but he is the khalifah of Allah — the vicegerent of God. The Holy Qur’an describes the status of Adam (AS) in these words: "And (remember) when your Lord said to the angels: Verily, I am going to appoint a vicegerent in earth…" (Al-Baqarah 2:30).

The relationship between Divine Sovereignty and human vicegerency can be easily understood by means of the following example. Under the Colonial Raj in India, sovereignty belonged to the British King or Queen, but there was always a viceroy present in India whose duty it was to implement the orders that he would receive from His Majesty’s or Her Majesty’s Government. In matters concerning which there was no express order from the sovereign, however, the viceroy was free to evaluate the situation himself and, keeping the fundamental aims of his Government in mind, to take a decision using his best judgment. This is precisely the relationship between Divine Sovereignty and human vicegerency, with one significant difference. The British sovereign needed a viceroy because of the long distance that separated the ruler and the ruled. On the other hand, Almighty Allah (SWT) is Omnipresent and the limitations of time and space do not apply to His Exalted Being. However, the creatures and the Creator are separated by the veil of ghaib: we cannot see Him, neither are we able to communicate with Him directly. Since the Real Sovereign is hidden, a vicegerent is needed to implement His Orders and execute His Will.

As far as the actual form of implementation is concerned, the following point should be noted. Before the institution of prophethood was concluded, the prophets of Allah (SWT) were His vicegerents in their individual capacities. In other words, by virtue of the fact that they used to receive direct revelation from Almighty Allah (SWT), all prophets were His representatives on earth; they were responsible for implementing His Orders and executing His Will. This implies that Khilafah, before the conclusion of prophethood, was strictly individual and personal, as it used to be the prerogative of a single person, i.e., the prophet, to implement and execute the orders of the Real Sovereign. Thus, Almighty Allah (SWT) has addressed Prophet Daud (AS) in these words: "O Daud! Verily, We have made you a vicegerent in the earth…." (Saad 38:26). Those who know the Arabic language will appreciate that the address here is in second person singular: Almighty Allah (SWT) is addressing only Prophet Daud (AS). It should also be appreciated that although Prophet Daud (AS) was a king, his rule actually had nothing to do with kingship or monarchy in the ordinary sense — mulukiyyah in Arabic — as he did not rule by his personal whims and desires but, in fact, executed the orders that he received from Almighty Allah (SWT), the Real Sovereign. Thus, Prophet Daud (AS) was a vicegerent of Almighty Allah (SWT) in his personal capacity. In contrast, the Egyptian Pharaohs used to claim the right of absolute sovereignty for themselves, and they did not recognize any Higher Authority whose orders they were supposed to obey and implement. Thus, the rule of Prophet Daud (AS) and that of a Pharaoh were diametrically opposed to each other, although apparently they were both kings!

With the advent of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the institution of prophethood reached its highest echelon and also came to an end. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was the last person who was a Khlifah of Almighty Allah (SWT) in his personal and individual capacity. The institution of Khilafah can no longer continue as an individual and personal affair after the termination of prophethood, as no one can claim that he is receiving direct revelation from God. Thus, after the demise of the Holy Prophet (SAW), the institution of Khilafah must become the collective affair of the entire Muslim community rather than the individual affair of the prophet. Concerning this, Almighty Allah (SWT) says in the Qur’an: "Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them Khilafah in the land…" (Al-Noor 24:55). Note that the address here is in the third personal plural, which indicates that Khilafah is now for the collectivity of Muslims rather than for any single individual.

There is a very significant point towards which we want to draw your attention. We have just seen how, with the social and intellectual evolution of mankind, Khilafah or vicegerency had to be transformed from an individual responsibility to a collective one. Parallel with this development, the concept and form of human sovereignty has also undergone a crucial transformation. Before the advent of democracy, human sovereignty used to be an individual matter, i.e., a king or monarch would rule the masses according to his personal wishes; now, however, this too has become a collective affair. With the development of the concept of democracy, we now have popular sovereignty instead of individual sovereignty. But note that popular sovereignty is as hateful an evil as individual sovereignty, as both represent a state of rebellion against the Creator. Thus, one of Satan’s advisers observes in Allama Iqbal’s Iblees ki Majils-e-Shura (The Devil’s Parliament):

We have ourselves given kingship the garb of people’s rule,

When we saw man becoming self-conscious and independent.

The point to be noted here is that there is no essential difference between individual sovereignty or monarchy on the one hand and collective sovereignty or democracy on the other. Both are different manifestations of political shirk, both are Satanic in origin, both represent rebellion against God. It was the impact of the liberating teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) in the form of the Just Social Order of Islam that caused common people to realize their rights, and raised their level of self-consciousness and self-respect. Realizing that man is becoming conscious of his status and capabilities and becoming more and more free from all kinds of bondage, Satan saw that it would no longer be possible to lure human beings into submitting before monarchs and autocrats. He, therefore, turned the "king’s right to rule" into the "rule of the masses," hiding the filth of human sovereignty behind the attractive veneer of democracy. Despite their differences, therefore, both democracy and monarchy are based on the assumption that human beings have the absolute right to rule —individually in the first case, collectively in the latter — and this is clearly un-Islamic!

Khilafah on the Pattern of Prophethood: Implementation in Modern Times

In this context, the following points should be noted:

Two terms should be clearly distinguished from each other. Khilafah Ala Minhaj Al-Nabuwwah can be translated as the "System of Caliphate on the pattern of prophethood." This term is applicable both to the era of Al-Khilafah Al-Rashidah — the Rightly Guided Caliphate following the demise of the Holy Prophet (SAW) — as well as to the age of Khilafah that will make its appearance in the future. Although "Caliphate on the pattern of prophethood" will certainly be established in the world, in accordance with the prophecies of the Holy Prophet (SAW), the era of the "Rightly Guided Caliphate" will never be recreated. In other words, there is no possibility of establishing an exact replica of Al-Khilafah Al-Rashidah in modern times. We would substantiate this statement with the following four arguments:

The age of the Rightly Guided Caliphate was, in fact, an appendix or addendum of the age of prophethood itself. Since the institution of prophethood has come to an end, there can be no possibility of another Rightly Guided Caliphate.

The four Rightly Guided Caliphs of Islam were trained and educated by the Prophet (SAW) himself, who had purified the souls of his Companions (RAA) to the utmost degree. This feat of training and purification as achieved by the Holy Prophet (SAW) cannot be repeated by anyone, ever. Since we can never have such a high level of sincerity of intent, integrity of character, and inner purification that was the hallmark of the Companions (RAA), we cannot hope to re-create the kind of rule that was Al-Khilafah Al-Rashidah.

There was a clear-cut and unambiguous hierarchy among the Companions (RAA) of the Holy Prophet (SAW). It was well known as to who were the Ashrah Mubasharah, the People of Badr, the People of the Baiy‘ah Al-Ridwan, and so on. This factor too will be absent in our times.

The society was basically tribal in character. This meant that instead of adult franchise, it was sufficient to take the opinion of the elders of each clan before taking any important decision. This is no longer the case in our times.

Due to the four reasons given above, it is simply impossible to re-establish an exact replica of Al-Khilafah Al-Rashidah in modern times.

Since we cannot recreate as such the Islamic Order as it functioned during the Rightly Guided Caliphate, we must adopt the following principle: We should take the principles and ideals from the model of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and the Rightly Guided Caliphs (RAA), and then incorporate these principles and ideals in the political institutions that have been developed in the contemporary civilized world as a result of the process of social evolution.

It should be noted that the concepts of political and economic rights of man, which are claimed to have been born and developed in the West, were actually derived and borrowed from the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Thus, to say that all human beings are born equal, that every human being has certain inalienable rights (including the provision of basic necessities of life) concerning which there must not be any discrimination on the basis of gender, race, color, caste, or creed, and that all forms of exploitation — whether political or economic — must not be allowed to continue in a decent and humane society, is to express the basic tenets of an ideal Islamic State as given by Prophet Muhammad (SAW), as well as to describe the most remarkable features of the era of Al-Khilafah Al-Rashidah. Both the evolution of social thought and development of political institutions that took place in Europe after the decline of the Muslim Ummah have as their foundations the highest ideals of social justice that were given to mankind by the Holy Prophet (SAW) himself. The movements of Renaissance and Reformation appeared in Europe predominantly under the influence of German, French, and Italian scholars returning from the universities of Cordova, Toledo, and Granada in Muslim Spain, and carrying with them novel and revolutionary ideas. There is, therefore, nothing wrong in taking from the West what she has acquired by the application of principles originating from Islam itself. Just as we use the technological innovations that were developed by non-Muslim scientists, we should also make full use of the modern political institutions — in accordance with the spirit of Islam.

(C) As far as the details of the workings of state and government is concerned, there is no definite and binding framework provided to us by the Qur’an and Sunnah. As a matter of fact, all the various forms of government that are in vogue today are essentially permissible in Islam. From an Islamic point of view, it does not make any difference if the government is unitary, confederal, or federal, and whether it is presidential or parliamentary, etc. However, we do need to recognize that the system of the Al-Khilafah Al-Rashidah was a unitary system and closer in spirit to the modern presidential form of government as compared to the parliamentary form. We also need to realize that this is not binding for us. In this regard, the form of government that has been developed in the United States of America represents the highest stage of political evolution, and we can certainly learn a lot from this system. The American form of government is presidential and federal, with maximum autonomy to the states and maximum decentralization of authority. As far as Pakistan is concerned, we believe that the best option is a federal and presidential form of government. At the same time, the decentralization of authority and maximum autonomy of the federating units is a very important requirement of the modern spirit that must not be ignored.

It is important to emphasize the point that there is no definite form or structure of government in Islam. All we have been provided with are certain basic principles and ideals that we must uphold and implement, although the exact manner of their implementation may vary according to the changing social and political conditions. In this context, we believe that there are three basic principles that, if incorporated in any form of government, will lead to the establishment of the System of Khilafah. These three principles are as follows:

Sovereignty belongs to Almighty Allah (SWT) alone;

No legislation can be done at any level that is totally or partially repugnant to Qur’an and Sunnah; and

Full citizenship of the state is for the Muslims only, while non-Muslims are a protected minority.

If these three principles are incorporated in their true spirit in any form of government, it will become an Islamic State or embodiment of the System of Khilafah, irrespective of the specific details of governance.

Legislation under the System of Khilafah

There is a widespread misconception that there will be no need for legislation in the System of Khilafah. There are people who believe that all that is required today is simply the implementation of the Hanafi fiqh in Pakistan, just as the majority fiqh is being implemented in Iran and Afghanistan. This is not true at all. As a matter of fact, most things are permissible in Islam, and the circle of the forbidden or haram is extremely narrow. Consequently, there is a vast scope for law-making in a modern Islamic State, the only restriction is that no legislation can be done and no decision can be taken at any level that is totally or partially repugnant to Qur’an and Sunnah. As pointed out by Allama Iqbal, law-making must be done through the Parliament so that the viewpoint of the laymen is also included, as they are often better aware of the actual problems faced by the masses and of the facts on the ground, as compared to the scholars and experts of the Islamic law who may become too involved in the technicalities and alienated from hard facts.

There is a question of central importance that must be addressed here. What would happen if the Parliament makes a law and someone feels that it transgresses the boundaries set by the Shari‘ah? Who will settle the dispute? We refer to a very important ayah from the Qur’an:

O You who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those who are in authority from amongst you. If you differ in anything, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. (Al-Nisa 4:59)

By using the imperative ati‘u (obey!) in connection with Allah (SWT) and His Messenger (SAW) but not with ulul amr, Almighty Allah (SWT) has indicated that the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) are absolute and permanent sources of law, whereas obedience to the rulers is not absolute but must be limited by the injunctions of Qur’an and Sunnah. This ayah goes on to explain that if there is a disagreement as to whether or not the rulers are acting within the limits of the Shari‘ah, the matter must be referred back to the absolute sources of law, Qur’an and Sunnah. There is an obvious vacuum in this ayah, as it does not clarify as to who will settle such a dispute. Once again, we need to take advantage of the political institutions that have developed as a result of human social evolution. If it is settled in the Constitution that no law can be made that is totally or partially repugnant to Qur’an and Sunnah, then the Parliament — made up largely of laymen — will be forced to seek the expertise of Islamic scholars so as to avoid any violation of the Constitution. This does not, however, eliminate the possibility of a dispute or disagreement, and a citizen may still claim that the Parliament is transgressing the Shari‘ah in any particular instance. Since the Judiciary is the custodian of the Constitution, any dispute as to whether a particular law is within the limits set by the injunctions of the Qur’an and Sunnah or whether it violates those limits can be referred to the Supreme Court, which can declare it as invalid in the latter case, forcing the legislative assembly to amend or make an alternate law. Since the question of repugnance to Qur’an and Sunnah is a technical one, it can only be settled in a court where experts from all fields, especially Islamic law, can be called and their arguments can be considered dispassionately. It should also be noted here that when a matter is to be decided in the Court, only the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) would be used as the bases of argument and discussion; the opinions of all the various schools of Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) may be used as precedents but they cannot serve as absolute sources of law.

Let me mention here a very misguided and totally fallacious opinion that is found in some modernist circles. Some of our modernist intellectuals have argued that the particular and specific injunctions of the Holy Qur’an are not binding on us in a permanent sense, and all we need from the Qur’an are its principles and its general spirit. We strongly reject this argument and believe it to be totally wrong. We have mentioned this only because there is a passage in Allama Iqbal’s Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam that can be interpreted as supporting this view. It is known that Iqbal was not fully satisfied with what he wrote in Reconstruction about this issue, as amply proved by his correspondence with Allama Sayyid Suleman Nadwi even after he delivered the lectures in 1928. However, the actual reason behind Iqbal’s misunderstanding of this issue has come to light only recently, thanks to the painstaking research by Muhammad Suheyl Umar, Director Iqbal Academy. He has conclusively shown in one of his papers that it was Allama Shibli Numani who quoted some passages from Shah Waliyullah in a somewhat distorted manner, which led to a gross misrepresentation of the latter’s true intent. Allama Iqbal, instead of reading the original writings of Shah Waliyullah, relied on the quotations given by Shibli Naumani and was thus misled. (Cf., Muhammad Suheyl Umar., Khutbat-e-Iqbal Nai Tanazur Main, published by Iqbal Academy, Lahore)

Here we would like to make some comments on the issue of Ijtihad. Firstly, as far as the right to do Ijtihad is concerned, it should be understood that no restriction could be placed in this regard. Every Muslim, who claims that he has the necessary capacity and skill, can do Ijtihad and express his opinions. Secondly, even though no one can be barred from doing Ijtihad, there is a definite standard of knowledge and expertise that is required for properly carrying out this great endeavor. For the purpose of Ijtihad, the scholar must be well-versed in the traditional Islamic sciences like Arabic language, tafseer, hadith, fiqh, and so on, and he must also be familiar with modern social thought and the problems and issues of the contemporary world. Thirdly, the real issue with respect to Ijtihad concerns the implementing authority. Anyone can do Ijtihad and present his opinion along with the arguments to support it, but not everyone can implement his view by making it a law. This point requires further elaboration.

During the age of the Rightly Guided Caliphate, the Khalifah was not only the ruler but he was also a mujtahid, having full capability to do Ijtihad as well as the authority to implement it. This was a unique feature of Al-Khilafah Al-Rashidah that we cannot have in our times. But later, during the age of monarchy or mulukiyyah, especially during the reign of Banu Abbas, the situation changed. Now the rulers had the authority to implement, but they lacked the capacity to do Ijtihad which had by then become the specialization of the scholars of Islamic law, or fuqaha. In this connection, we find that two of our great scholars — Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Malik — were offered the post of Chief Justice but they both refused to accept it. Had they accepted the offer, their respective opinions and verdicts would have acquired the status of law. However, both of them considered this to be unacceptable and inappropriate. (It may be noted that Qazi Abu Yusuf, a brilliant student of Imam Abu Hanifa, was also offered the same post and he accepted.)

A very prominent example of the dichotomy of political authority and the ability to do Ijtihad can be cited from the age of the Mughal rule in India. It is well known that Aurangzeb Alamagir had constituted a committee of the scholars of fiqh who compiled their verdicts according to the Hanafi fiqh. This compilation is called Fatawa-e-Alamgiri, after the name of the King who assigned to these verdicts the force of law. This arrangement was needed because the King lacked the ability to do Ijtihad, and the Ulama had no authority to implement their verdicts.

Thus, it is clear that during the age of monarchy it was the King who held the power to make laws, and he would do so by implementing the verdicts and opinions of his favorite and trusted scholars of fiqh. Now consider this question: In our times, who has the authority to make laws? The Parliament, of course! Since anyone can express his opinion, it is possible that ten scholars of fiqh would give ten different verdicts regarding a certain issue. However, only one opinion can acquire the force of law. So we are faced with the question: Whose opinion is to be implemented? The answer is that when the Parliament accepts a certain Ijtihad, then that particular opinion will acquire the force of law. The legislating authority is the Parliament, and not individual fuqaha. This is what Allama Iqbal meant when he approved the "transfer of the power of Ijtihad from individual representatives of schools to a Muslim legislative assembly." It does not mean that the Parliament can make any law and it would be accepted as Islamic just because it was made by a Muslim Parliament. In an Islamic State, the Parliament is not an absolute sovereign but is subject to the injunctions of the Qur’an and Sunnah which it cannot violate. The Parliament consists of the representatives of the people, the majority of which is likely to be laymen rather than experts in Islamic law. As such, the Parliament may not do Ijtihad itself, but it will have the authority to decide as to which particular Ijtihad should be made a law and implemented in the country. However, as we have already made clear, if there is a dispute as to whether the Parliament has transgressed the boundaries set by the Qur’an and Sunnah while making a law, then this issue will be referred to the Supreme Court where all the concerned experts can give their opinions and where the technical aspects of the matter can be carefully examined and adjudicated. In case of a dispute, therefore, the question of repugnance to Qur’an and Sunnah will be decided only by the Judiciary and not by the Parliament.

Some Related Issues

The first question that we want to discuss here is whether the political system in the future Islamic State will be a multi-party system or a single-party one? Many of us believe that it will be a single-party system because discord and difference of opinion are not permissible in Islam. We believe this view is based on naiveté and lack of knowledge. Multi-party system is an indispensable part of the modern state, and their manifestoes are important means of political education of the masses. Therefore, a modern Islamic State will function under a multi-party system, the only difference is that all political parties will be subject to the same principle which the Parliament has to observe. That is to say, no political party will be allowed to include in its manifesto any item that is repugnant to Qur’an and Sunnah, and the manifesto of any party can be challenged in the Court on this basis. Moreover, after a political party receives the people’s mandate and goes into the Parliament, its individual members must not be subject to the "party whip." If a member of the Parliament develops a disagreement regarding something contained in the manifesto of his party, then he must resign from his seat and seek re-election, because he is now disagreeing with the basic document on the basis of which he was elected. Short of that, however, a member of the Parliament should vote on every particular issue on the basis of his personal judgment and should have total freedom to express his opinion, even if it differs from that of his own party.

The second issue concerns the status of non-Muslims in an Islamic State. The basic principle in this regard, even though it is unpalatable for the secular mind, is that only the Muslims are full citizens under the System of Khilafah. Non-Muslims are a protected minority and they do not enjoy full citizenship. Non-Muslims will have the same rights as the Muslims concerning the protection of their lives, property, and honor; they will be allowed to propagate their religion (but only within their own communities); they will be able to compete with Muslims in the job market; the Islamic State will be responsible for safeguarding their places of worship. Despite these rights, however, there are certain matters in which non-Muslims are not treated at par with Muslims. In an Islamic State, non-Muslims cannot take part in the highest level of policy making, neither can they participate in the process of legislation. The topmost priority of an Islamic State, whenever it is established, will be to extend the Islamic Order to other countries. Since non-Muslims do not share this vision with Muslims, they cannot be entrusted to devise, plan, and execute this policy. Similarly, the legislation in an Islamic State will have to be done within the framework of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and those who believe neither in the Qur’an nor in the Sunnah cannot be entrusted to make such laws.

Khilafah in Pakistani Perspective

Here the following points are noteworthy:

(A) With the adoption of the Objectives Resolution on March 12, 1949, it was acknowledged in principle that sovereignty belongs to Allah (SWT), and the authority delegated to us by the Real Sovereign is to be used within the limits of the Qur’an and Sunnah. The opening words of the Resolution are: "Whereas sovereignty over the entire Universe belongs to Almighty Allah alone, and the authority to be exercised by the people of Pakistan within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust…" (italics added). This, in principle, is the essence of the System of Khilafah. Despite the adoption of this Resolution, however, Islam was not implemented in any concrete manner. The late President Gen. Muhammad Zia ul Haq had made the Objectives Resolution an operative part of the Constitution as article 2-A, but the Supreme Court through its decision dated January 14, 1992, refused to give any special status to this article. In order to make the Objectives Resolution truly operative, it should be specified in article 2-A that this provision shall take precedence over the entire Constitution, notwithstanding anything else contained in the latter. To remove the possibility of any further ambiguity, the following words should be added: "The injunctions of Islam as laid down in Qur’an and Sunnah shall be the Supreme Law of Pakistan."

(B) In addition to the Objectives Resolution, we have the imperative to limit all legislation within the bounds set by the Qur’an and Sunnah in article 227 (1) of the Constitution, according to which, "All existing laws shall be brought in conformity with the injunctions of Islam as laid down in the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah, and no law shall be enacted which is repugnant to such injunctions." However, the circuitous route provided for the implementation of this article — through the Council of Islamic Ideology that has absolutely no implementing authority whatsoever — has made this imperative practically ineffective and unproductive. In order to expedite the process of Islamization, therefore, the wordings of article 227 (1) should be incorporated as article 2-B of the Constitution. Since there is no need for the Council of Islamic Ideology after the establishment of the Federal Shariat Court, the article 227 (2) should be deleted.

(C) The establishment of the Federal Shariat Court was a step in the right direction. However, the various restrictions placed on its working have rendered it largely ineffective vis-à-vis the Islamization of laws in Pakistan. As a matter of principle, absolutely nothing should be beyond the rule of Qur’an and Sunnah. If we are to have the supremacy of the injunctions of Islam as contained in Qur’an and Sunnah, then this supremacy must be absolute and without any exceptions. Therefore, all restrictions imposed on the Federal Shariat Court should be removed, whether these concern the Constitution, Muslim Personal Law, any law relating to the procedure of any Court or Tribunal, or any law relating to fiscal and banking practices and procedures. At the same time, the number of Ulama Judges in the Federal Shariat Court and the Shariat Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court should be significantly increased, and the status and terms of appointment of these Judges should be made at par with those of the Judges of High Court and Supreme Court, so as to enable them to work without any pressure.

We believe that if the amendments mentioned above are made in the Pakistani Constitution, and at the same time riba is eliminated from the economy, then this will constitute a "soft revolution," as pointed out by Gen. (Rt.) Hameed Gul. Through the cooperative effort of the Federal Shariat Court and the Parliament, un-Islamic laws will be gradually replaced with those that do not transgress the Shari‘ah, and in this way Islamization will be achieved in a gradual manner without any legal vacuum or crisis.

(D) It should be made clear in the Constitution that no political party can include anything in its manifesto that is repugnant to the Qur’an and Sunnah, as mentioned above. Party manifestoes could be challenged in the Federal Shariat Court if a citizen feels otherwise, and the Court will then decide the dispute.

(E) The President will now be called Khalifah Al-Muslimeen, and he will be the Khalifah of the Muslims belonging to Pakistan. He will not be the Khalifah of Allah, or the vicegerent of God in his individual capacity, rather he will be the vicegerent of the Muslims whom he will represent. Since an Islamic State is based on the collective vicegerency of the Muslims, and since the Muslims will delegate this right to one man through electing him as their ruler, the latter will become their vicegerent. The Khalifah must be a Muslim male, not less than 40 years old (as this is the age of maturity according to the Qur’an), and he would have to pass a very thorough and strict screening process before he can run for this office. Every Muslim man or woman will have the right to vote, and in this respect all Muslims will be treated equally irrespective of whether or not they are practicing Muslims.

(F) Ideally, as mentioned above, non-Muslims should not be allowed to take part in the highest level of policy making and legislation in an Islamic State. In a country where non-Muslims are in a significant number, giving them the right of joint electorate would mean that they would be able to influence the election results and therefore the policy making and legislative process. Instead, separate consultative bodies for various communities of non-Muslims can be formed that will advice the Parliament regarding minority affairs.

Having said that, however, it should be noted that non-Muslims constitute a very small and therefore insignificant minority in Pakistani. Under these conditions, even if they were given the right of joint electorate, they would not be able to influence the legislative process in any significant measure because of their small number. Under these conditions, we believe that there will be no harm in giving the Pakistani non-Muslims the right of joint electorate on the basis of Meethaq of Madinah, provided it is laid down in the Constitution that no legislation can be done repugnant to Qur’an and Sunnah.

Methodology to Establish the System of Khilafah

There is only one surefire and reliable methodology for the establishment of Khilafah, namely, one that is derived from the Seerah of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW). However, the details of this methodology and its application in modern times are outside the scope of the present article. The important point here is that the struggle and effort to establish the ascendancy of Islam is obligatory upon each one of us. According to several traditions of the Holy Prophet (SAW), the domination of Islam on a global level is bound to come. The question for us is whether we achieve success and salvation in the Hereafter by participating in this struggle, or whether we remain idle and indifferent and earn Divine Wrath! This choice has to be made by everyone of us.

Shameless Rulers of Pakistan beg from other nations for Swat - (written by Abdur Rahman Siakhi)

2009-05-25T07:17:00.004+06:00

Pakistan prime minister Yusuf Raza Gilani whilst addressing a conference of donors in Islamabad said, "Given the magnitude of the task that lies ahead, the government of Pakistan would like to seek the support from the donor community, both for the ongoing relief efforts and for the rebuilding process." This request for yet more money is exactly two weeks after the Pakistani government went to war with its own province due to the challenge posed to the governments writ and the fact that militants had humiliated our women, as articulated by the prime minister. As a result of the military operation in Swat, innocent civilians living in the area have been forced to flee their homes. To help the so-called "displaced" Yusuf Raza Gilani has set up a "Prime Minister's Fund" to collect money to deal with the crisis. He has also shamelessly resorted to begging other nations to contribute to help the people forced out.

The Pakistani government's decision to launch military operations in Swat and the neighbouring areas has led to an unparalleled refugee crisis in Pakistan. Reports say that about 1.5 million people have been displaced since the army's latest offensive began on May 2nd.

This disaster in which children have been separated from their parents, where the weak, elderly and ill have been forced out of their villages - has been entirely instigated by those charged with the duty to look after the affairs of such people. It has been caused by the rulers that make the pretence that they are there to serve the people.

Their excuse being that military action was necessary to deal with people trying to destroy Pakistan - people that exploited the vacuum that the government left due to its indifference to the needs of the people of the area.

The displacement crisis is nothing more than a heinous political crime committed by the rulers in Pakistan. Without a doubt a full-scale military onslaught would involve a huge loss of life, property and an exodus of people from the area targeted. No respectable nation in the world would entertain these repercussions before exhausting all other means to address the problem.

The rulers in Pakistan made no allowance for the effect of a military onslaught on the people of the area and are now taking a begging bowl to other nations- many that are belligerent to Islam and Muslims. The rulers' actions prove the contempt that they hold for the Muslims of Pakistan - treating them like cattle that are to be moved from one pasture to another.

The fate of Muslims in Pakistan does not have to be like this. The current problems facing the people are because the rulers of Pakistan continue to preserve their seats and bow to foreign powers at the expense of the well being of their own people. Even in dealing with a catastrophe of their own making the rulers have no shame in asking for money from the enemies of their people in order to dress the wounds that they have inflicted.

Pakistan is not a country in the need of handouts. It has ample resources - it has plentiful manpower, enough coal to cater for the countries electricity needs for centuries and fertile lands. What Pakistan lacks is leadership. The ruling elite are corrupt to the highest degree and do not work sincerely for the interests of the people. This is not surprising when one examines the credentials and the thoughts held by such individuals - the current ruler of Pakistan is renowned for his corruption.

The only leadership that is suitable for Pakistan is the sincere Islamic leadership of the Khilafah state. A true Islamic leadership that is not primitive and crude in its thinking rather it is sophisticated and understands matters on the basis of Islam.

Many examples of this type of leadership can be seen from the history of the Muslims. It is said that during a famine in Madinah in the time of the Khilafah of Umar (ra) that Umar (ra) went pale because he refused to eat fat, butter, and milk, until all the Muslims were able to afford such food. The rulers of Pakistan continue in their lavish lifestyles whilst the Muslims of Swat fester in refugee camps as a consequence of the decisions taken so lightly in Islamabad.

The leadership of the Khilafah state will think carefully about its actions and their consequences on the people. It will not act to please foreign powers rather it will be independent and implement the Islamic Shariah that obliges the rulers to protect the blood, honour and wealth of the people that they are responsible for and prohibits the rulers from harming them. If they have an iota of Iman those responsible for the calamity in Swat should reflect on the words of Rasool Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم.

It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa'id that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم said "On the Day of Judgment there will be a flag for every person guilty of treachery. It will be raised in proportion to the extent of his guilt; and there is no guilt of treachery more serious than the one committed by the ruler of men" [Muslim]

What is the Khilafah ?

2009-05-24T07:04:00.003+06:00

What is the Khilafah ?
Below you will find many questions and answers directly related to the Khilafah.

1. What is Dar al-Islam?
Dar al-Islam is the land where Islamic Law is implemented in all matters of life and ruling and whose security is maintained in the name of Islam even if its citizens are non-Muslims.

2. What is Dar al-Kufr?
Dar al-Kufr is the land where Kufr laws are implemented in matters of life and whose security is maintained in the name of Kufr even if all its citizens are Muslims. This is because the criterion of a region being Dar al-Islam or Dar al-Kufr are the laws that are implemented there, and the security by which it is protected, the criterion is not the religion of its citizens.

3. Which Muslim Countries today are Dar al-Islam?
Out of the Muslim countries of today, there is not a single country or state where Islamic laws are exclusively implemented in ruling and life's affairs; therefore all of them are considered Dar al-Kufr although their citizens are Muslims.

4. What is The Muslims Duty towards His Country?
Islam makes it a duty upon all Muslims to work to change their countries from Dar al-Kufr to Dar al-Islam, and this can be achieved by establishing the Islamic State i.e. the Khilafah, and by electing a Khaleefah and taking a bay'ah on him that he will rule by the Word of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) i.e. he will implement Islamic laws in the country where the Khilafah has been established. Then the Muslims should work with the Khilafah to combine the rest of the Islamic countries with it, hence the countries will become Dar al-Islam and they will then carry Islam to the world through invitation and jihad.

5. What is the Khilafah?
The Khilafah is the global leadership for all the Muslims in the world. Its role is to establish the laws of the Islamic Shari'ah and to carry the da'wah of Islam to the world.

6. Is the Khilafah known as anything else?
The Khilafah is also known as the Imamah, both terms have the same meaning. Several sound ahadith mention them with the same meaning, neither of the two terms has ever differed in meaning in any Shari'ah text i.e. the Qur'an or the Sunnah of the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam), these being the only Shari'ah sources. It is not compulsory to hold to the term of Khilafah or Imamah, but rather it is compulsory to hold to the meaning of the term.

7. Is the establishment of a Khaleefah an obligation upon all Muslims in the world?
The establishment of a Khaleefah is an obligation upon all Muslims in the world. Performing this duty, like any of the duties prescribed by Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) upon the Muslims, is an urgent obligation in which there can be no choice or complacency. Negligence in performing this duty is one of the greatest sins, for which Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) punishes severely.

8. What is the evidence that the appointment of a Khaleefah is obligatory?
The evidence that the appointment of a Khaleefah is obligatory upon all Muslims is in the Sunnah and the Ijma'a (consensus) of the Sahabah.

9. What is the evidence from the Sunnah?
As for the Sunnah, Nafi'a reported saying: "'Umar said to me that he heard the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) saying: Whoso takes off his hand from allegiance to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) will meet Him (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) on the Day of Resurrection without having any proof for him, and whoso dies whilst there was no bay'ah (allegiance or a pledge) on his neck (to a Khaleefah), he dies a death of jahilliyah." So the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) made it compulsory upon every Muslim to have a bay'ah on his neck, and described whoever dies without a bay'ah on his neck that he dies a death of jahilliyah. The bay'ah cannot be for anyone except the Khaleefah, and the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) made it obligatory upon every Muslim to have on his neck a bay'ah to a Khaleefah. Yet he did not make it an obligation upon every Muslim to give bay'ah to a Khaleefah. The duty is the existence of a bay'ah on the neck of every eligible Muslim, i.e. the existence of a Khaleefah who accordingly deserves a bay'ah upon the neck of every Muslim. So it is the presence of the Khaleefah which places a bay'ah on the neck of every Muslim, whether the Muslim gave a bay'ah to him in person or not.

Therefore, this hadith of the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) is an evidence that the appointment of the Khaleefah is an obligation and not a proof that giving the bay'ah is obligatory. This is so because the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) rebuked the Muslim who has not a bay'ah on his neck until he dies, not the one who did not give bay'ah. Hisham ibn 'Urwa reported on the authority of Abu Saleh on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: "Leaders will take charge of you after me, where the pious (one) will lead you with his piety and the impious (one) with his impiety, so listen to them and obey them in everything which conforms with the truth. If they act rightly it is for your credit, and if they acted wrongly it is counted for you and against them." Muslim narrated on the authority of al-A'araj, on the authority of Abu Hurairah, that the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: "Behold, the Imam is but a shield from behind whom the people fight and by whom they protect themselves." Muslim reported on the authority of Abu Hazim, who said: "I accompanied Abu Hurairah for five years and heard him talking of the Prophet's saying: The Prophets ruled over the children of Israel, whenever a Prophet died another Prophet succeeded him, but there will be no Prophet after me. There will be Khulafa'a and they will number many. They asked: What then do you order us? He said: Fulfil the bay'ah to them one after the other and give them their due. Surely Allah will ask them about what He entrusted them with." Ibn 'Abbas narrated that the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: "If anyone sees in his amir something that displeases him let him remain patient, for behold, he who separates himself from the sultan (authority of Islam) by even so much as a hand span and dies thereupon, has died a death of the days of jahilliyah".

In these ahadith, the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) informs us that leaders will run the affairs of Muslims, and the ahadith include the description of the Khaleefah as a shield, i.e. a protection. So the description of the Imam as a shield is informative of the benefits of the presence of the Imam, thus it is a command for action, because if the information conveyed by Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) and the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) contained rebuke then it is a command of prohibition, and if it contained praise then it is a command for action. If the ordered action is necessary to implement a hukm shara'i (divine law), or by its negligence a hukm shara'i will be neglected, then this command is decisive.

In these ahadith there is information also that those who run the affairs of Muslims are Khulafa'a, which indicates an order to appoint them. They also include a prohibition for Muslims to separate from the authority, which indicates the obligation upon Muslims to appoint an authority for themselves, i.e. ruling.

Moreover, the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) ordered the Muslims to obey the Khaleefah and to fight those who dispute his authority as Khaleefah, which indicates an order to appoint a Khaleefah and to protect his Khilafah by fighting against whosoever disputes with him. Muslim reported that the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: "He who pledged allegiance to an Imam giving him the clasp of his hand and the fruit of his heart shall obey him as long as he can, and if another comes to dispute with him you have to strike the neck of that man." So the command to obey the Imam is an order to establish him, and the command to fight those who dispute with him is an evidence that this command is decisive in maintaining the presence of one Khaleefah.

10. What is the evidence from the Ijma'a of the Sahabah?
In regard with the Ijma'a of the Sahabah they all agreed upon the necessity to establish a successor or Khaleefah to the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) after his death, and they all agreed to appoint a successor to Abu Bakr, then to 'Umar, then to 'Uthman, after the death of each one of them.

The Ijma'a of the Sahabah to establish a Khaleefah manifested itself emphatically when they delayed the burial of the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) after his death whilst engaged in appointing a successor to him, despite the fact that the burial of the dead person is fard, and that it is haram upon those who are supposed to prepare for his burial to engage themselves in anything else until they complete the burial. The Sahabah were obliged to engage themselves in preparing the burial of the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam), instead some of them engaged themselves in appointing a Khaleefah rather than carrying out the burial, and some others kept silent on this engagement and participated in delaying the burial for two nights despite their ability to deny the delay and their ability to bury the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam). So this was an Ijma'a to engage themselves in appointing a Khaleefah rather than to bury the dead. This could not be legitimate unless the appointment of a Khaleefah is more obligatory than the burial of the dead.

Also, all the Sahabah agreed throughout their lives upon the obligation of appointing a Khaleefah. Although they disagreed upon the person to elect as a Khaleefah, they never disagreed upon the appointment of a Khaleefah, neither when the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) died, nor when any of the Khulafa'a ar-Rashidun died. Therefore the Ijma'a of the Sahabah is a clear and strong evidence that the appointment of a Khaleefah is obligatory.

11. Is the establishment of Islam and the implementation of the Shari'ah rules in all walks of life compulsory?
The establishment of Islam and the implementation of the Shari'ah rules in all walks of life is compulsory on Muslims through definitely proven evidences. This duty cannot be achieved unless there is a ruler who has an authority. The divine principle states 'what is necessary to accomplish a wajib (duty) is itself a wajib'. So the establishment of a Khaleefah is also compulsory according to this divine principle.

Moreover, Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) has ordered the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) to rule between Muslims by that which He (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) revealed to him, and the order of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) to him was in a decisive manner. Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) addressed the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam):

"And rule between them by that which Allah revealed to you, and do not follow their vain desires away from the truth which came to you". [TMQ 5:48]

And:

"And rule between them by that which Allah revealed to you and do not follow their whims, and beware (be on the alert) that they may deviate you away from even some part of what Allah revealed to you". [TMQ 5:49]

The speech of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) to the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) is a speech to his Ummah unless there is evidence which limits the speech to him. In this case there is no such evidence, so the aforementioned verses order all Muslims to establish the rule. The establishment of the Khaleefah does not mean other than the establishment of the rule and the authority. On the other hand, Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) made it obligatory upon Muslims to obey those in authority, i.e. the ruler, which indicates that the existence of the ruler is obligatory upon Muslims.

"O you who believe obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority amongst you". [TMQ 4:59]

Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) does not order obedience to those who do not exist. This indicates that the existence of the ruler is obligatory. When Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) orders obedience to those in authority it is an order to establish them. The implementation of the Shari'ah depends upon the existence of the ruler, thus, the establishment of the ruler becomes obligatory as its absence will result in the sin of neglecting the Shari'ah.

Therefore, it is clear from these evidences that the establishment of the rule and the authority amongst Muslims is fard, and it is also clear that the appointment of a Khaleefah who takes the charge of the rule and the authority is compulsory upon Muslims in order to implement the Shari'ah laws; and not for the sake of rule and authority only. Reflect upon what the Prophet (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said: "The best of your Imams (leaders) are those whom you love and they love you, who pray for you and you pray for them; and the worst of your Imams are those whom you hate and they hate you and you curse them and they curse you." The Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) was asked: "Would we not declare war on them (face them with the swords)?" He said: "No, as long as they establish salah (meaning Islam) among you." This hadith is clear in informing about the good and bad leaders, and clear in prohibiting the challenge of their authority as long as they establish the prayer, which in this context indicates upholding of Islam, and establishing its rule.

So the obligation upon Muslims to appoint the Khaleefah who establishes the laws of Islam and conveys its call is a matter which has no doubt with regard to its certainty in the sound texts of Shari'ah. Moreover, it is an obligatory duty due to the fact that Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) made it fard upon Muslims to establish the authority of Islam and to protect the honour of Muslims. However, this duty is a collective one, so if some people of the Ummah accomplished it, the fard is fulfilled and thus responsibility drops from the rest of the Ummah. And if part of the Ummah was unable to achieve the fard, though they carried out the actions which establish it, then the responsibility remains upon all the Muslims, and the fard remains upon every Muslim as long as Muslims are without a Khaleefah.

12. What is the difference between the one who refrains from establishing a Khaleefah and the one who embarks on working to establish a Khaleefah?
To refrain from establishing a Khaleefah for the Muslims is a great sin because it is abstaining from carrying out a very important fard of Islam, upon which the implementation of the divine laws depends, even upon which the presence of Islam in the battlefield of life depends as well. So Muslims as a whole commit a great sin by refraining from establishing a Khaleefah for all Muslims. And if they agreed to remain without a Khaleefah the sin would befall all Muslims in the entire world. If some of the Muslims embarked on working to establish a Khaleefah and the others did not, the sin will drop from the shoulders of those who started to work to establish the Khaleefah, while the fard remains on them until the Khaleefah is appointed. This is so because the involvement in establishing the fard removes the sin for the delay of its fulfilment in its time, and for its non-fulfilment despite one's engagement in the work for establishing it, and despite his hatred of that which prevents him from accomplishing it.

As for those who were not engaged in the work for establishing the fard, the sin will remain on them as soon as the three days period has passed, from the departure of the Khaleefah until the appointment of a new Khaleefah, because Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) has entrusted them with a fard, which they did not carry out nor engage themselves in the work which is required for its completion. Therefore, they are sinful and deserve the punishment and shame from Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) in this life and the hereafter. They are sinful due to their refrain from establishing the Khaleefah or from the actions which (according to Shari'ah) establish the Khaleefah. It is clear and obvious that a Muslim deserves the punishment of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) when he ignores any of the duties enjoined upon him, particularly the duty by which the other duties are implemented and the Shari'ah rules are established and the matter of Islam is brought aloft and the word of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) is exalted in the Muslim and the rest of the world.

Accordingly, no Muslim on the face of this earth has an excuse to abandon the duty of establishing the deen which Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) has ordered, that is, the establishment of a Khaleefah for Muslims, when there is no Khilafah on the earth, and no one to implement the hudood (limits) of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) to protect the sanctities of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala), and no one to implement the laws of the deen and unify the Muslim community under the banner of La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadun Rasul Allah. There is no permission in Islam to abandon the work for this duty until it is indeed completed.

13. Is the Khilafah the Only Structure of the Islamic System of Government?
Islam has determined the structure of Islamic government to be the system of Khilafah and it is the only system of ruling of the Islamic State. Muslim narrated about Abu Hazim, who said, "I accompanied Abu Hurayrah for five years and heard him talking of the Prophet's saying: The Prophets ruled over Bani Israel, whenever a Prophet died another Prophet succeeded him, but there will be no Prophet after me. There will be Khulafa'a and they will number many."

This hadith is a clear statement of the fact that the Islamic structure of government after the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) is the Khilafah. This fact is strengthened by evidence from numerous other ahadith that the Khilafah or Imamah is the only system of government in Islam, like the hadith, "After me there will be Imams" and the hadith, "If a bay'ah is taken for two Khaleefahs..." and other ahadith which all indicate that the system of government in Islam is the Khilafah only.

14. Are Muslims all over the world allowed to have more than one Islamic State, or more than one Khaleefah?
The system of government in Islam, which is the system of Khilafah, is a unitary system of one state and not a federal system. And Muslims all over the world are not allowed to have more than one Islamic State, nor to have more than one Khaleefah who rules them by the Book of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) i.e. he implements the Islamic Law, because Shari'ah evidences have established this and prohibited the existence of more than one state, as is narrated by 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As, who said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) say, "He who gave the bay'ah to an Imam giving him the clasp of his hand and the fruit of his heart shall obey him as long as he can, and if another person comes to dispute with him (his authority) you have to strike the neck of that person." And as narrated by Abu Said al-Khudri, that the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said, "If a bay'ah is taken for two Khaleefahs, kill the latter one", and as narrated by 'Arfajah that he heard the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) say, "If someone comes to you when you are united over one man and wants to break your strength and divide your unity, kill him."

These ahadith are clear statements of the fact that Muslims cannot have more than one Khaleefah, and if another person tries to wrest his power it is necessary to kill that person. If bay'ah is taken for two persons, the first is considered the Khaleefah and the second is killed if he does not back out. If anyone disputed with the Khaleefah in order to break up the State or to put himself forward as Khaleefah, he should be killed.

These ahadith are also explicit that Muslims are not allowed to have more than one state and they are explicit in the necessity that the Islamic State is a state of unity, and not a state of union, made up of many units.

15. What Are the Principles of Government in Islam?
The Islamic system of government is based on four principles:

i. Sovereignty is for Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) and not for the People

What controls and runs the Muslims and the Ummah is not the Muslims themselves, nor the Ummah, rather the choice of the Muslims and the Ummah is controlled by Allah's orders and prohibitions only.

"Surely they will not believe until they make you the judge in what they disagree." [TMQ 4:65]

"It is not for the believer (male or female) that when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter that they should have any choice in their matter." [TMQ 33:36]

"O you who believe! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger and the rulers from amongst you, and if you disagree on a matter then return it (for judgment) to Allah and the Messenger if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day." [TMQ 4:59]

And the Messenger of Allah's (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) saying, "None of you will be a (true) believer until his desire follows that which I have come with (i.e. Islam)."

These evidences are explicit in making the sovereignty for the Laws of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) and not for the Ummah.

ii. The Authority is for the Ummah

It is clear that the authority i.e. the government, is for the Ummah because it is apparent in the method, defined by the Law-Giver in appointing the Khaleefah by the Ummah through the bay'ah, and also from the fact that the Khaleefah takes the authority by the bay'ah and he governs the Ummah on her behalf. And the fact that the Khaleefah takes the bay'ah is a clear proof that the actual authority is from the Ummah, who gives it to whom she sees fit. There are also other explicit ahadith which state that the Ummah appoints the leader and gives a bay'ah to him. It is narrated by 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr that the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) said, "It is not allowed that three be in the open (during a journey) and that they do not make one of them their leader."

It is clear here that the appointer is the Ummah. And the ahadith of bay'ah, already mentioned, clearly make the point that the authority is from the Ummah.

iii. There is only one Khaleefah

To appoint one Khaleefah upon all Muslims to represent them in the government is a duty of the Muslims and we have gone through many ahadith about the appointment of the Khaleefah and the necessity that the Khaleefah is one, a matter which was also indicated by the Ijma'a of the Sahabah.

iv. The Khalifah alone has the right to adopt and enforce Islamic opinions in the State

The Khaleefah is the one who issues the constitution and the various canons. The Ijma'a of the Sahabah proves that only the Khaleefah can adopt divine laws and from this consensus is deduced these famous principles: "The Imam's order settles the differences" and "The Imam's order is implemented" and "The Imam can put forward as many solutions as the (number of) problems which arise."

16. What Does the Structure of the Islamic State consist of ?
The structure of the Islamic State consists of the following components:

1. The Khaleefah.
2. Delegated Assistants.
3. The Executive Assistants.
4. The Amir of Jihad (army).
5. The Walis (Governors).
6. The Judiciary.
7. The Administrative System.
8. The Council of the Ummah.

These components have been taken from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam), because he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) built the structure of the State, and he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) was the head of the State, and he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) ordered the Muslims to put for themselves a Khaleefah (after him) and he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) appointed Abu Bakr and 'Umar as his assistants (as narrated in Tirmidhi), "My two wazirs from the people of the earth are Abu Bakr and 'Umar."

And wazir means the one who helps, and not the term Minister as used in the Western democracies. Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) appointed commanders for war and jihad and appointed walis for the provinces. He appointed Mu'adh as a governor of Yemen and appointed A'ttab ibn Usayd as governor of Makkah after the conquest of Makkah. Similarly, he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) appointed judges to judge between people. He appointed 'Ali ibn Abi Talib as a judge for Yemen and sent Rashid ibn 'Abdullah as the amir of judiciary and Unjust Acts. As regards to the administration structure, he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) appointed secretaries for the public administrations, their rank being that of head of department. He appointed Mueqeeb ibn Abu Fatimah as secretary for the spoils of war and Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman as secretary for collection of the zakat on the fruits of Hijaz.

As regards the Council of the Ummah, the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) did not always have a formal assembly, but he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) used to take advice from Muslims. He (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) collected them on the day of Uhud and sought their advice. And sometimes he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) used to call specific persons on a continuous basis to seek their advice, and these were some of the leaders of their people (tribes), who included Hamzah, Abu Bakr, 'Umar, Ja'far, 'Ali, Ibn Mas'ud, Salman, 'Ammar, Hudhayfah, Abu Dharr, al-Miqdad, Sa'd ibn 'Ubadah and Sa'd ibn Mu'adh, and they were like an assembly whose advice was sought.

Similarly, the Messenger of Allah (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) formed an army and he was its real commander and he (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam) also used to appoint commanders in some of his battles.

17. Is the Monarchical system an Islamic System?
The Monarchical system is not an Islamic system and Islam does not approve of it whether the king is a figurehead who does not rule, as is the case in Britain and Spain, because the Khaleefah is not a figurehead, rather he is the ruler and an executor of the laws of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) on behalf of the Ummah, or if the king is the head and the actual ruler, as is the case in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. This is because the Khaleefah does not acquire his position like the kings do; rather, Muslims select him and give him the bay'ah. The hereditary system is not allowed in Islam; the Khaleefah does not have more privileges than any other Muslim citizen and he is not above the Law like the kings who cannot be tried, rather he is subservient to the laws of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) and is liable to be accounted on every act he commits.

18. Is the Republican system an Islamic System?
The Republican system is not an Islamic system and Islam does not approve of it whether it is Presidential in nature as in the US or it is Parliamentary, as found in Germany, because the Republican system in both these forms is based on the democratic system which gives the sovereignty to the people, whilst the system of Khilafah is based on the system of Islam that gives sovereignty to the Shara'. Accordingly the Ummah does not have the right to remove the Khaleefah, though she has the right to choose him and to account him, and only the Islamic rule can remove the Khaleefah i.e. in case he works against the Shara' in such a way that it becomes necessary to remove him. The power to decide whether the Khaleefah has worked against the Law such that he must be removed rests with the Mahkamat ul-Mudhalim (Court of the Unjust Acts) which has the authority to remove him from the seat of Khaleefah, due to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) ruling,

"O you who believe! Obey Allah, obey the Messenger and the rulers from amongst you, and if you disagree on a matter then return it (for judgement) to Allah and the Messenger if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day." [TMQ 4:59]

This means that they must turn over the matter to the Law of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) and His Messenger (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam), and the Court of the Unjust Acts represents the Law of Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Ta'Ala) and His Messenger (Salallahu Alaihi Wasalaam), whilst in the case of the President of the Republican system the people have the right to remove him, because the people have the sovereignty and the authority. The Khaleefah is not elected for a limited term; the only limitation to his rule is the implementation of Islam. If he does not implement Islam, he will be removed even if it is after only one month of his appointment. In contrast the President of the Republic is elected for a limited term. Moreover, in the Parliamentary system there is the Prime Minister beside the President, and the President is only a figurehead without power, the real power rests with the Prime Minister. The Khaleefah is the real ruler and he rules and implements his orders and he has no ministers who rule independent of him.

19. Is the Presidential system an Islamic System ?
Although the President in the Presidential system is himself the actual ruler, he does have with him ministers who have authority of ruling and he is their head and his rank is that of the President of the government. This is in contradiction to the system of Khilafah where the Khaleefah rules directly, and he has with him assistants. These assistants do not have the powers of ministers as in the democratic Republican system. When the Khaleefah becomes the ruler he is the ruler in the capacity of the head of the State and not the head of an executive committee. Therefore there exists a great difference between the Republican and the Khilafah systems, and therefore it is not allowed to name the Islamic State an Islamic Republic, nor is it allowed to say that the system of government in Islam is Republican nor that Islam is a Republican system because of the complete contradiction between the two.

20. Is the Islamic System an Imperial System?
The regions ruled by Islam - though they are of various races and linked to one central place - are not ruled by an imperial system but by a system contradictory to the imperial system. The Imperial system does not treat races equally in the various regions of the empire; rather it gives privileges in the ruling, finance and economy to the centre of the empire.

The Islamic way of ruling is to equate between the subjects in all the regions of the state. Islam grants non-Muslims who hold citizenship, the full rights and duties that Muslims have. They enjoy the same fairness as Muslims and are subject to the same accountability like them. Furthermore, every single citizen, regardless of his or her creed, enjoys rights that even a Muslim living abroad who holds no citizenship does not enjoy. With this equality, the Islamic system differs completely from the Imperial one. It does not make the regions under its ruling into colonies, areas of exploitation, nor a source of wealth funneled back into the central region for its own benefit, no matter how far apart they were, and no matter how different their races were. It considers every single region as a part of the state and its citizens enjoying the same rights as those in the central region. It also makes the ruling authority, its system and its legislation the same in all the regions.

21. Is the Federal System an Islamic System?
The ruling system in Islam is not federal, where its regions separate by autonomy, but unite in the general ruling. It is rather a system of unity, where Marrakesh in the West is considered to be the same as Khurasan in the East; and the province of Al-Fayoom would be the same as Cairo if it were the Islamic capital. The finance of all the regions will be the same, as will their budget. Funds are spent equally on the affairs of the subjects, regardless of their Wilayah. If for instance, the taxes collected in one Wilayah were double its expenditure, the funds spent will be to cover the Wilayah's needs but not according to how much tax raised. If another Wilayah's taxes fell short of its expenditure, this would not be taken into consideration, and funds will be spent to satisfy the Wilayah's needs from the general budget whether it raised enough taxes or not.

Therefore the ruling system is one unit not a federation. That is why the Islamic ruling system is distinguished from other known systems, in its origin and basis, even if some of its aspects were similar to some of their aspects. Furthermore, the Islamic system is central in its ruling, where the high authority is at head office, and where the authority and power engulfs every single part of the state, no matter how small or large it is; independence of any part of it is not allowed thus preventing disintegration. The high authority is the body which appoints the army commanders, the Walis, rulers and finance and economy officials. He appoints judges in all the regions and everyone whose duties is to rule. He is the one who deals with ruling all over the land.

এক নজরে মে ২০০৯

2009-05-21T06:52:00.046+06:00

৩১শে মে ২০০৯:

আফগান সীমান্ত সংলগ্ন পাকিস্তানের দক্ষিণ ওয়াজিরিস্তানে ‍পাকিস্তান সেনাবাহিনীর সাথে সংঘর্ষে ৪৫ তালেবান নিহত। পাল্টা আক্রমণে ৪ পাকিস্তানী সৈন্য নিহত।

৩০শে মে ২০০৯:

ইরানের দক্ষিণ-পূর্বাঞ্চলীয় শহর জাহেদানের একটি মসজিদে বোমা বিস্ফোরণের দুই দিন পরে এ ঘটনায় জড়িত থাকার দায়ে প্রকাশ্যে তিন জনের ফাঁসি কার্যকর। (২৮শে মে দ্রষ্টব্য)।

২৯শে মে ২০০৯:

নওগাঁ’র সাপাহার উপজেলার আধাতলা সীমান্তে বিএসএফের গুলিতে নিহত বাংলাদেশী ব্যবসায়ী শফিকুল ইসলামের লাশ পুনর্ভবা নদী থেকে উদ্ধার। (বিস্তারিত http://www.amadershomoy.com/content/2009/05/30/news0879.htm)

২৮শে মে ২০০৯:

আফগানিস্তান ও পাকিস্তানের সীমান্তবর্তী ইরানের সিস্তান প্রদেশের একটি মসজিদে মাগরিবের নামাজের সময় বোমা বিস্ফোরণে অন্তত ২৫ জন নিহত ও ১২৫ জন আহত। বোম‍া হামলার ঘটনায় ইরান মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রকে দায়ী করেছে।

২৮শে মে ২০০৯:

মুম্বাইয়ের অপরাধ জগতের মাফিয়া ডন দাঊদ ইব্রাহীমের ভাতিজা আবদুর রঊফ দাঊদ মার্চেন্ট (৩৯) -কে ব্রাহ্মণবাড়ীয়া থেকে গ্রেফতার করে ঢাকা মহানগর গোয়েন্দা পুলিশ (ডিবি)।

২৭শে মে ২০০৯:

পাকিস্তানের লাহোরে দেশটির বৃহত্তম গোয়েন্দ‍া সংস্থা আইএসআইয়ের প্রাদেশিক সদর দফতর লক্ষ্য ক’রে সংঘটিত ভয়াবহ এক আত্মঘাতী গাড়ীবোম‍া হামলায় কমপক্ষে ৪০ জন নিহত এবং ২৫০ জন আহত। এই শক্তিশালী হামলায় পুলিশ বিভাগের একটি ভবন মাটির সাথে মিশে যায় এবং আরও বেশ কয়েকটি স্থাপনা ক্ষতিগ্রস্ত হয়।

২৬শে মে ২০০৯:

বাংলাদেশে ৮টি সাধারণ শিক্ষাবোর্ডের এসএসসি, মাদ্রাসা শিক্ষাবোর্ডের দাখিল এবং কারিগরী শিক্ষাবোর্ডের এসএসসি (ভোকেশনাল) পরীক্ষার ফল একযোগে প্রকাশ। পরীক্ষার ফলাফলে মাদ্রাসা শিক্ষাবোর্ড সর্ব্বোচ্চ পাশের হার প্রাপ্তির গৌরব অর্জন করেছে।

২৫শে মে ২০০৯:

কাজী নজরুল ইসলামের জীবন ও বহুমুখী কর্মের ওপরে গবেষণার জন্য তরুণ প্রজন্মের প্রতি বাংলাদেশের রাষ্ট্রপতি জিল্লুর রহমানের আহ্বান।
২৫শে মে ২০০৯:
ঘূর্ণিঝড় আইলা বাংলাদেশ উপকূল অতিক্রম করেছে, একই সময়ে ভারতের পশ্চিমবঙ্গেও এ দুর্যোগ আঘাত হানে। ঘূর্ণিঝড়ের কেন্দ্রস্থল ছিল পশ্চিমবঙ্গের দক্ষিণ চব্বিশ পরগণা জেলার সাগর দ্বীপ।

২৪শে মে ২০০৯:
এলটিটিই’র আন্তর্জাতিক সম্পর্ক বিভাগের প্রধান সিলভারাসা পদ্মানাধন বিবিসি’র সাথে এক সাক্ষাৎকারে স্বীকার ক’রে বলেন যে, গত ১৭ই মে প্রভাকরণ নিহত হয়েছেন।

২৩শে মে ২০০৯:
গ্রীসের রাজধানী এথেন্সে একটি মসজিদে অজ্ঞাত দুর্বৃত্তদের অগ্নিসংযোগ, ৫ বাংলাদেশী আহত।

২৩শে মে ২০০৯:
ভারতের প্রধানমন্ত্রী মনমোহন সিং ২০ সদস্যের মন্ত্রিসভার ৬ জনের মাঝে বিভিন্ন মন্ত্রণালয়ের দায়িত্ব বণ্টন করেছেন-

প্রতিরক্ষা মন্ত্রী এ কে অ্যান্টনি
স্বরাষ্ট্রমন্ত্রী পি চিদাম্বরম
পররাষ্ট্র মন্ত্রী সোমানাহালি মালাইয়া (এস এম) কৃষ্ণ
প্রণব মূখার্জি অর্থ মন্ত্রী
রেল মন্ত্রী মমতা ব্যানার্জী (তৃণমূল কংগ্রেস নেত্রী)
কৃষি মন্ত্রী শরদ পাওয়ার

২২শে মে ২০০৯:
ভারতের নব-নির্বাচিত প্রধানমন্ত্রী মনমোহন সিং-এর নেতৃত্বে ২০ সদস্যের মন্ত্রিসভার শপখগ্রহণ। শপথ পাঠ করান সে দেশের প্রেসিডেন্ট প্রতিভা দেবী সিংহ পাতিল।

২১শে মে ২০০৯:

বাংলাদেশের সেনাপ্রধান জেনারেল মইন উ আহমেদ বলেছেন, পিলখানা ট্র্যাজেডির ব্যাপারে গঠিত সেনা তদন্ত কমিটির রিপোর্টটি তাদের নিজস্ব।

২১শে মে ২০০৯:
বাংলাদেশ জামায়াতে ইসলামীর ৩৬ নেতাকে যুদ্ধাপরাধী ঘোষণা করতে আদালতে দায়ের করা মামলার ৩ বাদীর বিরুদ্ধে ১০০ কোটি টাকা ক্ষতিপূরণ দাবী ক’রে মানহানির মামলা দায়ের করেছেন জামায়াতের অন্যতম শীর্ষস্থানীয় নেতা দেলাওয়ার হোসাইন সাঈদী।
২০শে মে ২০০৯:
ইন্দোনেশিয়ার জাভা দ্বীপে একটি সামরিক পরিবহন বিমান বিধ্বস্ত হয়ে কমপক্ষে ৯৮ জন নিহত এবং বেশ কয়েকজন আহত।
১৯শে মে ২০০৯:
শ্রী লংকার প্রেসিডেন্ট মহেন্দ্র রাজা পাকসে তামিল টাইগার বিদ্রোহীদের সম্পূর্ণ পরাজয়ের ঘোষণা দেন।

১৮ই মে ২০০৯:
বিডিআর সদর দফতরে বিদ্রোহের ঘটনায় দায়ের করা রাষ্ট্রদ্রোহ মামলায় বাংলাদেশের বিভিন্ন জেলা থেকে আরও চার শতাধিক বিডিআর জওয়ান গ্রেফতার।

১৮ই মে ২০০৯:
শ্রী লংকান সেনাবাহিনীর সাথে তুমুল যুদ্ধরত অবস্থায় এলটিটিই’র শীর্ষ নেতা ভেলুপিল্লাই প্রভাকরণ নিহত।

১৭ই মে ২০০৯:

বহুল আলোচিত দশ ট্রাক অস্ত্র মামলায় গ্রেফতারকৃত এনএসআই-এর সাবেক দুই মহাপরিচালক মেজর জেনারেল (অব) রেজ্জাকুল হায়দার চৌধুরী (৫৬) ও ব্রিগেডিয়ার জে. (অব) আবদুর রহীম (৫৭) -কে আনুষ্ঠানিকভাবে জিজ্ঞাসাবাদ শুরু করেছে তদন্তকারী সংস্থা সিআইডি।

১৭ই মে ‍২০০৯:

শ্রমিক লীগের মিছিলে হামলার মামলায় ইসলামী ঐক্যজোটের একাংশের চেয়ারম্যান মুফতী ফজলুল হক আমিনীকে জেলহাজতে প্রেরণ।

১৬ই মে ২০০৯:

এলটিটি‌ই নিয়ন্ত্রিত সর্বশেষ উপকূলীয় ভূখণ্ড দখল করে নেয় শ্রী লংকার সেনাবাহিনী।

১৫ই মে ২০০৯:

শ্রী লংকার সরকারের ঘোষণা - তামিল টাইগারদেরকে ৪৮ ঘণ্টার মধ্যে নির্মূল করা হবে।

১৪ই মে ২০০৯:

পিলখানা হত্যাকাণ্ডের ঘটনায় বাংলাদেশের বিভিন্ন জেলা থেকে আরও পাঁচ শতাধিক বিডিআর সদস্য গ্রেফতার।

১৩ই মে ২০০৯:

পরমাণু বিদ্যুৎকেন্দ্র স্থাপনে রাশিয়ার সাথে বাংলাদেশের সমঝোতা চুক্তি স্বাক্ষর।

১২ই মে ২০০৯:

আফগান সীমান্ত সংলগ্ন পাকিস্তানের দক্ষিণ ওয়াজিরিস্তানে মনুষ্যবিহীন মার্কিন গোয়েন্দা বিমান থেকে নিক্ষিপ্ত ক্ষেপণাস্ত্রের আঘাতে ৮ ব্যক্তি নিহত। নিহতরা তালেবান না অসামরিক লোক তা নিশ্চিত কর‍া সম্ভব হয়নি।

১১ই মে ২০০৯:

পিলখানা হত্যাকাণ্ডের ঘটনায় রংপুর সহ উত্তরাঞ্চলের সাতটি জেলা থেকে ২৪৫ জন বিডিআর সদস্য গ্রেফতার।

১০ই মে ২০০৯:

পিলখানা হত্যাকাণ্ডের ঘটনায় বান্দরবান থেকে ১০৮ জন বিডিআর সদস্য গ্রেফতার। ঢাকার পিলখানায় ২৫শে ফেব্রুয়ারীর ঘটনার পর এ সব বিডিআর সদস্য তাদের নিজ নিজ দফতরে বিদ্রোহ ঘোষণা করে।

৯ই মে ২০০৯:

আন্তর্জাতিক খ্যাতিসম্পন্ন পরমাণু বিজ্ঞানী ডক্টর এম ওয়াজেদ মিয়া (বাংলাদেশের প্রধানমন্ত্রী শেখ হাসিনার স্বামী) ইন্তেকাল করেন।

৮ই মে ২০০৯:

পাকিস্তানের সোয়াত উপত্যকা ও এর পার্শ্ববর্তী তালেবান অবস্থানসমূহে পাকিস্তান সেনা ও বিমান বাহিনীর ব্যাপক আক্রমণ।

৭ই মে ২০০৯:

চট্টগ্রাম বন্দরের বহির্নোঙরে সমুদ্রগামী জাহাজের ধাক্কায় একটি লাইটারেজ জাহাজ নিমজ্জিত।

৬ই মে ২০০৯:

ইরাকের রাজধানী ‍বাগদাদে ট্রাক বোমা হামলায় নিহত ১০, আহত ৩৭।

৫ই মে ২০০৯:

সূর্যালোকের অধিক ব্যবহার ও বিদ্যুৎ সাশ্রয়ের জন্য আগামী ১৬ই জুন থেকে ঘড়ির কাঁটা এক ঘণ্টা এগিয়ে আনার সিদ্ধান্ত নেয় বাংলাদেশ সরকার। এক আন্তঃমন্ত্রণালয় বৈঠকে এই সিদ্ধান্ত গৃহীত হয়। ১৬ই জুন থেকে আরম্ভ হয়ে ১লা ‍অক্টোবর পর্যন্ত এটি কার্যকর থাকবে।

৪ঠা মে ২০০৯:

নেপালের প্রেসিডেন্ট রামবরণ যাদবের সাথে বিরোধের জের ধরে প্রধানমন্ত্রী প্রচণ্ড পদত্যাগ করেন। ‘গণতন্ত্র’ রক্ষার্থে পদত্যাগ করেছেন বলে জানান এই ‘কম্যুনিস্ট’ নেতা।

৩রা মে ২০০৯:

সাবেক মাওবাদী বিদ্রোহীদের নেপালের নিয়মিত সেনাবাহিনীতে একীভূত ক’রে নিতে অস্বীক‍ার করায় নেপালের সেনাবাহিনী প্রধান রুকমাঙ্গু কাতাওয়ালকে বরখাস্ত করে সে দেশের সরকার। কিন্তু প্রধান বিরোধী দলের সদস্য এবং দেশটির প্রেসিডেন্ট রামবরণ যাদব সেনাপ্রধানকে স্বপদে বহাল থাকার নির্দেশ দেন।

২রা মে ২০০৯:

আফগানিস্তানের পূর্বাঞ্চলীয় কুনার প্রদেশের সীমান্তবর্তী পাকিস্তানের মোহমান্দ উপজাতীয় এলাকায় প্রচণ্ড সংঘর্ষে ২ পাকিস্তানী সৈন্য ও ১৬ তালেবান নিহত।

১লা মে ২০০৯:

জামালপুর, ফেনী ও ময়মনসিংহে ঝড় ও বজ্রপাতে ১১ জন নিহত।

The Aim of Establishing the Khilafah State

2009-05-14T22:36:00.001+06:00

VOICE OF KHILAFAH

2009-05-14T04:57:00.001+06:00

A Brief History of May 2009

2009-05-14T03:48:00.004+06:00

9/5/2009:

Nuclear Scientist M Wajed Mia (the husband of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Hasina Wajed) has died. 70-year-old M Wajed Mia had been suffering from heart-related problems and kidney disease.

12/5/2009:

Bangladesh was re-elected member to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term 2009-2012 in an election at the United Nations headquarters in New York.

13/5/2009:

Bangladesh has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Russia aimed at peaceful utilization of nuclear energy. Officials say that this is the first step towards the installation of a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh.

Do you know their secret of smiling ?

2009-05-14T03:17:00.001+06:00

Taliban's Situation in Pakistan

2009-05-14T03:01:00.004+06:00