Erdogan and His Stance: 2009 Davos incident

Ignatius was chosen to be a moderator at the 2009 edition of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Ignatius was the moderator of a discussion including Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Israeli President Shimon Peres, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa. With the December '08-January '09 conflict in Gaza still fresh in memory, the tone of the discussion was lively.Peres was the only participant who was explicitly defending the Israeli role in the Gaza conflict, so Ignatius gave the Israeli President the final 25 minutes to speak.Erdoğan objected to Peres' tone and risen voice during the Israeli President's impassioned defense of his nation's actions. Ignatius gave Erdoğan a minute to respond, and when Erdoğan went over his allocated minute Ignatius repeatedly cut the Turkish Prime Minister off, telling him and the audience that they were out of time and that they had to get to a dinner.Erdoğan seemed visibly frustrated as he said to the President of Israel, "When it comes to killing, you know well how to kill." Ignatius put his arm on Erdoğan's shoulder and kept saying that his time was up. Erdoğan then gathered his papers and said, "I do not think I will be coming back to Davos after this because you do not let me speak." Erdoğan then got out of his chair and walked off the stage, while the other discussion panelists were still seated. At that point the discussion ended.

Five minutes after the discussion ended, President Peres called Prime Minister Erdoğan to apologize for any misunderstanding. Erdoğan later told reporters that he was not upset with Peres, rather he was upset with Ignatius for failing to moderate the discussion impartially, by giving Peres 25 minutes to speak while earlier only giving Erdoğan 12 minutes to speak and then later just a minute to respond to Peres.Erdoğan returned to Istanbul a day later to a hero's welcome at the airport.




Erdogan hailed after Davos walkout

Turkey's prime minister has returned home from the World Economic Forum in Davos to a warm welcome after he stormed out of a debate over Israel's war on the Gaza Strip.

More than 5,000 people, many waving Palestinian and Turkish flags, greeted Recep Tayyip Erdogan after his aeroplane touched down early on Friday.

Erdogan walked out of a televised debate on Thursday with Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, after the moderator refused to allow him to rebut Peres' justification about the war.

Before storming out, Erdogan told Shimon Peres, the Israeli president: "You are killing people."


At least 1,300 Palestinians were killed during Israel's 22-day aerial, naval and ground assault on Gaza. Thirteen Israeli citizens died over the same period.


Speaking to Al Jazeera at the Swiss resort, Tony Blair, the Middle East envoy for the quartet of the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States, said: "Given what's happened in Gaza it would be surprising if people didn't feel really strongly about it.

"Prime minister Erdogan, I know, because I spoke to him earlier in the day, feels passionately and really sad about what has happened to the people of Gaza.

"And it's inevitable that you get this kind of incident".

'No return'

During the heated panel discussion, Peres told Erdogan that Turkey would have acted in the same manner as Israel if rockets had been falling on Istanbul.

Moderator David Ignatius, a Washington Post columnist, then told Erdogan that he had "only a minute" to respond to a lengthy monologue by Peres.

Erdogan said: "I find it very sad that people applaud what you said. There have been many people killed. And I think that it is very wrong and it is not humanitarian."

Ignatius twice attempted to finish the debate, saying, "We really do need to get people to dinner."

Erdogan then said: "Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I don't think I will come back to Davos after this."

Peres told reporters after the incident that Israel is not in conflict with Turkey.

"I don't see this as a personal or national problem. The relations can remain as they are. My respect [for him] hasn't changed. It was an exchange of views and views are views," he said.

Hamas, which has de facto control of the Gaza Strip after pushing Fatah fighters out of the territory in June 2007, commended Erdogan for his action.

"Hamas pays tribute to the courageous stand of Turkey's prime minister ... who in Davos directly defended the victims of the criminal Zionist war against our children and women in Gaza," Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said on Friday.

"We consider his departure from the room an expression of support for the victims of the holocaust carried out by the Zionists."

'Understandable'

Amr Moussa, the secretary-general of the Arab League and former Egyptian foreign minister, who was also in the debate, said Erdogan's action was understandable.

"Mr Erdogan said what he wanted to say and then he left. That's all. He was right," he said, adding that Israel "doesn't listen".

Turkey has in recent months brokered indirect talks between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights region, which Israel captured from Syria in 1967.

The exchange between Erdogan and Peres took place on the second day of the summit, where business and political leaders have been discussing trade, financial regulation and global security.

Gareth Evans, the president of the International Crisis Group think-tank, told Al Jazeera that Erdogan's walk-out was "deeply depressing".

"I thought the tone of the debate had been reasonably moderate up until Shimon Peres laid some heavy-duty stuff on the line, in a very uncompromising and rather un-Peres like fashion," he said.

"In particular, what was depressing was Peres' utter unwillingness to acknowledge the real significance of the Arab peace initiative and to respond to Erdogan and Amr Moussa, saying how important it is that Israel formally say that the plan is a major step towards peace.

"Turkey was Israel's best friend in the Muslim world. I think Israel has to come to grips with the fact that it has alienated a very large proportion of the world's population."

Peres said his outburst was in response to repeated criticism of Israel for its Gaza operation.

He said: "They try to make the Israeli policy an ugly story. Israel is a democracy. It is fighting one of the most dangerous, terroristic, dictatorial groups.

"All of a sudden to be a humanitarian is to support dictators, to support terror, to support killing innocent people".

Gore plea

Meanwhile, the Davos forum continued into its third day on Friday, with Al Gore, the former US vice-president and Nobel Peace prize winner, participating in a discussion on the environment.

Referring to a UN meeting in Copenhagen later this year aimed at concluding a global agreement on reducing emissions, Gore said Barack Obama, the new US president, and other world leaders should seal a quick deal despite the pervasive global financial crisis.

He said: "The new administration is very serious about this. We need an agreement this year, not next year or some other time."

Gore called Obama "the greenest person in the room" for making environmental funding a large part of the $819bn economic stimulus bill passed by US politicians this week.

"I think it's important for the world leaders gathered here to fully appreciate the magnitude of the change in US leadership," he said.

Demokrat: Yoyo Lebih Baik ketimbang Gasing

After her public criticsm over Yudhoyono's government sometimes ago (Poco-Poco dance), Megawati casted another one. For her, Yodhoyono is playing yoyo in implementing his policies which let people in uncertain directions. Meanwhile, one of Demokrat's backbenchers said that playing yoyo is better off than playing a top spinning which only spins on the spot and crushes the ground. This parable means that during Megawati's era, the national development did not produce any significant progress and many national assets were sold out to the foreign companies which deteriorated Indonesian economy at a rapid pace. It seems that Indonesian politics is still far away from its maturity, since its leaders behave childishly.



Kamis, 29 Januari 2009 | 11:27 WIB

JAKARTA, KAMIS — Para politisi rupanya benar-benar sedang bernostalgia dengan berbagai permainan anak-anak. Setelah Ketua Umum PDI Perjuangan Megawati Soekarnoputri mengkritik kebijakan pemerintah Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono seperti permainan yoyo, giliran anak buah SBY, yang mengeluarkan "kosa kata" permainan anak. Wakil Ketua Fraksi Partai Demokrat di DPR RI Sutan Bathoegana, membalas kritikan Mega, dengan menyebut kebijakan era pemerintahan Megawati Soekarnoputri sebagai permainan gasing.

"Permainan yoyo itu jauh lebih baik ketimbang pemerintahan Megawati pada masa lalu yang saya umpamakan seperti permainan gangsing. Yoyo kan naik turun, sedangkan gangsing hanya berputar-putar saja di tempat, malah melubangi tanah hingga rusak," kata Sutan di Jakarta, Kamis (29/1), menanggapi kritikan Ketua Umum PDI Perjuangan Megawati Soekarnoputri terhadap pemerintahan SBY.

Megawati Soekarnoputri, dalam pidato pembukaan Rapat Kerja Nasional (Rakernas) PDI-P di Solo beberapa hari lalu mengatakan, kebijakan pemerintah terkesan menjadikan rakyat seperti permainan yoyo, digoyang naik turun tanpa kejelasan ke mana arahnya.

Anggota Komisi VII DPR RI ini mengakui yoyo itu memang naik turun. "Artinya, pendapatan per kapita kita naik dari 600 dollar AS per orang menjadi 1.600 dollar AS. Juga devisa negara kita naik, anggaran pendidikan kita naik menjadi 20 persen, dan sebagainya," ungkapnya.

Sebaliknya, ia melanjutkan, yang turun seperti harga BBM. "Harga BBM turun sampai tiga kali, tingkat korupsi juga turun sesuai dengan catatan dari Transparansi Internasional. Begitu pula ancaman separatis turun, dan sebagainya," ujarnya.

Sementara itu, lanjutnya, gasing itu hanya terus saja berputar di tempat, "Dan tidak pernah maju, bahkan cenderung melubangi tempat gangsing itu sendiri hingga rusak," katanya.

Perumpamaan ini bermakna bahwa, selama Megawati menjadi presiden tahun 2001-2004, tidak ada kemajuan sama sekali yang diraih bahkan kondisi berbagai sektor banyak mengalami kemunduran.

"Terbukti, dua pulau kita hilang, yakni Sipadan dan Ligitan. Juga beberapa badan usaha milik negara (BUMN) strategis kita dijual ke asing, seperti Indosat. Lalu VLCC (kapal tanker raksasa) yang sangat vital untuk Pertamina yang dilego, gas alam kita di Tangguh diobral murah, serta kasus BLBI triliunan rupiah yang sampai saat ini masih belum jelas," ungkapnya.

Selain itu, dia mengatakan, zaman pemerintahan Megawati, korupsi masih merajalela, disintegrasi bangsa tetap mengancam, terutama di Aceh dan Papua yang tidak pernah dapat dituntaskan. "Jadi, mana yang lebih baik, yoyo atau gasing? Biarlah rakyat yang akan menentukannya," kata Sutan Bathoegana.


EDJ
Sumber : Ant

Diary of a Pakistani schoolgirl

Diary of a Pakistani schoolgirl

Private schools in Pakistan's troubled north-western Swat district have been ordered to close in a Taleban edict banning girls' education. Militants seeking to impose their austere interpretation of Sharia law have destroyed about 150 schools in the past year. Five more were blown up despite a government pledge to safeguard education, it was reported on Monday. Here a seventh grade schoolgirl from Swat chronicles how the ban has affected her and her classmates. The diary first appeared on BBC Urdu online.

THURSDAY JANUARY 15: NIGHT FILLED WITH ARTILLERY FIRE
The night was filled with the noise of artillery fire and I woke up three times. But since there was no school I got up later at 10 am. Afterwards, my friend came over and we discussed our homework.
The Taleban have repeatedly targeted schools in Swat

Today is 15 January, the last day before the Taleban's edict comes into effect, and my friend was discussing homework as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

Today, I also read the diary written for the BBC (in Urdu) and published in the newspaper. My mother liked my pen name 'Gul Makai' and said to my father 'why not change her name to Gul Makai?' I also like the name because my real name means 'grief stricken'.

My father said that some days ago someone brought the printout of this diary saying how wonderful it was. My father said that he smiled but could not even say that it was written by his daughter.

WEDNESDAY 14 JANUARY: I MAY NOT GO TO SCHOOL AGAIN
I was in a bad mood while going to school because winter vacations are starting from tomorrow. The principal announced the vacations but did not mention the date the school was to reopen. This was the first time this has happened.

In the past the reopening date was always announced clearly. The principal did not inform us about the reason behind not announcing the school reopening, but my guess was that the Taleban had announced a ban on girls' education from 15 January.

This time round, the girls were not too excited about vacations because they knew if the Taleban implemented their edict they would not be able to come to school again. Some girls were optimistic that the schools would reopen in February but others said that their parents had decided to shift from Swat and go to other cities for the sake of their education.

Since today was the last day of our school, we decided to play in the playground a bit longer. I am of the view that the school will one day reopen but while leaving I looked at the building as if I would not come here again.

FRIDAY 9 JANUARY: THE MAULANA GOES ON LEAVE?
Today at school I told my friends about my trip to Bunair. They said that they were sick and tired of hearing the Bunair story. We discussed the rumours about the death of Maulana Shah Dauran, who used to give speeches on FM radio. He was the one who announced the ban on girls attending school.

Some girls said that he was dead but others disagreed. The rumours of his death are circulating because he did not deliver a speech the night before on FM radio. One girl said that he had gone on leave.

Since there was no tuition on Friday, I played the whole afternoon. I switched on the TV in the evening and heard about the blasts in Lahore. I said to myself 'why do these blasts keep happening in Pakistan?'

WEDNESDAY 7 JANUARY: NO FIRING OR FEAR
I have come to Bunair to spend Muharram (a Muslim holiday) on vacation. I adore Bunair because of its mountains and lush green fields. My Swat is also very beautiful but there is no peace. But in Bunair there is peace and tranquillity. Neither is there any firing nor any fear. We all are very happy.

Today we went to Pir Baba mausoleum and there were lots of people there. People are here to pray while we are here for an excursion. There are shops selling bangles, ear rings, lockets and other artificial jewellery. I thought of buying something but nothing impressed - my mother bought ear rings and bangles.

MONDAY 5 JANUARY: DO NOT WEAR COLOURFUL DRESSES
I was getting ready for school and about to wear my uniform when I remembered that our principal had told us not to wear uniforms - and come to school wearing normal clothes instead. So I decided to wear my favourite pink dress. Other girls in school were also wearing colourful dresses and the school presented a homely look.

Swat has been a centre of militant activity

My friend came to me and said, 'for God's sake, answer me honestly, is our school going to be attacked by the Taleban?' During the morning assembly we were told not to wear colourful clothes as the Taleban would object to it.

I came back from school and had tuition sessions after lunch. In the evening I switched on the TV and heard that curfew had been lifted from Shakardra after 15 days. I was happy to hear that because our English teacher lived in the area and she might be coming to school now.

SUNDAY 4 JANUARY: I HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL
Today is a holiday and I woke up late, around 10 am. I heard my father talking about another three bodies lying at Green Chowk (crossing). I felt bad on hearing this news. Before the launch of the military operation we all used to go to Marghazar, Fiza Ghat and Kanju for picnics on Sundays. But now the situation is such that we have not been out on picnic for over a year and a half.

We also used to go for a walk after dinner but now we are back home before sunset. Today I did some household chores, my homework and played with my brother. But my heart was beating fast - as I have to go to school tomorrow.

SATURDAY 3 JANUARY: I AM AFRAID

I had a terrible dream yesterday with military helicopters and the Taleban. I have had such dreams since the launch of the military operation in Swat. My mother made me breakfast and I went off to school. I was afraid going to school because the Taleban had issued an edict banning all girls from attending schools.

Only 11 students attended the class out of 27. The number decreased because of Taleban's edict. My three friends have shifted to Peshawar, Lahore and Rawalpindi with their families after this edict.

On my way from school to home I heard a man saying 'I will kill you'. I hastened my pace and after a while I looked back if the man was still coming behind me. But to my utter relief he was talking on his mobile and must have been threatening someone else over the phone.

Islamic body opts not to ban smoking in Indonesia

Indonesia is one of the largest tobaco's market in the world with about 85% of the population are Muslims. Recently, the public concern about an Islamic edict on lighting up has become a national issue, since it invites a deadlock end. On one hand smoking is detrimental to health which is according to the principle of fiqh must be haram. However, on the other one, the tobaco plantation and cigarette business absorbs hundreds of thousands of workers that by all means contributes to the progress of national economy. No wonder the discussion on a possible banning of smoking will seemingly come up in smoke. This situation is aptly reflected in an Indonesian proverb: "Bagai makan buah simalakama; dimakan ibu mati, tidak dimakan bapak mati" (it is like eating a simalakama fruit; if it's eaten the mother will die, if not the father will).












By Olivia Rondonuwu





PADANG PANJANG, Indonesia, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Indonesia's top Islamic body decided on Sunday not to ban smoking for Muslims in a country which is the world fifth-largest tobacco market and Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

It instead issued a fatwa placing more limited restrictions on tobacco use.

Officially secular Indonesia has the world's largest Muslim population and about 700 people, including Muslim clerics and theological experts, had gathered in West Sumatra for the National Edict Commission meeting, which could have issued fatwas on a range of areas from polygamy to doing yoga.

The debate over smoking revealed a split between those wanting to make it "haram", or not allowed, and others who favoured "makruh", an Arabic term whereby it would only be advised that smoking is bad and it is better to drop it.

In the end, after a heated debate at the meeting of the Ulema Council, known as MUI, the council said a decision could not be reached and only forbade smoking in public or smoking by council members of MUI, children and pregnant women.

Fauziah Fauzan, headmistress of the Diniyyah Putri Islamic girls' boarding school, where the meeting was held, said she regretted the decision.

"Makruh means something that God hates, so how come the ulemas still smoke? I am sure those men wouldn't have the heart to see their daughters and wife smoke, so why didn't they just make it forbidden?," she questioned.

The economic importance of the tobacco industry in Indonesia had played a role in the talks and ulemas, or religious councils, in central and east Java -- both areas where the industry is a big employer -- had argued against a ban.

"Haram has a relation to sin and so the mosques built by cigarette factories would also be haram, because they were funded by something haram," said Syafiq Nashan, the head of the ulema in the city of Kudus, a centre for the tobacco industry.

Some clerics also argued that there was no Islamic tenet that bans smoking.

At around $1 a pack, cigarettes in Indonesia are among the cheapest in the world. Some cities, including Jakarta, have banned smoking in public places, but the rules are widely flouted.



BIG INFLUENCE

The MUI has carved a key role for itself in Indonesia and its pronouncements on everything from Islamic banking to halal food can have a big influence. The fatwas are not legally binding but can influence government policy.

The meeting also discussed whether Muslims should avoid yoga because of a view it uses Hindu prayers that could erode Muslims' faith.

The council issued a fatwa, but stopped short of a ban and said Muslims could do yoga as long as it is was only for physical exercise and did not include chanting, mantras or meditation.

The meeting also decided that underage marriage was not forbidden, except if it was "disadvantageous", without elaborating.

Under Indonesian law, men can marry at 19 and women at 16, although under some Islamic laws there is no age limit, and marriage is allowed when the couple is ready for reproduction.

The council, established in 1975, also banned Muslims from abstaining from voting in elections, unless there were no eligible candidates who were deemed honest, faithful, devout, reliable and defended Islamic interests.

A ban on vasectomy remained in place and the council urged the government to implement sharia banking and pornography laws. (Editing by Ed Davies and Charles Dick) (olivia.rondonuwu@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: olivia.rondonuwu.reuters.com@reuters.net; Tel: +6221 384 6364))

Pessantren

Pesantren

Howard M. Federspiel
Source: The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World

A type of school in Southeast Asia offering second-level training in Islamic subjects. The term is pesantren on Java, surau on Sumatra, pondok on the Malay Peninsula and Cambodia, and madrasah in the Philippines and Singapore. Pesantren derives from the sixteenth century, when learning centers were established, known as a place of learning for the Islamic faithful (santris). Surau was a place for worship in early Southeast Asia, while pondok derives from the travelers' inns (Ar., funduq) of the Middle East. Madrasah is the generic name for such schools throughout the Islamic world.

Pesantren are private ventures by scholars called kyai on Java, guru on the Malay Peninsula and Brunei, ustadz in the Philippines, Cambodia, and Thailand, and ῾alim in most places—usually with the assistance of their families. Many schools do not survive the founder, but others continue several generations, with sons and sons-in-law succeeding to control and ownership. Prestige is gained by scholars with good contacts with other scholarly families, some in Arabia, and also through learners who establish new pesantren recognizing the original scholars as progenitors.

By the seventeenth century the pesantren on Java had become alternate centers of authority to the princely courts. The courts stressed elaborate lifestyles based on Old Javanese values of refinement, while the pesantren stressed pious conduct and the hereafter. In Minangkabau the surau, likewise, was a center of authority outside the traditional communal units of society. In other places there seems to have been less social division between the court and the learning centers than in Java and Minangkabau.

In earlier times, the pesantren, surau, pondok and madrasah schools were a rural phenomenon, interacting with local communities. Scholars provided education, gave advice to villagers, and legitimized local ceremonies. Some scholars were regarded as “blessed” and consulted for cures and supernatural assistance during their lives and by cults at their tombs. Villagers supported such schools with food and assistance; in some places the poor tax, alms, and pious endowments were also given. In Malaysia support networks of parents provided assistance and, in all places, learners often worked in the agricultural fields of the school since fees were seldom taken for learning per se. Currently some pesantren are located in urban areas, and many rely on fees.

Learners in earlier times remained at a pesantren until they felt they had learned enough and then returned to society. Committed learners, often sons of scholars (gus), moved among schools whose scholars had reputations for special knowledge. A goodly number traveled to Mecca to study there under noted scholars as the culmination of their education. Today, students usually stay at a particular school for the full education, but sometimes additional training is obtained elsewhere in Southeast Asia, but more often in South Asia or in the Middle East, such as al-Azhar University in Egypt.[See al-Azhar ].

Learning was traditionally based on the “old books” (kitāb kuning) of prominent scholars from the Muslim Middle Period (ca. 1250 – 1850 ), usually from the Shāfi῾ī school of legal scholarship. Study always included Arabic grammar (naḥw) and conjugation (ṣarf), Qur'ānic recitation (qirā'ah), Qur'ānic exegesis (tafsīr), theology (tawḥīd), jurisprudence (fiqh), ethics (akhlāq), logic (manṭiq), history (tārīkh) and mysticism (taṣawwuf). Malay and other local languages were used as the base language of the schools, making them accessible to the local population, which has always made the system popular. The weton or ḥalaqah system was used, in which learners sat in a semicircle before a seated scholar, who called on them in turn for recitation.

Historically, the intense education and worship schedule led to deep involvement of learners with their scholar, which produced strong loyalties and respect. In school and after departing, scholars could rely on their learners to answer a summons for aid, a factor of political importance at particular moments in history. In the Second Javanese War ( 1826 – 1830 ), the Acehnese War ( 1873 – 1903 ), and the Battle of Surabaya ( 1946 ) during the Indonesian Revolution, scholars led their santris into armed conflict against enemies they believed threatened the Muslim community.

In the twentieth century pesantren came under pressure from society and governments to adopt different teaching techniques and to include nonreligious subjects, and many responded favorably. In Indonesia the Modern Pesantren at Gontor, for example, expanded to include training from elementary grades to the university level with a mixed curriculum. Other pesantren converted to sekolah within the Indonesian education system. Still others offered specialized training in agriculture, crafts, and business alongside traditional religious subjects. In Singapore the government insisted on schools adopting much of the regular curriculum found in the national school system. In Brunei the schools were used to supplement the national school system.

In the early twenty-first century there were about 2,000 such schools in the Philippines, nearly 1,600 in Thailand, about 13,000 in Indonesia, 500 in Malaysia, several hundred in Cambodia, and only six in Singapore. Continuing attempts were made by governments throughout the Southeast Asian region to integrate these schools into standard government systems with considerable success in this effort in Brunei, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia, but with much less success in the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia.

In Thailand and the Philippines these schools have been used where national schools do not exist or where language difficulties make them a popular alternative to national schools. Charges have been made that some of those schools, operating outside of government control, have come under the influence of militant forms of Islamic teachings, most notably Wahhabism and al-Qa῾ida, but the extent of such influence is difficult to measure.

While the value-oriented education of the pesantren remains respected by Southeast Asian Muslims, still this type of school appears to be fading in countries where a national education system is strong. When there is a choice, Muslims increasingly feel compelled to send their children to government schools with modern curricula, believing they will be better prepared for the job market. Even children of scholars, who earlier formed the cadre of young scholars and their wives, are drawn by nonreligious education, so that fewer qualified scholars are being trained. See also Education, subentries on Educational Institutions and Religious Education; and Madrasah

Bibliography
Azra, Asyumardi . Rise and Decline of the Minangkabau Surau, A Traditional Islamic Educational Institution in West Sumatra during the Dutch Colonial Period. Ciputat: Logos Wacana Ilmu dan Pemikira, 2003 . The context of the surau in changing Minangkabau society.
Bengsli, Bjorn . Trends in the Islamic Community, Phnom Penh Post, 12, 12 ( June 6–19, 2003 ): 16. The place of religious education in the Islamic community of Cambodia.
Dhofier, Zamarkhsyari . The Pesantren Tradition: The Role of the Kyai in the Maintenance of Traditional Islam in Java. Tempe: Monograph Series Press, Program for Southeast Asian Studies, Arizona State University, 1999 . A basic description of life in a pesantren; for the general reader.
Mucha-Shin Quiling Arguiza , Philippine Ethnic and Muslim Minorities: Educating Children the Traditional Way, Mountain Research and Development 26,1 ( February 2006 ): 24–27.
Pitsuwan, Surin . Islam and Malay Nationalism: A Case Study of Malay-Muslims of Southern Thailand, pp. 175–204. Bangkok: Thai Khadi Research Institute, Thammasat University, 1985 . The transformation of the pondoks undertaken by the Thai government to integrate Muslim society into Thai culture.
Roff, William . Pondoks, Madrasas and the Production of ῾Ulamā' in Malaysia. Studia Islamica XI, no. 1 ( 2004 ): 1–21. The changing life of religious schools in recent times.
Steenbrink, K. A. Pesantren, Madrasah, Sekolah. Jakarta: Lembaga Penelitian, Pendidikan dan Penerangan Ekonomi dan Sosial, 1986 . The development of Islamic education in twentieth-century Indonesia with emphasis on the Islamic associations that were responsible for the principal changes.
Suparto . While Reform of Islamic Education is Necessary, Secularization is Not. Inside Indonesia, 77 (January– March 2005 ), 22–23. The changing role of the pesantren in Indonesian national life.

Australian Day

People in Australia are going to commemorate their speacial day on this coming 26 January 2009. It commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet in 1788, marking the start of British presence in Australia. Australian Day is one of the Australian official public holidays which stirs up an uneasy feeling among Indigenous people. They believe the holiday is a means to confirm their lost of freedom and human dignity due to an exploiting colonialism. From 1788 onwards they have been deprived from their land and indigenous cultures. In their collective memory, 26 January is the day of mourning and of invasion. The day is to remember the most appalling part of their history. However, it is a controversy that needs a wise perspective. For your perusal on the history of First Fleet in Australia, click.



Australia Day, Invasion Day or Aboriginal Sovereignty Day?
by Yagans Head Media

On January 26 2006 Aboriginal Sovereignty Day was declared, when representatives of Aboriginal Sovereign Nations agreed, by consensus, on "Invasion Day" 2006, that the 26th of January would be known as Aboriginal Sovereignty Day. The gathering from across the land at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy in 2006 was in response to the continual Government threat to control the Tent Embassy site; the last united, free voice of Aboriginal People. Aboriginal sovereignty was first declared in Australia in 1972 at the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.

The issue of Aboriginal Sovereignty has been unresolved since 1770 when Aboriginal people opposed Captain James Cook's reconnaissance of the Great Southern Land `Terra Australis', followed by Captain Arthur Philips incursion establishing the platform for invasion. Out-posts were initially set-up on the East Coast of `Terra Australis' and methodically spread across Aboriginal people's `terra firma'.

As a direct result of these unprovoked and planned transgressions, Aboriginal people of terra Australis resisted and defended our inherent sovereign heritage that continues to be suppressed by political ideology and economic greed which clearly stands out in the endemic statistical evidence of Aboriginal people's quality of life and restrictions of a free Aboriginal voice.

Australia's lack of political freedoms and religious morals are denying Aboriginal people's right to self-determination, is an indictment on all Australians.

So, on January 26 2006 Aboriginal Sovereignty Day was declared, when representatives of Aboriginal Sovereign Nations agreed, by consensus, on "Invasion Day" 2006, that the 26th of January would be known as Aboriginal Sovereignty Day.

The Peoples identified the 34 year-old Tent Embassy in Canberra as a significant place of social, spiritual and political importance to Aboriginal Peoples, and a symbol of the assertion of Aboriginal Sovereignty.

The Tent Embassy calls on all Aboriginal Sovereign Nations to stand up against the illegal occupation of our country and continue to resist the oppression of our people. Until there is true justice for our people, these issues will not go away and we will continue to resist.

In 2006 the Tent Embassy took the Sacred Fire to the 'Stolenwealth' Games in Melbourne in March. The fire contains the message of peace, healing and justice, and create a focal point for unfinished business. We call on all Aboriginal Nations to send representatives to the Embassy to commemorate and review the issues of Land Rights in Australia.

The Tent Embassy reiterates the call on the Australian Government to desist the illegal occupation of Aboriginal lands, the oppression of Aboriginal Peoples, and to stop denying the true history of this country.

Indigenous leaders, including Marji Thorpe, Gary Foley, Robbie Thorpe and Michael Mansell claim that Native Title and Reconciliation haven't adequately addressed Indigenous rights. They say: "Native Title has mainly embroiled Indigenous peoples in complex legal processes where they have (generally unsuccessfully) had to prove their fundamental human rights to the land."

The campaigners, known as the Black GST, say the process "puts the onus on Indigenous peoples to somehow prove continuous connection with their land, an impossible task in many situations given the effects of our dispossession and attempted genocide."

On Australia Day last year the diverse and vibrant group marched peacefully through Canberra, gathered at the Tent Embassy on the lawns in front of Old Parliament House and called for recognition of indigenous sovereignty over the land.

"We're wanting to let all the people know that all the land in Australia has been given back to the Aboriginal people... and the sovereignty now lies with all Aboriginal nations," a spokesperson Robert Corowa said at the Embassy.

To many Indigenous and Non-Indigenous people, Australia Day is labelled "Invasion Day" - in recognition of the colonisation of the continent by the British, he said. "We call it invasion day. The most important thing is that everybody in Australia who's now living here... we strongly encourage them to come to the Aboriginal Tent Embassy and place a leaf in our fire."

Legal director of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC), Michael Mansell, said the current Australia Day celebrations should be scrapped and a new national day chosen. Mr Mansell said Australia Day would forever remain a racist blot on Australia's political landscape as long as the event was held on the anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet.

"There can never be reconciliation between whites and Aborigines so long as the anniversary of the coming of white people is the basis for celebrating Australia Day," he said. "A fair and just society cannot be built on celebrating gains by one race at the expense of another."

Mr Mansell has also reported the theft of an Aboriginal sign from the TAC premises. The sign reading: "AUSTRALIA DAY Yes, let�s celebrate: MURDER, INVASION, RAPE, THEFT" was removed on the 25th of January hours after being installed on the Launceston premises.

Mansell says that he will replace the sign in an effort to "the obvious need to expose the myth, as expressed in the national anthem, that Australia is a free and fair country" and called for "white society" to punish the offenders.

"This is another instance of the continuing trend in Tasmania of racist attacks on both people and property by extreme elements of white society who don't like the truth, who don't like Aborigines and other races. As with the racial attacks on middle Eastern people in Sydney, these Tasmanian incidents show how Australia under the Howard government is becoming more openly xenophobic," he said.

Last year activists in Brisbane burned an Australian flag to protest against celebrations marking European settlement in Australia.

Around 300 protesters staged an "Invasion Day" demonstration. Queensland Premier Peter Beattie condemned the action but one protester said he believed the wrong flag had been burned: "I just felt deep down that it should have been the British flag they burnt not the Australian one."

Perth.indymedia
Wikinews - Aboriginal_Sovereignty_Day_Declared
aboriginaltentembassy.net
Australian Aboriginal Sovereignty
Indigenous Australian group names

perth.indymedia.org/index.php?action=newswire&parentview=41816

A Hope for the New World?

Obama was sworn in as first black president with a promise of hope and change not only for the people of the US, but also for the people of the world. The US is not alone and has to embrace other nations to work with. He has to change the prolonged adamant US policy that has caused misery and sadness to other nations. The robust development of US must not be erected on the expenses of the blood and cry of others. We do not want to see a new emerging powerful colonialism in the new world he promised. Put your promise "we will defeat you" on its proper place for the sake of a peaceful world.





Obama takes the oath as first black president with a promise of hope and change
Agence France-Presse, Tuesday Jan 20 2009

Barack Obama took the oath of office to become the first black president in US history Tuesday, proclaiming America had chosen "hope over fear" and must unite in a "new era of responsibility" to triumph over its multiple crises.

Witnessed by a huge crowd of more than two million people in an unprecedented endorsement of a new leader, Obama, 47, became the 44th President of the United States as he took the oath of office at the US Capitol.

"I, Barack Hussein Obama, do solemnly swear that I will execute the office of President of the United States faithfully and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the constitution of the United States, so help me God," said Obama, sparking a massive roar from the crowd and a 21-gun salute.

In his inaugural address, Obama said : "we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord,"

Many among the crowd on the National Mall, estimated by the Washington Post at two million people, wept as the new president spoke.

"Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America," Obama told a nation locked in the worst economic crisis since the 1930s Great Depression.

The new president also sent an immediate message to the rest of the world, and Islamic nations, after eight years in which have seen America's ties with some of its top allies tarnished, especially after the Iraq War.

"America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more."

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect."

"We understand that greatness is never a given, it must be earned."

But he also warned that those who would use "terror" and slaughter innocents to threaten the United States would face an uncompromising response.

"We say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you."

Obama called on Americans to launch a "new era of responsibility" as the economy sinks deep into recession, brought on by massive stocks of bad mortgages and debt.

"Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred," Obama said.

"Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to mark hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age."

He also signaled a sharp shift from Bush administration anti-terror policies which critics say have comprised US ideals and the constitution.

"As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals."

He said that the United States would begin to "responsibly leave Iraq to its people and forge a hard earned peace in Afghanistan.

The new president also said the United States would join other nations in rolling back "the specter of a warming planet."

Watched by outgoing President George W. Bush, who spent eight tumultuous years in the White House, Obama was sworn in in front of a massive flag-waving crowd estimated at least a million people on Washington's National Mall.

Millions of foreigners also tuned in to see the son of a black Kenyan father and white American mother take office, in a generational power shift that will see Obama inherit economic blight and challenges to US power abroad.

In the distance was the Lincoln Memorial, which Obama was to see shortly as he gazes out across the crowds to give his inaugural address, dedicated to the revered president who ended slavery and laid the foundation for Obama's presidency.

Among policy actions expected this week is an order from Obama that will set in train the closure of Bush's "war on terror" internment camp at Guantanamo Bay.

Obama's moment in history was being closely watched abroad.

Pope Benedict XVI sent a message calling on the 44th president "to promote understanding, cooperation and peace" among nations.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said he was eager to work with Obama to "change the world" while German Chancellor Angela Merkel wished him "the best of luck."

A BBC poll of people in 17 countries found an average of two-thirds believe Obama will improve frayed relationships between the United States and the rest of the world.

But with expectations running high at home and globally, Obama's team is pleading for patience as it confronts a groaning in-tray of challenges from Gaza to Guantanamo.

Vast, multi-racial crowds had braved freezing cold to cram the National Mall more than five hours before Obama was to take the oath of office.

Some 318,422 people jammed the Washington subway system early Tuesday heading to the inauguration, a transport official said, noting the figure was much larger than a normal work day.

The former Illinois senator was set to step up to a dais in front of the building just before noon (1700 GMT) to assume power from Bush after two terms marked by stark political division.

Obama has vowed to hit the ground running as soon as he takes office, pushing an 825-billion-dollar stimulus package to lift the US economy and vowing to repair the tattered US image abroad.

The new president has also offered talks with US foes like Iran and vowed to put the United States at the forefront of the struggle to battle global warming.

AFP

The Inauguration of a New President

Obama Sworn In As Nation's 44th President
by Deborah Tedford

NPR.org, January 20, 2009 · Barack Hussein Obama was sworn in Tuesday as the 44th president of the United States, writing a new chapter in American history as the first African-American to hold the nation's highest office.

With his hand on the gilt-edged, burgundy Bible used by President Lincoln in 1861, Obama swore to "preserve, protect and defend" the Constitution in front of an ebullient, possibly record-breaking crowd gathered on the National Mall.

"Earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions," he told the crowd in his inaugural address. "They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint."

Obama said he would begin to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq in a responsible manner and would work to stabilize Afghanistan. Aides said Obama would order the military to begin withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq on Wednesday during a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Obama Reaches Out To Muslims

Obama also promised to improve relations with Muslim countries.

"To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect," said Obama, who spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation in the world. But he also had a warning for those who would threaten the American way of life through terrorism.

"We say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken. You cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you," he said.

On the economy, Obama said his plan for rebuilding and expanding the country's infrastructure will take the U.S. economy into a new age.

"The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth," Obama said.

Chief Justice John Roberts, whose confirmation Obama opposed, administered the 35-word oath. Michelle Obama and daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, joined Obama on the platform as he was sworn in. Moments before, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens gave the oath of office to Vice President Joe Biden, 66.

Crowd Packs Mall

Obama was sworn in on a platform on the West Front of the Capitol as a crowd estimated by The Associated Press at more than 1 million people looked on. The enthusiastic masses packed the Mall in the hours leading up to the ceremony, braving temperatures in the teens early Tuesday morning.

People began making their way to the Mall before 6 a.m., with some trains packed to capacity by the time they reached stops in Washington. More than 585,000 people had ridden the rails as of 1 p.m. Tuesday, said Angela Gates, a spokeswoman for Washington's transit system. Another 52,000 people were shuttled to the Mall on 23 bus routes, she said.

Despite the crowds and the cold, spectators were energized. Dozens of vendors hawked everything from Obama T-shirts to Obama hand puppets as groups of people trekked down Massachusetts Avenue toward the Mall.

Sachiko Minowa was glowing as she walked downtown in 20-degree weather. A Japanese immigrant who now lives in San Francisco, Minowa said she has eagerly awaited the change in administrations. "I came to the United States five years ago," she said. "This is the moment I've been waiting for."

Spectators Energized Despite Cold, Crowds

Another woman said the inauguration was the perfect present for her 33rd birthday.

"I've felt under siege the last eight years," said South Bend, Ind., resident Willow Wetherall. "I can breathe easier knowing I have a partner in Washington who represents my values."

The new first family began Tuesday with a church service at St. John's Episcopal Church, across Lafayette Park from the White House. The Obamas traveled to the White House for a traditional coffee with Bush, then to the Capitol for the swearing-in ceremonies.

After the transfer of power, former President and Mrs. Bush boarded a helicopter at the Capitol and flew to Andrews Air Force Base, where they boarded a military jet for the trip to their new home in Texas.

A parade was being held in Obama's honor Tuesday afternoon through the streets of Washington.

At one point, Obama and his wife, Michelle, got out of the presidential motorcade and walked along the parade route, waving to tens of thousands of cheering, flag-waving supporters. Following the Obamas' lead, Biden and wife Jill also walked along part of the route, waving and smiling at the joyful crowd.

Tuesday night, there are 10 official balls. The Obamas plan to stop by each one.

Linton Weeks contributed to this report.


---

Welcoming the New Year through Virtues of the Past

The glitter and the sparkle of the New Year's Eve has gone. The beauty of the firecrackers simmers in the bottom of our memory. We still remember people were blowing the trumpets and heralding in chorus the coming of the New Year. It was a happiest moment for all people around the globe. The New Year's Eve is a time where people join to realise that time is whisking by leaving them behind. These hullabaloos are still kept locked somewhere in ourselves with all dots of happy and sad impressions. However, there is one thing that we must not ignore, that is a question that always comes across to our minds; a question about what we achieved in the year has just passed by, and what we are going to achieve in the year on which we have just embarked. A wise word says that the great person is he or she who thinks that today must be better than yesterday, and tomorrow must be better than today. This maxim emphasises that time always runs on its amazingly rapid wheels and we cannot hold it even for a second. Be that as it may, our ultimate effort to utilise this invaluable moment is how to create a great achievement through such a passing time in the passage of our precious life.

Albeit such a glamorous moment in celebrating the New Year Eve, the onset of 2009 has still been marked by so many humanitarian catastrophes which are mainly caused by human hands. Some natural disasters that are happening now, such as flood, landslides, the mudflow in Sidoarjo, the crisis of energy, and the like are the result of human greediness and irresponsible behaviours. The globe has also witnessed the persistent wild and uncivilised human traditions that bring about massive destruction. Let us see what is happening now in Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, Ethiopia, and elsewhere. Obviously, in these places atrocities have become the triumphant civilisation of modern humankinds. The oppression against the fellow humankinds has claimed billions of innocent casualties and natural ruins. It seems that we have yet to transform ourselves to be better inhabitants of this world. We are not able to keep harmonious life under the banner of the global village due to our ignorance of the past. We are seemingly to ignore that the continuation of this life is actually at our stake. We are sinners if we just relax and stay away from this reality.

*******

What does it mean when a person says, “I want to enjoy this beautiful life”? This could mean that this person just wants to sit and stretch his or her legs enjoying the sunset in the beach. Another person might prefer to have a life without being haunted by everyday problems and live in a secluded place on the top of hill. These two interpretations by all means imply a philosophical consequence which provides that a desired achievement will definitely come into being with a dream and necessary efforts. If we let a time pass by in front of our noses without a least achievement whatsoever, indeed we are in a great lost. We need to do something and decorate every new day with something beneficial. Some of us tend to show an apathetic sigh when talking about the past. They seem to be reluctant to rekindle their looming failures scattered in the times of yore. They pretend that life is only full of white passage. Therefore, they do not learn from what happened in the past. Sometimes it is true that history repeats itself in our lives. We perhaps often commit a same mistake. Why does it happen? It is because we try to bury all remnants of the past and never take their virtues of wisdom to face the future.

Yes, it is quite true that the past has to go and let it go forever. However, we have to admit that it is an inevitable part of our lives without which there is neither present nor tomorrow. There must be some good lessons we can gain from the past. Hence, our present will not let well enough alone, since we try to create a better picture on this mysterious canvas of life. A change will not happen automatically unless we intend to make a change and force ourselves to move. An egg will not hatch unless there is a motivation and movement from inside. Just lamenting upon the past does not bring any good. Do not cry over spilled milk. In this regard, God says: “By the time, verily the mankind are in lost, except such as have faith, and do righteous deeds, and (join together) in the mutual enjoining of truth, and of patience and constancy” (the Qur’an 103: 1-3).

This Devine saying above implies that every person must be a winner in his own life by having faith, doing good deeds, and being cooperative in finding solutions for any problem. With a strong faith we will have a vigorous mentality and robust spirituality by which we can walk through any difficult passage of life. We will be able to develop a strong self-confidence because we trust this life and any effort we make in the Most Supreme Being. Righteous deeds are any kind of good productive deeds. We transform words into deeds; a theory into practice; a zero into a hero for the sake of others’ benefits and the benefits for ourselves. We cannot be deaf, dumb, or blind in tackling so many social problems perceptible before our eyes. This, in turns, will lead our personality wider and more open-minded to receive suggestions from others or give advice to others to find what the best solution is. Hence, there is no reason to be a looser in this temporary life. I remember one of the Prophet words which says “the best person amongst you is he or she who gives benefit to other fellow humankinds”. Regardless of the skin colours, religious affiliations, cultural groups, each of us is liable to create a better tomorrow and promote a harmonious life for the sake of better civilisation. Thus, are we ready to do something better in this New Year? Do not think about a big one, since a great history begins from a small one. Then, It’d be better to start now. Happy New Year.

Melbourne, 15 January 2009.

Deaf, Dumb, and Blind

When we cannot hear the cries of many oppressed people, we become deaf. When we are not able to speak up the truth, we become dumb. When we ignore the reality of poverty and social agony, we become blind. If we do so, our hearts are dying.

“Deaf, Dumb, and Blind”

Datuk Dr. Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas
Ketua Pengarah

08/01/2009 | The Star

These are the worst of times. "Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path). (2/al-Baqarah, 18)." What man sought was the light of truth and salvation; what he kindled was fire. The flames manifested by the blaze produced shock and awe and won the acclaim of all. But because the nature of fire is temporal, praise was short lived and soon darkness once again descended, this time however it was exponentially worse. Hypocrisy, fraud, arrogance, all the evil vices once again prevailed at the expense of truth, sincerity, and all noble virtues. In dismay, mankind struggled to speak without realizing no one was listening nor could anyone truly see, and were therefore rendered apathetic and mute.
The population of the world held its collective breath during the recently concluded American Presidential elections; would a Republican candidate prevail and continue the despotic legacy of his predecessor, or would a Democrat triumph and introduce the overdue changes promised? The much touted eventual victor won the applause of all leaders around the globe; the panacea of change was on its way eagerly awaiting its turn in the spotlight, reveling behind the curtains to the crescendo of propitious voices which rushed to conclude amid jubilation that the institution of Western democracy had once again claimed victory over inequality and the unseen hand of anarchy and rebellion. Certain leaders of the Arab world in particular breathed a collective sigh of relief and appeared more than honored to blow the victor's trumpet; after all, they had been led to believe that their predicament rested in the duplicitous policies of the previous administration. Indeed, the nomenclature of democracy was that it was just, honorable, moral, and true. Promises of a resolute effort towards a conceivable solution seeking to end hostilities in the Middle East, was introduced; again to the collective applause of the world. Assurances vowing to return to peaceful dialogue surrounding the perennial cruelty faced by the subjugated Palestinian people, were made; once again to the collective applause of the world. The Palestinian population had suffered tyranny, oppression, domination, cruelty, and unimaginable repression for decades. And the true believers from amongst the global Muslim community experienced and endured their agony with them, "like one body; if one part suffers injury and pain, the entire body experiences wakefulness and fever" (hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him). It was as though their ankles were being twisted to the point of breaking, and they were screaming out in extreme pain praying that their fellow man, their own brethren would heed their cries and rush to alleviate their anguish and punish their tormentors. The foregoing promises had been made before, but to the temporary applause of the leaders of the world for those very same promises were soon wanting. Alas, although the screams of the Palestinian peoples had been heard no one had been listening, and their cries ultimately fell on deaf ears. Rather than rid them of the cause of their torture and agony, namely their tormentors twisting their ankles, the leaders of the world, even their own brethren, unilaterally decided that the screams of the Palestinians were too deafening for man's delicate ears and that they should be further punished for polluting the sanctity and purity of sound. What alternative were they left with? What choice would present itself to the Palestinians?

In rushed the institution of democracy. After all, would not the institution of democracy, with its presumed inherent moral code of justice, freedom, honor and truth later rid their Arab neighbor of a despotic tyrant? Had not the Arab world been repeatedly told of the virtues of accepting democracy? Had not the mechanism of democracy been illustrated to them time and again? For perhaps the first time in decades, the Palestinian peoples heeded the call of democracy and dutifully went to the polls to elect a government of their choice. What they craved more than anything else, was justice. Justice is not synonymous with law, for the law had failed the Palestinian people. Like any other Muslim of sound mind, justice for them meant the most comprehensive of all virtues synonymous with truth, the right and good; its antithesis therefore was synonymous with injustice, tyranny, falsehood, and arrogant compromise with evil. And if truth and righteousness were apportioned according to its proper place, namely if dignity, wealth, opportunity, security and the like were afforded regardless of race, creed, political allegiance or social standing, and were distributed according to a just manner, then there would be peace, harmony and happiness in society. For decades, the leaders of the world had generally considered the actions of the Palestinian people in terms of their appearance, inclined to interpret those actions as they appeared, rather than as they were and what they were in reality. As a result, wealth was apportioned to the already rich; control of their destiny was handed to a government comprising a race of people who considered themselves to be ‘God's chosen flock'; jurisdiction of their mosques and schools was assigned to ‘God's chosen troops'. Such manner of distribution certainly brought benefit to the foregoing government, yet was indeed oppressive and a deviation from justice; such a government was indeed unjust for it had failed to recognize the proper places of those things in relation to their recipients.

Unlike the victor of the democratically elected soon to be appointed President of the United States of America who had earned the applause of all leaders around the globe, the victor of the democratically elected leader who had merited the esteem of the Palestinian peoples, was summarily condemned by many leaders of the world, including some from amongst the leaders of the Arab world. Democratic salvation was in fact democratic abandonment. It turns out that the moral code of justice, freedom, honor and truth was not inherent to democracy; rather democracy was the vessel of terror, terrorism, and terrorists, at least this is what the aforementioned leaders of the world would have us conclude. Today therefore, the schism suffered by the Muslim world is more and more apparent. There are those in Malaysia, Turkey, and the Islamic Republic of Iran, for example, who experience and share in the anguish of their fellow human beings and desperately want to render assistance. Sadly however, their democratic voices are drowned out by an overpowering deafening roar resulting from a torrential inundation of the scum of democracy. Certain leaders of Arab countries and Muslim representatives in the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) have vaingloriously and deliberately ignored the rope of hope, optimism, and deliverance offered to them by those having true knowledge of justice during fleeting intervals of truth amidst the vast swathe of ignorance and despair. Conversely, they have elected to remain cynical, hypocritical, duplicitous, and untrustworthy. As a result, change for the better with regard to the fate of the Muslims and the Muslim world remains impossible while their democratically elected leaders grope about, deaf, dumb, and blind.

Qur'anic Recitation

Abdul Basith (the late great reciter from Egypt)

Surah 93. The Morning Hours, Morning Bright!

1. By the Glorious Morning Light,

2. And by the Night when it is still,-

3. Thy Guardian-Lord hath not forsaken thee, nor is He displeased.

4. And verily the Hereafter will be better for thee than the present.

5. And soon will thy Guardian-Lord give thee (that wherewith) thou shalt be well-pleased.

6. Did He not find thee an orphan and give thee shelter (and care)?

7. And He found thee wandering, and He gave thee guidance.

8. And He found thee in need, and made thee independent.

9. Therefore, treat not the orphan with harshness,

10. Nor repulse the petitioner (unheard);

11. But the bounty of the Lord - rehearse and proclaim!

--

Surah 94. Solace, Consolation, Relief

1. Have We not expanded thee thy breast?-

2. And removed from thee thy burden

3. The which did gall thy back?-

4. And raised high the esteem (in which) thou (art held)?

5. So, verily, with every difficulty, there is relief:

6. Verily, with every difficulty there is relief.

7. Therefore, when thou art free (from thine immediate task), still labour hard,

8. And to thy Lord turn (all) thy attention.

The ban of Hijab in Brisbane

The image of Islam is again still behind the shadow of doubt among few people. The growth of worrisome feelings towards Muslim women wearing hijab is indeed baseless. Let people express their cultural afiliation as long as it does not violate others. Open the window of dialogue rather than casting a blasphemy against and a bad image of Islam.



Call for hijab ban backed by retailers


A radio announcer's call for a ban on Islamic hijabs has been backed by the Retailers Association.

The peak national body has called for all hijabs, helmets and hoodies to be banned in shops and banks for security purposes.

Brisbane radio presenter Michael Smith angered listeners after calling for Muslim women who wear a hijab to be fined.

The 4BC drive presenter said on Wednesday that wearing the hijab or burqa posed a security risk because it obscured the face, making it difficult to identify the wearer in the instance of a crime.

Mr Smith said it should be made an offence.

Retailers association executive director Scott Driscoll said it had been a long accepted practice to require customers to remove helmets and other identity obscuring headwear when entering a shop or bank.

"Retailers should not have to fear any form of retribution or backlash for requiring the removal of any obscuring headwear, including hijabs, as a condition of entry," Mr Driscoll said.

"This is about ensuring a more safe and secure retail environment for all and being able to readily identify any and all perpetrators of armed hold-ups or shop theft."

Islamic Council of Queensland president Suliman Sabdia said he was disappointed by Mr Smith's remarks.

"He has every right to say it but we do say he displays intolerance, and a complete lack of understanding of the Muslim code of conduct," Mr Sabdia said.

He said he did not think Mr Smith should be fired, instead inviting him to a meeting to discuss the issues.

"Does revenge really, at the end of the day, solve anything? No," he said.

"We forgive him for his lack of understanding, we pray that God almighty gives him the wisdom and the understanding to respect every other individual."

A poll on the station's website on Thursday asking, "Should we impose restrictions on the wearing of burqas in Australia?" had a yes result of 76 per cent, and 23 per cent no, at 10am (AEST).

====

Death threats follow call for hijab ban

The Brisbane radio announcer who suggested the hijab be removed in banks and shops has received death threats.

4BC announcer Michael Smith on Wednesday said wearing a face-covering such as some Muslim women do posed a security risk because it made identification difficult in the event of a crime.

Wearing a face-veil in certain places, such as shopping centres, was also offensive and scared little children, he said.

In a recorded threat on the station website a caller says "you're head is on a plate (expletive beeped). You're going to be dead soon (expletive beeped), racist bitch".

Station general manager David McDonald on Friday said most of the calls seemed to emanate from Sydney and he said Smith's original comments had been taken out of context.

"This has been really blown out of total proportion," Mr McDonald said.

"There was never any racism in this at all. There was nothing about religion, it was all about purely security and safety issues."

Mr McDonald said Mr Smith's call was only to show the face, not to remove headwear.

"A lot of criminals have used this to sort of disguise themselves."

Mr Smith, an ex-policeman, was aware of the trauma robberies cause, Mr McDonald said.

"It was never about racism.

Complaints, both to official channels and those phoned in to the radio station, were based on media interpretations of Mr Smith's comments rather than the comments themselves, the general manager said.

"That is extremely disappointing that it's been hijacked for other purposes."

Mr McDonald said upset staff had been counselled and security stepped up.

On the station's website Mr Smith defends his comments.

"It seems this country's media finds it difficult to talk sensibly about certain topics," Friday's entry reads.

"I've been branded a racist in writing by a major national television network who should know better.

"How could anyone say that my comments were racist?"

Queensland police acknowledged that a complaint had been made by the radio station and said it was under investigation.