Topic Addresses
Afghanistan: Analysis of Taliban Hegemony
India: Tug-of-War between Islamic groups
Qatar Charity Society extends humanitarian aid to Afghans
Jordan to hold conference on astronomy in Islamic Shari’a
International Islamic Heritage organ recommended
Prince Sultan Relief Committee intensifies efforts
Mosques Council deplores destruction of mosques in Australia
Brunei: Workshop on Islamic upbringing program
IINA – 01
Afghanistan: Analysis of Taliban Hegemony
Kabul, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) – What many people are not aware of is that the present ruling clique in Afghanistan, the Taliban, was the reason that led the Jeddah-based Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) to turn down the application of that country for membership of this Islamic body, and hardly a couple or so of Islamic countries gave recognition to it.
The fact is that the Taliban snatched power from a legitimate government in Afghanistan that was headed by President Rabbani, after a bloody war.
The Taliban are a group of religious students who the Pakistani intelligence services had brought to power by arming and financing them, but who eventually ended up killing and maiming many people in the country, just in order to maintain their grip on the country. There were a number of countries outside Afghanistan who were covetous of the country and wanted a piece of the national cake.
But after the Taliban had come to power they did nothing to reconstruct the country, nor did they do anything to bring about understanding and cooperation with their country’s neighbors, or to bring to an end the war with their Afghan brothers.
All the Taliban did was to become stricter in their religious orientation, presenting themselves as more Muslim than others. They even went to the extent of dismissing employees who did not keep a long beard, and also stopped women from working. They also forced non-Muslims to wear the Islamic dress, the way the Nazis did, and went on to become more and more violent and vicious in their behavior.
While they prevented others from watching television, they themselves, the ruling junta, had satellite televisions in their homes, and their cocaine and opium exports reached record levels. This, plus their destruction of Buddhist statues brought shame not only to them, but also to the Muslim nation as a whole. At one time they even killed innocent Iranian diplomats who were based in their country.
The extremism of the Taliban and their export of their brand of Islam, brought untold harm to the countries neighboring them, and the Arabs who had gone to fight beside them in their war against the Russians went back to their home countries, such as Algeria and Egypt, and started to kill and maim people there. Those who went to Chechenya were instrumental in starting an unwinnable war that has led to the destruction of the country and the fleeing of its people.
Then, seven years ago, there were the explosions in New York, then the bombing of American embassies, followed by the greatest catastrophe of all, the killing of more than 6,500 people in both New York and Washington.
All the time the Taliban have been “hiding” under the name of Islam, and they have been refusing to listen to anything except their pack of lies and deceptive propaganda.
The Organization of Islamic Countries, and Saudi Arabia, had been trying to offer advice to the Taliban to end their war with their brethren in Afghanistan, but all attempts fell on deaf ears. Some Muslim countries went on advise them to refrain from giving shelter to terrorism, something that had tarnished the name of Muslims, but still they wouldn’t.
The problem with the Taliban is that they are a conceited bunch of religious extremists and are ignorant of international politics and its requirements, nor are they aware of power politics or international relations and what governs them.
All the Taliban know is that they had vanquished the Russians and expelled them from their country, unaware, perhaps, that it was the US intelligence machine that had come to their aid. Yet it was exactly that war that brought havoc to Afghanistan and destroyed most of the country.
The now imagine that their declaration of Jihad would galvanize the Islamic world behind them, and fight the West, regardless of what destruction and defeat might await them.
It is a pity that the Afghans had to loose a lot of Muslim support, for perpetrating the war of personality cult among their ranks, and so it would appear that the best thing that could now happen would be for a government of different orientation to take over the reigns of governance in Afghanistan, in the hope that better times will await the Afghans.
OB/IINA
IINA – 05
India: Tug-of-War between Islamic groups
Delhi, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) – The Bangalore-based “Voice of Islam” publication in India has said that for the last seven months a ferocious conflict has been simmering between the Ahl Alhadith and the Scholars Society groups here. The conflict started with secondary issues, but has now developed into exchanges of allegations and naming names, including accusations of dishonesty. The conflict has reached a point where some are calling for a public assembly that would decide who was right and proper Muslim and who was not. But according to the publication, it has transpired that the real issue that has brought about the conflict is the financial aid that flows to there groups from some Arab countries that help them in accomplishing their social and spiritual objectives.
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IINA – 06
Qatar Charity Society extends humanitarian aid to Afghans
Doha, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) - The Doha-based Qatar Charitable Society (QCS) has extended humanitarian aid to Afghanistan, from which not less than 4,100 Afghan families were able to benefit. This aid included medical supplies for combating various diseases that have affected the refugees.
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IINA – 07
Jordan to hold conference on astronomy in Islamic Shari’a
Amman, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) – A conference on “Astronomical Applications in the Islamic Shari’a” will be held here toward the end of October. The conference is organized by the Aal Bait, and will discuss the sighting of the new crescent and the determination of prayer times, the Qibla and other related issues, including the publication of multi-year calendar.
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IINA – 08
Amman, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) – Jordan’s Minister of Endowments and Islamic Affairs, Dr. Ahmed Hulayl, has said that a tender would be issued within the next few months for the construction of a number of infrastructure projects at the Alquds Sanctuary, to be paid for by the Jordanian Government. The projects will include lighting, the public speaker system, the telephone system, and others. The minister added that under instructions from King Abdullah bin Hussein his ministry would also send 5,000 copies of the Holy Qur’an to the Aqsa Mosque, within the next few days, as gift from the Jordanian monarch.
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IINA – 09
International Islamic Heritage organ recommended
Cairo, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) – Egypt’s Ministry of Endowments has completed a study for the formation of an international Islamic heritage organization. The study will be presented to the conference of Muslim Ministers of Endowments, which is to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, soon.
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IINA – 10
Prince Sultan Relief Committee intensifies
efforts
Riyadh, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) – The Saudi Prince Sultan Relief Committee, which was set up in 1998, started its activities first in Niger, then spread to such other counties of Africa as Chad, Mali, Ethiopia, and Malawi.
The main objective of the committee is to spread Islamic concepts in Africa, and to extend relief help to victims of disaster, construct mosques, and generally contribute to the developmental efforts of those countries, among others.
Since its setting up, the Committee has given aid to the tune of more than 20,000 tons of food materials, and has initiated 120 caravans, apart from the 21 plane-loads that were sent for relief purposes.
In the field of Da’awa work, the Committee has initiated not less than 47 propagation caravans, and distributed not less than 70,000 copies of the Holy Qur’an, set up 31 summer centers, and held more than 10 courses, plus 112 Daawa camps. As a result of its efforts, not less than 30,000 have embraced Islam.
In Niamey, Niger, the Prince Sultan Islamic Center has been built on an area of 20,000 square meters, plus the setting up of a factory for wheelchairs for the disabled. It also sunk 20 wells in some of the remote areas of the country.
In Chad, the Committee was able to implement similar projects, including the construction of five mosques, at a cost of US$65,000.
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IINA – 11
Mosques Council deplores destruction of mosques in Australia
Makkah, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) – The Supreme Council of Mosques, an affiliate of the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL) has deplored the recent incidents that took place in Brisbane, Australia, in which a mosque was set on fire on September 22. People who saw the arsonists fleeing from the scene witnessed the torching. The secretary-general of the MWL, Dr. Abdullah Abdul Muhsin Al-Turky, said that these actions are the result of the heightened international media propaganda against Muslims, adding that the media have been largely influenced by the Zionist lobby in the US. He such the lobby usually takes advantage of even the smallest happening, in order to smear the name of Muslims and discredit them in whatever way they could.
Dr. Turky appealed to the Australian Government to provide protection for mosques and for Muslims in the country, and also to ensure that such acts are not repeated.
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IINA – 12
Brunei: Workshop on Islamic upbringing program
Rabat, Rajab 8/Sep 25 (IINA) – A Regional Workshop is to be held by The Rabat-based Islamic Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) to find ways and means of implementing a program for the Islamic way of child development, and to devise the correct vocabulary. The Workshop will be held in Brunei from September 26 to 30, in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Education.
Experts from such countries as Iran, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, plus three from Brunei itself will be taking part in the Workshop.
The aim of the Workshop is to devise a common syllabus of Islamic education, in keeping with the current trends in educational methods, including the educational material and textbooks to be used.
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