Dr Umar Abdullah on Living Islam with Purpose

Dr Umar Abdullah of the Nawawi Foundation has produced another interesting and thought provoking article focusing on the needs of the Muslims in the West (esp in America). This is I believe his sixth article written with a view to addressing these needs. You can read all of the articles here. An extract form Living Islam with Purpose:

Living Islam With Purpose
The earlier Nawawi Foundation paper Islam and the Cultural Imperative addressed the necessity of establishing an authentic indigenous Muslim cultural presence in America. Living Islam with Purpose complements that paper by offering an operational framework for accomplishing the task. This framework consists of “five operational principles,” which are discussed at length and illustrated with examples:

• Trusting reason
• Respecting dissent
• Stressing societal obligation
• Setting priorities
• Embracing maxims

These five principles are central to the Islamic tradition and embody the practical wisdom and consummate sensibility of the Prophetic teaching. The paper emphasizes the need for American Muslims as a whole to become directly involved in their self-definition and the construction of their future as individuals and communities. This task cannot be left to others or to chance; the five operational principles provide an invaluable resource for determining the way forward. Living Islam with Purpose focuses on the American Muslim community but is relevant to Muslims everywhere, especially those in the West.

Read Full Article.

 

All Quiet on the Pakistani Front?

Not quite. Despite the regime’s brutal attempts to silence the voices of protest and the political parties greedy machinations to secure some crumbs for themselves the protest continues. In the coming days it is imperative that everyone that wants a stable and free society to develop in Pakistan keeps up the pressure on the government to restore the Judiciary. The regime is banking on the issue being drowned in the fanfare of the stage-managed elections. Let us do something to ensure they do not succeed.

Apart from the excellent Democracy and Freedom blog which has updates on what’s going on there is also The Emergency Times and the Rise of Pakistan, both of which are doing a commendable job of keeping the spirit alive. Do check them out to keep up to date with events.

Just in case you’re wondering why a sufi-oriented person like me is getting involved in these “political” issues, please remember what my “shaykh” has said:

goraiz kashmakash e zindaghi se mardon ki

shikast nahein hai to phir aur kaya hai shikast?

( If withdrawal from the struggles of life on the part of men

is not a failure, then what indeed is failure?)

 

Missing In Pakistan

This documentary brought forth a host of emotions such as anger, disgust and to some extent despair. We all know that even in the bastions of democracy human rights can be trampled under foot in the name of fighting terrorists. However in a country like Pakistan where there is no rule of law the effects can be catastrophic and tragic for many families.

 

Musharraf:Rule of Law or Rule of the Mob?

…..well this picture says it all!

 

Saudi Rape Verdict

This is truly depressing news. A Saudi court has sentenced a 19-year old rape victim that was gang raped to six months imprisonment and 200 lashes. This is more than absurd literalism; it is zulm (oppressive injustice). It is also a slur against Islam and a clear sign of just how crazy the Saudi regime really is. The Guardian has the details here.