On 3 August 2012, the Chief of Army Staff, General Kayani approved sentencing of Rigorous Imprisonment for five officers of Pakistan's armed forces, including the highly decorated and widely respected Brigadier Ali Khan.
Hizb-ut Tahrir / Indonesia staged a rally in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Jakarta to condemn the Buddhist regime who slaughters the Muslim-Rohingya in Arakan (3rd of August). Sunday, August 5th, about 4000 members of HTI walked in a long march from the National Monument to the Presidential Palace to urge SBY as the leader of ASEAN and the president of the largest Muslim country to stop the genocide against the Muslims in Arakan by mobilizing the army.
On July 6 2012, as stated on the site http://indonesian.jakarta.usembassy.gov/news/prid_06072012.html) that the U.S Ambassador Scot Marciel, in front of pressmen has announced a plan to build a new building in the same location where the U.S embassy is now located,
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Jesus was a Muslim, claims U.S. religions professor:
Religions professor at the Luther College in Iowa, Robert F. Shedinger, has made a claim in a new book, arguing that Jesus Christ was a Muslim. In the beginning of his book, to be released this year, Shedinger asked "Was Jesus a Muslim?" "I will answer with a very qualified yes," he wrote. Shedinger, who is the head of the religious studies department at Luther College in Iowa, also argued that Islam is a better fit for Jesus since it is not a religion but a "social justice movement," Fox reported."I had to rethink what Islam is... I came to the conclusion that it was a social justice movement and I think that's who Jesus was in the first century so I conclude Jesus is more like a Muslim," he said.
French summer camp workers sacked over Ramadan fast:
Tensions between French authorities and the country's Islamic community resurfaced on Tuesday after it emerged that four summer camp instructors had been sacked for fasting during Ramadan. In a row that echoed last year's controversy over a law banning women from wearing full veils on French territory, Muslim leaders denounced a Communist-run town council's dismissal of the workers on health and safety grounds. The four had been employed temporarily by the town of Genevilliers in the Paris suburbs to help run a summer holiday sports camp in southwestern France. They were dismissed on July 20, the first day of Ramadan, after an inspector visited the camp and told them they were endangering children's safety by not eating or drinking between dawn and dusk. Although they were fully paid for the week they had remaining on their short-term contracts, the instructors plan to contest their dismissal through labour courts. The row over the Ramadan sackings erupted as France brushed off US State Department criticism of its ban on veils which fully cover women's faces, introduced last year by the administration of former president Nicolas Sarkozy. In its 2011 International Religious Freedom Report, the State Department expressed concern over a "rising number of European countries, including Belgium and France, whose laws restricting dress adversely affected Muslims and others".
Syrian fighters said to receive missiles via Turkey:
Militants fighting to depose Syrian president Bashar al-Assad have for the first time acquired a small supply of surface-to-air missiles, according to a news report that a Western official did not dispute. NBC News reported July 31 night that the Free Syrian Army had obtained nearly two dozen of the weapons, which were delivered to them via neighboring Turkey, whose ‘moderate Islamist government has been demanding Assad's departure with increasing vehemence'. Indications are that the U.S. government, which has said it opposes arming the militants, is not responsible for the delivery of the missiles. But some U.S. government sources have been saying for weeks that Arab governments seeking to oust Assad, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have been pressing for such missiles, also known as MANPADs, for man-portable air-defense systems, to be supplied to the militants. In recent days, air operations against the militants by Syrian government forces appear to have been stepped up, particularly around the contested city of Aleppo, making the militants' need for MANPADs more urgent. Precisely what kind of MANPADs have been delivered to Syrian rebels is unclear and NBC News didn't provide details. Such weapons range from the primitive to highly sophisticate.
U.S., Pakistan sign deal to allow supply routes through 2015:
Pakistan will allow NATO supply convoys to cross its territory into Afghanistan until the end of 2015, one year beyond the deadline for withdrawal of U.S. combat forces there, under an agreement signed Tuesday by U.S. and Pakistani officials. The pact seems to close, for now, one of the most contentious chapters in the turbulent relationship between Washington and Islamabad, cementing cooperation by Pakistan in winding down the war in Afghanistan, at least in terms of logistical assistance. Washington also has urged Islamabad to step up its participation in the peace process by bringing to the negotiating table militant groups that shelter in Pakistani's tribal belt and regularly cross the border to attack NATO troops. The memorandum of understanding signed Tuesday provides the option for both sides to extend the deal in one-year increments beyond Dec. 31, 2015. It would apply to other NATO nations if they sign separate pacts with Pakistan. Pakistani officials said Tuesday that the convoys would resume only after the routes - which span hundreds of miles - are suitably protected. Under the new arrangement, police in cities and towns would handle security until the convoys reach the restive tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, where the nation's paramilitary Frontier Corps would take over. The pact was signed in a ceremony in Rawalpindi by a senior Pakistani Defense Ministry official, Rear Adm. Farrokh Ahmed, and the U.S. Embassy's charge d'affaires, Richard Hoagland.
China restricts Ramadan fasting for Uighurs in Xinjiang:
Authorities in China's restive northwestern region of Xinjiang have banned Muslim officials and students from fasting during Ramadan, prompting an exiled rights group to warn of new violence. Guidance posted on numerous government websites called on Communist Party leaders to restrict Muslim religious activities during the holy month, including fasting and visiting mosques. Xinjiang is home to around nine million Uighurs, a Turkic speaking, largely Muslim ethnic minority, many of whom accuse China's leaders of religious and political persecution. The region has been rocked by repeated outbreaks of ethnic violence, but China denies claims of repression and relies on tens of thousands of Uighur officials to help it govern Xinjiang. A statement from Zonglang township in Xinjiang's Kashgar district said that "the county committee has issued comprehensive policies on maintaining social stability during the Ramadan period. "It is forbidden for Communist Party cadres, civil officials (including those who have retired) and students to participate in Ramadan religious activities." The statement, posted on the Xinjiang government website, urged party leaders to bring "gifts" of food to local village leaders to ensure that they were eating during Ramadan. Similar orders on curbing Ramadan activities were posted on other local government websites, with the educational bureau of Wensu county urging schools to ensure that students do not enter mosques during Ramadan.
In the first days of the blessed month of Ramadan, and after six successive weeks of the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Muslims in Myanmar, which includes the systematic operations of slaughtering and expulsion, in the face of treacherous international silence, and in the deliberate absence of the Arab and international media, the scene looked to be a worldwide collusion against the Muslims of Myanmar, rather it looked a conspiracy to annihilate their presence there.
Hizb ut-Tahrir conducted a demonstration outside the Syrian Embassy in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad on Thursday 26 July 2012.
The protestors stood in support of the brave Muslims of Syria. They were carrying banners and placards declaring "Time's up for Syrian tyrant, Now is the Khilafah "Caliphate"'s time"
O Muslims of Pakistan!
We, Hizb ut-Tahrir, address you this Ramadhan, as Muslims who have a glorious history of fulfilling your pledge to Allah سبحانه و تعالى, rising against oppression, no matter what the cost. You bled and toiled so as to rule this entire region by Islam. You were victorious over the forces kufr, ruling by Islam for hundreds of years such that the Indian Subcontinent became the envy of the entire world.
Imagine as Ahmed lands a ferocious blow to Mohammed's head then follows it with a devastating upper cut. Mohammed retreats trying to recover quickly as he feels the gold medal slipping away from his grasp. We are in ramadhan, when Muslims feel an even deeper sense of brotherhood towards each other, however, brotherhood has nothing to do with this ferocious contest. Right now, what matters is glory for the individual and his country - whatever the cost. This could be the welter weight boxing final at the 2012 Olympics in London and Ahmed is representing Morocco while Mohammed represents Egypt. Represented at these Olympics are athletes from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and most of the Muslim countries. Forget the poverty, unemployment and a multitude of problems facing these countries. Right now, it is all about the Olympics and reaching the pinnacle of a sport. Forget even about whether a London based Muslim athlete is allowed not to fast during the Olympics, a fatwa from some sheik has taken care of that.
The participation of Muslim countries in the Olympics raises several issues.
Nationalism
Abu Da'wud related that the Messenger of Allah (saaw) said, "He is not one us who calls for `Asabiyyah, (nationalism/tribalism) or who fights for `Asabiyyah or who dies for `Asabiyyah." Islam came and bonded people upon the aqeedah (belief) regardless of their race, colour or place of birth. Islam categorically forbids nationalism or tribalism. In recent times however, nationalism, an alien concept, was imported into our societies. While it is on the wane, events like the Olympics are used to stoke nationalist sentiments. National flags are waved high and rulers promise lavish gifts and praise for those who "make the nation proud" by winning medals. We are suddenly told that we are Saudi, Pakistani, Kuwaiti, Indonesian e.t.c. So an ummah that fasts the same month worships the same Lord and faces the same qibla is suddenly divided from their brothers next door because of borders drawn up by colonial powers.
In addition to being forbidden, nationalism prevents us from addressing our problems with the collective wealth, energy and resources that Allah has blessed the ummah with. So Afghanistan was left alone to face the US and UK invaders rather being helped by Muslims next door.
Distraction
While many of the Muslim countries have devastating levels of poverty, while Muslims in Burma face oppression, while people starve in Somalia despite the abundance of wealth down the road in the Gulf, while oppression reigns in Syria, and while many other issues confront our societies, focus during the Olympics turns to creating the next star athlete that will "make the country proud". After the Olympic spectacle is over, these problems remain. What is worse is that time, effort, and energy has been diverted from them to a sporting and commercial spectacle in a far off land.
Sport, which has several benefits for human health and recreation, has been repackaged into a huge commercial event that consumes most of the world during the Olympics, football world cup and other global events. Allah (swt) reminds us in Sura Takathur about distractions from His obedience and from working towards the next life. A Muslim is always reminded that life is too short to be spent on trivial distractions like the Olympics.
Aspiration
What are the aspirations of your average Olympian? To run faster than the next man or woman! These same aspirations are now promoted to some of the youth in many Muslim countries. Such poverty of aspiration even extends to those governing our countries so you see them indulging building grand monuments as if that alone marks the success of a people. So Dubai has built world's tallest building and Saudi Arabia has built the world's largest clock in Makkah. However, when the world meets to debate solutions to the global financial crisis, the cure for malaria, the creation of world class medicines or solutions to poverty, no one talks of even looking to Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, or any other Muslim country because our countries have little to offer in terms of solutions. Indeed, our societies look to the Western nations for solutions.
Under the Islamic Khilafah "Caliphate" system, the Muslim ummah pioneered and excelled in science and technology and created societies where people of different races and religions lived in harmony - something not replicated even in today's technologically advanced West. Under the Khilafah "Caliphate", society's aspirations were dictated by the Qur'anic injunctions which spurred Muslims to be the best at solving human problems so as to fulfil a greater goal of being a model society that conveys Islam to mankind.
The real Olympics
There is another Olympic games between nations. The real competition that affects the lives of people daily is the global race to outline, enforce and convey the best way for human societies to be run. The Muslim ummah, which was given the Qur'an as guidance for the whole of mankind, is largely absent from that competition because the Islamic state, which implements the Islamic solutions to societal problems, is absent from the world. Indeed, our societies have chosen to emulate the casino capitalism in the economic sphere, whilst copying democracy as a system of government and emulating other secular Western systems and values. The western dominated global media, western governments and their policies, militaries and global institutions are used in this regard. This has left the field open to Western secular capitalist nations to propagate their values, systems and vices leaving billions suffering the effects. Mankind now inhabits a world of plenty where starvation exists, a world where democracy means that small elites rule on behalf of corporate interests and where injustice reigns. Is it not high time that Muslims realise our duty from Allah (swt) to once again re-establish the Islamic way of life by re-establishing the Islamic state in order to offer mankind an alternative vision of living and to save billions from the yoke of capitalism and secularism?
"Alif-Lam-Ra. This is a Book which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad) in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness into light by their Lord's Leave to the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise." [Surah Ibrahim :1]
Taji Mustafa
Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain
