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Amr Diab Biography

2011-07-01T17:59:00.002+05:30

Amr Diab (Amr Abd-Albaset Abd-Alaziz Diab), a new born star for his phenomenal singing talent had his first glow to life on the 11th of October 1961 in Port Said, Egypt. His father was the chairman of Marine Construction & Shipbuilding. He played a great role to igniting the early sparks of musical inspiration towards Diab's early stages in his professional music career. Amr at the age of six sang at the July 23rd Festival in Port Said, he was surprisingly rewarded with a guitar from the governor for his excellence.

Amr Diab had earned his bachelor degree in Arabic Music and graduated at the Cairo Academy of Arts in 1986.

Professionally, Amr Diab entered the musical arena and introduced his first album "Ya Taree'" (1983), integrated with the audience and gained lots of attention and success. Amr followed on producing several great albums: "Ghanny Men Albak" (1984), "Hala Hala" (1986), "Khalseen" (1987), "Mayyal" (1988), "Shawa'na" (1989) and "Matkhafesh" (1990).

Amr was chosen to perform and represent Egypt at the 5th Tournament of African Sports in 1990 where he sang in English, French and predominantly Arabic. Decisively and during the same year the star decided to invade the cinema with a role in the film "El Afareet" with Madiha Kamel. Then came his other hit albums "Habibi" (1991), "Ayyamna" (1992) and "Ya Omrena" (1993). In 1992 and 1994, Amr played two more roles in the cinema in "Ice Cream Fe Glim" and "Dehk Wele'b Wegad Wehob"--which additionally was chosen as the opening film in the Egyptian Film Festival.

Amr Diab's musical career stemmed and kept growing, aiming for musical excellence. He followed on and released the album "Weylomony" (1994). Amr Diab officially established himself as the super star of the Arab world, demarcating the launch of "Rag'een" (1995) and the popular "Nour El Ein" album (1996) which was not only a success in the Middle East but in the whole world, and "Awedony" (1998).

Amr Diab thereafter made a break through with one of his best smashing hits "Amarain" album (1999), Diab engaged with two singers during this album and produced amazing duets, one with the AlgerianFrench based Cheb Khaled song "Alby" and the second with the Greek Angela Dimitriou song "Bahebbak Aktar".

The years 2000, 2001 & 2003 witnessed the compilation of all Amr Diab's past experience put together and release of Amr Diab's most magnificent albums ever "Tamally Ma'ak" , "Aktar Wahed" and "Allem Alby", as he engraved his quality of voice singing incorporated with astonishing sense of composer and musical arrangements. Amr always favored innovation of new music, form and style. He merged the Arabian oriental theme of music and the western style of musical beats, arrangements and finalization.

Respectively, Amr Diab has achieved the World Music Awards twice, as best selling middle eastern singer in both his albums "Nour El Ain" in 1998 and "Aktar Wahed" in 2002. Also received a Platinum Award for the sales of "Nour El Ain". Visit the awards section in this site to know more about Amr's awards.

2004's summer witnessed the release of "Leily Nehary" album, Diab gave his fans what they've been longing for, a dazzling hit which blew their minds off and topped their sensations. "Leily Nehary" according to the production company "Rotana" and the fans is to be one of the most successful albums out in the market. "Kammel Kalamak" was released by December 2005 after a long anticipation from Amr's fans, according to the big sales records, the album was worth the wait! The album contains 10 tracks representing a year and half of continuous studio efforts. Amr won his 3rd World Music Awards on "Ellila de" album which has been released in July (2007).

El-Helm Biography [12 Parts] have been released on the TV Channles by the end 2008. The Biography reviewed Amr's success through his long career in addition to the international recognition and fame that uniquely Amr gained through his success.

After much anticpating, 2009 witnessed a new milestone in Amr's career, with the release of "Wayah". 12 track hits the summer to put Amr - as usual - on top of the race. Marina concert was the proven success from his fans with over 80,000 persons.

Amr Diab's domestic life is just as rewarding as his musical career, married to Zena Ashoor, his children are Nour (girl), the twin Abdu-Allah (boy) & Kenzy (girl), and Jana (girl). The father Amr Diab is a great family man, who dedicates and cherishes his time to his family.

Amr Diab's hard work and passion to creating quality music and new stylized musical techniques was his ultimate aim throughout the years. He has certainly and clearly delivered to all his multi-national fans around the globe and proved that he is one of the best Middle Eastern singers with extraordinary talent, determination, charisma and charming appearance.

Tissa Hami

2010-10-05T23:02:00.002+05:30

Tissa Hami is one of the world's few female Muslim stand-up comics. Her unique act
and fresh perspective on life as an Iranian-American woman leave audiences in
shock and awe. From Islamic fundamentalists to white liberals to good
old-fashioned racists, no one is safe from her sharp wit. Tissa hopes her comedy
will help break down stereotypes about Muslim women and foster understanding
between Iranians and Americans.

Tissa grew up in a traditional Iranian family in a predominantly white suburb of
Boston. She holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in international affairs from Ivy
League universities. Her parents are thrilled that she is using her expensive
education to pursue a career in comedy.

People who disapprove of her act will be taken hostage.

Tissa performed for 10,000 people at First Night Boston 2005. She has been
featured in the Boston Globe Sunday Magazine, Washington Post, and Chicago Tribune,
as well as on BBC radio and Australian and European television. In the US, Tissa has
appeared on ABC's The View, the Hallmark Channel, and NPR. Her radio interview on
Commonwealth Journal was awarded first place in the Public Affairs category for 2004
by the Associated Press of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Tissa is one of five
comedians featured in the documentary, Stand Up: Muslim American Comics Come of
Age. The film, which won a prestigious CINE Golden Eagle Award, aired on PBS in May
2008 and on BBC World News in September 2008.

Ahmed Ahmed

2010-02-27T21:51:00.002+05:30

Born June 27, 1970

Helwan, Egypt

Medium Stand-up

Years active 1989–present

Genres Observational comedy, Satire

Subject(s) Racism/Race relations, Islamophobia, Muslim-Americans

Ahmed Ahmed (Arabic: أحمد أحمد‎; born June 27, 1970) is an Egyptian American actor and comedian.

Career

Ahmed Ahmed moved to Hollywood when he was 19 years old to pursue a career as an actor and stand-up comedian, and he has been working there ever since.

He has appeared in several films and television shows such as Executive Decision, Swingers, Tracey Takes On, Roseanne, JAG, Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn on Comedy Central, and MTV's Punk'd with Ashton Kutcher. He has also appeared on CNN, The View, and National Public Radio, and was featured on the front page of The Wall Street Journal in December 2001, as well as in Newsweek. He was featured in the PBS television documentary America at a Crossroads series in "STAND UP: Muslim American Comics Come of Age", an episode about Muslim American comedians.

Ahmed Ahmed is a regular performer at The Comedy Store in Hollywood and tours all across the US and Europe. He was the winner of the first annual Richard Pryor Award for ethnic comedy at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland in the summer of 2004. Ahmed is currently with the Axis of Evil Comedy Tour. He was also a notable guest for Axis of Justice which is a rock and heavy metal concert which fights for social justice.

Personal life

Ahmed was born in Helwan, Egypt. His family came to the United States when he was three years old and he grew up in Riverside, California. Ahmed says his role models include his parents, Muhammad Ali, Mitzi Shore, and Vince Vaughn.[1]

Following 9/11, and through 2004, Ahmed Ahmed and the comedian Rabbi Bob Alpert toured the USA with their ground-breaking show "One Arab, One Jew, One Stage" about interfaith harmony and essential human dignity.[2]

Filmography

Actor

City of Life (2009) .... Nasser

The Legend of Awesomest Maximus (2008) .... Slick Slave Trader

Iron Man (2008) .... Ahmed

The Onion Movie (2008) .... Ahmed

Knight Fever (2008) (in production)

You Don't Mess with the Zohan (2008) .... Ahmed

Looking for Comedy in the Muslim World (2005) .... Escort

JAG .... Jalal Sharif (1 episode, 2005)

All In (2005/I) .... Amir

Girlfriends" (1 episode, 2001) - Bad Timing (2001)

Roseanne .... Hakeem (1 episode, 1996) - Roseambo (1996) .... Hakeem

Swingers (1996) .... Party Mystery Guy

Executive Decision (1996) .... Terrorist

Steel Sharks (1996) .... Lt. Noussavi

Virtuosity (1995) .... Cameraman

Self

America at a Crossroads: "STAND UP: Muslim American Comics Come of Age" (2008) .... Himself

The Axis of Evil Comedy Tour (2007) (V) .... Himself

I Am Ahmed Ahmed (2006) (TV)

Wild West Comedy Show: 30 Days & 30 Nights - Hollywood to the Heartland (2006) .... Himself

Last Call with Carson Daly ..... Himself (1 episode, 2006)

National Lampoon Live: The International Show (2004) (TV) .... Himself

Punk'd (2003) TV Series .... Field Agent (unknown episodes, 2003)

Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn .... Himself (1 episode, 2003)

The View .... Himself (2 episodes, 2001)

Zain Bhikha Biography

2010-02-27T21:50:00.001+05:30

Zain Bhikha was born on the 9 August 1974 in Pretoria, South Africa to parents Rashid and Mariam Bhikha. The only son, with three sisters, Zain showed a keen interest, from a young age in entertaining his friends and family with his beautiful singing.

Zain was not aware of his full potential until 1994 when he won a singing competition on Radio 702, a local radio station. A simple song which he recorded on his home karaoke system brought him out tops among mostly professional participants. After this great accomplishment, he seriously considered recording an album. This consideration was put into action after he was approached by The Pretoria Muslim School who asked him to write and record their school anthem. Zain took it a step further and composed a full album, entitled “A Way of Life”. This was a compilation of basic Acapella Islamic songs, mostly in English covering the various tenets of Faith. The album, which was the beginning of greater things, only took Zain two weeks to complete.

“A Way of Life” sparked the beginning of many more album releases namely “Praise to the Prophet (SAW)” (1996), “Fortunate is He” (1997) and “The Journey” (1998). Zain Bhikha’s song served to be very popular throughout South Africa, especially for young children who found the songs educational and inspiring. Its popularity caused it to filter abroad and come to the ears of World Renowned Muslim activist Yusuf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens.

Yusuf Islam was working on a momentous project entitled “A is for Allah” and believed Zain could contribute by lending his voice to some of the songs. In 1999, Zain flew to the United Kingdom to join Yusuf Islam’s Mountain of Light Studios to begin recording. This opportunity was a life long dream for Zain. To top it off, he was given the chance to perform in seven of the eight songs on the album. Zain also gained much experience from Yusuf Islam as he had no previous formal music training. It was during the production of this album that Zain was brought on board as an artist under Mountain of Light’s cultural label called “Jamal Records. With the backing of Jamal Records, Zain planned the world-wide release of two compilation albums incorporating all material he had done thus far. These albums were entitled “Children of Heaven” and “Towards the Light”, featuring some remixed songs.

Under the guidance of Mountain of Light and the world-wide distribution power of Jamal Records, Zain released his first new album under the label entitled, “Faith” (2001). The songs in this album deal with a broad spectrum of emotions from hardships to happiness but always invoke a constant consciousness of Allah. The album also brought about collaborations between Zain and well-known Nasheed artist, Dawud Wharnsby Ali. It also introduced the children from Madressah-Tul-Banaat in Benoni, South Africa on backing vocals.
With his popularity rising and live performances around the globe, Zain Bhikha released “Our World” in 2002. This album was a portrayal of the unity which Islam brings to all cultures, languages and traditions through the Will of Allah. Zain’s eldest son, Rashid’s, melodic voice is introduced to us on this album. The title track for his album is a prayer for a better world for all people, one free of prejudice and war.

In 2005 Zain established a South African company called Zain Bhikha Studios. This company serves to house all of Zain’s present and future works in all fields be it song albums, educational projects through schools or theatre productions. Zain also began this with the intention of giving local and international artists the platform to gain exposure through his experience and resources in the industry.

After the establishment of Zain Bhikha Studios, Zain continued his long time relationship with Jamal Records. The two companies formed a partnership with Jamal Records being Zain’s exclusive international distributor. Jamal Records are the driving force behind Zain’s international recognition and his albums’ distribution.

With the birth of his new company came the first album to be produced under the Zain Bhikha Studios label, “Mountains of Makkah”. This album was inspired by Zain’s pilgrimage to Makkah in 2004. Both the content and composition of this album shows much maturity. The lyrics are a ‘personal reflection’ of his thoughts and feelings while partaking in this profound spiritual journey.

A long way from his first appearance on Zain’s “Our World” album and on Yusuf Islam’s momentous kids project “I Look, I See” (2003), Zain’s son, Rashid, released his first single entitle “Can’t You See” (2006). This is a hard hitting rap which stresses the importance of living a drug-free life. It features Zain as well as the well known hip-hop artist, Abdul Malik, from Native Deen who also wrote the song. This song was produced by Zain Bhikha Studios and given world-wide publicity by Jamal Records.

From the time that Zain joined Mountain of Light to establishing Zain Bhikha studios, his experience as an artist has grown tremendously, increasing his exposure both at home and globally. Zain was a pioneer in the Nasheed genre. When Zain started singing, Islamic songs were not being sung in English. As one of the first English Islamic singers he opened the door for many other artists. His albums have been launched in many countries including the United Kingdom, North America, Malaysia, France, Turkey, The Middle East, and Australia. He has performed live in cities across most continents and has become somewhat of a household name when it comes to Islamic Music.

In addition to music, he also writes and directs plays written specifically for schools. One of his many successful school plays, “An Orphans Tale”, which he produced in conjunction with the Pretoria Muslim School, was a great success and brought a full house for all three nights that it ran in October 2003.

Zain has performed with a long list of artists such as Dawud Wharnsby, Ashiq al Rasul, Hasan Kalicitan, Khalid Belhrouzhi, Native Deen, Qatrunada, Imad Rami, Sami Yusuf, Dewan Chinekar, Irfan Makki, Khaleel Mohamed and not forgetting his mentor, Yusuf Islam. In his many local performances for Islamic schools, launches, fetes and dinners, Zain has performed with local artists like Faeeza Malinga, Ziyaad Patel, Imran Dhaya and of course, his son Rashid Bhikha.

Zain’s songs are mainly self written or adapted from poems and traditional Arabic songs. His songs are driven by emotion and the need to reassure people that Islam is the answer of hope and the core for our everyday questions and confusion. Many of his songs represent different times in his life when he is learning and remembering how necessary Allah’s presence is. Zain’s songs provide young and old with an alternative to the modern music which often carries a destructive message. His music is Islamic propagation and encourages every Muslim to be proud to proclaim there faith.

Zain confidently adds that much of his support has come from his parents and family over the years. He lives with his wife, Zaheera and three children in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Shahrukh Khan

2010-02-06T13:44:00.002+05:30

My mother was born and brought up in Hyderabad. She was a strong and beautiful woman. She resemble Waheeda Rehman. My father also was extremely handsome. I don't think I'm good-looking but they were a very good-looking couple. The met incidentally under strange circumstances. Injured in a car accident, my mother needed blood. My father who happened to be at the hospital at that time gave her blood. In this process of helping my mother to revive, they fell in love.

And though my father was about eleven years older than my mother, her family consented because he had sort of saved the family. In bringing up my sister Shehnaz and me, my parents never made any difference, though I think my sister was closed to my parents because she is six years older to me. I was born at a time when my parents weren't doing well financially. But I don't remember facing any hardship on that account. My father was a chief engineer. My mother was a social worker, a first class magistrate. She had studied in Oxford. She was among the first few Muslim women to have achieved so much. She has been an executive magistrate for the longest tenure recorded. She used to deal with juvenile delinquents. I was not a stubborn kid.

But if I wanted something badly enough I would go out and get it. I was exposed to the Ram Leela, I acted in it as one of the monkey. I wrote short stories.. shairis.. my father made me recite them. I remember once there was this aunt who wore horrendously pink lipstick and I composed a corny poem in praise of her lipstick. I think she was secretly pleased. My parents let me do my own thing, they only wanted me to do well in my studies...which I did. There were no restrictions. I could sleep at any time, go out anytime. If I bashed up some child's teeth, my father saw to it that I dealt with the child's father myself... I realized that parents weren't authority but they were friends. I would imitate Mumtaz, I would mimic people. I'm doing all this even today. And guess what? I'm being paid handsomely for it.

An outgoing kind of person, mom took a lot of initiative in everything. I remember when my father was ill, he had cancer for eight months, we lost everything we had. One injection used to cost about Rs 5000 and we had to organise about 23 injections in ten days. It was an expensive affair and our business went down. At that time my mother would work day and night. She would get the money some way. She really looked after my father.

After his death in '81 she revived his business and ran it proficiently. I inherited workaholism from her. She never said no to anything. Like when I went to college, I said I wanted a car. And the next day, there was a car outside. She never forced me to do anything. She never even forced me to take over the big business that we had finally when she died.

When I told her I wanted to act, join films she did not stop me. I wanted to do my masters in film making. I was very good. I had got admission in NSD. I didn't want to do it but she told me, "just get admission". So I gave my admission test and got in. I remember I used to be very bad in Hindi. I would get zero on ten. And she used to tell me, "If you get ten on ten, I'll take you for a film". And from that day to date I have topped in Hindi at all times I remember the first film she took me to see was Dev Anand's Joshilaa. Her favourite actors were Bishwajeet and Joy Mukherji.

I think I inherited my sense of humour from my father, who too had a lot of respect for women. I remember once I had gone and blown somebody's letterbox. And this south indian lady came down and complained to my father, "Your son troubles my daughter". He looked at her and said, "If she is as pretty as you are and if I was as young as my son, I'd probably do the same thing". She started laughing. He said it so gently and nicely. He was very respectful to women because he had an older sister and a mother whom he was very close to. He taught me how to be gentle with women.

When my father died, I didn't cry. I thought it was heroic. I was one of the pall-bearers, I thought I had become a little big man. But I felt cheated despite the fact that he had prepared me for his death... And my mother's death made me realize that nothing is permanent. I stopped hoping for anything. I cried a lot. Nothing shocks me anymore.

Films

Year	Film	B/O Status
2008	Rab Na
2006	Don	Super Hit
2006	Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna	Hit
2005	Paheli	Flop
2004	Veer Zaara	Super Hit
2004	Swades	Average
2004	Main Hoon Na	Super Hit
2004	Yeh Lamhe Judaai Ke	Flop
2003	Kal Ho Naa Ho	Super Hit
2003	Chalte Chalte	Super Hit
2002	Saathiya	Hit
2002	Devdas	Super Hit
2002	Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam	Hit
2002	Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham	Blockbuster
2001	Asoka	Average
2001	One 2 Ka 4	Flop
2000	Mohabbatein	Super Hit
2000	Hey Ram!	Flop
2000	Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani	Average
2000	Gaja Gamini	Flop
2000	Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega	Hit
2000	Josh	Hit
1999	Baadshah	Average
1998	Dil Se	Average
1998	Kuch Kuch Hota Hai	Blockbuster
1998	Duplicate	Average
1998	Achanak	Flop
1997	Dil To Pagal Ha	Super Hit
1997	Gudgudee	Flop
1997	Pardes	Super Hit
1997	Yes Boss	Super Hit
1997	Koyla	Average
1996	Dushman Duniya Ke	Flop
1996	Army	Average
1996	Chaahat	Average
1996	English Babu Desi Mem	Flop
1995	Zamaana Deewana	Flop
1995	Ram Jaane	Hit
1995	Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge	Blockbuster
1995	Guddu	Flop
1995	O Darling Yeh Hai India	Flop
1995	Trimurti	Flop
1994	Karan Arjun	Super Hit
1994	Anjaam	Average
1994	Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa	Hit
1993	King Uncle	Average
1993	Baazigar	Super Hit
1993	Darr	Super Hit
1993	Pehla Nasha	Flop
1993	Maya Memsaab	Hit
1992	Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman	Hit
1992	Deewana	Super Hit
1992	Chamatkar	Hit
1992	Dil Ashna Hai	Average
1992	Idiot	Flop
1988	In Which Annie Gives It Those One	Flop

Shah Rukh Khan Facts

First Name:
Shah Rukh
Last Name:
Khan
Called:
The King Khan, Baadshah of Bollywood

Day of Birth:
2nd of November, 1965
Place of Birth:
Talwar Nursing Home (Rajinder Nagar) New Delhi-India
Shah Rukh was born with the umbilical cord entangled around his neck. A nurse said that it was by the blessings of Hanuman and that he would be a very lucky child.
Mother:
Fatima Begum
(a social worker and a first class magistrate, who died of complications from diabetes in 1991)
Father:
Mir Taj Mohammed
(a lawyer and a freedom fighter, who died of cancer in 1981)
Siblings:
one sister named Shehnaz fondly called Lala Rukh
Zodiac Sign:
scorpio
Religion:
Muslim
Height:
5'9'' (around 1,75 m)
Weight:
around 75 kg
Eyes:
magic brown
Hair Color:
shiney black

Education:
High School: St. Columbia High School In New Delhi.
College: Graduated from Hansraj College, & then Masters in Mass Communication from Jamiya Miliya Islamiya, New Delhi

Qualifications and Achievements:

· Masters; A Brilliant Student

· Sword of Honour to the most outstanding student

· The Ravi Subramani award

· The Sujit Memorial award

· He captained all teams in football, hockey, and cricket

· He was also good in dramatics

· He was a king in Hindi, Electronics, Biology

Occupation:
actor, producer
If not an Actor:
In the arm force or a school teacher.
Start his Career:
in a TV serial called "Fauji"
Film Debut:
Deewana (2002)
Hobbies & Interests:
his family, his work, playing computer games
Martial Status:
Married, since October 25, 1991 with Gauri Chibber / Khan
(born 8th of October 1970)
Children:
son Aryan (born on the 13th of November, 1997)
daughter Suhana (born on 22nd of May 2000)

Personal Quotes
(December 2001, about Hrithik Roshan): I wish I looked as good as he does. And I wish I danced as well as he does!

Yes, I do have a close circle of friends and I am very fortunate to have them as friends. I feel very close to them I think friends are everything in life after your family. You come across lots of people all the time but you only make very few friends and you have to be true to them otherwise what's the point in life?

I'd rather sink trying to be different, than stay afloat like everyone else

I cannot repay my fans for what they have done for me, they have given me so much love and that love has taken me to the number 1 position where I am today, the only thing I can do for my fans is to never stop working, and to do films till the very end, it is the only way I can express my love for them.

To me, Devdas is the end of love stories. I've portrayed an obsessed lover, a nice lover, an angry lover, a romantic lover. And now I've played Devdas. For someone who doesn't even like love stories, I've played an awful lot of lovers. Personally speaking, I wouldn't see any of the romantic films I've acted in.

I'm the luckiest man in the world and I don't want to hide from the faces I'm acting for. So I don't surround myself with guards, I've never given an interview in which I've said I feel bad that I can't go shopping or I can't go to Chowpatty and eat bhelpuri without being mobbed. I'm not the kind of guy who goes out wearing dark glasses (I don't think I'm a big enough star to hide behind them, honest). I go to see movies in the cinema theatres, I go to restaurants with my family and friends even though I know people are going to disturb me there.

God has become a generic term like `mind blowing.' It is embarrassing. I would have said that to Amitabh Bachchan, Naseeruddin Shah, Nana Patekar. I used to tell them I want to stand in the same space as you. I've told Kamal Haasan, I just want to touch you. They are the gods of acting. When people call me God, I say, no, I'm still an angel or saint of acting. I still have a long way to go.

(August 2004): Awards that ignore me are losers.

(August 2004): I'm try-sexual. I try anything that's sexual.

(August 2004): I have no competition. Every year the names I'm pitted against keep changing. You can't cream the competition, you have to kill it.

I keep hearing that our films are escapist and unreal but I find our films the most real in the world. We don't have people going up in a rocket and single-handedly blowing up a meteor. We don't have a president on Air Force One saving the world or things coming out of people's stomachs. Our fantasies and escapism are real. It's just people singing and dancing in the street. If England had won the World Cup you would have seen people singing and dancing like that.

I don't like wearing dark glasses. I'm happy with the fact that people know me. I want people to scream and shout at me, I want people to trouble me when I'm having lunch, I like six bodyguards around me. I love being a star. I find it very strange when people who are famous say they don't want to be photographed. I don't want to be photographed first thing in the morning, I don't want people peeping into my bedroom, but besides that, it's a wonderful life.

"I haven't given up smoking. I'm very clear about it, it's a personal choice. I want to cut down on it. It shouldn't be made into an issue to say, damn good or damn bad. Whether I give it up or not shouldn't be an issue." (Movie Mag, May 2006)

"I was supposed to have done Rang De Basanti (2006), the guy on the motorbike. I didn't have the dates. They were shooting in Delhi and the dates were clashing with Paheli." (Movie Mag, May 2006)

"It's not like Steven Spielberg is waiting with a script for me. I don't think I'll ever be offered a great international film in my lifetime, so I'd rather be a king here. Moreover, Indian cinema is the greatest in the world. But of course, after spending three months in LA, London, and New York I found that our cinema is a little exaggerated. To make a mark in the West we have to reach their level without losing our identity, culture or songs. I don't want to star in a Hollywood film, but want to make a film that crosses over universally." (Movie Mag, May 2006)

On trying to get Paheli (2005) an Oscar nomination: "There's a misreport here about our lobbying at the Oscars. The understanding that we have of the Oscars is very different from how it really is. Because Indian film, foreign films are not known, you're supposed to hire a PR company which we did. It's not as if you just go there, show your films, lobby and talk to them. You're not allowed to lobby as in you're not allowed to meet the Academy members, talk to them or even make a call to them. You just keep advertising in the 'For Consideration For Oscars' category. We took out full page ads in papers like Variety and Hollywood Reporter. The only good thing we did was that we advertised very frequently, it was promoted on the same scale as the biggest of films. We did it because we could afford it." (Movie Mag, May 2006)

"I felt Asoka (2001) should have been chosen for the Oscars. We had worked towards that. We had these international distributors for it. We were the first to actually release an Indian film internationally in traditionally non-Indian theaters. We spent a lot of money and lost a lot of money too. We were the first to put up boardings in London, in tube stations. We did speak to everyone who was anyone here, wondering if Asoka could go to the Oscars. But the one that got chosen was Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001) which was even better. So we had no complaints. After that I didn't make any film for the foreign market." (Movie Mag, May 2006)

You must respect your seniors, bu never get intimidated by them. Winning should be a habit, not an option. The four Hs are important when you play to win --- honesty, humor, hard work and a bit of haraamipan.

I don't look at the figures that my movies make. The only figures I look at are girl's figures. (When asked to comment on what he felt about the figures his movies gross.)

Whenever I fail as a father or husband... a toy and a diamond always works.

If I talk to a girl, it's assumed that I'm having a scene with her. If I don't, then it's assumed that I'm gay.

I don't kiss on screen. Period.

There are only two Khans. Ghenghis Khan and Shahrukh Khan

Sex is not required to sell my film. My name is enough.

You never win the silver, you only lose the gold.

I am very shy. If I am flying British Airways and the air hostess asks me two questions, and I don't understand her accent - I will go hungry for the entire flight.

The dream I chased, took me on a journey. A journey more rewarding then the goals, the achievements. When I look back it's like facing a million mirrors. Each reflection opens a window. A window to the world I've just discovered. The world I want to share with all of you.

If I am a role model, I must be the worst one in the world.

I've never had a girl make a pass at me.

Togetherness, passion, laughter, faith, trust and jealousy are the essential ingredients of love.

The collar-bone is my favorite part of the human body.

If asking me whether sleeping with X or Y gives the media pleasure, then so be it. It's a small price to pay.

Where Are They Now
(September 2004) He is doing a world wide concert with Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Arjun Rampal, and Priyanka Chopra.

(June 2009) Shooting for My Name is Khan in San Fransisco.

Salman Khan

2010-02-05T13:41:00.007+05:30

Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan , born December 27, 1965) is an Indian film actor who appears in Bollywood films.
Khan, who made his acting debut with the film Biwi Ho To Aisi (1988), had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), and won a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award for his performance. He went on to star in some of Bollywood's most successful films, such as Saajan (1991), Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994), Biwi No.1 (1999), having appeared in the highest earning films of five separate years during his career.
In 1999, Khan won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actor Award for his extended appearance in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), and since then has starred in several critical and commercial successes, including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999), Tere Naam (2003), No Entry (2005) and Partner (2007). Khan has thus established himself as one of the most prominent leading actors of Hindi cinema^.

Biography

Career

Salman Khan made his acting debut in the 1988 film Biwi Ho To Aisi where he played a supporting role. His first leading role in a Bollywood movie was in Sooraj R. Barjatya's romance Maine Pyar Kiya (1989). The film went on to become one of India's highest grossing films.It also won him a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award, and a nomination for Filmfare Best Actor Award.
1990 saw only one film release starring Khan, Baaghi, co-starring alongside southern actress Nagma. The film was a box office success,and was followed by another successful year in 1991 when he starred in three hit films, Patthar Ke Phool, Sanam Bewafa and Saajan.Despite these tremendous early box office successes, all of his 1992-1993 releases resulted in box office failures.
Khan clawed back his previous success in 1994 with his second collaboration with director Sooraj Barjatya in the romance Hum Aapke Hain Kaun, co-starring Madhuri Dixit. This film was the biggest hit of that year, and turned out to be one of Bollywood's highest grossing films ever, becoming the fourth highest earner of all time. Apart from being a commercial success, the film was widely acclaimed and Khan was praised for his performance, earning his second nomination for Best Actor at the Filmfare. Three more films released that year featured Khan, none of which making a significant impact on the box-office as was the case with the previously mentioned title. He did however win praise for his performance in Andaz Apna Apna, alongside co-star Aamir Khan, which has gained a cult status since its release. In 1995 he cemented his success with Rakesh Roshan's blockbuster Karan Arjun, co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan.The film was the second biggest hit of the year, and his role of Karan once again put his name among the nominees for the Best Actor award at the Filmfare, which was eventually won by his Karan Arjun co-star Shahrukh Khan.
1996 was followed by two successes. The first one being Sanjay Leela Bhansali's directional debut Khamoshi: The Musical, co-starring Manisha Koirala, Nana Patekar and Seema Biswas. Though a box office failure, the film was critically acclaimed. He next starred alongside Sunny Deol and Karisma Kapoor in Raj Kanwar's action hit Jeet.
He had only two releases in 1997: Judwaa and Auzaar. The former was a comedy directed by David Dhawan co-starring Karisma Kapoor, where he played a dual role of twins separated at birth. The film was a box office hit. The latter, co-starring Shilpa Shetty failed to do well, but developed a cult following after its video release.
Khan worked in five different films in 1998, his first release being the comedy Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya opposite Kajol, one of the biggest commercial successes of that year. This was followed by the moderately successful drama Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai.Khan played a young man who has to take a child who claims to be his son, under his custody. Khan's performance in the film earned him several positive notices and favourable reviews from critics. He rounded of the year with Karan Johar's directorial debut, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. Co-starring alongside Shahrukh Khan and Kajol, he had only an extended cameo playing the role of Aman. However, it eventually turned out beneficial to him, as his performance earned him his second Filmfare Award under the Best Supporting Actor category.
In 1999, Khan starred in three hit films: Hum Saath-Saath Hain: We Stand United, which reunited him with Sooraj Barjatya for the third time; Biwi No.1, which became the top grossing film that year; and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, which was a major critical success, and earned him another Best Actor nomination at the Filmfare. In 2000, Khan acted in six films, most of which failed critically and commercially, except for the two moderately successful films, Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega and Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, both of which co-starred Rani Mukerji and Preity Zinta. His performance in Chori Chori Chupke Chupke, the release of which was delayed until 2001, was received well. The film was one of the first Bollywood movies to handle the issue of surrogate childbirth; Khan played the role of a rich industrialist, who hires a surrogate mother after his wife becomes infertile. Critics noted his turn towards a more serious role, which reportedly had more substance in comparison to his previous roles.In 2002 he starred in the delayed release Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam which was semi-hit at the box office.
Khan's following releases failed at the box office until he made a comeback in 2003 with Tere Naam. The film was a major earner and his performance was praised by critics, with film critic Taran Adarsh noting, "Salman Khan is exceptional in a role that fits him to the T. He breathes fire in sequences that demand uneasiness. But beneath the tough exterior lies a vulnerable person and this facet in particular comes to the fore in the latter reels. His emotional outbursts are splendid..." He subsequently continued his success at the box office, with comedies like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi (2004) and No Entry (2005)2006 was an unsuccessful year for him when Jaan-E-Mann and Baabul both failed to do well at the box office.
Khan started 2007 with the ensemble film Salaam E Ishq which failed to do well at the box office. His next release Partner did very well at the box office, receiving a blockbuster verdict.He next appeared in his first Hollywood movie, Marigold: An Adventure in India opposite American actress Ali Larter. Telling the love story of an Indian man and an American woman, the film was a major failure, both commercially and critically.
Khan starred in three films throughout 2008, all of which underperformed. God Tussi Great Ho was a remake of the Jim Carrey Hollywood hit, Bruce Almighty. The film performed abysmally at the box office. His second film of the year, Heroes, met with praise from critics but performed just moderately at the box office, even with the aid of the Diwali season.

Personal life

Khan is the eldest son of celebrated screenwriter Salim Khan and his first wife Salma Khan (maiden name Sushila Charak). His stepmother is Helen, a famous yesteryear Bollywood actress, who has co-starred with him in Khamoshi: The Musical (1996) and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999). He has two brothers, Arbaaz Khan and Sohail Khan, and two sisters, Alvira and Arpita. Alvira is married to actor/director Atul Agnihotri.
Khan is a dedicated bodybuilder. He trains everyday and is famous for taking off his shirt in movies and stage shows alike. In 2004, he was voted 7th best-looking man in the World and the best looking man in India by People magazine, U.S.Khan has been involved in several charities during his career.
Despite being romantically linked with several actresses, and having relationships with ex-girlfriends Aishwarya Rai, Somy Ali and Sangeeta Bijlani, Khan is frequently featured by Indian media as Bollywood's most eligible bachelor. He has been dating model-turned-actress Katrina Kaif since 2003.
On October 11, 2007, Khan accepted an offer from Madame Tussauds wax museum in London to have a wax replica made of himself. His life-size wax figure was finally installed there on January 15, 2008, making him the fourth Indian actor to have been replicated as a wax statue in the museum.

Controversies

Legal troubles

On September 28, 2002, Salman was arrested for rash and negligent driving. His car had collided into a bakery in Mumbai; one person who was sleeping on the pavement outside the bakery died and three others were injured in the mishap.Charges of culpable homicide were laid against him, but later dropped, and he was found not guilty. However, he will still have to stand trial for a series of lesser charges pertaining to the incident.
On February 17, 2006, Khan was sentenced to one year in prison for hunting an endangered species, the Chinkara. The sentence was stayed by a higher court during appeal.On April 10, 2006, Salman was handed a five year jail term for hunting the endangered Chinkara. He was remanded to Jodhpur jail, and remained there until April 13, when he was granted bail.On August 24, 2007, the Jodhpur sessions court, upheld the 5 year jail term for Khan in the Chinkara poaching case by turning down his appeal against the 2006 judgement. At the time of the hearing, he was busy with a shooting elsewhere, while his sister attended the proceedings.^[22] Day after, he was placed under police arrest in Jodhpur after a Rajasthan court upheld a prison sentence passed upon him for poaching. On August 31, 2007, Khan was released on bail from the Jodhpur Central jail where he has spent six days.

Relationship troubles

His turbulent relationship with actress Aishwarya Rai was a well publicised topic in the Indian media, and had constantly filled gossip columns.After their break-up in March 2002, Rai accused him of harassing her. She claimed that Khan had not been able to come to terms with their break-up and was hounding her; her parents lodged a complaint against him.
In 2005, news outlets released what was said to be an illicit copy of a mobile phone call recorded in 2001 by the Mumbai police. It appeared to be a call in which he threatened his ex-girlfriend, Aishwarya Rai, in an effort to force her to appear at social events held by Mumbai crime figures. The call featured boasts of connections to organized crime and derogatory comments about other actors. However, the alleged tape was tested in the government's Forensic lab in Chandigarh, which concluded that it was fake.

Fatwas

In September 2007, a Muslim organisation issued a fatwa against Khan for attending a Ganesh puja. Stating that Islam prohibits idol worship, the organisation stated that unless Khan reads the kalmas - the declaration of faith, all over again, he will not be considered a Muslim. In addition to that, Khan celebrated the Ganesh Mahostav with his family in Bandra; they brought a Ganesh idol for one day for the sake of his stepmother, Helen. Khan was among the group who danced in the procession. His father responded by criticising the fatwa, and stated that Salman had done nothing wrong^.
Another fatwa was raised against Khan by a Muslim cleric in India, mufti Salim Ahmad Qasmi, for allowing Madame Tussauds in London to make a wax model of himself. The mufti said the statue is illegal and the Sharia forbids depictions of all living creatures. This created speculation in the press, as no fatwa was released against fellow Muslim, Shahrukh Khan who also has a wax model in the museum. Salman responded by saying, "These fatwas are becoming a joke".
The fatwa was raised upon Khan again in September 2008, for celebrating the Ganeshotsav Hindu ceremony at his home with the family. The fatwa was raised by the member of the Advisory Council, Jama Masjid, in New Delhi. On this occasion, his father, Salim, again questioned the fatwa and criticised those who raise it^.

Films

The Mahabharata

Subhash Ghai - Salman Khan Film

Hello

Amar Akbar Anthony Remake

Mera Bharat Mahaan

My Punjabi Nikaah

Sahib Biwi Aur Gulam

Bajirao Mastani

God Tussi Great Ho

London Dreams

Saanwariya

Marigold

Partner

Salam-e-Ishq

Baabul

Jaan-e-Man

Shaadi Karke Phas Gaya Yaar

Saawan

Kyunki

No Entry

Maine Pyar Kyun Kiya

Lucky

Dil Ne Jise Apna Kahaa

Phir Milenge

Mujhse Shaadi Karogi

Garv

Baghban (Special Appearance)

Tere Naam

Stumped (Guest Appearance)

Love at Times Square (Guest Appearance)

Yeh Hai Jalwa

Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam

Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge

Chori Chori Chupke Chupke

Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye

Dhai Akshar Prem Ke (Friendly Appearance)

Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega

Chal Mere Bhai

Dulhan Hum Le Jayenge

Hum Saath Saath Hain

Hello Brother

Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam

Sirf Tum (Special Appearance)

Biwi No.1

Janam Samjha Karo

Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Special Appearance)

Bandhan

Jab Pyaar Kisise Hota Hai

Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya

Sar Utha Ke Jiyo (Guest Appearance)

Deewana Mastana (Guest Appearance)

Auzaar

Judwaa

Jeet

Khamoshi

Majhdaar

Dushman Duniya Ka (Guest Appearance)

Veergati

Karan Arjun

Sangdil Sanam

Chand Ka Tukda

Hum Aapke Hain Koun

Andaz Apna Apna

Dil Tera Aashiq

Chandramukhi

Nischay

Jaagruti

Ek Ladka Ek Ladki

Suryavanshi

Love

Saajan

Kurbaan

Pathar Ke Phool

Sanam Bewafa

Baaghi

Maine Pyar Kiya

Biwi Ho To Aisi

Aamir Khan

2010-02-04T13:28:00.000+05:30

Aamir Khan (born Aamir Hussain Khan on March 14, 1965) is an Indian film actor, director and producer. Khan worked in a number of critically and commercially successful films and has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema. He is also the founder-owner of Aamir Khan Productions.

Starting his career as a child actor in his uncle Nasir Hussain's film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Khan began his professional career eleven years later with the film, Holi (1984). He had his first commercial success with his cousin Mansoor Khan's film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), for which he won a Filmfare Best Male Debut Award. After seven previous nominations during the 1980s and 1990s, Khan received his first Filmfare Best Actor Award for his performance in the major grosser Raja Hindustani (1996).

In 2001, he made his debut as a film producer with the Academy Award-nominated Lagaan. Khan played the lead role in the film and earned his second Filmfare Best Actor Award for his performance. After a four-year break from acting, Khan made his comeback with Ketan Mehta's Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005), and later won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance for his role in Rang De Basanti (2006). In 2007, he made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par, for which he received a Filmfare Best Director Award. This was followed by Ghajini (2008), which became the highest-grossing Indian film of all-time, unadjusted for inflation.

Early life

Khan was born in Bandra's Holy Family Hospital, Mumbai, India, to a Muslim family that has been actively involved in the Indian motion picture industry for several decades. His father, Tahir Hussain, is a film producer while his deceased uncle, Nasir Hussain, was a film producer as well as a director and a actor.

He is a descendant of the Muslim scholar and politician Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and a second cousin to former Chairperson of Rajya Sabha Dr Najma Heptullah.

Film career

Actor

Khan began his film career as a child actor in a home production, made by Nasir Hussain, titled Yaadon Ki Baraat (1973) and Madhosh (1974). Eleven years later, he made his adult acting debut in a role that went quite unnoticed in Ketan Mehta's Holi (1984).

Khan's first notable leading role came in 1988 in the film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak which was directed by his cousin and Nasir Hussain's son Mansoor Khan. This film was a breakthrough commercial success, effectively launching Khan's career as a leading actor. Having the typical 'chocolate hero' looks, he was publicised as a teen idol. He also starred in critically acclaimed film Raakh, for which Khan got his first National Award for Special Jury Award. After that, he went on to appear in several other films in the late '80s and early '90s: Dil (1990), which became the highest grossing film of the year,[5] Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) (for which he also wrote the screenplay), and Rangeela (1995). Most of these films were successful critically and commercially.Other successes include Andaz Apna Apna, co-starring Salman Khan. At the time of its release the movie was reviewed unfavorably by critics, but over the years has gained a cult status.

Khan continued to act in just one or two films a year, an unusual trait for a mainstream Hindi Cinema actor. His only release in 1996 was the Dharmesh Darshan directed commercial blockbuster Raja Hindustani in which he was paired opposite Karisma Kapoor. The film earned him his first Filmfare Best Actor Award, after seven previous nominations, and went on to become the biggest hit of the year, as well as the third highest grossing Indian film of the 1990s. Khan's career had seemed to hit a plateau at this point of time, and most of the films to follow for the next few years were only partially successful. In 1997, he co-starred with Ajay Devgan and was paired opposite Juhi Chawla in the film Ishq, which performed well at the box office. In 1998, Khan appeared in the moderately successful Ghulam, for which he also did playback singing. John Mathew Matthan's Sarfarosh (1999)Khan's first release in 1999 which was also moderately successful gaining an above average box office verdict, although the film was highly appreciated amongst the critics and Khan's role as a dedicated, honest and an uncorrupt cop engaged in fighting border terrorism, was well received, as did his role in Deepa Mehta's art house film Earth. His first release for the new millennium, Mela, in which he acted alongside his real-life brother Faisal Khan, was both a box-office and critical bomb.

In 2001 he appeared in Lagaan. The film was a major critical and commercial success, and received a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards. Additionally, the film gathered critical acclaim at several international film festivals, in addition to winning numerous Indian awards, including the National Film Awards. Khan himself won his second Filmfare Best Actor Award.

The success of Lagaan was followed by Dil Chahta Hai later that year, in which Khan co-starred with Akshaye Khanna and Saif Ali Khan, with Preity Zinta playing his love interest. The film was written and directed by the then newcomer Farhan Akhtar. According to critics, the film broke new grounds by showing Indian urban youth as they really are today. The characters depicted were modern, suave and cosmopolitan. The film did moderately well and was a success mostly in urban cities.

Khan then took a four year break citing personal problems, and returned in 2005 with Ketan Mehta's Mangal Pandey: The Rising playin

g the title role of a real-life sepoy and a martyr who helped spark the Indian Rebellion of 1857 or the 'First War of Indian Independence'.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's award-winning, Rang De Basanti, was Khan's first release in 2006. His role was critically acclaimed,earning him a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance and various nominations for Best Actor. The film went on to become one of the highest grossing films of the year, and was selected as India's official entry to the Oscars. Although the film was not shortlisted as a nominee, it received a nomination for Best Foreign Film at the BAFTA Awards in England. Khan's work in his next movie, Fanaa (2006) was also appreciated, and the film went on to become one of the highest grossing Indian films of 2006.

His 2007 film, Taare Zameen Par, was also produced by him and marked his directorial debut. The film, which was the second offering from Aamir Khan Productions, starred Khan in a supporting role as a teacher who befriends and helps a dyslexic child. It opened to excellent responses from critics and audiences alike. Khan's performance was well-received, although he was particularly applauded for his directing.

In 2008, Khan appeared in the movie Ghajini. The film was a major commercial success and became the highest grossing Bollywood movie of all time in nominal terms (i.e., without taking inflation into account). For his performance in the film, Khan received several Best Actor nominations at various award ceremonies as well as his fifteenth Filmfare Best Actor nomination.

Producer

In 2001 Khan set up a production company knownn as Aamir Khan Productions. Its first film was Lagaan. The movie was released in 2001, starring Khan as the lead actor. The film was selected as India's official entry to the 74th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film category. It was eventually chosen and nominated in that category but lost to No Man's Land. The film won numerous awards at several Indian award functions such as Filmfare and IIFA, and won the National Film Award for Most Popular Film, an award shared between Khan and the film's director, Ashutosh Gowarikar.Khan later commented on the loss of Lagaan at the Oscars: "Certainly we were disappointed. But the thing that really kept us in our spirits was that the entire country was behind us".

In 2007 he produced the drama Taare Zameen Par which marked his directorial debut. Khan also played a supporting role in the film, sharing the screen with the debut of child actor Darsheel Safary. The film was initially conceived of and developed by the husband and wife team, Amole Gupte and Deepa Bhatia. It was a story of a young child who suffers in school until a teacher identifies him as dyslexic. The movie was critically acclaimed,as well as a box office success. Taare Zameen Par won the 2008 Filmfare Best Movie Award as well as a number of other Filmfare and Star Screen Awards. Khan's work won him two awards at the Filmfare, the Best Movie and the Best Director awards, which established his status as a competent filmmaker in Bollywood.

In 2008, Khan launched his nephew Imran Khan's debut in the film Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na under his production house. The film was a big hit in India, and eventually earned Khan another nomination for Best Movie at the Filmfare.

Personal life

During the years of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, Khan married Reena Dutta. They had two children, a son named Junaid and a daughter, Ira. Reena was involved, briefly, in Khan's career when she worked as a producer for Lagaan. In December 2002, Khan filed for divorce, ending the 15-year marriage, with Reena taking the custody of both their children. On December 28, 2005, he married Kiran Rao who had been an assistant director to Ashutosh Gowariker during the filming of Lagaan.

Though nominated many times, Khan does not attend any Indian film award ceremony as he feels "Indian film awards lack credibility".

In 2007, Khan lost a custody battle for his younger brother Faisal to their father, Tahir Hussain.

In 2007, Khan was invited to have a wax imitation of himself put on display at Madame Tussauds in London. However, Khan declined stating that, "It's not important to me... people will see my films if they want to. Also, I cannot deal with so many things, I have bandwidth only for that much.

In a 2009 interview, Khan states that he tends to take an independent approach to the world of filmmaking, noting that he does not "do different things; I try to do it in a different manner. I think every person should follow his/her dream and try and make it possible to create an ability to achieve it backed by its practicality." He has also indicated that he is more interested in the process of filmmaking than in the end result: "For me, the process is more important, more joyful. I would like to have my entire concentration on the process right from the first step." When asked about his role model, he stated that, "Gandhiji is one person who inspires me.

* Actor
* 3 Idiots (2009)
* Dhobi Ghat (2009)
* Luck By Chance (2009)
* Ghajini (2008)
* Taare Zameen Par (2007)
* Fanaa (2006)
* Rang De Basanti (2006)
* Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005)
* Dil Chahta Hai (2001)
* Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)
* Mela (2000)
* Mann (1999)
* Sarfarosh (1999)
* Earth (1998)
* Ghulam (1998)
* Ishq (1997)
* Raja Hindustani (1996)
* Rangeela (1995)
* Aatank Hi Aatank (1995)
* Baazi 1995)
* Akele Hum Akele Tum (1995)
* Andaz Apna Apna (1994)
* Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993)
* Parampara (1993)
* Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992)
* Sahebzaade (1992)
* Daulat Ki Jung (1992)
* Isi Ka Naam Zindagi (1992)
* Time Machine (1992)
* Afsana Pyar Ka (1991)
* Dil Hai Ki Manta Nahin (1991)
* Dil (1990)
* Tum Mere Ho (1990)
* Awwal Number (1990)
* Deewana Mujh Sa Nahin (1990)
* Jawani Zindabad (1990)
* Love Love Love (1989)
* Raakh (1989)
* Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988)
* Holi (1984)
* Madhosh (1974)
* Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973)

* Music Department
* Rang De Basanti (2006) (playback singer)
* The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey (2005) (playback singer)
* Mann (1999) (playback singer) (uncredited)
* Ghulam (1998) (playback singer)

* Producer
* Anusha Rizvi's untitled film (2009)
* Delhi Belly (2009)
* Dhobi Ghat (2009)
* Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na (2008)
* Taare Zameen Par (2007)
* Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001)

* Director
* Taare Zameen Par (2007)

* Writer
* Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993)

OFFICIAL WEBSITE : http://www.aamirkhan.com/

Michael Jackson

2009-08-07T20:25:00.000+05:30

Fast Facts

Born: 29 August 1958
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana
Best Known As: The King of Pop, Most Album Sales with Thriller, and accused child molestor
Convert: Yes (First Nation of Islam, then Sunni)

Died: 25/06/2009

Jackson and Islam

Michael Jackson officially converted to the Nation of Islam in December 2003. Saeed Shabazz, a reporter for the Nation of Islam's publication, The Final Call, announced that Mr. Jackson had joined the organization.

In 2005, he had officially announced that he has been following the five tenets of Islam and intends to convert to Islam, according to a report on the website of Arab-Israeli newspaper Panorama. The former Jehovah's Witness has been living in the Middle Eastern nation since he was acquitted of child molestation charges in his native America in June 2005. He had moved to his own artificial island in Bahrain and had left Neverland for good. Later he pledged to erect a mosque in his adopted home. It is supposed to be a 30-meter (98-foot) building just outside Manama on land adjoining the palace of the Bahraini royal family. He was also recently criticized for appearing in a Muslim abaya robe, which is traditionally worn by females. The star's spokeswoman Raymone Bain says, "Michael is looking to give something back to the country that has welcomed him so openly." Discover Islam spokesman Aman Khailb adds, "Thousands of people are embracing Islam, Michael is just one of them."

Biography

Michael Jackson has been a singing superstar since he was 11 years old, when he had four consecutive #1 hits with his youthful band of brothers, The Jackson Five. He had several more hit singles performing on his own throughout most of the 1970s, and after 1982's Thriller, an album that yielded seven top ten hits, Jackson was dubbed "The King of Pop." His next album, Bad, topped the charts in 1987 as Jackson became one of the early stars of MTV and an international hitmaker. Then his eccentric lifestyle began to overwhelm his recording career, and Jackson became a favorite of the gossip sheets. In 1994 he married Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis (a.k.a. "The King"), but they divorced in 1996. Also notorious were Jackson's long series of cosmetic surgeries, rumors of exotic pets and superstar peccadilloes at Jackson's estate (which he dubbed "Neverland", a reference to the story of Peter Pan), followed by another brief marriage and multiple accusations of inappropriate conduct with children. In 2005 he was tried on charges of child molestation and conspiracy related to his relationship with a 13-year-old boy. On 13 June 2005 Jackson was acquitted on all charges.

There Was Anothe News in Late 2008 That He Has Become Muslims again But I Think He Was Already a Muslim So if he Converted Just now Than Not To Worry But To Pray to GOD that He Really Converted To Islam....

He Died For So Called Unknown Reasons... May Allah Give Peace To Him....

Discuss This Article

References:

http://blogcritics.org/archives/2005/11/26/133539.php

http://cbs3.com/entertainmentbriefs/20060302/resources_entertainment_html

http://www.adherents.com/largecom/famconv_islam.html

There seems to be some people who do not believe that Jackson is Muslim. One must note that this article quotes reputable sources like CBS, Adherents.com, Jacksons Spokeswoman, Discover Islam's Spokesman, and a publisicer of Nation of Islam. This is NOT a RUMOR. HE HAS DECLARED HE IS MUSLIM.

Saddam Hussein

2009-03-21T16:34:00.001+05:30

Ex-leader of Baath Party, Born to a poor farming family in Tikrīt, a town north of Baghdad, Hussein was raised by his widowed mother and other relatives. He moved to Baghdad in 1955 and became involved in politics, joining the opposition Baath Party, an Arab nationalist movement. Hussein rose quickly within the party and in 1959 helped organize an assassination attempt on Abdul Karim Kassem, the military president of Iraq. Both Kassem and Hussein were injured in the gun battle, and Hussein fled to Cairo.

Hussein studied law in Cairo while continuing party-affiliated activities. He returned to Baghdad in 1963, married, and rose to the post of assistant secretary general of the Baath Party. The party remained in opposition to the government until 1968, when it seized power in a coup. Years of underground work gave Hussein a small core of like-minded friends, many related to him by blood or marriage and most from Tikrīt. After the coup, this clique established itself as a Revolutionary Command Council with absolute authority in the country. Hussein became vice chairman of the council in 1969. He worked closely with General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, the council’s chairman and president of Iraq.

Hussein took a leading role in addressing the country’s major domestic problems. He negotiated an agreement in 1970 with separatist Kurdish leaders, giving them autonomy. The agreement later broke down, leading to brutal fighting between the regime and Kurdish groups. He also played a part in the nationalization of the oil industry, Iraq’s major source of wealth. In 1973 oil prices skyrocketed, allowing the government to pursue an ambitious economic development program that included new schools, universities, hospitals, and factories.

In foreign affairs, Hussein at first helped Iraq play a leading role in the Middle East. In 1975 he negotiated a settlement with Iran that contained Iraqi concessions on border demarcation. In return, Iran agreed to stop supporting opposition Kurds in Iraq. Hussein also led Arab opposition to the 1979 Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel. President al-Bakr gradually withdrew from politics during the 1970s and formally retired in 1979. Hussein became chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council and president of the country. In 1979 Iran’s government was overthrown by Islamic fundamentalists and their supporters, and Hussein feared radical Islamic ideas were spreading inside Iraq, especially among the country’s majority Shia Muslim population. In September 1980 Hussein abandoned his 1975 agreement with Iran and invaded. After making some initial gains Iraq’s troops were stopped, and by 1982 Iraq was looking for ways to end the war. Hussein reached out to other Arab governments for financial and diplomatic support and began to target the Iranian oil industry. The Iranians, hoping to bring down Hussein, refused a cease-fire until 1988.
The Iran-Iraq War left Iraq devastated with hundreds of thousands of casualties and a debt of about $75 billion. Still, Hussein had an experienced and well-equipped army, which he used to influence regional affairs, for example, by pressuring Kuwait to forgive its share of Iraq’s debt. In August 1990 Hussein sent troops into Kuwait and annexed it. An international coalition led by the United States evicted Iraq in January and February of 1991 in a conflict known as the Persian Gulf War. Though briefer than the Iran-Iraq War, it was equally devastating, leaving Iraq isolated and reeling from international economic sanctions.

Despite having led Iraq into two wars and, in so doing, squandering the country’s oil wealth, Hussein succeeded in facing down all internal challenges to his rule. In 1991, shortly after the end of the Persian Gulf War, Hussein suppressed an uprising among Shias in the south. Kurds who rebelled in the north were saved from complete defeat only because the international community protected them. Hussein’s small clique of friends and family was divided after the war, and in the following years Hussein arrested, exiled, and killed many among them who were thought to threaten his rule.

In the mid-1990s Hussein began interfering with the work of United Nations (UN) inspection teams assigned to Iraq after the Persian Gulf War to ensure that Iraq had ceased development of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and had destroyed any stockpiles of these weapons. His government insisted that the sanctions against Iraq should be lifted in return for its compliance with UN resolutions and accused the United States of seeking not to disarm Iraq but to overthrow the Iraqi regime. Arguments over the inspections led to a series of international confrontations. In 1998 Hussein averted conflicts in February and again in November by agreeing to allow inspections to continue. However, when in December he again blocked inspections, the United States and Britain launched a four-day series of air strikes on Iraqi military and industrial targets. In response, Hussein declared that Iraq would allow no further UN inspections. In November 2002, after months of heightened pressure from the United States and the UN, Hussein submitted to a UN resolution ordering the immediate return of weapons inspectors to Iraq. Inspectors were sent to Iraq and reported compliance and demanded further time for inspection.

HHowever, the United States argued that Iraq was not complying fully with inspectors and was continuing toto hide banned chemical and biological weapons.

In March 2003 U.S.-led forces invaded Iraq with the goals of removing, capturing Hussein and destroying the country’s banned weapons. When Baghdad fell to U.S. forces in April, Hussein’s regime collapsed but the US failed to find any banned weapons. After a long hide and seek Saddam Hussein was found in a hole under the ground on Saturday 13th December 2004.

Benazir Bhutto

2009-03-21T16:20:00.002+05:30

Benazir Bhutto (1953- ), Pakistani political leader, who served as first female prime minister of a Muslim country, she served for Pakistan from 1988 to 1990 and from 1993 to 1996. Born into a wealthy landholding family with a tradition of political activism in southeastern Sindh province, Bhutto enjoyed a privileged childhood

Bhutto was educated at Harvard's Radcliffe College in the United States and at the University of Oxford in England, where she excelled in studies as well as other activities including debating competitions, she was the first Asian woman to be elected president of the Oxford Union. The daughter of a intelligent and Charismatic Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1971-1977), she returned to Pakistan in june 1977, planning on a career in the foreign service. But only two weeks later, however, military officers led by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq , capitalizing on public protests of disputed parliamentary elections overthrew Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in a bloodless coup. Benazir Bhutto spent the next eighteen months in and out of house arrest as she struggled to rally political support to force Zia to drop fallacious murder charges against her father. The military dictator ignored worldwide appeals for clemency and had Zulfikar Bhutto hanged in April of 1979.

Bhutto's persecution began in earnest after the dismissal of her father's government in 1977 and his execution in 1979 as she intensified her denunciations of Zia and sought to organize a political movement against him. Repeatedly put under house arrest, she was finally imprisoned under solitary confinement in a desert cell in Sindh province during the summer of 1981. Bhutto described the hellish conditions in her wall less cage in "Daughter of Destiny":

"The summer heat turned my cell into an oven. My skin split and peeled, coming off my hands in sheets. Boils erupted on my face. My hair, which had always been thick, began to come out by the handful. Insects crept into the cell like invading armies. Grasshoppers, mosquitoes, stinging flies, bees and bugs came up through the cracks in the floor and through the open bars from the courtyard. Big black ants, cockroaches, seething clumps of little red ants and spiders. I tried pulling the sheet over my head at night to hide from their bites, pushing it back when it got too hot to breathe."

Released in 1984, she went into exile in Britain until 1986, when martial law was lifted in Pakistan.She returned with a huge crowd numbering in the hundreds of thousands turned out on the streets to greet her, by then the leading symbol of the anti-Zia movement, when she returned to Lahore in April of 1986. Formally elected chair in the following month, Bhutto lost no time in organising mass protests and civil disobedience campaigns to pressure Zia to relinquish office and call national elections. Bhutto's stirring oratory, familiar name, and striking appearance helped give her a strong mass appeal, but she had to struggle to wrest real power from the PPP's old-guard leadership, members of which were wary of her gender, youth, and political wisdom. Supported by tumultuous crowds, Bhutto again called for fresh elections, resulting in another short prison term that same year. She also had to contend with internal dissension among the anti-Zia forces.

In 1988 Zia was killed in an airplane crash, less than three months after announcing that elections would take place. In the November elections the PPP gained a huge popularity in the National Assembly, and in December 1988 Bhutto, 35 only became prime minister of Pakistan, the first woman to hold this office in any modern Islamic state. During her first term, Her objective was to return Pakistan to civilian rule and oust the men who executed her father, she also started Peoples Program for economic uplift of the masses. Benazir Bhutto lifted a ban on student and trade unions. The PPP. Government hosted the fourth S. A. A. R. C. Summit held in Islamabad, in December 1988.

In August 1990, however, President Ghulam Ishaq Khan dismissed her, charging her with incompetence and corruption. ,The President and the Caretaker Prime Minister filed a series of references against Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. Her husband, Mr. Asif Ali Zardari was arrested and imprisoned for over two years on a number of up charges.

Her party was soundly defeated in the elections that followed in November 1990, and Bhutto became an opposition leader in the parliament. Subsequent attempts to oust the ruling party resulted in Bhutto’s deportation to the city of Karachi in 1992, and she was temporarily banned from entering Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.

In July 1993, the President of Pakistan dismissed the Government of Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif on corruption charges and called for fresh elections. The Pakistan Peoples Party went to the people in October, 1993 with a new "Agenda for Change". The programme envisaged government at the door-step of the people and priority to the social sectors. Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was again elected Prime Minister with a broad mandate after achieving strong popular support in all the four provinces of Pakistan .

Bhutto's platform has been leftist, including food for the hungry, health care, jobs, slum clearance and a monthly minimum wage.
She has been opposed by Islamic fundamentalists who have been suspicious of the PPP because of its alleged leftist.
Due to Benazir’s Personal world popularity, during her term Pakistan’s relation with other countries improved ,her moderate foreign policy had been credited for improving the wrong image of Pakistan around the world ,however domestically she and her party have been widely blamed for excessive corruption.
Benazir again faced trouble from the opposition. In the autumn of 1994, Nawaz Sharif led a "train march" from Karachi to Peshawar. This was followed by general strike on September 20. Two weeks later Nawaz Sharif called a "wheel jam" strike on October 11.

Bhutto was dismissed from office for the second time in late 1996. In October, large street demonstrations shut down the capital, and Bhutto aroused criticism when she had arrested several rival party leaders who had participated in the demonstrations.

Bhutto came under pressure from the press and public, who charged her government with corruption and mismanagement. On November 5, 1996, President of Pakistan Farooq Leghari dismissed Prime Minister Bhutto and dissolved the National Assembly.

Bhutto's husband, Zardari, was the focus of much of the criticism. She had appointed him to the cabinet post of investment minister. He was accused of taking bribes and pocketing money from government contracts. President Leghari also charged that Zardari was responsible for "extrajudicial killings" in Karachi, where Bhutto rivals had been killed by police.She denounced all charges as politically motivated, and went into self-imposed exile. In 2001 the Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended a high court’s 1999 conviction of Bhutto, ordering a retrial, but in a separate trial Bhutto was sentenced in absentia to three years in prison. She is currently still in self-exile in London and faces charges if she returns back.

She has been mentioned as "The world's most popular politician" in the New Guinness Book of Record 1996.

The "Times" and the "Australian Magazine" (May 4, 1996) have drawn up a list of 100 most powerful women and have included Benazir Bhutto as one of them.

She has received many honoury degrees and awards from several countries.

She also lectures and takes part in several major world events.

Publications

Benazir Bhutto is the author of two books "Foreign Policy in Perspective" (1978) and her autobiography, "Daughter of the East" (1989). Several collections of her speeches and works have been compiled which include "The Way Out", Pakistan Foreign Policy, Challenges and Responses in the Post-Cold War era in "After the Cold War" by Keith Philip Lepor and Male Domination of Women offends her Islamic religion in "Lend Me Your ears: Great Speeches in History" by William Saffire. "The Way Out" (1980). She has also contributed to many periodicals and to the books, "Predictions for the Next Millennium" by Kristof and Nickerson and "Book of Hopes and Dreams" published by Bookmaster Inc.

AWARDS AND HONORARY DRGREES

Bruno Kreisky Award of Merit in human Rights, 1988.
Honorary Phi Beta Kappa Award (1989), presented by Radcliffe College.
Highest Moroccan Award "Grand Cordon de Wissam Alaoui"
Highest French Award "Grand-croix de la Legion Honneur" (1989)
The Noel Foundation Award, 1990 (UNIFEM).
The Gakushuin Honorary Award, Tokyo (1996)
Award by the Turkish Independent Industries and Businessmen Association (MUSAID) on account of providing assistance to the people of Bosnia.
Golden medal Dragon of Bosnia awarded by President of Bosnia (1996)
Key to the city of Los Angeles, presented by the Mayor of Los Angeles (1995)
Presidential Medal, Paul Nitze School of Advanced International Science (1995)
Medal by University of California at Los Angeles (1995)
Honorary Doctorate of Law, L.L.D Harvard University (1989)
Honorary Doctorate of Law (Honoris Causa), University of Sindh (1994)
Honorary Doctorate from Mendanao State University, Philippines (1995)
Honorary Doctorate of Law (Honoris Causa), Peshawar University (1995)
Honorary Doctorate of Economics, Gakushuin University, Tokyo (1996)
Honorary Fellowship by Lady Margaret Hall, University Oxford, (1989)
Honorary Fellowship by St. Catherine College, University of Oxford, (1989)
Honorary Professor of the Kyrghyz State National University (1995) Kyrghyzstan.
Honorary Professor of Yassavi Kazakh Turkish University, Kazakh-Turkish International Language University, Kazakhstan, 1995.
Honorable Member of OHYUKAI, Alumni Association of Gakushuin, conferred by OHYUKAI Tokyo (1996).
Awarded the 2000 Millennium Medal of Honor by American Biographical Institute, Inc. in November 1998. Awarded American Academy Award of Achievement in London, October 28, 2000

Akon

2008-08-01T17:16:00.000+05:30

Akon and Islam

Akon was born in born in Senegal and although he lacks many qualities of the average American Muslim, he sometimes mentions his religion. In the song Senegal, he states: So what you know about how God comes first in our lives, everything that we do is for Allah ; So what you know about that Holy place called Touba where Prophets are born. Also, Akon is known for being polygamous, a trait allowed in Islamic Jurisprudence. He has 3 wives.

Akon tends to stay quiet about his Islamic and polygamous life because of requests from his record label so controversies will not start.

Fast Facts

Full Name: Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam
Born: Senegal October 14, 1981
Convert: No
Sect: Sunni
Most Famous For: Grammy Award Winning R&B Artist.

Biography

Akon grew up in Senegal before he and his family (including his father, jazz percussionist Mor Thiam) eventually settled in New Jersey. There he discovered hip-hop for the first time, as well as crime. He was eventually jailed, but he used the time to work on his musical ideas. Upon release, Akon began writing and recording tracks in a home studio. The tapes found their way to SRC/Universal, which eventually released Trouble, Akon's debut LP, in June 2004. The album was an interesting hybrid of Akon's raps and silky, West African-styled vocals with East Coast- and Southern-styled beats.

References:

http://www.starpulse.com/news/index.php/2006/11/25/rapper_akon_has_three_wives

Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 December 2006 )

SHEIKH SALEH IBN FAWZAN AL-FAWZAN

2008-06-24T10:59:00.003+05:30

He is the noble Sheikh Dr. Saleh Ibn Fawzan Ibn Abdullah from the family of Fawzan from the people/tribe of ash-Shamaasiyyah. He was born in 1354H (1933 AD). His father died when he was young so he was brought up by his family. He learned the Noble Qur'ân, the basics of reading and writing with the Imaam of the masjid of the town, who was a definitive reciter, Sheikh Hamood Ibn Sulayman at-Talal, who was later made a judge in the town of Dariyyah (not Dar'iyyah in Riyadh) in the region of Qaseem.
He later studied at the state school when it opened in ash-Shamaasiyyah in the year 1369H (1948). He completed his studies at the Faysaliyyah school in Buraydah in the year 1371H (1950) and was then appointed a school teacher. Then he joined the educational institute in Buraydah when it opened in the year 1373H (1952), and graduated from there in the year 1377H (1956).
He then joined the Faculty of Sharee'ah at the University of Imaam Muhammad in Riyadh and graduated from there 1381H (1960). Thereafter he gained his Masters degree in fiqh, and later a Doctorate from the same faculty, also specializing in fiqh.

After his graduation from the Faculty of Sharee'ah, he was appointed a teacher within the educational institute in Riyadh, then transferred to teaching in the Faculty of Sharee'ah. Later, he transferred to teaching at the Department for Higher Studies within the Faculty of the Principles of the Religion (usool ad-deen). Then he transferred to teaching at the Supreme Court of Justice, where he was appointed the head. He then returned to teaching there after his period of headship came to an end. He was then made a member of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa, where he continues to this day.

The noble Sheikh is a member of the Council of Senior Scholars, and member of the Fiqh Committee in Makkah (part of ar-Raabitah), and member of the Committee for Supervision of the Callers (du'aat) in Hajj, whilst also presiding over (his main role) membership of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Research and Fataawa. He is also the Imaam, khateeb and teacher at the Prince Mut'ib Ibn 'Abdul-'Azeez Masjid in al-Malzar.

He also takes part in corresponding to questions on the radio program "Noorun 'alad-Darb" (Light along the Path), as he also takes part in contributing to a number of Islamic research publications at the Council for Islamic Research, Studies, Theses and Fataawa which are then collated and published. The noble Sheikh also takes part in supervising a number of theses at the Masters degree and Doctorate level. He has a number of students of knowledge who frequent his regular gatherings and lessons .
He himself studied at the hands of a number of prominent scholars and jurists, the most notable of whom were: Sh, Abdul-Azeez Ibn Baz (d. 1420H), Sh. Abdullah ibn Humayd (rahimahullaah), Sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen ash-Shanqeetee (d. 1393H), Sheikh Abdur-Razzaq 'Afeefee (rahimahullaah), Sheikh Saleh Ibn Abdur-Rahman as-Sukaytee, Sh. Saleh Ibn Ibraaheem al-Bulayhee, Sh. Muhammad Ibn Subayyal, Sheikh Abdullah Ibn Saleh al-Khulayfee, Sh. Ibraaheem Abdul-Muhsin, and Sh. Hamood Ibn Aqlaa, Sh. Saleh Ali an-Naasir.

He also studied at the hands of a number of scholars from al-Azhar University (Egypt) who specialized in hadeeth, tafseer and Arabic language.

In Da'wah Sh. Saleh Fawzan has played a major role in calling to Allah and teaching, giving fatwa, khutbahs and knowledgeable refutations. His books number many, however the following are just a handful which include:
- Kitab Tawhid,
- Al-irshaad ilas-Saheehil-I'tiqaad,
- al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhee,
- Foods and the Rulings regarding Slaughtering and Hunting, which is part of his Doctorate.
- At-Tahqeeqaat al-Mardiyyah in inheritance, which is part of his Masters degree.
- Rulings relating to the Believing Women, and
- A refutation of Yusuf Qaradawi's book 'al-Halaal wal-Haraam'.

SHEIKH MUHAMMAD IBN SALEH AL-UTHAYMEEN

2008-06-24T10:59:00.001+05:30

He was, Rahimahu Allah, Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Saleh ibn Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymeen at-Tamimi an-Najdi. Sh. Uthaymeen, as he was most known, was born in the city of Unayzah, Qaseem Region, Saudi Arabia, on 27th Ramadhan 1347H in a famous religious family.

He got his education from many prominent scholars like Sheikh 'Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa'di (1307H - 1376H), Sheikh Muhammad Ameen ash-Shanqeeti (1325H - 1393H), and Sheikh Abdul-Azeez Bin Baz (1330H - 1420H), along with many more.

When he entered into teaching, a great number of students from inside and outside Saudi Arabia benefited from him. He was known for his own unique style of interpretation and explanation of religious points. He is from among those scholars who served Islam without any type of religious prejudice and kept themselves away from the limitations of blind-following. He is distinguished in his great exertion of effort in religious matters and analogical deductions which clearly prove the religious understanding he possessed, and the correct usage of the principles of religion he adopted.

Along with Sh. Nasiruddin Albaani (d. 1420H), Sh. Abdul-Azeez Bin Baz (d. 1420H), and Sheikh Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi'i (d. 1422H), are the era of 1400H top Ahlu Sunnah scholars so far, although many more deserve to be mentioned in the strive for this Diin of Islam also, such as Sh. Abdullah ibn Abdur-Rahman al-Jibreen, Sh. Saeed ibn Ali ibn Wahf Al-Qahtaani, Dr. Saleh ibn Fawzan ibn Abdullah Al-Fawzan, Sh. Muhammad bin Jameel Zainoo, Sh. Muhammad Saleh Al-Munajjid, Sh. Saifur-Rahman Mubarakpooree, among others.

In giving religious verdicts, Sh. Uthaymeen Fataawa (i.e, rulings/verdicts) are based on the Manhaj of Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah which is evidenced from Qur'an and Sunnah. He has about fifty compilations to his credit. Recently before his death, he was teaching religious Fundamentals at the Sharee'ah Faculty of Imam Muhammad ibn Sa'ud Islamic University, Qaseem Branch. He was also a member of the Senior Scholars Committee of the Kingdom, and was the Imaam and Khateeb of the big Mosque of Unayzah city.

Among his well-known works in Da'wah:
- Tafsir Ayatul Kursi.
- Sharh Riyadh Saleheen.
- Musdhalihah Hadeeth.
- Kitab ul Ilm.
- Qawaa'id Muthla fi Sifaati Allah wa Asmaa'ihil Husna.
- Aqeedah Ahlu Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah.
- Sharh Usool Thalaathah.
- Qawl Mufiid ala Kitab Tawhid.
- Sharh Usool Iman.
- Sharh Lum'atul I'tiqad.
- Sharh Aqeedatu Waasiti.
- Sharh al-Mumti' ala zaadil Mustaqni'.
- Fataawa Arkan Islam.
- Majmoo' Fataawa on many topics of Islamic Aqeedah and Fiqh.

Sh. Uthaymeen's works can be found comprehensively at :

http://www.ibnothaimeen.com

Sh. Uthaymeen was famous for his simplicity, modesty, along with exceptional mannerisms towards all those he encountered, as well as his exceptional mannerisms in approach to topics free of dogmatic arguments. He is among the pre-eminent scholars of the era after 1400H. Sh. Uthaymeen passed away on Wednesday 15 Shawwal, 1421H. He was buried in Makkah along with his peers among the scholars Sh. Bin Baz, while Sh. Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi'i

Ibn al-Qayyim Al-Jawziyya

2008-06-24T10:58:00.001+05:30

He is Muhammad Ibn Abi Bakr, known as Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya, named after his father who was an attendant (Qayyim) at a local school named Al-Jawziyya. He was born in Damascus, Syria in 1292 C.E. (691 A.H.), and he studied under his father, the local attendant (Qayyim) of the al-Jawziyya school. Later on, he pursued his quest for knowledge at the hands of renowned masters and scholars of his epoch, as well as he studied the works and teachings of sufi masters known in his time. His schooling centered around Islamic jurisprudence, theology, and the science of prophetic traditions. He finally joined the study circle of Imam Ibn Taimiyyah (1262-1329 C.E.), who kept him in his company as his closest student and disciple, who later on became his successor.

Ibn al-Qayyim was fervent in his devotion to his teacher, and he was an excellent student and disciple of the great Muslim scholar Imam Taqiyyu-Deen Ahmad Ibn Taimiyyah. He defended his religious opinions and approaches, and he compiled and edited most of his works, and taught the same.

Because of their perception and opinions, both the teacher and the student were unjustly persecuted, tortured by unjust rulers at the time, and humiliated in public by the local authorities, and they were imprisoned in a single cell, while the other disciples were kept separate in the central prison of Damascus, still known to-date as al-Qal‘a. Among the imprisoned scholars, students of Ibn Qayyim, included a young man by the name of Ibn Kathïr (1302-1375 C.E.), who later on became a most renowned Muslim scholar and compiler of the most comprehensive Qur’anic commentaries ‘Tafsïr Ibn Kathïr.’

Upon the death of Imam Ibn Taimiyyah, the disciples were set free from prison, and Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya furthered his studies, and held study circles and classes for his own students. Ibn Jawziyya taught Islamic Jurisprudence at al-Sadriyya school, in Damascus, before he held the position of the Imam of the Jawziyya school for a long period. Most of his writings were compilations, although he authored several books himself, and manuscripts with his own handwriting are preserved today in the central Library of Damascus.

In fact, it was considered an honour and a privilege to study in his circle. Among the renowned Muslim scholars who studied under him, we mention Ibn ‘Abd al-Hãdï (1305-1345 C.E.), and Ibn Rajab (1337-1396 C.E.), and others who oft-frequented his circles, and sought his company, such as Imam Ibn Kathïr. Most scholars of the time have acknowledged the author’s excellence, and profound knowledge of Qur’anic interpretation, commentaries on the prophetic traditions, and theology. His extensive knowledge and understanding of Qur’anic commentaries surpassed even some renowned theologians in Islamic history.

Ibn Kathïr spoke of him in his book ‘Al-Bidãya wa-’Nihãya, saying: “He was most friendly and kindhearted, he never envied anyone, he never caused harm to anyone, he never bore prejudice against anyone, and I was the closest to his heart. Furthermore, I do not know anyone who is more devout in his worship than him in our time.” A similar opinion also was quoted by Ibn Hijr.

Ibn al-Qayyim catered to all the branches of Islamic science, and was particularly known and commended for his commentaries. Al-Hãfiz Ibn Rajab spoke of his teacher, saying: “He was an accomplished scholar of Islamic science, and no one could rival him in his deep understanding of the Qur’an and prophetic saying, and his interpretations were unique in accuracy.”

Ibn Rajab narrated that his teacher Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya learned the science of prophetic sayings (Hadïth) from al-Shahãb al-Nãbulsi, Qãdhï Taqiyyu-Deen Sulaimãn, and Fãtima Bint Jawhar, among others. During his early student life, Imam Ibn al-Qayyim sought the company of most shaikhs of his period, and he was particularly proficient in interpreting the Hanbali Muslim school of thoughts.

His Spiritual Life

Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya was an avid and a resolute worshipper. He devoted long hours to his supererogatory nightly prayers, he was in a constant state of remembrance (zikr), and he was known for his extended prostrations. One could see on his face the clear expressions of piety, and constant solicitation of God’s bounty and favors.

During Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s imprisonment in al-Qal‘a prison in Damascus, he was constantly reading the Qur’an, and studying its meanings. Ibn Rajab noted that during that period of seclusion, he gained extensive spiritual success, as well as he developed a great analytical wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the prophetic traditions.

Upon his release, he performed the pilgrimage to Mecca several times, and sometimes he stayed in Mecca for a prolonged period of devotion and circumambulation of the holy Ka‘aba.

His Works

Al-Nu‘mãn al-Alüsï al-Baghdãdï once said: “His interpretations are unique in accuracy.” The renowned Muslim scholar at-Thahabi once said about him: “He gave great attention to details and references of the prophetic traditions.” Furthermore, Shaikh Burhãn al-Deen al-Zãri’ spoke of him saying: “No one is as cognizant as Ibn al-Qayyim was in his time.”

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya’s contributions to the Islamic library are extensive, and they particularly deal with the Qur’anic commentaries, and understanding and analysis of the prophetic traditions (fiqh-u Sunnah).

He compiled a large number of studies besides his own books, including:

Tahthïb Sunan Abi Dãwoud (Emendation of Sunan Abu Dãwoud); 2- Al-Kalãm al-Tayyib wa-al-‘Amal al-Sãlih (The Essence of Good Words and Deeds); 3- Commentaries on the book of Shaikh ‘Abdullãh al-Ansãri: Manãzil-u Sã’ireen (Stations of the Seekers); 4- Zãd al-Ma‘ãd (Provisions of the Hereafter), from which the famous book Natural Healing with the Medicine of the Prophet is extracted. 5- Tafsir Mu'awwadhatain (Tafsir of Surah Falaq and Nas); 6- Fawaa'id; 7- Ad-Daa'i wa Dawaa' ; 8- Al-Rooh; 9- Al Waabil Sayyib minal kalim tayyib; 10- Haadi Arwah ila biladil Afrah; 11- Al Jawaabul kaafi liman sa'ala 'an Dawaa'i Shaafi; 12- Ighadatu lahfan fi masayid shaytan; and many more gems of works well-preserved up to this day.

Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyya died in the city of Damascus on Rajab 751 A.H.,1350 C.E., at the age of sixty-two, and was buried besides his father at al-Sagheer Cemetery there

ABU AL-HASAN AL-MAWARDI

2008-06-24T10:55:00.000+05:30

Abu al-Hasan Ali Ibn Muhammad Ibn Habib al-Mawardi was born at Basrah in 972 C.E. He was educated at first in Basrah where, after completion of his basic education, he learned Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) from the jurist Abu al-Wahid al-Simari. He then went to Baghdad for advanced studies under Sheikh Abd al-Hamid and Abdallah al-Baqi. His proficiency in jurisprudence Ethics, Political science and literature proved useful in securing a respectable career for him. After his initial appointment as Qadi (Judge), he was gradually promoted to higher offices, till he became the Chief Justice at Baghdad. The Abbasid Caliph al-Qaim bi Amr Allah appointed him as his roving ambassador and sent him to a number of countries as the head of special missions. In this capacity he played a key role in establishing harmonious relations between the declining Abbasid Caliphate and the rising powers of Buwahids and Seljukes. He was favoured with rich gifts and tributes by most Sultans of the time. He was still in Baghdad when it was taken over by Buwahids. Al-Mawardi died in 1058 C.E.

Al-Mawardi was a great jurist, mohaddith, sociologist and an expert in Political Science. He was a jurist in the school of Fiqh and his book Al-Hawi on the principles of jurisprudence is held in high repute.

His contribution in political science and sociology comprises a number of monumental books, the most famous of which are Kitab al-Ahkam al-Sultania, Qanun al-Wazarah, and Kitab Nasihat al-Mulk. The books discuss the principles of political science, with special reference to the functions and duties of the caliphs, the chief minister, other ministers, relationships between various elements of public and govemment and measures to strengthen the government and ensure victory in war. Two of these books, al-Ahkam al-Sultania and Qanun al-Wazarah have been published and also translated into various languages. He is considered as being the author/supporter of the 'Doctrine of Necessity' in political science. He was thus in favour of a strong caliphate and discouraged unlimited powers delegated to the Governors, which tended to create chaos. On the other hand, he has laid down clear principles for election of the caliph and qualities of the voters, chief among which are attainment of a degree of intellectual level and purity of character.

In ethics, he wrote Kitab Aadab al-Dunya wa al-Din, which became a widely popular book on the subject and is still read in some Islamic countries.

Al-Mawardi has been considered as one of the most famous thinkers in political science in the middle ages. His original work influenced the development of this science, together with the science of sociology, which was further developed later on by Ibn Khaldun.

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ABU HAMID AL-GHAZALI

2008-06-24T10:54:00.003+05:30

Abu Hamid Ibn Muhammad Ibn Muhammad al-Tusi al-Shafi'i al-Ghazali was born in 1058 C.E. in Khorasan, Iran. His father died while he was still very young but he had the opportunity of getting education in the prevalent curriculum at Nishapur and Baghdad. Soon he acquired a high standard of scholarship in religion and philosophy and was honoured by ABU HAMID AL-GHAZALI ABU HAMID AL GHAZALI ABU HAMID AL GHAZALIhis appointment as a Professor at the Nizamiyah University of Baghdad, which was recognised as one of the most reputed institutions of learning in the golden era of Muslim history.

After a few years, however, he gave up his academic pursuits and worldly interests and became a wandering ascetic. This was a process (period) of mystical transformation. Later, he resumed his teaching duties, but again left these. An era of solitary life, devoted to contemplation and writing then ensued, which led to the authorship of a number of everlasting books. He died in 1128 C.E. at Baghdad.

Ghazali's major contribution lies in religion, philosophy and Sufism. A number of Muslim philosophers had been following and developing several viewpoints of Greek philosophy, including the Napoleonic philosophy, and this was leading to conflict with several Islamic teachings. On the other hand, the movement of Sufism was assuming such excessive proportions as to avoid observance of obligatory prayers and duties of Islam. Based on his unquestionable scholarship and personal mystical experience, Ghazali sought to rectify these trends, both in philosophy and Sufism.

In philosophy, Ghazali upheld the approach of mathematics and exact sciences as essentially correct. However, he adopted the techniques of Aristotelian logic and the Neoplatonic procedures and employed these very tools to lay bare the flaws and lacunae of the then prevalent Neoplatonic philosophy and to diminish the negative influences of Aristotelianism and excessive rationalism. In contrast to some of the Muslim philosophers, e.g., Farabi, he portrayed the inability of reason to comprehend the absolute and the infinite. Reason could not transcend the finite and was limited to the observation of the relative. Also, several Muslim philosophers had held that the universe was finite in space but infinite in time. Ghazali argued that an infinite time was related to an infinite space. With his clarity of thought and force of argument, he was able to create a balance between religion and reason, and identified their respective spheres as being the infinite and the finite, respectively.

In religion, particularly mysticism, he cleansed the approach of Sufism of its excesses and reestablished the authority of the orthodox religion. Yet, he stressed the importance of genuine Sufism, which he maintained was the path to attain the absolute truth.

He was a prolific writer. His immortal books include Tuhafut al-Falasifa (The Incoherence of the Philosophers), Ihya al-'Ulum al-Islamia (The Rivival of the Religious Sciences), "The Beginning of Guidance and his Autobiography", "Deliverance from Error". Some of his works were translated into European languages in the Middle Ages. He also wrote a summary of astronomy.

Ghazali's influence was deep and everlasting. He is one of the greatest theologians of Islam. His theological doctrines penetrated Europe, influenced Jewish and Christian Scholasticism and several of his arguments seem to have been adopted by St. Thomas Aquinas in order to similarly reestablish the authority of orthodox Christian religion in the West. So forceful was his argument in the favour of religion that he was accused of damaging the cause of philosophy and, in the Muslim Spain, Ibn Rushd (Averros) wrote a rejoinder to his Tuhafut.

JALAL AL-DIN RUMI

2008-06-24T10:52:00.001+05:30

Jalal-Al-Din Rumi full name(Jalal al-Din Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Mohammad Ibn Husain al-Rumi) was born in 604 A.H. (1207/8 C.E.) at Balkh (now Afghanistan). His father Baha al-Din was a renowned religious scholar. Under his patronage, Rumi received his early education from Syed Burhan-al-Din. When his age was about 18 years, the family (after several migrations) finally settled at Konya and at the age of 25, Rumi was sent to Aleppo for advanced education and later to Damascus. Rumi continued with his education till he was 40 years old, although on his father's death Rumi succeeded him as a professor in the famous Madrasah at Konya at the age of about 24 years. He received his mystical training first at the hands of Syed Burhan al-Din and later he was trained by Shams al-Din Tabriz. He became famous for his mystical insight, his religious knowledge and as a Persian poet. He used to teach a large number of pupils at his Madrasah and also founded the famous Maulvi Order in Tasawwuf. He died in 672 A.H. (1273 C.E.) at Konya, which subsequently became a sacred place for dancing derveshes of the Maulvi Order.

His major contribution lies in Islamic philosophy and Tasawwuf. This was embodied largely in poetry, especially through his famous Mathnawi. This book, the largest mystical exposition in verse, discusses and offers solutions to many complicated problems in metaphysics, religion, ethics, mysticism, etc. Fundamentally, the Mathnawi highlights the various hidden aspects of Sufism and their relationship with the worldly life. For this, Rumi draws on a variety of subjects and derives numerous examples from everyday life. His main subject is the relationship between man and God on the one hand, and between man and man, on the other. He apparently believed in Pantheism and portrayed the various stages of man's evolution in his journey towards the Ultimate.

Apart from the Mathnaui, he also wrote his Diwan (collection of poems) and Fihi-Ma-Fih (a collection of mystical sayings). How- ever, it is the Mathnawi itself that has largely transmitted Rumi's message. Soon after its completion, other scholars started writing detailed commentaries on it, in order to interpret its rich propositions on Tasawwuf, Metaphysics and Ethics. Several commentaries in different languages have been written since then.

His impact on philosophy, literature, mysticism and culture, has been so deep throughout Central Asia and most Islamic countries that almost all religious scholars, mystics, philosophers, sociologists and others have referred to his verses during all these centuries since his death. Most difficult problems in these areas seem to get simplified in the light of his references. His message seems to have inspired most of the intellectuals in Central Asia and adjoining areas since his time, and scholars like Iqbal have further developed Rumi's concepts. The Mathnawi became known as the interpretation of the Qur'an in the Pahlavi language. He is one of the few intellectuals and mystics whose views have so profoundly affected the world-view in its higher perspective in large parts of the Islamic World.

Harun Yahya "Adnan Oktar"

2008-06-24T10:50:00.001+05:30

Adnan Oktar, who writes his books under the pen-name "Harun Yahya", is an idealist person who devoted his entire life to share his views on the existence and unity of God and the graces of the Quranic morals with other people. Starting from his university years, he has spent every moment of his life, serving to this cause and never dreaded facing difficulties. There has been several campaigns of persecution against Mr. Oktar because of his faith and ministry. He has been arrested many times, kept in custody, tortured by Turkish authorities for many months,harun yahya biography but always found innocent at the end. Today, he still stands firmly against all the pressure and slanders that he confronts by displaying the same patience and fortitude.

Below, you will find the brief biography of Adnan Oktar, whose works you will find on website listed at the end of the page.

Adnan Oktar was born in 1956 in Ankara and spent his life in Ankara until the end of high school. His commitment to Islam got even more steadfast during high school years. Reading various religious books during this period, he gained profound knowledge about Islam. Moreover, he himself grasped important facts and decided to share these with the people surrounding him. In 1979, Adnan Oktar moved to Istanbul to attend Mimar Sinan University. It was by this time that he undertook the mission to call people to the faith and morals of Islam.

Years in Mimar Sinan University

By the time Adnan Oktar entered Istanbul Mimar Sinan University, the school was already under the influence of various illegal Marxist organizations and militantly atheistic views were prevalent in the university. Everyone, be him a faculty member or a student, was a materialist adhering to the atheist way of thinking. Indeed, instructors took every opportunity to propagate the materialistic philosophy and Darwinism in their lectures albeit irrelevant with their topic.

In an environment where each and every religious and moral value was disrespected and outright rejected, Adnan Oktar started to call the people around him to the unity and existence of God. As may be understood, under such circumstances, any theistic idea was not given an opportunity to gain ground. As Mediha Oktar, his mother, relates, during that period he only had a few hours sleep each night, spending his time reading, taking notes and keeping files. He read hundreds of books, including the basic works on Marxism, communism and materialistic philosophy and thoroughly studied the books on secular ideologies, both classical works and rarely-read ones. He worked on them, marking the significant sections and taking notes at the back. He became highly knowledgeable about these philosophies and ideologies, far better than their own advocates. He also made extensive research on the evolutionary theory, the allegedly scientific basis of these ideologies, and gathered documents and information about it.

Having gathered ample information on deadlocks, contradictions and lies inherent in these philosophies and ideologies based on the rejection of God, Mr. Oktar used this accumulation to tell the facts. He told the existence and unity of God and the truth of the Qur'an in the light of rational and scientific evidence almost to everyone, including the students and instructors in the university. In the course of a conversation in the school cafeteria, on the corridors or during breaks, one could see him refuting the materialist philosophy and Marxism, quoting from these ideologies' own reference books.

He particularly gave emphasis to the theory of evolution, i.e. Darwinism. This theory, advanced against the fact of creation, was widely adopted by university students.

His First Booklet on Darwinism

With this purpose in mind, Adnan Oktar primarily concentrated his efforts on proving the invalidity of this deception. As Darwinism was advanced in the name of science, he thought science would serve as the best means to disclose its fallacy. He wrote a booklet titled The Evolutionary Theory, which was a summary of his extensive researches and studies. He, himself, paid all costs of this booklet by selling some of the estates he inherited from his family. Then, he started distributing free copies of this booklet to university students and discussed it with anyone he met. This booklet was indeed a comprehensive work revealing that the evolution theory was a fraud which had no scientific and rational value whatsoever. Furthermore, some militant students at the university were straightforwardly threatening Oktar stating that he would put his life to risk if he did not stop his activities. Yet, all these pressures and threats made Oktar even more committed and resolute.

In a university under the Marxists' domination where terror was reigning, the religious people were harassed because of their beliefs. At that time in Turkey, many young people were murdered because of the ideological tension. Under such circumstances, Adnan Oktar was openly preaching the existence and the unity of God, and the righteousness of the Qur'an. In a school where people never dared to disclose their faith, he regularly went to the Molla Mosque and fulfilled his prayers, never being intimidated the reactions and threats he encountered.

The Anxiety of the Atheist Instructors

Adnan Oktar always entered the lectures with scientific documents and research files he always kept with him and had discussions with the instructors about the materialist philosophy and the evolutionary theory. At that time, there were two well-known faculty members who were continuously talking about evolution and making atheist propaganda. Thus, they were popular among Marxist students and earned their respect. However, their desperate efforts to defend their ideas throughout the discussions they had with Adnan Oktar, and the illogical answers they provided revealed the futile and unrealistic nature of their ideologies.

One day after the lecture, one of these instructors made a brief, yet efficient discussion about the deadlocks of the evolutionary theory with Adnan Oktar. This person could bring no reasonable explanation and answer to the scientific and rational arguments provided by Adnan Oktar. All he could do was to leave that place immediately.

However, that he met such a defeat before the very eyes of the students was what most distressed him. From that time on, this person, who used to wander around the corridors and hold serious lengthy philosophical conversations with his students after the lectures, started to hastily run to his room all alone to avoid Adnan Oktar.

Alone for Three Years

Adnan Oktar was alone when he started communicating Islam at Mimar Sinan University. For more than three years, there was no one supporting his views. However this lack of support did not change his commitment. He knew that God was his sole Companion and he did all this to earn the good pleasure of God.
Adnan Oktar made a remarkable exam score in the entrance exams of the Mimar Sinan University. He had an exceptional ability in drawing. If it was what his goal, he could easily have a degree in fine arts and make a brilliant career. He could normally think, "First let me make my career and then I can start communicating Islam"; but he didn't. He devoted all his time, energy and means to only one purpose.

Having no support throughout these years, Adnan Oktar could simply think his efforts to be vain and simply give up. But he did not. With determination and commitment, he continued to convey the words of God to people around him. Keeping in mind the words of Bediuzzaman Said Nursi, "The skill is not to have many listeners but to earn the good pleasure of God", he went on.

In 1982, for the first time, a few young people who were new at Mimar Sinan University, decided to support Mr. Oktar in his ideological struggle. As months and years passed by, the number of young people embracing the same views increased. The evidence for creation, the invalidity of Marxism and materialist philosophy, which was then a dominant ideology, were the major subjects of Adnan Oktar's conversations with these young people. His main ambition was to guide them in being honorable people. From 1982 to 1984, a group of 20-30 young people was formed.

During the two years following 1984, conversations held with young people, who were then attending private high schools in Istanbul, were about moral values. During these years, Oktar did not attend Mimar Sinan University. He enrolled to a new faculty, Istanbul University, Philosophy Department.

His name appeared in Nokta (The Point) magazine for the first time in 1986 and this was the first time he became to be known by the general public.

First impression in the press

The news about Adnan Oktar appeared as the cover story of Nokta (The Point) magazine after the visit of Rusen Cakir, a correspondent for the Nokta (The Point) magazine, to the mosque where Adnan Oktar gathered with his friends and held conversations. The story published under the headline "Disciples from Colleges" covered basically Adnan Oktar and the way he communicated the message of Islam to the young people who shared his ideas. During this period, many university students, mostly from Bosphorus University, one of the most prestigious universities of Turkey, started to participate in the conversations of Adnan Oktar.

Until the beginning of the summer of the same year, press organs made a full coverage of Adnan Oktar almost everyday. Many newspapers carried his name to the headlines. Adnan Oktar, who spread the message of Islam into the section of society which seemed to be the most secularized, was understandably startling for the media.

The First Persecution

The powers in the Turkish society who are at odds with Islam, which are traditionally organized under the banner of Freemasonry, were greatly disturbed by the ministry led by Adnan Oktar. On the other hand, some distinguished families of Istanbul were concerned about their children who changed their way of living and started to observe their religious duties. Essentially these two factors initiated a campaign of persecution to halt the activities of Adnan Oktar.

In the summer of 1986, Adnan Oktar was arrested for a crime he never had the chance to know. As was related later, he was arrested because of his words "I am from the nation of Abraham and Turkish ethnicity." This statement appeared in an interview which was published in a newspaper. This was also the time when false reports, unfounded information and slanders started to appear in the media.

Torture in the Mental Hospital

Adnan Oktar was first arrested and imprisoned. Then, he was transferred to Bakirkoy Mental Hospital and placed under observation on the pretext that he was mentally unwell. In the hospital, he was placed in the "14A" ward, a special section where only very dangerous patients who were immune to punishment were kept. Since murders were very ordinary incidents among these mentally sick people, Oktar was expected to be murdered. For a certain period of time, he was chained to bed by his ankles and exposed to cruel treatments. By force, he was given drugs blurring consciousness. Meanwhile, his young friends who had the chance to secretly visit and see him witnessed that he never lost his commitment and enthusiasm in the meanwhile. Moreover, all the things he went through added more to his commitment.

Oktar was held in prison and mental hospital for a total of 19 months and then acquitted and released by the court since his statements were found to be inoffensive. After his release, he saw that during the time he was in the mental hospital, the number of his young supporters increased dramatically. Since visiting him was prohibited they could only see him behind the hospital bars. A few minutes talk they had with Adnan Oktar behind these bars -one could only go to this place by jumping over the hospital fences- made these young people have a profound and everlasting love and respect for him.

Darwinism

Since 1979, the year he started to communicate his views about religion, disclosing the real face of the Darwinism had been the major goal of Adnan Oktar. This subject never lost its importance throughout the years however. The theory of evolution always had priority for Oktar. With resoluteness, he carried out his studies on Darwinism. In 1986, he compiled all his valuable researches on Darwinism in his book Living Beings and Evolution. In the light of scientific sources, this book showed the impasse of the theory of evolution and revealed the fact of creation.

During those years, the friends of Adnan Oktar also concentrated their efforts on the evolutionary theory. They put forth a great effort to tell people the groundless nature of the theory. In colleges and high schools, scientific arguments were carried out among students. This was a total surprise to some instructors blindly attached to Darwinism. In their lifetime, this was the first time they met such students, who were very knowledgeable about the theory. To their surprise, they actually knew more than themselves and defended creation eloquently.

These were actually the preliminary works of the campaign which would be launched in 1998. The goal of the campaign was already set: to eradicate the evolution theory and materialism from the Turkish society.

By the time Adnan Oktar was released in 1988, most of his friends were in the university. Mr. Oktar's efforts to spread the message of Islam and moral values were no longer limited to schools. It was the time when different sections of society were informed about these views. Adnan Oktar and his friends took upon themselves the responsibility to remind young people, who aimed nothing but to make the most of their life, that they will be hold responsible for their acts and thoughts and that they will be ultimately judged in the presence of God. Accordingly, they recommended them to reorient their lives and submit to the Will of God. Indeed, some of those who were indulged in extremes as a way of life abandoned this degenerate life style and became conscientious and responsible people.

The Science Research Foundation

During the two years following his release in 1988, Adnan Oktar laid the ideological basis of the Science Research Foundation which was founded in 1990. He held conversations over moral values with his friends who shared his views. It was during this period that the intellectual groundwork of the Science Research Foundation was shaped by the contribution of Adnan Oktar.

Finally, in January 1990, Adnan Oktar and his young friends founded the Science Research Foundation to carry out their services under the name of an institution and to address to larger masses. Adnan Oktar was declared the Honorary President of the foundation. The Foundation carried out several activities; the members of the foundation published books and conducted cultural studies, held panels, discussions and conferences to cherish and revive moral values.

After the establishment of the foundation, a great police raid was made to a regular meeting in which more than 100 members participated. More than a hundred members were taken into custody and were interrogated by the police. The following day, some newspapers covered the story of this operation as if a big crime ring was caught. Majority of the members were released in 3-4 hours. However the slander campaign launched by the press continued for days. The press wrote incredible scenarios about Adnan Oktar and the members of the foundation. The main purpose of the subjective news was to mislead the security and judicial institutions by these imaginary accusations. Yet all these efforts were in vain. Adnan Oktar who was kept in custody and interrogated for a week was released, as there was no element of crime in the incident. It was evident that the same circles were trying to give a message in their own way.

Cocaine Plot

During 1990, activities of the Science Research Foundation continued with an even stronger determination. In the midst of 1991, two foundation members officially married. However, the families of these young people filed complaints against this marriage. What is more, Adnan Oktar was surprisingly blamed for this ordinary marriage, which had by no means any illegitimate aspect. Accordingly, Adnan Oktar was once again arrested. However, this time, the existence of a more inclusive plot was evident. Officers who broke into the house of Mr. Oktar in Ortakoy where he lived with his mother found a packet of cocaine in a book. There were some thousand books over the bookshelves covering two walls, and the officers found the cocaine in a few minutes as if they had just left it there.

Just after this event Adnan Oktar, who was then in Izmir with a couple of his friends, was arrested. He was then transferred to Istanbul Security Headquarters, where he was detained for 62 hours. After 62 hours, he was sent to Forensic Medicine Institution for a cocaine test. The result was very interesting indeed! Very high doses of a by-product of cocaine were detected in Adnan Oktar's blood!

Yet subsequent evidences proved that this was merely a plot. Firstly, it was found out that the cocaine alleged to be found in Mr. Oktar's house was part of the plot. A short while before this plot, Adnan Oktar felt that a stealthy plan was being hatched against him and left his house in Ortakoy, Istanbul. Then, he called his mother and said that it was likely that a plot was being hatched against him and he wanted his mother to clean and check the house thoroughly with a couple of other people so that they could be witnesses. Upon this, Mr. Oktar's mother Mediha Oktar called one of her neighbors and the doorkeeper and they all together thoroughly cleaned the house, dusted one by one all the books over the bookshelves. Despite the fact that Adnan Oktar had never been at home after this cleaning, 16 police officers raided the flat and suddenly found a "a packet of cocaine" in one of the books. The neighbor of Mediha Oktar and the doorkeeper gave their individual testimonies before the notary public stating "We cleaned Adnan Oktar's books thoroughly one by one; and there was not such a packet there."

The second part of the cocaine plot was the cocaine by-product detected in Adnan Oktar's blood. Scientific and judicial evidences disproved this allegation. Adnan Oktar had been in the Security Headquarters for 62 hours and the test was conducted after 62 hours. Normally, by looking at the amount of the by-product of cocaine detected in the blood, one can scientifically calculate the exact amount of cocaine taken. This calculation can also indicate how many hours ago the cocaine was taken. The dose of the cocaine detected in Adnan Oktar's blood was, however, at a fatal level, had it been taken 62 hours ago. In other words, such a high dose of cocaine would kill him if he had taken it 62 hours ago. This result clearly revealed that the cocaine detected in Adnan Oktar's blood was given to his body during those 62 hours. In other words, he was given cocaine during the time he was detained in the security headquarters. The cocaine was actually mixed to his food when he was under police detainment.

This fact was also confirmed by 30 international forensic medicine institutions, including Scotland Yard. They all examined the file sent to them about the case. Their conclusive view was the following: "Cocaine was mixed to his food when he was under police detainment. The event is a plot. "

The Secluded life of Adnan Oktar

After Mr. Oktar shaped the mission of the Science Research Foundation, he closely monitored the activities of the foundation for an uninterrupted two years and then by 1991, he devoted all his time to work on his books. Especially after the cocaine plot made against him, he retreated into a secluded life in order both to prevent similar plots and assaults and to have time for his books. He spent all his time in his house. He occasionally visited his friends and participated in discussions. He constantly refused to give interviews to newspapers and TV channels despite their insistent requests.

During this time, Adnan Oktar's involvement in the activities of the Science Research Foundation was limited to giving ideas at the stage of laying down the general principles of the foundation. Meanwhile, he was only giving some recommendations to the members of the foundation about the principles of the Qur'an and good manners. This period lasted until November 12, 1999, the day a police operation was conducted against the SRF community.

Communicating Islam to the Prominent People

One of the major goals of Adnan Oktar was to make a radical change in society's firm conviction about religion that "religion is a phenomenon that addresses merely to elderly people or a particular section of society." This conviction utterly hampered the penetration of the Qur'anic truth to a considerable part of society. Those who were to set examples for the young people were homosexuals, forgers, indecent people etc. Degenerate masses, totally bereft of their religious and moral values, were committing themselves to more destruction each day. However, there might be a hope to save majority of these people if they were told the truth.

In order to eliminate this prejudice prevalent in society, Adnan Oktar took the initiative to contact people who could make a "symbolic" impact over society and inform them about moral values. This was why some SRF members contacted celebrities like models, singers and movie stars. This is explained in the press release of the SRF as follows:

Gulay Pinarbasi is a notable example of this spiritual awakening. She was a model before she met the SRF community; but then she decided to change her entire life. Soon she abandoned her old way of living and started a decent life. She devoted all her time to scientific and religious studies and after a while she started her career as a columnist in a conservative newspaper. Meanwhile, some male models who were also impressed by the truths told by the SRF members quit their career and started to reorient all their lives in a totally different way.

Unrelenting Struggle against Darwinism

In early 1998, Adnan Oktar and his friends launched a great intellectual campaign against Darwinism. To start with, thousands of free copies of Adnan Oktar's book, The Evolution Deceit and the booklets based on this book were distributed in every corner of Turkey. The Science Research Foundation started to hold a series of conferences "The Collapse of the Evolution Theory and the Fact of Creation" all around Turkey. The first three of these conferences which were held in Istanbul and Ankara hosted world renowned American scientists as lecturers.

Then similar conferences were held in 120 different cities and towns of Turkey. In these conferences, the SRF members, each an expert in his own field, delivered lectures. The purpose was to scientifically disprove Darwinism, a fallacy propagated under the guise of science, and thus to bring the materialist thought and moral understanding to ruin.

These activities carried out by the Science Research Foundation in the leadership of Adnan Oktar proved to be a great success. People, who were not knowledgeable about the theory of evolution until then, had the opportunity to learn the real truth about the evolutionary theory and the dimensions of the scientific forgery it committed worldwide. Turkish people acknowledged the fact that the education system, based on the indoctrination of the evolutionary theory to the young brains, was a part of the stealthy plan against the social and moral values and our future generations.

Publication of books, organization of conferences, production of videotapes and CDs were the basic activities carried out by the contribution of the Science Research Foundation. These productions were essentially about the scientific invalidity of the evolutionary theory, the ideological background of the theory and the fact of creation.

The books written under the pen name "Harun Yahya" and the productions made by the contribution of the Science Research Foundation include more than 190 books on political, scientific and religious issues, 14 documentaries, dozens of tape-cassettes and interactive CD on the collapse of the theory of evolution and the fact of creation. This collection of high quality works with aesthetic appeal and well-founded content is an important source.

And Pressure Again...

All these committed activities highly annoyed and disquieted some particular centers. With the provocation of materialist centers and Mason circles, they launched a campaign against these activities. The circles in question made declarations like "Conferences held by the Science Research Foundation must absolutely be stopped." The aim was to prevent any scientific study refuting evolution. They were enraged by the deathblow these activities gave to their philosophy they could hardly sustain. Unable to provide any scientific response, they only claimed that these activities had to be stopped as soon as possible. They could not stand the total rebuttal of the theory they were blindly attached to before the very eyes of the Turkish Public. These efforts of Adnan Oktar and his young friends to prove the scientific invalidity of the theory of evolution continued until the fall of 1999. This was exactly the time when the news about the Global Freemasonry, a great book by Harun Yahya in three volumes, spread. All these laid the ground for the greatest police operation of the Turkish Republic.

Surely Adnan Oktar was not openly accused of "inviting people to the true path of God, reminding them God, religion and the good morals of Islam, and standing against materialism, disbelief and immorality."

By November 12, 1999, some media organs, which had enmity against Adnan Oktar, employed their usual methods to produce groundless slanders, scenarios and lies. Inconceivable lies and slanders appeared in the press every day, all of which, interestingly, contradicted with one another.However, as Adnan Oktar always states, they, too, have inevitably submitted themselves to the Will of God and, albeit unknowingly, they perform the duty assigned to them in the best manner possible since this is what is predestined for them by God.

They are not aware but they actually served to the purposes of Muslims in the sense that Muslims were tested and they earned the good pleasure of God by means of these incidents. Furthermore, by this way, those who tell the truth became apparent so that everyone could recognize them.

In accordance with the verse, "Repel (Evil) with what is better" (Surah Fussilat: 34), Adnan Oktar always has a peaceful and tolerant approach to those who bear enmity against him. He underlines the fact that "The fate God creates is always perfect and there is goodness in all".

Adnan Oktar's website- www.harunyahya.com

Email- info@harunyahya.com

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi

2008-06-24T10:46:00.001+05:30

Abul Ala was born on Rajab 3, 1321 AH (September 25, 1903 AD) in Aurangabad, a well-known town in the former princely state of Hyderabad (Deccan), presently Maharashtra, India. Born in a respectable family, his ancestry on the paternal side is traced back to the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be on him).

The family had a long-standing tradition of spiritual leadership and a number of Maududi’s ancestors were outstanding leaders of Sufi Orders. One of the luminaries among them, the one from whom he derived his family name, was Khawajah Qutb al-Din Maudud (d. 527 AH), a renowned leader of the Chishti Sufi Order. Maududi’s forefathers had moved to the Subcontinent from Chisht towards the end of the 9th century of the Islamic calendar (15th century of the Christian calendar). The first one to arrive was Maududi’s namesake, Abul Ala Maududi (d. 935 AH).Maududi’s father, Ahmad Hasan, born in 1855 AD, a lawyer by profession, was a highly religious and devout person. Abul Ala was the youngest of his three sons.

Educational & Intellectual Growth:

After acquiring early education at home, Abul Ala was admitted in Madrasah Furqaniyah, a high school which attempted to combine the modern Western with the traditional Islamic education. After successfully completing his secondary education, young Abul Ala was at the stage of undergraduate studies at Darul Uloom, Hyderabad, when his formal education was disrupted by the illness and eventual death of his father. This did not deter Maududi from continuing his studies though these had to be outside of the regular educational institutions. By the early 1920s, Abul Ala knew enough Arabic, Persian and English, besides his mother-tongue, Urdu, to study the subjects of his interest independently. Thus, most of what he learned was self-acquired though for short spells of time he also received systematic instruction and guidance from some competent scholars. Thus, Maududi’s intellectual growth was largely a result of his own effort and the stimulation he received from his teachers. Moreover, his uprightness, his profound regard for propriety and righteousness largely reflect the religious piety of his parents and their concern for his proper moral upbringing.

Involvement in Journalism:

After the interruption of his formal education, Maududi turned to journalism in order to make his living. In 1918, he was already contributing to a leading Urdu newspaper, and in 1920, at the age of 17, he was appointed editor of Taj, which was being published from Jabalpore, a city in the province now called Madhya Pradesh, India. Late in 1920, Maududi came to Delhi and first assumed the editorship of the newspaper Muslim (1921-23), and later of al-Jam’iyat (1925-28), both of which were the organs of the Jam’iyat-i ‘Ulama-i Hind, an organisation of Muslim religious scholars. Under his editorship, al-Jam’iyat became the leading newspaper of the Muslims of India.

Interest in Politics:

Around the year 1920, Maududi also began to take some interest in politics. He participated in the Khilafat Movement, and became associated with the Tahrik-e Hijrat, which was a movement in opposition to the British rule over India and urged the Muslims of that country to migrate en masse to Afghanistan. However, he fell foul of the leadership of the movement because of his insistence that the aims and strategy of the movement should be realistic and well-planned. Maududi withdrew more and more into academic and journalistic pursuits.

First Book:

During 1920-28, Maulana Maududi also translated four different books, one from Arabic and the rest from English. He also made his mark on the academic life of the Subcontinent by writing his first major book, al-Jihad fi al-Islam. This is a masterly treatise on the Islamic law of war and peace. It was first serialised in al-Jam’iyat in 1927 and was formally published in 1930. It was highly acclaimed both by the famous poet-philosopher Muhammad Iqbal (d. 1938) and Maulana Muhammad Ali Jauhar (d. 1931), the famous leader of the Khilafat Movement. Though written during his ’20s, it is one of his major and most highly regarded works.

Research & Writings:

After his resignation from al-Jam’iyat in 1928, Maududi moved to Hyderabad and devoted himself to research and writing. It was in this connection that he took up the editorship of the monthly Tarjuman al-Qur’an in 1933, which since then has been the main vehicle for the dissemination of Maududi’s ideas. He proved to be a highly prolific writer, turning out several scores of pages every month. Initially, he concentrated on the exposition of ideas, values and basic principles of Islam. He paid special attention to the questions arising out of the conflict between the Islamic and the contemporary Western whorl. He also attempted to discuss some of the major problems of the modern age and sought to present Islamic solutions to those problems. He also developed a new methodology to study those problems in the context of the experience of the West and the Muslim world, judging them on the theoretical criterion of their intrinsic soundness and viability and conformity with the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. His writings revealed his erudition and scholarship, a deep perception of the significance of the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and a critical awareness of the mainstream of Western thought and history. All this brought a freshness to Muslim approach to these problems and lent a wider appeal to his message.

In the mid ’30s, Maududi started writing on major political and cultural issues confronting the Muslims of India at that time and tried to examine them from the Islamic perspective rather than merely from the viewpoint of short-term political and economic interests. He relentlessly criticised the newfangled ideologies which had begun to cast a spell over the minds and hearts of his brethren-in-faith and attempted to show the hollowness of those ideologies. In this connection, the idea of nationalism received concerted attention from Maududi when he forcefully explained its dangerous potentialities as well as its incompatibility with the teachings of Islam. Maududi also emphasised that nationalism in the context of India meant the utter destruction of the separate identity of Muslims. In the meantime, an invitation from the philosopher-poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal persuaded him to leave Hyderabad and settle down at a place in the Eastern part of Punjab, in the district of Pathankot. Maududi established what was essentially an academic and research centre called Darul-Islam where, in collaboration with Allama Iqbal, he planned to train competent scholars in Islamics to produce works of outstanding quality on Islam, and above all, to carry out the reconstruction of Islamic Thought.

Founding the Party:

Around the year 1940, Maududi developed ideas regarding the founding of a more comprehensive and ambitious movement and this led him to launch a new organisation under the name of the Jamaat-e-Islami. Maududi was elected Jamaat’s first Ameer and remained so till 1972 when he withdrew from the responsibility for reasons of health.

Struggle & Persecution:

After migrating to Pakistan in August 1947, Maududi concentrated his efforts on establishing a truly Islamic state and society in the country. Consistent with this objective, he wrote profusely to explain the different aspects of the Islamic way of life, especially the socio-political aspects. This concern for the implementation of the Islamic way of life led Maududi to criticise and oppose the policies pursued by the successive governments of Pakistan and to blame those in power for failing to transform Pakistan into a truly Islamic state. The rulers reacted with severe reprisal measures. Maududi was often arrested and had to face long spells in prison.

During these years of struggle and persecution, Maududi impressed all, including his critics and opponents, by the firmness and tenacity of his will and other outstanding qualities. In 1953, when he was sentenced to death by the martial law authorities on the charge of writing a seditious pamphlet on the Qadyani problem, he resolutely turned down the opportunity to file a petition for mercy. He cheerfully expressed his preference for death to seeking clemency from those who wanted, altogether unjustly, to hang him for upholding the right. With unshakeable faith that life and death lie solely in the hands of Allah, he told his son as well as his colleagues: "If the time of my death has come, no one can keep me from it; and if it has not come, they cannot send me to the gallows even if they hang themselves upside down in trying to do so." His family also declined to make any appeal for mercy. His firmness astonished the government which was forced, under strong public pressure both from within and without, to commute the death sentence to life imprisonment and then to cancel it.

Intellectual Contribution:

Maulana Maududi has written over 120 books and pamphlets and made over a 1000 speeches and press statements of which about 700 are available on record.

Maududi’s pen was simultaneously prolific, forceful and versatile. The range of subjects he covered is unusually wide. Disciplines such as Tafsir, Hadith, law, philosophy and history, all have received the due share of his attention. He discussed a wide variety of problems C political, economic, cultural, social, theological etc. C and attempted to state how the teachings of Islam were related to those problems. Maududi has not delved into the technical world of the specialist, but has expounded the essentials of the Islamic approach in most of the fields of learning and inquiry. His main contribution, however, has been in the fields of the Qur’anic exegesis (Tafsir), ethics, social studies and the problems facing the movement of Islamic revival. His greatest work is his monumental tafsir in Urdu of the Qur’an, Tafhim al-Qur’an, a work he took 30 years to complete. Its chief characteristic lies in presenting the meaning and message of the Qur’an in a language and style that penetrates the hearts and minds of the men and women of today and shows the relevance of the Qur’an to their everyday problems, both on the individual and societal planes. He translated the Qur’an in direct and forceful modern Urdu idiom. His translation is much more readable and eloquent than ordinary literal translations of the Qur’an. He presented the Qur’an as a book of guidance for human life and as a guide-book for the movement to implement and enforce that guidance in human life. He attempted to explain the verses of the Qur’an in the context of its total message. This tafsir has made a far-reaching impact on contemporary Islamic thinking in the Subcontinent, and through its translations, even abroad.

The influence of Maulana Maududi is not confined to those associated with the Jamaat-e-Islami. His influence transcends the boundaries of parties and organisations. Maududi is very much like a father-figure for Muslims all over the world. As a scholar and writer, he is the most widely read Muslim writer of our time. His books have been translated into most of the major languages of the world C Arabic, English, Turkish, Persian, Hindi, French, German, Swahili, Tamil, Bengali, etc. C and are now increasingly becoming available in many more of the Asian, African and European languages.

Travels & Journeys Abroad:

The several journeys which Maududi undertook during the years 1956-74 enabled Muslims in many parts of the world to become acquainted with him personally and appreciate many of his qualities. At the same time, these journeys were educative for Maududi himself as well as they provided to him the opportunity to gain a great deal of first-hand knowledge of the facts of life and to get acquainted with a large number of persons in different parts of the world. During these numerous tours, he lectured in Cairo, Damascus, Amman, Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Kuwait, Rabat, Istanbul, London, New York, Toronto and at a host of international centres. During these years, he also participated in some 10 international conferences. He also made a study tour of Saudi Arabia, Jordan (including Jerusalem), Syria and Egypt in 1959-60 in order to study the geographical aspects of the places mentioned in the Qur’an. He was also invited to serve on the Advisory Committee which prepared the scheme for the establishment of the Islamic University of Madinah and was on its Academic Council ever since the inception of the University in 1962.

He was also a member of the Foundation Committee of the Rabitah al-Alam al-Islami, Makkah, and of the Academy of Research on Islamic Law, Madinah. In short, he was a tower of inspiration for Muslims the world over and influenced the climate and pattern of thought of Muslims, as the Himalayas or the Alps influence the climate in Asia or Europe without themselves moving about.

His Last Days:

In April 1979, Maududi’s long-time kidney ailment worsened and by then he also had heart problems. He went to the United States for treatment and was hospitalised in Buffalo, New York, where his second son worked as a physician. Even at Buffalo, his time was intellectually productive. He spent many hours reviewing Western works on the life of the Prophet and meeting with Muslim leaders, their followers and well-wishers.

Following a few surgical operations, he died on September 22, 1979 at the age of 76. His funeral was held in Buffalo, but he was buried in an unmarked grave at his residence (Ichra) in Lahore after a very large funeral procession through the city.

May Allah bless him with His mercy for his efforts and reward him amply for the good that he has rendered for the nation of Islam (Ummah).

Online Books

* Ethical Viewpoint of Islam
* Four Basic Quranic Terms
* Hidayat
* Human Rights in Islam
* Islam and Ignorance
* Islam Today
* Islamic Way of Life
* Let Us be Muslims
* Towards Understanding Islam
* Witness unto Mankind

Courtesy: http://www.abulala.com/shortbio.asp

AL-IDRISI

2008-04-20T20:01:00.002+05:30

Abu Abdallah Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abdallah Ibn Idris al-Abu Abdallah Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Abdallah Ibn Idris al-Qurtubi al-Hasani Abu Abdallah Muhammad Muhammad Ibn Abdallah Idris al-Qurtubi al-HasaniQurtubi al-Hasani, was born in Ceuta, Spain, in 1099 C.E. He was educated in Cordova. Later he traveled far and wide in connection with his studies and then flourished at the Norman court in Palermo. The date of his death is controversial, being either 1166 or 1180 C.E.

Biographical notes on him are to be found rather rararely, and according to F. Pons Boigues the underlying reason is the fact that the Arab biographers considered al-Idrisi to be a renegade, since he had been associated with the court of a Christian king and written in praise of him, in his work. The circumstances which led him to settle in Sicily at the court of Roger II are not on record.

His major contribution lies in medicinal plants as presented in his several books, specially Kitab al-Jami-li-Sifat Ashtat al-Nabatat. He studied and reviewed all the literature on the subject of medicinal plants and formed the opinion that very little original material had been added to this branch of knowledge since the early Greek work. He, therefore, collected plants and data not reported earlier and added this to the subject of botany, with special reference to medicinal plants. Thus, a large number of new drugs plants together with their evaluation became available to the medical practitioners. He has given the names of the drugs in six languages: Syriac, Greek, Persian, Hindi, Latin and Berber.

In addition to the above, he made original contributions to geography, especially as related to economics, physical factors and cultural aspects. He made a planishere in silver for King Roger II, and described the world in Al-Kitab al-Rujari (Roger's Book), also entitled Nuzhat al-Mushtaq fi Ikhtiraq al-Afaq (The delight of him who desires to journey through the climates). This is practically a geographical encyclopaedia of the time, containing information not only on Asia and Africa, but also Western countries.

Al-Idrisi, later on, also compiled another geographical encyclopedia, larger than the former entitled Rawd-Unnas wa-Nuzhat al-Nafs (Pleasure of men and delight of souls) also known as Kitab al- Mamalik wa al-Masalik.

Apart from botany and geography, Idrisi also wrote on fauna, zoology and therapeutical aspects. His work was soon translated into Latin and, especially, his books on geography remained popular both in the East and the West for several centuries

Mohammed Suharto

2008-04-20T19:59:00.002+05:30

INTRODUCTION

Mohammed Suharto (1921- ), second president of Indonesia (1968-1998), who oversaw the country’s unprecedented economic growth and emergence as a regional power.

Born to a peasant family in Kemusu, a village near the city of Yogyakarta in central Java (then under Dutch control), Suharto had an unsettled childhood. His parents’ marriage broke up before he was two years old, and he was brought up variously by each of his remarried parents and by relatives in other villages and towns around Yogyakarta. Suharto attended local Javanese schools, worked for a short time in a village bank, and joined the Dutch colonial army in 1940.

MILITARY CAREER

By 1942 Suharto had been promoted to sergeant. That year, Japan invaded and occupied Indonesia during World War II. Believing that cooperation with the Japanese offered the best hope for eventual Indonesian independence, Suharto joined a Japanese-led militia and received military training. After Japan surrendered anMohammed Suharto ,Muhammed Suharto biography,Mohammed Suharto biographyd Indonesia declared its independence in August 1945, Suharto joined the newly established Indonesian army and fought in a five-year war against the Dutch, who attempted to regain control of the region after Japan’s withdrawal. The Dutch captured much of Java in 1947 and Yogyakarta the following year. In March 1949 troops under Suharto’s command attacked the Dutch in Yogyakarta and recaptured the city. The Dutch agreed to leave all of Indonesia except Dutch New Guinea (West Irian) later that year.

Over the next 15 years, Suharto rose steadily through the military ranks. In the early 1950s Suharto led military operations to suppress uprisings by Muslim and Dutch-led groups in various parts of Indonesia, and in 1957 he took command of the central Javanese army division. Suharto became a brigadier general in 1960, and in 1962 he headed a military operation to recover West Irian (now the province of Papua; formerly Irian Jaya) from the Dutch. In 1963 he was put in charge of the army’s strategic command, a special force kept on alert for national emergencies.

By the mid-1960s both the military and the Indonesian Communist Party (Partai Komunis Indonesia, or PKI) had gained considerable power under the regime of Indonesian president Sukarno. When a group of dissident pro-Communist army and air force troops attempted to seize control of the government in Jakarta, Indonesia’s capital, in October 1965, Suharto successfully suppressed them. Although he was not Indonesia’s dominant military leader at the time, Suharto outmaneuvered his military competitors for power during the succeeding months. The army alleged that the PKI was responsible for the abortive coup, and in late 1965 army units and Muslim groups began to massacre Communists and their supporters throughout the countryside. In March 1966 Suharto successfully persuaded President Sukarno to authorize him to restore security and order, which effectively transferred executive authority to Suharto. In 1967 the Indonesian parliament appointed Suharto acting president. He was elected full president by the parliament in 1968 and was reelected to successive five-year terms in 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, and 1998. The Indonesian constitution does not limit the number of terms a president may serve.

PRESIDENT OF INDONESIA

From the outset, Suharto focused heavily on national security, adopting a strong anti-Communist stance in contrast to his predecessor, Sukarno. Suharto quickly eliminated the PKI and associated organizations and subsequently began repressing other organizations and people he viewed as a threat to his hold on power. These included Muslims pursuing a more prominent role for Islam in state affairs, writers desiring greater artistic freedom, and politicians seeking increased freedom to promote their ideas to the public. When Portugal ended its colonial rule of the territory of East Timor in 1975, Suharto intervened in the struggle for control of the region. The Revolutionary Front for an Independent East Timor (Fretilin), a leftist revolutionary party, eventually took power, and in December Suharto ordered an invasion of the region, arguing that an independent East Timor under Fretilin would threaten the unity of the Indonesian state. Suharto’s government annexed East Timor the following year.

Suharto also sought to restore Indonesia’s relations with the Western world, which had deteriorated under Sukarno. Suharto ended Indonesia’s hostile stance toward Malaysia, whose independence Sukarno had felt was a front for continued British colonial activities in the region. Suharto also rejoined the United Nations (UN), from which Sukarno had withdrawn in 1965, when Malaysia was elected a nonpermanent member. Finally, Suharto froze the diplomatic ties forged by Sukarno with Communist China.

With internal political stability largely in place by the 1980s, Suharto set out to expand Indonesia’s role in international politics. He continued the country’s leadership role in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional economic and political alliance that Indonesia had helped found in 1967. In the late 1980s and early 1990s he promoted efforts to bring peace to Cambodia and also normalized relations with China. In 1992 Indonesia chaired the Nonaligned Movement, an association of nations not specifically allied with a world superpower.

Economic development was another major focus of Suharto’s presidency. Under his rule, Indonesia experienced unprecedented growth beginning in the early 1970s. Economic success resulted from substantial foreign investment and from economic diversification, which reduced the country’s reliance on oil and agriculture. Suharto’s government developed roads and irrigation systems and implemented food production programs. The government also made social improvements, expanding health and educational facilities and family planning programs. Although most Indonesians enjoyed greater economic security than ever before, the benefits of the country’s growth were experienced unequally, as Suharto’s family members and their business partners became immensely wealthy.

Mohammed Suharto ,Muhammed Suharto biography, Mohammed Suharto biography

By 1997 Suharto was concluding his sixth five-year term of office and had not given any indication that he was contemplating retirement. Although critics periodically raised the question of succession, Suharto always managed to deflect the issue. He also ensured that his vice presidents were always politicians with no reasonable likelihood of succeeding him. In the second half of 1997 the value of the Indonesian currency began to plummet, sparking a massive economic crisis in which inflation soared and unemployment rose. Negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) produced three possible rescue packages for the economy. However, these packages failed to convince international financial managers that recovery was possible. These managers made it clear that they did not believe economic stability could be restored as long as Suharto was president.

In March 1998 Suharto was elected to a seventh term. His cabinet appointments—mostly loyalists unlikely to challenge his authority or push for change—sparked demonstrations by university students calling for democratic reforms. In May police shot six students at a demonstration, triggering two days of arson and looting in Jakarta in which about 500 people died. Opposition to Suharto’s rule spread to many political and community leaders who had previously supported him. On May 21 Suharto bowed before this pressure and resigned. His vice president, B. J. Habibie, succeeded him as president.

Gamal Abdul Nasser

2008-04-20T19:57:00.001+05:30

Gamal Abdul Nasser was a Egyptian revolutionist that successfully drove British out of his country after 72 years of rule, under his presidency Egypt came out of intense poverty to prosperity, he became famous all around the Arab Peninsula after standing firm against the western nations and his efforts of combining the Arab power to combat anti-Muslim forces mainly the Israel.

Childhood January , 15th 1918. Gamal Abdul Nasser Hussein was born in Banny Mor Asyout,Egypt. One year before the 1919 revolution against the English Colonization. He lived 8 years there where he learnt the South Egyptian strict and generous traditions. He moved then to Asyout city, then to Alexandria, then Cairo. All of these moving were because of his father’s job as an inspector in the ministry of Post. His mother passed away on 1926. Gamal spent 10 years in Cairo until he received his high school diploma from “Nahda” school in 1937. At these years Gamal was part of many demonstrations against the English colonization where he was injured in one of them and got a scar in his face that stayed until he died. 1937 was the year when Nasser joined the military school where he graduated on 1938 to join the third platoon in Asyout where he met Anwar El Sadat, and Zakaria Mohyi El Deen who later joined him in the “Free Officers” organization. 1939 Nasser was transferred to Alexandria where he met with Abdul Hakeem Amer who became his best friend, and played a controversial role in his life.

Free Officers Revolutionary organization

Egypt was a kingdom ruled by English and the figure head of the country was the Puppet King Farouk , thousands of English army men were on Egyptian soil to protect United Kingdom interests in the region. Not to repeat the 1882 army revolution, or the 1919 revolution, the UK worked hard to prevent any development of the Egyptian army. Corruption was spreading with each government, the royal palace aided by the English interference in the internal affairs. Such environment gathered a group of young officers to fight corruption and work for the development of Egypt and Egyptians.

1942 Nasser was transferred to Sudan with Abdul Hakeem Amer where their friendship became stronger, and they exchanged their rebellion ideas about the future of Egypt. While serving in the Sudan during the late 1940s, he and other three other officers founded the secret Free Officers revolutionary organization. Their objective was the overthrow of the British occupying regime and the puppet Egyptian king.

Nasser holding the flag

The 1948 war was the ignition for the “Free Officers Organizations”. It gave the free officers the time to meet, and share their thoughts about the future of Egypt and quoted from Nasser diaries “…We were fighting in Palestine, and our dreams were in Egypt. Our bullets were targeting the enemy but our hearts were with our nation who was left for the wolves”.Such war added a lot to Nasser’s personality, it gave him confidence, and it added more to his rebellion nature for Freedom. Nasser gained his leadership reputation after the battle of “Falouga” where he managed to fight with no backup support, and under siege against the Israeli armed forces, he was also wounded. The confidential organization became active on 1949, started by a committee of young officers that included Gamal Abdel Nasser, Kamal El Deen Hussein, Hassan Ibrahim, Khaled Mohey El Deen, and Abdul Menim Raouf. New officers were also added to this.

In 1950, Nasser was chosen president for the Free Officers organization. They faced Lots of obstacles like being monitored by the “political police” which was responsible to stop any action against the royal palace or the English personnel. This made the attempts of recruiting new officers a difficult task; lots of investigations were to take place before adding a new officer to the organization.

In November 1949 The Organization distributed their first “flyer” which discussed the Defeat in Palestine War. The flyers continued to be sent by Mail and to be delivered by hand according to the sector that the free officer who is delivering it (Air Force, Infantry...etc).

In1951 the Organization started a newspaper called “the voice of the free officers” which was sent to 700 Egyptian officers by mail. The royal palace had information about such organization, and King Farouk tried to destroy it before it threatens his crown.

Yet the Organization kept working for its goal, and more officers were drafted until July the 1952 date of revolution.

The Revolution

After becoming a mature organization, the free officers started publishing their demands by the mailed flyers. They requested a strong Egyptian army, where its duty to protect Egypt not to be used for serving the royal palace, nor the English interests in the region. They demanded quick solutions for the starvation of the Egyptians. The need of a revolution against the royal system became a nation’s dream after the poor standards that the citizens suffered, and increasing of corruption. 26th January 1952, named “black Saturday” when a huge fire burnt downtown Cairo destroying stores, factories, houses and killing tens of innocent Egyptians. Corruption was the main cause of such tragedy. The failure to pin point the responsible of such fire was a knock out for “The Wafd” party who were in charge of the Egyptian government for years before such incident. King Farouk tried to calm the Egyptians but failed. At that time, the Free officers were well known by the palace, and the political police exerted lots of effort to neutralize them, such environment pushed ahead the date to start the revolution. Days before the 23rd of July 1952, the officers started their plan to rebel against the current system and change it. The plan was to move at the night of 22nd of July to capture the main base of the army, followed by taking charge of the whole army and controlling them from there. Then the Free officers controlled the telephone systems, Airport, train stations and the Egyptian radio station. Controlling such major buildings allowed the officers to give false information to the palace in Alexandria where King Farouk was residing. The revolution managed to capture the Army central bases in Al-Areesh and Rafah, by doing so the officers controlled most of the army platoons which eased their mission in controlling Alexandria. The revolution succeeded in their plan, and Anwar El Sadat announced the evolution of a new Era that will work for the sake of development of Egypt cleaning all the corruption caused by the royal palace. King Farouk was exiled with none of his assets, and brigadier Mohammed Nagueeb was given the authority to be the leader of the Army and the political authority in Egypt. In 1953, the Egyptian constitution changed and the royal system was cancelled and replaced by the republican system. . Gen. Muhammad Naguib became the nominal head of the government, but Nasser held power through his control of the Revolutionary Command Committee. In 1954, following an attempt on Nasser's life, he arrested Naguib and became premier of Egypt

Presidency and rise to a Outstanding Arab Leader

Soon after Nasser took power, the British became aware of there fall and thus signed an agreement , ending their 72- year presence in Egypt.

Nasser introduced new political system, it was called Arab socialism, with a one-party system and with Islam as its official religion. With this program he confiscated 243,000 hectares (2,430 km²) farm land from a small group of rich landowners and distributed it evenly to the population Later on in his presidency he nationalized banks and industries. In July,1956,Nasser announced to a huge cheering crowd in Manshia, Alexandria and, via Cairo Radio, to the rest of the Arab World that he was nationalizing the Suez Canal Company and creating the an Egyptian Canal Authority to manage the Canal. The entire Third World was thrilled and delighted. There existed no potent symbol of Western colonial domination and a legend of the Western imperialism and hegemony more than the Suez Canal. But there was worry about the consequences; the West would surely not allow Nasser to succeed. USA and Britain withdrew a promised support for the construction of a new Aswan. He also continued his purchases of military equipment from Soviet bloc countries. He had gone there after being turned down by the West, which suspected plans to use the weapons against Israel.

The nationalization of the Suez Canal was met by an Israeli invasion of the Sinai Peninsula and an Anglo-French invasion of the Canal Zone. Although Egyptian forces suffered military defeat but with Nasser’s diplomacy, the invading forces were put under pressure from the UN and United States, and had to withdraw. Egypt kept the full ownership of the Suez Canal With US assistance the Canal was cleared and reopened in April 1957. All the British and French property in Egypt was sequestered. About 3,000 British and French nationals were expelled, and more thousands decided to leave. Britain and France attempted to retaliate by imposing an economic blockade of Egypt, but the gesture was ineffective, he also managed to get Soviet support for the construction of the dam, which was completed 14 years later. Due to his economic policies specially construction of Dam and the Canal to take water to un-irrigated land, Egypt emerged from poverty stricken country to a prospering nation.

Nasser and Arafat

Nasser(left) handshaking with Yasser Arafat

By this time Nasser had become a hero in the Arab world. In 1958 Syria and Egypt united under his presidency, forming the United Arab Republic ,hoping that one day all the Arab nations would join, but the Egypt-Syria union, however, broke up in 1961 after a military coup in Syria.

By 1967 the Arab-Israeli situation had deteriorated. After the UN peacekeeping force, at Nasser's request, had been withdrawn, and Egyptian guns blockaded the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli ships, Israel attacked Egypt and occupied the entire Sinai Peninsula up to the Suez Canal ( Six-Day War) in just six days.After humiliating defeat of Egypt’s forces, Nasser, taking responsibility for the debacle, resigned, but the thousands of people took to the streets, demanding his return to government. He stayed in power for 18 years even in the face of a large number of domestic competitors and opponents .On September 28, 1970, he died suddenly of a heart attack.

Even after his death till now he is still remembered by Muslims as a man who stood up to Western Dominance and lead his country from a poor slaved British Colony to a Free Progressing Nation. Even his harshest critics which accuse him of turning Egypt into a police state with controlled rule, censorship, still beyond doubt see him as the foremost Arab leader, who restored Arab dignity after the long humiliation of Western domination.
Nasser's ideas were laid down in his book of 1959, The Philosophy of the Revolution.

SHEIKH NASIRUDDIN ALBANI

2008-04-20T19:56:00.000+05:30

Sheikh Muhammad Nasiruddin, al-Albani as he was most famously known, was born in the city of Ashkodera, then the capital of Albania in the year 1332H (1914 AD) into a poor family. His father al-Haaj Nooh Najjaatee al-Albani had completed Sharee'ah studies in Istanbul and returned a scholar to Albania. After Albania was taken over by atheism the family made Hijrah to Damascus. In Damascus, al-Albani completed his initial education and was then taught the Qur'an, Tajweed, sciences of Arabic language, fiqh of the Hanafee madhab and further branches of the Deen by various Sheikhs and friends of his father.

He also learnt from his father the art of clock and watch repair - and became highly skilled in that and famous for it and derived his earnings through it.

He began to specialise in the field of Hadeeth and its related sciences by the age of 20, being influenced by articles in 'al-Manaar' magazine. He began to work in this field by transcribing al-Haafiz al-Iraaqee's monumental 'alMughnee an-hamlil-Asfaar fil-Asfaar fee takhreej maa fil-lhyaa minal-Akhbaar' and adding notes to it. He delved further into the field of Hadeeth and its various sciences despite discouragement from his father. Furthermore, the books he needed were not to be found in his father's library which was composed mainly of various works of Hanafee Fiqh - and since he could not afford many of the books he required he would borrow them from the famous library of Damascus - "al-Maktabah at-Thaahiriyyah", or sometimes from book sellers.

He became engrossed with the science of Hadeeth to the extent that he would sometimes close up his shop and remain in the library for up to twelve hours - breaking off his work only for prayer - he would not even leave to eat, but would take two light snacks with him. Eventually the library authorities granted him a special room to himself for his study and his own key for access to the library before normal opening time. Often he would remain at work from early morning until after 'Ishaa. During this time he produced many useful works - many of which are still waiting to be printed.

The Sheikh's studies of Hadeeth of Allah's Messenger (PBUH) had a great effect on him and resulted in his turning away from blind-following of his former madhab and instead to accept and act upon the Book and the Sunnah - with the understanding of the pious predecessors (i.e, As-Salafu Saaleh) of the Ummah. This naturally meant he was sometimes at variance with some of the local Sheikhs who blindly followed their Madhab, and likewise with the local Sufi Imaams and innovators who began to oppose him and incite the common people against him by calling him a 'Wahhaabi deviant'. He was, however, encouraged by some of the noble Sheikhs of Damascus who urged him to continue, amongst them Sheikh Bahjatul Baijaar, Sheikh Abdul-Fattah, the Imaam, and Tawfeeq al-Barzah, Rahimahum Allah.

The Sheikh faced much opposition in his efforts to promote Tawheed and the Sunnah but he bore this with patient perseverance. After some time he started giving two weekly classes attended by students of knowledge and university teachers - in which he taught various books of 'Aqeedah, Fiqh, Usool and Hadeeth sciences.

He also began organised monthly journeys for Da'wah to the various cities of Syria and then Jordan. After a number of his works appeared in print the Sheikh was chosen to teach Hadeeth in the new University in Madeenah, Saudi Arabia, for three years from 1381 to 1383 Hijrah, where he was also a member of the University board.

After this he returned to his former studies and work in "al-Maktabatu at-Thaahiriyyah" leaving his shop in the hands of one of his brothers. He visited various countries for Da'wah and lectures - amongst them Qatar, Egypt, Kuwait, the Emirates, Spain and England. He was forced to emigrate a number of times moving from Syria to Jordan, then Syria again, then Beirut, then the Emirates, then again to 'Ammaan, Jordan.

Sheikh Nasiruddin Albani became the pre-eminent scholar of Hadeeth (Al-Muhaddith) in recent era. His works - mainly in the field of Hadeeth and its sciences - number over 100. Among his gems beneficial for the whole Ummah include:
- Sifatu Salaatu Nabi mina takbiri ila taslimi ka annaka taraaha, the most widely distributed and printed book on 'How to' in Salaah according to the Sunnah of our Prophet (PBUH);
- Silsilah Saheehah, and Silsilah Dhaeefah wa Maudhucah, on Ahadith;
- Saheeh wa Dhaeef Jaami Sagheer, authenticated works originally compiled by Suyuti;
- Al Irwa' Ghaleel;
- Saheehs of Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasaa'i, and Ibn Maajah.
- Saheeh wa Dhaeef Adabul Mufrad of Bukhari.
- Mishkaat Masaabih, the authenticated version of the original hadeeth collection.

His students are many and include many prominent Sheikhs of the present day amongst them: Shaykh Hamdi Abdul-Majeed, Shaykh Muhammad 'Eed Abbaasi, Dr. Umar Sulayman al-Ashqar, Shaykh Muhammad lbrahim Shaqrah, Shaykh Muqbil ibn Haadi al-Waadi'i, Shaykh Ali Khushshaan, Shaykh Muhammad Bin Jameel Zainoo, Shaykh Abdur-Rahmaan Abdus-Samad, Shaykh Ali Hassan Abdul-Hameed al-Halabi, Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaali, and Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Abdul-Khaaliq.

The Sheikh passed away on Saturday 22 Jumaada Thaaniyah 1420 H (2 October 1999).

Muhammad Ilyas

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Mawlana Muhammad Ilyas, the founder of the Tablighi Jama’at of South Asian subcontinent, is arguably one of the most influential, yet least well-known , figures of the twentieth century Islam. Despite his enormous contribution towards the development of a powerful grass root Islamic Da’wah movement, Mawlana Ilyas has not received much attention in the literature on modern Islamic movements. Most of the Western, and even Muslim, scholarships have remain occupied with the more spectacular and dramatic manifest ions of Islamic revivalist upsurge. The available literature on Maulana Ilyas and his Tablighi movement is mostly in Urdu and that too consists mainly of inspirational works by its leaders and devotional writings by its followers and supporters.

Mawlana Ilyas was born in 1885 in a small town in the United Province of British India in a family of religious scholars. He received his early religious education at home and later went to the famous center of Islamic education in Deoband where he studied the Qur’an, Hadith, Fiqh and other Islamic sciences under the early Deoband luminaries. After completing his education at Deoband, Mawlana Ilyas took up a teaching position at another famous Madarsah Mazaharul Uloom in Saharanpur (U.P., India)

It was at this point in his life that Mawlana Ilyas became aware of the "dismal Islamic situation" in the Mewat region near Delhi where majority of Muslims were living a life that had very little to do with Islamic teachings and practices. Mawlana Ilyas sent several of his disciples to Mewat to survey the situation and later himself undertook many Da’wah trips there. Mawlana Ilyas met Mewati Muslims who could not even recite Shahadah and who had not prayed even once in their life because they did not know how to pray. He saw Muslims greeting each other in a typical Hindu manner; some had even adopted Hindu deities and visited Hindu temples to participate in devotional practices.

Mawlana Ilyas fully aware of the difficult task ahead was, nevertheless, determined to bring the Meo Muslims back to the fold of true Islam. In the early 1920s, he prepared a team of young Madrasa graduates from Deoband and Saharanpur and sent them to Mewat to establish a network of Masajid and Madrasas throughout the region. He soon realized, however, that the Madrasa ulama trained in the Deoband tradition were simply reproducing their prototypes and had no significant impact on society at large. Mawlana Ilyas concluded that these Madrasas were ill-equipped to produce Muslim preachers who would be willing to go door to door and remind people of their Islamic obligations. These institution were good only for producing religious functionaries, not Da’wah workers.

It was because dissatisfaction with the Madrasas that Mawlana Ilyas resigned from a prestigious teaching position at Madrasa Mazaharul Uloom in Saharanpur and came to Basti Nizamuddin in the old quarters of Delhi to begin his Da’wah. The Tablighi movement was born in this place in 1926. Basti Nzamuddin became his permanent residence as well as the headquarter of the Tablighi movement.

The new movement met with dramatic success in relatively short period of time, thanks to Mawlana Ilyas’s utmost devotion, untiring efforts and sincerity of purpose. As a result many Muslims joined Mawlana Ilyas to preach the message of Islam in every town and village of Mewat. The rapid success of his efforts can be seen from the fact that the first Tablighi conference held in November 1941 in Mewat was attended by 25,000 people many of them had walked on foot for ten to fifteen miles to attend the conference. Sayyid Abul A’la Mawdudi, the founder of the Jama’at-e-Islami paid glowing tribute to the spectacular successes of the Da’wah efforts of Mawlana Ilyas in Mewat and elsewhere in India and described the Tablighi movement as a major step toward the Islamization of Indian Muslim society.

Mawlana Ilyas was neither a charismatic leader like Mawlana Mohammad Ali Jauhar of the Khilafat movement, nor an outstanding religious scholar like Abul Kalam Azad of the Indian National Congress. He was not even a good public speaker like Ataullah Shah Bukhari of the Ahrar movement. Unlike Sayyid Abul A’la Mawdudi of the Jamaat –e-Islami who was a prolific writer and a systematic thinker, Mawlana Ilyas did not author a single book in his life.

Physically frail and intellectually unassuming, Mawlana Ilyas was, nevertheless, enthused with the zeal of a dedicated Da’wah worker. His passion to reach out to the Muslim masses and touch them with the message of the Qur’an and Sunnah knew no bounds.

Like a true missionary, he was persistent, untiring, and whole-heartedly devoted to his cause. During one of his many missionary tours of Mewat, he was once hit with a stick by a peasant upon whom he was impressing the importance of leading a religious life. The Mawlana, already physically frail, fell on the ground and collapsed. When he regained consciousness, he got up and, holding his assistant affectionately, said: "Look, you have done your job. Now would you let me do my job and listen to me for a little while?" As one of his colleague put it, "Mawlana Ilyas, though a mere skeleton, can work wonders where he takes up anything."

His eagerness and indomitable determination to reach every Muslim and remind him of his obligations as a believer took precedence on every thing else. His passionate concern for the spiritual welfare of his fellow Muslims caused him great anguish. A friend once came to visit him while he was on his deathbed. Mawlana Ilyas greeted his friend by telling him. " People out there are burning in the fire of ignorance and you are wasting your time here inquiring after my health!"

He wanted every Muslim to be on his feet, preaching the message of Islam to others. He exerted his friends and followers to dedicate their lives to this cause. Once when he was trying to peruse his audience to volunteer for a missionary trip to Kanpur, U.P. India, not a single person responded to his call. Spotting one of his friends in the audience, Mawlana Ilyas asked him what prevented him from going to Kanpur. His friend was suffering from serious ailment and was obviously too weak to travel. He told Maulana Ilyas that he was "almost dying" and there was no way he could travel. The Mawlana said, "If you are dying already, you had better die in Kanpur."

It is important to note that while Mawlana Ilyas kept himself completely aloof from politics of the day and focused his program of action exclusively on making the Muslims aware of their religious obligations, he did not, at any time, criticized those Islamic groups which were actively engaged in politics. On the contrary, he maintained extremely cordial relations with Hussain Ahmad Madani and other Ulama of Deoband school whose political organization, Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, a pro-Indian National Congress group, was very much active in Indian politics. Mawlana Ilyas had equally warm relation with pro-Pakistan faction of the Deoband school led by Mawlana Ashraf Ali Thanvi and Mawlana Shabbir Ahmad Usmani. However he refused to take any position on the issue of united India vs. a separate Muslim state of Pakistan for the obvious reason that this would distract his movement from its main religious tasks, and would also create dissensions within its ranks. Mawlana Ilyas was of the view that the Tablighi movement and the politically-oriented Islamic groups, although operating in two different spheres, were complementing each other’s work and hence there should be no competition and rivalry between them.

Once when someone pointed out that his movement was "too narrowly focused" and did not address the larger issue of socio-political reforms in Muslim society, the Mawlana responded that this narrow focus in the initial phase of the movement was necessitated by the available manpower and that the movement could grow to encompass a larger and more comprehensive program in the future. It is unfortunate that those who succeeded Mawlana Ilyas did not realize his larger vision and saw the Mewat model of Da’wah as eternally fixed. Nevertheless, the fruits of Mawlana Ilyas’s efforts are visible all over the world today.

ALI IBN RABBAN AL-TABARI

2008-03-09T11:22:00.001+05:30

This accomplished Hakim was the tutor of the unparalleled physician Zaksriya al-Razi. Luck favoured the disciple more than the teacher in terms of celebrity. As compared to Razi people know very little about his teacher Ali. Ali Bin Rabban's surname was Abu al-Hasan, the full name being Abu al-Hasan Ali Bin Sahl Rabban al-Tabari. Born in 838 C.E. his father Sahl hailed from a respectable Jew family. The nobility and sympathy inherent in his very nature soon endeared him to his countrymen so much so that they used to call him Rabban which implies "my leader".

Professionally Sahl was an extremely successful physician. He had command over the art of calligraphy too. Besides he had a deep insight into the disciplines of Astronomy, Philosophy, Mathematics and Literature. Some complicated articles of Batlemus's book al-Mijasti came to be resolved by way of Sahl's scholarly expertise, translators preceding him had failed to solve the mystery. Ali received his education in the disciplines of Medical science and calligraphy from his able father Sahl and attained perfection in these fields. He had also mastered Syriac and Greek languages to a high degree of proficiency. Ali hailed from a Israelite family. Since he had embraced Islam, he is classified amongst Muslim Scholars. This family belonged to Tabristan's famous city Marv.

The fame acquired by Ali Bin Rabban did not simply account for the reason that a physician of the stature of Zaksriya al-Razi was amongst his disciple. In fact the main cause behind his exalta- tion lies in his world-renowned treatise Firdous al-Hikmat.

Spread over seven parts, Firdous al-Hikmat is the first ever Medical encyclopaedia which incorporates all the branches of medical science in its folds. This work has been published in this century (20th century) only. Prior to this publication only five of his manuscripts were to be found scattered in libraries the world over. Dr. Mohammed Zubair Siddiqui compared and edited the manuscripts. In his preface he has provided extremely useful information regarding the book and the author and, wherever felt necessary, explanatory notes have been written to facilitate publication of this work on modern publishing standards.

Later on this unique work was published with the cooperation of English and German institutions. Following are the details of its all seven parts:

1. Part one: Kulliyat-e-Tibb. This part throws light on contemporary ideology of medical science. In that era these principles formed the basis of medical science.
2. Part two: Elucidation of the organs of the human body, rules for keeping good health and comprehensive account of certain muscular diseases.
3. Part three: Description of diet to be taken in conditions of health and disease.
4. Part four: All diseases right from head to toe. This part is of profound significance in the whole book and comprises twelve papers:

i) General causes relating to eruption of diseases. ii) Diseases of the head and the brain. iii) Diseases relating to the eye, nose, ear, mouth and the teeth. iv) Muscular diseases (paralysis and spasm). v) Diseases of the regions of the chest, throat and the lungs. vi) Diseases of the abdomen. vii) Diseases of the liver. viii) Diseases of gallbladder and spleen. ix) Intestinal diseases. x) Different kinds of fever. xi) Miscellaneous diseases- brief explanation of organs of the body. xii) Examination of pulse and urine. This part is the largest in the book and is almost half the size of the whole book.

5. Part five: Description of flavour, taste and colour.
6. Part six: Drugs and poison.
7. Part seven: Deals with diverse topics. Discusses climate and astronomy. Also contains a brief mention of Indian medicine.

Though he wrote Firdous al-Hikmat in Arabic but he simultaneously translated it into Syriac. He has two more compilations to his credit namely Deen-o-Doulat and Hifdh al-Sehhat. The latter is available in manuscript-form in the library of Oxford University. Besides Medical science, he was also a master of Philosophy, Mathematics and Astronomy. He breathed his last around 870 C.E.