Zafar views

Real Pakistan اصل اقبال/ پاکستان

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 16:47:00 +0000

Urdu Column (Allah ka Haath)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 16:26:00 +0000

Origionaly posted on:>>>

Urdu Column (Ye he shariat)

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 16:21:00 +0000

Origionaly posted on:>>>

Ahmadiyya Muslims in Germany granted a new Status!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Jan 2016 01:37:00 +0000

By the grace of Almighty Allah, after putting efforts for more than a decade, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Germany (AMJ) has been granted the status of a religious body which can now enjoy the public rights on same footing as enjoyed by the Christians and the Jews.

Ahmadiyya, probably is the first to be granted such status amongst the Muslim organisations present in Germany. Currently status has been awarded in state of Hessen with the hope to have the same in whole of Germany.

It is an historic moment for the whole community.

In order to inform about more details AMJ Germany has organised a press conference at 11.00 hours on Thursday, 13.o6.2013 in its national headquarter premises located at Genferstr 11, 60437 Frankfurt am Mian. Further details will follow after the press conference.

Follwoing is the German text provided by the concerned department of AMJ Germany.

Die Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, die weltweit größte Reformbewegung innerhalb des Islam mit mehreren zehn Millionen Anhängern, hat als bisher einzige in Deutschland ansässige muslimische Religionsgemeinschaft den Status der ‘Körperschaft des öffentlichen Rechts’ zuerkannt bekommen. Um dieses historische Ereignis vorzustellen, lädt die Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat am Donnerstag, den 13. Juni 2013 um 11:00 Uhr zu einer Pressekonferenz in der Zentrale der Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Genfer Straße 11, 60347 Frankfurt am Main, ein.

Origionaly from http://www.ahmadiyya.d e

Accra, Ghana: State Funeral for Maulana Abdul Wahab Adam

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 23:17:00 +0000

Accra, Ghana: State Funeral for Maulana Abdul Wahab Adam

Moulvi Dr Abdul Wahab Adam, Ameer of Ghana mission, has passed away

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 23:15:00 +0000

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission of Ghana confirms that Moulvi Dr Abdul Wahab Adam, Ameer of Ghana mission, has passed away. The news is now being reported by Ghanian and international media as well. A distinguished scholar and a beloved leader of Ghanian Ahmadi Muslims, Dr Adam leaves behind an entire nation of Ghana in mourning. إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ

The following introduction and brief sketch of Dr Wahab Adam's life is taken from Jamiatul Mubashireen, Ghana website.

Maulvi Abdul Wahab Bin Adam was born in December, 1944, at Brofeyedur - Adansi, Ashanti Region. After his secondary education at T.I. Ahmadiyya Secondary School (Kumasi), he proceeded to the Ahmadiyya Muslim Seminary and Ahmadiyya Theological University, Rabwah, Pakistan, where he received Diploma in Arabic and Honours Degree in Theology and Islamic Jurisprudence in 1960.

After serving as the Brong-Ahafo Regional Missionary of Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission from 1960 - 1969, he became the Principal of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Missionary Training College at Saltpond.

In 1971, he was appointed to the high office of the Deputy Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission of the United Kingdom, an office he so creditably held until he was elevated to the prestigious position of Ameer (Head) and Missionary-in-Charge of the Ahmadiyya MuslimMission in Ghana. He has steered the affairs of the Mission with distinction since 1975.

At both the national and international levels, he has served in various capacities, including the following:

Co-Editor, Muslim Herald, London
Editor, Ahmadiyya Bulletin, London
Member, World Council of Ahmadi Muslim Jurists
Member, Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana
Vice-Chairman, Ghana Integrity lnitiatve
Member, National Peace Council
Co-Founder and National President, Council of Religions (which is the Ghana Chapter of the World Conference of Religions for Peace)
Former Memeber, National Reconciliation Commission

Dr. Adam represented the International Headquarters of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission on various occasions in Canada, Germany, Benin, Mali, Cote D'ivoire, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Liberia and Sierra Leone. He also acted for the Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in his absence from the International Headquarters.

In recognition of his unalloyed quest for peace and harmony, as well as his selflessness, he was given the Ambassador for Peace Award and the Distinguished Religious and Selfless Award by the Inter-Religious and International Federation for World Peace based in Korea and the Louisiana State University, USA, respectively. He have also been honoured by the Government of Ghana with the Companion of the Order of the Volta for his remarkable contribution to education, health, agriculture, peace and stability in the country.His impressive achievements include the following:

First African to be appointed Central Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission
Member, Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), Ghana
First Ghanaian/African to be appointed Ameer (Head) and Missionary-in-Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana
First African to have acted for the Supreme Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission
First African to have served as an Ahmadi Muslim Missionary in an European country
First African to serve as a Member of the World Council of Ahmadi Muslim Jurists

Dr Adam had researched and published in such areas as Islam and Apartheid and Islam & Christianity. Under his distinguished leadership, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Ghana has witnessed phenomenal expansion of its educational and health institutions and facilities across the length and breadth of the country. Currently, the Ahmadiyya Mission runs about 400 schools, including Junior and Senior High Schools, Teacher Training College, Missionary Training College and Girls' Vocational Training Centre.

A notable aspect of his Mission's expansion drive in health facilities has been the establishment of the first homeopathic and herbal clinics in the country. Thanks to his dynamism and innovation, Homeopathic Globules and many other medicines are manufactured locally at the Tahir Homeopathic Complex in Kumasi.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission organizes free medical camps in the remote parts of the country to bring health delivery to the door step of the rural folk.

In the name of his mother, Ayesha Akua Woro, Dr Adam established the Ayesha Foundation as a concrete demonstration of his love to assist the poor and needy, especially those who suffer from human rights abuses.

He was awarded the honourary degree of P. H. D. On 10th of November, 2007 from the university of Cape Coast.
Originally posted: http://ahmadiyyatimes.blogspot.be/2014/06/ghana-moulvi-dr-abdul-wahab-adam-ameer.html

Persecution: Ahmadiyya Community Persecution in India

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 13 May 2014 16:55:00 +0000

An Ahmadiyya Muslim mission house and salat center in Hyderabad, India, was attacked today during Jumma prayers, it has been reported.

A band of some 30-plus hooligans barged into the recently opened Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission house located in Basharat Nagar near Falaknuma, and beat up the resident teacher (Mu'alim), Imam Imran.

Imam, who was struck repeatedly with a cricket bat leaving him badly injured and unconscious, was rushed to a local hospital where he is listed in serious condition.
Several eye-witness accounts suggest the attackers were drunk and looking for trouble in the area.
Police arrived at the mission house and an FIR (First Information Reports) have been registered.

The Ahmadiyya Mission House has been open for about 6 months at the current location which is a Muslim dominated locality.

Anti-Ahmadi extremist element in the area has also launched a police report alleging the Imam and community members were spreading wrong faith in the locality which is contrary to their version of Islam .

[Update: 12:05 pm May 10, 2014] According to the latest reports local police has arrested six attackers and the suspects will be charged with various crimes.

[Update: 12:40 pm May 10, 2014] Imam Imran's health has significantly improved. He is currently listed in stable-satisfactory condition.

[Update: 5:30 am May 12, 2014] Imam Imran has been recovering smoothly and was released from the hospital. According to the police information, one of the attacker who assaulted Imam Imran has been identifies as Moulvi Khalid, imam of Meraj Masjid. Police has thus far arrested 6 individuals. The opponents who instigated the attack are now reportedly trying to request a compromise as serious criminal proceedings are imminent against the attackers.

Compiled from reports files by Shahid Badruddin, Bangalore India.

-- India: Muslim mob attacks Ahmadiyya mission house in Falaknuma, seriously injures Imam
Mob also attacked Imam's attached home, destroyed most articles in the house, set fire to the books in the Ahmadiyya library, and desecrated the picture of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community's founder.

Press Release UK: Global Minorities Alliance Urges Release of British doctor accused of blasphemy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 23:58:00 +0000

Glasgow: A UK-based human rights organisation is calling on the authorities in Pakistan to release a 72-year-old doctor who was arrested for ‘posing as a Muslim’ after being secretly filmed by a patient at his surgery.

Global Minorities Alliance, a Glasgow-based human rights organisation which advocates for the rights of minority communities the world over, denounced the imprisonment as a further example of Pakistan’s strict blasphemy laws being used to persecute minorities and whip up religious hatred rather than seek justice in a country which is increasingly being divided by violence.

Mr Masood Ahmad, a member of the Ahmadiyya community, was charged under Pakistan’s anti-Ahmadiyya blasphemy legislation after a religious leader posing as a patient attended his homeopathy clinic in Lahore and secretly recorded him reading a verse from the Quran.

Mr Ahmad, who has dual Pakistani/UK nationality and previously lived in London, was arrested shortly after and is now in prison awaiting trial. He has been refused bail and there have been calls from the angry mobs that gathered outside the courthouse for him to face the death penalty.

“In the past the police and the courts generally did not accept such accusations where the accuser had himself approached an Ahmadi at his home or job to discuss faith matters,” said a spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan. “It is noteworthy that while the political leadership repeatedly condemns sectarianism and extremism in public, it encourages its law officers to upgrade and intensify religious prosecution of Ahmadis.”

Pakistan: Ahmadi youngster shot dead in Rawalpindi

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 10:35:00 +0000

A 17 year old Ahmadi boy, Arsalan Sarwar, was shot fatally in Satellite town area of Rawalpindi yesterday, it is reported.

According to the Sadr Anjuman Ahmadiyya Pakistan spokesperson, Saleem-ud Din, the circumstances surrounding the youngster’s killing are not yet clear.

Mr Din said he did not want to speculate without full and accurate information. “I will have further details and I will update tomorrow.”

"Please bear with me in the meantime and do not speculate without facts," the Ahmadiyya spokesperson further cautioned.

According to some unconfirmed reports in the social media, the victim was seen installing decorative lighting on the day of Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the Holy Prophet Muhammad's birthday, when he was killed.

Many rights groups say the Ahmadi killings are the direct result of a reckless disregard by Pakistani authorities of the hate-materials routinely published against Ahmadis which openly provoke and incite public to kill Ahmadis.

“Government should understand its duty and should stop the publishing of hate material against Ahmadis,” Saleemud Din had demanded in a community statement previously.

Origionaly posted here...

PAKISTAN: The religious hate campaign prevented the burial of a one-and-a-half year-old child

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 21:36:00 +0000

A one-and-a-half-year-old infant was buried four days after she died from pneumonia in Toba Tek Singh, Punjab province. The girl, who was from an Ahmadi family, died on December 19, and was taken for burial the following day. At the cemetery the local clerics gathered with approximately fifty men who were armed with sticks and batons. The girl belonged to the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam, declared non Islamic through constitutional amendments. The men refused to let the Ahmadis bury the girl in the common graveyard and prevented them from digging the grave.

In Chak 312-JB Kathowali, Gojra, Toba Tek Singh, the Ahmadi and local Muslim population have lived together for six decades after the creation of Pakistan and the graveyard was used by both communities without dispute. However, from the last year the Muslim fundamentalist tried to introduce some families, particularly unmarried persons, who became busy instigating the people to agitate against the Ahmadis in order to dislodge them. Their campaign was not successful and the burial of the child gave them the reason they needed to punish the Ahmadis.

The family of the infant said that Muslim residents of the area had refused to let them bury their child in the neighbourhood graveyard because she was born to an Ahmadi family.

The child was finally buried on a piece of land donated by a non-Ahmadi Muslim resident of the village, some 300 metres away from the graveyard. The settlement was reached after the family of the deceased child staged a protest demonstration.

While persecution against Ahmadis is nothing new, it is appropriate to suggest that the increasing attacks against graves, graveyards and now the family of the dead child facing such inhuman treatment calls for serious concern from the civil society Continue...

SAUDI ARABIA: Ahmadis persecuted in the Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 21:17:00 +0000

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to forward this statement regarding persons who chose to join the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam and the treatment they received thereafter.

It is extremely perturbing that we have to bring to the notice of the world’s community the plight of two innocent, loyal citizens of Saudi Arabia who had committed no offence at all, were arrested on 14 May 2012 just because they had chosen to join the The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to forward this statement regarding persons who chose to join the Ahmadiyya sect of Islam and the treatment they received thereafter.

It is extremely perturbing that we have to bring to the notice of the world’s community the plight of two innocent, loyal citizens of Saudi Arabia who had committed no offence at all, were arrested on 14 May 2012 just because they had chosen to join the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for the betterment of their understanding and practice of the teachings of Islam.

It is a heart rendering story and nearly a year and a half on they are being shuttled from one prison to another. Their families are not allowed access to them and since May 2013, no one is even aware of their whereabouts or the state of their condition. This is appalling and shocking for the world community. The details that are available about these two victims are scanty. We seek the support and cooperation of the world community for their release. The objective is to make a resolute effort to win the release of these two victims and also to convince the Saudi authorities to refrain from such actions which contravene all the human and religious values of Islam Readmore...

Progress of Ahmadiyyat in Sierra Leone

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:42:00 +0000

By Abdul Shafi Bharwana, Editor African Crescent

The article was published in “African Crescent” as an Editorial for November 2013 issue

“These days, I am in inner Sierra Leone and am working in Tungie, the capital of the Goroma Chiefdom. This place is 50 miles away from the closest post office, and 25 miles away from a paved road. By the grace of Allah Almighty, the Paramount Chief has become an Ahmadi, and I have been staying at his house for the last 3 weeks. He has started the construction of a mosque. He was a Christian before. May God help us; it is possible that many people in his Chiefdom will accept the truth.”

This is part of a report by first Ahmadiyya Missionary in Sierra Leone published in the Sunrise of January 20, 1940.

Today we learn from history that Maulana Nazir Ahmad Ali, first Ahmadiyya Muslim Missionary arrived in Sierra Leone in 1937. Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Sierra Leone established the first Muslim Primary School in 1938 at Rokupr and the First Muslim Secondary School in 1960 at Bo. Over the years, the Jama’at has made education accessible to people in the remotest parts of the country. The Sierra Leone Jama’at can now boast of having One hundred and ninety seven (197) Primary schools, six (6) nursery schools and fifty nine (59) Secondary Schools throughout country. Moreover, some of the illustrious citizens serving this nation today have graduated from these schools.

Another outstanding achievement of the Jama’at in this country is the provision of health care services to those in dire need. Out of the five health centers established by the Jama’at before the war, three are still functioning and providing affordable health care services to both the urban and rural populace and in some strategic areas of the country.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Sierra Leone has more than 500,000 (five hundred thousand) membership, and 1125 (One thousand one hundred and twenty-five) Mosques throughout the country for the practice of the peaceful teachings of Islam. The Holy Quran has been translated in Mende by Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at.

In February 2007, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission in Sierra Leone established a Radio Station, which is serving the Western Area and some other parts of the country to preach the message of peace and harmony. 35 Mosques have been equipped with solar panels. Now these mosques have 24 hours of light.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Sierra Leone has recently re-started a Missionary Training College in Bo, in the Southern province of the country.

Every Year, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Sierra Leone holds its Annual Conference in Bo. This year, the Jama’at has celebrated 52nd Annual Conference.

Humanity First, an NGO wing under Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at is also helping the country in the area of digging the Water Wells, construction of Schools, Eye Operations, Free Medical Camps, IT Centers, Vocational Center, Agric Farms and Feed a Family programs.

International Association of Ahmadi Architects and Engineers (IAAAE) is creating Five (5) Model villages (Gbonkobana, Mawanti, Makeli, Worraeh line and Magbafth) in Bombali District. Its aims are to deliver;

1. Flowing water

2. Solar electricity

3. Enhance agriculture.

4. Extension of Gbonkobana Secondary School building

5. Creating an IT lab in local Secondary School Gbonkobana to increase the computer skills in the students.

These are not the only services presented by Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Sierra Leone. What I have tried to do is to highlight the major areas of the activities of the Ahmadiyya Jama’at in Sierra Leone. These activities are very much appreciated by the government and people of Sierra Leone. May Allah bless all!

Origional Post here...

HIGGS BOSON AND DR. ABDUS SALAM

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 17:34:00 +0000

There are four fundamental forces in nature, namely, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force, strong nuclear force and gravity. Electromagnetism can be observed in daily life experience. For instance, lighting is a natural phenomenon. Weak nuclear force is manifested in radioactivity, which is used to cure cancer. Strong nuclear force, on the other hand, is responsible for keeping the nucleus (protons and neutron) together. Whereas, the gravity is observed in everyday life, for example, the planets of solar system rotate around the sun due to gravity.

It is important to note that electromagnetism and gravity are long range forces, i.e., these forces can act for longer distances, whereas, weak and strong nuclear forces are only manifested at very short distances, i.e., of the size of a nuclei which is about 10^-15 m. Gravity is very weak as compared to other three fundamental forces and it only manifests itself on massive objects. Since the mass fundamental particles like electrons or quarks (which are the building blocks of protons and neutrons) are very small, therefore, they don’t feel gravity as compared to the strength of others three forces. Hence in the study of the properties of elementary particles, physicists normally don’t consider the gravity, therefore, we are left with three forces, electromagnetism, weak and strong nuclear forces.

5 Muslim Inventions That Changed The World

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 14 Jan 2014 20:30:00 +0000

Roasted coffee beans

Coffee

About 1,600,000,000 cups of coffee are consumed every day around the world. Billions of people rely on it as part of their daily routines. And yet, very few people are aware of the Muslim origins of this ubiquitous drink.

According to the historical record, in the 1400s coffee became a very popular drink among Muslims in Yemen, in the southern Arabian Peninsula. Legend goes that a shepherd (some say in Yemen, some say in Ethiopia) noticed that his goats became very energetic and jumpy when they ate beans from a particular tree. He had the courage to try them himself, noticing they gave him an energy boost. Over time, the tradition of roasting the beans and immersing them in water to create a sour yet powerful drink developed, and thus, coffee was born.

Regardless of whether or not the story of the shepherd ever really happened, coffee found its way from the highlands of Yemen to the rest of the Ottoman Empire, the premier Muslim empire of the 15th century. Coffeehouses specializing in the new drink began to spring up in all the major cities of the Muslim world: Cairo, Istanbul, Damascus, Baghdad. From the Muslim world, the drink found its way into Europe through the great merchant city of Venice. Although it was at first denounced as the “Muslim drink” by Catholic authorities, coffee became a part of European culture. The coffeehouses of the 1600s was where philosophers met and discussed issues such as the rights of man, the role of government, and democracy. These discussions over coffee spawned what became the Enlightenment, one of the most powerful intellectual movements of the modern world.

From a Yemeni/Ethiopian shepherd to shaping European political thought to over 1 billion cups per day, this Muslim innovation is one of the most important inventions of human history.

Algebra

While many secondary school students struggling through math classes may not particularly appreciate the importance of algebra, it is one of the most important contributions of the Muslim Golden Age to the modern world. It was developed by the great scientist and mathematician, Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khawarizmi, who lived from 780 to 850 in Persia and Iraq.In his monumental book, Al-Kitāb al-mukhtaṣar fī ḥisāb al-jabr wa-l-muqābala (English: The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing), he set forth the basic principles of algebraic equations. The name of the book itself contains the word “al-jabr”, meaning “completion”, from which the Latin word algebra is derived. In the book, al-Khawarizmi explains how to use algebraic equations with unknown variables to solve real-world problems such as zakat calculation and inheritance division. A unique readmore...

New Zealand: Ahmadiyya Muslim Youths’ New Year Clean-up Initiative

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Jan 2014 16:19:00 +0000

“This is just a small step towards ensuring that we all take responsibility of keeping our surroundings and country clean and beautiful.”

The residents of Auckland were shown the way by a group of Ahmadiyya Muslim Youths for the first day of 2014 by keeping Auckland parks clean and beautiful.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s Auxiliary Youth division known as Majlis Khuddamul Ahmadiyya New Zealand organized a New Year’s Day clean-up of four parks in Auckland.

The Community took heed of their worldwide Spiritual Leader; Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad’s advice during his recent visit to New Zealand to organize a regular New Year’s clean up initiative in New Zealand.

The Community’s National President, Mr. Mohammed Iqbal present with the group said, “This is just a small step towards ensuring that we all take responsibility of keeping our surroundings and country clean and beautiful. The practice we have initiated was also a regular practice of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who would pick up and dispose of any litter he came across during his walks”.
In appreciation of this initiative, the Auckland Council happily supplied the youths with gloves, litter grabbers, brooms and bin bags to make it all possible. Patrons of the parks were very supportive of the initiatives as a number of them applauded the efforts of the group and hoped to be part of the initiative in the near future. One senior member of public went on to say that the effort was exemplary and they wished other young people would follow suit.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is a dynamic, fast-growing international revival movement within Islam. Founded in 1889 by Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) in Punjab, India, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community spans 200 countries with membership exceeding tens of millions.

Original Post here...

Persecuted Christians suffer for their faith

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 02:50:00 +0000

Christianity is the world's largest religion, yet being a believer can be dangerous: A report finds that Christians are discriminated against in 130 countries - and the situation is only getting worse.

Three years ago, Asaia Bibi was a farm worker in Pakistan when she became subject of a dangerous accusation: "You insulted the Prophet!" In no time, the mother of five had been shepherded to the district court in the town of Nankana Sahib in Punjab province. The judges found Bibi, a Christian, guilty of blasphemy and imposed the death sentence.

It turned out Bibi was the victim of character assassination. Nonetheless, she remains in prison, and execution still looms. Blasphemy legislation in Pakistan makes it easy to put unpopular people behind bars, be they Christian, Muslim or atheist.

There is a growing number of similar stories, according to the "Ecumenical Report on the Religious Freedom of Christians Worldwide" which was published recently as joint research by Germany's leading denominations. The report found that violations of the right to religious freedom had steadily increased since 2007, as a result either of state legislation or of social enmity.

The report says this is true for all faiths on all continents. Muslims are oppressed in 117 states, making Islam the second-most heavily discriminated against religion.

However, Christianity, the world's largest religion, with about 2.18 billion believers of varying denominations, tops the list. Christians are discriminated against in 130 countries.

Nikolaus Schneider, the head of Germany's Protestant Church (EKD), and Catholic Archbishop Robert Zollitsch commissioned the report with a special focus on "Christians who fall victim to hatred, distress and persecution." It is of general interest, both Schneider and Zollitsch insist in their foreword: "Where Christians are harassed, the freedom of other religious faiths is under pressure, too."

Others suffer, too

The study's author, human rights expert Theodor Rathgeber, decided not to rely on estimates to determine where such suppression takes place and how it works. The Göttingen-based researcher based his findings on studies conducted by PEW Research Centers, which in turn are based on data from the US State Department and other international information registers, as well as data from Human Rights Watch.

"In general, restrictions are not specifically directed against Christians," Rathgeber concluded. Instead, they show a "social environment in which other religious communities and non-religious groups alike are similarly affected," he told DW.

Egypt, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Myanmar, Iran, Vietnam, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Nigeria: These states exercise the greatest constraints on the freedom of religion, according to the report. In 64 other countries, significant restrictions by the government - anti-blasphemy legislation or privileges for certain communities - are verifiable. They include states with large populations like China, India and Russia. As a result, about 70 percent of the world population is subject to great or extreme restrictions.

Casualties not included

Religious communities in North Africa and in Asian countries under authoritarian rule, like China and Myanmar, as well as the Middle East - including Iran - are affected primarily by restrictions. The study took note of an increase in human rights violations in sub-Saharan Africa - which includes limits on the freedom to practice one's religion. Due to the situation in some Eastern European countries, Europe doesn't shine, either.

The study deliberately abstains from numbering casualties, Rathgeber points out, adding that such figures are unreliable because they are usually based on estimates. The Open Doors aid organization claims there are 100 million persecuted Christians across the globe.

The churches' report notes cases of Christian persecution in many nations - but above all in Muslim countries. In Egypt, for instance, Muslims are prevented from formally converting to Christianity. Often, they are threatened with imprisonment and denied identity documents stating their new religion. About 80 million Christians live in Nigeria, the most populous country in sub-Saharan Africa, and many of them are subjected to hostilities from their Muslim fellow countrymen.

Pelted with bags of urine

Indonesia's protestant Filadelfia Community hasn't been able to erect a church southwest of the capital, Jakarta, despite its right to do so. "The pastor received death threats, churchgoers were pelted with stones, bags filled with urine, and rotten eggs, and street blockades stopped them from entering the property," the report says, adding that the police stand by and do nothing, while the district administrator ignores the administrative court's rulings.

In Vietnam, non-conformist churches are greatly disadvantaged. Christians in Pakistan and non-conformists in Iran live dangerously, too, the report says; and "almost all Christians have been driven out of North Korea." The study also found "evidence of rehabilitation centers in North Korea, where members of religious as well as secular organizations who show dissident tendencies are committed to be re-educated and brainwashed."

To this day, derogatory remarks about non-Muslim religious communities can be found in Turkish schoolbooks. Christians and Jews are vilified in the media, the report says. "Pastors are hassled by threatening phone calls, while Protestant churches are devastated and damaged, and individuals and buildings are placed under police protection."

Pope announces Holy Land visit amid new push for peace

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 06 Jan 2014 02:32:00 +0000

Pope Francis has announced that he will make a pilgrimage to Israel, The West Bank and Jordan in May, underscoring a fresh U.S. push for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

“As of now I ask you to pray for this pilgrimage,” he told worshipers in St. Peter’s Square on Sunday, according to Vatican Radio.

Pope Francis said he would be visiting Amman, Bethlehem and Jerusalem May 24-26. While there, he planned to meet with the representatives of the Christian Churches of Jerusalem, together with Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople.

They will celebrate Mass together at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, where the faithful believe Jesus was crucified and buried.

The announcement was made just as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up three days of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders in a new bid for peace.

Bekasi Ahmadis remain in sealed mosque

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 23:13:00 +0000

Twenty Ahmadiyah followers have missed work and school, remaining holed up in the Al-Misbah Mosque in Bekasi, east of Jakarta, since local officials sealed it off on April 4.

The security coordinator for the Ahmadiyah Indonesia Congregation, Deden Sudjana, said on Saturday that the Ahmadis were in good condition and would stay in the mosque until the city administration allowed the followers of the minority Muslim sect to practice their religion and remove the fence sealing the mosque.

However, officials appear unlikely to honor that request.

Deden said that Bekasi Mayor Rahmat Effendi invited the Bekasi Ahmadiyah congregation members to a dialogue on April 11, which he said ended in deadlock and was attended by representatives of the Bekasi branch of the Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI).

The administration, according to Deden, had agreed to open the mosque only if the Ahmadis removed Islam from their congregation’s name or allowed officials to arrange all services at the mosque, including deciding on its imams.

“We refused to agree to the first point because, just like other Muslims, we are Muslims, too,” Deden said.

“Please do not decide who will be the imam in our own mosque either.”

Deden earlier said that the administration justified shutting down the mosque under the terms of a West Java gubernatorial decree and the 2008 joint ministerial decree banning members of Ahmadiyah from propagating their beliefs.

The closure drew anger from groups promoting pluralism and religious freedom, with 200 clerics in Greater Jakarta taking to the street on April 8 to criticize the government for its failure to crack down on religious intolerance.

The clerics in their cassocks, along with the representatives of Shia, Ahmadiyah and practitioners of indigenous faiths, marched from Bung Karno Stadium to the House of Representatives’ compound in Senayan, Central Jakarta, calling on the government to heed the 1945 Constitution that guarantees religious freedom for minorities.

Eva Kusuma Sundari, a lawmaker on House Commission III overseeing law and human rights, met the 20 besieged Ahmadis on Saturday, saying that the Ahmadis had not met their families in 23 days.

The Ahmadis have been given food and water delivered through the fence from their fellow believers, Eva said.

“I witnessed how they did it. It was inhumane and I was sad about it, but it was the only thing that they could do for their fellow believers who are fighting for their rights,” the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician told The Jakarta Post.

Contacted separately, Hendardi, the chairman of the Setara Institute, which monitors religious freedom in Indonesia, said that Bekasi had a bad record on guaranteeing religious freedom for the Ahmadis and Christians.

“The administration has to protect and enforce religious freedom for minority groups, instead of being one of the actors attacking religious minority groups,” Hendardi said.

Read Origional post here...

Persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan News Report December 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 22:28:00 +0000

Persecution of Ahmadis in Pakistan News Report December 2012

Report...

Pakistan: Ahmadi student shot in head

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 21:55:00 +0000

An Ahmadi Muslim who was shot in the head in Pakistan has arrived in the UK for treatment and will now claim asylum here in order to avoid returning to his home country.

Ummad Farooq, who was in the UK studying in Sunderland on a student visa, had gone home to Karachi for his brother Saad's wedding on the 19 October when the same brother was killed in the attack.

He came back to the UK with the bullet still lodged in his head and is now getting treatment at Queen Elizabeth hospital in Birmingham - the hospital treating Taliban victim Malala Yousafzai.

Ummad Farooq says his family were targeted because his father is the president of the Ahmadiyya community in his locality.

Ahmadis are a Muslim sect whose views differ from mainstream Islam. They suffer persecution because of this and in 1974 the Pakistani government declared the sect non-Muslim.

He spoke to BBC Asian Network reporter Catrin Nye.

You can hear more on this story on Asian Network Reports at 13:00 BST and 17:00 BST on Wednesday or listen back on the BBC iPlayer.

Few years after father’s murder, Ahmedi lawyer shot in Nawabshah

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 03:58:00 +0000

KARACHI:

Tragedy struck an Ahmedi family in Nawabshah once again when the son was shot at by an unidentified man only a few years after his father was killed.

The victim A*, who is a lawyer, was at his brother’s shop – taking a break from his morning work at the district courts – when a man walked up to him, opened fire and disappeared into the crowd. The incident took place at Liaquat Market Road on April 2, according to the victim’s cousin, K.

“I heard a gunshot and when I reached on the spot a few people were trying to take him to the hospital in a rickshaw,” the cousin recalled. “He might have been targeted because of his religious beliefs as he had no personal enmity.” Initially, A was rushed to Civil Hospital, Nawabshah, but was later moved to Karachi.

“The bullet pierced his liver and the doctors have removed the affected part in a surgery,” said MA Khan, a spokesperson for Ahmediya community, “The bleeding hasn’t stopped until now.” The doctors feel, however, that he is recovering.

K remembered the suspect was in his 30s with a beard and a scarf on his shoulder. He noticed the same man watching the shop and their house, located near the shop, closely a few days before the shooting took place.

“Since A survived, we know the attackers are just waiting for an opportunity to kill him,” feared K. “We’ll have to move him to an undisclosed location.”

The community’s spokesperson said that more and more people are leaving the area because of such incidents. “The administration does not take our problems seriously.”

Khan told The Express Tribune said that the police have yet to any take action besides demanding the victim’s statement. They haven’t arrested anyone or even seized the bullet casing from the crime scene, he added. “Why haven’t we been provided protection before when similar incidents have taken place,” he said, adding that at least seven Ahmedis have been killed in over a decade in Nawabshah alone.

The community members have little faith in the government. “This is the constituency of the president of Pakistan and we have been living in a constant state of fear,” said Khan. “We have yet to see the day when justice is served to our community but until then, at least give us our right to pray.” The Nawabshah Bar Association observed a strike to condemn the incident.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 6^th, 2013.

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 19:47:00 +0000

Pakistan Powerless in Face of Shiite Attacks

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 02:20:00 +0000

Yet another attack on Pakistan’s minority Shiite sect – this time in Karachi on Sunday night, killing at least 45 people – further exposes the failure of the government to rein in a growing wave of sectarian violence.

Sunni militants killed more than 400 Shiites in targeted attacks in Pakistan in 2012 – the largest annual total – according to Human Rights Watch. An attack on a billiard hall in southwest Baluchistan province in January killed over 90 Shiites. Five weeks later a blast in a Shiite-dominated area of Quetta killed a further 84 people.

In response, Pakistan has put Baluchistan under direct government control in an attempt to curtail the action of the al-Qaeda linked militant groups that have operated freely there. The government also has clamped down on Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the militant group that claimed responsibility for January’s attack and is widely believed to be behind the latest bomb attacks on Abbas Town, a Karachi suburb.

Police arrested Malik Ishaq, the co-founder of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, who was released from prison in 2011 after a decade in jail on charges of murder of hundreds of people, including many Shiites. Mr. Ishaq, who denies, wrongdoing had continued prior to his latest detention to make speeches inciting violence against Shiites.

But analysts say Mr. Ishaq’s arrest was an attempt by security forces to stop Shiites from planning a retaliatory attacks against him, an act...

Read full post...

Jamaat-i-Islami leader Maghfirat Shah who had been arrested

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 02:16:00 +0000

CHITRAL, March 1: Civil Judge Mohammad Shoaib dismissed on Friday the bail petition of former district Nazim and local Jamaat-i-Islami leader Maghfirat Shah who had been arrested recently after explosives were found at the site of his under-construction hydro-power house.

The former nazim has been shifted to district jail from the DHQ hospital where he had been admitted two days ago because of cardiac problems.

He was booked under sections 5 and 6 of the Explosives Substance Act along with section 380 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to police, the explosives had earlier been stolen from a warehouse of ...

Read full post...

Religious freedom in Canada

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 02:11:00 +0000

The Government of Canada, led by a conservative parliament majority, announced February 19, 2013 the official opening of the Office of freedom of religion. With a budget of five million dollars, the Bureau is responsible for "protecting religious minorities threatened and defend their rights, to fight against the spread of hatred and intolerance based on religion and to promote Canadian values of pluralism and tolerance. »The creation of this Bureau also fits in a broader attempt Harper government's make coexist conservatism and multiculturalism.

Surfing ambiguity

According to the principles of classical liberalism on which is founded the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the state can not

Read full post here...