Articles

Shaykh el-Qaradawi continues to grab headlines. His latest announcement about resigning from the advisory Committee of Ulama at Al-Azhar has been welcomed by most sincere Muslims. He resigned because he accused Al-Azhar and its shaykh of failing to condemn the military coup and its massacres of the Egyptian people. Muslims, however, have questioned el-Qaradawi's sectarian outbursts and his acceptance of patronage of the Qatari amir.

After three rounds of intense negotiations in Geneva, Iran and the P5+1 countries signed an interim deal in the early hours of November 24 relating to Iran’s nuclear program. The deal to last for six months calls for Iran to limit its nuclear activity in return for some relief from sanctions.

After experiencing repeated failures in its policies, especially in Syria, Iraq and Egypt, Turkey has embarked on a course correction in foreign policy. One hopes these are sincere and that Ankara would work for peace and justice rather than disunity in the region.

The American political system is hostage to money. Lobbies rule the roost. The US, however, is not the only country where money talks. Other countries also use money to buy influence or favour. The Saudis use money to create fitna in the Ummah.

In Islam difference of opinion is permitted but in a respectful manner. Sectarianism is a deliberately propagated ideology of hate in which one group of Muslims denounces another as ‘kafirs’ and even resorts to killing. Such hate ideology must be exposed and confronted.

Bandar, the illegitimate son of Sultan born of an illicit affair with a black maid, is the black sheep of the Saudi family. It is not his skin colour but his dark deeds that have aroused so much contempt for him. Like Wahshi, the murderer of Hamza (ra), he is filled with hate.

For more than 30 years, Islamic Iran has held its ground—on the battlefield, on its right to enrich uranium and to establish a system of government based on Islamic principles. This has demanded sacrifices but ultimately, it was its enemies that blinked and came to the negotiating table.

The US and its Western and Zionist-Wahhabi allies may have lost in Syria but this should not lead one to conclude that their mischief-making is over. Vigiliance and prudent rather than complacency are required.

Let by unrealistic expectations of reviving the Ottoman legacy, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayip Erdogan chewed more than he could swallow in Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Lebanon. After repeated failures, Ankara has embarked on a course correction, one hopes, in sincerity.

Pakistan has been gripped by sectarian violence for decades but in recent times, it has become more vicious. Committed Muslims, representing “Shi’is” and “Sunnis” from many parts of the world gathered in Turkey to work toward ending this unnecessary conflict in the Ummah.