US Incites against Hezbollah under Slogan of… Human Rights!


Day after another, the United States spares no effort to incite against the Resistance in Lebanon and seek to direct Lebanese people against their “brothers”…

On Thursday for instance, US Vice President Joe Biden didn’t hesitate to express his “love” to Israel and expressed fears because the Resistance in Lebanon was a “threat” to the Zionist entity. And to complete the “scenario,” he called for the implementation of the international resolution 1701 with the “aim” of “disarming” Hezbollah!

In the same day, the United States a new report on “human rights” in Lebanon, a report in which the American “democracy” would find easy to criticize Lebanon because it didn’t succeed in disarming Hezbollah, in a complete harmony with Biden and his Israeli friends’ aims.

According to the report, UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions 1559 and 1701 call upon the government to take effective control of all Lebanese territory and disarm “militia” groups, including Hezbollah.

The report goes on to claim that despite the presence of Lebanese and UN security forces, “Hezbollah retained significant influence over parts of the country, and the government made no tangible progress toward disbanding and disarming armed militia groups,” in a clear reference to the American “discomfort” at the national-unity government in Lebanon.

The report also claimed that although the country held parliamentary elections international observers deemed generally free and fair, there were limitations on the right of citizens to change their government peacefully.

The American critiques also targeted the security forces. “Security forces arbitrarily arrested and detained individuals. Torture of detainees remained a problem, as did poor prison conditions, lengthy pretrial detention, and long delays in the court system. The government violated citizens’ privacy rights, and there were some restrictions on freedoms of speech and press, including intimidation of journalists. The government suffered from corruption and lack of transparency. There were limitations on freedom of movement for unregistered refugees,” the report said.

While noting the intimidation generated by a series of unresolved political assassinations by unidentified assailants beginning in 2004, the report, of course, didn’t pay attention to the Israeli daily threats against the country and to the Israeli spying networks discovered throughout the whole country…

Yes, in the US, nothing is politically motivated!

Bosnia indicts Serb over killings of Muslims in Srebrenica


Bosnia’s state prosecutor on Saturday indicted a former Serb police commander suspected of taking part in the killing of thousands of Muslims in Srebrenica in 1995, Europe’s worst massacre since World War Two.

Nedjo Ikonic, 45, has been in detention since his extradition to Bosnia in January from the United States, where he had been arrested on an international arrest warrant.

According to the indictment, Ikonic was a commander of a special police brigade operating within the Serb Republic interior ministry during the Bosnian 1992-95 war that claimed 100,000 lives.

“As the commander of the special police unit, Ikonic is charged with taking part in a joint criminal enterprise that aimed to kill men and boys from Srebrenica in July 1995,” the office of the prosecutor Milorad Barasin said in a statement.

It added that Ikonic took part in the arrest of several thousand Muslim men and boys who tried to escape the eastern Bosnian town through the woods and were detained in a warehouse in the nearby village of Kravice.

“Ikonic is charged with ordering, overseeing and abetting the execution of more than 1,000 Muslims who were detained in Kravice,” the office said.

Bosnian Serb forces, commanded by general Ratko Mladic, killed about 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys after the eastern town, which was a United Nations-protected safe zone, fell into their hands in 1995.

Most were killed while trying to escape through the woods, and were either shot or arrested and taken to places of execution before burial in mass graves.

The U.N. war crimes tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague has sentenced seven Bosnian Serbs for the Srebrenica massacre. Nine more are on trial.

Mladic is still on the run, 14 years after he was indicted. Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic, who is on trial at the Hague-based court, denies 11 counts of war crimes relating to the Bosnian war, including the genocide at Srebrenica.

The Bosnian war crimes court, set up in 2005 to relieve the burden on the Hague-based tribunal, has put dozens of Bosnian Serbs on trial over Srebrenica. Twelve have been jailed, seven acquitted and seven are still being tried.

Hezbollah slams Israeli Judaization bid in WB


Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement has condemned the new Israeli plan to build 1,600 new Jewish homes in the occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds.

The movement warned that the project seeks demographic changes in the occupied territories.

“The scheme is yet another part of a Judaization campaign that targets the holy city of al-Quds and a provocation of Muslim feeling, “the Shia political party said in a statement released on Friday.

Hezbollah also accused the US of supporting Israel’s expansionist policies on Palestinian lands.

“The Zionist plan to construct hundreds of homes in al-Quds truly shows American cover to it.”

Israel’s interior ministry on Tuesday said it had approved the construction of 1,600 new housing units in Ramat Shlomo neighborhood in the mainly Arab eastern sector of al-Quds.

The announcement sparked swift condemnation from the International community including Turkey, Lebanon, Brazil, China, Russia, and even the US and UK.

There are currently 121 Israeli settlements and 102 Israeli outposts built on Palestinian land occupied by Israel in 1967.

These settlements and outposts are inhabited by a population of approximately 462,000 Israeli settlers. Some 191,000 Israelis are living in settlements around al-Quds and an additional 271,400 are spread throughout the West Bank

Saudi Shia Muslims at risk of torture and ill-treatment


The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in the Arabian Peninsula
( CDHRAP )

According to Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA),  In an attempt to consolidate the political and religious dictatorship on the multi-confessional people of the Arabian Peninsula , the Saudi regime has being using the methods of repression and the governmental terrorism to vilify the adherents of the other Islamic schools of jurisprudence that differ from the official interpretation of Islam , particularly the Shiites, who estimate of 25 percent of the population of the Arabian Peninsula .

The Saudi security authorities routinely use torture and ill-treatment in Saudi prisons and detention centers with the prisoners during the period of interrogations to extract confessions from them or to punish them , or to suppress of their religious faiths .

Despite the Saudi government’s assurances that the prisoners were protected by law , but the practices of the enforcement authorities against the prisoners violate the article 2 of the criminal procedure code which states that ” an arrested person shall not be subjected to any bodily or moral harm” or to “any torture or degrading treatment”, and also violate the Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which states that :
” No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

The ” Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ” also requires states parties to prohibit torture and does not allow derogation from this prohibition at any time.

Saudi regime , as a state party to this convention , is obliged not to impose any punishments that amount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

The poor Saudi record of human rights is full of many evidences of using torture and there were a lot of torture victims still have the marks , evidence and the signatures of Saudi torturers .

The Saudi torture for example did not exclude the forgotten prisoners who were rearrested in 1996 following the bombing of the US military base in al-Khobar in 1996.

The forgotten prisoners had been exposed to severe physical torture and ill-treatment which was directed at degradation of personality by destroying basic human dignity.

Hussain Yousif al-Harbi at risk of torture and ill-treatment

Reliable sources informed the Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in the Arabian Peninsula that the Shi’a citizen Hussain Yousif al-Harbi , 22 years , from the town of Rumaila in Al-Ahsa , who was arrested on 31 January 2010 has been exposed to torture and remained detained without charge or trial .

Al-Harbi was detained under the accusation of provoking other Shi’a youths to fix Ashura banners and signs on the streets of the town of Rumaila in the occasion of Shi’a holiday of Ashura .

The banners and signs were previously removed by the Saudi security forces , then insensibility burned them in front of people .

Hussain Yousif al-Harbi was first detained on 8 August 2009 because of participation of religious activities during the Islamic month of Mohrram , and on 11 November 2009 , due to participation of  the annual celebration of Imam Mahdi and Imam Hassan birthdays during the Islamic months of Ramadan and Sha’ban , then he was released after 15 days.

On 15 December 2009 , he was  arrested for one week imprisonment under the charge of hindering the traffic during  the celebration of the celebration of Imam Hassan birthday, then he released after,.

Al-Harbi , expressed of his right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion which guaranteed by the international human rights covenants and treaties .

CDHRAP considers al-Harbi to be a prisoner of conscience held solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of religion and call for his immediate and unconditional release.

The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights in the Arabian Peninsula calls the international organizations and local human rights to put pressure on the Saudi regime to release Hussain Yousif al-Harbi and his mates from Rumaila of Al-Ahsa and addresses to the Saudi authorities responsible to maintain his safety.

Shia Muslim Businessman arrested on a sectarian backgrounds

Saudi authorities detained a prominent business man and social activist in Al-Hassa as attendees in a religious festival used the side walks around a worship house that is under his custody.

Sources informed Rasid that Sauid authorities detained the business man Hajji Abdulrasool Al-A’mer as attendees in the over crowdedAl-Ja’farya Husainya were forced to use the sidewalks around it during a religious lecture in Ashura.

The incident dates back to December end of last year when thousands of Saudi Shia commemorate the tragic battle of Ashura.

Saudi authorities forced a stringent ban on all sorts of festival that Saudi Shia commemorate around the year.

It is customarily that worship houses (Hussainya) are full with hundreds of worshippers which force that late comers to use the sidewalks and alleys around the worship house.

This is Al-A’mer’s second arrest since his last in 2004 for similar charges.

Al-A’mer is well known for his care and attention to many worship houses and mosques in Al-Hassa which makes him a target for frequent arrests.

Four innocent Shia youths detained in Karachi by the law enforcement agency.


Four innocent Shia youths detained yesterday night (Friday night) by the law enforcement agency and transferred to unknown place. According to the Shiite news correspondent four innocent Shiite youths were detained by the law enforcement agencies on unknown allegation from shia localities, Soildier bazaar, Kharadar, Incholi and Orangi town. According to our correspondent well known Shiite leader Mustafa Kirmani was arrested from his dwell at 3 am from Kharadar whereas Abbas Ashoor from Soilder bazaar, Samad abbas from Incholi and Kalim Abbas from Orangi town. Government has again started crack down against Shiite instead of arresting those terrorists who were involved in the bloodshed of mourners of Imam Hussain (a.s) they have started detaining Shiite who already have beared the loss of 70 lives in the past three months. Government has become failure in tracing and detaining the terrorists of incident of Ashoora and Arbaeen and instead of being ashamed they have start arresting innocent Shiite youths this act of Government shows their sectarian approach and hatred towards the Shiite community.

Hezbollah slams Israeli Judaization bid in WB


Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement has condemned the new Israeli plan to build 1,600 new Jewish homes in the occupied East Jerusalem al-Quds.

The movement warned that the project seeks demographic changes in the occupied territories.

“The scheme is yet another part of a Judaization campaign that targets the holy city of al-Quds and a provocation of Muslim feeling, “the Shia political party said in a statement released on Friday.

Hezbollah also accused the US of supporting Israel’s expansionist policies on Palestinian lands.

“The Zionist plan to construct hundreds of homes in al-Quds truly shows American cover to it.”

Israel’s interior ministry on Tuesday said it had approved the construction of 1,600 new housing units in Ramat Shlomo neighborhood in the mainly Arab eastern sector of al-Quds.

The announcement sparked swift condemnation from the International community including Turkey, Lebanon, Brazil, China, Russia, and even the US and UK.

There are currently 121 Israeli settlements and 102 Israeli outposts built on Palestinian land occupied by Israel in 1967.

These settlements and outposts are inhabited by a population of approximately 462,000 Israeli settlers. Some 191,000 Israelis are living in settlements around al-Quds and an additional 271,400 are spread throughout the West Bank.

Tehran Friday Prayer Sermons


Tehran’s interim Friday Prayer Leader, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani has criticized the dual approach of western states in confronting terrorism.

Addressing Friday prayer worshippers in Tehran, Ayatollah Mohammad Emami Kashani pointed to the release of the PJAK terrorist ringleader by German authorities and said that the opponents of the Islamic republic of Iran freed the PJAK leader, Rahman Haji Ahmadi only because of conducting terrorist operations against Iranian citizens.

Tehran’s Friday prayers leader also added that this terrorist ringleader who directed PJAK’s terrorist operations from Germany has on so many occasion claimed responsibility for bloody terrorist operation in Iran’s western Kurd regions.

Ayatollah Kashani further reiterated that the enemies of the Islamic republic of Iran have accused and detained Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting journalist who served as a journalist for 17 years in Italy for no reason and in order to put a lid on such inhumane act.

Tehran’s Friday prayers leader also condemned the obstructionisms of arrogant and hegemonic powers in Iran’s peaceful nuclear program and said that the west accuses Iran of trying to build atomic weapons in order to prevent Tehran from gaining access to scientific and industrial advancements.

Iraq not to be run by one party, says al-Hakim


The head of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council (SIIC) Syed Ammar al-Hakim pointed out that “We do not support the principle of the political majority since Iraq can not be run by a single man or single party.”

According to the Shiite News a statement by the SIIC, quoted Hakim as saying “We need a strong and united government to represent all constituents of the Iraqi spectrum.”
“We are looking for a government that believes in actions rather than slogans,” he added, noting that “We will put the people’s interests ahead of political interests.”
“The elections came to sustain the principle of democracy in Iraq,” according to Hakim.
Hakim also appreciated the role of the religious authorities which supported the political process.
It is worth mentioning that some blocs expressed their wishes to form a political majority government.
Ammar al-Hakim meets Grand Ayatullah Sistani in Najaf
Meanwhile, The head of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, Syed Ammar al-Hakim visited the Higher Religious Authority Ayatollah Ali Sistani in his office in Najaf on Thursday.
Informed source statedthat  “Hakim is the first political figure to meet Sistani after the elections.”
Ammar al-Hakim has arrived in Najaf on Thursday morning.

Maliki’s State of Law Coalition holds narrow lead in Iraq election


Iraqi Shia Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition holds the lead in Iraq’s legislative election, closely followed by rival Shias Iraqi National Alliance amid allegations of fraud from Saudia Arabia backed Saddam loyalists Al-Iraqiya.
Partial results from Iraq’s tight election race coming out on Friday indicated Maliki’s State of Law coalition sets the pace with the powerful Iraqi National Alliance, a coalition of major Shia parties, on its heels with only 16 percent behind.
The initial results for five provinces have been released so far, leaving the race too early to call as figures have yet to be announced for 13 other provinces. This is while the result is really difficult to foresee in key areas such as Baghdad, where the city’s 6-million strong population incorporate diverse ethnical and religious communities.
The parliamentary poll held amid highly tightened security on March 7 — the second such vote since the 2003invasion of the country by US-led forces — is viewed as a landmark test of democracy for the Iraqi government seven years after the ouster of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
The picture is, however, becoming increasingly more tainted by complaints of serious fraud from former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi’s secularist alliance, the al-Iraqiya List, which swept a noticeable majority of votes in two Sunni majority provinces in the north.

But the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) dismissed charges of serious fraud from Allawi’s camp, including reports that ballots were discovered in the garbage and more than 200,000 soldiers’ names were missing from voting lists.
“The process of counting and sorting ballots is going well, with the presence of observers from political parties and under international supervision,” Reuters quoted Hamdiya al-Hussaini, a top IHEC official, as saying.
Five days after the election was held in Iraq, UN officials acknowledged the counting is taking longer than expected, but defended IHEC officials who have been citing a complicated system set up to thwart fraud.
Adding to the confusion in the counting process are technical challenges the IHEC suffered regarding the computer system used to enter polling data.

The system was slowed or was taken offline intermittently for maintenance, UN officials said. IHEC officials have, however, assured the problem was fixed now and that more initial results from at least another three provinces would be published on Friday.
On Thursday, Hussaini said the electoral commission had received some 1,000 complaints over the vote, without providing further detail.

Rahber Khemenei donates rls 200m to needy people


Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday donated rls 200 million in cash ….

Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday donated rls 200 million in cash to needy people who are covered by the Imam Khomeini Relief Committee.

The Supreme Leader’s donation was part of programs marking the annual Charity Festival.

Mahmood Ahmadinejad: Iranians show world how to fight terrorism


President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that Iranians have shown the world how to fight against terrorism.

He made the remarks in his address to the local residents of this southern provincial capital city where he is visiting during the third round of his tours of Iranian provinces.

Referring to the arrest of the notorious terrorist ringleader Abdolmalek Rigi by Iranian security forces late in February, the president said, ”A wicked terrorist who was supported by three powerful intelligent services of corrupted powers was arrested at the lowest human and financial costs.”

Rigi headed a terrorist group responsible for many cases of terrorist attacks and assassinations in southeastern Iran.

He confessed after his arrest that he was supported by the intelligent services of some Western states including the US.

“A number of countries that keep on claiming to be in war against terrorism, have broadcast images of this savage terrorist’s crimes and claimed that his action was the only way to bring democracy to Iran,” said the president criticizing certain states’ support for the notorious ringleader.

He also criticized the hegemonic powers for tackling restoration of jsutice and security to the world nations.

The president further stressed that the people of Iran favored peace, security and progress for all nations.

President Ahmadinejad is in this southern province, along the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, on a two-day visit during which he is to meet with local elites, clerics and members of the families of war veterans and war-time martyrs.

Would Jaffar al-Sadr be unexpected next Premier?


Political sources expected possibility of nominating Islmic Dawa Party leader, Jaffar al-Sadr for the Premier post of Iraq to be the unexpected figure highlighted by foreign diplomatic personalities.”

According to the Shiite News, Jaffar al-Sadr is the son of the Higer religious authority Shaheed Ayatullah Syed Mohammed Baqir al-Sadr who was executed by the former Military dictator Saddam Hussain on April, 9, 1980.

Jaffar is a Youngman in the forties of age and a candidate within the State of Law’s Coalition headed by the Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is also the leader of Islamic Dawa Party.

Some politicians and diplomatic figures expected to nominate Jaffar al-Sadr to replace Nouri al-Maliki in case some blocs rejected nominating Maliki for another term.  Sadr trend Political party led by Noted Iraqi Cleric Syed Muqtada al-Sadr also against the nomination of Iraqi Prime Minister Nour al-Malkik for another term.
The State of Law Coalition (SLC) denied these reports when the spokesperson of the SLC Hasan al-Sineid stated “The SLC adheres to nominate Maliki for the Prime Minister post.”

Some politicians believe that Jaffar al-Sadr represent a compromise since the Iraqi National Alliance and the some other groups do not wish to nominate Maliki for another term due his style of ruling.

Jaffar finished his higher religious education and then turned to study law to get the M.A. in international law.

Later, he decided to leave his religious fashion and wear the modern suit, and stated several times that he wishes to “establish a modern civil state in Iraq.”

It is expected that “Regional pressure would be practiced on political blocs to form the cabinet as soon as possible, because delay will result in a political void that would negatively affect the citizens.”
However, Early results from Iraq’s parliamentary elections show State of Law Coalition led by Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki in the lead. Local officials said Maliki’s political bloc was so far leading in nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces.
Official final results are not due until the end of March and, after that, it is likely to take months before a new government is formed as no political bloc is set to emerge dominant from the vote.

Tauqeer Abbas of District Layyah, Martyred


The injured of 7th Rabiul Awal firing incident at Layyah Distrcit, Tauqeer Abbas (24) was matryed in Nishtar Hospital Multan on Wednesday.
He was seriously injured in firing on 7th Rabi-al-Awal (22nd Feb 2010) in Basti Gharkal (Pronounced as Jharkal) Tahsil Kahrore District Layyah. Shaheed Tauqeer Abbas got two bullets, his nervous system was damaged and because of improper arrangement for treatment he can not survived and surrendered his life.
Tauqeer was sole earner of his family, was working in a factory in Faisalabad. He was very dignified and a true Azadar-e-Imam Hussain (A.S), about one and half month ago same culprits who murdered him, attacked on Imambarah. That’s why Tauqeer lodged report against them. Therefore he was unbearable for same terrorist group known as Amin Guddu Group.
Amin Gudu Group is a wing of notorious terrorists outlawedparty Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (Sipah-e-Sahaba). This Gudu Groups is involved in so many murders, dacoity, robbery and ransom cases. According to some sources its main command is shifted to Karachi now.
The supprot of Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) mainstream leadership including Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah to outlawed terrorit group of Sipah-e-Sahaba are given the free hand to the terrorists of the outalwed organization to perform their henious crimes across the Punjab provice. Recent killing of Tauqeer Abbas in Distrcit Layyah and attacks on Eid-e-Miladun Nabi (SAWW) holy processions showed that these terrorits were expand their activities in the country with the support of PML-N and someother politicial parties.
Our country is deeply victim of terrorism, people belong from all walk life are sufferer these group’s violence. It’s time for government of Pakistan to grip all terrorist activities and get rid off extremist groups for the greater cause of our country. Peace and sovereignty must be supreme for our beloved land

‘US might manipulate Iraq election results’


A member of Iraq’s National Alliance (INA) has warned that the US is possibly attempting to manipulate the results of the country’s general elections as the release of the vote tally was postponed again.

INA candidate, Entifadh Qanbar told press TV that the United States might try to intervene in the process of vote counting through the High Electoral Commission.

“The concern is that how the ballots from each voting center are going to be processed in the computer center inside the Electoral Commission,” Qanbar said.

“The reason we are insisting on this issue is that we are afraid there is some sort of American intervention inside the Electoral Commission in processing these numbers and may be altering these numbers,” he added.

Qanbar said that his alliance would not “accept any election results without putting the ballots out to prove that the ballots have been processed and entered in the computer system in a proper way.”

The Election Commission has postponed until Thursday the announcement of the preliminary results of the country’s parliamentary elections with reports suggesting that Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s the State of Law Coalition is ahead.

Meeting with vote-counters at the Independent High Electoral Commission on Wednesday, top United Nations envoy Ad Melkert called on election officials to release the results as soon as possible, AP reported.

“Now we hope, that as soon as possible, preliminary results can be made public because Iraqis have the right to know as soon as possible what is the outcome of their choice of the Election Day,” Melkert said.

Election Commission officials also withdrew an earlier announcement that the preliminary results would be released Wednesday night.

According to Qassim al-Aboudi, a senior member of the panel, initial results would likely be released on Thursday.

Hezbollah: Disarming Resistance Not in Lebanon's Interest


Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem said that Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations aim to legitimize the Israeli occupation instead of liberating the Palestinian territories.
 
Speaking during a ceremony held by Hezbollah in Baalbeck, Sheikh Qassem called a heresy the belief that Lebanon’s strength lies in its weakness and diplomatic relations, adding that this outlook has been dropped and replaced with one that states that Lebanon’s strength is in its Resistance, army, people and diplomatic ties.
 
Efforts are being made to strengthen the Resistance and the army by supplying both with more weapons and recruits, his eminence said, adding that the Lebanese people are being reinforced through consensus building and preparations to confront Israeli threats.
 
For his part, Hezbollah Minister Mohamad Fneish said that Lebanon should benefit from the Resistance, the army as well as diplomatic efforts.
 
Speaking to News Website ‘NowLebanon’, Fneish noted that parties should not focus on the Resistance’s arms. “Whoever discusses disarming the Resistance does not want to defend Lebanon,” he said.
 
According to Fneish, the summit meeting that joined Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Damascus last month was a “clear warning to Israel.”

MP Fadlallah Reveals Agreement Signed between Lebanon, US


The head of the Media and Telecommunications parliamentary committee MP Hasan Fadlallah announced on Wednesday that an agreement on security cooperation was signed between Lebanon and the United States at the time of Fouad Saniora’s cabinet, adding that MPs need more time to study and assess the mentioned agreement.
 
Speaking to reporters following the committee’s meeting, Fadlallah said that the committee continued studying the 2009 US request to the Internal Security Forces (ISF) Directorate General for information on Lebanon’s communications grid.
 
According to Fadlallah, the request was an attempt to violate Lebanon’s sovereignty. “We are keen on preserving the country’s security and are following up on the matter,” he said.  Some believe the US request is dangerous while other think it is regular, he added.

Imam Khamenei's View of Women's Role and Rights in Society


The Supreme Leader’s View of Women’s Role and Rights in Society

Part one: The role of women in society

The role of women in a human community

The issue of women and how they are treated in different communities is an issue which has been discussed among different communities and civilizations for a long time. Women always constitute half of the world’s population. Life in this world is as much dependant on men as it is on women. Naturally, women shoulder the greatest responsibilities in the world. They do essential things such as giving birth to and educating children. Therefore, the issue of women is an important issue and has been discussed in societies among intellectuals for a long time.

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Having an appropriate view of women

One should have a high regard for women in order to understand their rights and freedoms. In order to understand women’s rights and freedoms, one should look at them as human beings who can be a resource for society by helping to educate moral humans. Women should be looked upon as the main element in the formation of a family. Although families are made up of both men and women, and both men and women play a role in the formation of a family, the peaceful atmosphere inside a family is due to the existence of women and their womanly nature. One should have such a view of women in order to understand how women can move towards perfection and what their rights are.

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Historical oppression against women

Throughout history, women have been oppressed in different societies. This is due to the ignorance of human beings. Whenever there is no use of force, the more powerful people tend to oppress the weaker ones. This force may come either from within humans – strong faith – which is very rare, or from outside – force that is exerted by the law. This is part of the nature of ignorant humans.

Unfortunately, women have always been oppressed throughout history. This is mainly due to not recognizing the true position of women. Women should find their true position, and they should not be oppressed just because they are women. This is something very bad. Women have been oppressed in many ways. Sometimes certain things have been done in regard to women which may not be called oppression, but they are in fact a type of oppression. A case in point would be directing women towards luxury, consumerism, wearing make-up, extravagance, and becoming an object for use. This is a great oppression against women. One can possibly claim that this is the greatest oppression against women because it will completely prevent women from achieving their goals and ideals and will lead them towards petty and worthless goals.

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The issue of women in the world

Despite all its claims, all the efforts made by committed and sympathetic people, and all the cultural activities that have been done in regard to the issue of women, humanity has so far failed to find an appropriate solution to the issue of women – as a result of which the issue of men is raised too.

In other words, extremist measures, deviations, and lack of proper understanding of the issue have resulted in oppression, violation of rights, psychological shortcomings, family problems, and problems about the way men and women should interact with each other. These are among the problems which humanity has so far failed to solve. In other words, human beings who have made numerous discoveries in materialistic issues, in astronomy, and in the bottoms of the seas and who claim to have in-depth knowledge in the field of psychology and social and economic issues – they have truly made progress in many of these fields – are unable to solve this problem.

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The role of hijab in society

In Islam, there is a distance between men and women. This does not mean that women live in a different world than that of men. This is not the case. Men and women live together in society and in workplace. They interact with each other in many places. They solve social problems together. They solve the problems of war together. They manage families and bring up children together. But that distance is maintained outside home and the family environment. This is the main point in an Islamic model. If this point is not observed, the same corruption which is prevalent in the west will happen here too. If this point is not observed, women will no longer be the pioneers of moving towards values – as they are in Islamic Iran.

The issue of hijab is not intended to isolate women. Those who have such a perception of hijab are mistaken. The purpose of hijab is to prevent men and women from interacting with each other without observing any boundaries. Such an interaction would be detrimental to society and both men and women – particularly women. Hijab helps women reach the lofty moral position they deserve and prevents them from moral deviation.

Any effort to defend women should be based on safeguarding women’s morality. Morality is a means which brings about honor and respect for women in the eye of others, even in the eye of licentious men. Morality brings about respect for women. Islam stresses the issue of women’s morality. Of course morality is important about men too. It is not limited to women only. Men should also maintain their morality.

In places where women are encouraged to ignore hijab and immodest clothes are encouraged, women’s security will be undermined in the first place. Then the security of men and youth will be undermined too. Islam has introduced the issue of hijab to help men and women carry out their duties in society.

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The role and duties of women

In an Islamic society, men and women enjoy sufficient freedom. Islamic works which exist in this regard and the equal social duties which Islam has assigned to men and women bear testimony to this fact. Prophet Muhammad (s.w.a) said: “One who spends a night without caring about the affairs of Muslims is not a Muslim.” What the Holy Prophet (s.w.a) said is not limited to men only. Women should also feel responsible towards the affairs of Muslims, the Islamic society, the world of Islam, and everything that happens in the world. This is an Islamic duty. Hazrat Fatimah (s.a) was present in all the events which happened in Medina – which was the center of all political and social events of that time – after the Holy Prophet (s.w.a) immigrated from Mecca to Medina. This is a model for women to follow and is indicative of the role of women in an Islamic system.

According to an ayah in Sura Al-Ahzab [ayah 35], men and women are equal in regard to being faithful, obeying God, being humble and truthful, fasting, being patient, guarding their morality, and remembering God. Women’s activities in society are completely appropriate and acceptable. They should be active in society by observing Islamic limits. Women constitute half of society’s work force. When both men and women are educated, the number of society’s educated people will be doubled compared to when only men are educated. When women are also involved in teaching professions, the number of teachers will be doubled in society. There is no difference between men and women with regard to construction and economic activities and in planning the affairs of a country, city, village, group, or family. Everyone is responsible and should play a role in these fields.

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The basis of women’s social movements

Every social movement will only succeed if it is based on wisdom, thought, and logical and appropriate bases. Similarly, every movement that is intended to defend the rights of women should be based on the same criteria. That is, every movement should be based on wisdom and understanding of the realities of this world – understanding the nature of men and women, duties and responsibilities of men and women, and what can be shared by both men and women. Nothing should be based on imitation. Every movement that is based on imitation or blind decisions will be harmful.

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The role of women in national development

If a country intends to engage in reconstruction in the true sense of the word, it should focus its attention on its human resources. When one speaks of human resources, it has to be noted that half of every country’s population and human resources is comprised of women. If there is a misconception about women, reconstruction cannot be done in the true sense of the word or in a comprehensive manner. Women should be aware of the issue of women from an Islamic perspective in order to be able to defend their rights on the basis of Islamic principles. Similarly, men as well as all other members of society should be aware of the viewpoints of Islam in regard to women, their presence in different arenas of life, their activities, their education, their working, and their social, political, economic, and scientific activities. They should be aware of the role of women both inside and outside the family.

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The necessity of acquiring knowledge

Women can receive academic education. There are some people who think that girls should not receive education. This is a wrong belief. Girls should study in fields which are useful for them and which they are interested in. Society needs educated girls in the same way it needs educated boys. Of course the atmosphere in which they study should be healthy. Ignoring the moral principles about the relationships between men and women is not a prerequisite for education. Rather, it is possible to acquire knowledge and reach high positions by observing these principles.

One of the basic things that should be done is to encourage women to read books. An innovative way should be figured out to encourage housewives to read books. Books are a source of knowledge for humans which help them think about and understand matters better. They also help us introduce innovations and adopt better positions.

Knowledge is a valuable thing. I support the idea that in an Islamic society there should be female scientists in all fields. There were some women who thought that women should only study gynecology and childbirth. This is not the case. Women should pursue their studies in different technical fields of medicine – cardiology, internal medicine, neurology, etc. This is both a religious and a social duty.

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Women’s employment

Islam is not opposed to women’s employment. Not only is Islam not opposed to employment of women, it considers it as necessary as long as it does not prevent women from fulfilling their most basic duty which is educating children and safeguarding the family. No country can afford to dispense with women’s services in different arenas.

There are some people who have extremist views. There are some women who believe that they should not engage in social activities because it will prevent them from caring for their husband and children and dealing with household affairs. There are also some women who believe that they should not care for their husband and children because they prevent them from engaging in social activities. Both beliefs are wrong. They should not miss any of the two for the sake of the other.

Of course the issue of employment is not of primary importance for women. Although Islam is not opposed to the employment of women – except in specific cases, which may or may not be agreed upon by all Islamic jurisprudents. The main issue regarding women is what has now been completely destroyed in the west, that is, the feeling of peace and security and having an opportunity to show their talents without being oppressed in society, in the family, or by their husbands and fathers. Those who are active in the field of women’s affairs should make efforts in this regard.

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Part two: The role of women in the family

Islamic education of women

If an Islamic society can educate women according to an Islamic model, women can reach their true position. If women can acquire knowledge and gain the moral and ethical virtues which Allah the Exalted has specified for all humans – both men and women – they can educate their children better and the family atmosphere will become warmer and more pleasant. Also in this case, society will make more progress and problems of life can be solved more easily. Therefore, men and women will have a prosperous life together. Islam does not intend to pitch men against women. The purpose of Islamic teachings is not to cause a fierce competition between men and women. The goal of these teachings is to help women reach the same position as men by doing the same things as they do. In Islam, this is possible and has been done before.

One of the most important things is to teach women the right methods of treating their husband and children. There are some very good women who are very patient. But they do not know the right methods of treating their husband and children. These methods are tried and true. Over the years, these methods have improved as a result of the experience of humans in this regard. There are some people who possess useful experience in this regard. The ground should be prepared so that these people can instruct women in these fields.

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The right to choose one’s husband

As a spouse, women have been given special attention by Islam from various perspectives. Firstly, it is the issue of choosing a husband. From an Islamic perspective, women are free to choose their husband and no one can impose his or her opinion on women in this regard. This means that even a woman’s brothers or her father – let alone the more distant relatives – have no right to impose their opinion on a woman in regard to who she should marry.

Of course there have been some wrong habits in Islamic communities over the years. But what some ignorant Muslims do should not be attributed to Islam. These are wrong habits. Ignorant Muslims do certain things based on their wrong habits which have nothing to do with Islam and its holy principles.

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Two examples of ignorance in marriage

If anyone forces a girl to marry her cousin, they have done something wrong. If a boy prevents her cousin from marrying another person because she did not marry him, he has done a haraam act, and those who help him also do a haraam act. These acts are against Islamic Sharia and there is no difference of opinion among Islamic jurisprudents in this regard.

If two tribes decide that a girl from one of the tribes should marry someone from the other tribe in order to settle a dispute and they do not ask for the girl’s consent in this regard, they have done a haraam act. Of course if they ask for the girl’s consent, then there is nothing wrong with doing that. There might be a girl who is willing to marry a boy from another tribe and to solve a dispute too. In this case, there is nothing wrong with doing so. But if the girl is made to marry someone, the act is haraam from an Islamic perspective.

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A place for peace

Peace is one of the most important things which humanity needs. Humans need to be away from anxiety and emotional turmoil in order to achieve prosperity. Peace is a feeling which one can only get from his family. This is the case for both men and women. There is a Quranic verse which says: “And of His signs is this, that He created mates for you from yourselves.” This means that God created men for women and women for men. “From yourselves” here means that men and women are the same as one another. They have the same position. They are the same entity and have the same nature.

Of course men and women are different with regard to some of their characteristics. This is because they have different responsibilities. Then the verse continues: “That you might find quiet of mind in them”. This means that the creation of two sexes among humans is aimed at a lofty goal, which is to bring about peace of mind for them. This is to help women find peace beside their opposite sex in the family. For men, living in the calm atmosphere of a family beside a kind, loving, and sincere wife is a means for finding peace. For women, having a man who loves them and whom they can rely on is a type of prosperity. It will bring about a sense of peace and prosperity to them. A family can bring about this feeling for both men and women. Men need women to find peace in the family and women also need men in the family to find peace. “That you might find quiet of mind in them.” Men and women need each other in order to find peace.

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The importance of women in a family

In fact, it is women who manage the family. Women, and not men, are the main element in a family. There might exist a family without a man. If in a family, the man is not present or has passed away, the woman can maintain the family if she is wise and cares about her family. But if the woman is taken away from a family, the man cannot maintain the family. Therefore, it is the woman who maintains the family.

The reason Islam has stressed the role of women in a family is that if a woman is committed to her family, cares about the education of her children, breast-feeds them, brings them up under her support, and feeds them with cultural food – Islamic principles, Quranic and instructive stories – as well as food for the body, then the different generations of that society will become successful. This is a special skill for women and is not in contradiction to education, teaching, working, entering politics, and similar things.

In all social plans, the family should be considered as the basis. The issue of being a mother or a wife as well as the issue of the family are very basic and vital issues. This means that if a woman is the greatest expert in any field but is not a good wife at home, then this is considered a weakness for her. The woman should be like a master in the house. This is a principle. If we are allowed to make an imperfect comparison, a woman can be likened to a queen bee.

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Natural influence of women

Women naturally have a special influence on their husbands, except in special cases. Of course this does not mean that if a woman is dominant on her husband, we could say that she is influential on him. What I mean is their God-given power. Ultimately, I consider women to be stronger than men. This is my belief. In a confrontation – if the confrontation lasts for sometime – the person who wins will be the woman. This means that women will use the tools and powers which God has given to them and will overcome men. This is one of the beauties and mysteries of nature. Apart from their role in society, women can also play a role in encouraging men to fulfill their roles.

Men prefer to let their wife and children stay at home and fight alone. For instance, we were present on the battlefields, but we did not like to take our wives with us. We told them to stay and that we would go to the battlefields alone. But when women go to a battle, they take their husband with them and send them ahead. Women are like this. This characteristic, natural influence, and prominent role in the battlefields should be preserved.

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The center of kindness

The divine nature of men and women cause a relationship between them which is based on kindness and love.

A good relationship between men and women should be based on kindness, love, and friendship. They should like each other, show love towards each other, and treat each other kindly.

A family is a place where kindness and emotions should be promoted. Children should be treated with kindness. The husband, who is a man, and is in certain cases more fragile than women needs his wife’s kindness. This is the only thing that will soothe a man. Sometimes even a mother’s kindness is not as influential. For an adult man, his wife does what a mother does for her baby. And women who are accurate know this point. If these emotions and feeling were not dependant on the existence of a main element in the family – which is the woman – then the family would be a meaningless unit.

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Sharing the duties

Men and women have got different natural characteristics. Inside the family, women should not be expected to do the same things that men do or to have the same characteristics as men. Similarly, men should not be expected to have the same characteristics as women either. Men and women have each got different natural and emotional characteristics. It is to the benefit of humanity and society that the emotional characteristics of men and women be taken into consideration in the family. If these characteristics are observed, both men and women will feel happy. But men and women do not have the right to oppress or try to dominate each other. There are some men who think that women have to do all the things that are related to them. Of course in a family a man and a woman who love each other will quite willingly do anything for each other. But doing things willingly is different from feeling or acting in a way as if women have to act like a servant in the house. Such a notion does not exist in Islam.

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Prioritizing the housework

There are some women who work outside the house. They do surgeries, visit patients, do scientific jobs, develop plans, and teach at universities. They do all these things. But they should think of the housework too. Of course like all other things, the quantity of the housework can be sacrificed at the cost of its quality. This means that the quantity of the housework can be reduced. The presence of women at home twenty four hours a day is one thing. It is quite another thing if the number of hours is reduced but the quality is increased. If women feel that working outside home has a negative effect on their household duties, they should do something about it. This is a basic and important issue, unless in exceptional cases. In all cases, there are necessities which are outside the scope of rules and what is common. For women, the most important thing is educating children and raising the spirits of their husband for entering important arenas.

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Educating children

Educating children is one of the duties of women in a family. Women who avoid giving birth to children because of their activities outside home act against the human nature and their womanly nature. God will not be pleased with doing such a thing. Those who give up their duties towards children, educating children, breastfeeding children, and bringing them in an atmosphere of kindness and passion in order to do things that are not dependant on them are doing something wrong. The best way to bring up children is by showing them motherly affection. Women who deprive their children of this God-given gift do something wrong. This is harmful to themselves, their children, and society. Islam does not allow such acts. One of the most important duties of women is to bring up their children with kindness and educate them properly and carefully so that they are emotionally healthy when they grow up and do not suffer from any emotional complexes or the problems which currently afflict European and western youth.

Because western women did not care about the education of their children, western societies have now reached a position where millions of corrupt teenagers are now involved in criminal acts in European countries and the US under the shadow of their materialistic civilization, their tall palaces, atomic bases, multi-story skyscrapers, and their scientific and technological advances. There are thieves, assassins, drug dealers, and addicted people among their teenagers. What is the reason? This is because western women did not value the family.

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The story of the flower and the gardener

From an Islamic point of view, men are supposed to protect women like a flower in the family. There is tradition which says: “Women are flowers”. This is not related to political and social arenas or the arena of acquiring knowledge. This is related to inside the family. “A woman is a flower and not a servant at home”. By saying this, the Holy Prophet (s.w.a) has falsified the claim made by those who think that women have to work like a servant at home. Women are like a flower which needs to be taken care of. If you wrestle with a flower, its leaves will fall off. If you treat a flower like a flower [delicately], it will bring about beauty and will be noticed. Women who are emotionally and physically delicate should be viewed in this way.

In Islam, the womanly nature of women, on which all the needs and emotions of women are dependant, has been taken into consideration. That is, women are not forced to think, work, and act like men while they are women. This means that the womanly nature of women which is a natural characteristic of women and the basis of all their emotions and efforts has been taken into consideration by Islam. In the mean time, according to Islam, women are free to be present in such arenas as gaining knowledge, spirituality, piety, and politics. Islam has also encouraged women to acquire knowledge and be present in different social and political arenas. Islam has also ordered men that they do not have the right to impose their will on women or to ignorantly force them to do anything. This is the Islamic perspective on women.

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Oppression to women in the family

Throughout the world, women suffer from numerous incurable problems. Women generally suffer from problems on two fronts: Inside the family and in society. These problems are prevalent in European countries, the US, and countries which follow their model. These problems are more severe in some places as compared to others. In families, the rights of women are violated. That is, men sometimes oppress their wives. The greatest oppression towards women on the part of men is that they do not consider women as their partners in life. They do not allocate all their emotions and time to women. Outside home, men pursue their carnal desires. Inside home, there is a cold atmosphere which lacks kindness. This is sometimes accompanied by a bad temper and different kinds of pressure. The most important point in a family is the point of interaction between a woman and her husband. One brings up a girl by tolerating many hardships and by showing her kindness and affection and teaching her to be kind towards her parents. That girl reaches her youth, and while she is still considered a child by her family, she gets married. Then they expect her to understand everything and to be able to do everything. Therefore, once she makes a small mistake, she gets criticized. This should not be the case.

If men have a feeling of possession in the family and look upon women as servants, then they have oppressed women. Unfortunately many men oppress women in this way. This is true about outside the family too. It is a type of oppression against women if they are not provided with a secure atmosphere for studying, working, earning money, and resting. It is a type of oppression against women if they are not allowed to receive education and gain knowledge. It is a type of oppression if women cannot focus on their ethics and faith due to work pressure or other kinds of pressure. It is a type of oppression if women cannot use what they possess freely and in the way they like. It is a type of oppression if a husband is imposed on a woman, that is, if the woman has no role in choosing her husband. It is a type of oppression if women are not allowed to benefit emotionally from their children either when they are living with their family or when they are divorced from their husband. If women are not allowed to show their talent – for instance a scientific, political, or social talent or a talent for making discoveries – then this is a type of oppression too.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki led State of Law coalition emerge as Iraq vote frontrunner


Votes counting is underway in Iraq’s elections, with preliminary results expected in several days.

Turnout in the election was reported much higher than expected but the polls were marred by voilence, with doznes killed in bomb and mortar attacks.

However, the official sources told the Shiite News that Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, chief of Shia Dawa-party’s, State of Law Coalition emerged Monday as a front-runner in the country’s general elections.  The Maliki’s State of Law Coalition is widely expected to win the most seats.

Though, the final official results will not be declared until the end of March, though preliminary results are expected in two or three days. But unnamed Iraqi officials said that Mr Maliki is leading in nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

The key estimates from the Baghdad region, which could swing the results of Sunday’s poll, were not yet available.  Millions voted, braving rocket, mortar and bomb attacks that killed 38 people to cast their ballots in the second parliamentary election since the ouster of dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.

Maliki’s State of Law Coalition was ahead in Shiite regions while Saudi and US backed Iyad Allawi, an ex-premier who heads the secular Al-Iraqiya, was leading in Sunni areas, said unofficial estimates AFP obtained from officials across the country. But early indications were looking good for Maliki.

The other leading list is the Iraqi National Alliance of Shia parties led by the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council Syed Ammar al-Hakim and the Sadr’s movement led by senior cleric Moqtada al-Sadr.

It may be noted here that the Iraqi’s were voted to elect 325-member parliament, about 19 million Iraqi’s are eligible voters out of 28 million.

The 6,200 candidates were contesting the election from 86 factions and Six main alliances platforms.

Shan-e-Alamdar (AS) awards distributed among the 52 alamdars of Ashura procession


Islamic flags-bearing teenagers and youths were awarded medals on Saturday for their steadfastness and unwavering commitment to Azadari-e-Imam Hussain (AS) that they continued lifting the ‘alams’ of Hazrat Abbas (AS) (Islamic flags) despite a huge blast on Ashura mourning procession of Shia Muslims.

Around 72 mourners are believed to have been killed in that blast on December 28, 2009 but bodies of only 43 were identified and others torn-apart bodies were lying in cold-storage.

Nasiran-e-Imam Foundation (AS) had hosted the program at Catholic Ground to eulogize the astonishing and unbelievable act of the “alamdars” (flags-bearers). Thousands of Shia Muslims including youths and children, mothers and sisters and elderly persons participated in the ceremony.

According to the Shiite News Correspondent, Eminent scholars were: Maulana Aqeel Moosa, Sadiq Taqvi, Maulana Mohammad Ali, Maulana Aqeel Sajidi, Maulana Mohammad Hassan Raeesi. Divisional President of Imamia Students Organization Karachi Zain Ansari and mayor of Imamia Organization also participated.

As a matter of fact, Hazrat Abbas (AS), younger brother of Imam Hussain (AS), was flag bearer of his group that had to fight a war imposed on the true followers of Hazrat Muhammad (SAWW), the last apostle of Allah and Prophet of Islam (PBUH).

Hazrat Abbas (AS) had set an example that he didn’t quench his thirst and preferred other thirsty followers including children and in particular 6 year old daughter of Imam Hussain. The army of Umayyad ruler Yazid had occupied the Euphrates river near Karbala, the only source of water to drink and bath, disallowing the followers of Imam Hussain (AS) to use water. Hazrat Abbas Alamdar, suffered from immense thirst, broke the siege, and filled his “mashk” (water-skin) and on way to reach the tents of children. The army of the Umayyad regime equipped with swords, arrows and spears (lances) cut his arms in a bid to foil his attempt.

Hazrat Abbas (AS) continued lifting of the flag and mashk but arrows hit the water-skin and finally, he was murdered. However, he kept Islamic flag up otherwise it would have been considered a defeat had he allowed the flag to fall down.

Following the footprints of Hazrat Abbas (AS), the alamdars of Ashura procession also kept the flag up. Some of their colleagues in scouts were martyred and many bodies were lying torn-apart but they shouldered their responsibility. A vast majority of the Ashura mourners peacefully continued their procession as usual, let alone the alamdars.

Shia Muslims host the Ashura procession to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) and his followers who were ferociously assassinated in Karbala (IRAQ) by the brutal army of tyrant Umayyad regime of Yazid. Imam Hussain (AS) was the maternal grandson of Hazrat Muhammad (SAW), Prophet of Islam and the last apostle of Allah. Umayyad regime, founder of an un-Islamic dynastic-rule had forced the progeny and true followers of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) for allegiance in a bid to gain legitimacy. Imam Hussain (AS) and his followers had refused to bow to illegal and unjust rule and that cost them dearly.

Ashura or Azadari as a whole is not a sectarian ritual. Factually speaking, almost all the freedom-loving persons participate in azadari (the Islamic mourning) that is part of Shia Islam’s recommended and sometimes obligatory ritual. Sunni Muslims who had joined the mourning with Shia Muslims also fell victims alongside their Shia brothers because of terrorism in Ashura blast.

Hindus and Christians also pay respect to Imam Hussain (AS). Imam Hussain (AS) is a non-controversial leader of freedom-seekers all over the world and he is source of inspiration for all the oppressed people who want freedom from the yoke of Imperialism, and unjust financial systems mainly Capitalism.

Police foil terror bid in Quetta Imam Bargah, killed terrorist


Quetta police killed a man who opened fire on an Imambargah in the Kashmirabad area near Sariab Road in Quetta, on Monday. According to the Police sources, the attacker identified as Noorul Haq (26) was firing at the Imambargah when the police arrived. “Seeing police, he also opened indiscriminate fire on the police to which they retaliated, and he was gunned down,” police sources said. His body was shifted to city morgue for an autopsy. A case has been registered and the police have started further investigations.

The sources claimed that terrorist want to attack the Shia worshipers gathered in the Imam Baragah to offer prayers but the Police were successfully foiled the bid of terrorism.

According to the Shiite News correspondent, An armed terrorist was trying to barge into the Imambargah and opened fire on one of the caretakers ( Custodian) of the ImamBargah.

The gunman was killed in retaliatory fire by the cops deployed at the prayer place.

DIG operations said the man wanted to enter the Imambargah, adding that another man accompanying him fled when police started firing.

Following the shootout, heavy contingents of police and Frontier Corps reached in the spot while the body of the alleged attacker, identified as Noorul Haq (26) was shifted to a local hospital for autopsy. Eye witnesses said a pistol was also recovered from his possession.

Baghdad Holds Key as Iraq Awaits Initial Vote Results


Iraq awaited initial results Tuesday from polls touted as a test of its young democracy, with Baghdad holding the key as the prime minister’s list.

Thirty percent of votes were due to be counted by the evening, giving Iraq’s complex range of political blocs their first official indication of how they fared in the second general election since the 2003 fall of Saddam Hussein.

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki emerged Monday as the front-runner, according to estimates AFP obtained from officials across the country. But he could yet face a tough battle to cling to power after the vote on Sunday that saw millions defy bomb, mortar and rocket attacks which killed 38 people to cast their ballots.

Estimates of early trends in the Baghdad region, which with its 70 parliamentary seats could swing the result of the vote, are not yet available. However, officials said on Monday that Maliki’s political bloc was leading the count in nine of Iraq’s 18 provinces.

His State of Law Alliance was ahead in Muslim Shiite regions, while United States and Saudia Arabia backed Saddam loyalist Iyad Allawi, a former premier who heads the Baathist Alliance al-Iraqiya list, led in Five Sunni Province, according to estimates AFP and other news agencies obtained from officials across the country.

The complete results will be announced on March 18 and the final official results – after any appeals are taken into account – will come at the end of the month. Months of horse-trading are then likely before a new government is formed.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s State of Law coalition has claimed it is leading in the country’s parliamentary election, according to preliminary results.

The State of Law’s representatives say the coalition had come up trumps in Baghdad and the Shia south, the coalition’s Abbas al-Bayati was quoted as saying by the Associated Press early on Tuesday morning.

“We think that the State of Law coalition will shoulder the task of forming the next government,” he said.

The other leading Alliance is the Shia parties Iraq National Alliance, dominated by two Shiite religious parties – the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council and the movement of leader Sayyed Moqtada al-Sadr, who led two uprisings against US occupation troops. Overall voter turnout on Sunday was officially given at 62.4 percent.

Hezbollah: Disarming Resistance Not Subject for Discussion


Hezbollah officials reiterated during the weekend that the Resistance, and only the Resistance, was able to put an end to the Israeli ongoing threats and to be a true challenge for the Israeli enemy, rejecting “claims” that the national dialogue roundtable was seeking to find a way for “disarming” the Resistance in Lebanon.
 
The head of Hezbollah Executive Council Sayyed Hashem Safieddine warned against the dangers of the American domination in the region, stressing that it wasn’t acceptable to allow the United States do whatever it wants in victorious and resisting Lebanon.
 
“We have always been highlighting and bringing to attention American influence in Lebanon, and recent talk about American influence in information and security penetration in Lebanon being the greatest threat facing Lebanon after the Zionist security threat, is because we believe that whatever America possesses is definitely and inevitably available to Israel also,” Sayyed Safieddine said during a religious ceremony held in the southern suburb of Beirut.
 
“Victorious resistant Lebanon which imposed its will and equation on the Israelis will not allow the US to enjoy comfort or ease at the political and security penetration level, but we must demand through all available media and political means possible to understand the nature of this US security penetration,” his eminence added.
 
For his part, Hezbollah Official in South Lebanon Sheikh Nabil Qawouk said that Resistance has been able, through its new equation and strategy of defense and liberation, to put an end to the Israeli threats against the country and consolidate its abilities and power despite all international pressures.
 
Sheikh Qawouk noted that all Arab League summits do not deter a single Israeli aggression. “The Israeli enemy is not afraid of resolutions and Arab speeches. Only the resistance has proved viable and successful against such challenges,” Sheikh Qawouk emphasized.
 
Meanwhile, Administrative and Reform Minister Mohamad Fneish said that disarming the Resistance in Lebanon was not a subject for discussion. “Some have implied that the dialogue session seeks to establish when Hezbollah will be disarmed,” Fneish said. “This issue is not a subject for discussion and will not be debated at the dialogue sessions,” he added.

Pakistan minister believes Taliban leaders are killed


Pakistan ‘s Interior Minister Rehman Malik Saturday said he believes deputy of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) Maulvi Faqir Muhammad and two other top commanders have been killed in a military strike

On Friday official sources said that Faqir was among 30 militants killed in Mohmand tribal region near Peshawar , the capital of North West Frontier Province .

Qari Zia-ur-Rehman, who is an Afghan national but was leading militants in Pakistan ’s Bajaur tribal region, was also believed to be killed when gunship helicopters shelled a militants’ hideout.

Malik told reporters in Peshawar he would be surprised if Faqir and Zia-ur-Rehman survived the attack, saying that both had been in the compound with other militants at the time of the shelling.

Taliban have not reacted to the minister’s statement.

Maulvi Faqir was based in Bajaur tribal area and is believed to have moved to Mohmand agency after the security forces took control of Bajaur near the Afghan border.

Both Maulvi Faqir and Qari Zia were wanted by the Pakistani government.

Malik confirmed the death of senior TTP commander Fateh in the same strike and said his body has been recovered. However he said that bodies of Faqir and Zia-ur-Rehman have not been recovered so far. He said the situation would be clear in a couple of days.

Analysts said that it would be a serious blow to the Pakistani Taliban if the death of Faqir and Zia-ur-Rehman is confirmed.

On Thursday too, Pakistani security forces had also killed 30 militants in Mohmand agency.

The army announced on Wednesday that they had cleared Bajaur tribal region, bordering Afghanistan, from the militants.

Last month Faqir conceded that the militants have lost their strongholds in Bajaur and asked his fighters to stop fighting against the Pakistani forces.

Local tribesmen believe that Faqir had also reached a secret understanding with the government.

Faqir had declared himself as the head of the TTP days after Taliban confirmed the death of Baitullah Mehsud who was killed in a U.S drone strike in South Waziristan tribal region in August last year. Taliban later nominated Hakimullah Mehsud new leader whose fate is also uncertain after a U.S drone strike in mid-January. Officials believe he was killed but Taliban deny the claim.

Larijani calls for unity of Islamic states


IRI’s Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said the brutal raid of the Zionist regime on prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday once more showed the aggressive nature of the regime

IRI’s Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said the brutal raid of the Zionist regime on prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque on Friday once more showed the aggressive nature of the regime.

He said after the terrorist act in Dubai, the new attack is a warning alarm for the Arab and Islamic countries to put an end to their political lassitude.

Larijani referred to remarks of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei who stressed unity among Islamic ummah in all fields, the Palestinian issue in particular.

Given the conditions, he asked, should we wait for more deceiving peace plans of America?

The top parliamentarian further said as the Palestinian groups have announced in their meeting last week in Tehran, resistance is the only way for confronting the criminal regime in the Middle East.

Rigi arrest revealed West’s hypocrisy on terrorism


Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar says the apprehension of the ringleader of the Jundallah terrorist group exposed the hypocrisy of the West on the issues of human rights and terrorism

Iranian Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar says the apprehension of the ringleader of the Jundallah terrorist group exposed the hypocrisy of the West on the issues of human rights and terrorism.

The arrest of Jundallah ringleader Abdolmalek Rigi revealed the emptiness of the claims of so-called human rights groups and showed the world who the real supporters of terrorism are, Mohammad-Najjar told senior security officials in Tehran on Saturday.

“The captured terrorist mentor of the Jundallah group, Abdolmalek Rigi, has confessed to receiving unlimited military assistance and funding to wage an insurgency against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Without the strong support of Western intelligence agencies, terrorism in the region would not have survived,” he added.

Mohammad-Najjar said, “Rigi’s arrest revealed the true colors of Western rights organizations. The enemies of Islam have resorted to sowing discord among Muslims as their main strategy to implement their fiendish plans. We must exercise the necessary alertness in this regard.”

On February 23, the leader of the Jundallah terrorist group was on a flight from the United Arab Emirates to Kyrgyzstan when he was tracked down by Iranian security forces.

Rigi and one of his deputies were captured after Iranian security forces forced their plane to land at an airport in the Persian Gulf city of Bandar Abbas.

Iranian security forces said he was at a US base in Afghanistan 24 hours before his capture.

According to some sources, Rigi had planned to meet US special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke at the Manas Air Base in Kyrgyzstan for talks on launching terrorist attacks in Iran.

The Iranian interior minister also emphasized the need for constant vigilance in regard to the plots hatched by the arch-foes of the Islamic Republic.

“Over the past three decades, the belligerent enemies of the nation have been looking for a golden opportunity to deal a blow to the Islamic system, but every time they have been driven to desperation thanks to the people’s astuteness,” he stated.

Mohammad-Najjar also said that Iran is currently at the peak of its power and prosperity and guaranteed that the country would continue on the path of progress.

24 Iraqis killed in terror attacks since polls opened


At least 24 Iraqis have been killed and dozens of others wounded in Baghdad as rains of mortar and rocket attacks started hitting the country since polling stations opened early Sunday.

At least 24 Iraqis have been killed and dozens of others wounded in Baghdad as rains of mortar and rocket attacks started hitting the country since polling stations opened early Sunday.

Sixteen people were killed when two buildings in the capital were blown up in what appeared to be dynamite, AFP reported.

Four more were killed by mortar attacks in Baghdad and four others by bombs that wounded 40, the officials said.

Roadside bombs also wounded two individuals in the capital and three others near the City of Tikrit.

Fallujah, Baquba, Samarra and other cities across the country were also hit by mortar rounds or bombs, many of them exploding near polling stations.

However, there were no immediate reports of casualties on the latter cases.

Some 200,000 Iraqi police and soldiers are on duty in Baghdad alone, and the country’s borders and its airports have been shut for the day with all vehicles banned from the streets.

On Friday, Iraqi insurgents threatened to kill voters during the elections.

Iraqi Baathists, whose Saddam-linked party candidates were banned by the Iraqi authorities but backed by the US, as well as the anti-Shia al-Qaeda militants, are believed to be behind the bombing attacks during today’s elections.

Almost 20 million voters are eligible to turn out for the elections, only the second vote for a full term of parliament since the 2003 US-led invasion.

Dr Mohammad Ali Naqvi Central martyrdom anniversary program held in Lahore


The 15th martyrdom anniversary of the great leader of Millat-e-Jaffria, Shaheed Dr. Mohammad Ali Naqvi was held in Pakistan. Dr. Mohammad Ali Naqvi, the founder of several leading shia organizations in Pakistan, was martyred by the American agents terrorist of outlawed terrorists organization at Lahore on 7th March 1995.
According to the Shiite news correspondent, The Central program to commemorate the services of Dr. Mohammad Ali Naqvi was held at his grave situated at Thokar Niaz Baig, suburbs of Lahore.
The important thing in this program was that the presence of former Head of Iranian Baseej force and teacher of Qom Seminary Iran, Agha Ali Raza Panhiyan. In his speech Agha Ali Raza Panhiyan said that martyrdom is given to whom, who wants martyrdom. He said that in eight years war between Iran and Iraq we observed that those solders that made their will and were sure of martyrdom got the martyrdom during the holy war adding that this was indicated that martyrdom is given by the Allah to those who want themselves to be sacrificed in the path of almighty Allah.
Agha Panhiyan further said that Shaheed Dr. Mohammal Ali naqvi surely was the true soldier of last Shiite Imam, Imam-e-Zamana (ajtf) therefore he got the medal of martyrdom from Allah.
He pay condolence to the family of Shaheed Dr. Mohammad Ali Naqvi and prayed for rest of the departed soul of late Dr Mohammad Ali Naqvi.
ISO Central President Adil Bangash, Leading religious scholars, clerics, and ISO former President addressed the public meeting and highlighted the sacrifices and role of Dr Mohammad Ali Naqvi for the supremacy of Islam-e-Nab (the real Islam). Large Numbers of Ulema’s. ISO formers, activists of ISO from across the country and thousands of were present.
Earlier, Imamia Scouts had a parade on his tomb to salute his untiring efforts and work for the Shiite stabilization in Pakistan.

High turnout in Iraq elections despite violence


Iraq’s parliamentary elections have witnessed a notable voter turnout, with Iraqis going to polling stations despite the ongoing violence in the country. 

Almost 20 million Iraqis cast their ballots before the polling stations closed Sunday afternoon. Meanwhile, violent attacks claimed the lives of 38 people and injured 110 others on the day, Shiite News Correspondent reported. 

Iraqi Baathists, whose Saddam-linked party candidates were banned by Iraqi authorities as well as al-Qaeda militants, have been linked to the bombing attacks during today’s elections. 

More than 6,200 candidates from six major coalitions and several other tribal and minority groups vied in the event for the 325 seats in the Council of Representatives. 

According to the United Nations, partial results will not be announced until Thursday, with full results expected on March 18.

Iraq parliamentary election hit by insurgent attacks


Iraq’s second parliamentary election since the 2003 invasion has been hit by multiple attacks, with at least 24 people being killed.
Two buildings were destroyed in the capital and dozens of mortars were fired across Baghdad and elsewhere.
The border with Iran was closed, thousands of troops were deployed, and vehicles were banned from roads.
Despite the violence, turnout appears to be strong in several cities, with healthy queues at polling stations.
PM Nouri Maliki had called on voters to turn out in large numbers, saying that participation would boost democracy

The election is taking place against a backdrop of much-reduced violence, with casualty figures among civilians, Iraqi forces and US troops significantly lower than in recent years.
In one attack, 12 people were killed and eight injured when an explosion destroyed a residential building in northern Baghdad, officials said, shortly after another blast in the city killed five others.
Seven died in other attacks across the country, but no polling stations are reported to have been hit.
Sporadic mortar fire could be heard across the capital after polls opened at 0400 GMT, two bomb blasts were reported near a polling station in Falluja, and there were also reports of mortar rounds being fired in Salahuddin province.
Al-Qaeeda militants had pledged to disrupt the voting process with attacks – a group affiliated to al-Qaeda distributed leaflets in Baghdad warning people not to go to the polls.
Most of the mortars were fired from Baghdad’s predominantly Sunni districts, said the city’s security spokesman, Maj Gen Qassim al-Moussawi.
“We are in a state of combat,” he said. “We are operating in a battlefield and our warriors are expecting the worst.”
But despite the hail of attacks, he said a car ban aimed at stopping car bombs had been lifted after four hours of voting, Reuters reported. Curbs on buses and lorries remained in force.
‘Important choice’
Some 19 million Iraqis are eligible to elect 325 members of parliament, and polls will close at 1500 GMT unless voting hours are extended.
Mr Maliki told that the violence should not deter voters from turning out.
“What happened will push voters to take part in the election,” he said.
“Most of those attacks are designed to psychologically terrorise the voters and prevent them from going to the polls.
“But it is well-known that Iraqis when they are challenged by terror, challenge it back.”
In some neighbourhoods, mosque loudspeakers are exhorting people to go out and vote, and voters seem to be heeding the calls.
In Azamiyah (northern Baghdad), Walid Abid, 40, cast his vote to the crumple of mortars exploding not far away.
“I am not scared and I am not going to stay put at home,” said the father-of-two.
Until when? We need to change things. If I stay home and not come to vote, Azamiyah will get worse,” AP quoted him as saying.
The previous election, in 2005, saw Mr Maliki become prime minister with Shia Muslim parties dominating the legislature
Political analysts predicted that Prime Minister Maliki looks likely to retain power at the head of his Shia-led coalition

Sadr: Participating in election is political resistance


Leader of the Sadrist Trend, Syed Muqtada al-Sadr, considers participation in the on going parliamentary election is a political resistance.

A statement distributed on Friday evening by the Sadrist Political Body, Noted Iraqi anti-American cleric  said, “This year’s election I consider it a political resistance in which we are well united.”

Muqtada al-Sadr refuted doubts over election’s usefulnes, he said,”It might result in successes, therefore you are to unite for the liberation of Iraq politicaly and for the service of your people.

Meanwhile,Iraqis residing in Iran was casted their votes on Friday.

Head of Iraqi High Electoral Commission (IHEC) Office in Iran, Ali Ubaid, said that, “Iraqi voters were cast their votes  from 8:00 to 5:Pm Friday, in polling station through out Iran.

He pointed out that since the opening of polling stations large Iraqi voters turn out began, and the voting process was held as planned by the IHEC. Nearly 50,000 Iraqi expatriates in Iran are eligible to vote in the parliamentary elections which was completed on Friday.

It is worth noting that 28 international organizations are observing the Iraqis’ voting abroad.

More than 6,200 candidates from six major coalitions and several tribal and minority groups are vying for the 325 seats in the Council of Representatives

Iraqi bomb blast in Najaf kills four Iranians pilgrims


The deadly blasts reportedly took place near the holy shrine of the first Shia Imam, Hazrat Ali Ibn-e-Abi Talib (AS), At least four Iranians pilgrims have been martyred in a car bomb explosion that rocked the central Iraqi city of Najaf early on Saturday, a day before parliamentary elections start in the country.

The incident, which occurred only a day before the national elections in Iraq, also left 54 people seriously wounded, Najaf medical officials reported.

According to Shiite News, the explosion targeted two tour buses parked at a garage near the holy shrine of the first Shia Imam, Ali Ibn-e-Abi Talib (PBUH), which draws millions of Muslim pilgrims from around the world each year.

This blast comes despite stringent security measures adopted by the Iraqi government to protect voters ahead of the Election Day on March 7.

The blast occurred at 9:00 am local time near two tour coaches parked in ‘Safi Safa’ garage near the Imam Ali shrine, Hossein Akbari, an official from Iran’s Hajj and Pilgrimage Organization, told Shiite News.

Local officials announced that the blast occurred 500m away from Imam Ali’s shrine in Najaf.

Meantime, Salim Nema, a Najaf health official, said the attack wounded 54 people, including 17 Iraqis and 37 Iranians.

Two convicted outlawed Sipah-e-Sahaba (SSP) terrorists freed by Punjab government, Governor Punjab


An official letter from Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer to Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif reveals that the Punjab government released two convicted terrorists of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) — Talib Qiamat and Siddiqui Jopoo apprehended by an intelligent agency in 1992 — ahead of the by-election in PP-82 (Jhang) to get their support in by-elections. The governor has demanded drastic action against the Law Minister Rana Sanaullah under Anti Terrorism Act-1997.

Governor Taseer warned Shahbaz Sharif that the Punjab could not be seen “encouraging and patronising the anti-state agenda of proclaimed terrorists”. In the three-page letter, Taseer has asked Shahbaz Sharif to take action against Law Minister Rana Sanaullah under the Anti Terrorism Act 1997, for his recent public meetings and address to rallies in Jhang accompanied by known terrorists of the banned SSP.

One source said that these two convicted terrorists were released under a deal to get votes of the SSP in Jhang to win the by-election. But the governor’s letter did not give any detail in this regard. Taseer has even accused the Punjab government of not only defying the federal government’s policy on terrorism but putting the peace of the sensitive region like Jhang in jeopardy by joining hands with the banned SSP just for the sake of securing their votes.

Governor Taseer has also asked the chief election commissioner to take action against the law minister for indulging in this kind of activity, which was a direct violation of the code of conduct for the political parties and contesting candidates.

The copies of the letter have been sent to President Zardari, PM Gilani and Minister for Interior Rehman Malik. The governor’s spokesman, Farrukh Shah, confirmed to The News that Taseer has written a letter to the CM Punjab, asking him to take action against his law minister after his recent public meetings in the company of the SSP activists.

He said he was writing to him (CM) to invite his attention to the press reports. He said one of the photographs published in the newspapers showed Sanaullah visiting the PP-82 constituency in the Punjab Police vehicle accompanied by Sipah-e-Sahaba activists, who were displaying arms in public. He wrote that during his visit, the law minister met the chief of the banned organisation and took him to the election rallies in official vehicles of the Punjab government escorted by the Punjab Police.

“This position, you would agree, not only casts serious doubts about the credentials of the minister but also jeopardises the Punjab government’s declared stand on terrorism. It has sent shockwaves to all the quarters concerned with the present security situation in the country besides starting a heated debate and protest in the National Assembly.”

In the recent session, MNA Sheikh Waqas Akram complained that by taking such steps, the Punjab government was giving a message to the people that full protocol was being extended to the banned organisation and its leaders. Another MNA from PML-N Rasheed Akbar Naiwani also recorded his protest on the activities of the Punjab law minister. The governor pointed out that after the visit of the minister, flags of the banned organisation were appearing all over Jhang and Sargodha with no attempt by the local police to remove them as, ostensibly, they have the blessing of the provincial government. “To see the provincial law minister openly rallying activists of this proscribed organisation for political advantage is a sad message to the people of the province.”

The letter further said, “What is worse is that the minister has publicly admitted his activities with the claim that they have political support and therefore he is justified. Using same perverted logic, politicians can go to Malakand and support the terrorists there. These activities of the minister clearly flout the provisions of the Anti Terrorism Act 1997.”

Quoting from the anti terrorism law 1997, the letter said, the Section 11-F says: “A person is guilty of an offence if he belongs or professes to belong to a proscribed organisation; 2) a person guilty of an offence shall be liable to conviction to a term not exceeding six months of imprisonment; 3) a person commits offence if he solicits or invites support for a proscribed organisation or addresses a meeting which he knows is to support a proscribed organisation, further the activities of a proscribed organisation or to be addressed by a person who belongs or professes to belong to proscribed organisation; 4) a person commits an offence if he addresses a meeting or delivers a sermon to a religious gathering by any means whether verbal, written, electronic, digital or otherwise and the purpose of his address or sermon is to encourage support for a proscribed organisation or to further its activities.”

The governor wrote the unlawful act on the part of the provincial law minister also constituted a blatant violation of the code of conduct for the political parties and contesting candidates which says the political parties shall not propagate any opinion or act in any manner prejudicial to the ideology of Pakistan or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan. “I am of the firm opinion that canvassing by Rana Sanaullah with this group has further endangered the already fragile sectarian peace in and around the sensitive district Jhang”.

Iran: Bushehr Plant to Be Ready in Spring


Iran’s long-delayed Bushehr nuclear plant will be launched within a few months, an Iranian energy official said on Friday. “This plant will be launched according to schedule at the end of the spring and will run the same as the other nuclear plants in the world,” Ali Akbar Saleh, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said in quotes carried by news agency ILNA.
 
The Iranian spring ends in late June.
 
Russia said in January it would finish building a 1,000 megawatt nuclear power plant this year that it agreed to build 15 years ago. Delays have haunted the $1 billion project and diplomats say Moscow has used it as a lever in relations with Tehran.
 
Russia says the Bushehr plant is purely civilian and cannot be used for any weapons program as it will come under International Atomic Energy Agency supervision. Iran will have to return all spent fuel rods to Russia.

Israel Calls off Large-Scale Maneuver for Fear of Misinterpretation by Syria!


“In Lebanon, Palestine and Syria, we are so strong that Israel cannot wage war on us whenever it wants to. It is not enough for Israel to have a strong possibility of victory because this entity cannot tolerate another defeat.”  (Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, February 16, 2010.)
 
Even if it is difficult for some doubtful people to believe it but Israel has been taking steps in recent weeks to lower tensions with Syria and prevent a misunderstanding that could spark an escalation along the northern border.
 
Indeed, an Israeli General Staff exercise code-named Firestones 12 last week did not include the scenario of a war with Syria – only a clash with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
 
Although originally considered, the Israeli occupation army opted not to include an element in the exercise that required the rushing of large numbers of conscript soldiers to the north, so that the Syrians would not mistake this as an offensive. Israel also relayed messages to Syria on both open and secret channels, assuring them that no offensive action was being considered. 
 
Israeli military sources told Haaretz that the desire to avoid escalating tensions was one of the considerations that led to the cancelation of part of the exercise.
 
In recent weeks, senior Iranian, Syrian and Hezbollah officials have commented extensively on the likelihood of war with Israel; in some instances they accused Israel of planning an offensive in the north. A week ago, Syrian President Bashar Assad hosted his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and met with the Hamas and Hezbollah leadership.
 
Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah noted on Monday that the Israeli enemy was forced to change its tone and to seek pacification on its northern border, warning that the choice of war has major and dangerous implications and it is not limited to Israel. Sayyed Nasrallah added that even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now saying that his country is unwilling to launch a war against any state. “They noticed that there is a new atmosphere in the region.”
 
Last month Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem warned Israel about launching any war against his country, saying it would turn into a wider conflict. “Israelis, do not test the power of Syria since you know the war will move into your cities,” Mouallem told journalists in the Syrian capital Damascus.
 
Mouallem had been questioned about comments made earlier by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. “In the absence of a peace agreement with Syria, we might find ourselves in a forceful conflict that could lead to an all-out war,” Barak’s office quoted him as saying in a speech to senior officers.
 
The Syrian minister said such statements “heightened the risk of war in the region.” “If such a war comes … it will be widespread even if it is waged against (just) southern Lebanon or Syria,” Mouallem warned, while excluding the chance of “peace negotiations being launched after such a war.”
 
In a lecture at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy last week, Barak said that Israel is closely following developments in Lebanon and that “the time has come to discuss this more directly and honestly.”
 
At a conference in memory of Haaretz defense analyst Ze’ev Schiff, Barak said that at its basis, UN Security Council Resolution 1701 seeks “to put an end to the Hezbollah anomaly in Lebanon, but instead of resolving the problem the resolution only made it more complicated.” Commenting on the size of Hezbollah’s missile and rocket arsenal in Lebanon, Barak mentioned a new number, 45,000, much higher than previous assessments.

In an article on the Washington Institute’s Web site, two American researchers write that Syria may have delivered to Hezbollah Russian-made shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles – the Igla-S (SA-24 by its NATO code). The authors say these missiles may pose a threat to the air force’s F-16 fighters.
 
In the past, U.S. officials told Arab media that Syria is training Hezbollah fighters in the use of the aging SA-2 anti-aircraft missiles, but others reportedly said that Syria may transfer SA-8 anti-aircraft missiles to Hezbollah. 

“We cannot accept the artificial distinction between the Hezbollah terrorists and the state of Lebanon,” Barak added. “We will not lead a confrontation, but if we are attacked we will not chase down Hezbollah’s lone terrorists …. The government of Lebanon and other sources of support and funding [of Hezbollah] will be part of the equation.”
 
Last month in commemoration of the anniversary of the martyrdom of Hezbollah leaders, Sayyed Nasrallah said that “when Israel found that nothing can demoralize the resistance, they went to threaten the Lebanese government and people of destroying the infrastructure. Just as we have infrastructure, there is infrastructure in occupied Palestine. We have one airport and they have airports, we have a few electricity stations and they have huge electricity stations, they have oil refineries and we have a few.”
 
His eminence continued, “The Israeli infrastructure is much bigger than ours and therefore I tell them the following: If you strike martyr Rafiq Hariri’s international airport in Beirut, we’ll strike your Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv. If you hit our ports, we will hit your ports. If you attack our refineries or factories, we’ll bomb your refineries and factories.”

Israeli Forces Seriously Injure Dozens of Palestinians in Al-Aqsa Confrontations


Israeli occupation forces stormed into the Aqsa mosque compound after Friday prayers and fired rubber bullets and tear gas canisters at prayers. Dozens of Palestinians were injured in the confrontation including children and women. According to medical sources, several injures are serious. Chief Islamic Justice in Palestine Sheikh Taysir Tamimi was injured in the Israeli aggression and transferred to hospital for treatment.
 
Occupation forces have locked the gates of al-Aqsa mosque with chains and sieged hundreds of Palestinians inside the mosque.
 
Israeli sources said that 15 occupation soldiers were injured in the attack on Al-Aqsa. News reports from occupied Palestine said that Israeli occupation forces have been banning ambulances from reaching the injured in the compound and warned that some of the seriously injured Palestinians could bleed to death or suffocate if they were not treated quickly.
 
Palestinian factions in the West Bank and Gaza have warned against the gravity of the situation and demanded Muslims, Arabs, and the international community to stop the Israeli aggression on Al-Aqsa, before occupation forces commit yet another massacre in this sacred site.
 
There were also sporadic clashes in Ras el-Amud in the predominantly Arab eastern part of occupied Jerusalem.
 
The latest confrontations, in which police fired tear gas and threw stun grenades to disperse the Palestinians, came less than a week after a similar incident at the same site.
 
Additional clashes took place during other protests in the occupied West Bank. Some 50 people clashed with the Israeli occupation security forces near the village of Dir Nizam, northwest of Ramallah.
 
Some 250 Palestinians and left-wing Israeli and foreign activists clashed with the occupation security forces in three places in the Ramallah area. About 70 protests clashed with the forces near the village of Naalin and about 130 protested near the village of Bilin.
 
ABBAS: ISRAEL CROSSED RED LINES
Following the confrontations, the Palestinian Authority pointed a finger at Israel. According to a special statement released by the office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, “Today’s events were aimed at damaging the chances of resuming the peace process and Israel is crossing all the red lines – after the Arab League’s monitoring committee recommended that the negotiations between the sides be resumed.”
 
The statement also said that Abbas, who was being updated on the events in occupied Jerusalem, had called on the American administration to “stop the adventure which may ignite a religious war in the region” and demanded that the international community “take responsibility and stop the Israeli recklessness, which may have serious implications on the entire region and on peace and security in the entire world.”
 
Palestinian presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina also slammed “the escalation of Israeli violence in occupied Jerusalem and elsewhere in the West Bank aimed at sabotaging American efforts to relaunch (Israeli-Palestinian peace talks).”
 
US Vice President Joe Biden and Middle East envoy George Mitchell are due to visit the region for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders next week and local media are predicting that they will launch indirect talks between the sides as a prelude to full-fledged peace negotiations.
 
There were similar outbreaks at the compound last Sunday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that he was placing two West Bank shrines – Ibrahimi Mosque in occupied Al-Khalil and Bilal Bin Rabah Mosque in Bethlehem – on a so-called “list of Israeli heritage sites.”

Islamic Unity Conference Ends


The 23rd International Islamic Unity Conference ended concurrent with the birth anniversary of Prophet of Islam, Mohammad (PBUH) on Thursday, with the announcement of the closing statement.

According to Ahlul Bayt (A) News Agency – ABNA.ir – The closing ceremony of this conference was held on Thursday night in the presence of Secretary General of the Assembly for Proximity of Islamic Denominations, Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Taskhiri, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Seyed Mohammad Husseini, in addition to Iranian and foreign religious thinkers in Tehran.

Thinkers from 48 Islamic countries participated in this conference in Tehran, which commenced on Tuesday, March 2.

Special News Report of Shiite News about Iraqi election and Electoral Alliances


Political Parties ‘Alliances intensified their campaign to muster maximum support for March 7th parliamentary election of Iraq.
Shiite News Correspondent special report about Iraqi Election, More than 29 million voters are eligible to choose among more than 6000 electoral contestants. Over 800 foreign journalists have landed in Iraq for the coverage of the elections, second since the dislodging of dictatorial regime of Saddam led Ba’ath party.
Iraqi election commission has assured that more than 52000 Ballot boxes would be available at around 11000 polling stations.
Although many political parties and Alliances have fielded their candidates, Six alliances are considered relatively more influential in the electoral politics.

1)    State of Law Coalition
State of Law Coalition is led by present Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Malaki-with electoral slate number 327. This alliance has emerged the most powerful alliance—it’s being said that the alliance may break record by securing thumping majority in Iraqi parliament.
The alliance comprises of 34 political parties and groups—prominent among them are; Hizb-ud-Dawa, Al-Mustaqilon, Al-Watania and eminent Iraqi Sunni and Shia Muslims, Christians and influential leaders including Nouri al-Malaki, Hajim al-Hassani (Sunni leader and former speaker of National Assembly),
Hussain Shahrestani, and Jaffar al-Sadr. The coalition did well during the 2009 provincial vote.
The Alliance has assured Iraqi’s territorial Integrity, sovereignty and an end to the rule under chapter VII of United Nations charter, formation of stable Central Government, rule of law and accountability since Ba’ath party Government to date.

2) Iraqi National Alliance
Iraqi National Alliance with slate number 316. Political pundits believed that the Alliance of more than 30 Shia parties pose serious challenges to all the rivals especially Prime Minister Malaki led alliance in particular.
Parties in this alliance had contested the previous election under the banner of Untied National Alliance. The Alliance includes Syed Ammar al-Hakeem’s Supreme Council of Islamic Iraq, Muqtada Al-Sadr’s Mehdi Army and followers of Sadr trend, Former Prime Minister Ibrahim Jafferi’s National Reforms party, Ahmed Chalabi’s Iraqi National Congress and Hizb-e-Fadhila Islami.

3) Kurdistan Alliance
Iraqi President Jalal Talabani –led Patriotic Union of Kurdistan and Masood Barzani—led Kurdistan Democratic party are part of 13 parties alliance but face an opposition movement called Gorran, or Change.
Masood Barzani has announced that this alliance will nominate Mr Jalal Talabani for reelection as President of Iraq.
Political observers have predicted the Alliance will secure lesser vote like it did in Kurdistan’s election 4 months ago. Kurdistan Islamic Movement is the only religious party in this secular parties alliance that has been allotted electoral slate number 372.

4) Al-Iraqiya
Al-Iraqiya is the alliance of more than 20 parties and groups that is led by former interim Prime Minister of Iraq Ayad Allavi.
Iraqi Vice President Tariq al-Hashmi’ s party Tajadud, Saleh al-Mutlaq’s party National Talk, and Ajeel Yawar’s party Reform and Justice Movement are known parties of the alliance. The alliance enjoy’s Saudia Arabian and some other Arab countries support despite that the fact that Ayad Allavi and majority of the alliance leaders are the remnants of Saddam Ba’ath party.
Saudia Arabia had supported anti-Saddam, US led alliance in the gulf war in 1990’s and its airspace was used for US led attacks on Iraq in 2003.
Interestingly, So-called Sunni leader such as Saleh al-Mutlaq and Dhafir al-Ani are in-fact also remnants of Saddam Baath’s party like Ayad Allavi.
Two of its other leaders, Saleh al-Mutlaq and Dhafir al-Ani, both members of Parliament, were disqualified from running because of alleged sympathies to Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party.
Saleh al-Mutlaq, first announced boycott of the elections and then appealed for active participation in the elections. Ayad Allavi ahd met high Saudi officials including the Saudi King Abdullah and Saudi Government assured all out support and offered billions of dollars to held Ayad Allavi t prevent the legitimate Shia led government.
Political commentators have expressed apprehensions that Saudi Arabia and their allies were trying to impede fair and legitimate political and democratic process in Iraq so as to escape pressure on monarchic Governments in Arab world for establishment of democratic governments like Iraq.
Saudi Arabia is also trying that Ayad Allavi and its allies should create conditions for martial law or dictatorial rule in Iraq.

5) Unity Alliance of Iraq
Iraqi Unity Alliance comprises of 38 political parties. Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani, a Shiite Muslim, Anbar’s most prominent tribal leader, Sheik Ahmed Abu Risha, Sheik Ahmed Abdul Ghafour al-Samarrai and Bedari Militant force are the prominent among the parties of new electoral alliance that eyes on Iraq’s presidency. Many of its candidates were disqualified because of Ba’athist pasts or sympathies.  Its electoral slate number is 348.

6) Iraqi Accord
Also known as Tawafiq, This coalition is the alliance of four Sunni parties. Osama Tikriti’s Iraqi Islamic Party is relatively known party as compare to other component parties of the alliance. Ayad al-Samarrai, current speaker of National Assembly is the most prominent leader the alliance.
It is the biggest platform of Sunni community of Iraq despite the fact that majority of the alliance leaders joined the other coalitions including current Iraqi Sunni Vice President Tariq Al-Hashmi, who joined Al-Iraqiya Alliance.
Political observers believed that the Alliance would succeed the majority votes of the Sunni community of Iraq in March 7 election.

12 SHIA MARTYRED, 40 INJURED IN TAL BOMB BLAST ON SHIA CONVOY


At least 12 Shia Muslims were martyred and 40 others injured in a roadside bomb attack on convoy at Parachinar Road in Tal, Hangu Thursday. The road has been declared sensitive by the security forces.  Fifteen school-going children are among the injured.  According to the Shiite News Correspondent, the roadside bomb attack hit a passenger bus near a petrol pump at Tehsil Tal area of Dandor.

There is a frequent movement of security forces in the area and heavy contingents of security officials were deployed near the blast scene. Those injured have been transferred to the CMH hospital where the condition of some of the injured is said to be critical. Security forces and people in the locality have started the relief activities.

The conovy of Shia passengers of Kurram Agency Parachinar was passing from this area are accompanied by 4-5 vehicles of security forces usually as this road has been declared sensitive already.

Eye witnesses told the Shiite News that out of 12 shia Muslims of Kurram Agency were martyred inclduing 5  men, three women and two children. They said that the remaining buses, which escpase from the bomb blast are now moving towards the AliZai area of Kurram Agency. However, Some Shia families are still at Tehsil Tal in the houses of Shia people of the area.

“Our convoy was hit by a big explosion. It’s all chaos here. I myself have seen four dead, two of them are children. I have seen four wounded women,” said witness Javed Hussain, who was in the convoy of vehicles carrying Shia Muslims to the city of Peshawar.

Commissioner Kohat Khalid Khan said that the blast occurred in a border area. He said that emergency has been declared at the hospitals of Hangu and Kohat and serious injured being transferred to Kohat.

The security forces have cordoned off the area. Three vehicles were badly damaged in the bomb blast incident. Dead bodies and injured were being shifted to CMH TehsilTal and other hospitals.

Medics say death toll is expected to rise as some of the injured were said to be in critical condition.

The incident comes after a string of sectarian attacks on Shia Muslims in recent months undermined the already deteriorating security of the insurgency-hit country.

This is while the Taliban-linked Wahhabi groups in Parachinar, Hangu district and much of the Kurram tribal agency have embarked on a series of fatal attacks on Shia Muslims.

Some local sources say that more than 2,000 Shia community members have been martyred in the region since 2007. Since the 1980s, thousands of Shia Muslims have been killed in violence-related incidents in Pakistan by extremist groups. Kurram agency, a federally administered tribal area (FATA), has a population of more than 0.8 million Shia Muslims who suffered from brutalities of Taliban terrorists much more than any other religious or ethnic community.

Shia Muslims of Kurram Agency (Parachinar) had to travel to Pakistani territories via Afghanistan because the government and army of Pakistan lacked their writ in the areas leading to Parachinar.

The Shia Muslims of Parachinar, Jaffaria Alliance of Shia organisations, Imamia Sttudents Organization and Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen of Shia groups have condemned the criminal silence of United Nations Human Rights Council, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, International Crisis Group and Human Rights Organisation of Pakistan (HRCP), civil society, NGOs and lawyers organisations towards the worst violation of human rights of Shia Muslims.

They also condemned the Western governments that are self-claimed champions of human rights. They said that hapless Shia Muslims suffer from genocide, massacre and pogrom-like anti-Shiism since early 1980s but no serious practical step has been taken so far against the perpetrators of genocide of Shia Muslims in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

17th Rabiul Awal: Birthday Anniversary of Imam Jafar Sadiq (AS), The truthful One


Short life history of Imam Jafar Sadiq (AS)

Birthday of Imam Sadiq(as):
The sun of the existence of Imam Jafar as Sadiq (AS) arose from the lap of his mother Umm-e-Farwah on the 17th of Rabiul Awal, 83rd year Hijrah, in the city of Madina. Imam Jafar as Sadiq (AS) has the same birth date as that of our Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

Family Backgroung of Imam Jafar Sadiq(as):
Imam Jafar as Sadiq (AS) has three titles; they are: As-Sadiq, Al-Fadil, At-Tahir.
His father Imam Muhammad Baqir (AS) was much happy and pleased by the birth of his son. His mother Umm-e-Farwah (RA)was the grand daughter of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr (RA), who was one of the companions of Imam Ali (AS). Imam Ali (AS) repeatedly said about him that, “Muhammad is my spiritual and moral son.” Asma Bint Umais was the mother of Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, and she was considered to be a pious woman. She was continuously in the service of Hazrat Fatima Zahra (SA) and took pride in it. After the martyrdom of her husband Jafar ibn Abi Talib (AS) in the Battle of Mu’tah, Asma Bint Umais married Abu Bakr Siddiq and after his death, married to Imam Ali (AS).
Imam Jafar as Sadiq (AS) said about her mother, “My mother was one of the pious, faithful and devoted women.” Imam Jafar as Sadiq (AS) was 15 years of age when his grandfather Imam Sajjad (AS) was martyred and 34 years old when his father Imam Muhammad Baqir (AS) was martyred.

Political Background:
Consequent upon the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (AS) the government of Bani Umayyah was shaken which turned the people into their enemy and pessimist about them. This opened the avenue for the formation of Bani Abbasid government. The gap in between these two powers opened the way for the propagation of Shiia ideology and school of thought. Imam Jafar Sadiq (AS) could, through a learning movement, propagate the learning’s of Islam in such a way to extend and make it reach all the people in the World.

Characteristic of Imam Jafar Sadiq (as):

The Characteristic distinctions of Imam Jafar  Sadiq (AS)We all know that the conduct of men is the reflection of their inner character and everyone can be recognized by his conduct.
There are only a very few people who do not spill out their conduct and whatever they have in their interior and do not exhibit it. Whatever they have in their hearts kindles the exterior of the electric lamp like an electric switch.
Whole of the life of Imam Jafar  Sadiq (AS), like the other Imams (AS), was the enlightened lesson of the real and true Islam. He himself was considered to be the example and specimen of the Islamic ethic, moral and conduct.
You cannot find a father and a son among all the people, of all the tribes who may resemble each other from all the angles of ideas, thoughts, character and conduct. But the family of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) and his successors all were on the same line and performed their heavenly duty with one aim, one ideology, and did not have any kind of difference in speech, character and ethical conduct.

Ethical value and virtue of Imam Sadiq Jafar (as)
About the ethical value and virtue of Imam Jafar  Sadiq (AS), it is sufficient that out of four thousands of his students even a single one did not object or criticize upon the moral character and conduct of Imam Jafar  Sadiq (AS), and did not find a weak point in it. He was a practical example and specimen for the Muslims with respect to eating, relaxing and resting, walking, speaking, and conducts with others. He had the same social conduct with his friends as he had with his children.

Imam Sadiq’s (as) Last words
Quran
As soon as Umme Hameeda the mother of Imam Musa Al-Kazim (as) saw Abu Baseer, who had come to pay his condolences for the death of her husband Imam Sadiq (as), she cried. Abu Baseer cried as well. When she was comforted, Umme Hameeda told him: “You were not present at the last moments of Imam Jafar Sadiq (as) to see what happened.”
Abu Baseer asked: “What happened?” She said: “It was the last moments of Imam Sadiq’s (as) life. He eyes were closed. All of a sudden he opened his eyes, and said: “gather all the family members now.” It was strange that Imam Sadiq (as) had ordered as such in this last moment. So we put our efforts together, and gathered all relatives. All were ready to hear what Imam Sadiq (as) had to say. When Imam Sadiq (as) saw that every one was present, he told them:
“Verily, our intercession (Shafaat) does not reach the one who takes (Namaz) prayers lightly”.
A man asked to the Imam Sadiq(as), “By which sign a person is determined to be a believer?” Imam Sadiq (as) replied,
“By Submission to Allah and satisfaction with the sad and happy events occurring to him.”

 

17th Rabiul Awal: Birthday Anniversary of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)


Last Prophet Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH)

LINEAGE
The oldest and noblest tribe in the whole of Arabia was Banu Hashim. They were the descendants of Ibrahim through his son Isma”il. The Arabs respected and loved them for their goodness, knowledge and bravery.
“ABDUL MUTTALIB (AS)
“Abdul Muttalib (AS) was the chieftain of Banu Hashim and he was also the Guardian of the Ka”bah. Among his ten sons, “Abdullah was the father of the Holy Prophet.

Holy Prophet MUHAMMAD (PBUH)
In Mecca, baby boy Muhammad (PBUH) was born on 17th Rabi” al-Awwal, 570 AD.His father “Abdullah (AS), son of “Abdul Muttalib(AS), died before he was born and when he was six, he lost his loving mother Hazrat Aminah (AS) bint Wahab.His Grandfather, “Abdul Muttalib(AS), took the responsibility of bringing up the orphan. At the age of ten, he was berefted of his venerable grandfather.On his deathbed, he appointed his son Abu Talib as the guardian of Muhammad (PBUH) .Gentle, soft spoken, tall and handsome boy, Muhammad (PBUH), accompanied the trading caravans of Hazrat Abu Talib (AS), across the deserts, giving him deep insight into nature and man.

KHADIJAH(AS)
The wealthy noble widowed lady Khadijah(AS), looking for a manager for her rich merchantile caravans, selects Muhammad, the Trustee. Able and fair dealing,Muhammad (PBUH) is a tremendous success. Khadijah (AS)already an admirer, made him an offer of marriage. Muhammad (PBUH) was twenty five and Khadijah forty. In spite of this disparity in age, the marriage proved to be a very happy one.

THE PROPHET (PBUH)
Lover of nature and quite worrried about human sufferings, Muhammad (PBUH) very often retired to Mount Hira” for meditations. One night, Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Majesty) a voice addressing him, commanded “Recite in the name of thy Lord.” Deeply excited by the strange phenomena of Divine Visitation,Muhammad hurried home to his wife, Khadijah (AS), who listened to him attentively and said that “I bear witness that you are the Apostle of God.” After an interval, the voice from heaven spoke again “O thou shrouded in thy mantle, arise, and warn, and magnify thy Lord.”
This was a signal for him to start preaching the gospel of truth of One God. In the beginning Muhammad (PBUH) invited only those near him, to accept the new Faith. The first to embrace Islam among women was Khadijah (AS) and among men “Ali (AS). Soon after, Zayd ibn al-Harithah became a convert to the new Faith.

For three long years, he laboured quietly to wean his people from the worship of idols and drew only thirty followers. Muhammad then decided to appeal publicly to the Quraysh to give up idol worship and embrace Islam.The new Faith, is simple without complications, practical and useful for everyday life. It commands to believe and do good, keep up prayer and pay the poorrate, two orders giving four principles of a successful way of life.Almost ten years of hard work and preaching, in spite of all persecution,produced over a hundred followers, physical cruelties and social boycott made life unbearable in Mecca. The Holy Prophet of Islam advised his followers, to seek refuge in the to seek refuge in the neighbouring country of Ethiopia. Eighty eight men and eighteen women sailed to the hospitable shores of the Negus, under the leadership of Ja”far at-Tayyar (brother of “Ali) and the cousin of the Holy Prophet.

several times the chieftains came to Hazrat Abu Talib (AS) saying, “We respect your age and rank, but we have no further patience with your nephew. Stop him or we shall fight you.” Hazrat Abu Talib (AS) asked Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) for his decision.With tears in his eyes, the Apostle firmly replied, “O my uncle! If they place the sun on my right hand and the moon on my left, to force me to renounce my mission, I will not desist until God manifests His cause or I perish in the attempt.”

TRAGEDIES
In a period of troubles, trials and tribulations two major tragedies afflicted Muhammad (PBUH) . First the venerable guardian uncle Abu Talib (AS)died and shortly afterwards his noble wife Khadijah (AS) died, leaving behind her daughter Fatimah (peace be on her) – the only child she had from the Holy Prophet (PBUH) – the daughter who looked after her father so much so that the prophet called her Umm Abiha (the mother of her father).

MUSLIM ERA
With the death of the old patriarch Abu Talib (AS) , the Meccans planned to assassinate the prophet (PBUH) . Under Divine guidance, he asked “Ali (AS) to sleep in his bed and Muhammad (PBUH) put his green garment on “Ali(AS). While the murderes mistook “Ali for muhammad (PBUH), the Holy Prophet of Islam escaped to Medina.

The Muslim era of Hijrah (Emigration) is named after this incident and dated from 17th Rabi” al-Awwwal, 622 AD.
From the time he came to Medina, he was the grandest figure upon whom the light of history has ever shone. We shall now see him as the King of men, the ruler of human hearts, chief law-giver and supreme judge.The Preacher who went without bread, was mightier than the mightiest sovereigns of the earth. No emperor with his tiaras was obeyed, as this man in a cloak of his own clothing.

He laid the foundation of the Muslim commonwealth and drew up a charter which has been acknowledged as the work of highest statemanship, a master-mind not only of his age, but of all ages.

Unlike the Arabs, the Prophet (PBUH) , had never wielded a weapon, but now he was forced to defend Islam by force of arms. Commencing from the battle of Badr,a series of eighty battles had to be fought, which the infant commmunity defended successfully.

UHUD
Next year, Abu Sufyan, the famous long-lived enemy of Islam, again attacked the Muslims at Uhud. Hamzah (AS), the first flag-bearer of Islam and uncle of the Prophet (PBUH) , was killed in action. In spite of strict instructions from the Prophet (PBUH) , a few Muslim soldiers deserted their post,when victory was in sight. This changed the course of the battle. Khalid ibn al-Walid attacked the Prophet PBUH) and the grave situation was saved by the timely arrival of “Ali (AS). The enemies ran away and the issue was decided. Muhammad PBUH) was deeply grieved at the death of Hamzah (AS).

HUDAYBIYYAH
The Muslims had been in self exile for six years and began to feel a keen yearning for their homeland, Mecca. The Prophet desired to perform a pilgrimage to Ka”bah. When he forsook his home town he was weak, but when he wanted to return, he was strong. He did not use his strength to force an entry into the sacred city. Finding the Quraysh hostile, Muhammad(PBUH) entered into a treaty Known as the Peace of Hudaybiyyah, appearing not very advantageous to the Muslims, but which revealed the Islamic character of moderation and magnanimity. For the strong to excercise restraint and toleration is true courage. Having reached upto the door of their birth place with hearts over-flowing with impatient longing to enter it, the Muslims retraced their steps peacefully to Medina, under the terms of the treaty, which allowed them to perform the pilgrimage next year.

MECCA
In The 8th year AH, the idolators violated the peace of Hudaybiyyah by attacking the Muslims. The enemies were defeated and Mecca was conquered.The Prophet (PBUH) who fled from Mecca as a fugitive, now returned home as a mighty conqueror. The Rahmatun lil “Alamin (mercy unto all beings, i.e., the Prophet) entered the city with his head bowed low in thankfulness to the Almighty (Allah) and ordered a general amnesty, instead of the mass massacre of those who persecuted him and his followers.

LAST PILGRIMAGE
Under the Divine intuition of his approaching end, Muhammad prepared to make the farewell pilgrimage to Mecca.Before completing all the ceremonies of Hajj, he addressed a huge multitude from the top of mount “Arafat on 8th Dhi al-hijjah, 11 AH,in words which shall ever ring and live in the atmosphere.
After finishing the hajj the Holy Prophet (PBUH) started for Medina. On his way, at Ghadir Khumm the Voice from Heaven cried: “O Apostle! deliver what has been revealed to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His message and Allah will protect you from the people, surely Allah will not guide the unbelieving people. (5:67) Muhammad (PBUH) immediately ordered Bilal to recall the Muslims, who had gone ahead,who were behind and who were proceeding to their homes at the junction, to assemble. The famous Sunni mutakallim and commentator, Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi in his At-Tafsir al-Kabir, vol. 12, pp. 49-50, writes that the Prophet (PBUH) took “Ali (AS) by the hand and said: “Whoever whose mawla (master) I am, “Ali is his master. O Allah! Love him who loves “Ali (AS), and be the enemy of the enemy of “Ali (AS); help him who helps “Ali (AS), and forsake him who forsakes “Ali (AS).”

DEATH
On Holy Prophet Muhammad”s (PBUH) return to Medina, he got busy settling the organization of the provinces and the tribes which had adopted Islam. His strength rapidly failed and the poison (administered at Khaybar by a Jewess) took its deadly toll. So ended the life dedicated to the service of God and humanity from first to last, on 28th Safar, 11 AH.
The humble Preacher had risen to be the ruler of Arabia. The Prophet of Islam not only inspired reverence, but love owing to his humility,nobility, purity, austerity, refinement and devotion to duty.
The Master inspired all who came into contact with him. He shared his scanty food; he began his meals in the Name of Allah and finished them uttering thanks;he loved the poor and respected them; he would visit the sick and comfort the heart broken; he treated his bitterest enemies with clemency and forbearance,but the offenders against society were administered justice; his intellectual mind was remarkably progressive and he said that man could not exist without contant efforts.
There is no god but One God and Muhammad (PBUH) is the Apostle of God, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his descendants.

Chief of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) terrorist group Qari Zafar killed


The reported death of al Qaeda-linked top Lashkar-e-Jhangvi’s (LeJ) chief Qari Zafar in a US drone strike in Miramshah on February 24 has given a lethal blow to both the LeJ, which is invloved in sectarian killings in Pakistan.

According to the Shiite News monitoring cell, Qari Zafar, top terrorists of notritious Laskar-e-Jhangvi and an important leader of anti-state Taliban terrorists, was reported to be among the people killed in Wednesday’s drone attack in the Dandi Darpakhel area of North Waziristan.

Qari Zafar, who was hailing from Karachi and belonged to outlawed Lashkar-i-Jhangvi terrorists group was involved in the killings of hundreds of shia muslims in Karachi.

Terrorit Qari Zafar had joined the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) in North Waziristan some time before the Pakistan army launched an operation in South Waziristan against the terrorists. He was seen in a video, sitting next to TTP chief Hakeemullah Mehsud and his deputy Waliur Rehman.

Sindh Police has listed the Qari Zafar in the list of most wanted terrorists and allocated the 5 Lac Rupees headmoney of Qari Zafar, a former prayer leader of Bilal Mosque Model colony, Sindh police website claimed.

The US has announced a reward of $5 million for information leading to the capture or death of Qari Zafar due to his involvement in attacks on former president Pervez Musharraf, the American consulate and other terrorist attacks but ran away from the custody of Punjab’s Special Investigation Unit in October 2007. Intelligence sources told Daily Times that Qari Zafar was the mastermind of attacks on a Special Investigation Unit (SIU) office in Model Town Lahore, Marriot Hotel, FIA building and American consulate in Karachi.

The Taliban confirmed that a terrorist leader who was behind multiple terror attacks in Pakistan and was wanted by the US for murdering a consular official in Karachi was killed in an airstrike in North Waziristan last week.

According to the intelligence findings, three major incidents of suicide bombings in Karachi in 2006 – the suicide blast outside the US Consulate [on March 3, killing American diplomat David Foy, the Nishtar Park massacre [on April 11 which eliminated the entire leadership of the Sunni Tehrik and the July 14 death of Shia leader Allama Hasan Turabi in a suicide bombing outside his residence – were all carried out by the LeJ and were planned in the South Waziristan tribal agency by none other than Qari Zafar, who is the acting ameer of the LeJ, ever since the arrest of its ameer Muhammad Ajmal alias Akram Lahori, who is now languishing in the Karachi Central Prison.

Houthis can form political party: Sana’a


Yemen’s President Ali Abdullah Saleh has called on the country’s Shia Houthi fighters to enter into the county’s political arena by forming a party.

Hailing an early February ceasefire reached with the Shia fighters based in the beleaguered north, Saleh said the group could play a role in the country’s politics as a political party.

The remarks come almost a month after the Houthis accepted the central government’s conditions in a bid to put an end to a massive onslaught in the north, backed by the Saudi and US military forces and logistics.

The joint offensive drove some 150,000 people out of their homes in battlefields in northern Yemen, Sa’ada province in particular.

Hundreds of people, including a large number of civilians, were killed since Yemen’s stepped up offensive was launched in August.

Last week, Houthi fighters complained that Sana’a had kept its siege over the capital of the northern Shia-dominated province of Sa’ada in contrast to the terms of the ceasefire.

“The army continues to this moment to refuse to lift the siege on the city of Sa’ada,” the Houthis said on their website, adding that the Yemeni soldiers were re-establishing military checkpoints on the newly-opened roads, Reuters reported.

The fighters said that the army was preventing citizens from entering their homes and was also preventing food supplies from reaching the war-stricken regions.

Some 187 children were killed as the result of the government and Saudi attacks during the war, said a recent report issued by UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s Fund) and the Yemen children’s righ

Leader calls for unity against cancerous Israeli regime


The Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, speaking on the merry anniversary of the birth of Islam’s Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), underscored the importance of the Palestinian issue for the Muslim world and called on Muslims to unite around the teachings of the holy prophet.

Ayatollah Khamenei described the “forged, Zionist regime of Israel” as a “dangerous cancer tumor” and insisted that “the only way (for Muslims) to defend against this severe cancer and its supporters is to return to Islam” and unite around the teachings of the glorious Prophet of Islam.

Addressing a group of Iranian officials and foreign guests and dignitaries in Tehran on Thursday, the Leader expounded on the reasons for numerous problems and shortcomings in the Muslim world in defending their rights and cited “tireless efforts by the US, the British, and other enemies of Islam in sowing discord” among Muslim masses.

The leader of the Islamic Revolution then emphasized that such bullying and domineering countries are well-aware that “discord and duplicity” can divert the focus of the Muslims from the very important issue of Palestine. “This is the reason that they resort to any possible means to flare the flame of ethnic, religious and geographic conflict among the hearts and minds of the Shia and Sunni, as well as the followers of other Islamic sects.”

Ayatollah Khamenei further spoke of Israeli oppression of the Palestinians, describing the occupation of Palestine as a wound on the body of the Islamic Nation.”

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also declared that “unity of Muslims and defending the Palestinian issue are among the aspirations and priorities of the Islamic Republic (of Iran).”

Recalling the words and priorities of the late founder of the Islamic Revolution Imam Khomeini regarding Muslim unity and the Palestinian issue, the Leader added, “The Islamic establishment, all of the country’s officials and the great nation of Iran view such principlist issues as religiously obligatory and their words (on these issues) have been and remain the same.”

Ayatollah Khamenei also expressed hope that Islamic governments, in tune with their people, would follow the eminent Prophet of Islam in efforts to bring unity among Muslims and to defend their rights, “especially in countering the cancerous, oppressive Israeli tumor and its supporters.

Iraq begins 1st phase of parliamentary elections


Iraq began a special voting on Thursday as security forces, hospital patients and prisoners went to polling stations to cast their ballots for the parliamentary election that takes place on March 7.

In this first phase of the poll, over 800 thousands voters are expected to cast their ballots.

As many as 1,700 constituencies have been set up for the first phase of the elections.

Iraqi expatriates are due to cast their ballots for the parliamentary elections on Friday.

Meanwhile, Iraqi security forces enforced emergency plan and stepped up security measures in Baghdad, days ahead of the general elections set for March 7.

The move came as part of a security plan aims to protect the city from attacks during the elections

Election organisers expect around 800,000 people, who will not be able to go to polling stations on Sunday, to take part in the early voting session.

Security was tight in the centre of the capital and security forces closed down streets around polling stations.

Soldiers and policemen, hospital staff and the sick, and prisoners with less than five years left in jail are eligible to vote. The latter three groups are set to vote in their hospitals or prisons.

Almost 19 million Iraqis, from a population of 30 million, are eligible to vote at 10,000 polling stations around the country, with 6,200 candidates standing for the 325 seats in parliament.

Iraqi expatriates will begin voting in 80 cities across 16 countries on Friday, a process that will continue until Sunday. Iraq’s electoral commission says 1.4 million people are eligible to vote abroad.

Shiite News Chief analyst said that United States and Saudia Arabia are hatching the conspiracy to provoke sectarian and tribal differences in Iraq to fulfill their vested agenda.

He informed that Saudia and Americans were adopting the Lebanon election strategy in Iraq to exploit sectarian and tribal differences for the rule of Saddam loyalists in Iraq.

He further said that the Saudia Arabia, America, and other Arab states have been spending billions of dollars in ongoing Iraqi election for the defeat of Shia Alliance as they would not tolerate the Shia government in their neighbourhood in Iraq.

Iraq rejects Saudi media Sadr arrest report


Iraqi government has rejected Saudi media’s reports that the government wants to arrest top Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr upon his arrival in Iraq.

According to Shiite News Correspondent,”The news report that Mugtada al-Sadr would be arrested on his arrival in Iraq, is fake and for propaganda purposes,” a source in the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said.

Sadr also warned in a statement that the “rumor” is aimed at “instigating” rifts ahead of general elections due on March 7 in the country.

The rumor comes while Maliki has warned against the money being injected in the country’s electoral process from foreign sources.

A visit by the former Iraqi prime minister and head of the secular al-Iraqiya alliance, Iyad Allawi, to Saudi Arabia last week provoked fierce controversy in the country.

Arab-language Nahrainnet news website quoted last week unnamed Saudi officials that Saudi authorities have told Allawi that they have allocated “billions of dollars to buy votes in Iraq’s upcoming elections” with the aim of securing parliamentary seats for “Liberals” and “atheists.”

Maliki said: “I do not see any problems with some Iraqi politicians’ visit with another country’s authorities; but if they want to talk on Iraq future, future government, and the future prime minister, then I deem it treacherous to our country.”

Iraq’s second general election since former dictator Saddam Hussein was toppled in 2003 is being seen as key to consolidating a fledgling democracy and ensuring a smooth exit of all US combat troops by the end of 2011.

Syed Nasrallah to Israelis: You’ll Never Return to Lebanon!


Hezbollah Secretary General Syed Hasan Nasrallah noted on Monday that the Israeli enemy was forced to change its tone and to seek pacification on its northern border,  warning that the choice of war has major and dangerous implications and it is not limited to Israel.

While emphasizing that the resistance is strong because it is embraced by its people, the thing that frightens Israel, According to Shiite News Correspondent,Syed Nasrallah addressed Israeli President Shimon Peres who declared Israel’s failure and that it pulled out from Lebanon for good, saying: “You will never return to Lebanon.”

Syed Nasrallah was speaking through a large TV screen to mark the Prophet’s birthday as a part of the Week of Islamic Unity in the Syed As-Shouhadaa’ complex at the southern suburb of Beirut.

Syed Nasrallah started his speech by stressing the importance of Islamic unity given the current situation. His eminence noted that points of disagreement between Muslims can be turned into points of unity, emphasizing that there should be no reason for the Muslim to be divided when there is a willingness for them to be united.

Turning into politics, Syed Nasrallah noted that the Israeli enemy is indifferent to the one billion Muslims in the world and is seeking to include occupied Jerusalem within its territory and to include the Muslims’ holy sites in a so-called Israeli national heritage. “All this happens amid an Islamic and Arab silence only violated by minor denouncement statements,” his eminence said, adding that nobody is actually defending the Muslims’ holy sites except the Palestinians who are falling victims day after another.

“Israel doesn’t expect any response from the Arab street nor from Arab governments. It rather takes into account the minority found in Lebanon and Palestine as to peoples; and in Iran and Syria as to governments,” Syed Nasrallah said.  “This resistant minority has perceived its strength and refused to surrender,” his eminence emphasized, adding that it doesn’t fear death but rather wants to live with honor and dignity.

While calling on the nation to assume its responsibilities over what’s happening in Palestine, Syed Nasrallah said that the entire Arab Nation has to thank Syria and Iran for standing by the resistance and to emulate these two nations. “It is unacceptable to doubt Iran’s intentions that aim at intervening to support the Palestinian cause,” his eminence stressed.

Hezbollah Secretary General pointed to the change in the Israeli “dialect” following his latest speech believed to change the strategic balances in the conflict with the Israeli enemy. Addressing Israeli President Shimon Peres who declared Israel’s failure and that it pulled out from Lebanon for good, his eminence said: “You will never return to Lebanon.”
“You have exited Lebanon once and for all, and I tell you, you will never be able to come back to Lebanon.”

“When Israel was confronted with a stern and unyielding rhetoric, it was forced to change its tone and to seek pacification on its northern border,” Syed Nasrallah said, noting that even Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is now saying that his country is unwilling to launch a war against any state. “They noticed that there is a new atmosphere in the region.”

His eminence noted that what has been said in the Martyr Leaders’ Day was only a part, stressing that the Resistance has yet many surprises that will be uncovered at the appropriate time. “The Israelis know very well that everything we have said can be achieved,” his eminence added. ”When we threaten Israel, we mean what we say, and Israel knows quite well that every word said would not have been iterated had there not been absolute conviction in the possibility of implementing and realizing it. What we have said is only part, not all, as we harbor surprises.”

The Resistance leader, meanwhile, said that the choice of war has major and dangerous implications and it is not limited to Israel. “The resistance is strong because it is embraced by its people, the thing that frightens Israel,” his eminence pointed out.

Syed Nasrallah expected that the upcoming stage would be marked by a sort of “pressure” on the Lebanese government but hailed the latter’s stance as well as President Michel Sleiman’s one as excellent. In the same context, Syed Nasrallah rejected claims that the call to re-vivify the national dialogue roundtable came in harmony with American pressures.

Hezbollah Secretary General said the Damascus summit is believed to be a sufficient response to the American messages to Syria. “All claims about a divergence between Syria, Iran and the Resistance in Lebanon are mere lies,” Syed Nasrallah asserted, calling for an official defiance in the face of the Israeli pressures and threats.

According to Syed Nasrallah, the Israeli enemy will continue to collect data from Lebanon. His eminence recalled that the Israeli enemy has never suspended its security war against Lebanon through its agents, emphasizing that the Israeli is seeking through this form of war to collect data on the Resistance’s arms by quantity and quality. “If we prevent the Israeli enemy of reaching the data he’s seeking to collect, we delay the war,” Syed Nasrallah said, adding that one of the main characteristics of the Resistance is its “secrecy.”

His eminence turned into the issue of agents and spying networks operating in Lebanon. Addressing the agents and all those who can be induced, Syed Nasrallah said: “What you are doing is not only a crime against some people but a treason of a whole nation.” His eminence called on them to take lessons from past experiences.

Syed Nasrallah renewed his call to execute the death sentences against those who have betrayed their nation. Yet, his eminence called on those agents to return to their nation and ask for God’s pardon, warning that more agents would be uncovered in the upcoming stage. ”I have said before, and I repeat today, yes to the death sentence for these spies. They should hang, and not just rot in jail for life.”

Hezbollah Secretary General concluded his speech by warning the Lebanese government against sharing telecommunications information with the United States, saying any such move would be tantamount to collaborating with the Israeli enemy. “We hope that no party is involved with the US embassy,” Syed Nasrallah said. “Otherwise, we will need a determinant stance.”

“This is dangerous as it is a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty, but its real danger lies elsewhere,” his eminence said. “Because of the strategic relationship and unity between the United States and Israel … any information gathered through such requests, like spy rings, reaches Israelis. In other words, it is giving Israel information by proxy on a silver platter, and we hope there are no Lebanese citizens collaborating with the US embassy in the matter,” his eminence added.

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