The rivals of the outlawed religious outfit Tehreek-e-Jaffaria (TJP) leader Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi are going to hold their first party convention in Islamabad to elect the new leadership for the Shia community, The Nation has learned on Friday. The rivals of the outlawed religious outfit are once again holding their organizational convention to show their strength to their rival leaders.

They have setup a platform of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) to unite all the scattered organizations and clerics of Shia community in a single platform of MWM. It may be noted here that the large numbers of Shia clerics and organizations had parted their ways with the TJP Chief Allama Sajid Ali Naqvi in 1995 over their disputes with him on several political and religious issues from the 1995 they have been continuously taken thrice attempts to letdown their rival leader by forming a organization. When The Nation contacted to Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) Central Additional Secretary Maulana Ameen Shaheedi, he said that they were going to organize the first organizational convention of MWM on 10th and 11 April in Islamabad to elect the first secretary General of MWM. Describing the object of formation of MWM, he said that the main reason of the formation of Majlis-e-Wahdat-e-Muslimeen is to provide a platform to the Shia community of the country as the former leader has failed to represent the community in the country. He said that the major objective of the Majlis-e-Wahdat is to create harmony among the Muslim sects of the country and initiate efforts to bring out the country from the influence of United States. He informed that they were established the MWM two years ago at Punjab level but due to the vast expectation of the community, they were enhanced the organizational structure of MWM across the country. Maulana Ameen Shaheedi said that the former leadership of the Shia community had failed to fulfill the interest of the community in the country saying that this was the main reason that clerics from Punjab has laid the foundation of MWM two years back. He said that now the structure of MWM was existed in every knock and corner of the country saying that more than 300 representatives of Central executive council of MWM will elect the new secretary general of MWM. He further said that the representatives of 90 districts and six provincial structure of MWM including Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan, Azad-Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan saying that more than 1200 clerics, notables and scholars are invited in the program.

It is pertaining to mention here that the Former Military ruler Pervez Musharraf had imposed the ban on Tehreek-e-Jaffaria and Sipah-e-Sahaba over the allegedly involvement in the sectarian violence in the country.

The third generation of centrifuges is more efficient and can enrich uranium faster. The separating power of these centrifuges is six times higher than its predecessors.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Atomic Energy Organization of Iran Director Ali-Akbar Salehi made speeches outlining the country’s nuclear achievements at the ceremony.

Ahmadinejad said sanctions cannot hinder Iran’s nuclear progress. “No country can halt the Iranian nation’s progress,” he stated.

Elsewhere in his remarks, Ahmadinejad called the new nuclear arms reduction treaty, known as the new START pact, which was signed by the United States and Russia in Prague on Thursday, a big lie.

He reiterated Tehran’s position that Iran is prepared to conduct a nuclear fuel swap and to share its nuclear expertise with its neighbors.

Ahmadinejad proposes new bloc of countries seeking nuclear disarmament

Ahmadinejad said nuclear disarmament will not be materialized by those who produce and possess nuclear weapons.

For over 60 years, they have been saying that they seek to curtail the production of nuclear weapons, but all their policies have focused on the development of such weapons, he noted.

He also called on independent countries to make efforts to establish a new grouping with the goal of eradicating nuclear weapons.

Bushehr plant to come on stream by summer

Salehi announced that the Bushehr nuclear power plant would become operational by summer.

The AEOI director also announced that the sites where the new enrichment facilities will be built have been selected.

On the geological studies, he said considerable reserves of uranium have been found in Yazd Province and new exploration projects are under way.

In conclusion, Salehi elaborated on the country’s nuclear achievements, saying they have applications in the medical, agricultural, and industrial spheres.

Final test of Bushehr nuclear power plant conducted

The main and final test needed before the Bushehr nuclear power plant can start producing electricity was also conducted on Friday.

The warm-water test at the 1000-megawatt Bushehr plant was carried out and all the facility’s equipment was examined at high temperatures.

Iran has announced that it needs to generate 20,000 megawatts of electricity through nuclear energy over the next two decades to meet the energy demands of its growing population.

Another meeting joined on Thursday night Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah and the head of the Democratic Gathering MP Walid Jumblatt, the first since the latter achieved his much-awaited visit to the Syrian capital and his meeting with Syrian President Bachar Assad.
 
According to a statement released by Hezbollah media relations, Sayyed Nasrallah received Jumblatt and assessed with him his visit to Syria on March 31 and its positive impact on the return to natural ties between Lebanon and Syria. Jumblatt thanked Sayyed Nasrallah for his mediation and the efforts he paid to achieve the visit to Damascus and the meeting with Assad.
 
Both leaders renewed commitment to the national stances, mainly the choice of Resistance in the face of the ongoing Israeli threats to Lebanon and the necessity to support it. They also discussed the “economic situation and expressed common interest to support the Lebanese citizen rights to decent living.”
 
The meeting between Sayyed Nasrallah and Jumblatt also touched on the issue of the relations between Hezbollah and the Progressive Socialist Party where the two sides stressed the need to “enhance cooperation between them in order to consolidate coexistence and national unity.”
 
Hezbollah Secretary General also received the head of the municipality of Sidon Abdul-Rahman al-Bizri. The meeting, attended by the member of Hezbollah politburo Hajj Mahmud Qmati, discussed the latest developments in Lebanon, mainly in the South.

A range of leading Muslim scholars today outlines a compelling case for Muslims to vote. The statement, signed by imams from Islam’s diverse theological traditions, says that ‘Muslims have an obligation to join hands with others to elect those who will seek the common good.’ The joint statement observes that the forthcoming General Election is an ideal opportunity for voters to reconnect and hold to account their representatives. It is imperative for Muslims to vote on issues that concern them as citizens’. The Muslim Council of Britain urges mosques to convey this message to Muslim congregations at Friday prayers until polling day.

The historic statement also acknowledges the erosion of trust in our democracy as a result of the Expenses Scandal. However, Muslim leaders urge all voters to resist ‘any tendencies towards apathy’. The statement urges Muslims to seize the opportunity: “Muslims should still exercise their judgement and use the opportunity to vote for trustworthy candidates. Candidates who they believe will represent their needs and values better than others, and honourably discharge their duty to seek the common good in a spirit of public service. This election is critical to the health of the parliament.”

With this historic unity statement, the Muslim Council of Britain kicks off a programme of activities ahead of the General Election. While maintaining its non-partisan stand on politics, the MCB will be encouraging British Muslims to play a full part in the democratic and civic life of our country. The MCB will also highlight those public policy issues that will affect Muslims in the next few years.

“Iranian nation will never submit to the US’ old hues and cry, firmly insisting on its absolute nuclear rights and being resolved to give decisive response to foolish and maniacal moves of the enemy of the system,” Ayatollah Khatami said, addressing a large and fervent congregation of people on Tehran University campus.

Congratulating the National Day of Nuclear Technology, Ayatollah Khatami said Iranian nation will slap enemies of the system, who speak to the country with the language of threat and intimidation, strongly in the face.

“If enemy takes any measure out of foolishness and wants to threaten the country in action, the Iranian nation will give a strong response to its lunatic move and send them deep into quagmire,” Ayatollah Khatami warned.

He went on to say that Iranian nation does not seek nuclear arms; this is not because it fears and scared of the enemies of the system; rather it is because Islam does not give such a permission.

The cleric further noted that nuclear energy, which has medical and agricultural applications and is also used for energy generation, is the absolute right of the Iranian nation and it will not back down even one iota from its rights and is resolved to stand firm.

A militant group linked to al-Qaeda in Iraq has said it was behind Sunday’s triple bombings in Baghdad which killed 40 people near foreign embassies.

According to Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA.ir), Islamic State of Iraq said in a statement posted on the internet that it had attacked the Iranian, German, and Egyptian missions.

It said embassies and organisations working with Iraq’s government would top its target list.

But it denied involvement in six blasts killing 35 in Shia areas on Tuesday.

The statement regarding Tuesday’s attacks, which hit residential buildings, was posted on the internet separately, the monitoring group SITE said.

Sunday’s attacks shattered a period of relative calm after last month’s parliamentary elections.

‘Themed’ bombings

The first two bombs went off within about a minute of one another, in Mansour – a fairly smart suburb on the western side of the city, housing many embassies.

The Egyptian, German, Iranian and Syrian missions were all affected by the blasts.

Another minute or so later, a third suicide bomber blew his car up near the Iranian embassy, closer to the city centre.

With security tight around the embassies, many of the dead and injured were people in the nearby streets and buildings.

A number of Iraqi guards working for foreign missions were among those killed. Egypt said several of its staff were wounded by shrapnel.

Spain said its embassy and the adjacent German mission were also damaged.

The Yemeni government and northern Hauthis reached a cease-fire agreement in February. But the truce contains no accountability provisions, said Human Rights Watch, which called on both sides to investigate the allegations.

“In many cases these violations are wrapped up in the grievances that have fueled the conflict to begin with,” said Joe Stork, deputy director for the Middle East at HRW.

He called for independent probes of alleged “serious laws of war violations” in order to sustain the truce and to prevent a repeat of crimes should the cease-fire break down.

The report by the New York-based watchdog, released in Dubai, outlines a series of alleged abuses based on interviews conducted with civilians and aid workers in October. HRW officials said they wanted to release the report in the Yemeni capital San’a but were not granted visas by the authorities.

Allegations include indiscriminate bombing and shelling by government forces, and on-the-spot executions and the use of human shields by Houthis. HRW also accuses both sides of using child soldiers.

Both the Yemeni government and the Houthis declined to comment on the HRW report.

Houthis have fought Yemen’s government sporadically for years, complaining of neglect and sectarian discrimination. Fighting flared up again last August before coming to a halt earlier this year.

The cease-fire deal reached in February _ one of several truces signed over the course of the six-year conflict _ calls on the Shia Houthis to disarm and release captured soldiers and property.

Human Rights Watch said it based the 54-page report on interviews with civilians who witnessed fighting in Yemen’s northern Saada and Amran provinces, as well as with humanitarian aid workers. The fighting has displaced tens of thousands of civilians since 2004.

Christoph Wilcke, one of the report’s authors, said the government blocked researchers from visiting the scene of the fighting and sites of alleged crimes. He said that HRW letters sent to both sides, outlining the findings and requesting additional information, received no response.

The group called on the United Nations to renew efforts to set up a human rights monitoring office in Yemen, and to provide more aid to refugees who fled the fighting. It also urged donor nations, such as the U.S. and Arab Gulf countries, to press both sides in Yemen to abide by international humanitarian law and push for investigations of alleged crimes.

In addition to the conflict with the Hawthis, Yemen’s weak central government has struggled to contain separatists in the south and a threat from al-Qaida militants who have set up operations in the country, the poorest in the Arab world.

in an address read to tens of thousands of supporters at a rally to mark the seventh anniversary of the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, Sadr said that without Iraqi unity “the occupation and its advocates will stay in Iraq without fear.”

“You, the Sunnis of Iraq, joined hands with the Shias to liberate our country. Do not let the [US] occupation or any unjust law made by it deter you from doing that,” he said in the address read by aide Hazem al-Araji.

The United States has almost 100,000 troops in Iraq but they are largely on bases away from cities. Washington has said it will withdraw all troops by the end of 2011.

“We don’t want them [Americans] to stay in our country, let them leave,” said Hussein Muhammad, 30, who journeyed to the Shia holy city of Najaf, 160 km (100 miles) south of Baghdad, from the southern city of Basra for the rally.

Sadr, a Shia who is studying in Iran and is part of the Shia Iraqi National Alliance (INA), is a major factor as politicians try to form a government after inconclusive elections last month.

As part of political negotiations, INA has held merger talks with the State of Law coalition of Shia Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. State of Law finished just two seats behind former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi’s cross-sectarian Iraqiya list in the 325-seat parliament. Sadrists won around 40 seats, the best showing of any party in the INA.

Philippine, Zamboanga City – the Project of building the Masjid Imam al Mahdi (as) and Madrasah Ahlul Bayt (As) left incomplete, unfortunately.

the masjid had a very old wooden building. Approximately two years ago, someone came and pledge funding for reconstruction of the building which houses the Masjid and Madrasah. Unfortunately after economic crisis the donor left without a word. The work on the masjid/madrasah which was almost 10% done was left with unfinished columns and beams. For the last approximately two years the Jumaat Prayer had been put on hold. The 50+ students have been living in the unfinished building and studying.  

The whole project cost 15.5 Million pesos which is approximately US$337,000. The amount that had been raised is approximately US$144,000 which is still US$193,000 short to complete the project. The project is undertaken by the Ahlul Bayt Philippines Islamic Assembly headed by Hujjatul Islam Haj Sheikh Denil Anawari.  

Why is it important that this project is supported?

This is the only school that educates the youths to become religious leaders and guidance in the Philippines. There are approximately 50 male and 30 female students presently in the school. Since the students come from various cities and islands which are far away, they live and study in the masjid compound. For more than 14 years the school has produced few hundred students who have become teachers and preachers. This contributed to the enormous growth in number of converts to Shiasm.

There are now approximately 8 centers of activities in around Zamboanga City. Small activity centers in the form of rooms and small masjid. The students from the madrasah are mobilized to teach in these centers. Classes for children and adults are conducted. In a center in San Antonio there is only a small room which serves as a classroom. There are three classes the 7-8pm, 8-9pm and 9-10pm classes for the different age groups. Sometimes the class is occupied by the 7-8pm class while the children for the 8-9pm and 9-10pm classes were already waiting outside the classroom waiting for the 7-8pm class to end and start their class. 

some photos of this Shia Center: