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

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

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.

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’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.

“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 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.”

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.

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.”

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.

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.

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

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.

The head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP Michel Aoun said on Tuesday that his bloc wasn’t consulted in forming the dialogue table committee although it has the right to voice its opinion.
 
“We want to be represented by a Greek Catholic, Elias Skaff, instead of Michel Pharaon,” Aoun told reporters following his parliamentary bloc’s weekly meeting.
 
Commenting on the March 14 bloc’s call for the participation of representatives from the Arab League in the dialogue, Aoun wondered whether Lebanese have not become adults yet. “We recognize our interest and we don’t want any foreign participation at the national dialogue table,” he pointed out.
 
The General recalled that politicians have discussed the Resistance’s arms between 2006 and 2009. “The general situations have not changed so that we change our opinion, that’s why we are upholding those arms, more and more, given the dangerous situation,” he said. “Let those who claim that no one authorized (Hezbollah Secretary General) Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah to defend himself ask themselves who authorized them to bear arms in the 1970s.”
 
Aoun, meanwhile, stressed that Lebanese have the right to possess weapons that can reach all Israeli territories, noting that these weapons are for defense. “If Israel decides to wage war, it will lose because it doesn’t have much ability to bear the expenses,” he pledged. “The best thing for them is to halt their threats because the Arab world is vigilant,” he went on to say.

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.

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.

While emphasizing that the resistance is strong because it is embraced by its people, the thing that frightens Israel, Sayyed 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.”

Sayyed 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 Sayyed As-Shouhadaa’ complex at the southern suburb of Beirut.

Sayyed 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, Sayyed 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,” Sayyed 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, Sayyed 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,” Sayyed 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.

Sayyed 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, Sayyed 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,” Sayyed Nasrallah asserted, calling for an official defiance in the face of the Israeli pressures and threats.

According to Sayyed 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,” Sayyed 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, Sayyed 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.  

Sayyed 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,” Sayyed 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.

The 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal is celebrated by Muslims in Pakistan as the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad (peace by upon him and his progeny). Muslims organize large public meetings and rallies on that day in the memory of the Prophet (pbuh).

It is however a known fact that certain Muslim sects (e.g. Wahhabi and Deobandi) term such ceremonies of the Eid Mila-un-Nabi as shirk (polytheism) and biddat (innovation in religion).

Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation and practice of religion as long as it does not lead to violence or hate speech. However, the situation gets ugly when some extremist element within one sect try to superimpose their interpretation of Islam and Quran on other sects through the use of violence.

This is exactly what happened in D.I. Khan and Faisalabad on the most sacred day of the birthday of the Prophet (pbuh), when extremist Deobandis and Wahhabis belonging to terrorist group of Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba attacked peaceful public rallies of Muslims. Scores of Muslims (most of Sunni brothers) were killed or injured in these two separate (but ideologically interconnected) incidents.

The question is, why are these news items being censored or misrepresented in Pakistani media?

Here is a plain answer. The pro-Taliban (extremist Deobandi-Wahhabi) lobby, funded and supported by Saudi Arabia is extremely influential in Pakistani media. The pro-Taliban jihadi and sectarian youth serve to act as a proxy army for the ISI’s operations in Afghanistan and Kashmir.

Hence, they would not allow an exposure of the real face of their evil ideology and its proponents to the Pakistani nation. Therefore, they are misrepresenting the horrible incidents of D.I.Khan and Faisalabad as sectarian violence.

It is not sectarian violence. It is a fight between extremism and multiculturalism. It is a fight between tolerance and intolerance. It is a fight between the followers of real Islam and terrorists such as Mullah Omar, Bin laden, Rigi and…. .

It is not sectarianism. It is terrorism. The state must use its full force to protect peaceful Barelvis (and other vulnerable groups) from violence by well trained and well equipped terrorists of Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba

According to reports “Abdul Rauf Baloch” known as Mama Rufa, “Abdollatif” known as Col.Tufan and “Azim Muaviye” the most notorious terrorists of the area have been killed in Dera Adam Khail in the suburbs of Kuhat in a “conflict between government forces and terrorists”.

According to Ahlul Bayt (A) News Agency – ABNA.ir – Official sources claimed that government forces have killed 34 terrorist in conflict with then in Dera Adam Khail in the suburbs of Kuhat city.

These three terrorists were members of the terrorist group of Sepahe Sahabe. Almost all of anti-Shia terrorist acts in “Dera Adam Khail”, “Tank” in Sarhad State and “Behkar” in Punjab State guided or directly done by them.

Mention that terrorists affiliated Grvhkhay Mnhlh only target Shia, but they do not day 12 Rabi age also marched in several cities targeted in the city Dyrh 7 of them Ismail Khan to terrorists and Companions Corps Taliban were killed.

According to officials from the minaret of a mosque terrorists to shoot the march said.

Following the police action about 300 people arrested across the city and now Dyrh Ismail Khan rules established traffic is prohibited.

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The annual Unity Week lecture starts on Friday the 12th of R/Awwal 1431 (26/2/2010). Unity week was set by the late Imam Khomeini(QS) with aim of bringing unity and understanding amongst Muslims. The Islamic Movement in Nigeria as usual organises such programme annually. On the first day of the Programme a lecture titled ‘The Prophet as a symbol of Change’ was delivered by Dr. Sadiq Abba of Political Science Department University of Abuja, Nigeria.

In his lecture the, the Speaker spoke on the importance of unity stressing that it is of utmost necessity in other to bring about change in the society. He explained how the Prophet of Islam changed a society highly characterized by ignorance and lack of civilization. He noted that despite the fact that the Prophet (SAWA) possessed all special qualities endowed to him by Allah, he fought and struggled in the defense of Islam.

Dr. Sadiq in his lecture added that Islam is not only confine to daily rituals like prayers, rather,  Islam it is a complete way  of life and as such  bringing about a change to have an Islamic society is a duty bound upon all Muslims pointing out that Change shall exist even if majority of people refused to carry it out.

Dr Sadiq further accused the Clerics of not standing by the course of Justice and truth; they are only after their selfish interest which prevents them from telling the truth to their followers. He concluded by saying that the true of the matter is that there is a dare need of change of System in Nigeria and only Muslims can bring about such a change because they have the Book of Allah with them.

Unity week gathering in Zaria

The Chief host Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky thanked the lecturer and said that the Dr. Sadiq will be invited again in future programmes so that people can benefit from his vast knowledge in Politics.

The leader further added that the enemies of Islam are always devising ways to sow the seed of discord among Muslims; they print books and distribute freely to many Muslim countries with aim of disuniting Muslims in addition to hiring of some so called Ulema to promote disunity. Sheikh said whoever is paid for such duty will face the consequence in the Next World.

While thanking Dr. Sadiq, Sheikh Zakzaky highlighted some points raised by the Speaker where he said the Pre-Islamic society was characterized by idol worshipping but the Prophet, through excellent preaching and wisdom, was able to change it within a short period of time. Islam brought civilization and knowledge to the Arabian society which spread to the Europe which was in Dark Ages.

He added that the Nigerian society nowadays, contrary to Arab Pre-Islamic society in which a person of upright manner enjoyed respect, does not respect a trustworthy person. Sheikh Zakzaky concluded that to Change requires hard work even by a few people.

Karbala – The Representative of the religious authority Ali Al Sistani demanded on Friday the political blocs and candidates for the parliamentary elections to stay away from “false promises” during the electoral campaign, noting that some blocs are depending on “immoral” ways in their electoral campaigns.

“The political blocs and candidates must stay away from lying in their electoral campaigns that began today,” Abdul-Mahdi Al-Karbalai said in the Friday Prayer yesterday, adding that “this method will push the citizens away from their political powers if these promises were not implemented.”

According to Shiite News Correspondent,The electoral campaigns for entities, blocs and parties participating in the parliamentary elections started today and started to “hang posters and pictures” in all areas since Friday-morning and announced the launch of entities and parties promotion.

“There are political forces that resort to immoral ways that are forbidden morally for the diminution of others,” Karbalai said.

“All candidates must present their programs in a reasonable way and they must be able to achieve the promises they are giving to the people in the case they succeeded,” he stressed.

Karbalai added that: “The first concern of the candidate is to reach to power, in order to provide better services to the Iraqi people as a whole and not for a certain party, and he must not aspire for financial gain for his party, sect or nationality.”

He also stressed on “the need to stay away from using money to lure the voters,” explaining that “this case is flawed and it’s immoral whether for the person paying or recieving such funds.”

Israeli occupation police stepped up security around the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem on Monday after several people were wounded in clashes in and around the holy site.
 
Israeli occupation police said they deployed reinforcements inside the Old City and will continue to limit access to al-Aqsa Mosque to Muslim men over the age of 50 as well as women, adding that the compound will also be open to tourists “like any normal day.”
 
Israeli occupation forces and police stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday morning, where dozens of Palestinian worshippers spent the night, fearing a settler take-over during the Jewish holiday of Purim.
 
More than 200 Israeli occupation soldiers and police were surrounding the mosque, using loudspeakers calling on worshippers to evacuate the site. Palestinians responded by using the minarets in the mosque to urge Palestinians to head to the occupied city.
 
Right-wing Israeli groups have called for the destruction of the mosque, which sits atop the site believed by some Jews to be an ancient Jewish temple.
 
Al-Aqsa mosque compound is Islam’s third-holiest site, after Mecca and Medina. Muslims refer to it as the Al-Haram Al-Sharif and believe it to be the place where the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him) made a night journey to heaven on horseback.
 
The Movement of Hamas on Sunday called for an urgent Arab and Muslim action to curb the Israeli escalation against al-Aqsa Mosque, and international intervention to force Israel to end its occupation of the Palestinian land and holy places.
 
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum warned that this escalation is part of a dangerous Zionist scheme aimed to Judaize the whole occupied city of Jerusalem and demolish al-Aqsa Mosque.
 
Barhoum added that Israel started its scheme long time ago when it intensified its settlement activities, displaced Palestinians and demolished their homes, withdrew their ID cards, escalated its break-ins at al-Aqsa Mosque and Judaized the names of streets in the holy city.
 
He stressed that these new Israeli attacks on the holy Mosque, occupied Jerusalem and its people is aimed to reach the goal declared by the Israeli premier about the “Jewish state”.
 
Barhoum said that that the Arab and Muslim passivity towards what is happening in the holy city as well as the Palestinian Authority’s “connivance” encouraged Israel to escalate its violations against al-Aqsa Mosque.
 
Islamic Jihad staged a mass rally in Gaza denouncing renewed violence at Al-Aqsa Mosque and Israel’s recent decision to lay claim to two holy sites in Bethlehem and occupied Al-Khalil.
 
Islamic Jihad leader Muhammad Al-Hindi told the assembled crowd that Israel “only understands the language of force. This settlement, called Israel, cannot intimidate our people and our resistance through aggression. “The might of the occupying power will not intimidate us, will not change our conviction in our souls and in our bodies, to give up an inch of Jerusalem, which will remain Palestinian and Muslim,” Al-Hindi said at the rally.
 
The Islamic Jihad leader also called on the leaders of rival factions Hamas and Fatah to immediately unite in opposition to Israel.
 
In response to the tensions at the Temple Mount, Nabil Abu Rodainah, an aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, accused Israel of stoking tensions to undermine US attempts to revive peace talks. Israel’s actions, he said, would “naturally affect the American efforts and destroy them.”
 
Meanwhile, the PA government, which is based in Ramallah, is set to convene in occupied Al-Khalil on Monday as an act of protest against Israel’s decision to include Ibrahimi Mosque and Bilal ben Rabah Mosque on its so-called “list of national heritage sites”.
 
Al-Khalil Governor Hussein Al Araj said Sunday that the government’s meeting will be a display of official Palestinian presence in the heart of Al-Khalil as a means of countering Israel’s decision.
 
In a press release, secretary-general of the Palestinian legislative council (PLC) Mahmoud Al-Ramahi warned Sunday that the Israeli persistent attacks against the Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank would certainly trigger a third Intifada (uprising) against Israel.
 
Ramahi added that these Israeli violations would drag the region into further deterioration and instability, and urged the Palestinian people of occupied Jerusalem and the 1948 occupied lands to march to al-Aqsa Mosque to defend it against the attacks of Israeli settlers and troops.
 
In another separate statement, the PLC said that the PA’s collaboration with Israel against the Palestinian people and resistance fighters in the occupied West Bank encouraged Israeli settlers to escalate their attacks on al-Aqsa Mosque.
 
The PLC also held the US administration and the European countries responsible for these attacks for their ongoing support for Israel and their silence towards its settlement and Judaization activities in the holy city.
 
Head of Al-Quds international institution Ahmed Abu Halabiya, for his part, stated Sunday that the success of Israeli settlers to storm al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards to perform rituals points to the size of the Arab and Muslim impotence.
 
Abu Halabiya urged the Palestinian worshipers inside the Mosque to continue their steadfastness and not give up, and called on the people of occupied Jerusalem and the 1948 lands to head to the Mosque to support their bothers.
 
For his part, MP Jamal Al-Khudari, the head of the popular committee against the siege, underlined in a press release that occupied Jerusalem and al-Aqsa Mosque are both at a critical juncture and facing difficult moments.
 
In light of the Israeli escalating attacks against al-Aqsa Mosque, Khudari appealed to the Arab summit to be held in Libya later this month to put the different Palestinian files especially the issue of occupied Jerusalem and the holy Mosque on the top of its agenda.
 
For its part, the Islamic-Christian commission for the support of occupied Jerusalem and holy sites strongly denounced the Israeli occupation forces for storming al-Aqsa Mosque to pave the way for settlers to perform rituals in its courtyards.
 
The commission said in a statement that the occupation troops sealed the gates of al-Aqsa Mosque and the Old City of Jerusalem and turned the holy city into a closed area.
 
During a meeting with the Palestinian President in Amman, King Abdullah of Jordan said Sunday that the international community must take immediate measures to protect the holy sites from unilateral moves on Israel’s part.
 
According to him, Israel’s moves seek to alter occupied Jerusalem’s identity and constitute a dangerous provocation that threatens all efforts invested in achieving regional peace.
 
Jordan’s official news agency, Petra, reported that the Jordanian king warned against “the dangerous consequences of provocative Israeli moves and acts of aggression against the al-Aqsa Mosque – moves with Jordan condemns.”
 
Moreover, the council of trade unions in Jordan expressed dismay at the UN Security Council and the Arab League for not holding emergency meetings to discuss the latest Israeli escalation in the holy city.
 
The council called on the Arab leaders to convene an emergency meeting to explore every avenue to face the new Israeli war, and also urged the member countries of the organization of the Islamic conference to sever their relations with Israel.

Tehran — Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei said on Sunday that the US, Britain and Zionists have launched a propaganda campaign against Iran’s nuclear program and that their unjust measures will backfire.

According to Ahlul Bayt News Agency (ABNA), the Supreme Leader said in a meeting with Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, officials of foreign ministry and Iranian ambassadors based in foreign countries that the Western states are well aware of civilian nature of Iranian nuclear program, but, they are using it as a pretext to put pressure on Iran.

“The Islamic Revolution has introduced a new logic and norm of conduct for international relations and opted for an interactive approach to deal with global arrogance in line with principles of the Islamic Revolution.”

The Supreme Leader said that since the early days of triumph of the Islamic Revolution, Iran has declared that it is not to play an oppressive role and under no circumstances will yield to the bullying powers.

“Iranian nation are the backbone of such strong policy in the world which won support from many intellectuals in the globe.”

The Supreme Leader said that significant scientific progress Iranian youth have made in various fields and their massive turnout in the country’s elections have roots in Iran’s political approach.

The Islamic Revolution brought the Iranian nation success and developments in various fields which are admirable, said the Supreme Leader.

The Supreme Leader recommended the foreign ministry officials to apply effective and timely diplomacy to help international peace and friendship.

“Timely diplomacy would be effective better than the military and financial support in dealing with global developments.”

The Supreme Leader praised the foreign ministry for the successes it made in dealing with regional and global developments, and said the global arrogance has failed in its propaganda campaign against Iran’s nuclear program thanks to the efforts of Iranian foreign ministry.

The Supreme Leader said that the Islamic Revolution is determined to pave its righteous path and will conquer peaks of scientific progress and will attain self-sufficiency in various fields.

Criticizing the shaky performance of the International Atomic Energy Agency in dealing with Iran’s peaceful nuclear program, the Supreme Leader underlined that some measures as well as reports issued by the body indicated it lacks independence.

IAEA should not follow the US lead or that of other countries as the biased measures will shatter the prestige of IAEA and the United Nations, underlined the Supreme Leader.

On the occasion of the birthday anniversary of the Noblest Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Mohammad (A.S.) and the Week of Shia-Sunni Unity, the sixth conference of Muslim Alims arranged by the Islamic Republic of Iran was held in Damascus, Syria under the title of ‘Role of Islamic Ummah’s Unity in the face of Imperialism’

On the occasion of the birthday anniversary of the Noblest Messenger of Allah, Hazrat Mohammad (A.S.) and the Week of Shia-Sunni Unity, the sixth conference of Muslim Alims arranged by the Islamic Republic of Iran was held in Damascus, Syria under the title of ‘Role of Islamic Ummah’s Unity in the face of Imperialism’.

Shii and Sunni Alims gave lectures about necessity of unity and solidarity among Muslims in the face of the arrogant powers.

Sheikh Hossein Shahade, a Lebanese Alim warned against the sectarian plots by the arrogance and said they know well that with unity, the Islamic Ummah could dominate the world with its justice and welfare.

He lauded Iran for the arrest of Abdolmalek Rigi, head of Jundollah terrorist band and said the western media claimed he was the leader of Iranian Sunnis while the Iranian Sunnis disavowed him because he was a criminal who killed innocent people.

Sheikh Hesam al-Din Farfur, Head of the Syrian Islamic Science Center said that not only a united Islamic Ummah can resist against alien threats but also it could bring progress and development to Muslim community in social and economic affairs.

He said that Tehran and Damascus’ joint support of the Resistance in Lebanon and Palestine is a symbol of unity. He urged other Islamic countries for more solidarity.

Sheikh Mohammd Adel Aziza, a Syrian Alim from the Halab province said promotion of unity among the youths and university students is a significant duty of Muslim Alims.

Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has issued a Fatwa (religious ruling), declaring vote-buying as Haraam (forbidden) ahead of the country’s parliament elections.

Speaking on behalf of the Ayatollah, Sheikh Abdul Mahdi al-Karbalaei, called on candidates and political parties to respect election laws and avoid trying to influence voter decision through dishonest means.

“Candidates and political entities must adopt a realistic and feasible program to encourage people to vote for them,” Sheikh Abdel Mahdi al-Karbalai told worshippers during the Friday prayers sermon in Karbala’s Imam Hussein mosque.

“They should avoid making unrealistic promises… [They should] also refrain from slandering one another, because it is unacceptable and immoral,” he added.

Karbalai, who is a representative of the leading Shia spiritual leader, also noted that the religious leadership did not favor any particular group or candidate.

He said, however, that showing up at the ballot box on March 7 was not enough, stressing that everyone had a moral responsibility to choose the candidate that they believed would best secure Iraq’s present and future interests.

The cleric also explicitly stated that distributing money, gifts and promises of future handouts to impact election results are an impermissible act based on all religious and ethical principles.

“Accepting these sums is Haraam. Even if you disregard that fact, it would be degrading to Iraq’s national dignity if people start being drawn to a special candidate or group [for these reasons],” he explained.

Vote-buying is not an unheard of phenomenon in the Middle East, but Lebanon is considered on top of the list of regional countries where it is practiced.

According to a New York Times article, foreign money played a major role in determining the result of the country’s latest parliamentary elections, which ended in favor of the pro-West and Saudi-backed March 14 coalition.

Based on the American daily’s report, one adviser to the Saudi government has even confessed that Riyadh had spent hundreds of millions of dollars on the elections in Lebanon, a country that only has a population of four million.

“We’re supporting candidates running against Hezbollah,” the Saudi advisor had told the New York Times.

The paper also said that Saad Hariri, the billionaire leader of the parliamentary majority and a Saudi ally, was alleged to be the biggest election spender.

Islamic Revolution Leader, Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei, in a meeting with leaders of Palestinian resistance movements Saturday said Palestine and Quds will return to the Islamic Ummah through resistance and Jihad adding the occupying Israel has no fate but defeat and disappearance.
The Palestinian leaders are in Tehran for a two-day conference on ‘National-Islamic solidarity for the future of Palestine’.
Ayatollah Khamenei in his important and hopeful remarks lauded the firm resistance of the Palestinian nation and people in the Gaza Strip and said,” certainly, Palestine will be released through the memorable resistance of the Palestinian nation, unity of Palestinian resistance movements, as well as faith and reliance on God. Supporters of the Zionist regime will gain nothing but disgrace in history.”
The Islamic Revolution Leader termed the resistance of the Palestinian nation and Gaza as an astonishing and wonderful event and the main reason for progress and firm position of Palestinians, adding that bearing difficulties and non-stop pressures is only possible by God’s assistance and guidance.
“Fairly the Palestinian nation is deserved to be named as the most resistant nation in history,” Ayatollah Khamenei added.
Islamic Revolution Leader urged the combatant movements to maintain the spirit of resistance among the Palestinian nation as a ground for continuation of the Palestinians’ victories and said,” The Zionist enemy and other sides pressure the people of Gaza and the West Bank in a bid to distance them from the Resistance and force them to surrender but the Palestinian nation with strong spirit and more hopes should be certain that its moves will surely yield positive results.”
Ayatollah Khamenei termed the increasing strength of the Resistance against the arrogance as a clear and undeniable reality, adding, “Strength and firmness of the Resistance front is the result of a combination of spirituality and struggle. The true faith of the Palestinian nation should be deepened. Reliance on God and hope in the fulfillment of God’s promises should be boosted.”
The Islamic Revolution Leader termed the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran as a sign of fulfillment of God’s promises and said,” Establishment of the Islamic Revolution in a country that its regime was completely supported by America and the West was impossible but reliance on God, a united fight, and faith and resistance turned the impossible move into a possible one. Certainly liberation of Palestine will not be more difficult than the victory of the Iranian nation against the former cruel regime.”
Ayatollah Khamenei also urged for combat against western false propaganda over the Palestinian issue.
Pointing to the disgrace of America and the other so-called advocates of human rights in the Gaza 22-day war, the Islamic Revolution Leader said that America and other supporters of the Zionists ignored the most heinous crimes of the regime in the Gaza Strip but when the nations held demonstrations, some Europeans and so-called advocates of human rights only verbally condemned these crimes to avoid more disgrace.
Ayatollah Khamenei spoke of the United Nations’ stance on the 22-Day war in Gaza as scandalous, adding that according to the Goldstone report, the Zionist authorities should stand trial for their atrocities.
Ayatollah Khamenei expressed dismay at the Arab states’ approach to the issue of Palestine and said they regard it as something for the Arabs to deal with, but when it comes to helping Palestinian, they fail to live up to what is expected from them and Palestinians are left alone to face the enemy and its allies.
The Leader of Islamic Revolution said that the US President’s promise of change was merely a face saving act that didn’t produce the favorable results, for the Americans explicitly lie in case of Palestine and other occasions.
Ayatollah Khamenei spoke of Palestine as a serious challenge to the Western civilization and the advocates of liberalism. He added that resistance in Palestine has challenged the West’s claims of guarding peace and human rights.
The Leader of Islamic Revolution said that Palestine has become a touchstone of real defenders of human rights.
Ayatollah Khamenei added that the US is the definite loser of the Palestinian resistance issue and what the country did in support of the Zionist regime in the past years has blackened the country’s reputation.
Defending the Palestinians was what the Leader of Revolution referred to as a moral duty for the Muslim world.
Ayatollah Khamenei said that supporting Palestine is not a political tactic or strategy but something of ideological value to the Islamic Republic and the nation as evidenced by Quds Day rallies.
The Leader of Islamic Revolution continued that Quds Day rallies were the overflow of pure faith in the Palestinian cause as manifested in February 11th rallies.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed out the futility of Palestinian compromise talks and stated that those who seek compromise and abandon resistance, which is the only way to save the Quds and Palestine, are destined to humiliation.
The Leader of Islamic Revolution said rejecting the resistance in Palestine, consciously or unconsciously, is a blow to the Palestinian Nation. He continued that the public should be well informed of the realities.
Ayatollah Khamenei pointed to the US incomparable economic, military, and propaganda superiority and said because of the divine assistance, Iran is more powerful than the US.
The Leader of Islamic Revolution concluded that the Muslim world would soon take hold of the Holy Quds as God wills and the whole world would witness the event.
In the beginning of the meeting, the Political Bureau Chief of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Khaled Meshaal acknowledged the holding of the conference of “National and Islamic Solidarity for the Future of Palestine” in Iran and termed it a blessing for the beginning of “the Unity Week”.
Meshaal said the current situation in the region is very different to the past adding, “Today the Resistance Front through the blessing of God and the brave stance of the Islamic Republic of Iran earned several victories against the Zionist regime which were impossible in the past.”
Ramadhan Abdullah Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement also in his speech termed the conference as very important reiterating, “Solving Palestinian issue is possible through Islamic nations’ consensus. He hoped the conference would pave the way for a strong national consensus about Palestine.
“The main way for solving Palestinians issue is resistance against the Zionist regime because the past experience had shown that political methods have had no positive results except trampling the Palestinians’ rights,” he added.
Secretary General of the Islamic Jihad acknowledged the Islamic Revolution Leader and nations’ support to the Palestinian people and said, “Resistance is the Palestinian nation’s right and we as the leaders of the Palestinian groups including Ezzeddin Qassam, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and Fathi Sheghaghi will not choose a way than resistance.”

Ahmed Jibril, Founder and Leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine for his part referred to the sufferings of the Messenger of Allah Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) in the face of the enemies of Islam and said, “We will continue the same way of the Messenger of Allah and choose resistance as the only way for gaining victory against the Zionist regime.”
He also acknowledged the Islamic Revolution Leader and nation’s support to the Palestinian nation’s resistance.
Colonel Abu Mousa Secretary General of the Fatah based al-Intifada Front referred to the main issue which endangers the holy Quds and other holy sites in Palestine and said, “The Zionist regime tries to Judaize the holy Quds through construction of residential units and destruction and occupation of the Palestinian territories and other lands around the al-Aqsa Mosque.”
He said that the victory of the Islamic Revolution was very effective for the formation of Resistance and its victories in the recent years. He said the stances of Iranian and Syrian presidents were brave response to the American and Zionist regime’s attitude and made happy all Muslims in the world including the Palestinian nation.

Jaffaria Alliance Pakistan (JAP) has lashed out the PML-N leadership over their allegedly links with the banned terrorist outfit Sipah-e-Sahaba,which was involved in the killings of thousands of inncoent Shia’s in Pakistan and having the links with outalwed Al-Qaeeda and Taliban terrorists.
Addressing the press conference  at Karachi Press Club (KPC) along with the family members of Shuda-e-Ashura and chelum on Thursday, Vice-President, Jaffaria Alliance, Allama Mohammed Hussain Masoodi, bitterly criticised PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif and his cabinet minister Rana Sanullah who openly participated in the rallies of defunct Jihadi organisation Sipah-e-Sahaba where the law minister used abusive language against the Millat-e-Jafferia.
According to the Shiite News Correspondent, He demanded of the Presidnet Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Army Chief,Chief Justice of Paksitan and others authoritioes concern to take immeidate notice of the linksof PML-N leadership with the terrorists organizations.
He urged the PML-N leadership to take notice of the participation of their leaders in the programes of terrorists organizations, which was banned by the Governmnent of Pakistan.

On this occasion ,He announced that Millat-e-Jafferia will observe the ‘Wahdat Week” from 12 Rabi-ul-Awal to 17 Rabi-ul-Awal to mark the brith celebrations of holy prophet Mohammad (PBUH) saying that during the Wahdat week Mehfil-e-Milad and processions will be taken out in the city.

According to the Millat-e-Jafferia, Hazrat Mohammed Mustafa(PBUH) was born on 17 Rabi-ul-Awal and they celebrate Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi on that day. He said that they would fully participate in the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) celebrations on Saturday and nobody could stop them from taking out processions.

He also criticised media groups for (as he put it) becoming touts of the militant groups and labeling Millat-e-Jafferia an extremist organisation and asked the media organizations to play their role.
He criticized the Government over their failure to arrest the culprits involved in the five bomb blast incidents in the metropolis during the moruing processions.
Maulana Masoodi demanded of the Governmnent to immediately arrest the real terrorists involved in the bloodshed of innocent shia’s Muslims and immediately grant the compensation to the martyrs of the bomb blasts incidents saying that majority of the martyrs families have deprived from the compensation amount announced by the Government.

The Supreme Leader of Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, has stressed that the Islamic system of government in Iran has led to a Muslim awakening within the world of Islam, and this has endangered the interests of the arrogant powers. Speaking in a meeting with the head and members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts, the Supreme Leader stressed that the Islamic system of government, and the many blessings which have followed on from the Islamic revolution, such as the awakening of Muslims within the Islamic world, has endangered the vested interests of the arrogant powers. The Supreme Leader added: “The oppressive and arrogant powers are united in their opposition to the Islamic republic of Iran, precisely for this reason, and thus it is incumbent upon all of us to do everything we can to preserve (protect) and safeguard the Islamic system of government and its cornerstone principles and tenets.

In further remarks, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said monotheism is the central tenet (principle) of the Islamic republic’s system of government, and justice, generosity and greatness of the people, and people’s votes are the other core principles (tenets) of the Islamic republic. The Supreme Leader said with this Islamic perspective, the people’s role and the people’s presence, the most important manifestation of which is the people’s votes in elections, is one of the most important issues (topics) in the country, and this is why elections in Iran are real elections, where people decide through their votes, and the elections are not ‘pretend elections’ or fake elections or imitative.

Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei added: “In the Islamic republic, unlike most countries who claim to champion democracy, wealthy and powerful lobbies or special interest groups do not sway people’s votes, and the nation makes up its own mind — the people decide through their vote – even though in some instances the people’s choice or the people’s decision may be the wrong choice or decision. But at any rate, it is the people’s decision, it is their choice, and we must all accept that.
The Supreme Leader went on to call for clear delineation, and clear distance between all those who support the Islamic republic and the enemies of Islam, the enemies of the Islamic republic, particularly with regards to certain key issues which concern the identity of the Islamic republic. However, he added: “A plurality of opinion on other secondary issues or ’side issues’ is actually a good thing and leads to progress”.

Turning to people’s participation in elections within the Islamic republic, the Supreme Leader said the many blessings of this participation include ‘healthy competition’, ‘a more vibrant society’, a more powerful Islamic government, and better management.

In further remarks, the Supreme Leader said: “The best possible case is when we have a stable society, but a society which is full of change and innovation. It is for this reason that within the Islamic republic, we try to maintain stability and at the same time conduct all election campaigning within the bounds of the fundamental principles of the Islamic republic. If some election candidates decide to move outside these bounds, then that is wrong, and is not proper election campaigning.

The Supreme Leader warned those who aren’t willing to obey the law, or to accept the choice and the votes of the majority of the people, saying these people effectively turn a point of strength – namely a proud election where forty million people took part and cast their ballots – into a point of weakness. The Supreme Leader said these people effectively throw themselves overboard from this ’ship of salvation’ which is the Islamic republic.

Before the Supreme Leader’s speech, Chairman of the Assembly of Experts Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said Thursday’s meeting of the body was buoyed by the massive rallies marking the Islamic Revolution’s anniversary on February 11th, and the massive rallies on 30th December.

According to the Shiite News, In the attack of Notritious Wahhabi terrorists a member of Shaheed Foundation Pakistan and 2 other innocent Shia embraced martyrdom, while 4 others injured in the terrorists attacks. The bloody attack of Wahabi Taliban terrorists were occurred near Turgarh, when the convoy carrying the Shia’s of Kurram Agency on their way to Kurram Agency Parachinar, the Taliban terrorists were opened the fire on the convoy of Parachinar’s shia’s at Turgarh.

Parachinar, Kurram Agency had been under siege for more than last three years because pro-Taliban and pro-Al-Qaeda local Wahhabi terrorists were enjoying complete freedom to hold residents of whole of the area hostage through encirclement.
However, Interestingly, routes leading from Kurram Agency to Afghanistan are relatively more secure for travelling as compared to the routes leading to Pakistani territories.
Taliban terrorists had put Kurram Agency under siege in March/April 2007 and since then it remained under siege. On Shia Muslims protest, government had formulated a policy for protection of the convoys going to Parachinar but security forces also failed to protect the convoys.
A vast majority of Pakistanis call war on terrorism and insurgency in Afghanistan and Pakistan a “fixed match” between the U.S.-led allies and Taliban-AlQaeda terrorists. Neither the 40-plus U.S.-led forces defeat terrorists’ altogether since their war started in late 2001 and now the Taliban-AlQaeda cause colossal losses to their combatant enemies. Non-combatant persons, children, women and elderly males are killed in hundreds and thousands. But, neither terrorists nor the foreign forces have so far been killed in dozens, let alone hundreds.

PML-N Leadership association with outlawed terrorists organization SSP

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) has sacrificed its election manifesto to secure support from a pro-Taliban and pro-Al-Qaeda sectarian terrorist outfit in the bye-election for a vacant seat (PP-82) of Punjab Assembly from District Jhang.
 
First, one must know what the PMLN said in the manifesto for Elections February-2008. Extremism and Terrorism is 8th point of 22-points manifesto that was released in December 2007: 
The number of people with an extremist mindset in Pakistan is very small, but there is a much larger number of people, especially in NWFP and the Tribal areas, who regard the war on terror as a campaign against Islam. The use of force is and will remain necessary against foreign and local terrorists who take innocent lives and also to prevent infiltration across the Pakistan border, but it is even more important to win the hearts and minds of people who support them, through a concerted process of political engagement.
PML (N) is committed to pursue this dual track approach and take resolute steps to eradicate the menace of extremism and terrorism which is also becoming a serious threat to life and property in Pakistan.
During its previous tenure from 1997 to 1999, the PML (N) government took a series of measures to control terrorist group and counter their activities. It also supported the efforts of the international community to deal with this threat to peace and stability. In keeping with this policy PML (N) will intensify these efforts by:
– Strengthening the capacity of law enforcing agencies to detect and control terrorist groups and their supporters;
– Influencing the groups which directly or indirectly support terrorism, through political intermediaries and civil society organizations to adhere to basic Islamic principles of peace, moderation and justice.

– Promoting the rule of law, tolerance and mutual respect in the country to overcome the sense of desperation which pushes certain segments of society towards extremism.
– Taking steps to mainstream the tribal areas into the political, economic and cultural activities of the country and accelerating the pace of economic and social development in these areas.

Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam (PMLQ)’s Member of Parliament Shaikh Waqas Akram told the Parliament on Tuesday February 23, 2010 that Rana Sanaullah, provincial law minister of the PMLN’s Punjab government, visited Jhang district on February 21, 2010 and met chief of a notorious terrorist group.

Shaikh Waqas further said that under full official protocol on February 22, Mr. Rana spoke at a rally where banned terrorist outfit’s supporters raised slogans against Shia Muslims and called them kafir (heathen).
 
As you read PMLN proudly referred to its previous tenure from 1997 to 1999, when they took a series of measures to control terrorist group and counter their activities.
 
What they did to the ASS/SSP and its affiliated Lashkar-e-Jhangvi? The notorious terrorists of Anjuman Sipah-e-Sahaba (ASS) of Pakistan and its affiliated Lashkar-e-Jhangvi were killed in encounters with the security personnel during tenure of the PMLN’s Shahbaz Sharif as chief minister of Punjab in 1997-99. Rana Sanaullah is minister in the cabinet of Shahbaz Sharif, younger brother of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif who is now again chief minister of the province. Shahbaz Sharif on record said about this terrorist group that its terrorists were trained for terrorism in Afghanistan. It was late 1990s when Taliban had ruled Afghanistan. Anjuman Sipah-e-Sahaba (ASS) had to be renamed as Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) because of its acronym-ASS that made its opponents and ordinary Pakistanis to call them “ass.”
 
Sipah-e-Sahaba and its affiliated wings openly perpetrated terrorism and in many cases claimed responsibility for the massacre and genocide of Shia Muslims in all over Pakistan. To hoodwink ordinary Muslims, the ASS or SSP had to be renamed again as Millat-e-Islamia Pakistan and then Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat respectively.
 
Originally belonging to Deobandi sect, the ASS/SSP/MIP or ASWJ is ideologically Wahhabism-influenced outfit. This terrorist group also killed many Sunni Bralevis because the group considers Bralevis as Mushrik and Bid’ati. Now, it doesn’t make public its actual viewpoint fearing a backlash from Sunni Bralevis.   
 
Then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had become prime target of Riaz Basra who reportedly made a failed attempt on his life by exploding a bridge that was being used by him on way to his Raiwind (Lahore) residence. Nawaz Sharif was sent a photograph from a very close range with a message from these terrorists that we are so much nearer to you.
 
Riaz Basra, a criminal who formed Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, sister wing of the Sipah-e-Sahaba, who claimed responsibility for genocide of Shia Muslims, was finally killed in a gun-battle with security forces.
 
At a rally in Rawalpindi, the group chief Azam Tariq had threatened the Pakistan Army that he and his group would react if General Pervez Musharraf-led regime chose to oppose Taliban in Afghanistan.
 
Interestingly, his only vote as Member of National Assembly had blocked the PPP, single largest party and then an ally of the PMLN from forming its legitimate democratic government. Azam Tariq’s vote brought favourites of military dictator Pervez Musharraf to power in 2002.
 
It remains a Sipah-e-Sahaba style and tradition it always deceived people of Pakistan. Former federal interior minister Naseerullah Babar had reportedly said that he had seen Azam Tariq with former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a foreign country’s hotel.
 
Reports had it that Sipah-e-Sahaba was a joint venture of Israeli Mossad and the United States’ CIA but they also used their allied intelligence agencies for cover-up.
 
Former military chief Pervez Musharraf, a staunch U.S. ally, had enjoyed Sipah-e-Sahaba’s support when he led a coup to dislodge Nawaz Sharif-led PMLN’s government.
 
Sipah-e-Sahaba always backed Al-Qaeda and Taliban and remained involved in heinous and inhuman acts of terrorism in Pakistan. Amazingly, they were not dealt with severely and action of cosmetic nature was taken to hoodwink public opinion.
 
For instance, Musharraf regime banned the terrorist group but his government also banned the victim of Sipah-e-Sahaba’s terrorism namely Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan (TJP).
 
Thousands of Shia Muslims were massacred in mosques, mourning processions, congregations while performing obligatory or recommended Islamic functions. Among the victims of Sipah-e-Sahaba terrorism were: innocent children, women, elderly persons, medical doctors, lawyers, teachers, government officers, business tycoons, etc.
 
Sargodha’s Commissioner Tajammul Abbas was a Shia Muslim who was assassinated in government residence. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ashraf Marth was a Sunni Police officer who was murdered because he had found clues to foreign support given to Sipah-e-Sahaba. He was a close relative of PMLQ’s chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain who had served as a Prime Minister for a short period under General Pervez Musharraf as President.        
 
PMLN’s Rana Sanaullah had defended the terrorist group at a meeting in December 2009 when another senior official of the PMLN had warned the group’s chief not to create tension in Punjab province. That official was target of a huge explosion in his hometown but he was not there at the time of the blast. 
 
The anti-Shia terrorist outfit has also killed Pakistani Hindus, Sikhs and Christians.
 
Print and electronic media, civil society and human rights organisations have also not played their active role against this terrorist outfit. Government, security forces, intelligence agencies, all the relevant officials and political and religious parties have taken no serious practical step against this terrorist outfit. They must know the fact that terrorists and victims of terrorism cannot be equated.
 
Shiite News’ analysts believe that Pakistan would have avoided terrorism and suicidal attacks, had the Sipah-e-Sahaba and its mindset been nipped in the bud. It was Sipah-e-Sahaba and its affiliated group that introduced suicidal attacks in Pakistan.
 
Terrorism and extremism in Pakistan can be thwarted and defeated by a just solution. Neither ferocious terrorists should be pardoned nor they be embraced. The PMLN shouldn’t put its credibility at stake.
 
Shia Muslims are unhappy with the PMLN because Nawaz Sharif hadn’t visited the martyrs’ families after massacre on Ashura in December 2009. PMLN should not side with terrorists involved in the genocide of peaceful Shia Muslims.

Rabi-ul AWwal 9^th marks two great and happy occasions, Eid-e- Zehra (a.s.), Eid-e-Shuja and the auspicious day of the formal beginning of Imamate of the last infallible descendant of Prophet Muhammad (SAWW), Al-Imam Al-Mehdi Al-Montazar, Al-Hujjat (atf).
In celebration of these joyous occasions, grand religious festivals, Milad, and celebration rallies are being held across the world organized by followers of Ahlul-Bait (a.s.).

Like others parts of the world the celebrations of Eid-e-Zehra (AS) and formal beginning of Imamate of Imam Mehdi (atf) has been celebrated across the Pakistan including Karachi.

Despite the five bomb blast incidents in the metropolis on the mourners of Imam Hussain (AS) during the holy months of Muharram and Safar, claims more than 75 lives of the mourners and other people.

The karachiites are being celebrated the pleasures day of Eid-e-Zehra through organizing the Milad gatherings and Milad rallies to mark the celebrations of the happiest day also commemorating the martyrs of Ashura and Arbaeen

Rabi-ul Awwal 9, the day of glory, honor, dignity and blessings, is a great Eid known as “Eid-e-Shuja’a”, “Eid-e-Zahra (SA)” or the Feast of Zehra (SA). Many traditions from holy Prophet (SAWW) and his Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) have been reported in its merit.

Ibn-e-Taous narrates in Zawaed-ul Fawaed that Holy Prophet (SAWW)’s companion, Hazrat Hozayfa Yamani (R.A.), said that he went to holy Prophet (SAWW) on 9th of Rabi-ul Awwal and witnessed him smiling while he had his eyes on the faces of his grandsons Imam Hassan (AS) and Imam Hussain (AS). He said to them: ‘Surely on this day, Allah will ruin His enemy and enemy of your grandfather, and prayer of your mother will be accepted on this day, and this is the day when Allah accepts deeds of your followers and your devotees…”

Imam Ali (A.S.) told Hozayfa Yamani (R.A.) 72 names of this Eid Day. Some of these are: Youm-ul Eid As-Sani, Youm-ul Istaraha, Youma Raf’il Qalam, Youma Eid-Ullah Al-Akbar, Youma Ijabatid Duaa, Youma Farh-ush Shia, Youma Eido Ahlil Bayt (A.S.) and Youma Saroor-e-Ahlil Bayt (A.S.).

This was the day, when pained Ahlul-Bayt-e-Rasool (holy Progeny of holy Prophet (SAWW) ended their mourning following the gruesome tragedy of Karbala and for the first time after the massacre of his father Imam Hussain (AS) and his companions, the 4th Imam (AS) Ali bin Al-Hussain Zayn-ul Abideen (AS) smiled.

It is reported in Behar-ul Anwaar, Vol 45 and Jame-ur Ruwaat, Vol 02 that it was this time of the year when Ahle Bayt-e-Rasool (A.S.) brought their mourning to an end as Hazrat Mukhtar Saqafi (R.A.) – one of the great companions and true followers of Ahlul Bayt (AS) – took revenge from killers of Imam Hussain (A.S.) by killing them all in the same manner as they did, and then he sent to Beemar-e-Karbala Hazrat Imam Zayn-ul Abideen (AS) the heads of the slaughterers of Imam Hussain (A.S.) including Ibne Ziyad and Umer bin Sa’ad. Umer bin Sa’ad was the first to shoot the arrow towards Hussaini camps and he then proudly said: “Be witness that me the first to shoot the arrow.”

Receiving heads of these tyrants, Imam Zayn-ul Abideen (AS) paid thanking prostration to Allah saying, “Thanks to Allah for He took revenge from our enemies” and prayed for Hazrat Mukhtar (R.A.) in these words: “May Allah reward Mukhtar good.”

In another narration Sahib-e-Nasiq writes that on the moment when these two heads were brought to Imam Zayn-ul Abideen (A.S.), the holy Imam said: “I thank God who kept me alive to this day when I could see the heads of the tyrants who killed my holy father Imam Hussain (A.S.)”.

History tells that from Ashura – the day when Imam Hussain (A.S.) was slaughtered – till the day the heads of the killers of Imam Hussain (A.S.) were brought, no one of the Ahlul-Bayt (A.S.) paid any time to their own like combed their hair or anything like that, neither did anyone see smoke coming out from the house of the Ahl-e-Bayt-e-Rasool (A.S.).

It was Mukhtar (R.A.) who managed to bring happiness after years of mourning in the house of the Ahlul Bayt (A.S.).

Chief of Prophets holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.W.) said, “Train your brood in three things; the love of your Prophet, the love of his progeny i.e. Ahlul Bayt, and recitation of Quran.”

A saying of Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (A.S.) goes, “The best means through which servants can achieve closeness to Allah, Mighty and Glorious, is the obedience of Allah, the obedience of his messenger, and the obedience of those charged with (spiritual) authority.” Then, he added; “The love of us (Ahlul Bayt) is Faith and the hatred for us in infidelity.

Sixth infallible descendant of holy Prophet (S.W.), Imam Jafar As-Sadiq (A.S.) said; “Verily there are various degrees of serving Allah, but love (and cordial inclination) for us, Ahlul Bayt, is the highest one.”

This Eid day achieves more heights of honor, glory and excellence as on this auspicious day the crown of Imamat is passed to Imam of our era, the last 12th Imam Al-Mehdi (AS). A saying of Holy Prophet (SAWW) goes: “One who dies without knowing the Imam of his time, dies a death of ignorance.”

Imam Al-Mehdi, Al-Qa’em, Saheb-ul Asr (atf) is our Imam, Imam of our time and as the verse 71 of chapter Bani Israel of holy Quran says: “(Remember) The day (of Judgment) when we shall call every people with their Imam”, we will be called and presented with our Imam on Resurrection Day.

Friends of Muhammad (SAWW) and progeny of holy prophet Muhammad (SAWW) should celebrate this day with great happiness, for our joys are with the joys of Ma’soomeen (AS) and our grief and sorrows are for them alone.

Some Aamaal of this day as reported by scholars are as under:
* Dress in new and fine apparel,
* Perfume oneself,
* Throw feast for Momineen (believers),
* Make them (Momineen) happy,
* Greet each other,
* Recite Ziarat Imam-e-Zamana (AS)

A prominent member of the Shia community of was gunned down while his friend sustained bullet injuries when unidentified attackers opened fire on them in Yakatoot area late Monday night. Police has arrested an alleged attacker was arrested while fleeing from the spot. Dr Saqlain, a prominent figure of the Shia community and brother of Major (R) Hasnain, a leader of Tehrik-e-Jaffria, , was martyred and his friend Abbas was wounded when unidentified terrorists of outalawed Wahabi’s attackers opened fire on them near their Imambargah in Yakatoot. The wounded man was taken to the Lady Reading Hospital.

There were reports that one of the attackers was arrested from the spot when he was fleeing. He is said to have been shifted to unknown place for interrogation.Yakatoot and nearby Kohati, Kochi Bazaar and other areas are thickly populated with Shia community. A large number of Imambargahs are also located in the locality. Strict security measures have been taken in the area to avoid any further attack.