Vol. 45, no.

July 2016

Crescent
International

The newsmagazine of the

Islamic movement
P.O. Box 747
Gormley, ON L0H 1G0
CANADA
Tel: (905) 887-1119/8913

Editorial Board:

Zafar Bangash
Muhammad al-Asi
Afeef Khan

Contents .
Reflections Zafar Bangash

Europe leans right: reasons

and repercussions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Editorials

Mleeta: symbol of Hizbullah

resistance and prowess . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

The Wests democratic deficit . . . . . . . . 2

Al-Masjid al-Haram and

al-Masjid al-Aqsa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Crimes of the Bahraini regime . . . . . . . . 4

Abu Dharr

When threatened with a great

injustice, one accepts the
smaller one as a favor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Commentary Waseem Shehzad

UN report on Saudi crimes in Yemen . . . 7

News/Analysis

ISSN 0705-3754
LCM 77031986

Russias real game in Syria . . . . . . . . . . 9

Affiliated with:

The Institute of Contemporary Islamic

Thought (ICIT)
Toronto, London,
Pretoria, Karachi

Ramadan Shawwal 1437

Ten years after Israels war of

aggression on Hizbullah . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Fallujahs liberation and the
challenges ahead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
UK faces its now what
moment after Brexit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Cover Story

Muhammad Ali: boxing legend,

human rights activist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Islam/Movement

Significance of Quds Day rallies . . . . . 26

Reviving Islamic vocabulary
for socio-political discourse . . . . . . . . . 29

Book Review

Understanding the Philosophy

of Science . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Islam/Fundamentals

Justice beckons impartiality

regardless of social status . . . . . . . . . . 35

Letters to the Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

From the Editors desk...

Erdogan sells martyrs blood for $20 million

Turkish President Recep Tayip Erdogan has
walked a long way from Davos where he had
stormed out of a panel discussion with then
Israeli President Shimon Peres in protest over the
killing of innocent Palestinians, to Rome where
Turkish and Israeli officials concluded a deal on
June 26. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu praised the deal for its strategic
importance to Israel while the newly-minted
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildrim held his own
press conference in Ankara to announce the deal.
For the paltry sum of $20 million as compensation to the families of nine victims of the Mavi
Marmara that Israeli commandos had murdered in
cold blood on May 31, 2010, Turkey surrendered
its right to prosecute Israeli commanders for war
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July 2016

crimes. Not surprisingly, Netanyahu was elated.

He also gets to resume normal trade relations
with Turkey although these were not affected in
any significant way despite the Israeli crime.
Further, Turkey caved in on the lifting of Israels
illegal siege of Gaza. Aid to the beleaguered
Gazans would still be delivered through Israeli
ports and not directly to Gaza. In return, Ankara
promised to urge Hamas to provide information
about two Israeli soldiers and two civilians missing in Gaza.
Operating in the background, US Vice President Joe Biden, a well-known Zionist, had
worked overtime to persuade Turkey to accept
the deal with Israel. Erdogan, like Arabian rulers
in the region, caved in. What a shame!
1

zafar bangash reflections

The Wests democratic deficit

The Soviet Unions disintegration and the subsequent
demise of communism in 1991 finally exposed the true
face of the champions of democracy in the so-called free
world. Now they no longer maintain even the pretence of
respecting the rights of the people. Gone is the rhetoric
of how great the West was vis--vis those wicked communists with their gulags and media censorship. Now
the West operates its own gulags in places like Guantanamo Bay and earlier Abu Ghraib. Western media
outlets, however, continue to act as drumbeaters for the
elites vile propaganda of projecting a nirvana.

For a quarter century now, Muslims have been special

targets of this campaign, blamed for everything that
goes wrong under the sun. They are projected as a
threat to the Wests way of life whatever that may
mean. They hate our freedoms, proclaimed the former
US President George W. Bush. We fight them there so
we dont have to fight them here is another lie endlessly
repeated to justify illegal wars to an ill-informed public
that is perpetually kept in a state of fear by the fifth
estate. The easiest way to usurp peoples rights is to
scare them and claim to be acting as their protector.
These lies are now being exposed and the ruling elites
have to take drastic measures to keep their restive populations under control.

The so-called freedoms that Bush and his ilk claimed to

be protecting are not under threat from Muslims; they
never were. The allegations against Muslims were just a
ruse to create mass hysteria against a weak identifiable
group. This has been evident in the US as well as
Europe. In Canada, the now-ousted Prime Minister
Stephen Harper tried to whip up anti-Muslim hysteria
during his disastrous rule, ramping it up during his
failed election campaign. Had he won the last election
(October 2015), there is little doubt Harper would have
used that as a pretext to strip Muslims of their citizenship and expel many from the country. Most Canadians
rejected his racist ideology.

While in power, Harper was fully supported by the

right-wing media to demonize Muslims. His ministers
spewed anti-Muslim venom that was lapped up by the
equally racist media. Mercifully, since his resounding
and well-deserved defeat, the environment in Canada
has become much more relaxed. Even the right-wing
media no longer plays the anti-Muslim card so much.

Unfortunately, Canada is the exception. In the US, the

racist demagogue Donald Trump has cranked up anti2

Muslim hysteria among ill-informed Americans who

have already been pre-conditioned to hate them after
years of vile propaganda spouted by media outlets like
Fox News and CNN. Even the US establishment no
paragons of virtue is embarrassed by Trumps unsophisticated viriol. This is not because the establishment
figures are any less racist or any less dangerous; they
camouflage their racism and war-mongering rhetoric in
terms that would make them appear as if they are peacemakers instead of the war hawks they really are. Despite
his silver tongue and smooth talk, Barack Obama has
launched more wars against Muslims than his justifiably
reviled predecessor.
But it is not only the wars waged abroad that are of concern. Even at home, the few so-called freedoms that are
left are being taken away. Those familiar with internal
Western policies would readily understand that the ruling elites are using different tactics to curtail even the
few freedoms such as peaceful dissent, assembly etc.
still left to people. Instead, peoples attention is
diverted into sexual pleasures and perversions. Keep
them occupied with the pleasures of the flesh while we
take away other liberties seems to be the plan.

Parliaments/congresses, courts, and even university

administrations are being used to clamp down on peoples rights. This is best illustrated by the hysterical policy adopted against the completely peaceful method of
protest under the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions
(BDS) campaign against Zionist Israel. The BDS campaign was launched in 2005 and has now spread to more
than 70 countries worldwide. The anti-BDS drive is
meant to curtail any criticism of the brutal practices of
the Zionist regime against the Palestinians. Even Canada
under its new youthful prime minister approved a
motion in parliament by 229 to 51 votes on February 22,
2016 claiming BDS promotes the demonization and
delegitimization of the State Israel. The motion put forward by the recently defeated Conservatives demanded
of the government to condemn all attempts by Canadian organizations, groups or individuals to promote the
BDS movement, both here at home and abroad.
The Western elite are a far greater threat to peoples
freedoms than Muslims could ever be, something they
have never even thought of.

Zafar Bangash is Director of the Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought (ICIT).

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EDITORIAL S

Al-Masjid al-Haram and al-Masjid al Aqsa

Al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah where the Kabah, the first

House of Allah () on earth, is located, is the qiblah of
Muslims. Al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem was the qiblah of
Muslims before Allah ( ) changed its direction to the
Kabah. Both sanctuaries and al-Masjid al-Nabawi in
Madinah are currently under occupation. Some Muslims,
perhaps most, given the level of ignorance, might think this
is not true. While they will agree that al-Masjid al-Aqsa is
under Zionist occupation, they may argue with the second
point. This has much to do with how Muslims have been
conditioned to think. Further, the Najdi Bedouins (aka the
House of Saud) have spent vast sums as much as $100 billion since 1975 to project their image as guardians and
custodians of the Two Holy Places. Every Saudi king, upon
ascending the throne, assumes the title of Khadim al-Haramayn (Caretaker of the Two Inviolable Places). Khadim
Amreeka and Khadim Israel are far more accurate
descriptions of their role.
We do not make these statements lightly or out of pique
although one can cite many reasons for anger with Bani Saud.
Al-Masjid al-Haram, al-Masjid al-Nabawi, and al-Masjid alAqsa are the common heritage and responsibility of the
Ummah. The uncouth Bedouins from Najd occupied Makkah
and Madinah nearly a century ago. These Bedouins were
British agents and were paid to undermine the Ottoman Sultanate. By the time the British intrigue succeeded, the
Ottomans had been reduced to a shell yet they still provided
an organic link with the khilafah of the four-rightly guided
successors to the noble Messenger of Allah (r). The Najdi
hordes perpetrated horrendous crimes including the desecration and destruction of the historical sites of Islam. They also
indulged in mass killings of innocent people as well as the
rape of Muslim women yes they raped Muslim women
in Makkah and Madinah. The Najdi Bedouins trampled the
sanctity of these sacred cities as well as violated the honor of
Muslim women. They did all this in the name of a spurious
medieval mindset called Wahhabism that considers every
other Muslim who does not endorse their reductionist and
parochial interpretations of Islam a kafir.
According to the Saudi Constitution granted by King
Fahd ibn Abd al-Aziz in March 1992, The Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia is a sovereign Arab Islamic State with Islam as
its religion; Gods Book and the Sunnah of His Prophet, Gods
prayers and peace be upon him, are its constitution (Article
1). Under Chapter 2, titled Monarchy, Article 5 outlines the
system of government, who will rule, and how succession will
take place. It says, a) the system of government in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is that of a monarchy; b) rule passes to
the sons of the founding king, Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Faysal Al Saud, and to their childrens children.
Any Muslim with even rudimentary knowledge of Islam
would immediately realize that the Najdi Bedouins openly
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July 2016

The holy lands are not serving the function they were
designed to fulfill for humanity, that is, to provide a
sanctuary for the oppressed and the displaced, to resuscitate
their broken psychologies, and to energize them to liberate
their homelands from tyranny. The two occupiers of the
holy lands, who no longer feel the need to keep their secret
relationship in the closet, are leagues worse than even their
detractors know them to be, and were it not for their need
of slave labor and cannon fodder to maintain their illgotten lifestyles, they would not feel the slightest prick of
conscience to kill off the rest of humanity. Their first target
is Muslims coming of age.
violate the teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah of Allahs
Prophet (r). If the injunctions of Allahs () Book were
implemented, not only would each and every member of Bani
Saud be lashed for drinking, but also lose their hands and feet
for stealing and then be stoned to death for adultery. There
may not be enough stones in the Arabian Peninsula to complete the job!
But here is the rub. How can the holy land that the noble
Messenger (r) named the Arabian Peninsula be named
Saudi Arabia? This is shirk. For nearly 1,300 years, no
Muslim ruler, however derelict, ever dared to change that
name; only the Najdi Bedouins have perpetrated this crime.
Are we to assume that any occupier of the Arabian Peninsula
is entitled to name it after his own family or clan? What if
God forbid the Zionists were to occupy the Arabian Peninsula, would we then accept the name change to Yahudi Arabia? Muslims must think and reflect.
The Zionist occupation of al-Masjid al-Aqsa also occurred
because British-installed puppets and traitors were in control
3

EDITORIAL S

of Jerusalem and parts of Palestine. In return for installing

them on the throne, the Hashemites were told to protect the
Zionists from Muslim wrath. Not surprisingly, David Ben
Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel openly admitted that
the Arabian regimes are Israels first line of defence. Do we
need any further proof? After Yitzhak Rabin was murdered by
an Israeli xenophobe and the Zionist state is full of them
the late King Husain of Jordan openly wept at his funeral
calling him a brother. For once, Husain was being honest!
Muslims must develop a better understanding of the reality in their societies and stop sleep walking through life.
When Allah () says, they are the best Ummah it carries

with it certain unmistakeable responsibilities the most important of which is living up to bearing the Covenant. People of
earlier scriptures were punished because they claimed to
accept the message but did not fulfill their covenant-bearing
responsibilities. Allah () has no favorites. We will be
judged by our actions based on our intentions.
It is imperative for Muslims to understand that al-Masjid
al-Haram and al-Masjid al-Nabawi are as much under occupation as is al-Masjid al-Aqsa. Once this realization emerges,
then Muslims can begin to take the next logical step: to plan
for the liberation of the Holy Lands, all of them. Nothing less
would do. g

Crimes of the Bahraini regime

The tragedy of the Ummah is that it is not only hopelessly

divided but also ruled by people that have no legitimacy, one
of the primary requirements in Islam. Take the case of the
Muslim East (aka the Middle East) and in particular the tribal
monarchies. The British installed them as part of their colonial enterprise. Some states such as Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi
Arabia, which did not even exist, were created by carving up
the region to suit British colonial interests.
Since gaining independence from Britain in 1971 but
remaining under its protection, the minority Khalifa family in
Bahrain has ruled with an iron fist. The rights of the majority
population, which is Shii (nearly 90%), are trampled while
mercenaries are imported from abroad mainly Jordan and
Pakistan and recruited into the security forces (read that:
kings guard). They are also given citizenship to boost the
number of Sunnis in the country.
Bahrain is a tiny island state (population 1.5 million). Its
oil income has dried up and it now depends on banking and
tourism. The latter requires the trafficking of girls from
Europe East and West to service sailors from the US
Fifth Fleet, which has a large base in Manama, the capital
city. Profligate Saudis are also frequent visitors to the watering holes and brothels of Bahrain.
When Islamic awakening movements swept the region in
early 2011, the people of Bahrain also saw an opportunity to
press for their demands for equal rights and dignity. Instead of
respecting their rights, the Bahraini regime clamped down
hard. Scores of people have been killed since 2011; hundreds
have been incarcerated. The regime has now adopted a new
tactic: to strip leaders of the uprising of their citizenship.
The latest example was the Khalifa regimes stripping the
respected alim, Shaykh Issa Qassem of citizenship. The
scholar was not charged with any offence or brought before a
court of law, even a kangaroo court. The decision was made
by the so-called Council of Ministers comprising members of
the Khalifa family and their hangers-on. Following this illegal
act, Bahrains Interior Ministry issued a statement claiming
4

that Shaykh Qassem actively sought the creation of a

sectarian
environment
through his connections
with foreign powers. It also
accused him of not showing
loyalty to the government. Under what law is
loyalty to the government a
requirement for citizenship?
Citizens enter into a social
contract with the state, not a
particular government, but Shaykh Issa Qassem.
in much of the region, the
regimes consider themselves the state.
Naturally there has been strong reaction against this outrageous act. There have been protests in many parts of the
tiny kingdom but security forces have clamped down with
their customary brutality. Human rights organizations have
also condemned the regimes illegal act against Shaykh
Qassem. The US-based Human Rights Watch has revealed
that the Manama regime stripped 208 Bahrainis of their citizenship in 2015. At least five of these people were deported
(one wonders where you would send a citizen) between February and March alone.
The regime survives because of the military and political
support it receives from the US, Britain, and Saudi Arabia. The
Najdi Bedouins have troops and armored personnel carriers on
the island to shore up the Khalifa regime. Given the precarious
situation Bani Saud find themselves it, once they are banished,
the Khalifa family would also disappear in the blink of an eye.
Its survival would depend on restoring the legitimate
rights of the people. The regimes harsh and arbitrary measures would only hasten the downfall of this self-styled monarchy. The Khalifas should know that the age of dinosaurs is
long gone. They belong in the museum of history. g
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July 2016

abu dharr

When threatened with a great injustice,

one accepts the smaller one as a favor!

In recent days Hamas has been signaling its desire to reconnect with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Some statements
expressed in public by Hamas officials all the way up to
deputy chairman Musa Abu Marzuq amount to a confession of the serious mistakes of the past five years. We are
beginning to hear statements by Hamas higher-ups that
Iran has been solid in its support of the Palestinian cause
and the Palestinian resistance. Mr. Abu Marzuq broke with
diplomatic parlance when he expressed compliments
regarding Islamic Irans support for Palestinians in the
areas of offering supplies, training, finances, and support
second to none. He went as far as to say (diplomacy be
damned) that this type of support has been known (at least
to the two sides) and on the table (for all to see).
The obvious reasoning here is that Hamas has come to
realize that it gambled on Sunni traitors (using the distasteful terminology in circulation) in the Arabian Peninsula and the Persian Gulf. What we may be witnessing is the
beginning of the eclipse of the Hamas moderates led and
misled by Khalid Mashal and his Qatar-first lieutenants.
It should never be forgotten that Mr. Mashal (who currently resides in Qatar) and his inner circle made their
deplorable decision to relocate from Damascus to Qatar and
to take sides in an inter-Arabian affair that has turned sectarian in the interim years.
The time has arrived to emerge from a period of secret
discussions by Hamas officials to look back and figure out
that Hamas had been duped and dissipated by the all-time
munafiqeen the arab of Arabia. These poor Hamas officials, invited to plush palaces and served lavish lunches by
their allies, the contemporary Ibn Salluls (Judas) in
Doha, Riyadh, Kuwait, and other Arabian centers of perfidy during the Arabian Spring, were convinced that the
days of the Syrian regime are numbered. Not to worry a
matter of a few months and Bashar and his henchmen will
be history These Hamas-Palestinians were told not to
repeat Yasir Arafats mistake when he sided with Saddam
Husains invasion of Kuwait. They were told by these Arabian double-dealers that the Palestinian issue is paramount
and no Arab or Muslim should ever think about abandoning the cause of Palestine.
To this writer it is painful to review the amateurish mistakes and wild errors of the Hamas leadership (excluding its
military wing). Hamas announced its support for the now
imprisoned Egyptian president Muhammad Mursi who
concocted a statement for jihad in Syria and shut down the
Syrian embassy in Cairo. All of this was lined up with the
fatwas of Shaykh Yusuf al-Qardawi and the Saudi preacher
Muhammad al-Arifi, both of whom attended a conference
of Islamic scholars in Cairo chaired by then President
Mursi (June 2013), who is currently languishing in a Cairo

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July 2016

prison. This, of course, fed into inter-Arabian tensions as

relations between Cairo and Damascus turned sectarian
and sour.
In the case of the Saudi Ibn Salluls the time would be
very short between words supporting Hamas and policies
confronting Hamass big brother: al-Ikhwan al-Muslimun
(The Muslim Brotherhood). Faced with what the Saudi royals and their advisers perceived to be an encirclement by
forces of Islamic self-determination Islamic Iran and the
Ikhwan the Saudi regime declared an undeclared war
against their nemesis: Islamic self-determination. The Saudi
anti-Islamic establishment came out in full support of General Abd al-Fattah al-Sisi, the coup-installed president of
Egypt. This was during the reign of the late Saudi King
Abdullah. That was followed by a Saudi decision to interrupt its relations with their dear Hamas guests who just a
few months earlier were making their rounds and receiving
red carpet receptions all over Arabia. King Abdullah then
died (January 2015) and was replaced by the current King
Salman; and nothing has changed. This king met with a
Hamas delegation in Makkah last year but nothing came
out of it. Bare in mind that Hamas went the whole nine
yards and supported the Saudi declaration of war against
Yemen known as Asifat al-Hazm. We dont know whether
Saudi Arabia asked Palestinians loyal to Hamas to become
boots on the ground in Yemen. There is some speculation to
that effect but nothing has been confirmed.
The way things appear now, Khalid Mashal has run his
course. He will no longer be the chairman of Hamas and
Musa Abu Marzuq is angling his way to the top of the
Hamas pyramid sensing that there is a pre-explosion status
quo in Ghazzah and sensing that the military wing of
Hamas is gaining momentum and popularity. In light of this
we can better understand the statements of reconciliation
toward Islamic Iran and Syria coming from Hamas quarters. Much depends on how Hamas restructures its decision-making process to see how Islamic Iran will respond to
these pronounced overtures from Hamas.
It appears that the Syrian leadership plays a role in the
relationship between Islamic Hamas and Islamic Iran. And
the Syrian leadership showed a stiff resolve in freezing
Hamas out of its sphere of influence as long as Khalid
Mashal remained the head of Hamas. Hizbullah tried to
thaw the lines of communication between Islamic Iran and
Hamas, but Damascus remained as cold as ice.
Elections for positions in the Hamas politburo are coming up. Khalid Mashal occupied the chairmanship for four
terms. With him retiring from his take-a-chance decision
making, the possibilities are that the relations between
Tehran and Ghazzah will see a noticeable improvement.
Within Hamas the unheard voices that favored and still
5

abu dharr

favor a strong relationship with Tehran have never been

given an opportunity to express themselves. They are being
vindicated as the majority of Palestinians and a majority of
Arabs and Muslims feel and see how the Arabian regimes
have stabbed the Palestinians in the back, yet again. These
regimes took the Palestinian issue from the spotlight and
are putting Iran in the spotlight, trying to convince everyone that Iran is the enemy of the Muslims! The Arabian
budgets and treasuries have been hemorrhaging in these
past years like never before: not on weapons to liberate
Palestine but on weapons to fuel civil wars all over the Muslim world. Some of the take-away lessons from all this
include the following:
1. Educated Muslim youth brainwashed by Wahhabis,
impoverished Muslim youth grasping at straws for
survival, and mercenaries from hither and yon will
(painstakingly said) find their final resting place in
the Syrian war zone.
2. Compare this with when Arafat supported Saddam
and earned the ire of Arabian royals; it took him ten
years to be readmitted into their ranks. Hamas supported the Saudi-Qatari-Turkish axis thereby exasperating Islamic Iran! How long will it take for
Hamas to be accepted by Islamic Iran? Time will tell.
3. Let us assume that Hamas is stuck between a rock
(Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey) and a hard place
(Islamic Iran, Hizbullah, Syria), as some would say.
So, who are the ones who are helping the Palestinians
in word and deed? Are they Arabia and Turkey who
never fired a bullet against the Zionists? Turkey has
diplomatic relations with the racist, apartheid
regime. And Saudi Arabia is clandestinely on its way
to have the same. Or are they Islamic Iran, Hizbullah,
and Syria who liberated south Lebanon, defeated the
Israeli military, and challenged the Israeli nuclear
monopoly in the Muslim East? The answer is yours.
4. Hamas is reevaluating its decisions in light of recent
developments. With the recent victories of the popular mobilization in Iraq against Daish, the tide
against Daish has also been turned in Syria. Fallujah
is almost totally liberated and the next stop is Mosul.
Tens of thousands of sq. km. have been wrested from
the takfiris in Iraq and Syria. Turkeys double-dealings have been exposed. The Saudi military adventure in Yemen is backfiring. Saudi Arabia ditched the
Palestinians and is working behind the scenes to normalize relations with the Zionist enemies of divinity
and humanity. The bubble of the Arabian Spring has
burst and the Ikhwan in Egypt are in no position to
console their Hamasi kindred.
5. Leadership is key. Hamas current leadership appears
to be more interested in dollars than devotion; interested in bread and butter than in bullets and bombs;
interested in the smirks of Americas Arabians than
in the smiles of Islams Iran. And so they have been
beating the path to the capitals of finances extending
their hands for donations. Sometimes they are given
6

6.

7.

8.

9.

the loot and sometimes they are given the boot.

Consequently their statements are contradictory and
they turn out to be an Islamic version of the PLO.
As desperate as Hamas has been made put to be, who
in his right mind would object to Hamas going for
additional help to Islamic Iran, and on the way there
withdrawing from that club of traitors called The
Arab(ian) League? And why not? Most of the members of that League are falling over each other to
gain Israeli recognition and protection. And if
Islamic Iran wants to help Hamas, why should there
be any Muslim objecting? When Venezuela can help
Hamas, why should anyone stand in Irans way? And
even if North Korea offers support to Hamas, why
should anyone raise an objection? The objective is
the liberation of Palestine and anyone willing to help
is most welcome.
The Ikhwan are in an operational status of selfdestruction. Their political, military, and popular
losses in Palestine, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, and
Tunisia are overwhelming. It would make for an
interesting research paper to trail the regression of
the Ikhwans leadership to their attachment to and
reliance upon the anarchist Wahhabi-Saudi establishment and its offshoots in the Arabian Peninsula. The
Ikhwan never proved, beyond a shadow of doubt,
that they are independent from those filthy-rich
fanatics. With all the talk about Saudi-Israeli public
and private meetings we havent read one statement
by the Ikhwan that assails this high treason and
treachery by the coroneted kings and imperial amirs
in Arabia.
Hamas needs to take a hard look at itself. It was elected to office by Palestinians not Egyptians. But it
made its decisions in the past five years as if Egypt
and Arabia are its country and not Palestine. The
decision to liberate Palestine comes from the refugee
camps and not from the Doha Sheraton or the
Istanbul Meridian or the Riyadh Hilton!
We ask Mr. Mashal and his deputies and assistants:
how does it feel to live in a 5-star hotel indulging in
materialistic luxury after having tasted the freedom
offered to you and the Palestinian cause in
Damascus? Even the Syrian people didnt have the
freedom you had!

Some of you want this world and some of you want

the final [world] (3:152).

Abu Dharr

AbuDharr is the pen-name of a senior Islamic movement

intellectual who contributes this monthly column,
discussing key issues concerning the global Islamic
movement. For his introduction to this column, see
www.muslimedia.com/archives/abudharr.html.
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July 2016

commentary

waseem shehzad

UN report on Saudi crimes in Yemen

Bani Saud have never performed any meritorious act in
their entire miserable existence. Their history is littered
with tales of treachery against Muslims, starting with
their backstabbing of the Ottoman Turks when they
sided with the British colonialists to partition the Muslim East (aka the Middle East). They have imposed a
monarchy in the Arabian Peninsula in violation of
Islamic principles, and capping it all, they have named
the holy land Saudi Arabia.

The list of their crimes is long. The Najdi Bedouins have

been in the forefront of supporting the takfiri terrorists
in Syria, and since March 2015, they have launched a
murderous bombing campaign against the defenceless
people of Yemen, the poorest country in the region.

So egregious have been their crimes in Yemen that even

a toothless body like the United Nations was forced to
issue a report last month condemning the Saudi-led
coalition of killing children. With Saudis in the forefront, coalition planes, artillery, and missiles have
bombed residential neighborhoods, schools, factories,
and historical sites killing thousands of innocent people.
This is a war crime and if carried to its logical conclusion could result in the Saudi rulers being hauled before
the International Criminal Court (ICC). Far from rectifying their un-Islamic behavior, the Saudis started to
ratchet up pressure on UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon to remove Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners
equally unsavory characters from the blacklist.

Unfortunately, Ban caved into Saudi arm-twisting in

what one diplomat quoted by Reuters said was Bullying, threats, and pressure. He added that the reaction to
the blacklisting of the Saudi-led coalition bombing
Yemen and killing children was real blackmail. The
UN had announced the blacklisting earlier last month
after its own report on children and armed conflict
found the coalition was responsible for 60% of child
deaths and injuries in Yemen last year, killing 510 and
wounding 667. No sooner was the announcement made,
then the Saudis and their allies started exerting pressure
on Ban. The UN Secretary General, in the last year of his
second term, could not withstand the pressure. He is
regarded as a weak character who in the past has been
bullied into toeing not only the American line but also
that of the illegal Zionist entity in Occupied Palestine.

On June 6, the UN announced that it had removed the

Saudi-led coalition from the blacklist on violations of

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July 2016

child rights. The world body offered the excuse that it

would jointly review with members of the Saudi-led
coalition complaints about child deaths and injuries of
Yemeni children during 2015. This was an attempt by
the UN at saving face out of a situation where it failed to
uphold its own principles or stand behind its own report.

Human rights groups expressed dismay at this turn of

events. It was bad enough for the Saudis and their allies
to exert pressure on the UN on an issue of human rights,
especially one involving children; it was infinitely worse
for the UN to cave in so easily. They said that Ban risked
harming his legacy as UN secretary-general. Philippe
Bolopion, Human Rights Watchs deputy director for
global advocacy, called this action naked politicization.
The main Saudi complaint was that the UN had not
based its report on information supplied by the Saudibacked Yemeni regime led by the fugitive Abd Rabbou
Mansour Hadi currently ensconced in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudis and their allies accused the UN of not consulting them, an allegation dismissed by UN spokesman
Stephane Dujarric. He was emphatic and reiterated this
on June 7 that the Saudis had been consulted.

So what kind of pressure was exerted on the UN? The

Saudis and their Arabian allies threatened that unless
their names were removed from the blacklist, they
would withdraw funding from the UN Relief and Works
Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). True,
between them, the Saudis and their allies provide about
$150 million to the fund annually. But dont think that
the Saudis have some kind of a philanthropic or altruistic gene. This is hush money, pure and simple, on
deposit with the UN for precisely these types of situations. Theyve been paying attention to how their American and Israeli masters do business: get people to
become dependent on your largesse and when they get
high and mighty on principle, cut them down at the
knees by threatening to withdraw your contributions.
While not the largest donors the US, the European
Union, and Britain provide more the withdrawal of
funds would add to the suffering of Palestinian refugees
but should the right to life of Yemeni children be sacrificed at the altar of Saudi arrogance?
There was no comment or reaction from the Palestinian
leadership about such blackmail or even a reiteration of

(continued on p. 31)
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NEWS/ANALYSIS

Russias real game in Syria

By Yusuf Dhia-Allah

Seasoned observers of the Syrian scene

are baffled by the manner in which Russia is playing its game in the region.
While claiming to be supporting the
government in Syria that it considers as
legitimate, it withholds support at critical junctures, raising doubts about its
intentions. These doubts are reinforced
by not only the frequent parleys
between the Russian Foreign Minister
Sergio Lavrov and his American counterpart John Kerry (there is nothing
wrong about such meetings except that
the two sides supposedly are on opposite sides of the conflict) but also the
close contacts Russia maintains with the
Zionist regime in Occupied Palestine
led by the war criminal Benjamin
Netanyahu. The Israeli prime minister
was in Moscow to meet Putin early last
month, the fourth such meeting between
the two in a year. So the question is:
what is Moscow up to?
While Russia pursues a policy to
advance its own agenda and nobody
can begrudge them that the question
is: what is its real agenda? Is it to support a legitimate government in Syria
that has been elected by the Syrian people or is Moscow simply using Syria as
a bargaining chip to secure favored status with Washington? Russian elites
have been constantly seeking acceptance by America.
Notwithstanding President Bashar
al-Asads own perception of his role as
indispensable to the survival of Syria,
states are not dependent on a single
individual. Systems are more important
and the Syrian establishment has shown
that it can withstand a grand external
conspiracy. Whether one likes or dislikes that system and many flaws can be
identified in it, the reality is that the system (as well as the Syrian armed
forces), has not cracked up despite more
than five years of relentless war against
both. Nor are the takfiri terrorists so
powerful; had it not been for the massive support they received (and continCrescent International

July 2016

Zionist Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Moscow and his Russian
counterpart, President Vladimir Putin, 6-7-2016. This was Netanyahus third
visit to the Russian capital in 10 months. There is now a hotline between
Jerusalem and Moscow to prevent Russian and Israeli war-jets from encroaching upon each others airspace. Putin has maintained a discreet silence about
Israeli bombing raids that have destroyed, in Syria, weapons bound for Hizbullah. It is also worth recalling that in Putins Russia, Soviet-Jewish migrs to
Israel are no longer regarded as traitors. Avigdor Lieberman, the Zionist defense
minister, is one of them. Lieberman was born in Moldova (then part of the
USSR), and is a personal friend of Putin, whom he took care to meet frequently
when he was Israels foreign minister from 20092012. And so this may shed
some light on why Putin did not finish the job in Syria when he had the chance
to rout ISIS and bring the entire civil war to a merciful end. Putin, as much as
Netanyahu, knows the difference between Islamic Iran and Saudi-takfiris, and
he is no more interested in a principled Islamic presence on the Russian border
than Netanyahu is at the Israeli border.
ue to) from countries like the US, Saudi
Arabia, Turkey, Jordan, etc, they would
have been squashed long ago by the
Syrian army. Further, the US, France,
and Britain also have Special Forces
operating inside Syria, ostensibly to
help the moderate rebels. These
forces are there without the permission
of the Syrian government. Their presence in Syria is, therefore, illegal and in
contravention of international law,
which the West is so fond of invoking
every time any country pursues a policy
not to the liking of Western states.

Let us, however, return to the Russian role. Last March, Moscow abruptly
announced a halt to its air strikes when
the Syrian army was making steady
progress against the takfiri terrorists in
places like Palmyra, Aleppo, and elsewhere. Putin said this was to give peace
a chance! A US-Russian-brokered
ceasefire was agreed and went into
effect on February 27 but it did not
include the takfiri terrorists Daish and
al-Nusrah Front and their affiliates.
The ceasefire sputtered and then
collapsed because the so-called moder9

NEWS/ANALYSIS

Turkeys Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announces the details of an agreement

reached with the Zionist occupiers of Palestine, in Ankara, 6-27-2016. Turkey
and the Zionist State announced a reconciliation deal to end the six-year rift
between the Mediterranean powers. In Rome, Italy, Zionist Prime Minister
Netanyahu said the deal would help bring stability to the turbulent Middle
East. Not six weeks ago, Russian President Putin visited Mt. Athos, Greece,
where he stood on a throne that previously only Byzantine emperors had been
permitted to occupy, while surrounded by dignitaries of Eastern Orthodox
Christianity. Not blind to history, Putin used the occasion to issue a stark
warning to Turkey, that if its forces did not leave Syria, he would restore
Istanbul to Christendom. Leave it to the survivalist Yahudi political mind to have
Russia look the other way in Syria, while calling up the spectre of painful
memories, and baiting Turkey to continue equipping and training takfiris so that
all together, they can secure the only thing that matters in the world Israel
the lives of ordinary Russians and Muslims, in their tens of millions be damned.
ate rebels were not prepared to adhere
to its terms and conditions. As both
Syria and Iran have pointed out, the
ceasefire is simply used by the terrorist
groups to regroup and replenish their
weapons and other materiel. According
to the Associated Press, Turkey has
been facilitating recruitment of hundreds of mercenaries from the refugee
camps to be sent to Syria because of
losses suffered by the takfiris. Further,
the same report said that Syrian
teenagers were being forced into
recruitment under threat of deportation.
On June 4 the Syrian army entered
Raqqah province, the first time in two
years and advanced rapidly toward al10

Tabqah Dam on the Euphrates River

near Lake Asad. It then advanced to alHora, which is located about 20km from
al-Raqqah, the self-declared capital of
Takfiristan. What is worthy of note is
that there have been few Russian air
strikes on the terrorists positions in and
around al-Raqqah even though publicly
Moscow maintains it is fighting them.
In a commentary on June 13, the
Russian news agency Sputnik said that
Syrian government forces are overstretched (true) and any imminent victory there or in Aleppo must be discounted. This is debatable. In fact the takfiris
are being squeezed from two sides:
from the southwest by the Syrian army

and its allied militias, and from the

north by the predominantly Kurdish
forces fighting under the banner of the
Syrian Democratic Force (SDF). The
Kurds are backed by the Americans and
led by US Special Forces.
The picture that emerges is that neither the US nor Russia wants al-Asad to
succeed completely. They both want
fighting to continue to exhaust government forces to the point that the government would be forced to accept a ceasefire on the terms dictated by the two
powers. Russia and the US have agreed
on a new constitution for Syria that they
want to put to a vote. The constitution
calls for devolution of power, a pluralistic society and system and elections in
18 months. On the face of it, these
appear reasonable proposals. What is
worrying is the manner in which these
demands are being presented.
Syria currently is a patchwork with
its territory controlled by different
groups. The Syrian government controls
a rump of about 3035%, admittedly
important territory that includes major
cities; the countryside is split between
the government and terrorist groups
while in the north stretching from east
to west, the Kurds hold sway. Since the
Syrian army is overstretched, it has let
the Kurds do what they want as they too
are opposed to the takfiri terrorists. The
US-Russia plan would formalize this
division and leave Syria no more than a
patchwork of cantons. The presence of
American, British, and French Special
Forces is seen in this context. They are
there not so much to help in the fight
against the terrorists but to formalize the
division of Syria. This is the US-Zionist
Plan B if the violent overthrow of alAsad does not succeed.
Russian commentators have started
to talk openly about the areas of disagreement between Moscow and Damascus. Oleg Yegorov in an opinion
piece on June 22, 2016 under the title,
Russia Beyond the Headlines, identifies three major areas of disagreement.
After reminding readers of the support
Russia has and continues to provide to
Syria, three areas of serious disagreement remain.
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July 2016

Yegorov says their goals are different. He quotes Vladimir Akhmedov, a

senior research associate at the Russian
Academy of Sciences Institute of Oriental Studies, Russias interests consist
in preserving a secular regime in Syria,
which would continue cooperating with
Moscow. For this to materialize, alAsads continued presence in power is
not crucial. For the Syrian establishment, al-Asads resignation as a prerequisite for the start of a transition
period envisaged in the Geneva agreements is a red line and unacceptable.
They say it is for the Syrian people to
decide who should rule Syria.
The Russians also accuse al-Asad of
paying only lip service to a political settlement. Assad [sic] is a man of war, he
intends to fight to the end, Yegorov
quotes Akhmedov as saying. He is prepared to hold talks only from a position
of strength so that he could impose his
terms on the opposition. To that end, he
needs military victories, he needs to

NEWS/ANALYSIS
regain control over large chunks of territory. Arabic scholar, Grigory Kosach,
professor at the Russian University of
Humanities, agrees with this assessment.
Russia sees continuation of the war
as risking bigger losses. We cannot
allow an escalation and the involvement
of a large number of Russian servicemen in hostilities. Russia is seeking to
move to a political settlement, Yegorov
quotes Akhmedov as saying.
The third area of disagreement
relates to the role of the Kurds. Damascus opposes any unilateral moves by the
Kurds for autonomy, as they did in
March 2016, when they announced the
establishment of an autonomous Federation of Northern Syria. Damascus wants
these issues to be discussed and agreed
at the negotiating table, not imposed
ahead of time. It does not require a
genius to figure out that this would result
in the breakup of the country. Iraq offers
a ready example where the Kurds have
set up a de facto independent state of

Iraqi Kurdistan with its own president,

prime minister and parliament.
Officially, Russia is maintaining a
neutral position vis--vis the Syrian
Kurds as stated by Russian presidential
press secretary Dmitry Peskov, The
internal structure of the Syrian state is a
matter for Syrians to decide. Yet
Moscow allowed a representative mission of Syrian Kurdistan to open an
office in Moscow in February 2016. It
claims it is at an unofficial level, as a
non-governmental organization. Damascus does not see it that way. And who
can blame it?
What emerges from this is that
Moscow is not averse to a divided
Syria, a patchwork of cantons that
would effectively neutralize the state as
a major regional player. It will also deal
a serious blow to the resistance front
against the Zionist entity. Russias aim
is to get favored status from the Americans. Syria appears to be merely a bargaining chip in Putins grand design. g

Ten years after Israels war of aggression

on Hizbullah
By Yusuf Dhia-Allah

This month (July 2016) marks the tenth

anniversary of Zionist Israels war of
aggression against Hizbullah in
Lebanon. It was a brutal war lasting 33
days (July 12August 14, 2006) that
resulted in the murder of nearly 1,300
Lebanese civilians and the destruction
of much of South Lebanons infrastructure as well as parts of South Beirut,
seen as Hizbullahs stronghold. The
Zionists bombed and destroyed apartment buildings, residential neighborhoods, bridges, roads, power stations,
and water treatment plants. The cost of
damage exceeded $11 billion.
Ten years later, Lebanon has been
rebuilt, all of it that was destroyed as a
result of Israeli (war) crimes. Every one
of the 15,000 houses destroyed by
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July 2016

Israeli artillery and aerial bombardment

in the South has been rebuilt and people
have long returned to their homes and
villages. In fact, immediately after the
ceasefire went into effect on August 14,
2006, Hizbullah Secretary General
Sayyid Hasan Nasrullah announced that
people whose homes had been
destroyed would be given money to rent
accommodation as well as money to
buy furniture until their houses were
rebuilt. He admitted that rebuilding so
many homes would take time.
Thanks to Hizbullahs determination
and genuine care for the people, the latter in turn support the resistance. There
is an unbreakable bond of affinity
between the two. The people are willing
to bear hardships for a higher cause.
Here too, the Zionists and their Western
masters failed in creating a breach

between Hizbullah and the people.

Often people become disheartened
when they suffer losses but Hizbullah
has not allowed this to happen, moving
quickly to ensure that peoples needs are
met as soon as possible.
The Israeli onslaught had turned a
million Lebanese from the South into
refugees but also resulted in some
500,000 Israelis fleeing their homes for
fear of Hizbullah retaliatory strikes. The
resistance movement inflicted massive
blows on the Zionist invaders killing
165 of them and destroying scores of
tanks, the mainstay of Israeli army
attacks against defenceless civilians.
Beyond numbers, the real purpose
of the Zionist onslaught was to destroy
Hizbullah and eliminate its stockpile of
short, medium, and long-range missiles.
Instead, the Zionists failed in both
11

NEWS/ANALYSIS

During the 2006 Israeli war against Hizbullah, a Chinese C-802 anti-ship missile struck Israels INS Hanit, above, off the Lebanon coast, killing four Israeli
sailors (incredibly, no images of the burning ship are available on the internet
even though live images were being shown while the ship was burning). The
missile blew up near the fan tail of the ship, causing substantial damage, but
the ship did not sink. The impact and explosion fractured the hull from keel to
superstructure, and the resulting fire destroyed much of the ship's electrical
network. She was forced to curtail operations and return to port for repairs.
objectives despite causing massive
civilian casualties and infrastructure
damage. They did not even spare the
Rafik Hariri International Airport in
Beirut where oil depots were attacked
and destroyed and passenger planes
damaged. Zionist barbarism evoked
global revulsion with protest rallies held
in most major cities around the world.
There were also rallies in Tel Aviv
where in one case, more than 2,000 people called for an end to war calling it
unwinnable and immoral.
The Zionist regimes ostensible reason for the war of aggression on Lebanon
was that on July 12, Hizbullah had
attacked its soldiers, killing three of
them, wounding two, and capturing two
others. At a superficial level this was true
but as Seymour Hersh reported, the plan
to attack Hizbullah had been agreed with
American officials at least two months
prior to the July 12 incidents (New Yorker, Watching Lebanon, August 21,
2006: https://web.archive.org/web/2014
0718025823/http://www.newyorker.com
/archive/2006/08/21/060821fa_fact).
12

Hizbullah fighters had ambushed an

Israeli patrol comprising two Humvees
near the border at Zarit. The two captured soldiers were Sergeant Ehud
Goldwasser and Sergeant Eldad Regev.
One year after the war, the Israeli daily
Haaretz (August 10, 2007) admitted in
an article that it was a war initiated by
Israel against a relatively small guerrilla group.
Sayyid Hasan Nasrullah had vowed
to launch operations to capture Israeli
soldiers because the Zionist regime was
refusing to honor previous agreements
to release Lebanese prisoners. Codenamed Operation Truthful Promise,
the Hizbullah chief said the captured
Israeli soldiers would be swapped for
four Lebanese kidnapped by Israel. The
four were: Samir Kuntar (held since
1979; spent a total of 27 years in Israeli
prisons!); Nasim Nisr (an IsraeliLebanese citizen accused of spying);
Yahya Skaf (a Lebanese citizen arrested
in Israel but later murdered by the
Israelis); and Ali Faratan (also a
Lebanese citizen that Hizbullah

believed was held in Israel but the Zionists had murdered him as well). The
Hizbullah leader knew from previous
experience that Israel would never
honor any agreement. The only way to
deal with the illegitimate entity was to
capture Israeli soldiers and swap them
for Lebanese held by the Zionists.
Following Hizbullahs successful
operation near Zarit, the Zionist occupation army immediately sent a rescue
force to the area that confirmed after 20
minutes that the soldiers were indeed
missing. Going berserk at this affront
(only the Zionists are entitled to kidnapping Lebanese civilians), the Zionists
sent a Merkava Mk III tank, an armored
personnel carrier, and helicopter into
Lebanon. This was a major escalation
and provocation but Zionist arrogance
has no limits. Hizbullah fighters had
expected such an attack and were prepared for it. The tank hit a large landmine killing its crew of four. Another
soldier was killed and two were injured
by mortar fire as they tried to retrieve
the bodies of the dead soldiers.
Faced with these failures, the Zionists launched a full-scale war against
Lebanon the same day. Not only did it
launch air strikes, firing rockets and
missiles indiscriminately into civilian
populated areas, but also a land invasion. The Israeli navy imposed a naval
blockade of Lebanon only to find that
Hizbullah was able to hit one of its
frigates with an anti-ship missile that
barely managed to escape from the
scene, limping to the port at Ashdod. As
the Israeli frigate Hanit was hit by a
Hizbullah anti-ship missile killing four
crew members, Sayyid Nasrullah was
speaking on television. He invited the
Zionists to witness the fate of their
burning ship as it was shown on
Lebanons al-Manar television. The
Zionists were shocked; their plan for a
quick victory over the resistance movement was not only being ground to a
halt on land but it was also sinking into
the Mediterranean Sea.
Despite its massive air strikes, the
Zionists were not getting anywhere with
their plans to subdue, much less crush
Hizbullah. The Israeli air force chief
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July 2016

Dan Halutz announced, if the soldiers are not returned, we will turn
Lebanons clock back 20 years. He then
ordered that for every Hizbullah missile
on Haifa (in retaliation for Zionist
attacks on civilians!), the Israeli air force
should fire 12 rockets at a 12-storey
apartment building in Beirut. An Israeli
military officer confirmed this order by
Halutz that amounted to a war crime.
The Israeli air force destroyed many
apartment buildings in South Beirut
killing hundreds of people in them.
The head of Israels Northern Command Udi Adam was even more explicit, this affair is between Israel and
the State of Lebanon. Where to attack?
Once it [the Israeli army] is inside
Lebanon, everything is legitimate
not just southern Lebanon, not just the
line of Hizbullah posts. Such brazen
disregard for human life and the rules of
engagement in war, even those crafted
by the West itself, is a telling reflection
of Zionist mentality.
Israels patron saint and financial,
militar,y and economic backer, the US
was in no hurry to bring the war to an
end even if thousands of Lebanese civilians, many of them women and children,
were being blown to pieces. Then US
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
said with her customary toothy grin,
these [Israels war on Hizbullah and
Lebanon killing innocent civilians] were
the birth pangs of a new Middle East.
Rices new Middle East was to
emerge supposedly following Israels
massive air and artillery strikes. The
US was fully in league with the Zionist
plan of aggression. The Bush regime
wanted to remove Hizbullahs rockets
and missiles before the US and/or Israel
launched their genocidal war on Irans
nuclear facilities. Both feared Hizbullah retaliation in the event of such an
attack on Iran that would also constitute
a war crime.
Israel flew 11,897 combat missions
over a 33-day period. This surpassed
the 11,223 air strikes during the entire
1973 October War with Egypt and
Syria. Israel also fired 170,000 artillery
shells into Lebanon, again more than
twice the number fired during the 1973
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July 2016

NEWS/ANALYSIS

Even those who launched the war, egging on their Zionist hound dog from
a safe distance, had to admit that Hizbullah won the war. Not to be lost in
between the lines is the fact that then King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia encouraged the Zionists to permanently destroy Hizbullah, offering to pay for all the
war expenses incurred in prosecuting this end.

war. As if not to be left behind, the

Israeli navy fired 2,500 shells of its
own into tiny Lebanon.
Given such massive ordnance
dropped on Lebanon, one would have
thought the country would be flattened
and Hizbullah wiped out. The Zionists
achieved their first objective causing
massive civilian infrastructure damage
that clearly amounted to war crimes
but they miserably failed in the second.
Israeli destruction of civilian infrastructure included 400 miles (640 km)
of roads, 73 bridges, and 31 other tar-

gets such as Beiruts International Airport, seaports, water and sewage treatment plants, electrical facilities, 25 fuel
stations, 900 commercial structures, up
to 350 schools and two hospitals, and
15,000 homes. Some 130,000 more
homes were damaged. Both Amnesty
International and Human Rights Watch
confirmed in their reports following the
war that Israel was guilty of war crimes.
Regarding Israeli air and artillery
strikes and their effectiveness or lack
thereof, a senior officer in the Israeli
Armored Corps told the Haaretz news13

paper after the war that he would be surprised if it turned out even five Hizbullah fighters had been killed by such
massive shelling!
Sayyid Nasrullah also alluded to this
in one of his speeches saying the resistance movement had anticipated an
Israeli strike and it had moved its missiles from their previous locations without detection. In fact, as a war tactic,
Hizbullah had left dummies in their
place to mislead the Zionists. And as for
Hizbullah fighters, they had dug deep
tunnels into the mountains of South
Lebanon as a defence mechanism that
helped them avoid high casualties.
Instead, the Zionists were given a
bloody nose and when the war ended
through UN Security Council resolution
1701, the Zionists had failed to achieve
any of their objectives. It called for the
withdrawal of Zionist forces from
Lebanon, deployment of Lebanese army
in the South and expansion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
(UNIFIL). The resolution also called for
the disarming of Hizbullah, a demand
the resistance group firmly rejected
because, as Sayyid Nasrullah said, the
Lebanese army was not able to protect

NEWS/ANALYSIS
Lebanese territory. He was not prepared
to fall for any external promises; being
realistic he relied on the resistance
groups own strength. The Zionist army
was forced to leave much of Lebanon
but Sheba Farms still remain under
occupation. Zionist squatters have built
massive homes there on stolen land.
Hizbullahs determination and
prowess did not go unnoticed even by
the Zionist mouthpiece, the New York
Times. In an article on August 7, 2006 as
the war was still in full swing, reporters
Steven Erlanger and Richard A. Oppel
Jr, penned a joint article titled, A Disciplined Hezbollah Surprises Israel With
its Training, Tactics and Weapons.
It was Hizbullahs determination
and its leader Sayyid Hasan Nasrullahs
taqwa that enabled the resistance group
to come out on top. Not only did it survive against the most heavily armed
military machine in the region, it gave
the arrogant Zionists a bloody nose. Not
surprisingly, the Zionist air force chief
and head of the armed forces Halutz
was forced to resign in less than a year.
Hizbullah was able to secure the
release of its prisoners from Zionist
clutches as well as the bodies of a large

number of its fighters martyred in various operations in return for the bodies
of Israeli soldiers. This exchange took
place on July 16, 2008, exactly two
years to the day that the Zionists had
launched their murderous assault on
Hizbullah and Lebanon. Sayyid Nasrullahs reading of the situation that the
Zionists would only release Lebanese
prisoners when the resistance group
captures some Israeli soldiers proved
absolutely right.
Ten years later, Zionist Israel has not
dared attack Hizbullah again. Instead, it
violates Lebanese air space and launches periodic air strikes into Lebanon that
the Lebanese army and air force are
unable to prevent. Here again, Sayyid
Nasrullahs assessment is absolutely on
the mark.
Hizbullahs achievements stand in
sharp contrast to the pathetic conduct of
the Arabian rulers whose regimes while
in possession of thousands of planes,
missiles, tanks, and artillery pieces have
not been able to stand up to the arrogant
Zionists. Instead, they are all lining up
to kiss the feet of the Zionist oppressors
and occupiers. These clowns belong to
the dustbin of history. g

Fallujahs liberation and the challenges ahead

By Ali Ameri

Fallujah has returned to the nation and

Mosul is the next battle, Daish will be
defeated, declared Iraqi Prime Minister
Haidar al-Abadi in a triumphant
announcement on television, June 17,
flanked by top army commanders.
The campaign to liberate Fallujah
had begun nearly four weeks earlier on
May 23 but progress was slow. The takfiri terrorists occupying the city barely
50km west of the capital Baghdad had
laid many mines and booby traps along
the way as well as inside the city. Early
in the day on June 17, Iraqi forces
announced they had entered the centre
of Fallujah. The counterterrorism serv14

ice and the rapid response forces have

retaken the government compound in
the centre of Fallujah, the operations
overall commander, Lieutenant-General
Abd al-Wahab al-Saadi, told the AFP
news agency. The Iraqi flag was raised
on top of the main city building to indicate government control.
Iraqi commanders leading the
assault said their forces had met little
resistance from the terrorists during the
push into the city centre. The enemy is
collapsing. They have lost control of
their fighters. They are on the run now,
Lt. General Abd al-Ameer al-Shammari
said. Special forces commander Brig.
Haider al-Obedi told AP that his troops
controlled 80% of the city.

Matthew Henman, from the Janes

Terrorism and Insurgency Centre, however, seemed less confident about the
victory claims by government forces
saying that even with the breakthrough, it would take much longer
to completely get rid of ISIL (the name
usually preferred by the West for the terrorists) in Fallujah, and prevent future
attacks. While there may be small pockets of resistance in the city, the fact that
the terrorists did not put up a strong
fight indicates their lack of resolve,
exhaustion, and perhaps the realization
that their case is hopeless. There have
been a number of reports of defections
from the takfiri ranks.
In announcing the liberation of FalCrescent International

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NEWS/ANALYSIS

Iraqi forces in the process of liberating key government installations in Fallujah from ISIS, 6-17-2016. A military statement indicated that the federal police
had raised the Iraqi flag above the government building and were continuing to
pursue the insurgents, who continued to hold other areas; and that the police
were advancing along the main east-west road running through the city, and
counter-terrorism forces had surrounded Fallujah hospital.

lujah, the Iraqi government also said

Mosul was next in the drive to cleanse
the country of all takfiri terrorists. In a
sign that the government is sensitive to
the concerns of the largely Sunni population of Fallujah, Shii militias were
not used in the final push on the city. In
the past, there were allegations of abuse
by such militias against civilians.
Unfortunately, these are true.
Allegations were again floated in
Western media reports, more to tarnish
the Iraqi army than to reflect current
reality on the ground. Even so, media
reports started to highlight thousands
fleeing the city and the surrounding
areas as the military made progress
against the takfiris. The UN also
jumped into the fray revising its figure
of the number of people trapped inside
the city from 50,000 to 90,000. The UN
had seldom, if ever, expressed any concern for the well being of these people
when the takfiris controlled the city.
Are we to assume that they treated the
civilian population with kindness and
compassion?
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July 2016

Nevertheless, the plight of civilians

should not be taken lightly or underestimated. The UN has alleged that many of
the people escaping the city have been
detained and kept in detention facilities
that lack basic services including food
and medicine. While this may be true, it
is pertinent to ask, what is the UN doing
to help alleviate their suffering, a crisis
hyperbolically dubbed one of the worst
in the world. Since the beginning of
2014 when the takfiris erupted in the
region, 2.6 million Iraqis have fled the
country while another 3.4 million have
been displaced internally. These are certainly huge numbers but not as high as
those in neighboring Syria.
Fallujahs liberation will resonate
far beyond its borders. It had been under
the terrorists control longer (since January 2014) than any other Iraqi city.
When the terrorists took control, they
found a largely eager population welcoming them, thanks to the mishandling
of the Sunni tribes by the Baghdad
regime. Fallujah has been in struggle
mode since the US occupation of Iraq in

2003. In that sense, it is the frontline of

resistance to foreign occupation as well
as the centre of Sunni tribal resentment
to the heavy-handedness of the central
government in Baghdad. Into this
explosive mix entered the takfiris playing on the grudges real and imagined
of the Sunni tribes.
Instead of being sensitive to the
legitimate concerns of the people in
order to alleviate them as part of state
building efforts, Iraqi politicians have
resorted to their own sectarianism. The
failure or inability to control
excesses by Shii militias played into
the hands of the takfiri terrorists who
exploited the situation fully. The Iraqi
army may have physically liberated Fallujah but winning the hearts and minds
of the people will be a much more challenging task. This is where statesmanship comes in, a quality severely lacking among most politicians in Baghdad
who act with little regard to the rule of
law or respect for peoples rights. Corruption and nepotism are rampant amid
gross incompetence.
More than any other Iraqi city, Fallujah will be the test case of whether the
government in Baghdad can represent
all the people without considerations of
sectarianism or tribal interests and affiliations. If the central government succumbs to the temptations of sectarianism or is motivated by revenge this will
make the task of state building not only
difficult, but virtually impossible. It was
precisely the sense of alienation among
the Sunni tribes that the takfiris exploited so skillfully to advance their nefarious agenda.
It is widely known and even
acknowledged that Iraqi security forces
indulge in the torture of detainees. This
may not be the result so much of sectarianism as it is the product of a culture of
impunity. Torture has always been
widely practiced by security forces in
the region. This is as true of Iraq as it is
of Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, or any
other Arabian regime. In Iraqs case,
since the Bathist regime of Saddam
Husain indulged in torture as well as
other horrific crimes, those who
replaced him felt that they could contin15

ue the practice or even intensify it

because they had suffered so much
under Saddam.
While Saddam was a criminal and
monster and it is also true that he gave
preferential treatment to the Sunnis over
the majority Shii population, it would
be wrong to assume that all Sunnis were
implicated in Saddams crimes. He
brooked no opposition from anyone, be
it Shii, Sunni or even members of his
own family. He had his own sons-in-law
executed for attempting to overthrow
him (actually, their families killed
them!). But the former tyrant met his
well-deserved punishment. It behooves

NEWS/ANALYSIS
Iraqs new rulers not to repeat the horrors of Saddams era that they so much
despised. Similarly, the well-documented crimes of the takfiris should not be
repeated either, regardless of how horrific they may be.
There needs to be realization that the
central government in Baghdad represents all the people regardless of sectarian or tribal considerations. Further, the
culture of impunity and torture rampant
among security forces should be brought
under control and ended. To carry out
reforms both in the security services as
well as the judiciary would require a
major effort. Many courts are dysfunc-

tional and judges are known to act in an

arbitrary manner much like those in
Egypt or Saudi Arabia. This does not
inspire much confidence in people.
While the Iraqi army may be able to
liberate physical space although
even that is not assured given the level
of their amateurish performance the
much more difficult task is to liberate
the minds and hearts of the people. This
can only achieved by inspiring confidence in them and ensuring that the
state is there to represent and serve all
the people.
That is the challenge awaiting a
post-liberation Fallujah. g

UK faces its now what moment after Brexit

By Umar Shahid

In the 1972 movie, The Candidate, Bill

McKay (played by Robert Redford) was
not supposed to win against incumbent
Senator Crocker Jarmon (Don Porter)
but he unexpectedly pulls it off. His
campaign manager Marvin Lucas
(played by Peter Boyle) had told
McKay during the election campaign
that he had no chance of winning so he
was free to say what he wanted. When
McKay wins, he pulls his campaign
manager into the hotel room and asks,
What do we do now?
Something similar has happened in
the June 23 Brexit vote in Britain but in
a perverse way. Nobody had expected it
would go the way it did, not even those
leading the Leave campaign in Britain.
Politicians being what they are cynical liars and manipulative the Leave
campaign was led by the likes of former
London mayor Boris Johnson and former education secretary Michael Gove
but neither expected or wanted victory.
After the vote, instead of popping
champagne, Johnson looked as if he had
been run over by a bus!
When the referendum date was
announced, Johnson was prevaricating
about which side to join: Leave or
16

Remain? When he decided to join the

Leave camp, it was on the assumption
that it would fail but he would ride the
wave of popular discontent against
Eurocrats meddling in domestic British
politics to pave his way to 10 Downing
Street. He wanted to be seen as standing
up to Europe to defend British interests
without having to do anything practical.
There was no price to pay, or so he
thought. The promises the Leave camp
made cannot be fulfilled; they were not
expecting to fulfill them since they were
not expecting to win.
Cynicism was the dominant theme
on the other side as well. Prime Minister
David Cameron wanted to use the referendum to wring further concessions
from the EU assuming that ultimately a
majority would vote to stay. Nobody
had expected the level of anger among
working class people in Britain. The
bulk of the Leave vote came from
Britains industrial base where workers
felt their livelihood was being undermined by the arrival of cheap labor from
other parts of Europe. Wages had
declined and essential services were
being cut. They voted to leave believing
the promises made by Johnson, Gove,
and company to fix these problems, and
quickly.

When voters decided to opt for leaving, they did not think there would be
such a steep price to pay. Cameron has
already announced he would be resigning in October when a new leader takes
over the Conservative Party. The British
pound has lost about 30% of its value
vis--vis the US dollar and there is
absolute panic in financial circles in
London as well as elsewhere.
Cameron said he would leave the
decision to the new prime minister to
invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty
to start the process of separation. EU
leaders made clear they would have
none of this. They insisted that Britain
must move swiftly to negotiate leaving
the organization, saying any delay
would prolong uncertainty. European
Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker
stressed the Union of the remaining 27
members will continue.
The day after the vote, Juncker held
crisis talks with European parliament
president Martin Schulz, president of
the European Council Donald Tusk and
Dutch PM Mark Rutte. A statement
issued after the meeting said they
regretted Britain leaving the EU but
respected its decision. Then setting
aside niceties, they demanded Britain
must take immediate steps to start the
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NEWS/ANALYSIS

Nigel Farage, who has been advocating for Britain to pull out of the European
Union for the past 20 years, apparently had the last laugh after voting results
confirmed the British peoples desire to exit the Union. The EUwas predicated
on a united Europe competing against the economic power of the US, which
itself is based on perpetually expanding its imperial dominion. As US economic
power is waning, due to its imperial overreach that is no longer sustainable, the
entire raison dtre for the EU has gone up in the smoke over Syria, Yemen,
Afghanistan, etc. Dont expect the other rats to go down with a sinking ship.

process of separation to avoid further

damage to the EU. They signaled that
London no longer had the luxury of
deciding when it wanted to start the
process of separation. The EU statement
said, We stand ready to launch negotiations swiftly with the United Kingdom
regarding the terms and conditions of its
withdrawal from the European Union.
Reflecting anger at Britains decision, the EU leaders said that the deal
agreed with Cameron last February to
protect Londons financial markets,
curb immigration and opt out of closer
union ceases to exist and there will
be no renegotiation. European leaders
are worried, and rightly, about the union
breaking up completely. They would
like to avoid that if possible, by getting
rid of Britain as soon as possible.
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It may be too late, and too late for

Britain to continue to remain a united
kingdom. The Brexit referendum vote
has provided clues to the future course
of developments. Scotland and Northern Ireland (both part of Britain) voted
overwhelmingly in favor of staying.
Last year, the Scots had held a referendum to separate from Britain. The independence campaign narrowly lost. The
Brexit vote opens an opportunity for
another vote in Scotland and it is almost
certain that they would go their own
way since they have already signaled to
the EU that they would like to continue
their association. This would not be
possible by remaining within Britain.
Northern Ireland is also likely to join
with the Irish Republic. Thus, great
Britain it was never really great

would become not-so-great. It will be

reduced to a rump with Wales perhaps
tagging along.
The Brexit vote has also opened a
can of worms for Europe. A number of
right-wing parties in France, the Netherlands, Hungary and elsewhere are
demanding their own referendums.
Whether they will get their wish, or succeed in their plans are altogether different issues. What the British vote has
done is create much turmoil in Europe
and elsewhere. Many countries are
wondering what would happen to the
numerous trade agreements they have
entered into with the EU.
Britain has always been problematic
and manipulative. While maintaining its
separate identity, London has tried to
manipulate European policy by pitting
one power against the other. The EU
was meant to overcome this manipulation for the common good. Despite this,
EU leaders were willing to offer numerous concessions to Britain not available
to others, but London always wanted
more. The hangover of empire had
never left Britain even if there is no
empire to lord over.
When the European Economic
Community was first established in
1957 through the Treaty of Rome,
Britain refused to join. Six countries
France, West Germany (East Germany
was still part of the Communist Warsaw
Pact camp at the time and the Cold War
was hot), Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg became
founding members. In 1963, and again
in 1967, Britain wanted to join but
French President Charles De Gaulle
vetoed its membership. It was only on
the third attempt in 1969 that Britain
was allowed entry and became a full
member in 1973.
No sooner had the Brits joined, then
they started making demands for special
privileges. Other EU members accepted
these to maintain unity but Londons
demands kept growing. In 1991, when
the Maastricht Treaty formally established the European Union as a political
body, Britain opted out of the Social
Chapter that governs employment
rights. Again, when a single European
17

currency was adopted by 11 member

states in 1999, Britain did not join. It
wanted to be in and out at the same
time. British politicians thought they
could play the game forever and wring
more concessions from Europe. It
thought of itself as the indispensable
European power but played its hand
once too often with Brexit.
At the heart of the problem is the
issue of the free movement of capital
and people. The richer states want the
poorer ones to open their borders for
financial exploitation but do not want
their poor people flooding into the rich
countries. Nor do the rich countries
want to pay their fair share. For
instance, one of the points constantly
mentioned by the Leave campaign was
that Britain was subsidizing the EU to
the tune of 350 million/week and they
wanted to end this subsidy! This was
not true but it did not matter as long as
everyone believed the Remain vote
would win. After June 23 it is a different
world altogether, and a more turbulent
one at that.
The Brits have always been global
troublemakers. They can hardly be
expected to act any differently but now
they will face the consequences of their
misconduct at home as well. And one
can hardly blame the EU bureaucrats in
Brussels to make life as difficult for
them as possible on the way out.
Our correspondent in London
writes, No one, not even the leaders of
the Brexit campaign, thought this could

NEWS/ANALYSIS
happen. They were playing politics, and
the 52% of voters called their bluff. For
20 years Conservative politicians have
been attacking Europe for populist
political reasons domestically, and
using domestic skepticism about
Europe as a bargaining counter in European politics, all the while confident
that neither the British people or European institutions would let Britains
place in Europe be jeopardized. But this
time they walked too close to the edge,
misread the mood of the British people,
and toppled into the abyss.
The official leaders of the Brexit
campaign were Boris Johnson and
Michael Gove. After their victory, they
looked like they had been defeated.
Why? Because they never wanted or
expected to win and now are stuck with
this result.
That is why the leader in victory
yesterday was Nigel Farage, a joke figure who has been campaigning for
Great Britain to leave the EU for 20
years without ever winning a seat in
parliament in seven attempts. Indeed,
he was not even part of the official
Leave campaign. But the media could
not find anyone else to present as the
happy victor.
Now Johnson knows that he will be
blamed for this. He was making a classic
populist Euro-skeptic play for power
within the Conservative party, but did
not expect to be facing this situation.
Remember, even after the referendum
date was announced, he was vacillating

on whether to join the Leave campaign

or the Remain one. This was not a matter
of principle for him. It was political
expediency which campaign would
offer him the best route to 10 Downing
Street. Back then he would have thought
that a strong showing from Leave would
be a 4555 defeat, which would be
enough to weaken Cameron and give
him credibility as a populist leader who
could stand up for Britain in Europe.
What no one on either side, or in
Europe, or among the political commentariat, expected was that the referendum would become the focus for
accumulated social and economics
grievances, many contradictory, leading
a slight majority of people largely in
marginalized and usually disregarded
parts of the country and sectors of the
population to mobilize, creating a
momentum that has made the unthinkable a reality. What they all forgot was
that it is much easier to unite against
something than for something.
Democratic politics consists largely
of elites manipulating and exploiting
popular opinion. This time they got it
very wrong. The result is going to be
very damaging indeed for two broad
reasons. First, those who were manipulated into voting for Leave will expect
to get everything they were promised,
which their leaders never expected to
have to deliver on. And second, Europe
is going to punish Britain, make an
example of it, so no one else in Europe
is tempted to do the same. g

Europe leans right: reasons and repercussions

By Maksud Djavadov

As an Austrian citizen I did not share

the surprise of the corporate media
when Norbert Hofer, a right-wing presidential candidate got 49.7% of the votes
during the latest presidential elections
held in May 2016.
Hoffer who represents the rightwing Freedom Party of Austria (FP)
18

did not emerge out of thin air. The views

of his extreme right-wing political party
and its chairman, Heinz-Christian Strache, have been accepted as normal by
the Austrian political elites and media
since over a decade.
The great leap toward intolerance in
Austria has been belatedly highlighted
by the Council of Europes recent report
from October 2015 that stressed the use

of clearly racist content by the Austrian media and correctly pointed out that
the traditionally ruling party, the Austrian Peoples Party (VP) has at times
given into the temptation to engage in
hate speech.
Among many of FPs xenophobic
and Islamophobic campaign themes,
which were normalized, were slogans
like Too many foreigners [or more litCrescent International

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NEWS/ANALYSIS

To add insult to injury, now they are blaming the failing integrity of the EU on
the refugees seeking asylum in free Europe, all of whom would be safe and
happy in their own homes were it not for the wars of aggression that member
countries have been launching against Muslims and the hysteria they have
been creating at home to justify the invasions. In point of fact, the EU is fracturing because its members have not been true to the strategic objectives that
motivated the unions formation to begin with.

erally: Too much foreign] does no one

good, Homeland instead of Islam,
We protect free women, The SP
protects the compulsory veil and
More strength for our Viennese
blood. These slogans were rarely criticized by the ruling non- FP politicians
because they only targeted the others,
namely Austrian citizens and residents
of Muslim background, who are constantly vilified and degraded in the
mainstream Austrian media.
In Canada the above hate-loaded
slogans would never be allowed to
become part of the mainstream political
and media discourse. This partly
explains why only 5080 Canadians
joined NATO-facilitated terrorist
groups in Syria in comparison to 6,000
of Europes citizens.
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Historical Aspects
Extreme nationalism has historical roots
in Austria, not because Adolf Hitler was
born there and began formulating his
devilish ideas while in Austria, but
because in the post-WWII environment,
on ideological and educational levels,
Nazism in Austria was confronted in a
very superficial and simplistic way.
Therefore, Nazisms core foundations
and its effects were not addressed in a
sophisticated and in-depth manner.
In 2012 speaking to the Vienna
Review, Dr. Stephan Grigat, political
scientist and lecturer at the University
of Vienna who specializes in research
on nationalism, correctly pointed out
that the Second Republic was forced
onto the Austrians by the Allied Forces,
and Austrians showed almost no incli-

nation to free themselves from National

Socialism today, in fact, 37% of all
Austrians still believe this Victim Theory, leaving a consciously distorted
image of Austria having no responsibility for the rise of Hitler and the Holocaust. The Austrian identity can probably never be fully understood without
the connection to National Socialism.

Contemporary Aspects
Apart from historical reasons there are
contemporary aspects to this phenomenon, the primary one being an intentional mistaken identification of integration as assimilation.
Most Europeans mention integration
but once they start talking, they are actually calling for total assimilation. In
1437AH (2016) assimilation and nationalism are bound to create conflicts, as
the world today is far more cosmopolitan than ever before. Unfortunately the
European xenophobes and nationalists
do not think this far, but if they truly
have their nations interests at heart, they
should recognize the obvious: flaring up
nationalism and intolerance within multicultural Europe is bound to create
instability within the European societies
they claim to protect. An assimilation
agenda is a double-edged sword, as it
will stoke intolerance and tensions that
will affect its proponents as well.

Repercussions
No one can deny that the xenophobic
forces are on the rise all over Europe.
Their rise is not about economic downturn inflicted by refugees and immigration as the right-wingers often claim. In
fact, HSBC and the World Bank have
highlighted that Europe needs migrants
for its economic growth. The rise of
extreme nationalism in Europe has
more to do with the overall crisis of the
imperialist post-WWII system, which is
coming to its economic, military, and
political dead-end due to its extreme
greed and aggressiveness.
In the EUs specific case, the system
is in deep trouble because what initially
began as a reasonable economic and
cultural project got subverted by Washington and its protgs into a political19

military project with the primary aim of

establishing a firm political and military
footing in Eastern Europe and the territories of the former Soviet Union. Until
this basic notion is acknowledged,
Euroscepticism will continue to rise and
the EUs long-term sustainability will
be in serious doubt. If the EU wants to
sustain itself as a global economic powerhouse, it has to undergo a paradigm
shift and return to its economic and cultural beginning and put aside expansionist political visions.
While the right wing and xenophobic forces have not yet officially come
to power, this reality will probably
change within the next four to eight
years. Under the current global economic and political circumstances those that
claim to oppose the rise of right-wing
political parties in Europe have not put
forward a practical socio-economic and
political program against the slogans
put forward by the FP and its likes.
Austria is a deeply divided country
and the type of divide manifested by
the presidential election results in Austria is present in many if not most other
European countries as well. Under
these circumstances the governing non-

NEWS/ANALYSIS
right-wing parties will not be able to
deliver the required policy results to
win over the population and marginalize racist groups.
The above does not mean that FP
and its likes cannot be stopped from
coming to power. In fact they can be and
often by very simple political means as
their programs are more about slogans
than substance. For example, through
basic public acknowledgments progressive European socio-political actors
could easily address nationalist populism and deprive the racists of their
key marketing slogans. The first crucial
step would be to recognize that the current refugee problem in Europe is mainly due to EUs catastrophic policies
against Syria where they helped ignite a
war to advance Washingtons imperialist agenda.
Another policy consideration should
be to withdraw all support from autocratic and corrupt regimes in the Muslim world from which many people are
forced to flee to Europe. Without external support and interference these
unelected regimes would collapse within a few years, but to put these types of
basic political policies into action, the

EU needs a paradigm shift, the key

ingredient of which will have to be
revising its relationship with Washington. Without revising its blind political
and economic allegiance to Washingtons imperialist ambitions the EU will
not be able to truly reform itself and
stop the rise of extreme nationalist parties from coming to power.
When Europe was divided based on
nationalistic concepts, the continent was
engulfed in two world wars. The establishment of the EU was a reasonably
sophisticated preventive measure not to
repeat the mistakes of the 1900s. Those
that only publicly claim to pursue the
politics of reason instead of hate and
populism must not adopt the policies
and views advocated by the extreme
nationalists in order to sustain themselves in power. This type of shortsighted maneuvering will not only backfire,
but will also embolden the extremist
forces and legitimize their hate filled
policies and Europe itself will be the
primary victim. To save the EU from
extremists, mainstream European political forces must first stop preaching the
sugarcoated message of the nationalists
and practice what they preach. g

Mleeta: symbol of Hizbullah resistance

and prowess
By Tahir Mustafa

To reach Mleeta, the landmark museum

of the Islamic resistance in South
Lebanon, one must take the scenic highway from Beirut driving along the
Mediterranean coast. From Saida
(Sidon) the road swings southeast and
following a series of hair-raising bends
on narrow mountainous roads passing
many villages, one arrives at Mleeta.
The south is Hizbullah country. There
are huge billboards with photographs of
Hizbullah leader Sayyid Hasan Nasrullah as well as martyrs of the resistance.
Before entering Mleeta, there are signs
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July 2016

directing visitors to the Resistance

Tourism Site.
Mleeta, once a strategic Hizbullah
base, is perched atop a mountain overlooking the valleys below. It provides a
hilltop view of al-Touffah region surrounding Nabatiyeh and southern
Lebanon. The Mleeta Museum was
opened on May 25, 2010, exactly ten
years after the Zionist occupation army
was driven out of much of South
Lebanon, especially the Khiam concentration camp where thousands of resistance fighters, ordinary Lebanese civilians, and their families were incarcerated in cages not fit even for animals. Tor-

ture was rampant. While theoretically,

Khiam was run by the South Lebanese
Army (SLA), a bunch of thugs armed
and financed by the Zionists, it was the
Israelis who were in charge of the torture camp. Israel is touted in the West as
the only democracy in the Middle
East. Democracy has strange ways of
treating other people.
Mleeta is designed in such a way as
to symbolize the spirit of resistance. The
buildings, shaped like shards of shrapnel, are arranged around a central circle.
The complex comprises 60,000m2 of
space and includes a gallery, caves, and
bunkers once used by Hizbullah fight21

NEWS/ANALYSIS

hilltop position itself is a

treat. The Zionist occupation border is not far from
there. One walks through
the forested area to see gun
placements tucked in thick
undergrowth. These were
actual Hizbullah positions
during the fight against the
Zionist invaders.
The most spectacular
view is that of The
Abyss, the graveyard of
Zionist armor and other
killing instruments. It is a
huge pit full of destroyed
or captured Israeli tanks,
artillery pieces, shell casings, and helmets. The
tanks are embedded in concrete symbolizing their
immobility against Hizbullah resistance. One tank
has its turret tied in a knot!
The Mleeta Museum, opened on 5-25-2010, documents Hizbullahs heroic resistance to the
A billboard captures the
occupation of the Holy Land by Zionist invaders and occupiers. It preserves the sacrifices of essence of what is depicted
the organization, its members, its leaders, and its shuhada for posterity, crafting the kind of in the pit, This is a struchistorical narrative that seeds the emergence of a new society with its own characteristics,
tural scenic art that symits own laws, its own social patterns, and its own means of achieving the social justice so
bolizes the defeat of Zionlong absent from the region.
ist entity.
Hizbullah is not shy of
taking visitors into the tunnels stretching for more
Representatives of the Lebanese than 200m; they were used by its fighters. There is also a maze of tunnels dug
into mountains that Hizbullah fighters president and prime minister both ers. Lest one thinks these are mere tunused against the Zionist invaders in attended the official opening of the nels for hiding from incoming fire, there
JulyAugust 2006. Mleeta represents Mleeta museum. Noam Chmosky, pro- are surprises in store. The tunnels are
the resistances ingenuity in the face of fessor of Linguistics at Massachusetts like living quarters reinforced with steel
overwhelming odds: doing more with Institute of Technology (MIT) was also and concrete to withstand massive
less and not losing nerve in the face of invited and he was present for this his- blasts. Hizbullah fighters literally lived
massive Zionist firepower.
toric event. Chomsky is a critic of Zion- in them for the duration of the Zionist
The bunker used by Sayyid Abbas ist policies. Within ten days of its inau- war of aggression. The network of tunMousavi, Hizbullah leader, martyred in guration, more than 300,000 people had nels has a kitchen, bedrooms, and a map
an Israeli terrorist air strike near visited the museum, some coming from room. There are even medical facilities
Nabatiyeh on February 16, 1992 while other Arab countries as well.
to treat wounded fighters. The tunnels
Upon arrival, smartly dressed guides are appropriately lighted for visitors to
driving south with his family, is carefully preserved. His prayer mat and copy welcome visitors. They are ushered into see what lies inside.
of the Quran that he used to read are a huge hall where a professionally proThe museum symbolizes the spirit
also there. Sayyid Mousavi was return- duced video is shown to visitors with of resistance that while depicting
ing from a memorial service for another marshal background music. The video Hizbullah heroism also recognizes the
Hizbullah martyr Shaykh Ragheb Harb, depicts Hizbullah operations against the sacrifices of the fighters, recognition of
who was killed by Zionist agents in Zionist invaders interspersed with stir- the courage and resilience of its leader1984 in the town of Jibsheet when his ring speeches by Hizbullah leader ship and defeat of the Zionist invaders.
car was targeted, killing him, his wife, Sayyid Nasrullah. There is much to see Nowhere else in the Muslim East (aka
and their young daughter.
in Mleeta: the view from its vantage Middle East) would one find such a
22

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July 2016

museum simply because the Arabian

regimes and their armies do not have a
single victory to their credit. They surrendered to the Zionist invaders in six
days or at most in three weeks. Yet, it is
the shameless Arabian generals who
bedeck their uniforms with medals for
fictitious victories on the battlefield.
Throughout the museum grounds,
there are huge boards with photographs
of Sayyid Nasrullah, Sayyid Abbas
Mousavi, Imam Khomeini and Imam
Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The leadership of
the Islamic Republic finds a special
place in the hearts and minds of most
Lebanese for the support they have
offered to the long-suffering people facing Zionist aggression. In fact, the South
of Lebanon and South Beirut destroyed
in the Zionist onslaught of July-August
2006 were rebuilt with generous help
from the Islamic Republic despite being
under illegal Western sanctions.
Amid the numerous pathways
between flower gardens, red flowers
bloomed. Each red flower symbolizes
the place where a fighter had fallen.
Hizbullah does not forget the sacrifices
of its martyrs. Their memory is cherished for it was their sacrifices that
enabled the resistance to surmount such
huge odds. Hizbullah also looks after
the martyrs families and their children,
ensuring that their sacrifices are not
only remembered but that their loved
ones are not left without support.
The Mleeta museum serves multiple
functions. It not only proudly remembers the great successes of the resistance
but also offers families an opportunity
to relax, enjoy a picnic, and buy souvenirs at the amply stocked gift shop.
There is also a cafeteria where every
kind of delicious Lebanese food is
available. Families can enjoy their
meals to the beat of marshal music.
There are plans to expand the parks
facilities with swimming pools, spas,
playgrounds, hotels, and camping
areas. People of South Lebanon, for
decades the most oppressed of all the
Lebanese people, have had no opportunities for enjoying the little things of
life that others take so much for granted. While extolling the virtues of the
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NEWS/ANALYSIS
resistance, Mleeta museum will also
provide recreational facilities. There
are plans for a cable car to connect the
park and town of Mleeta with the nearby town of Sojod.
Lest the Zionist regime thinks it can
attack the South with impunity, let its
rulers take note. There are huge wall
panels that provide the precise coordinates of important Israeli military and
strategic installations on a map. These
include the precise coordinates of
Israels nuclear bomb production facilities at Dimona in the Negev Desert, as
well as major Israeli military bases.
While Hizbullah has said it would not
target Israeli civilian areas, it has also
made clear that if the Zionists were to

again carry out any attacks on Lebanese

villages and civilians areas, the resistance movement would be left with no
choice but to retaliate in kind, giving
them a dose of their own medicine.
Zionist Israel should take note. There
is little doubt that among the millions of
visitors that have visited Mleeta since its
official opening, there must have been
Israeli spies sniffing around for information. Hizbullah wants the Zionists to
know. And the Israeli spies would have
noticed the precise coordinates of Zionist military and industrial installations.
Should Israel make the mistake of
attacking South Lebanon or Hizbullah
again, there would be a very fitting
response and a high price to pay. g

The Abyss, an outside exhibit in the museum that captures in living detail the
Zionist instruments of death including tanks, artillery pieces, shell casings and
other war materiel. The tanks, embedded in concrete, symbolize the Zionists
inability to dislodge Hizbullah fighters from their fortifications, and the first
major defeat inflicted upon the largest, the most well-equipped, and the besttrained military (what they say about themselves) in the whole region.
23

COVER S TORY

Muhammad Ali: boxing legend, human

rights activist
By Khadijah Ali

The death last month of boxing legend

Muhammad Ali has left a huge void in
the world. It has done more. Ali died at
the relatively young age of 74 relatively young because people in the West
make it well past 90 due to medical
advancement and the world lost a
man who was willing to take a stand for
principles and even make huge sacrifices to uphold them. Alis death has
also exposed the manner in which the
US establishment operates: it immediately adopted him in death while he was
vilified when he took a stand against the
immoral war on Vietnam in the 1960s.
In their eyes, Ali was guilty of multiple sins. Unlike other boxers boxing being a brutal sport that Ali turned
into an art he was articulate. He
became a Muslim, took up the cause of
the oppressed African-Americans and The peoples champion with the children of Zaire (the Congo).
the worst sin of all, he refused to be
drafted into the army to fight for US
imperialism in Vietnam.
To get a glimpse into his boxing prowess, out of 61 fights,
There are many parallels between the lives of Muhammad
Ali and el-Haj Malik Shabazz (aka Malcolm X). Both went to he won 56 including 37 knockouts. From his triumph over Lisprison, Ali for his convictions, Malcolm for being involved in ton in 1964, Ali went on to win 31 straight fights before being
drugs, a common practice among African Americans at the defeated by Joe Frazier in 1971. That defeat occurred followtime because of the extreme racism they faced in the US (they ing the World Boxing Federation (WBF) stripping him of his
still do even if in more subtle forms). Malcolm became a title in 1967 for his refusal to fight in the Vietnam War. He was
Muslim while in prison; Ali had become a Muslim before his sentenced to five years in prison, a conviction he fought all the
way to the US Supreme Court, which eventually overturned it
conviction on refusing to be drafted to fight in Vietnam.
Ali had gained fame as a young boxer when at age 18 he in 1971, accepting his plea as a conscientious objector.
While his conviction was overturned, the WBF did not
won the gold medal in the 1960 Rome Olympics. Less than
four years later (February 1964), he would defeat Sonny Lis- restore his title. Instead, he had to fight for it in the ring to
ton to clinch the world heavyweight title at 22. From then on, regain it. The 1960s were a brutal period in American history.
he did not look back. He beat every challenger that confronted It was the decade of the civil rights movement as well as the
Vietnam War and protests. While African Americans were
him, knocking out most of his opponents.
Boxing is a brutal sport. Before Alis emergence on the denied basic rights in the US, they were forcibly drafted into
world scene, it was a slugging match. Alis style agility on the military to fight for that very system!
Ali had joined the Nation of Islam (NOI), a group that
his feet, graceful movements in the ring and rapid jabs
turned it into an art. He seldom came out of the ring with advocated a distorted version of Islam but that was the only
puffy eyes or face, something so common in the sport, artfully outlet at the time for most African Americans who faced
dodging his opponents punches. He also used psychological racism even in churches. There were segregated churches
tactics to disorient opponents. He often taunted them, making reserved exclusively for whites and blacks. Even 50 years after
them angry and emotional so that they would abandon their the Civil Rights Act was passed, many churches remain segregated to this day. Blacks were refused seats in the front of
fighting strategies.
24

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COVER S TORY

buses that had led to the Rosa Park protest. Blacks were also
refused entry into restaurants that led Ali born Cassius Clay
to embrace Islam even in its distorted form as preached by
Elijah Muhammad. This was a way of empowering the African
American community against rampant white racism.
What Ali said about refusing to fight in Vietnam is worth
quoting again,
Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go
10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets
on brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro
people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied
simple human rights?

When asked whether he would fight in Vietnam, he replied,

No, Im not going 10,000 miles from home to help
murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker
people the world over. This is the day when such evils
must come to an end My conscience wont let me go
shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor
hungry people in the mud for big powerful America.
And shoot them for what? They never called me
nigger, they never lynched me, they didnt put no
dogs on me, they didnt rob me of my nationality,
rape and kill my mother and father. Shoot them
for what? How can I shoot them poor people? Just
take me to jail!

He took that stand when barely 25; it takes courage and conviction!
His death on June 3 prompted the usual outpouring of
hypocritical rant by American politicians. Not only President
Barack Obama, himself of African American origins
(although of mixed parentage: his grandmother was white),
even the racist and bigot Donald Trump paid tribute to Ali.
David Walsh aptly captured this hypocrisy in his article in
Global Research on June 6, 2016, Muhammad Ali, who, in
his day, was a symbol of protest and resistance, has prompted
the inevitable and instinctive effort by the establishment to
appropriate his legacy for their own cynical uses.
In his statement issued on June 4 after Ali passed away,
Obama said, Like everyone else on the planet, Michelle and
I mourn his passing. But were also grateful to God for how
fortunate we are to have known him, if just for a while; for
how fortunate we all are that The Greatest chose to grace our
time. He praised Alis wonderful, infectious, even innocent
spirit and said that he was a fighter in the ring, but a man
who fought for what was right. Obama added, A man who
fought for us. He stood with [Martin Luther] King and [Nelson] Mandela; stood up when it was hard; spoke out when
others wouldnt.

His defiance of the American establishment infuriated the white racists used to nearly a century of
lynching, raping, and burning of black people. Ali had
to be punished and silenced. Malcolm X was gunned
down in the prime of his life in February 1965; he was
barely 39. Ali was sentenced to five years in jail. By
now, he was already an international icon because of
his prowess in the ring. He could not be physically
eliminated. Like Malcolm, Martin Luther King Jr.,
leader of the US civil rights movement, would also
pay the price with his life in April 1968.
Despite his sentence, Ali could not be silenced
even if he was stripped of his title,

I have said it once and I will say it again. The real

enemy of my people is right here [in America]. I
will not disgrace my religion, my people or
myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who
are fighting for their own justice, freedom and
equality If I thought the war was going to bring
freedom and equality to 22 million of my people
they wouldnt have to draft me, Id join tomorrow.
I have nothing to lose by standing up for my
beliefs. So Ill go to jail, so what? Weve been in
jail for 400 years.

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July 2016

Leading other iconic athletes including Jim Brown, second

from right, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, right, and Bill Russel, left
in courageously confronting injustice, at the Ali Summit in
Cleveland, Ohio, USA, 1967; and then, below, with some of the
same athletes who came to pay their respects to the champ, 2016.
25

COVER S TORY

Obama deserves credit for his soaring rhetoric but truth be

told, as president, he has prosecuted more wars and killed
more people than even his rightly reviled predecessor, George
W. Bush. While Obama praised Ali for taking a stand when
it was hard; spoke out when others wouldnt, his own actions
belie his statements. Others also chimed in with praise of Ali
including Vice President Joe Biden, Former US President Bill
Clinton, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, Democratic candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie
Sanders, musician Paul McCartney, boxers Mike Tyson and
Floyd Mayweather, and golfer Tiger Woods.
Perhaps his toughest opponents in the ring, Joe Frazier
and George Foreman, paid the best tributes. Foreman, who
was beaten by Ali in the Rumble in the Jungle on October
30, 1974 in Kinshasa, Zaire, said, Muhammad Ali made you
love him. Ali fought a very intelligent fight against Foreman.
Instead of going for a quick knockout as his trainer Angelo
Dundee had advised, Ali devised his own strategy. It was a
huge gamble but it paid off. He let Foreman exhaust himself
by punching Ali repeatedly with body blows. Ali had trained
hard to take punches to the stomach, while protecting his face,
head, and upper body. By the eighth round, Foreman was
exhausted and had lost much of his strength. Ali easily
knocked him out. Asked how he would like to be remembered, Ali once said,
As a man who never sold out his people. But if thats
too much, then just a good boxer I wont even mind
if you dont mention how pretty I was!

The Institute of Contemporary Islamic Thought (ICIT)

director Zafar Bangash also had a brief encounter with

Muhammad Ali. He recalls that in 1971, the boxing legend

was passing through London, England where the ICIT director was a student at University College London. His friend
Ghazanfar Ali Gul, currently member of the Pakistan Peoples
Party, was also a student at the nearby London School of Economics (LSE). When Gul learned about Alis presence in
London, he found what hotel he was staying in and went
there. Gul was a remarkable person: even in London, he used
to wear the traditional Pakistani dress shalawar-qamees
(baggy trousers and tunic), sherwani (a long black coat) and
Jinnah Cap. To complete the picture, Gul also had a long
beard! Being the hippy era, beards were in fashion but Guls
was of a different kind!
When he arrived at the hotel, Alis guards would not let
him meet the boxer. Gul persisted and eventually managed to
meet Ali, inviting him to attend the inaugural meeting of the
Islamic Society at LSE, which Gul had set up. To his surprise,
Ali immediately agreed and accompanied Gul to LSE where
more than a thousand students and faculty were waiting to
hear the boxing legend speak!
Muhammad Ali was very much a peoples man. He
demonstrated his humanity again in Zaire before the historic
fight with Foreman. During his early morning jog, Ali would
interact with young African kids. Foreman, on the other hand,
had come with his pet dog, seen by Africans as a symbol of
white oppression. He did not mix with ordinary people. Even
before the fight had taken place, Ali was already the peoples
champion. He did not disappoint them in the ring either.
He has now joined the Creator (may his soul rest in
peace), but his memory will live on. He was not only a great
sportsman but also a very decent human being. May Allah
() reward him many times over for all the good he did. g

Significance of Quds Day rallies

By Ayman Ahmed

At a time when the worlds attention is fixated on the illegal

wars imposed on Syria, Iraq, and Yemen, the issue of Palestine and more particularly the continued Zionist occupation of
al-Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem have become even more
pressing. Zionist squatters (aka Jewish settlers) have intensified their provocative usurpation of Jerusalem. One example
of this was the loud and hate-filled rally the squatters held in
Jerusalem on June 6 coinciding with the 49th anniversary of
the Israeli occupation of the city in 1967. It also happened to
be the first day of Ramadan, the month of fasting. Muslim
Palestinians were prevented from praying in al-Masjid alAqsa on the first day.
The Zionist occupation force has now made this into official policy. More than 83,000 Palestinian Muslims are barred
26

from entering Jerusalem to pray in al-Masjid al-Aqsa. This

scandalous affront to Muslim rights, religious freedom, and
dignity continues while the Arabian regimes openly declare
their subservience to the illegitimate Zionist entity and want
to be friends (read: puppets).
Under these circumstances, it becomes even more important for committed Muslims to highlight the plight of the
Palestinian people and the continued occupation of al-Masjid
al-Aqsa that faces a serious threat from the Zionist squatters
and their enablers. One way to achieve this is through the
Quds Day rallies that have become a global phenomenon
since Imam Khomeini first declared the last Jumuah of
Ramadan as the Day of Quds in 1979. Millions of people
Muslims and non-Muslims alike participate in such rallies
each year to draw attention to the continued occupation of alMasjid al-Aqsa, the first qiblah of Muslims, as well as the
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Zionist occupation of Palestine and the unending oppression

and suffering of the Palestinians.
This year will be no exception. Quds Day rallies are
planned for most major cities in the Muslim world as well as
in Africa, Europe, and North America. Cape Town and Pretoria in South Africa and Zaria and Kaduna in Nigeria witness
some of the largest rallies in Africa. The Zionist-influenced
and manipulated Nigerian army that flees when faced with
Boko Haram terrorists, has tried on numerous occasions, at
the behest of their Zionist masters, to disrupt and ultimately
ban Quds Day rallies in Nigeria. Last December more than
1,000 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria led by
the charismatic Shaykh Ibrahim el-Zakzaky were gunned
down by the Nigerian army. Hundreds remain in prison,
including Shaykh Zakzaky.
During the 2014 Quds Day rallies, the army shot and
killed 29 protesters including three sons of Shaykh Zakzaky.
When Goodluck Jonathan, the clownish former president of
Nigeria, was defeated in presidential elections earlier this
year, Nigerians heaved a collective sigh of relief at the departure of the Zionist stooge. Regrettably, the hopes aroused by
Mohammad Buharis victory have not been realized.
Quds Day rallies have assumed even greater significance
in view of constant Zionist attacks on al-Masjid al-Aqsa and
the al-Haram al-Sharif precinct, which houses both the Aqsa
Masjid and the Dome of the Rock. Hardly a day passes without an incursion into the holy precinct in al-Quds (Jerusalem)
by illegal Zionist squatters who have no regard for life, limb,
or property. Zionist occupation forces, many of them members of the same illegal squatter gangs, provide cover and support for such attacks.
Over the last two years, Zionist incursions have escalated.
Their plan is clear: creeping annexation of al-Haram al-Sharif
(the Noble Sanctuary) with a view to taking it over completely. Spokespersons for the Zionists have demanded the right
to worship there. It takes chutzpah.
Al-Masjid al-Aqsa (the Distant Masjid), as mentioned in
the noble Quran (17:01), is the area from where the Messenger
of Allah (r) ascended to Heaven during his miraj after leading
all the previous prophets in salah, confirming his leadership of
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July 2016

sixth of Jerusalems Old City. The 35-acre compound includes

masjids, museums, gardens, and Islamic schools. Since the
Zionist occupation of the entire city including East Jerusalem
in 1967, Israelis and Palestinians have managed this very sensitive religious area in an uneasy relationship.
As a religious endowment, the leadership of the Islamic
Waqf is responsible for the management of al-Haram alSharif. The masjids (al-Masjid al-Aqsa and the Dome of the
Rock), the museums, gardens, and Islamic schools are all
administered by the waqf that regulates the flow of visitors
onto the holy precinct. Guards from Jordans Ministry of the
Islamic Waqf are stationed at all but one of the compounds
entrances alongside Israeli police: the Maghribiyah Gate. This
is connected by a controversial bridge down to the huge plaza
created through Israels illegal demolition of the Maghrabiyah quarter, including a historic masjid in front of the
Western Wall, which Jews believe is the only remaining remnant of the Jewish Temple.
Before the Zionist occupation of al-Masjid al-Aqsa in
June 1967, it was under Jordanian control. When the war
broke out, the Jordanian army fled without firing a single
shot, abandoning Islams first qiblah and the third holiest site
to the Zionists. This was precisely the purpose for which the
British had created the Hashemite Kingdom: to act as a
buffer for the illegal Zionist implantation in Palestine.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians Muslims and
Christians were driven from their homes in a campaign of
terror perpetrated by the Zionists in 19471948. Palestinian
villages and towns were wiped out or taken over by the Zionist marauders who flooded into Palestine from Europe and
Russia. In the first flush, half of Jerusalem was also occupied.
The other half remained under Jordanian control. Jordan, an
artificial entity carved out of Palestine by the British, was
handed over to Abdullah, one of the sons of Sharif Husayn in
order to placate him. The British had reneged on their pledge
to make Sharif Husayn the king of all Arabians in return for
his betrayal of the Ottoman Turks who were then in control of
the Muslim East, including Palestine.
The British had simultaneously promised to create a homeland for the Jewish people in Palestine as per the Balfour Declaration of November 1917. The British had of course no
intention of honouring their pledge to the Arabs. Their promise
to the Jewish people, extracted by Lord Rothschild from Balfour, then British foreign secretary, served both sides well. At
a stroke, the Zionists got the promise of a homeland in Palestine while the British and indeed the larger European community got rid of their Jewish problem. Anti-Semitism has been
a defining feature of European life for centuries. The Europeans were not so much concerned about expiating for their
sins against the Jews; their primary purpose was the expansion
of colonialism into the Muslim East. Zionist Israel today
serves as a colonialist bridgehead in the region.
When the affairs of Muslims are given by the enemies of
Islam into the hands of traitors and the Muslims allow this situation to continue, then this is what will happen. The Hara27

ISL AM/MOVEMENT

mayn the sacred masjids in Makkah and Madinah under

the control of another treacherous family, Bani Saud, are in as
much danger of being lost as al-Masjid al-Aqsa. Like the illegal occupiers of the Holy Land of Palestine, the uncouth
Bedouins from Najd have created havoc in the Arabian Peninsula and in much of the Muslim world.
The Najdi Bedouins have assumed the title of Khadim alHaramayn (Custodian of the Two Inviolable Places), but in
reality, they are servants of the Zionists and imperialists.
Throughout their treacherous existence, they have inflicted
immense harm on innocent Muslims. They have spread sectarian hatred and division among Muslims. Their support of
takfiri terrorists in Syria and Iraq is well-known, leading to
the killing of thousands of innocent people.
Now they have launched a direct attack on the poor people
of Yemen as well, where thousands of innocent people have
been killed since March 26, 2015. The Najdi Bedouins have
never fired a single shot against the Zionist occupiers or
extended any support to the Palestinians but they have
dropped thousands of lethal bombs on innocent Yemenis.
Their contribution to the liberation of al-Masjid al-Aqsa and
Palestine is zero.
The ongoing injustices against the Palestinian people have
aroused the concern of many people worldwide. The issue of
Palestine and al-Quds has also transcended the religious
divide. Many anti-Zionist Jews and Christians participate in
Quds Day rallies, especially in North America, Europe and
South Africa, seeing these as expression of solidarity with the
Palestinian people. It must be emphasized that Quds Day rallies are not against the Jewish people their presence in
such rallies is proof of this fact but against the injustices
being perpetrated by the Zionists. Further, Zionism is a political ideology that is based on racism. In fact, Zionists belong
to all religions, even if nominally. There are Jewish Zionists,
as there are Christian, Muslim, and Hindu Zionists.
It is also revealing that while Jewish religious law forbids
entry for Jews onto al-Haram al-Sharif for fear that this might
desecrate remnants of a holy Jewish site, some religious
groups and rabbis have violated their own religious law by
giving contrary opinions. In a September 21, 2013 article the
New York Times wrote, Israels chief rabbinate still maintains
the Mount is off limits to Jews a sign saying so is posted
at the gate. But Zionist zealots have issued provocative statements saying they are denied entry onto the Temple
Mount, urging their followers to storm the holy precinct.
These zealots need no encouragement. As thieves, they have
stolen most of Palestine under spurious biblical claims. Having gotten away with one outrage, they are expanding their
tentacles into other areas with al-Haram al-Sharif as their specific target. Numerous arson attempts and provocations have
occurred over the years.
As part of the annexation plan, two synagogues have been
built in Jerusalem recently; another one is planned right next
to al-Haram al-Sharif together with furious Judaization of the
rest of the city. Additionally, the Zionist regime has
28

announced plans for construction of two new squatter camps,

euphemistically called Jewish settlements, under the direct
supervision of a right-wing group led by extremist Zionist
squatters. On June 4, 2014 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu had reconfirmed this by announcing construction
of thousands of new homes in East Jerusalem.
While Palestinians from the rest of Palestine are forbidden
to enter Jerusalem, Zionist squatters are provided armed protection. Even those Palestinians who live in the city are often
barred from praying in al-Masjid al-Aqsa. It is not uncommon
for the Zionists to bar Palestinians between the ages of 1550
to enter al-Haram al-Sharif for prayer. The Palestinians face
numerous other challenges coming into Jerusalem: the ubiquitous checkpoints, the apartheid wall (Separation Wall) and
of course the gauntlet of gun-toting Zionist soldiers who are
present everywhere.
While dealing with this serious challenge is primarily the
responsibility of Muslim governments it is futile to expect
rulers that are themselves agents of imperialism and Zionism
to help or support Muslim causes. These regimes are part of
the problem; they cannot be part of the solution.
For decades, these regimes took refuge behind the claim
that they represented Islam and Muslims; no more. The Najdi
tribal regime in the Arabian Peninsula and its fellow tribal
monarchies and puppet regimes in the Muslim East are the
local sentries of imperialism and Zionism. These include Jordan, Qatar, Morocco, Egypt, Turkey and others. Their primary aim is to maintain their illegitimate hold on power, and
abort Islamic self-determination.
Nothing exposes them more than the fact that while they
have poured billions of dollars to support the mercenaries
fighting the Asad government in Syria, they have not given a
fraction of that amount to the Palestinians to confront the
Zionist aggressors. Further, while thousands of mercenaries
from these countries have flooded into Syria, one is at pains
to ask how many have been sent to Occupied Palestine to help
the oppressed Palestinians. The battle lines are now clearly
drawn. By their own actions, these munafiq rulers stand
exposed. And like munafiqs everywhere, they will face humiliation in this world as well as in the Hereafter.
The responsibility for liberating al-Quds falls on the shoulders of Muslims worldwide as well as fair-minded, justice
seeking non-Muslims. Quds Day rallies, therefore, assume
great significance in mobilizing global public opinion for this
ongoing tragedy borne of a gross travesty of justice. Keeping
the issue of the continued Zionist occupation of al-Quds and
Palestine alive is a religious duty of all Muslims worldwide.
The Quds Day rallies are a vital part of this effort. Muslims everywhere must participate in these rallies in large
numbers to ensure the continued occupation of al-Masjid alAqsa and Palestine is not forgotten until their complete liberation from the clutches of the Zionists. Once liberated, all
people Muslims, Christians and Jews can live in peace
and harmony in the Holy Land, free from coercion, racism,
and exploitation. g
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Reviving Islamic vocabulary for

socio-political discourse
By Zafar Bangash

the colonialists drew arbitrary lines in the sand or in the valleys

and mountains to separate their colonial possessions from othThe Muslim world has suffered hundreds of years of colonial ers. The Muslim East (aka the Middle East) offers a ready
rule. The colonialists did not only physically occupy Muslim example of this phenomenon. Prior to colonialism, Muslims
lands, they also occupied Muslim minds. Physical occupation thought in terms of the Ummah, which Allah () uses in the
ended decades ago but mental occupation continues with dev- Quran when referring to Muslims (21:92).
astating consequences for Muslims and their societies.
True, there were Muslim empires; and even though there
The fact that this column is being written in a European was a political deviation from the original concept of the khirather than a Muslim language is proof of this long-lasting lafah, these empires still were ensconced in the overall social
impact. True, English has become universal but this was not dynamic of Islam. What the colonialists did was to impose
always the case. There was a time when
totally alien concepts on Muslims, disArabic was spoken almost throughout
torting their socio-political culture. By
the world. Non-Muslims used to travel
the time the era of direct colonialism
The negative
to Muslim lands to not only learn Arabic
ended, the Muslims, no longer able to
but also study at Islamic universities
think in terms of the Ummah, began to
consequence of these
acquiring knowledge about medicine,
look at themselves as nation-states.
arbitrary divisions
science, mathematics, and astronomy, to
Thus, there emerged Syrian, Iraqi, and
was that it greatly
name but a few subjects.
even a Saudi nation-state. The latter had
The Arabic language also inspired
never
existed in the entire history of
weakened the Muslims
several other languages to emerge,
Islam. It was called the Arabian Peninby fracturing their
among them Urdu and Swahili. Further,
sula. The negative consequence of these
many Arabic words have made their
arbitrary divisions was that it greatly
unity along tribal,
way into the English language much as
weakened the Muslims by fracturing
national, racial, and
English or even French words have now
their unity along tribal, national, racial,
sectarian lines. It was
been incorporated into what may be
and sectarian lines. It was only after
considered traditional Muslim lansuch
divisions that the ground could be
only after such
guages including Arabic, Farsi, Turkish,
prepared for the implantation of the
divisions that the
Urdu, Malay, etc.
Zionist entity in Palestine.
Colonialisms greatest impact was
The nation-state structure has had
ground could be
that it forced Muslims to think outside
other negative consequences. Travel
prepared for the
the framework of Islam. This has disbetween Muslim countries has been
implantation of the
torted the personality of Muslims in
greatly restricted. Even the Islamic
profoundly negative ways. Take the
injunction of Hajj has not been left
Zionist entity
example of the legal system in most
unaffected. While Allah () invites all
Muslim societies. It is based on English
Muslims to perform Hajj (3:97, 22:27),
Common Law or French law depending
the Saudis have imposed a visa to do so.
on the occupying colonial power. Islamic Law, commonly It is like a sentry standing guard at the entrance of a masjid,
referred to as the Shariah, is widely derided even in many either granting or refusing permission to Muslims that want to
Muslim societies by Westoxicated Muslims who occupy enter for salah. What could be more absurd than this? Yet
important positions in their respective societies.
unfortunately, Muslims have accepted the visa imposition as
Let us start with some simple concepts that Muslims have if it is natural.
uncritically incorporated into their discourse.
Islamic movement or Islamic party
Nation, nationalism, and nation-state
Closely related to the nation-state structure is the manner in
Many Muslims erroneously translate ummah as nation. It is which politics are conducted. The political party approach to
not. The word nation derives from the concept of the nation- politics is again a Western innovation to determine who
state and its related aspect, nationalism. Nation-state is a Euro- should govern in society. This is essentially an arrangement
pean construct that was imposed when the colonialists occu- between competing elites who take turns at being at the helm
pied Muslim and other peoples lands. For their own interests, of affairs. The facade of elections is scripted to create the illuCrescent International

July 2016

29

ISL AM/MOVEMENT

sion that the masses are involved in the process and determine
who should rule.
Party politics are not only a total fraud but also divisive.
Political parties are beholden to their paymasters, essentially
executives of big corporations who determine what policies
are to be pursued, what people should be at the helm, and for
how long. The circus that is currently underway in the US,
while providing ample entertainment, is a good reflection of
what the political party system is all about.
Unfortunately, political parties have infected the Muslim
world as well in different ways. Vast sums of money are used
to buy votes. Beyond vote buying, in most Muslim countries
parties are not even allowed to participate in the electoral
process. If allowed, political parties, especially Islamic ones,
are impeded in their work by not allowing them to pursue
their agenda openly. The bosses in most Muslim societies
generally the military establishment, which itself has to seek
permission from its imperial sponsors to organize politically
determine whether they would allow a political party to be
in charge and for how long. Egypt, Indonesia, and a host of
others offer ready examples.
This naturally raises the question of what would be the

Commentary

continued from p. 7
the principle that the lives of Yemeni children are as
precious as those of Palestinians. It is sad. Palestinians
rightly expect that people worldwide should speak out
on their behalf and expose the crimes of the Zionist
regime. Why then does Palestinian leadership remain
silent when villainous characters like the Saudis use
their name to justify crimes against Yemeni children?

In addition to the financial blackmail of Ban Ki-moon,

Saudi allies (most of them puppets like Jordan and basket case Bangladesh) as well as the tribal monarchies in
the Gulf that oppress their own people in terrible ways
also piled on. Others that complained to Bans office at
the UN included Egypt (its dictators hand still dripping from the blood of innocent Egyptians murdered in
August 2013), Kuwait, and Qatar.

Bangladeshs mission in New York said their foreign

minister had contacted Bans office while on an official
visit to Saudi Arabia. No doubt the Bangladeshi foreign
minister had gone with a begging bowl in hand and in
return for a few riyals, he called the UN secretary-general to express his displeasure at the inclusion of Saudi
Arabia in the blacklist. He was being a nice puppet
wagging his tail in anticipation and running to fetch the
ball in return for a bone. There must be a better way to
make a living.
Crescent International

July 2016

format for a representative political process in a Muslim society? First, Muslims should be clear that the systems in most
Muslim societies are bequeathed by colonialism. These systems will not and cannot serve the interests of the masses.
Unlike most Western societies where a minimum level of
income is guaranteed to the people, Muslim societies are not
structured in this manner. Thus, unless the imposed systems
are replaced by genuine Islamic systems, there can be little
hope for progress or redemption.
This cannot come about through political parties, even
those carrying the Islamic label, coming to power through
elections that are manipulated by the entrenched secular elite.
We have seen the consequences of Islamic parties in many
Muslim countries Algeria, Egypt, etc. that won elections
fair and square but ended up being crushed and their leaders
sent to the gallows or jail.
Instead of the political party approach, Muslims must
operate through the Islamic movement. This is also according
to the Sunnah of the Prophet (r) who led the first Islamic
movement in history. Unlike the political party that is a closed
system with membership etc, the Islamic movement is an
open system where every Muslim is automatically a member.
The Saudi-led coalition includes Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt,
Jordan, Morocco, Senegal, and Sudan. Interestingly,
the International Criminal Court has a warrant against
Sudanese president Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war
crimes. The Saudis have bought his loyalty for a fistful
of dollars and he can travel, at least to the countries in
the Saudi-led coalition. This freedom may not last too
long and it would not come as a surprise if al-Bashir
were to find himself in the dock at the Hague in the not
too distant future.

The Najdi Bedouins name may have been removed

from the blacklist but this does not mean they are not
guilty of such crimes. The Saudis have not denied that
hundreds of children have been killed in Yemen. At
least 22 million of its 24 million people are facing serious food deficiency because of the Saudi blockade in
the manner of the Zionist blockade of Gaza. List or no
list, a crime is a crime and the Saudis are guilty. This
reality is likely to catch up with them sooner rather
than later.

This entire affair also sheds light on the manner in

which the UN operates. In the past it was known to
kowtow to US demands and those of its illegitimate ally,
Zionist Israel. The world body has fallen so low that
even the Saudi clowns can push it around. What hope
can the oppressed people of the world have for justice
from such a body? It just goes to show that when money
talks, principle walks.

31

ISL AM/MOVEMENT

Leadership in the Islamic movement is not sought but conferred through the sacrifices of those that have shown their
commitment and dedication to the cause.
Those seeking an example of this in action should look at
the Islamic Republic of Iran. The late Imam Khomeini led the
Islamic movement to bring about an Islamic revolution that
demolished the old system and brought about an Islamic order
in society. Unlike most other Muslim countries, Iran has had
dozens of elections, not under party labels but under different
but complementary approaches to issues affecting the Ummah
in Iran. There is no party line that individuals pursue. This is
most clearly evident in the manner in which voting takes place
in Irans Majlis. Members are free to vote according to their
conscience, not according to any line set by the party as is so
common in party-based politics. One only has to look at the
workings of any Western parliament to see how the party line
approach constrains members from acting.

Islam: din or religion?

This is another term that is greatly misunderstood and, therefore, misused. Nowhere in the Quran is any word equivalent
to the English word religion used. Throughout the noble
Quran, Allah () uses the word din to describe Islam (3:19,
3:83, 3:85, and many other ayat). Din means a comprehensive
way of life. Thus, there can be the din of Islam the Islamic

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32

socio-political and economic system of life and the din of

kufr a way of life based on the denial of Allahs () power
presence in our lives.
The word religion is based on the secularization of Christianity. The Church has had a troubled history that led to such
horrific practices as the Inquisitions and witch burnings. It
was as a consequence of these practices and the dictatorial
nature of the Church fathers that led to a rebellion resulting in
the separation of church and state. Christianity was reduced to
a religion instead of being Allahs () din as was revealed to
His noble prophet, Jesus (a). Muslims have had no such
problems. Islam accepts no such separation.

Jihad is not holy war

The West loves to impose definitions on Muslims. Jihad is
one such word that has been mangled beyond recognition. It
is mistranslated as holy war. This is not the correct meaning
of the word. At its simplest, it means struggle and can take
many different forms. A Muslim doing an honest days work
is engaged in jihad just as a person who removes a stone from
the path to prevent someone from tripping over. The Quran
has a specific word for war qital but it contains no
equivalent to holy war. In fact, the designation holy war and
related language such as infidel were the vernacular of the
Crusades, a war on Islam, and not by Islam. Islam does not
enjoin Muslims to shy away from fighting when they are
attacked; they are permitted to defend themselves (2:190).
There is no turning of the other cheek; in fact, nobody in this
world turns the other cheek except as a propaganda tool. But
in the same ayah of the Quran, Allah () tells Muslims not
to be aggressive.
The Wests insistence on distorting Islamic terms is meant
to serve its own nefarious agenda. Muslims must challenge
this and not allow the West or its media to impose their own
exclusivitst meanings on Islamic terms as part of a Godoffending agenda and then get away with such distortions, as
indeed the distortion of many other terms.

Taqwa
This is another word that even Muslims have misunderstood
and misinterpreted. It is often translated as piety. This is a
great injustice to a word that has abounding and profound
meanings. To understand any Arabic word correctly, one
must go to its root. Taqwa is derived from waqa or wiqayah.
These mean protection or canopy. What is being implied is
that a person with taqwa has secured the protection of Allah
() from the violations of His social law, or from insolence
to His power presence. Muslims would do well to understand
the proper meanings of the terms used in the Quran and use
them accordingly.
It is bad enough for non-Muslims to distort Islamic terms
and expressions, it is infinitely worse for Muslims to do so as
well. When Muslims begin to understand the meanings of
Quranic terms and use them appropriately, they could then
embark on the process of taking control of their own destiny. g
Crescent International

July 2016

BOOK REVIEW

Understanding the Philosophy of Science

House columnist Maksud Djavadov reviews the Philosophy of Science A Very Short Introduction by
Dr. Samir Okasha, a must read for religious and nonreligious people in the contemporary world who want to
gain a basic non-dogmatic understanding of science.
In order to pull off the ultimate con, it has to be dressed up as
something real. That is why Islamic philosophy has a qualification called batil, falsehood dressed in the garment of truth.
This is what many contemporary atheist propagandists have
done well when they incorporated natural sciences into their
atheistic dogma, thus degrading the honorable status of science. Fortunately, there is a reemergence in popularity of a
field that offers a more reasonable qualification of natural sciences and their place in responding to the questions of
humanity. That field is the philosophy of science.
An average persons familiarity with science is quite
superficial but a large number of people seem to be completely oblivious to the existence of a field of study called the philosophy of science. If you are one of those people or you
believe that science has answers to most issues about our universe, Samir Okashas Philosophy of Science A Very Short
Introduction (134 pages) is an excellent starting point even if
the book is a little dated (2002).
In seven tightly argued chapters, Dr. Okasha leads the
reader through a journey developing a clearer understanding
of science. He peels off the many layers of myths woven
around it.
In the first chapter of the book, Dr. Okasha introduces the
reader to what is defined as science and historical milestones
in science. From chapter two, the author begins to open the
readers mind to the fact that science is not such a rosy field
as many propagandists of materialist atheistic thought want
the masses to believe.
Dr. Okasha begins the second chapter by explaining the
differences between deductive and inductive reasoning. The
second chapter also introduces readers to the induction problem in science, but most importantly it shows how this induction problem is explained away in a sophisticated manner
often due to poor communication. This poor communication
is quite deliberate. After speaking to many proponents of scientism and atheism, it has become clear that people ascribing
to atheism using the science argument purposefully load
their arguments with jargon to pontificate.
In this chapter, the author also points to the fact that in science as in real life, two conflicting hypotheses may explain a
certain thing and scientists often have to choose which one
they are to pursue based on inference to the best explanation.
This point in the book nudges the reader to think about personal biases of the scientists involved and the biased preferences of the overall contemporary scientific community when
Crescent International

July 2016

listening to their position on existential issues and pontification on religion and God.
Part of the third chapter addresses the question to which
propagandists of atheistic dogma like to imply a yes, namely, can science explain everything? This chapter provides
some clear examples demonstrating that the answer is very
complex, often cannot be answered in yes-or-no terms, and it
certainly is not a yes. On p. 53, Dr. Okasha provides one of
these examples when he writes,
according to some philosophers, there is a purely
logical reason why science will never be able to
explain everything. For in order to explain something,
whatever it is, we need to invoke something else. But
what explains the second thing? To illustrate, recall
that Newton explained a diverse range of phenomena
using his law of gravity. But what explains the law of
gravity itself? If someone asks why all bodies exert a
gravitational force on each other, what should we tell
them? Newton had no answer to this question. In Newtonian science the law of gravity was a fundamental
principle: it explained other things, but could not itself
be explained.

Dr. Okasha also introduces the fact that in science many core
substances or issues in science are not firmly defined. On p.
33

BOOK REVIEW

57 the author points out that a concept as basic as a cell is a

contentious issue in science.
If one is a complete novice to the subject or sub-conscious
member of the science as cult, the fourth chapter of the book
has many eye-opening facts to deal with. One of the most
intriguing aspects of this chapter is its pointing out that if
something is empirically correct, that does not mean it is true.
In this fourth chapter, Dr. Okasha highlights that
historically, there are many cases of theories that we
now believe to be false but that were empirically quite
successful in their day. In a well-known article, the
American philosopher of science Larry Laudan lists
more than 30 such theories, drawn from a range of different scientific disciplines and eras. The phlogiston
theory of combustion is one example. This theory,
which was widely accepted until the end of the 18th
century, held that when any object burns it releases a
substance called phlogiston into the atmosphere.
Modern chemistry teaches us that this is false: there is
no such substance as phlogiston. Rather, burning occurs
when things react with oxygen in the air. But despite the
non-existence of phlogiston, the phlogiston theory was
empirically quite successful: it fitted the observational
data available at the time reasonably well.

The most fascinating aspect of chapter five is that it introduces the average person to the fact that science has its own
assumptions and even beliefs, defined by Thomas Kuhn, a
leading American physicist, historian, and philosopher of science as a scientific paradigm.
This chapter points to the fact that some of the fundamental concepts many ordinary people think are firmly defined in
science are in fact open to debate. On page 86, Dr. Okasha
points out that Newton and Einstein would talk past each
other if they were to discuss mass. According to Einsteins
theory an objects mass depends on its velocity, while Newton
would disagree with this definition. In the same chapter Dr.
Okasha points out that according to a widely held view, sci-

Islamic books
available on-line:

www.ibtbooks.com
The Islamic Book Trust,

Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

34

ence progresses toward the truth in a linear fashion, as older

incorrect ideas get replaced by newer, correct ones. Later theories are thus objectively better than earlier ones. This cumulative conception of science is popular among laymen and
scientists alike, but Kuhn argued that it is both historically
inaccurate and philosophically naive. For example, he noted
that Einsteins theory of relativity is in some respects more
similar to Aristotelian than Newtonian theory so the history of mechanics is not simply a linear progression from wrong
to right. Moreover, Kuhn questioned whether the concept of
objective truth actually makes sense at all. The idea that there
is a fixed set of facts about the world, independent of any particular paradigm, was of dubious coherence, he believed.
Kuhn suggested a radical alternative, the facts about the
world are paradigm-relative, and thus change when paradigms change.
In the sixth chapter Dr. Okasha discusses how things are
classified in science. What is fascinating about this chapter is
that it explains technical aspects of natural sciences without
resorting to complicated jargon. This chapter also makes one
think about biases certain scientists may exercise when classifying things in nature.
Chapter seven of the book briefly brushes through the criticism of science and points out a crucial fact many propagandists of the scientism cult love to ignore, namely,
that any set of data can in principle be explained in
more than one way. A scientists choice of theory will
thus never be uniquely determined by his data. Some
philosophers take this to show that values are
inevitably involved in theory choice, and thus that science cannot possibly be value-free. A third argument is
that scientific knowledge cannot be divorced from its
intended applications in the way that value-neutrality
would require. On this view, it is naive to picture scientists as if disinterestedly doing research for its own
sake, without a thought for its practical applications.
The fact that much scientific research today is funded
by private enterprises, who obviously have vested commercial interests, lends some credence to this view.

One of the key reasons why Dr. Okashas book is an

excellent starting point to learn about science and its philosophy is because it has been written in a very clear and concise
manner. The author has also done an excellent job in maintaining a balanced approach to this sensitive topic. Dr.
Okashas book peels off the field of science from unnecessary
jargon which most atheists dress up their science backed
arguments with in order to explain away major logical and
scientific gaps in their atheistic arguments. Dr. Okashas
book is a must read for religious and non-religious people in
order to gain basic understanding of the fact that science is a
source of knowledge, not the source of knowledge upon
which one can construct a comprehensive worldview and a
life style. g
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July 2016

ISL AM/FUNDAMENTALS

Justice beckons impartiality

regardless of social status
In this part of his tafsir, Imam Muhammad al-Asi continues his analysis of
Surah al-Nisa, the fourth surah of the Quran.
In fact, We have conferred upon you [O
Muhammad] from on high this scriptural Writ in
all legitimate manner, so that you may pass judgment between people in accordance with what
Allah has taught you. Hence, do not contend with
those who are false to their trust, but implore Allah
to forgive [them]; in truth, Allah is much-forgiving,
a dispenser of grace.
And do not argue on behalf of those who are
false to their own selves: verily, Allah does not love
those who betray their trust and persist in their
guilty manners. They seek to conceal their wrongdoing from men while they dismiss Allah [and His
presence] for He is with them whenever they
devise, in the dark of night, all manner of expression that He does not approve. And, frankly, Allah
encompasses [with His attendance] whatever they
do. Here you are arguing on their behalf in the life
of this world: but who will argue on their behalf
with Allah on the Day of Resurrection, or who will
be their proponent? (4:105109).

The first sentence in this ayah of justice reminds the Prophet

(r) and all those with him that they are in the company of
Allah () before they are in the company of men. They gain
their authority from Allah () before they are delegated by
society, and they answer to Allah () before they answer to
humans. Through this close-knit affinity with Allah () they
gain the confidence and the courage to be equitable, just, and
fair, thereby gaining the necessary qualifications to manage
the affairs of man. This takes them out of the interests of
society, out of the preferences of classes, and out of the prejudice of race and places them squarely on the side of the
truth, the Scripture, and Allah (). In this position, they will
not advocate for the share of associates or the group-solidarity
concern of any social class that is false to its relationship with
Allah (). Even the Ansar, who had to their credit all the
moral and financial support they offered Muhammad (r),
were not able to use their social capital to mistreat an individual Jew. The Prophet (r) especially, per these ayat, should not
be a party to those who are on the wrong side of justice,
In fact [and deed], We have presented you [O
Muhammad] from on high with this sacred
Writing, by all means of legitimacy, so that you

Crescent International

July 2016

may adjudicate between

people with what Allah
has shown you. Hence,
do not advocate the
cause of those who are
false [to their trust with Allah] (4:105).

Those Ansaris who planted stolen armor within the turf of

a Jew, so as to have him wrongly accused of theft, not only
betrayed society, but they also betrayed themselves. They
were false to their contract of truth with Allah () and to
their binding agreement with the truthful and trusted Muslims
around them. They thus incurred the guilt and shame that
attach to such a nefarious act. True, stereotyping, prejudice,
and social discrimination were part of the pre-Islamic society
in Arabia, but when its constituents became Muslims they
were expected to part with all of those social vices. And
simultaneously, they were required to replace vice with
virtue, that is, to enter into a domain of freedom from fanaticism, of autonomy from arrogance, and of immunity from
prejudice. They had no moral or legal excuse for committing
a crime and then trying to put the onus of that crime on a Jew,
even though the scapegoating, the stereotyping, the historical
bias, and the traditional discrimination that are typical of
jahili societies would likely have indicted the Jew, regardless
of his innocence.
After Islam came to Madinah and was voluntarily accepted by its residents, the fact of the matter was that they were
no longer part of a jahili society. Now they belonged to an
Islamic society a society that would not, under any circumstances, tolerate such nonsense, Certainly, Allah does not
love those who are betrayers and sinners thereof. Even
the Ansar, who had all merits in their favor because they had
offered Muhammad (r) and the physically dislocated
Muslims with him the Muhajirun a home and a homeland, could not avert the watchful eye of Allah () when
they tried to accuse an innocent Jew of wrongdoing. Allah
() does not like this type of behavior because it is treacherous to the standards and responsibilities of justice. When
those who gave Muhammad (r) a safe haven from persecution and threat of death backpedaled on the principle of justice, these ayat told him not to stand up, even for them.
Some of these Ansaris thought they could get away with
this dumping on a Jew if no one knew about it. What they
should have known is that Allah () knew about it, there35

ISL AM/FUNDAMENTALS

fore, they could never have gotten away with it, And Allah
encases and encircles all that they do. These tricksters
failed the first lesson of taqwa: they thought they could get
away with a crime if the legal process could not catch up
with them, while a conscientious Muslim knows that he is
already caught because moral accountability is something no
sane person can run away from. The words of the Quran
continue to demoralize those who try to defend these types of
double-dealers,
Here you are trying to argue their case in this
worldly life, but who can argue with Allah about
them on the Day of Resurrection? And who can
become their legal guardian? (4:109).

This is quite a contrast to what todays Islamic officials

are doing. Here, the Quran stands up for a blameless
Madinan Jew who was accused, falsely, of theft. It tells the
highest crust of Islamic society the Ansar that they will
not be able to get away with this, and it exposes this whole
episode for all to read, hear, and understand until the end of
time. By contrast, in todays world a coterie of nationalistic,
Zionist Jews have stolen an entire country and there seems to
be no standing up for justice when official Arabians, not the
Ansar of Madinah, are supportive of this grand larceny. If the
words of this Quran were circulating in the minds of
Muslims and its meanings were touching their hearts, todays
officials in Muslim countries would not be standing on the
wrong side of justice when the Holy Land (not some simple
armor) has been shoplifted.

Imam al-Asis
unique khutbahs
now on-line
Every week for the last 33 years, Imam Muhammad
al-Asi has led jumuah prayers outside the Washington
Islamic Center, in protest at its subservience to despotic, pro-Western and anti-Islamic Muslim governments.
Now his passionate and insightful
khutbahs can be accessed on-line:

www.islamiccenterdc.com
36

And he who does evil or [otherwise] sins against

himself, and thereafter prays for Allah to forgive
him, shall find Allah much-forgiving, a dispenser of
grace: for he who commits a sin, commits it only to
his own hurt; and Allah is indeed all-knowing, wise.
But he who commits a fault or a sin and then throws
the blame thereof on an innocent person burdens
himself with the guilt of calumny and [yet another]
flagrant sin (4:110112).

These words of wisdom demonstrate that if a crime of this

magnitude is committed and the criminal himself wants to
repent, ask for forgiveness, and truly atone for such a deed,
then the door to Allah () is wide open, And he who does
evil or [otherwise] does injustice to himself, and thereafter
beseeches Allah to forgive him, shall find Allah very much
forgiving, gracious. Acts of human moral failure, even
when they have social repercussions, are a cause for men to
beg Allah () for amnesty and forgiveness. Allah () has
opened this door for all human beings who fail in their commitment to Him, and hence there should be no power on earth
to shut this door on a God-seeking guilty conscience.
When a person realizes that he did injustice to himself and
to others as was the case with individuals belonging to the
Ansar who thought they would be able to use all the social
stigma against the Yahud to get away with false accusations
against an otherwise innocent Jew and then decides to
return to his moral self, his conscience, and his relationship
with Allah (), then all means of repentance are available to
him. Allah () is the deity of mercy and the authority on
amnesty, and He is unobstructed and openhanded when it
comes to humans who want Him with all their hearts and
souls. Other than the guilty approaching Him with sincerity,
faith, and trust, vowing not to fail Him again, there are no preconditions to His amnesty,
For he who commits a sin, commits it only to his own
hurt; and Allah is indeed all-knowing, wise. But he
who commits a fault or a sin and then throws the
blame thereof on an innocent person, burdens himself with the guilt of calumny and [yet another] flagrant sin. And but for Allahs favor upon you and
His grace, some of those [who are false to themselves] would indeed endeavor to lead you astray;
yet none but themselves do they lead astray. Nor can
they harm you in any way, since Allah has conferred
upon you from on high this Scripture and [given
you] wisdom, and has imparted to you the knowledge of what you did not know. And Allahs favor
upon you is enormous indeed (4:111113).

Definitions of guilt refer to both the fact of committing a

wrongful deed and the feeling that results from the awareness
of committing such a deed. The two meanings are interlinked
and are not always clearly distinguished even in a serious disCrescent International

July 2016

ISL AM/FUNDAMENTALS

cussion about guilt among academics. This, it might be and the fear of such rejection can be very great. Moreover,
thought, is only to be expected, given the fact that one the the effects of such conditioning can persist far beyond childfeeling follows more or less naturally from the other. In hood and into old age. Unfortunately, Christianity is often
practice, however, the apparent existence of one without the presented in such a way as to exacerbate the effects of this
other is possible. Much of this can be explained through an process. Although mention is usually made of divine mercy
examination of the concepts of legal guilt and neurotic guilt. and forgiveness by Christian preachers, God, it seems, is
In a world adrift from Allah () there is a sense of legal often presented as a vengeful judge ready to pounce on any
guilt, which arises when a law is broken, but this type of guilt poor unfortunate who happens to step out of line. Fear of
does not necessarily coincide with moral guilt, because some- punishment by this apparently not-so-loving divinity thus
times in the secular world, the breaking of laws is effected becomes a controlling factor, a tool for bringing about conthrough morally right action. In some countries, during cer- formity. Such was the case, it would seem, much more in past
tain periods of history, for example, people have been guilty years than today, but the effects linger on in many who were
of helping members of minority groups
recipients of that kind of teaching.
escape persecution despite it being a
Sometimes quite amazing manifestaviolation of the countrys law. Clearly it
tions of neurotic guilt are encountered.
When a person realizes
would be absurd to attribute moral guilt
A person may be convinced, for
that he did injustice to
in such cases merely because an
instance, that he or she alone was
himself and to others
immoral law has been broken.
responsible for the outbreak of a major
While the concept of legal guilt is
war through the commission of some
as was the case with
concerned chiefly with the fact of
minor fault about which none of the
individuals belonging to
breaking a law, the concept of neurotic
people involved in the war could possiguilt centers around the domain of feelbly have known anything. In other
the Ansar who thought
ings. Feeling guilty would seem to be a
cases, there may be quite serious comthey would be able to use plications
normal consequence of wrongdoing, but
such as, for instance, the proall the social stigma
serious problems can arise when such
jection of ones supposed guilt onto
feelings are not the result of wrongdoother people, who may then become
against the Yahud to
ing or when their intensity is out of proobjects of hatred.
get away with false
portion to the gravity of the fault. Many
The fact of having done something
people suffer greatly in this way through
wrong is, of course, an important mataccusations against an
the tyranny of the superego the virtuter. So too is ones awareness of that
otherwise innocent
al authority figure within us that results
fact. No doubt too, a genuine and unexJew and then decides
from the internalized commands and
aggerated feeling of remorse that
taboos of parents and other commandsprings
from such awareness can be
to return to his moral
ing personages. In childhood we learn
helpful to the process of bringing about
self, his conscience, and
that certain kinds of behavior displease
an improvement, both internally and
our parents and others who look after
externally, in the general moral condihis relationship with
us. In order not to lose their affection,
tion of the person concerned. Indeed,
Allah, then all means
which is of enormous importance to us,
many people might be inclined to view
of repentance are
we learn to conform to their wishes,
with some alarm the absence of remorse
even, eventually, when they are not
in one who is aware that he did someavailable to him.
physically present and transgressions
thing dreadful. On its own, however,
could be effected in secret. Various rules
guilt without divine channels and soluand conventions are absorbed in this way, and a kind of judge tions, both as a fact and as a feeling, could well be described
is formed within us. This is called by some the superego. It is as little more than a morbid, negative, destructive occurrence.
the voice of authority and convention within us; and it can It is in this regard that a genuine preaching of the Quran
make us suffer, in some cases quite terribly, if we transgress comes into conflict with the parody of Christianity that is limits rules, even if nobody else is aware of what we have done. ited to little more than threats of fire and damnation for those
All this exists in a world that has no conscious contact with who stray from the straight and narrow path. Only a mental
the Quran.
and emotional attachment to Allah () can properly deal
The development of such a mechanism is useful in child- with guilt. Forgiveness, mercy, repentance, and atonement are
hood as an aid to basic training. Thus people in the secular all positive aspects or fruits of being in a state of consciousnon-scriptural world learn not to throw vases at the cat, not ness of Allah (); but guilt, real or imaginary, if left, so to
to wipe food from their hands onto their clothes, and not to speak, to its own devices, can drag the guilty person only
use the bed as a toilet. Sometimes, however, for a variety of more deeply into the depths of hatred and despair.
reasons, feelings of rejection experienced during this process
Having said all this, the problems that arise from not admitCrescent International

July 2016

37

ISL AM/FUNDAMENTALS

ting ones guilt to Allah (), to other people, or to oneself

need to be acknowledged. This would seem to be a common
enough phenomenon, but perhaps it is worth pointing out that
there is a very real danger of this occurring in those whose
claim to sanctity stems largely from their ascension to the dubious status of being respectable people. Such respectability
depends largely upon their uncritical conditioning to the conventions of a privileged group and their apparent inability or
unwillingness to understand those many of whom are not
members of the privileged group who cannot or will not be
so conditioned. It is also a very real danger for those people in
the so-called First-World countries who live off the fat of their
own and other peoples lands without acknowledging any
responsibility for the appalling states of poverty and starvation
that exist in the underdeveloped countries.
This leads to the thorny subject of collective guilt. We
may, for instance, feel compassionate toward the poor and the
starving, and we may rant and rave against big companies and
the governments of rich nations, including our own, because,
in our opinion, they are not doing much to help. However, if
we are content to live, to some extent at least, off the fruits of
exploitation and the immoral sales of armaments, and are not
prepared even to consider a drop in the standard of living of
at least the most comfortable among us, we are surely deluding ourselves in trying to pin the guilt only on governments
and the managers of transnational companies. After all, most
democratic governments fear they will lose the next election
unless their economic policies are clearly seen to benefit the
electorate, or at least a very large percentage of the electorate.
When dealing with the subject of collective guilt, however,
the same caution that is applied to individual guilt should be
observed. Take, for instance, the all too common tendency to
attribute guilt to succeeding generations of an entire nation for
a fault committed against one or more nations in times past, in
spite of the fact that many, perhaps most, people in that country regret what was done. Such uncharitable behavior on the
part of the accusers clearly does not contribute wholesomely
to multi-cultural, transnational, and post-sectarian relations,
and can have a destructive effect upon the accusers themselves, who, of course, would do well to recognize their guilt
in this regard and change their ways. If, on the other hand, the
accused nation benefitted in some material way from the original crime and, even today, people in that country are still reaping those benefits while other nations are still suffering as a
result of it, the people who are benefitting should, of course,
do what they can to set matters aright. A refusal to do so in
such situations might well involve real collective guilt as in the
First World-Third World scenario mentioned above.
The secular and God-denying world is afflicted with an
indisposing schizophrenia: on the one hand, it suffers at the
socio-political level from an awkward break with Allah, while
on the other, its scripturally attached folks thrive on shallow
pools of information and feelings that are generated by a
defective knowledge and perfunctory love of Allah (). With
this kind of cross purpose, it is often easy for humans growing
38

up in a God-denying psychology and environment to

denounce a certain group of persons as responsible for a generally unsatisfactory state of affairs because the behavior of
this group is somehow attributable, in a stereotypical and
provincial appraisal of the situation, to the decline. Even in
these cases, secular derelicts, being detached from Allah (),
cannot with certainty assign guilt in the strictly moral sense of
the word. Without the insight that comes from Allah (), and
after being socialized for a lifetime to satisfy special interests,
there is little recrimination for ascribing blame, especially
insofar as media and public relations organizations are concerned, that is not commensurate with the level of responsibility for a certain condition or situation.
Mans social condition is too complex to be simplified by
human, instead of divine, criteria. Human appraisals of this
condition tend to devolve into binaries. A great deal depends
upon a persons knowledge, what is really intended, or what
motivates that person, and the degree of freedom he or she
enjoys. It occasionally happens, for instance, that, for the best
of intentions, people perform acts that are objectively wrong,
morally speaking, but that they sincerely believe to be right.
Some who indulge in anti-ecumenical activity, such as rejecting the Churchs position on homosexuality or abortion,
might be sighted as possible candidates in this regard.
Something similar may be said with regard to activity that is
objectively right, morally speaking, but that is performed for
a counterfeit intention, for example, a man giving alms to a
beggar, but doing so only for vainglory.
The ayah above states it succinctly: each person carries
his own weight of sins, wrongdoing, and faulty behavior.
There are no inherited sins in a humans dutiful relationship
with Allah (). Islam differs drastically with Church teachings on this issue. There also is no Church type of confession
associated with guilt; a guilty person assuages his failure of
conscience by an atonement he himself satisfies. All of these
details are embedded in this Scripture of care and love that
offers a person the freedom and opportunity to channel guilt
into a constructive and productive outcome. No one is going
to be held accountable for what someone else has done. This
is divine justice, But he who commits a fault or a sin and
then throws the blame thereof on an innocent person, burdens himself with the guilt of calumny and [yet another]
flagrant sin. g

Crescent International

July 2016

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

No freedom in Arabia!

In Saudi Arabia, the people are used,

abused, and misused by the king and the
ruling amirs. In the desert kingdom you
are safe only if you hold your tongue,
flash a smile, and walk away. In Saudi
Arabia, speaking your mind could cost
you your life. In that land, and only there
and nowhere else in the world, women
are the silent and invisible majority.
Simply put, there is little doubt that
Bani Sauds murderous rule deserves to

be called evil. The lack of true shura

and the widespread human rights abuses
are enough to justify the use of this
term, and many other similar ones.
When I was living in Saudi Arabia, I kept my thoughts to myself locked
securely in the back of my mind. Why?
Because it was the only safe place in the
country. Need I say more?
Muhammed H. Siddiq
Lincoln, NE, US

Nawaz Sharifs letter to Britons

Dear Pupel of Burtania. I am Nawaz
Sharif, better known as Mian Sahb,
VVVIP from Pakistan and prime minister, elected three times with bhari mandate. I am in London. I see your prime
minister David Kamran said he resign.
Kamran foolish. Should no resign;
dont leave kursi; lots of money in
kursi. Ask Zardari.
But I here to help; lots of experience
as prime minister. Thrice elected with
bhari mandate. I offer services to Burtania. Hssein and Maryam also help; both
very talented (make little joke about
Hssein!). Maryam little silly with tweets
but pretty girl, like Diana Princess. Now
you can have Maryam Princess!
Shabazoo say will marry Theresa

May. Bring baraat to House of Commons with band baja and lots of
biryani. Also bring nihari. You not
know nihari? Nice food, lots of ghee;
make you strong.
Will promote exports. Send all
machinery to Ittefaq Foundaries, melt
and make lots of saryia. Earn dollars,
sorry pounds for Burtania and build
kothis in Lahore and Raiwind. Bring
money back to Burtania. Join Punjab
and Burtania and make new great country Punjtania with bhari mandate man of
steel as prime minister! Mian Sahb rule
forever, OK?
Yours willingly
Mian Sahb of bhari mandate
Raiwind Sharif

Hajj and Saudis

Can any regime, regardless of its position, power, or prestige deny Muslims
the right to perform Hajj when Allah
() has mandated it as an obligation
for those that have the means to perform it? This is what Bani Saud have
done vis--vis the Iranian hujjaj. The
Saudi regime has placed insurmountable hurdles for Iranians planning to
perform Hajj. The Kabah is not the
personal property of Bani Saud. Muslims must wrest control of Makkah
and Madinah from their clutches.
Umar Mostapha
Los Angeles, CA, US

Yemen

Peace talks between the Yemeni factions continue in Kuwait as does the
fighting. The Saudis and their allies
have continued to bomb the dirt-poor
country. There were few military targets to begin with so the Saudis
bombed civilian ones. In this they
were emulating their Zionist cousins
who relish destroying Palestinian hospitals. The people of Yemen, however,
have not been subdued. The Saudis
misadventure in Yemen will cost them
dearly. It may prove to be the undoing
of the House of Saud.
Ahmed Saleh
Detroit, MI, US

Letters to the Editor

Palestinians suffer Zionist brutalities

Palestinians are a very unfortunate people. They have and continue to suffer
tremendously at the hands of the Zionist
occupiers. In recent weeks and months,
the Zionists have escalated their terror
tactics. Jerusalem is not only occupied
but being emptied of long-time Palestinian residents. Their homes are being
destroyed both in Jerusalem and in the
West Bank. Water is denied to the Palestinians living on the West Bank despite
Crescent International

July 2016

the very hot weather, while Zionist

squatters enjoy cooling off in their
swimming pools. Palestinian farms are
vandalized and those who protest
against these barbaric practices are shot
and killed. In the month of Ramadan,
most male Palestinians were denied
entry into Jerusalem to pray in al-Masjid
al-Aqsa. When will their agony end?
Badr el-Masry
Denver, CO, US

Letters for publication should be

concise, appropriate to the subject
of the paper, and clearly marked
for publication. The writers
name, address and telephone
number must be given. Letters
may be edited or abridged to fit.
Letters should be sent to:

Crescent International
P.O. Box 747, Gormley, ON.,
L0H 1G0, Canada
email:
crescent@ca.inter.net
39

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