Pakistan is under the brutal occupation of its own Army. The
occupation started in 1958 and continues in its overt and
covert forms. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif came to
power only as the protegee of the Army Generals like Ayub
Khan and Ziaul Haque. The Army has repeatedly shown its
incompatibility against democracy, justice, and basic human
rights. Every attempt of civilised rule in Pakistan was
dismantled by the Army. The Army has developed a brutal
khaki fascism and gave birth to Punjabi tribalism.
Such tribalism stands fatally vitriolic to the core concept
of Pan-Islamism -the ideology that united Muslims of
different provinces of India to create Pakistan. Since such
moral disease is infectious, it gave birth to other brands
of tribalism in other provinces. As a result, Pakistan
stands bitterly fractured along the ethnic and linguistic
lines.
The Pakistan Army failed to defend its border against its
arch enemy like India in 1948, 1965 and 1971. The part of
Kashmir and Gilgit that are now the parts of Pakistan were
not won by the Pakistan Army but by the local Islamist
mujahids. Such Islamists are now called terrorists by the
ruling elites of Pakistan. In fact, in 1948, Pakistan Army
hesitated to engage in a war against India to liberate the
whole Kashmir. In those crucial days, the head of the
Pakistan Army was a British. Thus, it missed the golden
opportunity of liberating Kashmir. The Pakistan Army has
shown its success only in occupying and persecuting the
defenceless people of Pakistan.
In Pakistan, only guns and canons decide the politics. Now
these guns are again seen on the streets. Scores of people
have already been killed in recent days. More than 7
thousand people are now in prison. So, the Pakistan Army is
again in a war on its own people. However, in this war on
people, the Army is not alone. They have made a coalition
with the most corrupt politicians of the country. Like
foreign forces, they are now raiding on people's homes. Even
women are being tortured and abused. Since they have guns in
their hands, they can do whatever they like. They enjoy full
impunity.
The People's enemy
The Army has shown that it has no love for a civilian-made
constitution that gives kingmaking powers to the common
people. This is why General Ayub Khan threw out1956
constitution to the garbage and paved the way for the
constitution crisis that dismembered Pakistan in 1971. Now,
the country is not ruled by any constitution, but by the
wishes of the Generals. The Supreme Court ruled that
provincial elections should be held on 14 May in Punjab to
comply with the constitutional requirement. But the ruling
clique installed by the Army defied the Supreme Court
verdict and survives after the blatant contempt of the
court. As a result, the province of Punjab and Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa -almost two-third of Pakistan are now ruled by
the unelected cronies of the Army. This is indeed an Army
occupation.
The Army repeatedly showed its deep distaste against the
independent judiciary. Hence, an independent judiciary no
longer survives in Pakistan. The Supreme Court judges stands
hostage to the Army. In the past, the Supreme Court judges
had no option but to legitimise every Army occupation. So,
General Ayub, General Zia and Musharraf didn't face any
punishment for their criminal acts of robbery in the
republic. They were above law.
The Supreme Court judges also showed their real colour. They
are ready to swallow every humiliation and abuse. Their only
concern is to receive a fat salary. The contempt of the
court applies only to the powerless civilian; the Army and
its ruling cronies are immune to it. So, the leaders of the
ruling clique could freely ridicule and abuse the judges
standing in front of the Supreme Court. And they go
unpunished.
The rule of the mercenaries
Pakistan has utterly failed to pakistanise its Army. On 14
August 1947, all the members of the Pakistan Army happened
to be the recruits of the British kuffars. They were
recruited and trained to serve and protect the imperialist
interest of the British raj -not only in South Asia but also
in the Middle East. In 1917, these mercenaries went to Iraq
and Palestine to fight against the Khalifa and establish
British rule in the Middle East. General Ayub Khan, General
Yahya Khan, General Tikka Khan, General Niazi, General Yakub
and other big icons of the Pakistan Army were among those
mercenaries. So, what an irony that Islamic State of
Pakistan was ruled by those mercenaries who were raised and
trained by the kuffar. Indeed, most of the failures of
Pakistan -especially its dismemberment in 1971 owe to these
mercenaries of the kuffar.
In fact, on 14 August1947, the Pakistan Army was entirely
created by British trained mercenaries. Since then, the Army
continued to work as the most secularized institution in
Pakistan. The cantonments worked as the protected islands of
western secularized culture -totally alien to the culture of
the common people. The people were forced to pay for their
wine till the mid-seventies. Still now, the poor people of
Pakistan bear the expenses for building luxurious
residential enclaves in most expensive areas of the capital
cities. This is total and brutal coercion by the Army. In no
other civilised country in the world, people are forced to
pay such heavily for the luxuries of their own Army.
Failures of the people
But the people of Pakistan too have their own failures. The
Pakistan Army is not stronger than the US Army or the former
Soviet Army. But 240 million people of Pakistan have proven
to be weaker than 30 million Afghans. Here lies the real
crux of Pakistan's problem. Most of the Pakistani people
play a cowardice role. They stay out of politics -the
highest ibada in Islam. Politics is the only tool to clean
up societies. It is the only tool to enjoin justice and to
eradicate the evil forces. Muslims have been labelled as the
best ummah on the planet by Allah Sub'hana wa Ta'ala only
for this greatest ibada -as revealed in sura Al-Imran verse
110.
This is why Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) engaged in
politics and stayed as Head of the State for 10 years. More
than half of the companions of the Prophet (peace be upon
him) sacrificed their life for that cause. As a result,
Muslims could emerge as the number one World Power in the
contemporary world. But this greatest sunnah of the Prophet
(peace be upon him) doesn't survive in most people's lives
in Pakistan. The same is true for other Muslims, too. This
is sheer cowardice. And the cowards always pay the penalty
by being ruled and persecuted by the worst criminals.
Pakistan is an exact showcase of that. Only the brave people
deserve freedom, honour, and human rights; cowards are not
fit for that. 20/05/2023
Africa
Lagos, Nigeria: Defeating Idol Worship
by Kabir Oyemomi
Former Idol Priest Bags Islamic Title
Last Friday witnessed a beautiful transformation as an
elderly traditional worshiper renounced his faith in 'Isese'
worshipping to embrace Islam at Ogolonto Central Mosque in
Ikorodu, Lagos State.
Alh Tajudeen is in his 80,s when he realized he must not die
as believer of anything other than Allah, the creator of the
the Universe. He called his family members together in the
days proceeding the Jummah day and told them that if Allah
spared him till Jummah day, he must be taken to the
community mosque for him to renew his Shaadah.
The Imam while thanking Allah for the life of Alh Tajudeen
added that Islamic honorary title is conferred on the former
without delay; Alh Tajudeen should be referred to as
'Jagunmolu Adinni' of Ogolonto ( meaning :The Warlord of
Religion). The Imam instructed that the family must be
ready for elaborate celebration of the title before the Eid'
l Kabir day.
Ironically, the teeming population of idol worshippers in
Yorubaland were born as Muslims and you can hardly find them
otherwise. This points to the fact that our first Muslims
forefathers mixed their Islam with idolatry because it was
so difficult for them to throw away what was erroneously
believed to be tradition.
The above confirms the importance of young Muslim folks who
are tough and determined to destroy traces of idol
worshipping. What the scholars admonish them on is to be
less arrogant and shun violence while pressing home their
points.
USA
Br. Salahuddin's info on Christianity.
Salaam,
Yes, there are a lot of abandoned churches in New York
(Black & White). There is a tv show I watch called, "You
Live in What?!" The show features residents of
unconventional homes, such as stores, schools, banks, and
churches.
I find that a lot of churches have gay couples buying them,
for some reason. But, the bottom line is that abandoned
churches are being purchased and turned into homes.
Salaam,Sis. 'Aisha
Claims of Trump's Collusion with Russia were false. FBI was
involved.
Durham report has undermined these fake claims.
[Dear Muslims, we differ with both parties on serious issues
but
disagreement does not give us the right to support fake
stories. Telling lies and fabricating allegations are
prohibited in Islam.]
Key things to know about special counsel John Durham's
report on the FBI's Russia-Trump probeFrom CNN's Zachary
CohenSpecial counsel John Durham released his final report
on Monday in which he casts doubt about the FBI's decision
to launch a full investigation into connections between
Donald Trump's campaign and Russia during the 2016 election.
Here are t he takeaways from the special counsel's report
:Durham finds FBI rushed to investigate Trump: The special
counsel's office "conducted more than 480 interviews," and
"obtained and reviewed more than one million documents
consisting of more than six million pages," while also
issuing 190 grand jury subpoenas, according to the
report.The Durham report, however, relies on many public
findings — including problems with the investigation
that were detailed in a 2019 investigation by DOJ Inspector
General Michael Horowitz — to question the bureau's
decision to open a full investigation, one the watchdog
found to be legal and unbiased.And while Durham acknowledges
the FBI did have reason to open a preliminary review or
investigation, he accuses the bureau of failing to uphold
its "important mission of strict fidelity to the law in
connection with certain events and activities described in
this report."Claims FBI had no real evidence of collusion
before launching probe: Durham concluded that federal
investigators did not have "any actual evidence of
collusion" between Trump's 2016 campaign and Russia before
launching a yearslong probe into the matter.That finding was
at the core of Durham's most scathing criticism of the FBI's
decision to launch a full investigation.Durham knocked the
FBI for failing to take several steps before launching the
Trump campaign investigations, such as interviewing relevant
witnesses, reviewing its own intelligence databases or using
"any of the standard analytical tools typically employed by
the FBI in evaluating raw intelligence."He suggested that if
the FBI had taken those steps, it would have found that US
intelligence agencies did not have any evidence tying Trump
to Russian leadership officials.FBI failed to corroborate
Steele dossier allegations: The report is critical of the
Steele dossier, the explosive document that had been used by
the FBI to bolster its case for probable cause to secure
surveillance warrants against a former Trump campaign
adviser.Crossfire Hurricane investigation "did not and could
not corroborate any of the substantive allegations"
contained in the controversial Steele dossier, which was
used by the FBI to obtain a FISA warrant, Durham
found.Witness testimony exposed the FBI's overreliance on
the dossier as it sought court approval to wiretap a former
Trump campaign adviser in 2016. Other FBI officials
described rookie mistakes that undercut the bureau's brief
inquiry into a possible Trump-Russia internet backchannel.
At closing arguments during one of last year's trials,
Durham told jurors that "the FBI failed" on many
occasions.
India
Q&A: 'The word Hindu is Arabic. Why don't they throw it out?
' Prominent historian Irfan Habib tells Al Jazeera that lies
and falsehoods are being glorified in textbooks by India's
right-wing government.Indian historian Irfan Habib is a
globally renowned authority on the Mughals [Anupam Tiwari/Al
Jazeera]By Nehal AhmedPublished On 10 May 202310 May
2023 Aligarh, India -
India's Hindu nationalist government has removed chapters on
centuries of Muslim rule in the subcontinent, including
those of the Mughals, from some school textbooks.
The government, led by the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), has also removed references to the contribution of
Muslims in the country's freedom struggle against the
British colonial rulers.
What India's right-wing gov't is erasing from school
textbookslistIndia's textbook purge: Why is Modi so scared
of history?list 3 of 4To edit Muslims out of India's history
is to deny them a futurelist 4 of 4Politics of ruin: Why
Modi wants to demolish India's mosquesend of listIn the
textbooks revised by a government-run educational body,
ancient India has been glorified, often without the support
of historical facts.Historians say the revision of school
textbooks is a part of the BJP's Islamophobic project to
deny Muslims their place in India's history.Al Jazeera spoke
to historian Irfan Habib, a globally renowned authority on
Mughal history, to understand the BJP's project of rewriting
history and the impact it will have on knowledge
dissemination in the South Asian country - home to 200
million Muslims.
Al Jazeera: Why is the BJP removing Mughal and other Muslim
rulers from school textbooks?Irfan Habib: Well, it's not
only [about] removing the Mughal rulers. They are actually
trying to communalise Indian history by either removing or
denigrating Muslims. But this is only one part of the BJP
project, the other part is not only omission but
myth-building.
Al Jazeera: Can you talk about the recent changes in school
textbooks in India?
Habib: In the ancient Indian history syllabus recommended by
the UGC [University Grants Commission, the body that governs
the universities in India], the caste system is omitted from
history. It claims Muslims introduced the caste system
during the medieval period.Sign up for Al JazeeraWeek in the
Middle East, virtue is to be credited to ancient Indian
civilisation.It is not simply bias, but lies and falsehoods
are being glorified. This Aryan business is just like the
Nazis.
, India is supposed to be the original home of the Aryans.
It declares that Aryans went from here to civilise the
world.Historians must prove by establishing facts, they
can't manufacture facts. You can't create an Aryan race. And
this is an insult to Sanskrit, because actually in earlier
Sanskrit text, Arya is an area in Iran. Iran is plural of
Arya. Actually, Iran means [the land of] Aryans.Now you make
Aryans into a race, like Hitler did. Ancient Iranian and Rig
Vedic Sanskrit are very close, they are sister languages.
Arya means a very respectable and noble person, it doesn't
mean the race. From there onwards, you see it's not only
anti-Muslim, it's anti-reason.
Al Jazeera: Can you talk about the Indian knowledge system
and how it is being now framed by the Hindu far right?
Habib: I recognise that historical sources are such that
they can have a Hindu communal interpretation, Muslim
communal interpretation, and you can have a Marxist
interpretation.When the Organiser [magazine published by
far-right Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the BJP's
ideological mentor] published an article saying that Maan
Singh built the Taj Mahal, historian Ramesh Chandra Majumdar
wrote to them, saying "I won't read your paper now and you
are not entitled to publish any of my articles". Majumdar
came from the Hindu communal school of historians, but
nevertheless, he was a professional and did not accept any
unproven fact, whether for ancient or medieval India.
Excerpted. Thanks to Dr. Firoz Kamal
Northeastern India.
"Nothing but ashes left.."
Hindus Attacking Christians & Facing Retaliation
Imphal, India - Chiinlianmoi lies stretched at a government
hospital in Churachandpur district of India's Manipur state,
struggling to move her body as doctors treat a bullet wound
in her left thigh.
The 26-year-old looks visibly distraught as she narrates to
Al Jazeera the tales of violence she witnessed earlier this
month after ethnic riots broke out in the remote
northeastern state.
On May 5, Chiinlianmoi was at her aunt's home in Manipur's
Lamka town when a crowd gathered outside their residence and
attacked it.
"The entire house was burned down. Nothing is left there but
ashes," Chiinlianmoi told Al Jazeera.
"I thought women would be spared but the mob were in a mood
to kill whosoever came their way," she added, pointing to a
bullet wound on her thigh.
At least 60 people have been killed and more than 250 others
injured since violence broke out in Manipur between the
members of two ethnic groups, Kuki and Meitei, on May 2.
More than 1,700 buildings, including churches and Hindu
temples, were burned during the ethnic violence that has
displaced approximately 35,000 people.
The violence broke out after the Kukis began their protests
against an order passed by the Manipur High Court directing
the state government to consider including the Meiteis in
the list of tribal communities in order to grant them
benefits under India's affirmative action programmes.
War News
New York
17 May 2023
The man responsible for killing eight people with a truck on
a Manhattan bike path in 2017 has been handed eight
consecutive life sentences, two concurrent life sentences
and another 260 years in prison for the attack that also
left 18 others severely injured.
"The conduct in this case is among the worst, if not the
worst, I've ever seen," United States District Judge Vernon
S Broderick said on Wednesday
The judge cited the unrepentant nature of defendant Sayfullo
Saipov who, when given a chance to speak, said the tears of
victims and family members in the courtroom were small
compared to the blood and tears that those in the Islamic
faith have suffered.
Saipov's sentence came after a jury in March rejected the
death penalty for the Uzbekistan citizen and one-time New
Jersey resident, leaving him with a mandatory life prison
sentence for the slaughter of tourists and New Yorkers on
October 31, 2017.
Iraq
New fighting
May 21
Regime air strikes are reported fr the Kirkuk area where
ISIS has regrouped (Bas News)ISIS groups are entering
Baghdad. Near Termieh, a suburb, three Hashed al Shabi
troops (pro-Iran) were killed in a clash with an ISIS
group.There was a Turkish air strike on a Yazidi militant
group.Iran is urging the Baghdad regime to expel Kurdish
people from near Iran.‐
SYRIA
Artillery clashes
Bashar regimes artillery hit areas in Irbid and lattakia
provinces. Islamic group Fath al Mubeen answered wirh
artillery.
In ain Eissa area, north central Syria, Turkish artillery
hit SDF positions.
Three Bashar troops were killed in fighting ISIS.(Deir ez
Zor)Warning leaflets against drug dealers have been
distributed by Isis.
In Deraa province, citizens have been shooting at Bashar
agents.
Protests in Afrin and several other towns agsinst Arab
reconciling with Bashar.
Ukraine
Russia captured all of Bachmut on May 20.
Zelenski is not clear on what has happened though BBC is
accepting the Russian claim
Both sides have suffered heavy casualties.[New Trend
analysis is that as the Ukraine fighting continues, the
western powers will not attack Muslim countries.]
Mali
The report on a masscre in the country has been rejected by
the government as French propaganda meant to denigrate
Russia which is now helping
Mali.
Guidance from Sis. Yasmin
Always Remember Allah
May 20 at 7:40 AM
'Nahmaduhu Wa Nusalli Ala Rasoolilah Kareem~ `Amma `Baad...
******************************************Fa Aouzobillahi
Minash Shaitaannir Rajeem'...'Bismillahir Rahmanir
Rahim'***************************************************'Asalaamualaykum Wa Rahmatuallahi Wa Barakatahu'
'There is a Polish for everything that takes away Rust
...{!} and the Polish for the Heart is ... The
Remembrance of Allah.'
[Source: S.Bukhari]
Al-Bayhaqee relates from Ibn 'Umar [Radiallaahu 'Anhu]
....
PROPHET ﷺ said...
"For everything there is a Polish, and the Polish for the
Hearts is the 'DHIKR'... [Remembrance] of Allah....!
There is nothing more potent in saving a person from the
punishment of Allah than the 'Dhikr' of Allah." It was
said... 'Not even 'Jihad' in the path of Allah' {?}
Prophet [Sallallahu 'Alayhi wa Salaam] replied...
" Not even if you were to continue striking with your
sword until it breaks."
[Source:Saheeh: Related by Ahmad (4/352), from Mu'aadh ibn
Jabal [Radiallaahu 'anhu].
A Little Note.... The polish for a rusty heart is the
'Dhikr' of ALLAH ! This is because 'Dhikr' is like a
polish (which polishes the heart) like a shiny mirror !
when 'Dhikr' is left, the rust returns...{!} But when
'Dhikr' resumes...? then the Heart is again Polished...{!}
~Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (Rahimahullah) said...
"Doubtless, a heart grows tarnished like brass or silver,
and its polish is by remembrance, which may make it shine
like a crystal mirror!
So when one neglects the remembrance it Tarnishes....{!}
and when he returns it shines...{!}
Since the heart is Tarnished by two [2] things...
Heedlessness and Sin... it is polished by two [2]
things... Remembrance and asking Forgiveness."
{'Subhan Allah'}
[Source #2~ Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya (r)-The Invocation of
God]
My 'Salaams' to all. ****************************** Y a s m
i n. ***********************************'Never Despair Of
The Mercy Of
Allah'*********************************************Say,
'Indeed, my Prayer, my Rites of Sacrifice, my Living and my
Dying are for ALLAH, Lord of the Worlds'. {'Qur`an'~Surat
Al-'An`am -#
6-162.}*************************************************************Courtesy: This beneficial mail was shared by Sister
Yasmin. May Allah Bless in this world & reward her
generously in the Hereafter (Ameen Ameen Ameen)
Guest Editorial
For Pakistanis with love.
by Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja
May 17, 2023
Assalamo-Aalaikum Fellow Pakistanis
Actions speak louder than words. Our nation, our People,
our Pakistan is in great stress because of the missing
public institutions of law, justice and accountability;
highly corrupt systems of political governance and equally
important, the most corrupt, irresponsible and unethical
leadership running the country. More than 50 Years were
stolen from our lifespan by the Five military coups (all
individualistic-all had nothing to do with our national
interest or nation-building) and its by-products Bhuttos,
Zardari, Sharifs and Musharaf - just to name the few.
IMAGINE! what would our present and future generations
recall that there were NO THINKING PEOPLE - NO INTELLIGENT
PEOPLE to THINK of Pakistan except themselves. Are you
waiting to see Pakistan disappear from the global screen - I
am sure NOT.
WE, the Conscientious generation of Pakistanis need your
thoughts and cooperation to protect Pakistan from further
disintegration. I would like you to organize yourselves -
the former retired Generals, Admirals, other officials and
please take the following actions:
Plan and organize a collective walk and call for an
immediate national election (within 90 days) to safeguard
our national freedom, security and future-making and that
the power be transferred peacefully to the elected
people;
Issue a public statement to avert any possibility of
military action/ martial law or the Generals supporting the
current bogus government of the few;
This appears to be a defining moment in our history to
protect Pakistan from any misfortune ( our enemies both
inside or outside have working plans to destroy us),
therefore, your able presence and action will help to bring
a planned change for teh good of the people, nation and
Pakistan.
Remember, "intelligent people always readily accept advice":
ARE YOU READY TO SERVE THE NATION AGAIN WITH YOUR VITAL
PRESENCE?
Yours in unity and peace,
Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja ;
Outreach
[Palestine is our Beloved.] [May 20]
The Essence of Running: Gaza 5k
By Nadrat Siddique
So, this morning I ran the Gaza 5k in Washington DC's Rock
Creek Park. The race starts on the grounds of the iconic
Carter Barron Theatre, and is one of my favorite races. I
run with some regularity from the Carter Barron, and it was
beautiful to see it nearly over run by Palestinians in
kaffiyahs, some of them carrying Palestinian flags. (Usually
I encounter mostly Black and Latino youth playing soccer and
such, in itself a beautiful sight.)
The Gaza 5k is organized by UNRWA, and benefits Palestinian
refugees. The DC version of the race (which is also held in
other cities) had turned virtual due to COVID-19, and I'd
missed it terribly. This was the first year the live event
was rekindled.
In Gaza, Palestinians are crammed into refugee camps with an
extremely high population density. These camps frequently
lack basic resources, such as electricity and running water,
which "Israel," as the occupying power, controls. "Israel"
then conducts aerial bombardment of these heavily populated
areas, under the pretext that Hamas fighters are "hiding"
there. (Where else would they be? They live there.)
As a result, much of the population of Gaza has been
terrorized, displaced, and traumatized. It would be
difficult to find someone there who DOES NOT have PTSD and
other serious mental health conditions. Palestinian children
are the worst afflicted. UNRWA's facilities in Gaza provide
schooling, mental health care, and other badly needed
services to Gazans. At the Gaza 5k, I was thrilled to see a
great turnout, with a youthful, energetic vibe. The race
seems to get larger every year. The majority of attendees
appeared to be of Palestinian heritage, with a smaller
number of allies (White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian)
present. Race participants ran and walked a 3.1 mile course
which was largely downhill on the outbound. Unfortunately,
since the race route returns the same way, there is a huge
climb on the way back. During one of the last in-person
renditions of the Gaza 5k (before COVID), I remembered my
father, the editor of the Muslim newspaper "New Trend" and a
huge supporter of Palestine, bravely walking the course with
his wife. In his late 70s at the time, he completed the
course, but not without some effort.
PERSONAL NOTES: Today as I ran, I was still recovering from
an annoying bug I'd picked up during a recent trip to
Florida to attend a funeral for a member of my extended
family. But I would not miss my favorite race for anything.
I thought about the Palestinians who, when faced with much
more serious ailments, are deprived of all medications, due
to the "Israeli" blockade of Gaza. That, from "the only
democracy in the Middle East." My cold (or whatever it was)
quickly became a non-issue.
I hadn't been training at all, since Ramadan had ended not
so long ago (I relax my training during the Holy Month,
running only about 25 miles per week, instead of 40), almost
immediately followed by the death in my extended family. I
even registered very belatedly for the Gaza 5k, totally
unlike me. In any event, when I finally did register, it was
as a member of Team Jamaat Al-Muslimeen. And our team, in a
very short time (less than a week), raised over $400.00 for
UNRWA's work in Gaza.
As I ran outbound, I was intimidated by the huge hill I knew
I'd face on the inbound. I hoped rather unrealistically that
the race organizers had tweaked the route to avoid runners
having to tackle that hill (around Mile 2).
They had not. I tried to concentrate on my breathing and
form, which helped somewhat. Two or three groups of young,
fast Arab men passed me, which made me feel even slower than
my (approximately) 8:30 min/mile pace. Then, a young, very
fit looking Black woman caught up to me. For some reason,
she told me right then and there (shortly before we were
about to encounter the monster hill) that "I look
beautiful." I thanked her, saying "You do, too," and
complimented her on her pace. She ran with me for a short
while, before overtaking me. I tried to keep her in my
sights, which helped my time. (She later told me I helped
her time, as she'd spotted me from afar, and was trying to
catch up to me.) We both survived the Hill.
A while later, when the awards ceremony was held, I was
surprised to hear my name called. I was #1 in my division,
with a finish time of 26:08 (8:25 min/mile pace). Later,
looking at the detailed race results, I realized I was #9
out of 334 total women participating in the race. Of the 8
women who finished before me, all were in their 20s and 30s,
except an 8-year old and an 18-year old. (I'm now 54.)
Amusingly, the 8-year old beat me by two seconds.
Alhamdulillah.
The lesson in all this? One need not use age as an excuse
for inactivity and a sedentary lifestyle, which will
necessarily lead to premature aging. If you fall down
(metaphorically), you need not stay down. If you're a
Muslim, then the Rasool (SAW) is your example. That includes
in the realm of his eating habits (very little meat;
instead: grains, dates, nuts, seeds, fruit, etc), and very
active life style (he personally participated in running,
horse back riding, etc and engaged in military campaigns,
which, at the time, were very physical, into his 60s). From
Gaza to New York, oppression is pervasive, and we cannot
afford to be physically (or mentally) lazy or sedentary.
#Gaza5k #FreePalestine #FreeGaza- - - - - - - - - -It's not
too- late to donate to the Gaza 5k. You can do that
here:
UNRWAUSA-2023-DC-Gaza-5k.funraise.org/fundraise/nadrat-siddique
Islamic Core in Pakistan is Still Strong
[Transgender issue]
May 20
[Hostile paper DAWN reporting.]
The Federal Shariat Court (FSC) has struck down a law aimed
at protecting transgender people's rights, declaring that
some of its provisions were against Islamic
injunctions.Acting FSC Chief Justice Dr Syed Muhammad Anwer
and Justice Khadim Hussain on Friday announced the reserved
verdict on a set of petitions challenging the Transgender
Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018.The Shariat court
declared that Section 2(f) (definition of 'gender
identity'), Section 2(n)(iii) (definition of 'Transgender
Person'), Section 3 (recognition of the identity of a
transgender person), and Section 7 (right to inherit) of the
act were against the injunctions of the Holy Quran and
Sunnah.Detractors have blamed the law for allegedly having
the potential to legally recognise gay and lesbian rights in
the name of transgender people's rights.
Book
Return to Pakistan. Media Perspectives on Bush's Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
By Kaukab Siddique
200 pages. $15
Includes interviews with the leaders of the Red Mosque and
the Women's Seminary in Islamabad.
War News as it happened,
forecasting the return of the Taliban as early as 2003.