25 Safar 1445 AH - September 10 2023 Issue # 37, Newsletter #2036
Pakistan
Corruption, Mismanagement and Inequitable Resources
Challenged by Jamaate Islami
by Qaiser Sharif
Layyah: September 09: Jamaat-e-Islami Emir Sirajul Haq has
announced that the JI to engage with other political parties
in order to establish a consensus on the date for the
upcoming general elections.
Addressing a public gathering here on Saturday, he clarified
that JI seeks to adhere to the constitutionally mandated
timeline for elections, which stipulates that they should
take place within 90 days following the dissolution of the
assemblies.
Haq reminded the caretaker government of its constitutional
duty to collaborate with the Election Commission to ensure
the timely and smooth conduct of the national vote. He
underlined that caretaker administrations lack the authority
to make decisions on crucial matters, as these decisions
rightfully belong within the purview of elected
representatives. He stressed that the path to stability lies
in conducting free and fair elections.
The public rally marked the commencement of the second phase
of the JI anti-inflation movement. Haq pledged to persist in
advocating for the rights of the people, demanding
reductions in the prices of essential commodities like
electricity, gas, petrol, as well as staples such as sugar,
flour, and cooking oil.
He observed that despite the nation's abundant resources,
corruption, mismanagement, and inequitable resource
distribution pose significant challenges. He criticized past
governments, including the PDM, PPP, and PTI, for their
failure to provide relief to the masses and introduce
effective governance. The failure of the ruling parties, he
said, have left the JI as the people's only viable option
for change. If elected to power, he vowed, the JI would
transform Pakistan into Islamic welfare state.
The JI chief said that economic stability hinges on the
establishment of peace and order within society. He also
decried the inflated electricity bills and the overall rise
in prices of essential goods, making it increasingly
difficult for the average citizen to make ends meet.
Addressing the plight of southern Punjab, Haq pointed to a
few influential feudal families as responsible for the
region's challenges. These families, he noted, have wielded
power across different political regimes, including during
martial law periods. Haq emphasized the need to break free
from the influence of these feudal lords and asserted that
the power of the vote is the primary means to achieve this
goal. He affirmed that Jamaat-e-Islami, once in power, would
focus on the development of the region, the welfare of
small-scale farmers, and job creation for the youth, all
driven by the people's support.
The early Struggle of Br. Imam Ali Siddiqui, , a Founder of
Jamaat al-Muslimeen USA
My life has been a life of a nomad. I was born in Moradabad
and moved around between Moradabad and Brailey due to my
father's job as horticulturist. Fled to Pakistan from India
; to Pakistan
;. Lived in Lahore then moved
to Karachi and fined my family living in desert in a refugee
camp ; in an old British Army camp.
My father heard of a new refugee camp at Golimar. It turned
out to be a desert ; where we pitched a
hut;. My father and my elder brother build a
two room house ; eventually. I attended
elementary school in Nazimabad and Technical High School
;, Jacob Lines. It followed by DJ Science
College where I got involved in the Student Movement against
Military Junta Rule. It resulted my expulsion by Karachi
University for 3 years.
Although, I was working and eventually I applied and was
approved to attend Telecommunications Staff College,
Haripur. I completed One Year Diploma program and worked as
an Engineer for Pakistan T&T in Karachi.
My opposition to Military Regime in Pakistan haunted me.
Arrest warrants were issued for my arrest. I was once saved
by a High Naval officer temporarily. An American Embassy
; official met me and advised
me to apply for admission to an American university and
leave Pakistan ; before it's
too late. I did and came to Cal Poly Pomona to
study; Engineering. I also have to work to
pay for tuition and an apt. It worked; however, very slow.
Took 9 years to complete my BS program while working as a
shoe ; manager.
Of course, bad habits don't die. I got involved in Peace
Movement and later Labor Justice movement. I met Jaleelah
who wanted to go to Morocco ;
as a Peace core Volunteer. She came to MSA to learn about
Islam ; and Morocco
;. MSA helped her whatever
they could. Unfortunately, she got sick and never went
Morocco and started teaching at an Elementary in
Indianapolis.
MSA asked me to contact her to see how is it going with her.
She informed us that she accepted Islam ;. Out
of blue, one winter morning I called her and asked her if
she would marry me? She said: Yes! We got married in
Indianapolis.
By this time, MSA Secretariat was established in
Indianapolis. Anis Ahmed, Nazim of (now) ICNA performed
Nikah Ceremony. That night Dr. Jamal Berzinji called me and
offered me a Job as the Business Manager for NAIT.
I took the job and traveled ; across USA
; &
;. My job didn't lost very
long. Jamal found some Arab to take my place and I was
jobless in winter in Indianapolis.
I worked with my father-in-law to remove snow
;. One of my college colleague suggested me
to go back to my education, vocation, and experience and
find an Engineering Position. I did. I worked as an Engineer
again for next 30 years.
While I was growing up in ;
India I was being trained as an Imam. We migrated to
Pakistan. The Imam of the masjid, Hafiz Shakil Ahmed Dehlvi,
asked me if I can teach adults?
Next thing I know I was teaching adult Sindhi women about
Islam ; in our local Masjid. It was a great
experience. There were some language challenges, of
course.
(Story of Imam Ali Siddiqui)
War News
Syria
Syrians supporting Turkey are fighting Damascus reging in
central Syria.
ISIS has wrought havoc in Deir ez Zor and Raqqa against
Damascus.
Damascus is clashing on Irbid border with Tahrir.
Mali
There has been a massacre in the north with heavy casualties
on the regime [Al Qaida suspected.]
Ukraine
Heavy fighting and heavy losses,
Guidance from Sis. Yasmin
-'Bismillahir Rahmaanir Raheem'.
'Assalaam Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh'
Khalib bin Safwan saw a group in the mosque of 'Basrah', &
he asked---
' What is this gathering ? ' he was told there is a woman
who informs men about women who are available for
marriage, so he went to her and said..
'I want to marry a woman'...
she answered--- " Describe her to me," so he replied---
"I want her to be a chaste or pure ~ who is wise like a
married woman ~ or a married woman who is innocent like a
chaste or pure woman; she should be sweet when she is near,
splendid when she is at a distance, she should have lived
a life of luxury and then became afflicted with poverty so
that she has the manners of the rich... and the humility of
the poor... when we gather wealth we should be as the
people of the world !
and, when we become poor... we should be as the people of
the Hereafter."
The woman answered--- " I know of such a woman for you,"
he asked---" And where is she ? "
she said--- ' In Paradise, so work to achieve her '!
'BARAKALLAHU FEEK
~ 'SALAAMS' TO ALL ~Y a s m i
Prison Radio USA
Mumia Jamal
Dear Friend
As I emerge from the sterile lobby of SCI Mahanoy, I always
feel drained. On my last visit I was bone tired, sad, yet
undaunted.
The warm hug Mumia and I shared standing in front of the
visiting room guard's dais was accompanied by a revealing
answer to my question:
"How are you," I inquired? " Fair to middling," was Mumia's
answer.
In 31 years I have heard "fair to middling" only a few
times, in each case his health was precarious or becoming
precarious.
Mumia immediately followed up his comment with what he knew
I wanted to hear. That he was "on it." That he was putting
in a sick call slip. That he was "paying close attention,"
and that he was meeting and reaching out to his doctor.
Mumia new commentary, No Place for Old Men: Prisons
[
PrisonRadio.org/commentary/no-place-for-old-men
]
, speaks
about the reality of aging inside, and notes that the
American Public Health Association watching the number of
deaths rise in prison has called for the release of the
encaged elderly. APHA notes that the conditions of
imprisonment is "elder abuse", and release of prisoners is
an urgent public health crisis.
Mumia's condition, and the condition of many of our
correspondents mean we stay attentive. We listen. We keep
visiting. We do the work to expose the inhumane food and
conditions policies. We keep our focus. We take it
seriously. And we deepen the work to free Mumia Abu-Jamal
and realize abolition.
My visit was a legal visit: I was following up on his post
double bypass access to cardiac rehabilitation. The two key
ingredients in the recovery from heart surgery are a healthy
diet and exercise: neither of which is provided or made
possible by this prison SCI Mahanoy, or the PA DOC. In
March 2021 when Mumia had open heart surgery he was
prescribed a cardiac diet upon release from LeHigh Valley
Medical Center, but never given access to it. The PA
Department of Corrections did acknowledge after rounds of
denials of his grievances that he had an ADA (Americans with
Disabilities Act) which required accommodation and that the
menu must be "heart healthy."
They avoid giving him this accommodation by asserting that
the menu meets the nutritional standard for cardiac
rehabilitation care. His medical legal team is drilling
down, documenting the standard used by the DOC dietitian who
asserts that it is "heart healthy."
Mumia is still, some two and a half years after his cardiac
surgery, being denied an adequate diet: meaningful amounts
of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, whole grains, and
unprocessed protein, i.e., food that is not loaded up with
salt and preservatives. The food on the trays at the PA DOC
may literally cause heart disease. The majority of calories
are from processed starches, the bread, potatoes, and rice
are all white. A piece of fruit appears on the trays three
times a week. Salad consists of a few pieces of lettuce once
or twice a week. On a rare Sunday there will be a piece of
whole wheat bread. Entrees have no accounting for saturated
fats, oils, or level of sodium and processing.
The PA DOC has the ability and sometimes provides better
food to prisoners for a variety medical and religious
reasons: renal diets, celiac diets, non-lactate diets,
religious diets, etc. Why might they refuse to provide
adequate food to everyone? Is it the cozy Aramark
contracts? Is it the cost which would only be pennies more
per meal? Because brown rice and multi grain flour costs
more? Because packaged food with extra preservatives and
high salt contents are made by contractors and have a shelf
life? Because most of the 40,000 prisoners are poor and
folks of color?
Naomi Klein describes how the government uses natural
disasters to roll out policies that privilege privatization
and profit over health. "Disaster Capitalism" is the phrase
she coined, and it applies here to the prison's use of COVID
to modify everything from out of cell time, food service, to
visiting access.
Exercise is key to cardiac health, yet, Mumia Abu-Jamal is
locked inside his 11 by 7 cell with 18 inches between the
bed and the wall and must use a buzzer (answered by guards)
to leave his cell to go to the yard or the day room. His
cell, where he is most of the time, has less than 5 square
feet to stand up in and to move. Let's not call it walking.
Mumia can go outside of his cell for a total of 6.5 hours a
day. This time is often cut short as yard can be canceled
due to lockdowns, snow, rain, fog, hail, and staffing
shortages.
As Jihad Abdulmumit, on the Board of Directors of
Abolitionist Law Center, and Chair of the National Jericho
Movement, and convener of International Tribunal says - "we
must democratize information and we must institutionalize
liberation."
Thank you for standing with us, and Mumia and all of our
correspondents, for all of these years.
When We Fight, We Win
When We Love, We Win
When We Survive, We Win
Noelle Hanrahan, Esq. P.I.
Co Director Prison Radio, Board President The Redwood
Justice Fund
Editorial
Should we blame God?
by Kaukab Siddique
Cataclysmic earthquake in Marrakesh has left more than 2000
dead. Comparable tragedies happened in Southern Turkey and
northwester Syria. The floods in Pakistan and oceans rising
in Indonesia and Sri Lanka leave pleading with God to have
mercy.
In Hawaii more than a hundred have ere burned alive.
Tornadoes wipe out entire towns in USA.
People ask God for mercy.
Tyrants and Zionists have uprooted entire populations.
Muslims hope that Allah will treat the dead ones well.
We Muslims should seek guidance from the Qur'an and
authentic hadith.
Allah Almighty has taught us to follows ways towards
success. All humans have to die. We will be rewarded or
punished in the Hereafter according to our behavior. If we
keep cooperating with oppressors, why complain about the
results?
We eat unhealthy food and then complain about bad
health!
Follow chapter and verse.
We let people live in terrible poverty and corrupt ways and
then mourn over their conclusion.
From Nadrat Siddique
Great Islamic Scholar & Egyptian Martyr
We remember Syed Qutb (RA), executed by the Egyptian
dictaton in 1966. His legacy remains in his writings,
speeches, and much else.
Some of his books are published, but a large number were
destroyed by the Egyptian regime.
Do we ever hear his name mentioned in the public sphere when
banned books are discussed?
#SyedQutb #bannedbooks
UFOs, Sura Fatiha and German National Anthem
by Sis. Aiisha
Jamaat al-Muslimeen
As-salaamu-'alaikum Bro. Siddique,
I remember mentioning UFOs years ago and you sounded
dismissive of it. I always thought the Al-Fatiha addressed
it when the second line says,"All Praise is due to Allah,
the Cherisher and Sustainer of All The Worlds."
A young Muslim brother told me mischievous jinns are
responsible for UFOs and apparitions.
Anyway, I have a brief story about an incident at the U.S.
Open.
Hitler's National Anthem Barred at U.S. Open
German tennis player Alexander Zverev had a fan ejected from
his U.S. Open match because the man started singing the
Nazi's National Anthem: "Deutschland Uber Alles."
According to the Chicago Tribune, Deutschland Uber Alles is
a Nazi Germany national anthem.
But, Deutschland Uber Alles was written for Holy Roman
Emperor Francis II, in 1797 to a 1796 tune by Austrian
composer Joseph Haydn. It was called, "The Emperor's
Hymn."
The lyrics changed over time but the tune has always
remained the same. The current lyrics were written by
professor and poet August Heinrich Hoffmann von
Fallerslebenent, in 1841. The first verse of Deutschland
Uber Alles was the German national anthem from 1922 to 1945.
However, the third verse was used, from 1951 to 1990,
by West Germany and from 1951 until now by a unified
Germany. The third verse of von Fallerslebenent's poem
expresses, "Unity, rights, and freedom."
The first verse says, "Germany, Germany above all." But,
after World War II, critics said that the wording was viewed
by Nazis as justification for colonization and oppression.
Zverev stated that he welcomes fans' loudness and emotions.
He says he has been the target of fans' derogatory comments
but that the singing of Hitler's National Anthem was a bit
much. Zverev proclaimed that Naziism is an aspect of German
history, of which he is not proud.
Zverev believed that simply ignoring this male fan would
have been really bad. He thought he had to take some
action.
Zverev won the match and moved on to the quarterfinals, as
of the writing of this article.
(Source: ChicagoTribune.com and Deutschlandlied | History,
Lyrics, Meaning, & Facts)
Africa
Lagos
Kabir Oyemomi oyemom Ọlọhun'( Who's Allah)
A young man named Adegbola Azeez also known as 'Tani
Ọlọhun' (Who's Allah),who has been disparaging
Islam, Muslims and Allah's messenger has been arrested and
detained to forestall anarchy that could follow any clash on
choice and freedom of religion.
Tani Ọlọhun was born as a Muslim but lately
chose to pitch tent with Yoruba traditional worshippers
broadly referred to as 'Isese' worshippers. This idolators
are of the belief that every Yoruba indigene is supposed to
pay allegiance to Isese regardless of religion he or she
practices.
Sadly, Tani ọlọhun went too far to the level of
cursing Allah and messenger, burning Qur'an, and defaming
Islamic scholars with heavy allegations capable of
assassinating their characters.
In one of his several jibes, he started spitting serious
incendiary messages to Isese people to claim Ilorin township
from Muslim domination, claiming the city is originally
Yoruba's and the Emirates was just embraced to make Fulani
direct affairs of Yorubas.
Ilorin city is in the North Central geopolitical zone of
Nigeria and has been known as a major Muslim city. Ilorin
has all kinds of tribes: Yoruba, Fulani, Tapa and many more
but very peaceful as all these tribes subscribe majorly to
Islam.
Tani Ọlọhun was arrested in Ilorin where he was
planning to echo the Isese day planned with enemy of Islam
to be held in the city of Ilorin ( first of its kind).