Scroll down for report on "Alleged Police Harassment Forces
Black Business to Shut Down" by
Sr. Aisha ,
"The Prophet's Admonition to Make Use of Two Remedies," by
Sr. Yasmin
Editorial Corner with Dr. Kaukab Siddique
BBC's Bowen Reveals His Stance as Apologist for
Zionist Terror in Interview with Hamas Leader
Khalil al-Hayya, deputy leader of Hamas, was interviewed by
Jeremy Bowen, international editor of the BBC on October 3.
Bowen spoke with great arrogance, addressing al-Hayya with
contempt. On the BBC's own website, the blurb accompanying
the interview, in classic neo-colonial fashion,
characterized the Israeli genocide as one which "his
(al-Hayya's) organization provoked in the Middle East, which
has led to thousands of deaths across the region." It seemed
the usual admonitions against blaming the victim don't apply
when it comes to Palestinians.
Bowen started off with a question typical of a Zionist
terror apologist: "Why did Hamas attack Israel?" It was
amazing that the international editor of a major news
organization seemed unaware of (or was deliberately
obfuscating) decades of attacks and embargo on the unarmed,
helpless, indigenous population of Gaza.
Al-Hayya responded through a translator, "We have to sound
an alarm to the world, to tell them we are a people with a
cause and demands. It was a blow to Israel, the Zionist
enemy, and a wakeup call to the international community. We
had to do something to tell the world that there is a people
who have been under occupation for decades."
Next, Bowen had the gall to ask the Palestinian leader, "Why
did your men kill so many civilians, children as well?"
Al-Hayya's response, "We ordered our resistance fighters on
the 7th of October not to target civilians, women and
children. The objective was the occupation soldiers, who are
always killing, bombing, and destroying in Gaza. We don't
endorse harming civilians. On the ground, there were
certainly personal mistakes and actions. Fighters may have
felt that their lives were in danger."
Then Bowen completely flipped the script, sounding more like
an IOF spokesman than a journalist: "Your men who weren't in
danger, they were standing with terrified civilians who were
sitting on the ground, and they were standing over them with
weapons. That is not a battle." This, to the average Muslim
viewer, is almost laughable, given the imbalance of power
between Israel and the Palestinians it has oppressed for
decades. And, its particularly disgusting, given that the
Israelis have killed over 50,000 Palestinians, and injured
100,000, the majority of these women and children (Euro-Med
Human Rights Monitor figures through July 24, 2024).
The interview went on, with Bowen regurgitating more Israeli
government propaganda. For example, the interviewer asserted
that there were videos depicting atrocities committed by
Hamas. Al-Hayya calmy responded that the videos of
atrocities were published by the Israeli occupation, not by
Hamas.
Then, Bowen inadvertently came the closest he has come to
telling the truth in the interview. He said: "Almost a year
later, Gaza is in ruins, there are 40,000 dead. Many, many
of them are civilians. Your capacity to fight Israel has
been massively diminished. Was it worth all of that?"
Al-Hayya fired back, "Who's responsible for this? It was the
occupation and its army. Who destroys Gaza? Who killed its
people? Who is now killing civilians in shelters and schools
and hospitals? Ask the world and those who created
international law. We are defending ourselves. If 1,200
people from the occupation are killed, how does that justify
Israel killing 50,000 people and destroying all of Gaza?
Isn't that enough for them? But they are motivated by the
lust to kill, to occupy, and the lust to destroy."
Then, the interviewer reverted to his role as IOF spokesman:
"The Israelis say very clearly that they respect the laws of
war. And they also say that the reason why so many civilians
have died is because you and Hamas fight from within the
civilian population and you use them as human shields."
"That is not true. They destroyed mosques on top of the
heads of their owners when there were no fighters. They
destroyed houses and high-rise buildings when no one was in
them. They bombed houses when there was not a single fighter
in them. It is all Israeli propaganda," Al-Hayya answered in
a soft, calm tone.
Bowen then asked him about the hostages, again repeating the
Israeli propaganda about sexual crimes committed by Hamas,
and completely ignoring the widespread sexual abuse of
Palestinian women kidnapped and held prisoner by the IOF.
Al-Hayya told him: Our people are not allowed to mistreat
prisoners. There is no possibility of mistreatment of women.
We took some prisoners to exchange them for the prisoners
held by Israel.
They went back and forth about the failed peace talks and
how to end the war. Then, in the bumbling fashion which only
a neo-colonialist can manage, Bowen blurted out, "You could
do it; you could surrender!
Al-Hayya fired back: "How can we surrender? People who
resist the occupation do not give up. If we surrender, which
is impossible, our children, our people won't give up. Why
should we surrender? The occupation should stop
killing."
He continued, "My family, my relatives, and my neighbors are
in Gaza. We see with their eyes. We feel their pain. We cry
for their wounds. What hurts them, hurts us. If the world
gave us our legitimate rights, this cycle of violence would
stop. But Israel does not want that, the return of refugees
and self-determination."
Towards the end of the interview, Bowen bizarrely asked, "Do
you think of yourself as a terrorist? That's what Israel
calls you."
Without batting an eye, Al-Hayaa responded, "I'm seeking
freedom and defending my people. To the occupation, we are
all terrorists, the leaders, the women, and the children.
You heard what Israeli leaders called us. They said we are
animals."
The interview was sickening to watch, and reaffirmed what
many Muslim analysts believe is immense pro-Zionist,
imperialist bias at the BBC. At the same time, it was
heartening that the Hamas representative retained his
composure and was able to clarify important points censored
by nearly all U.S. media.
Syed Abul Ala Maudoodi: One of the Greatest Islamic Teachers of Modern Times
By Dr. Kaukab Siddique
September 25 is the birthday of Syed Abul Ala Maudoodi, and
September 22 is his death anniversary. He passed away in
Buffalo, New York, where, at the insistence of his son, he
had come for medical treatment. His body was flown back to
Pakistan for burial the same day. Huge crowds turned out for
his funeral in Lahore.
As his friend, admirer, and student, I became very close to
Maudoodi. I participated in his study circle in the Lahore
neighborhood of Ichhra. Lahore itself is known as the seat
of Pakistani culture.
Maudoodi wanted to travel to the Hajj in Saudi Arabia,
trying for years to get permission from the Pakistan
government. They seemed determined to conceal the teachings
of this renowned Islamic scholar from the Arab masses. After
a long struggle, the Pakistan government finally let
Maudoodi proceed to Saudi Arabia.
I translated some of Maudoodi's books into English. As I did
so, it became evident to me that, like many great thinkers
from Malcolm X to Allamah Iqbal, Maudoodi's thinking was
evolving over his years of study of Qur'an and hadith. For
example, Maudoodi's thinking of the Qur'anic position on
women in Islamic society, changed considerably. (Initially,
he took Qur'an 4:34 as the final word on male-female
relations.)
Here are some of the salient features of his teachings:
The message of Islam is contained in the Qur'an. The
Qur'an can be carefully translated.
Authenticated hadith is essential to understanding the
Qur'an.
Islam helps us to understand the universe. The natural
sciences should not be neglected.
Islam is for global change. It is a movement for
political and physical transformation.
Muslims should have state power. They should not be
subservient to non-Muslim entities.
The Quran is developmental and progressive. Muslims must
understand how to apply it to their respective living
situations.
Men and women are equals. Their qualities are based on
their behavior, not on their gender.
Mutal consultation is essential between husband, wife,
and children.
Muslims must support the struggles of all oppressed
people.
Muslims must protect and/or care for the creatures of
the earth. The Qur'an supports the preservation and
protection of ants and bees.
War news
Lebanon
The Israelis are bombing Beirut. Two thousand Lebanese are
dead, and more than one million have fled their homes.
Iran got tired of Israel's crimes and started sending
rockets over. Some of the rockets actually hit their
targets. As they rained down, the Israelis yelled out
"Jo-jo-jo-jo!" When the projectiles crashed into Tel Aviv,
some of them yelled out "Allah!" (Many Israelis speak
Arabic.)
There was cheering in most of the Muslim countries when
Khamenei gave the order for shooting missiles at Israel.
Amazingly, some of the missiles were able to penetrate
Israel's multi-layered defense system.
The Israelis, masters of propaganda, always say that most of
the Iranian or other opposing rockets didn't hit their
targets. They said the rockets went and hit the grass.
US warships and planes hit Houthi targets in Yemen. In other
words, the most powerful military in the world is assaulting
one of the poorest. But the Houthis are determined to fight
back.
Gaza
The Israelis have been shutting of the water and sewage to
the Palestinians, according to Al-Jazeera.