http://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/judo-sa...--spt.html

..LONDON (Reuters) - After days of controversy and hours of negotiation over whether she could compete in an Islamic headscarf, Saudi Arabia's first female athlete to appear at the Olympic Games bowed out on Friday after 80 seconds.

Wojdan Ali Seraj Abdulrahim Shaherkani, one of the two Saudi women chosen to compete at the Games, wore something akin to a swimming cap to cover her head in her +78kg last-32 judo defeat by Melissa Mojica.

Despite the quick end to her Olympic adventure, she hopes her legacy will last for years.

"I'm really happy to be at the Olympics and proud to represent the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and thank all those who stood with me," she told Reuters.

The shy 17-year-old looked ill at ease as she entered the arena in an ill-fitting judogi (a judoka's white robe) that appeared several sizes too big.

Her bewilderment was hardly surprising as she had never competed at an international tournament before. She smiled nervously as she walked to the mat to warm applause and cheers from the crowd at London's Excel Centre.

"I was afraid when I came out into the arena but I was happy when I heard the cheering," she said.

The brief fight was rather tame and appeared to be more of a cuddle with Shaherkani making no real attempts to attack her opponent.

THROWN TO THE FLOOR

It ended when the teenager was thrown to the floor by the Puerto Rican for an automatic winning ippon.

Having only taken up the sport two years ago and not yet at the black belt rank, her defeat was hardly surprising. Her opponent shook her hand warmly and there were more cheers from the crowd.

As Shaherkani left the mat, she was then embraced by her brother, who gave her a lengthy hug.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) had extended a special invitation to her and fellow female Saudi athlete, teenage 800 metre runner Sarah Attar, after it pressed Saudi Arabia along with fellow conservative Muslim nations Qatar and Brunei to end their ban on female participation.

However, Shaherkani's appearance at the Games was thrown into doubt last week after the International Judo Federation, the sport's governing body, ruled that she could not compete wearing a hijab or Islamic headscarf because it would be dangerous.

The IJF said last week that its regulations forbade headgear because a fighter could be accidentally choked during the rough, physical contests.

However, other female judokas said they could not see a problem with a competitor wearing a hijab.

"I think it's no problem for us, it might be a problem for her. But I can't see why she shouldn't have it," said Slovenia's Urska Zolnir, who won gold in the women's -63kg judo category on Tuesday.

A compromise was struck between the IJF, the Saudi Olympic Committee and Olympic bosses on an acceptable form of headscarf after days of deliberation.

(Editing by Mark Meadows)

...

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia-pacif...25751.html

Chinese authorities in the northwestern province of Xinjiang have banned Muslim officials and students from fasting during the month of Ramadan, prompting an exiled rights group to warn of new violence.

Guidance posted on numerous government websites called on Communist Party leaders to restrict Muslim religious activities during the holy month, including fasting and visiting mosques.

Xinjiang is home to about nine million Uighurs, largely a Muslim ethnic minority, many of whom accuse China's leaders of religious and political persecution.

The region has been rocked by repeated outbreaks of ethnic violence, but China denies claims of repression and relies on tens of thousands of Uighur officials to help it govern the province.

A statement from Zonglang township in Xinjiang's Kashgar district said that "the county committee has issued comprehensive policies on maintaining social stability during the Ramadan period.

"It is forbidden for Communist Party cadres, civil officials (including those who have retired) and students to participate in Ramadan religious activities."

The statement, posted on the Xinjiang government website, urged party leaders to bring "gifts" of food to local village leaders to ensure that they were eating during Ramadan.

Similar orders on curbing Ramadan activities were posted on other local government websites, with the educational bureau of Wensu county urging schools to ensure that students do not enter mosques during Ramadan.

'Administrative methods'

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and strive to be more closer to God, pious and charitable.

An exiled rights group, the World Uyghur Congress, warned the policy would force "the Uighur people to resist [Chinese rule] even further."

"By banning fasting during Ramadan, China is using administrative methods to force the Uighur people to eat in an effort to break the fasting," said group spokesman Dilshat Rexit in a statement.

Xinjiang saw its worst ethnic violence in recent times in July, 2009, when Uighurs attacked members of the nation's dominant Han ethnic group in the city of Urumqi, sparking clashes in which 200 people from both sides died, according to the government.

Assalamo Alikum everyone, peace be upon you all.

Serving Islam Team (Hong Kong) has started an online class called 'Daily Reminders' everyday at 6:30PM Hong Kong time.

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Join the class and follow us on wizIQ

http://www.wiziq.com/class/classlist.asp...veupcoming

Assalamo Alikum and may Allah reward you all.

<div><iframe width="480" height="270" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/videoseries?list=UUMqatenV8jd4xAlhTEYW7mA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></div>

TRANSLATION EDITED

BY

MUFTI AFZAL HOOSEN

ELIAS

The First Taraaweeh

This summary covers the first one and a quarter paras of the Qur'aan,

beginning with Surah Faatiha and concluding with verse 176 of Surah

Baqara.

START FIRST PARA.

Surah Faatiha is usually referred to as “Al Hamd Shareef.”

Although this Surah was not the first Surah of the Qur'aan to be

... revealed, it is the first to be written in Qur'aanic manuscripts and

the first to be recited when commencing recitation (Tilaawah) of

the Qur'aan.

Surah Faatiha is a du’aa (supplication) that Allaah has taught

mankind. Therefore, when a person recites Surah Faatiha, s/he is

actually making a du’aa to Allaah. The rest of the Qur'aan follows

as a reply to this du’aa. In this du’aa a person pleads to Allaah to

show him the straight path (“Siraatul Mustaqeem”). Thereafter,

Allaah gives man the entire Qur'aan as the guidance he asked for

and as a description of the “Siraatul Mustaqeem” which he wants

to tread.

“Surah Baqara” follows “Surah Faatiha”, in which Allaah says that

the Qur'aan is a guide for people who revere and respect Allaah.

Therefore, The Quraan may be of no use to those who have no

desire for guidance and direction. Such people will be deprived of

its illumination and shall remain deaf, dumb and blind. In Surah

Baqara, Allaah invokes man to believe in the unseen, to establish

salaah and to spend in Allaah’s way from the provisions that He

has granted. The details of Imaan are described as belief in the

Qur'aan, belief in all the Prophets and the previously revealed

Divine Scriptures and conviction in the Hereafter.

Allaah also warns people against hypocrisy, warns the kuffaar

about the punishment of Jahannam, while also conveying the

glad tidings of Jannah to the Mu'mineen. It is in this part of

“Surah Baqara” that Allaah speaks about the creation of Hadhrat

Aadam (A.S) and his appointment as Allaah’s viceroy on earth.

The test between the knowledge of Hadhrat Aadam (A.S) and the

angels is mentioned, together with Allaah’s command do the

angels prostrate before Hadhrat Aadam (A.S). While all the

angels complied, Iblees refused. As a result of this arrogance, he

was cursed and expelled from Heaven. Thereafter, the accursed

Iblees tricked Hadhrat Adam (A.S) and Hadhrat Hawwa (A.S) into

eating from the forbidden tree. They were then sent to live on

earth. They repented to Allaah and were forgiven.

Allaah also speaks of the time when He summoned Hadhrat

Moosa (A.S) to Mount Toor to receive the Torah. In his absence,

the Bani Israa'eel began to worship the calf. However, they were

eventually forgiven for this act. On a daily basis Allaah provided

them with “Mann” and “Salwa” to eat from the heavens, and also

provided water for them from twelve springs that gushed from a

rock. Allaah describes how the Jews were ungrateful for Allaah’s

bounties and how they behaved rebelliously and insolently. This,

together with their hypocritical conduct drew Allaah’s punishment

upon them.

Thereafter, Allaah speaks about Hadhrat Ibraheem (A.S) who was

successful in every trial that Allaah placed on him. As a reward

for this, Allaah made him a leader of mankind. Allaah

commanded him and his son Hadhrat Isma'eel (A.S) to construct

the Kaa'ba, which they duly did. Hadhrat Ibraheem (A.S) made

du’aa to Allaah to raise a prophet from amongst his progeny who

would be a guide for mankind. Allaah accepted this du’aa by

raising Hadhrat Muhammed (sallAllaahu-alayhi-wa-sallam) as a

messenger to the universe, via whom guidance spread

throughout the world.

END OF 1ST PARA – START OF 2ND PARA

The beginning of the second para discusses the change of Qibla.

Allaah commands the Muslims to face towards the Kaa'ba instead

of Baitul Muqaddas (Jerusalem) when performing salaah.

Consequently, Muslims will always be required to face towards

the Kaa'ba wherever they may be. Allaah also prohibits the eating

of carrion (dead animals), blood, swine and all animals that have

been sacrificed with the name of any being besides Allaah.See More

http://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/rape-la...24397.html

..The ordeal of a 14-year-old girl who was kidnapped and raped repeatedly for three days has infuriated Jordanians, especially when her attacker agreed to marry her to avoid going to jail.

In conservative Muslim societies like Jordan, rapists can walk free thanks to penal code Article 308, known as the "rape-law."

In April, the unidentified girl was shopping in the northern city of Zarqa when a 19-year-old man kidnapped her, took her to the desert where he had a pitched a tent and raped her for three consecutive days, judicial sources said.

Police found the girl during a routine patrol, drove her back to her family home and arrested the man.

Within days news emerged that the boy had agreed to marry the girl, while all charges against him have been dropped.

Earlier this month, another girl, aged 15, was talked into following a young man to an empty apartment in Amman where she was also raped.

Judicial sources say the young man is now desperately trying to work out an arrangement with her family to marry her, to avoid going to jail.

Article 308 allows rape charges to be dropped if the perpetrator agrees to marry the victim. He cannot divorce the woman for five years.

"This article of the law not only helps perpetrators walk free, it rewards them by allowing them to marry their victims, who get punished ... for God knows what," Nadia Shamrukh, head of the Jordanian Women's Union, told AFP.

"By applying this law, another crime is committed. How can this 14-year-old girl, who is a minor anyway, marry her rapist? Can you imagine this?"

The rape of a child under the age of 15 is punishable by death in Jordan, which recorded 379 cases of rape in 2010, according to court documents.

"In one case, we tried so hard to prevent a rapist from marrying an 18-year-old girl, who did not want to end up being his wife," said Eva Abu Halaweh, a lawyer and human rights activist who heads law group Mizan.

"But the girl's father struck a deal with the unemployed rapist, who was already married to another woman and had six children. He was unable to provide for his family and his wife was a beggar."

Abu Halaweh said the law is "inefficient anyway."

"It should be scrapped. What if a girl gets raped by more than one man? In this case, Article 308 will fail to address the problem," she said.

"Even if the victim does not resist marrying her rapist, he should not walk free ... The penalty could be reduced."

But Israa Tawalbeh, the country's first woman coroner, sees "nothing wrong in Article 308 as such."

"The problem is how some local and international human rights groups interpret the law," she told AFP.

"Actual rape cases are rare in our society. Sometimes, girls under 18 lose their virginity to force their families to accept marriage to their boyfriends. The law categorises this as rape."

Tawalbeh said the law "solves problems for some."

"Accepting marriage under Article 308 is better than leaving girls to be killed by their parents or relatives," she said.

"I think the law fits our society and reality. It protects the girls by forcing attackers to marry them."

In Jordan, between 15 and 20 women are murdered annually in the name of "honour" and at least six such killings have been reported so far this year, according to authorities.

Murder is punishable by death, but in "honour killings," courts sometimes commute or reduce sentences.

But Hani Jahshan, who is a forensic pathologist and physician at the health ministry and the Family Protection Directorate, has a quite different view of Article 308.

"This law is a stark violation of rights of women and children," he said "Sexual violence has a deep impact on victims that could last for a long time, and if a raped girl marries her rapist, her suffering will only be aggravated."

Jahshan blamed social misconceptions.

"Society believes that a female's virginity must be preserved until marriage. This forces girls to marry their rapists in order to protect her reputation and avoid social problems," he said.

Jordanians, particularly women activists, have held several street protests against the law.

"This issue must be effectively addressed," Nadia Hashem Alul, Jordan's first state minister for women's affairs, told AFP. "I think Article 308 should be amended to ensure justice to rape victims."

...

WASHINGTON, June 14 (Reuters) - The United States expects Egypt's military authorities to fully transfer power to a democratically elected civilian government as planned, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday.

"There can be no going back on the democratic transition called for by the Egyptian people," Clinton told reporters, declining specific comment on an Egyptian court ruling to dissolve the country's newly elected Islamist-led parliament.

Egypt's supreme court ruling plunged a troubled transition to democracy into turmoil just two days before an election to replace ousted leader Hosni Mubarak.

Islamist politicians who had gained most from Mubarak's overthrow have decried what they called a "coup" by an army-led establishment still filled with Mubarak-era officials.

"Throughout this process, the United States has stood in support of the aspirations of the Egyptian people for a peaceful, credible and permanent democratic transition," Clinton said at a news conference of the U.S. and South Korean foreign and defense ministers.

"Now, ultimately it is up to the Egyptian people to determine their own future and we expect that this weekend's presidential election will be held in an atmosphere that is conducive to it being peaceful, fair and free," she added.

"In keeping with the commitments that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces made to the Egyptian people, we expect to see a full transfer of power to a democratically elected civilian government," she said.

"The decisions on specific issues, of course, belong to the Egyptian people and their elected leaders, and they've made it clear that they want a president, a parliament and a constitutional order that will reflect their will and advance their aspirations for political and economic reform," Clinton said. "That is exactly what they deserve to have."

Clinton also voiced concern about a decree issued by the military council on Wednesday allowing the military police and intelligence service to detain civilians and refer them to military tribunals.

"We are concerned about recent decrees issued by the SCAF," she said. "Even if they are temporary, they appear to expand the power of the military to detain civilians and to roll back civil liberties." (Reporting By Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Jackie Frank and David Brunnstrom)

http://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/egypt-m...03515.html

..Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood claimed victory in historic presidential polls on Monday, hours after the ruling military council issued a constitutional document claiming sweeping power, including legislative control.

"Doctor Mohammed Mursi is the first Egyptian president of the republic elected by the people," read a tweet from the official Twitter account of the Freedom and Justice Party, the Brotherhood's political arm.

The party made the announcement after votes from nearly all Egypt's 13,000 polling stations had been counted. If confirmed, it will be the culmination of a long political struggle for the once-outlawed Muslim Brotherhood.

There was no immediate comment from the campaign of Mursi's opponent, Ahmed Shafiq, and official results are not expected until June 21.

The process was overshadowed by the amended constitutional declaration issued by the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces late Sunday, which replaces an original document issued in March 2011 after Egypt's uprising.

The document grants SCAF legislative powers, after a top court on Thursday ordered the elected parliament dissolved, and gives it veto power over the text of a new permanent constitution.

It keeps SCAF head Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi on as minister of defence for now, and says a new parliamentary vote will come only after a permanent constitution is drafted.

The Muslim Brotherhood immediately denounced the declaration, calling it "null and unconstitutional."

With votes from nearly 11,000 of Egypt's over 13,000 polling stations counted, the Muslim Brotherhood said tallies showed Mursi with 52.49 percent of the vote to Shafiq's 47.5 percent.

Shafiq's campaign had no immediate comment on figures. Official results are not expected until June 21, but a final unofficial tally is expected within hours.

Electoral commission officials extended voting for two hours on Sunday in part to allow people to cast their ballots in the relative cool of the evening, but they said turnout appeared lower than during the May 23-24 first round.

The SCAF declaration puts the military on a collision course with the Muslim Brotherhood, whose political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, dominated the parliament effectively dissolved by a constitutional court ruling on Thursday.

After that ruling, which said a third of the body's members had been elected illegally, the military informed parliament it considered it dissolved, and Sunday's declaration confirmed its retaking of the legislative power it handed to the People's Assembly in January, after a drawn-out election process.

"The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces shall exercise the powers referred to under the first clause of article 56 (on legislative power)... until the election of a new People's Assembly," the document reads.

Such an election cannot be held until a new permanent constitution is written and adopted by a referendum, it adds.

The writing of the new constitution will be carried out by a "constitutional commission representing all segments of the society" that will have three months to complete its work, the document says.

It also grants SCAF a veto right over any article of a draft constitution it considers "contrary to the supreme interests of the country."

Egypt's parliament has already appointed a constituent panel to replace an initial group that was dissolved over allegations it was Islamist-dominated.

But the declaration leaves it unclear whether that panel will be able to continue its work, and gives SCAF the right to form a new panel if the current body "is prevented from doing its work."

It also stipulates that SCAF "as currently constituted, has the power to decide on all matters related to the armed forces, the nomination of its commanders and the extension of their service."

The Muslim Brotherhood and revolutionary youth movements denounced the declaration as a "coup" and the Freedom and Justice Party said it rejected any bid by the military to retake legislative power.

And parliamentary speaker Saad al-Katatni, an FJP member, said the constituent assembly appointed by the parliament would continue its work.

The new political uncertainty comes after an electoral race that polarised the nation, dividing those who fear a return to the old regime under Shafiq from others who want to keep religion out of politics.

The new president will inherit a struggling economy, deteriorating security and the challenge of uniting a nation divided by the 18-day uprising that toppled Mubarak in February 2011.

The steps that have consolidated the power of the ruling SCAF have infuriated activists, who point to the court's annulment of parliament, as well as a justice ministry decision granting the army the right to arrest civilians, as proof of the military's plans to cement its power.

But the military says it does not want to stay in charge and has promised to hand power to the newly elected president by the end of the month.

Book download

About this book

Alhamdulellah…

In his bold and bigoted quest to ridicule the very idea of “God” and “religion”, rendering the whole thing as nothing but a big ancient “delusion”, Richard Dawkins delivers what I view to be – in fact – some of the greatest services an atheist has ever done to the cause of truth and the message of tawheed. Even an amateur philosopher like himself should realize that it takes much more to argue against the reliability of innate rationality and natural language, not to mention the mental consistency of all humans ever since the dawn of time (except for atheists in general and Darwinians in particular). Yet, he does not, thinking perhaps that this is all he needs to do to deliver his message to an audience of commoners and laypeople; and this serves me pretty well indeed.

In his book “The God Delusion”, Dawkins seeks to convince the lay reader that ever since time immemorial, humans have been “fooled” or “deluded” to see “design” where in fact there is not, and to see order and purpose where in fact there is none. He calls his ideological mission an attempt to “raise” people’s consciousness to the level where they are finally prepared to embrace such outrageous claims, both intellectually and spiritually. Thus I only find it convenient and justifiable that a book written to serve – among other pertinent ends - as a response to The God Delusion would come out under the title: Blasting the foundations of Atheism. But how does blowing Dawkins’ book serve as a means to blast all atheism? Well, I think that if one was to take some time and carefully examine every quasi argument that Dawkins puts forth in his boldly titled book, they would at least offer the reader fair insight into the “psyche” and “rationale” of an atheist, a militant one no less, who claims to have come to a near certainty that God is only a delusion! So if written with care, such an insight would suffice, in my view, to effectively destroy the foundations of all atheism. After all, atheism should be viewed as a psychological condition, and the core thesis of atheism is indeed every bit as ridiculous as what the very title of Dawkins’ book demonstrates. Thus I chose to exploit The God Delusion as a perfect instrument for my ends, and for that I am very grateful to Richard Dawkins.

Originally, I set out to refute every false or inconsistent claim that Dawkins bothered to advance in his book, and further expand on my arguments against atheistic thought along every quotation that I choose to pick. Naturally, I ended up with a volume little over a thousand pages large. Thus I was advised to split it in two volumes, the first of which would be printed separately, and would suffice to blow at least the two core chapters of Dawkins’ book out of the water: chapters three and four.

It is my pleasure to present the first of the two volumes of the book Blasting the Foundations of Atheism: its Pseudoscience and Pseudo-reason; a book which is not only addressed to sincere truth seekers worldwide but also to those who are on the verge of atheism. May Allah, the Creator of all, guide us to the one and simple truth, Amen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaBefKBqU...re=related[youtube/]