April 2019
India’s bid to link Pakistan with deadly Sri Lanka bombings
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: India is apparently trying to implicate Pakistan in Sri Lankan Easter bombings amid reports that Mohammad Zahran Hashim — the suspected mastermind of the Easter bombings — spent a "substantial amount of time in south India." Read More
China’s Belt and Road Forum ends with signing of deals worth $64 billion
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: China’s high-profile 2nd Belt and Road Forum ended Saturday (April 27) with the signing of deals worth billions of dollar. The forum attended by 37 heads of the state and governments concluded with an announcement by Chinese President Xi Jinping that cooperation agreements worth $64 billion were signed at a CEO conference during the Belt and Road Forum (BRF) meeting. Read More
The Indian connection in dreadful Easter bombings in Sri Lanka
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Sri Lankans have slammed Indian Media for ‘Politicizing’ the Easter blasts. Sri Lankan Twitter has been quick to call out Indian media and politicians, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for using the series of blasts in the island nation as “election fodder.” Eight different blasts struck Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, 21 April, leaving at least 310 people dead and 500 injured. Almost 24 hours after the blasts, the Sri Lankan government held local Muslim group National Thowheed Jamath responsible for the attack. Interestingly, information about National Thowheed Jamath was provided by the Indian intelligence sources, as reported by the Washington Post. Read More
Dreadful Easter bombings and Christianphobia in Sri Lanka
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: A series of coordinated bombings struck three churches and three hotels on Easter Sunday killing 207 people in the worst attacks in Sri Lanka since the end of the civil war 10 years ago. At least 450 people were wounded in total of eight explosions. According to police several of the attacks were carried out by suicide bombers. Most of the victims were killed in three churches where worshippers were attending Easter Sunday services. Washington Post said: “the suicide bombings on the holiest day of the Christian calendar, when churches see their highest attendance of the year, were widely viewed as targeting Sri Lanka’s small Christian community, a minority that regularly faces discrimination.” Read More
127 civil advocacy groups urge nation's political parties to repeal Trump’s Muslim Ban
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: A coalition of 127 national and state civil advocacy groups Monday (April 22) issued an open letter addressed to the heads of national political parties, calling on them to include repealing the Muslim Ban and reversing the historic-low cap on admitted refugees as signature issues in their 2020 party platforms. The joint letter came in advance of the 2020 national party conventions held by the Democratic, Republican, Green, and Libertarian Parties. During these conventions each political party updates their party platform, embodying the principles and strategic goals of the party for the next four years. Read More
Afghan peace talks postponed indefinitely as Taliban Spring Operation rages in 25 provinces
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Afghan peace talks in Qatar were postponed Friday (April 19) as Taliban’s Spring Operation continues in at least 25 provinces of Afghanistan. At least 30 people, including six Afghan government forces, were killed across Afghanistan within a day as fighting rages in the country, as Taliban Spring Offensive continues. Xinhua reported that fighting rages across the war-torn country and clashes between Afghan government forces and Taliban have been continuing in 25 out of the country's 34 provinces since April 12 when Taliban launched a yearly offensive. Read More
Modi threatens Pakistan with “Mother of Nuclear Bombs”
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has threatened Pakistan to wipe out with the mother of nuclear bombs. He told an election rally in Surendranagar, Gujrat, on Wednesday: “We have the mother of nuclear bombs. I decided to tell [Pakistan], do whatever you want to do but we will retaliate.” Read More
Trump vetoes congressional resolution to end Yemen war
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: President Donald Trump has rejected a resolution from the Congress to end the 4-year old Yemen war which has killed tens of thousands of people and spawned what the United Nations calls the world's most dire humanitarian crisis, with the country on the brink of famine. The resolution passed the House of Representatives in April and the Senate in March, marking the first time both chambers of Congress had supported a War Powers resolution, which limits the president's ability to send troops into action. Read More
Quranic ecological imperatives: A new global perspective
By Arthur Kane Scott: Native People in particular have made me aware of the Majesty/Beauty of Mother Earth and the intimated connection that existed between her and all her creatures. Their reverences to the planet awaken me to the message/poetics of the Quran which literally drips with suras/ ayats that explore the qualities of Jalal and Jamal or Awe/Intimacy of Creation! Read More
The Significance of ‘Isra and Miraj in Islam
By Habib Siddiqui: ‘Isra and Miraj were the most miraculous and dignified journeys of the Prophet, which took place in the Shab-e-Miraj (or the Night of Miraj) in the month of Rajab before his migration to Madinah. This blessed journey of ‘Isra and Miraj is of great significance for Muslims for its miraculous nature and, among other things, for its establishment of the second crucial pillar in Islam: prayer five times a day. It is also important because it clearly shows Islam’s connection to and importance to Masjid Al-Aqsa, which is located in Jerusalem and is Islam’s third holiest mosque in Islam. ‘Isra and Miraj is celebrated in all Muslim-majority countries when devout Muslims offer extra prayers and feed the poor. Read More
More than seven years after Gaddafi’s brutal murder, Libya remains in turmoil
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: More than seven years after the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi’s overthrow and brutal murder (on October 20, 2011) the situation remains in flux as former CIA-asset General Khalifa Haftar's forces launched an offensive against the forces loyal to the western-installed Libyan government of Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), at least 4,500 people have been displaced since the clashes erupted six days ago, when General Khalifa Haftar ordered his forces to march on Tripoli. Read more
A tale of three Islamic parties
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Syed Sadatullah Hussaini has been elected Ameer (National President) of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (India). In Pakistan, Senator Sirajul Haq, Monday began second term as Ameer of Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan. Ironically, in Bangladesh, the High Court declared in August 2013 as illegal, ruling that the party is unfit to contest national polls because its charter puts God above democratic process. Read More
Trump declares Iranian Revolutionary Guards a terrorist group at Netanyahu's request
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing a hotly contested bid for a fourth term, tweeted Monday (April8) that the Trump administration designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization at his request, Los Angeles Times reported from Jerusalem. In response to Washington’s decision, the Iranian Supreme Security Council declared the US a “terrorist government” while calling the US CENTCOM a terrorist group as well. Read More
U.S. poised to designate Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a foreign terror group
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali:The Trump administration is preparing to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a foreign terrorist organization, the Wall Street Journal Friday quoted U.S. officials as saying.The WSJ said this step that would vastly escalate the American pressure campaign against Tehran but which has divided U.S. officials. Read More
In the aftermath of New Zealand Mosques massacre: UN General Assembly condemns Islamophobia
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: In the wake of the horrific attack at two New Zealand mosques, in which 50 people were killed and 50 others injured, the UN General Assembly Tuesday (April2, 2019) unanimously adopted a resolution strongly condemning Islamophobia. The UN General Assembly convened a special session to adopt the resolution. The resolution, titled ‘Combating terrorism and other acts of violence based on religion or belief’, was presented by Turkey and co-sponsored by countries including Pakistan. Read More
Countering Islamophobia Rally in San Francisco
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali: A major rally was held Sunday (March 31) at the Embarcadero Plaza in San Francisco to focus on the impact of killing of 50 worshippers in Christchurch, New Zealand on the seven-million strong American Muslim community. The rally was addressed by the mayor of San Francisco, London Breed and Mayor of Belmont Davina Hurt as well as Sam Hindi, theMayor of Foster City. David Chiu, member of California State Assembly, also spoke at the rally sponsored by the Northern California Islamic Council (NCIC) and co-sponsored by more than two dozen Muslim organizations, Islamic Centers and mosques. Dr. Hatem Bazian, the founder of the Islamophobia Research at Berkeley University, told the rally: Islamophobia is not a problem of Muslims alone, Islamophobia is a problem for all the society because some are trying to say that the America and the world belongs to a particular racial group. “Islamophobia is about white supremacy from the White House to all the way across the continent of Europe and other places.” Read More
Rise of white supremacy discussed at Istanbul seminar
Anadolu Agency: The rise of anti-Islamic tendencies and white supremacy across the world were discussed at a seminar in Istanbul on Wednesday in the wake of the recent New Zealand terror attacks. The Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA) at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (IZU) hosted the seminar, titled “Islamophobia, New Zealand and Hate: The Rise of White Supremacists.” In his speech, Sami Al-Arian, director of the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA), said white supremacy is “something that has to be taken seriously because of the damage [it has caused] around the world.” Read More
Whither Pluralism in the USA?
By Dr. Habib Siddiqui: Pluralism still remains a far cry in the USA where Christian evangelism and conservatism got rejuvenated by the presidency of Donald Trump. More than a quarter of Americans identify themselves as evangelists who see themselves as JesusChrist’s soldiers for making the USA a Christian nation. Eighty percent of white evangelicals voted for and, by and large, continue to support President Trump. While such a support from the conservative wing of Christianity may seem like a fundamental contradiction, but to Trump’s faithful supporters, it is Providence at work in human history. They believe in Trump,and like any blind believers, they will not change their allegiance to himno matter what the ‘liberal’ media say about their beloved president. Read More
After Golan Heights, is the West Bank next?
Abdullah Muradoğlu: U.S. President Donald Trump signed a presidential proclamation recognizing Israel’s annexation of the “Golan Heights” on Mar. 25. Attending the signing ceremony were Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as Trump’s chief advisor and son-in-law Jared Kushner, Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, National Security Advisor John Bolton, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and Trump’s Middle East Ambassador of Peace Jason Greenblatt. The Israel Lobby played a major role in the decisions regarding moving the U.S.’s Israel embassy to Jerusalem and the recognition of Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights. Now, the lobby is after the West Bank. Read More
The Journal of America Team:
Editor in chief:
Abdus Sattar Ghazali
Senior Editor:
Prof. Arthur Scott
Special Correspondent
Maryam Turab
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