In an odd and provocative tweet, Richard Dawkins shared this image without context: pic.twitter.com/XlynBMwk9e — Richard Dawkins (@RichardDawkins) July 13, 2015 A lack of context left some followers confused. Some tweeted, ‘ISIS brides?’ and ‘@RichardDawkins Oh you ‘islamophobe’ Richard! Sharing the plight of Muslim women like this. How dare you! #sarcasm’ @RichardDawkins A powerful and haunting image, but could we have some context? — Tom Towler (@tjatowler) July 13, 2015 @RichardDawkins Contextualize, please — Janne Strang (@jannestrang) July 13, 2015 Others provide context: @RichardDawkins These women are not enslaved; they're participating in a passion play. See caption in attached image. pic.twitter.com/Gyiwvx53Cv — George Maschke (@georgemaschke) July 13, 2015 @RichardDawkins This is Shiite Muslim community commemorating Ashura in Lebanon. It's not about women slavery in Islam. — Adel (@Alcon_Naphcon) July 13, 2015 The truth behind the tweeted image dates back to 2011. Ali Hashisho took the photos during the Ashura procession in the village of Saksakieh, southern Lebanon. It is important to view Hashisho’s other photos of the event. What is Ashura? The day of Ashura holds special significance for Shia Muslims. It falls on the 10th of Muharram (the first month of the Islamic calender). It commemorates the martyrdom of [...]
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Continue Reading“When crimes begin to pile up they become invisible. When sufferings become unendurable the cries are no longer heard. The cries, too, fall like rain in summer,” wrote the German poet Bertolt Brecht in 1935. This Saturday marks twenty years since the genocide in Srebrenica, denial of this genocide continues to poison the debate and efforts of reconciliation. The failure to prevent this genocide falls upon parts of Europe, the United States and United Nations. As of this year, 8,372 graves bear the names of the murdered Bosnian Muslims. Forensic experts continue to find human remains. Radovan Karadžic and General Ratko Mladic await verdicts in trials for directing genocide. Dutch forces shoulder much of the blame. For example, peacekeepers forced thousands of Muslim families out of their compound after pressure from Mladic’s troops. Last year, the Hague ordered the Netherlands to compensate the families of over 300 men murdered in the genocide. Dutch troops were so eager to leave, that outside of one exception, ignored signals of the looming offensive. They failed to report ‘troop movements, new reinforcements coming into the area, and large amounts of fuel being sent to the enclave’. A recent Observer article claimed the UN provided [...]
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Continue ReadingBuddhist monks in Dhaka, Bangladesh are distributing food parcels to Muslims this Ramadan. Outside the Dhammarajika Monastery, in the Basabo neighbourhood, monks distribute hundreds of iftar parcels. Suddhananda Mahathero, the monastery’s head monk told the AFP: “Buddhism taught us that serving humanity is the ultimate religion. We are feeding the poor Muslims who cannot afford to buy proper meals to break their fast”. Some individuals travelled several kilometers on foot to cue for food. When the AFP observed, over 300 Muslims sought food parcels. A measured police presence ensures peaceful transactions. Muslims in Bangladesh colour the majority of the country’s religious makeup (86.6 per cent). The noted Buddhist minority mainly occupies the southern regions (near the border with Myanmar). In 2012, in the southeast of Bangladesh, Muslims protested a blasphemous image on Facebook. Rumour spread that the individual responsible was Buddhist. In response, protesters burnt at least four Buddhist temples and 15 homes of Buddhists. As some sought to ease community tensions, Amnesty International condemned the violence.
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Continue ReadingThis Tuesday marks the 10th anniversary of the London bombings done by four men who professed to be Muslims, and carried out this attack in the name of Islam. Yet, the words of George Gordon Bryon could never have been truer: “History, with all her volumes vast, hath but one page.” The notion that history all too often repeats itself is both sad and shameful. Looking back a decade later, it is hard to indulge the fact that although our efforts may have increased, the violent ideology that caused the death of 52 people, has evolved and spread. Where there was just Al Qaida and the Taliban, we now have a so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Boko Haram, Al Shabaab and many other smaller death cults. The sad truth is that a decade on from the July 7 bombings, we are none the wiser as to what attracts Muslims, in particular young people, to travel abroad, and engage in some of the most brutal acts of violence under the guise of worthwhile deeds. In countering violent extremism, we have heard academics, security experts, political commentators, politicians and community activists take vastly different views on what are the drivers [...]
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Continue ReadingA Buddhist was mistaken for a terrorist as he meditated to a sacred Tibetan text aboard a Paris plane. Alarmed passengers notified staff and Portuguese actor Heitor Lourenco, 47, found himself under arrest. Lourenco told SIC television, “Police told me that I had been denounced as a terrorism suspect aboard the plane because I was reciting the Koran aloud, that I was reading a text involving words ‘death’ and ‘bomb'”. In reality, the text contained Tibetan characters and a timer to calculate meditation time. Lourenco accessed it via his tablet device. Police detained Lourenco for six hours before uncovering his acting credentials. Officers confirmed his Buddhist beliefs via Wikipedia.
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Continue ReadingA key pillar of Sikhism asks followers to ‘share the fruits of one’s labour with others before considering oneself’ – inspires a selflessness and sense of community that goes beyond faith and ethnicity. Jagdeep Singh Sohal, 31, from Ilford, along with 15 volunteers, joined together with the Midland Langar Seva Society to feed 30 homeless individuals in Ilford, London. Nor does the support stop there as volunteers tidy up any leftover mess. Video of the event. Photos of the event. The idea was born from a discussion Sohal and other worshippers at Singh Sabha London East, High Road in Seven Kings, had about “giving back” to the community while using the gurdwara’s gym facilities. In time, the group hopes to extend its service to other London boroughs, as others express interest in supporting the project, including local businesses keen to donate food to expand their operation. Sohal told the Ilford Recorder: “This is just one way of helping out. It’s our duty to help people whether they’re Christian, Sikh or Muslim, it’s for everyone and we’re just tying to make a difference”. The group distribute every Tuesday at 8pm. To get involved call 077 9162 9666.
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Continue ReadingA Canadian mosque raised thousands of dollars to support a nearby Catholic church after a spate of vandalism. News of the vandalism soon spread. Hamid Slimi, imam of the Sayeda Khadija Centre in Mississauga visited the St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church to make sense of the crime. Father Camillo Lando showed Slimi footage of the vandal’s behaviour. According to the Toronto Star, “The guy who did it ripped pages out of the Bible. He broke the altar. He threw the cross,” said Slimi. “When I saw this, I thought it was pure injustice. It was just wrong”. After recalling the incident at a Friday sermon, Slimi urged others to donate. Within a day, the congregation raised almost $5,000. CCTV of the first incident captured a man tearing pages from bibles, throwing holy books, and laying a cross upon the floor. Upon leaving, footage captured him taking items. Days later, a vandal left a statue of Jesus desecrated; the adjoining school spray painted. Local police soon arrested Iqbal Hessan, 22, and charged him. At a bail hearing, Hessan stated he was ‘upset’ with Christianity. During the ongoing trial, prosecution told the court that Hessan confessed a desire to ‘hurt’ [...]
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Continue ReadingThe Quran advocates many values that shape one’s intellectual and spiritual journey to God; but most importantly, these values also enable adherents to be more tolerant as they consider themselves vicegerent of God. Unfortunately, it appears that some Muslims do not give due consideration to these values. In this rather brief chapter I shall mention three values without in-depth elaboration: these are the value of life; the value of respecting differences; as well as the value of justice. How the Qur’an values life When your Lord said to the angels, “I am appointing someone as my deputy on earth,” they said (almost protesting), “Are you going to appoint one who will commit corruption and bloodshed therein, even though we (are the ones who) commemorate Your Name and glorify You?” The Lord said, “I know that which you do not know”. (Q. 2:30). I find this passage from the Qur’an extremely important. It helps me appreciate mankind but also my journey towards understanding God and his relationship with mankind. For instance, the verse indicates that mankind enjoys the most privileged state amongst all God’s creations. Furthermore, the verse tells us that mankind is God’s viceroy on earth. God could have chosen [...]
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