Noorullah Online

At the beginning of the 20th century, “religion in Istanbul” would have covered a diverse spectrum of belief systems. Christianity, for example, was as popular as any other creed, albeit subject to official discrimination. In building modern Turkey, the government went to extraordinary lengths to “Turkify” the country. The Greeks, Armenians, and Jews who were once common on the streets of Istanbul have been replaced with a flood of immigrants from other parts of Turkey. Today’s Istanbul is the result of a sprawling collection of villages, all of which have exploded into each other, rather than one coherent city.

Mosques are among Turkey’s greatest architectural achievements and Western audiences are very curious to see images relating to Islam. The most interesting mosques are in Sultanahmet. A non-obvious and not-too-easy-to-find one is Rustem Pasa, up some stairs from a busy nest of market alleys. Rustem Pasa is famous for its ceramic tiles. For those who are used to the restaurants in La Jolla, Istanbul also offers a good collection of restaurants for the tourist who want to sample the cuisines that this city has to offer.

The Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) is banking on two factors to make inroads into tiny Perlis and win the minimum eight seats it requires to form the next state government. It is cashing in on the hottest topic among voters - high prices of consumer goods and services - and using it as its main strategy in its campaign against Barisan Nasional. Squabbling within the Umno Perlis leadership may also play into the opposition party’s hands.

PAS state committee member Ahmad Tajuddin Salleh, who has been doing breathing yoga exercises for some time, is confident that the party will retain Sanglang. He said its candidates stand a good chance in Simpang Empat, Guar Sanji and Pauh state seats (all under the Arau constituency); Santan, Beseri and Titi Tinggi (under Padang Besar) and Kuala Perlis, Kayang and Bintong (under Kangar). Ahmad Tajuddin, who will contest in Kuala Perlis, is currently in hospital, recovering from an accident - he fell while fixing the roof of his house recently. He also alluded to bickering between factions in Umno Perlis, one led by Shahidan Kassim and the other by secretary-general Radzi Sheikh Ahmad, saying this could affect the six areas where Shahidan holds sway and four where Radzi is in control.

As about campaign issues in Kuala Perlis, Ahmad Tajuddin said thousands of villagers are facing unresolved land issues as they have been living in squatter areas over the last four decades. He said PAS has pledged assistance to squatters in such areas as Pulau Ketam, Hujung Tanjung and Belakang Kilang if it comes to power.

Students from various educational institutions have concluded that misinterpretation of Islam is one of the major root causes of terrorism in Pakistan, which, according to them, has become a label for the country. The students said that misinterpretation of Islam, poverty and unemployment had been the causes of terrorism in the country. Moreover, most of the students held external forces responsible for it, adding that violence had been nurtured during the Zia ul Haq regime. They said the madrassas (seminaries) that groomed students in the name of jihad (holy war) and ‘promoted’ extremism were also responsible for cultivating this scenario.

Memona Yousaf of the Lahore College for Women University said Pakistan’s image had been adversely affected by terrorism, which had given an open invitation to the United States to enter the country in the name of the fight against extremists. “The government is not taking positive steps to control the situation. The current strategies are leading us towards a civil war,” she said. “The government should control inflation, create internal peace boundaries, restore the judiciary, and maintain law and order in the country.”

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After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, many people took up the belief that the religion of Islam promotes terrorism and that all Muslims are terrorists. But it is radical Islam which promotes terrorism. Islam itself is a very peaceful religion which is much like Christianity or Judaism. In every religion you will find people who do not truly believe and follow that religion’s teachings, but instead distort that religion to justify their own actions. Those who do this are known as radicals.

In Christianity there are radicals as well. Radical Christianity gave the world the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, witch burnings and other brutal events. Today, terrorists are distorting Islam and its teachings to try to convince others that the West is evil. But true Muslims hold fast to Islam’s true teachings and do not bomb buildings or hijack airplanes, just as true Christians hold fast to Christ’s teachings and do not go for cosmetic surgery or murder or burn people at the stake. It is true that there are passages in the Quran which speak of violence. But there are even more passages of violence in the Bible. An example of this is Deuteronomy 2:32 where God’s people massacre whole villages of men, women and children and leave none alive.

If you believe that Islam is a religion of terrorism I simply ask that you read the Qur’an or speak with a true Muslim. You might be surprised at what you find.

Nato’s secretary general says that he fears the airing of a Dutch film criticising Islam will have repercussions for troops in Afghanistan. According to the report:

“If the [troops] find themselves in the line of fire because of the film, then I am worried about it and I am expressing that concern,” he said in a television interview.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer’s comments came after Afghans protested on Sunday against the film being made by far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders. The Dutch government has warned Mr Wilders that the film will damage Dutch political and economic interests. Mr Wilders says the film is about the Koran but has given few details. In the past, he has called for the Koran to be banned and likened it to Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

The project has already been condemned by several Muslim countries, including Iran and Pakistan. No surprise there, since we know how extremely xenophobic and Islamophobic Geert Wilders, who seriously needs New York hair transplants, really is when it comes to talking about Islam. The reaction from Muslims around the world, therefore, is expected to occur.