Clashes erupted in Hassan and Shimoga cities of India’s southern Karnataka state following publication of a controversial translated article of Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen in a leading Kannada daily.
Tension broke in Hassan when unidentified miscreants pelted stones on commercial establishments during a procession. As per media reports, several vehicles and shops were set ablaze. About 1500 people took to streets earlier on Monday to express anguish over the Kannada translation of Nasreen’s article on burqa (veil) tradition. The clashes took a communal turn when activists of several Hindu radical organisations also took to streets and started pelting stones on each other. Reportedly, situation was more serious in Shimoga district where protestors burnt about a dozen two wheelers, two tractors, two auto-rickshaws and pelted stones. Media reports say that one person was killed when police opened fire to quell the rioters in Shimoga. Another person succumbed to injuries sustained in stone pelting. Several people were critically injured and were hospitalised in both the districts following protests by Muslims over publication of Nasreen’s article. Concerned state authorities have imposed prohibitory orders in the both the districts to control the situation. Several vehicles including state transport corporation busses were damaged when protestors in the procession turned violent. Nasreen’s articles have sparked controversies earlier as well. Many radical Muslims hate this renowned writer for her critical opinion on religion that she has termed as an oppressive force. Nasreen fled Bangladesh for the first time in 1994 when a court said she had ‘deliberately and maliciously’ hurt Muslims’ religious feelings in her Bengali-language novel ‘Lajja’ meaning shame.

Pakistan News: Eid ul Azha will be celebrated across the country today with a religious zeal and fervor and a renewed pledge for peace and brotherhood. Special prayers will be offered after Fajr prayers for peace, progress and prosperity of the country. The day will dawn with exchange of felicitations among the Muslims as they will share their sentiments of brotherhood, love and respect for one another while moving to the congregation places. Then they would gather at mosques at open places (Eidgahs) to offer prayers and commemorate the great sacrifices of Hazrat Ibrahim, the beloved Prophet of Allah Almighty. Special sermons are delivered at congregations to highlight the importance of the Day and spirit behind the sacrifices of the animals to the will of God. This festival reminds us the commitment of Hazrat Ibrahim, who on the will of God, offered the sacrifice of his dear son Hazrat Ismail. This act of Hazrat Ibrahim was so graciously liked by Allah Almighty that He made sacrifice obligatory to those Muslims who afford it. After offering prayers and hearing to the sermons of the preachers, they sacrifice their animals and share happiness and meat with their relatives, neighbors and friends in a gesture of love and brotherhood. Yesterday, Eid ul Azha was celebrated in Middle Eastern and European countries; where as in some areas of NWFP, including Mehmund Agency, Khyber Agency and Nowshehra, Eid was celebrated yesterday.

MAKKAH: Mufti-e-Azam Saudi Arabia Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Al Sheikh in his Hajj sermon urged on Thursday Muslim Ummah not to compromise against terrorism and be united against suicide attacks. The Arafat sermon was delivered by the Mufti-e-Azam in Masjid Nimra at Arafat.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz said the whole world was facing challenges of terrorism and efforts were being made to destroy Muslim youngsters. He said the world knew more about Islam today than ever before. Some powers are trying to create misconceptions and doubts about Islam therefore Msulims should unite to face such problems.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz told that faith was the only thing that could empower one. Islam is a religion of peace and guarantees it by opposing terrorism. He urged young Muslims to be cautious of miscreants. Today the non-Muslim powers are trying to divide Muslims and the biggest obligation of Muslims is to stay united. He urged Ummah to evade differences through tolerance and solidarity.
Mufti-e-Azam said Islam was a right religion and came for all nations of the world. The real purpose of Hajj is to spread message of oneness of Allah. It is because of non-Islamic economic principles that world’s largest companies are going bankrupt today. The world is looking for a refuge and the only refuge is Islam. He urged the media not to broadcast programs that were against moral principles.
Sheikh Abdul Aziz said the challenges world was facing today included spreading of ills across the globe and only the faith can prevent one from such problems. The planners are obliged to outline plans that could strengthen Muslims spiritually. He urged Muslim leaders to fear Allah about their nations. Muslims are facing another challenge of giving new meanings of Allah’s holy book. Muftis should also fear Allah before giving any verdict.

Bollywood actor Aamir Khan on Monday celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr in Mumbai with his family and friends.

“Well, on the occasion of Eid, I will stay with my family, my mom and the friends who are here to meet me,” Aamir Khan said.

During the holy month of Ramadan, devout Muslims stay on fast from dusk to dawn. They don’t even drink water during the day.

At the end of Ramadan or month of fasting, Muslims hold a joyous three-day celebration called Eid-ul-Fitr.

Eid-ul-Fitr falls on the first day of Shawwal, the month, which follows Ramadan in the Islamic calendar. It is a time to give charity, and celebrate with family and friends the completion of a month of blessings and joy.

Washington: US President Barack Obama marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on Saturday with his administration stressing the commonality between American culture and the values of Islam.

Eid Mubarak,”As Muslims in the United States and around the world complete the month of Ramadan and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, Michelle and I would like to extend our personal greetings on this joyous occasion,” Obama said in a statement.

“Even on this festive occasion, Muslims remember those less fortunate, including those impacted by poverty, hunger, conflict, and disease,” he added.

Obama highlighted Muslims’ commitment to collecting and distributing charity and said his administration was “working to ensure that Muslims are able to fulfil their charitable obligations not just during Ramadan, but throughout the year.”

In her own message, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed that Eid celebrations at the White House, pioneered by her husband Bill Clinton in 1996 when he was president, ensured that “all faiths have a home here in the United States”.

“This time of self-reflection reminds us that the values of Islam — charity, community, cooperation, compassion — are values which we hold dear as Americans and which have contributed so much to American culture,” Obama’s top diplomat said.

“We know there is more that unites peoples of faith than divides us. So as Ramadan draws to a close, let us hold on to that spirit of community throughout the year to achieve our common goals of peace, prosperity, and stability.”

Obama, who has Muslim heritage on his father’s side of his family, vowed to forge a “new beginning” for Islam and America in a landmark speech to the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims in Cairo in June.

US President Barack Obama fetes Muslims at Eid festival, US President Barack Obama marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramazan Saturday with his administration stressing the commonality between American culture and the values of Islam.

“As Muslims in the United States and around the world complete the month of Ramazan and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, Michelle and I would like to extend our personal greetings on this joyous occasion,” Obama said in a statement.

“Even on this festive occasion, Muslims remember those less fortunate, including those impacted by poverty, hunger, conflict, and disease,” he added.

Obama highlighted Muslims’ commitment to collecting and distributing charity and said his administration was “working to ensure that Muslims are able to fulfill their charitable obligations not just during Ramazan , but throughout the year.”

In her own message, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed that Eid celebrations at the White House, pioneered by her husband Bill Clinton in 1996 when he was president, ensured that “all faiths have a home here in the United States.”

“This time of self-reflection reminds us that the values of Islam — charity, community, cooperation, compassion — are values which we hold dear as Americans and which have contributed so much to American culture,” Obama’s top diplomat said.

“We know there is more that unites peoples of faith than divides us. So as Ramazan draws to a close, let us hold on to that spirit of community throughout the year to achieve our common goals of peace, prosperity, and stability.”

Obama, who has Muslim heritage on his father’s side of his family, vowed to forge a “new beginning” for Islam and America in a landmark speech to the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims in Cairo in June.

US President Barack Obama fetes Muslims at Eid festival, US President Barack Obama marked the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramazan Saturday with his administration stressing the commonality between American culture and the values of Islam.

“As Muslims in the United States and around the world complete the month of Ramazan and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, Michelle and I would like to extend our personal greetings on this joyous occasion,” Obama said in a statement.

“Even on this festive occasion, Muslims remember those less fortunate, including those impacted by poverty, hunger, conflict, and disease,” he added.

Obama highlighted Muslims’ commitment to collecting and distributing charity and said his administration was “working to ensure that Muslims are able to fulfill their charitable obligations not just during Ramazan , but throughout the year.”

In her own message, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed that Eid celebrations at the White House, pioneered by her husband Bill Clinton in 1996 when he was president, ensured that “all faiths have a home here in the United States.”

“This time of self-reflection reminds us that the values of Islam — charity, community, cooperation, compassion — are values which we hold dear as Americans and which have contributed so much to American culture,” Obama’s top diplomat said.

“We know there is more that unites peoples of faith than divides us. So as Ramazan draws to a close, let us hold on to that spirit of community throughout the year to achieve our common goals of peace, prosperity, and stability.”

Obama, who has Muslim heritage on his father’s side of his family, vowed to forge a “new beginning” for Islam and America in a landmark speech to the world’s 1.5 billion Muslims in Cairo in June.

ISLAMABAD: The nation would observe 61st death anniversary of Founding Father of Pakistan Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, with a pledge to make the country a progressive, modern and moderate Islamic state in utter accord to the wishes of Father of the Nation.

Special prayers would be offered for Quaid’s soul and prosperity, solidarity and integrity of the country in mosques, churches, holy places and gatherings arranged to mark the day.

The government, various political, social, cultural and literary organizations would organize different programmes to pay tributes to Quaid-i-Azam for creating a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent.

In this connection, Nazriya Pakistan Council will organize Quran Khawani on Quaid’s death anniversary Jinnah at Faisal Mosque on September 11.

Federal ministers, senior government functionaries, parliamentarians, ambassadors of the Muslim countries and workers of Pakistan Movement would participate in the Quran Khawani.

The council has requested the people of twin cities to participate in the congregation and pay homage to the departed soul of the Founder of Pakistan.

Jinnah’s goal was well defined and crystal clear, based on his historic Two-Nation Theory. In-spite of heavy odds against him, Jinnah won, without leading a single protest rally on the roads, without giving a single protest call or shutter down or wheel jamming as is the order of the day.

Against the political and religious environment at that time which was sweeping Indo-Pak sub continent, the young barrister Jinnah, emerged as the sole representative of the Muslims of India forcing an eminent British writer Beverly Nicholas in 1945 to proclaim him as one of the greatest world leaders of the 20th century.

Jinnah was acclaimed as Quaid-i-Azam by no less a person than Mahatma Gandhi, the undisputed bapu (father) of Hindu India.

WASHINGTON : US President Barack Obama on Tuesday praised Islam as an integral part of America, as he feted prominent US Muslims at an Iftar dinner marking the holy fasting month of Ramzan.

“For well over a billion Muslims, Ramadan is a time of intense devotion and reflection,” Obama said, in remarks welcoming his guests in the State Dining Room of the White House.

“Tonight’s Iftar is a ritual that is being carried out this Ramzan at kitchen tables and mosques in all 50 states,” Obama said.

“Islam as we know is part of America. Like the broader American citizenry, the American Muslim community is one of extraordinary dynamism and diversity.

“On this occasion, we celebrate the holy month of Ramzan and we also celebrate how much Muslims have enriched America and its culture in ways both large and small,” the president said.

Among the guests Obama praised was Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir, a first-year student at the University of Memphis who scored more points than any other girl or boy in the history of high school basketball in the state of Massachusetts.

“She recently told a reporter, ‘I would like to inspire a lot of young Muslim girls if they want to play basketball. Anything is possible, they can do it too,’” said Obama, who has a well-known love of the sport.

“Bilquis is an inspiration not simply to Muslim girls, she is an inspiration to all of us.”

The president also recognized the first two Muslim lawmakers in the US Congress, Keith Ellison and Andre Carson.

In a message marking Ramzan last week, Obama pledged “concrete actions” to renew ties with Islamic countries, less than three months after his historic address to the Muslim world in Cairo.

“I want to reiterate my commitment to a new beginning between America and Muslims around the world,” Obama said in a video address posted as the world’s estimated 1.5 billion Muslims prepared for a month of fasting and reflection.

The president, who has Muslim heritage on his father’s side of his family, also pledged “unyielding” support for a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and to “responsibly end the war in Iraq.”

Islam’s fasting month began last month in most of the Arab world and Iran.

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama has issued a special Ramadan message to the Muslim World, expressing hope for a more peaceful and secure world.

In a video message to Muslims, Obama said the US was committed to keeping its pledge to build a safer world, end the Iraq war and isolate violent extremists in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“All of these efforts are part of America’s commitment to engage Muslims and Muslim-majority nations on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect,” Obama said in the message posted on the White House website.

“And at this time of renewal, I want to reiterate my commitment to a new beginning between America and Muslims around the world.”

“We are also committed to keeping our responsibility to build a world that is more peaceful and secure,” he said.

Obama also mentioned the common Muslim-Christian principals and rituals, saying that people of the both faiths are in search of “advancing justice, progress, tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”

He said that the US would help recognize the rights of Israelis and Palestinians for them to live in peace and security.

Since taking his oath of office in January, Obama has tried to reconcile US relations with the Muslim World, which were soured after the US-led invasion of Iraq in 20003.

The US President visited Turkey and Egypt, telling both Muslim audiences that “America is not – and never will be – at war with Islam.”

Ramadan, the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, is a time for Muslims to fast from dawn to sunset and focus on their faith, self-accountability and self-restraint.

Muslims believe it was in this month that the first verse of the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet of Islam, Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH).