Nuclear proliferation and climate change are subjects of acute concern in the current moment, driven into an all-out state of emergency by the new Trump administration. In this exclusive interview for Truthout, world-renowned intellectual Noam Chomsky discusses the media coverage of these two major issues, highlighting US tensions with Russia, Iran and North Korea, as well as discussing the recent US airstrike on Syria's Air Force base. Keep reading 》》》》
http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/40319-noam-chomsky-us-is-the-most-dangerous-country-in-the-world
Noam Chomsky: US Is the ''Most Dangerous Country in the World''
Zakir Naik: Why India wants to arrest the preacher?
He has 16 million followers on Facebook, 150,000 on Twitter and has given more than 4,000 lectures on Islam across the world. But Zakir Abdul Karim Naik, the popular televangelist and Islamic preacher, is now wanted by the Indian authorities.
Problems arose for the preacher last summer, after Bangladeshi authorities said that one of the gunmen responsible for an attack on a cafe in the Bangladeshi capital, Dhaka, which left 22 people dead, had been inspired by him.
Bangladesh responded by banning Peace TV, an Islamic channel broadcast from Dubai which Naik founded in 2006 and which claims to reach 100 million people worldwide.
The 51-year-old denied supporting violence, releasing a video statement in which he said: "Killing innocent beings is the second major sin in Islam."
But in November, India's counterterrorism agency, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), filed a First Information Report, an official police complaint, against Naik and the Mumbai-based non-profit Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) that he founded in 1991, accusing him of indulging in unlawful activities and promoting religious hatred.
The Hindu nationalist government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded by imposing a five-year ban on the IRF under the country's anti-terror laws.
'Illegal, unjustified, unwarranted'
Naik's lawyer, Mubeen Solkar, told Al Jazeera that he will "challenge the ban before an appropriate court".
"We have got sufficient grounds to show that the ban was not only illegal but also unjustified and unwarranted," he added.
India's Enforcement Directorate, which investigates economic crimes, has accused the IRF of money laundering and closed its properties in Mumbai. An educational trust run by Naik has also been prevented from receiving funds from abroad.
Solkar denies that his client has been involved in money laundering. "All the transactions were done through banks and all the funds came through legal channels," he said.
"There is nothing to show that any of the amounts would constitute proceeds of crime, which is a requirement under the PML Act [Prevention of Money Laundering Act]."
Where is Naik now?
Naik has not returned to India since last July.
His whereabouts are currently not known, although he has in recent months given interviews and conducted a press conference via Skype from Saudi Arabia, which has bestowed on him one of the country's highest awards for "service to Islam".
There have been rumours that he has been granted Saudi citizenship, but there has been no official confirmation of this.
He has offered to be questioned via video-conferencing, but the Indian authorities have refused, and earlier this month approached Interpol, the International Police Organisation, seeking his arrest and return to India.
Naik considers this to be part of a broader Indian government agenda.
In September, before the charges were filed and the ban imposed, Naik wrote an open letter in which he said: "This is not just an attack on me, it's an attack against Indian Muslims. And it's an attack against peace, democracy and justice."
In a subsequent open letter after the charges and ban, he wrote: "IRF and I were set up for a ban .... It is now proven that the decision to ban IRF was taken months ago and it was a communal decision. Before investigations were done, even before reports [were] submitted, the ban was already decided ... Whether it was owing to my religion or some other reason does not matter. What matters now is that my work of 25 years - completely lawful work - has been banned. And that is the most unfortunate thing for this country."
'Hounded by the media'
His view is shared by many within India's Muslim community, members of which have come under attack from far-right Hindu groups associated with Modi's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Kashif-ul-Huda is the editor of news website TwoCircles.net, which focuses on Muslim issues in India. He feels Naik has been targeted because he is a Muslim.
"Some of the statements of Zakir Naik are problematic and his style confrontational, but he never preached violence. His lectures were always open and recordings freely available," he said.
"If such a person can be hounded by the Indian media without a shred of evidence, you can imagine what happens to lesser mortals who get arrested on trumped-up charges," he added, alluding to a number of cases where Muslims have been jailed on terror charges only later to be found innocent.
But BJP spokesperson Nalin Kohli refuted the charges of bias and told Al Jazeera: "[The] Indian judicial system is known for its impartiality. It may be slow, but everyone gets justice eventually.
"India does not require [a] certificate of its secular identity from [Zakir] Naik, who is an absconder," Kohli added.
Solkar, Naik's lawyer, stressed that his client had not committed any offence under the anti-terror UAPA law.
Six months after the police complaint was filed, Solkar said "no charge-sheet has been filed so far before the NIA court".
But Kohli from the BJP said that the charges and evidence against Naik are "significant".
"That he has spoken in support of organisations engaged in gruesome terror is documented and available," he added.
"If he has done no wrong he has nothing to fear. But if he absconds, he is only going to raise further questions about his conduct and evidence against him."
The Indian authorities have previously accused Naik of influencing young people in southern Kerala state to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS). But Naik has denied these charges and has criticised ISIL, referring to it as the "anti-Islamic state".
Controversy
The doctor-turned-televangelist has been a figure of some controversy since the early 1990s.
Naik insists that his dawah work - the act of proselytising for Islam - is allowed by the constitution, which permits every citizen to follow and propagate their religion. But the issue of conversion remains controversial and several states have anti-conversion laws.
Some have accused Naik of using sectarian language, while parody videos making fun of what critics call his "illogical arguments" have been posted on YouTube.
There have been media reports that at one of his public talks he called on all Muslims to become terrorists - a statement Naik has said was taken out of context.
He has been denied a visa to the UK and Canada, while Malaysia has banned his lectures. Hindraf, a Malaysian minority rights group, is demanding that Malaysia cancel Naik's permanent residency there.
Mohammad Reyaz, who teaches communication at Aliah University in Kolkata, explains that Naik began preaching at a time when India was witnessing a rise in far-right Hindu groups.
The medieval-era Babri mosque in the city of Ayodhya was demolished in 1992 by a Hindu nationalist mob, who wanted to build a temple in its place. The temple movement was spearheaded by Lal Krishna Advani - a one-time mentor of Prime Minister Modi.
Mumbai, Naik's home city, was ravaged by religious riots in the aftermath of the mosque's demolition, which left around 1,700 dead across the country, the majority Muslims.
"In the 1990s, after the demolition of Babri masjid [mosque], Muslims felt betrayed and dejected. Traditional clerics in those times - and even now - totally appeared out of sync with [the] time," Reyaz explained.
"Naik filled the leadership vacuum and overnight turned into [a] messiah for young Muslim youth looking for some escape. He not only provided them [with] answers to all the Islamophobic questions Muslims had to face every day, but gave a new-found confidence in who they were."
Reyaz explains that part of his appeal to younger and educated Muslims comes from the fact that he is "articulate and speaks in English and wears a Western suit".
In 2009, Peace TV Urdu was launched, followed by Peace TV Bangla in April 2011.
In 2012, Peace TV was banned by the previous Indian government headed by the centre-left Congress Party. India's intelligence agencies have been wary of Peace TV as it propagates the Wahabi school of Islam.
"Naik being the face of this brand of Islam in India [he] became the easy target," explained Reyaz.
"The Islamophobia has filtered down to a stage where all conservative Muslims are seen as possible terrorists; the distinction between conservatism and extremism has got blurred."
Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2017/05/india-arrest-preacher-zakir-naik-170521055023564.html
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Fasting : Ramadan 4Th Pillar of Islam
<<رمضان سے بھرپور فوائد کیسے حاصل کریں - ایک <<مختصر گائیڈ>>
Islam is based on the following five (principles), which are also the forms of
worship; the first two (Shahada &
Salah) are daily, next two (Zakat & Saum) are annual and the last Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makka) is once in life:-
FASTING; THE 4TH
PILLAR OF ISLAM
Islam is based on the following five (principles), which are also the forms of
worship; the first two (Shahada &
Salah) are daily, next two (Zakat & Saum) are annual and the last Hajj (Pilgrimage to Makka) is once in life:-
5. To
perform Hajj (Pilgrimage to
Makka once in life time if one can afford financially and physically). This
form of worship has physical, financial, social and spiritual aspects.
Read more: Fundamentals of Islam: http://islam4humanite.blogspot.com/2011/07/islam-fundamentals.html
FASTING; THE 4TH
PILLAR OF ISLAM
Every year in the month of Ramadan,
all Muslims fast from early morning till sunset, abstaining from food, drink,
and sexual relations (with wife). It
is a unique Islamic way of worship which creates sincere love to God. Fasting
infuses creative sense of hope, devotion, patience, unselfishness, moderation,
willpower, wise saving, sound budgeting, mature adaptability, healthy survival,
discipline, spirit of social belonging, unity and brotherhood. The
tradition of Fasting as a unique form of worship, different form Prayer and
Zakat. This is very old form of worship which existed in very old societies. It
is mentioned in Qur’an: “O ye who believe! Fasting is prescribed for you, even
as it was prescribed for those before you, that ye may ward off
(evil);”(Qur’an;2:183).
Fasting Mentioned in Bible:
Prophet Jonah (Younas, peace be upon
him) was sent to one of the nations in the area of the old civilizations of Nineveh Babylon Nineveh Nineveh Israel 20:26 ). “And they
mourned, and wept, and fasted until even, for Saul, and for Jonathan his son,
and for the people of the LORD, and for the house of Israel 12:16 ).
“And the LORD spake unto Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month
of the second year after they were come out of the land
of Egypt Israel Judah 2:12 -13). “And the word of the
LORD of hosts came unto me, saying, Thus said the LORD of hosts; The fast of
the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and
the fast of the tenth, shall be to the house of Judah joy and gladness, and
cheerful feasts; therefore love the truth and peace.” (Zechariah; 8:18 ).“Moreover
when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they
disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto
you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head,
and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father
which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee
openly.”(Mathew; 16:16-18).“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the
Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have
called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them,
they sent them away.” (Acts; 13:2-3). “And he (Jesus) said unto them
(disciples), This kind can come forth by nothing, but by prayer and fasting.”(Mark;
9:29 ).
“Howbeit this kind goes not out but by prayer and fasting”(Mathew; 17:21 ). “And he
(Jesus) said unto them (disciples), This kind can come forth by nothing, but by
prayer and fasting”(Mark; 9:29 ).
Significance of Fasting (Saum) in Islam:
The significance of Fasting has been
emphasized in Qur’an: “The month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Qur'an, a
guidance for mankind, and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of
right and wrong). And whosoever of you is present, let him fast the month, and
whosoever of you is sick or on a journey, (let him fast the same) number of
other days. Allah desires for you ease; He desires not hardship for you; and
(He desires) that ye should complete the period, and that ye should magnify
Allah for having guided you, and that peradventure ye may be thankful.” (Qur’an;2:185).
Narrated by Abu
Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of
Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will
give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or protection from the fire and
from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation
with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him,
he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the unpleasant
smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of
Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person,
one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will
meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting."(Sahih
Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.128).
Apart from
obligatory one month fasting in Ramadan; the voluntary fasting brings higher rewards if done on
every Monday and Thursday of every week, three days in the middle of each
Islamic month, six days after Ramadan following the Feast Day and a few days of
the two months before Ramadan. The
Muslims have been allowed to eat (Sehri)
till early morning, thereafter they abstain from eating and drinking till
sunset (Maghrib). Muslims take special care to avoid all bad and
prohibited acts and sins and try to do all good acts to seek pleasure of Allah.
Extra prayers (Tawraweeh) are offered
after Isha prayer, in which the
prayer leader (Imam ) complete one
recitation of Qur’an in this holy month. The Muslims under take extensive
recitation of Qur’an on daily basis to complete at least one recitation of
whole Qur’an in the holy month of Ramadan.
Fasting in the month of
Ramadan is a an act of worship which is obligatory on every adult Muslim, male
or female who are mentally and physically fit and not on a journey.
Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are pregnant,
menstruating or nursing are permitted to break the fast and make up an equal
number of days later in the year. If they are physically unable to do this,
they must feed a needy person for every day missed. Children begin to fast (and
to observe the prayer) from puberty, although many start earlier. Although the fast is most beneficial to the
health, it is regarded principally as a method of self-purification. By cutting
oneself off from worldly comforts, even for a short time, a fasting person
gains true sympathy with those who go hungry while growing the spiritual life.
Revelation of Qur’an was started during this month, the last tend days are
specially revered because ‘The Night of Power’ (Lailatulqadar) is expected to fall in this period. Allah says: “We have indeed revealed this
(Message) in the night of Power: And what will explain to thee what the Night
of Power is? The Night of Power is better than a thousand Months. Therein come
down the angels and the Spirit by Allah's permission on every errand: Peace!...
This until the rise of Morn!”(Qur’an;97:1-5). Some Muslims perform aitekaf by staying and spending last ten days &
nights in the mosque in solitude for devotion and prayers as practiced by
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). At the end of Ramadan (month of fasting) the feast of Eid-ul-fitr is celebrated by offering special prayer and paying
alms (fitrah) to the poor.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
رمضان میں قیامِ لیل اور تراویح Taraweeh Salah in Ramadan- History
------------------------------------------------
Facts, History, Dates, Greeting And Rules Of The Muslim Fast
- What are the dates of Ramadan?
Because the cycle of the lunar calendar does not match the solar calendar, the dates of Ramadan shifts by approximately 11 days each year. In 2011, Ramadan began on August 1st. In 2012 Ramadan began on July 20th. In 2013, Ramandan is expected to begin on the evening of July 8th with the first full day of fasting on July 9th.
The ending of Ramadan is marked by the holiday of Eid ul-Fitr, which takes place either 29 or 30 days after the beginning of the month. On Eid ul-Fitr, morning prayers are followed by feasting and celebration among family and friends. This year Eid ul-Fitr will most probably fall on Wednesday, August 7.
What is the history of Ramadan?
Ramadan is the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. The term Ramadan literally means scorching in Arabic. It was established as a Holy Month for Muslims after the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad in 610 CE on the occasion known as Laylat al-Qadr, frequently translated as "the Night of Power.
Observance of Ramadan is mandated in the Quran, Surah 2, Ayah 185:
“The month of Ramadhan [is that] in which was revealed the Qur'an, guidance for the people and clear proofs of guidance and criterion. So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it; and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.”
What are the daily fasting requirements?
During the month of Ramadan, most Muslims fast from dawn to sunset with no food or water. Before sunrise many Muslims have the Suhur or predawn meal. At sunset families and friends gather for Iftar which is the meal eaten by Muslims to break the fast. Many Muslims begin the meal by eating dates as the Prophet used to do.
This ritual fast known as, Sawm, is one of the five pillars of Islam, and requires that individuals abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sexual intercourse.
To find the specific times for Ramadan fasting, click over to this helpful tool provided by IslamiCity that allows you to calculate prayer schedules -- including sunup and sundown -- by entering your city or zip code.
What are the expectations towards charity?
Charity is an important part of Ramadan. The fast emphasizes self-sacrifice and using the experience of hunger to grow in empathy with the hungry. During Ramadan, Muslim communities work together to raise money for the poor, donate clothes and food, and hold iftar dinners for the less fortunate.
What scriptural study do Muslims take part in?
Many Muslims use Ramadan to read the entire Quran or read the Quran daily. Many communities divide the Quran into daily reading segments that conclude on Eid ul-Fitr at the end of Ramadan.
Can non-Muslims participate?
Non-Muslims are free to participate in Ramadam. Many non-Muslims fast and even pray with their Muslim friends or family members. Non-Muslims are often invited to attend prayer and iftar dinners.
Those wishing to be polite to someone who is fasting for Ramadan may greet them with Ramadan Mubarak or Ramadan Kareem, which mean Have a Blessed or Generous Ramadan.
Should Muslims with diabetes fast?
Fasting during Ramadan is discouraged for patients with diabetes by the American Diabetes Association.
“In keeping with this, a large epidemiological study conducted in 13 Islamic countries on 12,243 individuals with diabetes who fasted during Ramadan showed a high rate of acute complications.”
However, the study says this was not conclusive. Many diabetic patients fasted with no complications. Patients with diabetes should work with their doctors to figure out a strategy if they choose to fast.
What is the 'goal' of Ramadan?
In general, the practices of Ramadan are meant to purify oneself from thoughts and deeds which are counter to Islam. By removing material desires, one is able to focus fully on devotion and service to God. Many Muslims go beyond the physical ritual of fasting and attempt to purge themselves of impure thoughts and motivations such as anger, cursing, and greed.
Do all Muslims take part in Ramadan fasting?
Most Muslims believe Ramadan fasting is mandatory, but there are some groups that do not. Pregnant or breastfeeding mothers, people who are seriously sick, travelers, or those at health risk should not fast. Children that have not gone through puberty are also not required to fast during the month Ramadan.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/07/ramadan-2013-facts_n_3529135.html?utm_hp_ref=religion
Read more:
Fundamentals of Islam: http://islam4humanite.blogspot.com/2011/07/islam-fundamentals.html
Read more:
Fundamentals of Islam: http://islam4humanite.blogspot.com/2011/07/islam-fundamentals.html
Read more on ...Islam, The Legacy of Abraham מורשתו של אברהם
رمضان سے بھرپور فوائد کیسے حاصل کریں - ایک <<مختصر گائیڈ>>
Let's Welcome Holy month of Fasting - Ramadan: http://t.co/nqvpUqJ
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Trump summons Muslim nations to confront ‘Islamic terror of all kinds’
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — President Trump delivered a forceful address here Sunday summoning the Muslim world to confront “the crisis of Islamic extremism” as he seeks to create new partnerships to unite against global terrorism.
Speaking from Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and home to several of the religion’s holiest sites, Trump implored the leaders of dozens of Muslim nations to take their own destinies in hand and, together with the United States, stop the killing of innocent people in the name of religion.
“This is not a battle between different faiths, different sects or different civilizations,” Trump said. “This is a battle between barbaric criminals who seek to obliterate human life and decent people, all in the name of religion — people that want to protect life and want to protect their religion. This is a battle between good and evil.”
Trump implicitly rejected the aspirational goals and call for democracy and human rights of former president Barack Obama, who also delivered a major speech to the Islamic world early in his presidency. “We are adopting a principled realism,” Trump said.
“We are not here to lecture,” he said. “We are not here to tell other people how to live, what to do, who to be or how to worship. Instead, we are here to offer partnership, based on shared interests and values.”
President Trump, right, and Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi share a laugh during a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 21, 2017.
Photo by: Evan Vucci/AP
Trump called for unity in confronting Iran over its funding of terrorists and promotion of a “craven ideology.” He called on the Muslim world to help isolate Iran and, just days after Iranians reelected moderate President Hassan Rouhani, to “pray for the day when the Iranian people have the just and righteous government they so richly deserve.”
[Trump campaigned against Muslims but will preach tolerance in Saudi speech]
In the run-up to Trump’s visit, there was considerable speculation about whether he would utter the phrase “radical Islamic terrorism” in his speech, the centerpiece of his Saudi trip.
On the campaign trail, Trump loudly criticized Obama for refusing to describe the terrorism threat in those terms. But some of Trump’s top aides, including national security adviser H.R. McMaster, have been urging him to soften his language. Many Muslim leaders consider broad denunciations of their faith insulting.
In his Riyadh address, Trump decided to use a substitute phrase: “Islamist extremism.” But he slightly veered off the prepared excerpts released earlier by the White House, saying “Islamic” instead of “Islamist” on several occasions.
Describing the fight against terrorism, Trump spoke of “honestly confronting the crisis of Islamic extremism and the Islamists and Islamic terror of all kinds.”
Lamenting the scourge of terrorism across the Middle East, Trump exhorted, “Drive them out! Drive them out of your places of worship. Drive them out of your communities. Drive them out of your holy land. And drive them out of this Earth.”
President Trump, second to the left left, shakes hands with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, left, during a bilateral meeting on May 21, 2017, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Seated with them are, from center to right, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and national security adviser H.R. McMaster.
Photo by: Evan Vucci/AP
Trump was addressing a rare gathering of leaders of about 50 Muslim nations at the Arab Islamic American Summit. It was his second day on a marathon foreign trip that will take him next to Israel, where he has ambitions to help negotiate peace, and then to the Vatican. The Middle East, he said, had long been home to “Arabs and Christians and Jews living side by side” and could again be a place for “every person, no matter their faith.”
[Trump mocked Obama for bowing to a Saudi king. And then he …]
By preaching tolerance and calling Islam “one of the world’s great faiths,” Trump departed from his previously stated views on Muslims. Anti-Muslim rhetoric and policies were hallmarks of his nationalist 2016 campaign; he proposed banning Muslims from entering the United States and proclaimed, “I think Islam hates us.”
Trump gave his remarks in an opulent hall of the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center, where crystal chandeliers hung from the gilded ceiling and attendees sat in plush armchairs. The president was seated at the front of the room, behind an ornate wooden desk and alongside the summit’s host, King Salman, before taking the lectern.
No final list of the leaders in attendance was initially released. Seen chatting in the chamber and then listening intently were kings, presidents and prime ministers from Jordan, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, as well as Egypt and numerous other African states with Muslim majorities. Some, including Turkey and Sudan, sent lower-level officials.
Speaking before Trump, Salman appeared to be gently admonishing the United States for its strict visa policies, saying that all in the room rejected “profiling religions and countries on a religious or sectarian basis.”
But he was effusive in his praise for Trump and the president’s decision to make Saudi Arabia the first stop on his first overseas trip. Trump, he said, “has many hopes and aspirations with the Arab and Muslim worlds.”
He said that his kingdom is committed to “fighting all forms of terrorism” and that “one of the most important goals of Islamic sharia is protecting life, and there is no honor in committing murder.”
The king directed much of his ire toward Iran, saying the Arab world had no problems with that country until its 1979 revolution brought a theocratic government that quickly turned to terrorism and regional ambitions. “These odious acts are the products of attempts to exploit Islam as a cover for political purposes to flame hatred, extremism, terrorism and religious and sectarian conflicts,” Salman said.
Trump was equally generous in his praise for Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim state that considers Shiite Iran its principal rival for regional power.
He made proud reference to the $110 billion arms deal signed with the Saudis during his visit here and said the United States was willing to extend the same partnership to other nations that share its objectives.
Trump also highlighted, in terms reminiscent of his domestic boasting, what he said were the achievements of his first months in office, claiming the creation of nearly 1 million jobs.
[Ivanka Trump meets with Saudi women leaders as some activists remain critical]
The president wants to both profit from the sales and move partners in the Middle East to share more of what he has said is the unequal burden of defending them from both the Sunni terrorism of the Islamic State and al-Qaeda and from Iran.
“America is prepared to stand with you — in pursuit of shared interests and common security,” he said. “But the nations of the Middle East cannot wait for American power to crush this enemy for them. The nations of the Middle East will have to decide what kind of future they want for themselves, for their countries and, frankly, for their families and for their children.”
Overall, Trump delivered a dark decree to the leaders in attendance.
“Religious leaders must make this absolutely clear: Barbarism will deliver you no glory — piety to evil will bring you no dignity,” he said. “If you choose the path of terror, your life will be empty, your life will be brief, and your soul will be condemned.”
A few hours before his remarks, Trump and the leaders of six Persian Gulf states reached an agreement to crack down on terror financing, including the prosecution of individuals who continue sending money to militants.
The memorandum of understanding — between the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council, comprising Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates — includes the creation of a center in Riyadh to fight extremism.
Dina Powell, Trump’s deputy national security adviser, called the agreement the “farthest-reaching commitment to not finance terrorist organizations” and said the Treasury Department would monitor it along with the gulf governments.
“The unique piece of it is that every single one of them are signatories on how they’re responsible and will actually prosecute the financing of terrorism, including individuals,” Powell told reporters.
[Trump signs ‘tremendous’ deals with Saudi Arabia on his first day overseas]
Outside funding for the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and other groups has come primarily from the Persian Gulf. U.S. officials in recent years have said that the gulf states have cracked down and virtually eliminated money coming from governments in the region. Instead, they believe certain wealthy individuals — primarily in Kuwait and, to a lesser degree, Qatar — remain funnels for money or are themselves financing the groups.
A Kuwaiti cabinet minister was forced to resign in 2014 after the United States complained about his activities, and regional governments have instituted legal crackdowns, with varying degrees of success, to stem the practice. All have signed agreements in the past to stop it.
The Islamic State, in particular, has largely funded itself through extortion and taxes in the areas it controls in Syria and Iraq, and through revenue for oil it sells clandestinely. But those sources, along with kidnapping for ransom, have diminished as the militants have lost territory.
The warm embrace of Trump that was on festive display on his first day in Riyadh continued during a trio of bilateral meetings the president held Sunday at the Ritz-Carlton hotel.
Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sissi praised Trump and invited him to visit Egypt, which Trump said he intends to do. Through a translator, Sissi said, “You are a unique personality that is capable of doing the impossible.”
“I agree!” Trump replied, as his advisers and others looking on laughed.
Trump went on to compliment Sissi on his fashion, telling the Egyptian leader, “Love your shoes. Boy, those shoes. Man . . .”
Trump met with Sissi earlier this spring in Washington, breaking an Obama-era ban on receiving the Egyptian leader in the White House because of his crackdowns on political and civil expression since taking power in a 2014 coup.
Trump called Sissi “my friend” and thanked him for his help with the release of American aid worker Aya Hijazi, 30, who had been imprisoned in Cairo.
[Freed Egyptian American prisoner returns home following Trump intervention]
Trump also met with the emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, and noted the long friendship between the two countries and the prospect of future trade.
“One of the things that we will discuss is the purchase of lots of beautiful military equipment, because nobody makes it like the United States,” Trump told reporters ahead of his talks with the Qatari leader. “And for us that means jobs, and it also means, frankly, great security back here, which we want.”
By Philip Rucker and Karen DeYoung, washingtonpost.com
Related:
خلافت اور امامت کے نام پر فتنہ و فساد
Terrorism for Khilafat or Imamat
Related:
خلافت اور امامت کے نام پر فتنہ و فساد
Terrorism for Khilafat or Imamat
Five steps toward achieving Middle East peace
Donald Trump’s decision to visit Saudi Arabia during his first overseas trip as president creates the perfect opportunity for his administration to take positive steps toward addressing five key needs in the region.
With these five, he can do a lot to reverse the unconstructive actions taken over the past eight years by the previous administration and make a start negotiating genuine peace and security for the region.
These policy ideas represent something of a consensus by Middle East experts, especially in Washington. Some of the steps are diplomatic, but others require military action by the United States. Americans have an understandable reluctance to re-engage militarily in the Arab world, but they have to understand that serious actions are required to prevent conflicts in the region from getting worse.
1) Correct the mistakes of the Obama administration: The previous presidency turned a blind eye to Iran’s regional menace, including Tehran’s support for terrorism and its escalation of sectarian violence. Attempts to rehabilitate the Iranian revolutionary regime into a normal state have failed. Release of the regime’s frozen funds, via the nuclear-weapons agreement, have allowed Iran to use that money to support militias and mercenaries in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Bahrain and Lebanon. This must stop.
2) Fight all types of terror: Fighting one type of terrorism and neglecting others creates more conflicts and new armed groups. It is pointless to fight al Qaeda- and ISIS-backed terror without also pushing back on terror supported by Tehran. The fight against terror should be conducted by the international coalition against ISIS and, more importantly, by the 41-country Islamic Military Coalition, which is led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have the necessary experience in the region to carry out this important and multifaceted task.
3) Move the Iraq issue to center stage: The U.S. government policy apparatus should concentrate on Iraq. This will diminish the importance of Iran in the estimation of U.S. policymakers. After all, Iraq is a U.S. ally. After taking down Saddam Hussein’s regime, U.S. mistakes turned Iraq into a killing field and a chaotic country. But Iraq is the geographic and strategic center of regional conflicts. For the sake of the region and the Iraqi people, the United States must focus on its healing, leaving Iran as a second-tier concern.
4) Find constructive solutions for the Palestinian people: The United States should try to revive the peace process between the Arabs and Israel by exerting pressure on Israel to accept the Arabian initiative for peace. Such a strong U.S. move can take the issue out of the hands of disruptive regional players that exploit the Arab-Israeli conflict as an emotional recruiting tool among Muslims. Too many of these other players are less interested in solving the Palestinian problem and more interested in achieving their expansionist ambitions, establishing militias and standing in the way of peace.
5) Support the legitimate government of Yemen: This will prevent Yemen from becoming an utterly failed state and a permanent launching pad for terrorism and sectarian hostilities. The United States should provide intelligence and logistical support to the Arab Coalition to help restore legitimacy to the government. In addition to risking the security of its neighbors, the Yemeni civil war threatens international navigation and the flow of energy to world markets through the Bab Al-Mandeb and Hormuz Strait shipping lanes. If these routes are not protected, oil prices in the West will soar.
These five steps are difficult, but not impossible, especially if they have the weight of the American president behind them. President Trump’s choice of the Middle East for his first overseas trip telegraphs the region’s importance to his administration. He has a rare chance to initiate history-changing statecraft during his trip, which could bring long-lasting benefits to a region sorely in need of them.
By Mohammed Alsulami, washingtontimes.com
ANALYSIS/OPINION: Mohammed Alsulami, a researcher at Umm Al-Qura University in Saudi Arabia, specializes in Iranian studies.
Wilayat-e-Faqih doctrine, a fifth column strategy, has propagated sectarianism in the Muslim world >>>>
خلافت اور امامت کے نام پر فتنہ و فساد Terrorism for Khilafat or Imamat: Daesh/ISIS Khilafat and Iranian ideology of WilyatFiqh (Guardian Council) Rule are tow sides of same coin >>>
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