Miracle 455 dec 8, 2017 r

BC; CANADA Trump to call Jerusalem Israel’s capital, First Pg 4, 14,32 Bi-Weekly & Bilingual

Volume 17 Issue 455 - Rabi ul Awwal 18, 1439 AH / December 8, 2017 $1

10 Milad Celebrated At many 19

21

www.miraclenews.com

3 Pakistan affirms solidar-

14 Muslim world should

ity with Palestine, 4 Trump to call Jerusalem Israel’s capital, move 6 Public and private stores to sell recreational pot

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2

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

A

t 50, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is not even a shadow of its past glory.

Founded as a party of change and later evolving into a party of resistance, it is now a tragic spectacle of a dying legacy. Once the most powerful political force with its roots deeply entrenched in the masses, it has been reduced to a regional party, thus leaving a huge gap in national politics that is hard to fill.

The PPP has become more of a family business enterprise having little connection with the people that it once claimed to represent.

Can the attempt to resuscitate the party under a third-generation Bhutto succeed? It seems doubtful that just the Bhutto name would help regain the political space that the PPP has lost.

It may be true that the PPP still espouses a more progressive ethos than most other mainstream national political parties. But the leadership seems completely alienated from the changing social, political and economic dynamics.

It will need much more than dynastical appeal and shrine politics to lift the party up.

It is not just Bhutto family charisma but a new political programme and strategy that are needed to mobilise the new generation of Pakistanis looking for change. They will certainly not be impressed by mere slogans of ‘jiye Bhutto’. More important is what the party represents today and what kind of change it promises to bring.

Indeed, the party has some highly dedicated old guards still surviving in its ranks, but they seem completely out of place in the politics of wheeling and dealing that has been mastered by Asif Ali Zardari. Under his stewardship,

O P I N I O N

From Bhutto to Bilawal

the party has lost its traditional connection with the masses that, in the past, had helped the party survive some of the worst forms of state repression and bounce back after electoral setbacks.

Can the attempt to resuscitate the party under a third-generation Bhutto succeed?

Restoring the populist character of the party will indeed be the biggest challenge for the young Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who still has to go through the rigour that his illustrious mother had experienced. Living most of his life outside and now thrown into a leadership role without any real experience of the tricky game of politics or understanding of those who play it does not make it easy for the inheritor of the most formidable political legacy. It is also important to learn from the party’s history of struggle and the mistakes it has committed that caused its downfall.

It was half a century ago when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, undoubtedly the most charismatic politician this country has ever produced, founded the PPP that subsequently changed the Pakistani political landscape forever. With its socialist programme and populist slogans, the party instantly drew the support of the youth, the working class and the urban middle class across the country.

Having served as federal minister in Field Marshal Ayub Khan’s military government, Bhutto was not a novice in politics. His deep understanding of history and exposure to the outside world rendered him head and shoulders above other political leaders of the time. Bhutto formed the PPP after leaving the government following the disastrous 1965 war with India.

It is imperative to take cognisance of the domestic political dynamics and the international environment of the late 1960s in order to understand the PPP’s politics and its phenomenal rise as a popular political force. It was a period when popular movements for change swept across the globe and unrest against the military government in Pakistan had turned into a mass uprising.

Pakistan was ripe for change.

Bhutto’s slogan of Islamic socialism and nationalism instantly struck a chord with students and the intelligentsia demanding restoration of democracy. Bhutto became a symbol of hope. His greatest contribution was that he gave a voice to the common people. Not surprisingly, the PPP emerged as the largest party in what was then West Pakistan in the first general elections in the country’s history.

But history would not judge Bhutto favourably for his role in the political crisis after the elections that ultimately led to the disintegration of the country.

However, he certainly lifted the morale of a defeated nation. He rebuilt a truncated country and gave it a constitution. One of his greatest contributions was to diversify Pakistan’s foreign policy by shedding the traditional onedimensional approach of dependence on the United States.

Bhutto’s authoritarian style of governance and his sweeping nationalisation of industries and financial institutions had, however, drawn intense criticism. Yet it did not affect his mass popularity. His ouster by a military coup and his judicial murder changed Pakistan’s political landscape forever. It has made him immortal in Pakistan’s political history.

While Benazir Bhutto took her father’s legacy forward, she also emerged as a leader in her own right, giving the party a new direction in the changing situation.

Like her father, she had a strong grasp of history and her connection with her supporters was admirable. She suffered jail and hardship in exile more than any other political leader. She led the democratic struggle against the worst military dictatorship.

Although the people voted her twice into power, it was a constant struggle against the security establishment that tried to block her every step. Her first government lasted for only 18 months, while the second was cut short halfway through her term. Undoubtedly, her own inexperience and the allegations of widespread corruption charges involving her husband also contributed to the downfall of her governments.

There may be some criticism of her signing the National Reconciliation Ordinance with Gen Musharraf, but that move paved the way for elections and ultimately led to the restoration of democracy. She was the only leader who bravely challenged the militants and religiously inspired extremists who eventually caused her death.

Her party returned to power after her assassination. But the leadership gap left by her death has never been filled. The ascension to power of Asif Zardari brought a fundamental change to the party’s philosophy leading to its virtual downfall. It is certainly not an auspicious moment for the party to be celebrating its 50th anniversary.

By: Zahid Hussain The writer is an author and journalist.

Waan laysa lil insaniilla ma’ sa’aa That man can have nothing but what he strives for.

‘An Attribution & commemoration’.

By: Gulshan Aalani An attribution and commemoration of the Universal Messenger Muhammad (SAWS) a seal of Prophets. He was blessed with the duty of revealing the final testament Holy Revelation the Al-Quran, with A-Z Divine guidance for mankind from Allah Al Khaliq-Creator of the Universe the Supreme Being the Throne Holder the sole owner of the Heavens and earth and so HE is the only worthy of worship..

Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) as other Prophets was raised by the Creator as the Mercy and blessings to humanity, and to re-introduce the Light of GOD and to revive the old original most important infallible-precept commandment as enunciated in the Books of GOD: “Worship ME alone and obey MY Messenger”.

He revealed exact word to word that was given to him by Angel Gabriel without changing any of it by his own opinions and warned

the danger of innovations as sin: “I warn you of the newly invented matters in the religion, beware of them for every newly invented matter is an innovation and every innovation is misguidance”.

“And if you have a dispute in any matter refer it to Allah and the Messenger if you are believers in Allah and the Last Day”. (Quran) He brought the reign of democracy in its best form, and changed the complete Arabian Peninsula from paganism and idolatry to worship of One universal GOD, the religion of Prophet Abraham (AS); and he proclaimed the principal of universal brotherhood, the doctrine of the equality of mankind, and pluralism, that is evident in Muslim Salat where Black, White and Brown pray shoulder to shoulder.

His words displayed dazzling light of wisdom and truth, his patience, peaceful character, equality, pure justice, his integrity and truthfulness were beyond doubt, even in the minds of his most staunch opponents, his spiritual accomplishments and his mundane reforms are unparalleled in the entire history of mankind.

He practiced what he preached and never tried to acquire personal glory or sought any personal gains, which earned him the titles of Al Amin-As Sadiq.

He was one of ‘The 100’, a ranking of the most influential persons in history.

“If a man like Muhammad were to assume the dictatorship of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness”. George Bernard Shaw.

“He was Caesar, without a standing army, or a body Guard, and without a fixed revenue. If ever a man had the right to say that he ruled by rightful way, it was Muhammad, he cared nor the dressings of power.

The simplicity of his private life was in keeping with his public life”.

Rev. R. Bosworth Smith.

“I wanted to know the best of the life of one who holds today an undisputed sway over the hearts of millions of mankind… I became more than ever convinced that it was not the sword that won a place for Islam in those days in the scheme of life.

It was the rigid simplicity, the utter self-effacement of the Prophet the scrupulous regard for pledges, his intense devotion to his friends and followers, his intrepidity, his fearlessness, his absolute trust in God and in his own mission. These and not the sword carried everything before them and surmounted every obstacle”. Mahatma Gandhi.

“Muhammad was the soul of kindness and his influence was felt and

never forgotten by those around him”. Diwan Chand Sharma- ‘The Prophet of the East’.

“Those who reject Allah and hinder man from the path of GOD for them will we add penalty to penalty for that they used to spread mischief.

Q. 16- 88. Quran: 5-94 Satan’s plans to excite enmity and hatred between you--”.

It is a sin abusing the followers of Prophet SAWS and original Islam as ‘Wahabi’; who are proud Wahabis.

Statement by Andrew Scheer Ottawa, ON – The Honourable Andrew Scheer, Leader of the Official Opposition and Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, issued the following statement: “Sexual harassment is never acceptable and such behavior is not tolerated in the Conservative Caucus.

“In accordance with the House of Commons process, this complaint was referred to the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). The CHRO confirmed in writing that his findings ‘did not support a claim of sexual harassment.’

“Subsequently, Mr. Bezan apologized in writing and in person to the complainant for his flippant and inappropriate comment, and has since taken sensitivity training offered by the House of Commons.

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3

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

PAKISTAN

Pakistan affirms solidarity with Palestine, urges US to refrain from shifting embassy to Jerusalem

Pakistan on Wednesday reaffirmed full solidarity with the Palestinian people and expressed concern over the proposed move by the United States to shift its embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, saying “such a step would constitute a clear violation of international law and UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions”.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister Office stated that shifting the US embassy to the “occupied City of AlQuds Al-Sharif will alter the legal and historical status of the city”. US President Donald Trump told Arab leaders on Tuesday that he intends to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a decision that breaks with decades of US policy and risks fuelling further unrest in the Middle East.

“It would also sidestep decades of global consensus on this issue, undermine regional peace and security as well as derail any prospects for a lasting peace in the Middle East,” read the PM Office statement.

PM Office said the people and government of Pakistan are

unequivocally opposed to the reported plan of shifting the US Embassy, adding that, “Pakistan fully endorses the recently adopted final communique of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) on this issue.”

On Monday, the OIC had said that its 57 member states should sever ties with any state that transfers its embassy to Jerusalem or recognises Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem. Pakistan has called upon the United States to refrain from any move that alters the legal and historical status as well as the character of Jerusalem, and urged it “fully comply with all applicable UN Security Council resolutions including UNSCR 478”.

“Pakistan renews its call for the establishment of a viable, independent and contiguous State of Palestine, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, the pre-1967 borders, and with Al-Quds Al-Sharif as its capital,” read the statement. Senior US officials said Trump is likely to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday while delaying relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv for another six months, though he is expected to order his aides to begin planning such a move immediately.

Washington’s endorsement of Israel’s claim to all of Jerusalem as its capital would reverse a long-standing policy that the city’s status must be decided in negotiations with the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, home to sites holy to Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Source: The Dawnnews.com

Damning Najafi report puts Punjab govt in a tight spot

• Tribunal sees cover-up after Model Town ‘massacre’ • Says police did what they had been sent to do • CM Shahbaz ‘never ordered police to disengage’ LAHORE: The government of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was delivered a serious blow on Tuesday when the contents of the Justice Ali Baqir Najafi report were made public on orders of the Lahore High Court.

Recalling the gruesome events of June 17, 2014 in Model Town, Lahore, the one-man judicial tribunal, constituted to ascertain the facts and fix responsibility on the perpetrators, observed that the Punjab police had done exactly what “it went for”. The police, it said, had “actively” participated in the “massacre”, and keeping in view the “facts and circumstances, the reader of the report can easily fix the responsibility of the unfortunate incident”.

The tribunal, which investigated the killings of 14 Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) workers in Model Town, accused the Punjab government of concealing facts and hindering the investigation, while its officials tried to cover up for each other, preventing the tribunal from arriving at a definitive conclusion. Dismissing the Punjab gov­ernment’s appeal, a three-judge LHC bench ordered that the Najafi report be made public. Ever since the report was submitted

to the Punjab government on Aug 9, 2014, there have been incessant calls to make the report public even as the government remained reluctant to share the contents.

In its order on Tuesday, the LHC asked the Punjab government: “The copy of the inquiry report of Tri­bunal shall be supplied to the respondents for their inf­ormation, by concerned official, forthwith. The inquiry report of the Tribunal shall be published by the concerned authorities within 30 days from the announcement of this judgement.”

Later in the afternoon, the provincial government uploaded the report on one of its websites bringing to end speculation about whether the government would challenge the LHC order in the Supreme Court.

The unveiling of the report drew contrasting responses from the PAT and the government. While the PAT leadership welcomed the LHC order, those standing by the Shahbaz administration, including the police force which was at the fore of the action that day, tried to play down the possible ramifications of the report by insisting that it had no legal implications. The 132-page report recommends that the Punjab government draw up legislation to empower the magistracy to issue orders to fire at such occasions so that the responsibility for any such unfortunate incident could be clearly fixed in the future.

In its conclusions, the report noted that a meeting was held on June 16 (a day before the incident), which was attended by then law minister Rana Sanaullah, the chief secretary, home secretary, the commissioner of Lahore and the capital city police officer (CCPO) and representatives of the special branch. They decided “not to allow Tahirul Qadri to fulfil his objective (a sit-in in capital, which he had announced for June 23).” It was the Lahore commissioner who pointed out that the “barriers” around Minhajul Quran were illegal and he “treated them as encroachment”. The chair (Mr Sanaullah) decided that those barriers must be removed and Tauqeer Shah (then secretary to the CM) “consented on behalf of the chief minister”. Source: The Dawnnews.com

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Mayor of London Sadiq Khan arrives in Lahore, meets CM Shahbaz Sharif Mayor of London Sadiq Khan arrived in Lahore on Wednesday via the Wagah Border.

The mayor was received by officials from the Punjab government upon his arrival and is currently holding a meeting with Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in Model Town.

During his time in Pakistan, Khan will also visit Islamabad and Karachi. Khan has said that his trip seeks to “strengthen the links that exist between London and these great cities of Pakistan”.“I see my visit as an exciting opportunity to build on the ties that bind our cities and

countries together for the mutual benefit of everyone — Brits and Pakistanis, Londoners and Lahoris, EastEnders and Karachiites alike,” Khan wrote in Dawn on Wednesday. ”As someone of Pakistani heritage, I feel a deep affinity with the country and I’m looking forward to going back.”

Khan is the first ever mayor of London to make an official visit to Pakistan. He arrived in Lahore after a three-day visit to India.

During his stay there, Khan had visited Delhi, Mumbai and Amritsar and met with politicians and

celebrities.Khan visits to India and Pakistan are part of the LondonIsOpen campaign — launched by the mayor— to show that London is united and open for businesses, and to the world, following the EU referendum.

The trip is aimed at strengthening trade and investment links as well as promoting cultural exchange.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Pakistan Super League franchise Peshawar Zalmi, Javed Afridi, also met the London mayor and presented him with a Zalmi t-shirt and a bat signed by team’s players.

4

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

N a t i o n a l

&

UN: Myanmar may be guilty of genocide against Rohingya

The persecution of Rohingya by Myanmar’s security forces may amount to genocide, the UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad alHussein has said. Addressing the Human Rights Council on Tuesday, Zeid said UN investigators have received “concordant reports of acts of appalling barbarity committed against the Rohingyas” during a military crackdown in Rakhine state in August.

These included allegations of security forces “deliberately burning people to death inside their homes, murders of children and adults; indiscriminate shooting of fleeing civilians; widespread rapes of women and girls, and the burning and destruction of houses, schools, markets and mosques”, he added. “Given all of this, can anyone rule out that elements of genocide may be pre-

In t

sent?” Zeid urged the 47-member council to recommend to the UN General Assembly to authorise a new mechanism to probe individual criminal responsibility. Myanmar’s government has denied allegations of ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, but it has refused UN investigators and journalists access to the affected areas in northern Rakhine state. The military said its actions were legal and in response to coordinated attacks on border posts by a Rohingya armed group. Those who fled the violence did so voluntarily, some officials have said.

Zeid said some about 626,000 Rohingya have fled since August, and many more are continuing to pour into Bangladesh. Myanmar and Bangladesh signed a repatriation deal in November, but little is known of its provisions. But Zeid said no Rohingya refugee should be repatriated without sustained human rights monitoring to ensure they can live safely and in dignity, warning that continued dehumanising of the Muslim minority could fuel further violence and draw in other communities. Amnesty International has called on the Human Rights Council to pass a “strong resolution that sends a clear message to Myanmar’s government and military that their abhorrent treatment of the Rohingya must end immediately”.

Source: Al-Jazeera

GCC structure may have to change: Kuwait’s Sheikh Sabah The structure of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) might have to change in the near future to face upcoming challenges, the emir of Kuwait has said.

Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al Sabah made the remarks as a summit of the GCC in Kuwait City concluded abruptly on Tuesday instead of Wednesday, with all the delegates leaving Kuwait after a closed session. “We might change the system of the GCC to have mechanisms to better face challenges,” Sheikh Sabah said, referring to the GCC crisis that began on June 5. On that day, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE - all GCC members cut ties with Qatarafter accusing it of supporting “terrorism”, allegations that Qatar strongly denies. Sheikh Sabah also hinted at the possibility of setting up a task force to deal with future rifts within the GCC. “The truth is, the GGC already has a mechanism to form a task force to deal with internal disputes,” Al Jazeera’s Jamal Elshayyal, reporting from Kuwait City, said. “A lot of criticism in the last few months has come from people asking where has this task force been to solve the GCC crisis. “The reality is, if there was genuine interest to solve this, then we would have at least the deputy heads of state here.”

The meeting in Kuwait City - the 38th annual GCC summit - took place exactly six months after the announcement of the siege of Qatar. “The mere fact that it convened is major progress, especially in the absence of true progress in bridging the gap between Qatar and, on the other hand, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain,” Al Jazeera’s senior political analyst Marwan Bishara said. Earlier on Tuesday, the UAE announced that it had formed a new economic and military partnership with Saudi Arabia separate from the GCC. That announcement, combined with the absence of high-level officials from the blockading countries, was loaded with significance, our correspondent said. “The countries that have laid the Qatar siege decided to send low-level diplomats to represent them. Bahrain decided to send a third level diplomat, the deputy prime minister. Saudi Arabia sent Adel alJubeir, the foreign minister, instead of a royal family member,” Al Jazeera’s Elshayyal said.

“This shows that they no longer care about the GCC.” Qatar’s emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was one of the few to send a royal family member to the Kuwait summit.

“I am full of hope that the summit will lead to results that will maintain the security of the Gulf and its stability,” Sheikh Tamim said.

Oman had announced that a high-ranking official would represent Sultan Qaboos bin Said Al Said, while al-Jubeir led the Saudi delegation. The agenda of the Kuwait summit had not been made public, but the Gulf crisis was believed to be a top priority. “It seems that there is an intention by the Saudis and Emiratis, especially with the timing of the announcement [of the new partnership] today, to say that the GCC is effectively dead,” said Majed al-Ansari from Qatar University. “It is clear now that Emiratis and Saudis have no intention of supporting stability in the GCC, no intention of supporting Kuwait’s mediation efforts, and no intention to end the crisis one way or another.” The talks could have defined the very future of the bloc that was established in 1981 for closer economic, trade and security partnerships on the Arabian Peninsula. In October, Sheikh Sabah, who has been mediating between Qatar and the Saudi-led bloc, warned of the potential collapse of the GCC if the crisis continued.

In late October, the king of Bahrain said his country would not take part in any summit or meeting attended by Qatar unless Qatar “corrects its approach”. Sheikh Tamim has agreed to resolve the crisis through dialogue, but Kuwait’s call for talks has not been accepted by the blockading countries. Another important issue for the bloc was the ongoing war in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition has been bombing the poorest nation in the Middle East since March 2015, creating one of the biggest humanitarian disasters of modern times. During his speech, Sheikh Sabah called for a political solution to the war. “The only solution in Yemen is a political solution.

We urge the Houthi [rebels] to reach a political solution to the crisis in Yemen,” he said in his statement. The killing on Monday by Houthi rebels of Ali Abdullah Saleh, the removed Yemeni president, has thrown the Arabian Peninsula country into deeper chaos.

Source: Al-Jazeera

Trump to call Jerusalem Israel’s capital, move embassy

US President Donald Trump will recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and direct the state department to begin the lengthy process of moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the city, according to senior Trump administration officials. The announcement, which is expected at 18:00 GMT on Wednesday, comes amid global condemnation of the move. The officials said in a briefing that Trump’s expected announcement is “recognition of a reality”. The officials added that moving the embassy “will take years” and Trump will continue to the sign six-month waiver to keep the embassy in Tel Aviv until the relocation process is complete. The expected announcement comes despite warnings that such a move would have grave implications for the peace process in the Middle East and on regional stability. Trump held phone calls with the leaders of Palestine, Jordan and Egypt on Tuesday to inform them of his intention to move the embassy. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas had warned Trump against “the dangerous consequences such a decision would have to the peace process and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world,” Navil Abu Rudeina, Abbass’ spokesman, said in a statement after Trump’s call. Jordan’s King Abdullah II told Trump that such a decision would have “dangerous repercussions on the stability and security of the region”, according to a statement released by the palace. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, in a statement, also cautioned Trump against “taking measures that would undermine the chances of peace in the Middle East”. Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyib Erdogan threatened to cut diplomatic ties with Israel if Trump went through with the embassy move, calling it a “red line for Muslims”. Jerusalem’s status is an extremely sensitive aspect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Israel claims the city as its capital, following the occupation of East Jerusalem in the 1967 war with Syria, Egypt and Jordan, and considers Jerusalem to be a “united” city. Palestinians have long seen East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

They say that a US move to relocate the embassy would prejudge one of the most sensitive issues in the conflict - the status of Jerusalem - and undermine any attempt by Washington to restart the socalled peace process. US officials said that Trump “remains committed to achieving a lasting peace agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians and is optimistic that peace can be achieved”. But Ali Abunimah of the Electronic Intifada said that one would have to have been “living on another planet for the last few decades to believe that the US was ever an honest broker”. “What [Trump’s move] achieves is truth in advertising,” he told Al Jazeera. “It is a more honest expression of American policy, which is to support Israel unconditionally, including Israel’s illegal colonisa-

tion and settlement-building in East Jerusalem,” he said, adding that “this has effectively been US policy for many, many years and Trump is simply coming out and being open about it”. A small group of Palestinians protested in Bethlehem on Tuesday evening, burning posters with the image of Trump. In a statement, Hamas called for Palestinians “to make Friday a day of rage against the occupation, rejecting moving the American embassy to Jerusalem and declaring it the capital of a Zionist entity”. Mustafa Barghouti, a Palestinian politician in the West Bank, warned that the “Arabs and Muslims will not take this lying down”. “The Palestinian people will react, with a public, popular non-violent uprising.., Barghouti told Al Jazeera earlier on Tuesday. “That’s what you will see tomorrow, after tomorrow and the days after,” he added. Hillary Mann Leverett, a former state department official, said Trump’s move may be an attempt to “generate a crisis in order to create opportunity”. “If there was any actual hope of a peace process being launched by Jared Kushner, they wouldn’t be doing something like this that is so inflammatory and incendiary about Jerusalem,” Mann Leverett said, referring to the senior White House adviser and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner. “[The expected move] says to me that the process that Jared Kushner has been working on since Trump was elected is going nowhere and they’ve decided to generate crisis in order to create some opportunity,” she added. No country currently has its embassy in Jerusalem, and the international community does not recognise Israel’s jurisdiction over and ownership of the city. US Congress passed a law in 1995 that required the embassy be transferred to Jerusalem, but all presidents since then have repeatedly signed a six-month waiver to override the implementation of law. White House officials on Tuesday said Trump, who pledged during the 2016 presidential campaign to move the embassy, will continue to sign the waiver until the embassy is reading to be transferred to Jerusalem in order to avoid the financial consequences of not implementing the law.

Source Al-Jazeera

US Supreme Court allows Trump travel ban to take effect The US Supreme Court has allowed the ad- ship with someone in the US. In July, the US ministration of President Donald Trump to fully enforce the third version of a controversial travel ban that prohibits people from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. The court, with two of its nine justices dissenting, said in an order Monday that the policy can take full effect, even as legal challenges against it make their way through the courts. The ban applies to people from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Unveiled in September, the latest ban was immediately challenged in federal appeals courts in Richmond, Virginia and San Francisco, California. Lower courts said in October, just a day before the ban was set to come into full effect that that, the portions of the ban should be put on hold while the challenges proceed. But Monday’s order by the Supreme Court suspended the lower courts’ injunctions, allowing the ban to take effect.

The court said the appeals courts in San Francisco and Richmond should act swiftly to determine the legality of the ban. The ban is the third attempt by the Trump administration to restrict individuals from several countries from coming to the US. Lower courts had previously limited the scope of the ban to individuals without a “bona fide” relation-

Department of State expanded its definition of “close family” to include grandparents and other relatives that constitute a “bona fide” US relationship for visa applicants and refugees from the six countries. The ban has been widely criticised by human rights and refugee advocacy groups. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which is challenging the ban, said on Twitter that Monday’s decision “is not a ruling on the merits”. It added that it would “continue to fight for freedom and equality and for those who are unfairly being separated from their loved ones”. Karen Tumlin, the legal director for the National Immigration Law Center, echoed that sentiment, saying “it is important to remember that the Supreme Court has not addressed the legal merits of the latest Muslim ban nor the human impacts with its order today”. The latest ban also includes restrictions on individuals from North Korea and some officials from Venezuela. The courts had already allowed those provisions to take effect. The White House maintains the ban targets individuals from countries that have failed to provide enough information to allow for proper vetting of prospective travellers. Source: Al-Jazeera

5

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

6

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

N a ti o n a l

&

I nt

Public and private stores to sell recreational New mortgage stress test rules will block pot in B.C., with 19 as the purchasing age 50,000 people from buying: mortgage group Recreational pot sold in British Columbia will be sold at both public and privately run stores, the provincial government says. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth made several announcements Tuesday morning about what the future of recreational pot would be in B.C. ahead of the federal government’s anticipated legalization of the drug in July 2018. He also announced the minimum age to purchase pot would be 19. The provincial Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) will handle wholesale distribution. Farnworth said the decisions announced Tuesday were shaped by input from over 48,000 British Columbians received by the province over recent months. “It’s clear that British Columbians support the priorities of protecting young people, health and safety, keeping the criminal element out of cannabis and keeping roads safe, which will guide the province in developing B.C.’s regulatory framework for non-medical cannabis,” he said in a release.

He said the province also solicited input from local governments before crafting the rules. Farnworth said a distribution involving both the private and public sectors has been embraced by all provinces which have unveiled plans for cannabis legalization.

When asked if the province stood to profit from being involved in distribution, he said he believed it eventually would. He added there would be significant up-front costs at the outset though and said the 2018 budget would not anticipate any revenue from cannabis. He said more details on what retail sales would look like would be revealed at the end of January or beginning of February.

He said no details were available yet about pricing. Stephanie Smith, president of the B.C. Government and Service Employees Union, which represents LDB employees, said it makes sense for her union’s members to handle cannabis distribution because of their experience dealing with alcohol. “It’s already a very and secure and efficient distribution system,” she said. “We believe it’s

a fiscally responsible choice rather than setting up a very costly parallel system.” Barinder Rasode, CEO for the National Institute for Cannabis Health and Education, said she is “encouraged” by the government’s plan so far, but added the province has a difficult path ahead. “We have set a precedent of having licensed dispensaries in the municipality of Vancouver,” she said. “They [the NDP government] have to balance access to patients, which the courts have ruled we have a duty to provide, and providing that access in a way with strains and a service model that patients are accustomed to here.”

But marijuana legalization advocate Dana Larsen of Sensible BC said he was “not too happy” about the LDB acting as the province’s wholesaler. “I think it’s going to add a layer of bureaucracy and cost for not much benefit,” he told Gloria Macarenko, host of CBC’s B.C. Almanac. “Cannabis is already regulated by Health Canada federally so the province doesn’t need to be looking into the quality or anything like that. I don’t see why producers can’t just sell directly to retailers or the customer.” Liberal MLA Mike Morris, the province’s former solicitor general, called today’s announcement a “step in the right direction,” but said it was important to make sure private sellers are safe from predation and influence from organized crime.

Source: CBC News

New rules aimed at cracking down on the mortgage market will result in 100,000 people failing a stress test of their finances, and about half of them will be blocked from buying a home. That’s one of the major takeaways of a new report published Tuesday from Mortgage Professionals Canada, an industry group that represents 11,500 mortgage brokers, lenders and insurers. The federal government has moved seven times since 2008 to tighten rules surrounding the real estate market, and practically every time, the market has shrugged off tighter rules around areas like maximum debt loads and amortization periods. But new rules implemented in October could be different.

Starting January, uninsured borrowers from federally regulated lenders must have their finances “stress tested” to ensure they would be able to pay off their mortgages if rates were higher than they are today. To do that, the lender must run a test assuming rates were two percentage points higher than they are right now, and see if borrowers would be able to pay off the loan. By the group’s estimates based on the market today, “18 per cent of mortgage borrowers who are stress tested, would fail the stress test.” Since there’s roughly 700,000 homes sold every year in Canada, and most of them involve some sort of mortgage. That means up to 100,000 buyers would fail the new stress test and be forbidden from buying the home they want at the price they want. “Perhaps 50,000 to 60,000 per year will be able to make a different purchase, albeit one that is less attractive to them,” the group said. But “perhaps 40,000 to 50,000 per year will be entirely removed from homeownership.” The group says it doesn’t object to the idea of a stress test in general, just that the current parameters are too rigid. Essentially, the mortgage group says running the numbers with rates that are two percentage points higher than they are today isn’t realistic or helpful. For starters, the majority of new buyers get a

five-year fixed rate mortgage, which means if they lock in now. they would be immune from rate hikes until 2022. Currently, the average mortgage rate in Canada is 2.96 per cent, the report found. Even assuming rates are higher when they have to renew, the current stress test rules ignore two things: On average, borrowers will have paid off 15 per cent of their principal, five years into their first mortgage, even if they do nothing more than make their monthly payments with no prepayments. Having more equity in their homes makes them better able to handle debt, even at a higher rate. The stress test rules also ignore that people generally tend to see their incomes increase over time too.

“Based on trends over the past five years, mortgage borrowers will typically have seen their incomes rise by 10 per cent” by the time they renew, the group says. A better level for the stress test, the group says, would be testing borrowers’ finances at an interest rate that’s three-quarters of a percentage point higher, not two. “Using the posted mortgage interest rate today in mortgage stress tests is excessively stringent, and will unnecessarily impair the housing market and therefore the broader economy,” the report found. “And it will unnecessarily [and therefore unfairly] prevent large numbers of Canadians from achieving their reasonable housing goals.”

Source: Al-Jazeera

Sex assault charge recommended after Houthis execute ‘thousands’ in two days: Muslim teen assaulted on SkyTrain Yemeni militias on Wednesday UN’sdispersed Yemen envoy a Secretary Jim Mattis said that Saleh’s murder

A 46-year-old man has been arrested, and a sexual assault charge recommended, in connection to “an alleged unprovoked hate motivated attack on a woman on a Canada Line” on Monday night. The Richmond woman who reported her alleged assault was shocked that no one helped her after a verbal altercation became physical on the Canada Line. In a post to social media, Noor Fadel said she was taking the train home from work just before 10 p.m. on Monday when she said another passenger started insulting her. “The moment I sat on the train, this man got up and started to swear at me calling me a whore and a slut telling me he will kill me and all Muslims in a mix of Arabic and some other language I wasn’t understanding,” she wrote. Fadel was all the more stunned when she said the man raised his hand and told her he was going to kill her. “He was using horrific words as he was aggressively making actions when he tried to grab my head and shove it to his crotch,” she said. “I watched as others watched the man verbally assault me when out of nowhere he strikes me across the face.” Despite the crowd on the Canada Line, Fadel said no one helped her – until one passenger finally got up, pushed the attacker away and stayed between them

until the man left at Vancouver City Centre.

She said the intervenor stayed with her until police and paramedics arrived. “When Transit Police officers met her there a short time later, the woman was extremely traumatized and had trouble breathing,” Transit Police spokesperson Anne Drennan wrote in a statement. Fadel sent photos of her alleged attacker to Transit Police and officers were able to track down Pierre Belzan, of no fixed address, Vancouver International Airport convenience store and are recommending one charge of sexual assault. Belzan was taken into custody without incident and will be making his first court appearance on Wednesday afternoon. For her part, Fadel remains grateful for the bystander who came to her aid. “Thank you to Jake Taylor for being the one person, once a stranger now a dear friend who stood up for me no matter for my appearance,” she said. “It saddens my heart that so many people watched as I was being attacked and assaulted simply because of a man who knew nothing of me but chose to judge me based on the hijab I wear. If ever you witness someone being harmed or looks in distress do not hesitate to get up and help.”

Source: Peace Arch News

protest in Sanaa staged by dozens of women demanding the handover of the body of slain former President Ali Abdullah Saleh for burial. “There is no god but Allah and the martyr is a friend of Allah,” the women shouted in front of the Saleh Mosque, named after the former president, and the largest in the capital. Witnesses say the protest lasted less than an hour before Houthi militias violently dispersed it. Video footage of the women fleeing the scene was posted on social media. Witnesses said a second group of women gathered in front of Sanaa Military Hospital, shouting, “The people want the remains of the leader.” It was unclear on Wednesday whether the Houthis had already buried Saleh’s body, according to the Agency France-Presse. The previous day, Khaled Hussein Al-Yamani, Yemen’s permanent representative to the UN, revealed that the UN’s special envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, told a closed session of the UN Security Council that Houthi militias are assassinating leaders of Saleh’s General People’s Congress party (GPC). Al-Yamani said Houthi militants have executed “thousands” of people in the past two days, adding that there is an agreement to evacuate UN humanitarian workers from Sanaa in light of recent developments. Koro Bessho, president of the UN Security Council, said the council strongly condemns the missile attacks carried out by Houthi militias against Saudi Arabia, stressing that the council has imposed an arms embargo on the rebels.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, called for a negotiated settlement. In Washington, US Defense

would either push the conflict toward UNled peace negotiations, or create an “even more vicious war.” Either way, he suggested, in the short-term, it would likely worsen an already dire humanitarian situation “for the innocent people” in Yemen. “This is where we’ve all got to roll up our sleeves,” Mattis said. “What are you going to do about medicine and food and clean water and cholera?

I think there has got to be a lot more focus on the humanitarian side right now.” In another development, the Houthi militias have detained more than 40 media staff, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said on Wednesday, demanding their immediate release. They reportedly include staff of Yemen Today — a channel affiliated with Saleh. Houthis overran the channel’s Sanaa offices on Saturday, attaching with rocket-propelled grenades and wounding three guards the press watchdog said. “This hostage-taking is typical of the climate of hostility in Yemen toward journalists, who are often targeted in this conflict,” said RSF’s Alexandra El-Khazen. A GPC official said some of the detained staff had since been transferred to prison while others were still being held in the television’s offices. “The Houthis were exerting pressure on them to change their coverage, to issue certain statements, and report the betrayal of former President Saleh and accuse him of working for the Arab coalition. But the journalists refused to do it,” the official said.

A spokesman for the Committee to Protect Journalists called for the immediate release of the journalists, saying the Houthi attack on Yemen Today “shows profound contempt for press freedom.” Source: Arab News

7

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

FAITH

Hadith

Abu Hafs ‘Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), say: “Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended. Whoever migrates with an intention for Allah and His messenger, the migration will be for the sake of Allah and his Messenger. And whoever migrates for worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration will be for the sake of whatever he migrated for.” Related by Bukhari & Muslim

Seeking protection from evil of humans

BY: MAJD ARBIL uslims recite chapter 113 of the Quran (Sura Al Falaq) as a supplication for protection against evil. Evil is described as devoid of any norms of morality or complete absence of good. In certain religious contexts, evil is described as a supernatural force. In the following verses God is asking humankind to seek His protection from the evil perpetuated by humans themselves.

In the name of God, Most Gracious and Most Merciful Say, ‘I seek refuge with the Lord of daybreak, from the evil of what He has created, And from the evil of the dark night when it penetrates, And from the evil of the blowers (men or women) into knots, And from the evil of an envious one when he envies. (Quran 113:1-5) 1. Say: “I seek refuge with the Lord of the rising dawn (al-falaq)” The Prophet Muhammad (s) and all of mankind are instructed in this first verse to seek refuge with the Lord of rising dawn.

The term al-falaq (“the light of dawn” or “the rising dawn”) is often used to describe “the emergence of the truth after a period of uncertainty. “Lord of the rising dawn” implies that God is the source of all cognition of truth, and that one’s “seeking refuge” with Him is synonymous with striving after truth.

M

King David (Hazrat Daud A.S) founded the city of Jerusalem and holy place, which was further taken care by his son King Solomon (Hazrat Sulaiman A.S). Usually, the city of Jerusalem is known “Bait-ul-Muqqadas” (holy house or place). Most of the prophets of Allah were appointed in this city. This is one of the most blessed places in the world and majority of people from different religions wish to visit here. This city is equally holy for the three largest religions in the world i.e. Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Holy prophet of Islam considered it as the first Qibla and used to say his prayers with his companions facing towards its direction. In the journey of Mairaj this city was the first destination of the Holy prophet where the other prophets offered prayer after him. King David ruled the city for 33 years and this was a period of unrest for Israelites army as he united Israelites

2. From the evil (sharr) of what He has created In this verse we are asking for protection “From the evil of WHAT He has created.”

This is because nothing that God has created is evil. God has not created any creature for the sake of evil, but all His work is for the sake of good and a special purpose.

However, from the qualities that He has created in the creatures to fulfill the purpose of their creation, sometimes evil appears from some kinds of creatures. Even the Satan had good in him when he was created. Only when he disobeyed God that he turned to evil. The word sharr (evil) is used for loss, injury, trouble and affliction as well as for the means which cause death,

History Of Baitul Muqaddas

together who were earlier divided apart.

King Solomon constructed Hekhal (Solomon’s Temple) according to the wishes of his father, King David. Deep inside the Hekhal he built a sacred place and put the “Sakina’s Coffin” there. The city was destroyed and captured many times by different warriors and religions. Hekhal was de-

Names Of A l l a h (SWT) & Mohammad (PBUH)

Last edition Al Names were

Barr Al Haqq

injuries and afflictions from hunger, disease, accidents, war, violence, etc. Seeking refuge from evil contains two other meanings also. First, that man is praying to his God to protect him from the evil that has already taken place; second, that man is praying to his God to protect him from the evil that has not yet taken place.

3. And from the evil of the dark night when it penetrates After seeking God’s refuge from the evil of the creatures, now prayer is being made for seeking refuge from the evil of the darkness of night. This is when certain types of crime and violence are more active and some harmful animals also become active.

4. And from the evil of the blowers (men or

name of Allah(swt)

Mohammad(saw) name.

stroyed and rebuilt many a times in various eras. During the caliphate of Hazrat Umar Farooq (R.A), he conquered Jerusalem and built a simple mosque at the place where it used to be Hekhal earlier. Before that time, the place was like garbage storage because people used to through garbage to register their hatred against the Jews. Later

Islm.

Date

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 *1 2

women) into knots In this verse we are asking God’s protection from those who are engaged in the practice of black magic or general evil. In pre-Islamic Arabia various occult groups used to practice black magic by tying a string into a number of knots while blowing incantations on them. In his explanation of the above verse, the Muslim scholar, Abu alQasim Mahmud ibn Umar al-Zamakhshari, categorically rejects all belief in the reality and effectiveness of such practices, as well as of the concept of “magic” as such. He explains that the reason why the believer is enjoined to “seek refuge with God” from such practices despite their palpable irrationality is to be found in the inherent sinfulness of such actions, and in the mental danger in which they may involve their author.

5. And from the evil of the envious when he envies The final evil that we should seek refuge from is the evil of envious humans. You may not think that human envy can harm you, but it certainly can and does. For one thing, the first evidence of jealousy and envy came from Satan towards Prophet Adam (s). And the second instance of envy came from Prophet Adam’s own sons, Abil and Qabil. God accepted Abil’s devotion but not Qabil’s. Qabil became envious and killed his brother. (Ref Quran 5:27)

Umayyad dynasty laid down the foundation of Aqsa Mosque and completed the construction. The sacred places are located on the east side of the city where Muslims, Christians and Jews pay their religious regards. According to the statement of Dr. Barkley, the most sacred place for Muslims Haram Shrif is situated on 35 acres. Masjid-e-Aqsa and Qubat-ul-Sakhra are also located in it. There are many high points in Haram which are knows as “Mehraab” by Muslims and they say prayers in front of these places. There fifty inside and outside doors in “Haram Shrif”. In 1967, Maulana Sher Ali stated that the number of these doors is fourteen. There are many other sacred buildings in its jurisdiction except Masjid-e-Aqsa and Qubat-ul-Sakhra. Now this city hosts the most religious and holy places of Jews,

December 8-22 2017 Rabi ul Awwal 18-Rabi ul II 2,1439H Date Fajar

Sunrise

Dhuhr Asar (Shafi) Asar (Hanfi) Magrib

Isha

8

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

Adeeb

Ayyaz

(Realtor)

PREC

(Realtor)

604 518-3782

604 839-7863

adeebs@sutton.com

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2017 SOLD Properties

9

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

Ayyaz

Adeeb

(Realtor)

PREC

(Realtor)

“ A2Z Team ”

604 604 518 - 3782 839 - 7863 adeebs@sutton.com LD

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10 l o c a l 22nd Annual Milad Celebrated At Fiji Islamic Centre by IMAC Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

Muslims of Lower Mainland gathered at Fiji Islamic Centre Surrey on Dec 2, where the International Muslim Academy of Canada(IMAC) of Canada organised the annual 22nd Jashne Eid Milad-un-Nabi(Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam).

Br. Aseem Khan was the master of ceremony of this event. First Qari Imran Raza recited the verses of Quran, local Naat Khawans recited Naats time to time in their beautiful voices included Br. Muzammil Ahmed,Saiyed Hussain Br. Ghulam Shaizad Shah, Br. Abdur Rasool Salis and Saad Andur Rasool.

Local dynamic Urdu speaker Maulana A. Latif Naumani, Imam and Khateeb of Jamia Masjid Aulia Allah delivered a beautiful bayan in Urdu in which he focused on the birth of Prophet Mohammad(SAW) and love with Allah and his messenger Mohammad(pbuh).

He said that we praise in our Milad that Nabi (Prophet SAW) is the Messenger of Allah, and He is not Allah(swt) and neither equal to Allah. Therefore, it is not Shirk. It is an authentic Fatwah of Ahel Sunnah wal Jamaht. Allah said in Quran, “wherever my Zikar there is your (prophet’s) zikar”. Even in Kalma, Adhan, and Salat, the name of Prophet SAW is mentioned. Maulana Naumani asked everyone to promise that they would obey the teachings of Prophet and recite Darood daily.

MP Sukh Dhaliwal also attended the event and congratulated the community on this event. He expressed his respect for the religion of Islam and said that this is the beauty of Canada that we respect each other’s religions and cultural values. Mr. Dhailwal was commended because he stood up in the Parliament last week and informed them about Prophet’s Birth Day in his speech and specially mentioned the Fiji Islamic Centre, Masjid Aulia Allah where Milad un Nabi(saw) is celebrated every year.

The next guest speaker was Shaykh Sayed Nurjan Mirahamadi from Naqsbandi centre. Shaykh recited few verses of Quran and hadiths. Has asked everyone to think about their relationship with Allah. When you read holy Quran, understand the Commands being

given to our Prophet Mohammad (SAW). Allah said, that if he had sent down Quran on a mountain, it would have been humbled and rent asunder for fear of God. However, Allah made the heart of Prophet Mohammad(saw), soft and powerful to accept all commands. Allah made Mohammad (saw) the Messenger of all creation and everything is in existence in this universe must have the love of Syedna Mohammad Mustafa(saw).

Next speaker was Imam and Khateeb of Fiji Islamic Centre Qari o Hafiz Imran Raza. He spoke in English and Urdu covering manu topics. He first spoke about what Milad is. It means having an Ijtimah or gathering where the people come together and talk about Mohammad(saw) and thank Allah (swt) to send his beloved Messenger Mohammad among us. He recited few verses of para 3. Sura.Al Imran and explained. After Allah(swt), If any respect in the universe, it is Prophet Mohammad (saw), because Allah(swt) granted his Prophet the best character, knowledge, and beauty. Imam Imran described the Husan o Jamal(beauty) of Muhammad(saw) with reference of many hadiths. Prophet MOhammad (SAW) came as a teacher, and taught us how to build character, morality, and manners. He conquered Mecca without any bloodshed and forgave everyone at that time in Mecca. We should implement Prophet teachings in our daily life. Qari Imran also spoke about how Islam is a complete way of life which has answers for everything. If we study Quran and Hadith in depth, we will find a vast amount of knowledge that is still undiscovered or has been discovered only recently.

After the Durood-o- Salam, by Peer Afzal Ahmed made Duaa for the Muslim Ummah.

Mr. Kkan thanked all the guests, organizers and volunteers of this big 22nd annual Jashnen Eid Milad un Nabi (saw)event who prepared and served food and made a tremendous effort overall to make this event successful.

Members of the Masjid Committee were recognized for their service towards the Fiji Islamic Center.

Milad Celebration At Fleetwood Islamic Centre On Nov 25th, the birth of Prophet Mohammad (SAW) was celebrated in Fleetwood Islamic Centre.

The MC, Mr.Suleman Abbas welcomed and introduced the guests/ speakers for the night. The program began with Qur’an’s Tilawat. Br. Haydar Hussain recited Naats.

Afterwards, Imam Fode Drame of Az Zawiyah foundation was invited. He elaborated on the celebration of Eid-E-Milad-Un-Nabi (S.A.W) and explained how we learn from basic teachings of life which is the Sunnah of our beloved Prophet (PBUH). He recited few verses from Quran and references of Hadiths and how the Allah (SWT) loves with his beloved

Messenger Mohammad (pbuh).

He said the Quran is the set of instructions for our real lives and every Muslim should be respectful (Adab). He explained the conversation of prophet Moses and Allah(swt) and Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) Sidratul Muntiha at Miraj. Imam Fode discussed the conquest of Makkah and how Prophet Mohammad (saw) was mercy for mankind. He gave many examples of Prophet Mohammad (saw) in which Allah (swt) through Mohammad (saw) gave everyone.

The other English and Urdu guest speaker was Imam and Khateeb of Fiji Islamic Centre Qari o Hafiz Imran Raza, who quoted the arrival of beloved last Prophet (saw) in

Makkah tul Mukarrama. He also described the birth and Prophethood of Mohammad(saw). He explained the Darood o Salam through the reference of Quran., Allah (swt) Himself sends Darood o Salam on Prophet Mohammad (saw)in Sura Aaraf. He also explained the history of arrival of Surah# 102: At-Takathur and details of Surah# 93: Ad-Duha, as well as the verse “Wa rafana Lakh Zikrak”.

He concluded his speech explaining how our love with our Prophet (PBUH) should show in our daily lives. Br Br Faizal Kadir thanked all the guests at the end and also thanked all the volunteers who prepared the food and ar-

ranged this spiritual event by financial and physical help, may Allah(swt) accept our efforts ameen. The program concluded with Darood-O-Salaam and this was followed by a dua by Imam Sillah Drammeh of Fleetwood Centre.

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Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

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Grand Mawlid al- Nabi (saw) Celebrated by Hub-e-Rasul

Naqshbandia Islamic Center of Vancouver celebrated 4th annual Jashn-e-Eid Milad Al-Nabi (saw) under the guidance and leadership of Mawlana Shaykh Sayed Nurjan Mirahamadi (Damat Barakatuhum Ul Aliya). A program that is full of Naats, Nasheeds, Zikr and soulful speeches of Mashaikh Karam.

Hub-E-Rasul (saw)conference is rising as the biggest Mawlid conference of Canada where community comes together to celebrate the love of Holy Prophet (saw). Naqshbandia center is very thankful for all sponsors and community leaders who participated and collaboratively made this program a success.

The night began with Mawlana Shaykh Sayed Nurjan leading the flag march where hundreds of people including kids dressed up in beautiful white outfit decorated with badges and head bands waving flags and reciting durood o salam marched in the center of hall.

Program started with recitation of Holy Quran followed by Naqshbandia Ensemble reciting salawats and Nasheeds praising upon Sayedna Muhammad (saw). Mawlana Shaykh Nurjan lead the khatme Khawjgan, an ancient way of Mashaikh karam of Naqshbandi tareeqa for zikr followed by a soulful speech where Mawlana Shaykh Nurjan emphasized on loving Prophet Muhammad ‫ ﷺ‬more than we love ourselves to fulfilling our deen according to hadees of Holy Prophet (saw). Mawlana said that Nabi ‫ ﷺ‬taught us the best of manners.

He came to perfect the character of humanity and spread the peaceful teachings of Islam. Mawlana

said it is very important to celebrate these nights and be happy and share the happiness so other communities can see us as peace loving and warm hearted community.

Mawlana Abdul Lateef Naumani who equally participates in all Hub-E-Rasul ‫ ﷺ‬conferences also gave a heart touching bayan. He call upon all community to be united and take a stand for mawlid Al-Nabi ‫ ﷺ‬and celebrate the event with happiness.

Mawlana Naumani narrated incidents of love of Shaba Karam for Sayedna Muhammad (saw).

Evening ended with Ziarat of Holy reclics including Muae Mubarak of Sayedna Muhammad (saw), cloth of holy Turban of Imam Hussain (Alehe Assalam), The Shroud of Roza Shareef and Holy Kabba. Final Dua was made after darood o salam for safety and protection of everyone participating. A delicious dinner was served to hundreds of people with deserts and cake.

This year event is another huge success to spread the peaceful message of love, compassion and peace. The event was attended by hundreds of people from lower mainland.

Once again Naqshbandi Islamic Center is very thankful for everyone who supported and participated. Let’s make an intention to do even bigger program next year and bring the whole community under the blessings of Him who is mercy to mankind by raising His flag and showing our love for Him. If you would like to donate and be a supporter of these beautiful programs, please contact Naqshbandi Islamic Center of Vancouver at 604-558-4455.

Milad un Nabi (saw) Celebrated At Masjid Anwar e Madina

On Dec 2, Eid Milad-Un- Nabi(saw) was celebrated with great respect and honor in Masjid Anwar-e-Madina in Surrey.

Br. Saiyad Afroz was the master of ceremony and conducted the program successfully.

The program started with the recitation of the Holy Quran by Hafiz Mohammad Farooq.

Afterwards, there was a Naat-erasool Maqbool (saw) session, starting with local Naat Khawans Br. Yaseen, Shareef Chacha from Edmonton, Br. Abdur Rauf and Br Iftikaar Ahmad including young presenters Zeeshan Dean, Irfan Ali, Haider Ali, Yavar Yaqub and Abbas Ali in group.Br Afroz did an introductory speech about the Seerat un Nabi (saw) in English language. He also gave the references of different Hadiths regarding the praising of beloved Prophet in His Life.

Imam and Khateeb of Masjid Anwar e Madina Maulana Saiyad Imroze Dean delivered a dynamic speech in Urdu, in which he narrated incidents from the Seerat un Nabi and importance to celebrate the birth of

Mohammad(PBUH).

Syed Imroz recited many Ayaats and Hadiths referencing the Seerah.

He gave the reference of Sura Al Imran: ayat 81: “When Allah made (His) covenant with the prophets, (He said): Behold that which I have given you of the Scripture and knowledge. And afterward there will come unto you a messenger, confirming that which ye possess.

Ye shall believe in him and ye shall help him. He said: Do ye agree, and will ye take up My burden (which I lay upon you) in this (matter)? They answered: We agree. He said: Then bear ye witness. I will be a witness with you.”

He said that at any gathering where we describe our Prophet Mohammad’s (saw)life history/ Seerat in speeches and Nasheeds /Naats on the Day of His Birth is called Milad un Nabi(saw).Maulana Imroz detailed the Sura Araf Ayat 172 And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam - from their loins - their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], “Am I not your Lord?” They

said, “Yes, we have testified.” He explained the level of love of our beloved prophet Mohammed (saw) and Allah (swt). Next was the chief guest speaker Imam and Khateeb Masjid Awliya Allah Allama Mohammad Ayyub.

He explained what was “Shirk” that you give anyone status equal to Allah(swt). Milad un Nabi(saw) means “Happiness of birth of Prophet Mohammad (saw). Many Sunni Muslims on this occasion recite the Quran, narrate Seerat un Nabi (saw) and Naats o Nasheed but none of these celebrations equate Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and Allah (swt) (Nauzubillah). He explained the coversations between angel Jibraeel and Prophet and said that Angel Jibraeil, Hzt Aisha Siddquea, and Hzt Abu Bakar Siddique who were very close to Prophet even didn’t know about all details about Mohammad(saw) life. He recited few Ayaats of the Sura Hujrat, Sura Nisa, Sura Tuba Sura Hasher, in which Allah and Rasool name came together, for example in Sura Al Imran ayat 32 “Allah and His Messenger knows”. These

signs are enough for showing the respect of our Prophet and we should show our love with our actions in our daily lives. Mr. Afroz thanked all the guests and community members who joined this spiritual gathering. At the end, Darood o Salam read by Abbas Ali Saifi aand Duaa made by Allama Mohammad Ayyub.

13

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

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Muslim world should sever ties with any state that transfers embassy to Jerusalem: OIC The Organisation for Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday said its 57 member states should sever ties with any state that transfers its embassy to Jerusalem or recognises Israel’s annexation of East Jerusalem.

The OIC called for a summit of Muslim nations if the United States takes the controversial decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The ruling Palestinian party has also called for mass protests against such a move by Washington.

US President Donald Trump faces a key decision this week over Jerusalem’s status, potentially reversing years of the US policy and prompting a furious response from the Palestinians and the Arab world.

The 57-member OIC sought to amplify concern over the possible move in an emergency meeting on Monday in the Saudi Red Sea

city of Jeddah.

“If the United States takes the step of recognising Jerusalem as the so-called capital of Israel, we unanimously recommend holding a meeting of the council of foreign ministers followed by an Islamic summit as soon as possible,” the pan-Islamic body said in a statement.The OIC also warned that recognising Jerusalem or establishing any diplomatic mission in the disputed city would be seen as a “blatant attack on the Arab and Islamic nations”.

The status of Jerusalem is one of the most contentious issues of the long-running Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Most of the international community, including the US, does not formally recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, insisting the issue can only be resolved through final-status negotiations.

Central to the issue of recognition is the question of whether Trump decides to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. All foreign embassies are located in Tel Aviv with consular representation in Jerusalem.

Israelis and Palestinians are eagerly watching to see whether he again renews a waiver delaying the move, as his predecessors have done.There are suggestions that Trump will sign the waiver and decline to move the embassy for now, but later this week declare Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

Israel, which seized the largely Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem during the 1967 SixDay War and later annexed it, claims both halves of the city as its “eternal and undivided capital”.

But the Palestinians want the eastern sector as capital of their promised state and

fiercely oppose any Israeli attempt to extend sovereignty there.

Several peace plans have come unstuck over debates on whether, and how, to divide sovereignty or oversee the city’s sites holy to Christians, Jews and Muslims.

Source:dawn.com/news

Israel declared the city its undivided capital.

The Palestinians see east Jerusalem as the capital of their future state.

No countries [now except the US] have accepted Israeli sovereignty and have their embassies in the commercial capital Tel Aviv instead. The city’s eastern sector contains some of the sites holiest to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.

Divided population in the holy city Jerusalem’s population is divided not only between Israeli Jews and Palestinians but also within the Jewish population, with over a third of the city’s 542,000 adult Jewish residents defining themselves as ultraOrthodox, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.

The ultra-Orthodox are the fastest growing segment in the city, with over two-thirds of elementary school children enrolled in their schools in Jerusalem.

Palestinians in Jerusalem have Israeli resi-

dency and access to services.

Most Palestinians do not partake in municipal elections and cannot vote in parliamentary elections. NGOs in support of them denounce what they describe as the unequal distribution of resources and services in east and west Jerusalem.

Life in Jerusalem Alongside the religious sites, institutions, and people, Jerusalem is host to Israel’s top higher education facility, the Hebrew University, whose founding fathers include Albert Einstein and Sigmund Freud.The Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Sam Spiegel Film and Television School and Nissan Nativ acting studio are some of the institutions that draw Israel’s most talented artists.

Tourism capital According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 78 per cent of the three million tourists

who entered Israel in 2016 visited Jerusalem.

The most popular destinations were the Western Wall along with the Christian holy sites at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and Via Dolorosa, all in the walled Old City.

Jerusalem Syndrome Jerusalem is one of the few cities worldwide to have a psychiatric condition named after it.The rare condition affects tourists who come to visit holy sites of Christianity, Judaism and Islam and suddenly find themselves overwhelmed by it all, believing themselves to be characters from the Bible, Dr Grigory Katz, a psychiatrist at Jerusalem’s Kfar Shaul Mental Health Center and an expert on the syndrome, said. Many of those afflicted by the condition become convinced they are Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary or some other character from the Bible, but symptoms don’t tend to last long, and medication can help bring patients back to “normalcy” within days.

deep concern”.

“Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims,” Erdogan said in a televised speech to his ruling party, warning that if such a move was taken Turkey would call a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and could even “go as far as” cutting its ties with the Jewish state.

US President Donald Trump faces a key decision this week over Jerusalem’s status, potentially reversing years of US policy and prompting a furious response from the Palestinians and the Arab world.

Meanwhile the official Saudi Press Agency, citing a foreign ministry source said: “Saudi Arabia (expresses) grave and deep concern over reports that the US administration intends to recognise Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and to relocate its embassy to Jerusalem.”

The European Union also warned of possible “serious repercussions” if US President Donald Trump decides to recognise Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and move the US embassy there. The EU, which supports a two-state solution to the conflict, warned against doing anything that would jeopardise the peace process.“Since early this year, the European Union was clear in its expectation that there can be reflection on the consequences that any decision or unilateral action affecting Jerusalem’s status could have,” EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini’s office said in a statement. “It might have serious repercussions on public opinion in large parts of the world,” it added. “The focus should therefore remain on the efforts to restart the peace process and avoiding any action that would undermine such efforts.”

Trump has yet to make his final decision, US

officials have said, but he is now expected to stop short of moving the embassy to Jerusalem — though he may still recognise the city as Israel’s capital.

Both Israelis and Palestinians claim Jerusalem as their capital and previous peace plans have stumbled over debates on whether, and how, to divide sovereignty or oversee holy sites. The 28-nation EU said it would “continue to engage with both parties and its international and regional partners” to support a resumption of a meaningful peace process.

Salman, who all received phone calls from Trump, joined a mounting chorus of voices warning that unilateral steps on Jerusalem would derail a fledgling US-led peace effort and unleash turmoil in the region.

At the same time, a senior Israeli minister appeared to welcome Trump’s decision on Jerusalem while vowing that Israel was preparing for any outbreak of violence.

Trump notified Abbas “of his intention to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem”, Abbas’s spokesman Nabil Abu Rdainah said.

Mahmud Abbas, in response, “warned of the dangerous consequences such a decision would have to the peace process and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world” and also appealed to the Pope and the leaders of Russia, France and Jordan to intervene.

The Jordanian monarch, whose dynasty is the custodian of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, told Trump that moving the embassy there would have “dangerous repercussions”

for the region and would obstruct US efforts to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, according to a palace statement.

Jordan plans to convene an emergency meeting of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation on Trump’s new Jerusalem policy, said Foreign Minister Ayman al Safadi.

President Sisi of Egypt cautioned Trump against “taking measures that would undermine the chances of peace” and complicate matters in the Middle East, a presidential statement released in Cairo said.

King Salman stressed to Trump that any US announcement on the status of Jerusalem “will hurt peace talks and increase tension in the region” and said it would inflame Muslim feelings all over the world, the Saudi Press Agency said.

None of the leaders’ statements said whether Trump specified the timing of an embassy move, a notion that successive Israeli governments have supported.

But US officials said Trump was expected to

sign a national security waiver — as have his predecessors — keeping the embassy in Tel Aviv for another six months, but would commit to expediting a move. It was unclear, however, whether he would set a date.

Donald Trump, who promised during the presidential campaign to move the embassy to Jerusalem and is expected to announce his decision in a speech on Wednesday, appears intent on satisfying the pro-Israel, right-wing base that helped him win the presidency.

Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, a move not recognised internationally.

5 things you should know about Jerusalem

J

erusalem is once again stirring powerful emotions around the world after US President Donald Trump recognised the city as Israel’s capital on Wednesday.

Here are five things to know about the divided city: Current status Israel seized control of Palestinian’s east Jerusalem from Jordan during a 1967 war and later annexed it. The move was never recognised by the international community but

Erdogan warns Trump, Saudis voice alarm over possible US move on Jerusalem

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned his United States counterpart Donald Trump on Tuesday against a possible recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital while Saudi Arabia expressed “grave and

EU warns of serious repercussions

Trump tells Middle East leaders he’ll recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital

WASHINGTON: President Donald Trump told Arab leaders on Tuesday that he intends to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, a decision that breaks with decades of US policy and risks fuelling further unrest in the Middle East.

Senior officials said Trump is likely to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital on Wednesday while delaying relocating the embassy from Tel Aviv for another six months, though he is expected to order his aides to begin planning such a move immediately.

Washington’s endorsement of Israel’s claim to all of Jerusalem as its capital would reverse a long-standing policy that the city’s status must be decided in negotiations with the Palestinians, who want East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state. The international community does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the entire city, home to sites holy to Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi and Saudi Arabia’s King

15

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p o litics

While Western allies criticize Trump’s Jerusalem move, Canada remains muted

By Evan Dyer, CBC News Trudeau government continues pro-Israel policy of Harper government, but does so quietly.

Canada will not follow U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, nor will it be moving its embassy, says Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland.

But Canada laid out its position in muted tones, and unlike the governments of Britain, France, Germany and other Western countries, did not make any public effort to change Trump’s mind about an action that many in the Mideast see as a needless provocation.

Prior to Trump’s announcement, Global Affairs Canada put out a statement: ”Canada is a steadfast ally and friend of Israel and

friend to the Palestinian people. Canada’s longstanding position is that the status of Jerusalem can be resolved only as part of a general settlement of the Palestinian-Israeli dispute. This has been the policy of consecutive governments, both Liberal and Conservative.”

The department stressed the statement was issued in the name of spokesman Adam Austen, rather than Freeland herself. But after Trump’s announcement Wednesday, Freeland re-issued essentially the same quote in her own name.

Austen explained Freeland’s earlier silence this way: “The minister does not make statements about world events before they happen.”

No attempt to influence Of course, governments and foreign ministers often do make statements either calling for or warning against actions that have not yet been taken. After all, the window of opportunity to influence a decision closes once it is announced.

Other foreign officials not only commented but contacted their U.S. counterparts before the decision was announced, in an attempt to get the Trump administration to reconsider. French President Emmanuel Macron called Trump, as did British Prime Minister Theresa May. “We believe it’s unhelpful,” May said after the announcement, adding that Trump has an obligation to “now bring forward detailed proposals for an Israel-Palestinian settle-

ment.”

“We all know the far-reaching impact this move would have,” said German Foreign MinisterSigmar Gabriel. “Everything which worsens the crisis is counterproductive.”

“We think it’s an unwise step and a counterproductive step,” said his Dutch counterpart, Halbe Zijlstra. “I don’t think we can use another conflict in this very explosive region.”

Trudeau continues pro-Israel stance Canada’s low-key reaction is in keeping with the Trudeau government’s handling of the Israeli-Palestinian file, which has so far closely followed the Harper government’s alignment with Israel, but has done so quietly, rather than trumpeting it in fundraising emails.

At the United Nations, Canada under Trudeau continues to block resolutions condemning Israeli actions in the occupied territories — alongside the U.S., Israel and a small coterie of Pacific island nations that depend heavily on the U.S. and traditionally vote in lockstep with it.

Last December, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Japan, China and 162 other nations all supported UN resolution 17/96, guaranteeing the protections of the Geneva Convention to Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories.

The Trudeau government joined forces with the United States, Israel, Micronesia, Palau and the Marshall Islands to oppose it.

Canada has voted against motions that align

closely with its own official position, such as a motion to “promote the realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, to support the achievement without delay of an end to the Israeli occupation that began in 1967 and of the two-state solution on the basis of the pre-1967 border.”

The Trudeau government voted against that one on Nov. 24, 2015.

It also voted against motions calling on Israel to respect the “special international regime” status that Jerusalem has officially enjoyed since 1947, even though Canada voted to create that status and it remains part of Canada’s official policy.

And just this month, Canada joined the U.S. and four other small nations to vote against a UN resolution to disavow Israeli ties to Jerusalem, which came amid rumours that Trump was ready to recognize it as the capital of Israel. The resolution passed 151-6.

By: David P. Ball Metro Kiwis, Icelanders give latest examples for clashes between B.C. electoral reform foes.

British Columbians can expect to hear more about Iceland and New Zealand in the New Year.

Even though they’re 6,000 and 12,000 kilometres from Vancouver, respectively, both just experienced election results so “bizarre” they’re sure to become fodder in the lead-up to fall 2018’s referendum on changing how we vote.

That’s according to two pundits on either side of B.C.’s proportional representation debate. The B.C. NDP launched a commission this fall on the upcoming referendum, which the B.C. Liberals accused of being “stacked” with reformers.

“For the most part Canadians don’t pay a ton of attention to international affairs,” said David Moscrop, a Simon Fraser University political scientist and self-described avid supporter of electoral reform, “and even less to the affairs of New Zealand or Iceland.

“But they have now given opponents of reform some current fodder to use to try to

scare people into voting against proportional representation — ‘If you want a tiny percentage of people deciding the fate of the province, look what happened in New Zealand or Iceland.’”

In Iceland last Thursday, Katrín Jakobsdóttir became Prime Minister after forming a three-way coalition — despite her LeftGreen party’s mere 17 per cent of the vote.

And in New Zealand, Jacinda Ardern came to power Oct. 26 despite her Labour party only having 37 per cent of the vote — thanks to a coalition with the small far-right antiimmigrant New Zealand First party and a confidence and supply deal with the even smaller Greens.

Such backroom dealings might sound familiar to British Columbians after the Greens propped up the B.C. NDP under a similar agreement. But both Kiwis and Bjork’s compatriots have different types of proportional representation which aim to more closely match seats in parliament to the popular vote.

“The biggest problem with any proportional representation system is it almost all but guarantees minority governments, where the smallest party can weild the most power and actually decide who becomes the prime minister or premier,” argued Bill Tieleman, who campaigned for the “No” side in B.C.’s 2009 referendum. “Proponents say, ‘Some people’s vote doesn’t count’ and all this nonsese.

“But the reality is a party that got five to six per cent of the vote, in the case of New Zealand, decided who will be prime minister and insists on many of their policies — the

idea that this is more democratic is absolutely absurd.”

Moscrop replied that the “bizarre” outcomes aren’t unique to proportional representation systems — look at B.C.’s own current Greenbacked NDP minority under first-past-thepost voting — and aren’t representative.

“Moments of pro-rep uncertainty are going to be seized upon by opponents,” he said, “and they have a point — that those might not be wanted in B.C. “But that’s a cognitive bias. If something’s top of mind, people think it’s more common.

When you think of a non-functioning democracy, you don’t think of Iceland, Sweden, New Zealand or Germany; they are some of the world’s top democracies.”

Tieleman, however, countered that under our current first-past-the-post voting system — in which voters elect an MLA for their local riding and the party able to get the most MLAs’ backing in the Legislature forms government — stable majorities and occasional minorities are the norm.

“But under proportional representation, almost no government almost ever has a complete majority, it’s just about impossible that happens,” he said. “You’re always looking at a coalitition or alliances with one to three minor parties … even very minor fringe parties.

“Who are they accountable to if not to constituents? It’s up to party backroom politics.”

The B.C. NDP tabled referendum legislation in early October, fulfilling a key election promise and one of the pillars of their confidence deal with the Greens. The ref-

erendum, it revealed, would be held in fall 2018 by mail, and only require 50-per-centplus-one vote to be successful, with no geographic requirements.

But after the government appointed three proportional representation supporters to its referendum planning commission, and only one critic, Tieleman lamented it “has regrettably stacked the deck in favour of pro-rep already.”

The referendum also outraged B.C. Liberals who said proportional representation would reduce the voting power of B.C.’s Interior and rural areas unfairly — and mainly benefit the NDP’s urban voter base and their Green Party allies.

“The B.C. NDP’s plan to change the electoral system is nothing more than an attempt to stack the deck in their favour,” the opposition tweeted Nov. 30. “John Horgan and Andrew Weaver are doing everything they can to tilt B.C.’s electoral system to their own advantage.”

Here in B.C., two referenda on electoral reform failed in the 2000s — in 2005, falling just four per cent short of the 60 per cent threshold set by the B.C. Liberals, despite majority support in 77 or 79 provincial ridings; and again four years later, garnering only 39 per cent support.

Have your say on electoral reform. The B.C. government is seeking public input until Feb. 28 online. Meanwhile, the opposition B.C. Liberals are signing up opponents of changing the voting system at their Protect Your Voice web page, and Fair Voting B.C. gathering supporters at its website.

A legal advocacy group says British Columbia is falling short of meeting targets set by the United Nations on women’s rights. The annual report card released by West Coast LEAF says the province is missing targets in a UN convention aimed at eliminating all

forms of discrimination against women in a number of areas including access to justice, affordable housing and child care. Although seven of nine focus areas showed improvements, the highest grade was a C-plus for health and employment. “The take-away is that there’s no room for complacency,” said Alana Prochuk, a manager at West Coast LEAF in a news release. “Now is the time to increase pressure on the provincial government to fulfil its promises and stay accountable to women. B.C. can and must comply fully with international standards for gender equality and human rights.” The government’s handling of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and access to child care received a D grade.

Executive director Kasari Govender says the province has stalled on addressing violence and deep poverty experienced by Indigenous women and the organization calls the province’s performance “abysmal.” The report says only eight of 63 recommendations from the B.C. Missing Women Commission of Inquiry have been fully implemented five years after being released and the organization says it’s time for the province to fulfil its promises. It adds that a “healing fund” to support the families of missing and murdered women has not been created.

The report also says “bias-free policing standards” have not been established and while new transportation improvements have been announced for Highway 16, the

so-called Highway of Tears, the cost of the service poses a barrier to low-income women. The B.C. government wasn’t immediately available to respond to request for comments.

The report also says the lack of affordable, high-quality child care has consequences on women’s empowerment. It acknowledges the new appointment of B.C.’s minister of state for child care, which suggests the government will prioritize the issue, but says it’s too soon to predict the results.

The report also points to the fact the new government did not include $10-a-day child care in its September budget update, which John Horgan’s New Democrats campaigned on during the May election.

Source Vancouver Sun

‘Bizarre’ overseas election results ‘fodder’ for B.C. referendum

B.C. not meeting women’s rights as established by UN: report card

16

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439

LOCAL

December 8, 2017

AICP Together in Loving Muhammad, (PBUH) Milad-un-Nabiyy Celebration at Bell Performing Arts Centre

In the presence of an honorable hair of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, the Association of Islamic Charitable Projects (AICP) in British Columbia celebrated like the rest of the Muslim world Milad-unNabiyy expressing joy and gratitude for the birth of the best of creation. The celebration this year took place at Bell Performing Arts Center – Surrey, BC. No effort was spared and no expense was held back for a celebration that is one of a kind in BC. The Association of Islamic Charitable Projects in BC raises the flag of happiness and thanking Allah for this honorable birth. Happiness for the appearance

of the Prophet who erased the darkness of ignorance with the illuminations of his guidance. Thanking Allah ta^ala for making us amongst the followers of this Great Prophet.

Together in loving Muhammad Muslims from various communities came to celebrate this honorable occasion as they would in their homeland.

A moving Qur’an recitation started the celebration followed by chants and beautiful tunes for the love of the Prophet sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam from AICP chants group.

Imams of AICP Center addressed the crowd in Arabic and English speeches highlighting our great beloved Muhammad who came as

a mercy to all nations and cultures. Speeches stressed the importance of following the true and authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Muslims must adhere to this Authentic creed of AhlusSunnah wal Jama^ah, clearing Allah from resembling His creations, and to love our Grand Prophet as he deserves.

They urged Muslims to adhere to the fundamentals of this tolerant Religion commanded by Allah; while passionately warning against exploitation, misguidance and extremist ideologies in the name of religion.

The children of Al-Hidayah and The Islamic Education School (TIES) drew a long and

Milad Celebration by Bullay Shah Academy of Canada On Nov 25, Eid-e-Milad-Un-Nabi (S.A.W) program was organised at Bullay Shah Academy of Canada for the lovers of Prophet Mohammad(saw).

The program started with the recitation of Quran

by Hafiz Arham and Ahmad Raza. Mr. Raheel Aslam was the MC. He invited many local Naat Khawns to recite heart touching Hamd o Naat s and Nasheeds included Rayan Ahmad, Br. Muzammil Ahmed, Hafiz Ashfaq, Br. Ch Ijaz and Br. Naseer Pirzada. After recitation of Hamd o Naats Mr. Aslam invited President of Bullay Shah Academy Pir Afzal Ahmed Naqashbandi to address the audience. He delivered a stunning bayan in Urdu and English in which he focused on the birth of Prophet Mohammad(SAW) and love

with Allah and his messenger Mohammad(pbuh).

He said our Prophet Mohammed(SAW) worried about his Ummah till his last breath, and made dua for them He discussed the verse from Quraan: Surat Ash-Sharĥ (Wa rafa’na laka zikrak”. He talked about the love for Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) in depth and the ways of achieving or implementing in our daily lives. Pir Afzal said that unfortunately today our actions are not as per the teachings of Quran and Sunnah. We should praise Allah and His Messenger Prophet Mohammad (saw) all the time and be a practising Muslim. After Darood o Salam at the end M Pir Afzal Ahmed made Duaa for all Muslim ummah.

passionate applause from the crowd after their performance and heartwarming chant about Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him.

The Association of Islamic Charitable Projects held this celebration under the banner of ‘Together in loving Muhammad’, peace be upon him. Attendees enjoyed complimentary food provided by the Association for the love of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.

At the end of this huge great even, the attendance was able to seek tabarruk and the blessing from the hair of the Greatest Prophet sallallahu ^alayhi wa sallam that was brought especially for Milad-un-Nabiyy celebration.

17

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

I M M I G ration

Federal government continues to make family reunification a priority

Processing surge puts Government on reaching the high end of the target range as track to largely eliminate Live-in Caregiver set out in the 2017 levels plan.

Program backlog by end of 2018.

Having taken these steps, IRCC is committing to: •Finalizing a minimum of 80% of the cases that were in the LCP inventory as of October 1, 2017 by the end of 2018; •Processing 80% of new, complete LCP applications submitted on or after October 1, 2017 within 12 months; and •Admitting high numbers of LCP caregivers and their family members as permanent residents until the remaining cases are processed.

The multi-year levels plan for Toronto, ON – Caregivers and their families 2018-2020 set out targets for the number of will be reunited and the inventory of Live-in permanent resident admissions in the carCaregiver Program (LCP) applications will egiver category that will allow IRCC to meet be largely eliminated by the end of 2018, these commitments. thanks to the commitments made today by Earlier this year, the Standing Committee on the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration recommended Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship. that the Government deliver a plan to end Great progress has been made on the back- the backlog of Live-in Caregiver Program log in recent years. As of October 1, 2017, applications. With this plan in place, carthere was a 63% reduction in the number of egivers waiting for their Live-in Caregiver caregivers and their family members waiting Program applications to be finalized should for their permanent residence applications to get decisions on their cases and be reunited be finalized since reaching its highest level with their families soon. in May 2014.

Quote This fall, Immigration, Refugees and Citi- The commitments the Government has zenship Canada (IRCC) dedicated addi- made today will mean that many Live-in tional resources to process LCP applications Caregiver Program applicants who have and encourage caregivers and their fam- faced long delays and family separation ily members to submit any documents that may soon reach their goal of permanent were missing from their applications. With residence. After diligently providing care this focus, IRCC is on track to finalize 5,000 for Canadians, they may soon be in the more cases than originally planned by the company of their own loved ones, together end of 2017. This surge will allow IRCC to in Canada. welcome 20,000 new permanent residents – The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister in the caregiver category in total this year, of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

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Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

h e a lth

When doctors should admit they don’t know?

By: Dr. Sarmad Chaudhry fter graduation from medical school, as the news broke out among family and friends that I have started a house job at ‘the most prestigious’ hospital in town, I started receiving curbside consultation requests.

First it was one of my mother’s friend, asking for my opinion if she should go for knee replacement surgery or not. With an inflated ego, I was ready to give her free advice based on my ‘vast experience’ of knee surgeries, which of course was limited to seeing a couple of postoperative patients during an orthopedic clerkship in my final year of medical school. Then an uncle showed up at our house, ready to unload his whole medical history from 20 years ago when he had once fallen, till recently when he pressed the car brakes a bit hard. He thought he also might have whiplash. Playing the role of a spine specialist, I was eager and ready to give my two cents.

Then there was a friend of mine who was struggling with infertility and had been to various medical centres in town. It did not take me much time to find a ‘solution’ for him once he asked for help.

At other occasions, I acted like a cardiologist, a psychiatrist, a nephrologist, a neu-

A

rologist, an oncologist and what not. I was a free advice expert.

I stood, at the front of everyone’s problems, with a swollen ego, as I was being looked upon for solutions to everyone’s medical quandaries.

However, in all of that, it did not occur to me that my good-willed but half-baked advice may be doing more harm than good. It never crossed my mind to tell them that their medical problems were beyond my expertise of being an intern.

I was a fresh graduate from a system where I learnt about public toilets in great details, but not a single lecture on medical ethics. I had earned a degree, but not the responsibility that comes with it. So I did not know how and when to admit ‘I don’t know’. Giving free advice was a noble act and not something to feel accountable for. I thought I was paying back to the society by this noble act.

I am pretty sure I was not the only one in this quagmire. It’s prevalent in our society that people openly share every detail of their medical history with family, friends and especially if there is a doctor in the neighbourhood.Doctors on the other hand, are ready to generously and sincerely share their advice, sometimes not really knowing the full extent of patient’s problem.

This culture is not specific to new graduates; unfortunately it has plagued the entire medical community at multiple levels.

When should a doctor tell his patients ‘I don’t know’ is a tough question. Physicians during their training and education are

primed to answer questions. Not answering is not an option and ‘I don’t know’ never gets rewarded.

Medical practitioners are pressured to make a clear diagnosis and a straightforward treatment plan. Patients come with high hopes and expect black and white answers, often to some very complicated questions.

What most people don’t realise is that medicine is an ocean of uncertainty and doctors are the navigators of this ocean. Doctors read text books, but diseases don’t. Doctors make algorithms, but diseases may not follow them. Doctors follow medical guidelines, but these guidelines often change.

Years of practicing at high complexity tertiary care centres has humbled me. Not a day passes by without making me realise how much I don’t know. On top of this, an increasing pile of medical journals and research articles on my table keeps increasing my sense of ignorance.

Should this sense of ignorance be shared with patients? Will they deem their physicians as incompetent? Will the doctors lose their patients’ trust? All of these are barriers for a doctor in admitting ‘I don’t know’ to their patients, when they really don’t.

Contrary to what most physicians might think, evidence in medical literature is clear that patients trust their doctors more when they are honest with them.

This may entail admitting a mistake, not knowing a diagnosis, being unaware of a treatment plan, or not been able to perform a procedure.

If doctors take time to educate their patients about the complexity of a disease, the work needed to reach a definitive diagnosis, pittfalls in the treatment plans, and any limitation of treatment options, it will increase trust in their doctors as well as in the medical profession.

When patients realise their doctors are working hard to sort out the problem, they bond with them more and tend to develop trust quickly. After all, a right diagnosis is more important.

Learning medicine is a science, practicing it is an art. In my first feedback meeting, my residency programme director and mentor, Dr Todd Gress, taught me a sentence that never let me down in 20 years of practicing medicine: “I don’t know, but I’ll find out”.

Dr. Sarmad Chaudhry is a Pulmonologist and a Diplomat American Board of Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases and Critical Care Medicine. He has a keen interest in community education and creating awareness about medical problems.

Source: www.dawn.com

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Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

local

The Last Salute- Released in Canada

After successful release in Pakistan, The Last Salute a memoir by Sqn. Ldr. Nusrat Hussain (R) of Pakistan Air Force was released in a simple and graceful ceremony held at Punjab Bhawan, Surrey BC on Saturday 25th Nov. 2017. The function was organised and amicably conducted by Mr. Harpreet Singh, popular TV Host and a journalist of note in BC, Canada. Dr. Mohammed Tariq, Pakistan Consul General in Vancouver was the chief guest and Mr. Kavinder Chand of the Punjab Bhawan was a guest of honor.

Punjab Bhawan, a great facility is provided free for all literary activities of all the communities by Mr. Sukhi Bath of Sukhi Motors who himself is an enormous literature lover.

Harpreet Singh, introducing the book and the author spoke about his friendship with Nusrat and of cordial relations between the members of the Pakistani and Indian community living in Vancouver. Many other prominent members of the Pakistani and Indian community lauded services of Nusrat Hussain who is the founding chief editor of The Miracle, first Muslim newspaper of British Columbia.

Mr. Naseer Pizada, managing editor of The Miracle lauded the srivices of Hussain in establishing the newspaper and later handing to Pirzada. Mr. Mohammed Rafique, Mr.

Zarar Butt, Mr. Shaukat Khan- president Pakistan Canada Association, Mr. Farrukh Syed-president Pakistan Canadian Cultural Association, Mr. Shams Siddiqui, Mr. Aslam Hayat, Mr. Intikhab Ahmed of Dil Apna Pakistan, Mr. Tariq Kiani of Sohni Dharti, Mr. Nadeem Parmar, Mrs. Sajida Shah, Mrs. Alam Ara, Mrs. Shahana Haqqi of Urdu Journal and Mrs. Surinder Kaur spoke on the occasion and described incidents of their good association with the author, Nusrat Hussain.

Sqn. Ldr. Hussain (R) briefly described about going through the joy and pain while writing The Last Salute. He called the Air Force as his romance and informed about the crash story of General Zia-ul-Haq included in the book. The Book, according to Nusrat, was a ‘must read’ for all fighter pilots serving in any Air Force of the world.

He also appreciated services of Mr. Arslan Sultan who helped in shaping the cover design of The Last Salute.

Dr. Mohammed Tariq, Consular General of Pakistan described the book as a naughty and a thrilling narration about lives of the pilots of Pakistan Air Force who served during Nusrat’s days of service with Pakistan Air Force.

In the end the book was presented to the Consul General and mementos of Punjab Bhawan were presented to Hussain and Dr. Tariq.

Launching ceremony of a Book “Memoirs of a Pakhtun Immigrant” By Teresa Schapansky

On Dec 2, another book was launched in town and this time it was Ms. Teresa Schapansky’s “Memoirs of A Pakhtun Immigrant “, based on the memoirs of Mr. Gafoor Khan. Consul General of Pakistan Dr. Mohammad Tariq hosted this launching ceremony at Afghan Chopan Restaurant in Surrey with Pakistani community members. Ms. Layla Khan did the MC. Few speakers were invited to speak about late Mr. Gafoor Khan, as they knew him personally.

Among the speakers was Mr. Shams Jilani, who told the audience about Mr. Khan’s efforts at that time and how difficult the immigration system was. Mr. Khan got the immigration with the help of Nasarullah Khan, a Pakistani Minister. His honesty, hardship, and dedication were the reasons behind his success.

Next speaker was the writer of the book, Ms. Teresa Schapansky. She thanked everyone who came to hear Khan’s immigrant story and specially thanked Dr. Tariq for arranging the event.

She said that the purpose of writing this book was to ensure the history of her husband Salim’s family was preserved. Mr. Salim is the grandson of Gafoor Khan. His father Mr. Jamal and his family’s struggles are mentioned in the start of this book. She said, “ I have the absolute honor of playing a small part of this incredible journey, researching and learning history of this family discovering what could happen at arriving

in Canadaside by side with Mr. Jamal and his Family.”

Mr. Salim Khan, also talked about the book and his grandfather. He remembered him as a very generous man. He arrived in Vancouver Island many years before, and he struggled hard. Then they spent some time in Pakistan and came back to Canada. Mr. Khan also thanked his wife for writing the book.

Mr. Rasool Mohammad had come from Texas to speak at this event. , He said that the book is the story of an immigrant and everyone here today knows how we struggle here for our food and living. He talked about Mr. Ghafoor Khan and Sr. Mastoor’s efforts during that time. He came from same region, and at that time Mr. Khan had only $2 and he had $400 in our pockets but never Mr. Khan never gave up. He was a great and brave man.

The Consul General in his speech highlighted that the title of the book ‘Memoirs of a Pakhtun Immigrant’ has ethic and linguistic overtones as Pakhtun live in Pakistan and Afghanistan, however, the subject story relates to Pakhtun from Pakistan. Mr Jamal Khan takes pride in calling himself as Canadian of Pakistan origin.

The story is about the earliest known Pakistan origin family in Western Canada who permanently settled in Vancouver Island.

The Consul General added that the author

through her work, depicting Pakhtun and Pakistani culture has brought Canada and Pakistan closer. The author, Ms Teresa Schapansky, a hardworking and positive person always looks at the brighter side of the things.

He then thanked everyone for coming and joining him at this one of a kind event.

‘Memoirs of a Pakhtun Immigrant’

On May 15, 1903 in the remote village of Charuna, in the North West Frontier Province of undivided India, a child was born in a oneroom house made of stone and clay. Although the family members of this child were povertystricken, they felt rich with knowledge; this knowledge stemmed from their customs and religious beliefs, which had spanned generations and survived the passing of time.

The moment this child’s gender was determined, so was his destiny. It was expected that he would, as his father and ancestors before him had done, grow up strong, marry young, build a stone house, father children, and farm the land. As always, names were chosen carefully among the Pakhtun people, and he was called Gafoor. This was a strong, masculine title, which meant “forgiver” and “merciful”.

Throughout the early years of his childhood, the boy would gather daily during the harvest seasons with his brothers, sisters, and other village children while the adults farmed the

land. Never far from the watchful eyes of their parents, these children were content as they played, learned, and grew together, protected by the thick green canopies provided by the trees, and sheltered from the hot summer sun.

This simple, yet laborious way of life lasted throughout his adolescent and teenaged years, and it might have continued into adulthood, if not for the interest he’d taken in the stories he’d heard about those who’d chosen to leave the mountains.

Widely talked about among the villagers, and held in high regard, were the brave men who had left the comfort and security of their mountain homes. These men for the most part, found work with shipping companies in Bombay, and rumour had it that this employment not only provided a good income, but also opportunities for traveling the world - a world which, for most of those left behind, could only be imagined in their minds’ eye.

Gafoor listened to the stories and was growing into an idealist. He was eager to find out how much more the world might have to offer.

20

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

women/LOCAL Beautiful things are not always good but good things are always beautiful.

By: Asma Ayyaz, Mortgage Broker The Challenges we Face Today There are many challenges we face every day as parents, children, teens, adults, and even seniors. The challenges are present everywhere from the comforts in our home, at work, school, university, and amongst all our relationships.

We face issues with our colleagues, friends, family, distant relatives and even strangers on the street or in a store. This life on earth is like a probation period. We have come on this earth to live our life peacefully, properly, and with skills developed to avoid conflict that harms us before it’s time to go away and be free. Let’s make this time a happy experience for us and all the many souls we touch on a daily basis.

Loving our Children As a parent, we love our children with no boundaries blindly to give them all the benefits in life. We don’t think when it comes to money, material items, happiness, comfort but we tend to forget their most important need. Quality time is the one priceless thing children truly need from their parents but it is the easiest one to “skip” for the other things in life. Through many lessons in life, we teach them the differences between right and wrong along with manners to use with strangers and family, punishment to stop bad behavior, and ultimately give up for many wrongdoings because we are simply tired. We should channel our love towards them so they have a sense of security and a lifetime of memories of quality time spent as a family which will be the biggest lesson they will remember in their own life.

What do we have?

We can only give something away if we have it with us. What we have today will be the only things passed on to our next generation and future society. Let’s aim for positive thoughts and actions of kindness along with money and properties to give to our children. What we give

out to the universe ultimately returns back to us. Our one day, today, is the only guarantee we have and the only true possession we have in this life. Our today becomes our tomorrow.

One mistake made today can certainly ruin our tomorrow and our children’s tomorrow. It is justifiably very difficult to resist temptations which can alter our family dynamics and prosperity, an event most have encountered and struggled with. It might be a painful step at the moment but a rewarding one in the future.

A recent sermon claimed that regardless of the teachings of a parent, a child will learn the most from their friends. They say you are the average of the five people you spend the most amount of time with. All your financial, spiritual, and emotional development is an average of those people. We need to make our children are the kind of people that others wouldn’t mind being an average with.

Manual for Parents One does not become a parent just by giving birth or having a child in life. Being a parent is no less than running a company, if not a bigger feat at success. Our thoughts, values, and approach to life is passed down to our children by talking and observation. I strongly believe children can come back from the destructive path in life if they are surrounded by a strong support system. Infants are influenced by their environments even when they don’t have the tool of language and this can carry on till their adults.

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We go to sleep each night and wake up in the morning to a new day with new opportunities - a day which is filled with power and freedom to choose. The minute we wake up, we can choose to get out of bed and make the most of our day or feel dread about the day ahead. This is nobody’s choice but ours.

Generally, the way we start our day influences how we feel for the rest of the day.

When you wake up in the morning, take a few minutes to take a few deep breaths and find something that you’re grateful for (your children, partner, your health or nature outside your window). Take this time to be thankful for all that you have in your life instead of wasting your energy on thinking about what you don’t have. Instead of pouncing straight out of bed, simply observe your breath. Breathe in for a count of 4 to 5 and breathe out also for a count of 4 to 5 allowing everything to drop away. Notice how your breath enters your body, no-

tice how your breath leaves your body, and notice the little pause between each breath.

This will allow you to create a sense of peace within and it will also help get you into a good head space before your feet touch the

ground.

It feels good and it’s an amazing way to consciously set your energy and intention towards your day moving, follow this with a nutritious breakfast to kick-start your metabolism and fuel your body to face the day ahead. Get clear about your intentions for the day. For example you can intend to have a productive day. You can intend to have quality time with your family and friends with no distractions or limitations. You can intend to have a fun and brilliant day. You can intend to have a calm and peaceful day. You can intend to learn something new or be helpful to someone.

Whatever it is just be clear about what it is you want your day to be. In order to create, manifest, and attract it, you must first align your heart, mind, and spirit with your intention. In other words, you truly need to feel it!

Many people don’t understand the power of thoughts, because they live every day on autopilot, doing most things out of habit, and therefore they create their reality unconsciously as if they’re wearing a blindfold. But whether we’re aware of it or not, we create our reality with our thoughts and behaviour. This means we have the power to choose to be a conscious, mindful creator and change our reality to what we really want it to be. Remember, you choose your thoughts, you choose your behaviour, you choose the outcome. And every choice you make determines how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally!!

For any inquiries please email at shabnam@skcounselling.ca

Baabul Ilm Education Society organized an Inter-Faith Harmony Seminar on Existence of God By: Dr. Mohammad Akbar On Dec. 02, Baabul Ilm Education Society organized a ‘Inter-faith seminar on Existence of God at the conference centre of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey campus. The seminar was very well attended. Some sixty plus people from all walks of life and different religious background attended the program. However, as usual participation from the Muslim community was very nominal despite the repeated invitation and requests by the organisers. Similarly, no notable Sunni scholar was present at the event. The majority of the audience was either Christians or Ahmadis and only handful of Muslims were present. It is a pity that the Muslim community did not give any importance to such an important event.

According to the Baabul Ilm Society the objective of this event was to demonstrate that Muslims or Islam has nothing against any other religion. Muslims believe in interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence. The overall goal was to try and contribute towards dispelling the negative propaganda, especially in the Canadian media, against Islam and Muslims. This was fourth of the series of seminars organized by Baabul Ilm Education Society.

On behalf of Baabul Ilm Education Society Dr. Mohammad Akbar welcomed the audience to this unique, auspicious, and one of its kind occasion. He highlighted the goals and objectives of the Society and the purpose of organizing this conference. In addition the Society also organizes lectures, seminars and conferences on a variety of topics mainly related to education, literature, and on great events and personalities in the history. The idea is to enhance knowledge and awareness among the community.

Dr. Akbar said that the Society strive to promote a platform for interfaith dialogue and discussion. Our aim is to promote respect and understanding between people of differ-

ent cultures so that we develop strong communities in this beautiful part of Canada, Dr. Akbar added.

Filza Raza representing youth gave a very good presentation on who youth view existence of God. Pastor Tim gave an enlightening and a revealing presentation. He said that we need to recognize our differences and yet we have to find and work on common grounds to build a better society that provides conducive environment for the peaceful coexistence of all the communities.

Professor Marci Luccock of Kwantlen Polytechnic University presented Jewish views on existence of God. Dr. Raminder Kang representing Sikh community gave a very nice presentation. He said that Sikhs also believe in one God. He recited some verses form their holy book which were very similar to what Muslims believe in terms of oneness of God. Dr. Akber Mithani in his keynote address discussed the spiritual significance of existence of God. He said it would be very difficult to explain this important concept in this limited time. Dr. Mithani further said that it is difficult to understand especially in the modern world in which the religion is separated from other domains of life After the presentations a very lively Q and A session ensued. Audience from different backgrounds acknowledged that this event was very useful and timely. They said that this type of events is very helpful in understanding each other’s points of views and beliefs.

Audience were of the view that in such events at least we can agree to disagree in a more civilized manner and in a more peaceful and educative environment. They expressed their gratitude for Baabul Ilm Education Society’s welcome and hospitality on Saturday afternoon. They also admired the graciousness in which Mahmood Jaffer conducted and MC’ed this event, particularly the lively question and answer session.

21

Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

EDUCATION

BCMA Surrey Muslim School held very successful fundraising dinner

The BCMA Surrey Muslim School held very successful fund raising dinner on Sunday at Royal King Palace in Surrey. BCMA operates 2 schools in the lower mainland, one in Surrey and one in Richmond. There are about 530 Muslim kids take benefits of these Muslims schools. They provide core competence in Islamic values, Quran, Arabic Language and standard BC ministry of education curriculum.

The school also plan to offer grade 9 in the future and improve overall IT infrastructure coming year.

The dinner was well attended by over 600 guests including BCMA president Br. Ilraf, various branches management committee members and MLA Harry Bain. The program included presentations from school kids, speech by newly elected BCMA presi-

dent Iltaf Sahib, followed up by guest speakers, Maulana The detailed presentation was shared by the current board members Inamul Desai and Fazal Mohammed providing the details about the school and future plans. Both brothers shared the overview of current BCMA Board of Education, status of schools, current challenges and future plans for coming years. One of the accomplishments this year by BCMA was that purchased newer buses, completed major renovations, obtained City Of Surrey occupancy permit and paid off some debts.

The funds raise on the night will be utilized for many of IT and other improvements at Surrey Muslim School.

The estimated fund of $106744 was collected.

“Seven Seas Apart” An Afghan Man Leaves His Kids Behind to Find Refuge for Them Muslim Food Bank Success Stories

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hulam Muhammad was a physician in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. He had fourkids who were nothing like each other yet Ghulam could never decide whom he loved the most.

Though Ghulam created a comfortable life for his wife and kids, he couldn’t stop worrying about their safety outside the home. It was the constant gun fires, bombs and rockets that kept him up at night.

Ghulam didn’t remember a time when Afghanistan was peaceful. In 2012, at the height of war, Afghanistan had reached all world records. The world’s poorest country, the country with the lowest literacy rate, the country with the world’s biggest refugee population. To Ghulam, these were more than just statistics. They were the bitter truths of his life.

Ghulam and his wife, Zainab, decided that they will not accept the fate that Afghans were destined with. They packed their bags in the hopes of finding refuge somewhere far away. Ghulam didn’t have enough money to pay for his three older kids, Raihan, Kaihan and Aisha’s voyage so he had to leave them behind. He requested his cousin to care for them until he had a home ready for them someplace safe. Zainab cradled her oneyear-old daughter as they left for a journey very few people dare to take on. It was a journey through continents.

First the Muhammads travelled to Europe.

From there they immigrated to the U.S.

where they lived for three years. When Ghulam’s family arrived in Canada in November, 2015, they first settled in New Westminster. Tariq Aziz, a caseworker at the Muslim Food Bank & Community Services, was handed Ghulam’s case two months into their arrival. To Tariq it was clear that Ghulam and Zainab’s biggest struggle was separation from their kids. Their eyes thirsted to see each one of the kids they’d left behind.

“Ghulam only ever talked about his kids that were back home,” Tariq recalls. Tariq is just one among many volunteers that work for the ASPIRE community services program designed to help individuals and families stand on their own feet. ASPIRE stands for Actualizing Self-Reliance by Providing Inspiration, Resources and Education. Each client in the ASPIRE Community Services program is paired with an ASPIRE case-

worker who assists them in overcoming obstacles and achieving successes through one-to-one support. Tariq, like most volunteers in this program, is motivated by the desire to serve the underserved.

Though new immigrants generally require interpretation due to language barrier, Tariq didn’t have to interpret for Ghulam because he speaks English fluently.

“Ghulam is self-sufficient and is a quick-learner,” Tariq says. Tariq soon learned that the Muhammads were struggling to put food on table as Ghulam had not yet found a job. Through the help of the ASPIRE program coordinator who oversees all cases, Tariq was able to provide Ghulam’s family a Walmart gift card to pay for food and other essentials.

What’s more, Tariq helped Ghulam navigate the waters of Canadian life by guiding him through various online resources such as the WorkBC and the BC Housing websites.

Ghulam’s application for subsidized housing was soon accepted allowing his family to move into a more affordable home. Tariq also taught Ghulam how to access public transit.

Ghulam and his wife began integrating into Canadian lifestyle one step at a time. Zainab attended English classes and Ghulam has started networking for jobs. There was still

one more mountain to climb though which was sponsoring their kids. Ghulam and Zainab appealed to the Canadian Immigration board to help reunite them with their kids on the basis of humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Eight months after their initial appeal, Raihan, Kaihan and Aisha were accepted into Canada.

Three long years later, the Muhammads were together again. At last, Ghulam didn’t have to rely on faded memory to remember his kids’ faces any longer. At last, he didn’t have stare at his three kids’ wrinkled photos from old family albums any longer. He was finally reunited with them.

These are real stories where our volunteers have an impact on members of our community helping them progress in their lives.

InshaAllah next week we will bring you another story.

Please join us to have a purpose in your life to make a difference in the lives of your brothers and sisters by coming to our events and registering as a volunteer or donating to your organization, the Muslim Food Bank and Community Services Society (usually referred to as Muslim Food Bank) at www.muslimfoodbank.com/donate.

Our email is contact@muslimfoodbank.com and telephone number is 1-866-824-2525.

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Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

P a kist a n / I ndi a

25 years since Babri Masjid demolition: BJP, Congress give Ayodhya issue new political twist before Gujarat polls

By: Sanjay Singh 25 years since Babri Masjid demolition: BJP, Congress give Ayodhya issue new political twist before Gujarat polls It was only incidental that the day enthusiastic “Pandit Rahul Gandhi” posters were put up — obviously taking a cue from media department chief Randeep Singh Surjewala’s claim that Congress president in-waiting was “not just a Hindu but a ‘Janeu Dhari’ (holder of sacred thread) Hindu”, senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal appearing on behalf of the Sunni Wakq Board argued in the Supreme Court that the hearing on RamjanabhoomiBabri Mosque dispute should be deferred to after the 2019 Lok Sabha election. His rationale was that the verdict will have strong political implications on the upcoming polls.

It has now been quarter of a century since the demolition of the Babri Mosque in Ayodhya and the coming-up of a de facto makeshift Ramlala (childhood image of Lord Ram) temple. The charioteer of the early 1990s Ram temple movement in Ayodhya, Lal Krishna Advani has slipped into the background of the party he built. Advani is once again facing a demolition conspiracy charge and isn’t even campaigning for his party in the constituency or the state that he represents in Parliament. But it is also true that on the 25th anniversary of the demolition of the Babri Masjid — or ‘disputed structure’ as the BJP described it, the Ram Mandir issue after all these years has returned to the foreground. A majority BJP government at the Centre and in the state of Uttar Pradesh aren’t pushing for the temple on record, but

have been making their intentions very clear by picking up issues around Ayodhya and indulging in other symbolism around Ram to keep the pot boiling. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath is unapologetic when it comes to talking about Ayodhya and Ram. He has, in fact, visited Ayodhya on numerous occasions and done everything possible to keep the hopes of BJP sympathisers and Ram Mandir supporters alive and as the common refrain among them goes “Centre me Modi and UP me Yogi mandir ab nahi banega toh kab banega ( with Modi at the centre and Yogi in UP, if the temple built now, will it ever be built). What has changed on this landmark anniversary of the demolition in Ayodhya is the simple fact that until now, the Opposition used to be on the offensive every 6 December, disrupting Parliament (which used to be in Winter Session on this date) and the BJP would defend its case, matters of faith and so on. But this time around, it is the BJP that has gone on the offensive, seeking categorical answers from the Congress and other Opposition parties.

The opportunity for which the BJP had been waiting to reignite this emotive issue and launch a full-scale political debate was provided by Sibal’s argument in the Supreme Court. He used all sorts of pleas to get the matter deferred indefinitely, but the most operative and politically contentious part — the bit about not have a hearing or coming to a decision until after the 2019 polls — was picked up by BJP president Amit Shah to corner Rahul and the Congress. It was a matter of chance that the Supreme Court had decided to hear this case on 5 December — a day ahead of the 6 December anniversary ritual that “secularist” parties and groups had been following for two-and-a-half decades.

What made Sibal’s argument even more politically contentious was the fact that electioneering (between the BJP and Congress) is at its peak in Gujarat and that the Congress — after the Rahul “non-Hindu” goof-up at Somnath Temple — is portraying the president-elect as a devout Hindu Pandit to send a message across that he is not anti-Hindu and

pro-Muslim. The big issue being debated in Gujarat is whether the Congress will succeed in making the state return to vote on lines of caste after three decades, or if the BJP’s Hindutava theme will continue to prevail in majoritarian Hindu voters’ minds.

Due to cyclonic conditions in parts of the state, Shah’s public rallies were cancelled on Tuesday, so he arrived at the BJP’s brand new media office — that has been put together for the elections — at GG Road in Ahmedabad and hurriedly called the media for “a bite”, demanding that Rahul make his position clear on the Ram Temple vis-à-vis Sibal’s statement on issue.

Later,. Source: www.firstpost.com/

Document of finishing dharna was not desirable: Ahsan Iqbal

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal on Tuesday said that the agreement that ended the Faizabad sit-in had not been desirable, but the government had been left with little choice in the matter.

“Document of finishing dharna was not desirable but there was little choice because if [the] situation had persisted [for] another 24 hrs there would be riots,” Iqbal said in a tweet on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Tehreek-e-Labaik Ya Rasool Allah (TLYR) chief Khadim Hussain Rizvi revealed that it was the army that ensured the government met the protesters’ terms.

“We told them [the government] that we cannot talk to you,” Rizvi told a private news channel. “Then the army came in the middle and our companions met the army and ISI [InterServices Intelligence] bigwigs, generals etc.”

“They told us they will get all of our demands accepted,” Rizvi said in a startling revelation that shed light on why the government seemed to have capitulated so completely to the protesters.

Rizvi said that his team never met the interior minister — whose signatures were present on the agreement — and it “must have been” the army leadership that got Ahsan Iqbal to sign the document. After the weeks-long protest, which virtually paralysed the capital and led

to several people losing their lives, the government finally gave in to the protesters’ demands on Monday and Zahid Hamid resigned from his post as federal law minister.

The minister’s resignation came in the aftermath of Saturday’s botched operation against protesters at Faizabad and ‘successful negotiations’ with leaders of the demonstration late Sunday night, official sources and state broadcaster PTV said.

The terms of the agreement included blanket immunity for all those arrested during the crackdown on the agitating protesters.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal said some forces were working to halt the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which was a gift to the country.

Talking to a private news channel, he said Faizabad protest sit-in had portrayed a bad image of the country and this practice should

be stopped in the future.

To a question, he said that the issue of sit-in had been resolved through combined efforts of civil and military institutions. The minister said we all are Muslims and strongly believe in Khatm-e-Nabuwwat (finality of prophethood). He said that it was the responsibility of the religious parties to show the true picture of Islam, which teaches love, tolerance and harmony.

Ahsan Iqbal also constituted a three-member committee to review sit-in operation at Faizabad. The committee, led by the interior secretary, will analyse whether or not there was any improvement in police capabilities in handling the sit-ins since 2014. The minister also suggested that a special team, consisting of 1,000 police officers, should also be formed immediately to deal with protests and sit-ins.

By: Zafar Alam Sarwar Islamabad, Pakistan City olds say whatever their social and economic problems they in fact believe in unity and want to see democracy flourish on firm footing.

“But we never want to be divided into any grouping for self-interest. We’ve realised that for all practical pur-

poses we will have to stand united because divided we will fall; and we’ve already suffered a lot from our mistakes?”

“Living in one state, or having one government, doesn’t make us a nation, that’s not enough,” asserts a retired professor of Rawalpindi.

Elders emphasize what is indispensable for a state, or for a nation, is people’s unity strengthened by the concept of being one in thought and action.

Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah borrowed the idea of unity from one God, one Prophet and one Book. He called upon the people not to forget the motto “unity, faith

and discipline”—explaining “faith in God, in ourselves and in our destiny.” And that addresses the problem of getting united.

Pakistan, to its founder, was the embodiment of unity of the Muslim nation, and he expected of his followers to guard and preserve that unity zealously. He was mindful of the military and he did not underestimate its role for the country’s unity, integrity and defence.

The Quaid-i-Azam, as Pakistan’s governorgeneral, emphasised to the defenders of homeland that the weak and the defenceless in the imperfect world invite aggression from others. “The best way in which we can serve

the cause of peace is by removing the temptation from the path of those who think that we are weak and, therefore, they can bully or attack us.”

The unity the makers of Pakistan wanted to create in the masses was effectively demonstrated during the September 1965 war imposed on Pakistan by India. The national unity was exemplary in the sense that the people and the armed forces put up a grand show of solidarity and harmony to repel the foreign aggression. zasarwar@hotmail.com

Unity to help solve problems

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Rabi ul Awwal 18,1439 December 8, 2017

sports

PCB changes code to avoid appeals in Pakistan courts

The PCB edited their anti-corruption code in an attempt to prevent players from appealing their punishments in Pakistani courts, even as a tribunal was sitting on a number of spotfixing cases. The lawyer of Sharjeel Khan, who was banned from all cricket for five years earlier this year, will file a writ petition against what he considers to be the PCB’s male fide intentions. “During the proceedings [of Sharjeel Khan’s case], the PCB edited their anti-corruption code, which is obviously not in good faith,” Shaighan Ejaz, Sharjeel’s lawyer, said. “They had made a change in their code on 18 July 2017. Just a month and two days later, a verdict was announced and neither the tribunal nor the independent adjudicator was informed about it. This is questionable behaviour.” The relevant new clause - 7.5.4 of the PCB’s anti-corruption code - reads: “An appeal against the decision of the Independent Adjudicator shall lie excessively before the CAS.” The CAS is the Court of Arbitration (Sports), based in Lausanne, Switzerland. The edited clause at the centre of the row effectively rules out Sharjeel’s ability to take his case to the Court of Appeals in Lausanne. “The parties may, if they so desire, file an appeal under Article 7, read with Article 7.4 of the PCB’s of the PCB’s Anti-Corruption Code for Participant, 2015, within 14 days of the receipt of the detailed decision, before the Court of Appeals in Lausanne, Switzerland, or an Independent Adjudicator in terms of the Constitu-

tion of the PCB.” Given that an independent adjudicator has already heard Sharjeel’s case, this clause would appear to rule out an appeal in Switzerland. And previously the clause did not make an appeal exclusive to the CAS. “The attempt they made is to oust the Pakistan judicial system and made sure that we will only be left with the option to go into the court of arbitration in Switzerland - which is obviously not feasible,” Ejaz said.

“But I understand that you cannot rule out the jurisdiction of Pakistan’s courts and this will not happen. This is uncalled for. We will approach the high court soon; in fact, we will file a writ petition this month.” The PCB’s legal advisor Taffazul Rizvi told reporters that the modification was a routine change, and not one specifically designed to be applied to Sharjeel’s case. “In modern day sports, no code or regulation can remain stagnant,” he said. “Efforts to curb corrupt conduct in sports are updated regularly. Similarly, the PCB anti-corruption code also undergoes periodic reviews and amendments. Such amendments are never person-specific, and are applicable to all cricketers.” Pakistani courts have been involved in several PCB cases over the years, and haven’t been afraid to overturn board decisions on, to take one example, player bans and punishments.

Sharjeel appeared for the first time in front of the media since his provisional suspension on February 10, continuing to proclaim his innocence. His ban, a suspended sen-

tence, is effectively for two and a half years, meaning he cannot plot a return before the second half of 2019 at the earliest. He was representing Islamabad United at the PSL and was charged with five major breaches of the PCB’s anti-corruption code. He was found guilty on all five counts by a threeman tribunal. “My lawyer and I have fully cooperated throughout proceedings and I was expecting justice,” Sharjeel said, reading a prepared statement in Lahore. “But regretfully, at the end all I face is injustice. The PCB anti-corruption unit forcefully inducted me into a case which is beyond my understanding. Maybe there is another story hidden behind this which may be revealed with time. I swear to my nation and my fans that I am innocent.” If Sharjeel does not show public remorse and undergo the PCB’s rehabilitation program, he could end up serving the full five-year sentence. “Cricket is in my blood and it’s my passion and the punishment is severely painful for me and my family,” he said.

“But what is more distressing is that I am being labelled a spot-fixer. So I have decided to clear my name and I will take this matter as far as possible.” The case against Sharjeel was centred on him playing pre-determined dot balls agreed with a bookmaker. According to Ijaz, that is merely based on assumptions, with the PCB failing to present any solid evidence. “During the entire process, we understood that the anti-corruption officials are not accountable,” Ijaz said. “They

Opening Soon

have all the discretion to do any kind of discrimination against any player and can trap any player and make any kind of case against anyone.” During the proceedings, PCB officials claimed Sharjeel had confessed to wrongdoing in Dubai and in Lahore on video. Sharjeel denies that is the case. “There were two interviews recorded, one in Dubai and the other in Lahore. On both occasions, I never confessed anything.” Ijaz said: “They had claimed that there was a lot of information from the ICC, and the PCB had prior knowledge of everything which was allegedly going to happen. It seriously prejudiced proceedings and made the whole case a matter of ego, and Sharjeel’s exoneration would have proved personally embarrassing for Sethi.”

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