Miracle 513-Feb 28,2020

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Volume 20 Issue 513- Rajab 5, 1441H, February 28, 2020

THE

CLE CLE

3 Imran flies to Qatar for

MSA at SFU had a 8 15th successful fundraising

day long visit

12 Candidates down to

4 Mosque set on fire as

12

6

the wire to enter Trudeau Liberals Refuse to Condemn

Conservatives ask House ethics committee to study

In New Delhi, Trump reiterates offer to mediate on Kashmir

Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak dies at 91

Egypt’s presidency says it mourned Mubarak’s death as a ‘military leader and war hero’ and offered condolences.

Hosni Mubarak, Egypt’s president for almost 30 years who stepped down after a popular revolution in 2011, has died. He was 91.

Mubarak served as Egypt’s fourth president starting in 1981 until his removal in what became known as the Arab Spring revolution.

He was jailed for years after the uprising, but was freed in 2017 after being acquitted of most charges. The acquittal stunned many Egyptians, thousands of whom poured into central Cairo to show their anger against the court. The Arab Spring protests convulsed regimes across the Middle East.

State television said Mubarak died at a Cairo hospital where he had undergone an

To be continued at page 4

violent protests continue

U

S President Donald Trump on Tuesday reiterated his earlier offer to mediate between India and Pakistan on Kashmir, adding that his relationship with the leaders of both the countries is strong. The US president made the comments while addressing a press conference in the Indian capital on the last day of his two-day visit, after holding meetings with the Modi administration. Trump’s remarks came in response to a question on terrorism in Pakistan.“We talked a lot about it at length today. No question it is a problem. They are working on it. I said I will do whatever I can do to help because my relationship with both gentlemen [Prime Minister Imran Khan and Indian PM Narendra Modi] is so good. Anything I can do to mediate, I would do,” he said. ”They [Pakistan] are working on Kashmir. Kashmir has been a thorn in lots of people’s sides for a long time. There are two sides to every story.

We discussed terrorism at length today,” he added. However, when pressed further by another

To be continued at page 4

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The Purpose And The Return 15 Mecca governor orders arrest of Saudi 16 Kashmir students attend school or the

Coronavirus spreads in Middle East and beyond: Live updates

New infections and deaths reported around the world, with Brazil confirming its first case in Latin America.

The coronavirus is spreading in the Middle East, Europe and other parts of the world, as Brazil confirmed its first case in Latin America, while parts of China begin to lower their emergency response level as the number of new cases reported there continues to slow. More deaths have been reported in Iran and Italy, while South Korea on Wednesday said an 11th person had died of the disease there. Globally, at least 80,000 people have been diagnosed with the illness.

Pakistan confirms first two cases

To be continued at page 4

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Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

I

N just a few days, one of two things may happen.

On Feb 29, the US may sign a historic peace deal with the Afghan Taliban, or maintain there has been no significant reduction in violence in which case all bets are off. If the Taliban hold up their end of the bargain, the deal will pave the way for intra-Afghan negotiations and provide a justificatory umbrella for the US to withdraw a quarter of its roughly 12,000 troops this summer.

But like most exit-agreements, the devil is in the detail, or in this case, the lack of it. For Pakistanis who have lived and died in the perennial shadow of a mismanaged war effort next door, there are still a host of unknowns to contend with. Most Pakistanis are either too pragmatic, or too disillusioned by years of operational shortcomings on the Afghan battlefield, to expect a sincere apology for being scapegoated, first for not doing enough to exterminate the Taliban/ Haqqani leadership, and then, not doing enough to engage them.

Yet between Sirajuddin Haqqani’s public sanitisation by The New York Times, America’s attention deficit and Kabul’s capacity deficit, it is incontestable that negotiations would not have reached this evolved stage without Pakistan’s cooperation and diplomatic

op i n i o n

Leap year charm efforts to curate some semblance of regional stability.

If a peace deal is signed this week, what comes next? No amount of spin can gloss over the fact that the Americans will, for all practical purposes, be signing instruments of surrender on Feb 29. For the Taliban in the room, many of whom who have staked their legacies on getting the US to exit, a US-Taliban truce will be a resounding victory. Buoyed by having defeated not one but two superpowers, the Taliban will approach the second phase of negotiations from a position of conviction.

If a peace deal is signed this week, what comes next?

Maintaining the peace is going to be doubly difficult without an agreed upon definition of ‘violence’ and a broader Chinese, American, Russian, Iranian and Pakistani convergence on regional endgoals. Monitoring compliance without neutral observers in an environment as complex as Afghanistan will be difficult; the ground is littered with spoilers, including those outside the country who would rather not see the Taliban mainstreamed.

India, which has seen its influence in the Afghan endgame diminish, stands to benefit from continued low-intensity conflict, and wants to delay the political mainstreaming of the Taliban. Controlled chaos in

Afghanistan undermines stability in Pakistan and creates the case for stronger Indo-Afghan strategic ties.

In its rush to reach a deal in light of a tough election calendar ahead, Republicans in the US could fudge long-term strategic intent, giving rise to several complications. For instance, it cannot both be a party to the conflict and a guarantor should things unravel.

America’s insistence that it reserves the right to help defend Afghan forces in the interim is tricky; should Afghan forces come under fire, the US stands to lose credibility if it does nothing, and its goodwill with the Taliban should it intervene. And if counterterrorism indeed remains America’s top missive in the region, whether it can achieve its objectives without troops or resorting to gunboat diplomacy is unclear.

Equally unclear is the question of demobilisation and reintegration of Taliban fighters into the Afghan security forces. Mid-level commanders will expect patronage in the division of power, and likely the entire security apparatus will need to be reconstituted. Forging an ethnically inclusive institution will be necessary if it is to be deployed across the country.

Finally, the US still thinks Islamabad has incentives to “retain Taliban infrastruc-

ture” on its side of the border. Frankly, this is a cognitive schema that for now means the US won’t fully afford Pakistan the trust it deserves as a regional partner and well-intentioned stabiliser. This is unhelpful given the political crisis unfolding in Kabul in the wake of a contested election.

Today, there seems to be little appetite in the US to smooth over Kabul’s political cracks. Should intra-Afghan talks go ahead, there is no guarantee that President Ghani will concede a political exit; that non-Pakhtun factions will accept any dilution of their influence; that the political and social rights of women will indeed be upheld; and that Afghans themselves will agree to any constitutional changes, a Taliban demand that the US, in its rush to exit, has legitimised.

Negotiations among all Afghan factions are supposed to begin within 10 days of the plan being signed.

But the real challenge going forward lies in mapping a viable peace that won’t be buffeted by exogenous shocks. Keeping that complex process on track will require the US to continue to invest, and for the next phase of negotiations, should they materialise, to not collapse under the collective weight of unrealistic expectations.

By: Fahd Humayun

Wa a n l a y s a l i l i n s a n i i l l a m a ’ s a ’ a a T h a t m a n c a n h a v e n o t h i n g b u t w h a t h e s t r i v e s f o r.

ISCC and MAT Strongly Condemn Violence Against Indian Muslims By Hindu Extremists By: Imam Syed Soharwardy Calgary) Islamic Supreme Council of Canada (ISCC) and Muslims Against Terrorism (MAT) strongly condemn the Hindu-Muslim riots in New Delhi and other parts of India. The extremist Hindus attacked a mosque in Delhi and set the mosque on fire. Hindu extremists are attacking innocent Indian Muslims. On the other side the Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir have been under curfew for the past more than 200 days. The lives of

Indian and Kashmiri Muslims have been constantly under threat and facing persecution by the hands of the current extremist government of India. Modi government has been encouraging extremism and division among Indians.

There is no doubt the Modi government in India is an extremist racist and violent government whose mandate seems to be wiping out all minorities in India. It is so shameful that the hate and violence in India against Muslim minority rose during President Donald Trump’s visit of India and he remained silent on this Hindu terrorism.

ISCC and MAT demand all Middle Eastern and other Islamic governments to stop trade with India and sanction economic embargo on India unless Indian government stops violence and discrimination against Indian and Kashmiri Muslims.

ISCC and MAT also urge the In-

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dian descent Canadian Members ings of Muslim minority in India of Parliament to stand up for jus- end soon. May the people of tice and peace in India and Kash- Kashmir be free from occupation. mir. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been silent on the human rights important note: violations against Indian Muslims Letters to the editor do not reflect opinion of the Miracle media and Christians. We request Prime the group. We do not publish anonyMinister Justin Trudeau to use his mous letters or the letters of the influence on Indian government to people who do not disclose their identity to ‘The Miracle.’ A writer save lives of Indian minorities. can use a pen name or request ‘ ISCC and MAT stand shoulder to The Miracle’ to withhold his / her shoulder with the Muslim and oth- identity. er minorities in India and Kashmir. Please include your daytime telephone number for the confirmaMay peace and justice prevail in tion of your letter.

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Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

PAKISTAN

Imran flies to Qatar for daylong visit

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan leaves for Qatar on Thursday (today) for a daylong visit as part of regular exchange of high-level visits. According to a statement released by the Foreign Office, the prime minister will meet Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani.

The focus of the prime minister’s visit will be on strengthening bilateral cooperation and exchanging views on regional developments. The visit takes place two days prior to the US-Taliban peace deal signing ceremony in Doha.

Pakistan and Qatar enjoy close, cordial relations based on

mutual trust and understanding. The bilateral relationship is broad-based and multifaceted, covering diverse fields, including political, trade, commercial, defence, people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges.

This will be the second visit of the prime minister to Qatar after taking office. The Emir of Qatar visited Pakistan in June last year. The visit resulted in strengthening of bilateral economic collaboration in diverse areas. The prime minister’s visit will further reinforce this process.

During his last visit to Qatar, the prime minister discussed the matter of exporting workers to Qatar with the Doha leadership. In December last year, Qatar opened a visa facilitation centre in Islamabad for swift processing of visas of members of the Pakistan workforce wishing to work in Qatar. Qatar also promised 100,000 jobs for Pakistani workers, and the government held talks with the Qatari government to accommodate skilled Pakistani labour force returning to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia.

Source dawn.com

Efforts under way to get Reko Diq case Real Estate Professional BUTT 604-505-5452 penalty cancelled: AG Khalid Jawed Khan UMER Residential. Commercial. Investment ISLAMABAD: Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan has said that Pakistan’s foremost effort in the Reko Diq mining case is to secure annulment of the $5.9 billion penalty by getting the interim stay given by the Interna­tional Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes converted into a permanent injunction in view of its serious financial implications for the country. During an interaction with the media at the office of the Press Association of the Supreme Court, AG Khan said he was proceeding abroad to pursue the issue given the fact that Pakistan had to make a series of commitments with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure almost a similar amount of $6bn.

The financial implications would have a devastating effect on the country’s economic stability and at stake were Pakistan’s assets in other countries which could be attached if the country lost the case, the AG feared.

“During my meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday, we also discussed the matter along with other issues,” the AG said, adding that the premier was also concerned. He said they also discussed a number of other arbitration cases at different international forums.. AG Khan said his first priority would be to settle cases concerning national security and state revenue.

The AG had informed a 10-judge full court of the SC earlier this week that he would have to leave abroad between March 15 and 20 to attend to some important interna-

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tional obligations.Pakistan-Tethyan Copper Company Pvt Ltd (TCC), a joint venture of Canadian Barrick Gold and Chilean Antofagasta Minerals, has approached relevant international forums for the enforcement of the $5.9 billion penalty imposed by the ICSID against Pakistan last year.

A special three-member tribunal is expected to be constituted by the ICSID to take up the annulment request of Pakistan next month and decide whether the provisional stay should be extended or rejected.

In its annulment request, Pakistan has taken the plea that the calculated damages were based on a projected 56-year operating period for the mine when it had not issued any lease or permit for such a long period.

Source dawn.com

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Punjab govt decides not to extend Nawaz’s bail, forwards recommendation to Centre cided not to further extend the bail granted on medical grounds to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who is currently in London for treatment. Addressing a press conference alongside other members of the Punjab cabinet, including provincial health minister Dr Yasmin Rashid and information minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, Basharat said: “The committee has decided that Nawaz Sharif ’s bail can’t be extended further.” He explained that the initial court order said the former premier was granted Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat on bail for eight weeks by the Islamabad High Tuesday said the provincial cabinet had de- Court on October 29, 2019, but said that “a further eight weeks had passed since then as

discussions were underway”.“Till a decision by the Punjab government, this bail was to be automatically extended, therefore it was extended for 16 weeks,” he said. After the passage of 16 weeks, Basharat said the provincial government wanted to be informed about developments regarding Nawaz’s health on the basis of which a decision to extend his bail could be made.

Earlier, the IHC had directed Nawaz to seek the Punjab government’s permission for further relief if required.

“Till today he (Nawaz) has not been admitted in any hospital in London,” Basharat said today, adding that nothing specific had

they did with dengue and polio, which was extremely dangerous. He said the federal and provincial governments must collaborate to form a joint strategy to safeguard the population.

The PML-N chief called for immediate establishment of special medical facilities for the treatment on the same lines as China.

He said traditional lip service and routine eyewash measure would prove to be a mega blunder in this case. He said a specialist task force comprising the most relevant and competent doctors must be readied. He also called for a thorough procedure of monitoring and diagnosis to be delineated.

Senate interior committee chairman Rehman Malik, through a notice, has directed that a detailed report on the ‘Potential threat of coronavirus and precautionary measure’ may be presented in the committee meeting.

In a related development, Senate Standing Committee on Interior chairman Rehman Malik of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has convened an urgent meeting of the committee on Thursday (today) to discuss precautionary measures being taken by the government, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and other stakeholders to stop the potential spread of coronavirus in the country.

Source www.aljazeera.com

been shared with the government regarding the PML-N supremo’s health and the matter had been “lingering on”.

He said the Punjab cabinet had decided that there was “no legal, moral or medical basis without any concrete proof ” for further extension of Nawaz’s bail.

Basharat said the Punjab government would now share its decision with the federal government, which will decide upon the matter.

Following the Punjab government’s announcement, PML-N senior leader Rana Sanaullah said they will challenge the decision in the high court following discussions.

Source dawn.com

Shahbaz warns govt against dereliction of duty over coronavirus

ISLAMABAD: Opposition Leader in the National Assembly and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif has called upon the government to take emergency and serious measures to deal with the coronavirus outbreak. He stressed the need for coordination and cooperation between institutions of the federal and provincial governments to ensure flawless functioning of this system.

In a statement issued from London and released by the PML-N’s media section here on Tuesday, Mr Sharif said the current government was dealing with the new deadly coronavirus with the same dereliction as

4

Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

Nat i o n al

&

In New Delhi, Trump reiterates offer to mediate on Kashmir

Continued from page 1

reporter about India’s past rejection of his offers, the publication quoted Trump as saying: “I didn’t say anything about that [being a mediator]. Kashmir obviously is a big problem between India and Pakistan, they are going to work out their problem. They have been doing it for a long time.”

Trump has offered to mediate between the two countries on Kashmir on multiple occasions. Earlier this year, he reiterated the same during a meeting with Imran on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum assembly in Davos, Switzerland.

However, India has categorically rejected the offer to mediate, calling the issue an internal matter. Most recently, Indian Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: “There is no role for any third party in the Kashmir issue. It is a bilateral issue between India and Pakistan.”

Elsewhere in the Indian capital, new violence erupted a day after at least seven people, including a police officer, were killed

I n t

and nearly 100 others reportedly injured in clashes between hundreds of supporters and opponents of a new Indian citizenship law, police said.

Protesters in several areas of northeast Delhi defied orders prohibiting the assembly of more than five people and threw stones and set some shops and vehicles on fire, a police officer said. Some homes were attacked with rocks.

However, on Tuesday, Trump declined to comment on India’s new citizenship law. “I don’t want to discuss that. I want to leave that to India,” he said. But he added that he privately had raised the issue of religious freedom with Modi and that “Modi was incredible on the subject”.

“He wants people to have religious freedom,” said Trump, who proposed temporarily barring all Muslims from entering the US during his 2016 campaign and successfully implemented a travel ban that targets travelers from certain Muslim countries Source.aljazeera.com

Coronavirus spreads in Middle East and beyond: Live updates Continued from page 1

Pakistan’s Health Minister Zafar Mirza confirmed the first two cases of coronavirus in the country.“Both cases are being taken care of according to clinical standard protocols and both of them are stable,” Mirza wrote on Twitter.“No need to panic, things are under control. I will hold press conference tomorrow on return from Taftan.” Speaking at a press conference in the southwestern city of Quetta, Mirza said both patients - one in the southern province of Sindh and the second in the capital Islamabad - had travelled to confirmed, tally now 25 Iran in the past two weeks.

Kuwait’s health ministry said that the numIran reports 19 new deaths ber of people diagnosed with coronavirus in Iran’s state television says 19 more people the country rose to 25 after 13 more cases were killed by the coronavirus and the total were confirmed, the state news agency renumber of confirmed cases rose to 139. ported. The ministry also confirmed in a The official cited in the report urged limiting statement that the new cases were all Kuwaiti nonessential travel. citizens “who are related to travel to Iran”.

Kuwait says more coronavirus cases Source.aljazeera.com

Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak dies at 91

Continued from page 1

unspecified surgery. The report said he had health complications but offered no other details. One of his sons, Alaa, announced over the weekend the former president was in an intensive care after undergoing surgery.

His brother-in-law, General Mounir Thabet, told AFP news agency he passed away at Cairo’s Galaa military hospital.

Egypt’s presidency said in a statement that it mourned Mubarak’s death as a “military leader and war hero” and has offered its condolences to his family. The former air force officer will be buried in a military funeral but the timing was still unclear, a military source told Reuters news agency.

Complicated legacy Throughout his rule, Mubarak was a stalwart United States ally, a bulwark against armed groups, and guardian of Egypt’s peace with Israel. But to the tens of thousands of young Egyptians who rallied for 18 days of unprecedented street protests in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square and elsewhere in 2011, Mubarak was a relic, a latter-day pharaoh.

Al Jazeera’s Jamal al-Shayyal, reporting from

Tunis, Tunisia, where the Arab Spring originated, said it was unclear what exactly killed the former leader. “What we’re looking at now is a statesman who was so controversial in the past three-four decades of Egypt’s history. It was under his rule that Egypt became more corrupt. It was under his rule that the infrastructure in the country reached a demise,” he said.“For sure his passing is something that will remind people of the situation in Egypt as well as the political legacy that he left behind, which is one that has allowed for the current military regime to continue in its ruling.” Source.aljazeera.com

Mosque in Indian capital set ablaze as death toll from protests against India’s new citizenship law rises to 13.

A mosque has been set on fire in the Indian capital New Delhi as violent protests continue across the city with the death toll rising to 13. Indian website The Wire reported that a mob shouting “Jai Shri Ram”, translated to “hail Lord Ram”, paraded around the burning mosque in the Ashok Nagar area of the capital on Tuesday. Video footage shared on social media showed a mob climbing to the top of the mosque’s minaret where they attempted to plant a saffron flag. Local media reported that shops in the area were also being targeted by the mob. Police imposed a restriction on large gatherings in northeast Delhi as reports emerged of stone-pelting and more structures being set ablaze.

Sunil Kumar, medical superintendent of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, where the injured were taken to, told Al Jazeera that 13 people have died in the violence, including a policeman who passed away yesterday.

Another official at the hospital, Rajesh Kalra, told AFP news agency that 31 people, including 10 who were seriously hurt, were admitted earlier on Tuesday.“Since yesterday, we’ve been calling the police to enforce a curfew, to send reinforcements,” Saurabh Sharma, a

student from a riot-hit area who took his injured friend to the hospital, told AFP. Anil Mittal, a senior police officer, said approximately 150 people were injured in the violence that started as US President Donald Trump arrived on a two-day India trip.

“Some of the people brought in had gunshot wounds,” Rajesh Kalra, additional medical superintendent at the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, said of Monday’s violence.

Fresh violence has been reported from Muslim populated areas such as Karawal Nagar, Maujpur, Bhajanpura, Vijay Park and Yamuna Vihar, while stones were thrown in neighbourhoods such as Maujpur.

Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal appealed to residents to maintain peace after an urgent meeting of his newly elected legislators in the capital. Source.aljazeera.com

and Latin America confirmed its first patient from an epidemic that has killed thousands worldwide.Meanwhile, the situation has improved in China.The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the world is “simply not ready”.

More than 45 countries hit There have been more than 82,100 infections and 2,800 deaths worldwide, according to the latest toll from Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. The number of deaths in China — where the virus was first detected — has declined, with 29 more deaths reported on Thursday, the lowest daily figure in almost a month.

But the daily number of infections worldwide is higher than in China, the WHO has said. More than 50 deaths have been reported outside mainland China since the start of

the epidemic, out of more than 3,600 people infected, according to the Johns Hopkins Center. Cases of the virus have appeared in nine new countries — Romania, Algeria, Austria, Croatia, Georgia, Greece, Norway, Pakistan and Switzerland— bringing the number of countries hit to more than 45.

South Korea has announced more than 1,590 infections — by far the largest outside China — and 12 deaths. Source.aljazeera.com

Mosque set on fire as violent protests continue across New Delhi

Coronavirus: Cases rises across the globe as situation in China improves US commission demands India act af- Coronavirus cases spread in Europe and beyond on Wednesday, as the US announced ter communal violence leave 27 dead it was considering new travel restrictions

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom, which advises the US government but does not set policy, voiced “grave concern” about the violence which broke out as President Donald Trump was visiting New Delhi. The clashes in Delhi left at least 27 people dead. Protests against a contentious citizenship law began on a smaller scale on Sunday but escalated on Monday — as US President Donald Trump started his two-day trip to India — and Tuesday into running battles between Hindus and Muslims in New Delhi’s north-east, where rioters armed with stones, swords and even guns were out in force.

“One of the essential duties of any responsible government is to provide protection and physical security for its citizens, regardless of faith,” said chairman Tony Perkins, a

conservative Christian close to the Trump administration.

“We urge the Indian government to take serious efforts to protect Muslims and others targeted by mob violence,” he said in a statement. Source.aljazeera.com

5

February 28, 2020

f a i th

`Uthman ibn Hakim al-Ansari said: I asked Sa`id ibn Jubayr about fasting in Rajab, and we were then passing through the month of Rajab, whereupon he said:In Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Ahmad:

THE PURPOSE AND THE RETURN

By: Saleh As-Saleh LLAH created man and man belongs to Him. He ordained that one day man shall die and return to Him. This world is a transitional period. Allah wanted man to shape his life according to what He had decreed. This is the meaning of worship.

Worship requires absolute obedience, humility and love for Allah, Who promised an Eternal life in Paradise for those who obey and worship Him alone, and an Eternal abode in Hell for those who reject Him and His orders: “So those who believed (in the Oneness of Allah) and did righteous deeds will be in Gardens of Delight (al-Jannah, Paradise).” (Qur’an 22: 56) “But those who disbelieve and belie Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, signs, revelations, etc.) such are the dwellers of the Fire, they shall abide therein forever.”(Qur’an 2: 39) Man’s life at home, as a farmer, a cardealer, an electrician, a computer consultant, a president, a company’s C.E., a spouse, etc., has to abide by a way of life according to the guidelines Revealed by Allah. He is the one who defined what is good and what is bad. He stated that: “Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (in the Oneness & Uniqueness of Allah), verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e., AlJannah).” (Qur’an 16: 97) The Revelation contains all the details about what is good and bad. It is not left for the limited nature of man

A

to define what is good and what is bad: “And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition of every thing and a guidance, Mercy, and glad tidings for those who have surrendered (to Allah as Muslims).” (Qur’an 16: 89) “The command is for none but Allah. He has commanded that you worship none but Him (i.e.

Pure Monotheism), that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not.” (Qur’an 12: 40) Allah made it clear that: “Whosoever does righteous good deed it is for (the benefit of) his own self, and whosoever does evil, it is against his own self, and Your Rabb (Lord) is not at all unjust to (His) slaves.”

(Qur’an 41: 46) The Greatest good is achieved when the believer fulfils the role prescribed for him by his Creator, Allah: “And I (Allah) created not the Jinns and men except they should worship Me (Alone).” (Qur’an 51:56) The Message of Islam fits the Fitrah in man. Allah created man in the best form. He gave this Fitrah the ability to believe in the Unseen. The animal lives within the framework of his senses while man can relate to a broader scheme amongst which is the ability to believe in the Unseen.

Thus man’s soul and its horizon are broader and more open than that of animals. Man knows that the electric current is composed of small particles known as electrons. While we are unable to see these particles, their effects could be seen on an instrument known as the oscilloscope in the

The Month of Rajab

I

By: Khadija Nadeem n our Islamic Year we have 12 month and each one has its individual significance. But Rajab is one of the four most sacred months in our Islamic Calendar. The 8th of March Rajab starts this year and the 6th of April, Rajab will end. Rajab is mostly

form of electron waves.

In Nature and in ourselves we can see the Signs of Allah everywhere and we must relate, therefore, to the Creator in the perfect way He has chosen. This is His right upon us: to worship Him Alone. The Prophet Muhammad asked his companion Mu‘adh ibn Jabal: “O Mu’adh! Do you know what is due to Allah from His lbaad (the created beings) and what is due them?

I responded: “Allah and His messenger know best.” He continued: “What is due to Allah from His Ibaad is to worship Him alone and never associate any other being with Him. What is due to them is not to punish any person who does not associate anyone (or anything) with Him.” Man, through the faculties that Allah has bestowed upon him, can relate to the unseen atom with its unseen electronic “shells” that build up its characteristics. Man can also relate through his Fitrah to his Creator.

The Fitrah recognizes the Attributes of the true God and His Signs in the creation although it is unable to see Allah in this life. One can then easily understand that the greatest reward Allah had given to the believers is the actual seeing of Himself on the Day of Judgement. Knowing Allah in His Names and His Attributes drives man to fulfil the purpose for his pres-

ence on earth as stated in the above verse and in Allah’s saying: “The command is for none but Allah.

He has commanded that you worship none but Him (i.e. Pure Monotheism), that is the (true) straight religion, but most men know not.” (Qur’an 12: 40) Allah’s Attributes and His Signs in His Creation testify for His Oneness and that He is the Only True God who deserves to be worshipped. The rejecting man underestimates His Lord. He may reject any worship to Allah or turn to worship other than Allah. Amongst the rejectionists, there are those who think that this Universe has founded itself or it came to exist by co-incidence. This necessitates that man “has no goal to fulfil,” because he came into being without a defined goal!

Consequently, a moral or a value system becomes meaningless. Accordingly, man is just a responding “tool” for “mother nature” which, according to Darwin himself, “acts haphazardly”! This way of thinking is aimlessness, and it occurs when man does not recognize his relation with the One who has created life and death, the Universe and everything around man, all in due proportion: “Indeed Allah has set a measure for all things.” (Qur’an 65: 3) Those who reject man’s need to His Creator, Allah, are the aimless ones.

Allah refers to them in the Qur’an: “They have hearts (minds) wherewith they understand not, they have eyes wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not (the Truth).They, are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They are the heedless ones.”

(Qur’an 7: 179) SOURCE: Understand-Islam

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver Feb, 28 -Mar, 14, 2020 Rajjab, 5 - 19 1441H

known for hosting the birth of Hazrat Ali Dhuhr ibn Abi Talib on Rajab 13th. Hazrat Ali’s Isl. Dt. Day Date Fajar Sunr Zawal Dhuhr Asar Shafi Asar Maghrib Isha relationship to our Holy Prophet was as his 5 Fri first cousin. He was also the husband of 6 Sat Hazrat Fatima (the youngest daughter of 7 Sun our Holy Prophet) and father of Imam Hussain. An extremely important date during 8 Mon Rajab is Mi ‘raj. The 27th of Rajab symbol9 Tue izes the Mi ’raj. The Mi ’raj was the day 10 Wed believed that our Holy Prophet ascended in 11 Thus to Heaven and is celebrated as a national Fri 12 holiday in some countries. Another impor13 Sat tant date is the 26th which was the date of Abu Talib ibn Abdul Muttalib’s death. He 14 Sun was Hazrat Ali’s father and our Holy Proph15 Mon et’s Uncle who raised him after his beloved 16 Tue grandfather passed. Rajab is an important 17 Wed month, therefore, we should respect it the 18 Thus way proper. Once you are educated about 19 Fri things like these it becomes easier to recognize and treat them properly.

For such Prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times: Quran ,n 4:103 Source: BCMA

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Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

Nat i o n al

&

I n t

Conservatives ask House ethics committee Canadian doctor warns world ‘simply not to study Trudeau’s SNC-Lavalin ethics breach ready’ for COVID-19 after China visit . OTTAWA -- The Conservatives are pushing to revive a request for a committee probe of Ethics Commissioner Mario Dion’s report that found that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau broke the federal Conflict of Interest Act in relation to the SNC-Lavalin scandal. On Wednesday, the Tories put forward a motion at the House Ethics Committee, seeking to have the “Trudeau II Report” studied, calling on Dion to appear and testify for two hours on his findings, and requesting “other witnesses as required” be invited. The proposal has yet to come to a vote, after debate was paused on the matter until a future meeting, but it is the second attempt from the Conservatives to revive the SNC-Lavalin scandal in this minority Parliament.

A similar motion was moved on Monday and failed, with the Bloc Quebecois and Liberals opposing the proposal. Given committees are now majority controlled by the opposition parties, the Liberals do not have the same ability to decide which studies are launched or left off the agenda as they did in their majority days, and require the support of another party to win votes. Though, at Wednesday’s meeting the committee did agree to invite Dion to appear to discuss his mandate more broadly, and it’s likely ques-

tions on the report will arise during his appearance. In his efforts to argue for the motion, Conservative MP Michael Barrett said that Canadians “continue to expect” a “full examination” of this issue, though Liberal MP Greg Fergus said that in his view Canadians don’t want parliamentarians “looking back in the rearview mirror.”

The attempts to study this report come nearly a year to the day of Jody Wilson-Raybould’s House Justice Committee testimony in the SNC-Lavalin affair. It was during her testimony that she alleged that she faced high-level “veiled threats” and political interference in the criminal prosecution of SNC-Lavalin, leaving Trudeau facing calls to resign. Source:.ctvnews.ca/

. TORONTO -- A prominent Canadian doctor who just returned from an experts’ mission in China to study the novel coronavirus outbreak praised the country’s “aggressive” response and advised the rest of the world to take heed. On Tuesday, Dr. Bruce Aylward, an epidemiologist and an assistant directorgeneral for the World Health Organization (WHO), spoke in Geneva about his recent visit to China as the lead of an independent team of experts who examined the COVID-19 outbreak, which has sickened more than 77,600 and killed more than 2,600 in the country’s mainland.

The group consisted of 13 international experts and 12 Chinese nationals who travelled to Beijing, Guangdong province, Sichuan province, and the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, to gauge the impact of Chinese measures to care for the infected and prevent further spread of the respiratory virus. After visiting with hundreds of health-care workers, government officials, volunteers, and residents across the country for a week, Aylward said his team determined that China had successfully managed to decrease the number of new cases with their “robust” approach.

“It’s the unanimous assessment of the team

that they have changed the course of this outbreak,” he told a press conference in Geneva. “Hundreds of thousands of people in China did not get COVID-19 because of this aggressive response.” According to Aylward, China’s response to the pathogen includes case finding, tracing contact, social distancing, and movement restriction. He said the country has successfully reacted to the outbreak by taking a differentiated and tailored approach to various regions so as to not exhaust their resources.

The epidemiologist said one of the things he was most struck by during his visit was the country’s mobilization of people. He described China’s collective action and co-operation in their response as “phenomenal.”

Source:.ctvnews.ca

Groundhogs got it wrong: spring isn’t A cash cap is the only way to stop money laundering in B.C., inquiry hears coming soon, Weather Network says Two out of three groundhogs got it wrong -at least according to the Weather Network’s spring forecast. While Nova Scotia’s Shubenacadie Sam emerged from his burrow early this month and predicted a long winter, the groundhogs in Ontario and Quebec suggested spring would arrive early.

Not so, says Chris Scott, chief meteorologist at the Weather Network. He says the longrange seasonal outlook suggests spring will be “slow to bloom” across most of Canada.

“We don’t want to be saying that spring is cancelled: it will come, and we will have some really nice teases,” he said. “But the ghost of winter will come back at times and the groundhog may be scurrying for cover.”

While March, April and May may feature occasional warm spells, Scott said it will take time for those pleasant temperatures to stick.

The exception appears to be in Victoria and Saanich, B.C., which should see flowers budding in the coming weeks. But the rest of British Columbia will be slower to warm, Scott said, adding that cooler temperatures combined with average precipitation levels should make for a superb ski season. “The spring should finish strong across most of B.C.,” he added.

Across the Rockies and into Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where winter hasn’t been quite as cruel as usual, Scott said temperatures will also be up-and-down. Much of the region will record slightly above-average temperatures, save for northern Manitoba, which will trend colder than usual.

“Be ready for a few sneaky late winter, early spring snowstorms in there as well before we really get into the full burst of spring,” he said.

Scott predicted that precipitation

VANCOUVER -- -- A lawyer for a gaming expert says limiting the amount of cash flowing through casinos is the only way to stop money laundering at the facilities in British Columbia.

Christine Mainville told a public inquiry Tuesday that money is not being laundered through casinos in any traditional sense and it becomes easier to track dirty cash if fewer dollar bills are making their way through them.

When only cash is permitted, it is more challenging to differentiate between legitimate cash and illegitimate cash,” said Mainville, representing Robert Kroeker, who held top positions at the British Columbia Lottery Corp., the Great Canadian Gaming Corp. and with the province’s civil forfeiture office. While efforts have been made to reduce the amount of cash entering casinos, more needs to be done, she said.

Non-cash forms of payment such as cheques and bank drafts are preferable because they provide a paper trail and allow for better tracking of the movement of funds, said Mainville.

“Transactions coming directly from a bank are traceable and carry a lower money laundering risk than cash transactions,” she said.

The provincial government called the inquiry after three reports last year said casinos and horse racing along with the real estate and luxury car markets are laundering the proceeds of crime.

The inquiry is being led by Austin Cullen, a B.C. Supreme Court judge.

The inquiry should also pay more attention to financial institutions and unregulated banking channels, Mainville said, adding that money laundering in casinos has been blown out of proportion.

“Illegal schemes working in the financial sector and away from legal casinos are at the centre of this model,” she told Cullen.

Robin McFee, counsel for lottery corporation

levels will be near seasonal norms president James Lightbody, said the organizathroughout most of the Prairies with tion recognized the threat of money laundering in the gaming sector, and fostered a corporate the exception of regions south of the culture that promotes ethical practices while Trans-Canada Highway in Manitoba also working with law enforcement. and Saskatchewan, where more snow “Contrary to turning a blind eye to the possibiland rainfall is anticipated. ity of money laundering, Mr. Lightbody made Wet, changeable conditions are exactive efforts to be responsive to money laundering concerns in the gaming sector,” he said. pected to prevail in Ontario and “These efforts included efforts towards greater Quebec, Scott said, adding the unapco-ordination with organizations, enforcement pealing forecast may still exceed the and regulatory agencies across the industry and low bar set by recent spring condiwith law enforcement, as well as working within tions in those provinces.

BCLC to address money laundering concerns.”

McFee said his client along with the lottery Residents in the southern regions corporation has worked to draw attention to of central Canada should brace for money laundering issues and to press for more above-average precipitation even as collaboration and co-ordination across different they enjoy seasonal temperatures, he organizations including law enforcement and added. Scott predicted a similar story regulatory agencies.

During his time as president of the corporation, for much of Atlantic Canada, with Lightbody expanded its anti-money launderswings between warm and cold coning investigation unit, which has the authority ditions resulting in average overall to act independently, including barring certain temperatures. customers and advising casino service providers He singled out the western Maritimes not to accept cash from certain people, he said. .......... Source:.ctvnews.ca as the exception, however, warning cold days are expected to linger for some time.“We’re not done with winter here,” he said. “We expect some Fridays: Vancouver ; 11:00 Calgary 12:00 pretty wild swings back and forth.”

Sundays : Vancouver; 15:30 Calgary 16:30 DAPTV is Rocking in Western Canada Meanwhile, Scott said a polar vortex is keeping the Far North in its clutches.He said this year’s milder weather URDU Language won’t reach the North until later in Shaw Multicultural Channel 4 in Vancouver the season, offering a marked con- & Channel 8 in Calgary Dr. Huma Mir trast to the balmier springs of recent years. Source:.ctvnews.ca For

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Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

lo c al

15th MSA at SFU had a successful fundraising dinner

On Saturday February 15th the Muslim Students Association at SFU had a successful fundraising dinner alhamdullilah. SFU MSA puts on several events throughout the course of the year for Muslim students and the community. They provide an open and safe space for Muslims on campus to foster a sense of community with one another. As one of the biggest clubs on campus, they have two to three events a month.

It was a very successful fundraiser alhamdullilah. The fundraisers goal was to raise funds for the expenses that the MSA had to cover on a yearly or semesterly bases like multiple iftaars in the month of Ramadan costing around $5000$6000, United Islam Awareness Week consisting of five inspiring and captivating lectures conducted by internationally flown speakers also costing around $6000, and other resources like prayer mats, dawah material, & speaker hono-

rariums. Their shared goals with the community included dawah work, offering prayer spaces to Muslims on campus, creating community leaders, ilm, and fostering the Muslim identity. The fundraiser helped with not only covering the expenses that the MSA had but also with spreading exposure to what the MSA does and the importance of having such an environment in a university setting. It was a night full of laughter and meaningful discussions.

The MSA would like to thank everyone for their support at their fundraising dinner. They were happy to see the community come out, see what the MSA is all about, and support the youth. It meant a lot to the team to see all this support from everyone and would like to thank those who came out for their investment in the youth!

Below are their social media pages if anyone would like to see their future events and stay in touch!

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Jamadi ul Thani 6, 1441H January 31, 2020

i n f o

Canada has some of the best air quality in the world: report

Nicole Bogart CTVNews.ca Writer TORONTO -- Bangladesh has once again topped the list as the country with the worst air quality in the world, according to a new report describing air pollution as a “silent killer.” But Canadians can breathe easy with some of the cleanest air on Earth.

The latest data from the 2019 World Air Quality Report shows evidence of elevated air pollution levels in countries around the world thanks to wildfires and open-burning agricultural practices, and the rapid urbanization of cities, especially in Southeast Asia.“While the new coronavirus is dominating international headlines, a silent killer is contributing to nearly 7 million more deaths a year: air pollution,” Frank Hammes, CEO of IQAir, a global air quality information and tech company that produces the yearly report. Bangladesh, Pakistan and Mongolia rounded out the top three

worst air quality offender.

Canada’s air quality, on the other hand, was rated relatively clean on a global scale, ranking 90th on the list of 98 countries in terms of poor air quality. Canada lands within the World Health Organization’s target.

Researchers from IQAir compiled the report using data from groundmonitoring stations that measure levels of fine particulate matter, or PM 2.5, which include pollutants such as sulfate, nitrates and black carbon.

These particles are less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter, or approximately 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, allowing them to penetrate deep into the lungs.

According to the World Health Organization, air pollution caused an estimated 4.2 million premature deaths globally in 2016, the organization’s most recent statistics, due to cardiovascular diseases, cancers and respiratory infections.

More than 90 per cent of those deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.

Twenty-one out of the top 30 most polluted cities were located in India, with six of those cities ranking in the top ten alone. According to the report, cities in India exceeded the WHO target for annual PM2.5 exposure by 500 per cent on average.

However, the country’s national air pollution decreased by 20 per cent from 2018 to 2019.

In Southeast Asia, Jakarta and Hanoi overtook Beijing’s pollution levels for the first time.

The report also notes that wildfires and open burning agricultural practices had a major impact on the air quality in countries such as Singapore, Australia, Indonesia, Brazil, Malaysia and China.Wildfires in Los Angeles also played a big role in that city’s air pollution index.

Source: .ctvnews.ca

Beijinang Richmond Halal Cuisine Restaurant The Rocky Mountains as viewed from Canmore, Alta.,

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Jan. 18, 2019 photo shows a cyclist amidst morning smog in New Delhi, India.

World’s oldest man, who said secret was smiling, dies at 112 By: Yuri Kageyama The Associated Press TOKYO -A Japanese man who received his certificate as the world’s oldest man with a raised fist and big smiles earlier this month has died at 112.

Guinness World Records had given the certificate to Chitetsu Watanabe on Feb. 12. The organization and the funeral home handling his services confirmed Tuesday he had died Sunday. No cause was given.

He had not been able to eat recently and developed a fever and dif-

ficulty breathing a couple of days before his death, Japan’s nationally circulated newspaper Mainichi reported, citing family sources.

Watanabe is survived by his five children, 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one greatgreat-grandchild, Mainichi said.

Watanabe’s family did not immediately answer calls to their home.

Watanabe was born in 1907 and worked in Taiwan for 18 years. After returning to Niigata, northern Japan, he worked for the prefec-

tural government until retirement.

He grew fruit and vegetables on the family farm and loved cream puffs and bonsai, the Japanese traditional art of raising small sculpted trees.

He used to say the secret to longevity was to keep smiling.Guinness in Japan offered its condolences to his family.

The oldest living person is also Japanese, Kane Tanaka, a 117-year-old woman. Source :www.ctvnews.ca/

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Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

P ol i t i c s

Candidates down to the wire to enter Conservative leadership contest

OTTAWA -- Rudy Husny scrambled up and down the stairs of the House of Commons Wednesday, thrusting his nomination papers for the Conservative leadership in front of one party member after another as he hustled to collect enough names to enter the contest.

With Thursday the deadline to register, Husny is among those racing to submit the first $25,000 needed to run, along with the first set of signatures -- from 1,000 people, spread across 30 ridings in seven provinces and territories. But with the party verifying each name, and rejecting dozens from most campaigns as unqualified to support the bids, Husny is aiming to hand the party more than required to ensure he gets in. ”I’m making sure I’ve got it all,” he said as he scurried off to buttonhole someone else on Parliament Hill. So far, the race has six official contenders, with two added this week: new Ontario MP Derek Sloan and Ontario party activist Jim Karahalios. They join Ontario MP Marilyn Gladu and Toronto lawyer Leslyn Lewis as “approved candidates,” meaning they’ve met the first set of require-

ments to run. Ahead of them are two others: former cabinet ministers Peter MacKay and Erin O’Toole. They’ve moved from the first stage to the second by laying down a further $25,000 of the registration fee, a full $100,000 refundable compliance deposit, and another 1,000 signatures, making them “authorized contestants.”

What that gives them is the party’s coveted membership list, so they can start contacting existing members to solicit support and money. By March 25, all candidates must submit a total of 3,000 signatures, the full non-refundable $200,000 entry fee and the $100,000 refundable compliance deposit.

Those who hit those benchmarks must also participate in two official debates. The party announced Wednesday there will be an English-language debate in Toronto on April 17 and a French one on April 23 in Montreal.

The date takes into account the March 25 deadline, said Dan Nowlan, one of the two chairs of the party’s leadership organizing committee.“The decision to hold the debates at this point of the race means candidates appearing on the stage are actually those that

will appear on the ballot,” he said.

But Thursday’s cut-off is still significant, said Brad Trost, a previous leadership candidate.

“It is meaningful to ordinary members, people who write cheques and who are deciding who to support,” Trost said.

“This will mean someone is an official candidate, and that sends a signal.”

Getting the first batch of signatures, the money and the application in by Thursday is no guarantee a candidate will be approved.

In addition to vetting the signatures, the party’s organizing committee reserves the right to interview applicants and reject their candidacies. Richard Decarie, a Quebec candidate strongly opposed to abortion and samesex marriage, is still waiting on his interview though has submitted the initial materials, Trost said.

There have been calls for the party to bar Decarie from running.

Current leader Andrew Scheer’s opposition to abortion and unclear stance on same-sex marriage were perceived as liabilities in the last federal election, though he never really discussed in detail his beliefs and said he

wouldn’t support any legislation restricting either. Decarie, on the other hand, has said he would defund abortion and restore the “traditional” definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman. His comments, including his position that being LGBTQ is a choice, have been condemned by prominent members of the party.

Sloan holds similar views; he said last month the science isn’t clear on whether being gay is a choice. The party approved his application this week....................

Party members are to elect a new leader on June 27. Source:.ctvnews.ca/

Trudeau Liberals Refuse to Condemn Illegal Blockades

Ottawa, ON — Today, Liberal Members of Parliament chose to follow the Prime Minister’s weak leadership and vote against the following Conservative Opposition Day

motion: That the House stand in solidarity with every elected band council on the Coastal GasLink route, the majority of hereditary chiefs, and the vast majority of the Wet’suwet’en people, who support the Coastal GasLink project, and condemn the radical activists who are exploiting divisions within the Wet’suwet’en community, holding the Canadian economy hostage, and threatening jobs and opportunities in Indigenous communities.

Todd Doherty, Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, released the following statement: “Today’s vote is just another ex-

ample of Justin Trudeau’s hypocrisy and weak leadership when it comes to this national crisis. “Almost three weeks have passed, 1,500 Canadians have lost their jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in damage has been done to Canada’s economy. Yet, the Trudeau Liberals still refuse to condemn these illegal blockades and the radical activists that are preventing hardworking Canadians from getting to and from their jobs.

“Justin Trudeau’s weakness over the last few weeks has sent a clear signal to businesses across Canada that the rule of law will not be upheld, that court injunctions will not

be enforced and that major projects cannot get built. Make no mistake, these blockades are a dress rehearsal for protests against other projects across Canada. It’s time for the Prime Minister to stop dithering and to take strong action before these protests shut down our economy completely.

“Canada’s Conservatives will continue to stand in solidarity with every elected band council on the Coastal GasLink route, the vast majority of the Wet’suwet’en people, and those in Canada who are out of work due to Justin Trudeau’s weak leadership.”

By: Office of Todd Doherty, MP

Eby calls on BC Liberals to stop withholding money laundering documents

VICTORIA – The BC Liberals are refusing to release all relevant cabinet documents to the Cullen Commission into money laundering, BC Attorney General David Eby disclosed today.

Speaking on day one of the commission, Eby said the BC Liberals have now received the documents relating to money laundering under their government.

However, former Finance Minister Mike de Jong is trying to pick and choose which documents are provided, even though he and other BC Liberals may be called into the

inquiry as witnesses.

“He is in a profound conflict of interest,” Eby said. “My expectation, and I think the expectation of all British Columbians, would be that the BC Liberals would instruct the public service to disclose, without qualification, without censorship, the entire package of relevant cabinet records about money laundering directly to the Commission of Inquiry.”

Eby is calling on Andrew Wilkinson and de Jong to agree to send all the documents to the commission.

“I will be responding to MLA de Jong and advising both him and Mr. Wilkinson of what their clear obligation to British Columbians is,” said Eby. “It is simple. Instruct the public servants who compile these cabinet documents to send the full package of records. No pages cut out, no reports left out, to the commission. Full stop.”

19 months have passed since Eby first requested that the BC Liberals provide access to the documents to assist efforts to fight money laundering.

Support for Conservatives surpasses Liberals amid blockade, pipeline turmoil: Nanos

TORONTO -- Canadians appear to be increasingly questioning their support for the Liberal government amid ongoing economic concerns, pipeline disputes and Indigenous land rights issues, according to a recent Nanos Research survey.

The latest Nanos federal ballot tracking shows that support for the Conservatives has risen to 36 per cent, followed by the Liberals at 33 per cent. The survey was taken during the week ending Feb. 21 – before Teck Resources announced it was withdrawing its application to build a major oilsands pro-

ject in northern Alberta and before police moved in to end a rail blockade in Ontario.

But the poll points towards a growing divisiveness amongst Canadians who are eager for solutions to the issues that continue to plague the Trudeau government, especially those related to pipelines and Indigenous issues.

“I think this current environment just put a spotlight that we need to get our house in order,” pollster Nik Nanos said Monday on CTV’s Trend Line podcast.

“Not only do we need a short-term solution on this, what’s the long term solution in terms of trying to make sure that this doesn’t happen again? Just to bring certainty in terms of what Canada’s plan is to reconcile jobs and environmental aspirations, so that there’s some type of framework that Canadians can take a look at to render some sort of judgment politically.”

The research was conducted in the midst of nation-wide rail blockades in support of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, resulting in temporary layoffs in at Via Rail and CN and igniting concerns about economic impacts.

The most impactful blockade near Belleville, Ont. blocking a critical east-west rail line between Toronto and Montreal, was dismantled by police Monday.

But marrying issues of resource development, Indigenous land rights and the environment will prove difficult for Trudeau, says Nanos.

“I think politically, this is a no-win,” he said.

“It’s going to be very difficult to make everyone happy… because for those Canadians that tilt towards the environment, they don’t want pipelines. For those Canadians that want jobs and resource jobs, they’re comfortable with the environmental direction of this government.”

A separate poll conducted by Nanos earlier this month showed increased division regarding Canadian sentiment about pipelines.

The poll, which was centered on the cost of the Trans Mountain pipeline to taxpayers, revealed that 47 per cent of respondents said Canada needs pipeline projects to create jobs, versus 43 per cent who said such projects should be halted because of their

effect on climate change. Ten per cent were unsure. That finding was consistent in every region of Canada except Quebec.

“The sympathy blockade that occurred in the Mohawk territory in Ontario has basically amped up the political risk for the Liberals, because now this is not just about our environmental aspirations and a clean future,” Nanos noted.

“And It’s not just about jobs. It’s put a spotlight on whether the government has made headway on reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and how Indigenous peoples are engaging on energy products.”

METHODOLOGY A national dual-frame (land and cell) random telephone survey is conducted weekly

by Nanos Research using live agents. The weekly tracking figures are based on a fourweek rolling sample comprised of 1,000 interviews. To update the tracking, a new week of 250 interviews is added and the oldest week dropped. The margin of error for a survey of 1,000 respondents is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Source: ctvnews.ca

13

Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

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Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

MIDDLE

EAST

The Trump plan threatens the status quo at al-Haram al-Sharif

By: Ofer Zalzberg The plan could pave the way for an Israeli takeover of the holy site in Jerusalem.

Apart from its many other faults and its overall one-sidedness, and despite its authors’ claims to the contrary, the US plan for Israel-Palestine, unveiled at the end of January, proposes perilous changes to the historical status quo at Jerusalem’s Holy Esplanade.

The 14-hectare (35-acre) compound, known to Jews as Temple Mount and to Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif, is Judaism’s holiest site and Islam’s third-most sacred after Mecca and Medina. The contested site, which is home to both the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque, is currently supervised by Jordan’s Islamic Waqf according to an unwritten Ottoman-era arrangement. Per the arrangement, Muslims are allowed to pray at the site, while non-Muslims are only allowed entry as tourists.

In its plan, titled “Peace to Prosperity”, the Trump administration pays lip service to this arrangement, saying “the status quo at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif should continue uninterrupted”. Despite this, however, it calls for three major changes that would, in practice, undo the centuries-old arrangement completely: transferring the site to Israeli sovereignty, rescinding Jordan’s custodianship over it, and ending the ban on non-Muslim prayer.

The plan aims to end Muslim control over the site, merely promising to guarantee Muslim worshippers’ free access to it. It also seemingly attempts to do away with Jordan’s custodianship of the compound, making no mention of it, a move that flies in the face of Israel’s commitment in the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty to “give high priority to the Jordanian historic role in these shrines”. The plan instead describes Israel as a custodian of Jerusalem’s holy sites.

The plan calls for freedom of worship at the Holy Esplanade, saying: “[p]eople of every

faith should be permitted to pray on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif, in a manner that is fully respectful to their religion, taking into account the times of each religion’s prayers and holidays, as well as other religious factors”. This seemingly benign notion - that there ought to be freedom of worship at the site - masks an attempt to make a major alteration to the historical status quo.

Regardless of what the notion means in practice - separate Jewish and Muslim devotions or side-by-side prayer - the mere possibility of separate prayer times triggers visceral Palestinian fears that Al-Aqsa Mosque will one day undergo a forced partitioning akin to the one imposed on Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque by Israeli authorities in 1994.

The Trump plan is unlikely to ever serve as the basis for negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, let alone a comprehensive peace deal. The Palestine Liberation Organisation and Hamas refused to engage with it long before its announcement. Some Arab states made somewhat supportive statements about it right after its publication but these were soon overtaken by a chorus of disapproval from around the world. The Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation also rejected the plan in early February.

The plan, however, can still cause considerable damage. Israelis could invoke it as setting forth new default parameters for how the site will be governed in the absence of an Israeli-Palestinian deal.

Following the Muslim world’s rejection of the plan’s attempt to alter the status quo at the Holy Esplanade, US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman sought to clarify Washington’s stance on the issue. “The status quo, in the manner that it is observed today, will continue absent an agreement to the contrary,” he said at a media briefing. “So there’s nothing in the […] plan that would impose any alteration of the status quo that’s not subject to agreement of all the parties”.

In theory, Friedman’s remarks provide some clarification, suggesting Washington will insist that any change allowing for nonMuslim prayer should occur only as part of an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement. In practice, however, his comments leave room for ambiguity as “the status quo, in the manner that it is observed today” - in both Jordanian and Palestinian eyes - is already an eroded version of the historical arrangement.

Over the years, Israel has increasingly allowed Jewish prayer and imposed greater limitations on the Waqf ’s independence.

Growing numbers of religious Jews have visited the site, many of whom are part of Temple movements - activist groups seeking to promote Jewish worship at and Israeli control over the holy site with the ultimate aim of erecting a Third Temple.

They make up a small minority of Israeli Jews, but Israel’s police has given them significant leeway, tolerating low-profile prayer as well as discreet study of religious texts and conduct of rites of passage, while blocking open and loud prayer.

With Waqf support, Palestinians have regained access over three sections of the compound turning them into prayer halls.

This happened most recently at a building near Bab al-Rahma which was shut down by Israeli authorities in 2003.

In light of all this, it is clear that there are major differences between committing to the ever-changing status quo today and the historical arrangement.

Tellingly, Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, who is responsible for the police policies at the holy site, seems to publicly encourage ongoing Jewish prayer at the site, in contravention of the prayer ban.

Moreover, Temple activists have already been invoking the plan’s language to argue for doing away with the non-Muslim prayer ban. The Students for the Temple Mount, for example, launched a media campaign with-

spying for Iran, state television reported.

The Saudi national sentenced to death was accused of “betraying his country and offering intelligence to Iran”, Al-Ekhbariya television said on Twitter on Tuesday.

Seven others were sentenced to a total jail term of 58 years for having “associated and cooperated with people working in the embassy of Iran”, it added. The broadcaster did not identify the people nor explain with which Iranian embassy they were accused of cooperating. Saudi-owned publication Al-Arabiya said the death sentence was handed down to a person who was “proven to have leaked confidential information to Iranian intelligence”.“The confidential information which was leaked af-

fects Saudi national security and includes intelligence on two foreign embassies, such as their entrances, exits, and security presence,” Al-Arabiya reported.

Last year, Saudi Arabia executed 37 nationals in connection with “terrorism”, on charges of “adopting extremist terrorist ideologies”.

The United Nations decried that decision, describing it as “shocking” and “abhorrent”.

Sunni Saudi Arabia snapped diplomatic relations with Shia-dominated Iran following the 2016 attacks by demonstrators on its missions in Iran after the kingdom executed revered Shia Sheikh Nimr alNimr.

hathir would cede power to Anwar.

The tussle between Mahathir, who at 94 is the world’s oldest prime minister, and Anwar, 72, has shaped Malaysian politics for decades and tension has persisted.“The letter has been sent to His Royal Highness the King at 1pm,” Mahathir’s office said in a statement.

Anwar was due to meet with the king at 0600 GMT. It was not clear if he had the political support to stake a claim on forming a government. It was also not immediately clear what the king’s next step would be and whether Mahathir could form another government with the support of other parties, including UMNO. If no grouping had more

than the 112 members needed for a parliamentary majority, fresh elections are an option, a person close to Mahathir’s party said.

The party, Bersatu, has quit the ruling coalition along with 11 lawmakers from Anwar’s PKR party, including Malaysia’s Minister of Economic Affairs Mohamed Azmin Ali, they said in separate statements. “Seems like it will be up for grabs now,” a second source said about the possibility of who will form the next government. “Who can pull in a majority.” Another person, someone who is close to Mahathir, said “people who claim to have majority can go to the king and prove it”. Anwar’s press secretary did not immediately respond to a request

in two days of the plan’s release, titled “The Time Has Come: Sovereignty and Freedom of Worship at the Temple Mount for Jews Now!”, quoting the Trump plan’s statement in support of Jewish prayer.

There are many reasons to reject the plan, including its departure from international norms, its blatant bias, and its treatment of Palestinians in Israel as second-class citizens. But the positions it espouses on Jerusalem’s Holy Esplanade present a particular danger.

By calling into question the status quo and legitimising exclusivist Israeli positions, it risks making any future resolution ever more elusive. It empowers forces working to shatter the ban on non-Muslim worship on the site and increases the possibility of another episode of religiously motivated violence in Jerusalem.

The US is assertively seeking backing for its plan, including from Arab states. Should President Trump be re-elected in November, his administration may well embark on a more sustained effort to do so. Those hoping for a peaceful and sustainable resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should not just withhold their support for it serving as the basis for negotiations, but actively oppose it.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.

Source:www.aljazeera.com

Saudi nationals sentenced for ‘offering intelligence to Iran’

Saudi court sentences a citizen to death and seven to jail time on charges of treason and spying for Iran. A Saudi criminal court has sentenced one citizen to death and seven others to prison on charges of treason and

Tensions have risen in recent months after a series of attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf and Saudi oil installations.

Washington and Riyadh have accused Iran of being behind those attacks, a charge denied by Tehran. Saudi Arabia and Iran have taken opposing sides on various conflicts in the Middle East, including the wars in Yemen and Syria.

Riyadh has also backed Trump’s “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran, in which the US leader imposed punishing sanctions against Tehran after Washington abandoned a landmark deal that curbed Tehran’s nuclear programme.

Source.aljazeera.com

Malaysian PM Mahathir submits resignation in shock move, leaves government in limbo Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has submitted a letter of resignation to the country’s king, his office said on Monday, leaving the government in limbo amid talk of forming a new governing coalition.

The fate of Malaysia’s ruling coalition had been in doubt after weekend talks between some of its members and opposition groups on forming a new government that would exclude Mahathir’s anointed successor Anwar Ibrahim.

The pair had joined forces to win the 2018 election and oust the long-running United Malays National Organisation (UMNO), in an alliance based on a promise that Ma-

for comment. Anwar’s wife Wan Azizah Ismail is the deputy prime minister of the country and would be the highest figure in the government if Mahathir’s resignation is acceptedSource: aljazeera.com

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Middle

East

Mecca governor orders arrest of Saudi female rapper

ome social media users have slammed Ayasel Slay’s rap video about Mecca girls as insulting to city’s holiness.

Saudi officials have ordered the arrest of a female rapper who appeared in a music video for her song Bint Mecca, or Girl from Mecca, stating that it is offensive to the customs and traditions of the holy city.

In the video, a Saudi woman identified as Ayasel Slay raps about her pride in being from Mecca, home to the holiest site in Islam, the Kaaba.

The video was uploaded to Ayasel’s YouTube channel - which has since been removed - last week and featured her rapping in a cafe with a group of smiling children as her backup dancers.“A Mecca girl is all you need/Don’t upset her, she will hurt you,” sang Ayasel, describing how a woman from Mecca exceeded all other Saudi women in beauty and strength.

“With her, you can complete the Sunna [get married]/Your life with her will become Paradise,” she asserts proudly.

On Thursday, Mecca regional authorities said in a Tweet that the governor had issued orders that Ayasel and the video production team be prosecuted.

“Prince Khalid bin Faisal of Mecca has ordered the arrest of those responsible for the Bint Mecca rap song, which offends the customs and traditions of the people of Mecca and contradicts the identity and traditions of its esteemed

population,” the tweet said. Social media storm The song has attracted strong reactions from social media, with racial undertones used in the hashtag #You_Are_ Not_Mecca’s_Girls directed at Ayasel’s African origins. “Enough of this depravity,” one user said, referring to the video. “I hope the punishment for this African woman will be imprisonment then deporting her back to her country.”“Immediate deportation is the answer, in addition to holding every foreigner who claims to be from Mecca accountable,” one user said.“Including all Somalis living here,” another replied in agreement.

Others spoke out against these comments.

“If anything needs to be deported, it is your racism, your arrogance, and your deep reverence for yourselves,” one Twitter user retorted.

“She was covered, she didn’t say anything offensive. Their problem with her is that she is black, they don’t want to be represented by a black Saudi. If a white Arab person from another Arab country claimed to be from Hijaz they would clapping.”

Hamza(@HBlive0February 20, 2020

“The singer is young and has maybe realised her mistake, as Mecca is a holy place and has revered status,” Twitter user Nouf al-Qahtani said. “But don’t let your comments fall to racist levels ...

racism is a disease in society.” “[Some] Saudis are saying that the singer is black and can’t be from Mecca, as if Mecca is known for its blond-haired and blue-eyed women,” another social user commented sarcastically.

Comments also pointed out what they said was hypocrisy and double standards on the part of Saudi authorities and their reaction to the rap video.

“What a contrasting situation ... [the government] invites singers and dancers to the country and no one objected but this girl did this song and now everyone is against her?” social media user Sultan al-Hamedi asked.

It is not the first time a Saudi female rapper has released a video. In June 2018, a rapper by the name of Leesa A dropped a video where she celebrated the country’s lifting of a ban that prohibited women from driving. The video went viral but, unlike Asayel Slay’s

song, was well received.

Saudi Arabia has in recent years implemented a series of social and economic reforms, championed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS), including giving women the right to drive and opening up the conservative kingdom for entertainment and tourism.

The reforms have, however, been accompanied by a deepening crackdown on government critics, including the detention of high-profile women’s rights activists including Loujain alHalthloul, and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi agents at country’s consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Amnesty International has described Saudi Arabia’s human rights record as “abysmal”, adding the nation is in the “grip of a sweeping crackdown against critics of the government”.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS

16 kashm i r Kashmir students attend school for the first time in 7 months Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

Re-opening of schools comes after the Indian government loosened a communication lockdown in the disputed region.

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir - Nearly a million students in Indianadministered Kashmir have attended classes for the first time in almost seven months. he schools’ reopening on Monday marked an end to a lengthy break that began in August 2019, when the Indian government imposed a security and communications lockdown in the Muslim-majority region, and was later followed by the annual threemonth winter vacation.

Last week, authorities in Kashmir announced, for the third time in recent months, the resumption of classes as the security situation remains under control and weather conditions have improved. ”I am very happy to be here,” 19-yearold Muskan Yaqoob said, on her first day studying commerce in class 12.

“I was very eager to come,” added Yaqoob, who last attended school on August 3. “At home, there was nothing to do; even concentrating on studies was difficult.”

On August 5, the government in New Delhi abolished Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to the Indian-administered portion of the Himalayan region, including the right to its own constitution and autonomy to make laws on all matters except defence, communications and foreign affairs.

Under a government crackdown, which saw thousands of people including students detained, strict communication

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and military curbs were imposed in the region to prevent protests.

Kashmiri activists fear that the abrogation of Article 370 changed the geographical realities in Kashmir by removing a seven-decades-old law that had protected the demography of the region.

Following the controversial move, authorities on two occasions announced the reopening of schools, but students stayed away amid the ongoing restrictions and concerns among parents about the children’s safety at a time of heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. The two neighbours have fought two of their three wars over the disputed territory of Kashmir, which both claim in full but administer separate portions of. Armed rebels in Indian-administered Kashmir, meanwhile, want either independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Last week’s announcement about the reopening of schools brought the winter break to an end one week before schedule. It also came amid an easing of the communication lockdown which has seen low-speed mobile internet restored.

“Today, I decided to let my children attend school because I felt a little safe. I have a working phone where I can know about the wellbeing of my children,” said Shafat Ahmad, after dropping his 11-year-old son and six-year-old daughter at a school in the main city of Srinagar.

Ahmad said that over the past few months, he had decided against sending his children back to school despite the government insisting them to attend.

International Days of Action against U.S. Sanctions and Economic War! Protesting 5 years of the ongoing U.S./Saudi-led War on Yemen!

Protesting 17 years since the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq!

MONTHLY ANTIWAR RALLY & PETITION DRIVE

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VANCOUVER, CANADA

This action takes place on the unceded traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples of the səlil̓wətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations.

MOBILIZATION AGAINST WAR & OCCUPATION-MAWO

W W W. M AW O VA N C O U V E R . O R G

“The government cares about its interests and not about the future of our children and they wanted to use them to manufacture normalcy last year,” he said, accusing it of being “responsible for disrupting the normal life in Kashmir”.

“They have jeopardised the future of so many children who are languishing in jails. In this place, you cannot express your real voice. We want a future with dignity for our children so that they do not have to fear to talk freely.” The reopening of the schools came as hundreds of security personnel continued to patrol the streets of Srinagar in riot gear to prevent any demonstrations.

“The atmosphere of fear has subsided and the parents have taken an honourable decision to prefer schooling to vagaries of time,” a senior government official told Al Jazeera on the condition of anonymity.

“We will ensure the smooth functioning of the schools.”

GN Var, who heads a local union of pri-

vate schools in Kashmir, Private Schools Association Jammu and Kashmir (PSAK), told Al Jazeera that “the seven months of closure created a huge gap in education”.

“The loss cannot be measured,” Var said, adding that it will affect students in upcoming exams.

“This place is uncertain but we hope the time [ahead] remains smooth and students will continue to pursue education like children everywhere else.”

Mehwish Rafiq, 18, said that while she and her friends were happy to return to class, there is always a fear that “something might happen and schools will be shut again”.

“I completely value what it means to be at school,” Mehwish said, adding that “thereare so many barriers to our success.”

“There is a mental trauma after a long disconnect with books.”

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS

HIRING IMAM

The Fleetwood Islamic Academy Society was established in 2014 with its head office in Surrey BC. It is one of the Muslim organizations in Canada serving the Muslim community of BC. It caters to diverse Muslim communities from different ethnic backgrounds.

The society is seeking to hire a qualified Imam for their Fleetwood Islamic Centre in Surrey, BC. This is a permanent and full-time position consisting of 40 hours per week based on a flex schedule as per the local requirements.

Business address and location of work #209 – 210, 8462 162 Street Surrey, BC V3S 3V4 Duties and responsibilities Duties include but not limited to: • Lead five times daily Salah; • Lead Jumah Salah with sermon; • Lead Tarawih Salah during the month of Ramadan; • Lead Eid Salah; • Participate in all Society organised functions & events • Organise youth & adult Halaqa; • Solemnizing marriage and burial ceremonies; • Religious teaching (Arabic and Quran classes); • Provide counselling services; • Participate in humanitarian endeavor, social services and welfare activities • Establish open dialogue and communication with members to provide religious guidance.

• Promote spirituality, peace & harmony in the community • Conduct regular & on-going Moulid & Dhikr Programs Employment Requirements • Be a Sunni Muslim practicing Shafi’i madhab, well versed in Shariah and Islamic Jurisprudence.

• Must have at least 5 years’ experience in a similar position as an Imam or Islamic Counselor or Islamic Preacher or previous experience in a related occupation.

• Completion of college, university or other program in Religious or Islamic studies is required.

• Fluent in English and Arabic Wage $24.10 per hour How to Apply?

Please email your resume: fias_bc@outlook.com We would like to thank all applicants for their interest in Fleetwood Islamic Academy Society; however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

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k i t c ke n

Y O U R

Stacked in Your Favor

K I T C H E N

K

also attach a graduated rack to the door. Whatever you do, arrange lids from smallest to largest, with their partner pans close by.

Knife Storage

Retrieving a jar of honey from the back of a crowded cabinet can be awkward. For a simple fix, gather the small items you store on the shelf onto a spare baking tray, then treat it like a drawer, care fully sliding it in and out for easy Storing knives properly helps access. The pan will also catch them to maintain their edges. drips, speeding cleanup.

Use a magnetic strip to keep

Pantry Reminder Pot Rack

knives safe and at a arm’s length when you are ready to chop, slice, or dice.

Coordinated Containers Keep your kitchen counters, drawers, and cupboards clutter-free with these ingenious organizing solutions.Covered with chalkboard paint, a pantry door serves as the perfect place to keep a running shopping list. In this case, only the inside panels were coated, but we custom-colored the paint so that it blends seamlessly with the rest of the door.

Always tape off those areas that you don’t want to paint, such as knobs and hardware.

Kitchen

Helper

You don’t need a prairie-size kitchen to manage the chaos of pot storage.

A handrail and several Shooks will turn a few square feet of wall into a convenient rack for kitchenware. Handrails are better than towel bars for the job, because they support more weight. Look for them, in sizes from 12 to 32 inches long, at surgicalsupply stores. As for the pots and pans, you already know which cabinet door hides an avalanche of thos

Pot Lid Organizer

Metal baskets once used for milk bottles and other groceries make perfect storage units for the kitchen. For maximum impact, choose similar containers, but vary their sizes and shapes (the metal ones here feature punched holes and wire grids).

Line baskets with canvas, and group them together to organize an entire roomful of odds and ends.

Recipe File

the kitchen. Protectors are available at office-supply stores and come in a variety of sizes; choose ones to accommodate your recipe cards taken from magazines as well as handwritten ones received from friends. Store the pages in a three-ring binder.

almost as wide as the cupboard’s depth. Cut a piece of nonskid shelf liner to fit the tray so glasses stay put and rims are protected. Place large glasses upside down on the shelf, set tray on top, and arrange smaller glasses upside down on top of tray.

Keep pantry staples organized with a set of glass storage jars customized with etched lettering.

Bamboo steamers have holes that let air in and out to cook food uniformly. For just that reason, these containers are also well suited to storing onions, garlic, and shallots, which require ventilation and should not be refrigerated. Place all three in a single unit, or if you use lots of all of them, keep each kind in its own section of a stackable steamer. Place the steamer on a tray or plate to catch flaking skins, and set it on the counter for quick access.

Etched Glass Steamer Storage Bin Storage Jars

Under the Sink Organizer

Don’t let kitchen rags and dishwashing gloves clutter the sink area. Instead, hang them from hooks screwed to the inside of a cabinet door, where the items can stay out of sight as they dry.

A grommet-setting kit (below: available at hardware stores) lets you make tear-proof holes in cloth, rubber, and other soft materials. Place a tray just inside the cabinet to corral cleaning supplies and catch water that drips from wet gloves.

Tray Divider Clear up the clutter and make themost of your countertops by using a cake stand to hold olive oil, salt, pepper, and other frequently used seasonings. The stand makes it easy to find and use these ingredients while you

T I P S

cook, and gives you space to peg rack in a cupboard, and protectors: Use them to keep Increase cupboard space by arrange other herbs and spices line up the lids vertically be- recipe cards organized and using a serving tray as a shelf around the base of the pedestal. tween the pegs. You could free of spills and spatters in divider. You’ll need a tray

Baking-Pan Organizer

eep your kitchen counters, drawers, and cupboards clutter-free with these ingenious organizing solutions.Storing saucers is no problem: They nest neatly. The teacups, on the other hand, always threaten to topple over.

Here’s how Martha handles them: placed cup over saucer, in tidy stacks of no more than three or four.

aid

To eliminate the search for the right lid amid an unwieldy stack each time you use your pots and pans, store them Here’s a new job for photo neatly: Place a wooden

Spice Displays

Bring visual harmony to assorted spices by transferring them to plain jars (we used glass ones, available at housewares stores) and tagging the containers with our self-adhesive labels. Your upgraded collection will be attractive and easier to scan -- no more mistaking the cumin for cinnamon.

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w omeN

Depression

By: Shabnam Khan - Family Counsellor t’s perfectly normal to have sadness in your life. Some kinds, however, can be a cause for concern. If you are feeling sad at this moment—or have been experiencing a down mood for a while—look honestly at your situation. There are three types of sadness most of us fall into: Short-term sadness: This is a passing mood, lasting a few days or, at most, a week. It sometimes has a cause and sometimes not. The best remedy—as we all know but, sadly, often fail to remember—is to lower your stress, go to bed early and get eight hours of uninterrupted sleep, make sure you exercise and break up your normal routine a bit. Boredom, lack of sleep, being too sedentary and excess stress is all associated with a sad mood.

Triggered sadness: This includes a downturn in mood because something undeniably bad has happened to you, such as losing your job or the death of someone close to you. In such a situation, you will generally know what the trigger is. The problem is

I

Dear Dr. Expert, I have an intense fear of speaking in public!

It’s gotten really bad. Every time I have to get up and do a presentation for school, my heart starts beating fast, I get ringing in my ears, and I’m sure I’m going to pass out! It’s gotten so bad that I have been pretending to be sick every time I know I have a presentation. It’s beginning to affect my grades because I keep getting bad marks on presentations. Failing in Fort Nelson Dr. Expert: Dear Failing in Fort Nelson, nfortunately, there really aren’t any shortcuts – the best way to overcome a fear of public speaking is to face your fear head on! However, just like if you were learning to swim you wouldn’t jump right into the deep end of the water without floaties. You want to face this fear gradually. First, learn some relaxation strategies like calm breathing (clicking on it takes you to teen calm breathing section).

Learning to relax can make speaking in public a little easier. Next, you want to make a list of all the possible ways you could present in public from the least scary to the scariest. For example, it may be that presenting in front of your family may be a 3/10 on a scale of how afraid you are. That would be a good first step. After you have mastered that, you might want to progress to inviting a couple of other friends over to hear you talk. Later steps could be talking in the classroom with just the teacher present, showing a video of yourself doing the presentation in front of the whole class, and later presenting in front of the class. If you work on fighting your fear in small steps daily – you’ll be public speaking in no time! It can also be helpful to remind yourself that everyone gets embarrassed sometimes and it doesn’t last forever – you’ll live! And if the worst thing you can imagine is others laughing at you, plan for what you would do if that happened – the best strategy is to say “whoops! Um, rewind!” and laugh with them. Rehearsing how you would handle some of those situations will help you feel more confident and

U

I am responsible for I, Me & Myself

that most people feel helpless when they enter extended sadness, even when they know there is a good reason for it. In this case, you need to process your sadness, let nature take its course and share your feelings with someone who can counsel and console you.

Bottling up your feelings and feeling victimized are never helpful. Triggered sadness lasts an unpredictable length of time, yet in an emotionally healthy adult, within six months there is a return to the level of emotions that existed before the trigger was set off.

Depression: If you feel sad, exhausted, helpless, hopeless and unable to sleep or eat for few weeks, you should suspect that you are depressed. There is often a trigger for this condition, but it is usually something that you could normally cope with.

When coping breaks down, depression takes over. So if you feel that you can’t cope, even with minor stress and ordinary setbacks, mild to moderate depression may be indicated. This is a complicated mood disorder that varies from person to person. If you suspect that you or someone close to you is depressed, it is very important to see professional help. Remember it’s never too late.......... info: shabnam@skcounselling.ca

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By: Asma Shums, , as a person, I am responsible for my thoughts and actions. We are influenced by many things, what we read, see, watch and what we hear others say, etc. The circumstances and situations or our helplessness in certain matters. But inside of all the situations, it is ‘I’ me who takes decisions. We cannot control others but we can atlas try to control or channelize our own reactions. We can let it be a parent, teenager any relative, friend or coworker or any person we come into contact with, our character, our goodness and our strength does show in any situation and intact we can show our true self in adverse situations.

Osho Story: There is this story about famous Osho Rajneesh.

Somebody told him that why does he not sell his expensive car and help the poor. He said that he is not responsible for their poverty, his one-act will not end poverty and the poverty-stricken population is so large that all his wealth will not help them all.

The point here is that others or outside factors do not solve one’s problems or situations completely. They are outside factors or situations that affect us but it is our own thoughts, perceptions and principle ability and actions that ultimately shape our destiny.

Tough exam: The exam for IAS officer is tougher than the exam of 12th grade and so is the candidate who are appearing for the respective exam The higher the post the higher the exam. This life is neither bed of roses nor thorns. It is a mixture of happiness and sadness, good, bad and a bit of everything.

Birth to Death :

Since a person is born, he goes on with first his genes, his family atmosphere, his upbringing, his lucky and his experience with this society his world.

As and when he grows, we are constantly molded with all factors like a sponge. It all depends now that kind of sponge love we have in ourselves and how much can we absorb. Since we all human beings are coming in constant contact with others, interact at different levels, we tend to affect and influence each other.

In the end, if somebody gives us something and we don’t accept it, then it remains with the giver.

If we refuse the negativity, it does not remain with us. We have tone strong to face the hardships of life. We have maintained good qualities even in adverse situations. It is very difficult but we have to. When children see their parents on a right path they get inspiration and when we see something in the society that is either right or wrong we can adapt this behavior. Ultimately good actions make a good society. They say an idea can change your life and with the right influence, it is the possibility to change our lives and future. Our duty as human beings is to live rightfully, honestly and kindly.

Just Chill: A teenager asked what is longing, helpless frustration. His mother replied disconnected the internet which turned the Wi-Fi off & his son said no more.

Ionfo at asmashums@gmail.com

Fear of Public Speaking *answering a question in class *doing a presentation *going to a party or school dance *going shopping and asking a salesperson

to help her find a size.

EXERCISE: Pull out a piece of paper and start listing the things that you fear.

Tips To Making A List Of Your Fears

shine. Good luck!

Make A List of Fears You need to gradually face the things you fear! The process of facing fears is called exposure. Exposure involves slowly and repeatedly facing things you fear until you feel less anxious.

Starting with things that are less scary, you work your up towards facing things that are scarier. This process happens naturally all the time. For example, when you learned to ride a bike you started on a tricycle. Then, you moved to riding a bike with training wheels and your Mom or Dad holding on to the back of the bike. Finally, you worked your way up to riding a two-wheel bike on your own. This process also happens when we learn to swim or drive a car.

The first step in facing your fears is to make a list of the situations, places, or things that you fear.

Here’s an example.

Lin has social anxiety and is afraid of a number of social situations. For example, she is scared to talk to other kids at school. She is afraid to answer questions in class and avoids doing class presentations at all costs.

Lin tends to avoid going to parties unless she knows everyone who will be there. She also avoids going shopping, as she doesn’t want to talk to the salespeople.

Lin’s list of feared situations might include:

*talking to classmates *asking her teacher a question

Here are some tips to help you make your list of fears.

Your list should include lots of situations, some that would be easier to face and some that would be harder.

Sometimes we can have lots of different fears, so it can help to group similar fears together. For example, you may have a fear of heights and a fear of germs. Make a different list for each fear theme.

Common fears include: being around other kids, trying new things, talking to unfamiliar people, public speaking, animals, insects, needles, heights, touching things that may be covered in germs, doing things alone, making mistakes, things being out of place, driving, and being in crowded places.

There are a number of things that may make something easier or harder for you to do: Length of time Talking to a classmate for 30 seconds is easier than talking to someone for 5 minutes.

Doing a 2-minute speech is easier than doing a 5-minute speech.

Distance Standing 20 feet from a dog is easier than standing next to one. Looking at a picture of a needle is easier than holding an actual needle.

Who is with you Going to the mall with a friend may be easier than going alone. Letting yourself make a mistake when talking to your mom may be easier than making a mistake when talking to the sales assistant at a store, which may be easier than making a mistake when talking

to your teacher.

Pick a specific goal!

It can also be helpful to think of a specific goal. Then, list all the steps you would need to take in order to accomplish that goal. For example, your goal may be to get a needle.

Steps might include: 1) looking at pictures of needles; 2) watching videos of needles; 3) holding a needle; 4) holding the needle against your skin; 5) watching someone else get a needle; and 5) getting a needle.

Break Things Up Into Smaller Steps

Often, the things on your list of fears can be broken up into smaller steps. Some steps will be easier and some will be harder.

For example, Lin is afraid to talk to her classmates.

This can be broken up into a number of steps: Saying “hi” to a classmate in the hall.

Asking a classmate a quick question. (For example, “Is the math quiz on Friday?”)

Sharing weekend plans with a classmate.

Lin is also afraid to do a presentation in class.

This can be broken up into a number of steps: 1: Doing a short presentation in front of a friend.

2: Doing a short presentation in front of

the teacher.

3: Doing a short presentation in front of the teacher and a few friends.

Source: www.anxietycanada.com/

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Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

health / Y O U T H

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nxiety is our body’s normal reaction to perceived danger or important events. Anxiety is like an internal alarm system. It alerts us to danger and helps our body prepare to deal with it. For example, it allows you to jump out of the way of a speeding car. It also lets us know when something important is happening and helps us perform at our best. For example, anxiety can prompt you to bring home your textbook to study for a final exam or motivate you to practice for a class presentation.

Anxiety is something that everyone experiences from time to time.

Anxiety triggers something called the “fight-flight-freeze” response (F3). This automatic response affects our thoughts, body, and behaviors. When faced with a potential threat, your thoughts focus on the danger, your body revs up to help protect you, and you take action (fight, flight, or freeze). For example, imagine that you’re out walking your dog and a skunk pops out of the bushes. You have thoughts about the skunk such as “What if it sprays us?” which helps you identify the potential danger. Your body

Anxiety in Youth

a “false alarm.”

Although anxiety protects us in the face of real danger, it can become a problem when it…

Goes off when there is no real or immediate danger (e.g., like a smoke alarm that goes off when you’re just making toast)

*Happens a lot *Feels pretty intense *Is upsetting and causes you distress *Stops you from doing fun and important

also reacts (heart beats faster, muscle tense up) to help you get prepared to protect yourself. And, you take action, such as remaining very still and hoping the skunk doesn’t notice you (freeze) or running away (flight).

As you can see, anxiety protects you. In fact, without it, we’d be extinct!

The F3 system is critical to our survival from true threat or danger, but what happens when there is no real danger? Interestingly, anxiety can also trigger this system into action when we believe there is a threat

or danger even if there isn’t. For example, you may yell at your mum for bugging you about taking your driving test when you don’t feel ready (fight). Or you may call your dad to pick you up early from a new activity because you don’t feel comfortable around unfamiliar people (flight). Or, you may feel as though your mind goes blank when the teacher asks you a question (freeze). These are examples of anxiety triggering the F3 alarm even though these situations are not really dangerous. We call this

things (e.g., like going to school dances or parties, making friends or dating, getting your homework done, or getting a job or your driver’s license) If you think anxiety might be a problem for you, take the quiz below. It’s also important to reach out to others for help. Talk to a trusted adult (e.g., parents, family members) or your family doctor. Or, get some support from a mental health professional (like your school counsellor, or a psychologist or psychiatrist).

Source: www.anxietycanada.com/

Is This Normal Aging or Not ?

By Michele Cohen Marill WebMD Feature hose first strands of gray hair are a sign of the inevitable. We’re getting older and our bodies are changing. We may grow a little rounder around the waistline, or wake in the night, or feel a little stiffer in the morning. Yet while we adapt to new realities, we shouldn’t discount every symptom as just further evidence of aging.

How do you know when to ignore your body’s lapses or when to seek medical advice?

What’s normal aging, and what’s not?

“Aging, in and of itself, is a subtle, quiet process,” says Marie Bernard, MD, deputy director of the National Institute on Aging. If you have a sudden change or if you feel pain, that is a red flag, she says.

“I’ve had many a patient come in and complain about pain in the knee. They’ve said, ‘It’s just my age,’” says Bernard, a geriatrician. “The reality of the matter is both knees are the same age. Why is one knee painful and the other is not?”

Is Aging Actually Good for You? We shouldn’t think of aging as a failure of our bodily systems, says Kenneth Minaker, MD, chief of geriatric medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. “Aging is a life-saving process,” he says. “It is a process of lifelong adaptation to prevent us from developing cancers that would kill us.”

Natural changes in cells may slow them down or alter their capacity, he says. Most people reach their peak functioning at around age 30.

How soon you notice age-related changes in stamina, strength, or sensory perception will vary based on your personal health choices, your medical history, and your genetics, Minaker says.

Some age-related complaints are common, and some symptoms aren’t caused by aging at all. Here is some advice on how to tell the difference: Eye Trouble By around age 40, almost everyone will be reaching for reading glasses. Presbyopia occurs when the lens becomes stiff and won’t adjust to refocus from distance to near vision. Cataracts, or clouding of

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the lens, may begin to affect your vision when you reach your 60s. Long-term exposure to sunlight increases the risk of cataracts, which can be corrected through surgery to replace the lens.

If you notice you have worse peripheral than central vision, or the reverse, you could have a serious eye condition that requires treatment. Glaucoma occurs when the pressure in the eye increases and causes damage to the optic nerve. Two forms of macular degeneration affect the center of the retina, leading to a loss of central vision.

The bottom line: “If you feel you’re having blurred vision or vision loss, you should get your eyes examined,” says Hilary Beaver, MD, associate professor of clinical ophthalmology at the Weil Cornell Medical College at The Methodist Hospital in Houston. It’s a good idea to

also a reason to have it examined, he says.

“If people just notice, ‘I’m not hearing quite as well as I did a few years ago,’ that’s the aging process,” Dobie says. “If I don’t hear as well this week as I did last week, that’s not the aging process.”

Decrease in Strength or Stamina With age, we lose muscle tissue and our muscles become more rigid and less toned. Weight training and stretching improve strength and flexibility, though we can’t completely counteract this natural course of aging.

Our organs lose their extra reserve, too.

The walls of the heart become thicker, the arteries are stiffer, and the heart rate slows as we age. Aging of the heart is a major reason it may be harder to exercise vigorously when we are older as we could when we were 20. Yet maintaining regular aerobic activity -- even just walking -- can

have preventive checkups, too, especially if you have diabetes or a family history of glaucoma or macular degeneration, she says Hearing Loss About a third of people who are 60 or older have some hearing loss. This condition, known as presbycusis, may be due to the loss of sensory receptors in the inner ear. At first, some sounds may seem muffled, and high-pitched voices may be harder to understand. Men tend to have more hearing loss than women.

Pain, drainage from the ear, or a rapid loss of hearing could be a sign of a tumor or infection, cautions Robert Dobie, MD, professor of otolaryngology at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. If the hearing in one ear is noticeably worse than the other, that is

improve our stamina.

When should you worry?

Get an immediate evaluation if you have chest pain, especially with dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, or fainting. Those are possible signs of a heart attack. Problems with your heart rate could cause lightheartedness, dizziness, or fatigue.

One in 10 people age 65 or older have anemia, or a low level of oxygen-carrying red blood cells. It can cause fatigue and can be treated with iron supplements or medications to spur the body to produce more red blood cells.

High Blood Pressure Aging is not a disease, but our body’s changes make us vulnerable to some medical conditions.

One example is essential hypertension, or high blood pressure. The exact cause of

essential hypertension is not known.

There are several factors that play a role including genetic factors, obesity, salt intake and aging. Blood vessels tend to become less elastic with age, and this stiffness may contribute to high blood pressure.

More than half of people 60 and older have high blood pressure - a reading of 140 (systolic) over 90 (diastolic) or higher.

A low-sodium diet, exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight can help prevent high blood pressure.

Memory Loss Can’t remember where you put your keys?

Forgot the name of an acquaintance you haven’t seen in a while? Those momentary lapses are normal.

No need to worry, unless the forgetfulness is impairing your daily life, says John Q. Trojanowski, MD, PhD, co-director of the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research and professor of geriatric medicine and gerontology at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. “Many of us have a memory complaint, but it’s not dementia or disease,” he says.

Generally, information processing slows as we grow older, and older people have more trouble multitasking. But there’s a lot of variability in cognitive function. Not surprisingly, for example, older adults typically outperform young adults in their knowledge of the world.

The red flag for dementia related to Alzheimer’s disease is the inability to learn and retain new information. Problems with episodic memory are a sign of mild cognitive impairment that could be a precursor of the disease, according to new guidelines for diagnosing Alzheimer’s.

People with Alzheimer’s have other cognitive deficits, as well, such as trouble with language or recognizing objects, Trojanowski says. Biomarkers detected through imaging or a test of cerebrospinal fluid can aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s.

If you have memory problems and you have a family history of Alzheimer’s disease, you may want to be evaluated.

Alzheimer’s disease rarely occurs among people who are younger than 65. About one in eight people aged 65-74 have Alzheimer’s, and 43% of people who are older than 85 have Alzheimer’s.

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Modesty in a Cosmetic Society

By: Sahar Jahani sk a Muslim: What is the meaning of Islamic hijab? Why do Muslim women and men adhere to these rules of modesty?

“What color is your hair?

Do you shower with that thing on? Aren’t you really hot wearing that?” These are some of the questions that I have been asked over the years while wearing the Islamic headscarf, or “hijab.” And if you are a Muslim woman living in the west, you have probably encountered similar inquiries as well. Personally, I rarely become offended when I’m mistaken for a nun or asked whether or not I can go swimming with my headscarf, because I know that every question is an opportunity to educate others.

But it was when President Barack Obama mispronounced the term “hijab,” calling it instead a “hajeeb,” in his address to the Muslim world at Cairo University last June, that really awakened me to the enormity of lack of knowledge that still exists about this Islamic doctrine.

Perhaps his advisors failed to instruct him adequately on this matter, or maybe he just forgot how to say the word, either way, this incident has made me realize that few people are aware of the accurate meaning of “hijab” and what this doctrine entails.

The term “hijab” was originally derived from the Arabic word “hajaba,” which means to “conceal” or to “cover.” The western notion of hijab is most dominantly associated with the veil or headscarf that many Muslim women wear in public, although this concept goes far beyond the average dress code.

All Muslims, men and women, are taught to practice a lifestyle that is adopted with the conception of hijab. This requires Muslims to not only dress modestly but to also behave in a way that promotes humility and respect towards the opposite gender.

Nonetheless, the dominant feature, and perhaps the most obvious practice of hijab is the dressing of Muslim women. With the Islamic dress code comes many assumptions and stereotypes about the way Islam treats women and men.

It is not surprising to hear the misconceptions that many associate with Islam, including the notions that “women are oppressed,” and that they are “forced to wear the head scarf” by their husbands or fathers.

Even those who practice Islam often times have a skewed interpretation of the concept of modesty, in which the term “hijab” is continually associated with women only.

When witnessing the proper application of these rules however, it is evident that Islam does not intend to limit women or subjugate its adherents to a restricted lifestyle.

As stated in the Qur’an, the holy book revealed to guide Muslims in everyday life, the hijab requires both men and women to follow a modest dress code. It has commanded, “Say to the believing men [and women] that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: And Allah is well

Climate

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l i f estyle

By: Khadija Nadeem Grade 8

he weather changes day to day— sometimes it rains, other days it’s hot.

Climate is the pattern of the weather conditions over a long period of time for a large area. And climate can be affected by Earth’s atmosphere.

Our Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere made up of gases. When sunlight enters our atmosphere, some of the sun’s heat is trapped by the gas, and some bounces back out into space. By trapping that heat,

acquainted with all that they do” (24:3031). These rules of modesty have both physical implications and must also be abided by in every day interactions.

For women, the requirements for attire emphasize covering all parts of the body except the face and hands, wearing loose and opaque clothing so as to not reveal the outline of the body, and wearing outfits that would refrain from drawing too much attention. In addition, it is recommended that Muslim women should not appear to dress as men nor should they attempt to attract attention with an excess of extravagance or with the excess of raggedness, so as to draw sympathy.

Muslim men must also adhere to clothing requirements, although to a different degree than applies to Muslim women. The hijab requires men to dress from the area of the navel to the knee and to wear clothes that are not too tight or provocative.

These corporal rules are applicable for individuals when they are front of others who are considered “non-mahrams” or those whom a Muslim would be allowed to marry.

Men must not attempt to dress similarly to women and they are prohibited from wearing gold or silk.

The rules of behavioral hijab however, have the same implications for both sexes and should be adhered to at all times: having respect for individuals of the opposite sex by refraining from physical interactions until marriage.

Muslims commonly use the phrase, “lowering your gaze,” in reference to the practice of hijab. This does not mean that men and women are prohibited to interact on a dayto-day basis for school or work; rather Islam sets certain guidelines for interacting with the opposite gender so as to create a proper environment conducive to maintaining the Islamic hijab.

Although a negative image of hijab may persist for those who are unfamiliar with the practices of Muslims. People see Muslim women portrayed as oppressed in the media and assume that Islam indoctrinates all Muslims to control women. But this lies within the misconception that women are oppressed under the requirements of Islamic law.

The hijab itself is not a tool of oppression; what is oppressive is the abuse of power utilized by rouge authorities to enforce and subjugate a particular kind of practice to further their own political motives. Just because a government forces something upon a society does not make the practice itself evil or oppressive.

Muslim women around the world believe that wearing the hijab liberates them from the standards that western society sets for women in terms of beauty and dress. The hijab is most commonly associated with protection from male scrutiny and physical suppression.

This measure of protection is explained in the Qur’an as well: Allah (swt) or God, in Arabic, prescribes for women to cover themselves so that they can live in “convenience” and not be “molested” by others

Change

our atmosphere keeps Earth warm enough to live on. Without it, our planet would be very cold. Earth’s climate has always naturally cycled through change, caused by how much of the sun’s energy was absorbed by the atmosphere.

But during the past few hundred years, oil, gas, and coal have powered homes, cars, and factories. These energy sources release a gas called carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

This gas traps heat that would otherwise escape Earth’s atmosphere. This increases

(33:59). The hijab, if worn properly, diverts one’s gaze from physical appearances and allows for a woman to be appreciated for her intellect and ideas, rather than the way she looks.

The western notion of beauty, however, lies within the examples that leading actresses in movies and television, supermodels, and popular singers emit, essentially selling their bodies in order to become famous or to keep up with appearances.

The media feeds into the stereotypes that society has imprinted upon women and what beauty is supposed to mean, so much so that women, especially young girls, are under more scrutiny and pressure to look good and “fit in.” A study done by the National Institute of Mental Health recently observed that 53% of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies.” This grows to 78% by the time young adults reach seventeen.

Researchers estimate that approximately 5 million individuals in the United States are affected by eating disorders every year as a result of such pressures to look good and to be skinny, in order to fit in with the western notion of “beauty.”

Women and men all over the world are compelled by what they see in the media and thus strive to look like the models and actresses that dominate the headlines in magazines and in corporate ads that people are bombarded with all the time. These unrealistic images that the media portrays of women and beauty have impacted our society at large, so much so that in the 2004 study done by the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, only 2% of women around the world believed that they were actually beautiful.

With all these statistics however, many women in the west still pride themselves with the idea that they are somehow more “free” because they can dress anyway they choose and are thus liberated from the shackles of society that men have imposed upon them through out history.

It is evident however, that women are still subjugated to act and dress the way society desires. Islam, however, has been at the forefront of the battle for women’s right sever since the Qur’an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) in 610 A.D. In the era of pre-Islamic society, women were considered to have less worth than livestock; it was a time in which parents buried their baby daughters alive simply because they were born the wrong gender and would bring shame and disgrace upon the family. In this era, men had absolute rights over women in marriage, divorce, inheritance and essentially every other aspect of life. Islam radically redefined the position of women in society, uplifting them to the status of men immediately: “O mankind, we created you all from a male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may come to know one another” (Qur’an 49:13).

Islam declares that both men and women are entitled to human rights equally and that they will both be held accountable for their actions in this life. With this said, the notion

that hijab is a tool of oppression is ludicrous to women all over the world who choose to wear the headscarf everyday.

For Muslim women, the ability to wear the hijab not only signifies freedom but it also empowers them with the responsibility of representing Islam at all times. Essentially, it is the women in Islam who carry the flag of the religion that they embody, and for that, they are at the forefront of fighting ignorance and stereotypes.

Perhaps you are still doubtful of the connotations that come with practicing this Islamic doctrine, and maybe you think that the hijab limits daily activities or physical potentials that women reach without wearing the headscarf.

This mentality however, is also a major misconception. Muslim women all over the world are contributing to various disciplines and fields, including athletics, law enforcement and politics.

At the 2004 summer Olympics in Athens, for example, a woman wearing a track singlet and a hijab, its white hood imprinted with the flag of Bahrain, set a national record in the 100-meter qualifying heats. So did a woman from Afghanistan, the first to represent her nation in the Olympics, who ran in loosefitting pants and a T-shirt. In Victoria, British Columbia, Constable Maha Sukkar became the first women in the police force to wear the hijab as part of her uniform, going so far as to making a Velcro attachment that would allow her to release the head piece if she were to get into a scuffle.

Muslim women are not only major contributors to societies in the west but also a dominant force in the political arena of nations around the world, including Islamic countries like Kuwait, whose constituents recently elected four women to the parliament. Thus, it is evident that Muslim women, especially those who practice wearing the hijab,are just as active and equally contributive to our societies as any other individual. Many think that wearing a headscarf is the hardest aspect of being a Muslim. For me however, hijab has been the easiest practice because it is a now so deeply embedded in my lifestyle that I cannot ever imagine myself without it.

Of course encounters with ignorant people who might ridicule you for wearing a “towel” around your head are unavoidable sometimes, but for the most part, the people I have talked to about the hijab have been amazed at the level of commitment Muslim women have for their faith, and they respect us for having the courage to practice our religion to the fullest.

Source: Alkalima - Sahar Jahani

Earth’s temperature, which contributes to the planet’s warming. The Earth’s average temperature has increased about -17°C in the past hundred years. Scientists think that the temperature increase has caused melting glaciers, drought, and coral reef die-off.

But climate change affects more than temperature. Because of this change of temperature, some places will receive more rainfall, which could lead to flooding, while other places will get less, which might mean drought. Tropical storms could be stronger, and a continuing rise in sea level due to melting polar ice might push people out of their homes.

22

Rajab 5, 1441H February 28, 2020

n aya

P ak i sta n

Welcome to AKHUWAT:

The Miracle Media, to commemorate the 20th year of its publication has started a new series “ YES THIS IS IN PAKISTAN”

in which we will present interesting features, stories and informations about Pakistan. The purpose behind this is to present positive image among our readers.

So let’s start by:

World’s largest interest free micro-finance organization.

Welcome to Akhuwat ABOUT US

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khuwat is the world’s largest Islamic micro-finance organization.

Since 2001, Akhuwat has been working for poverty alleviation by empowering socially and economically marginalized segments of the society through its various poverty alleviation projects.

Akhuwat aims to alleviate poverty by creating a bond of solidarity between the affluent and the marginalized. Our goal is to develop and sustain a social system based on mutual support. Akhuwat not only helps and support the poor to become self-reliant but combined with their own hard work enable them to escape the clutches of poverty.

Philosophy of Akhuwat Akhuwat derives its name from ‘mawakhaat’ or brotherhood, the earliest example of which was seen in the community formed by the Ansars, citizens of Medina and the Muhajireen, who had migrated to Medina to escape religious persecution. Inspired by the spirit which induced the Medinites to share half of their wealth with the migrants, Akhuwat seeks to invoke this very concept of brotherhood through its operations. For Akhuwat, the metaphor of brotherhood entails the creation of a system based on mutual support in the society.

Akhuwat’s Values

Akhuwat is running on the following

principles: Interest-free Loans – The loan provided will be interest free since providing loans with interest is business and poverty cannot be alleviated and eradicated by doing business with the deprived.

Use of Religious Places – Akhuwat wants to climb up the ladder of social and economic development through making Mosques, churches and religious places, the foundation. This is because in Islamic history Mosques used to be the seat of governance.

In the time of Prophet Muhammad PBUH, mosques were used for worship, training and providing services. With this, comes the Transparency, Good Governance, participation and accountability.

Volunteerism – To think beyond the confines of oneself and to think about others. Akhuwat’s operations and activities rely upon the passion, energy, zeal and enthusiasm of its volunteers.

Transforming Borrowers into Donors – Akhuwat strives to empower its borrowers, so they are in a position to be givers one day.

Non-Discrimination on Caste, Color, Creed, Political Affiliation & Faith – Since Akhuwat strongly believes in solidarity and brotherhood. Therefore, it gives a message to cut down all the discriminatory and differential barriers in the society such as caste, color creed, political affiliation and religion.

Core Principles

YES THIS IS IN PAKISTAN:

cally marginalized segments of the society through interest-free microfinance and education

Projects and Programs

Akhuwat Islamic microfinance (AIM) A company set up under “Section 42 of the Companies Ordinance 1984” with the objective of providing interest-free micro-finance to impoverished underprivileged.

Muhammad Amjad Saqib

Education

Most of our efforts pertaining to this program involve studying new approaches and developing innovative ways to implement them.

We evaluate our success in this field by gathering qualitative and quantitative data.

Clothes Bank

INTEREST-FREE LOANS

Akhuwat provides interest free loans to the economically poor so that they may acquire a sustainable livelihood. The organization sees interest as a barrier to widespread proliferation of capital, and a violation of all moral and ethical codes. In keeping with the principles of equity and social justice, burdening the poor with exorbitant inter- Akhuwat is a non-governmental organizaest rates is also viewed as undermining the tion, compassionately working on improving the lives of the underprivileged; those overarching goal of poverty alleviation. who are financially abused, abandoned and USE OF RELIGIOUS PLACES The Akhuwat Model institutionalizes the disregarded by the society. use of local religious places, for example Khwajasira Support Program mosque, temples and churches, as cent- The stigma attached with the Third Gender, ers for loan disbursements and avenues for or the Khwajasiras, is so prevalent in our community participation. Using the exist- society that it has stifled all efforts taken toing indigenous infrastructure for operations wards creating support structures for them. allows us to minimize our expenditure, Health Clinic have a higher level of transparency and ac- Akhuwat Health Services cater to the health countability, and create a sense of goodwill needs of the deprived and destitute. We have developed a network of low priced medical seramongst the community. vices by collaborating with different hospitals.

NON-DISCRIMINATION

ON ANY BASIS

AWARDS Social Entrepreneur

Muhammad Amjad Saqib, Founder of Akhuwat, is a development practitioner, philanthropist, writer, and a former civil servant.

Muhammad’s areas of expertise include poverty alleviation, microfinance, social mobilization, and education management. Besides his pro-bono services to many public sector organizations, Muhammad has been a consultant for international agencies including the Asian Development Bank, International Labour Organization, UNICEF, and World Bank. The President of Pakistan honored him with Sitara-e-Imtiaz. He has also received the 31st Commonwealth Points of Light Award, the Life Time Achievement Award 2015 from Thomson Reuters, the Human Rights Society of Pakistan, and Global Forum for Islamic Finance. He is the author of seven books, including the story of Akhuwat, with a focus on development. Muhammad is a medical graduate from the King Edward Medical College (Pakistan) and recipient of Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship for Master’s degree in Public Administration from the American University, Washington-USA.

Cornea Bank

It is estimated that about 2 Million people in Pakistan are suffering from Cornea blindness. These people are not just oscillating between helplessness and extreme financial vulnerability.

Akhuwat is a non-profit company, established in 2001, and registered with the SeVision A Poverty-Free Society built on curities and Exchange Commission of Pakithe principles of compassion and stan under section 42.

To find out more about Akhuwat equity.

We believe in an inclusive society without any discrimination on the basis of caste, color, creed, gender, politics or faith. Akhuwat is a non-political and pro-poor organization.

Mission

and support the organization,

To alleviate poverty by empow- visit their website at: https://akhuwat.org.pk/get-in-touch/ ering socially and economi

Sentenced to death for blasphemy: Surviving Pakistan’s death row

I

By Asad Hashim slamabad, Pakistan - After spending almost half of his life on death row, Wajeeh-ul-Hassan had given up hope that he would ever be freed.

Convicted of committing blasphemy and sentenced to death by a court in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore in 2002 - when he was 25 - he spent almost 19 years in jail in a country where the crime of insulting Islam, its Prophet Muhammad or its holy book, the Quran, has been at the centre of alleged rights abuses for decades.

The crime carries punishments ranging from fines to life imprisonment and, in the case of insulting the Prophet Muhammad, a mandatory death sentence.

But many cases do not even get to court.

According to an Al Jazeera tally, at least 75 people have been extra-judicially killed in connection with blasphemy allegations since 1990.

They include people accused of blasphemy, their family members, their lawyers, a judge, as well as a serving federal minister and a provincial governor who supported the right of one of the accused to

a fair trial.

From the moment he was accused in 1999, Hassan says he faced beatings, abduction, torture, rape and a forced confession.

In 2018, however, after years of darkness, Hassan finally saw a glimmer of hope.

Aasia Bibi, a Christian woman accused of blasphemy and sentenced to death in what was the most high-profile blasphemy case in the country’s history, was acquitted by the Supreme Court in October that year.

Hassan was amazed by the acquittal and wondered: Could that same brave judge save him too? Source:.aljazeera.com/

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