Miracle 593-March 24, 2023

Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribedtothosebeforeyou,sothatyou maylearnself-restraint.[Quran2:183].

Mufti Taha Masood Mufti Yahya Momla Shaykh Jahngir Bashir Shaykh Sheryar Bashir

NarratedAbu Huraira: Allah’s Messenger (saw) said, “When Ramadan begins, the gates of Paradise are opened.”?

Sahih al-Bukhari 1898 Book 30, Hadith 8

How to Pray Tarawih atHome – Do IPray 8 or20 Rakat? Can IRead From a Quran?

Q: What is Tarawih?

Anaswer:

Tarawih prayers are Sunnah

(1) prayers performed at night after Isha (2) Salah during the month of Ramadan. These night prayers have been

emphasised in Ahadith (3) and can also be called “qiyam al layl” (night prayers).

Tarawih prayers are classed as either Sunnah mu’akkadah (emphasised Sunnah) or nafil (optional).

Q: Why should I pray tarawih?

A: There are many rewards for praying the tarawih prayers:

Additionally, as the rewards for good deeds are multiplied during the month of Ramadan, the rewards for tarawih are even greater:

During the time of the Prophet (SAW) the tarawih prayers were prayed in congregation for a short period of time, after which the Prophet ﷺ changed this practice and performed the prayer at home. This was

done out of fear that people would start to consider it to be compulsory.

During the time of Umar ibn al Khattab (the second caliph), may Allah be pleased with him, twenty rak’at (6) of tarawih prayer were led in congregation daily. These practices established by Umar ibn al Khattab came to be recognised as Sunnah, based on the hadith:

Q:HowdoIprayincongregationathome?

For a female-only congregation:

The woman who leads the prayer (imamah) will stand in the first row, between the other women in her row. A second woman (preferably not the imamah) will say the iqamah*. The imamah will recite everything as she normally would. Qur’an reci-

tation, and all the takbeerat for changing positions, should be said out loud. Anyone who is following her in prayer (in technical terms called a muqtadi) should follow her actions and make sure that they don’t precede her—e.g. a muqtadi cannot gointoprostrationbeforetheimamahdoes! For a congregation with a male imam: As a muqtadi, there is no difference between following a male or female imam, and the prayer will be made in the same way. The only difference is in the formation of the rows: a male imām will stand in frontof the rows ofmen andwomen(on his own), rather than between them.

Praying at the mosque vs at home Cont. on Pg 9

RAMADAN TIMETABLE 2023-AH 1444

U.S. President Joe Biden is coming to Canada Thursday evening, kicking off his short but long-awaited official visit to Canada. During his stay in the nation’s capital, Biden will meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and deliver an address to Parliament on Friday. But, he and first lady of the United States Jill Biden have some other events on their itineraries, where key Canada-U.S. issues and shared priorities will be discussed. With many layers of preparation underway—from major security precautions and an increased presence of police and North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad) aircraft, to extensive road closures—Biden’s brief trip will be

to Canada:

his visit

a significant event in the crossborder relationship. Here’s what we’ve confirmed with senior government officials about what will be on the agenda, and what key players are saying about the upcoming visit.

THURSDAY, MARCH 23: BIDEN ARRIVES

The Bidens and the delegation travelling with the president will be landing in Ottawa on Air Force One on Thursday evening, currently scheduled for around 6:25 p.m. There, Biden will be greeted by a welcoming delegation of Canadian officials: Gov. Gen. Mary Simon Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland Treasury Board President Mona Fortier Foreign Affairs Minister

Melanie Joly

And, foreign affairs parliamentary secretaries, Liberal MPs Rob Oliphant and Maninder Sidhu Upon his arrival, Biden will meet with the governor general inside the Canada Reception Centre at the Ottawa Airport. Simon’s husband Whit Fraser and the first lady will be part of this meeting.

Source: ctvnews.ca

Canada broke a population growth record in 2022: StatCan

over one year. The previous record was attributed to the post-war baby boom and high immigration of refugees due to the Hungarian Revolution of 1956.

ECPpostpones Punjab elections to October8

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) onWednesdaypostponedthePunjabelections, originally scheduled for April 30, till October 8. In the order, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the ECP said that in exercise of the powers conferred upon it by Article 218(3) read with Section 58 and Section 8(c) of the Elections Act, 2017, the commission “hereby withdraws the election programme […] and fresh schedule will be issued in due course of time with poll date on October 8”. On March 1, the Supreme Court had ruled that the elections to the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies should be held within the stipulated period of 90 days. It had, however, allowed the ECP to propose a poll date that deviates from the 90-day deadline by the “barest minimum”, in case of any practical difficulty.

On Mar 10, the ECP later wrote separate letters to the president and the KP governor. In the letter to President Dr Arif Alvi, the electoral watchdog proposed dates between April 30 and May 7 for the elections. Alvi later the same day announced that elections in Punjab

will be held on April 30.

The order said that the ECP approached the interior and defence ministries in February for the deployment of the army and Rangers in view of the “heightened security situation in the province and the recent terrorist wave”. It added that the Punjab chief secretary and police chief were also summoned on February 8 for a briefing on the prevailing law and order situation, adding that the officials reported Source: dawn.com

plants in Thar

ting a “source of basic facilities for life”. He dismissed the criticism by certain people against Thar’s coal, terming it a blessing with immense potential for power resources that needed to be untapped. “The journey of progress will spread across the country and will strengthen the national economy,” PM Shehbaz said, adding that projects which were abandoned during the last four years were being made operational again.

Canada’s population grew by more than one million over the course of one calendar year, breaking previous records, a new Statistics Canada report says. Between Jan. 1, 2022 and Jan. 1, 2023, Canada’s population grew by 1,050,110 people, according to demographic estimates released by StatCan on Wednesday. That’s the first 12-month period in Canada’s history where the population grew by more than one million, the report says. It is also the highest annual population growth rate (2.7 per cent) on record since 1957, which had a 3.3 per cent growth rate

In 2022, the reasons for the huge population growth are a bit different, StatCan says. According to the data, Canada is leading the G7 countries for population growth largely due to the increase in immigration. In 2022, Canada welcomed 437,180 immigrants and had a net increase of 607,782 non-permanent residents.“Both of these numbers represent the highest levels on record, reflecting higher immigration targets and a recordbreaking year for the processing of immigration applications at Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada,” the report reads. The gains in non-permanent residents in 2022 are the highest recorded for a single calendar year, compared with similar data. This, combined with immigration, increased the population quickly over the year. Source: ctvnews.ca

Somalia artillery shells strike Mogadishu caused by Al-Shabab

The sound of artillery was heard tonight in some districts of the Banadir region, which expressed strong fear among the people living in the capital of Mogadishu. About ten artillery shells fell in different districts of the capital, but it is not known where they fell officially. It is also not yet known if there is any damage caused by the artillery. Most of the Al-Shabab terrorist group carry out these types of attacks in Mogadishu, with the aim of disrupting security, as they have no target for their artillery to hit the capital. The people living in Mogadishu suffer the most from the artillery attacks by the Al-Shabab group in Mogadishu, but Al-Shabab terrorists are proud that they targeted government officials. The artillery attack that took place tonight in Mogadishu is coming, as the holy month of Ramadan has begun. Since Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud was elected in 15 May 2022 the Al-Shabab terrorist group increase their at-

tacks when the holy month of Ramadan is reached, which is a month of worship that the Islamic nations love very much.

The Somali government has not yet succeeded in controlling the artillery attacks by Al-Shabab in Mogadishu, and it is believed that mortars will be fired in or around the capital to hit the people of Mogadishu.

Source: somalitimes.co.uk

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday inaugurated two coal-fired power plants in Tharparker with a capacity of 1,650 megawatts (MW) of electricity generation, saying that the projects would turn the desert into an “economic hub”. The projects, including the 1,320MW Shanghai Electric power plant and 330MW Thal Nova power plant, will annually generate 11.24 billion units of low-cost electricity. Through the direct investment of $3.53bn into these projects, the production of coal-based electricity in Thar will increase up to 3,300MW. Addressing the launch event at Thar’s Islamkot area, the prime minister said it was a “moment of celebration” for the country that the Tharparkar desert was get-

Shehbaz said that by April 30, power turbines would be installed at the projects to generate electricity, which would be supplied to the rest of the country through transmission lines. He expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for extending support to Pakistan in carrying out development projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). PM Shehbaz vowed that the coalition government would put in all efforts to materialise CPEC projects, with the agriculture sector as its next phase.

The prime minister also announced a hospital for the people of Tharparkar to provide them with medical facilities at their doorsteps.

Source: dawn.com

IImran smells another‘assassination plot’

LAHORE: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan has claimed the police chiefs of Punjab and Islamabad alongside their ‘handlers’ have hatched a conspiracy to kill him as they are “getting serious to assassinate him”. “The IGs of Punjab and Islamabad have constituted two separate squads, who will join the PTI workers and open fire on the police… to provoke an armed retaliation and eventually reach [inside the house] and assassinate me, in a day or two,” alleged Mr Khan in an address from his Zaman Park residence on Wednesday. “The IGs and handlers have planned a Model Town-type murder,” the former premier alleged.

Police not to be provoked

In light of this alleged plan, the PTI chairman also issued instructions to his supporters asking them not to provoke the police at any cost. “If the police want to approach me with any warrant or for any other matter, let them approach me directly,” Mr Khan instructed. “Even if I will be arrested and they try to take me to jail, I will go to jail happily,” he said, adding that he would never wish any harm on his party workers. “The incumbent government and its plans to kill me were failed

and now they have become jittery and taking extreme measures,” he commented.

Asks workers not to provoke police, says will ‘happily go to jail’ Mr Khan urged the youth to make a promise of standing up against the incumbent government’s oppression even if he’s killed. “Put up a fight until the last ball because the government wants to create an environment of fear so that no one should stand up and question them about their wrongdoing,” the PTI chief explained and added the government should know that the movement would not be stopped.

“A few [people] sitting in the corridors of power and making decisions are the real traitors,” he alleged... Source: dawn.com

‘Desert to see economic boom’: PM Shehbaz inaugurates 1,650MW coal-fired power

Biden is coming

Here’s what we know about

IT has been common knowledge for more than 20 years that almost immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the George W. Bush administration was desperately keen to deploy that atrocious tragedy as an argument for a military assault against Iraq. Reliable sources have only recently acknowledged that regime change in Baghdad was already an obsession with Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld and their neoconservative ilk well before 9/11 could be cited as an excuse. Almost two-thirds of Americans were convinced on the eve of their nation’s bid to topple Saddam Hussein that this was necessary payback for the toppling of New York’s twin towers. Never mind that the intelligence agencies tasked with pinpointing a link between Iraq and the mainly Saudi terrorists and their Afghanistan/Pakistan-based sponsors had turned out to be a ‘mission: impossible’. Another excuse was produced. Didn’t Saddam have nuclear ambitions, and wouldn’t he share his weapons of mass destruction (WMD) with Al Qaeda? The US and British agencies, under pressure from their governments, relied on dubious sources to compile dossiers of compelling nonsense. Saddam had in fact dismantled all such programmes after the 1991 war, but didn’t want his unfriendly neighbours to know. Hans Blix and his UN inspectors couldn’t find anything not because WMDs had cleverly been concealed, but because they didn’t exist. And notwithstanding the UN performance that conclusively ruined Colin Powell’s reputation, would the US have gone ahead with its aggression had it seriously suspected that Saddam’s forces could decimate the invaders with WMD of the nuclear, chemical or biological variety?

Imperialist ambitions today are all about shockandawe.

When, predictably, no smoking gun — let alone the basis for a mushroom cloud — could be located even after the invasion, the reasoning turned to the well-tested tropes of liberating people from tyranny and blessing them with democracy. These gifts are still pending. Blame it on broken supply chains, perhaps?

Some of the soul-searching that has accompanied this week’s 20th anniversary of the conflict’s commencement regurgitates the tired untruth that either the main or the only problem lay with the failure of the invaders to come up with a coherent plan for the aftermath of the war. It isn’t incorrect

AtrocitiesarebeingdoneinPakistan.

AssalamoAlaikum WRB, I am sure you all are doing what you can . I t may be tried that Canadian media should report what atrocities are being done in Pakistan. Canadian government ought to be involved as Good Samaritan. Bringing matters to international scene could be important. The Islamic countries’ silence is note worthy.

Poor UNO is taking some part you may take lead to persue by communicating one another as organizations persuing the governments and media should be contacted to report if they cannot or not willing to do any thing. Media should be contacted the report the incidences . If they cannot go there , they can see on you tube with valid documentation.

I am retired and of course I have played my leadership role effectively documented in my book dealing with, Gulf war, Bosnia Crisis ,9/11. Wishing you successes in all you do or may do Best regards, Wassalaam

Dr. Naiyer Habib, Academic, Adinistrativeg ,Interventionalist Cardiologist, Community leadership(1976-2004)

Author (Books) and Columnist.

The Iraq syndrome

to excoriate the absurd assumption that the pieces would all fall into place after the country had been blown to smithereens. But a far bigger problem was the crime of unprovoked aggression. And it wouldn’t have made all that much difference even if Saddam’s WMDs had not been merely a sordid fantasy (which they were), or if a UN resolution had sanctioned the military action (which it didn’t). Nor has the undoubtedly brutal nature of Saddam’s dictatorship been an argument clincher. After all, the same powers ranged against him in 2003 had a couple of decades earlier aided and encouraged his aggression against Iran. As had the Arab Gulf states that Iraq was threatening before and after his conquest of Kuwait. Redressing that misjudgement once it no longer served their interests led to regional consequences. Following the evisceration of Iraq, there was little chance of putting it back together again, especially given the Western alliance’s choice of corrupt local allies. It just so happens that more than a few of them were also closely allied with Iran, which helps to explain why massive portraits of assassinated Revolutionary Guards Gen Qassem Soleimani can today be seen all across Baghdad. Abu Ghraib and particularly Camp Bucca in Basra contributed meanwhile to the evolution of Al Qaeda in Iraq into the Islamic State group, which subse-

quently played a key role in the destruction of Syria, and even flowed into Libya after Muammar Qadhafi’s fall courtesy of Nato’s intervention.

Almost the entire Middle East is a bloody mess today, thanks indirectly or otherwise to the warmongers in Washington. That obviously includes Yemen, where the Saudi-Emirati joint enterprise probably would not have been embarked upon without the aid and abetment of their friendly Western arms merchants.

The chief criminal in the multinational enterprise that sparked the first conflagrations of the 21st century was clearly the US, and some Americans now mourn the Iraq syndrome, much as they did the Vietnam syndrome a few years earlier, to lament the reluctance to wage war yet again on spurious grounds. There’s always a preferred alternative, though: proxy wars. This time it’s in Europe, unusually. But its nature is familiar, from both sides.

The last Iraq war, still not entirely over, established the template for imperial aggression in this century. In the unlikely event of Vladimir Putin being hauled up before the International Criminal Court, he should be sitting in the dock alongside Bush, Cheney, Tony Blair and a long line of their associates who were the architects of that obscene model.

Courtesy By: Mahir Ali

The writer is a journalist.

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Contents

It is with great pleasure that I send my warmest greetings to the entire team of The Miracle, as you mark your 22nd anniversary this year.

In Canada, where diversity is our biggest strength, the contributions that Muslim Canadians have made – and continue to make every day – to our shared nation are invaluable.

I truly believe that informed citizens are the backbone of a strong democracy. Institutions such as yours which selflessly and unreservedly serve your communities by keeping them informed – while encouraging them to celebrate their religion – help make our country strong. Thank you for all that you do.

Congratulations from the bottomof my heart on this incredible milestone, and please accept my gratitude for all your work to make yours a resilient and inclusive community.

With warmest regards!

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Letters to the editor and Articles do not reflect the opinion of the Miracle media group. We do not publish anonymous letters or the letters of the people who do not disclose their identity to ‘The Miracle.’A writer can use a pen name or request ‘The Miracle’ to withhold his / her identity. Please include your daytime telephone number for the confirmation of your letter. We regret the inconvenience.

Note:

The Miracle requests to all readers to respect any published Islamic material including Allah’snameandProphetMuhammad (SAW) and quranic verses. Please recycle those pages and avoid throw them in the garbage.

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Message from the Prime Minister of Canada

How does the Westview Xi’s trip to Moscow?

The Chinese leader’s trip came just days after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian president, for war crimes in Ukraine. The two heads of state issued a joint statement confirming their alignment on a host of issues, and condemning the West and NATO.

Sergei Markov – Director of the Institute of Political Studies in Moscow and a former spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin Henry Huiyao Wang – Founder and president of the Center for China and Globalization, a think-tank

Renewed fighting in Yemen clouds diplomatic peace efforts

A new bout of front-line fighting in Yemen has disrupted diplomatic efforts to expand a United Nations-brokered truce deal that has largely held since its expiry six months ago.

Military and government sources told news agencies that the clashes erupted late on Tuesday when the Houthi rebels, who control most of northern Yemen, launched an attack on Harib district, in the oil-rich Marib province.

The Houthis “made progress on that front, causing the displacement of dozens of families”, one of the sources told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.

China’s president says his country and Russia are driving global geopolitical change. President Xi Jinping has concluded his visit to Moscow, cementing his “no-limits partnership” with Vladimir Putin.

Toby Gati – Former senior director for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasian states at the US National Security Council How does their relationship impact the global world order? Source: ctvnews.ca

Where Donald Trump’s criminaland civilcases stand

Trump rape accuser gets day in court April 25, while Georgia prosecutor has yet to reveal next steps. A New York grand jury is believed to be wrapping up deliberations on a case that could result in a first-ever indictment of a U.S. president.

Former president Donald Trump has said he expects to be arrested in the case, which involves a $130,000 US payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen made in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election. Cohen and porn performer Stormy Daniels have said the payment was to buy her silence about an affair she had with Trump in 2006. Trump has denied the affair, and at first denied reimbursing Cohen until that stance became untenable when his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani divulged in a television inter-

view Trump did make the payment. Cohen served prison time in a federal case surrounding the affair, but in an interesting twist, Trump is facing possible indictment here at the state level. Trump could be the first U.S. president to be indicted. Richard Nixon was pardoned in 1974 shortly after resigning, by his successor Gerald Ford, while in 2000 departing president Bill Clinton struck a deal with prosecutors involving a fine and an admission he gave false testimony under oath about his relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky in order to avoid a very possible indictment. Were Trump to be indicted, a trial would not be likely anytime soon, assuming attempts by his legal team to have the charges tossed will be unsuccessful. As an example, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon was charged with defrauding donors in a New York state case last September. Bannon’s trial is not scheduled to begin until November. So it’s certain there will be developments in other criminal and civil probes involving Trump in the meantime, which could complicate his bid to secure the Republican nomination for president a third consecutive time. Source:cbc.ca/

Fiji’swatercrisis:‘Adailyfirefightingexperience’–CEO

WATER Authority of Fiji chief executive officer Dr Amit Chanan described his one year on the job “a daily firefighting experience”. Speaking at WAF’s Water Sector Strategy 2050 ideation workshop at the Holiday Inn, Suva, yesterday, Dr Chanan said he hoped to move away from firefighting to fire prevention by addressing Fiji’s water woes in a systematic manner with effective short and long-term plans.

“This has been an interesting ride, and a lot of these 12 months have gone in firefighting,” he said. “Quite a lot of it in firefighting, by firefighting, I mean almost persistent daily challenges that pop up.

“So, if there’s anything that I’m hoping to get out of this personally, that is to create a water sector strategy that moves us away from that daily firefighting to fire prevention. “If I can take that fire analogy a little bit further; what I’m hoping for the water sector strategy is to develop a strategy that puts the fire out and keeps it out. “That’s the vision we’d like to create.”

Dr Chanan said the biggest challenge for Fiji’s water sector in the lead-up to 2050 was climate change. “We are an island state in the middle of the Pacific, whether it’s the intense rainfall which is already impacting on infrastructure, or rising sea levels and

high risk of dangerous flooding and washing away of contaminants in rivers, hotter temperatures and lower summer rainfall, frequent droughts — we are already facing the brunt of it. “We must include adaptation and mitigation measures of the ideas we come up with because that future is already here.” Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Professor Biman Prasad said in the past five years, WAF had received a sizeable chunk of the national budget — a total of $1.12 billion. His message to the CEO was — careful scrutiny and efficiency measures should be put in place to reduce costs and improve services. The two-day ideation workshop gathered a cross-section of experts in the field of water services to discuss opportunities and a long and shortterm strategy to protect, develop and diversify water resources in the country.

Source:fijitimes.com/

“At least 10 soldiers were killed, in addition to an unknown number of attackers,” the source added. Separate sources cited by Reuters said the number of casualties in the fighting was unknown. There was no immediate comment by the Houthis.Yemen has been marred by a bloody conflict since the Iran-aligned Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, in late 2014, prompting a Saudi-led military coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognised government. The war has killed hundreds of thousands of people, forced millions from their homes and spawned what the United Nations has described as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. More than 23.4 million people, or three-quarters of Yemen’s population, require assistance, includ-

ing 2.2 million youngsters who are acutely malnourished. More than eight years into the fighting, the Houthis remain in control of the north of the country, but Marib – about 120km (75 miles) east of Sanaa – has remained a stronghold under the government that is now based in the southern port city of Aden.

The UN-backed truce initially took effect in April 2022 and raised hopes for a longer pause in fighting. The deal expired in October, but fighting has largely remained on hold. Last week, Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen, said the overall military situation in the country continues to be “relatively stable” and other elements of the truce continue to be implemented, though he expressed concern at the uptick in the number and intensity of clashes in several front-line areas, including Marib and Taiz, which lies in the country’s southwest.Source: aljazeera.com

Ukraine-Russia live: Zelenskyy vows response to deadly raids

at least seven people in Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia, according to Ukrainian officials.

The live blog is now closed, thank you for joining us. These were the updates on the Russia-Ukraine war on Wednesday, March 22: Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says his country would “respond to every blow” after Russian air strikes killed

China says President Xi Jinping’s visit to Russia has been a “journey of friendship, cooperation and peace”, and again criticises Washington for providing military support to Ukraine. Britain’s foreign secretary says there was no nuclear escalation in the Ukraine war after Russia criticised the United Kingdom for supplying depleted uranium tank munitions to Ukrainian forces.

The Russian Navy has repelled a drone attack on the port of Sevastopol in Moscowannexed Crimea, the Kremlin-backed governor of the city said. Source: aljazeera.com

Two journos assaulted by JUBCLmen

Chhatra League leaders and activists of Jahangirnagar University’s Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall unit yesterday staged a “showdown” at the campus and attacked two journalists. According to campus sources, the incident happened when the BCL men were preparing to launch an attack on a group of students of Bishwakabi Rabindranath Tagore Hall, reports our JU correspondent. The BCL leaders claimed that the group of students beat Ahmed Ghalib, a JU BCL leader and a resident student of Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall, in Battala on Wednesday evening. Several eyewitnesses told this correspondent that they had seen the BCL men patrolling the campus with locally-made weapons such as rods, sharp-objects, sticks. However, an argument ensued when they were stopped by the members of the university proctorial body at Battala around 7:30pm. At one point, BCL leaders attacked the two journalists working at the campus. According to a written complaint filed to the university’s proctor last night by one of the victims, JU BCL Joint Secretary Lenin Mahbub, Vice President Hasan Mahmud Farid, Abul Kalam Ajad and Abdullah Al

Faruk Imran instigated others to attack the journalists. He also said, “I was targeted and attacked because I wrote a report on ‘guest room torture’ of that hall in the morning. Seniors [leaders] fuelled the attack. I’m yet to identify the attackers.”

Aktaruzzaman Sohel, president of the JU BCL told reporters that he was outside the campus when the incident took place.“Organisational action will be taken if we find proof that anyone from Chhatra League was bearing weapons … We will give all possible support to the university administration in removing these weapons from the hall.”..Source:thedailystar.net

By:Asma Shums,

During the holy month of Ramadan, our diet should not differ very much from a daily healthy diet. The diet should be simple and aid in maintaining our normal weight, neither losing nor gaining. However, if one is overweight, Ramadan is an ideal time to get rid of the extra kilograms. Here are some healthy tips to keep in mind in while fasting in Ramadan:

1. Do not eat sweets directly after iftar because it will cause a high increase in the blood sugar levels which will lead to more cravings to sweets, weight gain, and delay in digestion.

2. Avoid salty, and highly seasoned or spicy foods and increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables that are high in their fiber and water content (such as cucumber, lettuce, watermelon) especially at suhour to decrease thirst.

3. Be moderate in your consumption of appetizers such as samosas,

kibbe…since they are high in their calorie and fat content or try to bake them and use low fat options instead.

4. To avoid constipation during Ramadan; drink plenty of water and be active whenever possible and add your fiber consumption through eating whole grains with lots of vegetables and fruits.

5. Diabetic people during Ramadan should start their iftar with 3 dates, eat three meals (iftar, light snack, and suhour) every 2 to 3 hours to help in stabilizing their sugar levels and prevent any hypoglycemia.

6. Try to reduce your caffeine consumption two weeks prior to Ramadan especially if you are a heavy drinker to avoid headaches.

7. Do not sleep directly after iftar or suhour to have a better digestion and prevent more fat storage.

8. Do 30 -40 min cardio exercise (jogging, cycling…) before iftar to help in burning fat and do weight training after 3 hours from iftar or after taraweeh with more protein consumption at suhour for muscle recovery.

9. After breaking your fast with water and dates; keep a 20-min gap before taking your iftar main dish to give your body a chance to boost its metabolism. Don’t pause your health and fitness goals this Ramadan!

Start your meal with dates: Dates are very important source of

sugar that will replenish the energy you lost throughout the long hours of fasting, it is rich in fibers that will regulate your bowel movements. They are rich in magnesium and potassium as well.

Break your fast slowly:

Start with dates, water, followed by soup, a bowl of salad and then go to the main meal. If you fell full after salad, you can take a break and continue your meals later. Overeating can cause stomach pain and bloating which is a very common problem that people face during Ramadan. Starting your Iftar meal with a warm soup comforts the stomach after a long day of fasting, replenishes your body with fluids and help prepare the digestive system for this meal.

Stay hydrated:

This year Ramadan will be at the peak of summer when temperatures are hitting as 45 degrees. You have to make sure that you drink enough water after you break your fast so that you do not feel thirsty or have any signs of dehydration the following day. Drink 8 glasses of water throughout the night. Avoid thirst: Avoid salty foods, such as canned or processed foods, salted nuts, and pickles, because these will increase your thirst during the fasting period. Also avoid foods that are too spicy or salty, and consume

more fruits and vegetables that are refreshing to prevent getting thirsty. Ensure that your meal has all food groups: Your iftar should have a source of grains, proteins, vegetables, fruits and healthy oils. Make healthy food choices: Choose whole grains, lean meat, chicken breast, fish, olive oil in moderation and whole fruits instead of fruit juices. Stay away from fried food, and food high in fat. Meats, legumes, eggs and dairy products are rich in proteins. Ensure you have at least one of these sources in every Ramadan meal since proteins are very important for your body cells. They also increase your satiety level thus reducing the temptation for eating sweets. Avoid salty and sugary foods: Eating sweets immediately after iftar will result to bloating and cause a delay in digestion. It will also cause a fluctuation in the blood glucose level, which will lead to you craving for more sweets. That’s why, it is recommended to have sweets in moderation 2-3 hours after iftar. Delightful sweets in Ramadan are hard to resist. To avoid consuming too many calories, indulge and en-

joy with your family the tasty and creative delights while making sure you always practice portion control and moderation.

The more the food is salty, spicy and processed the more it will make you thirsty the following day. The body breaks sugary foods faster, and this will also make you hungry sooner.

Divide your meals:

Having three meals is still important during this holy month: iftar, a light evening snack, and suhoor. This would help you avoid continuous snacking throughout the non-fasting hours.

Divide your main course into three parts. Have one quarter of the plate filled with complex carbohydrates, one quarter with lean meat or meat alternatives, and half with vegetables. This will ensure that you have a healthy balanced meal...

Email: asmashums@gmail.com

To be continued in next edition

How to Pray Tarawih at Home – Do IPray 8 or20 Rakat? Can IRead From a Quran?

To be continued from Pg 3

Q: Where do I pray tarawih?

A: You can pray tarawih in congregation in a masjid, as most masajid (15) will hold tarawih prayers (when not in lockdown!). However, you can also pray tarawih at home, alone (please see above for the how to), or in congregation with family and friends. I have fond childhood memories of gathering with cousins and attempting to finish twenty rak’at amidst laughter, tiredness and midnight snacks!

As the tarawih prayer is not one of the five compulsory prayers, it is actually recommended to pray it at home so that you can vary its length according to your own concentration levels.

Q: What about if I start praying some rak’at in the masjid and complete the rest at home?

A:That is absolutely fine; you can pray some in the masjid and some at home. This is usually nice as you get to experience both types

of prayer: the congregational prayer and the solitary prayer .

Q: If I pray at home, can I take a break or a nap in between, or do I have to pray it all at once?

A: Taking breaks or taking naps in between is fine. It’s important to make sure your body is rested so that you can concentrate as much as possible in your salah.

MayAllah accept all our acts of worship this Ramadan.

Footnotes & Reference Information

1.Sunnah: an act that was carried out by the Prophet ﷺ; it is recommended that we follow in his footsteps and get rewarded on acting upon these acts.

2.Isha: The last compulsory prayer of the day

3.Ahadith: plural of hadith: Sayings of the Prophet ﷺ

4. Bukhari and Muslim

5. Narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah

6. Rak’at: plural of Rak’ah: unit of prayer

7.Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi

8. Fard: compulsory

Young Bohra Tennis Champion Qualifies for the u16 nationals

ince qualified to play for the coveted “Provincials”, which is held to choose the top 5 players to represent British Columbia at the Tennis Canada Nationals.

Mustafa, seeded fourth in the singles draw, defeated the No 1 seeded player in the semifinals, winning 4-6 6-1 6-1. In the final, Mustafa defeated the second seeded player by a score of 4-6 6-1 6-3 and so qualified to play the U16 Tennis Canada Nationals.

By: Courtesy of the Dawoodi Bohra

Community of Vancouver

Mustafa Raja, a 16-year-old tennis champion from the Dawoodi Bohra community of Vancouver, was recently crowned the 2023 U16 Tennis B.C. Indoor Provincial Champion in both singles and doubles.

The tournament was played at the North Vancouver Tennis Centre in Vancouver, B.C. The top 16 U16 players from the prov-

In the doubles category, Mustafa and his partner defeated the top seeded pair 6-3 6-1. Mustafa, who attends Sullivan Heights Secondary School in Surrey, BC, is now ranked in the top 3 in British Columbia for his age group, and in the top 20 in Canada. He next travels to Las Vegas, USA and Monterrey, Mexico to play three International Tennis Federation junior tournaments.

9. Witr prayer: an odd number of prayers (either 1 or 3 rak’at), prayed after Isha, with a special qunoot du’a., 10. Bukhari and Muslim

11. Narrated by Musnad IbnAbi Shaybah, although this hadith has been deemed as weak. 12. Bukhari and Muslim, 13. Suwar: plural of surah: chapter of the Quran

14. Quranic scripture. 15. Masajid: plural of masjid: mosque. Source: amaliah.com

time to get

new study finds people with schizophrenia were at higher risk during B.C.’s 2021 heat dome

New research suggests people with schizophrenia, their families and support networks should be on alert during extreme heat events and take precautions because of increased risk. The study, published this week in GeoHealth, looked at the risk of death for people with different chronic conditions in British Columbia during the heat dome that hit the Pacific Northwest in early summer 2021. It compared deaths during the heat dome with deaths during the same period in previous years, and it found a threefold increase among people with schizophrenia. “This study was conducted to understand who is most at risk, so we can prepare for future heat events, which will be more frequent and more severe in the coming decades because of climate change,” said Michael Lee, lead author and epidemiologist with Environmental Health Services at the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). “Climate change has real impacts on our health, and we can help limit those impacts when we know what they are and how to prepare.” The study compared the prevalence of 26 chronic conditions among people who died during the eight-day period of the 2021 heat dome, during which B.C. saw an increase in population

mortality, with people who died on the same dates in the nine previous years. It found that mental illnesses were among the conditions that left people most susceptible to death. Those with schizophrenia were at the highest risk. There are overlapping risk factors that likely all play a role in increasing the risks for people with schizophrenia. Schizophrenia often includes psychotic symptoms, such as hallucinations, delusions and thought disorders, as well as cognitive losses. Many people living with schizophrenia also suffer from anosognosia or lack of insight into their own illness. Schizophrenia may also lead to social isolation and lower socioeconomic status, and both are risk factors for death during extreme hot weather. In addition, some medications used to treat schizophrenia can play a role in overheating.

“As demonstrated by the recent research, because individuals living with schizophrenia are more susceptible to heat-related illness, it is essential that families and caregivers are aware of the increased risk, identify potential risk factors and take prompt action to help their loved one during a heat wave,” said Faydra Aldridge, Chief Executive of Officer of the B.C. Schizophrenia

What 30 Days of Fasting Does to Your Body ?

In Ramadan, Muslims fast for a lunar month everyday from dawn till sunset. Here are some interesting information about what happens to your body when you fast for 30 days.

Detoxification Stage 1 (Day 1 To Day 2)

On the first day of fasting, the blood sugar level drops. The heart slows and blood pressure is reduced. Glycogen is pulled from the muscle causing some weakness. The first wave of cleansing is usually the worst. Headaches, dizzinessnausea, bad breath, and a heavily coated tongue are signs of the first stage of cleansing. Hunger can be the most intense in this period.

Detoxification Stage 2 (Day 3 To Day 7)

Fats, composed of transformed fatty acids, are broken down to release glycerol from the gliceride molecules and are converted to glucose. The skin may become oily as rancid oils are purged from the body. People with problem-free skin may have a few days of pimples or even a boil. The body embraces the fast and the digestive system is able to take a much-needed rest, focusing all of its energies on cleansing and healing.

White blood cell and immune system activity increases. You may feel pain in your lungs. The cleansing organs and the lungs are in the process of being repaired. The breath is still foul and the tongue coated. Within the intestine, the colon is being repaired and impacted feces on the intestinal wall start to loosen.

Detoxification Stage 3 (Day 8 to Day 15)

You will experience enhanced energy, clearmindedness and feel better.

On the downside, old injuries may become irritated and painful. This is a result of the body’s increased ability to heal during fasting. If you had broken your arm 10 years before, there is scar tissue around the break. At the time of the break, the body’s ability to heal was directly related to lifestyle.

If you lived on a junk-food diet, the body’s natural healing ability was compromised. During fasting, the body’s healing process is at optimum efficiency.

As the body scours for dead or damaged tissue, the lymphocytes enter the older, damaged tissue secreting substances to dissolve the damaged cells. These substances irritate the nerves in the surrounding region and cause a reoccurrence of aches from previously injured areas that may have disappeared years earlier. The pain is good as the body is completing the healing process. The muscles may become tight and sore due to toxin irritation. The legs can be the worst affected, as toxins accumulate in the legs. Cankers are common in this stage due to the excessive bacteria in the mouth. Daily gargling with salt and water will prevent or heal cankers.

Detoxification Stage 4 (Day 16 to Day 30)

The body is completely adapted to the fasting process. There is more energy and clarity of mind. Cleansing periods can be short with many days of feeling good in between. There are days when the tongue is pink and the breath is fresh. The healing work of the organs is being completed. After the detoxification mechanisms have removed the causative agent or render it harmless, the body works at maximum capacity in tissue proliferation to replace damaged tissue. After day 20, the mind is affected. Heightened clarity and emotional balance are felt at this time.

Memory and concentration improve.

Subhan Allah what great health benefits are there are in fasting. But let us remember, our main intention should be to please Allah All-Mighty insha Allah..

This article was written

By: Mr. Tom McGregor, author of Eating in Freedom.

Source: ilmfeed.com

Society (BCSS). “Educating ourselves to recognize symptoms of heat-related illness and take emergency cooling measures will help ensure everyone’s safety during heat waves.”

It is important for people with schizophrenia and their support networks to be aware of these risks, so they can take preventative measures.

“Most injuries and deaths during extreme heat events occur indoors due to unsafe temperatures,” said Sarah Henderson, scientific director of Environmental Health Services at BCCDC.

“We all have a responsibility to check in on our loved ones and neighbours during extreme weather events, especially if they don’t have access to air conditioning. Strong, social and community connections can help mitigate the risks.”

The study also found higher risk for people who use substances and for people with conditions such as chronic kidney disease, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and diabetes, most of which are well-recognized risk factors during extreme heat.

“This study will help increase awareness about the risks of extreme heat for people with mental illnesses, so we can address them in our warn-

ings when we prepare for future events,” said Henderson.

By: Heather

7867 124 A STREET, SURREY, B.C. V3W 8P1 778 878 7864

You may E-Transfer: humancarebcsociety@gmail.com

BRING THE JOY OF RAMADAN & EID TO THE LESS FORTUNATES

• YOUR $1 a day will support an orphan's livelihood

• $40 will buy basic groceries for a family for a month;

• $1,800 will provide a water well for numerous thirsty villagers --get a Water Well for eesal e thawab of your late relatives or for you own Sadaqa e Zaariya

PLEASE CALCULATE & SEND YOUR ZAKAAH TO REACH BEFORE RAMADHAN ANY

BR.

Your

GIVE

Amos Provincial Health Services Authority

LOCALEVENTS REPORTS

Muslim Food Bank and Community Services Society 12thAnnualFundraising Dinner

Event photographs at Pg 12

On March 18, The attendees at the Muslim Food Bank and Community Services Society’s (“MFBCS”)

Gearing up for Ramadan Fundraising Dinner, were in for a treat Saturday night. The pre-Ramadan fundraising gala, which raised money to tackle food insecurity across Canada, was an enjoyable evening, with dinner, a silent auction, Imam Hamid Slimi as their distinguished speakers and Mohammed Imran Ali singing wonderful nasheeds. This year the highlight of the event was the main speaker, Dr. Imam Hamid Slimi who has been featured by Georgetown University as one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World (2009-2018) for his community development, interfaith work and spiritual leadership.

It was wonderful to see a lot of businesses coming together and sponsoring this event and giving back to their community. Lots of donors also came forward to help MFBCS raise over $100,000 which will go towards helping our brothers and sisters’ in need who are battling food insecurity across Canada. The room was filled with beautiful art pieces which were sold at the silent auction with some of the funds going towards the upcoming artists who are also struggling towards self-reliance. Many happy faces were spotted at the end of the night from individuals taking home their winning art pieces.

Al-Ihsan holds ‘‘ Ramadan Reset” Conference atSFUCampus, Surrey

MFBCS has, of course, played a significant role in the community for the last 12 years. In attendance were many members of the Surrey community, united in their support for this important organization. The fundraising dinner was also attended by local Surrey MP Randeep Sarai, MP Sukh Dhaliwal, Councillor Linda Annis, Mike Bose and MLA Harry Bains . All expressed their support and appreciation for the work of MFBCS.

The fundraising dinner also provided an opportunity to celebrate the volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure the important work of the organization continues – from serving over 3,000 clients food hampers every month through its food bank arm, to the programming provided through its community services arm, ASPIRE. Through case workers to work one on one with families, employment and language support, youth programming, addictions assistance, MFBCS truly serves its clients in a holistic way.

As we head into the holy month of Ramadan consider supporting your local Muslim Food Bank and provide assistance to your brothers and sisters in your community. MFBCS is constantly looking to grow in cities across Canada and internationally and help in different ways and is always looking for volunteers, and donations are always welcome – please visit www.muslimfoodbank.com to learn more. Reported by: MFB

Islamic Relief Canada Hosts Stakeholderand ShareholderCommunity Town Hallin MetroVancouver.

Event photographs at Pg 12

Surrey, British Columbia – Islamic Relief Canada hosted a Town Hall Information Session at Taste of Lahore, Sunday March 12th 2023 with Community Outreach Officer and Imam Sh. Sadique Pathan, Director of Programs Cat Adelton, and the Islamic Relief team based in British Columbia. Over the past three years, Islamic Relief Canada in British Columbia has cultivated the community across five major regions across the province through domestic response efforts, community engagement, and fundraising. Ultimately, the aim of this town hall with 125 participants from 35 organizations was to review the ongoing work of Islamic Relief Canada in 2022 globally through emergency responses especially in Pakistan and Turkiye/Syira. Reassurance was also provided that communal growth, partnerships, and collaboration, especially on the domestic front would continue.

During the town hall, the Islamic Relief team unveiled the 2023-2025 Sector Plan for the province, which takes learnings, data, programs, and knowledge from the past three years and turns them into strategic endeavors while utilizing matured partnerships with organizations specializing in proposed programs.

The aim is also to establish new relationships with developing organizations through

funds and operational support – and all in all explore joint programming and research without working in silos as organizations and strengthening unity. Special focus areas of the Domestic Sector Plan, which is meant to further grow existing work, were investment into the local Muslim youth, the Disaster Response Program, grants for local organizations and Masjids, as well as several other areas including seniors, Indigenous communities, and Muslim business development. Currently Islamic Relief is accepting applications and proposals for new ideas. Data and findings from attendees of the 2022 Town Hall were also taken into consideration while developing the Domestic Sector Plan.

Dialogue from this town hall will be used to further accelerate Islamic Relief Canada’s ambition to serve the Ummah and humanity, starting from home. The Q/A session for attendees also provided further transparency and confidence in the work of Islamic Relief through community, institutional, corporate and Government of Canada funding.

The town hall was met with overwhelming positive feedback for Islamic Relief Canada’s work, ability to bring key players and organizations under one roof and represent Muslims alike through the goals of excellence and custodianship – with the help of Allah.

Reported by: Hassaan Sheikh

Event photographs at Pg 12

March 19th, The Al-Ihsan Institute, Surrey organized- a day conference in SFU Surrey Campus on the topic of “Ramadan Reset”. The head of the institute Mufti Taha Massood hosted this conference with another three special speakers. Shaykh Sheryar was the master of ceremony, after his introductory speech on the importance of this event, he welcome all the guests and audience, then he called Br, Hassan Ahmed for the recitation of the Holy Quran and Br, Irfan to recite Nasheeds. The focus of this one-day conference was how to elevate your Ramadan experience and prepare yourself for a month of spiritual growth. Allhumdullila people gained practical tools and insights from expert speakers to make this the best Ramadan of their life.

In the first session speaker Mufti Taha Massod was invited for the topic of “Timeless Wisdom” The Holy Quran in our lives today., He delivered his lecture with the reference of Quran and Sunnah He said the Quran is a decisive book of guidance it is a firm and strong rope, if you don’t get here on what you need to do what you don’t need to do it was something that flows from the beauty of well. Try to understand how to spend some time on Quran recitation, meanings, and daily Tafseer even for one Juz, and make Quran easy in Allah’s Zikar. The other three guest speakers participated with different topics.

* Shaykh Jahangir Bashir (Imam of Fraser Musalah Vancouver) topic was at “The Path of self-Mastery.” Breaking Bad Habits. He said you’re pleased that you have this event for the first time. I love your honor and we are just a few days away from Ramadan we’re seeing the best opportunity in our lives, those who were with us last year and are not here anymore and many of us sitting here may not be there next year. Try to build everything possible in this matter formula that “We should have a pre-list from Ramadan what do I want to achieve. I want to increase in Morality okay what tomorrow do I want to achieve, how to rid of bad habits in Ramadan and which is the gateway of Ibadahts, to come closer to Allah(SWT).

* Shaykh Sheryar Bashir (Imam of Masjid Rehmah Surrey), expressed his views at “The Alter of Destinies.” He said how we need to conduct ourselves for a month to discuss what we need to do more in the month of Ramadan besides the recitation of the Quran it’s a supplication to Allah, Dua is categorized into either will be accepted but there’s a condition, don’t lose hope or disappoint, you can make Duaa with Akhlas, use this direct dial # 222, ( At 2:00 AM with 2 Rakhats Nafal in Tahujad, and with 2 Tears), Duaa times more chances in Sajda, Fasting, Sick, Traveling, Ibadhats, Zikar etc…

* Mufti Yahya Momila imam of Masjid Al-Salaam Burnaby spoke at “Resilience and Devotion.” Overcoming burnout and emotional fatigue. He said that I have been given the topic that a lot of us we experience at some point during the month of Ramadan and this is you know a lot of enthusiasm and you know depending on the power of a single Ramadan well spent so in terms of resilience and worship you need to constantly on a daily basis remind yourself that this life is temporary Allah reminds that’s all you know right spending time at night doing things in Ramadan when you are feeling lazy when you are feeling down you can quickly use this to recharge yourself and to refocus your attention, the mercy of focus our attention and there are a little bit right efforts for 5 minutes if you still don’t feel like it’s getting the start after the 5 minutes once you begin you feel that you can read over and over again and you know that’s taste and when you develop this habit then you will succeed. I will end with this what’s the final thing I often have the best Ramadan of my life and you think about this in this month of Ramadan prove and develop that will carry for the rest of the year and make dua at Iftar time.

In the end, Mufti Taha Massod thanked everyone and said that this conference has never possible without the help and devotion of volunteers they spend countless hours behind the scenes planning and numerating and organizing to make these things possible we always looking for more volunteers to join our team, anyone who is interested in touch with us, I would like to thank our sponsors and partners.

4th Annual Fiqh of Zakat Workshop 2023 at Al-Ihsan Educational Foundation Centre

On March 11, A Free One-Day Interactive Workshop held at Al-Ihsan centre Surrey.

A number of community members attented at centre and many viewers were on line.

Mufti Taha Masood lead this workshop.

Shaykh Taha’s specializes in the field of Zakat. He conducts dozens of workshops, educational programs, and consultations around the year about specific areas of zakat and wealth. He also serves on the Shari’a Advisory Board with the National Zakat Foundation of Canada.

Mufti Taha covered many topics through his presentation such as:

• What is zakāt?

• Why pay zakt?

• Who must pay zakāt?

• Who can receive zakāt?

• What is zakāt due on?

• When is zakāt due?

• How to calculate zakāt on

• Cash Assets Stocks Loans

• Pensions Properties Jewelry

• Investments Digital Currencies

• Debts Businesses Real-estate Collectibles

At the end attendees asked many questions regarding the fourth pillar of Zakat and Mufti Tha responded theirs answers in details.

Further you can visit at Al -Ihshan website: https://ihsan.ca/

Allhumdulilla The Miracle Media is proud that the Miracle is the only one in the BC Muslim Print Media market which is non-stop a bi-weekly publication during the Pandemic 2019-2022 and after the Covid crisis till this day.

Its availability at Website. miraclenews.com, Facebook (the Miracle Newspaper), Twitter, (https://twitter.com/Miraclenews1), and at two other digital printing service providers, “Press Reader” at https:// www.pressreader.com/canada/the-miracle/latest and “Magzter “ at https:// www.magzter.com/CA/Miracle-Media-Group-Inc in all over the world.

Event photographs at Pg 12

PAKISTAN

Pakistan: Five major issues to watch in 2023

3. FLOOD RECOVERY

23rd March – Our beloved Pakistan Resolution Day

By Ayesha Salim

1. POLITICAL INSTABILITY, POLARIZATION, AND AN ELECTION YEAR

Politics will likely consume much of Pakistan’s time and attention in 2023, as it did in 2022. The country’s turn to political instability last spring did not end with a dramatic no-confidence vote in parliament last April that ousted then Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan from office. Instability and polarization have only heightened since then: Khan has led a popular opposition movement against the incumbent coalition government and the military, staging a series of large rallies across the country through the year.

The struggle for power in Pakistan continues into 2023. While the incumbent government has not ceded to Khan’s demand for early elections, country-wide elections are constitutionally mandated to be held by October this year. It benefits the government politically to hold them off as long as it possibly can as it tries to dig itself out of Pakistan’s urgent economic crisis and its lackluster domestic performance (its diplomatic foreign policy approach has fared better, but that may not matter for elections). The last year has cost it precious political capital, and Khan’s party did very well in a set of by-elections held in July and October. The state has tried to mire Khan and his party in legal cases, relying on a familiar playbook used against opposition politicians in Pakistan, albeit to limited effect, with the courts’ involvement.

Khan’s party still controls two of Pakistan’s four provinces, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and the incumbent federal government’s (extra-legal) efforts to try to wrest power from it in Punjab, the largest province, have been unsuccessful (thanks to the courts). The year is off to a dramatic start, with Khan’s party initiating the process to dissolve the Punjab and KP assemblies this month to pressure the federal government into early elections.

For politics-obsessed Pakistan, the biggest question remains who will win the next general election. Will former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif (brother of current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif) return to Pakistan to run as the head of his party, the PML-N?

Can Imran Khan win on the strength of his popular support, despite his confrontation with the military? Regardless of the outcome, we can say this much given the histories of the main contenders: The direction of the country is unlikely to change.

2. A PRECARIOUS ECONOMIC SITUATION

Pakistan’s economy has been in crisis for months, predating the summer’s catastrophic floods. Inflation is backbreaking, the rupee’s value has fallen sharply, and its foreign reserves have now dropped to the precariously low level of $4.3 billion, enough to cover only one month’s worth of imports, raising the possibility of default.

An economic crisis comes around every few years in Pakistan, borne out of an economy that doesn’t produce enough and spends too much, and is thus reliant on external debt. Every successive crisis is worse as the debt bill gets larger and payments become due.

A “monsoon on steroids” – directly linked to climate change – caused a summer of flooding in Pakistan so catastrophic that it has repeatedly been described as biblical. It left a third of the country under water – submerging entire villages – killed more than 1,700, destroyed homes, infrastructure, and vast cropland, and left millions displaced. More than four months after the worst of the flooding, nearly 90,000 people are still displaced from their homes, and the floodwater is still standing in some areas. It would be enormously difficult for any country to recover from such a disaster and rebuild lost infrastructure, including roads and schools, let alone a government dealing with a cash crunch like Pakistan’s.

4. MOUNTING INSECURITY

The Pakistani Taliban (or TTP), the terrorist group responsible for killing tens of thousands of Pakistanis from 2007 to 2014, have been emboldened – predictably so –by a Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, and once again pose a threat to Pakistan, albeit in a geographically limited region (for now).

The group engaged in at least 150 attacks in Pakistan last year, mostly in the northwest. Because the TTPhave sanctuary inAfghanistan, the Pakistani state increasingly finds itself out of options when it comes to dealing effectively with the group. The state’s negotiations with the TTP have failed repeatedly, as they are bound to, because the group is fundamentally opposed to the notion of the Pakistani state and constitution as it exists today. TheAfghan Taliban have, unsurprisingly, also not proved to be of help in dealing with the TTP– and Pakistan’s relations with the Afghan Taliban have deteriorated significantly at the same time over other issues, including the border dividing the two countries.

5.

CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS

Pakistan has a new chief of army staff as of November 29 last year. General Asim Munir replaced General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who had held the all-powerful post for six years (due to a three-year extension). The appointment of the army chief was a subject of considerable political contention last year; a major part of the reason Khan was ousted from power was his falling out with the military on questions over the appointments of top army officials.

All eyes are now on how civil-military relations shape up under Munir. Under Bajwa, the military solidified its control over all manner of policy behind the scenes. Bajwa presided over a close “same-page” relationship with Khan; when that frayed, the PML-N was eager to take Khan’s place as the military’s ally and head of the civilian government. Bajwa left office saying the army would no longer be involved in political matters; few in Pakistan believe him. With politics set to dominate the agenda this year and an election imminent, Munir has a chance to show the country whether he will follow in his predecessor’s footsteps, or chart a new course for civil-military relations in Pakistan. Pakistan’s history indicates the former. Source: brookings.edu

Pakistan (Islamic republic of Pakistan) is greatest Islamic Country in this world. Pakistan was founded by Quaid-e-Azam

Muhammad Ali Jinnah in 14th August 1947. Pakistan has brief history like the main concept of Pakistan was kept by Allama Muhammad Iqbal in 29th December 1930, The name Pakistan was declared in 28th January 1933 by Chaudhary Rehmat Ali, Pakistan Resolution was passed in 23rd March 1940. Pakistan was established as Islamic Republic in 23rd March 1956. In this article we will discuss the Lahore resolution which also known asthePakistanResolution1940.LahoreResolution which is famous as the Resolution of Pakistan was passed in 23rd March 1940 in the Minto Park which now-a- days is known as Iqbal Park of Lahore. The Lahore Resolution day is also known as Republic day.It is a national holiday in Pakistan to admire the Lahore Resolution day {23 March 1940} and the adoption of the first constitution of Pakistan during the transition of the territory of Pakistan to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on 23 March 1956 making Pakistan the world’s first Islamic republic .The people of Pakistan celebrate 23rd March every year to remember the Lahore resolution day .The Lahore Resolution day parade by the armed forces is a common celebration for the event. The day is celebrated in the memory to commemorate the event when the Muslim

League drafted the political resolution at the Minar-e-Pakistan,that called for establishing an independent federation comprising provinces with Muslim majority located in northwestern and north-eastern region of British controlled territories in India on 23rd March 1940. Main celebrations are held in Islamabad– the capital of Pakistan .On 23rd March the President of Pakistan is usually the Chief Guest of the event .News channels cover the whole event live. The holiday include a full military and civilian parade in the capital, Islamabad regarding the celebration. The event is held early morning. The celebration are well managed by armed force. “Pakistan not only means freedom and independence but the Muslim Ideology which has to be preserved, which has come to us as a precious gift and treasure and which, we hope other will share with us” - Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

Source: nation.com.pk

March to Freedom: The Aftermath of the KhaksarMurders on March 19th, 1940

By Nasim Yousaf

On March 19, 1940, a Khaksar march with chup raast commenced, and the resolute rhythm of Khaksar boots echoed through the streets of Lahore, driven by an unyielding drive to liberate the nation. This march ended in a brutal massacre of Khaksars at the hands of the police. Despite popular narratives attributing independence to the constitutional efforts of M.A. Jinnah and the non-violent resistance of M.K Gandhi, the truth is more complicated. Freedom came through the sacrifice and suffering of thousands of Khaksars - from Peshawar to Burma (now Myanmar) - who were either killed, injured, beaten, jailed, or subjected to other cruelties by the British authorities. This article explores the aftermath of the tragic event of March 19th, the suffering of Mashriqi, his family, and his followers, and the path that led to the downfall of the British Raj.

Onthat fateful day ofMarch19th, theKhaksars organized a peaceful protest parade in Lahore against restrictions that the Government had placed on their activities. In order to stop the protest, police opened fire on the unarmed Khaksars, killing over 200 of them and injuring hundreds of others (though officials publicly reported figures that were lower). Many of the martyrs and the injured were kicked and dragged with their turbans tied to their necks or feet.

The carnage was a significant event in the history of the Indian sub-continent's independence movement. The martyrs were buried in the Miani Sahib Graveyard, which

has since become a site of pilgrimage for Khaksars and others. Every year on March 19, since 1940, Khaksar Martyrs' Day is solemnly observed by the KhaksarTehrik. Speeches are made to enlighten the public, and Khaksars and others visit the graveyard to pay their respects to the martyrs.

On the same day as the massacre (March 19th), at 5:45 pm, the police and military conducted a raid on the Khaksar headquarters and the adjacent house of Mashriqi, underSection17-AoftheIndianCriminalLaw Amendment Act. The raiders were callous and ignored the sanctity of Mashriqi's abode, where not only his sons, but also purdah-observing females, were ferociously treated. The police fired teargas grenades and injured Mashriqi’s son, Ehsanullah KhanAslam.

The police arrested two of Mashriqi's sons and the Khaksars present at the Khaksar Tehrik's headquarters. They also ransacked both premises and confiscated the Khaksar Tehrik's materials.

In Lahore, a curfew was imposed, censorship on newspapers was enforced, and the army patrolled the city. At night, Mashriqi, who was in Delhi, was arrested by Senior Superintendent of Police D. Kilburn. His sons and daughters were threatened with physical harm, abduction, and even killing. Mashriqi’s family and Khaksars were also harassed by both state and non-state actors. About the Author: Nasim Yousaf, a grandson and biographer of Allama Mashriqi, is a researcher based in the USA.

To be Cont. in Next edition

“Iampleasedtoextendwarmestgreetingson thisMarch23,2023toour vibrantcommunity onbehalfofmyentirefamily.”

Mohammed Iqbal Cheema Founder of Pakistani Canadian Cultural Association