Turkmenistan's manmade lake

The central Asian nation of Turkmenistan has cemented its reputation for eccentricity with an ambitious attempt to create a vast lake in the centre of the country's Karakum desert.

In a logic-defying feat that might have appealed to Stalin, engineers have begun pumping water from a network of canals that irrigate cotton fields across the country. It is being channelled into the natural Karashor depression in remote northern Turkmenistan. The aim: to make what has been poetically dubbed Golden Age Lake.

At an opening ceremony on Wednesday, the country's president, Gurbanguli Berdymukhamedov, plunged a spade into the earth and released the first water from a tributary canal. Surrounded by shimmering desert, dignitaries and local tribesmen, he declared: "We have brought new life to these once-lifeless sands."

In comments reported by the state-run Neutral Turkmenistan newspaper, he said: "I am convinced that our great deeds will be recalled by glory."

The president then rode off on a jewellery-bedecked horse, climbed into his helicopter and flew back to the capital, Ashgabat.

Experts have expressed dismay at the quixotic Soviet-style project. They point out that much of the water pumped into the searing desert will evaporate, adding that it is likely to be contaminated with toxic pesticides and fertilisers.

Turkmen officials disagree. They insist the lake will attract migratory birds, stimulate biodiversity and make flowers and plants bloom in a country that is 80% desert. Once completed the lake is supposed to cover 770 square miles, reach a depth of around 70 metres and hold more than 130bn cubic metres of water. Filling it could take 15 years and cost up to $4.5bn.

This is not the first project in Turkmenistan to raise eyebrows. The government recently unveiled a new tourist resort on the shores of the Caspian Sea designed to rival Las Vegas. Currently, western tourists have great difficulties obtaining visas for Turkmenistan, and most foreign journalists are banned.

The former Soviet republic's late dictator Saparmurat Niyazov dreamed up the Golden Lake project before his sudden death in 2006. His successor, Berdymukhamedov, buoyed by soaring incomes from gas exports, decided to press ahead with the idea despite fierce objections from environmentalists.

"These canals will serve as a major source of irrigation to turn the Karakum into a blossoming oasis," Berdymukhamedov told a crowd of more than 1,000 people that included top government officials and diplomats.

History suggests that he is making a mistake. For decades, central Asia's environment has suffered from over-ambitious Soviet-era irrigation projects. The Aral Sea, which once lay on the border between the former Soviet republics of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, was the world's fourth-largest lake. It has since shrunk by almost 90%, devastating fisheries as salinity levels spiked.

The Hijabi MP of Belgium

Brussels, Asharq Al-Awsat- When I met Mahinur Ozdimer in one of the biggest shopping malls in Brussels just one day before the Belgium elections that took place on June 7, I noticed that she was the only female candidate wearing Hijab as the candidates handed out leaflets and met and spoke with voters.

I asked Mahinur “Aren’t you worried about the reaction you’ll get from Belgian voters because you wear Hijab?” Ozdemir, a Belgium citizen of a Turkish descent, answered, “I will not take off my Hijab for the elections or for parliament. I wore the Hijab when I was working for Schaerbeek Municipal Council and I will carry on wearing it even in parliament.”

Despite the pressure she is subjected to because she continues to wear the Hijab, Mahinur always says that “efficiency alone is what matters, not the Hijab.”

Mahinur is the first parliamentarian to wear Hijab, but there is a problem; Belgian law does not allow MPs to wear headscarves in parliament. The issue has begun to raise controversy among members of Arab and Muslim communities and amongst the Belgians themselves.

MP Suad Razzouk from Belgium’s Socialist Party said, “Ozdemir will face two options: resign if she does not take off the Hijab, or give up her seat in parliament.”

Ahmed Mohsen, a member of the Green Party, said “I will work towards changing the current status as the right-wing, liberals and socialist parties caused the banning of Hijab in 95 per cent of Belgian schools with only five schools allowing it.”

The Socialist Party’s MP Sofia Bouarfa said, “I am concerned about the future of every female candidate who wears Hijab and wants to run for parliament because that person will face major challenges and difficulties. She is supposed to represent all parts of Belgian society and it is only normal that not everybody will be considerate of the fact that wearing Hijab is a personal freedom.”

Having won 2851 votes, enough to secure her a seat in Belgian parliament, local and international media rushed to interview Mahinur. Everywhere she goes there are local and international press and television stations from different countries such as Britain, Turkey and Australia that want to talk to Mahinur.

In every interview, Mahinur has insisted that there should not be so much emphasis on the Hijab that she wears but on the issues that are of importance to a Belgian citizen, mainly unemployment and housing.

Mahinur said, “I will work against unemployment and towards allowing the Hijab to be worn in the workplace and in schools.” She added, “I would like to point out that with or without Hijab, my view of the problems in this country and finding solutions to them and helping others will be the same. I cover my hair, but not my ideas, and the Islamic headscarf will in no way be an obstacle to my political activity. It should not be a controversial issue and I would advise those criticizing the Hijab to do away with the injustice that obscures their vision.”

Mahinur emphasizes that she is a Belgian of Turkish and Muslim descent by saying, “I was born here in Belgium and raised and educated in this country. I’m a third-generation immigrant and I come from a family that is devoted to serious and sincere work. My family supported me and celebrated my success in the elections.”

There is a large Muslim community that consists of at least half a million people in Belgium, the majority of which are Moroccans and Turks. The first generation of immigrants arrived in Belgium in the late 1950s to help rebuild the country following the destruction caused by World War II.

Mahinur got to a point where she avoided answering questions about Hijab after she found that there was too much focus on this issue, especially when it came to questions on the attitudes of her fellow party members towards her and whether people were open to the idea of a parliamentarian wearing Hijab. There was an incident during her party’s election campaign; the party had put up pictures of the candidates in Schaerbeek and Mahinur’s picture was enlarged so that people could only see her face, not her Hijab.

Commenting on the incident, Mahinur said, “The party officials explained that a mistake had been made either by the printing company or by an employee working on the election campaign, either of whom did not consult anyone else regarding the matter. I was angry but I am not now after the party explained the situation.”

There has been debate over the name of the party to which Mahinur belongs. The foreign media calls it the ‘Christian Democratic Party’ whilst a number of party members of Arab descent state that this is incorrect and that the correct translation of the party’s name is the ‘Humanist Democratic Centre.’

Taha Adnan, who works for the administration of the francophone government in Brussels, said that in 2002, the Christian Democratic Party changed its name to ‘Humanist Democratic Centre’ [CdH] and as a result, it lost the votes of many Christians in Belgian society. But in turn, it gained votes from a number of Arab and Muslim immigrants.

But how did Mahinur get into politics? When did she join the party? When did she decide she wanted to enter parliament and how did she choose which party to join?

“When I was a child, I always dreamt of being a lawyer, but I started wearing the Hijab at 14 years old, so I had to reconsider my future. So I chose to study Political Science at the Free University of Brussels, with a major in Human Resources, and I obtained a diploma in Management…My decision not to study law was not because it was too difficult, as I’m not the kind of person who gives up. Even if became a lawyer I would have entered the world of politics, which I came to understand quite well during my free time at the university through the internet.”

Mahinur stated that she read the programs of various Belgian political parties and liked the CdH, which calls for offering social aid, and upholding democratic principles and family values. “It is enough that it is a moderate party as I hate extremism, and the party’s program has a lot of respect for religious beliefs.”

Mahinur joined the party in 2004 when she was still studying. The following year she was offered the opportunity to take part in the municipal elections as part of the party and she joined the municipal council of Schaerbeek, which has a large number of citizens of Arab and Muslim descent, mainly Moroccans and Turks.

In the recent elections Mahinur ranked 21st, which was enough to guarantee a seat in parliament. In reference to her family, Mahinur said “They helped me a lot and gave me support. They are very happy for me.”

Describing her as a very eloquent speaker, the Belgian press says that Mahinur has a lot to say on social issues and social development.

However, the elections are over and the winners have been announced. Mahinur is now waiting to take the constitutional oath as the first parliamentarian in Belgium to wear Hijab though this goes against Belgian law.

Mahinur believes that she will be a member of parliament in Brussels alongside a number of Muslims who were chosen by the Muslim community living in the Belgian capital to represent them. The issues that they want dealing with include the banning of the Hijab in some schools, the prohibition of slaughtering animals at home for the religious festival of Eid al Adha or any other day, and the issue of financial aid required for Islamic associations to help them carry out their religious duty of serving members of Muslim communities.

Prior to Mahinur, several Muslim MPs entered Belgian parliament to serve their society’s interests.

MP Fatiha Saidi, a Belgian of Moroccan origin born in Algeria to Moroccan parents, says that she focuses on the issues of all races without discrimination and that her primary goal is to serve the oppressed, especially those with no residence permits or those who are jobless, and those who have problems with schooling and education etc.

Saidi said, “I have intervened in parliament with regards to the issue of slaughtering animals during the Eid festival or on other days. I raised questions on the matter in parliament and I questioned the Belgium Minister of Justice on racism in the Belgium labour market, the oppression that Muslim communities suffer and discrimination in the employment field.”

Saidi indicated that she has prepared a report to this effect to be discussed in parliament and that she has also raised the issue of Hijab in schools; “Discussions on this are still underway.” Finally, Fatiha Saidi added, “The Belgian people we work with do not share the same experiences or circumstances that Muslim communities experience such as nostalgia, racism and migration. This is why it is our role to clarify the nature of such problems to others through different means such as seminars and lectures within the party to which I belong or in parliament or during sessions, as well as in magazines, party-affiliated and independent newspapers.”

Mohamad Daif, of Moroccan descent, was one of the first Muslims to enter Brussels parliament following the 1995 elections. Daif said, “The religion of Islam is acknowledged here in Belgium and there is a representative body that is recognized by the Belgian government despite the strong criticism against it from some Belgium parties that refuse to recognize this body or Islam as a religion. As a Muslim citizen, I am of the view that the executive body for Muslims must have the ability to work and achieve the goals for which it was established, and that there must be enough finance to provide for this. Towards this end, my role in the party to which I belong – the Socialist Party – and my role in parliament has been to work towards eliminating any kind of racism by providing finance to different bodies and ensuring a fair share of financial aid to different institutions so that it can achieve its goals.”

It is clear that Mahinur has a lot of work ahead of her regarding the problems in the Muslim community but the important question remains; how will this parliamentarian escape the dilemma that lies ahead? Will she give up the Hijab? Or will the Brussels parliament turn a blind eye and let her take the oath and amend that specific article of the constitution? Deliberations to this effect are underway between different parties, and we will soon know the answers to those questions.

By hook or crook: Israel trying to change history and geography of Palestine

Experts are refuting an Israeli researcher’s claim that Palestinians are "ethnically Jewish" as a fundamentally flawed theory that contradicts both science and history, while Palestinians slammed it as part of a larger scheme to erase their identity.

"The claim that there are Jewish genes is ridiculous and unscientific," Kamel Katalo, professor of Sociology at Al-Khalil University, told IslamOnline.net.

Tsvi Misinai, an associate with Israel’s Ariel Center for Policy Research (ACPR), has come up with a thesis claiming that many Palestinians are "genetically Jewish".

He alleges that the ancestors of today’s Palestinians are decedents of the Hebrews who did not leave after the Romans sent the people into exile and were converted to Islam during the Ottoman era.

"After reading his booklet, I got the impression that the man makes strident generalizations and reaches spurious and completely erroneous conclusions based on questionable premises," insists Katalo.

He said one central flaw in Misinai’s theory is that it has never been established that there are what he called "Jewish genes."

"Indeed, if there was something like that, there would have been a unified definition of being Jewish.

"If there were indeed unique Jewish geneses, then what would explain the fact that there are Jews of all races?"

Ismail El-Shindi, professor of Islamic Jurisprudence at Al-Quds Open University, dismisses Misinai’s claims as far-fetched.

"It is historically established that the Jewish population in Palestine under the Ottoman rule, especially in the early period, was very small."

He also refuted the claim that the Ottomans compelled people to embrace Islam.

"This is a totally mendacious claim. There is no compulsion in Islam, and Jews and Christians as well as others were granted complete religious freedom under past Islamic states."

Professor Shindi describes Misinai’s "totally concocted" theory as the latest chapter in an Israeli scheme to rewrite Palestinian history.

"They want to give an impression that Jews had always maintained a sizeable presence in Palestine, which is not true," he insists.

"These people are the greatest falsifiers of history."

Muhammed Masalmeh, a resident of the southern West Bank town of Dura, bushes off the Israeli author’s theory as non-issue.

"This entire issue about people having Jewish roots makes no sense to me," Masalmeh, who hails from a large Palestinian clan which Misinai says has Jewish roots, told IOL.

The 60-year-old Palestinian stressed that even if he had Jewish roots as Misinai claimed, it would mean nothing to him.

"Islam shapes a person’s entire identity. A Muslim can’t have conflicting identities."

Muhammed Yousef Makhamra, an Arabic teacher, hails from the Makhamara clan living in southern Al-Khalil, another community Misinai claims has Jewish roots.

"I don’t think that my clan ever had any other identity besides the Palestinian-Arab-Muslim identity."

The clan has roots in both Palestine and Jordan and was always an integral part of the Palestinian Arab Muslim community.

"We never maintained an esoteric, cultic or insular presence as Jews do."

Makhamra believes Misinai’s theory is nothing but a new plot to fabricate history to justifying the creation of Israel in 1948 on the rubble of Palestine.

"Those standing behind him are trying to falsify history and give legitimacy to the Israeli Jewish occupation of our homeland."

On April 18, 1948, Palestinian Tiberius was captured by Menachem Begin's Irgun militant group, putting its 5,500 Palestinian residents in flight. On April 22, Haifa fell to the Zionist militants and 70,000 Palestinians fled.

On April 25, Irgun began bombarding civilian sectors of Jaffa, terrifying the 750,000 inhabitants into panicky flight.

On May 14, Jaffa completely surrendered to the much better-equipped Zionist militants and only about 4,500 of its population remained, and Israel was created on the rubble of Palestine.

"Having failed to liquidate the Palestinian cause and dislodge us from our ancestral homeland, they are now trying to invent stories and narratives to achieve their old goals," contends Makhamra.

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Israel wants to change the Arabic and English spelling on road signs to leading to major cities and ancient holy sites, an Israeli newspaper reported Monday. Historic sites in the Holy Land often have parallel, not always entirely identical, names in Hebrew, Arabic and English. Road signs are generally topped with Hebrew names, then Arabic - the second official language, and English.

But instead of their age-old names in Arabic and English, the new Israeli government of hardline Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to use the Hebrew transliteration, Yediot Ahronot reported.

Jerusalem will no longer be written as such in English, nor as al-Quds in Arabic, but only as Yerushalayim - both in Hebrew, Arabic and English letters.

Even the hometown of Jesus, known to Christians worldwide as Nazareth and local Arabs as al-Nasrah, will no longer be described as such on Israeli signs. It will be Natsrat, as pronounced in Hebrew.

In addition, the ancient Roman port of Caesaria becomes Kesariya. Tiberias, on the Sea of Galilee, becomes Tveria - on the Yam Kineret.

The initiative was authorized by Transportation Minister Israel Katz, of the ruling Likud party.

"If someone wants to use a road sign to turn Jewish Jerusalem into the Palestinian al-Quds - that won't happen under this government, and certainly not under this minister," Katz told the daily.

The Palestinians want East Jerusalem, captured from Jordan in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war and subsequently annexed by Israel, as the capital of their future state. The current government has vowed Jerusalem will remain the "undivided" capital of Israel.

His has decision sparked scorn among Arab-Israeli lawmakers, including Ahmed Tibi, of the United Arab List - Ta'al faction with four mandates in the 120-seat Knesset, Israel's parliament.

"Al-Quds remains al-Quds," he said. "The minister errs if he thinks that word laundering can erase the Arabs' existence in Israel and their link to the land."

The move sparked also criticism within the government. "Street signs are no political theme. Arabic is an official language in Israel," said Minorities Minister Avishai Braverman, of the dovish coalition Labour Party.

A commentator in Yediot too charged that the Transport Ministry should rather deal with "real problems" such as deadly traffic accidents.

The ministry said the project, now approved by Katz, was begun already a year ago, under previous transportation minister Shaul Mofaz, a hawk in the centrist, former ruling Kadima party.

It said the spelling changes would be made gradually on signs that need replacement
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A tourism campaign depicting the areas of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights as part of Israel has been banned by the advertising watchdog following hundreds of complaints.

The poster campaign, run by the Israeli Government Tourist Office, ran with the headline "experience Israel" with a picture of a boy snorkelling with dolphins. The ad featured a map of Israel that included the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Golan Heights.

The Advertising Standards Authority received complaints from 442 members of the public, as well as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Jews for Justice for Palestinians, that the poster misleadingly implied that these areas were internationally recognised as part of Israel.

The State of Israel Ministry of Tourism, replying on behalf of the IGTO, said the map was a "general schematic tourism and travel map, rather than a political map". SIMT argued that the complaints were political in nature and not relevant to a tourist ad.

The ASA noted that the ad implied that all areas featured on the map were part of the state of Israel and that the border lines for the contested regions were "faintly produced and difficult to distinguish".

"We understood that the borders and status of the occupied territories of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights were the subject of much international dispute," said the ASA in its ruling. "And because we considered that the ad implied that those territories were part of the state of Israel, we concluded that the ad was misleading".

Iran: Busy killing its own

Hundreds more people may have died in Iran's post-election unrest than the authorities have admitted, amid allegations that the death toll has been obscured by hiding victims' bodies in secret morgues.

Human rights campaigners say anecdotal evidence suggests the number of demonstrators killed in clashes with government forces after last month's poll was far higher than the official death toll of 20 and may amount to a "massacre".

Suspicions have been fuelled after one woman described seeing corpses piled on top of each other in a refrigeration depot while searching for a missing relative. Another woman was shown pictures of between 50 and 60 people, all said to have died, while searching for her son.

The claims came as Tehran prepares for another day of tension tomorrow when the influential former president Hashemi Rafsanjani addresses Friday prayers at Tehran University. Hardline supporters of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad – who was controversially re-elected in the election on 12 June that opponents say was "stolen" – have threatened to disrupt the event, at which Rafsanjani is expected to speak in support of his ally Mir Hossein Mousavi, the defeated reformist candidate, who will attend the event.

Meanwhile,

It's a long way from Tehran to Zahedan, in Iran's remote south-east, but the hanging of 13 convicted terrorists this week sent out a chilling message about the readiness of the Islamic Republic to act ruthlessly to defend its core interests.

On the face of it, there was no link between the mass execution and last month's disputed presidential election, in which Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won a second term. But these and other recent judicial killings may be designed to intimidate at a time of unprecedented unrest and uncertainty about Iran's future.

The 13 men who mounted the gallows early on Tuesday morning were not supporters of Mir Hossein Mousavi, officially defeated by Ahmadinejad, but members of Jundullah (Soldiers of God), a small Sunni rebel group. The worst of its attacks was the suicide bombing of a Shia mosque in May, which killed 25 people in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan province, which has a Sunni majority.

Jundullah claims to be fighting for the rights of Iran's Baluch minority but is often linked by the regime in Tehran to al-Qaida, and to the west. It has been blamed for drug smuggling, kidnapping and attacks on civilians and revolutionary guards and appears to be based across the border in Pakistani Baluchistan. Iranian media quoted one of the condemned men as "confessing" that the group was trained and financed by "the US and Zionists".

The hangings were to have beenin a public park but in the end took place inside a prison compound. A 14th man, the brother of the group's leader, Abdulmalik Rigi, was given a brief stay of execution - but only to allow him to undergo further questioning.

The charges, in the inimitably stark language of Iranian Islamic justice, included moharebeh - "enmity against God" as well as being "corrupt on earth, killing innocent people and taking hostages while carrying firearms."

Know Prophet Day held in Uppsala, Sweden

Muslims in Sweden's fourth largest city organised on Saturday, July 18, a special day devoted to introducing the noble traits and characteristics of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) and addressing media-propagated misconceptions.

"We are presenting one of the world’s most famous persons," Ibrahim Blicksjo, a spokesman for the organizers, told IslamOnline.net over the phone from Uppsala.

"Why? Because we want to spread his message to the people and to give them a fair chance to get to know him."

The day, themed "Muhammad, Messenger of God", is organized by the International Association of Science and Culture, and held in Stora Torget, the biggest square at the heart of the city.

The first of a kind in Sweden, the event will introduce the prophet to Swedes through his life story, message and merciful teachings.

"We will have speakers who will talk about Prophet Muhammad and his message," said Blicksjo.

"We want to shed light on his qualities and how he treated others around him. And most importantly, we want to tell the people what message he came with," he explained.

"We want to show them why we love him so much, what an extraordinary person he is."

The attendees, including local organizations and media outlets, will get free literature about the inspiring life of Prophet Muhammad and how he changed the course of human history.

"We have 10,000 brochures that we will hand out and we will also have books in more than 20 languages," said Blicksjo.

"People will also have the opportunity to ask us questions and get first-hand answers."

Organizers believe the Uppsala event, the first of its kind in Sweden, is much needed because people lack the basic knowledge about Islam’s prophet and message.

"The Swedish society of today does not know much about Prophet Muhammad. They actually know nothing about him," regrets Blicksjo, a Muslim convert.

He heaps the blame for that on the media which propagates only misconceptions and insults about the prophet and Islam.

"Mainly what they know about Islam is what the media writes," says Blicksjo.

"We want to give the right image of Prophet Muhammad to set the records straight and defend him against all lies propagated about him."

In 2007, the Nerikes Allehanda newspaper published a cartoon by Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks of a person he described as Prophet Muhammad depicted as a dog to illustrate an editorial on self-censorship and freedom of expression.

Justice Chancellor Goeran Lambertz said the anti-Prophet cartoon did not constitute incitement to racial hatred.

Muslims in Sweden, estimated at nearly 400,000, took the issue into their strides and refused to internationalize the crisis like Danish Muslims did in 2005 when a Danish daily printed 12 lampooning drawings of the prophet.

Blicksjo hopes the "Muhammad, Messenger of God" day would help non-Muslims understand why insulting caricatures, considered blasphemous in Islam, are offensive to Muslims.

"The Swedish society as a whole does not understand how high we hold Prophet Muhammad.

"This is why they do not understand why we get insulted when newspapers print caricatures about him."

Dr. Nadia El-Awady to lead the World Federation of Science Journalists

Dr. Nadia El-Awady, former managing editor of IslamOnline.net's Health & Science Section, has become the first Muslim woman to lead the World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ).

"I want to hear from you as to how we can serve you better," Awady told the assembly meeting of the board of the federation.

Egyptian Awady was acclaimed WFSJ president during the biannual World Conference of Science Journalists (WCSJ), held last week in London.

It is customary that the prestigious position goes to a science journalist representing the host country of the next WCSJ.

Cairo was declared the venue of the next WCSJ after a successful co-bid by the Arab Science Journalists Association (ASJA) and the American National Association of Science Writers (NASW).

They defeated three other strong bids from Kenya, Uganda, and Finland.

Awady is co-directing the team responsible for putting together the upcoming WCSJ in Cairo in 2011.

The WFSJ is a non-profit organization acting as an umbrella network of national, regional, and international associations of science journalists and science communicators.

It was founded in 2002 with the aim of promoting science journalism and communication throughout the world, with a special focus on the developing world.

Currently, there are 40 networks registered under it.

Awady said that during her presidency, she wants to focus on areas of the world that so far have not had strong support from the WFSJ, such as Russia.

She promised to continue and expand on a successful twinning training program launched a few years ago, which twinned a professional science journalist from the West with one from Africa or Southern Asia.

"It is very exciting to think that one of us has become president of the federation," said Dalia Abd El-Salam, the environmental editor of Egypt's French-speaking weekly Al-Ahram Hebdo.

"This will give Arab science journalism a great and much-needed boost," she believes.

"I’m so proud of her and all of the Egyptians here in the conference are."

Awady has been serving as of the WFSJ's board treasurer since 2007, becoming the first Muslim elected as a member of the board.

Awady is past president and founding member of the Arab Science Journalists Association.

She was a staff writer in IslamOnline.net from April 2000 until July 2008, writing many articles in English and Arabic on a variety of issues.

She founded IslamOnline.net's Health & Science Section in 2002 and ran the section until June 2006.

Awady served as IOL deputy editor in chief from September 2005 until June 2006.

She became Director of Outreach and Cooperation for Media International, which operates IslamOnline.net, in July 2006 and served in the post for two years.

Saudi Arabia's own Guantanamo

From an article in The Guardian by Syed Neaz Ahmad

I worked as a senior lecturer at Umm al-Qura University in Mecca until last January. I taught English language, linguistics and creative writing. Over 28 years I signed three contracts with the university and had no problem whatsoever, either with students or the administration.

I taught graduates and undergraduates and, as a tribute to my good standing, I was often asked to teach for the women's campus – which involves use of CCTV whereby the pupils can see the teachers but the teacher cannot see them.

In collaboration with a Saudi colleague I co-authored a series of three books on writing for students of engineering and Islamic architecture. In addition I wrote weekly columns for the two Jeddah-based English newspapers, the Saudi Gazette and Arab News. I appeared on Saudi TV chat shows and was often interviewed on Jeddah FM radio. For more than fours year I also worked as an online editor of Saudi Gazette.

When my tenure with the university ended, I was offered the post of editorial consultant at the Muslim World League – a non-government organisation based in Mecca. Since I am a British citizen my job transfer had to be approved by the interior ministry in Riyadh and I signed a one-year (usually renewable) contract. All my papers were in order.

In May, I was called unexpectedly to the Mecca passport office and detained for several hours without any apparent reason. On that day they confiscated my passport and my residence permit. When I protested that I would not be able to drive my car or go out on the street without a valid residence permit they gave me a temporary one valid only for Mecca. I was not allowed to leave the city: my confinement had already begun.

On the morning of 7 June, while working at the Muslim World League office, I was asked to return to the passport office. I was detained in the main office for several hours with no explanation and then transferred to another outfit run by the interior ministry.

I had no idea why I was being detained or where I was being sent. They took away my briefcase and my mobile phone and pushed me into a room that was already full with around 500 inmates. The air conditioning and the fans did not work. There was no drinking water. The toilets were dirty and three of the five toilets were without water and electricity. One can only imagine the stink. In June temperatures in Mecca run up to 50C.

Inmates in this Saudi Gitmo were moved from one room to another every two hours or so. As there was not enough room to sit or stretch your legs it added to the stress and strain. We were made to sleep on bare floors and fights for sitting/sleeping space were not uncommon. There was a stabbing over a small sum of money – I don't know if the victim survived.

The guards in Mecca were very "kind" to me. They never missed an opportunity to call me "animal", kick my ankles with their boots or step on my toes.

After four days handcuffed in Mecca, I was transferred to a detention centre in Jeddah where conditions were even worse. In warehouse-like halls with no air conditioning, no fans and temperatures rising to 50C, about 1,500 people were locked up.

We were provided with food but we ate only enough to survive as it was rumoured that the food was drugged to make us sleep. From the sleeping patterns of the inmates, this was probably true.

After 11 days of hell I was deported to Bahrain from where I made my way back to England. I had to leave everything – my car, my flat and my belongings.

I still do not know why I was singled out for this treatment which has left me jobless, broke and with a traumatic experience that is hard to overcome. As a Muslim I know that this is not Islam.

Marvels of Muslim scientists on display at the Islamic Da’wah Center in Houston

In the annals of aviation history, names such as the Wright brothers, Charles Lindbergh or Chuck Yeager come to mind. But what about Abbas Ibn Firnas?

Very few people know that this Muslim scholar tied himself to a feathered glider in Cordoba, Spain, in the ninth century and took the first piloted flight in history.

John H. Lienhard, a professor at the department of mechanical engineering and history at The University of Houston, acknowledges this flight in his award-winning work The Engines of Our Ingenuity.

A model of this flying machine is on display among many other artifacts at the exhibition Sultans of Science: 1,000 Years of Knowledge Rediscovered, at the Islamic Da’wah Center in Houston through Sept. 7.

The exhibit, which debuted last week, honors contributions of Muslim scientists from the eighth century to the 18th century, known as the Golden Era of the Islamic World.

It focuses on disciplines such as art, astronomy, inventions, optical sciences, mathematics and architecture.

The exhibition offers hands-on activities, re- created models of engineering tools and interactive maps that take visitors back to the medieval ages.

Visitors can grip a pulse sensor to see their heartbeats displayed against the backdrop of Ibn Nafi’s diagram of the human circulatory system. Or they can use a replica of the Islamic quadrant to measure the angle between two stars.

The cluster on optics showcases works of 10th-century Muslim physicist Al-Haytham, who invented the pinhole camera and discovered how the eye works. Visitors can conduct experiments at Al-Haytham’s optical laboratory using convex and concave lenses, prisms and the model of the camera he invented.

Another attraction is the model of the elephant clock designed by Muslim engineer Al-Jazari. This was the first clock that employed the flow of water to regulate timekeeping.

“We knew this nonreligious exhibit would attract people of Houston for its self-guided and non-imposing nature,” said Ameer Abuhalimeh, executive director of the Islamic Da’wah Center.

He said the exhibit was designed to increase awareness of Muslims’ contributions to fields of learning and highlight the importance of building bridges between civilizations.

The exhibition is owned by MTE Studios, based in Cape Town and Dubai, which designed Ibn Battuta Mall, a thematic shopping mall in Dubai. The exhibits at the center are small replicas of ones on display at that mall.

Ibn Battuta was a Muslim explorer from Morocco who traveled 75,000 miles and visited 40 countries in 28 years. The explorers section of the exhibition tells the story of this man.

Abuhalimeh said that to complement the exhibition, the Houston Museum of Natural Science is showing the IMAX film Journey to Mecca, a documentary based on Battuta’s travels.

Joanne King Herring, a member of the exhibition committee, said she hopes this event acquaints people with the works of good Muslims. King said there are good and bad people in every religion. “But all the nice work by good people gets obscured in the smoke of war generated by the bad ones,” she said.

She said she had special interest in the Muslim world, as she had served both Pakistan and Morocco as their honorary consul general in Houston.

Cape Town Mosque Tourism

Cape Town is steadily becoming a center of Islamic tourism with thousands of Muslims reportedly flocking to South Africa’s coastal city which has a rich Islamic heritage, including the 10 oldest mosques in all Southern Africa.

"Whenever I and my family think of a holiday trip in the world, we have only one location in mind and that is Cape Town," Edris Muktar, a Malaysian tourist, told IslamOnline.net.

"It’s primarily because of its Islamic culture, rich history and friendliness of its inhabitants."

Sumaya Abdul, a tourist from Indonesia, says she always prefers Cape Town for vacations because of the historical attachment the city has with her Muslim home country.

"Some of my great grandfathers were brought to Cape Town as slaves by colonialists and they brought Islam to South Africa," she told IOL.

"When I’m here, I see the people as my blood connection. So visiting Cape Town is a priority for me."

Cape Town is a home to nearly half a million Muslims of diverse Asian origins.

Muslims make up to 1.5% of South Africa's 44-million population.

Islam was first introduced to the then Cape of Good hope in 1654 by political exiles and slaves working for the Dutch East India Company that operated between Cape Town, Holland and the then East Indies.

Sumaya recalls she was very impressed the first time she came to Cape Town with the so many shops and restaurants offering halal food.

"Nearly all the food in Cape Town is halal."

Muslims should only eat meat from livestock slaughtered by a sharp knife from their necks, and the name of Allah, the Arabic word for God, must be mentioned.

Sumaya says that one particular aspect of the city has captivated her more than anything else.

"There are many mosques on virtually every corner of the street, which is difficult to find in other tourism centers in the world."

Cape Town has reportedly 10 oldest mosques in Southern Africa.

There were no mosques in the city until the early 1800’s, when religious freedom was granted by the Dutch colony in 1803.

Of the spectacular Muslim sites that have amazed many tourists in Cape Town are the Auwal and the Palm Tree mosques, the two most ancient Muslim places of worship in the country.

"The Auwal & Palm Tree mosques draw a huge number of tourists because of their ancient history," Farouk Kamalie, chairperson of the Palm Tree Mosque, told IOL.

"Foreign and local Muslims visit our ancient mosques every year."

The same happens with the Auwal mosque, the first mosque in the entire Southern Africa region which was built in 1804.

"Thousands of people from different countries come to this mosque every month, taking pictures, recording videos and also interviewing us," says Abdurrahman, the mosques Tanzanian-origin muezzin (person who calls for prayers).

"I feel proud to be associated with Auwal Mosque."

Kamalie, the Palm Tree Mosque chairperson, insists that as remarkable as they are, mosques are only part of Cape Town’s rich Islamic heritage.

"[Tourists] request us for guides to take them to tombs of some of the first Muslim scholar who died here in Cape Town," he said.

"Cape Town has very rich Islamic history and Culture"

Cure in natural things

Although the Prophet (peace be upon him) lived in one of the poorest and most ignorant nations 14 centuries ago, he was guided by Allah to teach Muslims and the whole world ever since that "There is no disease that Allah has created, except that He also has created its treatment."(Al-Bukhari)

At that time, when treatment with magic and the like was widespread all over the world, such a statement by the Prophet was a wide leap forward in human knowledge; a leap that could only emanate from the ever-Knowing Allah. The Prophet's guidance further inspired Muslims to search and discover effective medicines, when he said, in a more complete narration of the hadith:

Allah has never created a disease but created its treatment, that is known by some people and unknown to others, except death. (At-Tabarani)

No wonder then that the early Muslim scientists, during the third and fourth centuries of Islam, laid down the foundations of modern pharmacology. Their research and writings were the main source for the much later European Enlightenment.

The following is an interesting article about cures from natural things:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Garlic

Colds, cuts, thrush

If you can get past its pungent aroma, avoid the chemist and reach for a bulb of garlic. This wonder food is used around the world for treating a whole host of minor ailments.

Medically proven to have antibacterial and antiviral properties, garlic can cure thousands of illnesses so long as it's used raw. Garlic expert Dr Ron Cutler, the deputy director of biomedical science at Queen Mary, University of London, says: "In its raw form it can treat colds, cuts, even thrush and MRSA, the list is endless. It's a very potent compound and the last thing you want to say is that it's an old wives' tale."

Allicin, the active chemical in garlic which kills bacteria and viruses, is created when the enzymes in two bulbs are crushed together. Although you need to eat about five cloves of raw garlic to get the same amount of allium as a concentrated capsule, it'll fight off a cold in no time. Dr Cutler also suggests making a poultice of crushed garlic gloves for any cuts or grazes and, if you can really stomach it, you can use a clove of garlic as a pessary to treat thrush. "It's one of the most tremendous cures for thrush I've seen," he said.

Bananas

Veruccas, hangovers

To banish a verucca, tape the skin of a slightly overripe banana to the surface of the afflicted area. Michael O'Neil, Consultant Podiatrist and spokesman for the society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists says: "This idea has been around for about 20 years and although it won't work on very resistant veruccas because their viral structure is too complicated, some people swear that it gets rid of them."

The science behind this slightly bonkers-sounding solution is that a banana skin produces an antiviral substance in its mucilage, the sticky layer inside the peel, which stops it going rotten. The riper the banana, the more potent the antiviral substance becomes and when applied to a verucca it can work to reduce its size and fight injection. Dr O'Neil suggests you change the banana dressing every day.

Bananas are also handy for shifting a hangover. Their three natural sugars – sucrose, fructose and glucose combine to give the body an instant energy boost and their high magnesium content will stop a pounding headache because it relaxes the blood vessels which become restricted through excess alcohol.

Honey

Infections

The Romans cottoned onto the healing power of honey 2,000 years ago and slapped it all over the fallen soldiers of the empire. While they were definitely on to something, scientists have since proven that only one particular type has enough medicinal properties in it to be as effective as over-the-counter medicine. Manuka honey, from New Zealand, is the most medicinal of all and if you buy it at "factor 10" strength it can be used on cuts and grazes to fight off infection.

There are three scientific reasons why the sticky stuff should be in everyone's medicine cupboard. Firstly, it's highly acidic, level four on the pH scale and just as acidic as a glass of orange juice or can of Coke, and its this acidity which helps destroy bacteria. Secondly, honey also contains the antibacterial substance hydrogen peroxide, which is made naturally in honey by the enzyme, glucose oxidase. This becomes active when honey is diluted with the fluid from a wound and also fights bacteria. And finally certain phytochemicals found naturally in the nectar that bees collect, are also antibacterial.

Tea

Hay fever, mouth ulcers

If you spend all summer bunged up with hay fever, pop two cold wet tea bags over your eyes to calm any itchiness or irritation. Tannic acid, the substance that stains your tea cups, helps reduce itchiness and calms streaming eyes. Tea bags can also be used to treat mouth ulcers because of their astringent quality, which dries out the ulcer and numbs the pain.

Dr Jerome Z Litt, a US dermatologist and contributor to The Doctors' Book of Home Remedies says that putting a dark wet tea bag on the affected area will give you instant pain relief.

Olive oil

Earwax

At home in most kitchens, a bottle of olive oil can also double up as a remedy for excess earwax. Dr Stephen Amiel, editor of The Doctors' Book of Home Remedies said: "I'm by no means an alternative practitioner but things like olive oil to tackle ear wax have been proven to really work."

A few drops of olive oil gently lubricates both the skin and the wax so that after a few applications any wax build-up should slide out of its own accord. More stubborn wax may need to be extracted by a doctor, but it's always worth softening it first with a few drops of olive oil. Plus, it's painless and a lot cheaper than over-the-counter ear wax solutions, which are usually oil-based anyway.

Cranberries

Cystitis

In the early 1980s scientists found that cranberry juice could help tackle urine infections because of its anti-adhesive properties, which stop the E coli bacteria (present in cystitis) from sticking to the walls of the urinary tract. But more recent research has cast doubt on this.

Dr Rav Naik, a Sheffield GP and sports physician said: "I'd always advise drinking water over cranberry juice because new research shows that drinking a lot of any type of liquid will flush out the infection – but if cranberry juice works for you then use it. You don't have to medically prove something if you think it makes you feel better."

If you want to give cranberry juice a try, it's best to drink between 300-500ml of unsweetened cranberry juice a day, or create a home-made solution by boiling up a pack of cranberries until soft and waiting until it cools to drink. This way you get all the goodness of the fruit and less artificial sugar which comes in commercial cranberry juice drinks.

Ginger

Nausea, inflammation, muscle pain

Even in the tiniest doses, ginger is one of the most powerful kitchen cupboard remedies as it's been scientifically proven to treat sickness and nausea. A 2009 study of pregnant women found that those who took ginger in the early stages of their pregnancy were less likely to suffer from morning sickness than those who didn't. Studies have also found that it helps alleviate the nausea experienced by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Glenys Jones, a nutritionist with the Medical Research Council, is an enthusiastic supporter of the benefits of ginger. She said: "It reduces nausea and vomiting and an upset stomach. If you suffer from travel sickness, I'd advise that you chew on a bit of stem ginger and it'll help you feel better on a long journey."

Ginger is also an anti-inflammatory and can help relieve pain and reduce inflammation associated with arthritis, rheumatism and muscle spasms.

Bicarbonate of Soda

Indigestion, bloating, cystitis

This is one of the most widely useful of all kitchen cupboard remedies. Found to be effective against indigestion and bloating, it works because its alkaline properties help to neutralise the excess stomach acid that causes heartburn and indigestion. One glass of bicarbonate of soda in water soon puts a stop to that burning pain in your chest or a grumbling tummy. Mix a teaspoon into a glass of water and drink it slowly. If you look at the ingredients in chemist antacids they usually contain calcium and magnesium carbonate, the same minerals found in that tub of bicarbonate of soda you've got stashed in your kitchen cupboard.

It can also be used to treat urinary infections such as cystitis and Bupa recommends drinking bicarbonate of soda in a glass of water to make your urine less acidic, which stops bacteria spreading and can halt that painful burning sensation when you go to the loo.

Vinegar

Warts, jellyfish stings

The high acid content of household vinegar can be used to zap warts dead in just a few days. Dr Rav Naik said: "For generations apple cider vinegar has worked against warts. Put a dressing of vinegar over your wart overnight and the next morning the head will have gone black and drop off and then wait for it to disappear."

There's been no concrete research to back up the medicinal properties of vinegar, but Dr Naik says it can often work better than prescription ointments. And vinegar is also a fast and effective way to treat a jellyfish sting. Dr Naik explained: "It definitely helps because jellyfish squirt out an alkaline juice, which causes the burning feeling, so treating it with the acidic vinegar will definitely make it less painful."

Natural yoghurt

Thrush

Rather messy, but very effective, live natural yoghurt is a medically-proven kitchen cupboard remedy for thrush. Apply it to the affected area to reduce itching and redness. It works because yoghurt contains the alkaline bacteria lactobacillus, which helps to neutralise thrush, an acidic Candida fungus.

Dr Thomas Gray of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield says: "This definitely works. It's simple science: alkaline neutralises the acid environment of the thrush infection and will relieve people of their painful symptoms."

No need to splash out on the supermarket's finest range, just go for basic live natural yoghurt free from colours or flavourings. At around £1 per pot or even less, it's far cheaper than visiting the chemist.