Open Letter: A Sikh Leader Begs Clinton To Intervene In India

Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh reminds Hillary Clinton that her husband has condemned the murder of Sikhs during his visit to India in the year 2000, and accuses the Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir, tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims throughout the country.

A Sikh passerby burned alive by Indians during riots

The Honorable Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State
Government of The United States
2201 C Street NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary of State Madam Clinton,
Congratulations on becoming the U.S. Secretary of State. Yours is a very important job, protecting the people of the United States by carrying out diplomacy and foreign policy to protect our national security.
I know that you are aware of the troubled situation in South Asia. As you know, India and Pakistan have had a longstanding dispute. You may remember when an Indian official was quoted as saying that Pakistan should be made part of India. You may also remember that it was India that set off the nuclear arms race in South Asia.
You may also have noted that India opposed your action sending Ambassador Richard Holbrooke to the region and that it publicly told President Obama to stay out of the situation in the region.
You are also aware of the repression of minorities in India. Your husband, former President Clinton, wrote in the foreword to Madeleine Albright’s book about the massacre in Chithisinghpora:
“During my visit to India in 2000, some Hindu militants decided to vent their outrage by murdering 38 Sikhs in cold blood. If I hadn’t made the trip, the victims would probably still be alive. If I hadn’t made the trip because I feared what militants might do, I couldn’t have done my job as president of the United States.”
The Indian government has murdered over 250,000 Sikhs since 1984, more than 300,000 Christians in Nagaland, over 90,000 Muslims in Kashmir, tens of thousands of Christians and Muslims throughout the country, and tens of thousands of Tamils, Assamese, Manipuris, and others.
A report issued by the Movement Against State Repression (MASR) shows that India admitted that it held 52,268 political prisoners under the repressive “Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act” (TADA) even though it expired in 1995.
Additionally, according to Amnesty International, there are tens of thousands of other minorities being held as political prisoners. MASR report quotes the Punjab Civil Magistracy as writing “if we add up the figures of the last few years the number of innocent persons killed would run into lakhs [hundreds of thousands.]”
The Indian Supreme Court called the Indian government’s murders of Sikhs “worse than genocide.”
I urge you to use your influence as Secretary of State to end the repression of minorities in India.
As you know, many minorities, including the Sikhs of Khalistan, the Christians of Nagalim, the Muslims of Kashmir, and others throughout the subcontinent, are fighting for their freedom from India. In all, there are 17 freedom movements. I call for the release of all of India’s political prisoners. In addition, I respectfully urge the Administration to support a free and fair plebiscite on the issue of independence for Khalistan. There should also be similar plebiscites for Kashmir, Nagaland, and every other nation that seeks its freedom from Indian rule. It is essential that the United States use its influence to promote its ideals of freedom.
Thank you for your attention and congratulations again on becoming Secretary of State.
Sincerely,
Dr. Gurmit Singh Aulakh
President
Council of Khalistan
CC: Secretariat, G-8 member countries.

India Flashback 2002: The Gujarat Massacre Photos and Story

Flashback Photos 2002: Gujarat Massacre of Indian Muslims Orchestrated by High Ranking Officials who are members of the RSS Terrorist Group including Modi who was “re-elected” Chief Minister of Gujarat

MEDIA: The Gujarat killings, and the ethics of Tehelka

Below is an item about the big media news out of India, an undercover sting investigation by Tehelka into what it calls “the most important story of our time.” The focus of this post, by Arthur Dudney, is on the various journalistic issues raised. Please take a look and post your comments below.

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“We have heard the victims, the government, the police, the judiciary, and the civil rights groups. Now for the first time hear the story of the killings from the men who did it. Put to rest your doubts about the foetus that was pulled out from its womb; about the systematic slicing of Ehsan Jafri’s limbs and torso; of the raping and chopping and burning of women and children; of law officers who turned on the victims; of the collusion of the police and the government.” –Tarun Tejpal, editor of Tehelka

On October 25, Tehelka, an Indian investigative magazine, published a special feature devoted to the Hindu-Muslim riots* that took place in Gujarat in 2002, and the state government’s active role in fomenting the violence against Muslims. It refers to the gruesome events, which some have labeled genocide, as “the most important story of our time,” and in the last week it has in fact generated headlines in India and abroad (see links to coverage at the bottom). How ever, while the magazine’s editors boldly defend their sting journalism, some question the ethics of such reporting.

Tehelka has broken 30 to 40 major stories over its seven year existence, according to Tarun Tejpal, the magazine’s editor-in-chief and one of India’s most famous investigative journalists. The magazine has had a troubled existence because from its first year, when it was just a website, it was under investigation for two years for allegedly breaking the law in the course of tricking government officials into accepting bribes for fake arms deals. The fallout from Tehelka’s reporting, which was known as Operation West End, resulted in the resignation of the Defence Minister, George Fernandes. Despite its incredible influence, the magazine almost went bankrupt and finally relaunched in 2003 as weekly. Now, according to Tehelka’s website, it is the fastest growing weekly in India.

The magazine became famous for the necktie and handbag hidden cameras it uses for stings, but how does the magazine justify the subterfuge? “We do not like to induce, we do not like to trap, we do not like to pay. … It is a superbly clean operation,” said Harinder Baweja, Tehelka’s Editor for News and Investigations in an interview after the Gujarat story broke.  “Extraordinary stories need extraordinary methods.”

Tehelka’s reporter, Ashish Khetan, was sent to Gujarat in May to investigate an act of vandalism, according to Baweja, but Khetan discovered that Hindu chauvinists involved in some of the events of 2002 were willing to talk about what happened. Posing as a scholar writing a book about “Hindu resurgence,” he secretly filmed interviews, some of which appear on Tehelka’s website, and promised subjects that he would not quote them.

From the perspective of squeaky-clean journalism, Khetan has broken two rules: Firstly, misrepresenting his identity as a journalist and secondly, making false promises about confidentiality. When a subject hesitated during an interview, Khetan said: “I won’t quote it anywhere…For that matter… I am not even going to quote you” and immediately after the reporter promised that, the interviewee made a chilling admission: Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat (picture from Tehelka), had given the Hindu chauvinists three days to do whatever they wanted without government interference. Obviously the fact that the sitting Chief Minister of a state participated in communal violence is a matter that the public must know about, but I can see no way that the story would have come out had Khetan not bent the rules.

Tejpal refers to the government’s handling of the Gujarat events as “the biggest slap in the face of the idea of India” and insists that government and society both must come to terms with what really happened. Although some accuse Tehelka of having a pro-Congress, anti-BJP bias, Tejpal sees it as working for the public, forcing all political parties to act on the accusations. (He is quick to cite the stories Tehelka has run that indict Congress politicians.)

Recently many Indian news channels have been following Tehelka’s lead by staging taped sting operations — many of them involving sex — and showing the footage, but some people question where the line between the public interest and prurient voyeurism has been drawn. It is worth considering Indian sting journalism in light of the case of former New York Times reporter Kurt Eichenwald, whose December 2005 expose on Justin Berry, a boy selling pornographic images of himself, basically ended the reporter’s career. Whatever public service Eichenwald considered he was doing, questions of ethics overwhelmed the story itself.

The Tehelka story will certainly have repercussions. Activists have already filed a petition with the Supreme Court asking that the Tehelka expose be entered as evidence. The Gujarat government, which is being accused of complicity in the events of 2002 and blacked out TV channels that broadcast the Tehelka piece last week, finds itself in the odd position — and it’s not clear why — of submitting the expose on CD to the commission investigating the riots. Lastly, a broad coalition of Indian-American groups has demanded that action be taken against government officials and others implicated by the expose.

Tehelka and other news outlets like it bring out a paradox in journalistic ethics: If getting the truth is paramount then don’t reporters sometimes need to bend the truth to get the story?

[*We've used the term "riots" with some hesitation. Although it is the default term that's been used for several years, and is still used by the BBC and others, it suggests a level of spontaneity that Tehelka's coverage contradicts]

List: Pakistan’s Most Wanted Indian Terrorists

 Contributed by HAMMAD QURESHI
http://pakistanization.wordpress.com
ISLAMABAD: Islamabad has prepared a list of some 35 top terrorists, involved in a number of terror activities in Pakistan and is set to hand over the names to Delhi seeking an early arrest and handing over of the accused to Pakistan, the British daily The ‘Daily Mail’ reported on Wednesday.

According to well-placed sources, the list has been prepared by the Pakistan Foreign Office and the Ministry of Interior, with the assistance of police and intelligence authorities, in the backdrop of the investigations of different incidents of terrorism and sabotage in different parts of the country.

The list was actually prepared many weeks ago but was not given to India with the intentions of gearing up peace process. But, the sources said, now, after India failed to handle the situation sensibly and has instead started asking Pakistan to hand over 20 so called Pakistanis, who it says are involved in numerous terror activities in India. Pakistan has decided to come up with a matching response and has decided to ask India to hand over at least 35 leading terrorists, who were found to be directly or indirectly involved in a number of terrorist activities in Pakistan.

It is learnt that Islamabad is also sending a copy of this list to Washington to bring it to the notice of US authorities and to clarify the actual state of affairs in the backdrop of the Indian allegations in this regard while it is also under consideration to release a detailed report in this direction for the consumption of anti-terror war allies.


Here’s the list of terrorists that Pakistan has asked India to hand over:

(1) Ajay Verma, a Karnatika resident and directly involved in bomb blast at Sialkot in which 7 people were killed

(2) Manoj Shastri alias Javed Khan, resident of Mumbai, wanted for killing of 14 Namazees at a Karachi Mosque

(3) Raju Mukherjee, resident of Calcutta, wanted for bomb blast in Lahore in which 9 people were killed

(4) Mr. Bal Thackeray, resident of Bombay, Chief of Shiv Sena, wanted for organizing at least three major massacres in Pakistan in which some 33 people were killed and a highly active in organizing ethnic and sectarian clashes in different parts of Pakistan

(5) Vivek Khattri alias Kaala Pathaan, resident of Maharashtra, wanted for at least four bomb blasts in which over seventeen people were killed

(6) Ashok Vidyarthi alias Aslam resident of Ajmair Sharif, wanted for sniper shooting at an Imam baargah in Karachi, killing some 14 Shias

(7) Rajan Nikhalje alias Chhota Rajan, wanted for a number of terrorist attacks in different cities of Pakistan including a bomb blast in Sabzi Mandi Islamabad and a bomb blast in Quetta. Chhota Rajan is now launching terrorist operations in Pakistan from Indian Missions in Kandahar and Jalalabad (Afghanistan) and is head of RAW’s organized Crimes Wing or Special Operations Division (SOD), he is also wanted for killing of Chinese Engineers in Baluchistan and organizing the murder of some Chinese workers near Peshawar

(8) Asotosh Srivastava alias Maulvi Nazir alias Mulla, resident of Alahabad, wanted for firing on an imambargah in which 9 people were killed

(9) Ashok Dube alias Shah Jee, resident of Gandhi Nagar (New Delhi), wanted for killing some 11 Namazees in a Lahore Mosque

(10) Sanjive Joshi, resident of Bombay, wanted for comprehensive assistance in terror attack on a Christian Mission School near Murree

(11) Ramparkash alias Ranu alias Ali, resident of Hyderabad Daccan, wanted for terror attack on a Christian Hospital in Taxila (he is also identified as a graduate of Hindutva Brotherhood’s terror training camp, located near Sarojini Nagar)

(12) Ramesh Verma, resident of Pune, wanted for terror attack in Sheikhupura, killing 7 innocent citizens

(13) Bihari Mishra, wanted for organizing a number of terror attacks in Pakistan through his terrorists of Hindutva Brotherhood’s terrorist school

(14) Manoj Kulkarni, resident of Colkata, wanted for terror attack in Attok , killing 17

(15) Venkatash Raghwan, resident of Mahablaishwar, wanted for terror attacks in Rawalpindi, killing some 9 people

(16) Ajit Sahay, a former RAW Deputy Director, now attached with Chotta Rajan, wanted for organizing attack in Hyderabad (Sindh)

(17) Ashok Vohra alias Nepali, wanted for printing fake Pakistani currency and spreading it worldwide, particularly in Nepal, UAE and UK and also organizing a terror attack in Gujranwala in which 8 people were killed

(18) Vijay Kapali alias Guru, resident of Maharashtra, wanted for terror attack on an AJK village, killing 13 of a family. He is also working for RAW’s cross border operations wing

(19) Vivek Santoshi, resident of Calcutta, wanted for organizing terror attack on some US citizens and killing them in Karachi

(20) Mohandas Sharma, resident of Patna, wanted for planning and executing terror attacks on foreign nationals in Pakistan at least on three occasions

(21) Ramgopal Soorati, resident of Soorat, wanted for terror attack in Jhelum, killing 9 through a bus blast on the highway

(22) Rakesh alias Kalia, resident of Bombay, wanted for terror attack in Kasur

(23) Parkash Santoshi, resident of Lucknow, wanted for terror attack on a religious gathering in Lahore

(24) Aman Verma alias Pappoo alias Gulloo, resident of Aagra, wanted for terror attack in Peshawar in which 11 people were killed

(25 Mohinder Parkash alias Yasin Khan alias Riaz Chitta, resident of Lucknow, wanted for organizing terror attacks in different parts of Sindh

(26) Ashish Jaithlee alias Shaikh alias Osama, resident of Bombay downtown, wanted for providing explosives to the terrorists who killed French engineers in Karachi and also to those who carried out Marriot bombing, these explosives were provided through Pak-Afghan border

(27) Manohar Laal alias Peer Jee alias Ubu Khalid, resident of Gohaati, wanted for providing explosive devices for attack on Foreign Mission building in Karachi

(28) Ramnarayan alias Mufti, resident of New Delhi, wanted for providing huge consignments of automatic weapons to activists of banned Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and banned Lashkar-e-Tayyaba

(29) Arun Shetty, resident of Bombay and wanted for bulk infiltration of explosives, arms and ammunition into Pakistan

(30) Nikhanj Laal, resident of Hurryana, wanted for terror attack in border city of Narowaal, killing seven people

(31) Sunil Verma alias Httyara, resident of Maharashtra, wanted for organizing terror attack on Daily the Nation’s office n Karachi

(32) Ashish Chowan, resident of New Delhi, wanted for supply of arms and assisting latest terror attacks in Quetta. Ashish is presently reported to be present in Indian Consulate of Kandahaar (Afghanistan)

(33) Babloo Srivastva of Chhota Rajan gang for providing highly sophisticated weapons to a sectarian outfit in Pakistan and assisting in missile attacks on UN offices in Islamabad in year 2000

(34) Suresh, alias Aamir alias Akbar Khan wanted for providing weapons and explosives to militants in Wana and North Waziristan through Afghanistan

(35) Abu Bakkar, wanted for a number of terror attack in different parts of the country and now living in India with a new identification under the blessings of Indian spy agency RAW.

Mr Zardari, Do these look like Terrorists?

KARACHI – Hundreds of school children have turned out to protest the decision by United Nations to ban a charity accused by India over the Mumbai attacks.
Outside the Karachi Press Club, students of Jama’at-ud-Dawa run schools in the city of Karachi complained that Jama’at-ud-Dawa was not a terrorist organisation and should not be banned.
“Thousands of children all over the country have been affected by this unjust ban”, said one of the teachers. “This is a total farce, we are not terrorists.”
The children carried placards and posters demanding the government overturn the ban.
“We just want to go back to school. We’re very scared. Education is our right – don’t take it away from us. Don’t destroy our future”, read some of the placards.
A majority of the approximately 25,000 children studying in Jama’at-ud-Dawa’s schools come from extremely poor families or are orphans, and would’nt otherwise have been able to get an education. Jama’at-ud-Dawa provides free education to these children.
The schools are of a much higher standard than those run by the Pakistan government, and subjects include English and modern Sciences. Most of Jama’at-ud-Dawa’s schools have fully furnished science and computer labs and facilities comparable to any good school in Pakistan. The basic curriculum taught is the same as schools all over Pakistan.
Since the ban has come into effect, teachers and students of the school have complained of harassment from the police, leading to a lot of parents not sending their children to school out of fear. A number of schools have been sealed shut, while others have no option but to remain closed as parents are hesitant in sending their children to school, and perhaps justifiably.
Education is the transmission of civilization. Its a real shame that the Pakistani government has taken these measures against Jama’at-ud-Dawa when there’s never been any proof of their involvement in any illegal activity in and outside Pakistan. Ultimately, its the children that will suffer as in the case of most of them, their families cannot afford to educate them. Jama’at-ud-Dawa had been doing it for free.
Official Statement:
کراچی( ) اقوام متحدہ کی جانب سے جماعة الدعوة پر پابندی سے متاثر ہونے والے الدعوة اسکولز کے سینکڑوں طلباءو طالبات نے بلاجواز پابندی کے اقدام کے خلاف کراچی پریس کلب کے سامنے احتجاجی مظاہرہ کیا۔ اس احتجاجی مظاہرے میں کراچی کے 14الدعوة اسکولز کے طلباءو طالبات اور اساتذہ نے شرکت کی ۔ مظاہرے کا اہتمام متاثرہ اسکولوں کے اسٹاف اور بچوں نے کیا تھا۔ مظاہرے کے دوران ننھے بچے پابندی کے خلاف پرجوش انداز میںنعرے بازی کرتے رہے ۔ بچوں نے ہاتھ میں بینرز اور پلے کارڈ اٹھا رکھے تھے جن پر اردو اور انگریزی زبان میں نعرے اور مختلف مطالبات درج تھے۔ مظاہرے کے دوران بچوں کے ہاتھوں میں اٹھائے ہوئے بینرز اور پلے کارڈز پر “UNOکیا ہمیں تعلیم دینا جماعة الدعوة کا جرم ہے؟ ، تعلیم ہمارا حق ہے یہ ہم سے نہ چھینو، دہشت گرد ہم نہیں دہشت گرد امریکہ ہے، پابندی کی آڑ میں ہمارے مستقبل کو تباہ نہ کرو، ہمارا اسکول بند ہوگیا ہم کہاں جائیں جیسے نعرے درج تھے۔ جماعة الدعوة پر پابندیوں کی وجہ سے ملک بہر میں الدعوة اسکولز میں زیر تعلیم 24ہزار طلباءمتاثر ہوئے ہیں۔ کراچی میں متاثر ہونے والے 14اسکولز کے ساڑھے 23سو کے قریب طلباءو طالبات ہیں۔ اساتذہ اور طلباءنے میڈیا سے گفتگو کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ پولیس اور سرکاری محکموں کے اہلکار اسکولوں میں آ کر بچوں اور اساتذہ کو حراساں کرتے ہیں۔ بار بار پولیس کے آنے سے بچے اور ان کے والدین خوف کا شکار ہیں۔ اور اس تفتیشی عمل کی وجہ سے بچوں کی پڑھائی میں خلل آرہا ہے۔ والدین بچوں کو اسکول میں بھیجنے سے گریز کر رہے ہیں۔ الدعوة اسکول ملیر کے استاد نے میڈیا سے گفتگو کے دوران کہا کہ پولیس نے اسکول کو سیل کر دیا ہے اور دوران پڑھائی آ کر پرنسپل اور دیگر عملے کو حراساں کیا ہے۔ جسکی وجہ سے پڑھائی کا عمل شدت سے متاثر ہوا ہے۔مظاہرین نے مظالبہ کیا کہ جماعة الدعوة پرامن اور محب وطن رفاہی تنظیم ہے۔ امریکہ و بھارت عالمی دہشت گرد اس پر بلاجواز پابندی لگا کر پوری دنیا کی آنکھوں میں دھول جھونک رہے ہیں۔کیونکہ جماعة الدعوة نے آج تک کوئی ایسے اقدم نہیں کیے جو ملکی سالمیت یا مفاد عامہ کے منافی ہوں۔ معصوم بچوں اور ان کے معلمین کو دہشت گرد قرار دینا سراسر نا انصافی پر مبنی ہے۔ ایسی تمام بے بنیاد اور ناجائز پابندیوں کو ختم کر کے حکومت جماعة الدعوة کی تمام رفاہی اور تعلیمی سرگرمیاں بحال کرے۔
Jama’at-ud-Dawa operates 14 schools in Karachi, 20 overall in Sindh, and over 150 in total nationwide. Apart from secondary and high schools for boys and girls, Jama’at-ud-Dawa also runs a science college in Shehdadpur, Sindh, and plans to open many more.

Pakistani Hindus rally to support Islamic Charity

Hundreds of members of Pakistan’s Hindu community have turned out to protest on behalf of a Muslim charity accused by India over the deadly Mumbai attacks.
Muslim Pakistan has a Hindu minority, many of whom are impoverished agricultural workers, but the women in the southern city of Hyderabad rejected what they called pressure by mostly Hindu India to ban the Jamaat-ud-Dawa charity.
“How can an organisation be terrorist if it’s been providing food and water to us despite knowing that we’re not Muslims?” said Biga Ram, a 40-year protester.
“They’re friends of humanity. We condemn the ban. It’s unjust,” she said.
Some of the banners read: “Do not ban our saviour!”
Bhai Chand, a Hindu community leader, told Associated Press the charity had set up water wells in the desert.
The protesters gathered outside the Hyderabad press club chanting slogans in support of the charity and holding banners with messages such as: “Jamaat-ud-Dawa is not terrorist” and “We condemn the banning of Jamaat-ud-Dawa under Indian pressure”.
Pakistan has not yet formally banned the charity but has rounded up dozens of its activists, detained some of its leaders, shut its offices and frozen its bank accounts as part of a crackdown on suspected Islamists since the Mumbai attacks.
India says the charity is a front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group, which it says was set up by Pakistan to fight Indian rule in the disputed Kashmir region.

UN says Indian caste system is a human rights abuse

United Nations is to declare discrimination based on the Indian caste system is a human rights abuse.

By Dean Nelson in New Delhi



The UN’s Human Rights Council, meeting in Geneva, is expected to ratify draft principles which recognises the scale of persecution suffered by 65 million ‘untouchables’ or ‘Dalits’ who carry out the most menial and degrading work
Many of them work as lavatory and sewer cleaners and in remote villages as “night-soil carriers”.
They are considered unclean by many higher-caste ‘Brahmins’ who regard their presence, and sometimes even their shadow as ‘polluting’.
Many Dalits have been badly beaten or killed for ‘polluting’ Brahmin wells by drinking from them.
The UN draft, which has been opposed by India, pledges to work for the “effective elimination of discrimination based on work and descent”.
The Indian government had lobbied heavily for the Human Rights Council to remove the word ‘caste’ from a draft earlier this year.
India’s opposition was undermined however by Nepal, the former Hindu Kingdom, which has supported the move. Its foreign minister Jeet Bahadur Darjee Gautam said Nepal welcomes UN and international support for its attempts to tackle caste discrimination.
The UN has now called on India to follow Nepal’s example, but New Delhi remains opposed to international interference on the issue.

Navanethem Pillay, the UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, who is a South African Tamil, said Nepal’s response marked a “significant step by a country grappling with this problem itself” and urged other states to follow its lead.
The issue is sensitive in India where untouchables and other low-caste groups wield increasing political influence, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, its most populous state, where the pro-Dalit Bahujan Samaj Party rules and its chief minister Mayawati has erected statues commemorating Dalit heroes.
Rahul Gandhi, the architect of the Congress Party’s recent general election victory, has raised the profile of the case issue recently by staying with Dalit families during visits to Uttar Pradesh.
The caste divisions have become institutionalised by quotas for Dalits in government jobs and university places, which has in turn angered higher caste groups.
Dr Udit Raj, of the Dalit-based Indian Justice Party, last night welcomed the move, which he said would focus international attention on the issue and lead to an increase in aid and government spending to improve Dalit opportunities in India.
“It’s very good. We almost lost the battle last April, but now it seems we will have our victory. This will get attention at a global level and that will focus resources from bodies like the European Union. Aid will flow to India.
“But the Indian government should have the courage to accept there’s discrimination,” he said.

Guidelines for ending Corruption and sufferings..Plz forward to all

Most influencial speech ever.Plz forward to all

Plz forward to all

Many of the Western people are straight forward and sincere with GOD Almighty.  Take the Christian missionaries for instance: They leave their high technologically advanced and comfortable life style and go to preach the Gospel in countries like in the African continent, where starvation and very undeveloped life exist there.  Those missionaries give up their comfortable life in their Western countries and go live for several years aiding and assisting those needy people along with teaching them the Christian Gospel.

As Allah Almighty praised them in the Noble Quran:

"Strongest among men in enmity to the believers (Muslims) wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, 'We are Christians': because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant.  (The Noble Quran, 5:82)"

Yes, they indeed have renounced the world and they are truly not arrogant!  Ameen (Amen).

  It wouldn't surprise me if Allah Almighty got so fed up from the current Muslim countries that He finally decided to make Islam live its glorious times in the West instead.  Only then will the Muslims live in democratic states and enjoy freedom of speech and religion for everyone and not lose their lives if they question their religion, and live a physically clean life (I am terribly sorry to say that, don't mean to offend or stereotype anyone), and treat animals with kindness (such as with the Animal Rights Groups. People go to jail if they abuse animals in the West), which is ironically what Islam teaches.

It's ironic that the Western people are living what Islam taught 1400 years ago (except for their ridiculous open sexuality, which by the way the religious people among them avoid), and the Muslims aren't living what Islam teaches!

"I hope the time is not far off when I shall be able to unite all the wise and educated men of all the countries and establish a uniform regime based on the principles of Quran which alone are true and which alone can lead men to happiness."  [Napoleon Bonaparte as Quoted in Christian Cherfils, 'Bonaparte et Islam,' Pedone Ed., Paris, France, 1914, pp. 105, 125] 

If the current Muslim nations are too corrup t, then Allah Almighty will change them with better ones:

As long as the Muslims are cowards and fear to rise up against their own corrupted governments, Allah Almighty will never help them to regain their wealth and independence.   As long as the Muslim fear to rise up against the evil of their infidel governments because they love life too much, they shall always be the needy people despite what Allah Almighty gave them from Wealth, Natural Resources, Beautiful Religion, Morals and Culture, and Geography, because He the Almighty said in the Noble Quran:

"Because God will never change the grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls: and verily God is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things).  (The Noble Quran, 8:53)"

Allah Almighty has no tolerance for corruption which includes sinning and hypocrisy in Islam:
"Behold, ye are those Invited to spend (Of your substance) In the Way of Allah:  But among you are some That are niggardly.  But any Who are niggardly are so At the expense of Their own souls.  But Allah is free Of all wants, And it is ye that are needy.  If ye turn back (From the Path), He will Substitute in your stead Another people; then they Would not be like you!   (The Noble Quran, 47:38) "

As long as the Muslims tolerate dictatorships and hypocritical life in their countries, Allah Almighty will never be satisfied with us, and He might ultimately substitute us with other better nations who are more straight forward and sincere. 

Hadith #4297:
Narrated Thauban:  "The Prophet peace be upon him said:  'The nations shall gather and team up against you (i.e., Muslims) as the predators gather and team up against their preys.  A questioner asked: 'Is it because of us being low in numbers at that day?'  The Prophet replied: 'No, you that day shall be in great numbers, but you will be as powerless as the foam of the water on the surface of the river, and Allah shall remove any fear from your enemies toward you, and He shall put in your hearts a corruption.'  A questioner asked: 'O Apostle of Allah, what is the corruption?'  The Prophet replied: 'The love of life's amusements and the fear of death.'  (Translation of Sunan Abu Dawud, The Book of Fierce Battles - The Gathering of all Nations against Islam, Book 37, Number 4297)"
Some guidelines from Allah to solve world's poverty and sufferings and solve all miseries due to disasters

[4:5] Do not entrust the (immature & the) weak of mind with the wealth & assets over which Allah has appointed you the guardian. But out of that wealth, feed & clothe them (appropriately) & talk to them in a kind & polite manner.

[4:10] Those who unjustly (& sinfully) misappropriate the wealth of the orphans, are actually packing their bellies with fire. They shall burn in the blazing fire (of hell).

[4:29] Oh you who believe! Do not devour each other's wealth unfairly _ (through force or fraud). Rather, enter into (a legitimate) trade (& deal fairly) with mutual consent & agreement. Do not kill (destroy) each other. Indeed Allah is full of mercy for you!

[8:28] Be aware that in fact your wealth & your children are (just) a trial (& a temptation). Allah has a much greater reward for you.

[9:24] Say, "If (the worldly bonds) _ your father, sons, brothers, wives, other relatives, the wealth you have amassed, the business you fear to lose, & the house you are so fond of _ are dearer to you than Allah, His messenger & the struggle in His path, then wait till Allah renders His decision. Allah does not guide the sinful nation."

[18:46] The wealth & children are mere adornments for the life of this world. In the eyes of Allah, the good deeds one leaves behind are better in terms of expectations & outcome

Preventions about Plastics and Microwaves

Content provided by the Faculty of the Harvard Medical School

Microwaving food in plastic: Dangerous or not?

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If you use e-mail, chances are you've received an urgent "PLEASE READ THIS!" message about the dangers of microwaving food in plastic containers or plastic wrap. The message warns that chemicals can leach out of the plastic and into the food, causing cancer, reproductive problems, and other ills. Is there any truth to this, or is it just another Internet-fueled "urban legend"? As is often the case with alarmist e-mails, this one contains a small kernel of truth - and a lot of misinformation.

Migrating chemicals

When food is wrapped in plastic or placed in a plastic container and microwaved, substances used in manufacturing the plastic (plasticizers) may leak into the food. In particular, fatty foods such as meats and cheeses cause a softening agent called diethylhexyl adipate to leach out. This certainly sounds scary, so it's little wonder that a warning is making its way across the Web.
But here's what the e-mails don't mention. The FDA, recognizing the potential for small amounts of plasticizers to migrate, closely regulates plastic containers and materials that come into contact with food. Before approving a container, the FDA conducts tests to make sure that it doesn't leak unsafe amounts of any substance into food.
According to Dr. George Pauli, a retired associate director in the Office of Food Additive Safety at the FDA, these tests measure the migration of chemicals at temperatures that the container or wrap is likely to encounter during ordinary use. For microwave approval, the agency estimates the ratio of plastic surface area to food, how long the container is likely to be in the microwave, how often a person is likely to eat from the container, and how hot the food can be expected to get during microwaving. Because microwaves heat the water in food, the peak temperature is the boiling point of water - 212º F, or 100º C. The only exception is microwave popcorn and other packages that come with the instruction, "this side down." Such packages, says Pauli, are made with small amounts of metal to create a "frying pan effect." They get hotter than the boiling point of water and are tested accordingly.
The scientists then measure the chemicals that leach out and the extent to which they migrate to different kinds of foods. The maximum allowable amount is 100-1,000 times less per pound of body weight than the amount shown to harm laboratory animals over a lifetime of use. According to the FDA, this limit takes into account differences between laboratory animals and humans as well as individual variations in the use of plastic for microwaving. Only containers that pass this test can display a microwave-safe icon, the words "microwave safe," or words to the effect that they're approved for use in microwave ovens.
What about containers without a microwave-safe label? The FDA tests all containers that come in contact with food, but only those labeled microwave safe have been tested and found safe for that purpose. A container that's not labeled safe for microwave use isn't necessarily unsafe; the FDA simply hasn't determined whether it is or not. According to the American Plastics Council, some unlabeled containers are made of the same kind of plastic as microwave-safe containers, but they may not be safe because their walls are thinner and could melt in the microwave.

Is Styrofoam microwave safe? Styrofoam is the brand name of a plastic product (yes, Styrofoam is a kind of plastic) whose generic name is polystyrene. The white foam used, for example, in hot beverage drinking cups (Styrofoam proper) isn't the only kind of polystyrene used for food: Clear plastic "clamshell" containers are also made of polystyrene. Contrary to popular belief, some Styrofoam and other polystyrene containers can safely be used in the microwave. Just follow the same rule you follow for other plastic containers: Check the label.

The bottom line

Here are some things to keep in mind when using the microwave:

• Most takeout containers, water bottles, and plastic tubs or jars made to hold margarine, yogurt, whipped topping, and foods such as cream cheese, mayonnaise, and mustard are not microwave-safe.
  
• Microwavable takeout dinner trays are formulated for one-time use only and will say so on the package.
  
• Don't microwave plastic storage bags or plastic bags from the grocery store.
  
• A recycle symbol does not mean a container is safe to use or reuse in the microwave oven. Only a microwave-safe icon or wording to that effect does.
  
• Before microwaving food, be sure to vent the container: Leave the lid ajar, or lift the edge of the cover.
  
• Don't allow plastic wrap to touch food during microwaving because it may melt. Wax paper, kitchen parchment paper, or white paper towels are alternatives.
  
• If you're concerned about plastic wraps or containers in the microwave, transfer food to glass or ceramic containers labeled for microwave oven use.
  

Stop that hoax

If you receive an e-mailed "health alert," check out the claims before you forward it to friends and relatives or make any changes in your life. Here are some online sources that evaluate some of the e-mails currently making the rounds: hoaxbusters.ciac.org; truthorfiction.com; www.cdc.gov/hoax_rumors.htm ; and urbanlegends.about.com/library/blxhealth.htm .
What about phthalates and dioxins?
Some e-mails and even some medical literature express concern about phthalates, chemical compounds that are used in plastics and have been linked to reproductive problems in animals. According to the FDA and the American Plastics Council, all plastic wrap and food containers (including water bottles) in the United States have been free of phthalates since the 1980s.
Other e-mails point the finger at dioxin, a chemical that may cause cancer. However, according to the FDA, there are no dioxins in any containers approved for contact with food

Words of Wisdom - Must Practice

Some Memorable Quotes from Learned thinkers:-

Six essential qualities that are the key to success: Sincerity, personal integrity, humility, courtesy, wisdom, charity.
Learn wisdom from the ways of a seedling. A seedling which is never hardened off through stressful situations will never become a strong productive plant.
To know when to be generous and when firm—that is wisdom.
One's first step in wisdom is to question everything - and one's last is to come to terms with everything.
We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future.
It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.
Wisdom consists of the anticipation of consequences.
The beginning of wisdom is found in doubting; by doubting we come to the question, and by seeking we may come upon the truth.
Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
It is a thousand times better to have common sense without education than to have education without common sense.
But goodness alone is never enough. A hard cold wisdom is required, too, for goodness to accomplish good. Goodness without wisdom invariably accomplishes evil.
We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success. We often discover what will do, by finding out what will not do; and probably he who never made a mistake never made a discovery.
Nine-tenths of wisdom consists in being wise in time.

Words of Wisdom from Prophet Mohammad

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1.. "Acquire knowledge, it enables its professor to distinguish right from wrong; it lights the way to heaven. It is our friend in the desert, our company in solitude and companion when friendless. It guides us to happiness, it sustains us in misery, it is an ornament amongst friends and an armour against enemies." (widely attributed to the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh))

 

2.. "A Muslim who plants a tree or sows a field, from which man, birds and animals can eat, is committing an act of charity." (Muslim)

 

3.. "There is a polish for everything that takes away rust; and the polish for the heart is the remembrance of Allah." (Bukhari)

 

4.. "What actions are most excellent? To gladden the heart of human beings, to feed the hungry, to help the afflicted, to lighten the sorrow of the sorrowful, and to remove the sufferings of the injured." (Bukhari)

 

5.. "The most excellent Jihad is that for the conquest of self." (Bukhari)

 

6.. "If you put your whole trust in Allah, as you ought, He most certainly will satisfy your needs, as He satisfies those of the birds. They come out hungry in the morning, but return full to their nests." (Tirmidhi)

 

7.. "When Allah created his creatures He wrote above His throne: 'Verily, my Compassion overcomes my wrath." (Bukhari & Muslim)

 

8.. "Allah will not give mercy to anyone, except those who give mercy to other creatures." (Abdullah b. Amr: Abu Daud & Tirmidhi)

 

9.. " 'Son, if you are able, keep your heart from morning till night and from night till morning free from malice towards anyone.' Then the Prophet said: 'O my son! This is one of my laws, and he, who loves my laws verily loves me.' " (Bukhari)

 

10.. "Say what is true, although it may be bitter and displeasing to people." (Baihaqi)

 

11.. "Kindness is a mark of faith, and whoever is not kind has no faith." (Muslim)

 

12.. "When you see a person who has been given more than you in money and beauty, look to those, who have been given less." (Muslim)

 

13.. "If you do not feel ashamed of anything, then you can do whatever you like." (Abu-Masud: Bukhari)

 

14.. "O Lord, grant me your love, grant me that I love those who love you; grant me, that I might do the deeds that win your love. Make your love dearer to me than the love of myself, my family and wealth." (Tirmidhi)

 

15.. "It is better to sit alone than in company with the bad; and it is better still to sit with the good than alone. It is better to speak to a seeker of knowledge than to remain silent; but silence is better than idle words." (Bukhari)

 

16.. "Verily, a man teaching his child manners is better than giving one bushel of grain in alms." (Muslim)

 

17.. "Whoever is kind, Allah will be kind to him; therefore be kind to man on the earth. He Who is in heaven will show mercy on you."(Abu Daud: Tirmidhi)

 

18.. "It is difficult for a man laden with riches to climb the steep path, that leads to bliss." (Muslim)

 

19.. "Once a man, who was passing through a road, found a branch of a tree with torns obstructing it. The man removed the thorns from the way. Allah thanked him and forgave his sins." (Bukhari)

 

20.. "Who are the learned? Those who practice what they know." (Bukhari)

 

21.. "Allah has revealed to me, that you must be humble. No one should boast over one another, and no one should oppress another." (Iyad b. Hinar al-Mujashi: Muslim)

 

22.. "Who is the most favoured of Allah? He, from whom the greatest good comes to His creatures." (Bukhari)

 

23.. "A true Muslim is thankful to Allah in prosperity, and resigned to His will in adversity." (Muslim)

 

24.. "A Muslim who meets with others and shares their burdens is better than one who lives a life of seclusion and contemplation. " (Muslim)

 

25.. "Serve Allah, as you would if you could see Him; although you cannot see Him, He can see you. (Umar: Muslim)

 

26.. "Allah does not look at your appearance or your possessions; but He looks at your heart and your deeds." (Abu Huraira: Muslim)

 

27.. "The best richness is the richness of the soul." (at the field ofTabuk, Syria, Rajab 9 A.H.: Bukhari)

 

28.. "Keep yourselves far from envy; because it eats up and takes away good actions, like a fire eats up and burns wood." (Abu Daud)

 

29.. "Much silence and a good disposition, there are no two things better than these." (Bukhari)

 

30.. "Verily, Allah is mild and is fond of mildness, and He gives to the mild what He does not give to the harsh." (Muslim)

 

31.. "Whoever loves to meet Allah, Allah loves to meet him." (Bukhari)

 

32.. "Once the Prophet was asked:'Tell us, which action is dearest to Allah?' He answered:'To say your prayer at its proper time.' Again he was asked: 'What comes next?' Mohammed said: 'To show kindness to parents.' 'Then what?' he was asked, 'To strive for the cause of Allah!' " (Ibn Masad: Bukhari)

 

33.. "When two persons are together, two of them must no whisper to each other, without letting the third hear; because it would hurt him." (Bukhari & Muslim)

 

34.. "Verily, it is one of the respects to Allah to honor an old man." (Bukhari)

 

35.. "All Muslims are like a foundation, each strengthening the other; in such a way they do support each other." (Abu Musa: Bukhari & Muslim)

 

36.. "Strive always to excel in virtue and truth." (Bukhari)

 

37.. "You will not enter paradise until you have faith; and you will not complete your faith till you love one another." (Muslim)

 

38.. "He, who wishes to enter paradise at the best gate, must please his father and mother." (Bukhari & Muslim)

 

39.. "I am leaving two things among you, and if you cling to them firmly you will never go astray; one is the Book of Allah and the other is my way of life." (Farewell Pilgrimage: Muatta)

 

40.. "Allah is One and likes Unity." (Muslim)

 

41.. "The best of alms is that, which the right hand gives and the left hand knows not of." (Bukhari)

 

42.. "The perfect Muslim is not a perfect Muslim, who eats till he is full and leaves his neighbors hungry." (Ibn Abbas: Baihaqi)

 

43.. "He is not of us who is not affectionate to the little ones, and does not respect the old; and he is not of us, who does not order which is lawful, and prohibits that which is unlawful." (Ibn Abbas: Tirmidhi)

 

44.. "No man is a true believer unless he desires for his brother that, what he desires for himself." (Abu Hamza Anas: Bukhari & Muslim)

 

45.. "To strive for the cause of Allah from daybreak to noon and sunset is better than the goods and enjoyment of the whole worldly life." (Bukhari)

 

46.. "Be not like the hypocrite who, when he talks, tells lies; when he gives a promise, he breaks it; and when he is trusted, he proves dishonest." (Bukhari & Muslim)

 

47.. "The proof of a Muslim's sincerity is, that he pays no heed to that, which is not his business." (Abu Hureira: Tirmidhi)

 

48.. "Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind." (Muslims & Bukhari)

 

49.. "Conduct yourself in this world, as if you are here to stay forever; prepare for eternity as if you have to die tomorrow." (Bukhari)

 

50.. "The worldly comforts are not for me. I am like a traveller, who takes a rest under a tree in the shade and then goes on his way." (Tirmidhi)

 

Kindly recite Durood Shareef at least three times once you have gone through

"Allaahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala Aali Muhammad kama salayta 'ala aali Ibraaheem, wa baarik 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aali Muhammad kama baarakta 'ala aali Ibraaheem innaka hameedun majeed (O Allaah, send prayers upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad as You sent prayers upon the family of Ibraaheem, and send blessings upon Muhammad and upon the family of Muhammad, as You sent blessings upon the family of Ibraaheem, You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory)."

The ill Effects of Television

By Abu Mohammed Abdur-Rauf Shakir
Introduction
The great need for discussion of the Islamic perspective concerning the issue of television is clear to us all. Since television has entered the homes of people in every corner of the earth, the rich and the poor, the educated and un-educated, Muslim and non-Muslim – it has become a necessity to address the issue and explain the problems and dangers of television in a clear concise manner for the benefit of every Muslim who is seeking to please Allah, the Most High, and earn His reward.
The Definition of Television
The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines television as follows:
The electrical transmission of pictures in motion and the simultaneous electrical transmission of the accompanying sound.
The Encyclopaedia International explains television as:
The unique feature that distinguishes television from radio is the conversion of an image into an electrical current, which is later reconverted into the original image…
The Working of Television
The equipment consists of a camera, which converts the image into electrical impulses; these are transmitted by radio to a receiver which converts the impulses by means of a cathode-ray tube into a corresponding image on the screen.
The Image
The illusion of motion in television is produced by showing 30 still pictures, or frames, each second. Through persistence of vision the brain retains each picture until the next comes along. We are not aware of the fact that our eyes are really seeing a rapidly changing sequence of a large number of slightly different still pictures. Each still picture consists of about 250 000 picture dots of varying brightness which appear as if painted on the screen. This process is called scanning.
[Encyclopaedia International]²
It should at this juncture be said that the undesirability and the Islamic prohibition of this institution of television is not based solely on the stand that photography (picture-making) of animate objects is employed. Without minimizing the importance and the decisiveness of the prohibitory factor of picture-making it has to be said that a number of other evil and un-Islamic factors accompany the institution of television. It is this conglomeration of evil factors which make television illegal in Islam although, in most cases, each single one of these factors is sufficient to secure the verdict of illegality of TV. Insha'Allah, we shall outline these prohibitory factors (Asbaabul Hurmat) of television in the ensuing pages.
Picture-Making – The Mother of Television
Photography which is merely a method of picture-making is the actual basis of TV. Without the institution of photography television is not possible. Whether shows are" live" or otherwise, the institution of photography is employed. Now, according to the Law of Islam picture-making of animate objects is severely criticised and banned.
Music and Television
We can consider music as an integral part of television programs. No TV show is complete without music. Islam has forbidden music in no unmistaken terms.³ For the purposes of the present subject it will suffice to state that Islam categorically forbids all types of music. Music in Islam is regarded as a Kabirah (great) sin. With regard to music our Prophet (saws) said:
"There will be men from among my Ummah who will consume alcohol, giving it another name (so as to deceive themselves and others). Singing girls and musical instruments will be playing to them. Allah, Ta'ala will cause the earth to swallow them. Allah will transform them into apes and swine."⁴
Ibn Maajah
It is reported from Abdullah ibn Mas'ood (May Allah be pleased with him):
"Music shows hypocrisy in the heart like water causes seeds to grow in soil."⁵
Ad-Durru al-Manthoor
Allah says in the Qur'an:

"And when they (the believers) hear what is futile they turn away from it, and they say, Unto us our deeds; and unto you your deeds. Peace be upon you. We do not follow the ignorant ones."
[Qur'an Al-Qasas 28:55]

The Female Voice
The female voice, according to Islam, is also included in the category of Satar, ie. it has to be 'concealed' and not 'revealed'. Since the female voice is an entity not to be displayed or advertised, it is not permissible for males to listen to women singing or even reciting the Qur'an…
When necessity demands that they have to speak to males then their speech should not be attractive, gentle and alluring like the deliberate 'lure' put in speech by 'trained' women of the disbelievers. Recognising the danger of allurement in the female voice, the Qur'an commands women thus:

"And do not speak in alluring tones so that he in whose heart there is a disease (of lust) desires."
[Qur'an al-Ahzab 33:32]

Van de Velde in his book Ideal Marriage, states:
"The tone-colour of a voice, and the intonation of a single word – and it may be a word of no special meaning or association in itself – may excite incredible intensity of desire. The unique and precious significance that a woman's voice can give to "you" can suffice to overwhelm man's power of endurance and control…"
Islam has, hence, forbidden its women to speak in a soft or "sexually" sweet tone. If anyone is aware of the springs of sex-psychology he will clearly see the justification for Islam's restriction in this matter.
The importance of television programs, like the importance of all the mass media of the disbelievers, hinges on maximum exhibition of the female body and the female voice which have been subverted by the bestial culture of the unbelievers, to pamper the inordinate sexual desires of men who have no belief of Allah in them – of men who have no fear of Allah left in them.
Serials, Romances and Stories on Television
What is Islam's attitude to fiction, novels and romantic stories? Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'an:

"And among mankind are those who purchase idle tales (lahwu'l-hadith) so as to lead astray (others)
from the Path of Allah. And, they make a mockery of the Laws of Allah.
To them, there is a disgraceful punishment. And, when our verses are rehearsed
they turn away in pride as if they did not hear,
as if there are plugs in their ears. Give them the news of a painful punishment."
[Qur'an Luqman 31:6,7]

These verses of the Qur'an were revealed to prohibit, according to the Mufassireen and Jurists, music and the stories of romances imported from Persia. Since these things divert man's attention from the remembrance of Allah and transport one into the realm of illusion and imagination the Qur'an outlaws them. Islam strongly discourages fiction and encourages one to live in reality and not in illusion which has the tendency to make one negligent and forgetful of the prime purpose of man's creation which is to gain Allah's Pleasure by fixing the gaze on the Akhirat (Hereafter) and not on the TV screen. Islam, therefore forbids the wasting of time in listening to idle tales and fiction or false stories.
Nudity, Immorality and Television
The most glaring evil propagated by the television media of the world is the crime of nudity and sexual immorality. Commercialised nudity and sexual immorality under the camouflage of "educational" pictures are accepted and necessary features of the world of television. The Western world is haunted by the obsession of illicit sex, and it is this carnal obsession of illicit sex coupled with the unbeliever's god of materialism, which makes capital of the female body on TV as well as all other mass media.
The Islamic concept of morality and modesty is the very antithesis of the immorality and lascivity dished out to the world via TV. Islam demands the concealment of the female body. The Messenger of Allah (saws) said:
"Woman is an object of concealment."⁶
At-Tirmidhee
TV is an institution, which is widely used to exhibit the female body. Islam has banned all forms of immorality and immodesty, but TV exhibits immodesty and immorality in their crudest forms by depicting the actual sex acts and, above all, it audaciously and shamelessly passes these off as "educational". Television as a prime agent of immorality is very well known…
The Messenger of Allah (saws) said:
"Shamelessness (immodesty) is vice, and vice will be in the fire."⁷
Muslim
Television As An Agent of Zina (Fornication)
Allah says in the Qur'an:

"And come not near to zina."
[Qur'an Al-Isra 17:32]

The term, come not near, means stay away from all such things and practices which lead to zina – which are stepping-stones to fornication.
All practices, things and institutions which aid and foster fornication and immodesty are forbidden by Islam. There are different categories of this abominable crime of zina. The Messenger of Allah T said:
"The zina of the eyes is the gaze (at that which is unlawful, eg. Nudity); the zina of the ears is to listen (to talks of nudity which excites the carnal desire); the zina of the tongue is to speak (what is evil); the zina of the hand is to touch (the female which is unlawful to you); the zina of the feet is to walk (towards immorality); the zina of the heart is to desire (what is unlawful), and it is the private parts which either commits or shuns the actual act of fornication." ⁸
Muslim
In this hadith the Messenger of Allah speaks of the zina committed by the various parts of the human body. Thus to look at the nudity and evil portrayed on the television screen constitutes the zina of the eyes. To listen to the immodest and illicit sex talks of the television is zina of the ears. Lust which is aroused by the display, discussion of nudity and lascivity and perversion on the TV screen constitutes the zina of the heart.
Television, therefore, is without any doubt a powerful agent and a stepping-stone for fornication…
We find today the whole family – father, mother, sons and daughters – sitting huddled together around the TV screen. Together, in a display of stark shamelessness, the whole family is committing zina of the eyes, zina of the ears and zina of the heart, and Allah alone knows how many multitudes of men and women indulged in the final act of fornication as a result of watching and being aroused by the evil on the TV screen…
Islam lays great emphasis on modesty, so much so, that our Prophet (saws) said:
"Modesty is a part of Iman (Faith)."⁹
At-Tirmidhee
But TV with its emphasis on illicit, depraved and bestial immorality is the very negation of the Islamic concept of modesty and shame. Mother, father and children together viewing the zina – the fornication and vice on the TV screen. What is now left of humanity? May Allah Ta'ala protect us and our children from the filth and depravity of the Western world sunk in perversion and immorality.
Allah says:

"Today (the Day of Qiyamh) we shall seal their mouths – and, their hands shall speak
(the evil they committed); and their feet will bear evidence as to what they practiced."
[Qur'an Ya-Sin 36:65]

TV in Stride – Terror of Copy Rapes
The horror of a TV rape came true for two women. They were attacked only days after the screening of a documentary "Cry Rape" on British TV.
The maniac who broke into their homes at Reading, Berkshire, acted just like the TV rapist.
He struck by day, threatening his victims with a knife. He robbed them and stacked his lot in a neat pile ready for a quick getaway. The police chief leading the hunt for the rapist said: "He may have seen this program. It could have stimulated these attacks." Now police may ask ITV for a private screening of the film to seek possible new clues.
Sunday Times, 8^th February, 1976
Television and Crime in General
Television besides being a powerful agent of immorality generally fosters various types of crime. Violence, aggression, robberies, murder, etc, are crimes, which the young readily learn from TV shows. Much of the delinquency and youth crimes being perpetrated in the Western world could be traced to the TV.
In an article entitled: TV Shows Blamed For Crimes, Los Angeles judge, Mark Brandler, blasted a TV crime show recently as the cause of a "seven-hour nightmare" in which two teenagers taped shotguns to the heads of hostages and extracted a huge ransom from a Californian bank.
Television Encourages Acceptance of Aggression
The regular and continuous shows of violence and aggression slowly, but most certainly, claim their victims. Viewers are 'brain washed' by the perpetual scenes of violence to such an extent that violence and aggressiveness becomes accepted as a mode of behaviour.
Television Encourages Imitation of Crime
Research has established that TV exercised a very strong influence on the minds of people causing them to imitate and enact the crime shown on the TV screen. Dr. Robert Liebert, a child psychologist who was a leading researcher in the United States Surgeon General's investigation into TV and social behaviour, says: Violence on home screens encourages 'an acceptance of aggression as a mode of behaviour…Perfectly normal children will imitate anti-social behaviour they see on television, not out of malice, but curiosity…In showing displays of violence and criminal acts, the media is 'teaching', people are 'learning', he says.
The Brainwashing Action of Television
Television is here and its biggest fans are children. Overnight they've become instant pundits, immediately recognising personalities who are still just faces to the rest of us.
It's the kids who grab the TV guide and plot their viewing with military precision; the kids who know every cop and cowboy and exactly why it could not have been the butler who did it.
Will reading become a forgotten art only necessary to decipher the basic English of the TV guide or the secret message flashed on the screen by Agent X who has seconds to read the scrawl before it self destructs?
Researchers have established that the young minds of children are readily susceptible to being brainwashed by TV. In America organisations have been formed in scores of cities in order to fight the evil effect of TV on children. The President of the Organisation, Action For Children's Television, a Boston-based parents' organisation with branches in 60 cities says:
"At present, from Monday to Friday, children are subjected to 16 minutes of commercials an hour, and 12 minutes an hour on weekends."
"Television advertisers in America are pouring unprecedented millions of dollars into the child slots for the autumn season, despite a storm of public indignation over 'brainwashing' on children's shows."
Television Stunts Intellectual Growth
An eminent American educationalist, Professor Lowell Little, claims that TV raises ignorant students. At an education seminar in Florida he said:
"Today's youth are so used to plopping down in front of a television set and not having to put their brains to work that when they come to sit in a classroom of a university all they are capable of doing is day-dreaming and vacantly watching the clock."
"As the first generation of youngsters all but raised on television has now reached college age it is abundantly clear that the boob tube (ie. Television) has destroyed any curiosity they may ever have had."
"Their level of communication is just at the sixth grade level."
"Television has more influence on them than parents, teachers or clergy – and that is a disgrace."
"If I get through to four students out of 30 and arouse their interest that's the best I can expect."
The Addictive Influence of Television
The addictive influence of TV over its viewers is a serious malady, which has reached alarming proportions. Viewers become so addicted to TV that it becomes most difficult for most viewers to live without TV. Research in this field of the 'addictive influence of TV' has established that if those who are addicted to TV are deprived of television they became increasingly nervous, short-tempered and unhappy.
In an article captioned: Millions Addicted To The Box, the Eastern Province Herald of the 23^rd October, 1975, reports:
"Television's addictive grip was emphasised some months before when three socially varied 'guinea pig' families agreed to try a switch-off for a month. The lowest income family could stand the deprivation only a week; the other two lasted for four weeks, hating every minute of it. They said they felt as if they had lost a friend, were depressed and thought their work was suffering too."
"In an earlier psychological experiment 185 West Germans volunteered to try to give up television for a year, with the inducement of payment as long as they kept off. One brave family stood the strain for nearly six months – till they wanted to watch a crime serial. The first volunteer, a bachelor; failed after three weeks. Others became increasingly nervous, short-tempered and unhappy…"
Television Diverts Man's Attention from the Remembrance of Allah
The Prophet (saws) said:
"Every sport or amusement that a Muslim occupies himself with is Baatil (baseless, null and not permissible) – except three [the three types being] his practicing with your bow (and arrow); his training horse and his playing with his family."¹⁰
Ibn Maajah
Allah says in the Qur'an:

"The Life of this world is but play and amusement,
and the abode of the Hereafter is best for those who fear (Allah)."
[Qur'an Al-An'am 6:32]

The above stated Hadith and verse of the Qur'an, as well as many other verses of the Qur'an and Ahadith make it quite clear that Islam does not tolerate futility, idle sport and amusement. This is so because amusement and entertainment divert one's attention from the remembrance of Allah Ta'ala. It also interferes with one's worship causing neglect of Salaat (in general) and the congregational prayers (particularly for the men). Amusement and entertainment which Islam describes as Lawh, la'b make a person indolent, negligent and irresponsible. Hence, we find the Messenger of Allah T condemning very strongly even such play as chess and backgammon etc., in the following hadith:
"Whosoever plays with chess and backgammon is like one who has dyed his hand with the flesh and blood of swine."¹¹
Muslim
Research on Television has shown…
Research studies on the effects and influence of television on society has shown that:

• The average American child stares at more than 11, 000 murders on television by the age of 14.

• Most American children spend more time before a set than with their teacher in any one year.

• In a national survey many young viewers claimed to watch television for up to 46 hours a week.

• Television takes one away from reality.

• TV has created a "vast tribe of mini-stars, pop-idols, schmaltzy gurus, talking-heads, telegogues and cardboard 'personalities'" whose only achievement is to be on the box.

• TV causes lethargy in children.

• Television is responsible for the falling standard of literacy.

• Millions of dollars are spent by advertisers to 'brainwash' children by means of television to increase demand for consumer goods.

• Television makes viewers insensitive to violence perpetrated by others.

• Public apathy and failure to respond to a victim's cries for help is blamed on television.

• Television is detrimental to the physical and mental health of children…

What They Say About Television
"The Church of England General Synod, in a report to a Government appointed committee deplores scenes of heavy drinking, chain smoking and casual use of obscene language and blasphemous language on TV."Eastern Province Herald, 23^rd October, 1975
The psychiatrists, Dr William Tompkins of the George Washington School of Medicine, and Dr Paul Fink of the East Virginia Medical School, have been engaged in intensive research into the effect on people of television advertising. They say that during commercials "encourage belief in mysticism by making viewers believe they can get what they want almost by magic."
Dr Tompkins says:
"Television advertising gets us to accept nonsense and leads us to go looking for a fantasy world."
"…The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) was ticked off by the House and Senate Appropriation Committee and told to report on fresh measures to curb video violence or face 'punitive action'."
Mr Tindall, Director of the Audio-Visual Centre of Sydney Teachers' College said:
"Children were learning that violence is not only rampant but frequently justified."
"For years, people have been saying the good thing about TV was that it brought news to the living room. But the survey indicated that few children, if given the option, watched the news or current affairs."
"An almost unbelievable avalanche of sex, perversion, pornography, blue films, sadism, masochism, bestiality, murder, rape and brutality has flooded into the public view through the modern "boob tube' of television, or the movies and lurid novels."
"In British television, almost unbelievable references to lewdness, perverted sex and depravity are as open and unabashed as news reports."
Tomorrow's World, August 1971
Television and Time
Television undoubtedly dominates the free time or leisure of millions who have become addicted to it. Hours of precious time are daily squandered in the presence of the TV set. This malady of wasting hours daily doing "justice to the TV screen" is so serious that even necessary and important work and activities are neglected, especially when the TV program or serial clashes with the time when a particular work has to be done. The Eastern Province Herald, dated 23^rd October, 1975, states in a report"
"Briton spend more time watching the television than with radio, books, theatre and newspaper combined."
"The average person watches television nine hours and six minutes a week in winter and seven hours 42 minutes in summer – but these estimates seem conservative.
"Three-quarters of homes in one British Midlands industrial area were found to have the 'telly' on the entire evening everyday and in one national survey many young viewers claimed to watch for up to 46 hours a week.
"When early in 1974 the Government put a 10:30 pm curfew on television to save electricity for several weeks the outcries were loud and long."
A recent survey conducted by the Audio-Visual Centre of Sydney Teachers' College (Australia) revealed that the average child watched over 21 hours of TV a week. Mr Tindall, Director of the Centre asked"
"What does TV offer the child in exchange for about 1,100 hours of almost undivided attention each year?"
Time in Islam is of great importance. So important indeed is time that Almighty Allah in the Qur'an takes an Oath by Time, and says:

"Wal-Asri…" – By the Token of Time
[Qur'an Al-'Asr 103:1]

A Muslim is not permitted to waste time, more so, when the wasting of time is a result of an institution portraying vice and evil, and when the wasting of time on a practice or 'past-time' involves interference or neglect with ones duties to Allah and man. The addictive grip of television over its viewers is so powerful that the viewer becomes a helpless victim wasting sacred hours glued to the TV screen, thus neglecting his Salaat, his family duties and his social duties. The student, undoubtedly neglects his studies and learning. In a survey, teachers have said that a direct link exists between television and the failing standard of literacy, particularly among lethargic children continually sitting up late in front of the "goggle box".

"By the Time Verily! Man is in loss, Except those who believe (in Islamic Monotheism)
and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth,
and recommend one another to patience."
[Qur'an Al-'Asr 103:1-3]

Should Anyone Be Watching Television?

Footnotes
¹ This appendix is a summary, with slight changes, of an excellent and enlightening book entitled Television and the Institution of Photography or Picture-Making, published by the Majlis al-Ulama, of South Africa.
² For an interesting and comprehensive discussion of the technical functioning of Television, refer to the original book, Television and the Institution of Photography or Picture-Making.
³ For further details and full discussion of the evidences concerning the prohibition of Music in Islam, refer to: The Islamic Ruling of Music and Singing, by Abu Bilal Mustafah al-Kanadi.
⁴ Ibn Maajah, al-Bayhaqee 10/221, no. 20989. Al-Albaanee declared it to be authentic in Silsilat Saheehah 1/136-139, no. 90.
⁵ Ad-Durru al-Manthoor, by As-Suyootee 5/307-308, explanation of verse 31:6 of the Qur'an.
⁶ At-Tirmidhee. It was declared authentic by al-Albaanee is Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhee 1/343 no. 1189.
⁷ Muslim 4/1375, no. 6309
⁸ Muslim 4/1397, no. 6421, 6422
⁹ At-Tirmidhee. It was declared authentic by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmidhee, 2/195, no. 2094 [1634].
¹⁰ Ibn Maajah. It was declared authentic by al-Albaanee in Saheeh Sunan Ibn Maajah 2/132, no. 2267 [2811]. See also Silsilah Saheehah 1/562, no. 315.
¹¹ Muslim 4/1222, no.5612