Dear All,

Please read Baloch Human Rights Council's letter of Appreciation addressed to  Congressman Dana Rohrabacher. This letter has been posted, faxed and emailed to him.

BHRC  UK 
Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
Chairman of the Oversight and Investigation sub Committee of
The House Foreign Affairs committee.
2300 Rayburn House office Building
Washington DC 20515

14 February 2012

Subject: Human Right Situation in Balochistan

Dear Dana Rohrabacher,

This is in appreciation of the notice taken by the US Congress on the worsening human rights situation in Balochistan. Showing concern on the sufferings of the Baloch by civilized world is a ray of hope for the thousands of the families whose loved one had either been extra-judicially killed or been kidnapped by Pakistani security agencies.
As Pakistan is heavily dependent on economic, military, and political support of the United States of America, any gesture of support for the human rights of the Baloch may save some of the Baloch lives. Although, we consider the recent investigative meeting of the committee as a very positive step; however, we would like to highlight the fact that unless practical measures of imposing sanctions on Pakistan are not taken, the miseries of those who are suffering the worst of the brutalities on the hands of Pakistani Army will not lessened in a meaningful way.
We strongly request that the US Congress should press upon the government of the United States to take the human right situation in Balochistan as an emergent humanitarian crisis and use its influence on Pakistan in a forceful and meaningful way.
Thanking you in anticipation in the belief that your highly commendable efforts will continue regarding the situation in Balochistan.

Yours Sincerely,
Samad Baloch
General Secretary
Baloch Human Rights Council (UK)

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
Editor,
Tariq Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan.
GSM = 0300-9599007 and  0333-9599007
Email: Tariqgulkhattak@gmail.com

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9) Try to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable, Unsympathetic and/or Unpleasant.

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Please note that,
It is a common platform for journalists and all others who are interested in knowing about the issues that are sometimes not reported. This group favours philosophy of progress, reform and the protection of civil liberties. Please share and educate others. The owners and managers of this site do not necessarily agree with any of the information. It is an open forum; everyone is allowed to share anything. Mails sent by members and non-members are subject to approval. However, we are not responsible in any way for the contents of mails / opinion sent by members. We do not guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. (Nor can print and electronic media). If you find content on this site which you feel is inappropriate or inaccurate, incomplete, or useless you are most welcome to report it or contradict it.
Thanks a lot.
.

__,_._,___
 



Feminist, socialist, devout Muslim: woman who has thrown Denmark into turmoil

Parliamentary candidate, 25, finds herself at centre of Europe-wide controversy
Danish parliamentary candidate Asmaa Abdol-Hamid
Danish parliamentary candidate Asmaa Abdol-Hamid. Photograph: Kristian Brasen/AFP
In the land that launched the cartoons war between Islam and the west, Asmaa Abdol-Hamid finds herself on the frontline, gearing up for a new battle.
The 25-year-old social worker, student and town councillor describes herself as a feminist, a democrat, and a socialist. She has gay friends, opposes the death penalty, supports abortion rights, and could not care less what goes on in other people's bedrooms. In short, a tolerant Scandinavian and European.
She is also a Palestinian and a devout Muslim who insists on wearing a headscarf, who refuses, on religious grounds, to shake hands with males, and who is bidding fair to be the first Muslim woman ever to enter the Folketing, the Danish parliament in Copenhagen.
For the extreme right, the young activist is a political provocateur, an agent of Islamic fundamentalism bent on infiltrating the seat of Danish democracy. To many on the left, Ms Abdol-Hamid is also problematic, personifying through her dress the reactionary repression of women and an illiberal religious agenda that should have no place in her leftwing "red-green" alliance of socialists and environmentalists.
As a result of announcing her parliamentary candidacy earlier this month, the young Muslim and Danish citizen has been thrust to the centre of a debate tormenting Denmark and the rest of western Europe - on the place and values of Islam in modern Europe and the treatment of large Muslim minorities.
Ms Abdol-Hamid is unfazed. "I see more Islam here in Denmark than in Iran or in other places in the Middle East," she says. "It's easier to be a Muslim in Denmark than in Saudi Arabia. I don't feel a stranger here. I'm interested in politics. I want to talk about this society, about political issues. But I'm not in politics because I'm a Muslim."
Her ambition, combined with her insistence on flaunting her religious affiliation, have outraged the Danish political establishment and triggered a new bout of soul-searching almost two years after the publication of cartoons of the Prophet ignited violence and protest across the Islamic world.
"This goes far beyond the extreme right," says Toger Seidenfaden, editor of the Politiken daily newspaper. "Asmaa is insisting on the right to be a religious Muslim and that's provoking broad debate among the public."
The key issue is the headscarf and whether it can be accommodated in parliament. This month Ms Abdol-Hamid gained the candidacy for a safe Copenhagen seat for the leftwing Unity List.
The Danish People's Party or DFP, the far-right movement that unofficially props up the weak centre-right government of the prime minister, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, is on the warpath. A couple of DFP politicians compared the headscarf to the Nazi swastika. One described the prospective MP as "brainwashed".
"We don't like the idea of her performing as an Islamist in the parliament," says DFP spokesman Kim Eskildsen. "We find it wrong that she'll use the parliament as a tool for Islamism ... We don't consider this woman a Nazi. But the way the headscarf is used is comparable to other totalitarian symbols."
The happiest country in the world, according to one detailed survey of international living standards and public attitudes, Denmark is economically highly successful, with the lowest unemployment in the EU.
For the country's 200,000 Muslims and immigrants, however, that happiness is increasingly somewhere else. By virtue of the DFP's influence on the centre-right government, Denmark has enacted the tightest anti-immigration legislation in Europe in recent years.
Many Danes married to foreigners now commute into Copenhagen every day from the southern Swedish town of Malmo across the bridge linking the two cities because they cannot obtain residence for their spouses at home.
Ms Abdol-Hamid, who shares a one-room council flat with one of her six sisters in the "ghetto" of Vollsmose, in the town of Odense, says her political mission is to fight for this underclass.
"This is such a rich country. But we have people in Denmark in deep poverty and nobody helps them. For me the welfare system is very close to Islam. But we need to change the government."
But conservative Muslim leaders are also disapproving of her activism.
"Some Muslims don't think it's right for a female to act like this. They go to my father and tell him, get her married, get her married," she laughs. "Others think you can't be Muslim and Danish at the same time. Some of the Muslims and the extreme right are just the same.
"And there are women in my party who say that anyone who wears the headscarf is oppressed. It's like they think I'm dumb. They're taking away my individuality. We need the right to choose. It's up to us whether or not we wear headscarves.
"They think I'm a woman from the Middle East. No. I'm a Danish Muslim".


__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
Editor,
Tariq Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan.
GSM = 0300-9599007 and  0333-9599007
Email: Tariqgulkhattak@gmail.com

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6) Please do not send personal/other links unless necessary.
7) The Group is not obliged to publish printed news,
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8) Every mail cannot be published; it will overload Mailboxes
of our valued members.
9) Try to Disagree Without Being Disagreeable, Unsympathetic and/or Unpleasant.

x==x==x==x==x==x

Please note that,
It is a common platform for journalists and all others who are interested in knowing about the issues that are sometimes not reported. This group favours philosophy of progress, reform and the protection of civil liberties. Please share and educate others. The owners and managers of this site do not necessarily agree with any of the information. It is an open forum; everyone is allowed to share anything. Mails sent by members and non-members are subject to approval. However, we are not responsible in any way for the contents of mails / opinion sent by members. We do not guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. (Nor can print and electronic media). If you find content on this site which you feel is inappropriate or inaccurate, incomplete, or useless you are most welcome to report it or contradict it.
Thanks a lot.
.

__,_._,___
VALENTINE'S DAY


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is it and where did it come from?

St. Valentine's Day: Paganization of Christianity or Christianization of paganism?

Christians were aware of the Pagan roots of Valentine's Day. The way the Christians adopted St. Valentine's Day should be a lesson for Muslims. In fact, the failure to fully separate Valentine's Day from its pagan roots explains why Islamic scholars and a number of Muslims avoid adopting traditions of non-Muslims, even though they could possibly be Islamicized.

The Arabic word Bida means adopting something new as a religious practice into Islam. Bida is a sin in Islam. Muslims should avoid things with unIslamic roots even though they may appear to be innocent.

The history of Valentine's Day serves as a powerful lesson for Muslims. St. Valentine became a Saint trying to resist free sex. Even though there was an attempt to Christianize it, today St. Valentine's day is gone back to its roots. No one even knows that the Church even tried to ban the St. Valentine's Day. Rather, most people think of romance, cupid and his arrow, which are vestiges of pagan Rome.

Pagan origins of Valentine's Day

The first information about this day is found in pre-Christian Rome, when pagans would celebrate the "Feast of the Wolf" on February 15, also known as the Feast of Lupercalius in honor of Februata Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, Roman god of nature.

On this day, young women would place their names in an urn, from which boys would randomly draw to discover their sexual companion for the day, the year, and sometimes the rest of their lives. These partners exchanged gifts as a sign of affection, and often married.

Christian Influence

When Christianity came onto the scene in Rome, it wanted to replace this feast with something more in line with its ethics and morality.

A number of Christians decided to use February 14 for this purpose. This was when the Italian Bishop Valentine was executed by the Roman Emperor Claudius II for conducting secret marriages of military men in the year 270.

Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young, single men, who made up his military. Valentine defied Claudius and performed marriages for young couples in secret. When his actions were revealed, Claudius put him to death.

Another version of the story says that Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who helped Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

Valentine was arrested and sent to the prefect of Rome for this. He found that his attempts to make Valentine renounce his faith were useless, and so recommended he be beaten with clubs, and later beheaded. This took place on February 14, 270.

According to the Catholic encyclopedia, there are at least three different Saint Valentines, all of whom are Christian martyrs of February 14.

One of them is described as a priest from Rome (as mentioned above), another as bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), and the third from Africa.

It was in the year 496 that Pope Gelasius officially changed the February 15 Lupercalia festival to the February 14 St. Valentine's Day to give Christian meaning to a pagan festival. The holiday become popular in the United States in the 1800's during the Civil War.

As well, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery for young women that would take place during the pagan festival.

Instead of the names of young women, the box would have the names of saints. Men and women were allowed to draw from the box, and the purpose of this was to copy the ways of the saint they had selected for the rest of the year.

Valentine's Day Customs

A number of the customs connected to Valentine's Day originate in the belief in England and France during the Middle Ages, that on February 14, birds began to pair.

Fourteenth and 15th centuries' French and English literatures make indirect references to the practice.

Those who chose each other as husband and wife on Valentine's Day apparently called each other their Valentines.

In terms of the Valentine's greeting "Your Valentine" which today you find on a number of Valentine's Day cards, the above-mentioned Roman priest Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself.

While he was in prison awaiting execution, he apparently fell in love with a young girl who would visit him. Before he died, he allegedly wrote her a letter, signed 'From your Valentine,'.

In terms of the virtually naked, arrow-shooting cupid character which shoots people with its arrows to make them fall in love, this character is a vestige of Roman pagan times. Cupid was described as the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. You usually find Cupid's picture on Valentine cards and other paraphernalia.

-Sources of information include: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Catholic Online Saints, http://www.lovestories.com/cupid/history.htm, the History Channel, and wilstar.com and the video Holiday Myths.

http://soundvision.com/valentine/history.shtml

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What happens in a public school on this day?

Valentine's Day on February 14 is just one of the many holidays which are often passed off as harmless and fun.

After all, what happens? In a number of public school classes, kids give each other cards (of course, the most popular kids get the most cards), millions of dollars are spent on chocolate for a girlfriend or wife, or a boyfriend or husband. People pay for classified ads in the special Valentine's Day section of the newspaper, expressing their love for their beloved. And of course, television stations will churn out new or repeated Disney Valentine's Day cartoon specials.

But will it be strong to say that the Valentine's Day is more than just about cards, cartoons and chocolates? It's an initiation into the culture of boyfriends and girlfriends, sex outside of marriage, and the hurtful and often painful dating game!

It's a way to plant the seed of "romance" in the minds of young people, with little or no emphasis on commitment and loyalty through marriage and a stable relationship with the opposite sex.

A day that's a lesson in exclusion

Valentine's Day is also a painful lesson in exclusion for the kids who are not so popular at school. They'll watch their classmates and friends get lots of Valentine's Day cards, while they sit either empty-handed or holding one or two, most probably from kids thoughtful enough to give one to everybody in the class.

What will a child so hurt, rejected or dejected do in this situation? Will he or she perhaps try harder to be somebody's or everybody's special Valentine's next year? And what will they do to become so popular?

Using Valentine's Day hoopla to teach about Islam

For Muslims, the implications of Valentine's Day run even deeper. We have to educate our kids about Halal gender relations, in all that implies.

Muslims are first, brothers and sisters in faith, not sex objects to each other. Islamic rules of modesty and respect between the sexes need to be taught in this culture of low-cut shirts, tight jeans, mini-skirts, short shorts, seduction, phone-sex hotlines and the ever-present sexual humor and situations that pervade most sitcoms and television shows.

But this has to be done with wisdom not dry, boring lectures. Like other aspects of Islam, we have to show that we have the better option.

Romance is a beautiful thing. The real love is not some one-month or summer fling, or a relationship based on looks.

Valentine's Day, like other aspects of this culture needs to be examined and analyzed from an Islamic perspective. This perspective then needs to be clear in our hearts and minds then passed down to our children. Ranting and raving against it is not the solution. Rather, sincere, calm understanding and explanation is what parents and anyone who cares about a Muslim youth, be it a niece, family friend's child or student in an Islamic full-time or weekend school, need to do.

Let's show our kids the true meaning and implications of Valentine's Day. And let's show them that with the Halal alternative, we really have what's best.

Understanding Valentine's Day in the global context

This need to abstain from Valentine's Day is even more important for Muslims in the current global context, where Western secular culture is sneaking into Muslim societies via satellite dishes, television programs and various other forms of very powerful media. Most Muslim countries cannot or are not making enough efforts to resist this cultural onslaught and perhaps don't fully comprehend the serious implications it has on Muslim children, families and gender relations.

http://soundvision.com/valentine/perspective.shtml

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9 Tips and Ideas for Muslim parents and communities

Valentine's Day needs an Islamic response from Muslim parents, Imams, and communities. Here are some ideas that can help:

1. Have a community information session about it and what goes on in schools

Invite both Muslim parents and teenagers to inform parents about what happens during Valentine's Day in public schools.

In particular, let Muslim teenagers take over the event. Their first-hand experience in public schools with this issue will be stronger testimony about what goes on than any parent who hasn't gone through the same thing.

2. Talk about it in a Khutbah

Imams need to read up on Valentine's Day but don't rant. Explain the pagan origins of the holidays and talk about positive gender relations in Islam.

3. Discuss it in Halaqas for parents

Have one of the parents discuss Valentine's Day in public schools during a Halaqa. In fact, make it a special feature and perhaps come up with a parental strategy for what can be done about it (i.e. how to talk to your kids about it).

4. Discuss it in Islamic full-time and weekend school classes for kids

Kids need to be told about Valentine's Day and given an Islamic perspective. Valentine's Day is often the door that opens up to other unIslamic ideas about men, women, romance, love, marriage, etc.

Have a fun but frank presentation on the topic. Make it interactive. Ask the kids if they have received any Valentine's, how many, do they understand the implications, etc.

5. Talk about the most important love of all

One of the beautiful things about Islam is that when something is prohibited, there is always a better option (Alhamdulillah!!!).

Talk about the love that Valentine's Day doesn't-love for Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

But tell stories of the Sahabah, don't just make it a dry discussion topic. Show how dedicated they were to Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Talk about how love translates into action, and how the behavior of these early Muslims showed their love. You can, for instance, do a presentation on one of the Sahabas as written about in Companions of the Prophet by Abdul Wahid Hamid.

6. Send a "Just say no to Valentine's Day" card to Muslim relatives abroad where the fashion of Valentine's Day is going on.

If you have the Internet at home, get the kids to send their friends Sound Vision's Just Say No to Valentine's Day cards located at:
http://www.soundvision.com/cards/index04.shtml


This way, they can send a powerful message to other kids about true love.

7. Avoid the consumer madness-don't buy special candy and chocolate for this day.

While the shiny red boxes of chocolate are tempting, avoid buying candy commemorating the event. Save your money for now, and go on a candy splurge for Eid- ul-Adha in March, Insha-Allah.

8. Talk to them about Muslim festivals

Remind your kids about the two Muslim festivals of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. If you made Eid-ul-Fitr special for your kids this month, recall the memories. If not, start planning for Eid-ul Adha.

http://soundvision.com/valentine/9tips.shtml 

 
VALENTINE'S DAY
 

What is it and where did it come from?
 
St. Valentine's Day: Paganization of Christianity or Christianization of paganism?
 
Christians were aware of the Pagan roots of Valentine's Day. The way the Christians adopted St. Valentine's Day should be a lesson for Muslims. In fact, the failure to fully separate Valentine's Day from its pagan roots explains why Islamic scholars and a number of Muslims avoid adopting traditions of non-Muslims, even though they could possibly be Islamicized.
 
The Arabic word Bida means adopting something new as a religious practice into Islam. Bida is a sin in Islam. Muslims should avoid things with unIslamic roots even though they may appear to be innocent.
 
The history of Valentine's Day serves as a powerful lesson for Muslims. St. Valentine became a Saint trying to resist free sex. Even though there was an attempt to Christianize it, today St. Valentine's day is gone back to its roots. No one even knows that the Church even tried to ban the St. Valentine's Day. Rather, most people think of romance, cupid and his arrow, which are vestiges of pagan Rome.
 
Pagan origins of Valentine's Day
 
The first information about this day is found in pre-Christian Rome, when pagans would celebrate the "Feast of the Wolf" on February 15, also known as the Feast of Lupercalius in honor of Februata Juno, the Roman goddess of women and marriage, and Pan, Roman god of nature.
 
On this day, young women would place their names in an urn, from which boys would randomly draw to discover their sexual companion for the day, the year, and sometimes the rest of their lives. These partners exchanged gifts as a sign of affection, and often married.
 
Christian Influence
 
When Christianity came onto the scene in Rome, it wanted to replace this feast with something more in line with its ethics and morality.
 
A number of Christians decided to use February 14 for this purpose. This was when the Italian Bishop Valentine was executed by the Roman Emperor Claudius II for conducting secret marriages of military men in the year 270.
 
Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, so he outlawed marriage for young, single men, who made up his military. Valentine defied Claudius and performed marriages for young couples in secret. When his actions were revealed, Claudius put him to death.
 
Another version of the story says that Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who helped Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
 
Valentine was arrested and sent to the prefect of Rome for this. He found that his attempts to make Valentine renounce his faith were useless, and so recommended he be beaten with clubs, and later beheaded. This took place on February 14, 270.
 
According to the Catholic encyclopedia, there are at least three different Saint Valentines, all of whom are Christian martyrs of February 14.
 
One of them is described as a priest from Rome (as mentioned above), another as bishop of Interamna (modern Terni), and the third from Africa.
 
It was in the year 496 that Pope Gelasius officially changed the February 15 Lupercalia festival to the February 14 St. Valentine's Day to give Christian meaning to a pagan festival. The holiday become popular in the United States in the 1800's during the Civil War.
 
As well, Pope Gelasius ordered a slight change in the lottery for young women that would take place during the pagan festival.
 
Instead of the names of young women, the box would have the names of saints. Men and women were allowed to draw from the box, and the purpose of this was to copy the ways of the saint they had selected for the rest of the year.
 
Valentine's Day Customs
 
A number of the customs connected to Valentine's Day originate in the belief in England and France during the Middle Ages, that on February 14, birds began to pair.
 
Fourteenth and 15th centuries' French and English literatures make indirect references to the practice.
 
Those who chose each other as husband and wife on Valentine's Day apparently called each other their Valentines.
 
In terms of the Valentine's greeting "Your Valentine" which today you find on a number of Valentine's Day cards, the above-mentioned Roman priest Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself.
 
While he was in prison awaiting execution, he apparently fell in love with a young girl who would visit him. Before he died, he allegedly wrote her a letter, signed 'From your Valentine,'.
 
In terms of the virtually naked, arrow-shooting cupid character which shoots people with its arrows to make them fall in love, this character is a vestige of Roman pagan times. Cupid was described as the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. You usually find Cupid's picture on Valentine cards and other paraphernalia.
 
-Sources of information include: The Catholic Encyclopedia, Catholic Online Saints, http://www.lovestories.com/cupid/history.htm, the History Channel, and wilstar.com and the video Holiday Myths.
 

What happens in a public school on this day?
 
Valentine's Day on February 14 is just one of the many holidays which are often passed off as harmless and fun.
 
After all, what happens? In a number of public school classes, kids give each other cards (of course, the most popular kids get the most cards), millions of dollars are spent on chocolate for a girlfriend or wife, or a boyfriend or husband. People pay for classified ads in the special Valentine's Day section of the newspaper, expressing their love for their beloved. And of course, television stations will churn out new or repeated Disney Valentine's Day cartoon specials.
 
But will it be strong to say that the Valentine's Day is more than just about cards, cartoons and chocolates? It's an initiation into the culture of boyfriends and girlfriends, sex outside of marriage, and the hurtful and often painful dating game!
 
It's a way to plant the seed of "romance" in the minds of young people, with little or no emphasis on commitment and loyalty through marriage and a stable relationship with the opposite sex.
 
A day that's a lesson in exclusion
 
Valentine's Day is also a painful lesson in exclusion for the kids who are not so popular at school. They'll watch their classmates and friends get lots of Valentine's Day cards, while they sit either empty-handed or holding one or two, most probably from kids thoughtful enough to give one to everybody in the class.
 
What will a child so hurt, rejected or dejected do in this situation? Will he or she perhaps try harder to be somebody's or everybody's special Valentine's next year? And what will they do to become so popular?
 
Using Valentine's Day hoopla to teach about Islam
 
For Muslims, the implications of Valentine's Day run even deeper. We have to educate our kids about Halal gender relations, in all that implies.
 
Muslims are first, brothers and sisters in faith, not sex objects to each other. Islamic rules of modesty and respect between the sexes need to be taught in this culture of low-cut shirts, tight jeans, mini-skirts, short shorts, seduction, phone-sex hotlines and the ever-present sexual humor and situations that pervade most sitcoms and television shows.
 
But this has to be done with wisdom not dry, boring lectures. Like other aspects of Islam, we have to show that we have the better option.
 
Romance is a beautiful thing. The real love is not some one-month or summer fling, or a relationship based on looks.
 
Valentine's Day, like other aspects of this culture needs to be examined and analyzed from an Islamic perspective. This perspective then needs to be clear in our hearts and minds then passed down to our children. Ranting and raving against it is not the solution. Rather, sincere, calm understanding and explanation is what parents and anyone who cares about a Muslim youth, be it a niece, family friend's child or student in an Islamic full-time or weekend school, need to do.
 
Let's show our kids the true meaning and implications of Valentine's Day. And let's show them that with the Halal alternative, we really have what's best.
 
Understanding Valentine's Day in the global context
 
This need to abstain from Valentine's Day is even more important for Muslims in the current global context, where Western secular culture is sneaking into Muslim societies via satellite dishes, television programs and various other forms of very powerful media. Most Muslim countries cannot or are not making enough efforts to resist this cultural onslaught and perhaps don't fully comprehend the serious implications it has on Muslim children, families and gender relations.
 

9 Tips and Ideas for Muslim parents and communities
 
Valentine's Day needs an Islamic response from Muslim parents, Imams, and communities. Here are some ideas that can help:
 
1. Have a community information session about it and what goes on in schools
 
Invite both Muslim parents and teenagers to inform parents about what happens during Valentine's Day in public schools.
 
In particular, let Muslim teenagers take over the event. Their first-hand experience in public schools with this issue will be stronger testimony about what goes on than any parent who hasn't gone through the same thing.
 
2. Talk about it in a Khutbah
 
Imams need to read up on Valentine's Day but don't rant. Explain the pagan origins of the holidays and talk about positive gender relations in Islam.
 
3. Discuss it in Halaqas for parents
 
Have one of the parents discuss Valentine's Day in public schools during a Halaqa. In fact, make it a special feature and perhaps come up with a parental strategy for what can be done about it (i.e. how to talk to your kids about it).
 
4. Discuss it in Islamic full-time and weekend school classes for kids
 
Kids need to be told about Valentine's Day and given an Islamic perspective. Valentine's Day is often the door that opens up to other unIslamic ideas about men, women, romance, love, marriage, etc.
 
Have a fun but frank presentation on the topic. Make it interactive. Ask the kids if they have received any Valentine's, how many, do they understand the implications, etc.
 
5. Talk about the most important love of all
 
One of the beautiful things about Islam is that when something is prohibited, there is always a better option (Alhamdulillah!!!).
 
Talk about the love that Valentine's Day doesn't-love for Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
 
But tell stories of the Sahabah, don't just make it a dry discussion topic. Show how dedicated they were to Allah and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Talk about how love translates into action, and how the behavior of these early Muslims showed their love. You can, for instance, do a presentation on one of the Sahabas as written about in Companions of the Prophet by Abdul Wahid Hamid.
 
6. Send a "Just say no to Valentine's Day" card to Muslim relatives abroad where the fashion of Valentine's Day is going on.
 
If you have the Internet at home, get the kids to send their friends Sound Vision's Just Say No to Valentine's Day cards located at:
 
 
This way, they can send a powerful message to other kids about true love.
 
7. Avoid the consumer madness-don't buy special candy and chocolate for this day.
 
While the shiny red boxes of chocolate are tempting, avoid buying candy commemorating the event. Save your money for now, and go on a candy splurge for Eid- ul-Adha in March, Insha-Allah.
 
8. Talk to them about Muslim festivals
 
Remind your kids about the two Muslim festivals of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. If you made Eid-ul-Fitr special for your kids this month, recall the memories. If not, start planning for Eid-ul Adha.
 

__._,_.___
Recent Activity:
Editor,
Tariq Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan.
GSM = 0300-9599007 and  0333-9599007
Email: Tariqgulkhattak@gmail.com

Thanks for participating.
Kindly suggest improvements.
Please let us know:
I.      If you want to receive individual emails
II.      Receive one mail with all activity in it
III.      Do not want to receive any mail at all

REQUESTS:
1) Please directly contact sender for personal/individual correspondence.
2) Try to discuss issues that will catch attention of many readers.
3) Please avoid sending messages in any language other than English
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Press release

Sindh Media Workers Association (SMWA) will hold a protest against attacking Senior Journalist and Editor Daily Sindhu Khalid Khokhar and fake fir lodged by local police at 3:00 pm on February 16, 2012 in front of National Press Club (NPC) Islamabad. All SMWA member are advised to ensure their presence in the protest to show solidarity with him.

------------------
Sahib Oad
Information / Press Secretary
Sindhi Media Workers Association (SMWA)
Islamabad
Cell: 0092-3344333345
Email: smwa111211@gmail.com
Blog:   http://smwa111211.blogspot.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sindhi Media Workers Association (SMWA) is non-profit, non-political and social organization, which is working for the welfare and development of Sindhi Journalists and Media Workers.

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Recent Activity:
Editor,
Tariq Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan.
GSM = 0300-9599007 and  0333-9599007
Email: Tariqgulkhattak@gmail.com

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Mr Nadeem Paracha
You would be quite comfortable now where only a couple of days earlier the
Pakistani teenage girls were seen at Lahore's Hyperstar covered with only
mini bikinis and tight jeans which showed the sizes of what they were
supposed to hide. And you would be pleased to know how many of the boys
and girls enjoyed each other spending the night together. I wonder if
any of your daughter's was also one of them? Of course it would be thrilling
to you when you compared with the dictator Zia's stiff ethic code -
because it was he who invented chastity and not our Holy Prophet???.
And hanging of Hazrat Bhutto eleh Islam - ofcourse it was the most unfair
trial - I read somewhere - where justice was done!
I am quite sure that now adays your ideal Politicians are running the
affair of your country. We should throw the Army out of Pakistan - after
all what good are they!!!
And one thing more - just as a historical perspective. Have you ever
noticed that a dictator improves the financial health of the country
collects the money and the great PPP of Bhuttto elhIslam comes and spends
it. Ayub was followed by the very bright ZAB who spent whatever had been
collected. After ZIA who collected money to be lavishly spent by the great
BB elehIslam and after Musharraf - the great saint of yours - comes Mr
aaz; the result is in front of you!!!
May Allah be with you in good and noble deeds.


------------------------------------

Editor,
Tariq Khattak, Islamabad, Pakistan.
GSM = 0300-9599007 and 0333-9599007
Email: Tariqgulkhattak@gmail.com

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Kindly suggest improvements.
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It is a common platform for journalists and all others who are interested in knowing about the issues that are sometimes not reported. This group favours philosophy of progress, reform and the protection of civil liberties. Please share and educate others. The owners and managers of this site do not necessarily agree with any of the information. It is an open forum; everyone is allowed to share anything. Mails sent by members and non-members are subject to approval. However, we are not responsible in any way for the contents of mails / opinion sent by members. We do not guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. (Nor can print and electronic media). If you find content on this site which you feel is inappropriate or inaccurate, incomplete, or useless you are most welcome to report it or contradict it.
Thanks a lot.
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