Invited to Participate

The complete list of Muslim clerics and scholars who were invited to participate in “Muslims Speak Out.”

SYRIA:
M. Sa’id Ramadan Al-Buti – professor of Islamic law at Damascus University
Mohammed Habash – professor of Islamic studies, member of Parliament

LEBANON:
Sayyed Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah – Lebanese cleric

QATAR:
Yusuf al-Qawadari – Sunni cleric and Muslim Brotherhood Leader
Aisha al Mannai – dean, Faculty of Sharia, Qatar University

TUNISIA:
Sheikh Rashid Ghannoushi – leader of Tunisia's Islamist movement

SAUDI ARABIA:
Ahmad Turkistani – director, Institute for Islamic and Arabic Sciences in America
Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz al-Ashaikh- Mufti of Saudi Arabia
Sheikh Salman Fahd al Ouda – Saudi cleric and General Director of IslamToday.org
Shaikh Hassan Al Saffar – Shia leader
Abdullah al Askar - history professor, King Saud University
Khalid al Dakhil – professor, King Saud University
Dr. Abdulrahman al-Matrodi -- formerly Deputy Minister of Islamic Affairs for Waqf
Abdullah Al Tayer – Saudi talk show host

EGYPT:
Amr Khaled – Egyptian evangelist in London
Ali Gomaa – Grand Mufti of Egypt

IRAQ:
Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Sistani – Iraqi cleric
Taha Jabir al-Alwani –president of Cordoba University
Sayyed Mohammed Rida Al-Musawi Al-Ghurayfi – Islamic scholar and author. Member of the first transitional assembly in Iraq (2004).
Saeed al-Hakim - Grand Ayatollah of Iraq
Sheikh Mahmoud Jarad al-Isawi -- Imam of Abdulqadir al-Jilani Mosque in Baghdad
Sheikh Khalid al-Mullah -- chairman, Sunni Islamic Scholars Movement
Sheikh Majid Al-Hafid – Sunni scholar and imam.

BAHRAIN:
Dheya Mosawi – Bahraini cleric and newspaper columnist

KUWAIT
Tareq Mohammad Al-Suwaidan -- businessman, entrepreneur, TV personality.

UAE:
Sheikh Habib Ali al-Jifri – Sufi sheikh

IRAN:
His Excellency Mohammad Khatami -- Iran’s president from 1997 to 2005. He also founded the Tehran-based International Institute for Dialogue among Civilizations and Cultures.
Dr. Mohsen Kadivar -- professor at the Tarbiat Modarres University

PAKISTAN:
Khalid Zaheer -- Director Education, Al-Mawrid
Zafar Ishaq Ansari -- director general of Islamic Research Institute, vice president at International Islamic University
Khurshid Ahmad -- scholar, professor, economist, writer and preacher
Javid Ahmad al-Ghamidi -- Islamic scholar
Dr. Muhammad Khalid Masud – professor, writer, chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology,
Dr. Zafar Ishaq Ansari -- director general, Islamic Research Institute, International Islamic University
Mumtaz Ahmad – professor, Hampton University

MALAYSIA:
Salleh Yaapar -- professor at University of Science of Malaysia
Abd Aziz Bari -- professor International Islamic University
Azizan Baharuddin -- professor University of Malayasia
Chandra Muzaffar – Malaysian human rights activist

INDONESIA:
Ulil Abshar Abdalla -- founder of the Liberal Islam Network
Dr. Abdul Hadi -- professor, scholar
Dr. Yudi Latif -- rector of Paramadina University
Dr. Azyumardi Azra – rector State Islamic University Syarif member of the faculty of Sunan Kalijaga National Islamic University in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Hidayatullah
Abdurrahman Wahid -- (also known as Gus Dur) President of Indonesia from 1999 to 2001, and founder of the National Awakening Party
Ahmad Syafi'i Maarif – former leader of Muhammadiyah, one of the two biggest Muslim organizations in Indonesia
Abdul Munir Mulkhan -- professor, Sunan Kalijaga National Islamic University.

SPAIN:
Mansur Escudero -- secretary general of the Islamic Commission.

FRANCE:
Tariq Ramadan – European intellectual

GERMANY:
Murad Hofmann -- Germany’s ambassador to Algeria and Morocco 1987-94, former director of information for NATO

UNITED KINGDOM:
Yahya Birt --
Sheikh Abdul-Hakim Murad – intellectual and Imam of Cambridge Mosque
Humera Khan - activist and founder of leading Muslim magazine "Q"
Dr. Usama Hasan -- Imam, scholar

BOSNIA:
Mustafa Ceric – Grand Mufti of Bosnia

TURKEY:
Dr. Merve Kavachi -- professor at George Washington University, columnist, former member of Turkish Grand National Assembly
Fethullah Gülen - Turkish Sufi leader

SWITZERLAND:
His Highness Prince Karīm al-Hussaynī Āgā Khān IV --

CANADA:
Dr. Farhat Naseem Hashmi -- Pakistani founder and chief executive of Al-Huda International Welfare Organization

UNITED STATES
Muzzamil Siddiqi – chairman of North American Fiqh Council
Intisar Rabb – American Islamic legal scholar

By David Waters |  July 21, 2007; 10:39 AM ET Save & Share:                 
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Respected & Honorable Sir,
Assalam u alaikum,

This is a humbly request in your honor that I am hardly contacting you, I have no approach to you due to my poor and common status. and dont know whether you will recieve this letter or not.
Sir, I am a primary school teacher. I belong to a very Poor family. And we are facing hardships and troubles for many years. Mother has died in my childhood and father is very aged and usually fell ill. I became under loan due to my family diseases and hardships. I have no strength to pay loan to demanders.
I have four children. Two in them are needed operations ( eye and ear). The ear operation is very expensive because my child is born only with one ear. I cant face the doctors in this situation, I have no strength to pay loan to the demander for which they are demanding. I am feeling this burdon every time, day and night , Allah give me release from it, Amin. This situation made me very upset and depressed and I was compelled to request for a little assistance of you.
My troubles and hardships are increasing day to day. In this situation how I pay my loan and how I take my father and children to doctors for checkup. I am hardly earn food for two times.
Dear Sir & brother, please, if possible, as a muslim brother help me. I will not forget your EHSAN throughout my life. Allah give you best reward for your kindness. And give you every happiness of your life, Amin.

Salam
Yours Sincerely,
Aziz ur rahman
Pakistan.

Email : frontieraur@yahoo.com
Contact #: 00923073983028

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Posted by: abdulrsaheed olatunji abdusalam | September 25, 2007 8:05 PM
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Deliver A Messiah "Mistaken Identity" Authorhouse publishing Co......

Albanian Muslim Author? New Theory? Ok!!

Alhamdulilah!!

Posted by: Bashir | August 31, 2007 9:08 PM
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to clarify: by racist i mean arab/desi racism towards blacks and african muslims. (or just africans in general for that matter, i believe something like that is the case in SUDAN)

Posted by: Madinat | July 31, 2007 4:15 PM
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i CANNOT believe that NO AFRICAN (by this i mean BLACK) speakers were invited. with RACISM RAMPANT (especially in north america) your coverage on islam in america decided to skip over this. WHY? muslims of color are marginalized in EVERY debate about islam. i see almost all the arab countries are represented, and they make up the MINORITY of muslims in the world. when are we going to stop making arab/desi=muslim???!!

Posted by: Madinat | July 31, 2007 4:12 PM
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Some fun facts about Mr. Siddiqi:

In January of this year, the New Yorker published an article profiling a famous former congregant at Siddiqi’s mosque, Adam Gadahn (a.k.a. Azzam the American), which included the fact that Siddiqi had hosted the notorious Blind Sheikh to speak about jihad:

In December, 1992, Sheikh Omar Abdel Rahman, a prominent Egyptian cleric and Islamic radical also known as the Blind Sheikh, visited the Islamic Society to lecture about jihad, and Siddiqi sat beside him to translate. Abdel Rahman dismissed nonviolent definitions of jihad as weak. He stressed that a number of unspecified enemies had “united themselves against Muslims” and that fighting them was obligatory. “If you are not going to the jihad, then you are neglecting the rules of Allah,” he said. The opportunities for jihad were virtually everywhere, ranging from apostate Middle Eastern regimes to “those who are taking the wealth of Muslims from petrol or from oil.” As he spoke, a red toolbox, with a slit cut into its lid for donations, was passed around the room. Videotapes of the lecture were later offered for sale at the society’s bookstore. (emphasis added)
Several months afterward, Abdel Rahman was indicted for helping to plot the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. One of his fatwas, issued from prison in 1998, became central to Al Qaeda’s justification of mass violence. (When I asked J. Stephen Tidwell, the assistant director of the F.B.I.’s Los Angeles division, about Siddiqi’s association with Abdel Rahman, he said, “We have a very strong relationship with Dr. Siddiqi. You do have to put it into the context of back then.” Siddiqi told me that Abdel Rahman “was touring, and some people insisted that he should be there.”

Moderate? No, just another invited guest in the WP's terrorist love-fest.

Posted by: dahozho | July 31, 2007 12:36 PM
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I am extremely surprised to see that there is not even one invitation to Islamic schaolars from India, even though it has the second largest population of muslims.

Posted by: Kamran Akhtar | July 29, 2007 11:50 AM
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What the Muslim world really needs is a Martin Luther to reform their church and an Attaturk to separate their church from their states.

Posted by: Ibraham Mahfouz | July 29, 2007 7:45 AM
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HOw come you have not invited anybody to comment on this subject from India. I think you are ignorant about this culture because India has the 3rd largest muslim population in the world. Also Indian muslims are the most progressive muslims in the world because they are living in the secular atmosphere. It is shame that the people who discuss this issue do not know this fact.

Posted by: al Lokhandwala | July 26, 2007 10:18 PM
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HOw come you have not invited anybody to comment on this subject from India. I think you are ignorant about this culture because India has the 3rd largest muslim population in the world. Also Indian muslims are the most progressive muslims in the world because they are living in the secular atmosphere. It is shame that the people who discuss this issue do not know this fact.

Posted by: al Lokhandwala | July 26, 2007 10:18 PM
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Forward

Headline: Two Doctors Detained in U.K. Terrorism Plot.

After all that has gone on the terrorist found a way to shock and amaze the world once again. This headline left people scratching their heads asking, the 21st Century question, “What’s going on?” How could professionals, physicians at that, be involved in the carnage that has become numbingly common place in our world?

The reason the behavior of the terrorist, be they high school drops out or now physicians, catches us off guard is because our attempts to explain what is going on is misguided. Terror Heart addresses what is essentially an internal problem by advancing an explanation that is, itself, internal.

We can not be blamed for our failure to date to make sense of what we are witnessing because when educated in the West one buys into the Western Behavioral Sciences worldview. Our indoctrination tells us that if we can change the conditions in which people find themselves, we can change their thinking and behavior.

Terror Heart approaches this issue not from the outside in as in what race or religion or social-economic class these people are, but from the inside out. This approach begins by analyzing the developmental stage of one’s soul in order to understand how this impacts the spiritual heart which in turn influences thinking and finally behavior.

This book exposes the reader to a very different perspective. This “inside out” vision enables us to understand, for example, the curious reality wherein the thinking of the terrorists and their adversaries is actually two sides of the same coin. It equips us to answer five corollary questions to the primary question, “What’s going on?” discussed in this book. The reader will be able to sort the myriad of terms applied to terrorists such as “jihadist”, “Islamist”, “fundamentalist” and other labels discussed herein with the realization that they serve to confuse us rather than aid our understanding of the stories beneath the headlines. Finally, Terror Heart takes us to the root of the inhuman behaviors which this book insists is internal and not external as we are currently lead to believe.

Forward to the Book: Terror Heart by Professor John E. Sullivan

Posted by: John E. Sullivan | July 26, 2007 9:44 PM
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1- Freedom of belief: The Quran repeatedly streeses freedom of belief and one's own responsibility for the consequences that follow from his choice. Based on this, if a Moslem decides to change his religion, he will be responsible for his action and the consequences.It is signifact that there is no penalty provided for in the Quran for apostasy, in the same way as there is no earthly penalty for the non-performance of prayer, for example. Belief is a 'right of God' and is not for humans to decide upon or punish for. "There is no coecion in religion" is a general rule of general application. The choice of words in this Quranic verse is itself significant. The death penalty, often referred to, is the work of jurists, which is not binding. Many of these jurists who support this penalty insist that the apostate should be given the time to repent with no time limit because they do not want to deprive him of the opportunity to revert to Islam and thus die as a Moslem. If he dies without having so reverted the matter is left to God for His decision.
2. Problems facing Moslem women in some countries are, in the main, the result of social traditional and cultural customs. Islam does not impose more obligations or give less rights to its followers, be they male or female. However, the adoption of a religion does not wipe out inherited practices that do not relate to the faith itself. Both sexes are addressed equally, and, where there is apparent inequality, it is due to jurist interpretattions, which vary, e.g. the hijab, there are many different interpretations, and a Moslem woman is given the choice. Many jurists, in an attempt to protect society from possible evil, treat this possibility as a certainty and therefore lean towards prohibition. Islam is based on rationality, and anything irrational must be challenged.
3. Jihad in Islam is the modern concept of self-defence applied by states. It is nothing more or less.

Posted by: Dr Anis Al-Qasem | July 26, 2007 7:26 PM
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1- Freedom of belief: The Quran repeatedly streeses freedom of belief and one's own responsibility for the consequences that follow from his choice. Based on this, if a Moslem decides to change his religion, he will be responsible for his action and the consequences.It is signifact that there is no penalty provided for in the Quran for apostasy, in the same way as there is no earthly penalty for the non-performance of prayer, for example. Belief is a 'right of God' and is not for humans to decide upon or punish for. "There is no coecion in religion" is a general rule of general application. The choice of words in this Quranic verse is itself significant. The death penalty, often referred to, is the work of jurists, which is not binding. Many of these jurists who support this penalty insist that the apostate should be given the time to repent with no time limit because they do not want to deprive him of the opportunity to revert to Islam and thus die as a Moslem. If he dies without having so reverted the matter is left to God for His decision.
2. Problems facing Moslem women in some countries are, in the main, the result of social traditional and cultural customs. Islam does not impose more obligations or give less rights to its followers, be they male or female. However, the adoption of a religion does not wipe out inherited practices that do not relate to the faith itself. Both sexes are addressed equally, and, where there is apparent inequality, it is due to jurist interpretattions, which vary, e.g. the hijab, there are many different interpretations, and a Moslem woman is given the choice. Many jurists, in an attempt to protect society from possible evil, treat this possibility as a certainty and therefore lean towards prohibition. Islam is based on rationality, and anything irrational must be challenged.
3. Jihad in Islam is the modern concept of self-defence applied by states. It is nothing more or less.

Posted by: Dr Anis Al-Qasem | July 26, 2007 7:26 PM
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Oops, make that Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali was not invited to comment???

Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | July 25, 2007 6:11 PM
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And why did you not invite Ayaan Hirsi Ali of Norway????? Without her, your discussion is mute.

Posted by: Concerned The Christian Now Liberated | July 25, 2007 4:03 PM
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Dear Hijabihoodlum,

"Religion is like a vintage car.At one time it was the latest model,and a good means to get around.It was a stepping stone for more advancement"

All religions were once a framework of a social order.They served a purpose, and contributed to the collective wisdom of humanity.

The modern practitioners should try to achieve the level of wisdom of their respective pioneers.Only then they will unite with the brotherhood of humanity.

Posted by: Mohammad Ali khan | July 24, 2007 7:46 AM
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Hi,

I would like to say that Iam a poet and a writer and has written many articles and please find one of my article to be consider. my article called " Extremist in the east and the west".

Regards,
wasi siddiqui

The Extremist in East and the West
By Wasi Siddiqui
(Member of Canadian Author Association)

It is early in the morning and a light is lit in a room and a father wakes up look at the clock and goes in another room to have his son wake up too, so that he can take him to mosque as, it is fajr time (morning prayer.) Both father and son prepare for prayer and left for mosque, which is located not far from their home.

As soon as they reached the mosque, they were lucky to find a place in the front line as azan is given and prayers begin, and just after 5 minutes, a bomb exploded, which killed so many people on the spot and leaving many injured as chaos spread in the mosque and people start running out of the premises. The bystander on the street called the police and ambulance as debris of the mosque begins to fall.

Within a half an hour, a Shia mosque also targeted killing many Shia worshippers and causing wide scale of damage and destruction to the mosque, the people gathered in the area to see what happened to their love ones. As soon as the news of attacks on the two mosque reached in the city, a mob start attacking shops, burning of cars and buses, and blocking the roads and thus creating a chaos in the city as the transportation and all the businesses comes to stand still. Religious Leaders declared 3 days of strike which paralyzed the whole city with all the businesses shut down.

Soon the police went to hunt those involved in attacks on mosque, and not after a long search that police took some suspects into custody, but according to the families of those arrested demand to release their loves ones, as they were just the bystander not the attackers. The real killers remain on loose and never were caught.

This is one of the most horrific event happened in the city of Karachi, Pakistan , and like this more tragedies happened but never ever the real culprits are caught , and this has been a long un-solved cases , which goes cold in the police files as well.

The officials says that some extremist don’t want to see peace in the country and always ready to create this kind of war like situation to accomplish their evil ambitions of creating hate between Sunni and Shia population. No matter how much we condemn this barbaric act, it is far from over, and tension remains between in two Muslim factions.

The tension between Shia and Sunni begins when Hazrat Imam Hussein were brutally assassinated in Karbala by Yazid army in 900A.D, now Shia believes that Sunni were responsible for the tragedy while Sunni factions denies this theory.

Whether Sunni or Shia they feel same sorrow as it a very unfortunate event to have happened in the Islamic history. Even if we say that Hazrat Ali was to lead the Muslims after the death of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), Prophet Mohammad( pbuh) could have said so, but since he chooses Hazrat Abu Baker to be leader then why there is a dispute? If we believe in Prophet Mohammad as our leader then there should be no disagreement at all, when we listen to his all teachings and accept him as last messenger of Allah, then why we are creating this unnecessary issue that who should have been the leader after Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) ?.

There is always a denial from both Sunni and Shia factions that their followers did not attacked each other mosque, and then if they did not attacked the mosque, then who is doing this? And why? There must be a third party which may be involved in attacking the Suuni and Shia mosques, thus creating tension between these two factions.

As I sat in a mosque ( the name of mosque and location ) will not be disclosed here, I saw a man came in and start praying , as there was some time before actual prayer to start , he stand up , took his hand towards ear , as all Muslims do, but then he leave his hand down instead of holding together , he then raise his hands again and then went into Sajda ( bent down) , he repeat this second time and then sit in a position with his legs bent under him and then to my surprise , he never say Salam , and only took his both hand and hit against his legs three times and prayers comes to an end after that he pick up his rock and put it into his pocket and walked away. But this gives me an opportunity to see closely, how one prayer is different of a Muslim to another Muslim.

If we are Muslims then why and how come our prayers are so different? Our Allah is one our Quran is one; our Prophet Mohammad is one, and then why we are two factions.

Extremist in the West:

When Danish newspaper draws the picture of Prophet Mohammad ( pbuh) , showing him asking the suicide bombers to stop the attacks, as no more ( Hoor) girls available in the heaven , it causes strong condemnation and anger in the Muslim world , and yes why not this kind of reaction , it is indeed was a biggest insult on Prophet Mohammad ( pbuh) and Islam, which ignited a huge protest around the world , and in Pakistan situation went out of control, as many foreign businesses were targeted and burned down , while in many Muslim countries some protester burn down the Danish embassy.

This extremist act in the west was not the first time, as Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) has been often called with insulting remarks, and Islam has been called a religion which teaches terrorism and continuously been criticized in the media, soon after the 9/11 events, Islam again come under attack and Muslims were in total confused as why they are blamed for this barbaric act? According to the media some so called “Muslim terrorist” were behind the attacks, while some believe this is not true, even thought they have not come out publicly but says they believe otherwise.

In the west , this protest and violence seen as a “Extremist acts of Muslims” while their own deeds go unnoticed which is indeed is also extremist act, like I said before, drawing of cartoons of Prophet Mohammad has been called as “freedom of expression” while they did not realized that they have no right to insult others religion. Now because of this situation many Muslims face hate and discrimination from their co-workers and often called as “Muslim terrorist” or being watched with suspicious and hate. ,they are being target in the media as “Terrorist”, “Fundamentalist”, and “Extremist”. The only word which has not been given to Muslims is “separatist”.

Such cases, which has ignited hate among the Muslims against western is as follows:

1- Danish newspaper insult on Prophet Mohammad by drawing his cartoons.
2- Building a Makkah style, wine pub in the New York with the black cover as, in Holy city of Saudi Arabia which is Muslim’s holy prayer site.
3- Encouraging women in the name of “women right” to lead the prayers in Muslim mosques, while Islam denounces this practice.
4- Calling Muslims as Terrorists and denouncing Islam.
5- Insulting comments against Prophet Mohammad (pbuh).
6- After the 9/11 events, Muslims mosque were vandalized.
7- Criticizing Muslim women veil, which is an unnecessary issue just to harass the Muslims women and make fun of Islam.
8- Watching Muslims with hate and suspicious.
9- Removing Muslims passengers from Aircrafts and detaining and harassing them
Based on suspicious.

The Problem with the Muslims:

If we see the western countries how they are progressing in every field, their basic thing is unity and backing each other in all the issue and finding solutions, while Muslims show unity in defending Islam and Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), and doesn’t go beyond this point at all. The Muslims should know that Quran also asked to go out for education and study and explore this universe. Is there any forum and treaty Muslims have like the Europeans have like, G7 summit, environment summit, economic summit, health summit, science forums and technology, Muslims have nothing, Although GCC ( Gulf Corporation Council ) exist in the Middle East , but it does not have all the Middle East countries as it’s member. Muslim only does protest over the issues and which they believe is an important part of their life.

Well, this is not a life of only protests, and causing damage to foreign properties and feeling good, Muslims never realized that in the way of protest how much damage they have inflicted on themselves by burning down their own Muslims houses, and poor man looses his long – hard earning property, Now who is going to compensate his loss, did Muslims ever realize this?

Muslims have never united on any issue except violent protest in the name of Islam. It is so shameful that when the deadly earthquake strike Pakistan, the first rescue team which came was from United Kingdom, followed by US, Germany and so many European countries and Muslim countries responded very late.

If Muslim countries could have unity, they can help each other in contributing funds to each other countries like Somalia, and grave situation like Dafur. They can set up a fund bank from where they can help financially to less develop Muslim countries. There is no

Science technology exist in the Muslim world, there is no plan and no efforts as well. The Muslims cannot just exist because they are Muslims, there should be a mechanism of practical approach as well. If they work with sincerity they can solved so many of their own problems, eradicate poverty, develop new programs for youth, set up science and technology center and take advantages from each other work and experience and work closely with each other .

The time has come for Muslims countries to follow some suggestions which are as listed.

1- A Muslim country that is rich and resourceful must be called as super-power state in the Muslim world.
2- That country must provide a leadership role to all the other Muslim state affairs including international issues.
3- One Muslims country must have a main science center and research center, where other countries must sent their people to work and learn new technology.
4- There should be an Islamic bank set-up to fund any Muslim country who is facing financial difficulties, which will target under-develop countries and poverty and AIDS/HIV crisis including natural disasters.
5- Muslim leaders must divide the Muslim region into 4 category, first will be the richest country, then followed by less –develop country, third will be poor countries and forth will be Muslim countries, which need a start from the scratch such as Somalia, Nigeria, Sudan, where there is no living standard exists and top priority must be given to these countries.
6- Make all efforts to have people of this region to easy travel between their countries and learn Islamic values just like the easy traveling exist between European countries.
7- Share defense technology among the Muslim countries.
8- Make defense equipment with the help of Muslim scientists, provide fund to them to that they can develop new and modern defense weapons as the Europeans
9- Islam teaches the basic things like giving of charity to needy people in the society but Muslims are busy in amassing money and poor Muslims countries keeps suffering.

The Western concept of Muslims

The people in the west believe that they are superior to Muslims since they don’t have fanatic Mullahs, no attacks, and no divisions among themselves .Yes this is true, but what about the Muslims who are modern and want to live in peace. It is a good that some western people have this knowledge and do believe that all Muslims are not fanatics, what I have seen in the west is that people are very courteous and love giving people. But there are some people who really hate the Muslims up to the extend that they ready to say racist remarks openly, giving bad names, and feel stink while standing next to them. This hate is also due to the events of 11 September, 2001 which brought a bad name to Islam and Muslims, before these events there was not that much hate against the Muslims and Islam as compare to 60s 70’s and 80’s .

The East concept of Western

When ever there is an Israeli aggression against the Palestinians and US speaks in favor of Israeli attacks, there is a huge anger occurred in the Muslim world against the US and its support which they always provide to aggressors. This action fuels high tension among the Muslims and usually responded by violent protest and burning down of the US and Israeli flags to show Muslims anger. It is most sad thing to see whenever, UN Council adopts a resolution to condemn the Israeli aggressions, US uses its veto power to kill the resolution.

Islam in the West

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the west, and despite the 11 September, 2001 events , there is a strong feeling for religion Islam , in the USA ,one family embraces Islam who were the victims of 9/11 tragedy. I wrote a poem called “Me and my Creator” which I like to share with all.
Me and My Creator
From not being I came into being
If I have not, where could I have been
Someone who follows me is my shadow
I could have never know if I have not been so keen
Who is my creator where is he
He is not here this is not what I mean
How wonderful world the God has created
He is everywhere even when we have never seen
He is near to everybody he watches everyone
Though it is true that we cannot feel
How long can we ignore him
He is always there when we are in need
Copyright ©2006 Wasi Siddiqui

Islam has been welcome by many people, as a religion of peace and tolerance which has the entire humanity solutions, Quran provide all necessities of human life, problems and solutions. The Quran which was revealed upon Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), some 1400 years ago, today continue to grow with dignity, and honor and enlighten many people lives. All the prayers and credits to Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), who faced many difficult moments in his life but never give up, his preaching of Islam. As compare to today’s problems Muslims faces, like 11 September, 2001, and after math of hate and nasty treatment. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) faced more severe situations, but he has gone through many of these blaming and criticism issues with boldness and courage. Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) always asked to forgive and treat other with love and dignity.

The Islam teaches peace, tolerance and forgiveness and that teaching is reflecting in all the Muslims, while they face hate and bad looks of the other people. Like I said the 11 September, 2001, must be investigated to know who is responsible for this heartless acts of terrorism without blindfold blaming on Muslims.

There are five pillars of Islam.

1-Prayers
2-Fasting
3-Charity
4-Haj (pilgrimage)
5-Faith in Allah

Militancy in Islam

There is no such militancy in Islam, since it rejects any form of terrorism. The Islam teaches peace and always asked to forgive the enemies. The militancy related to political instability in the region, those groups who are fighting the occupiers to free their land from aggression are called as militants of Islam, to be honest these groups will not end there campaign, until there is peace and no conflicts remain in the world. It is the situation which creates these militant groups, but these groups have no direct link to Islam.

The Conclusion

In this conclusion, now the question is how to bridge the gap between west and the east, and remove mistrust with the religion without such violent occurrence. The answer lies in 2 ways, first, where all the world leaders sit together, discuss the world hot spots where, the political problems is happening, such as Palestinian and Israeli conflict, which is a core issue in the Muslim world and efforts must be done, and solution must be found in order to have this issue solved.

Some issues of the world are as follows:

1- Palestinian – Israeli Conflict
2- Pakistan –India Conflict over Kashmir.
3- Russia –Chechnya Conflict
4- US invasion of Iraq.
5- US invasion of Afghanistan.

Secondly, all the religious leaders should call a world religious summit, in which all the religion people should participate, Islam, Christian, Jewish, and Hinduism. Inter-faith dialogue is a good start but the event of 11 September, 2001 has created the biggest gap between the East and the West which has been taken, in the west ,as an act of Muslims hate towards west. A complete investigation is required to know who really was behind the attacks; this blame game on Muslims and Islam must be stopped. This 9/11 events has greatly damaged the name of Islam, creating hate among the people in west.

I would like to dedicate my poem called “The Religion and the Peace” to world peace which is as follows:

The Religion and the peace

We are all the children of Adam and Eve
Whether Muslims, Christians Hindu or Jewish
We are all the creation of Almighty God
We understand this, and respect what we believe
Then why there is so much religion feud
Why we cannot live with love and peace
Why there is so much hate against each other
It is time to bridge the gap between west and the east
We must forget our differences based on religion
Religion spiritually keeps ones away from evil deeds
It’s purify ones mind and heart from all evils
Religion makes all of us a good human-being
Prophet Mohammad or Prophet Jesus carried the message of tolerance
They conveyed the entire God’s message they received
Mosque, Church or Temple, where ever you go
You will find God, from every passage that leads
God who is most merciful and forgiver to man-kind
He forgives our sins; accept our prayers that we seek
We must stay united for the sake of humanity
The religion war must end as only way to succeed
Let’s make this world a peaceful place to live
Let’s give each other the love and care that all we need.

Copy right (2007) Wasi Siddiqui

Posted by: wasi siddiqui | July 23, 2007 7:15 PM
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i don't understand why someone such as Nonie Darwish is not on your panel or list of people invited to be interviewed. She is a naturalized American Muslim who is not going to say what she has been programmed or told by men or clerics to say. Therefore, there is a chance of getting something akin to the truth. i have read many of your panelists answers and even i can see they are either incomplete or blatantly false.

Posted by: Joy | July 23, 2007 4:57 PM
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The Quran speaks of anyone who does not convert to Islam, an infedel, and i sto be killed. Any and all non-believers of Islam is to die to promote world kingdom of Islam.
How can Christians not be leary of your religion? Your Jihad is continuing and people are dying in the name of ALLAH.
Ishaq:327...Allah desires killing to manifest the religion?

Posted by: Don | July 23, 2007 4:32 PM
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The Quran speaks of anyone who does not convert to Islam, an infedel, and i sto be killed. Any and all non-believers of Islam is to die to promote world kingdom of Islam.
How can Christians not be leary of your religion? Your Jihad is continuing and people are dying in the name of ALLAH.
Ishaq:327...Allah desires killing to manifest the religion?

Posted by: Don | July 23, 2007 4:32 PM
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Why didn't you invite Imam Warith Deen Mohammad?
The son of the late Honorable Elijah Muhammad.

Posted by: muhammad | July 23, 2007 2:42 PM
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" Mohammad Ali Khan:

Religion is like a vintage car."

I find it silly that someone who is so critical of religion stoops to the level of a bad analogy to get his point across.

Posted by: hijabihoodlum | July 23, 2007 10:38 AM
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I'm a person that has been on the sidelines I for myself choose to do no harm I wish for others to just jion me in this plege .
Education is something I don't have but knowing what I see on TV is something I don't want to see any more.
Me as one person can't do much but I well do my part I for one can just talk to poeple as poeple. If I need to know the time just ask the closest person to hay do you have the time just little things like that.
Well that is how I am now been that way all my life can't change now comin respect goes on to solve the problem of war and traffic.

Esther

Posted by: esther | July 23, 2007 8:38 AM
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the discussion would have been much more richer had you invited Dr. Ali Sarabati to participate in this enlightenment project. He is one of a kind Islamic (independent) thinker. He was targeted as 'deviant' by the fundamentalists. He is(?) a faculty in the Department of Islamic Studies, College of education, King Saud U., Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Posted by: Ab | July 23, 2007 8:34 AM
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Religion is like a vintage car.At one time it was the latest model,and a good means to get around.It was a stepping stone for more advancement.

You can refurbish it and enjoy in your garage.But if you want to drive around in your vintage car,it has to comply with all the latest rules of the road.Otherwise it is a danger for you, and other drivers on the highway.

Posted by: Mohammad Ali Khan | July 22, 2007 10:10 PM
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