Watch Out Iran!

Ok, sorry, back to some serious stuff. Was reading the BBC site and it doesn't look too good for Iran. The drums for war are...well...basically drumming louder and louder for them.

The double standards and the cheek of it though! How often do Israel, America or any other country for that matter get a hard time and sanctioned over their nuclear weapons - Zilch, never!

Taken from: news.bbc.co.uk

A new sanctions package designed to put pressure on Iran over its nuclear
programme has been agreed by the six countries handling the issue at the UN. The
British ambassador immediately sent the draft to the 10 non-permanent Security
Council members, who have not been included in the negotiations. The package
includes an arms embargo and economic penalties.

Iran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful, but Western governments say
it wants to develop nuclear weapons. Last December, the Security Council voted
unanimously to impose a first, limited set of sanctions against Iran for
refusing to halt uranium enrichment. The latest package includes extending
a freeze of assets to those linked to Iran's nuclear and missile programmes and
a ban on new grants and loans to the state.

Before the draft was presented, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
vowed the initiative would not sway his country.

Be Warned: These are Funny!

Thought I'd be slightly less serious all the time and share some hilarious videos I've found of people making a right fool outta themselves! They are way tooooooo funny. What possess's these people I really don't know!

Enjoy.....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4795237232324013939

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/stfu.php

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/numa.php

(Sorry, I'm very untecchified (is that even a word?) so I have not the the foggiest as to how to upload them for real on the blog)

Hijab Ends Football Dream

Props to Maniac Muslim for finding this:

Last week in Canada, a young Muslim girl - Asmahan Mansour (aka Asi) - was ejected from a Quebec summer football tournament for wearing a hijab.

Here's the full story:

Five young teams from across Canada walked out of a Quebec soccer tournament Sunday because a young Muslim girl was ejected for wearing a hijab.
Calling the rule banning the headscarf worn by Muslim women racist, four other teams followed Asmahan Mansour's team, the Nepean Selects from Ottawa, after she was thrown out for running afoul of a Quebec Soccer Association rule.

"The referee was staring and pointing. 'She can't play,'" said Asmahan, Asi to her friends. "I was like why? Why can't I play?"
Because of a safety rule, league spokesman Lyes Arfa said. He pointed out that the referee is Muslim himself, and that the ban on hijabs is to protect children from being accidentally strangled.
"We have to protect the players on the field, and that's the main point. It's not against the Muslims."
And the league had told organizers about the rule — "The wearing of the Islamic veil or any other religious item is not permitted" — before the game.
Asi's team was aware of the rule, but didn't expect it would be enforced.
So when it was, many players and adults were outraged.

Girls backed up teammate
"I automatically went back to the referee: 'Are you sure this is what you wanna do?'" said Louis Maneiro, the Selects' head coach. When nothing changed, he said, "I just decided that there's no way that I would allow our team to continue, and the girls backed up Asi very strongly."
Asi's teammates supported the move. "I felt disgraced, I was crushed, I couldn't see Asi like that," said Lisa Furano.
"It's just a piece of material, it can't do any harm," added Alicia Stainton.
The Selects left the tournament in good spirits. But they say they won't come back until the rule changes.

There have been other occasions of things like this happening in Canada. For example, a bearded Sikh boxer is challenging the Canadian Amateur Boxing Association who say that beards are "banned for medical reasons". (Source: CBC News)

?!

Now I may not be a doctor (although my parents would like me to be), but how the hell is a beard dangerous?! And a Hijab?!!!!!!

I know some hijabis may be scary, but to say that the hijab is, well that's just absurd.

It's not like the hijab will grab people by their throat while they are running past Asi - unless it's one of those mutant hijabs. My local hijab shop sells them (don't ask how I know....)

But how long till these problems come over to the UK?

Heck they already are

I mean after Jack Straw's crazy comments about the niqab (full veil) there has been alot of tension in many areas, but how long till the cheap tabloids start calling for a ban on the hijab? or on the beard?


Some of this has already started, and the marching Islamophobes are coming ever nearer.

I wish more Muslims would try to stop the war of terror before it's too late for us to stop anything at all. If we politically empower ourselves, then we could end these attacks against our civil liberties, but obviously that's not gonna happen - because that requires working and striving for a good cause ...

Introducing the iRack

Lol this is so true...

I'm back...

Assalaamualaikum,

I promised to keep people updated on what I got up to while I was at Hajj, but as soon as I came back (on the 18th of Jan), I was bogged down with so many things that I just couldn't find the time to write about my experiences.

However, I'm back now (it depends if you see that as good thing or a bad thing) and want to share what happened when I first got to Makkah and to the House of Allah.

We (I mean my family and I) had a 7 hour stay in Cairo before we got to Makkah, and as such were really really tired. I couldn't soak in everything as I was getting used to wearing two pieces of white, unsewn cloth and I was so tired.

We were lucky enough to have an old family friend in our Hajj group, and he had been coming for the past 26 years to perform either Hajj (pilgrimage) or Umrah (the lesser pilgrimage).

I remember walking for about 5 minutes before we got to the beautiful mosque, the marble looked so pure, and the atmosphere was electric - I was finally going to get the chance to see THAT house, I was finally going to see it with my own eyes. No TV broadcasts, no sir, I would get a chance to see the House of Allah for which so many believers in the past have strove to protect. As water washes away dirt, the thought of finally seeing Baitullah (the House Of Allah) washed my fatigue right out.

We entered through one of the doors that was close to mount Marwa (one of the two hills that Hajira/Hajar - the wife of Ibrahim/Abraham peace be upon him - ran on to try and find some water to quech her screaming baby's thirst).

There were so many people - all the men dressed in simple white cloths, no one could tell who was a king and who was a pauper, but they all had one common goal, to follow the Command of Allah.

As we got closer to the House I could feel the hairs on my neck stand up, I hadn't even seen it yet, but I could sense that it was there.

And then I saw it.

And I cried, and I kept crying, throughout the time I spent there that day that is all I did, such was the effect of Allah's House.

When we got to the end of the ritual, the men went to get their hair cut and then we all headed home to change out of our Ihram clothes (I did the type of Hajj where you take the Ihram clothes off after having done the preliminary rituals and then don it again when the 5 days of Hajj begin).

However something weird happened over the next couple of days, I couldn't feel any emotions when I looked at the Kaabah while I was in the Mosque - had I become so impure from within that I couldn't even show thanks, even FEEL thanks?

But that's when I realised - it wasn't that I couldn't feel anything when I looked at the Kaabah - the truth was that I was experiencing a new emotion that throughout my hectic life I have never encountered - sakinah (tranquility).

In the hustle and bustle of today's world where is the chance to just sit and thank Allah? I had all the time in the world to say thank you to Allah, and it was due to this new feeling of trainquility that Allah bestowed every time I looked up at the big beautiful House Of Allah.

There's so much more to say, but if I say it all now I'll need to make a new blog! Instead, from time to time I'll let you know what happened.

Fiamaanallah,

Abu Funza

How to become a Lord

Lately we have been reading a lot of stuff in the press on the cash for honours scandal. The latest twist are the claims that Lord Levy is going to be used as a scapegoat, and some people are crying anti-Semitism. For perhaps the first and only time ever I agree with Melanie Phillips when she says “But to say he is the victim of ‘anti-Semitism’ when he is at the centre of an ongoing police investigation in which he has been arrested and bailed is simply outrageous. There is not a shred of evidence to support such an allegation. If Lord Levy is in trouble, this has nothing to do with his ethnic identity.” Here’s where we slightly differ (well I think as I don’t really understand her last paragraph- there’s a lady who needs to use more commas): in my opinion, the problem with claiming anti-Semitism (or Islamophobia or other forms of racism for that matter) when that is not the case, is extremely dangerous and harmful to the respective communities. After a while, people will get sick of hearing that so and so is anti-Semitic and stop believing. Anyone remember the story of the boy who cried wolf?

However, this is not where my interest in the case lies. In fact the whole issue really quite annoys me. Not particularly because people are buying their way into one of our great parliamentary institutions, cause let’s face it, most of the people who are in there shouldnae be anyway- heriditaries, “friends” of the parties, bishops etc. Or that it reveals how corrupt our government because, well we already knew that. No, it is the fact that the scandal has been discovered, and has been revealed to the general public so the problem will now be scrutinised and rectified.

That sounds (reads) strange doesn’t it? Normally I obviously want corruption to be cleared up as how will a country progress otherwise? Of course, unless it is in my potential interest.

Let me explain. The only guaranteed way to get into the House of Lords is brownnosing (that’s honestly the politest way I could think of to express that) the leaders of the party, and that’s just not me, but I really really REALLY want to be a Lord. My plan was therefore, one day marry rich, donate a lil money to a party of my choice, get myself a peerage. Ideally it would have been a birthday present. You get my drift? Now how’s that going to happen?

I suppose with the Lords being reformed (assuming they actually pass it) I would have to be elected anyway- but that’s just long. Pretending to be nice (when people don’t deserve it) and caring about people’s opinions when blatantly I’m going to do what I think is right- just not my cuppa tea.

Thanks to a few journalists, some dumb politicians that can’t cover their tracks very well, my dreams of being a Lord disappear……

Sunny Hundal's Unhealthy Obsession

Should we be surprised at Patrick Mercer's (MP) racist comments? It hasn't been the first time he's said something so offensive and he is a member of Conservative Friends of Israel so what more can we expect!

And why oh why is Sunny Hundal so damn obsessed with Muslim organisations? I've come across his rants for some time and have noticed a slight pattern. If you are a Muslim who is vocal and active in defending the Palestinians against Israeli occupation - then you are either labelled anti-semitic or extremist - he has done this time and time again with the likes of MPACUK and the MCB - both credible pro-Palestinian Muslim organisations. If you object to Israel's crimes and occupation against the defenceless Palestinians - he will automatically have something to say about it.

There's something not quite right with him. He seems to use any excuse possible to attack and discredit Muslims. This one here as a prime example: http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1040

When it came to the Holocaust Memorial Day, he attacked Salma Yaqoob and Inayat Bunglawala (of the MCB) for not 'mentioning' the massacre and genocide of Bengalis in 1971 by Pakistani soldiers. Fair enough but I don't see Hundal himself holding to account other massacres- namely the current one ongoing in Palestine!

He is the editor of Asians in the media (an informative site when it wants to be) but here comes the dodgy part - he also runs Pickled Politics - which is very hospitable to Islamophobes and far right fascists. He seems very chummy with the racists at Harry's Place and apparently the BNP organised a march 'in honour' of Hundal...!

Anyway, the point of my rant here is who is Sunny Hundal to go round attacking and vilifying groups like these and what exactly is his agenda? I for one can see the benefits reeling from racists like Harry's Place, Islamophobes and pro-Israeli lobbies - he is doing their dirty work for them by smearing and discrediting influential Muslim groups... but what's in it for Hundal?