Some Arabs and Muslims speak western. I know there isn't a language called western, like arabic, english e.t.c. Let me explain. On twitter, I came across the following tweet: "What secularism means to us" by @algergawi http://is.gd/Hdq7pJ. Interesting title. Clinking on the hyperlink takes you to a Gulf News article by Mishaal Al Gergawi described at the bottom of the article as ‘an Emirati current affairs commentator'. Referring to secularism, the strapline of the article says ‘It isn't a foreign idea and need not carry anti-religious connotations, let alone atheistic ones. It is an earthly complement to religion'. Interesting. Like anyone who has studied the development of secularism in Europe, you wonder if this is the case of Arabs and Muslims speaking ‘Western' i.e. describing the events and aspirations of people in the Arab and Muslim world using the predominant words commonly used in the western media, whilst actually meaning something somewhat different. So when people who bravely rose against Western backed tyrants like Ben Ali or Mubarak were interviewed in Tahrir Square or Tunis, it is common to hear them say that they want "freedom" and "democracy". When they say "freedom", they want freedom from the tyrannical rule of Ben Ali, Mubarak, Gadaffi and others. They want to be able to breathe instead of living in a stifling police state where you can disappear for criticizing the ruler. However, they are not demanding the freedoms as understood in the West. The freedom to "insult" the Prophet (saw) as the Danish cartoonist and some in West demand, nor the ‘freedom' to have same-sex marriage, or the freedom to promote lewd behaviour and sex before marriage as a norm. People in the Arab and Muslim world find these ‘freedoms' abhorrent since they contradicts their Islamic values and heritage. Likewise, when they say they want ‘democracy', they mean they want the right to elect their government and being able to hold that government to account - something the Islamic shariah obliges. They are not demanding the right for parliamentarians or Senators to legislate laws which contradict Islam - -as happens in the West where Parliament\senate is sovereign. They believe that Allah (swt) has legislated laws in several aspects of life beyond just praying and fasting but including taxation and other economic matters, what is socially acceptable, how the ruler (Khalifah) should be appointed and so on.
Secularism, which contends that religious affairs must be separate from the rest of life's affairs, evolved in Europe where the religious leaders in collusion with the Kings, tried imposing a religion - Christianity - over societal matters. Since Christianity, unlike Islanm, is not a comprehensive socio-political ideology this caused oppression which finally lead to the resolution that the Church should have no say in how life's affairs are managed. On the other hand, the Islamic world had a totly different historical development. Even non-Muslim academics and historians who study the Prophet's life acknowledge that He (saw) came with a complete social, economic and political system which he implemented as a ruler in Madinah when he established the first Islamic state and that after him the Muslims appointed rulers, Khalifah's, because the Prophet (saw) who said "after me, there will be Khalifahs" and he ordered us to obey them. This is basic stuff which is well known by non-Muslims who study Islam and most Muslims from an early age, yet here was an article implying otherwise!
In his article, Gergawi says "after all, Europeans were able to reconcile secularism with Christianity citing "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's" (Mark 12:13-17)" and then goes on to quote the hadith from the Musnad of imam Ahmad "If a question relates to your worldly matters, you would know better about it, but if it relates to your religion, then to me it belong" drawing a similarity and justification to prove that secularism is inherently compatible with Islam. Then he concludes that "secularism isn't a foreign idea and need not carry anti-religious connotations, let alone atheistic ones. If anything, it is an earthly complement to divine religion. It is merely an understanding and appreciation of the capacity of the human mind, God's greatest gift to man, to be wise on earth and find answers to earthly questions that arise". So it is clear that this is not someone who has misunderstood a foreign term i.e. secularism, rather someone who understands it and is attempting to convince a Muslim audience of it - hence his reference to the hadith of the Prophlet (saw) in the Musnad of Ahmad- in order to justify secularism which effectively contends that Allah (swt) should not be the reference in every matter or that Islam is not a comprehensive way of life, but merely a religion akin to Christianity - something most non-Muslims who study Islam woud not say. A deeper study would have clarified that matters of science and technology (e.g. polination of plants mentioned in the hadith of Imam Ahmad that he quotes) are universal matters which are neutral and do not belong to any specific ideology be it Islam, capitalism, communism e.t.c. hence Muslims are allowed to adopt these from wherever they are produced using the best human Endeavour. That is why Muslims always developed or adopted the best technology and science from wherever it came, but the idea that Muslims adopt values, systems of life (ruling, socisl, economic) from other ideologies such as secular liberal capitalism is going to be a hard sell to Muslims. Comments at the bottom of the article reveal how hard. Especially since the mindset of the masses has changed over the last few decades. As a result of global events and shocks - occupation, Gulf wars... - a thinking process has evolved and a new set of Islamic concepts and values now exist in the popular discourse. The concept of Islamic politics, Jihad, Ummah, unity, Shari'ah and a Khilafah "Caliphate" (a single ruler for the Arab and Muslim world) are now so prevalent that it is common to see these terms included as part of West's lexicon to interpret the events in the Muslim world. Those trying to argue for secularism might as well be arguing for halal pork. A contradiction in terms.
Taji Mustafa
Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain

 for more photo click here

More than 20 thousand Muslims flocked the Lebak Bulus Stadium in Jakarta, on Wednesday (June 29th 2011) from morning until afternoon. The masses who came from various parts of Jakarta and its surroundings turned up  at the Rajab Conference 1432 H held by Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia (HTI).

With the theme of "Prosperous Life Under the Shadow of Khilafah "Caliphate"", the event was the climax of a series of similar conferences held in 29 cities all over Indonesia, from Aceh to Papua.

HTI creates this momentum to remind Muslims that the establishment of Islamic Khilafah "Caliphate" State is a Syariah obligation binding upon all Muslims.

The establishment of Khilafah "Caliphate" is a deciding factor of the perfection in the implementation of various legal and other obligations. That is the reason why the Muslims must immediately rise up and fight with all the power and efforts to restore the Islamic Khilafah "Caliphate" to life.

HTI spokesman, Muhammad Ismail Yusanto explained that besides being a means of enlightenment and educating people,  the Rajab Conference also serves to encourage belief in the establishment of a government which is based on Qur'an and Sunnah.

"The conference was held to step up enthusiasm and optimism about the success of the re-establishment of shari'ah and Khilafah "Caliphate"," said Ismail.

According to HTI, the chaotic situation of the nation and the people of Indonesia at this time are caused by the application of liberal-capitalist system that has been implemented for so long. Thus, HTI believes if the Islamic Syariah is successfully implemented later, Indonesia people will prosper.

"This is the concrete manifestation of the promise of Allah that Islam will bring blessing to all universe," said Ismail.

 Titles:

• 'Criminals' aged just 3: Children responsible for hidden crimewave, including rape and vandalism... and there's nothing police can do

• Libya: Muammar Gaddafi subject to ICC arrest warrant

• Sadr supporters ready for attacks on US troops
  

• Anti-government protesters in Yemen have held rallies, urging the departure of Ali Abdullah Saleh's sons and aides from the country
  

• Afghan Central Bank Chief Flees To US
  

•  Pakistan must prove it wants end to Afghanistan war: US

News Details:

'Criminals' aged just 3: Children responsible for hidden crimewave, including rape and vandalism... and there's nothing police can do

As many as 3,000 criminals, including rapists, robbers and burglars, escaped punishment last year because they were too young to be prosecuted. Children as young as three were identified by police as being responsible for a hidden crimewave across Britain.But they avoided criminal proceedings because they were aged below ten, when the Government says they become ‘responsible' for their actions.A survey of 30 of the 52 forces in Britain using Freedom of Information laws revealed 1,605 crimes were blamed on someone aged under ten in the last financial year. If the remaining 22 forces are added, including the Met where more than a sixth of all offences take place, the total is likely to reach more than 3,000.The catalogue of crimes included:
*Greater Manchester Police dealt with eight-year-olds suspected of sex assaults on other children in Tameside and Salford, as well as one allegedly behind a kidnapping in Rochdale.
*Police in Fife recorded 143 cases, including two eight-year-olds behind a rape in Levenmouth.
*Avon and Somerset Police logged crimes against five six-year-old boys, including a sex attack, vandalism and an assault.

Libya: Muammar Gaddafi subject to ICC arrest warrant
The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Libyan leader Col Muammar Gaddafi, accusing him of crimes against humanity. The court had grounds to believe he had ordered attacks on civilians during Libya's four-month uprising, it said. The Hague-based court also issued warrants for two of Col Gaddafi's top aides - his son Saif al-Islam and intelligence chief Abdullah al-Sanussi. Thousands of people are believed to have been killed in the conflict. Anti-Gaddafi forces said on Monday they had launched a new push towards Tripoli, with heavy fighting near the strategic town of Bir al-Ghanam, to the south-west of capital.  The rebel defence minister told the BBC that forces opposed to Col Gaddafi may also make a move on the capital from the east.

Sadr supporters ready for attacks on US troops
Supporters of Shiite radical leader Moqtada al-Sadr have offered to carry out suicide attacks against US troops in Iraq, his office said Saturday, as a year-end deadline for a US pullout looms. "Thank you, my dear friends, and God bless you," Sadr wrote in reply to the offer from loyalists of his disbanded Mahdi Army militia, a statement from his office in the central shrine city of Najaf said. The message came from "a group from the Mahdi Army who say they are ready to place themselves under his command to carry out suicide attacks to defend Islam and Iraq, targeting the occupying infidels without hitting civilians or public institutions," Sadr's office said.

Anti-government protesters in Yemen have held rallies, urging the departure of Ali Abdullah Saleh's sons and aides from the country
The protests were held across the country's cities, including in the capital Sana'a and cities of Ibb and Taizz, on Sunday, the Associated Press reported. The demonstrators also repeated their call for the resignation of Saleh, who fled to Saudi Arabia for treatment after a June 3 rocket attack on the presidential palace. In the form of a popular revolution, the rallies have been held in Yemen's major cities since late January, demanding Saleh's ouster besides calling for an end to corruption and unemployment.  The country has been facing months of political crisis triggered by Saleh's refusal to step down. "Saleh's orphans have to leave the country," demonstrators said, referring to Salah's sons Ahmed and Khaled.  Ahmed, who was widely suspected of inheriting presidency from his father, before the popular uprising started, heads Yemen's elite Presidential Guard. The force leads a brutal crackdown on the anti-regime protesters.  Khaled also enjoys sway over military units. They both greatly contributed to the survival of the unpopular regime during Saleh's absence.

Afghan Central Bank Chief Flees To US
Afghanistan's central bank governor has fled to the U.S. and is not expected to return because he fears for his safety after investigating allegations of mass fraud against the country's largest lender, according to two western officials.  Abdul Qadir Fitrat fled from Kabul to the U.S. about 10 days ago, one of these people said, after launching an investigation into Kabul Bank, which brought the nation's financial industry to its knees last fall. The lender's politically connected insiders, including shareholders, are suspected of borrowing some $850 million from the bank, or about 94% of its total loans.  Mr. Fitrat's departure is a blow to the International Monetary Fund's attempts to reform Afghanistan's financial and regulatory system, which center around dissolving Kabul Bank. The IMF submitted a package of financial reforms in April which have yet to be approved by Afghanistan, potentially putting billions of dollars of international donor money in jeopardy. The IMF suspended its financial assistance package to Afghanistan last year and many countries cannot donate to Afghanistan in its absence.  Mr. Fitrat didn't respond to repeated requests for comment. He was quoted Monday by Reuters news agency in an interview in suburban Virginia saying: "The reason I was not able to resign in Kabul was because my life was completely in danger." Mr. Fitrat's family lives in suburban Washington.

Pakistan must prove it wants end to Afghanistan war: US
Pakistan must prove that it wants an end to the war in Afghanistan by preventing militants from hiding out on its soil and attacking on the Afghan side of the border, the US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Marc Grossman, has said.  Grossman said at a news conference in Kabul that discussions among Afghanistan, Pakistan and the United States being held this week in the Afghan capital are important to coordinate efforts to find a political resolution to the nearly decade-long war, the Dawn reports. They also are an opportunity to clearly convey to Pakistani officials that part of their responsibility for bringing peace is to stop supporting insurgent safe havens and those who attack Afghans and international forces in Afghanistan, he added. The United States wants the Pakistan Government to participate positively in the reconciliation process, and Islamabad now has important choices to make in this regard, a foreign news agency quoted Grossman, as saying at the news conference.