Muslim Travel Ban: America under the Dark Cloud of Bigotry

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah

A divided Supreme court on partisan lines upheld Muslim travel ban by a margin of 5 to 4. No different than the 1944 Supreme Court decision that upheld the internment of Japanese American. In the decision the majority conservative judges believe that the President has sweeping statutory authority and his decisions based on national security are within his constitutional rights.

Thus, National security is the mantra that gives the President absolute power to impose whatever policy he deems fit to secure national interests. 

The implications of this decision are far-reaching. 

The president now has the backing of the judiciary branch to include more countries in the list travel ban countries.

The President can revoke the naturalized citizenship of any legal resident anytime under the pretext of national security

The President can declare any community or a country a threat to the people of the United States

The President can ban any religion under the pretext of danger to the people of the United States

The decision, in fact, expands the power and authority of the President beyond the known constitutional process. It relegates the house and senate to a debating club without any authority to legislate because the President has the authority to question any legislation to secure national interests.

This is the rise of dictatorship on the ashes of democracy and no one really knows how the events would unfold the future political drama in the country.

The Supreme Court decision is made by judges who claim to be nonpartisans and secular, but the reality is that like any other human beings their religious and political ideas and affiliations impact their views. 

In the current Supreme Court, there are five Catholics, three Jews, and one Protestant, even though he is not loud about his religious affiliation. The Catholics are chief justice John Roberts, Justice Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor. The Jewish justices are Ruther Bader Ginsberg, Stephen  Breyer, and Elena Kagan. Neil Gorsuch is an Episcopalian  This has not been the case always. Since its inception in 1789, the Supreme Court has had 91 Protestant judges out of 113 judges.

The judges are not selected on party or religious lines. However, the possibility of their religious and ideological biases may impact their decision. The travel ban decision seems to emerge from this hypothetical belief that the current Islamophobic propaganda created by the right-wing Christian evangelical political groups close to the Republican party and especially to the President might have impacted he conservative judges who are usually more inclined to take positions that in the past have favored the conservatives and Republicans.

Indeed, this decision is one of the most earthshaking in modern American history with far-reaching consequences t the generations to come. The 1944 supreme court decision upholding the internment of Japanese still haunt the Japanese and the ethnic and religious minorities. This current decision would be a nightmare for Muslims and other religious minorities who do not endorse the Republican or Trump agenda in the near future. This decision would be seen by the generations to come as a form of legalized Islamophobia and under this decision, Muslims would face, a situation that might pale the Japanese internment. The country is in the grip of white supremacy and evangelical Christian who view every non-white non-Christian especially Muslims a threat to Western Civilization under the leadership of America. When race and religion combine to promote their supremacy, nothing but persecution and violations of basic human rights occur through a process the perpetrators call legal. This is where America stands today.

War is Ugly and would Destroy both India and Pakistan

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah

India and Pakistan are engaged in a war of words that in the view of many may turn into an actual war causing millions to suffer. If the countries go to war, they would destroy billions to hurt each other without achieving any purpose other than glorifying their pride. War never solves any problem, it exacerbates it. War is not in the interest of the warring nations. It only helps those who know how to turn human corpses into money. The taxpayers’ money is usually spent in importing arms and ammunition from weapon manufacturers, who do not care about human lives.

The war threats force the nations to spend more on war preparations. Every bullet that is fired to prepare the troops costs 22 cents and the arms industry produce 12 billion rounds of bullets every year, most of which is spent in preparing for wars.

It is in the interests of weapon manufacturers to ensure that wars continue perpetually, otherwise, their factories would be closed down and their source of livelihood would dry out. All they need to do is to buy a few politicians and generals, journalists, academicians and researchers in nations in conflict with each other to convince the power elites that war is in the best interest of their national security who would use every possible means to prepare public opinion for war. They would use religion, scriptures, God, nationalism and what not to promote the war.

Pakistan spends some 23 percent of its national spending on defense compared with 1.3 percent on health and 7.8 percent on education. India is no different in that. Imagine, if the two countries, instead of spending $60 billion on defense spend half of that amount on education and health, their dependence on IMF and world-leading banks would diminish.

It is proven that when nations spend more on health care and education, they achieve higher standards of living and development. When they spend more on defense, they live in perpetual fear and anxiety. Ironically, some of the countries that invest heavily on defense are classified as Muslim majority countries.

The two countries are not unique in spending their vital national resources on defense. Military spending is important to most nations, with each country spending to its own need and ability. But the need and ability are often determined by political circumstances. Canada spends 6.3 percent of its total yearly budget on military spending. The United States spends 19.3 percent of its budget on military expenses. Mexico uses 3.3 percent of its budget for military spending.  Nicaragua spends 3.2 percent of its yearly budget on military expenses. In Columbia, military spending is 11.9 percent of its annual budget. Argentina military spending is 5.9 percent of its yearly budget.

In Scandinavia and Europe, military spending is relatively low. Norway spends 4.8 percent of its budget on military spending, while its neighbor Sweden spends 4.3 percent of its budget on the military. In the U.K., military spending is 6.3 percent of the yearly expenditure. In Germany, military spending is 3.3 percent. In France, military spending is 5.4 percent of France’s yearly budget. Italy uses 4.5 percent of its annual budget for military spending. The annual military spending of Spain is 4.2 percent.

In the Middle East, the level of military spending is generally higher than in Europe. In the United Arab Emirates, military spending makes up 45.7 percent of the country’s annual budget. In Iran, military spending is 21.7 percent of its allocated budget. The military expenditure of Pakistan is 23.1 percent of all its yearly expenditures.  Morocco spends 13.6 percent of its annual budget on military expenditures. The military of South Africa is 4.8 percent of its budget. In India, military spending is 18.6 percent of its total spending. Thailand spends 7 percent of its money on its military. Indonesia sends 6.5 percent of its budget in the military. Australia spends 7.1 percent of its budget on its military. New Zealand military spending is 3.1 percent of the New Zealand yearly budget. In China, 18.2 percent of the annual budget is spent on military expenses. South Korea spends 12 percent of its total yearly expenditures on the military. In Japan, the military spending percentage is 6.4 percent of the country’s annual budget. Russia spends 18.7 percent of its annual budget on the military.

When it comes to health care Canada spends 17.9 percent of its total yearly budget on health care. The United States spends 19.3 percent of its budget on health care expenses. Mexico uses 11.8 percent of its budget for health care. Nicaragua spends 17 percent of its yearly budget on health care. In Columbia, health care spending is 17 percent of its annual budget. Argentina health care spending is 14.2 percent of its yearly budget. Norway spends 17.9 percent of its budget on health care spending, while its neighbor Sweden spends 13.8 percent of its budget on health care. In the U.K., health care spending is 16.3 percent of the yearly expenditure. In Germany, health care spending is 17.9 percent. In France, health care spending is 16.7 percent of France’s yearly budget. Italy uses 14.2 percent of its annual budget for health care spending. The annual health care spending of Spain is 15.5 percent. In the United Arab Emirates, health care spending makes up 8.7 percent of the country’s annual budget. In Iran, health care spending is 11.5 percent of its allocated budget. The health care expenditure of Pakistan is 1.3 percent of all its yearly expenditures. Morocco spends 4.8 percent of its annual budget on health care expenditures. The health care of South Africa is 9.1 percent of its budget. In India, health care spending is 3.4 percent of its total spending. Thailand spends 11.3 percent of its money on its health care. Indonesia sends 6.2 percent of its budget in the health care. Australia spends 17 percent of its budget on its health care New Zealand health care spending is 18.4 percent of the New Zealand yearly budget. In China, 9.9 percent of the annual budget is spent on health care expenses. South Korea spends 11.7 percent of its total yearly expenditures on health care. In Japan, health care spending percentage is 17.9 percent of the country’s annual budget. Russia spends 10.8 percent of its annual budget on health care.

When it comes to spending on education, Canada spends 12.7 percent of its total yearly budget on education. The United States spends 17.1 percent of its budget on education expenses. Mexico uses 24.3 percent of its budget on education spending. Nicaragua spends 15 percent of its yearly budget on education. In Columbia, education spending is 15.6 percent of its annual budget. Argentina education spending is 13.8 percent of its yearly budget. Norway spends 16.2 percent of its budget on education spending, while Sweden spends 12.8 percent of its budget on education. In the U.K., education spending is 11.5 percent of the yearly expenditure. In Germany, education spending is 9.5 percent. In France, education spending is 11.4 percent of France’s yearly budget. Italy uses 10.3 percent of its annual budget for education spending. The annual education spending of Spain is 11.3 percent of its budget. In Tthe United Arab Emirates, education spending makes up 22.5 percent of the country’s annual budget. In Iran, education spending is 17.7 percent of its allocated budget. The education expenditure of Pakistan is 7.8 percent of all its yearly expenditures.  Morocco spends 26.4 percent of its annual budget on education expenditures. The education of South Africa is 18.5 percent of its budget. In India, education spending is 12.7 percent of its total spending. Thailand spends on education. Australia spends 13.3 percent of its budget on education. New Zealand education spending is 15.1 percent of the New Zealand yearly budget. In China, 12.1 percent of the annual budget is spent on education expenses. South Korea spends 15.5 percent of its total yearly expenditures on education. In Japan, the education spending percentage is 10.5 percent of the country’s annual budget. Russia spends 11.5 percent of its annual budget on the education.
Obviously, the money that is being spent on defense from taxpayers pockets who have been convinced that their safety lies only in a strong military. India and Pakistan have created a situation where the power elites fume hatred against each other and ensure that from time to time the slogans of war are raised to frighten their people and earn more of their tax money to buy more weapons.

Look at the following data to understand the amount of money the two countries have spent on strengthening their defense. Imagine if they live in peace without fearing any intervention from each other, how much growth and development they can achieve in a short period of time. War can be initiated any time, but peace requires patience and sustained efforts of visionary leaders who can swallow their pride and ego and work for the welfare and well being of common people.

India’s military budget is $53 Billion. Pakistan’s military budget is $7 Billion  

India has 4.7 million troops. This includes active troops, reserved troops, and paramilitary forces. India’s total troops’ strength is 4th in the world and more than China and the USA

Pakistan has 1.4 million troops. This includes active troops, reserved troops, and paramilitary forces. They are 10th in the list of most number of military troops in the world.

India possesses a total of 2086 Aircraft which is 4th in the world. This includes Fighter Aircraft, Bomber Aircraft Attack Aircraft and many other types.

Pakistan possesses 923 aircraft and is 11th in the world. This includes Fighter Aircraft, Bomber Aircraft, Attack Aircraft and many other types.

India has total 6464 battle tank which is 4th in the world.

Pakistan has a total 2924 battle tank which is 10th in the world

India owns 5 Military Satellites in space Aircraft carriers and is one of the only 18 countries with at least 1 Military Satellite.

Pakistan does not have any Military Satellite.

The total number of Navy Ship India possess is 295. They are 7th in the world in terms of Navy Ship strength.

Total Number of Navy Ship Pakistan possess is 197. Pakistan is 11th in the world in terms of Navy Ship strength.

India owns 13 Sub Marine which is 8th highest in the world.

Whereas Pakistan owns 5 Sub Marines,16th highest in the world.

 India owns a total of 11 Destroyers and is 6th in the list.

Pakistan owns 1 Destroyer and is 19th in the list.

India has 2 nuclear submarines and is one of the only 6 countries who owns a nuclear submarine.

Pakistan does not have any nuclear submarine.

India and Pakistan both have 90-110 Nuclear weapons and are 6th in the world.
Obliviously, it is in the best interests of the weapon industry to ensure that the two countries keep on piling arms and ammunition on a regular basis. This would not be possible without raising the slogans of war. This is precisely what the power elites of India and Pakistan are doing. They have enlisted the services of religious leaders to their cause who are invoking the name of God to prepare masses to get ready for the blood bath of their enemies.

The Revenge by the Disintegrated Empire

The Soviet Union was defeated. Its army humiliated and the superpower scattered like a pack of cards into smaller countries. It was one of the biggest earth-shaking events of the last century. It caused the collapse of the biggest espionage agency ever existed. It rendered the nuclear arsenal of the former superpower useless. It made millions of people unemployed. The world changed and the empire described by another empire as the evil empire collapsed. 

It all happened because the United States played an active role in the dismemberment of the rival superpower and used the occupation of Afghanistan as a pretext to establish its supremacy in world politics. 

Thousands of Afghans lost their lives, billions of dollars were spent to lure fighters from all over the world to Afghanistan to cause the worst humiliation to the Soviet Union. But who cares. Human life has always been the cheapest commodity in our world forever.
What, then, do you expect from those unemployed KGB operatives all over the world who lost their livelihood because of the US? What do you expect from those illegal weapon manufacturing units all over the world run by the former Soviet agents who lost their regular revenue? What do you expect the weapon experts to do with the unused Soviet arsenal?
In the eyes of an average Russian, the United States is the culprit. For KGB and the Soviet Army, the US is the one that caused their misery through disintegration.of their main employer, their national government. In a world where national and ethnic pride determine policies and political and social behavior of most people, it would be naive to think that the KGB would not strike back.

It has struck back in its own ways and those who understand the world of intelligence know exactly what has been going in our world today.
What is happening in Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria or Pakistan and what would happen in other Middle Eastern countries as well as in Europe in years to come is the outcome of this revenge tactics on the part of a former superpower. 

Money can buy anything and former KGB players and their supporters are buying terrorists, anarchists, and war mongers. The intelligence agencies always operate through their henchmen. When the CIA worked in Afghanistan, it did not send its field officers to distribute money to Afghans directly. It worked through the government of Pakistan and several Islamic organizations to channel its funds and export its ideology. When the USA went into Iraq, its secret agencies worked through religious leaders from among Shias and Sunnis to run its operation. 

In Afghanistan, it was through the religious leaders that the CIA managed to develop an Islamic curriculum for schools opened for Afghan refugees in Pakistan and elsewhere. It was through religious scholars, the CIA worked to convince the masses that violence for the right cause is always justified and loved by the divine. Its scholars found religious texts to support this ideology.
Why, then, anyone would think that the nonexistent, but ever-present KGB would not use the same tactics in an improvised manner? Why do you think the Russians would not use ISIS, ISIL, Iran, Syria for their purposes? Why do you think the Russians would not exploit the prevailing conditions in the United States to create more chaos and fear and impact the forthcoming elections.
The Russian espionage is alive and well. Now one of our presidential aspirants has endorsed the Russian espionage and even encouraged, to actively spy on his rival, the Russians will feel bold to pursue their political goal. Their objective is to ensure that the US loses its edge as a superpower and suffers catastrophic economic and political disasters. If in this war, the Russians have to use Islam as a scapegoat, they would not hesitate. Why should they? When the CIA also used Islam and Muslims to pursue their political interests, Russians feel justified in following the lead. 

The Muslim political and religious leadership is myopic. It does not see anything beyond its own narrow ethnic, sectarian and selfish interests. It can sacrifice anything for its egoistic goals regardless of the price people might pay.
Let us be prepared for a long war that is much colder than the cold war and in this war of revenge, besides the US, Islam and Muslims would also be major casualties. The White Christian right wing evangelical establishment in the US and the West is not thinking beyond its racism and religious bigotry. It is willing to sacrifice its own freedom to ensure that non white, non Christians do not occupy positions of significance in world politics. Its endorsement of the Republican candidate is a testimony of its eagerness to commit suicide on the altar of hate.
The world is in a big mess and in the days, months and years to come, the mess would expand, creating destabilization in every society and community unless the people under a sincere and honest leadership emerge for the betterment of all and not just one nation and group. Welcome to Jahiliya (Days of Ignorance) when tribal, ethnic, cultural, religious and nationalist wars were justified to perpetuate the revenge, plunder and murder.

The Failed Coup and the Challenge of Erdogan

The failed coup in Turkey should not make people think that the danger is over. Those who wanted to replace President Erdogan and his party are still there in Turkey and they would do everything possible to destabilize the country. However the ball is in the court of the President and if he responds to the crisis in a magnanimous manner, he could turn the tables against his foes and create a democratic model that would be the envy of every country.
Rather than locking up all his foes, he needs to win them over to his vision of Turkey. He needs to initiate a dialogue with those who see his understanding of Islam irrelevant in Turkey and the modern world. Doubtlessly, Erdogan and his party are committed to Islam and aspire to present the country as a leading example of Islam to the world. There are certain areas where the vision that Erdogan has of Islam needs to be focused. He would have to prove that Turkey under his leadership is an open society that respects human rights and promotes peace and progress. He would have to set the example through concrete actions that science and technology are the foundations of emerging Turkey where corruption has no place. He would have to prove to the world that his country can give a balanced education system to the people that integrate science with the religious ethos and universal ethics.
In particular, the following major areas would deserve his utmost attention.
1. Emphasis on Islamic values should not lead him to deny non-Muslims their right to preach and practice their religion or no religion freely.
2. Women should not be forced into a lifestyle they do not want to identify with and their rights to seek equality in all spheres of life should be respected.
3. Moral values should not be imposed on those who do not believe in them.
4. Rather than reacting on the basis of political expediency, a principled position should be taken on matters of concerns to Turkey and the Muslim world. In other words, Turkey should emerge as a voice of decency and support for all those who are denied justice and equality regardless of their background.
5. Negotiations should open with Kurds and Armenians and other dissident groups to find a solution of the bitterness that has lingered long and caused tensions in the relationship.
6. An education system that integrates ethics with science and technology should be the foundation to lay the future social fabric of the country.
7. Peaceful opposition should be encouraged and those in power should always be ready to consult even their foes on matters of public interests.
8. Witch-hunt of those involved in the failed coup should be replaced with dialogue and reconciliation. Rather than turning Gulanists into enemies, efforts should be directed to secure their support for a unified Turkey with prosperity for all.
9. Better and stronger relations with neighbors should be the mainstay of Turkish policies as it would prevent possible incursion and infiltration.
10. Living conditions of people regardless of their social and religious background should be improved so that their basic needs are guaranteed.

IM, ISI, RSS, and R&AW

With the exception of ISI, all other groups mentioned above are India based.

R&AW is the CIA of India. It obtains and analyses information about foreign governments, corporations and persons, Indian and non-Indians and advises the policymakers. It was established in 1968 and since then it is run by professionals who are mostly drawn from India’s top caste, Brahmins.

Inter-Service Intelligence or ISI established in 1948 is R&AW’s counterpart in Pakistan. It specializes in the collection, analysis, and assessment of external intelligence, either military or non-military. Its top leadership is drawn from three main military services

The Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS) was established in 1925 to unite Hindus under the leadership of Brahmins. It propagated the idea that India is for Hindus only and minorities and all those who are not part of the Hindu caste system must remain subservient to Hindus. It carried out acts of violence against minorities, especially against Muslims since its inception. Over the years, it has formed militant groups who engage in attacks on minorities.  It was banned immediately after independence, but now has become a formidable force in Indian politics.

Indian Mujahideen (IM) came to limelight in 2008. Its aim is to create Islamic Caliphate in South Asia. Experts believe that the organization was composed of lower cadres of the former Student Islamic Movement of India, a youth group, established in 1977 by Jamat-e-Islami, India. The organization is banned in India, the UK, the US, and other places.

The Hindu-Muslim politics of India and Pakistan is the story of these four major outfits. It’s a story that is buried under secrecy as no one really knows the true and inner dimensions of these groups unless leaks by former members reveal their inner functioning.

The two intelligence groups have created and supported groups in both countries to fulfill their mission and vision. They have their own politicians, public officials, journalists, celebrities and people belonging to all sectors of society serving their organizational goals. The other two have a relationship with them in matters that are useful for intelligence gatherings.

A public incident like that of the following illustrates the modus operandi of intelligence organizations and groups that work for them

Some time ago, an Indian Police officer K.V. Unnikrishnan, who was the station chief of India's R$AW between 1985-1987 was trapped by the CIA to reveal that India was providing training to Tamil freedom-seeking groups and arming them to create a Tamil State in Sri Lanka. Unnikrishnan was later arrested by the Intelligence Bureau. He was stripped of his IPS status and sent to Tihar Jail for one year for revealing the state secrets.

The revelation substantiated the suspicion that people already had that intelligence agencies were manipulating groups and individuals in the two countries to run their operation and serve their purposes.

Pakistan’s intelligence agency is primarily concerned about the stability of the country. India’s intelligence is not only concerned about the security of the country, but also about the supremacy of Hindu upper castes in India’s organizational and political structure. R&AW is not known for allowing minorities to be on its sensitive positions. Brahmans are the ones who are preferred on top and crucial positions.

RSS wants to create a Hindu state and it sincerely believes that it can. For almost 90 years, it has worked hard towards that goal. Its members are found in all branches of the government as well as in the army and organizations like R&AW and military intelligence include many RSS members.

IM aims to create an Islamic caliphate without having any sense of the demography of the country in which it is located.  Those who are often accused of being part of IM cannot carry out an intelligent discussion about Islam and its political structure. Apart from the rhetoric often used to incite mass sympathy, they offer nothing. In fact, their understanding of Islam’s basics would make a first grader in any Islamic school wonder if he was learning the same religion.

In reality, it has become an organization of unknown faces whose names appear only during terror-related blasts. No one really knows if RSS, ISI or R&AW manipulates individuals who later are dubbed as Indian Mujahideen. No one really knows if details attributed to individuals accused of being part of IM were coerced or concocted by the authorities. Everything is possible when the authorities have absolute secrecy about everything they want to discuss in public.

It serves R&AW and RSS to have an outfit, identified as an Indian Muslim, that can develop possible links with ISI. Access to individuals who have ISI connections provides a connection to ISI modus operandi in India and elsewhere. For intelligence agencies, the loss of human lives in either place is just a game of manipulation of their resources.

If IM was a real group with a cadre, like the RSS, the R&AW and RSS would have had no difficulty in tracing its activities. It should not surprise anyone that the Intelligence Bureau of India, (IB) had its mole implanted its moles in a highly disciplined organization such as the Jamat Islamic Hind during the 70s? According to IB sources, the devices were placed in the Jamat headquarters to listen to the proceeding of its Shura Council. Needless to say that the devices were placed by someone considered reliable in the Jamat. Intelligence agencies are expert in such activities.

The argument that RSS and R&AW are unaware of IM activities and membership does not make much sense. It is possible that R&AW or RSS has access to individuals in the Muslim community or other communities who could be dubbed as IM once they carried out the plan they were recruited for. Otherwise, how does one get information that is later translated into terror alerts?

Trapping individuals with a criminal record or illegal activities as possible intelligence assets and recruits is a known intelligence tactic. Intelligence agents also lookout for individuals with low IQ who could easily be manipulated into believing in their ability to change things for their group or community. Intelligence agencies are also known to use religious scriptures to motivate such individuals to commit acts of violence. 

In the case of RSS and R&AW, such tactics offer good tactics in the pursuit of their ultimate goals. RSS could always use the fear of IM and its activities to rally Hindu masses against an enemy that is out to destroy their religion and culture and R&AW can also use IM to justify its continued involvement in Pakistan.

Intelligence gathering is a very sophisticated process and an agent uses all possible, legal and illegal means to achieve the ends. The veil of secrecy makes it almost impossible for an average or even expert to precisely know the details.

The details become known only when someone blows the whistle or some other competing group traps the other agent and uses the information as political leverage.

Sometimes intelligence groups misinform the people deliberately and sometimes they cook information to get more information. Sometimes they run psychological operations to create fear in the hearts of people.

By and large a great majority of Muslims have taken a principled stand against terrorism. They believe that violence against innocent people and civilians is neither justified nor sanctioned under any interpretations of Islam. This community understands the spirit and meaning of jihad that cannot be randomly declared by anyone claiming to be a Muslim. So if anyone uses Islam to promote acts of terrorism, the community gets suspicious of that individual and group. The doubt, always lingers in the mind of many if this individual or group was working for someone else to project Islam and Muslims as a danger to the nation or a particular community.

India’s intelligence groups have not given the impression to the Indians that they are objective in matters pertaining to minorities. The absence of Muslims in the intelligence services is conspicuous and the agenda of RSS is known. Even though some Muslim leaders have toyed with the idea of outreach to RSS and its multifaceted outfits, yet the community is not convinced that a hungry lion can be trusted with the life of a goat. The RSS offers a real threat to minorities and Muslims in particular. One has to look at the literature of RSS in vernaculars that is widely distributed in India’s rural areas.

In the coming months before the next general election, it is possible that IM becomes more visible. But who knows who would be manipulating it from behind. What is certain is that neither Islam nor Muslims would be behind those individuals who might act in the name of the IM or similar outfits to serve the interests of someone else.

Mission Syria: Capture Asad and try him in the International Court of Justice

The responsibility to destabilize Syria lies solely on the shoulders of Bashar Asad. He is brutal and his regime is murderous. He has usurped the rights of people and denied them their basic dignity. He is staying in power because those opposed to him are not very well organized and those who claim to be supportive of justice have priorities other than justice. Moreover, the dictator has access to weapons of destruction, including chemical gas and no one can stop him from using these weapons as the events of the last week have demonstrated. He is supported by his neighbors such as Iran and Hizbullah because, in his ascendency, they see their interests preserved and protected. China and Russia see him as a pawn to check the United States in this long game of political chess. The people are paying the price. Millions have been killed and made refugees. The agony and pain of those uprooted from their homes are unspeakable.
Syrian Americans, by and large, are seeking US intervention in Syria. A majority of Muslim Americans are also supportive of this action. Depending on the nature and scope of the US mission in Syria, the situation might either bring about the desired change or further destabilize the region.
Let us be very honest about our mission in Syria. We are not going to save human lives. If human life were our concern, we would have supported the Palestinians, the Bahrainis, and the Saudis, to name a few, who have been struggling for their human dignity. Moreover, we are the ones who have often been accused of promoting the culture of violence in Iraq and Afghanistan and other places through our policies that we describe are rooted in our national security interests..
Our argument is that the use of chemical gas is a red line for humanity. Britain and Russia were the two main sources from where Assad obtained chemical gas. If we were really concerned about it, we should have stalled its supply to the murderous regime. We should have acted when the gas was being supplied to the murderer. During the last two years, hundreds and thousands of people have been killed, yet, we remained silent on the situation. What moral right, we have to talk about the chemical gas attack, when we encouraged Saddam Hussain to use it against his own people and against Iran. Moreover, we are the only nation in the world that has used the atomic bomb against its enemies.
So we are not going there to save human lives. We are going there to ensure the following.

1.      We create a regime that we could use for our political purposes in our fight against Iran and Hizbullah.

2.      We could control the supply route of arms to Hizbullah from Iran.

3.      We could use Syria as a base to foment trouble in Iran.

4.      We could also monitor Turkey and check its political strides.

5.      We could provide intelligence information to Israel to serve its political interests.

6.      We could also provide protection to the monarchs of the Gulf against an ever-increasing danger from Iran and Hizbullah.

7.      We could also check the Russian and Chinese encroachment in the Middle East.

8.      We could use, the local regimes in the Gulf to ensure that militancy against the US and Israel is curbed in its infancy.

The Syrian opposition is not mature to take an independent stand on regional issues. Even if it comes to power after Asad, it would indulge in political bickering and fighting on non-issues neglecting the real issues of the people. It is a coalition of people who want revenge, not a coalition of people who want to build a society based on justice and fairness. Obviously, such a coalition has the potential to will become a pawn in the hands of those who would provide it the political support.
So what is to be done?  

1.      Rather than targeting Syrian infrastructure, any military strikes should target the culprits. The mission should be to arrest him and his cronies and try them in the international court of justice for crimes against humanity.

2.      The Syrian coalition should expand its base and move from the tactics of revenge to the strategy of nation-building where everyone should have a share regardless of their sect, religion, and ethnicity. Proportional representation would serve the interests of each religious and ethnic community.

3.      The refugees should be rehabilitated in their homes as soon as possible and for that reason, all the assets of these regimes should be confiscated and the wealth stored in foreign banks should be brought back to the country.

4.      The coalition of Syrians should ensure its own independence and cultivate good relations with Iran and Hizbullah as two important neighbors.

5.      The People of Syria should be taken into confidence by through a process of decentralization of power to allow their maximum participation.

But the number one priority is to remove Bashar Asad. Once he is captured alive, his cronies would be eager to testify against him. This is what we should ask the United Nations to ensure.

Egypt is Burning

The world, in general, has condemned the massacre the brutal Egyptian security forces committed against its own people. Shamelessly, the Egyptian ambassadors around the world have tried to justify the action by saying that the killing was necessary. What else can one expect from those who are paid to defend the killers?
Nothing justifies the killing of peaceful citizens. The barbarism showed by the Egyptian security forces cannot be condoned by any civilized human being. Even beasts show some mercy to their opponents. Without prosecuting those responsible for killing the innocents, the blood of the victims will never dry. Egyptian military and government have lost legitimacy to rule over the country, hence the criminals should be brought to justice under the international court of justice. This is the only way to restore decency and civility in Egyptian politics.
There are individuals and groups who have been trying to diffuse the situation and confuse people by making three specific arguments.
1. If the democracy is restored in Egypt, and Morsi is brought back to power, al-Qaeda will become strong and civil liberties of people will be curtailed
2. The Muslim Brotherhood is responsible for the massacre as they used children and women as a human shield.
3. The Muslim Brotherhood is lying about the number of dead.
Egyptians hard-fought democracy and the will of the people must be respected. Even if the argument that Morsi was not a good administrator and his government was not inclusive, he was still legitimately elected to run the country. Those opposed to him should have used democratic methods to bring him down. They should have campaigned for his recall through the ballot. They did not use it. Rather the opposition leadership conspired with the army to stage a coup. For almost four decades Egyptians were denied civil liberties, yet they managed to overthrow the Mubarak regime. There is no reason to believe that they would not have done the same with Morsi through democratic means. I do believe that Morsi's policies were inept, his style of management was incompetent and his approach to minorities was questionable, yet, the change should have come through the ballot and not through the barrel of the guns. The argument that al-Qaeda was gaining ground in Egypt during Morsi's period is an absurd argument that has no basis in facts. Al-Qaeda is as much an enemy of the Muslim Brotherhood as it is an enemy of the west.
The argument that the Muslim Brotherhood used children and women as the shield is also absurd. Women are as much part of the democratic process as men are. Their presence in the streets in defense of democracy speaks volumes of the change that has taken place in Egypt since the ouster of Mubarak. One cannot expect parents to leave their children unattended at home if they were participating in the campaign to restore democracy. The security forces should have shown extra caution while dealing with the situation. Rather than firing live bullets on unarmed and innocent civilians, they should have left the demonstrators to stay where they were. It is their right to demand justice in a peaceful manner. After all, the army was not dealing with the enemies of the state. It was dealing with its own people who are responsible for its continuity and sustenance. But the beastly manner in which the army acted, it has shown that it has no regard for civil liberties and is treating its own citizens as enemies.
The third argument about the number of dead is even more ridiculous. Every human life is sacred and it must be protected. Even the killing of one person deserves to be mourned. The Egyptian army has revealed its Mubarak era criminal nature and contempt for the sacred by committing a bloodbath and burning down a Masjid.
The people supporting the military should take this as a sign that the security forces will take similar action against anyone who does not toe the line of the army. It is this arrogance of power that has no place in the modern world. But the way to deal with such an element is through the peaceful, non-violent method. The Muslim Brotherhood supporters have every right to organize peaceful, non-violent marches and if they commit any act of violence against anyone, then the security forces and the judiciary have the authority to prosecute them, but deny them the right to voice their views openly and kill innocent people is tyranny and a crime against humanity.

Theology of Islamic Politics: Morsi is Serving God, not Egyptians\

Muslim Brotherhood’s experiment with authority raises some very key issues pertaining to relations between God, the party acting in the name of God, the people and the government of a state.  When Morsi, through a unilateral decree, declared him and the constituent assembly of Egypt above the law, he essentially made the statement that a ruler governing under the divine guidance cannot and must not be questioned for his decisions and he and his majority party have every right to run the state the way they deem fit to preserve the sovereignty of God. In pursuit of his goals to make Egypt, a society submissive to the will of God, what he did was neither illogical nor immoral from his perspective. Any group acting in the name of God would do exactly what he did.  He went and is going after anyone who he deemed was an obstacle in the path of God. After all, in his theology, the interests of God cannot be compromised.

However, the fundamental question of all that has been done to serve God is to determine what the will of God is and does God really want an authoritarian, despotic and autocratic system and individual to glorify his name and to establish his will.

Compared with what the Quranic text says about establishing the will of God on earth, the actions of Morsi appear to be contradictory and conflicting. The text does not promote the idea of the usurpation of power by a few or many. It does not give power to an individual and a party to define God the way they want to define. It does not provide unlimited freedoms to rulers to unilaterally decide and determine the interests of people. It does not give the authority to a ruler to act as moral police and it does not create barriers between genders and religious communities. The text talks of preserving human dignity and not just the dignity of Muslims or supporters and members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The text describes God as the Lord of all that exists. It describes the messenger as a mercy to all that exists and it defines itself as a manifesto to all. Thus, those who claim to act in the name of God must ensure that all including those who reject God and their style of work are accommodated, accepted and respected. The text protects the right to dissent and calls it paramount right and declares that no one would be deprived of it.

What Morsi has done demonstrates some bitter facts.

1.      The Muslim Brotherhood, President Morsi and the scholars backing them have a real problem in understanding the divine text in changing realities and living it in the interest of all.

2.      The intellectual bankruptcy of Islamic groups in addressing power-related issues is evident.

3.      President Morsi, rather than realizing and admitting his mistakes, is adamant in repeating them and is ready to turn the crisis into a violent conflict even if it means bloodshed of innocent people.

4.      The bulk of the Muslim intellectual and religious leadership is either corrupt or consists of morons who are not willing to call a spade a spade. They act like a mafia as they do not act on the basis of the divine dictate that demands that truth must never be compromised.

5.      President Morsi’s actions have caused a major setback to political movements inspired by Islam.

6.      Muslim political parties are not ready to run the affairs of a state.

7.      Muslim political parties are more concerned about controlling power than serving people, not just those who are their supporters, but everyone including those who reject them.

Why Does Allah not Help the Rohingya Muslims in Burma directly?

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah
 

There is nothing new in reports that Rohingya Muslims in Burma are being persecuted, driven out of their homes, killed, and burnt to death. There is nothing new in reports that the neighboring Bangladeshi officials have refused to give asylum the fleeing Rohingya refugees.

This is what we humans have been doing to our fellow humans for centuries, despite the fact that we all claim that we are a compassionate, kinder and gentler people believing in a merciful God.

What is interesting is the logic that has often been used by people denying help to the suffering people. The response of a Bangladeshi official summarizes our general historical attitude when he ordered the fleeing refugees pleading to be allowed to stay in Bangladesh; otherwise, they would be killed by the Burmese authorities, by saying: “Go back, Allah will save you.”

This is our typical response to any crisis. Can one boldly ask the question without being categorized as a blasphemer? Did Allah ever save a suffering person through direct intervention? Did He come to the rescue of women raped in Bosnia, Syria or Burma or in Bangladesh or anywhere else in the world? Did He save the children, elderly and the weak killed in natural disasters or human-made disasters?

Those who say that these sufferings are like a test for the affected people often do not explain what will Allah, the Creator, the Master, the Almighty, and the one in control of everything will gain by letting this situation prevail and intensify for helpless and powerless individuals?  

Only Allah can answer these questions and He already has in His last guidance to human beings preserved in the Quran.

“Thus, when they are told, “Spend on others out of what God has provided for you as sus­tenance,” those who are bent on denying the truth say unto those who believe, “Shall we feed anyone whom, if [your] God had so willed, He could have fed [Himself]? Clearly, you are but lost in error!” (36:47)

Allah told us that He would not interfere in our affairs and He commanded us to keep open and accessible for the suffering and needy people, the resources and means of nourishment and safety that the Almighty has provided to us. Obviously, those who deny these Divine directives do not fulfill their covenant with Allah and tell others that if Allah had willed that resources should be distributed in a way that no one remains needy and poor in the world. They blame Allah for not providing sustenance and security to the people. In other words, they are questioning the freedom that Allah has given them in creating a system in which everyone adequately gets the necessities of life.  

The practice of Allah is that He establishes His system in human society by human efforts. There is no exception to the rule. The reason is that human beings should have the freedom to exercise discipline and commitment to the Divine dictates so that their self is fully developed in this world as well as in the world hereafter. It was easy for Allah to create human beings devoid of their free will just like any other things in the universe that are programmed to do whatever has been assigned to them. When we say that had God willed to create unity or a world free from suffering, we are denying ourselves the dignity and freedom and we are abandoning our responsibilities.

“Say: "[Know,] then, that the final evidence [of all truth] rests with God alone; and, had He so willed, He would have guided you all aright.” (6:149)

“Now they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God say, "Had God so willed, we would not have worshipped aught but Him - neither we nor our forefathers; nor would we have declared aught as forbidden without a commandment from Him." Even thus did speak those [sinners] who lived before their time; but, then, are the apostles bound to do more than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to them]?” (16:35

“Yet they say, “Had [not] the Most Gracious, so willed, we would never have worshipped them!” [But] they cannot have any knowledge of [His having willed] such a thing: they do nothing but guess.” (43:20)

It is our choice to create a world view based on the divine values or the values that we have evolved over the centuries based on our ethnic, cultural, religious, financial, geographical or geographical interests. It is our choice to divide humanity into us and them. It is our choice to deny people the right to live a dignified life regardless of their backgrounds. It is our choice to create a distribution system where the resources given to us by Allah are allocated on the basis of justice or injustice. It is our choice to stop rape, sufferings, and poverty.

Allah has given us guidance and He would not interfere in our world to ensure that they are followed and implemented. We are the ones who have to accept the guidance or reject it and we are the ones who have to show respect to the freedom of choice He has given us.

The sufferings of Rohingyas will pass as the sufferings of many others have passed. But the continuation of sufferings pronounces a clear judgment on our behavior and attitude. It tells us that we have failed to grasp the essence of divine guidance in our lives and despite whatever labels we put on our face we are still in defiance of His teachings.

The Victory of  Muslim Brotherhood: Welcome to the World of Machiavelli

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah

Politics is an art of survival in a world of deceptions. It is a game to consolidate, bolster and retain power at any cost. It is a game to achieve absolute control over everything and it is a game, to maximize gains for oneself, one’s party or faction. This is how it is played. This is how the father of modern political science defined the role of a ruler when he said; the methodical exercise of brute force, deceit, etc. is needed to seize and retain power.  The following incident explains the way politics is run in our world today regardless.

The duke of Sforza had just died, and rebels in the Compagna of Italy rose up under the widowed duchess, Caterina Sforza. The war lasted for several months. Common people starved, and entire villages burned down during the ruinous warfare. Machiavelli advised Cesare Borgia thus,

"My Prince, I advise you to treat with Caterina Sforza under a white flag. Her troops are too strongly crenelated in the fortress, and it will take months to root the rebels out. For every day we fight, more of your loyal troops are slaughtered, more of your best citizens have property damaged or destroyed, and the crops go unharvested and children starve. The battle must be ended. Therefore, my advice is this. Treat with Caterina Sforza under a white flag and under the pretense of peace. Then seize her and take her captive. Once she is captive, strip her of her fine garments and place in her in an iron cage to parade her in front of the rebel troops, and rape her before their eyes before you kill her. The enemy forces will know their leader is captured and humiliated and the magnitude of this deed will so horrify them that they will flee from battle and fear and never raise arms against you again." Cesare Borgia supposedly did so.

Now an organization that claims to follow a higher authority in all matters of life including politics is in power in Egypt. The Muslim Brotherhood is the democratically elected party whose representative will rule Egypt. How far he will be able to follow those divine guidelines to deal with friends and foes will not only determine the future of the party but will also define Islam and its place in the modern world.

Will politics be the same as suggested Guru Machiavelli or will be run on the basis of the divine guidance of fairness, justice, honesty, integrity, transparency, and truthfulness? Will Egypt continue to be dependent on the dictates of some of the most invisible financial powers of the world or will it charter a course of economic independence by developing an economy that will bring its people prosperity.

Islam reminds the governed and the rulers that untruthfulness, rashness, guile, irrationality, avarice, dishonesty, and cruelty are crimes against humanity.
Islam reminds the rulers that without having the company of those who are capable, honest and committed they would not be able to govern properly.
Thus Islam reminds the rulers that:

A. Commitment to a disciplined and principled life  is at the root of a stable  society,
B. The increasing wealth of people is not a sin as it is essential for the welfare of people,
C. The good governance of the state must result in an increase in wealth,
D. Overcoming one’s ego and demonstrating self control are the roots of the stability of the government,
E. Humility alone will enable one to control oneself,
F. Recognizing the capable and efficient people regardless of their identity will also increase humility,
G. True Knowledge or wisdom results from serving the people not ruling them,
H. Economic disparity ultimately leads to the weakening of the state,

I. Discrimination against people based on their religion or gender is a disastrous sin whose ill effects become known quickly,

J. Justice is the foundation of a mature society,

K. Right means are needed to achieve the right goals.
In order to achieve these goals, Islam takes a stand against all unethical and immoral practices. 
Let us see how an Islamic party responds to the challenges of the modern state. In the past, many of those who ruled in the name of Islam did not show much respect for Islamic values. Even though they called them Caliphs, But with the exception of the four early Caliphs and Caliph Abdul Aziz, not many can be identified as symbols of integrity and honesty. After Tunisia, Egypt is the second country where people have voted an Islamic party in. Now it is up to the Muslim Brotherhood to prove that Islam is a life-affirming, progress supporting, justice maintaining and human rights, preserving faith, that Islam is a non coercive religion, that it respects the religious freedom of others and that it does not discriminate people on the basis of their gender as it allows its citizens to feel safe physically, economically and spiritually to assert their humanity in a manner that does not threaten the existence of others. 
Let us hope that those who want to govern in the name of Islam would create a better image of Islam through their compassionate and just governance. Let history not repeat itself, let history take a new course in Egypt, a course that would put principles over expediency.

Egypt-The Pharaoh is Back  

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah
The Egyptian military has its own secrets, its own financial interests, its own underhand deals, and its own ideology. Mubarak was a symbolic figure. The real power was in the hands of the top brass of the army who worked behind the scene to ensure that their control over the country remains strong. The string of the military interests goes beyond the borders of the country. Those who manufacture arms and ammunition, those who want to control the economy of the so-called third world countries, those who view Israel as an essential component of their theology and those who view the emergence of any religious movement as a political power do not want  Egyptian democracy to succeed if it means handing power to those who are not under their control.

The police serve them the courts serve them; the clergy is on their side, and every institution that was built during the last 60 years serves them. Egypt is still under Pharaoh, the names have changed, the labels of governance have changed, and the nationality of rulers has changed, but the pattern of power is the same.

Egypt is no longer run by its people even though it had an elected parliament and when the elites feared that the parliament can bring about substantial change, it moved the courts to dismiss the parliament. Egypt is no longer run by its own military. They are puppets of an international mafia whose interests is to sustain its weaponry business and its economic interests. The decision to abolish parliament was not taken by the military in Cairo or Alexandria. It was taken by the powerful global mafia that signaled their puppets to do what was necessary to preserve their interests.

Muslim Brotherhood and Islamic groups that have popular support are naive to believe that the power would be transferred to them so easily. No dictator has ever relinquished its power, especially when he is invisible. 

Regardless, they must be open in their affairs. they must declare their manifesto ensuring that every citizen of Egypt, regardless of his or her religious, gender or ethnic identity would be treated equally and the constitution would be supreme.

The only solution to the ugly situation is when the ranks and file in the military revolt against the top brass with the help of the air force. Otherwise, the brutal force of the top military generals and their international backers do not care for hundreds and thousands of casualties.

No one in political America would ever shed a tear for those innocent victims.  The power elites of America do not care for human rights or human dignity or democracy. These ideas are acceptable only when the national interests (the interests of multinational corporations and the international financial mafia) secure. The elite knows that it has total control over the US military, it has huge nuclear weapons of mass destruction, its drone technology can kill anyone and everyone everywhere.

The simple fact is that the power elite in Washington and Europe do not trust the Muslim Brotherhood and any Islamic group.

So the struggle for human dignity would continue in Egypt as it would in many other countries of the world. There would be many setbacks, there would be many betrayals, but the power of the tyrants would disintegrate one day under the impact of the determination of people. It was Algeria yesterday and Egypt today. But with the social media at its best and the flame of freedom so high, nothing can prevent people from taking over their rightful place in their society.

Egypt is now the symbol of resistance and we all are Egyptians.

Why do people, including Muslims, do not really care for Syria?

by Dr. Aslam Abdullah
Why do people, including Muslims do not really care for Syria? Did they really care for fellow Muslims in Kashmir, Gujarat, Bangladesh, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, China, Kosovo, or any other place in the world?

The most we did was to take a few dollars out of our deep or shallow pockets when we found the stench of dead bodies reached our nostrils and became unbearable. Once the dead bodies were out of our eyesight, we went back to our world and those who had suffered and still alive were forgotten. The presence of over 42 million displaced people all over the world is a living testimony of our indifference.

Why?

We tend to be divided into nations and nationalism has become our deity. Within a nation, we are divided into ethnicities and ethnicity has become our deity. We are divided into regions, races, religions, castes into clans, into classes and into parties, oligarchy, and cliques. We become concerned only when someone like us or of us suffers. For the rest, our level of sympathies depends on the volume and the style of killing. Look at the level of our sympathy for the people of Bangladesh, Bosnia, Gujarat or Iraq, Palestine or Syria and evaluate our own attitude. Syrians are the most vocal for Syrians the same way Kashmiris or Gujaratis were most vocal for their folks. We are not born with divisive nationalism. But we are taught that. We are taught that our clan, our tribe, our family, our status, our country, our nation, our religion and our ethnicity are superior or better of all. Why should we bother for those who are less than us? Is this not the logical conclusion of our upbringing?

Now the cries are coming from Syria, of women, children and disabled; cries of girls raped, elderly maimed and brutalized, and cries of children whose parents were killed in front of their own eyes. Disfigured rotting dead bodies, which could not find the grave and shrouds, offer living testimony of the inhumanity of humans to their fellows in the name of politics, security, stability, power, and whatnot.

Similar cries have been heard all over the world from time to time. Sometimes, we heard them in Germany, Bosnia, Tatarstan, and Bangladesh, and sometimes we heard them in Gujarat, Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, Vietnam, Haiti, Brazil, Mexico, China, Uganda, Somalia, and almost everywhere in the world.
Our response is and was simple. From our masajid, we are and were told to make prayers (dua) to God to help them out of the situation. But God has never listened to these prayers in human history. He did not respond to the prayers for those in Spain, who were killed by Christians conducting inquisition. God did not respond to Jews who were tortured to death in Germany by Christian Hitler and his Nazi party. God did not listen to the prayers of Muslims in the Soviet Union, China, and Albania or in Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan or in Gujarat. God did not listen to the prayers of Muslims for the victims of rape in Bosnia. Nor did he save thousands and thousands butchered by Orthodox Christians in Bosnia. God does not respond to the continued sufferings of Palestinians who for the last 60 years have been forced to live a life of humiliation an indignity.

Our conclusion to all this continued violence against the creation of God is and was also very simple. God does not listen to our prayers because we do not pray properly, our women do not wear hijab properly, our children do not wear a proper dress, we do not read the Quran properly and our actions are not in line with the divine teachings. God is punishing us, we pronounce this judgment after every calamity, man-made or nature created.

Thus the killings go on, rapists roam the streets, bombs destroy homes and death occupies the streets and we Muslims keep on reminding ourselves to pray more, dress more modestly and live simply.

But this formula is not working. It will never work because the method that we are adopting to get the divine help is not what God recommended or commanded to us.

The divine formula is simple and straight forward.

“And why should you not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)? Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from You one who will protect, and raise for us from You one who will help!” (The Quran: 4:75)

Muslims have refused to follow this simple divine formula. Bringing down the oppressor, the dictator, his armies, his forces, his resources would cause the collapse of his regime. Even without fighting, this could happen. When the world and the Muslim world would refuse to cooperate with dictators, would seize their bank accounts, would stop delivery of arms and material and technology to manufacture arms, would isolate the regime and would announce that their forces would act in defense of people and protect innocent lives, then only we would see an end to this violence, then only we would see the divine response to our prayers.. Only then our prayers would be answered because this is the only way God has listened to the prayers throughout human history. “(Such was) the practice (approved) of Allah among those who lived aforetime: No change will you find in the practice (approved) of Allah.” (The Quran: 32:62)

Today, in the case of Syria, we are a divided people. There are those amongst us Muslims who are supportive of the dictators, especially the oppressors in Syria for whatever reason. Those supporters of Syrian dictator are not concerned about human life or sufferings. They are concerned about the balance of power in the region, about the Shia-Sunni divide, about the impact of regime change in relations to world politics. They do not care about justice or the rule of law or the divine commandments to save human life.

 If the Muslim world really wants to stop the killings in Syria or in other places of the world, it will have to destroy the bane of nationalism and then act in unison to defend life and dignity of human beings. “On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our apostles with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.” (The Quran: 5:32)