Malaysia's Islamic Party at Crossroads
CAIRO — Malaysia's Islamic party (PAS) is at crossroads trying to strike the right balance between keeping true to its Islamic principles and maintaining its support among non-Muslims."The challenge for PAS (is) how to survive and grow into a party trusted and accepted by all Malaysians," a senior party leader told The Star on Sunday, May 24, on condition of anonymity.
"We have to be less Islamic and more universal to win support from non-Muslims."
During the party's three-day general assembly, to kick off on June 7, the 2,000 attending delegates would discuss shunning an old policy considering non-Muslim supporters associate members, thus depriving them for the right to vote.
Thanks to a series of inclusive moves, support for PAS among non-Muslims has grown significantly with large numbers of Chinese and Indians joining its ranks.
Non-Muslims have also enthusiastically campaigned for the party during last year's elections in which PAS maintained control of the Kelantan state and won two others, with significant Chinese and Indian concentrations.
PAS assembly would discuss shunning an old policy considering non-Muslim supporters associate members, thus depriving them for the right to vote.
The party official expects heated debate at the convention and protests from some of the party members.
"If we drop our Islamic label, the Muslim conservative would rebel.
"This is the dilemma at the center of the current debate in PAS. We have to strike a balance."
Muslim-majority Malaysia is a country that consists of thirteen states and three federal territories.
Following the 2008 election, PAS joined other opposition parties in a coalition that now controls the Kelantan, Kedah, Selangor, Perak and Penang states.
Makeover
A debate is also raging inside the party over the election of new leaders to replace the incumbent ulema.
"Our current leaders are highly respected by us but we need leaders who can be accepted by all races, not just by PAS followers," said the party leader.
Scholars first rose to power in PAS in 1980 have since led the party.
They had passed a resolution stating that the party should only be led by a scholar, a policy affirmed by the PAS Shura Council earlier this month.
But for the first time in three decades, senior posts including the PAS deputy and three vice-presidents would be contested in polls.
"We are an Islamic party existing in a multi-ethnic environment that is undergoing dynamic political change."
By IslamOnline.net & Newspapers
Abu Umar : Look at the bold paragraph. I do not know who made this statement, but certainly I did not agree with it.! Less Islamic and more universal?Hmm...Islam itself is already Universal(Syumuliyyah) , Isn't it? Why do we need to be lessen our Islamic principle to win people's heart?
81 percent of individual spending goes into rents
ABU DHABI —A study by a parliamentary panel on price rise has concluded that rents accounted for more than 81 per cent of individual spending in 2007 as against an international average of less than 25 per cent.
The Federal National Council committee called on the government for reviewing laws and legislations regulating the real estate market and devise strategies for regulatory control over real estate investment and development to provide adequate housing for various groups and meet growing demands of commercial and industrial sectors. The committee also recommended review of the prices of fuels and subsidy on fuels used by industries to slash the cost of production.
“The prices of fuels in the UAE are the highest among the GCC countries. The general rise in prices of oil products have contributed to drive prices up though the UAE is rich in energy sources,” the committee on Finance, Economy and Industrial Affairs noted in its report. The recommendations were part of measures to bring down the high living costs.
The committee demanded the creation of a government body to study, monitor and propose government fees.
It believed that fees levied by local and federal government should be studied closely as they have a direct effect on the end-user as businessmen pass these on to the consumers.
It recommended chalking out time-frame plans for the food security project, including investment in other countries with rich natural resources, to secure essential food commodities.
It also urged the government to provide limited subsidies on rice, wheat, flour, sugar, milk powder, edible oil, drinking water and pharmaceuticals. The committee stressed the need for supporting the agricultural sector and encouraging the setting up of food processing firms and improving the competitive edge of the national economy by removing all barriers on the import of food commodities into the country.
The House also called for pegging the UAE dirham to a basket of currencies, in order to mitigate the negative impact on nation’s economy by the steep fluctuations in exchange rate against US dollar as well as other currencies.
Source : Khaleejtimes online, 24/5/2009
The Federal National Council committee called on the government for reviewing laws and legislations regulating the real estate market and devise strategies for regulatory control over real estate investment and development to provide adequate housing for various groups and meet growing demands of commercial and industrial sectors. The committee also recommended review of the prices of fuels and subsidy on fuels used by industries to slash the cost of production.
“The prices of fuels in the UAE are the highest among the GCC countries. The general rise in prices of oil products have contributed to drive prices up though the UAE is rich in energy sources,” the committee on Finance, Economy and Industrial Affairs noted in its report. The recommendations were part of measures to bring down the high living costs.
The committee demanded the creation of a government body to study, monitor and propose government fees.
It believed that fees levied by local and federal government should be studied closely as they have a direct effect on the end-user as businessmen pass these on to the consumers.
It recommended chalking out time-frame plans for the food security project, including investment in other countries with rich natural resources, to secure essential food commodities.
It also urged the government to provide limited subsidies on rice, wheat, flour, sugar, milk powder, edible oil, drinking water and pharmaceuticals. The committee stressed the need for supporting the agricultural sector and encouraging the setting up of food processing firms and improving the competitive edge of the national economy by removing all barriers on the import of food commodities into the country.
The House also called for pegging the UAE dirham to a basket of currencies, in order to mitigate the negative impact on nation’s economy by the steep fluctuations in exchange rate against US dollar as well as other currencies.
Source : Khaleejtimes online, 24/5/2009
Dakwah : Ruh dan Perasaan
Saya pernah diundang sejumlah pemuda ke suatu tempat yang jarak tempuhnya memakan waktu tiga jam. Sesampainya di sana, mereka menyambut saya sambil duduk. Wajah mereka hambar, perasaannya dingin, dan pandangannya kosong. Kemudian saya diminta bicara oleh seniornya. Saya berbicara di hadapan mereka tanpa hati dan ruh.
Seusai bicara, ia berterima kasih kepada saya. Lalu saya keluar dengan perasaan seperti baru pulang dari takziah. Saya pulang dengan perasaan yang sama seperti ketika datang. Saya merasa sangat sedih sekali setelah menyaksikan peristiwa ini.
Beberapa hari kemudian datanglah orang yang sama, yang mengundang pertama kali. Ia ingin mengundang saya untuk yang kedua kalinya. Saya katakan kepadanya,
"Saya diundang ke mana?"
Pemuda itu menjawab, "Ke tempat ikhwah yang kemarin dulu itu Ustaz!"
Saya bertanya lagi, "Apakah mereka itu ikhwah?" la menjawab, "Ya!"
Lalu saya katakan,
"Mustahil mereka itu me-miliki penghayatan tentang nilai ukhuwah! Bagaimana mereka itu dapat dikatakan ikhwah, jika ketika ada tamu yang datang dengan menempuh perjalanan selama tiga jam, sambil memendam rasa rindu yang membara, dan dengan hati yang lapang saja, mereka menyambut dengan perasaan dingin, sembari duduk bagaikan siswa-siswa di sekolah. Hubungan saya dengan mereka seperti seorang guru dengan murid dalam ruangan. Bila pelajaran usai, maka guru atau murid akan keluar tanpa mem-beri isyarat apa-apa. Tanpa ada perasaan ukhuwah dan tanpa adanya seruan yang menyatukan mereka. Ketika meninggalkan mereka, saya murung dan sedih atas kebekuan perasaan mereka dan hilangnya kehangatan hati mereka. Ketahuilah, sesungguhnya perasaan yang hidup itulah yang menjadi rahsia keberadaan dan kebangkitan kita."
Akhirnya pemuda itu merasa malu dam bingung, seraya berkata, "Kalau memang ikhwah tidak menghayati nilai ukhuwah tersebut pada kesempatan yang lalu, maka akan saya ingatkan sehingga mereka dapat memahami pada saat yang akan datang."
Saya pandangi dia seraya berkata, "Hai Tuanku, sesungguhnya potensi ruhiyah, sentuhan rasa, kecintaan pada kebaikan, serta perasaan yang lembut itu tidak akan muncul hanya sekedar dengan peringatan dan perintah. Sadarilah, bahawa yang dapat membangkitkan-nya adalah dengan sentuhan-sentuhan hati yang penuh kasih sayang dan kerinduan yang sangat dalam terhadap pasangan seaqidahnya yang melekat di hati."
Saya meminta maaf padanya kerana tidak dapat hadir, walaupun saya rindu dan kasihan pada mereka.
-Petikan buku "Bagaimana menyentuh hati" karangan Abbas As-Siisi-
Seusai bicara, ia berterima kasih kepada saya. Lalu saya keluar dengan perasaan seperti baru pulang dari takziah. Saya pulang dengan perasaan yang sama seperti ketika datang. Saya merasa sangat sedih sekali setelah menyaksikan peristiwa ini.
Beberapa hari kemudian datanglah orang yang sama, yang mengundang pertama kali. Ia ingin mengundang saya untuk yang kedua kalinya. Saya katakan kepadanya,
"Saya diundang ke mana?"
Pemuda itu menjawab, "Ke tempat ikhwah yang kemarin dulu itu Ustaz!"
Saya bertanya lagi, "Apakah mereka itu ikhwah?" la menjawab, "Ya!"
Lalu saya katakan,
"Mustahil mereka itu me-miliki penghayatan tentang nilai ukhuwah! Bagaimana mereka itu dapat dikatakan ikhwah, jika ketika ada tamu yang datang dengan menempuh perjalanan selama tiga jam, sambil memendam rasa rindu yang membara, dan dengan hati yang lapang saja, mereka menyambut dengan perasaan dingin, sembari duduk bagaikan siswa-siswa di sekolah. Hubungan saya dengan mereka seperti seorang guru dengan murid dalam ruangan. Bila pelajaran usai, maka guru atau murid akan keluar tanpa mem-beri isyarat apa-apa. Tanpa ada perasaan ukhuwah dan tanpa adanya seruan yang menyatukan mereka. Ketika meninggalkan mereka, saya murung dan sedih atas kebekuan perasaan mereka dan hilangnya kehangatan hati mereka. Ketahuilah, sesungguhnya perasaan yang hidup itulah yang menjadi rahsia keberadaan dan kebangkitan kita."
Akhirnya pemuda itu merasa malu dam bingung, seraya berkata, "Kalau memang ikhwah tidak menghayati nilai ukhuwah tersebut pada kesempatan yang lalu, maka akan saya ingatkan sehingga mereka dapat memahami pada saat yang akan datang."
Saya pandangi dia seraya berkata, "Hai Tuanku, sesungguhnya potensi ruhiyah, sentuhan rasa, kecintaan pada kebaikan, serta perasaan yang lembut itu tidak akan muncul hanya sekedar dengan peringatan dan perintah. Sadarilah, bahawa yang dapat membangkitkan-nya adalah dengan sentuhan-sentuhan hati yang penuh kasih sayang dan kerinduan yang sangat dalam terhadap pasangan seaqidahnya yang melekat di hati."
Saya meminta maaf padanya kerana tidak dapat hadir, walaupun saya rindu dan kasihan pada mereka.
-Petikan buku "Bagaimana menyentuh hati" karangan Abbas As-Siisi-
Saudi court annuls 8-year-old girl’s marriage
Saudi human rights advocates have praised the court’s decision this week annulling the marriage between an eight-year-old girl and a 58-year-old man who paid SR30,000 ($8,000) to the girl’s father in exchange for the nuptials, the Arab News reported on Friday.“The marriage contract was illegal because she is a minor and her father gave his agreement without her knowledge,” said Suhaila Zain Al Abidin, a human rights activist.
Last Wednesday, the Saudi Court of Cassation issued the divorce document to end the marriage that evoked criticism of many members of the Saudi society as well as by international child rights advocates, including UNICEF.
The marriage took place in Onaizah, a town in the northcentral Qassim province, the newspaper said.
The high court was asked to review the ruling of a local judge, who had upheld the marriage against a pledge by the man not to have sex with the girl until she was 18. The judge had maintained that only the girl, upon reaching adulthood, could choose to divorce the man.
However, this decision caused huge outrage, which was later corrected.
The mother of the girl, who divorced the father years ago, had complained about her ex-husband as far back as August, but the courts sided with the father then, the Saudi-based daily said. The father had agreed to marry his daughter to the 58-year-old man for a dowry of SR30,000.
Islam defines dowry as the property of the bride rather than the father but the father had taken its control, Arab News said.
The high court was asked to review the ruling of a local judge, who had upheld the marriage against a pledge by the man not to have sex with the girl until she was 18. The judge had maintained that only the girl, upon reaching adulthood, could choose to divorce the man.
However, this decision caused huge outrage, which was later corrected.
The mother of the girl, who divorced the father years ago, had complained about her ex-husband as far back as August, but the courts sided with the father then, the Saudi-based daily said. The father had agreed to marry his daughter to the 58-year-old man for a dowry of SR30,000.
Islam defines dowry as the property of the bride rather than the father but the father had taken its control, Arab News said.
Source : Arabianbusiness.com
