Saharanpur: One of the greatest Islamic Scholars of the time Shaykh Yunus Jaunpuri passes away in Saharanpur. Reports suggest there were hundreds of thousands, perhaps even a million people in attendance at his funeral prayer.

Shaykh Yunus Jaunpuri was considered the “Muhadith” or “Hadith Teacher” of our current day. It is said he loved the Sunnah like no other and had a deep thirst for Hadith. His passion for knowledge had even distracted him from getting married, despite the fact he lived to almost 80 years of age.

He spent his life living in the seminary for Mazahir Al-Ulum in Saharanpur, where many said he would sleep in the company of numerous books.

Scholars around the world have shared their condolences.

Imphal: As in many other states, Manipur too has its Muslim vote bank to sway fortunes of the political parties in an election, constituting nearly nine per cent of the electorate.

In more than a dozen Assembly constituencies, the Muslim community, locally known as ‘Pangal’ or ‘Meitei Pangal’, can swing results. The direct clout of the Muslim vote bank in more than 3-4 seats and ability to become a deciding factor in 7-8 more help them hog the attention of all political parties.

The community has produced prominent leaders, including a chief minister back in the 70s. Muslims have traditionally sided with either the Congress or the Manipur People’s Party. But with the MPP just fielding three candidates, the Congress is looking to win over Muslim votes, especially in the valley where it is in a direct contest with the BJP.

“The Muslims have always voted for us. Last time, three of our Muslim candidates won the elections. The state government has taken various steps for the development of Muslims in the state,” State Congress president T N Haokip said.

The Congress government had announced a four per cent reservation for the Muslim community in the state in government jobs in 2006. It had also taken several steps to promote higher education among the community members.

“We are not a communal and divisive force like the BJP which preaches the ideology of Hindutva,” a senior Congress leader said.

But with the Modi government coming to power at the Centre in 2014, the BJP’s Manipur unit hoped to reap electoral benefits riding on the Modi wave and anti-incumbency against the Congress government.

But the BJP during its ticket distribution had disappointed Muslim aspirants with only one candidate from the community. The Congress had three in its list.

Md Anwar Hussain, the sole Muslim candidate of BJP, is contesting from the Lilong constituency which has the largest Muslim population in the state. Out of 17 aspirants who had sought party tickets to contest five Assembly seats, only Anwar Hussain was lucky.

In three other constituencies — Keirao, Wabgai and Wangkhem, where there is a sizeable Muslim population, the BJP has decided to go with candidates from the majority Meitei community.

Those left out have accused the party of being anti-Muslim and some of them even joined other parties and are contesting against BJP candidates in various seats.

The BJP state leadership, however, denied the charge that it had deprived the Muslim aspirants. “The tickets were distributed on the basis of winnability of the candidates. We believe in ‘sabka saath, sabka vikas’. If you go through our manifesto, you will see what the BJP wants to do for Muslims in Manipur,” BJP state president K Bhabananda Singh said.

Among various projects for the development of minorities, the BJP in its manifesto has promised to implement a special mission to strengthen status of livelihood of the religious minorities in Manipur.

The first ever Muslim woman to fight Assembly election in the state, Najima Bibi, is a candidate of the Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) of Irom Sharmila from Wabgai constituency. She is in the fray despite a fatwa against her.

Her decision to join politics and contest election has kicked off a storm in her home constituency with religious leaders in Santhel Mamang Leikai publicly announcing that she will not be given a space to be buried after her death.

However, an unfazed Najima Bibi had told PTI, “I am not bothered about my life, but as long as live I will continue my fight against domestic violence and in favour of social uplift of the Muslim women in the society. My life has been a struggle since childhood, I am not afraid of any threat.”

(PTI)

The Nasheman Urdu Weekly and the Nasheman Foundation, in association with Discover Islam Education Trust (DIET), MPJR, and KMMT organised an Eid get-together for journalists of every faith at the Press Club of Bangalore on Saturday 23, July 2016.

The program, which was sponsored by IMA, Bangalore was attended by prominent journalists from various media houses and political and religious leaders.

Rizwan Arshad of Congress and Syed Shafiullah of JD(S) were some of the speakers at the event.

This is a Press Statement by Mission Possible for Justice & Rights

Dr. Zakir Naik is a world-renowned Indian Islamic scholar and speaker, who is a doctor by education. For more than two decades now, Dr.Naik has been delivering lectures and holding debates with numerous high-ranking figures of various faiths across the world from the likes of Dr. William F. Campbell, Pastor Ruknuddin, Prof Rashmi Zaveri and more.

In his speeches and debates, which are available on the internet, he mainly talks about comparative religion.  He makes sure he brings forward exact quotations of the prominent religious scriptures of various faiths as an attempt to put forth commonalities and bridge gaps between communities.

With regards to the topic of terrorism, he has delivered various lectures, answered various questions on stage, and also his written material is available on this topic.  He has explicitly put forward the Islamic point of view with regards to terrorism and he has always quoted the Quran mentioning “Whoever kills a person [unjustly]…it is as though he has killed all mankind. And whoever saves a life, it is as though he had saved all mankind.” (Qur’an, 5:32).

When questioned about ISIS, he has stated many times that ISIS is ‘un-Islamic’ and has called the terror group as enemies of Islam. He has in fact gone a step ahead to call them NISIS – Non-Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.  Doesn’t this give a clear view of what his thoughts are with regards to ISIS.

However, it is surprising that the Indian media is targeting someone like Dr. Zakir Naik and misleading the general masses of this country that Dr. Naik is a hatemonger, and is running a media trial against him.

Following the tragic attack in Dhaka, on 1st July 2016, against innocent civilians by a group of young men, allegedly affiliated to the terror group ISIS, reports have started to appear in Indian newspapers, which deliberately attempt to link Islamic Scholar Dr. Zakir Naik to the attackers.

Our question to media organisations in this country, who are deliberately concocting a public opinion and making a case against him, is how can a man, who denounces terrorism, be responsible for such heinous terror attacks?

What proof, do these media houses have against him?

Media reports claim that one of the Dhaka terrorists had shared Dr. Naik’s quote on his Facebook page, and have based their entire argument against Dr. Naik around that one statement. (Refer: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/government-hints-action-against-islamic-preacher-zakir-naik-for-hate-speech/articleshow/53080185.cms)

This is Dr. Zakir Naik’s quote: 

“A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. Similarly, every Muslim should be a terrorist for the antisocial elements of society, such as thieves, dacoits, and rapists. Whenever such an anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified. It is true that the word ‘terrorist’ is generally used for a person who causes terror among the common people. But a true Muslim should only be a terrorist to selective people i.e. anti-social elements, and not to the common innocent people. In fact, a Muslim should be a source of peace for innocent people.”

How can this statement, inspire a terrorist attack? Can any sane person believe in such claims made by the media?

In fact, Bangladesh’s Daily Star newspaper, which first reported that the attacker had shared Dr. Naik’s statement, has refuted Indian Media’s coverage, clarifying that Dr. Naik did not inspire the terrorists.

This is what the Daily Star said: “The Daily Star categorically denies this allegation and wants to say it did not report that any terrorist was inspired by Zakir Naik to kill innocent people.” (Refer: http://www.thedailystar.net/dhaka-attack/the-daily-star-protests-dr-naiks-claims-1251064)

Arnab Goswami in his NewsHour program on TimesNow said that Dr. Naik should be banned because he says Islam is the only true religion. Yes, Dr. Naik says that. Every Muslim believes that Islam is the only true religion, just like the practitioners of every other religion, believe what they follow is true. (Refer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPtc61n-n9g)

He also claimed that “it has been proved that Zakir Naik inspired the terrorist strike in Dhaka,” without bothering to check how it had been proved.

How can someone’s statement, which does not remotely incite violence in any shape or form inspire a terrorist attack?

It has been reported that one of the attackers, was an admirer of Bollywood actress, Shraddha Kapoor. Does that mean, Shraddha Kapoor inspired him to carry out the horrible massacre?

Media’s arguments against Dr. Naik are absurd.

The media is also pitting Muslims against each other, by quoting internal fatwas against Dr. Naik arguing that Muslims are themselves against him. The Darul Uloom Deoband has slammed the media for ‘deliberately highlighting’ such fatwas and said that associating Dr. Naik to terrorism is wrong. (Refer: http://www.jantakareporter.com/india/deoband-objects-indian-media-quoting-fatwa-zakir-naik-says-wrong-objectionable/50301)

Dr. Zakir Naik has never said anything, which goes against the Constitution of India, in any of his speeches. Practicing and propagating one’s religion in a peaceful manner is a right every citizen of this country enjoys and that’s what Dr. Naik has been doing for more than 20 years now.

Bangalore-based human rights organisation, in association with AIDCA, and other Islamic organisations announced that it is holding a protest on Wednesday, 13th of July at Town Hall, against the media trial and vilification against Dr. Zakir Naik.

The groups, led by MJPR has filed an online petition and has also been active on Twitter and Facebook, defending Dr. Naik, and says that there is a deliberate attempt by Indian media, to malign the image of Dr. Naik.

Mumbai: Rubbishing the fresh allegations made by a section of media against him that he inspired the terrorists in Bangaladesh, who killed 22 people in Dhaka recently, Islamic Research Foundation chief Dr Zakir Naik has made it clear that he never encouraged violence or terrorism.

“I totally disagree (with suggestion) that I inspired this act of killing innocent people. There is not a single talk of mine where I encouraged anyone to kill another person – Muslim or non-Muslim,” said the internationally acclaimed orator.

The 50-year-old former medical practitioner and an authority on comparative religion, who was reportedly in Makkah when a section of media launched a hate campaign against him, belatedly came to know about the fresh allegations, sources said.

In videos made available through his office in Mumbai, where the police has now stationed constables, Dr Naik says he is “not shocked” that the Dhaka terrorists had cited him on social media in recent posts.

“More than 90 per cent Bangladeshis know me…,” he says in English, stressing, “Every fan of mine may not follow everything I say.” In the WhatsApp-ed video, he says, “I disagree that I inspired this act of killing innocent people”.

Mumbai Police to probe

Meanwhile, Maharashtra government has asked Mumbai Police to conduct a probe into Dr Zakir Naik’s speeches.

“I have asked the Mumbai Police Commissioner to conduct a probe (into Naik’s speeches) and submit a report,” Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told media persons today.

Everything, including Dr Naik’s speeches, his social media accounts, sources of funding (of a foundation run by him in Mumbai) will be scrutinised, said Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio.

The direction comes amid allegations by a section of media that one of the terrorists who attacked an upmarket restaurant in the Bangladeshi capital a few days ago, killing 22 people, was inspired by sermons Dr Naik.

(Agencies)

Srinagar: Supporters of controversial Islamic preacher Zakir Naik took out a solidarity march in Srinagar on Friday to condemn any action that might be taken against the scholar.

Over a dozen supporters gathered peaceful in the Residency Road area and shouted slogans in favour of Zakir Naik.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of their march, Muhammad Aamir, 35, a supporter said: “He is a renowned Islamic scholar who has always condemned terrorism.”

“Any action to ban his preaching or his television channel will have serious repercussions,” Aamir added.

The supporters later dispersed.

Naik is under the scanner following revelations that two of the five young militants who massacred 20 hostages, including an Indian, at a popular cafe in Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka on July 1, drew their inspiration from his speeches.

Founder of Mumbai-based Islamic Research Foundation, the preacher is banned in Britain and Canada for his hate speeches aimed against other religions.

(IANS)