To understand what religion is and what is its role in the life of men, we should first of all know its definition. Religion (din) is an all-round movement in the light of faith in Allah and a sense of responsibility for the formation of thought and belief, for the promotion of high principles of human morality for the establishment of good relations among members of the society and the elimination of every sort of undue discrimination. Man has been familiar with religion for such a long time that it covers the entire recorded history of human life and goes back into the depths of pre-historic times. The Holy Quran has described religion as man's innate nature and Allah's established order. It says: Islam is in harmony with nature which Allah has designed for man.
ASIO has asked a prominent Sydney Shiite cleric, Sheik Mansour Leghaei, to "voluntarily deport" himself in the latest, bizarre twist in a lengthy bid by the spy agency to enforce an adverse security assessment. Sheik Mansour, who came to Australia from Iran 14 years ago and is a father of four, has hosted the Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, at his Imam Husain Islamic Centre at Earlwood and has been the recipient of a glowing reference from the Labor frontbenchers Robert McClelland and Anthony Albanese. He has also been widely praised for his moderate teachings and leading role in setting up inter-faith dialogues. But ASIO has accused him of being involved in "acts of foreign interference", or being a spy for Iran. He and his legal team have never been able to see the full detail of the security assessment made against him, which required the Department of Immigration to revoke his visa. He appealed to the Federal Court in 2005, but it ruled that national security considerations overruled any notion of procedural fairness or natural justice.
The world community was first introduced to Imam Khomeini towards
the end of 1978 after he was exiled to France for his opposition to the monarchy
of Iran. It was from Neauphle-le-Chateau, on the outskirts of the French capital
Paris, that Imam Khomeini attained worldwide media coverage while he delivered
his severe statements in opposition to the United States of America and
orchestrated his final strike against the Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi.
He was acclaimed as one of the greatest pioneers of Islamic revival in the 20th
century. His pictures filled the front pages of newspapers and took the
headlines in newsbulletins; pictures that were unknown to millions around the
world beforehand, especially in the West - with his white beard and black turban
- as if someone from the depths of time, from a book of history or an ancient
tale, everything about him was unique and new; even his name -- Ruhollah, Spirit
of God.
Dozens of Shias have been killed after pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda militants attacked a mosque in the Pakistani tribal city of Parachinar. At least 91 people were killed and wounded in the clashes that erupted in the main town of the Kurram tribal region soon after Friday prayers. Tens of Shia people were also killed after they were abducted and tortured by Taliban militants. The militants shot and killed the victims in cold-blood and left their bodies in the Aravali region. Some witnesses said the tension erupted after two Sunnis were attacked in Parachinar on Thursday, following which the imam of the city's Shia mosque condemned the attack and called for the punishment of the perpetrators.
The killing of Sayed Mustafa Kazimi, the 45-year-old Hazara Shi'ite leader from Parwan province of Afghanistan, to the northwest of Kabul, bears all the hallmark of a political assassination. Kazimi appears to have been the main target. He was the rising star of the Afghan political scene. Foreigners who knew him in the heyday of the anti-Taliban resistance in the 1990s would vouchsafe that he was destined to rise high in the political arena. His pedigree was impeccable. He was relatively young and had a modern outlook; a rare combination of brilliant organizer and suave spokesman. For his community, which was traditionally downtrodden politically, he was a great asset. The Hezb-e-Wahdat takes a devastating blow with Kazimi's death. His absence will be keenly felt in protecting Shia Hazara interests. Tehran, too, has lost a good Afghan friend, raising more questions about the identity and motives of those who carried out the attack on Tuesday.
What is that faith which is spoken of in Islam and referred to throughout the Qur'an, as an axis around which all questions revolve? It refers to faith in God in the first place. In the second place, it connotes faith in angels, holy books, prophets, Resurrection, etc. In Islam, is faith a goal for mankind or a means for other goals? In discussing Islam as a school of thought, it must be clarified whether faith is a goal and a blessing, irrespective of its effect. We speak of effects of faith and say it gives tranquility and fortitude against calamities, and in a society the people can trust one another, and show benevolence and avoid malevolence. But is faith good because of its effects, or because it seeks perfection in itself?
Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq, the sixth holy Imam, was born in 83 AH. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq was brought up by his grandfather, Imam Zaynul-Abideen in Medina for twelve years and then remained under the sacred patronage of his father Imam Muhammad al-Baqir for a period of nineteen years. The Imamate of Ja'far as-Sadiq saw the most crucial period of Islamic history, both in political and in doctrinal spheres. It coincided with many epoch-making events, violent movements, the natural results of various undercurrent activities and revolutionary attempts. The very existence of this many-sided and complex situation facilitated the rise of Ja'far's Imamate to a prominence not previously attained by the Imamates of his father and grandfather. On 25th Shawwal 148 AH, the governor of Medina by the order of al-Mansur, poisoned the Imam. The funeral prayer was conducted by his son Imam Musa al-Kadhim, the Seventh Imam, and his body was laid to rest in the cemetery of Jannatul-Baqee.
To understand what religion is and what is its role in the life of men, we should first of all know its definition. Religion (din) is an all-round movement in the light of faith in Allah and a sense of responsibility for the formation of thought and belief, for the promotion of high principles of human morality for the establishment of good relations among members of the society and the elimination of every sort of undue discrimination. Man has been familiar with religion for such a long time that it covers the entire recorded history of human life and goes back into the depths of pre-historic times. The Holy Quran has described religion as man's innate nature and Allah's established order. It says: Islam is in harmony with nature which Allah has designed for man.
ASIO has asked a prominent Sydney Shiite cleric, Sheik Mansour Leghaei, to "voluntarily deport" himself in the latest, bizarre twist in a lengthy bid by the spy agency to enforce an adverse security assessment. Sheik Mansour, who came to Australia from Iran 14 years ago and is a father of four, has hosted the Attorney-General, Philip Ruddock, at his Imam Husain Islamic Centre at Earlwood and has been the recipient of a glowing reference from the Labor frontbenchers Robert McClelland and Anthony Albanese. He has also been widely praised for his moderate teachings and leading role in setting up inter-faith dialogues. But ASIO has accused him of being involved in "acts of foreign interference", or being a spy for Iran. He and his legal team have never been able to see the full detail of the security assessment made against him, which required the Department of Immigration to revoke his visa. He appealed to the Federal Court in 2005, but it ruled that national security considerations overruled any notion of procedural fairness or natural justice.
Dozens of Shias have been killed after pro-Taliban and al-Qaeda militants attacked a mosque in the Pakistani tribal city of Parachinar. At least 91 people were killed and wounded in the clashes that erupted in the main town of the Kurram tribal region soon after Friday prayers. Tens of Shia people were also killed after they were abducted and tortured by Taliban militants. The militants shot and killed the victims in cold-blood and left their bodies in the Aravali region. Some witnesses said the tension erupted after two Sunnis were attacked in Parachinar on Thursday, following which the imam of the city's Shia mosque condemned the attack and called for the punishment of the perpetrators.
The killing of Sayed Mustafa Kazimi, the 45-year-old Hazara Shi'ite leader from Parwan province of Afghanistan, to the northwest of Kabul, bears all the hallmark of a political assassination. Kazimi appears to have been the main target. He was the rising star of the Afghan political scene. Foreigners who knew him in the heyday of the anti-Taliban resistance in the 1990s would vouchsafe that he was destined to rise high in the political arena. His pedigree was impeccable. He was relatively young and had a modern outlook; a rare combination of brilliant organizer and suave spokesman. For his community, which was traditionally downtrodden politically, he was a great asset. The Hezb-e-Wahdat takes a devastating blow with Kazimi's death. His absence will be keenly felt in protecting Shia Hazara interests. Tehran, too, has lost a good Afghan friend, raising more questions about the identity and motives of those who carried out the attack on Tuesday.
What is that faith which is spoken of in Islam and referred to throughout the Qur'an, as an axis around which all questions revolve? It refers to faith in God in the first place. In the second place, it connotes faith in angels, holy books, prophets, Resurrection, etc. In Islam, is faith a goal for mankind or a means for other goals? In discussing Islam as a school of thought, it must be clarified whether faith is a goal and a blessing, irrespective of its effect. We speak of effects of faith and say it gives tranquility and fortitude against calamities, and in a society the people can trust one another, and show benevolence and avoid malevolence. But is faith good because of its effects, or because it seeks perfection in itself?
Imam Ja‘far as-Sadiq, the sixth holy Imam, was born in 83 AH. Imam Ja'far al-Sadiq was brought up by his grandfather, Imam Zaynul-Abideen in Medina for twelve years and then remained under the sacred patronage of his father Imam Muhammad al-Baqir for a period of nineteen years. The Imamate of Ja'far as-Sadiq saw the most crucial period of Islamic history, both in political and in doctrinal spheres. It coincided with many epoch-making events, violent movements, the natural results of various undercurrent activities and revolutionary attempts. The very existence of this many-sided and complex situation facilitated the rise of Ja'far's Imamate to a prominence not previously attained by the Imamates of his father and grandfather. On 25th Shawwal 148 AH, the governor of Medina by the order of al-Mansur, poisoned the Imam. The funeral prayer was conducted by his son Imam Musa al-Kadhim, the Seventh Imam, and his body was laid to rest in the cemetery of Jannatul-Baqee.
