Miracle 509 Jan 3, 2020

Volume 19 Issue 509- Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H, / January, 3,2020 $1 www.miraclenews.com Bringing Harmony To All The Communities BC, CANADA First Muslim

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Al-Ihsan 2019 Aalimiyya Program Graduation.

Friends of Pakistan(FOP) Celebrates Qaid e Azam Surrey protest against India’s Citizenship

US deploys 750 troops to Iraq after Baghdad embassy attack

Bi-Weekly & Bilingual

3 Govt approves amend-

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4 Arab League warns

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ments to Army Act in

against ‘foreign Meet some of Canada’s first babies of the

Poll on best prime ministers of the 20th century suggests regional divide See details at page 12

The Islamic Jesus: A Gap Or Bridge Between Articles That Had an Impact Welcome to 2020: Predictions for the

Canada back in world’s top 10 economies, with room to grow: report

From Miracle Team, Writers and Advertisers Canada once again has one of the world’s 10 largest economies, according to a new report that forecasts continued economic growth powered in part by immigration over the next decade.

The latest edition of the World Economic League Table places Canada as the world’s 10th-largest economy based on its GDP of US$1.731 billion (CAD$2.251 billion) in 2019.South Korea had edged into the top 10

The United States said on Tuesday it was sending additional troops to the Middle East, after protesters stormed its embassy compound in Iraq, setting fires and chanting: “Death to America!”

Angered by US air raids that killed two dozen paramilitary fighters on Sunday, hundreds of men spilled through checkpoints in the highsecurity Green Zone on Tuesday, demanding the removal of American troops from Iraq.

To be continued at page 4

To be continued at page 6

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

o p i n i o n

A decade to nowhere

T has been a decade that we would rather forget. It has not been the best of times for Pakistan as the country lurched from one crisis to another. The death of hope has made future prospects more uncertain. The overall crisis of leadership has never been so pronounced.

Despite two elections the democratic political process remains fragile. The country has already moved to becoming a diarchy with an ineffectual civilian government virtually playing second fiddle to the military. The weakening of democratic institutions has provided a greater opportunity to forces outside the government to get more deeply involved in manipulating politics while attempting to thwart basic rights.

More worrisome is that under a democratically elected government there is now a move to stifle freedom of expression and plurality of views through unannounced censorship and other forms of pressure exerted by security agencies.

The populism is increasingly manifested in rising authoritarianism, thus undermining democratic political culture. The 2010s have seen further erosion in the rule of law.

The state has seldom been so fractured. The ‘accountability process’ mainly targeting the opposition has widened the fault lines in the existing power structure. Starting from the Panama Papers scandal in 2016 that led to the judicial removal from office of Nawaz Sharif and his conviction, most opposition leaders are now either in prison or facing indictment on corruption charges.

tion of the NAB law reinforces the allegations of a political witchhunt. Many politicians and bureaucrats are languishing in jail for months without being formally charged. The situation is fast becoming untenable. What happens next is not hard to guess.

The decade witnessed the deadliest terrorist attack in the country’s history when on Dec 16, 2014 the Pakistani Taliban took their campaign to a ruthless new level with an assault on a school in Peshawar that killed 141 people — 132 of them schoolchildren.

The attack on the Army Public School demonstrated how the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan had often targeted the country’s most vulnerable citizens. Described as Pakistan’s 9/11, the incident should have been a turning point in the country’s battle against militancy and violent extremism but unfortunately it didn’t happen.

Violent extremism remains a major threat to the country’s stability.

There are serious questions about the state’s capacity and willingness to counter radical sectarian groups.

The authority of the state virtually crumbled when in 2017 hundreds of zealots belonging to a radical Islamist group brought the capital to a standstill for several weeks. What is more troubling is that the flames of bigotry are sweeping across the country, creating a dangerous confluence of religion and politics.

Surely Pakistani security forces have been successful in defeating insurgency in the former tribal areas and there has been marked decline in terrorist attacks. But there is a danger of losing these gains in Rising authoritarianism is the absence of a coherent national undermining democratic political culture and basic security strategy to deal with the problem. The integration of former rights in Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Pakistan. The selective applicahas been a remarkable developWa a n l a y s a l i l i n s a n i i l l a m a ’ s a ’ a a

‘Miraculous One Community’!

By: Gulshan Alani The common belief of ‘one community’ by the majority is that we are all human beings.

True, it is virtual reality that we are all human beings created by One Creator of the Universe. Almighty GOD created every living things including Animals, beautiful flowers, Rivers and Mountains.

Yet, mankind is not satisfied, not even aware of their Creator the Giver of everything.

Even after acceptance of one community, yet we have become more hateful of each other. Mainly due to the different skin colors and with the visible religious attires.

We often hear the most cynical words: “I hate Muslims, Jews, Brown, and Black people”.

Disliking something or somebody is the nature’s elements in humans, but it doesn’t mean to get ridoff everything we dislike. We don’t destroy all the goods in the store that we don’t like, neither we destroy the dresses we don’t like, we never get angry because they are there on display. Anger leads to hatred that is the evil misanthrope of all mishaps

ment. But the challenges of bringing the population into the political and economic mainstream are enormous. Political instability and absence of governance make the task much more difficult.

The economy has remained the biggest challenge for successive governments in the past 10 years.

The last two governments went to the IMF for bailouts but they were not able to bring long-term structural reforms needed to put the economy on a sustainable course of progress. Pakistan is in a greater financial mess three years after the completion of the last IMF programme.

Now the PTI government has gone in for an IMF programme under far more adverse conditions. Surely the macroeconomic situation has shown signs of improvement, but it’s not enough. There are still questions about whether Imran Khan and his economic team have any long-term vision for economic revival.

A major challenge is how to transform a crumbling institutional structure and address the key constraints to economic growth. Pakistan will have to overcome the barriers to structural transformation that have been stifling its development in the previous decade.

Partial and half-hearted reforms cannot take Pakistan out of the current morass. It is not just about economic growth but also the welfare of the people that matters.

The security of the country is threatened by a failing economy, population explosion, poverty and environmental degradation. A massive youth bulge and a rising uneducated and unskilled population with few prospects of finding productive employment presents a terrifying scenario. Failure to address these problems could lead to the country sliding further into the

abyss of poverty.

Pakistan has one of the highest population growth rates in the world, offsetting efforts to improve social indicators. With a 2.4 per cent growth rate, the population has crossed the 208 million mark, making it the world’s fifth most populous country. It is sitting on a potential demographic disaster with more than 60pc of its population under 25 years of age. The inability of the state to productively utilise a large young generation could cause further social dislocation and conflict.

Pakistan’s foreign policy challenges have not been less daunting in the last decade. With extremely problematic relations with the US, growing tension with India and worsening conflict in Afghanistan, Pakistan has been in a difficult situation on the external front too.

India’s action to annex occupied Kashmir and its growing belligerence has created a very dangerous scenario.

Adroit handling of the Indian escalation in February last year by the Pakistani leadership had forced New Delhi to pull back. But the stakes for Pakistan are still high.

With artillery guns blazing along the Line of Control, the situation remains volatile and even a minor incident could cause it to spiral out of control.

Undoubtedly, Pakistan has played a very important role in facilitating negotiations between the US and the Afghan Taliban that have shown significant progress. But there is no probability of the Afghan war ending soon. To deal with these enormous internal and external challenges, the country needs political stability and a leadership that is not stuck in the past and has a vision for change.

Courtesy By: Zahid Hussain

T h a t m a n c a n h a v e n o t h i n g b u t w h a t h e s t r i v e s f o r.

between mankind.

Hatred of One Creator-GOD is visible in the communities of human gods.

The Universal Messenger Muhammad (saws) advised to control anger, as anger turns into deadly hatred.

The prophet’s task is to purifying the people, to move towards Allah-Creator of the Universe, to move away from the destroyers of one community and moving from darkness into Divine Light.“--WE have sent among you a Messenger rehearsing to you Our Signs and sanctifying you and instructing you in the Scripture of Wisdom and new knowledge”. (Quran-2:151).

Such hatred can only be eliminated by one major belief of the universal Creator GOD, and accepting HIS Divine Revelations, not the books written by human gods and their created religions.

Though, the real concept of ‘One community’ is defined well, clarifying the notion of one community in the following Divine Messages.

“Verily, O you, who believe in Me, this community of yours is one single community, since I am the Sustainer of you all: worship then Me alone!”. (Q. 21:92).

“The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two

(contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy”. (Q. 49-10).

Surely that is evident in the most amazing Multi-cultural-Multi-faith Muslim Ummah-’Miraculous Community’ of Believers known as ‘Muslims’: that consists of Jews, Arabs, Quraysh, Israelites-Bani Israel-12 tribes of Prophet Israel/Jacob (AS) and Bani Manasseh-Manu- Hindus, Punjabis, Persians, Assyrians, Aryans, Africans, Ethiopians, Somalians, Asians, etc. They climbed the final one Grade higher, and accepted the final Divine Revelation from their Lord, became brothers, praying shoulder to shoulder glorifying the Lord GOD the Provider, showing true unity with HIM, HIS way of true pluralism, and practicing the religion of Prophet Abraham (AS).

Kudos to them for their faithfulness to the Divine Authority.Though they are still the same tribal people, just the religious title is changed to ‘Muslim’, but their DNA, and GENES are still the same. Their original ID can also be proven by the Ancestry DNA test.

The Bani Israel-Tribes of Prophet Israel-Jacob (AS) were known as chosen people, but now they are twice chosen for accepting the final Revelation and final Messenger Muhammad (saws), and became obedi-

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ent servants of Allah, submitting to HIM in Islam. Hub E Rasool.

Moreover, they re-built the Temple Mt. (Al Aqsa Mosque) that was destroyed twice before by the enemies.

With their unity with Allah, they are still the custodian of Temple Mt. as well as custodian of the Kaba built

by Prophet Abraham (AS) and his first born son Prophet Ismael (AS).

“Allah would not change our affairs unless we ourselves decide to change”. (13:11).

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

PAKISTAN

Govt approves amendments to Army Act in ‘emergency’ cabinet meeting: sources

The PTI-led government, during an emergency meeting of the federal cabinet on Wednesday, made amendments to the Army Act, according to sources within the cabinet.

The amendments, passed unanimously, were made to the clauses related to the army chief ’s tenure and extension. The meeting was presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

The government has yet to share details regarding the amendments. According to Samaa TV, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said that the cabinet approved amendments in Section 172 of the Army Act. The amendment bill also includes a suggestion to extend the tenure of all the three services chief, Khattak was quoted as saying.

On November 28, the Supreme Court in a short order announced that Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa will remain the

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) for another six months, during which the parliament would legislate on the extension/reappointment of an army chief. The top court’s ruling came in the nick of time as Gen Bajwa was set to retire at midnight. Prime Minister Imran Khan had extended Bajwa’s tenure through a notification in August, but the top court suspended it on November 26 due to irregularities in the manner of extension. On December 26, the government submitted a review petition against the top court’s verdict and asked that it be set aside.

“The review petition was filed [in the Supreme Court] because our legal team thoroughly, comprehensively, and closely reviewed all aspects of the decision and concluded that there are several legal gaps in the verdict,” prime minister’s aide Firdous Ashiq Awan had said while talking to the media. She, however, said that the option of legislation through the parliament will remain intact even after filing of the review petition, adding that Law Minister Farogh Naseem will brief the media in detail about this.

Jointly moved on behalf of the defence ministry, Prime Minister Imran Khan, Presi­dent Dr Arif Alvi and Gen Bajwa, the review petition was filed soon after Law Minister Farogh Naseem paid a visit to the Attorney General Office.

The petition was filed under Article 188 of the Constitution dealing with the review jurisdiction under which earlier orders of the court can be altered only if some error is highlighted, as well as under Article 187 that empowers the top judiciary to issue directives to do complete justice.

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Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh sworn in as Notary Public 49th chief justice of Lahore High Court Immigration

Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh was sworn in on Wednesday as the 49th chief justice of the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Justice Sheikh, who will retire on March 18, 2020, succeeds Justice Sardar Mohammad Shamim Ahmed Khan, who completed his tenure after a year at the helm on December 31, 2019. Punjab Governor Chaudhry MohammadSarwar administered oath to Justice Sheikh on Wednesday at a ceremony held at Governor House, Lahore.

Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan, Punjab Inspector General of Police Shoaib Dastgir, LHC judges, provincial ministers, provincial and federal law officers, as well as LHC officers attended the oath-taking ceremony. Additionally, members of the Pakistan Bar Council, Punjab Bar Council and Lahore Bar As- where he received a warm welcome including a salute from sociation also attended the ceremony. the police squad. Source: www.dawn.com/ After being sworn in, Justice Sheikh arrived at the LHC

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‘Is NAB law only there for politicians?’ asks Raza Rabbani during Senate session

The first Senate session of the year, convened by the government on a 24-hour notice, took place on Wednesday. A regular session of the Senate was last held from Aug 29 to Sept 3. Former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani while addressing the house raised questions on the amendments proposed by the government to the country’s accountability law.

He said the government through the amendments had exempted businessmen, bureaucrats, judges and the military from being proceeded against under the law. “Who is then left? Only you and I are left,” he said, addressing the Senate chairman.

“Is the NAB law only there for politicians?”

he asked, suggesting that the parliament should be allowed to “try the parliamentarians”.Otherwise, he said, if the government really wanted to conduct accountability, then “the only path to meaningful accountability is one law, one bureau [and] acrossthe-board accountability”. Rabbani said there should be “no holy cows” under a fair accountability law which according to him should apply to the judiciary and military as well as the bureaucracy.

He said the government was not following the Constitution and its actions have rendered the parliament ineffective.

Speaking about the issue of extension in the service of Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed

Bajwa, which underwent strict scrutiny in the Supreme Court in November, Rabbani said the PTI government due to its “incapability and incapacity” had landed a national institution (army) into an “embarrassing position”.

“What kind of a government is this which cannot issue three or four notifications?” he said, urging the government to let the parliament and the Senate play their constitutional roles.

Source: www.dawn.com/

Punjab Assembly resolution seeks most stringent anti-blasphemy laws LAHORE: The Punjab Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution asking the federal government to make new or improve existing laws to sternly punish blasphemers and set up a Saudi Arabia like central screening or filtration system to intercept blasphemous material on social media. The session of the Punjab Assembly prorogued sine die when PTI and PML-N members were hurling accusations against the leadership of each other, disallowing Law Minister Raja Basharat to give any assurance to PPP’s Hasan Murtaza who sought action against sugar mills in his hometown which had prematurely ended crushing of sugarcane to

blackmail the growers.

The resolution was presented by Mines Minister Ammar Yasir. It said there existed antiblasphemy laws in the country but they were not being enforced in letter and spirit, allowing some people to commit blasphemy in the garb of freedom of expression and hurt feelings of Muslims.It said blasphemous content was available on social media and also in the international print and electronic media. Some importers too were importing books containing such material, hurting the feelings of Muslims not only in Pakistan but also abroad. “Therefore, this house demands the immediate establishment of a Saudi Ara-

bia like central filtration and screening system to prevent blasphemous content. Laws should immediately be made to prevent printing and sale of local or foreign religious books without the certification of Muthidda Ulema Board and the federal religious affairs ministry, also disallowing presentation of such material in regular and social media.

“The books containing blasphemous material should immediately be confiscated and their import be disallowed. The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016 and PP’s Sections 295 and 298 should be improved and enforced to award deterrent punishment to the blasphemers.”

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Nat i o n a l

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US deploys 750 troops to Iraq after Baghdad embassy attack

Continued from page 1

Reacting to the attack, US President Donald Trump said he held Tehran “fully responsible” for the incident, and said that the protesters “will be held fully responsible,” he wrote on Twitter on Tuesday. “In addition, we expect Iraq to use its forces to protect the Embassy, and so notified!” Trump later warned in a separate statement that Tehran would “pay a very big price” after the attack, but when asked later in the day about the possibility of tensions spiraling into a war with Iran, Trump told reporters: “Do I want to? No. I want to have peace. I like peace.

And Iran should want to have peace more than anybody. So I don’t see that happening.” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the attack was “orchestrated by terrorists,” one of whom he named as Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis. Al-Muhandis has been identified as second-in-command of the Tehran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces) paramilitary group which includes Kataib Hezbollah, the group that was hit in the US air raids.

I n t

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a statement that about 750 troops from a rapid response unit of the 82nd Airborne Division are prepared to deploy over the next several days to the region.

“This deployment is an appropriate and precautionary action taken in response to increased threat levels against US personnel and facilities, such as we witnessed in Baghdad today,” he said.

A social media post from the US Marines said the troops from its crisis response command in Kuwait were deployed to Iraq The 750 soldiers deploying immediately were in addition to 14,000 US troops who had deployed to the Gulf region since May in response to concerns about Iran, and the reported attacks on commercial shipping in the Gulf. At the time of the attack the US had about 5,200 troops in Iraq, mainly to train Iraqi forces and help them combat ISIL (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIS). Meanwhile, a US official, who provided unreleased details to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity, said the full brigade of about 4,000 soldiers may deploy. On Sunday, the US launched air attacks on sites in Iraq and Syria belonging to Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia, that Washington said was in retaliation for the killing of a US contractor on an Iraqi military base. At least 25 fighters from Kataib Hezbollah were killed in the attack.

That triggered the protest and storming of the US embassy compound on Tuesday.

The protesters raised flags of the powerful paramilitary group Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), with which Kataib Hezbollah is associated S:.aljazeera.com/

Hong Kong protesters ring in 2020 with pro-democracy chants, human chains Thousands of Hong Kong revelers welcomed in 2020 on neon-lit promenades along the picturesque Victoria Harbour, breaking into pro-democracy chants as the clocks struck midnight after more than half a year of often violent unrest.

Protesters briefly blocked Nathan Road, a key artery leading through Kowloon to the harbour, after forming human chains across the Chinese-ruled city and marching through shopping malls, urging people not to give up the fight for democracy in 2020.

The protesters fled when police came to clear the road of umbrellas, street furniture and debris and a three-meter-tall skeleton of a metal Christmas tree. Several arrests were made.

Authorities had cancelled the popular New Year fireworks for the first time in a decade, citing security concerns. A “Symphony of Lights” took place instead, involving projections on the city’s tallest skyscrapers after the countdown to midnight.

There were small-scale pyrotechnics on waterfront rooftops, but the grandiose fireworks launched from vessels in the centre of the harbour, broadcast around the world every year, were absent.

The carnival atmosphere on the harbour was interrupted as parts of the crowd of thousands watching the show began chanting protest slogans, such as “Liberate Hong Kong! Revolution of our times” and “Five demands, not one less.”

The latter refers to the goals of the antigovernment movement, which include universal suffrage and an independent inquiry into alleged police brutality.

The protesters are angry at what they see as creeping Beijing influence in the city which was guaranteed wide-ranging autonomy when it returned from British to Chinese

rule in 1997. Beijing denies interference and blames the West for fomenting the unrest.

“I hope people can continue fighting in 2020,” 28-year-old engineer Eric Wong said.

“We should not forget the people in jail who could not count down to the new year with us.”

In a New Year’s Eve video message, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said more than six months of unrest in the Asian financial hub had caused sadness, anxiety, disappointment and rage.

“Let’s start 2020 with a new resolution, to restore order and harmony in society. So we can begin again, together,” said Lam in the three-minute address.

Chinese President Xi Jinping extended his best wishes to Hong Kongers in a speech carried by state television.

“The situation in Hong Kong has been everybody’s concern over the past few months,” Xi said.

“Without a harmonious and stable environment, how can there be a home where people can live and work happily? We sincerely hope for the best for Hong Kong and Hong Kong compatriots.”

Police say they have arrested nearly 6,500

Kim says North Korea to show ‘new strategic weapon’ amid standoff with U.S.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has accused the United States of dragging its feet in nuclear negotiations and warned that his country will soon show a “new strategic weapon” to the world as its bolsters its nuclear deterrent in face of “gangster-like” U.S. sanctions and pressure.

The North’s state media said Wednesday that Kim made the comments during a four-day ruling party conference held through Tuesday in the capital Pyongyang, where he declared that the North will never give up its security for economic benefits in the face of what he described as increasing U.S. hostility and nuclear threats.“The world will witness a new strategic weapon to be possessed by the DPRK in the near future,” the state-run Korean Central News Agency said, referring to the North by its formal name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

In an interview with Fox News Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he hoped North Korea would “choose peace and prosperity over conflict and war.”

In his latest comments on Tuesday in the United States, President Donald Trump said he had a good relationship with Kim and thought the North Korean leader would keep his word. “He likes me, I like him. We get along. He’s representing his country, I’m representing my country. We have to do what we have to do.“But he did sign a contract, he did sign an agreement talking about denuclearisation,” Trump told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Kim’s comments came after a months-long standoff between Washington and Pyongyang over disagreements involving disarmament steps and the removal of sanctions imposed on the North.

“He said that we will never allow the impudent U.S. to abuse the DPRK-U.S. dialogue for meeting its sordid aim but will shift to a shocking actual action to make it pay for the pains sustained by our people so far and for the development so far restrained,” the KCNA said. Kim added that “if the U.S. persists in its hostile policy toward the DPRK, there will never be the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula and the DPRK will steadily develop necessary and prerequisite strategic weapons for the security of the state until the U.S. rolls back its hostile policy,” according to the agency. However, Kim showed no clear indication of abandoning negotiations with the United States or restarting tests of nuclear bombs and intercontinental ballistic missiles he had suspended under a self-imposed moratorium in 2018.

He did issue a warning that there would be no grounds for the North to be “unilaterally bound” to the moratorium any longer, criticizing the United States for continuing its joint military exercises with rival South Korea and providing the South with advanced weaponry. Source: CBC News

Arab League warns against ‘foreign interference’ in Libya

The Arab League has called for efforts to “prevent foreign interference” in Libya in the wake of military and maritime agreements between Turkey and the UN-recognised government in Tripoli.

Permanent representatives of the pan-Arab organisation, in a meeting at its Cairo headquarters requested by Egypt, passed a resolution on Tuesday stressing the “necessity to prevent interference that could contribute to facilitating the arrival of foreign extremists in Libya”.

They also expressed “serious concern over the military escalation further aggravating the situation in Libya and which threatens the security and stability of neighbouring countries and the entire region”.

On Monday, the UN’s Libya envoy, Ghassan Salame, said the deals signed by Turkey and the Tripoli government represented an “escalation” of the conflict in the North African country.

Libya has been mired in conflict since a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled and killed Muammar Gaddafi, with rival administrations in the east and the west vying for power.

In November, Ankara signed a security and military cooperation deal and also inked a

maritime jurisdiction agreement with the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital.

Turkey is currently trying to win parliamentary support for sending troops to Libya.

Egypt is one of renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar’s foremost foreign backers.

Cairo has been flexing its diplomatic muscles since Turkey signed accords with the Tripoli government last month.

Both sides in Libya have received foreign air support, mainly through drones, and Russian military contractors have been deployed on the front line to help Haftar’s forces in recent months, diplomats and analysts say.

Source: Al-Jazeera

people since the protests began escalating in what is the worst political crisis faced by the city in decades.

On Jan. 1, tens of thousands of people are expected to join a major pro-democracy march, after it received police approval to proceed.

The previous such march by organizers, the Civil Human Rights Front (CHRF), in early December, drew an estimated 800,000 people.

The New Year demonstrations follow a pickup in clashes since Christmas Eve, when riot police fired tear gas at thousands of protesters following scuffles in shopping malls and in a prime tourist district.

“On New Year’s Day, we need to show our solidarity … to resist the government. We hope Hong Kong people will come onto the streets for Hong Kong’s future,” said CHRF leader Jimmy Sham.

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

f a i t h What is said regarding the beating (lashing) of a drunk Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet beat a drunk with palm-leaf stalks and shoes. And Abu Bakr gave (such a sinner) forty lashes.Sahih Al Bukhari 1: Chapter 87, Hadith 6773

The Islamic Jesus: A Gap Or Bridge Between Christians And Muslims?

T

kill or crucify Jesus. It does not say that nobody else — such as the Romans — killed nor crucified Jesus.

These are just a few of the many points that I call on fellow Muslims to reconsider about Christianity in my new book: “The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslisms.” But I also call on Christians to reconsider Islam. One reason is that Islam’s peculiar view of Jesus — venerating him as the prophet and Messiah of God, but not as divine — is rooted within Christianity itself. In particular, “Jewish Christianity,” a heterodox strain in the early Church that followed Jesus as the Messiah but also kept following the Jewish Law, has teachings that strongly resemble those of the Qur’an — a muchoverlooked fact that opens intriguing questions about the origins of Islam.

Finally, the most important bridge Jesus offers between Christianity and Islam is his wisdom. The nature of Christ will continue to be a gap between the two faiths, but the teachings of Christ on faith, law and morals are binding.

Muslims, in fact, desperately need that wisdom today, as I argue, for they suffer from the exact same problem that Jesus saw at the Pharisees of his time: Obsessing about the minute details of religious law, while forgetting its moral purposes.

Hence I argue in my book: We Muslims do not worship Jesus, like Christians do, yet still we can follow him. He, after all, is the very prophet whose “Second Coming” is foretold in the Islamic tradition. Maybe that is what Prophet Muhammad really meant when he told his followers: “I am the beginning of this community, and Jesus the end.”

Mustafa Akyol is the author of the newly released, The Islamic Jesus: How the King of the Jews Became a Prophet of the Muslims.

BY: MUSTAFA AKYOL

hroughout the whole Qur’an, there is only one woman mentioned by her name. She is exceptionally praised, as someone that God “has chosen over all other women.”

There is a long chapter named after her, and even another chapter named after her family.

Guess who she is. Those unfamiliar with the Qur’an might suspect that she must be someone related to the Prophet Muhammad — maybe his mother, or his wife, or his daughter. She is, however, none other than Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Jesus himself is also venerated throughout the Qur’an. We read that he was born of a virgin, he was “the Messiah,” and he performed amazing miracles.

The Qur’an even calls Jesus “the Word of God” — a very powerful term, especially for those who are familiar with the beginning of the Gospel of John.

These are just some of the many facts that can make a Christian warm up to the Qur’an. However, the same Qur’an also denounces key aspects of Christianity — such as the divinity of Jesus, and the Doctrine of Trinity.

That is the case, for every new religion that comes into being says something about the earlier ones. That is why while the Old Testament is totally silent on Christians, the New Testament has certain teaching about Jews. Similarly, while the New Testament is totally silent on Muslims, the Qur’an has certain teachings about both Jews and Christians.

Some of these Qur’anic teachings about the former monotheistic faiths are appreciative. The Qur’an says that Muslims believe in the same God with Jews and Christians, and Muhammad is just another prophet in the line of Abraham or Moses. Other teachings of the Qur’an, however, are critical. Jews are criticized

for being disobedient to the prophets God sent to them — including Jesus.

Christians, on the other hand, are criticized for divinizing Jesus — who is, for the Qur’an, an exceptionally holy servant of God, but still a servant of God. Like other faith communities often do about their texts, Muslims often go “selective” about these diverse themes in the Qur’an. Those Muslims who seek harmony with Christians focus on the commonalities between Islam and Christianity. They see the Islamic Jesus, in other words, as a bridge between the two faiths. Other Muslims who are hostile to Christians — out of political grievances, or mere religious bigotry — see the Islamic Jesus as a gap.

A careful re-reading of the Qur’an, however, suggests that the gap might be narrower than even what the mainstream Islamic tradition has considered.

Consider the term, “Son of God,” which the Qur’an condemns. Muslims are typically appalled by the term, seeing it as an insult against God. When one looks at the terminology of the Qur’an, however, a nuance emerges. In Arabic, there are two different terms for “son”: Walad, which is always a biological son, and ibn, which can be a metaphorical son. And while the Qur’an rebukes those who say, “God has a son,” it almost always uses the word, walad. It condemns, in other words, the notion of a deity who has

The Congregational prayer

walk (to the mosque).” [Muslim, Ahmad and Abu Dawood]

Who should be the Imam:

What is considered a congregation?

The least number required for the congregational prayer is two: the Imam (leader) and another one with him. The more the people, the more rewarding is the prayer.

The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “A man’s prayer with another man is worth more than his prayer individually, and his prayer with two men is worth more than his prayer with only one man. The more there are, the more rewarding it is by Allah.” [Ahmad and Abu Dawood] The Prayer is better to be performed in the mosque. The farther the mosque is, the better. Concerning this, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention ) said: “The people attaining the most reward are those who are farthest to

sired a child through sexual intercourse with a woman. No wonder it proclaims: “God has taken neither a wife nor a son.”

When we look at the context of the Qur’an, the discussion becomes clearer.

Pre-Islamic pagan Arabs believed in an array of carnal deities who — just like the Greek gods — had wives, daughters and sons. So, perhaps, the Qur’an’s condemnation of divine filiation was directed at Arab polytheism — Islam’s archenemy — rather than Christianity.

Some medieval Muslim scholars, such as Al-Razi, the great exegete of the Qur’an, had noted this nuance and argued that Jesus’ “sonship” to God was perhaps a metaphor, just like Abraham’s “friendship” to God, a concept with which Muslims have no problem. But today that nuance is lost to most Muslims.

Another bone of contention between Christians and Muslims is the latter’s common denial of Crucifixion. This is based on a much-discussed Qur’anic verse about Jesus that reads: “They did not kill him, nor did they crucify him, but it was made to appear like that to them.” Most Muslim commentators have interpreted this by suggesting that someone else was crucified instead of Jesus— curiously reminding an early Christian heresy called “docetism.”

However, the Qur’an’s polemic above is directed not at Christians, but a certain SOURCE:https://www.islamicity.org/ group of Jews. It says that Jews did not HUFFINGTON POST

Prayer Schedule in Greater Vancouver Jan 3-17, 2020 Jamadi ul Awaal 8-22 1441H

The congregational prayer is led by an Imam.

The Imam should be male, just, and well Isl. Dt. Day Date Fajar aware of Islamic jurisprudence. The Imam 8 Fri stands in front by himself while the follow9 Sat ers stand behind him in straight lines, all facing the Qiblah (the direction of Ka’bah). The 10 Sun most worthy of leading people in prayer is 11 Mon the one who is the best in memorizing and 12 Tue reciting the Quran. If they are equal, then 13 Wed the one who has the deepest knowledge of 14 Thus Sunnah. If they still are equal in the knowl15 Fri edge of Sunnah, then the oldest of the group.

The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi 16 Sat wa sallam ( may Allah exalt his mention 17 Sun ) said: “The most versed in the recitation of 18 Mon the Book of Allah leads the people in prayer.

19 Tue If they are equal, then the one who is most 20 Wed aware of the Sunnah. If they all are equal, 21 Thus then the one who emigrated earlier. If they again are all equal, then the oldest of them.”

22 Fri [Muslim].Source https://www.islamweb.net/

Sunr

Zawal Dhuhr Dhuhr Asar Shafi Asar

Maghrib

Isha

For such Prayers are enjoined on believers at stated times: Quran ,n 4:103 Source: BCMA

6

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

Nat i o n a l

&

I n t

Can Trudeau count on stable Liberal Canada back in world’s top 10 economies, with room to grow: report minority? Not necessarily, warns Bob Rae Continued from page 1

at Canada’s expense, but fell back to 11th place this year due to ripple effects of the U.S.-China trade war and the downturn in the Chinese economy.

The U.K.-based Centre for Economics and Business Research, which publishes the annual table, predicted years ago that Canada would drop out of the top 10, but did not foresee its return.

In fact, as of 2016, the centre was expecting Canada’s economy to continue to slip down the ranking. Its newest projection, released Dec. 26, paints a different picture, with Canada’s economy projected to rise to the ninth-largest in the world by 2024 and No. 8 by 2029. The centre says population growth brought on by immigration has contributed

to Canada’s economic strength.

“Countries that are successful in attracting skilled migrants tend to grow faster,” reads a press release accompanying the report.

The report also details several factors weighing on the Canadian economy, including what it sees as high unemployment, a minority government potentially facing roadblocks to implementing its agenda, and the federal debt load.

Globally, the centre’s latest projection sees China eclipsing the U.S. as the world’s largest economy by 2033 -- two years later than it previously predicted. Canada’s economy is expected to outpace the economies of Brazil and Italy over the next 15 years.

Source: CTV News

Gun control advocates urging Quebec to tighten rules as mosque shooting anniversary approaches MONTREAL -- As the third anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting approaches, gun control advocates are urging the province to tighten rules around reference checks for those seeking gun permits.

Advocates have pressed for change since it was revealed that the mosque shooter, Alexandre Bissonnette, did not acknowledge when applying for a firearm permit that he had experienced periods of depression, and his family did not report it to authorities.

Suzanne Laplante-Edward, whose daughter was killed in the 1989 shooting at Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique, notes that no one verified Bissonnette’s statements and if they’d done so, the weapons used in the attack would have remained out of his reach.

Laplante-Edward and other family members of Montreal Massacre victims had a chance to discuss the issue with Premier Francois Legault during a recent ceremony.

She says they had a very good meeting and

says the premier agrees it is imperative for the Quebec government to act quickly to fill in the gaps on background checks.

The federal government has promised a range of measures to tighten gun control rules, and Quebec says it has had discussions with Public Safety Minister Bill Blair about upcoming changes.

Source:montreal.ctvnews.ca/

OTTAWA -- Accidents happen.

That’s something Bob Rae advises all federal political parties to keep in mind as they enter a new era of minority government.

The former interim Liberal leader knows a thing or two about minority governments.

As a New Democrat MP, he moved the motion that brought down Joe Clark’s fleeting Conservative government in 1979.

As NDP leader in Ontario, he struck the 1985 deal that ended the Progressive Conservatives’ 42-year reign in that province and installed David Peterson’s Liberal minority government.

And, back in the federal arena as a Liberal MP during Stephen Harper’s second Conservative minority government from 2008 to 2011, he was involved in the Liberals’ unsuccessful attempt to form a coalition government with the NDP. So, Rae speaks from experience when he expresses skepticism about the conventional wisdom that Justin Trudeau’s Liberals won a strong, stable minority in the Oct. 21 election -- 13 seats shy of a majority -- and should have little difficulty surviving, with the help of one or more opposition parties, for at least a couple of years.

“The one thing that can and has gone wrong

(in past minority governments) is what I would call the unintended consequences of rhetoric or people assuming what other people know or assuming ... ‘Well, if we do this, they will inevitably do that,’” he says in an interview.

“And you sort of say none of that is inevitable and you’ve got to be aware that things can go wrong.”

With the Conservatives about to embark on a leadership race after Andrew Scheer’s abrupt resignation, Rae is reasonably confident that the Liberal minority is in no danger of being brought down in the short term, at least not until the official Opposition chooses a new leader.

But even a leaderless Opposition is no guarantee of survival -- as Clark discovered when the Liberals joined the NDP to defeat his government’s maiden budget despite the fact that Pierre Trudeau, the current prime minister’s late father, had stepped down as Grit leader. The Conservatives miscalculated the number of opposition MPs who’d show up, lost the confidence vote and plunged the country into an election they thought they could win because the Liberals were in disarray. Source: CTV News

Some of Canada’s newest parents rang in the new year by welcoming the first babies born in 2020 moments after the stroke of midnight.

In Quebec, baby Henri made his appearance at a Laval hospital just 32 seconds into the New Year, according to l’Hopital de la Cite-de-la-Sante.

Father Marc-Andre Baillargeon admitted he’d been “watching the clocks” in the hospital after doctors decided to perform a Csection at around 11:30 p.m.

Henri’s early-morning appearance was none too soon for Baillargeon and his partner, Amelie Bouchard, who had been eagerly awaiting their baby’s arrival ever since his Dec. 20 due date.

Henri, who was a healthy 9 pounds, 6 oz at birth, was decked out in a tiny white knit hat emblazoned with the date “2020” to mark

the occasion.

The first baby born in British Columbia came at 12:01 a.m. at the Royal Columbian Hospital in New Westminster.

Fraser Health says the girl, who has been nick-named Clarita, was delivered by emergency C-section at 35 weeks into her mother Claire’s pregnancy and weighed 4 pounds, 10 oz.

The health authority says the 39-year-old mother’s first child was stillborn, delivered in 2017 at 37 weeks, so Clarita’s premature birth was especially emotional for her parents.

At exactly the same time, at 12:01 a.m., Mohammed, a boy, was born at Toronto’s Humber River Hospital.

All of the new babies and their mothers are said to be doing well.

Meet some of Canada’s first babies of the new year

Taxes and fees set to change in the new year

SURREY -- As British Columbians anticipate the arrival of a new year, they can also look forward to new tax hikes and some tax breaks that will kick in for 2020.One big change is the elimination of MSP premiums, which the province calls the biggest middleclass tax cut in B.C. history – saving families as much as $1,800 per year.

But the Canadian Taxpayers Federation accuses the government of playing a shell game when it comes to collecting money for health care because the responsibility for making up the difference falls on employers with annual payrolls of more than $500,000. ”That has really added to the tax burden of many job creators here in British Columbia, and going forward, in the year 2020, they’re going to keep the Employer Health Tax,” said CTF’s Kris Sims.

Most municipalities in the province have payrolls above the threshold for the EHT, so Sims worries the cost will be passed on to homeowners through increased property taxes. The provincial carbon tax will also go up another $5 per tonne this year, adding

more than a cent per litre to the price of gas across the province.

At the federal level, the basic personal amount people can earn before having to pay federal taxes is increasing by almost $1,000 to $13,229 – and the Liberal government plans to bring that number up to $15,000 by 2023.

“That is a really significant income tax cut and we want to give the federal government credit where it is due,” said Sims. “Eventually, by the year 2023, that will save the average Canadian around $300 per year.”

Source: bc.ctvnews.ca/

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H

l o c a l

January 3, 2020

Al-Ihsan 2019 Aalimiyya Program Graduation Ceremony

By: Taha Masood

History was made on Dec 25th, 2019, when a group of four female and two male students graduated as fully qualified scholars (‘ulama). Over the past year 7 years, these students studied what is known as The Aalim Course, at the Al Ihsan Institute in Surrey BC, under the instruction and guidance of Mufti Aasim Rashid (hafizahullah). This graduation marked the first time female students completed the Aalim Course anywhere in Central and Western North America. The graduation ceremony was held at the Guilford Islamic Centre in Surrey.

Many of Al-Ihsan’s students from various programs spoke and described the programs they are studying and how they are benefiting from the knowledge they are learning. Mufti Taha Masood spoke about the institute’s future plans and some upcom-

ing courses including a weekend Islamic school for children, tajweed classes for adults, and a series of part-time shari’a programs exclusively for females of all ages.

The main program of the night was conducted by Mufti Aasim Saab, when the students read and completed the final lesson of Sahih al-Bukhari. Mufti Aasim completed the last hadith of the compilation and delivered an inspiring discourse about the lessons derived from the ahadith being read.

The graduating students then received their diplomas, and the turban tying ceremony took place, in which all the local scholars in attendance participated. The gathering was concluded by a heartwarming du’a by Maulana Aasim Sahab and a delicious dinner.

We ask Allah to accept the efforts made by these students and their teachers, and that He grant them steadfastness and the ability to continue to serve his deen, wherever they may be.

It is our honour to welcome to the list of Al Ihsan’s graduates: Maulana Farhaan Ali, Maulana Numan Goraya, Aalima Hanna Meyer, Aalima Hafsa Farooqui, Aalima Ruwaida Sohail, and Aalima Sadaf Saleem.

Al-Ihsan Educational Foundation offers a variety of part-time courses for children and adults. A full list and details of these courses can be found at ihsan.ca.

New laws and rules coming into effect in 2020

By: Sonja Puzic TORONTO -- As we usher in another decade, a number of new laws and rules will come into effect in 2020 that may have an impact on your way of life. That includes changes to federal divorce laws, as well as cannabis and vaping regulations in some provinces.

Here are the highlights you need to know:

CANADA-WIDE

Federal tax changes The basic amount most Canadians can earn tax-free is going up on Jan. 1, to $13,229.

The increase is being phased in over four years until it reaches $15,000 in 2023.

For Canadians in the lower income brackets, the changes could result in tax savings of up to $140 in 2020. For those earning more than $150,473 annually, those savings will be clawed back or not offered at all.

Also starting on Jan. 1, the employment insurance premiums for individual workers and employees will slightly decrease.

The maximum annual EI contribution for a worker will fall by $3.86 to $856.36 and employers’ maximum contribution will fall $5.41 to $1,198.90 per employee.

Changes to the Divorce Act Federal laws related to divorce proceedings and family orders were amended with the passage of Bill C-78, with the majority of

changes to the Divorce Act coming into effect on July 1, 2020.

The changes include updated criteria to determine a child’s best interests in custody cases, as well as measures to address family violence when making parenting arrangements.

The changes also aim to make the family justice system “more accessible and affordable” for everyone involved.

The Divorce Act applies to married couples who are divorcing, while provincial and territorial legislation applies to all other spousal separations, including those involving unmarried and common-law couples.

Overhauling the Indigenous child welfare system Legislation known as the Act Respecting First Nations, Inuit and Métis Children, Youth and Families will come into full force on Jan. 1, 2020. It is meant to overhaul Canada’s Indigenous child welfare system, which critics have for years described as inadequate and discriminatory.

The changes to the legislation were developed with input from the Assembly of First Nations and experts across the country, and AFN says the new rules are “consistent” with the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Minimum wage increase As of June 1, 2020, the minimum wage in the province will increase to $14.60 per hour, from the current hourly rate of $13.85.

In June 2021, the minimum wage is expected to increase to $15.20 per hour.

New vaping regulations

The province is planning to roll out much tougher rules when it comes to sale and promotion of vaping products in the wake of increasing concerns about the health effects of vaping.

Among the new rules: the provincial sales tax on vaping products will increase significantly on Jan. 1, from seven to 20 per cent.

No more health-care premiums B.C. is eliminating the provincial healthcare premiums for its residents as of Jan. 1.

The government says the elimination of the Medical Service Plan premiums will save individuals up to $900 and families up to

$1,800 per year.

ALBERTA

New carbon tax The federal government will start imposing its carbon tax on Alberta on Jan. 1. Albertans will pay $20 per tonne of CO2 until April 2020, when the price will rise to $30 per tonne.

This means that Albertans will now be eligible for the carbon tax rebate when they file their income taxes. The rebate amounts will be as follows: Single adult or first adult in a couple: $444 Second adult in a couple or first child of a single parent: $222 Each child under 18: $111 Baseline amount for a family of four: $888 Property division changes under family law On Jan. 1, certain changes to the provincial family law will make it easier for unmarried partners to divide their property if they break up.

The Matrimonial Property Act will be amended to apply to both “adult interdependent partners” and legally married spouses. Other changes to the Act include clarifying property division rules and when couples can enter into property ownership and division agreements.

Source: ctvnews.ca/

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

l o c a l

Pictorial views of Friends of Pakistan(FOP) Celebrates Qaid e Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s Birthday at Punjab Banquet Hall Surrey on Dec 25th.

9

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

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12

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

Politics

Poll on best prime ministers of the 20th century suggests regional divide

OTTAWA -- There appears to be a regional divide in how fondly Canadians view prime ministers past, according to a poll that might shed light on today’s politics.

The survey from the non-profit Association for Canadian Studies found respondents were divided in their choices for the best prime minister of the 20th century, with Pierre Trudeau receiving the largest share of votes at 15 per cent.

He and Brian Mulroney were the most

popular picks in Quebec -- but francophone Quebecers favoured Mulroney while anglophones in the province favoured Trudeau.

And in the West, respondents chose Lester B. Pearson more often from the list of eight prime ministers who served long stints in office between 1900 and 2000.

The Leger online poll conducted the week of Nov. 11 surveyed 2,295 Canadians but cannot be assigned a margin of error because polls from Internet panels are not random samples.

Association president Jack Jedwab notes Pierre Trudeau was chosen by respondents in parts of the country key to current prime minister Justin Trudeau’s electoral successes.

“Justin Trudeau, who in many ways articulates the key pillars of his father’s vision ... is today popular with the same constituents as his father is in the survey,” Jedwab says.

He adds that younger Canadians, Ontarians and anglophone Quebecers have positive evaluations of Pierre Trudeau’s legacy, “and may also determine how Justin fares in the future.” Pierre Trudeau, a Liberal, was prime minister from 1968 to 1984, minus nine months in opposition in 1979. Mulroney, a Progressive Conservative, was in office from 1984 to 1993. Pearson, a Liberal, was prime minister from 1963 to 1968.

Other prime ministers on the list of options included Robert Borden (prime minister from 1911 to 1920, as a Conservative and then at the head of a coalition during the First World War), William Lyon Mackenzie King (a Liberal with three stints between 1921 and 1948, totalling more than 21 years), Wilfrid Laurier (Liberal prime minister from 1896 to 1911), Jean Chretien (Liberal prime minister from 1993 to 2003), and Louis Saint-Laurent (Liberal prime minister from 1948 to 1957).

Respondents in the survey who were older

OTTAWA -- Former Conservative leadership candidate Erin O’Toole held a five-hour meeting in the Toronto area Monday to suss out a plan to make another bid for the party’s top job. About 20 people from across the country gathered to present O’Toole with a plan to win the upcoming contest, The Canadian Press has learned.

O’Toole placed third in the 2017 leadership race that ended with Andrew Scheer beating Maxime Bernier by a hair.

But Scheer announced earlier this month he’s resigning, a move that came after weeks of intense criticism of how he handled the October election.

Fred DeLorey, a veteran conservative organizer, said an accomplished group is ready to help O’Toole lead the party to victory in the next one.“These are people who understand that we need Erin to keep our conservative coalition united and know he can win a leadership and ultimately defeat Justin Trudeau in a general election,” DeLorey said.

DeLorey ran O’Toole’s 2017 campaign, and has helped run several others, including get-out-the-vote efforts for Ontario Premier Doug Ford. O’Toole’s ability to communicate in French and the fact he has “real life”

experience were key themes in the meeting, one source in the room said.

O’Toole served in the Royal Canadian Air Force, and went on to become a corporate lawyer. He entered politics in a 2012 byelection for the seat in the Toronto-area riding of Durham. He went on to serve in cabinet in the last Conservative government.

O’Toole effectively handed Scheer his win in the 2017 race. Bernier had been in the lead until O’Toole’s name dropped off the ballot after the 11th round of voting. More of O’Toole’s supporters had selected Scheer as their next choice, so he won the race by less than a percentage point.

While a preferential ballot will again be used for the upcoming leadership vote, several other key elements have yet to be determined, including when it will be held.

A committee charged with figuring out the logistics around the race was only put together late last week. The leadership election organizing committee, as it is known, is being run by Lisa Raitt, another former leadership candidate and Conservative MP, and Dan Nowlan, who ran the 2017 contest.

Among the issues they’re wrestling with are the requirements to enter the contest. In

2017, candidate had to pay $100,000 and get signatures from 300 party members from at least 30 electoral districts in at least seven different provinces and territories.

Thirteen people met those requirements and debate is ongoing about whether setting the bar -- financial or otherwise -- higher would make for a smaller field, something many party members are hoping to see.

The timing of the race is also up in the air.

A Conservative party policy convention scheduled for April has been pushed back to November. Some party members want the leadership vote held before, while others want a longer contest to allow for better debate. Several potential candidates have been actively testing the waters for a leadership bid since Scheer stepped down.

Three of them -- current MPs Pierre Poilievre and Gerard Deltell, and former cabinet minister Peter MacKay -- all made an appearance at a high-profile Conservative Christmas party in Boucherville, Que., two weeks ago, shaking hands and posing for photos with party members.

Former Quebec premier Jean Charest is also considering a run, as is former interim party leader Rona Ambrose.

HALIFAX -- Canada’s politicians have to listen to one another to address economic rifts that could hinder national unity, Nova Scotia’s premier says, as he adds his voice to calls for changes to the federal government’s fiscal stabilization program.

“I worry that the country has an East-West feel to it which is not a healthy thing for Canada,” Stephen McNeil said in a recent year-end interview with The Canadian Press.

“We need to continue to make sure that we listen to one another.” McNeil, who is one of

only three Liberal premiers still in office, voiced support for resource-rich provinces such as Alberta and Newfoundland and Labrador, which face substantial budgetary shortfalls in large part because of lower world oil prices.

Federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau has said his department is examining ways to change how Ottawa distributes money to cashstarved provinces and hinted that the details would be worked out in 2020.

McNeil said he is well aware of the fact that Nova Scotia has benefited from Alberta’s energy sector, which has employed thousands of people from his province over the years. McNeil said there is no doubt Alberta’s economy has been “shocked” by the oil downturn, and the province’s pleas for help are real.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney has been warning for months of growing anger in

Western Canada over the region’s concerns being ignored.

“We need to listen to this,” McNeil said.

“That doesn’t mean there isn’t going to be tough conversations, but these are real feelings in Alberta. Some of them are well founded and some of them aren’t, but you have to be mindful of that.”

McNeil said the conversation also needs to be extended to national programs such as health care, which he believes need to be better tailored to suit the needs of different regions.

He said the Atlantic region in particular needs change to address stresses to the health-care system because of an aging population -- an argument McNeil and other Atlantic premiers have been increasingly making with the federal government.

McNeil said he believes the push to tear down red tape that leads to internal trade barriers is another way to ease national tensions.“We are signing these big trade agreements with countries and yet we are having challenges internally,” he said. “We want to work on a national level on how we share our resources.”

Continued from page 1

than 55 selected Pierre Trudeau, Pearson and Laurier above others on the list of prime ministers presented.

Jedwab notes the majority of respondents under age 35, the oldest of whom were teenagers at the end of the 20th century, either didn’t recognize the names on the list or felt uncomfortable ranking them.

The findings show the effect the years are having on how we remember prime ministerial performance, he says. People over age 55 likely remember Pierre Trudeau’s time in office, while those who are just hitting that age got the right to vote around the time the elder Trudeau left office for good in 1984, Jedwab says.

“Increasingly, what we hear or read about Trudeau and the other prime ministers can make the difference in our evaluations and who happens to currently be in power will have a bearing on that.”

John Diefenbaker, Kim Campbell, Arthur Meighen, R.B. Bennett, John Turner, and Joe Clark were not included in questions to respondents, though both Bennett and Diefenbaker served longer as prime minister than Pearson did. Source: www.ctvnews.ca

Former Tory leadership candidate Erin O’Toole revving up for new campaign

Meanwhile, Bryan Brulotte has stepped back from his job as CEO of the employment firm MaxSys to explore a bid. He has historic connections to the party, having worked for the Progressive Conservatives in the short-lived government of Kim Campbell.

Another potential candidate is Aron Seal, who is fashioning a campaign under the banner of being a “millennial conservative.”

He worked as director of policy for former finance minister Jim Flaherty.

Source: www.ctvnews.ca

Politicians need to listen to each other on national unity, N.S. premier says

To that end, McNeil said it’s hoped there will also be progress in the new year in brining Ottawa on board with a proposed shared energy utility corridor in Atlantic Canada.

Currently low capacity in electrical lines, especially between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, has created bottlenecks and federal funding is needed to help upgrade the system, McNeil said.

He said modernizing the regional electrical grid is key to helping move renewable energy across Atlantic Canada and beyond.

“That includes Quebec,” said McNeil.

“Bringing energy in from Quebec and moving energy through Quebec to other parts of Canada. But that would require all of us to have a broader view than just our own respective utilities.”

Approaching his seventh year in office, MNeil said the results of the 2019 federal election should be noted by all politicians in Canada. “The voter has a way of shocking politicians into reality,” he said. “I think the federal election gave everyone a chance to pause. Canadians want to see something different so governments should pay attention to that.” Source:: atlantic.ctvnews.ca/

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

local

Surrey protest against India’s Citizenship Amendment Act

On Sunday, December 22, about hundred people gathered to protest against the controversial bill passed in the Indian Parliament which discriminates against Muslims.

The controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) passed by the right wing Hindu nationalist Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) allows Hindus, Christians and other religious minorities who are in India illegally to become citizens if they can show they were persecuted because of their religion in Muslim-majority Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The bill excludes Muslims persecuted in neighbouring countries like Myanmar.

While protests and clashes have erupted across Indian, the Surrey protest was one of two held here in lower mainland as part of the internationals protests held across many countries and cities including Canada.

The citizenship law is just a continuation of the discriminatory policies of the BJP govt. which recently revoked the special status of the Muslim-majority Kashmir region and a court ruling clearing the way for the construction of a Hindu temple on the site of a mosque razed by Hindu zealots.

At least 100 people have been wounded and about twenty people have been killed in the crackdown.

Gurpreet Singh was one of the organizers under the Indians Abroad For Pluralist India says the new law is discriminatory.

“You cannot discriminate people on the basis of their religion,” he said.

“If you have accepted refugees, you cannot just say Muslims are not wel-

Chicken World distributed free food to less fortunate people to celebrate Christmas with them.

On Dec 25, Mr. Adeel Jahangir and Mr. Awais Jahangir contribute every year to giveaway event for homeless people for Surrey Central residents. This year they continued this tradition too and 150 packages of Gabar Burgers distributed among them.

come, but everybody else can come.”

Indians Abroad For Pluralist India also honoured Annie Ohana, who attended and spoke at the rally.

“State violence has really ramped up, and people are being killed over simple dissension to a law,” she said.

She and others also want Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to speak out against the citizenship law.

“Mr. Trudeau should break his silence,” said Singh. “He should step up. He should say something, he has not uttered a single word.”

Daud Ismail past President of BC Muslim Association said, “It is so

sad that in the 21st century we have leaders who are dividing people.”

He urged the United Nations to take swift actions.

Other speakers present were included Sikh activists Gian Singh Gill and Kulwinder Singh, besides Muslim activists Itrath Syed, Sayyad Wajahat, Furuqan Gehllen and Daud Ismail, and a Hindu Interfaith Chaplain Arun Chatterjee. Niovi Patsicakis from Global Peace Alliance and leftist activists Prabhjot Kaur Hundal, Joseph Theriault and Rawait Singh also addressed the gathering.

Courtesy by: Alameen post.com

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

MIDDLE

EAST

Iran rejects US accusation of being behind Baghdad protests

Tehran hits out at ‘audacity of US officials’ who accused Islamic Republic of stoking tension in Iraqi capital.

Tehran has condemned Washington’s “audacity” for blaming Iran for anti-United States demonstrations in Baghdad, as it warned the US to review its policies in the region. Tensions have been rising in the Iraqi capital, culminating in a protest at the US embassy compound on Tuesday, since the US on Sunday targeted Iran-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq and Syria, killing at least 25 fighters. “The surprising audacity of American officials is so much that after killing at least 25 ... and violating the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, that now ... they attribute the Iraqi people’s protest against their cruel acts to the Islamic

Republic of Iran,” said Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi. Mousavi’s statement came after US President Donald Trump accused the Islamic Republic of “orchestrating” the tensions around the US embassy in Baghdad. Mousavi said the claim was an insult to the people of Iraq.

“How and based on what logic do you expect the nation of Iraq to be silent in the face of all these atrocities?” he asked.

The US said it launched the air raids on Sunday in response to a rocket attack that it blamed on Kataib Hezbollah and that killed an American civiian contractor in northern Iraq. “The Americans ignore the Iraqi nation’s liberty and drive for independence on one hand, and on the other forget their own role in supporting Saddam and Daesh,”

Hundreds of protesters surrounded the United States embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday to demand an end to US “intervention” in the country.

Raising flags of the powerful paramilitary group Hashd al-Shaabi (Popular Mobilization Forces), the crowds chanted “down, down USA”.

Tuesday’s rally was completely distinct from the recent, months-long protest movement which has seen tens of thousands of Iraqis demonstrate against the political establishment. Most at the US embassy, supporters of the Hashd Al-Shaabi, were dressed in army fatigues as they gathered around the heavily fortified embassy in the Green Zone, where government buildings and foreign embassies in Baghdad are based, arguing in favour of a state-backed militia.

Within hours, dozens had broken into the embassy compound after smashing a main door and setting fire to the reception area, according to witnesses.

Protesters told Al Jazeera that they stormed the embassy in response to US air attacks over Kataib Hezbollah positions in Iraq and Syria. At least 25 members of Kataib Hezbollah forces, which belongs to the PMF, were killed and 51 others were injured in the attacks on Sunday.

The US said it launched the air attacks in retaliation to a rocket attack on Friday near Kirkuk - a raid that killed an American civilian contractor, and that Washington blamed on Kataib Hezbollah.

“We are the Hashd and we are here to take revenge,” said a protester in his 40s, who refused to give his name for security reasons.

“We [are] protesting here to condemn the US strikes on the Hashd,” said Haydar, a protester in his 20s. “The Hashd are the ones who protected Iraq against terrorism.”

The Iran-backed Shia paramilitary group

was aligned with the Iraqi government in its battle against the ISIL (ISIS) group. It was formally incorporated into the Iraqi military in July 2019.

As the sun set on Baghdad, members of the crowd told Al Jazeera they would try to erect tents for the night and that they were prepared to launch an open-ended sit-in around the embassy until they saw action taken to “end US presence and intervention in the country”. “We call on the Iraqi parliament to take action against the US. We want the Americans out,” said Haydar.

Ali, who described himself as a PMF supporter, said: “We came to mourn the people who died as a result of the US strikes in Qaim and to condemn the source [US] of all evil in Iraq since 2003.

“We are here because we are against US presence in Iraq and its targeting of the Hashd alShaabi and we won’t leave until parliament and the government puts an end to that.”

The escalation in the Iraqi capital comes on the heels of months-long anti-government protests that have gripped Baghdad and Iraq’s south since early October, with demonstrators calling for basic services, employment opportunities and an end to corruption. The protesters’ calls quickly developed

into demands for a complete overhaul of the political system, which they view as corrupt and sectarian.

At least 470 protesters have been killed and more than 20,000 others were injured in a crackdown on the movement.

Renad Mansour, director of the Iraq Initiative at Chatham House in London, said it was important to distinguish between the protest movement and the crowds that gathered in the Green Zone on Monday.

“Although the protesters in Tahrir Square are against US interference, they represent a generation of young, disenfranchised Iraqis that stand against the ruling elite, the militias and armed groups,” said Mansour.

“On the other hand, the protesters outside the US embassy support the PMF and their allied forces.

“Rather than being anti-establishment, they support the Iraqi ruling elite.”

Mansour said that the tensions around the US embassy in Baghdad might affect the protest movement across Iraq.

“The risk of this development is that it may divert focus from what are legitimate concerns ... to a focus on US intervention and demands for a withdrawal of American forces from Iraq.” Source: Al-Jazeera

THE YEAR IN REVIEW that had the biggest impact—not just on interFrom the State Department to the U.N. to net traffic, but on the country and the world.

Turkey, India, and Pakistan, Foreign Policy’s 1. State Department Failed to Shield Its Diplomats from Political Reprisals, Officials reporting helped make a difference.\ Concede

by Colum Lynch and Robbie Gramer, Sept. 3 For more than a year, Lynch and Gramer reported how Trump administration political appointees ran roughshod over the State Department, belittling, tormenting, and even firing employees who fell afoul of their loyalty lists. That reporting culminated in a scathing inspector general’s report that excoriated the State Department, and a few top officials by name. Both officials eventually left—because of the dogged reporting that

By Keith Johnson Some articles resonate with readers and get documented the repeated leadership failures lots of traffic. Others might not get quite that have so demoralized Foggy Bottom. so many clicks but end up changing the 2. Greed and Graft at U.N. Climate Program world—sometimes in little ways, sometimes by Colum Lynch and Amy Mackinnon, Aug. 14 quite dramatically. Over the years, many With Secretary-General António Guterres Foreign Policy news pieces have broken at the helm, the United Nations sought to exclusive stories that have drawn the atten- galvanize international efforts to combat tion of Congress or presidential candidates, climate change. But for nearly a decade, helped change laws, or spurred investiga- former U.N. employees and auditors have tions. This year was no exception. Foreign raised the alarm about mismanagement and Policy’s news team delivered a steady diet alleged misappropriation of international of impactful stories on everything includ- funds from a multimillion-dollar project for ing alleged battlefield atrocities by Turkish the U.N. Development Program intended to troops in Syria that riled up Congress and reduce Russia’s greenhouse gas emissions. a fresh look at the United Nations’ struggle Their concerns were largely dismissed or igto come to grips with Rwanda’s genocide a nored. Lynch and Mackinnon found further quarter-century ago that could yet prompt a evidence to back up their claims, showing how reluctant the U.N. was to support and reckoning with justice.

Here are five of the Foreign Policy news stories protect whistleblowers—yet, because of the

reporting, that troubled U.N. program now appears to be squarely in the organization’s crosshairs.

3. Did India Shoot Down a Pakistani Jet? U.S. Count Says No.

Somalia Desperately Needed Debt Relief

by Robbie Gramer and Keith Johnson, with Colum Lynch, Dec. 11 Somalia, one of the world’s poorest countries, is also deeply in debt, which makes it hard to battle the Islamist militants who for years have wrestled for control of the country with the central government. Major international donors, including the United States, were all set to approve a World Bank debt-relief plan for Somalia that could offer a new path forward—until a bureaucratic misstep by the Trump administration put it all in jeopardy. As a result of the article, it seems, Somalia in fact got a last-minute reprieve from Congress and secured its muchneeded debt relief.

5. Turkish Proxies Appear to Be Using White Phosphorus in Syria

by Lara Seligman, Oct. 17 The Trump administration’s decision to abandon its Kurdish partners and greenlight a Turkish invasion of northern Syria set off the expected firestorm of carnage, killing, and displacement, as Seligman chronicled throughout the past few months. But the most chilling part of Turkey and its proxy forces’ campaign against Syrian Kurds came with the use of white phosphorous, a chemical agent that causes horrific burns—a ghastly development Seligman was the first to report. Her article got U.N.-backed investigators and top U.S. lawmakers on the case, hoping to hold Turkey accountable.

Source: https://foreignpolicy.com

Mousavi said, referring to former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the ISIL (ISIS) group. He also warned against any “reckless and wrong reaction” as he advised the White House to “reconsider its destructive policies in the region”.

Trump calls Mahdi

Meanwhile, Trump spoke on Tuesday with Iraqi caretaker Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi, the White House said in a statement.

“The two leaders discussed regional security issues and President Trump emphasised the need to protect United States personnel and facilities in Iraq,” the statement said.

The US military has deployed attack helicopters to protect the vast complex.

“We have taken appropriate force protection

actions to ensure the safety of American citizens ... and to ensure our right of selfdefense. We are sending additional forces to support our personnel at the Embassy,” Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman Colonel Myles B Caggins III tweeted.

Source: www.aljazeera.com

Protesters at US embassy in Baghdad gear up for sit-in

Articles That Had an Impact

by Lara Seligman, April 4 India and Pakistan had earlier this year one of their sharpest conflicts in years, with both countries sending jets into each other’s airspace and one Indian pilot shot down— amid impressive claims that he’d shot down one of Pakistan’s vaunted, U.S.-made F-16 fighters. The claim was and is fundamental to India’s belief that it can stand up to Pakistan’s military—but it seems to have been nothing more than wishful thinking. Seligman’s exclusive story, based on access to U.S. accounting of Pakistani jets, showed India’s claim of a victorious dogfight doesn’t stand up to scrutiny, and the report is still echoing on the subcontinent today.

4. U.S. Bureaucratic Blunder Could Cost

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

i mm i g r at i o n

Feds postpone popular immigration program to sponsor parents, grandparents OTTAWA -- The federal government has hit pause on a popular immigration program that allows people to sponsor their parents or grandparents to come to Canada.

The parents and grandparents program normally opens for applications once a year, and often in January.

But Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino has given notice that the application process for 2020 is being postponed.

“These instructions will allow the Department sufficient time to complete the development of a new application intake management process for the parents and grandparents sponsorship program, to be implemented in 2020,” he wrote in a set of instructions published Dec. 20, and circulated by his department to the public this week.

The application process for the wildly

popular program has been reworked several times in recent years following criticism and problems with the system.

Applications used to be accepted on a first-come, firstserve basis in person, but that system was scrapped after people effectively bought their way to the front of the line by hiring couriers to ensure their forms were at the top of the pile.

The Liberals then moved to a lottery system, which was criticized for being too random, and then an online program that in 2019 saw all the spots snapped up within minutes.

The Liberal government promised after that to review the system yet again, but a deci-

sion on what would happen for the 2020 program was delayed by the federal election.

The program will reopen at some point next year, according to Mendicino’s instructions that were posted online.

“The Minister intends to issue further Instructions relating to the intake manage-

ment process for the parents and grandparents program by April 1, 2020, at the latest.”

About 20,000 people are admitted annually under the parent and grandparent category, but it currently takes about two years to process an application.

Source: https://www.ctvnews.ca/

in Canada, they’re asked to declare all family members on their application (spouse, common-law partner, dependent children), including those who aren’t accompanying them to Canada.

For various reasons, including lack of awareness or lack of Ottawa, September 6, 2019 – When peoknowledge of a ple apply to become permanent residents family member’s whereabouts in a conflict

situation, many newcomers failed to declare some family members on their application.

By not including these family members, applicants made them ineligible from being sponsored to come to Canada for life.

To address this unintended consequence, the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship announced on May 31, 2019, a pilot whereby a resettled refugee, a person conferred refugee protection in Canada, or a person who was sponsored as a spouse, partner or dependent child themselves, will be able to sponsor undeclared immediate family members (a spouse, partner or dependent child).

The pilot will begin on September 9, 2019, and run for 2 years. It will facilitate family reunification and ensure that dependants who weren’t declared in their family mem-

ber’s immigration application are not further penalized and barred from entering Canada. It will also enable some newcomers to sponsor undeclared family members.

To uphold program integrity and ensure that this pilot project doesn’t make the system vulnerable to fraud and misrepresentation, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is limiting eligibility of sponsors to those who immigrated to Canada as a resettled refugee, were granted refugee protection in Canada or were sponsored as a close family member.

The applicants must still meet all eligibility requirements and prove they’re admissible to Canada.

For more information, please visit the Public Policy.

Source: https://www.canada.ca/en

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

T

By: Graham Slaughter ORONTO -- Predicting the future has long captivated scientists and scholars. But when it comes to forecasting what 2020 was supposed to look like, few got it right.

We don’t all live in steel houses, like Thomas Edison predicted back in 1911. The world population is 7.7 billion, not 8 billion, as the International Food Policy Institute predicted. And astronauts are still years away from landing on Mars, despite a 2020 prediction by the National Research Council.

With plenty of excitement in store over the next year, here are a few things that – despite humankind’s best guesses -- almost certainly won’t happen.

Science

Welcome to 2020: Predictions for the new year that almost certainly won’t happen

three years away from launching flying cars in three cities: Los Angeles, Dubai and Dallas. The airborne fleet would come with a new air traffic control system specially designed for the low-flying vehicles.

That ambitious timeline has been pushed back to 2023.

MAIL BY DRONE

Ten years ago, a pair of sociologists predicted that communist China was on a pathway to democracy. But there are no signs that the Chinese government – which boasts one of the world’s most powerful economies – is anywhere close to changing course.

If anything, the violent pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong throughout 2019 prove just how committed China is to maintaining the status quo.

seen years of dwindling numbers as calves struggle to survive beyond a few weeks.

And it’s true that sea levels are rising. According to the U.S. National Ocean Service, sea levels rise about one-eighth of an inch per year.

It would take a sudden and cataclysmic event for Antarctica to completely detach and melt in 2020. Even so, the polar continent continues to shed ice at a record rate.

Some people believe that French astrologer Nostradamus predicted the rise of Hitler and the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

For 2020, some interpreters of his work believe he predicted that sea levels would rise, Antarctica would detach and melt, and that marine life would die in 2020.

It’s true that marine life is struggling. Seventy gray whales were stranded on the west coast of the U.S. early last year, and Canadian scientists have yet to figure out why North Atlantic right whales keep dying. The same goes for British Columbia’s southern resident killer whale population, which has

Imagine hopping in an air-tight tube and commuting to work at speeds of up to 1,200 kilometres per hour. That was SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s vision for the hyperloop. More than 100 kilometres of hyperloop was supposed to be up and running by 2020, but that still hasn’t happened.

However, Musk recently tweeted that Las Vegas will “hopefully” have its first highspeed transit tunnel up and running sometime in the new year.

Source:: www.ctvnews.ca

ANTARCTICA MELTS

Six years ago, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos predicted that his company would be delivering packages using drones by 2020.

Of course, that hasn’t happened yet. For the moment, Amazon’s drone ambitions remain closer to the ground as researchers continue to work out how such a system would operate.

DEMOCRACY IN CHINA

FLYING CARS

Ever since “The Jetsons” hit the airwaves in 1962, flying cars have been emblematic of a high-tech future. Apparently, they’re also difficult to make.

Back in 2017, Uber boasted that it was just

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Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

By: Zahrah Nasir

g a r de n i n g

Happy Gardening New Year

C

all it a hobby, call it a passion, call it what you will, but gardening is widely recognised as one of the very best ways of maintaining physical and mental health. However, if you are in the exceedingly bad habit of trying, octopus wise, to do everything at once, you’d be stupidly stressing yourself out in the resultantly complicated mess. For example, carefully arranging three different types of kale seedlings in a small basket, instead of sensibly going to find a larger one, then spilling them all over the place whilst slip-sliding down a ‘short cut’ to the next terrace where they were supposed to be planted out type by type but are now mix n’ match surprises!

It is said that gardeners without paid-for malis or other regular help, who spend one to two hours actively working in their gardens each day, are amongst the healthiest people on the planet and often live considerably longer than less active people. I have more than a few doubts about the latter medical findings but accept, without question, that different people go about gardening in very different ways. For instance, when investing in a brand new lawnmower, being extremely environment/climate change conscious, avoiding power tools — including strimmers and powered lawnmowers — I bought one of those good, old-fashioned hand-operated (meaning pushed) lawnmowers. Unless the grass is already manicured to within

an inch of its life, it requires the use of arm and shoulder muscles which, in my case, happen to be a little rusty. It would have been sensible to have the too long grass trimmed before launching a ‘keep it under firm control’ programme with the shiny new machine. But I just had to try it out on a small area adjacent to the house. Then, enjoying the massacre, a bit more and a bit more and until it was too dark to see and the dog was singing for her supper. The plan to do the rest the next morning failed miserably: tortured muscles rendered it all but impossible to get out of bed. Regular bouts of gardening have, among numerous other benefits, been medically proven to reduce high blood pressure, relieve stress, banish headaches, aid digestion and improve muscle tone. It also helps sufferers of arthritis and rheumatism retain flexibility in, for example,

their fingers, through the various types of muscular and circulatory exercises performed when doing chores such as repotting plants, dead-heading flowers and weeding. But this should not be done for hours on end — and this cannot be stressed enough — when the end result is painfully immovable fingers and absolutely filthy, broken-nailed claws which refuse to open the house door, let alone clasp a reviving mug of tea. Good for physical and mental health, gardening, too, can have adverse effects when done in excess This is to say that, in order to improve their health and wellbeing, gardeners — irrespective of their age — should not tackle gardening like a hard session in the gym. Nor should they expect to obtain wondrous health benefits from simply wandering hither and thither waving a shiny pair of secateurs in the air. The perfect balance lies

somewhere in between and varies from one individual to the next, depending on a number of factors, such as age, weight and overall health. According to a wide variety of experts who have carried out, or more likely had their ‘underlings’ carry out, a stupendous number of surveys over the last couple of decades or so, the most advisable way to garden is to draw up daily work plans, each day dedicated to a specific task. It should preferably be a task that can be completed in the recommended one or maximum of two hours of daily gardening for all round health and, for good measure and balanced mental health, to undertake each and every gardening task as a pleasant meditational experience. Being completely serious, one has to wonder which planet the people responsible for compiling these surveys, along with those responsible for putting forward suggestions based on the findings, come from. It appears fairly obvious that their overview of the gardening world is one in which roses have no thorns, weeds are vanquished by the wave of a magic wand, garden beds and terraces make and maintain themselves and accidents never happen. Don’t misunderstand … gardening is good for you, good for your health and good for achieving a balanced state of mind. But one of its greatest, most positive, definitely satisfying, benefits is doing it your way and your way alone.

18

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

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19

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

womeN / Y outh

Your Self-Care is your #1 Priority

Y

By: Shabnam Khan - Family Counsellor ou are your best friend. The one who listens of what truly matters to you.

The one who genuinely cares about you! Now, how often do we really do that?

We are at times too emerged of what’s happening around us, what others think about us, trying to impress others, trying to fit in or compete with others that we truly forget about ourselves.

You should be your #1 priority. Be mindful of what makes you happy, what gives you joy and what truly matters to you. By having these positive vibes and being your own friend, you can be a great help to your loved ones. You can start by making very small changes!

The statement “just be yourself ” sounds amazing and we wish many times that we could do that. It is often possible to just be your self. People who are afraid of social situations are actually not being them selves.

Their real self is just being covered up with

conditioned fearbased thinking.

Our true self is who we really are when we let go of all of these negative stories, labels and judgments that we have placed upon ourselves. It is who we naturally are without these masks. There is a helpful way to uncover your real nature by being outside of the accumulated negative thoughts and beliefs.

If you ever watch small children, you will notice just how free they are and how little they care about what other people think of them. They are very content and in the moment. They are their true natures. They have not yet been socialized to “fit in” to a society that squashes that. They don’t care if people think that they are silly while they do anything as they are not doing things to please others, they are doing it because it gives them happiness. Children are pure love and light.

If you really want to get in touch with your inner childhood, be free. Have fun, enjoy the moment, be yourself and do things that gives you joy. Life is too short to live in a hope to make everyone else happy. Self-care is your priority - things will automatically fall into places!! info: shabnam@skcounselling.ca HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL!!

Y

Let’s Play 20/20

By: Asma Shums es, lets play 20/20 this year. First of all, lets welcome New Year of 2020 with open arms and heart. Dear friends, life is a match. Match things in life, match like a game, like a match stick trying to ignite fire, either good or bad.

Welcome

Let us welcome this New Year 2020 with love, affection, honesty, new thoughts and positive attitude, with open arms. The year has passed with lots of happiness and sadness for some. For others success and for some, trails. We won’t say any failure as there is no failure, its always the lessons God teaches us.

Some dreams were fulfilled some let be. New hopes, new dreams, more experience, more knowledge and top of all more, new hops.

With this, lets hope less stress, less worries and less drama.

We Are Ready

Lets be ready to welcome, pray that 2020 will be full of good news, blessings and positive vibes, more laughter, more sleep, more rest after more work. Time has no holiday, little boy and his father visited the country store, and upon leaving the store, the owner offered the little boy some sweets. The boy just stood there looking up at his father.

The owner again insisted to take some sweets.

The boy did not move and looked at the father. The father, finally, took some sweets for his son. As they were going back home, father asked the son the reason for wanting sweets.

The smart boy responded saying that because he knew that his father’s hand is bigger than his own (therefore more sweets would come).

A

dreams have no expiry date and life has no pause button. Lets live and love and enjoy each and every moment of our lives.

Let us save only those memories which gives twinkles in our eyes and not wrinkles on our face. Let’s create history every day, day by day, lifestyle, values, rules, styles changes, people change. Life has come as if in liquid form so let us have less expectations and more of achievements and commitments. And last but not least let us keep the tradition of making new resolutions and actually following them. Many people make resolutions but never follow them and years go by.

No problem! There is a saying that morning is when you wake up. So, let us shine and rise, and stop until we achieve our goals.

Info: asmashums@gmail.com

So, whatever our needs are for 2020, let’s place them in God’s trust because nothing is impossible for Him. Have a blessed time as we all journey towards the new year.

Peace

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS

H

8 Smart (and Fun!) New Year’s Resolutions Kids Can Make

elp your child choose a specific, achievable resolution to set him up for success in the New Year.

By Kim Conte If you typically start the New Year fresh by making resolutions, consider getting your kids in on the tradition this year. Not only can it be a valuable teaching moment about setting goals and sticking to them, but the practice of choosing an achievable resolution for the new year can be a fun way for kids to develop their communication and decision-making skills.

“Parents can start by explaining what a resolution is and give examples of ones they have set in past years,” says Dr. Kristen Eastman, #1 Instead of: “I’m going to eat healthier.”

Suggest: “I’m going to drink two glasses of milk each day instead of soda or juice.” Or, “I’m going to eat two pieces of fruit at lunch each day.”

#2 Instead of: “I’m going to exercise more.”

Suggest: “I’m going to join a soccer team.” Or, “I’m going to go to yoga class with Mom on Saturdays.” #3 Instead of: “We’re going to cut down on screen time.”

Suggest: “We’re going to read for 30 minutes before bed instead of watching TV.” #4 Instead of: “I’m going to help out around the house.”

Suggest: “I’m going to set the table for dinner every night.” Or, “I’m going to help clean my bedroom once a week.” #5 Instead of: “I’m going to be nicer to people.”

Suggest: “I’m going to do one random act of kindness a week.” Or, “I’m going to talk to one person at school I’ve never met each week.” #6 Instead of: “We’re going to be more ecofriendly.”

Suggest: “We’re going to start a recycling program at home.” Or, “we’re going to shorten our showers to only five minutes to conserve water.” #7 Instead of: “I’m going to learn something new.”

Suggest: “I’m going to learn how to make chocolate chip cookies.” Or, “I will learn how to sing.”

#8 Instead of: “We’re going to spend more quality time together.”

Suggest: “We’re going to have game night every Friday.” Or, “we’re going to eat breakfast together on Sunday mornings after church.”

Commit to spending more family time together having fun (this might be the easiest one to keep!).

Now, here’s the million dollar question: How do you help your child stick to his or her resolutions (and complete your own as well)?

Easy, Dr. Eastman says, “Find a way to make it fun!” Maybe for your family that’s tracking progress with a visual reminder, like putting marbles or cotton balls in a glass jar every time your child completes his or her goal.

Or, perhaps it’s having a little family competition of who can stick to their goal the longest and rewarding the winner with a special privilege. Find out what motivates your family, and go for it! Source: www. parents.com

15 quotes about family that are perfect for sharing during the holidays

The holidays are a time for coming together.

Whether that’s with family, friends, or other loved ones, this time of year is all about taking a moment to appreciate your crew—in whatever form it may take for you.

But from big families to small and every size in between, we get that this time of year can

also be stressful, anxiety-producing, and sometimes, drama-filled. It’s a time when we often get bogged down by the little things (Who’s bringing dessert to Christmas dinner? What am I going to wear to the holiday party?) instead of focusing on what’s really important: the people around us.

We rounded up some quotes about family to remind us about why we celebrate those near and dear to us—not just this time of year, but always. Oh, and they make great Instagram captions, too.

Quotes about family that make great holiday.

1: “Families are the compass that guides us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights, and our comfort when we occasionally falter.”—Brad Henry 2: “A good holiday is one spent among people whose notions of time are vaguer than yours.”—John B. Priestly

3: “I’m a minimalist. I don’t really need much to enjoy a good holiday–just my family and the bare essentials.” —Jean Reno 4: “As we struggle with shopping lists and invitations, compounded by December’s bad weather, it is good to be reminded that there are people in our lives who are worth this aggravation, and people to whom we are worth the same.” —Donald E. Westlake 5: “Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers.” —Kahlil Gibran 6: “Love the giver more than the gift.” — Brigham Young 7: “Happiness is there for the taking, and the making.” —Oprah Winfrey 8: “Christmas is a time when you get homesick – even when you’re home.” —Carol Nelson 9: “I find that it’s the simple things that remind you of family around the holidays.” —

Amy Adams 10: “A friend is a gift you give yourself.” — Robert Louis Stevenson 11: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” —Leo Tolstoy 12: “Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.”— George Burns 13: “Parents were the only ones obligated to love you; from the rest of the world you had to earn it.” Ann Brashares 14: “If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance.”— George Bernard Shaw 15: “Friends are the family you choose.” — Jess C. Scot Source: https://hellogiggles.com/

20

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

hea l th

Research Brief: A newway way to lower blood sugar sugar Research Brief: A new tohelp help lower blood

R

esearcher uncovers new links between metabolism and diabetes.

By: Gregory Steinberg, Research highlights/discoveries: Identifying how chronic inflammation in people with obesity could weaken the body’s ability to burn fat. (With chronic inflammation, your body is constantly releasing damaging chemicals that could sicken your cells.)

Discovering how metformin—a commonly used medicine for treating type 2 diabetes— and exercise work to lower blood sugar.

Uncovering a hormone that is raised with diabetes and obesity, slowing down the body’s metabolism as a result.

What is metabolism?

It’s the name for the process our bodies go

through to convert what we eat and drink into energy.

How did you get interested in diabetes research?

I was always very interested in biology from a young age. As a competitive swimmer and triathlete, I then started becoming more interested in how nutrition and exercise train ing could improve my own performance.

During that time, my grandmother was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and had a debilitating stroke, so I wanted to apply my knowledge of metabolism to help people with diabetes.

How exactly are metabolism and diabetes connected?

Through my research, I’ve discovered how our bodies respond to different amounts

and kinds of food. We are now looking at ways we can use this information to speed up metabolism so people can lower their blood sugar and maintain a healthy weight.

How would that work?

One of the things we are trying to do is ramp up the metabolism of a tissue called brown fat. Unlike white fat, which is used to store energy, brown fat is like our body’s furnace and burns a lot of calories. We think if we can turn it on all the time, we can burn fats and sugars [from the foods we eat, and that will] help people with diabetes.

Why not just encourage more exercise?

Lifestyle changes are always the first option in preventing the development of type 2 diabetes, but we know that maintaining weight loss over the long term is extremely challenging for most people, because people’s metabolism slows down after weight loss. We want to stop this from happening by ramping up brown fat metabolism.

What are you most proud of in your career?

The opportunity to establish a new research program in metabolism and diabetes at McMaster University has been very exciting and rewarding. We currently have several studies happening here that are supported by Diabetes Canada, and I’m confident that some of these may lead to new therapies for dia-

betes.

What are your next goals?

Childhood obesity rates have risen across Canada and the rest of the world and, as a result, many of these children are at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

We really want to find new ways to help prevent this from happening.

The last word “Greg Steinberg is that rare scientist who can bring a panoramic view to his work— from intricate details of cell function to the impact of exercise on weight loss—and generate important new discoveries in many areas. We at Diabetes Canada are so delighted to have been able to support his research, and are eager to see the new treatments his discoveries will support.” – Dr. Jan Hux, President and CEO, Diabetes Canada Source: www. nationalpost.com

Do Expiration Dates Matter?

By Rod Moser, PA, PhD

T

eenage boys seem to eat non-stop.

My grandson was visiting for the weekend and brought a friend. It was all that I could do to keep up with their insatiable appetite. Eventually, they took on the task of rooting around for food. Dylan found a box of macaroni and cheese deep in the catacombs of our pantry. I couldn’t even remember buying it, but he was elated. I gave the okay for them to prepare it. While cleaning up the mess, I noticed that the box expired about seven years ago.

Can dry macaroni and cheese powder actually expire? Does it have a shelf life?

According to the manufacturer, it did, but the boys experienced no ill effects.

Refrigerators can be havens for expired foods. I particularly watch dates on milk and yogurt. There is nothing like taking a drink of sour milk to ruin your day. There are jars of pickles and other condiments that are several years old.

There are no expiration dates on them, so perhaps they preceded the law requiring them? Deep in the freezer, one might find mystery meat with the white appearance of freezer burn, or the Ice Man. Medicines have expiration dates, but rarely do they deter anyone from taking them.

Is this practice harmful? Perhaps, but it depends on the medications. Some will lose potency. Some will be completely ineffective. Some will be just as good as the day they were packaged. My pharmacist friend says that expiration dates are often randomly assigned: for instance, one year after manufacture. I have to admit that I have taken a few of those “expired” medications at times, but as a rule, I throw them out.

That date really worries me.

Medical providers tend to have a lot of pharmaceutical samples lying around.

Periodically, while digging through a pile of samples, I may discover that most have expired. It is now up to me to safely dispose of them. It is not a good idea to flush them down the toilet where they may end up in the water supply.

My home is on a septic system and my water source is a well. I would like to just bag them up and give them to my pharmacist friend to dispose of, or I take them to work where we have a special receptacle for this purpose.

I get a lot of coupons in the mail or online for oil changes, pizza, and smog certificates. Most will have expiration dates. It is a guarantee that the coupon will be discovered after the expiration date. Some companies will honor them just to get your business; others will not.

Some will even take expired coupons from their competitors, knowing that you may go elsewhere. Places like Jiffy Lube will put a sticker on your window to remind you of the next oil change.

Like an expiration date, one starts to feel guilty when you drive beyond the recommended mileage.

Due dates on bills are a little different.

You miss that due date; you are often punished by a hefty late charge. Credit card late charges can be brutal and overly punitive, but of course, they are somewhat justified. I once received a statement after the due date, so I spent hours on the phone complaining.

What about the ultimate expiration date?

Life expectancy in the United States and other countries has risen progressively, but no one really knows when that day will come. The Mayans think it will be later this year for all of us. When someone is faced with a terminal illness, everyone wants to know: “How long does he have, Doc?” They hope that it’s not the traditional “six weeks”. What is it about six weeks or six months? People with terminal diseases more than often exceed their estimated expiration date.

I always thought if humans had expiration dates on them, we would be able to plan our lives more efficiently. Life

insurance companies bank (literally) on our estimated expiration date and charge accordingly. We carry all kinds of insurance: health, auto, home, liability/malpractice, even pet insurance. We all pray that we will never need it.

Humans do have expiration dates. We will not be here forever. When you live a risky life, you are cheating death every day. If you don’t wear seat belts, if you smoke, if you drink and drive, if you run with scissors, it will eventually catch up with you.

Some people seem to live beyond an unwritten expiration date. They did everything wrong, embraced all the bad habits, yet their DNA allowed them to keep on ticking. Willard Scott often interviews centenarians who attribute their longevity to booze and cigarettes.

Life is also tragic and unpredictable. A guy gives up red meat, stops smoking, drinks moderately, exercises regularly, and visits his medical provider on a regular basis for check-ups. He avoids bottled water and toxic chemicals, takes numerous vitamins and practices relaxation and yoga.

He seems to be the epitome of health, an example of perfection for all of us. One day, when he is jogging, he is hit by an overweight drunk driver trying to light a cigarette.

It happens. My advice to all of you is to live your life each day like it was your expiration date, and then rejoice the next day when you wake up and are blessed with another.

We can all choose to live a healthier lifestyle, or just sit back and wait for the Grim Reaper to knock. If you do find an expiration date somewhere on your body as you shower tonight, tear it off.

It is safe and desirable to live beyond your expiration date.

21

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

Beauty versus Ugliness

BY: SPAHIC OMER

P

l i f esty l e

rophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) established the doctrines that Allah is beautiful and loves beauty (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No.131), that He is good and accepts only that which is good (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 1686), and that He loves to see the effects of His blessings and favors on people (Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, Hadith No. 2963).

This implies that since Almighty Allah loves beauty, He created everything perfect and beautiful. Moreover, He also wants His servants to love beauty, be beautiful, and generate beauty through words, deeds, character, garments, general outward appearance, and the cultural and civilizational creations of theirs.

In doing so, however, people must subscribe to and apply only the highest heavenly standards of goodness and beauty, without contaminating them with the effects of their intrinsic inadequacies, myopia, and whims.

Islam abhors ugliness with all its physical and metaphysical dimensions and features.

It does so, for example, in evil speech, disposition and conduct, as in ungodly elements of culture, art and architecture.

Through the infinite realm of aesthetics, Muslims are bidden to maintain the established supreme standards of beauty on earth.

Islamic aesthetics in behavior, manners, thought, culture, art, and architecture is only an extension of the created and revealed heavenly artistic order, deriving therefrom its strength and identity.

External beauty is the theophany of inner beauty, just as external ugliness is a manifestation of inner defects and ugliness. Beauty lies at the heart of existence. It is not simply a subjective state existing only “in the eye of the beholder”.

Beauty is meant to be universal and everpresent. The Arabic most common word for beauty is “jamal”. However, related to the same word are the words “ijmal”, “jumlah” and “jamala,” which mean, respectively, “generalization, totality, and to gather or accumulate to excess.”

Islam establishes that beauty is a human right and life’s standard thing. It is a necessity for the soul as the air we breathe and the food and water we consume, are for the body.

Beauty is the rule and, at the same time, symbol and quintessence of goodness. Ugliness, on the other hand, is an anomaly and exception. It is equivalent to evil. In Arabic, the word “qubh” means both ugliness and evil.

Beauty is additionally associated with reality and its undeniable existence, and ugliness with unreality and nonexistence. Indeed, the ugliest thing is the mere absence and perversion of Truth, and the imposition of the invented and deceitful substitutes.

It is only man who can create ugliness. He does so when he turns his back on Heaven and its guidance, and becomes unable to find the correct course forward.

Another word in Arabic for beauty is “husn” (“hasan” is beautiful and “hasuna” to be beautiful). The word’s various derivatives attest to the above-mentioned point of beauty’s righteousness, absoluteness, and totality.

Some of the most important concepts derived therefrom are goodness and excellence (hasan), virtue and good deed (hasanah), kindness and good outcome (husna), benevolence and merit (ihsan), to do good and excel (ahsana), benefactor and doer of good (muhsin).

It goes without saying that beauty, goodness, and Truth are indivisible in Islam. According to Seyyed Hossein Nasr, the Qur’anic term “al-muhsinun,” which is normally translated as “the doers of good,” can also be translated as “those enmeshed in beauty.”

Hence, such Qur’anic idioms as “Allah is

with the doers of good (al-muhsinin)” (al‘Ankabut, 69), and “Allah loves the doers of good (al-muhsinin)” (al-Baqarah, 195), could likewise be understood and translated as “Allah is with those enmeshed in beauty” and “Allah loves those enmeshed in beauty.”

Beauty originates from the highest plane of the transcendent Presence, descending upon and engulfing the hearts of its devotees and servants. It targets the heart because the heart is not only the seat of emotions and piety, but also of intelligent faculties. With the heart, people understand and intelligently appreciate things and experiences, including beauty. As an essentially spiritual thing, beauty is most attuned to the dispositions and competences of the human heart and soul.

The eyes signify no more than a lower level in the hierarchy of means and capacities for the knowledge as well as Truth acquisition and appreciation. Thus, in connection with comprehending and following Truth, the Qur’an says that it is people’s hearts by which they reason and learn wisdom, on the basis of the inputs of their ears by which they hear - and by extension, their eyes by which they see. Then the Qur’an affirms what the root cause of inappropriate visions and the lack of wisdom is: “For indeed, it is not the eyes that are blinded, but blinded are the hearts which are within the breasts” (al-Hajj, 46).

The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Verily, Allah does not look at your appearance or wealth, but rather he looks at your hearts and actions” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 2564). In Islam, the forms and mere appearances are secondary to the spirit and substance of things, playing second fiddle to them. Form follows substance and Truth.

The goal of human life is to beautify the soul through goodness and virtue and to make it worthy of offering to God, Who is the Beautiful. That is, the goal of human life is to be beautiful, live beautifully, return to the Beautiful, and be admitted into Paradise which is the highest representation of pleasure and beauty, the culmination of its bliss being beholding the Beauty of the Face of the most Beautiful and most Beloved.

Plato also said that beauty is the splendor of Truth.

The Age of Ugliness

Following the advent of modernity as a ubiquitous way of life and modernism as its philosophical wing, things dramatically forever changed. It was a time when, generally, all religious, moral and traditional principles and values were rejected (nihilism), when sensual self-indulgence became a norm (hedonism), when nothing as regards the ultimate Truth was considered either known or knowable (agnosticism), when man and his scientific and technological legacy became deified (humanism), when nature became desacralized and turned into a mere utility (naturalism), and when religion became secularized and God either humanized or relegated to the ambit of absurdism.

That was a time when beauty as a gift of God – to borrow Aristotle’s term – was compromised, and when ugliness (the absence of true beauty), at once as a concept and sensory actuality, took over and started to reign supreme. Such was the case because once the spiritual, moral, and intellectual mutinies came to pass, Truth became defiled and forsaken by the modern man once and for all.

What remained was the ubiquity and abyss of doubt, uncertainty and faithlessness, constituting anything but a conducive environment for breeding and enjoying authentic beauty. As John Ruskin, the leading English art critic of the Victorian era said, “Nothing can be beautiful which is not true.”

One wonders if a person does not believe in God and has no connection with Heaven, what his understanding, source and criterion of beauty could be.

Indeed, one of the greatest offences against Divinity was committed when Protagoras, a Greek philosopher who lived around the 5th century BC, declared that “man is the measure of all things.” That precept denoted that people, rather than God or any revealed moral law, are the ultimate source of ontological significance and value. Protagoras is thus regarded as the first humanist.

However, humanism as a systematic philosophy or a belief system did not come to pass until the European Renaissance, a period between the 14th and 17th centuries. New humanism standards of beauty, which centered exclusively on man and his existential contexts, were then born.

The celebrated masterpieces of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Raphael, Giovanni Bellini, and others were not as much beautiful as they represented the watersheds and benchmarks in the cultural and ideological transition from the Middle Ages to modernity. Such masterpieces were priceless, just as any other sacred symbols and objects are priceless. The mentioned polymaths are regarded as icons of Renaissance and, at the same time, “prophets” and harbingers of modernity.

Notwithstanding its many great contributions to the well-being of humankind, modernity - whose precursor was Renaissance - eventually destroyed authentic beauty.

Nonetheless, in order to gratify the insatiable human thirst for beauty and the beautiful, modernity provided its own alternatives, especially in the fields of art, architecture, entertainment, literature, fashion, and media. However, since such fields embodied unconsecrated worldviews and value systems, they, often served up either distorted and misleading versions of beauty, or diverse forms of outright insolent ugliness.

There is even a “cult of ugliness” which is associated with the arrival of modern art and its rejection of all classical beauty ideals and its embracing of ugliness, i.e., relative and subjective beauty. “Modern art’s impulse was to destroy beauty”, was a verdict of Barnett Newman, a leading American artist of the 20th century.

This “cult of ugliness”, according to Seyyed Hossein Nasr, “has now also spread to the Islamic world, which knows many mosques that are in no way behind their Western counterparts in ugliness (many horrendously ugly churches). They do not, however, represent Islamic art or thought but simply external influences.”

The whole thing is reminiscent of the parable of “the emperor’s new clothes”. Everybody knows there is something seriously wrong in the ways our lives unfold, but not many people dare to question the status quo for fear that they will be branded regressive and retarded. It will take a lot of institutional, rather than individual, guts to “shout” – and prove – that the emperor has no clothes.

Cities and Their Architecture

As a result, our modern cities are ugly because they have been converted into concrete jungles. Their forms and functions provide evidence of man’s separation from nature - yet his very self - and his professed domination over it. Cities became the physi-

cal loci of all the crimes associated with unrestrained materialism, consumerism, and hedonism as modernity’s foremost creeds.

In such milieus, there is less and less space – and tolerance – for traditional and religious forms of architecture and art. Cities became necropolises of traditions and man’s innate spiritual and moral innocence.

There is nothing left in the modern man with which he can genuinely beautify and regenerate his cities and the whole of his built environment. Everything he does, by and large, is superficial, hollow, and shortterm. Concurrently though, everything seems deceptively glossy and vainglorious, reflecting the character of the maker.

Man’s life is increasingly becoming mechanized and programmed, with little thinking and much less emotions. Substance is as good as nonexistent. Beauty is a false glitter, and is only skin or surface-deep.

No wonder that at the core of the manifesto of modernist architecture reside such dogmas as “less is more” (Ludwig Mies van der Rohe), “ornamentation is crime” (Adolf Loos), “the house is a machine for living in” (Le Corbusier), and “form follows fantasy” (the slogan of deconstructivism or new modern architecture, which was opposed to Louis Sullivan’s slogan “form follows function”).

Art

Our modern art is either rendered for its own sake, needing neither justification nor any end to serve, or it expresses but the personal feelings and visions of artists.

In the former scenario, art, inspired by the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, upholds “the autonomy of aesthetic standards, setting them apart from considerations of morality, utility, or pleasure” (Encyclopedia Britannica). In the latter scenario, art is subjective, individual, and eccentric. It is often associated with the creative and powerful rendering of personal confusion, skepticism, bohemianism, and ambiguous abstraction.

Either way, art oscillates from one extreme to another, deviating from and betraying its fundamental purpose and mission. In that case, art emerges as a form of “ingenious, interesting, and charming ugliness”. It is nihilistic and subversive.

For example, it is sometimes said about Pablo Picasso, one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, that he was just a big show-off most of whose work is inherently trivial. Each case represents a unique piece of autobiography. To understand Picasso’s works, one must regard them as “anecdotes or snapshots of a particular moment in his life” (Germaine Greer).

At best, excellent art excellently and ingeniously poses greatest life questions. Bad art does so poorly. And questions without answers remain just that: questions, and so, doubts and anxieties. Therefore, art is fine – and beautiful - only as far as it goes.

Popular Culture

Furthermore, our modern everyday life activities and passions are impressed with the elan vital of ugliness because they are infused with the spirit of popular culture, which is an upshot of modernity and its sacrilegious philosophical penchant.

Popular culture was always linked with lower classes and poor education. Its rise could be traced back to the emergence of the

To be continued at Pg 22

22

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

ART

Farooq Rai Awarded The Intercultural Harmony Award

An impressive Richmond 140th Anniversary Awards Ceremony took place on December 15, 2019 at the renowned River Rock Show Theatre. The event was cohosted by ‘North America Artist Association’ and ‘Canadian Alliance of Chinese Associations’. The grand Theatre was full with the hundreds of enthusiastic full capacity crowd from the ethnic communities. The event was to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the founding of Richmond and to recognize individuals and groups who have made outstanding contribution to Richmond’s success and development.

The award ceremony was accompanied by a series of wonderful performances from various ethnic artists of all ages.

Farooq Rai a prominent Canadian of Pakistani origin received the Invitation letter which also mentioned; “ In recognition of your outstanding contribution to preserve a unique cultural identity and heritage in Richmond for many years , the Awards Selection Committee decide to grant you the “ Intercultural Harmony Award “ for the 140th Anniversary of Richmond... “ The prime Minister of Canada , Justin Trudeau in his message on December 15, 2019 wrote about the auspicious occasion; “I would like to commend everyone being honoured this evening for their significant contribution to the growth and development of Richmond . You can take pride in knowing that your efforts have earned you the respect and gratitude of your fel-

Continued from Pg 21

low citizens and helped make your community such a wonderful place in which to live... Please accept my best wishes for a memorable evening. “ The MC introduced Farooq stating; “ Mr. Farooq Rai was appointed as the first Assistant Deputy Minister and Head of Ministry Responsible for Multiculturalism and Immigration in 1994. Also a writer and advocate in the community he is recognized for his dedicated volunteer work and efforts in promoting harmonious inter cultural relations . “ The mayor of Richmond Malcolm Brodie who presented the award to Farooq spoke highly of the recipients of awards and stated that they have made outstanding contribution to our community and are very well deserving of their awards.

All levels of Government supported this worthwhile event and actively participated in the exciting celebration. It was a well organized showcase with extensive volunteer efforts which made this a tremendous success.

A Reception took place prior to the award ceremony where two paintings of Farooq Rai’s collage art work were presented

by Farooq and his wife Rukhsana to the Presidents of the two hosting organizations. This special presentation was made along with the Mayor and Councillors of the City of Richmond. The two collage art work paintings contained the three Commemorative Cards which were made for

distinct and somewhat influential middle class spawned by the Industrial Revolution as the first complete manifestation of modernity. Popular culture instantaneously became affordable and accessible.

Popular culture is often contrasted with the official or high culture of the upper class (aristocracy and nobility). It is likewise regarded as frivolous and “dumbed down.”

Some yet perceive it as one-dimensional, consumerist, sensationalist, immoral, and corrupt. It is perhaps best represented in the domains of such cultural products as arts, music, film, television, radio, literature, fashion, sports, advertising, print media, and internet culture.

In the wake of the Industrial Revolution, relentless scientific discoveries and technological dynamics created in people a sense of perpetual expectation, hope, and insatiability. People wanted more of everything, and those things were expected to be always better, faster, and brighter. There was so much in life to be experimented and enjoyed by everybody. Opportunities were limitless and on hand.

Life was not to be wasted on lethargy, traditionalism, and religious conformity. It was to be lived to the fullest. Excessive and abstract intellectualism, as well as religiousness, were not welcomed either.

Suddenly, people felt about life as though they were kids in a candy store. It was as if the rising middle class was bent on taking matters into their own hands. The irony was that in terms of serving as authority and a point of reference, the intellectual and cultural elites now became treated by the masses in the same way as the elites had treated the traditional and religious authorities.

Things came full circle.

The elites and their high culture became more and more bereft of influence and credibility. Due to their centuries-old inability to solve mankind’s perennial ontological quandaries, and lead to the right

the Farooq’s Book launching and Film Screening event held on November 24th, 2019 at the Performance Hall, Richmond Cultural Centre. The message of Peace & Harmony and ‘Assalamu Alaikum - Peace be upon you’ is depicted on the unique art work. The similar collage art work was previously presented to the City of Richmond and the City of Surrey.

Farooq received the following message after the heart warming event from the Organizing Committee; “Thank you very much for joining us at the Richmond 140th Anniversary celebration . With your Support , the event was a great success in showing to people who have been serving our city for years and promoting cultural harmony. Thank you for your wonderful art work . Highly appreciated! We would like to work together with our city and all communities for a better tomorrow...”

Farooq has been in carrying on with his mission to promote peace and harmony amongst all Canadians and stated ; “ It is indeed a very humbling and emotional experience for me and I hope the opportunity to extend the message of goodwill with our fellow Canadians will lead to us feeling more positively connected to each other. With better understanding and engagement we will overcome misinformation and prejudice. We all are committed and actively involved in making our country, Canada even stronger, safer and prospours. “

path, the elites (including religious leaders) were perceived as inadequate, yet failures.

The past and its traditions were ever more loathed and rebuffed.

The only solution was to live in the moment and for the self. As Friedrich Nietzsche put forth that in this world, we should live our lives to the full and get everything we can out of it. The only issue was how best to do that in “a godless, meaningless world.”

Beauty was only that which generated and enhanced people’s hedonistic and, to some extent, rational pleasures.

Consequently, pure philosophy, art and religion, as exclusive intellectual pursuits and potential behavioral compasses, were increasingly losing their sway and appeal in favor of the rapid advances of empirical science and technology. The latter was the source of every modernist legitimacy, including the questions of goodness and beauty, in that they were making everyone’s life interesting and enjoyable.

Machines and gadgets were turned into objects of love and worship. As Bertrand Russel said: “Machines are worshiped because they are beautiful and valued because they confer power.” The same holds true insofar as all the other objects of people’s biological needs and desires were concerned.

This explains, for example, why many people nowadays – especially youth - are addicted to, yet worship, their smart phones, allowing their gadgets to shape their lives.

Rather than being in control, they found themselves controlled. As a result, smartphones became a symbol of popular culture and people’s behavioral idiosyncrasy. Their ostensible trademarks are beauty, empowerment, and relative affordability. They are windows to the world, self-determination, and freedom.

Smartphones and the way people use them further stand for a microcosm of modernity’s lack of spiritual and moral compass. It is obvious that people are both the culprits and victims of modern civilization’s spin-

Beauty versus Ugliness

ning out of control, with popular culture being the arena of stars and main proceedings.

Popular culture soon developed into a prevalent and almost universally accepted phenomenon. It became part of the mainstream. High culture could not stem the tide of the former’s growth and spread because the elites lived in ivory towers, even though, with respect to the actual value and substance, high culture fared no better than popular culture. In their own respective ways, they both personified and promoted untruth, uncertainty, non-conformity, and loss of purpose and direction.

However, without right worldviews and proper orientations in life, those developments later proved detrimental for the whole of mankind and their planet earth. The results were out-and-out ugliness, repugnance and sin, which, in collaboration with other transgressions of the modern man, led to the destruction of personal moral values, the family institution, human relationships, and the harmony and order of nature.

The Loss of Beauty

Consequently, genuine beauty became all but extinct. It became a scarce luxury that could be enjoyed only by certain categories of people. It became most expensive. The global art market is estimated today to be $64 billion worth (Gaby Del Valle).

Cultural and aesthetic junk was made available for the masses within the provinces of shopping centers, sports venues, mass media, literature, entertainment, fashion, dance, music, cinemas, cyber-culture and even education. The lowest of values were encouraged so long as there were happy takers (consumers), and the matters could be commercialized.

Everything was subjective and good enough, as beauty was “in the eye of the beholder.” Beauty was banalized, trivialized, and aimed principally for financial and other material gains. People were happy because they could express themselves and make their voices and banal preferences heard. In terms of their vain and inconse-

quential life missions, the domain of popular culture proved an expedient medium for people’s self-actualization.

Ugliness thus was promoted in the name of beauty, backwardness and primitiveness in the name of progress and civilization, ignorance in the name of knowledge and education, and wretchedness in the name of happiness. So much so that authentic beauty, both as an idea and palpable reality, was often openly despised and poked fun at.

Chances are that it will soon join the grades of absolute Truth and virtue, which are neither deliberated, nor seriously pursued, by anybody.

Without a doubt, today’s modern civilization is predominantly junk. People own many things but are in indigent. Living in the Information Age, they are educated, but ignorant, let alone wise. They talk so much to one another but are bad communicators. They seem happy but are discontented.

They furthermore seem to be enjoying life but are suffering.

Just as consuming much junk food destroys gradually our health and body, so does consuming junk components of culture and civilization destroy our total being. It destroys our humanness.

This ubiquitous sentiment perhaps prompted Musa Ćazim Ćatić, a famous Bosnian poet of the early 20th century, to supplicate to God in one of his poems: “O God! Grant me a sense of beauty (and save me thereby).”

It could be argued that modern ungodly civilization is an experiment that went horribly wrong. With the current profane worldviews and voracious ways of life aboard, humanity seems to be doomed.

It is no secret that Islam only has the proven capacity to offer a total and viable alternative to the existing global cultural and civilizational mess; hence, this macro Islamophobia crusade by various ideological and political axes of evil. Positively, devil and his associates never sleep. To them, anything but Truth makes sense and can be accommodated. Source: Islamicity

23

Jamadi ul Awwal 8, 1441H January 3, 2020

India/PAKISTAN

Citizenship Amendment Bill: India’s new ‘anti-Muslim’ law explained

I

ndia’s parliament has passed a bill which offers amnesty to non-Muslim illegal immigrants from three neighbouring countries. The bill provides citizenship to religious minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), says this will give sanctuary to people fleeing religious persecution. Critics say the bill is part of a BJP agenda to marginalise Muslims.

The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) passed the upper house of parliament, where the BJP lacks a majority, by 125 votes to 105 on 11 December. It had cleared the lower house two days earlier. The bill has already prompted widespread protests in the northeast of the country which borders Bangladesh, as many people there say they will be “overrun” by immigrants from across the border.

The CAB amends the 64-year-old Indian Citizenship law, which currently prohibits illegal migrants from becoming Indian citizens. It defines illegal immigrants as foreigners who enter India without a valid passport or travel documents, or stay beyond the permitted time. Illegal immigrants can be deported or jailed. The new bill also amends a provision which says a person must have lived in India or worked for the federal government for at least 11 years before they can apply for citizenship. Now there will be an exception for members of six religious minority communities - Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian - if they can prove that they are from Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh. They will only have to live or work in India for six years to be eligible for citizenship by naturalisation, the process by which a non-citizen acquires the citizenship or nationality of that country.

It also says people holding Overseas Citizen

A

By: Naziha Syed Ali T the start of 2019, there appeared to be a golden opportunity for the land mafia making illegal fortunes off Karachi’s precious real estate to be stopped in its tracks.

Unfortunately, what has transpired could only have emboldened this cabal as well as aspiring profiteers.

On March 21, the Supreme Court ordered Bahria Town to pay Rs460 billion over seven years as settlement dues for land it had illegally acquired for its gargantuan housing project in Karachi. That worked out to nearly $3bn at the then prevailing exchange rate – an eye-watering sum of money by any standard. But that is not the complete story.

With numerous projects across Pakistan, Bahria’s modus operandi has been the elephant in the room for a long time even though its dubious activities were no secret. Cultivating collaborators from among mega-influential segments of the ruling elite is a time-tested prescription for impunity in this country, and Bahria’s owner, Malik Riaz, has honed it to a fine art.

Bahria Town Karachi (BTK) is believed to be the largest housing project in all of South Asia (In April 2016, when Dawn’s first investigative report on Bahria came out, it measured 23,300 acres). Located in Malir district on the city’s outskirts, the rollout of BTK was accompanied by a ruthless campaign to strong-arm indigenous communities into ‘selling’ their land, thereby upending a generations-long existence.

The landscape here bursts into life with seasonal — albeit unpredictable — rains, enabling the locals to reap a plentiful harvest for sale in the city’s fruit and vegetable markets; livestock rearing and poultry farming supplement their income. The chaos and misery caused by the arrival of Bahria and other ‘developers’ in the neighbourhood – backed by the brute force of

of India (OCI) cards - an immigration status permitting a foreign citizen of Indian origin to live and work in India indefinitely - can lose their status if they violate local laws for major and minor offences and violations.

Opponents of the bill say it is exclusionary and violates the secular principles enshrined in the constitution. They say faith cannot be made a condition of citizenship. The constitution prohibits religious discrimination against its citizens, and guarantees all persons equality before the law and equal protection of the law. Delhi-based lawyer Gautam Bhatia says that by dividing alleged migrants into Muslims and non-Muslims, the bill “explicitly and blatantly seeks to enshrine religious discrimination into law, contrary to our long-standing, secular constitutional ethos”. Historian Mukul Kesavan says the bill is “couched in the language of refuge and seemingly directed at foreigners, but its main purpose is the delegitimisation of Muslims’ citizenship”.

Critics say that if it is genuinely aimed at protecting minorities, the bill should have have included Muslim religious minorities who have faced persecution in their own countries - Ahmadis in Pakistan and Rohingyas in Myanmar, for example. (The government has gone to the Supreme Court seeking to deport Rohingya refugees from India.Defending the bill, senior BJP leader Ram Madhav said, “no country in the world accepts illegal migration”.

“For all others about whom the bleeding hearts are complaining, Indian citizenship laws are there. Naturalised citizenship is an option for others who legally claim Indian citizenship. All other illegal [immigrants] will be infiltrators,” he added. Also defending the bill earlier this year, R Jagannathan, editorial director of Swarajya magazine, wrote that “the exclusion of Muslims from

Triumph

SSP Malir Rao Anwar’s police and the political clout of the local PPP leadership – went largely unreported in the media.

On May 4, 2018, however, there was a reckoning. The Supreme Court, in a searing 98page majority verdict, declared that Bahria had illegally acquired land for BTK and that the entire process was null and void from the outset. The judgment came at the end of proceedings stretching over four years, thanks to rapacious PPP bigwigs and Sindh government functionaries, and a corrupt provincial land bureaucracy, all determined to protect their huge stakes in BTK. The three-judge bench was misled at every turn; its queries were met with prevarication or downright stonewalling. NAB dragged its feet when ordered to investigate Bahria’s acquisition of land in the area.

Nevertheless, when it finally came, it was an unprecedented ruling that, if implemented in letter and in spirit, could have had farreaching consequences on the activities of unscrupulous builders and their powerful partners in crime. It had particularly harsh words for the land bureaucracy which it said “chose to dance at the drumbeats of a business tycoon without caring what the law provided”.

On March 21, 2019, after two months of hearings and much back-and-forth with Bahria, the bench constituted to implement the May 4 verdict finally accepted the firm’s offer of Rs460bn as settlement dues. To protect third party interest, the judges allowed Bahria to continue developing its project over a specified area of 16,986 acres, with the observation that it had “no title, interest or possession of any other land owned by the Government of Sindh”.

However, many consider the ruling to have

the ambit of the bill’s coverage flows from the obvious reality that the three countries are Islamist ones, either as stated in their own constitutions, or because of the actions of militant Islamists, who target the minorities for conversion or harassment”.

The Citizen Amendment Bill was first put before parliament in July 2016. The legislation cleared parliament’s lower house where the BJP has a large majority, but it did not pass in the upper house, after violent anti-migrant protests in north-eastern India.

The protests were particularly vocal in Assam state, which in August saw two million residents left off a citizens’ register. Illegal migration from Bangladesh has long been a concern in the state. The CAB is seen as being linked to the register, although it is not the same thing. The National Register of Citizens (NRC) is a list of people who can prove they came to the state by 24 March 1971, a day before neighbouring Bangladesh became an independent country.

The government says the National Register of Citizens is needed to identify illegal migrants In the run-up to its publication, the BJP had supported the NRC, but changed tack days before the final list was published, saying it was error-ridden. The reason for that was a lot of Bengali Hindus - a strong voter base for the BJP - were also left out of

Greed

overlooked some important aspects of the original judgment. Most inexplicable, and unfortunate, was the direction to NAB not to file any references against Bahria “for the time being” unless there was any default in making payments or violation “in any of the terms and conditions mentioned […]”.

According to sources in NAB, an investigation into Bahria’s suspect land dealings in Karachi was prepared and ready to be filed: the document names 34 people in connection with the scam. The March 21 order put the brakes on any follow through.

Moreover, a recent investigative report in Dawn has illustrated with satellite imagery that Bahria is extending its project into Jamshoro in total violation of the ruling. What message does it send to other ‘land developers’ of this ilk if the courts take no notice?

There is now an ongoing tussle between the centre and the Sindh government over the Rs460bn. Both sides have filed identical applications in the Supreme Court, laying claim to the amount being deposited

by Bahria with the court. The provincial government contends it has the right to it because the project is located within its jurisdiction. Consider that none of the government functionaries who colluded with Bahria have been held accountable for their crimes. Transferring the funds to Sindh, at least without extremely strict supervision by a disinterested party, could be tantamount to getting the cat to watch the cream.

However, the PTI government’s role in the Bahria saga is also open to question. In early December, as a result of what the international media described as a “dirty money” probe, the UK’s National Crime Agency announced it had agreed to a £190 million settlement offer with Malik Riaz. This in-

the list, and would possibly become illegal immigrants.

The two are closely linked, because the Citizenship Amendment Bill will help protect non-Muslims who are excluded from the register and face the threat of deportation or internment. This means tens of thousands of Bengali Hindu migrants who were not included in the NRC can still get citizenship to stay on in Assam state. Later, Home Minister Amit Shah proposed a nationwide register of citizens to ensure that “each and every infiltrator is identified and expelled from India” by 2024.

Right-wing groups have protested against Rohingya refugees living in India”If the government goes ahead with its plan of implementing the nationwide NRC, then those who find themselves excluded from it will be divided into two categories: (predominantly) Muslims, who will now be deemed illegal migrants, and all others, who would have been deemed illegal migrants, but are now immunised by the Citizenship Amendment Bill if they can show that their country of origin is Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan,” Mr Bhatia said. Taken together, the NRC and CAB have the “potential of transforming India into a majoritarian polity with gradations of citizenship rights,” said sociologist Niraja Gopal Jaya.

Courtesy: BBC English news

cludes a 10-bedroom, seven-storey, £50m property overlooking Hyde Park. In line with its international obligations, the agency announced it would return the assets, “suspected to have derived from bribery and corruption overseas”, to the Pakistani state.

However, the government, which as a matter of course breathes fire and brimstone over “billions” in ill-gotten gains stashed abroad by a corrupt elite (mainly opposition political leaders), has hardly been cock-ahoop about the recovery. On the contrary, government ministers have mumbled something about some confidentiality agreement preventing them from divulging any details.

Granted, the settlement is a civil rather than criminal matter, and, according to the NCA, “did not represent a finding of guilt”, but it is curious the property tycoon would surrender such a huge amount rather than prove the absence of wrongdoing.

Outrageously enough, Malik Riaz has claimed that the funds would go towards the Rs460bn settlement arrived at with the Supreme Court in March. There has so far been no clear-cut rebuttal by the government of what would be a mind-boggling travesty of justice. The story will continue to unfold in 2020. Source: https://www.dawn.com

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