Pakistan's Prime Minster takes the right step

السلام عليكم و رحمة الله و بركاته

This is really a good start and good step forward, resting the legalities and politics aside.New Prime Minister of Pakistan says his Motto is "Love for All Hatred for None" !!- Isn't that what Muslims living in America, UK or elsewhere crave for? That they be treated like every American? Well I do believe it will happen, if we mean it and work for it. 

"Love for All Hatred for None" is a beautiful slogan mascot of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. I hope the Prime Minister means it. When Obama became the President, the whole world cried with joy - for the first time in human history a man from the minority was freely elected to be their president. Indeed, Prophet Muhammad said that in his last sermon... I hope Pakistan can move into this direction where no Pakistani - be it Sunni, Shia, Ahmadi, Bohra, Ismaili, Sikh, Hindu, Christian, Parsee and others need not live in fear. That would be an Islamic government, wouldn't it? If your head bobble from left to right with a no, look up the Madinah Charter.

Alhumdullilah our Motto 'Love for All Hatred for None' has reached some people's tongues, lets Pray that it reaches their Hearts.

http://www.arynews.tv/english/Newsdetail.asp?nid=60755

Monday June 25, 2012

Peace in Karachi is my priority, says Ashraf

Prime Minister, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf has said the maintenance of peace in Karachi is one of the foremost priorities of his government. "We want to take along all to serve the people."

The prime minister was talking to media after meeting Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) chief and spiritual leader of Hurr community, Pir Pagara Sibghatullah Rashdi at Kingri House in Karachi.

He asked Pir Pagara to pray for him that he could achieves big goals in his short tenure, he said. Ashraf said, “I hope to do something that solves the problems of the people of Pakistan.”

Ashraf also thanked Pir Pagara for the “delicious food” he offered him at the meeting.

“PML-F, as our coalition partner, played a very positive and strong role in my election as the prime minister, for which I have come to thank Pir Pagara on behalf of my party’s co-chairman President Asif Ali Zardari.”

The prime minister said that Pir Pagara prayed for us and was very hospitable towards him and his party.

“Our motive is – love for all hatred for none,” said Ashraf. “With the help of our coalition partners and with the vision of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and President Zardari, we would like to take Pakistan towards progression.”

He said that the two big challenges faced by his government were energy crisis and security situation, particularly in Karachi. “We are striving to bring peace to Karachi which is the economic hub of Pakistan.”

Responding to a question regarding the Opposition’s resistance in his election, he said, “I am here till the party and coalition partners have confidence in me and till God wills so. Nobody elects themselves as a PM. This is all God-willing. He can provide to anyone, anytime.”

IS THIS THE PAKISTAN YOU WANT?

A few Pakistanis have asked me to work on making a movie

about building a cohesive Pakistan. Insha Allah, if they

gather the funds, we will take that step... a small step.

Here is the Original in making, an American Version

No American has to live in apprehension or fear of the other.
There are solutions, here is a trailer of the movie in making:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMXsTo4VYh8&feature=youtu.be

Please let me know if you wish to you have more information.
Thank youMike Ghouse
America Together Foundation
www.AmericaTogetherFoundation.com
Dallas, Texas  

Relgion, conversion, monopoly and God's will

Let's begin with greetings.

All religious greetings express the same wisdom; wishing you to be blessed, soaked and drenched in peace, so we can talk and act peace. Amen!

Peace, Shalom, Salaam, Satsriakaal, Namaste, Alaabho, Hamzor hama ashobed, and all other greetings are ways of acknowledging the stranger and seeking to build relationships. Its how all religions evolved in building the elusive kingdom of heaven, where no one has to live in fear of the other.

About Conversions

I honor your beliefs, and hope you honor my beliefs. It is dead wrong for you or I to believe that the other one is wrong, and that is sheer arrogance and goes against the key principle of religion, every religion; humility.

Every word I am writing below, will be in Bible and is in Quraan and sure will be there in all holy books. Eeach one of my statements below has origins in Quraan and my fellow Muslims can quote the verses. This is what most Muslims subscribe to, but may not have expressed in this fashion. 

Religion is not mathematics or physics to be clearly wrong or right, it is rather a belief, a leap of faith that has no rhyme or reason, and as such neither you, nor I can be wrong. All are right in our own beliefs, there is no need for any one to be wrong. The evil surfaces when we erroneously and arrogantly believe that the other one is wrong, and we compound the error by pushing our beliefs onto the others. People should be free to believe as long as they are not robbing you, hurting you or being unjust to you. There should not be any compulsion to convert, what is the need? 

Life is a celebration, and gratitude  is the capstone.

Birth is a celebration, growing up is, graduation is, getting a job is, marriage is.... praying in church, mosque, synagogue, temples and altars is celebration of creator's glory.


An atheist, pagan or native traditionalist appreciating the nature is celebration of the causer of the universe without giving a name, face  or ascribing divinity to it.

Father’s day, Mothers day, Anniversaries, Rakhi are all expressions of gratitude.

One should be grateful every moment and to everyone who has done whatever little to enhance other's and one's own life.

Life will remain incomplete without expressing gratitude... it is a powerful emotional release that gives you peace of mind, the other components are justice, repentance, forgiveness...

God does not want homogeneity

God does not want his creation to be exactly allike; he would have created if that was the case, he can do anything, after all he is the creator.

God created each one of us to be different intentionally, each one with his/her own thumb print, eye print, DNA... no two humans are alike...no two snowflakes are like... isn't that God's will?

God will not allow:

You may not like this, and most religious folks who are not "free" will not like this, but do think about it. Some of my Muslim friends may not see Islam in terms of freedom; it released slaves, women, egos and others from bondage...including my god v your god... and moving on to a common denominator God. 

God will not allow the entire world to be Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Jew, Buddhist or the other.  It's tough to swallow, but if we get off the delusional world, we can see it. 

Jesus, Muhammad, Krishna, Moses or Buddha will reach out to a segment of the population, but never the whole population. What we believe is simply belief, facts are otherwise.

A few Christians, Muslims and others live in the dream world that one day every one would be a Christian or Muslim. Indeed that is likely, if being Christian, Hindu, Muslim or a Jew means a good human being that treats every human being with respect and dignity, but if it means political Christianity, Islam, Judaism or Hinduism, it will not happen.

Because it goes against God's will

I pray that God give us all the humility to respect each other and their opinions.

Mike Ghouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer onpluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily. 

TEXAS FAITH: Is religious freedom under attack in America?

Indeed, every group feels that their religious liberty is under attack. Is there a time in history when a group did not feel threatened by co-religionists, other religions and the governments? Here is a short history and possible solutions.

This a weekly column at Dallas Morning News, here is Mike’s contribution on the topic.

MIKE GHOUSE, President, Foundation for Pluralism, Dallas

Indeed, every group feels that their religious liberty is under attack. Is there a time in history when a group did not feel threatened by co-religionists, other religions and the governments? Here is a short history and possible solutions.

Jews have always been under attack. They felt at home in Spain, which was destroyed by butcher Ferdinand. Then, they felt at home in Germany, but the Holocaust tore them apart and their belief in humanity was shattered. Every day, they have to be on guard. Someone or another is making anti-Semitic comments.

Fred Phelps was in Dallas in July 2010 demonstrating hate against Jews. The anti-circumcision bills in San Francisco and Santa Monica in 2011 were irritants. Last month in Houston, the Jewish academy could not participate in a basketball game. It was set on Saturday, most Jews refrain from activity that day. Indeed, it is restricting their freedom to practice their religion by exclusion and being insensitive to their faith.

Hindus are an open game to evangelists. A few years ago, a Baptist convention made a declaration to harvest the "Poor Hindu souls". This year, Russians made a serious attempt to ban Bhagvad Gita, the Hindu Holy Book. In November 2011, a Kentucky state senator attacked Hinduism as an idolatrous belief. California textbooks portrayed Hinduism in negative light, so the battle is still on. There is a debate among Indians: Had Bobby Jindal of Hindu parents and Nikki Haley of Sikh parents practiced their faiths, and not converted to Christianity, would they have become governors?

Sikhs had to fight with Arizona to keep the name of a Sikh 9/11 victim on a memorial wall. Wicca had to fight for the headstone in Arlington Memorial Cemetery for those who died serving America. Of course, there are enough stories about Native Americans, atheists and others.

Muslim Americans strongly feel the noose tightening on their freedom. Most restrictions are coming out of sheer ignorance and a false understanding of what their faith is about, as they practice in America rather than Saudi Arabia or Iran. The senators and representatives who have initiated anti-Sharia bills can't even tell what they are opposing.

The irony is neither the organizations nor the Muslims are seeking Sharia to be a part of the American law. All they are asking is to have options to square personal matters between family members through a jury, mediation, court hearing or the Sharia guidelines. Indeed, it is no different than the option of Jews using Halaqa in their personal conflicts or going to a psychologist for counseling.

Most Christian denominations have been under attack by fellow Christians. Missionaries were unforgivably cruel to natives around the world, including America. Most of the groups that infringe on the freedom of others have also been a victim.

The Catholic diocese has rightly filed the law suit protesting the Government's intrusion in the practice of their faith that the employers provide workers free contraceptives. This is the right thing to do - to stand up for the freedom of religion. As a Muslim I have stood up for freedom of every religious group, in this case with the Catholic Church. Indeed, it was good to see evangelical leader Richard Land make the same pledge along with me on Sean Hannity Radio.

In summary, the issues are about whether a majority - or the government - can arrogantly push vulnerable ones into obeying.

We need to build an America where no one is apprehensive or afraid of the other. Each one of us needs to feel home, a home where everyone can drop his or her guards and lives freely.

It is our duty to safeguard the liberties endowed by our creator to practice our beliefs. It behooves for us to stand up for each other, why should anyone stand up for you, if you are not willing to do the same for them?

To see all the contributors, please visit Dallas Morning news at:http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/05/texas-faith-is-religious-freed.html

. . . . .

MikeGhouse is committed to building a Cohesive America and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. He is a professional speaker, thinker and a writer on pluralism, politics, civic affairs, Islam, India, Israel, peace and justice. Mike is a frequent guest on Sean Hannity show on Fox TV, and a commentator on national radio networks, he contributes weekly to the Texas Faith Column at Dallas Morning News and regularly at Huffington post, and several other periodicals across the world. The blog www.TheGhousediary.com is updated daily.

A Church in Saudi Arabia

S. Arabia, Vatican in talks over churches
http://www.dawn.com/2008/03/19/top16.htm

Mike Ghouse: Three article follow my comments.

I have lost track of a Saudi minister who had asked me to put together an interfaith meeting with about 20 people, comprising Jews, Christians and Muslims. I fought with him to include all faiths, but finally agreed to work in stages, from familiar to unfamiliar ones. It was some where around 2005. I am pleased to see at least a dialogue is emerging between Vatican and Saudi's. Neighboring Dubai has just opened up a mega church this month.

I recall some Mormon friends of mine who had a congregation in Saudi Arabia way back in 1978-80 headed by a Houstonian by name Norman Powell, and of course my buddy Everett Blauvelt of Richardson was a Mormon as well, who first went to Saudi in early 40's and had worked there for nearly 30 years and made a come back in late seventies. There were several others who attended the Baptist and Catholic mass on Sundays. The Indian, Pakistani and Filipion christians groups had their own gatherings as well.

### Now the article

LONDON, March 18: The Vatican and the Saudi Kingdom are holding secret talks on lifting the age-old ban on building churches in Saudi Arabia, the Guardian reported on Tuesday.

The newspaper quoted one of Pope Benedict’s most senior Middle East representatives, Archbishop Paul-Mounged El-Hashem, as saying: “Discussions are under way to allow the construction of churches in the kingdom. We cannot forecast the outcome.”

There are said to be around three or four million Christians in Saudi Arabia.

At the Vatican, the Pope’s spokesman, Father Federico Lombardi, said: “If we manage to obtain authorisation for the construction of the first church, it will be an outcome of historic dimensions.”

The opening last Friday of the first church in Qatar left Saudi Arabia as the only country in the region that still bans the building of churches and all forms of open Christian worship.

Diplomats in Rome said talks on the building of churches would be consistent with recent developments.

Saudi Arabia is among the few countries that do not have diplomatic links with the Vatican, but sources in Rome say the Saudis are keen to establish formal relations.

In Qatar last Saturday, some 15,000 people attended an inaugural mass at the country’s first church. Our Lady of the Rosary in Doha is one of five Christian places of worship planned in the state.

Addressing the reciprocity issue, Qatar’s deputy prime minister, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, said: “We are enjoying the construction of mosques and Islamic centres in the West, so we must be fair (to Christians).”

The Pope is expected later this year to meet representatives of 138 Muslim scholars who wrote a letter to Christian leaders last October calling for peace between the two religions.

# # # # #

First Catholic church for Saudi Arabia
Published: March 18, 2008

Negotiations are underway to build the first Catholic church in Saudi Arabia with King Abdullah lending his support for its construction.

Vatican Radio reports the Vatican and the Saudi government are currently in talks to allow the church despite the kingdoms ban on allowing the construction of any non-Muslim place of worship.

No religion other than Islam is allowed to schedule public services, and even the possession of bibles, rosaries, and crucifixes is forbidden.

Saudi Arabia is the only country on the Arabian Peninsula without a Catholic church despite the 800,000 Catholics - virtually all of who are foreign workers.

While Saudi Arabia does not have formal diplomatic relations with the Holy See, King Abdullah became the first reigning Saudi monarch ever to visit the Vatican last November.

Commenting after his meeting with the Pope Vatican officials confirmed the Pontiff pressed for permission to open a Catholic church in the kingdom.

Holy See spokesman Fr Federico Lombardi said that opening a Catholic parish in the Islamic land would be "a historic achievement" for religious freedom and a major step forward for inter-religious dialogue.

The apostolic nuncio to Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, Archbishop Paul-Mounged El-Hachem, is reportedly the lead Vatican negotiator in talks with Saudi officials.

# # # # #

From: STUDENT of THE QURAN
Date: Sat Mar 29, 2008 7:48 pm
Subject: First Catholic Church for Saudi Arabia

[1:1] In the name of GOD, Most Gracious, Most Merciful[6:107] Had GOD willed, they would not have worshiped idols. We did not appoint you as their guardian, nor are you their advocate.
Salamun Alykum.

Negotiations are underway to build the first Catholic church in Saudi Arabia with King Abdullah lending his support for its construction. We congratulate the King
for his action since it supports the sacred teaching of God and His messenger.

According to the Quran, all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights:

[17:70] We have honored the children of Adam, and provided them with rides on land and in the sea. We provided for them good provisions, and we gave them greater advantages than many of our creatures.

The Quran gives everyone the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion:

[2:256] There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.

God Almighty never gave any guardianship role to the Messengers or Muslims over religious issue:

[33:40] Muhammad was not the father of any man among you. He was a messenger of GOD and the final prophet. GOD is fully aware of all things.[4:80] Whoever obeys the messenger is obeying GOD. As for those who turn away, we did not send you as their guardian.
[6:66] Your people have rejected this, even though it is the truth. Say, "I am not a guardian over you."
[6:104] Enlightenments have come to you from your Lord. As for those who can see, they do so for their own good, and those who turn blind, do so to their own detriment. I am not your guardian.
[6:107] Had GOD willed, they would not have worshiped idols. We did not appoint you as their guardian, nor are you their advocate.
[10:108] Proclaim: "O people, the truth has come to you herein from your Lord. Whoever is guided is guided for his own good. And whoever goes astray, goes astray to his own detriment. I am not a guardian over you."
[11:86] "Whatever GOD provides for you, no matter how small, is far better for you, if you are really believers. I am not a guardian over you."
[42:48] If they turn away, we did not send you as their guardian. Your sole mission is delivering the message. When we shower the human beings with mercy, they become proud, and when adversity afflicts them, as a consequence of their own deeds, the human beings turn into disbelievers

Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person:

[2:178] O you who believe, equivalence is the law decreed for you when dealing with murder - the free for the free, the slave for the slave, the female for the female. If one is pardoned by the victim's kin, an appreciative response is in order, and an equitable compensation shall be paid. This is an alleviation from your Lord and mercy. Anyone who transgresses beyond this incurs a painful retribution.

[2:191] You may kill those who wage war against you, and you may evict them whence they evicted you. Oppression is worse than murder. ...

[16:126] And if you punish, you shall inflict an equivalent punishment. But if you resort to patience (instead of revenge), it would be better for the patient ones.

[17:33] You shall not kill any person - for GOD has made life sacred - except in the course of justice. If one is killed unjustly, then we give his heir authority to enforce justice. Thus, he shall not exceed the limits in avenging the murder, he will be helped.

Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms without distinction of any kind:

[2:136] Say, "We believe in GOD, and in what was sent down to us, and in what was sent down to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the Patriarchs; and in what was given to Moses and Jesus, and all the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction among any of them. To Him alone we are submitters."

[49:13] O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant.

Thank you and may God guide us,

M. Irtaza

# # # # #

http://www.cathnews.com/article.aspx?aeid=6247

Vatican-Saudi talks on churches

Archbishop Hashem discussed the Saudi talks whilst visiting Qatar
The Vatican is holding talks with Saudi Arabia on building the first church in the kingdom, where some 1.5m Christians are not allowed to worship publicly.
Archbishop Paul-Mounged el-Hachem, one of Pope Benedict XVI's most senior Middle East representatives, said the discussions had begun a few weeks ago.

But the archbishop cautioned that the Vatican could not predict the outcome.

The discussions come in the wake of King Abdullah's historic meeting with the Pope at the Vatican last November.

A Catholic-Muslim Forum was also set up by the Pope two weeks ago to repair relations between the two faiths after the crisis caused by a speech he gave in Germany in 2006, in which he appeared to associate Islam with violence.

'Reciprocity'

The disclosure of talks between the Vatican and Saudi Arabia, which do not have diplomatic ties, came soon after the first Roman Catholic church in the Qatari capital, Doha, was opened in a service attended by 15,000 people.

Archbishop Hachem, the Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Qatar, Yemen, Bahrain and the UAE, who attended the inauguration, said he hoped there would soon be a similar church for the many Christians in neighbouring Saudi Arabia.

If we manage to obtain authorisation for the construction of the first church, it will be an outcome of historic dimensions

Father Federico Lombardi
Spokesman for Pope Benedict

"Discussions are under way to allow the construction of churches in the kingdom," he said.

Although he made clear the outcome was uncertain, the archbishop added that a church in Saudi Arabia would be an important sign of "reciprocity" between Muslims and Christians.

The Vatican has noted that Muslims are free to worship openly in Europe and demands religious freedom as a condition for the opening of diplomatic relations.

About a million Catholics, many of them migrant workers from the Philippines, live in Saudi Arabia.

They are allowed to worship in private, mostly in people's homes, but worship in public places and outward signs of faith, such as crucifixes, are forbidden.

The last Christian priest was expelled from the kingdom in 1985.

Christians complain that rules are not clear and that the Saudi religious authorities, who enforce the kingdom's conservative brand of Islam, Wahhabism, sometimes crack down on legitimate congregations.

The authorities cite a tradition of the Prophet Muhammad that only Islam can be practised in the Arabian Peninsula.

A spokesman for Pope Benedict, Father Federico Lombardi, said: "If we manage to obtain authorisation for the construction of the first church, it will be an outcome of historic dimensions."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7302378.stm



The Times

March 17, 2008

Saudi Arabia extends hand of friendship to Pope
Richard Owen in Rome
The Vatican is believed to be holding talks with Saudi authorities over opening the first Roman Catholic church in the Islamic kingdom, where Christian worship is banned and even to possess a Bible, rosary or crucifix is an offence.

The disclosure came the day after the first Catholic church in Qatar was inaugurated in a service attended by 15,000 people and conducted by a senior Vatican official.

The Vatican and Saudi Arabia do not have diplomatic relations. However, Archbishop Paul-Mounged El-Hachem, the Papal Nuncio to Qatar, Kuwait, the UAE, Yemen and Bahrain, who attended the Doha inauguration, said that moves towards diplomatic ties were under way after an unprecedented visit to the Vatican last November by King Abdullah. This would involve negotiations for the "authorisation of the building of Catholic churches" in Saudi Arabia, he said.

The move would amount to a potential revolution in Christian-Muslim relations, since Saudi Arabia adheres to a hardline Wahhabi version of Sunni Islam and is home to Mecca and Medina, the most holy sites of the religion. No faith other than Islam may be practised.

Related Links
Analysis: Saudi Arabia and the Vatican
Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, said that he could not confirm that the two sides were in negotiations. However, he added: "If, as we hope, we reach an agreement authorising the construction of the first church in Saudi Arabia, it will be a step of historic importance."

Saudi religious police search the homes of Christians regularly; even private prayer services are forbidden in practice. Foreign workers have to observe Ramadan but are not allowed to celebrate Christmas or Easter.

La Stampa, the Italian daily, said that the talks would have been "unthinkable" until recently. The way was paved by King Abdullah's talks with the Pope and by the recent setting up of a permanent Catholic-Muslim forum to repair relations between the two faiths after the Pope's controversial remarks on Islam at the University of Regensburg in 2006.

The Pope said that his apparent reference to Islam as inherently violent had been misunderstood and he made amends by praying at the Blue Mosque in Istanbul soon afterwards.

Of the Saudi Arabian population, 94 per cent are Muslim and less than 4 per cent - nearly a million people - Christian, nearly all of them foreign workers. The last Christian priest was expelled from Saudi Arabia in 1985.

Qtar, which hopes to bid to host the Olympic Games in 2016, has approved five churches for other Christian denominations, including the Anglican Communion.

Land of one faith

— Saudi laws do not recognise or protect freedom of religion. Non- nationals are severely restricted in practising different faiths

— Missionaries are banned and face imprisonment if caught. Sunni Muslims face severe repercussions from the Mutawwain, or religious police, for breaking Muslim law

— The official policy of allowing non-Muslims to worship freely at home is not reliably enforced

— In the courts, once fault is determined, a Muslim receives all of the amount of compensation determined, a Jew or Christian half, and all others a sixteenth

Sources: US State Department; Conference of Catholic Bishops

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article3571835.ece

Posted by Profile of Mike Ghouse at 9:50 PM
Labels: Catholic, Christianity, Church, Islam, Muslim, Saudi Arabia, Sunni

Pope Baptizes a Muslim

Pope baptizes prominent Italian Muslim

Article follows moderators comments;

Alhamdu Lillahi, praise the lord, (الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ 1:2) he knows and he is aware of every thing we do. He is the Malik-i-Yom-iddin, (مَـالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ 1:4) master of the day of the judgment.

We have several choices, and we need to evaluate the consequence of each choice.

i) We should not let his action have the capacity to irritate the weakest amongst us by reacting with vengeance. He wanted to choose another faith, let him. You cannot force any one to believe what one does not feel - Attempts to push him violates two basics - no oppression and no compulsion.

ii) Proclaim he is a bad guy - what good will it do?

iii) Issue a fatwa to kill him - This is where Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) wanted us to struggle (jihaad) against our base emotions of avenge and anger and win over them. Let's listen to the prophet and follow his guidance.

iv) Just do nothing, there are so many things happening in the world that needs our attention.

v) The more we re-act, the more they will be tempted to irritate us. I hope that is not what we want.

vi) Write in your own solution, solution must not create havoc, destruction and bad blood but bring peace - that is the name of our religion.

vii) Ignore and just live on your life.

Mike Ghouse
# # #

Pope baptizes prominent Italian Muslim
By NICOLE WINFIELD, Associated Press Writer http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080322/ap_on_re_eu/pope_muslim_convert;_ylt=An.N8vVqFLLdc1KsIIjk5fBbbBAF

VATICAN CITY - Italy's most prominent Muslim, an iconoclastic writer who condemned Islamic extremism and defended Israel, converted to Catholicism Saturday in a baptism by the pope at a Vatican Easter service.

An Egyptian-born, non-practicing Muslim who is married to a Catholic, Magdi Allam infuriated some Muslims with his books and columns in the newspaper Corriere della Sera newspaper, where he is a deputy editor. He titled one book "Long Live Israel."

As a choir sang, Pope Benedict XVI poured holy water over Allam's head and said a brief prayer in Latin.

"We no longer stand alongside or in opposition to one another," Benedict said in a homily reflecting on the meaning of baptism. "Thus faith is a force for peace and reconciliation in the world: distances between people are overcome, in the Lord we have become close."

Vatican Television zoomed in on Allam, who sat in the front row of the basilica along with six other candidates for baptism. He later received his first Communion.

Allam, 55, told the newspaper Il Giornale in a December interview that his criticism of Palestinian suicide bombing provoked threats on his life in 2003, prompting the Italian government to provide him with a sizable security detail.

The Union of Islamic Communities in Italy — which Allam has frequently criticized as having links to Hamas — said the baptism was his own decision.

"He is an adult, free to make his personal choice," the Apcom news agency quoted the group's spokesman, Issedin El Zir, as saying.

Yahya Pallavicini, vice president of Coreis, the Islamic religious community in Italy, said he respected Allam's choice but said he was "perplexed" by the symbolic and high-profile way in which he chose to convert.

"If Allam truly was compelled by a strong spiritual inspiration, perhaps it would have been better to do it delicately, maybe with a priest from Viterbo where he lives," the ANSA news agency quoted Pallavicini as saying.

The nighttime Easter vigil service at St. Peter's Basilica marked the period between Good Friday, which commemorates Jesus' crucifixion, and Easter Sunday, which marks his resurrection.

Benedict opened by blessing a white candle, which he then carried down the main aisle of the darkened basilica. Slowly, the pews began to light up as his flame was shared with candles carried by the faithful, until the whole basilica twinkled and the main lights came on.

The pope administers baptism "without making any 'difference of people,' that is, considering all equally important before the love of God and welcoming all in the community of the Church," said the Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi.

Allam, who has a young son with his Catholic wife and two adult children from a previous relationship, indicated in the Il Giornale interview that he would have no problem converting to Christianity. He said he had even received Communion once — when he was 13 or 14 — "even though I knew it was an act of blasphemy, not having been baptized."

He did not speak to the press Saturday and his newspaper said it had no information about his conversion.

Allam said in the interview that he had made a pilgrimage to Mecca, as is required of all Muslims, with his deeply religious mother in 1991, although he was not otherwise observant.

"I was never practicing," he was quoted as saying. "I never prayed five times a day, facing Mecca. I never fasted during Ramadan."

Allam also explained his decision to title a recent book "Viva Israele" by saying he wrote it after he received death threats from Hamas.

"Having been condemned to death, I have reflected a long time on the value of life. And I discovered that behind the origin of the ideology of hatred, violence and death is the discrimination against Israel. Everyone has the right to exist except for the Jewish state and its inhabitants," he said. "Today, Israel is the paradigm of the right to life."

In 2006, Allam was a co-winner, with three other journalists, of the $1 million Dan David prize, named for an Israeli entrepreneur. Allam was cited for "his ceaseless work in fostering understanding and tolerance between cultures."

There is no overarching Muslim law on conversion. But under a widespread interpretation of Islamic legal doctrine, converting from Islam is apostasy and punishable by death — though killings are rare.

Egypt's highest Islamic cleric, the Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa, wrote last year against the killing of apostates, saying there is no worldly retribution for Muslims who abandon their religion and that punishment would come in the afterlife.

On Wednesday, a new audio message from Osama bin Laden accused the pope of playing a "large and lengthy role" in a "new Crusade" against Islam that included the publication of drawings of the Prophet Muhammad that many Muslims found insulting.

Lombardi said Thursday that bin Laden's accusation was baseless. He said Benedict repeatedly criticized the Muhammad cartoons, first published in some European newspapers in 2006 and republished by Danish papers in February.

First Church Opens in Qatar

First Christian Church Opens in Qatar
AP foreign, Sunday March 16 2008

World Muslim Congress welcomes the opening of Qatar's first Christian Church. There is a spritual need in every soul, and its' fulfilment is essential for human beings. Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him has offered Christians of Najran to pray in his mosque when the time for prayer came - Mike Ghouse

DOHA, Qatar (AP) - Thousands of worshippers gathered Saturday for the consecration of Qatar's first Christian church, ending decades of underground worship in this Sunni Muslim and deeply conservative Persian Gulf nation.

Cardinal Ivan Dias presented the new Roman Catholic parish of Our Lady of the Rosary with a chalice offered by Pope Benedict XVI. Many congregants wept when a relic of Saint Padre Pio da Pietrelcina was dedicated in the five-hour Mass.

Three dozen bishops and priests gathered to celebrate the mass, which was conducted in English with prayers in the Tagalog language from the Philippines, Hindi, Arabic and other languages.

``It is a wonderful day for us, we have been waiting for many, many years to have a proper place of worship,'' said Indian resident Robert Rodriguez, one of the estimated 10,000 people who gathered for the ceremony.

Only 3,000 worshippers could fit inside the packed dome building, leaving thousands more to gather outside the doors.

Nearby, five more churches are under construction for other Christian denominations in this oil-rich state, where over 70 percent of the population are expatriate workers.
The 2,700-seat church was built on land donated by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani. Out of respect for local sensitivities, the exterior does not feature any religious symbols that identify the building as a place of Christian worship.

Qatar follows the rigorous Wahhabi teachings of Sunni Islam, and like neighboring Saudi Arabia had not previously authorized Christians to practice their faith openly. A Catholic priest had operated in Qatar without official approval since the 1960s.

The consecration and construction appear to be signs of Qatar's efforts to open up to the West as it seeks a bid for the Olympic Games in 2016.

``It is a dream coming true,'' said Bishop Bernardo Gremoli, a former vicar of Arabia who initiated the church project more than 20 years ago.

Some 150,000 Christians of all denominations live in the emirate. About 90 percent of them are Catholic expatriate workers from the Philippines, India and other Asian nations.
``This is a historic day for the Christian community,'' said Filipino Imelda Ilotin. ``It signifies that people can live together in peace and diversity if they are guided by illuminated rulers,'' she said.

Gremoli, who carried the relic of Padre Pio to Qatar, said it was the first ever holy relic to be sent from Rome to a church of the Arabian Peninsula.

Padre Pio, a mystic Capuchin monk who had an enormous following in Italy and abroad, died in 1968 after living for decades with inexplicable, bleeding wounds on his hands and feet, like the wounds Jesus suffered at crucifixion. Pope John Paul II made him a saint in 2002.

Qatar's most ambitious move to open up to the world has come through sports. It held the 2006 Asian games and hopes to win the 2016 summer Olympics. A short list of candidate cities for the 2016 Olympics will be announced next June.