The Meaning of Islam from A. Maududi’s ‘Towards Understanding Islam’ Note: This is the first chapter from A. Maududi’s book, ‘Towards Understanding Islam’. In it, he presents the two opposite states of beingness in their extremes: Islam and Kufr, in their ideal forms, describing their natural outcomes. On this spectrum of extremes, most of us fall somewhere in between in a dynamic flux throughout our life time. Every religion of the world has been named either after its founder or after the community or nation in which it was born. For instance, Christianity takes its name from its prophet Jesus … Continue reading ‘Towards Understanding Islam’ by A. Maududi

Twenty Three Years: A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad by ALI  DASHTI Translated from the Persian Contents Note on the Author Note on the Translation Chapter I: MOHAMMAD His birth His childhood The problem of prophethood His appointment After his appointment Chapter II: THE RELIGION OF ISLAM The setting Miracles The miracle of the Qur’an Mohammad’s humanity Chapter III: POLITICS The emigration The change in Mohammad’s personality The establishment of a sound economy The advance to power Prophethood and rulership Women in Islam Women and the Prophet Chapter IV: METAPHYSICS God in the Qur’an Genies and magic Cosmogony … Continue reading A Study of the Prophetic Career of Mohammad by Ali Dashti

VIEW: Cyber wars: who killed Facebook? —Afrah Jamal Before this anti-Facebook movement was launched, few had heard of the event. It is ironic that by rising en masse, the tidal wave of protests also raised the caricature story from the depths of obscurity to the heights of notoriety Try clicking on a news item about Pakistani students protesting the Facebook ban in Google. Just try it. You cannot, can you? Not if your internet service provider (ISP) is anything like mine. Not since the crackdown on Facebook. And all because of the event planned for May 20, 2010 in the … Continue reading The Facebook ban needs to be overturned on the 31st – or real resistance will begin

VIEW: Rip van Winkle in Washington! —Naeem Tahir The political right got moral, financial and material support, culminating in promoting jihad in Afghanistan. The groups of moderates, progressives, and the Left were left out as untouchables This time ‘Rip van Winkle’ has not woken up in the Catskill Mountains of New York as the fairytale goes. He has now woken up in Washington DC because of a ‘Dumb Shahzad’ from New York. I am not referring to the author of the fairytale, Mr Washington Irving. I am referring to a distinguished correspondent of The Washington Post. He has woken up … Continue reading Rip van Winkle in Washington!

analysis: Fatal illusions —Salman Tarik Kureshi Conformity was imposed on the pluralism prized by Jinnah and a unitary state, belying his crusades for provincial autonomy, was created. In place of our rich and diverse heritage, cultural uniformity was imposed. Ideological formulations were trumpeted, dissent discouraged “The challenge of modernity is to live without illusions and without becoming disillusioned” — Antonio Gramsci. In the smokescreen of secondary issues and non-issues with which we are daily blanketed by the media, it is easy to lose sight of the central importance of the counter-insurgency campaigns being waged to save the citizens and the … Continue reading The challenge of modernity is to live without illusions and without becoming disillusioned

Kandahar Through the Taliban’s Eyes As the U.S.-led coalition attempts to retake Afghanistan’s critical southern provinces, they should first attempt to look at the conflict from their enemies’ perspective. BY GREG MILLS For U.S. President Barack Obama, ruminating about the course of the war in Afghanistan from Washington, the distant provinces of Helmand and Kandahar cannot be far from his mind. Winning back Afghanistan’s critical southern heartland is the primary focus of the 46-country International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), which is surging its troop strength past the 100,000 mark. As if to highlight the allied forces’ anxiety, this month U.S. … Continue reading If I was a Taliban in Kandahar….

Strategy Session Are other countries’ national security documents more interesting than America’s? BY JOSHUA E. KEATING The big foreign-policy story this week is the release of the Obama administration’s new National Security Strategy, and FP’s got it covered. You can find analysis of the document on the site from Cable guy Josh Rogin, Shadow Government’s Peter Feaver and Will Inboden, as well as Daniel Drezner, and Marc Lynch. Rather than jump on top of that extremely qualified pile, I thought I’d take a look at some other countries’ official national-security strategies to see how they compare. With an assist from … Continue reading Whose national security documents are more interesting than America’s?

Posted By Marc Lynch Thursday, May 27, 2010 – 10:54 AM Share The Obama administration’s new National Security Strategy is about to be unveiled today. I got hold of an advance copy of it yesterday, and then joined about a dozen other people at the White House to talk about it with three senior administration officials (on background). It’s an impressive document, and goes a long way towards providing a coherent framework for American foreign policy and national security which makes sense of what the administration has been doing and offers a roadmap to where it wants to go. From … Continue reading Al-Qaeda in the New National Security Strategy