Sheikh Salman al-Oadah Everything in existence is subject to Allah’s will and power. For Muslims, this goes without saying. It is an essential tenet of every Muslim’s faith. Allah says: “Indeed, Allah has power over all things.” However, this is no excuse for human beings to evade responsibility for their own decisions. No one can argue that it was their fate to sin. We know this from firsthand experience. We know instinctively that we make our own decisions. We choose to do some things and refrain from doing other things. We carry out intentional actions. We intend, for instance, to … Continue reading Allah’s Decree, Free Will, and Our Sins

Heaven & Earth and the beasts He scattered in both…” – Extra-Terrestrial Life? Sheikh Muhammad b. Ibrâhîm Dûdah Allah says: “And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the beasts that He has scattered throughout them both: and He has power to gather them together when He wills.” [Sûrah al-Shûrâ: 29] Human beings have long wondered: Are we alone in this vast universe? Do any other thinking beings exist on other worlds? We have reason to wonder. Is our planet the only one to bear the fruit of life from among the countless planets … Continue reading Islamic faith includes respecting Extra-Terrestrial Life?

PATHWAYS TO AND FROM VIOLENT EXTREMISM: THE CASE FOR SCIENCE-BASED FIELD RESEARCH [3.10.10] By Scott Atran Statement Before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Emerging Threats & Capabilities “Pathways to and From Violent Extremism: The Case for Science-Based Field Research” A Statement by Scott Atran SCOTT ATRAN, an anthropologist, is Director of Research, ARTIS Research and Risk Modeling; Research Associate and Visiting Professor, Psychology and Public Policy, University of Michigan; Presidential Scholar, Sociology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice; Director of Research, Anthropology, National Center for Scientific Research, Paris; and author, In Gods We Trust. Scott Atran’s Edge Bio Page … Continue reading Pathways to and From Violent Extremism: The Case for Science-Based Field Research

Noor Huda Ismail: Changing the minds of ex-combatants Prodita Sabarini ,  The Jakarta Post Courtesy of Noor Huda Ismail Noor Huda Ismail said he was once a hardliner. When he studied at Ngruki Islamic boarding school in Central Java, he aspired to join the jihad in Afghanistan. He wanted Indonesia to be an Islamic state, and joined the Darul Islam – a hardline group Jemaah Islamiyah is said to have splintered from — to support the movement. Now, the 38-year-old is a moderate Muslim, fighting terrorism by embracing ex-combatants, “de-radicalizing” them using a personal approach, training and courses. He founded … Continue reading Changing the minds of ex-combatants

Systematic deradicalization program needed: Expert Prodita Sabarini ,  The Jakarta Post The war against terror is a war of ideologies. It can only be won by changing extremists’ belief in the use of violence, an expert in Indonesian extremism says. Executive director of the Institute of International Peace Building, Noor Huda Ismail, believes terrorism can be rooted out of society, particularly in Indonesia, but the government and civil society should place more emphasis on “deradicalizing” extremists. The Institute is an organization that aims to rehabilitate former terrorists. “[Terrorism can be rooted out] because the grievances are not real, unlike in … Continue reading Systematic deradicalization program needed

Pakistan’s child soldiers By Kalsoom Lakhani On Sunday, the Washington Post covered the progress of a new boarding school established to rehabilitate and deradicalize former child militants in Swat Valley, Pakistan. The army-sponsored center currently houses 86 young boys who were either captured by the military or brought in by their families. According to the Post, “Some had been trained by insurgent groups as slaves or thieves, some as bombers.” The rehabilitation and study of these boys could provide deeper insight into the indoctrination of child militants in Pakistan as well as the broader psychology of child soldiers as a … Continue reading Is anyone actually deradicalising Pakistani kids that were brainwashed by the Taliban?

Taiwan plans to rule the waves By James Holmes and Toshi Yoshihara The Republic of China Navy (ROCN), or Taiwan Navy, has an ambitious vision for its future strategy. According to the “ROC Navy Vision”, which is available on the navy’s website, “Based on the guidance of ‘command and control automation, three-dimensional mobile strike capabilities and missile-oriented weapon system’, and through measures such as enhancing intelligence reconnaissance and surveillance, extending strike zone depth, expanding combat radius, accelerating response and contingency protection, the navy aims to construct an effective deterring and three-dimensional mobile strike force that is elite, highly efficient, rapidly … Continue reading Taiwan plans a sea Empire?

Hidden costs of US’s drone reliance By Brian M Downing With the change of presidents in 2009, many observers expected to see a decline in unmanned aircraft strikes inside Pakistan. After all, these drone attacks were widely seen as part of the George W Bush administration’s heavy-handed approach to going after terrorists along the AfPak line. The Barack Obama administration, many thought, would curtail the program in favor of subtler methods. Instead, there were 53 strikes from Predator and Reaper drones last year, the first year of the Obama administration, a rise of almost 50% from the 36 in 2008, … Continue reading Costs of US’s drone reliance