More than Religion
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Representative democracy may be the greatest social and political experiment in the history of the world. But it is an ever-evolving experiment. These days there is a tendency to regard American democracy as the model for all the world's democracies, and in some ways this is true. The seeds of democracy may have been sown in ancient Greece, but it is in American soil that they sprouted and flourished. Yet precisely for this reason, only in America is American democracy possible; it cannot be isolated from American traditions and values.
Power Organisation
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Al-Isra (The Night Jorney)
Chapter 17: Verse 80 (partial)
"and give me a sultan (i.e. power, authority, government) for my help ..."
It is a reality of our world that power only respects power. For transforming society and the world according to Islamic ideals, great power needs to be acquired and mobilised. This is why the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, prayed and worked for gaining power and authority as mentioned in this verse of the Quran.
Turkish Films and Dramas
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By Assad Bhuglah
The Turkish cinema and film industry are aiming to go global. They have also kept up with advances in technology and viewer preferences that enabled them to make features and soap operas like Magnificent Century, a phenomenon that prevailed throughout the Middle East.
For the first time in cinema history, Hollywood paired up with the Turkish film industry for the 54th Anatalya Film festival on 21-27 October 2017. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism threw their full support behind the festival. Actors, directors, studios, and scriptwriters from both Turkey and Hollywood attended the event. Jurors from the Oscar and the Golden Globe awards were also there. The festival brought a wide range of cinema with dramas, comedies and creative documentaries produced by famous moviemakers who deal with current issues with their own cinematic approaches. The Turkish film industry is also envisaging joint collaboration with Bollywood. Turkey and India plan to boost cooperation in cinema, with Bollywood seeking locations to shoot films in western Turkey. Last month, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan visited Turkey and he was cheered by his Turkish fans and was received by President Tayyip Erdogan.
Poverty and Wealth
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Ya Sin (Ya Sin) - Chapter 36: Verse 47
"And when it is said unto them, 'Spend of that wherewith God has provided you,' those who disbelieve say to those who believe, 'Are we to feed one whom, if God willed, He would feed him? You are in nought but manifest error.'"
Although there are several different accounts identifying the subject of this verse, they all agree that it responds to those who scoffed at the injunction to spend in the way of God — to feed the poor —found throughout the Quran. It is said that some disbelievers among the Quraysh said to Abu Bakr, who used to feed the destitute from his own wealth, "O Abu Bakr, do you claim that God is able to feed these people?" He replied, "Yes." To which they replied, "So why is it that he does not feed them?" He said, "Some people are tried with poverty, others with wealth. The poor are commanded to be patient, and the wealthy are commanded to give." So they replied, "O Abu Bakr, surely you are in error. Do you claim that God is able to feed these people, yet He does not feed them, then you feed them?" Then this verse was revealed.
Moral Ambivalence
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Unfortunately, an inordinate number of Muslim men, and also women, fail to recognize the many ways that patriarchy is an offence against morality and Islam. Too many Muslims and non-Muslims are not sufficiently sensitized to the fact that patriarchy is despotism and that it is a morally offensive condition. As an institution, patriarchy feeds on the eradication of women's moral agency; it erases and marginalizes women; and, most significantly, it negates the possibility of true surrender to God. Likewise, an inordinate number of Muslims fail to reflect upon the extent to which patriarchy exploits the instruments of religious authority but ends up displacing God's authority altogether.
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