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Zul-Qarnain

They ask thee concerning Zul-Qarnain. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story. Verily We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and the means to all ends. One (such) way he followed, Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness." He said: "Whoever doth wrong, him shall we punish; then shall he be sent back to his Lord; and He will punish him with a punishment unheard-of (before). "But whoever believes, and works righteousness,- he shall have a goodly reward, and easy will be his task as We order it by our Command."

Then followed he (another) way,Until, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had provided no covering protection against the sun. (He left them) as they were: We completely understood what was before him.

Then followed he (another) way, Until, when he reached (a tract) between two mountains, he found, beneath them, a people who scarcely understood a word. They said: "O Zul-qarnain! the Gog and Magog (People) do great mischief on earth: shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightest erect a barrier between us and them?

He said: "(The power) in which my Lord has established me is better (than tribute): Help me therefore with strength (and labour): I will erect a strong barrier between you and them: "Bring me blocks of iron." At length, when he had filled up the space between the two steep mountain-sides, He said, "Blow (with your bellows)" Then, when he had made it (red) as fire, he said: "Bring me, that I may pour over it, molten lead." Thus were they made powerless to scale it or to dig through it.

He said: "This is a mercy from my Lord: But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, He will make it into dust; and the promise of my Lord is true." On that day We shall leave them to surge like waves on one another: the trumpet will be blown, and We shall collect them all together. And We shall present Hell that day for Unbelievers to see, all spread out.

(The Holy Quran, 18:83-100)

Who was Zul-Qarnain?

The identification of Zul-Qarnain has been a controversial matter from the earliest times. in general the commentators have been of the opinion that he was Alexander the Great but the characteristics of Zul-Qarnain described in the Qur'an are not applicable to him. However, now the commentators are inclined to believe that Zul-Qarnain was Cyrus, an ancient king of Iran. We are also of the opinion that probably Zul-Qarnain was Cyrus, but the historical facts, which have come to light up to this time, are not sufficient to make any categorical assertion.
 
Now let us consider the characteristics of Zul-Qarnain in the light of his story as given in the

Quran: 

(1) The title Zul-Qarnain ("The Two-Hotned") should have been quite familiar to the Jews, for it was at their instigation that the disbelievers of Makkah put this question to the Holy Prophet. Therefore we must turn to the Jewish literature in order to learn who was the person known as "The Two-Horned" or which was the kingdom known as "The Two-Horned."
 

(2) Zul-Qarnain must have been a great ruler and a great conqueror whose conquests might have spread from the East to the West and on the third side to the North or to the South. Before the revelation of the Qur'an there had been several persons, who were such great conquerors. So we must confine our research for the other characteristics of Zul-Qarnain to one of these persons.
 

(3) This title should be applicable to such a ruler who might have constructed a strong wall across a mountain pass to protect his kingdom from the incursions of Gog and Magog. In order to investigate this thing, we will have to determine as to who were Gog and Magog. We will also have to find out when such a wall was built and by whom and to which territory it was adjacent.
 

(4) Besides possessing the above-mentioned characteristics, he should also be a God-worshipper and a just ruler, for the Qur'an has brought into prominence these characteristics more than anything else.
 

The first of these characteristics is easily applicable to Cyrus, for according to the Bible Prophet Daniel saw in his vision that the united kingdom of Media and Persia was like a two-horned ram before the rise of the Greeks. (Dan. 8: 3,"20). The Jews had a very high opinion of "The Two-horned" one, because it was his invasion which brought about the downfall of the kingdom of Babylon and the liberation of the Israelites (Please also refer to E.N. 8 of Chapter XVII).
 

The second characteristic is applicable to him to a great extent but not completely. Though his conquests spread to Syria and Asia Minor in the West and to Bakhtar (Balkh) in the East, there is no trace of any of his great expeditions to the North or to the South, whereas the Qur'an makes an explicit mention of his third expedition. Nevertheless, this third expedition is not wholly out of question for history tells us that his kingdom extended to Caucasia in the North.

As regards Gog and Magog, it has been nearly established that they were the wild tribes of Central Asia who were known by different names: Tartars, Mongols, Huns and Scythians, who 'had been making inroads on settled kingdoms and empires from very ancient times. It is also known that strong bulwarks had been built in southern regions of Caucasia, though it has not been as yet historically established that these were built by Cyrus.

 
As regards the last characteristic, Cyrus is the only known conqueror among the ancient rulers, to whom this may be applicable, for even his enemies have been full of praise for him for his justice, and, Ezra, a book of the Bible, asserts that he was a God-worshipper and a God-fearing king who set free the Israelites because of his God-worship, and ordered that the Temple of Solomon should be rebuilt for the worship of Allah, Who has no partner.
 
In the light of the above, we admit that of all the conquerors, who had passed away before the revelation of the Qur'an, Cyrus alone is the one to whom the characteristics of "Zul-Qarnain" are most applicable, but we need more evidence to determine specifically that Cyrus is definitely "Zul-Qarnain." Anyhow, there is no other conqueror to whom the characteristics stated in the Qur'an are as much applicable as to Cyrus.

 
Historically it is enough to say that Cyrus was a Persian ruler, whose rise began about 549 B.C. In a few years, he conquered the kingdom of Media and Lydia and afterwards conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. After this no powerful kingdom was left to oppose him. His conquests extended to Sind and the territory known as Turkistan on one side, and to Egypt and Libya and to Thrace and Macedonia and to Caucasia and Khawarzam in the North. In fact, the whole civilized world was under his sway. (Tafheemul Quran)

Men Fashion: 5 Main Golden Rules of Khakis Selection

1. COLOR: Chinos are also called khakis for a reason: color. I suggest to stick with tones from stone to tan. Faded khakis are best reserved for outdoor Sundays and darker versions are refined enough for the office as long as they're crisply pressed.

2. LENGTH: I always find chinos that hit at the ankle work just as well as those that break slightly at the hem. However, too much of anything is never good. If your pants bunch around your ankles like crushed paper bags, I suggest you see a tailor.



3. POCKETS: Most khakis come equipped with four pockets, two in the front and two in the back. There's nothing wrong with that, but to add some variation, try a pair with slant pockets, which are leaner, cleaner alternatives.

4. CUT: By now you know to avoid pleats. To up your game with khakis you'll need to focus on fit. Straight-leg varieties are the most conventional and comfortable, while slim-cut versions, with a slightly low rise, are the most modern. Both types should skim your hips, and the fly should sit naturally.

5. MATERIAL: If your pants contain nylon or rayon, or are marketed as wrinkle-free, they're not really khakis. Buy 100 percent cotton, and in the summer, stock up on the American original in washed twills and poplins.

Paving The Way-Sayyid Qutb

Before a Muslim steps into the battlefield, he has already fought a great battle within himself against Satan- against his own desires and ambitions, his personal interests and inclinations, the interests of his own family and of his nation; against anything which is not from Islam; against every obstacle which comes into the way of worshipping Allah and the implementation of the Divine authority on earth, returning this authority to Allah and taking it away from the rebellious usurpers.

Those who say that Islamic Jihad was merely for the defense of the 'home land of Islam' diminish the greatness of the Islamic way of life and consider it less important than their 'homeland'. This is not the Islamic point of view, and their view is a creation of modern age and is completely alien to Islamic consciousness. What is acceptable to Islamic consciousness is its belief, the way of life which this belief prescribes, and the society which lives according to this way of life. The soil of the homeland has, in itself, no value or weight. From the Islamic point of view, the only value which the soil can achieve is because on that soil Allah's authority is established and Allah's guidance is followed; and thus it becomes a fortress for the belief, a place for its way of life to be entitled the 'homeland of Islam', a centre for the movement for the total freedom of man.

Of course, in that case the defense of the 'homeland of Islam' is the defense of the Islamic beliefs, the Islamic way of life, and the Islamic community. However, it's defense is not the ultimate objective of the Islamic movement of Jihad but it is a mean of establishing the Divine authority within it so that it becomes the headquarters for the movement of Islam, which is then to be carried throughout the earth to the whole of mankind, as the object of this religion is all humanity and its sphere of action is the whole earth.

As we have described earlier, there are many practical obstacles in the establishing Allah's rule on earth, such as the power of state, the social system and traditions and, in general, the whole human environment. Islam uses force only to remove these obstacles so that there may not remain any wall between Islam and individual human beings, and so that it may address their hearts and minds after releasing them from these material obstacles, and then leave them free to choose to accept or reject it.

We ought not to be deceived or embarrassed by the attacks of the orientalists on the origin of Jihad, nor lose self-confidence under the pressure of present conditions and the weight of the great powers of the world to such an extent that we try to find reasons for Islamic Jihad outside the nature of this religion, and try to show that it was a defensive measure under temporary conditions. The need for Jihad remains, and will continue to remain, whether these conditions exist or not!

KHILAFAT IN ISLAM : DIMENSIONS

Khilafat is a very important concept in Islam. It has important implications in the political system of Islam. Many important groups have made it a part of their programme to establish Khilafat.  

It is therefore necessary to be clear about the concept of Khilafat has three important dimensions. In the moral and spiritual sense, Khilafat means that all human beings are 'Khalifa of Allah' or representatives of Allah on earth. This is the purport of the verse "Surely, we are going to place our representatives (Khalifa) on earth" [verse 30 : Sura Baqara]. All human beings are khalifa of Allah though many of them commit sins and do not act like khalifa. (Ref. : Quran - 6:165; 27:62 and 35:39). This is the spiritual khilafat in Islam.

Khilafat also means the political system of Islam. This is the most mentioned dimension of Khilafat. Khilafat, as a system of politics and management of state was established by the companions of Prophet (SM). The main points of khilafat or political system of Islam are as follows : 
Sovereignty of Allah which means supremacy of Shariah (Quran and Sunnah). The basic law of the state shall be based on the Quran and the Sunnah. The detailed subsidiary law is obtained by Ijtihad carried out by individual or groups of scholars or made by the Parliament in the present day world with the aid of the Ulama or scholars of Islam. 
Government established by the free choice of the people. This is the majority view. In the present world, this means government elected by the people. There is agreement on this among the Ulama of Islam. There is hardly any major difference. This is the system accepted in the Islamic constitutions in force in the Muslim world. 
Fundamental rights : All citizens should have human rights irrespective of gender or creed. The Islamic Constitutions of the world have a chapter on the Fundamental rights or Rights of the people which are available to all the citizens in the state. These rights have been agreed to or confirmed by Ulama after long debates in the light of the Quran and Sunnah. 
Rule of Law and Independence of Judiciary are important points of Islamic political system. 
Shura or consultation with the people and among the persons in the Government through various forum including Parliament is an important element in Islamic political theory. This is the basis of democracy in Islam.Large number of scholars feel that the term democracy can be used in Islamic framework. (Ref. : Preamble of Islamic constitution of Pakistan which says that the state shall strive to observe "democracy as enunciated by Islam". Ulama accepted this phrase. )

These are the various elements of Islamic political system which go to make Khilafat (Ref. : Khilafat and Mulukiat by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi). 

The third dimension of Khilafat is that it means the form of Government in Islam. The Ulama have now agreed by and large that in the framework of overall Islamic political theory, both Presidential and Parliamentary Governments of to-day are consistent with Islam (Ref. : Islamic Constitution of Iran and Pakistan, Islamic Law and Constitution by Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi, ). 

In conclusion, we can say that Khilafat does not only mean that the President should be called Khalifa, it is much more than that. It is in essence the political system of Islam.

by Shah Abdul Hannan

Nationalism vs. Brotherhood!!! Which way are we headed???

 I would like to ask you a simple favor: Take a deep breath, close your eyes for a moment, and think how fortunate you are. You can read!!! A very simple thing that we living here in this country and other industrialized nations of the world are taking for granted. 

In fact, this is not the only aspect of fortune that most of us enjoy, there are many more. We have plenty to eat and we do not go to bed hungry at night, we have a roof over our heads, and we have a fairly high standard of living compared to other nations. Not to trivialize, but some of our daily decisions are to pick what we eat, how we dress, and in sometimes the color of car we drive. In the meantime, there are those "others" in a far less fortunate situations who are dying of thirst and hunger. I hate to tell you that they exist, and there are quite a few of them, some even in this country. They do not have the choice of what food to eat or going to bed at night with even their basic needs provided for. The people in need have the same desires as we do; to be able to provide for themselves and their family. 

There are two questions we need to ask ourselves. The first one is: what responsibility do we bare in these cases not only in this country but in other countries? The second is: If we do have a responsibility, what role can we play to fulfill this responsibility? 

To address the first question, we must ask ourselves, what is our relationship with each other. In principle, it is supposed to be one of brotherhood. Thinking globally, we all belong to the same race of human beings. We all descended from the same origin and we have so much in common. We all share the same earth in the short time between our birth and death. Yet, we are all unique, not one of us is the same. This individualism and diversity are what gives the human race its great strength. In the mean time, this individualism and this diversity can also be to the detriment not only to the people of one community country but to the world at large. Individuals as well as nations have to look past the differences in culture, background, and heritage, to look past their backyards and territories, to get to know their neighbors near and far. 

Unfortunately, as individuals and as nations, our local attitudes and our near-sided heritage decide how far we stretch our hands. Our tribal and nationalistic ideology acts as a barrier between us and those in need. Rather than thinking of our neighbors as brothers in humanity, we think of them as limitation and restriction to our freedom. Instead of sharing with the needy we claim that we can't afford to contribute of ourselves. A rich nation borders a poorer one, and a new born on one side of the border has so many resources while his counter on the other side is entitled to almost nothing. 

Worst of all is that we are serious about this attitude. We believe as individuals that we are entitled to all what we have. Very little we can give away. As nations, it is even worst. Each nation is so protective of its resources and the strong overtakes the weak. Moreover, instead of uniting forces and integrating resources, many countries are being divided into hatred and wars and more suffering and starvation goes on. Worst of all is that we defend such divisive and individualistic attitude by giving it a name; we call it nationalism and we call it patriotism. 

We must all take the time to think about the life we live. Although we can argue the point that we are where we are by chance, it can be stated that most of those who are less fortunate than we have no control of the situation they are in. A child would not choose to live in a country in which there is no food to eat. We must realize that although we have constructed all of these man-made artificial barriers such as race, heritage, national borders, etc. we are one. We all inhabit the same world, humanity is one nation, if you will call it that, on this earth. In order to make this world a better place we must look at our fellow man as a brother, no matter what their background or nationality. We are all responsible for not only those less fortunate, but the welfare of all other and the world we live in. 

The second question, is more important, how will we exercise our responsibility. Many times talk of needy and those less fortunate elicits monetary contribution to provide for those in need. In this regard, one may ask, are we doing enough. Have we gone as far as the meaning of brotherhood implies? Or are we thinking of those in need as true brothers? I am sure that we all can do more. I am certain that if we take the meaning of brotherhood seriously, there will never be a human in need on this earth. 

Although monetary contributions are worthwhile and do help in providing services, food and shelter, this is not the only way we can help. A man may be rich financially, but very poor, whereas a man may be very rich but have no money. There are many needs in this and other countries, not only financial, but social and spiritual needs as well. The best place to start is in your own backyard. Look around and see what the needs are of those around you. You can provide help in a variety of ways, from helping an adult read, spending time with children and sharing your experiences with those who have no one to talk to, spending time with the elderly in nursing homes, helping to build needed housing, etc.

Monetary contributions to various causes can be very worthwhile, but you cannot put a price on many simple experiences such as: the smile of a child who has gone camping or seen a baseball game or a zoo for the first time, the self esteem an adult has gained by learning to read for the first time, the pride a family has in living in their first house or apartment, or even the joy elders have in someone sharing time with them. All of these are intangibles for which all of the money in the world cannot buy. 

We must remember that there are needy all over the world, in our country and other countries. The future of our world, will be in how we provide for the needs of all peoples. We are people made up of many nations, races and background, but above all we are a brotherhood of human beings on this earth.

Understanding Politics in Islam - Fiqh al Siyasah

Adapted and rearranged from the book Fiqh al-Dawlah written by Professor Yusuf al Qaradawi.

1. What is the aim of politics in Islam?

According to Al-Mawardi from his book Al-Ahkam Al-Sultaniyyah, it is hirasatud din wa siasatud dunya - to uphold the religion and administer the world. Politics is not munkar - is not a depravity - real politics is noble virtuous because it administers the affairs of all creatures, bringing man closer to good and away from fasad - evil. According to Ibn al-Qayyim, politics is really the justice of Allah the Almighty and His Prophet (peace and the blessings of Allah be upon him).

The Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. was a politician as well as the messenger conveying the risalah, murabbi - teacher, Qadi - Chief Justice, Head of the nation and Imam of the ummah. The Khulafa' al Rasyidun - the rightly guided leaders who succeeded him were also politicians following the Sunnah - way of the Prophet, establishing just administration, practising ihsan - the betterment of good and providing the leadership of 'ilm - knowledge and Iman - belief.

However in the present time, due to 'politics' man faced suffering as a result of deceit and political ploys and scheming and devious politicians, whether in the form of past colonialists, treacherous rulers, tyrannical leaders and regimes preaching Machiavellian philosophy (the ends justifies the means!).

It became common to label and describe committed Muslims as 'political' so that they are regarded warily and wickedly for the purpose of disassociating and furthering apart the people from them, intending that society will shun and hate what is called 'political Islam'. It has been such that symbols of Islam like the headscarf, the proper attire and congregational prayers - Salat jama'ah are attempted to be labelled 'political'.

It is a blatant lie for those who say that there is no religion in politics and that there is no politics in religion. This deceit was once tried in the form of an attempted fatwa - a decree while the members of the Ikhwan al-Muslimun were imprisoned in the detention camps in Egypt in the 50's. The regime wanted to influence the masses to regard the activists and the Dai' (the very people who wanted to uphold the Syari'ah, Al-Qur'an and Al-Sunnah) as the purveyors of fasad - evil by using corrupted 'ulama - paid scholars.

 
2. The Fight against Fasad and Zulm (Evil, Transgression and Tyranny) is the utmost in Jihad

From the understanding of the Prophet's tradition (mafhum hadith):

Munkar (transgression) is not limited to khamr - liqour, gambling and zina - - unlawful sex but degrading and defiling the honour and dignity of the people and citizens is a major transgression, so is cheating in the elections, refusing to give testimony - neglecting to vote, letting government be in the hands of those who are not deserving and undesired, stealing and squandering the nation's wealth and property, monopolising the people's needs for personal gains or cronies' interests, detaining people without crime or just cause, without judgement from a fair court, torturing human beings in prison and the detention camps, giving, accepting and mediating in bribes, cowering up to, praising evil rulers, allowing the enemies of Allah and the enemies of the Muslim community to be leaders and shunning the believers - the mu'min.

These are all grave transgressions!

When a Muslim remains quiet upon seeing all of these it means that he or she does not deserve to live (is not alive) from the mafhum of al-ayat and al-hadith.

Islam requires that every Muslim has political responsibility. A Muslim is required by his Iman - faith to be truly concerned with the affairs and problems of the ummah - community, helping and defending the meek and the weak, fighting tyranny and oppression. By retreating and abstaining oneself, it will only invite divine retribution and being seized by the flames of hell (mafhum ayat).

 
3. Political Freedom is Our Utmost Need Today

Islam is always rejuvenated, its message spread across, its resurgence, its reverberating call heard by all even if it is given some limited freedom. Therefore the first battle is to obtain freedom to deliver the message of da'wah, the risalah of tawhid (Unity of God), spread consciousness and enabling the existence of Islamic movements.

True democracy is not the whims and desires of the tyrannical rulers or their cronies, it is not the place to jail and incarcerate its fighters and not the place to torture its proponents.

Democracy is the simplest and proper way to achieve the aims of a noble life, to be able to invite all to Allah and Islam, to be able to call others to Iman without having our souls being imprisoned and our bodies sentenced to be executed by hanging. It is the space for a free and honourable nation to have the right to choose, evaluate the ruler, change governments without coups and without bloodshed.

The theory, way and system which looks alien maybe adopted if it benefits us and as long as it does not contradict clear Islamic edicts and the rules of Syariah. We appraise, amend according to our spirit, we do not adopt its philosophy, and we do not allow what is forbidden and vice versa. We do not relinquish or compromise what is ordained or compulsory - the wajib in Islam.

The gist of democracy is that the public, the people can choose the rulers who are going to administer them; the people having the right to select, criticise and terminate; and the people are not forced to accept systems, trends, and policies which they do not agree to and they are not abused. They are free to hold elections, referendums, ensuring majority rights, protecting minority rights, having opposition, have multi parties, have press freedom and safeguarding the independence of the judiciary. But once again to constantly uphold and safeguard the principles of Islam, the firm rulings, the al-thawabit: the determined laws - hukm qat'i, the daruri - the essentials of religion and the non-ijtihadiy must not be compromised or neglected.

Syura:

Syura or consultative decision making must be followed and not just as a debating factor. By practising syura, it is closer, hence even better than the spirit of democracy. It is but the lost jewel found, the lost wisdom - al-hikmah which has been rediscovered.

Syura enables musyawarah to be conducted, obtains views and opinions, becomes the responsibility of the people to advise and counsel the government (ad-dinu nasiha) and establish amar ma'ruf nahy munkar - enjoining good and forbidding evil. Among the obligations of amar ma'ruf nahy munkar is the highest jihad (struggle) that is to voice out the truth in front of the unjust tyrant.

The State of Politics in the Ummah:

The musibah or calamity of the ummah then and now is the absence and the abeyying of the system of syura and the adoption of an oppressive dynastical ruling system. In the modern era, dictators stay in power by the force of arms and gold - power and wealth resulting in the syariah being hindered, secularism being forced upon and cultural Westernisation being imposed. Islamic da'wah and the Islamic movement being victimised, brutalised, imprisoned and hounded viciously.

 
4. Qur'anic Examples of Tyrannical Rulers

The Al-Qur'an denounces all powerful rulers such as Namrud, Fir'aun (Pharaoh), Hamaan and Qarun. Namrud is taghut - the transgressor who enslaves the servants of Allah as his serfs.

There is the pact or collaboration of three parties:

Fir'aun - he claims to be God, carries out tyranny and oppression throughout the land, enslaves the people

Hamaan - the cunning politician, experienced, having self interest, in the service of taghut, propping up and supporting Fir'aun and cheating the people, subjugating them.

Qarun - the capitalist or feudalist who takes opportunity from the unjust and oppressive laws, spending fortunes for the tyrannical leader in order to profit and amass more vast returns, bleeding and exploiting the toils of the people. The origin of Qarun was that he came from Prophet Musa's own clan who colluded with Fir'aun due to the love of worldly life and materialism.

The combination of taghut and Zulm results in the spread of mayhem and the destruction of the community, subjugating man by force and degradation.

The People:

Al Qur'an denounces the people or citizens who are obedient and loyal to their oppressive rulers. The people who remain under the tutelage of taghut are fully responsible and accountable because it is due to their attitude that brought forth these fir'auns and taghuts.

Al-Junud (the collaborators):

These are the armies and enforcers of the rule and order of the taghut. They use force, fear and repression to eliminate and subdue all opposition and dissidents of the tyrant.

 
5. An Example of Leadership

Balqis, the Queen of Saba' as told in the Qur'an was a woman who lead her people well, just and administered them with intelligence and wisdom saving her people from a war that was destructive and made decisions by syura-consulting them. Alas, the story ended with the acceptance of Islam. She led her people towards the goodness of the world and the hereafter.

Leaders like her are much more capable and qualified with political acumen and wise administration than most of the present Arab and Muslim 'male' leaders. (Prof. Yusuf Qaradawi purposely avoided the term 'al-rijal')

 
6. Pluralism and Multi Parties in Islam

The existence of various parties or movements is not forbidden as long as unification is not achievable due to differences over objectives, approaches, understanding and the level of confidence and trust. Variety and specialisation are allowed as long as they do not become contradictory and confrontational. However everyone has to be in one united front when facing the challenges to aqidah - belief, syariah, ummah and the survival of Islam. Relations between parties and groupings should be in the atmosphere of non-prejudice, forgiveness, nobleness, counselling truth and steadfastness, wisdom and engaging in healthy cordial debate.

Even when the Islamic State is established there is no reason to feel distraught at the existence of pluralism and differences.

 
7. Counselling and Corrective Participation in Politics

Without the shedding of blood, the most effective way as the outcome of long and painful struggles is the existence of political forces which the government in power is unable to contain or eliminate: that is presence of political parties. The ruling regime can get rid of individuals and small groups of opponents but it is difficult for them to defeat or wipe out larger organisations which are well structured, organised and rooted in the masses of society. Political parties have the platform, machinery, newspapers and publications as well as mass influence.

Political parties or political movements are necessary to fight oppression, to enable criticism, bringing back the government to to uphold truth and justice, bringing down or changing the government. These parties are capable of monitoring and appraising the government, offer advice and criticism.

 
8. Voting

Voting in the elections is a form of testimony. A just testimony is considered as long as one is not convicted of crime. Whoever so votes or abstains from voting in the general elections causing the defeat of a trustworthy and deserving candidate but on the other hand allows the candidate who is less trustworthy and undeserving to win, one has gone against the command of Allah concerning giving testimony.

Oil Rises for Second Day on API Stockpile Drop, Weaker Dollar

June 10 (Bloomberg) -- Crude oil rose for a second day after an industry group reported U.S. crude stockpiles dropped and the dollar declined, bolstering the appeal of energy as an alternative investment. 

Oil supplies fell 5.96 million barrels to 357.9 million last week, the American Petroleum Institute said late yesterday. Additional support for crude prices came as the dollar fell against the euro. 

“The oil market is rallying due to weakness in the dollar and more liquidity in the marketplace,” said Mike Sander, an investment adviser at Sander Capital Advisors Inc. in Seattle. “There is clearly more money moving into the commodities markets with the sharp rises in agriculture, softs, metals, and energy.” 

Crude oil for July delivery gained 62 cents, or 0.9 percent, to $70.63 a barrel at 9:32 a.m. Sydney time in after-hours trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Yesterday, the contract increased $1.92 to $70.01 a barrel, the highest settlement since Nov. 4. 

Oil peaked at $147.27 a barrel on July 11 before slumping to $32.40 on Dec. 19 as the global recession curbed energy use. 

The dollar may extend its decline against the euro as speculation the slowdown may be ending reduces demand for the U.S. currency as a refuge. The dollar traded at $1.4068 against the euro at 6:10 a.m. in Tokyo, after falling 1.2 percent yesterday. 

Price Forecast 

West Texas Intermediate crude oil, the U.S. benchmark, will average $58.70 a barrel in 2009, the Energy Department said yesterday in its Short-Term Energy Outlook. The forecast is up 14 percent from $51.70 estimated in May. Crude oil averaged a record $99.57 in 2008. 

Venezuela expects the price of crude oil to rise to between $70 and $80 a barrel by the end of the year, Energy and Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez said yesterday. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries isn’t discussing an output increase, he said. The South American country was OPEC’s sixth- biggest oil producer in May, according to Bloomberg News. 

Brent crude for July delivery rose $1.74, or 2.6 percent, to end the session at $69.62 a barrel on London’s ICE Futures Europe exchange. It was the highest settlement since Oct. 21.

KUALA LUMPUR, 9 Jun (Hrkh) - Timbalan Presiden PAS, Ustaz Nasharuddin Mat Isa bersetuju dengan saranan Pengarah Jabatan Pilihan Raya PAS Pusat, Dato' Mustafa Ali agar seluruh pimpinan PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat menghentikan segala kenyataan yang boleh mengelirukan penyokong PAS dan Pakatan Rakyat khususnya mengenai Kerajaan Perpaduan.

Jelasnya sewaktu dihubungi Harakah hari ini, isu kerajaan perpaduan ini telah menimbulkan banyak salah faham pelbagai pihak.

"Apa yang dimaksudkan oleh Presiden PAS, Dato' Seri Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang ialah PAS tidak menutup ruang perbincangan dengan sesiapa dan tidak pula menyebut hendak membawa PAS kepada Umno dan Barisan Nasional.

"Jadi, akibat daripada kekeliruan kenyataan ini, saya ingin menyebut sebagaimana saya nyatakan dalam ucapan penggulungan Muktamar PAS, PAS tidak pernah mempunyai hasrat untuk membawa PAS kepada Umno dan Barisan Nasional," tegasnya. Selanjutnya http://dppklumut.blogspot.com/2009/06/hentikan-kenyataan-keliru-tiada-hasrat.html