Saudi Arabia’s top religious authority has denounced terrorism as un-Islamic and condemned the killing of civilians, saying such attacks have nothing to do with Islam.

“Terrorism is criminal and spills the blood of innocents”, said Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Al-Asheikh, chairman of the Council of Senior Islamic Scholars, who is considered the top Islamic religious authority.

“It attacks security, spreads terror among people and creates problems for society … Such acts are forbidden by Islamic law”, he said   »»» SahilOnline (India)

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From the deck of Iran’s new guided-missile destroyer, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has denied that Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons and has criticised the US military presence in the Gulf.

Khamenei said his country was not developing nuclear weapons because Islam forbade weapons of mass destruction.

”Because of this reason, we don’t have any belief in the atomic bomb and don’t pursue it,” he said.   »»» The Age (Australia)

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The Islamic finance industry has a problem. Its main selling point is that it is sharia-compliant, meaning it adheres to Islam’s prohibition of interest and avoids dealing with forbidden sectors such as alcohol and gambling.

But in the eyes of many, much of the industry is actually not sharia-compliant at all.   »»» Reuters

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Saudi Arabia is perhaps one of the most misunderstood and stereotyped countries in the world, particularly when it comes to its women. Some of these negative perceptions could be justified. After all, it is the only country that does not allow women to drive, though the government has declared numerous times that it has no objections to giving women driver’s licenses.

Saudi women are denied many of the rights granted to women in Islam. Under the Saudi system, male guardians control decisions concerning a woman’s education, employment, travel, marriage, divorce, child care, legal proceedings and health care – basically, every aspect of her life. It is a system that renders half the country’s population helpless dependents.

Nevertheless, there are Western perceptions of Saudi women that need to be addressed objectively.

Whenever Western journalists visit Saudi Arabia, they meet Saudi women who are educated, employed and successful, women who are prominent leaders in their communities. They ask them all kinds of questions and receive honest answers. However, these journalists often only report on the usual stereotypes: the hijab (head scarf) or niqab (a garment that covers a woman’s face and body), the segregation of men and women in most public and private institutions and, of course, the ban on driving.

Segregation hinders women’s daily activities and career advancement, but it is primarily rooted in local customs and traditions, as well as some – but certainly not all – religious interpretations within the country. It is not strictly or consistently enforced.
   »»» Jerusalem Post (Israel)

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U.S .President Obama has appointed a deputy White House counsel Rashad Hussain to be his representative to the Muslim world.

Hussain will become the special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference, an intergovernmental group with 57 member countries from the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Caucasus, Balkans, Southeast Asia and South Asia.
   »»» newkerala.com (India)

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Religion had nothing to do with Armin Sorabji’s decision to finance the purchase of his Dubai home with a Shariah-compliant mortgage. Instead, it was all about getting the best deal.

In 2006, Mr Sorabji, a 51-year-old accountant from India, who is a Hindu, was interested in buying an off-plan property from Nakheel in Jumeirah Park. He knew that if he went to a conventional bank for financing he would have to start paying monthly interest, known as pre-EMI – equated monthly installments – before the property was complete. After his home was constructed, he would have to pay EMI and a portion of the principal he had borrowed.    »»» The National Newspaper (Abu Dhabi)

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The French Catholic Church warned Paris today against banning Muslim full-face veils. It said France must respect the rights of its Muslims if it wanted Islamic countries to do the same for their Christian minorities.

Bishop Michel Santier, the top French Catholic official for inter-religious dialogue, said very few women in France wore full veils and Muslim leaders agreed it was not obligatory in Islam.

“The French, including the Catholics among them, should not let themselves be gripped by fear or a ‘clash of civilisations’ theory,” he said in a statement calling for distinctions between the majority of peaceful Muslims and a minority of radicals   »»» Islamophobia Watch

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Most forms of Islamic financing, including Shariah-compliant mortgages, would pose no legal hurdles if widely offered in Canada, concludes a CMHC report expected Wednesday.

The 88-page Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. study notes that Islamic funding instruments are widely available throughout the world, but even in Muslim countries, often comprise a minority share.

Canada’s Muslim community has taken the first tentative steps to privately offering Shariah-compliant mortgage-like products, but the practice is still in its infancy.

Islamic financing is based on the principle that charging interest on loans is forbidden.   »»» The Guardian (Canada)

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The Muslim Canadian Congress is calling on the Conservative government to follow France’s proposal to consider a ban on the burka.

“It’s a control thing, identifying with Muslim brotherhood,” senior vice-president Salma Siddiqui said.

“Basically it is a subservient tool.”

She said political correctness is preventing politicians from tackling the sensitive subject. Her group plans to lobby politicians from all parties in May.

But Liberal MP Marlene Jennings said Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects religious freedom, and the Supreme Court has consistently ruled not to impose any limits.    »»» The Sault Star (Canada)

What un upside down world! The secular Constitution of Canada protects Muslim women’s rights and a so-called Muslim organization calls for restrictions. The Muslim Canadian Congress (MCC) is a small, secularized group of “Muslims” who are devoted to undermining the practice of orthodox Islam in Canada. By asking for a law to ban the burka, the MCC is in violation of a divine commandment. In the Qur’an, God says: “Let there be no compulsion in religion.” (2:256) Even if the burka is not a requirement of Islam, a woman who freely chooses to wear it out of a sense of devotion to God is not violating any tenet of Islam and is free to do so.

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A Malaysian court on Monday overturned a government ban on a book about Islam, in a decision hailed as a landmark for freedom of speech.

The book, “Muslim Women and the Challenges of Islamic Extremism,” published by pressure group Sisters in Islam, was banned in 2008 after complaints it could confuse the Muslim community and cause public disorder.

High Court judge Mohamad Ariff Md Yusof said that the reaction to the seven disputed pages of the 215-page book was “wholly disproportionate to the concerns expressed.”

“The book itself was in circulation in Malaysia for two years before the (home) minister decided to ban the book,” he said.

“To conclude it creates a public order issue is something that cannot stand objective scrutiny. To that extent, an error of law is established on facts.”    »»» Breitbart (U.S.)

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