He is probably not criminally responsible for his actions because he had smoked marijuana beforehand, a French judge ruled. Continue reading

The magazine's October issue includes an interview with 22-year-old journalist Noor Tagouri, who's a reporter for online news outlet, Newsy.

The accompanying photo shows a fully-clothed Tagouri wearing the traditional Muslim head scarf in front of a red, white and blue backdrop. Continue reading

The Good Price mini-market in Colombes has not followed the conditions of its lease, which states the shop must act as a "general food store", the local authority has said.

It argues that members of the local community are not being served properly if the shop does not sell pork or alcohol products. Continue reading

The Al-Noor Charitable Trust is trying to be selected as a Ministry of education partnership school.

The proposed school would be exclusively for boy boarders, with a capacity for 100 students in Year 11 to Year 13 groups.

The school is to be established on the site of the former St Patrick's Primary School site.

Classrooms on the premises are already being used as an early childhood education service for the Dunedin Muslim community.

Partnership schools have been generally referred to as charter schools.

Partnership Schools are a type of school that bring together education, the business sector and community groups to set up a school.

The Government has established a small number of Partnership Schools to target students who are underachieving in the State and State-integrated system.

The first Partnership Schools opened in 2014.

"When we applied last time, our education plan was scored low by the Ministry of Education," said Trust chairman Dr Mohammad Alayan.

We did not have the best education plan, because we are not specialists in this field [creating applications].

The trust planned to submit another application in the latest round with the help of an education consultant, but was unable to find a consultant to work on its application before the October 31 deadline.

An-Nur Kiwi Academy would be the third Muslim school in New Zealand, and the first outside of Auckland.

Al Madinah School, founded (1992) and Zayed College for Girls (2001), both based in Auckland are the other two Muslim schools in New Zealand.

Plans were originally made for an academy in Christchurch, but shelved after the 22 February 2011 Earthquake.

Al-Noor's original plan for the school in Christchurch outlined motivations for an exclusively Islamic school.

Alayan said that the Academy woud teach New Zealand Curriculum, with about 20 staff, qualified in Arabic and Islam.

It intended to "give Muslim children an atmosphere in which they can grow and excel," citing educational research that has established connections between academic success and familiar environments.

It further suggested that secular state schools pressure Muslim children to adopt haram values in such areas as the theory of evolution, extra-marital sex, and alcohol.

Despite truncating these aspects of the regular New Zealand curriculum, Al-Noor said it was dedicated to establishing a connection with the wider New Zealand community.

The plan pledged to "keep the windows to the larger NZ society wide open," welcoming its neighbouring schools, non-Muslim staff, and community as a whole.

When the intention to establish school was first raised two years ago offensive graffiti appeared on the site.

Offensive comments were made on the Otago Daily Times website

Taneli Kukkonen, a senior lecturer in Islamic studies at the University of Otago, was enthusiastic for an Islamic school but urged correct implementation. "A small Muslim school would face all the problems of any small new school," he warned.

He supports Al-Nur Kiwi Academy's motto of "all pupils welcome," and hopes the school will help foster a greater understanding of Islam within Dunedin. "It testifies to growing self-awareness in the Muslim community."

Source

• education.govt.nz
• odt.co.nz
• critic.co.nz
• indiannewslink.co.nz
• Image: 4.bp.blogspot.com

It comes after Mr Key yesterday said the number of people on a Government watchlist of potential threats had grown. He said 30-40 people were on the list because of their involvement with or support for IS and a similar amount required further investigation.

Mr Key said he was happy to meet Muslim leaders but the Government would not change the decisions it had already made about its response to IS. Continue reading

It will be based at the former St Patrick's Primary School in Melbourne St, in Dunedin, New Zealand, which the trust plans to develop.

Trust chairman Dr Mohammad Alayan said the $8 million An-Nur Kiwi Academy (AKA) would be open by January 1, 2017 and was expected to educate about 100 year 11 to 13 boys from across the country Continue reading

The mosque has been closed because of violence and tension between two groups that can't agree over who should be in charge.

It was closed after an administrator was beaten so badly he spent 10 days in hospital.

A security guard was also attacked and threatened.

The federation said about seven people at the mosque are supporting someone who wants to preach about fighting in Syria against the regime of President Bashar al-Asad. Continue reading

Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said authorities had been considering the new Sharia Penal Code for years and it will be enforced in 'phases'.

Punishments under the Hudud code may include stoning for adultery, amputation for theft and flogging for drinking alcohol or even having an abortion.

The code will make Brunei the first ASEAN country to enforce a national Sharia law. Continue Reading - Listen to interview

When is Hajj 2013?
This year's hajj will be celebrated on Oct. 13th to 18th, though that date depends on the sighting of the moon, as Islam follows a lunar calendar. Hajj takes place annually on the eighth day of the month of Dhul Al-Hijjah in the Muslim calendar. It's considered an obligation for devout Muslims to undertake the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime, if they are physically and financially able.

What's the history of Hajj?
The pilgrimage to Mecca has been going on since pre-Islamic times, as Mecca's economic prosperity during the time of the Prophet Muhammad was largely due to the income from visitors.

Muslims believe that the steps of the Hajj correlate to the story of Hagar, the second wife of Abraham whom he married after Sarah was childless. After Abraham left her and her infant son, Ishmael, in the desert, she frantically ran between the hills of Safa and Marwa to look for food and water for her baby after their provisions ran out. As she prayed to God for mercy, Ishmael's heel hit the ground and the well of Zam Zam sprang forth to nourish them. When Abraham returned, he built the Kaaba with Ishmael's help.

What are the steps of Hajj?

First, pilgrims go to Miqat, the entry station to the Hajj, where they bathe, put on special clothing, and make a formal statement of intent. Next they enter the Masjid al Haram complex to do Tawaf, a rite which involves circling the Kaaba seven times while reciting prayers. After this takes place, it's encouraged to sip water from the Zam Zam well, then walk between the hills of Safa and Marwa seven times.

Next, the formal Hajj ritual begins with another declaration of intent. Pilgrims then travel to Mina on the 8th of Dhul al Hijjah and stay there until dawn prayer the next morning. Following the prayer, the faithful travel to the valley of Arafat to stand in the heat and praise God. The day concludes with travel to Muzdalifa and the gathering of small pebbles. A symbolic stoning of the devil occurs at Mina the next day, along with the animal sacrifice which is part of Eid al Adha. Male pilgrims will shave their heads after this occurs. Next, pilgrims return to Mecca to do the Tawaf again, along with the crossing between Safa and Marwa 7 times. Another trip to Mina then takes place, along with more symbolic stoning, before the faithful can return to Mecca to do a farewell Tawaf. Continue reading

Sources

• Huff Post Religion
• Image: All Empires History Forum

On Thursday, the congregation of the Batak Protestant Church (HKBP) in Taman Sari, Setu district in Bekasi regency, watched the local administration demolish their unfinished church building.

The congregation formed a barrier between their church and the idling bulldozer.

They sang Batak hymns in the afternoon heat, wailing between the verses, as church member Megarenta Sihite shouted at the officers from the Bekasi District Public Order Agency.

"What is our sin, sir?" she screamed. "Is it a sin to pray? Show us where our mistake is. I thought this is a democratic country. Please, Mr. President, we were born here in this country with five religions. We never did anything bad to their houses of worship. Why are they doing this to us?"

Around 2:45 p.m the church building was demolished amid cheers of "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great") from members of the hard-line Taman Sari Islamic People's Forum (FUIT) who had gathered outside the building.

On Friday an Advent church in West Java's city of Tasikmalaya was vandalised by an unknown group early on Friday morning.

Police said that vandals damaged the church walls, gate and construction materials, which were intended to be used during the church's renovation.

On Saturday evening, members of Muslim community groups closed off the Damai Kristus Catholic Church in Tambora, West Jakarta.

The attack took place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with dozens of members of the congregation unable to leave, while other congregation members were locked out.

Rev. Matius Widyo said around 20 police officers were guarding the place but did nothing to the people who sealed the church. "They seemed to start to take action only when a fight broke out," he told The Jakarta Post.

On Sunday the congregation of Damai Kristus held their Sunday service protected by the police to prevent another lock out by members of Muslim community groups.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said that around 50 officers had been deployed to stave off possible conflict with the Joint Forum of Mosque, Mushollah and Koran Reciting Groups (FKM3T) members.

Sources

• Jakarta Post
• Jakarta Globe
• Image The Straits Times

He was speaking to the Fiji Times from Islamabad in Pakistan.

Mehsud says that foreigners are coming from a more diverse number of countries than in years past.

"A few months ago, we even welcomed some (two or three) people from Fiji for the first time!" says a Taliban member who spoke with AFP.

He told the Fiji Times that reports of Fijians being recruited by the Taliban was news all over Pakistan.

The Fiji Moslem league is not aware of any such association or links and they seriously doubted the credibility of such a claim, says Hafizud Dean Khan, the League's President.

"Muslims in Fiji have no reason to be oppressed as our country has allowed peaceful existence for all faiths," he said.

He also outlined that the League had not sent students to study in madrasas in Pakistan but some people went on their own. "We have our own educational institutions in Fiji," Mr Khan added.

Police spokesman Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri said police had information long before the revelation in overseas and local media last Friday.

"It has been there for some time. We already had information long before that," he said, referring to the media reports.

Sokomuri said that local police had sought the assistance of International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) on the matter.

"We have received the report through our sources. We are investigating through our channels overseas," he had said.

Fiji is home to 53,000 Muslims, mainly of Indian origin. Most Fiji Muslims are of the orthodox Sunni branch with a small number of Ahmadiyya Muslims.

The majority of New Zealand's 36,000 Muslims are from Fiji.

Source

• The Fiji Times
• The Fiji Times
• Newsweekpakistan.com
• Stuff.co.nz
• Australia Network News
• Image: RealFiji News

Islam arrived in Papua New Guinea about 35 years ago, when a mosque was opened near Kimbe, West New Britain.

Islam was officially registered in the state in 1983, with the recognition of the "Islamic Society of Papua New Guinea", and Muslims who originally came from outside of PNG started recruiting at a local level, with an exponential growth.

In 1986, the Muslims of Papua were four, in 1990 they had grown to 440 and in 2000, their number had risen to 756, scattered in different provinces of the country.

Today, according to the "Islamic Center" in Port Moresby, the local Muslim population has about 4,000 people.

The Commission for Ecumenism and Interreligious Dialogue of the Catholic Bishops' Conference has organized meetings with representatives of the Muslim community and dialogue is still continuing.

Currently, the Muslim community in Papua is served by 15 Islamic centers led by imams, while the Muslim youth in Papua New Guinea receive scholarships to study abroad in Islamic schools in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Fiji. Upon returning home, they will become teachers, scholars and Koran jurists.

Source

• Catholic Church of PNG and SI
  
• Fides
• Image Garamut

It will be known as An-Nur Kiwi Academy (AKA), it will be the South Island's first Islamic (Moslem) school and will accept pupils from overseas as well as those living in New Zealand.

The Trust has now announced it also wants to open an out-of-school programme for younger Muslim children in Dunedin.

He said the reaction to the Trust's plans had largely been positive.

There are more than 36,000 Muslims in New Zealand, including more than 500 in Dunedin. Most of those are University of Otago students or staff and their family members.

Source:

• Otago Daily Times
• Image: IndiaCurretAffairs

In cities, that means the ability to sell presbyteries that are currently housing one priest and having him — and possibly another nearby parish priest — move into a four- or five-bedroom presbytery that used to house a parish priest and a couple of curates. It means selling churches that can be sold if there's another parish two kilometres down the road, which is the case in some New Zealand cities.

Catholic schools have largely been growing in recent years, especially primary schools, while some secondary colleges have been merged in recent decades. For whatever reason, a Dunedin school had become surplus to requirements and the decision was made to sell it. Regardless of how much money was generated from the sale, it will be put to better use than paying insurance and rates on an unused building. Read more

Sources

• Gavin Abraham in The Catholic Soapbox
• Image: Zoodle Property

Gavin Abraham, a journalist for more than a dozen years, has spent most of the last six years working in Catholic media.

Located in the downtown section of the capital, directly across the street from the courthouse, the new mosque was blessed and then people enjoyed food as part of the celebration.

The opening included reading from the Holy Quran and translations into Marshallese language.

Falah Shams, the national president of the Ahmadiyya, spoke and also led the group in prayer, and recently arrived Imam Matiullah Joyia read from the Quran. The recitation of the Quran and Shams' speech were translated to Marshallese by Billa Typhoon and Sannia Nena.

Ahmadiyya Muslims are persecuted in several Islamic countries and this has led many Ahmadis to emigrate and settle elsewhere.

Falah Shams and Imam Matiullah Joyia emphasised the message that from its founding in 1889, Ahmadiyya has explicitly rejected "jihad by the sword."

Mr Shams says instead the community has promoted an "intellectual jihad of the pen to defend Islam" and rejects terrorism in any form.

Rongelap's mayor James Matayoshi welcomed the religious group as one that "rejects violence" and thanked both the Ahmadiyya and its sister organisation Humanity First for their work with local government to establish computer centres and training for local people.

Source

• PINA
• Radio Australia
• Radio New Zealand
• Image: Radio Australia

The problem for the Bahrainis is that their government is indeed "oppressive" and therefore lends itself to such easy substitution. Over the past 18 months, Bahraini security forces, aided by troops from Saudi Arabia, have engaged in a brutal crackdown against the island nation's own Syria-style uprising. Bahrain is home to the Arab Spring's forgotten revolution. Since February 2011, there have been near-daily protests against the regime, a repressive Sunni monarchy ruling over a Shia-majority country. These have been met with tear gas, live ammunition, mass arrests and torture. While the fighting in Syria is debated in the corridors of the United Nations building and reported on the front pages of the world's newspapers, the unrest in Bahrain is quietly ignored by our leaders and relegated by journalists to the box marked "news in brief".

"[The violence] has got worse," Maryam al- Khawaja, acting president of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights, tells me during a rare visit to London. "The Bahraini regime has made some superficial changes but the situation on the ground hasn't changed . . . Torture has moved from official torture centres to unofficial torture centres."

The death toll

Apologists for the Bahraini regime claim it is offensive to compare the moderate, pro-western king, Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa, to the Assads or Gaddafis of this world. They point out that the death toll in Syria is far, far higher than in Bahrain. True, says Khawaja, "[but] one of the things you have to do is look at things per capita. Bahrain's population is 600,000 and you are looking at 100 people dead. If Bahrain had the same population as, say, Egypt, that's [equivalent to] more than 11,000 people dead in just a year and a half." Read more

Sources

• New Statesman
• Image: Muftah