We are now in the holy month of Ramadan, and the outbreak of Coronavirus has deprived us, Muslims, of religious gatherings till the layali al-Qadr (Nights of Decree). The Coronavirus Fight National Headquarters, upon the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei’s recommendation, released restrictions for gatherings in mosques,provided that all sanitary protocols are observed, for marking layali al-Qadr to pray God and to seek help from Imam Mahdi (AS) for the better in the year ahead.

IRAN NEWS POLITICAL DESK

Essentially in the holy month of Ramadan and according to what has been cited in the Holy Quran, there is a night which is called “Qadr” and according to the Holy Quran, it is of the best nights of the year. According to reliable quotations from the grandees and scholars of the religion, five nights of Ramadan  Ramadan could be nights of decree which are 17^th, 19^th, 21^st, 23^rd, and 27^th of the month.

But they have put emphasis more on nights of 19, 21 and 23 of the month and there are some quotations from the sixth Imam of Shiites, Imam Jaafar Sadq (AS), who has paid more emphasis on 23^rd of Ramadan as the Night of Decree. There are some narratives from Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) where he has said the Night of Decree will remain with ummah till the Resurrection. The meaning of those narratives is that the Night of Decree is something more than sending down of the Holy Quran. The Holy Quran has been sent down on the Night of Decree but there is something else lying in this night. What is it? Those, who marking this night and believe it, ask what has descended from the Heaven?

Some Muslim scholars and grandees of Shia link fully the meaning of the Night of Decree to the fasting in Ramadan. So we realize that first, fasting prepares the one who fasts in order that he could remove the curtain from his wisdom for better and comprehensive seeing, thinking and learning more than the days that he eats more. Secondly, fasting makes the man feel the pains of other people and it makes his feeling more sensitive and expanded. Thirdly, fasting creates some kind of preparedness and sustainability in man because he stands against temptations and hardships and consequently his patience grows and patience has deep relation with fasting.

The Holy Quran in verse 153 of the Cow Chapter says, “O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer,” and meaning of patience in ahadith (collected sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)) is the very fasting.

So we realize that fasting brings three properties for the human: more understanding, more feeling and more patience. These triple factors are actually tools for human to make decision for forming his future and fate. So the one who fasts has better insight due to his fasting and feels the pains in the society much more, and his patience increases for continuing his path. So this man is the one who can make decision and portray a path for his future and determine his fate in his decisions. And praying and demand from Almighty would help him in this process of improvement.

Imam Musa al-Sadr, the Lebanese leader who has gone missing, may God bless him in interpretation of Ad-Dukhan (the Smoke) Chapter of the Holy Quran which is recited mostly in these days says, “Ha, Meem. By the clear Book, Indeed, We sent it down during a blessed night. Indeed, We were to warn [mankind].On that night is made distinct every precise matter -[Every] matter [proceeding] from Us. Indeed, We were to send [a messenger] As mercy from your Lord. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing.”

Since the word “Dukhan” (smoke) has been mentioned in the chapter, the chapter has been named ad-Dukhan. It is one of the chapters in the Holy Quran which is mostly recited during the Night of Decree. The first six verses of the chapter, which were mentioned above, openly show that the chapter definitely deals with layali al-Qadr (Nights of Decree). So I think it is better to mention some points on this issue which is a complicated one and it is a secret among the Muslims.

This chapter defines the theme and meaning of layali al-Qadr, a meaning which is totally different with the common prevalent meaning because it says, “We have sent the Holy Quran down during a blessed might.” And in the Qadr (Power) Chapter and in its first verse, it has been emphasized that the Holy Quran has been sent down during the Night of Decree, “Indeed, We sent the Qur’an down during the Night of Decree.”

So the blessed night is the very Night of Decree when the Holy Quran has been sent down. These verses interpret the meaning of Night of Decree in this way that the Night of Decree is that night of sending down of the Holy Quran and in the Holy Quran, everything has been clearly defined and everything about halal (allowed), haram (forbidden), right and corrupt as well as legal truths have been cleared. By the way, all definitions about mystical values and Divine teachings and meanings have been mentioned.

Hence, month of Ramadan is an educational course which determines the fate of human, and it means his fate of the whole year is set based on the framework which has been designed in the heart and soul of the pious and the degree of piety in him in Ramadan. It means Ramadan is month of education and because of the Nights of Decree when man reaches this educational course, he would evolve.

This evolution lies in the third decade of the month and according to some narrations, the Night of Decree is one of the last days of the third decade of the month. In some narrations have been mentioned that any man has a Night of Decree which differs from other one’s and this meaning accords with the concept about the relation between the Night of Decree and fasting.

 By: Hamid Reza Naghashian

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According To Iran News, Iran’s Assembly of Experts issued a statement on Tuesday calling on the Indian government to stop the violence against Muslims and prevent the fire of division in the South Asian country.

“The unfortunate news and heartbreaking images from the bloody conditions of the oppressed Muslims of India, which are released at a minimal level, make the heart of every noble-minded human very sad,” read the Assembly of Experts’ statment, signed by its chairman Ayatolah Ahmad Jannai.

The assembly decries the killings of the people and the destruction of mosques and religious places of the Indian Muslims, it added.

The high-ranking body further called on the Indian government to take swift measures to end the violence against Muslims.

Violence erupted in the Indian capital in late February, leading to a three-day-long rampage, with Hindu mobs attacking Muslim homes, shops and mosques.

The attacks were carried out on protesters who have been rallying against a new citizenship law after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra threatened peaceful sit-ins would be removed from the streets.

The anti-Muslim violence in Delhi killed at least 50 people.

It was the worst violence in Delhi since 1984 when more than 3,000 Sikh minorities were killed following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

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According To Iran News, Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei deplored the massacre of Muslims in India, calling on the New Delhi government to confront extremist Hindus.

In a post on Thursday, the official Twitter account of Ayatollah Khamenei denounced the recent wave of violence against Muslims in India.

“The hearts of Muslims all over the world are grieving over the massacre of Muslims in India,” the post read.

“The govt of India should confront extremist Hindus & their parties & stop the massacre of Muslims in order to prevent India’s isolation from the world of Islam,” it added.

The post ended with the hashtag “Indian Muslims ln Danger”.

Violence erupted in the Indian capital last week, leading to a three-day-long rampage, with Hindu mobs attacking Muslim homes, shops and mosques.

The attacks were carried out on protesters, who have been rallying against a new citizenship law, after the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra threatened peaceful sit-ins would be removed from the streets.

The violence in Delhi killed scores of people.

It was the worst violence in Delhi since 1984, when more than 3,000 Sikh minority were killed following the assassination of then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

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According To Iran News, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament Ali Larijani called on the parliaments of Muslim countries to stand against the US-proposed “fake” deal of the century by endorsing a plan for a referendum on the issue of Palestine.

Larijani on Wednesday sent letters to his counterparts in the Muslim countries to condemn the so-called deal of the century that US President Donald Trump has unveiled in Washington.

The Iranian speaker said the American plan for the Middle East has violated the whole international agreements, laws and resolutions, the UN Charter, and the resolutions passed by the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for the settlement of the Palestinian crisis.

Describing the issue of Palestine as the Islamic world’s top priority, Larijani said the Muslim nations will oppose any violation of Palestine’s sovereignty, stand against the continued occupation of Palestine whose capital is al-Quds, and will reject any one-sided plan imposed on the Palestinians.

“Without referring to the international organizations, such as the United Nations, or consultation with the Palestinian sides, the US president is trying to portray the occupation of a land of the Islamic Ummah as being official only on the basis of the personal, partisan and Zionist interests and by resorting to force,” the Iranian speaker deplored, saying Trump has confiscated the inalienable rights of Palestinians in favor of a Zionist group.

“By registering a democratic and political plan at the UN for holding a referendum in the occupied territories with the participation of its main inhabitants, the Islamic Republic of Iran holds that the way out of the current crisis and the fair resolution of the issue of Palestine is the right of the oppressed and defenseless Palestinian nation,” the speaker noted.

Larijani finally called on the parliament speakers of the Muslim countries to join hands to confront the “fake” deal of the century, support the plan for a referendum, and employ the parliamentary diplomacy capacities to help resolve the Palestinian crisis.

On Tuesday night, US President Donald Trump unveiled his long-delayed Middle East plan, a proposal Palestinian leaders called a “conspiracy” that “will not pass”.

Following Trump’s announcement, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said “a thousand no’s” to the plan.

The American plan has sparked widespread international condemnation.

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IRAN NEWS NATIONAL DESK

“We are inviting everyone to active participation in overcoming this deception by the enemy, and with the power and help of God, we consider this and every other ruse by the arrogant front doomed to failure against the efforts, and faith of the Resistance front,” he added.

What follows is the full text of the message:

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace be upon his exalted, trustworthy messenger, Muhammad the last of the prophets, and his pure progeny, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth, and on his chosen companions and those who faithfully followed them, until the day of judgment.

Every year, the time of Hajj is the resort for the Islamic Ummah where they receive the Lord’s mercy. Quran’s call of “And proclaim Hajj among men” [Quran 22:27] is a call to everyone throughout history to come to this distribution of mercy, so that their God-seeking hearts and souls, and their thoughts and views benefit from its advantages; and every year, the lessons and teachings of Hajj propagate throughout Muslim world by congregations of people.

The Hajj presents a miniature scale of a set of fundamental pillars of the Islamic society by placing the elixir of Dhikr and servitude—which is the main element for the cultivation, progress, and growth of individuals and the society— next to congregation and unity, which are the symbols of the unified Ummah; the movement around a unique center, and on the path towards a common goal—which are the keys to the endeavor and livelihood of the Ummah based on monotheism—;and through harmony among every Hajj pilgrim, where there is no distinction—which is the sign of removing discrimination and providing everyone with the same opportunity. Every one of the rituals of Hajj including Ihram, Tawaf, Sa’i, wuquf, ramy, movement and repose, is a symbolic reminder of a part of the picture presented by Islam of its ideal society.

Exchange of knowledge and assets between people of different countries and places far apart, and spreading awareness and experience, asking for the news of one another, removing barriers of misunderstanding, bringing the hearts closer, and storing strength to confront common enemies are the vital and magnificent outcomes of Hajj, which otherwise would not be achieved through hundreds of the usual and typical gatherings.

The ritual of Bara’ah which means refusing every instance of mercilessness, cruelty, wrongdoing and corruption of the tyrants of any time, and rising against intimidation and unjust levy by the arrogant throughout history, is one of the great advantages of Hajj, and an opportunity for oppressed Muslim nations. Today, repudiating the front of shirk [polytheism] and kufr [disbelief] made up of the arrogant powers—the foremost of them being the US—equals refusing the killing of the oppressed, and waging wars. It equals condemning the sources of terrorism, including ISIS and the American Black Water. It is the Islamic Ummah’s shout at the child killers of the Zionist regime, and their backers and cohorts. It is a condemnation of The United States and their associates’ warmongering, in the sensitive regions of West Asia and North Africa, who have pushed the nations’ pain and suffering beyond limits and who bring them new catastrophes every day. It means refusing racism, and discrimination based on geography, race, and color of skin. It means refusing the arrogant and vicious behavior of aggressive and seditious powers against dignified, noble and just behavior recommended to everyone by Islam.

These are some of the benedictions of the Abrahamic Hajj that the pure Islam calls us to. And this is the incarnation of an important part of the ideals of the Islamic society that every year, through every one of the participating Muslims, and directed by Hajj, puts on a grand and rich spectacle, calling everyone through a clear language, to try to create such a society.

The elite of the Muslim world, some of whom are now present at Hajj from different countries, have a crucial and important duty. These lessons must be transferred to all nations and the public through their efforts and ingenuity, and moral exchange of ideas, motivations, experience, and knowledge must be realized by them.

Today, one of the most important issues of the Muslim world is Palestine, which is at the top of Muslims’ political issues, regardless of their school of thought, race, and language. The greatest injustice in recent history has happened in Palestine. In this painful affair, all that a nation had—their land, homes, farms, belongings, dignity, and identity—was confiscated. With God’s assistance, this nation has not surrendered to defeat, and has not given up, and today, they are on the battlefields more enthusiastic, and braver than yesterday. But the ultimate outcome requires assistance from all Muslims. The ploy of Deal of the Century prepared by the oppressive U.S., and its treasonous cohorts, is a crime against human society, and not just the Palestinian nation. We are inviting everyone to active participation in overcoming this deception by the enemy, and with the power and help of God, we consider this and every other ruse by the arrogant front doomed to failure against the efforts, and faith of the Resistance front.

Almighty Allah said: “Or do they intend a plot? But those who defy Allah are themselves involved in a Plot!” [Quran 52:42]. True is what Almighty Allah said. I supplicate Almighty God for success, blessing, comfort, and acceptance of prayers for every one of you respected pilgrims.

Seyed Ali Khamenei

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While a vast majority of them have temporarily settled in makeshift refugee camps in Bangladesh, living under appalling conditions, many others have sought refuge in other countries.

But no country has really welcomed them with open arms. Worse, some countries like Saudi Arabia and India have started deporting them to Bangladesh or Myanmar.

According to reports, Saudi Arabia is continuing to deport homeless and stateless Rohingya to Bangladesh, where they will join legions of other refugees.

Middle East Eye (MEE), which has received videos as evidence, says Rohingya Muslims have spent years in Saudi prisons and are being prepared for deportation to Bangladesh, which is currently ‘home’ to more than a million Rohingya refugees.

The videos show Rohingya, having spent nearly five to six years in Saudi jails, being prepared for deportation at the Shumaisi detention centre in Jeddah.

One of the videos sent to MEE shows a Rohingya detainee sitting down, secretly filming the process, as dozens of Rohingya are queued for deportation in Shumaisi.

The report, citing voice notes received from anonymous sources, notes that some Rohingya were put in handcuffs after they attempted to resist their deportation to Bangladesh.

Nay San Lwin, an activist with Free Rohingya Coalition, condemned the ill-treatment meted out to Rohingya by Saudi authorities.

“They are not criminals to be held in handcuffs, and I am very sad to see them being treated like criminals by the Saudi authorities,” he is quoted saying in the report.

Meanwhile, India also continues deporting homeless Rohingya refugees, despite global outcry.

Last week, India deported a second group of persecuted Rohingya to their home country from Assam in northeastern India, raising concerns among human rights campaigners.

The five Rohingya, including two women, had been living in a foreigner detention camp in the state since 2014, after escaping persecution in their home country, according to reports.

Last October, India had deported seven Rohingya Muslims to Myanmar after Home Ministry asked state governments to identify and deport illegal immigrants.

India’s Supreme Court had allowed the deportation of Rohingya, saying they were found to be “illegal immigrants” and have been accepted by their country of origin as citizens.

Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government told the Supreme Court in 2017 that it considers the Rohingya “a security threat.”

According to media reports, about 20 Rohingya are still languishing in various jails in Assam, which borders Myanmar.

UN refugee agency has expressed regret over India’s decision to deport Rohingya to Myanmar, saying it has sought clarification from India on the circumstances under which the asylum seekers were sent back.

The misery of persecuted Rohingya Muslims continues – both in the refugee camps of Bangladesh and in their native Rakhine province of Myanmar.

Despite the repatriation deal between the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh, homecoming did not happen as the conditions were not considered conducive for their voluntary repatriation.

As per conservative estimates, there are around 905,000 Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar presently, although some human rights bodies have put the figure higher.

The exodus of persecuted Rohingya Muslims from Rakhine started in October 2016, following the crackdown by Burmese army. Almost 200,000 fled to neighboring Bangladesh. In August 2017, more than 720,000 of them escaped to Bangladesh following persecution, murder, arson and rape.

Myanmar and Bangladesh had signed a bilateral repatriation agreement last year, according to which the process of voluntary repatriation was to begin in 60 days. But the plan was shelved.

In June, Myanmar inked an agreement with UN to expedite the process of Rohingya repatriation, but the memorandum of understanding (MoU) was kept under wraps. Rohingya community leaders, after seeing the leaked MoU, rejected the agreement, saying it did not address their concerns.

International aid groups and bodies fighting for refugees have also opposed the idea of repatriating Rohingya refugees in current circumstances.

Bangladesh government on Sunday stressed the need for political will of Myanmar for expediting the process of repatriation of Rohingya people to Bangladesh.

Myanmar President Win Myint on Sunday expressed his intent to work with Sheikh Hasina, who was re-elected as Bangladesh Prime Minister last week, to address common challenges of the two countries.

However, the Rohingya crisis did not figure in the statement.

The post After incarceration, Saudi deports ‘handcuffed’ Rohingya to Bangladesh appeared first on Iran News Daily.

A massive protest against the ‘desecration’ of Jamia Masjid saw participation of separatist leaders, civil society activists, religious clerics, representatives of trade bodies and students, who slammed the terrorist group’s sympathizers in the region.

The incident took place last week when the masked men entered the mosque after Friday prayers and waved ISIS flags and chanted ‘Dawlat-e-Islam’ slogans. A video that was circulated widely over social media showed one of the men standing on the mosque pulpit with a black flag.

The incident drew widespread criticism from political leaders of all shades, besides civil society activists and trade leaders, who denounced it as a “sacrilegious act”.

The biggest protest was held in Srinagar on Friday, led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq , Kashmir’s chief priest and leader of Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of separatist parties. Farooq delivers Friday sermon at the mosque.

The protest was attended by representatives of both Shia and Sunni socio-political organizations.

“All of us need to stand up and defeat the elements that are trying to malign our struggle,” Farooq said, referring to the December 28 incident at the 624-year old mosque.

Earlier on Wednesday, Farooq led a protest march to the mosque, joined by traders and civil society members, and cleaned the pulpit. “Not only has the incident saddened the people of Kashmir, but there is growing demand for isolating these elements (ISIS supporters),” he said, addressing people.

“This is a vicious attempt to cause dissension among the Muslim fraternity in Kashmir. The people of Kashmir don’t have any global agenda. Our indigenous struggle is for the right to self-determination,” he stressed.

Following the incident, Farooq had met senior separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani and Yasin Malik to mobilize support against the elements behind the incident.

“The mosque is important from both the religious and political point of view. We discussed it and felt it was definitely a well thought attempt to divert our movement towards something which is totally alien and is globally condemned,” he said, following the meetings.

Condemnations have been pouring in from all quarters. Kashmir Center for Social and Development Studies (KCSDS), a civil society forum, termed the incident as a “deplorable act”.

“This unfortunate act needs to be condemned by one and all. The Jamia mosque epitomizes peoples’ identity, struggle and political aspirations. A sponsored group of miscreants tried to defame the indigenous Kashmir movement by linking it with global miscalled Islamic terrorist movement,” chairperson of the forum Hameeda Nayeem said.

Kashmir Economic Alliance (KEA), an umbrella organization of different trade bodies in the region, also denounced the incident and supported Farooq’s protest call.

“We can’t afford to sit silent…there is a need to expose these miscreants who want to defame Kashmir,” KEA chairman M. Yasin Khan said.

The black flags of ISIS have previously appeared at the funerals of slain militants, which have raised eyebrows in Kashmir’s intelligentsia circles and reignited the debate over the presence of the global terrorist organization in Kashmir.

While some see it as a worrying sign of extremism and radicalization among youth, some others dismiss it as a desperate attempt by a motley group of disenchanted youth to provoke India.

Unlike in Afghanistan, Iraq or Syria, Kashmir’s freedom movement, which gained momentum in late 1980s, has remained largely indigenous, according to observers.

However, in recent times, global terrorist outfits like Al-Qaeda and ISIS have made desperate attempts to gain foothold in the troubled Himalayan valley, much to the consternation of local pro-freedom leaders, peace activists and common people.

Addressing media persons in Kashmir, region’s police chief Dilbagh Singh ruled out the possibility of a large-scale presence of ISIS in Kashmir, though he said the ideology was “radicalizing youth” in Kashmir.

“A section of youth is being radicalized. Otherwise, the presence of ISIS is not that big in Kashmir,” he said, adding desecration of the Masjid’s pulpit was an “effort from ISIS elements to try and show their presence” in the valley.

Some Pakistan-based militant organizations also condemned the incident. Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) said there is no presence of “Daesh” (ISIS) in Kashmir. “This all is the handiwork of Indian agencies who cannot suppress the freedom movement of Kashmir through such tactics,” a spokesperson of JeM Mohammad Hassan said in a statement.

United Jihad Council (UJC) also said there is no presence of Daesh (ISIS) in Jammu and Kashmir, and those waving ISIS flags in Jamia Masjid are “Indian agents,” adding that the “black deeds” of ISIS in Iraq, Syria, Libya, and Afghanistan are “known to everyone”.

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The Iranian First Vice President Es’hagh Jahangiri has sent separate messages to his counterparts in Islamic countries, congratulating Muslims on the advent of Eid al-Adha.

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Hamid Reza Asefi, former Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said that the westerners’ call for human rights in not genuine and is to spread their cultural dominance.

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 Iranian Parliament Director General for International Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Tel Aviv aspires to disintegrate Islamic countries, and Saudi Arabia is not an exception.

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