Islamic Revival

"...it will be 2009 before the US is able to mount enough pressure to coerce Israel to make necessary compromises with the Palestinians, and bring an end to the protracted dispute." The present US effort undertaken by US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice to kick start the peace process between the Palestinians and the Israelis--as envisioned by the Baker-Hamilton Report--is for now, a mere symbolic gesture. There are three major obstacles that must be overcome, if the Bush administration wants to realize its endorsement of a two-state solution. First, Olmert’s government is deeply unpopular and is engulfed in numerous scandals. It is unlikely that Olmert will survive. Fresh elections will have to be scheduled to form a new Israeli government--likely to be a coalition government--this will delay the implementation of the road map. Despite Olmert’s obvious weakness, his government like its predecessor has sanctioned the construction of fresh settlements in West Bank-- a move i

"A close look at the West’s value system points to the pursuit of pleasure (goal in life) ahead of freedom, individualism, and utilitarianism as the main cause behind crime. Factors like poor education, social deprivation, unemployment are merely a by-product of these values and should never be addressed in isolation." Over the past few days, the British public has witnessed the killing of three teenage boys and the maiming of a number of people in a spate of shootings that has shook the country. Tony Blair has been quick to dismiss the notion that Britain is a broken society, and continues to blame a few individuals or groups for carrying out such crimes. He has been joined by ministers, politicians, social-workers, and police officers to examine gun control laws or introduce new programs to minimize social deprivation as a means of reducing violent crime. But rarely, does anyone have the courage or the foresight to ask the basic question: Are western values to blame for the

The following is a translation of a section from the excellent book 'The Economic System of Islam' by Sheikh Taqi ud-deen an-Nabhani. Insurance (Ta’meen) Insurance whether on life, goods, property or any of its numerous types is a contract. It is a contract between the insurance company and the insuring person in which the latter asks the insurance company to give him a promise that it will compensate him for that (‘Ayn) which is spoilt or destroyed or for its price with regard to goods or property, or a certain sum of money with regard to life and the like. This takes place if the accident occurs within a defined period, in exchange for a certain amount of money (premium); and the (Insurance) company accepts this. Based upon this offer and acceptance, the insurance company undertakes to compensate the insuring person, within certain conditions approved by the two sides, either for the thing which he loses or its price when an accident occurs, or a sum of money which they have