Islamic Revival

Pakistan: The Most Dangerous Place on Earth.”-- Newsweek Magazine Pakistan faces a myriad of challenges that threaten its very existence. American threats of unilateral action in the tribal area, an Indian backed insurrection in Baluchistan, a dramatic increase in suicide blasts, and the economy in tatters are some of Pakistan’ s woes. But perhaps, the most significant issue is the leadership vacuum that pervades all segments of society. After the release of  leaked US cables the shadowy conspiracies and the tensions between the President and the powerful Army has come out as General Kayani is quoted as telling the U.S. Ambassador during a March 2009 meeting that he “might however reluctantly” pressure Mr. Zardari to resign. “Kayani made it clear regardless how much he dislikes Zardari, he distrusted Nawaz Sharif even more,” U.S. Ambassador Anne Patterson wrote. The cables revealed that the U.S. Vice-President told British Prime Minister Gordon Brown that Mr. Zardari had told him

A few days ago the UN warned that food prices could rise by 10% to 20% next year after poor harvests and an expected rundown of global reserves. More than 70 African and Asian countries will be the worst hit, said the Food and Agricultural Organization in its monthly report. In its gloomiest forecast since the 2007/08 food crisis, which saw food riots in more than 25 countries and 100 million extra hungry people, the report’s authors urged states to prepare for hardship. “Countries must remain vigilant against supply shocks,” the report warned. “Consumers may have little choice but to pay higher prices for their food. The size of next year’s harvest becomes increasingly critical. For stocks to be replenished and prices to return to more normal levels, large production expansions are needed in 2011.” Furthermore the UN warned that international food import bills could pass the $1 trillion mark, with prices in most commodities up sharply from 2009. Global food reserves, which currently s

Amr ibn Al-‘As was commander of the army sent to conquer Egypt during the Caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab. After the conquest Amr became Egypt's first Islamic governor (wali). The Muslim forces laid siege to the Babylon Fortress in 641CE (in the area known as Coptic Cairo today) where al-Muqawqis, the Egyptian Ruler was holed up. General Amr ibn Al-‘As sent a delegation of ten men, headed by Ubadah ibn as-Samit, to speak with al-Muqawqis. Ubadah was black, and when the delegation travelled by boat to al-Muqawqis and entered his place, Ubadah stepped forward and al-Muqawqis was alarmed because of his blackness. He said, "Take this black man away from me and let someone else come and speak to me!" They said, "This black man is the best of us in knowledge and wisdom. He is our leader and the best of us, and has been appointed over us. We all refer to his opinion, and our leader has appointed him over us and ordered us not to go against him." Al-Muqawqis