MoU Signing Between Halal Research Council Pakistan and Halal Council of Mauritius

The MoU is signed between Halal Research Council and Halal Council, Jummah Mosque of Mauritius for the promotion of Halal industry, research and education and for the export of Halal goods to Mauritius. The momentous signing ceremony was held in Quartre Borne Mauritius and Mr. Zubair Mughal Chief Executive Officer, Halal Research Council and Nisar Ahmed Ramtoola President, Jummah Mosque, Mauritius signed the MoU. Major General (Retd.) Muhammad Siddique, High Commissioner for Pakistan, Cassam Uteem Ex-President, Mauritius, Muhammad Shakeel, Minister of Labor and Industrial Relations Mauritius, Iqbal Belath Governor, Bank of Mauritius, Sunil Benimadhu, Chief Executive, Stock Exchange of Mauritius, Raffick Nabee Mohammad, AlBarakah, MPCS and well known personalities and many others participated in this ceremony.

Major General (Retd.) Muhammad Saiddique- Commissioner for Pakistan while addressing the audience said that there is enough room available for the Halal market promotion between Pakistan and Mauritius and Pakistan can play a vital role in the development of this Halal industry. He added that the volume of Halal market is 2.3 Trillion Dollars at this moment which includes Halal food, Halal banking and finance, Halal tourism, Halal cosmetics and Halal logistics etc. He said that there are deep friendly relations found between both countries and Pakistan is providing resources in the fields of education, banking etc to Mauritius.

Muh. Zubair Mughal, Chief executive Officer, Halal Research Council, Pakistan said that it will provide excess to Pakistan Halal goods in Mauritius markets which include Halal meat, grains, Halal spices juices and many other goods. He further said that there are ample opportunities available for Halal tourism in Mauritius. Nissar Ahmed Ramtoola President, Jummah Mosque, Mauritius appreciated this MoU and both countries will utilize the opportunities of the development of Halal industry.

It is to be noted that Jummah Mosque, Mauritius is a historical mosque of the country that was built in 1850 and 125 mosques of Mauritius are directly affiliated with it that is working for the promotion of Islam in the country.

Plan to label ritually slaughtered meat angers religious groups

Consumers could be told whether the meat they buy comes from animals that have not been stunned before slaughter, following a move in the European parliament.

MEPs on the food safety committee voted on Tuesday to back amendments to a food labelling bill that would see the mandatory inclusion of labels stating “meat from slaughter without stunning” on relevant food products.

The proposals, which go before the European parliament in July, target meat slaughtered using ritual techniques like those employed by Jewish shechita and Muslim halal butchers.

Animals killed by the shechita technique are not stunned before having their throats cut and blood drained out. Halal meat is slaughtered using a similar technique, although research by the British Veterinary Association suggests 80% of halal meat is stunned before slaughter.

Religious groups have expressed anger at the proposals. A Jewish campaign group, Shechita UK, controversially claimed the measure was the “21st-century equivalent of the yellow star, but on our food”. “This amendment does nothing to improve animal welfare, fails to fully inform consumers and is clearly discriminatory by design,” said Henry Grunwald, spokesman for the group.

His comments were attacked by the British Humanist Association. “To compare the proper labelling of meat from religious slaughter methods with the Nazi requirement for all Jews to wear yellow Stars of David is grotesque and false,” said Naomi Phillips, its head of public affairs. “Giving consumers the information to make ethical choices about the meat they buy through labelling does not prevent Jews who wish to from buying kosher meat.”

Scottish Conservative MEP Struan Stevenson, who introduced the amendments to the bill, had originally suggested the labels should record whether meat was halal or shechita. But he opted for the “non-stunned” label after representations from religious groups.

Stevenson insisted his proposals were born from “animal welfare concerns, not by anything to do with religion“. Stevenson said: “A very significant quantity of meat finding its way onto our shelves and tables has been slaughtered by this method and we’re not aware of it. The public have a right to know.”

The UK government has signalled it opposes the proposals, which, to become law, also need to be endorsed by the council of ministers, the body comprised of representatives of governments drawn from each of the EU’s 27 member states.
Reference: http://halalfocus.net/2011/04/24/plan-to-label-ritually-slaughtered-meat-angers-religious-groups/

Halal brands has potential to make Pakistan proud, prosperous, says minister

ISLAMABAD: Enormity of Halal business cannot be denied whereas importance and significance of value added exports in any economy could not be over emphasized, said Minister for Science and Technology Mir Changez Khan Jamali. He said contrary to the common understanding, Halal business was not limited to Muslim communities and countries rather because of its high hygienic values the Halal products are attracting non-Muslims as well. He was chairing the first meeting of National Steering Committee for promotion and development of Halal products, on Friday. The minister said Halal market and Halal branding was today a global phenomenon and it had the potential to make Pakistan proud and prosperous. The minister said without research and development no industry could go far in that competitive world so S&T organisations had to make sure that private industry was fully supported by applied Research & Development work. Jamali said there were only four Islamic Republics in the World including Pakistan, Iran, Afghanistan and Mauritius, and Pakistan was the only country with such a potential for production and export in Halal market. The participants included Federal Secretary Irfan Nadeem representatives from Ministry of Religious affairs, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Ministry of Live Stock and Dairy Development, Ministry of Industries and production, Ministry of Commerce, and Ministry of Law, Board of Investment representative of each province, Lahore and Karachi Chamber of Commerce etc. staff report

Courtesy By: Daily Times

Information | Establish good dietary lifestyle early

This past week, I had the pleasure of going into my daughter's kindergarten class to discuss healthy eating with her classmates.

There was plenty of energy and excitement around the room and I felt like a rock star when I left.

But then, smoothies and fruit with dip are always a hit with the under-six crowd.

Helping children understand why their little bodies need healthy food can be challenging and I am very careful to not demonize less than healthy foods lest I trigger some food issue later in life. Developing healthy eating habits early will lead our children to a healthier adulthood and all the grown-ups around them have to join in the effort.

Schools around the world are wrestling with food policies that will enable them to deliver healthy food to children while still being fiscally responsible. I have the honour of working with the Calgary Board of Education on healthy eating policies and initiatives and it is a daunting task.

What, after all, is healthy food when there are so many definitions and interpretations? Add in religious, health and economic issues and it gets even more complicated.

For example, when I go out to talk to a school group, I have to consider food allergies, intolerances and dietary restrictions if I'm bringing a treat.

So, Jell-O fingers may sound like a good idea, but as gelatin is derived from animals, I might need to find a halal or even vegetarian option so that all the children can enjoy the treat and not feel left out. I also have to ensure that ingredients for the take-home recipes are accessible to all students regardless of geography and economic means. If they can't recreate it when they get home, then the learning is lost.

What amazes me most is how open-minded young people are; they do want to talk and learn about food. While a five-year-old may not care abut a food's glycemic index or how an animal was dispatched, she knows that food is important for survival and may also have a sense that what we eat is part of who we are.

My daughter does not really understand why her friend next door doesn't eat pork or regular marshmallows, but she does know that we need to have halal snacks on hand if her friend is to enjoy afternoon tea at our house.

Healthy eating doesn't have to be difficult and, as an example, I have included our recipe for Apricot and Banana Squares. They are a great snack for a quick pick-me-up and they freeze well.

There is oat bran, which is a good source of fibre and other essential nutrients, in this recipe. The apricots and bananas let us check off another selection from Canada's Food Guide, and the macadamia nuts make a nice change from the ubiquitous walnut-banana pairing in so many recipes.

I encourage you to have conversations with the young people in your life about healthy food choices. Canada's Food Guide (easy to find on the Internet) is a good place to start, but you have to make sure children understand what it means beyond the colour coding and pretty pictures. We can't just assume they understand why making healthy choices matters.

The more we talk about food with our kids, the more we raise smart eaters.

Courtesy By:Business Journal

For Elderly Muslims, Few Care Options Outside the Home

Nazli Currim lived for 14 years at the intersection of tradition and frustration. After her father died, her mother moved into Ms. Currim’s home. She cared for her mother full time, even after a stroke six years before she died.

Ms. Currim, 69, founder of the American Muslim Women’s Association, never considered finding a nursing home for her mother. Her attitude is common among Muslims in the United States, many of whom are reluctant even to consider placing an aging family member in a facility.

Part of that decision was a personal one, but part of it was practical: It is difficult for Muslims to find nursing homes and assisted living facilities that reflect their way of life.

Cultural competence has become a buzzword as adult children seek elder care solutions that acknowledge an older person’s cultural and religious identity. But the Muslim community faces a particular challenge. The elderly segment of that population is quite small, representing “only 0.5 percent of our American Muslim population,” according to Aneesah Nadir, president of the Islamic Social Services Association U.S.A., based in Phoenix. “Most of the elders of those who have immigrated here are still overseas. We’re a youthful population.”

Older parents who do come to the United States often live an insulated existence. “They don’t speak the language, so people can’t communicate with them,” said Ms. Nadir. For them, life in a majority of residential facilities would be an alien experience.


“Many of the facilities are not equipped to provide the kind of care a Muslim elder needs — requirements for diet, for prayers, for things that would make a comfortable setting,” she said. “We can’t count on those things in most elder care facilities. They’re not used to us.”

Demand for these facilities may not yet be enormous, but that seems likely to change. The Pew Research Center reports that the Muslim population in the United States will double by 2030, which means that more adult children will need a greater range of options for their aging parents. Without expanded services at existing facilities, or a combination of Muslim-run residences and an increased willingness to use them, the coming generation will face a care crisis.

The traditional model of a full-time stay-at-home caregiver will not survive as the elderly population increases and Muslim women step into the work force. Ms. Currim knows that she was able to do it only because she had both time and a network of supportive relatives to help out.

“Many of the women in our community are stay-at-home moms, even though we’re very educated,” said Ms. Nadir. “We’ve been fortunate that way. But the next generation is not going to stay at home. My daughter’s not going to stay at home.”

As the community enters a period of transition, the need for outside help will increase.

“I envision facilities where ethnicity and religions would be taken into consideration,” said Ms. Nadir, which for her family would mean that only women would attend to female residents; that halal foods, in which animals are slaughtered according to instructions, would be available; and that the staff would be aware of the presence of alcohol or animal gelatin in any medications or preparations.

For now, she focuses her outreach work on smaller steps, interim changes that provide services short of full-time care. “First, I have to get the Muslim community to admit we have social issues, like everyone, that we have to start preparing for,” she said. “Then I have to get my Muslim colleagues to recognize that the Muslim community is going to be part of this elderly community.”

“We need more social support groups within our own community, more things we can do together so our daughters and sons won’t worry,” said Ms. Nadir. “Take lunch. I don’t like to cook alone or eat alone — so if we could go somewhere and have lunch together, even that would be a start.” Until there are residential facilities or community centers that cater to the halal dietary restrictions that many Muslims observe, her options for meeting her friends are limited.

Ms. Currim says that her mother drew comfort and peace of mind from her religious and cultural practices. “My mom passed away as serenely as she lived,” she said, “her soul pouring out as easily as water from a glass laid on its side.”

She and Ms. Nadir anticipate that providing a peaceful end of life will not be as simple for the next generation of aging Muslims.

Courtesy By: The new Hork Times

Where’s My Halal Food?

The New Jersey City University cafeteria does not cater to Muslims who have a religious obligation to eat halal food. There are many cultural foods ranging from Italian to Spanish dishes that are served, but the one important choice the cafeteria does not have is for people with religious restrictions.

"NJCU is very diverse and full of multiple religions. It is not fair to serve one group of people and force all others to adjust," Rita Rosario, 19, Psychology, Hoboken.

In particular, Islam and Judaism dictate a need for food restrictions. Specifically, for Muslims Halal food is embedded into ones culture and upbringing and for Jewish individuals kosher not only pertains to food but is considered a way of life.

What is Halal food?

In Arabic the word halal means lawful or permitted. A Muslim has a set of rules or standards to live by and one of those is that they must follow certain dietary guidelines (Halal foods). All foods are considered to be halal except particular substances specified in the Qur'an. For example, Muslim believe that pork is harmful to their health because it is unsanitary.

Muslims can only eat meat from animals that were living when slaughtered to ensure that there is no blood in the meat when it is eaten. Animals must be freshly killed in a humanitarian way in order to be considered halal.

"Halal food plays a big role in or religion. Our university is bent on educating students about all individual religions, backgrounds, and culture. I do not understand why the cafeteria finds it difficult to be open towards all different eating habits and choices," Maysa Abdelrazeq, 19, Political Science of Cliffside Park.

The fact that NJCU does not serve halal food can be construed as an insult to the Muslim student body because there is a substantial number of Muslims who attend NJCU and are proud of the diversity and acceptance it offers. Leaving students without a viable option when they want a bite to eat is not acceptable.

Halal meat is more expensive than normal meat because its specifications and demand are high. The benefits of halal food are numerous health wise because it is cleaner and less likely to have risks. By adding halal foods to the cafeteria menu more Muslim students will be able to eat in the cafeteria as opposed to packing lunch or eating at home. As a whole, it gives NJCU the satisfaction of being culturally driven and show religious acceptability.

It is sad that halal food is not included in a lot of seemingly diverse cities. When a person goes to the food court at the mall they don't see a food stand advertising halal foods. Are the 1. 8 billion Muslims in America supposed to refrain from eating in every public place they attend because the food industry does not include Muslims? The American Fast food chains don't offer anything even remotely Halal on their menu. America prides itself on the different cultures, but they don't take other cultures into consideration. I guess this melting pot doesn't allow halal ingredients.

Courtesy By:The Gothic Times

Halal or Haram? A new council gives advice to Muslims in Sweden

The newly-formed Swedish Fatwa Council sets out to help Muslims in Sweden seeking advice about how to live in accordance with Islam, but not everyone is convinced the group is necessary, The Local's Karen Holst discovers.


•'God's House' being built in suburban Stockholm (2 Mar 11)
•Swedish Muslim Council renews support for leader (11 Jan 11)
•Swedish fatwa council condemns bomb attack (20 Dec 10)
Is it halal or haram? Right or wrong?

For the more than 450,000 Muslim living in Sweden, or about 5 percent of the total population, it may not always be easy to understand how Islamic practices are best applied in Swedish society.

The group, known as the Swedish Fatwa Council (Svenska Fatwarådet), officially began in mid-2009 with 14 members, composed of educated imams and people with qualified experience in the field.

“The most common questions we receive are related to relationship issues, marriage and divorce, economic issues, private issues of how to live as Muslims in Sweden and arbitration of conflicts,” says Saeed Azam, chairman of the Council.

It is common practice that Muslims seek religious advice regarding how to live in the best, most constructive way where ever they are as well as how to interpret contradictory information.

The word fatwa is commonly defined as a legal pronouncement in Islam that is issued by a religious law specialist on a specific issue.

Fatwas run the spectrum from basic - which foods to eat - to the modern – which music to listen to – to the political – positions on world terrorism. They are adopted to the specific circumstances, environment and time of a certain situation, as fatwas cannot be the same all over the world, in all times due to differing elements.

The decrees also can be refuted or redefined by other Islamic scholars.

For example, in 2001, Egypt's Grand Mufti issued a fatwa stating that the popular television show “Who Will Win the Million?”, modelled after the British show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”, was un-Islamic.

The Sheikh of Cairo's Al-Azhar University later rejected the fatwa, finding that there was no objection to such shows since they spread general knowledge.

The most notable fatwa to recently hit the global audience is the 600-page Fatwa on Terrorism, an Islamic decree against terrorism and suicide bombings released last year.

This fatwa was a direct rebuttal of the ideology behind al-Qaeda and Taliban. It is one of the most extensive rulings to date, with an "absolute" condemnation of terrorism without "any excuses or pretexts" and even goes as far as to declare terrorism under Islamic law as kufr, or of a person who does not believe in Allah.

It was produced in Canada by the influential Muslim scholar Dr. Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri and launched in London last March. According to experts, this fatwa is a significant set-back to terrorist recruiting operations.

Dr. Qadri said during the launch, "Terrorism is terrorism, violence is violence and it has no place in Islamic teaching and no justification can be provided for it, or any kind of excuses or ifs or buts."

The Swedish Fatwa Council issued its first fatwa last year in response to the suicide bomb attack in Stockholm, condemning the act and describing it as not compatible with Islam.

Back in Malmö, Azam believes there is a great need in Sweden for the Muslim minority to have such a council to turn to for advice in a context that fits the environment.

“We know what it’s like to live in Sweden and the conditions that people live with here, we understand the challenges,” Azam says.

The Swedish Fatwa Council aims to have a geographical spread of qualified imams throughout the country to increase their reach.

Within the Council they plan to establish the Fatwa Committee, which will consist only of imams who have earned at least a bachelor’s degree in Sharia, or the study of a system of laws derived from the Koran and the Prophet Muhammed’s actions.

Sharia, however, can differ from country to country, and the interpretations of it can range from conservative to liberal.

“It’s been a balancing act to find the right representatives, to avoid extremes,” Azam says.

Today the Committee has nine such educated imams, who reference both the Koran and the Prophet Muhammad’s actions when answering questions about what is and what is not permissible under Sharia Law.

Since fatwas can differ depending upon the school and branch of Islam, the Committee will remain an odd number to ensure a majority vote when providing answers.

Questions are submitted to the Council by letters and e-mails through their website.

The imams plan to lean on authorities abroad when needed, rather than compete with the major fatwa centres of the Middle East and elsewhere in the world, such as the European Fatwa Council.

The Council can then reshape those fatwas in a manner that is applicable to life in Sweden.

However good the intentions though, not all are in favour of the Swedish Fatwa Council.

“They are a little group without the real qualifications to be established here in Sweden,” says a representative from the Grand Mosque in Stockholm.

“There are many other organisations that are properly established in Sweden to provide such counsel. This is not one of them.”

The Grand Mosque, which is run by the Islamic Association, fails to see the need in assigning its own representative to the group.

The Swedish Fatwa Council’s biggest challenges thus are to earn the recognition and respect of the numerous Muslim factions and organizations within Sweden, as well as find representation that matches the nation’s diverse Muslim community.

The Muslim Council of Sweden (Sverige’s Muslimska Råd - SMR) is regarded as the highest Muslim authority in the nation and serves as the influential umbrella organization to most registered Islamic groups in Sweden.

SMR president Helena Benaouda says there's not a real need for the Swedish Fatwa Council or the need to have a fatwa for every little detail of life.

She adds that while it's good for imams or groups of imams and educated individuals to think about how to best implement Islamic practices in Sweden, Benaouda warns against opinions and guidance coming from too narrow a field.

"We welcome all efforts to explain Islam in a European context but this group is still too little - they need to be much bigger and much broader," Benaouda says, adding that educated female representation also is important, which the group in Malmö currently lacks.

The diverse Muslim community in Sweden includes large numbers of believers who originate from countries outside the Middle East such as Bosnia and Somalia. As of yet these groups do not have representation in the Council either.

Despite views from those who are sceptical about the Fatwa Council and its ability to represent Sweden's diverse Muslim population, Azam is nevertheless optimistic about the Council's potential to serve as an important resource for Muslims in Sweden.

"We believe we have the specialist knowledge needed, since the imams in our Council have the proper religious education," he says.

"We want other Muslim minorities to be included in the Council in the future."

Courtesy by: The Local

Major Halal Food Producer By 2016

BINTULU: Sarawak should be able to become a major producer of halal food once Tanjung Manis Halal Hub is fully operational in the next five years, said Chief Minister Pehin Sri Abdul Taib Mahmud.

And the state must adopt modern agriculture practices to achieve that.

Taib noted that the state had the ingredients to become a major halal food producer if it put greater emphasis on agriculture as one of 10 sectors to be implemented under the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).

The chief minister revealed that in 2009, the halal food market was worth an estimated US$600 billion and would reach US$1 trillion in the next three years.

"Through modern agriculture, Sarawak can become a major halal food producer once Tanjung Manis Halal hub is fully operational in the next five years," Taib said at the State Farmers', Breeders' and Fishermen's Day at Bintulu Old Airport here yesterday.

He revealed that some 70,000 hectares of land in Tanjung Manis had been set aside for the halal hub, where some 40,000 hectares were allocated to farmers under the first phase.

"The first phase will benefit farmers with contract farming to ensure their products have ready markets," he said.

Taib who is also Minister of Planning and Resource Management revealed that his deputy, Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Alfred Jabu, who is also minister of modernisation of agriculture would be tasked to duplicate the halal hub model in other districts to increase the income of rural farmers.

"He (Jabu) is to lead the state forward to embrace modern agriculture," he said.

Taib assured non-Muslims that the government's emphasis on halal food production was not meant to Islamise them as even Nestle, a non-Muslim major global food producer based in Switzerland, has gone into halal food production.

Sarawak's livestock has been known to be free from the dreaded foot and mouth disease.

"Our farmers must expand their knowledge and adopt modern agriculture to raise their income. Modernisation of agriculture means we have to adopt biotechnology to ensure our food is safe for consumption and for export," he said.

Taib urged youths to be involved in agriculture as it is a lucrative endeavour.

The cottage industry must continue to be developed as it would be a major contributor to the economy.

"We must be willing to learn modern techniques of packaging and marketing," he added.

The chief minister announced that from next year two special prizes would be awarded for food processing and entrepreneurship.

Courtesy by: Borneo Post Online

Establishing a manufacturing plant to produce halal medicines

Yang Berhormat Dato Paduka Awang Haji Idris, enquired if the joint-venture between the Ministry of Finance and the Canadian Pharmaceutical Company, VIVA, has gone into operation? Yang Berhormat welcomed efforts toward establishing a manufacturing plant to produce halal medicines, vitamins and nutritional supplement.

The Minister of Health, Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Johan Pahlawan Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Adanan, invited the Second Minister of Finance at the Prime Minister's Office to respond to the matter.

Yang Berhormat Pehin Orang Kaya Laila Setia Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abdul Rahman, said the manufacturing 'plant' sector to produce medicines is an area identified as having potential to be developed and it is hoped it would further enhance the government's revenue especially in the non-oil and gas sector. Yang Berhormat said the establishment of VIVA Pharmacy Sendirian Berhad or Viva Brunei, constitutes a project that can be implemented under the Brunei auspices. Viva Pharmaceutical Incorporated Canada, the Minister said, was established in 1984 in Canada and produces pharmaceutical and natural health products. The Company aspires to become the leading supplier in halal certified medicines, vitamins and nutritional supplement not only for the local market but also regional and middle east markets.
Courtesy by: Brunei News

Mellow Hope (HTDS) Reaches a Milestone in Indonesia

The Indonesian Muslim Association inspected the Mellow Hope plant that produces the ACYW135 and A+C Meningococcal Polysaccharide vaccines. Mellow Hope plant and method of production of these vaccines met the HALAL certificate (Halal Assurance System) requirements. The Indonesian Muslim Association is well-known and regarded as the most authoritative Muslim organization in the world. The HALAL is a difficult certificate to receive, and Mellow Hope believes that there are only two companies in the world that have obtained this certificate.

With the HALAL certificate in hand, Mellow Hope believes that it will have advantage in marketing its MEVAC-ACYW and A+C in Indonesia and other Muslim countries. Mellow Hope is participating in tenders of Group ACYW135 in Indonesia and Bangladesh, and believes that the ability to acquire HALAL certificate will be a great help in securing the tenders.

Safe Harbor Statement

Information in this filing may contain statements about future expectations, plans, prospects or performance of Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc. that constitute forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor Provision's under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words or phrases "can be," "expects," "may affect," "believed," "estimate," "project," and similar words and phrases are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. HTDS Corporation cautions you that any forward-looking information provided by or on behalf of Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc. is not a guarantee of future performance. None of the information in this filing constitutes or is intended as an offer to sell securities or investment advice of any kind. Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc.'s actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, some of which are beyond Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc.'s control. In addition to those discussed in Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc.'s press releases, public filings, and statements by Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc.'s management, including, but not limited to, Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc.'s estimate of the sufficiency of its existing capital resources, Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc.'s ability to raise additional capital to fund future operations, HTDS Corporation's ability to repay its existing indebtedness, the uncertainties involved in estimating market opportunities and, in identifying contracts which match Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc.'s capability to be awarded contracts. All such forward-looking statements are current only as of the date on which such statements were made. Hard to Treat Diseases, Inc. does not undertake any obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which any such statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Courtesy by: Sys- Co Media 

Do you know where your meat has been?

What type of meat do you eat? Do you only eat certain types of meats, say beef or chicken? If so, do you know where your meat comes from or how it is processed?
As a practitioner of Islam, I am only allowed to eat meat that is "halal," or in other words, the Jewish concept of kosher. Halal is an Arabic word meaning "permissible." Kosher, according to the Jewish website Jewfaq.org, is a Hebrew term that means "fit or proper."
So where do the laws of which meats I can and cannot consume come from?
According to the same website, both of dietary laws go back to the guidelines outlined in the Holy Quran for Muslims, and the Torah, or Holy Bible, for those practicing Judaism.  
So why should you care if Muslims and Jews are catered to on the campus?
A major point regarding catering to different groups on campus is that it allows the university to promote "a sense of community."
According to the Office of Institutional Research, there isn't any data or reports on the numbers of Muslim and Jewish students on campus. However, based on the 2007 Campus Climate Service Report, "75 percent of the respondents think that Sac State should place an emphasis on promoting a sense of community."
Though, can food "promote a sense of community," and bring different types of people together?
"Yes, and this is why we have many ethnic food choices on campus such as Gyro 2 Go, Mother India Express, Saigon Bay Express, Crepe de Paris, etc." said Ruedi Egger, director of Dining Services at University Enterprises Incorporated.
So, does that mean the Sac State campus caters to the Muslim and Jewish community as a whole, with regards to campus eateries?
I asked around campus and many of the eateries were familiar with kosher; however, they did not serve any kosher meats.
"Dining Services does not cater to any specific religious or ethnic group," Egger said. "We cater to the campus community as a whole depending on survey results and our capabilities."
However, there is an outlet for Muslims to eat on campus. The new Gyros 2 Go in the River Front Center, provides halal meat to the general Muslim body on campus.
I asked where the Gyros 2 Go meat came from.
"The halal meat we get is brought all the way from New York," said Wahida Kakar, Sac State alumna and owner of the Gyros 2 Go in the River Front Center.
Kakar said she knows the person who sends her the halal meat and that the business that she runs is a family trade.
"I can give you the name and the number of the man I get my halal meat from, he is central to our business not only in the east coast but also in the west coast, as well," Kakar said.
So what about catering to the Jewish students on campus? If we now have an outlet for Muslims to eat on campus, shouldn't we have an eatery for the Jewish students as well?
Some Jewish students think that having a kosher eatery on campus would be too complicated and that having a vegetarian eating place such as Fresh Choice would be better, not only for Jews but for Muslims as well.
"Many youth are keeping kosher for ecological reasons—however, having a vegetarian institution on campus would better serve the needs of both populations - it's nice to serve the Jewish populations needs, but the process for practicing kosher are complex and most Jews will bring their own food or they will be lenient on the institutions in which they buy their food from," said Sheree L. Meyer, associate dean for Undergraduate Studies for Academic Affairs, and a self-considered liberal Jew.

The rules for practicing kosher are complex. Some rules include not mixing meat with dairy; your cheese pizza, for example, cannot have any pepperoni on top. Other examples would include keeping all your silverware separate, Meyer said.

"Personally, I don't keep kosher; however, I do try to understand the reasons behind the dietary laws of Kashrut," Meyer said.

I hope for the near future both Muslims and Jews will see a number of halal and kosher eateries on campus. Having such eateries on campus will not only affect both Muslims and Jews, but more and more people should know where their meat is coming from and how it is processed; through the dietary laws of both Muslims and Jews, people will find it easy to have access to clean, and natural meat.

Furthermore, do yourself a favor, the next time you get hungry, open your horizons and visit a place that is culturally different from your own, in hopes that you will become a more tolerant, respectful, and understanding human being. 

Courtesy By: The State 

Plan for Halal food a step forward

Washington University Dining Services is currently planning to implement a Halal foods program. If implemented, Halal options will first be offered in the Village and Bear’s Den, with plans to expand the options across campus later.
The University’s introduction of Halal foods should be seen as a major step forward in providing dining options for those on a restricted diet of any kind, whether for religious, cultural or health reasons. Wash. U. currently offers vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and kosher offerings, among others, and in this respect it is a commendable food service provider for those with special dietary needs. Between 70 and 100 people have requested halal foods, and this population cannot go unnoticed. With so many options available for kosher dining, we believe that introducing Halal options on-campus is long overdue.
It is understandable that the University has not offered Halal foods up until now. The group of people who currently benefit from kosher foods is few in number, and there are additional costs associated with implementing Halal Foods, just as there are with kosher foods. Specifically, Dining Services would have to find a new, Halal-certified source of meat, which could be costly. Still, Dining Services does not anticipate a major increase in cost, and while the number of students that would benefit from Halal Foods is small, the University is acting properly in accommodating their needs.
On a progressive campus such as that of Wash. U., it is important that we extend our notions of tolerance and acceptance to all aspects of one’s lifestyle. For example, to be a vegetarian is not just to avoid eating meat, but to embrace a conscious lifestyle that takes into account ethical questions and demands. While we may not all agree with vegetarianism, we still support the right to be vegetarian for those who choose to do so, and the University provides them with dining options to facilitate these choices.
More often than not, however, we forget that religious restrictions on dining constitute just as much of a conscious lifestyle, and observing religious customs on dining is part of a larger way of living and thinking. As students, we should respect the decisions of others to engage in any kind of decision involving food, and part of this respect involves ensuring that such options are available for those who choose to observe Halal regulations.
Ultimately, the University and Bon Appétit should be praised for the expected new Halal options. Accommodating the needs of observant Muslim students only increases our level of awareness of differing lifestyles on campus, and while the number of people requesting Halal is comparatively small, the University ought to do so on principle alone. After all, Wash. U. prides itself on being a welcoming community.

Courtesy By: Student Life

Can Religious Liberty Become "Halal"?

The groundswell that began in Tunisia has ousted Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, and is spreading across the Middle East. This moment may well represent a historic turning point for the Muslim world . . . or it may not. The choice is up to new leaders of the Middle East, who will (hopefully) continue to topple authoritarian governments, or at least extract substantial reforms. Now is the time for the Muslim world to rise up—but not just for democracy. As we have seen in China, "democracy" is a sham without real religious liberty. Islam's detractors say that Muslims are incapable of embracing religious liberty, because Islam is an inherently coercive faith. Let us hope that events will prove that assumption untrue.
Those who see Islam as a uniquely oppressive religion fail to note that there was a time when Christians brutally suppressed religious dissent, too. Christians began as persecuted sectarians who hoped only to win the freedom to worship. They got their wish when Constantine issued the Edict of Milan in 313. But that development set the stage for Christianity to become the state religion of the Roman Empire, and later, for the Catholic powers of medieval Europe. The Catholic Inquisitions were an extreme version of the suppression of religious dissent, and the wars of the Reformation led both Protestants and Catholics to stifle unorthodox sects.
The Puritans of New England, too, outlawed dissenting religious groups such as Baptists, Quakers, and Anglicans. They saw it as a religious duty to expel dissenters such as Anne Hutchinson and Roger Williams, and in the most tragic case, they hung three recalcitrant Quakers in the years 1659-1661. Freedom of religion, to the early Puritans, meant freedom to leave New England if you did not agree with them.

America's pattern of religious persecution only gradually abated during the 18th century. Until the eve of the American Revolution, state-sanctioned maltreatment of dissenting Christians continued. A number of Baptists were put in jail for illegal preaching in Virginia as late as the 1770s, a development that leaders such as Patrick Henry and James Madison watched with disgust. Their revulsion shaped the 1776 Virginia Declaration of Rights, which affirmed not just "toleration" of dissenters, but the "free exercise of religion." Baptists continued to insist, however, that real religious liberty meant not only stopping the abuse of dissenters, but abolishing official state denominations. This was the triumph of the First Amendment's ban on an "establishment of religion": the United States, unlike England, would not have a national church.
Most Muslim-dominated countries have failed to make the transition to full religious liberty. The reasons why are historically complex. In the early modern period many Muslim countries actually afforded greater protections to religious minorities than Christian countries did (evangelism among Muslims was always problematic, though). But today, Muslim-dominated countries often smother religious dissent and allow minority Muslim and Christian sects to be viciously persecuted. Those who would turn from Islam to other faiths commonly face flagrant harassment or even execution.
Some Muslim leaders have, of course, gone on record favoring religious liberty, but with the sea change happening now in the Muslim world, there has never been a better chance to apply the freedom principle. If fundamentalist Muslims hijack these uprisings and suppress adherents of different beliefs (such as happened in the aftermath of the Iranian Revolution), it will be a great tragedy. But if moderate Muslims do not insist upon religious liberty as an essential part of any new democratic order, it will be perceived as an indictment of Islam itself.
I can hear Islam's critics now: "Have you ever read the Quran? Muslims cannot honestly support religious liberty." Remember, Christians have their coercive, violent passages, too. (Ever read the book of Joshua?) Sacred verses commanding the destruction of enemies have always required interpretation. During the 18th and 19th centuries, Christians became almost universally convinced that the Old Testament commands to destroy the Canaanites did not represent a mandate for all time, but only for ancient Israel.
I pray that the Muslim world will condemn violent jihadism and the persecution of religious minorities and converts. As a recent New York Times editorial put it, democracy is now becoming halal (or permissible under Islamic law). Hopefully religious liberty will become halal, too.

Courtesy by: Path Eos

homeNewsFeaturesOpinionWespeaksArtsSportsChew and TellBlargusTrial Halal Food Program Found Fiscally Unsustainable

At the start of the spring semester, Bon Appétit administrators discontinued the Usdan Marketplace Halal food program, which had been running on a trial basis since Oct. 25, citing the program’s financial impracticality. The announcement frustrated many Muslim students, who can no longer purchase Halal meat under the meal plan.
According to Director of Usdan University Center Michelle Myers-Brown, only five or six students picked up Halal meal tickets each week. After Thanksgiving, Bon Appétit administrators decided to switch the program from lunch to dinner in hopes of generating more interest, then cancelled it entirely for the spring semester.
Myers-Brown said that the bulk of the financial burden came from hiring an additional chef who worked 20 hours per week.

“To avoid potential contamination with other foods, the preparation had to be done in a separate kitchen which meant this individual could not also work on other kitchen needs for the general population,” Myers-Brown wrote in an e-mail to The Argus. “Meaning we had hired an individual as special cook for, what ended up being, five to six students.”
According to Ali Chaudhry ’12, who has advocated for a Halal program since his freshman year, there are only 20 to 25 students on campus who identify as Muslim. However, Chaudhry said that the relatively small number of Muslim students on campus does not mean that the program is less valuable.
“Often the school says that if the demand increases they will provide Halal food,” he said. “But that’s a really dangerous kind of argument, because then they are saying the minorities aren’t important in a way.”
Although participants were required to pick up their meal tickets every Monday morning, the food was offered to all students one hour before the end of each meal. According to Chaudhry, each meal was prepared for between 40 and 45 students. Chaudhry said that he believes the Halal station should have been open to all students for the entirety of the meal, just as the kosher station is.
“[40 to 45 students] is a little absurd, because the Muslim students on campus are 20 to 25, and you can’t expect each and every Muslim student to eat there,” he said.
Myers-Brown said that Bon Appétit has explored a number of alternatives, but has not found any to be feasible. Last year, they fulfilled the demand by purchasing frozen meat and selling it for point. However this program required students to prepare the food themselves, and was seen as a temporary solution from an administrative standpoint.
“We have had numerous conversations and looked at many ways we could financially support a program; we have discussed the issue with colleagues on other campus who have strong Halal programs; we have discussed it with [the Finance Office] and with students, we have reached out to distributors,” Myers-Brown wrote. “A big piece of any solution, however, will have to be actual student participation—that did not materialize last semester.”
Chaudhry said that many Muslim students will now have to purchase Halal meat on their own.
“Many of us who are from Muslim programs are on financial aid plans, and expecting us to spend $50 to $100 per week on Halal food is a little outrageous, especially given that we already have a meal plan, which we paid for,” he said.
Chaudhry said he hopes the cause will garner support from the greater University community.
“The idea now is to get student support from across campus,” he said. “To try and get some kind of petition started to get a movement started to get Halal food on campus.”

Courtesy By: The wesleyan

RBC Holds Maulud Nabi Celebration, Receives Halal Certs

Bandar Seri Begawan - Royal Brunei Catering (RBC) organised a Maulidur Rasul 1432H celebration. The celebration was held at Seasons' Restaurant in Gadong yesterday.
The religious occasion saw a recital of al-Quran read by one of the RBC's staff. It followed by the mass reading of ratib al-attas and selawat led by Mudim Haji Metassim bin Haji Metassan. A religious lecture on Maulidur Rasul and leadership of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was delivered by Dr Hj Syahroni bin Hj Abd Kahar from Islamic Dakwah Centre.
The guest of honour for the event was Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Religious Affairs, Awg Haji Abd Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Hj Mohd Yussof. Among those who attended the event were the ministry's senior officers, RBC senior management and its staff.
At the ceremony was an official handover of Halal certificates to RBC's four outlets, namely, Season Restaurant, Sungai Tilong, Kiulap and Tutong Express Fast Food.

Courtesy by:  Borneo Bulletin

Brunei Halal brand gets support in S'pore

THE Brunei Halal Brand is enjoying good reception from Singaporean shoppers, especially the Muslim population, who acknowledge the halal certification from Brunei, said a representative from NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Ltd.
Winston Ng, assistant manager of Corporate Communications in an e-mail to The Brunei Times said that the more popular items include the brand's seashell chocolates, biscuits, sparkling juice and instant noodles.
"However, it's too early to comment on any sales figures as we have only launched the range of products some three months ago," said Ng.

NTUC FairPrice, which is run by Singapore's National Trade Union Congress, started offering the Brunei halal products in the middle of October 2010, the first supermarket chain to do so outside the Sultanate.
Around 15 per cent of Singapore's five million people are Muslims.
Brunei's halal brand, which is owned by state company Wafirah Holdings, is handled by Ghanim International Food Corporation, a joint venture company formed in July 2009 by the Brunei government and Hong Kong-based Kerry FSDA.
Kerry Logistics, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based firm, distributes the products. It also handles the products' international freight forwarding and integrated logistics management to ensure compliance with strict halal standards.
Ghanim, on its part, is working with global manufacturers to make products that suit local demand that will need approval by Brunei's halal certification body.
In an earlier statement, Antony Greenstein, Kerry FSDA's director of Global Business, said that the company was confident it would see further opportunities in Asia and Europe "as we roll out the Brunei Halal range of products". Following the Singapore launch, Brunei Halal Brand's Interim Chief Executive Officer said that the brand's marketing and trading agency is looking at two more countries within the region as potential markets.
Noel Shield added: "We are still negotiating with other companies, but to get in a country is not an easy task."
"You can't just turn on the tap as there are a lot of negotiations and hard work involved," he previously said, adding that most importantly, they "needed the right products."
The brand's presence in Singapore marks a significant step for the Sultanate, as efforts to leverage on Brunei's stringent halal certification becomes a reality.
This, Shield said, reinforces what Ghanim has believed all along that the brand has a lot to offer, as product sales across the board have been good.
Further, the Singaporean foray of the brand also shows that efforts to leverage on Brunei's stringent halal certification is now coming to fruition.
"The public's response is way beyond what we expected," Shield said.
"The communities are very much behind the brand and product sales across the range have exceeded (our) expectations."
More than 20 products including cup noodles, noodle nuggets, chocolate, potato chips, prawn crackers, cookies, cheese puffs and sparkling juices, were made available at NTUC's supermarket and stores during the launch.

Courtesy by: Asiaone News

Halal industry seen to propel economy of Mindanao

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, Feb. 14 (PIA) -- The huge global market for Halal products may propel the economy in Mindanao, but this is largely dependent on the consciousness of local Muslim consumers and the business community when looking at the vast potentials of the industry.

Dr. Norodin A. Kuit, Muslim Mindanao Halal Certifying Board, Inc. (MMHCBI) Lead Halal Auditor said that halal goods and services are currently valued at USD 1.323 trillion in global food value.

He said that other countries, particularly non-Muslim countries are venturing more on the halal industry because of its multi-billion dollar value. He cited Thailand as champion of the industry, which is currently dubbed as the “kitchen of the world.”

Dr. Kuit said that unlike in the Philippines, Thailand has sole Halal Certifying Board and 33 out of 78 provinces have their own halal program. Eleven universities have their comprehensive halal program, notably the Cholalongkorn University in Bangkok that has their own Halal Science Center with sophisticated 280 million Baht worth of Halal laboratory and equipment.

He added that Thailand government allotted about 40 billion Baht to develop Patani Province as the Key Halal Production Hub of Thailand.

Dr. Kuit said that the Philippines, particularly the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) are looking at the model countries for halal industry development in the country.

He said the halal market is so vast that Mindanao particularly the ARMM should take advantage of, adding that Global Muslim consumers are estimated at 1.8 billion in 112 countries. Non-Muslim countries exporting Halal products are Thailand with a value of US$10 billion annually and Australia with US$3.2 billion in 2002.

In his message during the third Halal Consultation and Orientation workshop in Lamitan, Basilan last week Veterinary Dr. Rogelio M. Bahinting, the OIC-Provincial Agriculture Officer challenged stakeholders to take an active role in spreading awareness of the industry towards the pursuit of economic growth in Mindanao.

Saddened by the slow pace of its development since it was started in 2003, Bahinting asked the participants to find the missing link that would raise the halal industry in the Philippines to its maximum growth potential.

He called on all stakeholders to look back at previous consultation meetings if questions and commitments made during those times were answered, particularly in boosting the industry through advocacy, the commitment of the Ulamas in spreading awareness and local government units in policy support.

Courtesy by: PIA Daily News

French Muslims Confused Over Halal Restrictions

The news suspended forks on their way to mouths, and sent supermarkets rushing to pull goods from shelves. Last month, the website Débat Halal claimed it had evidence that a popular brand of halal-certified poultry sausages marketed in France by a giant international food producer actually contain pork, rendering them forbidden — or haram — to Muslims. The accusation led many French Muslims to question how they can be sure that any of the halal food they buy meets certification standards — only to discover that no single set of standards exists for determining which products are halal and which aren't. Now, some observers are hoping that the haram hubbub may finally push France's Muslim leaders to agree upon a united code for the halal food sector — one of the biggest-booming niche markets in the nation.

The stir began when Débat Halal published a Jan. 16 report saying that tests had detected pork — a substance forbidden under both halal and kosher rules — within halal-branded poultry sausages produced by Herta, a unit of global food giant Nestlé. Counter-tests revealed by Herta a week later found no traces of pork in their Knacki Halal poultry sausages. Nevertheless, on Feb. 1, one of France's largest supermarket chains, Casino, removed the sausages from its stores to run its own test to "guarantee the strictest respect of halal certification." Still, the entire episode led Muslim consumers to wonder about the reliability of all the halal food they buy.

Courtesy by: Time

Most halal products lack official approval

Just over a third of all the halal products offered for sale in Indonesia actually have official halal certificates, according food and drug monitoring agencies.

Only 41,495 products — 36.73 percent of all products registered at the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) — had official halal certificates, according to the BPOM.

Lukmanul Hakim, the Indonesian Ulema Council’s (MUI) Food and Drug Analysis Agency chairman, said on Tuesday that there was lack of awareness among manufacturers about the need for halal certification.

Halal certification was needed to show that certain products could be safely consumed Muslims and to ensure that the products could be consumed by all people, regardless of religion, due to the healthy and nutritious ingredients and hygienic production process required for halal products, he said.

“Halal certification will assure that the products are safe both in terms of sharia and hygiene,” he said on the sidelines of a hearing with the House of Representatives’ Commission VIII overseeing religious affairs.

According to government regulations on food labeling and advertising, every manufacturer or importer of products to be circulated in the Indonesian market had to declare that their consumable goods were halal.

They were also responsible for affixing halal labels to their products.

A 1996 Health Ministry regulation stipulated that the MUI’s halal certification process would be based on an edict (fatwa) issued by the council’s commission on the use of product ingredients.

The regulation further stipulated that a agreement letter on the use of halal logos would be issued by the BPOM.

“By attaching a halal logo, a manufacturer ensures that the product is safe for Muslims,” Lukmanul said, adding that such certifications were needed since most Indonesians were Muslim.

In fact, many consumable goods circulating in the domestic market lack halal certificates.

The House of Representatives has been deliberating a bill on halal products that would make it mandatory for food and drugs offered for sale in Indonesia to bear a halal label.

The bill, however, has sparked controversy among manufacturers, who said it would be an additional burden on the national economy. The bill was also criticized as superfluous since existing laws regulating food and drugs were sufficient.

Lukmanul, whose organization and the BPOM have been authorized to issue halal certifications, said the bill would hopefully increase awareness on the importance of certification.

According to a BPOM market survey, 54.9 percent of all products with halal logos that it found offered for sale had not been officially certified halal.

“Not all products with halal logos have official halal certificates,” Lukmanul said, adding that most halal logos were counterfeit.

Lukmanul said the situation was worsening since people were unable to determine whether if the products they purchased were genuinely halal.

BPOM director Kustantinah said the agency had continuously monitored consumable goods safety by intensifying pre-and post-sale controls.

“We still find many products improperly using halal logos, however,” she said.

She said that 357 products of 843 products surveyed by the agency in 2010 improperly displayed halal logos, meaning that they actually had no halal certificates.

Lukmanul said that popular awareness of the importance of halal certifications for daily consumable goods had significantly increased.

Citing a recent report, he said 21,837 products were certified halal in 2010, a 100 percent increase from 2009. About 21 percent of the products certified as halal were imported from the US, the EU, Australia, New Zealand and China, among other countries.

“We have seen a sharp increase in interest among foreign manufacturers to obtain halal certificates for their products. This is part of their strategy to win our market,” he said.

He said Chinese manufacturers’ awareness of halal certifications had increased sharply, as evinced by China’s 21 percent share of halal-certified imported products.

“They may think that a halal certification will increase the competitiveness of their products in the Indonesian market,” he said.

In another hearing session on the bil at the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Indonesian Consumer Protection Foundation (YLKI) chairman Soedaryatmo questioned the government’s ability to make the certification obligatory, saying that it had turned blind eye to companies that have refused to comply with the policy.

“It would be better that the certification is voluntary,” he said as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

He also said that the existing procedure also burdened micro and small companies as certification officials have asked fees to conduct surveillance on their products.

Courtesy by: The Jakarta Post

How Democracy Became Halal

IN the Western study of medieval Islamic history, the institution of iqta — land grants from the sovereign to his soldiers — once loomed large, because scholars searched for reasons behind the Muslim failure to develop feudalism, and with it the contractual relationships that eventually led to constitutional government. But looking for parallels between the West and Islam — especially the classical Islamic heartland from North Africa to Iran — has always been politically a sad endeavor, since the region seemed so resistant to the ideas and institutions that made representative government possible.
President George W. Bush’s decision to build democracy in Iraq seemed so lame to many people because it appeared, at best, to be another example of American idealism run amok — the forceful implantation of a complex Western idea into infertile authoritarian soil. But Mr. Bush, whose faith in self-government mirrors that of a frontiersman in Tocqueville’s “Democracy in America,” saw truths that more worldly men missed: the idea of democracy had become a potent force among Muslims, and authoritarianism had become the midwife to Islamic extremism.
One of the great under-reported stories of the end of the 20th century was the enormous penetration of the West’s better political ideas — democracy and individual liberty — into the Muslim consciousness. For those of us who speak and read Persian, the startling evolution was easier to see. Theocracy-versus-democracy has been a defining theme of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the revolution, which harnessed both Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s religious charisma and the secular intelligentsia’s democratic aspirations. Over the last three decades, clerical Iran has nurtured an intense intellectual discourse about the duties that man owes to God.
When the legitimacy of theocracy started to unravel amid the regime’s corruption and brutality in the late 1980s, democratic ideas, including powerful democratic interpretations of the Islamic faith, roared forth. The explosion on the streets after the fraudulent presidential elections of June 2009 was just the most visible eruption of the enormous democratic pressures that had built up underneath the republic’s autocracy. More regime-threatening moments are surely coming.
Today’s Arab societies — less intellectually vibrant than Iran, in great part because their regimes have been more effective in shutting down internal debate — have become increasingly schizophrenic. Long before the tumult in Tunisia and Egypt, Arab liberal secular intellectuals had divided. Except for the fearless, who went to prison, liberals who didn’t flee their homelands usually became “court liberals,” whose views never seriously challenged the rulers.
Aware of the dismal fates of their kind in Iran under Ayatollah Khomeini, they faithfully echoed the anti-Islamist, après-moi-le-déluge fears that the region’s autocrats used in Washington whenever American officials objected to tyranny. Democracy remained for them a cherished ideal, attainable at some future date when the Islamists had lost their appeal and the despots their power.
The secular intellectuals in exile, however, more forcefully embraced the democratic cause — their newspapers, books, magazines, Web sites and, increasingly, appearances on Al Jazeera — delivered their views back home. Intellectuals of such diverse viewpoints as Kanan Makiya, Edward Said, Saad Eddin Ibrahim and Burhan Ghalioun opened up an ever-increasing liberal, democratic space in foreign and Arabic publications. Yes, some mixed their message of liberty with other “Arab” priorities: anti-Zionism, anti-Americanism and anti-imperialism. But their support of democracy was clear, and became more acute after the 9/11 attacks.

Courtesy By: The Opinion Page