Leaving Microsoft to Change The World

This is an inspiring story of a Social Entrepreneur who left his lucrative position as Director of Marketing at Microsoft to start Room to Read.

Room to Read has opened over 3,300 libraries with more than 2 million books. We now have over 2,300 girls on long-term scholarships, and have opened more than 220 schools. Our Founder, John Wood, has a book – Leaving Microsoft to Change the World – which is in bookstores now. Help spread the work, or request a free copy of Chapter 1, by clicking here: http://www.leavingmicrosoftbook.com

Buddhists continue to massacre Rohingya Muslims by burning them alive

 

The carnage in Burma (Myanmar) finally has debunked the myth of “peaceful” Buddhists. At the same time, the so-called international community, led by Western countries, again showed to the world their duplicity and hypocrisy, writes UmmaNews.

 

If in the case of Syria, the West almost daily condemns “unacceptable violence against peaceful people”, ranting about freedom and humanity, and even studiously pretend that it tries to help the Syrian Muslims, alas, in the case of Burma, this activity is not anywhere seen.

 

Buddhist crowds have been carrying on with the terrifying violence for nearly a year, but the so-called international community remains stubbornly silent: there is no UN Security Council resolution, nor Obama’s threat of a “red line”, or the French and British proposal to provide “arms to insurgents”, or hints of introducing a no-fly zone over Burma.

 

The following video was shot in Meiktila during the recent violence. The entire video is accompanied by wild cries of Buddhists, including monks, looting the homes of Rohingya Muslims.

 

The clip of 1 minute 30 second in duration, captures a person lying on the ground. This Rohingya Muslim is condemned to a slow and painful death. His body was set on fire by Buddhists, it is all charred, but he is still alive and trying to make some kind of movement. He is surrounded by Buddhists and Burmese police.

 

One of those present calls to throw some water over the burning Muslim, but another voice immediately replies: “Let him die. For him, there is no water”.

 

The horrific images were captured by the police, who were standing on the sidelines.

 

***

 

In the city of Meiktila an anti-Muslim gang, known as the “unit 969″, actively distributes leaflets with the number 969 printed on them, which is reported to have some secret meaning to Buddhists.

 

The current unrest is the repetition of the bloody violence in the past year in the state of Arakan. According to human rights NGOs, the police were mostly inactive or even joining Buddhist mobs, killing men, women and children in June and October 2012.

 

“Although in some cases the state security forces intervened to prevent violence and protect the fleeing Muslims, more often they just stood at the sidelines or directly supported the attackers who had committed murders and other offences”, says the report of the human rights defenders.

 

On Tuesday, the official Burmese authorities reported that six Muslims had been charged for “alleged involvement” in death of Buddhist monk who took part in anti-Muslim riots. All six face the death penalty. Four more Muslims are being sought.

 

In March massacre in Meiktila, there were killed at least 43 people, 12,000 became refugees – most of them Muslims, reports the Associated Press. Buddhist mobs looted the houses of the Rohingya Muslims and burned the people alive, leaving the charred body of the believers lying on the streets of the cities of Burma.

 

Only last week, Buddhists burned down several Muslim villages north of Yangon. According to Agence France-Press, a part of the Buddhist monks were directly involved in the massacre of Muslims, while others were encouraging people to boycott all stores owned by the Rohingya Muslims.

 

Human rights activists have called what is happening in Burma “ethnic and religious genocide”. 

Source: Undisclosed Internet Media

Connection With Allah – Yawar Baig

An eye and heart opening lecture that redefines the way we look at nature and science and practical tips on how we can make the bond with our Creator stronger. A must watch for everyone.

The West Begins Its Scenario In Syria

It has been two years that the people of Syria have sacrificed their energy, property, body and soul for the sake of winning freedom and independence from the murdering regime. Earlier, the Syrian revolutionaries already sought assistance from the UNITED NATIONS, but the result was nothing. As for the Islamic nations, especially the Arab, they showed solidarities that are varied. Ranging from direct funds and arms aids, such as by Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Direct political supports such as by Egypt, Palestine and Turkey. As well as nominal supports at best by the Muslim countries of the world in general. Of course, this is the official stance of the countries, whereas the Muslim people of the world are already showing a solidarity that should be appreciated.

In these two years, America and the UN have deliberately let the war prolong, so that

Egypt and the IMF – An Economic Struggle for the Future of the New Middle East

Egypt and the IMF – An Economic Struggle for the Future of the New Middle East

By Younus Abdullah Muhammad

 

In the 2 years since the Arab Uprisings turned over the geopolitics of the Middle East, coherent outcomes have escaped concrete formulation. Debate amongst policymakers in the West tends to split analysis down traditional realist and liberal lines, but most insight has failed to acknowledge that political outcomes will ultimately be shaped by underlying economic decisions. Those decisions will have serious implications, not only for region, but for the future make-up of the global economy. Consequentially, the derivative political outcome may prove to determine whether the current unipolar order perpetuates or transitions into a balance of power system. In reality, the economic path chosen by Egyptians will largely determine the outcome of the Arab Spring and will resonate to affect the entire geopolitical order. 

Egypt is the most influential country in the new Middle East. With the Arab world’s most populous nation and a political-economy in rapid deterioration, meeting the aspirations that propelled initial uprisings will depend largely on the ultimate formation of economic structures in the country. A milestone related to Egypt’s economic underbelly may have occurred recently. Almost 2 years after President Obama pledged $1 billion in debt relief and assistance, his newly appointed secretary of state, John Kerry pledged to release $250 million in aid contingent on President Morsi’s pursuit of the conditionalities necessary to secure an IMF loan. The decisions, if fulfilled, would not only cement ties between the American hegemon and the Muslim Brotherhood but would sustain and extend Egypt’s participation in an unstable and uncertain international financial order. There are substantial risks for both sides. In releasing aid now, the U.S. is essentially accepting a role for political Islam. In agreeing to IMF dictate, the Muslim Brotherhood-backed Morsi would essentially be accepting participation with an economic order many Egyptians view as contrary to their independent interests.  In reality, if economic principles endorsed by both Western and Islamic systems were advocated a great deal of cooperation and prosperity would ensue and an effective step toward an inevitable, multipolar order would be taken. 

Reignite The Ummah

Assalam Alikum,

Please view this important video about reviving the Ummah and what the Muslims can practically do to generate leaders and change our situation:

 

 

Please watch and share it with others. Learn how you can become a Standard Bearer of Islam. To learn more about the initiative, visit www.standardbearersacademy.com

 

Jazak Allah Khairan.

OD Strategy for Islamic Organizations – Mirza Yawar Baig

 

Source: http://www.yawarbaig.org/yawarbaig/articles/68-od-strategy-for-islamic-organizations

Contradictions between the Corporate model of Organization building and basic Qur’anic principles of Da’awa and what to do about it.

Mirza Yawar Baig

All praise and thanks are due only to Allah alone and peace and salutations on our Master Muhammad, the last and final messenger of Allah.

قَدْ كَانَتْ لَكُمْ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ فِي إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ إِذْ قَالُوا لِقَوْمِهِمْ إِنَّا بُرَاء مِنكُمْ وَمِمَّا تَعْبُدُونَ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ كَفَرْنَا بِكُمْ وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ الْعَدَاوَةُ وَالْبَغْضَاء أَبَدًا حَتَّى تُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَحْدَهُ إِلَّا قَوْلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ لَأَسْتَغْفِرَنَّ لَكَ وَمَا أَمْلِكُ لَكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ

Mumtahina 60:4. 4. Indeed there has been an excellent example for you in Ibrahim (Abraham) and those with him, when they said to their people: “Verily, we are free from you and whatever you worship besides Allah, we have rejected you, and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allah Alone,” except the saying of Ibrahim (Abraham) to his father: “Verily, I will ask for forgiveness (from Allah) for you, but I have no power to do anything for you before Allah . Our Rabb! In You (Alone) we put our trust, and to You (Alone) we turn in repentance, and to You (Alone) is (our) final Return.

As you are all aware I live in two incarnations simultaneously – as a corporate consultant and leadership development expert with a global clientele, author of several books on the subject and having trained more than 200,000 managers, administrators, clergy, teachers, scientists, engineers and students worldwide and still counting; and as a Da’aee of Islam. While appreciating and being deeply grateful for all the honour and love that is bestowed upon my by people as a result of the Grace of my Rabb, I don’t accept all the titles that I am normally given when I speak at Islamic gatherings as I don’t consider myself worthy of any of them.

I begin this paper with this introduction to convince you that you must take me seriously. What I am going to say must be seen for what it is – a practitioner speaking. Not someone who has read a few books or someone who is an academic teaching either corporate or theological theory – but as someone who has read more than a few books, has written several books himself and who teaches and has practiced his teachings for more than 27 years and who is consulted (for very good money الحمد لله ) by global corporations, business families and entrepreneurs worldwide. So when I say something it is not merely theory. It is theory in practice.

It is the learning that I acquired by practicing that theory in multiple situations and reflection on it and an understanding emerging from it  – in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah, Seerah and Islamic history – all of which I have also had the privilege to study in my other incarnation. So if I tell you about a stream, it is there and the water is good to drink. But of course to drink or not is your choice. Of horses and water – if you see what I mean.

There are five principle differences and contradictions between corporate theory and the work of Da’awa of Islam which make it a very unsuitable model to use. I don’t mean using tools of measurement and so on. I mean the whole philosophy of Organization Development that is being used by most modern Da’awa organizations in the West. These are:

1.Seeing is believing versus Belief in the Unseen
2.Source of power is wealth versus Source of power is Allah.

3.All those in my work are Competitors versus all those in my work are Partners

4.Inviting towards self; versus inviting towards Allah
5.Accumulation of wealth versus Baraka