Friday, August 26, 2011

AMU Teachers Protest the Decision of HRD Ministry

AMU Teachers Protest the Decision of HRD Ministry


Aligarh : The Joint Action Committee of the Teaching and Non ­Teaching Staff, Technical Staff Association, Fourth Grade Employees Union and Students of the Aligarh Muslim University organized a Dharna in front of the Administrative Block to protest the decision of the Human Resource Development Ministry putting a ban on the executive powers of the Vice Chancellor of the University. The MHRD has sent a letter to the Registrar asking the Vice Chancellor, Prof. P. K. Abdul Azis to refrain from exercising his powers to conduct any Selection committee, make any promotions or take policy decision of long time inferences.
The protesters, representing all sections of the AMU fraternity expressed deep sense of shock and agony on the letter and termed it a violation of Section 13 Clauses (2 to 5) of the AMU Act.
One of the oldest alumni of the University and eminent historian Padma Bhushan Professor Emeritus Irfan Habib said that the University's autonomy was not attacked even during the British rule. He said that the MHRD's unwarranted would adversely affect the life of a number of people attached to this grand old institution as the appointment and promotion of several rightful employees has gone in doldrums.
Prof. Habib said that two fact finding enquiry committees have proved to be inconclusive and the responsibility of this failure lies with the HRD Ministry.
The former Chairman of the Minority Commission of Delhi, Mr. Kamal Faruqui in his address said that the Aligarh Muslim University is the pride of Muslim community and a movement should be initiated against the attack on the autonomy of the University. He said that a handful of vested interests are tarnishing the image of the University. He alleged that the Union Minister, Human Resource Development, Mr. Kapil Sibal is anti Muslim and the employees of National Minority Commission have not been paid their salaries for the last two months. Mr. Faruqui said that the repressive policies of Sibal would create thousands of Anna Hazare. He appealed to the Muslim community to stage dharna in front of the houses of Sibal and Salman Khurshid till the restraining order of the MHRD is withdrawn.
The Joint Action Committee presented a memorandum to the President of India demanding the withdrawal of the decision of MHRD forthwith. It said that it is an attack on the autonomy and functioning of the University provided under Article 29 and 30 of the Indian Constitution, especially Para (3). The MHRD dictat violates the process of appointment of the new Vice Chancellor, whereby the Vice Chancellor is supposed to call the meetings of the University Court after the approval of five recommended names by the Executive Council.
The Committee observed that the decision reflects the vindictive, autocratic and non-receptive attitude of the MHRD to appease a handful of persons within and outside the campus on their misrepresentation of the state of affairs on the Campus. It said that it has jeopardized the functioning of the University by divesting the academic, administrative, financial and executive functioning of the University and further deprived considerably a large number of teachers, non­teaching, technical and fourth Grade employees of the University, who have been denied of their due confirmation, and promotion under Regular, CAS, ACP, MACP, and other categories. This will not only affect them emotionally, but also deny them of various financial benefits pertaining to their gratuity and pension, it added.
The Committee said that names of Visitors' nominee for various faculties are still awaited despite numerous reminders. The unwanted decision shall result in the lapse of over 250 teaching posts under XI Plan and appointment of over three hundred Guest Faculties would be averted, which are generally made in the months of August and September every year because of lack of teachers in various faculties. This will seriously affect the teaching in the University and adversely affect the interest of students of AMU.
It emphasized that the embargo on the Vice Chancellor's executive powers would prevent the processing and releasing of Funds from different sources, leading to the lapse of developmental funds. As a result, funds from UGC and other agencies for DRS, SAP, CAS or for infrastructural developments cannot be utilized.
Dr. M. Rizwan Khan, Convener, Joint Action Committee announced that the Committee will observe one-day token strike on August 25, 2011 and will sit on Dharna at 10.30 am in front of Registrar's Office.
Joint Conveners of Joint Action Committee, Dr. Shadab Khursheed, Dr. Ali Athar, Prof. Mursaleen and Rais Ahmad (President, Fourth Grade Employees Union), Secretary, Prof. Najam Khalique, Joint Secretary, M. Musahib Ali, President, Technical Staff Association, Executive Members, Prof. Mohd Anis, Professor Mohd. Shakir, Dr. Suhail Sabir, Dr. Zeba Hasan, Dr. Akram Javed, Dr. Sarfaraz Ahmad, Dr. Taqweem Ali, Mr. Salman Sabir (AMU Court Member), Mr. Rehan Ahmad, Mr. Mohd lIyas, Mr. Masarrat Husain (Non-Teaching Representative), Mr. Babar Azhar (Ex President, TSA), Mr. Qasim Ahmad (EX. Court Member), Mr. Ragib Ali and Mr. Qazi Faheem Akhtar were also present on this occasion and expressed their opinion.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Ramadan in History


Ramadan in History
All praises to Allah, Lord of the worlds. He who revealed in His Glorious Qur'an, "0 you who believe, fasting is prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those who came before you that you may keep your duty to your Lord (having Taqwa)," (2: 185). And may blessings and peace of Allah be upon His last Messenger Muhammad ibn Abdullah, forever. 
O you who believe, Ramadan is a sacred month where in Almighty Allah is constantly testing His creation and giving humanity the opportunity to achieve infinite, endless Bliss. Fasting is a complete purification and a means to developing the consciousness of Allah's presence. The consciousness of Allah (Taqwa) is a protection against the schemes of Shaitan, and the suffering of this world. Allah has informed us that, "Whoever keeps his duty to Allah (has taqwa), He ordains a way out for him and gives him sustenance from where he imagines not. 
And whoever trusts in Allah, He is sufficient for him. Surely Allah attains His purpose. Allah has appointed a measure for everything." (65:2) 
Many Muslims today have a misconception about fasting and the activities of a fasting person. They go into a state of semi-hibernation, spending most of their daylight hours in bed. If they fear Allah, they wake up for prayer, but then return to sleep immediately. This unnatural sleep makes them become lazy, dull-witted and often cranky. 
Ramadan is actually a time of increased activity wherein the believer, now lightened of the burdens of constant eating and drinking, should be more willing to strive and struggle for Allah. The Prophet, sallallahu "alaihi wa sallam, passed through approximately nine Ramadans after the Hijrah. They were filled with decisive events and left us a shining example of sacrifice and submission to Allah. 
In the first year after the Hijrah, the Prophet, sallallahu "alaihi wa sallam, sent Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib with thirty Muslim riders to Saif al Bahr to investigate three hundred riders from Quraish who had camped suspiciously in that area. The Muslims were about to engage the disbelievers, but they were separated by Majdy ibn Umar al-Juhany. The Hypocrites of Madinah, hoping to oppose the unity of the Muslims, built their own masjid (called Masjid ad-Dirar). The Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, ordered this Masjid to be destroyed in Ramadan. 
In 6 AH., laid ibn Haritha was sent to Wadi al-Qura at the head of a detachment to confront Fatimah bint Rabiah, the queen of that area. Fatimah had previously attacked a caravan led by Zaid and had succeeded in plundering its wealth. She was known to be the most protected woman in Arabia, as she hung fifty swords of her close relatives in her home. Fatimah was equally renowned for showing open hostility to Islam. She was killed in a battle against these Muslims in the month of Ramadan, 
By Ramadan of 8 AH., the treaty of Hudaibiyya had been broken and the Muslim armies had engaged the Byzantines in the North. Muhammad, sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, felt the need to strike a fatal blow to disbelief in the Arabian Peninsula and conquer the city of Mecca. Allah has declared His Sanctuary a place of peace, security and religious sanctity. Now the time had come to purify the Ka'bah of nakedness and abomination. 
The Prophet, sallallahu "alaihi wa sallam set out with an army having more armed men than al-Madinah had ever seen before. People were swelling the army's ranks as it moved toward Makkah. The determination of the believers, guided by the Will of Allah, became so awesome that the city of Makkah was conquered without a battle, on 20 Ramadan. This was one of the most important dates in Islamic history for after it, Islam was firmly entrenched in the Arabian Peninsula. During the same month and year, after smashing the idols of Makkah, detachments were sent to the other major centers of polytheism and al-Lat, Manat and Suwa, some of the greatest idols of Arabia, were destroyed. 
Such was the month of Ramadan in the time of the Prophet, sallallahu "aiaihi wa sallam. It was a time of purification, enjoining the good, forbidding the evil, and striving hard with one's life and wealth. After the death of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, Muslims carried on this tradition and Allah used the true believers to affect the course of history. Ramadan continued to be a time of great trials and crucial events. 
Ninety-two years after the Hijrah, Islam had spread across North Africa, Iran, Afghanistan, Yemen and Syria. Spain was under the tyrannical rule of King Roderic of the Visigoths. Roderic had forced his six millions serfs and persecuted Jews to seek the aid of the Muslims of North Africa in order to be delivered. Musa ibn Husair, the Umayyad governor of North Africa, responded by sending his courageous general Tariq ibn liyad at the head of 12,000 Berber and Arab troops. 
In Ramadan of that year, they were confronted with a combined Visigoth army of 90,000 Christians led by Roderic himself, who was seated on a throne of ivory, silver, and precious gems and drawn by white mules. After burning his boats, Tariq preached to the Muslims warning them that victory and Paradise lay ahead of them and defeat and the sea lay to the rear. They burst forth with great enthusiasm and Allah manifested a clear victory over the forces of disbelief. Not only was Roderic killed and his forces completely annihilated, but also Tariq and Musa succeeded in liberating the whole of Spain, Sicily and parts of France. This was the beginning of the Golden Age of AI- Andalus where Muslims ruled for over 700 years. adan that enabled our righteous forefathers to face seemingly impossible challenges. It was a time of intense activity, spending the day in the saddle and the night in prayer while calling upon Allah for His mercy and forgiveness. 
Today, the Muslim world is faced with drought, military aggression, widespread corruption and tempting materialism. Surely we are in need of believers who can walk in the footsteps of our beloved Prophet, sallallahu 'alaihi wa sallam, the illustrious Sahabah, Tariq ibn Ziyad, Qutuz, Salahuddin and the countless heroes of Islam. Surely we are in need of believers who are unafraid of the threats of the disbelievers, yet kind and humble to the believing people; Muslims whose fast is complete and not just a source of hunger and thirst. 
May Allah raise up a generation of Muslims who can carry Islam to all corners of the globe in a manner that befits our age, and may He give us the strength and the success to lay the proper foundations for them. May Allah make us of those who carry out our Islam during Ramadan and after it, and may He not make us of those who say what they do not do. Surely Allah and His Angels invoke blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad. 0 you who believe, send blessings and peace to him forever. 

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