Archive for month: November, 2015

Schools in Alsace-Moselle, a region in the eastern part of France, will reportedly introduce Islam as an option in theology class starting from the 2016 school year.

The French website Yabiladi cited Le Figaro as saying that Islam will be offered as an optional course in the schools of the Alsace-Moselle region for all students regardless of their religions.

“Catholic and Protestant religious authorities are currently working on writing a program that would be a cultural and religious awakening in all the major monotheistic religions, and for students who wish to take the course, irrespective of their religion,” the same source said. A Muslim expert also seems to be involved in the preparation of this program for the Islamic component.

The same source said that the courses will start from the next school year in 2016 and will be offered initially to high schools, which have an important number of Muslim students.

Trained imams who have honorable academic achievements will teach the Islam lessons.

The idea began after the deadly attacks in Paris last January. Following the attack, religious Catholics, Protestants and Jews of Alsace-Moselle decided to mobilize in order to integrate the teaching of Islam in schools in accordance with the Concordat of 1801, which recognizes and organizes Catholic, Protestant Lutheran, reformed and Jewish.

This initiative is strongly encouraged by the authorities as well as by the Muslim community.

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Viktor Bondarev, commander of the Russian Air Force said Thursday that his country has sent air defense systems to Syria to protect its war jets, prevent the possibility of hijacking them and to respond at suitable time to other emergency situations.

“We have taken into consideration all possible threats and sent to Syria not only offense warplanes, launchers and choppers, but also anti-aircraft missile defense systems to use in the extreme scenarios like the possibility of aircraft being hijacked from airbases that are controlled by the Syrian government and targeting our bases, and we have to be ready fro every possibility, Russia Today quoted Bondarev as saying in an interview with the Russian Komsomolskaya Pravda.

Russian air force started on September 30th fighting terrorism in Syria in response to official request from Syria.

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A Saudi Shi’a scholar in Qom stressed that if this death sentence on Sheikh al-Nimr is carried out, there will be severe consequences for Saudi Arabia and the House of Saud, and warned this regime not to make any “stupid moves” against Ayatollah al-Nimr.

Hujjat al-Islam Abdul-Majid al-Baqshi, a Saudi Shi’a scholar, referred to the Saudi Interior Ministry’s upholding of its death sentence on Ayatollah Nimr al-Nimr saying that by announcing this death sentence on Ayatollah al-Nimr, the House of Saud seeks to change the grave situation facing the kingdom, put pressure on the people and suppress the protestors and those who demand freedom in their country.

On October 25, the Saudi court upheld a death sentence that was issued against the renowned cleric last year. The execution warrant will be sent to Saudi King Salman ibn Abdul-Aziz al-Saud to be approved and then carried out. The execution of Ayatollah al-Nimr can be carried out by the Interior Ministry without any prior warning if the Saudi king signs the order.

Hujjat al-Islam al-Baqshi added that Ayatollah al-Nimr has committed no crime except supporting the oppressed people of Saudi Arabia who are seeking their stolen rights, however the Saudi regime has charged him with undermining their kingdom’s security, making anti-government speeches, and defending political prisoners, which he has denied.

The Saudi scholar stated that Ayatollah al-Nimr is one of the important Shi’a clerics in Saudi Arabia and reiterated that the protests currently taking place in the country are aimed at pressing the government to uphold the rights of this scholar.

The demonstrators have pledged to continue their campaign until the verdict is overturned.

He stressed that if this death sentence is carried out, there will be severe consequences for Saudi Arabia and the House of Saud, and warned this regime not to make any “stupid moves” against Ayatollah al-Nimr.

The founder of Qom’s Aal al-Bayt University stated that the Saudi government is one of the branches of the Zionist regime and added: “If the clergy were united, the House of Saudi would not dare to execute Ayatollah al-Nimr.”

Hujjat al-Islam al-Baqshi added that the scholars of the Islamic world must not leave Ayatollah al-Nimr behind and stated that by issuing statements, writing letters to the Saudi government, giving lectures and holding meetings, their protests will be heard.

His Eminence stated that this death sentence is an insult to the religion of Islam and said that wisdom, common sense and humanity dictates that we don’t take the side of the oppressors and that we support the oppressed.

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