NEWS ~ China jails smuggler Lai Changxing for life

Lai Changxing has been jailed forlife for running a multi-billion
dollar smuggling ring, Chinese media say.
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Xinhua news agency said Lai, extradited from Canada, was convicted and
sentenced by a Fujian court.
The 53-year-old was accused of bribing officials and smuggling goods
including cars, cigarettes and oil in one of China's biggest political
scandals.
He fled to Canada in 1999 and avoided extradition for 12 years by
arguing he faced torture and execution in China.
Beijing promised Canada he would not be executed and he was deported in 2011.
Canada usually forbids the extradition of suspects to countries where
they might face the death penalty, and the case severely tested
diplomatic relations between the two.
Smuggling operation
Analysis
Martin Patience
BBC News, Beijing
Lai Changxing operated his smuggling ring from the port city of
Xiamen. He led a luxurious lifestyle, reportedly being driven around
in a bullet-proof MercedesBenz.
The enterprise is said to have made billions of dollars in avoiding
custom revenues. But scores of officials were on his payroll -
exposing the extent of corruption in China.
According to reports, he had a luxurious mansion where he
pliedofficials with alcohol and prostitutes. The crime boss is also
believed to have high-level contacts among China's military and
political elite.
Lai fled to Canada after his huge smuggling ring was smashed by the
authorities in the 1990s. He fought a decade-long legal battle to
remain in Canada.
The case strained relations between the two countries. But Beijing got
its man after it promised Canada that Lai would not be executed if
found guilty.
The sentence was handed down by the Intermediate People's Court of
Xiamen - the city at the heart of Lai's operations - after a trial
which began in early April.
The court said Lai's income that was obtained illegally would be
confiscated, Xinhua reports.
Lai was accused of running a huge smuggling operation from 1991 to 1999.
He established a complex networkto cheat import tariffs of 13.99bnyuan
($2.21bn) on goods worth 27.39bn yuan, the court said.
The goods included cigarettes, cars, heating and cooking oil, textiles
and chemicals.
It also said Lai and his associates bribed 64 government officials
with amounts totalling 39.13m yuan.
Some 300 people were punished for their involvement in the operation.
"The sums involved are unusuallylarge, and the details are
extraordinarily serious," the courtsaid, according to the Xinhua
report.
It is not clear whether Lai is planning to appeal.

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ISLAMIC ARTICLE ~ Story of the Ants

Muslim Ummah and Islamic Society: The Lost Message (Story of the Ants)
From time immemorial, Ants have had many enemies.
There were some who thought it would be wise to hold council together
to see if they could come to some arrangement whereby they could live
without being attacked by other animals.
At the council meeting, there wereRed Ants, Rice Ants, Black Ants,
Wagtail Ants, Gray Ants, Shining Ants and many other varieties.
The discussion continued for a long time, but they could not agree.
Some desired that they should all live in a small hole in the ground.
Others wanted to build on the ground, where nobody could enter but
Ants.
Still some wanted to dwell in Trees so as to get rid of
Anteaters,forgetting entirely that there theywould be the prey of
Birds.
Each party resolved to go to workin its own way, with its own responsibilitie s.
Each group had an appointed task, and each member of the group worked
regularly and well.
But unity of all the Ants could not be seen anywhere in the world.
The ants chose a King from among them. They divided the labor so that
all went as smoothly as it possibly could.
But each group did it in its own way and not one of them thoughtof
protecting themselves against the onslaught of birds or Anteaters.
The Red Ants built their house on the ground and lived under it,
butAnteaters flattened their home in a minute after days of precious
labor.
The Rice Ants lived under the ground and with them it went no better.
For whenever they came out, Anteaters were waiting.
The Wagtail Ants fled to the Trees,but on many occasions Centipedes
sat waiting for them, or the birds gobbled them up.
The gray Ants had intended to save themselves from extermination by
taking to flight, but lizards, hunting Spiders and birds flew a great
deal faster thanthey did.
When the Ant King heard that the different groups of animals could
come to no agreement, he sent them the secret of Unity and the message
of working together.
Until this day, they have not understood the message of unity and
working together between each group and each species.
"O Naml! Enter your houses, (that)Suleiman and his hosts may not crush
you while they do not know" (27:18)

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STORY ~ The Prophet's (Mohamed Nabi's) Birth

The Year of his Noble Birth:
According to the most correct opinion of the scholars, the Prophet
sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam (SAWS) was born in the cityof Makkah in
the year of the Elephant (in the year 570 or 571CE), in the month of
Rabee'ul-Awwal.
The Day of his Birth:
There is an agreement amongst the Scholars that the Prophet (SAWS) was
born on a Monday, since he (SAWS) was asked about fasting on a Monday,
and he said:"On that day I was born and on that day Revelation
descended upon me." (Related by Muslim andAhmad)
However, as regards the exact date of his birth, then the scholarshave
differed about this. Dispite the common belief amongs people that he
(SAWS) was born on the 12th of Rabee'ul-Awwal, yet the only
substantiated fact regarding this date is that it is his (SAWS) death
date .
Imaam an-Nawawee (d.676H) - rahimahullaah- said: "There is on
agreement that he was born on Monday in the month of Rabee'ul-Awwal.
There is a difference of opinion whether this day was the2nd, 8th,
10th or 12th day of the month - and these are the four most well-known
opinions concerning this." 3
Events at the Time of his Birth:
Certain miraculous events are reported to have occurred at the time
that the Prophet (SAWS) was born. However, most of them are not
authentically related, rather they are da'eef (weak) or mawdoo'
(fabricated) and therefore cannot be relied upon as decisive proof;
such as the narration which relates that someof the galleries of
Kisraa's (the Persian King's) palace broke-up and collapsed, that the
sacred-fireof the Magians died-out and that some of the churches on
Lake Saawah (in Syria) collapsed and sank down. (Related by
adh-Dhahabee who said: munkar ghareeb (rejected))
However, it is authentically related that the Prophet (SAWS) said. "I
am a result of the supplication of my father Ibraaheem and the
glad-tidings brought by 'Eesaa 'alayhimus salaam. And my mother - when
she bore me - saw that a light shone out from her, which lit up the
palaces in Syria ... " (Related by al-Haakim and Ibn Katheer said:
"Its isnaad is good and strong.)
Celebrating the Day of his Birth:
Imaam al-Fakihaani (d.734H) - rahimahullaah -said: "Celebrating his
birthday has no basis in the Book (Qur'an) nor the Sunnah, nor is this
action recorded from any one of the scholars of this Ummah; those who
are taken as examples to be followed and whocling to the narrations.
Rather it isa bid'ah (innovotion), which was introduced by the
Battaaloon (a deviated sect from the Faatimids).
As regards to the origins of this newly-invented celebration, then
some of the research scholars have stated that the first person to
innovate this practice was 'Umar ibn Muhammad al-Mulaa in the city of
Mawsil in Iraaq, during the fourth century, as is mentioned by the
Imaam Abu Shaamah (d.665H).
He was followed in this by the likes of Abul-Khattaab 'Umar ibn
Dihyaa: "who was employed in the west, then travelled to Syria, then
he travelled to the city of Irbil in 'Iraaq, during the fourth
century, where he found its king Mudhaffarud-Deen ibn Zaynud-Deen
showing a keen interest in the Milaad (birthday) of the Prophet
(SAWS). So he composed a book for him called at-Tanweer fi
Mawlidis-Siraajil-Muneer; so he recited this to the king who then
rewarded him with one thousanddeenaars."
Imaam Maalik (d.179H) - rahimahullaah - said: 'Whosoever introduces
into Islaam an innovation, and holds it to be something good, has
indeed alleged that Muhammad (SAWS) has betrayed his message. Read the
saying of Allaah - the Most Blessed, the Most High: "This day Ihave
perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and I
have chosen for you Islaam as your religion." [Soorah al-Maa'idah
5:3]. So that which was not part of the religion at that time, cannot
be part of the religion today. And the last part ofthis Ummah cannot
be rectified, except by that which rectified its first part."
Thus, had the practice of celebrating the birthday of the Prophet
(SAWS) been something praiseworthy then: "the Salaf (thePious
Predecessors) - may Allaah be pleased with them all - would have
instituted it. For they were the ones having a greater love and honour
for Allaah's Messenger (SAWS) and a greater zeal for doing good.
Indeed, the most perfect expression of love and honour for him is by
following him, obeying him, carrying out his commands, upholding and
reviving his Sunnah (guidance and example) - both inwardly
andoutwardly - and in spreading his message and striving in this,
withthe heart, the hand and the tongue. Such was the path of the
Companions and those who followed them in goodness (i.e. beliefs and
actions)."

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STORY ~ Sister Naasira bint Ellison, a convert to Islam Hudaa, Jamaica, New York

Since the height of the feminist movement in the late 70's there has
been a magnifying glass placed over the status of Muslim women.
Unfortunately, the magnifying glass that has been used is an unusual
one. Unusual in the sense that it is very selective about which items
it will magnify; other items it will distortto such a degree that they
will no longer look familiar. I remember once reading in an "in depth"
article about the lives of Muslim women. This article "explained" that
at any time a man can divorce his wife by simply stating"I divorce
you, I divorce you, I divorce you". This article can lead anyone
ignorant of the Islamic ruling regarding divorce to believe that in
less than five seconds the woman is left with no husband and is left
to care for herself (and possibly children) by any means necessary.
The question that immediately popped up in my mind was, "Did the
author innocently write that out of sincere ignorance or was itanother
of the many attempts to degrade the religion of Islam and its
followers (muslims)?" It may be my own paranoia, but I tend to believe
it was the latter of the two.
The truth of the matter is that Islam has the most humane and most
just system of divorce that exists. Firstly, many options are taken
and tried before coming to the decision of the divorce. If the man and
woman decide that theycan no longer live together successfully as a
husband and wife, the husband (in most cases, not always) pronounces
the divorce by saying "I divorce you". At this point the waiting
period begins. The waiting periodlasts for three menstrual cycles to
assure the woman is not pregnant. This period allows the couple time
to think about what they are doing and if this is what they really
want to do. There are no lawyers involved to antagonise an already
delicate situation.
In the case that it is realised, that the woman is pregnant, the
waiting period lasts the entire time she is pregnant. During the
waiting period (whether the woman is pregnant or not) the man is
obligated to provide food, clothing and shelter to the woman as he did
before the divorce pronouncement. If the couple carries the divorce
through to the birth of the child and the woman suckles the baby, the
man is obligated to feed and clothe both his ex-wife for the time the
woman suckles (the maximum being two years). Afterthis weaning, the
child will be provided for by the father until he/she is no longer in
need of support.
It is quite ironic that in such an"advanced society" as America, there
are divorce cases in which women are being forced to pay alimony to
their ex-husbands. Canthis and many other things we know about the
American system of divorce compare to the Islamic system of divorce?
I have also read stories wherein itis stated that women are forced to
marry men without their consent. This in no way resembles the marriage
system inIslam. In Islaam the woman marries the man of her choice. She
may even marry someone that her mother and/or father objects to. The
point is that it is the woman who makes the final decision as to whom
she will marry. Once the man and the woman decide that they are
interested in one another for marriage, a dowry is decided upon. A
dowry is not a brides price but, it is a gift from the groom to the
bride. They agree upon a gift that is affordable by the groom. In the
time of the Prophet (sas), often things such as livestock and money
were given. This is a wise decision in the event that a woman becomes
divorced or widowed, she has some financial security to fall back on
even if it is for a limited amount of time. Once the man and woman are
married, the man is required to clothe, feed, shelter and educate her
(or allow her to be educated) in the same manner as he does himself.
The last distorted image that I willcover is that of the Muslim
women's dress. The western influenced media portrays our dress to be
outdated and oppressive. Needless to say however, I differ with these
adjectives. Our dress code does not hinder us from doing anything
productive in our lives. Muslim women maintain a varietyof jobs, non
of which are devalued nor hampered due to their dress code. And as for
the timing of muslims women's dressduring these contemporary times,it
seems most appropriate due to decreasing morals in the world today.
For those who say that Islamic dress is outdated, they speak from
great ignorance. The decreasing morality and trials of this time makes
Hijaab even morein need.

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