exclusive interview with a
TRANSCRIPT
Exclusive interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam speaks to India Today Editorial Director M.J. Akbar about the presidential election and his new book that is due to hit the shops soon.
When in doubt, sit it out. On June 13, APJ Kalam's prospects of a second innings in Rashtrapati Bhavan soared when Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav pushed his name. Kalam listened to other voices, discovered he could not win, and opted out on June 18.
The good news for him is that his 21st book, Turning Points, has hit the shops in the first week of July. According to this account of his Rashtrapati Bhavan years, in 2004 Sonia Gandhi didn't turn up to stake claim to form the government for three days despite the Congress emerging as the single largest party in the General Elections. It was only when Kalam called Sonia and asked her to meet him that she turned up with Manmohan Singh by her side. The former president spoke to Editorial Director M.J. Akbar.
Q. Shall we begin by discussing your book? How many books have you written?
A. 20. This is my 21st book.
Q. 21st! As an author too you have become an adult.
A. (Laughs) Right, right. Actually, two of my books-Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds-have sold a million copies. The others are also doing well.
Q. So have the publishers paid you your due royalties?
A. Yes, they pay very well.
Q. Would it be correct to say that every book of yours is, in a sense, an autobiography?
A. My experiences are somehow integrated with people's experiences. For me there are two types of people: The young and the experienced. So, you will find that in every book, I have narrated certain experiences from my life. Thousands of people have written to tell me how Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds and Indomitable Spirit have touched their hearts and made a difference in their lives. That is the greatest satisfaction for me.
Q. Which is the experience you would consider the most negative you have written about?
A. For me, there is no such thing as a negative experience. But I have faced problems. Two instances come to mind. My first experience of professional failure occurred in 1979, when a satellite carrier failed to launch. But I never allowed failure to become my captain. I also learned from observing some remarkable people. Instead of blaming me, my boss at the time accepted the entire responsibility for the failure of the project in front of 120 mediapersons. When I succeeded the next year, he did not take the credit and instead asked me to address a press conference. That leadership quality-in failure, having the ability to take the blame for your team, and sharing in their success-is a lesson I learned very early in life. Years later, when I became president and was presented the Office of Profit Bill, I felt there was a problem. I asked Parliament to reconsider. Of course there was a lot of controversy regarding my stance... a Standing Committee had to be set up to study the matter, but I stuck to my beliefs.
Q. You've observed life at the level of the common man, then later as a professional and in the last 10 years or so, you have watched India at the highest levels of political leadership. Do you find any leader today with the capacity to take the blame and share the success?
A. (Laughs) No... Look at this photo. I call it 'political grace'. It was taken in 2002 when my name was nominated by both Vajpayeeji and Soniaji... It shows all the political leaders together.
Q. So what happened to your name this time?
A. Well, no one proposed it. Of course there were discussions in political parties but I haven't been nominated. Some people asked me to contest and I told them I would announce my decision at the right time, which I did.
Q. But Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav proposed your name.
A. (Laughs) It was proposed and withdrawn too!
Q. So what did you think of Mulayam Singh's withdrawal?
A. I don't know. But I have written a letter to Mamata in which I have praised her leadership qualities.
Q. Leadership qualities?
A. Yes, because she was close to the golden throne. If she had worked through (with) the system she would have got whatever she wanted or at least half. But she took a stand and lost that opportunity. Of course she can recover her position. But she has the courage of a leader. Who must also have vision.
Q. Do you think Mamata Banerjee has vision?
A. Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.
Q. And a leader should not change his mind in 24 hours!
A. (Laughs) I can only define a leader. I can't give you any examples!
Q. The whole country has been watching this political drama (presidential election).
A. During the Mamata and Mulayam press conference, I was in Bihar as editor for a day for Prabhat Khabar. I told the newspaper 10 days earlier that if they want me to edit their paper, the first page must contain a thought that makes people smile and feature success stories of a farmer, fisherman, politician or anyone else. The paper showed me 20 success stories out of which I selected four and also contributed a poem I had written for the youth of Bihar.
Q. If you had to write a poem about this presidential election, what would be the first line?
A. Courage, courage, courage.
Q. But nobody showed any courage! Is that an appeal?
A. (Laughs) I'm proposing in Parliament that parties should devote more time to developmental politics. If one party promises to eradicate poverty in 10 years, another party should challenge it and promise to create economic prosperity.
Q. It is said that a day before you released a statement saying you would not contest the presidential polls, you had prepared a statement outlining the reasons why you would be a candidate. Including that you would be a 'people's candidate', not a party's candidate. Is that true?
A. At no time did I prepare any such statement.
Q. Did you consider yourself a candidate? Or tell anyone privately?
A. No, no. I received a lot of calls from various leaders asking me to contest and asking if I would agree to stand for election if I was nominated.
Q. Did Mr Advani call you?
A. Yes, a number of people called.
Q. Did Mamata Banerjee call you? Mulayam Singh?
A. Yes, all of them called me and asked me to stand. Many of them had doubts about whether I would stand.
Q. So finally, you took the decision not to contest based on the fact that you didn't have sufficient numbers.
A. Not only that. (Points at a photo on the table.) This photograph will reveal a graceful political system. I dream of that and will work for that.
Q. But this photo is invalid because the Congress consciously never accepted your name this time.
A. I want you to understand from this photograph, taken in 2002, how the political system should work-politicians must work together for the good of the nation.
Q. Were they able to work together because Atal Bihari Vajpayee was then prime minister?
A. Yes, leadership counts. A leader is a visionary, a missionary. He is not afraid of any problem, does not follow anyone but makes his own path.
Q. You make a fairly bland statement that you were surprised Mrs Gandhi did not stake her claim (to become PM in 2004). If we revisit that period, what happened during the first meeting you had with Mrs Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh?
A. After they (the Congress) won the elections, no one from the party came to meet me for at least three days. As they were the single largest party, I called Mrs Gandhi and asked her to meet me. She
arrived with Dr Manmohan Singh and said that the party had decided to make him the prime minister. If you remember, at the time many parties were against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM, despite the Supreme Court giving her the go-ahead. I had also received several letters against her becoming PM which I had forwarded to the government (the Congress).
Q. So what was the government's response?
A. No, no, government doesn't reply (laughs).
Q. Subramanian Swamy has said it was his intervention; he had raised the issue of citizenship. Then there were sms campaigns against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM.
A. Besides Mr Swamy, many other parties and individuals also wrote to me. We have to remember that after all those campaigns a judicial judgment was taken. After the Supreme Court announced that Mrs Gandhi could become PM, how could I supersede it?
Q. Then what stopped her from staking claim to the PM's post?
A. That only Mrs Gandhi knows.
Q. Did you meet Mr Vajpayee after he was defeated?
A. A number of times. He took the defeat in his stride. That's another example of leadership qualities. I remember when Narasimha Rao was PM, I was his scientific adviser for the atomic energy programme. Just before the 1996 elections, Rao told me, 'I'm going to Tirupati, stand by for nuclear tests.' Success seemed assured and he wanted to celebrate with a nuclear test. Unfortunately, he lost. Soon after, I got a call from both victor and vanquished; they wanted to meet me. Rao asked me to brief the new PM on the nuclear programme. Where matters of the country were concerned, work would go on. Nation is bigger than political party.
Q. There is a famous story that you were blessed by Swami Sivananda in your youth.
A. As a child I wanted to be a pilot. So when I grew up, I applied to the Indian Air Force and was called for an interview to Dehradun. For 10 days I was put through a series of gruelling tests and then I found out I had failed the medical test. Despondent, I left Dehradun and on the banks of the Ganga, I saw Swami Sivananda surrounded by thousands of devotees. I sat in the last row. A little later he beckoned me and a French tourist and blessed us and gave us vishwaroopam, what Lord Krishna gave Arjun to dispel all his fears. When I returned to Delhi, a job was waiting for me: Senior scientific adviser in the Ministry of Defence.
Q. In the book, you mention that you do the morning namaaz.
A. Yes, every day, whenever possible. My father was very strict about namaaz and would wake me up at 4 a.m. and take me to the mosque. I also fast.
Q. So why is it that the so-called Muslim leaders in the North always have the feeling that you are not a practising Muslim?
A. First of all, I am an Indian and try to be a good human being. People can call me XYZ, that's their freedom of expression. There is no conflict of any kind regarding my faith in Islam. I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere.
Q. You had several conversations with Vajpayee when he was PM. In your own assessment, do you consider Modi guilty of the Gujarat riots?
A. I'm not there to pronounce a judgment on the Gujarat riots; that's the work of the judiciary. But I will narrate another incident about Vajpayee. When he took over the Cabinet, I was scientific adviser. He called me to his office one night and offered me a Cabinet post. I was busy with the Agni and nuclear programme. The next morning I went back to meet him. He sat in his room, surrounded by trays of sweets, which were a weakness of his. I told him I was sorry but I couldn't become a minister as my work on the two programmes would suffer. Later, I finished work on the programmes, left the government and went back to teaching. It was then that Vajpayee called me and asked me to become president.
Q. Do you think Vajpayee considered Modi guilty of the riots?
A. I can't speak for him. Whether the riots were planned or just happened, we don't know but any right-thinking individual would not support any wrong being done to a community. When I visited Gujarat, I did not go to investigate what happened and whether Modi was right or wrong, but to remove the pain and accelerate relief work.
Q. There is a controversy over whether Modi can be a prime ministerial candidate. What is your view?
A. It doesn't matter what I think. We are a democratic country; the people of India will decide.
Q. Between Nitish Kumar and Modi, who would make a better PM?
A. (Laughs) Don't drag me into a controversy! I know both of them very well and they are good friends.
Q. You just met Nitish Kumar...
A. Yes, we discussed the presidential elections. He told me I had a lot of support within the NDA but did not have the numbers to win.
Q. So you took his advice and decided not to contest.
A. I also relied on my conscience. Conscience is my king.
Q. Yet you put your conscience aside during the Bihar Assembly polls when the PM spoke to you and said the government would fall.
A. The Bihar governor had sent the PM a note stating the Assembly was not functioning at all and the state government was in chaos. The PM called me in Moscow and said the situation had reached crisis point. He asked me for my views and said he had called a Cabinet meeting. I did some research of my own and then the PM called back in an hour and relayed the Cabinet's decision. So I took an informed decision.
Q. But you write in your book that you almost resigned.
A. Almost. Because the judiciary believed I took the decision sitting in Moscow, unaware that I was receiving up-to-the-minute information. They found fault with the governor, so I felt I should resign. But the vice-president was away on tour so there was a gap of a few hours before I could inform him. In that time period, I met the PM and we had a long chat during which he convinced me not to resign in the interest of the nation. So I didn't.
Q. But so many people use that as an excuse to continue in office.
A. Not me. Why should I cling to power? What will I gain by becoming the president again? I don't need anything from anybody.
Q. Corruption is one of the most serious threats facing our nation today. If you were prime minister, would you pass the Lokpal bill?
A. Corruption is a continuous process (laughs). There is no doubt that Anna (Hazare) is fighting for an important cause. But if the Lokpal bill is passed, it will just serve to fill up all our jails. Instead, I propose another movement for the youth (below 35) called 'What can I give'. It has just three components: Make your mother happy, make your father free from corruption and work towards saving the environment by planting trees. Anna heard about my idea and said it will take a long time to bear fruit but his mechanical process will only end up filling jails, while people's minds and hearts remain unchanged.
Q. Anna Hazare says 15 ministers are corrupt. How much corruption did you see while in government?
A. I didn't calculate (laughs).
Source: www.indiatoday.in
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Reply to all
Forward
to nrindians
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
This is my 21st book.
Oh! Good News!
If I am not wrong, Dr. APJAbdul Kalam is definitely a hereditary Muslim reflected by his thinking andactions. He wrote 21 books but did not spend time to acquire the basic knowledgeof Islamic faith, that is, Islamic Monotheism (Tawheed). I request the past-Presidentthrough email to study, understand, ponder and memorize at least the last 30thJuz of the Glorious Quran and write a book on the concept of Tawheed in Islam.As an experienced and well-talented writer with multi-dimensional vision he canwrite a book in a few months. I will launch the book in North America.
Best Regards,
Dr Syed Ali Mahmood
Isotope Geochemist/Research Scientist
From: Siraj Wahab <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]; Tanzeem Hum Hindustani <[email protected]>; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 7:27:31 AM
Subject: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
http://news.in.msn.com/exclusives/it/article.aspx?cp-documentid=250284271#page=1
Exclusive interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam speaks to India Today Editorial Director M.J. Akbar about the presidential election and his new book that is due to hit the shops soon.
When in doubt, sit it out. On June 13, APJ Kalam's prospects of a second innings in Rashtrapati Bhavan soared when Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav pushed his name. Kalam listened to other voices, discovered he could not win, and opted out on June 18.
The good news for him is that his 21st book, Turning Points, has hit the shops in the first week of July. According to this account of his Rashtrapati Bhavan years, in 2004 Sonia Gandhi didn't turn up to stake claim to form the government for three days despite the Congress emerging as the single largest party in the General Elections. It was only when Kalam called Sonia and asked her to meet him that she turned up with Manmohan Singh by her side. The former president spoke to Editorial Director M.J. Akbar.
Q. Shall we begin by discussing your book? How many books have you written?
A. 20. This is my 21st book.
Q. 21st! As an author too you have become an adult.
A. (Laughs) Right, right. Actually, two of my books-Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds-have sold a million copies. The others are also doing well.
Q. So have the publishers paid you your due royalties?
A. Yes, they pay very well.
Q. Would it be correct to say that every book of yours is, in a sense, an autobiography?
A. My experiences are somehow integrated with people's experiences. For me there are two types of people: The young and the experienced. So, you will find that in every book, I have narrated certain experiences from my life. Thousands of people have written to tell me how Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds and Indomitable Spirit have touched their hearts and made a difference in their lives. That is the greatest satisfaction for me.
Q. Which is the experience you would consider the most negative you have written about?
A. For me, there is no such thing as a negative experience. But I have faced problems. Two instances come to mind. My first experience of professional failure occurred in 1979, when a satellite carrier failed to launch. But I never allowed failure to become my captain. I also learned from observing some remarkable people. Instead of blaming me, my boss at the time accepted the entire responsibility for the failure of the project in front of 120 mediapersons. When I succeeded the next year, he did not take the credit and instead asked me to address a press conference. That leadership quality-in failure, having the ability to take the blame for your team, and sharing in their success-is a lesson I learned very early in life. Years later, when I became president and was presented the Office of Profit Bill, I felt there was a problem. I asked Parliament to reconsider. Of course there was a lot of controversy regarding my stance... a Standing Committee had to be set up to study the matter, but I stuck to my beliefs.
Q. You've observed life at the level of the common man, then later as a professional and in the last 10 years or so, you have watched India at the highest levels of political leadership. Do you find any leader today with the capacity to take the blame and share the success?
A. (Laughs) No... Look at this photo. I call it 'political grace'. It was taken in 2002 when my name was nominated by both Vajpayeeji and Soniaji... It shows all the political leaders together.
Q. So what happened to your name this time?
A. Well, no one proposed it. Of course there were discussions in political parties but I haven't been nominated. Some people asked me to contest and I told them I would announce my decision at the right time, which I did.
Q. But Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav proposed your name.
A. (Laughs) It was proposed and withdrawn too!
Q. So what did you think of Mulayam Singh's withdrawal?
A. I don't know. But I have written a letter to Mamata in which I have praised her leadership qualities.
Q. Leadership qualities?
A. Yes, because she was close to the golden throne. If she had worked through (with) the system she would have got whatever she wanted or at least half. But she took a stand and lost that opportunity. Of course she can recover her position. But she has the courage of a leader. Who must also have vision.
Q. Do you think Mamata Banerjee has vision?
A. Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.
Q. And a leader should not change his mind in 24 hours!
A. (Laughs) I can only define a leader. I can't give you any examples!
Q. The whole country has been watching this political drama (presidential election).
A. During the Mamata and Mulayam press conference, I was in Bihar as editor for a day for Prabhat Khabar. I told the newspaper 10 days earlier that if they want me to edit their paper, the first page must contain a thought that makes people smile and feature success stories of a farmer, fisherman, politician
or anyone else. The paper showed me 20 success stories out of which I selected four and also contributed a poem I had written for the youth of Bihar.
Q. If you had to write a poem about this presidential election, what would be the first line?
A. Courage, courage, courage.
Q. But nobody showed any courage! Is that an appeal?
A. (Laughs) I'm proposing in Parliament that parties should devote more time to developmental politics. If one party promises to eradicate poverty in 10 years, another party should challenge it and promise to create economic prosperity.
Q. It is said that a day before you released a statement saying you would not contest the presidential polls, you had prepared a statement outlining the reasons why you would be a candidate. Including that you would be a 'people's candidate', not a party's candidate. Is that true?
A. At no time did I prepare any such statement.
Q. Did you consider yourself a candidate? Or tell anyone privately?
A. No, no. I received a lot of calls from various leaders asking me to contest and asking if I would agree to stand for election if I was nominated.
Q. Did Mr Advani call you?
A. Yes, a number of people called.
Q. Did Mamata Banerjee call you? Mulayam Singh?
A. Yes, all of them called me and asked me to stand. Many of them had doubts about whether I would stand.
Q. So finally, you took the decision not to contest based on the fact that you didn't have sufficient numbers.
A. Not only that. (Points at a photo on the table.) This photograph will reveal a graceful political system. I dream of that and will work for that.
Q. But this photo is invalid because the Congress consciously never accepted your name this time.
A. I want you to understand from this photograph, taken in 2002, how the political system should work-politicians must work together for the good of the nation.
Q. Were they able to work together because Atal Bihari Vajpayee was then prime minister?
A. Yes, leadership counts. A leader is a visionary, a missionary. He is not afraid of any problem, does not follow anyone but makes his own path.
Q. You make a fairly bland statement that you were surprised Mrs Gandhi did not stake her claim (to become PM in 2004). If we revisit that period, what happened during the first meeting you had with Mrs Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh?
A. After they (the Congress) won the elections, no one from the party came to meet me for at least three days. As they were the single largest party, I called Mrs Gandhi and asked her to meet me. She arrived with Dr Manmohan Singh and said that the party had decided to make him the prime minister. If you remember, at the time many parties were against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM, despite the Supreme
Court giving her the go-ahead. I had also received several letters against her becoming PM which I had forwarded to the government (the Congress).
Q. So what was the government's response?
A. No, no, government doesn't reply (laughs).
Q. Subramanian Swamy has said it was his intervention; he had raised the issue of citizenship. Then there were sms campaigns against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM.
A. Besides Mr Swamy, many other parties and individuals also wrote to me. We have to remember that after all those campaigns a judicial judgment was taken. After the Supreme Court announced that Mrs Gandhi could become PM, how could I supersede it?
Q. Then what stopped her from staking claim to the PM's post?
A. That only Mrs Gandhi knows.
Q. Did you meet Mr Vajpayee after he was defeated?
A. A number of times. He took the defeat in his stride. That's another example of leadership qualities. I remember when Narasimha Rao was PM, I was his scientific adviser for the atomic energy programme. Just before the 1996 elections, Rao told me, 'I'm going to Tirupati, stand by for nuclear tests.' Success seemed assured and he wanted to celebrate with a nuclear test. Unfortunately, he lost. Soon after, I got a call from both victor and vanquished; they wanted to meet me. Rao asked me to brief the new PM on the nuclear programme. Where matters of the country were concerned, work would go on. Nation is bigger than political party.
Q. There is a famous story that you were blessed by Swami Sivananda in your youth.
A. As a child I wanted to be a pilot. So when I grew up, I applied to the Indian Air Force and was called for an interview to Dehradun. For 10 days I was put through a series of gruelling tests and then I found out I had failed the medical test. Despondent, I left Dehradun and on the banks of the Ganga, I saw Swami Sivananda surrounded by thousands of devotees. I sat in the last row. A little later he beckoned me and a French tourist and blessed us and gave us vishwaroopam, what Lord Krishna gave Arjun to dispel all his fears. When I returned to Delhi, a job was waiting for me: Senior scientific adviser in the Ministry of Defence.
Q. In the book, you mention that you do the morning namaaz.
A. Yes, every day, whenever possible. My father was very strict about namaaz and would wake me up at 4 a.m. and take me to the mosque. I also fast.
Q. So why is it that the so-called Muslim leaders in the North always have the feeling that you are not a practising Muslim?
A. First of all, I am an Indian and try to be a good human being. People can call me XYZ, that's their freedom of expression. There is no conflict of any kind regarding my faith in Islam. I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere.
Q. You had several conversations with Vajpayee when he was PM. In your own assessment, do you consider Modi guilty of the Gujarat riots?
A. I'm not there to pronounce a judgment on the Gujarat riots; that's the work of the judiciary. But I will narrate another incident about Vajpayee. When he took over the Cabinet, I was scientific adviser. He called me to his office one night and offered me a Cabinet post. I was busy with the Agni and nuclear programme. The next morning I went back to meet him. He sat in his room, surrounded by trays of sweets, which were a weakness of his. I told him I was sorry but I couldn't become a minister as my work on the two programmes would suffer. Later, I finished work on the programmes, left the government and went back to teaching. It was then that Vajpayee called me and asked me to become president.
Q. Do you think Vajpayee considered Modi guilty of the riots?
A. I can't speak for him. Whether the riots were planned or just happened, we don't know but any right-thinking individual would not support any wrong being done to a community. When I visited Gujarat, I did not go to investigate what happened and whether Modi was right or wrong, but to remove the pain and accelerate relief work.
Q. There is a controversy over whether Modi can be a prime ministerial candidate. What is your view?
A. It doesn't matter what I think. We are a democratic country; the people of India will decide.
Q. Between Nitish Kumar and Modi, who would make a better PM?
A. (Laughs) Don't drag me into a controversy! I know both of them very well and they are good friends.
Q. You just met Nitish Kumar...
A. Yes, we discussed the presidential elections. He told me I had a lot of support within the NDA but did not have the numbers to win.
Q. So you took his advice and decided not to contest.
A. I also relied on my conscience. Conscience is my king.
Q. Yet you put your conscience aside during the Bihar Assembly polls when the PM spoke to you and said the government would fall.
A. The Bihar governor had sent the PM a note stating the Assembly was not functioning at all and the state government was in chaos. The PM called me in Moscow and said the situation had reached crisis point. He asked me for my views and said he had called a Cabinet meeting. I did some research of my own and then the PM called back in an hour and relayed the Cabinet's decision. So I took an informed decision.
Q. But you write in your book that you almost resigned.
A. Almost. Because the judiciary believed I took the decision sitting in Moscow, unaware that I was receiving up-to-the-minute information. They found fault with the governor, so I felt I should resign. But the vice-president was away on tour so there was a gap of a few hours before I could inform him. In that time period, I met the PM and we had a long chat during which he convinced me not to resign in the interest of the nation. So I didn't.
Q. But so many people use that as an excuse to continue in office.
A. Not me. Why should I cling to power? What will I gain by becoming the president again? I don't need anything from anybody.
Q. Corruption is one of the most serious threats facing our nation today. If you were prime minister, would you pass the Lokpal bill?
A. Corruption is a continuous process (laughs). There is no doubt that Anna (Hazare) is fighting for an important cause. But if the Lokpal bill is passed, it will just serve to fill up all our jails. Instead, I propose another movement for the youth (below 35) called 'What can I give'. It has just three components: Make your mother happy, make your father free from corruption and work towards saving the environment by planting trees. Anna heard about my idea and said it will take a long time to bear fruit but his mechanical process will only end up filling jails, while people's minds and hearts remain unchanged.
Q. Anna Hazare says 15 ministers are corrupt. How much corruption did you see while in government?
A. I didn't calculate (laughs).
Source: http://www.indiatoday.in/
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Kalam-2-png.png
186K View Download
Reply
Reply to all
Forward
to nrindians, apj, Ali, Ahmeduddin, Hasan, MOHAMMED
وبركاته الله رحمة و عليكم السالم
May Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Almighty God be on you!
My Dear Brothers & Sisters,
I definitely appreciate the views of all of you.
When I read APJ Sir, saying "God is everywhere" I took this with a pinch of salt. We need to keep in mind that as an ex president of India, his article would be read by people of all religions. A person in his position is always walking the tight rope.
Guess it is only Allah who has to decide if APJ Sir is doing shirk or otherwise.
My personal opinion, a Muslim should always remember that he/she is first a Muslim, a slave of Allah & after that is any thing that Allah has granted him/her in this world, hence should never do or say anything which amounts to shirk, immaterial of the consequences..
God Bless You!
God Bless India!!
Love & Regards
Khaleel Ahmed H. M.
Member, Bangalore District Working Committee,
Social Democratic Party of India
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Human Life is Precious
Koran Surah Ma'idah Chapter 5 Verse 32:
If anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, & if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind.
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 7:20 AM, Ali Syed <[email protected]> wrote:
This is my 21st book.
Oh! Good News!
If I am not wrong, Dr. APJAbdul Kalam is definitely a hereditary Muslim reflected by his thinking andactions. He wrote 21 books but did not spend time to acquire the basic knowledgeof Islamic faith, that is, Islamic Monotheism (Tawheed). I request the past-Presidentthrough email to study, understand, ponder and memorize at least the last 30thJuz of the Glorious Quran and write a book on the concept of Tawheed in Islam.As an experienced and well-talented writer with multi-dimensional vision he canwrite a book in a few months. I will launch the book in North America.
Best Regards,
Dr Syed Ali Mahmood
Isotope Geochemist/Research Scientist
From: Siraj Wahab <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]; Tanzeem Hum Hindustani <[email protected]>; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 7:27:31 AM
Subject: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
http://news.in.msn.com/exclusives/it/article.aspx?cp-documentid=250284271#page=1
Exclusive interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam speaks to India Today Editorial Director M.J. Akbar about the presidential election and his new book that is due to hit the shops soon.
When in doubt, sit it out. On June 13, APJ Kalam's prospects of a second innings in Rashtrapati Bhavan soared when Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav pushed his name. Kalam listened to other voices, discovered he could not win, and opted out on June 18.
The good news for him is that his 21st book, Turning Points, has hit the shops in the first week of July. According to this account of his Rashtrapati Bhavan years, in 2004 Sonia Gandhi didn't turn up to stake claim to form the government for three days despite the Congress emerging as the single largest party in the General Elections. It was only when Kalam called Sonia and asked her to meet him that she turned up with Manmohan Singh by her side. The former president spoke to Editorial Director M.J. Akbar.
Q. Shall we begin by discussing your book? How many books have you written?
A. 20. This is my 21st book.
Q. 21st! As an author too you have become an adult.
A. (Laughs) Right, right. Actually, two of my books-Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds-have sold a million copies. The others are also doing well.
Q. So have the publishers paid you your due royalties?
A. Yes, they pay very well.
Q. Would it be correct to say that every book of yours is, in a sense, an autobiography?
A. My experiences are somehow integrated with people's experiences. For me there are two types of people: The young and the experienced. So, you will find that in every book, I have narrated certain experiences from my life. Thousands of people have written to tell me how Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds and Indomitable Spirit have touched their hearts and made a difference in their lives. That is the greatest satisfaction for me.
Q. Which is the experience you would consider the most negative you have written about?
A. For me, there is no such thing as a negative experience. But I have faced problems. Two instances come to mind. My first experience of professional failure occurred in 1979, when a satellite carrier failed to launch. But I never allowed failure to become my captain. I also learned from observing some remarkable people. Instead of blaming me, my boss at the time accepted the entire responsibility for the failure of the project in front of 120 mediapersons. When I succeeded the next year, he did not take the credit and instead asked me to address a press conference. That leadership quality-in failure, having the ability to take the blame for your team, and sharing in their success-is a lesson I learned very early in life. Years later, when I became president and was presented the Office of Profit Bill, I felt there was a problem. I asked Parliament to reconsider. Of course there was a lot of controversy regarding my stance... a Standing Committee had to be set up to study the matter, but I stuck to my beliefs.
Q. You've observed life at the level of the common man, then later as a professional and in the last 10 years or so, you have watched India at the highest levels of political leadership. Do you find any leader today with the capacity to take the blame and share the success?
A. (Laughs) No... Look at this photo. I call it 'political grace'. It was taken in 2002 when my name was nominated by both Vajpayeeji and Soniaji... It shows all the political leaders together.
Q. So what happened to your name this time?
A. Well, no one proposed it. Of course there were discussions in political parties but I haven't been nominated. Some people asked me to contest and I told them I would announce my decision at the right time, which I did.
Q. But Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav proposed your name.
A. (Laughs) It was proposed and withdrawn too!
Q. So what did you think of Mulayam Singh's withdrawal?
A. I don't know. But I have written a letter to Mamata in which I have praised her leadership qualities.
Q. Leadership qualities?
A. Yes, because she was close to the golden throne. If she had worked through (with) the system she would have got whatever she wanted or at least half. But she took a stand and lost that opportunity. Of course she can recover her position. But she has the courage of a leader. Who must also have vision.
Q. Do you think Mamata Banerjee has vision?
A. Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.
Q. And a leader should not change his mind in 24 hours!
A. (Laughs) I can only define a leader. I can't give you any examples!
Q. The whole country has been watching this political drama (presidential election).
A. During the Mamata and Mulayam press conference, I was in Bihar as editor for a day for Prabhat Khabar. I told the newspaper 10 days earlier that if they want me to edit their paper, the first page must contain a thought that makes people smile and feature success stories of a farmer, fisherman, politician or anyone else. The paper showed me 20 success stories out of which I selected four and also contributed a poem I had written for the youth of Bihar.
Q. If you had to write a poem about this presidential election, what would be the first line?
A. Courage, courage, courage.
Q. But nobody showed any courage! Is that an appeal?
A. (Laughs) I'm proposing in Parliament that parties should devote more time to developmental politics. If one party promises to eradicate poverty in 10 years, another party should challenge it and promise to create economic prosperity.
Q. It is said that a day before you released a statement saying you would not contest the presidential polls, you had prepared a statement outlining the reasons why you would be a candidate. Including that you would be a 'people's candidate', not a party's candidate. Is that true?
A. At no time did I prepare any such statement.
Q. Did you consider yourself a candidate? Or tell anyone privately?
A. No, no. I received a lot of calls from various leaders asking me to contest and asking if I would agree to stand for election if I was nominated.
Q. Did Mr Advani call you?
A. Yes, a number of people called.
Q. Did Mamata Banerjee call you? Mulayam Singh?
A. Yes, all of them called me and asked me to stand. Many of them had doubts about whether I would stand.
Q. So finally, you took the decision not to contest based on the fact that you didn't have sufficient numbers.
A. Not only that. (Points at a photo on the table.) This photograph will reveal a graceful political system. I dream of that and will work for that.
Q. But this photo is invalid because the Congress consciously never accepted your name this time.
A. I want you to understand from this photograph, taken in 2002, how the political system should work-politicians must work together for the good of the nation.
Q. Were they able to work together because Atal Bihari Vajpayee was then prime minister?
A. Yes, leadership counts. A leader is a visionary, a missionary. He is not afraid of any problem, does not follow anyone but makes his own path.
Q. You make a fairly bland statement that you were surprised Mrs Gandhi did not stake her claim (to become PM in 2004). If we revisit that period, what happened during the first meeting you had with Mrs Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh?
A. After they (the Congress) won the elections, no one from the party came to meet me for at least three days. As they were the single largest party, I called Mrs Gandhi and asked her to meet me. She arrived with Dr Manmohan Singh and said that the party had decided to make him the prime minister. If you remember, at the time many parties were against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM, despite the Supreme Court giving her the go-ahead. I had also received several letters against her becoming PM which I had forwarded to the government (the Congress).
Q. So what was the government's response?
A. No, no, government doesn't reply (laughs).
Q. Subramanian Swamy has said it was his intervention; he had raised the issue of citizenship. Then there were sms campaigns against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM.
A. Besides Mr Swamy, many other parties and individuals also wrote to me. We have to remember that after all those campaigns a judicial judgment was taken. After the Supreme Court announced that Mrs Gandhi could become PM, how could I supersede it?
Q. Then what stopped her from staking claim to the PM's post?
A. That only Mrs Gandhi knows.
Q. Did you meet Mr Vajpayee after he was defeated?
A. A number of times. He took the defeat in his stride. That's another example of leadership qualities. I remember when Narasimha Rao was PM, I was his scientific adviser for the atomic energy programme. Just before the 1996 elections, Rao told me, 'I'm going to Tirupati, stand by for nuclear tests.' Success seemed assured and he wanted to celebrate with a nuclear test. Unfortunately, he lost. Soon after, I got a call from both victor and vanquished; they wanted to meet me. Rao asked me to brief the new PM on the nuclear programme. Where matters of the country were concerned, work would go on. Nation is bigger than political party.
Q. There is a famous story that you were blessed by Swami Sivananda in your youth.
A. As a child I wanted to be a pilot. So when I grew up, I applied to the Indian Air Force and was called for an interview to Dehradun. For 10 days I was put through a series of gruelling tests and then I found out I had failed the medical test. Despondent, I left Dehradun and on the banks of the Ganga, I saw Swami Sivananda surrounded by thousands of devotees. I sat in the last row. A little later he beckoned me and a French tourist and blessed us and gave us vishwaroopam, what Lord Krishna gave Arjun to dispel all his fears. When I returned to Delhi, a job was waiting for me: Senior scientific adviser in the Ministry of Defence.
Q. In the book, you mention that you do the morning namaaz.
A. Yes, every day, whenever possible. My father was very strict about namaaz and would wake me up at 4 a.m. and take me to the mosque. I also fast.
Q. So why is it that the so-called Muslim leaders in the North always have the feeling that you are not a practising Muslim?
A. First of all, I am an Indian and try to be a good human being. People can call me XYZ, that's their freedom of expression. There is no conflict of any kind regarding my faith in Islam. I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere.
Q. You had several conversations with Vajpayee when he was PM. In your own assessment, do you consider Modi guilty of the Gujarat riots?
A. I'm not there to pronounce a judgment on the Gujarat riots; that's the work of the judiciary. But I will narrate another incident about Vajpayee. When he took over the Cabinet, I was scientific adviser. He called me to his office one night and offered me a Cabinet post. I was busy with the Agni and nuclear programme. The next morning I went back to meet him. He sat in his room, surrounded by trays of sweets, which were a weakness of his. I told him I was sorry but I couldn't become a minister as my work on the two programmes would suffer. Later, I finished work on the programmes, left the government and went back to teaching. It was then that Vajpayee called me and asked me to become president.
Q. Do you think Vajpayee considered Modi guilty of the riots?
A. I can't speak for him. Whether the riots were planned or just happened, we don't know but any right-thinking individual would not support any wrong being done to a community. When I visited Gujarat, I did not go to investigate what happened and whether Modi was right or wrong, but to remove the pain and accelerate relief work.
Q. There is a controversy over whether Modi can be a prime ministerial candidate. What is your view?
A. It doesn't matter what I think. We are a democratic country; the people of India will decide.
Q. Between Nitish Kumar and Modi, who would make a better PM?
A. (Laughs) Don't drag me into a controversy! I know both of them very well and they are good friends.
Q. You just met Nitish Kumar...
A. Yes, we discussed the presidential elections. He told me I had a lot of support within the NDA but did not have the numbers to win.
Q. So you took his advice and decided not to contest.
A. I also relied on my conscience. Conscience is my king.
Q. Yet you put your conscience aside during the Bihar Assembly polls when the PM spoke to you and said the government would fall.
A. The Bihar governor had sent the PM a note stating the Assembly was not functioning at all and the state government was in chaos. The PM called me in Moscow and said the situation had reached crisis point. He asked me for my views and said he had called a Cabinet meeting. I did some research of my own and then the PM called back in an hour and relayed the Cabinet's decision. So I took an informed decision.
Q. But you write in your book that you almost resigned.
A. Almost. Because the judiciary believed I took the decision sitting in Moscow, unaware that I was receiving up-to-the-minute information. They found fault with the governor, so I felt I should resign. But the vice-president was away on tour so there was a gap of a few hours before I could inform him. In that time period, I met the PM and we had a long chat during which he convinced me not to resign in the interest of the nation. So I didn't.
Q. But so many people use that as an excuse to continue in office.
A. Not me. Why should I cling to power? What will I gain by becoming the president again? I don't need anything from anybody.
Q. Corruption is one of the most serious threats facing our nation today. If you were prime minister, would you pass the Lokpal bill?
A. Corruption is a continuous process (laughs). There is no doubt that Anna (Hazare) is fighting for an important cause. But if the Lokpal bill is passed, it will just serve to fill up all our jails. Instead, I propose another movement for the youth (below 35) called 'What can I give'. It has just three components: Make your mother happy, make your father free from corruption and work towards saving the environment by planting trees. Anna heard about my idea and said it will take a long time to bear fruit but his mechanical process will only end up filling jails, while people's minds and hearts remain unchanged.
Q. Anna Hazare says 15 ministers are corrupt. How much corruption did you see while in government?
A. I didn't calculate (laughs).
Source: http://www.indiatoday.in/
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Reply to all
Forward
to nrindians
O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers
Dear Ahmad Ovais sahab , Kaleem Kawaja Sahab and other brothers, Assalamalaikum.I would like to wait for a while to hear the opinion of others on this matter and write the reply.
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
On 10 July 2012 00:44, ahmad ovais <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear all and Janab Hameed Sahab,
Assalam alaikum. I have two questions:
Just because someone visits a church or a temple, makes them "not one of us" and a recipient of our pity?
Is this enough proof from a point of view of fiqh to caste someone as "not one of us" and refer to them in derogatory manner?
To help us think, let me quote a Hadith for everyone:
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales; and do not look for the others' faults and do not spy, and do not be jealous of one another, and do not desert (cut your relation with) one another, and do not hate one another; and O Allah's worshipers! Be brothers (as Allah has ordered you!"). Bukhari, Book 8, Volume 73, Hadith 90
Regards,
Ahmad
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
On 9 July 2012 07:27, Siraj Wahab <[email protected]> wrote:
http://news.in.msn.com/exclusives/it/article.aspx?cp-documentid=250284271#page=1
Exclusive interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam speaks to India Today Editorial Director M.J. Akbar about the presidential election and his new book that is due to hit the shops soon.
When in doubt, sit it out. On June 13, APJ Kalam's prospects of a second innings in Rashtrapati Bhavan soared when Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav pushed his name. Kalam listened to other voices, discovered he could not win, and opted out on June 18.
The good news for him is that his 21st book, Turning Points, has hit the shops in the first week of July. According to this account of his Rashtrapati Bhavan years, in 2004 Sonia Gandhi didn't turn up to stake claim to form the government for three days despite the Congress emerging as the single largest party in the General Elections. It was only when Kalam called Sonia and asked her to meet him that she turned up with Manmohan Singh by her side. The former president spoke to Editorial Director M.J. Akbar.
Q. Shall we begin by discussing your book? How many books have you written?
A. 20. This is my 21st book.
Q. 21st! As an author too you have become an adult.
A. (Laughs) Right, right. Actually, two of my books-Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds-have sold a million copies. The others are also doing well.
Q. So have the publishers paid you your due royalties?
A. Yes, they pay very well.
Q. Would it be correct to say that every book of yours is, in a sense, an autobiography?
A. My experiences are somehow integrated with people's experiences. For me there are two types of people: The young and the experienced. So, you will find that in every book, I have narrated certain experiences from my life. Thousands of people have written to tell me how Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds and Indomitable Spirit have touched their hearts and made a difference in their lives. That is the greatest satisfaction for me.
Q. Which is the experience you would consider the most negative you have written about?
A. For me, there is no such thing as a negative experience. But I have faced problems. Two instances come to mind. My first experience of professional failure occurred in 1979, when a satellite carrier failed to launch. But I never allowed failure to become my captain. I also learned from observing some remarkable people. Instead of blaming me, my boss at the time accepted the entire responsibility for the failure of the project in front of 120 mediapersons. When I succeeded the next year, he did not take the credit and instead asked me to address a press conference. That leadership quality-in failure, having the ability to take the blame for your team, and sharing in their success-is a lesson I learned very early in life. Years later, when I became president and was presented the Office of Profit Bill, I felt there was a
problem. I asked Parliament to reconsider. Of course there was a lot of controversy regarding my stance... a Standing Committee had to be set up to study the matter, but I stuck to my beliefs.
Q. You've observed life at the level of the common man, then later as a professional and in the last 10 years or so, you have watched India at the highest levels of political leadership. Do you find any leader today with the capacity to take the blame and share the success?
A. (Laughs) No... Look at this photo. I call it 'political grace'. It was taken in 2002 when my name was nominated by both Vajpayeeji and Soniaji... It shows all the political leaders together.
Q. So what happened to your name this time?
A. Well, no one proposed it. Of course there were discussions in political parties but I haven't been nominated. Some people asked me to contest and I told them I would announce my decision at the right time, which I did.
Q. But Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav proposed your name.
A. (Laughs) It was proposed and withdrawn too!
Q. So what did you think of Mulayam Singh's withdrawal?
A. I don't know. But I have written a letter to Mamata in which I have praised her leadership qualities.
Q. Leadership qualities?
A. Yes, because she was close to the golden throne. If she had worked through (with) the system she would have got whatever she wanted or at least half. But she took a stand and lost that opportunity. Of course she can recover her position. But she has the courage of a leader. Who must also have vision.
Q. Do you think Mamata Banerjee has vision?
A. Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.
Q. And a leader should not change his mind in 24 hours!
A. (Laughs) I can only define a leader. I can't give you any examples!
Q. The whole country has been watching this political drama (presidential election).
A. During the Mamata and Mulayam press conference, I was in Bihar as editor for a day for Prabhat Khabar. I told the newspaper 10 days earlier that if they want me to edit their paper, the first page must contain a thought that makes people smile and feature success stories of a farmer, fisherman, politician or anyone else. The paper showed me 20 success stories out of which I selected four and also contributed a poem I had written for the youth of Bihar.
Q. If you had to write a poem about this presidential election, what would be the first line?
A. Courage, courage, courage.
Q. But nobody showed any courage! Is that an appeal?
A. (Laughs) I'm proposing in Parliament that parties should devote more time to developmental politics. If one party promises to eradicate poverty in 10 years, another party should challenge it and promise to create economic prosperity.
Q. It is said that a day before you released a statement saying you would not contest the presidential polls, you had prepared a statement outlining the reasons why you would be a candidate. Including that you would be a 'people's candidate', not a party's candidate. Is that true?
A. At no time did I prepare any such statement.
Q. Did you consider yourself a candidate? Or tell anyone privately?
A. No, no. I received a lot of calls from various leaders asking me to contest and asking if I would agree to stand for election if I was nominated.
Q. Did Mr Advani call you?
A. Yes, a number of people called.
Q. Did Mamata Banerjee call you? Mulayam Singh?
A. Yes, all of them called me and asked me to stand. Many of them had doubts about whether I would stand.
Q. So finally, you took the decision not to contest based on the fact that you didn't have sufficient numbers.
A. Not only that. (Points at a photo on the table.) This photograph will reveal a graceful political system. I dream of that and will work for that.
Q. But this photo is invalid because the Congress consciously never accepted your name this time.
A. I want you to understand from this photograph, taken in 2002, how the political system should work-politicians must work together for the good of the nation.
Q. Were they able to work together because Atal Bihari Vajpayee was then prime minister?
A. Yes, leadership counts. A leader is a visionary, a missionary. He is not afraid of any problem, does not follow anyone but makes his own path.
Q. You make a fairly bland statement that you were surprised Mrs Gandhi did not stake her claim (to become PM in 2004). If we revisit that period, what happened during the first meeting you had with Mrs Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh?
A. After they (the Congress) won the elections, no one from the party came to meet me for at least three days. As they were the single largest party, I called Mrs Gandhi and asked her to meet me. She arrived with Dr Manmohan Singh and said that the party had decided to make him the prime minister. If you remember, at the time many parties were against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM, despite the Supreme Court giving her the go-ahead. I had also received several letters against her becoming PM which I had forwarded to the government (the Congress).
Q. So what was the government's response?
A. No, no, government doesn't reply (laughs).
Q. Subramanian Swamy has said it was his intervention; he had raised the issue of citizenship. Then there were sms campaigns against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM.
A. Besides Mr Swamy, many other parties and individuals also wrote to me. We have to remember that after all those campaigns a judicial judgment was taken. After the Supreme Court announced that Mrs Gandhi could become PM, how could I supersede it?
Q. Then what stopped her from staking claim to the PM's post?
A. That only Mrs Gandhi knows.
Q. Did you meet Mr Vajpayee after he was defeated?
A. A number of times. He took the defeat in his stride. That's another example of leadership qualities. I remember when Narasimha Rao was PM, I was his scientific adviser for the atomic energy programme. Just before the 1996 elections, Rao told me, 'I'm going to Tirupati, stand by for nuclear tests.' Success seemed assured and he wanted to celebrate with a nuclear test. Unfortunately, he lost. Soon after, I got a call from both victor and vanquished; they wanted to meet me. Rao asked me to brief the new PM on the nuclear programme. Where matters of the country were concerned, work would go on. Nation is bigger than political party.
Q. There is a famous story that you were blessed by Swami Sivananda in your youth.
A. As a child I wanted to be a pilot. So when I grew up, I applied to the Indian Air Force and was called for an interview to Dehradun. For 10 days I was put through a series of gruelling tests and then I found out I had failed the medical test. Despondent, I left Dehradun and on the banks of the Ganga, I saw Swami Sivananda surrounded by thousands of devotees. I sat in the last row. A little later he beckoned me and a French tourist and blessed us and gave us vishwaroopam, what Lord Krishna gave Arjun to dispel all his fears. When I returned to Delhi, a job was waiting for me: Senior scientific adviser in the Ministry of Defence.
Q. In the book, you mention that you do the morning namaaz.
A. Yes, every day, whenever possible. My father was very strict about namaaz and would wake me up at 4 a.m. and take me to the mosque. I also fast.
Q. So why is it that the so-called Muslim leaders in the North always have the feeling that you are not a practising Muslim?
A. First of all, I am an Indian and try to be a good human being. People can call me XYZ, that's their freedom of expression. There is no conflict of any kind regarding my faith in Islam. I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere.
Q. You had several conversations with Vajpayee when he was PM. In your own assessment, do you consider Modi guilty of the Gujarat riots?
A. I'm not there to pronounce a judgment on the Gujarat riots; that's the work of the judiciary. But I will narrate another incident about Vajpayee. When he took over the Cabinet, I was scientific adviser. He called me to his office one night and offered me a Cabinet post. I was busy with the Agni and nuclear programme. The next morning I went back to meet him. He sat in his room, surrounded by trays of sweets, which were a weakness of his. I told him I was sorry but I couldn't become a minister as my work on the two programmes would suffer. Later, I finished work on the programmes, left the government and went back to teaching. It was then that Vajpayee called me and asked me to become president.
Q. Do you think Vajpayee considered Modi guilty of the riots?
A. I can't speak for him. Whether the riots were planned or just happened, we don't know but any right-thinking individual would not support any wrong being done to a community. When I visited Gujarat, I did not go to investigate what happened and whether Modi was right or wrong, but to remove the pain and accelerate relief work.
Q. There is a controversy over whether Modi can be a prime ministerial candidate. What is your view?
A. It doesn't matter what I think. We are a democratic country; the people of India will decide.
Q. Between Nitish Kumar and Modi, who would make a better PM?
A. (Laughs) Don't drag me into a controversy! I know both of them very well and they are good friends.
Q. You just met Nitish Kumar...
A. Yes, we discussed the presidential elections. He told me I had a lot of support within the NDA but did not have the numbers to win.
Q. So you took his advice and decided not to contest.
A. I also relied on my conscience. Conscience is my king.
Q. Yet you put your conscience aside during the Bihar Assembly polls when the PM spoke to you and said the government would fall.
A. The Bihar governor had sent the PM a note stating the Assembly was not functioning at all and the state government was in chaos. The PM called me in Moscow and said the situation had reached crisis point. He asked me for my views and said he had called a Cabinet meeting. I did some research of my own and then the PM called back in an hour and relayed the Cabinet's decision. So I took an informed decision.
Q. But you write in your book that you almost resigned.
A. Almost. Because the judiciary believed I took the decision sitting in Moscow, unaware that I was receiving up-to-the-minute information. They found fault with the governor, so I felt I should resign. But the vice-president was away on tour so there was a gap of a few hours before I could inform him. In that time period, I met the PM and we had a long chat during which he convinced me not to resign in the interest of the nation. So I didn't.
Q. But so many people use that as an excuse to continue in office.
A. Not me. Why should I cling to power? What will I gain by becoming the president again? I don't need anything from anybody.
Q. Corruption is one of the most serious threats facing our nation today. If you were prime minister, would you pass the Lokpal bill?
A. Corruption is a continuous process (laughs). There is no doubt that Anna (Hazare) is fighting for an important cause. But if the Lokpal bill is passed, it will just serve to fill up all our jails. Instead, I propose another movement for the youth (below 35) called 'What can I give'. It has just three components: Make your mother happy, make your father free from corruption and work towards saving the environment by planting trees. Anna heard about my idea and said it will take a long time to bear fruit but his mechanical process will only end up filling jails, while people's minds and hearts remain unchanged.
Q. Anna Hazare says 15 ministers are corrupt. How much corruption did you see while in government?
A. I didn't calculate (laughs).
Source: www.indiatoday.in
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
May Allah guide us to the Right Path & keep us stead fast in that . Aameen
With very best Regards & Duas
Abdul Hameed M H from Dammam
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
May Allah guide us to the Right Path & keep us stead fast in that . Aameen
With very best Regards & Duas
Abdul Hameed M H from Dammam
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
Salam to All,
I dont agree with Tayyeba saheba's views. Dr. Abdul Kalam also showed his greatnes. He is truly a wonderful honest person,
a true Indian and a good Muslim not a fanatic.
syed iqbal Talib.
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 05:29:15 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
Everyone is free to voice his opinion- that's the beauty of a Democratic Country like India. But what has Tawheed to do with it. Tawheed doesn't mean you openly criticise others and start communal riots. "Lakum deenakum waliyadeen". You follow your way and let them follow theirs. Unfortunately many people take the Concept of Tawheed a bit too far . I heard someone justifying the happenings in Timbaktu as " Our Prophet and Prophet Ibrahim broke Idols. There is nothing wrong in demolishing graves which have become centres of worship".
First of all breaking of Idols was an act performed by only 2 of the 140,000 Prophets.If they did it , it was on specific orders from Allah, only for them. And the Prophet never asked anyone to follow suit.There is no Hadith or Order in Quran for us to break Idols. In breaking or bombing Graves are these extremists following Quran or Hadith.And this is what is called 'Bidah'. The Prophet never ordered a Grave to be demolished.
Best Regards,
Askander Mirza
00966503446719
00918105712989
--- On Tue, 10/7/12, Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
To: "nrindians" <[email protected]>
Received: Tuesday, 10 July, 2012, 4:29 PM
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu
If the context is of visiting temples and churches because God is everywhere; well, that is something for the hon’ble APJ Abdul Kalam to say on his own behalf, but that surely is not something the Muslims would propose in support of the principles of tolerance and acceptance as they understand from Islam. Temples, Synagogues, Churches and other houses of worship very much existed in Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) time as they did in the time of Prophets (PBUT) before him. A Furqan was established by Allah delineating clearly the core principles of Islam on Oneness of God, matters of worship, law and conduct. A Muslim will therefore worship, remember and obey Allah only in the manner and methods He prescribed through His book and His Prophet (PBUH) and as practiced by the righteous Companions (RAA). Allah does not have to be everywhere or in everything; from His magnificent seat on Arsh, his decree extends to infinity of space and eternity of time, over everything (known and unknown) which is His creation. Yes, His slaves remember and praise their Lord everywhere and in everything they see and acknowledge them to be from Him, by Him, to Him and subject to His sole will. To realize this truth man only needs to rely on his fitrah which clears the way to accept the deen as it was revealed and passed down to us. Visits to places of worship that attribute companions with Him or challenge His Oneness, or study of literature that do not conform to the ideals of His deen,
or dialog with priests/saints who do not recognize the oneness of the Creator or His right to total obedience in all affairs; can at best be an academic exercise but not a matter of faith or merit for a Muslim.
Islam’s principles of tolerance and inter-faith harmony lie in respecting others and their beliefs; in being just, judicious and impartial in all affairs and dealings with each other; fully cognizant of the fact that all are His creation and if they are different, it is by His will, so that we may be tested and judged for our own conduct.
Asrar M. Khan
On 9 July 2012 07:27, Siraj Wahab <[email protected]> wrote:
http://news.in.msn.com/exclusives/it/article.aspx?cp-documentid=250284271#page=1
Exclusive interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam
A.P.J. Abdul Kalam speaks to India Today Editorial Director M.J. Akbar about the presidential election and his new book that is due to hit the shops soon.
When in doubt, sit it out. On June 13, APJ Kalam's prospects of a second innings in Rashtrapati Bhavan soared when Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav pushed his name. Kalam listened to other voices, discovered he could not win, and opted out on June 18.
The good news for him is that his 21st book, Turning Points, has hit the shops in the first week of July. According to this account of his Rashtrapati Bhavan years, in 2004 Sonia Gandhi didn't turn up to stake claim to form the government for three days despite the Congress emerging as the single largest party in
the General Elections. It was only when Kalam called Sonia and asked her to meet him that she turned up with Manmohan Singh by her side. The former president spoke to Editorial Director M.J. Akbar.
Q. Shall we begin by discussing your book? How many books have you written?
A. 20. This is my 21st book.
Q. 21st! As an author too you have become an adult.
A. (Laughs) Right, right. Actually, two of my books-Wings of Fire and Ignited Minds-have sold a million copies. The others are also doing well.
Q. So have the publishers paid you your due royalties?
A. Yes, they pay very well.
Q. Would it be correct to say that every book of yours is, in a sense, an autobiography?
A. My experiences are somehow integrated with people's experiences. For me there are two types of people: The young and the experienced. So, you will find that in every book, I have narrated certain experiences from my life. Thousands of people have written to tell me how Wings of Fire, Ignited Minds and Indomitable Spirit have touched their hearts and made a difference in their lives. That is the greatest satisfaction for me.
Q. Which is the experience you would consider the most negative you have written about?
A. For me, there is no such thing as a negative experience. But I have faced problems. Two instances come to mind. My first experience of professional failure occurred in 1979, when a satellite carrier failed to launch. But I never allowed failure to become my captain. I also learned from observing some
remarkable people. Instead of blaming me, my boss at the time accepted the entire responsibility for the failure of the project in front of 120 mediapersons. When I succeeded the next year, he did not take the credit and instead asked me to address a press conference. That leadership quality-in failure, having the ability to take the blame for your team, and sharing in their success-is a lesson I learned very early in life. Years later, when I became president and was presented the Office of Profit Bill, I felt there was a problem. I asked Parliament to reconsider. Of course there was a lot of controversy regarding my stance... a Standing Committee had to be set up to study the matter, but I stuck to my beliefs.
Q. You've observed life at the level of the common man, then later as a professional and in the last 10 years or so, you have watched India at the highest levels of political leadership. Do you find any leader today with the capacity to take the blame and share the success?
A. (Laughs) No... Look at this photo. I call it 'political grace'. It was taken in 2002 when my name was nominated by both Vajpayeeji and Soniaji... It shows all the political leaders together.
Q. So what happened to your name this time?
A. Well, no one proposed it. Of course there were discussions in political parties but I haven't been nominated. Some people asked me to contest and I told them I would announce my decision at the right time, which I did.
Q. But Mamata Banerjee and Mulayam Singh Yadav proposed your name.
A. (Laughs) It was proposed and withdrawn too!
Q. So what did you think of Mulayam Singh's withdrawal?
A. I don't know. But I have written a letter to Mamata in which I have praised her leadership qualities.
Q. Leadership qualities?
A. Yes, because she was close to the golden throne. If she had worked through (with) the system she would have got whatever she wanted or at least half. But she took a stand and lost that opportunity. Of course she can recover her position. But she has the courage of a leader. Who must also have vision.
Q. Do you think Mamata Banerjee has vision?
A. Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.
Q. And a leader should not change his mind in 24 hours!
A. (Laughs) I can only define a leader. I can't give you any examples!
Q. The whole country has been watching this political drama (presidential election).
A. During the Mamata and Mulayam press conference, I was in Bihar as editor for a day for Prabhat Khabar. I told the newspaper 10 days earlier that if they want me to edit their paper, the first page must contain a thought that makes people smile and feature success stories of a farmer, fisherman, politician or anyone else. The paper showed me 20 success stories out of which I selected four and also contributed a poem I had written for the youth of Bihar.
Q. If you had to write a poem about this presidential election, what would be the first line?
A. Courage, courage, courage.
Q. But nobody showed any courage! Is that an appeal?
A. (Laughs) I'm proposing in Parliament that parties should devote more time to developmental politics. If one party promises to eradicate poverty in 10 years, another party should challenge it and promise to create economic prosperity.
Q. It is said that a day before you released a statement saying you would not contest the presidential polls, you had prepared a statement outlining the reasons why you would be a candidate. Including that you would be a 'people's candidate', not a party's candidate. Is that true?
A. At no time did I prepare any such statement.
Q. Did you consider yourself a candidate? Or tell anyone privately?
A. No, no. I received a lot of calls from various leaders asking me to contest and asking if I would agree to stand for election if I was nominated.
Q. Did Mr Advani call you?
A. Yes, a number of people called.
Q. Did Mamata Banerjee call you? Mulayam Singh?
A. Yes, all of them called me and asked me to stand. Many of them had doubts about whether I would stand.
Q. So finally, you took the decision not to contest based on the fact that you didn't have sufficient numbers.
A. Not only that. (Points at a photo on the table.) This photograph will reveal a graceful political system. I dream of that and will work for that.
Q. But this photo is invalid because the Congress consciously never accepted your name this time.
A. I want you to understand from this photograph, taken in 2002, how the political system should work-politicians must work together for the good of the nation.
Q. Were they able to work together because Atal Bihari Vajpayee was then prime minister?
A. Yes, leadership counts. A leader is a visionary, a missionary. He is not afraid of any problem, does not follow anyone but makes his own path.
Q. You make a fairly bland statement that you were surprised Mrs Gandhi did not stake her claim (to become PM in 2004). If we revisit that period, what happened during the first meeting you had with Mrs Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh?
A. After they (the Congress) won the elections, no one from the party came to meet me for at least three days. As they were the single largest party, I called Mrs Gandhi and asked her to meet me. She arrived with Dr Manmohan Singh and said that the party had decided to make him the prime minister. If you remember, at the time many parties were against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM, despite the Supreme Court giving her the go-ahead. I had also received several letters against her becoming PM which I had forwarded to the government (the Congress).
Q. So what was the government's response?
A. No, no, government doesn't reply (laughs).
Q. Subramanian Swamy has said it was his intervention; he had raised the issue of citizenship. Then there were sms campaigns against Mrs Gandhi becoming PM.
A. Besides Mr Swamy, many other parties and individuals also wrote to me. We have to remember that after all those campaigns a judicial judgment was taken. After the Supreme Court announced that Mrs Gandhi could become PM, how could I supersede it?
Q. Then what stopped her from staking claim to the PM's post?
A. That only Mrs Gandhi knows.
Q. Did you meet Mr Vajpayee after he was defeated?
A. A number of times. He took the defeat in his stride. That's another example of leadership qualities. I remember when Narasimha Rao was PM, I was his scientific adviser for the atomic energy programme. Just before the 1996 elections, Rao told me, 'I'm going to Tirupati, stand by for nuclear tests.' Success seemed assured and he wanted to celebrate with a nuclear test. Unfortunately, he lost. Soon after, I got a call from both victor and vanquished; they wanted to meet me. Rao asked me to brief the new PM on the nuclear programme. Where matters of the country were concerned, work would go on. Nation is bigger than political party.
Q. There is a famous story that you were blessed by Swami Sivananda in your youth.
A. As a child I wanted to be a pilot. So when I grew up, I applied to the Indian Air Force and was called for an interview to Dehradun. For 10 days I was put through a series of gruelling tests and then I found out I had failed the medical test. Despondent, I left Dehradun and on the banks of the Ganga, I saw Swami Sivananda surrounded by thousands of devotees. I sat in the last row. A little later he beckoned me and a French tourist and blessed us and gave us vishwaroopam, what Lord Krishna gave Arjun to dispel all his fears. When I returned to Delhi, a job was waiting for me: Senior scientific adviser in the Ministry of Defence.
Q. In the book, you mention that you do the morning namaaz.
A. Yes, every day, whenever possible. My father was very strict about namaaz and would wake me up at 4 a.m. and take me to the mosque. I also fast.
Q. So why is it that the so-called Muslim leaders in the North always have the feeling that you are not a practising Muslim?
A. First of all, I am an Indian and try to be a good human being. People can call me XYZ, that's their freedom of expression. There is no conflict of any kind regarding my faith in Islam. I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere.
Q. You had several conversations with Vajpayee when he was PM. In your own assessment, do you consider Modi guilty of the Gujarat riots?
A. I'm not there to pronounce a judgment on the Gujarat riots; that's the work of the judiciary. But I will narrate another incident about Vajpayee. When he took over the Cabinet, I was scientific adviser. He called me to his office one night and offered me a Cabinet post. I was busy with the Agni and nuclear programme. The next morning I went back to meet him. He sat in his room, surrounded by trays of sweets, which were a weakness of his. I told him I was sorry but I couldn't become a minister as my work on the two programmes would suffer. Later, I finished work on the programmes, left the government and went back to teaching. It was then that Vajpayee called me and asked me to become president.
Q. Do you think Vajpayee considered Modi guilty of the riots?
A. I can't speak for him. Whether the riots were planned or just happened, we don't know but any right-thinking individual would not support any wrong being done to a community. When I visited Gujarat, I did not go to investigate what happened and whether Modi was right or wrong, but to remove the pain and accelerate relief work.
Q. There is a controversy over whether Modi can be a prime ministerial candidate. What is your view?
A. It doesn't matter what I think. We are a democratic country; the people of India will decide.
Q. Between Nitish Kumar and Modi, who would make a better PM?
A. (Laughs) Don't drag me into a controversy! I know both of them very well and they are good friends.
Q. You just met Nitish Kumar...
A. Yes, we discussed the presidential elections. He told me I had a lot of support within the NDA but did not have the numbers to win.
Q. So you took his advice and decided not to contest.
A. I also relied on my conscience. Conscience is my king.
Q. Yet you put your conscience aside during the Bihar Assembly polls when the PM spoke to you and said the government would fall.
A. The Bihar governor had sent the PM a note stating the Assembly was not functioning at all and the state government was in chaos. The PM called me in Moscow and said the situation had reached crisis point. He asked me for my views and said he had called a Cabinet meeting. I did some research of my own and then the PM called back in an hour and relayed the Cabinet's decision. So I took an informed decision.
Q. But you write in your book that you almost resigned.
A. Almost. Because the judiciary believed I took the decision sitting in Moscow, unaware that I was receiving up-to-the-minute information. They found fault with the governor, so I felt I should resign. But the vice-president was away on tour so there was a gap of a few hours before I could inform him. In that
time period, I met the PM and we had a long chat during which he convinced me not to resign in the interest of the nation. So I didn't.
Q. But so many people use that as an excuse to continue in office.
A. Not me. Why should I cling to power? What will I gain by becoming the president again? I don't need anything from anybody.
Q. Corruption is one of the most serious threats facing our nation today. If you were prime minister, would you pass the Lokpal bill?
A. Corruption is a continuous process (laughs). There is no doubt that Anna (Hazare) is fighting for an important cause. But if the Lokpal bill is passed, it will just serve to fill up all our jails. Instead, I propose another movement for the youth (below 35) called 'What can I give'. It has just three components: Make your mother happy, make your father free from corruption and work towards saving the environment by planting trees. Anna heard about my idea and said it will take a long time to bear fruit but his mechanical process will only end up filling jails, while people's minds and hearts remain unchanged.
Q. Anna Hazare says 15 ministers are corrupt. How much corruption did you see while in government?
A. I didn't calculate (laughs).
Source: www.indiatoday.in
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
May Allah guide us to the Right Path & keep us stead fast in that . Aameen
With very best Regards & Duas
Abdul Hameed M H from Dammam
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
May Allah guide us to the Right Path & keep us stead fast in that . Aameen
With very best Regards & Duas
Abdul Hameed M H from Dammam
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2012.0.2195 / Virus Database: 2437/5122 - Release Date: 07/09/12
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
Janab Syed Iqbal Talib sahab
Adab
Would be grateful if you do elaborate on the reasons on the point of disagreement with Tayyaba Qidwai saheba.
Navaid Hamid
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 6:19 PM, Iqbal Ahmed <[email protected]> wrote:
Salam to All,
I dont agree with Tayyeba saheba's views. Dr. Abdul Kalam also showed his greatnes. He is truly a wonderful honest person,
a true Indian and a good Muslim not a fanatic.
syed iqbal Talib.
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 05:29:15 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
syed-mohsin naquvi [email protected]
Jul 10 (2 days ago)
to nrindians
Dear All,
God is definitely everywhere -- yes everywhere.
If there is a god, whether we call him, Allah, Ishwar, Jehova or whatever else, He is One and Alone in His existence and The Only One.
But when APJ Abul Kalam makes that statement, it is not a statement out of some profound spiritual experience, it is a statement made by a politician to propagate his secularism.
Do you know what does that "J" stand for on his initials?
His parents had named him Zain-ul-Abideen, which not only is the given name of one the great-grandsons of the Prophet of Islam (pbh), it means "the honour of the Worshippers (of Allah)."
What a beautiful name, but see how it has been distorted by this secularist upstart into:
JAINUL-ABHUDIN. (I can understand that there is no Z-sound in any of the Indian dialects so it will be written with a "J" in Hindi, but why in English when we do have a letter "Z"?)
One does not stop to wonder as to how far people would go to distort their principles for the gain of few days of this worldly life !!!!!
Here are a few Qur'anic verses for reflection:
�ل� �ف�س� ك !ق�ة� ن �م�و�ت! ذ�ائ &م�ا ال !ن �و�ف&و�ن� و�إ �م� ت ك ��ج�ور �و�م� أ �ام�ة! ي �ق!ي ح�ز!ح� ف�م�ن ال &ار! ع�ن! ز� �د�خ!ل� الن &ة� و�أ ن ��ج و�م�ا ف�از� ف�ق�د� ال�اة� ي ��ح �ا ال �ي !ال& الد�ن �اع� إ ور! م�ت �غ�ر� ال
(185) Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.
(3:185)
�ا �ه�ا ي ي� &ذ!ين� أ �وا ال �م� م�ا آم�ن �ك !ذ�ا ل �م� ق!يل� إ �ك وا ل !يل! ف!ي انف!ر� ب �&ه! س �م� الل �ت &اق�ل !ل�ى اث ر�ض! إ
� ��م األ ض!يت �ر� �اة! أ ي ��ح !ال �ا ب �ي م!ن� الد�ن
ة! �خ!ر ��اع� ف�م�ا اآل �اة! م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي ة! ف!ي الد�ن �خ!ر �!ال& اآل !يلJ إ ق�ل
(38) O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.
(9:38)
�م ف�م�ا !يت �وت ي�ء� مKن أ ��اع� ش �اة! ف�م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي &ه! ع!ند� و�م�ا الد�ن �رJ الل ي ��ق�ىN خ �ب &ذ!ين� و�أ !ل �وا ل Kه!م� و�ع�ل�ىN آم�ن ب �&ل�ون� ر �و�ك �ت ي
(36) Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:
(42:36)
May Allah give guidance to those who reflect.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
==========================
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
To: nrindians <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
ASAK DR Abideen
No one has said that "flexibility" must be applied to each and every word or phrase from Quran. As Quran itself says, some statements in Quran are very definitive and explicit while others are less so. And Allah alone knows why it is so.
kaleem kawaja
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 8:29 AM, Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]> wrote:
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
ASAK Mr Naquvi
When President Kalam says Allah (rabbul aalameeen) is everywhere, some people say he is a politician propagating his secularism for political gain. But the same statement has been made by countless devout Muslim sufi saints in the last several centuries. And no one decried them. In fact most Muslims have kept on praising them.
Among Muslims of Southasia whose mother tongue is other than those influenced by Arabic and Persian eg Bangla, Tamil, the name "{Juainulabideen, or Jainulabhideen} has been very commonly used by millions of practicing Muslims for centuries.
Why must every Muslim whose origin is not from Arab or Persian countries/communities be beholden to those two languages? Does it say anywhere in Islamic literature that Muslims should do that?
What about millions of African-American Muslims who carry distinctly Christian sounding names (including John, Peter, Paul, Mary etc)? Are they bad Muslims until such time that they become subservient to Arabic, Persian languages? Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan.
kaleem kawaja
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM, syed-mohsin naquvi <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear All,
God is definitely everywhere -- yes everywhere.
If there is a god, whether we call him, Allah, Ishwar, Jehova or whatever else, He is One and Alone in His existence and The Only One.
But when APJ Abul Kalam makes that statement, it is not a statement out of some profound spiritual experience, it is a statement made by a politician to propagate his secularism.
Do you know what does that "J" stand for on his initials?
His parents had named him Zain-ul-Abideen, which not only is the given name of one the great-grandsons of the Prophet of Islam (pbh), it means "the honour of the Worshippers (of Allah)."
What a beautiful name, but see how it has been distorted by this secularist upstart into:
JAINUL-ABHUDIN. (I can understand that there is no Z-sound in any of the Indian dialects so it will be written with a "J" in Hindi, but why in English when we do have a letter "Z"?)
One does not stop to wonder as to how far people would go to distort their principles for the gain of few days of this worldly life !!!!!
Here are a few Qur'anic verses for reflection:
�ل� �ف�س� ك !ق�ة� ن �م�و�ت! ذ�ائ &م�ا ال !ن �و�ف&و�ن� و�إ �م� ت ك ��ج�ور �و�م� أ �ام�ة! ي �ق!ي ح�ز!ح� ف�م�ن ال &ار! ع�ن! ز� �د�خ!ل� الن &ة� و�أ ن ��ج و�م�ا ف�از� ف�ق�د� ال�اة� ي ��ح �ا ال �ي !ال& الد�ن �اع� إ ور! م�ت �غ�ر� ال
(185) Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.
(3:185)
�ا �ه�ا ي ي� &ذ!ين� أ �وا ال �م� م�ا آم�ن �ك !ذ�ا ل �م� ق!يل� إ �ك وا ل !يل! ف!ي انف!ر� ب �&ه! س �م� الل �ت &اق�ل !ل�ى اث ر�ض! إ
� ��م األ ض!يت �ر� �اة! أ ي ��ح !ال �ا ب �ي م!ن� الد�ن
ة! �خ!ر ��اع� ف�م�ا اآل �اة! م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي ة! ف!ي الد�ن �خ!ر �!ال& اآل !يلJ إ ق�ل
(38) O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.
(9:38)
�م ف�م�ا !يت �وت ي�ء� مKن أ ��اع� ش �اة! ف�م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي &ه! ع!ند� و�م�ا الد�ن �رJ الل ي ��ق�ىN خ �ب &ذ!ين� و�أ !ل �وا ل Kه!م� و�ع�ل�ىN آم�ن ب �&ل�ون� ر �و�ك �ت ي
(36) Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:
(42:36)
May Allah give guidance to those who reflect.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
==========================
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
To: nrindians <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
Aqil G. Mohammed [email protected]
1:02 PM (21 hours ago)
to nrindians
As Salaam O Alaikum O Rahmathullahi O Barakatuhu
What about your name
KAWAJA..........is it a islamic name?
Aqil **************************************************************************************************
--- On Wed, 7/11/12, Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 2:20 AM
ASAK Mr Naquvi
When President Kalam says Allah (rabbul aalameeen) is everywhere, some people say he is a politician propagating his secularism for political gain. But the same statement has been made by countless devout Muslim sufi saints in the last several centuries. And no one decried them. In fact most Muslims have kept on praising them.
Among Muslims of Southasia whose mother tongue is other than those influenced by Arabic and Persian eg Bangla, Tamil, the name "{Juainulabideen, or Jainulabhideen} has been very commonly used by millions of practicing Muslims for centuries.
Why must every Muslim whose origin is not from Arab or Persian countries/communities be beholden to those two languages? Does it say anywhere in Islamic literature that Muslims should do that?
What about millions of African-American Muslims who carry distinctly Christian sounding names (including John, Peter, Paul, Mary etc)? Are they bad Muslims until such time that they become subservient to Arabic, Persian languages? Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan.
kaleem kawaja
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM, syed-mohsin naquvi <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear All,
God is definitely everywhere -- yes everywhere.
If there is a god, whether we call him, Allah, Ishwar, Jehova or whatever else, He is One and Alone in His existence and The Only One.
But when APJ Abul Kalam makes that statement, it is not a statement out of some profound spiritual experience, it is a statement made by a politician to propagate his secularism.
Do you know what does that "J" stand for on his initials?
His parents had named him Zain-ul-Abideen, which not only is the given name of one the great-grandsons of the Prophet of Islam (pbh), it means "the honour of the Worshippers (of Allah)."
What a beautiful name, but see how it has been distorted by this secularist upstart into:
JAINUL-ABHUDIN. (I can understand that there is no Z-sound in any of the Indian dialects so it will be written with a "J" in Hindi, but why in English when we do have a letter "Z"?)
One does not stop to wonder as to how far people would go to distort their principles for the gain of few days of this worldly life !!!!!
Here are a few Qur'anic verses for reflection:
�ل� �ف�س� ك !ق�ة� ن �م�و�ت! ذ�ائ &م�ا ال !ن �و�ف&و�ن� و�إ �م� ت ك ��ج�ور �و�م� أ �ام�ة! ي �ق!ي ح�ز!ح� ف�م�ن ال &ار! ع�ن! ز� �د�خ!ل� الن &ة� و�أ ن ��ج و�م�ا ف�از� ف�ق�د� ال�اة� ي ��ح �ا ال �ي !ال& الد�ن �اع� إ ور! م�ت �غ�ر� ال
(185) Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.
(3:185)
�ا �ه�ا ي ي� &ذ!ين� أ �وا ال �م� م�ا آم�ن �ك !ذ�ا ل �م� ق!يل� إ �ك وا ل !يل! ف!ي انف!ر� ب �&ه! س �م� الل �ت &اق�ل !ل�ى اث ر�ض! إ
� ��م األ ض!يت �ر� �اة! أ ي ��ح !ال �ا ب �ي م!ن� الد�ن
ة! �خ!ر ��اع� ف�م�ا اآل �اة! م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي ة! ف!ي الد�ن �خ!ر �!ال& اآل !يلJ إ ق�ل
(38) O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.
(9:38)
�م ف�م�ا !يت �وت ي�ء� مKن أ ��اع� ش �اة! ف�م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي &ه! ع!ند� و�م�ا الد�ن �رJ الل ي ��ق�ىN خ �ب &ذ!ين� و�أ !ل �وا ل Kه!م� و�ع�ل�ىN آم�ن ب �&ل�ون� ر �و�ك �ت ي
(36) Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:
(42:36)
May Allah give guidance to those who reflect.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
==========================
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
To: nrindians <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
ASSALAMUALIKUM TO ALL
IF THIS IS TRUE THEN ONE HAVE TO AGREE TOTALLY WITH BROTHER ABDUL HAMEED THAT CERTAINLY HE IS NOT ONE AMONG US.
AS REGARDING THE QURANIC ORDER ''LA IKRAH FIDDEEN'' IT IS FOR NON MUSLIMS. THERE IS NO FORCE FOR THEM TO ACCEPT IT. BUT FOR MUSLIMS IT IS COMPULSORY TO FOLLOW ALL THE FARAAED NO EXCUSE AT ALL.
ONE SHOULD REFER TO THE CONTEXT OF THE REVELATION OF LA IKRAH FIDDEEN. THERE WAS A TIME IN MADINA WHEN ARABS PARENTS USED TO MAKES VOW TO GIVE THEIR NEW BORN CHILD TO THE JEWS IF THEY GET THE CHILD ALIVE IF THE PREVIOUS CHILD HAD DIED.
AND THERE WERE MANY SUCH GROWN UP ARAB CHILDREN WITH JEWS IN BANEE NADEER. DURING THE TIME OF EVACUATION OF BANEE NADEER , IN THE 4TH HIJRI, THE QUESTION AROSE FOR SUCH GROWN UP ARABS ..THEN ALLHA[SW] REVEALED THAT| IT WAS UP TO THEM .THERE IS NO COMPULSION FOR THEM. IF THEY WISH THEY CAN GO WITH JEWS TO KHAIBAR AND IF THEY WANT JOIN WITH MUSLIMS THEY ARE FREE TO DO SO.
WITH KIND REGARDS/ MUHAMMED MUBEEN
Janab Syed Iqbal Talib sahab
Adab
Would be grateful if you do elaborate on the reasons on the point of disagreement with Tayyaba Qidwai saheba.
Navaid Hamid
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 6:19 PM, Iqbal Ahmed <[email protected]> wrote:
Salam to All,
I dont agree with Tayyeba saheba's views. Dr. Abdul Kalam also showed his greatnes. He is truly a wonderful honest person,
a true Indian and a good Muslim not a fanatic.
syed iqbal Talib.
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 05:29:15 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
ASAK
The origin of this name is from Turkish language. Over the centuries as Turkish Muslims migrated to Europe, central Asia, middleeast and then to south Asia, this name has been spelled in a variety of ways. Remember that the names are colloquial from the regions and then transliterated into English.
In Yugoslavia region for centuries Muslims and also Christians have used the spelling (kawaja).
To call a certain name (which may remind you of a non-Muslim community eg Patel, Chaudhri, Sarkar, Uppal etc) is to ignore the fact that at various times in history various non-Muslim communities converted to Islam but continued with their erstwhile names. In fact the very first Muslim community that prophet Mohammad formed used the same practice. Did not Islam adopt many practices of erstwhile non-Muslim Arabs?
Kaleem Kawaja
On Wed, Jul 11, 2012 at 6:02 AM, Aqil G. Mohammed <[email protected]> wrote:
As Salaam O Alaikum O Rahmathullahi O Barakatuhu
What about your name
KAWAJA..........is it a islamic name?
Aqil **************************************************************************************************
--- On Wed, 7/11/12, Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 2:20 AM
ASAK Mr Naquvi
When President Kalam says Allah (rabbul aalameeen) is everywhere, some people say he is a politician propagating his secularism for political gain. But the same statement has been made by countless devout Muslim sufi saints in the last several centuries. And no one decried them. In fact most Muslims have kept on praising them.
Among Muslims of Southasia whose mother tongue is other than those influenced by Arabic and Persian eg Bangla, Tamil, the name "{Juainulabideen, or Jainulabhideen} has been very commonly used by millions of practicing Muslims for centuries.
Why must every Muslim whose origin is not from Arab or Persian countries/communities be beholden to those two languages? Does it say anywhere in Islamic literature that Muslims should do that?
What about millions of African-American Muslims who carry distinctly Christian sounding names (including John, Peter, Paul, Mary etc)? Are they bad Muslims until such time that they become subservient to Arabic, Persian languages? Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan.
kaleem kawaja
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM, syed-mohsin naquvi <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear All,
God is definitely everywhere -- yes everywhere.
If there is a god, whether we call him, Allah, Ishwar, Jehova or whatever else, He is One and Alone in His existence and The Only One.
But when APJ Abul Kalam makes that statement, it is not a statement out of some profound spiritual experience, it is a statement made by a politician to propagate his secularism.
Do you know what does that "J" stand for on his initials?
His parents had named him Zain-ul-Abideen, which not only is the given name of one the great-grandsons of the Prophet of Islam (pbh), it means "the honour of the Worshippers (of Allah)."
What a beautiful name, but see how it has been distorted by this secularist upstart into:
JAINUL-ABHUDIN. (I can understand that there is no Z-sound in any of the Indian dialects so it will be written with a "J" in Hindi, but why in English when we do have a letter "Z"?)
One does not stop to wonder as to how far people would go to distort their principles for the gain of few days of this worldly life !!!!!
Here are a few Qur'anic verses for reflection:
�ل� �ف�س� ك !ق�ة� ن �م�و�ت! ذ�ائ &م�ا ال !ن �و�ف&و�ن� و�إ �م� ت ك ��ج�ور �و�م� أ �ام�ة! ي �ق!ي ح�ز!ح� ف�م�ن ال &ار! ع�ن! ز� �د�خ!ل� الن &ة� و�أ ن ��ج و�م�ا ف�از� ف�ق�د� ال�اة� ي ��ح �ا ال �ي !ال& الد�ن �اع� إ ور! م�ت �غ�ر� ال
(185) Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.
(3:185)
�ا �ه�ا ي ي� &ذ!ين� أ �وا ال �م� م�ا آم�ن �ك !ذ�ا ل �م� ق!يل� إ �ك وا ل !يل! ف!ي انف!ر� ب �&ه! س �م� الل �ت &اق�ل !ل�ى اث ر�ض! إ
� ��م األ ض!يت �ر� �اة! أ ي ��ح !ال �ا ب �ي م!ن� الد�ن
ة! �خ!ر ��اع� ف�م�ا اآل �اة! م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي ة! ف!ي الد�ن �خ!ر �!ال& اآل !يلJ إ ق�ل
(38) O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.
(9:38)
�م ف�م�ا !يت �وت ي�ء� مKن أ ��اع� ش �اة! ف�م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي &ه! ع!ند� و�م�ا الد�ن �رJ الل ي ��ق�ىN خ �ب &ذ!ين� و�أ !ل �وا ل Kه!م� و�ع�ل�ىN آم�ن ب �&ل�ون� ر �و�ك �ت ي
(36) Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:
(42:36)
May Allah give guidance to those who reflect.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
==========================
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
To: nrindians <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
ASAK to all Readers
Mr Kaleem Kwaja wrote : .............."Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan".
The separation of Bangladesh has many many reasons, though cultural difference, sometime touching linguistic chauvinism, was definitely a reason. But here points raised are different.
1. See the meaning of Zainul Abedeen. Does JAINUL-ABHUDIN. have same meaning ? Is it not a blunder on such an educated and intellectual person. This lack of basic understanding of language can not be justified in terms of cultural differences. Who likes Zero to be called Jero ?? It is understandable only if it comes from semi literate persons.
2. Moreover, if semi literate elders have given distorted name to him, was it not his duty to get it corrected when he was educated. Alas, if he was aware of it...if education has covered those areas as well. Oh Allah, guide us to what is correct , no matter whether it is in Science, Religion or in Languages.
3. He spent many years in DRDO Hyderabad, where he use to live alone being bachelor. Within 5 Km radius of this compound at least thousands of Masajid are there and lakhs of Muslims live there. He never came out of his lab and solitary self confinement to mingle with common Muslims, let alone to interact with Ulemaa. Perhaps he was too busy to design weapons of Mass destruction instead of findings ways of self improvement, basics of his Religion and learning basics of languages which concern him . Oh Allah have mercy on us, allow us to benefit from what & who is around us in all matter of Deen and Duniya.
4. No doubt what he says that God is everywhere, is nothing new. Many of Non Islamic Sufi say the same when they pronounce wahdatul wajood and wahdatul shahood. However, that comes from distorted understanding of deen, but here it is coming from lack of Knowledge. He should admit he has no knowledge in these matters and make efforts in these hitherto ignored areas now. It is never late and he intelligent too. Oh Allah give us understanding of Deen as its, without any distortions or Afraat o Tafreet.
5. People who are sincere towards him and have access to him should try to encourage him to acquire what it appears conclusively (based on other inputs as well) he has ignored till now. Oh Allah give us taufeeq to do whatever is beneficial to our Deen and Duniya.
Wa As-salaam
Mas'ood Siddiqui Aleeg
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 03:02:09 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
As Salaam O Alaikum O Rahmathullahi O Barakatuhu
What about your name
KAWAJA..........is it a islamic name?
Aqil **************************************************************************************************
--- On Wed, 7/11/12, Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 2:20 AM
ASAK Mr Naquvi
When President Kalam says Allah (rabbul aalameeen) is everywhere, some people say he is a politician propagating his secularism for political gain. But the same statement has been made by countless devout Muslim sufi saints in the last several centuries. And no one decried them. In fact most Muslims have kept on praising them.
Among Muslims of Southasia whose mother tongue is other than those influenced by Arabic and Persian eg Bangla, Tamil, the name "{Juainulabideen, or Jainulabhideen} has been very commonly used by millions of practicing Muslims for centuries.
Why must every Muslim whose origin is not from Arab or Persian countries/communities be beholden to those two languages? Does it say anywhere in Islamic literature that Muslims should do that?
What about millions of African-American Muslims who carry distinctly Christian sounding names (including John, Peter, Paul, Mary etc)? Are they bad Muslims until such time that they become subservient to Arabic, Persian languages? Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan.
kaleem kawaja
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM, syed-mohsin naquvi <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear All,
God is definitely everywhere -- yes everywhere.
If there is a god, whether we call him, Allah, Ishwar, Jehova or whatever else, He is One and Alone in His existence and The Only One.
But when APJ Abul Kalam makes that statement, it is not a statement out of some profound spiritual experience, it is a statement made by a politician to propagate his secularism.
Do you know what does that "J" stand for on his initials?
His parents had named him Zain-ul-Abideen, which not only is the given name of one the great-grandsons of the Prophet of Islam (pbh), it means "the honour of the Worshippers (of Allah)."
What a beautiful name, but see how it has been distorted by this secularist upstart into:
JAINUL-ABHUDIN. (I can understand that there is no Z-sound in any of the Indian dialects so it will be written with a "J" in Hindi, but why in English when we do have a letter "Z"?)
One does not stop to wonder as to how far people would go to distort their principles for the gain of few days of this worldly life !!!!!
Here are a few Qur'anic verses for reflection:
�ل� �ف�س� ك !ق�ة� ن �م�و�ت! ذ�ائ &م�ا ال !ن �و�ف&و�ن� و�إ �م� ت ك ��ج�ور �و�م� أ �ام�ة! ي �ق!ي ح�ز!ح� ف�م�ن ال &ار! ع�ن! ز� �د�خ!ل� الن &ة� و�أ ن ��ج و�م�ا ف�از� ف�ق�د� ال�اة� ي ��ح �ا ال �ي !ال& الد�ن �اع� إ ور! م�ت �غ�ر� ال
(185) Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.
(3:185)
�ا �ه�ا ي ي� &ذ!ين� أ �وا ال �م� م�ا آم�ن �ك !ذ�ا ل �م� ق!يل� إ �ك وا ل !يل! ف!ي انف!ر� ب �&ه! س �م� الل �ت &اق�ل !ل�ى اث ر�ض! إ
� ��م األ ض!يت �ر� �اة! أ ي ��ح !ال �ا ب �ي م!ن� الد�ن
ة! �خ!ر ��اع� ف�م�ا اآل �اة! م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي ة! ف!ي الد�ن �خ!ر �!ال& اآل !يلJ إ ق�ل
(38) O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.
(9:38)
�م ف�م�ا !يت �وت ي�ء� مKن أ ��اع� ش �اة! ف�م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي &ه! ع!ند� و�م�ا الد�ن �رJ الل ي ��ق�ىN خ �ب &ذ!ين� و�أ !ل �وا ل Kه!م� و�ع�ل�ىN آم�ن ب �&ل�ون� ر �و�ك �ت ي
(36) Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:
(42:36)
May Allah give guidance to those who reflect.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
==========================
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
To: nrindians <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
Can someone send a copy of the M .J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam please.
Regards,
Khursheed
From: Masood Siddiqui <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2012 12:00 PM
Subject: RE: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK to all Readers
Mr Kaleem Kwaja wrote : .............."Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan".
The separation of Bangladesh has many many reasons, though cultural difference, sometime touching linguistic chauvinism, was definitely a reason. But here points raised are different.
1. See the meaning of Zainul Abedeen. Does JAINUL-ABHUDIN. have same meaning ? Is it not a blunder on such an educated and intellectual person. This lack of basic understanding of language can not be justified in terms of cultural differences. Who likes Zero to be called Jero ?? It is understandable only if it comes from semi literate persons.
2. Moreover, if semi literate elders have given distorted name to him, was it not his duty to get it corrected when he was educated. Alas, if he was aware of it...if education has covered those areas as well. Oh Allah, guide us to what is correct , no matter whether it is in Science, Religion or in Languages.
3. He spent many years in DRDO Hyderabad, where he use to live alone being bachelor. Within 5 Km radius of this compound at least thousands of Masajid are there and lakhs of Muslims live there. He never came out of his lab and solitary self confinement to mingle with common Muslims, let alone to interact with Ulemaa. Perhaps he was too busy to design weapons of Mass destruction instead of findings ways of self improvement, basics of his Religion and learning basics of languages which concern him . Oh Allah have mercy on us, allow us to benefit from what & who is around us in all matter of Deen and Duniya.
4. No doubt what he says that God is everywhere, is nothing new. Many of Non Islamic Sufi say the same when they pronounce wahdatul wajood and wahdatul shahood. However, that comes from distorted understanding of deen, but here it is coming from lack of Knowledge. He should admit he has no knowledge in these matters and make efforts in these hitherto ignored areas now. It is never late and he intelligent too. Oh Allah give us understanding of Deen as its, without any distortions or Afraat o Tafreet.
5. People who are sincere towards him and have access to him should try to encourage him to acquire what it appears conclusively (based on other inputs as well) he has ignored till now. Oh Allah give us taufeeq to do whatever is beneficial to our Deen and Duniya.
Wa As-salaam
Mas'ood Siddiqui Aleeg
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 03:02:09 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
As Salaam O Alaikum O Rahmathullahi O Barakatuhu
What about your name
KAWAJA..........is it a islamic name?
Aqil **************************************************************************************************
--- On Wed, 7/11/12, Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 2:20 AM
ASAK Mr Naquvi
When President Kalam says Allah (rabbul aalameeen) is everywhere, some people say he is a politician propagating his secularism for political gain. But the same statement has been made by countless devout Muslim sufi saints in the last several centuries. And no one decried them. In fact most Muslims have kept on praising them.
Among Muslims of Southasia whose mother tongue is other than those influenced by Arabic and Persian eg Bangla, Tamil, the name "{Juainulabideen, or Jainulabhideen} has been very commonly used by millions of practicing Muslims for centuries.
Why must every Muslim whose origin is not from Arab or Persian countries/communities be beholden to those two languages? Does it say anywhere in Islamic literature that Muslims should do that?
What about millions of African-American Muslims who carry distinctly Christian sounding names (including John, Peter, Paul, Mary etc)? Are they bad Muslims until such time that they become subservient to Arabic, Persian languages? Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan.
kaleem kawaja
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM, syed-mohsin naquvi <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear All,
God is definitely everywhere -- yes everywhere.
If there is a god, whether we call him, Allah, Ishwar, Jehova or whatever else, He is One and Alone in His existence and The Only One.
But when APJ Abul Kalam makes that statement, it is not a statement out of some profound spiritual experience, it is a statement made by a politician to propagate his secularism.
Do you know what does that "J" stand for on his initials?
His parents had named him Zain-ul-Abideen, which not only is the given name of one the great-grandsons of the Prophet of Islam (pbh), it means "the honour of the Worshippers (of Allah)."
What a beautiful name, but see how it has been distorted by this secularist upstart into:
JAINUL-ABHUDIN. (I can understand that there is no Z-sound in any of the Indian dialects so it will be written with a "J" in Hindi, but why in English when we do have a letter "Z"?)
One does not stop to wonder as to how far people would go to distort their principles for the gain of few days of this worldly life !!!!!
Here are a few Qur'anic verses for reflection:
�ل� �ف�س� ك !ق�ة� ن �م�و�ت! ذ�ائ &م�ا ال !ن �و�ف&و�ن� و�إ �م� ت ك ��ج�ور �و�م� أ �ام�ة! ي �ق!ي ح�ز!ح� ف�م�ن ال &ار! ع�ن! ز� �د�خ!ل� الن &ة� و�أ ن ��ج و�م�ا ف�از� ف�ق�د� ال�اة� ي ��ح �ا ال �ي !ال& الد�ن �اع� إ ور! م�ت �غ�ر� ال
(185) Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.
(3:185)
�ا �ه�ا ي ي� &ذ!ين� أ �وا ال �م� م�ا آم�ن �ك !ذ�ا ل �م� ق!يل� إ �ك وا ل !يل! ف!ي انف!ر� ب �&ه! س �م� الل �ت &اق�ل !ل�ى اث ر�ض! إ
� ��م األ ض!يت �ر� �اة! أ ي ��ح !ال �ا ب �ي م!ن� الد�ن
ة! �خ!ر ��اع� ف�م�ا اآل �اة! م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي ة! ف!ي الد�ن �خ!ر �!ال& اآل !يلJ إ ق�ل
(38) O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.
(9:38)
�م ف�م�ا !يت �وت ي�ء� مKن أ ��اع� ش �اة! ف�م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي &ه! ع!ند� و�م�ا الد�ن �رJ الل ي ��ق�ىN خ �ب &ذ!ين� و�أ !ل �وا ل Kه!م� و�ع�ل�ىN آم�ن ب �&ل�ون� ر �و�ك �ت ي
(36) Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:
(42:36)
May Allah give guidance to those who reflect.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
==========================
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
To: nrindians <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
KAWAJA "Girey tho Gireye ....Taang ooper
Opeen ur eyes and mind..............
**************************************************************************************************
--- On Wed, 7/11/12, muhammed mubeen <[email protected]> wrote:
From: muhammed mubeen <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 2:54 PM
ASSALAMUALIKUM TO ALL
IF THIS IS TRUE THEN ONE HAVE TO AGREE TOTALLY WITH BROTHER ABDUL HAMEED THAT CERTAINLY HE IS NOT ONE AMONG US.
AS REGARDING THE QURANIC ORDER ''LA IKRAH FIDDEEN'' IT IS FOR NON MUSLIMS. THERE IS NO FORCE FOR THEM TO ACCEPT IT. BUT FOR MUSLIMS IT IS COMPULSORY TO FOLLOW ALL THE FARAAED NO EXCUSE AT ALL.
ONE SHOULD REFER TO THE CONTEXT OF THE REVELATION OF LA IKRAH FIDDEEN. THERE WAS A TIME IN MADINA WHEN ARABS PARENTS USED TO MAKES VOW TO GIVE THEIR NEW BORN CHILD TO THE JEWS IF THEY GET THE CHILD ALIVE IF THE PREVIOUS CHILD HAD DIED.
AND THERE WERE MANY SUCH GROWN UP ARAB CHILDREN WITH JEWS IN BANEE NADEER. DURING THE TIME OF EVACUATION OF BANEE NADEER , IN THE 4TH HIJRI, THE QUESTION AROSE FOR SUCH GROWN UP ARABS ..THEN ALLHA[SW] REVEALED THAT| IT WAS UP TO THEM .THERE IS NO COMPULSION FOR THEM. IF THEY WISH THEY CAN GO WITH JEWS TO KHAIBAR AND IF THEY WANT JOIN WITH MUSLIMS THEY ARE FREE TO DO SO.
WITH KIND REGARDS/ MUHAMMED MUBEEN
Janab Syed Iqbal Talib sahab
Adab
Would be grateful if you do elaborate on the reasons on the point of disagreement with Tayyaba Qidwai saheba.
Navaid Hamid
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 6:19 PM, Iqbal Ahmed <[email protected]> wrote:
Salam to All,
I dont agree with Tayyeba saheba's views. Dr. Abdul Kalam also showed his greatnes. He is truly a wonderful honest person,
a true Indian and a good Muslim not a fanatic.
syed iqbal Talib.
Date: Tue, 10 Jul 2012 05:29:15 -0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
6 attachments — Download all attachments View all images
apj_abdul_kalam_buddh_purnima.jpg
42K View Download
apj_abdul_kalam_offering_prayer.jpg
13K View Download
apj_abdul_kalam_paying_homage.jpg
24K View Download
apj_abdul_kalam_saibaba.jpg
15K View Download
apj_abdul_kalam_seeking_aashirwaad.jpg
8K View Download
apj_abdul_kalam_with_idol.jpg
9K View Download
Reply
Forward
to nrindians
Dear Kaleem Khwaja Sahab,
Wa alaykum as-Salam and thank you for your response.
You have raised three specific points in your message. Allow me to address each one of them in turn.
(1) Actually I began my message with the premise that God is everywhere -- whether or not the President of India had said it. We do not have to go to the Sufis when the holy Qur'an has established that concept anyway. So, why is it that when a Muslim leader of India says that, itsounds so odd? The answer lies in the holy Qur'an itself. Let me quote the actual verses.
! م �!س &ه! ب ح�م�Nن! الل ! الر& ح!يم !ذ�ا الر& اء�ك� إ ��اف!ق�ون� ج �م�ن �وا ال ه�د� ق�ال ��ش &ك� ن !ن س�ول� إ ��ر &ه! ل &ه� الل �م� و�الل �ع�ل &ك� ي !ن �ه� إ ول س� ��ر &ه� ل و�الله�د� ��ش !ن& ي �اف!ق!ين� إ �م�ن �ون� ال �اذ!ب �ك ل
(1) When the Hypocrites come to thee, they say, "We bear witness that thou art indeed the Messenger of Allah." Yea, Allah knoweth that thou art indeed His Messenger, and Allah beareth witness that the Hypocrites are indeed liars.
&خ�ذ�وا �ه�م� ات �م�ان �ي &ةU أ ن !يل! ع�ن ف�ص�د�وا ج� ب �&ه! س &ه�م� الل !ن اء� إ ��وا م�ا س �ان �ع�م�ل�ون� ك ي
(2) They have made their oaths a screen (for their misdeeds): thus they obstruct (men) from the Path of Allah: truly evil are their deeds.
�!ك &ه�م� ذ�Nل ن� !أ �وا ب �م& آم�ن وا ث �ف�ر� !ع� ك !ه!م� ع�ل�ىN ف�ط�ب �وب �ف�ق�ه�ون� ال� ف�ه�م� ق�ل ي
(3) That is because they believed, then they rejected Faith: So a seal was set on their hearts: therefore they understand not.
When a liar tells a truth, the truth remains the truth but the liar still remains a liar.
(2) Your second point is about linguistics, phonology and the science of phonetics. It has been fully established by the scholars of human physiology that the organs inside the human buccal cavity and nasal passage are exactly the same in each and every human being. Therefore, each and every human being is fully capable of producing each and every sound that can be made by any language in the world. It is all a matter of either growing up in a certain language environment or proper training in phonetics and phonology. Muslims have a duty as faithful followers of the faith to learn the Qur'anic language and recite the verses with as exactly as possible. Both the words Zain as well as Abedeen are Arabic words which have been used in the Qur'an. Any Muslim who can read the Qur'an should be able to read those words too. I will ask APJ Abul Kalam, if I ever met him, please tell me how do you pronounce the following verse of the Qur'an:
ل� �ز& �ن �ة� ت !ك ئ ��م�ال وح� ال !ذ�ن! ف!يه�ا و�الر� !إ Kه!م ب ب ��لK مKن ر م�ر� ك� أ
Do you say TANAZZALUL... or TANAJJALUL
If you read as TANAZZALUL then what is the problem in saying ZAIN-UL-ABEDEEN?
If you say, on the other hand, TANAJJALUL, then you are destroying the recital and actually changing the meaning of the verse. So, which one is it?
If an illiterate South Indian said that, I would understand. But an educated person such as the President of India, knows very well that even though there is no "Z" sound in his native language, there is such a sound in the English language. Why can't he spell his name in English with "Z"?
(3) Your third point is about naming conventions in the Muslim societies. Every faithful Muslim parent has to give a good name to his newborn child. Apparently the parents of APJ Abul Kalam did that, except that the good son could not receive the Islamic spirit from his parents.
Islam recommends that a son be named Muhammad, or another name from the family of the Prophet(pbh), similarly for girls. I live in the USA. Most native Americans, black or white, as soon as they convert to Islam, change their names. For example, the famous boxer Cassius Clay, when he converted to Islam he changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
Bangla Desh did not separate on the linguistic issue. Bangla Desh came into being due to bad politics. But that is yet another issue altogether.
My contention here is not why some one does not have a specific name. My point is about trying to distort a perfectly good name out of provincial arrogance.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
=====================
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 6:20 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Naquvi
When President Kalam says Allah (rabbul aalameeen) is everywhere, some people say he is a politician propagating his secularism for political gain. But the same statement has been made by countless devout Muslim sufi saints in the last several centuries. And no one decried them. In fact most Muslims have kept on praising them.
Among Muslims of Southasia whose mother tongue is other than those influenced by Arabic and Persian eg Bangla, Tamil, the name "{Juainulabideen, or Jainulabhideen} has been very commonly used by millions of practicing Muslims for centuries.
Why must every Muslim whose origin is not from Arab or Persian countries/communities be beholden to those two languages? Does it say anywhere in Islamic literature that Muslims should do that?
What about millions of African-American Muslims who carry distinctly Christian sounding names (including John, Peter, Paul, Mary etc)? Are they bad Muslims until such time that they become subservient to Arabic, Persian languages? Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan.
kaleem kawaja
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM, syed-mohsin naquvi <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear All,
God is definitely everywhere -- yes everywhere.
If there is a god, whether we call him, Allah, Ishwar, Jehova or whatever else, He is One and Alone in His existence and The Only One.
But when APJ Abul Kalam makes that statement, it is not a statement out of some profound spiritual experience, it is a statement made by a politician to propagate his secularism.
Do you know what does that "J" stand for on his initials?
His parents had named him Zain-ul-Abideen, which not only is the given name of one the great-grandsons of the Prophet of Islam (pbh), it means "the honour of the Worshippers (of Allah)."
What a beautiful name, but see how it has been distorted by this secularist upstart into:
JAINUL-ABHUDIN. (I can understand that there is no Z-sound in any of the Indian dialects so it will be written with a "J" in Hindi, but why in English when we do have a letter "Z"?)
One does not stop to wonder as to how far people would go to distort their principles for the gain of few days of this worldly life !!!!!
Here are a few Qur'anic verses for reflection:
�ل� �ف�س� ك !ق�ة� ن �م�و�ت! ذ�ائ &م�ا ال !ن �و�ف&و�ن� و�إ �م� ت ك ��ج�ور �و�م� أ �ام�ة! ي �ق!ي ح�ز!ح� ف�م�ن ال &ار! ع�ن! ز� �د�خ!ل� الن &ة� و�أ ن ��ج و�م�ا ف�از� ف�ق�د� ال�اة� ي ��ح �ا ال �ي !ال& الد�ن �اع� إ ور! م�ت �غ�ر� ال
(185) Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.
(3:185)
�ا �ه�ا ي ي� &ذ!ين� أ �وا ال �م� م�ا آم�ن �ك !ذ�ا ل �م� ق!يل� إ �ك وا ل !يل! ف!ي انف!ر� ب �&ه! س �م� الل �ت &اق�ل !ل�ى اث ر�ض! إ
� ��م األ ض!يت �ر� �اة! أ ي ��ح !ال �ا ب �ي م!ن� الد�ن
ة! �خ!ر ��اع� ف�م�ا اآل �اة! م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي ة! ف!ي الد�ن �خ!ر �!ال& اآل !يلJ إ ق�ل
(38) O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.
(9:38)
�م ف�م�ا !يت �وت ي�ء� مKن أ ��اع� ش �اة! ف�م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي &ه! ع!ند� و�م�ا الد�ن �رJ الل ي ��ق�ىN خ �ب &ذ!ين� و�أ !ل �وا ل Kه!م� و�ع�ل�ىN آم�ن ب �&ل�ون� ر �و�ك �ت ي
(36) Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:
(42:36)
May Allah give guidance to those who reflect.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
==========================
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
To: nrindians <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
NEFM [email protected]
8:22 AM (2 hours ago)
to nrindians
We seem to have great tendency in doingPh.D. on non issues. How the name of Kalam is linked to his degree of faith inIslam?
I have many friends from Tamilnadu whosenames spell differently than those from North. I know two persons who writeKadhar and Kadher, instead of Qadar or Qadir. And both of them are as much ormore Muslim than quite a few Qadir or Qadar that I know from North? Manyfriends from Tamilnadu will sound my name invariably as “Kaan” than “Khan”. Andthey certainly don’t mean any insult to me.
I think those of us living inmulti-cultural, multiligual societies should not become so narrow minded thatwe make our lives worst than what they already are. I don’t think Islam teachesus to be so intolerant and see everything from such narrow prism that othercommunities see us only fundamentalists and conservatives and hate us.
There are much larger challenges that arearising now. Terrorism and terrorists have come back yet again. Media is againon overdrive to portray Muslim names. Abu and Kundal will be followed by somebomb blasts and some communal incidents. Every incident is being given a muslimcolour. Certain agencies are back at muslim branding project again, afterrelief of a year or so. If BJP projects Modi for 2014, the muslim brandingproject will only be stepped up. Muslim educated youths will be target.
I think this is much larger issue beforeus. What is there in the name - Zainul or Jainul? How the life of a commonMuslim is impacted by that?
What President Kalam has contributed tothe wellbeing of Muslims in Indiaby his contribution to the nation, thousands of correctly urdu named muslimscan not. A common Indian thinks before speaking about Muslims that thiscommunity has got Kalam type persons also, Aamir Khan also, not only Jundal andKundal, Kasab and Taliban and so on, which media portrays so much.
MJ Khan
From:[email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Masood Siddiqui
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 201210:30 PM
Subject: RE: [nrindians] M.J.Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK to all Readers
Mr Kaleem Kwaja wrote : .............."Is this bias not based onlinguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladeshseparated from Pakistan".
The separation of Bangladeshhas many many reasons, though cultural difference, sometime touching linguisticchauvinism, was definitely a reason. But here points raised are different.
1. See the meaning of Zainul Abedeen. Does JAINUL-ABHUDIN. have same meaning ?Is it not a blunder on such an educated and intellectual person. This lack ofbasic understanding of language can not be justified in terms of culturaldifferences. Who likes Zero to be called Jero ?? It is understandable only ifit comes from semi literate persons.
2. Moreover, if semi literate elders have given distorted name to him, was itnot his duty to get it corrected when he was educated. Alas, if he was aware ofit...if education has covered those areas as well. Oh Allah, guide us to whatis correct , no matter whether it is in Science, Religion or in Languages.
3. He spent many years in DRDO Hyderabad, where he use to live alone beingbachelor. Within 5 Km radius of this compound at least thousands of Masajid arethere and lakhs of Muslims live there. He never came out of his lab andsolitary self confinement to mingle with common Muslims, let alone tointeract with Ulemaa. Perhaps he was too busy to design weapons of Massdestruction instead of findings ways of self improvement, basics of hisReligion and learning basics of languages which concern him . Oh Allah havemercy on us, allow us to benefit from what & who is around us in all matterof Deen and Duniya.
4. No doubt what he says that God is everywhere, is nothing new. Many of NonIslamic Sufi say the same when they pronounce wahdatul wajood and wahdatulshahood. However, that comes from distorted understanding of deen, but here itis coming from lack of Knowledge. He should admit he has no
knowledge in thesematters and make efforts in these hitherto ignored areas now. It is neverlate and he intelligent too. Oh Allah give us understanding of Deen as its,without any distortions or Afraat o Tafreet.
5. People who are sincere towards him and have access to him should try toencourage him to acquire what it appears conclusively (based on other inputs aswell) he has ignored till now. Oh Allah give us taufeeq to do whatever isbeneficial to our Deen and Duniya.
Wa As-salaam
Mas'ood Siddiqui Aleeg
Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2012 03:02:09-0700
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. AbdulKalam (MUST READ)
As Salaam O Alaikum O Rahmathullahi O Barakatuhu
What about your name
KAWAJA..........is it a islamic name?
Aqil **************************************************************************************************
--- On Wed, 7/11/12, Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]> wrote:
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Date: Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 2:20 AM
ASAK Mr Naquvi
When President Kalam says Allah (rabbul aalameeen) is everywhere, some people say he is a politician propagating his secularism for political gain. But the same statement has been made by countless devout Muslim sufi saints in the last several centuries. And no one decried them. In fact most Muslims have kept on praising them.
Among Muslims of Southasia whose mother tongue is other than those influenced by Arabic and Persian eg Bangla, Tamil, the name "{Juainulabideen, or Jainulabhideen} has been very commonly used by millions of practicing Muslims for centuries.
Why must every Muslim whose origin is not from Arab or Persian countries/communities be beholden to those two languages? Does it say anywhere in Islamic literature that Muslims should do that?
What about millions of African-American Muslims who carry distinctly Christian sounding names (including John, Peter, Paul, Mary etc)? Are they bad Muslims until such time that they become subservient to Arabic, Persian languages? Is this bias not based on linguistic chauvinism? No wonder Bangladesh separated from Pakistan.
kaleem kawaja
On Tue, Jul 10, 2012 at 12:14 PM, syed-mohsin naquvi <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear All,
God is definitely everywhere -- yes everywhere.
If there is a god, whether we call him, Allah, Ishwar, Jehova or whatever else, He is One and Alone in His existence and The Only One.
But when APJ Abul Kalam makes that statement, it is not a statement out of some profound spiritual experience, it is a statement made by a politician to propagate his secularism.
Do you know what does that "J" stand for on his initials?
His parents had named him Zain-ul-Abideen, which not only is the given name of one the great-grandsons of the Prophet of Islam (pbh), it means "the honour of the Worshippers (of Allah)."
What a beautiful name, but see how it has been distorted by this secularist upstart into:
JAINUL-ABHUDIN. (I can understand that there is no Z-sound in any of the Indian dialects so it will be written with a "J" in Hindi, but why in English when we do have a letter "Z"?)
One does not stop to wonder as to how far people would go to distort their principles for the gain of few days of this worldly life !!!!!
Here are a few Qur'anic verses for reflection:
�ل� �ف�س� ك !ق�ة� ن �م�و�ت! ذ�ائ &م�ا ال !ن �و�ف&و�ن� و�إ �م� ت ك ��ج�ور �و�م� أ �ام�ة! ي �ق!ي ح�ز!ح� ف�م�ن ال &ار! ع�ن! ز� �د�خ!ل� الن &ة� و�أ ن ��ج ف�از� ف�ق�د� ال�اة� و�م�ا ي ��ح �ا ال �ي !ال& الد�ن �اع� إ ور! م�ت �غ�ر� ال
(185) Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.
(3:185)
�ا �ه�ا ي ي� &ذ!ين� أ �وا ال �م� م�ا آم�ن �ك !ذ�ا ل �م� ق!يل� إ �ك وا ل !يل! ف!ي انف!ر� ب �&ه! س �م� الل �ت &اق�ل !ل�ى اث ر�ض! إ
� ��م األ ض!يت �ر� �اة! أ ي ��ح !ال �ا ب �ي الد�ن
�ة! م!ن �خ!ر ��اع� ف�م�ا اآل �اة! م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي ة! ف!ي الد�ن �خ!ر �!ال& اآل !يلJ إ ق�ل
(38) O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.
(9:38)
�م ف�م�ا !يت �وت ي�ء� مKن أ ��اع� ش �اة! ف�م�ت ي ��ح �ا ال �ي &ه! ع!ند� و�م�ا الد�ن �رJ الل ي ��ق�ىN خ �ب &ذ!ين� و�أ !ل �وا ل Kه!م� و�ع�ل�ىN آم�ن ب �&ل�ون� ر �و�ك �ت ي
(36) Whatever ye are given (here) is (but) a convenience of this life: but that which is with Allah is better and more lasting: (it is) for those who believe and put their trust in their Lord:
(42:36)
May Allah give guidance to those who reflect.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Syed-Mohsin Naquvi
==========================
From: Tayyaba Qidwai <[email protected]>
To: nrindians <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, July 10, 2012 8:29 AM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
Walaikum Assalam Kaleem Sahib
I can understand your statement about Islam being tolerant, but flexibility in the matter of Tawheed? Do you think, Muslims who are vocal in their belief in the Oneness of Allah are really rigid and dogmatic?
I understand that in a democracy,if a President of India is free to voice his ideas on the concept of his religiosity, so is a common man free to voice his difference on the matter.
So why should we respect one and ignore the other stand ?
Anyway, I thought the "brilliance" which Siraj Sahib has mentioned here is of M.J.Akbar's style of questioning,rather than the answers given by the ex-President.
Regards
Tayyaba Qidwai
From: Kaleem Kawaja <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, July 9, 2012 6:38 PM
Subject: Re: [nrindians] M.J. Akbar's brilliant interview with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (MUST READ)
ASAK Mr Abdul Hameed
Unfortunately Muslims with rigid and dogmatic thinking (who are in minority but very vocal) are unable to understand the tolerant and flexible nature of Islam. We Muslims should ignore them as they really do not matter.
kaleem kawaja
On Mon, Jul 9, 2012 at 11:38 AM, Abdul Hameed <[email protected]> wrote:
I often visit temples and churches as well. God is everywhere. ( APJ)
Assalamalaikum.The above statement will make every one in the world proud of APJ Abdul Kalam , except the Muslims.
Certainly he is not one among us.
That is his style and understanding of Islam.
What a pity?
With kind regards,
Abdul Hameed M H
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the authorand do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secularand multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached andpractised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for thegroup members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forwardpersonal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you havetaken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
--
--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
1. The views/opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the group owners/moderators.
2. This group is for Indians and of Indians who take pride in India's secular and multi-cultural ethos. All of us are followers of Islam as preached and practised by the Last Messenger, Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him).
3. This is a family group. Comments made herein are meant exclusively for the group members. Honourable members are, therefore, requested not to forward personal comments in this group to any third party/non-member, unless you have taken permission from the member.
4. Getting out of this group is easy. Just send a blank email to [email protected].
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~-----~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~----~----~----~
Reply
Forward
Click here to Reply or Forward
Learning Online Primary, Secondary(K-12) Education.
Ads – Why this ad?
US Education for Expats, Nationals
www.K12.com