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Showing posts from July, 2014

(24): Hamas is ‘un-’ if not anti-Boko Haram

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Muhsin Ibrahim @Muhsin234 (Twitter) I was prompted to briefly clarify the dissimilarity, if not dissension, between the Palestinian armed group, Hamas and dreaded Nigeria's ‘Islamists’ insurgence, Boko Haram (BH).  As the ongoing Gaza conflict escalates further and the death toll, especially among children and women, rises, many people obviously seem to have not known or known but deliberately chosen to spread falsehood about the two aforementioned ‘Islamist’ groups. Israel ’s officials, including the Prime Minister, Netanyahu, and numberless other people on social media, are always quick at pairing the two, chiefly to justify the bloodshed in Gaza . Hamas was established in 1987 to fight, by political and military means, for the freedom of Palestine over Israel ’s growing land-grabbing and occupation of their territories  and persecution of their people. The U.S, however, listed them as a terrorist organisation. They are also called so in the American and other pro-Am

(23): Being Muslim and the Danger of a Single Story

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Muhammad Muhsin Ibrahim muhsin2008@gmail.com @muhsin234 (Twitter) “What is your name?” Muhammad. And all eyes would turn around. It often starts just like that, for to them, every Muslim is a potential threat, a terrorist. It is extremely awkward, if not annoying, to someone like me who was born and reared in an almost 99% Muslims community. Hitherto I didn’t know that being Muslim means that much and weighs that loads; some feel even reluctant to disclose their belief. Muslims living in multi-religious and non-Muslims majority societies today have a lot of stories to tell. The story is sometimes nasty in conservative, religiously touchy and volatile places like India , where I presently reside.  Although home to about 200 million Muslims, it was discovered in a recent survey that some  Muslims have to masquerade as Hindus for India jobs.  This happens due to the schism, and sometimes animosity, between them and other faithful, particularly the majority Hindus. But