Dr Mary Hunter
@MaryFloraHunter
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Visiting Research Fellow @CSCR_pk | PhD (Islamisation of Pakistan and Impact on Minorites) @univofstandrews | Opinion articles in @thenews_intl and @CSCR_pk |
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I’m pleased to share some professional news. I’ve joined the wonderful team
@CSCR_pk
as a Visiting Research Fellow. My research will primarily focus on decolonisation in UK-Pakistan relations. Looking forward to engaging with/learning from the research community in Pakistan 🇵🇰
We're thrilled to welcome Dr. Mary Hunter to CSCR as a Visiting Research Fellow. With a PhD from the University of St. Andrews, her dissertation addressed the Islamisation of Pakistan.
At CSCR, Dr. Hunter's research will focus on UK-Pakistan relations from a decolonial lens.
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Mera Pakistan ka pehla sufar… wow 😍🇵🇰
This trip was limited to Islamabad and the surrounding area, but it was so special to be in the country that I’ve dedicated so much time to studying.
The Faisal Masjid was my first stop, and it was breathtaking.
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Pakistani Muslims ko Eid Mubarak ho 🌙
To finish up my Ramadan daily threads on the Qur'an, I'd like to share the main things I learned and took away from reading the whole Qur'an throughout the sacred month as a non-Muslim.
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After successfully defending my thesis last week, I’m humbled to share that the award of my PhD on Pakistan has been confirmed 🙏🏼📚
Title: ‘Contextualising Zia-ul-Haq’s Islamisation of 🇵🇰 and its Impact on ‘Non-Muslims’ in the Thought of Maududi and British Colonialism.’
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My mum, Lt Col Jane Hunter, passed away peacefully yesterday. She was a dedicated mum, army ETS officer and member of the General Synod. She worked tirelessly for other people. RIP mum x
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I’ve read two fascinating books by Pakistanis written in the 1960s.
1. Khalid B. Sayeed’s 2nd ed. of ‘Pakistan: The Formative Phase, 1857-1948’
I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in how Pakistan came about, esp re the fluctuating relationships between the
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Glad to have been introduced today to the work of Eqbal Ahmad: the Pakistani anti-war activist and academic who joined Algerian nationalists in resisting French colonialism and had a remarkable ability to predict the future based on his thorough understanding of history.
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One of the most interesting figures I've come across in my research on the Islamisation of Pakistan is AR Cornelius (1903-91). He was a former Chief Justice of Pakistan and a Roman Catholic convert who supported the Islamisation of the constitution to achieve liberal results.
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The Election Commission of Pakistan has violated the constitution, not only on the eve of Pakistan Day, but in the year of the 50th anniversary of the 1973 constitution.
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The British media is increasingly covering the situation relating to Imran Khan after police entered his home in Lahore and his arrival at court in Islamabad. Here is a thread on reports by the British media 🧵:
1. Sky News
BREAKING: Pakistan police have entered the property of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and is due to appear in court, in Islamabad later today
Latest:
📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube
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India has the third largest Muslim population worldwide. After the normalisation of Islamophobia, the BJP must commit to more than internal sanctions to show that it's serious about religious tolerance. Otherwise, it's merely continuing the colonial legacy of 'divide and rule'
India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has sanctioned two party spokespersons following an international outcry over insulting comments the pair reportedly made regarding Prophet Muhammad
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Blessed to have been invited to mark Chaand Raat with a few friends. Despite being scaled down due to COVID-19, it was a beautiful evening in which I was treated with utmost hospitality. Great food and the first time I had my hand decorated with mehndi
#EidAladha2020
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My trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina has been the most eye-opening. Not only to hear first-hand of the genocide, but also to witness the strength and solidarity that exists within the Islamic ummah, regardless of nationality. I hope the people of this beautiful country find peace
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Just met an Uber driver in London. Originally from Iran, speaks two languages. Fought and was tortured. And the best he can do is be an Uber driver. He said I was the first person all day who spoke to him. Please treat immigrants as people; give them a chance 🙏
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'Tajdar-e-Haram,' said to be written by Mirza Hakim (c.1554-1595, second son of Mughal Emperor Humayun and ruler of Kabul), was the first Pakistani music video to cross 100 million views on YouTube.
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Ramadan Mubarak to all of my Muslim friends marking the sacred month. I hope it brings you strength and comfort in these challenging times
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Such a beautiful display! I would love to this one day
Thank you to the Kalash people in Chitral for the wonderful welcome for The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge today!
#RoyalVisitPakistan
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As someone learning Urdu, I also found it interesting to see where many Urdu words derive from Arabic.
I'd like to end by saying thank you to the people who have read my threads and also shared their thoughts and recommended reading. Eid Mubarak 🌙
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3 years ago today, I submitted my undergrad thesis; my 1st research on Pakistan. I argued, in response to stereotype of Pakistanis/Muslims as extremists, that the rhetoric/actions of the TTP did not represent Islam theologically. Pakistan has been the centre of my work ever since
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The British Home Secretary is contributing to the spread of blanket characterisations of British Pakistanis as groomers and criminals, saying their culture is inherently sexist and demeans women. This is unacceptable and symptomatic of this govt's dangerous use of language.
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Such a brilliant interview and honoured to have been asked 😍
Meet Jill & Mary, listen to what they are saying about Pakistan, the people, the Army & the hospitality. Both are visiting Pakistan nexy year. 🇵🇰 1/2
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One of the best meals I had in Islamabad was at the 1969 restaurant near the Pakistan Monument 🇵🇰
#NewProfilePic
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Great pictures from working with
@iihtishamm
and
@talha_kh
. It was a beautiful autumn day here in England. Looking forward to seeing the final product soon!
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Happy Pakistan Day to all my Pakistani friends around the world! I've been very fortunate to get to know you and your warmth, generosity and kindness are unmatched. You are the pride of your country. I look forward to my first visit 🇵🇰
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At Harvard's Pakistan Conference, there was debate over whether Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan (1817-98) should have been included on currency marking 75 years since 🇵🇰 independence. While credited as the mind behind the Two-Nation Theory, concerned with uplifting Indian Muslims
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1. Charity, kindness and empathy
These are celebrated as some of the greatest virtues and those who practice them are praised throughout. The religion is in itself empathetic, making exceptions to its expectations of prayer and charity based on personal circumstance.
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ECB move was slap in face:
- All have operated under covid (🇵🇰 even travelled to 🇬🇧, where covid was far worse)
- UK travel advice to Pak had not changed (
@ukinpakistan
)
Misguided perceptions ignore 🇵🇰's improving security and fuel narratives that harm 🇵🇰
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Today would have been my Mum's (Lt Col Jane Hunter's) 54th birthday. She started and finished her career at
@RMASandhurst
. She truly embodied 'Serve to Lead' and was a passionate educator. Proud of you, Mum ❤
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It was a great pleasure to be in attendance at the reopening of the Baitul Futuh Mosque last night in London to attend the National Peace Symposium. It was an interfaith triumph, bringing together academics, politicians and community leaders 🙏
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3. Taking Moral High Ground
There are quite a few instances in which the Qur'an tells believers who hear insults to their religion simply not to sit with them (e.g. 4:140, 5:2/8, 6:68), rather than to respond aggressively, undermining extrajudicial responses to blasphemy.
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On this day in 2019, the Indian govt unilaterally abrogated Article 370 (which granted a constitution, flag and law-making) + 35A (that defined a permanent resident). The former resulted in weakening of J&K's autonomy and latter in potential to alter the demographics 1/6
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This country is beautiful beyond words and I can't wait to explore it 😍
On this
#WorldTourismDay
let's promise to ourselves that we will keep Pakistan clean especially our tourist spots... Lets make Pakistan a country famous as a neat & clean
#traveldestination
Credits:
Place: Rakaposhi, Gilgit Baltistan
#BeautifulPakistan
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The UK is really blessed with the quality and variety of Pakistani food and drinks on offer, but it can never compare to the real thing. I loved all the food and tried 6 different types of chai (so much better than tea in the UK 🫢).
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I recommend visiting the Pakistan Monument at sunset. I was struck by how the sun is such a vivid shade of orange when it sets in Pakistan. The museum next to it provides a good summary of Pakistani history. I especially liked the footage of Jinnah.
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If you would like to learn more about Cornelius and Islamic constitutionalism, I strongly recommend this journal article by Clark Lombardi:
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2. Stories of the Prophets
In many of the Surahs, the stories of the Prophets are repeated, primarily showing how they were ignored by their contemporaries which brought about the downfall of their nations.
Turning back to history to reflect on the present.
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Set at the base of the Margalla Hills, I felt at peace standing there listening to the azaan. To hear that throughout the day at the different sites I visited will be one of my most abiding memories of Pakistan.
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A long lost album by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, called Chain of Light, was rediscovered in storage. The album is set to be released in September, 34 years after it was recorded in 1990. It’ll include 4 qawwals and one never heard before.
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4. Abrahamic Solidarity
The Qur'an is in part intended to confirm earlier decrees (Scriptures of the Jews and Christians) but also to amend some of them. But it is affirmed that all three religions share the same God and many of the same laws (Surahs 5, 8, 19, 29).
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It's often forgotten that some of Pakistan's religio-political leaders, like Maududi, who came to question the loyalties of particular groups in Pakistan to the state, didn't actually support the creation of Pakistan in the first place.
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God's attributes are repeated throughout to both reassure and comfort people that he is all-powerful, all-good, all-seeing and all-knowing.
The Prophet (PBUH) is held up as the archetypal model for how to live according to God's laws as revealed through the Qur'an.
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I also managed to make it up to Murree. The drive was spectacular, with the tree-covered hills and the snow-capped Hindu Kush range in the distance. Stopped for some chai at a cafe overlooking the valleys.
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6. Fundamental Message
The Qur'an enjoins the readers to be mindful of the Day of Judgement, on which everyone will be judged fairly according to their actions. This is why much of the Qur'an takes on an apocalyptic theme, dealing with the end times, Paradise and Hell.
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It was only a matter of time before attentions would also turn towards Jammu & Kashmir after the invasion of Ukraine. UNSC resolutions must be treated with equal severity if they are to mean anything at all, and J&K still hasn't had its plebiscite
Germany calls for UN's role in Kashmir issue.
German FM
@ABaerbock
said:
"Germany also has role and responsibility with regard to the situation in Kashmir, Therefore we support intensively the engagement of the United Nation, to find the peaceful solutions in the region."
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5. Islamic History/Practices
I learned a lot about Islamic history, and pre-Islamic traditions challenged by Islam, as well as events important in Islamic theology, esp. Laylat al-Qadr.
It's also quite remarkable how Islamic practices have been preserved till today.
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It is not the first time that Imran Khan has appeared on the cover of TIME magazine. In the 2012 edition, Khan was characterised as the 'long shot' prior to the 2013 general elections, which saw Nawaz Sharif elected PM.
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Though the Qur'an and Bible deal with many of the same figures, metaphors and stories, they sometimes provide different accounts (e.g. both Adam and Eve are responsible for eating forbidden fruit (7:21), not just Eve). The Qur'an also parallels ancient non-biblical texts.
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As a keen hiker since childhood, one of my favourite memories from my trip to Islamabad was my 10km round trip up and down the Margalla Hills. These videos are from my ascent up trail 3.
(Forgive my out of breath dialogue 😂)
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The day I did a 10km hike up trail 3 of the Margalla Hills and then down trail 5 was a standout favourite. There were not many people and I stopped at the famous Monal restaurant at the top. If you’re a keen walker/runner, it’s an easy and pleasant walk.
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@CSCR_pk
@TalhaIbr
@NaqviAiliya
@fayyaz_shabana
My visit was everything and more than what I had hoped. I felt like I could appreciate it more having spent so much time learning about the country and its culture in advance. Next time, I hope to travel more widely. Lahore is the top of my list 🤞
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I’m so glad I took the time to leave the city and head to the Taxila museum and the archeological sites of Dharmarajika and Sirkap. Pakistan has such a wealth of ancient history and I loved investigating its Buddhist, Greek and Jain influences.
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I hope this despicable man is arrested for this hate crime. Pakistanis have had to suffer disproportionate racism in the UK which runs contrary to our value of respect. Such intolerance must be challenged at every level
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I've been truly inspired by the Royal visit to Pakistan so we made the country a central part of the vlog today. I was humbled to receive this Chitrali hat from some friends and I hope to be wearing it in Pakistan as soon as I can, INSHALLAH
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In my first ever article for an academic journal (
@IPRI_Pak
), I explore the relationship between Islamophobia and anti-Pakistani sentiment across Europe and its origins in colonialism + Orientalism.
A 🧵 summarising my findings 👇
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A fascinating insight into his thought on imperialism and freedom struggles is provided by his 1975 lecture at University of Michigan. He importantly notes how the US went into Vietnam because it didn't know the reality and consequences of war.
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Important lessons from the Russell Tribunal on Kashmir:
1)
@KhaledBeydoun
spoke of the "legal architecture of genocide" in which laws, like the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, are being weaponised against Kashmiris.
Human rights orgs have repeatedly raised concerns about
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I’m pleased to share that my doctoral thesis (on Zia’s Islamisation of Pakistan and its Impact on those perceived to be non-Muslims) can now be read here 👇🏼
In this, I sought to make four contributions to the study of this topic:
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It was such a pleasure to be interviewed by
@iihtishamm
last night at the Pakistani High Commission! Am looking forward to discovering more about this beautiful country
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With Ramadan just a day or two away, I will be reading one para/juz of the Qur'an for every day of Ramadan. I'll share any thoughts daily and would love to engage with any Muslim brothers or sisters doing the same
#Ramadan
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Disturbing videos emerging from Pakistan of Ahmadi graves being destroyed and opened. I can’t imagine the distress of the families. Belonging to a religious community is not a crime.
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Last year, I read the whole Qur’an for Ramadan and took a lot away from that. I’ll be doing the same again this year with a different translation and will share my thoughts, with a view of developing an Islamic liberation theology.
Here were my thoughts from last year 👇🏼
Pakistani Muslims ko Eid Mubarak ho 🌙
To finish up my Ramadan daily threads on the Qur'an, I'd like to share the main things I learned and took away from reading the whole Qur'an throughout the sacred month as a non-Muslim.
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With
#Ramadan
due to start tomorrow, I'll be reading up on the structure of the Qur'an and the chronology of its events today. Looking forward to reading the first para/juz tomorrow and learning more about Islam and Muhammad (ﷺ) throughout the Holy month of Ramadan.
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I’m very grateful to the team at the Centre for Strategic and Contemporary Research for hosting me to find out a little more about what they do and for allowing me to talk about my PhD research. They were youthful, informed and a reflection of Pakistan’s bright future.
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Described as right-wing re-writing of Indian history:
'In the past, politicians elected to state assemblies have been barred from taking oath in Urdu; artists have been stopped from painting Urdu graffiti; and cities and neighbourhoods have been renamed.'
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This article by
@cjwerleman
importantly shows that communal violence in India is not a thing of the past. That Modi's/BJP's normalisation of and complicity in Islamophobia has already set India on the path to genocide. Must read.
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A familial insight into the man was given by Vaqar Ahmed, who describes how Eqbal was highly regarded by some of the world's foremost intellectuals, including Edward Said.
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Having spent so much time around Pakistanis, I started to think that the daily use of 'inshaAllah' was basically the same as saying 'hopefully,' despite knowing what it meant in Arabic.
But I was reminded today of the sincerity of the term through Para 15:
#RamadanMubarak
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He supported a lawyer-led Islamisation: lawyers should learn Arabic and to interpret Islamic law in order to show how the protection of fundamental rights was inherent to Islam. Thus liberalism would be produced not for its own sake, but as a commitment to Islamic values.
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His biography and wider intellectual significance appear in this piece by Nadeem F. Paracha, on whom Eqbal had a personal influence.
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'Heaven lies beneath the feet of mothers.'
الْجَنَّةُ تَحْتَ أَقْدَامِ الأمَّهَات
- Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ)
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Our Home Secretary has been sacked, thankfully. Here is a reminder of some of the things she has said and done:
- She said she was ‘proud of the British Empire’
- She demonised British Pakistani men by wrongly trying to link their ethnicity to grooming
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Cornelius believed that the constitution had to reflect the religious sentiments of the people, as well as their fundamental rights, in order to find legitimacy with the people. He even took Ayub Khan to task over the direction of secular autocracy.
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All of us can learn valuable lessons from Ramadan about community, selflessness and charity. Even if we do not fast, there are ways to support those who are. Wishing all Muslims Ramadan Mubarak as the sacred month begins ☪️
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Today, the UK’s greatest institution, the National Health Service (NHS), turns 75. A universal and publicly funded health system, it treats over a million people a day in England.
Here is a thread on contribution of S. Asian diasporas, esp Pakistani diaspora🧵
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@CSCR_pk
@TalhaIbr
@NaqviAiliya
I also had the pleasure of visiting Professor Shabana (
@fayyaz_shabana
) at Quaid-e-Azam University, where we had a fruitful conversation about our shared areas of interest and research. Thank you for taking the time.
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Pakistan was declared one of the top travel destinations in 2020 with its outstanding natural beauty, unique cultural sites and untapped potential for adventure tourism.
Looking forward to visiting once the lockdown eases!
Generosity is hallmark of 🇵🇰 society.
We should appreciate each other's efforts on twitter i.e 💚Like & ❤Retweet. Its is being generous👍.
Stay blessed Twitter World🌍
📍 Passo Cones, KKH, Hunza, GB
PC: Anonymous
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Thoughts on Para 2 (2:142-2:252):
This section contains the guidelines for observing Ramadan and my favourite verse is 'Eat and drink until you can tell a white thread from a black one in the light of the coming dawn.' (2:187)
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Thoughts on Para 27 (51:31-56:29):
An honest thought from reading the Qur'an this Ramadan has been that it is surprisingly repetitive. But repetition in this Para made me reflect differently on the issue. 54:17 states:
'We have made the Qur'an easy to remember: But will any
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At the monotonous stage of checking every single footnote in my thesis… Here are some of the books I read for my PhD on Zia’s Islamisation of Pakistan 👇🏼
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Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating
#EidUlFitr
today. May you take comfort from your efforts and enjoy family time surrounded by delicious food.
I'll be reading the last Surahs of the Qur'an today and I've found it to be a rewarding experience this Ramadan 🙏
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The first-known female convert to Islam in Liverpool, UK was Fatima Cates (1865-1900). She had been buried in an unmarked grave but has been given a tombstone to honour her contributions in helping to set up the UK's first mosque.
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With a lot of focus on Hindu-Muslim tensions & exclusivist ideologies at the moment, this captures the charitable spirit inherent in both Hinduism and Islam. Suffering reminds us that we are all more similar than we are different
#Pakistanfloods2022
In
#jamhoordispatches
from
#PakistanFloods
, Ehtisham of the Islamabad Jeep Club visits Bhag Nari in Balochistan where the local predominantly muslim community is being sheltered in a Hindu temple.
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Pakistan's first Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, bears a fairly striking resemblance to American actor, Stanley Tucci
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Thoughts on final Para 30 (78:01-114:06):
I have to admit that it wasn't always easy, given work, life and travel, to commit to reading the Qur'an everyday this Ramadan, but I'm glad I did. I've learned a lot from it and from others who have done the same, so shukriah 🙏
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In his book ‘Muslim Zion: Pakistan as a Political Idea,’ Faisal Devji makes an interesting point about the contradictory consequence of Maududi’s insistence upon God’s sovereignty which certainly fits my reading of Qur’anic principles when I read the holy text in Ramadan.
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In my latest for Geo News, I argue that the British Home Secretary's characterisation of British Pakistani men as predominantly responsible for child sexual exploitation is both wrong and dangerous, evidenced by subsequent anti-Pakistani racism and Islamophobia 👇
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OPINION: Braverman’s sweeping characterisation does a hatchet job on British Pakistani men in general, majority of whom are innocent of such crimes, writes
@MaryFloraHunter
#GeoNews
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Thinking of all Muslims observing Laylat al-Qadr tonight in prayer. While I am not a Muslim, I too will be reflecting, thinking about my loved ones (alive and departed) in wishing them the best and hoping that the kinder side of humanity wins out 🙏
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Grateful for the opportunity to present my paper on the relationship between Pakistani Muslimness and the Ahmadiyyah, as influenced by Iqbal and Maududi, at the 3rd International Conference on Critical Muslim Studies at the University of Leeds
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The Home Office itself concluded in a report in 2020 that men involved in grooming gangs are mainly white and that there is no evidence that any ethnicity is over-represented in this form of crime.
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With Ramadan coming to a close, it's pertinent even as a non-Muslim to learn. In a speech, Jinnah called on Pakistanis to emulate the Prophet (pbuh) who treated non-Muslims with "the utmost tolerance." It is a difficult time for many,
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In light of GenocideWatch highlighting early genocide warnings in India, I have written this article on how other countries must learn about the '10 Stages of Genocide.' The stages do not amount to genocide in isolation, but can result in genocide if they go unchallenged.
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My understanding of Islam is that it is heavily concerned with social justice. The Qur’an regularly calls on believers to help the poor and marginalised, as well as to not respond to insult with insult. The recent attacks on Christians in Jaranwala (and other communities
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We have a lot to learn from kids
My heart 😭❤️
This is so pure.
"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion..."
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The rector of my university, Stella Maris, is being condemned for reiterating what UN experts have already said, that there is evidence of a genocide underway against the Palestinian people. Her statement was not bigoted and called for peace.
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