SHAFAQNA

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Abdulaziz Al-Hesan the Saudi lawyer said the lawyers in his country cannot carry out their duties and defend their clients. He stressed that lawyers are frustrated when the written laws of the country are not followed. He referred to the case of one of his clients called Saleh Al-Ashwan who has been detained for a month but he is not allowed to meet his lawyer. In addition his lawyer announced that he has not…

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Sheikh Qais bin Mohammad Al-Mubarak a member of Saudi grand ulamas committee told Al-Riadh newspaper that Prophet of Islam (PBUH) did not allocate Friday or any other day for holiday or rest. He added that people can choose a day of the week for rest and holiday. Sheikh Qais explained that working after Friday prayers is allowed and some ulamas believe that based on Quran it is advisable to go to work on Friday…

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Saleh Alfawzan a member of Saudi ulamas committee declared that due to similarities between Friday and Saturday holidays with Jewish and Christian holidays, therefore these holidays are Haram (forbidden). According to Al-Nakheel News Network Sheikh Alfawzan explained that Jews and Christians are cursed by God and they must not be followed. Fahad bin moa’tad Al-Hamd deputy head of Saudi consultative parliament stressed that no agreement has been reached regarding changing holidays to Thursday and…

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – A Saudi court started the case of a Wahhabi cleric for composing a poet and placing it on Twitter which is alleged to insult a member of Saudi consultative parliament. The case is brought to court by Isa Al-Qaith against Sheikh Mohammad Al-Arifi who allegedly insulted him on the Twitter. The trial is now scheduled for June 2013. Al-Qaith says the poem on Twitter is an internet crime with punishment of one year prison…

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Israeli warplanes have carried out three airstrikes on Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip, witnesses say. Palestinian witnesses said that the Israeli aircraft bombarded areas in the southern town of Khan Younis and near the town of Rafah in southern Gaza during the early hours of Sunday. There have been no reports of casualties. The Israeli military confirmed the airstrikes. In early April, Tel Aviv also conducted airstrikes on Gaza for the first time…

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Abdelaziz Bouteflika, Algeria's president, has been taken to France for examinations after a minor stroke but is not experiencing any lasting effects, according to a state media report. Bouteflika, 76, was taken to Paris for "further tests under the recommendation of his doctor", APS news agency said on Saturday citing a medical source who said the president's condition was stable. Bouteflika had a brief blockage of a blood vessel - called a transient ischaemic…

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Alesheikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia referring to the monuments in museums remaining from the era of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH) said, they are all lies. According to Arabian Business News Association he stressed that the Prophet (PBUH) passed away more than 1400 years ago and how is it possible that such relics can remain from that time. He called them all lies with no basis and…

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – Sectarian tensions have escalated in Iraq, where the death toll from a four-day wave of violence has passed 190, officials have said. Thousands of protesters gathered in cities across the country this week to voice their anger at the government of Nouri al-Maliki, calling on the prime minister to step down and an end to the discrimination against Sunnis. Martin Kobler, a UN envoy, warned on Friday that Iraq was at "crossroads" and called…

SHAFAQNA- Salam al-Marayati, President of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, sent in this piece on the Boston attacks and extremism: An unfortunate consequence of the Boston Marathon bombings has been this: the sick words and deeds of a tiny, demented fringe of extremists—no more than .1% of Muslims overall—command vast public attention.  The good words and work of all other American Muslims get drowned out.  This happens whenever a violent act’s culprit is identified as a Muslim, even though other…

SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) – The statement issued by the Al-Sharq human rights Centre, called for urgent action to save Sheikh Nomer from execution by Saudi regime. The Centre called jailing of Sheikh Nomer as barbaric by Saudi Arabia and against all human rights charters including the Arab human rights charter which stresses the need for protection of freedom of speech and dignity of the individuals. The statement also mentions that Sheikh Nomer has been under barbaric tortures without…