Free Republic

"Governor Daniels showed us he was a man of his word and has stood by the commitments he made during the 2004 pre-election Iftar," stated Alia Shah, Executive Director of MAI. Local Muslims say such political connections are important if their concerns are to be heard in government. But faith, rather than politics, was the key topic Monday night -- the first iftar held at an Indiana governor's home. Several Muslim leaders called it historic. "To be blessed to make prayer at the governor's residence is significant," said Michael Saahir, an imam from the Nur-Allah Islamic Center on the Northside....

  _______________________________________________________________________________   Official Transcript of Communiqué No.7   Letter to the American People   People of America   We wish to share with you our thoughts on the events we experienced, as well as what the future may bear, & despite the madness we have endured & still, we see no harm in presenting you the criminal nature of your newly re-elected Emperor.   Despite our belief, that the elections were flawed, we know now that when there is a close tie between the candidates, there is something wrong. Some in our ranks, believe that any candidate from any...

Last week, Pakistan's Federal Shariat Court—the nation's highest Islamic court—vacated an appeals court decision that had outraged the world. In essence, the appeals court had acquitted five of the six men convicted in the 2002 "honor rape" of Mukhtar Mai. Her ongoing story may well foreshadow the future of Muslim women who suffer under tribal law and other oppressive traditions. Hers is a savage tale of brutalization and courage, with confusing twists and a resolution that is uncertain. But it is a story of hope, which provides reason for optimism. In it, the West provides an invaluable voice of conscience...

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A Pakistani victim of gang-rape says her life is in danger after the acquittal of five of the six men she had accused. In a surprise decision on Thursday, a high court in the central city of Multan struck down a lower court decision which found the men guilty of raping Mukhtaran Mai, 30, on the orders of a village council in July 2002. The High Court commuted the death sentence of a sixth man to life in prison in an appeal hearing in which the men pleaded not guilty. The High Court acquitted the men on...