We Have Died But He Did Not

Bangladesh enters another period of political uncertainty all in the name of 1971's independence war and its desperate effort to punish anyone and everyone with or without a legitimate legal process.

It was not that long ago that Abdul Kadir Mullah was hanged and it is anticipated that Kamruzaman would be hanged tonight at the hands of a tyrannical regime that has dramatised a farcical trial and kangaroo court to fool the nation. Everyone in the world would agree to punishing anyone who is found guilty of a crime especially war crimes but under an independent judiciary and within a legal process governed by international legal codes. The case of Kamruzaman has again proven how the current government of Bangladesh has lost the plot totally and has used these trials to strengthen its grip on power and establish autocratic rule of one party in Bangladesh.

There has been serious procedural and judicial errors in the previous trials of alleged war criminals and Kamruzaman's case is no exception. Here are three simple questions any person with sound mind and judgement should ask this government:

1. Kamruzaman is now 62 years old and it's been 44 years since the independence war. He was 17 or 18 years old during the independence war. He would have been extremely mature or totally duped to have carried out murder of 183 people in his home district in northern Bangladesh. He would have been extraordinarily charismatic leader to have led a group that took part in war crimes. This does not sound plausible but can anyone provide evidence of his real involvement in such heinous crimes?

2. How is it that the police has submitted testimonies of witnesses whose whereabouts have never been truly established and whether or not those witnesses actually made those testimonies has never been put to a judicial test. How is it legally acceptable to submit and court to accept such questionable documents?

3. How will justice ever be served if the legal process is seriously questionable and how will it ever end the cycle of violence from a country whose entire history has been authored in blood? How will wrongful execution of anyone ever draw a line under the painful past of this nation?

I am terribly disturbed by the murderous and belligerent attitude of the Prime Minister of Bangldesh whose only motto has been to avenge the killing of her father and remain in power by hook or by crook. The war crimes tribunal has always been a show trail. She has used the security apparatus and the judiciary to rule the country by fear. She has presided over the arrests and detentions of the oppositions party members and leaders without charges and the few that have been charged have been framed using fictitious accusations. She has ordered the security services to murder ordinary public who oppose her Hitler like rule and her party members have taken to the streets of Bangladesh with weapons including pistols and revolvers to terrorise the nation and openly shoot to kill the opposition.

And as far as the war crime trials are concerned she has personally taken active role in dictating the legal outcome. She has always been the judge, jury and executioner all in one!

The government may execute by hanging a long list of opposition leaders but this will never bring an end to the cycle of violence and counter violence in the bloody politics of Bangladesh. It needs an end to politics driven by hatred and an emergence of new political identity that shows politics of maturity and inclusivity.

Bangladesh needs urgent change and only ordinary Bangladeshis can bring that change.

Celebrating the Valentine’s Day on Islamic View

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

First of all, we’d like to shed light on the origin of this festival, known as "Valentine Day" or "Festival of Love":

The Festival of Love was one of the festivals of the pagan Romans, when paganism was the prevalent religion of the Romans more than seventeen centuries ago. In the pagan Roman concept, it was an expression of "spiritual love".

There were myths associated with this pagan festival of the Romans, which persisted with their Christian heirs. Among the most famous of these myths was the Roman belief that Romulus, the founder of Rome, was suckled one day by a she-wolf, which gave him strength and wisdom.

The Romans used to celebrate this event in mid-February each year with a big festival.

One of the rituals of this festival was the sacrifice of a dog and a goat. Two strong and muscular youths would daub the blood of the dog and goat onto their bodies, then they would wash the blood away with milk. After that there would be a great parade, with these two youths at its head, which would go about the streets. The two youths would have pieces of leather with which they would hit everyone who crossed their path. The Roman women would welcome these blows, because they believed that they could prevent or cure infertility.

The connection between Saint Valentine and this festival:

Saint Valentine is a name which is given to two of the ancient "martyrs" of the Christian Church. It was said that there were two of them, or that there was only one, who died in Rome as the result of the persecution of the Gothic leader Claudius, c. 296 CE. In 350 CE, a church was built in Rome on the site of the place where he died, to perpetuate his memory.

When the Romans embraced Christianity, they continued to celebrate the Feast of Love mentioned above, but they changed it from the pagan concept of "spiritual love" to another concept known as the "martyrs of love", represented by Saint Valentine who had advocated love and peace, for which cause he was martyred, according to their claims. It was also called the Feast of Lovers, and Saint Valentine was considered to be the patron saint of lovers.

One of their false beliefs connected with this festival was that the names of girls who had reached marriageable age would be written on small rolls of paper and placed in a dish on a table. Then the young men who wanted to get married would be called, and each of them would pick a piece of paper. He would put himself at the service of the girl whose name he had drawn for one year, so that they could find out about one another. Then they would get married, or they would repeat the same process again on the day of the festival in the following year.

The Christian clergy reacted against this tradition, which they considered to have a corrupting influence on the morals of young men and women. It was abolished in Italy, where it had been well-known, then it was revived in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when in some western countries there appeared shops which sold small books called “Valentine’s books”, which contained love poems, from which the one who wanted to send a greeting to his sweetheart could choose. They also contained suggestions for writing love letters.

The above quotation is excerpted, with slight modifications, from www.Islam-qa.com

As regards the Islamic stance on this festival, Dr. Su`ad Ibrahim Salih, professor of Islamic Jurisprudence (Fiqh) at Al-Azhar University, states the following:

Indeed, Islam is the religion of altruism, true love, and cooperation on that which is good and righteous. We implore Allah Almighty to gather us together under the umbrella of His All-encompassing Mercy, and to unite us together as one man. Allah Almighty says: (The believers are naught else than brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah that haply ye may obtain mercy.) (Al-Hujurat 49: 10)

Focusing more on the question in point, I can say that there are forms of expressing love that are religiously acceptable, while there are others that are not religiously acceptable. Among the forms of love that are religiously acceptable are those that include the love for Prophets and Messengers. It stands to reason that the love for Allah, and His Messenger Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) should have the top priority over all other forms of love.

Islam does recognize happy occasions that bring people closer to one another, and add spice to their lives. However, Islam goes against blindly imitating the West regarding a special occasion such as Valentine’s Day. Hence, commemorating that special day known as the Valentine’s Day is an innovation or bid`ah that has no religious backing. Every innovation of that kind is rejected, as far as Islam is concerned. Islam requires all Muslims to love one another all over the whole year, and reducing the whole year to a single day is totally rejected.

Hence, we Muslims ought not to follow in the footsteps of such innovations and superstitions that are common in what is known as the Valentine’s Day. No doubt that there are many irreligious practices that occur on that day, and those practices are capable of dissuading people from the true meanings of love and altruism to the extent that the celebration is reduced to a moral decline.

Fatiha – the opening

1. In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace

2. All praise is due to God alone, the Sustainer of all the worlds

3. The Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace

4. Lord of the Day of Judgment

5. You alone do we worship; and You alone do we turn for help

6. Guide us the straight way

7. The way of those You have blessed and not the way of those who have drawn your anger and have chosen misguidance

This is my most favourite chapter of the Quran. It is both an introduction to the entire Quran and all encompassing supplication. It only contains seven verses yet has the most amazing capacity to articulate every aspect of Islam. It may appear short as the opening prayer but it says all that my heart wishes to say, it asks for all the things that I wish to ask for and it provides me the clarity I need to continue on the simple yet most profound path of spiritual and material balance.

I read this chapter at least seventeen times a day and each time I read it, it fills my heart with faith, hope and life’s compass. I am able to understand and connect with God in the way He wishes me to know Him. I am able develop a relationship based on more disarming Divine titles and personalised touch. He is the most Gracious, compassionate and merciful God. It is as though he is extending a hand of friendship to me and waiting for my response.

God introduces Himself to me as the life giving, sustaining and nurturing Lord of the universe. Under his domain I feel reassured that I will be dealt with kindness and compassion. I feel extremely at ease knowing that He is the most Merciful and Giver of Mercy instead of the authoritarian ruler of the universe. He has the power and reach, yet He choses His name the Most Merciful as the icebreaker between Him and me. It is like God saying to me, “I am God, the Most Merciful, would you like anything from me?” He wishes me to have His name and attributes become synonymous in my heart and mind. He wishes me to ask him as He waits in eagerness to grant my wishes.

In this chapter I put all my cards on the table. I state my intention but before I launch into my wish list I must confirm my absolute trust in God. If I truly want God’s favours I must declare my total faith is God alone and I dedicate all my worship to Him alone. My prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death are all dedicated to Him. When I have totally dedicated my entire being for God alone I become ready to receive God’s total Grace.

I ask him for help in times of difficulty and I thank him at times of joy. I seek His help when I am in distress and I show my gratitude when I am at ease. I turn to God alone for cure to my ailments, relief from the financial burdens, misery in my heart, confusion in my mind and troubles in my relationships. I seek God’s help in everything that I do.

I seek God’s help in choosing the right path that will be filled with His blessings. I seek His assistance in remaining in the straight path that will lead me to prosperity. I request His aid in continuing a life of uprightness so that I will be successful in this world and the next.

In my opening prayer I make it empathically clear that I do not want to be a looser in this world by leading a life without aim or purpose. I do not want to be like those who have drawn upon themselves the wrath of God by their belligerent rejection of God and His path. I do not wish to lead a life immersed in the depth of darkness, spiritual emptiness and moral bankruptcy. I do not want to be lost or misguided!

This chapter is my personal prayer and bespoke introduction to the Quran – my life’s penultimate guide

10 ways to protect the honour of the blessed Prophet Muhammad (S)

The attack on the Paris based satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo has left 12 people dead and the trail of destruction that has been left behind is colossal. The repercussion of their brutal and terrorist attack will reverberate in the hearts of people for decades. This is a despicable act of cowardice and grotesque attack on all our freedom. Firstly, my heartfelt sympathy goes out to the families and friends of those who were brutally murdered. As a Muslim I would like to reach out to the families of the deceased with my prayer, love and sympathy, .

The murderers of the journalists and cartoonist have claimed that they were murdering in the name of protecting the honour of the Prophet. The truth is the actions of these attackers have nothing to do with Islam and is a grave insult to the sacred principles of Islam. I as a Muslim personally feel insulted and attacked. Their actions are a clear violation of what the Prophet of God has taught and exemplified.

Throughout his life he was taunted, insulted, names called and mocked. God reminds us all about the exact nature of those hurtful insults and mockery in the following verses:

“EXHORT, then, [O Prophet] by Your Sustainer’s grace, you are neither a soothsayer nor a madman.

Or do they say, “[He is but] a poet - let us wait what time will do unto him?” (Quran 52:30)

“And would say, “Shall we, then, give up our deities at the bidding of a mad poet?” (Quran 37:36)

These were regular insults at the blessed prophet but what was his response to his critiques? He observed utmost patience under tremendously hostile and verbally abusive circumstances. He did not retaliate nor did he call them names in response. He did not ask his companions nor did his companions organize any response to their insults. God advised the blessed prophet to be patient under all these taunts and mockery in the following verse:

“And endure with patience whatever people may say [against you], and avoid them with a comely avoidance.”

(Quran 73:10)

What gave these murderers the right to take lives of people in the name of avenging in the name of Prophet? What gave them the right to take the honour of the blessed Prophet of God as hostage and use it as a political tool for their twisted political game? If they truly understood the words of God and followed the Prophet properly they would listen to the words of God and examples of the life of the prophet.

There is a fundamental misunderstanding about how the honour of the Prophet should be protected amongst the Muslims and non-Muslims do not appreciate the sensitivity or sanctity Muslims offer to the prophet. I would like to leave my non-Muslims friends to their own sensibilities and conscience. Islam does not bind them as they do not subscribe to the faith and therefore if they wish to insult or mock the prophet it is up to their own judgment.

However to my Muslim friends, I have both a set of suggestions and a stark warning. The warning is do not become blinded by your love of the Prophet – for blind love is misguidance. Love of the Prophet must be managed in the right way and expressed in the right way. Death and destruction in the name of his honour is totally unislamic.

I would like to propose the following ways we should protect his name and honour:

1. Love the Prophet and display your love by loving your fellow human beings around you. Remember the prophet was most loving to his neighbours whether they were Muslims or non-Muslims.

2. Follow the Prophet and demonstrate your loyalty to the prophet by showing leniency and compassion to your fellow human beings like the Prophet did even to those who intended harm on him.

3. Become the shining example of mercy like the Prophet was to everyone, Muslims, non-Muslims and even to his enemies. Remember God’s words about the Prophet, “We have not sent you except to be mercy to the entire universe”.

4. Emulate the Prophet by showing that you care about people around you. It was the Prophet’s sense of care for his people and the entire humanity that made his enemies call him “the trust worthy” (al-Amin). Become the trusting friends in your society!

5. Be the giver of good news like the Prophet was. He always reminded people about the great reward that awaits for people in this world and in the next if they lead a decent and morally sound life. Your duty is to share the good news and not compel anyone to accept your way.

6. Instill hope in people just like the Prophet did to the most dispirited person around him. His words soothed the hearts of those who felt pain and his inter personal skills won the harshest of people around him. He was a beacon of light even to those who saw absolute darkness around them.

7. Be the wise person Islam requires you to be. Remember the blessed prophet was the wisest man around, Islam teaches wisdom as the currency of human relationship and interaction. It is your actions that would speak louder than your words. Beautiful conduct is the hallmark of a true Muslim.

8. Win the hearts and minds of people around you by showing Islam in your life – become the enlightened, rationale and intellectually sound person like the Prophet and his companions were. Remember the first word of revelation was to read – take up the intellectual challenge like the Quran requires you to do.

9. Get involved in your society, if what is around is not working for you show an alternative way by engaging through the existing systems. People of the world deserve constant improvement. If you have a better alternative, no body will ever listen to you if you show it to them through fire and brimstone. Remember the blessed Prophet worked with the people and created a society based on dignity and honour for all people.

10. Become the champion for peace justice and fairness at all cost. Ultimately the blessed Prophet’s message was all about creating a harmonious society based on justice and fairness so that peace in the world would prevail. Your duty is the same; spread peace on this earth, not violence and hatred.

There is no peace in violence. There is no mercy in murder. There is no justice in mischief and bloodshed. The true honour of the Prophet would be realized if Muslims of the world returned to the true examples from the life of the Prophet.

In conclusion, to all those who are hell bent on causing death and destruction the Islamic message is clear – there is no Islam in terrorism, there is no God in oppression, no true Muslims would ever support terrorism and oppression, and certainly there is no paradise awaiting for the oppressors or terrorists

A challenge to the skeptics

“And if you doubt any part of what We have, bestowed from on high, step by step, upon Our servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah of similar merit, and call upon any other than God to bear witness for you – If what you say is true!

And if you cannot do it - and most certainly you cannot do it -then be conscious of the fire whose fuel is human beings and stones which awaits all who deny the truth!”

(Qur’an 2:23-24)

Now that my prayers have been answered, I have been given guidance in the form of a Divine Writ, the Qur’an; I have no doubt of its truth and importance in my life. I have accepted it gratefully and I am doing my best to follow it. In my pursuit to leading a Godly and goodly life I meet antagonists who despise my way of life. I meet doubter and skeptics; they do not believe that what I have as a decisive guidance is actually from God. They often question the validity of the Qur’an. They accuse it of being manmade and irrelevant to the contemporary world.

Qur’an was revealed gradually and in response to situations 1400 years ago. That is a fact. Qur’an provides moral and ethical parameters for human beings to live on this earth harmoniously. Qur’an provides spiritual nourishment for the soul and the body to dwell in peace and tranquility. Qur’an provides social and political guidance to bring and manage human beings and their mutual relationship justly and fairly. Show me one Qur’anic moral, ethical, social, political or spiritual parameter that is irrelevant to our contemporary world and lifestyle. I say to the doubters just show me one such anomaly if you are honest and truthful.

My journey began at the point where this book was declared as a book with no doubt and a sure guidance for those who are God conscious. I believe I am God conscious enough to benefit from this Divine Writ but the godless and skeptics amongst us can often cast doubt on this book’s authenticity. They say that Muhammad must have invented it. He copied stories from the Old and New Testaments, he borrowed lessons from other learned people in Arabia and he compiled a book.

I say such accusation is absolutely baseless. If he had borrowed information from learned priests, Rabbis, monks and learned people he was not literate at all to compose such exquisite level of Arabic and produce a book with such a high level of literary elegance, grace and depth.

The Arabs around the Prophet accused him of being a poet and man possessed by spirit. They said that he was a mad man claiming that God was talking to him and to have received revelation from God. As far as they were concerned these were outrageous claims Muhammad was making. The same Arabs were calling Muhammad Al-Amin – the trustworthy and leaving their valuable possessions in his care! If what they said about Muhammad was true why would they give him such an honourable title and treat him at their personal levels with great esteem?

They could not understand how he was able to compose such an extraordinary level of Arabic especially the type of Arabic that he was articulating that they had never heard before. From what they knew of Muhammad, he was totally unlettered; he had never attended any classes to learn how to read or write and certainly was not known for his skills of composing poetry. Where could it all have come from? This mystery dogged the adversaries deeply and they could not fathom or put together an adequate response. Their reactions to the words of God were irrational and full of aggression, violence and hatred.

God places a formidable challenge for the skeptics. If anyone has any doubt about what God has revealed they were invited to produce something like a chapter of the Quran. The biggest embarrassment for the Qur’an haters was that they had no idea how to respond to God’s challenge, never mind a response, they did not even grasp what would measure a successful retort to this challenge?

The challenge from God was comprehensive. If they had doubts about the Arabic language and its style they were challenged to produce something similar. If they had doubts about its content in terms of stories of the people of the past, let them bring facts to disprove it. If they had doubts about scientific realities described in the Qur’an let them provide scientific evidence to corroborate their claim. If they had doubts about the morals stated in the Qur’an let them challenge it with superior morals. If they had any doubts about anything in the Qur’an let them produce a counter narrative!

I love this verse as it places the burden of evidence on the skeptics. So God says if you have doubts produce something similar to the smallest chapter of the Quran. This challenge was placed 1400 years ago and till this date nobody has yet successfully produced one single chapter like the Qur’an. I am so certain about the words of God that if you can produce one chapter like the Qur’an I will leave my faith and follow yours – all it would take to disprove the entire Qur’an is to produce one chapter, this will dismantle the Qur’anic claim forever!

God revealed the Qur’an to the blessed Prophet Muhammad, who could not have known the science and facts as stated in the Quran. Remember he was totally illiterate! Let us now explore one example. The Qur’an talks about embryology in vivid details. At the time of prophet Muhammad there were no medical equipment such as a scanner, ultrasound or x-ray machines. Yet Muhammad was able to articulate in great details every stages of human conception. Muhammad was able to define the nature of a man’s sperm and a woman’s eggs. He was able to communicate to the people of his time and for all times to come facts of embryology accurately as we now have discovered due to advent of science and advancement of technology.

He was able to provide the details of how at each stage the fetus was developing. If Muhammad was illiterate and no one in the wide world had discovered any of these scientific facts at his time, how was he able to divulge such amazing information? Who told him all these facts? Where did it all come from?

God’s challenge is not just limited to inviting the entire humanity to come together with all the help and assistance from everyone to produce a small chapter resembling the Qur’an but He goes even further and says that no one will ever be able to do it. In other words try with all your might but you can never meet this challenge. This is not mere rhetorical statement but this is a statement of confidence and absolute certainly. What is most humbling for me is that the real author of this Divine Writ, God Himself is making this fact clear for His own creation – human beings! He could have just left us to rot in our own mess. It is out compassion that he gave this guidance in the first place and it is out of His mercy that He choses to engage with us. It makes me humble and grateful but nevertheless, this challenge remains eternal.

The punishment for those who deny the truth is clearly stated in this verse. This may make some people feel uncomfortable but punishment is not supposed to be a bed of roses and should never worry those who are truthful! If you remain honest to your intellect and objective in your method of searching the truth you will arrive at the Qur’anic truth inevitably. Punishment will only apply when you were intellectually dishonest and denied the truth even though your mind agreed with it and your heart recognised it.

I would say to the skeptics take this simple example and objectively think. The only logical conclusion is that someone with infinite and superior knowledge must have revealed the secrets of the universe to Muhammad. This could not have been the work of a man but the Creator of the entire universe – God. To my cynical friends here is my challenge – read the Qur’an with an open mind and respond to the impulse of your soul, you will find the truth. The same truth that I have found!

I believe Qur’an is the true healer of human soul and guidance for those who have refined conscience

Those who fail to recognize the existence of God I have five simple challenges for you.

Those who fail to recognize the existence of God I have five simple challenges for you.

1. Initiate a life - Even when the fetus is formed, the body is developed and the human is on the verge of becoming but if God choses not to breathe his spirit no life can emerge. Nobody can breathe into the fetus an artificial life and no science or technology can replace the real spark of life that happens even before the brain in the fetus has fully formed. This biological miracle has not been explained and cannot be explained using empirical evidence. It requires spiritual explanation. Why did it happen? Why at that particular moment in the fetal development did life come into being? Why does the heart start pumping even long before the brain has started functioning? This verse tells me that God causes my life to begin and I certainly believe it. If you wish to deny God, you should instigate a life. Go on; give life if you are truthful!

2. Delay death – Every single soul shall taste death. This is one inevitable truth that nobody can deny. We shall die at an appointed time and a place. Our death is predetermined! When we die our soul, the spark of life that brought the fetus to life, departs. Why does it depart in that way? Where does it go? Who causes it to leave? Why is it that some of us live and some die? I believe in God and I know the answers to those questions but do you? God tells me that he causes my death, He causes my soul to leave my body and he enables death to regenerate life. If you wish to deny God, delay your death by even one second. I am not even asking you to escape death!

3. Escape the Day of Judgment – God tells me that my life will end on this earth after an appointed time but my life will continue in the hereafter. My soul shall be reunited with my physical body, I will either live in the heavens forever rejoicing on the fruits if my labour or rot in hell suffering for my Godless life. The fact that my life on this earth is only a steppingstone for the life to come is what the Qur’an categorically tells me. I believe it without any doubt. It makes perfect sense to me that God who caused me to be born from nothing and caused my death surely is capable of bringing me back to life. My life on this earth alone and without consequence does not make any sense. Many things in life are left unresolved and if life was the only chance to attain resolution to everything my life would seem unfair. Absolute resolution to injustices, unfairness, inequalities, discriminations, subjugations and oppressions require a life that would never end and a place where complete justice would be served. Otherwise, life would have been a waste of my time. Life in the hereafter would be comprehensive and permanent but if you wish to deny the Day of Judgment try to escape it!

4. Find food and resources that do not belong to God – Everything on this earth has been made by God for the use of human beings. Fruits and vegetables, plants and animals, rivers and lakes, land and sky and even the planetary systems are all designed and made available for the benefit of human beings. We have come to learn this as a basic fact by using science and technology we have at our disposal. We cannot deny that these are part of a masterful design for life to sustain on this earth. I believe this is the work of the supreme fashioner and designer of the entire universe God. I cannot imagine such perfectly life sustaining conditions were caused by mere accidents. If you wish to deny God find food and natural resources that do not belong to God.

5. Predict your future accurately: God alone has knowledge on the future; to Him there is no past, no future but everything is present. He resides beyond our universe, He is not limited by our space and time and He is not constrained by human weaknesses. We have no idea what will happen to us in the next few seconds. We cannot predict our tomorrow and certainly have no way of knowing what waits for us after we die. You cannot forecast accurately even your finance, your business transactions or even the mood of your loves ones. God has infinite knowledge of everything from our inner thoughts to the smallest movements of subatomic particles. God has full knowledge of everything. If you wish to deny God prove to the world that you have knowledge of everything too. In fact, just predict your tomorrow accurately.

It is not true that human beings can do anything they want. Yes, we can travel to the outer space and distant planets but we cannot exist in those spaces without protective gears, artificially generated oxygen and many other survival tools. Smallest mishap in such hostile environment could cause the greatest catastrophe. Yet we claim we could do anything!

When I read these verses I have no other logical or intellectual conclusion but to humbly accept God. How can you refuse to acknowledge God when He and His signs are all around you? Open your eyes and take a closer look.

Modern Economies and Sharia

M S RAHMAN: Global Islamic financial assets rose to $1.3 trillion in 2012, double the level of 2007, an expansion rooted in consumer demand for products that comply with religious codes. Sharia-compliant financial instruments can't pay or collect interest, due to Islam's proscription of usury; Islamic investments also can't be associated with alcohol, pork, gambling, pornography, or other Muslim prohibitions. Islamic finance surged in recent decades by introducing products that mimic credit cards, savings accounts, and mortgages while avoiding interest. Islamic banks are growing rapidly in countries from Malaysia to Morocco, and even international lenders such as HSBC, Cr�dit Agricole, and Standard Chartered have developed Islamic banking divisions.

The growing pool of sharia-compliant assets is fueling demand for Islamic bonds, or sukuk, issued by corporations and governments, mainly in Muslim countries. Malaysia and Saudi Arabia dominate the sukuk market, but Prime Minister David Cameron's 2013 announcement that the United Kingdom will issue a �200 million ($327 million) sukuk indicates the potential for Islamic finance in global markets. (Short Article)