Possible Interview of Syed Soharwardy

Syed Soharwardy is a leading Islamic Figure.

He is one of the founders of Muslims Against Terrorism, one of the first Islamic organisations to come out and speak out against any and all terrorist attacks. Founded in Calgary on January 11, 1999.

He has been an Imam of a Mosque, as well as lecturing on issues such as issues, Information Technology Management, Islamic beliefs, Challenges for Muslims in western world, conflicts within the Muslim community, Intra and Inter religion conflicts.

He earned Bachelor of Arts degree in Islamic Studies from University of Karachi. Beside his Islamic education, Mr. Soharwardy earned Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical) from N.E.D. University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Master of Science in Management Engineering from New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA and Master of Engineering in Project Management from University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.

Source 1
Source 2

If I can gain between 10 and 20 questions and someone in the United States who is willing to phone him [toll free number] we will be able to interview him for PTS.

If anyone would be willing to take part* in the interview [if not I will do it], can they please say so in this thread. Please can people suggest questions to ask him the best [minimum] 10/ 20 [maximum] will be used.

*You will need to record and type up the interview.

I would be happy to do the phone call Odium if you don't have anyone else. But just a thought, would he not do it via email for you?

Originally posted by Relentless
I would be happy to do the phone call Odium if you don't have anyone else. But just a thought, would he not do it via email for you?

I am hoping he'll do it over E-mail, however he said it'd be much easier on him to get the questions and then answer them over the phone. I guess so if he raises a valid point [mid interview] you can follow it up right there and then.

So any questions people want answered?

I think I'd like to know how difficult a concept this is to "sell" to fellow Muslims. I would also like to know how he feels those of us who are NOT Muslim might help his efforts (beyond simply being openminded and accepting of Muslims.)

Or what you could do, is call him through skype.

It's a VOIP service that you "pay as you go" It works really well, 10 euros is 10 hours, I think I've had it about a year, and I still have about 9 1/4 hours left. The calls how up on caller ID as a 1800 number, quality is better than phone, and other people on computers can join in the call.

www.skype.com

[edit on 11/4/2005 by Kalapadea]

In the summer of 1989, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad published a long fatwa that legitimated suicide operations as permitted (istishhad) within the framework of jihad, but the fatwa was not signed by any Islamic scholars.

In 1998, Hamas has also emphasized the Islamic legitimacy of this type of activity and has even presented a whole book that granted legitimacy to suicide operations on its official website

The general argument of various Islamist groups or individuals has been that "all means are legitimate to fight the Jews," as argued by Sheikh Sayyid Wafa, secretary-general of the Islamic research center of al-Azhar in Egypt.

Sheikh al-Azhar Muhammad Said Tantawi, the highest Islamic authority in Egypt (appointed by the Egyptian government), not only supported these suicide operations but also viewed them as an Islamic duty:

“No Muslim fighter who blows himself up may be declared a martyr or reach Paradise unless he fights in Palestine“ .


My question is:

Are suicide operations like

1 June 2001 suicide bombing of a Tel Aviv discotheque (killing 21 people between age 14 and 21 and wounding more than 120)

the 27 March 2002 suicide bombing of a Netanya hotel in the midst of the Passover holiday seder with 250 guests (killing 30 people – most of them holocaust survivers and and injuring 140)


a) legitimate and/or Islamic 'duty', since they happen in Israel and are against Jews

or

b) crime against innocent and unarmed civilians (wherever they happen)

?



[edit on 6-11-2005 by Riwka]

Thank you Byrd and Riwka for asking those questions.

I am shocked that many of the people who keep on asking what muslims think of terrorism, why they don't speak out against it, etc, have not taken the time to post on here and find out.

I will leave this up till Friday the 11th before I write up the questions and attempt to conduct them through e-mail.

I would PodCast it, however I worry how many people will be able to understand him due to his accent...

Mr. Soharwardy, what is your take on the seperation of church and state in the US? Should Muslim students be allowed time to pray in US public schools? What about students of other religions?

Odium, maybe you can plug in the correct term for what Muslims call thier praying time or whatever, thanks.

SportyMB, it is known as salah - صلوة.

:-)

I will edit it in for you. I like the question a lot, something I didn't think of myself so thank you for it.

I think I'd also like to hear his list of programs/examples that he has seen work to reduce the problems in this area. We hear so much about the negative -- what are some of the positive steps that he's seen?

I'd also like to hear about his plans for the future -- anything interesting and unusual that he's involved in (such as films, books, and so forth)


And, folks, he's CANADIAN. He has as much insight into US laws and practices as you do into Canadian laws and practices.





[edit on 7-11-2005 by Byrd]

Odium,

Do you still plan the interview?

I also would be interested in Syed Soharwardys thoughts about the bombings in Jordan

[edit on 15-11-2005 by Riwka]

Yeah, I am going to do it.

I e-mailed him and told him I'd send them a week later than expected in the hope to get some more interest from people.

*B-b-b-bump*

Come on people, think of questions for Syed Soharwardy.

r/s
sporty

What is Mr. Syed Soharwardy's opinion concerning suicide bombings?
Are they sanctioned?
Are they ever legitimate in their use?
Should suicide bombers purposely target innocent civilians?
What is martyrdom in Islam?
What is Jihad?
What is the requirements and conditions for proclaiming Jihad?
What is Shari'a?
Will Shari'a eventually take over Canada?
Does he accept and recognize the nation of Israel?
What is his opinion of a future Palestinian state?
How is a terrorist defined according to Islam?
Has Islam been hijacked by the likes of Osama Bin Laden, Al-Zarqawi, Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Jihad, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, etc? How much support does Islam give those named above?
What is the future of Islam?
What is your opinion of the growing anti-Muslim sentiments in the US, the UK, elsewhere?
Can Islam and Christianity truely co-exist peacefully?
Should Muslims fundamentalists stop using the US, the West, Israel, etc. as scapegoats [ie: excuses]?
Why are there sectarian differences in Islam? Is this good or bad?
What is his thoughts or opinions on the War on/against Terrorism?





seekerof

[edit on 15-11-2005 by Seekerof]

Do you still plan an interwiew?

Meanwhile, I've read about Soharwardy - and I am very interested in an answer to my first question.

Originally posted by Riwka
Do you still plan an interwiew?

He said he'd try and get it back to me by the 8th.

Originally posted by Riwka
Meanwhile, I've read about Soharwardy - and I am very interested in an answer to my first question.

Are attacks on Civilians, justified due to the Government they have
elected into power? Such as what happens in the United Kingdom and
Israel?
Mr. Soharwardy, what is your take on the seperation of church and
state in the US? Should Muslim students be allowed time to pray
[salah] in US public schools? What about students of other religions?
The media seems to emphasise the negative aspects of Islam, why do you
think this is? What are the aspects that are beneficial to Canada,
etc, that you have seen?
What is Jihad?
What is the requirements and conditions for proclaiming Jihad?
What is martyrdom in Islam?
What is the future of the Palestinian State? Will it be possible for
Muslim's and Jew's to live side-by-side in a peaceful existence?
Can Islam and Christianity truely co-exist peacefully?
Why are there sectarian differences in Islam? Is this good or bad?
How is a terrorist defined according to Islam?
Has Islam been hijacked by the likes of Osama Bin Laden, Al-Zarqawi,
Al-Qaeda, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Jihad, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, etc?
How much support does Islam give those named above?
What is your opinion of the growing anti-Muslim sentiments in the US,
the UK, elsewhere?
What is his thoughts or opinions on the War on/against Terrorism?
Can Islam and Christianity truely co-exist peacefully?

Those are the questions that I asked him and he said I should be allowed a follow up interview, I didn't wish to spam him with 20+ so I picked ones that hopefully answered everyone on the thread.

Here you all go.

15 questions answered by him. :-)

Hope they help you all.

Can you close the thread and trash it, since it is finished now?

No.