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One-way trip to Mars prohibited in Islam
One-way trip to Mars prohibited in Islam Ahmed Shaaban / 19 February 2014 Fatwa committee under the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment in the UAE says such a journey poses a real risk to life. Promoting or being involved in a one-way trip to the Red Planet is prohibited in Islam, a fatwa committee under the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment in the UAE has ruled. “Such a one-way journey poses a real risk to life, and that can never be justified in Islam,” the committee said. “There is a possibility that an individual who travels to planet Mars may not be able to remain alive there, and is more vulnerable to death.” Whoever opts for this “hazardous trip”, the committee said, is likely to perish for no “righteous reason”, and thus will be liable to a “punishment similar to that of suicide in the Hereafter”. The committee, presided by Professor Dr Farooq Hamada, said: “Protecting life against all possible dangers and keeping it safe is an issue agreed upon by all religions and is clearly stipulated in verse 4/29 of the Holy Quran: Do not kill yourselves or one another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful.” Late in April 2013, Mars One, a Dutch company, invited volunteers to fly and live on the Red Planet, but there is no technology so far that would enable a return trip from Mars to Earth. The company is planning the first such trip to Mars in 2023 and another crew every two years afterwards with the goal of establishing a permanent human colony. The applicants must be aged between 18 and 40 years and in good physical condition. They have to pay only $38 for the trip. Thousands of volunteers, including some 500 Saudis and other Arabs, have reportedly applied for the mission which costs $6 billion. The committee indicated that some may be interested in travelling to Mars for escaping punishment or standing before Almighty Allah for judgment. “This is an absolutely baseless and unacceptable belief because not even an atom falls outside the purview of Allah, the Creator of everything. This has also been clearly underscored in verse 19&20/93 of the Holy Quran in which Allah says: There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant. (Indeed) He has enumerated them and counted them a (full) counting.” Echoing the same, Islamic researcher Dr Shaikh Mohammed Al Ashmawy said there is no debate in this issue. “Almighty Allah said in verse 2/195 in the Holy Quran: Do not throw yourselves with your own hands into destruction.” Sheikh Mohammed Yusuf, Imam of the Amena mosque, said: “Man’s life is not his or her own property; it is God’s creation, and therefore suicide is prohibited in all religions, and of course by law.” ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com . For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Shaikh Hamdan’s ‘1971’ online quiz to gift Dh50,000 each to 71 winners
Shaikh Hamdan’s ‘1971’ online quiz to gift Dh50,000 each to 71 winners Staff Report / 19 February 2014 During the online quiz competition, 1971 questions will be asked about the UAE’s history in a three-year-long campaign. The ‘1971 Initiative’ ordered by Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, to coincide with ‘Education Day’, will start its first three-month edition on March 3. During the online quiz competition, 1971 questions will be asked about the UAE’s history in a three-year-long campaign. In each year’s edition, there will be 71 winners, who will get Dh50,000 each. In total, Dh3.55 million could be shared by the winners in the three editions in three years. The competitors must be UAE nationals or Arab-speaking residents. They have to visit on www.mubadara1971.ae to register by entering their identity numbers. The participation will be open to all from the age of 16. The organising committee of the initiative will set the contest criteria. The Board of Directors of the ‘1971 Initiative’ announced the details of the contest at a Press conference on Tuesday. In accordance with the directives of Shaikh Hamdan, the Board of Directors of the initiative was formed to plan and supervise all editions under the chairmanship of Dr Abdullah Mohammed Al Rais. The board said the mass information contest will kick off on March 3. The event will be widely covered by mass media. (With inputs from Wam) For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Government customers urged to avoid cars tomorrow
Government customers urged to avoid cars tomorrow Staff Reporter / 18 February 2014 Parking lots at Dubai Municipality Headquarters to be closed as 64 entities sign up for Car Free Day. Customers of entities participating in tomorrow’s Car Free Day initiative have also been requested to avoid using cars when they visit these departments. Commuters travelling on a Metro train on Car Free Day in Dubai on February 13 last year. — KT file photo As many as 64 government and private departments, ministries and companies are taking part in the 5th edition of Dubai Municipality’s Car Free Day drive. A few schools and universities have also signed up to participate. The Dubai Municipality launched the initiative in 2010 to protect the environment by promoting the use of public transport, especially the Metro and buses, which in turn, reduces road congestion. All parking lots at the Municipality’s headquarters, clinic, pest control section, veterinary section and so on would be shut throughout the day. However, the municipality centres detached to the headquarters are exempted from this, though the employees would ditch their cars to work. Meanwhile the Corporate Marketing and Relations Department of Dubai Municipality announced that the number of people registered online for the green initiative has reached approximately 4,000. Mohammed Al Noori, Director of Corporate Marketing and Relations Department said in a statement: “Civic Body, in collaboration with all major government departments and private companies in the emirate of Dubai, is proud to achieve this level of public awareness supporting the government of Dubai to accomplish its strategic goals in the preservation of environment for a better future. “We expect more people to register on the last day before the event. Our total target of this year was 7,000 to participate in the event. As long as the online registration itself reached 4000, we have great hope to exceed our expectation,” Al Noori said. ‘It’s worth mentioning that the residents of Dubai are well aware of their duty towards the initiatives launched by government departments especially the initiatives of civic body with the aim of achieving its vision to create an excellent city that provides essence of success and comfort of sustainable living,’ he said. “We need to change the attitude of people who are not much aware of the importance of such green initiatives. I am sure majority of the people can do something to spread the great message behind this event through their contacts so as to get the maximum result,” he added. Yousif Murad Salmeen, head of Media Section at Dubai Municipality said the Municipality was fully prepared to mark the event in a sophisticated way. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Director-General of the Dubai Municipality, along with top officials of major government organisations will ride the metro from Etisalat Metro station at 7.30am and will reach to Union station at 7.45am, followed by the inauguration of the huge exhibition of green initiatives and eco-friendly equipment at the car parking area of Dubai Municipality headquarters, Salmeen said. “At 8am, a group of around 100 DM employees will conduct a bicycle rally from Deira City Centre to the DM main building to make a difference in the road culture of the city,” he said. “In addition, there would be a variety of traditional art performances and folk dances alongside the event. Hundred sport bicycles will be distributed to winners from the participants who registered online,” he added. sajila@khaleejtimes.com The participants The participants of this year’s Car Free Day include mainly the Ministry of Environment and Water; Ministry of Public Works; Ministry of Education; Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development; Ministry of Social Affairs; Ministry of Justice; Ministry of Economy; Land Department; Etisalat; Dubai Police; GDRFA; DCCI; RTA; Dubai Properties Group; Department of Economic Development; Financial Audit Department; Dubai Mall; Al Bayan; DHA; Dubai Educational Zone; Mohammed bin Rashid Housing; Dubai Healthcare City; Dubai Civil Aviation; American University of Dubai; University of Wollongong Dubai; Emirates Foundation for Cooling Systems; DMI; Dubai Arts and Culture; Al Serkal Group; Radisson Blu Hotel; Public Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare; Department of Finance; Dubai Customs; Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities; Shaikh Zayed Housing Foundation; Awqaf; Minors Affairs Foundation; Dubai Ambulance Services; Civil Defence; Dubai Police Academy; Dubai Courts; Dubai International Financial Centre; UAE Red Crescent Authority; Emirates Transport; Dubai Government School; University of Dubai; Mohammed bin Rashid School; Umm Suqeim School; Institute of Applied Technology; Holiday Inn; Dubai Sports Council; Al-Ahly; Al Wasl; UAE Football Association; Dubai Sports City; and Al Futtaim. 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