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Kassim Ahmad telah dikenal pasti sebagai individu yang menolak hadis sebagai sumber hukum. Banyak fatwa yang telah diwartakan tentang pemikiran sesat beliau. Kajian-kajian lepas turut mengklasifikasikan beliau sebagai anti hadis. Namun begitu, kebanyakan kajian lepas tentang beliau hanya menumpukan kepada persoalan hadis sebagai sumber rujukan kedua selepas al-Quran dan menggunakan kaedah analisis kandungan sahaja. Oleh itu, penyelidikan ini dijalankan bertujuan untuk meneroka pemikiran beliau mengenai Islam dengan menumpukan kepada kaedah tafsir, hujah-hujah penolakan hadis dan pandangan beliau berhubung perkara-perkara ghaibiyyat. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, penyelidik telah menemu bual informan secara bersemuka dengan menggunakan kaedah temu bual semistruktur. Dapatan kajian menghasilkan tiga tema utama iaitu 1) Metodologi tafsir al-Quran Kassim Ahmad, 2) Pandangan Kassim Ahmad berkenaan autoriti hadis, dan 3) Pemahaman Kassim Ahmad berkenaan perkara-perkara ghaibiyyat. Secara kesimpulannya, kajian ini mendapati bahawa pemikiran beliau bertentangan dengan ajaran Islam kerana menolak autoriti hadis sebagai sumber rujukan kedua dalam Islam termasuk penggunaannya dalam penafsiran al-Quran dan penjelasan tentang perkara-perkara ghaibiyyat.

Kassim Ahmad telah dikenal pasti sebagai individu yang menolak hadis sebagai sumber hukum. Banyak fatwa yang telah diwartakan tentang pemikiran sesat beliau. Kajian-kajian lepas turut mengklasifikasikan beliau sebagai anti hadis. Namun begitu, kebanyakan kajian lepas tentang beliau hanya menumpukan kepada persoalan hadis sebagai sumber rujukan kedua selepas al-Quran dan menggunakan kaedah analisis kandungan sahaja. Oleh itu, penyelidikan ini dijalankan bertujuan untuk meneroka pemikiran beliau mengenai Islam dengan menumpukan kepada kaedah tafsir, hujah-hujah penolakan hadis dan pandangan beliau berhubung perkara-perkara ghaibiyyat. Dengan menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif, penyelidik telah menemu bual informan secara bersemuka dengan menggunakan kaedah temu bual semistruktur. Dapatan kajian menghasilkan tiga tema utama iaitu 1) Metodologi tafsir al-Quran Kassim Ahmad, 2) Pandangan Kassim Ahmad berkenaan autoriti hadis, dan 3) Pemahaman Kassim Ahmad berkenaan perkara-perkara ghaibiyyat. Secara kesimpulannya, kajian ini mendapati bahawa pemikiran beliau bertentangan dengan ajaran Islam kerana menolak autoriti hadis sebagai sumber rujukan kedua dalam Islam termasuk penggunaannya dalam penafsiran al-Quran dan penjelasan tentang perkara-perkara ghaibiyyat.

Life in the reality of the borderlands between the Muslim and Christian worlds had significant influence on both sides. It also had an impact on Muslim law (sharia) which is observable in a very precious source – fatwas (Muslim legal rulings). Among those collected form the area of Al-Andalus (Muslim Spain and Portugal) and North Africa this paper discusses issues connected with the long-standing conflict between Christians and Muslims, known as the Reconquista. The problems include ransoming captives, defending Muslim towns or trade relations with Christians. This analysis reflects upon the impact of the Reconquista on everyday life, as it was seen in sharia., Życie na styku świata muzułmańskiego i chrześcijańskiego wpływało na obie strony. Odcisnęło także swe piętno na prawie muzułmańskim (szariacie), co można zaobserwować w bardzo cennym źródle – fatwach (muzułmańskich orzeczeniach prawnych). Niniejsza praca omawia problemy związane z rekonkwistą w oparciu o fatwy zebrane z obszaru Al-Andalus (muzułmańskiej Hiszpanii i Portugalii) oraz Afryki Północnej w kompilacji Al-Wanšarīsīego. Rozważane zagadnienia obejmują wykup jeńców, obronę muzułmańskich miast oraz relacje handlowe z chrześcijanami. Tym samym wyłania się obraz wpływu rekonkwisty na życie codzienne muzułmanów, tak jak został on zachowany w fatwach omawianego okresu.

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., (1.) Singer and songwriter NEIL YOUNG. He has a new memoir called Waging Heavy Peace. It's a non-linear narrative that covers Young's childhood in Ontario, his early days with Buffalo Springfield, the rise to superstardom with Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, subsequent solo career and teaming up with Crazy Horse. Young has been inducted twice into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, once for solo work, as well as for his work with Buffalo Springfield. Rolling Stone magazine ranked him among the 100 greatest artist of all time. He's won multiple Gammy awards and was nominated for an Oscar. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW). (2.) Rock historian ED WARD reviews a new collection of music by the short-lived band The English Beat, a biracial ska-punk band in the late 1970s early 80s. (3.) Critic-at-large JOHN POWERS has some thoughts on Salman Rushdie and the publication of his new memoir Joseph Anton.

The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) 2009 Research Topics list, produced by the Joint Special Operations University (JSOU), is intended to guide research projects for Professional Military Education (PME) students, our faculty, research fellows, and others writing about special operations during this academic year. The topics list is organized into six sections with the first four addressing the most pressing needs or issues facing SOF today. The first section, unsurprisingly, is focused on research issues related to Combating Terrorist Networks (CbTNs) as this is the critical fight the United States and its allies are in today. The following three sections expand on issues crucial to understanding CbTNs: irregular warfare, the interagency process, and regional and cultural studies. The "interagency" is often discussed today, but frequently misunderstood. The interagency is best understood as a community or process that links different elements of government. Two key locations where the interagency comes together are Washington, DC and at U.S. embassies in foreign countries. The overarching focus of interagency research is how to best ensure that the interagency process meets requirements for successful prosecution of the current irregular type of war. Irregular war engenders much debate and its concepts are strongly linked to the interagency process. The third key element in the current conflict is the critical concept of cultural or regional studies. Defining what are cultural, regional, or linguistic requirements for CbTN is itself a major challenge. These critical topics, concepts, and processes reflect the challenges of winning the current conflicts and meeting the needs for the conflicts most likely to face us in the foreseeable future., ISBN 1-933749-26-1

In Australia, there has been confusion and misunderstanding surrounding the term 'fatwa'. This goes both to its meaning and also to the role fatwas fulfil for Muslims, whether in Australia or in other parts of the world. This paper seeks to address both of these issues, first by demystifying fatwa through exploration of the distinctive place the have in Islamic jurisprudence, and second by identifying the methodology used by jurists in ifta (the giving of fatwas), which has enabled Islamic law to be responsive to new developments and contemporary challenges. Given the recent expansion of technological, economic and medical advances and the pattern of migration of Muslims to secular societies, the paper argues that the need for fatwas is in fact increasing as Muslims strive to accommodate Islamic religious requirements within these new environments. The paper surveys the sources of Islamic authority in Australia, concluding that a process of collective ijtihad (independent legal reasoning) would best be suited to the diversity that is the hallmark of Islam in Australia. However, it is stressed that this would not lessen the primacy of Australian law but rather would complement it, as fatwas give guidance to Muslims Australians in the personal, individual and private spheres of life.

Sheikh Abdullah Azzam is a name that only gets attention among true students of Islamist militancy, yet he has had a tremendous impact on Usama Bin Laden and left him with the tools needed to establish a global jihadist network. The subject of this essay are Assam's militant jihadist fatwas (religious edicts) that were created from the perspective of the Soviet-Afghan War as interpreted by Islamist radicals. Azzam's alteration of jihad as a collective obligation incumbent upon all Muslims forms the basic construct for all his strategic, operational, and tactical ideas on global jihad. American military planners and Coalition partners must take the time to assess Azzam's books as a means of understanding the strategic thinking of Al-Qaida and its affiliates. He is considered the Clausewitz of Islamist militancy, one who combines a lethal understanding and destructive interpretation of Islamic law and history with destructive interpretations of the French and Russian Revolutions. It is imperative that the obscure Arabic titles written by militant clerics like Azzam be translated and analyzed with the same determination as Russian documents and books on strategy and military affairs were during the Cold War. The subject of this essay is Azzam's book "Al Defaa aan Ardhee al-Muslimeen aham furood al-ayaan" ("Defending Muslim Lands is Among the Most Important Collective Obligations"), which was published in 1985. The book is 133 pages long, of which 79 pages are focused on Azzam's fatwa for collective jihad. It is considered his masterpiece. Unlike Bin Laden, who issues edicts that are of dubious quality, Azzam undertook to get his fatwa endorsed by some of the most noted clerics of the time. Azzam used his own clerical connections to give his ideas a voice and to get them endorsed and preached in local mosques in Saudi Arabia, Gaza, and Egypt of the 1980s. Assam was pragmatic in limiting jihad to Afghanistan and Palestine, while Bin Laden globalized it.

Sheikh Abdullah Azzam is considered the strategic heart of al-Qaida. His writings and lectures on al-Qaida al-Sulba (the Firm Foundation) form the basis and origins of the organization. Azzam was assassinated on a Peshawar street by a massive car bomb in 1989. He is considered the founding father of the concept of interjecting a rapid reaction force of Arab volunteers into civil wars, crises, and small conflicts involving Muslims. It is not enough to write a single review essay of one of Azzam's 10 books to grasp the span of his influence on al-Qaida. He reinterpreted Islamic history and modern western philosophy to justify the fantasy ideology of al-Qaida and the global Islamist militant movement. He also recruited Usama Bin Laden and brought him into the Soviet-Afghan War. The first review essay covered Azzam's 1983 "fatwa" crafted at the height of the Soviet-Afghan War and endorsed by senior Sunni Muslim clergy, including the late Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia Sheikh Bin Baz. Azzam postulated that Islam was under assault and that jihad had now become a collective obligation. This essay reviews a book published one year after Azzam's death. It is a collection of his strategic, operational, and tactical views of jihad. Entitled "Jihad Shaab Muslim" ("Jihad of the Muslim Peoples"). It blends modern historical observations of the Soviet-Afghan War with an Islamist militant discourse of the history of the Indian subcontinent, and uses numerous Islamic quotations throughout the text to justify violence as the only remedy to problems in the Muslim world. It is these books and personalities like Sheikh Abdullah Azzam that fuel today's Islamist militant movement. American military planners must first understand and deconstruct Azzam's skewed ideology and strategies to truly understanding the present enemy. Understanding Bin Laden requires an understanding of the long lineage of Islamist militant clerics and theorists, especially Abdullah Azzam (1941-1989 AD).

Sheikh Abdullah Azzam, more than any other cleric, is considered the strategic founder of al-Qaida. His calling to establish an "al-Qaida al-Sulba" (firm foundation) to export jihad where Muslims are being persecuted is the name Bin Laden finally chose when naming his organization "al-Qaida." To understand Bin Laden and those who harbor sympathies toward al-Qaida it is vital to rediscover Azzam's books. Part I of this series will look into a book published in 1984, which by 1988 had gone through its 11th printing. Azzam's Quranic interpretations of the Soviet-Afghan War and his mythologizing and marketing of this conflict was a means to attract more Arabs to join the fight. The book is entitled "Ayyat al-Rahman fee Jihad al-Afghan" ("God's Signs in the Afghan Jihad"). Part II of the series will explore a book on Azzam's views regarding the remedy for Muslim victimization. Part III will look at Azzam's history and his theories of what needed to be done to defend Muslim lands that were under assault. Reading Azzam represents the cutting edge towards understanding a sworn enemy of the United States. It is incumbent upon American military planners to immerse themselves in the ideology, mythology, language, and strategy of Islamist militant groups. Azzam is as significant strategically to al-Qaida and its affiliates as Carl von Clausewitz is to the study of conventional warfare. Azzam founded Maktab al-Khidmat (Services Office for Arab Jihadists), an organization dedicated to organizing Arab jihadists fighting the Soviets in Afghanistan. He also was a mentor to Usama Bin Laden. Azzam was killed in a massive bombing of his car in the streets of Peshawar, Pakistan, in November 1989. The assassination of Azzam remains a subject of speculation and remains unsolved. The copy of Azzam's "Ayyat al-Rahman fee Jihad al Afghan" used in the crafting of this essay was published in 1988 by Dar-al-Mujtama Publishers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., (1.) Political humorist BILL MAHER ('Mar'). His HBO program is 'Real Time With Bill Maher.' He also created and hosted the funny late night political round table show 'Politically Incorrect.' His new book 'New Rules: Polite Musings of a Timid Observer' compiles his satiric bits from his 'New Rules' segment on 'Real Time' in which he takes aim at everything from cellphones to fast food to politics.(THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW). (2.) DR. MUZAMMIL SIDDIQI ('Moo-ZAH-mill Sih-DEE-key') is chairman of the Fiqh ('Firk') Council of North America, an association of Islamic legal scholars that interprets Muslim religious law. On July 28th the group issued a fatwa, or religious ruling condemning all acts of terrorism and religious extremism as fundamentally un-Islamic. Over 100 Muslim organizations in the U.S. have endorsed the fatwa. (3.) Rock critic KEN TUCKER reviews silver anniversary albums by two 80's punk bands: The Fleshtones and The Adolescents.

There are about one billion Muslims in the world, concentrated primarily in North Africa, the Middle East, and South and Southeast Asia. Islam teaches that Allah selected Muhammad, a merchant from Mecca, as the last of the prophets following Adam, Moses, Jesus, and others, to deliver God's message to humankind. This report discusses the historical background of Islam; divisions within Islam; written guidance (e.g., the Quran, Hadith, Sunnah); the Islamic clergy; the tenets of Islam; Jihad; Osama bin Laden and the fundamentalists; people of the book (i.e., Christians and Jews); the status of women in Islam; the importance of Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem; dietary and other restrictions; and non-Muslim practices that are sometimes associated with Islam (e.g., female circumcision and honor killings). The report will not be updated., CRS Report for Congress.

This is a little summary of what has been the doctoral thesis of the author, in which she reviewed the criminal law applied in Al-Andalus trough the fatwas transmitted by Al-Wansrisi, where it can be noted that Hispanic and Maghrebi Islam followed the malekian doctrines, although not completely nor strictly., Se trata de un pequeño resumen de la que fue la Tesis doctoral de la autora, en la que pasó revista al derecho penal aplicado en Al-Andalus a través de las fatuas transmitidas por Al-Wansarisi, donde se aprecia la observancia por el Islam hispánico y magrebí de las doctrinas malekíes, si bien no de una forma estricta y completa

This is a little summary of what has been the doctoral thesis of the author, in which she reviewed the criminal law applied in Al-Andalus trough the fatwas transmitted by Al-Wansrisi, where it can be noted that Hispanic and Maghrebi Islam followed the malekian doctrines, although not completely nor strictly., Se trata de un pequeño resumen de la que fue la Tesis doctoral de la autora, en la que pasó revista al derecho penal aplicado en Al-Andalus a través de las fatuas transmitidas por Al-Wansarisi, donde se aprecia la observancia por el Islam hispánico y magrebí de las doctrinas malekíes, si bien no de una forma estricta y completa

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., INT. 1: Writer SALMAN RUSHDIE. His novel "The Ground Beneath Her Feet." (Picador) is now in paperback. It's his sixth novel but the first to be set largely in the United States. His previous novel "Satanic Versus" offended many in Iran which resulted in the government calling for his death. Rushdie lived in hiding for years. The Iranian government has since rescinded its "fatwah." (REBROADCAST from 4/21/99) THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES IN THE SECOND HALF.INT. 2: Director BRIAN DE PALMA. His new film 'Mission to Mars' opens this week. It stars Gary Sinise, Tim Robbins, and Don Cheadle. DE PALMA's other films include "Carrie", "Dressed to Kill", "The Fury", "Scarface" and 'Carlito's Way.' His thrillers were often compared with those of Hitchcock. In the 1970's, De Palma, along with other young film directors Martin Scorcese, Steven Speilberg and Francis Coppola made films of such quality that the period is sometimes referred to as another Golden Age of Hollywood. (REBROADCAST from 11/10/93)REV. : Critic JOHN POWERS reviews the new Jim Jarmusch film called Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., INT. 1: SALMAN RUSHDIE has written the new novel "The Ground Beneath Her Feet." (Holt) It is his sixth novel but the first to be set largely in the United States. His previous novel "Satanic Versus" offended many in Iran which resulted in the government calling for his death. Rushdie lived in hiding for years. The Iranian government has since rescinded its "fatwah."INT. 2: Interview with SALMAN RUSHDIE cont'd.REV. : Rock historian ED WARD reviews "The Bootleg Series Vol. 4: Bob Dylan Live 1966: The 'Royal Albert Hall' Concert" (Columbia). The series documents his controversial world tour when he plugged in his electric guitar. The Royal Albert Hall concert took place in Manchester, England.

The author discusses fatwas that have been issued against United Kingdom's Salman Rushdie and Bangladesh's Taslima Nasrin.

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., INT. 1: It's been almost six years since the Ayatollah Khomeini issued a death sentence against writer SALMAN RUSHDIE. Since then he's lived in hiding, continuing to write, and to make a few semi-public appearances. His book, "Haroun and the Sea of Stories," published in 1990 was a fairy tale written for his son. His new book is collection of stories about the line that divides East and West, migrancy, exile, and the notion of home, "East, West" (Pantheon). Terry also talked with RUSHDIE in 1990 and 1992. (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE SHOW). INT. 2: Interview with SALMAN RUSHDIE continued. REV. : Commentator MAUREEN CORRIGAN reviews the new biography "Thomas Paine: Apostle of Freedom," by Jack Fruchtman Jr.

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Each week, nearly 4.5 million people listen to the show's intimate conversations broadcast on more than 450 National Public Radio (NPR) stations across the country, as well as in Europe on the World Radio Network. Though Fresh Air has been categorized as a "talk show," it hardly fits the mold. Its 1994 Peabody Award citation credits Fresh Air with "probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insights." And a variety of top publications count Gross among the country's leading interviewers. The show gives interviews as much time as needed, and complements them with comments from well-known critics and commentators. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., Fresh Air with Terry Gross, the Peabody Award-winning weekday magazine of contemporary arts and issues, is one of public radio's most popular programs. Each week, nearly 4.5 million people listen to the show's intimate conversations broadcast on more than 450 National Public Radio (NPR) stations across the country, as well as in Europe on the World Radio Network. Though Fresh Air has been categorized as a "talk show," it hardly fits the mold. Its 1994 Peabody Award citation credits Fresh Air with "probing questions, revelatory interviews and unusual insights." And a variety of top publications count Gross among the country's leading interviewers. The show gives interviews as much time as needed, and complements them with comments from well-known critics and commentators. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR.

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., INT. 1: .Two members of the punk rock group FUGAZI: singer-guitarist IAN MACKAYE (Mac-KEYE) and guitarist GUY PICCIOTTO (Ghee-ah Pah-CHOWH-tow). The Washington, D.C. band has become internationally known despite the fact that the band refuses to sign with a major label. They abhor commercialism and stardom. The impassioned band sings on it's new album, "Steady Diet of Nothing," about having control of their own bodies, TV - "nothing going on in there," and about the supreme court, "Justice Brennan, I know it's not your fault." (the new album is on "Dischord Records.") INT. 2: Terry talks with two Iranian exiles who are working to lift the fatwa off of Salman Rushdie: Journalist HUMA SARSHAR (Homah Sar-SHAR), who lives in L.A., helped to organize a statement of Iranian exiles artists and intellectuals in support of Rushdie; and film maker and playwright PARVIZ SAYYAD (Par-VEEZ Sigh-YHAD) who signed the statement. REV. : Book critic JOHN LEONARD reviews the long-awaited new book by Toni Morrison, "Jazz."

Since its national debut in 1987, Fresh Air with Terry Gross has been a highly acclaimed and much adored weekday magazine among public radio listeners. Each week, nearly 4.8 million people turn to Peabody Award-winning host Terry Gross for insightful conversations with the leading voices in contemporary arts and issues. The renowned program reaches a global audience, with over 620 public radio stations broadcasting Fresh Air, and 3 million podcast downloads each week. Fresh Air has broken the mold of 'talk show' by weaving together superior journalism and intimate storytelling from modern-day intellectuals, politicians and artists alike. Through probing questions and careful research, Gross's interviews are lauded for revealing a fresh perspective on cultural icons and trends. Her thorough conversations are often complemented by commentary from well-known contributors. Fresh Air is produced at WHYY-FM in Philadelphia and broadcast nationally by NPR., INT. 1: .Controversial author SALMAN RUSHDIE. Terry last talked to him in late 1990 about his life. For over three years, Rushdie's been in hiding, a result of the reaction to his novel "The Satanic Verses." That novel offended many Muslims and led to the Ayatollah Khomeini putting a one-million-dollar death sentence on Rushdie's head. Just lately, he's begun to travel and make public appearances, even though he's still a target for assassination. Rushdie called us from his hiding place somewhere in Great Britain. INT. 2: Actor JOHN CULLUM. He plays Holling Vincoeur on the TV show "Northern Exposure." Holling is a 63-year-old bartender in a relationship with an 18-year-old beauty queen. CULLUM is best known for his broadway roles in "Camelot," "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever," and others. CULLUM talked with Terry before a live audience in Seattle. REV. : Commentator MAUREEN CORRIGAN reviews "Clockers," the new novel by Richard Price about the world of a black crack dealer. (published by Houghton Mifflin).

Le martyr musulman, mort dans le cadre du combat spirituel pour Dieu, va directement au paradis ; il ne meurt pas. La félicité paradisiaque dont il bénéficie n’est pas la vision directe de Dieu qu’il ne peut pas voir. Il est « vu » par Dieu. Dans le martyre chrétien, c’est Dieu qui vient à la rencontre de l’homme. Dans l’islam, c’est l’homme qui va vers Dieu et qui conquiert, dans une sorte de projet prométhéen, la plénitude de sa propre ontologie. C’est donc un acte à caractère politique plus affirmé. Le phénomène du martyr-suicide contemporain n’est pas une spécificité islamique. Il se rencontre dans d’autres cultures religieuses comme chez les Sikhs. Par ailleurs, l’islam n’est pas un tout homogène. C’est dans le monde chiite préférentiellement, marqué par la révolution de Khomeiny où la notion de Malakut (mundus imaginalis) a une importance cruciale, que le martyr-suicide pourrait être compris comme un déicide symbolique fondateur d’un ordre politique. Comme témoin de mort, il rend témoignage pour la volonté de puissance, la libido dominandi, qui lui fait commettre l’auto-meurtre, non de soi, mais de cet Autre qui est en lui et qui l’empêcherait de devenir autonome. Comme témoin de vie, il rend témoignage de la pérennité de l’identité du groupe perçue comme une essence intemporelle. Sa mort est un moment de fondation de cette identité collective source des pires violences., Martyrdom - Bearing Witness to Life or Death ? The Muslim martyr who gives his life to the spiritual cause of God goes straight to paradise – he does not die. The felicity he enjoys there is not a direct vision of God, for God cannot be seen. He however is ‘seen’ by God. In Christian martyrdom, it is God who reaches out to man. In Islam, it is man who reaches out to God and who, in Promethean style, grasps the plenitude of his own ontology. Martyrdom is then for the Muslim a more clearly-voiced political act. The current phenomenon of suicide attacks is not however an Islamic specificity. It also exists in other religious cultures, for example Sikhism. Moreover, Islam is not a perfectly homogenous religion. It is mainly in the Shiite world, where the Khomeini revolution has left its stamp and in which the notion of Malakut (mundus imaginalis) plays a key role, that martyrdom through acts of suicidal violence may be seen as the symbolic Deicide on which a political order is founded. In that it bears witness to death, martyrdom is also an expression of the desire for power, the libido dominandi, which causes the martyr to sacrifice their own life not in their own name but in the name of the Other within them who prevents them from attaining autonomy. In that it bears witness to life, martyrdom also bears witness to the perennity of the identity of the group as atemporal. The martyr’s death is the instance in which this collective identity is founded and is a breeding ground for the most terribly violent acts.