UAE signs deal to support youth in Sahel and Lake Chad region
The deal was signed during the 51st session of the Council of Foreign Ministers in Istanbul over the weekend.
The fund aims to empower youth in the Sahel and Lake Chad region by integrating youth into development, promoting a moderate approach to countering extremism and terrorism, and reducing poverty rates through youth employment and training programs.
The Fund's charter, which is headquartered in Mauritania's capital Nouakchott, comes as part of its efforts to strengthen Islamic cooperation and support sustainable development in the neediest regions.
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Middle East Eye
8 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Turkish magazine condemned for allegedly depicting caricatures of Prophet Muhammad
A Turkish satirical magazine has sparked backlash across the country this week after publishing a controversial cartoon that many have interpreted as depicting the prophets Muhammad and Moses. In its 26 June issue, Leman Magazine published an illustration showing two angelic figures hovering above a bombed city, presumably over Gaza. One figure says, 'Salamun Aleykum,' while the other replies, 'Aleyhem Shalom.' Social media users and commentators widely identified the figures as representations of Muhammad and Musa (Moses), prompting widespread outrage across the country. Many public and government figures, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, condemned the magazine, saying, 'This is an open provocation hidden under the guise of humour. It is a heinous provocation.' An investigation was launched into the magazine for "publicly insulting religious values", and the editor-in-chief, the manager, the cartoonist, and the director of drawings were detained. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced on X that police had detained the cartoonist behind the controversial image, along with Leman Magazine's graphic designer. 'The person named DP who made this vile drawing has been caught and taken into custody,' he said, adding: 'These shameless individuals will be held accountable before the law.' In his tweet, Yerlikaya also shared a video of the moment when the cartoonist was violently detained. The magazine has denied that it was a depiction of the Prophet Muhammad, as stated in a lengthy thread shared on its social media account. Parts of the thread read, 'More than 200 million people in the Islamic world are named Muhammad. The artwork contains no direct reference to the Prophet Muhammad. The cartoonist intended to portray a Muslim individual killed by Israel, aiming to highlight the just cause of the oppressed Muslim population. There was absolutely no intention to insult or demean religious values. We reject the accusation directed at us, as there is no depiction of the Prophet Muhammad in the illustration.' The magazine's editor-in-chief, Tuncay Akgun, told AFP by phone from Paris that the image had been deliberately misinterpreted and was "not a caricature of Prophet Mohammed". "We would never take such a risk," he added. Some people are defending the cartoon, saying it should be only a crime to depict the prophet in an Islamic state, and Turkey is a secular state. Zaman dik durma zamanı, 19 Mart ne kadar niyetli ve organize ise bu işler de o kadar organize, hesaplı ve yapay. Türkiye'de kimsenin dine hakaret derdi yok, birileri sineğin yağından çıkarıp darbeye dayanak etmek istiyor. Dini kisvede siyasal darbe yaprak dindar seküler herkesin… — Murat Somer (@murat_somer) July 1, 2025 Translation: No one in Turkey is interested in insulting religion; some are trying to extract meaning from nothing and use it as a pretext for a coup. Under the guise of religion, they aim to carry out a political coup and establish a regime where both devout and secular citizens are made subservient to others. However, many people have disagreed and view the cartoon as an insult to Islam and Muslims. Peygamberimiz Hz. Muhammed'e hakaret eden Leman isimli paçavranın kapısına kilit vurup yazanın, çizenin, basanın hayatını karartacak bir adalet istiyorum. — Marginale (@themarginale) June 30, 2025 Translation: I want the kind of justice that will shut down the disgraceful publication named Leman, which insulted our Prophet Muhammad, and ruin the lives of those who wrote, drew, and published it. Protests Many people angry at the cartoon took to the streets on Monday to protest against it, calling for the magazine to be shut down. Many met in front of the Leman Magazine building and prayed there as an act of protest. Some people marched at Taksim Square in downtown Istanbul, shouting, 'down with secularism', 'long live Sharia', which also created backlash online, as the Turkish government has long banned protests there, specifically including Feminist Night Marches, pride marches and May Day celebrations. Pride için yürüyüş yapcaklar diye bir aydır taksim kapalı yasak var genel diyolar?? Ama şeriatçi militan olunca bi anda açılmış taksim — luctuosa (@Iuctuosa) July 1, 2025 Translation: They've kept Taksim closed for a month, saying there's a general ban because of the Pride march. But suddenly, it's wide open when religious hardliners are gathering. An AFP correspondent reported that an Istanbul bar, a venue often frequented by Leman Magazine staff, was attacked by several dozen enraged protesters. This sparked angry scuffles with police, which quickly escalated into clashes involving 250 to 300 individuals. In April, Amnesty International said that the 'Turkish authorities must lift all restrictions on a planned May Day solidarity demonstration in Istanbul's Taksim Square and allow people to gather peacefully in accordance with a ruling by Türkiye's Constitutional Court.' Meanwhile, Ozgur Ozel, the leader of the Turkish opposition party, said, "I won't allow any disrespect toward the Prophet Muhammad, but I also won't stand by while people are targeted and vilified over something that wasn't disrespectful to begin with." With politicians getting involved and individuals being arrested, the impact of the issue has grown in the country, becoming increasingly viral on social media. The controversy over Leman's cartoon has once again brought to the surface the enduring tension between secular and religious worldviews in Turkey, a divide that has shaped the country's politics for decades. Since the early days of the Republic, secularism has been enshrined as a foundational principle, while conservative and religious movements have steadily gained ground, particularly under the rule of the Justice and Development Party since 2002. Analysts have long pointed to what they describe as a deepening culture war over religion, press freedom and national identity.
Gulf Today
9 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Iran decries ‘destructive' conduct of IAEA chief
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron that Tehran halted cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog due to what he called the agency chief's 'destructive' behaviour towards the Islamic republic, his office said on Monday. 'The action taken by parliament members... is a natural response to the unjustified, unconstructive, and destructive conduct of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency,' Pezeshkian told Macron in a phone call late Sunday, according to a presidency statement. On Wednesday, Iranian lawmakers voted in favour of a bill to suspend cooperation with the IAEA, citing Israel's June 13 attack on the Islamic republic and later strikes by the United States on nuclear facilities. A ceasefire between Iran and Israel took hold on June 24. Since the start of the war with Israel, Iranian officials have sharply criticised the agency for failing to condemn the strikes. Iran has also criticised the watchdog for passing a resolution on June 12 accusing it of non-compliance with its nuclear obligations. In a Sunday post on X, Macron said he called for 'respect for the ceasefire' and a return to negotiations to address 'ballistic and nuclear issues.' He further called for 'the swift resumption of the IAEA's work in Iran to ensure full transparency.' On Monday, France, Germany, and Britain condemned what they called 'threats' against the IAEA chief Rafael Grossi after Iran rejected its request to visit nuclear facilities bombed during the war. None specified which threats they were referring to, but Iran's ultra-conservative Kayhan newspaper recently claimed documents showed Grossi was an Israeli spy and should be executed. Iran has said Grossi's request to visit bombed sites signalled 'malign intent' but insisted that no threats were posed against Grossi or the agency's inspectors. On Monday, Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said the Iranian parliament's decision to halt cooperation with the IAEA reflected the 'concern and anger of the Iranian public opinion.' He further criticised the United States and European powers for maintaining what he described as a 'political approach' toward Iran's nuclear programme during his weekly press conference. Baqaei also questioned how the safety of IAEA inspectors could be ensured while the extent of the damage to Iran's nuclear facilities -- targeted by Israel and the United States during the 12-day war -- remains unknown. 'One aspect of this issue is how to ensure the safety and security of the agency's inspectors, in a situation where there is still no accurate assessment of the severity of the damage,' he said. Iran's judiciary said at least 935 people were killed in the country during its 12-day war with Israel, state media reported Monday, nearly a week since a ceasefire took hold. Among the dead were 38 children and 132 women, the spokesperson, Asghar Jahangir, said. The death toll was a sharp increase from a previous Iranian health ministry tally of 610 killed in Iran before a ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday last week. Jahangir also revised the number of people killed in an Israeli strike on Tehran's Evin Prison to 79, up from 71. Israel launched the air war on June 13, attacking Iranian nuclear facilities and killing top military commanders as well as civilians in the worst blow to Iran since the 1980s war with Iraq. Iran retaliated with barrages of missiles on Israeli military sites, infrastructure and cities. The United States entered the war on June 22 with strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said Israel's 'act of aggression had led to many war crimes'. He said Iran would transfer evidence to international organisations which he said should hold Israel to account. 'The Zionist regime's (Israel) action was done without any reason or justification, therefore we do not believe in separating military and civilian (victims),' Baghaei told reporters at a regular press briefing. He said any 'martyr or destroyed building is an example of war crimes.' Agencies
Gulf Today
16 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Islamic taxes were lighter than Roman ones, says Sharjah panel
Sharjah: As part of its centennial celebrations, the Sharjah Public Libraries (SPL) organised a panel discussion titled "The Cultural Mission" at the Holy Qur'an Academy in Sharjah. Held in collaboration with the Holy Quran Academy and Al Qasimia University, the event was attended by Dr. Abdullah Khalaf Al Hosani, Secretary-General of the Holy Qur'an Academy, alongside a distinguished gathering of academics, intellectuals and university students. The session featured Dr. Nasser Al Falasi, Assistant Professor in the History Department at Zayed University, Dr. Abdul Hakim Al Anis, Scientific Expert at the Holy Qur'an Academy, and was moderated by Dr. Rashid Al Naqbi. The discussion formed part of SPL's broader efforts to revive Arab and Islamic knowledge traditions and to reinforce the role of libraries as essential cultural and intellectual hubs in society. The speakers presented a wide-ranging discussion that included a critical analysis of the development of governance in Islamic civilisation. They highlighted the fairness and superiority of its financial system compared to Western and Roman models, and shared anecdotes from the Arab literary tradition. The insights reflected the intellectual richness and humanistic depth of Muslim scholars, whose pioneering approaches in fields such as philosophy, health and sociology often preceded modern discourse. Governance in Islamic civilisation In the session, Dr. Nasser Al Falasi discussed the development of governance in Islamic civilisation, highlighting how the historian's perspective shapes the understanding of history. He stressed that the Islamic financial system played a key role in the prosperity of the Islamic state and criticised the reliance of some Orientalist scholars on Roman and Western sources, which has led to misinterpretations of Islamic taxation, particularly the jizya. He compared the Islamic and Roman financial systems, showing that Islamic taxes were significantly lighter. For example, annual tax rates under Islamic governance were much lower and more inclusive, with exemptions for women, children and older people. Unlike the Roman model, the Islamic system protected non-Muslims without obliging them to take part in military service. Dr. Al Falasi noted that some Western historians have recognised the jizya as a refined financial structure that supported public welfare and enabled non-Muslim communities to thrive economically. He also highlighted the Islamic approach's flexibility, which considered distance, hardship and agricultural conditions, applying tax only to cultivated land. He concluded with the discovery of early Islamic tax records from the second century Hijri, later compiled by a British historian, offering rare insights into the practical workings of Islamic fiscal policy. Wit and wisdom in Arab literary heritage On his part, Dr. Abdul Hakim Al Anis presented a paper exploring the wit and depth of Arab literary heritage, highlighting the intellectual vibrancy of Islamic civilisation. He added that Arab scholars produced a wide range of works covering science, art, philosophy and daily life, many of which are preserved in leading libraries around the world. He shared examples of unconventional texts, including historical accounts, reflections on human experiences such as hunger and grief, and writings that captured the final moments of prominent figures, noting that these works reveal that Arab scholars addressed themes often considered modern, centuries ago. Al Anis also discussed humorous and practical literature on topics, including health, ageing and social etiquette. Some of these writings have gained renewed interest in contemporary health and social studies, showing the lasting relevance of Islamic thought. He concluded that issues such as emotional well-being and interpersonal conduct, now widely discussed in modern literature, were deeply examined by early Arab thinkers, offering valuable insights that remain relevant today. The event also included a specialised workshop on Arabic calligraphy and Islamic ornamentation, giving participants the opportunity to explore the beauty and history of Islamic arts in an integrated setting that bridged thought and creativity.
