2010
JUNE American video
blogger Baba
Ali uploads first
YouTube film
OCTOBER James
JULY Smoking ban
Caan joined the
comes into effect in
panel of BBC Two’s
the UK
Dragons’ Den
MARCH Comment
is Free launched on
Guardian website
2006 2007
AUGUST Zinedine DECEMBER Saddam DECEMBER Pakistani
Zidane is sent off for Hussein is executed former Prime
headbutting Marco Minister Benazir
Materazzi in the Bhutto assassinated
world cup final
JULY Israel launches a
major military attack,
sending thousands of
JUNE Apple releases
troops into Lebanon
the iPhone
resulting in 1,109
Lebanese and 160
NOVEMBER Al Jazeera
Israeli deaths
English hits the
airwaves
current account/ savings account/ credit card/ pension, etc. consumerism of the rampant aggressive type.
propping up a failed and possibly corrupt system? If the answer We must be conscious of the small actions which when
is yes, then we should vote with our feet. We ourselves must done collectively can help the planet. So, switching off lights,
resist unchecked debt and start spending within our means. We computers, TVs, etc has a positive impact without causing us
also must reject hoarding and insist that our money works hard, inconvenience. Walking or cycling short journeys will stop the
keeping it in circulation. pollution that short car journeys bring. And making sure the
It is tempting, and easy, to blame “greedy bankers” for our 3Rs of reduce, reuse, recycle are ingrained as habits into our
financial downfall; and whilst we cannot allow the banks to be daily lives can make a fundamental difference.
shielded from blame, we have to ask ourselves to what extent We must make sure we lobby government and corporations
we ourselves are responsible for supporting the structure that is to keep them to the highest environmental standards. This
doomed to boom and bust by its very nature. will ensure that the green issue is a vote- and profit-winner
The lifestyle changes necessary to halt global climate melt- and thus keep the big players on board vis-a-vis environmental
down will be hardest for us who currently enjoy the luxuries impact issues.
of a post-industrial, Western lifestyle. Addicted to our cars, our Often we are either embarrassed by Islam or we do not
gadgets and the latest upgrade, it is hard to imagine us giving understand Islam; thus we leave it out of some of the broader
up our comforts. The New Year will bring countless diets, but conversations. The secular mindset pushes religion into the area
it won’t be long before we will be reaching for the chocolates. of private rituals, and even Muslims fall prey to that. Islam is
Similarly, the harder we push away our wants for our comfort- reduced to scarves, beards, prayer mats and minarets. But the
able lifestyle, the more we will end up hoarding. This is because world needs a faith based ethical framework, grounded in the
the idea of self-denial builds up a backlog of deprivation that permanence of The Creator. We must believe that Islam has
brings on a binge cycle. What has to be done with diets is a re- something to contribute to the world, and something to bring to
education of the body’s desires, so that we love the foods that the table regarding our modern challenges. The Muslim ethical
are good for us. Likewise, we must re-educate ourselves with framework has a place in the global narrative and the next ten
regards to what makes us happy in life. The Prophets have all years must be the time when we bring that forward, working
shown us that the path to peace and contentment does not lie with others to solve the problems that face us all.
in the acquisition of things, but rather the fulfilment of more The companion of the Prophet Muhammad, Khabbab ibn
fundamental human needs such as companionship. We need al-Arrat once said, “After this night of darkness there must be a
to re-educate ourselves and our children that we are stewards dawn.” Every dawn brings with it a new day and new opportu-
and custodians of the earth, not just greedy consumers of its nities; so, although we may feel like despairing, we should be
resources. And whilst we may have consumer desires we should full of hope at the new days and new opportunities that a new
find those fulfilled with sustainable and ethical products, not decade brings.
www.emel.com | emel magazine 25
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104