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28th Jamadi-ul-Saani, 1433 | Monday, May 21, 2012
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Canadian Jews Honors Muslim Saviors of Jews

Friday, 27 January 2012
Comments(11)
January 27:

Calgary, January 27: The Canadian Jewish Federation hosted on Friday, January 27, a photographic exhibition that sheds the light on heroism of Muslims who risked their lives to rescue Jews from the Nazi brutality during the Holocaust.

“Exhibits like this one help to showcase the values we celebrate in this country and the importance of respect for fundamental freedoms, regardless of one's background or religion,” Jason Kenney, Canadian Minister for Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, said in a press release on Thursday.

The “BESA: A Code of Honor” exhibit, hosted by the Calgary Jewish Federation, pays tribute to 17 of the more than 60 Muslim Albanians who helped saving the Jews during the Holocaust.

It tells the moving story of how the Besa, a code of honor in Albanian culture, guided their courageous actions.

Besa is an Albanian interpretation of the holy Qur’an, and is generally translated as “faith” or sometimes “to keep the promise.”

Today’s exhibition, which runs from January 27 to February 5, also offers a glimpse into the lives of a people whose commitment to their faith requires them to act unselfishly even under the most dire circumstances.

The exhibit is based on the work of American photographer Norman H. Gershman and his quest to tell this remarkable story.

His exhibition features black and white photographs of Albanians holding family photos and awards honoring their heroism.

Thanks to the Albania-Israel Friendship Association Gershman was able to trace many Albanian Muslims who rescued Jews from the Nazi.

He spent four years in Albania and met families of the heroes, photographed them and learnt about moving rescue operations.

Before World War II, there were only 200 Jews in Muslim-majority Albania, which had a total population of 800,000.

After the war, there were many more Jews after Jewish refugees from some half dozen European countries fled the Nazi persecution and sought shelter in Albania, according to Israeli officials.

Gershman, a Jew, said Albanian King Zog, who ruled the country from 1928 to 1939, personally saved the Weizmann family, who fled to Albania after 1938's Nazi crackdown on Jews in Germany.

Israel has already honored 63 Albanians as “Righteous Among the Nations,” a title granted to non-Jews who helped Jews escape Nazi persecution.

Interfaith

BESA exhibition was funded in part by Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Inter-Action program to foster relations between the country’s Muslim and Jewish minorities.

“Citizenship and Immigration Canada's Inter-Action program aims to create opportunities for different cultural and faith communities to build bridges,” said Minister Kenney in the press release. 

“The Calgary Jewish Federation is contributing to strengthening our society through education and awareness.

“This photographic exhibit will facilitate interaction and foster an increased understanding of the diverse communities of Calgary, particularly between the Muslim and Jewish communities.”

According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Holocaust refers to “systematic state-sponsored killing of Jewish men, women, and children and others by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II.”

The commonly used figure for the number of Jewish victims is six million.

But the figure has been questioned by many European historians and intellectuals, chiefly French author Roger Garaudy.

Muslims make around 2.8 percent of Canada's 32.8 million population, and Islam is the number one non-Christian faith in the Roman Catholic country.

A recent report from the Washington-based Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life said that Muslims are expected to make up 6.6% of Canada’s total population in 2030.

A recent survey showed that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are proud to be Canadian, and that they are more educated than the general population.

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Quite surprising how Dravidians call themselves Hyderabadis

Well, one of the many reasons why people in West and ofcourse East (Middle East inclusive) feel Hydis now a days donot know how to pronounce certain letters of English or even the Word Hyderabad, is just because of these kinda Dravidian "Hyderabadi" who came from the remote woods of Vijayawada (Aids prone obviously) and spread the disease of their under grown pervert delusional hyprocritic minds to the city unfortunately :)
The frustration of their Nomadic language, Cultural, Habitual, Intellectual (there is none btw) failure is quite visible in the comments which are as directionless as his willy which is similar to his origins (unknown again) :)

Do not trust...

When it is clearly mentioned these people are open enemy of Islam, we have to think many times before believing in anyway on these words. For sure there must be some game behind these praises going on in the Zionist forces mind.

Islam is the root cause of Kafirophobia

When will Muzzies show at least 0.000000000000000000001% of such gratitude to those who have parted with almost half their mother land so that muzzies can stink it up as per their arabic archaic neanderthal ways ?

Islam is the root cause fo Kafirophobia

Hey long time Hydi. You are not being charitable even to this news of Muslims saving Jews. I dont think your hatred to Muslims and Islam is not pathological or ideological. reading such hyper hatred comments against Muslims even for some good deeds or noble acts! - I cant say much but wish you dont become another extremist. Religions did bring good things to the world irrespective of what denominations they are but it is the extremist from within the religion which was and is the cause of world's unrest.

Howdy Saleem.

Hi Saleem...how ya doing ? I fight the arabic ideaology which is anti-anything that's not islam, and those who are blindly aligned with it. If you are among those, then surely sir I fight you too. But you fail to understand something...

Being an Indian, I'm more evolved than an Arab. So I'm fully capable of being angry without HATING. Your arabic brothers, who still believe in blood money (also practiced by Mo-PBUH himself), are incapable of even understanding that one can be rightfully angry (for being violated) without HATING & looting like animals.

And now for hating muslims.....I don't. Absolutely not (and I'm tired of clarifying this to even an educated person like you). May Allah grant them all that's wonderful in this world. But most importantly may Allah grant them some wisdom so they re-interpret their "hinduism is haram, kafirs go to hell, we should have sharia in india, babri is ours, palestines are brothers but kashmiri pundits are pigs" etc etc ways and become human. Is that too much to ask ? Or....will you say Hydi HATES muzzies because he's asking his rightful share instead of falling on the ground and rolling over like a dog ? :)

Look at yourself. You are definitely among the most educated and intellectual of the muzzie posters here. But what does that mean ? Nothing....because you are simply incapable of looking beyond Nabi, Quran and Hadith. Such a sad story Saleem. If you can't be comfortable challenging your belief system, then you are a prisoner of it. I think you are fully capable of being more than that. But my wish for you is that you'd influence at least a handful of muslims towards spiritual islam and away from arabbized venomous islam that's our bane today.

Look at us Indians...we are fully comfortable with Vedic ways (God is ONE - the formless - but sages call it by many names), Jainism and Buddhism (Atheistic ways), Materializm (Charuvaka), Sikhism, Nature worshipping and of course modern Atheism..and all that. POint is...most of us are very comfortable with our personal ways (which is one or MORE of the above) and are honoring of the other ways. We are sufis too and we are christians as well. Islam and evangelism are tearing the fabric of this diversity. Islam is relentlessly raping this society. It has to STOP !!!!

Please start telling your muzzie brothers that just as they love Nabi, others love their avatars/ prophets/ nabis etc., and that should be respected. Please tell your kafirophobic muzzie brothers that just as they treasure Islamic history, we too treasure our history. And as much bloodied as Islam was in India, we still take the good part of it as our own history....but you guys spit on ram/ krishna etc...that shows how low most muzzies are on the humanity scale. Or it just shows how dangerous most mohammadanism is to humanity.

If you are done accusing me of hatred, check this out : http://www.lifepositive.com/spirit/world-religions/christianity/belief.a...

I wish a Muslim would become just as courageous one day. Keep Allah saleem, but kick Arabbizm out. Is that too much to ask ?

- a proud Kafir

Belief

Hi Hydi, sorry to poke my nose in your discussions, but I felt that you either mistaken or misinterpretated Islam and Arabs. Firstly Arabs arn't the protectors or owners of Islam. All Arabs are not muslims and all muslims are not arabs. I fully agree with you that lime some non arabs (hindus and muslims of India)some arabs are wrong in their treatment to other humans and having spent 9 years in arab land, lemme tell you I came across many whom I hated forever because of their character. But I have also came across majority who are down to earth, respect everyone irrespective or their belief and status. Regarding the blood money, A common meaning in other contexts is the money-penalty paid by a murderer to the kinsfolk of the victim. These fines completely protect the offender (or the kinsfolk thereof) from the vengeance of the injured family. By this way many crimes can be contained and there is nothing wrong in it, except to the criminals. I have alot to discuss, but someother time, as time doesn't permit me to elaborate. Remember one thing, islam/Quran & hadith of our prophtet doesn't permit hating other religions or cursing. If any muslim curses non believers he is insulting himself. I know many does in outrage and frustration but still they are wrong. refer to sura Ikhlas in Quran (google it)

Kafirophobia is a disease - cure it

There are good and bad apples everywhere, not just Arabs. There’s good and bad in everyone - you and I included. But that’s not the point. Point is “Arabic Nomadic culture” masquerading as “universal and eternal religion” and brainless non Arab muslims following it like zombies all over the world.

Your reasoning shows your evolution status is fully imprisoned by the cultural moors of Arabia. Let’s apply it to the Pune bus incident. There should be at least 40 families wanting money from the bus driver or wanting to kill him. What if it comes out that he’s a severe medical case (as in depression etc.,)? Does his killing satisfy the 40 grieving families ? Is this how you build society and civilization ? Why don’t you get it ? Our ways have to move away from “basic instincts : lust, greed, hatred etc.,” and move towards evolved values. Justice has to be structured not to cater to base animalistic instincts, but to cater to reform and renewal. If all else fails, then death (in physical sense) becomes the last option. But not before all options are exhausted. You’ll find it very difficult to understand as your mind is completely imprisoned by Arabbism dangerously hidden in Quran and Hadith. Unless you empty your mind, other philosophies will never get into it. Swami Vivekananda was fully comfortable questioning existence of Krishna. But not one among you has the balls to question Mo without being fearful of life. What kind of a system or culture is this ?

Just as you think Arabs have refined culture and thus implicitly accept that there’s a cultural baseline for every society, I’d take the opposite view that Arabic desert dwelling nomads do not have as refined a culture as those of Indic lands. So while this is not about good Arabs or bad Indians, it is about the cultural ethos, logos and pathos all bundled and baselined for every society. I do not say we are perfect….we have baggage too…but our aspirational values are way more evolved than Arabic 7th century culture, our ancient ways are far more refined than Arabic ways, and our every day struggle to be better humans are far more commendable than an Arab’s insistence that regressive archaic ways : blood money or thighing a 6 year old girl as a valid way of life. Do you understand at least now ?

Take Quran and Gita, and go thru a line by line comparison. You’d, if you are unbiased, definitely come to the conclusion that the GITA is designed for advanced students (and hence more intellectually evolved society) as opposed to Quran (which tries to bring structure to a chaotic nomadic culture….and addresses a very primary school-ish intellect). Ever seen our beloved former president Abul Kalam talk like a Mullah ?
NO !!!! Because he’s intellectually advanced and can absorb what’s right from everything around him while filtering out inappropriate stuff.

Who has given you brains, body, soul, intellect ? Allah or Nabi ? If it is the former, then please do not insult Allah by outsourcing your brains to Mullahs who are poor in intellect and do not understand that Islam like every other way of life in this world is split into :
a) Contextual values / message (kill infidels etc.,) or Hadiths where Jews and women are but mere objects
b) Universal and eternal values (brother hood, charity etc.,)
Stick to “b” as Abul Kalam does. When you do that, you’ll be more of a Human and less of a desert dwelling, looting, raping Arabic nomad. What’s more, you’ll be more Indian too and will have no problems in being a Muslim and happily embracing your cultural roots (be it Vande mataram or be it Rama, Krishna).

Islam is very afraid that any brush with advanced intellect would show it a pygmy in the eyes of a Muslim. Hence everything is “FORBIDDEN” in Islam. An Apostate is to be put to death in Islamic law. Islamic lands fear other ways and hence do not allow other religions on their soil. All this fear is disguised as “righteousness / God’s decree” in Islam. Those who see through it either run away from Islam or seek solace in spreading the falsehood for economic and emotional benefits. I have no qualms in saying that you and I seem to be more secure than the God of Islam. What kind of a God can be so insecure and hence impotent ?

For now, I only care about India. We, as a nation, have bled enough to accommodate Islam. Not a drop more can be shed. It is time for Islam and Muslims to adapt. Let’s start with Babri masjid and Vande mataram.

PS: as usual all my efforts will solicit no response and all we'll hear is that I'm a right wing terrorist, Islam is the ONLY authentic way of life, Islam will rule the world etc etc., You can't teach calculus to a bunch of apes can you ? but when India's future is at stake, one must attempt that too....and I keep trying, burning my time....hoping that at least one Muzzie has enough brains and heart to see through Arabic imperialistic cultural business system called Islam and shatter it to embrace Humanity again. I hope I will succeed some day.

Grow up Kid

Dear Hyderabadi..Pause fr a while and take a fresh air and do some favour on yourself.. Already Indians r suffereing from high rate of heart syndromes. Religion is personal belief and no need every one accept it. If you have doubts about Islam then please void your hatred and stop propogating your biased views on this forum.let Discuss about it in a way both can't be hurt and try learn if you don't know don't just copy paste from extremist websites.If you are suffering from Heart Disease, you see cardio nt Neuro..similar way if you are having an Issue with Arabs you can't question to people of Hind. Every community has bad apples and if you start barking on every issue then you are suffering from Mental retardation. Peace will All

Muzzie matinee

Dear Syed Patel, please go to the nearest madarassah and discuss with people of your IQ level.

Keep dreaming, Its free..

Keep dreaming, Its free..

After so many

After so many years?.....hahahahahah caution guys!

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