About 60 per cent of this great country is outside the reach of banking system and Union Finance Minister has promised in his last year’s budget speech that by 2012, all habitations with 2000 will have banking facilities. Islamic interest-free banking is an alternative financial and banking system to include the marginalised and the minorities in it.

The word “Islamic” is misunderstood, but in practice Islamic finance and banking is for all communities. Forty p...

The hypocrisy of the Western countries on democracy is exposed – in their lukewarm response to the unprecedented uprising in Egypt – demanding an end to the 30-year long despotic rule of Hosni Mubarak.  Whereas the West wanted the monarchies and autocratic rulers in the Middle East to continue – the governments elected through a democratic process in Iran and Gaza are being targeted – as they do not serve to the strategic interests of the West.

The newborn revolutions in the Arab world might bring more economic setbacks, but are likely to harvest the seed of reforms, eventually bearing fruit of modified democracy. Revolutions are a time of transition from moral relativism to moral universalism. Only during revolutions do people realise that future is easier to invent than predict it. Whether or not the present Arab rise leads to significant effects on the world political alliances, the ground work base on ‘trust’ rathe...

It was the most moving juncture for the world to watch the ‘non-violent’ peaceful revolution coming out of Egypt. This is a major paradigm change for Muslims. Unlike other gatherings that were typically shown as violent, this one is just incredible and it seems that Egypt’s future seems to be secure and good. Mubarak will have to bow out against peaceful people. While America, the so-called advocate of democracy, should boldly side with these people, Obama must muster up t...