“The Worst is Yet to Come”— Recession 2023 andthe Looming Uncertainty

Recession 2023 is just around the corner. The global economic crises are now inducing the certainty of a looming recession. Economists and financial organizations warned of upcoming uncertainty; however, regrettably, the world failed to decode the uprising of the economic catastrophe. 

Today’s economies around the globe are confronting an urgent economic crisis and are on the brink of a recession. And, the experts fear the worst is yet to come!

Shear Impact on Leading Economies – US, UK, China, and India

“Global growth is slowing sharply, with further slowing likely as more countries fall into recession. My deep concern is that these trends will persist, with long-lasting consequences devastating for people in emerging markets and developing economies”  

WORLD BANK GROUP PRESIDENT DAVID MALPASS

For the first time since 2009, the US declared negative GDP growth two quarters in a row, which officially qualifies as a recession.

The British Pound is at its historic low of $1.038 against US dollars due to rare emergency interventions. Cities and states in China are still in lockdown because of a rise in Covid-19 cases. On the other hand, Indian Rupee is at its 75-year low of Rupees 82.11 against the US dollar, soaring the hike in repo rates to 5.90%. 

Srilanka already declared insolvency earlier this year. Russia and Ukraine war had already set the stage for World War III. And the recent resilience of china on Taiwan has tarnished the world economic environment. 

All these together indicate the harsh truth: Recession 2023 will worsen the conditions of all major economies and push the globe into undefined circumstances like:

• Central banks hiking the interest rates
• Hike in energy and food prices
• Depreciation of major currencies against the dollar

Central Banks Hiking the Interest Rates  

To counteract rising inflation and the impact of a strong currency on the economies, central banks are hurriedly raising interest rates. This happens as the US Federal Reserve keeps up its aggressive interest rate hikes.

On the other hand Reserve Bank of India is also struggling with persistently high inflation, which is made worse by geopolitical unrest, droughts, and supply-chain disruptions. 

Hike in Energy and Food Prices

Russia is the world’s third-largest oil-producing country. It provides 7-8 million barrels of crude oil per day, or 14% of global production, to international markets. 

The US and UK’s restrictions and many other nations’ decisions to stop purchasing Russian petroleum have exacerbated the crisis.

Russia and Ukraine are the biggest sunflower oil producers globally and the second most frequently used cooking oil. However, sunflower oil cannot yet be exported from Russia due to the tightening of import restrictions. 

Plus, due to the increasing demand for sunflower oil in the market, other edible oils are now more expensive, raising the cost of food and other products across borders.

Depreciation of Major Currencies Against the US Dollar 

Compared to the US dollar, the Japanese yen has dropped to its lowest level since August 1998. The Indian rupee is hitting its lowest in history, and for the first time in 20 years, the euro is now lower than the USD.

The decline of major currencies indicates the current state of the global economy. Moreover, it provides a crystal-clear forecast of how disastrous the recession 2023 would be if significant steps are not taken to control the situation.

The Decelerating Global Economy: IMF Forecast for Recession 2023

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is warning that over a third of the economy is headed for a recession this year or next. Its world outlook shows growth withering from 6.0% in 2021, 3.2% in 2022, and an estimate of just 2.7% in 2023.

Recession 2023 will be different from all the recessions the world has faced to date. Different factors are driving economic crashes in different countries, for example:

A cynical recession by hiking interest rates in the US, a structural recession in China powered by the crashing property market, and financial insecurity exaggerated by the ongoing energy crisis in Europe

The ongoing turmoil in the national and global market is further sparking the threat of World War III.

Rising Certainty of World War III

Russia has already invaded Ukraine, and in opposition to Ukraine’s protection, the US cleared this support with Ukraine by immediately sending weapons to Ukraine. Such US behavior infuriated Russia, leading to increased attacks. 

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the US and European countries that further expansion of support to Ukraine might lead the situation to a ‘Global catastrophe.’ 

On the other hand, China assaulted Taiwan due to the recent visit of the US finance minister. The current clash of China and Indian troops erupt seriously, leading to grim conflict on north-east Indian borders.  

Additionally, civil wars in countries like Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Ethiopia, Afghanistan, and Mali are raising the certainty of World War III. 

Needless to say, World War III will destroy the world economy, resulting in more financial turmoil, starvation, a hike in oil prices, and the depreciation of currencies. 

Recession 2023: The Worst is yet to come

Slowing down economies, high repo rates, depreciation of currencies, bankrupted countries, and looming wars between nuclear countries are further solidifying the onset of a cold economic winter. 

The circumstance indicates what is coming. The indication of recession, the yell of the worst is yet to come.

However, to wrench the global situation on track, policymakers should continue to give needy powerful tailored assistance to respective governments while also putting in place reliable medium-term fiscal strategies.

Hindutva Activists Call for Economic Boycott of Muslims

Days before the Hindu festival Diwali, Twitter is full of anti-Muslim hatred. One of the trending hashtags on Twitter is “Halal Free Diwali”. It seems like a well-orchestrated campaign against businesses owned by Muslims or catering to Muslims. Through this social media campaign, Hindutva activists and supporters are calling for the boycott of Halal-certified products. Some of them allege that Muslims are creating a parallel economy that is used for Jihad. Some people have even gone a step ahead and called it “economic Jihad”.

Economic Boycott of Muslims is not New

The economic boycott of Muslims on this Diwali is not something new. It has been a constant for several festivals now.

Earlier this year, Temples in Karnataka prohibited Muslims from doing trade during festivals. This happened in the same locality where the Hijab row had erupted.

Hindutva activists alleged that Muslims had dominated the trade. They said that Muslims were doing “injustice” by dominating the businesses and keeping Hindus out. The Hindutva supporters also argued that while Muslims are involved in some unpleasant incidents but also want to reap the benefits of trade during Hindu festivals.

The boycott calls escalated later. Some Hindutva organizations also called for a boycott of Muslim cab and tour operators.

Boycott of Companies Owned by Muslims

Last year, some Hindutva miscreants launched a campaign of misinformation and fake propaganda against iD Fresh Foods, a company owned by a Muslim businessman. Common masses were misled through WhatsApp forwards that the products of the company contain animal extracts. It was a concerted attack to hurt the company’s reputation. Further, some people also alleged that the company only employed Muslims.

Even though these allegations were refuted by the company, nothing could undo the harm that the company suffered. Further, the government did nothing to punish the culprits who defamed the company.

Disempowering Muslims

Muslims in India are a minority. They have a very low literacy rate. They do not have access to resources. As a result, most Muslims are involved in trading rather than the government sector.

When a particular community boycotts Muslim shopkeepers, the Muslims have no choice but to shut down their shops. The only way out for these shopkeepers is to operate in Muslim-majority areas. However, since most Muslims are involved in the trading sector, how many traders can the Muslim community sustain?

Distortion of History

Hindutva activists and supporters allege that Muslims have always dominated Hindus. They accuse Muslims of perpetrating injustice on them in the past. Hence, they claim it is payback time.

It is a typical strategy that precedes genocide. The “other” are demonized. Their history is distorted. They are accused of being dirty. Further, they are also accused of things like dominating the economy or stealing jobs. 

Nothing can be farther from the truth. Muslims in India are disempowered. They are underrepresented in all the public sectors job.  The representation of Muslims in the formal sector of the economy is also low.

The condition of Muslims in India and their power can be gauged from the fact that they make up almost 15% of India’s population, but Muslim representatives constitute only 5% of the Indian parliament’s total strength.

It is the political power that determines the power of a particular community. Muslims do not even have political power proportionate to their population. The truth is that Indian Muslims are marginalized and excluded.

India’s Economic Policy and Economic Boycott of Muslims

Ever since coming to power in 2014, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched many schemes to make India’s economy grow faster. Further, Modi wants India to become a manufacturing hub.

While these schemes and plans are ambitious, Modi’s supporters are calling for the economic disempowerment of 15% of India’s population.

Muslim Countries and the Indian Economy

A significant proportion of India’s population works in Gulf countries. They send remittances back home, contributing to India’s foreign exchange. Further, Indian businesses have a ubiquitous presence in Gulf countries. They do a lot of business there.

Muslim-majority countries contribute to India’s economy without discrimination. In fact, Gulf countries give preference to Indians rather than Pakistani Muslims when it comes to business and employment.

However, back home, Indians are marginalizing Muslims. Hindutva supporters are calling out Muslims because of their religion.

It is rather ironic that Hindutva supporters think it is fine for them to find employment and use profits from business proceedings in Gulf countries but at the same time accuse Indian Muslims of economic and employment Jihad back home.

The Western Hypocrisy Of Russia V Israel Reveals An Outrageous Moral And Legal Duplicity

The Annexation of Land by Force Under International Law – Western Hypocrisy

Western hypocrisy is ever-present as we see differing responses to the annexation of land by Russia in Ukraine in comparison to Israel’s continued annexation of Palestinian land since 1947. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on September 30th 2022 that Russia would annexe four regions in Ukraine. These regions are Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, now referred to as “new regions” of Russia.

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the annexation as violating international law. Therefore, this is a “dangerous escalation” in the war between Russia and Ukraine, which began on February 24th 2022, when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine, classified as a “special military operation”. Hence, the annexation of a state’s territory by threat or use of force violates the principles in the United Nations Charter.

The European Commission rejected and unequivocally condemned the illegal annexation. However, western hypocrisy is ever-present. The international community condemns Russia’s violations but celebrates and protects those carried out by Israel. Consequently, Russia is creating a global security risk and undermining the leading principles of international law.

A “Sham Referenda” Executed by Russia in Ukraine

Between September 23rd to 27th, Russia orchestrated a “sham referendum” in regions of Ukraine. Residents voted on whether they wished to become part of Russia. The voting took place in polling centres while Russian authorities accompanied by soldiers went door-to-door with ballot boxes.  

The sham referendum occurred during an active armed conflict in Ukraine under Russian control. Therefore, this is outside Ukraine’s legal and constitutional framework and cannot be classified as a genuine expression of the popular will.

“Unilateral actions aimed to provide a veneer of legitimacy to the attempted acquisition by force by one State of another State’s territory, while claiming to represent the will of the people, cannot be regarded as legal under international law.” 

Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs, Rosemary A. DiCarlo.

Annexation is a “formal act whereby a state proclaims its sovereignty over territory hitherto outside its domain”.

Israel Is Allowed to Annex Occupied Land, But Russia Isn’t

Russia’s war in Ukraine triggered immediate, swift condemnation by several countries and economic sanctions by the United States. Furthermore, many states have targeted Russian banks, oil refineries and military exports. There have been marathon emergency talks at the UN Security Council to deal with Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.

The EU and its member states stand united in their unwavering support for Ukraine, revealing western hypocrisy. There is strong criticism of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified military aggression. However, it seems it is acceptable for Israel to annex occupied land, but in the case of Russia, it is not.

Israel occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the Syrian Golan Heights, and Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. In 1967, Israel annexed approximately 70,000 dunams of West Bank land to the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem and applied Israeli law in breach of international law.

International Communities Differing Response to Israel v Russia Reveals A Western Hypocrisy of Double Standards

The Israeli occupation and annexation of Palestinian territories received a starkly different response in comparison to Russia’s annexation. The international community’s weak response encouraged the Israeli government to continue to annex occupied East Jerusalem on July 29th 1980, and the occupied Golan Heights in 1981. Israel’s breach of international law only triggered temporary international reactions. Consequently, no meaningful change was implemented, as no sanctions or threats were applied.

The West continues to give the Israeli apartheid state unconditional diplomatic, political, economic and military support. The peaceful Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel has even been criminalised in some states.

The Analogy Between Russia and Israel’s Annexations of Occupied Land

Israel has gone to extreme lengths to clear the occupied land of the Palestinian people. This has been done by demolishing their homes, withdrawing residence permits and murdering innocent civilians. Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip have been held in a land, air, and sea blockade for fifteen years. Israel never declared where its borders lay and continued to expand its territory through illegal annexation alongside unjustified impunity. An estimated 62% of Palestinians living in Gaza require food assistance, and 78% of water flowing into Gaza is unfit for human consumption. Unemployment levels in Gaza are among the world’s highest, currently at 46.6%. Youth unemployment between the ages of 15-29 for the same period stands at 62.5%.

Ironically, Israel condemned Russia’s annexation. Israel sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine and expressed its support. However, Israel did not join international sanctions against Russia and refused to give Kyiv anti-missile systems to help counter Russian attacks. The Israeli government’s fumbled response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine betrays Jewish history and draws attention to Israel’s similarly odious actions. Israel’s brutal annexation of Palestinian territory has been continuing without consequences for a significantly longer time with little consequences.

Comparatively, Russia has annexed four regions of Ukraine that are partially or almost entirely occupied by Russia. With a complete disregard for international law, on September 30th 2022, Putin signed treaties to begin absorbing parts of Ukraine into Russia. Together with Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, Russia now claims 20% of Ukrainian territory.

Ukrainian Map vs Palestinian Map of Annexations

In comparison, the map below depicts the land forcibly annexed by Israel from Palestinians from 1946 onwards. This annexation was accompanied by the expulsion of 750,000 – one million Palestinians to make way for a Jewish state following World War ll.

Concluding Thoughts: The Undeniable Parallel Between Russia and Israel

Russia continues to deny Ukraine their right to independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. These are the core principles enshrined under the UN Charter. Similarly, Isreal continues to deny the Palestinian people the same rights. However, as discussed in this article, significant differences lie in the international community’s response to both annexations.

The parallel between Putin’s invasion of Ukraine to fulfil his imperial designs, and Israel’s 70-year history of imposing its will on the Palestinians and neighbouring Arab countries, is also evidently clear worldwide.

Russia and Israel conquered and absorbed the territories of Ukraine and Palestine in defiance of international law. Both states are facing investigations over alleged war crimes at the International Criminal Court and are demanding that their enemies bow to them or face destruction. Both Russia and Israel created powerful militaries to accomplish these goals. However, another striking observation is that no amount of ammunition can subjugate a population that refuses to be defeated or erased. There is strength in the Ukrainians and Palestinians, which cannot be destroyed.

We must acknowledge the western hypocrisy concerning the international response to both wars. Both Ukrainians and Palestinians deserve our unwavering and equal support. We must respect and preserve the integrity of international law

Muhammed: The Greatest Man To Walk On Earth

This article was written to coincide with the annual anniversary of the Prophet Muhammed’s birthday.

I readily admit I tremble a little, with awe and humility,  whenever I write or talk about this extraordinary figure, who is, indeed, the greatest man to walk on earth. Muhammed, may God’s peace and blessing be upon him, was not an incarnation of God, or God on earth, or the second or third person in some polytheistic holy trinity.  Nor was he a quasi-heavenly figure who demanded that his companions and followers deify and worship him in any conceivable manner. Muhammed was none of that.  

After all, Muhammad was the ultimate advocate and champion of pure monotheism or the oneness of God. He strongly rejected and resented any suggestion  that he shared any of God’s attributes  and characters such as  eternality, omnipotence (being all-powerful) and omniscience (being all-knowing).

Nonetheless, the Prophet of Islam was a Quran walking on two legs. He epitomized the Quran, the final Testament  to mankind in his daily life, as described by Aisha, his beloved wife.

 Muhammed  excelled in every sphere, as a husband, as a father, as a teacher, as a leader,  as a judge and peacemaker. Indeed, if there were such a person as the perfect human-being, Muhammad would be that person. But perfectness belongs to God alone. The prophet said  “All the children of Adam are prone to sin, and the best of sinners are those who repent.”

The Prophet never ever claimed or suggested that he was more than just a human being According to the sira, the meticulously-researched biography of the prophet, a man came up to the prophet, trembling in awe of  his aura of venerability.  The Prophet told him: “take it easy, I am not a king, I’m the son of a (simple) woman who used to eat Qadid (dried, salted sliced meat).  

In Sura 7 (Aaraf), verse 188, Allah instructed His Prophet to stress  to the  people that he was but a man chosen by God as a warner as well as bringer of good tidings.

Say (O Muhammad): “I possess no power of benefit or harm to myself except as Allah wills. If I had the knowledge of the (unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe.”

Ultimate paragon of virtue, justice and morality

When  the American astrophysicist, Michale Hart, author of   A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History,  was asked why he ranked the Prophet of Islam as the greatest man in history, he simply pointed out that the Prophet  was “supremely successful” in both the religious and secular realms, being responsible for both the foundation of Islam as well as  the subsequent  growth and phenomenal expansion of the monotheistic faith whose followers now exceed two billion human beings. Hart pointed out that while numerous other great persons excelled in one sphere, Muhammed excelled in every sphere.

Muhammed is greater than all the words.

There is absolutely no doubt that Muhammed is greater than all words.  I  understand that counting Muhammed’s virtues, merits and values would take so much time and space. However, I do also  realize that counting a great man’s virtues would be inappropriate for him if  his virtues were beyond counting.

Nonetheless, the holy Prophet of Islam, the final messenger of the Creator to mankind, must always be present in our daily life, as his pure and immaculate Sunna must be our ultimate guide  to happiness, prosperity and salvation in this World and the real after

In Sura a-Ahzab, V.21, we read:

 “Verily, in the messenger of God you have a good example for him who looks unto Allah and the Last Day, and remembers God much.”

Indeed, by following the Sunna of Muhammed in all walks of life, we don’t benefit the Prophet, for he doesn’t need our  benefits, praise and good deeds; It is we who ultimately benefit from following the Sunna of the messenger of God .

The lofty values of morality

Soon after the Prophet received his call, he stood up at the center of Mecca and declared: “I  have been sent by God to uphold and complete the sublime ideals of morality ( Makaremul Akhlaq).”

Indeed, from the very inception of the Muhammedan call,  morality and moral values  always  loomed large in the message of Islam. The following are some examples of the   prophet’s sayings on  morality:

 The Prophet said ” Pay the deposit (trust) to him who deposited it with you, and do not betray him who betrayed you.”

He also said : “you will not win the hearts of men with your money, But you can win their hearts with your kindness and virtuous behavior.”   

On the subject of cheating, the Prophet said “whoever cheats, is not one of us.” As to lying, he said ” a Muslim must not lie”

Moreover, he said: give a laborer his wages before his sweat dries up”

Furthermore, the holy prophet said “The best of you is one who is best to his family (wife) and I am the best of you to my family.

Finally, as the prophet was dying, he said: “I strongly urge you to observe ordained prayers and to be kind and behave well toward your women’

The Muhammedan message on justice, peace and racism

Islam is extremely sensitive to the issue of justice, even in adverse situations, such as the time of war. Islam teaches that peace can only be as the result of true justice. Justice comes before peace.

In fact, justice in all its forms is a central feature in the religion of Islam. Just consider the following verse:

O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do. Sura 4-v..135

Can we find such a verse in any religious scriptures other than the Quran?

On the subject of peace, the prophet reportedly said.

“By Allah, you will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love each other. Shall I tell you of something which if you do, you will love each other? Foster peace amongst yourselves.”

Finally, the religion of Islam condemns in the strongest terms  all forms of racism, including tribalism, chauvinism, parochial nationalism and fanaticism to family or country, calling it “filthy”

In the Holy Quran, in Sura al Hujorat, there is a popular verse which can and probably should be adopted as an international charter for human  brotherhood and solidarity:

O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things). Al-Hujorat, v. 13

I have no doubt in my mind that should humanity adopt  at least some of Islam’s teachings on world peace, international cooperation, combatting racism, oppression and aggression, our world would be a true paradise on earth.  But who would listen?

Muslims, too, should follow the path of Muhammed, honestly and sincerely, in order to overcome their many crises and problems, including political tyranny, poverty, and disunity. Remember, Allah does not change the conditions of a people unless they change what is in themselves.

The US And Israel Are Weaponizing Iran Protests

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei recently blamed the US and Israel for the ongoing widespread protests in Iran. He said that the riots had been “engineered” by Iran’s arch-enemies and their allies.

The statement came after Israel and the US governments lent their support to the protests.

US Response

The US government said that it was “appalled” by the violent response to the protests. President Joe Biden expressed grave concern about reports of the “intensifying violent crackdown on peaceful protesters”. According to him, those protesters were calling for “just and universal principles”. He added that the US “stands with Iranian women” who were “inspiring the world with their bravery”. The US also hit Iran with more sanctions. Iran’s interior and communications ministers and several law enforcement leaders were targeted for sanctions.

Israel’s Propaganda

Israel has been running a propaganda campaign on its official social media handles. The official handles shared several videos showing Israeli women standing up with Iranian women.

Widespread protests in Iran were provoked after the tragic death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody. The protests are led by women. Some men are also standing up to the women and their demands.

Ayatollah’s Statement

The supreme leader’s statement has the backing of history. Those who are unaware of Iran’s history, the US intervention in countries like Afghanistan to save women and Israel’s purple-washing in Palestine, might dismiss Ayatollah’s statement. They might think that the Ayatollah is looking for a reason to suppress protests and justify the violent repression.

However, there is more truth to the statement than meets the eye.

Iran’s Experience with the US and Israel

When we read about Iran’s recent history, for some reason it always starts with the Islamic Revolution of 1979. However, this author believes that Iran’s recent history should always begin from 1953.

In 1953, the United States and Britain launched a joint operation through the CIA and MI6 to overthrow the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. Mosaddegh had tried to nationalize oil companies and reclaim Iran’s oil from the British.

Further, one year after the Islamic Revolution, a CIA agent sneaked into Iran and took out six American diplomats who were staying in the Canadian embassy after the hostage crisis.

There have also been recent operations by Israel inside Iran. Israel’s Mossad assassinated Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in November 2020. Mossad carried out the assassination using A. I. and remote control. Additionally, Mossad has killed 5 and wounded one Iranian nuclear scientist in several attacks since Iran began trying to acquire a nuclear bomb.

Weaponizing Feminist Movements

The West and Israel claim to stand up for women’s rights around the world. However, they have done more damage to these movements than anyone else by weaponizing the feminist movements.

One of the reasons given by the US to invade Afghanistan was to save the women of Afghanistan. The then-First Lady Laura Bush delivered a speech in 2001 in which she justified the invasion of Afghanistan to protect the women of Afghanistan from the brutal oppression of women.

Israel has also co-opted feminist struggles in order to justify the Zionist movement. It claims to rescue Palestinian women from the evil men of Palestine. It grabs the gender equality slogan to divert attention from its human rights abuses in Palestine.

However, when it comes to women like Shireen Abu Akleh whom Israel kills for doing their duty, Israel conveniently parts its way with feminism.

Right now, what we are seeing in Iran is no different from Afghanistan or Palestine. Israel’s government and its women are standing with women because they hate Iran. They do not care about Iran’s women. It is just that they want Iran to perish from the earth.

Similarly, the US does not care about women’s struggle in Iran. The US does not allow its female citizens the right to choose when it comes to abortion.

It is also interesting that neither the US nor Israel stands up for the feminist activists of Saudi Arabia who are languishing in jails for small acts of defiance. The US never sanctioned Saudi rulers for oppressing women.

Perhaps Israel and the US have this wishful thinking that somehow they could use this uprising to oust the current regime in Iran.

Conclusion

Iran’s previous president Hassan Rouhani had given more leeway to women in Iran. There was a gradual change happening in Iran. However, Mahsa Amini death led to an uprising that has now been hijacked by Iran’s enemies. As a result, Iran seems to consider the current uprising a national security issue.

The West and Israel should leave Muslim women for themselves. They should not be in the job of rescuing Muslim women. It would be more helpful if they do not selectively stand with Muslims of a particular country. They turn feminist movements into national security issues and hence do a disservice to the feminist struggles.

How Colonialism Continues To Shape India’s Economy?

Queen Elizabeth II’s death has renewed the discussions on the crimes of colonialism. British Empire has affected its colonies in a way that they are still not able to recover.

This article deals with India’s political economy. It is an important and a relevant topic today, not because of the Queen’s death, but of the contemporary debates on India’s economy.

Ever since Modi came into power in 2014, he has brought some policies focusing on undoing the wrongs done by the British policies. Two particular programs in the economy that are related to the debate here are- Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan (Self-reliant India) and Make in India. Further, the NITI Aayog or National Institution for Transforming India replaced the Planning Commission in 2014.

Modi’s policies are not directly related to British policies. However, they are related to the system adopted by India after the experience of British rule.

India’s Lesson from Colonialism?

The debates and discussions on India’s economy during India’s independent struggle later shaped India’s economy. They continue to do so.

Just a few years after the creation of the Indian National Congress, “economic nationalism” emerged in India. The debates and discussions about economic nationalism started with a critique of colonial economic policies. Economic nationalists offered several solutions to the problems that plagued the Indian colonial economy at that time. Initially, there were arguments for some sort of state support for India’s industry. This was followed by calls for protective tariffs. Finally, close to independence, the nationalists adopted centralization of national planning.

Drain and Deindustrialization

The two main concepts that economic nationalists relied on were drain and deindustrialization.

By drain, they meant that British exported raw material like cotton from India while India imported finished products like textiles from the British. This led to a drain of wealth because the value, services and employment that was added to the finished products in British could be done in India if India had industries. The added value, services, and employment, all benefited Britishers.

The import of finished products also led to deindustrialization as handicrafts declined. People involved in handicrafts lost their livelihood as the British imported cheap machine-made textiles.

After independence, India’s rulers took lessons from drain and deindustrialization. They argued that since colonial India was an open economy, it did not benefit Indians. So, they closed the economy of India. Also, since colonial India had a small state, India after independence focused on making a penetrative state.

Looking at Britain, India, like other decolonized countries wanted to industrialize. Perhaps, they wanted to become like their colonizers. Their argument was that Britishers were able to colonize because they had power. India also wanted to become powerful.

At the same time, USSR’s economic policies inspired India. A backward country where main economic activity was agriculture had industrialized within some years. India had similar conditions. Hence, the government adopted centralized national planning.

Britishers had neglected the agriculture sector. The Indian government led by Nehru also neglected the agriculture sector. Nehru’s government focused on the industry.

What was produced, how it was produced and for whom it was produced- the government decided it all.

Finally, India began opening its economy in early 1991.

Critique of Economic Nationalism

Detractors of economic nationalism argue that India learnt wrong lessons from British colonial rule.

They argue that the British Empire’s policies of an open economy and a small state created conditions for economic development in India. According to them, despite conditions prevailing in India going against industrialization, the access to the global market made possible through colonialism promoted industrialization in port cities in India. Further, they allege that Indian nationalists used “economic nationalism” to justify their fight against the empire. For them, even though it served the nationalists’ politics, it has done a disservice to the economic history of India.

They also rationalize the concepts of “drain” and “deindustrialization”. Their argument is that it was the cost that India paid for the services and skills that it imported from Britain.

They suggest that it is not entirely true that India did not have a manufacturing sector during British rule. For them, economic development was most visible in port cities of India where industries had come up. However, they accept that due to non-interference and the small size of British colonial state, agriculture was affected in rural India. There was no increase in the production of agriculture during colonial rule.

The detractors highlight the point that economic nationalism hurt India’s economy after the independence because Indian businesses feared they could not compete with foreign businesses and hence the result was a closed economy and protectionism.

Questions for the Critics of Economic Nationalism

The arguments put forward by the critics of economic nationalism raise some vexing questions.

Even if it is true that the drain and the deindustrialization were the balance of payments for the services and the skills that India imported, why was colonialism necessary?

Further, why the costs were of importing such services and skills so harsh? In the case of deindustrialization, why was no employment provided to those who had lost their livelihood?

At some point, even Britain adopted protectionism to protect their industry from competition. Is it possible to promote industrialization without protectionism?

Also, it is not true that colonial India had an open economy. East India Company maintained a monopoly over trade in India. Further, why did the British think it was necessary for India to have an open economy? It is no secret that it only served the British’s interest because there were no competitors except the British.

It is also interesting that if India paid for the services and skills of modernization in the form of colonization, how did other countries that were never colonized paid for these services and skills?

Death Of Mahsa Amini: How Governments Are Denying Women’s Right To Choice?

Millions of Muslim women proudly wear Hijaab as a symbol of their religion. What makes them different from those protesting against obligatory hijab in Iran is the women’s right to choose.

But when you widen your horizon, you’ll realize that the dilemma of women’s right to choose is apparent across borders. Be it Iran, India, France, or the US, women are constantly fighting for control of their bodies.

The History of Pro- & Anti-Hijab Protests in Iran

Looking at Iran today, it can be hard to picture that only four decades ago, Iranian women were protesting for the right to wear hijabs. The pro-hijab movement sparked when Iran’s Reza Shah Pahlavi government outlawed any type of veil or head scarfs in an attempt to westernize the country.

At times, the government even forced a complete ban on hijabs, with police scrapping off women’s hijabs in public. During this period of Iranian history, the hijab becomes the symbol of freedom, revolution, and democracy.

The pro-hijab uprising brought down Shah’s government and put Ruhollah Khomeini in office. The Khomeini government, however, was far from ideal. By 1983, the new administration mandated the hijab for Iranian women.

Women were now forced to wear headscarves to an extent where they were punished with prison and even lashes for not abiding by the dress code. The worst phase started after 2005 when Dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad introduced the Morality Police; a police department made up of both men and women to keep an eye on women’s clothing in public.

All this brings us to 13 September 2022, when Mahsa Amini, a 22-years old Iranian Kurdish woman, was arrested for violating the hijab code. In police custody, she was subjected to brutal violence that ended up taking her life three days later, on 16 September.

And it was her horrific death that sparked Iran’s historic anti-hijab protest we are witnessing today.

Women’s Right: The Death of Mahsa Amini & the Dirty Politics

The death of Mahsa Amini has sparked unprecedented protests in Iran. Despite a visible crackdown by the Iranian security forces, which includes mass arrests and internet interruption; women are taking the movement to the streets at a scale never seen before.

However, let’s put protests aside for this article. Because what’s happening in Iran right now is much more than just women fighting for their right to choose.

There has been no shortage of individuals, groups, and foreign entities weaponizing these protests to push their political and geopolitical goals.

Many gulf countries, for example, are using these protests to push back the nuclear deal. Backing on the demonstrations, the Western governments, including the US and EU, are considering further sanctions on Iran — even though the economic sanctions have already caused more than enough problems for Iranian women and their families.

And above all are Islamophobes who are using the protest to criticize hijabs, Muslims, and Islam in general. But how is any of this going to help the protesting women in Iran?

Everybody is currently striving to further their agendas, while Iranian women are risking their lives on the street.

Iran and the US: Not So Different Countries for Women’s Rights

Although the US and the Iranian government have polar ideologies, the US is in no state to police Iran morally regarding women’s rights.

It is the US, where a 10-year-old victim of rape from Ohio is not allowed to go through an abortion because of the new state law. Women in the US are protesting against the blanket ban on abortion, with no hope for reforms.

On the other hand, the anti-hijab protest in Iran has reignited the hijab debate in India. Why is it so difficult for the Karnatak government to respect the choice of Muslim women students to wear a hijab to college? It’s absurd that these students have to fight their own government for their choice to be respected.

But be it Iran, Pakistan, India, or the USA, the debate remains the same: do women have the right to choose? Or is the word choice totally non-existential for women?

The Courageous Women of Iran

Women protesting in Iran are not again the hijab but against the imposition of the hijab. But when religion takes over governments, it creates an illusion of unlimited power. This is the case of Iranian authorities who are practicing absolute power by virtue of morality police.

But is it acceptable to restrain women against their will like literal goons?

"What makes Iranian women so extraordinary is their strength and determination despite living in a theocracy that attempts to prosecute them. Even when their own government is trying to repress them, they are standing tall and fighting against injustice."

The protest that started with the death of Mahsa has now become an international movement for women’s right to choose. And, make no mistake, women are not alone here. Most Iranian male population stands with courageous Iranian women on the frontline against injustice in the name of religion.

Let Women Exercise their Right to Choice

Yes, when it comes to hijab rights in Iran, India, or the US, choosing the right side is not always straightforward. It’s complicated with numerous factors, including individuality, choice, and religion, at play.

"But, on this divided internet, can we at least agree that punishing women for not wearing hijab is wrong and medieval?"

We should stand with Iranian women protesting for their freedom, fundamental rights, and liberation. I will continue to speak against governments banning women from wearing hijabs and against regimes that force them to wear them.

Hijab or no hijab: how about we let women everywhere have the right to choose?

Israel Has No Right To Exist If Palestine Has No Right To Exist

A favorite mantra Israel and her propaganda mouthpieces around the world keep invoking and repeating is that Israel’s foes don’t recognize the apartheid entity’s right to exist. This scandalous tool of disinformation is then parroted unceasingly by gullible and dishonest western officials without verifying its veracity.

In this article, I will try to explain why many people around the world, including hundreds of millions of Muslims, have serious, honest and credible objections about "the crime against humanity known as Israel"

Israel doesn’t define its borders

To begin with, Israel doesn’t define its borders in order to  conceal its territorial ambitions from the world. According to some Talmudic sages, Israel’s territory includes all of mandatory Palestine, the SinaiPeninsula, northern Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Southern Turkey, most of Iraq, Kuwait, and northern Saudi Arabia.

I am not inventing anything. This piece of information comes from Israel Shahak’s highly informative Book “Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The Weight of Three Thousand Years (Pluto Middle Eastern Studies) Paperback – December 1, 1997

Some Israeli commentators remarked several years ago that Israel’s real borders extend to the extent reached by Israeli tanks and troops. In other words, wherever the Israeli army stops, there lie the borders of Israel.

We have Reached another part of Israel

In the mid- 1990s, when the late king Hussein of Jordan invited Israeli Knesset members to a Ramadan  fast-breaking feast in Amman, and while the Israeli plane was entering the Jordanian airspace, then Knesset Speaker Haim Shelansky remarked that “we have reached  another part of Eretz Yisrae(Land of Israel).

Now, I would like to pose the following question: Which nation-state in the whole world would recognize the legitimacy of a neighboring state that is hell-bent on occupying its neighbors’ land and claiming it as its own land? Indeed, if the acquisition of territory by force is  acceptable, then the world should recognize as perfectly legitimate the occupation and annexation by Russia of four Ukrainian provinces?

Israel might argue that its occupation and annexation of Arab land occurred only after the Jewish state came under attacked by Arab neighbors, a claim lacking historical accuracy. But even if the argument was correct, an aggression would only give states the right to repulse the aggression, not occupy the aggressor’s territory.

Apartheid: a cruel system of domination and repression

Apart from Israel’s Lebensraum designs and ambitions in the Middle East, Israel is, regardless of the worthless remarks by ignorant or hypocritical US and European leaders, Israel is a manifestly racist apartheid entity by law (the Nationality Law), though the term apartheid is replaced with a euphemistic expression to deceive ordinary people, especially in the West. 

In fact, Israel practices apartheid in every conceivable aspect of life-from water allocations in the West Bank to home demolition policies. Thus, the “first order of business” to punish a Palestinian resistance fighter (Israel calls anyone resisting its extremely cruel occupation “terrorist”!) is to demolish his family home, as if the death of the Palestinian, who often gets killed or captured and then sentenced to imprisonment for life, is not enough.! So, his otherwise totally innocent family, including children, must be tormented and savaged.

On the contrary, when a Jewish terrorist murders dozens of innocent Palestinians, the terrorist’s family home or even his own home is not demolished. And if he got killed or was imprisoned, usually under lenient conditions, his wife and kids would receive hefty amounts of “insurance” and charity money from wealthy Jewish donors and Evangelical Christian Zionists in the United States and elsewhere.

I am not talking about hypothetical matters. In 1994, an American Jewish terrorist named Baruch Goldstein murdered 29 Palestinian worshipers while praying at the Ibrahimi Mosque in al-Khalil in the Southern West Bank. The terrorist was eventually neutralized by survivors.

 His family received an unspecified but large sum of money from private American sources. Moreover, the Tomb of the Mass murderer in the settlement of Kiryat Arba near Hebron became a pilgrimage site visited by extremist Jews from around the world. Interestingly, a fan of Baruch Goldstein named Ben Gvir is now heading an electoral list that is slated to run in the upcoming general Israeli elections on 1 November. According to Israeli media, Ben Gvir considers the mass murderer Goldstein as his ultimate hero.

Fascism is mainstream in Israel

But Gvir is by no means Goldstein’s only fan.  In fact, it is widely believed that hundreds of thousands of Israeli and American Jews adopt a deeply racist and even genocidal mentality, not only against Palestinians, but against non-Jews in general. Just read their books, pamphlets, comments on news sites. Read their college curricula in Yeshivot or Talmudic colleges like Mirkaz Harav in West Jerusalem, and see for yourselves. 

I can’t finish this thread without pointing to a very important fact in this regard. In 1994, the genocidal Zionist religious ideology was espoused by a marginal minority of Israeli Jews. Today, This toxic ideology, in its various forms and levels represents, more or less, the mainstream current in the Jewish state.

According to the Ynet English site, today, over 65% of Israeli Jews say they are identified with the right. Interestingly, the terms “right and left” don’t denote or connote the same thing in Israel as in Europe and the United States.

Thus, the Likud, a fascist party by excellance, which supports apartheid and racism against non-Jews, is considered by most Israelis as representing the “moderate right” while the Kahana groups, like the above-mentioned Ben Gvir’s list, are reffered to as “far-right.”

In fact, in any true democracy worthy of the name, all Israeli right-wing groups, including the Likud, Yamina, Gush Emunim, Religious Zionism, etc, would be immediately banned and barred from taking part in elections, due to their legal classification as Nazi parties.

Criminal Western hypocrisy

I am absolutely sure that Western governments and leaders fully understand this fact. Yet, they choose to ignore it for two main reasons: First, their mortal fear of the Zionist ghoul and the macabre risk of being labeled anti-Semites. This is what eventually politically destroyed the former leader of the British Labor Party, Jeremy Corbyn, who made some non-conformist but totally correct remarks, criticizing Israeli racism and apartheid in Palestine.

The timeless British crime

Second, the inherent historical racism of the US and Europe against Islam and Muslims which culminated in 1917, when Britain issued the nefarious Balfour Declaration that gave Palestine on a silver platter to greedy Khazar Jews. Needless to say, this infamous declaration, was perfected in 1948, when the evil entity of Israel was established by western powers, ostensibly to compensate Jews for the Holocaust.  Hence, the helpless people of Palestine were made to pay the price for German crimes against Jews during the Second war of the world.  Yes, this gargantuan crime against humanity, namely Israel, will continue to cry out to the seventh heaven until the very last day of life on earth.

We Palestinians will not give in to endless melancholy. However, the very least we can and must do is not to recognize the legitimacy of Israel. This is the very least we must do as moral human beings.

Manifest Destiny As to the West, which embraces Israeli racism, expansionism, aggression, criminality and hegemony, it is only revealing its true colors, which we Muslims have been  familiar with since the days of Chanson de Roland. This is the very same West which exterminated  numerous millions of Native Americans and then called the huge genocide “manifest Destiny.

Online Job Scams: Fake Jobs Costing Victims Thousands Of Dollars

Online job scams are at an all-time high. Companies offering salaries as high as US$4,000 are luring thousands of victims every month.

So, if you are a jobseeker, this is the article you don’t want to miss.

Online Jobs Scams: Too Good to Be True Jobs

Jasmine Robinson, a jobseeker from Long Island, N.Y., was on cloud nine when she cleared the interview for her ‘dream job.’ First, a company named Obsidian Entertainment offered a payment of $55 an hour. Next came a check for $8,000. Supposedly, to buy work-from-home equipment for better productivity.

But, there was something fishy. From applying for the job to onboarding, everything was moving really quickly. Though the company had many documents to show its ‘legitimacy,’ Jasmine couldn’t take a chance.

So, she researched, and all her suspicion proved true. The job was a scam. The scammers were luring victims by offering a high-paying online job and an $8000 joining bonus. However, as soon as they get the victim’s bank and card details, they withdraw all their savings.

Jasmine was amongst the lucky few to avert the danger. But, in fear of being scammed, she had to deactivate her card and bank account.

A similar large-scale ‘pig butchering’ case was brought to light earlier this month. Fake profiles of over a thousand Chinese SpaceX engineers on LinkedIn scammed millions of dollars.

Over $58.5 million Lost in Job Scam in the First Half of 2022

With over 3,500 cases reported and over $58.5 million lost, job scams have topped the list of top 10 online scams list issued by The Straits Times. Followed by phishing, e-commerce, and investment scams accounting for 74.5% of all online scams in the first half of 2022.

“These (online job) scammers are typically part of organized criminal groups and run sophisticated transnational operations which are not easy to detect or dismantle.”

Singapore Police

The number was significantly higher compared to 2021, during the same period. While some fraudsters scam victims for their personal information, many also hire people for fake data entry jobs or something shady, like reshipping expensive items purchased via stolen credit cards.

How do the Fake Jobs Trap You?

Scammers use multiple fraudulent ways to trap victims in their online job scams. The most popular techniques used include:

Fake Website

Everyone wants some source of extra income, and we turn to Google in our search for the perfect online jobs. The scammers know this, so they build a strong website with the best SEO tactics to outrank genuine websites on search engines and establish authenticity.

Fake Job Listings

All the verified job listing portals, like Monster, Indeed, etc., ask you to submit all the information about your schooling, address, DOB, employment history, and more. However, many scammers can retrieve all your data from these portals.

These scammers usually target victims from tier 2-3 cities or ones who don’t have much educational qualifications. Once they have your contact information, they’ll send you malicious links guaranteeing reputable online jobs or cash rewards.

The Re-Shipping Frauds

One of the online job scams is a re-shipping fraud occasionally promoted as a job opening for “quality control supervisors” or “virtual assistants.” After being employed, your responsibility is to receive packages at your house, repackage them, and frequently send them to an overseas location.

Typically, expensive products like gadgets are purchased, and the credit cards used to make the purchases are stolen. Reshipping scam victims claim they were not reimbursed.

Reselling expensive goods is a different kind of work-from-home fraud. Victims are informed that they may make money by purchasing name-brand goods below retail and reselling them for a profit. However, when customers pay for the goods, the shipment never materializes.

How to Detect the Fraud?

Data by the Federal Trade Commission highlights that Americans have incurred a loss of over $68 million due to job scams in the first quarter of 2022. And as employment scams get more sophisticated, jobseekers need to be vigilant when searching for any new opportunity.

Here are some red flags to detect fraud jobs:

• Upfront Fees or Payment: Companies ask for payment for software installation, company laptops, or even creating credit reports before starting any work.
• Week Business Model: Unable to justify the business model, how the company makes a profit, or what value the business produces (most common for data entry jobs)
• Too Good to be True: Significantly high payments for negligible effort
• No Qualification Check: Similar to the case of Jasmines, the recruiter is ready to hire candidates with little to no qualification checks.
• Fake Attempt to Build Authenticity: When the recruiter sends you evidence to prove their legitimacy, for example, their corporation certificate, CIN number, payment proof, etc.

Online Job Scams: Be Viginalt, Stay Safe

With the evolving workplaces and rise in online work opportunities, the threat of job scams is increasing. Especially now, when the world economy is under a looming recession and unemployment is at an all-time high.

But not if you analyze every opportunity keenly, ask the right questions, and do all the safety checks before handing over your personal and bank details.

Therefore, always be vigilant for fake jobs and never send money or reveal personal financial information during the hiring process. And, if in doubt, run the staffing agency or company through Better Business Bureau‘s directory.