"Mr Shahzad had peered critically at a glass of whiskey the friend was holding, indicating a judgemental stance typical for rigid jihadis" The New York Times, May 6 The "Mr Shahzad" referred to here is, of course, Faisal Shahzad, the Pakistani-American accused of trying to set off a car bomb in New York's Times Square, and this snippet from The New York Times is just one of the many examples of misjudgements and bad commentary that riddled the airwaves and the print media after his attempted attack.
In this case, are we to assume from this piece of purple prose that anyone who "peers critically" at strong liquor is typically a "jihadi"? If so, we better have that no-fly list enlarged. A lot. The stereotyping that seems reflexively to follow from incidents like this does not stop with silly notions about Muslims and alcohol. For instance, as soon as it emerged that the suspect was a Muslim Pakistani who recently had been granted US citizenship, one commentator noted that Muslim-American communities were "further doomed to collective mistrust and suspicion".
Never mind that it was a Senegalese immigrant and religious Muslim, Aliou Niasse, who alerted police that the suspect was up to no good. Mr Niasse was subsequently lauded by Muslim-American organisations. In doing so, these groups showed their loyalty to America and their pride that one of their own stopped a potentially devastating crime in its tracks. None of this, however, is likely to be part of the account that gets fixed in the public's mind. Instead the narrative will read: a Muslim did it, and therefore all Muslims are responsible and Muslim-Americans must be able to explain to us why he did it.
Mr Shahzad's story, of course, does not lend itself easily to stereotypes and clichés. Only recently had he become a part of the Muslim-American experience and on the face of it was not a "sleeper" who had lurked in the shadows for years in preparation for an opportune time to carry out an attack. To the contrary, the evidence suggests that he came from a well-to-do family in Pakistan, lived a relatively non-religious life until quite recently, and was extremely happy to be in the US.
In the past couple of years, Mr Shahzad appeared to change. It has been suggested that he was influenced by Anwar al Awlaki, an American radical who resides in Yemen - but that suggestion may be making its rounds on account of the fact that the Obama administration has reportedly authorised al Awlaki's assassination. Opposition to that decision runs high in the US and abroad. Mr Shahzad could have been influenced by events and people in Pakistan, too. He reportedly was in contact with the Pakistani Taliban and other militants in Pakistan. If true, his road began in Pakistan as a Pakistani - not as an American. That possibility has dismayed Pakistan's foreign minister, who insists that Mr Shahzad was an American, not a Pakistani.
If Mr Shahzad's formative influences are murky, so are his motives. It may be that like many Muslims, he believes that the West is guilty of crimes in the Muslim world, particularly after 9/11. Those inside the Muslim world feel powerless to protest because they live under regimes that deny political freedom and are supported by the US, and those outside like Mr Shahzad may believe they have an obligation to come to their aid. The result, wrote the US commentator Patrick Buchanan, is that we are being attacked over here (in the West) because we are over there (in the Muslim world).
Whatever turned out to motivate Mr Shahzad, there will undoubtedly be those who think that all we need to do is get Islamic scholars to issue more fatwas condemning terrorism. The reality, however, is that most Muslims couldn't care less about statements by one scholar or another. While religion plays a larger role in the lives of Muslims than in the lives of most westerners, it does not follow that religious leaders also do. By and large, they are not relevant to most Muslims.
That will not change until Muslim religious leaders communicate more effectively. Currently, most echo the widespread grievances of their followers and rabble-rouse but provide no concrete ways to address injustices. Or, they spout slogans like "Islam is peace". Neither response is adequate: the first lets the genie out of the bottle and the second pretends there is no bottle. Most of those Islamic scholars that offer a true alternative for change simply do not have the mechanisms to communicate their message to the masses and are thus unheard, despite their pedigree.
Naquib al Attas, the well-known Muslim philosopher from Malaysia, says Islam does not aim to create the good citizen but the good human being. That message is drowned out by those with the sensationalist modern media at their disposal. As the details of Mr Shahzad's life become clearer, commentators as usual will divide into three camps: those who blame an evil ideology masquerading as Islam; those who blame foreign policy; and those who blame pretty much everything else, including socio-economic factors. When we realise that all of them have a point but none of them are totally right, we may just get somewhere.
Dr HA Hellyer is fellow of the University of Warwick, director of the Visionary Consultants Group and Europe Fellow for the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding. www.hahellyer.com
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber
UAE tour of the Netherlands
UAE squad: Rohan Mustafa (captain), Shaiman Anwar, Ghulam Shabber, Mohammed Qasim, Rameez Shahzad, Mohammed Usman, Adnan Mufti, Chirag Suri, Ahmed Raza, Imran Haider, Mohammed Naveed, Amjad Javed, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Fixtures:
Monday, 1st 50-over match
Wednesday, 2nd 50-over match
Thursday, 3rd 50-over match
if you go
The flights
Etihad flies direct from Abu Dhabi to San Francisco from Dh5,760 return including taxes.
The car
Etihad Guest members get a 10 per cent worldwide discount when booking with Hertz, as well as earning miles on their rentals (more at www.hertz.com/etihad). A week's car hire costs from Dh1,500 including taxes.
The hotels
Along the route, Motel 6 (www.motel6.com) offers good value and comfort, with rooms from $55 (Dh202) per night including taxes. In Portland, the Jupiter Hotel (https://jupiterhotel.com/) has rooms from $165 (Dh606) per night including taxes. The Society Hotel https://thesocietyhotel.com/ has rooms from $130 (Dh478) per night including taxes.
More info
To keep up with constant developments in Portland, visit www.travelportland.com
If you go...
Flying
There is no simple way to get to Punta Arenas from the UAE, with flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi requiring at least two connections to reach this part of Patagonia. Flights start from about Dh6,250.
Touring
Chile Nativo offers the amended Los Dientes trek with expert guides and porters who are met in Puerto Williams on Isla Navarino. The trip starts and ends in Punta Arenas and lasts for six days in total. Prices start from Dh8,795.
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Raghida, Szczepan Mazur (jockey), Ibrahim Al Hadhrami (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6pm: Arabian Triple Crown Round-2 Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 2,200m
Winner: Basmah, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Liwa Oasis Group 2 (PA) Dh300,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: SS Jalmod, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 1,600m
Winner: Trolius, Ryan Powell, Simon Crisford
Australia World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (capt), Usman Khawaja, David Warner, Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Jason Behrendorff, Nathan Lyon, Adam Zampa
Brief scores:
Manchester City 2
Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'
Crystal Palace 3
Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)
Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)
if you go
The flights
The closest international airport to the TMB trail is Geneva (just over an hour’s drive from the French ski town of Chamonix where most people start and end the walk). Direct flights from the UAE to Geneva are available with Etihad and Emirates from about Dh2,790 including taxes.
The trek
The Tour du Mont Blanc takes about 10 to 14 days to complete if walked in its entirety, but by using the services of a tour operator such as Raw Travel, a shorter “highlights” version allows you to complete the best of the route in a week, from Dh6,750 per person. The trails are blocked by snow from about late October to early May. Most people walk in July and August, but be warned that trails are often uncomfortably busy at this time and it can be very hot. The prime months are June and September.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final second leg:
Juventus 1 Ajax 2
Ajax advance 3-2 on aggregate
Scoreline
Real Madrid 1
Ronaldo (53')
Atletico Madrid 1
Griezmann (57')
Emergency phone numbers in the UAE
Estijaba – 8001717 – number to call to request coronavirus testing
Ministry of Health and Prevention – 80011111
Dubai Health Authority – 800342 – The number to book a free video or voice consultation with a doctor or connect to a local health centre
Emirates airline – 600555555
Etihad Airways – 600555666
Ambulance – 998
Knowledge and Human Development Authority – 8005432 ext. 4 for Covid-19 queries
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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EXPATS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Lulu%20Wang%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicole%20Kidman%2C%20Sarayu%20Blue%2C%20Ji-young%20Yoo%2C%20Brian%20Tee%2C%20Jack%20Huston%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Ant-Man%20and%20the%20Wasp%3A%20Quantumania
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPeyton%20Reed%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Paul%20Rudd%2C%20Evangeline%20Lilly%2C%20Jonathan%20Majors%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
Rating: 3/5
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
THE%20SPECS
%3Cp%3EEngine%3A%203-litre%20V6%20turbo%20(standard%20model%2C%20E-hybrid)%3B%204-litre%20V8%20biturbo%20(S)%0D%3Cbr%3EPower%3A%20350hp%20(standard)%3B%20463hp%20(E-hybrid)%3B%20467hp%20(S)%0D%3Cbr%3ETorque%3A%20500Nm%20(standard)%3B%20650Nm%20(E-hybrid)%3B%20600Nm%20(S)%0D%0D%3Cbr%3EPrice%3A%20From%20Dh368%2C500%0D%3Cbr%3EOn%20sale%3A%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE SQUAD
UAE team
1. Chris Jones-Griffiths 2. Gio Fourie 3. Craig Nutt 4. Daniel Perry 5. Isaac Porter 6. Matt Mills 7. Hamish Anderson 8. Jaen Botes 9. Barry Dwyer 10. Luke Stevenson (captain) 11. Sean Carey 12. Andrew Powell 13. Saki Naisau 14. Thinus Steyn 15. Matt Richards
Replacements
16. Lukas Waddington 17. Murray Reason 18. Ahmed Moosa 19. Stephen Ferguson 20. Sean Stevens 21. Ed Armitage 22. Kini Natuna 23. Majid Al Balooshi
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.