In an era marked by religious polarization and widespread misunderstandings, it is refreshing to encounter stories of individuals who have traversed the boundaries of faith to discover a new sense of purpose and conviction. One such tale is that of Jonathan Burt, a British American writer, researcher, and professor who, after a profound personal journey, declared his conversion to Islam.

As the "son" of the former Director General of the BBC, Burt came from a prominent background, but it was his intellectual curiosity and introspection that ultimately led him to make this significant decision.

In an interview with The Guardian, he revealed that he was drawn to Islam precisely because he could not find a rational basis for basic moral values outside of religion. This quest for moral certainty was the driving force behind his search for truth, which ultimately led him to the Islamic Center where he proclaimed the Shahada and embarked on a new path.

The experience of converting to Islam was deeply transformative for Burt, as he himself described it. "After I pronounced the Shahada in the Islamic Center, I felt a light illuminating that hall, and a flowing light flowing into me," he recalled in an interview with Al-Hiwar Al-Arabiya. This moment of epiphanic insight was a turning point in his life, and it is this feeling of conviction that has sustained him throughout his journey.

Burt's academic background in social anthropology at the University of Oxford, coupled with his current pursuit of a doctorate in research related to Islam and Muslim affairs, has provided him with a unique perspective on the faith. His Master's degree, which he earned at Oxford, has given him a solid foundation in anthropological research methods, which he has applied to his studies on Islam and Muslim societies.

Burt had an academic background in social anthropology from the University of Oxford and is currently pursuing a doctorate in research related to Islam and Muslim affairs. He has acquired a Master's degree from Oxford, which firmly based him in the methods of anthropological research applied to studies on Islam and Muslim societies.

Coming to Islam was neither a sudden nor impulsive action on Burt's part; rather, it was the culmination of a deeply personal and intellectual journey. His study of Islam has not only helped him to deepen his perception of that faith but it has also guided his quest to build understanding and harmony between Muslims and non-Muslims. As a prominent British Muslim, his commentary on and remarks regarding Islam and issues relating to Muslims are wide-ranging in outlets such as The Guardian, The Economist, and The Intercept among others.

Among the most striking aspects of Burt's story is the breadth that his interests have taken on, now encompassing such topics as the spread of Islam, new Muslims, and the rights of Muslims in Britain. His study, the first of its type on Christians converting to Islam, discovered 14,200 British Caucasian Muslims-a figure that sheds light on the scope and size of Islamic conversion.

Through his journey, Burt has always based himself on conviction, fostered by his immersion in Islamic scholarship and by the avidness with which he plunges into the faith for its depth, balance, and coherence. His research has enabled him to shed light on various aspects of Islamic life and history in Britain, and his academic articles have contributed to the growing body of literature on Islam and Muslim societies.

Jonathan Burt's story is a powerful reminder of how conviction can change one's life and how faith needs to be undergone with an open heart and mind during those times when religious prejudice and division were evident. This was growth, change, spiritual rejuvenation-symptoms of an innocent yet brave human being-from the quest for moral certainty to conversion to Islam. The story of Burt will most likely continue to inspire others in the same kind of self-discovery journeys that he has so far led his life through, as he shares his thoughts and insights with the world.

The General Secretariat for Endowments is organizing the "Eleventh Forum on Endowment Jurisprudential Issues" from November 11 for three days in Istanbul, Turkey, under the slogan "Emerging Issues and Legal Foundations," in cooperation with the International Islamic Charitable Organization and the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs.

In his remarks on the preparations for the Eleventh International Forum on Endowment Jurisprudential Issues, the head of the scientific committee for the forum, Dr. Khalid Muthkur Al-Muthkur, stated that the committee has decided to delve into the pillars of successful endowments and discuss their issues between tradition and modernity; in order to develop and modernize, establish rules and guiding criteria to ensure the permanence of endowments without loss, impose principles of modern governance on their bodies, and support the choices of endowers and custodians in directing their expenditures.

He emphasized that the role of the scientific committee is to gather the scattered issues of endowments and place them on the research table in front of scholars, so they can express their opinions and reach appropriate legal solutions that aid endowment institutions in the Islamic world to gain jurisprudential insight and act according to what is mandated by Sharia.

Al-Mathkour added that the topics of the current forum are no less important than its predecessors, as the first topic, "Documenting Endowments... A Contemporary Legal Perspective," addresses issues related to the documentation and preservation of endowment deeds, such as the lack of clarity regarding the location of the endowment, the ambiguity of the deed's wording between endowment and others, the sale of endowment properties and their entry into documented ownerships without reference to the original deeds, the formulation of the endower's condition in an ambiguous vernacular not specified in the deed, the loss or damage of endowment deeds, the narrowing of endowment conditions without flexibility, which restricts the custodian's options in fulfilling the endower's condition, the lack of clarity regarding the fate of the endowment asset upon its completion, and the vagueness in the conditions set by the endower that govern the custodian's investment and growth of endowment funds, among other issues that required discussion and the establishment of scientific standards for guidance to endowers and endowment institutions worldwide.

Dr. Khalid Muthkur Al-Muthkur stated that the second topic examines "Governance Principles of Endowment Institutions," aiming to enhance the performance level of these institutions and develop practical models for their governance, making them more aligned with the nature of endowment work and its distinctive characteristics.

Dr. Khalid Al-Muthkur then clarified that the third topic is "Criteria for Prioritizing the Establishment of Endowments," aiming to establish controls that define for those in charge of official or private endowment institutions the rules and standards for prioritizing the establishment of endowments, and determining the uses of their proceeds according to their conditions, without competition among them, especially in light of the lack of regulations governing the prioritization of some over others, sometimes compounded by limited endowment resources, and the inability to accommodate conditional endowment expenditures as stated in endowment deeds. Additionally, there is a lack of clarity regarding these priorities even among the endowers themselves, who often overlook the immense reward for developing impoverished communities, believing that mitigating the harms of poverty outweighs the benefits of building mosques.

  Al-Muthkur noted that previous forums have addressed extremely important topics and provided decisions and recommendations in this regard, confirming that the scientific committee has completed the preparation of the "Encyclopedia of Endowment Rules" to serve as a reference for the concerned parties regarding endowment affairs and issues. He commended the role of the General Secretariat for Endowments, which organizes the "Endowment Jurisprudential Issues Forum Project," highlighting its local, regional, and international leadership in endowment issues and its development and promotion of its sciences and studies.

On another note, and emphasizing the importance of coordinating efforts to hold this important endowment jurisprudential forum, the Kuwaiti Embassy in Ankara, represented by counselor Sultan Al-Aradah, visited the headquarters of the Directorate of Religious Affairs in the Republic of Turkey, where they met with Deputy President Dr. Selim Argun to discuss the best mechanisms to ensure the smooth conduct of the forum, expressing their gratitude to the Endowment Secretariat for its role in coordinating the efforts of Islamic countries in the field of endowments.

In conclusion, Dr. Khalid Muthkur Al-Muthkur extended his thanks to the General Secretariat for Endowments and its members, as well as to the esteemed members of the scientific committee for their efforts in making the forum successful. He also expressed gratitude to the Islamic Charitable Organization and the Presidency of Religious Affairs in the Republic of Turkey for their complete cooperation and participation in organizing the forum, wishing everyone continued success and guidance.

In light of the ongoing aggression against the Palestinian people, and with the continued support of some academic institutions for the Zionist entity, the "Gulf Coalition Against Normalization" has launched a campaign to boycott British universities involved in supporting the occupation.

The coalition stated in a statement: "We have informed more than thirty Gulf companies operating in the field of overseas education about the necessity of refraining from promoting British universities listed in the Gulf boycott for their complicity in the genocide in Gaza, and committing to not directing students to them, whether through university fairs, coordination offices, school visits, or through social media networks."

The coalition added that "the campaign to boycott British universities aims to pressure those that work closely with arms suppliers to the occupation army."

It pointed out that the campaign also seeks to "punish the administrations of universities for their extreme positions in supporting the occupying entity by hosting companies that manufacture weapons owned by the entity and groups of 'Friends of Israel' on campus, simultaneously with the genocide, while the universities themselves suppress anti-genocide student activities and continue to refuse to acknowledge the genocide until now."

The statement clarified that "the coalition recently announced a list of targeted universities, which includes the University of Manchester, the University of Leeds, the University of Liverpool, the University of Nottingham, the University of Portsmouth, Queen Mary University of London, Newcastle University, Northumbria University, Manchester Metropolitan University, and Coventry University."

The statement continued that "all of the aforementioned universities have been warned by the International Center for Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), which issued a warning regarding the criminal responsibility for any investments in genocide and occupation."

It also noted that "due to the current financial crises that British universities are suffering from because of the decline in the number of international students, on whom the university primarily relies for funding its activities, Gulf students intending to study abroad can hold these universities accountable, thereby causing losses that would transform military activities benefiting from genocide, which are abundant at British universities, into a burden that must be eliminated."

Then, it said: "What is required to achieve this is a collective commitment not to join the ten listed universities for students planning to study abroad," pointing out that "one of the key aspects of this process lies in stopping overseas study coordination companies from directing students to enroll in these universities."

The coalition called on all Gulf citizens to intensify pressure on overseas education companies through correspondence, calls, and comments on social media networks, starting now until the end of January, considering that this period is the most significant for British universities and their partners to attract international students, and thus it holds the most influence for the campaign.

The coalition urged participation in spreading the campaign among Gulf students planning to study abroad and collecting pledges to boycott these universities, which will subsequently assess the financial losses to the universities as a result of American Gulf students' refusal to enroll in universities that support genocide.

The government media office published an update on the most important statistics regarding the genocide being waged by the occupation against the Gaza Strip for the 400th consecutive day.

Here are the main results of the genocide:

 400 days of genocide.

• (3,798) massacres committed by the occupation's army.
• (53,552) martyrs and missing persons.
• (10,000) missing individuals.
• (43,552) martyrs who reached hospitals (Ministry of Health).
• (17,385) martyrs who are children.
• (209) infants born and martyred during the genocide.
• (825) children who were martyred during the war and were under one year old.
• (1,367) Palestinian families where all members were killed by the occupation, erasing them from the civil registry.
• (38) who died as a result of starvation.
• (11,891) female martyrs.
• (1,054) martyrs from medical teams (Ministry of Health).
• (85) martyrs from civil defense.
• (184) martyrs from journalists.
• (7) mass graves established by the occupation within hospitals.
• (520) martyrs retrieved from 7 mass graves inside hospitals.
• (102,765) injured and wounded who arrived at hospitals (Ministry of Health).
• (398) injured and wounded individuals who are journalists and media personnel.
• (70%) of the victims are children and women.
• (202) shelters targeted by the Israeli occupation.
• (35,055) children are living without their parents or with only one parent.
• (3,500) children are at risk of death due to malnutrition and food shortages.

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Source: The Palestinian Information Centre  

With much faith and resilience, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip arm themselves after 400 days of collective Israeli extermination that has upended their existence and turned them into displaced people in their homeland that they cherish.

The Israeli occupation forces continue their relentless bombardment and atrocities in the Gaza Strip, from its north to south, killing and destroying, alongside using starvation to implement their criminal plans, with Arab and Islamic betrayal and a complete silence from the world that has miserably failed the Gaza test.

Resilience and patience despite betrayal

Ahmed Abu Osama, a displaced person in one of the tents in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis, told our reporter: “We never imagined that the war would last this long, but these are God’s decrees, and all we have is patience and resilience. We are certain that God will not forsake us and that these sacrifices will bear fruit, even if it takes time.”

Abu Osama did not hide his disappointment at the state of Arab and Islamic betrayal and international silence: “Everyone has let us down, leaving us alone in front of the Israeli killing machine that has shown no mercy to young or old, to women or the elderly. They say they are fighting Hamas and resistance, but we know they are lying. They are killing everyone and destroying everything, but we will not abandon our homeland and we will not surrender.”

North Gaza faces displacement

Today marks the 400th day of the genocide amidst dangerous turns, as the northern Gaza Governorate has been experiencing widespread aggression for 36 days with a declared aim from the occupation forces to completely empty it of its residents after killing and capturing as many as possible.

According to government media data, about 1,900 citizens have been martyred, more than 4,000 injured, and hundreds have been detained during these 36 days, alongside the destruction of thousands of homes.

Our correspondent reported from eyewitnesses that the occupation is committing ethnic cleansing crimes from one neighborhood to another in the northern districts, where they blow up homes and shell them on the heads of their inhabitants, with injured individuals dying due to the lack of medical assistance or civil defense, which has been incapacitated for 18 days.

One of the women who survived from the area said, “They forced us to flee after they bombed the school where we were in the Jabalia camp. We lived for more than 25 days without food, sharing a piece of bread, then they bombed the school, and 10 people were martyred from those inside. We went out under fire, and they humiliated us and arrested the young men.”

She added: “During our time in the school, we could hear explosions and homes being blown up and burned. It is clear that they are destroying everything in front of them for no reason.”

Despite the occupation's announcement that it is not implementing the generals' plan to displace the residents of northern Gaza, besiege the resistance there, and force them to choose between surrender or death, and turn the area into a closed military zone, which, if successful, could be repeated in Gaza City, as stated by Israeli journalists.

So far, tens of thousands of residents in the north remain steadfast, moving from one area to another in rejection of the displacement plans and the emptying of the governorate.

The Largest Mass Killing

After 400 days of extermination, Dr. Rami Abdu, director of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, affirms that there is not a single crime or violation imaginable that "Israel" has not committed, expanding it in a terrifying and catastrophic manner.

Abdu adds: "Today, we have two million forcibly displaced people, the largest mass killing operation in a short period focused on civilians. We have more than 50,000 martyrs, with at least half of them being women and children. In detail, we face horrifying crimes in terms of executions and arbitrary killings, including the killing of those raising white flags, the killing of detainees, their torture and rape, and using them as human shields," in statements reported by the Noon Post website.

Starvation

Alongside murder and displacement, the weapon of starvation seems to be one of the most painful tools used by the occupation while the world turns a blind eye to what is happening.

As nearly 40 days pass without any aid entering northern Gaza, residents in the south face another aspect of famine as goods have run out in the markets, and what remains has seen its prices rise several-fold beyond the purchasing capacity of citizens.

Human rights advocate Rami Abdu indicates that they have called for a declaration of famine in the Gaza Strip, as "Israel" has used food and water as weapons in its war of extermination from day one, officially acknowledging it. In contrast, there is global apathy in responding to everything that is happening.

He continues: "We never imagined that dozens in our era could die of hunger, or that hundreds could be bombed and injured while rescue and civil defense teams are prevented from operating as is currently happening in northern Gaza."

Days go by, the aggression continues, and Palestinians in Gaza are spread out on the ground and covered by the sky, bidding farewell to their loved ones every day, with the sentiment that they will remain and never leave.

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Source: The Palestinian Information Centreِ