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With projects to lure displaced Darfuris back home, Muslim and Arab aid groups are stepping in to break the cycle of hunger and poverty in Sudan's conflict-ridden Darfur region. "Muslim governments are increasing their support for relief groups that already exist in Darfur," Dr. Muhammad Hussein Dafallah of the Federal Humanitarian Aid Commission told IslamOnline.net.

"This includes groups like the Egyptian Doctors Union, Mercy Malaysia, Kisns Yokmu of Turkey, and the Saudi Red Crescent Society."

The Muslim aid increase came at an appeal by the Sudanese government to fill the gap caused by the expulsion of thirteen foreign aid groups from Darfur.

In March 2009, Khartoum expelled the groups on charges of spying for the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur.

The Darfur conflict broke out in 2003 when rebels took up arms against the Khartoum regime accusing it of discrimination. The UN says over 300,000 have died as a result of conflict, disease and malnutrition and 2,5 million have been displaced. The Sudanese government says that 10,000 have died. No independent inquiry has been made to date. In a major change, US special envoy to Sudan J. Scott Gration said that the US administration no longer sees the Darfur conflict as a genocide. The endeavor aims to break the cycle of hunger and poverty in the violence-doomed region. "We want to help end the cycle of hunger and poverty in Darfur," Dr. Muhammad Alswied, international affairs consultant at the Saudi Red Crescent Society (SRCS), said. The SCRS, which has been working in Darfur since 1984, hopes that the Muslim effort would help ease the difficult life of the Darfuris. "We are proposing a package for emergency relief and sustainable development that includes twenty-one health centers, twenty-one water projects, and twenty-one agriculture and strategic food supply projects," he said.

"Seven for each of Darfur's three states to be located according to need as determined by local Darfurian officials, including villages and internally displaced persons (IDP) camps."

The new villages and accompanied agriculture projects are hoped to encourage the voluntary repatriation of Internally-displaced people (IDPs), he said. Dr. Habib Ahmad Mahjub of the Sudanese Red Crescent Society expects that the projects would encourage nearly half of the IDPs to return back home. "There is a great need in West Darfur State for health and water services," says the Wali (governor) of West Darfur State, Abu Al-Qasim Imam Al-Haj. "We appreciate this support and hope it continues."

(Reported by Ismail Kamal Kushkush, IOL Correspondent)

Expressing grave concern over the evil practice of dowry, Deoband's Sheikhul Hadees Maulana Talha said, “Numerous mishaps of dowry in Saharanpur during last few months have forced Ulema, muftis and intellectuals to contemplate on the issue deeply.”

Maulana Talha said, “Dowry is a social curse and contrary to Islamic teachings. Yet it is spreading like an epidemic in Muslim society.” This is a bitter fact that in spite of 'Social Reforms' and 'Islamic Family Campaign' launched by reputed Muslim organisations like Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind and Jamaat-e-Islami respectively, harshness of the problem only aggravated.

“Cancerous growth of dowry in Muslim society is because of ignorance and greed for easy money”, Maulana Talha said, “Efforts for social reforms should be accelerated in order to overcome this menace.” He also demanded a harsh law against exploitation in name of dowry. Maulana Mohammad Salim Qasimi, Mohtamim of Darul Uloom Wakf Deoband, said, “Demanding dowry is not only a religious evil, but also a social evil. This is our religious duty to stop this practice and all of us should work for it jointly.” His solution was, “Muslims should solemnize marriages in a simple way. Islam likes simplicity. It prohibits adopting all those practices that give way to evils in society.” Jamia Mazahir Uloom's Maulana Syed Mohammad Shahid Mazahiri said, “Due to lack of knowledge and greed for worldly possessions, Muslims have come to turn their marriages into a difficult and costly affair whereas demanding dowry and exploiting women on this pretext is contrary to Islamic Shari'ah.” He also thinks simple marriages are a solution.

In charge of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (Saharanpur Unit), Dr. Jamil Manavi said, “Poor Muslim girls whose parents are unable to bear huge expenses of marriage sit aside in their homes waiting for eventual marriage, but in vain. Should Muslims revert to the Prophet's tradition, the issue can be solved.” His suggestion was, “We should immediately pay attention towards moral training of our children in order to prevent un-Islamic practices.”