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Muslim American Paralytic: “Hospital Staff Abusing Me” Aramica, News Feature, Rachel Millard and Antoine Faisal

Roosevelt Island.

NEW YORK--Nabila Mohammed had been planning her return to Egypt when the accident happened.

Nurses and staff at the hospital have at turns mocked, ignored, slapped and hit her, she told Aramica reporters who visited her recently at her hospital bedside.

But the people meant to help her have instead made life a nightmare, she said.

The mother of five was being driven by a friend through Bay Ridge on June 21, 2009, when they were smashed into by a car which had swerved out of its lane to avoid a parked garbage truck. Ms. Mohammed was slammed up against the dashboard by the force of the crash.

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She remembers waking up in the hospital with a friend telling her, “Nabila, they have to operate, will you give permission?” A week later, doctors told her she would likely never be able to walk, feel or move her legs again. “I felt my world was spinning around,” she recalled, telling how her mind sped back to her parents and children waiting for her in Egypt, the country she left— temporarily, she thought—for the U.S. in 2006. Living Nightmare

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Mohammed, 48, has spent the last year surrounded not by her family in Cairo but by the white walls of her hospital room at the Coler Goldwater hospital on

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Youth Activities in AZ .... Are we doing enough?

The Role of Somali Women has Transformed Over Time

“A nurse started punching me after I asked her to clean me properly in my groin area,” she told. A second time, Mohammed said she was pushing herself towards the hospital gym in a manual wheelchair, when staff stopped her, handcuffed her and whacked her repeatedly on the shoulder. Doctors who examined Nabila’s shoulder said in their report, shown to Aramica by her friend Hesham AbdelRahman, there was no evidence of damage or dislocation. Still, the incident upset Mohammed enough to report it to police. AbdelRahman, who is in the room during the interview, thrusts into our hands a copy of the report she filed on February 12, 2010. “Complainant stated that hospital staff not known, including two hospital police officers and lead nurse, restrained her and punched her arms repeatedly, causing her pain,” the report reads.

Goldwater staff violated Mohammed’s right to “considerate, respectful care in a clean environment” (section 405.7 (b) (3) of the State Hospital Code), wrote DoH official Jeffrey Spitz in a letter to Mohammed dated May 19, 2010. Why does Mohammed think nurses took against her? Does she think it’s to do with her being Arab and Muslim? “I don’t know about that,” she said. “But I do know that because I don’t speak English very well, they would treat me like a slave. Sometimes they would slap me and I couldn’t do anything; I just started crying.” Family Reunion? Mohammed’s unhappy stay at Goldwater will soon be over as she doesn’t need to be hospitalized anymore. Instead, Mohammed’s friends in Bay Ridge are urging Congressman McMahon to help Mohammed’s children immigrate to the U.S. so they can look after their mother, whose green card is pending. “We want to help her,” said Abdelrahman. “We feel bad for what has happened in her life.” Having her children come to America to take care of her would be a distressing turnaround for Mohammed, who came here with hopes of finding doctors to treat her youngest son, Omar, 13, who is blind.

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TERMS USED IN THIS PAPER Alhamdulilah: Praise God Allah: Arabic word for God Fatwa: Islamic decision based on Shari’a Hadith: Sayings of the Prophet Mohammad Hajj: Pilgrimage to Mecca Halal: Allowed in Islam Halaqa: Group study Haram: Prohibited in Islam Hijab: Head cover for women Hijra: Migration of the Prophet from Mecca to Madina Imam: Islamic scholar Iman: Faith Inshallah: God willing Madina: City near Mecca in Saudia Arabia Masjid: Place were Muslims gather for prayer and studies Mecca: City in Saudi Arabia where Prophet Mohammad was born Pbuh: Peace be upon him Quran: Islam’s Holy book Shahadah: Is saying “I accept Allah as the one God and Mohammad as his messenger” when someone accepts Islam. Sharia’: Islamic law Shura: A council of Muslim scholars (SWT) Subhanahu Watala: Praise be to Allah Taqwa: God consciousness

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Youth Activities .... Are we doing enough? By Fathiyyah Bashshar Time on our hands; what a prolific statement this is? Do we really have time or are we running out of time? What do we do with our time? The Muslim youth today are faced with this dilemma. It is the Muslim youth that is the significant target of modernization that is taking place at an indomitable pace in the Muslim world. Youth are competing with non-Islamic activities in preference to Islamic activities. Many communities have activities but they don’t fit the needs of all significant age groups or genders to gage interest. What’s happening in our communities here in the Valley? As I begin to assess the social needs of our youth, the findings are varied based on youth, parent and organization responses in regards to what we have and what is needed. What the Youth think? The Muslim Students Association (MSA) of Arizona State University has several activities that are open to attendees of all ages, but are mainly frequented by college students. They offer weekly religious lectures on Thursday evenings given by rotating guest speakers. Activities also include movie nights and bowling socials. We are always continuing to host different and exciting events throughout the year. I would recommend for people interested in following our MSA group on Facebook (MSA of ASU) and subscribing to our email msaasu@gmail.com. Yasmine Asfoor, MSA secretary for Arizona State University The Muslim Student Association at McClintock High, and many other organizations and activities exist, but I do not have too much time to participate in them. The others that I attend every once in a while are hosted by MAS (Muslim American Society) Youth, Precious Jewels, MYCA (Muslim Youth Center of Arizona), and a few others. I think girls around my age would really love Precious Jewels, a girls’ Halaqa group that meets at ICC Masjid every Friday at 6:30 PM. There are enough youth programs out there-in fact, so many that they sometimes conflict. However, I believe that we, as a community, are not doing enough to encourage people to attend them. That’s something we have to fix, as a community. Hasana Abdul- Quadir, MSA student at McClintock High School

What the parents think?

principles.

I would support more programs if the cost were adjusted to fit limited income households. I’m not sure at this point if I’d like to see more programs, but more is always better to keep them involved in our community and provide them more opportunities to meet other Muslim youths.

J. Vail Cruz, Executive Director Muslim American Society Arizona Chapter

Grysell Fabaro, Maricopa Resident I would like to see Eid (Islamic Celebration) planned out better-with activities that are family orientated, activities for men, women and children of all ages-not just activities for the under ten age group. I’d like to see more preteen activitieswe have MAS, MYCA and MSA for older teens but what does Phoenix offer for preteens? Most of the youth organizations are exclusive or clique like. In general I’d like to see more physical activities for boys (wrestling, swimming, horseback riding, archery, martial arts, etc). In general masjids need to coordinate their activities with organizations better. I think there should be monthly meetings or monthly emails between community leaders and organizations so that we can have a more organized set of activities for our community. I think the youth would benefit from a coordinated set of activities. Tayyibah Amatuallah Chandler Resident What organizations are doing? The Muslim American Society (MAS) is a national organization that has been in the United States as a movement since 1993. MAS feature signature programs and departments. Some of these departments include; MAS Scouts, MAS Gives, MAS Freedom Foundation, MAS Straight Path Initiative, MAS Dawah, MAS youth and our signature department: MAS Tarbiyah. MAS seeks to provide a place and programs to support the strength and unity of this community and to worship Allah in the best way possible. MAS-AZ has primarily been known for its youth work since its foundation here in the Valley. The Youth Department focuses its activities for individual’s ages14 and up to young adulthood. The mission of the Youth Department is similar to our national mission only with a special focus on the youth and making sure there is a clear understanding of the purpose of creation which is to worship Allah and live your life according to his commandments. This may seem simplistic in its scope but MAS is the only organization in the valley that has an evidence based, traditional, and multifaceted curriculum to achieve these high

The Cultural Cup Food Bank Inc. is a nonprofit 501c3, non-sectarian, communitybased organization established to provide alternative emergency food for those in need, who have religious, health and dietary food restrictions. We are all volunteers and run 100% from donations given by our supporters in the community. In terms of youth male and female we offer many volunteer opportunities in working at the food bank. Also we give away school supplies once a year and we have the Day of Dignity program where we serve the homeless families and single male and female homeless individuals. During Ramadan we give food boxes to needy Muslim Families and serve the community at large with turkeys during their holiday, like Thanksgiving and Christmas. These are great opportunities for all youth to get involved in. Zarinah H. Awad Director / Founder the Cultural Cup Food Bank Inc. Final Thoughts The key is to develop relationships with the youth. They are under constant external pressure to conform to the demands of what’s trendy. In the age when both parents are in the work force, whether through economic necessities or personal choices, minor attention is paid to this aspect of family unity which builds relationships. We just need to guide them away from the distractions of this world and engage their hearts, minds, and souls… Muslim children, although distinct in their value system, still are exposed to and affected by what they see learn and participate. In Islamic teachings, great emphasis has been placed on moral conduct and behavior. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), has said, “I have been sent to perfect your conduct” (Bukhari and Muslim). “A fathers’ teaching his child good manners is better than giving a bushel of grain (in charity)” (Bukhari). The activities we involve our youth indictate their behavior. Children are very susceptible to any and every influence. It has been said, “They are like molten cement. Anything that falls on them makes a lasting impression.” Their minds are like virgin soil, ready to accept any seed. As they grow, their organs of reception start working and accept new ideas and influences. It is up to us to screen the experiential factors that influence a child’s development so that they can learn to accept the right ideas and behaviors and reject the wrong influences.

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DECEMBER 2010

Word on the Street“How was your experience with Hajj/Umrah like?” all about: unity and peace. –Neekta Hamidi

By: Sumbal Akhter Muslim Voice I was blessed to get the opportunity to do Umrah almost 5 years ago now. I remember everything vividly, the first time I saw the Kabah I got chills. It was so beautiful and I felt so close to Allah. All this time I’ve been facing the Kabah from thousands of miles away, while I pray, see it in pictures and on TV but it is nothing compared to when you see it with your own eyes. You see thousands of Muslims from different races and colors praying all at once to the same God and this is the beauty of Islam because at the end of the day we are all the same. If anyone ever gets the opportunity to go, they must take it because those will be the days that they will never forget. –Sanaa Hamid Hajj is more than just a ritual-it is a revolution. One cannot fully appreciate it unless they familiarize themselves with the philosophy behind each of the actions required to complete the pilgrimage. Every aspect of Hajj involves a struggle to reform oneself-to deconstruct our self-made ego and embrace humility as slaves to God. What other event in the world involves millions of people from across the world gathering in an isolated desert, and then spending three days sleeping on the sands with tents as shelter? It is a beautiful act of shunning worldly pride and replacing it with humility. For just a few days, we throw away labels involving race, ethnicity, class, etc. There is a misconception that one should not go to Hajj unless they have reached a certain level of “religiosity”. I’ll be honest to say that I was pretty ignorant of Islam prior to my journey. The whole purpose of Hajj is to transform you, so seize the day and go while you’re young. –Nahid Hiermandi I think that Hajj was the most amazing experience of my life! What I loved the most was how peaceful the whole experience was. I was so surprised to see all of the Muslim community work together to make the entire process as easy as possible. It was common to see strangers helping each other out when they were in a hurry themselves. A group of young boys helped my family walk all the way up to the Hajarul Aswad (black stone) and touch it when there was a huge rush. Also, Muslims of different cultures joined together so peacefully! It was a great way to see what Islam is really

I saw the image of the Kaabah for many years on my prayer rug until I had the opportunity to witness its magnificence four years ago. Hajj puts a Muslim on a series of rituals and trials in order to strengthen their faith. As we walk in the Kaabah, we admire the handiwork that Prophet Ibrahim did when he created the house of worship for Allah’s sake.We can hear the pleas of Hagar as she ran through Safa and Marwa searching for water for her crying baby. We can imagine how Rasullah (PBUH) struggled to reclaim this house so he could give this religion to all the believers. Every pilgrim has an unique spiritual experience on an individual level as they try to get closer to Allah. We all come to the pilgrimage as sinners, but we leave with a renewed perspective that Allah is our Lord.

Nahid Hiermandi

La bayk, La bayk –Osman Saleem Hajj was an incredible and indescribable experience. I feel very blessed to have been able to go on Hajj with my family at such a young age of only 15. The overall experience was memorable, and it helped me become not only a better Muslim, but also helped me grow as an individual. I truly feel that if affordable, parents should take their children with them on their pilgrimage as well, in order to help them maintain faith in Islam, and learn from their experience, as I was able to do. Seeing the Kaaba for the first time was simply magnificent. The first time I laid my eyes on the House of God, I began to shed tears. I was so proud to be one among thousands and thousands of Muslims from all over the world, standing in front of a symbol so important to Muslims everywhere. I felt belonging, and peacefulness all around. Hajj not only taught me to be patient, but it helped me appreciate the little things in life. I became much more thankful for everything that Allah (swt) has blessed me with. I will never forget my experience on Hajj, though words cannot even do justice to how amazing it really was. Insha’Allah I hope to go back to Mecca sometime soon in the future, and pray that everyone is able to be as blessed as I was, and am. –Umber Aulakh My experience with Umrah was a very spiritual and memorable one. It was the first time that I got to see Masjidal-Haraam and every second of it was truly amazing. I learned so much about the history of Islam and the importance/ meaning of each act performed in Umrah. Now I really yearn to return for Hajj very soon Inshallah! -Rabia Memon

November’s Multicultural Business Group Business Mixer Muslim Voice

Sanaa Hamid

It is truly remarkable to see Muslims from all parts of the globe gather together. Allah kept his promise when he said, “They will come on foot and on every lean camel and from every deep ravine” for Hajj.

introduction by every member and guest, presentation about MBG, and workshop. Bassam Asfoor gave a training session about marketing small businesses.

Phoenix, - On Thursday November 11th the Multicultural Business Group (MBG) held its regular If you would like to join Thereafter, members enjoyed a session Business Mixer. The MBG’s future Mixers that helped them to mixer was attended you can email know each other a by a number of little more and testing MBG@breekpublishing.com businessmen and everyone’s knowledge or call busineswomen from of each other’s around the Valley. 602-258-7770 profession. Lastly, Attendees enjoyed a three winners were tasty dinner provided by Mijana Lebanese restaurant drawn for executive pen prizes from the Multicultural Yellow Pages. in Tempe. The program included

Neekta Hamidi

Osman Salim

Umber Aulakh

Rabia Memon

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DECEMBER 2010

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SB 1070, Birthright Citizenship, and the Coming GOP Tug-o-War The Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association reported a loss of $15 million in lodging revenue in four months because of SB 1070. Why does your report say the real figure that is at least three times that amount? Not everyone belongs to the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association. They actually thought it was a pretty low estimate. And there were some big conferences that were cancelled that were not captured by that figure. Our researcher thought that $45 million was an underestimate.

Those who drive the restrictionist bus will keep driving it. They won’t take their foot off the gas just because of this report or any other report. I don’t think Lamar Smith [a GOP congressman from Ft. Worth, Texas, who is in line to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee in January] will read the report and change his mind about Arizona. This report is not about speaking to them. Lamar Smith has made his agenda clear. He wants Arizona to happen across the country. He wants to strip the president of his authority over deportation. He wants to take on the 14th Amendment. And he’s not even in the chair yet.

How sizable is this in the scheme of things?

Our goal is to really shed economic light on the consequences of something like SB 1070. The fact is, Arizona can enforce every portion of the law, if the injunction were lifted, and it would not stop illegal immigration, it [wouldn’t] fix the immigration problem. But it has been proven to hurt Arizona economically. You write that the backlash proves the catastrophic impacts of pursuing harsh, state-based immigration policies and should give other state legislatures pause before pursuing such measures. But GOP lawmakers seem emboldened enough by SB1070 to go after birthright citizenship.

But what’s the signal the GOP is sending by targeting citizenship by birth? The GOP is feeling emboldened after the election. Steve King and Lamar Smith can make trouble. The question is what will [the new Speaker of the House] John Boehner do. It’s one thing for a bill to come out of committee, it’s another thing for it to be scheduled for vote in the House. I see Boehner as a rope in the tug-o-war. On one side are people like Smith and King. On the other end of the rope are the Republican presidential candidates who are looking at the math and thinking, “How will I become president if I lose certain states?” That’s the quandary for Boehner. In the midst of this, what are the prospects for the DREAM Act? Is a lame-duck session ironically a better window to pass it?

It’s not just hotels not being booked, It’s also cars not being rented and food not being bought. That could bring the number up to $141 million. You have to think of this in two buckets—conferences and conventions that were booked that have been cancelled. And then there is the decline in bookings. That’s an estimate of $76 million in lost spending. These are a lot of numbers. But there is one simple message—the economic impact isn’t limited to undocumented Latinos. It hurts every Arizonan in the pocketbook. This is money that is not in the pocket of Arizonans because of [Gov.] Jan Brewer. This ship has already sailed in Arizona. But other states really need to be aware of this.

whose parents were legal residents.

Yes it is. Republicans can no longer complain that it’s part of the Defense Authorization bill. So they can vote about a policy they have said they supported. But 60 is still the magic number. We are not there yet.

But this report sheds a different light. So a Florida House member who is tempted to get on the Lamar Smith bandwagon should think again about what might be the economic impact of doing that. But the restrictionists use the economic argument, too. Rep. Steve King of Iowa said, “Many of these illegal aliens are giving birth to children in the United States so that they can have uninhibited access to taxpayer-funded benefits and to citizenship for as many family members as possible.” That’s a bigger debate. Children have always been used in this argument. Children do cost more and that includes my children. But it’s not because of their immigration status. But take the long view±see what happens to people over time. In the long term, those children are just as good as the other children

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But are immigration advocates signaling that this is the last window available at least for the next two years? Does this signal the end of comprehensive immigration reform for now? That’s not an unreasonable conclusion, given the makeup of the Senate and the House. There is a bit of a sense of déjà vu. But I have to say, the DREAM Act is an important sympathetic measure. I think it deserves to be a stand-alone bill. It’s a stepping stone. But anti-immigration advocates say SB 1070 was just a stepping stone to target the 14th Amendment. Is the strategy to take this to the Supreme Court, where they feel they will have a better chance than trying to pass a constitutional amendment? I think there is a litigation strategy there. I do think they are not afraid to test this in the highest court. Whether they can win, I don’t know.

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to evaluate: • Your Mosque: Facilities, Activities and Programs for Mosque Members, Interaction with the Outside Community, Imam and the Executive Committee or Board of Directors • Khutbah in Your Mosque • Non-Profit Organizations: Youth Centers, Student Associations, Civic Engagement and Civil Rights Organizations, Charity Organizations and Social Services • Schools • Islamic Cemetery • Ramadan in Your Mosque • Community Events And more… Have a say in you community! Go participate in the Poll of the Week and cast your vote today!! “Work: Soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the Believers” 9:105 The first step in creating effective change or growth in our Muslim communities is to understand where we are currently. At RateMyMuslimCommunity.com you will find overall evaluations to identify areas of your organization that are working well and areas that need further attention and development. At the end is an opportunity for a review. Feel free to share this evaluation with your Leadership Team and Board of Directors. You may be surprised at the results! “Allah loves that if a person does something he does it perfectly” – Hadith

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DECEMBER 2010

Eid al Adha 2010 in Phoenix

By Dana Saleh Muslim Voice

I hope you all had fun because I know I did on Eid al Adha 2010! Going to the prayer, eating a yummy breakfast, and of course, spending time with my friends and family. Muslims celebrate this date because Prophet Abraham listened to Allah’s, God’s, command to sacrifice his son. When he was prepared to do it, Allah revealed that his sacrifice has been fulfilled by obeying his orders. Prophet Abraham would lay down his own life or the life of others to submit to Allah. On the morning of Eid al Adha, the Holiday of Sacrifice, Muslims from around the world start their day off by attending prayer, eating breakfast followed by the exchanging of gifts. That is exactly what we do, and this is how my Eid went. First, we went to the prayer at the Phoenix Civic Plaza.

It was very nice because it was calm, and organized. My friend Lana said, “It was great fun because you could actually hear the person next to you without yelling.” After the prayer, everyone greeted each other and wished each other a happy Eid. They hugged and kissed each other. As everyone existed the prayer hall to the hallway all were mingling and taking pictures with family and friends. The next Eid task on the agenda was to decide where to eat breakfast. So by now everyone is starving, so we had to move fast and pick a place to eat! We ate at no other than The Cheesecake Factory! My food was delicious, and the atmosphere was very nice. One of my friends Noorhan said, “My food was the best thing she ever ate, and she wants to have Eid everyday of her life!” After we finished our breakfast, everybody went home to change into their casual clothes. The activities of the day consisted of Airworks ( An

Arizona Legalizes Medical Marijuana Prensa Hispana, News Report Maritza Lizeth Félix PHOENIX -- Arizona, a state known for its conservatism, has legalized the use of medical marijuana. Although early returns from the Nov. 2 elections showed Proposition 203 losing, provisional ballots seem to have made the difference, reports Maritza Lizeth Félix for Prensa Hispana Newspaper. The proposition reportedly won by 4,341 votes.

Lana Saleh and Dana Saleh

indoor trampoline place ), Castles and Coasters ( An amusement park ) and Amazing Jakes ( Also an amusement park ). I thought all three of them were a great way to get all of my energy out! This Eid was probably my favorite one out of the whole year because nothing beats spending time with your friends and family. I can’t wait until Eid al Fitr 2011!

Arizona is the 14th state to allow the use of marijuana as an alternative treatment for diseases like cancer, AIDS and other terminal illnesses. Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia, have already taken this step.

The Role of Somali Women has Transformed Over Time By: Mohamud Shalab Somalia was first introduced to Islam between the years 700 to 1000 AD after prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) companions immigrated to East African soil, more specifically, Abyssinia (now known as Ethiopia).The vast majority of Somalis are Sunni Muslims which used to practice a moderate version of Islam. It is expected of Muslims to follow the guidelines Islam sets for them. Islam for many is considered not only a religion, but a way of life. Therefore, each family abides by certain rules and structure, and each family member plays an important role. Traditionally women were and to some extent still are considered the bond that holds together the family and the community as a whole. However, nowadays that role has changed as a lot

of them seek post secondary education and a career before marriage, this could have a lot to do with the economy and the fact that it is a lot harder for a family to survive with a single than a double income. Nonetheless, many people believe Muslim women are not allowed to do this and that they are oppressed and abused in the Islamic society, which may be true in some parts of the world, but it shouldn’t be linked to Islam, in fact the rise of Islam is what stopped female infanticide in the Arabian peninsula. The inequality of women in some Muslim countries can for the most part be blamed on the country’s politics and culture. In Islam women and men generally hold equal, but different roles in the society. The Somali people accepted the Muslim way of life and began to adopt it into their own society. The rise of Islam also lead to changes of the culture, Muslim women were to follow a modest dress code, the dress code did not outline a specific color, fabric or fashion. Perhaps the most popular piece of Muslim

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dress today, is the head cover commonly known as the hijab, which can also be described as anything that covers the body modestly. After years of peace, Somalia experienced a civil war in recent time , it left thousands of people dead and countless children without their fathers,since it was mainly men that took part in the war, women had to take on both parenting roles and learn to provide for their children on their own. The civil war and the continuing violence is what caused women to flee their home country and seek asylum in other countries. Many women and children immigrated to Canada, England and the United States. Adapting to the western culture became difficult for some for fear of losing their own culture and values, but over time most Somalis have learned that integration isn’t a bad thing and that every culture has it’s negatives and positives and that the best they can do is to incorporate the good into their own culture and values.

OPINIONS

DECEMBER 2010

What you hear is all hearsay By: Sumbal Akhter Muslim Voice Gossip. The chatter of personal and private affairs; some true, some false. We all try to refrain from getting caught amidst the clandestine chronicles of others, but it somehow manages to lure you in… Islam being a religion of peace and humanity, strictly frowns upon the backbiting of others. The Quran powerfully exclaims, “O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, in deeds some suspicions are sins. And spy not neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear God, verily, God is the one who accepts repentance, Most Merciful.” (49: 12). The Quran also states, “ Behold, you received it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things which you had no knowledge; and you thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of God.” (24: 15) So if the Quran clearly prohibits gossiping, why is it one of the most widespread calamities of the people? We tend to forget that minuscule mentionings of others add up

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NPR, Juan Williams, and the Muslim Dilemma

and in hindsight we are only persecuting ourselves. We can shield ourselves from the evils of backbiting by remembering Allah (SWT) and the shame we will feel on the Day of Judgment for participating in such petty yet detrimental acts. One interesting example of change was committed by Rasûl b. Wahb who said: “I swore an oath that for every time I backbite someone, I would fast a day. This just wore me out, since I would backbite and fast. Then I resolved that for every time I backbite someone, I would spend one silver coin in charity. Then, for the love of money, I gave up backbiting.” So imagine that just simply summoning our mouths to cease from gossiping could save us from bad deeds and feverish hell fire. We receive nothing enjoyable from backbiting except brief, desperate moments of authority and tainted satisfaction. And in conclusion Abu Sa’eed AlKhudree narrated that Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) declared, “When man wakes up in the morning each day, all parts of the body warn the tongue saying, ‘Fear Allah as regards us for we are at your mercy; if you are upright, we will be upright and if you are crooked, we become crooked.” This statement elucidates that we are truly the masters of our deeds and we alone can go down the path that is right or very, very wrong.

Ahmad Daniels, M.Ed. It has been said that when a person comes to a fork in the road and neither path is any more favorable than the other, what comes in to play to determine which way to go is everything that individual has experienced to that point in his/her life. So in a real sense, the choice of which path to traverse was decided long before the road diverged. Many social scientist would agree, humans are the sum total of all their experiences. One’s experiences, and the value assigned to those experiences, equip the viewer with an opinion of what is being seen through his/her lenses. Such was the case in late October when National Public Radio (NPR) terminated the contract of longtime news analysts Juan Williams after remarks he made on the Fox News Channel about Muslims. Williams, appearing on the O’Reilly Factor, was asked by host Bill O’Reilly to comment on the idea the U.S. is facing a dilemma with Muslims. While it remains uncertain what it is about Muslims that constitutes a “dilemma,” one can only guess it involves Muslims in the USA proclaiming Islam a religion of peace while murder transpires on a military base and attempts are made to blow-up commercial airlines. It was Williams’ gut level response that stirred the controversy: “Look Bill, I’m not a bigot. You know the kind of books I’ve written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslims garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.” Williams went on to lecture O’Reilly against labeling all Muslims “extremists.” It was O’Reilly’s penchant for declaring Muslims were responsible for the September 11, 2001, attack that resulted in co-hosts Joy Behar and Whoppi Goldberg walking off the set in the middle of O’Reilly’s appearance of an October edition of the View. After a few minutes Behar and Goldberg both returned to the show, having made the point that they disagreed with the views expressed by Mr. O’Reilly. But back to Williams, was NPR fair in its handling of this situation? Were his words a window to a deep seated distrust for Muslims? Had he succumbed to

all the negative media that often depict Muslims as terrorists? It appears NPR thought so. For certain there was also the long standing relationship Williams had with Fox news. In fact, NPR awhile back asked Williams to discontinue introducing himself as NPR news analysts when appearing on Fox news. So it appears this latest event was the straw that broke the camel’s back. NPR may have been justified in terminating its contract with Williams and one could certainly argue the way it was done, not allowing him an opportunity to justify his words, left a great deal to be desired. What can not be disputed is the chilling effect this will have on others who will seek to say that which is politically correct in lieu of what weighs heavy on the heart. No one benefits from such a degree of “PC.” To his credit Juan Williams wrote extensively on the ups and downs of the Civil Rights struggle. He knows the pain and suffering experienced by a people yearning to be free. His words captured the tumult of the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march as well as the audacity of Mississippian Fannie Lou Hamer. To punish Juan Williams for being a product of his environment is akin to taking him to the tool shed for writing prolifically on issues relating to Blacks. Of course Williams was not working as an employee of a media giant back then and as a private citizen could freely state his opinions and feelings. It was Williams’ articulation of “feelings” mind you, not “opinions” that got him fired from NPR. At no time did he render opinions that could be interpreted as his imploring others to see Muslims as he did. And while there will be those who argue he sacrificed his objectivity by saying what he did, there will also be those who applaud his candor; however distasteful it may appear to some. Perhaps it is time for persons to step up and be counted; to say what has been weighing down the heart. Yes, throw caution to the wind and encourage honest, heartfelt dialogue. Many are “nervous” when they enter the cabin of a plane and see Muslims attired in traditional garb; history supplies many reasons why they should be. Any and all attempts to stifle the vocalizing of such concerns will only serve to slow the pace of reconciling the differences currently existing between Muslims and those of other faiths. To your journey!

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7 Rep. Judy Chu: American Children Need Bilingual Education NATIONAL

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New America Media Chu, a Democrat who represents East Los Angeles, where dual-language programs are increasingly popular, spoke with NAM reporter Vivian Po about how promoting early bilingual education on a national level would benefit both English learners and native English speakers. Why is it important to push early bilingual education on a national level? It is because Americans need to be competitive in this world and gain knowledge of foreign languages and cultures. We are becoming a global marketplace fueled with international businesses. [Yet] as a nation, we have fallen behind with regard to the number of people learning second languages. Twenty out of the 25 leading industrialized countries start teaching second languages from K to 5th grade; 21 of the 31 countries in the European Union require nine years of another language. In order to catch up with these countries, we have to promote bilingual education or duallanguage education in preschool, when students have the best chance to learn those languages and sustain it through later grades. It would be something that benefits them for the rest of their lives. Many people think that only urban areas, like Los Angeles and New York, have a large number of English learners. Actually, Midwestern and Southern states are also witnessing increasing numbers of English-learner students. In fact, it does not matter if they are English learners or not— every student can benefit from learning a foreign language because it can only open their options and increase their marketability.

DECEMBER 2010

How much does GLEE cost? Is it designed to support English learners?

or public entities to achieve a more efficient and high-quality program. What is your vision behind it?

The bill would authorize a fund of $100 million: 5 percent for planning; 15 percent to fund a research council of experts to guide comparative studies on teaching approaches, and the other 80 percent for implementation— supporting schools selected by the U.S. Secretary of Education in a competitive process.

There are so many opportunities already existing in the community that can be helpful. For instance, if you have a dual-language course in Chinese, organizations in the Chinese community will have many natives speakers that can come to the class. Not only that, I have visited many Chinese schools around the nation and I believe they can truly be part of the community partner model. I would like to see [a high level] of community involvement in the program, integrating community participation into the schools.

The bill funds three bilingual instructional models: 1) a program that enables native English speakers to gain proficiency in another language; 2) a dual-language program that allows native English speakers and English learners to be in the same classroom and learn a second language without sacrificing their original language; 3) a program that allows English learners to gain proficiency in English. Any of these three models can be funded through this bill. Why did you decide to introduce GLEE during a time of economic hardship and budget cuts? We are at a critical junction. As we are discussing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Reauthorization, now is the time to think how we want to reform our public education. Though No Child Left Behind has been renewed, many recognized it as an inadequate national education system, and it was very inadequate for treating the education of our English-learner students. A highquality early education is necessary to help close the achievement gap. Moreover, early education offers one of the highest returns of any public investments—more than $7 in return for every dollar spent. According to the GLEE concept paper, priority will be given to schools that partner with private

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Many ethnic parents have concerns that early bilingual education might prevent their children from learning better English. I have heard many stories from people of my age whose parents thought that it would be better for them to be immersed in English, and they felt unfortunate to miss out learning another language. In fact, I was one of those who ended up being immersed in English. My parents put me in a weekly Chinese school but it did not stick, and by the time I felt serious about learning Chinese, I was already in college. Studies have clearly shown that bilingualism increases cognitive ability and allows children to think or talk about the same concept in different ways, which will also help them in other subjects, such as social studies and math. More parent education, such as inviting experts to present concrete studies to parents, would be good. We can also create easy-access websites where articles on bilingual education are consolidated in one place for parents to read. On the other hand, there are many parents who are extremely excited

Los Angeles is a pioneer in introducing early bilingual education. Can you share some of the outcomes you observed? I just did a visit at a local school named Brooklyn Early Education in L.A. that has a strong Spanish duallanguage program. The dual model allows students to go back and forth between Spanish and English, so that young kids never lose their ability in understand concepts in both languages. It was very inspirational, and what impressed me most was that the school is located right in the middle of a lowincome neighborhood. It shows that bilingual education does not need to be in a wealthy neighborhood in order to be successful.

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NATIONAL

DECEMBER 2010

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California Failing to Enforce Bilingual Services Act New America Media Suzanne Manneh A new audit has found that state and local government agencies are not adequately fulfilling a decades-old law that requires them to offer bilingual services to California residents. Enacted in 1973, the Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act requires that all state agencies translate materials into any language spoken by 5 percent or more of those served and hire bilingual staff.

serve. According to the California State Auditor report: “Only two of the 10 agencies we audited were aware of this requirement. Moreover, only one agency translates these materials into the languages of those individuals who make up 5 percent or more of the population it serves, as the act requires.” The audit also found that state agencies are also falling behind in

bilingual service requirements under the Act. In the meantime, where do individuals in need language services go for help? “The role of the CBO is critical,” said Furutani. “Non profits pick up the state’s slack from the agencies that should be providing resources by state law,” he said.

Assemblyman Warren T. Furutani (D-South Los Angeles County), a strong advocate of the Act, said the state audit was requested by the Joint Legislative Audit Committee. He said it showed that “California’s bilingual services have not developed much since the previous audit in 1999.”

“Agencies are still not aware of the Act,” Furutani said, “the personnel board is the lynchpin and must make sure the law is followed,” he said. According to the audit, only 52 percent of state administrators and 64 percent of local department managers knew of the Act. Most state agencies audited were also unaware of a key provision of the Act to translate materials explaining services into languages spoken by a substantial number of the people they

“Everything she needed was in those letters and she could have missed important deadlines,” said Susan Hsieh of Chinese for Affirmative Action, a San Francisco-based organization that works with immigrants in the city. She echoed the audit’s findings that these state agencies “have bilingual staff members or telephone interpreters to communicate with clients who do not speak English, but several local agencies have not translated materials.” Answering critics who say that those needing language assistance do not want to learn English, Furatani says learning English is a process that takes time, and that people should have access to information in the meantime.

The audit found that the state Personnel Board has failed to inform state agencies of their responsibilities under the Act and to ensure that agencies conduct surveys to assess their clients’ language needs. Eight of the 10 state agencies audited did not have procedures in place to update their bilingual services to reflect the changing needs of their clients.

hotline and speak to someone in Mandarin, but that all follow-up correspondence was in English, rather than Mandarin as she had requested.

providing bilingual services in the many languages spoken in the state. California is one of the most ethnically diverse states, where 40 percent of residents speak a non-English language as their primary language. According to the report, “53 city and county departments have identified a need to provide bilingual staff and translated materials in 33 languages, yet they do not offer any bilingual services for 19 of these languages and provide only limited services for the remaining 14 languages.” Furutani said lawmakers will hold a hearing in January to discuss recommendations for how to improve

When Mrs. Li, who requested her first name be withheld for privacy concerns, was laid off from her job as a janitor, she contacted the state (Employment Development Department) to apply for unemployment benefits. Li, a recent immigrant whose English skills are limited, says she contacted the state agency to obtain materials in Chinese (Mandarin), but they only sent her information in English. She sought help from Wu Yee Children’s Services, a San Franciscobased nonprofit that helped translate materials from the EDD and helped Li apply for benefits. Li says she was able to call the EDD

“The reality is that it’s a process and our communities do want to learn English,” he said. “They eventually want to understand English language materials, but until they all make that transition, this is a tool to ensure those communities are reached and they participate.” He added that California has cut funding for ESL programs, reducing opportunities for immigrants to learn English. Luz Buitrago, civil rights attorney and Executive Director at Oakland based Law Center for Families, said keeping all Californians equally engaged and informed is in the state’s interest because it’s “cost effective” and imperative in an emergency. “What if there is another flu or [tuberculosis] outbreak?” she said. “How will these communities be informed and obtain the information they need?”

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NATIONAL

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DECEMBER 2010

Hollywood and Bollywood Join Hands New America Media India West Parimal M. Rohit LOS ANGELES — with the chronicled success of “Slumdog Millionaire” during the 2009 film awards season, it seemed only a matter of time before Hollywood and Bollywood would find a way to cooperatively work together. That day may have arrived Nov. 10, when Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined Indian film producers in the historic signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two biggest film industries here at Paramount Pictures.

managing director of the Motion Picture Association’s branch in India, who agreed that the memorandum of understanding would potentially result in an economic windfall for both Los Angeles and India. “More than 2.4 million people in America and 1.8 million people in India work in the motion picture and television industry,” Dalal stated. “We look forward to continued commercial cooperation with the U.S. film industry on joint investment and coproductions, which will only increase economic development and job growth in

steps have been taken by the MPA in India. Because they are protecting their own property, that will also help us protect ours,” Bedi told India-West. “It’s difficult (in India) to convince even a police officer to attend to a murder over someone stealing a DVD. It is very difficult to bring in the regime of economic offenses. It will take a while, and none of this will work unless we have the full force of technology behind enforcement.” Villaraigosa acknowledged that enforcement of anti-piracy legislation and policy would be addressed in due time, but the creation of the Los Angeles-

goal: to complement each other’s cultural vibrancy, to work together to grow our economies, to show the world of entertainment that it transcends international borders,” the mayor said. “I am happy to be here to acknowledge this new relationship … that will help to create jobs here in the city of Los Angeles and create stronger bonds of friendship.” Also signing the historic pact of friendship and economic development was Tamil film producer and Film Federation of India president L. Suresh. Among

those

joining

With dignitaries from Paramount Pictures, the Motion Picture Association of America, and the California Film Commission joining the Film Federation of India and the Film and Television Producers Guild of India at the document signing, the memorandum of understanding created the Los Angeles-India Film Council to protect intellectual property and promote increased production of Indian films in Los Angeles. “Bollywood is one of the most vibrant, growing, and creative (film industries) anywhere in the world. This (pact) will promote film production — Indian films — here in Los Angeles, creating jobs,” Villaraigosa said, adding that he hoped the signing of the pact would open the door to greater relations between Los Angeles and India. “This is also connecting two great industries, connecting American people to Indian people, and, just as importantly, promoting American film production in India. It’s a win-win … that will hopefully allow for more collaboration between the Indian film industry and Hollywood. “This memorandum of understanding between the city of Los Angeles and the Indian film industry is a very important one.” Such importance was acknowledged by Rajiv Dalal,

level of engagement between the two industries and in recent years, it’s increased massively,’’ Bobby Bedi said by phone from L.A. “We thought it’s a great idea to formalize a relationship between the two industries.’’ Headlining that massive growth is Indian billionaire Anil Ambani’s decision to pump hundreds of millions of dollars into a production and distribution agreement with Steven Spielberg. Indian production companies have also been taking on outsourced special effects, setting up sales offices in L.A. to channel work to dim computerpacked rooms in Mumbai. The new agreement also reflects the growing stature, and budgets, of Bollywood filmmakers. Indian film budgets, though rising, remain small by Hollywood standards. But the expanding corporate presence in Bollywood means studios like Reliance BIG Entertainment and UTV Motion Pictures now have the ability to spend $10 million to $30 million on a picture — enough at least to film in L.A.

both nations.” In addition to the memorandum of understanding promoting economic development between the American and Indian film industries, the pact also aimed to address piracy issues. Film producer Bobby Bedi, who joined Villaraigosa in the signing of the MoU on behalf of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India, told India-West that measures have already been taken to protect intellectual property and combat film piracy in India. The “Saathiya” producer said the problem is not antipiracy legislation in India, but instead, enforcement. “Interestingly,

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India Film Council was a step in the right direction. In fact, both industries had taken the first step in jointly addressing anti-piracy campaigns in India in March with the creation of the Alliance Against Copyright Theft, among the first-ever Bollywood-Hollywood content protection agreements. Beyond issues of piracy and economic development, Villaraigosa added that the human and cultural element of the Hollywood-Bollywood coalition should not be overlooked. “While there may be miles of land and ocean separating the two largest democracies in the world, we remain united toward a common

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Other key dignitaries witnessing the formal signing of the MoU included executives from UTV Motion Pictures and Reliance BIG Entertainment. AP adds: The new cooperation agreement aims to make it easier for Bollywood producers to film in Los Angeles by facilitating permits, visas and tax breaks, and extends the U.S. anti-piracy crackdown to bootlegged Indian films in the U.S. “There’s always been some

U.S. studios have tried with mixed success to crack the Indian film market. Madefor-India releases have been commercially disappointing, but the Indian releases of “Slumdog Millionaire,” “Avatar,’” and “2012,” were huge box-office successes, by Bollywood standards. That interest has pushed antipiracy to the top of the agenda. “The mayor of Los Angeles said he would set up a special task force and his antipiracy cell would work toward minimizing Indian piracy in the U.S.,” he said. “If we can get the protection, it would make our lives a whole lot better.”

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Villaraigosa, Bedi and Suresh included California Film Commissioner Amy Lemisch, Paramount Pictures CEO Brad Grey, and Motion Picture Association Asia Pacific president Mike Ellis.

“In the past year, we have already seen Hindi movies such as ‘My Name is Khan’ and ‘Kites’ filmed in Los Angeles, and we enthusiastically welcome further Indian production in Los Angeles,’’ Mayor Villaraigosa said in a statement.

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DECEMBER 2010

Pressures of High School Sports

Muslim Youth Perform Qiyam al Layl

By Yousef Ahmad Muslim Voice Muslim parents who were raised in the United States and those who grew anywhere else in the world think back to your high school days. The days where you didn’t really worry about anything but fitting in, when the only thing that mattered was what you were going to do on the weekend. Now, think back to sports. Whether or not you had as many pressures in high school or not let me remind you of them as a favor to your kid and if you didn’t well just sit down and enjoy. There are a lot different types of pressures when it comes to sports. Just a few of the many pressures include making the team, going to practices and committing to the game and team and do not forget homework after coming home. These are the three main pressures of high school sports. Like I stated before actually getting ON the team is no easy feat. You need a lot of skill and determination when you try out for a sport; the more important of these two attributes is the latter. I myself had to tryout for a sport recently, so I can relate to how it feels to be worried of how you did during the tryout day. Everyday after the end of the tryout day you ask yourself could I have done this better. Did I impress the coach? I wonder if the coach saw me when I screwed up. These are things every high school athlete asks himself or herself when they tryout. In these high school tryouts you have to remember that there is always a ton of competition so that doesn’t help either. Then the big moment comes when the coach calls you up to tell you whether you made the team or not. As you walk up your heart starts to beat faster and

By Hasan Mostofo Muslim Voice

your mind starts to race through the past week, thinking of how he or she did.

and every other high school student’s nightmare. Now, I’m sure parents can relate to coming home crazy hungry and wanting to eat the first thing you see.. Well, obviously we want to eat too, but we also don’t like that sticky disgusting feeling we feel when we get home, so we’ll probably take a shower before we eat, also don’t be surprised if you find that there is no hot water left. After we eat and take a shower we just want to lie down and relax but now we have HOMEWORK! AAAAHHHH!! NO!! Kids will probably spend at least an hour before finishing their homework. Now we are done with our day. We do this everyday until the end of the sport season. Then, either they go out for another sport or that’s it. But, this is the kind of pressure that is put on high school athletes. So take it easy the next time your kid is a little irritable or snappy. Just remember that they are exhausted, though you can’t use that excuse for everything, I wish though. I would probably get into a lot less trouble with my parents if I could.

After jumping for joy because you made the team making a high school sports team is only the beginning. After you make the team they don’t just tell you to go home and that they’ll call you when there is a game. No, you have to go to practice everyday, and practice lasts from two and a half hours to three hours. Now remember you have to go to practice five times a week now multiply two and a half by five you get twelve and a half hours of practice a week. Most of that time is spent running around and doing drills. So when you go to pick up your kid do not be surprised to find them irritable and annoyed with the smallest thing. Oh! Also if you they seem to be snappy don’t blame them. They’ll be tired and, again, irritable. When my mom picks me up she’s always telling me about how snappy I am, just thought I’d mention that. Now last and worst is homework, my

HAJI BABA

The monthly qiyam al layl at Arizona Cultural Academy, ACA, would usually start after Isha prayer, the obligatory night prayer, and lasts all the way until fajir, dawn. Qiyam al Layl is the praying and worshiping of God during the late hours of the night. The youth gathered at ACA to worship and pray in unity. There is at least one parent or imam, religious leader, who is the guardian for all the attending youth. At its peak there has been up to about eighty who attended the qiyam and inshAllah, God Willing, in the future many more will join in the awesome ritual. The schedule is usually to eat a late meal together, usually pizza. After that we would start our prayers. The group then would sit in the masjid and listen to a guest speaker. Afterwards, we would read Quran. Then, everyone would do their own individual acts of worship. Discussions take place among the youth about anything they have questions on such as issues regarding peer pressure. In addition, the Muslim youth meet up at the MYCA gym for some basketball. The program encourages people from all ages, but is specifically intended to benefit the youth and bring them closer to Islam. While at the same time we give activities for the youth to do so they would also enjoy it. Qiyams usually take place during weekends so all may attend. These qiyams have been going on for several months now. Currently, organizers are trying to get more youth into it by trying to get them to volunteer during the qiyam. Parents and the youth are encouraged to try to get involved in this wonderful program so that inshAllah it may expand it.

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www.AZMuslimVoice.com 16 DECEMBER 2010 ISLAM / FAMILY A MUSLIM’S SURVIVAL GUIDE for CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

Source Jannah.org Christmas season is upon us. It is nice to enjoy a long break from our work and schools and spend the time with the family and friends. We may also find many good bargains at the shopping malls. It is the season when millions of christmas wreaths and trees add to the decor in and around the houses, businesses and streets of every town in the country. Thousands of Santas also come into life all around us. Children write letters to Santa Claus asking for toys they want for Christmas. Many civic and church organizations donate food and clothes to the homeless and the needy. Toys are collected for children who have no family or whose families can not afford the expenses. The Jewish Hanukkah also falls in the same season. While the rest of the country is busy and involved in these celebrations and activities, what does a small minority of about seven million Muslims do? Because Muslims are scattered throughout the United States, small Muslim communities sometimes find it difficult to practice their faith due to the lack of a community of believers with whom to interact. Muslims may react to non-Islamic feasts in three different ways. A good number of Muslims feel that they can not indulge themselves in activities which have pagan, Christian, Jewish or any origin other than Islamic. Then there are those who participate in activities such as Christmas tree decorations and placing toys under the trees for their children to pick up in the morning of December 25th.

They may not hesitate in narrating the story of Santa Claus to their kids or let them watch television programs about Christmas.

The two biggest Islamic feasts are Eidul-Fitr and Eidul-Adha and nothing else should replace the significance of their festivity.

Yet another group may be those who are Muslims by name but had never really practiced Islam and can be assumed lost in the “mainstream” of America.

Muslims in America need to get involved in caring for the homeless and needy. They should develop institutions to provide such a support. While giving charity and gifts is encouraged all the times, Christmas season included, special occasions for Muslims to give and launch campaigns should be Ramadan and Eidul Adha days. The biggest gifts you would like to give to your children or relatives and friends should not be the Christmas time, but the times of Eids. This will help us develop a distinct community, a caring community that will thus help present Islam properly to the public.

Can Muslims participate in Christmas celebrations or any other similar events such as Halloween and Easter? We need to look at the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) to find an answer. A fundamental question may have to be addressed here before saying anything else. Under what conditions can a Muslim live in a non-Muslim society? This issue requires a careful and detailed answer, which we shall leave for future issues. One thing should be clear to those who have studied the Quran carefully. It is the primary responsibility of a Muslim living in a non-Muslim society to preach and present Islam through their character and conduct. Islam should be a dominating force within and around Muslims instead of being a submissive entity. Islam should stand tall and distinct from un-Islamic ways for everyone to see, admire and appreciate. As we look at the life of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.), we find that whenever there was a chance of confusing events between Muslims and non-Muslims, the Prophet made a clear separation. We see this in prayer times, fasting and Eid festivals. We do not pray very close to sunrise or sunset so it does not appear that we are worshipping the sun. It is undesirable (Makrooh) to fast only on Saturday or Sunday.

Islamic legal rulings about foster parenting and adoption

Another point regarding the Christmas season is the position of Jesus (PBUH) in Islam. If Christmas represents a feast of celebration of the birthday of Jesus, then we should observe it according to the Islamic principles and honor Jesus as a prophet of God. Christmas trees and fairy tales of Santa Claus should have nothing to do with such celebrations. These holidays are a perfect time to pick up the Holy Quran and other Islamic books and start reading. As the month of December draws to a close, let us also pledge to be better Muslims, insha’ Allah. Our new year’s eve should not be at a bar or a “party”. It should rather be at the prayer rug. If you are thinking of a gathering at your house, consider reading the Holy Quran together and an activity that involves remembrance of Allah as well.

5 Secrets for Handling Difficult Teen Parenting Situations

By Huda

or her name to match that of the adoptive family.

By Barbara McRae, MCC

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said that a person who cares for an orphaned child will be in Paradise with him, and motioned to show that they would be as close as two fingers of a single hand. An orphan himself, Muhammad paid special attention to the care of children. He himself adopted a former slave and raised him with the same care as if he were his own son.

• An adopted child inherits from his or her biological parents, not automatically from the adoptive parents.

The most common issues between parents and teens arise due to poor communication, power struggles and a lack of empathy. If you use the same parenting methods that you did when your teen was a child, you won’t get positive results. You’ll just exhaust your energy.

However, the Qur’an gives specific rules about the legal relationship between a child and his/her adoptive family. The child’s biological family is never hidden; their ties to the child are never severed. The Qur’an specifically reminds adoptive parents that they are not the child’s biological parents: “...Nor has He made your adopted sons your (biological) sons. Such is (only) your (manner of) speech by your mouths. But Allah tells (you) the Truth, and He shows the (right) Way. Call them by (the names of) their fathers; that is juster in the sight of Allah. But if you know not their father’s (names, call them) your brothers in faith, or your trustees. But there is no blame on you if you make a mistake therein. (What counts is) the intention of your hearts. And Allah is Oft-Returning, Most Merciful.” (Qur’an 33:4-5) The guardian/child relationship has specific rules under Islamic law, which render the relationship a bit different than what is common adoption practice today. The Islamic term for what is commonly called adoption is kafala, which comes from a word that means “to feed.” In essence, it describes more of a fosterparent relationship. Some of the rules in Islam surrounding this relationship: • An adopted child retains his or her own biological family name (surname) and does not change his

• When the child is grown, members of the adoptive family are not considered blood relatives, and are therefore not muhrim to him or her. “Muhrim” refers to a specific legal relationship that regulates marriage and other aspects of life. Essentially, members of the adoptive family would be permissible as possible marriage partners, and rules of modesty exist between the grown child and adoptive family members of the opposite sex. • If the child is provided with property/wealth from the biological family, adoptive parents are commanded to take care and not intermingle that property/ wealth with their own. They serve merely as trustees. These Islamic rules emphasize to the adoptive family that they are not taking the place of the biological family -- they are trustees and caretakers of someone else’s child. Their role is very clearly defined, but nevertheless very valued and important. It is also important to note that in Islam, the extended family network is vast and very strong. It is rare for a child to be completely orphaned, without a single family member to care for him or her. Islam places a great emphasis on the ties of kinship -- a completely abandoned child is practically unheard of. Islamic law would place an emphasis on locating a relative to care for the child, before allowing someone outside of the family, much less the community or country, to adopt and remove the child from his or her familial, cultural, and religious roots. This is especially important during times of war, famine, or economic crisis -when families may be temporarily uprooted or divided.

There are five secrets to help you move from conflict to cooperation. Let the acronym - CLEAR - aid you in remembering what they are. 1. Connect Connection is everything. You do that by having rapport. It’s easy to be in rapport when you like your teen. Yet teenagers are often difficult to like. Did you know that liking someone is not a prerequisite for rapport? The ability to find something likable, however, is necessary.

When you empathize, be sincere. Focus on the words and feelings that are given and speak to them. Let your teen know you feel their pain or their joy. Experiencing empathy feels like receiving a hug. Without it, we feel empty and alone. Empathy enhances self-worth and builds harmonious and trustful relationships.

To develop rapport, focus on something you can appreciate about your son or daughter. It can be a physical trait (eye color or bright smile), character trait or talent you can admire. If that feels hard, think back to when your child was an infant or toddler. Focusing on a positive aspect of your teen will build connection and prepare you for your next interaction. Then, notice the difference as you feel more connected and in accord with each other.

4. Acknowledge

2. Listen Before you can be a good listener, you need to be willing to get more information. When you listen without being attached to your own point of view, you can become open and less defensive. I suggest you listen consciously without interrupting. Imagine you are hearing the words from the smartest and most admirable person you know. Identify feelings, resist the impulse to dismiss feelings or give unsolicited advice. Be interested in your teen; don’t make the conversation about you. That would be a turn-off, and over time, you would run the risk of turning your teenager further away, eventually looking for family and “love” in all the wrong places. 3. Empathy Many arguments and much strife would be avoided if you take a moment to step into teens’ shoes, to learn how they perceive their situation. Then, empathize right away. This ability to truly hear and seek to understand causes your teen to feel heard--vital for smooth communications.

Acknowledge your teen’s thoughts, feelings, or complaints; this does NOT mean that you are agreeing with them! You are simply and effectively connecting to them by validating what you heard. Some of you might be tempted to skip this step, so strong is our “need to be right.” Don’t do it! Kids need to feel heard so that they know it’s safe to talk to you. Empathy together with acknowledgement magically combines into a healing balm for the child in the “pain of anger.” Even out-of-control kids will begin to let go of their resistance. 5. Request In coaching teens to success, there is an emphasis on making requests vs. demands. A request is asking someone to do something. When you demand, you paint yourself into a corner. If a demand is declined, it can cause damage to the relationship. Why? Because the biggest stumbling block you’ll run into relates to being controlling. Control leads to resentment and resistance - not cooperation. Here’s an example of a request that states your clear expectation, “I request that you don’t call your sister names or use put-downs. If you have suggestions that you think would be helpful to her, and then say it in a respectful and constructive way.” Teens are more likely to listen when you make a respectful request. If you find that you resort to demanding things, you’re probably letting your frustrations build up and are waiting too long to ask for what you want.

HEALTH

www.AZMuslimVoice.com

DECEMBER 2010

The Truth About hCG for Weight Loss By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD Diets don’t have to be traditional to be effective -but when a weight loss diet involves injections of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), a hormone found in the urine of pregnant women, you better be careful.

impossible to adhere to, and senseless, especially because the clinical trials have demonstrated that hCG is ineffective as a weight loss aid. Since 1975, the FDA has said that hCG is not a weight loss drug. Keep in mind that the FDA doesn’t regulate web sites selling hCG and doesn’t oversee

Two thirds of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. That staggering statistic drives an insatiable appetite for solutions --preferably ones that are quick and easy. Some dieters grow frustrated with slow weight loss and start looking for a quick fix. Like the “lose 30 pounds in 30 days” promise in The Weight Loss Cure ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About that promotes hCG.

Studies show the best diet is the one you can stick with. And there is little chance anyone can stick with this diet plan. Choose a diet that works for your lifestyle, but don’t choose one that requires expensive and worthless hCG.

In theory, the hCG hormone is supposed to suppress hunger and trigger your body’s use of fat for fuel. Most hCG diet plans restrict dieters to only 500 calories per day of mostly organic, unprocessed foods along with the hCG injections or serum drops under the tongue (note: The oral hCG may contain little, if any, hCG). Follow the plan for 45 days straight, you will fix your metabolism, and lose several pounds a day, so the advertisements claim.

Weight of the Evidence Although it may sound like a plausible weight loss plan, the scientific evidence for using hCG is lacking. In 1995, the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology published an analysis of research showing no benefit of hCG in promoting weight loss. A December 2009 position paper of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians concluded they did not recommend hCG as a weight loss aid. Quack Watch.org director Stephen Barrett, MD tells WebMD that “scientific studies have demonstrated that hCG injections do not cause weight loss.” He describes the protocol as extreme, nearly

When calories consumed are so low or close to starvation level, your body not only burns fat, but also muscle mass can be used for fuel. The last thing any dieter needs is to lose precious muscle mass, because that is what keeps your metabolism at its best. Not only will you lose fat and muscle, odds are the weight lost will return and when it does, it usually returns as all fat. The bottom line: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Besides, if losing weight were as simple as promised by the hCG diet, why would the obesity epidemic continue to exist in the U.S.?

How the hCG Diet Works

That’s unlikely, say diet and nutrition experts. You will lose weight on the hCG diets but the weight loss will be the result of the very low-calorie or starvation-like diet, not the hCG.

Minimum calorie levels are closer to 1200-1500 daily to satisfy hunger, fuel daily activities, and provide all the nutrients you need for good health each day.

whether the hCG product you order is safe, free of contaminants, and in the correct concentration. Potential Health Risks Not only will you waste your money on hCG, but there are also potential consequences -- from side effects of the product and self-injections to nutritional deficiencies. It is virtually impossible to meet your nutritional needs for carbohydrates, protein, fats, and fiber with less than 500 calories per day and the diet will most likely result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of nutrition for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

Stigma of Cervical Cancer Puts Ethnic Women at Risk New America Media Viji Sundaram SACRAMENTO— Susan Carrillo of Redlands, Calif., remembers how her husband reacted when he found out she had cervical cancer soon after their second child was born. She was 23 at the time. “He just flipped out when my doctor told him it was a sexually transmitted disease,” recalls Carrillo, who is now 32 and divorced. “Then he began abusing me. After I was cured, he once said, ‘I wish the cancer had killed you.’” The shame and stigma associated with cervical cancer is what makes this disease, usually caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), so difficult to eradicate despite the development of vaccines that are effective and widely available. That was the takeaway message at a conference on the disease organized by the California Medical Association (CMA) Foundation in Sacramento earlier this month. “There’s a certain stigma about cervical cancer that doesn’t exist with other cancers,” says Marlene von Friederichs-Fitzwater, director of the UC Davis Cancer Outreach Research and Education Program. Friederichs-Fitzwater was diagnosed with cervical cancer at age 38, when she was a journalist at the Los Angeles Times. After she was cured, she changed careers and began educating medical students about cancer prevention. Speakers agreed that more parents would be willing to get their daughters vaccinated if the embarrassment surrounding the cause of cervical cancer were reduced.

“Let’s make the cervix equal partners with the breast,” urged Jennifer S. Smith, director of the Cervical CancerFree Initiative at the University of North Carolina. She said cervical cancer should not be characterized as a sexually transmitted disease. The CMA Foundation has launched a cervical cancer education and prevention campaign targeted at women who are at greatest risk, including those with low rates of screening and prevention.

has fielded around 25,600 calls so far. Such public health programs have reduced the incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer in the state. But cancer rates remain higher in black and Hispanic women, says Dr. Gary A. Richwald, a clinical virologist and communicable disease expert in Los Angeles. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that 11and 12-year-old girls be targeted for

professionals should not place too much confidence in it. Pap screening is just as important, they note. Detection remains a challenge, as most HPV infections have no obvious symptoms, Richwald notes. That was the case for Carrillo. She learned she was infected with HPV at age 19, during a routine examination by her ob-gyn to find out if she was pregnant. Because the doctor told her the virus would go away, “I didn’t

Cervical cancer is the tenth-most common form of cancer among California women, according to figures from 2008, the first year statewide data was available. Each year, about 400 women in California die from the disease, says Dr. Eileen Yamada, a public health officer at the California Department of Public Health. In the United States, about 30 percent of sexually active 14- to 19-year-olds are infected with HPV at any given time. In some girls and women, persistent HPV can eventually lead to cervical cancer. If diagnosed early—for example, with a Pap smear—cervical cancer is almost completely curable, but if caught at the most advanced stage the five-year survival rate plunges to as low as 15 to 20 percent. The HPV virus is highly infectious, experts say. Vaccines marketed in the United States protect against four strains of the virus, only two of which are associated with cervical cancer. The L.A. County Public Health Department’s cervical cancer prevention initiative, launched in 2000, has proved highly successful, notes Dr. Rita Singhal, medical director of the department’s Office of Women’s Health. The initiative’s tollfree number, with a multilingual staff,

the vaccine, before most are sexually active and, therefore, before they have been exposed to HPV. Although studies have shown that the HPV vaccine is safe and effective, just one-third of teenagers and young women who start the vaccine process receive all three doses, and almost three-quarters don’t bother to get vaccinated at all, according to data recently presented at the American Association of Cancer Research. Yet despite the vaccine’s effectiveness, experts warn that patients and health

think it was a big deal and didn’t do anything about it,” she says. She had no clue that the cancer was growing in her cervix, until she had a Pap screening four years later. Now cured and healthy, she has joined the National Cervical Cancer Coalition in Los Angeles. She is determined to educate young women, especially immigrants, about how they can protect themselves. “‘Go and get your Pap,’ I tell them. Cervical cancer is preventable.”

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Keema Curry

Ingredients

seasoning to sausage mixture; mix well.

• 1 (16 ounce) package of Hot Roll Mix (or prepared Homemade Pizza Dough .)

3. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface roll one-half of the dough into a 10x8-inch rectangle. Spoon half of the filling over the dough to within 1 inch of all edges. Beginning at one long edge, roll up the dough into a spiral. Moisten and pinch edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling to make a second loaf.

Ingredients

(available in Patak brand)

• 500 grams of Minced Lamb or Minced Ground Beef (Keema)

• 500 ml of Beef Stock

• 1 Onion (finely chopped)

4. Place each loaf, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet. Shape each loaf into a crescent. Using kitchen

• 1 Green Pepper (Hari Mirch) (cut into thin strips)

Directions

• 1 pound Ground Beef (Keema) • 1 cup Green Sweet Peppers or Red Sweet Peppers (finely chopped) • ½ cup Onion (chopped) • 1 cup (4 ounces) of Mozzarella Cheese (shredded) • 1 Egg White • 2 tsp. Sesame Seeds (Til) • 1 tsp. Dried Italian Seasoning (crushed) • 1 tsp. Water Directions 1. Prepare hot roll mix according to package directions for rolls through the kneading step. Cover; let rest. 2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a large skillet cook sausage, sweet pepper, and onion until ground beef is brown and vegetables are tender. Drain any fat. Pat with paper towels to remove additional fat. Add mozzarella cheese and Italian

5. scissors, snip the top of each loaf in 3 places. Cover and let rise in a warm place about 20 minutes or until nearly doubled. Or prepare Homemade Pizza Dough . 6. Just before baking, combine egg white and water. Brush the egg white mixture over the tops of the loaves. Sprinkle 7. with sesame seed. 8. Bake dough in a 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes or until bread is golden brown. Cut each loaf into 6 slices; serve warm.

• 2 Green Chillies (Hari Mirch) (finely chopped) • 1 tsp. of Ginger Root (Adrak) (freshly grated) • 2 cloves of Garlic (Lehsan) (finely chopped) • 1 tin of Tomatoes • 1 tsp. of Turmeric Powder (Pisi Haldi) • 1 ½ tsp. of Ground Cumin (Pisa Zeera) • 4 tbsp. of Medium Balti Paste

• 2 tbsp. of Cooking Oil 1. In a frying pan, heat some oil. Add onion and fry until they are well soft. 2. Add in minced lamb or minced beef and fry gently for at least 10 minutes or until brown. 3. Add in the garlic, chilli and green pepper, and fry for a further 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger, tumeric and cumin and continue frying for another 2 minutes. 4. Add the balti paste and fry for yet another 2 minutes. Mix in the tinned tomatoes and add the beef stock. Bring to the boil and then simmer without the lid for at least one hour.

CALENDAR / ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Phoenix Prayer Times

DECEMBER 2010

Tucson Prayer Times

December 2010 • Dhul- Hijjah / Muharram 1431 H

DIRECTIONS TO THE ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER CEMETERY

ISLAMIC WEEKEND SCHOOLS Islamic Community Center of Phoenix:

Sunday at 9:45 am-1:20 pm.

Islamic Cultural Center:

Sunday at 10:00 am

Muslim Community Mosque:

Sunday at 10:00 am until 2:30 pm.

Masjid Omar

Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm.

ICNEV Weekend Islamic School

Tel: (480) 346-2081Classes held on Sunday

FROM THE ISLAMIC CULTURAL CENTER (ICC):

Check our website for up to date information www.tempemasjid.com

1) Go South on Forest to University Drive. Turn right. 2) Go West on University to the I-10 highway. Take I-10 East. 3) Proceed on I-10 East (~12 Miles). Exit at Queen Creek Rd. (EXIT #164). 4) Turn right on route 347 South. Proceed for about 14 miles. 5) Turn right on route 238 West. Proceed for about 8.7 miles. 6) Turn right on unnamed/unpaved street after you see the street sign which reads “36 miles” and proceed to the cemetery.

K thru’ grade 12 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. ACA Weekend School

Sunday 10:00 am-1:15 pm. www.azacademy.org/weekend

Sultan Education in Chandler

Saturdays & Sundays - children/adults 480-593-7066

Greenway Islamic Academy

Tajweed, Islamic Studies, & Arabic Language 602-565-0500

IN CASE OF DEATH • Call Sandy at Angel’s Burial, at 480-962-6435 • Total cost is $1,800.00

COLORING CONTEST November Winner Salam Faruk Send your coloring to the Muslim Voice to enter the drawing for the best picture.

Hint: If the paper is too thin to color, make a Xerox copy then color it. Ages 3-12, please send a picture of yourself.

COLORING CONTEST FOR KIDS

ISLAMIC CENTERS IN ARIZONA

PHOENIX Arizona Cultural Academy 7810 S. 42nd Pl. • Phoenix 602-454-1222 Islamic Center of Arizona 9032 N. 9th St. • Phoenix

Islamic Center of N. Phoenix 13246 N. 23rd Ave. 85029 602-371-3440 Islamic Comnty Ctr of Phx 7516 N. Black Canyon Hwy. Phoenix • 602-249-0496 Muslim Community Mosque 1818 N. 32nd St. • Phoenix 602-306-4959 Masjid Al-Rahmah 2645 E. McDowell Rd. • Phoenix 602-275-5493 Masjid Muhammad Ibn Abdullah

5648 N. 15th ave. Phoenix, AZ 85015 602-413-5279

Name:

Age:

Phone: #

December 2010

Al Rasoul Mosque 5302 N. 35th Ave. • Phoenix 602-864-1817

CHANDLER Masjid AsSalam 1071 N. Alma School Rd.• Chandler 480-250-7522

PEORIA Greenway Islamic Center 6724 West Greenway • Peoria, Islamic Center of East Valley AZ www.greenwaymasjid.com 425 N. Alma School Dr. • Chandler TEMPE 602-388-9900 Islamic Comnty Ctr of Tempe 131 E. 6th Street • Tempe LAVEEN 480-894-6070 Islamic Center of Laveen P.O. Box 1107 • Laveen Masjid Al Mahdi 602-361-4401 1016 S. River Dr. • Tempe 480-557-9699 MARICOPA Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah Masjid Omar Bin Al-Khattab 44240 W. Maricopa/Casa6225 S.McClintock • Tempe Granda Hwy 480-775-6627 Maricopa Arizona 85139 contact# (602)312-7913 MESA Masjid-el-Noor CASA GRANDE 55 N. Matlock • Mesa Masjid Sajda is located c/o: 480-644-0074 The Legacy Suites 540 North Cacheris Court SCOTTSDALE Casa Grande`, Arizona 85122 Islamic Center of N.E. Valley 480.332.8618 12125 E. Via Linda • Scottsdale 480-612-4044