Muslim Voice Jan. 2013 by Arabesque Media & Breek Media

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Anti-Islam Law Denied By Laura Fawaz, Lansing, MI.– Last week, Muslims nationwide were urged to take action against HB 4769, better known as the Anti-Islam Legislation. S t a t e Legislator Dave Agema, a Republican from Michigan, was the state representative behind this bill, and actively pushing for it to pass during Michigan’s lame duck session. CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, had their state-wide chapters calling on “all people of conscience” to urge their state governors “to veto the biased bill which is among those that seek to impose governmentsanctioned discrimination on Continued on page

Iraqi Refugees in US

Carry Memories of War By Ashlee Rezin, CHICAGO -- A fragile sense of security often robs Zuhair Sulaiman of the luxury of a good night’s sleep. “The fear is embedded inside,” he said in Arabic at a meeting at Arab American Family Services in Bridgeview, Ill., just outside Chicago. Along with more than 700,000 Palestinian Arabs, who abandoned their homes, his family fled to Iraq when Israel was born in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. He lived in Iraq as a Palestinian refugee with no citizenship papers for 54 years before applying to come to the United States as a refugee. Now, living in Chicago as an Iraqi refugee, Sulaiman, 58, is grateful to be in a safe and secure country, but nightly dreams of death, and fears for his children when they leave the house. “I saw too many things in Iraq; too many dead bodies, too many dead children, too many heads cut off in the street and too much blood.” But here he faces new struggles—many of them not unlike those faced by others seeking sanctuary in America. He struggles with poverty because of the limited help offered by the U.S. government. He struggles to pay the government back for his family’s flight to America. And he struggles to find his feet in a place that’s so different from what he’s always known. Living in the Al-Waleed refugee camp in Iraq, near the border with Syria and the Al-Tanf crossing, Sulaiman applied to come to the United States through the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). With the help of World Relief-Chicago, Sulaiman, his wife Allaay, and their five children, who were born into refugee status in Iraq, were relocated to various areas of Chicago in 2010. Sulaiman now lives with his wife and three of his children in the North Side Chicago neighborhood of Albany Park. “I am a double refugee and a person without a land,” said Sulaiman. He said Iraq doesn’t recognize him as a citizen, took away his papers and treated him as a low member of society. And since Palestinians do not have their own country, and there is no passport stamped “Palestine,” he is a man without a place to call home. As refugees, he and his family

Growing Up In ‘The World’s Largest Jail’ New America Media, News Report, Peter Schurmann SAN FRANCISCO – A series of drawings is spread across the table in front of Ayman Nijim. One of them, in hues of yellow and blue, shows a row of helmeted stick figures – the Star of David carefully traced above each – bearing machine guns with a tank to their rear. On the side is a wall smeared in red and brown. “Do you see those dots?” asks Nijim, 29, a community-based mental health worker in the Gaza Strip, as he points to a flurry of pencil marks

Vol.19 Issue No.196

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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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Tariq Ramadan:

Muslims must help change the US for the better The existence of Muslims in the United States has become a reality that cannot be ignored. Every day, Muslim Americans are found saving lives in hospitals and operating rooms,investing millions of dollars in Wall Street, and winning highprofile cases in the courtrooms. However, a question still remains, are they capable of accomplishing more? This is the idea that was tackled by Islamic Horizons Magazine—which is published by the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)—in its NovemberDecember 2011 issue, during their interview with Professor Tariq Ramadan, who is a prominent Islamic thinker, dubbed by some to be the Martin Luther of Islam. Areas of Muslim involvement As usual, Ramadan began his interview by stating what should be of Muslims in light of the reality they are undergoing in the United States—even if it is not as it seems. He stated that Muslims should be involved in the mainstream and refrain from talking about themselves as a minority, because citizens are not a minority. They share the same responsibilities as any other American citizen. They have the responsibility to change society for the better. However, he stated that there are challenges and dangers. Muslims are working with those who sometimes forget about God and the essentials of ethics. They are sometimes driven by the love of power or money. According to him, the challenge is to be equipped, and to remember that once a Muslim becomes involved in

society, they must be equipped with knowledge of their religion; to know their priorities. He ensured that firstly, Muslims in the United States, Canada, and some European countries are reaching the contribution phase. A Muslim’s spirituality is their philosophy of life. Everything for a Muslim has a

justice—not just for them, but for everyone. Muslims need to struggle for their rights and the rights of the poor and marginalized. The forth area of involvement is the environment, art, and entertainment in addition to gender issues. Ramadan asserted that Muslim women are much more involved in

meaning and an objective. Therefore, it is important for the Muslims’ contributions to show their sense of spirituality, ethics, values, and respect for human beings, both male and female. Secondly, Muslims need to be involved in education. They need to be involved in the public school system as teachers, students, and parents. The third area that Muslims need to be involved in, according to Ramadan, is civil rights. They need to know civil rights and civil

this field then men. They are the driving force behind the potential of positive reform in the future. Muslim leaders With regards to the integration of Muslims into Western society, Tariq Ramadan stated that Muslims should refrain from using the world ‘integration’ and have a sense of belonging in their society. However, they should be careful of being lost on the ‘common society’. Ramadan believes that Muslims should have a vision in line with the

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Quran, hadiths (Prophetic sayings), and Sunnah (Prophetic traditions). They must have a daily practice of religion, especially when involves if social activities. According to him, they must pay heed to the people surrounding them; their ethics and morality. In order for Muslim to become better leaders, they must have an understanding of two major aspects. The first is a deep understanding of their Islamic tradition. The second aspect is the understanding of American history and American narrative. Once Muslims acquire these understandings, the presence of Muslims needs to be institutionalized. Ramadan stated that Muslims need institutions to train their imams, students, scholars, and intellectuals, pointing out that this is a multilateral strategy with a vision to help them set their priorities and to better contribute to their society. Ramadan stated that American Muslims today need to be involved in the spiritual trends, interfaith dialogues, politics, domestic issues, social justice, and healthcare, not only on a national level, but at an international level as well—they need to contribute on a worldwide scale. Finally he reiterated that Muslims should be intellectually, financially, and spiritually independent, with a sense of courage, because according to him the Prophet (PBUH) and his companions were able to change the world because of their sense of courage and spiritual understanding.

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America’s Demographic Destiny Aging Fast, But Unprepared Physician’s Money Digest/New America Media, News Analysis, Eric Anderson, MD SAN DIEGO--The U.S. population is growing steadily older, and just as the country isn’t prepared for such a large, older population, individuals are overwhelmingly underprepared, according to the speakers at this year’s Gerontological Society of America (GSA) meeting held here earlier this month. Steven P. Wallace of the Center for Health Policy Research at the University of California, Los Angeles, cut to the chase, stating, “This is the first era in history in wealthy countries where most children born will live to see the age 65.” Speaking to general press and ethnic media journalists attending the conference, Wallace added, “Last year the first baby boomers — born 1946 — turned age 65, which is the start of what will be a rapid doubling of the elderly population.” How rapid? America’s elderly population will double to 81 million by the year 2040. And as an 80-yearold retired geriatrician, I see little evidence we are ready for them. Also addressing the reporters was Robert Harootyan, manager of research at Senior Service America, Inc. He views the way that boomers are adding 72 to 78 million to the U.S.

population over the next 18 years as the way a pig passes through a python. (His audience smiled at his terminology, perhaps because they are not yet that old.) 24 Percent of Boomers Have No Savings Harootyan’s research has found that 60 percent of boomers lack the confidence they will live comfortably even as many of the gerontologists at GSA’s 65th annual meeting dwell on how unsteady the old “three-legged stool of retirement” has become. The original three legs were employer pensions, personal savings and Social Security. But retirement today for those growing exceptionally older may necessitate a fourth leg: working longer. Harootyan has 40 years of research experience related to aging populations. The most surprising part of his research, he said, is “that 24 percent of the elderly have nothing, nothing, in personal savings!” I wasn’t surprised that bothered him. I hadn’t realized before this meeting how many gerontologists were also sociologists and political scientists. Their concerns are not necessarily those of economists. They are disturbed by the thought that raising the eligibility age to 67 will give people living in poverty two more years before they get financial assistance for their health care. To critics who say some older people

should surely have saved for their retirement and didn’t, Harootyan replied, “We have heard the comment, ‘Age may not bring wisdom.’ A young fool can become an old fool — but it is what it is, and the poverty level for a single person is just below $11,170 a year!” Many gerontologists making presentations to the reporters pointed to the confusing and inaccurate stories constantly circulating in the media. “Communicating the truth about Social Security and Medicare to the public is a task of Sisyphean proportions,“ said Michael Hiltzik, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who has written on public policy for three decades for the Los Angeles Times. (I wonder if maybe physicians serving elders would consider it easier to roll a boulder up a hill where at the top it always falls back down than practicing geriatrics in the trenches today.) Social Security Projections “Nonsense” Now a business columnist for the Times, Hiltzik holds that projections over the next 20 years for Social Security are “nonsense.” You can’t plan that far ahead because you can’t tell what the world will be like in 20 years. Who 20 years ago could have

predicted Google’s arrival, Apple’s success or even the needs of the U.S. Defense Department, he asked. The only way to make an impact on Medicare, he said — ominously for physicians — is to tackle issues outside the program, namely overall health care costs. Hiltzik, author of The New Deal: A Modern History (Free Press, 2011) believes he sees some improvements there, for example, in less use of nursing homes and less redundancy, but he still believes there is excessive spending in health care. Physicians need to question economists on that. Indeed, another presenter to the reporters, Elizabeth Isele, co-founder of SeniorEntrepreneurshipWorks.org, said she has a similar comment for journalists and school children: “What questions did you ask today?” One of the more experienced journalists in the audience, Warren Wolfe, an award-winning staff writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune and co-founder of the Journalists Network on Generations, spoke out maybe in writers’ defense: “If you think you have the answers, you’re probably wrong!” We are, however, right in this: We now have 7 billion people living on Earth, a rising proportion of them over the age of 65 — and we’re all going to need help treating them for illness.

Blacks Still Go Hungry The Afro, News Report, Freddie Allen As millions of families gather for marathon eating sessions across the nation this holiday season, Black families will worry about where their next meal is coming from at a rate that is twice that of Whites, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While the national rate for food insecurity – defined as “disrupted eating patterns, reduced food intake and skipping meals entirely” – was 14.9 percent, Black households experienced food insecurity at a 25.1 percent rate, compared with White households with a rate of 11.4 percent. A recent report by the United States Department of Agriculture found that one in four Black households will be forced to choose between paying bills or paying for food and 1 in 10 will be forced to skip meals. Black children living in food insecure homes also fared worse than other groups. According to Department of Agriculture figures released in September, the national average for children living with food insecurity was 10 percent. For Black children, however, the rate was 14.6 percent – more than twice the rate for White children at 6.7 percent. Brian Banks, director of Public Policy and Community Outreach for the Capital Area Food Bank, said that

he was stunned to see one of his neighbors looking for help at a food pantry in Prince George’s County, Md., the wealthiest Black county in the nation, hit hard with foreclosures during the recession. Banks said that his neighbor told him after paying all of his other bills, there was simply nothing left to put food on the table. “You talk about how [food insecurity] can happen to anybody you read these reports that say, ‘It can happen to anybody’ and then you see it happen to a person that you know and it really hits home,” Banks said. The USDA study reported that only 57 percent of food-insecure families accessed one of the mostused federally funded food programs (WIC, SNAP and free or reduced-price school lunch) and only 56 percent of the families that were forced to skip meals entirely received aid. “People think the program is for someone else,” Banks said. As the Prince George’s County, Md. example illustrates, the face of hunger is changing as more middleclass families with luxury carsand expensive mortgages scramble to meet their basic necessities. Bread for the World, a Christian group that fights hunger in the

United States and around the world, often leans on lawmakers to craft policies that reduce poverty and provide support to families in need. Derek Boykins, the associate for

African American Outreach at Bread for the World, said that it’s important to realize the power of advocacy. And he said that will become increasingly important as Congress weights making cuts in social programs to avoid going off what is called a fiscal cliff. “We do have power in terms of using our voice to urge our members of Congress to protect certain programs,” Boykins said. Banks also urges residents to talk to their legislators and to share their personal stories and struggles with poverty and hunger. Banks said that lawmakers campaign

on the promise to help people. And they need to keep that promise now more than ever. According to their Web site, the Capital Area Food Bank “distributes 30 million pounds of food annually, half of which is fresh produce; 84,000 pounds of food daily and 500,000 pounds each week.” CAFB also works with local food pantries throughout the Washington Metropolitan area to offer an array of services including healthy eating courses and help navigating the thorny process of applying for federal food and nutrition assistance programs. Bread for the World, the Capital Area Food Bank and similar groups push lawmakers to fund programs such as Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as essential in the fight against hunger. Boykins of Bread for the World said: “It’s important to remember the grandmother, the grandchildren our brothers and sisters that have fallen on hard times and need our support to help keep them out of poverty, support that will ensure that they have food on their tables and support that will ensure that they are food secure not insecure.”

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Anti-Islam Law Denied followers of a minority faith.” Bill HB 4769 was officially denied Monday. “We welcome the decision

of the MI GOP House leadership for not bringing to the floor for vote the

so-called ‘anti-Sharia bill’ against the wishes of one of its own influential party members,” said CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid. Rep. Agema, who has a history of making controversial comments relating to Muslims, recently s t a t e d , “We have the largest concentration of Muslims in the state in the Dearborn area. I know we have (sleeper) cells there. That is what I really want to get at.” Rep. Agema is known to not back down from such comments. In an interview with the Grand Rapids Press, in his explanation of why he feels the bill is important, he said,

HAJI BABA

“They (Muslims) want specific laws applied to their specific groups … They do not want to be under our law.” Though Agema is term limited and will not be able to formally reintroduce this or any such legislation in the future, he was however voted this year to serve as the Republican National Committeeman for Michigan. “We hope that the MI GOP will continue to eschew any antiIslam and anti-immigrant views while Agema serves as National Committeeman for their party,” said Walid.

Robert K. Lewis, Esq.

In 2011 a new resolution was passed to oppose such bills that target an entire group of people based on their faith. It was passed by the American Bar Association (ABA), and says, “Initiatives that target an entire religion or stigmatize an entire religious community, such as those explicitly aimed at ‘Sharia law,’ are inconsistent with some of the core principles and ideals of American jurisprudence.” So far, anti-Muslim laws have been adopted in Arizona, Louisiana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, and Kansas

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Iraqi-American Family Caught in Sanctions Nightmare PRI’s The World, News Report, Anna Boiko-Weyrauch Photo: Shakir Hamoodi and his family. (Photo Courtesy of Hamoodi Family) Editor’s Note: An Iraqi-American named Shakir Hamoodi used to run a gourmet food market in Columbia, Missouri. Now, he’s in a federal prison in Kansas. He’s charged with sending money tohis relatives in Iraq in the 1990s, violating US sanctions. Hamoodi’s family is now petitioning President Obama for relief. During the first war with Iraq, the Gulf War that started in 1990, President George Bush appeared on TV. He said, “We have no argument with the people of Iraq.” At the time, Iraq was under U.N. sanctions. Meanwhile in Columbia, Missouri, Lamya Najem and her husband, Shakir Hamoodi, had migrated to the U.S. They heard Bush on TV— and thought they understood what he said. Today, Najem looks back, resigned. She said, “I was never imagine that helping others is breaking the law.” In 1990, U.S. sanctions prohibited money transfers to Iraq. Earlier this year, Najem’s husband, Hamoodi, began serving three years in prison for violating those rules by sending money to his relatives in Iraq—and helping other Iraqis in Missouri do the same. Over nine years, the transfers added up, to nearly $300,000. Najem said the idea came in 1992, when her brother-in-law called from Iraq. They expected news about a new baby. “And then they said no, the baby, we lost the baby,” she said. They asked why. What happened?

“They did not want to tell us first,” Najem said. “And then when we kept asking they told us that, ‘Yeah, because she had infection and we could not find the medicine for her.’” Hamoodi’s sister-in-law couldn’t afford $10 antibiotics to treat an infection and prevent a miscarriage. Najem said she and her husband had to help. “You can never enjoy the life

U.S. officials argue that Hamoodi chose to skirt the rules instead of sending aid legally. Don Ledford is a spokesman for the Department of Justice, which prosecuted the case. He read an excerpt from an official statement. “When cash is transferred across international borders, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to trace its

and sit and be happy, and you know that your family they are suffering.” When Hamoodi started sending money in 1994, he knew it was illegal. Hamoodi couldn’t speak from prison for this story. But Inside Columbia Magazine interviewed him this summer. In that interview, Hamoodi said, “I felt obligated and responsible to extend a hand of compassionate and mercy to my family in Iraq. So I was sending them some relief funds so as they could buy food and medicine locally there.” No one has ever proved that Hamoodi’s money supported Saddam Hussein’s government. But

destination,” he read. “There is no way to know whether those funds wind up in the hands of terrorists or innocent family members. For that reason, the very act of smuggling funds in violation of U.S. sanctions is necessarily a crime.” Hamoodi, Ledford said, chose to commit a federal crime and the court justly sentenced him. With Hamoodi now in prison, his family is stumbling through life without him. Najem, Hamoodi’s wife, teaches Arabic to secondgraders. She has never been apart from her husband for so long. “We were always together,” she said. “He’s always there to help me,

support me. So, he’s a big part of my life.” Hamoodi’s oldest son, Owais AbdulKafi, is in medical school and now also runs the gourmet grocery store his father started. He thinks his father’s case is ridiculous. “Makes no sense,” he said. “You’re taking a very productive citizen, a very highly educated person, who did a noble and humanitarian deed, you’re imprisoning him.” Hamoodi’s 15-year-old son, AbdulRahman Abdul-Kafi, also feels his father’s absence. “Usually we would sit as a family after prayer and talk, just say what happened that day and stuff like that,” he said. It made the day “finish at a good rate.” Craig Van Matre is a pro-bono lawyer in Columbia working for Hamoodi. He flipped through a petition that asks Obama to shorten the sentence. It has thousands of signatures and letters from people Hamoodi has helped. But Van Matre said his petition is a long shot. Obama has only commuted one sentence in his term. “There are literally thousands of people clamoring for the president’s attention,” Van Matre said. “And penetrating that noise to single out this one case is going to be a very, very difficult task.” Hamoodi’s son, Abdul-Kafi, said, “We believe that God kind of tests us. It’s kind of a test of how faithful and resilient we are.” In an email, a Justice Department official said Hamoodi’s petition application is being considered, but could not estimate when there would be a decision.

Holiday Remittance: Caring for Family Abroad Iexaminer.org, News Report, Ling Ling Zhang As the holiday draws close, more and more Asian immigrants are getting involved with one of their traditions: sending money to their family abroad. Lisa Gao is among this group. Since immigrating to the U.S. from TianJin, China more than seven years ago, she has worked as a waitress, a cashier and now as a nanny for a 5-year-old boy. Right after Thanksgiving, she busied herself on Black Friday with genuine enthusiasm. “It’s a good day to save through the entire year. Saving is always a good thing especially when you have a family to take care of in your home country.” Lisa says. Work hard, save hard, and then send the hard-won money to family abroad is one of ethics many Asian Americans hold. This strong value seems to have paid off despite the economic downturn that has swept through the country in recent years. Lisa’s parents, both in their 60s, live in China. As the first child of a large family, Lisa learned to take responsibility from an early age. “I want [my family] to be proud of me

and feel taken care of. And I did it. They know I am doing good here just from the money I send to them every year,” Lisa says, her eyes sparkling. “It’s not only about money, it’s a way of showing caring and your sufficiency, and making yourself feel good by taking care of your family. Therefore, your relationship does grow stronger.” Sending money has never been easier. Now, more and more financial services accommodate this trend and immigrants’ needs for sending money to their home country, such as Western Union, ATMCASH, MoneyGram and PayPal, owned by eBay. Exactly how much impact does the sending of money overseas have? According to the World Bank, 215 million international migrants transferred about $372 billion to developing countries in 2011, up from $332 billion in 2010. By 2014, remittances will reach $399 million in 2012, and $467 billion by 2014, according bank projections. Wall Street Journal this fall published the article, “Migrants cash keeps flowing home,” illustrating how overseas remittance has helped to strengthen the economies of developing countries, particularly in this era of global economic hardship. The reporter asserts: “Remittances remain a key source of hard currency for

developing countries, often outstripping foreign direct investment and foreign aid.” James Johnson, 37, is a freelance writer and former bank employee from Olympia. “I have seen [remittance payments] numerous times working in the banking industry,” he says. “My co-workers and I felt it was very caring to work hard to send your money back home. The only thing that concerns me is local payroll money leaving the country rather than benefitting the local community.” Others believe the benefit to the immigrant’s home country can circle back to the U.S., as increased buying power in those countries could lead to an increased demand for Americanmade products. “With the help of the money, our living situation gets improved and we therefore are able to purchase some imported goods such as electronics that are beyond our budget before,” said John Gao, Lisa’s husband, who was able to immigrate to the U.S. with the aid of his wife. And, according to a report from the Immigration Policy Center supports this- “States like California with large immigration populations likely benefit

from remittances abroad because of an increase demand in U.S. exports.” As this inflow of cash improves the standard of living in the recipient countries, those benefitting appear to adjust their values accordingly. Many families including Lisa’s, would rather gather together and share each other’s company than live apart for any economic reason. “My parents called me not long ago, saying that they really hope I can fly back to see them,” Lisa says. “They also said that they are doing better financially now, and really don’t care if I send money to them or not. I know things have been changing. But … I feel touched by my family’s response, and feel they care more about me as a person.” Lisa’s story and the stories of others like hers demonstrate that there is more to this trend than the numbers. In the end, what matters most is that hard-working, dutiful people have found a way to turn their good fortune in immigrating here into good fortune for their entire families.

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Nearly 205K Deportations of Parents of U.S. Citizens in Just Over Two Years WASHINGTON – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Director John Morton on Friday announced that the agency had deported 409,849 individuals in 2012. ICE has also decided not to renew any of its agreements with state and local law enforcement agencies that operate task forces under the 287(g) program. ICE has concluded that other enforcement programs, including Secure Communities, are a more efficient use of resources for focusing on priority cases. Of the 409,849 individuals

removed this year, approximately 55 percent were convicted of felonies or misdemeanors. This includes 1,215 people convicted of homicide; 5,557 people convicted of sexual offenses; 40,448 people convicted for crimes involving drugs; and 36,166 people convicted for driving under the influence. ICE also issued new national detainer guidelines that restrict the use of detainers against individuals arrested for minor misdemeanor offenses such as traffic offenses. The guidelines, which are meant to underscore the administration’s focus on removing convicted criminals from the country, are applicable to all ICE enforcement programs, including Secure Communities. “Hiding in the fine print of the announcement,” according to Reshma Shamasunder, executive director of the California Immigrant Policy Center, “are significant loopholes that mean that in practice, the [Secure Communities] program will continue to undermine community confidence in law enforcement and will continue to result in unjust detentions of aspiring citizens (or citizens, for that matter.)” For example, she said, “The guidelines do not reflect our cherished value of due process - of the right to a day in court -and rely on a pre-conviction model that will still trap survivors of domestic violence and other crime victims and witnesses in deportations. The guidelines also continue to confuse criminal matters with immigration violations, meaning many people who aspire to become citizens but have previously been hurt by dysfunctional immigration policies will continue to be held for deportation.” Shamasunder called for swift passage of the TRUST Act, the California bill introduced by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano, that would limit ICE hold requests. Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, called the deportation number “a dubious accomplishment.” “Unfortunately, the Department of Homeland Security surpassed its own record high bar for deportations in the last fiscal year,” noted Noorani. “Instead of spending our limited resources on deportations, we need laws that strengthen our families, our communities and our economy. Leaders from across the political spectrum are urging Congress to take action, and these numbers highlight the desperate need for change.”

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“West should change stance on Iran for positive outcome of talks” Tehran: There can be positive outcome of the talks between Iran and P5+1 group provided the western countries change their stance on Iran and make their approach positive towards the Islamic Republic. This was said by a senior Iranian lawmaker during the talks on Saturday who wants to see positive approach by the west towards Iran. Mehdi Sanaei, a member of the Iranian Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee and Head of the Iranian Center for Russia, Central Asia and Caucasus Studies, stated, “Usually positive stances are declared, but at the same time serious negative signals are sent and new sanctions” are imposed against Iran. He added that such contradictions overshadow hopes for achieving positive results at the talks. Iran and the P5+1 group (Britain, China, France, Russia, and the US plus Germany) have held several rounds of talks with the main focus being Iran’s nuclear energy program. The Iranian lawmaker also stated that the “biggest” obstacle to achieving results in the talks is the West’s “incorrect” approach. “They (West) simultaneously use the policy of carrot and stick and the policy of pressure and negotiations,”

Sanaei said. The United States, the Israeli regime and some of their allies have repeatedly accused Iran of pursuing non-civilian objectives in its nuclear energy program. At the beginning of 2012, the United States and the European Union imposed new sanctions on Iran’s oil and financial sectors with the goal of preventing other countries from purchasing Iranian oil and conducting transactions with the Central Bank of Iran. On December 13, the US Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on seven Iranian companies and five nuclear experts for what they described as contribution to the country’s nuclear energy program. Iran argues that as a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it is entitled to develop and acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. However, Israel and the US, being the real enemies of Iran, have been propagating Iran as a threat to the west even though they have failed to produce any solid evidence against the peaceful Iranian nuclear energy program.

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www.AZMuslimVoice.co3 (PTSD) and depression are serious problems for Iraqi refugees, Hilado added. Hearing sirens on the street or the sound of a plane overhead can trigger an intrusive flashback. “A person is not going to thrive in any of the resettlement programs that we offer if they are constantly having flashbacks or thoughts of suicide as a result of depression,” she said. Sulaiman and his wife attend weekly therapy sessions through Heartland Alliance’s International Family, Adult, and Child Enhancement Services (FACES), in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. He said he needs help adjusting to the freedom he feels in the U.S. He isn’t used to being able to go out into the streets without being hurt or “found.” He and his family can’t believe they’ve finally reached a place of safety. “Iraqi refugees experience extreme shell-shock when they get here,” said Itedal Shalabi, founder and executive director of Arab American Family Services (AAFS). “How can you send someone to find a job when he or she has a mental illness and they need help to stabilize?” Shalabi said the resources available to refugees are often good in theory, but executed poorly. “Refugees’ expectations are very high based off what the American government promised them, but the response is not always as dignified as it should be; a lot of them are left to fend with inadequate furniture and clothing, mental health issues, children trying to adjust to new schools and parents who don’t know their rights because they come from countries where they had none.” “Things are given to refugees when they first arrive, but often they are given fish and not taught how to fish,” said Shalabi.

Iraqi Refugees in US Carry Memories of War received assistance from the U.S. government when they arrived, but were eventually forced to seek aid on their own. Sulaiman found help at the non-profit organization Arab American Family Services, but he says more could be done to assist the refugees. After the 2003 start of the Iraq war, the Palestine population in Iraq, an estimated 34,000 people according to UNHCR, decreased by almost half. When Baghdad was attacked, many Palestinians fled to the nearest noman’s land, a desert area along the Syrian border, and set up camp. Al-Waleed was formally recognized as a refugee camp in 2006 and by 2009 it had more than 1,500 Palestinian residents who fled or were expelled from Baghdad. The conditions that Sulaiman and his family faced living in tents at AlWaleed were dire. Temperatures fell below freezing in the winter and rose above 122 degrees in the summer, scorpions and snakes ran rampant, sandstorms were common and the nearest hospital was four hours away. The toll of life there was both physical and mental. “There were bombs everywhere. We lived in fear of death,” he said. “Iraq was very bad,” said Dr. Edith Szanto, who teaches at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimani. Szanto is also a volunteer with FirstStage, a program that teaches reading and writing to Arab children in the Qalawa refugee camp in Iraq’s autonomous region of Sulaimani. She said refugees in Iraq are often viewed as gypsies, and a sense of hopelessness often leads children to take up begging and prostitution. “Iraqis’ and Iraqi refugees’ problems, such as depression and paranoia,

are deep-seated social problems,” she said. “If a poor mental state is not the result of the Iraq war, it’s from the 10 years of U.N. sanctions before that, and then before that there were the 10 years of the Iranian-Iraq war; these people have not seen normal lives for decades.” Last year, more than 56,000 refugees arrived in the U.S., and 598 Iraqi refugees resettled in Illinois, according to the U.S. Department of Human Services. Over a span of 20 years, Illinois has welcomed approximately 3,700 Iraqi refugees. For the fiscal year 2012, the State Department provided a one-time payment of $1,100 per refugee upon arrival in Illinois. Refugees arriving in the U.S. are placed with a resettlement agency, such as World Relief-Chicago, that has signed a cooperative agreement with the State Department. The affiliates are responsible for assuring that the refugees receive aid for the first 30 to 90 days after arrival, arranging for services such as food, housing, clothing, employment services and follow-up medical care. Income eligible single adult refugees, and married couples without children, are eligible for Refugee Cash and Medical Assistance, from the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Department of Health and Human Services (ORR), for eight months from the date of arrival. Families with children are eligible for Transitional Aid for Needy Families (TANF) for up to five years. Eligibility criteria for these services often parallel the state’s Medicaid programs. Refugees must pay for the cost of their plane ticket, though. The U.S. government is reimbursed for the costs expended of the refugees’

flights by the refugees’ sponsor agencies. These agencies then set up payment plans for the refugees. Sulaiman said when he resettled in Illinois in 2010 the U.S. provided every member of his family $900. He received two months of aid from World Relief-Chicago before they “took their hand away.” Now he pays about $50 a month to cover a $5,000 debt for the plane tickets that brought him and his family to Chicago. Once World Relief-Chicago stopped supporting Sulaiman and his family, he had to seek out aid from a social service agency. One of his married daughters was resettled in Bridgeview, Ill., just outside Chicago, and through word-ofmouth he was able to reach out to Arab American Family Services, for services such as English-language tutoring. He and his wife are also seeing a therapist though Heartland Alliance. “A refugee doesn’t become a refugee because they want to. No one chooses to be a refugee. These are individuals who are ousted from their countries because they can’t rely on their government to protect them,” said Aimee Hilado, Ph.D., manager of Clinical Social Work and Wellness Services at RefugeeOne, an independent non-profit refugee resettlement agency in Chicago. “We would see clients in English classes unable to concentrate, feeling very anxious and not wiling to come to class (because of depression or paranoia), when we know that they need the language to get the job,” she said. “Flashbacks from trauma can infiltrate and negatively influence a refugee’s ability to thrive in their environment.” Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Education Fights Rohingya Prejudice CAIRO - Looked down by their neighbors in their homeland and host countries, an educational center has been established in Malaysia to educate Rohingya Muslims and equip them with knowledge and self-belief. “We came up with the initiative as we felt that the community as a whole had been going through this stigma of being inferior among other communities in Malaysia, Ahmad Azam Ab Rahman, chairman of the Future Global Network (FGN), a Malaysian NGO, told New Straits Times on Tuesday, December 25. The FGN has established an educational center in Batu Belah to educate Rohingya Muslims living in Malaysia.Rohingya Muslims...An Open Wound “Our aim is to instill confidence in their children through basic education, Ahmad said. So that they will be able to survive and hold their heads up high when

they are equipped to look for a living in the country. Described by the UN as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities, Bengali-ethnic Muslims, known as Rohingyas, have been facing a catalogue of discrimination in their homeland Burma. They have been denied citizenship rights since an amendment to the citizenship laws in 1982 and are treated as illegal immigrants in their own home. The Burmese government as well as the Buddhist majority refuse to recognize the term “Rohingya”, referring to them as “Bengalis”. Hundreds of Rohingya Muslims take risky journeys by sea to neighboring Malaysia to flee discrimination in their homeland. Rights groups have accused the Burmese security forces of killing, raping and arresting Rohingyas after the riots.

Every year, thousands of Muslim Rohingyas flee Myanmar in wooden boats, embarking on a hazardous journey to Thailand or Malaysia in search of a better life. The UN General Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the Burmese government to address reports of human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims. The resolution expresses particular concern about the situation of the Rohingya minority in Rakhine state, urges the government to take action to bring about an improvement in their situation and to protect all their human rights, including their right to a nationality.” Modern Study Rohingya students study modern subjects at the center as English, mathematics, arts and science. “The center operates from 8.30am to 1.30pm from Monday to Friday and after the session ends, the

children then attend Islamic religious studies classes at nearby madrasahs, Ahmad said. Currently, there are 100 Rohingya students aged between five to 17 years are studying at the center. “Most of the students especially the older ones at first do not even know how to read, write or count in the beginning, Ahmad said. But now they are able to speak Bahasa Melayu and read English proficiently following classes” he said, referring to the official Malaysian language. The center is the second of its kind for Rohingya Muslims in Malaysia. A similar center was earlier established by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Permatang Pauh, Penang.Ahmad opines that the education of the Rohingya students will help them easily integrate in their society without fear or prejudice.

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Gaza Youth: Growing Up In ‘The World’s Largest Jail’ decorating the wall. “They’re bullet holes.” Such are the visions of youth in Gaza, says Nijim, whose organization Afaq Jadeeda, or New Horizons, works with young residents of Nuseirat Refugee Camp, one of eight such camps scattered across what many have described as the “world’s largest jail.” Over half of its residents, he says, are youth. Some 53 percent of Palestinians are under 18, according to the latest figures, many growing up in conditions resembling concentration camps, with limited access to necessities like running water and electricity. Their experiences – and the trauma they carry – are the focus of New Horizons, part of the Bay Area-based Middle East Children’s Alliance. The group uses a combination of art, song and dance therapy to create what Nijim calls “healing communities.” Attaining that goal involves a process deeply embedded within the culture and context of Palestine, and more specifically Gaza, where community, religion and resistance are integral to identity. “We do not have terms like posttraumatic,” Nijim notes, because the trauma is “ongoing … the bombs are still falling,” most recently in November during a brief but bloody flare up in violence that claimed six Israeli lives. Palestinian casualties numbered in the hundreds, many of them children. Under such conditions, the question of healing becomes more one of perseverance, as Nijim explains it, of remaining whole amid a brutal conflict that has lasted now for almost 65 years. A faculty member with the International Trauma Treatment Program in Olympia, Washington, this is Nijim’s first visit to the United States, a fact he notes with a touch of irony. “I can travel to San Francisco, but I have never seen Jerusalem,” he says, referring to the disputed city claimed as a capital by both Palestinians and Israelis. Without the checkpoints, it’s an hour’s drive from his home in Gaza. A Life of War “War has followed me my entire life,” says Nijim, whose quick smile contrasts sharply with his taut frame and etched face. With a sardonic chuckle he recalls traveling to Baghdad in 2003 to pursuea degree in journalism and French, just ahead of the U.S. led invasion that toppled Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. It was during that conflict, he says, that he realized he wanted to work with youth.

“I spent three days under a bridge in Baghdad,” Nijim remembers, noting that local Iraqis refused to offer him refuge for fear that he could be mistaken as a foreign fighter. “I had no money, no [means of] communication, there was no electricity … I was just 20 years old and I was afraid.” That’s when it dawned on him, the realization that his fear and sense of “powerlessness” were daily realities for millions of Palestinian youth. He returned home that same year and began working with the non-profit Save the Children Sweden. He joined the 20-strong staff of volunteers at New Horizons in 2006. Nijim says the symptoms he sees include hyperactive and attention deficit disorders, extreme introversion, and anxiety. They manifest most clearly in the daily workshops he conducts with students in United Nations-r un elementary and middle schools in the camp. A student who buries him or her self in the corner during a group dance, for example, and who might be dismissed by teachers as simply shy could in fact be exhibiting signs of trauma, he explains. “92 percent of the kids in Palestine are coping with some form of trauma,” he says, offering the example of one 5 year old who in 2008 during a three-week Israeli offensive dubbed Operation Cast Lead, which claimed over 1000 Palestinian lives, witnessed the death of 27 relatives. “His face was covered in shrapnel,” says Nijim, who met the child during a program he led called Learning From the Rubble. “It was traumatic for me to see him.” Seeds of Future Conflict When Nijim was seven years old, he and some friends were playing on the street. It was past curfew and so they ran into a nearby friend’s house, where they were soon confronted by a group of Israeli soldiers. “They beat us … they asked, ‘Did you throw stones?’ We all said yes, together.” Such politicization still permeates today’s Palestinian youth, he says.

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Favorite songs include tunes with lyrics like, “We are the children of Palestine … we live without living.” Critics have accused New Horizons and similar projects of fueling anti-Israeli sentiment – and with it hatred of Jews – by encouraging students to express such views. Nijim says in response that it isn’t about hatred of Jews, but rather “hatred of the occupation.” He is adamant about this point. “I do not like the word ‘hate,’” he says. But such acts of cultural self-assertion – which include the child throwing a stone at oncoming tanks – are also

integral to his work. Referring to programs that include Arab folk dances and songs, Nijim says, “resilience and self esteem” are critical to the creation of a healing community. “I would rather die,” he adds, “than

have my psyche destroyed.” Other projects include training mothers in how to respond to trauma, as well as possibly bringing in Buddhist techniques of mindfulness. But with conditions worsening by the day, the challenges continue to mount. In the latest clash, says Ziad Abbas of the Middle East Children’s Alliance, traveling with Nijim, Israel dropped more than 1500 bombs on Gaza, which measures 139 square miles. “If you measure the number of people living in each square mile,” he says, “and then consider how many of those are children…” On Wednesday, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the United States would sell Israel munitions worth $647 million in order to make up for that spent military inventory. The deal “will include the supply of 6,900 precision bomb kits” as well as “10,000 bombs of various kinds.” For Gaza’s citizens, it’s a distressing sign. Things are in fact getting so bad, notes Nijim, that once-taboo subjects like mental health disorders are increasingly being acknowledged within Palestinian society. “People are fearful they are losing the future,” says Nijim. As to the conflict, which enters its 65th year in May of 2013, the future from Nijim’s perspective is indeed bleak. “Without a political transformation, without an end to the killing of Palestinian children, we will end up with a generation of hardliners.”

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ISLAM

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The Power of Positive Thinking By Fathiyyah Bashshar The person with the Positive Mental Attitude transforms stress into grace and picks the path to a successful outcome while others get lost in the forest of obstacles and pitfalls.” This is the real Power of Positive Thinking, the power to make the most out of every situation and to take action while others stand still explaining why it can’t be done… To be a productive, dynamic Muslim, it is extremely important that we inculcate a mindset of positivity. A mindset of positivity leads to proactivity and eventually leads to creating a productive life. If the mindset of positivity is missing, and we are negative and self-loathing, and have no hope, do you ever think we would have the enthusiasm to do things and be productive? One of the greatest secrets to being a productive person is letting go your negative self-talk and switching

to positivity. Behind that door A person who always thinks about of negativity, there is a brighter, bad things in his mind and imagines happier, productive life waiting for that bad things will happen to him thinks unjustly and unfavorably you.” Islam lays a lot of importance on about God and ends us getting bad positive thinking and encourages things. A person, who has good hope and optimism. And on the thoughts, thinks favorably about contrary forbids despair no matter God, because everything comes into existence through the creation of how bleak the God, is bestowed with circumstances may goodness. To be a productive, be. In fact despair is dynamic Muslim, it is likened to disbelief in Once we have a God. The Arabic term extremely important that good opinion about for positive thinking we inculcate a mindset God then it necessary ‘Husnul Zann’ apart that we must cultivate of positivity. from conveying the good opinion about meaning of positive our fellow men and thinking also conveys not despise them for the meaning of optimism and of some fault that one may see in them. holding good opinion and thinking We must realize that none of us is well about others. entirely good or entirely bad so it is When it comes to thinking well, in not for us to focus on the bad side Islam it has to begin with thinking and be cynical about it rather it is well about God himself. One of for us to look at the good in others the hadith reported the Prophet and have good opinion about them Mohammad (Peace and blessing and always expect good and positive be upon Him) as stating “I treat things from them. my servant in accordance with his We must go a step further and opinion of me.” whenever we meet someone who is in trouble or sick or dejected we

should help him by making him see the brighter side of things and fill him with hope and optimism which will help him greatly to rise above his problems. When we start doing this and make it as a regular practice in our lives we cease to live in a state of hopelessness and false imaginations and thoughts that make our lives miserable and demoralize us. Instead we live in a const¬ant state of optimism which not only transforms our lives but also touches everyone wh¬om we come in contact with. You cannot tailor-make the situations in life but you can tailor-make the attitudes to fit those situations.” Do good deeds properly, sincerely and moderately and know that your deeds will not make you enter Paradise, and that the most beloved deed to Allah’s is the most regular and constant even though it were little.” Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessing be upon Him) as narrated in Sahih Bukhari, vol. 8, hadith

US study endorses Islam as fastest growing religion, popular in youth By Farhan Iqbal Washington: A recent study by a US forum has endorsed that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world and extremely popular in youth who are enthusiastic and curious to know the facts and conduct research to reach the truth. According to the recent study conducted by the Washington-based Pew Forum, Islam, the second largest religion in the world, is rapidly increasing across the globe and has the lowest median age as half of the Muslims are 23-year-old or younger, compared to 28 for the whole world population. Exact numbers for religious populations are impossible to obtain and estimates for the size of the larger faiths can vary by hundreds of millions. The study by Pew Forum appears to be one of the most extensive to date. There are about 1.6 billion Muslims around the world, or 23 percent of the global population. “The overwhelming majority (87-90 percent) are Sunnis, about 10-13 percent are Shia Muslims,” the study said. Pew Forum demographer, Conrad Hackett, informed that the 2,500 censuses, surveys and population registers used to compile the report did not allow a further breakdown to estimate the world population of atheists and agnostics. He said, “It’s not the kind of data

that’s available for every country.” “A census will typically ask what your religion is and you can identify a number of particular affiliations or no religion,” he added. An age breakdown showed Muslims had the lowest median age at 23 years, compared to 28 for the whole world population. The median age highlights the population bulge at the point where half the population is above and half below that number. “Muslims are going to grow as a share of the world’s population and an important part of that is this young age structure,” Hackett said. By contrast, Judaism, which has 14 million adherents or 0.2 percent of the world population, has the highest median age at 36, meaning its growth prospects are the weakest. Hackett noted that Israel, which has 40.5 percent of the world Jewish population, had a younger age structure than the United States, where 41.1 percent of the world’s Jews live. Global Christianity’s median age is 30 and Hinduism’s is 26. With a median age of 34, the growth prospects for religiously unaffiliated people are weak, the study showed. However, the study said that the people with no religious affiliation make up the third-largest global group, placing after Christians and Muslims and just before Hindus.

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Islamophobia engulfs Australia, Mosque-building opposed By Farhan Iqbal Melbourne: Islamophobia has now engulfed the Australians as the Muslim community is facing severe opposition in a plan to build a mosque near a church in Australia’s most populous city of Melbourne. The peaceful initiative by the Muslims is being seen as a threat by Islamophobes and has invoked new campaigns against Islam and Muslims in the country. “At the core of [Islamic] doctrine is a political ideology that seeks to control every follower’s life and eventually the surrounding community and beyond,” Councilor Rosalie Crestani said. Muslims have applied to build a mosque and a community center in Green Street, Doveton, in Melbourne. The Muslim worship place will be constructed next to the church and headquarters of Catch the Fire Ministries, which is expected to be built within weeks. But Islamophobes are making lame excuses and argue that the mosque would cause noise pollution and traffic jams and would be used to preach hatred even though Islam originally preaches love and peace. “This is not Afghanistan, have some guts for a change!” a demonstrator yelled at councilors of the City of Casey chambers during their meeting.

Another carried a sign that read, “We love the Muslims but do not accept the teachings of the Quran.” Islamophobes have presented three petitions against the building of the Muslim worship place. Councilor Crestani read an email at the meeting from a resident saying, “every mosque involves more than religion.” “It is their center for training its people for the time when critical mass is achieved and the time to make huge demands on the host nation,” it added.

come before the council in February 2013. The building of mosques has been facing growing public opposition in several W e s t e r n countries.

But the Australian Muslims have dismissed the accusations, saying that the mosque will be open to the public.

In the United States, at least 35 mosque projects have found foes who are battling to stop the worship places for Muslims citing different lame excuses.

“The proposed mosque is open to all members of the public and aims to promote a socially cohesive community in a region which is incredibly diverse and multiculturally vibrant,” Nazeem Hussain, a director of the Islamic Council of Victoria said.

Building mosque is also meeting opposition in several European countries as France, Italy and Spain. In Switzerland, Swiss voters supported a referendum to ban the building of mosque minarets in the country.

He voiced confidence that the local council would assess the application according to valid planning considerations.

Muslims, who have been in Australia for more than 200 years, make up 1.7 percent of its 20 million population. Islam is the country’s second largest religion after Christianity.

Deputy Mayor Sam Aziz said, “The matters raised in the petitions be considered by the council’s planning department during their deliberation on the application.”

The planning proposal is expected to

In post 9/11 Australia, Muslims have been haunted with suspicion and have had their patriotism questioned. A recent governmental report revealed that Australian Muslims are facing deep-rooted Islamophobia and racebased treatment like never before.

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Roasted Tomato Feta Scones Light and fluffy savory scones made from roasted tomatoes, feta, and green onions. Ingredients 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes 3/4 cup heavy cream 1 egg slightly beaten 1 – 4 oz package feta cheese 1/4 cup roasted red tomatoes, chopped (can be found in bulk in the olive bar at your grocery store) 2 green onions, finely sliced Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the flour, baking powder, garlic salt and butter in a food processor. Pulsate

everything in 3-second intervals until the mixture resembles coarse meal. If doing this by hand, use 2 knives, a pastry blender or your fingers. 2. Transfer everything to a large bowl. Stir in heavy cream and egg, mixing the dough by hand until it comes together. Add feta cheese, roasted tomatoes, and green onions. Gently mix the ingredients by hand until the savory ingredients are evenly distributed. On a floured surface, form a big dough ball. Flatten the dough into a 1 inch disk and cut it in 8 equal pieces. Bake for 15 minutes on a baking stone or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Remove scones from baking sheet and cool on a

wire rack.

www.AZMuslimVoice.com

CALENDAR / ANNOUNCEMENTS

Phoenix Prayer Times

19th

Serving the Co

m mu nit y

Year

JANUARY 2013

Tucson Prayer Times

January 2013 • Safar / Rabi Alawal1434 H

January 2013 • Safar / Rabi Alawal 1434 H

ISLAMIC WEEKEND SCHOOLS

Directions to the Islamic Cultural Center Cemetery

Islamic Community Center of Phoenix: Islamic Cultural Center: Muslim Community Mosque: Masjid Omar ICNEV Weekend Islamic School ACA Weekend School Sultan Education in Chandler Greenway Islamic Academy

Sunday at 9:45 am-1:20 pm. Sunday at 10:00 am Sunday at 10:00 am until 2:30 pm. Saturday & Sunday from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm. Tel: (480) 346-2081Classes held on Sunday K thru’ grade 12 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Sunday 10:00 am-1:15 pm. www.azacademy.org/weekend Saturdays & Sundays - children/adults 480-593-7066 Tajweed, Islamic Studies, & Arabic Language 602-565-0500

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.

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

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

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 LAVEEN 131 E. 6th Street • Tempe 480-894-6070 Islamic Center of Laveen P.O. Box 1107 • Laveen Masjid Al Mahdi 602-361-4401 1016 S. River Dr. • Tempe MARICOPA 480-557-9699 Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah Masjid Omar Bin Al-Khattab 44370 W. Arizona Ave. Maricopa Arizona 85138 6225 S.McClintock • Tempe contact# (602)312-7913 480-775-6627 MESA Masjid-el-Noor 55 N. Matlock • Mesa 480-644-0074 SCOTTSDALE Islamic Center of N.E. Valley 12125 E. Via Linda • Scottsdale 480-612-4044

CASA GRANDE Masjid Sajda is located c/o: The Legacy Suites 540 North Cacheris Court Casa Grande`, Arizona 85122 480.332.8618

Daleelo ‫دليلو‬