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AMERICAN-MUSLIMS COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER Vol.13 Issue No.164

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How will SB 1070 affect the lives of Muslims in Arizona?

Muslim Voice Many immigrant groups and civil right leaders and their supporters have protested the new SB 1070 bill.

Some Muslims joined the protest alongside organizations like Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIRAZ), yet the legislation was signed by the Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer.

Many protested the legislation. In fact, over 500 gathered at First Institutional Baptist Church in the Central Phoenix neighborhood on Sunday April 25th. Hundreds flaked on the Church sight to listen to some influential community, religious and civil rights leaders in addition, to politicians from Arizona and Illinois.

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This new legislation will impact Muslims as well as other immigrant groups. If you are suspected to be an immigrant or have an accent you might be targeted and affected by this new law. Police can detain you without warrant until you prove your immigration status. This is only one of the ways Muslims will be impacted in Arizona by this new law. That is why some Muslim community leaders joined in the call to challenge the new law with other immigrant groups in the Valley.

Inside the Church hall the atmosphere was charged with anger and anticipation for what is the next

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move for those who opposed this new law. Dr. Warren H. Stewart was the first speaker to address the crowd of hundreds. He motivated and inspired them to fight the new law with nonviolent measures. “We will be judged how we welcome people in our homes, there are no illegals on our planet” he said. Then he gave an outline of number of steps to combat this immigration bill which would involve direct negotiations with law enforcements, public demonstrations, political action at the voting booths, boycott if necessary, and civil disobedience if all fails to bring results.

Professor Debra Friedman, Dean of ASU College of Public Programs spoke against the law and said “This is a poor public policy; the ambiguity of this bill will go beyond the immigrant community”.

Congressman Louis Petrash of Illinois attended the gathering to express his support of the event and disapproval of the new law. Petrash in frustration over the new passed legislation said, “1070 is so hateful that it must be destroyed on by itself”.

Representative from American Civil Liberty Union (ACLU) assured the crowd that “Our legal department is ready to join any lawsuit against this law”.

Arturo S. Rodriguez, President of the United Farm Workers, gave a short

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speech where he reminded Americans of the legendary Cesar Chavez farmer’s movement that fed many Americans from the fruits planted by Hispanic immigrants.

Marwan Ahmad, community activist and publisher of Muslim Voice newspaper attended the event and expressed his reaction to the new law “Muslims will be among those targeted with this new law and it’s important that we join the forces opposing it to protect our community and the rights of all potential victims of this discriminatory legislation” he said.

Anas Helyhel, Chairman of the Council on American Islamic Relations of Arizona who joined the meeting too, said “It’s natural for the Muslim Community to find this new law appalling”.

“The Quran instructs Muslims to stand up against injustice, racism, and conjecture, all of which this bill seems to advocate. No matter what good this bill claims to bring, we see that its harm will outweigh its good. We see it as a desperate attempt to legitimize racial profiling in order to hide failure of passing comprehensive immigration reform. This reminds us Muslims of recent attempts to legitimize racial profiling at airports in order to hide the failure of inadequate security policies”.

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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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to cater to the widespread Muslim community. ACA is based in Phoenix, while Phoenix Metro Islamic School is in downtown Tempe.

Islamic schools in the Phoenix area have a number of unresolved problems that are preventing their success and growth potential, according to administration, teachers and members of the community.

Imam Sabuhadeen Ceman, Islamic Studies teacher and parent of children at ACA said it was a sacrifice for him to drive 25 miles from home there and back each day.

Most Muslim parents would want their children to attend an Islamic school, where they would be raised with Islamic principles and also receive a quality academic education.

Creating an environment that is more controlled than that of public schools is an effective way to foster a strong religious identity coupled with appropriate values, something Christians and Jewish communities also aspire to.

Dr. Salahaddine Tomeh, Chairman of Arizona Cultural Academy, believes strongly in the importance of Islamic education.

“It is a matter of practicality that immersing a child in a Muslim environment away form home 5 days a week during his or her tender years must be more effective in shaping their Islamic personality that 2-3 hours a week on Sundays, while spending the rest of the week in a non-Islamic environment.”

But the reality remains that most Muslim children attend public schools rather than Islamic schools, despite the religious benefits. Dr. Tomeh identified three reasons why: tuition, distance and lack of professionalism (whether factual or conceived.)

Because of their religious affiliation, Islamic schools are categorized as private schools, so they are not supported by state funding and instead rely on tuition fees. The price is often a burden for many families, especially those with multiple children.

Jane Smoudi, principal of Arizona Cultural Academy, interviews all families who leave the school and conducts a survey every six years to get the community’s opinion. She said the biggest factor brought up is the financial one.

Dr. Tomeh countered with the fact that some Islamic schools offer discounts to low income families called “sliding scale tuition,” but that families are unaware of that and many do not bother to find out.

Distance plays into factor, because there are not enough Islamic schools

Smoudi disagreed that quality education was a weakness at ACA. The school is NCAA accredited, a Blue Ribbon school and was named at Top School in the 15th percentile by the John Hopkins University in the 2009 City Talent Search. She cited that 9095% of their students are at Arizona State University with scholarships and many of the high school students are currently taking 18-25 college credit hours.

“Our school competes with public and charter schools and has a safe environment for kids,” she said.

What ACA is missing out on are more clubs, programs, sports teams and various options for high school level subjects. With such a small population of students, low teacher salaries and funding, these are all problems that Smoudi wishes she could change.

Lack of professionalism has been a much bigger obstacle to face for principal of Phoenix Metro Islamic School, Hind Hania. She said that she felt their school was unfairly judged by many in the community and held up to high expectations.

“They want their kids to get better education, thinking that at a Muslim school we don’t have credentials,” Hania said. “The teachers have scarves and are from other backgrounds and have accents… They judge us without helping.”

Hania has found herself playing many roles at PMIS outside of her regular duties of being a principal in order to act as a counselor and nurse (both of which the school does not have.)

Funding is a tremendous burden on the school and donations are not sufficient.

“If all these Muslims are here in the community, how come we are not strong? All the people you see at the Eid prayer, at the Friday prayer, where are they?” Hania said.

“I don’t care about the income, because I’m doing this for the sake of Allah and the children, but others care about it…they have needs.”

Many teachers have left the school because of the lack of benefits and the fact that salaries at Islamic schools

are on average $10,000 less than at public schools. This significantly hurts Islamic schools’ ability to hire and retain quality teachers with extensive educational degrees and certifications.

Hania said many parents have told her if they get a new building, then they will bring their children to PMIS. That will be addressed with the school’s plans to purchase land on McQueen and 202 for construction of a new facility.

To counter the argument that children at Islamic schools do not interact with non-Muslims, Hania said students at PMIS participate in spelling bees, geography bees, science fairs, pass the AIMS test and perform community service like at St. Jude’s Hospital.

Between the two extremes of the high-quality, but costly private school and the free, but often lesser quality public school, there is a happy medium known as the charter school.

According to the US Department of Education, a charter school is defined as a publicly funded school that is typically governed by a group or organization under a contract or charter with the state; the charter exempts the school from selected state or local rules and regulations.

Many Muslims parents have their children enrolled at the various charter schools valleywide.

For Aysha Chisti, quality education and professionalism were key attractors to the charter school system. Her daughter, Amira, went to Arizona Cultural Academy in kindergarten, but now attends the charter school, Paragon Science Academy. Chisti is more than satisfied with the decision.

“It has one of the most accelerated programs compared to all the public and Islamic schools,” she said.

Her daughter is a sixth grader taking algebra, advanced science and language arts classes through her school’s gifted program and has access to numerous clubs and extracurricular activities.

Chisti also described the teachers as organized, motivated and professional and that they were “willing to go above and beyond” to help all of their students succeed. But in an ideal world, Chisti said she would pay “any price” for an Islamic environment and good education and still donates to both PMIS and ACA each year.

Atia Majeed also took her daughter, Continued on page 4

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Word on the Street “How has the economic situation affected you?”

Muslim Voice

casual wear job to an ex-regional director of Nordstrom.” – Mahad Zara

By: Sumbal Akhter “It has me realize the importance of a job and the importance of a good education.” – Marium Warsi “The economic situation has affected me a lot. I actually quit my job because my employer was not giving me enough hours.” – Hira Iqbal “Some people think that the economic crisis is not their problem since they may not have seen a radical change in their lifestyle, but this is an opportunity for us to adopt the frugal habits of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The Prophet’s spending habits were very pragmatic; he would get the necessities of life, but he would not spend on anything lavish just for the sake of buying something.

What’s the point of buying stuff with money that is not yours to impress people that you don’t even know? It says in the Quran about the believers as “And those, who, when they spend, are neither extravagant nor miserly, but hold a medium between those.”

Inshallah we can be like these people and be careful about our money.” – Osman Salim “I guess its not that different for me as it was for everyone else in the middle class. I had the unfortunate pleasure of starting my first year of college during the worst of it so I spent a lot of creative ways entertaining myself on the weekends. You drive less. Talk on weekends and nights. Memorize every dollar menu. And loose every job to people who out qualify the hell out of you. I went in for an interview at the new Barney’s and lost the men’s

“The change in the economy has not really affected me because I do not have a job and my parents basically provide for me.”- Sanaa Hamid “The current economic situation has affected me because I have a job that pays minimum wage, and when I applied at a bank, I didn’t get hired because of the current economic situation.” – Umber Aulakh

Marium Warsi

Osman Salim

Sanaa Hamid

Hira Iqbal

MAY 2010

Are you a Fob? Muslim Voice By: Sumbal Akhter

What is a fob? What classifies one as a fob? This innovative term represents a phenomenon that is sweeping the nation, and quite possibly the world.

Fob stands for Fresh-Off-the-Boat; basically referring to one just arriving from the mother-land (could be Egypt, Lebanon, Pakistan, etc.) to America.

But the interest of this expression does not stem from the word itself, but from the complex feelings that are unearthed by the expression.

Most of us kids growing up in “the brown community” are first-generation Americans with parents who were born and raised in different countries.

So the term “fob” can uproot intricate internal consciousness of oneself that can call for major self-analyzation.

Many young people of today find themselves questioning themselves and the way others perceive their personas.

Urbandictionary.com defines the word “fob” as “You claim yourself as Asian, but real Asians think you’re whitewashed and nonAsians see you as a foreigner. You fit in nowhere.”

Mahad Zara

A definition like this is comparable to the prevalent thought process “I’m too brown for my white friends but too white for my brown friends. What do I do?”

Umber Aulakh

Rabia Memon, an ASU student, voices her opinions on the clash of cultures, “I feel balanced; I do not feel like a fob nor do I feel like I blend in seamlessly with the American society. But when I am with my Caucasian- American friends I do feel different in the sense that my culture does not allow me to do certain things that they are allowed to do. That is the biggest reason why

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Feeling like a “fob” is a close analogy to feeling like one does not belong in a certain situation. We are sometimes unsure of ourselves due to the clash of traditional and modern cultures that are present in our everyday lives. But it all boils down to a concept we were taught in kindergarten: be yourself.

It’s best to leave your internal judgments aside and just be yourself.

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So… ARE you a fob?

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I would feel like a fob in certain circumstances.” Safa Akhter, a Pueblo School Student, had much different views, “I think feelings of confusion arise from self-doubt. If you really believe you do not fit in and that you fall in the realms of being a fob, then you probably are one. Just be you and be happy.”

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Arizona Governor signs immigration enforcement bill

By PAUL DAVENPORT and JONATHAN J. COOPER

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Associated Press Writers

The law sends ``a clear message that Arizona is unfriendly to undocumented aliens,’’ said Peter Spiro, a Temple University law professor and author of the book ``Beyond Citizenship: American Identity After Globalization.’’

PHOENIX (AP) _ Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law the nation’s toughest legislation against illegal immigration, a sweeping measure which President Barack Obama said could violate people’s civil rights.

With hundreds of protesters outside the state Capitol shouting that the bill would lead to civil rights abuses, Brewer said critics were ``overreacting’’ and that she wouldn’t tolerate racial profiling. ``We in Arizona have been more than patient waiting for Washington to act,’’ Brewer said after signing the law. ``But decades of inaction and misguided policy have created a dangerous and unacceptable situation.’’

Earlier, Obama called the Arizona bill ``misguided’’ and instructed the Justice Department to examine it to see if it’s legal. He also said the federal government must enact immigration reform at the national level _ or leave the door open to ``irresponsibility by others.’’ ``That includes, for example, the recent efforts in Arizona, which threaten to undermine basic notions of fairness that we cherish as Americans, as well as the trust between police and their communities that is so crucial to keeping us safe,’’ Obama said. The legislation, sent to the Republican governor by the Republican-led Legislature, makes it a crime under state law to be in the country illegally. It also requires local police officers to question people about their immigration status if there is reason to suspect they are illegal immigrants; allows lawsuits against government agencies that hinder enforcement of immigration laws; and makes it illegal to

Brewer signed the bill in a state auditorium about a mile from the Capitol complex where some 2,000 demonstrators booed when county Supervisor Mary Rose Wilcox announced that ``the governor did not listen to our prayers.’’ ``It’s going to change our lives,’’ said Emilio Almodovar, a 13-year-old American citizen from Phoenix. ``We can’t walk to school any more. We can’t be in the streets anymore without the pigs thinking we’re illegal immigrants.’’

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund said it plans a legal challenge to the law, arguing it ``launches Arizona into a spiral of pervasive fear, community distrust, increased crime and costly litigation, with nationwide repercussions.’’

Mexico has warned the proposal could affect cross-border relations. Mexico’s Senate unanimously passed a resolution urging Brewer to veto the law. ``Police in Arizona already treat migrants worse than animals,’’ said Francisco Loureiro, an activist who runs a migrant shelter in the border town of Nogales, Mexico. ``There is already a hunt for migrants, and now it will be open season under the cover of a law.’’

The bill will take effect in late July or early August, and Brewer ordered the state’s law enforcement licensing agency to develop a training course on how to implement it without violating civil rights.

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Islamic Schools or Charter Schools

Continued From page 2 ``We must enforce the law evenly, and without regard to skin color, accent, or Beenish, to Tempe Prepatory social status,’’ she said. ``We must prove Academy after she heard about the alarmists and the cynics wrong.’’ their superior curriculum and more Brewer, who faces a tough election focused structure as compared to battle and growing anger in the state public school. She said that an Islamic over illegal immigrants, said the law environment was good, but that the schools should offer the same things ``protects every Arizona citizen.’’ as charter schools, “if not more than Anti-immigrant anger has swelled that” in the past month, after rancher Rob Krentz was found dead on his land north Majeed’s concerns would be the of Douglas, near the Mexico border. lack of resources and structured Authorities believe he was fatally shot by curriculum, especially in the higher an illegal immigrant possibly connected grades. to a drug smuggling cartel.

“The parents have to be sure that Arizona has an estimated 460,000 they won’t lack what other schools illegal immigrants, and its harsh, are offering,” she said. remote desert serves as the corridor for the majority of illegal immigrants and drugs moving north into the U.S. from Mexico.

There are certainly many advantages to the charter school model that if accommodated by Islamic schools, would relieve them of their numerous problems. When asked whether they would consider changing from a private religious institution to a charter school, both principals answered with an emphatic “no.”

U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva said he closed his Arizona offices at noon Friday after his staffs were flooded with calls this week, some from people threatening violent acts and shouting racial slurs.

He called on businesses and groups “I don’t want to stop having dua’s in looking for convention and meeting the morning and prayers and saying locations to boycott Arizona.

“Mashallah” and “Takbir Allahu The bill’s sponsor, state Rep. Russell Akbar” for the students,” Hania said.

Pearce, said Obama and other Smoudi agreed, saying, “The heart critics of the bill were ``against law and soul of the school is the Islamic enforcement, our citizens and the rule education.” of law.’’

Dr. Tomeh said that the valley’s Pearce said the legislation would Islamic schools are doing a great remove ``political handcuffs’’ from job considering the odds they face police and help drive illegal immigrants and lack of human and financial from the state. resources. ``Illegal is illegal,’’ said Pearce, a driving force on the issue in Arizona. ``We’ll have less crime. We’ll have lower taxes.

We’ll have safer neighborhoods. We’ll have shorter lines in the emergency rooms. We’ll have smaller classrooms.’’

“As the communities mature, these schools can only get better,” he said. “In a couple of decades (or less insha’allah) some of them will be able to compete with Ivy League schools.”

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MAY 2010

Quran and the Psychology of Fear

By Anas Hlayhel Fear is a very interesting yet a complicated emotion that God created within us. Some people think that fear is a negative quality and therefore try to hide it. In reality though, fear is a great bounty from God. Fear acts like a protection mechanism. It’s the fear for life that makes us drive carefully on the highway. It’s the fear of poverty that makes some people get up every morning and go to work. Yes, fear does become a problem if it turns into an excessive unjustified fear, also known as anxiety. So what does Islam say about fear? In Islamic theology, fear is three types.

First, we have natural fear. This fear is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy.

It’s just natural. God tells us in the Quran that even Moses, one of the strongest human beings, experienced this type of fear. He felt this fear when he left his town after killing an Egyptian by mistake. He also expressed his fear when God tasked to go and stand up in front of the pharaoh.

Second, there is the blameworthy fear.

This type has many colors. For example, you have fear based on superstition.

The Quran criticizes the belief that if idols are not worshipped they can inflict harm in some obscure way. This is why bad omen is forbidden in Islam. But, then you have the more common fear that we all may go through. Sometimes, we don’t speak the truth because we’re afraid!! We’re afraid of losing a position, we’re afraid of losing money, we’re afraid of this, we’re afraid of that. This type of fear can accumulate and pile up till it paralyzes you. Here the Quran tells us that fear is nothing but a tool of Satan, “It’s indeed Satan that strikes fear using his agents, so don’t fear them and fear Me” 3:175. In fact, this verse

also tells us the solution to this type of fear. We should fear God instead.

One practical example of this fear is Islamophobia. As the name implies, Islamophobia is this unjustified excessive fear of anything that is Islamic.

Some people have figured how powerful fear is and they have maliciously used it to tarnish the reputation of Islam and Muslims. See fear can overcome any other emotion. When people are fearful of something, they cannot think straight. Other emotions such as mercy and love are suppressed due to fear. This is why we cannot submit to fear. Fear can paralyze a community, a nation, a whole entire population.

It’s also interesting that the Quran hints to the fear that could be employed by a propaganda machine.

Consider for example, “Those whom the people told them that the people have gathered against you, so fear them. Rather, their faith increased” 3:173. This verse tells us about 3 people, the people who are told to fear others, the people who are telling, and

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the people who are supposed to be feared. This is exactly the foundation of any fear-based propaganda. But here the Quran says that those who were supposed to be fearful did not fall prey for this fear mongering.

Rather, their faith increased. This is because they implemented the fear of God which made them immune from other fears.

This takes us to the third type of fear which is good and encouraged. This is to fear God. This fear is not a weakness.

Rather it’s strength. This fear is based on knowledge of who God is. The Quran has a word for this fear. It’s called Khashyah. The Quran tells us that it’s the knowledgeable people who possess this type of fear. This fear will define our moral compass. It will urge us to do what’s good and it will stop us from doing what’s evil. This fear will also increase our awe and reverence of God, so our worship is more meaningful.

The Quran also tells us that we should dedicate Khashyah to God and no one else 9:18.

“Putting Away Childish Things”

By Ahmad Daniels, M.Ed There exists an innocence that can be associated with childhood.

The world appears as an ever unfolding adventure filled with excitement and wonder. That “world,” limited as it may be for a child, serves as a crucible that shapes the path that will constitute the beginning stages of his/her journey through life; a journey that can be infinitely enriched with the broadening of one’s outlook on life.

Tools in a tool box It has been said if a carpenter only has a hammer in his tool box, everything will take on the appearance of a nail and thus everything within reach of the destructive hammer stands to suffer. However, if the artisan has placed a screwdriver, pliers and a portable lathe in that toolbox he/she is better equipped and prepared to competently perform the job at hand thereby foregoing the ill-fated outcome that often accompanies a single ‘tool’ approach to life.

This single tool approach to discerning the world and one’s place in that world can best be observed

by Bob McDonnell, Governor of Virginia who, after proclaiming April as Confederate History Month in Virginia, failed to mention of the Holocaust of Enslavement. For centuries the state of Virginia

was a bastion of misery and pain for hundreds of thousands of Blacks who were viewed as chattel property. This meant they could be bought and sold the way one would a chicken or a barrel of molasses.

Virginia is also home to the largest revolt of enslaved Blacks. That would be the 1831 revolt led by Nat Turner who slayed more than fifty whites before his capture and death. Governor McDonnell may or may not have know of Nat Turner, but he certainly knew of the Holocaust of Enslavement and the Confederate states that fought in the Civil War from 1861-1865 for the right to own another human being. The “tools” in Governor McDonnell’s toolbox apparently failed to include a broader exposure to the contributions of Blacks to the success of America and so it became easy to totally ignore them. Therein is the challenge; learning to recognize value where heretofore none was seen. This requires making a conscious decision to explore the thoughts and opinions of adherents of another faith, culture or political persuasion.

Benefits of Exposure It has been said that with the arrival of light, darkness must bid farewell. That can be said for the light of day as well as the light generated from enlightenment, an enlightenment that often comes from a broad base of knowledge that may not appear to be faith related.

Exposure to difference can be quite unsettling for many; thus the tendency to surround one’s self with like minded persons resulting in the development of mutual congratulatory alliances where everyone is applauded by other group members. This can be beneficial when there is a need for group motivation

and team development. Yet, when taken to an extreme, the effects can be damaging as seen by those of faith who have set out to determine what is okay and what is not okay for a community to read or listen to. The label “Haram!” is quickly applied to what is often not understood. Baba Ali of Ummah Films (see You Tube) refers to this mindset as the “Haram Police.” However, when ideas are allowed to be challenged and debated without fear of punishing consequences, there exists a greater likelihood for a broader assortment of tools to be placed in the tool box; all of which makes for a more enlightened human capable of responses and actions that are rational and intellectually driven.

An Imam recently compared Islam with the most beautiful woman in the world who was wearing a very ugly mask. What for the world focusing on her distorted face, it could not see her vast and deep beauty. The alleged deeds of Nidal Malik Hassan (Ft. Hood), Farouk Abdul Mutallah (Christmas Day Bomber) and “Jihad Jane” (suspected of plotting to kill a Swedish cartoonist) represent the distasteful mask that blinds many to the beauty of Islam.

That it will take broad minded persons willing to venture out of their comfort zone and engage the world in a different kind of conversation related to Islam and its place in contemporary society is apparent; what is not so apparent is whether many are able or willing to put aside childish things so they may partake in such a discussion.

To your journey!

The Role of Refugee Parents

By Ahmed Gul

or at least intermediate knowledge.

Unfortunately, the parents’

In response to the last month’s article on “Refugees Resettlement Programs

attendance is not very high in these classes. Due to the lack of interest

in Arizona”, I decided to draw your attention to some of our own problems.

Since I am involved in the educational matter of the refugees, I hope my recommendations in the article would make my audience understand their responsibilities for the better of the community. In addition, the community centers (mosques) would step up and help the refugee parents in understanding these education-based issues.

It is has come to the attention through out Maricopa County that refugee parents do not participate in school matters that impact negatively on students in some form or another.

Since, it seems that parents are uncomfortable in participation maybe because of the language barrier there are several ESL (English as a second language) offered to make sure that the parents have at least a workable knowledge of English

and low language proficiency, parents are unable to utilize many resources provided by the State or community such as citizenship classes, free immunization, classes that educate parent and child regarding how a school runs in the United States, utilizing the public library to assist your child and yourself to learn to read and expand one’s knowledge and so much more.

To overcome the cultural differences, refugee parents should come forward to bridge that gap and help their children in overcoming these hard challenges.

For example, adapting to the food served in the school cafeteria and to inform teachers to understand and be sensitive to differences to food they cannot eat.

Furthermore, teaching students what is socially accepted and what is not in the United States is very important to the assimilation of the student. For instance, when slugging someone back will lead to serious consequences so the student must restrain themselves and learn an alternative method to dealing

hostile peers.

complexes traditionally host

The parent should know that the school and students have allowed traditional dress and school uniform where girls can wear cloth to cover their hair and wear a traditional skirt if a culture requires. Parent should make sure that female students should not have henna on their hands as it is against the school’s rules.

after-school programs or an English program through the resettlement agency.

Parents also need to compromise on adjustment and placement based problems for the better future of their children.

For example, if someone had no schooling, no matter what his/her age is, let him/her starts from the start.

Students should be placed by skills and not by age into the different grades. The placement problem will only be solved if the parent start taking interest and discussing such issues with the schools.

There are several orientation sessions organized by the ORR (office of refugee resettlement) for parents. But these opportunities to learn and make others understand cultural differences are usually ignored by the parents. Similarly, the apartment

Since these programs are voluntary, parents spend their time in looking for work rather than participate in these programs. Another resource that is usually not taken advantage of by the parents is that schools have several partnerships with different social service agencies that provide from food to clothing and from gym to library. There’s a big continuum of refuges that don’t get it.

If anything can be looked at, it’s parents help to the kids, providing them the resources, giving them the education and help that they need to make it. I think the communication barrier is the biggest barrier, especially if the kids are literate in their own language, then they make that transition more readily than if they’re not. Parents and community members should help each other to come out of this problem.

6

NATIONAL

MAY 2010

Casey says drawdown in Afghanistan will take time

By MATT CURRY

Associated Press Writer

has promised that U.S. forces will begin withdrawing from Afghanistan in July 2011.

DALLAS (AP) _ The Army’s chief of staff says the war against terrorism will not ultimately be won until ``moderate Muslim states stamp out extremist ideology.’’

``The transition will begin next summer but it will take us a while to complete it,’’ Casey said in response to a question from a member of the audience.

Gen. George Casey, giving the keynote speech to a military symposium in Dallas, said he firmly believes the U.S. will succeed in Afghanistan but that it will take time.

Ultimate victory against terror, however, depends not solely on U.S. military power but the success of Muslims who work to eliminate extremist thinking.

Casey emphasized that a promised drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan next summer is conditionbased, and he characterized the struggle as part of a continuing war against extremism that has no timetable. At the same time, he said, there has never been a point when the American military has been close to defeat.

President Barack Obama

Casey

said

the

war

in

you to believe,’’ Casey said. ``That’s the role of terrorism in all this.’’

The four-star general, referring to recent concerns about Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s leadership, said it must ultimately be understood that Afghanistan belongs to the Afghan people and that ultimate success rests in their hands.

On Saturday, Karzai named a respected former judge to head the country’s election-organizing body following months of demands by the U.S. and its allies to clean up the electoral process following massive fraud in last year’s presidential balloting.

Afghanistan is part of the long-term struggle that began with the 9/11 attacks. Since then, Casey said he has learned several lessons, among them being that no ``silver bullet’’ exists to defeat terrorism.

At the same time, he said people sometimes wrongly believe from news accounts that the terrorists are more successful than they actually are. ``The enemy is not as strong as he would like

Despite recent tensions, Obama, who visited Afghanistan last month, has called Karzai ``a critical partner’’ in fighting terrorism. ``He’s the president of a sovereign country, and therein lies the friction,’’ Casey said, echoing recent remarks by Defense Secretary Robert Gates about Karzai. ``We can’t go faster than they do, and we can’t want it more than they do.’’

www.AZMuslimVoice.com

Group wants evangelist’s Pentagon event canceled Received by Newsfinder from AP

DENVER (AP) _ A watchdog group is demanding the Pentagon cancel plans for an evangelist to speak at a National Day of Prayer observance, citing his past description of Islam as ``evil.’’

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation said that Muslims who work at the Pentagon objected to evangelist Franklin Graham’s planned appearance.

The foundation also wants the Pentagon to limit its ties with the National Day of Prayer Task Force, a Colorado group that organizes Christian events for the prayer day.

The foundation says the Pentagon’s relationship with the task force amounts to improper preferential treatment.

The Pentagon and a spokesman for Graham’s ministry say they are locating officials to respond. A spokesman for the task force didn’t immediately return a call.

Planned Miami bus ads called offensive to Islam Received by Newsfinder from AP

MIAMI (AP) _ MiamiDade Transit is pulling advertisements that Muslims said were offensive to Islam.

The ads were set to run on 10 buses. They said, ``Fatwa on your head? Is your community or family threatening you?’’ and directed people to a Web site encouraging them to leave Islam.

The New York-based group Stop the Islamization of America bought the ads for one month. The group’s leader says the ads were ``offered in defense of religious liberty.’’

Miami-Dade Transit spokeswoman Karla Damian said that after reviewing the ads, the department decided to remove them.

An outside company sells ad space on the buses, and county officials don’t routinely review ads before they run.

The South Florida chapter of the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations had criticized the ads.

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MAY 2010

After surgeries in Mich., Iraqi teen to head home

By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN Associated Press Writer LANSING, Mich. (AP) _ A 13-year-old Iraqi boy brought to Michigan a year ago by a National Guardsman so he could get plastic surgery to repair scars from a house fire no longer is shy about pulling off his beloved Detroit Tigers baseball cap.

Verlander and been the ball boy for a high school soccer team.

Howell won’t publicize Mohammed’s middle or last names because the boy’s family may still be in danger in Iraq. His father was killed by insurgents three years ago for working as a translator for the U.S. Marines. The insurgents killed his uncle when he went to the morgue to identify and claim the body, and they warned Mohammed’s mother

7

His mother and 19-year-old brother, Yousif, will be waiting for Mohammed when he and Howell reach the Baghdad airport next Tuesday. They’ll take him back to Ramadi for a celebration with his extended family. ``We’re looking forward to seeing how his hair looks now, his ear, his nose, those things that were affecting his daily life,’’ Yousif said through a translator Tuesday in a phone call from Iraq.

Black, glossy hair now grows where only scar tissue was before. And Mohammed’s left hand and wrist _ deformed in the fire when he was 2 _ now can adeptly field baseballs.

Howell set up a foundation and collected donations for Mohammed’s hospitalizations.

At one point he couldn’t cover $18,000; a donor paid the bill.

Mohammed will head back to Iraq with Army National Guard Major David Howell, who brought the shy, slender boy to mid-Michigan last April for the life-changing surgery.

``At every step of the way, someone came forward to help me,’’ Howell said. The foundation will continue to send money to Iraq to help Mohammed and his family.

``He’s really happy that he needs a brush,’’ Howell, 56, of Grand Ledge, said this week as he and Mohammed prepared for the journey back home to see the boy’s family for the first time in a year.

Ziena Saeed, 33, and her husband, Dr. Ritha Naji, took in Mohammed to live with them, their 8and 10-year-old sons and the daughter who was born after Mohammed arrived.

They speak the same Iraqi dialect he does, and Saeed, who wears a head scarf, frequently fixes Iraqi food. But he had to get used to eight-hour school days and ``sitting at the table having breakfast together,’’ she said.

Mohammed first approached Howell at an entry control point in the Iraqi city of Ramadi in November 2008. Mohammed asked Howell _ a Michigan Army National Guard physician assistant who was serving his second deployment in Iraq _ to save him and take him to America.

Ice also was a novelty. ``Our ice maker broke because he used it so much. That was a treat for him, because he didn’t have it in Iraq,’’ she said.

Howell spent a frantic six months getting identification and a visa for Mohammed and lining up plastic surgeon Dr. Edward Lanigan at Michigan State University to perform the five surgeries for free. He also lined up a Muslim host family in East Lansing.

He also has dressed up as Batman for Halloween, got pitching tips from the Detroit Tigers’ Justin

they would kill her and her children if she ever contacted U.S. soldiers.

Those who helped Mohammed in Michigan threw him a send-off ceremony in Lansing on Wednesday where they watched a video about him and his surgeries prepared by the university. ``I’m a new Mohammed,’’ he said afterward.

The Michigan families plan to keep in touch with Mohammed through phone calls, e-mails and the Internet, and Saeed hopes Mohammed can come back for a graduate degree. ``Maybe for other kids, having the burns and having the other things would be really hard,’’ she said. ``He overlooks all these things that are challenges for him. ... He’s a really optimistic kid.’’

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The teen has gained 26 pounds and grown 3.5 inches during his year in Michigan. He now has a capped tooth, eight filled cavities and glasses to improve the vision in his damaged left eye from 20/400 to 20/40.

11-10

Once Mohammed got to Michigan, his life changed.

While Mohammed is looking forward to seeing his family again, ``it’s going to be hard’’ to leave Howell’s family and his adopted family in East Lansing, he said. He’ll take his baseballs signed by Tigers players to Iraq and plans to bring baseball equipment so he can teach neighborhood friends his new favorite sport.

8

NATIONAL

MAY 2010

www.AZMuslimVoice.com

Woman says foster agency rejected pork-free home

By KATHLEEN MILLER Associated Press Writer ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) _ A Baltimore County Muslim woman said that her application to be a foster mother was rejected by a local agency because she does not allow pork to be served in her home.

The chief operating officer of Contemporary Family Services sent an October letter to Tashima Crudup saying the agency was denying her application because of statements she made during an interview, ``specifically your explicit request to prohibit pork products within your home environment.’’

The agency was cited by the Maryland Office of License and Monitoring Wednesday for violations of regulations that prohibit religious discrimination for people providing services to the public. Officials asked the organization to provide them with a corrective action plan within 10 days.

Leaders of the Maryland chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday they have filed a complaint with the Baltimore City Community Relations Commission

``It didn’t alarm me at first because when people learn I am Muslim they often ask about the pork and wives,’’ Crudup said. ``I said I wouldn’t want teenagers having boyfriends in my home unless I was there and then I said I wouldn’t allow pork in my home because we don’t eat it.’’

over the rejection.

Corey Pierce, the chief operating officer from Contemporary Family Services, said the agency had sent multiple letters to Crudup explaining her rejection, and the organization was concerned about several things beyond the dietary restrictions in her home. ``It is not just the fact she doesn’t allow pork,’’ Pierce said. ``The parents we usually want to certify for our agency are very open-minded,

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Pierce said Crudup didn’t seem flexible enough to deal with foster children, who are often coming from situations involving abuse or neglect. ``It’s not that she couldn’t be a good parent overall, definitely not a judgment of that, but you have to be open-minded, you have to accept allowing children to make certain decisions even if you don’t agree with them at the time to help in their growth and maturity process,’’ Pierce said.

Nancy Lineman, spokeswoman for the Maryland Department of Human Resources, says the state does not require foster families be open to serving all types of food. She added that Crudup should have been made aware of the state’s appeals process for people turned down as foster parents and that Crudup is being informed of that process now.

Crudup said she was ``very surprised’’ that an agency would ``actually document this and put it in writing.’’

The 26-year-old mother of five said she was asked a number of questions seemingly related to her Muslim faith by the representative of Contemporary Family Services, a private agency authorized by the state to certify foster families. She said she was also asked if her husband had plans to take a second wife and how she would handle visits from a foster child’s boyfriend or girlfriend.

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``We are making sure that the provider understands its role in educating the applicants about their rights and also making sure, reiterating that, we do not tolerate discriminatory reasoning when it comes to licensing foster parents,’’ Lineman said.

Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington based Muslim civil rights and advocacy group, said if the state has no policy requiring foster families serve all types of food in their homes, ``it provides evidence she is being singled out because of her particular faith and dietary requirements.’’

First ArabAmerican Muslim appointed to State Superior Court

Hany Mawla, son of Egyptian immigrants, is the first ArabAmerican Muslim appointed to any State Superior Court. Mawla, 36 years old, is also the youngest Judge on the New Jersey Superior Court. Mawla was sworn in Jan. 27, and is currently assigned to the Family Division in Hunterdon County, part of the vicinage that includes Somerset and Warren counties. He started hearing cases in March.

Mawla said with a political science degree from Rutgers University, he had two potential paths: get a doctorate or a law degree. When he was a student at Seton Hall Law School, the bench became a goal.

Mawla’s experience is not only in the courtroom and but also in the classroom. He was an adjunct professor in the Department of Political Science at Rutgers University and was a member of the advisory board for the school’s Center for Middle East Studies.

Mawla, who was the first chairman of state department’s New Jersey Arab-American Heritage Commission, believes that, “It’s important that Arabs be part of the civil and political discourse in New Jersey.”

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MAY 2010

9

Colorado market a home-base for international foods

By Associated Press DENVER (AP) _ Midmorning sun shines through the front windows of Arash International Market, speckling the floor of the small grocery. A clerk packs sweet lemons and fresh feta cheese into a customer’s bag. Her long braid swings across her back as she works and sings to the Persian radio station thumping in the background. At the door a white board alerts shoppers to specials, handwritten in Farsi.

having a taste of home nearby.

Much of the produce found at Arash can be found on the shelves of other groceries, but not in these quantities. ``For example, you can find sweet lemon, pomegranate all over, but they only put out) a little bit,’’ Diba said. ``We use a lot so we put (out) a lot.’’

The bright yellow and roughskinned sweet lemon takes up a healthy slice of retail space, perhaps

of rice and watched cartoons while his father and employees, some of whom still work at Arash, helped customers and stocked shelves. ``I have a lot of good memories of friendly people,’’ Aryan Diba said.

If Iranian foods are the market’s base, its range of products from other spots around the globe are a sweet topping. ``We try to make people from so many cultures ... feel at home,’’ Aryan Diba said. In addition

Towers of olive and grapeseed oil cast shadows across the meat department, their labels written in English, Arabic or Farsi. Racks of flatbreads, including hand-stretched pitas and sesame-seed-dotted sweet ones, rim one aisle. Chris Paice of Denver prefers the folded lavash-style bread.

A woman in a hijab and niqab strolls the aisles pushing her small child as she selects from a rainbow of dried beans. Red lentils, brown fava beans, chick peas and speckled kidney beans line shelves and an equal array of wheat and barley follow.

Specially prepared halal meats, meeting Muslim dietary guidelines, chill in the deli coolers. Halal guidelines prohibit consumption of pork or alcohol and call for the humane treatment of animals raised for human consumption, said Maria Omar, director of media relations for the Islamic Food and Nutrition Council of America.

In the deli, a worker passes a sample of fresh cheese on the tip of his knife across the counter to a waiting customer. Two men give the tradition Muslim greeting of ``salaam’’ and then chat in Arabic, and the sun slips lower in the sky.

``When you unfold it, it’s like a tablecloth,’’ Paice said. He and his friend Barbara Cash fill their basket with products they haven’t seen since traveling to Turkey, Syria and Jordan.

Many customers shopped at Arash before the move and like the new location.

Mehran Diba calls the current location convenient and likes the increase in products he can carry, he said, but the economy required a change in how he markets to customers with tighter purse strings.

``This store is like coming home in a way because it’s nice to hear Arabic,’’ Cash said. She’s particularly pleased with the dhalla _ a salty yogurt drink _ she scored at the market.

Arash International Market started more than 20 years ago after Mehran Diba, his wife and their young son fled the fallout of the Iranian revolution to make a new life in Colorado. ``Our base is Persian food, and in Iran we use lots of herbs and spices,’’ Diba said. A wall of turmeric, saffron and other popular Persian flavorings blanket one section. Bread-loaf-sized bags of dried parsley rest nearby.

As the sun pushes past midday, a post-lunch lull settles over Arash.

In the produce department Mari Soofi selects fruits and vegetable for dinner. ``It’s fresh and we can find what we want,’’ Soofi said. She immigrated from Iran years ago, but values

because it’s used as a home remedy as well as food. ``It’s good for cold and fever,’’ Soofi said gesturing to the fruit. Just squeeze the juice into a glass and drink. It’s a remedy she brings to sick co-workers, she said.

Arash moved to its current 12,000-square-foot South Parker Road location about a year ago after outgrowing its previous location nearby. ``We had the corner, then bought the dance studio then the store next to that,’’ before making the move, said Aryan Diba, 26, the owner’s son and a regular fixture at Arash.

He’s been coming to the market with his dad since he was little. As a child he perched on 10-pound bags

to Persian staples, a number of products with Russian labels, and items for Asian cooking fill shelves too. The store’s product diversity is mirrored in its customers. ``There’s everyone from the granola hippie and the all-American to scarf-wrapped Africans and everything in between,’’ said Ken Daraie. He lives in Cheyenne and comes to Arash anytime he’s in town.

A late-afternoon sun slants through the front windows of Arash splashing the clerk with long braid.

She smiles and waves to people as they disappear out the door and head off to dinner. Perhaps with purchases to make the traditional Iranian dish ghormeh sabzi, a tangy vegetable and meat stew, which Aryan Diba said is his favorite.

``We have friends as far away as Casper who come and shop here,’’ he said.

Lisa Peterson selects cookies and some afternoon snacks as she hurries to the registers.

His wife, Vicki, agrees. ``I love the cheese and the bread,’’ she said, suggesting the French feta because it’s smoother.

``It’s great variety and the prices are very, very reasonable,’’ Peterson said. ``But don’t tell anyone. They’ll all come.’’

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ADC Announces New Legal Director

Washington, DC, April 22, 2010, www.adc.org, The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is pleased to announce that Abed A. Ayoub, Esq., is the new ADC Legal Director. Mr. Ayoub is an undergraduate of the University of Michigan, and the University of Detroit-Mercy School of Law. He is a member of the Michigan State Bar. As the Legal Director, Mr. Ayoub will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the ADC Legal Department, and will work with ADC leadership on matters of legal policy and advocacy. Mr. Ayoub has served as an ADC Legal Adviser since 2007. In that capacity, he successfully worked on many

cases involving discrimination and racial profiling. He joined ADC in 2002 as the Membership and Development Coordinator for the ADC-Michigan Office. He has also served as the Detroit Chapter President, ADC Michigan Advisory Board Member, and the Greater Washington, DC, Chapter President. While in private practice, Mr. Ayoub focused on immigration, civil rights, and criminal matters.

ADC National President, Sara Najjar-Wilson, stated, “It is my pleasure to appoint Abed to the position of ADC Legal Director.

His proven capabilities and advocacy are examples of the highest standards of

community service. His dedication and commitment to upholding the civil rights and protecting the civil liberties of all people honor all of us who are members of the legal profession.”

The ADC Legal Department offers pro bono services in discrimination, profiling, immigration or citizenship related cases, as well as other innumerable legal matters. The Legal Staff plays a significant leadership role in advancing many issues pertaining to civil rights and to protecting civil liberties.

To contact the ADC Legal Department please e-mail legal@adc.org, or call 202-244-2990.

Young Muslim activists look at politics post-9/11

By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press Writer CHICAGO (AP) _ Dana Jabri believes the only way for young Muslim Americans to move forward is by jumping into politics.

The 16-year-old child of Syrian immigrants has phone banked for political candidates, served as a primary election judge and encouraged other suburban Chicago highschoolers to pay attention to state politics. ``We care just as much as anyone else about America’s problems,’’ said Jabri, who wears hijab, a Muslim woman’s head scarf. ``I aspire to be the first hijabi senator.’’

Jabri is part of a younger generation of Muslim activists in the U.S. whose role has shifted in the last decade from combating post 9/11 backlash and educating those with little exposure to Islam to becoming politically involved and delving into universal issues, like human rights and environmentalism.

Most are the children of immigrants _ one study estimates more than half of Muslims in the U.S. are foreign-born _ and from a young age have felt scrutiny because of their faith. ``They are the catalytic generation,’’ said Eboo Patel, the executive director of Chicago-based Interfaith Youth Core and member of a White House faith-based advisory board. ``The earlier generations

built the private institutions: mosques, schools, places to get married, have funerals. This generation will have a huge focus on public institutions.’’

The young activists’ work appears to be gaining traction, particularly in the Chicago area, which experts estimate has nearly half a million Muslims, one of the largest concentrations in the country.

Activists have launched ``Illinois Muslim Action Day,’’ where Muslims, mostly youth, act as legislative pages and meet with lawmakers at the State Capitol in Springfield.

In its first year, the event drew just under 500 Muslims. Organizers have registered more than double that number for this year’s event, planned for Thursday. More than two dozen buses will depart from area schools and mosques. ``The overlying mantra is that we belong here, this is our country, too,’’ said Ahmed Rehab, the executive director of the Council of American-Islamic Relations ``That’s something you do not through assertive statement, but assertive action.’’

Estimates of the U.S. Muslim population vary widely, from 2 million to 8 million. A 2007 Pew survey found about 65 percent are foreign-born.

Kiran Ansari, a director at the Council of Islamic Organizations of Greater Chicago, which plans the event, said younger

generations don’t hesitate to get involved.

For one, their first language is generally English and they how to navigate the system better than their parents. ``They see this as their country,’’ she said. ``They feel there is absolutely nothing stopping them.’’

Reema Ahmad, 23, who works at the Council of American-Islamic Relations in Chicago, will participate on Thursday. She said Muslim youth activists want their own American identity. ``They’re going to take their identity into their own hands and pave a path for themselves,’’ she said. ``When that responsibility falls on your shoulders, you have to become more educated yourself and outspoken.’’

To apply for participation in the page program, high school students had to attend training and write essays about what it means to be Muslim in America. ``They’re loaded with these young people’s struggles and dreams and reflections on what it is to grow up in a post 9/11 world,’’ said Amal Ali, a CIOGC youth director. ``I didn’t expect that it would come up. They’re living through its aftermath.’’

Jabri, who will go to Springfield for the second time, doesn’t remember the details of 9/11; she was only in second grade. But she vividly recalls specific words and a feeling.

``I just remember all these news headlines, ‘terrorists, terrorists,’ negative stuff,’’ she said.

She said the effect is undeniable, especially as it’s discussed in school each year and she occasionally hears 9/11-related insults from strangers. That motivates her to continue. ``We have American pride,’’ she said.

Gihad Ali, the 27-year-old daughter of Palestinian immigrants, works for the Chicago-based Arab American Action Network that helped organize the Springfield event.

She said her activism and participation on Thursday is purely about being represented, as any other group would. ``There’s power in numbers. We’re the constituents; we’re a visible constituency,’’ she said. ``Policies are not just being made in a vacuum. We can influence, we can sway.’’

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11

Israeli Arab brothers win payout for El Al ‘abuse’ in New York Jonathan Cook , Foreign Correspondent

the plane. They were told to make sure she could see them at all times.

IKSAL // Two Israeli Arab brothers have won US$8,000 (Dh29,000) in damages from Israel’s national carrier, El Al, after a court found that their treatment by the company’s security staff at a New York airport had been “abusive and unnecessary”.

Abdel Wahab and Abdel Aziz Shalabi were assigned a female security guard who watched over them at the airport’s departure gate for nearly two hours, in full view of hundreds of fellow passengers, after they had passed the security and baggage checks.

When Abdel Wahab visited a toilet without her permission, a noisy argument broke out between the two, with Ms Weinberg accusing him of “roaming freely”. He said he told her to “either arrest me or go away”.

Ilan Or, the head of El Al security, was then called and issued him an ultimatum that he apologise or be prevented from catching the flight. Abdul Wahab told a magistrate’s court in Haifa on April 7 that he broke down in tears and finally said he was sorry.

Later, El Al’s head of security threatened to bar Abdel Wahab, 43, from the flight if he did not apologise to the guard for going to the toilet without first getting her approval. Abdel Aziz said he had been humiliated and “cried like I’ve never cried before in public”.

They arrived four hours early at John F Kennedy airport in New York for their return flight with Israir, an Israeli charter company, to allow time for the additional checks they expected from El Al’s security staff.

El Al has special agreements with most countries’ airports to carry out its own security checks for passengers flying with Israeli airlines.

The brothers said they were questioned, searched and had to wait two hours while their bags and carry-on luggage were subjected to lengthy inspections.

“The Jews with us went through in minutes,” said Abdel Aziz, in his home in the village of Iksal, near Nazareth. “The difference in treatment was very clear.”

After they had passed the checks, an El Al security guard, Keren Weinberg, was assigned to them until they boarded

The two groups found that Arab and Muslim passengers typically faced long interrogations and extensive luggage searches, and were also regularly subjected to body and strip searches, had items including computers confiscated, were kept in holding areas and were escorted directly on to the plane.

New York’s JFK airport was one of the airports that refused to answer questions from the groups about incidents of discriminatory treatment of Arabs and Muslims.

The brothers are now planning to sue El Al and its New York staff in the United States, over Israel’s racial profiling of passengers in a country where such a practice is illegal.

The brothers, who live in northern Israel, were the only Arabs in a party of 17 Israeli insurance agents on a twoweek business trip to Canada and New York in 2007.

A 2007 report published jointly by the Arab Association for Human Rights and the Centre Against Racism on racial profiling by Israeli carriers concluded: “This phenomenon is so widespread that it is hard to find any Arab citizen who travels abroad by air and who has not experienced a discriminatory security check at least once.”

The report noted that foreign countries that allowed Israel to carry out its own security checks at their airports failed to supervise them and preferred to “ignore their discriminatory nature and the human rights violations committed on their own soil”.

Although surveys of Arab citizens, who comprise onefifth of Israel’s population, show that most have suffered degrading treatment when flying with Israeli carriers, few bring cases to the Israeli courts.

“I’d rather go to New York by donkey than fly with El Al again,” said Abdel Aziz, 44. “We will keep fighting this case until Israel is embarrassed into stopping its policy of discriminating against its Arab citizens.”

“I will not rest until we get an apology from El Al and they acknowledge that what they did is wrong,” he said. He called on all Arab citizens to boycott El Al until it committed to stop its discriminatory policy.

Abdel Aziz Shalabi, left, and Abdel Wahab were the only Arabs in a party of 17 insurance agents on a business trip. Jonathan Cook / The National

“I was in shock. One minute I was made to feel like a terrorist and then the next like a naughty child,” he said.

Judge Amir Toubi said the security staff had admitted that neither brother was deemed a security threat and that Israeli law did not allow checks to continue after passengers had passed the security area.

Israel has also come under harsh criticism for the standard racial profiling policies it uses against its own Arab citizens and foreign Arab nationals at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv.

The practice of putting different colour-coded stickers on Jewish and Arab passengers’ luggage ended three years ago.

However, airport guards still write a number on uniform white stickers indicating the level of security threat. Critics say higher numbers are reserved for non-Jews.

“With all due understanding of security needs, there is no justification for ignoring the dignity, freedom and basic rights of a citizen under the mantle of the sacred cow of security,” the judge ruled.

Faced with a lawsuit from Israeli human rights groups, Menachem Mazuz, the attorney general at the time, instructed the airports authority in early 2008 to implement “visible equality” by ending discriminatory screening policies.

El Al said in court documents that it had been “asked by the state to conduct security checks abroad on behalf of [charter companies] Arkia and Israir airlines, and is acting under the security guidelines set by official bodies of the state.”

However, observers have noticed no change in practice.

“This was a very cynical exercise. ‘Visible equality’ simply means making it look like there’s equality when the inequality persists,” said Mohammed Zeidan, director of the Association for Human Rights, based in Nazareth.

Abdul Wahab praised the court’s decision but said the damages were minor and would not act as a deterrent against El Al repeating such behaviour in future. He said the brothers would appeal to a higher court in Israel and were planning to initiate a legal action in New York, too.

In December an airport official told the right-wing Jerusalem Post newspaper: “Profiling makes the biggest difference. A man with the name of Umar flying out of Tel Aviv, whether he is American or British, is going to get checked seven times.”

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MAY 2010

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Analysis: Israel fears US wants to impose peace

By STEVEN GUTKIN Associated Press Writer JERUSALEM (AP) _ Israel’s hardline government is deeply worried that the U.S. will try to impose a Mideast peace deal that the Palestinians might declare statehood unilaterally and that Washington could be moving to end tensions with Syria.

These fears underscore how the current differences between the U.S. and Israel go far beyond a still unresolved diplomatic row over Israeli settlement building.

Instead, there is a deepening chasm between the visions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Barack Obama, raising questions about the strength of the U.S.Israeli alliance despite mutual pronouncements that the bond is unshakable. JRL117 Netanyahu fears Israel could be forced into unwanted concessions and its enemies’ hands will be strengthened. His government is pushing to keep the focus firmly on threats from Hezbollah, Hamas and _ particularly _ Iran and its disputed nuclear program.

Obama, in contrast, is speaking about the promises of peace and has taken a new unusual step, publicly characterizing Israeli-Arab strife as harmful to U.S. interests _ which many interpreted as a prelude to taking action to push through a peace.

A forum of Israel’s top seven ministers met three times this week to try to find ways to warm the chilly relationship with the

Obama administration, but failed to agree on any specific measures, such as stopping Jewish construction in east Jerusalem, officials said on condition of anonymity because the meetings were closed.

Israeli officials have been phoning U.S. congress members for help in repairing the ties that were damaged last month when Israel announced a massive new Jewish housing project in east Jerusalem during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. Palestinians hope to make that part of the city their future capital.

Israel still has not given its response to a series of demands Obama reportedly made in a tense meeting with Netanyahu in Washington on March 23. This has led to speculation that Netanyahu might be seeking to buy time in the hope that Obama would be less inclined to pressure Israel in the run-up to November’s U.S. congressional elections, in which Jewish American support is key.

U.S. frustration over the lack of progress on Mideast peace has led to a debate in the Obama administration over whether to propose an American peace plan that would clearly outline U.S. expectations. Israeli officials fear that would mean heavy pressure on them to make territorial compromises they have so far resisted. ``All those who support a forced solution are in fact making the solution much less probable,’’ said Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon.

Israel has spent the past week

trying to draw attention to the myriad threats it says it faces in the region.

As the U.S. prepared to reinstall an ambassador in the Syrian capital of Damascus, Israeli intelligence officials said this week they believe Syria was transferring deadly Scud missiles to Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon, a claim Syria denied. Hezbollah admits it has been massively arming since its 2006 war with Israel, yet the timing of the statements suggested they may have also reflected Israeli concerns about Obama’s Syria policy.

Also, during annual Holocaust commemorations, Netanyahu raised Europe’s failure to act early to stop the rise of Nazi Germany in order to push Israel’s demands for stronger action to stop Iran’s nuclear program.

The U.S. and its allies accuse Iran of seeking to build a nuclear weapon, and Israel says it would be under direct threat. In Washington, senior military and intelligence officials warned that in about a year, Iran could amass enough nuclear material to build a bomb. Iran denies it has any intention to do so.

The current U.S.-Israeli friction might be an unavoidable outcome of having a liberal administration in Washington and a right-wing government in Israel. But with Israel’s international image in tatters following its bruising offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza last year _ and with the U.S. badly in need of Muslim support to accomplish its goals in Afghanistan and Iraq _ patience

for Israel’s 43-year-old occupation of the Palestinians is wearing thin.

Driven by similar frustrations, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has floated the idea of unilaterally declaring statehood as early as next year _ a proposal that led Israel’s foreign minister to threaten to annul past peace agreements and even annex parts of the West Bank.

The U.S.-Israel tensions also reflect a fair amount of irony. Israel is showing deep distrust for Obama even though what he is proposing could ensure Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic country _ considering that Arabs will soon outnumber Jews in the lands comprising historic Palestine.

Netanyahu is reluctant to make territorial compromises mostly because he thinks they will jeopardize Israel’s security, but his hardline stance is liable to hinder his attempts to marshal international support for his overarching goal of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell is due back in the region in the coming days to try to revive a plan to have the sides begin U.S.-mediated, indirect talks.

Pressuring Netanyahu ahead of talks has so far proven ineffective.

Doing so instead once talks have started _ and a real peace plan is on the table _ could bring the Israeli leader to a moment of truth, having to choose between his hawkish partners and a more moderate coalition, between compromise and keeping all the land.

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13 Palestine Children Relief Fund (PCRF) helps injured children

INTERNATIONAL

UK’s Galloway opens summer ‘University of Palestine’

By Richard Hall

Throughout March and into August, injured children from the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been getting expert medical care through the PCRF in the UAE Emirate of Dubai.

BEIRUT: British MP George Galloway announced on Tuesday the foundation of the first annual University of Palestine, due to take place in Lebanon each year to educate Lebanese and international students on the Palestinian cause.

“We are going to bring 500 students from all over the world to study intensively for one week the Palestinian question: the history, the geography the culture and the politics.

They will come from America, Australia and I hope from all over the world, with a substantial number from here in Lebanon,” Galloway said.

“We will make excursions to the border, to the Palestinian camps, to places of interest. We will hold lectures and workshops, sporting and cultural events,” he added.

The summer university will take place for one week each year at the campus of the Lebanese International University in the Bekaa Valley. Galloway said many prominent international speakers were expected to attend, such as Noam Chomsky, Norman Finkelstein, Naomi Klein, Fadwa Barghouti, the wife of jailed Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, and Hizbullah spokesman Ibrahim Mousawi. The luminaries will give lectures, and “plan the next 12 months of solidarity with the Palestinian people,” according to Galloway.

Galloway also used the occasion to announce plans to break the blockade of Gaza later this year with a convoy of aid from Arab countries under the banner “Viva Palestina Arabiya.”

The convoy will travel by sea from Turkey to the port of Gaza, led by Arab countries but including aid contributions from Viva Palestina campaigns in Britain, Turkey, America and Australia.

“We are asking the Arab people to join us

and see what they can do. We are appealing to the Arab world to act as their own public opinion,” Galloway said Tuesday.

Galloway’s Viva Palestina campaign has delivered several convoys of aid to the Gaza Strip since its first trip from Britain in March 2009, most of them traveling by land or air to Egypt where they then crossed to Gaza through the Erez checkpoint. The last convoy was denied entry to the enclave

by Egyptian authorities, leading to violent clashes between participants and security forces.

“The ships will be loaded this time not with bread or medicine, which is all that has been allowed in across the land borders, as if the Palestinians in Gaza were animals in a zoo to be fed and kept alive; this time the ships will be loaded with building materials to rebuild houses,” said Galloway, adding that the convoy would travel under the patronage of Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Galloway stressed the importance of the Palestinian solidarity movement in taking action at a time when Israeli policies are damaging chances of peace in the region.

“It’s up to us to act, to capitalize on this moment. It’s up to Arabs to capitalize on this moment, especially those Arab countries with the closest ties with the United States,” he said.

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On March 29, Dr. Marc Sinclair provided extensive orthopedic surgery on 17-year-old Safaa Fahmawi at the MedCare Hospital under the co-sponsorship of the Little Wings Foundation.

The PCRF and Little Wings have worked on several projects together in the past, sending several other injured and needy children to Dubai for free care, and sponsoring surgery missions to the West Bank in which dozens more Palestinian children got the care that they needed in their homeland. Also being treated in Dubai at three kids from the Gaza Strip who suffered amputations, two of them as the result of Israeli military action there.

while near his home in the Shujiya area of Gaza City and is in Dubai with his mother, Hala. Their treatment is being sponsored through the support of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Establishment, who have supported dozens of injured Palestinian children to get medical care in the UAE over the past few years through the PCRF. These children are being supported and cared for by the hard work of many volunteers in the PCRF chapter in Dubai.

17-year-old Taghreed Abu Helo from the Breij Refugee camp lost her leg in an accident, while 16-yearold Khalil Al Jadeily, also from the Breij Refugee Camp, lost both legs when the IDF bombed his home in January, 2009. 14-yearold Mohammed El Ejla lost a leg and an arm from an IDF bomb in January, 2009

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US aid cuts hit Egypt’s democracy groups

By HADEEL AL-SHALCHI and LEE KEATH Associated Press Writers CAIRO (AP) _ President Barack Obama has dramatically cut funds to promote democracy in Egypt, a shift that could affect everything from anti-corruption programs to the monitoring of elections.

Washington’s cuts over the past year _ amounting to around 50 percent _ have drawn accusations that the Obama administration is easing off reform pressure on the autocratic government of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to ensure its support on Mideast policy, including the peace process with Israel. ``Obama wants change that won’t make the Egyptian government angry,’’ said Ahmed Samih, head of a Cairo-based organization that in 2005 used U.S. funds to monitor parliament elections. ``And in the Egyptian context, that means there will be no change.’’

In a statement to The Associated Press, USAID _ Washington’s main international aid agency _ said, ``the United States is committed to the promotion of democracy and human rights and the development of civil society in Egypt.’’ It said the cuts came as Washington was drawing down nonmilitary aid to Egypt in general over recent years.

The administration has made similar cuts in democracy aid to Jordan, another U.S. ally.

The policy in part reflects a change in focus, with more development and economic aid to Afghanistan and Pakistan. It also reflects how Obama has moved away from his predecessor George W. Bush’s aggressive push to democratize the regimes of the Middle East.

Egypt was the centerpiece of the Bush policy, straining U.S. ties with Mubarak _ though by the end of the Bush administration, the American reform push had already seemed to fall by the wayside.

The democracy cuts for Egypt are ``of particular concern as the environment there becomes increasingly restricted _ as evidenced by recent

crackdowns against political activists, bloggers, and journalists,’’ the U.S.-based democracy watchdog Freedom House said in a report released.

Egypt has been one of the top recipients of U.S. foreign aid ever since it became the first Arab country to sign a peace accord with Israel, in 1979. The aid was as high as $2 billion a year in the past, including $1.3 billion in funds for Egypt’s military. But since the Bush administration, Washington has been reducing the nonmilitary part of the package.

This year’s aid, like last year’s, is $1.55 billion, including $250 million in nonmilitary aid.

In 2008, the Bush administration dedicated around $45 million of that to programs for ``Governing Justly and Democratically.’’ A portion directly funded non-governmental organizations _ known as ``civil society’’ groups _ that carry out independent programs to promote human rights, hold the government accountable and promote reform.

For the 2009 budget, the Bush administration dedicated the same amount. But when it came to office, the Obama administration rearranged the funds, with only $20 million put to the democracy program, moving the difference to strictly economic projects, according to State Department reports to Congress. It has laid out slightly higher funds, $25 million, for the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years.

It has also imposed new rules barring USAID money to unregistered groups, both Egyptian and international. Many groups do not register with the Egyptian government because they fear pressure and interference.

USAID said funds from other American agencies continue to go to unregistered groups, and cited the ``constrained budget environment.’’

But the amount is reduced from $10 million in 2008 to around $2.6 million now, according to a report by the Project on Mideast Democracy, a Washington-based group that studied the budget.

Freedom House warned that the new rules are ``essentially giving the Egyptian Government veto power over who receives funding from USAID.’’

HAJI BABA

The changes come at a murky time for Egypt, the Arab world’s most populous nation. Presidential elections are due in 2011, but the recent illness of the 81-year-old Mubarak has raised questions about whether he will run. Mubarak does not have a clear successor.

Past elections have been notorious for reports of widespread rigging to ensure ruling party victories.

Samih was unable to apply to USAID for funds to monitor upcoming parliamentary elections in November. He was also rejected for funds for another project _ Radio Horytna (Our Freedom Radio), Egypt’s first youth-run online radio station.

The Egyptian Center for Human Rights was turned down for $300,000 from USAID to monitor elections for parliament’s upper house last year, said its director, Safwat Girgis. He turned to one of the American agencies authorized to fund unregistered groups, but was told it does not deal with election monitoring.

USAID also yanked funding for another project of Girgis’ group to promote the rights of women and the disabled and communication between Egypt’s Muslims and Christians through public workshops, he said.

The Egyptian government now appears to be moving to shut down unregistered groups.

A bill before Egypt’s parliament would impose heavy punishments on these groups unless they apply to the state. Under the bill, the government can refuse registration for any NGO if security agencies do not approve. The state can also disband the board of directors of any registered nonprofit or pull its license.

Samih warned that if the legislation passes, he would have to shut down his Andalus Institute for Tolerance and Anti-violence Studies, which promotes democracy among youth and trains bloggers and new media writers. ``Obama wants to democratize the region the way the leaders of the Arab countries want, not the way the Arab people want,’’ Girgis said.

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Spotlight on Muslim Youth: Khalid Cortes Nesima Aberra Muslim Voice

“At first I wanted to be businessman and make money, have a family and a normal life,” he said.

Khalid Cortes believes strongly in the values of duty and responsibility, values which have helped him graduate high school with an associate’s degree at the same time.

But the bigger picture he realized he could be a part of as Muslim diplomat would be to help steer the military to the right way and differentiate between the Taliban and terrorists and ordinary civilians.

Khalid is a 17-year-old senior at Arizona Cultural Academy and will graduate in May 2010. He is also a student at South Mountain Community College through its dual enrollment program. In the fall, he plans to attend Arizona Statue University with a scholarship to major in justice studies and pre-law, but he also has a unique part of his future career plans: the Marine Corps.

Khalid credits his education at ACA for instilling those beliefs of selflessness and duty.

Although he attended public elementary school, his mother enrolled him in ACA to get a stronger Islamic base. Learning Islamic and Quran studies and being in a religious environment helped Khalid improve his character and “choose the

When he was younger, Khalid’s career ideas ranged from being an astronaut to a psychiatrist to a businessman. He planned to invest in the stock market, build up his assets and lead a relatively normal life. Then he became interested in law during a career day during his sophomore year at ACA, citing his interest in the work and lifestyle of lawyers, but it wasn’t until his senior year when he learned about the option of joining the Marine Corps.

Khalid said he started talking to the recruiter at South Mountain Community College, where he went for his college classes. The recruiter spoke to him about how much the military needed Muslims to join for diplomacy and cultural knowledge of the areas. Khalid also learned that he could receive a scholarship to get his bachelor’s and law degree. Through his dual enrollment program, he has already completed two full years of college.

Another aspect that resonated with Khalid was the Marine Corps’s emphasis on the values of honor and duty and betterment of the society over the individual.

right thing to do over the easy thing.”

“I noticed a huge change in personality, thoughts and the way I looked at things,” he said.

His time as a member of ACA’s student council also helped prepare Khalid for his leadership experience, organizing school wide activities, fundraisers and addressing student needs to make the school better. That’s why he believes that if he remained in public school, he would have simply gotten a business degree, worked his way up and worried about money.

Now Khalid is concerned about the need for Muslim ambassadors to help civilians, farmers, and other Muslims caught in the cross-fire of war-torn countries. But he acknowledges the difficulty in encouraging Muslim parents to let their children enter nontraditional career paths such as his.

Luckily, he has the support of his family in his decision.

Instead of going the familiar route, he said there is a need for more Muslim politicians, lawyers, journalists in order to have a bigger voice and make a difference.

“Alhamdulillah, we have the healthiest ummah. We have a ton of engineers, doctors, and lawyers,” Khalid said.

“Muslims have to sacrifice to help their “religion, country and the community.”

His advice for youth thinking about their careers is simple: Do what feels right.

“At the end of the day, respect your parents and listen to them because they know what’s best for you, but the only person you have to answer to is yourself and Allah” If more Muslim youth strive to live with the dedication and sincerity Khalid has shown, then the community will certainly be on a prosperous, successful path for future generations.

Arizona Cultural Academy

15

Islam Awareness Week at ASU Nesima Aberra

Pictured, Osman Salim, an ASU junior, talks during a student-led Halaqa on the topic «Being Muslim on Campus.» The presentation was followed by a question and answer session and discussion.

The Muslim Students Association at Arizona State University hosted an Islam Awareness Week April 12-16 with a variety of activities and sessions to enlighten and inform the campus about Muslims.

On April 12th, a presentation called “Why Islam?” was held on the Hayden Lawn for several hours in the morning and afternoon. In the evening, there was student-led halaqa at the ICC masjid called “Being Muslim on Campus” followed by a Quran competition.

Dr. Aneesah Nadir held a seminar about Dating in Islam on April 13th, addressing the struggles of Muslim youth on the path to marriage.

On April 14th, there was a lecture called “Islam 101 - The Faith of 1.5 billion Demystified.”

The club gave a tour of the ICC masjid to all who were interested on April 15th.

All of this led up to an Islam scavenger hunt on the morning of the 16th all around the campus with prizes awarded to the winner.

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ISLAM / FAMILY

MAY 2010

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The Night Prayer (Qiyaam al-Layl) Islamweb.net

What is Qiyaam al-Layl?

Qiyaam’ means ‘standing’ and ‘Qiyaam al-Layl’ means ‘standing in night.’ In the Islamic terminology, both terms refer to ‘the voluntary night prayer, whose time extends from after ‘Ishaa’ (evening) prayer until dawn.’ Qiyaam al-Layl is also known as Tahajjud.

A widespread misconception is that Tahajjud is a different night prayer than Qiyaam. The true is that there is only one voluntary night prayer known by different names.

The excellence of night prayer: Numerous Prophetic narrations and Quranic verses mention the excellence of night prayer and the merit of those who perform it regularly. Allaah The Almighty, Says (what means): “O you who wraps himself [in clothing], arise [to pray] the night, except for a little – half of it – or subtract from it a littleor add to it, and recite the Quran with measured recitation.”[Quran 73: 1-4] It is reported that the Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Allaah, Our Lord, descends (in a manner befitting His Majesty) to the nearest heaven to us of this universe during the last third of the night and says: ‘Is there anyone to call upon Me so that I shall respond to him (fulfill his prayer). Is there anyone to ask of Me that I may grant his request. Is there anyone to seek My forgiveness so that I shall pardon him (and forgive his sins)’.” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] Aa’ishah may Allaah be pleased with her reported that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “The most beloved deeds to Allaah are the most constant, even if they were little” [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim], and she may Allaah be pleased with her said in another narration: “Do not ever stop praying Qiyaam.

The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) never ceased praying it. When he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was sick or weak, he prayed sitting.” [AlBukhaari and Muslim] The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) in another Hadeeth, said: “The closest one can be to Allaah The Almighty, is during the last third of the night. If one can remember Allaah The Almighty, at this time let him do so.” [At-Tirmithi, An-Nasaa’i and Al-Haaqim]

Again, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Verily, there is one hour during the (entire) night when any Muslim (submitting to the Will of Allaah the Almighty) may call upon Allaah and request anything of Him, regardless of whether the matter be worldly or of the hereafter. Allaah, theAlmighty will grant and fulfill the request. This is the case every night.” [Muslim] Those who regularly perform the night prayers are the righteous and are more deserving of Allaah’s bounty and mercy.

Allaah Says (what means): “Indeed, the righteous will be among gardens and springs,accepting what their Lord has given them. Indeed, they were before that doer of good. They used to sleep but little of the night,and in the hours before dawn they would ask forgiveness.” [Quran 51: 15-18] Etiquettes of night prayer: The following acts are Sunnah (recommended) for the one who wishes to perform the night prayers. Upon going to sleep, one should make the intention to perform the prayers. Abu Ad-Dardaa’ may Allaah be pleased with him related that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Whoever goes to his bed with the intention of getting up and praying during the night, and sleep overcomes him until the morning comes, he will have recorded for him what he had intended, and his sleep will be a charity for him from his Lord.”[An-Nasaa’i and Ibn Maajah] Upon waking, one should wipe one’s face, use a Miswaak (toothstick), and make this supplication: “There is no god but You, Glory be to You, I seek forgiveness from You for my sins, and I ask for Your mercy. O Allaah, increase my knowledge and let my heart not swerve after You have guided me, and bestow mercy upon me from Yourself. All praise be to Allaah who has given us back life after our death and unto Him is the resurrection.”

Then, one should recite the last ten verses of chapter ‘Al-’Imraan’, then one should say, “O Allaah, to You belongs the praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and what is therein. And to you belongs the praise. You are the truth and Your promise is true. And the meeting with you is true. And the paradise is true. And the Fire is true. And the prophets are true. And Muhammad is true. And the Hour is true. O Allaah, to You have I submitted. And in you have I believed.

And in You have I put my trust. And to You have I turned. And by You I argue. And to

You do I turn for my decisions. Forgive me of my former and latter sins, and those done in private and those done in public. You are Allaah, there is no god besides You.” One should begin the night prayer with two quick Rak’ahs and then may pray whatever he wishes after that. ‘Aa’ishah may Allaah be pleased with her said: “When the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) prayed during the latenight, he would begin his prayers with two quick Rak’ahs.” [Muslim] The recommended time for night prayer: The night prayer may be performed in the early part of the night, the middle part of the night, or the latter part of the night, but after the obligatory ‘Ishaa’ (evening) prayer.

Anas may Allaah be pleased with him described the prayer of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) as: “If we wanted to see him praying during the night, we could see him praying. If we wanted to see him sleeping during the night, we could see him sleeping. And sometimes he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would fast for so many days that we thought he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would not leave fasting throughout that month. And sometimes he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would not fast (for so many days) that we thought he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would not fast during that month.” [Al-Bukhaari, Ahmad and AnNasaa’ i] Commenting on this subject, Ibn Hajar may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “There was no specific time in which the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would perform his night prayer, but he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would do whatever was easiest for him.”

Best time for night prayer: It is best to delay this prayer to the last third portion of the night. Abu Hurayrah may Allaah be pleased with him reported that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Our Lord descends to the lowest heaven during the last third of the night, inquiring: ‘Who will call on Me so that I may respond to him?

Who is asking something of Me so I may give it to him? Who is asking for My forgiveness so I may forgive him?”’

‘Amr Ibn Abasah may Allaah be pleased

with him reported that he heard the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) say: “The closest that a slave comes to his Lord is during the middle of the latter portion of the night. If you can be among those who remember Allaah, the Exalted One, at that time then do so.” [AlHaakim, At-Tirmithi and An-Nasaa’i] The number of Rak’ahs (units of prayer) to be performed during night prayer: The night prayer does not entail a specific number of Rak’ahs which must be performed nor is there any maximum limit which has to be performed. It would be fulfilled even if one just prayed one Rak’ah of Witr after the obligatory night prayer.

Samurah Ibn Jundub may Allaah be pleased with him said: “The Messenger of Allaah ordered us to pray during the night, a little or a lot, and to make the last of the prayer the Witr prayer.” [At-Tabaraani and Al-Bazzaar] It is preferable to pray eleven or thirteen Rak’ahs for night prayer: One may choose between praying them all together or to separate them. ‘Aa’ishah may Allaah be pleased with her said: “The Messenger of Allaah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) never prayed more than eleven Rak’ahs, during Ramadhaan or otherwise. He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would pray four Rak’ahs, and don’t ask about how excellent they were or how lengthy they were. Then, he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would pray four Rak’ahs, and don’t ask about how excellent they were or how lengthy they were. Then, he sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would pray three Rak’ahs. I asked: ‘O Messenger of Allaah, do you sleep before praying Witr?’ He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: ‘O ‘Aa’ishah, my eyes sleep but my heart does not sleep.”’ [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim]

How to respect your parents Islamweb.net There are many days set aside in non-Islamic societies to honour and appreciate special people; examples of these are Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Memorial Day and Labour Day. In Islam, however, respecting, honouring and appreciating parents is not just for a single day of the year, but rather for each and every day.

Parents in the Quran A Muslim child should respect and appreciate his or her parents on a daily basis. Allaah mentions that human beings must recognise their parents and that this is second only to the recognition of Allaah Himself. Throughout the Quran, we notice that parents are mentioned with appreciation and respect, even if they are senile. In the Quran, there is a very beautiful description of how parents are to be treated; Allaah Says (what means): “And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as] ‘uff’ [i.e., an expression of irritation or disapproval] and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say: ‘My Lord! Have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.’” [Quran 17:23-24] The recognition and respect of parents is mentioned in the Quran eleven times; in every instance, Allaah reminds children to recognise and to appreciate the love and care that they have received from their parents. One such example is when Allaah says what means: “And We have enjoined upon man goodness to parents…” [Quran 29:8 & 46:15] 1. The demand for recognising parents is made more emphatic when Allaah Says (what means): “And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them]: ‘Do not worship except Allaah; and to parents, do good…’”

[Quran 2:83] 2. Allaah again emphasises in chapter An-Nisaa’ that children should be kind to their parents. He says what means: “Worship Allaah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good...” [Quran 4:36] 3. In Chapter Al-An’aam, Allaah reemphasises that people should be kind to their parents; He says what means: “Say:

‘Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him, and to parents, good treatment...’” [Quran 6:151] Mothers: Although Islam recognises both parents, mothers are given particular gratitude and respect. This can be appreciated if we reflect upon the hardships and suffering that mothers experience in their lives. In this regard, there is a Hadeeth of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) : It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah may Allaah be

with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do.” [Quran 31:14-15] More Respect: Islam teaches us that of the most beloved deeds to Allaah, having respect for one’s parents is second only to that of prayer and is greater than that of Jihaad (fighting in His cause). In this respect, Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmaan ‘Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood may Allaah be pleased with him narrated the following: “I asked the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ): ‘Which deed is the most beloved to Allaah?’ He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “Prayers performed on time.” I then asked: ‘Which one is next?’ He replied: “Goodness to parents.” I then asked: ‘Which is next?’ He replied: “Jihaad in the path of Allaah.””

In Islam, respect for parents is so great that the child and his wealth are considered to be the property of the parents: `Aa’ishah may Allaah be pleased with her narrated that a man came to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) in order to resolve a dispute that he had with his father regarding a loan he had given him. The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said to the man: “You and your wealth are to (i.e., the property of) your father.”

pleased with him that a man came to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and asked him: ‘Who is most deserving of my close companionship?’ He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “Your mother; your mother; your mother; then your father; then the next closest to you in kinship; then the one next closest.”

Final Remarks:

Islam has endorsed respect for parents by their children, even if the parents are non-Muslims. If parents strive to convert their children to non-Islamic beliefs, the children should not obey them, but must still maintain goodness towards them. In this regard, Allaah says what means: “And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is two years. Be grateful to Me and your parents; to Me is the [final] destination. But if they endeavour to make you associate

3. Instituting a perpetual charity on their behalf, such as a mosque, an Islamic Centre, an Islamic library, an Islamic hospital, an orphanage, etc.

We hope and pray that all of us will respect our parents while they are alive and after their death. One can honour his parents after their death through the following methods: 1. Performing daily Du’aa’ (supplication) for them.

2. Giving charity on their behalf.

4. Performing Hajj on their behalf, or asking someone to do so.

5. Distributing Islamic literature on their behalf.

Let us pray to Allaah that we do our best to respect our parents, honour them, be kind to them, assist them, and please them so that we may attain the love of Allaah.

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DEAR SISTER HANA / HEALTH

MAY 2010

17

DEAR SISTER HANA

Sister Hana is a Certified Counselor from Arizona State University. She is a Muslim therapist who is able to provide guidance and support to my fellow Muslim brothers and sisters in an Islamic and therapeutic way. She has experience in a large range of concerns including depression, anxiety, identity crisis, relationships, life skills, coping skills, anger management, and trauma. Inshallah with this column she will be able to provide you with confidentiality and help to any concern you may have. Please feel free to write to us and anticipate my reply in the monthly edition of Muslim Voice to dearhana@azmuslimvoice.com Dear Sister Hana, I am writing you this letter with hopes that you can help me with this matter. My wife has some mental health issues that she is currently working on and I try to support her as much as I can. Until recently she has told me what I did not know before which is that she has suicidal thoughts and behaviors that I never knew about. However, I notice it now that she has been open and honest with me about it. I urge her to seek help from her therapist about this but I think she feels ashamed of having these thoughts since it is against our religion to commit suicide. I am asking you for any help or advice you can give me on how to help her with this matter. Thank you.

Dear Brother, I appreciate your honesty. Therapy is only helpful when we are honest and truthful to ourselves. I understand why your wife may feel ashamed; it would be helpful if you were to explain to her that there is nothing to be ashamed about. It may be against our religion to commit suicide, but she is not choosing to have these thoughts. It might be helpful to her if you remind her that she is not committing any sin by having these thoughts. In fact, she is doing everything in her power to improve her problems, like going to therapy and being honest with you about her thoughts and feelings. It is not helpful to carry additional shame and guilt that is unnecessary in her situation.

When your wife (or anyone) shares with you (or anyone) that there are having suicidal thoughts, there are basic steps that can be followed to help that person feel better. When confronted with something like this a person can feel stressed and responsible for the safety of the other. I will provide you with three basic steps

that anyone can follow when they are told that someone is having suicidal thoughts. Step number one: Connecting. Connecting will give you an opportunity to clarify and examine you own feelings about the person exhibiting suicidal behaviors. Through connecting you build trust with the person to help them be more open and honest with you in what they are thinking and feeling.

The next step is: Understanding. In this step, after a connection was made it is important to ask the person who is feeling suicidal why they want to die and why they want to live. Asking these questions is crucial and may be intimidating, but is very helpful in the long run. Understanding also involves asking the person if they have a plan or intention of committing suicide and when. If there is no plan, you can move forward to step three, if there is a plan of suicide, then a safety plan is necessary to ensure the person has no means of hurting themselves or that the means will be taken away.

The third step is: Assisting. This step includes helping the person find resources to get help. Therapy, supports, people to call or go to when feeling this way.

In your case, your wife’s resources are you and her therapist. You can ask her why she feels like she wants to die and why she wants to live, what does she think she has to live for. This will help her shift her thoughts from depressive thoughts, to thoughts about living and will help her feel better.

I hope this helped you and everyone else reading this.

Thanks again for your question.

Sincerely, Sister Hana

CO2 Sinks: Is the Earth Trying to Help?

By Geoffrey Kamadi Freelance Writer - Kenya All indications and scientific findings of climate change research point to the ever-increasing emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the earth’s atmosphere. Time and again, scientists have pointed out that this will increase temperatures in the earth’s atmosphere with devastating effects in the coming decades.

With vast conviction among world scientists of the gravity of the situation, it would be no surprise that the emergence of a study suggesting otherwise is bound to raise eyebrows.

CO2 from the atmosphere.

“Most research suggests there will be a decrease in the ability of the earth to absorb human-emitted CO2 as the planet warms. This will accelerate the rate of increase of CO2 in the atmosphere, as more of what humans emit ends up in the atmosphere,” Chase told IOL. However, she cautions that there are a lot of uncertainties in these predictions. The fact that this study finds no change in the relative proportion of CO2 emissions ending up in the atmosphere over recent decades “does not mean that we don’t need to worry about this positive

The Vicious Circle Zanna Chase, an oceanographer at Oregon State University, explained to IOL that it is very important that we understand the potential feedback mechanisms that climate change has on the ability of the earth to remove human-emitted

A research carried out by G.R. van der Werf and others at the Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, has shown that emissions resulting from deforestation could be as low as 12 percent rather than the 20 percent figure quoted in previous studies.

These new findings indicate as well that marine plants are adapting to climate change by absorbing carbon from the atmosphere as the ice melts.

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) for one suggests that phytoplanktons are flourishing in water from melting ice and glaciers.

Boyd explains that as marine plants take up more CO2, the melting of ice also enhances the absorption of solar radiation by the oceans, as less light is reflected by their diminishing surfaces.

The author of this study, Wolfgang Knorr, argues that CO2 levels have remained slightly above 50 percent despite this increased emission over the years.

Boyd is one of the climate change experts who have been fielding questions from journalists in the recent climate change talks in Copenhagen.

Knorr’s study is not the only one that seems to be at odds with conventionally held scientific opinion about the warming of the earth. Another study released in November 2009 has negated the previous estimates of CO2 emissions into the earth’s atmosphere, blamed on the felling of trees.

They Feed on Climate Change

A paper published in the Geophysical Research Letters on November 7, 2009, states that the earth has developed stores to absorb excess CO2 in the environment. This study, conducted at Bristol University in the UK, suggests that the earth has been taking in more than half of CO2 emissions for the past 160 years. This is despite the steady increase in emissions from two billion tons annually in 1850 to the current levels of 35 billion tons annually.

Dr. Philip Boyd of the Centre for Chemical and Physical Oceanography jointly operated by the University of Otago, New Zealand, told IslamOnline.net (IOL) that the planet will continue to absorb significant amounts of CO2. “But there will be many complex feedbacks that will result from climate change,” he continued.

feedback over recent decades doesn’t mean it won’t kick in as temperatures increase further.”

feedback mechanism,” she warns.

Previous studies have shown that the increase of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere has made it difficult for the earth to quickly absorb extra emissions. Studies have also shown that the soil and oceans have become saturated, thus unable to absorb any more CO2.

Chase explains that it is difficult to account for where CO2 has gone. She adds that it is challenging to detect small changes in where emissions have ended up, be it on land, ocean, or atmosphere. She maintains that the warming of the earth experienced so far is relatively small: “Just because we see no evidence for a positive

Boyd believes there are complex links between CO2, solar radiation, and oceans, “so the bottom line is that we shouldn’t take any one study as the whole story. It is a complex system in which many disparate elements are tightly interlinked.”

Chase also agrees with this observation: “Carbon accounting is complex, and scientists are bound to revise estimates of where the carbon is coming from and where it is going.”

These studies, according to Chase, do not in any way change the basic fact that CO2 in the atmosphere is increasing due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

She points out that these estimates are critical components in predicting the future levels of CO2, and that estimating exactly how much CO2 will be in the atmosphere in 100 years, and thus how much warming will occur, is very difficult.

18

BAZAAR / CLASSIFIED

MAY 2010

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Food Recipes Chicken Curry Recipe Ingredients ½ kg chicken 100 ml onion paste

Fry onion paste in oil to light brown. Add Ginger (Adrak), Garlic (Lehsan) paste, yogurt, Coriander Seeds (Dhaniya)

Indonesian Appetizer Vegetable Sour Soup (Sayur Asam) • 1 tsp. tamarind • 5 tbsp. warm water

50 ml. yogurt

• 1 shallot, sliced

1 tsp. coriander (Dhaniya) powder

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

3 to 4 tsp salt (to taste)

• 1 inch-long piece fresh ginger,

¼ tsp. turmeric (Haldi) powder

• peeled and sliced

1 tsp chili (Lal Mirch) powder 1 tsp. garlic (Lehsan) paste

• 1 red chili pepper, seeded and sliced*

1 tsp. ginger (Adrak) paste

• 3 tbsp. raw peanuts

• 1/3c. frozen corn kernels

100 ml. oil

• 1 tsp. shrimp paste

1 to 1½ tsp. salt (as per taste)

• 1 green chili pepper, sliced (optional)

100 ml. tomato - ground

Direction

1-2 green chilies -chopped

• Prepare tamarind by placing it in a small bowl with warm water.

Let soak for 15 minutes.

1 tsp. garam masala. OR 1 black cardamom (Bari Ilaichi) seeds, 2 green cardamom (Chhoti Ilaichi)

powder, chili powder, Turmeric (Haldi) powder, tomato, and salt.

• To make spice paste, combine shallot, garlic, ginger, red chili pepper, raw peanuts, shrimp paste, and salt in a large mortar and blend well with a pestle.

Use a food processor or blender if you don’t have a mortar and pestle.

Mix and fry briefly and then add the chicken.

Mix it and let it cook for 10-15 minutes till the chicken becomes tender and the desired consistency of curry is achieved. (add water only to have the required consistency) Garnish with green chilies, green coriander (Dhaniya) leaves and garam masala.

Serve with naan or boiled rice.

seeds, 1 small stick cinnamon (Dalchini) 10 black pepper (Kali Mirch)

Serving: 3 to 4 persons.

• 1/2 tsp. salt • 5 c. low-fat chicken or veg¬etable broth

• Transfer paste to a medium saucepan and add chicken or vegetable broth, salted peanuts, and brown sugar. Stir to combine, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.

• Meanwhile, use a strainer to separate the tamarind seeds from the juice. Throw away the seeds and keep the juice.

6-8 cloves (Laung)

• 1/2 c. salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

¼ tsp. cumin seeds (Zeera)

• 2 tbsp. brown sugar

Garnish

• 1 chay¬ote, peeled, seeded, and

• Add chayote, green beans, and corn to the soup, and cook over high heat for 5 minutes.

2 tsp. fresh coriander (Dhaniya) leaves and green chilies (chopped)

• sliced thin

•

Instructions

• 1/2 c. fresh or frozen green beans, • ends trimmed

Just before serving, add tamarind juice and stir. Garnish with green chili pepper slices if desired.

CALENDAR / ANNOUNCEMENTS

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Phoenix Prayer Times

MAY 2010

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Tucson Prayer Times

May 2010 • Jumada Al-Awwal / Jumada Al-Akhirah 1431 H

May 2010 • Jumada Al-Awwal / Jumada Al-Akhirah 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 April Winner Zaid Wael 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

Name:

Age:

Phone: #

May 2010

5648 N. 15th ave.

Phoenix, AZ 85015 602-413-5279

Al Rasoul Mosque 5302 N. 35th Ave. • Phoenix 602-864-1817 PEORIA Greenway Islamic Center 6724 West Greenway • Peoria, AZ www.greenwaymasjid.com

SCOTTSDALE Islamic Center of N.E. Valley 12125 E. Via Linda • Scottsdale 480-612-4044 CHANDLER Masjid AsSalam 1071 N. Alma School Rd.• Chandler 480-250-7522

TEMPE Islamic Comnty Ctr of Tempe Islamic Center of East Valley 131 E. 6th Street • Tempe 425 N. Alma School Dr. • 480-894-6070 Chandler 602-388-9900 Masjid Al Mahdi 1016 S. River Dr. • Tempe LAVEEN 480-557-9699 Islamic Center of Laveen P.O. Box 1107 • Laveen Masjid Omar Bin Al-Khattab 602-361-4401 6225 S.McClintock • Tempe 480-775-6627 MARICOPA Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah MESA 44240 W. Maricopa/ Masjid-el-Noor CasaGranda Hwy 55 N. Matlock • Mesa Maricopa Arizona 85139 con480-644-0074 tact# (602)312-7913

20 .35th Ave

I-17

Greenway

W

ADVERTISEMENTS

MAY 2010

www.AZMuslimVoice.com

We will meet or beat any advertised prices

E

S

Open 7 Days a Week Call us we love to help

Large selection of Halal meat (chicken, goat, beef, lamb, quails)

Hours: Mon-Sat 9am - 8pm Sun 11pm - 5pm

Specials

Tahini 1 lb. jar All Lebni Brands Halal Chicken Al wadi Foul 2 for

• We cut your meat to order • Imported cheeses & olives

$ 69

3 1 $ 49 1 /lb. $ 00 1 $ 99

Fresh vegetables and Halal meat delivered weekly

• Spices • Pita breads

602-866-2555

• Fresh lamb & goat 5-10

3502 W. Greenway Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85053

AL-RAZI MUSLIM & MIDDLE EASTERN MEDICAL DIRECTORY

‫النقل بأسهل الطرق‬

FIRST IN ARIZONA

PHYSICIANS & MEDICAL SERVICES REFERRAL DIRECTORY

TO BE LISTED IN THIS DIRECTORY

Quick Movers

CALL 602-258-7770

1624 W. Thomas Rd. | Phoenix, AZ 85015 | Tel. 602-258-7770 | info@breekpublishing.com A division of Breek Publishing & Marketing

Reasonable Prices Fresh Pastries

Mediterranean, European Foods Culture Clothing - Accessory Abaya $19.99 Hijab $8.99

Feta Cheese $4.39 Baklava $18.99

Extra Virgin Olive Oil $5.99

602-942-1950

3515 W. Thunderbird Rd • Phoenix, AZ 85053

HALAL MEAT