Muslim Voice May 2013 by Arabesque Media & Breek Media

Muslim Voice ARIZONA

MAY 2013

jamada alawal/RAJAB 1434H

Monthly Newspaper

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Sunil Tripathi, wrongly linked to Boston attack, died in river: autopsy report New America Media, Commentary, Hana Baba by Uttara Choudhury New York: The body found in a river in Providence two days ago has been positively identified by the Rhode Island State Health Department on Thursday as Brown University student Sunil Tripathi, who had been missing since March. The medical examiner reportedly used dental records to identify the 22-year-old Indian American Ivy League student mistakenly linked with the Boston bombings last week. A cause of Continued on page

The Humanitarian of Iran Sanctions New America M e d i a , C o m m e n t a r y, Maziar Shirazi PHILADELPHIA -It’s not every day that an American physician gets asked to function as an international pharmaceutical supplier, but for some, it’s becoming a regular occurrence. A doctor I know told of a patient getting ready for a trip to Istanbul, where he would

The Other Tahrir

Bangladeshi Youth Take Protest Global New America Media, Commentary, Ashfaque Swapan Long seen as avowedly apolitical, youth in Bangladesh today are cleansing the nation of the sins of their forebears stemming from the country’s genocidal 1971 war for independence from Pakistan. And they are taking their movement global. On March 24, people will gather in 40 cities -- including 20 in the United States -- spread across 11 countries around the world in solidarity with a cause you’ve probable never heard of. From Helsinki to Sydney, Los Angeles to New York, Cape Town to Fukuoka, this is a rare simultaneous show of support by a single ethnic group. But first, some background. A large, predominantly Muslim country’s youth pours out onto the streets to occupy a public square and make known their demands. The crowd – at times swelling to over 100,000 -- remains for 17 days and nights continuously. There is no violence, as women and men, their toddlers in tow, demonstrate together, rare in a Muslim country. No, this is not Egypt’s Tahrir Square. It all began on Feb. 5 in Shahbag Square, a neighborhood in the capital Dhaka. On that day, the country’s International Crimes Tribunal – set up in 2008 to prosecute those charged with crimes against humanity during the 1971 conflict -convicted longtime politician Abdul Qader Mollahh.Charged with the deaths of 350 people, Mollah was handed a life sentence. Young Bangladeshis, leery of the often-light sentences handed down to convicted political leaders, called for the death penalty. They also demanded that the Islamist Jamaate-Islami party, which opposed Bangladesh’s break from Pakistan, be banned. Mollah served as the party’s assistant secretary general. Many young Bangladeshis today feel the party continues to harbor war criminals such as Mollah. Shahbag leaders have given the government until March 26 to comply with their demands. Aggrieved youth immediately Continued on page

Continued on page

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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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Muslim Voice

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Publisher Breek PUBLISHING INC. editor in Chief MARWAN AHMAD editor@azmuslimvoice.com Community Editor Janan Atiyeh commeditor@azmuslimvoice.com contributing writers

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1624 W. Thomas • Phoenix, AZ 85015 Phone: (602) 258-7770 Fax: 1(866) 859-8595 Email: info@azmuslimvoice.com Deadlines for submission of letters is the 20th of every month, and for advertisements by the 25th. Only letters and articles submitted on disk or email will be accepted for review. The Publisher reserves the right to refuse any letters, articles or advertisement or any other material. The Publisher will not be liable for more than the advertisement cost in case of an error. The Muslim Voice is not responsible for the contents of advertisements or articles nor endorses them in any way or form.

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MAY 2013

AZMC Spring BBQ By Saba Khan, AZMC Board member and AZMC Executive Committee A fun filled and relaxing Arizona Muslim Community (AZMC) Spring BBQ took place at Scottsdale Ranch Park on Sunday, April 7th, 2013. Picnic ground at the park quietly awaiting the crowd, was soon filled with cheerful greetings by families and friends, and playful laughs and giggles from the kids. Families started to come around 11:00am and sat under the ramadas and beautiful canopies carefully placed to block the sun, while kids ran around to play at the giant inflatable slides. AZMC

had organized exciting activities; from tug-of-war to sack race, and from karaoke to musical chairs, there was something for everybody. As breeze picked up just a touch, and aroma of charcoal burgers and BBQ chicken filled the park, everybody lined up in front of the freshly grilled food. Menu consisted of a healthy portion of delectable food including coleslaw, potato salad, shawarma wrap, salad, drink, and a dessert. Later on, as weather turned from breezy to absolutely gorgeous, AZMC guests enjoyed snow cones, cotton candy, and pop corn. The karaoke master Zaf Mannan made a huge effort in setting up the system, while many enjoyed heartwarming Pakistani and Arab music.

AZMCs mission is to bring the Arizona Muslim Community together and build positive relationships amongst all community members without

prejudice. AZMC Spring BBQ was one of a kind social gathering that displayed true unity of Muslims from all walks of lives without any agenda. This gathering lasted until 6:30pm and witnessed 300 plus community members including many Muslim refugee families specially invited as sponsored guests.

Press Release

Muslim communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s response on the bombing in Boston

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By Imam Didmar Faja April 22, 2013 Our Muslim community in Arizona including the imamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s council and Greenway Mosque would like to express our condolences to the families of the lost ones in Boston. We also strongly condemn the horrific acts of the two Individuals who set the bombs In Boston to explode on innocent people. In the Kuran it states that the one who kills another one unjustly or causes distraction on earth is as he killed the whole humankind, and the one who revives one is as he revived the whole humankind. Islam promotes peace, justice and tolerance in society. It teaches the human how to live in peace with the Creator and the creation. It emphasizes strongly on helping the poor, caring for the orphan keeping a strong bond of the kinship, respecting the elders and saying the truth. Violence is expressed or implied by followers of different religions. In most of the cases individuals who get radicalized misinterpret the true teachings of the religion and become narrow-minded. They forget about peace, mercy and compassion, which are the fundamental teachings of Islam and other religions. However, the acts of these radicalized individuals should not be the reason to blame the

whole religion and its followers, in this case Islam and Muslims, Otherwise it becomes another expression of radicalization. Statments like: Islamic radicalism, Islamic terrorism, Islamic extremism, should not be used at all by media or other sources of information because they simply do not exist in Islam. Relating Islam to extremism or terrorism is wrong and brings nothing but hate and crime in the society. In these days we are already witnessing crimes in New York City and other places. Muslims are not new in this society they were always a part of it. There are over ten million Muslims living in North America. Some of them are lawyers, some doctors and some educators, fully engaged in the American life, honorable citizens who wish always the best for their families and the country they live in. We strongly encourage the media to be very careful when evaluating these cases and the words they choose and not to rush into judgments and conclusions before having the facts. To our fellow American citizens we remind them to judge the individuals according to the true teachings of Islam and not judge Islam and all its followers according to the actions of certain individuals.

MAY 2013

National

CAIR: Americans Will Remain United in Face of Boston Terror Developments WASHINGTON, D.C.,-Representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today joined other leaders from the national and Washington-area Muslim community at a news conference in Washington, D.C., to state that Americans will remain united in face of developments in the Boston Marathon bombings that include the naming of suspects who are reportedly Muslim. SEE: U.S. Muslim Leaders Condemn Boston Terror Attack (USA Today) Local, National Muslim Groups Condemn Bombings Organizations represented at the news conference included: (In alphabetical order.) • Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) • Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) • Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) • Masjid Muhammad (Washington, D.C.) • Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) In his prepared statement at the National Press Club news conference, CAIR National Executive Director Nihad Awad said: “Americans are united today in condemning terrorism and in the conviction that those responsible for the terrorist attacks in Boston must face justice. This cowardly attack resulted in the murders of an eight-year-old-boy and two women, and the wounding of many others. As God tells us

in the Quran, if you murder one person, it is as if you murdered all of humanity. “While we are outraged at the terrorists, we have been inspired by the unity of Americans of all backgrounds. We are a resilient people. Now that we know the identity of the perpetrators, this unity is ever more important. “We will show the terrorists that their plan to sow division and distrust has failed. People of goodwill are not afraid. America will stay united. We will not turn on each other in the acts of false

vengeance we have witnessed after other tragedies in the past. “American Muslims thank law enforcement for their diligent efforts to protect all our nation’s citizens. We send our sincere condolences to the loved ones of the MIT police officer killed overnight and our prayers are with the law enforcement official who was wounded. “We reiterate the American Muslim community’s consistent condemnation of terrorism in all its forms.” CAIR is urging Muslim individuals and Islamic institutions to review advice on security procedures contained in its “Muslim Community Safety Kit.”

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Immigration Bill Draws Mixed Reactions from AAPI Communities Asian Journal, News Report When the so-called ‘Gang of Eight’ Senators unveiled their proposed immigration reform bill, mainstream media and netizens were abuzz with reactions and statements. A host of immigration advocates, policymakers and think tanks gave their feedback on its provisions. While some of these groups are still in the process of doing a thorough review of the 844page bill (which was released Tuesday night but formally unveiled on Thursday), many have already expressed mixed reactions to the development. Many have expressed positive reactions for this significant step towards reforming the broken US immigration system. “We think it’s a step forward because there has been no bill for years and years, but there’s a lot of things that have to be improved to benefit our community,” said Asian Pacific American Legal Center Executive Director Stewart Kwoh during a press conference at the APALC community hall in Los Angeles on Wednesday. Representative Judy Chu (D-Calif.) said that the proposal

is a substantive first step toward effecting real change. She called it ‘the best chance in a generation to help aspiring Americans fulfill their dreams’ of becoming citizens. “I commend the Gang of Eight for welcoming my views throughout

this process,” Chu said in a press statement. Chu said that a bill she had authored – the POWER Act – was included in the proposal of the ‘Gang of Eight’ and that her provisions would protect immigrant workers from abusive employers. According to Chu, other “promising components” of the bill include provisions on high-skilled workers, a pathway to citizenship, and a solution for DREAMers.

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Anti-Islam ads ready to hit New York metro stations New York: The anti-Islam forces have reunited once again in the United States as this time they have chosen metro stations in New York to advertise anti-Islam ads calling “Islamic apartheid.” After pro-Palestine billboards went up in Metro-North stations this week that link the Israeli government to apartheid, a pro-Israel group has planned to fire back with posters that depict what it is calling “Islamic apartheid.” The advertisements, which have been submitted by the American Freedom Defense Initiative to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for approval, feature a picture of men about to be hanged with a caption that reads: “This Is Islamic Apartheid. Gay Under Islamic Law. Stop U.S. Aid to Islamic States.” The ad also includes a picture of a woman being whipped with the caption: “In many Islamic countries, rape victims are tortured or killed unless they agree to marry their rapist.” According to the reports, ads paid for

by the American Muslims for Palestine are set to go up at 25 Metro-North stations in the area. The ads call for the US to stop giving aid to Israel with the message: “End Apartheid Now!” Kristin Szremski, spokeswoman for American Muslims for Palestine, argued that there is a difference between her group’s messages, which focus on US and Israeli policies, and the counter campaign led by political activist Pamela Geller.

Scott Richman, Regional Director of AJC Westchester, a Jewish advocacy group, denounced American Muslims for Palestine’s ads, but said AJC doesn’t support counterattacks. “It just tends to bring to light this titfor-tat and give the other side more publicity, which is exactly what they crave,” he said.

Arab American News, News Report, Natasha Dado Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News, will be inducted

It has very few members from ethnic and minority media, making Siblani’s nomination more notable.

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Joe Grimm, former recruiting and development editor at the Detroit Free Press from 1983-2008, and current visiting editor in residence at Michigan State University, spearheaded the effort to get Siblani inducted by reaching out to people in the profession who all made cases through letters on why Siblani is worthy of the recognition.

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into the Michigan Journalism Hall of Fame Sunday, April 21 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center in Lansing. He will be honored alongside longtime Detroit Metro Times editor W. Kim Heron, who recently stepped down, investigative journalist Nancy McCauley, journalism educator Betsy Pollard Rau and former Detroit Free Press photojournalist Hugh Grannum, who passed away this year. The Hall of Fame honors reporters, editors, publishers, owners, photographers, broadcasters, educators, and others who have made outstanding contributions to the profession.

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Mich. Journalism Hall of Fame to Induct Arab Am. Publisher

“Geller’s ads ... are racist and attack an entire religion,” she said. “They’re bigoted and counterproductive to any hopes of creating dialogue.” Szremski also said that her group’s ads have been defaced or ripped down at some Metro-North stations and need to be replaced.

MAY 2013

Eleven letters including one from Grimm were sent to the Hall of Fame’s selection committee for review. Grimm, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009, says in some cases people are nominated

more than once before they actually get inducted. This was Siblani’s first time getting nominated. Other media figures who’ve been inducted in the past include legendary White House Correspondent and Arab American Helen Thomas, WXYZ Channel 7 anchor and reporter Diana Lewis and Neal Shine, former publisher of the Detroit Free Press. In nearly all the letters Siblani’s colleagues note that his work extends far beyond TAAN. “He wears many hats, he’s not just a publisher,” Chuck Stokes, editorial/public affairs director, WXYZ TV said in a phone interview. Stokes said he’s known Siblani for more than 20 years, and called him a crusading advocate, and political analyst who’s been sought out by many. Siblani’s work was also critical to the establishment of the Arab American Political Action Committee, and Congress of Arab American Organizations. “By every account, the Arab American community in southeast Michigan, would not be in the front row of issues today without the trumpet role of Mr. Siblani, who is the glue that brings that community’s brightest and courageous minds together to bear on the most important issues of the day,” Thompson said. To members of the local, national and international media he’s been a vital source used to help better understand metro Detroit’s Arab community and the Arab World. The letters also highlight Siblani’s work as a businessman, and how despite immense financial challenges he’s managed to keep the paper thriving. Before starting the paper Siblani was an engineer, and while he’s never taken one journalism class he has taught international reporting seminars at the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York. Siblani started the paper in 1984 with its co-founder Kay Siblani, who served as its executive editor since the paper’s inception until Jan. 1 this year when she succumbed to cancer.

MAY 2013

OPINION

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Arab American Women Struggle While Aging in a Man’s World New America Media/Arab American News, News Analysis, Mohamad Ozeir DEARBORN, Mich.--Parked in front of a typical Michigan colonial house, a social worker, who works with elders, is waiting for me. She has agreed to introduce me to an older woman, as long as the meeting is discrete. As I approached the social worker’s car, she looks around to make sure we won’t be watched as we walk up the driveway. “The residents of this street are all Arab Americans and I don’t want any neighbors to see us coming in. I don’t want to get the lady in trouble with her family,” she explains. At the side door of this threebedroom home, we are welcomed by Hajji Fatimah, who is known by the name “Um Kassem” (mother of Kassem, her first son), a traditional Arabic way of addressing parents. ‘I Feel Like a Captive Here’ When asked how she feels about America, Um Kassem replied, “It is a great country. But nothing is better than your own country.” “But isn’t America your country now,” I said? “Well, I wish I came here much younger; maybe then I can say yes. But when I don’t go outside this house unless I go to the doctor, the social service office or to a funeral, I cannot say it. Back in Lebanon I was free to go anywhere I wanted in the town. I know everyone there. Here even I cannot visit the few people I knew from back home. No one has time to take me or to bring them over,” said Um Kassem. I asked if she regretted the move here. “It was not up to me. But I would have been better if I didn’t come. I feel like a captive here. I have nowhere to go, nothing to do besides babysitting and house chores. In the beginning I was occupied with the kids but as they got older and went to school I got more and more alone. My daughter-in-law is busy with her friends and, if not, she is driving the kids to their school and events.” What are your activities in your free time? “I mostly watch Arabic TV. But when the kids are home I cannot because they watch their own shows or play their games on every set in the house. In the summer I walk down the street to see an old friend of mine. Besides this I go to the doctor and the social service office when I need to update my papers.” Um Kassem said she has thought about moving out and living on

her own, but she wouldn’t want to embarrass or upset her family. When she got into the subject with her son once, he didn’t approve of the idea. Lack of Programs, Invisible in Research Before parting with the social worker who arranged the interview, I ask her what is being done for people in this situation. “So far, very little. We don’t have programs or resources. We try our best to help them to get the services that are available, but the cultural barriers make it difficult even for the little that we can do. As long as we don’t have a tailored program that takes into consideration the religious and cultural aspects, our role will be very limited.” Such a program requires funds. To obtain the needed funding, an organization needs to compile several pieces of data, including the number of potential beneficiaries, the scope of service, an explanation of why there’s a need to establish a specific program outside the general available services, and evidence of sufficient public support. None of this data is available currently. According to Amne Talab, social services director at theArab Community Center for Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) in Dearborn, Mich, there are no surveys or studies concerning Arab American elders. Fortunately, ACCESS and the University of Michigan are working on a joint venture to fill this gap. The lack of information in this field is what drew the attention of Sonia Salari, a professor of family and consumer studies at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Salari said that in her study of Arab and Middle Eastern Americans, titled “Invisible in Aging Research,” she was “surprised to find the lack of information not only about aging issues, but about most of the social issues facing Arab Americans in this country.” She explained, “The notion of the strong relationships among Arab American families hides the fact that elders are deprived of some basic services. Although there are a lot of similarities in issues for all elders, cultural and religious considerations make it harder for Arab American elders to benefit from the available programs.” Salari considers social isolation to be the most profound problem facing Arab American elders. For instance, it is especially challenging for older women who have been divorced their husbands. They are often stigmatized by having made this choice and become isolated later in life. She called for more studies to be done aimed at better

understanding these problems and formulating ways to address them effectively. Kristine J. Ajrouch, who directs the gerontology program at Eastern Michigan University, encountered the same vacuum of information: no data sets, no surveys and no studies. Her research critically examined the recurring notion that Arab Americans value their parents and would never send them to senior living or a nursing home. But at the same time, she found, the same people could not define the meaning of having a grandparent or the role of a grandparent in the family structure. Ajrouch’s work has been an uphill fight. On an individual level, her efforts have been dismissed by some Arab Americans as “a waste of time, because we don’t have a problem.” On an organizational level, she has been frustrated with the standard reply, “Even if we define the need, we cannot do anything about it due to the lack of funds.” Bringing Elders to the Table Ajrouch believes that the fact that men monopolize power and leadership positions in the community organizations compounds the difficulty in garnering attention and support

to this problem. Male-dominated leadership, she said, preserves the privileged position of having women continue to cater to them as they age, so there is little incentive to change the status quo. Knowing the elders and interacting with them is the most important step needed at this time, according to Ajrouch. Besides advocating for more data collection, she believes community organizations should take small but important steps that can make a difference, starting with bringing the elders to the table and listening to their stories. There are too many stories to tell. But as long as aging is not considered an important issue in the community, those stories will remain personal and will create more frustration and isolation. It is time to get out of our moral comfort zone to tackle this growing need. We can start by bridging the obvious needs with the available resources. This series is adapted from the story Mohamad Ozeir wrote for the Arab American News through the MetLife Foundation Journalists in Aging Fellows program, a collaboration of New America Media and the Gerontological Society of America.

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MAY 2013

Help Reform Immigration Laws Legislative Fact Sheet The Issue Immigration reform is long overdue and needs to be implemented in a way that is fair, upholds the constitutional values of due process and equality, and ensures human rights. In the absence of comprehensive federal immigration reform, many states have adopted punitive enforcement of immigration laws that relies on racial and religious profiling. Current federal immigration laws and practices have also led to racial profiling, indefinite detention, and mistaken deportation of immigrants and American citizens alike. These laws may endanger public safety by redirecting the limited resources of our nation’s immigration law enforcement agencies (LEAs) into programs that: 1) target immigrants without a criminal records, and, 2) inadequately train state and local LEAs required to enforce these laws. Not only are these laws ineffective, they can lead to deep distrust between immigrant and resident communities and a lack of reporting to law enforcement agencies. These programs are unaffordable in a time of financial crisis – Congress is expected to appropriate over $5 billion to DHS’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in 2013, including $2.8 billion for immigration detention and removal operations. What is being asked of members of Congress? Support comprehensive immigration reform policies that establish a commonsense approach for LEAs, respect civil and human rights, and promote greater public safety. Enact reforms that: • Immediately stop the implementation the ICE led Secure Communities program and Criminal Alien Program unless and until meaningful civil right and civil liberties safeguards are put in place to ensure that racial profiling and other human rights violations are not occurring. • To prevent such violations, collect data on the perceived race or ethnicity of the people arrested, the charges that are lodged and the ultimate disposition of cases. • Completely phase out existing 287(g) agreements and initiate no new agreements, do away with section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Rescind the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel’s 2002 “inherent authority” memo and issue a new memo clarifying that state and local LEAs may not enforce immigration laws. Establish clear accountability and oversight systems that are transparent and responsive to civilian complaints, maintaining a zero tolerance policy that holds accountable all federal immigration LEAs who commit civil and human rights violations. Direct immigration LEA resources on deporting “high priority” convicted drug traffickers, gang members and violent criminals, not “low priority” law-abiding immigrants seeking citizenship. Develop comprehensive workplace

immigration enforcement laws that can be implemented in a manner that improves rather than undermines the wages and working condition of U.S. and immigration workers while respecting the due process rights of workers. Reasons to support reform of the Secure Communities program • Background: The Secure Communities program is a “voluntary” state-federal deportation program that enhances

information-sharing between ICE, the FBI and state and local LEAs in 24 states. It is expected to be deployed nationwide in 2013. While the program is intended to identify, prioritize, and remove only the most serious criminal offenders, in practice it has led to deportation based on immigration violations, racial profiling, and state disengagement from the program. • Wholesale targeting of immigrant communities: According to ICE, 27 percent of those detained nationwide under the program were “non-criminals,” and in the state of Illinois 78 percent of those detained were people who had committed only “misdemeanors or had no criminal record.” • Misuse of resources: State and local LEAs are required to focus on undocumented immigrants, diminishing overall law enforcement efforts to prevent other serious types of crimes. Frequently, those who report crime or are victims of crime are deported because of their immigration status. • Not really a voluntary program: ICE has

announced that it will “proceed with Secure Communities without the agreement of state and local jurisdictions” after having rescinded its prior agreements with participating states and jurisdictions. Massachusetts, Illinois and New York have already attempted to withdraw from the program. Reasons to phase out section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act • Background: Section 287(g) authorizes ICE to enter into agreements with state and local LEAs, deputizing officers to act as immigration officers in addition to their regular activities. However, according the DHS Office of Inspector General’s March 2010 report on the performance of 287(g) agreements, state and local LEAs do not receive adequate training, have engaged in racial profiling and potentially committed civil rights abuses, and like with Secure Communities, have targeted immigrants who have no prior arrests. • No accountability: According the March 2010 report, “With no specific target levels for arrest, detention, and removal priority levels, and with performance measures that do not account for all investigative work and criminal prosecutions, ICE cannot be assured that the 287(g) program is meeting its intended purpose, or that resources are being appropriately targeted toward aliens who pose the greatest risk to public safety and the community.” • Inadequate training: According the March 2010 report, “287(g) training does not fully prepare [LEA] officers for immigration enforcement duties,” and that training “curriculum provides limited coverage of three topics: civil rights law; the terms and limitations of [immigration enforcement agreements]; and public outreach and complaint procedures.” • Unauthorized detention: According the March 2010 report, ICE “has detained aliens identified through the 287(g) program at three facilities that were not authorized by ICE, and therefore not subject to inspection.” Many of these facilities are overcrowded and lack sufficient resources. • Wrongful detention: According to the American Civil Liberties Union and the Immigration & Human Rights Policy Clinic, “Wrongful immigration determination is yet another legal concern that arises from the implementation of 287(g) ... Because immigration law is complicated ... state and local officers often lack the necessary expertise notwithstanding the 287(g) training that they undergo. Consequently, American citizens and lawful permanent residents as well as undocumented immigrants who have legal claims to lawful status become vulnerable to wrongful detention and even wrongful deportation.”

MAY 2013

international

Continued from p. 1

Sunil Tripathi, wrongly linked to Boston attack, died in river: autopsy report death is still to be determined but the medical examiner said no foul play was suspected. The close-knit Tripathi family posted a message on the Facebook page they’d been using to search for Sunil for the last 38 days: “As we carry indescribably grief, we also feel incredible gratitude. To each one of you – from our hometown to many distant lands – we extend our thanks for the words of encouragement, for your thoughts, for your hands, for your prayers, and for the love you have so generously shared.” Tripathi, had been missing since 16 March. He was last seen on a surveillance video that morning, not far from his apartment crossing the street near Brown’s campus. Aware the 22-year-old had been suffering fromdepression, the Tripathi’s family quickly raised an alarm, getting in touch with the police. They even uploaded a warm and fuzzy home-made video

on YouTube urging “Sunny” to come home. It was traumatic for the Tripathi family when speculation suddenly started on the social news site Reddit fingering Sunil as one of the Boston bombers. Precisely how Tripathi went from being the subject of a missing person’s search by a loving family to someone supposedly wanted by America for a heinous terrorist attack remains unclear. But shockingly, a dedicated thread propped up on the Reddit site called, “Is missing student Sunil Tripathi Marathon Bomber?” “The story surrounding the false identification of Sunil Tripathi is a cautionary reminder of how the pervasive reach of social media can be used for both good and bad. It is an insight, too, of how prejudice might cloud judgement and reason,” noted The Independent. “With the story taking hold like wildfire, a number of people then went on to celebrate

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how social media had apparently found the suspect in the “white hat”. It was, said some, a victory for new media over the old school. All chose to ignore the fact that police had not named Mr Tripathi as a suspect.” TheAtlantic.com website blasted the irresponsible action saying that the Internet sleuths had not even bothered to check the source of the claim. It was only when NBC reporter Pete Williams said on Twitter that Sunil Tripathi was not the man wanted by police that the abuse and visceral hate directed at the Tripathis stopped. After Reddit was taken to task by the mainstream US media, Erik Martin, the general manager of Reddit, said in a web posting on Monday that the site had privately apologised to the family. “Though started with noble intentions, some of the activity on Reddit fuelled online witch hunts and dangerous speculation which spiralled into very negative consequences for innocent parties,” said Martin. “The Reddit staff and the millions of people on Reddit around the world deeply regret that this happened.” The Tripathi family showed tremendous grace under fire. “It’s a very scary thing to be on the other side of it and see how quickly our voices got drowned out and hysteria took over,” Sunil’s brother Ravi Tripathi told NBC. Continued from p. 1

The Other Tahrir - Bangladeshi Youth Take Protest Global began to voice their frustrations with the ruling through a popularsocial media network. Soon after the first of what would become a tide of protestors, some with shirts bearing images of Mollah with a noose around his neck, began to file into Shahbag Square. The nation sat transfixed as students, teachers, musicians and writers banned together under the slogan Shadharon Jonogon, or “ordinary people.” This unprecedented and spontaneous outpouring of political sentiment by the young generation in Bangladesh – long thought alienated by the rampant corruption of local politicians -- in rejection of Islamic extremism affirms the deeply humanistic and pluralistic values of Bangla-speaking people worldwide. It also puts my generation to shame. The battle lines following Bangladesh’s bloody liberation war, which claimed some three million lives, could not have been more clearly drawn: secular, democratic forces, along with the overwhelming majority of the population, were for independence, while Islamists and other sectarian parties collaborated with the Pakistani occupation forces, whose war crimes included mass murder and horrific crimes of rape. Yet after independence, these same individuals and their supporters were rehabilitated with remarkable alacrity. How on earth did we let it happen? With their protests, today’s youth are righting that historic wrong. And their spirit has struck a chord with Bangladeshis abroad. All told, Bangladeshis in 123 cities around the world have expressed solidarity with the youth in Shahbag. Come March 24, Shahbag Abroad, a loose-knit group of expatriate Bangladeshis from countries as far apart as the U.S., South Africa, Finland, South Korea and Australia will offer a unified statement in show of their support for the youth of Shahbag Square, who inspired us all.

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Israeli Professor Calls a Palestinian Student a “Cockroach.” This past month, a close family friend contacted me about an incident that occurred at his college. This incident had me question the parameters of free speech. Should free speech be limited? Can a college professor curse at a student and call her/him a “cockroach”? The incident occurred during National Israeli Apartheid Week at Claremont McKenna College in California on March 4th. Claremont Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) held a mock Israeli checkpoint outside of Collins Dining Hall at Claremont McKenna College. When individuals attempted to enter the dining hall they were asked to present identification and others participating in the mock checkpoint were “arrested.” The goal of the simulation was to bring to light the existence of illegal Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank and Gaza. During the mock presentation, Pitzer College student, Najib Hamideh, approached Associate Professor, Yaron Raviv, and asked him for identification as he tried to enter the hall. Raviv responded with “F*ck off, you cockroach.” He then proceeded to ask Hamideh what school he attends, and after Hamideh said he was from Pitzer College Raviv responded “All Pitzer kids are cockroaches.” Several witnesses at the event confirmed these statements according to The Claremont Port Side, a publication of the Claremont colleges. When asked about this incident Hamideah said “It is a great irony that at a checkpoint simulation on campus that I helped to organize, I experienced an Israeli calling me a cockroach, just as has been done to me many times before at actual checkpoints in the West Bank. To me, this is a discriminatory incident and I personally do not feel comfortable as a student on a campus where a faculty member is allowed to demean me and curse at me.”[1] Pitzer College and Claremont McKenna College are currently undergoing an investigation in

regards to the verbal altercation between the student and professor. Since the incident occurred several physical threats to the student have surfaced. The message “this carrel is reserved for me to f*ck” N. Hamideh in the skull” was found on a reservation card for a room in the Honnold/Mudd Library on March 11th. Two days later, Hamideh’s car tires were jammed with a sharpened key according to the Pitzer Orange Peel. The colleges will be evaluating the Claremont Colleges Communication Protocol of Bias Related Incidents. This protocol states that biasrelated incidents will be addressed if the conduct “violates one or more of the Claremont College’s disciplinary codes and which is not protected by the First Amendment of the United States Constitution or by analogous provisions of state law.” Claremont McKenna College President, Pamela B. Gann, has issued a letter to the Claremont Colleges community that stated the incident will be reviewed by committee based on CMC’s Grievances Procedures. However, it seems unlikely that the college will carry out any disciplinary action if the incident is not deemed a hate crime. SJP has been vocal in expressing that hateful connotation the word “cockroach” delineates. In a released statement SJP said, “Use of the term ‘cockroach’ must be taken in its specific historical context as hateful, racist, enemy imagery. Much academic literature has been dedicated to the subject of animal enemy imagery for the way in which deeming a people ‘cockroaches’ allows for their dehumanization. Other relevant cases of racist cockroach enemy imagery include the reference to Tutsis during the Rwandan genocide and to Jews under Nazi Germany.”[2] The outcome of this investigation will be interesting, as it will outline the boundaries of free speech at institutions of higher education.

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HEALTH

MAY 2013

The Humanitarian Consequences of Iran Sanctions

connect with Iranian friends. The patient asked for a prescription for a diabetes medication, “The most you can write for,” he said. The doctor was puzzled: his patient did not carry a diabetes diagnosis. “It’s for my mother,” came the response. “It’s getting very difficult to find this medicine in Iran, and she’s going to run out soon.” Healthcare professionals report acquaintances, family of family, and others recently approaching and asking for all sorts of medical supplies, ranging from antimaceration medications for the bedridden, to insulin pumps. Reading the news in the comfort of my home, I’ve come across more troubling stories -- patients dying from shortages of needed medication, or waiting years for organ transplants only to find themselves without the medication needed to prevent rejection of the donor organ. Why are the people of Iran in the midst of a medicine shortage? In 2010, then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that the United States had begun discussions with allies regarding methods of “pressure and sanctions” to counter Iran’s nuclear program, emphasizing that the goal was to stop the Islamic regime without harming innocent civilians. Specifically, she said the U.S. government’s aim was “to pressure the Iranian government … without contributing to the suffering of ordinary [Iranians].” More recently, David Cohen, Undersecretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence at the U.S. Treasury Department, made similar comments, saying that “we have no quarrel with the people of Iran” and that “the ultimate objective is to try and slow down the development of Iran’s nuclear program … not to make food and medicine scarce.” In clinical medicine, design and implementation of interventions, ostensibly in the service of improving care, is a common undertaking; when we see that an intervention is not achieving its stated goals, or in fact harming patients, substantial corrective

action is indicated, even if it means abandonment of the intervention altogether. In this vein, how do the intended effects of sanctions imposed on Iran by the U.S. government and others compare with the actual effects? The value of Iran’s rial has plunged, and its economy is in shambles; Iran’s nuclear program, on the other hand, is alive and well. Vice President Joe Biden practically bragged of the economy-crippling effects of the latest round of sanctions during last year’s vice presidential debate, even as his Secretary of Defense acknowledged that despite U.S. efforts, Tehran remained intent on advancing its nuclear program. Indeed, the IAEA’s latest report shows that if anything, Iran is likely expanding its enrichment capacity. Iran’s civilians, however, find themselves in the midst of one of the worst medical supply shortages in the nation’s long history. Several prominent health professionals within Iran have called attention to the plight of vulnerable patients as a result of the sanctions. Ahmad Ghavidel, head of the Iranian Hemophilia Society, a nongovernmental organization that assists some 8000 patients, characterized the situation as “a blatant hostage-taking of the most vulnerable people.” Fatemeh Hashemi, of the Charity Foundation for Special Diseases, has publicly voiced concerns about impaired access to life-saving treatments for patients with multiple sclerosis, cancer, end-stage renal disease and other illnesses, as a result of the sanctions. Many diseases such as hemophilia require advanced medicines that are simply not available in Iran for a variety of reasons including patent laws and access to specialized raw materials and technology for manufacture — such medications and materials have to be imported, mainly from Western nations. While the U.S. government states that there are exemptions for food, medicine and remittances, the timely receipt of the right

quantity of medicines is not as simple as submitting a request to the Treasury Department. A Wilson Center report found that it is the sanctions affecting the majority of large Iranian banks (and the international and US-based banking institutions that would do business with them) that have most affected the availability of medicines for purchase and use. “Iran’s own mismanagement of the situation has aggravated the problem, but it is not the root cause of it,” the authors stressed. “While the list of issues leading to the supply crunch is long and complicated, at the heart of it all are the obstacles that sanctions have created in denying Iran the necessary banking operations and limiting its access to hard currency.” Simply put, “the pronounced role of sanctions in creating shortages of life-saving medical supplies and drugs in Iran may have been unintentional, but it is also irrefutable.” The report goes on to say that the main beneficiaries of the sanctions have been Iranian governmentowned businesses, which often get preferential access to currency, as well as smugglers and black market dealers who are buying up medicines and selling them (or knockoffs of them) to civilians with high markups. Others are now beginning speaking

out. Ahmad Shaheed, the United Nations special rapporteur for human rights in Iran, who has been vilified by the Iranian government for his investigations, feels that sanctions could “absolutely” worsen the human rights situation in Iran. In a situation where shortages of medical supplies are created, he said, “the most vulnerable people suffer immediately, and over the long term there is wider suffering caused.” As a citizen, I wonder how this is accomplishing the stated objective of the U.S. government to pressure the Iranian regime while preventing the suffering of Iranian people. As a clinician, an Iranian-American, and most importantly a human being, I am wondering when substantive corrective actions are going to be taken by our government to modify the sanctions (the recommendations of the Wilson Center report are a good start) and attempt to alleviate the harm done to innocent civilians.

MAY 2013

ISLAM

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Salah al-Din Yusuf (Our brother of the Crusades) Salahudin By Fathiyyah Bashshar Muslim Voice H i s t o r i c a l l y, the Crusades were a series of several military campaigns, u s u a l l y sanctioned by the Papacy that took place during the 11th through 13th centuries. Originally, they were Roman Catholic endeavors to re-capture the Holy Land from the Muslims. Some were directed against other Christians, such as the Fourth Crusade against Constantinople and the Albigensian Crusade against the Cathars of southern France. This article will focus on one the great leaders of the crusades… Salahudin. Salah al-Din Yusuf bin Ayub or Saladin as he more commonly known was born in 1138 A.D. The meaning of his Arabic name is “righteousness of the faith.” As a child Salahudin was a studious boy who studied the Koran as well as poetry. He was known to love studying the Koran and other literature more than joining and fighting in the military. At the age of fourteen, he entered into the military service of his uncle Nur Ed-Din, another great and respected Arab warrior. Another teacher of the young Saladin was the Saracen chief Zenghi who in 1144 overthrew the city of Edessa, which had been an outpost of the Western world for many years because of its proximity to Antioch. Salahudin learned his military lessons well and began to stand out among Nur Ed-Din’s forces. In 1169 A.D. Salahudin served with another uncle named Shirkuh as second to the commander in chief of the Syrian army. Shirkuh died just two months after Saladin received his new position. As the leader of a foreign army from Syria, he also had no control over the Shi’ite Egyptian army, which was led in the name of the weak and powerless caliph (Muslim religious leader or Muslim Pope) Al-Adid. When the caliph died in September 1171, Saladin had the imams pronounce the name of AlMustadi, the caliph in Abbasid in Baghdad, at sermon before Friday prayers instead of Al-Adid. The people liked this decision and the name of Al-Adid was forgotten. Salahudin took control of Egypt, being the natural choice since the

caliph in the region was dead, and since the people needed a new leader. Now Salahudin ruled Egypt, but officially representing Nur adDin, his old lord who himself also recognized the Abbasid caliph. Salahudin revitalized the economy of Egypt, reorganized the military forces and, following his father’s advice, stayed away from any conflicts with Nur ad-Din, his formal lord, after he had become the sultan of Egypt. He waited until Nur ad-Din’s death before evoking forced military militia risings for power at the smaller Muslim states such as Damascus, Syria, Alleppo, Mawsil and Iraq, and taking them under his control. While Salahudin was building up his power, he generally avoided any conflict with the Crusader kingdom, even though whenever he fought them, he defeated them. One exception was the Battle of Montgisard on November 25, 1177. He was defeated by the combined forces of Baldwin IV of Jerusalem, Raynald of Chatillon and the Knights Templar. Only one tenth of his army made it back to Egypt. Saladin quickly decided to form a truce between him and the Crusader states in 1178 A.D. while he rebuilt his army. The Crusaders readily agreed, for they did not want to concentrate their military might on one lone Muslim sultan. As soon as he army was rebuilt again, Salahudin one year later attacked several Crusader outposts, defeated them. In response to this, Reynald of Chatillon declared that if Saladin were to continue his attacks, he would attack the holy city of Mecca. Saladin responded to this by besieging Raynald’s fortress Kerak, destroying it and taking everyone in it prisoner except Reynald, who fled. In July, 1187, Salahudin invaded the Kingdom of Jerusalem. On July 4, 1187, he faced at the Battle of Hattin the combined forces of Guy of Lusignan, King Consort of Jerusalem, and Raymond III of Tripoli. All of the Crusader army was defeated and beheaded, except for Guy of Lusignan, whose life was spared. After this victory, Saladin used the gigantic momentum of his mounted army to take back almost every city the Crusaders had taken, and Jerusalem. Salahudin at first was unwilling to grant surrender to the people of Jerusalem until

Balian of Ibelin, the General of the Army in Jerusalem, threatened to kill every Muslim in the city, which there were about 3,000. He also threatened to destroy Islam’s holy shrines such as the Dome of the Rock and the Aqsa Mosque if quarter was not given. Salahudin consulted with his council and the terms were accepted. Ransom was to be paid for each Frank in the city whether man, woman, or child. 7,000 men and 8,000 women were believed not to have had their ransom and were taken into slavery. Hattin and the fall of Jerusalem prompted the Third Crusade, financed in England by a special fund created just for the purpose of stopping Salahudin. This Crusade took back Acre, and Salahudin army met King Richard I of England at the Battle of Arsuf on September 7, 1191 at which Salahudin was defeated. Saladin’s relationship with Richard was one of chivalrous mutual respect as well as military rivalry. When Richard was wounded, Salahudin offered the services of his personal physician. At Arsuf, when Richard

lost his horse, Salahudin sent him two replacements. Salahudin also sent him fresh fruit with snow, to keep his drinks cold. Richard had suggested to Saladin that his sister could marry Salahudin’s brother - and Jerusalem could be their wedding gift. The two eventually stopped fighting and came to an agreement in 1192 and signed the Treaty of Ramala, which stated that the city would remain in the hands of Muslims but would be open to pilgrimages from any religion. Salahudin died in February of 1193 when Salahudin rode out to meet some pilgrims returning from Mecca. That evening he became bed ridden due to pain and fever and in a couple of days fell into a coma from which he never returned. Salahudin died in Damascus on March 3rd 1193 at the age of 55. When they opened Salahudin’s treasury they found there was not enough money to pay for his funeral, he had given most of his money away to charity.

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Negotiating With Assad New America Media, Op-ed, Ghassan Michel Rubeiz, Editor’s Note: By the time Assad is deposed, the Syrian state might well disappear, argues commentator Ghassan Michel Rubeiz. Rubeiz, a social scientist and political commentator, is the former secretary of the Middle East for the Geneva-based World Council of Churches. To save Syria’s sovereignty and avert wider regional instability, rebel forces should be urged to negotiate with the ruling regime of President Bashar al Assad. Serious political reform cannot be achieved on the battlefield of an escalating, sectarian civil war. Washington’s siding with the rebels as it passively promotes the forceful removal of Assad has not worked out. By the time Assad is deposed, the Syrian state as we know it might well disappear. Washington should discourage Saudi Arabia and Qatar from taking the lead in planning for the future of Syria. Moreover, Moscow must push Assad to accept radical reforms. Increased pressure, meanwhile, should be brought to bear on both the opposition and the regime toward achieving a settlement. It is not inconceivable that under such an agreement, Assad

could eventually be eased out nonviolently; he may already be considering ways to avoid facing the moral and practical implications of rebuilding a country destroyed on his watch. Even supporters of the regime would not want to keep Assad on the throne under such terms. The cost of the status quo is too high. The war has already claimed more than 80,000 lives and displaced upwards of five million. Its effects are being felt beyond the country’s borders in Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, not to mention Turkey and Israel, where the latest flare up with Palestinians is being partially blamed on the Syrian crisis. In Lebanon, the half million Syrian refugees that have crossed into the country have added to an equal number of Palestinian refugees already there. Together, these two groups comprise a quarter of Lebanon’s entire population. In Jordan, Syrian refugees are upending demographics in the kingdom and adding to its instability. It is also clear that neither side in the conflict is capable on its own of achieving a decisive military victory. While the uprising has lately scored small victories, government forces maintain dominant air power and the

support of a significant part of the population. The lingering stalemate, meanwhile, is beginning to take on a Cold War dynamic. In Damascus, Bashar al-Assad relies on Iran for military assistance and on Russia for political support. The Lebanese Hezbollah militia supports the Syrian regime by fighting the rebels inside Syria. The opposition, meanwhile, depends largely on Saudi Arabia and Qatar for material, military and political aid. The United States and some European countries offer the rebels material assistance and diplomatic guidance, while Washington coordinates with Jordan and Israel to orchestrate an outcome favorable to their interests. The United States is also training Syrian rebels in Jordan. Equally as troubling and in an echo of events in Libya, rebel forces in Syria have been infiltrated by a massive entry of foreign fighters financed largely by Arab donors. Their aim of establishing some form of post-Assad political stability is nothing but a mirage, a fact amply demonstrated by the outcomes in states swept up in the events of the Arab Spring. Any meaningful solution in Syria and these other nations will not come about without first integrating deep political and societal change. More to the point, in Syria the outcome of sectarian civil war is sectarian state building.

MAY 2013

Barring negotiations, the violence will likely continue to tear at the national fabric of what had long been a largely secular society. Sectarian killings, such as those increasingly seen in Iraq, are becoming more frequent. Amid such violent devolution, fissures are erupting as ethnic groups begin to retrench. The ethnic Druze may be forced southward, near the Israeli occupied Golan Heights. The Alawites -- to which the Assad family belongs – will look to retreat to their coastal district in the West. The three million Kurds in the northeast, the only group that aspires to “liberation” from the state in a post-Assad era, could exploit the deepening political vacuum by separating to form a “Syrian Kurdistan.” The majority Sunnis -- who form the bulk of the opposition -- could end up occupying the central and larger part of the country. Their ranks are far from unified, though, as secular (nationalist and Ba’athist) and religious (Salafi and the Muslim Brotherhood) vie for control. Negotiation between the opposition and the Assad government is the only viable means of stopping the bloodshed, preserving the nation’s sovereignty, and containing the sectarian tension.

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CALENDAR / ANNOUNCEMENTS

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ISLAMIC CENTERS IN ARIZONA

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

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

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

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

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

PEORIA Greenway Islamic Center 6724 West Greenway • Peoria, Islamic Center of East Valley AZ www.greenwaymasjid.com 425 N. Alma School Dr. • Chandler TEMPE 602-388-9900 Islamic Comnty Ctr of Tempe LAVEEN 131 E. 6th Street • Tempe 480-894-6070 Islamic Center of Laveen P.O. Box 1107 • Laveen Masjid Al Mahdi 602-361-4401 1016 S. River Dr. • Tempe MARICOPA 480-557-9699 Masjid Bilal Ibn Rabah Masjid Omar Bin Al-Khattab 44370 W. Arizona Ave. Maricopa Arizona 85138 6225 S.McClintock • Tempe contact# (602)312-7913 480-775-6627 MESA Masjid-el-Noor 55 N. Matlock • Mesa 480-644-0074 SCOTTSDALE Islamic Center of N.E. Valley 12125 E. Via Linda • Scottsdale 480-612-4044

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

Daleelo ‫دليلو‬