Islamic Horizons July/August 2019

JULY/AUGUST 2019/1440 | $4.00 | WWW.ISNA.NET

GIVING A VOICE TO THOSE WHO CANNOT HEAR | THE MAINSTREAMING OF ISLAMOPHOBIA

The Challenges of Creating Wills That Comply with Islamic and State Laws

ISLAMIC HORIZONS | VOL. 48 NO. 4 JULY/AUGUST 2019 | VISIT ISNA ONLINE AT: WWW.ISNA.NET

COVER STORY 36 Reconciling Islamic Wills and State Inheritance Laws 38

Wills and Inheritance

40

A Necessary Discipline

42 Islamic Wills and Conflicts with U.S. Laws

ISNA MATTERS

32 Selfless Soldiers

8 The Annual ISNA Convention Reimagined 10 No One Is Perfect 12 Iftar On the Road and More 14 Integrating Social Justice in Islamic Education

SERVICE TO HUMANITY

46 The Mainstreaming Of Islamophobia

25 Giving a Voice to Those Who Cannot Hear 28 No More Excuses 30 From Basement to Best

FEATURES 34 Mainstreaming Extremism through Clothing

IN MEMORIAM 41 Adam Patel, Lord Patel of Blackburn

52 New Spaces Welcome New Faces

DEPARTMENTS 6 Editorial 18 Community Matters 60 New Releases

ISLAM IN AMERICA 44 Is it Time for a National Open Mosque Day? 48 Predicting and Preventing Islamophobia in the U.S. 50 Little Hearts Matter 54 Cham Muslim Americans Giving Back to Their Communities in Cambodia

EDUCATION 56 Federal Funding for Islamic Schools

THE MUSLIM WORLD 58 Libya Unsettled

DESIGN & LAYOUT BY: Gamal Abdelaziz, A-Ztype COPYEDITOR: Jay Willoughby. The views expressed in Islamic Horizons are not necessarily the views of its editors nor of the Islamic Society of North America.

Islamic Horizons does not accept unsolicitated articles or submissions. All references to the Quran made are from The Holy Quran: Text, Translation and Commentary, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Amana, Brentwood, MD.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 5

EDITORIAL

A Necessary and Ordained Obligation

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he hadith relayed by Abdullah bin ‘Umar states that the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “Any Muslim who has something to will cannot sleep for two consecutive nights without having his last will and testament written and kept ready” (https:// sunnah.com/bukhari/55).

While spelling out the relevant rules, Islam nullified the pre-Islamic Arabs’ practices of confining the inheritance to male descendants so that the property would remain within the patriarchal and patrilineal tribe and ensure their military strength. Thus, women occupied a subordinate and subjugated position, as neither they nor the non-agnate relatives could inherit, which enabled the deceased’s male agnate relatives to monopolize the rights of succession.

The Quran changed that reality by awarding surviving women a share (4:7), prohibiting the inheritance of widows as property (4:19) and abolishing other unjust customs and practices.

Quran 2:180 — “It is decreed for you: When death approaches any of you and he has wealth, he must make a testament in favor of the parents and the closer relatives, fairly and correctly — a duty upon the righteous” — makes sense, especially in countries such as the U.S., where the absence of a valid will allows the state to distribute the deceased’s estate in accord with its intestacy laws and as it sees fit.

For example, it could give part of the deceased’s wealth to a non-Muslim, the probate court could appoint an executor and guardian for the minor children and no bequest would be left behind to benefit the deceased in the Hereafter.

In addition, God clearly spelled out the following: “For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much — an obligatory share” (4:7).

Living as a minority, Muslims face the 6 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

double challenge of satisfying Islamic inheritance directives while complying with their state’s probate laws. However, help is available through published literature and with lawyers who specialize in this field.

Islam’s foundational economic principles condemn the concentration of wealth and thus seek to ensure its fair and equitable distribution via zakat, rewarding voluntary charity, allowing at most only onethird of it to be distributed as one wishes and providing clear rules for inheritance (after paying off all of the deceased’s debts).

Our religion doesn’t encourage us to distribute our inheritance as we please, but it does allow us to designate a bequest or a gift while still alive. For example, we may arrange a sadaqa jariyah (continuing good) by bequeathing part of our wealth to an educational or Islamic institution, such as ISNA. In the former case, however, we must carefully spell out that the asset be utilized only within specific parameters.

Such optional bequeaths must nevertheless abide by certain rules. For example, they can be given to individuals, charitable Muslim organizations or a combination thereof, but not to those already entitled to a share or for purposes that Islam condemns as haram.

On another note, in the midst of our efforts to inform others about Islam, we continue to overlook one of our own communities — Deaf and Hard of Hearing Muslims. “What can happen,” says Nashiru Abdulai, a Deaf Muslim from Ghana who founded Global Deaf Muslim in 2005, “is that parents focus on their non-Deaf children to educate them about their religion, and leave the Deaf child behind …. Many Deaf people leave Islam and convert to a religion that provides communication for them through sign language. We’ve seen this over and over again.”

And who can blame them? Maybe we should start mentioning them in our wills as well. ih

PUBLISHER The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) PRESIDENT Sayyid Muhammad Syeed EDITOR Omer Bin Abdullah EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Iqbal Unus, Chair: M. Ahmadullah Siddiqi, Milia Islam-Majeed ISLAMIC HORIZONS is a bimonthly publication of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) P.O. Box 38 • Plainfield, IN 46168‑0038 Copyright @2019 All rights reserved Reproduction, in whole or in part, of this material in mechanical or electronic form without written permission is strictly prohibited.

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Please see your librarian for access.

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ISNA MATTERS

The Annual ISNA Convention Reimagined Calling all Muslims … calling all Muslims … Come to Houston

BY SAMAN ESSA & RUMMI KHAN

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he 56th Annual ISNA Convention (ISNACON 2019) is set to take place in Houston this Labor Day weekend from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2. As the country’s fastest growing and most diverse city, we are excited to host this event for the second time. ISNA, its entire staff and the Houston Convention Steering Committee invite you to join us from far and wide with a big warm Southern welcome!

“I am honored to welcome guests and attendees from all over the world back to one of the most diverse and inclusive cities in the US. Houston has a vibrant community, cultural institutions and an energy as big as it’s heart. From our wonderful array of options in the halal food scene to our world-class 8 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

convention and meeting facilities, I am proud of the continued participation of the Muslim American community in a city that values and celebrates our contributions,” said Zeyn Patel, co-chair of the ISNACON Steering Committee.

This reimagined convention is filled with speakers, features, special events and interactive engagements that every member of the family will love. Whether you are an avid ISNA attendee, someone who hasn’t been in a while or an ISNA first timer, this year’s convention is not one to miss. Boasting a robust program with your favorite speakers to some of our communities’ most outstanding achievers, your biggest challenge will be selecting which sessions to commit to

— and that is a problem we are proud to have.

With themes celebrating the knowledge of faith, civic engagement, mental health and inclusion and equity, we are excited to present a weekend in which we can all inspire, discover and transform ourselves to unlock our individual and collective potential for social good.

God has proclaimed: “Indeed, God will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves” (13:11).

In addition to all the above, we are excited to announce a very special Friday night main stage guest: “The Daily Show’s” Trevor Noah! Named as Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world, Noah is a South African comedian, writer,

producer, political commentator, actor and television host. Already a household name worldwide, he offers a unique and refreshing worldview in a challenging socio-political climate. We are expecting a sold-out event, so be sure to purchase your tickets early.

Trevor Noah

Building from last year, we’ve brought back many of the same great features and added so much more. For the athletes and weekend warriors in the family (young and seasoned), you can look forward to a special youth basketball camp and a 5K FUN RUN for charity (all ages). For our single sisters and brothers, we have a full suite of matrimonial services. And for the entire family, we have an all-new bazaar experience — the ISNA Community Expo Park with over 500 booths, interactive features and programs.

Additionally, the convention will include

SO WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM ISNACON? EVERYTHING YOU LOVE ABOUT ISNA’S ANNUAL CONVENTION REPURPOSED TO UNLOCK YOUR INNER POTENTIAL TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. a private Community Service Recognition luncheon (CSRL; http://www.isna.net/community-service-recognition-luncheon/), nightly entertainment, MYNA’s 35th annual youth convention, a film festival, art exhibits and on-site childcare.

So what can you expect from ISNACON? Everything you love about ISNA’s annual convention has been repurposed to unlock your inner potential to make the world a better place. Attend your favorite sessions or follow any of our five program tracks for an experience tailored to you. Full details are available at our website http://www.isna.net/.

To purchase tickets or register for the CSRL, matrimonial services, or any of our special events please visit ISNACON.com.

Houston, of course, is famous for its

ISNA Monthly Sustainer – ISNA Monthly Sustainer A Good Deed Done Regularly!– A Good Deed Done Regularly!

You can make an impact withmake as little as You can an impact with as little as $10 per month!

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www.isna.net • (317) 839-8157

Convenient. Secure. Affordable. diverse cuisine and collective love of good food. Therefore, the steering committee has organized catering from Aga’s Restaurant and Fadis, among other food vendors, inside the George R. Brown Convention Center.

Inspire, discover and transform yourself this Labor Day weekend with a full slate of sessions and nightly entertainment for every member of the family. Be sure to check back for full details and updates at ISNACON.com or www.facebook.com/isnahq. ih Saman Essa is a Houston-based writer.

Rummi Khan, ISNA Strategy & Operations.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 9

ISNA MATTERS

No One Is Perfect Participants in MYNA’s 2019 spring camps learned that it’s never too late to ask for forgiveness

BY ALAA ABDELDAIEM

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hat much we can all agree upon.

And as attendees of MYNA’s 2019 spring camps learned, the beauty of Islam is that it’s never too late to ask for forgiveness as long as one is alive, for God is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

He is there to love us in our darkest hours, to comfort us in our darkest moments and to forgive us for our darkest faults.

Over 450 youth attended this year’s MYNA camps in Indiana, California, Illinois,

Maryland, Texas and Florida. They participated in workshops, one of which involved recreating a scene from a popular Disney film, designed to showcase the characteristics of forgiveness. They also wrote down grudges they held or faults for which they wished to be forgiven on pieces of paper and then threw them into a bonfire to represent how sins are erased after God forgives them.

“I was blown away by the fact that everyone’s bad deeds just like that can be forgiven

by Allah (subhanahu wa ta‘ala),” proclaimed camper Mohammad S. In Chicago, campers also took part in a “Shark Tank” workshop, during which they were challenged to come up with a forgiveness-related invention. A relay race in the park was especially memorable for Beelal T., as it “brought everyone together for a really good time.”

Youth at this year’s City Edition in Chicago once again took part in MYNA’s annual “Meet a Muslim” event. Groups accompanied by counselors passed out carnations to passersby while encouraging open dialogue and understanding.

In addition to hands-on activities, participants were exposed to life-changing insights provided by featured guest speakers such as Ustadha Fatima Lette, an Alimiyah student at the Qalam Seminary; Imam Mohamed Magid, ADAMS; Fiyyaz Jaat, director, ISNA

YOUTH AT THIS YEAR’S CITY EDITION IN CHICAGO ONCE AGAIN TOOK PART IN MYNA’S ANNUAL “MEET A MUSLIM” EVENT. GROUPS ACCOMPANIED BY COUNSELORS PASSED OUT CARNATIONS TO PASSERSBY WHILE ENCOURAGING OPEN DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTANDING.

10 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Learning together at the camp

participants showcased their talents to their peers.

“Having a theme regarding repentance and renewal really brought waterfalls to the bonfire session,” Humza Q. said. “S’mores, nasheeds and a really tight knit group of Muslim youth were all present that night, and that closeness only grew in the coming day. Everyone was on their feet after every amazing live performance, and the video brought laughs and tears to the group.”

Said one participant after the Texas camp, “I felt like this camp brought back what it really means to be a slave of our creator. Before I was a believer; now, I’m a Muslim with certainty that Allah is always there for me.”

In addition to the “life-changing” insight on forgiveness campers gained during the weekend, several attendees emphasized the beauty of being welcomed into the MYNA space.

“At MYNA I feel like I fit in, I belong,” said Noha T. “I didn’t know what it meant to love someone for the sake of Allah until I went to MYNA. I am truly grateful for the people MYNA has brought into my life.

Alhamdulilah for everything.” ih Alaa Abdeldaiem is Marketing and Documentation Fellow, ISNA Youth Programs and Services Department.

Announcement

Youth Programs and Services Department; Habeeb Quadri, principal of the MCC Academy in Morton Grove, Ill., and an author/lecturer on Islam and social issues confronting Muslim youth; and Asif Akhtar, Amir Abdelmalik and others. Topics discussed included how mercy was the Prophet’s (salla Alllahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) default approach to any situation, the impact forgiveness can have on one’s mental and physical well-being, how one can forgive oneself for past mistakes and seek to be better, as well the qualities of God’s infinite love and mercy for those who sincerely repent.

“The skills and lessons MYNA has taught me are ones I will use in my everyday life, and I plan to keep [them] up, be it in a job, in raising future children, or whatever I do in life,” enthused Na’ilah W. “MYNA has given me nearly everything I need to survive adulthood, when I get there inshaAllah.

Alhamdulillah.”

Campers also took part in a variety of fun recreational activities, including hiking, paintballing, field sports, canoeing and ziplining. At the weekend’s conclusion, each camp featured a bonfire and an entertainment night during which

Plainfield, IN – May 22, 2019 – The Board of the Islamic Society of North America would like to inform its members and partners that the Executive Director Mr. Tayyab Yunus has transitioned back to his role as CEO of Intuitive Solutions and the President of the Center on Muslim Philanthropy. We are grateful to him for his service advancing ISNA thus far and wish him all the best in his new endeavor. The board has started the search for an Executive Director.

Please do not hesitate to contact myself or the board during this time.

We sincerely appreciate your commitment to ISNA. Sayyid M. Syeed, President Islamic Society of North America

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 11

Iftar On the Road and More Ramadan Road Trip with Shoulder to Shoulder highlights what interfaith encounter can look like in practice

BY CATHERINE ORSBORN

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amadan is an incredible time not only for the spiritual focus and growth of Muslims, but also for connecting with one’s community and beyond it.

We were grateful for this opportunity to step into some of the spaces in which people nationwide are cultivating relationships of camaraderie and solidarity that span far beyond the events themselves.

This year, Shoulder to Shoulder (www. shouldertoshoulder.org), an ISNA partner organization, undertook a five-city Ramadan Road Trip (May 13-20), to convene, visit and tell stories from iftars in Raleigh, N.C.; Louisville, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn.; Atlanta, Ga.; and Washington, D.C. The goals were to catalyze interaction between “unlikely companions” at each site, counter anti-Muslim messaging by spreading positive stories of Muslim Americans through the Ramadan lens and spark the collective imagination on the many shades of multifaith engagement while helping people see how interfaith encounters can look in practice.

Each year, Shoulder to Shoulder hosts its “United States of Love over Hate” campaign, which identifies and uplifts iftars that are open to the general public. This effort helps people find iftars to attend as well as showcases the incredible multifaith organizing that happens during Ramadan.

The list continued to grow every day. By May 20, over 250 individual iftars had been placed on it. The road trip stemmed from a desire to tell the deeper stories from some of these events.

While the iftars brought together people from many faith and cultural backgrounds, each one was distinct and reflected its community’s unique nature. For instance, 12 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

the intimate, grassroots experience of the Raleigh iftar was organized by young Muslimahs and attended by 80 people.

Small group discussions and conversations flowed around picnic tables and brought into this space people who weren’t previously connected with the organizers: Jewish members of local synagogues, Evangelical Christians who hadn’t been to an iftar before, other Christians of various denominations, Muslims from all walks of

THE GOALS WERE TO CATALYZE INTERACTION BETWEEN “UNLIKELY COMPANIONS” AT EACH SITE, COUNTER ANTIMUSLIM MESSAGING BY SPREADING POSITIVE STORIES OF MUSLIM AMERICANS THROUGH THE RAMADAN LENS AND SPARK THE COLLECTIVE IMAGINATION ON THE MANY SHADES OF MULTIFAITH ENGAGEMENT WHILE HELPING PEOPLE SEE HOW INTERFAITH ENCOUNTERS CAN LOOK IN PRACTICE.

ISNA MATTERS life, as well as people who don’t identify with a religious community. The attendees were racially, ethnically, and generationally diverse. In fact, we saw both younger and older people talking with one another throughout the evening.

In contrast, the large and much more formal Louisville iftar attracted about 600 people to the church hall, where Louisville mayor Greg Fischer and Attorney General Andy Beshear shared a few words of support.

This iftar — their 9th annual event — was the result of multiple organizations and congregations working together.

In many ways, the iftar’s symbolic importance builds from and feeds into the ongoing work happening in the city to create inclusive and respectful spaces for its inhabitants.

For example, when houses of worship have been vandalized over the past few years, huge numbers of community members have shown up to help restore the buildings and to show their support. Events like this iftar are about creating space for relationships, as well as continually reminding everyone of their collective commitment to a city that values its diverse faith communities.

The Nashville iftar, with hundreds in attendance, featured stories of allyship from three speakers, followed by intentional table conversations over the meal about what being a good ally looks like in practice. This dialogue model builds on the ongoing “A Seat at the Table” program that Nashville’s Faith & Culture Center (https:// www.facebook.com/faithculturecenter) runs year round, and was a great opportunity for participants to get to know one another more deeply in the midst of a large event.

The Atlanta iftar was led by the local organization Muslim Mix (https://themuslimmix. org), which is focused on young Muslims, and co-organized by a large number of organizational and congregational partners. This one was held at Magnolia Hall in Atlanta’s iconic Piedmont Park, and congregational prayers were held on the park lawn on this beautiful evening.

Our last stop, the Shoulder to Shoulder iftar in Washington, D.C., was held at the Foundry United Methodist Church and featured a one-women play by Rohina Malik, Uighur cuisine, and local bean pies.

To see some of the stories from the road, check out www.facebook.com/shouldertoshouldercampaign. ih Catherine Orsborn, PhD, executive director, Shoulder to Shoulder Campaign.

REPORT

ISNA Education Forum

Integrating Social Justice in Islamic Education A buffet of stimulating ideas for participants and attendees

Mehdi Hasan delivers his keynote address

BY SUSAN LABADI

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arking the 20 th year of the celebrated ISNA Education Forum, in collaboration with Council of Islamic Schools in North America (CISNA; https://www.cisnausa.org/), this year’s theme was “Integrating Social Justice in Islamic Education.” This annual event caters to K-12 schools and attracts attendees from North America and beyond.

The Forum enables new educators, administrators and board members to glean policies from their experienced counterparts; form mentor relationships with professionals; and acquire a perspective to guide and develop consensus on those initiatives prioritized by veteran schools.

It also allows attendees to connect with consultants and new employers, as well as solidify the amanah (trust) that God has given to educators.

Two of the Forum’s charter members were among those offering full-day preconferences. Necva Ozgur, founder and executive director of the Muslim Educators’ Resource, 14 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Information & Training Center (MERIT; www.meritcenter.org) and founding school head of New Horizon School Pasadena, and Safaa Zarzour, attorney, community activist and ISNA vice president, presented “The Power of Positive Relationships in School Environment.”

William White, principal of the Islamic School of Louisville, Ky., and CISNA executive director Sufia Azmat led off with “The Leadership Challenge: Helping Principals Rise to the Next Level.” This presentation focused on our shared leadership reflections and their alignment to powerful practices from an Islamic perspective. Participants explored personal values; created leadership vision statements; and discussed the impact of leadership credibility and empowerment through a hands-on and engaging experience.

According to White, “Kouzes and Posner state that the ‘best leaders are the best learners’ and the engagement and desire for continuous growth of our participants is evidence of a bright future for those we serve.”

Azmat also explored “Developing Critical

Thinking Skills to Foster Autonomy and Authentic Learning.” As a teacher, administrator, trainer and executive director, she has stressed using practical suggestions for lessons, assessments, and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels and teaching techniques.

Benjamin Marcus and Usra Ghazi talked about “Teaching about Religion in a Polarized Age.” Marcus is a religious literacy specialist with the Freedom Forum Institute’s Religious Freedom Center (https://www. religiousfreedomcenter.org) and a Fulbright specialist. Ghazi is an interfaith leader with 10+ years of service in the nonprofit sector.

They led attendees through the National Council for the Social Studies 2018 groundbreaking “Guidelines for Teaching About Religion,” which notes that all religions are internally diverse; historically evolve and change over time; and are influenced by culture, time and place.

Dr. Jessica Heybach and Wafa Mohamad of Aurora University spoke on “A Democratic Education Curriculum for Islamic Schools.”

Discussion revolved around such questions as “What is a democracy?” “What is democratic

REPORT education in the 21st century?” and “How can schools foster democratic dispositions in students?” With many topics being in the gray area these days, Heybach revealed that many educators are afraid to even discuss current events and find many topics too controversial and unsavory. But students should be aware of potential conflicting research and taught how to analyze and discuss it.

Various methods and resources were plentiful in their preconference.

Faiqa Mahmood shared research find-

https://theisla.org) and co-chair of their leadership retreat, shared “Best Practices for Effective School Board DevelopmentExceptional Board” and urged participants via reflections, discussions and case studies to explore effective school board development. She stated that boards should be results oriented and focus on “Doing things right … and leave a legacy.”

Sadeq AlHasan, executive director of the Assembly of Muslim Jurists of America (AMJA; https://clarionproject.

WITH MANY TOPICS BEING IN THE GRAY AREA THESE DAYS, HEYBACH REVEALED THAT MANY EDUCATORS ARE AFRAID TO EVEN DISCUSS CURRENT EVENTS AND FIND MANY TOPICS TOO CONTROVERSIAL AND UNSAVORY. BUT STUDENTS SHOULD BE AWARE OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTING RESEARCH AND TAUGHT HOW TO ANALYZE AND DISCUSS IT. ings from the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding’s latest report, “Weekend Islamic Schools: Are They Preparing Children for Life Ahead?” (https://www. ispu.org/library). Her recommendations cited areas for improvement in curricula, professional development, school administration, inter-organizational learning, data collection and resource dissemination, and innovation and technology.

Dr. James “Lynn” Woodworth, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES; https://nces.ed.gov) and inaugural dinner keynote speaker, explained that all data is reported in aggregate to guarantee the respondents’ confidentiality. He stated, “We are seeing a split in the academic performance of students in America” — lower achievers are dropping lower and the higher performers are going toward higher achievements,” a “very concerning” reality. He welcomes the participation of more Islamic schools, which can benefit our students’ access to scholarships and acceptance to institutions of higher learning, as well as provide a clearer understanding of the level of achievement being procured from our schools nationally.

Mussarat Jabeen, a board member of The Islamic Schools League of America (ISLA; 16 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

org/assembly-muslim-jurists-america), co-founder and board member for 13 years at Sacramento’s Al-Arqam Islamic School and board member of Consultants for Islamic School Excellence (www.goCISE. org), presented “Islamic Schools as ChangeABLE Organizations: Research-Based Strategies” with Susan Labadi, chair of the ISNA Education Forum and president of Genius School, Inc. (www.susanlabadi.com).

The presenters stated that following theory does not guarantee success, for school communities differ from and are more diverse than corporate ecosystems and thus require nuanced leadership strategies for change.

Aisha Sayeed, who filled in for Sabria Mills, a Georgia educational leader who has established MACE-Muslim Advocates of Children with Exceptionalities (https:// www.facebook.com/MACE2018) presented “Islamic Myths Exposed: Advocating for Inclusive Spaces for Exceptional Learners.”

This presentation incorporated interactive activities and simulated events of a disability to create more empathy and understanding among educators.

Nadiya Shafi, MD, who has led MUHSEN’s (https://muhsen.org) Houston chapter and directs the Sakina Sunday School program for children with disabilities, started her

session “Deen for ALL: An Introduction to Inclusive Islamic Learning” by talking about her own autistic child. Her program is spreading via MUHSEN to weekend Islamic school programs nationwide.

Wadud Hassan and Leiya Hasan of Define 360 (www.define360.online), who discussed “Mindfulness in the Classroom: Teaching Children Self-Awareness and SelfRegulation,” who have created programs for weekend schools and will soon launch an online Character Coach Certification.

Sameera Qureshi of HEART (http:// heartwomenandgirls.org/calgary) analyzed “Islamic Schools and Sexual Health Education: A Religiously and Developmentally Appropriate Framework.”

As director of education and training, she detailed how this topic relates to gender and age groups. Dr. Amber Khan, chair, education committee, Islamic Medical Association of North America (https://imana.org), spoke on “Islamic Reproductive and Sexual Health Education.” She suggested that parents should take a proactive approach and initiate appropriate discussions with their children..

Kalthoom Bouderdaben, an English Language Arts teacher at Houston Peace Academy, focused on “Teaching Social Justice and Islamic Values in the Social Studies Classroom.” She stressed that “we have students who come from households with a wide variety of practices and beliefs.

Often, her solution is to state that parents have their own way of interpreting and practicing Islam and that everyone should obey their families.

Kaitlin Montgomery and Amina Zouhi from Al-Iman School, Raleigh, N.C., presented “How to Shape a Kind Human (Because It’s Possible)” and raised the need to discuss with students about socio-economic and gender issues. The following day, the enthusiasm of Rania Lawendy, principal of the Muslim Association of Canada, Maple Grove School, and chaplain at University of Waterloo, Ont., Canada, and Sarah Attia, education consultant with Cloudypedia Canada, examined “Social Justice Warriors.”

They offered activities and discussions about the absolute freedom of conscience, needing only God, the right for equality of all humans and our firm responsibility to our society as God’s vicegerents.

Murat Ozturk, shared “Religious and Civic Identity Development through Purposeful Projects: The Case of Project Wayfinder,” a Stanford University-developed

campaign. Ozturk also delivered a highly praised “Screen Addictions and a Model for Islamic Institutions to Lead the Path Building a Screen-Smart Community,” which he gives to audiences in New Jersey, where he is an all-but-dissertation Ph.D. at Rutgers University.

Each year the Forum enjoys the high-caliber and energy of Dalia El-Deeb, an award-winning educational leader noted for achievements in teaching strategies for fluency and understanding the Quran and Arabic. During her and her team’s “Bring Your Students Closer to the Holy Quran,” she helped teachers increase their reading fluency and understanding and gave away student manipulatives, instructional tools and other resources.

This year’s preconference track for teachers of Arabic featured teachers using the cloud-based Aldeen Arabic Reading Program. A team of experts led by Lina Kholaki, Hala Alfi, Nacheda Tizani, Lina Aljijaki and Youcef Masouri shared this program using The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages’ (ACTFL; https:// www.actfl.org) reading proficiency guidelines and leveled books and described how they implement the program.

Other speakers for this track were Fatima Raafat, Rehenuma Asmi, Walid Hawana, Sanaa Joujati and Norma Abu-Tarboush.

Dr. Hatem Al-Haj, a pediatrician with multiple degrees in Islamic law and comparative fiqh, is dean at the Florida-based Mishkah University. He addressed numerous controversial topics with well-informed answers in his “Nurturing Faith and Dismantling Doubt: The Role of the Muslim Educator.”

Other presenters featured for the Islamic Studies track were Hafiz Ikhlas Ansari and Arshad Anwar.

Reema Alnizami’s “Using Technology in Mathematics Classrooms to Promote Equity” was highly popular. Research has supported the use of Dynamic Geometry Software in teaching geometry. Using meaningful tasks has enhanced this subject’s visualization and relevance, and the Forum committee was appreciative of this session.

Although the Forum offers 40 professional learning opportunities, including the preconferences, 16 of them are devoted to

general curriculum teachers. Among those deserving mention were Reshelle AbdulMalik’s “Strategies for Struggling Readers,” Rasha El-Haggan’s “Transforming into Inquiry-Based Classrooms,” Patricia Hanson’s “Fostering Meaningful Academic Class Conversations,” Linda Qatanani and Narjis Abdul-Karim’s “Teaching Them Where They Are: Differentiation Tools and Techniques” and Aamena Saleh’s “Language, Literacy and Culture of Minority Students in Classroom.”

The best-attended event was Leila H. Shatara and Habeeb Quadri’s “School Climate Founded in Connection to Quran and Sunnah.” Shatara is CISNA’s newly elected president and an educational consultant, and Quadri is a well-known author/ lecturer on Islam and social problems affecting youth. He was appointed to a four-year term at the Harvard Graduate School of

Education Principal Advisory Board, is a MYNA co-chair and CISNA board member.

ISNA awarded him its Lifetime Achievement Award during its Saturday banquet.

The event’s keynote speaker Mehdi Hasan, the award-winning journalist, author and savvy political media celebrity, used his life to illustrate how a “disappointing kid” to his parents, with medical and engineering careers, respectively, attained his present position. Remarking that his parents encouraged debate and questioning, he readily admitted that he didn’t have a good relationship with most of his teachers and spent time out of class, in the principal’s office and in detention ... and yet he eventually found his niche as a journalist.

His bio reveals that he has interviewed many high-profile personalities, among them Edward Snowden, Ehud Olmert, Imran Khan and General Michael Flynn. Being right in the newsroom, he has seen firsthand how viewpoints can be influenced and how one can be a voice that might otherwise have been dismissed. After saying that we need far more people in the arts, culture, media,

public relations — and especially novelists — he asked, “Are we giving them our support?

What are we doing to incubate such talent?”

Hasan noted that there were more anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2018-2019 than in 2001-2002 and that ISPU’s 2017 report stated that the teacher was the aggressor in 1 in 4 cases of anti-Muslim bullying (https:// www.ispu.org/library).

Quoting Malcolm X, “If you’re not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing,” he predicted that with genocidal governments increasing globally and white nationalism rising in the U.S., the situation will get worse. Thus, Muslims should become more involved.

“What we don’t have are Muslim anchors, Muslim talk show hosts, Muslim Oprahs, Muslim correspondents, Muslim Op-Eds, Op-Ed columnists.” In closing, he acknowledged Hasan Minhaj, credited as being among the Netflix 100, and fellow Muslim media celebrities.

He called for us to write our own history or risk others filling the vacuum with their own versions and challenged the audience, “Are you willing to encourage your kids to take an alternate career?” Someone from the crowd called out “Teachers!” He responded that he’d not had a very good appreciation of teachers before; but, especially for his kids, he loves them now. ih Susan Labadi is chairperson of 2019 ISNA Education Forums, education consultant and trainer and halal lifestyle consultant/writer.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 17

COMMUNITY MATTERS

Muslim Women Preside Over the House

Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) became the first Muslim woman to preside over the House of Representatives on May 15.

“This was definitely an incredible and humbling moment that deserved a selfie!” she wrote, sharing her blurry photo of presiding over the House, adding, “My next bill proposal: eliminating the selfie ban when presiding over the House!”

Sharing her achievement on Twitter, Tlaib said, “Not bad for a girl from Detroit that didn’t speak English when I started school & first in my family to graduate high school & college.”

She added, “This was a proud moment & it sank in just a little more that I am serving in Congress.”

Tlaib, an attorney like her fellow Muslim representative Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), is under heavy criticism from Republicans, right-wingers and Israel’s proponents.

On May 22, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), who became the first Somali Muslim refugee to preside over the House, tweeted, “Such an honor to preside over the House floor tonight. Every day, I am humbled to serve the people of my community.” ih

Washington State Collegiate Allowed Religious Holidays Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed state Senate Bill 5166 into law on April 29, making Washington the first state requiring that institutions of higher education provide academic accommodations to students who need them for religious observances, reported the Religion News Service. This includes rescheduling exams and permitting absences, as long as the student notifies the professor of the needed accommodation within the first two weeks of class.

The idea for this measure came in 2017 when University of Washington student Byron Dondoyano, who decided to observe Ramadan with his Muslim peers and later teamed up with his Muslim classmate Mennah El-Gammal to work on changing UW policies. Later, they met with state Sen. Bob Hasegawa (D-Wash.), at a lobby day, who agreed to sponsor their efforts as a statewide bill. Soon after, CAIR, the Jewish Federation of Seattle, the Anti-Defamation League and other organizations threw their support behind their idea.

Mennah El-Gammal, left, and Byron Dondoyano (Courtesy photo)

The law requires colleges “to reasonably accommodate students who, due to the observance of religious holidays, expect to be absent or endure a significant hardship during certain days of the course or program,” according to the state Legislature’s website.

College professors are required to add information about religious accommodations to their syllabuses. ih

18 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Detroit Schools Vote for Eid Holiday The Detroit school district board voted ON April 16 to adopt the 2019-20 school year calendar that includes the observance of Eid al-Fitr on May 25, 2020, which would already have been a day off for Memorial Day. Muslim students had been asking for the recognition of the Eid holidays, like other nearby districts.

Among those advocating for the holiday was Mohammad Muntakim, a high school sophomore and president of the school’s MSA, who noted in a January opinion piece in the Detroit Free Press that the district already recognizes other religious holidays.

“By contrast, we Muslims are obligated to miss school in order to commemorate our sacred holidays, even though the district includes a large population of Muslim students,” he wrote. “That leaves us behind our classmates, and we are forced to catch up for doing nothing more than observing our religious holidays.”

Rima Meroueh, manager of Dearborn-based advocacy and community engagement at the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, said, “This sends a critical message to our Muslim-American children that they belong here, that they’re important.” ih

COMMUNITY MATTERS

Nashville Inaugurates New Center Islamic Center of Nashville in Bellevue, Tenn., formally opened its door on April 12, with an open house on the weekend.

An estimated 600 people attended the Friday prayers and inaugural events. The $2.5 million center had been in the making for 20 years.

“Feeling the spirituality component, the community aspect, having members of the greater Nashville outside community celebrating this with us is very meaningful,” said Rashed Fakhruddin.

Rep. James Cooper (D-Tenn.), Vice Mayor Jim Shulman, State

Teacher Wins First Amendment Lawsuit Bahia Amawi, the Texas speech language pathologist who lost her job because she refused to sign a “No Boycott of Israel” clause, prevailed when Judge Robert Lee Pitman of the Western District of Texas issued a 56-page opinion on April 25 striking down H.B. 89, the Texas Anti-BDS Act, Amawi, fourth from left, and her family as facially unconstitutional.

The CAIR Legal Defense Fund “manipulate the public debate” had filed the lawsuit on her be- on Israel and Palestine “through half in December last year chal- coercion rather than persualenging H.B. 89. Amawi can also sion.” The Court concluded: now return to work as a speech “This the First Amendment does language pathologist. not allow.”

“Arabic-speaking schoolEvery single “No Boycott children in Texas have been of Israel” clause in every single deprived of critical services state contract in Texas has today from Bahia Amawi for almost been stricken down as unconstithis entire schoolyear because tutional. The attorney general of of this unconstitutional law,” Texas is no longer permitted to said CAIR National Litigation include or enforce “No Boycott Director Lena Masri. of Israel” clauses in any state CAIR actively challenges contract. similar measures around the “Bahia Amawi has been country, including in Arizona an inspiration to the Muslim community and all advocates and Maryland.

The Court held that the Texas for free speech in Texas,” said Anti-BDS Act “threatens to CAIR-Austin Executive Director suppress unpopular ideas” and Maira Sheikh. ih 20 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D), and State Senator Jeff Yarboro addressed the event. The mayor’s director of the Office of New Americans Vanessa Lazon read mayor Clifton David Briley (D)’s remarks. Council member Sheri Wiener, who could not attend, sent her wishes. The Bellevue location, which shares grounds with the Nashville International Academy, an elementary and middle school founded two decades ago, relieves some of the growth pressure on the Islamic Center of Nashville’s main location. ih

Halal Holidays Vital in Muslim Travel Decisions Islamic values are just as important as the destination, quality and value for money for Muslims when choosing a holiday destination, said a new study by the University of Portsmouth (International Journal of Tourism Research, May 14, 2019; 10.1080/02508281.2019.1599532).

The research found that when choosing a holiday, Muslims travel destinations are based on a combination of “consumption” values (associated with accommodation, airline, entertainment), “personal” values (fun, enjoyment, security) and Islamic values, such as halal food, separate facilities for men and women, prayer facilities and avoiding that which Islam prohibits.

The study recommends that with the halal tourism market expected to be worth more than $200 billion by 2020 (Global Muslim Travel Index GMTI, 2016), tourism and hospitality companies should develop Sharia-compliant products and services to demonstrate their cultural responsiveness to this emerging sector.

Dr. Padmali Rodrigo, a University of Portsmouth research fellow in marketing, said: “Given the growth in Halal tourism, understanding the values that influence Muslim consumers travel decisions are important as it would allow companies to provide a unique and authentic travel experience to Muslims, which would make them feel safe, secure and welcomed.

Therefore, we argue that consumption values need to be broadened to include religious values such as Islamic values that stem from Iman.”

These findings provide new insights into expectations of Muslim consumers in the under-represented halal-tourism market (the share of halal tourism is 12 precent globally). ih

Dean Obeidallah Wins Landmark Defamation Lawsuit

Judge Edmund A. Sargus. Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, ruled on May 1 in favor of Dean Obeidallah, the Muslim American comedian and host of SiriusXM radio’s The Dean Obeidallah Show, against the publishers of the neo-Nazi and white-nationalist website the Daily Stormer, including its founder, Andrew Anglin, for publishing false and defamatory statements about Obeidallah. These statements included fabricated tweets accusing Obeidallah of planning and executing the horrific terrorist attack that took place at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, U.K., in 2017.

Obeidallah said, “The goal of Anglin and the Daily Stormer’s smear campaign was not just to silence me but all others who dare to speak out about the evils of white supremacy.

The hope is that this lawsuit sends a message that white supremacists and neo-Nazis will never bully us into silence and we will continue to wage our fight against hate.”

Sirine Shebaya and Juvaria Khan of Muslim Advocates were among Obeidullah’s legal team, pursuing the suit (Obeidallah v. Anglin, et al., Case No. 2:17-cv-00720). ih

Denver Landlord Charged for Refusing Muslim Tenant

Denver father and son Zuned and Rashad Khan, who wanted to sublease a shop from Craig Caldwell to open their second Curry n’ Kabob, won a $675,000 settlement from property-owner Katina Gatchis, who had insisted that he find an “American person, I need. Good like you and me,” and

not a Muslim, reported the Associated Press.

Caldwell, who recorded her rant, joined the Khans in approaching the court, also shares in the settlement money.

The local news coverage and online pleas had called for boycotting the landlord’s business.

Denver attorney Qusair Mohamedbhai, whose firm often handles discrimination claims and other civil rights cases and who led the case, told AP: “Businesses in Colorado and across the country should know that these laws are on the books, they are highly enforceable, and that if they will discriminate, people will stand up against them and tell them it is wrong.” ih

ACHIEVERS

Asim Ijaz Khwaja started his additional appointment as faculty director of Harvard Kennedy School’s Center for International Development (CID) July 1.

Khwaja, who serves as the Sumitomo-Foundation for Advanced Studies on International Development Professor of International Finance and Development at the Kennedy School, remains in that position.

Khwaja has been a co-faculty director of the Evidence for Policy Design (EPoD) program at CID for the past decade and will continue as an EPoD faculty affiliate. He is also co-founder of the Center for Economic Research in Pakistan. Khwaja’s areas of interest include economic development, finance, education, political economy, public finance and institutions. His research combines extensive fieldwork, rigorous empirical analysis and microeconomic theory to answer questions that are motivated by and engage with policy.

In 2008, Khwaja conducted research on how the hajj affects individual pilgrims economic, social, ethical and cultural outlooks.

CID is Harvard’s leading research hub focusing on resolving the dilemmas of public policy associated with generating stable, shared and sustainable prosperity in developing countries.

Sana Batool, daughter of Suleman Ali Haidri and one of 30 winners of one of the JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 21

COMMUNITY MATTERS nation’s most prestigious academic honors, a $90,000 Paul & Daisy Soros Fellowship for New Americans, has been accepted to Harvard Medical School with a Harvard Dean’s Scholarship.

The 2018 graduate of the City University of New York’s Macaulay Honors College at Lehman College was chosen for the Soros award from a pool of 1,767 applicants.

When she received news of the honor, Sana was in the lab working on research involving human lymphoma and leukemia.

The Quetta, Pakistan, born, biochemistry major, who did not speak much English when she arrived in the U.S. as an 11-year old, was also awarded a certificate of Special Congressional Recognition by Rep. Grace Meng (D-N.Y.).

The Soros fellowship, established in 1997 with a $50 million endowment, helps high-achieving, first-generation Americans further their graduate studies.

Dr. Hossein Kamaly was elevated as the Imam Ali Chair for Shi’i Studies and Dialogue among Islamic Legal Schools at Hartford Seminary on July 1. He also serves as associate professor of Islamic Studies.

The chair, established in 2015 — the first one dedicated to Shi’i Studies in North America — provides a voice in the academy for Shi’i Islam, as well as encouraging dialogue among Islamic schools of thought and practice, including Shi’i and Sunni law.

Previously, Kamaly served as assistant professor in the Department of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies at Barnard College and Columbia University from 2007-17. He has also taught at the City University of New York, Hunter College, and Brooklyn College.

Funding for the chair’s endowment was made possible through numerous generous donors from around the world, including the 22 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Universal Muslim Association of America, the World Federation of Khoja Shia Ithna-Asheri Muslim Communities, MARC (Mulla Asghar Memorial Library & Islamic Recourse Centre), and the Mohsin and Fauzia Jaffer Foundation.

Dr. Mahmoud Ayoub, a renowned scholar who retired from Hartford in 2016 but remains an honorary faculty associate, spearheaded the effort for establishing the chair. Previous holders of the chair include Dr. Sayed Ammar Nakhjanvani and Dr. Seyfeddin Kara.

Omar T. Atiq, MD, FACP, was named chair of the board of governors of the American College of Physicians (ACP), the national organization of internists. His term began during Internal Medicine Meeting 2019, ACP’s annual scientific meeting held in Philadelphia from April 11-13.

A resident of Little Rock, Ark., Atiq is a professor of medicine and otolaryngology-head and neck surgery at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). He has been in community oncology practice since 1991. Atiq serves on the Arkansas State Medical Board and has served as president of the Arkansas Medical Society.

Atiq, a Fellow of ACP (FACP) since 1993, most recently served as governor of the Arkansas Chapter of ACP. He earned his medical degree from the Khyber Medical College, University of Peshawar, Pakistan.

ACP is the largest medical specialty organization in the U.S. with members in more than 145 countries worldwide.

Dr. Bilal W. Ansari, a 2011 graduate of the Hartford Seminary’s Islamic Chaplaincy Program, returned to co-direct the program on July 1, said president Joel N. Lohr. He has also been appointed faculty associate in Muslim Pastoral Theology.

His last position was director of Campus

Engagement for the Office of Institutional Diversity and Equity at Williams College in Williamstown, Mass., a role he will continue to play through a joint agreement with Williams.

Ansari will join the faculty of the Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations as part of his position at Hartford.

Ansari, who has spent 16 years working as a prison chaplain and community organizer, focusing on inequities in race, gender and religion, has been named to the list of top 100 Muslim American social justice leaders.

Earlier, Ansari served as dean of student services and director of student life at Zaytuna College in Berkeley.

The Immigration Game, a screenplay written by Columbia University School of Arts student Asad Farooqui, was one of three winners at the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition in the Feature Film category, announced on March 13. His

U.S. Capitol Hosts Historic Iftar

“This is particularly meaningful now given the increasing public role that Muslims are having in civic life,” Khera said. “To have this The three Muslim members of Congress — Reps. André opportunity to have members of Congress recognize our community, Carson (D-Ind.), Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib and to say that they see us and they support us, is just absolutely (D-Mich.) — hosted a historic iftar May 20 in the U.S. Capitol crucial, especially in the holiest month on the calendar for Muslims.” to honor the contributions of the Muslim American community.

Carson said, “The 116th Congress has ushered in historic levels The event, co-hosted by the of diversity, and tonight’s similarly national civil rights organization, historic iftar, which I am honored to Muslim Advocates, was also the first co-chair, is a prime example of the congressional iftar to be addressed by increased representation that Musany speaker of the House — who could lims are experiencing in the halls of not attend but sent a message.

Congress and all across America.”

“It’s important to take a moment Ilhan Omar said that this iftar to recognize how historic this iftar “was a reminder that we are a nation is,” Tlaib said in a statement. “This founded on religious liberty, where event lifts an entire community that people seeking opportunity and a better life can find it, regardless of has felt unseen for far too long. We have been unjustly targeted to ignite their faith. And it demonstrated that Rep. Ilhan Omar can't hold back her joy at the historic iftar Muslim-Americans are a vital part of fear and promote an agenda of hate.

Tonight, we recommit to being rooted in justice, inclusivity, and the American fabric, worthy of representation at our highest levels of government.” a sense of belonging.”

Tlaib added, “This event lifts an entire community that has felt The iftar included remarks from House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), Senate Minority Whip Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.), unseen for far too long. We have been unjustly targeted to ignite Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Muslim Advocates exec- fear and promote an agenda of hate. Tonight, we recommit to being utive director Farhana Khera and Muslim Wellness Foundation rooted in justice, inclusivity, and a sense of belonging.”

The White House iftar is an annual tradition that dates back to president Kameelah Mu’Min Rashad.

Award-winning journalist Amna Nawaz moderated the event. 1996 when the Clinton administration invited diplomats, politicians Among the more than 100 attendees were Rep. Judy Chu (D-Ca- and Muslim American leaders and organizations to break their lif.), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) and Mayor Sadaf Jaffer of Ramadan fast. Trump, who canceled the iftar entirely, resumed Montgomery Township, N.J. Imam W. Deen Shareef, who called the event in 2018 and also hosted it in 2019, both times excluding the adhan, is imam at Masjid Waarith ud Deen in Irvington, N.J., Muslim American organizations and their members, including and convener of the Council of Imams in New Jersey.

Reps. Carson, Tlaib, and Omar. ih feature script Bin and pilot script Brown Country were also semifinalists in the competition.

The finalists and winners were chosen from 1200 submissions, competing “for once in a lifetime mentorship opportunities to help hone their screenplays and plan the next steps in their careers.”

The Immigration Game is a story about a Pakistani immigrant who has overstayed his visa. When Majeed’s U.S. visa is on the brink of expiration, he enters a fraudulent scheme to remain legal, as everything he cares for—his business and family back in Pakistan—is threatened.

Farooqui, a director, screenwriter, producer, and actor, has produced multiple short films featuring stories about Muslims and Pakistanis in their American whereabouts.

Farooqui, a Teaching Fellow for the Undergraduate Film Studies Program at Columbia, is the recipient of several grants and fellowships including the American Muslim Civic Leadership Institute Fellowship. His short film Broke — an official selection for

the 2018 Atlanta Film Festival — has played at several film festivals around the world.

Sana Ullah received the 2019 Goldziher award for her photo series ‘Places You’ll Pray’ which highlights Muslims praying in public places, on May 2 in Washington D.C. Sana — who graduated in 2017 with a master’s degree in new media photojournalism — created this series as a student at George Washington University and these photos have since been published in Huffington Post, Fusion, Quartz and other outlets.

Goldziher Prize recognizes excellence in coverage of Muslim Americans by American

journalists. Sana, one of six individuals across the U.S. to win the award, which comes with a $5,000 prize, started to take her photo series in 2015 after she and her sister stopped to pray in a dressing room.

Using photograph talent to portray the Muslim prayer’s beauty, she initially started her project as Facebook and Instagram campaigns with over 25,000 followers.

For her, the photo series gave her a hope to “build a bridge of communication about Islam” while embracing her Muslim identity.

Brothers Fawaz and Saud Tahir of Troop #114 (New Jersey) earned the Eagle, JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 23

COMMUNITY MATTERS Imam Omar Suleiman, founder and president of the Yaqeen Institute for Islamic Research, served as congressional guest chaplain at the invitation of Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-Tex.) on May 9.

The prayer, which was live-streamed on CSPAN, was posted on Yaqeen’s website and social media outlets immediately after.

Imam Omar has worked with Johnson on several initiatives including the Ramadan resolution introduced in Congress on May 3. Johnson’s resolution read, “As Muslims across our nation and the world prepare to observe the holy Islamic month of Ramadan, it is important that we join them in recognizing the great significance these 30 days hold. For the entirety of the month, Muslim men and women of faith seek to be stewards of peace, brotherhood, and virtue.

“The ideals of this month call on all to engage in contemplation and self-reflection in order to achieve self-betterment. It is an honor scouting’s highest rank and honor, upon successfully completing their Eagle Board of Review on April 28.

They joined the ranks of their troop’s predecessors: Ibraheem Catovic, Zain Haq, Atif Salahudeen, Ismael Catovic, Aman Haq, Omer Syed, Noor Rostoum, Ali Tahir, Omar Shaban, Omar Qari, Ali Shamshad, Yousuf AbdelFatah, Zeeshan Chugtai, Mustafa Maner Khalid Alnadi, Ammaar Ahmed, Baasit Kazi and Arafat Ayub.

Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America. Requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges and demonstrating Scout Spirit through the Boy Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership, said Scout Master Saffet Abid Catovic.

Since its introduction in 1911, more than 2 million young men have earned the Eagle Scout rank. It is estimated that less than 6% of boys who join the Boy Scout program ever make it to Eagle Scout, which is held for life, thus giving rise to the phrase “Once an Eagle, always an Eagle.”

The Sterling, Va., based ADAMS Center held its Eagle Scout/Girl Scout Gold Award Ceremony on May 26, recognizing Saeed Durrani and Umair Syed who achieved the Eagle Scout rank, and Maryam Durrani, Syeda Saima, Iliyeen Ahmed, Yusrah Ahsanullah, and Kashmala Mahmood who won the Girls Scout Gold Award.

Mohannad Mofawaz, an undergraduate at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, School of Social Work, was 24 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

to join together with our nation’s 3 million American Muslims in celebrating this month of generosity, compassion, empathy, and spiritual renewal. I am delighted to wish all Muslims a joyous and fulfilling Ramadan Mubarak!” ih

first place winner in a contest called “Saudi Talks” that is held among Saudis in the U.S. in presentation and public speaking skills, on April 27. He matched against 109 participants.

On May 19, Saffet A. Catovic, was one of the community organizers/activists whose efforts were recognized and honored at the 2019 New Jersey State Governor’s Jefferson Awards presentation ceremony and celebration of volunteerism. These faith leaders were recognized for their commitment to faith-based organizations that serve the needs of the broader community. Catovic was cited for his efforts in youth development through the administering of Muslim Scouting programs and advocacy around environmental issues.

The Jefferson Awards are the nation’s oldest and most prestigious recognition program for volunteer/public service, and are the official recognition program

of the U.S. Senate. The Awards administers the recognition program for New Jersey and are also the official recognition of the New Jersey State Governor’s Council on Volunteerism. ih CORRIGENDUM Islamic Horizons magazine apologizes for the oversight in publishing a map on World Religions produced by Infographics on page 36 of its Jan/ Feb 2019 issue along with the article “Faith Literacy in Islamic Schools,” in which Bangladesh has been shown by the map producers as a Hindumajority country. This gross misrepresentation is contrary to the fact that Bangladesh is the fourth largest Muslim country in the world. ih

SERVICE TO HUMANITY

Giving a Voice to Those Who Cannot Hear

How an organization in the Washington, D.C., area is advocating for the rights and needs of Deaf Muslims worldwide

BY SARA SWETZOFF Nashiru Abdulai

I

n a 2014 interview with Al-Jazeera (Jan. 25, 2014), Nashiru Abdulai recounted his experience as a Deaf Muslim university student in Rochester, N.Y. Abdulai, who grew up in Ghana, where Deaf schools teach in American Sign Language (ASL), moved to the U.S. after high school to pursue degrees in social work and human resource development.

“I noticed that other religions were providing interpreters to communicate in sign language with their Deaf members, yet when I looked to my religion I noticed that there was nothing like that… That got me thinking, what could be done? And moreover, what could I personally do about the situation?”

Accompanied by an ASL interpreter

off-screen and a post-production voiceover, Abdulai describes the challenges he observed in his community. For example, at his mosque most people professed to know nothing about Deaf people. This is an irony, he points out, for 90 percent of Deaf and Hard of Hearing children are born into hearing families. Without community awareness, hearing parents are set up to fail them.

“What can happen is that parents focus on their non-Deaf children to educate them about their religion, and leave the Deaf child behind …. Many Deaf people leave Islam and convert to a religion that provides communication for them through sign language.

We’ve seen this over and over again.”

This is why he founded Global Deaf Muslim (GDM; https://globaldeafmuslim. org) in 2005 while still in graduate school.

During its first years, members organized dinners at their local mosque in Rochester, held an Eid party and secured interpretation services to attend the MSA-East conference.

Fast-forward to 2019. GDM now has the global reach promised by its name. It has represented the Deaf community at countless national Muslim convergences and hosted four of its own conferences in the Washington, D.C., area. Staff have conducted workshops nationwide, opened branches in Minnesota, Toronto and Ghana, led umrah trips, and co-hosted the first ever International Deaf Muslim Conference in Qatar.

This year marks nearly a decade since GDM made its home base in Washington, D.C., also home to Gallaudet University, “the world’s only liberal arts college for the Deaf,” founded 1864. Five of its seven-member executive team are women, which is rare for JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 25

Being a Hearing Ally

BY IPSITA SALIM

I

was always peripherally interested in sign language, but didn’t know any Deaf or Hard of Hearing (HoH) people.

When GDM announced its four-week “Intro to ASL” course at the Falls Church, Va., Dar al Hijrah mosque during April 2018, I knew I had to seize this opportunity. After enrolling, I learned that ASL is more than just a language: It’s the glue that holds an entire community together.

Interacting with this community has been one of the most eye-opening experiences of my life. It made me see how ableist our society is, and how we often don’t provide the necessary access to resources so that these individuals can be fully included in society.

However, to categorize them ONLY as Deaf and HoH individuals is a huge disservice, as anyone who spends just a little time with them can see. While Deaf and HoH is a big part of how they identify, there are so many more layers to Ipsita Salim them — mothers, fathers, sisters, accountants, athletes, teachers, social activists and friends who just happen to be Deaf. And in their deafness, they interact with our world in a uniquely beautiful way that hearing people will never experience or understand.

GDM helps bring visibility to this community and specifically to its Muslims. Its members identified a unique need — equal access to religious information — and are doing everything they can to bridge that gap. I’ll say this: Deaf people don’t NEED hearing people to function, for they are extremely competent and capable individuals in their own right. But they do invite hearing people to become allies in this joint quest to provide equal access to information (religious or otherwise). We strengthen the bond between Deaf/HoH and hearing people by spending time together, laughing and eating together, and realizing that we are more similar than different. We gain strength from each other and grow together as individuals, as a community and as brothers and sisters in Islam.

I’m so blessed and fortunate to have had a brief glimpse into this community. They are always so patient when I ask them yet again to show me the same signs, never once becoming annoyed. I can’t say that many hearing people would extend the same courtesy if a Deaf/HoH person needed a little extra time to communicate his/her thoughts. Hopefully we can improve upon this reality. I hope I can make the GDM and the Deaf/HoH community proud by helping to bring visibility to their cause and work with them to achieve equal access to all information. ih

26 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

SERVICE TO HUMANITY Muslim institutions and further demonstrates GDM’s profound commitment to social equality. The team brings together an impressive range of professional specializations, from finance and business administration to special education and language arts. President Andaleeb Elayan, a Gallaudet graduate, works at the Northern Virginia Resource Center for Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Director of programs Aella El-Sabbahy is a full-time teacher for students with multiple disabilities at a northern Virginia high school.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN IS THAT PARENTS FOCUS ON THEIR NON-DEAF CHILDREN TO EDUCATE THEM ABOUT THEIR RELIGION, AND LEAVE THE DEAF CHILD BEHIND …. MANY DEAF PEOPLE LEAVE ISLAM AND CONVERT TO A RELIGION THAT PROVIDES COMMUNICATION FOR THEM THROUGH SIGN LANGUAGE. WE’VE SEEN THIS OVER AND OVER AGAIN.” This past Ramadan, I finally visited the GDM office for one of its Saturday iftars. I immediately noticed two large glass cases holding plaques and awards. On just one single shelf I spotted recognitions from the Malaysian Federation for the Deaf, the UAE Deaf Association, American Muslim Health Professionals, al-Saeeda Society in Yemen and the Deaf Fraternal Association in Alexandria, Egypt.

But despite such international recognition, GDM’s central office is clearly grounded in its immediate community’s daily spiritual needs. The iftar had the warm, relaxed vibe of an extended family gathering. Some families had Deaf parents with both Deaf and hearing children; others, like my own, were composed of hearing parents with a Deaf child. Communication took place entirely in ASL. Attendees welcomed me and asked about my connection to the Deaf community, patiently encouraging my rudimentary ASL as I explained that I am learning it for my Deaf daughter.

Sui, a Deaf mother of a 9-year-old Deaf child who attends a prestigious Deaf elementary school on the Gallaudet University campus, later texted that she is particularly grateful for her daughter Salma’s weekly Quranic Arabic class at GDM. Deaf students are notoriously marginalized when it comes to achieving literacy in second languages: In mainstream schools, they often struggle to get the accommodations they need to focus on reading and writing with the support of an interpreter.

This class provides instruction in ASL, defining vocabulary and explaining grammar in its students’ visual language so they can read Arabic efficiently and accurately.

GDM is also translating the Quran into ASL and making the videos publicly available worldwide, because reading an English translation is often not enough to fully connect with the divine meaning. As its website (https://globaldeafmuslim.org/programs/ quran-into-asl) explains, “Many members of the Deaf community rely on ASL as their primary means of communication and at times struggle with English as their second language. In order for the Deaf community to gain in-depth understanding of the message of the Qur’an, it must be translated into American Sign Language.”

larger ummah. I first experienced GDM in a seemingly unlikely context: It was 2016, and UNC-Chapel Hill’s MSA was mobilizing against a proposed Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) program at the university.

Designed to digitally propagandize and surveil Muslim students with a federal grant from the Department of Homeland Security, the proposal was particularly egregious given that just a few years earlier a white anti-Islam extremist had murdered three Muslim UNC students.

As the MSA released a series of statements and infographics that were shared widely on social media, I noticed that GDM

This translation process is more complex than it might seem: Scholars specialized in Quranic exegesis in both English and Arabic collaborate with an ASL team comprising professional interpreters and Deaf Muslim signers.

Abdulai elaborated over email, “During the translation process, we experienced challenges with linguistic differences — sometimes our signers have to figure out new signs on the spot ... because there are so many important words in the Holy Quran and the Arabic language that don’t have a nationally or internationally accepted sign.”

He explained that GDM recently paused its translation activities to work on building an Islamic sign lexicon: “Our current goal is to host a summit of Deaf linguistic experts to develop universally accepted signs for more than 200 words, before we can resume full translation soon afterwards. With the signs compiled, we can start smoothly, God willing. During our 3rd International Conference for Deaf Muslims in Jakarta, Indonesia this year, this topic is expected to be a key discussion.”

In addition, GDM has admirably taken a stand on difficult political issues facing the

was among the endorsing organizations. The grant, awarded in 2017 under the Obama administration, was rescinded in June of the same year, after the Trump administration updated the funding criteria.

GDM’s willingness to put its name on the petition when so many larger Muslim organizations have refrained from taking a principled stance on CVE speaks volumes about the important intersections between promoting disability justice and challenging the military-industrial complex. It also demonstrates the political courage inherent in campaigning for disability rights. An already marginalized population has less to lose in challenging it. The disability advocacy community is constantly told there is not enough public money to meet the education and accessibility needs of our loved ones, and yet the state spends extraordinary sums every day to perpetuate war, destroy the environment and criminalize the poor.

Writing about GDM’s achievements is bittersweet, given the trials of our times. This spring, the Department of Education cut $12 million from Gallaudet University — arguably the most important institutional resource for Deaf Americans and an essential

What is American Sign Language?

American Sign Language (ASL) is North America’s official sign language and one of the world’s most widely learned sign languages.

These languages use hand and facial movements to convey meaning. There is no universal sign language, for every country has its own national sign language as well as numerous local dialects and indigenous sign traditions. ASL is thought to have emerged about 200 years ago as French sign language intermixed with localized sign languages. Although it has adopted many English words and uses a signed version of the English alphabet, it is a fully developed natural language with its own grammar rules regarding verb placement, word order, signifiers and other linguistic elements. Like spoken language, ASL is acquired through socialization in a language community. ih

hub for many of GDM’s events, outreach and international networks. Federal allocations for the American Printing House for the Blind, the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and the Helen Keller National Center were also slashed — part of a larger effort to redirect $10 billion of the overall federal education budget toward an additional $30 billion for defense.

As we continue on our collective journey to strengthen the ummah by lending moral and financial support to upstanding organizations such as GDM, let us also honor its members’ work by advocating for federal and state policies that support education resources for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

Readers can learn more, plus donate to Global Deaf Muslim and/or their Quran translation project, at globaldeafmuslim.org ih Sara Swetzoff is a PhD candidate in the Department of African Studies at Howard University in Washington, D.C. [Editor’s Note: This article is part of an ongoing series addressing disability justice in the Muslim American community.]

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 27

Hoda Katebi contemplates

No More Excuses

America’s first clothing manufacturing house run entirely by immigrant and refugee women hopes to shift the industry’s unethical practices.

BY HABEEBA HUSAIN

W

hen a little girl stumbles upon a blue tin of Royal Dansk cookies in the house, her mouth waters. As she lifts the lid, hoping to satisfy her sweet tooth, she discovers something unexpected: The yummy, crumbly, buttery biscuits are missing — even their white paper wrappers seem to have disappeared. In their place are needles, hooks and multiple spools of colorful thread scattered around the box. Ugh! Fooled again by Mama’s makeshift sewing kit inside the blue tin!

It’s an all-too-familiar moment for many children of immigrant parents. And so this shared experience makes for a perfect name for a clothing manufacturing house, Blue Tin 28 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Production, based out of Chicago and run by immigrant and refugee women.

“We like the subtlety of it,” says founder Hoda Katebi, the daughter of Iranian immigrants and a University of Chicago alumni.

“It’s like a fun name — but for immigrants, we have an inside joke.”

Katebi, 24, says Blue Tin Production addresses two major issues. The first is a lack of ethical and transparent clothing production in the U.S. In her words, “We shouldn’t normalize the $5 t-shirt. We should be moving against that both as consumers and also as producers,” because any such lowpriced clothing item is a product of violence and unfair working conditions.

No proper standard for laborers in the industry exists, according to Katebi, and so she aims to create one through her co-op.

“We’re giving designers the alternative, so they don’t have an excuse to not use ethical production,” she remarks. “We want to make them think critically about where they’re producing their clothes.”

Blue Tin Production hopes to steer brands away from the fast-fashion factories that are home to abusive working conditions.

Not only should the production shift, but it should shift loudly.

Katebi argues that brands must articulate clearly why they’re taking their business elsewhere — because they will no longer tolerate

SERVICE TO HUMANITY the poor treatment of workers and subpar ethical conditions.

“This is a new standard [that factory managers will] have to meet if they want to start being competitive.”

The second issue is the lack of accessibility to decent jobs for these women, who are often only allotted a limited time to fully acclimatize themselves to a brand new society with which they are completely unfamiliar.

“When you’ve come from so much trauma, when you have children that don’t speak English, when you don’t speak English, when you don’t have a car, when you don’t have money — it’s really difficult!” she states forcefully.

These women are real people with real families to feed and real bills to pay, and yet they are pushed into part-time positions at fast food restaurants for which they are overqualified, and their true skills are left to rot. “[We’re] bringing together these highly skilled, highly talented women and getting them jobs that are paying an above-living wage because their talent deserves that,” Katebi asserts, “[and] providing a holistic environment looking at women as more than just laborers.”

Hoda Katebi (2nd from left) works with her team.

‘we.’ I could have never ever [have] done this in a million years by myself.”

Although at the time of writing Blue Tin Production hadn’t officially launched, it’s definitely well into its pilot stage, for the women are working closely with one another and building a strong team chemistry. They are collaborating with designers on patterns and samples, but not necessarily taking on clients.

However, Katebi says, many designers have expressed interest, and there’s a list waiting THESE WOMEN ARE REAL PEOPLE WITH REAL to make the deal official once the company launches.

FAMILIES TO FEED AND REAL BILLS TO PAY, “We’re in pilot mode, so this is our first AND YET THEY ARE PUSHED INTO PART-TIME time working together … in a space like this,” Katebi proclaims. “So you can never POSITIONS AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS FOR have too much practice.” After all, practice WHICH THEY ARE OVERQUALIFIED, AND THEIR makes perfect.

As the launch inches closer, Katebi and her TRUE SKILLS ARE LEFT TO ROT. team in Chicagoland work diligently to ready all the details. They even have a department The co-operative allows them to earn money while doing store ready to finalize a contract with them and hope that other a job they both enjoy and are extremely good at. For many, it big names will follow suit. uplifts them and gives them the recognition and importance “We feel like we have this really important idea and challenge they lost while facing struggles from abusive relationships at to the status quo,” says Katebi, who is no stranger to disrupting the hierarchy. home to living in war-torn countries.

“All of the women have talked about how transformative this In 2018, her televised interview at WGN-TV, a local Chicago process has been for them … [it has a] healing nature,” Katebi news station, went viral after an anchor said to her, “You don’t notes. The co-op is the first clothing house in the U.S. run by sound like an American,” in response to her pointing out this immigrant and refugee women. country’s hypocrisy regarding war and weapons. In fact, the That healing nature isn’t only spiritual and emotional — it’s question posed to her — about Iran and nuclear warfare itself also physical. The co-op offers free healthcare, mental health — was uncalled for, considering that the reason for her guest services and dental care for the employees and their children. appearance was to discuss her political fashion blog JooJoo Azad This would usually cost a lot of money, but Katebi says the beauty (http://www.joojooazad.com/) and her book “Tehran Streetstyle.” of this project is that it brings together people who want to help, Katebi’s friendly response to the anchor, “That’s because I’ve for “[People] are literally donating themselves as a doctor or as read!” birthed her book club Because We’ve Read, which now has a dentist to provide free healthcare.” over 40 international chapters dedicated to shifting the underDoctors, dentists and even translators offer their time to see standing of politics, race, religion, history and more from what this project come to fruition. At its core, Blue Tin Production the textbooks traditionally teach. is such a community effort that the doors are always wide open With JooJoo Azad, Because We’ve Read and Blue Tin to the public. It’s not only a factory or studio for designers, but Production, Katebi has a full plate — but it’s nothing she can’t it’s also a shared space to have important conversations with handle. And who knows? She may even fit a Royal Dansk cookie consumers about ethical production in the industry as well as or two in there for dessert! ih general community issues.

“From day zero, this co-op has been such a community proj- Habeeba Husain, a freelance journalist based in New York/New Jersey, contributes to SLAM Magazine, blogs for Why-Islam and is social media manager for WuduGear. ect, which is why I also really hesitate to use the pronoun ‘I’ Her work has also appeared in Narrative.ly and MuslimGirl.com, among other online when talking about the project,” Katebi remarks. “I always say and print publications.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 29

SERVICE TO HUMANITY

From Basement to Best

Iqra Tanveer turns her good intentions into focused action with a successful tutoring center, Best Score Tutoring, and a charitable campaign, Donate A Dollar.

BY HABEEBA HUSAIN

W

hat began as a six-student tutoring gig in her friend’s basement for busy college student Iqra Tanveer quickly blossomed into a full-fledged tutoring center in New York.

Best Score Tutoring, founded in 2012, is a tutoring center based in Queens. At first, it was simply a temporary replacement for Tanveer’s retail job at Macy’s when her college classes, among them organic chemistry and physics, demanded a larger chunk of her schedule.

“I was looking for something that would be a little more convenient for me,” reminisces the now 27-year-old New Yorker. “I 30 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

always had a thing for teaching, even though I never went into that field.”

Growing up with younger siblings and family friends, Tanveer consistently found herself as the go-to resource for homework help. That, plus years of teaching at her area’s mosque on the weekends, gave her the confidence to convey academic concepts to young children. She had been doing it all her life, so why not turn it into a business between her college classes?

“I know I can teach, and I understand kids,” Tanveer says. “I know how to hear things differently so that they can understand.”

With the idea planted in her head, she had to figure out where to tutor. As her own home didn’t provide the necessary privacy, like many college students caught in a predicament she turned to her friend who “had a basement that she never used, and it was fully furnished. I was like, ‘Hey, would you mind if I used your basement to tutor some students? I have a couple students that I know…’”

It was as simple as that.

Tanveer attended her college classes at SUNY [State University of New York] Old Westbury during the day, working toward her undergraduate degree, and then went straight to her friend’s place in the evening for her elementary-aged students’ private tutoring sessions. Her nights and weekends were all booked up as her clientele grew from six to 30 kids through parental referrals and her own advertisements at local schools.

Five months into her venture, her friend needed the basement back for her visiting out-of-town family. It was in the middle of the school year, and Tanveer had a decision to make: “Am I going to continue this, or am I going to stop it here and go back and get a regular job?”

The decision was easy, for she actually enjoyed tutoring. And so she began looking for an appropriate storefront. As God would have it, she found a location within walking distance from the original basement location.

Best Score Tutoring had a new home, and its founder had a schedule busier than ever.

“I had no social life at that point. It was college, work, college, work,” Tanveer recalls.

“There were times when my family said, ‘If this is too hard on you, you don’t have to continue,’ but in my heart I was like, ‘No, I want to do this.’ The thing with me is, once I set my goal, I have to do it — there’s no backing out.”

Being a full-time college student and the sole tutor for 25 to 30 kids did take a toll,

SIX YEARS AFTER ITS INCEPTION, HER TUTORING CENTER NOW SERVES ABOUT 60 STUDENTS, TEN TIMES THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHEN IT FIRST STARTED OUT. IT ALSO PROVIDES AN AFFORDABLE OPTION FOR PARENTS LOOKING TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION. however. Eventually, Tanveer expanded her one-woman show to a team of paid tutors and a manager to help delegate the workload.

Earlier this year, she opened a second location at Masjid Hamza in Valley Stream, Nassau County, N.Y. at the request of parents who wanted tutoring services held in a safe and trusted environment.

While growing Best Score Tutoring over the last few years, she not only completed her undergraduate but also her master’s degrees. Tanveer, who has educated herself with a passion to educate the youth, shows no signs of slowing down now.

Six years after its inception, her tutoring center now serves about 60 students, ten

times the number of kids when it first started out. It also provides an affordable option for parents looking to supplement their children’s education. Whatever their needs may be — homework help, standardized test preparation, fine-tuning math skills, you name it — Tanveer and her team listen and figure out the best course of action.

“When you walk into our tutoring center, we don’t treat you like a potential client,” Tanveer says. “We want to hear you out. We want to know exactly what’s troubling you.

We follow through every step of the way.”

When a concerned mother called about her son’s upcoming geometry midterm — a class he was failing —Tanveer and her team

set up six private, one-on-one sessions for him. With only one week to understand months’ worth of material, they had their work cut out for them.

“We have this environment at the center that is very comfortable. Students are having fun, but at the same time they’re learning,” Tanveer states. “Sometimes when they’re at school they’ll have this mentality that the teacher is out to get me, and once they have that stuck in their head, you see [the negative effect in] their schoolwork.”

The center’s environment and services proved effective, for the young man passed his geometry exam with flying colors. He is but one example of a report card — and schooling experience — being turned around thanks to Tanveer and her team in Floral Park, Queens.

“When I hit my sixth year, I was like, ‘Oh wow, I can’t believe I’m still here,’” Tanveer says.

But her goal-setting ways and do-good personality don’t make that hard to believe for onlookers. She spends her free time volunteering with MusCare, a nonprofit organization that began on Facebook for Muslims seeking to help the community through humanitarian efforts.

Its Donate A Dollar project proved especially successful, enabling people to give charity on an easy, consistent and affordable basis. The idea came from Tanveer herself as a simple Facebook comment, suggesting that each group member donate a dollar each day. Over the course of the month, thousands could be raised for a chosen cause.

The idea garnered a lot of interest, and she became an admin on the Facebook group, which now boasts over 15,000 members.

Although Tanveer did not foresee her Facebook comment resulting in an ongoing charitable campaign or her basement tutoring sessions becoming her full-time job, that’s exactly what has happened.

“Allah just opened doors for me,” Tanveer says. “I always wanted to get involved with charity work. I just never knew how to. I didn’t know where to start. When you make good intentions, things come knocking at your door.”

They certainly do. ih Habeeba Husain, a freelance journalist based in New York/ New Jersey, contributes to SLAM Magazine, blogs for WhyIslam and is social media manager for WuduGear. Her work has also appeared in Narrative.ly and MuslimGirl. com, among other online and print publications.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 31

SERVICE TO HUMANITY

Selfless Soldiers From Houston to Chicago, local Latina Muslims serve the less fortunate

BY WENDY DÍAZ

P

overty often brings up images of a foreign desert landscape; of barren villages with children walking on cracked bare feet; of people with haunted black eyes sunken in their sockets, delicate limbs covered only by thin layers of flesh and swollen abdomens filled with air and parasites; of Somalia, Yemen and Bangladesh. We accept that hunger is a global problem, but nevertheless imagine that it isn’t part of our own world.

However, according to Feeding America (https://www.feedingamerica.org), 40 million Americans struggle with hunger daily, and the 2017 U.S. Census Bureau revealed that 39.7 million people were living in poverty. Even our neighbors could be dealing with food insecurity.

Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) once said: “He is not a believer whose stomach is filled while his neighbor goes hungry” (https://sunnah. com/adab/6/12).

Abdullah ibn Amr reported that the Prophet said: “Worship the Most Merciful, feed the poor, and spread peace. You will enter Paradise in peace” (https://abuaminaelias.com/dailyhadithonline/2010/09/07/ mercy-and-peace).

After a lot of soul searching, Houstonian Monica “Noor” Morales, a Mexican American single mother who reverted in 2001, felt compelled to give back to her neighbors in her home community. In March 2017 she founded Outreach in the Barrio (https://www.facebook.com/outreachinthebarrio), a nonprofit “group of concerned Houstonians all working together to assist those in need in our city.” The word “barrio,” with its roots in Andalusian Arabic, literally means “neighborhood” in Spanish, and in the U.S. refers to a Spanish-speaking sector of a town often characterized by a high incidence of poverty. Although barrios are typically ethnically Latino, Outreach serves everyone.

32 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Monica Noor Morales as featured in a 2002 issue of Islamic Horizons Magazine (top) and 15 years later (bottom r).

HOUSTON: OUTREACH IN THE BARRIO For the past two years, Morales has served full time as Outreach’s director, helping Houston’s homeless, low-income communities and those facing temporary hardships, such as refugees and other immigrant families. Growing up in downtown Houston’s Barrio Bellaire, she was caught up in gang life and vices and thus knows firsthand the challenges that Latinos, especially immigrants, face in Texas. As the mother of a son with special needs and unable to find a welcoming and accommodating atmosphere in her new community, she withdrew until 2016, when she found a Latino-led mosque with an open musalla where she could attend prayers and watch her son.

She related, “I was starving for good deeds. I prayed to Allah to give me purpose and give me a way to serve Him.” She began volunteering at the Houston Food Bank and tutoring refugee families in ESL. She was inspired to establish Outreach when residents in her old barrio welcomed the used clothes that Syrian refugee families had refused to accept. They asked her to come back with more, which she did many times.

She also brought food.

“After speaking with a homeless woman who told me about her story, I had an epiphany,” Morales described, “I realized that if Allah had not been merciful with me, I could

have been in her place. [The homeless] are normal people just going through hardships.” She began calling friends, like ex-marine and fellow Latino Muslim Juan Pablo Osorio, to assist her. Since then, Outreach has gathered many volunteers and teamed up with charitable organizations to serve the barrio’s disadvantaged and homeless.

Its ongoing efforts include Hotshots, Youth Hotshots, Crisis Relief, Cuts for Dignity and providing hygiene kits for males and females. Volunteers also visit low-income communities monthly to provide clothing, furniture, food and other items.

For more information on these programs, contact outreachinthebarrio@gmail.com.

During Ramadan, they organize street iftars to break bread with the needy and destitute in downtown Houston. Often, Muslim-owned businesses provide catering or other support. One volunteer described the group’s core members as “selfless soldiers,” although Morales remarks, “This has been a therapy for my soul. It has become part of my worship and the way that I have been able to come closer to Allah. It has never been about recognition. It was about doing the mission. … We don’t only feed, we build relationships. The people we serve are our friends.”

CHICAGO: THE OJALÁ FOUNDATION Further north, another group of selfless soldiers works silently in the streets of Chicago. The Latino Muslim Ojalá Foundation (https://ojalafoundation.org) seeks to spread Islam’s message to Latinos and everyone else in the Chicago area by meeting the needs of the less fortunate, thereby teaching Islam by example.

Some of its programs include “Andando y Limpiando” (Walking and Cleaning), a cleanup especially designed for downtrodden neighborhoods, weekly Islamic knowledge classes and a monthly potluck.

One of Ojalá’s — a Spanish word historically derived from “insha’Allah” or “law sha Allah” — most successful initiatives is “Neighborly Deeds,” the members’ weekly trip to offer food, toiletries and other necessities to the poor whenever possible. In the last eight months, they have fed close to 7,000 homeless people.

The foundation’s goal is to acquire a community center in which to base their operations and continue working to improve the lives of people in their area.

Only one of the nine founding members,

Ojalá Foundation members pray outside in Chicago.

Youth Hotshots prepare care packages for the homeless in Houston.

Christopher Abdulkareem Pavlicek, is not a Latino. Pavlicek, whose ancestors migrated from Croatia and the Czech Republic, reverted around 25 years ago and serves as the Chicago Islamic Center and Al Nahda Center’s convert care coordinator. He works passionately to help others transition to a purpose-driven life as Muslims, because he knows what it feels like to be isolated.

Driven by the goal of building bridges between the Latino and Muslim communities, he explained, “I am not Latino myself, but this is the culture I have grown up in and been accepted in, being where I am from. As Muslims we are told to speak to people in a language that they understand. That doesn’t just apply to the Spanish language, but [also to] the urban Latino culture here.” He continued, “When a young brother or sister wants to change, it’s a lot more likely to happen with some help from people that have been through the same struggles.”

Working in Cook County, which includes Chicago’s suburbs, the foundation’s reach is very wide. Weekly classes are held in four separate locations, and the monthly potluck is hosted in alternating communities so that no interested person will be unintentionally excluded. It was destiny that their efforts would attract the attention of like-minded individuals, as Pavlicek explained: “We were approached by Outreach in the Barrio to see if we wanted to replicate what they were doing with the homeless down in Houston. It was a perfect fit for us, and we have been feeding nearly 100 people on the streets of Chicago and in shelters for going on six months now. We have also provided

I AM NOT LATINO MYSELF, BUT THIS IS THE CULTURE I HAVE GROWN UP IN AND BEEN ACCEPTED IN, BEING WHERE I AM FROM. AS MUSLIMS WE ARE TOLD TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE IN A LANGUAGE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND. THAT DOESN’T JUST APPLY TO THE SPANISH LANGUAGE, BUT [ALSO TO] THE URBAN LATINO CULTURE HERE.” — CHRISTOPHER ABDULKAREEM PAVLICEK emergency clothing and heating supplies during the last polar vortex we experienced earlier this year.”

Raul Gonzalez, a transport specialist and student, got involved because “I believe in its principles and its willingness to achieve those goals in accordance to Qur’an and Sunnah.”

Moreover, “Our organization is unique in that we are able to reach a demographic that many other Islamic organizations cannot (because) we are Latino. … Ojalá Foundation is a family. We strengthen each other while striving to tell others about Islam.”

Ojalá Foundation Council member Shirley Chun works closely with other members to organize events for both actual and potential Latino Muslims. Her experiences as a Latina from Guatemala and soccer coach bring a distinct perspective.

Noor Morales son, who has special needs, helps distribute food to the homeless in Houston.

She said, “I saw the lack of participation of youth in the important work of giving Latino Muslims a sense of community. I am hoping to be a role model to the following generations.”

Gonzalez, Chun and other volunteers have witnessed several conversions through their community outreach. Their work, which is directed toward people of all faiths, has garnered the attention of local politicians and the media and even made the front page of the Chicago Sun-Times’ “In Chicago and Elsewhere, Latinos Converting to Islam” (Arriaga, June 30, 2018) article.

Alderman Roberto Maldonado joined one of their neighborhood cleanups.

During 2018 Ojalá Foundation held over 52 bilingual classes, 4 seminars taught by religious leaders, 12 community potluck and 6 programs about Latino Muslims at different Islamic centers; fed more than 1,800 people and gave out hundreds of blankets, sleeping bags, socks, gloves and tents, along with a few thousand hand and foot warmers; and carried out 4 neighborhood cleanups.

When neighbors, community leaders and other Islamic organizations and centers hear about their work, they immediately want to become involved. “It’s honestly the best representations of Islam for non-Muslims I have seen since becoming Muslim,” affirmed Pavlicek, “It doesn’t cost anything to care.

Twenty dollars and some TLC can feed like 50 people. Think of the impact that has when we all start giving back collectively!” ih Wendy Díaz is a Puerto Rican Muslim writer, translator, and poet. She is the co-founder of Hablamos Islam, Inc., a nonprofit organization that produces educational resources about Islam in the Spanish language.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 33

FEATURES

Mainstreaming Extremism through Clothing How style helps the far right recruit and radicalize youth

BY CYNTHIA MILLER-IDRISS

O

bama was still in the first term of his presidency when I stumbled upon a radical transformation in the German far-right scene. While sorting through photographers’ databases for a cover photo for my first book — “Blood and Culture” (Duke University Press, 2009) — I noticed that far-right youth had all but abandoned the singular, hard-edged racist skinhead style of dress, with its characteristic shaved heads, bomber jackets and tall black combat boots, in favor of sophisticated and fashionable commercial brands that deploy far-right extremist symbols. German and American media would eventually dub them “Nipsters” — Nazi hipsters. By marrying right-wing ideology and symbols with popular culture in high-quality, mainstream-style clothing, these brands effectively created a new far-right subculture.

To better understand this, I worked with three professional photographers whose archives allowed me to track this transition as it appeared in their endless photographs of these youth at protest marches, music festivals, demonstrations and other public settings. Combined with hundreds of screenshots and additional images and photographs of the symbols, logos and brands I had gathered elsewhere, these photographs helped me create a digital archive of images.

In the second phase of my research, I analyzed how this clothing and its symbols were received by young people in and around far-right scenes in Germany. I also conducted 62 interviews with young people and their teachers at two vocational schools with histories of a far-right extremist youth presence. The following essay details what I discovered.

NAZI HIPSTERS AND THE COMMERCIALIZATION OF FAR-RIGHT STYLE

The commercialization of right-wing ideology is not entirely new; the Nazi era was rife with touristic, decorative items painted with swastikas and images of Hitler. Later, when the right-wing rock music scene swept across North America and Europe in the 1980s, it brought within it a new “skinhead” style that became synonymous with neo-Nazis for the next quarter-century. However, the products’ quality was basic, selection was limited, and sales were restricted to postal flyers or the occasional folding table at a concert.

This all changed when Thor Steinar burst onto the scene in 2002 — ironically, the manufacturer is now owned by a Dubai-based company. Its slick mail-order catalog sold high-quality clothing laced with sophisticated codes relying on historical, colonial, military and Norse mythological references. From the outset, its products were expensive, sporty, well made and virtually indistinguishable from mainstream brands like Abercrombie & Fitch. Within a few years, it launched a sophisticated website and opened chic physical stores — with bright steel and glass entryways and light bamboo flooring — in major German cities and, eventually, across Europe, particularly in the former Eastern Bloc countries, and Russia.

This brand’s sweeping commercial success rapidly and literally transformed the face of Europe’s extreme right. Its clothing captivated a generation of far-right youth eager to shed the social stigma of the skinhead look and avoid the legal ramifications of displaying banned symbols. New brands quickly appeared, often targeting micro-subcultures within the far-right spectrum and developing ever-more specialized niche markets.

34 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

J apanese brand, Yakuza known primarliy for their offensive and provocative iconography.

T hor Steinar, the favoured brand of hardline right wingers in Germany.

Nipsters, German neoNazis woo supporters with 'softer' image Youtube.

The brands share a reliance on mainstream-style, expensive clothing and the use of coded symbols that evoke, connote or directly reference the relevant far-right ideological viewpoints or mythic ideals.

While young men are the primary target, some of the brands have developed women’s lines in which the iconography and messaging is less ideological, less violent and more sexualized.

These messages don’t exist in a vacuum, for this commercialization thrives within a broader socio-political context saturated with populist nationalist rhetoric, a declining trust in governments and a loss of faith in democracy more generally. But extremists don’t hold sole claim to narratives of restoration. For example, the Trump campaign’s “Make America Great Again” evokes many of the same themes of redemption and heroic contribution that are at the heart of the farright extremists’ urge to honor their presumed Nordic heritage or the Islamist extremists’ call to restore the caliphate.

Their messaging reaches vulnerable youth precisely because they resonate with the surging popularity of far-right rhetoric and extremist movements more generally. But they also enable extremist mobilization by creating access to far-right scenes, helping youth find a sense of belonging among the “like-minded,” offering a sense of purpose and meaning, as well as strengthening racist and nationalist identification.

HOW COULD CLOTHING HELP MAINSTREAM EXTREMISM?

I found that youth were initially attracted not because of their ideological convictions, but because of the messages’ emotional resonance.

My interviews with German young people in and around the far-right scene showed that they saw these symbols and clothing as a means to forge (male) comradeship and a sense of belonging, as well as a space to express anger, provoke mainstream society and rebel against authority.

Various aspects of this clothing and its coding have the power to mobilize and motivate youth through this combination of coming together and lashing out. The coded symbols appeal to youth as a strategy for handling the uncertainty of the postmodern era, as a space to express anger and rebel against mainstream society, and as a mechanism to facilitate belonging, group cohesion and relationships with peers.

In addition, the clothing helps mainstream extremism and radicalizes consumers in several ways. First, far from being mere “subcultural style,” clothing can be a gateway to radicalization and violence. Specific kinds of clothing establish legitimacy and signal membership and ideology to other insiders, acting as an entry ticket to concerts and events where dressing normally would raise a red flag. Far-right clothing also helps recruit youth. My informants explained that it can help youth “get into” far-right groups and create feelings of togetherness with other insiders.

THE CODED SYMBOLS APPEAL TO YOUTH AS A STRATEGY FOR HANDLING THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE POSTMODERN ERA, AS A SPACE TO EXPRESS ANGER AND REBEL AGAINST MAINSTREAM SOCIETY, AND AS A MECHANISM TO FACILITATE BELONGING, GROUP COHESION AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH PEERS. The brands signal political affiliation and attitudes to others, allowing coaching her children to use anti-Muslim slurs — was photographed “like-minded” youth to find each other and strike up conversations in wearing a version of this shirt. school, at stadiums, in bars and at parties.

The mainstreaming of far-right aesthetics, in other words, has According to my interviewees, one’s choice of clothing is centrally become a recognizable phenomenon far beyond Germany. Such prodimportant to one’s peer groups, identity and self-understanding. The ucts deserve our close attention, for they are helping the extreme go commercialized, coded references and symbols —many of which use mainstream. ih humor or make aggressive coded references to historical atrocities Cynthia Miller-Idriss is Professor of Education and Sociology at American University. This against Jews, Muslims and others deemed not to belong — desen- essay is adapted from her book, “The Extreme Gone Mainstream,” published by Princeton sitize and socialize consumers and their peers; denigrate victims; University Press in February 2018. and inform youth about the far right’s ideological Sample Far-Right Coded Symbols and Their Meaning positions on immigration, race, national identity, normative expectations for masculine behavior and Codes Shown in Images in Interviews Interpretation other issues. Thus they help youth build or strengthen Wüstenfuchs/Desert Fox Nickname of Erwin Rommel, who commanded Nazi troops in North Africa. racist and nationalist identification.

Sweet home Madagascar Madagascar was discussed as an original “final solution” for deportation These coded symbols can also desensitize youth to of Jews. violence, dehumanize ethnic and religious minorities, Good morning Angola References either early German colonial history in what is now Angola, or and make light of past atrocities and contemporary to early 20th-century proposals to establish a permanent settlement for Jewish refugees in Angola. expressions of hatred. Examples include shirts that tell Latvian spelling of the word “swastika.” observers that “all pigs must die” or that poke fun at Svastika murders of döner shop owners by neo-Nazi terrorists, Expedition Tibet Reference to SS expeditions to Tibet led by Ernst Schäfer that were part of the broader Ahnenerbe movement to research the Indogermanic roots of iconography that depicts a hung man “dancing” in the Aryan “race.” the air as he dies, symbols that valorize Nazi leaders First and eighth letters of the alphabet, AH, for Adolf Hitler. as heroes, and codes that link early twentieth-century 18 planned expulsions of Jews with contemporary far- 88 Eighth letter of the alphabet, HH, for Heil Hitler. right rhetoric telling Muslims and other immigrants Jeans “Rudolf” Rudolf Hess, named for Hitler’s deputy Rudolf Hess. to “have a good trip home.”

Runic alphabet System of symbols used among Nordic tribes; used for Nazi insignia (like Finally, in addition to shaping the consumer’s the sig or “lightning bolt” rune for the SS). identity, such clothing also acts as a conduit of resis168:1 Reference to the number of people killed in the 1995 Oklahoma City tance toward — and carriers of extremist ideas into bombing versus the death of Timothy McVeigh through execution.

— mainstream society. Youth learned about the brands Killer Döner Reference to right-wing terrorist (NSU) cell’s murder of Döner-stand from friends, classmates, older relatives, neighbors owners. and work colleagues. In some cases, expensive brands ACAB All Cops are Bastards; affiliation across political spectrum and urban gangs. become status symbols, popularized by older siblings, Category C is a police designation of youth known to be violent in neighbors and friends who help establish what is “cool” Kategorie C hooligan scene; also the name of a right-wing rock band. or desired within and across subcultures and scenes Palestinian scarf Seen as symbol of freedom fighters; traditionally deployed by left-wing and thus broaden the far right’s ideological reach. but used occasionally by far right.

Commercial products that vilify migrants and Seen as symbol of freedom fighter; traditionally deployed by leftists. trivialize historical pogroms, for example, normal- Che Guevera image Nordic symbol, often interpreted as valorization of violence. ize anti-immigrant, anti-Semitic, Islamophobic and Thor’s Hammer racist attitudes and beliefs. Combined with sym- 14 Refers to number of words in a sentence by American neo-Nazi David Lane, “We must secure the existence of our people and a future for white bols that overtly and covertly express resistance and children”; has become a global pan-Aryan code. rebellion, such symbols position far-right beliefs Phrase called out in east Germany to mark start of sport/gym class; known and attitudes as anti-authority and anti-mainstream Sport Frei! affiliation with hooligan scene as a call at soccer matches to fight fans of and simultaneously help carry them into broader the opposing team; some youth interpret as general signal to start fight/ consumer groups. be violent.

In the U.S., brands marketed to the far-right Mauljucken Invitation to a fight/aggressive. include Right Brand Clothing, whose website explains Various Nordic references, Viking sailor/ Links to mythical and fantastical connection between Nordic/Aryan/ that profits are used to help defray the legal costs ship Germanic tribes/whiteness; used by Nazi party. for “patriots.” More mainstream brands marketed to Alpha Industries logo Popular with far right because of similarities to SA civil badge or emblem. veterans sometimes include far-right messaging, such J … nited States Anti-Semitic slur (Jew-nited States). as a shirt that appropriates the “Coexist” logo (which Combined two banned runic symbols into a symbol that looks like a combines an Islamic moon and crescent, a Christian Thor Steinar logo swastika. Banned by several states, but bans overturned by higher courts. cross and a Jewish Star of David) into a message that When worn with a half-zipped bomber jacket, NSDA (first four letters of says “You can’t coexist with people who want to kill Lonsdale brand name Nazi party abbreviation) is visible. you,” overlaid with an iconography of spattered blood.

Consdaple brand name When worn with a half-zipped bomber jacket, NSDAP (full abbreviation of On March 15, 2018, a woman indicted for burglary Nazi party) is visible. and other crimes at a mosque in Tempe, Ariz. — while JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 35

COVER STORY

Reconciling Islamic Wills and State Inheritance Laws

cannot be given to those already entitled to a share or for illegal or forbidden purposes.

Creating a will that complies with both Islamic and state laws is rather challenging

The rules for distributing the deceased’s estate, except for the bequest/gift, have been laid down by God’s clear guidance and established rules. There are just three categories of heirs: primary heirs (shares stated in the Quran and those added by qiyas [analogical reasoning] and ijma’ [scholarly consensus]; the secondary heirs [residuaries] who don’t have fixed shares but have a blood relationship with the deceased through the male lineage and are identified on the basis of the Quran and Sunnah; and the uterine [distant] relatives, who receive a share only if no survivor belongs to the first two groups.

The only exception here is the presence of maternal brothers and sisters.

BY ABDUL MAJID KHAN

I

n pre-Islamic Arabia, inheritance was confined to male descendants to keep property within the region’s patriarchal and patrilineal tribe so they could maintain their military strength. Thus, women occupied a subordinate and subjugated position, for both they and non-agnate relatives could inherit. As a result, the deceased’s male agnate relatives monopolized the rights of succession.

The Quran, which awards women a share (4:7) and prohibits the widespread ancient practice of inheriting of widows as property (4:19), abolished this system’s unjust customs and practices.

ISLAMIC WILLS IN NORTH AMERICA

THE FOUNDATION OF ISLAM’S LAW OF INHERITANCE Islam’s foundational economic principles condemn the concentration of wealth, seek to ensure its fair and equitable distribution through zakat, reward voluntary charity, allow at most only one-third of one’s wealth to be distributed as one wishes and sets forth clear rules for inheritance.

The following general rules must be applied when writing a will: • One’s ownership of the wealth must be legitimate. This can be accomplished via employment or business investment, an already-distributed inheritance, a bequest, a gift and compensation under civil tort law or similar court order or ruling.

• To inheritor must be either a blood relation or spouse of the deceased. (The third condition is considered irrelevant because slavery has been outlawed.)

• Such a person must also meet the following conditions: The person’s death has been confirmed either by an eyewitness or declared by a court, he/she has left wealth and has living heirs.

THE FIQH OF INHERITANCE These laws specify how to distribute the deceased’s estate among his/her heirs. The 36 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

DISTRIBUTING THE REST OF THE ESTATE

Qur’an elaborates exact shares in fractions (4:11-12 and 176) and includes women when discussing the survivors’ rights (4:7). The following diagram shows the estate’s overall structure based on the heirs’ priority.

A BEQUEST/GIFT Muslims who wish to designate a bequest or a gift — doing so is not obligatory — must abide by certain rules: It is limited to onethird of the estate (after paying all debts) can be given to individuals, charitable Muslim organizations or a combination thereof. It

Most of North America’s estimated 3 to 7 million Muslims want their estates distributed according to the relevant Islamic laws.

However, preparing such a document — one that will also comply with their state’s laws — is no easy undertaking.

The system’s complexity can be simplified by looking at the most common situations, namely, the rules that apply to approximately 95 percent of Muslims. In the vast majority of cases, the distribution of assets will stop at the primary heirs. Very few people will go to the secondary heirs, and even fewer to the third category.

One also needs to realize that making a will is mandatory: “It is decreed for you: when death approaches any of you and he is leaving wealth, to make a testament in favor of the parents and the closer relatives, fairly and correctly — a duty upon the righteous ones” (2:180) and “For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much — an obligatory share” (4:7).

Abdullah bin ‘Umar states that the Prophet (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) said: “It is not permissible for any Muslim who has something to will, to sleep two consecutive nights without having his last will and testament written and kept ready with him” (https://www.sahih-bukhari.com/ Pages/Bukhari_4_51.php).

If one dies without a will, the state will distribute the estate in accord with its

intestacy laws, which won’t be in compliance with Islamic law. As a result, the state might give part of the deceased’s wealth to a non‐Muslim, the probate court will appoint an executor and guardian for the minor children and no bequest will be left behind to benefit him/her in the Hereafter.

CHALLENGES The majority of Muslims face a double challenge: how to satisfy Islamic inheritance directives while complying with their state’s probate laws. This is especially true when trying to ensure that all of one’s assets are included in one’s estate. The diagram below shows those assets that can bypass the will if they are assigned to beneficiaries.

Each asset is complex and beyond the scope of this article. However, a brief discussion is presented here.

Property Ownership. If a couple owns property (e.g. a home and/or land) as Joint Tenants with Right of Survivorship, the deceased’s share automatically passes to the surviving spouse. Assuming that both spouses have contributed to the property, this type of ownership should be changed from “joint ownership with survivorship” to “tenancy in common,” for the latter case makes the deceased’s share part of his/her estate. A lawyer can check and make the appropriate change in your deed.

Community Property State Laws. States with “community property” laws (i.e., Arizona, California, Idaho, La., Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin) can dictate the couple’s property ownership.

In such cases, the surviving spouse is automatically entitled to a 50 percent share in the deceased spouse’s property, regardless of which spouse paid for it or whose name is on the deed. To conform to Islamic law, you will need to use a waiver by which your asset

be challenged in probate court or become a source of argument among family members.

IF ONE DIES WITHOUT A WILL, THE STATE CREATING AN APPROPRIATE WILL WILL DISTRIBUTE THE North American Muslims can find appropriate guidance in the recently published ESTATE IN ACCORD “Inheritance Laws and the Islamic Will.”

WITH ITS INTESTACY This book, which has been reviewed and LAWS, WHICH WON’T endorsed by both scholars and legal professionals, contains a 16-page template. You BE IN COMPLIANCE don’t necessarily need an attorney to prepare WITH ISLAMIC LAW. AS your will, for all 50 states consider any will to be a legal and binding document after you A RESULT, THE STATE MIGHT GIVE PART OF THE and two witnesses sign it in front of a notary.

The book, however, advises you to hire an DECEASED’S WEALTH attorney in certain cases, which it specifies.

At the present time, it can only be ordered TO A NON-MUSLIM, THE directly from the authors (for information: PROBATE COURT WILL Islamic_Will_Book@yahoo.com).

APPOINT AN EXECUTOR A final point to remember: Continually update this document to reflect changes in AND GUARDIAN FOR your circumstances — marriage, divorce, THE MINOR CHILDREN birth and death in the family, minor children AND NO BEQUEST WILL becoming adults, personal preferences in changing your bequest and so on. ih BE LEFT BEHIND TO BENEFIT HIM/HER IN THE Abdul Majid Khan, Ph.D., president, Islamic Center of Henrico and Masjid Al-Falah, Richmond, Va, founder, American HEREAFTER. Muslim Community Services (www.amcsva.org) and direcwill not bypass your will. In non-community property states, the court determines what is equitable based upon many factors.

Retirement and Pension Accounts. The beneficiaries of a retirement or pension account should be changed to reflect the correct heir and percentage.

Insurance Policies. Under Islamic law, such proceeds aren’t considered part of the deceased’s estate, as this money is paid only after his/her death. The goal is to have all of the deceased’s assets, as defined by Islamic law, included in the estate so that they can be distributed appropriately.

The Spouses’ Share. Under state laws, you can do whatever you want with your wealth, but only to a certain extent. Most states have an “elective” or “statutory” share that overrides the will’s contents or leaves out a spouse’s elective share. This share, which varies from one-third to one-half, conflicts with Islamic law because the husband and wife’s shares are defined in the Quran. This issue can be resolved if the spouse agrees to waive it. However, this must be done in the correct legal format and in an enforceable document prepared by a lawyer.

The Calculation of Shares. If the exact calculations isn’t stated in the will, the will may

tor, Islamic Education Foundation, Richmond, Va., is the author of several books, including “Inheritance Laws and the Islamic Will: According to the Islamic and State Laws for Muslims in North America”.

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JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 37

COVER STORY

Wills and Inheritance Ensuring that a deceased Muslim’s wealth remains within the family

BY MUZAMMIL H. SIDDIQI

A

2016 Gallup poll reported that only 44 percent of Americans have a will (https://news.gallup.com/ poll/191651/majority-not.aspx).

Muslims need to take writing a will seriously, for, according to “Sahih al-Bukhari” (Wills and Testaments, Vol 4, Book 55, hadith no. 2378), a Muslim who has something to bequest must make arrangements

38 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

for its distribution before two nights pass.

It should be updated periodically so that one’s current family circumstances and/or financial assets are reflected. In fact, this is one of the prerequisites of hajj.

God laid down the “laws of inheritance” (irth or wirathah) in various Quranic passages, among them: “Allah instructs you concerning your children: for the male, what

is equal to the share of two females. But if there are [only] daughters, two or more, for them is two thirds of one’s estate. If there is only one, for her is half. For one’s parents, to each one of them is a sixth of his estate if he left children. But if he had no children and the parents [alone] inherit from him, then for his mother is one third. If he had brothers [or sisters], for his mother is a sixth, after any bequest he [may have] made or debt. Your parents or your children — you know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. [These shares are] an obligation [imposed] by Allah. … For you is half of what your wives leave if they have no child.

But if they have a child, for you is one fourth of what they leave, after any bequest they [may have] made or debt. For the wives is one fourth if you leave no child. But if you leave a child, then for them is an eighth of

what you leave, after any bequest you [may have] made or debt. And if a man or woman leaves neither ascendants nor descendants but has a brother or a sister, then for each one of them is a sixth. But if they are more than two, they share a third, after any bequest which was made or debt, as long as there is no detriment [caused]...” (4:11-12).

The Qur’an and Sunna contain specific rules as to who may and may not inherit as well as the amount of their shares. Before death Muslims can give as they please to whoever they want, but after death Islamic law must be followed. The relevant basic principles are as follows: • All outstanding loans or debts [including last sickness medical bills and wasiyyah of the deceased has made up to to the maximum of 1/3 of net estate] should be paid before distributing the deceased’s assets,

and the will should be followed very strictly unless it violates Islamic law.

• Testators can donate up to one third of their wealth to a person or institution of their choice, but cannot give more to someone who is supposed to receive a share of the deceased’s assets. The rest of the inheritance must be distributed according to Islamic law.

• Only a Muslim can inherit a Muslim’s assets. Non-Muslim relatives don’t inherit from Muslims, and vice versa. If a Muslim has a non-Muslim spouse [from Ahl al-Kitab] or some other relatives to whom he/ she wants to give something, then he/she must make a special will; the amount should not be more than one third of his/her net

encouraged to prepare their wills because U.S. law doesn’t recognize Islam’s inheritance laws. If a Muslim dies without a will, then his/her wealth most probably will be distributed according to the laws of the state in which he/she lived.

As Islamophobia continues to spread, a growing movement to legally ban any implementation of Islamic law continues to gain steam. As of 2017, more than two dozen states had considered measures intended to restrict judges from consulting the Shari’a.

In addition, Arizona, Kansas, Louisiana, South Dakota, Tennessee, North Carolina, Alabama and Texas have passed “foreign law” bans.

MUSLIM AMERICANS ARE STRONGLY ENCOURAGED TO PREPARE THEIR WILLS BECAUSE U.S. LAW DOESN’T RECOGNIZE ISLAM’S INHERITANCE LAWS. IF A MUSLIM DIES WITHOUT A WILL, THEN HIS/HER WEALTH MOST PROBABLY WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF THE STATE IN WHICH HE/SHE LIVED. wealth [the net wealth is after subtracting all liabilities, debts and obligations from the total wealth]. If a non-Muslim relative makes a Muslim one of his/her heirs, the latter may take it only as a gift.

• Illegitimate or adopted children cannot inherit. There is no inheritance between a father and an illegitimate child and vice versa if the child was conceived out of Islamic wedlock. The Hanafī school of thought allows inheritance if the father confesses and accepts his child. However, there is inheritance between the child and its mother and all her relatives (since a child comes from the mother’s womb.

A [convicted as opposed to accused] murderer or an accessory to the murder cannot be a beneficiary of the person he/she murdered.

• The closest surviving relatives, spouses [husbands or wives], parents and children always inherit. If any of them died before the deceased, then other relatives receive their shares. In this case, the near relatives exclude those who are a step distant from them in their relation to the deceased.

• All shares must adhere to the designated and specified percentage.

Muslim Americans are strongly

There are other disadvantages of not writing a will, such as: • The possible avoidance of paying various states taxes. In some cases, these taxes reach almost 70-80 percent of one’s assets.

• Probate courts decide matters very slowly, and thus the heirs may have to wait and face hardship.

• The court-appointed executor won’t apply Islamic rules, and inventorying and appraising the assets may involve a lot of unnecessary expenses.

• The court might appoint a non-Muslim guardian for the surviving minor children.

• If the deceased had no relatives, his/her wealth may be given to state or non-Islamic institutions.

To avoid such issues, Muslims living in a minority context must prepare legally binding wills. Those with substantial assets should consult an attorney in their state who specializes in traditional wills and/or “living trusts,” depending on which document they prefer. The latter is more easily changed and has various tax advantages. ih Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, imam and religious director of the Islamic Society of Orange County, Garden Grove, also chairs the Fiqh Council of North America. He is also a former ISNA president.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 39

COVER STORY

A Necessary Discipline Muslims must strive to study and master Islamic inheritance laws

BY SHAYKH ABDUR RAHMAN KHAN

G

od, who provides for His creation and bestows wealth in whatever quantity and to whomever He wills, has stated both the permissible and forbidden ways of acquiring it and the consequences of the method chosen (18:23).

By the same token, in Quran 4:11-12 God decrees how a deceased Muslim’s wealth is to be distributed so that each heir receives his/ her just portion. And, in Quran 4:7 — “For men is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, and for women is a share of what the parents and close relatives leave, be it little or much — an obligatory share” — He establishes a woman’s right to inherit.

Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) detailed these rulings, just as he did for prayer and fasting. This discipline, known as fara’id (the laws of inheritance), 40 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

has always been among the most important legal subjects due to its extreme complexity.

Distributing the deceased’s estate among his/her heirs in accordance with the Quran and Sunna necessarily requires vast and profound knowledge and work so that the deceased’s assets are distributed correctly to the designated heirs and other dependents.

Like funeral prayers, this task is considered a community responsibility in the sense that the fact that some people are willing to perform it absolves the rest of the community from doing so. Therefore, Muslims must ensure that this discipline remains vibrant.

Importantly, fara’id ensures financial redistribution and economic growth by ensuring that the deceased’s wealth is neither confined to a few people nor lost upon his/her death. In the absence of any rightful

heirs, it goes to the bayt al-mal (the state treasury). Muslims living as minorities can also leave their assets to a Muslim organization to protect the community’s wealth.

The Prophet said: “Give the prescribed share of inheritance to those who are eligible for it, and the remainder [of it] is for the nearest male blood relative” (https://sunnah. com/bukhari/85/).

The system of fara’id is complete, comprehensive and just for every heir, beneficiary and others with a legal share in the estate.

Moreover it, along with zakat and sadaqat, are all tools to develop a balanced socioeconomic society.

The Prophet encouraged people to “Acquire the knowledge and impart it to the people. Acquire the knowledge of fara’id (laws of inheritance) and teach it to the

IN MEMORIAM people. learn the Qur’an and teach it to the people; for I am a person who has to depart this world and the knowledge will be taken away and turmoil will appear to such an extent that two people will not agree in regard to a case of inheritance distribution and find none who would decide between them” (www.alim.org/library/hadith/TIR/107).

Ibn ‘Uyaynah, a third-generation scholar, said: “The science of the obligatory shares (of inheritance) is called half of the knowledge because all the people are in need of it” (https://www.islamweb.net/en/article/158249/ the-importance-of-distributing-inheritance).

EARLIER MUSLIM SCHOLARS HAVE DONE A GREAT DEAL OF RESEARCH ON THE LAWS OF INHERITANCE. BUT SINCE MUCH OF IT IS IN ARABIC, WESTERN SCHOLARS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO SIMPLIFY THE RELEVANT INFORMATION FOR NON-ARABIC-SPEAKING MUSLIMS. THIS IS A VERY DIFFICULT TASK, FOR THEY ALSO HAVE TO NAVIGATE BETWEEN THE ISLAMIC GUIDELINES AND THE LAWS OF THE LAND. However, this knowledge is disappearing because not many Muslims are aware of these divine injunctions. But this specific undertaking is so important that right after detailing the laws of inheritance, He proclaimed: “These are the limits (set by) God and whosoever obeys God and His Messenger will be admitted to Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise), to abide therein, and that will be the great success. And whoever disobeys God and His Messenger and transgresses His limits — He will put him into the Fire to abide eternally therein, and he will have a humiliating punishment” (4:13-14).

Nevertheless, as Muslims are becoming more conscious of the deen, the demand for following these regulations is growing. There is a great need for an institution in the U.S. to deal specifically with these matters. But right now, we need to consult the relevant books.

Earlier Muslim scholars have done a great deal of research on the laws of inheritance. But since much of it is in Arabic, Western scholars have been trying to simplify the relevant information for non-Arabic-speaking Muslims.

This is a very difficult task, for they also have to navigate between the Islamic guidelines and the laws of the land. For example, they have to explain who is entitled to a share of the distribution, how much will they receive, how and when they will receive it, as well as what they will receive.

Muslims should become aware of the laws of inheritance and then apply them in their lives, for violating the divine law has consequences in this world and the hereafter. Just consider the intra-family turmoil that results from ignoring them, how many families have been shattered because one or more legitimate heirs is treated unjustly and how many Muslims have gone to court to argue over the deceased’s estate.

All of these issues can be resolved only if the Islamic law of inheritance is followed sincerely and justly. ih Shaykh Abdur Rahman Khan is member of the Fiqh Council of North America and chairman, ICNA Shari’ah Council.

Adam Patel, Lord Patel of Blackburn 1940-2019

A

dam Patel, Lord Patel of Blackburn, passed away on May 29 at the age of 78. As a member of the British House of Lords for 19 years, he served the British Muslim community.

Originally from Gujarat, Lord Patel moved to England during the 1960s as a businessman. He later entered politics and held many leadership positions, including president of the Lancashire Council of Mosques, vice-president of the Backburn Community Relations Council, counsellor to the Muslim Council of Britain and chairman of the Council of British Hajjis. Among his many accomplishments, his most notable were successfully advocating for Muslim burial practices to be honored and offering halal meat in British schools.

Lord Patel, who retired as managing director of a clothing manufacturing company, was also director of the East Lancashire Training Enterprise Council and Enterprise plc.

On Feb. 14, 2000, he was created a Life Peer as Baron Patel of Blackburn, of Langho in the County of Lancashire. Lord Patel was also an honorary fellow of the Bolton Institute as well as of the University of Central Lancashire. In May 2012, he became an honorary patron of The BRFC Action Group, the leading Blackburn Rovers supporters group.

Patel is survived by his wife Ayesha Adam Patel, whom he married in 1964; sons Ilyas, Imran, Imtyaz and Iqbal and daughters Shirin, Shamim, Sophia and Saleha. ih JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 41

Islamic Wills and Conflicts with U.S. Laws Principles, public policy and enforcement in the US

BY OMAR T. MOHAMMEDI

M

uslims who wish to abide by the Islamic law of inheritance when drafting a will must keep in mind that they will encounter several conflicts with U.S. law while doing so.

While various statutory and legal conflicts may be smoothly reconciled with proper drafting, broader public policy concerns may be more difficult to tackle. U.S. courts have long grappled with conflicts between religion and state generally, as well as, more specifically, those that arise when enforcing a will’s religious clauses. As the use of Islamic wills becomes more popular, judges will likely be faced with issues previously unseen in U.S. courts.

42 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

One particular aspect may raise a public policy issue, namely, the fact that spousal shares are frequently less than one-third of the estate, which contradicts the spousal right of election adopted by most states.

The lack of this right in Islamic wills clashes directly with this well-settled principle under most state laws.

Also known as an “elective share,” it essentially seeks to protect a spouse who has been cut out of a will. Historically, this right was adopted into law so that the surviving spouse wouldn’t become a public charge (Spencer v. Williams, 569 A.2d 1194, 1198 (D.C. Ct. of Appeals [1990]). It may be exercised even for a well-off surviving spouse

who isn’t likely to become a public charge.

In this sense, there may not be a substantial policy reasoning behind the modern usage of the elective share.

For instance, under New York law the surviving spouse will receive $50,000 or onethird of the deceased’s estate (whichever is greater). Under Islamic law, the wife receives a one-eighth share when there are children and a one-fourth share when there are no children. A husband receives a one-fourth share when there are children and a one-half share when there are no children.

The elective share is a statutory mechanism established to prevent one spouse from depriving the other spouse of property

COVER STORY acquired during the marriage. This falls generally within the American principle that marriage is an equal partnership, whereby both spouses contribute equally and should therefore receive equal benefit (LaMere v.

LaMere, 262 Wis.2d 426, 444 [Wis. 2003]).

However, in the Islamic context a wife’s property belongs to her, while the husband’s property is to be used to benefit the family

no excessive government entanglement with religion (Jones v. Wolf, 443 U.S. 595, 602 [1979]). If the court chooses to accommodate Islamic law by denying this right to the surviving spouse, this wouldn’t be seen as a court’s entanglement with religion, but merely an accommodation of a religious practice (Sherbert v. Verner, 374 U.S. 398, 409 [1963]).

UNDER THE LAWS OF MOST STATE JURISDICTIONS, COMPLYING WITH ISLAMIC LAW WITH REGARD TO THE SURVIVING SPOUSE’S INHERITANCE MEANS RENOUNCING HIS OR HER RIGHT OF ELECTION. IF A WAIVER CANNOT BE OBTAINED, IT REMAINS TO BE SEEN WHETHER A COURT WILL ENFORCE AN ISLAMIC WILL THAT ELIMINATES THAT PARTICULAR RIGHT. as a whole. In this spirit, she is entitled to a lesser share because no financial burden is placed upon her. This echoes the principle concerning the husband’s obligations to provide for the family, obligations by which a wife is not traditionally bound.

The wife also receives the mahr, an additional two-part marriage gift comprised of the muqaddam (immediate) and the muakhkhar (deferred). These gifts become her independently owned property, and the latter gift is a debt against the husband’s estate. If he is concerned about what assets his surviving wife will receive, he can transfer additional property to her while both spouses are still alive (inter vivos).

Under the laws of most state jurisdictions, complying with Islamic law with regard to the surviving spouse’s inheritance means renouncing his or her right of election. If a waiver cannot be obtained, it remains to be seen whether a court will enforce an Islamic will that eliminates that particular right. Nonetheless, in this instance the Establishment Clause cannot be invoked because the statute allowing this right is religion-neutral and involves

Although courts have yet to challenge the right of election on religious grounds, they have addressed the issue of freedom of religion versus state regulations in other cases.

In Wisconsin v. Yoder, 406 U.S. 205 [1972], Amish parents challenged the state law requiring mandatory school attendance.

The Supreme Court held that “a State’s interest in universal education, however highly we rank it, is not totally free from a balancing process when it impinges on fundamental rights and interests, such as those specifically protected by the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment” (Id. at 214). The court found that the state law violated the Amish community’s right to their free exercise of religion because their religious beliefs posed no threat to public safety or welfare (Id. at 230).

While this article doesn’t seek to brush aside various concerns with Islamic inheritance laws, it does seek to highlight their theological and social underpinnings so that readers can gain a better sense of why certain laws operate the way they do. With a more thorough understanding of these laws and their operational function, Muslims may

find it easier to draft Islamic-style wills and argue for their enforceability.

In some instances, however, Islamic inheritance laws differ from those of the U.S., be it on a purely legalistic level or a public policy level. But due to this country’s emphasis on an individual’s right to freedom of contract, Muslims who want to live in accord with their religious obligations can do so without running afoul of U.S. laws. ih Omar T. Mohammedi Esq., is an adjunct professor of Islamic law at Fordham University School of Law and the founder and managing partner of the Law Firm of Omar T. Mohammedi, LLC, New York.

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including shipping and handling Order This Book: Text or Call: 804-833-2011 Send Email: Islamic_Will_Book@yahoo.com JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 43

ISLAM IN AMERICA

Is it Time for a National Open Mosque Day? Undermining hate by consciously increasing mutual interaction

BY ABOOBAKER EBRAHIM

A

t the time this article was being written, the decision of a 28-year-old Australian man on March 15th to massacre and injure scores of Muslims at two New Zealand mosques had yet to be fully explained. However, one might be justified in assuming that his hate was driven by his lack of accurate knowledge of Islam and Muslims and the widespread anti-Islam and anti-Muslim sentiments in general.

This leads one to wonder if Muslims are country should be urged to set up a National doing enough to share Islam with others not Open Mosque Day Foundation. After ensuronly through talks and socialization, but also ing its viability, they should participate and through caring. Such undertakings require a support its activities by developing and beginning, so what better way to do so than paying for the appropriate material and invite your friends and neighbors to your programs to be spread among the member house of worship and begin to nurture the organizations and mosques. other mosques have had or are in the process bonds of mutual understanding?

Faith-based communities could also use of organizing their own Open Mosque Day In 2015, the US Council of Muslim the National Open Mosque Day to build with open houses and candidates forums.

Organizations (http://uscmo.org) initiated awareness about environmental causes. In The response has been excellent. a National Open Mosque Day; unfortunately, addition to explaining Islam’s basic tenets On March 15, IANT opened its mosque’s it didn’t really take root. The Islamic Shura and practices, the community’s social action doors so that the association’s multipurpose Council of Southern California (https://shu- projects (e.g., distributing food, helping the hall could host a large gathering of various racouncil.org) launched its Open Mosque homeless and refugees, providing free med- faith groups, area organizations, politicians Day in 2002 — it is now held on the first ical services and devising prisoner rehabil- and activists to mourn and grieve for the weekend of October. itation projects) could also be discussed. senseless loss of innocent men, woman and Credit is due to Prime Minister Jacinda After all, charity and philanthropy are part children in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Ardern of New Zealand, who sought to of Islam’s five pillars.

Many television and radio stations douse the flames of hate by initiating a In Dallas County, the Muslim American covered the event. The Richardson Police public open mosque event (in fact, several Society, the East Plano Islamic Center, the Department provided security, and such Fridays). Such events are also held in Islamic Association of Collin County and the Richardson mayor Paul Voelker, Dallas Australia, Britain and other countries.

Islamic Association of North Texas (IANT) mayor Mike Rawlings and Rep. Colin Allred Washington’s official response shows — the area’s oldest and largest mosque — and (D-Tex.) were among the speakers. that it is up to Muslim Americans to take their voice to their friends MUSLIM AMERICANS NEED TO BECOME MORE and neighbors. Britain offers a good example of this — more than 250 ASSERTIVE, POLITICALLY ACTIVE AND WILLING mosques from Dewsbury to London TO WRITE THEIR OWN NARRATIVE IN ORDER TO and from Belfast to Ipswich participated in a day that saw all attendCOUNTER ALL OF THIS NEGATIVITY, AS WELL AS ees welcomed with food, crafts MORE ENGAGED IN INVITING THEIR FRIENDS AND stalls, calligraphy, henna art and tours. This national initiative was NEIGHBORS TO MOSQUE OPEN HOUSES SO THAT immensely successful, for even THE NUMBER OF INTERFAITH AND INTRA-FAITH the prime minister, the leader of the opposition and the mayor of DIALOGUES WILL CONTINUE TO GROW. London visited their local mosques.

Muslim organizations in this 44 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Other speakers included Shpendiem Nadzaku (imam, IANT), Sheik Omar Suleiman (Yaqeen Institute), Rabia Azeez (North Texas Islamic Council), Shamsul Arefin (board chairman, IANT), Khalid Hamideh (general counsel, IANT), Senior Rabbi David Eli Stern (Temple Emanu-El, Dallas), George Mason (former senior pastor, Wilshire Baptist Church, Dallas) and Dr. Michael W. Waters (founding pastor, Joy Tabernacle African Methodist Episcopal Church, Dallas). Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins sent a statement of support.

Mayor Rawlings stated that “we must make our connections stronger,” and Mayor Voelker said, “we are very proud that the Islamic Association of North Texas serves as a beacon in our community.”

As Muslims are neither “different” nor “aliens,” they need to break down the existing barriers and bring people together because the Quran’s universal message is addressed to everyone. Muslim Americans need to become more assertive, politically active and willing to write their own narrative in order to counter all of this negativity, as well as more engaged in inviting their friends and neighbors to mosque open houses so that the number of interfaith and intra-faith dialogues will continue to grow. Just how much we have in common

with our non-Muslim fellow citizens might surprise us.

I was born in the apartheid-era South Africa, whose ruling regime was based on racial separateness and hate. Each one of us must stand up and speak out against hate in any form, for failing to do so only enables it to continue by making it more pervasive and acceptable. Hateful speech that goes unchecked endangers the very beliefs we hold so dear, such as promoting peace, civil decency and mutual respect.

At the same time, we should become politically active, register to vote and then actually vote, participate in local and national campaigns, conduct candidate forums, build coalitions, run for political office, serve our communities with care and help uplift each other up in righteousness and piety.

A well-coordinated National Open Mosque Day will allow our fellow Americans to show solidarity with us in the face of rising Islamophobia, hate and bigotry. Our nationwide community can only attain its full potential by building consensus and coalitions that will make it possible to hold such large-scale events, thereby enabling us to show others who we are and to present our positions on a wide range of issues. ih Aboobaker Ebrahim, a lifetime ISNA member and long-time Dallas resident who has served on IANT’s board of directors, is a member of its outreach committee.

IMAM AND ASSISTANT IMAM The Islamic Center of Rochester, Inc. (ICR) was established in 1975 and is based in Rochester, New York. The ICR serves a large and diverse community with an active membership of over 500 families.

The ICR seeks to fill the following two positions: 1. Imam/Executive Director 2. A ssistant Imam/Youth Program Coordinator The successful candidates will be either a US citizen or Permanent Resident with a degree in Islamic studies or a related field from a recognized institution.

The ICR offers a competitive compensation and benefits package based.

Candidates are requested to submit the following documents to: shafiqkhattak5@yahoo.com • Cover letter including the position the candidate is seeking • Curriculum vitae • Copies of relevant diploma(s) • References with contact details JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 45

Opening the floodgates to racism, blatant anti-Semitism and persecution of Muslims

BY ABDUL CADER ASMAL

J

oseph Conrad, the famous British novelist wrote, “What passes as civilization is really often refined savagery” (“Heart of Darkness,” 1899). His focus, the unquestioning imperialistic racism of the time, bears an eerie testimony to the rampant racism of our own time.

Whether defined strictly in terms of specific “races” or used more loosely to represent “the other” who differs from the mainstream by virtue of race, ethnicity, language, skin color, culture, religion, nationality or socio-economic circumstances, racism is a widely condemned bigotry. Importantly, it is an acquired trait engendered by suspicion, fear, hatred, jealousy, and the quest for domination. Rather than being the unique trait of a specific race, ethnicity, culture or religion, it is ubiquitous.

However, the term “racism” has been studiously avoided when there is malevolence directed against religion. In “enlightened circles” and in the interest of preserving the sacrosanct concept of “free speech,” religious demonization has now become perfectly acceptable in civil society. When that particular religion is practiced by people who are overwhelmingly dark-skinned, impoverished, largely illiterate, technologically 46 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

unsophisticated, have “alien” customs, and are ruled by dictators, it is disingenuous to ignore these other attributes that define such people, especially when their religion is denigrated as fanatical, intolerant, violent, irrational, retrogressive and an existential threat to civilization itself.

According to Prof. John Esposito (“Islam and the West,” 1991), “European ethnocentrism produced distorted images of Islam.”

Thus Islamophobia is a uniquely European creation steeped in the “Christendom of the Dark Ages.” Beginning with early MuslimChristian polemics, it culminated with misconceptions about Islam and the contemporary deliberate disinformation campaign that is now being deliberately propagated.

The deafening silence of Muslim countries has emboldened an exponential explosion of the Islamophobia network that, without a wink or a nod, is able to siphon off philanthropic donations to propagate their anti-Islamic agenda. “The money is used to support anti-Muslim legislation and policies, conduct anti-Muslim lobbying, distribute false and defamatory information to mainstream media and on social media, and run public campaigns promoting conspiracy theories tied to issues such as mosque construction”

(CAIR Report, May 6, 2019). There is no better example of “refined savagery.”

Islamophobia’s driving force has been the barbaric acts of Al Qaeda, Boko Haram, ISIS and other groups that have conducted mindless acts of terrorism against innocent civilians, highlighted by the atrocity of 9/11.

Although very unnerving and condemned ad nauseam by countless Muslim groups, such actions are not an “existential threat” to humanity. Such a hyperbolic characterization only feeds the frenzy engendered by the profiteers of the endless “war on terror,” the terrorists themselves and their supporters, as well as the Islamophobes (see for example: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/ religion/reports/2011/08/26/10165/fearinc/). This could indisputably be defined as “unqualified savagery.”

More than just the hatred of Islam, Islamophobia has become the surrogate for all of the ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic and other attributes that define Islam as a comprehensive way of life. It has become mainstream not because of the “conventional wisdom” that “John Hagee, Robert Jeffress and Netanyahu all share with Trump, which is an unashamed hatred of Islam and its practitioners” (Eric Alterman, The Nation, May

ISLAM IN AMERICA 23, 2018), nor is it the barbarity of Muslim heretics. In reality, it is the obsequiousness of the obscenely rich Muslim tyrants who have the potential to correct the narrative but have chosen to remain silent. Their indifference to the demonization of the religion they claim to protect and preserve from flagrant Islam-haters will be an unenviable and indefensible task in God’s presence.

languish in the twilight zone of a yet-to-be-defined savagery.

Where Saudi Arabia and the UAE’s ongoing slaughter of the Yemenis falls is a challenge. Perhaps it is a page taken out Steve Bannon’s favorite book on racial supremacism, “The Camp of the Saints” (Jean Raspail, 1973).

In his Farewell Sermon, Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) told Muslims how to deal with the rest of humanity: “Remember one day you will appear before Allah and answer for your deeds. So beware, do not stray IN REALITY, IT IS THE OBSEQUIOUSNESS OF from the path of righteousness after I am THE OBSCENELY RICH MUSLIM TYRANTS gone…” (“al-Bukhari,” hadith nos. 1623, 1626, and 6361; “Sahih al-Muslim,” hadith WHO HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO CORRECT no. 98; “al-Tirmidhi,” hadith nos. 1628, 2046, THE NARRATIVE BUT HAVE CHOSEN TO and 2085; and “Masnad Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal,” hadith no. 19774).

REMAIN SILENT. THEIR INDIFFERENCE TO THE All who defy God’s mandates will be held DEMONIZATION OF THE RELIGION THEY CLAIM accountable: “O humanity! Behold, We have you all out of a male and a female, TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE FROM FLAGRANT created and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another.

ISLAM-HATERS WILL BE AN UNENVIABLE AND Verily, the noblest of you in the sight of God INDEFENSIBLE TASK IN GOD’S PRESENCE. is the one who is most deeply conscious of Him” (49:13).

“If God had not enabled people to defend The explicit denial of the positive attributes that truly themselves against one another, all monasteries, churches, define Islam, as well as the fabrication of hateful propaganda synagogues and mosques — in which God’s name is abunthat provokes its visceral condemnation, grants racism in all dantly extolled — would surely have been destroyed” (22:59). its guises a free pass. “Anti-Muslim bigotry is now part of our Sadly, the recent evil displayed in Philadelphia, mainstream public life. Not because average Americans are Christchurch and Sri Lanka where worshippers were masIslamophobic, but because special interest groups (aka as the sacred bears testimony of God’s warning. ‘merchants of sophisticated savagery’) have abused tax-free The Quran cautions against the anti-religious malevolence charities, foundations and non-profit laws to further their contrived by evildoers of all faiths: “I believe in the Book hate-filled agenda” (CAIR Report, May 6, 2019). that God has sent down and am commanded to judge justly The mainstreaming of Islamophobia has helped dismember between you. God is Our Lord and your Lord. We are responcivility, legitimize bigotry and open up the floodgates to ubiq- sible for our deeds, and for you for your deeds. There is no uitous racism against Blacks, Native Americans, the Latinx contention between us and you. God will bring us together, community, Jews, Muslims, the “beneficiaries” of White priv- and to Him is (our) final goal” (42:15). ilege and even eviscerated refugees with screaming “illegal” Caliph Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘alayhi rahmat) advised: “People infants mercilessly snatched from their tormented parents. are of two kinds, they are either your brothers in faith or In this dystopian world of gloom and doom, the conven- your equals in humanity” (https://www.azquotes.com/ tional wisdom of an “Islamic terrorist” was given a shocking quote/809905). jolt. Instead of name calling, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern In his Farewell Sermon, the Prophet also stressed, “All of New Zealand has given the world a desperately needed humanity is from Adam and Eve. An Arab has no superiority antidote to the intensifying cycle of hate, violence, vengeance over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab has any superiority and tyranny. Her calm, reassuring and compassionate voice, over an Arab. A white has no superiority over a black, and along with her genuine empathy for Muslims, has put to a black has no superiority over a white, except by piety and good action.” shame those who purvey hate and bigotry.

From the Muslim perspective, the most merciless aspect The Prophet also proclaimed, “…that every Muslim is of this refined savagery is not perpetrated by the enlight- a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute ened West, which has already devastated several Muslim one brotherhood.” However, while this is supposed to be the countries to the point of no return. Rather, it is being per- case, the way with which some Muslims treat one another is petrated by their surrogates in China who are trying to strip a shame, and this does not make us appear anymore refined the Uighurs of their Islam, and Myanmar’s attempt to get than those who treat us with scorn. rid of its Rohingya Muslim minority, whether by genocide Savagery, the face of racism, whether refined or brutal, or driving them into Bangladesh. In sum, our world seems has no home in Islam. ih to have become binary in nature: One group that practices Abdul Cader Asmal, MD, past president, the Islamic Council of New England, and refined savagery and the much larger group of those who board member, Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 47

ISLAM IN AMERICA

Predicting and Preventing Islamophobia in the U.S. A brief summary of ISPU's American Muslim Poll 2019.

BY DALIA MOGAHED AND AZKA MAHMOOD

I

n January 2019, the Institute for Social Policy and be upbeat than Black Muslims (20 percent), Muslim women (70 Understanding (ISPU) conducted a survey of American Muslims, percent) are more likely to be pessimistic about the future than Jews, Catholics, Protestants (including White Evangelicals) and Muslim men (58 percent). We find the Muslims’ overall positivity the religiously non-affiliated to examine their views on politics, remarkable, for all other groups surveyed registered a sharp decline religion, sexual and religious violence, minorities and other faith in their satisfaction with the way things are going. We posit that groups (American Muslim Poll 2019: Muslim and Democratic gains in the Predicting and Preventing Islamophobia; 2018 midterm elections, as well as the OUR ANALYSIS REVEALS www.ispu.org/poll). continued resistance to Trump’s anti-imThe findings show that Muslim policies, are responsible for THAT KNOWING A MUSLIM migration Americans are multidimensional: They this confidence.

PERSONALLY IS AMONG share many characteristics with all of these groups and yet are unique, are AND DEMOCRATS THE SEVERAL PROTECTIVE MUSLIMS disappointed with some aspects of their Muslims directed their frustration with FACTORS AGAINST country and express hope in others. the administration at the polls by voting overwhelmingly — 76 percent — for ISLAMOPHOBIA. HAVING VIEWS OF PRESIDENT TRUMP AND Democratic candidates, a trend mirrored among the Jews (69 percent), Blacks (91 THE COUNTRY’S DIRECTION A CLOSE MUSLIM FRIEND percent) and Hispanics (66 percent) we We found that only 16 percent of Muslim FURTHER REDUCES surveyed. Their support for Democrats Americans approve of the job President remains consistent with age as opposed Trump is doing, the lowest of all groups THIS FEAR. surveyed. While other groups tallied to the general public, where it decreases: between 24 percent and 50 percent, a 83 percent of Muslims aged 50 and older majority of White Evangelicals (73 percent) reported approval, vote for Democrats, whereas only 44 percent of their generational highlighting a deep rift between them and the other religious groups. peers in the general public do so.

White Muslims (29 percent) and those who are 30-49 years old (19 percent) are more likely to approve of Trump than all others.

VOTER REGISTRATION AND ENGAGEMENT STILL LAG Despite this low opinion, 33 percent of Muslims conveyed opti- Despite being higher than in 2016 (59 percent), only 73 percent mism about the nation’s trajectory, more than any other group of eligible Muslim voters report being registered to do so, the least surveyed. While White Muslims (43 percent) are more likely to likely group in our 2019 sample (other groups range between 85

48 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

and 95 percent).1 Overall, Muslims’ voter eligibility is 80 percent, the lowest group in our survey.

This gap may persist for several reasons: 47 percent of Muslims in the U.S. are immigrants; only 63 percent of Muslim young adults (aged 18-29) report being registered to vote, as compared to 85 percent of their peers in the general population; and that while 83 percent of Muslim voters express their intention to vote, only 59 percent actually do so. This last figure is due either to the lack of choice of candidates or distrust of the electoral system. But despite all of this, in the 2018 midterm elections Muslims contested in unprecedented numbers, recorded as many as 131 wins at local and state levels and secured three Congressional positions.

LOCAL ENGAGEMENT WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS We found that some expected factors, such as higher income, older age and religious attendance — as previously reported in ISPU polls — hold true as predictors of voter participation for all groups of Americans. However, in the case of Muslims, contacting a local elected official emerged as the single strongest determinant in this regard. We also found that Muslims are the least likely to communicate with local and federal elected officials — only 20 percent of men and 21 percent of women reported such interaction with a local official.

SUPPORT FOR THE MUSLIM BAN Sixty-one percent of Muslims, 53 percent of Jews and 56 percent of religiously non-affiliated Americans report that a candidate’s endorsement of the Muslim ban would decrease their support for that individual. While White Evangelicals (44 percent) are the most likely to say that this would increase their support, a majority of even this faith group saw the issue as either decreasing their support (19 percent) or making no difference (37 percent).

Forty-four percent of the general public says that such an endorsement would decrease their support, while 21 percent state that it would increase their support. Thirty-four percent of the general public claims that a candidate’s support or lack thereof would make no difference to them.

THE ISLAMOPHOBIA INDEX INCHES UP A measure of the level of public endorsement of five negative

stereotypes associated with Muslims in the U.S., our Islamophobia Index inched up from 24 in 2018 to 28 in 2019. This index calculates reported levels of agreement with the following statements: ■ Most Muslims living in the U.S. are more prone to violence than others.

• Most Muslims living in the U.S. discriminate against women.

■ Most Muslims living in the U.S. are hostile to the U.S. • Most Muslims living in the U.S. are less civilized than other people.

• Most Muslims living in the U.S. are partially responsible for acts of violence carried out by other Muslims.

JEWS, HISPANICS AND WHITE EVANGELICALS’ VIEWS Of all faith groups apart from Muslims, Jews score the lowest on the Islamophobia Index. A majority (53 percent) report having positive views of Muslims; 13 percent report having negative views. In contrast, White Evangelicals score the highest on the Islamophobia Index: 44 percent hold unfavorable opinions, twice as many of those who hold favorable opinions (20 percent).

Analyzed by race, Hispanics are five times as likely to hold favorable opinions as they are to have negative attitudes (51 percent vs.

10 percent). In comparison, White Americans are almost as likely to hold favorable as unfavorable opinions (33 percent vs. 26 percent), whereas 40 percent have no opinion. Blacks are seven times as likely to hold positive opinions (35 percent) as negative views (5 percent). The majority report having no opinion (51 percent).

PREDICTORS OF LOWER ISLAMOPHOBIA Our analysis reveals that knowing a Muslim personally is among the several protective factors against Islamophobia. Having a close Muslim friend further reduces this fear. We found that three out of four Jews, as well as about half of the general public, know a Muslim, whereas only about one out of three White Evangelicals do.

Other predictors include Democratic leanings; knowledge about Islam; favorable views of Jews, Blacks and feminists; and higher income. To a lesser extent, the Evangelicals’ negative views were linked to a slightly lower probability of lower scores on the Islamophobia Index. Notably, respondents’ nativity, sex, age, education and religiosity have no bearing on Islamophobia. ih Dalia Mogahed is ISPU director of research. Azka Mahmood is project management contractor at ISPU.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 49

ISLAM IN AMERICA

Little Hearts Matter Children’s author Hena Khan shares experiences to void Muslim stereotypes

BY SAULAT PERVEZ

Hena Khan

T

he rapt audience included children, adults and the elderly of various ethnicities and religions — a cross-section the Northern Virginia’s diverse population. The usually quiet library had sectioned off a sizeable area — complete with microphones, a large screen and a raised platform — for the event. Nearly every seat was taken, and a few people standing around.

The occasion, you wonder?

Children’s book and middle grade author Hena Khan was visiting Northern Virginia’s Reston Regional Library for an author talk 50 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

and book signing event! Sponsored by the Friends of Reston Regional Library and Scrawl Books, the program drew almost a 100 people on April 13. Books for purchase were also available onsite by Scrawl Books.

Khan, a Muslim American author of Pakistani descent born and raised in Maryland, grew up loving books. After her first child was born, she began writing for children: “Amina’s Voice,” the Zayd Saleem series and “Crescent Moons and Pointed Minarets,” among others. Her most recent book is the picture book “Under My Hijab”

(Salaam Reads, 2019). Written in verse, it is dedicated to “my strong Muslim sisters” and includes a note at the end about hijab.

Salaam Reads (www.salaamreads.com) is a Simon and Schuster imprint dedicated to Muslim children’s books.

She said that her inspiration came from hijab-wearing family members and friends who are often asked “Do you have hair?”

“How do you take a shower?” “Do you wear it when you sleep?” and similar questions.

By making her readers more aware of the hijab, she wanted to “show women as accomplished and independent” while capturing a “diversity of ways of wearing [it].” She is happy that the illustrations depict both of these elements very well.

Nura Behgoman, a senior at Herndon High School, expertly conducted the interview, asking Khan a variety of questions about her many books. Behgoman, who had previously facilitated another author talk, was happy that Scrawl Books listened to her request to feature more Muslim writers in mainstream settings. She herself enjoys writing too.

Khan admitted that she draws much of her content from personal experiences and the people to whom she is related or knows well. For instance, she said that Amina from “Amina’s Voice” was so based on her own life that she modeled the character’s best friend after her own best friend. As a side note, she added that although people have focused on the mosque vandalism that takes place in the story, its “point” is to tell a “story of friendship and family and community.” She included the tragedy because it was happening. But in reality, she wants people to understand that mosques are just like other places of faith, with Sunday schools, fundraisers and pizza lunches!

Regarding her Zayd Saleem series, she wanted to show that “all kids deserve to be heroes in stories, even different ones.”

Zayd, a fourth grader who loves basketball (just like her husband), is a third-generation Muslim American who experiences and tackles such challenges as overcoming identity issues or bullying. Khan is dedicated to showcasing Muslim Americans’ facing and handling obstacles in “exciting and fun” ways, for “you deal with struggles but show them in a way that it’s not just about the struggle or painful things. Our characters can be detectives and astronauts. We shouldn’t limit our stories to Islamophobia only because there’s enough about it in the

news!” Rather, she recommended that we focus on our common humanity.

In speaking about her own challenges when it comes to writing, she confessed that her biggest struggle has been to “silence the inner critic.” At first she felt she must represent all Muslims, but gradually realized that “I am one Muslim and one voice.” Writing can be quite difficult, for “sometimes I feel nervous when I am writing; sometimes, I don’t really like it. … It’s a struggle to get the first draft, but I love editing and making it better and better.” She shared that she spends time researching her topics and, along with her family, enjoy a love of eating and traveling.

Khan reiterated that she draws story ideas from the people and conversations around her. In fact, all of her characters are not only inspired by real-life people, but their names also belong to actual people — among them her mother — and, she quipped, “I haven’t gotten into trouble yet!” She prefers to write for kids, especially for middle graders. In addition, she is glad that so many Muslim writers are being published now and that “we are moving beyond writing about festivals.”

During the Q&A session, audience members of all ages asked her about writer’s block, her writing process, what she wanted to be when she was a child and whether she has a designated writing space. Here are her responses!

Writer’s Block: “Eating is good. I like to take naps and walks. It helps. When I am doing something completely random, whatever is bothering [me] gets figured out.

I need the mental distance.”

KHAN IS DEDICATED TO SHOWCASING MUSLIM AMERICANS’ FACING AND HANDLING OBSTACLES IN “EXCITING AND FUN” WAYS, FOR “YOU DEAL WITH STRUGGLES BUT SHOW THEM IN A WAY THAT IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE STRUGGLE OR PAINFUL THINGS. OUR CHARACTERS CAN BE DETECTIVES AND ASTRONAUTS. WE SHOULDN’T LIMIT OUR STORIES TO ISLAMOPHOBIA ONLY BECAUSE THERE’S ENOUGH ABOUT IT IN THE NEWS!” The Writing Process: “I start at the beginning and always edit what I wrote before moving on. I definitely have an outline of what I want the story to accomplish, but as I start writing, the characters take on their own personality, and it feels right,

and something that you didn’t think would happen, does. So, I end up straying from my outline quite a bit.”

Who she wanted to be as a kid: “I used to write for fun as a kid: poems, plays, even wrote a family newspaper. I never imagined I would be an author. I wanted to be a journalist for a while. Also considered law school. I majored in government and politics in college. But I always did love writing and always did it, but never thought I would do it professionally.”

Designated Writing Space: “I’m trying to have one these days. Right now, it’s between the kitchen table and the dining table. But when the kids come home from school, I get distracted and start watching TV with them. So, I think I need the office.”

At the event, Khan read “Under My Hijab” aloud while it was being projected on the screen — the audience fully enjoyed Aaliya Jaleel’s beautiful illustrations. Then, she sat in the back for a long line of hopeful audience members who wanted to personally engage with her, have her sign their book or take a selfie with her. Throughout the event, Khan’s cheerful personality brightened the afternoon and made the program thoroughly enjoyable!

Thank you, Reston Regional Library and Scrawl Books, for inviting Hena Khan for a wonderful talk and reading! And kudos to Behgoman for being well-prepared and on-task as the interviewer! ih Saulat Pervez, a IIIT research associate, has been researching and focusing on reading for more than a decade. She conducts motivational reading workshops for teachers, parents and students. Email: spqalam@ymail.com.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 51

ISLAM IN AMERICA

New Spaces Welcome New Faces ICNA-MAS graduates to a larger convention center

BY WENDY DÍAZ

W

ith a new location and plenty of educational opportunities, spiritually uplifting programs and hands-on humanitarian and community outreach for the whole family, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA; https://www.icna.org/) and the Muslim American Society (MAS; https://www.muslimamericansociety. org/) kicked off their 44th annual ICNA-MAS convention (#ICNA2019) on April 19-21, in Washington D.C., after outgrowing the event’s previous downtown Baltimore, Md., location.

Drawing a record-breaking crowd of over 24,000 attendees, according to icna. org, it was the “largest American Muslim gathering in history.”

The 800+ staff of employees and volunteers adapted to the 2.3 million sq. ft. convention center, successfully executing 250 sessions, managing a 620-booth grand bazaar and accommodating 150 professional speakers. In accord with the theme “Healing Humanity: Lessons from Islam,” sessions on self-care, professional development, women’s empowerment, education, addressing the needs of the disenfranchised, marriage,

52 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

global politics and other topics were presented. Attendees could choose from one of a dozen programs in any given time slot through the ICNA app or printed itinerary.

Musaddique Thange, president of Muslim Community Services of San Diego and former East Coast resident, described it as a major evolution: “A remarkable aspect of the 44th ICNA-MAS Convention was the breadth of topics it covered. From personal spirituality to homeschooling and college admissions, and from Islamophobia in America to the worsening situation of Muslims in India and China …” He was

also struck by the balance between challenges as well as solutions and hope for the community.

There were no age restrictions when it came to the activities offered: onsite babysitting through a professional agency, a parallel program specially designed for youth and teens, a homeschooling track with a high school graduation, as well as a children’s play area with rides, a rock-climbing wall and inflatable moon bounces and slides.

Competitive attendees could choose among the ICNA-MASterchef cook-off, Quran competition, poetry/spoken word slam, a midnight basketball tournament and other activities. Seeking, as always, to be inclusive, panels were also held in Spanish, Turkish, Arabic, Somali, Malayalam, Bangla, Urdu and Indonesian.

Those seeking hands-on community service work could participate in a blood drive, food distribution program and a massive street dawah excursion to downtown D.C. supervised by professional orators.

SEEKING, AS ALWAYS, TO BE INCLUSIVE, PANELS WERE ALSO HELD IN SPANISH, TURKISH, ARABIC, SOMALI, MALAYALAM, BANGLA, URDU AND INDONESIAN. The main stage saw some of the country’s most sought-after Muslim leaders: Dr. Yasir Qadhi (dean of academic affairs, Al-Maghrib Institute), Imam Omar Suleiman (founder and president, Yaqeen Institute), Linda Sarsour (co-founder of the advocacy group MPower Change and national co-leader, the Women’s March), Imam Yaser Birjas (Valley Ranch Islamic Center), Dr. Dalia Fahmy (associate professor, Long Island University), Hassan Shibly (civil rights attorney and chief executive director, CAIRFlorida) and many others.

In his address, invited speaker ISNA president Dr. Sayyid M. Syeed said, “For half a century, when we were shaping ISNA early on, I have witnessed the birth of ISNA’s two infant daughters [ICNA and MAS] growing stronger and stronger. I recall with a sense of gratitude to Allah and appreciation the teams of selfless colleagues around me helping us to activate and organize our members coming from different lands and diverse backgrounds.”

He went on to announce that ISNA has taken some practical steps to enhance cooperation and solidarity among this family of

organizations, “We pray that steps like this will further reinforce closer cooperation and interaction.”

Noting that American Muslims have been given a “unique opportunity” to live and advance the vision that turned into a historical reality at Madina, Syeed said, “We have consistently worked to show our brothers and sisters around the world how Islam can flourish in an environment of freedom … and Muslims can practice their faith and build institutions for the good of humanity.”

One highlight was the official launch of “Embrace,” presented on the main state as a new national program under the ICNA umbrella. With its slogan “For converts, by converts,” this initiative is designed to retain new — and often marginalized — Muslims by providing emotional, educational and social support.

The conference was not without controversy, namely, white Christian protesters gathered outside with picket signs and loudspeakers to insult Islam and Prophet Muhammad (salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa sallam).

Some attendees ignored their verbal hatefilled words, while others tried to reason with

them and invited them to learn about Islam.

One Muslimah’s reaction made headlines when it went viral -- over 100,000 “likes” so far. Local behavioral therapist Shaymaa Ismaa’eel smiled at them and had her friend snap photos to post on her Instagram account with the statement, “On April 21st, I smiled in the face of bigotry and walked away feeling the greatest form of accomplishment.”

The convention concluded with a protest of its own, when hundreds marched to the White House demanding an end to Islamophobic rhetoric in American politics.

The ICNA Council for Social Justice partnered with CAIR, MAS, MPower Change and the MSA to organize the massive rally against hate, bigotry, and Islamophobia.

Participants held signs demanding justice and peace for Muslim Americans and immigrants alike, shared information about Islam with onlookers and offered congregational prayers opposite the White House.

All in all, it was a positive finale to this energizing event for the Muslim community. ih Wendy Díaz, a Puerto Rican Muslim writer, translator and poet, is the co-founder of Hablamos Islam, Inc., a nonprofit organization that produces educational resources about Islam in Spanish.

SEEKING FULL TIME IMAM On behalf of the Bay County Islamic Society, located in the sunny coastal NW Florida Panhandle, we are seeking a full time IMAM. We will have a newly built masjid and are looking for an Imam who can meet the needs of our diverse and growing community. Fluency in English a must and experience in North America preferred.

Very competitive salary included.

Please forward resume to our Imam Committee at: bcisimam@yahoo.com and please title subject “Islamic Horizons.”

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 53

ISLAM IN AMERICA

Cham Muslim Americans Giving Back to Their Communities in Cambodia Remembering those who stayed

BY SLES NAZY

E

ver since Vietnam overthrew the genocidal Khmer Rouge regime in 1979, the resource-challenged Cambodians, including the Cham (Cambodian Muslims), have been struggling to rehabilitate and develop their county.

During the Pol Pot regime, the community’s religious leadership was specifically targeted for extermination.

Many of them, along with more than 500,000 Cham, were executed. The Cham now make up approximately less than 5 percent of the population. To avoid the sufferings of war, some fled to Malaysia, France and the U.S. — a journey that often led to living in horrendous refugee camps.

Living as refugees from their wardevastated country, the Cham faced the same difficulties as all other waves of refugees in their new host country: learning its language and customs, finding a job, enrolling their children in school, along with building a new life for themselves in an advanced and highly educated society.

In the U.S., even if their numbers are small, the Cham have founded a few communities, comprising refugees from Cambodia and Vietnam, in Santa Ana, Calif., Seattle and Olympia in Washington State, and some in Virginia.

Many of those who have “made it” 54 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

started visiting their homeland and families after the civil war ended in the 1990s. In addition to using their own funds, they also set up a charitable organization to do fundraising among other Muslim American communities.

Most of their financial help went to developing the community’s infrastructure, such as building Islamic schools and mosques, or giving scholarships to students and allowances to Islamic teachers. Others have helped to build water wells. But most of them have supported projects in their birth villages, such as those from Kampong Cham province.

Ghazaly Salim, imam at the Islamic Center of Santa Ana and president of the Cambodian Islamic Foundation, has spent most his free time serving the Cham Muslim community in the U.S. and Cambodia. He told Islamic Horizons that he and his family had stayed in the Ban Mai Rut refugee camp near Klong Yai, Thailand, before migrating to the U.S. in 1979.

He said, “Alhamdulillah we are so grateful that we have the opportunity when settling in United States … to return and help the Muslims communities back home, especially in the early years when Cambodia was still under reconstruction. We helped build several mosques and schools and water

wells and support teachers. We provided udhiyah meat, etc., under the Cambodian Islamic Foundation.”

Yakob Sulaiman, imam of the Cham Muslim Community in Seattle who migrated to the U.S. in 2007, said that he and his family also helped by sending allowances for Islamic teachers, building water wells and carrying out some other humanitarian works. He added that “even though we are struggling to build a proper Islamic center here, but we never forget to help our people in Cambodia.”

Besides the assistance, the Cham Muslim Americans and the Cham communities in Cambodia also receive help from Muslim American charitable organizations. Since 2015, the Cambodian Muslim Media Center, a prominent media outlet online for the indigenous Muslim community, has partnered with the Illinois-based Zakat Foundation of America for seasonal projects, such as Ramadan iftar, udhiyah meat, water wells and building mosques.

In early 2019, the foundation’s support funded 45 hand-pumped water wells. The project continues.

In Ramadan 2019, the Zakat Foundation of America enabled the Cambodian Muslim Media Center to supply iftar food packages to 200 less fortunate Muslim

The Awad family of Houston helped fund this mosque

IN RAMADAN 2019, THE ZAKAT FOUNDATION OF AMERICA ENABLED THE CAMBODIAN MUSLIM MEDIA CENTER TO SUPPLY IFTAR FOOD PACKAGES TO 200 LESS FORTUNATE MUSLIM FAMILIES (APPROXIMATELY 1,000 PEOPLE) IN KANDAL PROVINCE. THE CAMBODIAN ISLAMIC FOUNDATION HAS FUNDED SEVERAL OF THE CENTER’S SEASONAL PROJECTS AND MOSQUE BUILDING, WATER WELL PROJECTS AND EMERGENCY RELIEF. The Zakat Foundation of America helped install this hand pump

families (approximately 1,000 people) in Kandal Province. The Cambodian Islamic Foundation has funded several of the center’s seasonal projects and mosque building, water well projects and emergency relief.

Several local Muslim NGOs in Cambodia are working to improve Muslim communities, but rarely receive funds from American Muslim charities. Thus, most of them receive donations from Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and some Middle Eastern countries, said Kry Nora, program manager at the Cambodian Muslim Media Center.

Nora, on behalf the projects’ beneficiaries, expressed his profound thanks to the Cham Muslim Americans who have returned and helped their people back home and also to the Zakat Foundation of America and the Cambodian Islamic Foundation.

It is important that other American Muslim NGOs also assist Cambodia's Muslims, for the need continues for both humanitarian assistance and social-economic development. ih Sles Nazy is president of the Cambodian Muslim Media Center.

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JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 55

EDUCATION

Federal Funding for Islamic Schools What are the criteria for Islamic schools for utilizing federal funding?

BY SARRAH BUKER

T

he Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was originally passed in 1965 during President Johnson’s administration as part of his “War on Poverty” to improve educational opportunities and outcomes for low-income children by providing federal funding to the school districts that serve them.

ESEA also provides benefits to eligible private school students, teachers, administrators and other education personnel in some of its major programs, among them Titles I, II, III and IV. These benefits are provided in the form of services to students and staff, including those in religiously affiliated schools.

Each time Congress has reauthorized this act, changes and adjustments have been made. The Obama administration reauthorized the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the current iteration. For Islamic school administrators, perhaps the most important change is the creation of a new ombudsman position at the state level.

This official, appointed by the state’s education department, oversees the district’s planning process of distributing federal funds to private schools to ensure compliance with equitable services requirements. If at any point in the process a private school can show that the district is not fulfilling this obligation, the school can request, via the ombudsman, that the state do so.

This official is also required to ensure that private schools are notified of the amount of federal aid to which they are entitled to ensure equitable participation, to act as the primary point of contact for responding to and resolving any complaints regarding equitable services, to provide technical assistance regarding equitable services requirements and to act as a general resource for both private school and district officials.

Islamic school leaders should note that equitable participation does not mean that equal services must be provided, for private school students, staff and leaders are not entitled to the same exact services as their public-school counterparts. Under ESSA, the local educational agency (LEA), usually the school district in which the private school is located, is responsible for providing funds and consulting with the parties involved to determine the amount of funds for services, what services will be provided, who will provide them and how they will be provided.

56 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Each academic year, LEAs initiate the process of disseminating federally funding, under ESEA, by contacting private schools. Many LEAs send “Intent to Participate” forms to private schools with students who reside in a participating public-school attendance area and private schools located within the participating district.

Upon receipt, the private school administration should read the forms carefully and respond accordingly. If the private school has students who are eligible for Title I (low-income low-performing) and Title III (low-income limited English proficiency) funding, or if the school is eligible for Titles II and IV (operates in the participating district) funding, then the LEA will initiate the consultation process.

TITLE I, PART A: ASSISTANCE FOR LOWPERFORMING STUDENTS FROM LOWINCOME FAMILIES Title I services are intended to meet the educational needs of lowperforming students who live in areas with a high concentration of low-income families or who come from low-income families. These services are meant to supplement services already provided by the private schools.

LEAs are required to provide equitable services to eligible private school students.

To define the limitations and provisions of equitable services, the law requires that LEAs and private school officials hold “timely and meaningful consultations” to reach “agreement on how to provide equitable and effective programs” for eligible individuals. In some cases, funds may be used to improve a private school’s basic program for all students if the eligible students are also benefitting.

The ombudsman oversees this process and monitors and enforces ESSA’s equitable services provision.

TITLE II, PART A: BUILDING SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT FOR EXCELLENT TEACHING AND LEADING Title II funding is to be used by states and LEAs to improve student achievement by increasing the quality and effectiveness of teachers and school leaders. When allocating them, the Congress uses a formula that considers population and poverty. School districts that receive funding must provide equitable services for eligible private school teachers and leaders.

Prior to ESSA, the share of equitable services to private schools

Title IV funding can be used to provide services to private school students, staff, teachers and leaders by, for example, providing their staff and school leaders with high-quality professional development opportunities that address the use of technology to personalize learning and improve academic achievement.

While ESSA is a federal law, distributing services and funding happens at the local level in accordance with the state’s ESSA plan. Each state’s implementation plan is available online. Because decisions are at the local and state levels, Islamic LAST MARCH, AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE made school officials should identify which LEA or COUNCIL FOR AMERICAN PRIVATE EDUCATION department manages the distribution of Title to private (non-public) schools and (CAPE; HTTP://CAPENET.ORG), U.S. SECRETARY funds then contact that agency or department, as OF EDUCATION BETSY DEVOS ANNOUNCED well as their state ombudsman, to learn about eligibility, consultation and distribution THAT ESEA’S LONG-STANDING PROVISION THAT the processes; understand the nature and scope of available funding; and establish ongoing RELIGIOUSLY AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS professional relationships. was calculated based on the amount districts allocated specifically for professional development. Under ESSA, this share has potentially increased because it is calculated based on the total amount of Title II funding allocated to the district. As with Title I funding, LEAs must consult with appropriate private school leaders on the design and scope of its activities, including identification of the needs of private school teachers and leaders and how, where, and by whom services will be provided.

CANNOT PROVIDE CONTRACTED SERVICES TO PRIVATE SCHOOL STUDENTS AND TEACHERS WILL NO LONGER BE ENFORCED. Eligible Islamic schools may use Title II funds for their teachers, administrators and personnel’s professional development.

Funds may also be used to provide stipends for reasonable and necessary professional development during the summer or after school hours and to cover the cost of attending professional conferences sponsored or conducted by an Islamic organization — as long as they are part of a sustained and comprehensive secular professional development program or initiative. Sometimes, LEAs will require private school staff to attend public school professional development programs in lieu of organizing their own programs. In addition, funds may even be used to recruit and retain teachers and help both them and administrators earn state credentials.

TITLE III: ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS Title III funding is intended to support limited English-proficient students and their families. Services may include instruction and professional development that help such students acquire English-language proficiency faster in order to achieve success in the core academic subjects. Funding may also be used for programs that support eligible students’ families and for services that support immigrant student achievement.

TITLE IV, PART A: STUDENT SUPPORT AND ACADEMIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAM ESSA consolidates various support and enrichment programs into one block grant: the Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) Program. This program seeks to improve students’ academic achievement by supporting state and local agencies in providing all of them with access to well-rounded educational opportunities, safe and healthy learning environments, as well as instruction in the effective use of technology.

ESSA ANNOUNCEMENT BY SECRETARY BETSY DEVOS

Last March, at the annual meeting of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE; http://capenet.org), U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced that ESEA’s longstanding provision that religiously affiliated organizations cannot provide contracted services to private school students and teachers will no longer be enforced. This doesn’t change the “equitable participation” provision and the requirement that any service provided to students and teachers must be “secular, neutral, and non-ideological.” Rather, it allows religious organizations to provide “equitable services” for private school students.

Muslim providers of counseling, tutoring, professional development and other “equitable services” can provide services to private schools using ESSA funds. These providers or organizations, however, cannot be affiliated with those respective private schools. It is important to note that while the federal government provides the funding, LEAs have control over it as well as the final say as to which contractors a private school may use. Muslim organizations that want to provide services to public and now private schools should contact school districts and other LEAs for more information. Islamic schools that would like Muslim organizations to provide them with services should request this during their Title funding consultations.

For more information on federal programs and initiatives that may benefit private schools, visit the Office of NonPublic Education website, email onpe@ed.gov, or call (202) 401-1365 (ONPE Direct line). A list of the names and contact information for the ombudsman of each state, the District of Columbia, and territories (Ombudsman Directory) is available on the U.S. Department of Education Office of Innovation and Improvement website. ih Sarrah Buker, EdM, a certified teacher from New Jersey, is currently a participant in the Train the Trainers Program at the Alwaleed ibn Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 57

THE MUSLIM WORLD

Libya Unsettled Greed for power and control over resources, as well as foreign interests, keep Libya in the throes of misery

BY KARIM MEZRAN

T

he brutal attack unleashed by General Khalifa Haftar’s militia, his self-denominated Libyan National Army (LNA), on April 4 against Tripoli is a game-changer, for it changed everything, and not just in the political realm. The support he enjoyed from parts of Tripoli’s population who preferred strongman rule over the incompetence of the UN-sponsored Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Prime Minister Fayez Serraj, which evaporated within hours. Many of its young inhabitants rushed to enroll in the various militias to fight against the advancing troops of this Libyan-American general — a former Gaddafi officer who defected in the late 1980s and turned exile.

This event, unsurprisingly, didn’t occur in a vacuum.

In the early summer of 2014, Haftar launched Operation Karama (Dignity) against militias and groups that proclaim Islamic credentials, alleging that they were trying to dominate Benghazi through “terrorist attacks, targeted assassinations, and 58 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

Khalifa Haftar

intimidation.” Fearing that Haftar’s allies in the West would do the same thing in Tripoli, the local militias and their allies unleashed Operation Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn), which destroyed Tripoli’s international airport and caused the expulsion of rival militias, such as those in Zintan and other cities. From then onward, the country has been de facto divided in two zones roughly corresponding to the old regions of Cyrenaica (Barqa) and Tripolitania.

To prevent a full civil war and further unrest, the UN appointed Bernardino Leon of Spain as its special representative and head of the UN’s Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL; https://unsmil.unmissions.org) to coordinate the negotiations and build a process that will lead to full reconciliation among the various factions. Leon was succeeded first by Martin Kobler of Germany, and finally in 2017 by Ghassan Salamé of Lebanon.

The timeline of the Libyan civil war begins on Feb. 15, 2011 and ends on Oct.

20, 2011. It began with a series of peaceful protests, similar to the others that occurred during Arab Spring, and later became a fullscale civil war between the forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi’s government and the anti-Gaddafi forces. NATO started its air intervention against Gaddafi on March 19 of that year, claiming to “support the people.”

The conflict can roughly be divided into two periods: before and after the external military intervention authorized by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973.

On Oct. 20, Gaddafi and several other leading regime figures, including his son Mutassim, were found and killed as they attempted to flee the city. This engagement marked the end of the war.

Special Representative Bernardino Leon, who now serves as director general of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy, negotiated and led the signing of the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) in Skhirat, Morocco, during December 2015. The agreement led to the creation of a nine-member Presidential Council (PC), and the GNA was given the responsibility of administering and governing the country.

The Parliament or House of Represent­ atives (HoR) elected in 2014 took refuge from the militia attacks in Tripoli in the eastern city of Tobruk, close to the Egyptian border (and the protection of the Egyptian army).

It approved the LPA with the exclusion of Article 8, which dealt with command over the armed forces. As drafted, it gave the PC power to appoint the army chief; however, upon Haftar’s objection, his allies in the HoR managed to exclude this provision from the accepted LPA draft. The HoR never accepted the GNA, which, led by Fayez Serraj, landed in Tripoli during March 2016.

From that moment on, Libya’s history has revolved around the search for a political agreement between the two main sides: the one in Tripoli supported by the UN and the vast majority of the international community, and the other one based in the eastern province and represented at the political level

by HoR President Agila Salah and militarily

by Haftar.

Libya soon became the site of a proxy war between international and regional actors.

While continuing to pay lip service to the UN-led negotiations, Egypt and the UAE found it in their interest to empower Haftar against all Islamists (all of whom Haftar considers terrorists, as demonstrated by his interchangeable use of these two terms).

Russia and France later joined them, as they decided that Haftar served their own national interests better. Italy, Qatar, and Turkey are the Tripoli government’s main supporters. Other actors of course play a role, but these are the most relevant.

The UN and other interested actors have organized a series of summits and international conferences to bring the two main sides together. But most were only formally successful in the sense that while Serraj participated in good faith and tried to reach out to his counterpart, Haftar never really intended to be bound by an agreement. It became clear very early on that his intention was to “liberate” and then rule over the whole country, an ambition fostered and supported

by Egypt and the UAE. By training and equipping his troops, they bolstered Haftar’s belief that, contrary to the general opinion, a military solution was achievable — a solution that he was intent on pursuing to the extreme.

Following the series of meetings, most of which were unproductive, the new UN mediator Ghassan Salamé concentrated on organizing a national convention during which representatives of all of Libya’s political, social and economic actors would discuss and agree on a set of principles to constitute the foundation of the new Libyan state.

Rumor also spread that a new PC would be agreed upon at the convention and that Serraj would accept Haftar as army chief within the framework of a national security council. This would have made Haftar “first among equals,” quite far from the full command that he really craved. Haftar thus started moving his troops and marching through the country’s southern province

THE CONFLICT CAN ROUGHLY BE DIVIDED INTO TWO PERIODS: BEFORE AND AFTER THE EXTERNAL MILITARY INTERVENTION AUTHORIZED BY UNITED NATIONS SECURITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION 1973. of Fezzan. Due to his articulate network of intermediaries, who had bribed some tribes in exchange for support, the LNA “liberated” the cities and accepted the pledge of various tribes almost without shooting a single bullet. This cavalcade brought the LNA in sight of the Tripolitanian coast and its cities, Tripoli first of all.

When Salamé announced that the national conference would actually be held in Ghadames on April 14-16, 2019, Haftar understood that he was out of time. In fact, he knew that at the conference Serraj would recognize and accept his leadership of the army, albeit within the framework of a security council of some sorts. But because he could not participate in the event, which offered all that he asked for, it would put an end to his ambition to rule the country.

His only option, therefore, was to accelerate his plans and act right away, for he was convinced of his army’s superiority and the divisiveness of his adversary. Probably, he was also led to believe that some of the militias in Tripoli would defect and join his forces. So, he thought that if he conducted a quick attack he could easily enter central Tripoli, proclaim himself the leader and present the international community with a fait accompli that would force it to recognize his rule.

Of course, things didn’t turn out the way Haftar expected. His troops, inexperienced and unmotivated to fight in an unknown terrain, were ambushed. Many of his soldiers were killed or wounded and, on the first day alone, over 200 of them were captured. In the following days, Tripoli’s various militias united and fought off the invading forces.

Reinforcements started pouring in from Misurata, home to some of the more powerful militias, and from some of the forces in Zintan and other localities.

The situation on the ground has been pretty much the same for some time now.

Although Haftar’s foreign supporters have re-furnished his troops and brought in reinforcements, the results of this aid have not yet been seen on the ground.

The UN continues to ask for a ceasefire, spending its last bit of credibility, but without success so far. Clearly, the final word will be had on the battlefield. Only after there is a clear winner and loser will the game return to the diplomatic table. ih Karim Mezran is a senior fellow at the Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East at the Atlantic Council and adjunct professor at SAIS-Johns Hopkins.

JULY/AUGUST 2019 ISLAMIC HORIZONS 59

NEW RELEASES Religion and Finance: Comparing the Approaches of Judaism, Christianity and Islam Mervyn K. Lewis and Ahmad Kaleem 2019. Pp. 272. HB. $99.90 Edward Elgar Publishing, Northampton, Mass. udaism, Christianity and Islam have well-researched views on the acceptability of practices such as usury; however, the principles and practices of other non-interest financial instruments are less well known. Lewis and Kaleem examine each of these world faiths and set out their teachings, social precepts and economic frameworks as a guide for their adherents’ financial dealings and economic behavior.

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Dispute Resolution in Islamic Finance: Alternatives to Litigation?

Adnan Trakic, John Benson and Pervaiz K. Ahmed (eds.)

2019. Pp. 196. HB. $140.00, eBook: $27.48 Routledge, New York, N.Y. he editors offer the works of a group of leading scholars, all specialists on the subject in the analyzed countries, to examine how best to handle disputes within Islamic finance. They discuss how these disagreements can be resolved in a less confrontational manner and how to ensure that they are settled in a just and fair way.

This book, which grew out of a 2017 symposium on Islamic finance dispute resolution held in Malaysia, will interest students and researchers of Islamic finance, lawyers, finance professionals, industry practitioners, consultancy firms and academics.

T

Stories of Piety and Prayer: Deliverance Follows Adversity Al-Muhassin ibn ‘Ali al-Tanukhi Julia Bray (ed. and trans.)

2019. Pp. 300. HB. $35.00 NYU Press, New York, N.Y. l-Tanukhi’s (327-84/939-94) “Deliverance Follows Adversity,” one of the Middle Ages’ most popular and influential Arabic-language books, is an anthology of stories and anecdotes designed to console and encourage the afflicted. Its contents show how God’s providence works through His creatures to rescue them from tribulations ranging from religious persecution and medical emergencies to political skullduggery and romantic woes.

This volume, the first English-language translation, incorporates material from manuscripts not used in the standard Arabic edition.

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In a Pure Muslim Land: Shi’ism between Pakistan and the Middle East Simon Wolfgang Fuchs 2019. Pp. 376. HB. $90.00, PB $31.92, Kindle $26.99 The University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, N.C. uchs argues that Pakistan, as a major center of Shi’ism, has empowered the Shia, who form about 20 percent of the country’s population, to advance alternative conceptions of their religious hierarchy while claiming the support of towering grand ayatollahs in Iran and Iraq. He also argues that the county’s complex religious landscape represents how a local, South Asian Islam may open up space for new intellectual contributions to global Islam.

The author utilized Urdu-, Arabic- and Farsi-language sources and met with scholars in South Asia and the Middle East.

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60 ISLAMIC HORIZONS JULY/AUGUST 2019

One Nation, Indivisible: Seeking Liberty and Justice from the Pulpit to the Streets Celene Ibrahim (ed.)

2019. Pp. 242. PB. $29.00 Wipf and Stock, Eugene, Ore. brahim, the Muslim chaplain at Tufts University, has brought together more than fifty scholars, preachers, poets and artists to offer an open-hearted engagement across our differences. While most of the contributors reside in the U.S., they nevertheless bring a global perspective and encourage all people, wherever they may be, to find ways to traverse their otherwise isolating enclaves. The contributors to this collection, which highlights the principles and practices of anti-racism work, argue for a robust vision of American pluralism.

I

Decolonial Psychoanalysis: Towards Critical Islamophobia Studies Robert Beshara 2019. Pp. 162. HB $140.00, PB $46.95, Kindle $44.60 Routledge, New York, N.Y. eshara, a critical psychologist and assistant professor of psychology at Northern New Mexico College, uses psychoanalytic discursive analysis to explore the possibility of a genuinely anti-colonial critical psychology. Drawing on postcolonial and decolonial approaches to Islamophobia, he enhances readers’ understandings of Critical Border Thinking and Lacanian Discourse Analysis, alongside other theoretico-methodological approaches.

B

When Islam Is Not a Religion: Inside America’s Fight for Religious Freedom Asma T. Uddin 2019. Pp. 336. HB. $27.95 Pegasus Book, New York, N.Y. sma T. Uddin, a religious liberty lawyer who has long considered her work of defending people of all faiths to be a calling rather than a job, says that she has seen an ominous increase in attempts to criminalize Islam and exclude Muslim Americans from their inalienable rights.

She combines her experience as a Muslim and her legal and philosophical appreciation that all individuals have a right to religious liberty to examine the shifting tides of American culture. At the end, she outlines a way forward for individuals and communities navigating today’s culture wars.

A

Our Family’s Evolution: From Nationalism to Al-Islam Abdul Karim Hasan 2019. Pp. 161. PB. $16.99 BAIT-CAL Publishing, Reseda, Calif. n his memoir, Hasan offers AN historical account of how America’s domestic black population came upon Islam and its spread to African-American communities nationwide — an experience that his family has been part of for over 90 years.

He offers a look into the unlikely chain of events that introduced Islam to this particular community. From the end of slavery through the modern era, he delivers a vivid family account of early Black nationalism and how it created a path to universal Islam.

Hasan is the director and resident imam of the Masjid Bilal Islamic Center in Los Angeles, the city’s oldest identifiable Muslim community. He traveled worldwide as both an ambassador and an associate of the late Imam W. Deen Mohammed (d. 2008). ih

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The world we live in is constantly evolving and ISNA is committed to being a positive driver of change. ISNA has long recognized the importance of engaging with other faith communities as a fundamental part of its mission, and therefore, we continuously host and participate in interfaith events, meetings and webinars to educate our friends, partners, officials and activists about Islam.

These interreligious initiatives have helped break down barriers of misunderstanding, formed genuine partnerships of faith and ethics, and

established a platform to advocate for social justice issues for the common good.

We aim to work together to fight Islamophobia and share knowledge about the true teachings and understanding of our religion in all sectors.

The gift of education has a ripple effect—it creates change locally, nationally and globally.

Ignorance is our enemy, and with your support we can make a difference.

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