Seven marketing tips for Ramadan
Weightlifting organization modifies rules for hijab BY HAJAR NAILI
Kulsoom Abdullah will be able to compete in weightlifting after the International Weightlifting Federation (IWT) on Wednesday approved new guidelines that allow more modest attire during competitions involving women. Kulsoom Abdullah, a 35 year-old Georgia Tech graduate who wears a hijab and trains as a weightlifter, waged a personal campaign to see the international rules changed, pressing both the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) and USA Weightlifting to push for reforms. It was the USOC that urged the international body to consider changes during a meeting in Malaysia this week. Smart marketers are constantly working to stay leading edge -- keeping a pulse on consumer trends, identifying emerging lifestyles, and assessing life stages to best identify how to better target new groups. Holidays and seasons are often leveraged so brands can have an excuse to insert themselves into consumers’ lives. This August, an estimated eight million Americans will be observing Islam’s most holy month, Ramadan. Along with fasting, traditional Ramadan evenings encompass festive celebrations and feasts among family, friends, and communities. For brands and retailers, this month-long celebration offers an ideal entry point for creating rapport with Muslim consumers -- a growing niche that is increasingly gaining attention. For most brands in the U.S., given that the field of “Marketing to Muslims” is something new and often intimidating, Muslim consumers are presently not included in the ‘standard’ multicultural marketing mix. The fact remains, however, that Muslim Americans represent an estimated $200 billion market and the Muslim American population is expected to double by 2030. For brands that are savvy enough to court Muslims while the market is still mostly untapped, Ramadan offers a timely and relevant opportunity to do so. Here are seven ways your brand can leverage Ramadan appropriately and begin to create a relationship with
Muslims: • Get to know Muslims, honing in on understanding their values -especially those mutual values shared with mainstream culture • Emphasize the holiday’s focus on hospitality, family and charitable giving in your brand messaging & actions • Consider offering holiday greetings to Muslims on your Web site, weekly circular, in-store signage or other promotional materials • Support the local Muslim community by sponsoring iftar (breaking of the fast) feasts or making charitable donations • Reach out to Muslim lifestyle media about your Ramadan activities • Identify influencers within the Muslim community such as bloggers and request their support • Consult a multicultural marketing expert who understands the diversity of Muslim American consumers and can dig deep to uncover how they think, behave, and buy Muslims in the U.S. certainly have particular needs in the marketplace; however, they are for the most part well assimilated into mainstream American culture. Because of this, it is advisable for brands to avoid being overtly religious in their outreach. Being authentic and respectful in your efforts is an absolute must. Acknowledging Muslim consumers is not just about making a sale, but rather RAMADAN continues on page 8 >>
The athlete argued that the previous weightlifting attire was too revealing, tight-fitting, with arms and legs exposed. The outfits also did not cover her head. Kulsoom Abdullah began weightlifting as an exercise routine a few years ago at her gym in Atlanta, Ga. “It was just something for fun,” she said. “It gave me something to achieve as a goal.” She then teamed up with a trainer and set her sights on competing, training five to six days a week.
She qualified for the American Open Weightlifting Championships last December, but the event’s sponsoring body, USA Weightlifting, told her that she would not be able to compete in her dressing. The USA Weightlifting follows rules set by the IWF, which required outfits to be close-fitting, have no collar and not cover the elbows and knees. The IWF said the new rules will promote and enable a more inclusive sports environment and breaks down barriers to participation. “As far as wearing coverings on the athletes head, such as the hijab, the sport of Olympic Weightlifting has always allowed this,” IWF vice president Sam Coffa said. “Our rules simply mandate that the athlete cannot touch the head with the barbell; if the barbell touches the covering, it is considered to be part of the head.” With the new rule, Kalsoom Abdullah may now attend a national competition in July, and possibly move on the Olympics if she qualifies one day. “I’m relieved and happy,” Kulsoom told the Lookout.
more inside
` Medina plans for cleaner Zamzam distribution ............................................................................................................................... ` Interview with Noam Chomsky about the Arab Spring .............................................................................................................................. ` MPAC’s Media Awards honor ‘Miral,’ ‘The Good Wife,’ & ‘Fordson’ .............................................................................................................................. ` Briefs
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Medina plans for cleaner Zamzam distribution
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BY HAJAR NAILI This past Sunday, officials in Medina released a statement on plans to install a new Zam Zam water project. Historically preserved as a sacred life source in neighbouring city Mecca, the Zam Zam water well was recently under scientific investigation for arsenic contamination. A BBC report found the water to be “unsafe for human consumption”, stating that large amounts and regular intakes could pose a serious health risk – including cancer. In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Water and Electricity Minister Abdullah AlHussayen disclosed his ministry’s plans to create a Zam Zam water distribution project. This will be established near the Prophet Muhammad’s Mosque (masjid Nabawi) in Madinah, providing an easy access for Hajj pilgrims and travellers. The automatic Zam Zam water distribution system is networked from a central warehouse, part of King Abdullah’s SR700 million (a little over £117m) Zam Zam Water Project. “Tenders to implement the project will be opened within two weeks,” said Abdullah Al-Hussayen after opening the water distribution system. A total of 42 water outlets have been set up for the holy water to be distributed daily. The minister told reporters it would meet the requirements of Muslims pilgrims who come for both Hajj and Umrah. Issues of the arsenic contamination and health risks however, still linger.
The water will be bottled directly from a bottling factory and routed to the main warehouse that can accommodate up to 1.5 million bottles at a time. Then, the bottles are supplied automatically to the distribution outlets which will work 24 hours daily and seven days a week.
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Historically preserved as a sacred life source in neighbouring city Mecca, the Zam Zam water well was recently under scientific investigation for arsenic contamination.
Limited information has been disclosed at this stage about what officials will do to ensure the water is not a health risk and contamination proof. Reassuring news agencies about any hygiene concerns, the minister said, “We’ll make sure that all Zam Zam water bottles are filled and closed in a hygienic manner.” “We have set up a special area for wrapping Zam Zam water cans and bottles for pilgrims to carry them safely while traveling to their home countries by plane,” the minister said. The topic of sacred land and water is a passionate and sensitive one for Muslim communities. Fortunately, the new water system may ease some alarm surrounding the drinking risks and demonstrate true environmental activism from one of the holiest cities.
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An interview with Noam Chomsky: “West is terrified of Arab democracies” BY CEYDA NURTSCH Interview with Noam Chomsky about the Arab Spring”The West Is Terrified of Arabic Democracies” Noam Chomsky is one of the major intellectuals of our time. The eighty-twoyear-old American linguist, philosopher and activist is a severe critic of US foreign and economic policy. Ceyda Nurtsch talked to him about the Arabic spring in its global context Mr. Chomsky, many people claim that the Arab world is incompatible with democracy. Would you say that the recent developments falsify this thesis? Noam Chomsky: The thesis never had any basis whatsoever. The Arab-Islamic world has a long history of democracy. It’s regularly crushed by western force. In 1953 Iran had a parliamentary system, the US and Britain overthrew it. There was a
revolution in Iraq in 1958, we don’t know where it would have gone, but it could have been democratic. The US basically organized a coup. CHOMSKY continues on page 8 >>
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‘The message of the soul’: MPAC’s 20th Annual Media Awards
MPAC’s success. It’s enough to mention a touchy scene in the documentary Fordson to see this fusion of cultures and rituals in action: The high school football team huddles before a game and prays in one voice: Bismillâh ir-rahmân ir-rahîm alhamdulillâhi rabb il-âlamîn: In the name of Allah, The Infinitely Compassionate, The Infinitely Merciful.
BY ELANA GOLDEN “Recognizing Voices of Courage and Justice” was the caption on the two large TV screens looming over the glitzy ballroom of the Sheraton Parkway Hotel in Los Angeles where the 20th annual Media Awards event presented by MPAC (Muslim Public Affairs Council), and attended by five hundred guests, took place on June 25th. The 2011 honorees were Hiam Abbass, the actress in the feature film Miral, portraying Hind Husseini, the Palestinian woman who in 1948, in wartorn Jerusalem, took in 55 Palestinian orphans and established a school for orphaned girls; Leonard Dick and Ted Humphrey, co-producers of two episodes in the CBS series “The Good Wife” that tackle stereotypes about Islam and Muslims; and Rashid Ghazi and AshHar Quraishi, the director and producer of the full length documentary film “Fordson” – about a Detroit high school football team, comprised of Muslim Americans, having to play a game during Ramadan. Twenty years ago when MPAC president,
MPAC’s 2011 Media Award recipients: ‘Fordson’s’ Ash-har Quraishi, MPAC President Salam Al-Marayati, ‘Fordson’s’ Rashid Ghazi, Rep. Andre Carson, ‘Miral’s’ Hiam Abbass, Rep. Judy Chu, Ted Humphrey and Leonard Dick of ‘The Good Wife.’
Salam Al-Marayati, conceived the idea of the Media Awards, it was difficult, almost impossible, to find a Hollywood film that portrayed Muslims positively. He had to look hard, he said in his introduction, until he found one character of a Muslim in a Hollywood film. It was Morgan Freeman’s part in the film Robin Hood, and Mr. Freeman became MPAC Media Award’s first recipient. Since then the list of filmmakers and actors
who depict the Muslim experience authentically and were recipients of the MPAC award has grown extensively. It includes Spike Lee for Malcolm X, Hani Abu Assad for Paradise Now, Cherien Dabis for Amreeka, and many others. If MPAC’S goal is to integrate Muslims into American society and promote social justice, as Al-Marayati told me, then the Muslim and Arab experience as currently portrayed in film and TV, certainly proves
The clip from Miral fused the tragedies of the past with a tragedy of the present. After Hind Husseini finds the orphaned children in the narrow allies of Jerusalem and takes them in, she has council with the Mufti of Jerusalem about the orphanage. The Mufti of Jerusalem is played by the late Juliano Mer Khamis, actor, director and activist, part Muslim part Jew, who was murdered earlier this year in front of his Freedom Theater in Jenin. “It’s the first time I see him since he was killed,” said Hiam Abbass overcome with emotion when she came on stage to receive her award. “He was a man who sacrificed his life for the education of AWARDS continues on page 14 >>
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‘LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRAIRIE’ TO END WITH SEASON 6 IN 2012 Indeed, Little Mosque on the Prairie will conclude its run on CBC, with its upcoming sixth and final season. According to a press release issued by the CBC, the sixth season will mark the show’s final year and will consist of 11 episodes,which are set to begin airing in winter 2012.
quarter of its original audience.
When Little Mosque made its debut in January 2007,the series earned a recordbreaking rating for CBC, with over 2 million viewers.The program’s ratings decreased greatly over the seasons and the show was unable to garner the same audience, despite having made notable cast changes, such as replacing the character of Reverend Magee[Derek McGrath] for Reverend William Thorne[Brandon Firla].By the end of the previous, fifth season, the show dropped to less than a
The show’s previous season saw Mercy Mosque’s Imam, Ammar Rashid [Zaib Shaikh] marrying Rayyan Hamoudi and the couple embarking on their honeymoon, as they consider the possibility of relocating from Mercy to Montreal. When Little Mosque returns for its final season, viewers will note that Ammar and Rayyan have returned from their honeymoon early, only to find Sarah [ Sheila McCarthy] finalizing her divorce with her husband , Yasser[ Carlo Rota].Viewers will also discover that Baber[Manoj Sood] and Thorne[Brandon Firla] have been becoming best of friends and that Mayor Poopwicx is in a relationship with a man who may actually be the “one”.
Ammar and Rayyan will also learn to live as a married couple on their own, without the support of chaperones. Viewers will have the chance to explore a wide range of scenarios in the town of Mercy,such as fasting, town audits, sacred chickens, a haunted mosque and more , leading into the epic series finale . According to the press release, guest stars in the sixth and final season include Peter Keleghan (18 to Life), Mary Walsh (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) and Jennifer Robertson (Winging‘It) To view the original press release issued by CBC, click here. Stay tuned for further information on Little Mosque on the Prairie’s sixth and final season as well as the circumstances regarding the show’s end in our exclusive interview with CBC’s Head of Media Relations, Jeff Kaey. What is your reaction to on Little Mosque drawing to a close after six seasons? What are your thoughts on the upcoming storylines and which one are you the most excited for? How do you hope the show will conclude? Sound off in the comments section! ‘30 MOSQUES IN 30 DAYS’ IS GETTING READY TO HIT THE ROAD AGAIN. LOOK OUT FOR THEM AT YOUR LOCAL MOSQUE Stand-up Comedian Aman Ali and filmmaker Bassam Tariq, founders of the project “30 Mosques in 30 Days”, will hit the road again this year during the Holy month of Ramadan. The duo kicked off their one-month fundraising campaign this Monday, hoping to raise $10,000 to make this trip a reality. Last year’s road trip led a cross-country drive through 30 states where they broke their fast at a different mosque in a different state each night. They embarked on their 12,000 mile journey on August 11 from New York City, ending with Eid celebrations in Dearborn, Michigan. BRIEFS continued on page 7>>
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“After traveling the country, we came across all these interesting stories about Muslims living in America. I always thought the impact of Muslims on American history was anecdotal, like Thomas Jefferson once meeting a Muslim and mentioning it in passing or something. But we were surprised to find out how deep the roots of Muslims are, in places like Ross, North Dakota where Muslims have been living since the 1800s. It was for that reason my friend Bassam and I decided that we have to continue this journey and go in depth even further to explore the Muslim communities in this country,” Ali said. The success of their adventure was bigger than expected with Ali and Tariq blogging about the experience each night, highlighting stories of the people they met and the mosques they prayed in. This year, Ali and Tariq will drive through the 20 states that remain, and will go back to 10 states already visited in 2010. The project also includes flights to Alaska and Hawaii, with the hope of digging into the stories of those far away states. More than 13,000 miles of driving are planned on this trip, all the while juggling blogging, interviewing people and of course, fasting. ‘MY FELLOW AMERICANS’ PROJECT TRIES TO BREAKDOWN MUSLIM MISPERCEPTIONS Social media helped bring about changes in North Africa and the Middle East. Muslims in America are also utilizing these tools to help shape their narratives. My Fellow American, an online film and social media project calls upon concerned Americans to pledge and spread a message that Muslims are our fellow Americans. Citizens are asked to send videos or share stories about a Muslim friend, neighbor, or colleague that they admire. The short film aims to show Muslims as part of the fabric of American society, trying to break down some of the stereotypes that currently dominate the mainstream discourse. Tina Crawford, a college professor dedicating her message to all of her Muslim-American students, says: “I’m a professor, and I have been privileged to work with and get to know many Muslim-Americans... I have seen your courage, your wisdom and your strength, and I have been honored and impressed... I have been particularly saddened when you have told me about the discrimination that you have faced. Yet through it all each of you has remained hopeful for a bright future and a better world. Thank you for allowing me into your world and thank you for the many lessons you have taught me! “ This project is created by Unity Productions Foundation. UPF produces documentary films for both television broadcast and theatrical release, and implements long-term educational campaigns aimed at increasing understanding between people of different faiths and cultures, especially between Muslims and other faiths. BRIEFS continued on page 14>>
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Few retailers recognize the power of Muslims RAMADAN continued from page 1>>
is a way to invite more consumers into a meaningful relationship with your brand. So why start marketing to Muslims this Ramadan? For one, there are simply too
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an effort from a brand could be quite impactful.
This Ramadan, we are expecting to see brands across multiple categories begin courting Muslims. Whether your industry is retail, technology, health and beauty, food
Whether your industry is retail, technology, health and beauty, food and beverage, fashion, auto or financial services, reaching this “undermarketed” group can be critical to gaining new ground in sales revenue and establishing a long-term relationship with a new group of loyalty-inclined consumers.
few brands and retailers recognizing Muslim consumers at all in the U.S., creating a significant potential for the acquisition of a loyal group. The opportunity is ripe now for harvesting a new group of consumers if done correctly. Understandably, when a mainstream brand recognizes a minority group like Muslims, it’s a major form of validation. Now more than ever, such
and beverage, fashion, auto or financial services, reaching this “undermarketed” group can be critical to gaining new ground in sales revenue and establishing a long-term relationship with a new group of loyalty-inclined consumers. Does your multicultural marketing strategy include the growing Muslim market? It should! You cannot afford to ignore them any longer!
CHOMSKY continued from page 4>>
False friends: Iran’ democratically elected Prime Minister Mossadegh during a visit in the US in 1951, two years before the CIA’s coup d’état that ousted him In internal discussions in 1958, which have since been declassified, President Eisenhower spoke about a campaign of hatred against us in the Arab world. Not from the governments, but from the people. The National Security Council’s top planning body produced a memorandum – you can pick it up on the web now – in which they explained it. They said that the perception in the Arab world is that the United States blocks democracy and development and supports harsh dictators and we do it to get control over their oil. The memorandum said, this perception is more or less accurate
and that’s basically what we ought to be doing. That means that western democracies prevented the emergence of democracies in the Arab world? Chomsky: I won’t run through the details, but yes, it continues that way to the present. There are constant democratic uprisings. They are crushed by the dictators we – mainly the US, Britain, and France – support. So sure, there is no democracy because you crush it all. You could have said the same about Latin America: a long series of dictators, brutal murderers. As long as the US controls the hemisphere, or Europe before it, there is no democracy, because it gets crushed. CHOMSKY continues on page 9 >>
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So you were not surprised at all by the Arab Spring? Chomsky: Well, I didn’t really expect it. But there is a long background to it. Let’s take Egypt for instance. You’ll notice that the young people who organized the demonstrations on January 25th called themselves the April 6th movement. There is a reason for that. April 6th 2008 was supposed to be a major labour action in Egypt at the Mahalla textile complex, the big industrial centre: strikes, support demonstrations around the country and so on. It was all crushed by the dictatorship. Well, in the West we don’t pay any attention: as long as dictatorships control people, what do we care! “Efforts to create democracy”: On 6 April 2008 Egyptian workers, primarily in the state-run textile industry, striked in response to low wages and rising food costs. Strikes were illegal in Egypt, and the protests were eventually crushed But in Egypt they remember, and that’s only one in a long series of militant strike actions. Some of them succeeded. There are some good studies of this. There is one American scholar, Joel Beinen – he is at Stanford – he has done a lot of work on the Egyptian
FEATURE labour movement. And he has recent articles and earlier ones, in which he discusses labour struggles going on for a long time: those are efforts to create democracy. Obama’s predecessor, George W. Bush, claimed to cause a domino effect of freedom with his policy of the “New Middle East”. Is there a relation between the uprisings in the Arab world to the policy of George W. Bush? Chomsky: The main theme of modern post-war history is the domino effect: Cuba, Brazil, Vietnam… Henry Kissinger compared it to a virus that might spread contagion. When he and Nixon were planning the overthrow of the democratically elected Allende in Chile – we have all the internal materials now – Kissinger in particular said, the Chilean virus might affect countries as far as Europe. Actually, he and Brezhnev agreed on that, they were both afraid of democracy and Kissinger said, we have to wipe out this virus. And they did, they crushed it. Today it’s similar. Both Bush and Obama are terrified of the Arab spring. And there is a very sensible reason for that. They don’t want democracies in the Arab world. If Arab public opinion had any influence on policy, the US and Britain had been tossed out of the Middle
East. That’s why they are terrified of democracies in the region. The well-known British Middle East correspondent Robert Fisk recently stated that Obama and his policy is irrelevant for the developments in the region… Chomsky: I read the article, it’s very good. Robert Fisk is a terrific journalist and he really knows the region well. I think what he means is that the activists in the April 6th movement don’t care about the United States. They have totally given up on the US. They know the United States is their enemy. In fact in public opinion in Egypt about 90 per cent think
that the US is the worst threat that they face. In that sense the USA is of course not irrelevant. It’s just too powerful. Some criticize the Arab intellectuals for being too silent, too passive. What should the role of the Arab intellectual be today? Chomsky: Intellectuals have a special responsibility. We call them intellectuals because they are privileged and not because they are smarter than anyone else. But if you are privileged and you have some status and you can be articulate and so on we call you an intellectual. And it’s the same in the Arab world as anywhere else.
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A systematic approach to investing may prove more profitable Ever since the 2008 stock market crash, seasoned investors who pulled out of the markets were left questioning how and when to get back in. After much contemplation, it boiled down to two varying approaches: a lump sum comeback or a gradual systematic approach? The data strongly suggests that investors who pursued a systematic investment approach, in a diversified portfolio with a lengthened holding period, produced greater returns during this 3-year period.
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The data strongly suggests that investors who pursued a systematic investment approach, in a diversified portfolio with a lengthened holding period, produced greater returns during this 3-year period.
According to Morningstar, in 2008, the average return of all U.S. equity mutual funds was about -38%. In 2009, that changed dramatically with the average one-year return about 33%. By the end of 2010, the average return was about 20%. However, even with two straight years of strong bullish stock returns, most U.S. equity funds were still in negative territory for the period ending 2010.
associate professor at Brigham Young University, concludes that investors who invested systematically in U.S. equity funds fared better than investors who jumped in all at once. He considers this example: You invested $3,333.33 in a U.S. equity fund in your IRA account at the start of 2008, added the same amount in 2009 and 2010. Under this scenario, 99.3% of all U.S. equity funds had an ending balance greater than $10,000 by the end of 2010. In other words, how your money was invested during this three year period affected whether or not you actually made money.
investing, that can affect your returns is portfolio diversification. For example, the data suggests that you greatly increase your chances for poor returns when you take a lump sum investment approach and combine it with an account exclusively invested in one asset class (large cap stocks, for example). On the other hand, investing in an account diversified across different asset classes (that are negatively correlated) significantly increases your chances for positive returns. By periodically contributing to a truly diversified portfolio, you greatly reduce your risk.
On the other hand, Craig Israelsen, an
Another key factor, besides systematic
Finally, another way to minimize
risk is by increasing your investment holding period. By increasing your time horizon, you’re more likely to give your account time to recover from any short-term losses. Young investors with 10, 20 or 30 years until retirement, have the advantage of time. On the other hand, retirees or those close to retirement (with less than 10 years) should be more prudent about investing periodically in a diversified portfolio. But at the end of the day, like all investment strategies, systematic investing (or dollar cost averaging) and diversification cannot guarantee that you will not lose or make money in the stock market. Investing inherently involves risk. We advise clients to seek the help of a financial advisor to better understand how to invest their money and to gain a better understanding of what to expect in the long term, 888-862-9923. Past Performance Cannot Guarantee Future Results.
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Rauf talks about Park 51, FOX & what he could have differently Even Feisal Abdul Rauf, America’s most famous imam since his plan for a socalled Ground Zero Mosque captured the dark imagination of the mediapolitical complex last summer, knows that his optimism sometimes gets the better of him.
lantic magazine, hosting a lunch at which Rauf was the featured speaker during the Aspen Ideas Festival, served slices of roast pork. Rauf laughs a pained laugh when I ask if he managed to avoid the forbidden pig meat.
Especially when he predicts the inevitable success of his campaign—one hesitates to say crusade—to bridge “Yes I did,” he says, adding that his the yawning chasm between Islam friend and lunch partner Bill Schulz, and the West. a Unitarian minister and former director of Amnesty International USA, “I realize some people think that I’m was stunned at this dietary outrage. tilting at windmills,” Rauf tells me in the midst of explicating his rosy Was somebody trying to send him a scenario of how the breach between message? the two competing cultures, which frequently has resulted in horrific “It was one of two messages,” the violence, will ultimately be repaired imam good-naturedly replies. “The much like solving a thorny problem other one was having me rush imin physics or engineering. mediately from the lunch to do another event when I would rather have But then reality intrudes: Earlier this stayed and bonded with the people at week, the supposedly sophisticated the lunch. I felt I couldn’t do full jusAspen Institute think tank and At- tice to that group.”
The 63-year-old Rauf hardly fits the caricature of the “Ground Zero Imam.” A soft-spoken charmer who chats with a mild Mediterranean accent and sports a neatly trimmed silver beard, he is nothing if not gregarious. Savoring a fat cigar on the
back patio of his guest suite at Aspen Meadows resort, he fields calls from friends on his cell phone in English and Arabic and greets a besneakered lady walking by with two dachshunds on the lush lawn in front of him. RAUF continues on page 12 >>
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Boston mosque is first to recieve Energy Star BY MATT ROCHELEAU A Roxbury mosque became the first Islamic center in the country to receive a federal environmental label indicating the facility’s energy performance is better than at least 75 percent of similar buildings nationwide. The Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center was among four New England congregations recognized this week for earning the Energy Star Label within the past year, officials said. Since Energy Star-labeling of congregations began two years ago, 19 congregations nationwide have received the distinction, five of which are in New England, according to program officials. Last June, the First Parish in Needham became the first congregation in the region to receive the label. The other three congregations in the region that earned the label in the past year were: the Dennis Union Church in Dennis, the Winchester Unitarian Society in Winchester and New England Pentecostal in Pelham, New Hampshire. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. “These congregations are setting a solid example of financial and environmental stewardship. They have successfully
reduced their energy use and are showing all houses of worship across New England that environmental stewardship is possible for all sorts of organizations,” regional administrator of the EPA’s New England office Curt Spalding said in a press release. “We hope more small businesses and congregations will follow their lead and maximize energy efficiency opportunities in their own operations.” The approximately 70,000 square-foot Islamic center opened in Roxbury Crossing
who’ve had a positive impact on humanity. One movie treatment that Rauf is try“Are these yours—or are you hired to ing to sell concerns Abdol Hossein Sardari, do this?” he asks her with a grin, and an Iranian diplomat in Nazi-occupied Paris he listens intently, as though learning who saved hundreds of Jews from the death the secret of life, as she explains that camps by giving them Iranian passports. the unleashed pooch is hers and the leashed one belongs to a friend. Rauf, who lives with his wife and felRAUF continued from page 11>>
“I remember coming here in 2003 and meeting the former head of the CIA, Jim Woolsey, who told me this Muslim problem is going to take 100 years to fix,” Rauf says. “And I said it can be fixed in 10 years. I remember when Jack Kennedy said we will land a man on the moon by the end of the decade and people said, what is he smoking? People laughed at him. But he knew that we could do it. It just required the resources of this country, the focus of thousands of scientists in Houston and Florida, to reach this particular objective. And we did it.” Crossing the cultural, religious and political divide between Islamic societies and Western democracies “will require the same man-on-the-moon level of focus and effort,” says Rauf, who fell short of finishing his doctorate in plasma physics before following in his Egyptian father’s footsteps and becoming a Sufi Muslim cleric. As a measure of his relentless confidence, the imam says he is trying to get Hollywood interested in making three feature films with feel-good plot lines involving Muslims
low activist Daisy Khan in the New Jersey suburbs and a pied-a-terre on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, founded the Cordoba Initiative seven years ago to create cultural and religious understanding. He travels constantly to spread his message of peace and reconciliation. He was out of the country and caught by surprise, spreading good will in the Middle East on behalf of the State Department, when the mosque controversy exploded last summer. “Personally, it was extremely painful to be portrayed as the opposite of what you are, when you’re branded as an extremist, as a terrorist, especially when you try to stand up for the principles of high-mindedness and harmony between the faith traditions,” he says. “It was a travesty. This was also a deliberate attempt to use our project as a wedge issue for the midterm elections. Very clearly, right-wing Republicans like Newt Gingrich and Sarah Palin and Peter King [the Long Island congressman who has repeatedly questioned the patriotism of Muslim Americans] and the Tea Party, and that man who
amid community tension two years ago. Officials said the mosque became a partner of Energy Star one year ago and earned a score of 92 out of 100 on the EPA’s energy performance scale. “Jawad Benazzi, the facility manager, spearheaded the center’s energy efficiency initiative, purchasing energy efficient appliances in the kitchen and offices and putting signage in areas such as bathrooms and classroom to
remind members to conserve whenever possible,” said the EPA release. “The center had electrical and gas audits conducted by their local utility for free and that helped them to identify energy saving opportunities,” the release continued. “This led to upgrading more than 70 percent of their interior lights. Other improvements included adding motion detectors in bathrooms, and putting reducers on the bathroom faucets to save on water and energy.”
was fighting against Andrew Cuomo the tabloids. It was basically a creation of [GOP gubernatorial nominee Carl Fox News and the tabloid newspapers Paladino] were trying to exploit it.” that had a particular political agenda that was Islamophobic and anti-Democratic At one point, at the height of the me- Party… They do it because it increases dia circus, “one of our PR advisers viewership even though they know in said, ‘The only thing that’s missing their heart of hearts it is the wrong thing is for Donald Trump to jump in.’ And to do. But they are impelled to do it bea week or two later, Trump jumped cause of whatever—their material objecin”—issuing a press release offering tives, whether it’s money, whether it’s to buy the proposed site of Park 51, ratings, or even political power.” Rauf’s ecumenical Islamic community center, a kind of Muslim YMCA, The sad irony was that Rauf’s good a few blocks from where Al Qaeda’s intentions ended up aggravating relahijacked jetliners toppled the World tions between the U.S. and the Muslim Trade Center. “Because of all the me- world. At this point, the prospects for dia attention, it attracted a lot of people Park 51 don’t look good. The imam who jump on the media bandwagon.” has made little progress in raising the nearly $100 million needed to build Before the hullabaloo subsided, the pastor the community center—and potential of a tiny Florida church achieved world donors have been scared off. What’s notoriety by announcing plans to burn more, Rauf and the developers have the Holy Koran unless Rauf agreed to yet even to sort out a legal and orgamove the center—causing near-panic at nizational framework for the project. the State Department and the Pentagon, where officials worried about attacks on “In retrospect, one of things we could U.S. soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghan- have done better was to reach out istan, to say nothing of the fear of riots in more to the 9/11 community and get Arab-Muslim countries that are nominal them to stand by our side,” says Rauf, U.S. allies. Rauf reserves special indigna- who plans to participate in several tion for Fox News and the New York tab- ecumenical services commemoratloids for stoking the mosque madness. ing the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. “After the crisis erupted, we “What pained me most of all was not did speak to many of them in several only the attack against me, but all the po- meetings and they urged me to go litical propaganda masquerading as jour- and speak to the American people.” nalism,” Rauf says. “You know exactly what I’m talking about—Fox News and Which, of course, is what he’s doing.
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OPINION
Stick to 2,500 calories and you will be healthy
Summer is here! Time for waking up late, hanging with friends at the mall, and chucking down lotsa junk food. By the time September comes around, you’re going be wanting to shed those pounds. The last thing you want is to go from overweight to fat! Because it’s a long road to go from fat to healthy again.
One of the greatest mistakes that fat people make is that of starving themselves by missing meals. What they do not seem to comprehend is that in order to lose weight, it is not necessary to skip meals. On another note, if your system doesn’t get enough nutrition in the form of food, how will it give you the vitality you need to perform various physical activities? The best approach would be to eat healthy foods: foods that are highly wholesome but have low calorie content. This summer, try so healthy watermelon or honeydew high in niacin. Such foods will give your body
the much needed nutrition without making you fatter. Typically, an adult’s body needs about 2,500 calories in order to survive. If you eat calories on a moderate level then you don’t even have to count calories! In this article, I will let you know the basics of a nutritious diet plan.
1. Stop emotional eating: Scores of people have become overweight owing to emotional eating. Often people are gripped by intense feelings like anger, hatred, depression, stress, boredom, loneliness, etc., and this is when they take the assistance of food in order to give themselves relief. You need to understand that food can’t be the reply to each and every problem. Learn to manage how you feel without taking the assistance of food, for if you take the help of food to douse your emotions, you might never anticipate to slim down! Being bored this summer doesnt mean you have
to stuff your face all the time. 2. Join a competent weight loss program: Your next step is to join an efficient weight loss program. An efficient weight loss program is one which suggests you
a nutritious diet and exercise regimen. An inefficient weight loss program is one which recommends a lot of fad diets and prescription drugs to you. By wholesome diet plan, I mean fruits, vegetables, lean chicken meat, fish, reduced fat dairy products, whole grain cereals, along with skinless poultry. Avoid high volumes of fat products like pies, candies and pastries at all costs! 3. Apart from following a healthy diet, regular workouts are also required for lasting weight loss. I would recommend you start with lighter aerobics and then go on to resistance training and cardio when you feel very comfortable with your workout regimen. Even though you do only aerobics, you will be in a position to shed weight because aerobic exercises help you burn fat at a high rate by speeding up your metabolic process, and this gives you a tremendous boost in energy level as well as helps you slim down. Before there was 5 hour energy shots, there was aerobics! Now you are probably wondering how to know whether a weight loss program is efficient or not, without burning your pocket. Well, the only way to understand it is to ask for feedback from a customer who has joined the program that you are eying. One other way is to ask your physician or a weight reduction expert; both of whom would be able to give their indifferent opinions. Finally, enjoy your summer without worrying about the consequences in the fall. A little prevention along with glee would make you more healthy and wise. Dr. Zubair Fattani, PhD, received his Master’s in Business Administration and doctorate in economics from the University of Texas at Dallas. He is from Karachi, Pakistan, where his parents still live. His wife, Shazia, is a hafiza and studying to be an alimah.They have a 3-year-old daughter, Zakia, and a 3-month-old son Zain. For questions and comments, please write to him at dr_fattani@ hotmail.com. For religious inquiries, please visit www.islamicacademy.org.
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FEATURE
BRIEFS continued from page 7 >>
AWARDS continued from page 5 >>
INDIAN AMERICAN MUSLIM COUNCIL TO HONOR DR. OMAR KHALIDI, FOR HIS WORK WITH MUSLIMS IN INDIA
Jenin Youth.” She was honored to have played Hind Husseini, “who deserved the award more than her,” she said.
Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) will have its annual fundraiser at the Islamic Association of North Texas on Saturday, July 09. IAMC has invited several prominent Human Rights lawyers from India on a nationwide tour to the USA to raise awareness about social justice, human rights and other legal challenges that Muslims face in the criminal justice system in India. The event will also honor the late Dr. Omar Khalidi, a great scholar and the man who articulated the voice of the Indian Muslims during some of their darkest hours. Dr. Khalidi was committed to the cause of social justice for minority Muslims in India and around the world.
To date, the orphanage has housed more than 3000 girls. Ms. Abbass shared that she grew up in a conservative Muslim village in the northern Galilee and that “it wasn’t easy....” The CBS Good Wife episodes “Boom” and “On Tap” brought the Muslim experience smack to the living rooms of mainstream America, challenging negative public assumptions regarding Muslim charities and cartoons depicting the
Prophet Mohammed. The evening concluded with the wise words of Dr. Maher Hathout, MPAC’s senior advisor, who defined art as “the message of the soul in an envelope of beauty.” MPAC offers coaching to Hollywood filmmakers who seek to create authentic and compelling stories about Muslims and Islam. When we change the story, we change reality. MPAC’s recognition of voices of courage and conscience helps create this new story: A story where Muslims are integrated into American society; where racism and prejudice are replaced by social justice and respect.
IAMC has embarked on a new project to take up to 50 cases per year for Muslim youth who are languishing in jails on trumped up terrorism charges. This will also include civil litigation and advocacy against the agencies in cases of foul play. IAMC is also working on a documentary on Muslims in India and the Criminal Justice System to raise awareness and public debate on this issue. IAMC in the past had pioneered the creation of groundbreaking documentaries that were aired on national television and created awareness and public debate on several issues impacting Muslims in India. The evening will include speeches by Shafeeq Mahajir, one of India’s most prominent Human Rights Lawyer; Harsh Dobhal, Executive Director, Human Rights Law Network and Editor of the Combat Law journal; and Azhar Azeez, Vice President, Islamic Society of North America.
Actress Hiam Abbass accepts MPAC’s Media Award for her role in ‘Miral.’