The Lone Star Crescent

Ice, cold couldn’t stop Texan recounts being a Al-Noor International’s part of Egypt’s revolution Naatia Mushaira By kena sosa

Doug Baum, founder of Texas Camel Corps, had been in Egypt when recent protests to coax longtime President Hosni Mubarak out of office began.

Baum’s shared his insight of being in Egypt as the people fought for a new democracy.

Q: What part of Egypt were you in and for how long when the protests began?

Baum: I keep a second story apartment in Giza, a suburb of Cairo and home to the Pyramid. I arrived a day and a half after the protests began.

By Saeed Qureshi Noor Amrohvi a prominent poet and literary figure is the founder and chief executive of the Alnoor International primarily a forum based in Dallas that holds religious and social functions mostly related to poetry and religion.

Every year the Alnoor International celebrates with great enthusiasm and devotion, the auspicious birthday of the prophet of Islam also the last messenger of God almighty to humanity.

This year Noor Amrohvi convened a Mushaira that was the seventh in the row. The Mushaira was held on February 5 at Funasia, a famous cultural center for the Asian community.

“

Despite the chilling weather with ice still obstructing the free movements, a sizeable number of Muslims and nonMuslims alike turned up at this most sacred and coveted and religious event.

Noor Amrohvi was the stage secretary.

Mr. Amrohvi has the consummate skill and unique style in moderating such functions that he has been displaying all these years.

Amrohvi a well-known social activist and a famous personality among Urdu/Hindi language literary circles and Asian American community.

There were both local and external poets invited to participate in this blessing drenched congregation. Despite the chilling weather with ice still obstructing the free movements, a sizeable number of Muslims and nonMuslims alike turned up at this most sacred and coveted religious event.

Q: Were you in danger? Did you have to do anything different to protect those in your group?

Baum: My group was to arrive a week later, but because flights were canceled they couldn’t make it and have rescheduled for April, so I didn’t have to worry about keeping a group safe. I was never in danger, living six to seven miles from Tahrir Square where pro and anti-regime groups clashed.

The neighborhood I live in, though, did form a watch group to protect against looters. The family I live with was unusually protective of me while the fear of looting was going on. Also, as Western journalists became targets of anger, I also kept a low profile. Had my group arrived, we’d have headed out into the Sinai desert, where tourism was operating much more normally. Resorts reported guests were not canceling reservations, dive operations on the Red Sea were still operational and jeep and camel safaris were still running.

Q: What did you witness firsthand?

Baum: When I’d visit Egyptian friends in my area, shopkeepers, a barber, construction workers, there was a visible tension on the streets. This was likely due to the loss of work while things were uncertain, and also due to the looming specter of thieves and hooligans. Groups of men and teenaged boys would police their own neighborhoods with sticks, clubs, anything they could find, to make sure their homes were safe. I witnessed EGYPT continues on page 9 >>

Among the local poets Syed Karamt Gardezi, Syed Yunus Ijaz, Iqbal Haider, Nadir Durrani, Masood Quazi, Dr. Amer Suleman, Chakar Varti, and Saeed Qureshi offered their glowing tributes to Prophet Muhammad whom the Muslims consider as the blessing and mercy for the whole humanity.

The guest poets invited for this special occasion were Rafiuddin Raz from Pakistan, Nazir Baqri from India, and Khalid Khaja from Houston. Rafiuddin Raz presided over the Mushaira.

The poetic diction of poets carried both the literary and religious flavor and richness that was highly lauded by the audience. Some the poets presented their Kalam by melodiously reciting it and thus enthralling the audience for its embellishment and ardor.

The Mushaira started at 9 pm and ended at about I am that shows its orderly conduct and the deep interest shown and demonstrated by the listeners who applauded the poetic declamations with the traditional exclamations of laudatory and appreciated words and phrases.

This religious function was also conducted by him in a truly professional manner that was appreciated by the guests invited to the Mushaira. Noor MUSHAIRA continues on page 4 >>

more inside

` Food is essential to your health, spiritual and moral growth. Don’t overeat, but enjoy what God has given you.

` Attorney Noaman Azhar discusses H-1B and the new laws about hiring foreigners ............................................................... ` Briefs ............................................................... ` It is time for Moammar Qaddafi to step down ................................................................ ` Interested in riding a camel? Here’s your chance in Texas ................................................................ ` Egypt needs America’s help to achieve democracy and regain tourism

02

IMMIGRATION

H-1B eligibility cap is opening; get ready to file your petitions

By NOAMAN AZHAR ATTORNEY AT LAW With the H-1B cap officially opening in a few months, employers who are eager to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations may now file their petitions. Both the employer and employee must meet rigid criteria to secure the H-1B visa.

While the alien has to demonstrate that they are academically qualified for the visa, the employer must demonstrate that they have the financial capability to pay the foreign worker a minimum wage (prevailing wage) as set forth by the Department of Labor.

One problem that our firm tends to encounter is an employer’s inability to show the necessary net income in order to prove that they have the financial ability to pay the prevailing wage.

This is because most businesses take advantage of reducing their tax liability by cataloging as many businesses expenses as possible, or by issuing end of the year bonuses in order to avoid double taxation.

Nevertheless, even if the employer cannot show considerable net income through their IRS 1120 tax returns, they may be able to still demonstrate financial ability to pay through various other methods.

While 1120’s are typically the primary piece of evidence USCIS relies on, when determining a company’s profitability, an employer should be encouraged to provide alternative forms of evidence if their 1120’s are not sufficient to support the alien’s prevailing wage.

This can include unit reports, revenue reports, audited profit/loss statements, assets and liabilities, bills of lading and inventory.

During last year’s H-1B season, this firm handled a case on behalf of a university that desired to employ a professor.

One problem the university faced was that the university’s 1120’s reflected a IMMIGRATION continues on page 4 >>

Health & IMMIGRATION

03

Q& Food is essential part of A spiritual, moral health HEALTH ADVICE

How does food affect our spirituality?

Islam gives specific advice to Muslims about all aspects of life and this includes food and eating habits and manners.

Food is not required for itself or for the sake of enjoyment but to sustain life so that one may enjoy health and physical strength required to undertake one’s duties and responsibilities in this life.

In addition to ensuring physical well-being, food is also essential for the spiritual and moral health of the believers.

To get the right physical and spiritual strength, one should try to consume lawful (halal) and healthy or wholesome (tayyib) food (Qur’an, 5:88).

The faithful are repeatedly enjoined in the Qur’an to consume only lawful and wholesome food. Halal means lawfully acquired, as against stolen, food.

In case of meat, it means that it was acquired according to the permissible method of slaughtering an animal, i.e., by invoking Allah’s name while slaughtering the animal and using a sharp knife in order to ensure minimum pain to the animal (which is similar to Kosher rules).

Prohibited food is called “Haram,” or unlawful/prohibited, which is the one acquired illegally or is prohibited like meat from animals not properly slaughtered, or pork or meat of carnivorous, i.e., meat-eating animals and birds of prey.

An Islamic Prayer after taking food Alhamdul lillahi rabbil ‘alameen. Al-Hamdulillahi alladhi at’amana wa saqana wa ja’alana muslimeen. Allahumma kama at’amtana halalan tayyiban faj’alhu ‘aunan lana ‘ala ta’atik. ~ All praise to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. All praise to Allah who fed us, quenched our thirst and made us muslims (those who submit to Him). O’Allah you have fed us halal food, so make it help us in obeying you.

Such animals and birds include pigs, dogs, lions, crocodiles, eagles, worms, flies etc.

Alcohol is forbidden in all forms and quantities.

Consuming blood and carrion is also forbidden. Meat of a dead or prohibited animal is not allowed unless the faithful had no other choice to ward off death due to hunger.

Unlawful food adversely affects the character of those who consume it. Eating unlawful food like pork, meat of meat-eating animals or stolen food will retard one’s spiritual and moral health.

All seafood is permitted. Filth-eating animals or birds as well as donkies are treated as detestable (makrooh) though they may originally be on the list of permitted food.

The Qur’an mentions a number of food such as milk, dates, grapes, honey, corn, grains, olives, certain plants and livestock.

Mother’s milk is mentioned in the be

made so that the mother may nurse her infant child for the first two years of his/her life and she has to be paid for this service (Qur’an 2:233).

Thanking Allah at the beginning and end of partaking food is an important part of eating manners in Islam. One should begin in the name of Allah, saying, as the Prophet used to do, Bismillah wa ‘ala barakatillah (In the name of Allah and with His HEALTH continues on page 4 >>

04

FEATURE, Immigration & health

Food is a gift from God, it should not be wasted HEALTH continued from page 3 >>

blessings). One should thank Allah after finishing his food saying Al-hamdulillah alladhi at’amana wa saqana wa ja’alana mina’l-muslimin (All thanks to Allah who fed us and quenched our thirst, who made us muslims, i.e., those who surrender to His will).

There should be no over-eating or unseemly hurry in consuming food or drink. When eating in a group, one should eat the food which is in front of him and his behaviour should not annoy others.

Wastage of food is frowned upon - Allah says, “Waste not by excess, for God loveth not wasters” - Qur’an 6:141).

The Prophet said that a Muslim should not waste water even if he was standing on the banks of the river Tigris.

IMMIGRATION continued from page 4 >>

negative net income.

In Islam, barren land becomes the property of anyone who reclaims it for agriculture.

This firm was still able to secure the H-1B visa by evidencing the extensive business activities of the university.

Eating should not be hasty and should be measured. One should not fill his belly. The Prophet enjoined us to fill only one third of our stomachs with food and one third with liquids, leaving the remaining one third empty.

In another similar case, this firm was able to secure an H-1B visa for a convenience store, despite negative net income, by demonstrating the company’s business activities through the purchase of hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory, as well as their net assets and reduced liabilities.

While offering food as charity, one has to take care that only good food is offered to the poor (Qur’an, 2:267).

Although USCIS has become increasingly demanding in their approval

It is a common tradition among Muslims to willingly offer food or water to any stranger who knocks the door at any time and says that he is hungry or thirsty.

criteria, employers should not be discouraged by limited or no profits.

Oftentimes, alternative methods of demonstrating eligibility can be as effective as conventional methods.

This firm takes the approach of employing as many methods as possible in order to ensure case approval.

Noaman Azhar is an attorney and Managing Partner at Azhar & Azhar, PLLC. This article is not intended to establish an attorney-client relationship. As always, readers should consult with an experienced immigration attorney before making any immigration decisions on their case.

If one’s neighbours are poor, one should not openly bring home fruits and meat etc which they cannot afford and if he still prefers to bring in such food openly, he should share it with his neighbours.

Adult and healthy Muslims are required to fast during the month of Ramadan every year from dawn to sunset while fasting on Mondays and Thursdays every week is recommended but not mandatory.

Natural resources like water and meadows are common property to be used by all without charge.

Agriculture is very much stressed upon and the Prophet said that if one was holding a seedling in his hand and the

Doomsday broke in, he should plant it.

In short, the Qur’an repeatedly tells us that food is a gift of God. We should consume it with humility and moderation and always thank God for His bounties (e.g., Qur’an, 7:31).

By Zafarul-Islam Khan, The Milli Gazette,

MUSHAIRA continued from page 1 >>

On this occasion a small remembrance was held of late hanif akhgar saheb by displaying one of his naats on the projector ,and it was very much liked by the audience and his family members who were present there.

John Hamid who is the chief executive and Director of the Funasia thanked

the poets and all the audience who had come all the way to attend the blissful and sacred assemblage.

The convener and organizer of this event Noor Amrohvi also thanked the poets and the people for coming to the function and making it a great success.

Finally there was photo session of the poets.

FEATURE

05

Want to ride a camel? Sign up for Texas Camel Corps By kena sosa Publisher Melanz, LLC. P.O. Box 851764 Richardson, TX 75085 Editor Marium F. Mohiuddin| T: (512) 6577819 marium@myCrescent.com Layout & Graphics Marium F. Mohiuddin Business / Marketing Inquiries Tel: (214) 843-1593 E: ads@myCrescent.com Editorial / Writing / Events / Feedback marium@myCrescent.com CONTRIBUTORS

Kena Sosa, Dr. Zubair Fattani, Sakina Al-Amin, Halima Shaheed, Naeem Randhawa, Maryum Shaheed, Sonia Laflamme, Anum Hussain, Ruqayyah Khalifa, Komal Khan, Omar Usman, “Hazrat” Amin, Hassan Usmani, Jamal Saqib, Yasmin Turk, Robert Canright, Dr. Keisha Shaheed, Moazzam Ahmed, Shaheen Salam, John Reid, Abdul Wadoud.

The Lone Star Crescent is published monthly by Melanz, LLC. We welcome and encourage readers’ feedback and opinions. All materials, articles, photos, comments or samples submitted to the The Lone Star Crescent and/or via www.myCrescent.com will become property of the publisher and may be published at our discretion. The publisher paper takes no responsibility of claims made by advertisers, financial, legal, family and/or educational advise in its content. Readers must check and inquire themselves. Join free online at www.myCrescent.com.

Now you can read the digital version of The Lone Star Crescent online and share with your friends and family members around the world! Just log on to www.myCrescent.com for page-by-page views of print edition. Read, click, and share on your PC or cell phones.

In 1995, when Doug Baum set about creating the Texas Camel Corps, he was interested in educating the public on the historic role of the camel in the American Southwest in the 1800’s as they were used in the military. Today Doug gets to earn his living caring for his camels

and taking them to schools, libraries and museums as a valuable entertaining and teaching tool.

Doug claims that camels are much more low-maintenance than horses, but that one must understand them. For this CAMEL continues on page 8 >>

06

briefs

Briefs . . .

APPLY FOR MPAC’S SUMMER INTERNSHIP Are you interested in working for the Muslim American community, understanding how policy gets shaped and gaining experience in the non-profit sector? Then apply for the Muslim Public Affairs Council year-round internship and fellowship opportunities in Washington, DC, and Los Angeles. The summer internships are full-time positions.

MPAC interns gain hands-on education, experience and skills in media, community and government relations. You won’t just be filing, you’ll get to use your creativity and initiative to enhance or even create effective projects that help fulfill our mission. We are looking for team players who are self-motivated and enjoy working hard.

The MPAC-DC office is located across the street from the Supreme Court, Capitol Building and all of the Senate Office Buildings, which allows interns to experience firsthand the political atmosphere of Washington. The MPAC-LA office is located in the center of one of the nation’s media capitols, which gives interns the opportunity to regularly engage with media and governmental professionals, as well as take part in interfaith dialogue, hate crime prevention and community outreach.

Applications are due April 15 and can be found at www.mpac.org CAIR-TX, DFW OFFERS COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT SEMINARS CAIR-TX DFW chapter has partnered with several Muslim community centers in the metroplex to offer free immigration seminars. The seminars will be conducted by Muslim attorneys and advocates and the timings and locations will be made available soon. These educational seminars are a part of community empowerment initiatives that CAIR-TX identified.

CAIR-TX will strive to empower the community through such seminars on dealing with law enforcement, immigration law, and workplace rights. CAIR-TX is also active in community outreach and coalition building. Our work with coalition partners has proven successful, and we are excited about our continued working relationships. We are poised to embark on our “Peace and Justice” initiative providing positive information about Islam and Muslims through public advertising. In the coming months, we plan to place ads in airports, and run several public service announcements in various media outlets. We urge you to do your part and continue to support us financially.

‘MOOZ-LUM’ MOVIE FINALLY OPENS NATIONWIDE After Facebook promtion and a push from its fanbase, the movie “Mooz-lum” opened to U.S. theaters in February.

“Mooz-lum” centers around a young Muslim who enrolls in college and finds himself an outcast after 9/11. It is filmmaker Qasim Basir’s effort to bring images of Muslims to the screen that are both nuanced and universally identifiable, that he says are lacking in today’s entertainment climate.

“Mooz-lum” has been embraced by fans in over 40 countries and won “Best Narrative Feature” at Urbanworld 2010 and was an official selection at both the Chicago International Film Festival and the Cairo International Film Festival this year.

Check your local theaters and catch this groundbreaking movie about the Muslim American experience.

TMWF HOSTS ANNUAL FUNDRAISER IN FEBRUARY Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation held its 6th Annual Fundraiser on Feb, 19 2011.

The keynote speaker was Dr Akbar Ahmed Ibn Khaldun, Chair of Islamic Studies, American University in Washington DC. Proceeds from the Sixth annual fundraising dinner will fund the programs of Texas Muslim Women’s Foundation: Specifically the establishment of a shelter for victims of family violence.

07

financial

Are you sabotaging your own investment account?

By Bashar Qasem, Senior Investment Adviser, Azzad Asset Management

Are your investment returns falling short of the overall markets? If you’re like most investors, the answer is probably yes. Left on their own, investors tend to take on too much or too little risk by: failing to properly allocate and diversify their savings, overinvesting in company stock, neglecting to rebalance in response to market or life changes and attempting to time the market.

Many studies have shown that individual investors tend to buy and sell at the wrong times. When the market goes down, they panic and sell. When the

market rebounds, many gun-shy investors are reluctant to invest again and postpone getting back into the market.

As they watch prices rise, they get anxious about missing out on those returns.

However, by the time these investors are comfortable with buying again, prices often have risen to the point that they’re almost ready to turn down again.

That kind of behavior can be costly over the long term. Dalbar’s Quantitative Analysis of Investor Behavior for 2010 compared the performance of the average mutual fund investor between 1990 and 2009 (as measured by fund inflows and outflows tracked by the Investment Company Institute) to that of the average index fund based on the S&P 500.*

because behavior.

The company found that returns for the average investor trailed the S&P over that 20-year period by 5.6% because of investor behavior. Though past performance cannot guarantee future results, previous studies also reached the same conclusion: that investors often earn less than a mutual fund’s reported returns

of

their own

What can you do to make better investment decisions? A disciplined approach to investing helps. Your financial advisor at Azzad Asset Management (www.azzad.net) can help you develop an investment policy statement that takes into account your needs, risk tolerance and future goals. Based on your policy statement, the account is assigned to an asset allocation model composed of various portfolios that are managed by a money manager.

The responsibility of managing your account is transferred to professional money managers specialized in their asset classes.

Most important, you’ll know the type of risk involved in each of your investments and understand how each has behaved relative to the overall market.

That can help you stand firm despite short-term losses.

In addition, the investment team at Azzad is responsible for overseeing and making any necessary changes to your asset allocation model.

This type of account called a wrap account (because all fees are bundled into one annual fee) does require that you communicate with your adviser when you experience various life events (in cases in which your needs or expectations have changed due to a birth, death, job loss or other major life event). Your account is also rebalanced periodically so as to bring it back in line with your original model.

Finally, your investments say a lot about what you value. At Azzad, a financial services firm specialized in Shari’ah based asset management, our portfolios undergo a rigorous approach to screening for Shari’ah compliance.

In our next article, we’ll describe what that means. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to give us a call at 888-862-9923. *Based on the average return for all funds listed in Lipper’s U.S. Diversified Equity fund category.

08 CAMEL continued from page 5 >>

reason, they can be used in a surprisingly abundant number of ways.

Doug explains, “Somali culture uses the camel as a pack animal and for milk, almost never riding it.

Conversely, Bedouin in, say, the Sinai desert of Egypt, ride their camels, use them as pack animals and milk them.

Each culture has their own take on how the camel fits into their society.”

Doug’s educational programs highlight the unfair reputation of being temperamental.

Yet in 17 years, Doug and his camels continue to get invited back for visits over and over again.

As parenthood also does, he says taking care of his camels requires “patience.”

He was recently an exhibitor at the Travel and Adventure show at the Dallas Convention Center where he offered camel rides to the public.

People are fascinated by the camel’s functional past, but what role do they have in the future?

Where will camels be as we progress more and more into the 21st century? Doug will present on this topic in London in May. His hopes are that although the US will likely only consider the camel a “novelty,” for rides and festivals; however other cultures may transition camels to become

features a staple in their livestock for milk and for work.

Texas Camel Corps also offers group tours of Egypt that range from ten days to three weeks.

During these trips, participants will stay with host families so that they become part of an authentic experience of life in Egypt.

He does make sure that they see the essentials such as the pyramids and other historic sites, yet learning about contemporary life is just as important.

Guests are given the opportunity to see their own trade as it is done in Egypt or just explore Giza. He strives to give a taste of real Egypt to his guests.

Doug says, “’At the end of the trip, if the Pyramids were your favorite part of the trip, I’ll give your money back!’ The real treasure, anywhere in the world, is the people you meet and live among when traveling.”

Doug will be taking groups to Egypt again in both April and May and still has space available for these tours.

If interested in a tour of Egypt or camel education, contact Doug Baum at the Texas Camel Corps at facebook.com/ texascamelcorps; www.texascamelcorps. com; or 254-674 HUMP (4867).

Film captures what ‘Muslim Women Do’ Yasmin Turk, a graduate student in Austin, was enrolled at the LBJ School of Public Affairs working on her Masters in Global Policy Studies, signed up for a course in collaboration with the school of Radio-Television-Film (RTF). The class required students to make short documentaries on social issues.

Watching CNN, she was stunned by the results of a poll in which more than half of Americans admitted to never having met a Muslim. Around that time, Time Magazine’s cover story was on “Islamaphobia.”

She says, “I thought it was so odd the way Muslims were portrayed, when in reality my e-mail inbox is filled with messages asking if I want to go zip lining next weekend or camping with friends.”

Arab who immigrated to the US in 1956 and my mom is Americangrowing up in a family with mixed ethnicities, mixed religious views I always got to create my own path.”

She originally wanted to show Muslim women doing extreme sports, but what she and the crew learned about the women in the making of the documentary turned out to be a lot more personal and intriguing, both visually and culturally.

So, together with her team and the equipment lent to them by the University of Texas, she set off on the semester-long challenge to create the short documentary “Muslim Women Do That.” Her goal was to prove that “Muslim women are so diverse! Some of us are smart, fun, lazy, driven, successful, passionate, obnoxious, dynamic, clumsy-and we are all just women.”

She also hoped to portray Muslim women in Texas that other women could identify with and illustrate Some of the women featured are that many Muslims are not from the easily picked out as Muslims because backgrounds many might expect. they choose to wear a hijab, or head “I am a first generation American scarf. Other featured ladies would Muslim woman- my dad is an FILM continues on page 10 >>

09

travel

Tourists, return to Egypt; it’s safe and it needs your money EGYPT continued from page 1 >>

sadness. Egyptians I spoke with were concerned that the troubles were the only thing international observers were seeing on TV and it would shape a negative opinion of Egypt and its people.

Q: Based on what you observed, how did you feel authorities handled the situation?

Baum: Overall, I’m surprised by the amount of restraint the authorities have demonstrated. That said, the Egyptian government played virtually every trick an authoritarian regime has: removing police from the streets (ostensibly to placate the protesters’ calls for police reform); returning police after a few days (which would, again ostensibly, restore order to the crime-ridden streets) and additionally placing the military (a different entity than the police) on the streets. The military, loved by all Egyptians because it’s made up of Egypt’s sons, brothers, cousins, uncles, has (as of this interview on 2/10/11) have behaved without aggression toward the protesters.

Q: Were people not involved in protests able to carry on their everyday activities?

Baum: In many areas, yes. If business took you downtown, toward Tahrir Square in Cairo, or near government buildings in Alexandria or Suez, then no. In Giza, where I stay, banks were closed and, due to possible looting, many shopkeepers closed their businesses. Not all, but many.

Tourism sites, like the Pyramids and, of course, the Egyptian Museum, just on the north end of Tahrir Square were closed and this interrupted many peoples’ lives, tourists and locals alike.

Q: What hardships did both your group and locals face?

Baum: There was a shortage of bread in the bakeries near my home and there were reports of gas stations closing, but the one nearest my house stayed open. The biggest hardship I personally faced was the lack of normal movement I’m accustomed to because I didn’t want to put myself in any position that would force my Egyptian “family” to have to protect me. Egyptians and Arabs in general, have an adage: “no harm shall come to a guest.” To have to put this axiom to the test would’ve created incredible stress on my hosts and I had no intention on becoming a headline in any news story!

Q: How long do you think it will take to resume to normalcy?

Baum: I think the tourism sites will be back open soon (11 percent of Egypt’s economy is derived from tourism), but

the timeline and face that Egypt puts on as regime change is undertaken is anybody’s guess. This call for democracy is noble, but I’m not certain the youth of Egypt are fully prepared for what happens once Mubarak is no longer in power.

Q: What do you think will change because of this?

Baum: It’s my hope that police corruption will abate. I’d like to see wages raised for working-class folks. I also hope that there’s more communication freedom in Egypt. Experiencing firsthand the loss of cell phone and internet service was troubling to me. Not because my access to technology was taken away, but because forms of communication were taken away from people.

Q: Were you or will you and your business be personally affected by this?

Baum: Thankfully, my February group was able to reschedule to April and they weren’t put off by the events in Egypt.

I’m sure tourism in Egypt will be in decline for a year or so, but I feel certain this beautiful country, which draws 12 million tourists a year, will see an increase as governmental stability increases.

Q: How do you feel these events will improve life and visiting Egypt in the future?

Baum: If wages are raised for workingclass folks, you’ll surely see a less restive, dissatisfied populace. This can only translate to a better experience for visitors. If police corruption is addressed, the Egyptian people will have a greater sense of freedom as they move about their own country, something difficult for

many Egyptians today.

Q: What would you say to those who might now view Egypt as a dangerous place?

Baum: I’ve never tried to convince anyone

to visit Egypt if they were scared. First, they’ll not have a good time and second I won’t enjoy being with them! That said, I was in Egypt almost the entire month of January with my 10-year old son and I’d return today with all of my family.

10

feature

Meet Diana - one of film’s featured women perfect, or demonized, or pretentiousjust themselves.”

FILM continued from page 8 >>

not be as easy to identify.

For now, Yasmin has been getting the word out about “Muslim Women Do That” on both YouTube and Facebook, AltMuslim’s website, and blogs. Joshunda Sanders of the Austin-American Statesman also discussed the documentary in a recent article.

Yasmin herself made the conscious decision to wear a hijab so that she would be judged by her character over her appearance, but was finding herself on the other end of the public’s assumptions. It is easy to identify a Muslim if they wear a hijab, but without the hijab is another story.

For her next project, Turk would like to document marriage in the Muslim community. She says, “I feel this is such an exciting, contentious, challenging, amazing time to be an American Muslim.

Yasmin had a difficult time choosing which of the many fascinating Austinites she found. She wanted to include Desi, Arab and African American women in the group.

She was disappointed that they had to omit a very interesting “AmericanSenegalese girl who talked about the fact that most people do not even know she is Muslim unless they find out her brother’s name is Muhammed.”

divorced/ single mothers. There are a few women that I have in mind that inspire me and I wish I could highlight for Muslims to know as well as for all Americans to know.”

If given the chance to do it again and with more funding she would try to display even more of the brilliant diversity within the Muslim community. Turk states, “I would love to include women from across the country, and particularly focus on Muslim women who are single/

Maybe with the opportunity to view “Muslim Women Do That” more Americans will approach and start conversations with Muslims and other peers who never have before.

Turk, herself has experienced this effect through friends. Even her son enjoyed it, which was one of the most rewarding parts of making it.

Yasmin has received an overwhelmingly positive response, from most people who have seen her documentary. Although there have been a few negative comments amongst the many accolades. These few may have missed the point.

The message of the documentary is about people, not about religion. She attests that “Muslim women and men alike have reached out to me because they were so glad to finally see people that they could relate to doing ordinary things and being themselves- not being

I would love to make films that explore the often unexplored Muslim experiences as we figure out who we are as individuals, spritual beings, Americans, and a minority community.

I have lived in the Arab world, and visited other countries and honestly, I have to say I am so glad to be in a place/ time where I can decide how I want to live my life, who I want to marry, what I wear, who I want to spend my time with, and how I practice my faith.”

And yes, Muslim women do all of that, too.

12

feature & Opinion

Crescent makes halal food easeir to find

Compiled

By Joohi Tahir

For the Muslim consumer it can be hard to find a reliable Halal brand at your grocer.

Thanks to Crescent Foods, Halal chicken has been stocking the shelves of grocery stores and supermarkets nationwide.

America needs to help Egyptian people achieve democracy Mubarak is gone. All the Presidents of Egypt have been military dictators, and the Egyptian people want a change.

They want democracy, and we in America should help Egypt achieve the fruits of democracy.

How can America help Egypt achieve a successful democracy? America already gives foreign aid to Egypt. That aid has supported decades of military dictatorship, so American money might not be the best help for democracy in Egypt.

If Americans were to share lessons about democracy, what might those lessons contain? Those lessons might warn that democracy alone is not a guarantee of freedom, justice, and prosperity.

The greatest democracy in history, ancient Athens, executed one of the noblest of men, Socrates. It was by democratic vote that the brilliant mind of Socrates was killed by poison. It was by democratic votes that Athens destroyed its democracy by waging war against Sparta. Democracy can be dangerous when it chooses to commit suicide by making bad choices.

If good choices are important for a successful democracy, how can Americans teach Egyptians to make good choices for their democracy?

Would an Egyptian want to hear lectures from Americans about making good choices? Most people do not like being told what to do. Smart people learn by watching successful people and copying what works. Are we in America setting an example of successful democracy for Egyptians who are tired of corruption and a stagnant economy?

Our economy crashed in 2008 because of corruption on Wall Street, and we are still burdened with corruption on Wall Street. Even with our democracy

we have the same financial problems as the Egyptians, just to a lesser degree.

If we are to set an example of good democratic choices, we must vote against corrupt politicians. To make a good choice we must have a choice. Good people must choose to run for public office and win without spending large amounts of money.

Corruption comes with money.

If Americans want to be an example to the world of a successful democracy, good people must win elections in America without spending big money. It is possible. It requires votes to work a bit to understand where the candidates stand, and it requires candidates to tell the voters where they really stand on issues. Voters need to motivate their friends to vote.

If we wish the Egyptians good fortune with their democracy, we should work to be an example of a successful democracy. If we have good candidates, and if we vote them into office, we can turn our country around and restore our prosperity. If we make good choices at election time, we will not only set an example for the Egyptians, we can offer Robert Canright is a writer, educator, scientist, mathematician, and engineer.

Canright has taught math in Texas public schools and taught circuit theory to engineering students at a university. He has done Research & Development at a Fortune 50 company, as well as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, software engineering, and systems engineering. He has been a candidate for the Plano ISD Board of Trustees and has written a philosophy book: “Achieve Lasting Happiness.” Canright holds degrees in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and mathematics.

He is a licenced professional engineer in electrical engineering.

Since the start of Crescent Foods in 1995 it has expanded greatly becoming one of the leading suppliers of Premium Hand Slaughtered Halal chicken.

Crescent Foods VP of Marketing & Sales, Joohi Tahir is aware of the demands of the Halal consumers.

“We’re seeing a rise in demand for Halal poultry at the mainstream retail level and it’s very exciting for us,” Tahir said. “We’re very happy to supply that demand and now it’s easier than ever for customers to grab it from their local grocery stores.”

With the growing demand of Halal in mainstream markets, Crescent was sure to be in the forefront.

You can find Crescent on many retail shelves in addition to Ethnic butcher shops such as select Michigan Walmart Supercenters and Shop-n-Save branches in Illinois.

The driving force of Crescent Foods is the growing American Muslim consumer along with the demand for better meat by mainstream society.

With the growing awareness of the industrial “farm” factories, consumers are no longer comfortable picking up just any chicken on the shelves.

Questions such as, is the chicken hormone fed?, cage free? fed byproducts?, begin to pop into the consumers mind when searching their supermarkets for chicken.

On the other hand, you have Crescent chickens which are raised on local farms in Indiana where they are allowed to roam rather then forced into small darkened cages and are handled humanely the way Halal standards teach us.

They are also raised without hormones, antibiotics, food coloring, and preservatives.

“Each bird is fed a 100% vegetarian diet with no by-products or animal protein added, then hand-slaughtered

by Muslims done in accordance with Islamic shariah, even with regard to Qibla direction.

With an increased bleed time the chicken has less bacterial contamination during the process.

“We have a farm to fork philosophy, Crescent has basically said that we want to see the process through all the way so that the customer’s not taking anyone else’s word for it on how the birds are treated and raised and processed”.

Giving back to the community is very important to Crescent Foods. Crescent gives back to the community by sponsoring fundraisers, school events, barbeques and many other events.

“The community builds our business so we like to give back, that’s always been important to us,” Tahir said.

Crescent foods continues its support for the community by getting involved in great causes such as Global Deaf Muslims annual fundraising dinner.

“We are proud of Crescent’s involvement as a sustaining supporter of such an important organization that touches the lives of our deaf brothers and sisters,” said Crescent Foods founder Ahmad Adam.

13

opinion

Qaddafi’s fate’s sealed - he needs to leave

By Saeed Qureshi

Even if Libyan strongman Moammar Qaddafi can manage to hold on for some time more, his fate is nevertheless sealed. He will have to quit power. It is patently a selfdelusional display to claim that the Libyan people loved him. Nothing can be far from truth.

A wise person all the more a ruler, who ruled his country by fear and force and with an iron fist, should have seen the irreversible changing trends on the planet earth, particularly the inescapable truth that the time for dictatorships was over.

Henceforth, no strong military chief or group of officers or the kings or queens would be able to rule their respective countries by suppressing their people or by claiming the divine rights of the kings.

The world has entered into an era of popular dispensations, the civil societies, the fundamental rights, the social justice, liberty and equality. It is a new environment in the making that would ensure pursuit of happiness, freedom of religions, and in which the regimes coming to power through collec-

tive will of the people expressed through their franchise.

A dictatorship survives as long as it can subdue the people by coercive means. There are no cushions or provisions for the dissention in a dictatorship run by one man or a family. The relationship between the ruler and the ruled in authoritarians regimes is always that of fear and oppression let loose by the former over the latter.

However, in democracies and the representative governments, there is always a way-out to change the government if it loses the trust of the people and cannot deliver on its pledges or cannot serve the country in a befitting manner.

Presently, Libya despite being one of the leading oil rich countries, with a wonderful landscape and with an enticing past, is completely isolated much against the will and intention of its own people as well as that of the world community. The United States and United Nations’ Security Council have imposed a wide range of terse sanction on Libya. The foreign diplomatic embassies in Tripoli are being closed

down and the staff being recalled.

The foreign labor force and others categories of foreigners are leaving every day. Even the Libyan diplomats serving abroad are disowning their own government and chiding Qaddaffi for his insane overtures. It appears that the whole country has been thrown into a state of siege.

The Libyan people are yearning and endeavoring against the long night of dictatorship and moronic rule of an eccentric individual who isolated his country from the rest of the civilized world all these four decades he has been in power.

LIBYA continues on page 14 >>

14 LIBYA continued from page 13 >>

The assets and accounts of Qaddaffi and his family members have been frozen wherever these are being maintained. Col Qaddafi’s megalomaniac mentality does not seem to allow him to be rational and sane enough to see that he is one man against the whole world. His unwarranted audacity and stubbornness is going to bring more miseries not only to his fiendish family but also to the great people of Libya wanting a change for a decent way of live and to throw off the yoke of dictatorship.

Qaddafi should know that he has lost the charisma, the father figure status, the revolutionary laurel and a competent leader by virtue of his colossal wrong doings both externally and internally. He has been whimsical, diabolic ruthless, a practitioner of medieval tribal form of rule. He has remained impervious to the dissent, debate and political opposition. The culture of pluralistic political culture has been entirely nonexistent in Libya for almost forty years: a period in which the world have moved towards becoming a global village thanks to the widespread communications channels and ubiquitous media outlets.

His country needed drastic reforms in all domains be it socio-economic, political, or foreign relations. He had plenty of time to upgrade the quality of life of his backward, impoverished

opinion and socially marooned people. He very cunningly kept blocking the tentacles of modern trends and advancements in educations, health, communications, transportation, and openness in order to keep his people at subhuman level.

Those who lived in Libya for many years for economic reasons paint a gory picture of that country which has, by the choice of its own leaders, remained a pariah since the Second World War. After the abolition of monarchy in Libya in September 1969 and take over by a coterie of young army officers led by Col Qaddaffi then a brash, boiling revolutionary leader, a true disciple of Col Gamal Abdul Nasser, the people of Libya expected a total overhaul and a barrage of reforms to bring their country in the comity of nations as a modern state.

His people expected that henceforth, Libyan oil would be spent on the welfare of its own people, the economy would spur, the industries would be established, the democratic norms would take roots, and the prosperity and liberalism would flourish along with the freedom of faith.

But instead they got a ruthless and merciless ruler who was missionary for the old order and a champion of the medievalism and tribal culture thus negating his society the fruits of abundant oil and a robust economy and an unhindered interaction with the rest of the world.

He has wasted his time, energies and the wealth of his nation on dangerous, frivolous pursuits and wasteful plans leaving the people in the gird of time that appears to not have moved even a moment for four decades. On the contrary, the society has turned obscurantist and retrogressive and degenerated.

He fell back upon the oppression and the cruel methods for silencing the people, to crush their will and ambitions for socio-economic justice, for equality, for popular government based on universal suffrage. Instead of bringing a true people friendly revolution, he plunged his amazing country into the dark ages as if the time was static and the word was still passing through medievalism.

Even his vision and understanding seems to be stunted as he has failed to perceive or learn lessons from the gubernatorial historic changes, the toppling of the strong political pillars like Hosni Mubarak and Zainul Abideen in the Middle East. If he were intelligent, perceptive and discerning, he should have watched with lot of concern and discreetness what is happening elsewhere in the Middle East.

Did he expect that he could alone quell the uprising because as he and his son says, “Libya is different from other countries�, now caught in the throws and gridlock of the revolutions, blowing away like a whirlwind one totalitarian state after another, from Yemen

in South to the Egypt in North Africa, Bahrain on the Persian Gulf and his neighbor Algeria on the Mediterranean.

There is no exception and no escape from this avalanche. It is impossible for any Hercules or King or military commander to stem or stop it. Anyone who resists would be carried away by the force of the tenacious storm. The redeeming feature of the present popular uprising in the middle-east is that the word at large is on the side of the oppressed people now facing the bullets of the tottering regimes and their tyrants catching at straws to remain in the saddle of power.

The role of the United State, the United Kingdom, the West and the United Nations would be written in golden words as all these powerful global brokers, forces and catalysts are supporting the distressed and enslaved nations.

If this show of international solidarity continues which by all indications it would, the Middle East would, sooner than later, shape up as a civil abode, where human rights would prevail and the people will be able to choose their governments. There will be a free press, a powerful and independent judiciary, respect and dignity for citizens and social openness.

Saeed Qureshi is a Dallas-based freelance journalist and a former diplomat writing mostly on International Affairs with specific focus on Pakistan and the United States.