The Muslim Link - February 2, 2011

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THE TRIVIALITY OF US MIDEAST POLICY PG 11

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February 4th 2011 - February 17th 2011

Thought Crimes, Profiling, and Unequal Treatment Under the Law Citizens’ Hearing Held in DC On Loss of Civil Freedoms

By Muslim Link Staff While the news media discussed controversial “homegrown terrorism” hearings on Capitol Hill planned by Congressional Representative Peter King (RNY), another public hearing on related subjects – albeit from a different angle – took place largely unnoticed.

On January 29, 2011, a newly

formed coalition of civil rights and social justice organizations – the National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms – held a citizen’s hearing to discuss the erosion of civil rights and due process in the current “war on terror”.

Fittingly, the hearing took place at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington D.C.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Muslim Families Rally To Say “Enough is Enough!” | pg 3 Educating USA About Palestine Is Key To Struggle | pg 4

Titled “The Loss of Civil Freedoms in America: A Response by Muslim and Civil Rights Organizations”, the three hour hearing included three panel discussions featuring law professors, civil

liberties activists, attorneys who worked on high profile terrorism cases, and family members of Muslim men >> LAW Pg 6

Judge Delays Chandia Re-Sentencing | pg 4 Multiculturalism Education Starts At Young Age | pg 5

MD Youth In Kabul IT Consultant By Day, Aid Worker By Night

ISLAM: So He Made Them Lag Behind | pg 12

By Muslim Link Staff

ISLAM: Every Little Charity Makes a Difference | pg 12

Although his parents immigrated to the United States from Afghanistan, Prince George’s County, Maryland youth Ahmad Rasuli has never been to Afghanistan. So when an opportunity came to him at the IT consulting firm where he works in McLean, Virginia to take a USAID assignment in Kabul, the 20-something member of

the Prince G e o r g e ’s Muslim Association packed his bags.

Ahmad speaks Dari and was a shoe-in for the support project in Kabul at the Civil Service Commission and

>> KABUL Pg 5

The Muslim Link Afghanis pick up donated blankets and supplies like oil and flour. Prince George’s County, MD youth Ahmad Rasuli (left) solicited donations from his co-workers in Kabul and friends and family in the US to purchase the supplies.

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Community News Muslim Families Rally In Washington To Say:

‘Enough is Enough!’

By El-Hajj Mauri’ Saalakhan They came from Georgia, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and as far away as Texas, to convey the message to the U.S. Department of Justice that enough is enough! Stop tearing Muslim families apart in the name of national security!

On Friday, January 28, 2011, a number of aggrieved Muslim families and their respective supporters (Muslim and nonMuslim) marched from the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in downtown Washington, to the Justice Department about a quarter of a mile away, to exercise their First Amendment right to petition their government for redress.

The mobilization was led by the newly established Families United For Justice in America (FUJA), with the active support of the following: the Coalition to Support Sheikh Zoubir Bouchikhi, the Fort Dix 5 Support Committee, the International Coalition to Support Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, the International Socialist Organization, the Justice For Shifa & Haris Committee, Project SALAM, the Raleigh 7 Support Committee, and The Peace Thru Justice Foundation.

Two mothers, along with a dedicated sister of one of the brothers, traveled from Georgia to represent their sons Ehsanul Sadequee (aka “Shifa”) and Syed Haris Ahmed - two young Muslim brothers that became embroiled in a very disturbing case in Atlanta, Georgia, beginning in 2006.

The mother of Shifa, Sr. Shirin Sadequee, argued that the only thing her son did wrong was “talked silly.” She revealed how the lead prosecutor in the case was promoted to the State Supreme Court shortly after the trial concluded. She then noted, “There is a sinister politics against Muslims in this country, like the politics against Native Americans, African Americans and other minorities, which is tearing our families and our communities apart. Many people are profiting from destroying our lives. This is our country, yet we are being oppressed simply because of our faith! My life has been interrupted and now filled with depression and tears. My son’s health is declining in prison.”

Haris’ mother, a shy sister by the name of Faiqa Ahmed, requested that this

>> RALLY Pg 9

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Family members and supporters of victims of “pre-emptive prosecutions” march to the Department of Justice where they protested with signs and fliers about the cases. Photos courtesy of Ayesha Hoda.

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Educating America About Palestine is Key To Struggle Say Activists

By Rola Ghannam

Muslim Link Staff Writer Shortly after the congregation Maghrib prayer came to an end on Saturday, January 22nd, about 40 people, both men and women, gathered in the courtyard of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church for the American Muslims for Palestine’s 2nd Annual Gaza Commemoration Event.

As part of a national campaign hosted by AMP, the event, titled “Two Years Later: Besieged Gaza Still Standing Tall,” aimed to remind people of what happened in Gaza, and to make them aware of the facts and of their role in America.

The three guest speakers, Sheikh Shaker Elsayed, Osama Abuirshaid, and Edward Peck, each had their opportunity to speak to the audience.

The first to speak, Sheikh Shaker, the imam of Dar Al-Hijrah mosque, gave a background on the significance of the holy land for people of different faithsMuslims, Christians and Jews. Palestine, he states, is equally valuable to Christians and Jews, as it is to Muslims.

Shaker mentioned Umar Bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be please with him), the

second caliph of Islam, and his refusal to pray in The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem (which Christians believe is the place Jesus was crucified and buried), for fear that if he did, then the Muslims might come to build a masjid where the church once stood.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre remains in the holy city today, across from a mosque later built in honor of Umar Bin Al-Khattab, symbolizing tolerance of other faiths, mutual respect, and the significance of this land for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Shaker also noted the importance of the holy land to Muslims because of Al-Isra wa al-mi’raj, the miraculous night journey where the Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) is believed to have traveled from the sacred ka’bah in Mecca to Al Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, where he then led the previous prophets in prayer before ascending into heaven.

In pointing out the significance of this land for Muslims and Non-Muslims alike, Shaker claimed that the right to Palestine is as much a right to Muslims as it is to Christians and Jews. Likewise, the ongoing struggle of the Palestinians living under occupation is not simply a Muslim struggle, but rather a Christian struggle

Edward Peck speaks to a small crowd at Dar Al-Hijrah on the situation in Gaza.

Peck is a career politician with most of his experience serving US interests in the Muslim world. He was also deputy director of the White House Task Force on Terrorism in the Reagan Administration. Photo by Rola Ghannam. too, as Palestinians are both Muslim and Christian.

When speaking about the ongoing Palestinian struggle, Shaker made it clear that we must be committed to “justice” and remember that the Palestinian struggle is a struggle against those occupying and oppressing them, not a struggle directed at people of particular faiths. Under the rule of Umar Bin AlKhattab, Christians and Jews in the holy land were allowed to worship freely, as was the case after the Muslims defeated the Crusaders and recaptured Jerusalem.

Islam, as Shaker noted, instructs Muslims to be tolerant of other faiths, and “not fight people based on their beliefs, religion, or religious denomination, but rather against oppression, whether committed

by Muslims or non-Muslims alike.”

Osama Abuirshaid, a board member of American Muslims for Palestine, and editor and publisher of Al Meezan newspaper was the next to speak. He took the opportunity to remind people of the >> GAZA Pg 8

Judge Delays Chandia Re-Sentencing

By Muslim Link Staff Maryland Muslim youth Ali Asad Chandia returned to the federal court in Alexandria, Virginia on Friday, January 28, 2011, trying for a second time to challenge Judge Claude Hilton’s application of a terrorism enhancement on his sentence.

Chandia, 34, was convicted of providing material support to Lashkar-e-Taiba, a group fighting the Indian occupation of Kashmir and sentenced to 15 years in August 2006. Chandia’s sentence was inflated by the “terrorism enhancement”

– a federal law allowing a defendant’s sentence to be dramatically increased if the alleged crime can be considered a “federal crime of terrorism”.

Without the application of the terrorism enhancement on his sentence, Chandia could have faced about six years in prison; he has already served almost five years.

Challenging the sentence in October 2007 at the Federal Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, Chandia’s defense argued that Judge Hilton’s application of the terrorism enhancement law was not

only unwarranted and inappropriate, but also that Judge Hilton did not justify his application of the enhancement nor did he allow the defense adequate time to argue against the enhancement. “Where did [Judge Hilton] make the finding of facts to support the pre-sentence report [and application of the terrorism enhancement],” a panel judge asked prosecutor government prosecutor John Gibbs. “He did not articulate it well, I give you that,” said Gibbs. “Did he articulate it at all?” replied the judge.

are not comfortable holding that Chandia is a defendant who warrants harsh enhancement.” Canceling Chandia’s sentence, the appellate court ordered District Judge Hilton to either justify his use of the terrorism enhancement or re-sentence Chandia without using the enhancement. Hilton gave no new justifications for his use of the enhancement at a re-sentencing on April 25, 2008 and re-sentenced the former elementary school teacher to the same 15-year prison term. Again, the defense

The Court of Appeals agreed with the defense, stating in its judgment that “we

>> CHANDIA Pg 10

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

COMMUNITY NEWS |

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Multiculturalism Education Should Start At A Young Age, Say Area Muslim Educators

By Hiba Akhtar

Muslim Link Staff Writer In his last sermon, the final Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) said, “All mankind is from Adam and Eve, an Arab has no superiority over a non-Arab nor a non-Arab has any superiority over an Arab; also a white has no superiority over black nor a black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action.

Learn that every Muslim is a brother to every Muslim and that the Muslims constitute one brotherhood. Nothing shall be legitimate to a Muslim which belongs to a fellow Muslim unless it was given freely and willingly. Do not, therefore, do injustice to yourselves.”

Fast-forward some 1400 years to life as a Muslim in the DC metropolitan area.

Muslims here are lucky- unlike Houston, Texas or Dearborn, Michigan, there is no one race more prevalent than others KABUL

>> continued from pg 1 was in Afghanistan within 2-weeks of accepting the assignment. On his off hours in Kabul, Ahmad is running a small donation program where he collects money from family and friends back home, and purchases blankets and other necessities for poor families in and around Kabul.

Here is an edited interview with Ahmad, conducted while he was in Kabul.

TML: Is this the first time you’ve been to Afghanistan? If so, was there any culture shock?

Ahmad: This is the first time I have ever been to Afghanistan. I have always wanted to come, and more than anything help the people out because they have been through so much turmoil. It is as if Afghanistan is decades behind but [also] in some sort of modern era. There are things here that are not even in the states yet, which is very surprising and it seems like all the young people wear western clothes now. While growing up,

within the Muslim community. Here in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC., Muslims are diverse- each masjid, halal grocery store, and Islamic school is represented by a cornucopia of cultures and ethnicities. One could even say the Muslims here are at an advantage when it comes to practicing the value of multiculturalism which the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him) advised about in his final sermon.

So how are we doing when it comes to practicing this ideal? Do our children know that before Martin Luther King preached it, the message of unity and brotherhood defying ethnic and cultural boundaries was preached by the Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon him)? To what extent does a Pakistani child regard his Egyptian friend as his brother? Are we doing enough to help our children realize that faith brings all Muslims together?

No, according to Islamic Center of my parents raised us through the culture with Islam as a main focus. I thought I would be very different than the Afghans here, but it seems like I kind of fit in. It was not a huge cultural shock for me personally.

TML: What is the situation like in Kabul?

Do you venture outside the city -- we hear the security situation is not good outside of Kabul. Where do you live? On a base or in a hotel?

Ahmad: Kabul is a fairly safe area. We have guards with us at all times for added security, mainly because the people on this project are not Afghan, but it is provided from the company. We are not allowed to go out and do things on our own, we must seek approval first. There are always stories that you hear about people being kidnapped and other things happening. If they do know that you are wealthy and from the states, then you might be a greater target, but for the most part, it is not too bad, especially for one that speaks the language and knows the culture. I haven’t been outside of Kabul >> KABUL II Pg 16

Area Muslim schools enroll students representing the vast diversity of the Muslim world. Pictured above, a class at the Al-Huda School preschool in College Park, MD. About one dozen different ethnicities are represented in this photo, courtesy of Al-Huda School.

Maryland principal Mannan Dasti. Parents and teachers should be doing more to embrace diversity so that, in turn, their children embrace it too. “Often, parents

struggle with integrating in a diverse >> EDUCATION Pg 7

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February 4th - February 17th, 2011

COMMUNITY NEWS

LAW

>> continued from pg 1 convicted of terrorism crimes.

Over 100 audience members, about half who were Muslim, attended the event which was not widely publicized at area masajid.

Each panel involved two or three “citizen representatives” who made brief statements, and two or three “expert witnesses” who sat on a different table and gave opening remarks and then took questions from the citizen representatives.

The format is used at congressional hearings.

The first panel, “Prosecuting Thought Crimes and Manufactured Charges”, included constitutional law professor and past-President of the National Lawyers Guild Peter Erlinder; Reem Salahi, an attorney who worked on wrongful detention cases in New York; Kathy Manely, one of the attorneys for New York Imam Yasin Aref who was entrapped by the FBI and convicted of terrorism charges; and Sara Flounders, an anti-war activist and co-Director of the International Action Center. There were two expert witnesses – professor and civil rights attorney Sahar Aziz and attorney Steve Downs.

A prime concern of this first panel was the concept of “material support” – a legal term the government uses to define participation in terrorism in ways other than acts of violence. Most post-9/11 terrorism convictions involving Muslim men in the United States were on material support charges.

“The laws of material support need to be reformed because they are so broad and vague,” said Sahar Aziz. As a matter of law, the government cannot investigate citizens for acting on their first amendment rights, but the material support law “makes many first amendment rights criminal” said Aziz, who served as a policy advisor for the Department of Homeland Security. When Aziz and other legal experts file complaints with the government about the material support laws, they are “widely dismissed with boilerplate responses,” said Aziz.

Attorney Steve Downs said its easier to convict Muslims using ill-founded legal techniques because of the idea of

“collective guilt”, which he said is a way to “create exceptions to the ideal of equal protection under the law.” Asked by a panel member if its possible to challenge the use of the label “terrorism”, Downs said the label is key to the way the government communicates.

“George Washington was a terrorist to the British. It’s a classic problem that you label someone so you don’t have to listen to them … people don’t [bomb others] for no reason, they have a reason … [but using labels] squashes political dialogue,” said Downs, who also recommended

his own terminology, opting to refer to what is commonly called “pre-emptive prosecution” as “predatory prosecutions”.

Downs’ client – Imam Yasin Aref – was entrapped by an informant in New York who later entrapped four others in New York in a case now known as the “Newburgh 4”. Downs said the government has manipulated the law over the last decade so its virtually impossible to go to trial on equal footing.

For example, the government is legally exempted from identifying exculpatory evidence found in its surveillance material – evidence which could show a defendant

is actually not guilty of the charges against them.

Sahar Aziz added that sometimes people are targeted for arrest and conviction simply because an FBI agent or federal prosecutor is seeking notoriety or a promotion. She called these “microincentives”.

The second panel was titled “Profiling

>> LAW II Pg 8

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

COMMUNITY NEWS |

Hello, and Salaam !

Virginia Attorney Ismail Laher started Hello Groups about 13 years ago, a professional networking platform that hosts networking events throughout the year. Hello-Salaam is another one of Laher’s projects and it brings Muslim business people and professionals together with Muslim non-profits and masajid. On January 20, 2011, the first Hello Salaam event of the year took place at the Islamic Center of Northern Virginia Trust masjid in Fairfax, VA. About 100 people attended the catered dinner. Laher introduced each participant using index cards they filled out with three facts about themselves.

The next Hello-Salaam networking event is March 2, 2011 from 6pm-10pm at the ADAMS Center in Herndon, Virginia. Organizers say they hope to hold the events at different area masajid. For more information, email helloandsalaam@gmail.com. Pictured from right, Ahmed Shakil Mian of Urdu Times, President of ICNVT Dr. Farooq Mian, and Ismail Laher. Photo courtesy of Ajaz Siddiqi.

EDUCATION

>> continued from pg 5 Muslim setting because of a language barrier, so they choose to stick with people who speak the same language as them. This sometimes [affects] their children. Because their children are so used to one particular type of people, that’s all they gravitate towards.”

Al-Huda School fourth-grade teacher Mariam Tasleem agrees. “As children get older, they often find themselves influenced by the stereotypes exhibited by family members, friends, or the media.

If they don’t develop an understanding of the beauty of being a part of a multicultural society they may find themselves actually believing these stereotypes.”

According to Dasti, looking for similarities in people rather than their differences is key when it comes to spreading out and establishing new relationships.

“We tend to focus on what makes us different, so we stick to people similar to us. Let’s step back and look at what makes us the same- and that begins with our religion,” he said.

ICCL Academy director Ambereen Hasan says it takes a conscious effort from a young age to spread the message of diversity and embracing other cultures. Hasan and the ICCL teachers just wrapped up “Culture Week,” a celebration of the various cultures and ethnicities present at the school. Though ICCL Academy students are only of

pre-kindergarten and kindergarten age, Hasan says it’s never too early to start instilling these values in children.

“Culture week is one of the ways we allow each child to feel special about who they are,” said Hasan. “We invite parents to come in and talk about the countries they are originally from, and the kids love hearing about different places. This year we learned about Uganda, India, Puerto Rico, Pakistan, Palestine, Morocco and Ecuador, along with other countries. Children learn songs in other languages, learn about national dress, and sample different foods, and when they see their parents doing a presentation, it makes them even more excited.”

According to Hasan, it’s important to help children understand how knowledge of other countries and groups of people impacts one’s life. “One mother from Puerto Rico explained that, when they get older, it would be a good idea for the students to learn Spanish,” she said.

“Then they can go to countries like Puerto Rico and give da’wah. This makes them understand why its important to learn another language.”

Al-Huda School Qur ’an teacher Sumayyah Taufique agrees with the message of preaching the value of multiculturalism. “The world we live in is really diverse and kids, especially Muslim kids, need to realize that people of all colors, sizes, languages are a part of their world and it makes no difference in how you treat/interact with people, especially each other.”

Tasleem says that teachers play a vital role in helping to bring to reality the

idea of embracing diversity. “Often, students ask uncomfortable or awkward questions, where I just want to say, ‘we don’t ask those kinds of questions,’ or ‘don’t worry about it.’ But then I realize that if I don’t answer their questions, then they may never understand and may live their whole life in ignorance.

As a teacher, I have made a promise to educate these students to the best of my ability, so that they become open-minded and unprejudiced individuals.”

At the high school and university level, it takes an event like the Muslim Inter Scholastic Tournament to blast away the barriers and bring young people together.

According to regional director Adam Kareem, last year’s MIST tournament exemplified the spirit of unity needed by American Muslims. “These competitors are learning and growing together in the workshops and excitedly encouraging one another in between it all. We have youth from masjids who abide by different schools of thought.... yet, for MIST weekend, all they know is “We.” These youth will sprout into the leaders of our communities in the years to come.

And these shared experiences, these friendships that they develop, will be the tool to promote their cooperation in their work and efforts for the community of tomorrow.”

They all spread the message of diversity and multiculturalism in different ways, but the voices in this story have one thing in common: spreading the message that the value of acknowledgment, tolerance and appreciation for Muslims of various ethnicities and cultures is priceless, and that it’s never to early to teach this most valuable lesson to the youngest of our community.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

GAZA

>> continued from pg 4 atrocities that occurred in the most recent war in Gaza in December of 2008.

Abuirshaid spoke of the more than 1,400 people slaughtered and killed in the Gaza invasion, the more than 4,000 homes demolished, the entire families that were wiped out, and the hundreds of thousands uprooted, displaced from their land, and massacred since the creation of the State of Israel.

After addressing the facts and statistics, he made it a point to address the underlying issue concerning the Palestinian struggle – the occupation. Abuirshaid referred to the blockade on the 1.5 million people living in Gaza, a strip of land just 220 square miles long, as “a form of occupation, the essence of which is aggression.”

Edward Peck, a former US ambassador and one of the members on board the Gaza Freedom Flotilla in May 2010, claims that “occupation” is a word that the press never uses. This does not surprise

LAW II

>> continued from pg 6 and the Erosion of Civil Freedoms”, with expert testimony provided by Stanford educated lawyer and Bill of Rights Defense Committee Executive Director Shahid Buttar, and Mike German, policy counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and a former FBI agent specialized in domestic terrorism investigations. CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad chaired the panel of citizen representatives.

New York Congressman Peter King’s upcoming hearings on “homegrown terrorism” came up repeatedly during the afternoon, and Awad urged attendees to show up at the Capitol Hill sessions in large numbers. “Guilt by association is a shortcut to security … I would [also] like to know what radicalized Timothy McVeigh [the Oklahoma City bomber] to kill so many people in 1995, what radicalized a man who flew his airplane into the IRS building in Texas, [Jared] Loughner who shot so many people in Arizona … to devote an entire hearing to

Peck, in a country where he says the Israel lobby is so powerful that 87 out of 100 senators voted to repress the United Nations’ Goldstone Report that claimed Israel used disproportionate force in Gaza. The United States gives over $3 billion in tax payer dollars a year to the State of Israel.

Shaker believes the solution is a Muslim lobby which is just as strong as the Jewish lobby. “We have the initiative, technical skills, and resources, but not the will of the Muslim people,” he said. He claims that this needs to change if we are to make any changes in US foreign policy toward Israel.

Having visited Gaza in 2006, when the people of Gaza elected Hamas, Peck had the opportunity to talk to Palestinians, who said that “it was a free and fair election.”

The result of this election, however, was Israel’s unjust collective punishment and blockade on the people of Gaza, which the US has yet to condemn, despite its violation of international law.

Israel against criminal prosecution in his mention of the cover-up of the killing of 34 Americans and approximately 170 wounded aboard the USS Liberty in international waters by the air and naval forces of Israel in June of 1967.

Peck claims the “US always talks with the Israelis, but rarely ever do we hold talks with the Palestinians.” Our support and frequent communication for Israel shows that we are committed to their cause; however, Peck believes that we need to show the Palestinians that we are committed to their cause too. This, he claims, is a necessary step to end the war and violence in the region, and argued that “unless everyone is living in peace and security, no one is.”

Shaker, Abuirshaid, and Peck all agree that Americans need to be informed and educated on the history of Palestine. They also strongly encouraged people to be active in talking to their representatives and advocating for human rights for the Palestinian people.

Peck further illustrated the US government’s unrelenting support and the immunity that it grants the State of

Aida Khater, a Palestinian Muslim attending the event, agrees that education is key. She believes that there needs to

[target] the Muslim community just for cheap political gains should be rejected by all Americans,” said Awad as part of his opening statement. Congressman King claims his hearings will explore the causes of radicalization within the American Muslim community. The hearings will take place this February.

– “Suspicious Activity Reporting”.

Buttar listed some examples of what the government considers “suspicious activity” including taking notes, donating to charities, drawing diagrams, espousing extreme views, and photography. The FBI also recommended to its agents that falafel stands might be good targets for investigation, said Buttar.

As part of the discussion on profiling, Shahid Buttar reminded attendees of the Muslim Mapping program proposed by law enforcement in California to identify parts of the state where there are large numbers of Muslims, and how such efforts were also undertaken by federal agencies like the FBI. The Muslim Mapping program was disbanded, but data on regions of the country with large Muslim populations continues to be collected by the federal government. In a special investigation late last year, the Washington Post reported that security and anti-terrorism funding was allocated to local governments in part based on the number of Muslims they had in their jurisdictions.

Another federal initiative which encourages profiling is the SAR program

When asked by a panelist if the SAR program can be challenged, ACLU attorney Mike German said the government has made that near impossible. “It’s very difficult to get any data … we cannot see the effect of profiling if the information [and data] is not being released,” he said.

The final panel was titled “Unequal Tr e a t m e n t a n d Vi c t i m F a m i l i e s Testimonies”. Expert testimony was provided by Padriss Kabriaei, an attorney with the Center of Constitutional Rights who represents several Guantanamo Bay inmates challenging their detentions in US courts, and four family members impacted by “war on terrorism” trials. The panel was moderated by Imam Shaker Elsayed from Dar Al-Hijrah.

be a “change in the curriculum taught in school,” so that people are not ignorant when it comes to the history of the Palestinian people.

Peck admitted that throwing the facts out there and challenging the strong Israel lobby wasn’t going “to be easy or quick,” but he is not deterred by the long road ahead of him. “So many people already have their minds closed. You plant a couple of seeds and hope that something green and healthy will grow out of it. We can’t give up the struggle.”

Abuirshaid is also optimistic, and sees the resilience of the Palestinians in Gaza after the 2008 invasion, their resistance to the occupation, and their refusal to leave, despite the murder of family members, as a sign that Gaza is still standing tall.

“Gaza is still standing tall because of our commitment to justice,” said Abuirshaid.

However, Abuirshaid said there is still much to be done. “We claim to be the beacon of freedom and we should substantiate our claims.”

Attorney Kabriaei began the discussion talking about the unusually harsh measures put on Muslims detained for non-violent crimes, especially the extreme isolation they are made to endure. Key to this harsh treatment are SAMS – “Special Administrative Measures” – incarceration policies made individually for inmates and authorized with a signature from the Attorney General of the United States.

“There is no opportunity to challenge the application of SAMS,” admitted Kabriaei.

The family member testimonials were eye-opening even for family members themselves, as some of them did not know what other detainees were undergoing.

Faisal Hashmi, the brother of Fahad Hashmi who was convicted of material support charges for storing some rain coats and other gear for someone who was later identified as a terrorist and is now serving a 15 year sentence, described some aspects of his brother’s prison

>> LAW III Pg 10

February 4th - February 17th, 2011 RALLY

>> continued from pg 3 writer read her prepared statement, part of which argued: ‘NO documents showed, and no witness proved, that Haris was a member of any ‘terrorist’ organization or even supported acts of terrorism.” And then echoing a refrain which no doubt resonates in the hearts of many Muslim parents today, she noted, “Religious expression and debates of [Muslim] teenagers have been taken out of context by the government to paint them as ‘terrorists’ and to prosecute them preemptively.”

The “Fort Dix Five,” out of Cherry Hill (NJ), were represented by the young daughter of one of the three Duka brothers (Dritan, Shane and Eljvir). These Albanian Muslim brothers - along with two other only sons of a Palestinian family and a Turkish family - were engulfed in a living nightmare that began a few years ago, and continues to this day. Leijla Duka, 13, is the daughter of the oldest of the three, Dritan.

Commenting on the impact that this ordeal has had on her family, Leijla stated in her remarks: “Sometimes I cry myself to sleep thinking about how my family was torn apart! These people are ruining our lives. That’s why I came here today. I came to put a stop to this!

These people are playing with our lives, and STILL ARE! We don’t know who to trust anymore!”

She concluded by stating, “Now they are after my younger uncle, Burim Duka.

Every time he goes somewhere my grandmother prays that he will come back alive! People are really sick these days! That’s why we need to stop this madness!

Laila Yaghi traveled from Raleigh (NC) to speak on behalf of her son and other defendants in the case known in North Carolina as the “Raleigh 7.” Laila has been struggling for some time now as a dedicated committee of one! While family members of her son’s co-defendants cower in the shadows, no doubt praying for the same system that callously arrested their loved ones to render some modicum of mercy and “justice,” Laila travels as much as her limited resource will allow, to

COMMUNITY NEWS | tell her story to whomever will listen.

“At the January 28th mobilization, Laila placed her son’s ordeal within the context of history: “As I stand here I ask myself, why does this keep happening to people from different backgrozunds? Medgar Evers, an African American civil rights activist who was assassinated by the

prosecutors more than a little heart-burn and uncertainty, before the jury came back with a finding of “guilty” on all counts.

Why? Because even the presiding judge, in the privacy of her chambers, reportedly referred to it as “the un-terrorism case.”

(That’s how blatant the government’s own conspiracy was!)

“This is our countr y, yet we are being oppressed simply because of our faith! My life has been interrupted and now filled with depression and tears. My son’s health is declining in prison.”

Ku Klux Klan, is an example of what is happening to Muslim people these days; except people like Medgar Evers are replaced by the Muslims, and the Ku Klux Klan has been replaced by the FBI. “I wonder how a country that I am born in, and so proud of, does this to its own people. An innocent trip my son Ziyad

And finally, there was the designated spokesperson for the Houston-based immigration case involving Sheikh Zoubir Bouchikhi – a beloved and respected religious leader who recently became the unfortunate target of an unjust deportation aided and abetted by one or more of his own corrupt-hearted Muslim brethren.

In a very distinctive southwestern drawl,

“Now they are after my younger uncle, Burim Duka. Ever y time he goes somewhere my grandmother prays that he will come back alive!”

Yaghi took overseas has shattered our lives. Why would my own beloved country do this to its own people? Where are our rights as human beings?”

Where indeed?

An independent activist-oriented photo-journalist, Lyric, spoke about the Newburgh 4 case; an entrapment case involving the same Pakistani-born, government paid agent-provocateur that was used in an Albany (NY) case a few years earlier; a case that maliciously ensnared a respected imam by the name of Yasin Aref, and Muslim businessman Mohammed Hossain.

The Newburgh 4 case caused government

Mohamed Kandil delivered an excellent summary of the case (omitting the dirty laundry that surrounds it).

Steve Downs, a retired lawyer and cofounder of Albany (NY) based Project SALAM, spoke on the growing antipreemptive prosecution movement in America. At the conclusion of the rally he presented a letter to an official of the Justice Department who came out to receive it. (The letter, which was drafted

by Project SALAM and co-signed by many in attendance, was addressed to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.)

Referencing the July 10, 2009, Inspectors General report titled, “Unclassified Report on the President’s Surveillance Program,”

9

which recommended a review of what may prove to be a significant number of unwarranted “terrorism” cases, the letter read in part: To date the Department of Justice and the Congress have not acted on this recommendation. The Department of Justice is faced with the prospect that many defendants convicted in international terrorism cases may be serving long prison sentences even though their trials were unfair and illegal because prosecutors failed to provide discovery of exculpatory information. Moreover, to this day, information may be available in the PSP which would prove that these defendants in fact are innocent of the charges against them.

As long as the Department of Justice and Congress ignore the recommendations of the July 10, 2009 report, the international terrorism convictions obtained by the Department of Justice will be stained with injustice. The trials cannot be described as fair or lawful. The Department may have knowingly sent innocent persons to jail for long prison sentences.

We strongly recommend that you implement the recommendations of the July 10, 2009 report and appoint special prosecutors to review the cases and the PSP to determine if the defendants received fair trials including all the necessary discovery of exculpatory information.

The January 28th DC Mobilization, which began with a special jumu’ah, and was conducted through a light snowfall, was a resounding success. Our niyah (intention) is to plan for a much larger mobilization at the same location in the spring, insha’Allah. As one of the panelists of the of the Citizens’ Hearing that was held in downtown Washington the following day remarked, “If only we [in America] could be like the Egyptians.”

We will have that opportunity to make our voices heard. The only question is: how many of us are prepared to say enough is enough!

---------------------El-Hajj Mauri’ Saalakhan serves as Director of Operations for The Peace Thru Justice Foundation. He can be reached at peacethrujustice@aol.com .

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

10 | COMMUNITY NEWS CHANDIA

>> continued from pg 4 brought the issue to the Court of Appeals who agreed again, sending Chandia in front of Judge Hilton for sentencing for a third time on January 28, 2011.

A courtroom packed with supporters from the Muslim community – some who could not find seating and had to wait outside – were taken aback at Judge Hilton’s aggressive and agitated posture towards Chandia’s defense.

“This is the third time, its starting to be a career for me … what’s going to be different than what was said before?” he asked attorney Marvin Miller at the outset.

Miller proceeded to identify portions of Chandia’s pre-sentencing report the defense felt should be removed because they were unrelated to Chandia’s case.

Judge Hilton became visibly annoyed.

“Just because it’s in the PSR doesn’t mean he will be sentenced on it,” he said.

A pre-sentencing report (PSR) is a document prepared by the United States Probations Office and furnished to the trial judge to guide them in sentencing the defendant and also used by the Bureau of Prisons to determine a plan for how the defendant will be incarcerated – the type of prison, the level of restriction, and visitation allowances among other aspects of the defendant’s life as an inmate.

LAW III

>> continued from pg 8 life. Twenty-three hours per days Fahad Hashmi, 31, is in isolation in a c ell by himself. He is not permitted to speak out loud in his own cell, and cannot pull a shower curtain when he washes because a video camera needs to see him at all times. Faisal said when the defense complained about these harsh conditions, the judge said they are “administrative, not punitive”.

Other family members who testified included Noor Elashi, daughter of Ghassan Elashi who is serving a 65-year sentence after being convicted in the Holy Land Foundation trial; Mariam Abu-Ali, sister

Chandia’s PSR contains references to AlQaeda, the war in Chechnya, the Taliban, defendants from other “terrorism” cases, and the 9/11 attacks.

As Miller noted each portion of the PSR he wanted removed, Judge Hilton asked prosecutor John Gibbs if the government had any objection. Each time the government objected, Judge Hilton overruled the defense and rejected the change to the PSR. If the government had no objections, the judge allowed the change.

Of particular concern to the defense was the PSR’s references to the 9/11 attacks. “[The 9/11 references] are a real bone of contention for us,” said Miller. After Gibbs began explaining the government’s position – that 9/11 was “very relevant because [the conspiracy] started after 9/11” and that “it is difficult to set forth the chronology without that” – Judge Hilton cut him off and denied the defense motion to strike references to 9/11 from Chandia’s PSR. In another exchange, Miller asked that references to a speech about the space shuttle disaster delivered by Dr. Ali AlTimimi – a Northern Virginia area Islamic lecturer now serving life in prison on charges he inspired local area Muslim youth to travel to Afghanistan to fight in jihad – be removed from Chandia’s PSR. “Mr. Chandia wasn’t involved in writing, researching, preparing, hearing,

or knowing about [the shuttle speech], it is not relevant conduct [to use] for sentencing Chandia,” argued Miller. An incredulous Ali Asad Chandia shook his head as Gibbs said Dr. Ali Al-Timimi was Chandia’s “mentor” and the “catalyst for this entire conspiracy”.

Because of the large number of changes requested by the defense to the PSR, Judge Hilton asked both Miller and Gibbs to produce a final PSR which will be used at a re-scheduled re-sentencing hearing on March 11, 2011. Even so, Judge Hilton gave the defense little reason to hope he will change his mind several weeks in the future, saying he doesn’t see how further argument about the PSR will make any difference as far as the sentence.

Miller then addressed the court, motioning to the packed spectator benches.

“As you can see, this court room is full,” began Miller. He argued that Chandia did not have “the required intent” to warrant application of the terrorism enhancement.

Referencing the paintball group – several area Muslim youth charged and convicted of conspiring to engage in jihad in Afghanistan – Miller said Chandia was not a part of their group, nor was he ever invited to participate in their activities.

“They knew Chandia wasn’t like them … [defendant] Kwon called [Chandia] a wimp in testimony … they had guns, training, websites … they did not want [Chandia] with them because they knew his state of mind,” said Miller. “A person

of Ahmed Abu-Ali who was tortured into a confession in Saudi Arabia and then convicted of plotting to assassinate President George W. Bush and is now serving a life sentence in Colorado’s Supermax prison; and Lejla Duka, the 13year old daughter of Dritan Duka from the Fort Dix 5 case who is also serving a life sentence in the Supermax prison.

There was a solidarity among attendees – most were already aware of the issues discussed and had followed trials over the past several years – and this was on display during an impromptu announcement by Alicia McWilliams, the aunt of defendant David Williams from the Newburgh-4 case.

The forum closed with a call to action and a call to educate fellow Americans.

Attorney Shahid Buttar said what can be achieved at the local level – counties and cities – cannot be imagined at the federal level. He urged attendees to engage with local government and local law enforcement so at least they don’t support the federal government’s unconstitutional and over reaching misuse of the law.

Between the first and second panels, she rose and walked to the front of the room. Raising her voice to get everyone’s attention, she announced her effort to get 5,000 letters signed to present to the judge, asking him to dismiss the case.

“Don’t let fear stop you from putting your name [on this letter]. Us family members … we come out here and fight hard, I hit the streets, I hit the trains, I am out

doesn’t turn on a dime and go from a mild mannered, loving, caring individual and then switch it off.”

Miller was arguing that Chandia’s actions do not meet the definition of a “federal crime of terrorism”, which is any actions “calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government by intimidation or coercion, or to retaliate against government conduct”.

John Gibbs argued that the “inferences lead to [the] conclusion that the terrorism enhancement applies.” Gibbs proceeded to repeat several government allegations as fact.

“When Chandia was recruited, he was made fully aware that we was being recruited,” said Gibbs, among other allegations which were never proven during the trial.

When Marvin Miller rose to correct the government’s statements, Judge Hilton angrily stopped him.

“Don’t keep telling me you disagree!” shouted Judge Hilton. “I want to add just one fact,” replied Miller. “We’ll get along without it,” said Judge Hilton.

Ali Asad, along with many in the crowd of almost 100 supporters, shook his head in disbelief.

--------------------------------------------

Re-sentencing is schedule for March 11, 2011. Ali Asad will remain at the Alexandria Detention Center through the re-sentencing date. To learn more about his case, search for “Chandia” at muslimlinkpaper.com.

there supporting my nephew with fliers, petitions, by any means necessary, I’m out there doing it , I don’t have time for fear.

All I have is that’s my family member … and love is what keeps me going. We are one family now, we are all fighting for justice. It doesn’t matter what religion you are. This is an American issue, its a people issue, we are the people, we make America. OK? One family now?”

She raised her first and smiled before taking her seat.

-----------------------------------------------To listen to the testimonies, visit the online version of this article at www. muslimlinkpaper.com.

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

World Press

WORLD PRESS | 11

The Triviality of US Mideast Policy US Mideast policy has been irrelevant and fails to accommodate the current movement that is sweeping across the region.

By Robert Grenier January 31, 2011 Al-Jazeera “Watching and responding.”

That was the phrase used by PJ Crowley, the US state department spokesman, in his recent interview with Al Jazeera.

In the midst of the startling and compelling events taking place in the Middle East since the advent of Tunisia’s ongoing “jasmine revolution”, with people taking to the streets in Algeria, in Yemen, in Jordan, and, most importantly, shaking the foundations of the Mubarak regime in Egypt - the US, he said, is passively “watching and responding”.

It all reminds me somehow of my poor old headmaster. A tall, unbending, flinty New Englander, he had presided over my boarding prep-school - what the British would call a “public school” - since 1949.

One sunny spring Sunday in 1970, while delivering a routine lecture at chapel services, he must have sensed something amiss. Pausing from his text to peer out over his spectacles, he was nonplussed to see that all the boys had stood up in unison, and were silently filing out.

Not sure what else to do, he meekly fell in behind, following as they marched up Main Street. The student ringleaders, seeing the angular, loping figure of the headmaster tagging along behind, sent word to ask if he would like to join them at the front.

He complied. The next day’s headline in the local newspaper read: “Headmaster leads students in anti-Vietnam War protest.” To my knowledge, it was the beginning and the end of Mr. Stevens’

career as a political agitator.

This mildly humorous episode merely underscored what we had already known.

It was not that the headmaster was a bad man, or uncaring, or hostile to student sentiments: Much the contrary.

It was simply that he had become irrelevant. His mental architecture was adjusted to a world which had long since faded.

He could hardly comprehend, much less constructively engage on the questions and challenges of a new time. And so it is with America.

Events in the Middle East have slipped away from us. Having long since opted in favour of political stability over the risks and uncertainties of democracy, having told ourselves that the people of the region are not ready to shoulder the burdens of freedom, having stressed that the necessary underpinnings of self-government go well beyond mere elections, suddenly the US has nothing it can credibly say as people take to the streets to try to seize control of their collective destiny.

All the US can do is “watch and respond”, trying to make the best of what it transparently regards as a bad situation.

Our words betray us. US spokesmen stress the protesters’ desire for jobs and for economic opportunity, as though that were the full extent of their aspirations.

They entreat the wobbling, repressive governments in the region to “respect civil society”, and the right of the people to protest peacefully, as though these thoroughly discredited autocrats were actually capable of reform.

They urge calm and restraint. One

Quotable Quote: “I think this [is] a sign of the general failure of our strategy of dealing with radical Islamicsts and not being honest and aggressive of what’s going on around the world.” – Newt Gingrich on the revolution in Egypt, January 30, 2011 as quoted in the Washington Post listens in vain, however, for a ringing endorsement of freedom, or for a statement of encouragement to those willing to risk everything to assert their rights and their human dignity - values which the US nominally regards as universal.

Yes, it must be acknowledged that the US has limited influence, even over regimes with which it is aligned and which benefit from US largess. And yes, a great power has competing practical interests - be those a desire for counter-terrorism assistance, or for promotion of regional peace - which it must balance, at least in the short term, against a more idealistic commitment to democracy and universal values.

But there are two things which must be stressed in this regard.

The first is the extent to which successive US administrations have consistently betrayed a lack of faith in the efficacy of America’s democratic creed, the extent to which the US government has denied the essentially moderating influence of democratic accountability to the people, whether in Algeria in 1992 or in Palestine in 2006.

The failure of the US to uphold its stated commitment to democratic values therefore goes beyond a simple surface hypocrisy, beyond the exigencies of great-

power interests, to suggest a fundamental lack of belief in democracy as a means of promoting enlightened, long-term US interests in peace and stability.

The second is the extent to which the US has simply become irrelevant in the Middle East. It is not that US policy is intentionally evil: After all, regional peace and an end to violence against innocents are worthy goals.

Instead it is that, like my old unfortunate headmaster, the US’s entire frame of reference in the region is hopelessly outdated, and no longer has meaning: As if the street protesters in Tunis and Cairo could possibly care what the US thinks or says; as if the political and economic reform which president Obama stubbornly urges on Mubarak while Cairo burns could possibly satisfy those risking their lives to overcome nearly three decades of his repression; as if the two-state solution in Palestine for which the US has so thoroughly compromised itself, and for whose support the US administration still praises Mubarak, has even the slightest hope of realisation; as if the exercise in brutal and demeaning collective punishment inflicted upon Gaza, and for whose enforcement the US, again, still credits Mubarak could possibly produce a decent or just outcome; as if >> MIDEAST Pg 15

12 | ISLAM

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February 4th - February 17th, 2011

Islam

“So He made them lag behind..”

Source: ProductiveMuslim.com SubhanaAllah, today came across a verse in the Quran that sent shivers down my spine.

Allah says in the Quran: “If they had intended to come out, they would certainly have made some preparation therefore; but Allah was averse to their being sent forth; so He made them lag behind, and they were told, “Sit ye among those who sit (inactive).” (At-Taubah: 46) SubhanaAllah! O Allah protect us!

What is our purpose in life if we are left ‘inactive’ and unproductive?!

T h e r e n o w n e d s c h o l a r, S h a y k h Muhammad Bin Uthaymeen when he was explaining this verse said: “O Allah protect us! This verse is very powerful, and we should measure ourselves to it.

You should look into yourself, check if

your self is constantly lazy from doing good deeds, if yes, then have fear that it might be Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) who made you lag behind. So force yourself towards good deeds, for today you may do the good deeds whilst your self hates it, but tomorrow you’ll do it and your self will be obedient to it.”

The verse above was revealed in relation to the story of the hypocrites in Medina who were to join Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his companions in one of the battles but didn’t do so. Their downfall was due to 2 main reasons: They didn’t have true sincere intentions [to join the battle], They didn’t prepare for it.

These 2 elements are the crux of being productive vs. unproductive. You need to have the sincere desire and intention to work hard for Islam and get things done. It’s no good just talking about being productive or being active. Secondly, you have to get ready physically for whatever

A Hand to Hold

By Masumeh A. Farchtchi If you have ever stood at the bedside of an intensive critical care patient, you know the power of holding an outstretched hand. It doesn’t seem to matter how long you stand there, gently holding the person’s pale, cold hand—they will never let go. But you must, eventually.

And when you finally do slip your hand away, if you have the courage to look into the patient’s face, you witness the energy and mirth, the momentary release from the edge of pain, quickly drain away.

They are—when you step away to say “Goodbye,”—again lapped by waves of physical anguish.

Touching a shoulder, patting a hand, comforting physical gestures seem to infuse suffering persons with patience.

action or good deeds you’re planning to do.

For example, if you plan to pray witr each night, but you have been lazy from doing so for the past so many nights. You need to firstly light up that desire and intention to pray witr. Secondly, you need to physically prepare for it, by preparing your prayer area, making wudhu, wearing perhaps ‘special’ clothes you only wear when you pray at night (instead of your PJs!).

Another example, if you plan to work on a work-related project that you’ve been procrastinating on for ages. Again, have the sincere intention that you want to do this. Don’t give yourself lip-service (your mind and body are clever enough to know when you really mean to work and when you don’t feel like it). Secondly, prepare your physical space, your desktop and your paperwork to focus on that project and that project alone.

And as the sheikh mentioned above, it’s all about forcing your self until it becomes obedient to you. Start working on a task until it becomes a habit and your mind, body and soul are focussed on it.

Finally, I want to end with another verse that’s a call for us all, Allah says in the Quran: “O ye who believe! what is the matter with you, that, when ye are asked to go forth in the cause of Allah, ye cling heavily to the earth? Do ye prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter? But little is the comfort of this life, as compared with the Hereafter.”(At-Taubah: 38) May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) bless us with an active productive life. May He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) never let us lag behind. May He (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) help us achieve sincere intention in all that we. Ameen.

As for him who giveth and is dutiful (towards Allah) And believeth in goodness, Surely We will ease his way unto a state of ease. (Qur’an, 92:5-7)

The mental refuge we discover in each others’ kindness can be just as potent as any other form of care. Family and friendship should always be a part of treatment for illness or distress. Yet loneliness is often the only companion to crisis.

What we can do for each other, even in a simple gesture of holding a hand, uplifts, motivates, and rejuvenates. And it’s what people remember for years afterward.

Think back on all the rough times in your own life. What do you remember most clearly? Is it the technical points, the twists and turns of fate? Or is it the people, the ones who hurt and the ones who helped?

If this introduction to community service sounds starry-eyed to you, then you would

probably concur with my sophomore composition professor. After presenting my poetry reaction on individual duty to help, serve, and ameliorate, this professor sputtered, “Isn’t that just a drop in the bucket?” I thought perhaps he was playing devil’s advocate, asking me to defend and clarify my position.

But he wasn’t. He really believed that helping others simply does not change the world. “If you were that drop,” I thought to myself, “you wouldn’t be so indifferent.”

While some people simply do not believe that help helps—when they are on the giving end—most folks just do not know where to begin. Somewhere within the depths of our souls, we would all love to save the world. But sometimes, the amount of work to be done, the severity of suffering around the globe,

is overwhelming. We are stunned by the violence in Palestine, draught in Africa, poverty in India, political upheaval in Sri Lanka, joblessness around the corner. It is too much for any one person to tackle.

And yet… There is so much we can do.

The Messenger of Allāh (Aallallāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) said, “Every joint of a believer must perform a charity every day the sun rises.”[1] He enumerated a few such acts, like removing a dangerous obstacle from the road, smiling, helping a person onto his or her riding animal.

Charity—simple actions that show caring and helpfulness—is something we can all do, everyday.

There are many sayings of the Prophet >> HAND Pg 13

February 4th - February 17th, 2011 HAND

>> continued from pg 12 (Aallallāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) exhorting his followers to charity. In one narration, he describes charity as a proof,[2] presumably a proof of one’s faith. In another narration, he says a woman who gives food in charity is rewarded, as is her husband (who paid for the food), and the grocer (who sold them the parcels)[3].

Blessings spread to all involved, although the choice to give is made by only one.

So start a wave!

The most logical and beneficial place to start is your own home. Family is the best institution human beings have to protect individuals from harm, exploitation, and distress. Admittedly, it does not always work that way, however.

Even social reformers and missionaries sometimes neglect the most basic duty to others—their family ties. It’s easy to become too busy, in our producerconsumer environment. Too busy for a family dinner. Too busy to visit just because. Too concerned with friends, work, and other personal concerns to realize a family member is in need. It’s at least equally easy to drop by and say hello; to bring home a bouquet or cook a special dinner; to put the newspaper

ISLAM | 13 aside and let some toddling fellow ride a fantastic parent/pony.

The Messenger of Allāh (Aallallāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) confirmed this in various statements and contexts. On one such occasion, he said, “Start giving first to your dependents.”[4] Who else is deserving of charity and kindness? Everyone! We do not need assurance that a beneficiary is proper and pious, or even truly in need, requisite to offering them service. Rather, we should be kind to whoever we encounter, and give freely to those who are in need, even if their own personal flaws and past mistakes plainly produced their current distress. The Messenger of Allāh (Aallallāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) said: A man said that he would give something in charity. He went out with his object of charity and unknowingly gave it to a thief. Next morning the people said that he had given his object of charity to a thief.

(On hearing that) he said, “O Allāh! All the praises are for you. I will give alms again.” And so he again went out with his alms and (unknowingly) gave it to an adulteress. Next morning the people said that he had given his alms to an adulteress last night. The man said, “O Allāh! All the praises are for you. (I gave my alms) to an adulteress. I will give alms again.”

So he went out with his alms again and (unknowingly) gave it to a rich person.

(The people) next morning said that he had given his alms to a wealthy person.

He said, “O Allāh! All the praises are for you. (I had given alms) to a thief, to an adulteress and to a wealthy man.” Then someone came and said to him, “The alms which you gave to the thief, might make him abstain from stealing, and that given to the adulteress might make her abstain from illegal sexual intercourse (adultery), and that given to the wealthy man might make him take a lesson from it and spend his wealth which Allāh has given him, in Allāh’s cause.”[5] When all else fails, and the day simply does not offer a better opportunity to be helpful and kind, at least we should not forget our own souls. The Prophet (Aallallāhu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) said every step on the way to prayer is a charity.[6] You can and should give charity to yourself. Restraint from doing sins is kindness to your soul. And good deeds free your conscious and improve your disposition. Indeed, any act of charity ultimately benefits the giver the most.

If you give money, God increases your wealth. If you give time, God blesses your day. If you give energy, your health is improved. Don’t believe me? Try it and see.

Muslims believe in principles of charity.

In Islam, giving is not only good and right, but it does not decrease your resources and rather it increases them and helps to purify them from any immoral contaminants. Muslims have always believed this. From the time of the Prophet’s statements illuminating benefits of charity 1,400 years ago, Muslims have used charity not only to change to world, to help their souls, but to boost their worldly satisfaction and blessings.

It’s rather obvious, in any case, that giving creates positive energy among people; and this eventually comes back around to the giver. We all want to live in a better world. We can all help make sure we do—every day.

-----------------------------------------------References: [1]. Recorded by Bukhārī (4:52:141) and Muslim (005:2204) [2].

Recorded by Muslim (002:0432) [3].

Recorded by Bukhārī (2:24:506) [4].

Recorded by Bukhārī (2:24:507) [5].

Recorded by Bukhārī (2:24:502) [6].

Recorded by Bukhārī (4:52:141) and Muslim (005:2204) S o u rc e : h t t p : / / i s l a m i c s t u d i e s . islammessage.com

Salaah times for February 4th - February 17th , 2011

If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it fi ve times a day, do you think he would have any fi lth left on him?”

The people said, “No filth would remain on him whatsoever.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “That is like the fi ve daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them.”

---Hadith in Sahih al Bukhari and Muslim

Day Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

Date 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Hijri 1/3 2/3 3/3 4/3 5/3 6/3 7/3 8/3 9/3 10/3 11/3 12/3 13/3 14/3

Fajr 5:56 5:55 5:55 5:54 5:53 5:52 5:51 5:50 5:49 5:49 5:48 5:45 5:44 5:43

Sunrise 7:11 7:10 7:10 7:08 7:07 7:06 7:05 7:04 7:03 7:03 7:02 6:59 6:58 6:57

Dhuhr 12:22 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23 12:23

Prayer times generated from www.islamicfinder.com for the WASHINGTON, DC area.

Asr 3:11 3:12 3:12 3:14 3:15 3:16 3:17 3:17 3:18 3:18 3:19 3:21 3:22 3:23

Maghrib 5:33 5:34 5:34 5:37 5:38 5:39 5:40 5:41 5:42 5:42 5:44 5:46 5:47 5:48

Isha 6:49 6:50 6:50 6:52 6:53 6:54 6:55 6:56 6:57 6:57 6:58 7:00 7:01 7:02

14 |

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

MASJID LOCATOR

MASJID LOCATOR ADAMS CENTER: 46903 Sugarland Rd, Sterling,VA 20164, Tel: 703-433-1325, www.adamscenter.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------ALL MUSLIM BROTHERS ASSOCIATION 3900 King Street Alexandria, VA 22302 703-647-0515 Jumma Prayer ONLY - 1:15 p.m -------------------------------------------------------------AVONDALE ISLAMIC CENTER: 4637 Eastern Ave., Hyattsville, MD, 20782, Tel: 301-779-9292.

-------------------------------------------------------------BADR COMMUNITY CENTER OF DUMFRIES (BCCD) 17794 Main Street Dumfries, VA 22026 Tel: 703-585-1689, 703-5547983. www.bccd.org E-mail: info@bccd.org -------------------------------------------------------------BAITUL MUKARRAM: 2116 S Nelson St., Arlington, VA, 22204, Tel: 703-778-1550.

-------------------------------------------------------------Bilal Dawah Center, Inc: 1935 Frederick Avenue Baltimore, MD 21223 Tel: 443-224-4423 -------------------------------------------------------------DAR AL HIJRAH: 3159 Rowe St., Falls Church, VA 22044, Tel: 703-536-1030, www.hijrah.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------DAR AL-NOOR (MUSLIM ASSOC. OF VA): 5404 Hoadly Rd., Manassas, VA 20112, Tel: 703-580-0808, Fax: 703221-8513, www.daralnoor.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------DAR AL-TAQWA: 10740 Rte. 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042, Tel: 410-997-5711, www.taqwa.net.

-------------------------------------------------------------DAR UL ULOOM, 6334 Dogwoood Rd, Baltimore, MD 21207, 410-493-0785 Email:darululoommd@aol.com -------------------------------------------------------------DAR UL-GHURABA (Masjid ur Rahmah): 155 Baker St., Emporia, VA 23487, -------------------------------------------------------------DAR-UL HUDA: 6666 Commerce St.,

Do you have additions, changes, or corrections to the event listings in the Muslim Link? Email us at events@muslimlinkpaper.com, or call us at 301-982-1020.

Springfield, VA 22150, Tel: 703-922-0111, www.darulhuda.org -------------------------------------------------------------DAR-US-SALAAM: 5301 Edgewood Rd. College Park, MD 20740, Tel: 301-982-9848, www.darussalaam.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------FIRST HIJRA MUSLIM COMM. CENTER: 4324 Georgia Ave, NW Washington, DC 20011 www.firsthijrah.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------ICNA VA CENTER: 2913 Woodlawn Trail, Alexandria, VA 22306.

703-660-1255 -------------------------------------------------------------IDARA DAWAT-O-IRSHAD: 4803 Valley St, Alexandria, VA 22312 703-256-8622, www.irshad.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------IRHSCA (ISLAMIC RESEARCH AND HUM. SERVICES CENTER OF AMERICA): Chambers Ave, Capitol Heights, MD Tel: 301-324-5040, www.irhsca.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC CENTER OF LEXINGTON PARK 22583 - B Three Notch Road California, MD 20619 Tel: 240-538-7839 or 561-414-0994 www.iclpmd.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC CENTER OF MARYLAND (ICM): 19411 Woodfield Rd. Gaithersburg,MD 20879 Tel:301-840-9440, www.icomd.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC CENTER OF NORTHERN VA TRUST (ICNVT): 4420 Shirley Gate Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030 Tel: 703-941-6558, info@icnvt.org | www.icnvt.org -------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC COM. CENTER OF LAUREL (ICCL): 7306 Contee Rd., Laurel, MD 20707 Tel: 301-317-4584, www.icclmd.org -------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC FOUNDATION OF AMERICA 6606 Electronic Drive Springfield, VA 22151

Tel: 703-914-4982 -------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC HERITAGE CENTER (IHC): 262 A-3 Cedar Ln., Vienna, VA 22180 Tel: 703-206-9056.

-------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF ANNAPOLIS (ISA): 2635 Riva RdSuite 110 Annapolis, MD 21401 Tel: 410-266-6660 www.isamd.org, Email: info@islamannapolis.org -------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF FREDERICK (ISF): 1250 Key Parkway , Frederick,MD 21702 Tel: 301-682-6090, www.isfmd.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF GERMANTOWN (ISG): 19900 Brandermill Rd., Germantown, MD 20876 Tel: (240)-277-7758, www.isgtown.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF SOUTHERN PG COUNTY (ISSPGC): P O Box 99, Clinton, MD 20735 5410 Indian Head Hwy, Oxon Hill, MD 20745 Tel: 240 603 4618 -------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF THE WASHINGTON AREA (ISWA): 2701 Briggs Chaney Rd. Silver Spring, MD 20904 Tel: 301-879-0930, www.iswamd.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF WESTERN MARYLAND: 2036 Day Rd., Hagerstown, MD 21740 Tel: 301-797-0922.

-------------------------------------------------------------IVY CITY MASJID: 2001 Galludet St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 Tel: 202-529-3100.

-------------------------------------------------------------LA PLATA MASJID: 111 Howard Street, La Plata, MD 20646 Tel: 301-609-8769.

-------------------------------------------------------------MAKKAH LEARNING CENTER (MLC): 814 Brandy Farms Ln Gambrills, MD 21054 Tel: 410-721-5880 www.isamd. org, Email: info@mlcmd.org

-------------------------------------------------------------MANASSAS MOSQUE: 12950 Center Entrance Ct, Manassas, VA Tel: 703-257-5537.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-GHURABAA: 8220 Washington St., South, Laurel, MD 20724.

Tel: 301-604-3295.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-HIKMAH: 11064 Livingston Road Unit L (101) Ft. Washington, MD 20744, Tel: 301 292-9009.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID UL-HAQ: 514 Islamic Way (Wilson St. ), Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-728-1363.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-ISLAM: 4603 Benning Rd., SE, Washington, DC 20019 e-mail: imammusa@hotmail.com -------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-INSHIRAH: 7832 Fairbrook Road , Windsor Mill, MD 21244 Tel: 410-298-2977, Fax: 410298-0266, www.al-inshirahweb. net.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-MUMINEEN: 2642 Harford Rd. Baltimore, MD 21218 Tel: 410-467-8798.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID JAMAAT ALMUSLIMEEN: 4624 York Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212 Tel. 410-891-8451 -------------------------------------------------------------MASJID MUHAMMAD: 1519 4th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20001 Tel: 202-483-8832.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AN-NUR: 5418 Ebenezer Road, White Marsh, MD 21162 Tel: 410-663-9637, Fax: 410-663-9817.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-RAHMAH/ISB: 6631 Johnny Cake Rd. Baltimore, MD 21244 Tel: 410-747-4869, www.isb.org -------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AS SAFFAT: 1335 W. North Ave. Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-669-0655.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID IBN TAYMIYYAH: 8000 MLK Highway, Glenarden MD

Tel: 301-461-9325.

-------------------------------------------------------------MASJID ZAMZAM 1510 Lynch Road, Dundalk, MD 21222 Phone: 410-284-2840 -------------------------------------------------------------MEDINA CENTER: 11600 Falls Road, Potomac MD 20854 www.medinacenter.net -------------------------------------------------------------MUSLIM COM. CENTER (MCC): 15200 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20905 Tel: 301-384-3454, www.mccmd.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------MUSLIM SOC. OF WASHINGTON, D.C. (MSWDC): Howard Center, Room 805 (Above HU Bookstore) Tel: 202-328-3236, www.mswdc.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------MUSTAFA CENTER: 6844 Braddock Rd., Annandale, VA 22003.

-------------------------------------------------------------PRINCE GEORGES MUSLIM ASSOC. (PGMA): 9150 Lanham Severn Rd. Lanham, MD, 20706, Tel: 301-459-4942, www. pgmamd.org.

Imam’s Office: 301-459-1441, imam@pgmamd.org.

-------------------------------------------------------------RANDALLSTOWN ISLAMIC CENTER 9019 Marcella Ave. Randallstown, MD 21133 Tel: 410 971 4018 www.ricbaltimore.org -------------------------------------------------------------SOUTHERN MARYLAND ISLAMIC CENTER(SMIC): 1046 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD, 20639.

Tel: 410- 535-0000 -------------------------------------------------------------THE ISLAMIC CENTER: 2551 Mass. Ave. NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: 202-332-8343 -------------------------------------------------------------TURKISH AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER 9704 Good Luck Road Lanham, Maryland 20706 Tel: 301-459-9589 www.taccenter.org --------------------------------------------------------------

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

OBITS & EVENTS | 15

Request For Dua’s

Upcoming Events In Your Area

{ To Allah We B e l o n g , a n d t o H i m i s O u r R e t u r n }

“Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and good, and to Us you will be returned.” (Surah Al-Anbiya:35)” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1-22-11 Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raa’je’oon (From Allah(SWT) do we come, and to Him is our Return). The Uncle of Murtaza and Mustafa Mustamandi has Returned to Allah(SWT) May Allah(SWT) Have Mercy on the Uncle and May Allah(SWT) Be with the Family in this time. The Both The Janazah and Funeral was on Jan 23, 2011 in Falls Church, Virginia. (Source: ADAMS) 1-31-11 We belong to Allah, and to Him is our return. Yacoob just informed me that our brother Umar Abdus-Sabur has passed away. For those of us who knew him, he lived in SE Washington up off 37th Place and was well known among Muslims in DC. He used to be our barber in his house, then he turn this over to his son Luqman, who continued under his father’s watchful eye.

Umar use to be long associated with tabligh jamaat, but was involved in most of the Muslim events in the DC area and use to host big “get togethers” in the parks and over his apartment. His example was primarily our reason for doing related community activity, since we couldn’t barbecue like him. Umar usually went to the Islamic Center for jumah salat. We used to seek his advice in Muslim matters. Umar was a father figure for many of the non-mulims off 37th place and was very approachable for them to talk to, as he counseled them concerning gang life, drugs, parenthood, and being responsible. The janazah was held on February 2, 2011 in Washington, DC. He will be missed. (Source: R Smith)

MIDEAST

>> continued from pg 11 the US refusal to deal with Hezbollah as anything but a terrorist organisation bore any relation to current political realities in the Levant.

Machiavelli once wrote that princes should see to it that they are either respected or feared; what they must avoid at all cost is to be despised. To have made

itself despised as irrelevant: That is the legacy of US faithlessness and wilful blindness in the Middle East.

Robert Grenier is a retired, 27-year veteran of the CIA’s Clandestine Service.

He was Director of the CIA’s CounterTerrorism Center from 2004 to 2006.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial policy.

REPORTERS WANTED Write For Us, Make Money For You. Put your Ink in the Muslim Link, 301.982.1020

IHC Masjid & School Renovating 8900 Fundraising Dinner Friday, February 04 2011, 7:00pm - 10:00pm Join Us for Phase II of the Islamic Heritage Center (IHC) Masjid & School Renovation. Rack Up the deeds with Continuous Charity, Spreading Beneficial Knowledge, and Raising Righteous Children.

Tickets: Students $15; Adults $25; Couples $40; Families 4 or more $75. You may purchase your tickets online or at the Main Center. Location: Dunn Loring Fire Station; 2148 Gallows Road; Dunn Loring, VA 22027 Contact: www.ihcproject.com; info@ihcproject.com ; 703-206-905 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Forum: Muslims, Law Enforcement and National Security Monday, February 07 2011, 12:30pm - 2:00pm The Muslim Public Affairs Council will be hosting a forum, Muslims, Law Enforcement and National Security, to discuss the Muslim American community’s partnership with law enforcement. A distinguished panel of experts, including CNN National Security Analyst Peter Bergen, the last journalist to interview Osama Bin Ladin before 9/11, and Rep. Jane Harman, (D-CA) a ranking member of the Intelligence Subcommittee in the Committee on Homeland Security, will speak at the forum. Location: Capitol Hill, Rayburn House Office Building, Room B-354 Contact: CONTACT: Marium Mohiuddin, 213-383-3443, marium@mpac.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lecture: Making the U-Turn with Imam Safi Khan Wednesday, February 09 2011, 7:00pm - 9:00pm The George Mason University (GMU) Muslim Students Association Presents: Making the U-Turn.

Join Us for a Lecture About the Importance of Tawbah or Repentance in Islam. How to take that first step toward making it back on the right track. Everyone is Welcome.

Location: George Mason University, SUB II Ballroom ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DUS Seminar: Communicating with your Child Saturday, February 12 2011, 10:00am - 12:00pm Communicating with your Child. A Special Seminar taught by Dr Hussein Afeefy. Free Community Seminar. Location: Dar-us-Salaam; 5301 Edgewood Rd; College Park, MD 20740 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

International Sisters Network: 15th Annual Fashion Show & Luncheon

Sunday, March 13 2011 International Sisters Network presents it’s 15th Annual Sisters Only Fashion Show & Luncheon. “Treasures of the East”. WHERE: Washington Navy Yard Catering & Conference Center; 1454 Parsons Avenue, SE Washington, DC 20374. Tickets: $50, $25 Children (Purchase tickets at www.internationalsisters.synthasite.com before Feb 20, 2011 for discount) The Event will start at 1:00 pm. Contact: For further information, call 240-606-6122 The Event will start at 1:00 pm ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4th Annual MW Qur’an Recitation Competition Sunday, April 03 2011 MW Quran Recitation- The Committee recognizes all who will enter this competition, for taking the time to learn the Qur’an. The Committee also congratulates the parents and the teachers of the children and youth for their commitment to teach them the Qur’an. The Committee encourages our precious children and youth to study Allah’s book by starting this contest. Competition is open to all Muslims between 5 years old and above. Registration is by Grade in their respective schools. Valuable prizes will be given to the winners in each age group. Volunteers are welcome.

Sponsored by: Together We Care. Other sponsors are welcome. Contact: Please contact Br Alameddine @ 703-856-7005 or email at mwqrc2011@yahoo.com

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

16 | Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan Office Manager : Stephanie Benmoha News Desk: Rashad Mulla Layout & Design: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Farkhunda Ali Farha Marfani Rashad Mulla Yaman Shalabi Sharia Advisors: Sheikh Salah as-Sawi Imam Safi Khan The Muslim Link (TML) is published every other week on Fridays and distributed throughout the Washington, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia Metropolitan Areas. TML is a non-profit publication and is based at Dar-us-Salaam in College Park, Maryland, USA. Staff and contributors are not necessarily affiliated with Dar-us-Salaam.

The views expressed in The Muslim Link do not necessarily reflect those of Dar-us-Salaam or TML management or their underwriters. Dar-usSalaam and TML are not responsible for the accuracy of information presented by advertisers, or for the religious compliance of events, products, or services published in TML.

KABUL II

>> continued from pg 5 as of yet, and might not even be able to go, but the security is not that great. If we have to travel for work, then we will have adequate security, but we are not allowed to travel for leisure.

Our company has several guest houses and I live in one of those. They are made to cater to Americans/Europeans and are actually very nice and are aways guarded.

They have provided all the amenities and house staff that are needed to make us really comfortable. We each have our own rooms, with a general living room and dining room. We have heat, hot water, TV, cable, and even a gym in the guest houses.

It superseded my expectations.

TML: How long will you be there?

Ahmad: 3 months, There might be a contract extension, but I haven’t been here long enough to know if I want to stay or go back home.

TML: Describe a typical day. When do you get time to do the relief work you are engaged in?

Ahmad: There is no typical day in the life of a consultant. Generally, we wake up and get ready, head down stairs and have breakfast, and then have a car take us to the office. Once we get to the office, it could start with a series of meetings or just finishing up a deliverable. We can head out to the counter parts and meet with them, or have internal meetings at the main office. If I have some time I will try to skype with my wife for a few minutes since it is night time on the East coast, and then dive right into my work.

Around noonish, we head over to the cafeteria and have lunch provided by the cooks, which is a mix of Western and Afghan food. We then resume our work and meetings until about 5 pm, when majority of people head home. There are approved restaurants some people like to go to just to get out, and some might go there. Others will go to the gym, and others just go home.

When I get home, I look for ways to provide more than just what I am doing at work, and given that it is starting to get really cold out here, I thought why not do a blanket drive. I mentioned this to a few of my co workers and they seemed to also have some interest. At lunch one day, I mentioned this to one of the Senior Managers, and he really liked the idea, and just handed me some money to help

out. He recommended that I send out an email to the rest of the team (about 90 people) to see if they want to help out.

I found manufacturers and distributors willing to help out. And of course the help of the guards, family members, and some of our local staff which helped identifying camps and logistical information.

TML: If people want to donate, how can they get money to you?

Ahmad: If people want to get involved, they can send money via paypal toJaweedjaan@gmail.com. We distributed one round of blankets, oil, and flour to the refugee camp two weeks ago, and round two will very soon [Insha’Allah]. There are about 800 families in need there and about 100 of them are really in desperate need. Please don’t send any clothing or other items, at this time, we are just collecting money. I am sure everyone will really appreciate any little help they can get, and not only do you make them happy, but you also make Allah happy for helping his servants in need. We were able to raise an additional $10K from MD-DCVA and an additional $3000 from here, which totals us to about $16000 total which will go towards round two of the blanket drive. May Allah bless all those that contributed.

This publication contains the names of ALLAH (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Please keep, recycle, or share it with others The Muslim Link 5301 Edgewood Road College Park, MD 20740 Phone : (301) 982-1020 Fax: 240-209-0702 editor@muslimlinkpaper.com Advertising: 301-982-1020 or email us at ads@muslimlinkpaper.com The Muslim Link. All Rights Reserved 2010

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18 |

Restaurant Review

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

Cuisines: Indian-Fusion | Address: 415 7th Street NW, Washington, DC 20004 Phone: 202-656-3794 | Website: www.merzi.com Hours: Monday-Saturday: 11:00am - 10:00pm | Sunday: 11:00am - 9:00pm

By Fatimah Steffanoff

Muslim Link Restaurant Reviewer

TML SAYS: ‘Merzi’ is good for: Price ($4-$20) Quality Service

Selection Venue

Merzi is a great spot for Indian-fusion cuisine near the Verizon Center in the heart of downtown DC, which does mean there is no parking lot specifically for Merzi, so you have to park in a public pay lot or find it on the street. From the sign outside you can immediately see that this is a contemporary restaurant, not your standard Indian kabab-style restaurant.

Inside, the décor is warm colors, flame styled cut outs lining the walls, warm natural wood paneling with matching seating.

The best way to describe Merzi is that it is like an Indian version of a Chipotle. This is because when ordering at Merzi, you approach the ordering line and start by selecting an entree “base” of naan bread, rice, salad or chaat masala, then one of the next compliments: black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, or onion-pepper mix.

After those are laid on your plate, you move down the line and choose your meat and whichever fresh vegetables, warm sauces and chutneys to have thrown on top of it all. At the end of the line is the cash register where you can choose a veggie samosa or potato tikka while ordering your beverage too. Seating is open cafeteria style with several high stations for patrons who choose to stand.

This style of ordering feels very personal, custom to your request and you get to watch as it is put together, your way.

Meat options include zabiha chicken, and lamb, and shrimp – but the beef is

not confirmed as zabiha. All the various options along the ordering line are fresh and well maintained so that sauces are kept smooth, veggies and meats are moist.

It is obvious that Merzi has fresh and healthy meals as the goal in mind.

TML enjoyed a breast of “Tandisserie”™ chicken on chaat masala with a warm medium spicy sauce, yogurt chutney and a veggie samosa. Tandisserie”™ is Merzi’s trademarked Tandoori-seasoned chicken cooked rotisserie-style which makes the meat tender and flavorful all at once. Add the bursting fresh flavors of the stewed garbanzo beans with raw onions, peppers, cucumbers, corn, tomatoes and probiotic yogurt to make this dish was a taste bud tickler! The veggie samosa met usual expectations filled with peas and potatoes, and fried to a crispy perfection. Not to be mistaken with anything standard is what Merzi calls Mango-Fantango which is a drink made from mangos, natural hormone-free milk, and lightly sweetened with vpure cane sugar, as tasty as any mango lassi and yet a bit more nutrition conscious.

TML also enjoyed the naan version of th eTandisserie™ chicken as a substitute after we ordered shrimp but waited to find they were out that particular evening, and added potato tikka on the side. The naan made fresh in-house, was soft, warm and fluffy, and you have the option to get additional naan at the cashier.

These potato tikka patties were stuffed with crumbled and delicately seasoned “paneer” Indian cheese browned to a tender crisp. Since the warm sauces and flavorful chutney are unlimited when assembling your meal, it is a good idea to keep in mind that you want extra left to use for your naan! Serving sizes for both dishes were just right, to be satisfied and only have a little left over if any at all.

Dinner for two included two entrees, two sides and two smoothies with tax included the total was only $25 and change

“A Indo-Pakistani Version of Chipotle” without servers there is no expectation for additional expense in tipping. However, the staff at Merzi is still very friendly and welcoming. Merzi is a great meal, at a great price, with the added benefit of

fresh, healthy choices in a contemporary setting. Be sure to stop by Merzi if you are in the area, you won’t be disappointed.

February 4th - February 17th, 2011

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Cell: 703-861-1625 Office: 703-752-3929 Fax: 703-914-0869 Email: Talsuqi@aol.com Address: 916 W. Broad St., Suite 203, Falls Church, VA 22046 Quality Service - LOW COST! Serving the Community since 1991

1110-B Elden St. Suite 203 Herndon, VA 20170 Tel: (703) 709-1485 Fax: (703) 409-1486 www.tax-master.com txmastr@yahoo.com

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February 4th - February 17th, 2011

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February 4th - February 17th, 2011

Classified Ads | 23

Place a personal classified ad. Call us at 301-982-1020 We invite you to place a classified on the web FREE of charge at www.muslimlinkpaper.com. Classifieds in the print edition of the Muslim Link newspaper are only $1 for every 3 words. All classifieds run for 3 issues in the Marketplace section. Get started by emailing your exact text to office@muslimlinkpaper.com and then call in your credit card payment to 301-982-1020 or send a check or money order payable to: The Muslim Link, 5301 Edgewood Rd, College Park MD 20740.

CHILDCARE EXCHANGE

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HOME AWAY FROM HOME IN MUSLIM ENVIRONMENT Licensed, operated by a pre-school teacher; Full-time, Part-time, Before and After Care; Weekends and Extended Hours; Breakfast, Lunch and Snacks Provided; Near MCC; Must See & Compare with Others; 301-570-4245 or www.ashtondaycare.com ----------------------------------------------ZOHAIB’S CHILD CARE Zohaib’s Child Care. 8:00AM to 6:00PM. Monday-Friday. Providing drink & snack. Age: Infant-12 yo. Starting in middle of January. 301-604-4939 or 301-247-5210.

----------------------------------------------PLACE AN AD WITH TML

Brothers ONLY. Room for rent at College Park for $400 plus shared utilities. less than 1 mile from Al-Huda School, 1.2 miles from Greenbelt Metro, 0.5 miles from MOMs Organic Market, 1.1 miles from Shoppers, - 0.3 miles to a MetroBus Stop. Contact Roy Caspari 202.903.6419, roycaspari@yahoo.com -----------------------------------------------ROOMS FOR RENT 2 separate rooms for rent in College Park close to Al Huda, University of MD, close to Greenbelt Metro. Call 240-2719552.

-----------------------------------------------ROOM FOR RENT Sister Only (Bangledeshi, Pakistani, or Indian), a furnished room share with a small family in a town house 2 blocks from metro bus but we have extra reserve parking. Rent/paying guest, is very reasonable. Call 240 425 3879.

To place an ad in the Muslim Link call us at 301-982-1020 or email us at office@muslimlinkpaper.com

FOR RENT NICE TOWNHOUSE FOR RENT CLOSE TO ICM Townhouse, 5 BR, 3 1/2 BA, Walk out basement. New windows. At Montgomery Village, MD. Rent $1,450 not including utilities. 240-751-6563.

240-751-6568.

STAFF WRITERS WANTED

ROOM FOR RENT- COLLEGE PARK

FOR SALE HALAL GROCERY STORE/ MEAT MARKET FOR SALE Asking Price: $115K, Sales: $324K, Net Profit: $60K (Alexandria, VA) Call Lou for additional information 202688-1303 Woodstel Capital Business Brokerage

-----------------------------------------------PLACE AN AD WITH TML To place an ad in the Muslim Link call us at 301-982-1020 or email us at office@muslimlinkpaper.com

MATRIMONIAL BROTHER SEEKING WIFE Gentleman, 57, from Iran, no children.

Non-smoker, taxi driver. Seeking Muslim lady for marriage. For more information call Ali from 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week.

202-669-5699.

-----------------------------------------------MOROCCAN SISTER FOR MARRIAGE 36 yr old Sister in Morocco looking for Good Muslim man living in USA, homemaker, never married, will aid in translations if necessary, contact her Wali at mahdikm1@earthlink.net or 410-988-0705.

-----------------------------------------------AS SALAMU ALEIKUM As Salamu Aleikum Muslimahs’ and Muslimah Walis’ My name is Ron Eugene Neal #769053 (AKA) Mumin Aziz Jabbar. I’ve ask Allahuta’la to be my guide to my Muslima in Nikah. So go check out my FaceBook and My Space Page Websites. Jazak allah! Neal Unit, 9055 Spur 591, Amarillo, Texas 79107.

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SEEKING MUSLIM HUSBAND 35 year old Muslim sister looking for a good man who is marriage minded and God fearing. Race, nationality, and Age are not important. Contact her wali at sidisamy@live.com

MISCELLANEOUS FREE TO GOOD HOME Free to a good home, 2 Yorkie puppies for adoption. If interested, contact me on rbradley987@gmail.com ----------------------------------------------PLACE AN AD WITH TML To place an ad in the Muslim Link call us at 301-982-1020 or email us at office@muslimlinkpaper.com

SERVICES

-----------------------------------------------HOME SERVICES Licensed contractor. Home Improvement work, interior/exterior painting, drywall install/repair, brick/concrete repair.

License #30385946 Estimates done.

Contact Br. Allen Scott at 410-467-1259 or 443-538-7643(cell) ------------------------------------------------

The Muslim Link newspaper is looking for full and part-time candidates to fill upcoming staff writer positions.

The ideal candidates are committed Muslims who have a penchant for good writing, are involved in community work, have a strong work ethic, and believe in establishing Muslim media.

To join our team and start on a job which offers ground breaking opportunities and excitement, send your resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to the editor.

Start your involvement in Muslim media Today!

Email editor@muslimlinkpaper.com.

Now Available At These Fine Stores COLUMBIA HALAL MEAT 6520 Old Waterloo Rd #J, Elkridge MD 21075

SPICE OF INDIA 1335 A Univ Blvd, Langley Park MD 20902

KASHMIR BAZAAR 10400 Rhode Island Ave, Beltsville MD 20705

ASIAN BAZAAR 7864 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria VA 22306

AL - MAKKAH HALAL MEAT 1724 Woodlawn Dr, Baltimore MD 21207

APNA BAZAAR 10119 C Washington Blvd, Laurel MD 20707

A - ONE GROCERY & HALAL MEAT 2919 Arlington Dr, Alexandria VA 22306

DELHI BAZAAR 295 South Van Dorn, Alexandria VA 22046

INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TASTES 4934 Edgewood Rd, College Park MD 20740

CHENNAL SPICES 628 Quince Orchard Rd, Gaithersburg MD 20878

DAILY SPICES 8424 Lee Hwy, Fairfax VA 22031

PUNJAB GROCERIES & HALAL MEAT 345 East 33rd St, Baltimore MD 21218

FREDERICK BAZAAR 54 N Waverly Dr, Frederick MD 21702

ARLINGTON GROCERY & HALAL MEAT 3425 Wilson Blvd, Arlington VA 22201

POPULAR HALAL MEAT & SPICE 7413 Van dusen Rd, Laurel MD 20707

GERMANTOWN HALAL MEAT 19707 Waters Rd, Germantown MD 20874

BANGLA BAZAR 1148 Cherry Hil Rd, Silver Spring MD 20705

DANA BAZAAR 128-29 Wisteia Dr, Germantown MD 20874

SHALIMAR GROCERY 11850 Park Waldorf Lane #112, Waldorf MD 20601

INDIAN BAZAAR 383 Muddy Branch Rd, Gaithesburg MD

INDUS FOODS 15513 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring MD 20905

INDUS FOODS 765 Rockville Pike, Rockville MD 20852

SANGAM SPICE 13822 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring MD 20904

BISMILLAH HALAL MEAT 1401 University Blvd, Langley Park MD 20783

ADITI SPICE DEPOT 409 Maple Ave E, Vienna VA 22180 FRESH SPICE 2919 Arlington Dr, Alexandria VA 22306 AFGHAN MINI MARKET 6566 Backlick Rd, Springfield VA 22150 ASIA HALAL FOOD & GROCERY 5143 Lee Highway, Arlington VA 22207 BEST DESI BAZAAR 14455 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Woodbridge VA 22191

GINGER & SPICE MARKET 6548A Little River Turnpike, Alexandria VA 22312 INDIAN SPICES GROCERY 1067 B West Broad St, Falls Church VA 22046 INDO - PAK GROCERY STORES 8121 West Broad St, Richmond VA23294 INTERNATIONAL HALAL MARKET 2100 12th St, Lynchburg VA24501 SHRI KRISHNA GROCERY 7033 Brookefield Plaza, Springfield VA 22150 TAJ HALAL GROCERY 8715 West Broad St, Suite B, Richmond VA 23294