The Muslim Link - February 24, 2012 by The Muslim Link

special health focus in this issue PG 29

deciding to run the political race PG 6 Like & Follow us

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Masjid Architects Say Design Should Reflect American Culture By Wafa Unus Muslim Link Staff Reporter

As masajid in the Washington DC metropolitan area continue to be designed, built, and expanded upon, some Muslim architects have found themselves at a crossroads. When regulations don’t allow for minarets and domes, a traditional masjid’s most iconic elements, how does the identity of the building remain? Architect Haytham Younis argues that the American mosque may not need such icons and that those very elements may be actually serve as a barrier rather than an identifier.

“When we bring preexisting cultures and build a building according to the style of that preexisting culture then we end up having a monument to that culture and all that comes with it,” said Younis.

>> architectuire Pg 5

Fed Agents Arrest NOVA Man in Capitol Bomb Plot | pg 10 The Islamic Center of Washington DC was built in 1957 using traditional architectural features from the Muslim world. More recent masajid built in the greater Washington DC region include more subtle Islamic elements.

Voters May Have Chance to Block Same-Sex Marriages in Fall Referendum Muslim Link Contributing Writer

Legislation legalizing marriages between people of the same sex is headed for

passage in the Maryland general assembly. Maryland Governor Martin O’Mally (D), a sponsor of the legislation has vowed to sign the measure if it reach-

Many Syrians See Total War As Inevitable | pg 4

GTMO Inmate From Baltimore Finally Charged | pg 9

Legalization of Homosexual Unions Set to Pass Maryland Legislature By Talib I. Karim

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

For Family, One Legal Avenue Left for Abu Ali | pg 5

While he himself has worked on designs that boast of traditional facades he believes masajids that are built to mimic the styles of those “back home” create a further divide when it comes to the indigenous American Muslim identity. “[People see the masjid and

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es his desk. The state would become the seventh state, including the District of Columbia, to legalize so-called “same-sex” marriages.

Under current law in Maryland, marriage is not defined at all. However, in order for such relationships to be >> legislature Pg 8

Health: Many Immigrants Shun Mental Health | pg 15 CIVIL: NYPD Monitoring Of MSAs Sparks Outrage | pg 18 ISLAM: The Forgotten, Sweet Promise | pg 21 The Muslim Link

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INDEX

inside This Issue 04 Community News 18 Civil Rights 19 World Press 21 Islam

Opinion

24 Opinion 27 Letter to the Editor

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4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Community News Many Syrians See One Outcome: Total War, Fall of Assad By Yaman Shalabi

Muslim Link Staff Reporter As the fifth Middle Eastern nation to join what has become known as the Arab Spring in early 2011, not many could have foreseen that 12 months later the Syrian revolution would still be infused with unbounded strength and determination to oust one of the most sadistic regimes, especially not their president, Bashar Al-Assad.

rently puts the number of known deaths at around 9,000 people, many of them children, women and elderly. And with the increase in army defectors, many people have begun to anticipate a war. Despite the intense crackdown, the Syrian people share one common sentiment: hope. They all strongly believe that the regime will fall. Soon. But what remains to be known is: How?

“The most important thing for us as Syrians is to not look forward in fear, or back in anger but to look around in awareness so we don’t let anybody take our rights from us again.” Yet what started as a peaceful movement for freedom and democracy, took a quick turn for the worst the moment Assad unleashed a spiteful army to obliterate entire cities. The Syrian opposition cur-

“The situation in Syria is hazy,” said a 21-year-old activist from Halab who wished to be identified as Zien Majzob due to safety reasons. “With the contin-

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“We are being slaughtered,” he said. Should the situation continue as is, Syrians “will also die due to hunger, disease and the lack of medical supplies.” ued brutal repression, the numbers of those wishing to continue peacefully are becoming muted as the voice of tanks and rocket launchers scream louder. But I am optimistic, like many of the protestors on the ground, that a democratic country that ensures all its citizens their freedom will come out of this.” To give a general idea of the situation in Syria, Majzob, who lives in a relatively safe city-security forces have control over most of the streets and are violently suppressing protests-, says it’s a blessing compared to the nonstop violence elsewhere in Syria. “We are being slaughtered,” he said. Should the situation continue as is, Syrians “will also die due to hunger, disease and the lack of medical supplies.”

Many Syrians have often come to question how an army intended to protect its people could easily disregard all sense of principles and humanity and aim their heavy artillery at an unarmed defenseless people. And in besieged cities like Homs, Rastan and Zabadani, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), made up of defectors, has made it their objective to protect the people no matter the cost. Mustafa Safiia, 26, a Syrian living in New Hampshire, a year ago, would have been against an armed opposition; however, he now believes that the Assad regime played a vital role in helping to create the FSA. “With all the bloodshed

war Pg 13

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February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012 architecture

>> continued from pg 1

say] ‘Oh well those Muslims are not from here. They are foreign,’” he said. “So that’s the message that we’re sending: We don’t relate to you.” Though it is largely the established immigrant American community funding building projects, Younis believes they must look past what is customary in their native country and look forward to establishing an American Muslim masjid, if not for themselves, but for their children. “[The children’s] house is American, their school is American but where they have to go to study, where they have to go to worship, is not American,” said Younis. As an architect, Younis understands the significance of the minaret and the dome and equates it to the design of the quintessential American church. “Over time it takes on significance, like when a Christian builds a church, it has to have a steeple. It’s important to them. Its the way they identify with a building,” he said.

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ing Islamic architecture themes that are found across cultures and that identify themselves more as Islamic design than Pakistani or Arab design. “There is a stereotype of Islamic architecture that ties all architecture from Baghdad to New Dehli,” said Abdalla. When forced to eliminate a minaret from a recent urban mosque design due to local regulations, Abdalla decided to heavily adorn the exterior of the mosque in tile work, a material common in Islamic art and architecture. While the building did not boast of sky scrapping minarets or a domineering dome, Abdalla designed its exterior to fit both in the American landscape while maintaining an Islamic identity. “[I first think about] what is going to distinguish this building from other buildings,” he said. Domes and minarets traditionally helped amplify sound within the mosque and allow for the call to prayer to be heard across the land. Modern technology, design and the existence of noise regulations in the United States have reduced the iconic mosque architecture to a symbolic afterthought.

The building identifying with the religion and being overwhelmed by the design of a particular culture are two entirely different things said Virginiabased architect Najah Abdalla.

As architects begin to work around the idea of a dome-less and minaret-less mosque, a new genre of Islamic architecture is born.

While he has designed mosques based distinctly on Pakistani culture and various Arab cultures, he commits his American mosque designs to the overarch-

“Islam is a way of life. When it enters a new place it doesn’t change people’s culture. It changes the way they worship,” said Younis. “...We have to establish the [American] genre.”

From top, the ADAMS Center in Sterling, Virginia, and the newly constructed shell of the Islamic Society of Gwynn Oak in Baltimore.

For Abu-Ali Family, Only One Legal Avenue Left for Son’s Freedom By Contributing Writers We are all familiar with this tale: a young man gets arrested by surprise, held for years without charges, shackled for days at a time, whipped past the point of burning, interrogated through the nights, threatened with death, forced into confession, and ultimately incarcerated for life. Perhaps we have read George Orwell’s 1984, heard about Adolf Hitler’s Germany, or seen the horrors of Bashar Al-Assad’s current Syria on our televi-

sion screens. But in fact, this nightmare is neither fiction nor history nor foreign. It is right here, right now, in our backyards. It is the life story of an American: Ahmed Abu-Ali. Born in Texas, Ahmed completed high school in Northern Virginia where he graduated as valedictorian and spent his free time

working with disabled adults, teaching children how to read, and building bridges in interfaith activities. He served as a summer counselor and youth group leader at Dar Al Hijrah, and donated blood regularly to the American Red Cross. He is a Muslim American, a brother, a son, and most of all your Muslim brother. Ahmed dreamed of becoming a teacher full-time one day. Just before graduating college, when Ahmed was set to fulfill his lifelong dream in his Northern Vir-

ginia hometown, his life took an unexpected turn. On June 8, 2003, at the age of 22, Ahmed was suddenly arrested while studying Islamic Studies in Saudi Arabia, amidst a final exam. He was detained and held in jail for 20 months without charges or access to attorney. After his family sued the U.S government, he was unexpectedly Legal Pg 11

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February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

6 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Deciding to Run

Weighing Many Factors Important Before Committing to A Campaign, Say Local Muslim Politicos By Arjumand Yousuf

Muslim Link Staff Reporter He is an author, a teacher and a scholar. He has an undergraduate degree from Harvard and a doctorate in Astrophysics and Astronomy from Arizona State University. He is also a Muslim. His name is Imad-Ad-Dean Ahmed and he is contemplating the decision to run as the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2012. Ahmed introduced himself and answered questions this past Saturday at an exploratory meeting held at the White March library in Baltimore County. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss Ahmed’s campaign goals as well as the necessary conditions needed to run a successful campaign. There are three reasons why an individual runs for a campaign explains Ahmed. “To get on the ballot, to educate the American people and lastly to win.” Ahmed, who himself has managed three campaigns and has run once before in 1998 is well acquainted with the political arena. When he ran for U.S. Senate in 1988 his objective was just to get on the ballot. “You need to have an objective” says Ahmed. The purpose of this campaign is to educate the public and “these kinds of campaigns if taken seriously can be a lot of work” he explains. Some of Ahmed’s campaign goals include increasing the number of registered Libertarian’s in Maryland to 12,000 and obtaining at least 2 percent of the votes. His decision to run also depends on whether he can fulfill what Ahmed calls “conditions for a successful campaign.” These pre-requisites include the appointment of key positions including a campaign manager, treasurer, scheduler, fundraiser, an issues researcher and whether he can raise the required funds to successfully run his campaign. Similar to other Muslim candidates that have run for political office in the past, Ahmed’s choice to run involves considering personal, social, financial and political factors. Running for office is

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a multifaceted decision involving many sacrifices. One of which is time. A candidate must be willing to make big personal sacrifices such as time away from family and time off from work. In Ahmed’s case he already knows the personal commitment running a campaign involves “I know what’s asked of me” he says. His decision to run depends on if other core team members in his campaign are also willing to make that personal sacrifice. One of the biggest challenges for Esam Omeish a surgeon from Northern, Virginia who is married and has children was the time commitment it involved to run a campaign. Omeish ran in 2009 for the democratic seat in the general party election. “ I worked sixteen to eighteen hour days and maintained a busy full time practice until two weeks before the election.” says Omeish. For nearly eight months before the election Omeish’s typical daily routine involved working his day job as a surgeon until 5pm. He would rush home, where wife his greeted him at the door, ready to hit the road. They campaigned door to door, grabbed a quick bite to eat, and campaigned some more until about 9 pm when they would head to campaign headquarters to complete tasks and plan campaign strategies until midnight. “ It was pretty tough” explains Omeish, “but it was a wholesome experience and we made it a family affair.” Melvin Bilal, an attorney in Baltimore who ran for for lieutenant governor as a Republican in 1986 and – at the request of the local Muslim community – ran in 2007 for city council (the 6th district at the time) against now Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings Blake, also made personal sacrifices. During his run for the City Council position, Bilal would wake up for Fajr, pray, eat, and then hit the streets with some of his volunteers at around 9:30 am, breaking for the daily prayers throughout the day. At night they would make calls because “after dark most people won’t open the door to speak to strangers”, Bilal explained. He did this for seven days a week four to five months before the election.

“To get on the ballot, to educate the American people and lastly to win.” Imad-Ad-Deen Ahmed on why people campaign for office

Esam Omeish would rush home, pick up his wife, and hit the trail. They campaigned door to door and ended around midnight at campaign headquarters.

For Bilal running for office also meant relocating to the city from Howard County, Maryland his place of residence for nearly thirty years. Fazlul Kabir, who was successful in getting elected into office, is presently Council member of the city of College Park (District 1). Kabir, who holds a doctorate degree in Electrical Engineering, works as a Senior Project Manager, and teaches at The University of Maryland College Park also spent countless number of hours away from his family and two sons. “City Council is at a very local level and the more people you know the better chance you have to win.” says Kabir. He spent close to eight hours both Saturday and Sunday every weekend going door to door, talking to people and asking them about their concerns. Closer to election time he also spent weekday evenings after work engaging the community, and familiarizing himself with their social concerns. “Some people came out and engaged me for a while” says Kabir. This response surprised him, but he welcomed the social interaction. Social factors also come into play when a potential candidate is contemplating the decision to run or not. At very local levels social issues comprise of Neighborhood Watch and snow removal but at higher levels like state or national offices they encompass abortion and gay and lesbian rights. “Issues like snow removal aren’t controversial” says Bilal “but how can we advocate for gay and lesbian marriages or lottery or slots? Our beliefs are different and we

can’t vote for those issues.” One of the challenges Bilal faced in the city was the conflict of being a Muslim and running for an office to represent all the people in the district. While campaigning door to door a common question Bilal was often asked was “what church are you affiliated with.” Conversely, Omeish takes a different stance. He believes that even though there are inherent challenges for Muslim Americans who run for office, these issues are not ones that can’t be overcome he states. “Part of your preparation as a public servant is to be able to articulate the view that is not inclusive, not making judgment on anyone and ruling in an impartial, dedicated way” affirms Omeish. “Sustain the integrity in your life, stand by what you believe in, and hold onto your beliefs.” How does being a Muslim affect Ahmed’s decision to run? “I look forward to the questions” Ahmed articulates, because if he chooses to run in this particular campaign, Ahmed’s focus is not to win. It is to educate. He looks forward to answering questions about being a Muslim and about Islam. Social concerns aside, political factors such as which party to represent, whether the community is ready for someone new in the district, and how strong the incumbent is are all points to reflect upon when contemplating the decision to run. When running for the position of city council Bilal chose to run as a Republican so he could get into the race, because he was running against incumbent Stephanie Rawlings Blake, a DemRUN Pg 7

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012 run

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ocrat. A political challenge that Omeish faced was that he was unfamiliar with the Democratic agenda. A candidate needs to “establish a presence, and become more familiar with the political machine” he states. An additional element of campaign preparation is familiarizing yourself with the issues. Issues Ahmed hopes to tackle if decides to run include ending corporate warfare and restoring civil liberties, It is important to “start by being active in civic society” says Ahmed It was Kabir’s desire to serve the community that prompted him to run for city council. “Get involved in the grass roots level” he says. He was 4 term secretary of North College Park Citizen’s Association (NCPCA), and also has his own daily blog Kabircares. org. Omeish also agrees that it crucial to “know the issues.” Earn the privilege to serve through hard work and dedication” he says.

cluding the city of Baltimore. He is also hoping to raise close to $90,000 in funds. One of his conditions for running in this election is to raise $10,000 before the nominating convention scheduled to be held in two weeks. That puts Ahmed on a tight deadline. A deadline he is willing to meet if others are also on board for the challenge. Whether running for local city council, or a seat in the U.S. Senate, there are challenges involved in running for political office. Personal, social, political

COMMUNITY NEWS and financial factors must be considered when a Muslim American decides to run for office. Bilal says he will not run again, because he feels running for most offices higher than local or city positions means an inevitable clash of values. “We cannot uphold our Islamic principles [at state and national levels]” he says. On the other hand, Omeish would like to run again in the future “I am taking a break. I want to make sure the timing is right for me and my family,” he states. As Ahmed contemplates his decision to run as the Libertarian candidate for

U.S. Senate, he says he is hopeful that his goals and conditions are being met. “I am more optimistic now than when I walked in here this morning” he says. He encourages Muslims to become more active. “Muslims are part of the political American landscape” he says. Omeish agrees, “One should absolutely, unequivocally consider public office. There are many tracks to public service, make a difference, be passionate.”

Another important aspect of campaign preparation is ensuring the contender has the resources to run an effective and successful campaign including the manpower and necessary funds. In Omeish’s case finding a strong staff initially delayed some of his work. However, he was able to gather together a strong network of members that ran a very aggressive campaign. The community raised close to $70,000 and he matched it dollar for dollar with personal funds, giving him a total of 140,000 to work with. When Bilal ran for the position of city council, the community approached him and said they had the resources to help him. He was able to raise $100,000 with the help of the community. Most of the money was spent on printing literature and on radio ads. One of Ahmed’s goals is to find at least sixty poll workers for election day to cover four counties in-

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8 | COMMUNITY NEWS legalization

>> continued from pg 1

valid in Maryland, the marriage must be between “a man and a woman.” If enacted, the Civil Marriage Protection Act would repeal the reference to a marriage being a union between man and woman, specifying instead that a valid marriage in Maryland is between “two individuals who are not otherwise prohibited from marrying.” In addition, the legislation protects the principle of freedom of religion by shielding religious denominations that refuse to recognize or officiate a samesex marriage from fine or other penalty. Moreover, the act spells out that religious communities have exclusive control over their own doctrine, policy regarding who may marry or not. This provision was added to this year’s version of the samesex legislation after similar legislation last year was defeated by the Maryland lower legislative body, the House of Delegates. The new protections for religious groups along with a provision to delay implementation of the law until January 2013, long enough for Maryland voters to have a say on a planned referendum to oppose the same-sex marriage measure, were enough to convince some legislators to switch their vote.

til 2013. By voting in support of the same-sex marriage legislation, Alston contends she was merely removing from the state’s legislature an issue that has become too divisive and placing it with Maryland voters. “This issue has divided the Democratic Party and the House of Delegates to the point where our attention on other key issues like the budget and [poor people’s] right to counsel…has been distracted,” said Alston. Once the legislation becomes law, Alston says she plans to work with clergy to “petition this matter to referendum.” However, some believe that the change of vote by Alston and other Maryland legislators who opposed similar legislation just last year was due to “backroom deals.” For example, after voting against last year’s version of the same-sex marriage measure, Alston was accused with misusing election campaign funds. A trial in her case is set to start in May and could net her more than 18 years in prison if found guilty. As the debate over this year’s Civil Marriage Act intensified, Alston dropped her opposition to the legislation.

One such legislator was Delegate Tiffany Alston (D), who states “I voted for the bill because I believe it is time for the citizens of Maryland to address this issue at the polls.”

Alston’s switch is an example of how the Maryland Democratic Party leadership and supporters of same-sex marriage can intimidate people to change their vote, even if, in their hearts, they remain opposed to the legislation said Julia M. Vidmar, a spokesperson for the Maryland Family Alliance. According to Vidmar, Maryland legislators who changed their vote were not motivated by a change of heart over the issues but by politics. “[T] here was intimidation, backroom deals, and manipulation,” said Vidmar.

Alston authored the legislation’s provision to delay same-sex marriages un-

Maryland State Senator C. Anthony Muse, a Christian minister and ardent

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foe of same-sex unions, was even more blunt about the political arm-twisting he believes led to the passage of the Civil Marriage Act. “Many changed their vote because they think this is good politics since [support of same-sex marriage is the Maryland Democratic] party’s position, from Senator Mikulski, Senator Cardin, the governor. I parted with them because…of my beliefs,” said Muse. By opposing same-sex marriage, Muse adds he’s following the lead of President Obama, who the Maryland Senator notes is publically opposed to same sex marriage. Muse is hoping to also follow the President’s legacy by becoming the next African American Member of the United States Senate. If elected, Muse could be the only African American and religious leader in the U.S. Senate. Politicians or not, people, particularly Muslims, have a duty to put principles above politics contends Jameel Johnson with the Prince Georges County Muslim Council. “The Muslim community has an obligation based on our faith to speak in support of just moral behavior and in opposition to that which is unjust even when it is unpopular,” asserted Johnson. Imam Hussein Barre of the Avondale Muslim Community explains that the issue of same-sex relations is not new. Barre recounts the prayer of Prophet Lut (may Allah be pleased with him) who in the face of being overwhelmed by homosexuals of his time called upon Allah for support. According to the Quran, Allah saved Lut and his family, except a person who was sympathetic to homosexual lifestyles. Barre believes this example and others in the books of Allah offer ample evidence why Muslims must oppose same-sex marriages.

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Further, Barre points out that if Maryland permits men to marry each other, there will be even fewer men to marry women. Barre suggests that the change in Maryland’s marriage law may provide Muslim men additional incentive to marry more than one wife. The prosperity of Muslims and others may be critical for the success of the planned referendum to block same sex marriage from becoming law in Maryland. Its estimated that both sides of the debate may spend as much as $20 million in preparation of the referendum vote expected to coincide with the November presidential election. In the event the same-sex marriage measure prevails, legal observers note that Maryland might also be obligated to recognize Islamic unions, including polygamous bonds. By expanding the legislation’s language protecting a religion’s definition of marriage, sponsors may have unknowingly opened the door for Maryland’s legalization of Islamic marriages. Maryland Delegate Alston herself, acknowledged the possibility that if the Civil Marriage Act becomes law, same-sex couples may have to make room for polygamous spouses heading to city halls across the state seeking licenses to wed along with the federal benefits that comes along with marriage permits For more information on the Maryland Civil Marriage Protection Act visit http:// mlis.state.md.us/2012rs/fnotes/bil_0008/ hb0438.pdf. To learn how your representative voted on the legislation, visit http://www.wbal.com/article/86849/78/ template-story/How-Your-DelegatesVoted-On-Same-Sex-Marriage. The writer can be reached at TKarim@ teclawgroup.com.

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Guantanamo Detainee With Baltimore Ties Is Charged With War Crimes By Peter Finn

The Washington Post, Feb 14, 2012

A former Baltimore area resident held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was charged Tuesday by military prosecutors with war crimes, including murder, attempted murder, spying and providing material support for terrorism. Majid Khan, a Pakistani citizen and a former legal resident of the United States, is accused of conspiring with Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, to conduct a series of follow-up operations in the United States. These included targeting underground gasoline storage tanks, according to the military.

Khan, a graduate of a suburban Baltimore high school near where his parents ran a gas station, is also accused of donning a suicide vest and planning to assassinate former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf.

miah, a regional terrorist organization in Southeast Asia, used the money to fund the bombing of the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, in August 2003. Eleven people were killed in the attack, and more than 80 others were wounded.

According to the military, Khan traveled to Pakistan in January 2002 and returned to Baltimore a few months later to acquire a laptop for al-Qaeda and get information about the U.S. military.

Khan was detained at a relative’s house in Pakistan in March 2003 and turned over to the United States. He vanished into the CIA’s system of overseas prisons until President George W. Bush announced that he was one of 14 “high-value” detainees who had been transferred to Cuba in September 2006. At Guantanamo Bay, he is held at the top-security Camp 7, whose exact location at the U.S. naval base remains classified.

After he went back to Pakistan in August 2002, Khan worked directly for Mohammed, according to the military, and his tasks included carrying $50,000 to an al-Qaeda affiliate group in Bangkok. The military alleges that Jemaah Isla-

Khan’s attorneys at the Center for Constitutional Rights, a New York-based advocacy organization, have said their client was tortured and coerced into making self-incriminating statements. If convicted, Khan faces up to life in prison. A senior Pentagon official must still refer the charges to a military commission for trial. -----------------------------------------------In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

Youth Advocacy Brings D.C. Muslim to City Committee By Rashad Mulla

Muslim Link Staff Reporter

In the fall of 2011, the Juvenile Justice Advisory Group added a heavily qualified civic activist to their ranks. D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray appointed Mahdi Leroy J. Thorpe, Jr., former commissioner of the Shaw neighborhood and an experienced social worker, to the group on Sept. 13, 2011. Thorpe will work on the group’s youth committee, which in the past has organized meetings with youth to discuss how to allocate funding for programs that affect their lives, such as mentoring and substance abuse programs. “He’s been very helpful with JJAG in

these few short months, with bringing youth to focus groups and really pushing us to think outside of the box for juvenile justice,” said Carmen Daugherty, deputy director of Advocates for Justice and Education, a local non-profit organization, and chair of JJAG. Thorpe founded Citizens Organized Patrol Efforts, a Shaw-area citizen patrol program, in 1988. The program has helped shut down more than 50 crack houses and has hosted over 120 anti-drug rallies in Washington, D.C. After receiving a master’s degree from Howard University, Thorpe devoted his professional career to youth advocacy, counseling and social work. The walls of his house are decorated with awards and recognitions from a host of individuals, includ-

ing Congressional representatives and the D.C. Chief of Police, Cathy Lanier. He currently works for the city’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services.

According to Thorpe, Muslim youth are very much in the thick of these statistics, and should be involved in JJAG and similar outreach efforts.

This new appointment is to a group that is attempting to curb a careening problem in the nation’s capital. JJAG combines social work and youth advocacy professionals, community members and Washington’s youth together in order to discuss problems that affect the city’s young citizens.

“Muslims should be concerned about the Juvenile Justice Advisory Group because there are a large number of adjudicated Muslim youth that are committed to the juvenile justice system or on probation,” he said. “Muslim parents and Muslims in general need to get involved with JJAG to prevent their children from being committed to the system. They need to reach out to JJAG to advise the mayor on where the dollars should be spent on rehabilitation.”

Between January and June 2011, officers made 1,760 juvenile arrests, according to the Metropolitan Police Department, for crimes ranging from petty theft to first-degree murder.

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Federal Agents Arrest Man Who Allegedly Planned Suicide Bombing On U.S. Capitol By William Branigin, Del Quentin Wilber and Sari Horwitz Washington Post, February 17, 2011

The FBI and the U.S. Capitol Police arrested a Moroccan man Friday in downtown Washington after a lengthy investigation into an alleged plot to carry out a shooting spree and a suicide bombing at the Capitol. Amine el-Khalifi, 29, was picked up while carrying an inoperable MAC-10 automatic weapon and a fake suicide vest provided to him by undercover FBI agents posing as al-Qaeda associates, U.S. officials said. They said he entered the United States when he was 16 and was living as an illegal immigrant in Northern Virginia, having overstayed his visitor’s visa for years. Khalifi was arrested in a parking garage on Constitution Avenue NW a few blocks from the Capitol following a year-long investigation, officials said. Khalifi, “who is illegally present in the United States, was charged today by criminal complaint with attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction against property that is owned and used by the United States,” the Justice Department said later in a news release. It said he made an initial court appearance Friday afternoon before Magistrate Judge T.

Rawles Jones Jr. in U.S. District Court in Alexandria, Va. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison, the release said. Following the arrest, FBI agents and Arlington police raided a red-brick rambler on Randolph Road in the Douglas Park neighborhood of Arlington near a wooded area with trails and a creek. Agents were seen going in and out of the house and and searching the back yard. Arlington police said they were assisting with a search warrant. Frank Dynda, a retired patent attorney, told The Washington Post that he rented an apartment in Arlington to a Bulgarian woman who said she was married to Khalifi but that she “mysteriously disappeared” while living with him there. Dynda said Khalifi remained in the apartment afterward but did not pay rent and was not on the lease. He said he evicted Khalifi about a year ago. “He was suspicious,” said Dynda. “He was getting mysterious packages labeled “book,” but I didn’t think there were books in them.” Dynda said he called the police to report Khalifi, then took him to landlord-tenant court three months later and got him evicted.

“He and his friends threatened to beat the hell out of me,” Dynda said.

face-to-face” and selected a Washington, D.C., restaurant for a bombing attack.

U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride said the complaint alleges that Khalifi “sought to blow himself up in the U.S. Capitol Building.” He said Khalifi “allegedly believed he was working with al-Qaeda and devised the plot, the targets and the methods on his own.”

Then, on Jan. 15, the affidavit alleges, Khalifi “stated that he had modified his plans for his attack” and wanted instead to carry out a suicide attack on the U.S. Capitol Building. The same day in a West Virginia quarry, the affidavit says, he detonated a test bomb that was set up by undercover operatives.

Lisa Monaco, assistant attorney general for national security, said: “Today’s case underscores the continuing threat we face from homegrown violent extremists. Thanks to a coordinated law enforcement effort ... Khalifi’s alleged plot was thwarted before anyone was harmed.” According to the criminal complaint affidavit, a confidential source reported to the FBI in January 2011 that Khalifi had met at a residence in Arlington with other individuals, one of whom produced what appeared to be an AK-47 assault rifle, two revolvers and ammunition. Khalifi “allegedly expressed agreement with a statement by this individual that the ‘war on terrorism’ was a ‘war on Muslims’ and said that the group needed to be ready for war,” the Justice Department statement said. Khalifi “sought to be associated with an armed extremist group” and was introduced on Dec. 1, 2011, to a man named Yusuf, who was actually an undercover law enforcement officer, the Justice Department said. “Throughout December 2011 and January 2012, El Khalifi allegedly proposed to carry out a bombing attack,” the release said. “His proposed targets included a building that contained U.S. military offices, as well as a synagogue, U.S. Army generals and a restaurant frequented by military officials.” It said he expressed a desire to the undercover officer “to conduct an operation in which he would use a gun and kill people

....

On Friday in a parking garage near the Capitol, Khalifi “took possession of a MAC-10 automatic weapon and put on a vest containing what he believed to be a functioning bomb,” the Justice Department said. But when he started walking toward the Capitol, he was arrested before leaving the garage, it said. Before heading for downtown Washington, Khalifi prayed Friday at the Dar al-Hijrah Mosque in Northern Virginia, but he was not a regular worshiper at the mosque, according to Johari AbdulMalik, the prayer leader at Dar al-Hijrah. The first official word of the arrest came in a cryptic news release from the Capitol Police that said an unidentified individual was arrested “in the area of the U.S. Capitol” but that “at no time was the public or congressional community in any danger.” The statement said the arrest “was the culmination of a lengthy and extensive operation during which the individual was closely and carefully monitored.” The statement provided no other details, but a U.S. official said a Moroccan man was picked up near the Labor Department on his way to the Capitol for what he thought would be a suicide attack. He was carrying with him a vest that he believed was packed with explosives but that actually contained harmless material, officials said. capitol Pg 12

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012 legal

>> continued from pg 5

sent back to the U.S., where he was convicted for terrorism-related conspiracy charges on the basis of a false confession that was elicited by torture. Many details in Ahmed’s case illustrate the extent to which it was fabricated. For instance, Ahmed is the first person in all of U.S. history who was arrested based entirely on secret evidence. Also, his case set a precedent on evidence obtained by a foreign government by torture. Furthermore, the judge at his trial refused to allow evidence of possible torture to be presented. Today, at age 30, Ahmed spends 23 hours a day everyday in solitary confinement at ADX Supermax Prison in Florence, Colorado. If he would like to take his one-hour of “recreation,” into a 5x5 metal cage where he gets a small view of the sky, he must get strip-searched. His cell measures 8×12 feet, located 20 meters beneath the ground. The last time Ahmed got a hug, he was also 22. Special Administrative Measures prohibit Ahmed from any outside contact, except sparse, limited, and monitored correspondences with his immediate family and attorney. When his family visits, they communicate with him via telephone and take turns watching him through the glass, with his feet still shackled. For the past eight years and eight months, Ahmed has been fighting for justice, and repeatedly denied his basic rights as an

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American citizen—the right for a Miranda statement, the right to an attorney, the right to a speedy trial, the right to know your accuser, the right to know the evidence against you, , and the protection from cruel and unusual punishments. In our U.S. courts, under the banner of liberty and justice for all, Ahmed has been stripped of his 4th, 5th and 6th amendment rights. Now it is our turn to demand justice. Ahmed’s family has exhausted their legal options. The last leg of this legal battle is the writ of habeas corpus, a procedure

for release from unlawful detention. To ensure success, Ahmed needs your support. Please Follow Ahmed on Twitter @BringAhmedHome, Like Ahmed on the Facebook page “Free Ahmed,” and join us at the upcoming Freedom Dinner on March 3rd at Dewan-E-Khaas in Ahmed’s hometown, Northern Virginia. For students who donate, an anonymous donor will not only match but double their donations up to 1k. If you have an upcoming special occasion, consider purchasing a Freedom Cake or other desserts. For other ways to help, please visit

http://freeahmed.com/take-action/. If we don’t speak up for Ahmed, who will? Let us not turn our back on a brother in need. Help free Ahmed by visiting www.freeahmed.com As Ahmed waits, silenced in his cell, it is up to us to spread the word. We are the voice of the voiceless. We are not afraid to broadcast the truth. We are not afraid to stand up for the innocent. We will free Ahmed, and set a precedent that never again will we allow another Ahmed to be unjustly persecuted on our soil.

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12 |COMMUNITY NEWS capitol

>> continued from pg 10

The man thought he was being assisted by members of the al-Qaeda terrorist network, but they were really undercover FBI agents, officials said. “The arrest was the culmination of an undercover operation during which the suspect was closely monitored by law enforcement,” said Peter Carr, a spokesman for U.S. Attorney MacBride in Virginia, where the investigation is centered. “Explosives the suspect allegedly sought to use in connection with the plot had been rendered inoperable by law enforcement and posed no threat to the public.” Khalifi entered the United States with a family member, and at some point, he came to the attention of the FBI, said a law enforcement official. Undercover FBI agents gave the man inoperable explosives and a gun, and he was followed Friday into the District, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Fox News, which first reported the man’s alleged intention to carry out a suicide mission against the Capitol, said the investigation began after he expressed interest in conducting an attack but that it was unclear how the FBI learned of his aspirations. Shortly before the alleged mission, the man had been praying at a mosque in the Washington area, Fox News reported.

The Associated Press, quoting a law enforcement official, said Khalifi changed his mind about his intended target several times but ultimately decided on the Capitol. He is not believed to be associated with al-Qaeda, AP said. In the past year, federal agents have arrested at least 20 people in the United States on terrorism-related charges, the Senate Intelligence Committee has said. In September, FBI agents posing as alQaeda associates helped arrest a Massachusetts man of Bangladeshi descent, Rezwan Ferdaus, 26, for allegedly plotting to fly explosives-packed model planes into the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol. In October 2010, Farooque Ahmed, a Pakistani American from Ashburn, Va., was arrested for an alleged plot to bomb Washington-area Metro stations. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced in April 2011 to 23 years in prison. The Capitol was the scene of intense activity Friday, as the House and Senate voted on a $150 billion economic package that extends a payroll tax cut through the rest of the year for 160 million Americans. The measure passed both houses after morning debates. News of the alleged plot came just as a group of Muslim congressional staffers and others finished their noontime Friday prayers at the U.S. Capitol. “Whoever this guy was, if he was aiming for the Capitol, he would have gotten all of us,” said Abdul-Malik, the imam of

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the Dar al-Hijrah Mosque, after leading the prayers in one of the meeting rooms of the Capitol. About 50 worshipers attended the prayers, including congressional staffers and workers from the National Archives, Library of Congress, Capitol Police and other surrounding federal offices. Also praying with the group was Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim to be elected to Congress, according to AbdulMalik, who gave the main sermon at the prayers. Muslim leaders from the region spent the afternoon conferring and trying to learn more about the arrest and the identity of the suspect. Several expressed fears of backlash against Muslims. “We don’t know anything yet — who this man was and where he’s from,” said Rizwan Jaka, spokesman for the All Dulles Area Muslim Society. “But people often correlate the individual with whatever mosques he has worshiped in previously. Mosques are open to the public and anyone can come in.” Jaka added: “We condemn and reject these actions. Usually it’s these lonewolf situations, and we’re just glad he’s off the street.” “We got a call from the FBI field office,” Abdul-Malik said later. “They said that the guy prayed at the mosque this morning. They’ve been following him for a long time now, and he’s not regular attender at our mosque nor any other mosque. So they told us we shouldn’t be

concerned.” As news of the arrest spread, several members of Dar al-Hijrah expressed concern that the mosque could be thrust into the spotlight once again. The mosque has suffered criticism in recent years because of terrorist suspects who were later found to have worshiped there at some point. Its leaders, however, have pointed out that it is also one of the biggest mosques in the Mid-Atlantic, and as such attracts worshipers from all over, including many infrequent visitors. “It’s tough the thought of having to go through all of this over again,” said a regular attendee, who did not wish to be identified because he is not part of the mosque leadership. According to another member of the mosque, Dar al-Hijrah recently installed surveillance cameras following recommendations from local police to increase security in response to hate mail and threats. The mosque has offered to cooperate with the FBI, including sharing the footage if necessary. Staff writers William Wan and Clarence Williams and researcher Julie Tate contributed to this report. -----------------------------------------------In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

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February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012 war

>> continued from pg 4

that the Assad gangs have committed, Syrians are obligated to carry weapons and defend themselves. It is their right,” he said. Yet a victory based solely on the FSA is currently unlikely. The Assad regime has already waged an all-out war, said an 18-year-old Damascus resident who is currently in Lebanon. However, the FSA does not have the resources needed to face the opposing side, said Abd Ha. Majzob agrees that “the FSA lacks any type of support and would be no match for the ruling gang.” Twice detained and beaten with electric cables while tied and blindfolded-whose mother wrote on Facebook: “My son, sweetheart, you have honored me with your imprisonment”- Abd Ha believes that trying to surmise how the Assad regime will fall and what type of government should follow “is like debating

between having fried or grilled chicken before even slaughtering the fowl…But one thing is certain,” he said, “the majority of the people are praying that Bashar will fall, even the scared and silent.” For over two weeks, Assad has been bombarding the city of Baba Amro in the province of Homs. Upon reaching the besieged city of Homs, Correspondent Arwa Damon told CNN that activists have counted “55 explosions in just the span of 15 minutes.” And yet the U.S. has already ruled out military intervention. Not until recently did the two major cities in Syria, Damascus-the capital- and Halab, which house the majority of government elites and supporters-, begin fiercely protesting. In the past couple of days, large protests unlike any others in the capital erupted in Mezze in the face of gunfire, less than 1km away from the presidential palace. For the most part, Damascus has been shielded from the conflict but it has become apparent that the government has begun to lose its grip on the last stronghold it has.

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COMMUNITY NEWS | 13 “It’s close. The regime has begun to falter and is losing its control over Damascus,” said Abd Ha. He said almost every night now at around midnight, chants of “Allahu Akbar” have been ringing loudly in the neighborhoods of Damascus, which he considers a major escalation to the events in Syria not only because it leads to frenzied movements of security forces but also because “it gradually encourages the participation of those still afraid and has turned the once sleeping areas of Damascus into sites of opposition.” Yet compared to the cities like Hama and Homs, who have sacrificed the most, “Damascus and Halab are still crawling up the revolutionary scale,” said Majzob. While many are secretly praying for a peaceful resolution to ending the bloodshed, the majority have begun placing all their hopes on the FSA. “The regime seems indifferent whether the world is watching or the people have guns or not. The regime is killing us any-

ways,” said 22-year-old Barzah resident who goes by the name of Ameer. “People want to protect themselves & their families and [it seems that] a war will explode and that is going to be the only way Syria frees itself.” “There is absolutely no way to end this except with war, unfortunately,” said New Jersey resident, Racan Alhoch, 22. “I personally wish there was another way because this is going to end up being a war of brothers - Syrians against Syrians but the regime will not leave without force.” “The revolution is definitely headed towards victory in the sense that this regime will be ousted,” said Alhoch. “As for the future of Syria, it will be a long, hard road to building Syria into a democratic state. The most important thing for us as Syrians is to not look forward in fear, or back in anger but to look around in awareness so we don’t let anybody take our rights from us again.”

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SPECIAL HEALTH FOCUS

Many Immigrants Shun Mental Health Care By Wafa Unus

Muslim Link Staff Reporter In regions of prolonged strife due to war, political uprisings or humanitarian crisis inhabitants often find themselves faced with both physically debilitating conditions as well as mentally destabilizing environments. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that nearly five million of the fifty million refugees displaced around the world suffer from a mental illness largely due to traumatic events in their homeland.

a wide range and due to cultural and language barriers that may occur upon a refugee entering the United States, the Center for Disease Control laid out specific guidelines on dealing with refugees who may be suffering from some type of mental illness. Although therapists and medication are provided through the U.S. health care system for those in need of the services, the refugee and even the regular immigrant population seeking a more stable environment in the United States often find cultural stigmas standing between them and seeking the care.

Razia Kusi, a social worker, found that many immigrants, refugees or otherwise, visited the free clinic she volunteered at complaining of minor issues that would eventually uncover larger concerns. “They would go in for more systemic issues like headaches, but as they would talk to the physician they would realize there was an underlining mental health issue that they needed to deal with,” she said. She found that those who were religiously minded sometimes displayed an additional hesitation to seeking her therapy.

Because these traumatic events have

“There is kind of a stigma about it that [the mental health issue] is perhaps because they’re not strong enough in their Iman, their faith.” said Kusi. Kusi has seen a variety of mental health issues, one of the most common being depression stemming from family issues and cultural expectations. In some cases she said, patients have forgone treatment entirely in fear of the potential shame it might bring to their family. Kusi spoke of one case where a Muslim family decided against seeking mental shun Pg 16

U of Chicago Study Looks at Health, American Muslims By Wafa Unus

religious concerns.

Religious beliefs have long intertwined with the sciences and medicine. The University of Chicago is studying the relationship between Islam and Medicine in a new initiative that seeks to understand health behavior in the American Muslim Community.

“When there are barriers to the health care system, perceptions of discrimination, insurance or stigmas, that they may resort to other methods of treatment,” said Padela. “Something as simple as having modest gowns, having Halal food that will make the system more comfortable for the American Muslim.”

Padela doesn’t seek to discourage those who find alternate treatments beneficial to their health. He understands that though his scientific self may not find the empirical evidence to support alternate practices, his responsibility as a physician requires him to dedicate himself to the understanding of the patient as a comprehensive being.

It’s not just a matter of comfort. Data on health attitudes collected on ethnic communities has been used to improve the health care system in ways that not only allows it to better serve the community but to open up the system to those who may avoid seeking medical attention at all, an attitude that leads to a host of both medical and financial concerns for the individual and for the system as a whole.

“Some Muslim groups do resort to using prayer and fasting or asking you to make dua for them to get healing. Some people will say that they will do worship practices or prophetic medicine before going to the doctor...There are many factors about why they use alternate treatments,” said Padela. “What we should be doing as physicians is helping people get to their optimal health.”

“Traditionally in health care database in the United States people look at health care disparities through ethnic lines,” said Padela. “What you’re left to is making approximations of the American Muslim community’s health.”

While comprehensive statistics may not yet be available on the American Muslim community, the Initiative seeks to uncover the attitudes of one of the fastest growing minorities in the country. An estimated 7 million people identify as Muslims in America. That’s 7 million people in need of health care.

For Padela, that means understanding what their attitudes are toward health care and how to make the system more understanding of those attitudes.

Padela hopes that the information acquired through research can be used to improve the U.S. health care system and address the concerns of the growing American Muslim population who in some cases are hesitant to seek treatment because of

“I think that the most interesting thing is that there is a model of healing [in the American Muslim community], that people do think of things more than just physical health and they do seek spiritual healing,” he said.

Muslim Link Staff Reporter

The Initiative on Islam and Medicine focuses on how Islam informs the health care actions of physicians both ethically and legally as well as how religious values impact patient behavior. Dr. Aasim Padela, Director of the Initiative on Islam and Medicine, began his studies on the subject a year ago through the University and has since conducted various qualitative surveys of the American Muslim community.

Padela and his team conducted focus groups in one of the most densely populated area of American-Muslims in the United States, southeastern Michigan. The survey included over one hundred men and women of various ethnic backgrounds.

as predestined occurrences. “...a trial from God by which one’s sins are removed, an opportunity for spiritual reward, a reminder to improve one’s health, and sometimes a sign of personal failure to follow Islam’s tenets,” wrote the authors of the study. The study revealed that those surveyed viewed health holistically, viewing it as neither a completely scientific nor a completely spiritual condition. These results led Padela to emphasize the role of the Imam and the masjid in the American Muslim’s attitude on health as well as the duty of the Muslim physician who has some understanding of the theological preconceptions of their patients. [We should have] conversations about health between the religious community, the health care practitioner and the patient...about what it means to be ill and what it means to be healthy,” said Padela. While the Initiative on Islam and Medicine is still new at the University of Chicago, Padela hopes that his research will be help reform the health care system. “Data informs policies,” he said. “Using this information can create a system that is better able to serve the American Muslim population.”

According to the study, most participants viewed illness “through a religious lens”

....

16 |

SPECIAL HEALTH FOCUS

Doctors: Immigrant Muslim Diets, No Exercise Recipe for Diabetes, Heart Problems “Our people, literally do not believe in exercise. This is something new for them here.” -- Dr Asif Qadri By Wafa Unus

Muslim Link Staff Reporter One in every three Americans is obese and seven out of ten deaths each year are caused by chronic disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While these statistics are inclusive of all demographics, some ethnic communities face far greater statistical risks than others. While health factors are tied to many socio-economic and biological factors, diet can often mean the difference between being susceptible to a disease or ailment and suffering from one. “If someone has a family history of diabetes then yes they are prone to it, but also it depends on their dietary habits. They can prevent it or delay it or they can manage it and have a good control over their condition,” said local physician Dr. Rashid Nayyar. Numerous studies, documentaries and reports have exposed the seedy underbelly of the American fast food culture that shun

>> continued from pg 15

health care for an alcoholic family member because the consumption of alcohol in Islam is forbidden and therefore exposing the issue might lead to judgement by the community. Instead, the member lived as an alcoholic and the family was forced to deal with the issue without hope of a medical solution. “[They felt that] even to voice it felt so shameful,” said Kusi.

....

has effectively enlarged the bellies of millions of Americans nationwide. However, for those more likely to chow down on Biryani rather than a Big Mac, the statistics speak little to their culturally unique palate. Nayyar relies heavily on patient education in hopes that properly explaining chronic conditions and the consequences of not managing them. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a healthy diet regardless of what types of food the patient is used to eating. One method he recommends is calorie counting. In 2010 President Obama signed a U.S. health care legislation that included a law that would require food chains with more than twenty locations to display caloric data on menus. Since the signing of the legislation, the Food and Drug Administration has postponed its application citing complexities in carrying out the regulation. However, some states, like New York have adopted the practice. No longer can you sip down a

Religion and culture adds an additional dynamic to the mental health treatment process. However, said Kusi, while people focus on what is forbidden or taboo, they may overlook the aspects of mercy and forgiveness. “[People] do not understand the compassion piece [of religion] and knowing that we are all human and we are struggling and that we’re not going to do it perfectly,” she said. While she feels as though mental health

550 calorie Starbucks Grande Peppermint White Mocha in blissful ignorance.

that may not have that information easily accessible.

The same data is not likely likely provided at local ethnic eateries or easily deduced in home cooked meals. Nayyar said despite the challenge of calculating the number of calories in a kabob it’s important for individuals to make an educated assessment when it comes to not only the quality, but the quantity of food consumed.

W h i l e c a l o r i e s a r e n ’t t h e o n l y consideration, the amount of food eaten plays a considerable role in the health of the individual. Where someone may eat one big mac and consume 500 calories, they may eat a heaping plate of rice and lamb equal to two or three times the calories. Though the ingredients and preparation may be different, the caloric intake alone can contribute to weight gain over time which ultimately contributes to other health concerns.

“There are no calorie counts on a plate of biryani or baklava but it’s not impossible to estimate,” said Nayyar. “A typical desi meal including rice, a drink and dessert is around 800 to 1000 calories.”

Simply because one eats home cooked ethnic meals doesn’t mean that portion control or an active lifestyle are any less important in the overall health of the body, said Nayyar.

That estimate puts a single meal at nearly half of the daily recommended calories. Nayyar recommends comparing a kabob to the available caloric information of a burger patty or other comparable foods to help gauge overall caloric intake of foods

exercise Pg 17

treatment may still be taboo in the American Muslim community, Kusi is confident that things are moving in the right direction.

that the stress of being part of the “model minority” also plays a distinct role in the mental health of the Asian Muslim community in particular.

“I think slowly the community is starting to talk a little more about it being okay to seek help and trying to find that [help],” she said. “The most influence is friend to friend or someone in the family saying that ‘I think we need to do something, get some health.’”

Not only are there social expectations regarding higher education, professional degrees, and status from being part of a minority group that is often stereotyped as highly educated and successful but these expectations are then compounded by post 9-11 attention on the American Muslim, said Kusi.

Kusi, who works extensively with CHAI, Counslers Helping South Asians, feels

| 17

SPECIAL HEALTH FOCUS exercise

>> continued from pg 16

“The first three pieces of advice I give is exercise, exercise, exercise and then [watch] your diet,” he said. The importance of routine exercise is practice Nayyar feels is difficult to get through to most patients, particularly older ethnic patients whose culture may not emphasize daily exercise. “Non compliance is common,” said Nayyar. “I think what I see especially in the older community is that their personal health is the last priority. Everything else is [first].” In light of recent studies on the South Asian community in America as well as growing health concerns across the Middle East, Nayyar believes a change in priorities is overdue. A recent study out of the New York Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shed light on the prevalence of Type II diabetes in the immigrant South Asian community in New York. Data showed the likelihood of the disease in South Asians was higher than any other ethnic group in the state. While the study was focused only on those in New York, another study surveying the same demographic some 3000 miles away in California, painted a similarly concerning picture. That study, conducted by the Palo Alto Medical Foundation found that four out of every ten South Asians in California died of cardiovascular disease. Chronic and life threatening health concerns like diabetes and cardiovascular disease are not restricted to the South Asian population and not limited to the United States. The Middle East is currently facing an increase of onset diabetes in epidemic proportions. An estimated 26.6 million adults in the Middle east and North Africa have diabetes. This accounts for 9.3 percent of the world’s adults with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Foundation. The numbers are predicted to double by the year 2030. Dr. Asif Qadri, founder of the Muslim Community Center Medical Clinic in Silver Spring Maryland, attributed the prevalence of chronic disease in ethnic communities to cultural conditioning.

“It is my observation that it’s impossible for us to change our eating habits. Our foods are rich in carbohydrates, less in protein,” said Qadri. “[My patients] eat whatever is cooked at home and whatever they are used to. It’s difficult for them to make changes...The staple food is rice or bread and they go on eating like that.” Qadri doesn’t just struggle with resistance when it comes to how his ethnic patients with chronic illnesses eat but also with their cultural perception of exercise, or lack thereof.

“Our people, literally do not believe in exercise. This is something new for them here,” he said. While exercise is part of the American landscape with numerous national fitness chains and popular weight loss competition television shows, Qadri said that while indigenous Americans may struggle to comply with it, they do understand the value of it. Those who immigrate from certain countries, he noted, neither understand the value of exercise nor comply because their culture

places little or no value on it. “The lifestyle of our world has become sedentary. When you become sedentary you put on weight. If you have a tendency to become diabetic rather than having diabetes ten years later you have it earlier. They probably could have escaped this for their entire life if they had changed their lifestyle,” said Qadri. “We are creatures of comfort and we pay for it.”

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18 | CIVIL RIGHTS

Civil Rights

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

NYPD Monitoring Of Muslim Students Sparks Outrage By David B. Caruso & John Christoffersen

Associated Press, February 21, 2012 The mayor faced off with the president of Yale University on Tuesday over an effort by the city’s police department to monitor Muslim student groups for any signs that their members harbored terrorist sympathies.

that’s publicly available in the public domain,” he said. “We have an obligation to do so, and it is to protect the very things that let Yale survive.” Asked by a reporter if he thought it was a “step too far” to send undercover investigators to accompany students on rafting vacations, Bloomberg said: “No. We have to keep this country safe.”

The Associated Press revealed over the weekend that in recent years the New York Police Department has kept close watch on Muslim student associations across the Northeast. The effort included daily tracking of student websites and blogs, monitoring who was speaking to the groups and sending an undercover officer on a whitewater rafting trip with students from the City College of New York.

“It’s very cute to go and blame everybody and say we should stay away from anything that smacks of intelligence gathering,” he said. “The job of our law enforcement is to make sure that they prevent things. And you only do that by being proactive.”

Yale President Richard Levin was among a number of academics who condemned the effort in a statement Monday, while Rutgers University and leaders of student Muslim groups elsewhere called for investigations into the monitoring.

The campus monitoring program was part of a broad effort by the NYPD, initiated after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, to try to spot any burgeoning terror cells in the U.S. before they had a chance to act. The NYPD monitoring of college campuses included schools far beyond the city limits.

“I am writing to state, in the strongest possible terms, that police surveillance based on religion, nationality, or peacefully expressed political opinions is antithetical to the values of Yale, the academic community, and the United States,” Levin wrote. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, speaking to reporters on Tuesday, dismissed those criticisms as baseless. “I don’t know why keeping the country safe is antithetical to the values of Yale,” he said. He said it was “ridiculous” to argue that there was anything wrong with officers keeping an eye on websites that are available to the general public. “Of course we’re going to look at anything

....

Bloomberg, an independent, added that he believed that police officers had respected people’s privacy and obeyed the law.

Police talked with local authorities about professors 300 miles away in upstate Buffalo. The undercover agent who attended the City College rafting trip recorded students’ names and noted in police intelligence files how many times they prayed. Detectives trawled Muslim student websites every day and, although professors and students had not been accused of any wrongdoing, their names were recorded in reports prepared for police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. Officers kept tabs on student groups at Yale; Columbia; The University of Pennsylvania; Syracuse; Rutgers; New York University; Clarkson University; the State University of New York campuses in Buffalo, Albany, Stony Brook and Potsdam; Queens College, Baruch

College, Brooklyn College and La Guardia Community College. Levin said Yale’s police department did not participate in any monitoring by the NYPD and was unaware of it. An NYPD spokesman, Paul Browne, explained the effort as an attempt to learn more about student organizations that could be ripe for infiltration by terror recruiters. He cited 12 people arrested or convicted on terrorism charges in the United States and abroad who had once been members of Muslim student associations, or MSAs. He acknowledged that police monitored student websites and collected publicly available information but said lawabiding students have nothing to fear. “Students who advertised events or sent emails about regular events should not be worried about a terrorism file being kept on them,” he said. “NYPD only investigated persons who we had reasonable suspicion to believe might be involved in unlawful activities.” A Muslim student leader at Yale, Faisal Hamid, challenged the NYPD’s justification. “An MSA is simply a group of Muslim students; just because a terrorist happened to be member of an MSA does not mean that MSAs, which nationally represents hundreds of thousands of Muslim students, have any connection to criminal activity,” Hamid said. “Law enforcement should pursue actual leads, not imaginary ones based on Islamophobia.” Syracuse University does “not approve of, or support, any surveillance or investigation of student groups based solely on ethnicity, religion or political viewpoint,” said Kevin Quinn, senior vice president for public affairs at Syracuse. Columbia University “would obviously

be concerned about anything that could chill our essential values of academic freedom or intrude on student privacy,” spokesman Robert Hornsby said. The University of Buffalo said in a statement that it “does not conduct this kind of surveillance, and, if asked, UB would not voluntarily cooperate with such a request. As a public university, UB strongly supports the values of freedom of speech and assembly, freedom of religion, and a reasonable expectation of privacy.” The University of Pennsylvania contacted the NYPD and received assurances that none of its students is being monitored, a spokesman said. The Connecticut chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for officials to investigate to determine the extent of the monitoring and how to prevent it from happening again. “They’re just going out and casting a wide net around a whole community, so they’re criminalizing in a way a whole community based on their religion,” said Mongi Dhaouadi, director of CAIR in Connecticut. Rutgers University, based in New Jersey, called for the NYPD to investigate its own activities. The Muslim Student Association at Rutgers called the monitoring a violation of civil rights. “The Rutgers populace should openly condemn the clear violations of the NYPD, who conducted illegitimate profiling outside of their jurisdiction and breached the constitutional rights of an individual,” the Rutgers student group said in a statement. The Association of Muslim American Lawyers called for the New York attorney general to investigate. NYPD Pg 20

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

World Press

WORLD PRESS | 19

We Need to Know Who Funds These Thinktank Lobbyists The battle for democracy is becoming a fight against backroom billionaires seeking to shape politics to suit their own interests By George Monbiot February 21, 2012 “The Guardian” -- Shocking, fascinating, entirely unsurprising: the leaked documents, if authentic, confirm what we suspected but could not prove. The Heartland Institute, which has helped lead the war against climate science in the United States, is funded among others by tobacco firms, fossil fuel companies and one of the billionaire Koch brothers. It appears to have followed the script written by a consultant to the Republican party, Frank Luntz, in 2002. “Should the public come to believe that the scientific

issues are settled, their views about global warming will change accordingly. Therefore, you need to continue to make the lack of scientific certainty a primary issue in the debate.” Luntz’s technique was pioneered by the tobacco companies and the creationists: teach the controversy. In other words, insist that the question of whether cigarettes cause lung cancer, natural selection drives evolution, or burning fossil fuels causes climate change, is still wide open, and that both sides of the “controversy” should be taught in schools and thrashed out in the media.

The leaked documents appear to show that, courtesy of its multimillionaire donors, the institute has commissioned a global warming curriculum for schools which teaches that “whether humans are changing the climate is a major scientific controversy” and “whether CO2 is a pollutant is controversial”. The institute has claimed it is “a genuinely independent source of research and commentary” and that “we do not take positions in order to appease or avoid losing support from individual donors”. But the documents, if authentic, reveal that its attacks on climate science have been largely funded by a single anonymous donor and that “we are extinguishing primarily global warming projects in pace with declines in his giving”. The climate change deniers it funds have made similar claims to independence. For example, last year Fred Singer told

a French website: “Of course I am not funded by the fossil fuel lobbies. It’s a completely absurd invention.” The documents suggest that the institute, funded among others by the coal company Murray Energy, the the oil company Marathon and the former Exxon lobbyist Randy Randol has been paying him $5,000 a month. Robert Carter has claimed he “receives no research funding from special interest organisations”. But the documents suggest that Heartland pays him $1,667 a month. Among the speakers at its conferences were two writers for the Telegraph (Christopher Booker and James Delingpole). The Telegraph group should now reveal whether and how much they were paid by the Heartland Institute.

thinktank Pg 20

Two Justices Suggest Citizens United Ruling Should Be Reconsidered In Montana Case By Robert Barnes

Washington Post, February 17, 2012

Two Supreme Court justices suggested Friday that the court reconsider its controversial 2010 decision that allowed unlimited corporate and union spending in elections. The suggestion came as the court blocked a Montana Supreme Court decision upholding a century-old ban on corporate campaign spending in the state. The Montana ruling seems squarely at odds with the court’s 5 to 4 decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, which allowed unlimited corporate spending. The U.S. Supreme

Court majority had said such independent spending did not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption. In Friday’s order, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen G. Breyer said the upheaval in the world of campaign finance since the Citizens United decision does not bear out the majority opinion. “Montana’s experience, and experience elsewhere since this court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, make it exceedingly difficult to maintain that independent expenditures by corporations ‘do not give rise to corruption or the appearance of corruption,’ ” Ginsburg wrote.

“A petition for certiorari [from those challenging the Montana court’s decision] will give the court an opportunity to consider whether, in light of the huge sums currently deployed to buy candidates’ allegiance, Citizens United should continue to hold sway.” The U.S. high court’s action Friday does not necessarily mean that it will hear the Montana case; it could later summarily reverse the Montana court’s decision. There is no timetable for such action, but Friday’s stay probably means that corporations will be able to spend money on state and local races in Montana this year. In Friday’s order, Ginsburg appeared to

refer to the vast amounts of money spent by super PACs that have flourished in the aftermath of Citizens United and subsequent decisions by lower courts and the FEC. Corporations and wealthy individuals have contributed millions of dollars to super PACs supporting individual candidates for the Republican presidential nomination. Altogether, super PACs have spent twice as much on television advertising as have the candidates’ campaigns, according to estimates by Kantar Media/CMAG, an ad tracking firm.

Ruling Pg 23

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February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

20 | CONTINUED nypd

>> continued from pg 18

The Muslim Students Association of the United States and Canada expressed concerns as well. Its president, Zahir Latheef, said the NYPD “clearly overstepped its boundaries when it began spying on average American Muslim college students who were simply taking whitewater rafting trips or innocently participating in school activities at their college or university campus.” The Muslim Students Association of the University at Buffalo said it felt discriminated against “by this secret investigation conducted by a police agency 400 miles away.”

thinktank

>> continued from pg 19

It seems to be as clear an illustration as we have yet seen of the gulf between what such groups call themselves and what they really are. Invariably, organisations arguing for regulations to be removed, top taxes to be reduced and other such billionaire-friendly policies, call themselves free-market or conservative thinktanks. But according to David Frum, formerly a fellow at one such group – the American Enterprise Institute – they “increasingly function as public relations agencies”. The message they send to their employees, he says, is “we don’t pay you to think, we pay you to repeat”. The profits of polluting or reckless companies and banks and the vast personal fortunes of their beneficiaries are largely dependent on the regulations set by governments. This is why the “thinktanks” campaign for small government. If regulations robustly defend the public interest, the profits decline. If they are weak, the profits rise. Billionaires and

The student monitoring was part of a much larger intelligence operation that has put entire Muslim neighborhoods under scrutiny. The NYPD built databases showing where Muslims lived, worked, shopped and prayed. Plainclothes officers known as rakers eavesdropped in cafes, and informants known as mosque crawlers reported on weekly sermons. Defenders of those efforts say police investigators need to understand the community to spot potential plots.

whitewater rafting I’ve done I did with my daughter. I don’t think she had a lot of information that I was interested in. In terms of her political views.” Since the AP began reporting on these programs in August, civil liberties groups and nearly three dozen members of Congress have called for the Justice Department to investigate.

Asked whether he was aware of an NYPD agent being sent on a college rafting trip, Bloomberg said, “I have no idea. The only

But calls for an inquiry have yielded little. The NYPD’s intelligence unit operates in secret. Even the City Council, which funds the department, isn’t told about police intelligence operations. And though the NYPD receives hundreds of millions of dollars in federal money, the administration of President Barack Obama has repeatedly sidestepped questions about whether it endorses the NYPD’s tactics.

big business buy influence to insulate themselves from democratic control. It seems to me that the so-called thinktanks are an important component of this public relations work.

are funding undisclosed campaigns to enhance their own wealth under the guise of charity, and obliging the rest of us to pay for it through tax exemptions. If that’s charity, a police siren is music.

Their funding, in most cases, is opaque. When I challenged some of the most prominent of such groups in the UK, only one would reveal its donors’ identity. The others refused. Disgracefully, their lack of accountability does not prevent some of them from registering as charities and claiming tax exemption.

The use of so-called thinktanks on both sides of the Atlantic seems to me to mirror the use of super-political action committees (superPACs) in the US. Since the supreme court removed the limits on how much one person could give to a political campaign, the billionaires have achieved almost total control over politics. An article last week on TomDispatch revealed that in 2011, just 196 donors provided nearly 80% of the money raised by superPACs.

Bloomberg has repeatedly cited the need for vigilance, although he has insisted that the NYPD only follows leads and denied that it engages in wholesale spying.

The Charity Commission in England and Wales – negligent, asleep at the wheel – is becoming a threat to democracy. These organisations are not trying to restore historic buildings or rescue distressed donkeys. They are seeking to effect political change in highly contentious areas. The minimum requirement for all such groups – whether they are on the left or on the right – is that they should disclose their major sources of income so that we know on whose behalf they speak. The commission is providing cover for multimillionaires and corporations who

The leading Republican candidates have all but abandoned the idea of mobilising popular support. Instead they use the huge funds they raise from billionaires to attack the credibility of their opponents through television ads. Yet more money is channelled through 501c4 groups – tax-exempt bodies supposedly promoting social welfare – which (unlike the superPACs) don’t have to reveal the

-------------------------------------------------Christoffersen reported from New Haven, Conn. Associated Press writers Matt Apuzzo in Washington, Samantha Henry in Newark, N.J., and Rik Stevens in Albany, N.Y., contributed to this report. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/ n/a/2012/02/21/national/a081704S00. DTL In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

identity of their donors. TomDispatch notes that “serving as a secret slush fund for billionaires evidently now qualifies as social welfare.” The money wins. This is why Republicans swept up so many seats in the midterm elections, and why the surviving Democrats were scarcely distinguishable from their rivals. It is why Obama, for all his promise, appears incapable of governing in the public interest. What can he tell the banks: “Do what I say or I won’t take your money any more”? How can he tax the billionaires when they have their hands around his throat? Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. This is plutocracy, pure and simple. The battle for democracy is now a straight fight against the billionaires and corporations reshaping politics to suit their interests. The first task of all democrats must be to demand that any group, of any complexion, seeking to effect political change should reveal its funders. Source: The Guardian

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ISLAM | 21

Islam

The Forgotten, Sweet Promise Alif Laaam Meeeem..Dhalik-al-Kitaabu Laa rayeba feeh….

Arabs because of their constant occupation with the Qur’aan.”

And the Imaam starts off reciting the Soorah in his awesome voice, causing your heart to turn over at the sweetness. You make a promise to yourself that after this Ramadaan you will recite the Qur’aan more often.

Like our body needs food to survive, our soul also needs its nourishment. Our hearts need ‘food’ to remain alive. So what is the ‘Food’ of our hearts? Ibn Al Qayyim said: “The keys to the life of the heart lie in reflecting upon the Qur‘aan , being humble before Allaah in secret, and leaving sins.”

Ramadaan passes, Shawwaal comes and goes, then Dhul Qa3dah and then Dhul Hijjah…Safar…and you haven’t touched the Qur’aan since Ramadaan. This is the fourth time this occurred, you remember making the same promise to yourself the year before…and the year before…and the year before…only to end up being distracted each time and leaving the Qur’aan on top of the shelf to collect dust. Why is it that we can find ourselves spending so much time doing other things, reading other books, studying secular studies, and surfing the internet yet it’s hard for us to find time for the Qur’aan? “O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (this Qur’aan), and a healing for that in your breasts, – a Guidance and a Mercy for the believers.” (Surah Younus: 57) Little do we realize what this Qur’aan is and how little time do we spend reciting it! How little time do we spend memorizing it, contemplating it, and pondering over it! If only we knew the high status of those who become companions of the Qur’aan, then surely we would attach ourselves to it and never detach ourselves from it; our tongues would dry with constant recitation. So the intention here is to remind ourselves by highlighting some of ahaadeeth that pertain to the Qur’aan and the glad tidings they give to the People of the Qur’aan, and to mention some statements of our Salaf, to incite ourselves to spend more time with it. For indeed Allaah has chosen this Ummah to receive the Qur’aan, the one miracle that will remain until the Day of Judgment, The Book about which Allaah says: “Had We

sent down this Qur’aan on a mountain, you would surely have seen it humbling itself and rending asunder by the fear of Allaah.” (Surah Al-Hashr:21) This is the Ummah of the Qur’aan, and we are of this Ummah, will we not then seize this? “Has not the time come for the hearts of those who believe to be affected by Allaah’s Reminder?” (Surah AlHadeed:16) Allaah’s Messenger Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam said: “The people of Qur’aan, they are the people of Allaah and especially His.” (Ahmad, Nisaa’ee, Ibn Maajah) So who are the “People of the Qur’aan”? What does it take to become one of them? And how can we strive to join their ranks? What sets them apart from the rest of the people? It is high time for us to return to the Qur’aan, for our state in the world today is only because of ourselves, because we have abandoned the Qur’aan. We have severed our relationship with the Book, and have taken ourselves to other petty matters, turning to the Qur’aan only

when we are in need, and sometimes, not even then. When it comes to finding peace, we find our youth turning to music instead of the recitation of the Qur’aan, we find our brothers and sisters turning to novels instead of the recitation of the Qur’aan. This is not finger pointing, but the aim here is merely to incite ourselves to examine our life to check whether we have habits, and to check whether we do things that are non essential and non beneficial and leave them and turn that time to the Qur’aan because without the Qur’aan, what life do our hearts have? We have forgotten the role the Qur’aan should have in our lives, will we not then give that role back to the Qur’aan? What set our Salaf apart from the rest of the following generations? It was nothing except their attachment to the Qur’aan. Their lives were the Qur’aan. In the day they would recite Qur’aan, and during night prayers, they contemplated over it. And history is a witness to where it led them. Ibn Khaldoon said in Al-Muqaddimah “Then the cities of Islaam grew, and illiteracy disappeared from amongst the

If one thinks about this, he finds that they are dependent upon one another. The Qur’aan and evil cannot coexist in the same heart, so one needs to leave off sins in order to be able to recite and reflect on the Qur’aan for it to have any effect on him, and only when one reflects on the Qur’aan can he feel the power of its Words, and only then can he humble himself before Allaah in secret for it is easier to commit a sin in secret then in the open. Ibn Masood said “These hearts are vessels. Fill them up with Qur’aan and occupy them with nothing else.” He also said “The love of the Qur’aan and the love of music cannot combine in the heart of a believer.” Allaah says, telling of the characteristics of the believers, when they recite or hear the Qur’aan: “…The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allaah. That is the guidance of Allaah. He Guides therewith whom He pleases and whomever Allaah sends astray, for him there is no guide.” (Surah Az-Zumar: 23) Ibn Katheer says regarding this verse: “This is the description of the righteous, when they hear the Words of the Compeller, the Protector, the Almighty, the Oft-Forgiving, because they understand the promises and warnings contained therein. The frightening words and threats make their

promise Pg 22

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>> continued from pg 21 skin shiver from fear.” When they hear the Aayat of Allaah, they are not too busy to pay attention to them; they listen to them and understand their meanings. So they act upon them and prostrate when they hear them, out of understanding, not out of ignorance and blind following of others. Third they adhere to the correct etiquette when they listen to them. As the Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, used to do when they listened to the words of Allaah recited by the Messenger of Allaah. Their skin would shiver, and their hearts would soften to the remembrance of Allaah. They did not shout or do other actions that are not natural; on the contrary, they would sit quietly with the proper attitude of fear, in an unparalleled fashion. they attained the victory of praise from their Lord in this world and the Hereafter. Qatadah said: “This is the characteristic of the friends of Allaah; Allaah has described them in this manner, saying that their skin shivers, their eyes weep and their hearts find rest to the remembrance of Allaah. He did not say that they lose their minds and swoon; that is the characteristic of the followers of innovation, and that comes from the Shaytan.” Remember that the Qur’aan can either be a proof for us or a proof against us, let us make sure that it will become a proof for us on the Day of Judgment. It is narrated on the authority of ‘Umar radi Allaahu ‘Anhu that the Messenger of Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam said: “Verily, Allaah will raise elevate some people by this Book and He will degrade others with it”. (Saheeh Muslim) In another narration the Messenger Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam said: “Whoever puts (the Qur’aan) ahead of him, it will lead him to Paradise; and whoever throws it behind him, it will drag him into Hell.” (At-Tabaraani & Al-Bayhiqee) We ask Allaah to make us of those who recite this Book, follow it, understand it, and then teach it to others seeking nothing except His reward. The Reward It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam

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February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

ISLAM said: “The Qur’aan will come on the Day of Resurrection and will say, ‘O Lord, adorn him.’ So he will be given a crown of honor to wear. Then it will say, ‘O Lord, give him more.’ So he will be given a garment of honor.’ Then it will say, ‘O Lord, be pleased with him.’ So Allaah will be pleased with him. Then it will be said to him, ‘Recite and advance in status, and for each verse you will gain one more hasanah (reward for good deed).” (Narrated by alTirmidhee, 2915) SubhaanAllaah, if this was the only Hadeeth describing the reward, then it would suffice! The Qur’aan itself will come on the Day of Judgement and intercede for its companions, and Allaah will give him a crown of honor, a garment of honor, Allaah will be pleased with him. What else is needed to persuade us to recite the Qur’aan? Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr said that the Prophet Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam said: “It will be said to the companion of the Qur’aan (i.e., the one who memorized and studied it): ‘Read, advance in status and recite as you used to do in the world, for your status will be commensurate with the last aayah that you recite.’” (Narrated by alTirmidhee, 2914) It was narrated that Buraydah said: “The Messenger of Allaah Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam said: ‘Whoever reads the Qur’aan, learns it and acts in accordance with it, on the Day of Resurrection his parents will be given a crown to wear whose light will be like the light of the sun, and his parents will be given garments which far surpass everything to be found in this world. They will say, ‘Why have we been given this to wear?’ It will be said, ‘Because your child learned the Qur’aan.’” (Narrated by al-Haakim, 1/756) The Warning “And the Messenger (Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam) will say: “O my Lord! Verily, my people deserted this Qur’aan (neither listened to it, nor acted on its laws and orders”. (Surah Al-Furqaan: 30) In our times, rarely does the Qur’aan come down from that top shelf in our bookshelves where it’s sitting collecting dust, it comes down only when someone dies. SubhaanAllaah, this Qur’aan was revealed for the living, not the dead! In fact, it is so bad in some places, that if the Qur’aan is heard being recited loudly,

people will come to you and say “Ina lillaahi wa inna ilayhi Raaji’oon, who has died?” That is what the Qur’aan has become! An ornament, which is decorated and then placed on the top most shelf and left only to be picked up when someone passes away. This shows a preference of symbolism over substance. When Ibn ‘Abbas saw a copy of the Qur’aan decorated with silver, he said: “In so doing, you will be seducing the thief, while its true ornament and decoration are within it.” We have become people who honor only the letters of the Qur’aan, leaving behind its guidance. We rarely recite it, and we do not understand it nor do we follow much of its commandments. We respect the outside of the Qur’aan, yet leave off respecting the inside. Shaykh Shuraym of Masjid Al Haram in Makkah, said in one of the Du’aa’ that he would say: “Oh Allaah make us from those that stand up for the Hudood (laws) of the Qur’aan, and do not make us from those who stand up and respect the letters and lose the Hudood of Yours.” Then there are amongst us those who only take the Qur’aan for barakah and only for that. Some just restrict themselves to Surah Yaa-Seen never going beyond that, and you’ll find these small pocket-sized mass printed. What happened to the rest of the Qur’aan? What happened to the rest of the Surah? Allaah has revealed the entire Qur’aan and made the entire book blessed not just one surah! Imaam Ibn Qayyim (rahimahu-Allaahu) said: “There are various types of ‘abandonment’ of the Qur’aan: 1) To abandon listening to it and believing in it. 2) To abandon acting upon it, and ignoring its lawful and prohibited ordinances (Halaal and haraam), even if one believes in it and recites it. 3) To abandon judging by it, and resorting to it as a judge when there are differences in the essence of the religion or other matters. 4) To abandon pondering over it, and understanding it, and seeking the explanation of it. 5) To abandon using it as a cure in all types of diseases of the heart, and instead to seek to cure these diseases by other means. How many of these types of abandonments are we guilty of?

Let us take a step back, examine our lives and see if we are guilty of abandoning the Qur’aan in any of these categories and strive to make up wherever we are lacking. I remind foremost myself, and then you to pick up the Qur’aan and recite a portion of it daily, listen to it, and try to understand it. The Salaf & The Qur’aan The Salaf were the best of this Ummah as stated by the Messenger Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam in an authentic narration. There is not much to say about these narrations, they speak for themselves. Jubayr bin Mut’im said:“I heard the Messenger of Allah Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam recite “at-Toor” in the Maghrib prayer, and when he got to the verses “Were they created by nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? No, but they have no firm Belief. Or are with them the treasures of your Lord? Or are they the tyrants with the authority to do as they like?” my heart wanted to fly from my body out of awe.” (Tafsir Ibn Katheer) ‘Uthmaan bin ‘Affaan (Allah be pleased with him) said: “If our hearts were truly pure, we would never get enough of the Words of our Lord, and I hate that one day passes with me not looking in the Mushaf.” Abu az-Zahiriyyah narrated: “I went to Tarsus, so I entered upon Abu Mu’awiyah al-Aswad after he had become blind. In his house, I saw a Mushaf hanging from the wall, so said to him: “May Allaah have Mercy upon you! A Mushaf while you cannot even see?” He replied: “My brother, will you keep a secret for me until the day I die?” I said: “Yes.” Then, he said to me: “Verily, when I want to read from the Qur’aan, my eyesight comes back to me.” (Imam Ibn Al Jawzi’s Sifaat us-Safwah) Let us try to spend more time with the Qur’aan and let us have sincerity in this because the Messenger Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam has informed us in an authentic narration that of the first of the people to be thrown into Hell will be a person who memorized the Qur’aan in order to show off to the people and receive their praise. May Allaah protect us from that. Know that we cannot achieve success in becoming the People of the Qur’aan without making Duaa’ for it. Source: towardshuda.wordpress.com with edits

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

SALAAH TIMES | 23

Salaah times for February 24th - February 8th, 2012 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

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

reuling

>> continued from pg 19

The Montana court’s action has given rise to the first challenge of the Citizens United decision. By a 5 to 2 vote, the state court upheld Montana’s 1912 Corrupt Practices Act, which prohibits certain political spending by corporations.

editor

>> continued from pg 27

past 20 years. I understand that many Muslims are apprehensive about politicians because our community has constantly been burned on a national level for the past 11 years. As a community we need to move beyond short-sighted voting like we did

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To Advertise in the Muslim Link Call

The Montana court acknowledged the conflict with Citizens United, but Chief Justice Mike McGrath said the state was especially vulnerable to “continued efforts of corporate control to the detriment of democracy and the republican form of government.”

in 2000, move beyond “lesser-of-twoevils” voting like we did in 2004, and move beyond bandwagon voting like we did in 2008. It’s time to say we’ve learned our lessons and we can now start identifying candidates and political platforms that are based on constitutional and moral principles, and not based on corporate bribes and immoral influences. If we assert our opinion based on princi-

301-982-1020 or Email us at

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ples, we can preserve our identity while improving American society. Anyone interested in learning about Ron Paul and libertarianism will find that they stand for ideals that have striking similarities to Islamic concepts of tolerance and commonalities with maqasid al-sharia (objectives of Islamic law). But Muslims should not be tied to the name Ron Paul or to the idea of absolute lib-

ertarianism. We are tied to believing in one God, and doing righteous deeds. If Ron Paul and libertarianism can help us do that, then we should put our vote and support behind them, even if we’re certain they will not win. Ramy Osman Alexandria, VA

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24 | OPINION

Opinion

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

What’s Halal On the Believer’s Plate ? Our Food In An Age of GMO Seeds, Chemical Farming By Sarah Khasawinah “They ask thee what food is lawful to them. Say: lawful unto you are all things good and pure… and fear Allah. For Allah is swift in taking account.” Qur’an: 5:4 Oh Allah, we ask that You bless this food You have provided for us. In Your name, I eat. Eating is a necessity for everyone; for Muslims, it is a religious act (“O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided you with, and give thanks to Allah if it is Him that you serve,” Holy Quran, 2:172). But, I fear that with every morsel that enters my mouth, I may unknowingly swallow a sin. I have studied the synonyms for pork and alcohol, and learned to routinely avoid foods containing lard, gelatin, bacon, ham, capicola, vodka, brandy, rum, cognac, liquor, and all of swine and intoxicants, in their many shapes and forms. But how do I check the purity of basic foods, like carrots, corn, and meat, even lamb-chops labeled “Halal?” (Halal means “permissible, lawful, pure,” and is an Islamic concept most widely recognized in the preparation of meat, but also important in every part of a Muslim’s lifestyle.) It should be easy to conclude that these foods are suitable for the Believer’s palette. Certainly they do not contain any hidden ingredients— carrots are carrots. That’s what I thought. But behind the bright orange crunchy guise of “carrot” lives a dark and obscure world. The typical carrot no longer comes from a garden; it comes from a land laced with pesticides and fertilizers of phosphorous and nitrogen. This cocktail of chemicals seeps into our food, water, and entire ecosystem, extinguishing wildlife, killing fish, and threatening the health

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of everyone. Our destructive system of growing carrots violates the sanctity of life. Nevertheless, carrots alone do not represent the root of disaster. Consider a more menacing tragedy: the plight of corn. A glimpse of the US Midwest exposes the epitome of monocropping—cornfields as far as the eye can see. By inserting a gene from fungus into the corn seed, modern technologies have developed a seed that tolerates toxic weed-killers. Thus, when applied to cornfields, these powerful herbicides kill everything but the corn, ensuring that the corn will grow, while unwanted weeds will not. This development has spurred a 30% increase in pesticide use, causing major ecological effects that have yet to be measured. The GMO seeds have also changed the nature of corn—the “corn” we eat today looks like corn, feels like corn, and tastes like corn; but it is not corn. The new “corn” also has taken its toll on farmers. Because it costs more to produce GMO seeds, farmers must pay more for each seed. Company patents also make it illegal for farmers to save seeds from one season to the next, undoing an ageold agricultural practice and creating a constant cycle of costs that farmers often cannot afford to pay. In India, farmers using GMO seeds find it so impossible to

pay their debts and put food on the table that they succumb to suicide once every thirty minutes. At untold social, economic, and environmental costs, even though the agricultural revolution has increased production (of meat, corn, and soybeans), close to one billion people still suffer from under-nourishment each year because they don’t have enough to eat. Then what in the world happens to all that corn? Eighty-five percent of the corn grown in the U.S. is fed to animals in “Confined Animal Feeding Operations” (CAFOs) to sustain our meatcentric diet. The industrial production of animals does not meet basic animal welfare standards as animals in CAFOs are confined with thousands of other animals for months at a time, subject to filthy over-crowded conditions, and deprived of their natural vegetarian diets. Contrary to Islamic guidelines, the animals are made to consume the waste of one another, including blood, bones, and fat. Antibiotics are mixed with this vulgar feed to prevent the inevitable onset of illness, and hormones, to fatten them quickly for slaughter—all in the name of profit. I eat in the name of Allah. Therefore, I cannot continue to support a sinful system of food production. For far too

long the Muslim community has battled over a single question: is meat from the supermarket halal? We wonder if the name of Allah was invoked during the sacrifice. While this final step is important, to focus on it alone obscures the fact that everything about the production of the animals, from the food grown to feed them to the way they are forced to live their lives, breaks the rules of Allah. We cannot rectify the situation by renting time at a slaughterhouse for a tape-recorder to pronounce “Bismillah AllahuAkbar” (Translation from Arabic: “In the Name of Allah, the Great.” This phrase must be said, together with a number of other guidelines, in order for meat to be considered halal.) at 104 times a minute to the beat of an automatic knife. Nor can we rectify the situation by buying a flock of chicken from a confined animal feeding operation, and slaughtering them one by one, be it by hand. To eat halal, food production must be halal, too. I challenge you to consider the idea of an Islamic farm. Such a farm would grant rights to those who can ask and those who cannot: farmers who work the fields; animals upon which Allah has granted us dominion; soil that supplies us with nourishment; water without which life would cease to exist; air that we cannot continue to take for granted; wildlife that quietly plays a vital role; and, the health of every man, woman, and child in the community. Free of pesticides, GMOs, antibiotics, and hormones, the rolling green hills of this farm would serve as home to healthy sheep, cows, goats, and chickens, happily living off the land. Add a little red barn to the picture and you’re left with what you had always envisioned to be a farm. So what are you waiting for? Grab a pitchfork, and get ready to kick up some dirt! -------------------------------------------------Sarah Khasawinah is a PhD student in Mental Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

Request For Dua’s { To A llah We B e l o n g , an d t o Hi m i s Ou r R e tu 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)”

1-31-12 The Board of Directors, Imam, Executive Director and the staff of Dar Al Hijrah and the muslim community in Northern Virginia extend its deepest condolences the family of Our Sister Shakura Abdullah. She has passed away. She was an active member at Dar Al Hijrah in her heyday, and a nurturing, loving grandmother to her grandchildren, Ayah and Hamidullah. She had advanced Alzheimers. May Allah make those years a purification for her sins. (Source: Dar Al-Hijrah) 2-6-12 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Baby Allieu Kamara, Newborn Son of Brother Allieu Kamara and wife and Great-nephew of Brother Mohamed Kamara. May Allah (SWT) grantthe baby Jannatul Firdous and May He grant the family ease. Janazah Salat was on February 7, 2012 in Lanham, Maryland. (Source: PGMA) 2-8-12 The youngest daughter of Aiman and Leslie Nachawati has returned to Allah. She was the younger sister of Nadia and Mouaz Nachawati, and another brother in Syria. Janazah Prayers were on February 9, 2012 in Falls Church, Virginia. May Allah accept her into his rahma, give her family patience, and reunite them in the highest levels of Jannah. Ameen. (Source: A. Ibrahim) 2-13-12 A very dear brother to IHC, Dr. Mohamad Attar, has passed away. May Allah forgive and have mercy upon him, excuse him and pardon him, and make honorable his reception. Admit him into the Garden, protect him from the punishment of the grave and the torment of the fire. We ask Allah (Subhanuh Wa-Taliaa) to give his family members patience and strength in such a difficult time. Janaza prayer was on February 13, 2012. (Source: IHC) 2-14-12 Sr. Tasleem Akbar, Mother of Br. Mohammed Sadiq, has passed away. The funeral was on February 14, 2012 in Sterling, Virginia. May Allah(swt) shower his mercy on Sr. Tasleem and Grant her highest level in Jannat ul Firdous - Ameen. May Allah(swt) Grant sabr to the Family to bear this loss. Ameen. (Source: ADAMS) 2-17-12 Adila Mirza, wife of Waqar Mirza, has passed away. Her Namaze-Janaza was on February 18, 2012 in Fairfax, Virginia. Please ask for forgiveness for her, a good station in Heaven for her, and patience, mercy, and blessing onto the family at this difficult time. (Source: Janaaza786) 2-18-12 Our beloved Br. Abdulkadir Abdirahman has passed away. May Allah (SWT) accept him in His infinite Mercy & Love and grant Sabr to the family and the community. Salate Janaza was on February 19, 2012 in Falls Church, Virginia. (Source: MAV)

OBITS & UPCOMING EVENTS

| 25

Upcoming Events In Your Area Career Day at MCC Sunday, February 26 2012, 1:00pm - 5:00pm Career Day at the Muslim Community Center. This event is aimed at sharing training and employment information and opportunities with the community. It will give training and employer organizations a great opportunity to recruit trainees, volunteers, interns, and staff from a community where over 80 different languages are spoken. We are expecting over 200 visitors and 22 vendors. As of now, 27 organizations have expressed an interest in attending to share information about jobs, training and free support services to the public including citizenship grants, low cost legal help, housing, food stamps, crisis services etc. Location: Muslim Community Center, 15200 New Hampshire Ave, Silver Spring, MD 20905 Contact: Rummana Habib 240-839-8849; www.mccmd.org/careerday --------------------Latino Outreach Event at Dar Al-Hijrah Sunday, February 26 2012, 5:00pm - 8:00pm Bienvenidos Al Islam. Latino Outreach Event. Short, informal presentation on basics of Islam; small group Q & A; break for salah and explanation; introduction of big event in DC on 3/17. We invite Latino friends of Muslims, Family of Latino Muslims and anyone with questions about Islam. Latino Finger Foods will be served. Location: Dar Al-Hijrah, 3159 Row Street, Falls Church, VA 22044 --------------------Creative Education and Publishing Bookfair Sunday, March 04 2012, 12:00pm - 6:00pm Creative Education and Publishing bookfairs for Arabic Language and Islamic Studies have been very well received at over 50 Islamic and Chartered schools in the US. The students will enjoy this approach as they will have fun as they learn. Our products comprise of games and books and supplement any curriculum. To supplement the Arabic Language, our beautifully illustrated stories will enhance the reading capabilities of your children. Come to our bookfair and get what is best for your kids. Location: Dar Al-Hijrah, 3159 Row Street, Falls Church, VA 22044 Contact: Alameddine Kaddoura (cell) 703-856-7005 --------------------Islamic Finance Event at UMCP Sunday, March 11 2012 The University of Maryland Muslim Students’ Association and the UMD Global Business Society Present: Islamic Finance Conference, East Coast. Islamic Finance is a growing 500 billion dollar financial industry. At the same time it still remains a mystery to many of us living within this country. At this full day conference style event we intend to discuss the modern issues of Islamic Finance and Banking. Time: 9am, Registration will open at 8am. You can find us on Facebook and on Twitter @IslamFinanceEC. Location: University of Maryland, College Park, Stamp Student Union, Colony Ballroom Contact: For more info, prices, and online registration, go to http://www.if-ec.com/ --------------------Central Virginia Qur’an Competition Saturday, March 17 2012, 9:00am - 2:00pm Seventh Annual Central Virginia Quran Competition. We are introducing a new feature to this year’s event. We would like to introduce to the community The First Quran Reading Contest! This is an exciting new opportunity for greater participation for the community. Guest Speaker: Haroon Baqai, principal of Al-Huda School and Hifzh Program. Valuable prizes. Halal Zabiha Meal will be served. Testing: March 17th, 2012. Registration Closes March 8th, 2012. To register, go to www.cvqc.org. Location: Islamic Center of Virginia 1241 Buford Road, Richmond, Virginia Contact: For questions, comments, and donations: contact 804-638-9446 or centralvaqcc@gmail.com --------------------Dar Al-Hijrah Annual Fundraiser T.E.A.M. Sunday, April 01 2012, 6:00pm - 10:00pm Dar Al-Hijrah cordially invites you to its annual fundraiser T.E.A.M. (Together..Everyone Achieves More). Speakers: Osama Abuirshaid and Sheikh Okasha Kameny. Special features: DAH Youth, WIA Students, Scouts. Children’s program free of charge (ages 1-12). Tickets: $45 individual, $80 couple. Buy tickets from the office, online or from the volunteers. Location: Mark Center Hilton, 5000 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22311 Contact: To sponsor a table or advertise, please contact Asra@Mirzapr.com or Dar Al-Hijrah 703-536-1030 --------------------NCPCF First Annual Banquet Sunday, April 15 2012, 5:00pm - 8:00pm National Coalition to Protect Civil Freedoms (NCPCF) First Annual Banquet. Civil Freedoms in Jeopardy: Building a Coalition Together. Keynote Speaker: Glenn Greenwald, Independent Journalist and Civil Rights Litigator. Also Featuring: Ex-Gitmo Guard Tells All, Ex-Inmate Relates Suffering of Prisoners and Families. Registration at 5:00PM. Tickets: $40, $30 for students. Limited Babysitting Available. Dinner and Program will start promptly at 5:30PM. Location: The Waterford, 6715 Commerce Street, Springfield, VA 22150 Contact: For more information and ticket purchase, please call 855-248-3733 or email events@civilfreedoms.org

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MASJID LISTING

26 |

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

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. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

NORTHERN VIRGINIA

--------------------------------------------------------------------------All Muslim Brothers Association 3900 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302 Tel: 703-647-0515 Jumma Prayer Only - 1:15 P.m --------------------------------------------------------------------------Icna VA Center: 2913 Woodlawn Trail, Alexandria, VA 22306. Tel: 703-660-1255 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Idara Dawat-o-irshad: 4803 VAlley St, Alexandria, VA 22312 Tel: 703-256-8622 ww.irshad.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Mustafa Center: 6844 Braddock Rd., Annandale, VA 22003 Tel: 703-658-7134 www.mustafacenter.org E-mail: Mustafacenter@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Baitul Mukarram: 2116 S Nelson St., Arlington, VA, 22204, Tel: 703-778-1550 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Zakaria Islamic Academy: Galesbury Lane, Chantilly, VA 20151 Tel: 571-969-2123 www.ziacademy.org E-mail: Contact@ziacademy.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Badr Community Center Of Dumfries: 17794 Main Street, Dumfries, VA 22026 Tel: 703-585-1689/703-554-7983 www.bccd.org E-mail: Info@bccd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar Ul-ghuraba (Masjid Ur Rahmah): 155 Baker St., Emporia, VA 23487 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar Al Hijrah: 3159 Rowe St., Falls Church, VA 22044, Tel: 703-536-1030 www.hijrah.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Center Of Northern VA Trust (Icnvt): 4420 Shirley Gate Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030 Tel: 703-591-0999 www.icnvt.org E-mail: Info@icnvt.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar Al-noor (Muslim Assoc. Of VA): 5404 Hoadly Rd., Manassas, VA 20112, Tel: 703-580-0808 Fax: 703-221-8513 www.daralnoor.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Manassas Mosque: 12950 Center Entrance Ct, Manassas, VA Tel: 703-257-5537 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Center Of Virginia: 1241 Buford Rd.,

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Richmond, VA 23235 Tel: 804-320-7333 www.icVA1.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Greater Richmond (Isgr): 6324 Rigsby Road, Richamond, VA 23226 Tel: 804-673-4177 www.isgr.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al Rahman: 1305 Hull St., Richmond, VA 23224 Tel: 804-232-7640 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjidullah Of Richmond: 211 North Ave., Richmond, VA 23222 Tel: 804-321-8864/804-647-4297 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar-ul Huda: 6666 Commerce St., Springfield, VA 22150, Tel: 703-922-0111 www.darulhuda.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Foundation of America: 6606 Electronic Drive, Springfield, VA 22151 Tel: 703-914-4982 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Noor: 8608 Pohick Rd, Springfield, VA 22153 Tel: 703-451-7615 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Adams Center: 46903 Sugarland Rd, Sterling,VA 20164, Tel: 703-433-1325 www.adamscenter.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Heritage Center (Ihc): 262 A-3 Cedar Ln., Vienna, VA 22180 Tel: 703-206-9056 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

WASHINGTON D.C.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------First Hijra Muslim Comm. Center: 4324 Georgia Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20011 www.firsthijrah.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Ivy City Masjid: 2001 Galludet St. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002 Tel: 202-529-3100 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-islam: 4603 Benning Rd., SE, Washington, D.C. 20019 E-mail: Imammusa@hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Muhammad: 1519 4th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20001 Tel: 202-483-8832 | www. masjidmuhammad.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Muslim Society Of Washington, D.c. (MswDC): Howard Center, Room 805 (Above Hu Bookstore) Tel: 202-328-3236 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Islamic Center: 2551 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: 202-332-8343 www.theislamiccenter.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

MARYLAND

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Annapolis (Isa): 2635 Riva Rd. Suite 110, Annapolis, MD 21401 Tel: 410-266-6660 www.isamd.org Email: Info@islamannapolis.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Bait-Allah Masjid of Baltimore Inc 1935 Frederick Ave Baltimore, MD 21223 Imam’s cell: 571-721-9938 email: baitallahmasjid@yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Bilal Dawah Center, Inc: 1910 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21223 Tel: 410-945-1515 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar ul Uloom: 6334 Dogwoood Rd, Baltimore, MD 21207, Tel: 410-493-0785 Email: Darululoommd@aol.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Ul-haq: 514 Islamic Way (Wilson St. ), Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-728-1363 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-mumineen: 2642 Harford Rd., Baltimore, MD 21218 Tel: 410-467-8798 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Jamaat Al-Muslimeen: 4624 York Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212 Tel: 443-622-2962 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-rahmah/isb: 6631 Johnnycake 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 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Easton 126 Port Street Unit # 1 Easton, MD 21601 Tel: 410-829 7924 islamicsocietyofeastonmd.yolasite.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Irhsca (Islamic Research And Hum. Services Center Of America): 1 Chambers Ave, Capitol Heights, MD Tel: 301-324-5040 www.irhsca.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Southern Pg County (Isspgc): P O Box 99, Clinton, MD 20735 5410 Indian Head Hwy, Oxon Hill, MD 20745 Tel: 240 603 4618

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar-us-Salaam: 5301 Edgewood Rd., College Park, MD 20740, Tel: 301-982-9848 www.duscommunity.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Zamzam 1510 Lynch Road, Dundalk, MD 21222 Tel: 410-284-2840 www.masjidzamzam.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar al-Taqwa: 10740 Rte. 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042, Tel: 410-997-5711 www.taqwa.net --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-Hikmah: 11064 Livingston Road Unit L (101) Ft. Washington, MD 20744, Tel: 301 292-9009 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Frederick (Isf): 1250 Key Parkway, Frederick,md 21702 Tel: 301-682-6090 www.isfmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Center Of Maryland (Icm): 19411 Woodfield Rd. Gaithersburg,md 20879 Tel:301-840-9440 www.icomd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Makkah Learning Center (Mlc): 814 Brandy Farms Ln., Gambrills, MD 21054 Tel: 410-721-5880 www.isamd.org Email: Info@mlcmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Germantown (Isg): 19900 Brandermill Rd., Germantown, MD 20876 Tel: (240)-277-7758 www.isgtown.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Ibn Taymiyyah: 8000 Mlk Highway, Glenarden MD Tel: 301-461-9325 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society of Western Maryland: 2036 Day Rd., Hagerstown, MD 21740 Tel: 301-797-0922 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Southern Maryland Islamic Center (Smic): 1046 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD, 20639 Tel: 410-535-0000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Avondale Islamic Center: 4637 Eastern Ave., Hyattsville, MD, 20782 Tel: 301-779-9292 --------------------------------------------------------------------------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 E-mail: Imam@pgmamd.org. --------------------------------------------------------------------------Turkish American Community Center 9704 Good Luck Rd, Lanham, MD 20706 Tel: 301-459-9589 www.taccenter.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------La Plata Masjid: 111 Howard Street, La Plata, MD 20646 Tel: 301-609-8769 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Com. Center Of Laurel (ICCL): 7306 Contee Rd., Laurel, MD 20707 Tel: 301-317-4584 www.icclmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-Ghurabaa: 8220 Washington St., South Laurel, MD 20724. Tel: 301-604-3295 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Center Of Lexington Park 22583 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, MD 20619 Tel: 240-538-7839 or 561-414-0994 www.iclpmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Medina Center: 11600 Falls Road, Potomac MD 20854 www.medinacenter.net E-mail: Admin@medinacenter.net --------------------------------------------------------------------------Randallstown Islamic Center 9019 Marcella Ave. Randallstown, MD 21133 Tel: 410-971-4018 www.ricbaltimore.org E-mail: Info@ricbaltimore.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of The Washington Area (Iswa): 2701 Briggs Chaney Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20904 Tel: 301-879-0930 www.iswamd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Muslim Community Center (MCC): 15200 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20905 Tel: 301-384-3454 www.mccmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Imaam: (Jumuah Only) Jumuah: 12:50pm 3201 Randolph Rd, Wheaton, MD 20906 www.imaam.org Email: Fridayprayer@imaam.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid An-nur: 5418 Ebenezer Road, White Marsh, MD 21162 Tel: 410-663-9637 Fax: 410-663-9817 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-inshirah: 7832 Fairbrook Road, Windsor Mill, MD 21244 Tel: 410-298-2977

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan Office Manager: Stephanie Benmoha Layout & Design: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Fatimah Waseem Wafa Unus Rashad Mulla 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. 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 office@ muslimlinkpaper.com The Muslim Link. All Rights Reserved 2012

EDITOR’S DESK | 27

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Ron Paul Deserved Better from Muslim Link Assalamu’alykum. The January 13th edition of the Muslim Link included an article about the presidential campaign of Ron Paul (“Ron Paul: The Best Choice for American Muslims?” I appreciate the neutral position sister Wafa Unus presented. I would like to offer my comments on some points raised in the article. Haris Tarin of MPAC (Muslim Public Affairs Council) was quoted warning against relying only on Ron Paul’s rhetoric and suggesting we should instead give a comprehensive look at the candidate. However, a comprehensive assessment of Ron Paul was not presented by brother Tarin, nor the article. It is true that Muslims fell for Barack Obama’s eloquent rhetoric during his 2008 campaign, but we should blame ourselves and our leaders for not looking into Obama’s voting record when he was in the US Senate. If we had, we would have known that Obama voted for the wars, the Patriot Act, and other unconstitutional bills. If you look at Ron Paul’s voting record for his 20+ year congressional career, you would see that he always voted against foreign intervention in any capacity and voted against all invasive

domestic security policies. More specifically, Ron Paul voted “No” against imposing sanctions on Iraq, Iran, and Libya; “No” against war on Iraq and Afghanistan; “No” against foreign aid to Israel and other countries; and “No” against the Patriot Act and Homeland Security (source: www.votesmart.org) . There is no other politician, not even Obama, who has that sort of track record. I’m surprised that the Muslim Link article did not mention this. Also in the article, one person said that Ron Paul made “incendiary statements regarding African Americans”. This is a false accusation. Keep in mind that during presidential campaigns, all candidates are accused of racism at some time or another. Even Obama was called racist during the 2008 campaign because of statements made by his pas-

tor. The fact is, during Ron Paul’s 40+ year career in medicine and politics, no one has ever accused him of racism or making racist statements. The accusation against Paul have to do with 20 year old newsletters that were not written or edited by him. Rather, these articles were written and edited by someone else used Ron Paul’s name in the title. Furthermore, during the 2008 presidential campaign, these same accusations were raised against Paul and were thoroughly refuted. You would think that for this year’s presidential campaign, his opponents would confront him with something new. During the January 2012 New Hampshire debate, Ron Paul was asked about the newsletters. He stated, “True racism in this country is in the judicial system… And it has to do with enforcing the drug laws. Look at the percentages. The percentages of people who use drugs are about the same with blacks and whites. And yet the blacks are arrested way disproportionately. They’re prosecuted and imprisoned way disproportionately. They get the death penalty way disproportionately.”. No candidate in this election, not even Obama, has the perspective and boldness to say such a thing at that level of

political discourse. I would lastly like to comment on another statement of Haris Tarin of MPAC. Brother Tarin said that Ron Paul only appeals to Muslims regarding foreign policy but he does not offer much regarding domestic policy. In 2006 Ron Paul was the only member of congress who voted against appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security. Ron Paul is the only 2012 candidate who voted against the Patriot Act and calls it unpatriotic, who voted against the bailouts (both the Bush bailouts and the Obama bailouts), who challenges the Federal Reserves and the corrupt banking system, who wants to limit the federal government to only what is allowed in the constitution, who wants to return power to the people by giving power back to state governments. Ron Paul is also one of the few who voted against the wars, which have wasted trillions of dollars overseas and on the military. These are all domestic issues relevant to Muslims. I’m surprised that the Muslim Link article didn’t investigate Ron Paul’s positions which he’s been preaching in congress for the editor Pg 23

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M a r k e t p l a c e

fEBRUARY 24, 2012

The Muslim Link Marketplace guide to working, playing, and praying healthy

Advances in Dental Technology What it Means for You from

Dr.Maqsood Chaudhry

Recognized by the Consumers’ Research Council of America as one of “America’s Top Dentists” | Page 30

EDUCATING WITH A SMILE

Miswak preventive dentistry from the sunnah by

dr. asma nuh, dds >> PG 32

>> PG 31

SPECIAL HEALTH FOCUS

30 | CIVIL RIGHTS

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

Advances in Dental Technology

Brought to you by Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry, D.D.S.

What it Means for You Technology exists so we can live better, easier, more comfortable lives. Arguably medical technology is the clearest example of how research and invention translates into better health for all of us. At Grove Dental Clinic in Falls Church, Virginia, the latest dental technologies are used to give patients a healthy mouth and the best smile with little to no pain. Using technologies like computerized administration of anesthesia (a wand) to deliver the anesthesia instead of a syringe, and sedation dentistry, our patients no longer need to fear their long overdue dentists visits. Some of the technologies we use at Grove Dental Clinic are described below. We welcome you to call us at 703-578-0000 or visit our office in Falls Church at 3400 Payne Street to learn more about our clinic.

Soft Tissue Laser

Lasers have become part of our daily lives; they’re in our computers, and we see them in the grocery store when we buy our food. Now, with new advancements in technology,

....

“We treat more than teeth, we treat people”

About Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry and Grove Dental Clinic

-- Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry lasers have become an important part of dentistry as well. Before using the laser, we provide you with special protective glasses, and then we may numb the area we’ll work on. We then sweep the gentle beam over the affected area. The narrow beam only removes a specific number of cell layers on each pass, so we have precise control over the procedure. Dental lasers are an effective new technology that allows us to work faster and exercise more precise control over procedures. The result is faster healing and less pain for you.

Invisalign -- the Clear Alternative to Braces.

Invisalign uses a series of clear aligners that are custommolded to fit you. The virtually invisible aligners gradually reposition your teeth into a smile you’ll be proud of.

Why people prefer Invisalign The convenience and ease of use of the Invisalign system have made it the choice of over half a million people. In fact, Invisalign has been effective in giving hundreds of thousands of people amazing new smiles. • Most people won’t notice you’re in treatment • Won’t disrupt your lifestyle • Free initial consultation with participating doctors No metal wires or bands to irritate your mouth, and best of all, most people won’t notice you’re in treatment. Invisalign®, the clear alternative to braces, has been chosen by over 500,000 people who want amazing smiles.

Sedation Dentistry: The New AnxietyFree Dentistry

It’s called sedation dentistry (performed by a specially trained dentist called a sedation dentist), and it may well be the greatest advance ever

made towards truly pain-free and anxiety free dentistry procedures. For a lot of people, the unpleasantness of a dental appointment isn’t so much fear as it is stress from that “in-your-face” aspect of the procedure. We all have our own sense of personal space. And when hands and tools enter the mouth, as they must, the feeling can get downright claustrophobic. Fortunately, there’s an antidote to this problem, anxiety free dentistry!

Microdentistry Microdentistry is a philosophy in dentistry that takes advantage of the latest tools and techniques to help us keep your teeth healthy and beautiful. The principles of microdentistry are to: • Prevent tooth decay • Detect and treat decay as early as possible • Preserve the maximum amount of tooth structure • Restore your teeth comfortably with natural- looking materials

The Consumers’ Research Council of America recognized Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry as one of “America’s Top Dentists” in 2006 in the areas of cosmetics, implants, and family dentistry. A 1991 graduate from West Virginia University’s school of dentistry, Dr. Chaudhry also completed a 2-year training program in Orthodontics at the US Dental Institute, and a 1-year certificate program at Howard University in Implantology. Always looking to harness the latest and best in dental technologies for his patients, Dr. Chaudhry recently completed training in Sedation Dentistry. Grove Dental Clinic is staffed by five general dentists, one orthodontist, and one periodontist. A staff of three administrators makes sure patients are given the best experience a dentist office can provide. With its multi-cultural staff, Grove Dental welcome speakers of Spanish, Urdu, Arabic, Farsi, Bosnian, and Russian.

To schedule an appoinment with Grove Dental Clinic, call:

703-578-0000 or visit our office at 3400 Payne Street, Falls Church in VA.

Also visit us on our website at

www.grovedentalclinic.com

SPECIAL HEALTH FOCUS

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

CIVIL RIGHTS

| 31

Appointments Are Educational Experiences At Adams Smile Center Brought to you by Dr. Sultan Chaudhry, D.D.S.

On a recent afternoon at the Adams Smile Center in Northern Virginia, Dr. Sultan Chaudhry was speaking with Aisha, his last patient, about how she felt about the procedure he had just completed. “It was very good, but I thought I would feel more pain,” she said, her mouth still somewhat numb. “I don’t like working when people feel pain,” said Dr. Chaudhry. Taking a personal interest in every patient that walks into the Adams Smile Center is not just a catch phrase for the former president of the Howard University College of Dentistry Student Council, it is the way he runs his office. Even routine cleanings are performed by doctors, not hygienists. “We don’t want to miss anything, and we really want to get to know our patients, so we do all the procedures ourselves at the same cost,” explained Dr. Chaudhry. “We also want to spend time talking to our patients, explaining what is happening every minute and using large screens and videos to help with that. It’s an educational experience, and we build that into our appointments,” he added. After working under one of America’s top dentists – Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry of Grove Dental Clinic in Falls Church, Virginia and also Dr. Sultan Chaudhry’s uncle – the 28-year old smile expert moved on to manage the Adams Smile

“There really needs to be more stress placed on dental health in the Muslim community.”

About Dr. Sultan Chaudhry and ADAMS SMILE CENTER

-- Dr. Sultan Chaudhry Center in early 2011. The name of the Smile Center stands for “Area of Dulles, Ashburn, Manassas, and Sterling”, and its close proximity to the ADAMS masjid ties in well, because both Dr. Maqsood Chaudhry and Dr. Sultan Chaudhry are active, involved members of the Northern Virginia Muslim community. To the Muslim community, Dr. Sultan Chaudhry’s message is to appreciate the gift Allah gave us. “Our bodies are a loan from Allah, and it should feel like a really big loss to get a tooth pulled,” he said. “There really needs to be more stress placed on dental health in the Muslim community.” Along with colleague Dr. Mostafa Baha, Adams Smile Center is a one-stop shop for dental work, including extractions, dentures, braces, and implants. Keeping the sometimes hectic schedules of their patients in mind, Adams Smile Center closes at 8:30pm on Mondays and Tuesdays. Dr. Sultan Chaudhry especially loves working with children, but his patients range in all ages – his oldest being 102 ! “And he walked in,” said Dr.

Chaudhry with a smile. Dr. Chaudhry says the highlight of his work is when he is able to remove anxiety from his patients. “Most recently I had a trauma case come in where the [girl’s] front teeth were fractured at the gumline. Within hours we had her smile back to normal, and she came in thinking her life would be changed forever. That felt great,” he explained. “You can’t bill for that.”

Testimonials

“I wanted to thank you and your staff for the professional care my son, daughter and I received recently in your office. You and your staff

explained all procedures and were very considerate to my son who had in the past a difficult experience in another dental office and had a fear of dental visits which are no longer existent thanks to you and your staff. I am happy to say we all look forward to seeing you again.” - Brenda Muller ------------------------------------“After being with The French Family Dentistry group for over three years, I have transitioned to the Adams Smile Center. I have been extremely impressed by Dr. Chaudhry’s comprehensive approach to providing excellent dental care for me and my family. We spent most of our visits with the dentists. That helped me to better understand exactly the care I needed for my entire family. After finding an issue with one of my teenagers teeth, he and his team performed the procedure immediately. They also were great with my younger son who is usually very stressed when getting work done on his teeth.” - Tom Ellis

A Doctor of Dental Surgery from the Howard University College of Dentistry, Dr. Sultan Chaudhry is North East Regional Board Certified. He is also a certified lead instructor for CPR/AED from the American Safety and Health Institute and a Certified Emergency Medical Technician-B from the D.C. Department of Health. Raised in the suburbs of Maryland, Dr. Sultan Chaudhry is an accomplished speaker, writer, and martial artist, having attained the rank of 8 Kyu 3rd Dan.

As a student, Dr. Chaudhry received numerous awards including the Delta Dental Student Leadership Award in recognition of his outstanding leadership, service, and scholarship. He was also Vice President of the Muslim Student Association at George Washington University.

To schedule an appoinment with

CALL: 703-430-1212 or visit our office at 46161 Westlake Dr, Potomac Falls, VA

Also visit us on our website at

www.superdentist.com ....

SPECIAL HEALTH FOCUS

32 | CIVIL RIGHTS

Siwak: One of the best ways to protect one’s teeth is the siwak, which was mentioned in several sayings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Siwak are the wicks that are used to rub inside the mouth, and they get their name from the Arabic word “yudlik,” which can be roughly translated to mean “massage” (i.e., massage the inside of the mouth). It means more than “tooth brush.” The best type of siwak is that which comes from the araak tree. The siwak of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was from that tree. The siwak is a natural twig fortified with natural minerals that help clean the teeth, other inhibitors that prevent gums from bleeding, cleaning agents that kill microbes and germs and a scent that gives breath a naturally fresh smell. The siwak is an ideal, natural

brush that has been endowed with more than any artificial toothpaste could ever have. Like a toothbrush, the wicks on the siwak clean between the teeth and do not break under any amount of pressure; rather, they are flexible and strong. The small wicks bend to the appropriate shape to get plaque and leftover food out from in between teeth while avoiding any damage to the gums. The Prophet (peace be upon him) taught us more than 1,400 years ago to use the siwak to clean our teeth and mouth and give it a nice scent. Anas quoted the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying: “Whenever the Angel Gabriel would visit me, he would advise me to use the siwak.” The leftovers of food found between teeth provide an

Preventive Medicine For Your Teeth Brought to you by Dr. Asma Nuh, D.D.S.

excellent environment for the festering of millions of bacteria, which can lead to painful and bleeding gums, severe disease and cysts. In the worst cases, there can be inflammation of the teeth and bone surrounding them. Bacteria also produce damaging enzymes that eat away at the calcium of the teeth, which causes cavities. In severe cases, the bacteria produce gases that produce bad breath, cause the breakdown of the gum tissue and bone mass which support the teeth. Thus gum disease is the number one cause of tooth loss and should be taken seriously. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to rub the siwak over his tongue, teeth and gums. Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari said, “I visited the Prophet, peace be upon him, and the siwak was at the edge

About Dr. Asma Nuh, D.D.S. Dr. Asma Nuh, D.D.S, is a dentist whose career spans over 30 years but who takes care of all her patients as is they were her first. A 1976 graduate of Howard University’s College of Dentistry – the college was among the top 10 dental schools in the nation at the time – Dr. Asma started her current practice in 1986. Her home clinic is fully equipped to treat all general dental needs, and patients feel very comfortable with Dr. Asma’s personal attention. Her clients span generations and keep coming to her because – as Dr. Asma says -- “we’re small, and there is no pressure to purchase service that you don’t need”. Small, but professional and caring, our office is paperless, with digital x-ray, and latest dental clinic software. “We always explain all our charges before hand, even

....

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

“We are big on preventive dentistry and patient homecare.” -- Dr. Asma Nuh, D.D.S.

on the phone, so patients are prepared. We work with patients on payments plans if they need them,” adds Dr. Asma. “Besides being modern and up to date, our office is a walk-in da’wa tool. “ Dr. Asma speaks Spanish fluently and is a member of the Hispanic Dental Association. A visit to her office will get you not only a healthy mouth but also inspiration, as Dr. Asma puts on Islamic lectures or Qur’an instead of music for her patients while she treats them. “Many of our non-muslim patients will not even let us begin treatment untill we turn on the Qur’an CD.

of his tongue.” Plaque when it accumulates, and as a contributary cause of the number one cause of premature loss of teeth, in the gum disease stage, have also been linked to heart disease and other general body health issues. So get your siwak out and use them when toothbrush is not available. Remembering that the last thing to touch our Prophet’s SAW mouth was a siwak that Aisha RA had softened by chewing and moistening with her own saliva. As a Muslim dentist, I can think of no better way to leave this dunya and meet Allah SWT, but with Kalimah and a sweet smell on our breaths.

To schedule an appointment with

Dr. Asma Nuh,

call her office in Silver Spring, Maryland at

301-445-4888.

Services Offered: Family Dentistry Hugger Bridge & Veneers (Including no needles or tooth cutting) Cleanings Exams Fluorides Fillings Composite Bonding Dentures Crowns Traditional Bridges Root Canals

Chemical Breakdown Of A Siwak Siwak has 19 beneficial ingredients in it. Most important among them are: a.. Antibacterial acidic inhibitors that fight decay and diarrhea. They are natural disinfectants and can be used to stop bleeding. They disinfect the gums and teeth and close any microscopic cuts that may have existed in the gums. On first usage, the siwak will taste harsh, and maybe even burn, because of a mustard-like substance found in it, but this is the ingredient that fights decay in the mouth and kills germs. b.. Minerals such as sodium chloride, potassium, sodium bicarbonate and calcium oxides. These clean the teeth. For instance, the American Dental Association considers sodium bicarbonate to be a preferred ingredient in toothpastes. c.. Natural scented oils that taste and smell nice, give the mouth a nice smell. They make up about 1% of the siwak. d.. Enzymes that prevent the buildup of plaque that causes gum disease. Plaque is also the no. 1 cause of premature loss of teeth. e.. Anti-decay and anti-germ ingredients that act as a penicillin of sorts, decreasing the amount of bacteria in the mouth, which means cleaner teeth and cleaner air when breathing through the mouth. Some researchers have found that tooth decay is rapid when a dry brush is used, and that wetting one’s toothbrush mitigates the damage. So the siwak should be dampened before usage. If there is no alternative, one’s saliva will suffice to dampen the stick. Siwak also has chemicals that cause the mouth to produce extra saliva, which is the mouth’s organic defense and cleaning mechanism [ S o u rc e : C o l l e c t e d & E d i t e d b y MiracleBrush.com Team]

February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

SPECIAL HEALTH FOCUS

NATIONAL NEWS || 33

Infection Control in Islam

H ow I s l a m re c o m m e n d s d e a l i n g wi t h 2 1 s t c e n t u r y i l l n e s s e s . By Aisha Stacey

others to keep from infecting them.

In recent years, health professionals around the world have become increasingly concerned with the spread of infectious diseases. Outbreaks of swine flu, avian (bird) flu, and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have meant that infectious diseases have taken on a global context and are now on the agenda of world leaders and health policy makers alike. In developed and developing countries, health officials are focusing on infectious disease research and linking it to policymaking and infrastructure.

Infection control in Islam includes isolation and quarantine. Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, instituted strategies that are today implemented by public health authorities. He commanded his followers not to travel to places known to be afflicted with illness and he advised those in the contaminated areas or communities not to leave and spread the disease further afield. He said, “If you hear that there is a plague in a land, do not enter it; and if it (plague) visits a land while you are therein, do not go out of it”.[6] He also counseled ill people not to visit healthy people.[7]

IslamReligion.com

The scope of infectious diseases is progressively more challenged by globalisation. Easy and frequent air travel allows diseases to spread rapidly between communities and countries. Infectious disease control will continue to be confronted by 21st century issues including global warming, conflict, famine, overpopulation, deforestation, and bioterrorism. Due to ongoing media attention, most of us are aware of the dangers associated with swine flu and bird flu and in 2003 -2004 the world held its collective breath when 8098 people became sick with SARS, before the global outbreak was contained.[1] These three diseases have led to renewed interest in infectious diseases by the public; however, Gideon Informatics[2], the world’s leading global infectious disease database, has tracked and documented more than 20 major infectious diseases since 1972. Some basic measures are appropriate when trying to control the spread of any or all infectious diseases. These include meticulous hand washing, covering the mouth when sneezing or coughing, proper disposal of tissues, staying at home and away from public places, and in extreme cases such as SARS, quarantine. In the series of articles entitled Health in Islam, we explained in some detail that Islam is a religion concerned with creating a community of healthy believers. Islam is a holistic belief system and it takes into account the physical, emotional,

and spiritual well being of individuals and societies. Although care of the individual is important, safeguarding communities, including its weakest members, is of paramount importance. More than 1400 years ago, Prophet Muhammad, may God praise him, was teaching his followers hygiene practices that are still applicable in the 21st century. From the traditions of Prophet Muhammad, we find evidence that clearly indicates Islam’s stance on coughing and sneezing openly. Prophet Muhammad instructed the believers to cover their faces when sneezing.[3] The most obvious effect of sneezing and coughing without covering the mouth is the spread of airborne bacteria and viruses, in addition, droplets invisible to the naked eye, may fall onto surfaces or other people. According to the Center for Disease Control in the USA, the virus that causes SARS is thought to be transmitted most readily by respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. What is known as droplet spread can happen when droplets from the cough or sneeze of an infected person are propelled a short distance (up to 3 feet) through the air and deposited on the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, or eyes of persons who are nearby. The virus also can spread when a person touches a surface or object contaminated with infectious droplets and then touches his or her mouth, nose, or eye. The SARS

virus might spread more broadly through the air (airborne spread). Islam is referred to as the religion of cleanliness. “Truly, God loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves.” (Quran 2:222) In the traditions of Prophet Muhammad cleanliness is mentioned as half of faith, therefore, it is important to keep the body fresh and clean and Islam insists on several practices to facilitate this. The private parts are washed after using the toilet and Muslims must pay particular attention to being clean before praying. They wash their hands, faces, (including rinsing the mouth and nose) arms and feet, a minimum of five times per day. Prophet Muhammad insisted that the believers wash their hands, before praying, before and after eating[4] and upon waking up in the morning[5]. When trying to stop the spread of any type of influenza, including swine flu and bird flu, the first line of defense is frequent hand washing. Both the World Health Organization and CDC recommend the following precautions. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze and dispose of the tissue in the trash after use. Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, germs spread that way. Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with

During the worldwide outbreak of SARS, quarantine officials arranged for appropriate medical assistance, which sometimes included medical isolation and restricted travel movements. The CDC says isolation is necessary not only for the patient’s comfort but also to protect members of the public. Many levels of government around the world are legally able to compel sick, infectious people to remain in quarantine or in isolation in order to stop the spread of disease. The teaching and principles of Islam are designed to benefit all of humankind. Rules and recommendations for personal hygiene and cleanliness promote the wellbeing of individuals and communities. Infection control is inherent in Islamic hygiene behavior. Washing the hands, covering the mouth when sneezing or coughing, voluntary isolation, when one is feeling unwell, and restricted travel is an effective and comprehensive public health strategy. Measures taken in the 21st century to prevent the spread of infections and viruses conform almost exactly to the hygiene and infection control practices taught by Prophet Muhammad. Footnotes: [1] (http://www.cdc.gov/ ncidod/sars/basics.htm) [2] (http:// www.gideononline.com/index.htm) [3] Mustadrak Haakim [4] Abu Dawood [5] Saheeh Al-Bukhari [6] Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim [7] Saheeh Muslim

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February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

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February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

Honey Heals Skin Disease and Hair Loss Every Muslim has read

that the Prophet Sallallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam told his ummah about the wonderful nature of honey. In the Qur’an in Surah An-Nahl, Allah described honey as a “drink of varying color wherein is healing for men”. Its no wonder that scientists are spending more and more resources examining, testing, and developing honey-based medical treatments. As early as December 26, 2007, the Associated Press ran a story titled “Honey makes medical comeback”. One company that has believed in the restorative power of honey for a long time is HoneyDerm, Inc., a Lansing, Michigan based company that spent years bringing the healing power of honey to people suffering from hair loss, dandruff, and skin disease. Their most famous product line is Hairback Lotion and Hairtonix Shampoo, that “helps stimulate new hair growth and thicken existing hair”. Honeyderm, Inc also claims the products solve dandruff and scalp psoriasis. The Muslim Link requested access to some of Honeyderm’s customers, and Brother Mahmoud from Honeyderm gladly offered us some phone numbers. Brother Hasan, in his late 30’s is from Maryland and suffers from the common skin disease eczema. “I’ve had eczema

since high school, and it got worse as the years went on. I went to a dermatologist and he recommended a cortisone-type prescription cream. It did stop the itch, but my skin was still dry and tight. I’ve tried lotions and shampoos from Aveeno, Lubiderm, Vaseline, and others. Alhumdulillah, I found Honeyderm’s Dermatonic-P, and it is really, really a blessing for people with Eczema or other skin illnesses. I no longer wake up sweating at night! AllahuAkbar!.” We called Abdurihman Khalil from Chicago. He did not know we were going to call. Abdurihman started losing his hair when he was about 28. He discovered the Hairback product line at a convention and decided to test its claims. “The hair loss stopped completely,” said Abdurihman. “It’s excellent, and I’ve been using it now for 6 years.” We also called Brother Mustafa Al-Omary in Sterling Heights, Michigan. He decided to do something about his thinning hair at age 40 and tried the Hairback treatment. Asked how long it took for him to see results, he told us “Oh gosh, less than a month. My thin spots filled in within 3 months,.” He said he would “absolutely” recommend the product to anyone. “It’s not a fly-by-night product, its awesome,” said Mustafa. We

also called Najeebudheen Appat, a 30-year old living in Los Angeles, CA. He’s had a severe dandruff

“Alhumdulillah, I found Honeyderm’s

Dermatonic-P, and it is really, really a blessing for people with Eczema or other skin illnesses. I no longer wake up sweating at night! Allahu-Akbar!.” -- Br.Hasan, Maryland problem for a long-time, and had been searching for a solution. “I tried so many different products like tonics and shampoos, I can’t even remember them all, until I found this product around 2002. My problem was solved completely, the entire thing is taken care of. I even called [Honeyderm] with the great feedback,” recalled Najeebudheen. He told us that Allah creates shifa in many things, and Honeyderm’s products are a part of that. “For dandruff problems, this is the total solution,” he told us from his mobile phone.

BEFORE

AFTER

On Honeyderm’s website, there are many more testimonials from Muslims and non-Muslims from around the nation and the world. There is also a gallery of “before and after” pictures of both hair loss treatments as well as skin treatments. And best of all, for those of us who’ve “tried it all”, there is a full money back guarantee. Allah said honey heals. The Prophet Sallallahu’alyhi wa sallam said honey heals. The people we called said honey heals. With a money back guarantee, there is absolutely nothing to lose, and everything to gain – your hair and skin!

BEFORE

AFTER

Honey-Based Healing for:

Hair Loss, Hair growth, Itching, dandruff, and Scalp Psoriasis. Acne, Wrinkles, Psoriasis, Eczema, Dermatitis, and Rosacea. Plus Supplements for Diabetics, Immunity, and Liver Health. Order Risk Free Today by calling (800) 424 - 7710 or buy online at www.honeyderm.com 2522 East Michigan Ave Lansing, Michigan 48912 MONEY BACK GUARANTEE

HoneyDerm is very confident that its products will definitely help you. If for any reason you are not satisfied with the product, we offer you a full money back guarantee with the return of any remaining portion of the product in their original containers. See our website for time restrictions. All products are 100% drug free and are not intended to change any of the body physiological functions or treat any disease or possess any drug claim.

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February 24th 2012 - March 8th 2012

MP - CLASSIFIED ADS | 47

Place a personal classified ad. Call us at 301-982-1020. Office@muslimlinkpaper.com 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.

EMPLOYMENT OPEN OFFICE MANAGER POSITION Open position for part/full time office assistant/manager for local Construction Management Company in Greenbelt, MD. Must have excellent communication and organizational skills, and be proficient in Microsoft Office Programs including Outlook, Word and Excel. Salary based on experience/capabilities, starting at $8$10/Hr. Email resumes to cmclp@mail. com.

matrimonial 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@yahoo.com or 410-988-0705. -----------------------------------------------PIOUS MUSLIMA SEEKING A HUSBAND A religious Muslima of Arab origin. 39

years old, olive-skinned, 5 ft, 128 lbs. Never married, decent looking with a minor limp in lt leg wa-alhamdulillah. Good character, educated, and hard working. Located in DC area. Seeking an unmarried religious Brother with a good character, whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ready and capable to lead a family. Please direct serious inquires to supervised email: sakinah.seeker at yahoo dot com. -----------------------------------------------MOROCCAN BROTHER FOR MARRIAGE Good Moroccan Muslim brother in Morocco seeking good American Muslima for marriage, please contact Sister Fatima for more info 410-988-0705 or fatima1984@live.com -----------------------------------------------SEEKING DEVOTED MUSLIMAH

Incarcerated Sunni Muslim seeks devoted Muslimah with both real and outward beauty and the qualities stated in AlAhzab: 32-35 for marriage. Race and financial status not important. Send all inquires to: David Ginwright 228332 N.B.C.I. 14100 McMullen Hwy SW, Cumberland, MD 21502. ------------------------------------------------

SEEKING GOOD AMERICAN MUSLIM Good Moroccan Muslimah 34 years old looking for good American Muslim for marriage. Please contact 703-203-1639.

MISCELLANEOUS LONELY IN AMERICA Sunni Muslim Male, incarcerated, age 43, funny and easy-going. Home town Karachi, Pakistan. Seeks pen friend. Nadeem Khan #1113005, P.O. Box 1900, Pound, VA 24279.

Rentals SEEKING ROOMMATE Sister to share a room in townhouse in Gaithersburg. $450. 301-213-3730. -----------------------------------------------3 APARTMENTS AVAILABLE FOR RENT Efficiency $450/month, 1 BR $650/ month, 2 BR $650/month. In a farm area close to Germantown, Maryland. No bus service nearby. Good for retired person. Please call 301-253-0648 or cell 301-9102240.

-----------------------------------------------5 BR FOR RENT Two separate units, upstair: 3 BR & 2 bath with 1 ensuit, eat in kitchen with a big lounge. Downstairs: 2 BR, 1.5 bath with a eat in kitchn and a spacious living room, Address: 4713 Quimby AV Beltsville, MD 20705. Rent $1900; Available from Feb.2012. Email: nazrul62@hotmail.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) -----------------------------------------------LICENSED PLUMBER Reduce Major Plumbing Bills. Give TwirlA-Drain a call at 410-963-5807 for sewer and water pipe replacement underground. Free estimates given, Michael D. Shahid. ------------------------------------------------

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