The Muslim Link - June 15, 2012 by The Muslim Link

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

Dar Al-Hijrah Social Work Gets Attention of Elected Officials

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

WhyIslam Goes South of the Border | pg 4

By Wafa Unus Muslim Link Staff Reporter

Al-Rahmah School Holds First HS Commencement| pg 5

Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church regularly provides hot meals for the homeless in partnership with Safe Haven, a program within the neighboring First Christian Church. The homeless, underprivileged and others in need frequent the weekly soup kitchen at the church often, around a hundred at a time. However, on May 24, 2012, >> attention Pg 16

Deaf Muslims Push for ASL Qur’an At Area Masaajid | pg 8

VA Driver Denies License Plate Had Racist Message | pg 10 Left center, Congressman Jim Moran (D-VA) shares a meal with volunteers including Dar Al-Hijrah’s outreach coordinator Imam Johari Abdul-Malik at a Safe Haven meal program. Photo courtesy of Dar Al-Hijrah.

Montgomery County Muslims Hope for Eid School Holidays After Councilman’s Letter By Wafa Unus Muslim Link Staff Reporter

Muslim students.

Montgomery County Schools may discuss the possibility of closing schools for Muslim holidays after County Councilman George Leventhal requested consideration for

“The schools close all the time. The schools close for parental guidance, the schools close for teacher training,” Lev-

enthal told The Washington Examiner. “I just don’t think it’s that much of an inconvenience to close the schools, and I do believe observant Muslims are entitled to the same courtesy extended for years to Christians and Jews.” Some, like Leventhal, ar-

gue that the closings are only fair, citing the county closing schools for Christian and Jewish holidays as well as non-religious holidays and the size of the Muslim community in >> EID Pg 18

NATL: Muslims Can’t Promise Vote for Obama in ‘12 | pg 22 WPRESS: Life-and-Death of Drone Wareware | pg 24 FAMILY: Ways To Get To Know Your Neighbor | pg 27 The Muslim Link

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4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Community News WhyIslam Goes South of the Border By Wendy Diaz

Muslim Link Staff Reporter When Nahela Morales, an Administrative Assistant and National Coordinator for Spanish Dawah at WhyIslam, decided to plan her family vacation a year ago, she never thought she would be taking her work with her. Now, she is spearheading a joint effort between WhyIslam and seven other organizations, most of them Spanish-dawah oriented, to deliver necessary Islamic material to the growing Muslim community in Mexico. Morales, who was born in Mexico City, grew up in California and moved to New York in 2000, five years later she accepted Islam and now lives in Union City, New Jersey. She has worked for the Islamic Circle of North America’s (ICNA’s) WhyIslam Project for three years, taking phone calls from curious non-Muslims through the 1-877-WhyIslam Hotline, arranging mosque visits nationwide, and coordinating Latino and reverts sessions for the annual ICNA-MAS conventions, among other responsibilities. She is

also an active volunteer with the North Hudson Islamic Education Center in Union City, NJ, a mosque which hosts about 400 Latino Muslim families, making it one of the largest Latino Muslim communities in the United States. Four years ago, Morales visited Mexico alone for the first time as a new Muslim, and had to withstand the backlash from her Catholic family members who opposed her Islamic attire and likened her new faith to trading her identity. During a visit to non-Muslim relatives, she was attacked by one of her cousins who ripped off her headscarf and told her to “stop trying to be an Arab”, an incident Morales attributes to a lack of education about Islam. This time, Morales will be traveling alongside her husband and son and decided to prepare ahead of time. “One of the main purposes of my trip was to give dawah to my family, especially my grandmother, who is 103 years old,” Morales said. After much research, South

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A new convert takes his Shahadah with Imam Isa Rojas (left) at the Al Hikmah Center in Mexico City, pictured below. Photos courtesy of Al Hikmah Center

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Al-Rahmah School Holds First Ever High School Commencement By Salman Sheikh

Muslim Link Contributing Writer On the morning of Saturday June 2, 2012, the Islamic Society of Baltimore presented the first Annual Commencement of Al Rahmah Girls High School at ISB. The venue was filled with students, family, friends and distinguished community members. The commencement was the culmination of 20 years of work by many Muslims from diverse backgrounds. A project of the Islamic Society of Baltimore, Al-Rahmah School opened in 1987 as an elementary school. The school began adding high school grades a few years ago for girls. The school received accreditation from the Middle States Association Commission on Elementary Schools in 2010. The keynote speech was given by Master in Chancery Zakia Mahasa from the Circuit Court for Baltimore City. While she addressed the audience, many times during her speech, she would turn to the graduates on stage, giving them very good nasiha (advice) to what lies ahead for many of them. She compared their graduation to a butterfly leaving the safe sheltered cocoon of an Islamic School and now

they were getting their wings and entering the world of trials and temptations in the universities and colleges that lie ahead. She said she has seen over many years, more and more Muslim youth slipping. The one thing she advised was to pause for 10 seconds before making any new decision that could have a lasting effect on their lives. She then stopped her speech and counted in a hushed-tone to 10. The room of 100 plus parents and children was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop. Then she said make the decision based on the values and upbringing you were raised with by your family and the extension of you family outside your home for 8 hours a day -- your Islamic school. The valedictorian, Quratulain Asad, maintained a 4.0 GPA in her 3 years at Al-Rahmah Girls High School. All the graduates completed their high school requirements in three years. When she gave her speech, she said at first she was had doubt about whether to attend the newly added high school with such small class sizes. But then as the years progressed, she and the other graduates reflected on how they bonded strongly in the smaller classes. They spoke of how they learned each other’s personalities, >> FIRST Pg 20

The ISB gymnasium was set-up for the commencement of the first high school graduating class of Al-Rahmah School. Diplomas were presented by ISB President Maqbool Patel to the four graduates dressed in traditional cap and gown. Photos by Salman Sheikh.

Religious Leaders Discuss Health Privacy Issues By Wafa Unus

Muslim Link Staff Reporter The second annual International Health Privacy Summit was held in Washington D.C. on June 6th through June 7th where religious leaders discussed health privacy and religion among other hot button issues. Government officials, legal experts, medical practitioners and activists joined in discussion on the future of health privacy in the wake of digital health records.

While the Summit, sponsored by Patient Privacy rights, a leading health privacy watchdog, consisted of general sessions and panels discussing everything from stories of patients who had lost their privacy due to digital record keeping, to state and federal regulation of health information. In addition the Summit focused in on religious perspectives on privacy, calling together representatives from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In the medical field, cross-cultural and religious sensitivities have become more prominent in an increasingly diverse society. Patients tend to have

varying degrees of comfort in regards to medical visits and treatment based on their cultural or religious perspectives on modesty and privacy. In some cases, individuals may avoid health care in general due to such concerns. These concerns translate similarly to the storage of medical images, data and procedures. A recent study on the healthcare needs of American Muslims, conducted by the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, found that religion played a direct role in “health behaviors and healthcare-seeking patterns.”

The panel’s speakers discussed the rights of individuals to control information relating to their bodies within the three largest monotheistic faiths. Concerns over how safe digitized medical records are from being illegally accessed or simply available to health care providers with no need for certain unrelated medical information regarding a patient have given way to discussions

>> health Pg 6

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

6 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Henrico Supervisors to Address Appeal Words Worth Considering of Approval of Plan for Mosque 2 By RANDY HALLMAN

Richmond Times-Dispatch, June 12, 2012 HENRICO, Va. – At its meeting tonight, the Henrico County Board of Supervisors will take up Sylvia Hoehns Wright’s appeal of the county Planning Commission’s approval of a plan for a mosque on Hungary Road. Henrico’s county attorney, Joseph P. Rapisarda Jr., and county Planning Department Director R. Joseph Emerson Jr. have recommended that the board deny the appeal. That would clear the way for the Islamic Center of Richmond to move ahead with construction plans for the mosque. “We reviewed the facts of the case,” Emerson said, “and determined that the Planning Commission made the correct decision” when it approved in a 5-0 vote the plan of development for a two-story, 30,277-square-foot mosque with a day care center and school on a 5.2-acre tract on Hungary Road opposite its intersection with Wilshire Drive. In the agenda posted online for tonight’s meeting, the county answers three issues raised in Wright’s appeal. She questions whether the mosque’s parking capacity is adequate. The county posting points out that the plan provides for 128 parking spaces, more than the required 93. In particular, she asks about parking during construction of the mosque. The county says that issue must be addressed

health

>> continued from pg 5

on how to ensure the privacy of a patient while still making their medical information easily and readily available to providers.

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in the construction plans that will be submitted.

on Impala Drive at its intersection with Hilliard Road.

She asks about fencing and landscaping to reduce the impact of light and noise from the mosque. The county notes that the plan of development requires approval of plans for landscaping and lighting before a certificate of occupancy is issued.

Imad Damaj, president of the Virginia Muslim Coalition for Public Affairs, said his organization estimates that there are about 15,000 practicing members of the faith in the region — enough to warrant new mosques in Henrico.

The Islamic Center currently conducts worship in a former residence on the property. Last month, Wright aired complaints that even with the much smaller makeshift house of worship, there are times when vehicles spill out from the property, parking on land not owned by the center. In at least one case, she said, the drive she and other neighbors use was blocked. She renewed those complaints Monday, repeating her contention that the mosque needs to hire professional traffic control.

Another group is planning a third Henrico mosque, for the Short Pump area, but has not yet submitted plans to the county for approval. “It’s a matter of convenience and geography,” Damaj said, pointing out that Muslims, like Christians, want their places of worship to be part of their own communities. Damaj said the actions of Wright and other neighbors are not being seen as hostile.

She said the mosque’s leadership knows about her complaints. “They say they’re going to do better,” she said, “but the problems persist. … There is significant room for improvement.”

“It’s a process,” he said. “Neighbors have the right to appeal. … Close neighbors are worried about the volume of cars. Members of the mosque realize these are neighbors and will be neighbors going forward.”

Wright is also among those circulating a petition asking the county to revisit the zoning requirements for places of worship. She said current requirements don’t anticipate the daily use of a mosque with multiple prayer services.

In 2008, Henrico supervisors turned down a rezoning request for Impala Drive mosque. The group planning to build that mosque sued the county, and the U.S. Department of Justice initiated a civil rights investigation.

The Hungary Road mosque would be the second in Henrico. Builders recently broke ground on construction of a 10,500-square-foot mosque on 3.6 acres

Eventually, the suit was dismissed at the request of both the county and the group

As the summit began with stories of patients who felt their privacy had been compromised due to the digitization of records, one individual shared her case. After she underwent psychiatric treatment she found that her therapist’s notes would be digitized and then made available to thousands of doctors and nurses. While some specialists might find

need for such information, others who never would, were also able to access it.

>> zoning Pg 37

While doctors are required to seek permission from a patient prior to sharing medical records, the ease and accessibility of new digital records have caused several documented cases of oversight and breaches in doctor-patient

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people together to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” --Antoine de Saint-Exupery, author and aviator (1900-1945) “The ordinary man is passive. Within a narrow circle, home life, and perhaps the trade unions or local politics, he feels himself master of his fate. But otherwise he simply lies down and lets things happen to him.” --George Orwell [Eric Arthur Blair] (1903-1950) British author Source: Inside the Whale, 1940 “Don’t flatter yourself that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. The nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.” --Oliver Wendell Holmes

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Have a thought-provoking quote you would like to share with our readers? Email the quote along with its source to editor@muslimlinkpaper.com.

confidentiality. Along with discussing the issues and concerns related to health privacy, the summit ended by showcasing new technologies that allow for greater control of patient data, ensuring better security for private medical information.

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

8 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Deaf Muslims Push for ASL Qur’an At Area Masaajid By Yaman Shalabi

GDM is currently working on arranging similar initiatives at other Mosques in Virginia, D.C. and Maryland, says Abdulai.

Muslim Link Staff Reporter Ever since the Quran was first revealed in Arabic to the Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and compiled during the reign of the third Caliph Othman ibn Affan, it has since been translated into every major language with the exception of one: Sign Language. For deaf Muslims in the United States, it has been a struggle to learn about Islam and the Quran because of the limited availability of information in American Sign Language (ASL). To address their needs, the Global Deaf Muslim (GDM) was established in 2005 to “advocate for the advancement and inclusion of deaf Muslims in the Muslim Ummah.” And their goal became to create the first-ever ASL translation of the Quran. Though it has been their dream since the group’s inception, it was not until late last year that GDM began raising funds, due to the project’s estimated high costs and lack of support. But now they are faced with the difficulty of raising enough money to spearhead

GDM President Nashiru Abdulai, second from right, watches the conversation at an event for Global Deaf Muslims in Herndon a few years ago. Photo courtesy of Global Deaf Muslims. this project. GDM President Nashiru Abdulai, deaf at the age of nine due to meningitis, has become somewhat concerned over whether “[they] have chosen the right time [to proceed]…trying to reach a point where [they] can start to focus on implementing the project, but raising funds has been a challenge,” he says. This is why they have decided to move beyond organizing fundraising dinners and events and straight to the centers of Islam, the mosques. The idea: to fund-

raise after Friday prayers, a day when Muslims regularly attend in large numbers, with their first successful translation of a Friday Khutbah occurring June 8 at the Prince George’s Muslim Association in Lanham, Md. During the Khutbah, Imam Ahmad Azzaari said that it was the duty of the Muslim community to “help them translate the Quran and make it available to those who have been deprived of this blessing so that they may enjoy it.”

The project aims to create video translations of the Quran by interpreting the meaning of the verses in sign language as well as English subtitles, providing content and concepts says Abdulai. According to the GDM website “the video will be able to educate deaf Muslims who lack sufficient reading since sign language employs a universal meaning that transcends the nations’ borders.” This is very important says Marketing Director Fatima Muhammad because “most of the time deaf Muslims have a very limited access to the Quran because most mosques or Islamic organizations don’t provide services such as interpreters and captioning/subtitles.” Abdulai believes himself to be very fortunate that he was given an education, but not all deaf Muslims can read and recalls that during his time >> asl Pg 20

ISNA, Islamic Development Bank Offer Interest-Free Student Loans By Wafa Unus

tions, interest rates can mean big fees.

Students in the United States face more than one trillion dollars in student loans. As the cost of a college education continues to grow, more young twenty somethings find themselves struggling to find employment with tens of thousands of dollars in debt. Despite the statistical fact that a college education is a good investment over the course of one’s lifetime, the prospect of crushing debt drives some away from traditional college educations all together.

Scholarships provide students with money they are not required to pay back but must earn through distinguished academic or athletic accomplishments. While some scholarships are aimed at the underprivileged, many in need are forced to turn to high interest loans. For those who receive well paying jobs out of college, repaying loans may not be a problem but for the reported 50% of graduates who are unemployed or underemployed, the price of their four years of education can cost them a lifetime of financial stress.

For those who can’t afford to pay for college, but decide to attend it, the prospects of a prosperous life after graduation can often be delayed by a decade. Even with financial aid and loan op-

In response the growing student debt as well as in line with the Islamic principle of avoiding interest, The Islamic Society of North America and the Islamic

Muslim Link Staff Reporter

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Development Bank created a unique interest-free loans option for college students The loans are offered as fifteen thousand dollar annual scholarships to college students enrolled or intending to enroll in medical sciences or engineering. The money is then repaid by the student, without interest, to the scholarship fund in installments thus replenishing the fund for future loans. Applicants eligible for the scholarship must have show both academic success as well as financial need. While these loans are particularly lucrative for Muslim students who are seeking interest-free options to finance their increasingly costly educations, even

those without religious obligation to avoid interest payments find that the option is far more practical and plausible for them as well. Other faith-based groups, as well as individual foundations have begun to provide interest-free loans to students, such as the International Association of Hebrew Free Loans. Though some loans are restricted by geographical region, others like The Bill Raskob Foundation offer interest free loans to students around the country. With a new class of incoming college freshman around the corner, this generation of students may find scholarship and loan applications more valuable than their college applications.

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

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10 |COMMUNITY NEWS

Virginia Driver Denies License Plate Had Coded Racist Message By Brigid Schulte,

lam,” he said, pronouncing the word “Islam,” “because if you pronounce it ‘Ihslahm,’ it’s not disparaging enough.”

Washington Post Staff Writer Douglas Story, a Chantilly dump truck driver for the Virginia Department of Transportation, says he wanted to grab people’s attention when he paid $224.90 to have a mural of the burning World Trade Center detailed onto the tailgate of his Ford F-150 along with a sticker that reads: “Everything I ever needed to know about Islam I learned on 9/11.” But he got more than he bargained for when a photo of his pickup went viral on the Web last week. Motorists and Muslim groups complained that his Virginia vanity license plate -- 14CV88 -- was really code for neo-Nazi, white supremacist sentiments. The state Department of Motor Vehicles voted last week to recall Story’s plates and force him to buy new ones. “There is absolutely no way I’d have anything to do with Hitler or Nazis,” Story said Wednesday. He contacted The Washington Post after an article about his plate appeared last week; the state, citing privacy rules, had declined to release the identity of the plate’s owner. “My sister-in-law and my niece are Jewish. I went to my niece’s bat mitzvah when she turned 13 three years ago. Does that sound like something an anti-Semite would do?” Story says the numbers 14 and 88 on his plate were not references to a white power slogan or “Heil Hitler,” as the Council on American-Islamic Relations

He said he has a permit that allows him to park in handicapped spaces because of injuries he suffered in a 1985 motorcycle accident. Hooper said he doesn’t buy Story’s version “given the overt anti-Muslim bigotry displayed on the truck and the Confederate flags and their historic connotation of racism. But it’s his right to make that appeal to the Virginia DMV.” Story said he has no intention of appealing. “I don’t want my truck firebombed,” he said. theorized, but an homage to his favorite NASCAR drivers: Tony Stewart, who drives car No. 14, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who drives No. 88. Story applied for the vanity plate in March 2009, shortly after Earnhardt changed his car number from 8 to 88 and Stewart changed his from 20 to 14. CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper said his group looked into the meaning of the numbers 14 and 88 after receiving complaints about Story’s license plates. He said the group found that among neo-Nazis, 88 refers to “Heil Hitler,” because H is the eighth letter of the alphabet. White supremacists sometimes use the number 14, Hooper said, as shorthand for the 14-word motto, “We must secure the existence of our people

and a future for white children.” Story says that his truck has long been decorated with the Confederate battle flag and that he does have “CV” Sons of Confederate Veterans plates, which he obtained after discovering that his great-great-great-grandfather was a second lieutenant with the Alabama Partisan Rangers during the Civil War. The flag “celebrates my Southern heritage,” he said. “And the numbers recognize my favorite drivers in that southernest of sports, NASCAR.” He says he doesn’t know who took the photo of his truck, in a handicapped parking spot, that became a viral sensation on the Web. “Probably someone who obviously has a soft spot for Is-

Story received a certified letter last week from the DMV ordering him to get new plates. And his boss told him that he could no longer park on VDOT property with the anti-Islam mural. So Story spent an afternoon getting new randomized plates and peeling the mural off by hand. “I feel naked,” he said. Source: Washington Post, Thursday, April 29, 2010; B01 --------------------------------------------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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12 |COMMUNITY NEWS

Ethiopian-American Muslims Stage DC Protest Against Zenawi Government On May 31st, 2012, Ethiopian Muslims in different parts of the World staged coordinated and successful demonstrations in support of the peaceful struggle of Muslims in Ethiopia. Close to 5,000 Ethiopian Muslims in South Africa demonstrated in front of the Ethiopian Embassy in Pretoria while hundredth gathered in Geneva Switzerland demanding the Ethiopian government respect the constitution and the human right of its citizens. In Washington, DC over a thousand showed up to support their Muslim brethren’s peaceful struggle against the government’s interference in the religious affairs of its people. In Toronto Canada, similar protest took place demanding that the Ethiopian government respect the constitutional right of the Muslims while in Norway similar protest took place the next day. There are other Ethiopian Muslim communities that are planning to protest as well.

>> protest Pg 20

Former USCIRF Staffer Charges Muslim Bias By Adelle M. Banks

worked for the Muslim Public Affairs Council.

WASHINGTON — A former staffer of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has filed suit against the watchdog agency, saying that it rescinded a job offer because she is Muslim and had worked for a Muslim advocacy group.

According to the suit, Ghori-Ahmad was told after her initial hire that she could “limit the negative impression her beliefs and her background would create with members of the Commission” by calling in sick on days commissioners were expected to be in the office and by downplaying her religious affiliation.

Religion News Service, June 11, 2012

In the suit filed Thursday (June 7) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, Safiya Ghori-Ahmad charges that USCIRF staffers recommended her to be a South Asia policy analyst in 2009, but some commissioners pushed to retract the job offer after learning she

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Ghori-Ahmad, whose suit claims USCIRF had no other Muslim staff at the time she was rejected, said her experience “is part of a pattern of bias against Muslims” who have applied for jobs at

USCIRF. She also claimed that some commissioners resisted criticizing European countries that considered banning minarets on mosques or headscarves worn by Muslim women. USCIRF referred a request for comment to the Department of Justice, which declined to comment. Nina Shea, a former USCIRF commissioner who the suit says questioned Ghori-Ahmad’s hire, said Monday that she wrote at the time that Ghori-Ahmad’s “writings reflect MPAC activism and bias, not scholarship, which would not serve us well on the research staff.”

An email cited by Ghori-Ahmad’s suit quoted Shea as saying that hiring the Muslim woman to analyze religious freedom in Pakistan would be akin to “hiring an IRA activist to research the UK twenty years ago.” Ghori-Ahmad is seeking back pay and compensation. ----------------------------------------------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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14 |COMMUNITY NEWS

Baltimore Spelling Champ Determined to Win National Spelling Bee

The Scripps National Spelling Bee took place over three days from May 29 through May 31 at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Spellers were sponsored by local businesses and organizations in their regions.

By Muslim Link Staff Eight-year old Shaheer Imam’s first walk onto the national stage of elite spellers ended earlier than he would have liked, but the Al-Rahmah School stand-out from Baltimore, Maryland still has 5 more years to compete for the Scripps National Spelling Bee championship. Shaheer spelled both of his Round 2 and Round 3 words correctly – “capricious” and “quinzaine” – but when his round 1 test score was factored in he did not make it to the semi-final round. The round 1 test is a computerized test of 50 words, 25 of which are scored. “The round one test is the hardest because it has words from all over the dictionary,” said Shaheer. “I need to work harder for next year and learn all the [word] patterns.”

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Shaheer, the second youngest competitor out of a field of 277 of the best spellers from across the nation and from participating schools around the world – most who were 13 years or older – won his school’s spelling bee and then the Baltimore County spelling bee the earn his spot at the national bee. His older sister Danyah who also served as one of his coaches tied for first place at Al-Rahmah’s bee, and placed among the top competitors at the Baltimore Bee.

Shaheer has already started studying for next year’s bee. He put in a few hours each weeknight and up to 12 hours on weekends in the months preceding the national bee. His sister and parents are his coaches, although many of the competitors at the national level hire coaches to help them master roots and patterns – keys to spelling uncommon words which often have origins in other languages. Like previous years, the 2012 national bee was disproportionately dominated by Indian students. There were around 5 Muslim students in the national bee, Shaheer being the sole representative of Islamic school.

A bus full of Al-Rahmah School students and teachers attended the semifinal round. Shaheer told the Muslim Link he was most inspired by speller number 89, Gifton Wright from Jamaica. The hard working student with 10 siblings made it to the ninth round. “I was kind of sad when he got out,” said Shaheer. Shaheer’s message to the community was not about himself, rather it was about Islamic schooling. “I want to tell the [students] in the community to work hard, and to tell the community that the best schools for their children are the Islamic schools. We all should support the Islamic schools in the area,” said Shaheer. When asked if he thinks he can win the national title in the five years he has left to compete, with little hesitation Shaheer responded. “In shaa Allah in less than five years.”

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

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16 |COMMUNITY NEWS attention

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Dar Al-Hijrah and Safe Haven invited the community and government officials to come see the work they were doing in hopes of raising awareness and support. Among the attendees were Congressman Jim Moran. “One of our goals is to reach out to neighbors and do work together,” said Tahani Jabarin, a social worker at the Dar AlHijrah Islamic Center and a leader in the partnership, said she was thrilled to find out that the Congressman would be attending. “[High profile individuals] grab attention. This will help people open their eyes for the sake goal, to help whoever is in need.” Approximately 150 people attended the luncheon which began with an overview of the services provided by the Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center, including a Thursday morning food bank as well as regular services provided by the First Christian Church. Jabarin emphasized the fact that while some services were provided at the masjid and others at the church, all services were open to those in need regardless of their religious affiliation. “As Muslims we want to help the poor in general,” she said. Robert Paxton, the Director of Safe Haven expressed the same sentiment but admitted that there were still some who felt apprehension regarding the Church’s partnership with the masjid. “A lot of people sort of raise their eyebrows a little bit,” he said. “Basically we’re serving hungry people so I don’t care whatever [religion] you are. We all have the same goal. We may pray to different leaders but we’re serving hungry people, so that’s kind of how we keep it.” Despite the naysayers, Paxton said the majority of the communities felt as though the work being done was admirable and the unity between the communities was beneficial. Paxton and Jabarin are even planning on inviting representatives of other faiths to join in the efforts. While feeding the needy is a primary goal of the work that Dar Al-Hijrah and Safe Haven are doing, they are also regularly providing a variety of services at

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the same time so that those who come for the food, stay for a haircut or to have clothes mended by a seamstress. Though the work of Paxton and Tahani may seem like an organized interfaith effort, neither regarded their work as a means for teaching others about religion but rather, simply pooling resources, spreading awareness and working toward alleviating the pangs of hunger in their local community.

For Jabarin, working for the masjid isn’t always about sharing the efforts of the masjid with others but working outside the masjid to bring back ideas, resources and friends. She encourages Muslims to volunteer outside the masjid as well. “If you don’t go out and learn about these services than how can we [provide the same services]?” she said. Paxton, a father of two college kids, said that while he felt his kids were “mod-

ern,” they had never set foot in a masjid. He asked them to deliver some food to Dar Al Hijrah. “The same thing that is going on in our church is the same thing going on in their [mosque],” he said. He wanted them to see for themselves. “It really helps break down barriers. It’s just good for everyone to see.”

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she found the email address of another Mexican convert, Isa Rojas. “I contacted Brother Isa Rojas, the Imam of Masjid Centro Al Hikmah in Mexico City, Mexico, back in January 2012 through email to ask him for directions to the masjid, to see how far it was from my grandmother’s house.” After acquiring the phone number for the center, she decided to call ahead to let them know about her visit. During the call, she introduced herself and WhyIslam to Imam Rojas, who assured her that any material in Spanish would be welcomed. Because he was not familiar with ICNA or their dawah efforts, he was unsure of what to expect from this newcomer. Morales recalls, “I didn’t feel the enthusiasm from him that I felt within myself! I think others may have promised to visit (the masjid) before and never made it.” However, what started off as a simple promise to deliver Spanish brochures has

COMMUNITY NEWS | 17 snowballed into a collaborative effort to deliver everything from modest clothing to siwaks to audio and Islamic children’s books. These are the type of items which are scarce in the small Muslim community surrounding Al Hikmah Center, according to the imam.

services, Qur’an studies, and Arabic classes. Through his tireless efforts, many of his family members have accepted Islam and are hoping to educate others about the faith. The majority of Mexico’s inhabitants are

“Everyone is involved in their own world and they forget about the dawah. But there is a lot to be done.” Imam Isa Rojas, who also accepted Islam in the year 2000 and was later accepted to study in the Islamic University of Madinah, Saudia Arabia, completed studies in the Arabic language and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Sharia in 2009. Upon his return to Mexico, he transformed his home into a fullyfunctioning masjid, now Al Hikmah Center in Mexico City, offering prayer

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Catholic; however, because of growing tensions between Latin-American countries and the Catholic Church due to sex abuse scandals, division within the church hierarchy and severed ties between these countries and the Vatican, Mexico is fertile ground for Islamic propagation. Although it has the smallest Muslim minority group in Latin America, according to studies, it houses an entire town of indigenous converts to Islam called Nueva Esperanza or “New Hope” with an estimated population of 300 in the state of Chiapas, over 500 miles from Mexico City, and an Islamic resort with its own hotel called, El Centro Cultural Islámico de Mexico (Islamic Cultural Center of Mexico), in Tequesquitengo, Morelos. However, because of the huge distances between Islamic communities, resources remain limited. When Morales approached her supervisor at WhyIslam with her idea, his response was positive. “This is a fantastic opportunity to expand the dawah work,” said Tariq Zamir, Director of the New Jersey Chapter of WhyIslam’s Dawah Project, who admired the initiative and prays for the success of the trip. Morales also shared her plans with friends and colleagues involved in other Islamic organizations and they expressed their desire to support the effort. She created a promotional page on Facebook, called “Unidos para Dawah en Mexico/ United for Dawah in Mexico,” asking for donations of clothing items, Islamic material, and financial support. She said, “Everyone is involved in their own world and they forget about the dawah. But there is a lot to be done.” She encourages others to volunteer with

organizations such as WhyIslam and to donate to the groups that are working with the Spanish-speaking communities because they are low on funding. As of June 9, 2012, she has raised $444, a meager amount considering the quantity of material she must purchase, the overage in her luggage, distribution costs in Mexico, and other expenses. Morales has continued to correspond with Imam Rojas and his wife, Monseratt Pimentel, who have also begun to make arrangements for her to teach workshops about topics such as hygiene in Islam and how to better educate non-Muslim family members about Islam. Pimentel, who is impressed by the level of commitment and uniformity of the Latino Muslim presence in the US, is eager to meet Morales. She said, “[Her trip] is a great blessing for the Muslims living in Mexico, not only because of the help and the material they [organizations] want to give us, but also because it will enrich our small community with ideas, plans, experience, and hopefully open a dialogue between Mexico and the Islamic community living in the US. At the same time, it is nice to know that the Latino brothers and sisters worry about us although they don’t live in Mexico, and in that manner express to us affection and brotherhood.” So far, the entities that are supplying the material for Morales’ trip to Mexico are WhyIslam; Muslimahs Covered With Care (MCWC), a charitable organization that distributes Islamic clothing to needy Muslim women; RadioIslamico, a 24 hour Islamic radio channel in Spanish; IslamInSpanish, experts in audio/video production and Spanish dawah; Hablamos Islam Niños, a bilingual Spanish/English Islamic children’s books publisher; PIEDAD, a support group for Latina women and converts; and Muslimahs Couponing, one of Morales’ own personal efforts, which will supply toiletries. The North Hudson Islamic Education Center in Union City, NJ is allowing Morales to fundraise throughout the month of June in their masjid and will be donating any money gathered towards covering extra costs. In addition, individuals from all over the world have contributed by donating through Paypal or contacting Nahela@whyislam.org. Sister Nahela Morales leaves for Mexico City on June 26, 2012 and will remain there for three weeks.

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18 |COMMUNITY NEWS EID

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the county. However, legal experts say that the school system technically cannot declare days off solely for either Eid celebration regardless of the size of the affected population. In such cases the school system’s decision would need to be based on the attendance rates during those holidays. No official date is available for the attendance rates in past years. Currently, Muslim holidays in Montgomery county are considered non-testing days. While no other schools close for Muslim holidays in the Washington D.C. area, a region with an estimated 250,000 Muslims, districts in Cambridge, Mass., Burlington, Vt., Dearborn, Mich., and Trenton, N.J. are moving toward school closures. However, even if the school board decided to close schools the new schedule would not take effect until year after next as the academic schedule was finalized in November. Local activist, Samira Hussein of Gaithersburg, Maryland has been working toward making the school system more “Muslim-friendly” for over twenty years. News of the recent push toward school closings for Muslim holidays impressed her but while she expressed her admiration for the courage of Leventhal, she too was disappointed that it had to come from him. “I was very very impressed and I really thank him but another thing I look at is why we had to wait for someone else to to do this for [the Muslim community]? If we let this time fail, we’ve really failed. We’ll have failed our children and many generations,” Hussein said. Hussein had four children go through the Montgomery County Public School system, her el-

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dest is now 31 years. “The only way to keep up with the school system here was to be involved,” she said. “A lot of things that come home was not appropriate.” Hussein worried that her kids were not getting a comprehensive education that included unbiased representations of Muslim countries. In response she met with a social studies teacher at her child’s school to revise the curriculum and volunteered as a guest speaker for the class. In the early 1990s Hussein began work toward school closures for Muslim holidays. While she believes the Muslim community may not have been prepared for the task then, she’s confident they have the resources and numbers to make a difference now. “The Muslim community wasn’t greatly supportive [in the past],” she said. “Now, our community should be ready...We cannot hide anymore. We need to speak in one voice. We need to organize.” Hussein said one of the greatest mistakes the Muslim community makes is calling their children in sick on Muslim holidays instead of saying that their child will not attend school because of the holiday. “Muslims just have to come forward and say ‘It’s my holiday’ and take the day off,” she said. It’s not just about the ease of having a school closing for celebration. It’s something bigger, she said. “I want my child to have the same rights as the children that sit on their left and sit on their right.”

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20 |COMMUNITY NEWS Protest

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Meanwhile, for the 16th Friday Ethiopian Muslims gathered in the millions across Ethiopia to demand justice and protest the interference of the govern-

ment in their religious affairs by forcefully imposing the Ahbash sect on the Muslims. Ethiopian Muslims around the world including locally at the First Hijrah Ethiopian-American Muslim community in the Washington metropolitan area are gravely concerned about the Ethiopian government’s forceful im-

position of the extremist religious sect which violates the constitutional rights of its citizens freedom of worship. Ethiopian Muslims in the Washington DC region hope to meet with representatives from the United States State Department and other agencies involved

in providing US taxpayer funded aid to the Ethiopian government to ask the US government to ensure US aid is not being used in violations of human rights.

asl

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in school, many Muslims converted to Christianity “because they found sign language at religious services attractive and accessible.” GDM had hoped to reach their financial target of about $210,000 by 2012 but now Abdulai estimates the project to be completed in two years, he says that without any major sponsor or financial support it is difficult to establish a timeline. They currently have managed to raise about $140,000. “The American Muslim community has been very supportive and we are so grateful to the Ummah,” says Abdulai. “We remain confident that with the continued hard work and commitment among our group, the goal of having this important project will be achieved, but we need the Ummah to stick with us in prayer and support to achieve it.” first

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strengths and weaknesses, and how they would encourage and push one another in their pursuit of graduating together. The average GPA of the graduates was a 3.7. The valedictorian also received a $500 scholarship from the Al-Rahmah Education Trust (ASET). One of the other graduates had been in Al-Rahmah school from 1st grade, mashaAllah. The program concluded with a special duaa made by Br. Ahmed El-Manyari, one of the teachers at Al-Rahmah school followed by a delicious buffet lunch and desert. Al-Rahmah School is currently accepting applications for the Girls High School for grades 9th through 11th. For more information, visit alrahmah.org.

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22 | NATIONAL NEWS

National News

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

Muslims Say They Can’t Guarantee Obama Their 2012 Election Vote By Sabrina Siddiqui

Huffington Post, June 11, 2012 WASHINGTON -- As President Barack Obama travels across the country to raise funds and court voters, one group that was drawn to his candidacy four years ago has expressed a feeling of being further and further marginalized. Muslim Americans could play a critical role in several battleground states come November. But while they supported Obama overwhelmingly in 2008, their votes are hardly guaranteed this go around. Early in the Obama administration there was little reason for complaint. The president openly criticized the Bush administration’s policies of torture, signing of the Patriot Act and excessive surveillance of Muslims, and vowed to shut down Guantanamo Bay within a year. In a 2009 address in Cairo, Obama marked “a new beginning” for the United States, one in which the war on terror would no longer be synonymous with

its marginalizing approach to Muslims. But many of the promises have been left unmet. Nearly four years later, Guantanamo remains open, and just

“This year there are many issues that are of great concern, looking at the last four years of President Obama, especially concerning civil rights,” said Naeem

“A good number of people are asking, why should we support the president when he did not deliver on many of the promises he made?” last year the president signed into law a four-year renewal of some of the Patriot Act’s most controversial provisions. And in some instances, administration policy has alienated the Muslim-American community. The continued drone strikes in Pakistan and revelations about Obama’s secret “kill list” of terrorist targets are among the list of policies that have caused some Muslims to re-think whether they will vote for Obama again this fall.

Baig, chairman of the American Muslim Taskforce, a coalition representing 13 of the country’s largest Muslim organizations.

cycle. Baig says it would be premature to leave any options off the table. “There’s a very strong voice asking about a possible third-party candidate,” he said. A significant number of the nation’s 2.75 million Muslims live in key swing states, such as Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Virginia. And while younger Muslims rallied around Obama in 2008 and mostly identify themselves as Democratic, the older generation represents a socially and fiscally conservative group that can be swayed in either direction. In 1992, they voted two to one for George H. W. Bush and, although they gave Bill Clinton the same margin in 1996, they were drawn back to the Republican party by George W. Bush in 2000.

“A good number of people are asking, why should we support the president when he did not deliver on many of the promises he made?”

One of the last polling of Muslims, conducted almost a year ago by Pew, showed a 76 percent approval of Obama’s job performance. But many of the Muslim community’s grievances have emerged since then, including

The AMT endorsed Obama in 2008 but has not yet made an endorsement this

vote Pg 23

As Ramadan Approaches, Group Warns Against Medjool Dates from Israelil Settlements Ramah Kudaimi

Paying attention to where the dates used for breaking one’s fast- dates exports from Israel to Europe and North America grew 16 percent in 2011- can be a very simple way for Muslims to show solidarity with Palestinians who continue to suffer injustice due to Israeli occupation and apartheid.

Muslim Link Contributing Writer With the start of Ramadan only a few weeks away, Muslims worldwide are preparing for the month with many rituals, including stocking up on dates with which to break their fast. While this one practice is so revered by Muslims, the dates one buys may be contributing to human rights violations. According to the project Who Profits from the Occupation, Israel manufactures over 50 percent of the worlds’ Medjool dates, 51 percent of which are grown

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in the occupied Jordan Valley in illegal settlements. These dates are mostly exported to various European countries without any indication of their true origins since they are frequently labeled as grown in Israel or the Jordan Valley without any mention of settlements.

In 2005 more than 170 Palestinian civil society groups issued a Call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it fully complies with its obligations under international law. The declaration recalled how people of conscious in the international

community “historically shouldered the moral responsibility to fight injustice, as exemplified in the struggle to abolish apartheid in South Africa.” BDS measures should be maintained until Israel meets its obligation to recognize Palestinians’ inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with international law by dismantling the wall and ending the occupation; recognizing the fundamental rights of Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of

warning Pg 23

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012 vote

>> continued from pg 22 the issues of drone strikes in Pakistan, the president’s signing of the National Defense Authorization Act -- despite its funding of programs that the community considers anti-Muslim -- and surveillance of Islamic centers and students by the FBI and NYPD. The Obama campaign was not available for comment. Groups such as the Arlington Young Democrats Muslim Caucus in Virginia, who are mobilizing a grassroots effort to encourage Muslims to turn out and vote this cycle, are finding it harder to make the case for Obama. “In terms of pushback, we’ve talked to a lot of people who said they wouldn’t necessarily vote for Mitt Romney, but when it comes to pledging their support for Obama they are still undecided,” said Ahmad Ishaq, one of the group’s founders and co-chairs. warning

>> continued from pg 22 Palestinian refugees. In the past seven years, there have been numerous examples of localized efforts by activists around the world in response to the call, including in the United States, whose “special relationship” with Israel guarantees it at least $30 billion in military aid from 2009-2018 and protection from UN censure. Without this US support, Israel would be unable to continue its occupation and apartheid policies. “US policies, both governmental and corporate, make us complicit in Israel’s human rights abuses of Palestinians,” said Josh Ruebner, National Advocacy Director of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. “We therefore have an obligation to work to end those US policies that support Israel’s denial of human rights to the Palestinian people.” This complicity of the US government in Israel’s crimes against Palestinians is one reason why the US Campaign’s work focuses on changing US policy to support human rights, international law and equality. Since 2001 the US Campaign has grown to include nearly 380 local, state, regional and national groups. As a coalition

NATIONAL NEWS | 23 Rep. Keith Ellison (D-Minn.), the first Muslim to serve in Congress, argues that Muslims shouldn’t be on the fence. “The Muslim community doesn’t have a real choice in this election, because Romney is awful and completely stands in opposition to the interests of the Muslim American community,” Ellison said. “If there’s anything about Obama you don’t like, triple it when it comes to Romney.”

the drone program and the inaction over NYPD surveillance.

Muslims can find some solace in the end of the war in Iraq and the administration’s openness to dialogue with their community leaders. According to a New York Times report, top White House aides have had policy discussions with Muslim and ArabAmerican advocates on topics such as foreign policy, the economy, immigration and national security. Many Muslims also held a favorable view of the president’s swift action on Libya and welcomed his initial support for the building of a community center near Ground Zero in 2010.

Haris Tarin, director of the Washington office for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, a public service agency, said Muslim Americans, like many other communities, projected a lot of expectations on Obama in 2008, calling some of them “unfair.”

Still, Ellison acknowledged that Obama has disappointed Muslims, pointing to “legitimate issues” worth raising about organization, the US Campaign provides its members with resources, trainings and networking to help facilitate collaboration across the country. One example is the website aidtoisrael.org that lets people know how much of their community’s tax dollars will go to Israel and what that money can instead provide back home. The US Campaign has also endorsed and worked on various boycott and divestment campaigns against Caterpillar, Motorola and other companies profiting from the occupation. In June 2009 CODEPINK, a US Campaign member group, launched its Stolen Beauty campaign against the Israeli cosmetics manufacturer Ahava that labels its products as “Made in Israel” even though its main manufacturing plant is in an illegal settlement in the West Bank and its products are made from stolen Palestinian resources. In response to CODEPINK’s actions, Costco in January 2010 decided to no longer carry Ahava products. After a two-year campaign by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at Hampshire College, the school’s board of trustees was pressured to divest from six companies due to their role in perpetuating the occupation. Back in 1977 Hampshire was also the first American college to divest from South Africa. Other campuses have followed suit. Student governments at both the University

“We have every right as Americans to get answers to these questions,” he said. “We can raise a range of things and we will, of course. But let’s raise these issues with an administration we have some chance of persuading -- not an administration who just doesn’t want to hear it.”

“I think the Muslim American community is willing to give the president another chance,” Tarin said. “They understand that it’s been a very polarizing four years.” To combat apathy among its contingency, MPAC is pushing a national campaign to ensure that Muslims are civilly and electorally engaged this cycle. of Massachusetts- Boston and Arizona State University unanimously passed bills earlier this year demanding divestment from corporations profiting from human rights abuses. Churches have also been pushed to divest from the occupation. The Quaker Friends Fiduciary Corporation divested $900,000 in shares of Caterpillar. The highest voting body of the United Methodist Church recommended boycotts and sanctions, as well as an end to individual and organizational financial support for settlements, as tools for ending Israel’s brutal occupation. The Presbyterian Church-USA will be voting to divest from Caterpillar, Motorola Solutions and Hewlett Packard due to their complicity in Israel’s human rights abuses. “We recognize that the United States will be one of the most difficult places to change government policy vis-a-vis Israel, just as was the case during the anti-apartheid movement against South Africa,” said Riham Barghouti, founding member of Adalah-NY: The New York Campaign for the Boycott of Israel, another member group of the US Campaign. The group led a successful campaign against Israeli diamond magnate Lev Leviev whose company, Africa Israel, announced in November 2010 after several years of

However, Baig, the American Muslim Taskforce chairman, is not so quick to dismiss the presumptive Republican presidential candidate. Baig highlighted the contrast between Romney and his former opponents, such as former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) and Herman Cain, with regard to rhetoric around the Muslim community during the GOP primaries. “He took on a much lighter tone in the debates and made it clear that people of all faiths are welcome in this country,” Baig said. “Coming from a religious minority himself, Romney could open up and meet with Muslims to try and undo some of his party’s damage in isolating, even shunning, the community.” Erin Mershon 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. pressure that it was no longer involved in Israeli settlement projects. “The BDS movement is helping expose the hypocrisy of the US government because its demands for independence, equality and rights for Palestinians are theoretically all basic tenets that any democratic society should uphold.” While the success of one campaign in removing Israeli products from store shelves or of another in convincing an artist not to perform in Israel may seem to have little direct effect on ending the occupation and realizing Palestinian rights, just as in South Africa, these small campaigns build up and snowball into more significant actions. “Over the last few years, we’ve witnessed a dramatic change in discourse around Palestine/Israel in the United States,” Ruebner said. “Our movement’s collective efforts have made significant inroads in educating and organizing people in this country, which is always the first and requisite step toward fundamental changes in policy.” Ramah Kudaimi is Membership and Outreach Coordinator at the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation. Find more information at www.endtheoccupation.org.

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24 | WORLD PRESS

World Press

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

An Interview With Medea Benjamin About the Life-and-Death Decisions of Drone Warfare By Mark Karlin

Truthout, June 4, 2012

they don’t put pilots at risk, they stir up anti-American sentiment and provoke new attacks against us. Drones may seem like “war made easy,” but that’s precisely the problem. War should not be easy, and drone attacks just guarantee that we will keep making new enemies faster than we can kill them.

to justify drone attacks on US citizens overseas, saying that the Constitution does not guarantee Americans “judicial process” but simply due process. It was not the legal community but comedian Stephen Colbert who had the best response. He said, “Yes, the founders weren’t picky: trial by jury; trial by fire;

“If we’re going to win our never-ending war against terror, there are bound to be casualties, and one of them just happens to be the Constitution.”

Mark Karlin: Your book is called “Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control.” Isn’t this a bit like making people feel “better” about capital punishment by using lethal injection instead of hanging, a firing squad or the electric chair? Medea Benjamin: The American people are tired of war, particularly the “boots on the ground” kind where Americans are killed. However, they seem content to conduct war by other means, i.e. drones. One poll shows that eight out of ten Americans support the use of lethal drones. That’s because drones have been posed as a cheap alternative for killing our enemies that puts no American lives at risk and only hits the “bad guys.” In reality, they are not all that cheap (especially since they are constantly crashing), they kill lots of innocent people, and while

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Karlin: Come to think of it, in capital punishment (although innocent people are killed, which is good enough reason alone to end it) there is at least a trial. You’ve talked about how Attorney General Eric Holder says that killing people with drones is legal and includes due process. You quote, of all people, Stephen Colbert to illustrate how ludicrous the notion of “due process” is when it comes to drone murders. What exactly did he say, and why is that relevant?

rock, paper, scissors. Who cares? Due process just means there is a process that you do.” The current process, Colbert explained, is that the president meets with his advisors, decides who to kill, and then kills them. My favorite line was Colbert’s conclusion: “If we’re going to win our never-ending war against terror, there are bound to be casualties, and one of them just happens to be the Constitution.”

branch, with no irksome checks and balances. Karlin: The US government is increasingly relying on hi-tech killing technology in wars so that it can avoid Americans becoming upset about relatives being killed in a “boots on the ground” war. But isn’t this sort of technology reproducible by other nations to use on us? Heck, we flew a large drone right into Iran’s hands, hardly a nick on it. And, if I recall, President Obama seriously asked for the drone back from Iran, saying it was US property. Benjamin: Yes, the Iranian government, trying to show it has a sense of humor, started making a $4 toy version of the American drone in various colors. They sent a pink one to Obama. A few months later, the Iranians announced that they had replicated the original, which happened to be a very sophisticated spy drone.

Colbert nails the absurdity of the Obama administration’s twisting of the

We’re not talking about nuclear technology here. We’re talking about models that can be easily replicated. But there’s not even a need to copy our drones, as the US, Israel and China are selling all kinds of drones and over 50 nations now have them. They are mainly for surveillance, but could be easily weaponized.

Were the US rationale to be applied by other countries, China might declare an ethnic Uighur activist living in New York City as an “enemy combatant” and send a missile into Manhattan

Israel is the largest exporter: by 2011 it had sold over 1,000 drones to 42 countries. Non-state entities like Hezbollah have drones. Would-be terrorists in the United States have already been caught trying to rig up a small drone with explosives. As I say in the book, “Watch out America: what goes around, comes around.”

Benjamin: When Eric Holder finally got around to talking about the secret drone program in March 2012, he said that the US has a mobile enemy that needs to be chased around the world. He tried

Constitution, insisting that due process — which for hundreds of years has been thought of as something that happens in a court of law — can simply consist of internal deliberations by the executive

Karlin: To what extent is drone warfare an extension of the US military-industrial

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

WORLD PRESS | 25

Leaking War: How Obama’s Targeted Killings, Leaks and the Everything-Is-Classified State Have Fused By Peter Van Buren,

above the law, and seems convinced that he alone has a preternatural ability to determine right from wrong.

White is black and down is up. Leaks that favor the president are shoveled out regardless of national security, while national security is twisted to pummel leaks that do not favor him. Watching their boss, bureaucrats act on their own, freelancing the punishment of whistleblowers, knowing their retaliatory actions will be condoned. The United States rains Hellfire missiles down on its enemies, with the president alone sitting in judgment of who will live and who will die by his hand.

If the President Does It, It’s Legal?

TomDispatch | News Analysis June 12, 2012

The issue of whether the White House leaked information to support the president’s reelection while crushing whistleblower leaks it disfavors shouldn’t be seen as just another O’Reilly v. Maddow sporting event. What lies at the nexus of Obama’s targeted drone killings, his self-serving leaks, and his aggressive prosecution of whistleblowers is a president who believes himself

In May 2011 the Pentagon declared that another country’s cyber-attacks -- computer sabotage, against the U.S. -- could be considered an “act of war.” Then, one morning in 2012 readers of the New York Times woke up to headlines announcing that the Stuxnet worm had been dispatched into Iran’s nuclear facilities to shut down its computercontrolled centrifuges (essential to nuclear fuel processing) by order of President Obama and executed by the US and Israel. The info had been leaked to the paper by anonymous “high ranking officials.” In other words, the speculation about Stuxnet was at an end. It was an act of war ordered by the president alone. Similarly, after years of now-you-see-itnow-you-don’t stories about drone attacks across the Greater Middle East launched “presumably” by the U.S., theTimes (again) carried a remarkable story not

only confirming the drone killings -- a technology that had morphed into a policy -- but noting that Obama himself was the Great Bombardier. He had, the newspaper reported, designated himself the final decision-maker on an eyes-only “kill list” of human beings the United States wanted to destroy. It was, in short, the ultimate nofly list. Clearly, this, too, had previously been classified top-secret material, and yet its disclosure was attributed directly to White House sources. Now, everyone is upset about the leaks. It’s already a real Red v. Blue donnybrook in an election year. Senate Democrats blasted the cyberattack-on-Iran leaks and warned that the disclosure of Obama’s order could put the country at risk of a retaliatory strike. Republican Old Man and former presidential candidate Senator John McCain charged Obama with violating national security, saying the leaks are “an attempt to further the president’s political ambitions for the sake of his re-election at the expense of our national security.” He called for an investigation. The FBI, no doubt thrilled to be caught in the middle of all this,

dutifully openeda leak investigation, and senators on both sides of the aisle are planning an inquiry of their own. The high-level leaks on Stuxnet and the kill list, which have finally created such a fuss, actually follow no less selfserving leaked details from last year’sbin Laden raid in Pakistan. A flurry of White House officials vied with each other then to expose ever more examples of Obama’s commander-in-chief role in the operation, to the point where Seal Team 6 seemed almost irrelevant in the face of the president’s personal actions. There were also “high five” congratulatory leaks over the latest failed underwear bomber from Yemen. On the Other Side of the Mirror The Obama administration has been cruelly and unusually punishing in its use of the 1917 Espionage Act to stomp on governmental leakers, truth-tellers,

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Americans Are as Likely to Be Killed by Their Own Furniture as by Terrorism By Micah Zenko

The Council On Foreign Relations, June 6, 2012 Today, the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) released its 2011 Report on Terrorism. The report offers the U.S. government’s best statistical analysis of terrorism trends through its Worldwide Incidents Tracking System (WITS), which compiles and vets open-source information about terrorism--defined by U.S. law as “premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against noncombatant targets by subnational groups or clandestine agents.” Although I invite you to read the entire thirty-one page report, there are a few points worth highlighting that notably contrast with the conventional narrative

of the terrorist threat:

the past five years.” (14)

“The total number of worldwide attacks in 2011, however, dropped by almost 12 percent from 2010 and nearly 29 percent from 2007.” (9)

Of 978 terrorism-related kidnapping last year, only three hostages were private U.S. citizens, or .003 percent. A private citizen is defined as ‘any U.S. citizen not acting in an official capacity on behalf of the U.S. Government.’ (13, 17)

“Attacks by AQ and its affiliates increased by 8 percent from 2010 to 2011. A significant increase in attacks by alShabaab, from 401 in 2010 to 544 in 2011, offset a sharp decline in attacks by al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) and a smaller decline in attacks by al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and al-Qa’ida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).” (11) “In cases where the religious affiliation of terrorism casualties could be determined, Muslims suffered between 82 and 97 percent of terrorism-related fatalities over

Of the 13,288 people killed by terrorist attacks last year, seventeen were private U.S. citizens, or .001 percent. (17) According to the report, the number of U.S. citizens who died in terrorist attacks increased by two between 2010 and 2011; overall, a comparable number of Americans are crushed to death by their televisions or furniture each year. This is not to diminish the real--albeit shrinking-threat of terrorism, or to minimize the

loss and suffering of the 13,000 killed and over 45,000 injured around the world. For Americans, however, it should emphasize that an irrational fear of terrorism is both unwarranted and a poor basis for public policy decisions. This article available online at: www.theatlantic.com/international/ archive/2012/06/americans-are-as-likelyto-be-killed-by-their-own-furniture-asby-terrorism/258156/ -----------------------------------------------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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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

26 | WORLD PRESS killings

>> continued from pg 25

and whistleblowers whose disclosures do not support the president’s political ambitions. As Thomas Drake, himself a victim of Obama’s crusade against whistleblowers, told me, “This makes a mockery of the entire classification system, where political gain is now incentive for leaking and whistleblowing is incentive for prosecution.” The Obama administration has charged more people (six) under the Espionage Act for the alleged mishandling of classified information than all past presidencies combined. (Prior to Obama, there were only three such cases in American history, one being Daniel Ellsberg, of Nixon-era Pentagon Papers fame.) The most recent Espionage Act case is that of former CIA officer John Kiriakou, charged for allegedly disclosing classified information to journalists about the horrors of waterboarding. Meanwhile, his evil twin, former CIA officer Jose Rodriguez, has a best-selling book out bragging about the success of waterboarding and his own hand in the dirty work. Obama’s zeal in silencing leaks that don’t make him look like a superhero extends beyond the deployment of the Espionage Act into a complex legal tangle of retaliatory practices, life-destroying threats, on-the-job harassment, and firings. Lots of firings. Upside Down Is Right Side Up In ever-more polarized Washington, the story of Obama’s self-serving leaks is quickly devolving into a Democratic/ Republican, he-said/she-said contest -and it’s only bound to spiral downward from there until the story is reduced to nothing but partisan bickering over who can get the most advantage from those leaks. But don’t think that’s all that’s at stake in Washington. In the ever-skittish Federal bureaucracy, among the millions of men and women who actually are the government, the message has been much more specific, and it’s no political football game. Even more frightened and edgy than usual in the post-9/11 era, bureaucrats take their cues from the top. So expect more leaks that empower the Obama Superman myth and more retaliatory, freelance acts of harassment

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against genuine whistleblowers. After all, it’s all been sanctioned. Having once been one of those frightened bureaucrats at the State Department, I now must include myself among the victims of the freelancing attacks on whistleblowers. The Department of State is in the process of firing me, seeking to make me the first person to suffer any sanction over the WikiLeaks disclosures. It’s been a backdoor way of retaliating for my book, We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People, which was an honest account of State’s waste and mismanagement in the “reconstruction” of Iraq. Unlike Bradley Manning, on trial under the Espionage Act for allegedly dumping a quarter million classified documents onto the Internet, my fireable offense was linking to just one of them at my blog. Just a link, mind you, not a leak. The document, still unconfirmed as authentic by the State Department even as they seek to force me out over it, is on the web and available to anyone with a mouse, from Kabul to Tehran to Des Moines. That document was discussed in several newspaper articles before -- and after -- I “disclosed” it with my link. It was a document that admittedly did make the U.S. government look dumb, and that was evidently reason enough for the State Department to suspend my security clearance and seek to fire me, even after the Department of Justice declined to prosecute. Go ahead and click on alink yourself and commit what State now considers a crime. This is the sort of thing that happens when reality is suspended in Washington, when the drones take flight, the worms turn, and the president decides that he, and he alone, is the man. What Happens When Everything Is Classified? What happens when the very definitions that control life in government become so topsy-turvy that 1984 starts looking more like a handbook than a novel? I lived in Taiwan when that island was still under martial law. Things that everyone could see, like demonstrations, never appeared in the press. It was illegal to

photograph public buildings or bridges, even when you could buy postcards nearby of some of the same structures. And that was a way of life, just not one you’d want. If that strikes you as familiar in America today, it should. When everything is classified -- according to the Information Security Oversight Office, in 2011 American officials classified more than 92,000,000 documents -- any attempt to report on anything threatens to become a crime; unless, of course, the White House decides to leak to you in return for a soft story about a heroic war president. For everyone else working to create Jefferson’s informed citizenry, it works very differently, even at the paper that carried the administration’s happy leaks. Times reporter Jim Risen is now the subject of subpoenas by the Obama administration demanding he name his sources as part of the Espionage Act case against former CIA officer Jeffery Sterling. Risen was a journalist doing his job, and he raises this perfectly reasonable, but increasingly outmoded question: “Can you have a democracy without aggressive investigative journalism? I don’t believe you can, and that’s why I’m fighting.” Meanwhile, the government calls him their only witness to a leaker’s crime. One thing at stake in the case is the requirement that journalists aggressively pursue information important to the public, even when that means heading into classified territory. If almost everything of importance (and much that isn’t) is classified, then journalism as we know it may become… well, illegal. Sometimes in present-day Washington there’s simply too much irony for comfort: the story that got Risen in trouble was about an earlier CIA attempt to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program, a plot which failed where Stuxnet sort of succeeded. The End James Spione, an Academy Awardnominated director who is currently working on a documentary about whistleblowers in the age of Obama, summed things up to me recently this way: “Beneath the partisan grandstanding, I think what is most troubling about this situation is the sense that the law is being selectively applied. On the one hand, we have the Justice Department twisting the

Espionage Act into knots in an attempt to crack down on leaks from ‘little guys’ like Thomas Drake and John Kiriakou, while at the same time an extraordinarily detailed window into covert drone policy magically appears in the Times. “Notwithstanding Mr. McCain’s outrage, I don’t believe this is about security at all. It is the unfair singling out of whistleblowers by a secrecy regime that is more than anything just another weapon in the state’s arsenal to bludgeon its enemies while vaunting its supposed successes -- if you can call blowing up unsuspecting people, their families, and friends with a remote control airplane ‘success.’” Here is the simple reality of our moment: the president has definitively declared himself (and his advisors and those who carry out his orders) above the law, both statutory and moral. It is now for him and him alone to decide who will live and who will die under the drones, for him to reward media outlets with inside information or smack journalists who disturb him and his colleagues with subpoenas, and worst of all, to decide all by himself what is right and what is wrong. The image Obama holds of himself, and the one his people have beenaggressively promoting recently is of a righteous killer, ready to bloody his hands to smite “terrorists” and whistleblowers equally. If that sounds Biblical, it should. If it sounds full of unnerving pride, it should as well. If this is where a nation of laws ends up, you should be afraid. Source: Truthout Peter Van Buren spent a year in Iraq as a State Department Foreign Service Officer serving as Team Leader for two Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs). Now in Washington, he writes about Iraq and the Middle East at his blog, We Meant Well. His book, We Meant Well: How I Helped Lose the Battle for the Hearts and Minds of the Iraqi People (The American Empire Project, Metropolitan Books), will be published this September. -------------------------------------------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.

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

HEALTH & FAMILY | 27

10 Ways to Get to Know Your Neighbors By Kori Majeed

INTRODUCE YOURSELF: Simple, right? It doesn’t matter that you’ve been there 6 days or 60 years. Speak to everyone. If you’re too introverted, shy, or scared, leave them a note asking them to stop by your house later for a chat and tea or coffee. For added bonus points, make an effort to remember your neighbors’ names. Should you forget a name here or there, cheat. (It’s for the greater good.) Whitepages Neighbors has a handy app to help. Just plug in your address and they’ll tell you the names of your neighbors.

I had a neighbor a couple of houses down that I only rarely saw going to and from her car. She must have been retired and didn’t go out much, because I could count on my fingers the number of times I saw her though I lived next to her for almost two years. I was a stay-at-home mom, so I either was home, outside on the front yard or just looking out my windows. She was never in her yard, although it was well-manicured by a lawn care company that left a sign posted so all passers-by would know where the credit goes. Her blinds were always closed except when she peeked through them to tell neighborhood children playing on the public sidewalk in front of her house to go play somewhere else. I guess that if she ever needed help, she would call a professional service company or family and friends that were not her neighbors. Sad to say, if she had an accident in her house (or worse, God forbid) and was not able to phone for help, we, her neighbors, would never know enough to even help in some small way. Community Spirit is priceless. Research shows that when we know our neighbors our general sense of well-being is higher. We feel happier, more secure, closer and friendlier when we discover common ground across ages, classes, faiths, races and fences. We feel safer because we naturally look out for people we know.

privacy

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Council of Imams of New Jersey. Two mosques represented by the council were named in NYPD documents. The limits on the powers of law enforcement post-9/11 are anything but clear. Technically, the NYPD’s authorities are governed by the so-

We share tools, skills and stories, and our connectedness makes our lives richer and more sustainable. While education and interest in intentional communities like cohousing, ecovillages, and pocket neighborhoods is increasing around the world, most of us are not likely to be able to live in such close-knit communities. Regardless, a basic respect for mankind calls us to action. From one of the many sayings from the Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and called Handschu Guidelines, which arose from a 1971 court case involving activists who were spied on by the New York police. The guidelines specify that the NYPD is not allowed to monitor individuals without evidence of criminal wrongdoing. But subsequent legal fights over the rules have been resolved in the NYPD’s favor [6]. Avoiding the murky Handschu rules is at least part of the reason why the lawsuit was filed in New Jersey, instead of New York.

blessing of Allah be upon him) in regards to neighbors: Narrated Abu Rafi’: “The neighbor has more right to be taken care of by his neighbor (than anyone else).” Bukhari So, let’s do it! With the coming of what may be a brutally hot and humid summer in the DC metro area, let’s get to know our neighbors. Just take one of the ten easy steps to get to know the folks next door so that after this summer, you all will have more to talk about than just the weather.

The plaintiffs are hoping for a result that prevents the kind of blanket surveillance engaged in by the NYPD from happening again. “What’s next? Where does it stop?” Hassan asks. “Where is the right to privacy? It doesn’t exist if you’re a Muslim anymore. This is what this tells us.”

DO STUFF IN YOUR FRONT YARD: Our neighborhoods are internally oriented. We’ve got everything we need inside our homes — from air conditioning and iPads, to packaged food and Wii games — that we often don’t even desire to spend time outside. Furthermore, more often than not, everyone has their own room, in addition to rooms that are solely for entertainment. When we finally do get outside, it’s in the backyard. How backwards! Sit on your front porch, steps or set up some chairs in the driveway and read, play cards with the kids, work on your flower beds and shrubs, have a cool drink and enjoy the breeze. WA L K AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD: Or run. Walk the dog. Ride a bike. Connect with folks as

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Source URL: http://www.motherjones. com/politics/2012/06/muslims-nypdspying-lawsuit ----------------------------------------------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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28 | CIVIL RIGHTS

Civil Rights

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

“Where Is the Right to Privacy? It Doesn’t Exist If You’re a Muslim” Meet the New Jersey Muslims taking on the New York Police Department over its sweeping surveillance program. By Adam Serwer

MotherJones.com, June 6, 2012 Sayed Farhaj Hassan began basic training in the US Army the day before 9/11. Two years later, he deployed to Iraq. Then a few months ago, he learned that the New Jersey mosque he had attended for 16 years, Astaana-e-Zehra, had turned up in a New York Police Department document assessing the threat of Iransponsored terrorism to New York City. “I felt violated,” says Hassan, who is still an Army reservist. “Everything I signed up to defend in the Army was being thrown away by the New York City Police Department.” Hassan is a plaintiff in a lawsuit filed Wednesday alleging that the NYPD violated the constitutional rights of New Jersey’s Muslim community through a massive CIA-assisted surveillance program, which was first revealed by the Associated Press [1]. Documents released by the AP show that beginning

in 2002 the NYPD covertly monitored Muslim neighborhoods, mosques, and businesses. The case is the first to challenge the NYPD’s sweeping surveillance program. The case was brought by Californiabased Muslim Advocates, a group led by Farhana Khera, a former aide to Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.). The suit represents a growing conflict over the legality of post-9/11 security tactics that critics allege amount to racial profiling of Muslim Americans. And the NYPD’s sweeping program provides an appropriate test case of law enforcement authority in this arena. While New York City officials like Mayor Michael Bloomberg have said the program was legal and that the NYPD was “following leads [2]” and not profiling on the basis of religion, the AP notes [3] that there is “no indication that criminal leads prompted any of the [NYPD surveillance] reports.” The documents themselves contain maps showing the locations of mosques and dossiers on Muslim-owned businesses.

“For a number of years, there was a certainly a feeling that people were being singled out and targeted for scrutiny by law enforcement,” Khera says. “It created a lot of fear and concern in the community, but also a lot of tremendous anger and frustration. Americans who are simply going about their daily lives, attending school, running their businesses, attending their places of worship, and haven’t engaged in wrongdoing—and yet they’re being subjected to surveillance by the largest police department in the country.” Shortly after the AP story broke, Muslim Advocates began reaching out to individuals in New Jersey whose businesses, mosques, or organizations had been named in the NYPD records. Aide from Hassan, the plaintiffs include two imams, a college student, and two business owners. The NYPD documents show that the department scrutinized Muslim student

organizations [4] all over the region, including at local universities. “It was shocking to everyone, especially on the Rutgers campus,” says Moiz Mohammed, a Rutgers student who is a plaintiff in the suit. “After that point onwards, I was more conscious of my religious practices, I made sure no one was around when I was praying.” The NYPD monitoring effort has sparked fears among New Jersey Muslims that they could be targeted in sting operations, which have become a staple of post-9/11 terrorism cases involving the FBI [5]. “Now we’re concerned about, will someone come into the masjid and intentionally try and incite something? Will there be someone intentionally hired by law enforcement to try and bait someone into doing something they wouldn’t normally do?” says Imam Deen Shareef, another plaintiff, who heads the

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6 Government Surveillance Programs Designed to Watch What You Do Online By David Rosen

AlterNet, June 6, 2012 President Eisenhower was right on point about the military-industrial complex, but he could not have predicted the emergence of the massive surveillance state -- combining the government and private sector -- that bolsters it. Sadly, neither President Obama nor his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, has the desire or moral courage to fight

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the growing power and influence of the Corporate Security State. We are witnessing the integration of spying on two levels, the government level (federal, state and local) and the corporate level (via telecom providers, web services and credit card companies). If you are a user of Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Craigslist or another popular site, the U.S. security state is watching you. An increasing number of federal agencies are employing

sophisticated means to monitor Americans’ use of social networking sites. Federal entities from the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Defense Department to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to even the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) are involved in developing programs to track the American public online. Here is a brief summary of some of the other programs.

1. Justice Department. The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) released a report from the DOJ’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property section, “Obtaining and Using Evidence from Social Networking Sites,” that describes how evidence from social networking sites can reveal personal communications that might help “establish motives and personal relationships.”

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

COMMUNITY NEWS | 29

American Citizen Pressured to Become FBI Informant by Placement on No-Fly List By Shirin Sadeghi, Truthout | Report June 12 2012 It didn’t seem terribly strange to Kevin Iraniha when an FBI agent showed up at his door in August 2011 just after he returned from a whirlwind trip through India, Egypt and Iran. The 27-year-old Iranian American says the agent was “very friendly” and just kept repeating that, “You have been to a lot more places than we have and our job is to build relationships, so if you see anything out of the ordinary and since you’re involved in certain things that we’re not involved in, and have expertise in, feel free to come to us without hesitation.” He even met with the FBI agent once more after that. It didn’t strike him as being a problem until this week. Iraniha, a US citizen born in the naval hospital in San Diego, California, where his mother works in the Navy (she’s an American born in Michigan), was raised in San Diego and is a known pro-Palestinian and anti-US-imperialism activist. He just graduated with a masters degree in international law with a focus on the peaceful settlement of disputes from the United Nations-accredited University for Peace in Costa Rica, and was boarding a flight home to San Diego on Frontier Airlines this Tuesday, June 5, with his two brothers and father when he was informed that he is on a no-fly list. “That was pretty shocking,” he said, speaking from an Internet cafe in Mexico City on June 7, two days after his ordeal began. His two brothers went ahead, but he and his Iranian-born, US citizen father were left behind. They headed to the US Embassy in Costa Rica to find out why they were on the list and what could be done. Iraniha and his father endured six hours of interrogations. For two straight hours, Iraniha alone was asked “all sorts of ridiculous questions” by an FBI agent and a State Department official about a range of topics, most of which pertained to him being Muslim, having traveled to Muslim countries and his political views, primarily to do with activism for “Muslim” issues, such as Palestine and US foreign policy.

“They told us we were lucky the FBI agent was in town because he covers all of Nicaragua and Panama and Costa Rica, so we were like, okay, lucky,” Iraniha said. They then proceeded to ask him a range of questions primarily to do with Islam, his being Muslim and his views on and travels to Muslim countries, including specific questions about the full names of people he visited or stayed with. Questions about his visits to mosques in Costa Rica and San Diego seemed focused on whether he had “noticed anything or anyone suspicious” and whether he was part of any “groups that incite violence.” Yes, he had attended mosque in Costa Rica a few times (he is a practicing Muslim); his political ideologies generally involve civil rights and anti-war activism, fighting for the 99 percent along with Occupy protesters, his pro-Palestinian stance - he was a member of Students for Justice in Palestine in San Diego - and a reluctance to stand by while people criticize Iran and Iranians. He is not part of groups that incite violence, nor has he noticed any suspicious people in the mosques he’s been in. The FBI agent then asked him a question that struck Iraniha as “completely shocking” and “really ridiculous.” He started out the question just saying, “I don’t even know why I’m asking you this,” mentioned that it was “just routine” and then proceeded to ask Iraniha whether he had ever wanted “to cause damage to a Jewish center in San Diego or a US official building.” Iraniha says he had no idea what they were talking about. “I had never even been to a Jewish center in San Diego to even know where one’s at,” he says. After that, the questioning was over. Iraniha’s father was told he was on the no-fly list because he bought his son’s plane ticket, but was then apparently taken off the list because he used his existing plane ticket to take the next flight to San Diego. Iraniha himself was told, “You’re an American citizen, so you have the right to go into America; you just can’t fly into America, so if you want, you can take a boat or you can go by land - drive into America.”

The officials at the US Embassy didn’t give Iraniha any reason why he was on the no-fly list - “They didn’t even seem to know themselves,” Iraniha says - but one person did. When he called the FBI agent who’d visited him in San Diego twice, he told Iraniha that he was already aware that Iraniha is on the no-fly list and that, “He knows why, but can’t tell me over the phone.” “He said he just wants to get me back to San Diego and then he’ll straighten this out,” Iraniha said of the FBI agent. After putting in a call to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Iraniha learned that what happened to him could in fact be an often-used FBI tactic employed to encourage Muslim Americans to become informants against their community, by, well, intimidation. “They put you on a no-fly list, and then to get off of it, they say, ‘Oh, we want you to be an informant,’” Iraniha says. The tactic is not uncommon: CAIR has received “dozens” of complaints along these lines. According to Hanif Mohebi, executive director of CAIR San Diego, the organization receives one or more cases pertaining to the no-fly list per month, nationally. “The government has been very secret about this; they don’t want to reveal anything about how a person may get on and how a person may get off that list,” he says. “The problem we have is that unfortunately, innocent people get on that list.” CAIR has filed a lawsuit challenging the government on the legitimacy of the no-fly list, and that case is still pending in Virginia’s Fourth Circuit Court. But it isn’t just CAIR that has noticed a pattern of using this tactic. In May 2012, 15 American Muslims, including four military veterans, filed a joint lawsuit with the help of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) alleging that they, too, were victims of this intimidating - and presumably unlawful – intelligencegathering tactic. One plaintiff, Ibrahim “Abe” Mashal, a veteran marine, told a national radio program that after he discovered that he was on the no-fly list while trying to board a flight from Chicago to Spokane, he was then invited to another

location outside of the airport - a hotel - where FBI agents told him they could get him off the no-fly list if he agreed to become an informant. “At that point, I told them I’m no longer comfortable speaking without a lawyer present and they told me I had to leave after that,” Mashal told the station. In response to Iraniha’s case, a spokesperson for the FBI stated to a San Diego news outlet that no person is added to the no-fly list “based solely on their religious affiliation or other personal characteristics.” The FBI has also maintained that it will not release the names or demographics of the no-fly list. But saying something does not make it true. Muslim, Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans (and those who appear to be of those backgrounds) have learned all too well that the airport “random” checks and no-fly list look and feel a lot like good, old-fashioned racial profiling. “In cases like Kevin’s, you see racial and religious profiling and it’s connected to the negative training, the anti-Muslim training that the FBI has received,” Mohebi told Truthout. He is referring to the hundreds of documents, videos and other training materials that have been discovered by journalists as being used by both local law enforcement agencies - the New York Police Department’s (NYPD) use of one highly biased training video made headlines recently - and national agencies such as the FBI and the military. According to the ACLU, these materials “not only contain erroneous stereotypes and derogatory remarks about Muslims and Arabs, they included a four-phase plan for transformation of Islam that would reduce Islam to a ‘cult status’ and possibly result in ‘total war’ against Islam.” “These policies and these tactics that they use at the highest levels will trickle down on to the street level,” Mohebi says, citing incidents of animosity, hate crimes, bullying in school and segregation-era behavior, such as the case brought to CAIR San Diego of a Muslim couple who were told, “We don’t allow your kind in here” when entering a restaurant for a meal.

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

30 | ISLAM

Islam

A Meeting with Allah

DC Hidayah 2012: Theme Breakdown Series Somehow it’s difficult to come to terms With something that is earned yet so undeserved. Perhaps that is why it is often forgotten As a distant peace of mind, only seldom sought in. Perhaps for that reason, worldly matters seem more important, And we tend to ignore pending pleasures of vast assortment:

The beauty, the vastness, the sentiments of contentment Doubts and worries would vanish with a musky fragrant scent. And the beaming souls, given a grand title, ‘The People of Paradise’ with glowing faces, smile. They bask in the sheer reality of such a surreal release,

Yet they are called for even more on the Day of Increase. The incident is striking and igniting the realization That The Almighty is presenting excessive compensation For all the tests, the trials, and the burdens they bore. Yes, this is the moment we have all been waiting for. On that Day, when time is held still, A longing shall be fulfilled by Majestic Will. Allah, through His mercy offers a heavenly reward,

Of which if we yearn for, we must run towards. When a light will shine and encompass the divine terrain, They shall be greeted by Ar-Rahman, exalted be His name. And they shall be the ones to see, after praising in return A bright Divine Light that, out of His Gentleness, does not burn. The reward is such on the Day of Increase,

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The Proper Way To Make Du’aa’ During Prayer it is prescribed and recommended (mustahabb) to say du’aa’, the best of du’aa’s are those which are said in the wording of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

Shaykh Muhammad Saalih al-Munajjid Islamqa.com Question: I would like to know the proper way to make du’aa’ during prayer, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did it. Is it after the prayer or between the two prostrations or whilst standing or when?.

Al-Bukhaari said: I heard that conciseness of speech means when many meanings which it would have taken books to write before are summed up in a phrase or two, and so on.

Secondly: If you are not able to do that and you cannot memorize these du’aa’s and dhikrs, then the best of du’aa’ is that which avoids going to extremes in using fanciful language speech, and which avoids using rhyme to the point of absurdity, and which makes the du’aa’ sincere and focused on the need in question, saying whatever is easy for you and whatever Allaah enables you to say. It was narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to a man: “What do you say when you pray?” He said: “I recite the tashahhud, then I say: Allaahumma inni as’aluka aljannah wa a’oodhu bika min al-naar (O Allaah, I ask You for Paradise and seek refuge in You from the Fire). I cannot murmur like you and like Mu’aadh.” The

Based on this, if you want to say du’aa’ in your prayers at the points at which

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Answer: Praise be to Allaah. Firstly: Note that there is not one particular part of the prayer when du’aa’ should be offered, rather there are several parts of the prayer where the scholars have stated that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered du’aa’, from the opening takbeer to the final tasleem. It is also Sunnah to make du’aa’ after the prayer and there are several du’aa’s that we will mention below in sha Allah. It should be noted that the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and the best of du’aa’s are those

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which are in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). The wording of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is the best of wording, because he is the most knowledgeable of all people about the Arabic language, and the most eloquent in speech. Allaah enabled him to express the most profound of meanings in few words, which is called conciseness of speech. It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said:

I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: “I have been sent with concise speech.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 6611; Muslim, 523.

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

ISLAM | 31

Salaah times for June 15th - June 28th, 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.

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In that blessed place of eternal internal peace.

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they are coming home from work, school and afternoon activities. Don’t hassle them. They are probably just trying to get in their sanctuary and relax. Just say, “Hi”, introduce yourself and move on. It will make the next conversation easier. Eager beavers can make a goal to shake one new hand a week. FEED YOUR NEIGHBOR: They way to our neighbors’ hearts’ may be through their stomachs. Bake a batch of your family’s secret sweet or savory recipe. When you have a celebration to which they may not be invited, share a bit in a nicely presented package to spread the love. If you don’t already have your own delicious signature dish, try some new recipes from The Good Neighbor Cookbook. HELP AND ASK FOR HELP: Lend a hand getting groceries to the their front door. Did they forget to put out their

Day

Date

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Fajr

Sunrise

Dhuhr

Asr

Maghrib

Isha

Fri Sat Mon

June 15 16 17 18

25/7 26/7 27/7 28/7

4:08 4:08 4:08 4:08

5:42 5:42 5:42 5:42

1:09 1:09 1:10 1:10

5:05 5:06 5:06 5:06

8:36 8:36 8:37 8:37

10:10 10:11 10:11 10:12

Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28

29/7 30/7 1/8 2/8 3/8 4/8 5/8 6/8 7/8 8/8

4:08 4:09 4:09 4:09 4:09 4:10 4:10 4:11 4:11 4:12

5:42 5:42 5:43 5:43 5:43 5:43 5:44 5:44 5:44 5:45

1:10 1:10 1:11 1:11 1:11 1:11 1:11 1:12 1:12 1:12

5:06 5:07 5:07 5:07 5:07 5:07 5:08 5:08 5:08 5:08

8:37 8:37 8:37 8:38 8:38 8:38 8:38 8:38 8:38 8:38

10:12 10:12 10:12 10:12 10:12 10:13 10:13 10:12 10:12 10:12

Sun

“Some faces that Day will be shining and radiant, looking at their Lord.” (Surah al-Qiyaamah: 22 - 23) We ask Allah to make us among the inhabitants of Paradise who have the

recycling? Bring it to the curb. You know: little thoughtful things you would do for your friends if they lived next door. Next thing you know, you will have friends next door. Then, when the time comes around, ask for help when you need it. Most folks don’t mind helping others. It’s the neighborly thing to do. BE ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY: Go to and/or organize community events. Stop by the local yard sales and flea markets just to chat a bit. Mingle at the local farmers markets. Meet other upbeat neighbors at community meetings, work parties, and classes. BE KIND TO NEIGHBORHOOD KIDS: You’ve got kids. They’ve got kids. Set up a short play date! (In the front yard, of course.) Or keep ice-pops handy in the fridge. When your children connect with other neighborhood kids — as children so easily do — send them home with a ice-pop and a smile. Their parents will probably come by to meet you. (See Tip #1).

honor of seeing Him. Learn more about the Ultimate meeting at DC Hidayah 2012 conference entitled ‘The Last Day: Are You Ready?’ on June 23rd. Sign up now at www.dchidayah.org!

*Details are based on a description by Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullah) in his book Haadi al-Arwaah ilaa Bilaad il-Afraah, [pg. 193] from At-Tibyaan, derived from ahadith.

WELCOME THE NEWCOMER: We all remember what it’s like to be the new folks on the block. Make it easier for the next new arrivals by taking the initiative to make them feel welcome with a quick introduction (Tip #1 again) and/or a small gift. Share a short list of neighborhood essentials, for example: trash and recycling pick-up days, the address and names of nearby grocery stores & dry-cleaners, train stations & metro stops, parks, gyms, & community centers, restaurants and theaters. Put your friendly neighborhood-foot forward and start the good-neighbor pendulum swinging.

yard! Tip #2)

HAVE A BLOCK ICE CREAM SOCIAL: How much logistical planning does it take to put a couple of gallons of ice cream and a few toppings on a table next to some recyclable bowls, spoons and napkins? Make the event collaborative by asking neighbors to bring their favorite topping. Very few things plant the seeds of community harmony like an old school community ice-cream social. (Don’t forget to put the table in the front

HAVE A BIG LUNCH: I bet you thought I was saving Tip #10 for the classic block party barbecue. Yeah, I know. What’s more American than grilled meat? Grilled Tofurky! Whatever ! Have both. And make it a potluck. Each household brings their dining tables and chairs out in the street, mix that with a bit of each family’s respective dinnerware (green points!) and you’ll have a unique, delicious and lively Big Lunch. No one has to clean up their house because guests will not be coming over, but coming out. The folks at UK-based The Big Lunch can even help make the planning and execution easier. Getting to know our neighbors is worth the time and effort. What’s been holding you back from knowing your neighbors? Kori Majeed is a homeschool blogger based in Cheverly, MD, and member of Good Tree Village, a faith-based cohousing community forming in Prince George’s County.

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

32 | CONTINUED surveillance

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It reports that monitored data from such sites can provide location information and “prove and disprove alibis.” Perhaps most illuminating, it advises agents that “going undercover” on social media sites can enable law enforcement to communicate with suspects and targets, gain access to nonpublic information and map social relationships. The DOJ document notes that Twitter retains the last login IP address, but does not preserve data unless legally required to do so. 2. The IRS uses a variety of social media sites like Facebook, Google, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube and Second Life to investigate taxpayers. It seems to have started this practice in 2009, providing agents with special training on social networking. The EFF posted the IRS’ 38page training that offers detailed tips to agents on how to conduct searches, locate relevant taxpayer information, narrow down and refine results. 3. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence is seeking a tool that integrates all online information, including web searches, Wikipedia edits and traffic webcams. 4. The Defense Department has solicited p r o p o s a l s t h r o u g h D A R PA f o r a $42 million “Social Media Strategic Communications” (SMISC) program, a tool that tracks social media and weeds out information. It has set four goals for the project: (i) to detect, classify and measure the development of ideas, concepts in hidden social media messages; (ii) specify the structure of the campaign and influence in social media sites and the community they create; (iii) identify the participants and intention in conducting a social media campaign of persuasion and measure its effect; and (iv) develop an effective counter-message to an identified campaign carried out against the enemy. 5. The FBI is soliciting a bid for a program that seems very similar to the DHS socialnetwork monitoring program. Dubbed the “FBI Social Media Application,” the program would have “[the ability] to rapidly assemble critical open source information and intelligence ... to quickly vet, identify and geo-locate breaking events, incidents and emerging threats.” In the FBI’s 12-page solicitation, it requests a program that can quickly identify, display and locate alerts on

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geo-spatial maps and enable users to summarize the “who, what, when, where and why” of specific threats and incidents. Going further, it seeks to not simply detect “credible threats,” but to identify those organizing and taking part in gatherings and to predict upcoming events. According to the FBI, “Social media will be a valued source of information to the SIOC [i.e., Strategic Information and Operations Center] intelligence analyst in a crisis because it will be both eyewitness and first response to the crisis.” An FBI spokesperson insisted, “[We] will not focus on specific persons or protected groups, but on words that relate to ‘events’ and ‘crisis’ and activities constituting violations of federal criminal law or threats to national security. Examples of these words will include lockdown, bomb, suspicious package, white powder, active shoot, school lockdown, etc.” Rest assured, much like the assurances voiced by the DHS, the FBI insists that its monitoring won’t be used to focus on specific individuals or groups. 6. Department of Homeland Security. A more aggressive monitoring program was recently revealed by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) when it secured from the DHS a list of approximately 380 keywords that the agency tracks. The allegedly threatening terms were found in the DHS’ Analyst Desktop Binder, part of its 2011 Media Monitoring Capability (MMC) program. These terms are organized into nine categories: Agencies – 26 terms, including “DHS,” “FBI”, “CIA,” “Air Marshal,” “United Nations” and “Red Cross”; Domestic security – 52 terms, including “assassination,” “dirty bomb,” “crash,” “first responder,” “screening” and “death.” Hazardous materials – 34 terms, including “hazmat,” “nuclear,” “leak,” “burn” and “cloud.”

Terrorism – 55 terms, including “Jihad,” “biological weapons,” “suicide attack,” “plot” and “pirates.” Emergencies and weather – 41 terms, including “disaster,” “hurricane,” “power outage,” “ice,” “storm” and “help.” Cyber security – 25 terms, including “cyber terror,” “malware,” “virus,” “hacker,” “worm,” “China” and “Trojan.” The DHS has been engaged in monitoring social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and LinkedIn as well as blogs since at least 2010. Its effort is run through the Office of Operations Coordination and Planning (OPS), National Operations Center (NOC), and is entitled “Publicly Available Social Media Monitoring and Situational Awareness (Initiative).” Its ostensible purpose is to provide situational awareness and strengthen its common operating picture. The scope of DHS’ practice of social monitoring was unexpectedly revealed in a special congressional hearing, the House Subcommittee on Counterintelligence and Intelligence, headed by Rep. Patrick Meehan (R-PA), in February. Two DHS officials, Chief Privacy Officer Mary Ellen Callahan and Director of Operations Coordination and Planning Richard Chavez, raised the representatives’ ire by appearing to be deliberately stonewalling on the scope and practice of the agency’s social media surveillance. Most disturbing, the DHS reps appeared unsure about the monitoring program’s goals, how the gathered information would be used and whether it would be shared with other agencies. In an unusual show of bipartisan unity, Reps. Billy Long (R-MO), Jackie Speier (D-CA) and Bennie Thompson (D-MS) joined Rep. Meehan in chastising the DHS officials.

Infrastructure security – 35 terms, including “AMTRAK,” “airport,” “subway,” “port,” “electric” and “cancelled.”

Under intense congressional probing, DHS reps revealed that the keywords chosen for monitoring were drawn from commercially available, off-the-shelf database programs that were customized to meet its specifications. The agency was particularly interested in determining first witnesses to breaking events like the 2011 Tucson shooting of Gabrielle Giffords and others and the January 2012 bomb threat at an Austin school.

Southwest border violence – 65 terms, including “drug cartel,” “decapitated,” “gunfight,” “marijuana,” “heroin,” “border” and “bust.”

The DHS reps insisted that data gathered was only used to confirm other news reports and that information on private citizens was not being collected. In

Public health – 47 terms, including “ebola,” “contamination,” “wave,” “pork” and “agriculture.”

addition, they claimed that that all personally identifying information was regularly scrubbed from the agency’s servers. Few should feel comforted by the DHS assurances. At the House hearing, it was also revealed that the agency was involved in what appears to be an ongoing campaign to monitor the actions and beliefs of individual Americans engaged in community-based political activism. It compiled a report, “Residents Voice Opposition Over Possible Plan to Bring Guantanamo Detainees to Local PrisonStandish MI,” that tracked community reactions to the proposed location of Guantánamo detainees in a local Michigan prison. The DHS report is part of the EPIC documents acquired through a Freedom of Information request. It details that information was gathered from a variety of sources, including newspaper articles and responses, blogs by local activists, and Twitter and Facebook posts. The House hearing also shed light on the DHS practice of outsourcing keyword tracking of social media through a solesource contract to the giant defense contractor, General Dynamics. In 2011, General Dynamics had revenues of $5.5 billion of which 84 percent ($4.6 bil) came from government contracts. Earlier this year, it’s Advanced Information Systems division was awarded a $14 million DHS contract to (in the words of a press release) “provide constant and continual watch operations for critical communications to the agency’s National Coordinating Center.” In addition, it will “identify the possible impacts of potentially disruptive events. In keeping with the prevailing ethos of corporate unaccountability, it turns out if the General Dynamics employees are found to have misused the information garnered from a social network user, including a journalist or public figure, the employee must take a training course or, worst case, lose his/her job. No criminal penalties are specified. A word to the wise, Big Brother is watching you. -----------------------------------------------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.

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012 drone

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complex to develop ever more exotic weapons to keep the funding flowing? Benjamin: Yes, exactly. This is the complex that General Dwight D. Eisenhower warned us about, the one that “takes food from the hungry and shelter from the homeless,” the one that spends, “the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children.” But remember that it is really the militaryindustrial-congressional complex. Indeed, many lawmakers are cheerleaders for the drone industry, setting up their own 58-member Congressional Drone Caucus (formally known as the Unmanned Systems Caucus) to lobby for more and better drones, to lift export restrictions, and to relax regulations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that limit the use of drones domestically. Their reward, of course, is plenty of money for their campaign coffers. Karlin: You have talked – and I have read – that miniature drone technology is being developed, that some drones will be the size of an insect. What can be done with a drone, just out of curiosity, that is the size of an insect? Benjamin: These are called micro air vehicles (MAV’s) and they are designed to look just like insects, including moving wings so that they won’t be noticed. Their job is to find and track adversaries, particularly in complex urban environments. They are the ultimate “fly on the wall,” providing sound, video, heat sensor, or other data to the operator. Karlin: The US government has cleared drones for US by local police forces and other government agencies and consultants. Will we be seeing drones patrolling our skies and invading our privacy above our homes soon? It certainly sounds like we’ve just about reached the pinnacle of the surveillance state in terms of hi-tech. Benjamin: Reached the pinnacle of our surveillance state? No way, it’s just beginning - if we don’t stop it. Thanks to the drone lobby and the Congressional

CONTNIUED Drone Caucus, Congress has just passed legislation that forces the FAA to open up US airspace to drones by 2015, and sooner for government agencies. Already, the FAA has given permits to some police departments to experiment with drones. In May, the FAA waved the application process for police use of drones weighing up to 25 pounds, and is now streamlining the approval process for larger drones. Drones are paving the way for the 24/7 surveillance society. And drones could easily move from surveillance to offensive action. The CEO of Vanguard Defense Industries, the company that sold a drone to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s office in Texas, said it is designed to be weaponized and could easily be outfitted with tasers and stun batons. Chief Deputy Randy McDaniel of Montgomery County spoke enthusiastically about drones firing rubber rounds and tear gas. There is a slippery slope between equipping drones with rubber bullets and strapping on more lethal weapons. The government is already using Hellfire missiles to kill Americans overseas. When FBI Director Robert Mueller was asked at a Congressional hearing in March if Americans could be targeted for assassination by drones here at home, he simply said, “I don’t know.” Now that’s frightening. Karlin: Getting back to how many nations will or will shortly have drones. How will the US be able to say, “you better not use them on us” when it is using them wherever it wants – and to assassinate people, even US citizens? Benjamin: Yes, just think of the precedent the US is setting. Were the US rationale to be applied by other countries, China might declare an ethnic Uighur activist living in New York City as an “enemy combatant” and send a missile into Manhattan; Russia could assert that it was legal to launch a drone attack against someone living in London whom they claim is linked to Chechen militants. Or consider the case of Luis Posada Carrilles, a Cuban-American living in Miami who is a known terrorist convicted of masterminding a 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people. Given the failure of the US

legal system to bring Posada to justice, the Cuban government could claim that it has the right to send a drone into downtown Miami to kill an admitted terrorist and sworn enemy. And then of course there are people we are fighting with overseas who might want to attack us at home, and drones would give them plenty of opportunities. Karlin: How far away can a drone pilot in a control room be from the drone he or she is using to conduct surveillance or kill people? Benjamin: The pilot can be thousands of miles away, like the pilots at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada piloting drones in Afghanistan. Since radio, satellite and fiber-optic communications links are used, the range of drone teleoperation is basically anywhere on earth, though some regions are better covered than others. But the drone must have a base from which it is launched, and this usually needs to be fairly near the area of operation, which is probably the main limitation on where the drones can operate. Karlin: What’s to keep a drone from carrying a nuclear tipped rocket? Benjamin: Drones like the Predator and Reaper are big enough to carry nuclear warheads, but most ballistic missiles that can carry nuclear warheads over long distances would be too heavy. If you look up the payload capacities of various drones and the launch weights of various missiles, you can see which ones could theoretically be carried on which drones. The US is considering replacing the B-2 bomber with a drone of some type that could carry nuclear weapons. A ban on any such “nuclear-armed robot” is one of the basic principles proposed by a group of scientists called the International Committee for Robot Arms Control. A related issue is the one of nuclearpowered drones. There are plans in the works for a new generation of nuclearpowered drones capable of flying over remote regions for months on end without refueling. But the danger of a crash that would turn the drone into a “dirty

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bomb” or the danger of having its nuclear propulsion system fall into the hands of unfriendly forces, these have not been operationalized. Karlin: This gets to the larger issue of the “due process” question. But I can’t help returning to the inexplicable notion that President Obama, a constitutional lawyer, can so cavalierly ignore the notion of habeas corpus, the legal process required for determining innocence or guilt, and in general our individual rights as guaranteed under the Constitution? It is sort of mind-boggling that we are back to empowering one person with power over individual life or death. Drone warfare appears to be just one representation of this, yes? Benjamin: Yes, but equally mindboggling is the notion that Americans seem to like “tough leaders,” leaders who can make these life and death decisions without a lot of hand-wringing. There was a recent New York Times piece about President Obama and his intimate involvement in selecting the “kill lists” for drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen. The piece is part of an election-time series looking at Obama’s leadership style, and was told mainly through interviews with Obama insiders. They said how easy it was for Obama to make these decisions, even the decision to target US citizen Anwar Al-Awlaki. They were basically bragging about how the president is no shrinking violet when it comes to killing. So, yes, it is mind-boggling that we are empowering one person to make life-and-death decisions, but it is perhaps even more mind-boggling that this unconstitutional, immoral killing spree (that is making us more hated in the world) is perceived by many Americans as a positive example of strong leadership. To purchase book go to: http://goo.gl/C1dxA -----------------------------------------------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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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

34 |CONTINUED duaa

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Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “It is about them that we were murmuring.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 792; classed as saheeh by alAlbaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. Thirdly: With regard to du’aa’ after the salaam, what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to do is to say, after finishing the prayer: Astghfir Allaah, astaghfir Allaah astaghfir Allaah (I seek the forgiveness of Allaah, I seek the forgiveness of Allaah, I seek the forgiveness of Allaah). Then he would say all the dhikrs that are narrated at this time. See question no.7646. Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Azeez ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: There is no saheeh report to say that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to raise his hands following an obligatory prayer, or that his companions (may Allaah have mercy on them) did that, as far as we know. What some people do, raising their hands after the prayer, is a bid’aah (innovation) for which there is no basis. Al-Fataawa, 1/74. Ibn al-Qayyim said: Wi t h r e g a r d t o d u ’ a a ’ a f t e r t h e prayer facing the qiblah or facing the congregation, this is not something that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did at all. It is not narrated with a saheeh or hasan isnaad. As for doing that only after Fajr and ‘Asr prayers, he did not do that and neither did any of his successors (khulafa’), and he did not teach his ummah to do that. Rather this is something that some people thought it was good to do to make up for not offering Sunnah prayers after those prayers. And Allaah knows best. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) offered most of the du’aa’s that are connected to the prayer during the prayer, and he commanded us to offer them during it. This befits the state of the one who is praying, for he is facing his Lord and conversing with Him so long as he is praying. When he says the salaam that conversation comes to a close and he is no longer standing before Him and close to Him. So why should he not ask of Him whilst he is conversing with Him and close to Him and turning

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to Him, and then ask of Him when he has turned away from Him? Undoubtedly it is better to do the opposite. There is another subtle point to be made, which is that when the worshipper has finished praying, and he has remembered Allaah and proclaimed His oneness, glorified Him, praised Him and magnified Him by reciting the dhikrs that are prescribed following the prayer, it is mustahabb to send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) after that, and to make du’aa’ as he wishes, His du’aa’ should come immediately after this second act of worship, not because it is after the prayer but because it is mustahabb for anyone who remembers Allaah and praises Him and sends blessings upon the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) to make du’aa’ after that, as it says in the hadeeth of Faddaalah ibn ‘Ubayd: “When any one of you prays, let him start by praising Allaah, then let him send blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), then let him say du’aa’ however he wishes.” Al-Tirmidhi said: (it is) a saheeh hadeeth. It was also classed as saheeh by alHaakim, and al-Dhahabi agreed with him. Zaad al-Ma’aad, 1/257, 258. Fourthly: With regard to the points during the prayer at which du’aa’ should be offered, we will sum this up for you as follows: 1 –After the opening takbeer of the prayer and before starting to recite al-Faatihah. This is called Du’aa’ alIstiftaah (opening supplication): It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: When the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) started to pray, he would remain silent for a while. I said: “May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allaah. What do you say when you are silent between the takbeer and recitation?” He said: “I say: Allaahumma baa’id bayni wa bayna khataayaaya kama baa’adta bayna almashriqi wa’l-maghrib. Allaahumma naqqini min khataayaaya kama yunaqqa al-thawb al-abyad min al-danas. Allaahumma ighsilni min khataayaaya bi’l-thalji wa’l-maa’i wa’l-barad (O Allaah, put a great distance between me and my sins, as great as the distance You have made between the East and the West. O Allaah, cleanse me of sin as a

white garment is cleansed from filth. O Allaah, wash away my sins with snow and water and hail).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 711; Muslim, 598.

at that time.” Narrated by Muslim, 482, from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah. There are many ahaadeeth concerning this, for which we do not have room to mention them here.

2 – Du’aa’ al-Qunoot in Witr It was narrated that al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught me words to say in Witr: “Allaahumma ihdini feeman hadayta wa ‘aafini feeman ‘aafayta wa tawallani feeman tawallayta wa baarik li feema a’tayta, wa qini sharra ma qadayta , fa innaka taqdi wa la yuqda ‘alayk, wa innahu laa yadhillu man waalayta wa laa ya’izzu man ‘aadayta, tabaarakta Rabbana wa ta’aalayt (O Allaah, guide me among those whom You have guided, pardon me among those whom You have pardoned, turn to me in friendship among those on whom You have turned in friendship, and bless me in what You have bestowed, and save me from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can influence You; and he is not humiliated whom You have befriended, nor is he honoured who is Your enemy. Blessed are You, O Lord, and Exalted).” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 464; al-Nasaa’i, 1745; Abu Dawood, 1425; Ibn Maajah, 1178.

6 – Between the two prostrations. One should say: “Allaahumma ighfir li warhamni wajburni wahdini warzuqni (O Allaah, forgive me, have mercy on me, enrich me, guide me and grant me provision).” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 284; Ibn Maajah, 898 – from the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi. And there are other du’aa’s. 7 – After the tashahhud and before the salaam:

This hadeeth was classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi and others, and as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel, 429.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1311; Muslim, 588 (this version narrated by Muslim), from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah. Then after that he may pray for whatever he likes of the good things of this world and the Hereafter, because of the hadeeth of Ibn Mas’ood: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) taught them the tashahhud then he said at the end: “Let him ask for whatever good things he wishes.” Narrated by alBukhaari, 5876; Muslim, 402.

3 – Du’aa’ when standing up from bowing, at times of calamity. This is called Qunoot al-Nawaazil. This may be recited in all the obligatory prayers depending on the situation, and the worshippers behind the imam should say Ameen. See question no.20031. 4 – Whilst bowing. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to say: “Subhaanak Allaahumma Rabbanaa wa bi hamdika Allaahumma ighfir li (Glory and praise be to You, O Allaah our Lord. O Allaah, forgive me).” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 761; Muslim, 484, from the hadeeth of ‘Aa’ishah. 5 – During prostration. This is the best of du’aa’, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The closest that any one of you may be to his Lord is when he is prostrating, so say a lot of du’aa’

the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “When any one of you has finished the last tashahhud, let him seek refuge with Allaah from four things and say: Allaahumma inni a’oodhu bika min ‘adhaabi jahannam wa min ‘adhaab il-qabri wa min fitnat il-mahyaa wa’l-mamaat wa min sharri fitnat il-maseeh il-dajjaal (O Allaah, I seek refuge with You from the torment of Hell and from the torment of the grave and from the trials of life and death and from the evil of the trial of the Dajjaal).”

There are many du’aa’s which may be recited during the prayer, but we cannot quote all of them in this answer. We have referred to a few of those that have been narrated. Our advice to the questioner – and to every Muslim – is to have a copy of al-Adhkaar by al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him), which is a lengthy book. If he would like to have something shorter then he should get a copy of alKalim al-Tayyib by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah, edited by al-Albaani (may Allaah have mercy on them all). And Allaah knows best.

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

OBITS & UPCOMING EVENTS

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)” 6-5-12 Father of Brother Khalid Aslam has passed away. May Allah SWT Bless him with Jannat Al-Firdaus and give his loved ones patience and ability to cope with this tragedy, Aameen. (Source: Masjid Al-Falaah)

informant

>> continued from pg 29 Mohebi, like many others involved with no-fly list cases, sees the government’s secrecy behind the list as a sort of game that often goes wrong. He cites the famous cases of Nelson Mandela, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy and an 18-month-old baby girl as examples of how wrong the list can indeed be. “If you are going to say that an individual is dangerous enough not to fly, then my question is, isn’t he dangerous enough to be arrested? And isn’t he dangerous enough to be brought to court and prosecuted and taken to jail and given whatever punishment that he deserves? Why is he allowed to drive through the border; why is it that he can walk through? Take a boat, just don’t fly. Why is it that we are playing games if we don’t have sufficient evidence?” Still, without an answer as to why he was put on the no-fly list, by evening on June 7, Iraniha had made it to Tijuana and walked over the border into San Diego to reunite with his parents, brothers and wife. His no-fly list status apparently only applies to the United States - though it did cause him to have to endure a bit of questioning and “giggling” by Mexican officials who ultimately “figured out how ridiculous this was” and let him proceed with his Tijuana travel. Iraniha says he doesn’t regret talking to the San Diego FBI agent twice. It appears he felt pressured to speak with the agent on both occasions, if only to prove that he “had nothing to hide.” “It just seemed like if I don’t talk him ... it felt weird ... they might become suspicious of me ... and I don’t need to hide anything from anybody.” For many Muslim, Middle Eastern and South Asian Americans who

are targeted to be informants against their friends, family and community, the perception about agents’ attitudes is the same: Talk to us or you’ll look guilty. He says it was only when he spoke to the CAIR lawyer that he realized he was being targeted to become an informant, but it’s not going to change his activism efforts.”You can’t try to silence us by scaring us,” he says. And, with CAIR’s help, it appears Iraniha is going to keep looking for answers from the government and perhaps even compensation, including for the plane ticket he was not allowed to use and the last- minute ticket to Tijuana he had to buy. Mohebi says CAIR is “keeping its options open” but is continuing to look into the matter. As to whether the FBI’s no-fly list tactic is going to work on him, Iraniha says, “No, of course not.” Source: Truthout Shirin Sadeghi is an independent journalist and Middle East specialist with an emphasis on Iran, Pakistan and the Persian Gulf countries. Her other specialties are minorities in the United States and comparative media analysis. Her broadcast career began as a producer and reporter for the BBC World Service and later as a producer and reporter for Al Jazeera. She has a PhD in Middle Eastern studies. Find Sadeghi on Twitter @ShirinSadeghi. -----------------------------------------------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.

| 35

Upcoming Events In Your Area NRCAT National Week of Action Friday, June 22 2012 The National Religious Campaign Against Torture (NRCAT) is joining with a national coalition of religious and human rights groups in a National Week of Action Against Torture, Guantanamo and the NDAA. Friday, June 22: National Call-in Day to the White House & Congress. Saturday, June 23: National Tweet-in Day to the White House & Congress. Sunday, June 24: DC March Against Torture, Guantanamo & NDAA - Coalition Demonstration. Location: Washington, D.C. Contact: www.nrcat.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PGMA Girl Scout Troop 3480 Meeting EVERY Friday, June 01 - June 30 2012 6:00pm - 7:30pm Friday of each week Girl Scout Troop 3480 has weekly meetings on Fridays, 6 – 7:30 p.m. at Prince George’s Muslim Association (PGMA) 9150 Lanham Severn Road, Lanham, MD 20706. Girls from K-12 are welcome to join. We are also still looking for troop leaders and other volunteers. www.pgmagirlscouts.org. Location: 9150 Lanham Severn Road, Lanham, MD 20706. Contact: alia.kemet@gmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Financial Wellness Workshop Saturday, June 23 2012, 9:00am - 1:30pm The Al-Rahmah School Educational Trust (ASET) invites you to a Financial Wellness Workshop featuring two acclaimed experts on the finances of your life and the legacy you leave. Brian Hamilton, the best selling author of the 90 Day Money Challenge will present the three most dangerous mental obstacles holding you back from getting the best from your money, and Dr. Yaqub Mirza, President and CEO of Sterling Management will discuss the Islamic will. Register at www.alrahmahtrust.org or email info@alrahmahTrust.org for more info, Location: ISB - 6631 Johnnycake Road, Baltimore MD 21244 Contact: 410-929-2738 (ASET) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ADAMS Book Fair Sunday, June 24 2012, 2:00pm - 7:00pm ADAMS Book Fair. DVD’s, Toys, Books. Location: NUR Center, 3431-F Carlin Springs Road, Falls Church, VA. Contact: For more information, call 202-413-6815 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Newseum: Understanding American Muslims Thursday, June 28 2012, 9:00am - 4:30pm As the 2012 election season heats up, American Muslims find themselves at the center of the growing debate about the role of mosques, sharia law, religious garb, and other issues related to religious freedom and Muslim life in the United States. This exciting day long symposium at the Newseum will bring together leading experts on religious freedom and American Muslims to examine many of the contentious questions fueling these debates. Several participants/panelists from the UK will offer a British/European perspective on these issues as well. Join the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum, the British Council and the Interfaith Alliance for a lively and engaging discussion that replaces negative rhetoric with thoughtful discussion. Location: Newseum Washington, DC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------AMAW March and Rally Sunday, July 01 2012, 11:00am - 7:00pm National Association of Muslim American Women (NAMAW) March and Rally for Global Justice and Peace. Gather at the Washington Monument, and then march to Upper Senate Park, area 2 for the rally. BE THERE! Location: Washington Monument, Washington DC ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ISB Summer Basketball Tournament Saturday, July 07 2012 ISB Muslim Athletic Program: Summer Basketball Tournament. 3 on 3 half court games. 4 player teams minimum. Starts 9AM. Registration is $40 per team. Registration closes on June 30th 2012. For more information, visit www. isb.org/MAP. Location: Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB), 6631 Johnnycake Road, Baltimore, MD 21244 Contact: RSVP: MAP@ISB.ORG or 410-747-4869 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Include Me: Inclusion Matters Seminar at ADAMS Saturday, July 07 2012, 7:00pm - 10:00pm Include Me: Inclusion Matters Seminar. Hosted by: ADAMS Accessibility Committee and EquallyAble Foundation. Many families with disabilities are feeling excluded from communities and leading a life of disconnect and discontent, some even lack the basic knowledge of whom to approach for their disability and emotional needs. This seminar brings religious scholars, disability advocates, experts, and individuals to talk about coping with disability in religious, social and economic senses with the goal to improve inclusion and disability development in communities. Distinguished Speakers: Sh. Abdurrafa Ouertani, Dr. Navid Rashid, Mr. Mat Barkley, Ms. Muneera Fontaine and Mr. Mohammed Yousuf. Refreshments will be provided. Location: ADAMS Main Hall Contact: For More Infomation, contact: info@equallyable.org, www.equallyable.org, or 571 354 0454

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MASJID LISTING

36 |

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 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: 202-904-9668 E-mail: masjidivycity@yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------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 200 S. Calhoun Street 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

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR | 37

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Tarbiyah Academy Welcomes Students of All Backgrounds Asalamu Alaikum, Jazakum Allahu khairun to the Muslim Link for attending the Tarbiyah Academy Town Hall meeting and for writing the follow up article (“Tarbiyah Academy Collects Data, Readies Business Plan” from the June 1, 2012 issue of the Muslim Link). We appreciate your writing about this project. We would like to say, however, that there is a part of the article that is not reflective of the vision of Tarbiyah. Your article contained the following

zoning

>> continued from pg 6

planning the mosque, and the county approved a new rezoning request.

paragraph: One guest asked about how inclusive Tarbiyah Academy will be, given that “the African American community [was] visibly absent in the room”. Sumida there will be sibling discounts to help with tuition load, but on the educational level he acknowledged the IB program is not a fit for every student. The paragraph can be misinterpreted by readers to show that we plan to reach out to the African American community by offering sibling discounts. It also can be interpreted to say that the IB curriculum is not a fit for those students. Tarbiyah Academy aims to be accessible and welcoming to students and families of every cultural background. We plan to teach and celebrate diversity that is inherent in our deen. Teachers will receive professional development training on working with students of all

making it easier to qualify to build a place of worship. Henrico also changed its ordinance language. For example, the word “church” was replaced with “place of worship”; “church spires” was replaced with “spires, minarets or other architectural features.”

cultures. Discounts and financial aid will be available to all families regardless of background. The IB curriculum not being a fit for every student was pertaining to students at extreme ends of the educational spectrum, not ethnicity. Over the course of the week of meetings, there were families in attendance that represented a variety of cultures and backgrounds including Hispanic, African-American, Asian, Arab, and others. InshaAllah, we would greatly appreciate if some clarifications can be made to the article available online to reduce the misunderstanding, as well as a correction posted in the next issue. Jazakum Allahu khairun. Wasalamu Alaikum warahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. --Tarbiyah Academy Board

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

The county also revised its requirements,

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Sealants Teeth Whitening Prophylaxis White ﬁllings Extractions Dentures Restore Implants

Fazil Alie D.D.S., P.A. Over 25 years in private practice Member of ADA, MDA, SMDS, ADHA & MDHA

Riaaz N. Alie D.D.S., B.A. Riyad F. Alie R.D.H., B.S.

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616 Charles Street, Suite 201 La Plata, Md 20646

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

HVAC Division

Service & Installation Management - Furnaces - Air Conditioning - Heat Pumps Air Handlers - Duct Work Installation - Humidifiers - Thermostats - Boilers Phone: 301-408-8283 - Address: 4121 Sampson Road Silver Spring, MD 20906 Email: ben@prohomeserviceandrepair.com - For further information visit: www.prohomeserviceandrepair.com

PHD Salon Barber Shop Specializing in Natural Hair Care Braids, Twists, Locs, Press & Curl, Shampoo & Conditioner, Corn Rows, Weaves, Set-Roller Wrap, and much more... For Sisters: Private Area on 2nd Floor Available by Appt. Only Call Sylist Cealia at 240.501.3985

For Men and Boys 1st Floor Level Walk Ins Welcome Phone # 301.604.6980

216 Main Street (Off Route-1) , Laurel, MD 20707

BACK PAIN?

HEADACHES SHOULDER PAIN KNEE PAIN NECK PAIN LEG PAIN If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been injured in a car accident or at work, relief is just one visit away ...

LITTLE RIVER CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC Dr Ramin Afzaly 6601 Little River Turnpike, Suite 310, Alexandria, VA 22312 Call today for a FREE CONSULTATION 703.941.4464 ....

June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

MP - ADVERTISEMENT | 43

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

Attorney Sarah Malik Family Law Litigation, Mediation and Appeals Maryland and Washington, DC

phone: 301-424-7207 | email: smalik@maryland-familylaw.com website: www.maryland-familylaw.com

Law Office of John S. Weaver

Rahma International Store E-Quran Abayas Thoubs Hajj and Umrah Dua’s E-Device

We sell E-Qur’an Device with E-Pen Pointer for easy listening and learning, Hajj and Umrah Dua’s E-Device for easy memorisation, Islamic Clothing (men’s, women’s and children’s), Ihram’s for Hajj, Long shirts and skirts for women, Sleeves, Pashmina Shawls, Elegant African Lace Materials, Bakhoor/Incense/Churai, 21 karat Gold jewelry, Guaranteed Gold plated jewelry, Silver Jewelry and ankle rings, Men’s silver rings with real Stones, and Much MORE. You will be pleased with our Very Unique Quality Products. Come in and enjoy our Signature Hospitality, Insha’Allah, you will return. location: Islamic Society of Washington Area (ISWA) 2701 Briggs Chaney Road Silver Spring, MD 20905

Hours Mondays: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Wednesdays: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Fridays: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Saturdays: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

inquiries? contact raHma GHanim Direct line: (240) 305-6354 | Store: (301) 879-3598 or (301) 879-3596 Fax: (301) 879-3597 | Email: rahmainternationalstore@gmail.com Join our Facebook page and group: Rahma International Store

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 2012

MP - ADVERTISEMENTS | 45

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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 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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June 15th 2012 - June 28th 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.

Childcare Exchange MUSLIM DAYCARE Licensed Muslim daycare provider. Infant to 10 years old. Teach Arabic and Qurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;an. 301-593-4769.

Study Sparkz awareness in the community of embassies within the DC Metro Area. Set your own schedule and work from home. Base stipend with great commissions. Call 703.649.2795 or email Suhany@ studysparkz.com --------------------------------------------

Employment

Matrimonial

OPENING FOR OFFICE COORDINATOR Open position for full time Office Coordinator for local Project Management Company in Greenbelt, MD. Must have excellent communication and organizational skills, and be proficient in Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Word, and Excel. Salary based on experience/capabilities starting at $9-$12/Hr. Email resumes to cmclp@mail.com -------------------------------------------SEARCHING FOR EMBASSY LIAISONS If you like challenges and enjoy meeting new people, we are looking for you. We are looking to hire Embassy Liaisons to help increase

SEEKING PIOUS RELIGIOUS MUSLIMAH American citizen, widower, welleducated, retired, religious Sunni Muslim of Pakistani-origin for marriage to religious Muslimah of similar background. Virginia, Maryland, and Washington D.C. areas preferred for easy contact but not required. Please call 540-5337391. -------------------------------------------SEEKING DEVOUT MUSLIMAH 28 year old Muslim seeks devout Muslimah for marriage. She must love Allah and His Messenger, and be willing to lead a responsible loving life observing all the correct tenets of Al-Islam. If interested,

please contact the following: Lasana Philbert (Abdus-Salam), 07A2541, Eastern New York C.F., P.O. Box 338, Napanoch, N.Y. 12458-0338.

Miscellaneous SEEKING PEN FRIEND Pakistani Sunni Muslim Male, age 43, incarcerated. Funny, understanding, and easy-going. Seeks pen friend. Nadeem Khan #1113005 Box 1900 Pound, VA 24279

Rental GREENBELT CONDO FOR RENT Recently Renovated, 2 Bedroom 1 Bath Condo available immediately. Appliances includes washer/dryer too. All utilities are included for a fee. Please call 240-441-8907 for more details. -------------------------------------------ROOM FOR RENT Room available to rent for any single brother or sister. Close to Muslim Community Center, Wheaton Mall, and less than 1 block from Wheaton

Metro. Available anytime. $400 per month, all included. 301-922-1839. --------------------------------------------

Services LICENSED PLUMBER Reduce Major Plumbing Bills. Give Twirl-A-Drain a call at 410-963-5807 for sewer and water pipe replacement underground. Free estimates given, Michael D. Shahid. -------------------------------------------LOVING HOME CARE Providing elder and child care you can trust and afford. Companionship, hygiene care, meal preparation, housekeeping, shopping, doctor appointments. Loving, dependable caregivers for Live-in, Full, Part time. Call: 301-490-1146 www.lovinghomecare.org. -------------------------------------------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).

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