The Muslim Link - October 19, 2012

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October 19st 2012 - November 15th 2012

American Muslims and the 2012 Election

By Hena Zuberi Muslim Link Staff Reporter

At the CAIR Leadership conference on September 29, 2012, a significant section was devoted to the Muslim Vote. The forum’s panelists included Shireen Zaman, executive director of Institute of Social Policy (ISP); Abed Ayoub, Legal Director of the Anti-Arab Discrimination Committee (ADC); and Todd Gallinger, Director of Chapter Development at Council on Islamic Arab Relations (CAIR). The panelists emphasized the

ELECTION 2012

Understanding the Election Process | pg 12 Libertarian Muslim Vies for MD US Senate Seat | pg 13 Advocacy Groups to Mobilize Voter Protection Units | pg 14

need for American Muslim organizations to use the information provided to improve awareness within their communities. They stressed that continued civic engagement is important.

The ISPU reports studied existing poll data Zogby, Gallup, MAPS from 20022010 and has released these findings. Muslims in America are politically involved;70

percent of them pay attention to politics most or some of the time. 86 percent said that it is important for them to

Looking at the Questions on the Maryland Ballot | pg 15

>> election Pg 25

Adventure Seekers Plummet to Earth | pg 4

Dar-us-Salaam Applies for Zoning, Launches $10M Fundraising Campaign for New Campus

By Muslim Link Staff Dar-us-Salaam's plan to purchase and develop a 66acre former Catholic school campus as their new home is well underway, with engineering studies and a $10 million fundraising campaign running in parallel.

The Muslim Link

Announced this past Ramadan, the Howard County, Maryland property is “under contract”; Dar-usSalaam does not yet own the property but has committed to purchasing it provided they receive zoning approvals from Howard County within The conceptual plan of Dar-us-Salaam's future education and community campus.

>> zoning Pg 21

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Activist Launches Marriage Counseling Service | pg 6 ISLAM: The Effects of Domestic Violence | pg 20 CIVIL: Intelligence Effort Named Citizens, Not Terrorists | pg 18 The Muslim Link

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Community News Adventure Seekers Plummet to Earth

By Kevin Bryant

Muslim Link Contributing Writer On September 10,2012 my brotherin-law, a buddy of mine, and I—three adventuresome thrill junkies—boarded a Cessna to experience a freefall considered by the faint of heart to be frighteningly intense.

The jump in Maryland was our first “wind bath,” as J.D., one of the tandem jumpers—who has over 10,000 jumps to brag about—put it. We are professionals by day and avid adventure seekers by, well . . . day also (jumps aren’t offered at night).

I was a bit concerned about the missing meter in the instrument panel of the Cessna, leaving a black hole that nagged me. “We’re going up in this plane?” I asked the pilot, nervously. The plane looked as if it had been makeshifted from the usual Cessnas that my buddy, Chris, and I have co-piloted before. There

was nothing pretty about the insides of this bird: missing co-pilot seat, no wall paneling, dull green paint.

We were about to participate in a oncein-a-lifetime experience: to face nature face on (literally); to conquer fear from unimaginable heights; to get up after we’ve just fallen; to experience the

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camaraderie of brotherhood that keeps us downright pumped up!

“You have your nervous [bathroom visit] yet?” asked J.D. “Yep,” I replied, “and Chris is on his way [to the bathroom] now.”

J.D. knew exactly what to say to allay any hint of apprehension. He seemed to love his job, and he was darn good at it.

Don’t think for a moment that any of us would be permitted to jump without the professional care of licensed jumpers like J.D. securely attached to us, front to back.

But things didn’t go quite as planned for Barhuma, my brother-in-law. Originally, his first jump was to have been in Virginia, three weeks before this one, but that jump was not possible due to overbooking. So he joined the ranks of us rookie jumpers.

“I’m pumped. I’m ready. Let’s do this, man!” he said with revealing excitement.

Barhuma, nestled up in the cockpit of the small aircraft with me and rested his overly confident back on the instrument panel—yes, the one with the missing instrument! I sat on the floor of the plane affront my tandem jumper (whose name for the life of me, I can’t remember), facing the rear of the cabin, half listening

>> adventure Pg 23

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October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

COMMUNITY NEWS

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ICM's Food Festival Draws Diverse Crowd

By Hena Zuberi

was the leader and her team was offering a taste of Malaysia. ”Alhamdullilah, there are lots of participants,” she said.

Muslim Link Staff Reporter A vendor cooks up and sells food representing her south asian culture at the ICM International Food Festival.

Photo by Muslim Link staff.

Ahsun Dasti of Gaithersburg, MD was one of the organizers. “The aim is to invite as many people as possible; it is an inter/ intra community and charitable event.

We reached out to other Muslim organizations, for example the Mustafa Center in Lanham and some government officials. We try to create an inclusive atmosphere within our community, where diversity is appreciated,“ he said.

It is fall and the fall food festival season is in full swing all over the North East. The Islamic Community of Maryland hosted their annual International Food Festival and Bazaar on Saturday, September 22, 2012. Hundreds of people from around the DMV Area attended.

This unique outdoor festival brings local Muslim cooks, food connoisseurs and a variety of vendors together with everyday folks for a great time. It provides an opportunity to sample, savor and learn about food from around the Muslim world.

Free food, savory and sweet was set up on tables, under large white signs stating the country of origin, accompanied by displays of artifacts, flags, dolls, and jewelry.

With aunties, khalas and amus cooking, everyone enjoyed authentic flavors straight out of local kitchens. This year there were several new stalls including, one from Switzerland and from Argentina.

The Turkish stall had a live demonstration on how to make Filiz Cayi (Turkish tea).

Canjeero and Sabayad (Somali flatbread), Chicken and Beef stuffed sambusas and Somali flavored spaghetti were loaded on the table hosted by Sr. Sadia, Sr. Hawa and Sr. Amina of Gaithersburg, MD. “Every year [the festival] is getting bigger and better, more people, more food,” said Sr. Sadia. “Our community is growing,” said Sr. Hawa. The women recommended the Somali food Youtube channel for authentic recipes.

Dunya and her husband, with their two young ones in strollers, had come all the way from Fairfax, VA to attend the event.

She is originally from Morocco and her

husband is of German-Polish heritage.

“Given how international our family is, we try to attend events like this, that represent the diversity in Islam,” she said, “Maybe next year, I can gather a few of my friends and set up a stall from Morocco.”

The Malaysian stall had Cucur Udang (shrimp and coconut fritters) and Kuih Kodok (banana fritters) being cooked on site, deep-fried in a vat of oil; they were serving them fresh and piping hot along with stir-fried noodles.

The atmosphere was of friendly competition and embodied the true Muslim spirit of hospitality. Sr. Haseena

“Another reason for hosting this event is reach out to our neighbors and share our food and clothing. This is our 8th year and organizing it has gotten easier as the stalls are self-run by volunteers,” Dasti told the Muslim Link.

“The turn out was a little low. We try to schedule way ahead of time but it is inevitable that there will be 5-6 other events going on in the area,” reflected Dasti as he supervised the youth cleaning up after the event.

Rashida was attending from Bethesda, MD. “Many in the Indonesian community are attending Hajj workshops at our community center and were not able to >> Festival Pg 22

Area Children Learn Meaning of 'Orphan' At Islamic Relief Event Hena Zuberi

a pencil holder and sell them. This will raise awareness, we also want to teach to make dua for orphan’s and begin to donate at an early age,” she said.

Muslim Link Staff Reporter The idea came to Humaira Syed, a young mom, at the Islamic Relief booth at the ISNA conference. “I was trying to explain to my 4-year old son about orphans. That got me thinking that they should have an event to teach kids about it and then be able to sponsor an orphan thus make it a learning experience too. I emailed Islamic Relief with the idea and they basically told me 'ok do it. We will help.'”

A gathering of about 175 people gathered at Dar al Taqwa in Ellicott City, MD on October 13, 2012.

Yusef , a five year old. from Silver Springs, MD was sad after the skit for the orphans who had no parents..He enjoyed the skit, StoneBall, put on by four community brothers, about an orphan trying to make friends.

Activity tables, festooned with blue and white balloons were set up for children.

Activities included making friendship bracelets and cards to send to orphans.

On the table run by Sister Farah from Greenbelt, MD, children ages 6-11 made crafts. “We want to teach them that every bit counts, the children will craft a pen or

Shaykh Abdul Nasir Jangda’s flight was delayed so he was not able to give the opening address.But he did uploaded a >> orphan Pg 23

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

6 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Community Activist Launches Marriage, Pre-Marriage Counseling Service

By Fatimah Waseem

A man of numbers, Khalid says the lack of empirical research on Muslim families makes self-assessment and judgment a staple of his work. “We need to back claims up with real numbers, real studies, and real work – simply saying divorce rates are up will not address the very real issues our community faces.”

Muslim Link Staff Reporter For 35 years, engineer Khalid Iqbal has counseled hundreds of Muslim families through thick and thin – the newlyweds, the to-be weds, and the long-been weds. He’s witnessed Muslim couples grapple with miscommunication, he’s seen divorce rates climb high, and he’s seen couples exploring marriage struggle with uncertainties; what he hasn’t seen is a family counseling service armed with the Quran and Sunnah addressing these problems.

To fill this void, the grandfather and engineer-turned-activist launched on of the region’s first online family counseling services, Rahmaa Institute, six months ago.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Iqbal said.

The institute, which offers counseling for pre-marital and married couples, grew out of Iqbal’s extensive work with couples and a successful pre-marital counseling program in ADAMS Center, which is mandatory for all marriages conducted under the Virginia mosque.

But it wasn’t until Iqbal noticed that over 30 percent of attendees at local Fairfax county workshops were Muslim did he realize that a professional Islamic service was not only needed, but welcome.

“If a population that forms only 2 percent of our nation had a 30 percent attendance, you have to wonder: there really must be something wrong with us,” Iqbal said.

The institute offers the best of both words: online counseling and one-on-one counseling. Online counseling, offered in a 15-week program or a four-day

He urges Imams to discuss common family issues in khutbahs by not only using the masjid as a central family magnet, but using it as a platform to combat real issues facing the Muslim community.

Khalid Iqbal holds his 8-month-old granddaughter, Tasneem, at his daughter Sadaf’s home in Sterling. (Jahi Chikwendiu - WASHINGTON POST) intensive program, uses seven PowerPointfriendly modules ranging from intimacy to finances to teach students about family matters; Khan also tailors one-on-one counseling sessions, scheduled via Skype, to couples’ needs. Topics include dealing with intimacy, intercultural marriages, interfaith marriages, extended family and divorce as well as marriage 101 from a Quranic perspective.

“Existing organizations act reactively; we act proactively to prevent cases of domestic abuse, communication barriers, financial issues before they become serious,” Iqbal said.

Even as times change, Iqbal says when Muslim couples tie the knot, the root of problem is similar to what it was ten years ago: anger management, financial issues (especially when both couples earn money and feel like they don’t owe each other anything), infidelity, and issues with in-laws and extended family are the main

challenges, according to a George Mason University survey used to jumpstart the institute.

“Couples have the comfort of privacy, they can start and stop the courses on their own pace – counseling is a proven and remedial practice” he said.

But getting people to jump on the bandwagon is a challenge – counseling is a “tabooed” term in the Muslim community, Khalid says, requiring masajid to discuss family issues with transparency and reduce the stigma attached to counseling.

“Counseling has always been an instrumental part of the Sunnah – there is nothing new or different about it. In fact, it’s amazing that 99 percent of what I teach and the advice I give is from the Quran and Sunnah – it wasn’t until I really looked into it that I realized how much we already we have to work with,” he said.

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He says younger individuals thinking about marriage sometimes don’t think it through.

“I remember very clearly telling five couples who were thinking about marriage to think it through again, but they married and for four out of five, it just didn’t work out,” he said.

Iqbal will be relocating to Detroit, Michigan in the next few days – but given that his service has already reached couples in Dubai and Pakistan, he says the Internet age can bring something like Rahmaa Institute a blessing for all.

“Some might say that we should have started counseling youth and teenagers, but if we tackle these issues in the beginning when families are beginning to form, those very children may grow up in homes that may address the issues we see with youth today,” he said.

When asked where the inspiration behind the institute’s name came from, Iqbal says it a product of his family experiences. “My granddaughter’s name is Rahmaa – it’s a beautiful name, meaning blessings and mercy. That’s what I’m trying to foster.”

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

8 | COMMUNITY NEWS Maryland Muslimah Wins Religious Discrimination Lawsuit

By Hena Zuberi Muslim Link Staff Reporter She didn’t know that the $20 scarf she wrapped around her head that morning would result in a $25,000 lawsuit .

She walked into the job interview for Morningside House of Ellicott CIty: a confident, well educated professional.

Excited, about to graduate from nursing school and after spending years caring for other’s children as a childcare worker, she was starting a new chapter of her life. A heartfelt prayer to Allah mumbled under her breath and she opened the door.

The ad for a Nurse’s Assistant (CNA) in the senior assisted living community had been on several job websites. Her professors recommended the extra experience, so even though she was overqualified she applied for it. She got a same day interview when she called; a very common practice in the industry.

In any job interview what stressful questions does one prepare for? Usually about one’s degree, achievements or experience but

(a corporation which manages several properties) was the one who conducted the interview. Looking at her up and down, she started her questions based on

Morningside will pay $25,000 and furnish other relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in June 2011, according to the agency.

Khadija’s appearance. Confident in her vibrant fashion sense, that day Khadija had worn pants, a formal shirt and a wellcoordinated hijab.

“She said I would scare the patients! I have never scared anyone in my life, do you know how hurtful that is, to think that I would scare someone?” Salim’s voice tightened over the phone, “One elderly patients during my rotations, thought I was an angel.”

“If you spend most of your interview talking about how you look or your appearance, then you might want to think, is this a fair and just interview?” said Salim. certainly not on the applicant’s choice of headgear. This is exactly what Khadijah Salim of Baltimore City, MD endured.

“For 15 minutes I was asked over and over again to explain my hijab.” Salim spelled out how she had worked with patients, from the operating room to geriatrics to the psych ward, during her clinical rotations, without any issues.

Morningside will pay $25,000 and furnish other relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in June 2011, according to the agency. The EEOC had charged that Morningside House of Ellicott City denied hire to Salim because she refused to remove her hijab.

The director of health services of this particular facility of Morningside House

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her, she was never contacted, nor was she one of ten CNAs who were hired by Morningside in September 2010.

“I showed her how I tied it up around patients, assuring her that it would not be in the way but her demeanor did not change, she even handed my application back to me. We didn’t talk about anything else. She finally just asked me, “Would you be willing to remove it while you are working for the facility?” “ said Salim, “as I left she asked me what hours I was willing to work.”

Offended and shocked, Salim says that she couldn’t believe that it was 2010, in a place with so many Muslims. “ I am not a sensitive about hijab, have worn it since I was a little girl and have no problems answering genuine questions about hijab,” stressed Salim.

Although she was told she would be contacted if someone were interested in

Salim is no stranger to the civil rights movement, as a young African American Muslimah, it had been a family legacy. She was also very familiar with the work done

by CAIR (Council on American Islamic Relations) as she grew up down the street from its co-founder, Nihad Awad.

Nationally cases have been filed based on several basis: accommodating prayer times, adjusting work schedules to accommodate Friday prayers, the ‘no pork’ rule and the hijab criteria, etc. Many times the discrimination is subtle quoting customer preferences, companies will relegate visibly Muslim workers to jobs that are lower paid jobs or ‘low- visibility’ jobs.

Religious discrimination can come in several forms: Disparate Treatment, which is the simplest theory to understand, refers to a claim that an employer or other covered entity intentionally treated the employee or applicant unfavorably because of such person's race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, or other protected status.

Disparate, Adverse Impact refers to a claim that the company's otherwise lawful policy has a significant adverse impact on a protected group. Examples include tests or other criteria for hiring or promotions that seem neutral on the surface but can be shown to limit the opportunities of persons based on race, sex, or other protected status.

Failure to Accommodate: Laws prohibiting discrimination because of religion or disability generally require the employer to provide a "reasonable accommodation" to the individual's religion or disability, unless doing so would cause an "undue hardship" to the company.

Source: Employment Law Chronicle

In California, two similar cases to Salim’s made headlines, the Abercrombie Fitch cases and the Disneyland lawsuit.

Locally, 6.8 % of the total US charges for religious discrimination filed by the EEOC has been from the DMV area.

Hani Khan, from San Mateo, CA, a 20-year-old college student, is one of three women suing Abercrombie & Fitch for either not hiring, or firing, women wearing headscarves. Samantha Elauf, a 19-yearold student from Oklahoma, filed suit in 2009, and an unnamed 18-year-old woman from Milpitas, CA sued them in 2010.

From 2001 to 2008 religious discrimination cases filed with the EEOC have seen a 35 percent increase. According to experts, like Sahar Aziz, Esq., even these numbers are low as many Arabs and South Asians of Islamic heritage refuse to report discrimination because they fear losing jobs in these tough economic times.

Imane Boudlal is suing Walt Disney Co. in federal court, saying that she was discriminated against and harassed for her religious beliefs. She also alleges that she unfairly lost her job in 2010 after refusing to remove her hijab at work.

In 2009, the EEOC received 1,490 complaints from Muslims, the fifth consecutive year the number of complaints rose. In 2011, the number of cases had reached a staggering 4151.

According to the New York Times, although Muslims make up less than 2 percent of the United States population, they accounted for about one-quarter of the 3,386 religious discrimination claims filed with the E.E.O.C. last year.

“The trend could reflect a rise in Islamophobia in the workplace or an increased willingness on the part of Muslims to report discrimination — or both,” according to one observer.

>> lawsuit Pg 29

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

10 |COMMUNITY NEWS

Complicated Women’s Fiqh Issues Simplified at Seminar

By Sabera Akhter

the atmosphere alive in the intensive weekend-long course.

Masses of students crowded around a registration table last Friday, as one of AlMaghrib Institute’s most popular classes came to Qabeelat Nurayn, the DC-Maryland-Virginia student body of the institute. The single-weekend seminar, titled “Complicated: A to Z of Women’s Modern Fiqh”, was a success in the area, resulting in over 400 attendees at the Free Friday session opened to the community and well over 200 registrants for the entire class.

Masouna Kochaji, a new student and scholarship recipient, enthusiastic about her first AlMaghrib experience, said, “It seems AlMaghrib is making a difference everywhere they go. This course was absolutely amazing! It almost brought tears to my eyes when I realized how beneficial this course was and how many people don’t have access to courses like this. I learned so much, and I truly feel like the past three days were life changing.”

Muslim Link Contributing Writer

Hosted at the University of Maryland in College Park the weekend of October 12, 2012, the seminar attracted students from all over the nation, including New Jersey and Michigan. Some out-of-state students even opted to take the seminar again after taking it with their local chapter.

Shaykh Waleed Basyouni, Vice President of AlMaghrib Institute and instructor for the course, delved into personal issues, controversial issues, and misconceptions in modern-day communities such as public speaking, purification, beautification, modesty, and leadership. Additionally, he provided the students with an in-depth

look at different opinions surrounding issues of debate among scholars of fiqh.

“My favorite part about the class was the fact that the shaykh allowed students to think critically about the rulings before and after he explained them,” a regular AlMaghrib student commented, “He engaged all the students in meaningful discussions and taught us the different Fiqh opinions on common issues.”

The Shaykh also made sure that students understood the reasons for which the ‘ulama differed on such issues. “It’s not

a matter of an opinion versus an opinion.

It is evidence versus evidence,” Shaykh Waleed constantly repeated throughout the class as the thumb rule for choosing to follow any given opinion in fiqh, “It’s always about the evidence.”

Amidst all the seriousness of matters discussed in class, Shaykh Waleed lightened up the situation with occasional jokes and funny experiences. “Shaykh Waleed really made it fun,” commented Anam Malik, another AlMaghrib student. This allowed students to remain engaged in discussions and helped keep

Similar experiences were expressed to the Nurayn volunteers as the class drew to a close. Numerous sisters and brothers alike walked away from this course enlightened and educated about modern fiqh relating to women. The volunteers will now get back to planning and preparing for the next seminar, “Behind the Scenes: Spiritual Practices of the Best Generations” with Shaykh Omar Suleiman, which they hope will be even more successful than the “Complicated?” seminar. *More information about the next seminar can be found at almaghrib.org.

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October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

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DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR THE NEXT GREAT INVENTION? LET US KNOW AND YOU COULD WIN! HERE’S HOW TO ENTER Muslim Civilization brought amazing developments in science and technology to the world. In honor of this legacy, the Muslim Link is proud to partner with the National Geographic Museum in a contest to see which of our school age readers has the next great invention idea.

Whether it deals with space, medicine, agriculture, robotics, or any other field of science and technology, tell us your idea in 500 words or less making sure to include how your invention will benefit society, and attach a drawing of your invention if applicable. Four winning submissions will be selected each issue, each receiving four tickets to the National Geographic Museum to see the exhibition, 1001 Inventions: Discover the Golden Age of Muslim Civilization. The top winner in each issue will also receive the companion book to the exhibition. The winning invention ideas will be printed in the Muslim Link.

Submissions can be sent via email to editor@muslimlinkpaper.com, or via postal mail to: The Muslim Link, Attn: Next Great Invention Contest, 5301 Edgewood Road, College Park MD 20740. The contest is open to students from kindergarten through high school; students in home schools are also eligible. The contest will run in the following Muslim Link issues: September 21, 2012, October 19, 2012, and November 16, 2012. Submissions for each issue must be received within 3 weeks of the Muslim Link issue date. Only one entry is allowed per submitter.

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

12 |COMMUNITY NEWS

UNDERSTANDING THE 2012 ELECTIONS What is a primary?

A primary election is the preliminary step in the process of electing a candidate running for office in the United States.

Many other countries follow different systems, but a primary election is held in the U.S. to see who will receive the nomination from his or her political party during the convention. The candidate who receives the nomination, will run against the candidate nominated by the other party - or parties as the case may be.

Many voters don’t seem to realize that the primary election is the most important phase. This is when each vote counts the most, because it gives people the ability to decide who the best candidate is. Unfortunately, many people skip the primary election and only vote in the general election.This year the hot primary was in the Republican Party. By February 2012, there were 4 candidates serious candidates, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, U.S. Congressman Ron Paul, former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney and former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum.

In a closed primary, voters must declare which party they support and can vote

only in that party’s primary. In an open primary, voters from any political party can participate. For the presidential race, some states have winner-take-all primaries. That means the candidate with the most votes claims all that state’s delegates (see below). Other states award delegates by proportion. In a proportional primary, a candidate who won 20 percent of the vote would get 20 percent of that state’s delegates.

District of Columbia and Maryland both hold closed primaries - This year they were both held on April 3,2012. The Maryland primary results determined that Mitt Romney got the state's 37 delegates in the winner-take-all contest by winning 52 percent of the votes.

Santorum won 27% and approximately 10% were won by Gingrich and Ron Paul.

Virginia- held an open primary on March 6, 2012 otherwise known as Super Tuesday. Santorum and Gingrich did not make the deadline to have their names on the ballot. Mitt Romney won the primary with 158,053 votes, while Ron Paul had 107,480 votes. Paul's strongest performance was in the Richmond area/ Eastern Virginia, where he received 44 percent of the vote..

What is a caucus?

Although most states hold primaries, caucuses are another way political parties nominate candidates for election.

Caucuses are a series of meetings held across a state. At these meetings, party members discuss the candidates, and then openly vote for state delegates who represent the candidate they support. Those state delegates, in turn, choose delegates to attend the national convention, where they are expected to support the candidate whom they had pledged to support.

In the DMV area only the Democrats in the District of Columbia hold a caucus.

What is a delegate?

A delegate is a member of a political party who helps determine the party’s presidential nominee. Delegates are usually longtime party members, and they vote for the nominee at the party’s national convention. Most of them are required to vote for a certain candidate.

Their vote is determined by the result of primaries or caucuses in their home states.

However, some delegates are unpledged.

That means they can vote as they wish.

Delegates are different from electors (see below).

What is the Electoral College?

U.S. Presidents are not elected directly by voters. Instead, the Electoral College elects each President based on how people vote in each state. Each candidate running for President in your state has his or her own group of electors. The electors are generally chosen by the candidate’s political party.

Under the Electoral College system, each state gets the same number of electors as they have Senators (always two) and members of Congress (which depends on the size of the population).

The more-densely populated states have more electors than less-populated states.

In most states, the candidate who wins a majority of the popular vote wins all of that state’s electoral votes. There are 538 electoral votes, so a candidate must win just over half of them, 270, or more to win.

The meeting of the electors takes place >> elections Pg 32

Senate Holds Hearings On Hate Crimes In Wake of Sikh Temple Massacre

By Muslim Link Staff As the country prepares for elections, it is scarred by attacks on places of worship: during Ramadan, six members of the Sikh community were gunned down in their sanctuary in Oak Creek, WI. The week following the Oak Creek rampage, we saw an unidentified perpetrator throwing an makeshift explosive at an Islamic school in Lombard, Illinois, during prayer services. Shots were fired at the Muslim Community Center in Morton Grove, Illinois, by a neighbor while 500 worshippers were praying during Taraweeh. Then the masjid in Joplin, Missouri was burnt to the ground. It hasn’t ended, as recent news of arson, from the Islamic Center of Toledo, shook the Muslim communities around the country; once again one of our own was attacked.

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There has been a 50 percent rise in the FBI’s count of anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2010.

There has been a 50 percent rise in the FBI’s count of anti-Muslim hate crimes in 2010.

According to the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics, in 2010 there were 6,624 hate crimes, out of which 47.3 percent were motivated by a racial bias and 20.0 percent were motivated by a religious bias. A 2005 study by the Bureau of found that the actual number of hate crimes may be more than 20 times higher than the number reported to the FBI. President Obama signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2009. The Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act "prohibits any person from willfully causing bodily

>> hearings Pg 33

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

COMMUNITY NEWS | 13

MD Muslim Vies for US Senate Seat On Libertarian Party Ticket

By Hena Zuberi

Muslim Link Staff Reporter Dr. Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad had been mulling over the decision to run for Senate for a while. Ahmad, a Ph.D., is an internationally known interdisciplinary scientist of Palestinian descent, born at sea and raised in the United States. He is author of Signs in the Heavens: A Muslim Astronomer's Perspective on Religion and Science, a senior lecturer at the University of Maryland and teaches a course on Islamic, history and civilization at Wesley Theological Seminary. Dr. Ahmad is also the Muslim chaplain at the American University. He is the President of the Minaret of Freedom Institute, a think tank.

A long time resident of Maryland, he is the recipient of many local and county civic awards.

When he received a call from the former chair of the Maryland Libertarian Party asking him if he would be willing to run

for Senate, Ahmad laid down several conditions, which included serious support from the party, as he didn’t want to be a ‘paper’ candidate.

While most of his conditions, including committed volunteers, had been met, the party still didn’t have the money they needed to run the campaign. By April 2012, they were still short but members of the Muslim community also encouraged him to run during Ramadan.

“The Libertarian Party was very emphatic that they want me to run.” Dr. Ahmad is well qualified, being a member of the party since 1975 and the core issues that the party wanted to highlight are the ones being faced primarily by the Muslim community. In 1988, Dr. Ahmad had run for Senate, but was denied ballot access. Since then the party has fought a legal battle for ballot access. He has also managed four Libertarian campaigns including Steve Ziegler’s successful election to School Board in Charles County, Maryland.

Ahmad’s platform includes ‘initiating action to ultimately reduce the federal government to its limited Constitutional functions, allowing state and local governments, businesses, and civil society to handle those responsibilities that the federal government has usurped from them'. Recently, the Muslim Link interviewed Dr. Ahmad.

The party believes the neo-conservatives have used free markets and freedoms and equated it with Islamophobia. “In essence taken away our freedoms. Sacrificing liberty won’t bring security. The party believes that as a devout Muslim, I can be devoted to freedom as well.” He believes that Islam is not only compatible with but also intimately related to free speech, free religious exercise and free markets.

The state took away our ballot status, the party took it to court, the state appealed and we had to collect more signatures and that delayed the start of the campaign.

Maryland Court of Appeals reversed the decision in May 2012. It’s full speed ahead right now. I am making appearances

TML: Why did you announce your candidacy late in the election cycle? What is the game plan for now until Election Day?

Senate Pg 30

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

14 |COMMUNITY NEWS

Advocacy Groups to Mobilize Voter Protection Units

By Muslim Link Staff The Council on American Islamic Relations and the Arab-American AntiDiscrimination Committee have joined forces for the November election in coordinating efforts to increase voter empowerment and election activities in key swing states.

One of the key elements of their mobilization is the Voter Protection Unit, which was set up in 2008. According to the ADC, the VPU plays an important part in protecting the Arab and Muslim American communities ‘from attempts to stifle their right to vote through fear tactics designed to promote hate, division, and hostility’.

“We are expecting it. These problems exist, people are improperly asked for ids, told who they should vote for, turned away from polls and intimidated,” said Abed Ayoub, Legal Director of ADC.

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A report issued by the New York based Demos, a research, policy development and advocacy group says that ‘as we approach the 2012 elections, every indication is that we will see an unprecedented use of voter challenges.”

One of these ‘bully’ organizations is the Tea Party-affiliated True the Vote.

“Organizers of True the Vote claim their goal is to train one million poll watchers to challenge and confront other Americans as they go to the polls in November. They say they want to make the experience of voting “like driving and seeing the police following you,” claims the Demos report.

In examining the ten states’ laws governing challenges to voters’ right to vote before Election Day, including the use of voter lists created through caging or other unreliable practices, the report found Virginia as unsatisfactory. This is of particular concern to American Muslims as Virginia has a dense Muslim population.

The points that the report found concerning was the following: “In Virginia, any qualified voter may challenge another voter at the polls on Election Day, which leaves the voters of Virginia at the mercy of anyone who may want to show up at the polls and be disruptive. However, at least any challenge must be in writing.”

The report recommends that Virginia state law may be ”too vague and unclear and make it too easy for baseless challenges which throw up barriers to the voting rights of eligible, fully qualified registered voters. In order properly to protect voters’ rights to be able to cast their vote free of inappropriate challenges, rules governing the challenge process should be very clear and procedural safeguards should be in place.”

Election Monitor District Representative: • Will serve as the go-to person to election monitors across a voting district.

• Responsible for contacting the City or County Clerk should an issue arise.

• Set schedules across a district and be responsible for strategically placing monitors.

• Responsible for reporting to the ADCVPU on the day‘s activities.

• Someone familiar with election monitoring, organized, familiar with the voting district.

Election Monitor: • Primary responsibility will be to ensure the fairness of the election process.

• Will be placed at a polling station by the District Representative.

• Will be given specific instructions on what to look for on Election Day. • Will be provided instructions on how to report any acts of voter intimidation • Willing to commit to a 3-4 hour block and have be able to carry out the duties.

>> protection Pg 32

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

COMMUNITY NEWS | 15

Understanding the Questions on the Maryland Ballot Prepared by Muslim Link Staff

United States Constitution.

QUESTION 1 Requires judges of the Orphans' Court for Prince George's County to be admitted to practice law in this State and to be a member in good standing of the Maryland Bar.

Question 5 uses phrases like “required by constitution” without referring to race or redistricting. Map would split majorityminority Montgomery County into three districts that will be represented by white men in Congress.

QUESTION 2 Requires judges of the Orphans' Court for Baltimore County to be admitted to practice law in this State and to be a member in good standing of the Maryland Bar.

How and where districts are drawn in the state will often determine if your community can elect representatives of choice to sit on your local school board, city council, state legislature and Congress. It can also influence whether or not elected officials respond to the community’s needs, such as ensuring equal educational opportunities or health care for everyone.

QUESTION 3 Changes the point at which an elected official charged with certain crimes is automatically suspended or removed from office. Under existing law, an elected official who is convicted or pleads no contest is suspended and is removed only when the conviction becomes final.

Under the amended law, an elected official is suspended when found guilty and is removed when the conviction becomes final or when the elected official pleads guilty or no contest.

QUESTION 4 Establishes that individuals, including undocumented immigrants, are eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at community colleges in Maryland, provided the student meets certain conditions relating to attendance and graduation from a Maryland high school, filing of income taxes, intent to apply for permanent residency, and registration with the selective service system (if required); makes such students eligible to pay instate tuition rates at a four-year public college or university if the student has first completed 60 credit hours or graduated from a community college in Maryland; provides that students qualifying for in-state tuition rates by this method will not be counted as in-state students for purposes of counting undergraduate enrollment; and extends the time in which honorably discharged veterans may qualify for in-state tuition rates.

Question 5 Language Used: Establishes the boundaries for the State's eight United States Congressional Districts based on recent census figures, as required by the

In Maryland, critics including many Democrats say that the result would be that Montgomery, a county where minorities make up the majority, according to 2010 Census data, would be splintered into three districts, all likely represented by white men. This ‘cracking’ of the county is upsetting many minority communities “Doug Gansler, the attorney general is clearly failing in his fiduciary duty to protect the voting rights of black and brown folks in Montgomery County,” said Radamase Cabrera, a minority voters advocate.

Republicans and other conservative voters emphasis that Governor O’Malley and fellow Democrats are involved in political gerrymandering and seek to oust Western Maryland’s 10-term Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (R) by moving liberal voters in Montgomery County into the traditionally conservative 6th Congressional District.

Redistricting is a topic of extreme importance as it determines the allocation of political power. Participating in this process is vital.

Question 6 Same-Sex Marriage ballot wording has been changed to make it seem more acceptable to religious people.

Language Used: Establishes that Maryland's civil marriage laws allow gay and lesbian couples to obtain a civil marriage license, provided they are not

otherwise prohibited from marrying; protects clergy from having to perform any particular marriage ceremony in violation of their religious beliefs; affirms that each religious faith has exclusive control over its own theological doctrine regarding who may marry within that faith; and provides that religious organizations and certain related entities are not required to provide goods, services, or benefits to an individual related to the celebration or promotion of marriage in violation of their religious beliefs.

Question 6 addresses the Civil Marriage Protection Act and gives gays and lesbians the right to file for civil marriage license in the state of Maryland.

If enacted, the Civil Marriage Protection Act would repeal the reference to a marriage being a union between man and woman, specifying instead that a valid marriage in Maryland is between “two individuals who are not otherwise prohibited from marrying.”

“The issue is that that marriage in the state of Maryland is between a man and a woman. They are changing the definition of marriage. Now if that is to be changed to between two men or two women. It removes the distinction between men and women. This will destroy the foundations of morality in our state. I am seventy years old, this society was never like this,” says Melvin Bilal, who is among the leaders who formed the coalition with Orthodox Jews, black churches and other faith leaders.“We are as much against this initiative as any other religious community in Maryland.” said Bilal.

Muslim leaders took the initiative and reached out to the Maryland Marriage Alliance campaign, not only requesting thousands of petitions to be circulated in their mosques, but offering to work in partnership through November.

There is great concern in the Muslim community in Maryland about the wordings used on the actual ballot. “It appears as if Question 6 is actually affirming the right of religious institutions, but it is actually getting you to support the legalization that Governor O'Malley signed into law in March. We don't need to vote on religious institution's right to teach, preach and define as it wishes. That

right is already established. Voting against question six would be a move to strike the law.” says Faiza Coleman-Salako, an active community member.

In fact, despite the verbiage used on the ballot, church and mosque leaderships believe that it will lead to censorship of what the Bible and Qur’an preach about homosexuality.

“Even if we support President Obama, it is our duty to stand up for issues that go against our religious beliefs. You cannot be Muslim and support same sex marriage, it is a condition of our deen and if you do support it than it is a misunderstanding of the deen, “ says Talib Karim, the President of the Muslim Democratic Caucus. “The Muslim Democrats of DC are 100 percent in support of the Maryland Marriage Initiative and urge Muslims to vote against Question 6 and 7.”

Other prominent Muslim leaders are for same-sex marriage. Keith Ellison Congressman from Minnesota believes, “ that the right to marry someone who you please is so fundamental it should not be subject to popular approval anymore than we should vote on whether blacks should be allowed to sit in the front of the bus” "The constitution ... ought to grant and confer rights, not take them away. I think anyone's attitude about homosexuality is irrelevant. At the end of the day, it's about fundamental liberty, not whether you agree with this or not." says Ellison.

Muslim leaders who are a part of the Alliance stress that domestic partnership laws in Maryland give many of the same rights to gay couples therefore traditional marriage need not be redefined. “Why did they not ask to expand their civil union rights, why go after the institution of marriage.? To those who try to connect it to racial discrimination, I ask them, when gay people walks into a place no one can tell by their faces that they are gay or not, they can tell when I walk in somewhere what my race is.” says Bilal.

In the event the same-sex marriage measure prevails, some legal observers note that Maryland might also be obligated >> questions Pg 34

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

16 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Arts & Entertainment A Conversation with a Muslimah Novelist The Muslim Link sits down with author of 'If I Should Speak'

By Muslim Link Staff Ask anyone who knows anything about Muslim fiction and they will suggest a title from world-famous Umm Zakiyyah's books. That is how I was introduced to her writing. Several years ago, I was searching for some inspiring fiction for girls in my youth group in Los Angeles.

I asked around and ordered her book, If I Should Speak, over the internet, and, mashaAllah, was hooked.

Umm Zakiyyah's parents accepted Islam before she was born and she grew up in a Muslim home. Born in Long Island, NY, she spent most of her childhood in Indianapolis, IN, where her father was a prominent community activist.

Umm Zakiyyah attended Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where she graduated with a degree in elementary education in 1997.

She wrote her first book in 2001, If I Should Speak. Umm Zakiyyah has also written A Voice, and Footsteps, which formed the last two novels in the If I Should Speak trilogy and Realities of Submission. Both If I Should Speak and her novel Hearts We Lost are being made into movies.

She is often asked to speak at events from local halaqas to national conferences.

A regular columnist for SaudiLife and Muslimmatters.org, she keeps her fingers on the pulse of contemporary Muslim life, exploring topics as diverse as prejudice and self-hate in the Muslim community to elementary school education. A wife, teacher, mother and inspirational speaker, she doesn't view herself as “wearing many hats,” "but as simply fulfilling the many roles that are natural to the state of affairs of every human on earth, male or female."

Readers often wonder about the person who writes words that makes them

....

reflect, reach deep into their souls and question the state of their iman. What are they really like? A few weeks ago, I met Umm Zakiyyah, after Jumu'ah in a small musalla in College Park, Maryland. I was a bit nervous as you are anytime you meet someone that you have only known through the internet; you don't know what to expect. Words come to life.

Alhamdulillah, I found her laid back, easy to banter with and oh so humble. She was on vacation, visiting family and friends in the U.S. including her college roommate, who accepted Islam years after she gave her da'wah.

TML: What topics do you write about and what inspires you daily?

I write about spiritual, cultural, and personal struggles that humans often face on a daily basis. Though most of my characters are Muslims, I also include the struggles of non-Muslims as they interact with Muslims and face the often surprising reality that Islam is actually the truth.

Daily, I am inspired by both the practical and spiritual reality of my life and the lives of others. My practical inspiration comes from experiences and incidents that include both the mundane and the profound. So I may be inspired to write after a relatively routine professional or friendly conversation if something sticks out to me as particularly interesting or disturbing. I’m also inspired to write after hearing of someone’s journey to Islam, someone’s struggle in a difficult marriage, or even after hearing of someone giving up on Islamic spirituality altogether.

But mostly, I’m inspired by my own spirituality and my desire to share both the veracity of the Islamic faith with the world and the message to Muslims that staying true to one’s faith is a struggle for everyone, even for those we perceive as “good Muslims.”

TML: How much of your writing is based on your real life observations and how much of it is pure fiction?

In my opinion, there is no such thing as “pure fiction” where writing is concerned. All writing is based on real life observations, even if these observations inspire an author to pen a science fiction or fantasy story. The only question is ‘How closely does the story represent these real life observations?’ Sometimes the correlation is very close, sometimes not.

However, in my case, I would say that as far as the definition of fiction goes, from both the Islamic and literary perspective, all of my novels are “pure fiction” in the technical sense. In other words, no single character from any of my books exists in reality, and neither I nor anyone I know has experienced verbatim what any particular character has experienced. At the same time, my personal experiences and observations are evident in every story I write, though none of my stories are memoirs or biographies in any way.

TML: Even though you now live in Saudi Arabia, you have ties to the DMV area, please share your favorite places of interest, Islamic Centers you frequented?

What do you miss about the US? MaashaAllah, that’s a good question.

I’ve never thought about my ties to the DC-Maryland-Virginia area in that way.

But I suppose my primary “place of interest” isn’t a physical place so much as it is just being around family and friends, wherever they are. I’ve frequented many Islamic centers while I lived in the DCmetropolitan area, and I value all of those experiences and friendships. However, some of my fondest memories come from my experience as a teacher at Al-Huda school.

Mostly, I miss my family and friends in the US. I also miss the homey feeling of being

in a familiar culture and amongst my “own people”. However, the benefits of living around nearly all Muslims, hearing the adhaan every day, being able to shop and go to work without feeling “different”, and having the opportunity to take a weekend trip to Makkah or Madinah whenever I wish heavily outweighs anything I miss about living “at home.”

TML: You are the mother of a teenager and a teacher, what is your most important piece of advice for parents of teenagers?

Honestly, although I’m an experienced teacher and the mother of a teenager, I feel as if I’m still learning. But if I were to share any advice with a parent, especially of teenagers, it would be two things: Firstly, stay focused on what’s most important for both you and them—meeting Allah as a Muslim. This means bearing in mind that other than the foundational matters and issues about which there are clear, unambiguous instructions in the Qur’an and Sunnah, we should not seek to mold others to see and do things as we do, whether these involve worldly or spiritual matters. I often meet parents who literally choose their children’s lives for them step-by-step, from what color or style of clothes they “must” wear to what career or marriage partner they “must” choose. This almost always perplexes me.

Often when my daughter asks my advice on a practical or spiritual matter, I tell her to research the matter and make du’aa or Istikhaarah. “It’s your decision” I often say. Yes, I may share with her my own views and reasons for them, but I do not compel her to hold them for herself. After all, the only reasons I myself have these views is because I researched, prayed, and made a personal decision that I stick to today. To me, this is my role as a parent: to equip my daughter with the practical and

author Pg 35

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

CIVIL RIGHTS

Civil Rights

| 17

Intelligence Effort Named Citizens, Not Terrorists A multibillion-dollar information-sharing program created in the aftermath of 9/11 has improperly collected information about innocent Americans and produced little valuable intelligence on terrorism, a Senate report concludes.

The Associated Press, October 16, 2012 A multibillion-dollar information-sharing program created in the aftermath of 9/11 has improperly collected information about innocent Americans and produced little valuable intelligence on terrorism, a Senate report concludes. It portrays an effort that ballooned far beyond anyone's ability to control.

What began as an attempt to put local, state and federal officials in the same room analyzing the same intelligence has instead cost huge amounts of money for data-mining software, flat screen televisions and, in Arizona, two fully equipped Chevrolet Tahoes that are used for commuting, investigators found.

The lengthy, bipartisan report is a scathing evaluation of what the Department of Homeland Security has held up as a crown jewel of its security efforts. The report underscores a reality of post-9/11 Washington: National security programs tend to grow, never shrink, even when their money and manpower far surpass the actual subject of terrorism. Much of this money went for ordinary local crime-fighting.

Disagreeing with the critical conclusions of the report, Homeland Security says it is outdated, inaccurate and too focused on information produced by the program, ignoring benefits to local governments from their involvement with federal intelligence officials.

Because of a convoluted grants process set up by Congress, Homeland Security officials don't know how much they have spent in their decade-long effort to set up so-called fusion centers in every state.

Because of a convoluted grants process set up by Congress, Homeland Security officials don't know how much they have spent in their decadelong effort to set up so-called fusion centers in every state.

Government estimates range from less than $300 million to $1.4 billion in federal money, plus much more invested by state and local governments. Federal funding is pegged at about 20 percent to 30 percent.

period and concluded that most had nothing to do with terrorism. The panel's chairman is Democrat Carl Levin of Michigan, the ranking Republican Tom Coburn of Oklahoma.

Despite that, Congress is unlikely to pull the plug. That's because, whether or not

"The subcommittee investigation could identify no reporting which uncovered

"The subcommittee investigation could identify no reporting which uncovered a terrorist threat, nor could it identify a contribution such fusion center reporting made to disrupt an active terrorist plot," the report said. it stops terrorists, the program means politically important money for state and local governments.

A Senate Homeland Security subcommittee reviewed more than 600 unclassified reports over a one-year

a terrorist threat, nor could it identify a contribution such fusion center reporting made to disrupt an active terrorist plot," the report said.

When fusion centers did address terrorism, they sometimes did so in ways that

infringed on civil liberties. The centers have made headlines for circulating information about Ron Paul supporters, the ACLU, activists on both sides of the abortion debate, war protesters and advocates of gun rights.

One fusion center cited in the Senate investigation wrote a report about a Muslim community group's list of book recommendations. Others discussed American citizens speaking at mosques or talking to Muslim groups about parenting.

No evidence of criminal activity was contained in those reports. The government did not circulate them, but it kept them on government computers.

The federal government is prohibited from storing information about First Amendment activities not related to crimes.

"It was not clear why, if DHS had determined that the reports were improper to disseminate, the reports were proper to store indefinitely," the report said.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Matthew Chandler called the report "out of date, inaccurate and misleading." He said that it focused entirely on information being produced by fusion centers and did not consider the benefit the involved officials got receiving intelligence from the federal government.

The report is as much an indictment of Congress as it is the Homeland Security Department. In setting up the department, lawmakers wanted their states to decide what to spend the money on. Time and again, that setup has meant the federal government has no way to know how its fusion Pg 41

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18 | ADVERTISEMENT

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

ISLAM | 19

Islam

Psychological Tsunami The Effects of Domestic Violence

By Haleh Banani, MA Clinical Psychology As Huda slowly gained consciousness on the floor, she became aware of her surroundings. She felt the cold tile beneath her and the taste of blood in her mouth. The thundering sound of her husband, yelling and cursing at her, became disturbingly clear and his menacing image slowly came into focus.

Fear filled her heart that he may strike again. Her trembling body felt so weak, helpless and vulnerable. He ruthlessly kicked her in her gut one last, fatal blow.

Huda was pronounced dead later that evening along with her baby girl who had survived 6 months of brutality in the womb.

There are millions of desperate women like Huda who live their life in constant

terror, feeling trapped and unworthy of love. Many of them suffer silently, too immobilized by fear and too consumed with shame to expose their husbands.

Domestic violence transcends socioeconomic status, affecting all levels of income, education, ethnicity, religion and occupation. This tragedy poisons our societies worldwide. The first simple and necessary step is awareness.

Shocking Statistics: • 2,000 to 4,000 women are beaten to DEATH annually in the U.S. • According to the Center for Disease over 300,000 PREGNANT WOMEN report suffering abuse during pregnancy.1 • Every day, at least three women are killed in the U.S. by their partners.2 • Nearly 6 million women will be battered

in any single year.

• Battery is the SINGLE MAJOR CAUSE of injury to women exceeding street rape, muggings or auto accidents.

• In the U.S., a woman's chance of being assaulted at home by her partner is greater than those of a police officer being assaulted on the job.

Domestic violence affects the psychological and emotional well being of a woman the way a tsunami brings colossal destruction and unparalleled devastation to a metropolitan city. The unpredictability and dangerous nature of men who abuse their wives creates terror, anxiety and depression in women, the way a storm indiscriminately destroys without warning; leaving inhabitants in a state of shock and constant fear.

The deep, emotional scars last much longer than the superficial bruises and broken bones that usually demand our attention and provoke our sympathy.

The emotional debris will take years to completely be cleared causing emotional bankruptcy and vulnerability which can lead to suicide. The ferocious waves of violence cause a series of long lasting,

psychological damages: Depression Domestic violence floods women with feelings of sadness, hopelessness and despair which generally lead to depression. 60% of battered women reported having depression which is the most common symptom of domestic violence. Depression is a mood disorder in which feelings of sadness, loss, anger, or frustration interfere with everyday life for weeks or longer. Sadness affects every aspect of life: thoughts, feelings, sleeping, eating, physical health, relationships and the ability to function at work. When victims experience interpersonal violence from a spouse or family member, they are at high risk for mental and emotional illnesses. There is a strong feeling of abandonment, betrayal and instability when they are abused by someone who should be protecting and nurturing them.

Although it is natural to feel sad when

violence Pg 36

"The Most Beautiful Flower" The park bench was deserted as I sat down to read Beneath the long, straggly branches of an old willow tree.

Disillusioned by life with good reason to frown, For the world was intent on dragging me down.

And if that weren't enough to ruin my day, A young boy out of breath approached me, all tired from play.

He stood right before me with his head tilted down And said with great excitement, "Look what I found!"

In his hand was a flower, and what a pitiful sight, With its petals all worn -- not enough rain, or too little light.

Wanting him to take his dead flower and go off to play, I faked a small smile and then shifted away.

But instead of retreating he sat next to my side And placed the flower to his nose and declared with overacted surprise, "It sure smells pretty and it's beautiful, too.

That's why I picked it; here, it's for you."

The weed before me was dying or dead.

Not vibrant of colours, orange, yellow or red.

But I knew I must take it, or he might never leave.

So I reached for the flower, and replied, "Just what I need."

But instead of him placing the flower in my hand, He held it midair without reason or plan.

It was then that I noticed for the very first time That weed-toting boy could not see: he was blind.

I heard my voice quiver, tears shone like the sun As I thanked him for picking the very best one.

"You're welcome," he smiled, and then ran off to play, Unaware of the impact he'd had on my day.

I sat there and wondered how he managed to see A self-pitying woman beneath an old willow tree.

How did he know of my self-indulged plight?

Perhaps from his heart, he'd been blessed with true sight.

flower Pg 38

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

20 | ISLAM

Salaah times for October 19th - November 15th, 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.

Day

Date

Hijri

Fajr

Sunrise

Dhuhr

Asr

Maghrib

Isha

Fri

Oct 19

3/12

6:10

7:22

12:53

3:57

6:24

7:37

Sat

20

4/12

6:11

7:23

12:53

3:56

6:22

7:36

Sun

21

5/12

6:12

7:24

12:53

3:55

6:21

7:34

Mon

22

6/12

6:13

7:25

12:53

3:54

6:20

7:33

Tue

23

7/12

6:14

7:26

12:53

3:53

6:18

7:32

Wed

24

8/12

6:15

7:27

12:53

3:52

6:17

7:31

Thu

25

9/12

6:16

7:28

12:53

3:51

6:16

7:30

Fri

26

10/12

6:17

7:29

12:52

3:50

6:15

7:28

Sat

27

11/12

6:17

7:30

12:52

3:49

6:13

7:27

Sun

28

12/12

6:18

7:31

12:52

3:48

6:12

7:26

Mon

29

13/12

6:19

7:32

12:52

3:47

6:11

7:25

Tue

30

14/12

6:20

7:33

12:52

3:46

6:10

7:24

Wed

31

15/12

6:21

7:34

12:52

3:45

6:09

7:23

Thu

Nov 1

16/12

6:22

7:35

12:52

3:44

6:07

7:22

Fri

2

17/12

6:23

7:36

12:52

3:43

6:06

7:21

Sat

3

18/12

6:24

7:38

12:52

3:42

6:05

7:20

Sun

4

19/12

5:25

6:39

11:52

2:41

5:04

6:19

Mon

5

20/12

5:26

6:40

11:52

2:41

5:03

6:18

Tue

6

21/12

5:27

6:41

11:52

2:40

5:02

6:17

Wed

7

22/12

5:28

6:42

11:52

2:39

5:01

6:16

Thu

8

23/12

5:29

6:43

11:52

2:38

5:00

6:16

Fri

9

24/12

5:30

6:44

11:52

2:37

4:59

6:15

Sat

10

25/12

5:31

6:45

11:53

2:37

4:58

6:14

Sun

11

26/12

5:31

6:45

11:53

2:37

4:58

6:14

Mon

12

27/12

5:32

6:46

11:53

2:36

4:58

6:13

Tue

13

28/12

5:34

6:49

11:53

2:35

4:56

6:12

Wed

14

29/12

5:35

6:50

11:53

2:34

4:55

6:11

Thu

15

1/1

5:36

6:51

11:53

2:34

4:54

6:11

Get Involved with The Muslim Link become a Reporter

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email us at editor@muslimlinkpaper.com ....

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012 zoning

>> continued from pg 1

the next 6 months, or by summer of 2013.

The property, located in the small town of Cooksville in Howard County's rural western portion, is currently zoned to be used as an educational campus from kindergarten through the college level.

Dar-us-Salaam is applying for additional zoning approvals to allow for a large masjid and community center.

septic system capacity, parking lots, engineering, architectural, and attorney fees.

Dar-us-Salaam has secured the property with a $250,000 deposit. If Dar-usSalaam is unable to raise the purchase price by this coming summer, they would be forced to forfeit the deposit.

“We are trying every which way to raise [the $10 million], giving presentations and proposals to dignitaries, one on one

CONTINUED| 21 fundraising with business people and well endowed families, and also simple things like bake sales and fundraising dinners.

All we can do is exert effort, trusting in Allah. If we do that sincerely, the outcome of already known,” said Fadlullah Firman, the campaign manager.

For more information on the project, visit www.homeoftheheart.org.

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“We are looking towards the future growth of the Muslim community in the region, so we are applying for a phased development plan over ten to fifteen years, with the aim of developing an education and community campus that can serve several thousand people,” said Sayeed Jaweed, a Dar-us-Salaam board member.

Dar-us-Salaam hopes to obtain approvals for a masjid that can accommodate between 2,500 and 5,000 people at one time.

“The design for the masjid will be such that a [small] portion will be used for daily salah, and then the full space can be used for large prayers like Eid and during Ramadan,” explained Jaweed.

Public water and sewer lines do not extend to rural Howard County, and the 66-acre property is served by deep wells dug about 300 feet deep. Waste water is processed through an on-site septic system.

“The previous owners invested around $15 million into the infrastructure here, building a high capacity water system, septic system, adding turning lanes onto the main road, and leveling out large portions of the grounds. It was Allah's plan that the [Catholic school] wasn't able to build out their future campus, and now its our opportunity to make that dream our reality, in shaa Allah,” said Fadlullah Firman, the campaign manager for Dar-us-Salaam's “Home of the Heart” fundraising campaign for the new property.

The cost of the property – which already has a school building built in 2005 and five modular buildings ready to be used – is $8 million. An additional $2 million is needed for costs like adding additional

....

October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

22 | CONTINUED Festival

>> continued from pg 5

attend,” This thought was echoed by other attendees, in fact there was a Hajj seminar being broadcast by Shaykh Abu Zaid from ICM at the same time as the festival.

Ismat, a vendor of South Asian clothes and jewelry had come from Laurel and

was a little disappointed with the turnout.

“Usually I do really well, but today I didn’t make my gas money, I guess I do better where the desi crowd is bigger,” she said.

The event was also a canned food drive.

The canned food will be delivered to the local food bank, Manna Food Center in Montgomery County. Manna feeds about 3,300 families each month at 14 locations

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....

throughout the county.

Even the vendors took part in the canned goods drive, donating cans in lieu of 50 percent of the booth fee. The booth fee was $50.

Abdul Rahman was regular at ICM, looked longingly at the ongoing construction. He was attending the event with his wife, Syeda and daughter LuAnn. “Maybe

Method: 1. Mix flour, chili paste, salt & water and combine until the texture is smooth. The texture should be thick but not too watery.

2. Throw in the chopped onions, chives, sliced chili, corns, prawns and combine.

3. Heat a large pot with cooking oil (a deep fryer would be perfect). When the oil is heated properly, it’s time to cook the cucur udang.

4. Scoop a spoonful of the cucur udang mixture and drop it into the oil for frying. Don’t cramp too many pieces at one time as they need room to fry around until they reach a golden brown color, about 3-5 minutes.

5. Transfer to a cooling rack and repeat with remaining mixture.

This recipe makes about 20 cucur udang, enough for 4 persons.

Recipe via rasamalaysia.com

next year, we can have the event in the new lot.” ICM has an ongoing expansion project and hopes to physically expand by building a gym, cafeteria and classrooms.

George Leventhal, a local county councilman had been invited but Dasti wasn’t sure if he had attended.

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012 fun

>> continued from pg 4

to instructions from him on what to do once we departed.

At a cruising altitude of 12,000 feet, Barhuma jumped first. He was whipped away by the fiercely howling wind so quickly that I barely noticed his departure.

Within a blink of an eye, he was gone with the wind, a blur.

I was next.

“Bismillah,” I mumbled as my tandem jumper and I mounted the exiting platform that protruded from the belly of the plane, and next—and there is no better way to put this—we just jumped!

I stretched my arms out like I did when I was a child, and when I used to imagine my body was soaring through the sky, only this time it was for real. I was flying!

Rather, I was falling at 120 miles per hour toward mother earth, face first.

The experience wasn’t quite like I imagined as a child. It was cold, bone chilling cold. The 40 second freefall felt orphan

>> continued from pg 5

video to YouTube that was played at the event. “Orphans are a part of the Ummah, The Prophet was a part of this key demographic.. Be a part of the solution by serving. Sign up ASAP!.” He related how he had started sponsoring his first orphan at the age of 14 and urged everyone to take flyers and host their own orphan sponsorship drive.

Humnah, 7, from Rockville, MD was hanging out with her aunt. She said she learned that orphan does not have a mom or a dad. After watching the video presented by Islamic Relief about the 143 million orphans around the world, she said she was really happy that a lot of people were signing up and helping out. “ I like it when the kid didn’t have anything and then Islamic Relief helped him out,” Humnah said with a shy smile.

“SubhanAllah it was by Allah's blessings that people just stepped up and wanted

like it would last forever. We were fast approaching the edge of a cloud beneath us. I expected some resistance and braced myself for “turbulence.” I can take it, I thought. We cut through the white mass so fast that I barely felt the moist beads of fine mist. The cloud offered no resistance, no struggle. It was welcoming.

Now beneath the cloud, my tandem jumper pulled the ripcord of the parachute and a majestic blue canopy jetted upward and spread like an angel’s wing over us, slowing us to a near still pace. It was getting warmer now; my body was less tense. “Subhanallah!” was all I could think to say at the scenery of the earth below us: lush green fields, sparkling ponds of water, and an occasional lone car winding a narrow road. A steady tear fell from my left eye. No, not that kind of tear! It was from the pressure of the cold wind that sliced under my goggles while we were freefalling.

I spotted Barhuma below. He and J.D. were twirling toward the tops of lofty green trees. I thought their gentle dance with nature would result in catastrophe, and Barhuma’s feet would clip the pointy tops of the trees, but there is no dramatic

to help. Different families helped with each station and activity at the event.

Alhamdolillah it was a great success and I pray that the children and adults benefited and learned about those who are less fortunate,” said Humaira Syed as she enlisted volunteers to help clean up after the puppet show.

The sponsorship drive was a success with 20 orphans sponsored by participants.

Everyone who signed up online for a sponsorship, received a folder with a picture of their friend who they were going to provide for bi’idnillah. Khadijah Ouheb, the IR representative who presented the event said "the dream is that these kids we help will become future donors themselves." She also asked for volunteers to sign up for the Islamic Relief event for Mali that will take place at the end of December, 2012.

If you want to sponsor an orphan please visit http://www.irusa.org/campaigns/ orphans/

CONTINUED | 23 story line like that to tell.

When we approached our landing, Barhuma was already on earth. Our decent was slowly paced, manufactured, until my tandem jumper pulled a fast one on me. In one fell swoop, we dropped about 50 feet rapidly, and I thought we were going to hit earth so hard that we would pierce it. Suddenly, he masterfully controlled the canopy so that we landed tiptoed, with barely a jolly jot on contact.

I made it!

Waiting for us on the ground was Chris with video camera in hand, laughing uncontrollably at my clumsy attempt at an intrepid gait as I regained my composure. The three of us huddled near Barhuma’s landing spot for a rousing display of chest-butting and back slapping machismo, complete with howls.

Chris almost didn’t jump. J.D. revealed to us later that he, the pilot, and the other tandem jumper deliberated on whether Chris would jump because of his height and build. Chris’ height skirted with the upper height limit of 6 feet, four inches.

He’s a towering 6 feet, three and one-half inches tall, and like the rest of us wannabe

body builders, he is likewise built. They decided he could jump, but not with us.

He had the privilege of jumping solo, attached to my tandem jumper, and from a much swankier Cessna than the one Ibrahim and I had leaped from.

During Chris’ decent to earth, my tandem jumper pulled the same fast one on him as he did on me, and Chris let out an unmistakable shriek.

“Would you jump again?” Barhuma asked.

“Let’s do it now,” Chris replied hurriedly.

We all had our moments that seemed to grant permission for the resulting macho trash talking, typical of brothers who share the same death-defying adventure. In the end, we conquered what some consider an irreversible fear, and transformed it into a moment of gleeful triumph, made splendid by our camaraderie.

Kevin Bryant is an Adjunct Professor at the University of the District of Columbia Community College and a Community Planner for a local community action agency.

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October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012 Election

>> continued from pg 1

participate in politics. Among those citizen and are eligible to vote, American Muslims have some of the highest rates of voter registrations.The data suggest that American Muslims are concerned with domestic issues, with the economy in particular.

Being active members of their faith-based communities results in higher acts of civic engagement. The higher the rate of religiosity or actively involvement in the masjid , the more involved Muslims are in political participation.

The Muslim Bloc Vote The American Muslim Taskforce (AMT), a think tank with a Political Action Committee (PAC) is set to conduct its own poll and may endorse a presidential candidate by late October. “Muslim voting block is very critical.” Naeem Baig, Chairman of American Muslim Taskforce said as he addressed a leadership conference for young American Muslim activists and emerging leaders in Virginia.

Earlier in the election cycle, AMT urged voters to use the following criteria to select a presidential candidate: Position on Civil Rights, Performance Record, Funding Sources, Campaign Coalitions, and Inclusiveness.

Omar Zaki, President of CAIR National said he is seeing mobilizing in key states.” Look at 2000 and today, there is a difference in night and day in American Muslim activism. We have to control the issues. People need to understand the concerns and stop being pawns.” Affluent American Muslims must vote as a bloc and not change side from election year to election year, he told a packed hall at the CAIR Annual convention.

“We are emotional we need to take the emotions out otherwise we won’t make a difference. We will see the differences in 10-15 years. Patience and perseverance as the Prophet Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam taught us.”

DC political activist Talib Karim quotes classical scholarship when he emphasizes the need to vote as a community, on there being an agreement based on

the best interest of the community. ”If we are acting independently on our own that is against the proper protocol of engagement. As I understand the allowances in being allowed to vote in non Muslims land, one of the criteria is that Muslims vote as a bloc for the benefit of all Muslims.” said Karim. His organization, the Muslim Democratic Caucus is not formally a part of AMT; he felt that they should be invited to join.

As the November election date comes closer Muslim Democrats are in full swing. A record number of Muslims delegates attended the Democratic convention this year. A recent action alert sent by the Muslim Democrats stated that Muslims have far more voters in these states than the margin of victory. It means if Muslims vote and mobilize other Democratic votes, they can actually make a huge difference by swinging a state and determining the results of a national election.

Groups like Muslims for Obama are using social media like Facebook to encourage young Muslims to volunteer time at The Democratic National Convention Headquarters phone bank. Asking them to “exercise your active role as an American Muslim and take part in one of the most historic political campaigns!”

After 9/11 the community as a whole started shifting away from the Republican platform after throwing themselves behind George W. Bush and voted for John Kerry in 2004. In the 2008 election Muslims put their overwhelming support behind Democrats.

Obama’s Report Card and the Muslim Vote This year the challenge that civic leaders and organizations face is that many American Muslims are not too excited about either presidential candidate or party. This voter apathy is seen across the board, across ages, professions, ethnicities. Much of this results from Muslims putting their hopes on President Obama, expecting a wave of change, only to be disappointed.

Many of the points the Muslim community asked President Obama to address after his election were not met. Obama failed to remedy civil rights problems with the immigration enforcement program, "Secure Communities.” He has failed to

CONTINUED | 25 reform Guidance Regarding the Use of Race in Federal Law Enforcement, which allows racial profiling in national security and border integrity investigation and opened the door to the FBI's racial and ethnic mapping program. He backtracked on his promise to shut down Guantanamo Bay. He has voted to extend the Patriot Act, calling it a useful tool and recently passed the National Defense Authorization Act which allows for indefinite military detention. The failure to end secret evidence, halt the application of ex post facto laws and Electronic Surveillance, coupled with his foreign policy, use of predator drones on civilians in in Muslim countries and extrajudicial killings of American citizens rankles many prior Muslim supporters.

Mustafa Abdul Rahman, 18, College Student.

In 2009 Muslim leaders, under the umbrella of AMT, highlighted their concerns to the Obama Administration facing the Muslim population in America.

Another leading national organization, MPAC (Muslim Public Affairs Council) has been hosting presidential debate viewing parties in their national headquarters in Washington D.C. Recently, the Muslim Public Affairs Council conducted a national online poll of American Muslims to determine the top 10 concerns in this election.

According to their results, immigration, the environment, taxes and the federal budget, and national security were the highest on the list. This was an online poll, so the demographics reached may have been different if a different methodology was used. Results may have been vastly different as well.

1. Stop Infiltrating and Spying on Mosques.

Failed 2. Stop Entrapment, Agent Provocateurs Failed 3. Stop Targeting Legitimate Organizations Failed 4. Eliminate Guilt by Association Failed 5. Disassemble Fusion Centers Failed “The challenge is that Muslims are not too excited [about the Presidential Election]. Obama’s tone is softer, however Islamophobia has increased, The extreme right was let loose. The Republican platform has openly attacked and questioned our loyalty. There were 742 Muslim under watch under George Bush administration, today there are more than a 1 million people on the terror watch list under the Obama Administration.”

Baig stated.

“You have two individuals that campaign against each other spending millions and millions of dollars on advertisements, talking about how they promise a change in the country when in reality nothing is in their hands. In my eyes the presidential election is just two animals facing off on who should be king of the jungle.

But in all honesty the president is just a puppet. Whether it would be Obama or Romney as President nothing will change for the Muslims. We are ruled by a corrupt government and by changing the president, nothing happens. Its a waste.“

Yalla Vote! is a project of the ArabAmerican Institute. They say that “ the Arab-American community has been organized and engaged more than ever before, and we're not the only ones that are noticing.” On Friday, October 12, 2012, they endorsed Mitt Romney and the Romney campaign announced “Arab Americans for Romney,” a national coalition of Arab American supporters of Gov. Mitt Romney’s bid for the presidency of the United States. This comes as a surprise to many ArabAmerican Muslims, who look at his choice of Middle Eastern Advisor, Walid Phares and see a war criminal.

The diversity of American Muslims is a challenge for leaders, as accurate numbers are difficult to gather and language and cultural differences make identifying and educating the Muslim voter a challenge.

Thus ethnic, political and civil rights organizations play a crucial role in reaching out to voters.

Members of ADC (Anti-Discrimination Committee) and SAALT (South Asian American Leading Together), two ethnic based organization which see a major overlap in the American Muslim demographics are both on the ground raising awareness, helping with voter registration.

Teaching about the history of voting rights serves a purpose in the South Asian community. Voting Rights did not come easy and should not be taken for >> Election II Pg 27

....

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012 Election II

>> continued from pg 25

granted; anti-naturalization laws were challenged in the 1900s by South Asian immigrants and it wasn't until 1965 that most immigration and naturalization restrictions against South Asians were lifted, campaigns SAALT. Manar Waheed is the new policy director for SAALT, she says their effort have largely focused on spreading voting information in specific languages, before the elections, as mandated by law.

“People are excited to get information in their native language” There are 3.4 million South Asians in the country, with 1 million eligible to vote. in our outreach, we have found the community with a high volume successful. registrations.We have been setting up tables in localities with a high density of South Asians, markets, mosques; engaging people and religious leaders; Imams have been very supportive,” said Waheed.

Virginia is a Swing State : Every vote counts Northern Virginia has one of the highest concentrations of American Muslims.

There are currently 60,000 to 70,000 Muslims in Virginia according to a report released by the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU). They can create a voting bloc in Northern Virginia.

Battleground states such as Virginia with such a high concentration of Muslims could tip the scale for candidates.

According to the recently released Zogby poll, sponsored by the Arab American Institute (AAI), recent immigrants are more likely to be independents and do not have a party affiliation, coupled with the data, from other studies, that most Arab Americans and South Asian Americans are undecided, leads many to believe that blocs such as these could decide the election for the president. According to poll, 100K voters are up for grabs in key states including VA. This trend is reflected in the larger Asian American voters as 1 out 3 Asian American are independents according to a recent study by University of CaliforniaBerkeley.

Ramakrishnan one of the authors of

the study noted that the population of Asian Americans is growing in three swing states, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia, and their votes have the potential to tip the scale for either political party. He estimated that an additional 600,000 Asian-American voters would likely participate nationally in this year’s election, about as many new voters as they added in 2008.

With the passing of long term activist, Br. Muqit Hossain, Talib Karim thinks that GOTV efforts in Virginia may have slowed down. “I don’t know where they are at this point in their mobilization.” he said.However, next generation activists are emerging. Colin Christopher, 28, is a Muslim community organizer, working on voter registration in Virginia in masjids and on campuses for a non-partisan nonprofit, All Hand on Deck. He believes that the turnout will be a lot less than 2008.

“Foreign policy has been an afterthought in this election and there is less interest in the Muslim community.”

There are also a lot of challenges and the challenges differ from community to community, Islamic center to Islamic center. In Northern Virginia, “the community is extremely diverse, many do not speak English, there is a lack of enthusiasm and a lack of information especially amongst new citizens.” Many citizens, however, especially those who are recently-naturalized, are not fully proficient in English and, thus, cannot effectively participate in the electoral process. Barriers to understanding voting materials, such as voter registration forms, ballots and complicated referenda issues that appear on ballots, can discourage many citizens from exercising their right to vote.

Intrusion in privacy, racial profiling and government agencies spying on Muslim communities has led to a distrust in communities especially, in Northern Virginia. “Folks feel like they were targeted unfairly and don’t trust this aspect of society or the political process.” said Christopher as he prepares a last push to get voters registered after the Jumuah prayers.

However, “there is still a lot of opportunity that hasn’t been tapped,” said Christopher.

“In some areas, other communities are much older and integrated and the political discourse is more nuanced. “

CONTINUED | 27 Individual Islamic Centers, such as the ADAMS have stepped in as the election nears, using town hall-style meetings to educate their congregants about the two national campaigns. President Barack Obama's Virginia Campaign Manager Brian Moran visited ADAMS on October 14, 2012.

According to ADC, seventeen states have passed restrictive voting laws that will impact the 2012 election ( including Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,Virginia and West Virginia). These states account for 218 electoral votes, nearly 80 percent of that needed to the presidency. Laws like these intimidate and deter minority voters. 11 percent of American citizens who are eligible voters do not possess a government-issued photo ID. That is over 21 million citizens.

Virginia changed its voter identification requirements by eliminating the option of executing an affidavit of identity when voting at the polls or applying for an absentee ballot in person, while expanding the list of acceptable IDs..

These laws purport to reduce voter election fraud however,according to New York University's Brennan Center Policy Report, statistically, Americans are more likely to be killed by a bolt of lightning than be involved in voter identification fraud in an election.

There are voices in the local Muslim community who still do not want to engage in the political process for various reasons. When asked if they would be voting in the election, some said no because it is a futile exercise. Other felt that their conscious would not let them vote. “No, I will not. I voted in the last one hoping for a change that never came.

I do not want to be one of those who are somewhat responsible for killing my Muslim brothers and sisters in the world.

As a Muslim, my voice is not even taken into consideration nowadays. If it was Ron Paul, maybe. “ Jameela Cattaneo, Homemaker, 36, Lanham, MD. Some long time active voters are thinking of sitting this election out “I will not be voting. I have voted in every election for many years and this year will be the first I have not voted in quite some time.

Basically, I won’t be voting because I don't believe Romney will make a good President for too many reasons, and I don't agree with his stance on certain key issues, and I fell for Obamas' "change"

campaign last election and very little has changed. I admit things are a bit better now than they were, but not enough for me to vote and give him 4 more years to do very little more.” said Mujahid Ali, Martial Arts Instructor, Haymarket, VA. Nationally Muslim activists and leaders continue to push civic engagement on the voters. “Every eligible person should register to vote. A person who is not registered to vote is politically non-existent and has no voice,” Salam al Maryati, MPAC President in Los Angeles. This voice is echoed on the East Coast by Nihad Awad, of CAIR National, “Muslims aren’t satisfied, but boycotting should not be an option for Muslims even if we don’t have the enthusiasm to vote Democratic or Republican.”

Jameel Johnson, a longtime activist and former Congressional staffer says, ‘We cannot wait for the ‘perfect candidate.’”

“Where do we gain more than we lose, who can help us more than hurt us? My advice to use Prophetic model, what he (peace be upon him) did in Hudaibiyah.

Look at the entirety of the situation .

There were elements that were totally unacceptable in context of the larger picture, we have to use the same hikmah,” says Talib Karim, who is on the mayor’s staff in DC,“support does not mean endorse, we are obligated to voice our opposition to policies that oppose our values.”

Local Issues Galvanize Communities In DC and Maryland, the Muslim Democratic Caucus and Prince George County Muslim Council are two local organizations very active in GOTV (Get out and Vote) activities. Maryland has the highest concentration of Muslims is where two percent of the adult population of Maryland is Muslim.

Even though many Muslims are struggling with overcoming apathy, getting past election information overload, local issues are galvanizing involvement in Maryland. “Personally, I have seen this apathy since I became a Muslim,” says Jameel Johnson, who is also the President of Prince George’s County Muslim Council. “It has gotten >> election III Pg 28

....

October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

28 | CONTINUED Election III

>> continued from pg 27

so much better over the years, as we have Islamic scholars behind American Muslim political activism. Local issues have also spurred Muslims into action, we see a huge amount of voter registrations. When the government is asking us what do you think, they know that they have an obligation to respond.”

Local mom groups, homeschooling groups

and listservs are also using their social media to mobilize voters. Some of them may not even be aware of the term, GOTV, but are using their connections to encourage others to vote especially on issues that are important to them. Inayet Sahin is one such concerned citizen, she used her personal and community contacts to spread the word clarifying the language on the Maryland ballot.

“Engage local communities and educate around common agendas, especially local issues and candidates, ISPU’s Zaman instructed local leaders. Local elections

for school and water boards . “Our local politicians need to know that we make up a major part of their constituency.”

PGMC is using the organizational strategy of ‘referring to the scholars’. “ We are educating our fellow Muslims on what are the scholars saying,and getting local imams to speak and support political engagement.”

Quoting Shaykh Ibn Taymiyyah, an Islamic Theologian who lived in the 13th century, Johnson says that Muslims have to safeguard Muslim life in non-Muslim lands.

Voters like Elizabeth Smith, a 32 year old

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teacher and mother, from Windsor Mill, MD says she will definitely be voting. “Insha Allah. Regardless of which opinion one follows as to the permissibility of voting for elected officials, for those living in MD, Allahu 'alim it seems to be a clear Muslim duty to vote this year. The reason is that there are 3 referendums that require a straight yes/no vote as to whether one supports the measure and thus it is an easy opportunity to encourage the good. One is whether same-sex marriage should be allowed in MD. Another is whether gambling should be expanded in MD. And the third is whether immigrant children who were brought to the US illegally, but who have graduated from school in MD and have lived here for several years, should be given the opportunity to attend community college and later university at the in-state rate. I will certainly be voting on these insha allah.”

Melvin Bilal who is a lawyer from Baltimore City, MD is an active member of the Maryland Marriage Alliance preaches,“Vote just on these issues, even if you never vote, you must on these local issues.”

Political Cooperation after the Election

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The political process is not a once in four year event and many community leaders emphasize the need to develop long term strategies. Christopher sees the gap within the actual mosque; he feels that there is tension around the political process, even non-partisan engagement and this needs to be addressed before the next election. Even Muslim Student Associations, although supportive, are reticent to get involved.

Post-election SAALT plans on collecting post-election data on voter trends, xenophobic rhetoric, problems at the polls.

Calling on all Muslim organizations in the DMV area, Talib Karim of the Muslim Democratic Caucus highlights the need to build a constructive coalition of brothers and sisters on a yearlong basis, not just during election time. “There is need for political involvement on a year round basis. “We have to commit ourselves to maintain our political cooperation with one another in a holistic range of cooperation economic, academic, healthcare serves etc as needed by the community,” emphasizes Karim.

American Muslims especially this close to the nation’s capital need to do a better job in organizing themselves post-election, breaking down the walls of ethnicity, race, indigenous and immigrant status that impede social, economic and political development.

Talib Karim sums it up when he reminds Muslim voters, “our goal is much larger. an invitation to Islam to all people, to join our ranks or become allies.”

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012 lawsuit

>> continued from pg 8 “In this [Salim] case, there was no undue hardship to the employer -- just an apparent overreaction to a reasonable request because of myths and stereotypes about a religion,” EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence said in the EEOC statement.

The EEOC files cases for only 5 percent of the it receives.

“I have been on enough job interviews to know what’s up. Initially, I was not even looking for monetary compensation, I was just asking for an apology and that is why I contacted CAIR. If they don't even acknowledge their mistake, how are they going to rectify it?” said Khadijah.

Khadijah was eventually hired by another hospital as an RN. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, employers have an obligation to accommodate an employee’s or applicant’s sincerely held religious beliefs unless it creates an undue hardship. In the Salim case, the EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

Title VII is a federal law that prohibits employers and other covered entities from discriminating against an employee or job applicant because of the person's race, color, religion, sex or national origin. The Pregnancy Discrimination Act is incorporated into Title VII. Title VII also protects against retaliation and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for religion.

Each state also has their own discrimination laws ie. the DC Human Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin. sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, or political affiliation.

The Virginia Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination because of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, age, marital status, or disability.

In addition to $25,000 to Salim, the settlement enjoins the senior living home from further discriminating against any individual on the basis of religion; requires religious discrimination training

to supervisors, managers and all involved in the hiring process; to post a notice stating the company’s commitment to maintaining an environment free of religious discrimination; and submit copies of any complaints about religious discrimination to the EEOC for a period of two years.

On their website, Morningside says that that all Morningside managed properties are Equal Opportunity Employers.

Efforts to reach Morningside to discuss the implementation of their religious discrimination training were not responded to.

This summer, a Metro employee sued the agency over practices that limited her ability to take off Fridays to attend Jumuah salah. Najmah Rashad is a secretary in the agency’s legal office. Her lawsuit, filed in the District of Columbia, is seeking $400,000. She had offered to work late and come in early on other weekdays in exchange for taking time off on Fridays.

CONTINUED | 29 Cases like these take an emotional toll on the victims, as the legal process is long and involved many meetings and negotiations and can put the victim in the media spotlight. “It was nerve wrecking. They called me a liar and denied everything,” she stated. “I had whole blog posts on me, it was so hurtful, I just stopped Googling my name.”

Khan, the Muslimah in the Abercrombie and Fitch case, said she received death threats after her story went public.

A look inside the blogosphere finds a common complaint that Muslims as well as followers of other faiths are asking for special privileges. The most resonanting response to this accusation is that Christians need to check their privilege,

as even though there is separation of church and state in the U.S., the holidays and celebrations are structured around Christian dates. More so as the dominant faith they can practice their beliefs without the fear of be mocked, inhibited or denied opportunities, especially opportunities that they are well qualified for.

Salim felt that people may judge her as a fraud or a troublemaker after this case.

“My biggest support was my family and [reminding] myself of what the Sahaba (Companions of the Prophet) went through.” said Salim.

“I had to stand up, How am I going to raise two Muslim daughters to wear the hijab, without fear if I don’t do this?” Salim asserted.

In February 2009, Metro settled a complaint by the U.S. Justice Department that said the transit agency discriminated against at least three women. A Pentecostal Christian woman was not allowed to wear a skirt in accordance to her faith, she was training to become a busdriver. Two Muslim employees were not allowed to wear hijab on the job. Metro agreed to pay all three women, provide religious sensitivity training for all supervisors and managers, plus create a policy accommodating religious practices.

“If you spend most of your interview talking about how you look or your appearance, then you might want to think, is this a fair and just interview?” said Salim. “I recommend the EEOC, they are a very fair organization.”

It is generally illegal for a covered employer to fail or refuse to hire, to fire, or to otherwise discriminate against an applicant or employee with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, because of such person's race, sex, religion, color, national origin, or other protected category.

Unless the company can establish "undue hardship," it is also unlawful for a covered entity to fail to provide a "reasonable accommodation" to an employee or applicant's religion or disability. It is also illegal to retaliate against someone for exercising rights under employment discrimination laws.

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

30 | CONTINUED

senate

>> continued from pg 13

everyday.

I meet everyday with potential sources of support. I have reached out to three constituents. The Muslim community, Dr. Ron Paul supporters, whose ideas are virtually identical to ours; they have been very supportive. I have even sent feelers out to the Tea Party and the Occupy movement, which may seem at total odds.

On the issues I am concerned with, they are not each others' enemies. They are both against the policy of the government to enrich the rich and their allies.

The campaign is in the process of trying to get a speaking engagement at a major university, University of Maryland at College Park. If the League of Women Voters host a Senate debate, I will be a part of the debate.

TML: What are the core issues of your campaign?

One of the major issues is against these wars, which are all directly in Muslim countries. President Obama claims that the war is over but we still have troops in Kuwait. We still have contractors in Iraq. We need to bring those troops home from Afghanistan. There is no excuse especially after the death of Osama bin Laden for us to have soldiers in Afghanistan. We do not need a timeline; we need to quickly and safely bring them home. There is another greater concern, a potential war with Iran. That would be a regional disaster and could lead to a world war. We have to speak up against this, for the region, and for the US, which is at the brink of bankruptcy.

Another major issue is civil liberties.

Muslims are being abused. For example, the National Defense Appropriation Act (NDAA). This bill, that an American citizen can be held without charge by the military really shocked me. You don’t have even have to be accused, let alone be guilty. The US government is a civilian government, not a military government.

Citizens have supreme rights here.

You should not be held under atrocious

....

conditions. We also need to repeal the Patriot Act. The next issue is of Fiscal Responsibility.

The deficit is enormous. Both the Republican and Democratic Party have no meaningful solutions. They will not cut military spending. It is simple math, bring the troops home, and seriously address reform, Medicaid and corporate welfare.

It is a difficult choice but has to be made, we can no longer wait; it can be fatal to the country. We need to end welfare to the rich, this 'too big to fail' philosophy. If we continue on this road we will end up like countries who have killed their middle class; where there are a handful of rich people and everyone else is really poor.

The United States needs to stop printing money and subsidizing big business.

We need to end the insane war on drugs.

It has not solved the crime problem.

We have made a spiritual and religious problem into a criminal problem. We are in the same situation as in the 1930s with Prohibition and the bootleggers. We do not need physical reform; we need spiritual reform.

TML: Libertarian Muslim is an oxymoron to some, how do you reconcile your Islamic belief and your Libertarian views?

Dr. Ahmad: “La iqraha fid deen.” If we view deen as a way of life then there is no compulsion in any aspect of life. This means that we cannot force anyone to do anything, and physical force is limited to defense of the ummah and its values. It may never justify aggression.

As for free markets, that is the easiest question in the world. Islam was found by a merchant, the Prophet Muhammad (saw), who was in favor of free markets.

Even the supposed exception often cited of usury (riba), is not particularly a ban fixed interest per se but on any type of overcharging. For example, when the Prophet (saws) warned Bilal that spot bartering dates might constitute a form of riba, Bilal asked what he should have done instead. The Prophet (saws) recommended selling his own dates in the free market and buying the desired dates in the same way. In other words, he feared rib in barter only because the exchange may not have been at the free market

rate. Finally, sound money is absolutely an Islamic concept and if Allah wills me to be in the Senate I shall do what I can to abolish the Federal Reserve Board and replace it with a gold standard.

Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The honest, trustworthy merchant will be with the Prophets, siddiqs and martyrs.”

Man was sent down by Allah as a Khalifa and given the ability to choose, with rational and relational thought. We are creative beings that choose to do good and are superior to angels. In the free market application, it is the same freedom of choice.

We believe we are on Earth to do God’s work. We face thousands of moral choices every day; some are morally neutral, some He has made fardh on us, some He has made optional. Since the beginning, Allah put the tree in Jannah and told Adam and Hawwa (as) not to approach the tree but gave them the choice.

In order for a human to accept the fundamental of La illaha illaha, it must be his or her choice. If we are forced to pray or forced to give charity, is it acceptable to Allah? Shall we be ruled by Allah or by men?

Ibn Khaldun was the father of social science, a classical scholar who explains the phenomena of natural laws as a sign God’s dominion. He says that civilizations were established by men with no taste for luxuries, who wanted what is best for the group. They implemented sound policies that made the civilization successful. This very success resulted in urbanization and a quest for luxuries and the belief that the rulers must provide those luxuries to their favorites rather than rule for the benefit of the general population. This, in turn, led to the demise of the civilization.

Islam is very compatible in many ways with the Libertarian party’s views. This party is anti-imperialist, anti-war, and supportive of the free exercise of religion.

It is based on principle, not a collection of special interests.

TML: Why should people vote for you?

Would it not be a wasted vote?

Do not underestimate the power of your vote. There is silence in the media about me. Some local media has taken the position that they want to support the incumbent because he is the incumbent; he is part of the problem not a part of the solution. Senator Ben Cardin has voted for war, he voted for the NDAA, his record is very poor. This election if you vote for the Republican or Democratic party that is wasting a vote.

Vote on the issues; there are about 75,000 Muslims in this state, if each one of them voted for these issues, it will be noticed.

That is how the American democratic system works. The more people who vote for the issues I have outlined the more they will realize that they can no longer ignore the Muslim vote.

I hope Muslims will vote for me, talk up my campaign, and put up bumper stickers. Some masajid will allow me to be introduced to people.

My campaign is relying on your word of mouth, every bumper sticker that you put up, every yard sign you put up or flyer you hand out gets my name out. Studies show that most people vote based on familiarity, not on position or character but if they have seen your name. I already have a strike against ‘Ahmad’ in terms of familiarity, if there are yard signs, they will have seen the name.

Don’t look at it as a wasted vote. Do the right thing, which is your Islamic mandate. I will be a senator only if Allah wills it, so all I can do is do the right thing.

The candidate can be reach at the following email address for further questions. candidate@ahmadforussentae.info His website is www.ahmadforussenate.info

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

ADVERTISEMENT | 31

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

32 | CONTINUED elections

>> continued from pg 12

on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December after the presidential election. The electors meet in their respective states, where they cast their votes for President and Vice President. Your state’s electors’ votes are recorded on a “Certificate of Vote”. Your state’s Certificates of Votes are sent to the Congress and the National Archives as part of the official records of the Number Winner of Takes All Electors

presidential election.

constitutional challenge.

Virginia, DC and Maryland all have the winner takes all system. Under this system, a vote for the candidates for President and Vice-President named on the ballot is a vote for the electors. There are also laws in each state of these states that govern electors to enforce an elector's pledge to his or her party vote or the popular vote. But even then it's important to note, a large number of legal scholars believe that such state-level laws hold no true bearing and would not survive

In recent years electors rarely go against their party’s wishes. In the most recent act of Elector abstention,in 2000, Barbara Lett-Simmons, a Democratic Elector from the District of Columbia, did not cast her vote for Al Gore as expected.

Her abstention was meant to protest the lack of Congressional representation for Washington, DC.

Polling Place Hours

Legal control over Electors to vote according to Popular Vote

Sources: www.archives.gov fairvote.org

www.wisegeek.com scholastic.com When are this year’s Presidential debates?

This election featured three presidential debates between the major parties’ candidates.

October 3 in Denver, Colorado.

October 16 in Hempstead, New York October 22 in Boca Raton, Florida.

VP Debate on October 11 in Danville, Kentucky.

Need an ID?

District of Columbia

3

YES

7 a.m- 8 p.m.

YES

• Copy of current & valid photo identification • Copy of a current utility bill (does not include cell phone) • Bank statement • Government check • Paycheck • Or other government document that shows your name and address

Maryland

10

YES

7 a.m.- 8 p.m.

YES

• A copy of a current and valid photo ID (i.e., Maryland driver's license, MVA-issued ID card, student, employee, or military ID card, U.S. passport, or any other • State or federal government-issued ID card) • A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address.

Current means that the document is dated within 3 months of the election

Virginia

13

YES

6 a.m. -7 p.m.

YES

• Virginia voter registration card • Valid Virginia driver's license • Military ID • Any Federal, Virginia state or local government-issued ID • Employer issued photo ID card • Concealed handgun permit • Valid student ID issued by any in stitution of higher education located in the Commonwealth of Virginia • Current utility bill, bank statement, government check or paycheck indicating the name and address of the voter

protection

>> continued from pg 14

Treated wrongfully while voting?

1. Take down the poll workers name, the location of the poll, and any names of witnesses.

2. Email the ADC-VPU to vpu@adc.org or call 202-244-2990.

3. Contact the US Department of Civil Rights Division Voting Section by email at voting.section@usdoj.gov or call toll free at 1-800-253-3931 or 1-202-307-2767.

....

The Voter Protection Unit depends on volunteers and CAIR and ADC have sent out action alerts asking for volunteer to sign up before their October 29, 2012 conference call training session. Contact vpu@adc.org include your name, contact information, and voting district. Also let them know if you have monitored in the past and if you are familiar with your voting district. Volunteers should be ready to commit three hours on November 6th, 2012, Election Day.

To Advertise in the Muslim Link Call

301-982-1020 or Email us at office@muslimlinkpaper.com

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012 hearings

>> continued from pg 12

injury to any person, or attempting to do so by use of a dangerous weapon, because of the actual or perceived religion of that person," In late September 2012, a hearing on Hate Crimes and the Threat of Domestic Extremism was convened by Senator Durbin. The hearing revolved around what is being done to chronicle, investigate and prosecute hate crimes, as well as failures by law enforcement and government agencies to prevent attacks like the one in Oak Creek.

Addressing growing concerns that hate groups are on the rise and that attacks could happen anywhere, Durbin highlighted that this is the first hearing in recent years focused on the threat of violent domestic extremists.“We cannot ignore the threat of homegrown nonIslamic terrorist,” he said.

"9/11 has set the threshold for what terrorism is in the minds of many Americans, and if domestic terrorism lacks the magnitude, it must not be terrorism," said Daryl Johnson, a former counterterrorism expert at the Department of Homeland Security and one of the panelists. Johnson says he left DHS in 2010 out of frustration. His analysis accentuates Durbin’s sentiment that the domestic terror threat is larger than we know.

extremists in the United States have acquired or attempted to acquire material to construct CBRN weapons. By contrast, 11 right-wing and left-wing extremists have managed to acquire CBRN material that they planned to use against the public, government employees or both.”

The numbers speak for themselves.

According to a study by the New America Foundation and Syracuse University, 18 people have been murdered in 2012 by right-wing terrorists, while 17 have been killed in 4 attacks by violent Muslim extremists in the past 10 years. As one

CONTINUED | 33 Durbin explained that “this year Jewish organizations received almost ten million dollars in funding” from the DHS NonProfit Security Grant to secure the community’s infrastructure. Senator Durbin commended the DHS on their anti-semitism model and suggested that the model be used for preventing hate crimes against other faiths.

Senator Durbin stated that he hoped that this hearing will help redouble the efforts to combat the threat of domestic terrorism and to take whatever steps are necessary

"[I]n the past decade, there is no evidence that jihadist extremists in the United States have acquired or attempted to acquire material to construct CBRN weapons.

By contrast, 11 right-wing and left-wing extremists have managed to acquire CBRN material that they planned to use against the public, government employees or both.” public FBI report warned, "right-wing terrorists pose a significant threat due to their propensity for violence."

One of the most thought-provoking findings from the hearing was Johnson’s findings that the quantity and lethalness of the arsenal found in the possession of the Hutaree Christian militia, a group planning attacks on law enforcement, was greater than the cumulative arms from the 230+ Muslims charged in the U.S. since 9/11. Many of those cases were considered entrapment and arms for them had been provided by the FBI. “The media ignores them,”said Johnson.

In her written testimony, Dr Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center noted that Wade Michael Page was known to the SPLC since 2000 as a racist, neoNazi skinhead. Durbin questioned why the Oak Creek shooter had not been under surveillance. He asked was there a breakdown in intelligence sharing and gathering, was he tracked, were any warnings issued to the Sikh community?

“We knew of him but there was not a case open on him, he was not a predicated subject,” said Clancy. His hate activities were all protected under the law. All the legal actions of an identified extremist group/individuals leading up to an act of violence are constitutionally protected and not reported on by DHS.

Peter Bergen, who is the director at the New America Foundation, a Washingtonbased think tank states in his Op-ed for CNN, “After 9/11, there was great concern that al Qaeda or an allied group would launch a terrorist attack involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) weapons. But in the past decade, there is no evidence that jihadist

Another issue of priority that Senator Durbin brought up was clarification on the amount of DHS analysts working on non-Islamist related domestic terrorism.

According to Daryl Johnson, they had been downsized to one analyst. Citing security and classification, a very whitewashed answer was provided by the DOJ, that “it’s sensitive information.”

to protect vulnerable communities.

A sad reflection on the partisanship in our country was the absence of all the Republican committee members. This is clearly not an issue to be partisan about. But we have to remember that this is the same party, several of whose members in the House of Representatives have questioned the loyalty of American Muslims serving in the current Administration.

“Some would argue that we should not discuss our shortcomings while violent anti-American protests are raging in the Muslim world. They claim that America shows weakness when we acknowledge our mistakes. I disagree. America is strongest when we lead by example. We are a country that can look ourselves squarely in the mirror and admit there is work still to be done to secure the promise of equal justice for all.” Senator Durbin Jerome P. Bjelopera is a specialist in Organized Crime and Terrorism; he released a report of Domestic Terrorism for the use by Congressmen. He finds that the emphasis of counterterrorism policy in the United States since Al Qaeda’s attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11) has been on foreign terrorism.

However, in the last decade, domestic terrorists—people who commit crimes within the homeland and draw inspiration from U.S.-based extremist ideologies and movements—have killed American citizens and damaged property across the country. Not all of these criminals have been prosecuted under terrorism statutes, include individuals who commit crimes in the name of ideologies supporting animal rights,environmental rights, anarchism, white supremacy, antigovernment ideals, black separatism, and anti-abortion beliefs. These extremists use non traditional tactics.

Another FBI study reported that between January 1, 2007, and October 31, 2009, white supremacists were involved in 53 acts of violence, 40 of which were assaults directed primarily at African-Americans, seven of which were murders and the rest of which were threats, arson and intimidation. Most of these were treated as racially motivated crimes rather than political acts of violence, i.e. terrorism.

Even though white supremacist extremism are identified as U.S. based ideologies, their origins lay in the United Kingdom and Germany origins . Anarchist extremists, also have historic European roots. The racist skinhead movement traces its origins abroad to the UK as well.

“It is unclear exactly what the FBI means when it emphasizes U.S.-based ideologies in its framing of domestic terrorism.

Thus, individuals considered domestic terrorists by federal law enforcement may not necessarily be federally charged as terrorists.” says Bjelopera.

In his report Bjelopera asks three pertinent questions. Why federal government does not generate an official and public list of domestic terrorist organizations or individuals. The federal government appears to use the terms “terrorist” and “extremist” interchangeably when referring to domestic terrorism. It is unclear why this is the case. Finally, and most importantly, which specific groups are and should be considered domestic terrorist organizations? According to the report, the U.S. government does not provide a public answer to these questions.

“Homeland security is hometown >> hearings II Pg 34

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

34 | CONTINUED hearings

>> continued from pg 33

security,” said Roy L. Austin, Jr. Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice, who was also a panelist at the hearing.

The most poignant and moving testimony was by the son of one of the victims.

‘Give my mother the dignity of being a statistic,” said Harpreet Singh Saini, as he appealed that the Sikh religion should be included in the form that accounts for hate crimes. This young brave man pushed for solidarity. “An attack on one of us is an attack on all of us, I don’t want to blame the Muslims, I want to combat hate,” he said.

“We need to get out of the ‘Sikhs aren't Muslims’ mindset and focus on something that affects all Americans: hate crimes,” Raman Singh from the Sikh Coalition.

The hearing was followed by MuslimSikh solidarity events organized by the Muslim Public Affairs Council. A Pledge of Solidarity on behalf of 14+ Muslim organizations was presented to Sikh leaders.

questions

>> continued from pg 15

to recognize Islamic unions, including polygamous relationships.

However, Melvin Bilal an attorney in Maryland, says that there is no connection to polygamy and this a way to fool people into voting for this initiative,“There is no ‘popular’ movement behind polygamy, not here not even in Utah,” he said.

Many Muslims are at the crossroads where they do not know how to address minority rights while adhering to their beliefs. Especially those in the younger generation, who may interact more often with homosexuals and are fighting for their own civil liberties feel the clash of rights between religious freedoms and the freedom to marry. Iesa Galloway, a frequent commentator on civil liberties advises that “the choice for us is not whether homosexual relationships are going to happen in our society (because

....

Sikhism is not recognized as a religion on most government forms. “Senators, I came here today to ask the government to give my mother the dignity of being a statistic,” Saini said, “my mother and those shot that day will not even count on a federal form. We cannot solve a problem we refuse to recognize.”

The SPLC found that the radical right grew explosively in 2011. According to the SPLC, the growth was fueled by fears generated by economic dislocation; a proliferation of demonizing conspiracy theories; the changing racial and ethnic demographics in America; and the prospect of four more years under an African-American president who many on the far right view as an enemy to their country.

The anti government, heavily armed “Patriot” militia movement is composed of conspiracy-minded groups that see the federal government as their primary enemy are the fastest growing. They are of particular concern for law enforcement as they reject all U.S. laws, as well as taxation and American currency. An FBI report published in 2011 said "loneoffender sovereign-citizen extremists have killed six law enforcement officers"

they are already happening), but if we are going to allow them to have the same moral status as heterosexual relationships moral status is implied in labels.

It may be too complex for most people who do not understand the civil systems that they have chosen to live in, but equal rights before secular law in our constitutional republic is almost a guaranteed and will eventually happen over time and through the petitioning of our legal system.

My position is that we can only affect the labeling and that is indeed the real issue anyway. By using the constitutional protection of freedom of religion we reject that homosexual relationships get the same moral status as heterosexual relationships through employing different naming conventions.”

The Muslim community along with other faith based communities may have to have that conversation come November.

since 2000.

Beirich leads SPLC's Intelligence Project, “one of the most respected anti-terror organizations in the world.”. She testified that a scholarly study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science found that white Americans believe that progress in race relations since the 1950s has come at their expense and that bias against whites is more of a social problem in the last decade than bias against blacks.

(This comes against the backdrop of the Census Bureau’s prediction that nonHispanic whites will lose their majority, falling to less than 50% of the population, by 2050.) SPLC believes that these kinds of feelings will certainly continue to fuel the rise in radical-right extremism.

"It seems certain that President Obama, if he is reelected, will continue to be a lightning rod for many on the radical right, a man who represents both the federal government and the fact that the racial make-up of the United States is changing.

And that suggests that far-right extremism could get worse before it gets better. It is for this reason that domestic hate groups need to be watched vigilantly by federal law enforcement, and the issue of hate crimes needs to be a high priority."

Some recent attacks by domestic

Ballot Question 7 approves a massive casino – one likely to be built by MGM at National Harbor in Prince George's County – doesn't include the words “casino”, “MGM”, or “National Harbor”.

Question 7 Language Used: Do you favor the expansion of commercial gaming in the State of Maryland for the primary purpose of raising revenue for education to authorize video lottery operation licensees to operate "table games" as defined by law; to increase from 15,000 to 16,500 the maximum number of video lottery terminals that may be operated in the State; and to increase from 5 to 6 the maximum number of video lottery operational licenses that may be awarded in the State and allow a video lottery facility to operate in Prince George's County.

Question 7-This ballot initiative has been the most expensive political battle in Maryland history according to CBS

extremists: Last November, the FBI arrested four members of a Georgia militia who were accused of various crimes in a wideranging plot to attack cities with the deadly ricin toxin and kill federal law enforcement and IRS officials. One of the plotters reportedly said, “The first ones that need to die are the ones in the federal buildings.” Their concrete actions allegedly included attempting to purchase a briefcase-size bomb, casing two buildings for bombing, and trying to manufac­ture the deadly toxin.

A neo-Nazi headed for the Arizona border with a dozen homemade grenades that he reportedly intended to use on undocumented migrants; a white supremacist attempted to bomb a Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade in Spokane, Wash., an attack that was averted when police dismantled a sophisticated antipersonnel weapon; and a man who officials said had a long history of antigovernment activities was arrested outside a packed mosque in Dearborn, Mich., and charged with possessing explosives with unlawful intent.

(Southern Poverty Law Center Hate Watch Blog)

Baltimore. $40 million have been spent so far and the advertising for this will continue until Election day.

Many in Maryland are scared that the introduction of casino gambling will bring about increased crime, drug and alcohol use among the county's minors, as well as a rise in prostitution.

Others see is as a race issue where they think that leaders in the State Democratic party want the increased revenue for the state, but they don't want gambling and the problems associated with it in their own backyards, so they' are using Prince Georges County. as a garbage dump.

Both the Baltimore Sun editorial board and the state comptroller have pointed out that the casino money would simply replace existing school dollars Most Muslims see this as a clear cut religious issue where they need to stand and enjoin good and forbid evil.

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012 hearings

>> continued from pg 16

spiritual tools necessary to live life as she will face death: alone and answerable to Allah for every word and deed. Personally, I would advise other parents to view their role similarly.

Secondly, be honest with yourself and your children about the struggles of life and spirituality. This means being willing to admit when you’re uncertain or unknowledgeable about something, saying ‘I’m sorry’ or ‘Please forgive me’ when you say or do anything that does not represent the best of yourself or of proper Islamic behavior, and constantly going back to Allah via du’aa and taubah on a daily basis—and teaching your children to do the same.

TML:Do you think Muslims will ever be accepted as mainstream writers and should this even be a concern?

T h a t ’s a n i n t e r e s t i n g q u e s t i o n , maashaAllah. I suppose the answer depends on how we define the ideas of ‘Muslims being accepted’ and ‘mainstream writing.’ But not all Muslim writers are overtly Muslim, whether because they do not have Arabic names or because they write about topics that are either unrelated to their religious affiliation or that do not praise that affiliation in any way. In that sense, Muslims are already accepted as mainstream writers.

However, if we mean overtly Muslim writers writing about Islamic topics, then I believe we have to look at the writing genre, the style and approach of the piece, and the intended audience before we can answer this question.

Either way, I still believe even in this case, Muslims are already accepted in the ‘mainstream world.’ My books themselves are testimony to this. Some American universities use them as part of multicultural and religious studies, nonMuslims choose the books for personal reading, and non-Muslim students and doctoral candidates use them for their research and theses on various topics.

As for whether or not being accepted in the mainstream should be a concern for Muslim writers, my answer would be yes and no. Yes, we should be concerned about mainstream acceptance if we are writing for da’wah or for reaching the widest possible audience. How can we

do either if we don’t concern ourselves with reaching the masses? At the same time, I would say no, we should not be concerned with mainstream acceptance if this means sacrificing our principles or being dishonest about Islam in an effort to make our religion more ‘attractive’ to mainstream readers.

TML: Can your books be a way to reduce Islamophobia, as you do not shy away from using Quran and Hadith as major elements in your books?

I certainly hope that my books can be a means to reduce Islamophobia although I must admit this is not a conscious intention of mine. I write in hopes of Allah allowing my books to guide non-Muslims to Islam and in hopes of Muslims feeling inspired and affirmed in their practical and spiritual struggles. I also hope that my books allow all readers to see the human side of Islam, something that even many Muslims don’t see or acknowledge. But naturally, if these hopes and prayers are answered, then Islamophobia will also be reduced, bi’idhnillaah.

TML: What obstacles did you face before publication? Did you ever get rejected and how did you deal with the rejection?

Most of the obstacles I faced were practical ones: understanding and implementing the requirements of publishing, obtaining funding for my writing projects, and learning the basics of marketing and promotion.

In terms of rejection, before I began writing novels, I wrote children’s stories, and I sent one to a major Muslim publishing company. The company rejected it based on, in their words, the book being more suited for Black people. I dealt with the rejection by doing what I was accustomed to doing when I was “rejected” by teachers and fellow students because I was openly Muslim: I moved on and went forward with what I believed in. Yes, I was hurt and offended, as almost anyone would be.

But by Allah’s mercy, this feeling didn’t deter me from moving forward with my own goals as a writer.

TML: Your book is being made into a movie, please tell our readers how you made the decision to proceed with the project?

This was not an easy decision, and I had turned down several offers before this one.

What made this offer unique was that the

CONTINUED | 35 producer (now the director) was Muslim and operated a private film company.

Naturally, this route makes the project more expensive and time-consuming, but I feel more comfortable with this approach than with the earlier opportunities by those directly involved in Hollywood.

For details of my decision to do a movie, readers can go to muslimmatters.org and read the blog “How Could You? A Movie!” that I wrote on the topic.

TML: People often wonder how they can do work that pleases Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala and "balance the dunya", you do it so well, what is your approach?

I certainly don’t view myself as handling this challenge “well” because it’s a daily struggle, and there is never a point where I feel as if I’ve figured it all out. Each book or writing project is different and challenging in its own way, which means each book or project requires special attention and care. For me, this means utilizing research on relevant topics, getting advice from knowledgeable and trustworthy believers, and making du’aa every step of the way, especially before publication. My rule is that no book or writing project is published until I seek advice from others and consult my Creator in supplication and Istikhaarah.

Naturally, this sometimes means abandoning certain projects, tossing out entire chapters or stories, or delaying something I eagerly want if the signs point to the decision not being best for my life or my Hereafter. This isn’t always easy to determine because much of what we do is so intertwined with personal desires that we don’t always know our intentions or even what Allah is pointing us to. So for major projects, I seek out multiple points of view (including from those I imagine will be critical or opposed to what I’m doing), and I make Istikhaarah several times before finally releasing the work to the public.

In a sentence, I bear in mind this personal advice to myself: Write nothing in life that will not benefit you in death.

TML: Tell us about your new teen book?

Where can TML readers purchase your books?

This past Eid Al-Fitr, Allah allowed me to release my first juvenile fiction story, A Friendship Promise, a short novel written primarily for teens and young adults. For

this genre, I’m using my birth name Ruby Moore instead of the pen name Umm Zakiyyah.

Like my previous novels, A Friendship Promise openly addresses issues that diverse Muslim communities face daily but rarely talk about, namely intercultural struggles and stereotyping and how this manifests itself among Muslim youth interacting with “the other.”

In this particular book, the main character is Maryam, the daughter of PakistaniAmerican parents who are uncomfortable with indigenous Americans due to the belief that American culture is un-Islamic and that Americans are generally bad influences. But an old college friend of Maryam’s mother converted to Islam years ago and is now divorced, and her free-spirited daughter Samira is in need of Muslim friends. Maryam’s mother convinces herself and her husband that they should help Samira, but Maryam and Samira have struggles of their own, especially after Samira convinces Maryam to do something that both their parents forbade.

The book, like my other novels, is available for order online and retail at Islamic Bookstore in Maryland and Halalco in Virginia. It is also available at Amazon. com, Bn.com, and many other sites. The e-book can be downloaded via pdf online and the electronic version is available via Kindle and Nook Book. Readers can find out more by visiting my Facebook page via themuslimauthor.com or by visiting the publisher’s website muslimfiction. com for US and international order information.

The Muslim Link would like to thank Umm Zakiyyah for taking the time out to answer our questions. May Allah swt continue to make your work a source of Hikmah for your readers. I hope our readers will use her success as motivation to put their trust in Allah swt and explore their abilities and use them for the deen.

“If, as you strive to please your Lord, someone says to you, ‘You’ll never be successful,’ then receive glad tidings, bi’idhnillaah. For those who have earned the greatest achievements in human history have almost always been told the same—and it served only as a rite of passage to attaining the highest success.”

—from the journal of Umm Zakiyyah

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

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>> continued from pg 19

faced with difficult tests, as a believer it is critical to understand that there is wisdom in everything that happens.

Understanding and accepting divine destiny does not mean tolerating abuse by any means. It simply means that life is filled with tests and that trust needs to be placed in Allāh while searching for the right solutions.

It was narrated by Suhayb that the Messenger of Allāh (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “How amazing is the condition of the believer, for all his affairs are good. If something good happens to him, he gives thanks for it and he is rewarded; if something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience, and he is also awarded.” Narrated by Muslim (2999).

Do not despair of solace from Allāh. No one despairs of solace from Allāh except for people who do not believe. (Surah Yusuf 87) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) After the devastation of domestic violence, most women experience the aftershock of abuse: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder which can occur after you've seen or experienced a traumatic event that involved the threat of injury or death. It is very common for victims of domestic violence to continue to fear their spouse even if they have separated.

PTSD is characterized by symptoms such as flashbacks, intrusive imagery, nightmares, anxiety, emotional numbing, insomnia, hyper-vigilance and avoidance of traumatic triggers. There are many factors that affect the intensity of PTSD: severity of the violence, the duration of exposure, early-age onset and the victim's cognitive assessment of the violence (perceived degree of threat, predictability and control-ability).

The way to cope with any form of anxiety is turning to Allāh and trusting His plan while striving hard to overcome the fear.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allāh be upon him) said: “No exhaustion, pain, anxiety, grief, harm or distress befalls a Muslim, not even a thorn that pricks him, but Allāh will expiate some of his sins with them.” Narrated by al-Bukhāri

....

(5318) and Muslim (2573).

Suicidal

Anxiety

Like the victims of natural disasters that discover they have nothing left to live for, victims of domestic violence feel so overwhelmed with grief and hopelessness that many attempt suicide. The feeling of helplessness and hopelessness that many victims fall prey to has a profoundly undermining effect on their mental and emotional well being. Many times these women simply give up on life and they experience learned helplessness where they lose the will to live. Here are some of the signs of suicide contemplation:

Fear and anxiety consume a victim of domestic violence the way a tidal wave engulfs a city. The fear lingers in a woman's psyche long after the abuse has taken place. This anxiety can prevent her from concentrating, falling asleep and performing at home or work. Paranoia and inability to trust others are the most frequent traits of the victims of domestic violence. 25 million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders which are the most common of emotional disorders. Some of the symptoms may include: Overwhelming feelings of panic and fear Uncontrollable obsessive thoughts Painful, intrusive memories Recurring nightmares Physical symptoms such as feeling sick to your stomach, “butterflies” in your stomach, heart pounding, startling easily and muscle tension The most beloved people, the prophets, were tested the most. It is essential to keep the stories of the prophets in mind and recall that instead of feeling anxious when faced with threat, oppression and harm, they put their trust in Allāh.

“We will test you with a certain amount of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and life and fruits. But give good news to the steadfast” (Surat al-Baqara, 155) “Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allāh: Without a doubt in the remembrance of Allāh do hearts find satisfaction.” (AlRaad 28) Low Self-Esteem Verbal and emotional abuse are like earthquakes that brutally shake the foundation of a woman's self-esteem.

They shatter her self- confidence, tear down her sense of security and destroy her self-respect . Each degrading remark, criticism and profanity is like a bulldozer that vehemently annihilates her sense of self-worth. The deep, emotional and psychological scars that are burned into her heart from the cursing, name-calling and humiliation will disable her from achieving her potentials, nurturing her children and attaining peace. She becomes so crippled emotionally that it is next to impossible to leave.

Talking about killing or harming one's self Expressing strong feelings of hopelessness or being trapped An unusual preoccupation with death or dying Acting recklessly, as if they have a death wish (e.g. speeding through red lights) Calling or visiting people to say goodbye Getting affairs in order (giving away prized possessions, tying up loose ends) Saying things like “Everyone would be better off without me” or “I want out.”

If you think a friend or family member is considering suicide, express your concern and seek professional help immediately.

Talking openly about suicidal thoughts and feelings can save a life.6 The problems and difficulties that people endure are known and for a temporary period of time. Compare that to being faced with the unknown punishment in the hereafter for committing suicide for all eternity.

“O you who have believed, do not consume one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful] business by mutual consent. And do not kill yourselves [or one another]. Indeed, Allāh is to you ever Merciful.” 4:29 After a psychological tsunami that ruthlessly destroys feelings of selfworth and security, there needs to be massive action taken to recover from the lasting damages. The first step is to clean up the emotional debris and the shattered feelings. Time and money needs to be invested to reestablish self-worth. If the amount of damage is overwhelming, seek the support and guidance of professionals to overcome the devastation. Next, focused effort needs to be put in rebuilding self-esteem. By not internalizing the negative, destructive comments of others and reconfirming all

positive traits, self-respect and dignity will be rebuilt. Trust in the self and in others will be essential in creating a strong foundation for developing lasting relationships. Perhaps the most important aspect of recovery is to gain hope in the future. Once the fire of hope is ignited it will shine so brightly and provide the necessary motivation to overcome all obstacles and to help others facing the same challenges.

If you or someone you know is a VICTIM of abuse know: You are NOT ALONE There are avenues for HELP Ensure the SAFETY of you and your children You are a VALUABLE person who is worthy of love It is NEVER ACCEPTABLE to be physically, verbally or emotionally abused Narrated Abu Ma'bad, that the Prophet said, “… and be afraid of the supplication of an oppressed person because there is no screen between his invocation and Allāh.” Sahih Bukhāri: Volume 2, Book 24, Number 573.

If you or someone you know is the ABUSER: Seek professional help to MANAGE YOUR ANGER It is not too late to CHANGE YOURSELF and CHANGE YOUR LIFE Find an OUTLET (sport or other activity) to release stress and frustration Seek the SUPPORT of family and friends REAL MEN DON'T ABUSE! “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is oppressed.” The Prophet was asked: “It is right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?” He replied: “By preventing him from oppressing others.” Sahih Bukhāri, Volume 3, Hadith 624 In Islam, Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayer upon him) taught us to live with impeccable character and to treat our spouse with kindness, compassion and understanding. He said that the best man is he who is best to his wife. We should all aspire to live by his exceptional example.

References:

violence Pg 38

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

ADVERTISEMENT | 37

Opinion

Reclaiming Principles from a Mobocracy

By Ramy Osman

As we approach another presidential election, people once again fool themselves into thinking their only choice is between a Republican or a Democrat. As they often say, “it’s the lesser of two evils”; As if these are the only parties they have to choose from.

As if there is no such thing as third parties or write-in campaigns. As if by not voting, you have somehow shirked your civic duty.

People go so far as to say that if you don’t choose a Republican or a Democrat, then you would be wasting your vote, and your vote would no longer count.

But what does it mean for a person’s vote to “count”? Does it mean they have to choose a side that has a statistical possibility of winning? Does it mean they treat elections like a sport? There are only two teams. If you want to play, then choose your team and play to win. Voting is reduced to winning.

One easily loses sight of the complexities of voting. It is not as trivial as most people think. When a person places a vote, they have effectively immersed themselves into the affairs of governance. Historically, governance and voting were reserved for only a select few. But modern voting has opened the affairs of governance to all, where everyone now has the ability to play the role of ruler and lawmaker.

“Get out the vote” campaigns mindlessly tell people to vote without ever exploring the role of principles and morality, and without exploring whether or not the political process may be an insufficient way for the masses to solve their social problems.

The Founding Fathers were very critical of democracy and how it degenerates into mob rule. They warned against the dangers of emotional and untrained people seizing control of government by electing leaders who will implement the self interests of the majority, even if it violates the law of the land. Democracies degenerate into competitions between special interests, where the law of the jungle takes precedence over the law of the land. This is in contradiction to the concept of a Republic, where a representative government is bound by the laws of a constitution despite the desires of the majority or the influential.

Even Plato and Aristotle considered de-

mocracy as one of the worst forms of governance, since in most cases the majority will eventually cease to protect the minority or uphold the law. Plato considered the “unwilling philosopher-king” as being the wisest choice for a ruler. This is somewhat similar to the Islamic teachings of governance. The prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) warned people against seeking leadership positions. The affairs of governance and political leadership are simply not meant for everybody. The Qur'an relays ancient stories of what leadership is really about. The lives of prophets such as Moses, David, and Joseph (peace be upon them), are all examples of righteous leaders. For Muslims, the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) embodies the apex of leadership.

And the Rightly Guided Caliphs who followed him, also demonstrate the rare characteristics needed to be a just leader.

But modern democracy encourages all people to vie for political positions, and encourages all people to participate in the selection process, regardless of how unqualified they are. The result of this is that democracies tend to marginalize the wise, the humble and the righteous; And instead promote the ego-driven, the greedy and the amoral. This helps explain the current state of affairs and why the political system is so chaotic and broken. The government is pulled into every which way depending on which special interest group has the most influence over government. The military industrial complex, the corporate-government partnership, the powerful lobbies, or the will of the majority. These are the ones in control of government, not the rule of law. The Republicans and Democrats are equally responsible for the continuation of things like unjust war, drone bombings and assassinations, collective punishment of entire countries, a paranoid police state, pre-emptive prosecutions, corporate bailouts, and everexpanding government regulations which place constraints on people in ways that are outside the bounds of the constitution.

So what is a person to do? Do we buy into the “mobocracy” of the two-party system?

Unfortunately, most people do. They are either eager participants pursuing their selfinterest at the expense of others, or they are people who self-righteously justify voting for one evil in order to defeat another evil.

For those who fall into the latter group, they falsely assume that there are only two op-

tions, and they acknowledge the endorsement of evil by calling it “lesser”. Either way, both groups of people contribute to perpetuating injustices. They willingly put their stamp of approval on the crimes of government and politicians by continuously voting for them. And both groups have fatal flaws in their logic and ethics, where over the long run majority-rule fails at preserving peace, justice and liberty.

As people of principles and morality, we should pursue an ethics-based approach to voting and politics if one chooses to be involved. If a person cannot faithfully place a vote that genuinely contributes to peace, justice and liberty, then it might be better to abstain from voting. Boycott the mobocracy. Any candidate or issue that contributes to war, injustice and oppression is not deserving of a vote from a principled person.

Regarding the 2012 presidential elections,

there are other options besides the “Republicrats” and the “Demoplicans”. Principled voters should investigate third-party candidates. The most popular of them being the Libertarian Party, the Green Party, and the Constitution Party. If you cannot faithfully vote for a third party candidate, then join a write-in campaign. An example is the Ron Paul write-in campaign. Ron Paul’s 30 year congressional record of opposing government aggression and over-reach has created a movement of people committed to his philosophy and ideas. An alternative to a Ron Paul write-in can be writing-in the name of someone you think is worthy of the presidency. This can be part of a serious effort of supporting an alternative candidate, or it can be a statement of principle which expresses

Mobocrazy Pg 38

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mobocracy

>> continued from pg 19

>> continued from pg 37

Through the eyes of a blind child, at last I could see The problem was not with the world; the problem was me.

And for all of those times I myself had been blind, I vowed to see the beauty in life, and appreciate every second that's mine.

your dissatisfaction with all candidates. You do not even need to put the name of a person. “Nobody”, “None of the Above”, or “No Confidence” are all legitimate options for principled voters.

And then I held that wilted flower up to my nose And breathed in the fragrance of a beautiful rose And smiled as I watched that young boy, Another weed in his hand, About to change the life of an unsuspecting old man.

The last option for elections is to not vote at all. This does not mean inaction or disengagement from political discourse and debate. Rather it is a strategic decision to abstain from supporting unworthy candidates, or to abstain from participating in a broken political process. A person can channel the time, energy and passion that would otherwise be spent on voting or campaigning, into something more productive like getting involved in activism or advocacy for a certain cause. Volunteering to do charity

Courtesy of the Islamic Email Circle – info@theislamicemailcircle.com

violence

>> continued from pg 36

http://www.womensweb.ca/violence/dv/ pregnancy.php Types of Trauma: Domestic Violence –

San Francisco depression | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/depression-insan-francisco/types-of-trauma-domesticviolence#ixzz1ZstUJQB9 http://www.aardvarc.org/dv/effects.shtml Types of Trauma: Domestic Violence – San Francisco depression | Examiner.com

http://www.examiner.com/depression-insan-francisco/types-of-trauma-domesticviolence#ixzz1Zsu4uQTE http://www.examiner.com/depression-insan-francisco/types-of-trauma-domesticviolence Suicide Prevention: Signs of Suicide and

work or community service are other valuable alternatives.

We are in no need to be on the winning side of an election or to supposedly have our vote “count”. What we need is for people to stand up for principles that are in line with the philosophy of liberty and in line with the common good (ma’roof). These are principles that should be reclaimed from the mobocracy, and not be compromised for the sake of inclusion in it. It’s time to break free from the two-party system and let them bring about their own destruction. It’s time to recalibrate our priorities when it comes to politics and elections.

Ramy Osman lives in Virginia and is active with the Ron Paul movement. He can be reached at gibnaramy@yahoo.com.

How to Help a Suicidal Person.

Source: http://muslimmatters. org/2011/10/24/psychological-tsunami/

• Ages 4 to Adults • Reading, Memorization & Tajweed • Part-Time Hifzh Program College Park, MD

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October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

Request For Dua’s

{ To A llah We B e l o n g , an d t o Hi m is 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)” 9-21-12 Br Imtiaz Ahmed's mother passed away .Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'oon May Allah keep her soul in peace and comfort, forgive her sins and reward her with Jannat ul Firdaus InshaAllah. Her janazah Prayer was on September 21, 2012 in Sterling, Virginia. (Source: ADAMS) 9-23-12 Zubaida Yasmeen, mother-in-law of Muhammad Jahangir Malik (Owner, Taabeer Restaurant) has passed away. May Allah accept her good deeds, forgive her shortcomings and enter her into Jannat ul Firdaus, Aameen. Salaat ul Janazah was on September 24, 2012 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. (Source: ICM) 9-24-12 There was a Janazah Salaat on September 24, 2012 for Sister Zubaida Yasmeen in Gaithersburg, Maryland. May Allah SWT grant her Jannatul Firdaus, and make it easy for the family. Ameen. (Source: PGMA) 9-25-12 Brother Tariq Anwar has passed away. We pray to Allah(swt) to forgive his sins and Grant him highest level in Jannat-ul-Firdous - Ameen The Janazah was on September 25, 2012 in Sterling, Virginia. (Source: F. Syed) 9-27-12 There was a Janazah on September 28, 2012 for Brother Mohamed Jalloh in Lanham, Maryland. May Allah SWT grant him Jannatul Firdaus, and make it easy for his family. Ameen.

(Source: PGMA) 9-28-12 It is with a heavy heart that I announce the loss of Essam Siouty Ayoubi. May Allah SWT bless her soul, shelter her with his mercy, forgiveness, wash her body with pure water and ice, forgive her sins, multiply her good deeds, make her grave a piece of Jannah, open her a window to Jannah, give her a family better than her family on this earth, make her grave wide, and make her questioning easy…Rahimaha Allah. (Source: M. Ayoubi) 9-30-12 Perveen Iqbal, sister of Amjad Rana and aunt of Ayesha and Zeshan Rana, has passed away. May Allah accept her good deeds, forgive her shortcomings and enter her into Jannat ul Firdaus, Aameen. Salaat ul Janazah was on October 1, 2012 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. (Source: ICM) 10-1-12 Abbas Namjou, the father of Sattar Namjou, has passed away. May Allah accept his good deeds, forgive his shortcomings and enter him into Jannat ul Firdaus, Aameen. Salaat ul Janazah was on October 2, 2012 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. (Source: ICM) 10-1-12 The Board of Directors, Imam, Executive Director and staff of Dar Al-Hijrah and the muslim community in Northern Virginia extends its deepest condolences to our Sister Intisar for the death of her sister. May Allah give her jannah and grant her with patience. (Source: Dar Al-Hijrah) 10-7-12 Father of Sr Arifa Khalid has passed away. Sr Arifa is the chair of ADAMS Social Services committee, Our heart felt condolences to her and the family. May Allah grant him the highest place in Jannah and give sabr to the family. The janaza prayer was on October 8, 2012 in Sterling, Virginia. (Source: K. Iqbal) 10-7-12 The Janaza Prayer for Br. Basheer A. Malik, father of Sr Arifa, grandfather of Wisam and Sulayman Chowdhury was on October 8, 2012 in Sterling, Virginia. May Allah grant him JannatulFirdaus and ease the journey ahead. May Allah give the family members he lives behind sabr and increase their iman. (Source: Z. Mir) 10-12-12 Brother Farooq Hussain has passed away. His janazah prayer was on October 12, 2012 in Manassas, Virginia. May Allah (SWT) grant him Jannah, accept him in His Mercy & Love and grant Sabr to his family (Source: Dar Alnoor) 10-12-12 Janaza Prayer for Sr Clarrise Niyonkuru was on October 12, 2012 in Silver Spring, Maryland. (Source: MCC) 10-12-12 Janaza Prayer for Sr Haidary Kamal was on October 12, 2012 in Silver Spring, Maryland. (Source: MCC) 10-12-12 Janaza Prayer for Br Michael Jackson was on October 13, 2012 in Silver Spring, Maryland. (Source: MCC) 10-13-12 Sr. Zulfan Saif, Mother of Maqsood Khan and Seema Akhtar, has passed away. Her janazah was on October 14, 2012 in Sterling, Virginia. May Allah grant her Jannatul Firdaus.

Ameen. May Allah give sabr to the entire family, especially during this difficult time and increase their Iman. (Source: Z. Mir) 10-13-12 It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Dr. Muhammad Anwar Malik, Uncle of Br. Muhammad Perwaz. Janazah Prayers were on October 13th, 2012 in Laurel, Maryland. We ask Allah SWT to forgive him, have mercy on him and give him Jannat ul-Firdous.

We also ask Allah SWT to give patience to his family during these difficult times. Allahumma Aameen. (Source: E. Sayyad)

OBITS & EVENTS | 39

Upcoming Events In Your Area Journey Through Ten Thousand Veils Book Signing Friday, October 19 2012, 6:00pm - 9:00pm Journey Through Ten Thousand Veils book signing and discussion with Maryam K Faye.

Free and open to the public. Located just 2 blocks from the Anacostia Metro (Green Line).

Location: America's Islamic Heritage Museum, 2315 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, SE, Washington DC 20020. Contact: Amir Muhammad @ (202) 610-0586 or amirmuhammad@ juno.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Women Only Horse Riding Event Saturday, October 20 2012 Hijaabis is an organization focused on aiding and encouraging Muslim women to wear hijab, increase their faith and knowledge, and participate in community service. Hijaabis is hosting a women only horseback riding event. Please dress comfortably, wearing jeans or slacks under your abaya. Tennis shoes are fine, along with hiking boots and cowboy boots. Transportation for this event will not be provided. We highly encourage you to carpool. Cost for this event is $45 per person to ride. Cost includes tax. Starts at 11AM. Please RSVP by Monday, October 8, 2012.

Location: Marriott Ranch, 5305 Marriott Lane, Hume, Virginia 22639 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A Day of Dignity Saturday, October 20 2012, 9:30am - 5:00pm All day community engagement event called, ‘A Day of Dignity’ which will provide a food bank distribution along with health and social service booths sponsored by Islamic Relief USA. Free and open to the public. Located just 2 blocks from the Anacostia Metro (Green Line). Location: America's Islamic Heritage Museum, 2315 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, SE, Washington DC 20020. Contact: Amir Muhammad @ (202) 610-0586 or amirmuhammad@ juno.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------History of Money and Power Lecture by Dr Akram Zahoor Saturday, October 20 2012, 11:00am - 2:00pm This presentation will cover the history of money over the last three centuries and its influence on the affairs of state including major wars and colonization projects. It will include a brief history of one of the foremost world bankers from 1750's to present. The Q&A will follow the lecture. Location: ICM Masjid, 19411 Woodfield Rd., Gaithersburg MD 20879. Contact: 301-840-9440 or www.icomd.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MCC Meena Bazaar Saturday, October 20 2012, 11:00am - 5:00pm Join us for delicious food, Eid shopping, Mehndi, Clothes and more. Everyone is welcome.

For Vending reservations, Contact Sr. Shabana Siddiqui at 301-879-5006.

Location: Muslim Community Center (MCC), 15200 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20905 Contact: For more information, please visit our website: www.mccmd.org or call Kamila Barbour at 301-384-3454 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------KARAMAH & ISF Domestic Violence Event Saturday, October 20 2012, 6:00pm - 8:00pm Islamic Society of Frederick and KARAMAH present Love Like the Prophet (PBUH): Ending Domestic Violence in Our Community. Featuring: Imam Yahya Hendi, Aisha Rahman, KARAMAH and Sr Asma Hanif, Muslimat Al-Nisaa. To RSVP, go to karamah.org Location: Islamic Society of Frederick (ISF), 1250 Key Parkway, Frederick, MD 21702 Contact: Karamah 202-234-7302 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ADAMS 2nd Mini Walk-a-Thon Sunday, October 21 2012, 9:00am - 12:00pm ADAMS Center in collaboration with FAITH Social Services presents the mini Walk-A-Thon.

Proudly supporting National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Together we can end domestic abuse. Sponsorship opportunities: sponsor our walkers for $5.00 per lap.

Registration: $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. On-site registration begins at 8:30AM. To donate towards the mini walk-a-thon that ADAMS in collaboration with FAITH Social Services is hosting please visit http://www.faithus.org and click on "donate."

Or you can mail a check payable to ADAMS (46903 Sugarland Rd. Sterling VA 20164). All proceeds will go towards programs helping victims of domestic violence.

Location: ADAMS Center, 46903 Sugarland Road, Sterling, VA 20164 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Book Signing and Discussion: From Slave Ship to Harvard Sunday, October 21 2012, 2:00pm - 4:00pm Book signing and discussion with James Johnston, author of the book, From Slave Ship to Harvard: Yarrow Mamout and the History of an African American Family. Free and open to the public. Located just 2 blocks from the Anacostia Metro (Green Line).

Location: America's Islamic Heritage Museum, 2315 Martin Luther King Jr Ave, SE, Washington DC 20020 Contact: Amir Muhammad @ (202) 610-0586 or amirmuhammad@juno.com

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MASJID LISTING

40 |

October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 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., Richmond, VA 23235 Tel: 804-320-7333

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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 ---------------------------------------------------------------Maryum Islamic Center (MIC) 3280 Pine Orchard Lane Suite A Ellicott City, MD 21042 Tel: 443-574-5188 www.maryumcenter.com ---------------------------------------------------------------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: 301-322-8105 ---------------------------------------------------------------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.

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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 ---------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Education Society of Maryland 11504 Veirs Mills Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20902 Tel: 301- 933-3838 ---------------------------------------------------------------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

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012 fusion Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan

>> continued from pg 17

Office Manager: Stephanie Benmoha

security money is being spent.

Layout & Design: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Anhar Karim Aisha Khatib Yaman Shalabi Fatimah Waseem Hena Zuberi 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

Inside Homeland Security, officials have long known there were problems with the reports coming out of fusion centers, the report shows.

"You would have some guys, the information you'd see from them, you'd scratch your head and say, 'What planet are you from?'" an unidentified Homeland Security official told Congress.

Until this year, the federal reports officers received five days of training and were never tested or graded afterward, the report said.

States have had criminal analysis centers for years. But the story of fusion centers began in the frenzied aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The 9/11 Commission urged better collaboration among government agencies. As officials realized that a terrorism tip was as likely to come from a local police officer as the CIA, fusion centers became a hot topic.

But putting people together to share intelligence proved complicated. Special phone and computer lines had to be installed. The people reading the reports needed background checks. Some information could only be read in secure areas, which meant construction projects.

All of that cost money.

Meanwhile, federal intelligence agencies were under orders from Congress to hire more analysts. That meant state and local agencies had to compete for smart

CONTINUED| 41 counterterrorism thinkers. And federal training for local analysts wasn't an early priority.

Though fusion centers receive money from the federal government, they are operated independently. Counterterrorism money started flowing to states in 2003.

But it wasn't until late 2007 that the Bush administration told states how to run the centers.

State officials soon realized there simply wasn't that much local terrorism-related intelligence. Terrorist attacks didn't happen often, but police faced drugs, guns and violent crime every day. Normal criminal information started moving through fusion centers.

Under federal law, that was fine. When lawmakers enacted recommendations of the 9/11 Commission in 2007, they allowed fusion centers to study "criminal or terrorist activity." The law was cosponsored by Sens. Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman, the driving forces behind the creation of Homeland Security.

Five years later, Senate investigators found, terrorism is often a secondary focus.

"Many fusion centers lacked either the capability or stated objective of contributing meaningfully to the federal counterterrorism mission," the Senate report said. "Many centers didn't consider counterterrorism an explicit part of their mission, and federal officials said some were simply not concerned with doing counterterrorism work."

Congress that year, she distinguished fusion centers from the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Forces that are the leading investigative and analytical arms of the domestic counterterrorism effort.

"A JTTF is really focused on terrorism and terrorism-related investigations," she said. "Fusion centers are almost everything else."

Congress, including the committee that authored the report, supports that notion.

And though the report recommends the Senate reconsider the amount of money it spends on fusion centers, that seems unlikely.

"Congress and two administrations have urged DHS to continue or even expand its support of fusion centers, without providing sufficient oversight to ensure the intelligence from fusion centers is commensurate with the level of federal investment," the report said.

And following the release of the report, Homeland Security officials indicated their continued strong support for the program.

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.

When Janet Napolitano became Homeland Security secretary in 2009, the former Arizona governor embraced the idea that fusion centers should look beyond terrorism. Testifying before

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October 19th 2012 - Novemver 15th 2012

Patterson Park Pharmacy 2245 Eastern Ave Baltimore, MD 21231

Call Today for Special Discounts

(410) 675 6046 Saleem Shah (pharmacist)

pattersonparkpharmacy@gmail.com

We accept all major insurance plans NOW AvAilABlE

FrEE DElivEry

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

BACK PAIN?

HEADACHES SHOULDER PAIN KNEE PAIN NECK PAIN LEG PAIN If you’ve been injured in a car accident or at work, relief is just one visit away ...

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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 ....

October 19th 2012 - November 15th 2012

Classifieds | 55 MP - ADVERTISEMENT

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

Employment 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

---------------------------------------QUR'AN AND ARABIC TEACHERS NEEDED Teacher needed for Qur'an and Arabic Language for the Moroccan American Community Organization Center. If interested, please email macopresident@ gmail.com or call 703-386-6775

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 2 ROOMS AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY 2 basement rooms, private entrance, kitchenette, bathroom.

Close to Holy Cross hospital and Forest Glen Metro, 5 Mi to UMD. $450/room. 202-446-8095.

Services HOME SERVICES Licensed contractor.

Home improvement work, interior/ exterior painting, drywall install/

repair, brick/concrete repair.

License # 30385946 Estimates done. Contact Br Allen Scott at 410-467-1259 or 443-538-7643 (cell).

---------------------------------------TEACHER AVAILABLE FOR ARABIC AND ISLAMIC STUDIES Teach Arabic and lessons in Islam. Bachelor Degree in studies Islamic. Location: my location or yours. Time: 9am -1pm.

For women: Monday to Thursday.

For students: Saturday. 2 hours per session [small fee]. Contact Touria Elfakir 410 467 1259

Announcements from the Muslim Link New Addition to the Ummah ?

The Muslim Link is now welcoming new souls from Jannah. If your family, by the Mercy of Allah, has recently been blessed with a baby, share the good news with the community. Please send the baby's name, the father's first and last name, the mother's first and last name, time of birth, weight, height, the city of birth, date of birth (both Hijri/Gregorian) , and baby's gender. You can also add who else in the family is welcoming the baby (grandparents, siblings, etc), the name of the people who did the tahneek and read the adhan. Photos of the baby are appreciated. BarakAllah Feekum and may your homes stay blessed.

Announcements should be emailed to announcements@muslimlinkpaper.com.

Just Married?

Have you recently been married? Share the news with your Muslim brothers and sisters through the Muslim Link. Please send the first and last name of the bride, city of origin, first and last name of the groom, city of origin, parents' names, avenue, city where the nikaah was performed, name of the person who officiated the nikaah and the avenue, city of the valima.

May Allah bless you and your spouse and may He unite both of you in goodness.~The Muslim Link Announcements should be emailed to announcements@muslimlinkpaper.com.

Paying Our Respects

The Muslim Link will be tweeting out janazah/funeral information from all area mosques and community centers, In Shaa Allah. Many people miss funerals because they find out too late, so our new service will help inform our readers in real time.

We will use these hashtags: #JanazahDC # JanazahVA and #JanazahMD. Please share janazah information and we will retweet it. Follow us @TheMuslimLink ....

Grove Dental Clinic, P.C. 3400 Payne Street | Suite 101 | Falls Church, VA 22041

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We offer the following services: • • • • • • • •

Restorative Dentistry (fillings, crowns, bridges, etc.)

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46161 Westlake Dr, Suite 220 Potomac Falls, Virginia 20165

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