The Muslim Link ~ September 26, 2008 Issue

Muharram . Safar . Rabi’ al-awwal . Rabi’ al-thani . Jumada Al-awwal . Jumada al-akhir . Rajab . Sha’aban . 26 RAMADAN . Shawwal . Dhu al-Qi’dah . Dhu al-Hijjah . 1429 A.H. FRIDAY, September 26, 2008

NEW MUSLIM WOMEN’S SHELTER OPENS IN BALTIMORE PG 7 RELIGION REPORTERS GET THE SCOOP ON THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY

MD, VA, and DC. Metropolitan Area Bi-Weekly Newspaper | FREE

ISB Raises Half a Million at Annual Fundraiser

By Farha Marfani Muslim Link Staff Writer Anyone who attended the Islamic Society of Baltimore’s 22nd annual fundraiser on Saturday, September 13th could clearly see the need for ISB to expand its facilities.

Over a thousand people filled the gymnasium of ISB to break their fasts, see old friends, and raise a half million dollars to finish the construction. Even though the expansion is not yet

complete, progress has been made on the construction. At this time last year, construction cranes were a common sight on the ISB grounds, whereas today, a huge bronze-colored dome welcomes community members and visitors to the Masjid.

Not all of the money

raised will feed the construction fund, but a majority of the funds collected that night will be dedicated to the construction, specifically paying back the Qarde-Hasana, money borrowed from local community members last year. ISB has promised to return loaned money by April 2008 and has already started to pay some back. However, the remaining debt needs to be fulfilled

and more money is needed to ensure that the construction can be completed in a timely manner.

Currently, the construction process is in Phase Two, which is essentially the construction of the mezzanine floor, on which the sisters will pray.

The night of the fundraiser featured an introduction by current ISB >> ISB fundraising Pg 14

PG 8

Sentence Handed Down in Reaction to “Obsession Trial Over Muslim Name DVD” from a Muslim Recipient in VA

By Muhaafiz Khan

Muslim Link Contributing Writer

November 2007 (The U.S. Government vs. Darrick M. Jackson, Sr.) for mistakenly leaving his non-legal Muslim name off of an employment application.

That trial ended in a “hung jury”, which means the jury could not come to a unanimous decision. The U.S. government retried Brother Abdul-Jaleel in late June 2008 in what many case watchers say was a precedent setting trial.

Muslim Link readers may recall Darrick Jackson, better known to the DC area Muslim community as Brother AbdulJaleel, who was tried in late

Brother Abdul-Jaleel was found not guilty of intentionally concealing his >> Sentenced Pg 6

Some readers might now that this month, a DVD movie titled Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West was mass distributed to homes across the country.

About 28 million copies were mailed and inserted

into about 70 newspapers by a shadow entity named the Clarion Fund. Full of fear inspiring images and video linking Islam and Muslims to hate and killing, >> Obsession Pg 015

UMCP Becomes Center for Studying Homegrown Terrorism But Some Local Muslims, Civil Rights Advocates Concerned About Who and What Will Be Studied

By Sana Javed Muslim Link Contributing Writer

The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START) of the University

of Maryland will receive $12 million from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) over the next three years.

A team of 50 social >> Studying Pg 10

2

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The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

CORRECTION:

Last issue we made some mistakes in our article “Masjid Mustafa Community Speaks from the Heart” (September 12, 2008 issue). The correct names of the speakers at the event are as follows: Mohammad Bashir, Omyra Ahmadzai, Daoud Nassimi and Ali Baluch. We apologize for the errors.

NOTE TO OUR READERS:

Due to the Ramadan and Eid break, our next issue will come out in three weeks instead of two weeks. Our next issues will be out on October 17, 2008 InshAllah...

INDEX

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

3

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

04

Community News

16

Civil Rights

19

Islam

23

Arts & Film

COMMUNITY NEWS

4

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

Community News Creating links through mutual understanding and cooperation

Al-Rahmah Quran Academy To Graduate Eleven Huffadh this Ramadan

By Rana Khan Muslim Link Contributing Writer For eleven students, this evening signifies the end of a long and often arduous journey of intense commitment and determination needed to memorize the entire Quran and the start of another, life-long one of consistency and self-discipline needed to retain it.

It will be the evening of the 27th of Ramadan, the conclusion of the recitation of the Quran in the Taraweeh prayers and the graduation of Al-Rahmah Quran Academy’s newest huffadh.

This has been the tradition at the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) for many years and this year will be no exception, with an estimated 3,000 people anticipated to turn out for this big occasion on Friday, September 26, 2008.

The ISB Youth group is preparing the streamers, balloons, banners and stage for the program and a big poster is displayed in the hallway announcing the latest additions to ISB’s growing community of huffadh.

Leading the Way

Male graduates of Al-Rahmah Quran Academy are leading taraweeh prayers for congregations across the state of Maryland and the neighboring state of Pennsylvania.

These locations include Dar al-Taqwa, Masjid An-Noor, Allima Institute, Makkah Learning Center, ISCC, Dar ul-Uloom Maryland, Route 40 Musallah, Millersville, Hagerstown, Pennridge, and the ISB annex.

Hammad Hai, a senior at the University of

Maryland, Baltimore County, is the first graduate of the hifdh program and has been leading the taraweeh prayers at various area masajid for the past 5 years, the last two years being at Dar ul-Taqwa in Columbia, Maryland.

He reflects on his own journey of memorization.

“My parents encouraged and stressed for me to start reading the Quran at a very young age, sending me to many teachers as a child.

I attended the evening Quran class with Qari Qasim like pretty much any other kid who grew up in the Al-Rahmah community. The Imam at that time, Sheikh Adam, would hold ‘tajweed’ classes every day after Fajr prayer, and some of my friends used to stay and study with him. I would stay with them, and we would try our best to read without mistakes, so that we could be honored with the title of ‘Best Reader of the Day’ by our teacher. So as a child growing up, it was always a part of my life.

“However, the real interest started when, somehow, I got my hands on a cassette tape of Sheikh Ahmed ibn Ali Al-Ajmy’s recitation of Surah Al-Baqarah. That recitation of his was truly amazing. It mesmerized me, and I would listen to it non-stop, to the point where I had memorized a decent portion of the first ‘juzz’ just by listening to him. I would try to recite it exactly like him. That same year, our community invited a Qari from Madinah to lead taraweeh prayers and, for the first time that I could remember, I was enjoying taraweeh.

My friends and I would try to emulate him to the point where we started to dress like him

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Hammad Hai reviews his Qur’an at the Masjid of the Prophet (peace be upon him) in Medina a few years ago while on Hajj. (Photos courtesy of Adnaan Ahmad)

“Start by making dua’a that Allah gifts you with this knowledge and blessing to protect His book. Remember that it’s never too late to begin memorizing, and never too late to finish the Quran either.” -- Hammad Hai, ISB’s first hifz graduate. and mimic his style. That Ramadan, I became very engrossed in the Quran, even reciting (in my impersonation of Sheikh Al-Ajmy) on the night of the 27th, and since then, my parents (and others) wanted me to memorize.

asked me if I wanted to memorize, (even though I really wanted to go to school like all of my friends) I said ‘yes’, because it was the ‘correct’ answer and I would feel bad saying ‘no’. Once I got in though, I realized

“Years passed and my enthusiasm waned.

When my parents finally found a local teacher near the end of my 6th grade summer, and

>> Huffadh Pg 11

An Evening to Celebrate a Mark of Honor

By Amalia Rehman Muslim Link Staff Writer On Saturday evening, September 20th, a special iftar was held to celebrate the decision that several young women made in our community to wear hijab. These 18 girls, who attended, were aged 8 to 24 years old and have been wearing hijab and praying consistently since last Ramadan. The event was held at NVCC (Northern Virginia Community College) at the Annandale campus. It was

an intimate gathering sponsored by Creative Education & Publishing. About 50 people attended.

The guest speaker was Sister Fatima Phopal from Annandale’s Mustafa Center and the wife of Imam Zia. “My worst experience wearing hijab was in 5th grade at the school

>> Celebrate Pg 20

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

COMMUNITY NEWS

5

ICCL Makes Headway for The Al Kisai Quran Center Holds its Annual Fundraiser Parking Expansion Full plan includes new building for full-time school with indoor court

By Muslim Link Staff Using momentum from a recent Prince George’s County’s approval of their parking lot expansion plan, the Islamic Community Center of Laurel (ICCL) pushed supporters to donate about $176,000 at their annual fundraising dinner on September 13.

The parking lot expansion, the first phase in a planned $2.4 million expansion which will include a new 22,000 square-foot building including 12 classrooms, a science lab, auditorium, and a collegiate size indoor basketball court, will cost ICCL approximately $600,000. With $350,000 already on hand, ICCL leaders set the night’s goal at $250,000.

“Since we have [preliminary] approval [for the parking lot and building expansion], we can delay [construction of the building] until we get [all] the money,” ICCL Shura member Mohammad Ayub explained to the gathering.

The expansion plans were initiated in 2004 after ICCL purchased an adjoining property.

The masjid planned to combine the two properties and sought Prince George’s County Planning Board approval.

“This [request to combine the properties] triggered a series of other requirements,” said Ayub, explaining why the approval process took a long time. A conditional approval was granted early this month, as reported in the September 12, 2008 issue of the Muslim Link.

The fundraising dinner – held at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, was overtly focused on breaking ground for the parking lot. Donation forms placed on the dinner tables had a picture of a crowded ICCL parking lot. A power point shown after dinner also featured pictures of cars parked on grassy areas.

With an information packed program, organizers made sure iftaar and dinner were served with efficiency. Iftaar was packaged

>> ICCL Ecpansion Pg 21

Left,Sheikh Adam Hassan with his students at the old location earlier this year.

(Photo by Omar Mullick)

By Tasneem Abu-Ali Muslim Link Contributing Writer The Somali Cultural Center conducted its annual fundraiser on September 21, 2008, and was given a new name- The Al-Kisai Center, named after one of the first hufaz in the time of the prophet Muhammed peace be upon him.

About two hundred people showed up for the event, held at the Marriot at Fairview Park.

The center opened its doors in 2003 under the leadership of Sheikh Adam Hassan and his wife Hafsa. Its purpose is to teach Muslim children the foundation of Islamic literacy in

the form of reading, writing, and memorizing the Quran. The center found that the traditional method of a student reciting to a sheikh was the most effective and successful method. The school started with eighteen students, and it was only a few months before that number grew to ninety. The center had to hire full-time teachers and relocated to a place with three classrooms. Within five years, graduates were helping the community by leading prayers at mosques. They also participated in national

>> Al Kisai Pg 18

COMMUNITY NEWS

6 continued >> Shelter from pg 07

family, rented by Muslims, or advertised for sale by Muslim landlords.

Muslimat Al-Nisaa always provided shelter services, but this is the first time they’ve secured a physical location to house homeless women in one home.

“The set up is really nice. It is a genuine place protecting the dignity of the Muslim woman,” said Khalid Karimullah, secretary of the Board of Directors at the Muslim Community Center (MCC) in Silver Spring, Maryland.

“They are not just providing shelter to waste time, they are actually getting these sisters to pursue a plan-a life plan,” he added.

“It is not just a place for them to sleep comfortably. Our goal is to get them prepared to stand up on their own feet,” said Hanif.

MWC is a three-level house with a huge backyard and a fenced-inn front yard. The seven bedrooms, five bathrooms along with meeting and dining areas with fully equipped kitchen allow space for 15-25 women depending on the size of their families. The shelter welcomes any Muslim woman and her children from anywhere in the US. MWC only takes in women who have made an agreement to take advantage of the various trainings offered by the program to become self-reliable. While gaining from the resources of the shelter, these residents are also expected to give back to the community in some way.

For example, some residents have already assisted Hanif in taking care of a disabled Muslim in the community.

This MWC sits in close proximity to a neighborhood Masjid. Within a mile radius, every other home is owned by a Muslim

continued >> Sentenced from pg 1 Muslim name (Abdul-Jaleel Mohammad) or ties to Masjid Al-Islam from the hiring agency. However, he was found guilty of intentionally concealing his other name (Abdul-Jaleel Mohammad) to hide his identity/other ties from Office of Personnel Management Investigator(s). This latter charge, like the first, is a federal offense/ felony. It was added during the government’s re-trial.

Karimullah promised his support to the shelter. He also plans on making more Muslim leaders aware about this project to gain additional support.

“This is a responsibility of the Muslims by birth to support the converted Muslims,” he said. Karimullah believes that new Muslims need the help of other Muslims because of the isolation they face by accepting Islam.

“Our Muslim women may have lost jobs or become victims of domestic violence after accepting Islam. It is our obligation to protect them,” said Karimullah.

In order to sign the contract for a five-year lease agreement, some noble Muslim men contributed financially to ensure the shelter will have monthly allowance to pay its expenses. The donations helped significantly.

However, the shelter relies on regular monthly pledges.

The MWC has individuals and organizations

On Monday, September 22, Brother AbdulJaleel and his family and supporters returned to the federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland for final sentencing. The judge gave him two years of probation, imposed a fine of $2,500, and ordered him to complete 80 hours of community service. If the $2,500 fine is paid and 80 hours of community service are fulfilled before 2 years, then the probation time will be curbed.

If readers are interested in offering any support to Br. Abdul-Jaleel and his family, contact: nadahlaa@yahoo.com.

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The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

that are helping with the monthly operational costs of the shelter. Other organizations and individuals are providing manpower, training programs, counseling, and other resources.

Hanif gets canned goods from local food pantries. Several Masajid in Maryland have donated money, clothing, computers for the educational and job trainings, and food for the daily operation of the MWC. “There may be other organizations in Baltimore providing shelter, however, without a comprehensive program, after 30-90 days, they will either turn them [homeless women] back onto the streets or they will end up at Muslimat Al-Nisaa’s doorsteps,” said Faiza Muhammad, MWC director.

These professionals in the medical, business, educational, social service, and health field are working together to help these women reach self-sufficiency within six moths. The shelter provides training for CPR, childcare provider, nursing assistant, basic computer education, GED programs, high school diploma, and employment opportunities within Muslim owned businesses.

“Our goal is for everyone to have a plan. If not, we will help them develop one,” added Muhammad.

“It is a beautiful haven for homeless Muslimat, a place they can find a roof over their head, a place they can keep their dignity and practiced their Islam while being homeless. It is a place

where these sisters can transition to a state of independence through training, coaching, and career counseling,” said Ayman Nassar, member of the Shura at Dar Al-Taqwa in Ellicott City, Maryland. Nassar also serves on the Community Affairs Liaison.

Nassar said Muslims need to first start making regular zakat payments where it is most needed. Second, he added that Muslims can also help by providing their professional expertise to the residents of the shelter. His plan is to get more Muslims’ support either financially or by their time for this project.

“In my opinion, the reality is that anyone can provide shelter, but the restoration of selfesteem, the instillation of self-worth is the real challenge. Inshallah Muslimat Al-Nisaa’s programs, with the help of the community, will strive to meet those challenges,” said Hanif.

Their future plan is to raise enough funds to purchase the current property being leased for the shelter.

To mention a few, ICM, ADAMS, ISWA, CAIR, CCMO, ISNA, Islamic Relief, PGMA, Peaceful Families Project, Diamond Security, and Al Maghrib Institute.

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The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

COMMUNITY NEWS

7

Baltimore Community Remembers Needy Children This Eid

By Arjumand Yousuf Muslim Link Contributing Writer Can you imagine not having new clothes to wear or food on the table for Eid? Unfortunately, for some area families this is a reality.

In 1987 two compassionate sisters got together and started an organization called “Friends of Islam.” For the past 21 years, with the help of the Islamic Society of Baltimore they organize an annual “Sponsor a Child” program every Ramadan providing food and clothing for families in need.

Families were not coming to Eid prayer because they did not have new clothes to wear says Nasreen Rahman, one of the pioneers of the program. The sisters decided to reach out to the community.

The program started off providing new Eid outfits for children and handing out bags of groceries for needy families. When the program first started there were only about 20 families on the list. However, as the program expanded through the years, the bags of food got too heavy to carry and difficult to transport, so the program began providing food certificates instead.

This year, there are 57 families on the list.

Individuals wishing to donate to the program can help in two ways. They can either donate money for food certificates or they can sponsor a child.

Sponsors are asked to provide a complete new Eid outfit for a child including shoes and socks in a gift bag or box. There are about 120 – 150 children on the list each year ranging from ages newborn to 10 years. Occasionally

there are some children that are older than 10 on the list. In this case, gift certificates are given instead of clothes so the children can buy whatever they wish. Each year ISB also plays an active role in providing money to buy the food certificates. The amount of money given to each family is decided based upon the number of children in the family and how needy the family is.

Sister Maimoona Hai who has been involved in the project for the last 15 years says it has become a Ramadan tradition at the ISB. When the program first started the sisters had to find people to sponsor the families. Now people come up to us asking if they can help, she says. One very heart-felt story involves a sister who was in need for two years, but is now sponsoring children herself. Another family finally saw meat on the table after five years, with the help of food certificates from the program.

This program is so wonderful because it helps Muslim families of diverse ethnic faiths, says Sister Nasreen. Most people in need find out about the program through word of mouth. The communities of Masjid-Al-Haq and Al-Rahmah also play a part in finding deserving families. This year there are also some Muslim families from the International Refugee Center on the list.

Once all the donations are collected the families can pick up the gifts and food certificates or they are delivered to the homes of the individual families. Currently, the program helps those in the Baltimore area.

For more information on how you can help, email nasrin107@gmail.com.

New Muslim Women’s Shelter Opens in Baltimore Muslimat Al-Nisaa Fulfills Pledge to Community, Home Includes Self-Sufficiency Training By: Farkhunda Ali Muslim Link Staff Writer An idea, which was originally born of necessity almost five years ago, has now become a reality.

She traveled throughout the Masajid, Islamic Centers, and Muslim organizations in the tristate DC Metropolitan Area getting people to understand and support her project.

She said she does not want to remember how many times she was turned down. The lesson she learned is to always stick to the plan, ask for Allah’s guidance, and be persistent in a mission.

That is exactly what she did. She came up with the idea five years ago. She put her idea into a written proposal three years ago. Since then she’s been networking with Muslims to

get their financial support, volunteers, and professionals to help her establish a fullfledged Islamically conducive Muslim shelter, a home for the homeless Muslim women and children.

Now, her vision has been fulfilled.

After becoming aware that homelessness exists in the Muslim community and is as serious of a problem as in other faiths, the DC Muslims raised their support for this cause, therefore enabling her to fulfill her life-long dream.

Asma Hanif, director of the Baltimore-based Muslimat Al-Nisaa Health, Education, Social, and Shelter Services held an open house for its first Muslim Women’s Center (MWC) recently opened in the heart of Baltimore.

The shelter was given the name MWC because it provides home-economics training,

A view of the foyer area of the new homeless women shelter in Baltimore. Photo courtesy of Muslimat An-Nisa.

Islamic education, vocational/occupational training, resources to GED and Diploma programs, access to information for further education, three warm meals, laundry area, clothing, counseling, library, health and

nutrition counseling, medical services and a warm clean place to sleep.

>> Shelter Pg 6

20,000 Dialogues – A Step toward Creating Understanding between Muslims and Non-Muslims 20,000 Dialogues is an interfaith initiative that promotes the participation of the ‘common man’ to get involved and make a difference.

It gives the tools for anyone to contribute to world peace, one group at a time. Their small office is located in Washington DC in the basement level of a small bank building, but their director, Daniel Tutt and his small army of interns reach out and affect the entire United States and Canada with their efforts.

“Our model is premised on the idea that a small and committed group can make peace happen when they reach out to their neighbors in a spirit of curiosity and openness.” states Daniel Tutt. “20,000 Dialogues is a nationwide initiative seeking to build greater

understanding of Islam and Muslims by bringing people together to dialogue and build relationships at the grassroots level.

One of the great conversations of our time revolves around how mainstream Americans and the Muslim world come to understand each other in the next few years. The misunderstandings around this are the basis for enormous challenges in our society, our foreign policy, our economy, our sense of security, our world.”

20,000 Dialogues was launched in August 2007. They have held over 400 “dialogues” in 48 states. Their program has made it possible for any individual to have a dialogue

party at their home, office, school, club or organization. “This is a “bottom up” approach to interfaith dialogue that seeks to equip everyday people with a methodology for serving as a cross cultural ambassador.”…

“We have three models, the living room dialogue, where you invite a small group into your home and host a dialogue, the community dialogue, where you organize a series of partnering organizations and host multiple small groups in discussion, and we’re also developing a civic leader model, where we engage key leader’s city-by-city and introduce them to our methodology.” continued Mr. Tutt.

The 20,000 dialogues office provides individuals and organizations with an award winning documentary and a toolkit. They have a 45 minute online orientation or live webinar that helps you organize and learn how to facilitate an event.

The documentary films are produced by Unity Productions Foundation, a film production company dedicated to producing films that illustrate the everyday concerns and struggles of Muslims and Muslim communities in the

>> Dialogues Pg 12

COMMUNITY NEWS

8

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

Religion Reporters Get the Scoop on the Muslim Community Religion Newswriters Association Conference Holds Pre-Conference on Covering Islam

By Muslim Link Staff Over 300 journalists who cover religion convened in DC the weekend of September 19, 2008 for the annual Religion Newswriter’s Association conference, and a major component of the 5-day gathering dealt with covering Islam and Muslims.

to Barak ‘Hussein’ Obama to Islamic Finance, and especially since 9/11, professional, dedicated reporters in all areas of media have been struggling to cover it in a meaningful way.

The pre-conference – held all day on Wednesday, September 17 – took place at the National Press Club; the rest of the conference

“A film on Christianity by all non-Christians, or a film on Judaism by all non-Jews would not be acceptable, so why is it acceptable [when doing a film on Islam],” she said.

The Religion Newswriter’s Association (RNA) – going on its 60th year – is a national organization which brings together print, radio, and television journalists who cover religion and religious groups in the news and their interaction with politics, international events, and hot topics like immigration, crime, and other society in general. Their website rna.org describes their purpose being “to advance the professional standards of religion reporting in the secular press as well as to create a support network for religion

took place at the Hamilton Crowne Plaza Hotel in Washington DC. Starting the pre-conference was Imam Muhammad Magid of the All Dulles Area Muslims Society (ADAMS) who gave an overview of Islamic beliefs. Reporters had an opportunity to ask questions about Islam and Muslim practices. Following this one and a half hour session was a panel discussion on “Women and American Islam” focused on the implications of American

Participation” convened with representatives from some of the nation’s most visible Muslim organizations. Participants on this panel included Edina Lekovic, communications director for the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), Zeenat Rahman, outreach and training coordinator for Interfaith Youth Core. Farid Senzai, director of research for the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, and Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

A third panel titled “Reporting on American Muslims” offered advice to the over 80 reporter’s in attendance on “how to overcome challenges reporting on the American Muslim community”.

Jamie Tarabay – a non-Muslim who spent several years reporting in the Middle East including Iraq – recounted some of her experiences reporting in Jerusalem and said the intensity of people’s views there “inundated” her. “Everyone is so confident that they are right ... Jerusalem is a very tense place, it has scarred me for life,” she revealed. Tarabay advised reporters not to be “afraid to show your ignorance”. When one female reporter in the audience asked how to deal with immigrant men at the masjid who don’t want to talk to female reporters, Tarabay advised her to learn the etiquettes of dress for masjids, and to approach the wives and sisters of the men she needed to speak with.

Of the four panelists, three were Muslims.

Azizah Magazine’s Tayyibah Taylor – the only hijab clad person on the panel – also emphasized the diversity of the Muslim community.

The first panelist, documentary filmmaker Anisa Mehdi, reiterated a common theme of the pre-conference program on Islam, stressing that Muslims constitute an extremely diverse community and reporters should recognize that and make their stories reflective of that diversity. She also stressed that Muslim

“If Sunday at 7 am is the most segregated time in America, then Friday at noon is the most integrated time in America,” she said of the juma’s prayer and the diversity of the Muslims who pray together. Taylor told the reporters an interviewees “school of thought” should be identified. She also advised reporters to

“We are tired of being reported on like zoo animals .. and we are tired of the ‘foreign’ framing of news stories. [Our communities] are only approached when there is a problem, or for an ‘Islam 101’ story,” Amanullah told reporters.

Imam Muhammad Magid of ADAMS Center gives reporters a lecture on the basics of Islamic beliefs. Photo courtesy of RNA.

reporters.”

Some topics covered in this year’s conference included faith and the presidential campaigns, religion news coverage in an online world, faith communities and immigration, atheism and secularism in America, trends in parochial schooling, and understanding surveys of faith and belief.

This year, RNA devoted a full day “preconference” -- the first day of a full 5-days of conferencing – to “covering Islam”.

Islam is in the news daily, from the Iraq war

Muslim women taking leadership roles in their communities. The speakers on the panel included Maha ElGenaidi, founder and president of Islamic Networks Group (ING), Daisy Khan, executive director of the American Society for Muslim Advancement, Dalia Mogahed, executive director of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies and Mona Eltahawy, a freelance journalist and commentator.

After lunch – almost all the RNA conference attendees were non-Muslim so there was no consideration given to Ramadhan -- a second panel titled “American Muslim Civic

journalists need to be included in media projects on Islam and Muslims.

include Muslims in stories unrelated to Islam such as abortion.

“A film on Christianity by all non-Christians, or a film on Judaism by all non-Jews would not be acceptable, so why is it acceptable [when doing a film on Islam],” she said.

Mehdi said, though, that reporting on Islam is getting better. “Most Americans know that it’s Ramadhan, and its thanks to you.”

On Saturday during the official conference, reporters attended a moderated panel discussion on “Sourcing Islam: Nuanced Reporting on a Contested Faith”. Held in the main conference hall, fewer than 100 of the over 300 reporters attended, despite their being no competing conference event.

Also on the panel was CNN producer Maria Ebrahimji. Her role at CNN is to find sources and interviewees. “I think news always starts with a person,” she said. The CNN database on ‘experts’ lists about 200 ‘experts’ on Islam, but journalists should start by developing

The panelists included researcher Dalia Mogahed of the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies, Paul Barrett of BusinessWeek who authored “American Islam: The Struggle for the Soul of a Religion”, and the founder of AltMuslim.com and Zabiha.com Shahed

“How do we deal with all the conservative who attack us when we quote CAIR ... they send us google links showing CAIR has links with terrorists, they call the editor...” asked one reporter. relationships with the masjid in their area before any story hits, advised Ebrahimji.

Despite her involvement in broadcast media, she admitted print media is more effective delivering news because “print journalists are able to explore beyond the sound byte.”

Amanullah. The panel was moderated by the San Fransisco Chronicle’s Matthai Kuruvila.

The third panelist, National Public Radio’s

>> Reporters II Pg 10

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

COMMUNITY NEWS

9

El-Iman Students Make Pinwheels for Peace for KG in Palestine

By Mary El-Khatib Muslim Link Contributing Writer

didn’t make sense to tear it down. What was the problem?

On September 19, 2008, El Iman Learning Center held is annual Ramadan Family Iftar and Fundraiser, at NOVA Annandale featuring as the Keynote Speaker Sr. Asmaa Jerusha Lamptey and Sheikh Rashid Lamptey as fundraiser.

The reason is simple. This school, along with the entire village, is located on land the Israeli army wants to use to conduct combat training.

It has the same terrain as South Lebanon and so the military wants to use the land to prepare troops for combat in South Lebanon.

Before this wonderful couple took the stage, the audience was addressed by a special Guest Speaker from Al Aqabah, a small Palestinian village, Mayor Haj Sadek.

Education for Life and the students of El Iman Learning Center came to know about Mayor Haj Sadek and the plight of his village of Al Aqabah through a Washington based social activist Sr Laurie Jaghlit.

This is not a new military installation. As a young boy of 16 the now current mayor of Al-Aqabah, Haj Sami Sadek, was playing outside one day when he was hit by three bullets from the military training exercises from the army camp that had moved in next to his village. He was not alone. Over the years, 40 other villagers were hit by stray bullets, 8 had died from injuries. Training exercises often involved entering the homes of the civilian villagers in the middle of the night.

Haj Sami, was paralyzed by the injuries he sustained, however, he did not react in anger, bitterness or self-pity. Most importantly he did not leave his village as many who had been intimidated by these techniques had done.

Instead he grew up and became the mayor of the small village. His goal was to find a way to have the military installations moved from such close proximity to his village.

When Sr. Laurie first approached El-Iman with the idea of having the students participate in the “Pinwheels for Peace “ project, they jumped at the opportunity. “We had been looking for opportunities for our students to become involved in civic activities and this seemed to be a cause that would appeal to our young students,” said Sr. Mary El-Khatib, a founding member of the Board of Trustees and teacher at the school. “The goal was clear and simple- we needed to save a school, a kindergarten, from demolition.”

The children wanted to know, “Why is it under orders to be demolished?” This school in the small village of Al-Aqaba in the occupied territories of Palestine had just recently undergone a complete renovation with the help of the international non-profit organization, “The Re-Building Alliance.”

A new roof and a second floor soon to be the new home of the ‘Ibn Rushd” library of science had just been completed. It just

On the other side of the globe a promising engineer, Donna Baranksi-Walker had foregone a lucrative career in corporate America. She decided to use her engineering abilities to re-build homes, schools or entire villages that had been destroyed by war and other acts of violence. With the support of Donna and the Re-Building Alliance, Haj Sami took his case to the Israeli High Court.

To demonstrate their support , villagers came from miles around participate in the world wide, “Pinwheels for Peace” project. Children

made pinwheels and wrote their thoughts and messages of peace and hope on them. Even though they were unable to be present at their hearing, their messages and signs did make it. The Israeli High Court ruled in favor of the village. The military installation would have to move.

Unfortunately, the victory was short-lived.

Soon after, the village received demolition orders. The school, the masjid, the medical center and all but two of the houses in the village were ordered to be demolished. The reason given was that they had not filed the proper site plans Haj Sami refused to give up. With the help of Allah, an Israeli architect and peace activist, Shmuel Groag , volunteered to draw up the necessary site plans for the village. Now it would be only necessary to have the High Court accept the plans. Haj Sami decided the make a visit to the US Congress and the United Nations to tell his story and garner support for his village.

When Sr. Laurie arrived at the school bearing large posters with pictures of al-Aqabah school, Haj Sami and the children in the village making pinwheels, the classrooms were silent. The students listened intently and were captivated by the story. Teachers cried. Laurie explained. “We want you to let Congress know that kids here care.” So the children made pinwheels. They wrote words that reminded them of peace, like, “home,” “ school,” “love,” and “family.” One third grader wrote, “Peace be upon you government of Israel” and on the back, “No justice, no peace.” She had just finished reading the story of Rachel Corrie’s brave struggle for peace and justice.

They collected the pinwheels in a box and sent them to Sr.Laurie. A video was made showing the children making the pinwheels.* Sr. Laurie invited the El-Iman students to accompany her when she took the pinwheels to congress. She told them that Mayor Haj Sami Sadeq wanted to visit the school when he came to the Washington, DC area. The people of the village had seen the video and had taken hope.

Unfortunately, the mayor did not obtain permission to come that year. But he kept trying and finally in September of 2008 he arrived in the Washington, DC area. El-Iman students made the trip to Congress, met with a senior staffer from Senator Jim Webb’s office along with the mayor, the principal of Al-Aqabah school and other peace activists from around the country and world.

Haj Sami and company are in New York now meeting with UN officials to plead their case with them. We pray that Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala) grant them success. No matter what the outcome, they know that they have done their part in seeking a peaceful resolution to this conflict. By participating in this effort, our students have learned a valuable lesson about their role in government and their duty to stand up for the rights of oppressed people everywhere, and the importance of pursuing peaceful resolutions to conflicts, insha’Allah.

The Pinwheels for Peace video can be seen at www.eliman.org. (Click on “Activities.”)

The write is affiliated with El-Iman Learning Center.

FBI Included as Special Guests at MLC Iftar

By Farha Marfani Muslim Link Staff Writer Ramadan. A month of fasting. A month of self-discipline. A month of reflection and prayer. A month of community. For Annapolis Muslims, one night in this year’s Ramadan was mainly focused on building a relationship with the surrounding non-Muslim community.

Approximately two hundred people gathered at the Makkah Learning Center on Saturday, September 20th in Millersville, Maryland for a special iftar with invited non-Muslim guests, including local law enforcement officials, clergy, and surrounding community members.

A collaborative effort between the Makkah Learning Center and the Anne Arundel County Muslim Council, the main purpose of the event was to create an on-going relationship with the mainstream community, particularly with the law enforcement and

the interfaith community. Special guests at the iftar included Maryland state senator Jim Rosapepe, FBI special agents, as well as members of GAIN (Greater Annapolis Interfaith Network).

As guests began arriving, they received tours of the Center, a modular building with a prayer area as well as classroom and kitchen space. Imam Muhammad Arafa greeted the guests, followed by a quick introduction

by Anne Arundel County Muslim Council president Rudwan Abu-Rumman. Guests had the opportunity to observe prayers before enjoying a dinner catered by O’s Place. Contrary to other “open houses” where lectures and seminars are common, organizers wanted this event to be more lowkey and wished to have people start their own conversations and dialogues with guests like Father Lawrence. Also known as “Padre,” he is a soft-spoken “interdenominational street priest” who preached to addicts and stated that “when people go through problems, their hearts are open to Allah. When someone has a problem in life, addictions or problems in

Members of the Mecca Learning Center greet a religious leader from a neighboring community at a recent Iftar at the Masjid. Photo by the author. relationships, He opens a door and it’s really open for Allah.”

There was an overwhelming response from the Muslim community, who were excited at the chance to educate others about Islam.

“Exposure is what we need to correct the

misconceptions the Islamic community is dealing with,” mentioned Bowie resident and active community member Maher Kharma.

>> MLC Iftar Pg 12

COMMUNITY NEWS

10 continued >> Studying from pg 1

scientists will be focusing their research on the radicalization process, the evolution of terrorist groups, and community resilience relative to terrorist threats. The news of the renewed funding for this research sparked interest and questions from both the Muslims of College Park, Maryland and civil rights leaders of the Washington D.C. Area.

Dr. Fatima Jackson, a University of Maryland Applied Anthropology Professor, says she wants to see the research done on all extremist groups and not just Muslims.

“I sincerely hope that a significant portion of the $12 million of tax-payer money that they’ve been awarded will [be used to] conduct research on such homegrown terrorist groups as the Aryan Nation, the Klu Klux Klan, the American Nazi Party, and other groups that have a very long and shameful history of terrorizing American citizens through enslavement, lynching, Jim Crow racism, segregation, and other forms of deeply embedded evil,” said Dr. Jackson.

Marjan Asi, who received a degree in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, noted an increase in the interest regarding terrorism both on campus and within classrooms, “I can scarcely think of a government and politics class where terrorism

continued >> Reporters II from pg 8

Shahed Amanullah used a short, at times light-hearted powerpoint presentation to show who the media asks when covering Islam. “The first is the dissident ... the person who escaped Islam and lived to tell the tale,” he said to some chuckles. “The ‘expert’ is like an anthropologist who studies Muslims like migratory birds ... at a very distant level. It’s not an honest way to figure out how [Muslims] tick.” The third standard interviewee mainstream media chooses, said Amanullah, is the masjid ‘spokesperson’.

was not discussed, so this funding is really just an extension of an already growing trend in an interest in research related to terrorism.”

While the interest in terrorism studies and research increases, serious concerns regarding the focus and implications of such research also heighten.

Mauri Salaakhan, the Director of the Peace and Justice Foundation and author of “Islam & Terrorism: Myth vs. Reality” recognizes the prevalent prejudice that exists against the Muslim and Arab community in research regarding terrorism.

“We saw the unvarnished bias in the NYPD’s “Homegrown Terrorism” study, and the LAPD’s subsequent proposal for a “Mapping Project” of LA County,” said Salaakhan.

He echoed the concerns of College Park Muslims and conscientious objectors for civil liberties across the country. “I consider this type of single focus terrorism research to be both regrettable and dangerous,” he added.

Mike German, the Policy Counsel of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Washington Legislative Office believes that while “there is nothing wrong with research and studying” this $12 million funding still raises some concerns. The press release mentioned intended investigations into understanding the tipping point that radicalizes political activism and ultimately triggers the

Flashing a bearded man speaking closely into the camera, he said. “These are the people who say [in response to any incident] ‘Islam is peace, now leave us alone’”.

“We are tired of being reported on like zoo animals .. and we are tired of the ‘foreign’ framing of news stories. [Our communities] are only approached when there is a problem, or for an ‘Islam 101’ story,” Amanullah told reporters. He said the appropriate way to cover Islam is to connect with grassroots Muslim activists, next generation Muslim community leaders, and interacting with the growing number of Muslim journalists and commentators. He also advised reporters against going under cover into masajid, saying

use of political violence. German believes that “this statement assumes the fact that political activism does lead to radicalization when this is not yet in evidence.” He also hopes this research does not identify political dissent as an offshoot of homegrown terrorism because “too often the government has created the link between opposition [and] policy as a national security threat” which ultimately, as German added, “demonizes political activism and restricts speech”.

With the concerns of civil rights leaders and Muslims citizens growing, Gary LaFree, Executive Director of START, answered many of the lingering questions regarding the research, the institution, and its aims.

While homegrown terrorism is one type of research conducted by START, it is certainly not the only focus of the institution, and LaFree emphasized that “radical Islamic terrorists” are not the only group being researched.

He mentioned research including groups such as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, better known as the terrorist group IRA, and the infamous Tamil Tigers. In fact, members of the Muslim community are involved in the research and in some cases, lead the projects.

Akbar Ahmed, who is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University, is leading an investigation titled, “Muslim Community Integration: Journey into

this will not build the trust needed for genuine reporting.

Dalia Mogahed spoke about on surveying the Muslim community, and she demonstrated how surveys can be manipulated or skewed to produce sensational headlines using actual survey data. Mogahed’s group travels around the world to survey Muslim populations in order to provide hard data about the views and opinions of the Muslim world. One of her surprising findings was that the overwhelming majority of those surveyed in Muslim countries felt women should be allowed to work any job if qualified. Saudi Arabia, often considered the ‘most conservative’ Muslim nation, came in at the lowest rung, but still overwhelmingly yes, with 74% of respondents answering positively to women working. On the other hand, the mass media in the United States uses photos of Muslim women in a “passive capacity” 73% of time, noted Mogahed.

A spirited question and answer session followed the presentations. One topic which stirred debated among panelists was whether to use major Muslim organizations like the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) as sources for stories.

703 556 6626 Fax: 703 556 6628 www.wanilaw.com wani@wanilaw.com

“How do we deal with all the conservative who attack us when we quote CAIR ... they send us google links showing CAIR has links with terrorists, they call the editor...” asked one reporter.

Shahed Amanullah felt strongly that reporters should avoid using CAIR as a source.

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008 America” which is a “‘first of its kind’ indepth anthropological study conducted based in ethnography with a broad sampling of the diverse cultural landscape that is America”.

LaFree also highlighted the different aspects of the institution, like the efforts to expand the interdisciplinary Global Terrorism Database (GTD), which is “the world’s largest opensource database on international and domestic terrorism events, including wide-ranging data about perpetrators, target types, weapons used, geo-coded location of attacks, and scope of impacts for more than 80,000 events between 1970 and 2004”. LaFree added that although the funding is from the Department of Homeland Security, START a grant, thereby releasing any ties of governmental influence from the funding and the investigations to which it is allocated.

As the next several years unfold, START believes it has the ability to conduct fair research which could explain what avenues lead individuals to the doorstep of extremism.

START says it’s research could prove meaningful to the Muslim community and civil rights activists; however, those same groups worry their communities could themselves become investigative projects for START. [See Also “HR 1955: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007” in the Civil Rights Section of this issue. -- TML]

“It’s best to side step those groups ... they have serious [public relations] issues and they need to fix that ... they’ve let politics get in the way [of their mission],” said Amanullah. Instead, he advised reporters to seek out the ‘average Joe Muslim’.

Panelist Dalia Mogahed disagreed, saying that the national organizations are the most authoritative groups to comment on many issues pertaining to Islam and Muslims.

“For CAIR and ISNA to be disenfranchised is not fair ... to have an average Muslim speak [on behalf of the entire community] is not right. I’m asking [reporters] to have the courage to move beyond the vocal fringe of [right wing] bloggers [and critics],” she said.

The panel moderator admitted that he always tries to avoid CAIR, while Paul Barrett said “the idea to go for one stop shopping is not right”. One reporter said she does not have time to go looking for local Muslims while on news deadlines.

When a reporter asked the panel about their opinion on covering “Ahmediyya Muslims”, Shahed Amanullah responded.

“You’re stepping into an internal debate within the Muslim community ... it might be a great story. My personal opinion is that the tent of Islam is very big,” said Amanullah.

Other questions from reporters dealt with the term “Islamic Terrorists” used by the McCain campaign and whether Islam had a “pacifist” movement within it.

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

COMMUNITY NEWS

11

DC Institute Seeks to Raise Academic Bar for Islamic Schools

By Farkhunda Ali Muslim Link Staff Writer The gathering was small, but the contributions were sufficient. An invitation only iftar for 65 professionals gathered for dinner and a fundraiser on a clear Sunday evening at the Samuel Riggs Alumni Center at the University of Maryland.

The newly establishing Washington Academic Leadership Institute (WALI) of the DC Metropolitan Area raised $50,000 in cash, checks, and pledges during its first fundraiser on September 14th, 2008.

WALI is a non-profit preparatory academic

continued >> Huffadh from pg 4

that it was possibly the best decision of my life. I started memorizing (officially) at 11, finished when I was 14, and graduated after a year of review when I was 15.

“I had the entire community behind me,

and leadership Islamic school open to male students of all races, religions, and creeds.

The school’s literature states its mission is to “provide an optimal environment for young men to accelerate academically, provide support through mentoring and leadership, train young men for leadership positions in their local communities, offer spiritual direction and rites of passage experiences in the curriculum, and challenge young men to be committed to their communities by way of community service”.

>> Academic Pg 14

Qur’an enters the heart. I knew geniuses who couldn’t keep a page past the night, while kids who were less intelligent were flying through. And the difference between them was love and respect for their teacher.

“Be consistent! Consistency is the key. It’s going to be easy in the beginning because you’re going to be excited about memorizing, but the most important times are those times that you don’t want to do it. Those days

“Remember that knowledge comes with respect. The more respect you have towards the Quran, and especially towards your teachers, the more the Quran will enter your heart. simply because of the fact that I was the first student in this program, and it was expected of me to succeed. My teachers, Qari Muhammad Zahid and Qari Muhammad Abid were simply amazing. Everything about them - from their dedication and love for Quran as well as for their students, to their teaching ability, to their character - was amazing. I must thank Allah for putting me under them as their student and pray that He overlooks their shortcomings, and rewards them countless times over for what they have done for me and the rest of their students.”

Hammad’s advice for other aspiring huffadh is,

“Start by making dua’a that Allah gifts you with this knowledge and blessing to protect His book. Remember that it’s never too late to begin memorizing, and never too late to finish the Quran either. I know people who started memorizing between graduating college and going to Medical school, and they finished faster than any of us. However, even if you are memorizing for the rest of your life, and you continue to make this effort to finish, and if you die before you’re done, you’ll be raised as a ‘hafidh’, inshaAllah. So the point is not to quit, no matter how long it takes.

“Remember that knowledge comes with respect. The more respect you have towards the Quran, and especially towards your teachers, the more the Quran will enter your heart. This may seem odd if we see the act of memorizing as something that only the brain is doing. But it’s not. The

are the days that you need to buckle down on yourself and make the resolve that no matter what, you’re not going to break your routine of memorizing or reviewing, even if it’s just a tiny bit, that you might feel is not substantial enough to even matter. Still do it, just to keep the routine alive. When you skip one day, it’s like you skipped a week. It takes you out of the flow. And that one day turns into two, which turns into three, and so on.”

An Asset to the Community

Faisal Abdur-Rahman, General Secretary on the ISB Council, states, “Alhamdulillah, the hifdh program is one of ISB’s major accomplishments. As the former Imam and scholar of ISB, Dr. Mohammed Adam Al-Sheikh, said, ‘The hifdh school is the best thing ISB has done.’

“Under the leadership of Qari Zahid and Qari Abid, the program has attracted many students to come and learn the Quran and become huffadh.

“The program has always had the full support of ISB. As a matter of fact it is a semiautonomous operation where the decisions of the school are left solely to Qari Zahid. ISB’s role is mainly a supportive one by providing space for the students and an environment where they can learn.

“This program adds value to ISB and enhances its image. ISB has become a place of memorizing the Quran and our students

The panel on sourcing Islam at the annual Religion Newswriters Association conference in DC. Photo by Muslim Link. are leading the tarwareeh prayers in over 10 masajid in the area. This has been going on for some years now. Many smaller ‘musallahs’ (prayer areas) have sprung up around us in the past few years and our students are the ones leading the preayers there in Ramadan. ISB may be the largest masjid in the Baltimore Metro area but the hifdh program is what draws people here.

“The long term vision is to see the school grow into a full academy of Islamic scholarship where students can learn the sciences of ‘Fiqh’ and ‘Hadith’, in addition to memorization of Quran. The success we have thus far can be expanded upon by attracting teachers in other subject areas. Furthermore, we can expand the facility to accommodate this growth. A concerted plan and effort has to be made to integrate the hifdh school into a higher learning institution.”

Cultivating Love for the Quran

The will to learn the Quran brought Amina Mehic with her family from Arizona to Baltimore several years ago. A close friend of hers, who was also her first Quran instructor, encouraged her to relocate to Baltimore so she could have more access to Quranic instruction.

Once here, Amina discovered the hifdh program at ISB. “Allah’s will works in wonderful ways,” she says with glistening eyes, “I couldn’t have found a more perfect situation for my children to learn the Quran if I had searched and planned for years. I had packed up all our belongings and moved here and Allah made everything work out, and gave us even better than what we had hoped for. We just have to make sincere intention.”

Amina’s thirteen year old son, Fatih, has finished the memorization of the Quran and is, at present, reviewing it and learning two other “qira’at” (methods of recitation). He has been leading the taraweeh congregation at the ISB annex with another hafidh this Ramadan, and they completed the recitation of the entire Quran in prayer on the 23rd night of Ramadan.

Her nine year old daughter, Zainab, is a student of the girl’s program and has, so far, memorized five “juzz” (parts) of the Quran.

She polishes her memorization every evening in her own twenty rakaah taraweeh prayer with other students at the teacher’s house.

“His teacher, Qari Zahid, and his family have

2008 Graduates Th eleven graduates;10 males and 1 female, who have committed the entire Quran to memory, are: Aysha Ahmed - 19 years.

Abdul Ahad - 13 years.

Aqueel Ahmed Iqbal - 14 years.

Mateen Rehman - 20 years.

Mohammad Ahtasham Javed - 17 years.

Mohammed Saifullah Asad - 11 years.

Muhammad Ibrahim Ahmed - 11 years.

Omair Rashid - 16 years.

Saad Anis - 10 years.

Salih Muhammad Shafi - 18 years.

Sibghatallah Ahmed - 10 years.

been amazing,” says Amina. “Their whole life is dedicated to helping all of our children, and they are living by what they are teaching. For Fatih, he has been much more than a teacher - he has been his mentor and has guided and advised him in so many ways, This program is very special because of these teachers.”

These teachers are coming from generations of Quranic scholarship, and one can feel the blessings of that in their teaching. They don’t just teach memorization of the Quran, they show their students how to emulate the love of the Quran. It is easy for the student to learn to love the Quran around these people, because their own love for it is so encompassing, it draws those around them into it too.

12 continued >> Dialogue from pg 7

United States. Their films, which are provided free of charge to dialogue hosts, include: Prince Among Slaves, On a Wing and a Prayer, and Talking Through Walls.

The movie, Prince Among Slaves tells the true story of a Muslim prince who is enslaved in the United States and ends up negotiating his own freedom with the President of the United States. On a Wing and a Prayer is a gently funny documentary that follows a young Muslim family man who enrolls in

continued >> MLC Iftar from pg 9

Kharma was one of the lead organizers

of the dinner, and believes that Muslims have a crucial role to play with the law enforcement community. “Working with the law enforcement community is what we need to empower the community, several people hold misconceptions against law enforcement,” he said.

Amy Lyons, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office echoed the

COMMUNITY NEWS flight school after 9/11. Talking Through Walls is a documentary about the struggles in establishing a mosque in a rural New Jersey town. Each film is particularly suited to holding a discussion regarding misconceptions about the Muslim community in the U.S. “This is an offering of an approach to building peace and greater understanding supported by several diverse organizations, and is available for all that are interested.” stated Mr. Tutt. For those who may be interested in looking closer at this opportunity, go to www.20000dialgoues.org

words of Kharma. “I think that by building personal relationships with people, we can break down the mystery behind the FBI. The more we communicate, the more we build relationships. [This way, the] Muslim community will feel [more comfortable] in speaking to the FBI and the better we can serve the Muslim community in serving this country,” she said. Although this was Lyons’ first visit to MLC, she previously met with Imam Arafa and other Imams in the area. MLC hopes to have a continuing dialogue with the FBI as well as other law enforcement agencies by holding a “Law Enforcement Day” at MLC, planned for the end of October.

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

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13

COMMUNITY NEWS

14 continued >> ISB Fundraiser from pg 1

president Bassam Sayad, who recalled ISB’s history and highlighted the diversity of the community, followed by a comedic video presentation by the ISB youth group. All three videos shown emphasized, “Finish the Construction,” a common theme among ongoing youth activities, including bake sales aimed at collecting donations for the Masjid.

The ISB Youth Group surpassed its donation amount of $1,300 last year. This year, they donated $10,000 and presented a check to Sayad.

Imam Sahmudeen Harun, the Imam of Masjid Al-Haqq in Baltimore, gave the keynote address. He recalled several Ahadith and stories of generous Sahabah and invited the crowd “to compete with one another in giving for the sake of Allah.” He also emphasized the advantage of donating in Ramadan. “This is the time to give, whatever you give will be multiplied,” he said. Young attendees donated a few dollars while professionals donated thousands of dollars. One $40,000 donation was received while over ten donations of

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

$10,000 each were collected. Gold jewelry was also donated and auctioned for over $1000 while a donated Pakistani rug was auctioned for $2100. Masha’Allah, the target of $500,000 was surpassed that night.

Perhaps a key highlight of the night was seeing the Masjid take on a new form. Attendees had the chance to take a tour of the new facility, including taking a peek at the upstairs mezzanine floor and seeing inside the new dome. According to president-elect Maqbool Patel, who addressed the crowd that night, this is the first time that ISB is adding aesthetic value to the building. The curved front of the Masjid will have 99 windows, one for each of the 99 names of Allah. There will also be 52 windows in the dome, representing 52 weeks of the year. The Kalima will be inscribed on a set of four windows and thus will be repeated thirteen times. More donations were collected when Patel specifically requested attendees to donate a window of $1,000 each for a total of $52,000. Patel mentioned that the decorative dome will allow Muslims and non-Muslims alike to instantly identify the main tenet of Islam – there is no deity worthy of worship except God, and that Muhammad is the messenger of God. “The purpose of the

ISB’s Maqbool Patel (right) urges community members to donate for the masjid expansion.

On left is Masjid Al-Haq Imam Sahmudeen. To the right is a $10,000 donation check from the ISB youth group. (Photo by the author) dome, especially after 9/11, is an instant way for people to recognize Islam,” Patel added.

The dome will also indicate the location of the Masjid, as it can be seen from Route 70 near the 695 South Beltway exit. “When I drive by, I can proudly say that this is my Masjid, this is ISB,” commented ISB treasurer and community member Wasima Sheikh.

According to Sheikh, $17,000 was collected just in ticket sales, helping to surpass the night’s fundraising target of $500,000. Half a million dollars is quite a feat, in fact, the most money raised at any of ISB’s fundraisers – how exactly was so much raised?

“The people who donate are donors for years, they don’t only come out one year,” mentioned Patel. “This year, we made up for last year.

We have regained the confidence of the community.” Moreover, intense preparations were done beforehand. Long time community member and former president Dr. Habeeb

Ashruf as well as Patel solicited people during iftars throughout the month. Moreover, the huge turnout during the dinner, and the fact that this year’s fundraiser was held during the month of Ramadan could have explained the overwhelming generosity of the community, including the huge contributions that several individuals and businesses made. In recent years, ISB has had a good track record of collecting pledges. According to Sheikh and Patel, 94 to 96% of the pledges are collected every year. However, ISB staff will make phone calls and begin to remind people about their pledges.

Though the turnout could have been seen as too overwhelming, particularly during dinner time, the ISB council hopes to plan better in terms of food arrangements for next year’s fundraiser, which may possibly fall in Ramadan again. Overall, this year’s fundraiser was a very successful event.

ISB officials give donors a tour of the expansion progress. Pictured above, the top floor where the sisters will make salah. (Photo by the author).

continued >> Academic from pg 11

WALI provided statistics on education and the academic achievements of minorities versus Caucasians to compare the quality of education given in suburbia versus the urban areas.

Statistics show in 2007, 52% of all eighth graders in DC scored below basic in reading and 66% scored below basic in Math, according to a presentation made at the dinner.

Nationally, only 43% of African-American males and 48% of Hispanic males graduate from high school.

“If our boys are not educated, we don’t have a future,” said Dr. Fatima Jackson, member of Board of Directors at WALI. Dr. Jackson is also a professor and distinguished scholar teacher at University of Maryland teaching

biological anthropology.

Most of WALI’s board members are professionals in the field of education. Having several years of experience in primary, secondary, and university level education, they came together to design an advanced learning program. This school will train them to become leaders of their communities.

“I believe that the outcome of the event was very beautiful. As with all fundraisers, we did set out with the intention to raise funds.

However, I believe that leaving the audience with energy and excitement merely about the concept of WALI is the more lasting and profitable achievement,” said Reza Smith, one of the attendees and a supporter of WALI. Dr. Hakim Rashid, Associate Professor at the School of Education at Howard University in Washington, DC showed a slide presentation on “Educational Dilemma of Muslim African American Boys.” Dr. Rashid, a former preschool teacher, commented on the trend of

the educational system of labeling little boys as “incapable of learning.” He believes the classification of certain minorities as “special education” students contributes directly on the effect it has on their willingness to learn and become an achiever with good grades.

“The public school system perpetuates the status quo. If a kid comes from a poor background, he or she will most likely come out to fit the same socio-economic place of his family,” said Dr. Rashid.

Contrary to this, he said WALI is an institution that is going to prepare these young minds to be leaders who think globally. WALI will be an academic environment fostering the love for further education and community development in these young adults.

Currently, they are searching for an affordable facility for the school. They are looking for a convenient location near the metro to be able to transport their students easily since their enrollees will be coming from different areas

in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

WALI board members envision the next several months will be spent setting up the infrastructure and logistics of the school in order to facilitate a smooth opening.

WALI expects the community to volunteer, seek employment opportunities, make dua for its success, and continue to contribute financially.

A teacher job fair for interested professionals is planned for January 2009. During Black History Month, WALI will host a Black History Forum on Education.

While we are planning for our children’s future, someone else is preparing for their destruction,” said event fundraiser Imam Abdul-Malik Muhammad of Islamic School in Charlotte, North Carolina.

>> Academic II Pg 17

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008 continued >> ISB Fundraiser from pg 1

CAIR and other civil rights groups have called on the government to investigate this massive anti-Islam propaganda effort, particular given the upcoming presidential elections.

The Muslim Link interviewed one Virgina resident, Sister Sherihan, who received the DVD in the mail.

TML: When and how did you receive the DVD? I received the DVD on Sunday, September 21st. The DVD was taped into place on the backside of a pamphlet (see photo). It came in the mail and was included with the weekly advertisement bundle that includes grocery specials and other local advertisements. The front side of the pamphlet had a very vivid illustration of a man in a Palestinian Kufaya wrapped around his face and a narmy of men following behind him. A picture of a fallen American flag and what I believe is the twin towers are also on the pamphlet.

The “O” in Obsession is drawn as a crescent symbolizing that this about the general the Islamic Faith.

TML: What was your initial reaction to getting this DVD in the mail?

To be honest, I was not shocked. I knew that there was going to be some type of fear propaganda that was going to take place prior to the elections. I was only surprised to see that it reached the point to where the organizations would individually mail it out to people’s homes.

I did watch the movie and although it states in the beginning of the movie that this does not

COMMUNITY NEWS

15

represent the main-stream Islam, the way they presented their facts throughout the movie contradicted their first statement. They used cultural arabic music throughout the movie, used symbols that are obviously associated with Islam such as the moon crescent to directly associate the movie’s extremism with Islam in general.

It makes me upset that so many [groups] are promoting fear rather than understanding. I believe there needs to be a deeper level of understanding and communication between Americans and Muslims. This fear propaganda is only a way to keep people away from doing research and understanding first and foremost what Islam really is and also the underlying issues that have led to current events.

The American - Middle Eastern Crisis is not something that just emerged in 2001. This is an issue that dates back to 60 or 70 years ago.

Many factors play into the situation we are in today including the early British and French rule of the Middle East, the emergence of resistance groups and their evolution of the years in countries such as Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt, the Palestinian - Isreali conflict and the many many years of America’s Middle East policies that have led to the tensions that exist today. Being placed in a fear bubble will only keep you from educating yourself regarding the history that has led to our current events and will keep you from differentiating between what is Political Terrorism (not “Islamic Terrorism”) and Islam.

TML: Did you discuss this DVD with your neighbors? Co-workers?

Yes, my community has a google-group and I sent out [information about the DVD provided by the Muslim Public Affairs Committee] to the group. One of my neighbors thanked me for the email I sent out and mentioned that she could tell this was just another junk

filled advertisement and threw it away once she received it.

TML: What do you think should be done? Is this the correct use of free speech?

I believe that it is our responsibility as Muslims to educate our communities on Islam. More Muslims need to get into fields such as journalism and politics so that our voice, and our side of the story can be heard and so that we can be an image of what the true Islam is. How many Muslim editors are in the major newspapers and how many Muslims hold positions in the government? Although we have made progress over the years, we are still far away from becoming an integral part of American society.

Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States. As long as the Media paints a picture of what Islam is for us, without a

real Muslim to contradict what they claim, people will continue to get a one sided story and will continue to associate what is a very small minority in Islam, to the main-stream belief.

I remember when I was in elementary and Middle school, 15 years ago, my school library used to always put up “Happy Ramadan” decorations up during Ramadan.

Just as they did for Kwanzaa, Hanukkah and Christmas. We are in a different time now. We are in a time where our children are actually name called and picked on solely on their religion and ethnicity. These [bullies] are only representing what their parents have taught them in their homes, and the parents are only representing that they have learned from the Media. It is now our responsibility as Muslims to correctly educate our communities on Islam. If we don’t do it, no one will do it for us.

CAIR Asks FEC to Probe Anti-Muslim DVDs Sent to Swing States

Israel-based group behind ‘Obsession’ distribution to 28 million U.S. homes (WASHINGTON, D.C., 9/23/08) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today announced that it has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) over the distribution of an anti-Muslim film to 28 million homes in presidential election swing states.

The Washington-based Council on AmericanIslamic Relations (CAIR) is urging the FEC to investigate whether the Clarion Fund, a shadowy non-profit organization that distributed DVDs containing “Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West,” is really a front for an Israel-based group seeking to help Sen. John McCain win the U.S. presidential election. (No information about a board of directors, staff or even a physical address is offered on the fund’s website.)

In its complaint to the FEC, CAIR wrote in part: “The Clarion Fund recently financed the distribution of some 28 million DVDs containing the film ‘Obsession: Radical Islam’s War Against the West’ in what many

political analysts describe as ‘swing’ states in the upcoming presidential elections. Those same analysts say the distribution of the ‘Obsession’ DVD was designed to benefit a particular presidential candidate, namely Sen. John McCain…

“According to the website for the Secretary of State for New York, Clarion Fund Inc. is incorporated in New York as a Delaware based foreign not-for-profit corporation.

According to the Delaware Department of Corporations, Robert (Rabbi Raphael) Shore, Rabbi Henry Harris and Rebecca Kabat incorporated Clarion Fund. All three of whom are reported to serve as employees of Aish HaTorah International, an organization apparently based in Israel. Also according to the Delaware Department of Corporations, the incorporators of the Clarion Fund used Aish HaTorah’s New York City address (150 West 46th Street, New York) to incorporate Clarion Fund in Delaware…

“It appears that the funding for the production, marketing and distribution of ‘Obsession’

may have originated from Israel-based Aish HaTorah International.”

To read the entire FEC complaint, visit cair. com.

There is at least one report of a person who received the DVD also getting an automated phone call asking that person to watch the film and then “keep it in mind when you go to the voting booth.”

“American voters deserve to know whether they are the targets of a multi-million-dollar campaign funded and directed by a foreign group seeking to whip up anti-Muslim hysteria as a way to influence the outcome of our presidential election,” said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad.

Awad said CAIR has received numerous complaints from those who were sent the DVD in newspapers delivered to their homes and has recorded at least one report of an antiMuslim bias incident directly resulting from the DVD distribution.

Some newspapers, including the News & Record in North Carolina and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, have refused to distribute the DVDs. Interfaith leaders such as Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, have spoken out against the distribution of “Obsession” in swing states. In a statement, Gaddy also called for an FEC investigation: “…when a cynical attempt is made to influence our nation’s presidential election by stoking fear of one religious group we believe the media along with public officials, such as the Federal Election Commission, must establish who is trying to influence our politics through religious bigotry.”

An editorial in the Palm Beach Post outlined the apparent political motivation behind the Clarion Fund campaign:

>> CAIR Pg 22

16

CIVIL RIGHTS

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

Civil Rights What you don’t know can hurt you

HR 1955: Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act of 2007 Factsheet From Center for Constitutional Rights (ccrjustice.org) January, 01 2008 HR 1955 calls for a Commission that will “examine and report upon the facts and causes” of so called violent radicalism and extremist ideology, then make legislative recommendations on combating it.

SPONSORS - Primary sponsor: Homeland Security Intelligence Subcommittee chair Jane Harmon (D-CA)—reportedly in response to a 2005 plot to bomb synagogues in Los Angeles. Co-sponsor: David Reichert (RWA) stated that the commission would “focus exclusively on homegrown terrorism,” and become “a gathering point” for knowledge gleaned from both government agencies and academia. Reichert also said the commission will look at white power groups, neo-Nazis, and other extremists, too. “We don’t want to focus on any one group or leave anybody out,” he said.

CURRENT STATUS - Already passed by the House with a vote of 404-6 on October 23 and referred to the Senate. The Senate version is under construction by Susan Collins of Maine, the ranking Republican on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.

SUMMARY - The bill will create a 10member panel (House version is 10, current Senate version is 12) to create the “National Commission on the Prevention of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism.”

With staff, travel and other costs added in, the bill “would cost $22 million over the 20082012 period,” according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The Commission is tasked with compiling information about what leads to violent radicalization and how to prevent or combat it with the intent to issue a final report with recommendations for both preventative and countermeasures to violent radicalization, homegrown terrorism, and ideologically based violence in the United States. In theory they will get this information through the Commission’s own examinations, as well as from foreign sources (specifically mentioning the governments of the UK, Canada, and Australia), federal, state, local or tribal government studies and experience, as well as academic studies. At the end of its 18-month term, it would cede its work to one of the Homeland Security Department’s universitybased Centers of Excellence

The bill also includes the creation of a new such center—or the designation of an existing one—for the study of Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism in the United States.

NOTEWORTHY POINTS - SEC. 899A (2) VIOLENT RADICALIZATION - The term “violent radicalization” means the process of adopting or promoting an extremist belief system for the purpose of facilitating ideologically based violence to advance political, religious, or social change.

What is an extremist belief system? The term is left undefined and open to many interpretations— socialism, anarchism, communism, nationalism, liberalism, etc.— that would serve to undermine expressions that don’t fit within the allowable areas of debate. A direct action led by any group that blocks traffic can be looked on as being coercive.

SEC. 899B. (3) The Internet has aided in facilitating violent radicalization, ideologically based violence, and the homegrown terrorism process in the United States by providing access to broad and constant streams of terrorist-related propaganda to United States citizens.

The focus on the Internet is crucial as it can set up far more intrusive surveillance techniques, without warrants, and the potential to criminalize ideas and not actions can mean penalties for your stance rather than any criminal act.

SEC. 899A. (4) IDEOLOGICALLY BASED VIOLENCE - The term “ideologically-based violence” means the use, planned use, or threatened use of force or violence by a group or individual to promote the group or individual’s political, religious, or social beliefs.

What is force? Is it civil disobedience? If arrested at a protest rally and charged with disorderly conduct, obstructing governmental administration, or even assault, does that now open you up to possible terrorist charges in the future?

RAND CORPORATION INFLUENCE Brian Michael Jenkins, Rand Corporation’s “counterterrorism” expert, testified at the Violent Radicalism hearings. Jenkins is credited by Rand in the 1960s focusing on

the insurgencies in Vietnam and Cambodia, on Vietnamese military institutions, and on the styles and techniques of conflict, drawing parallels between the rise of urbanization in the war in Vietnam and trends taking place in other parts of Asia and Latin America. Jenkins outlined a five-stage process by which urban guerrillas could take over a city and made recommendations for countermeasures.

Also of note: a Rand study, “Trends in Terrorism,” (Chapter 4) on homegrown terrorism advocated special attention to environmentalists, anti-globalization activists, and anarchists as potential new terrorists in the making.

Homeland Security Centers

of Excellence From Homeland Security website (www. dhs.gov) The Homeland Security Centers of Excellence (HS-Centers) bring together leading experts and researchers to conduct multidisciplinary research and education for homeland security solutions. The centers are authorized by Congress and chosen by the Department’s Science & Technology Directorate through a competitive selection process. Each center is led by a university in collaboration with

>> Terrorism Pg 17

CIVIL RIGHTS

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008 continued >> Terrorism from pg 16

partners from other institutions, agencies, laboratories, think tanks, and the private sector.

• The Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events (CREATE), led by the University of Southern California, evaluates the risks, costs, and consequences of terrorism, and guides economically viable investments in countermeasures that will make our Nation safer and more secure.

• The National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD), led by the University of Minnesota, defends the safety of the food system from pre-farm inputs through consumption by establishing best practices, developing new tools, and attracting new researchers to prevent, manage, and respond to food contamination events.

• The National Center for Foreign Animal and Zoonotic Disease Defense (FAZD), led

by Texas A&M University, protects against the introduction of high-consequence foreign animal and zoonotic diseases into the United States, with an emphasis on prevention, surveillance, intervention, and recovery.

• The National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism (START), led by the University of Maryland, informs decisions on how to disrupt terrorists and terrorist groups, while strengthening the resilience of U.S. citizens to terrorist attacks.

Preparedness and Catastrophic Event Response (PACER), led by Johns Hopkins University, optimizes our Nation’s preparedness in the event of a high-consequence natural or manmade disaster, as well as develops guidelines to best alleviate the effects of such an event.

• The Center for Advancing Microbial Risk Assessment (CAMRA), led by Michigan State University and established jointly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, fills critical gaps in risk assessments for decontaminating microbiological threats— such as plague and anthrax—answering the question, “How Clean is Safe?”

• The University Affiliate Centers to the Institute for Discrete Sciences (IDS-UACs) are led by Rutgers University, the University of Southern California, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Pittsburgh. They collaborate with IDS, based at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, to conduct research on advanced methods for information analysis and the development of computational technologies to protect the nation.

• The Regional Visualization and Analytics Centers (RVACS) are led by Penn State University, Purdue University, Stanford University, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the University of Washington. They collaborate with the National Visualization and Analytics Center, based at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, to conduct research on visuallybased analytic techniques that help people gain insight from complex, conflicting, and changing information.

Source: Zmag.org

• The National Center for the Study of

continued >> Accademic II from pg 14

Muhammad said the traditional school system is not intended to prepare the young generation for the future. Instead, it is aims at placing young boys in a “boring” academic which isolates certain students in order to lead them to the path of under achievement.

“We want to produce socially conscience, God fearing, young men with a positive concept of self, and an excellent work ethic. We are not her to convert people to Islam. We’re trying to covert people to good behavior. In the process, I think this school will serve as a good dawah for non-Muslims,” said Muhammad.

According to WALI executive director, Aisha Jackson, the school will start full-time in the summer of 2009. Jackson said WALI is different from traditional high schools.

The school year will be divided into three semesters. The eight-week summer session will begin in June 2009. The sixteen-week fall semester will start in September 2009

and the sixteen-week spring term will begin in January 2010. Each course will consist of 90 minutes. All courses will be taught by university professors.

“This will prepare them for college,” said Fatima Jackson.

In addition to mandatory subjects, WALI will offer debate, geology, computer programming, nutrition, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, and internships with well known companies such as NASA, NIH, and the Treasury Department.

“Our school exceeds all of the state requirements for high school completion and entry into a university,” added Fatima Jackson.

By the beginning of the school year, WALI expects to raise $500,000 to operate a resourceful fully staffed 2-4 year school.

17

Upcoming Events In Your Area Iftar Invitation on Sept. 25: Night of 1,000 Conversations with Panelists including Laila Al-Arian Thursday, September 25, 2008

Join us for an Iftar and Conversation in Immigration Enforcement at All Souls Unitarian Church, 1500 Harvard St, NW, DC, 20009 The event will start with prayer and free dinner then feature a panel of advocates and community members impacted by citizenship backlogs, immigration raids, and immigrant detention conditions including Laila Al-Arian, journalist and daughter of Palestinian American Professor. A Community Discussion will follow the panel. Sponsored by American Arab Anti-Discrimi ...

Pabitra Benjamin 202-296-2300 ex. 130 pbenjamin@rightsworinggroup.org pbenjamin@rightsworkinggroup.org

A Day of Dignity Saturday, September 27, 2008

In collaboration with local Baltimore City masajids, CVS, Comcast, Baltimore City’s Promotions and the Arts and Islamic Relief USA we will provide food, clothing, toiliteries, job training referral, drug rehab and health services to Baltimore City’s poor and homeless individuals and families. ...

Imam Hassan A. Amin (410) 448-3371 imamhassanamin@verizon.net

ICM International Food Festival & Bazaar Saturday, October 11, 2008

Alhamdulillah, ICM is pleased to host the International Food Festival & Bazaar in Gaithersburg, MD this year. The event will be held on Saturday, October 11th, inshalllah, from 11am to 5pm at ICM located at 19411 Woodfield Rd Gaithersburg, MD. For those who have not attended in the past, the festival will include booths representing cultures throughout the Muslim world from Morocco, Ethiopia, Palestine, Russia, Turkey, Iran, India, Malaysia, and many many other countries, showcasing the richne ...

Each year, we look to our community to make this event a success by volunteering their time to stand at the booths to share our cultures to each other as well as our non-muslim neighbors. If you would like to volunteer to represent a country or if you are a vendor wishing to reserve a booth at the festival visit the following link http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=plOmLW73Sxb-dhpTrYfLnXQ or email ahsun.dasti@gmail.com or call ICM (301) 840-9440. jazakmullah khairyn, Islamic Center of Maryland 19411 Woodfield Rd Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Tel: (301) 840-9440 Fax: (301) 987-8915 ahsun.dasti@gmail.com

educational exposure, they will admit students in their school after taking into consideration their entry test scores.

The school will be funded by community donations. WALI plans to get corporate sponsorships to ensure they have adequate funds for their scholarship applicants and need based financial aide program.

WALI envisions a separate school for females as well. They said they felt it was a priority to recruit young males because the national drop out rates for males is higher than females.

“There is no other Islamic school like this.

This is a vigorous academic program. There is no other competition in the DC Area. We need to prepare our children to compete in a global economy,” said Aisha Jackson.

Depending on students’ ability and prior

The yearly tuition is $15,000. WALI will take

children of families who are unable to afford the tuition if the children show the desire to learn and promise to commit their full potential during their 2 to 4 years of school.

WALI board members said the fundraiser was an example to show people that change happens from the ground up. They were able to raise funds with a handful of supportive and dedicated community members who believe in the power of education.

For more info, visit www.wali-dc.org.

COMMUNITY NEWS

18

Program 1B

2008 HAJJ

Aleman Groups USA

350 5th Ave. Suite 6305 (Empire State Building) New York, NY 10118 Tel. 212 967 9679 . Fax. 212 273 3775 1-888-967-9679 www.alemanhajj.com email: daraleiman@aol.com

ALL PACKAGES DO NOT INCLUDE

Departure: Nov 30 to Dec 17 • Round trip airfare DC/JED/DC or NY/MED/NY • One way airfare JED/Med or VIP buses • Transport in Private VIP buses • VIP tents in Mena close to Jamaraat • Royal Jordanian Airlines from NY • Saudi Arabian Airlines from DC • Madinah: 6 Days accomodation in Safir Hotel with open buffet breakfast and dinner.

• Makkah: 5 Days accomodation in Grand Zamzam Hotel with open buffet breakfast and dinner.

Per person in Double: $7790 Per person in Triple: $7490 Per Person in Quad: $6890

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

Program 2C

Departure: Nov 30 to Dec 14 • Round trip airfare NTYC/JED/NYC. • One way airfare JED/MED or VIP buses • Transport in Private VIP buses • VIP tents in Mena close to Jamaraat • Egypt Air • Etihad Air • Makkah: 5 Days accomodation in Grand ZamZam Hotel, with open buffet breakfast and dinner.

• Madinah: 3 Days accomodation in Movenpick hotel with open buffet breakfast and dinner.

Per person in Double: $8490 Per person in Triple: $7590 Per Person in Quad: $7190

ALL PACKAGES INCLUDE

• Saudi government hajj fees approximately $300 • Cost of animal sacrifice (Qurbani/Naher) Approximately $215 • Add on from other cities (Hajj Package price are NY/JFK based.)

• Visa Service • Mena: Facing Jamarat VIP accomodation in air conditioned camp with open buffet for breakfast, lunch & dinner, fresh fruits & refreshments are available 24 hours.

• Arafat: Accomodation in air-conditioned VIP tents, with open buffet for lunch, fruits and refreshments wil be served.

• Jeddah: One night accommodation according to program.

• Transportation in new models air-conditioned private buses for the 5 days of hajj.

• Gift for each pilgrim.

• Visit Holy and Historical sites in Maddinah.

• Educational program throughout the trip.

the purchase.

continued >> Al Kisai from pg 5

and International Quran competitions and brought home some awards. The center now has 300 students, and 271 on the waiting list.

By the end of this year, the center will have fifteen graduates all with an average age of fourteen years old. Sheik Adam has also recorded some CDs with his quranic recitation and students use them to help in memorizing the Quran.

The center has survived two fires, one in November of 2007 and one in May 2008, at least one of which is believed to be an arson.

Within a few days of the second fire, which caused complete damage to the classrooms, word spread around the community, who immediately helped the center relocate from Falls Church to Annandale and start from scratch. They are now purchasing land in Falls Church to construct their own facility and have already made a down payment. They have a goal of raising $350,000 to finalize

Students often come to the center in families.

Azzarkani family sends three of their children to the center. Razan, 15 years old, has completed memorization of one third of the Quran. She says memorizing the Quran helps when talking to nonmuslims. When someone asks you a question, you “can pick out verses from the Quran and say here is the proof.” She says that memorizing the Quran gives her a sense of accomplishment, and she hopes she will have the Quran memorized by the end of the summer. Her mother says that when her daughter first signed up for the center, she would come back home crying saying she couldn’t do it because the language was difficult for her. Her mother would encourage her until finally it became a habit that she couldn’t break. Razan’s younger sister, Rahaf, came begging her mother to donate $500 to the center, but her mother told her she only had $100 to give. Their brother, Ahmed, commenced the fundraising with his mellow and low-toned recitation.

One family sends six of the children to the center, three boys and three girls, four of

whom have the whole Quran memorized.

The family started sending their children four years ago. Najma Ahmed, 10 years old, said that her approach in memorizing the Quran was to listen to Sheik Adam’s CDs while she was going to sleep, and to compete with her sister to see who finished first. She says they both of them finished on the same day, and that they will continue to go to the center and review their memorization until it becomes “stuck in their head.”

The school also helps students learn the Arabic language, a prerequisite to memorization.

Remaz Abdelgader, 14 years old, says when she first got to the center, she couldn’t even read Arabic letters. Now, seven months later, she has one chapter of the Quran memorized.

Imam Siraj Wahaj spoke at the fundraiser and asked the participants to pray for the recently deceased Imam Warith Adeen, who he says brought the Nation of Islam into mainstream sunni practice after Elijah Muhammed died in 1975 . He says it was under Imam Warith Addeen’s leadership that he first learned the meaning of the shahada, learned how to

prostate, made a pilgrimage to Mecca, and heard a recitation of the Quran. Before Imam Warith Adeen’s leadership, these practices were unknown to followers of the Nation of Islam, who followed an altered version of the Islamic faith. He encouraged the attendees to donate despite the suffering economy, saying it might only get worse, and that according to a narration by the prophet Muhammed peace be upon him, the best donation is one that is made when one is “healthy, greedy, and afraid of poverty.”

Sheikh Adam said during the event that the Quran deserves everything we have, even our own life, and that Islam should enter every house on this earth. He started memorizing the Quran at a very young age at the hands of his father, and is able to recite the Quran in the seven qira’at.

The final word at the event was by Habeeba Jamal, a 74 year old, blind Somali woman, who comes to the center from Maryland with the help of her son. She recited Surat Assafat for the attendees, after which Sheik Adam led the taraweeh parayers. The fundraiser was able to collect $60,880 for the center.

SUHOOR: PAJAMA PARTY FOR 12 AND UNDER! The Muslim Link would like to salute those children in the community who fasted part or all of Ramadhan this year.

If your child is 12 years old or younger, send their full name, age, city and state of residence, and the number of fasts they completed and a picture (Optional) to editor@muslimlinkpaper.com. Or, call 301-982-1020 to give us that information. We will publish the list in our next issue, coming October 17, insha’Allah.

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

Islam

ISLAM

19

The way of life given to us by our Creator and practiced by our Messenger Sallallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam

Don’t Be Too Strict With Your Children

By Sheikh Salman al-Oadah Source: www.islamtoday.com

themselves from wrongdoing. Our goal is to make our children confident within themselves and deserving of our trust.

We should exercise caution in raising our children, but we must be careful not to take things too far. Being excessively strict is no way to raise children. People need to be able to make choices. Children

This applies to our small children just as much as it does to our adolescents. We need to start with our small children. They need to fear Allah and develop their God-consciousness from and early age. This requires that we speak to

Today, thanks to advancements in communications technologies, those who wish to find sin can do so easily. This means that it is more imperative than ever to develop a strong moral sense in our children’s hearts that will protect them throughout their lives.

need to develop decision-making skills by having choices available to them, even if some options are far better than others.

them about their religion in a positive way, and cultivate first and foremost their love of Allah and of His Messenger (peace be upon him).

We should be careful to safeguard our children from falling into sin. Restricting them from certain things in order to protect them is certainly a part of this. At the same time, imposing drastic restrictions on our children and negating their ability to make choices is not the way to do it.

Children, young and old, need to be educated, provided with cultural awareness, and instilled with values. They need to have an inner sense of right and wrong which will protect them when faced with life’s temptations.

When Joseph (peace be upon him) was tempted by the noblewoman, he was able to save himself, saying: “Indeed, I fear Allah.”

We should consider the Prophet’s example, when he said: “Do not prevent your women from attending the mosque.” He followed this by saying: “But their homes are better for them.” [Sunan Abî Dâwûd (480)] We can see how, using the language of Islamic Law, the Prophet (peace be upon him). He leaves the choice to the woman, though he clarifies that a woman’s home is the better place for her to perform her prayers. He goes so far to prohibit others from preventing the woman to attend the mosque.

People need to be able to make their own choices. They need to have numerous options available to them, even when some of those options might truly be better than others. It is not always good to restrict people to what we feel is best for them. It is not the way to raise children and develop their personalities.

Restrictions should be treated like medicine – a remedy of last resort. Our goal should be to develop the moral sense of our sons and daughters so that they are able to restrain

To d a y, t h a n k s t o a d v a n c e m e n t s i n communications technologies, those who wish to find sin can do so easily. This means that it is more imperative than ever to develop a strong moral sense in our children’s hearts that will protect them throughout their lives. They need to be fortified with faith, and a strong sense of self, if they are not to succumb to the myriad temptations of our age.

A strong sense of right and wrong can keep us from falling into sin. It is certainly best to stay as far away from sin and temptation as possible. At the same time, a person might come close to sin but still avoid falling into it, due to the faith in his or her heart.

We see this in the story of the three men trapped in a cave, where each relates his virtuous deeds to the others, beseeching Allah to free them.

One of them recounts his mad love for his cousin, whom he maneuvered into agreeing to have sex with him. When he was between her legs and about to engage in intercourse, she pleaded: “Fear Allah. Do not break the

seal except with its marital right. I have only been brought into this position with you due to my desperate needs.” At that moment of greatest desire, his God-consciousness was awakened by hers, and he abstained from fornication, giving her the wealth he promised her anyway. In this case, both of them were on the verge of fornicating, but their God-consciousness saved them from it.

Our goal as parents should not be merely to issue commands and prohibitions and seeing that they are duly carried out by our children.

This is not parenting. As parents, our goal should be to cultivate God-consciousness in our children’s hearts. If need be, we can impose restrictions on our children to keep them safe and out of trouble, but this should be our final step, not our first step.

As parents, our success in not measured in how effectively we restrict our children by

force. We see that in the critical matter of belief itself, Allah, our omnipotent creator, does not force humanity to believe in Him. Rather, He says: “Whoever wishes shall believe and whoever wishes shall disbelieve.”

[Sûrah al-Kahf: 29] Allah merely calls us in the name of faith and establishes the proof to us, commanding us to look into His signs in the heavens and Earth.

He sent the Prophets to us with the scriptures, and he provides us with our every need.

He then shows us His divine patience until those of us who will be guided are guided.

As parents, we have essentially to take the same approach with their children, in carrying

>> Strict Pg 20

20

ISLAM

Calm Before You Storm

By Sheikh Salman al-Oadah Source: www.islamtoday.com There is an old saying that goes: “The calmer the ocean, the deeper it is.”

Another old saying goes: “An empty cart makes more noise than the full cart.”

These sayings point to the same thing: that calm is a virtue. There can be no doubt about the truth of this point.

The human mind works at its best when the surrounding environment is calm and settled.

Likewise, it works at its best when the thinker’s temperament is calm. When the human mind is beset with external or internal commotion, its powers become weak and it more easily falls prey to rashness and reckless passion.

It is a strategy of debate to get one’s opponent angry, since once the opponent loses his or her composure, his or her defeat is almost imminent, especially if one is able to keep one’s cool and a smile on one’s face.

Allah describes those who believe and rely on their Lord as being: “those who avoid the worst sins and shameful deeds, and, when they are angry even then forgive.” [Sûrah al-Shûrâ: 37] The Prophet (peace be upon him) warns us that: “Anger is a burning ember in the human heart that is stoked up.” [Musnad Ahmad (11158)] We can draw a lesson from what happened when the Prophet’s uncle Abû Tâlib was on his deathbed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) entered his room to find him in the company of Abû Jahl and Abd Allah b. Abî Umayyah.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “My uncle, declare that there is no God but God, so I may speak on your behalf before Allah.”

At this, Abû Jahl and Abd Allah b. Abî Umayyah said: “O Abû Tâlib! Do you desire something other than the ways of `Abd al-Muttalib?”

Abû Tâlib died, refusing to accept Islam though knowing it to be the truth, out of fear of public shame. Nevertheless, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “I will continue to seek Allah’s forgiveness for you as long as Allah does not forbid me from doing so.”

believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.” [Sûrah al-Tawbah: 113] The Prophet (peace be upon him) was in a heart-wrenching situation. He loved his uncle who had in turn loved him and done so much for him. The issue was the most serious issue that can be considered: the issue of faith in Allah and his Messenger and of worshipping Allah alone. The Prophet (peace be upon him) sought nothing more from Abû Tâlib than to declare his faith before he died.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) was well aware that a person is all the more sensitive and unclear of thinking at the time of death. Therefore, he spoke to him calmly and clearly, saying: “My uncle, declare that there is no God but God, so I may speak on your behalf before Allah.”

The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not allow himself to get into an argument with his opponents when they taunted Abû Tâlib with the honor of the tribe of Quraysh and reminded him of the religion of his forefathers. He simply repeated to his uncle his calm request.

The Prophet’s conduct should remind us that just because we know we are in the right, this gives us no excuse to get angry.

Indeed, if we are upon the truth, this should give us all the more reason to remain calm.

Anger merely confuses things and makes it more difficult for us to think clearly and communicate our thoughts to others.

It is said that clam is the pinnacle of virtue.

When we think about it, we see that a person who remains calm has the advantage under all circumstances - in agreement and disagreement, in acceptance and refusal.

Calm enhances one’s good qualities and makes one’s bad qualities seem less serious.

Even a wrongdoer, if he maintains his composure and good manners, is more likely to be excused for his wrongdoing.

We should remember the Prophet’s words: “The strong person is not the one who can throw his opponent. The strong person is the one who can keep control when angry.”

Thereafter, Allah revealed the verse: “It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who

continued >> Strict from pg 19

out our duty of saving our families from the Fire. Cultivating and nurturing the faith in our children’s hearts is ultimately the only effective way to protect them from the Fire.

Allah says: “O you who believe, safeguard yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is men and stones. Attending it are angels severe and stern who never disobey Allah’s commands and who cart out what they

are commanded to do.” [Sûrah al-Tahrîm: 6] This verse, in fact, is telling us to call our families to faith. All other commands and prohibitions in Islam are built upon faith.

Obedience to Allah stems from faith. We only obey Allah because we believe in him.

When Allah says: “Safeguard yourselves”, He is commanding us to protect ourselves from the Fire by fortifying our faith. He then commands us to strive to protect our families from the Fire by taking the measures which will make them, in and of themselves, unlikely to fall into sin.

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

continued >> Clebrate Expansion pg 4

bus stop…a boy came up to me and pulled my hijab right off.”

“What did you do?” called out a young girl from the audience.

“I made a dua right there to Allah to give me strength, picked up my hijab and put it back on….Then I decided to speak to him in a different language; the language of peace…

This is where the hijab is more than just a head scarf but also extends to behavior.”

Sister Fatima asked the girls, “What do you say when someone asks you about why you wear a hijab? How do you respond when someone asks, ‘Isn’t it hot?’, ‘Do you wear that in the shower?’ ‘Do you sleep with that on?’. What do you say when someone calls you a ‘towel head’?”

Although somewhat unpleasant, these are issues that these young women will have to face some time in their future. And, one could tell from some of the responses, that some had already faced them. Sister Fatima tried to get the girls to see. “These are opportunities to present Islam to these people. If you respond defensively then you push people away…A hijab is like carrying the flag of Islam on your back. You now represent Islam.”

Sister Fatima had a suggestion for them. “I learned to focus on the positive comments I would get from people. There were plenty

of people who encouraged me and said, ‘MashaAllah, keep up the good job.’, ‘You look beautiful in hijab’, ‘I’m proud of you.’”

She went on to say, “The person who gets up and straightens their hair in the morning, puts on tons of makeup and wears tight clothes…

That is the person who is a slave to society, not the person who wakes up and puts on a hijab before leaving the home.”

Doaa, a young woman who started to wear her hijab last year stated, “I was going into seventh grade and it seemed like the right time. It was a new school, so my mom and I talked and decided. It was like a new start.” When asked if being in a new school and people meeting her as a hijabi made a difference, Doaa agreed and stated, “Yah, it made it easier.”

Miriam, another young woman, started wearing her hijab last July. She stated, “I read the book, ‘Does My Head Look Big in This?’.

It is about a Muslim girl in Australia and she starts to wear hijab. It is not a true story, but based on events in her life. She talks about her doubts about the hijab after 9/11, but the ending had such a good moral. It really inspired me and I decided to wear hijab.”

Miriam’s mother, Sister Azra, stated, “My daughter just started to wear hijab. I am very pleased. When I got the invite I decided to bring her to celebrate.” Sister Ibithal, a mother of another young woman who started to wear

>> Celebrate II Pg 21

CONTINUED

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008 of the fundraiser.

continued >> ICCL Expansion pg 5

individually in boxes, each with a somosa and dates. A buffet style dinner was hot and ready even before maghrib.

The program – conducted in the auditorium – began with the Qur’an recited by Haroon Baqai, head of Dar-us-Salaam’s Qur’an department and full-time hifz program. This was followed by a welcome from ICCL President Hayder Qaadri, and a nasheed of the 99 Name of Allah by young Muslimahs Faiza, Amani, and Nafeesa. ICCL girls sang a second, much appreciated nasheed later in the program.

ICCL Shura board chairman Hameed Manejwala welcomed the audience – which included representatives from Dar-usSalaam, PGMA, and other surrounding communities – and underlined the purpose

“This [approval] is the beginning of the journey. We have a long way to go ... this is not my house, and it is not your house. It is the House of Allah,” said Brother Hameed.

The first phase of the plan will add 129 new parking spaces for the small masjid, which attracts far more attendees for juma’ than the current 35-space parking lot can accommodate.

Permits and plans are still needed for changes such as razing the house on the new property, grading the lot, storm water management, and tree conservation. Each drawing submitted has a 6-week waiting time for feedback from the PG County planning board, said Brother Ayub.

Included in the $600,000 cost for the parking lot phase of the expansion is a county requirement to purchase protected land for tree conversation. In exchange for permission to cut down trees on the new property, ICCL

21

must purchase 2 acres – at a cost of about $20,000 – $30,000 per acre -- which will be land set aside only for trees.

Brother Ayub said the parking lot can be completed by September of next year.

“Everything is in place .... we need the money now,” emphasized Brother Hayder, opening the fundraising portion of the evening.

Yusuf Slitine, a local lecturer and assistant Imam at the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, Maryland served as the keynote speaker and fundraiser.

“Allah has ways and means [to establish his houses], and those [ways and means] are us,” he said, emphasizing the importance of donating for the masjid. Citing the story of Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) and how he gave away a caravan of 700 commodity laden camels for the sake of Allah, Brother Yusuf appealed to the attendees.

anyone like to buy jannah today,” he asked.

No one raised a hand for $50,000 donation, but one person raised his hand for a $25,000.

Towards the end of the fundraising, community members offered a GPS device for auction.

“The good thing about this GPS is that it shows you the way to jannah,” said Brother Yusuf to laughs.

Brother Hayder Qaadri made a final push by asking each person to “donate a parking space ... for $1500 each.” He reminded the remaining audience members that each worshiper who comes to pray and who parks in that spot, the donor will reap the rewards, insha’Allah.

Once the program ended, the Imam asked everyone to hasten to the ICCL. The community still had to pray ‘isha and taraweeh. This evening, though, parking wouldn’t be an issue. It was already 10:30pm.

“Allah has a product for sale today. Would

SUHOOR: PAJAMA PARTY FOR 12 AND UNDER! The Muslim Link would like to salute those children in the community who fasted part or all of Ramadhan this year.

If your child is 12 years old or younger, send their full name, age, city and state of residence, and the number of fasts they completed and a picture (Optional) to editor@muslimlinkpaper.com. Or, call 301-982-1020 to give us that information. We will publish the list in our next issue, coming October 17, insha’Allah.

continued >> Celebrate II pg 20

hijab is proud and hopeful that the hijab will help to curb her daughter’s enthusiastic behavior. She hopes, inshaAllah, that her daughter will mature and become more serious as she grows into a woman who wears a hijab.

It is interesting to note that the sponsor for this event is an foundation that is practically a one man show, Brother Almeddine Kaddoura, with the gracious assistance of his wife. He is

dedicated to organizing events, competitions and celebrations that inspire young Muslims to be proud of their achievements and their Muslim identities. Last June he held a graduation ceremony for any and every Muslim that had graduated from any level of education. During this fall and winter, the Muslim Education Foundation will have a contest on understanding the Quran, deadline September 30th, a contest on Muslim Women Contributions, deadline September 30th, and a Quran recitation competition in January 2009. For more information on these events, or to learn more about the foundation, go to creativeandcoolcompetitions.net.

PERIOD ISLAMICBOOKSTORE.COM

Brother Almeddine Kaddoura presents a certificate to a young muslimah for keeping her hijab.

Photo by the author.

2048 LORD BALTIMORE DR. BALTIMORE MD 21244 TEL 410-265-0020

EDITOR’S DESK

22

EDITORS DESK Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan Office Manager : Jann McClary News Desk: Umm ‘Abdullah (Events) Distribution: Elwaleed Elshowya Layout & Design: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Lensay Abadula Amina Ali Farkhunda Ali Fasiha Khan Farha Marfani Rashad Mulla Maryam bint DawudMussallihullah

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Each One, Reach One – Good Job! Enclosed please find a check for $100 – a ramadan donation for your excellent publication.

The insert ‘Each One, Reach One’ is a genius idea. Ramadan probably being when we get the most questions. Your insert is much better than anything one can think to answer on the spur of the moment, and it is a concise, interesting introduction to Islam.

Could you send me 10 or 20, so I can always have one in my purse? Ramadan blessings, Sister L.R. Great Falls, Virginia -Assalamu’alykum wa rahmatullah Sister! Thanks for the letter and we ask Allah to reward you for your generous donation. Alhumdulillah, the feedback we’ve been getting about the ‘Each One, Reach One’ Ramadan inserts has been positive. We will definitely send you extra copies, insha’Allah. If our readers need extra copies, please send an email to info@learnaboutislam.org, or call our office at 301-9821020. We’ll need only the postage and handling costs; the inserts themselves are free since the printing was paid for by donations. We thank everyone who donated for this project and spread these brochures across the area! -- TML

SUHOOR: PAJAMA PARTY FOR 12 AND UNDER!

Sharia Advisors: Sheikh Salah as-Sawi Safi Khan The Muslim Link (TML) is published every other Friday on a Bi-Weekly Schedule 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 ads@muslimlinkpaper.com The Muslim Link. All Rights Reserved 2008

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

The Muslim Link would like to salute those children in the community who fasted part or all of Ramadhan this year. If your child is 12 years old or younger, send their full name, age, city and state of residence, and the number of fasts they completed and a picture (Optional) to editor@muslimlinkpaper.com. Or, call 301-982-1020 to give us that information. We will publish the list in our next issue, coming October 17, insha’Allah.

continued >> CAIR from pg 15

Studies at Drury University, called the film “a blatant piece of anti-Muslim propaganda.”

(News-Leader, 9/17/08)

When asked whether Americans should “resist Muslims who want to seek political office in this nation,” Gabriel said:

“Distribution of the DVD…was timed with the post-Labor Day start of presidential election season. About 95 percent of the papers that contained the DVD are in Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada and New Hampshire.

Those interviewed in “Obsession” constitute a veritable who’s who of Muslim-bashers.

Speakers include Walid Shoebat, who once told a Missouri newspaper that he sees “many parallels between the Antichrist and Islam” and “Islam is not the religion of God -- Islam is the devil.” (Springfield News-Leader, 9/24/07)

“Absolutely. If a Muslim who has -- who is -- a practicing Muslim who believes the word of the Koran to be the word of Allah, who abides by Islam, who goes to mosque and prays every Friday, who prays five times a day -- this practicing Muslim, who believes in the teachings of the Koran, cannot be a loyal citizen to the United States of America.”

“Notice a pattern? Right, those are the swing states that most analysts believe will determine the election. The issue on which polls consistently show John McCain ahead of Barack Obama is national security. One way to make voters worry less about the economy and more about national security would be to send out a DVD that opens with clips of 9/11 and includes scenes of Muslims chanting ‘Death to America!’”

Others interviewed in the film include Nonie Darwish, a self-styled “former Moslem” who wrote that “Islam is cruel, anti-women, antireligious freedom and anti-personal freedom in general,” and Daniel Pipes, who warned a Jewish convention of the “true dangers” posed by “the presence, and increased stature, and affluence, and enfranchisement of American Muslims.” (American Jewish Congress, 10/21/2001)

The Hate Hurts America Multifaith Community Coalition (HHA), a group of religious and civic organizations seeking to challenge hate speech in our society, has launched a website as a positive response to the anti-Muslim bigotry used in an ongoing multi-milliondollar campaign to influence the presidential election: www.obsessionwithhate.com

Editorial and letter writers nationwide have called the film “propaganda” and even compared it to Leni Riefenstahl’s 1935 pro-Nazi film “Triumph of the Will.” One writer called it “misleading and dangerous.”

(Broward-Palm Beach New Times, 9/20/08) Jeff VanDenBerg, director of Middle East

Another “Obsession” interviewee, Brigitte Gabriel, told the Australian Jewish News: “Every practising Muslim is a radical Muslim.” She also claimed that “Islamofascism is a politically-correct word...it’s the vehicle for Islam...Islam is the problem.”

CAIR, America’s largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 35 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

Source: CAIR Press Release

The Muslim Link, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

ARTS & FILM

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Arts & Film Spreading Creative Works of Value to the Muslim Community.

Book Brings Ramadhan Traditions to American Children

By Tasneem Abu-Ali Muslim Link Staff Writer In Night of the Moon, a mother and daughter explore the different aspects of the blessed month of Ramadan, including fasting, the phases of the moon, family dinners, and sharing food with the mosque. Yasmeen, the daughter, is surprised to learn that in addition to the Gregorian calendar, there is an Islamic calendar based on the phases of the moon, so she watches the moon throughout the month to see what changes occur in the moon cycle.

Yasmeen continues to watch the moon outside her window until Eid finally arrives. She is fascinated by the moon, and on Eid her parents give her a telescope that will help her watch for Ramadan the upcoming year. Of course, Yasmeen cannot wait.

What influenced Khan to write the book was the desire for her children to see themselves and their lives in the literature, to be proud of their Muslim culture and traditions, and to be able to share with non-Muslims the universal values Muslim holidays encompass.

She says after purchasing every book on Ramadan she could find, she noticed that most contained a lot of details that could be difficult for very young or non-Muslim audiences to absorb. Her goal was to create a simple and appealing story, with information about how a family like hers observes the

This is the night right before Eid, so it is an “Eid eve” so to speak. In Pakistani culture, people often celebrate the chaand raat in preparation for Eid. For example, at the end of this month, on September 30th, there will be a huge chaand raat event sponsored by the Pakistani American Association at the Maryland Soccer Plex in Boyds from 8pm to 11pm that will include food, clothing, and other vendors, and activities such as moonbounces for kids and henna hand painting.

The illustration of the book by Julie Paschkis

so far are all positive. It got a starred review from Booklist and is going to be featured on the cover of their October issue.

There is also a website for the book where one can learn more about both the author and the illustrator, read other reviews, check book reading dates, and buy the book. There are two book readings by the author coming up which would be a great event to take the kids to this Ramadan. One is on Saturday September 13, 2008 in Annapolis, Maryland and the other is on Saturday September 27, 2008 in Arlington,

The author, Hena Khan, says that her idea behind the book was to share the holidays from the perspective of a child, focusing on the things children can relate to and understand easily and that people of all faiths can recognize as universal values such as community and family, rather than the details of the practice of the Muslim faith. Her motivation was to write something to share with her son’s preschool class to explain Muslim holidays.

Khan is the mother of two young boys, ages 4 and 7. She says the story she wrote is a composite of the Ramadans she grew up observing, and the ones they are experiencing now. The mosque in the book bears a close resemblance to the The front cover of the book, above. The back cover features a masjid that looks very similar to the MCC in Silver Spring, Maryland. one she grew up attending, The author Hena Khan grew up in the MCC community. (Images courtesy of Hena Khan).

MCC in Silver Spring, and the scene of people greeting each other after prayers is one of her strongest associations holidays woven into it, without overloading has arabesque designs and is inspired by Virginia. Check the website for more details with Eid. She says her children are fortunate the reader with too much information. Arabic tiles, with vibrant colors of blue, (www.nightofthemoon.com) orange, and lime green. Khan says the in that, unlike when she was growing up in this area, their preschool and public school The story is based on a Pakistani-American illustrator, who is non-Muslim, was receptive The author, 35 years old, lives in Rockville, teachers are more familiar with Ramadan family. There is one custom in the book to the idea of the book and working to spread Maryland, with her husband and two sons.

She says that in the future, she would love to and Eid and welcome visitors, presentations, specific to Pakistani culture, the custom of a positive message. continue to write books for children, including a n d c e l e b r a t i o n s i n t h e c l a s s r o o m . “chaand raat” which translates to “Night of the Moon” from the Urdu language. The reviews that the book has received others that reflect her heritage.