The Muslim Link - February 13, 2015 by The Muslim Link

Down I'll take WOOD IF I COULD Under, It's >> PG 7 All Good >> PG 20 Aussie Halal Comes to America running for the hills

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IT'S TERROR TO US Killing of 3 In Chapel Hill Stirs Alarm Among Muslims

region. Deah Barakat, 23, was a second-year student at the University of North Carolina’s School of Dentistry; his wife, Yusor Mohammad Abu-Salha, 21, was set to enroll there in the fall. The third victim was her 19-yearold sister, Razan, a student at nearby North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

By Sarah Kaplan and Mark Berman The Washington Post, February 11, 2015

“This is a tremendous loss to the Carolina and N.C. State campuses, and my thoughts and prayers are with the families, fellow students, faculty and friends of these three very promising students,” Carol L. Folt, chancellor of UNC, wrote in a message to students Wednesday.

A Chapel Hill man has been charged with shooting and killing three people near the campus of the University of North Carolina on Tuesday night. This rare spasm of violence for the region sparked alarm and drew international attention due to the fact that all three victims were Muslim, though police said that initial indications suggested the shooting stemmed from an altercation involving parking.

Police said that they had arrested Craig Stephen Hicks, 46, and charged him with the shootings. Hicks turned himself in “without incident” to the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office in nearby Pittsboro after the shooting,

The three victims were identified by police and school officials in the early hours of Wednesday morning. They were all young adults with ties to universities in the

>> TERROR Pg 34

Finally, Obama Meets Muslims at White House By Hena Zuberi

Khera, founder and President of Muslim Advocates, who spearheaded the meeting.

For the first time in his two terms in the Oval Office, on February 6, 2015, President Obama met with leaders of the Muslim community for an hour-long ‘frank and open exchange with the President’.

Khera says the meeting came at a prime time— when public officials and media channels are questioning the loyalty of American Muslims.

Muslim Link Staff Reporter

“We requested a session, as the President has met with others, such as labor leaders, African American and Jewish American leaders – it was time for him to meet with American Muslim leadership,” shares Farhana

Invitees drew Obama’s attention to the rising anti-Muslim bigotry in the U.S. being >> obama Pg 12

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February 13th - March 12th, 2015

COMMUNITY NEWS

Community News Debate On Causes of Radicalization Would Be Test of Free Speech, Says Panel American Muslims don't see Christian and By Hena Zuberi

Muslim Link Staff Reporter In the wake of the terrorist attack in Paris on the offices of the weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo, on January 22, 2015, the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) held a panel discussion titled "Muslim Response to Charlie Hebdo: Understanding the Root Causes of Radicalization", at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The French publication known for its satirical approach to many religions has in recent years focused relentlessly on insulting representations of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The forum was designed to go beyond condemnations and Islamophobic rhetoric to explore the religious, societal and geopolitical dynamics underlying recent events, moving beyond the superficial binary of Muslim radicals vs. free speech.

Mongi Dhaouadi, CSID Senior Program Officer for Tunisia and North Africa, arranged the event. “We generally focus on issues of Islam and democracy—how it relates to countries in conflict and how it relates to U.S. foreign policy—countries attempting to go through democratic transition, particularly after the Arab Spring: Tunisia, Egypt and Syria,” said William Lawrence, CSID Director of MENA Programs, who moderated the event. Starting in April 2014, Dhaouadi, at the behest of Congressman Keith Ellison, started work on connecting the Muslim communities in the United States to a set of foreign policy issues. “We realize that there was a whole range of issues about Muslims in the West and free speech issues that weren't being well addressed. This marries nicely with our international work with the new attempt to connect domestic Muslim constituencies

Jewish leaders challenged by politicians or media to defend their faith when there are violent acts done in the name of Christianity and Judaism, explained Awad. The discourse is dishonest but it sells more, he said. in the US,” he said. Radwan Masmoudi, founding President of the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) said the West has allowed Syria to disintegrate and become a factory and hub for extremists by not implementing a no fly zone three years ago. He also mentioned the Western complicity in allowing the military coup in Egypt, the killing of people and the arrest of thousands of people. “Should we be surprised then that thousands of young Egyptians, Syrians and Arabs in general think that peaceful and democratic means will not work and only violence and extremism can change the balance

of power in favor of the people against violent and corrupt regime,” asked Masmoudi. Mainstream media did not attend the event as this did not fit the narrative they want to spread to their readers. Zuhdi Jasser and Anjem Choudary are the only representatives of the Muslim community that they want to hear. Nihad Awad, Executive Director of the Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) said he didn't agree with how the media and politicians were framing

>> radicalization Pg 10

Al-Huda Robotics Team Advances to State Finals By Muslim Link Staff The Al-Huda School Boys Robotics Team took part in their first ever Lego robotics tournament on Saturday, January 17, 2015, ranking in 11th place out of 26 other more experienced teams, including some from elite schools in the greater Washington DC region. The competition was part of the national FIRST Lego League competition. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is a national non-profit 501-c(3) organization founded in 1989 whose mission is to “inspire

young people's interest and participation in science and technology.” With only a few months of preparation, the Al-Huda School team developed an

autonomous mobile robot using the Lego Mindstorms programmable Lego kits. The tournament involved robots attempting a variety of “missions” on a table like arena. Missions were known in advance,

so teams had to prepare and program their robots to complete as many missions as

>> robotics Pg 9

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COMMUNITY NEWS

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

Md. Court Allows Adnan Syed To Proceed With Appeal In ‘Serial’ Case By Abby Phillip

Baltimore Sun, February 7, 2014 A Maryland court has agreed to allow an appeal in the case of Adnan Syed, a Baltimore County man convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend when he was a teenager. Syed’s case was popularized by the smash hit podcast “Serial,” created by journalists from the “This American Life” public radio broadcast. Since the podcast ended in December, Syed’s case and his efforts to contest his conviction have continued on. The decision by the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, which was filed Friday, allows Syed’s lawyers to move forward with the appeals process. In January 2014, a Baltimore circuit court denied Syed’s petition for post-conviction relief on the grounds that his attorney at the time, Christina Gutierrez, had been ineffective. This decision allows him to appeal that denial. “I’m excited about it,” said C. Justin Brown, Syed’s attorney. “I think that it shows that the court is interested in the

issues that we raised. If they weren’t interested in them they wouldn’t have granted the [application for leave to appeal].” “We look forward to arguing in front of the panel and we view this as a step in the right direction in our efforts to get a new trial for Mr. Syed,” he added. Brown said he has not yet spoken to Syed about the ruling. New evidence in the case could be brought to the surface, thanks in part to the popularity of the radio show. A former classmate, Asia McClain, says she can provide an alibi for Syed at the time of the 1999 murder of his exgirlfriend, Hae Min Lee. McClain, who did not testify at Syed’s 2000 trial, has said that she would be willing to testify in the case if subpoenaed. McClain, who attended Woodlawn High School in Baltimore County with Syed, claims in letters that she wrote him in 1999 while he was in jail, and in a new affidavit filed in January, that she remembered speaking to Syed at the public library next to their school at the

Imprisoned as a teenager (left), Baltimore native Adnan Syed's entire adult life has been spent as a model inmate in the Maryland penal sytem. time prosecutors said Lee was being slain. The court’s decision left open the possibility that new evidence might be allowed to be introduced in the case. In a highly unusual step, the court said that another three judge panel will address the issue of whether McClain’s testimony will be admitted. After McClain indicated that she was willing to testify, Syed’s lawyers filed a supplement to their original appeal, requesting, in part, that the case be moved

to a circuit court so that they can call McClain as a witness. The state requested that the court strike that request. The special appeals court’s Friday decision denied the state’s request and said a panel of judges will consider the request from Syed’s lawyers to admit new testimony along with his appeal. “Adnan Syed has a due process right to fairness, and we are encouraging them and asking them to let her testify,” Brown said.

Muslimahs Take Part In MoCo Women's Legislative Conference By Muslim Link Staff The Montgomery County Commission for Women held its 35th Annual Women’s Legislative Briefing took on the Jan. 26, 2015 at the Universities at Shady Grove, Rockville.

spoke at the immigration session where the focus was on immigration reform, opportunities and challenges associated with citizenship and integration, family unity and adequate health care.

This all day conference united hundreds of successful women in the state who want to stay informed and get involved with the legislative process for issues of concern to them. “We deal with issues that are relevant today,” said Catherine Legitt, the wife of Isaiah Legget.

Congresswoman Donna Edwards of the 4th District said that we live in a country where it is more expensive to send your toddler to childcare than to enroll them in their first year of college at a public university. Getting women to run for office may help change policies that directly affect them. Some other issues discussed were equal pay, paid sick leave and family caregivers.

Mimi Hassanein of Emerge Maryland and the Islamic Society of Germantown

In Maryland, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is promoting

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the CARE Act, which helps family caregivers get information and training they need before the person they care for is discharged from the hospital. According to AARP roughly 3 in 4 people have been caregivers, or they are preparing to be family caregivers. About 770,000 family caregivers in the state of Maryland contribute unpaid care valued at an estimated $8.1 billion. Most family caregivers are women; the average family caregiver is a 49-year-old workingwoman. “Family caregivers have a huge responsibility, and we can take some common sense steps that would make a world of difference for them. Last year,

the law was signed by Governor Chris Christie in New Jersey and Governor Mary Fallin in Oklahoma. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if Maryland could be next?“ asked the AARP President who spoke at the event, representing the more than 2 million seniors in the state. The first Women's Legislative Briefing event was held on January 1980. The event that began in Montgomery County has become a statewide event in Maryland. Participants were shown how a bill is passed through legislature from the first reading to the Governor’s desk.

>> conference Pg 9

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

COMMUNITY NEWS

Down Under, It's All Good

Australian, New Zealand Certified Halal Meat Showing Up at Major American Restaurants, Supermarkets By Hena Zuberi

Muslim Link Staff Reporter

Australia is recognized as a world leader in Halal meat production and exports huge quantities to South East Asian countries.

Chances are that if you are eating lamb in the US, it's zabihah halal, whether at a Michelin star restaurant or tasting your neighborhood Costco’s samples. The largest retailer of Australian halal lamb in the United States is Costco Wholesale. Outback Steakhouses and many supermarkets like Safeway, Krogers, and Sam's Clubs also carry the cheaper, grass fed lamb from ’down under’. Brands like Pasture Perfect by Pilot Brands, Diamond Valley, and Opal Valley are sold at grocery stores and other retailers. The search for a healthier, organic option to the American beef burger resulted in the creation of Elevation Burger. Yousuf Nagaria is the owner of the new store

opening up in Crofton, MD. He decided to open this particular franchise after investigating several options based on a ‘health conscious’ philosophy and the ingredients- halal, grass fed beef, Bertolli olive oil for cooking, and organic milk shakes—not a typical fast food burger joint. The Crofton location will feature bamboo flooring, recycled tiles and energy efficient equipment. Nagaria was encouraged to invest in Elevation Burger because he was impressed with “a big chain announcing

that it is halal, [even hanging] cling signs on the windows of each store.” He told the Muslim Link his Elevation Burger location will provide his community a place to eat that is mainstream, healthy and halal. Elevation Burger is rapidly expanding its Virginia-based organic burger concept throughout the U.S. and has 24 locations in development across Texas, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, D.C. and is using

Australian meat distributors. For the past 30 years, the Australian meat industry has actively courted the international Muslim consumer market. Australia implemented an Australian Government Authorized Halal Program (AGAHP), which ensures high-quality meat products that are strictly Halal. Australians and New Zealand have >> halal Pg 14

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February 13th - March 12th, 2015

With An Eye on Health, Diversity, and Good Taste Interview By Jamal A. Abdul-Karim, M.Ed. On December 20, 2014, Al-Huda School in College Park, Maryland in conjunction with University of Maryland’s Center for Health Equity presented their “Meet, Greet, Talk, and Eat” program. It was arranged and hosted at Al-Huda School. Cuisine from around the globe was featured, which reflected the diverse cultural food preparations, desserts, including snacks that Muslim people, and others enjoy. Along with a number of other individuals, and families, my family and I contributed to the “Healthy Al-Huda Cookbook” initiative, with great pleasure. In cooperation with the University of Maryland, the outcome of these efforts will result in a soon to be published cookbook. We are waiting patiently; it will be an outstanding publication! I had the chance to speak with [and interview] Sr. Shamila Hashim, with additional input from Al-Huda’s Assistant Principal Abdul Qaadir Abdul Khaaliq. Sr. Shamila and supporting staff members helped to coordinate the function, along with Dr. Shawnta Jackson (a staff member at the University of Maryland), and a number of her colleagues. Q: What did the coordinating committee of the Healthy Al-Huda project have in mind when they organized the “Meet, Greet,

Talk, and Eat” program? A: Br. Abdul Qaadir: One of the aims was for the Muslim Community that attend and support Dar us Salaam and Al-Huda School, to learn first-hand what steps are being taken as a whole, to improve the overall health and well-being of both students, and the community at large. It was an opportunity for representatives from the Maryland Center for Health Equity (M-CHE) to let the community know their mission and objectives, also for those representatives to literally and figuratively get a taste of the community’s cuisine, and life-style. Many community members were not directly involved, nor perhaps were many aware of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), between Al-Huda School, and the M-CHE. It was signed in 2012, and it signaled a start for a cooperative relationship, between the University of Maryland and Al-Huda School. One of the aims of M-CHE is community outreach toward those minority populations, within the vicinity of the UMCP (University of Maryland College Park). The Meet, Greet, Talk and Eat event was certainly a part of that. Q: On the day of the event, about how many people (from the community at large, do you estimate) attended the program? A: Br. Abdul Qaadir: Perhaps 80 – 100 if not more, maa shaa Allah! Q: Besides having the chance to taste

IRHSCA Starts Senior Lunch Program By Jamila Ali bint Khan

Muslim Link Contributing Writer January 15, 2015 marked another milestone for the Islamic Research & Humanitarian Service Center of America in Capitol Heights, Maryland. IRHSCA always had on its agenda a weekly program to be offered to its senior community that would include nutritious meals,social interaction and information of services made available through the Department of Family Services Aging Service Division of Prince Georges County Maryland. The purpose was to show the aging, often isolated community members that we care about them and

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we will never neglect nor abandon them .Although funds were limted when this idea was shared with the Owner of Sweethooth,Chef Steve Thomas did not hesitate and said lets do it, our seniors deserve it . Two years ago Sweethooth Cafe & Catering was awarded the contract to provide Halaal meals to the District of Columbia Muslim population under the Department of Aging. This program is administered by Catholic Charities who partnered with Halaal meal provider Sweettooth Cafe. Currently Sweethooth prepares nutritious meals 5 days a week for the Muslims

One of the aims of M-CHE is community outreach toward those minority populations, within the vicinity of the UMCP (University of Maryland College Park). The Meet, Greet, Talk and Eat event was certainly a part of that. delicious cuisine, how many dishes do you believe were shared? A: Sr. Shamila: Approximately 40 – 50 dishes were represented. Q. Can you list a few of the foods that people had the opportunity to sample (types of food, desserts, snacks etc.)?

in the District of Columbia at the Kebar Center located at Masjid Muhammad in Washington D.C. The program is free of charge. The Shura Board Hospitality Committee chose the third Thursday of each month to conduct the luncheon. RSVPS were extended to the senior community. The afternoon began with performance of Salatul Dhuhr, followed by an introduction by Imam Taalib Abdus-Samad , Executive Director of IRHSCA. Ms. Taylor Furgerson from the Office of Aging Serviceswho discussed programs for seniors offered by the County. The Aging Service Division is dedicated to supporting people 62-years and older so they can maintain the highest quality of life with independence and dignity, and to

A: Br. Abdul Qaadir: There were so many good dishes, some quite exotic, and unfamiliar; it gave some a chance to “expand their horizons”, so to speak. There for the tasting, an amazing array of dishes of all types, from several nations, >> taste Pg 18

assisting them and their families with the many challenges of the aging process, she explained. She also provided information on the Senior Community Services Employment Program that places seniors in valuable training and employment experiences. Participation was low initially due to the fact that transportation needs were not properly addressed as well as Thursday being a traditional day of fasting. Maashaa'Allah taking this into consideration we have moved the day to the 3rd Wednesday of the month. If you or a relative are interested in this program please email irhsca@gmail.com or call 301 324 5040. For info regarding county programs contact The Office of Aging Services Division. 301 265-8450 or www. princegeorgescountymd.gov/aging. The next luncheon is Wednesday, February 26, 2015 inshaa'Allah.

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

COMMUNITY NEWS

robotics

>> continued from pg 5

possible in the alloted time. Missions included opening a small toy door, putting a small plastic ball in a toy soccer net, and retrieving and placing various objects around the arena. Al-Huda School team's middle ranking did not qualify them to advance to the FIRST Maryland State championship to be held on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). However, in a pleasant surprise for a dozen supporters who attended the final ceremony, FIRST presented the “Core Values” award to the Al-Huda team which automatically advanced them to the FIRST Maryland state championship. The Core Values award is given to the team “whose members best demonstrate extraordinary enthusiasm and spirit, exceptional partnership, the utmost respect for their own teammates, and support and encouragement of fellow teams … they demonstrate confidence, energy, strong problem solving skills, and great group dynamics.” Only five teams from the January 17 qualifying event in Howard County advanced to the Maryland state championship. “This is the first time I've had a first year team make it to the state [competition] and I'm also pleased that as a Muslim team we won the Core Values [award] which illustrates everything we're supposed to have in our characters, alhumdulillah I'm very pleased,” said coach Arif AbdulKareem, who meets with the team after school and on weekends in preparation for the tournament. The team is currently preparing for the State Finals in late February.

conference

>> continued from pg 6

This year the event was co-sponsored by the Muslim Community Center (MCC) in Silver Spring, MD. “We need to be sure our young women are doing advocacy,” said Chandra Walker Holloway, the past president of

the commission. “Many of our advocates are aging.” Najma Khan, who heads the Women’s Committee at MCC, was excited about the team of 5 young women ages 11-19 who represented MCC at the two special workshops for teenage girls focusing on leadership, community engagement and social media. The young women learned about the difference between charity, social change and policy making.

Amina Anita Serry, a young Muslim interested in politics, was a vibrant addition to the workshop. She is a student at Montgomery Community College and has been an active participant in YMCA DC Youth & Government, where students debate bills and discuss how they would improve the city if they were in charge.

their mother, Haanan Habeb. Sisters Zaynub and Zahrah Siddiqui were inspired to make positive change in their communities as mandated by their religion, they said.

10-year-old twins from Silver Spring, Nahla and Noura Habona attended with

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10 | COMMUNITY NEWS

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

Local Martial Artists Take Part In World Silat Championships By Contributing Writers Thailand, one of the world's most visited tourist destinations, is known most for its beautiful white-sand beaches and its local combat sport of Muay Thai. Last month in January, a six-member team from the United States traveled to the city of Phuket for the World Pencak Silat Championships. Pencak Silat is a martial art that was developed in Muslim majority countries of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. Hundreds of competitors from 37 countries attended this event to test their skills against the worlds top Silat practitioners. One of the coaches for the team, Northern

radicalization

>> continued from pg 5

the issue. “Again Islam has become the issue,” he said. He didn’t mince words, saying that American Muslim youth are tired of local and national organizations coming on television to condem every terrorist act that takes place as it is undue and unwarranted. American Muslims don't see Christian and Jewish leaders challenged by politicians or media to defend their faith when there are violent acts done in the name of Christianity and Judaism, explained Awad. The discourse is dishonest but it sells more, he said. “We are tired of being depicted as inherently violent. There is nothing in our faith [that is] more violent than Christianity. Muslim leaders have been condemning [terrorism] for 15 years but the media [has] not [been] interested in broadcasting our positions,” he said. He challenged news media who ask where are the moderate Muslims. “I will ask where is your conscious? They have ignored our emails and statements,” said Awad. Speaking about the roots of extremism, he said that the internet is not controlled and that is where many young Muslims are being radicalized, not in the Islamic Centers. Many extremists cite legitimate grievances: Iraq, Palestine, Syria and other repressive regimes and a lack of

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Virginia resident Abdul-Malik Ahmad, competed in the two previous tournaments in 2010 and 2012. This year he was eager to bring an actual team from the USA for first time. Training for the tournament started months before in Virginia and Rockville, Maryland for sparring and artistic divisions. Although Pencak Silat’s

the self-defense aspect (Bela-Diri) has been in existence for centuries, the sport aspect (Silat Ohlahraga) been steadily growing in the last several decades. With close to 40 countries participating in Silat, organizers are actively pursing the sport to part of the Olympics in 2024.

Because Pencak Silat was developed in Muslim majority countries of South East Asia, more than half of the participants were Muslim. Halal food was served for all of the meals and the competition

democracy in their countries; Islam should not be blamed for radicalized youth, explained Awad. Their grievances should discussed. “An honest debate would be a test for free speech,” said Awad.

large by conflating their actions with the community, she said. The world could have alienated them and isolated them but we anointed them “representatives of the faith.” She asked the audience what would have happened if the response had been to reassert the place of French citizens of Muslim faith in the republic.

That will bring change, said the imam.

Challenge and mockery were not new to the Prophet and we have to see how he reacted to the ignorance, explained Awad, encouraging the public to read what the Qur'an says about free speech. Awad also took offense to the use of the spiritual and legitimate concept of jihad in connection with radicals. "To label terrorists as jihadists is no less than doing the public relations work for them. And the media unwittingly, or unintentionally, [has been] helping ISIS. Politicians, when they refer to these people as jihadists, are helping recruit people to ISIS." Dalia Mogahed, Director of Research at the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) challenged conflating of a terrorist act and “right to offend.” Mogahed pointed out that the shooting was a calculated act of provocation on the part of terrorist organizations to ignite a clash specifically along religious and cultural lines. “The cartoons did not provoke the attack,” she said. We handed the terrorists the rhetorical victory that they desired and alienated Muslims at

Mogahed said when she sees the cartoons, she isn’t offended as a Muslim but is offended as an American. “I wish the French would hurry up and join the rest of the world,” she said to the audience. Americans see cartoons that are immoral because they have decided as a society that they will not depict people that way. The correct question isn't, 'can we?'" asked Mogahed, "the correct question is 'should we?'" She also discussed free speech and the impact of fear on our society. Imam Talib Shareef, Resident Imam Masjid Muhammad in Washington DC, showed the audience the oldest Muslim newspaper in the country, the Muslim Observer. “Without free speech this newspaper would not exist,” he said. He spoke about the desperation, provocation and lack of education and other basic needs, as root causes of radicalization. “Proper attention is not being given to people— they are marginalized,” he said. He said allies who know need to speak up— those who know the beauty in faith.

>> silat Pg 31

France is a nation in flux, said James Lesueur, French intellectual, author of Uncivil War, the Decolonization Reader, and Algeria Since 1989 and professor at the University of Nebraska said that the cries for laïcité (Fr. secularism)in the aftermath of the most significant terrorist attack in recent French history are misplaced. “In fact they are illogical. Why? Because it doesn’t make any sense to connect the Charlie Hebdo attacks or artwork (if one wants to call it that) to the idea of laïcité; free speech and laïcité do not mean the same thing – in France or anywhere else.” By conflating the discussions about Charlie Hebdo with the issue of laïcité, the French are once again evading the tougher debate about how to address the problems of the distressed banlieue (projects in the suburbs of large cities in France), he said. Alienation and economic disenfranchisement of a large population are causes of radicalization, according to the professor. Founded in March 1999, the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy (CSID) is a Washington, DC-based organization dedicated to studying Islamic and democratic political thought. The center hopes to improve Americans' understanding of Islam's approach towards these issues.

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

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12 | COMMUNITY NEWS obama

>> continued from pg 1 fueled by some politicians and organizations, and asked him to use his influence to ‘help shape the national conversation on hate against Muslims and other religious minority communities.’ Also present were Obama's senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, National Security Adviser Susan Rice and Deputy National Security Adviser Ben Rhodes. The meeting was followed by 45 minutes of additional discussions with Jarrett and Rhodes, according to statements. With a focus on domestic issues the round table represented those contributing to American society: successful, engaged professionals- from civil right organizations to research think tanks, from academia to business. On the table was the Affordable Care Act, issues of anti-Muslim violence and discrimination, the 21st Century Policing Task Force, and the upcoming White House Summit on Countering Violence Extremism, according to the official White House

February 13th - March 12th, 2015 racial profiling— racial battle fatigue and racial micro-aggressions.’ Rashad told the Muslim Link that she shared in the White House roundtable with President Obama that – despite the community's emotional fatigue – American Muslims have been resilient and have made great strides. If American Muslims have managed to contribute so much, despite the anti-Muslim bigotry, imagine how productive and how many more contributions can be made to the broader society if more attention is paid to curb discrimination of Muslims, Rashad said. “The roundtable offered American Muslims leaders the opportunity to share directly our varied concerns, issues, hopes and accomplishments,” pointed out Rashad. She also discussed the psychological trauma of a hyper vigilant community seeing its faith on trial in the media cycle and internalizing this stimulus. She asked for collaboration with the Office of Neighborhood and Faith based

By focusing only on foreign policy concerns, American Muslims risk sidelining the discussion about their health, future and religious identity in America, said Kameelah Rashad who attended the White House meeting. statement. Kameelah Mu'min Rashad, founder of the Muslim Wellness Foundation, is a chaplain at University of Pennsylvania, a mental health professional and a grassroots activist for Make it Plain –Philadelphia. She brought to the President’s attention the emotional and mental impact of antiMuslim bigotry and the cumulative affects that it has had on the Muslim community over the past 15 years. The double burden of religious discrimination and dealing with structural oppression, Rashad says, is taking a toll on the African American Muslim population, a vital segment of the American Muslim community with a long history dating back to the days of slavery. She shared with the President that African American Muslims are ‘uniquely vulnerable due to religious discrimination, and the effects of

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partnerships, the Muslim Wellness Foundation and Muslim mental health professionals.

Of concern was the fact that as Muslims were meeting Obama, Dr Sami Al Arian, a Florida professor, was being deported from the United States to Turkey after a 12 year ordeal, despite all charges being dropped against him. cultural, gender and sectarian diversity of the attendees reflected the diversity within the American Muslim community at large,” she said. The community needs to take step to make sure any future discussions about the community are as inclusive as [the White House meeting] she said. The presence of Dr Sherman Jackson, professor of religion and American Studies and Ethnicity at the University of Southern California, reassured leaders who have been concerned about the exclusion of the African American voice from Muslim organizations. Imam Luqman Ahmed, a religious scholar from Sacramento, CA calls him an ‘exceptionally qualified voice to speak on the broad and dichotomous concerns of both immigrant, and indigenous Muslims’ In a comedy piece invitee Dean Obeidullah, a columnist for the Daily Beast and a stand up comedian, and a twitter hashtag #Muslimmeeting lightened the mood ahead of the right wing firestorm about the meeting. Some critics in the Muslim community noted that participants have to know that the President knows the system and is part and parcel of the system that oppresses people here and abroad.

Rashad, who trains American Muslim community members as mental health first aid responders, discussed with the Muslim Link the lack of studies about the psychological effects on the American Muslim community.

Rashad was very satisfied with how the community was represented at the roundtable and says that American Muslims need to hold themselves to a higher standard, to think differently about how our community is represented, she said. “The opportunity and the diversity were very reassuring.”

When asked if Dr Sami Al Arian, foreign policy, drones, Ferguson, Guantanamo Bay, Palestine and other such issues were raised at the meeting, Khera refrained from commenting saying under the terms of the roundtable she cannot comment on the issues that were brought up by other Muslim leaders.

Many times African American, youth and women’s voices are missing. “The racial,

Khera understands the cynicism of a traumatized Muslim community, but

hopes that people will continue to remain engaged with government officials. Noting the importance of sharing the effect government policies have on the community, Khera presented a greeting card to the President from two young Muslim Californian elementary school students who are fearful for their future. “[The] focus was domestic concerns such as racial profiling, discrimination, mental health and the emotional well-being of the Muslim community,” said Rashad. She emphasized that by focusing only on foreign policy concerns, American Muslims risk sidelining the discussion about their health, future and religious identity in America. Speaking to the Muslim Link, Rashad shared some stories of students who are scared to use the word “Allah” in public or excerpts from the Quran on university campuses, worried about being perceived as the “wrong kind” of Muslims, especially when countering violent extremism focuses solely on Muslims. This is detrimental to the soul of the community. Khera urged the White House hold a summit for American Muslim youth. The benefit of these exchanges according to Khera is that many public officials live in a bubble and don’t realize the effect that policies are having on the lives of American Muslims. As a former counsel for Senator Russell D. Feingold (DWI), the Chairman of the Constitution Subcommittee, she has seen the way public officials work and knows that it is important for them to hear real stories of the impact of their policies.

The Asks Khera focused on domestic policies; bringing up the fact that there is no Muslim representation in federal courts,

>> Obama I Pg 13

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COMMUNITY NEWS | 13

obama I

>> continued from pg 12 she asked for a Muslim judge to be nominated. Another major push was for uniform federal state laws regarding profiling. In December 2014, Attorney General Eric Holder revised racial profiling guidance for federal law enforcement. Khera says that Holder took the right step to fix the free reign given to the FBI under John Ashcroft, The Attorney General banned profiling based on race and ethnicity, but granted exceptions for national security and border protection. Many civil rights groups considered the exceptions a kind of permission to discriminate especially against Muslims in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. "It's baffling that even as the government recognizes that bias-based policing is patently unacceptable, it gives a green light for the FBI, TSA, and CBP to profile racial, religious and other minorities at or in the vicinity of the border and in certain national security contexts, and does not apply the [Attorney General's] Guidance to most state and local law enforcement," ACLU Washington Legislative Office Director Laura W. Murphy said in a statement.

.ORG/connect /donate /volunteer /invite

Policies that give carte blanche to the FBI to send informants into masajid have to be changed. “That is unconstitutional— to enter without evidence into spaces and take notes and collect information. It sends the signal that it is okay for the public to target the community,” said Khera. “The pendulum has swung too far,” Khera said she expressed to the President. “That was J Edgar Hoover’s legacy and the nation learned a lesson [then],” she said. Hoda Elshishtawy of the Muslim Public Affairs Council gave the President a list of highly qualified American Muslim professionals to consider for appointed positions within the Administration. “These individuals come from a variety of industries including STEM, national security, foreign policy and education. These Americans are building bridges between our nation and Muslim communities worldwide and are eager to serve our country at the highest levels possible,” she said in a statement. Khera said that American Muslims need

the Democrats in office to stand up for the American Muslim community when elected officials use anti-Muslim language.

player, Bilquis Abdul Qadir represented Muslim youth.

the President or other participants,” shared Khera, hoping to put conspiracy theories to rest.

Terms of Engagement The President of the Islamic Society of North America, Azhar Azeez, requested that President Obama visit a masjid in the U.S. before his term ends. President Obama has yet to visit a masjid since his election in 2008. As a chaplain to young Muslims at the University of Pennsylvania campus, Rashad was excited that a young basketball

It was a White House decision to delay the release of names of participants. None of the participants had a problem with their names being released. The rules of disclosure were standard to all closed-door meetings with the President. “Under the terms of engagement and in order to ensure a frank and candid discussion, we agreed that we would not quote or characterize

“We are eager to follow up with our 'asks' and request people to watch for public statements,” says Khera. “It is upon the community and advocacy organizations to follow up with the 'asks',” added Rashad. Shahed Amanullah, formerly Senior

>> Obama II Pg 15

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14 | COMMUNITY NEWS halal

>> continued from pg 7

extremely large quantities of sheep and goats per capita and are large meat exporting countries. Australia is recognized as a world leader in Halal meat production and exports huge quantities to South East Asian countries. Mufti Abdullah Nana heads Halal Advocates of America. In 2009 he visited Australia with Mufti Ikram ul Haq of Rhode Island and then flew with Imam Meraj Desai to New Zealand to personally visit farms and slaughterhouses, including those that serve Costco. In a statement to the Muslim Link, Rob Plefkoff, a spokesman from Costco Wholesale Corporation, said that initially Costco was not aware that they were selling halal lamb, as it was not a factor in their choice of lamb suppliers. Inquiries from halal consumers triggered Costco to send representatives to tour farms in Australia. Halal meat for export receives an official Halal meat certificate signed by both the Australian Department of Agriculture and a recognized Islamic Council representative. This is a case where the governments of Australia and New Zealand made a conscious decision to make policy that supported a vibrant halal industry. Only Muslims can do zabihah under a comprehensive program that issues identity cards, training, and courses for those who work in these positions. According to the AGAHP, meat processors may employ only registered Muslim slaughtermen. “Haram meat may not be processed in the same area as halal products, and must be adequately

February 13th - March 12th, 2015 separated and identified at all times,” state guidelines. Equipment must be thoroughly cleaned and washed if it has been in contact with non-halal meat. Only genuine halal products may be issued a Halal certificate, and only by recognized Islamic organizations. Slaughterers are authorized to remove animals from the line, which did not bleed properly, were not stunned properly, or were not cut

class

In recent years, antiMuslim bigotry has threatened the industry but because government policies support the halal industry they have weathered the storm, says Nana. properly, explained Mufti Nana. An official stamp on carcasses or products in a carton identifies halal meat. Halal meat must be described on the Meat Transfer Certificate used by export companies when transported between export establishments. International meat buyers seeking Australian red meat suppliers use MLA's Australian Red Meat Exporter Database to find companies that supply Australian beef, lamb and goat. Mufti Nana added a disclaimer saying that he doesn’t endorse every product coming from New Zealand and Australia, and that the Halal Advocates of America halal certification depends on distributor.

estimated at 30–40 million. The government and people of Indonesia and Malaysia dictated the terms of importing meat into their countries and the economic repercussions were great enough for the governments in both countries to adhere to those demands. These governments of Muslim majority countries were strict about standards of zabihah and American Muslims are reaping the benefits, says Mufti Nana.

Indonesia is the w o r l d ’s l a rg e s t single Halal market with a population in excess of 200 million and a growing middle

Most of the sheep and goat farms in Australia and New Zealand are owned by Christians. In recent years, anti-Muslim bigotry has threatened the industry but because government policies support the halal industry they have weathered the storm, says Nana. Fraudsters are actively

“We all go to halal restaurants; we protect ourselves and our kids— but this is a place you can take your family. I am so happy that I can serve my community,” he said.

prosecuted and it is difficult to cut corners. “[Australia and New Zealand] are not catering to American Muslims, we are just benefiting from the work of people before us,” says Mufti Nana. He says that he number of questions Halal Advocates receives about Australian and New Zealand meat shows the word is getting out. According to the report published by Halal Advocates, New Zealand is one of the world’s largest exporters of meat and the largest exporter of halal sheep in the world. A good percentage of this meat is exported to America and sold to restaurants, supermarkets, and distributors all over the country. Nana's organization concluded that the halal lamb and beef certified by NZIMM and FIANZ does meet the halal requirements for Muslims in America and all over the world. The trend in coming years suggests increasing lamb consumption in the United States. Beef + Lamb New Zealand

>> halal I Pg 18

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COMMUNITY NEWS | 15

obama II

>> continued from pg 13 Adviser for Technology at the State Department said that the door is open in ways that were unimaginable 10 years ago—but it takes two to tango. “I also believe that any attendee to an event like this needs to first be open with their community, but more importantly leave their nafs at the door. This isn't about fundraising or scoring public relations points — it is about being a partner in governance, and that is a long-term strategy. If you go in just to ‘speak truth to power’, that is the only victory you will have and you will have wasted an opportunity,” he said. Amanullah added that it is the responsibility of the invitees to engage with the communities where they come from. Als o p resent w as S ilver Spr ing, Maryland native, Haroon Mokhtarzada, CEO of Webs, a multi-million dollar, free and premium web hosting service. Mokhtarzada is a Montgomery Blair High school and UMD alumni, and also serves on American Express Open’s Digital Advisory Board and is a member of the United Nations Foundation Global Entrepreneurs Council. Arshia Wajid, founder of American Muslim Health Professionals, Diego Arancibia, board member and associate director of the Ta’leef Collective, a third space for American converts, Farhan Latif, chief operating officer and Director of Policy Impact at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, Rahat Hussain, president of the Shia community’s Universal Muslim Association of America, and Maya Berry, of the Arab American Institute also participated in the meeting. A day after the meeting, at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 7, 2015, President Obama stated that terrorists who "professed to stand up for Islam. . .in fact are betraying it." He also described the terrorist group ISIS as "a brutal, vicious death cult that, in the name of religion, carries out unspeakable acts of barbarism." The president added: "Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people

committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ."

“The changes are not going to be overnight, we should be on a watch to see the signals from the White House,” says Khera. And at the same time she says the community has a lot of work to do. On her end, Kameelah Rashad she will be following up with the Office of Faithbased and Neighborhood Partnerships.

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February 13th - March 12th, 2015

16 | CONTINUED

Muslim Link Dispatch from Guantanamo

Our Special Correspondent Reports from the Infamous Prison Symbolic of the War On Terror By Jenifer Wicks

Muslim Link Special Correspondent

I attended the military commission proceedings in United States v Abd al Hadi al-Iraqi the week of January 26-30 in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, has served as the location for conducting military commissions since 2004. In operation since 1903, the station provides support to U.S. and coalition forces in the Caribbean Sea. It now also houses law of war detainees at the detention facility run by the Joint Task Force Guantanamo (JTFGTMO). Military commissions (court proceedings for law of war detainees) operate in facilities on a former military air field in an area designated “Camp Justice.” “Camp Justice” also houses

for them all. After mechanical problems with our plane and the replacement, we finally took off hours after a scheduled 10:30 am departure, for the three hour flight to Guantanamo Bay. More than 17 miles of fence and razor wire separate the base (45 square miles) from the rest of Cuba. Marines guard the American side, and Cuban troops and land mines are on the other side. As we flew into the airstrip at GITMO, out of the descending plane I had my only observation of the “wire”. After landing, we went thru “customs” by showing our passports to US military personnel in the airport (Leeward Point) on the base. From the airport, we then waited for the ferry that would take us to the other side of the bay and Camp Justice. Because of our late arrival, we toured the media operations center and quickly

The importance of the motion to Mr. Hadi Al Iraqi was summed up by his counsel who said in a press conference that “he has nothing else left” but his religion. a city of tents where media, observers and attorneys reside which attending proceedings at the military commission. Prior to each week or session of a military commission, the judge, court staff, defense attorneys, prosecutors (or “trial counsel”), interpreters, media, and commission observers (including victims and law observers), fly down to GITMO, all on a defense contracted airplane from Andrews Air Force Base, outside Washington, DC. On Sunday, January 25, I found myself meeting just inside the gate two other journalists and Lt. Colonel Myles Caggins, the Department of Defense spokesman for Guantanamo, Detainee Policy, Military Commissions, and Periodic Review Secretariat. I met defense counsel and prosecutors as we waited to board the plane. There was clearly a large group of people (counsel for either side, court staff and security personnel) who knew each other and this was a regular rendezvous

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went to show our passports to get our JTF media badges. We then attended a press briefing by Chief Prosecutor Mark Martins and then defense counsel for Abd al Hadi Ai-Iraqi, US Marine Corp Ct. Col. Thomas Jasper and US Air Force Major Robert Stirk. After signing up for our media internet access with the civilian contractor, we headed to dinner at one of the few restaurants on the base (O’Kelly’s Irish Pub) and to pick up some provisions at the 24 hour convenience store on Marine Hill, before heading to bed in the tent. I had my own corner of a tent, with plywood walls and a curtain for a door – and air-conditioning that kept the tent well below 70 degrees – I slept with two blankets and multiple layers as well as my cashmere scarf wrapped around my head to keep warm. There were female and male latrines and showers – unfortunately the female hot water heater wasn’t working that week, so I have a week of cold showers – but I understand it has since been replaced. There is a tent

As we flew into the airstrip at GITMO, out of the descending plane I had my only observation of the “wire”. set up like a recreational lounge of sorts – with various games and a TV that is hooked up to…nothing. There are small microwaves and frigs in each tent and a larger frig in the recreation tent. Each morning, after a breakfast either at the galley or made in the media kitchenette with provisions bought at the Navy Exchange or the mini mart, I attended commission proceedings in Courtroom 2. Media observers can chose between watching court feed (on 40 second delay for security review) in the media operation center or attending the proceedings in the gallery, behind double glass. The media operations center has

can see live activity in court – although audio (and video) feed is on a 40 second delay. There are also live feed to various sites stateside for media, the public, and the victim’s families, depending on the proceeding. For those watching in the courtroom gallery, which is separated from the courtroom by double soundproof glass, observers are only allowed to bring in paper, a writing instrument and bottled water. There is also a single approved sketch artist who is allowed to bring their own materials into the gallery. Observers first go through metal detectors and leave electronic devices in a tent away from the courtroom and names are written in a logbook. Then, when the courtroom

We drove by the first camp – Camp X-ray, which can only be described as a kennel made for humans – cement stabs in between wire fences and barbed wire desks set up for each person, complete with a phone and (slow…) internet access bought thru a civilian provider. The media center has a small kitchen and television which plays the court feed or cable television. In Courtroom 2, viewing from the gallery means one

opens up, our names are checked against a list at the door of the gallery, and we are given seat assignments in the gallery. The media operations escort sat behind us and >> guantanamo Pg 21

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

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18 | COMMUNITY NEWS

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

Dar Al-Taqwa Hosts New County Exec, Elected Officials By Muslim Link Staff

community.

Newly elected Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman took the podium in front of about 70 Howard County Muslims including the Dar Al-Taqwa board. "Assalamu'alykum," he began.

Kittleman said both Dar Al-Taqwa and Howard County have prioritized education. He thanked Muslim businesses and professionals for "helping the economy of Howard County" and, acknowledging the distance between Muslims and his Republican affiliation, said "we're all together regardless of how we voted."

"This is not a new place for me, I've been here many times," he told the small invitation only gathering to connect local elected officials with the Muslim Taste

>> continued from pg 8 continents, and cultures were on display! New Orleans Style Barbeque Shrimp was my own contribution; there were other very delicious and interesting dishes. I fondly recall a sweet pastry wrapped in banana leaves. There were savory dishes from Ethiopia, southern fried chicken, and some dishes were gone, by the time I got to the table! We had dishes from all five continents, which included about 20 different countries.

Q: I know that tasting the food must have been fun, but what was the underlying benefit, objective, or focus of the program? A: Br. Abdul Qaadir: An underlying benefit was to simply allow members of the community to gather together, to be informed about the Cookbook Project: the efforts of the M-CHE, their need, and desire to get real feedback from the community they hope to serve. The concept and purpose of a Needs Assessment was introduced to the community, and hopefully some significant interest was raised. An increased awareness of the importance good health in the smaller Muslim community, including the College Park Community as a whole, was part of the mission. Exposure to the Halal I

>> continued from pg 14

(B+LNZ) is working together with its sheep farming counterparts from the US and Australia to get Americans eating more lamb. The Tri-Lamb Group was established in 2004 to grow demand for sheep meat in the US, mainly by promoting lamb’s nutritional value. “This collaborative marketing campaign has had a real impact in the US market, but

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diversity within the community is always a good thing, and food is a common element everyone shares. We also hoped to generate interest in the Healthy AlHuda Cookbook Project, with the dishes of the event being actual samples of some of the recipes in the cookbook. Q: Were there other interactive activities at the event? A: Sr. Shamila: Indeed! There were some additional activities such as: a health promoting “Smoothie Bike” where delicious and healthful smoothies were produced by a pedal-powered juicer, face painting, an ever-popular activity with the younger children, and Henna Designs were featured. Also, a booth for a free health screening was provided, by a Doctor, and an information table was available, just for the M-CHE. Q: Were there speakers present that highlighted (points of) the day’s event, and its purpose? A: Br. Abdul Qaadir: Dr. Stephen Thomas, the Director of M-CHE gave a few short words explaining the center’s mission, and their efforts with the Al-Huda School. He was present along with other representatives of the M-CHE, including: there is definitely room for us to be doing more. Americans still eat a relatively small amount of lamb per capita, so we’re working to increase that,” said the spokesman.

After a recition of the Qur'an by community youth Yahya Sidky, board members and guests took the podium for short remarks on Dar Al-Taqwa's mission and goals, and some on-going projects that need support from elected officials like the establishment of a daycare center, full-time school, and expanded parking. President of the Board Adnan Khan introduced all the elected officials present including state delegates, county council

Dr. Susan Passmore, Ms. Shawnta Jackson, and Sr. Nora Al-Johani who have been regular and integral partners, in several activities at Al-Huda School. Principal Haroon Baqai introduced Dr. Thomas, and I [Vice Principal AbdulQaadir Abdul-Khaaliq] acted as MC (Master of Ceremonies) for the event. The community also had the special treat of hearing from the Cookbook Cover Contest winners, Zayd Asif (Elementary School) and Nisa Baig (Middle School) and Zaakira Ahmed (High School). Q: Would you say that this event successfully reached its objective? A: Br. Abdul Qaadir: I believe so. We have yet to hold a follow up meeting with the Healthy Al-Huda Committee, which comprises members of the M-CHE and Al-Huda School, but other feedback has been positive from those who attended the event. I think it was a surprise, and a hit! I must especially mention the wonderful event organization of Shamila Hashim (of Al-Huda School), Shawnta Jackson (of the UMCP), and the major role played by the students from the Student Government Association). Those students literally served the community by helping with registration, guiding people, setting up the venue, placing the various dishes and Nagaria, They get the meat from Australia.

In 2015, they plan on targeting nutritionists and dietitians as well as lamb suppliers and retailers.

Nagaria says that he negotiated with Elevation Burger, as he was hesitant to enter into a business that sells bacon. “I will open the doors [to my store] without bacon,” he says. Lab testing is taking place during the next few months to roll out the halal turkey bacon nationwide.

In America, organic, halal chicken is also provided by PFG Australia Performance Food Group for Elevation Burger, says

Mufti Nana is thrilled at hearing the news about Nagaria and his Elevation Burger as Muslims had approached them

members, and education board officials. Khan said about 2,500 Muslims utilize the services of Dar Al-Taqwa each week. Dr. Maqbool Patel led a communal prayer, asking the audience to bow their heads, praying that "God clear our hearts from arrogance and hypocrisy, and bless us with patience and understanding." Dinner was served and some members were recognized to close the program.

informational placards, decorating, giving portions to community members, and even taking photographs of the different offerings. It was an awesome show of AlHuda students’ cooperation, and giving back to the community. Q: To your knowledge, are there any future plans to do another program like “Meet, Greet, Talk, and Eat”? A: Abdul Qaadir: There are no plans at this time. However, the success of this first community wide event is very encouraging, and many are looking forward to the eventual publication of the Al-Huda Cookbook. Q: Last but not least, what do you believe were the general sentiments of the community that experienced the event, and what was their response to the cookbook idea? A: Abdul Qaadir: This event will certainly be remembered, and it will set the groundwork for success at further ventures, in shaa Allah. People were already asking about publication of the cookbook; if possible, they would have ordered them on the spot! So, we look forward to a sold out first edition, in shaa Allah! about franchising earlier but did not get a positive response. Recently Nana met with them at the American Muslim Consumer Conference. Nagaria hopes to take Elevation Burger into the Reagan National airport. Nagaria is excited to be halal and healthy. “We all go to halal restaurants; we protect ourselves and our kids— but this is a place you can take your family. I am so happy that I can serve my community,” he said.

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

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February 13th - March 12th, 2015

20 | HEALTH & FAMILY

“I'll Take Some Wood, If I Could” In May of 2011, Sister Jann McClary and her husband Tariq moved from the Washington DC metropolitan area to establish a new home in the mountains of Colorado, building it from the ground up as part of their plan to become free of the spiritual and physical stress of modern urban life. Sister Jann is documenting her experiences for the Muslim Link. See her earlier installments at www. muslimlinkpaper.com by searching for “Running for the Hills”. Make sure you select “Exact Phrase” in the search options. – TML

By Jann McClary It's winter in Colorado. Under a stunningly turquoise sky made brilliant by the single digit temperatures of early morning, the ponderosa pines bristle in spiky cloaks of last night's flurries and freezing drizzle, giving them the appearance of having been sprayed with liquid crystal. The six inches of snow has yet to be disturbed by the tracks of local critters. They know it's too cold to yet venture out. I hunker down too, snuggling

Firewood is basically of two styles: green and wet, or dead and dry. Unless you plan to contact your neighbor with smoke signals, dead and dry is what will keep you warm and comfy through the winter.

deeper under heavy blankets as my husband coaxes the fire up in the woodstove. It's 7° F below zero outside. We're at a cozy 68°F in here. Alhamdulillah. Allah says it is “He Who produces for you fire out of the green tree, when behold you kindle therewith.”(Surat-ul Ya Seen, ayat 80). We could do like many of our neighbors and install a 500-pound liquid propane tank outside of our place, run a line underground to the house, and have instant gas for heating and cooking, but then we'd have a monthly bill and it wouldn't be much different than coughing up half a paycheck to BGE. We're all for green energy, so we employ a different type of power to heat things up: muscles and wood. Now, before you go thinking I've gone all primitive, let's look at the facts: Group A: 1) there is no power station in our immediate vicinity; 2) if there was a power station it would be run on some non-renewable source like coal; 3) if it wasn't a renewable energy it would be dubious, like nuclear, or downright toxic like fracking. And from Group B: 4) the original settlers and homesteaders functioned quite well without gas and electricity;

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5) they used what was readily available; 6) we live in the woods! Hence, a ready-made and renewable heat source. Well, it's not totally ready, we do have to engage in some processing. Firewood is basically of two styles: green and wet, or dead and dry. Unless you plan to contact your neighbor with smoke signals, dead and dry is what will keep you warm and comfy through the winter. Where we are in Colorado our selection is mainly evergreens: piňon pine, the source of yummy pine nuts; statuesque ponderosa pine; juniper, with its medicinal berries; cedar, aromatic and vengeful; and cottonwood, the water hog of the canyons. Why do I call cedar vengeful? Because it is a tree which, when one of its branches is broken off, seems to get quite annoyed, and that branch will break in such a way as to create a spiked tout and jab you in your tender parts as soon as your back is turned, or purposely snag your khimar until you're in a twisted tizzy. Seriously. Cedar branches should always be disarmed by sawing off their ends. And cottonwoods? They seem to only grow in or near the arroyos, (which is Spanish for seasonal creek) sucking up all the water that you thought you had when you bought your property. Piňon burns a little smoky, but hot. Ponderosa gives a calm, slower burn. Juniper and cedar make your cabin smell great. Cottonwood burns not so hot, but long. Match the wood to the heating or cooking need and you're good to go. Processing firewood begins with finding a dead tree, preferably one that has already keeled over. Cutting down standing dead trees is tricky business best left to those professional loggers whose business it is to safely cut down tricky trees. So you find the tree and haul out your manly-man chain saw. (For obvious reasons, only my husband mans the chainsaw around here. I have a strong attachment to my fingers and toes.) Cut the tree into pieces that'll fit your woodstove, and haul them home. Here's where the fun comes in. Now it's time to split 'em! Since we haven't gotten our solar panels yet, and gas is too expensive, we have a manual log splitter. Slower, yes, but it's quiet, and an excellent upper-body workout. Don't waste money on a gym membership...cut a few piles of wood every other day! Cutting your own firewood makes you really appreciate the ni'mah of it and the mercy of living in a place where you have access to lots of it. You learn to harvest it wisely, burn it prudently and respect the power and energy that it contains. If you're careless with it, it'll smoke you out of the house, or worse, burn your house down. Like any other provision Allah

From top to bottom: Chainsawing wood to size.; A manual log splitter breaks them down and is better than a gym membership; the wood pile grows;cuts of wood from logs. Photos by the author.

sends you, use it well and for the purpose it was made, and it becomes hasanah. But just as you can never have too much of the blessings of Allah, you can never, ever, never have too much wood. Never. “Then tell Me about the fire which you kindle. Is it you who made the tree thereof to grow, or are We the Grower? We have made it a reminder (of the Hellfire in the Hereafter) and an article of use for the travelers (and all others in this world). Then glorify with praises the Name of your Lord, Most Great” (Surat-ul Waqiah, ayat 71-74)

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

COMMUNITY NEWS | 21

guantanamo II

>> continued from pg 16

to the side. Commission observers must leave the courtroom during breaks and stand around outside. While I took copious notes of the proceedings to include my thoughts as the proceedings unfolded, this was not entirely necessary as two court reporters transcribe the proceedings and the transcripts are released to us almost immediately after the morning and afternoon sessions (and made available to the public on the commission website). For lunch each day, in addition to food prepared in the kitchenette, media can order Subway sandwiches for delivery during the lunch recess or be escorted to the galley by the media center staff, army reservists deployed to GITMO who staff the center in 9 month shifts. Someone from the media center staff is available 24 hours a day when media are at Camp Justice for any issues that arise and for access after hours to the work rooms for media. The staff also drives us to dinner as well, or to evening activities - the bowling alley or outdoor movie theater where “The Gambler” and “American Sniper” were playing the week I was there. While there are legal arguments on some defense motions on Monday, the rest of the week of the commission time was spent dealing with the “emergency defense motion for appropriate relief to cease physical contact with female guards”. This motion was filed after an October 8, 2014 incident where for the first time since Mr. Hadi Al Iraqi was brought to the detainee camp in 2007, a female guard had been assigned to the unit escorting him, which necessarily would include her touching his person. Mr. Hadi Al Iraqi filed this motion after he had made a repeated request for religious accommodation. The institutional response, as outlined at the hearing, was the line of command questioning him and ultimately a forced cell extraction to bring him back from his legal visit to the camp and his cell. In the motion, the defense indicated that Mr. Hadi al Iraqi would no longer attend legal meetings or Commission sessions if female guards continue to perform these duties. The importance of the motion to Mr. Hadi Al Iraqi was summed up by his counsel

who said in a press conference that “he has nothing else left” but his religion. The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) 42 U.S.C. §2000bb-1 provides in part: "Government shall not substantially burden a person's exercise of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability," unless the burden "is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest," and does so by "the least restrictive means." Mr. Hadi al Iraqi 's Muslim faith requires him to avoid physical contact with any

females to whom he is not married or related, as supported by his declaration and that of an Islamic scholar. The Military Commission issued an interim order, pending a decision on the motion, enjoining the use of female guards in positions that require touching of Mr. Hadi Al Iraqi during movements to and from legal meetings and Commission hearings, pending a final ruling on the motion. So, on January 27 and 28, the Commission received evidence and heard testimony and legal argument on

the motion. As of the filing of this story, many of the pleadings have not been unclassified, including the exhibits entered into evidence at the hearing, some of which were read into the record, and thus are not yet available to the public. While the Military Commissions strive for “Fairness Transparency Justice”, there is a 15

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guantanamo III

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business day delay before public release of any filing, per security review pursuant to 2011 Regulation for Trial by Military Commission Chapter 19 Section 4. And this means you can be sitting in court and not have been able to review filings that the parties are discussing. The week of proceedings ends as it began, with a press conference with the head of the prosecutors (not the prosecutors assigned to the case before the commission that week) and defense counsel. On the last day of my trip to GITMO, because the Commission ended a day early, I went on a windshield tour of Camp America and the detainee prison complex). The Joint Task Force Guantanamo, which oversees detainee operations, has a slogan of “Safe Humane Legal Transparent”. The majority of those working at Camp America – the detainee camps and joint taskforce headquarters - are temporary – as staffing of the detention center is done by reserves deployed there for 6, 9 or 12 month tours. Only 122 detainees remain, down from a high of 677 in July 2003 (and a total of over 780 men held during the 13+ years of operation). Detainees are now held in “state of the art” Camps Echo, 5, and 6 - and the secret Camp 7, with a classified location. We drove by the first camp – Camp X-ray, which can only be described as a kennel made for humans – cement stabs in between wire fences and barbed wire. My description doesn’t and can’t do justice to the horrifying sight. It was a temporary structure where detainees were held for 91 days in 2002 and has been ordered preserved by a federal judge as evidence for detainees in lawsuits. It is not covered and open to the elements. Media tours of the prisons don’t occur during weeks when military commissions are held, so I could not see inside, but Camps 5 and 6, protruding above barbed wire and covered fences, appear like numerous prisons and jail that I have seen before. What is clearly different is the circumstances and process that lead the men to end up there and the quagmire of facts and law that has resulted in 122 men remaining, of which XX are cleared for release, YY are awaiting review via a parole hearing and ZZ are pending trial or stand convicted. I now also hope to return for the “media”

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tour of the camps to see what the inside really looks like. The opportunity arose for me to attend the proceedings and I gladly agreed. To say that the plight of the men detained at Guantanamo Bay has captured my attention would be putting it mildly. It was a fascinating week that I continue to mull over in my head – as I continue to read pleadings and books about Guantanamo and watch various documentaries and commentaries about the camps. I started The Guantanamo Diary by Guantanamo detainee Mohamedou Ould Slahi while on

the flight to GITMO and finished on the ride back; I then started Murder at Camp Delta by former Guantanamo Bay guard Joseph Hickman. I had the pleasure of spending the week in Guantanamo with Miami Herald Guantanamo reporter Carol Rosenberg, who covered the detainees and commissions since Day 1 of the detainees’ arrival at Guantanamo. I will continue to follow proceedings by viewing the feed at Fort Meade in Maryland, viewing the transcripts, and, I hope, returning again to Guantanamo to view Commission proceedings. I will

therefore follow up here with analysis of the religious accommodation request, once I have all the exhibits and filings, as well as reporting on the request in the 9/11 detainee proceedings for the same accommodation. Jenifer Wicks is a special legal correspondent for the Muslim Link. She is the Litigation Director of the Civil Rights Department at the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations (CAIR) and lectures at the George Washington University Law School. She is a practicing criminal defense and civil rights attorney.

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

National News

NATIONAL NEWS | 23

The Muslims of Early America

By Peter Manseau

The New York Times, February 9, 2015 It was not the imam’s first time at the rodeo.

[T]here is an inconvenient footnote to the assertion that Islam is anti-American: Muslims arrived here before the founding of the United States — not just a few, but thousands.

Scheduled to deliver an invocation at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo last week, Moujahed Bakhach of the local Islamic Association of Tarrant County canceled his appearance because of the backlash brought on by a prayer he had offered a few days before. The imam had been asked to confer a blessing on horses, riders and members of the military. He was met with gasps from the audience and social media complaints: “Outraged at a Muslim prayer at an all American event!” “Cowboys don’t want it!”

a band of Spanish explorers near the future city of Galveston, Tex. The city of Azemmour, in which he was raised, had been a Muslim stronghold against European invasion until it fell during his youth. While given a Christian name after his enslavement, he eventually escaped his Christian captors and set off on his own through much of the Southwest. Two hundred years later, plantation owners in Louisiana made it a point to add enslaved Muslims to their labor force, relying on their experience with the cultivation of indigo and rice. Scholars have noted Muslim names and Islamic religious titles in the colony’s slave inventories and death records. The best known Muslim to pass through the port at New Orleans was AbdulRahman Ibrahim ibn Sori, a prince in his homeland whose plight drew wide attention. As one newspaper account noted, he had read the Bible and admired its precepts, but added, “His principal objections are that Christians do not follow them.”

Vocal anti-Islamic sentiment is undergoing a revival. Four days before the imam’s canceled benediction, protesters at the State Capitol in Austin shouted down Muslim speakers, claiming Texas in the name of Jesus alone. In North Carolina two weeks earlier, Duke University’s plan to broadcast a Muslim call to prayer was abandoned amid threats of violence. Meanwhile Gov. Bobby Jindal, Republican of Louisiana claimed that if American Muslims “want to set up their own culture and values, that’s not immigration, that’s really invasion.”

Among the enslaved Muslims in North Carolina was a religious teacher named Omar ibn Said. Recaptured in 1810 after running away from a cruel master he called a kafir (an infidel), he became known for inscribing the walls of his jail cell with Arabic script. He wrote an account of his life in 1831, describing how in freedom he had loved to read the Quran, but in slavery his owners had converted him to Christianity.

No matter how anxious people may be about Islam, the notion of a Muslim invasion of this majority Christian country has no basis in fact. Moreover, there is an inconvenient footnote to the assertion that Islam is anti-American: Muslims arrived here before the founding of the United States — not just a few, but thousands.

An estimated 20 percent of enslaved Africans were Muslims, and many sought to recreate the communities they had known.

They have been largely overlooked because they were not free to practice their faith. They were not free themselves and so they were for the most part unable to leave records of their beliefs. They left just enough to confirm that

Islam in America is not an immigrant religion lately making itself known, but a tradition with deep roots here, despite being among the most suppressed in the

nation’s history.

The story of Islam in early America is not merely one of isolated individuals. An estimated 20 percent of enslaved Africans were Muslims, and many sought to recreate the communities they had known. In Georgia, which has joined more than a dozen states in the political theater of debating a restriction on

In 1528, a Moroccan slave called Estevanico was shipwrecked along with

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Arts & Entertainment

Arts & Entertainment Down in the Chapel

Mr. Dubler is given rather generous access to the men, guards and chaplains who navigate, control and guide life behind Graterford's bars. In conversations both reverential and profane, unpretentious and bold, he presents a spiritual aspect of imprisoned men that few readers would imagine exists.

Religious Life in An American Prison Book review by Jann McClary There are a lot of existential side trips taking place in Joshua Dubler's “Down in the Chapel: Religious Life in An American Prison (2013)”, and when they follow the Socratic style of dialogue as a means of gnosis, you have to pace yourself for a long trip because the author's journey is taking him off the path. “Down in the Chapel” is an attempt to peek into the beliefs and prayers of incarcerated men and poke around a little, in the hopes of uncovering and exploring, in Mr. Dubler's words, “...doing time and doing religion in contemporary America.” Over the span of one week spent in the chapel of Pennsylvania's State Correctional Institute at Graterford, a maximum security prison about 36 miles north of Philadelphia, Mr. Dubler shares dialogue and sits in on worship services with a number of men who profess Islam, Christianity, Judaism, agnosticism, and atheism, and every variant and sect in between: Sunni, Nation of Islam, Jehovah's Witness, Wicca, Catholicism, Buddhism, Native American Spirituality, Quaker, Moorish Science Temple, Rastafarian, you name it. Mr. Dubler is given rather generous access to the men, guards and chaplains who navigate, control and guide life behind Graterford's bars. In conversations both reverential and profane, unpretentious and bold, he presents a spiritual aspect of imprisoned men that few readers would imagine exists. In particular, he focuses on 4 men; two Muslim and two Christian.

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It is telling however, that he takes one of the Muslims as his “crucial interlocutor” and his principal man for reality checks. All of the men he speaks with claim to worship God, but obviously there are discordant philosophies here. And that's what stands out most in this book. There are so many voices sounding off on their various paths, it's like being at a crossroads with too many direction signs. It is precisely this mad tangle of thought that leads to an “all roads lead to Rome/ many paths to God” mindset. Many of the Muslim men of Graterford are severely lacking in knowledge of deen, having acquired it piece-meal, or from sources none-too-authentic, and then tried to incorporate it into the jahiliyyah they had become accustomed to employing. “Down in the Chapel” offers insight into the dangers and traps mentioned in the famous “73 sects” haadith reported in at-Tirmidhi. But in this aspect it can be very beneficial to prison da'ees who minister to the type of men who still think Five Percenters are Muslim. Many younger prison da'ees themselves are not familiar with some of these sects that were in existence during the 1950s-1980s, so it presents an opportunity to become better versed with what the “oldheads” were involved in, and then call them to authentic Islam. Mr. Dubler is given a crash course by some of the Muslim prisoners on the histories of the various sects of Islam that have lodged themselves at Graterford, but he distinguishes between aqeedahs like he distinguishes between all the religions: as an orientalist trying to define and explain what he doesn't

believe or truly understand. This is where the value of this type of book presents itself. It shows Muslims that they still need to be on guard against letting others speak for, qualify and explain Islam. Da'ees and the general Muslim ummah can read this book and then take the initiative to do the study and the authentic practice that will enable them to inform and correct the rest of the world about this deen. Dubler also spends a good deal of time with the Christian traditions he finds at Graterford, and through the men's own words, shows the mental twists and turns they take to uphold belief in and reliance upon 'Isa, alaihis salaam, who himself relied upon Allah. In the juxtaposition of Islam and Christianity he unwittingly strengthens the truth of the former over the fiction of the latter. He tries to figure out what is “belief” and what is “real faith” in conversations with many different men, but he intellectualizes too much, often presenting what he has been taught to think on the path to his doctorate in religion. And like many orientalists,

Mr. Dubler outs himself as he confesses he has “...step[ped] away from the practice of religion in the direction of its study...”, and has “...moved with emphatic ambivalence from the practice of religion to the study of other people's practices.” But through it all he maintains a voice at once both sympathetic and conciliatory as he plays straight-man to the men's teasing, but often edgy, comraderie. To his credit as a self-professed agnostic, though perhaps not in the methodology of ethnographers, he's no mere flyon-the-wall eavesdropping on juicy tidbits of spiritual aha-moments. He's fully engaged and in the thick of it, challenging his own concepts of faith while remaining acutely aware of, though curiously unperturbed by, his lack of religious convictions. By trying to examine the idea of religion as a device or construct, and not a way of guidance for living, he misses out entirely. If studying the paths admittedly don't bring him any closer to finding the true destination, then to what end has he bothered taking the journey?

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COMMUNITY NEWS | 25

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ISLAM

Civil Rights

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

Dr. Sami Al-Arian Leaves The United States By Jonathan Turley February 5, 2015

In the conclusion of ten years of intense litigation, Dr. Sami Al-Arian and his wife Nahla boarded a plane last night and left the United States for Turkey. He arrived in Istanbul a couple hours ago. I was Dr. Al-Arian’s lead criminal defense counsel in Virginia until all charges were eventually dropped by the United States Department of Justice against him. I have received many calls from the media over the last couple of days and I have declined to respond because Dr. Al-Arian was represented by an immigration law team after the criminal proceedings concluded. I wanted to defer to those lawyers in any media comments, as I have since handed over the case last year. Dr. Al-Arian issued the statement below this morning. Dr. Al-Arian’s case raised troubling due process, academic freedom, and free speech issues. He is a PalestinianAmerican civil rights activist who was also a computer engineering professor at University of South Florida (USF). He had a successful academic career at USF and held permanent resident status since March 1989. He applied for U.S. citizenship and even campaigned for George W. Bush in the 2000 presidential election. Dr. Al-Arian was indicted in February 2003 on 17 counts under the Patriot Act, but a jury acquitted him on 8 counts and deadlocked on the remaining 9 counts. The trial was handled by Dr. Al-Arian’s Florida trial attorneys, the late Bill Moffitt and Linda Moreno, who did an incredible job. It was later revealed that jury overwhelmingly supported acquittal. The jurors 10-2 for acquittal on the remaining counts. Tapped out of money and wanting closure, Dr. Al-Arian agreed to a plea bargain that admitted to one of the charges in exchange for a promise that after a maximum of incarceration of

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The Al-Arian case will remain a chilling chapter in our history. The treatment of Dr. Al-Arian after his acquittal on most of the charges was widely viewed as a shocking abuse of the system and a flagrant violation of agreement reached with the Justice Department. 57 months, he would be allowed to leave the country by April 2007. (Amnesty International would later condemn his incarceration as “gratuitously punitive” and inhumane). He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to contribute services to or for the benefit of the Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a Specially Designated Terrorist organization, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. However, that contribution was described as hiring a lawyer for his brother-in-law during his immigration battle in the late 1990s; sponsoring a Palestinian historian in 1994 to conduct research in the U.S.; and withholding

rather than fulfilling that commitment, the Justice Department called him to a grand jury for additional testimony in Northern Virginia. Dr. Al-Arian objected that he was assured that he would not be forced into any additional proceedings and many viewed the grand jury was a “perjury trap” where the prosecutors would charge on any statement that could be alleged to be inaccurate or untrue. He refused.

large. on a lead criminal defense counsel. The Justice Department continued to call Dr. Al-Arian and effectively prolong his incarceration under civil contempt rules.

The Virginia litigation began in 2006 in Alexandria Virginia. The litigation would be intense for years as we sought to enforce his plea agreement but the federal court insisted that he would have to testify

In addressing the proceedings in Virginia, we took the unusual step of hiring a former FBI polygraphed to ask Dr. Al-Arian every known question about the investigation into an organization called IIIT in Virginia, purportedly the reason for his being called before the grand jury (Notably, not a single indictment for IIIT would come out of the grand jury proceedings which lasted for years and was viewed by many defense lawyers as a runaway investigation and fishing expedition). We even solicited from the Justice Department. The polygraph showed that Dr. Al-Arian had little knowledge of the matters under investigation and he passed every question as answering truthfully. We submitted the results to the Justice Department. We also received additional questions from the Justice Department and submitted a sworn affidavit on those questions. It was clear that Dr. AlArian was not withholding information. Indeed, any information that he had was ridiculously out of date given his years of incarceration in solitary confinement and tight restrictions on communications.

In the United States, as well as in many other western countries, those who support the Palestinian struggle for justice, and criticize Israel’s occupation and brutal policies, have often experienced an assault on their freedom of speech in academia, media, politics and society at large.

information from a U.S. journalist during a 1995 interview. Many noted at the time that none of those acts were clearly criminal. Notably, many saw the deal as nothing more than the Justice Department seeking some face saving measure of punishment after its defeat in Tampa and many felt that Dr. Al-Arian should not have signed it. However, he wanted to continue with his academic career and be with his family, including young children. Yet,

Dr. Al-Arian engaged in a series of hunger strikes, including a 60-day hunger strike on January 22, 2007 in protest to his treatment and there was an international movement in support of his release.

and the Justice Department secured a civil contempt order on November 16, 2006. This was appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. It was after the Fourth Circuit decision that I was brought In the United States, as well as in many other western countries, those who support the Palestinian struggle for justice, and criticize Israel’s occupation and brutal policies, have often experienced an assault on their freedom of speech in >> leave Pg 29 academia, media, politics and society at

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ADVERTISEMENT | 27

muslims

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Join Us This Semester ~ Spring 1436 ~ February - June 2015 Learn Fiqh with Professor Abdelmoniem Elamin

Abdelmoniem Elamin has over fourteen years of experience as an instructor with American Open University. He has taught Islamic belief subjects (Aqeedah), the principles of Islamic jurisprudence (Usool ul-Fiqh), and other sciences of Hadith and Fiqh in both Arabic and English. He holds a M.M.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Catholic University of America as well as a B.Sc. in Islamic Sciences from the Institute of Islamic and Arabic Sciences in America (IIASA), a satellite of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Learn Arabic with Professor Elamin Ali Shingrai

Elamin Ali has over twenty years of experience teaching Arabic as a second language. He holds a M.A. in Arabic Language and Religion from Punjab University in Pakistan. He also holds a B.A. in Islamic and Arabic Studies from The Imam Muhammad University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In the past, he served as the Dean of Academic Affairs for the Eastern Sudan Academy.

Learn Tajweed with Professor Haroon Baqai

Haroon Baqai is the principal of Al-Huda School and director of the Hifzh School at Dar-usSalaam in College Park, Maryland. He has an Ijazah (certification) in Hafs ‘an ‘Aasim, which he received in Saudi Arabia after studying under Sheikh Muhammad Ali Haqqan. Haroon is the author of “Let’s Beautify Our Recitation: A Complete Handbook of Tajweed”. He has also produced ”Ahlul Quran Gear”, an audio guide to memorizing short surahs, in addition to several CDs containing his Qur’an recitations.

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ISLAM

Islam

How to Develop Self Esteem Our self esteem is instilled in us during our youth. Being constantly criticized by family, friends, and society tends to slowly strip us of our feelings of self worth. Our low self esteem strips us of our self confidence to make even the smallest of decisions. Improving your self esteem increases your confidence and is a first step towards finding happiness and a better life.

to use Siwaak before every Salaat." (Reported by Maalik, Ahmad and an-Nasaa'i.)

{Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.} (AlHujuraat, Verse 13)

It is not allowed to leave them for more than forty nights. This is based on the Hadith of Anas (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said, "The Messenger of Allaah set a time limit for us for trimming the mustache, trimming nails, removing armpit hairs and removing pubic hairs. They cannot be left for more than forty nights." [Recorded by Muslim].

1. Dress nicely without extravagancy. No one is more conscious of your physical appearance than you are. When you don't look good, it changes the way you carry yourself and interact with other people. This doesn't mean you need to spend a lot of money and time on clothes. One great rule to follow is "spend twice as much, buy half as much". Rather than buying a bunch of cheap clothes, buy half as many select, good quality items. Find things that you like and in return, you will like the way you look. Although you must remember to always remain humble and not extravagant. "Certainly He (Allah) likes not the extravagant." (7:31) The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said one day in his khutbah: "Allaah has revealed to me that you should be humble so that no one will boast to anyone else and no one will transgress against anyone else." (Muslim) 2. Have good hygiene. Take care of your personal appearance. In most cases, significant improvements can be made by bathing and removing unwanted body hair frequently (excluding eyebrows and without resembling men) by epilating or waxing (exfoliating is a must!), wearing clean clothes and brushing your teeth twice a day. Although alway remember: nothing beats Miswaak. The Prophet (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said: "Had I not feared burdening my Ummah (followers), I would have commanded them

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"From the acts of nature are five: circumcision (obligation for men, but not for women), removing pubic hairs, trimming the mustache, cutting the nails and plucking the hair from under the armpits." (Recorded by al-Bukhari and Muslim).

Abdullaah ibn Masood (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) say: "Allaah has cursed the woman who does tattoos and the one who has them done, the woman who plucks eyebrows and the one who has it done, and the one who files her teeth for the purpose of beauty, altering the creation of Allaah." (Bukhaari, Muslim) 3. Practice good posture, without being arrogant. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self confidence. They often are unenthusiastic and don't consider themselves important. By practicing good posture, you'll automatically feel more confident. Stand up straight, keep your head up, and make eye contact. You'll make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered. But remember {Truly, Allah likes not the transgressors.} (2:190) and {Verily, Allah likes not any arrogant boaster.} (31:18) 4. Work out regularly and eat the right foods. Physical fitness has a huge effect on self confidence. If you're out of shape, you'll feel insecure and unattractive. By working out, you improve your physical appearance and do something constructive with your time. If you work out in the morning, it also creates positive momentum that you can build on the rest of the day.

'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased with her) said, "I raced with the Prophet and I beat him. Later when I had put on some weight, we raced again and he won. Then he said, 'this cancels that (referring to the previous race).'" (Saheeh Al-Bukhari) Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said, "Any action without the remembrance of Allaah is either a diversion or heedlessness, except four acts: Walking from target to target [during archery practice], training a horse, playing with one's family, and learning to swim." (At-Tabaraani) Islaam's holistic approach to health includes treating our bodies with respect and nourishing them with, not only faith, but also with lawful, nutritious food. A major part of living life according to the Creator's instructions is implementing a suitable diet. Choosing wholesome food and avoiding the unwholesome is essential to good health. Allaah Almighty says in the Qur'aan: {Eat of the good things which We have provided for you.} (Quran 2:173) and {Eat of what is lawful and wholesome on the earth.} (Quran 2:168) 5. Give back to others. Volunteer in the Muslim community. This will increase your self esteem. {Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining AlMa'roof (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful.} (Surah Aal 'Imraan:104) Zaid ibn Thabit narrated the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said: "May Allah cause to have freshness and brilliance the man who hears what I say and keeps it in mind, then convey it to others." (Ahmad, 5-183.) Too Much of an Introvert? 1. Compliment others modestly. Break the cycle of negativity by praising people when praise is due unexcessively. In the process, you'll become well liked and it will build

your self confidence. By looking for the best in others, you indirectly bring out the best in yourself. Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said: "Do not abuse anyone...Do not look down upon any good work, and when you speak to your brother, show him a cheerful face." (Sunan of Abu-Dawood, Hadith 1889) Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said: "Charity is prescribed for each descendant of Adam every day the sun rises." He was then asked: "From what do we give charity every day?" The Prophet answered: "The doors of goodness are many...enjoining good, forbidding evil, removing harm from the road, listening to the deaf, leading the blind, guiding one to the object of his need, hurrying with the strength of one's legs to one in sorrow who is asking for help, and supporting the feeble with the strength of one's armsâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;all of these are charity prescribed for you." He also said: "Your smile for your brother is charity." (Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3, Number 98.) 2. Sit in the front row. Most people prefer the back of a classroom or office because they're afraid of being noticed. This reflects a lack of self confidence. By deciding to sit in the front row, you can get over this irrational fear and build your self confidence. You'll also be more visible to the important people talking from the front of the room. 3. Speak up. Many people never speak up because they're afraid that people will judge them or think of them negatively. The simple fact is that these are fears everyone experiences. By making an effort to speak up at least once in every group discussion, you'll become a better public speaker, more confident in your own thoughts and recognized as a leader by your peers. One shouldn't fear to speak good words, speak up for that which is right and rewarding. 4. Walk faster. You don't have to power walk at all times, but people with confidence walk quickly. They have places to go and >> see islam Pg 30

February 13th - March 12th, 2015 leave

>> continued from pg 26 Eventually, the civil contempt sanction was lifted, but the Justice Department then, on June 26, 2008, indicted him on two counts of criminal contempt, for unlawfully and willfully refusing court orders that he testify. On September 2, 2008, we were able to secure his release from jail and a court order for Dr. Al-Arian to be subject to house arrest. It was a major change in the case. We were able to later lift the restrictions of monitoring on the home confinement. On March 9, 2010, Judge Leonie Brinkema postponed the criminal contempt trial, pending our motion to dismiss the charges in the case on the grounds of the plea agreement, flaws in the indictment, prosecutorial abuse, selective prosecution and other grounds. We also asked the Justice Department to investigate the professional misconduct in the case (which it declined to do). The litigation over the indictment continued until, on June 27, 2014, Assistant U.S. Attorney Gordon D. Kromberg moved to dismiss the indictment. Dr. Al-Arian leaves behind five children and grandchildren. His children are highly successful in their own right, including multiple books and impressive academic work. The family has been a rock of support for Dr. Al-Arian throughout these incredibly trying years. Nahla and the family formed a tight, protective circle to get through these traumatic years. After the release in 2008, Dr. Al-Arian became a doting grandfather and stayed with his children in Virginia. I met with Dr. Al-Arian and Nahla shortly before they left the country. They were already missing their children and grandchildren, but excited to start a new chapter in their life. It is not clear whether he will resume teaching in Turkey but he is likely to continue his writing and lecturing in some form. Despite being subjected to extremely cruel treatment and conditions, he is not bitter and remains committed to the principles of freedom that first drew him to the United States. Indeed, his family is an American success story with five children who have secured advanced degrees from leading universities and will remain in the United States in teaching, journalism and other fields. It has been a particular pleasure to get to know them and watch their professional advancement over the course of this litigation. The Al-Arian case will remain a chilling chapter in our history. The treatment of Dr. Al-Arian after his acquittal on most of the charges was widely viewed as a shocking abuse of the system and a

COMMUNITY NEWS | 29 flagrant violation of agreement reached with the Justice Department. The Justice Department put unprecedented effort into the Florida prosecution and suffered one of its greatest trial defeats in an area where convictions were taken for granted. The later proceedings were viewed as retaliatory and abusive by prosecutors. It also showed how the civil and contempt laws can be used to abuse individuals and leave them with little recourse or rights. Justice ultimately prevailed but the cost to Dr. Al-Arian and his family was prohibitively high. The Virginia litigation was not about Dr. AlArian’s views or associations. It was about due process and how we handle criminal trials and plea agreements in this country. The United States reached a deal with this man that committed his country to allowing him to leave following his jail stint. No matter how one feels about Dr. Al-Arian’s writings or beliefs, we should honor our agreements as a nation. Instead, the Justice Department broke that deal and then daisychained contempt citations to prolong his incarceration. It was abusive and it was wrong. It is now over. Dr. Al-Arian and his wife will start anew in Turkey. He told me in our final meeting how very grateful he was to his many friends and supporters for what they gave to him. He remained optimistic about the future and spoke of his continued faith in the fundamental civil liberties that define our country. We spoke of how long this process proved since we first met in a holding cell in Virginia. At the time, he was weak from his hunger strike and we knew little about each other. Over the years, our respective families grew and the world has changed in so many different ways. It felt like a 1000 years ago when Sami was brought in from solitary confinement for our first meeting. I wish him and Nahla all the best in the next chapter of their life together. They clearly leave these shores with a heavy heart despite the pain of the prosecution. This country took much but also gave much to their family. They are now again fully in control of their future together. Here is Dr. Al-Arian’s final statement, sent on February 4, 2015. A Statement by Dr. Sami A. Al-Arian To my dear friends and supporters, After 40 years, my time in the U.S. has come to an end. Like many immigrants of my generation, I came to the U.S. in 1975 to seek a higher education and greater opportunities. But I also wanted to live in a free society where freedom of speech, association and religion are not only tolerated but guaranteed and protected under the law. That’s why I decided to stay

and raise my family here, after earning my doctorate in 1986. Simply put, to me, freedom of speech and thought represented the cornerstone of a dignified life. Today, freedom of expression has become a defining feature in the struggle to realize our humanity and liberty. The forces of intolerance, hegemony, and exclusionary politics tend to favor the stifling of free speech and the suppression of dissent. But nothing is more dangerous than when such suppression is perpetrated and sanctioned by government. As one early American once observed, “When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.” Because government has enormous power and authority over its people, such control must be checked, and people, especially those advocating unpopular opinions, must have absolute protections from governmental overreach and abuse of power. A case in point of course is the issue of Palestinian self-determination. In the United States, as well as in many other western countries, those who support the Palestinian struggle for justice, and criticize Israel’s occupation and brutal policies, have often experienced an assault on their freedom of speech in academia, media, politics and society at large. After the tragic events of September 11th, such actions by the government intensified, in the name of security. Far too many people have been targeted and punished because of their unpopular opinions or beliefs. During their opening statement in my trial in June 2005, my lawyers showed the jury two poster-sized photographs of items that government agents took during searches of my home many years earlier. In one photo, there were several stacks of books taken from my home library. The other photo showed a small gun I owned at the time. The attorney looked the jury in the eyes and said: “This is what this case is about. When the government raided my client’s house, this is what they seized,” he said, pointing to the books, “and this is what they left,” he added, pointing to the gun in the other picture. “This case is not about terrorism but about my client’s right to freedom of speech,” he continued. Indeed, much of the evidence the government presented to the jury during the six-month trial were speeches I delivered, lectures I presented, articles I wrote, magazines I edited, books I owned, conferences I convened, rallies I attended, interviews I gave, news I heard, and websites I never even accessed. But the most disturbing part of the trial was not that the government offered my speeches, opinions, books, writings, and dreams into evidence, but that an intimidated judicial system allowed them to be admitted into

evidence. That’s why we applauded the jury’s verdict. Our jurors represented the best society had to offer. Despite all of the fear-mongering and scare tactics used by the authorities, the jury acted as free people, people of conscience, able to see through Big Brother’s tactics. One hard lesson that must be learned from the trial is that political cases should have no place in a free and democratic society. But despite the long and arduous ordeal and hardships suffered by my family, I leave with no bitterness or resentment in my heart whatsoever. In fact, I’m very grateful for the opportunities and experiences afforded to me and my family in this country, and for the friendships we’ve cultivated over the decades. These are lifelong connections that could never be affected by distance. I would like to thank God for all the blessings in my life. My faith sustained me during my many months in solitary confinement and gave me comfort that justice would ultimately prevail. Our deep thanks go to the friends and supporters across the U.S., from university professors to grassroots activists, individuals and organizations, who have stood alongside us in the struggle for justice. My trial attorneys, Linda Moreno and the late Bill Moffitt, were the best advocates anyone could ask for, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Their spirit, intelligence, passion and principle were inspirational to so many. I am also grateful to Jonathan Turley and his legal team, whose tireless efforts saw the case to its conclusion. Jonathan’s commitment to justice and brilliant legal representation resulted in the government finally dropping the case. Our gratitude also goes to my immigration lawyers, Ira Kurzban and John Pratt, for the tremendous work they did in smoothing the way for this next phase of our lives. Thanks also to my children for their patience, perseverance and support during the challenges of the last decade. I am so proud of them. Finally, my wife Nahla has been a pillar of love, strength and resilience. She kept our family together during the most difficult times. There are no words to convey the extent of my gratitude. We look forward to the journey ahead and take with us the countless happy memories we formed during our life in the United States.

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February 13th - March 12th, 2015

30 | ISLAM

Salaah times for Februrary 13th - March 12th, 2015

If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it five times a day, do you think he would have any filth left on him?” The people said, “No filth would remain on him whatsoever.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “That is like the fi ve daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them.” ---Hadith in Sahih al Bukhari and Muslim

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

ISLAM

>> continued from pg 28 things to do. Even if you aren't in a hurry, you can increase your self confidence by doing this because you will look and feel more important. Remove Your Negative Self-Esteem 1Start from within. Ignore any and all destructive criticism or insults, including any from your past. Your opinion of yourself is the most important opinion of all, because you know yourself better than anyone else. Many of us have been hurt by others at some time. It is crucial not to internalize that abuse and let them continue to hurt us, because that means the other person wins. If we let go of the past, ignore hurtful negativity and make ourselves happy, then we win. The Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said, "Indeed amazing are the affairs of a believer! They are all for his

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Day

Date

Hijri

Fajr

Sunrise

Dhuhr

Asr

Maghrib

Isha

Fri

Feb 13

24/4

5:49

7:03

12:23

3:18

5:42

6:57

Sat

25/4

5:47

7:02

Sun

26/4

5:45

6:59

12:23

3:19

5:44

6:58

12:23

3:21

5:46

7:00

Mon

27/4

5:44

6:58

12:23

3:22

5:47

7:01

Tue

28/4

5:43

6:57

12:23

3:23

5:48

7:02

Wed

29/4

5:42

6:55

12:22

3:23

5:49

7:03

Thu

30/4

5:41

6:54

12:22

3:24

5:50

7:04

Fri

1/5

5:39

6:53

12:22

3:25

5:51

7:05

Sat

2/5

5:38

6:51

12:22

3:26

5:52

7:06

Sun

3/5

5:37

6:50

12:22

3:27

5:54

7:07

Mon

4/5

5:36

6:49

12:22

3:27

5:55

7:08

Tue

5/5

5:34

6:47

12:22

3:28

5:56

7:09

Wed

6/5

5:33

6:46

12:22

3:29

5:57

7:10

Thu

7/5

5:32

6:45

12:21

3:30

5:58

7:11

Fri

8/5

5:30

6:43

12:21

3:30

5:59

7:12

Sat

9/5

5:30

6:43

12:21

3:30

5:59

7:12

Sun

March 1

10/5

5:27

6:40

12:21

3:32

6:01

7:14

Mon

11/5

5:26

6:39

12:21

3:32

6:02

7:15

Tue

12/5

5:25

6:37

12:21

3:33

6:03

7:17

Wed

13/5

5:23

6:36

12:20

3:34

6:04

7:18

Thu

14/5

5:22

6:35

12:20

3:34

6:05

7:19

Fri

15/5

5:20

6:33

12:20

3:35

6:06

7:20

Sat

16/5

5:19

6:32

12:20

3:36

6:07

7:21

Sun

17/5

6:17

7:30

1:19

4:36

7:08

8:22

Mon

18/5

6:16

7:29

1:19

4:37

7:09

8:23

Tue

19/5

6:14

7:27

1:19

4:37

7:10

8:24

Wed

20/5

6:13

7:25

1:19

4:38

7:11

8:25

Thu

21/5

6:11

7:24

1:18

4:38

7:12

8:26

benefit. If he is granted ease then he is thankful, and this is good for him. And if he is afflicted with a hardship, he perseveres, and this is good for him." (Muslim) And: "Whenever a Muslim is afflicted by harm from sickness or other matters, Allaah will expiate his sins, like leaves drop from a tree." (Bukhari and Muslim) 2. Create daily affirmations. Make a list of all the things you like about yourself and another for things you can work on. Thank Allaah for the good and ask his forgiveness and help from the bad. {And when your Lord proclaimed, "If you give thanks, I will give you more; but if you are thankless, lo! My punishment is dire.} (Quran 14:7) If you've made mistakes that prevent you from believing that you deserve to be happy, take measures to relieve that guilt. Apologize to people you may have hurt (if possible), learn from those mistakes and forgive

yourself. Use the Qur'aan as your ultimate guide through this learning process. {O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (i.e. the Qur'aan), and a healing for that which is in your hearts.} (Quran 10:57) {And We send down from the Quran that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe...} (Quran 17:82) From the Ahaadeeth of Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) comes the story of the man whom the Prophet (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) sent on a mission. He camped close by to some people who did not show him any hospitality. When the leader of the nearby camp was bitten by a snake, they went to Prophet Muhammad's (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) companion for help. He recited the opening chapter of the Qur'aan over the afflicted man and he arose "as if released from a chain" (Saheeh Al-Bukhaari) 3. Start with small steps to gain confidence.

Take small steps and make small choices to gain confidence in your ability to make a decision. The Prophet (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said: "There is no disease that Allaah Almighty has created, except that He also has created its treatment." (Saheeh Al-Bukhari) As you become secure in your ability to make good choices, you will gain confidence in yourself, and be more secure about your abilities in general. For example, if purchasing jeans makes you anxious because of the plethora of brands, colors, and styles, then just go with your instincts. Trust yourself and go with whatever feels right to you. And if you really feel you made a wrong decision in retrospect, the situation can be easily rectified by exchanging the jeans.

>> see islam Pg 32

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

CONTINUED| 31 listen for it everywhere, even in a country so distant from the places where they had once heard the call to prayer.

muslims

>> continued from pg 23

judges’ consulting Shariah, Muslims on a secluded plantation are known to have lived under the guidance of a religious leader who wrote a manuscript on Islamic law so that traditional knowledge might survive. A clue to what happened to these forgotten American Muslims can be found in the words of a missionary traveling through the South to preach the gospel on slave plantations. Many “Mohammedan Africans,” he noted, had found ways to “accommodate” Islam to the new beliefs imposed upon them. “God, say they, is Allah, and Jesus Christ is Mohammed. The religion is the same, but different countries have different names.” The missionary considered this to be lamentable evidence of Muslims’ inability to recognize the importance of religious truths. But in fact it proves just the opposite. They understood that their faith was important enough that they should silat

>> continued from pg 10

was paused for Friday prayers. Many of the athletes and coaches went to a local Masjid where the Khutbah was conducted in Thai language. Phuket is between 3040% Muslim and the presence can be seen throughout the city. Pencak Silat is supported by the government of Thailand in order to maintain a good relationship with the growing Muslim population in Thailand. Although none of the USA team members

Islam is part of our common history — a resilient faith not just of the enslaved, but of Arab immigrants in the late 19th century, and in the 20th century of many African-Americans reclaiming and remaking it as their own. For generations, its adherents have straddled a nation that jolts from promises of religious freedom to events that give the lie to those promises. In a sense, Islam is as American as the rodeo. It, too, was imported, but is now undeniably part of the culture. Whether or not protesters in Texas and elsewhere are ready for it, it is inevitable that some Muslims will let their babies grow up to be cowboys. A few cowboys may grow up to be Muslims as well. Peter Manseau is the author, most recently, of “One Nation Under Gods: A New American History.”

came home with medals, the experience of competing and training with the other teams was invaluable. Abdul-Malik Ahmad and Wona Sumantri took a course for becoming a Wasit (Referee/Jury) for sport Silat and were awarded their certificate for becoming international referees. The entire competition lasted around 10 days and was televised live throughout Thailand. The team hopes to compete again at upcoming Pencak Silat tournaments in Indonesia and Australia and raise enough funds bring a stronger more experienced team next time, In Shaa Allah.

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Upcoming Events In Your Area Grand Opening and Fundraiser of Masjid al-Ansar Sunday, February 15 2015 Join us for the Grand Opening and Fundraiser of Masjid al-Ansar. Guest speakers: Sheikh Yaseen, Br Safi Khan, Imam Javaid, Sister Zainab, and others. Starts at Zuhr (1:15PM) till Asr. Dinner after Asr. Location: 15 Old Solomon Island Road, Annapolis, MD Contact: For information, please contact: Rashid Iqbal 410-320-2795, Muhammad Babar 410-858-0161 The Haute and Modesty Show Friday, February 20 2015 DC Fashion Week presents The Haute and Modesty Show. 6:00pm Haute Bazaar, 8:00pm Show Begins. Tickets: VIP Tickets $100, $50 Front Row, $35 General Admission. Very special vendors welcome. Location: District Architecture Center, 421 7th Street NW, Washington DC Contact: www.areejlifestyle.com Al-Rahmah High School Umrah Fundraising Carnival Friday, February 20 2015, 6:00pm - 9:00pm Come support the Al-Rahmah High School Class of 2015 to raise funds for their senior year spiritual journey to Umrah. InshaAllah there will be carnival games, moon bounce, henna, face painting, and food available for purchase. Bring the whole family, entree is free for all ages! Location: Islamic Society of Baltimore ( ISB ) Gymnasium Contact: Questions? Contact umrah2015@gmail.com Malcolm X - The Muslim Hero Saturday, February 21 2015 Please join us for a public lecture, Malcolm X - The Muslim Hero - 50 Years Later. Guest Speaker: Imam Talib M Shareef, The Nation's Mosque, Washington DC. Refreshments will be served. Starts at 6PM, in Shaa Allah. Location: ISWA, 2701 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring, MD ILIA Workshop: Simply Internet and A Bit More Saturday, February 21 2015, 9:45am - 3:45pm ICCL presents an innovative ILIA workshop for preteens and teens and their parents on a full understanding of the internet from a young leader’s perspective. 1:45pm-3:45pm session for parents. Workshop for brothers and sisters ages 10+ (must have completed 10 years of age by 1/1/2015 and enrolled in fifth grade). For detailed information and to register, go to: http://www.islamicleadership.org/ simply-internet-and-a-bit-more/ Location: Islamic Community Center of Laurel (ICCL), 7306 Contee Road, Laurel, MD 20707 ICNA Council for Social Justice Annual Banquet and Fundraiser | Saturday, February 28 2015 ICNA Council for Social Justice 2015 Annual Banquet and Fundraiser. Keynote Speaker: Rev Dr William Barber, II, President, NC NAACP and Founder of Moral Mondays. Speakers: Naeem Baig, Imam Khalid Griggs, Attorney Asim Ghafoor, Sh Abdool Rahman Khan. Tickets: $40. Begins at 6PM. Location: Hilton Springfield, 6550 Loisdale Road, Springfield, VA 22150 Contact: To puchase tickets or for more info, please visit www.icnacsj.org or call 571-215-7670 Wills and Inheritance Seminar for Women at ICCL Saturday, February 28 2015, 11:00am - 4:30pm Event will cover the laws of inheritance and a step-by-step guide of how to write a will, which is both Shariah and US state law compliant. We urge all sisters to attend to learn about this very important aspect of our deen. This seminar will be led by qualified instructors. Lunch will be served. There will not be any babysitting available. Location: ICCL Laurel Masjid, 7306 Contee Road, Laurel, MD 20707 at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, March 3

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February 13th - MarchOBITS 12th, 2015

32 |

Request For Duaa To Allah We Belong, and to Him is Our Return “Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and good, and to Us you will be returned.” (Surah Al-Anbiya:35)” 01-14-2015 It is with the regret we announce that Br. SanaUllah Malik has returned to Allah (swt). He was the father of Amjad Ali and Amir Ali, a father in law of Br. Sarfraz Malik.Janazah prayer was on January 15, 2015 in Sterling, Virginia. May Allah (swt) forgive all his sins, widen his grave, shower HIS mercy upon him and enter him into the highest place in Jennah. May Allah give them sabr to bare the loss. (Source: E. Baig) 01-16-2015 Saeedun Nisa, mother of Aliya Khan and mother in law of Arif Khan, has passed away. Salaat ul Janazah was on January 16, 2015 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. May Allah accept her good deeds, forgive her shortcomings and enter her into Jannat ul Firdaus, Aameen. (Source: ICM) 01-16-2015 Sister Shakiba Mohammad Zarif has passed away. Her Janazah was on January 17, 2015 in Manassas, Virginia. May Allah (SWT) forgive all of her sins, may He grant her jannahtul-firdous and give sabr to family and friends. (Source: DAr Alnoor) 01-16-2015 Syeda Khatoon, the beloved mother of Shah Fazal Abbas and grandmother of Kamran Abbas, Imran Abbas, Ghafran Abbas, and Ali Abbas, returned to Allah (swt). The janaza was on January 17, 2015 in Sterling, Virginia. (Source: A. Saqib) 01-26-2015 Adel Almadani (people know him by the Jummah Azan Caller at ICVA) has passed away. Salat elJanazah was on January 28, 2015 in Richmond, Virginia. May Allah Grant him Jannah. (Source: Islamic Center of Virginia - Buford Road) 01-31-2015 The Prince George's Muslim Association extends sincere condolences to the family of Sister Fatmatu Kamara who passed away. Sister Katmatu was the mother of Adiatu Koroma and Zinab Suma and was a grandmother also. The Janazah Salat for Sister Fat-

....

matu Kamara was on Sunday, February 1, 2015 in Lanham, Maryland. May Allah SWT admit her to Jannatul Firdaus, and may HE grant her family patience and ease.b (Source: PGMA) 02-04-2015 Brother Muneerudin Ahmed Butt, Father of Br. Zahid Butt, has passed away. Janazah prayer was on February 5, 2015 in Sterling, Virginia. May Allah Subhana Wa Taala shower His mercy on him and Grant him highest level in Jannat-ul-Firdous. Ameen. May Allah Subhana Wa Taala give Sabr to the family members to bear this great loss of a beloved family member. Ameen. (Source: A. Ahmad) 02-05-2015 It is with the great regret we announce that Br. Samer Abdel-Wahab has passed away. He leaves behind his wife Heather, and their son Alister. His mother, Mariam, his father, Moustapha, his brother Karim, and his sisters Sarah and Mona also survive him. Janazah prayer was on January 6, 2015 in Sterling, Virginia. May Allah (swt) forgive all his sins, widen his grave, shower HIS mercy upon him and enter him into the highest place in Jennah. Aameen. May Allah give them sabr (patience) to bear the loss. (Source: E. Baig) 02-05-2015 Sister Farhat Vakil Khan, wife of Br Vakil Ahmad Khan (One of Founding members of MAV) and mother of Br Adil Khan has passed away. Her Janazah was on February 6, 2015 in Manassas, Virginia. May Allah (SWT) forgive all of her sins, may He grant her jannah-tul-firdous and give sabr to family and friends. (Source: Dar Alnoor) 02-09-2015 Sister Iman Al-Shingieti, wife of Dr. Abubaker Al-Shingieti and mother of Hasan and Sumayya, has passed away. Her Janazah prayer was on February 10, 2015 in Sterling, Virginia. May Allah grant her paradise and give patience to her family and friends. (Source: O. Altaleb)

ISLAM

>> continued from pg 30 4. Don't always try to please others. It is great to be considerate of others, but think before sacrificing your own needs to please them. Bending over backwards for strangers, mere acquaintances or people you don't trust may leave you with the short end of the stick. In short, don't allow yourself to be used. The Prophet (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said: "Whoever seeks people's contentment by angering Allaah, Allaah will leave his matters for the people." (At-Tirmidhi) 5. Be your own person. Don't try to copy anyone else. You will be at your best when you are being yourself because of your uniqueness. Strive to be your best and do not criticize yourself if you fall short of your expectations. 6. Avoid negative people. People who have a negative attitude which may rub off on you are not good for you. If you're timid, loud and aggressive people are probably not good for you, and vice versa. Whatever you do, do not compare yourself to others. Just be the best that you can be. The Prophet (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) said, "The case of the good companion and the bad companion is like that of the seller of musk and the blower of the bellows (iron-smith). As for the seller of musk, he will either give you some of the musk, or you will purchase some from him, or at least you will come away having experienced its good smell. Whereas the blower of the bellows will either burn your clothing, or at least you will come away having experienced its repugnant smell." [Al-Bukhaari and Muslim] 7. Face your fears and learn from your failures. We only fail when we do not make the best out of adversity. When something doesn't go the way we would like it to, there is something to be learned from that, which can be applied next time you are in a similar situation. Get up and try again. Repentance (Tawbah) is a spiritual necessity in Islaam. As humans, who are not infallible, we will commit sins, and we will make mistakes, even with good intentions. There can be no sincere making of tawbah for any sin or mistake without selfactualization, meaning that we have to first be aware that we are fallible beings, who need to take constant calculation of our intentions, thought processes and actions. The Qur'aan states (59:19),

{And be not like those who forgot Allaah, so He allowed them to forget themselves; these it is who are the transgressors.} (59:19) If we have knowledge of self, then it enables us to see our wrongdoing, which leads towards a feeling of remorse within us if we are connected to our souls. There cannot be true tawbah without having remorse. In fact, Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu 'alyhi wa sallam) stated, "Remorse is repentance." (Ibn Majah & Ahmad) 8. Stop the negative thoughts. Try positive thinking on for size. If you constantly tell yourself you are stupid or that you will never achieve success, you will in turn act as such. Improve what's within yourself, have pure thoughts and aim for your Deen, and you will see a change within youself. {And with Him are the keys of the unseen; no one knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that is [written] in a clear record.} (Quran 6:59) 9. Don't worry about being "perfect." Aiming for perfection in life is a lost cause because the term means different things to different people. Nobody is perfect in the eyes of everyone else. Instead, seek to achieve goals and know that Allaah alone is perfect. 10. Learn to appreciate yourself. Everyone has strengths, weaknesses, habits, and principles that define who you are and can make you distinctive. Spend more time focusing on the qualities about yourself that you like and that are praiseworthy in the Deen. You can better accomplish this by taking up hobbies and projects that you can do which will make use of your strengths. Additionally, by starting on some projects that emphasize your good traits, it will keep you busy so you will end up spending less time thinking about your weaknesses. 11. Reward yourself when you succeed. Treat yourself to something nice in the glow of your successes. Believe in yourself as a Musim and others will also believe and trust in you. The best thing you can reward yourself with is an extra prostration (Sajdah) infront of your Lord. Source: www.idealmuslimah.com

MASJID LISTING

February 13th - March 12th, 2015

| 33

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--------------------------------------------------------------------------All Muslim Brothers Association 3900 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302 Tel: 703-647-0515 Jumma Prayer Only - 1:15 P.m --------------------------------------------------------------------------Icna VA Center: 2913 Woodlawn Trail, Alexandria, VA 22306. Tel: 703-660-1255 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Idara Dawat-o-irshad: 4803 VAlley St, Alexandria, VA 22312 Tel: 703-256-8622 | ww.irshad.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Mustafa Center: 6844 Braddock Rd., Annandale, VA 22003 Tel: 703-658-7134 www.mustafacenter.org E-mail: Mustafacenter@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Baitul Mukarram: 2116 S Nelson St., Arlington, VA, 22204, Tel: 703-778-1550 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Zakaria Masjid 26243 Gum Spring Road, Chantilly, VA 20152, USA

Tel: 571-969-2123|www.ziacademy.org

E-mail: Contact@ziacademy.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Badr Community Center Of Dumfries: 17794 Main Street, Dumfries, VA 22026 Tel: 703-554-7983 www.bccd.org E-mail: Info@bccd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar Ul-ghuraba (Masjid Ur Rahmah): 155 Baker St., Emporia, VA 23487 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar Al Hijrah: 3159 Rowe St., Falls Church, VA 22044, Tel: 703-536-1030 | www.hijrah.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Moroccan American community Organization Center 5613 Lessaburg Pike,#1 Falls Church,Va 22041 Info@macous.org | www.macous.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Center Of Northern VA Trust (Icnvt): 4420 Shirley Gate Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030 Tel: 703-591-0999 www.icnvt.org | E-mail: Info@icnvt.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar Al-noor (Muslim Assoc. Of VA): 5404 Hoadly Rd., Manassas, VA 20112, Tel: 703-580-0808 Fax: 703-221-8513 www.daralnoor.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Manassas Mosque: 12950 Center Entrance Ct, Manassas, VA Tel: 703-257-5537 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Center Of Virginia: 1241 Buford Rd., Richmond, VA 23235 Tel: 804-320-7333 www.icva1.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Greater Richmond (Isgr): 6324 Rigsby Road, Richamond, VA 23226 Tel: 804-673-4177 | www.isgr.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al Rahman: 1305 Hull St., Richmond, VA 23224 Tel: 804-232-7640 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjidullah Of Richmond: 211 North Ave., Richmond, VA 23222 Tel: 804-321-8864/804-647-4297 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar-ul Huda: 6666 Commerce St., Springfield, VA 22150, Tel: 703-922-0111 | www.darulhuda.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Foundation of America: 6606 Electronic Drive, Springfield, VA 22151 Tel: 703-914-4982 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Noor: 8608 Pohick Rd, Springfield, VA 22153 Tel: 703-451-7615 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Adams Center: 46903 Sugarland Rd, Sterling,VA 20164, Tel: 703-433-1325 www.adamscenter.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Heritage Center (Ihc): 262 A-3 Cedar Ln., Vienna, VA 22180 Tel: 703-206-9056 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-Falah 14918 Jefferson Davis Hwy Woodbridge, VA 22191 Tel: 703-490-2220|masjidal-falah.com masjidalfalah@verizon.net ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

WASHINGTON D.C.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Ivy City Masjid: 2001 Galludet St. NE, Washington, D.C. 20002 Tel: 202-904-9668 E-mail: masjidivycity@yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Muhammad: 1519 4th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20001 Tel: 202-483-8832 www.masjidmuhammad.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------The Islamic Center: 2551 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: 202-332-8343 www.theislamiccenter.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------First Hijra Muslim Comm. Center: 4324 Georgia Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20011 www.firsthijrah.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-islam: 4603 Benning Rd., SE, Washington, D.C. 20019 E-mail: Imammusa@hotmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------New Africa Islamic Community Center of Washington. DC.

1628 Good Hope Road, SE Washington, DC. 20020 202.678-1881 | www.naiccdc.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Muslim Society Of Washington, D.C.: Howard Center, Room 805 (Above Hu Bookstore) Tel: 202-328-3236 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

MARYLAND

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Annapolis (Isa): 2635 Riva Rd. Suite 110, Annapolis, MD 21401 Tel: 410-266-6660 www.isamd.org Email: Info@islamannapolis.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Bait-Allah Masjid of Baltimore Inc 200 S. Calhoun Street Baltimore, MD 21223 Imam’s cell: 571-721-9938 email: baitallahmasjid@yahoo.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Bilal Dawah Center, Inc: 1910 Frederick Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21223 Tel: 410-945-1515 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar ul Uloom: 6334 Dogwoood Rd, Baltimore, MD 21207, Tel: 410-493-0785 Email: Darululoommd@aol.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Ul-haq: 514 Islamic Way (Wilson St. ), Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-728-1363 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-mumineen: 2642 Harford Rd., Baltimore, MD 21218 Tel: 410-467-8798 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Jamaat Al-Muslimeen: 4624 York Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212 Tel: 443-438-7986 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-rahmah/isb: 6631 Johnnycake Rd., Baltimore, MD 21244 Tel: 410-747-4869 | www.isb.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid As Saffat: 1335 W. North Ave., Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-669-0655 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Fatima 1928 Powers Lane Catonsville MD, 21228 Phone: 410 800 4880 Email: info@masjidfatima.com Website: www.masjidfatima.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Irhsca (Islamic Research And Hum. Services Center Of America): 1 Chambers Ave, Capitol Heights, MD Tel: 301-324-5040 www.irhsca.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Southern Pg County (Isspgc): P O Box 99, Clinton, MD 20735 5410 Indian Head Hwy, Oxon Hill, MD 20745 Tel: 240 603 4618 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dar-us-Salaam: 5301 Edgewood Rd., College Park, MD 20740, Tel: 301-982-9848 www.duscommunity.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Easton 126 Port Street Unit # 1 Easton, MD 21601 Tel: 410-829 7924 islamicsocietyofeastonmd.yolasite.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Zamzam 1510 Lynch Road, Dundalk, MD 21222 Tel: 410-284-2840 www.masjidzamzam.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Dar al-Taqwa: 10740 Rte. 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042, Tel: 410-997-5711 www.taqwa.net --------------------------------------------------------------------------Maryum Islamic Center (MIC) 3280 Pine Orchard Lane Suite A Ellicott City, MD 21042 Tel: 443-574-5188 www.maryumcenter.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-Hikmah: 11064 Livingston Road Unit L (101) Ft. Washington, MD 20744, Tel: 301 292-9009 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Frederick (Isf): 1250 Key Parkway, Frederick, MD 21702 Tel: 301-682-6090 www.isfmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Center Of Maryland (Icm): 19411 Woodfield Rd. Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Tel:301-840-9440 www.icomd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Makkah Learning Center (Mlc): 814 Brandy Farms Ln., Gambrills, MD 21054 Tel: 410-721-5880 www.isamd.org Email: Info@mlcmd.org--------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of Germantown (Isg): 19900 Brandermill Rd., Germantown, MD 20876 Tel: 240-277-7758 | www.isgtown.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Ibn Taymiyyah: 8000 Mlk Highway, Glenarden MD Tel: 301-322-8105 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society of Western Maryland: 2036 Day Rd., Hagerstown, MD 21740 Tel: 301-797-0922 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Southern Maryland Islamic Center (Smic): 1046 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD, 20639 Tel: 410-535-0000 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Avondale Islamic Center: 4637 Eastern Ave., Hyattsville, MD, 20782 Tel: 301-779-9292

--------------------------------------------------------------------------Prince Georges Muslim Assoc.(Pgma): 9150 Lanham Severn Rd., Lanham, MD, 20706, Tel: 301-459-4942 www.pgmamd.org Imam’s Office: 301-459-1441 E-mail: Imam@pgmamd.org. --------------------------------------------------------------------------Turkish American Community Center 9704 Good Luck Rd, Lanham, MD 20706 Tel: 301-459-9589 | www.taccenter.org

--------------------------------------------------------------------------La Plata Masjid: 111 Howard Street, La Plata, MD 20646 Tel: 301-609-8769 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Com. Center Of Laurel (ICCL): 7306 Contee Rd., Laurel, MD 20707 Tel: 301-317-4584 | www.icclmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-Ghurabaa: 8220 Washington St., South Laurel, MD 20724. Tel: 301-604-3295 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Center Of Lexington Park 22583 Three Notch Road, Lexington Park, MD 20619 Tel: 240-538-7839 or 561-414-0994 www.iclpmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Community Center of Potomac 10601River Road, Potomac MD 20854 www.iccpmd.com | 301-983-0383 E-mail: info@iccpmd.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Randallstown Islamic Center 9019 Marcella Ave. Randallstown, MD 21133 Tel: 410-971-4018 www.ricbaltimore.org E-mail: Info@ricbaltimore.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Society Of The Washington Area (Iswa): 2701 Briggs Chaney Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20904 Tel: 301-879-0930 | www.iswamd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------Islamic Education Society of Maryland 11504 Veirs Mills Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20902 Tel: 301- 933-3838 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Muslim Community Center (MCC): 15200 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20905 Tel: 301-384-3454 | www.mccmd.org --------------------------------------------------------------------------IMAAM Center (Indonesian Muslim Association of America): 9100 Georgia Ave Silver Spring, MD 20910 Tel: 301-588-0693 | www.imaam.org Email: infoimaam@gmail.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid An-nur: 5418 Ebenezer Road, White Marsh, MD 21162 Tel: 410-663-9637 Fax: 410-663-9817 --------------------------------------------------------------------------Masjid Al-inshirah: 7832 Fairbrook Road, Windsor Mill, MD 21244 Tel: 410-298-2977

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February 13th - March 12th, 2015

34 | CONTINUED TERROR

>> continued from pg 1 Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan Office Manager: Stephanie Benmoha Layout: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Urooj Fatima Yaman Shalabi Fatimah Waseem Hena Zuberi Sharia Advisors: Sheikh Salah as-Sawi Imam Safi Khan The Muslim Link (TML) is published once a month on Fridays and distributed throughout the Washington, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia Metropolitan Areas. TML is a non-profit publication and is based at Dar-us-Salaam in College Park, Maryland, USA. Staff and contributors are not necessarily affiliated with Dar-us-Salaam. The views expressed in The Muslim Link do not necessarily reflect those of Dar-us-Salaam or TML management or their underwriters. Dar-usSalaam and TML are not responsible for the accuracy of information presented by advertisers, or for the religious compliance of events, products, or services published in TML. This publication contains the names of ALLAH (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Please keep, recycle, or share it with others The Muslim Link PO Box 596 College Park, MD 20741 Phone : (301) 982-1020 Fax: (240) 209-0702 editor@muslimlinkpaper.com Advertising: 301-982-1020 or email us at office@muslimlinkpaper.com The Muslim Link. All Rights Reserved 2015

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Chatham County Sgt. Kevin Carey said Wednesday. The shooting deaths of three Muslims prompted concerns that the violence was motivated by their religion, and leading Muslim civil rights advocates called for police to address that possible explanation. But the Chapel Hill Police Department said Wednesday that it appeared, at least initially, that the shooting centered on a parking argument. “Our preliminary investigation indicates that the crime was motivated by an ongoing neighbor dispute over parking,” the department said in a statement. “Hicks is cooperating with investigators and more information may be released at a later time.” The father of the two women killed disputed the idea that it was simply an argument involving parking, saying Wednesday that one of his daughters had previously told her family about Hicks having a problem with the way she looked. “It was execution style, a bullet in every head,” Mohammad Abu-Salha, a psychiatrist in nearby Clayton, N.C., told the News and Observer in Raleigh. “This was not a dispute over a parking space; this was a hate crime. This man had picked on my daughter and her husband a couple of times before, and he talked with them with his gun in his belt. And they were uncomfortable with him, but they did not know he would go this far.” As word of the shooting spread, so did unease at other possible reasons. The hashtag #MuslimLivesMatter became a common refrain on Twitter as users expressed belief and sorrow at the possibility that the crime was religiously motivated as well as frustrations with what they saw as the media’s failure to initially or thoroughly report what had happened. “Our investigators are exploring what could have motivated Mr. Hicks to commit such a senseless and tragic act,” Chris Blue, the Chapel Hill police chief, said in a statement. “We understand the concerns about the possibility that this was hate-motivated and we will exhaust every lead to determine if that is the case. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of these young people who lost their lives so needlessly.” Residents of the complex where the shooting occurred described Finley Forest as a quiet area, a stretch of tall pine trees surrounding small buildings that are mostly home to graduate students.

All three of the youth who were murdered volunteered for United Muslim Relief. On right, Deah Barakat, 23, helps Syrian refugees in Turkey and left, Razan AbuSalha, 19, helps feed homeless in Raleigh NC. Photos courtesy of UMR. “You always see people out walking their dogs and everybody’s always friendly,” said Jack Swanson, 25, a software developer, who lives across the parking lot from the building where the shooting took place. People who lived there said Wednesday that there was plenty of parking and said they could not imagine an argument over parking spaces. On Wednesday, nearly a day after the shooting, a scrap of police tape hung on one of the buildings, while a few television news trucks and reporters lingered in the neighborhood. “If it is a hate crime, it would be pretty unexpected in Chapel Hill,” Swanson said. “This is a college town. It’s pretty open and accepting of everybody.” Chapel Hill Mayor Mark Kleinschmidt said police were working “to determine whether hate was a motivating factor” in the shooting. “All we know for certain at this time is that it was a senseless and tragic act surrounding a longstanding dispute…We do not know whether anti-Muslim bias played a role in this crime, but I do recognize the fear that members of our community may feel,” he said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “Chapel Hill is a place for everyone, a place where Muslim lives matter.” Hicks made a brief court appearance on Wednesday morning, saying he understood the charges, according to the Associated Press. His probable cause hearing was set for March 4, and he is being held without bond. “Such an act of violence goes against the very fiber of our community and society,” said Folt, the UNC chancellor. “It also creates a sense of vulnerability for all of us, especially members of the Muslim community. I am in touch with the Muslim community and students and will continue to be in conversation with them.”

The Council on American Islamic Relations called for police to address the speculation about Hicks’s motive, pointing in part to the religious attire of the Mohammad sisters and noting that in photographs circulating online, both were wearing Islamic headscarves. “Based on the brutal nature of this crime, the past anti-religion statements of the alleged perpetrator, the religious attire of two of the victims, and the rising anti-Muslim rhetoric in American society, we urge state and federal law enforcement authorities to quickly address speculation of a possible bias motive in this case,” Nihad Awad, the group’s executive director, said in a statement. Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for CAIR, said Wednesday morning, before police pointed to parking, that he had heard some “unsubstantiated reports” from community members about previous times the victims and Hicks had argued about a parking spot. Other voices sought to tamp down speculation. These “devastating murders may or may not be a hate crime,” Abdullah Antepli, director of Muslim affairs at Duke University, posted on Facebook. He also said Hicks had a “history of conflict with the victims over parking space and other issues” and urged caution until more information is known. Police arrived at the home on Summerwalk Circle in Chapel Hill, not far from the UNC campus, on Tuesday shortly after 5 p.m. in response to reports of gunshots. All three victims were pronounced dead at the scene. The burst of fatal violence was unusual for the region. In 2013, there were just two murders in all of Durham and Orange >> see TERROR Pg 37

CONTINUED SALAAH TIMES | |

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>> continued from pg 34 counties, which surround the spot where the shooting occurred, according to the FBI. “I just heard gunshots,” a woman who called 911 on Tuesday told the dispatcher in a recording released Wednesday. She said she heard between five and 10 gunshots, adding: “I heard kids screaming.” It sounded like a car backfiring “maybe seven or eight times,” said Ray Antonelli, 25, a medical student at UNC. He was visiting his girlfriend, who lives in the complex, and had just woken up from a nap when he heard the sounds. Not long after, he said police had with rifles had swarmed the parking lot. Sirens blared through a neighborhood residents described as normally very calm. “We’ve definitely never felt unsafe here,” said Mona Xiao, 24, Antonelli’s boyfriend, also a UNC medical student. Details also began to emerge about the three victims, painting a picture of young lives abruptly cut short. Mohammad and Barakat were married in late December,

Restaurant Section a little more than six weeks ago, she had posted on Facebook. On Monday, she changed her profile picture to show her dancing with her father at the wedding. “They kept to themselves,” said Kristen Boling, 20, a senior at UNC who lives in the same complex. She rode the bus with them on occasion to UNC’s south campus. Barakat had recently posted about providing free dental supplies and food to dozens of homeless people in Durham. His family was from Syria, and he had traveled to Turkey last year to help treat Syrian refugees there, a friend told the Associated Press. He was also active on social media; a tweet he posted last month has been picked up and re-tweeted hundreds of times in the last few hours.

He added: “We live as Muslims to die as Muslims. May Allah enter them to the highest of paradise.” Farris Barakat also created a Facebook group, “Our Three Winners,” where he posted images of the three victims and announcements about funeral arrangements. Attention also turned to the social media profile of Hicks, the alleged shooter, to see what clues could be gleaned from his online presence. He had frequently shared links about atheism on what appeared to be his Facebook page. One such post reads:

MP - ADVERTISEMENT | 37 “People say nothing can solve the Middle East problem, not mediation, not arms, not financial aid. I say there is something. Atheism.” Another post shared three weeks before the shooting depicted a loaded revolver, tucked in its holster, alongside five extra rounds.

Sullivan reported from Chapel Hill, N.C. Berman and Kaplan reported from Washington.

A vigil for the three victims was planned for Wednesday evening. In a Facebook post, Barakat’s brother Farris Barakat mourned the three deaths. “I haven’t even begun to fully comprehend what has happened. But I know for sure those three together have done so much we are all proud of. No reason to stop being proud now,” he wrote. “God is great. God is greater.”

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LUNCh SPECIAL

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+Tax

ONE COUPON PER CUSTOMER. NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFERS. LIMITED TIME OFFER The Muslim Link Planet Pizza & Subs • 301-762-9400

PICK-UP SPECIAL

3 Large Cheese Pizzas

ONE COUPON PER CUSTOMER. NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFERS. LIMITED TIME OFFER The Muslim Link Planet Pizza & Subs • 301-762-9400

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February 13th - March 12th, 2015

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February 13th Classifieds - March 12th, 2015

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

We invite you to place a personal classified on the web FREE of charge at www.muslimlinkpaper.com. Classifieds in the print edition of the Muslim Link newspaper are only $1 for every 3 words. All classifieds run for a single monthly issue in the Marketplace section. Get started by emailing your exact text to office@muslimlinkpaper.com and then call in your credit card payment to 301-982-1020 or send a check or money order payable to: The Muslim Link, PO Box 596, College Park MD 20741.

Employment NOW HIRING

Cook and Driver, experience preferred. Apply in person. Planet Pizza and Subs 301-762-9400. ---------------------------------------

DRIVERS WANTED

Drivers wanted for Pizza Delivery. 301-982-6797.

Services

provement work done? Interior/ Exterior Estimations. Contact Bro. Allen Scott at 443 538 7643 or ascott1529@yahoo.com ---------------------------------------

FUNDING SUPPORT NEEDED

HOME SERVICES

Contractor, Need Home Im-

Funding support is needed at Islamic Learning Multipurpose

Center: Contact Bro. Yusef Shahid to see how we can barter a percentage of Home Services work to support bldg and programs. Coordinator: Bro. Yusef Shahid 443 769 0319, Teacher: Sister Touria Elfakir 410 467 1259, Contractor Bro. Allen Scott 443 538 7643.

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February 13th - March 12th, 2015

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