The Muslm Link - 02.26.2010 by The Muslim Link

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February 26, 2010 - March 11, 2010

Muslim Lawyers Push Accreditation for Charities By Muslim Link Staff

by post 9/11 fears of “terror ﬁnancing”.

After the 9/11 attacks, Muslim Americans saw not only eroding civil rights, but also diminishing charitable rights.

Almost 9 years later, many Muslim Americans are still afraid to donate. Some donate only in cash.

Donors saw charities they supported on the front pages of newspapers – their ofﬁces raided, their assets frozen, and their names tarnished

In response to this fear, an organization of Muslim attorneys spent one year in research and developed an accreditation system for

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Local Org to Take Leadership Training National | pg 5 Newly Appointed OIC Envoy is Haﬁz of Qur’an | pg 6

Muslim charities. The reason for the program, said attorney Farhana Khera, President and Executive Director of Muslim Advocates, is to give donors “greater conﬁdence”. In 2005, Muslim Advocates grew out of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers (NAML), a

professional association of approximately 500 Muslim lawyers, law students and other legal professionals. Based out of California, they serve the entire nation. Part of their stated mission is to “join >> CHARITIES Pg 8

VA Muslims Gather in Benkahla Continues Support of Deaf Community Quest Against 10-Year By Muslim Link Staff On Sunday, February 21, 2001, a free dinner was held at the ADAMS center in Virginia to raise awareness of and educate attendees about a little noticed segment of the community – deaf Muslims. Organized by the Global

Deaf Muslims, the event was also a fundraiser for the non-proﬁt group, run by and serving deaf Muslims around the world. The mission of Global Deaf Muslims includes promoting and raising awareness of >> SUPPORT Pg 5

Perjur y Sentence By Muslim Link Staff Since the 9/11 attacks, no region of the United States has seen more high proﬁle “war on terror” court cases involving Muslim men than Northern Virginia. Most

the

region’s

Muslims consider these cases witch hunts, using the fear stoked by 9/11 to get juries to convict Muslims based on scant evidence and frail connections to “terrorists”. Muslim leaders >> BENKAHLA Pg 4

MIST in the Air as DC Prepares for Tournament | pg 11

U.S. May Revoke Citizenship of ‘Terrorists’ | pg 9 Addiction to Pron -- Islamic Remdies | pg 12 Terrorism Law, The New McCarthyism| pg 18 High Court Examines Limits of Material Support| pg 19 The Muslim Link

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TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

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TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

Correction:

In last issue’s coverage of the annual Maﬁq Foundation speech and essay contest (“Eighth annual Essay, Speech Competition Held in Falls Church”, February 5, 2010), we erroneously listed Mostaﬁz Choudhury as the foundation’s president. In fact, Dr. Mohammad S. Choudhury (unrelated) is the president. We regret the error.

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INDEX | 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

RABI AL-AWAAL 1430 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

04 Community News 09 World Press 11 Islam 18 Civil Rights 22 Salaah Times V 23 Marketplace Mujtaba Yahya, DDS Amer Sheikh, DDS

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TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Community News Benkahla Continues Quest Against 10-Year Perjur y Sentence BENKAHLA >> continued from pg 1 in Northern Virginia are now conversant with the legal process – grand juries, indictments, verdicts, and appeals. With these cases, legal defense funds are now regular events in the local area. On Saturday, February 13, 2010, family, friends, and supporters of Sabri Benkahla gathered at Dar Al-Hijrah in Falls Church, VA to raise money to continue challenging his imprisonment. In June 2003, during his senior year as a sharia student at the Islamic University of Medina, Benkahla was detained by Saudi secret police at the behest of the United States. The US government extradited Benkahla back to Virginia and accused the now 34-year old US citizen and resident of Falls Church of aiding the Taliban. After a one day trial in March 2004, Judge Leonie Brinkema found Benkahla not guilty of all charges.

perjury. After a trial where government prosecutors made continual references to 9/11 and terrorism over the objections of defense, a jury convicted him of all counts. The judge agreed with the government’s position to use a “terrorism enhancement” to increase his sentence for the perjury conviction – normally around 3 years – and imposed a 10-year sentence on Benkahla at an emotional July 24, 2007 hearing. Since then, Benkahla appealed to the Fourth Circuit and to the US Supreme Court; both were denied. Sabri Benkahla, like virtually all Muslim men caught up in the ‘war on terror’, is serving his sentence at a federal “control management unit” – federal prison units which separate incarcerated inmates from the general population and allow for close monitoring of all communication between them and persons outside the prison. Even legal mail is monitored. About 100 people attended the fundraiser, held in Dar Al-Hijrah’s courtyard.

Despite his acquittal, the government continued pressure on Benkahla. FBI agents interviewed him, he was ordered to appear before grand juries and asked about the same things he was acquitted of, and his home and father’s business raided.

After a welcome from program head Sheikh Shaker Elsayyed and recitation from the Qur’an by Bilal Elsayyed, Benkahla’s appeal lawyer John Sheldon gave an overview of what happened to the young man who many in the audience knew since he was in his early teens.

In early 2007 he was charged with

Reading from a copy of the Muslim

Pictured above, Sabri Benkahla with his son just months before he was sentenced. Photo courtesy of the Benkahla family.

The government accused Benkahla of perjury – lying under oath – by asking him “did you commit the crime you were just acquitted of?” Perjury has never been used in US courts in this manner, said Sheldon. Link newspaper which contained an article highlighting a non-Muslim, white Maryland youth who received just 5-years for conspiring to assassinate President Obama, Sheldon compared the sentence to that of Benkahla.

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“The judge [in that case] said no one was killed, no one was injured … [but] this applies equally to Sabri’s case,” said >> BENKAHLA II Pg 7

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TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS | 5

Local Org Seeks to Take Leadership Training National By Arjumand Yousuf Muslim Link Staff Writer The Islamic Leadership Institute of America (ILIA) “a non-profit organization dedicated to the realization of leadership, capacity building and institutional sustainability” based out of Howard County, MD is the first nonprofit institute of its kind which strives to promote leadership opportunities for Muslims nationwide while incorporating the teachings of the Quran and sunnah. Founded by Brother Ayman Nassar, the mission of this organization is to provide leadership training at both the individual and institutional levels through youth development, institutional stability, and community building for Muslim communities throughout North America. “We saw a need to help Muslim organizations improve their maturity, governance, and sustainability” says Nassar. Thus, ILIA was established and the

organization put programs in place to help bridge the leadership gap. These programs include youth development workshops, youth leadership retreats and mentoring programs, teacher leadership training, strategic planning for Islamic non-profits, homeless shelter support and inmate transition support. Each training session usually focuses on one leadership trait such as patience, although longer programs may combine traits geared toward a particular objective. Students can earn educational units which each full day of instruction and work towards a certificate in Islamic Leadership. Established in June of 2009, this young non-profit organization has already accomplished a lot in its young lifetime. Over the past year, ILIA has held five successful leadership training programs including one held in Ann Arbor Michigan in November of 2009 geared towards educators and parents. Over 35 individuals attended this session that covered topics on effective communication such as active listening,

The organization’s long term goals include creating a leadership resource center in the Baltimore-DC region equipped with a library from which Muslims and nonMuslims alike can benefit. coaching, motivation, conflict resolution, and negotiation. The Institute also published a book titled Patience in Practice and two workbooks titled Make The Click-Bridge the Gap and Youth Project Management. What makes this organization unique and different? It incorporates Islamic teachings into leadership practices and principles such as patience explained Nassar, and they offer workshops and training sessions at fraction of the cost of similar organizations. The Board of ILIA consists of six members five brothers and a sister of varying ages and cultural backgrounds which brings

diversity to the organization. The use of technology such as web conferencing and phone conferencing also allows the organization to keep overhead costs low. Some upcoming projects this year for ILIA include a teen communication workshop scheduled for March 13 in College Park, MD. This seven hour intensive workshop will use group activities, exercises, assessments, and case study analysis to provide parents, teachers, educators, and youth coaches

>> TRAINING Pg 8

VA Muslims Gather in Support of Deaf Community SUPPORT >> continued from pg 1

deaf Muslims in through sign language, captioning broadcasts, educational workshops, conferences and networking activities. “We are constantly aspiring to create opportunities for inclusion and integration for deaf Muslim children and adults in community life,” says part of the mission statement. Members of ADAMS and Qabeelat Nurayn of Al-Maghrib Insitute volunteered to help organize the local event. A halal chinese dinner was donated and attendees had free entry. An interactive documentary provided titled “Silent Islam” and inspirational speeches made by Imam Magid of ADAMS Center on including deaf

Muslims and Muslims with disabilities in the community preceded the fundraising. Global Deaf Muslims President Nashiru Abdulai gave a PowerPoint presentation using sign language with the help of interpreter voicing, while ADAMS Youth member, 11th grader Hamza Khan, gave a speech using both ASL (American Sign Language) and his voice on how he became deaf and what the hearing community needs to know about people like him. Funds raised will go towards more education and outreach activities, and also long term projects like procuring ofﬁce space in the DC region for the Global Deaf Muslims. About 250 attended the event, including about 25 deaf Muslims. Mobin Tawakkul contributed to this news report. – TML

Global Deaf Muslims President Nashiru Abdulai, center, is all smiles while fellow deaf friends Br. Charles Sterling, left, communicates in American Sign Language (ASL) with Br. Hamza Khan before enjoying a halal chinese dinner at a fundraiser for the organization, held at the ADAMS center. Photo courtesy of Global Deaf Muslims.

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

6 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Newly Appointed OIC Envoy is Haﬁz of Qur’an By Muslim Link Staff

President Obama called Hussain “an accomplished lawyer and a close and trusted member of my White House staff,” who would strengthen his policy of outreach to the world’s Muslims.

Earlier this month President Obama appointed deputy associate counsel to the President Rashad Hussain as the nation’s envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). Hussain, an American Muslim whose parents are from India, was appointed as part of the White House legal team on January 28, 2010. His new role as envoy to the 57 Muslim nations making up the OIC was announced at the US-Islamic World Forum in Doha, Qatar via video conference on February 13, 2010. According to the Washington Post, Obama called Hussain “an accomplished lawyer and a close and trusted member of my White House staff,” who would strengthen his policy of outreach to the world’s Muslims. Prior to his White House appointment, Hussain served as a trial attorney at the U.S. Department of Justice, a law clerk to Damon J. Keith on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and a legislative assistant on the House Judiciary Committee where his work included reviewed legislation in the USA Patriot Act. Since his appointment as a White House attorney, and now with his appoint as OIC envoy, right wing media outlets like Fox News have highlighted a 2004

Muslim Public Affairs Council Press Release

quote from Hussain where he referred to the Sami Al-Arian trial and similar cases as “politically-motivated persecutions.” In response, Hussain told Politico “I made statements on that panel that I now recognize were ill-conceived or not wellformulated.” Hussain, 31, earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, his Master’s degree in Public Administration and in Arabic & Islamic Studies from Harvard University, and his J.D. from Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. In his video announcement, President Obama said Hussain has memorized the entire Qur’an. PRESIDENT OBAMA TAPS INTO YOUNG MUSLIM LEADER TO BRIDGE US-MUSLIM WORLD DIVIDE

(Washington, D.C., 2/16/10) -- On February 13th President Barack Obama appointed Rashad Hussein, currently working as a legal counsel at the White House, to be the US Special Envoy to the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC). Making the announcement via video conference, to the annual gathering of the US-Islamic World forum bringing together hundreds of religious and civic leaders, government ofﬁcials and members of civil society, the President said that Hussein’s appointment was part of “deepening” the relationship with Muslim Majority countries, which he had outlined in his Cairo speech. Rashad has extensive interaction with Muslim communities since the mid 90s. He has degrees from both Yale and Harvard and is a Hafez (one who has memorized the Quran). What is signiﬁcant is that the President appointed a person recognized for his involvement in Muslim communities and who has extensive knowledge of Islam as a faith

and Muslim communities internationally, both features of which are strong points as we engage Muslim countries. There is a misconception, which has been fueled by the media that the practice of faith fuels extremism, while Rashad Hussein’s appointment debunks that myth. The appointment of Rashad Hussein is encouraging to all young Muslims who want to establish a career in public service and work for the US government. In his new leadership role as an ambassador representing America to Muslims abroad, Rashad Hussein, is a shining example of what Muslim Americans can do: serve as peacemakers based on President Obama’s goal to seek “mutual interest and mutual respect.” MPAC remains committed to continuing its civic and government engagement programs which will help young Muslims develop skills to follow the footsteps of all Muslims in our government today, highlighting the success of Rashad Hussein.

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS | 7

Mist In the Air as DC Prepares for Annual Tournament By Mehreen Rasheed

Muslim Link Contributing Writer D.C.’s Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament raised about $12,600 at Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, Md. on Feb. 20, 2010 in preparation for the upcoming regional tournament this spring. D.C. MIST promoted the tournament with an overview of the program and its goals, showcased performances and videos from previous years, and hosted speaker Yusuf Silitine, director of the Arabic program at MCC.

“It’s only once a year, so all of these dinners and activities beforehand are a way of keeping the MIST spirit alive,” Baig said. “Tonight, competitors can also earn their team points by bringing guests over [age] 21.” MIST is a tournament for high school Muslim Students Associations, held in nine different regional locations and then at the national level. The competition categories include Arts, Knowledge and Qur’an, Writing and Oratory, as well as group and bracket competitions such as scholastic bowl and basketball, according to Baig.

MIST also a held a similar fundraising dinner a week earlier at Dar al Noor mosque in Manassas, Va. These fundraisers were part of the many events the regional chapter held, including community service events and a pep rally, leading up to the competition this April at University of Maryland in College Park, Md., according to Program Co-Chair Nimat Baig.

The board highlighted MIST’s importance in fostering communication and competition among young Muslims, giving them a place to ﬁnd both professional and personal networking and support.

SABRI >> continued from pg 4

Sheldon, who was also the appeal lawyer for convicted Washington DC sniper John Allen Muhammad and who is also president of the board for Virginians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty. “The government contends that Sabri went to Northwest Pakistan and ﬁred a weapon at a camp … there is nothing illegal about that … even if he did it, [the organization running the camp] was not designated a terrorist organization at that time,” explained Sheldon. Sabri was acquitted, and “then the second nightmare started.”

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“MIST is here to help the MSAs grow,” said Noha Eshera, competition chair. “They are important to develop as they’re one of the most vital organizations to

Because the government’s case was so weak and lacking evidence, prosecutors spent half of the time talking about 9/11 and overseas “terrorist” groups in front the jury. Al-Qaeda was mentioned more than 65 times, Osama Bin Laden over 50 times, and prosecutors played videos of the Kenya embassy and USS Cole bombings. None of the material was relevant to Sabri’s case. There was so much “irrelevant, prejudicial information …. when I tell

Muslim youth in high school.”

Mariam Khan.

The evening included testimonials from previous and current competitors, who spoke of MIST not only as a way of growing scholastically, but as a method of developing a sense of Muslim identity and community. Silitine stressed the need for communities to encourage this strong identity, and the importance of training youth to become leaders.

The competition is funded by donations and registration, which collectively must cover costs such as reservations, food, supplies, and speaker honorariums, according to Budget Chair Tahnee Hasan. They try to keep entry costs for students as minimal as possible, though the current rate is $70 per individual student. However, with the increase number of competitors each year, costs to accommodate them adequately are on the rise.

“Do not ever diminish or minimize the importance of what you are doing,” said Silitine. “In creating an Islamic atmosphere, the youth are setting an example for the Muslim community.” The D.C. chapter began approximately seven years ago, a year after the ﬁrst MIST tournament at the University of Houston, according to the MIST National Web site. The organizers and staff are comprised of volunteers, many of them college students. Though the judges also volunteer, MIST strives to bring in experts and professionals in their areas, according to Outreach Chair

other lawyers [about this], they don’t believe me,” said Sheldon. “This is by far the most unjust case I’ve ever worked on, or that any lawyer I know has worked on,” admitted Sheldon. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Hanooti gave a brief address after Sheldon, saying the Benkahla family’s closeness to Allah resulting from their hardship “is a big gain.” Dr. Jamal Badawi delivered the keynote address, examining the concept of justice in Islam. Justice is “part and parcel of the Prophetic message”, and must be universal and impartial, explained Dr. Badawi. He cited a verse from the Qur’an containing

“Every year, we strive to make [the tournament] safer and more professional,” said Hasan. “The more businesses that hear about us, the more support we get…so right now, we’re just trying to get D.C. MIST out to the community.” To learn more about MIST, visit www. getmistiﬁed.com.

a warning about being prejudicial and having “impure intentions” when executing the law. Some laws today are “tailor made” for speciﬁc groups in order to discriminate he said, citing a recent law passed in France targeting the hijab but which never mentioned “Muslim” or “hijab” in the text of the law. Rodwan Saleh conducted the fundraising, securing a $2,000 commitment from the sisters section as the ﬁrst donation of the evening. “Show the family you care,” he urged the gathering. To donate to Sabri Benkahla’s legal fund, visit www.universal-justice.net.

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TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

| COMMUNITY NEWS

Muslim Lawyers Group Pushes Accreditation for Charities CHARITIES >> continued from pg 1

hands with ... partners in the government, legal, nonproﬁt and community sectors to create sophisticated advocacy and educational campaigns aimed at ensuring [the] nation’s commitment to its founding principles.” Launched in 2008, the Muslim Charities Accreditation Program has “organizations go beyond what the law requires”, said Khera. “There is greater accountability.”

Masajid run by a single Imam or founder would definitely not be accredited. “That goes to the issue of accountability and governance,” said Khera. for Muslim organizations, challenging them to abide by standards of financial and overall management as defined by the Better Business Bureau.

should maintain a “white list” of accepted charities, Khera said its neither practical nor wise.

Masajid run by a single Imam or founder would deﬁnitely not be accredited. “That goes to the issue of accountability and governance,” said Khera.

“It’s a bad idea. The government could infringe on our right to choose if we want to donate. Today [donating to a certain group] may be lawful, and tomorrow [the group] may be found amiss,” she said.

She declined to comment on any speciﬁc court cases involving Muslim charities.

Led by Khera, the group made its views known to the White House.

Several board members of masajid in the DC region were unaware of the program and unfamiliar with Muslim Advocates when asked by the Muslim Link. But, the group is working hard to change that.

“Generally, if you have an organization following good governance, good ﬁnancial record keeping, and exercising due diligence in how funds are used, Holy Land type of cases are less likely to occur. We do have part of our education program on international charity.”

“We believe [some of] the law is incongruent with charitable principles and we made it clear to the President’s team.”

Muslim Advocates holds whole day seminars to promote the accreditation program and to educate board members from Islamic organizations, bringing them together with lawyers, accountants, and representatives from the IRS. One such free seminar is taking place on March 6, 2010 at the New York School of Law.

The Holy Land Foundation was the largest Muslim charity in the nation before the government shut it down in December 2001, alleging it used donation money to support “terrorists” in occupied Palestine. A protracted trial ended in a hung jury and zero guilty verdicts in October 2007. On November 24, 2008 a jury returned all guilty verdicts in a retrial.

The accreditation program raises the bar

Asked if she thinks the government

TRAINING >> continued from pg 5

recreational, social and educational activities. Participants will travel to Makkah, and Medina where they will be immersed in an Islamic environment, perform an umrah, and visit orphan children in Jeddah. An additional training program focusing on family leadership is scheduled to be held in May 2009.

The program encourages not only ﬁnancial checks and balances, but also overall transparency in how an organization is run and how decisions are made. Muslim Advocates has its own IRS form 990 and an independently audited ﬁnancial statement available on their website.

with different tools and approaches on how to deal effectively with teens. Another unique opportunity for teens coming up during spring break in April titled “Leadership for the Heart” is an ummrah program combining worship,

Thus far ILIA has provided training and workshops in Virginia, Maryland,

If donations of food and water pass through a black listed organization, donors could face legal action including ﬁnes or even imprisonment. Khera believes this is “inconsistent with international humanitarian principles”. “I think that’s a separate battle that needs to be waged on the policy front. We believe everyone should follow the law,” she added. Muslim Advocates conducts initial interviews with key ﬁgures in the organization seeking accreditation

D.C., New York, and Michigan, but this national organization would like to expand and provide programs in other states as well. Until December the organization’s plans were up to speed, but the organization has slowed down a little bit, because of the need for more funding explained Nassar. The organization’s long term goals include creating a leadership resource center in the Baltimore/Washington area equipped

and helps it meet standards. The final stages of accreditation – approval of the accreditation application – are handled by the Better Business Bureau. Organizations wishing to enter the Muslim Charities Accreditation Program must first fill out an application at muslimadvocates.org or call Muslim Advocates and provide information over the phone. The second phase involves providing detailed organizational data to Muslim Advocates including financial statements and bylaws. At this stage, one on one interviews take place as Muslim Advocates “addresses the areas which need to be addressed”. Khera emphasized the accreditation process is not quick. “It takes several months at a time. Many volunteer run organizations don’t have time to address the issues [we bring up],” she added. Applying to the accreditation program is free and is supported by donations made to Muslim Advocates specifically to run the program. To date, three Muslim organizations are accredited: the Islamic Networks Group and the UMMA Community Clinic in California, and the Inner-city Muslim Action Network (IMAN) in Chicago. Over twenty other organizations are working towards accreditation. For Khera, working with these organizations has been a charitable gift in itself. “It’s really great to see [organizations doing] education, interfaith, health clinic, social organizations, international relief … it represents the diversity of Muslim American charitable giving,” she said. with a library from which Muslims and non-Muslims alike can benefit, and being recognized nationally as an institution that provides leadership training by building partnerships with masjids and Islamic centers across the country. For more information, visit http://www. islamicleadership.org.

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

World Press

WORLD PRESS |

Clashes over Israel heritage sites (AlJazeera – 2/22/2010) Israeli soldiers have used tear gas and stun grenades against stone-throwing Palestinian protesters in the West bank town of Hebron. The unrest on Monday followed a decision by the Israeli prime minister to include a shrine in the city, and another in Bethlehem, on a list of Israeli heritage sites. “We understand that the situation has calmed down, but a general strike is still in effect in Hebron,” Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh, reporting from Bethlehem, said. “The Palestinians are outraged because they consider this a statement of Israeli sovereignty over occupied Palestinian land.” Shopkeepers in Hebron had closed their stores for the day in protest at the decision Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, to include the Cave of the Patriarchs on the list of about 150 sites

that the government protects. The city has long been a flashpoint between Palestinians and Israelis, with several hundred Jewish settlers living in heavily guarded enclaves among approximately 160,000 Palestinians. The Cave of the Patriarchs is the second holiest site for Jews and said to be where the patriarchs of the religion, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, were buried along with three of their wives. It is also venerated by Christians and Muslims, who call it al-Ibrahimi mosque, reflecting the fact that Abraham is considered the father of both Judaism and Islam. “We strongly condemn this decision which yet again confirms the Israeli government’s determination to impose facts on the ground,” Saeb Erakat, a senior aide to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, told the AFP news agency on Monday.

“We call on the international community to consider this decision illegal,” he said. “This Israeli decision is provocative for Muslims around the world and especially Palestinians.” Israeli media reported that Netan yahu had bowed to pressure from right-wing politicians and the settlers’ lobby to include the Cave of the Patriarchs and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem on the list. On Sunday, Netanyahu told a cabinet meeting that the country’s existence depended not only on its defence force and its economic resilience, but also on its “ability to justify our connection to the land”. “It is anchored ﬁrst and foremost in our national and emotional legacy,” he said. But Mark Regev, a spokesman for the Israeli government, said the list was not meant to set borders. “The purpose of the list ... is to single out

sites that are of great importance to the Jewish people,” he said. Robert Serry, the United Nations envoy to the Middle East, criticised Israel’s decision and said that it could threaten hopes of resuming peace talks. “I urge Israel not to take any steps on the ground which undermine trust or could prejudice negotiations, the resumption of which should be the highest shared priority of all who seek peace,” he said. Netanyahu has recently said he is prepared to resume negotiations without preconditions, but the Palestinian Authority has refused until Israel halts all settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. The Palestinians want an independent state based on the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, under which it would control security, borders and other matters.

US Looking Into Revoking Citizenship of ‘Terrorists’ A February 10, 2010 report in Talking Points Memo says the United States is looking into changing the law so it can cancel the citizenship of people its views as “terrorists”, making detaining them or assassination them much easier.

In “Pentagon Quietly Explores DeCitizenship of US Citizen Terrorists” by Steve Clemons, the case of popular Islamic lecturer Anwar Al-Awlaki is cited as a possible reason the US is looking into de-citizenship. Al-Awlaki is on a list authorized by the White House

for targeted assassination. “A senior Member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence has told me that to his knowledge, there has been no serious discussion in the Committee of stripping US citizenship from terrorists,

but a senior Pentagon ofﬁcial has conﬁrmed that some in the military are exploring the upsides and downsides of such a more routinized mechanism for stripping citizenship,” wrote Clemons in his report.

A Correction on the Swiss Politician Who Became Muslim In our last issue we printed a story about a Swiss politician who became a Muslim (“Swiss Anti-Minaret Campaigner Embraces Islam”, February 5, 2010). Unfortunately, the story had some embellished untruths. As clariﬁed by a follow-up article by Jason Hamza van Boom, the reporter who originally broke the story last December,

Swiss politician Daniel Streich was in fact a member of the right-wing Swiss People’s Party, but he was not involved in the party’s efforts to ban minarets. Streich actually became Muslim a few years ago, but only announced it recently, leading some drama-driven writers to falsely claim Streich was a major player in the party, and on the front-lines of the anti-minaret campaign. Both are untrue.

Streich denounced the anti-minaret campaign as a “witch-hunt” according to van Boom. Another fallacy in the news item was Streich’s vow to build the most beautiful masjid in Europe. No such vow was made. To read van Boom’s full article, visit www.illumemag.com. We apologize to our readers for printing the embellished news item. -- TML

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

10 | WORLD PRESS

America’s First Suicide Bomber By Paul Craig Roberts February 23, 2010 “Information Clearing House” -- Joseph Stack, frustrated American, flew his airplane into an Austin, Texas, office building. He was one of the 79 percent of Americans who have given up on “their” government. The latest Rasmussen Poll indicates that the vast majority of Americans are convinced that “their” government is totally unresponsive to them, their concerns, and their needs. Rasmussen found that only 21 percent of the American population agree that the U.S. government has the consent of the governed, and that 21 percent is comprised of the political class itself and liberals. Rasmussen concludes that the gap between the American population and the politicians who rule them “may be as big today as the gap between the colonies and England during the 18th century.” Indications are that Joseph Stack was sane. Like Palestinians faced with Israeli jet fighters, helicopter gunships, tanks, missiles and poison gas, Stack realized that he was powerless. A suicide attack was the only weapon left to him. Stack targeted the IRS, the federal agency that had gratuitously ruined him. He flew his airplane into an office building occupied by 200 members of the IRS. This deliberate plan and the written explanation he left behind segregate him from deranged people who randomly shoot up a Post Office or university campus. The government and its propaganda ministry do not want to call Stack a terrorist. “Terrorist” is a term the government reserves for Muslims who do not like what Israel does to Palestinians and the U.S. government does to Muslim countries. But Stack experienced the same frustrations and emotions as Muslims who can’t take it any longer and strap on a suicide vest. “Violence,” Stack wrote, “not only is the answer, it is the only answer.” Stack concluded that nothing short of violence

will get the attention of a government that has turned its back on the American people. Anger is building up. People are beginning to do unusual things. Terry Hoskins bulldozed his house rather than allow a bank to foreclose on it. The local TV station conducted an online survey and found that 79 percent of respondents agreed with Hoskins’ action. Perhaps the turning point was the federal government’s bailout of the investment banks whose reckless misbehavior diminished Americans’ retirement savings for the second time in eight years. Now a former head of the most culpable bank is campaigning to cut Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits in order to pay for the bailout. President Obama has obliged him by creating a “deficit commission.” The “deficit commission” will be used to gut Social Security, just as the private insurance health plan is paid for by cutting $500 billion out of Medicare. It could not be more clear that government represents the interest groups that finance the election campaigns. Conservatives used to say that Washington’s power should be curtailed in behalf of state and local governments that are “closer to the people.” But of course state and local governments are also controlled by interest groups. Consider Florida, for example. In 2004 the storm surge from Hurricane Ivan did considerable damage to the Gulf Coast of the Florida panhandle. At Inlet Beach in Walton County, the surge claimed two beachfront homes and washed away enough of the high ground as to leave other homes vulnerable to the next storm. People wanted to armor their homes with some form of sea wall. When the county gave the go ahead, two houses on the West end hired engineers who constructed a barrier made of rows of tubes 60 feet long filled with sand, each weighing about 70 tons. The sand-colored tubes were buried under many tons of white sand trucked in, and sea oats were

planted. It was a perfect solution, and an expensive one--$250,000. Just East of the two homes, Ivan washed away a section of beach front road and left three houses built on pilings sitting on the beach. Last year government with FEMA money rebuilt the section of washed away beachfront road and armored it and two adjacent houses. The government used interlocking iron or steel panels that it drove down into the sand, leaving six to seven feet of the rusty metal above ground. Hundreds of truck loads of sand were brought in to cover the unsightly sea wall. It didn’t require a storm to wash away the loose sand and leave the ugly rusty metal exposed on the beach. The first high tide did the trick. Residents and vacationers are left with an eyesore on a beach ranked as the third most beautiful in the world. The ugly rusty barrier built by government is still there. But the intelligent approach taken by the private homeowners has been condemned to death. As I write heavy equipment is on the beach slashing open the tubes and piling up the sand to be carried away. The homes will be left standing on the edge and will be undermined by the next hurricane. Why did this happen? The official reason given by Florida’s Department of Environmental Policy is that the county could only issue a temporary permit. Only DEP can issue a permanent permit, and as the homeowners don’t have DEP’s permanent permit, out goes the expensive, carefully engineered and unobtrusive sea wall. This is the way government “works” for ordinary citizens. For the vast majority of people, government exists as a persecution mechanism that takes great pleasure in ruining their lives and pocketbooks. The DEP has inflicted heavy stress on the homeowners, now elderly, and could bring on a heart attack or stroke. The real explanation for DEP’s merciless treatment of citizens is that the agency is powerless against developers. It cannot stop them from destroying the

Everglades, from destroying wetlands, from polluting rivers, or from building in front of the coastal setback line. As the state politicians protect developers from the DEP, the only people against whom the DEP can use its authority are unrepresented citizens. Frustrated itself, the DEP lashes out at powerless citizens. In the small settlement of Inlet Beach, there are numerous examples of developers getting what they want. Over the years hurricanes have eaten away the beach and the dunes. As this occurs the setback line for construction moves inland. Back when the real estate bubble was being created by Alan Greenspan’s irresponsibly low interest rate policy, small beach front lots were going for one million dollars. In the midst of this frenzy, a well connected developer bought a beach front lot for $30,000. The lot was not recognizable as such. It sits on flat land on the beach. Decades ago it was a lot, but as the Gulf ate away the coast, the lot is now positioned in front of the setback line. The developer got the lot for the low price, because no one had been able to get a building permit for years. But the developer got a permit. According to the head of the neighborhood association at the time, the developer went to a DEP official, whose jurisdiction was another part of the state and who was a former employee of the developer, and was issued a permit. Because of its exposure, during the real estate boom the house sat unsold for years. The community, which had opposed the project, concluded that the developer just wanted to show that he was more powerful than the law. Currently, on six acres next to a state park on the East end of Inlet Beach another well connected developer has obtained DEP permission to compromise Walton County’s highest and last remaining sand dunes held in place with native vegetation in order to build 20 houses. To protect the houses, DEP has issued a permit for the construction of a fifteen foot high man-made sand wall, a marketing device

>> SUICIDE Pg 20

ISLAM | 11

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

Islam

The Prophet & the Ser vant By Sheikh `Alî Muhammad al-Salâbî

IslamToday.net The Prophet (peace be upon him) was paying a visit to a sick person who was very dear to him. He was visiting a Jewish boy who had been working for him as his personal servant. The boy used to bring him his water for his ablutions, get him his sandals, and run errands for him. On this day, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was troubled by the boy’s absence, so he went to his home to visit him in his illness and inquire after him. He went inside and sat near to the boy’s head. The boy’s father sat across from him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) looked upon the boy with compassion, sad to see him dying at such a young age. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then called the boy to consider what

he needed at this time the most; the religion with which he would meet his Lord. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Accept Islam. Declare that there is no God but God and that I am His messenger.” The boy was receptive to this invitation. He had been the Prophet’s servant, and during that time he got to know the Prophet’s character, manner, and temperament. The boy had recognized in the Prophet the characteristics of a Messenger of God. He knew that the Prophet was neither a tyrant nor a pretender. Nevertheless, the boy still felt his father’s authority acutely, so he turned his face to his father and looked imploringly at him, waiting for his father’s consent. Again, the Prophet (peace be upon him)

Mixing with others is the best way to make non-Muslims familiar with Islam and with the Muslims as people. It breaks down the barriers between people and creates opportunities for them to learn about Islam properly. invited the boy to accept Islam, seeing that the boy’s life was quickly fading away. At this point, the boy’s father said: “Obey the father of al-Qasim (meaning the Prophet). Say what Muhammad is telling you to say.” The boy then uttered the words: “I testify that there is no god but God, and that you are God’s messenger.”

He said these words with his ﬁnal breath. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) emerged from the boy’s home, he was warmed by the fact that Allah had guided him. He said: “Praise be to Allah

>> Prophet Pg 17

Did Religious Beliefs Evolve Over Time? By Sheikh `Alî Muhammad al-Salâbî

IslamToday.net Allah says: “Humanity had been a single community, and Allah sent (unto them) Prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between people concerning that wherein they differed. And only those unto whom (the Scripture) was given differed concerning it, after clear proofs had come unto them, through hatred one of another. And Allah by His will guided those who believed unto the truth of that concerning which they differed. Allah guides whom He will unto a straight path.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 213] Many Western researchers maintain that human beings did not come to know the religious creeds they know today all at once, but rather that their religious beliefs

evolved and developed over a stretch of many millennia. It is not surprising that people would come to this conclusion who do not have at their disposal revelation from Allah that expounds for them the history of religious thought in clear and unambiguous terms. What is surprising is to see these ideas being advocated by people who consider themselves – and are recognized by others – as Muslim researchers. Among them is Àbbâs Mahmûd alÀqqâd, the author of a book entitled Allah, which explores the origins of religious belief. He holds that the religious beliefs of people progressed in accordance with the advancement of their scientific knowledge. He writes: “The earliest beliefs of the people were in conformity with their way of life, as was their scientific knowledge and their level of technology.

An important aspect of the history of religious belief is that it is not of Earthly origin. Its domain is with Allah. The earliest scientific understandings of people and their earliest artifacts were no more advanced than their earliest religious beliefs and practices. Neither were they more accurate.” Indeed, he considers their religious evolution to be more difficult than their scientific advancement. He writes: “It makes sense that human attempts with religion would be more arduous and protracted than their attempts made in the path of science and technology. This is because the nature of existence in the

absolute sense is far more difﬁcult and remote a subject than the investigation of speciﬁc problems of the physical world which science resolves on some occasions and technological progress resolves on others.” Likewise, he argues that the concept of God did not come to people all at once: “If we look to the origins of religions in the earliest days of paganism, we do not >> BELIEFS Pg 17

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

12 | ISLAM

Addiction to Porn & Masturbation: Islamic Remedy QUESTION: Dear scholars, AsSalamu àlaykum. I have recently become Muslim. Since I converted I have reformed my ways, for the most part. I think I am a good person except that I am addicted to pornography and masturbation. What is the Islamic remedy for this? Jazakum Allah khayran. ANSWER: Wa àlaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear brother in Islam, We welcome you to the Muslim Ummah. We also thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake. In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, states: “Since you have been addicted to an extremely pernicious habit that destroys your spiritual soul and thus leads to self-destruction, you must urgently summon your will power and take all the necessary steps in order to wean yourself of it immediately. In order to empower yourself to achieve this, you should seek counseling and therapy, preferably from those professionals in the field who are conscientious Muslims. If such Muslim professionals are not available, choose one from those who are ethically and morally conscious. It is important for you to wean yourself of these pernicious

habits. The consequences of persisting in them are simply unthinkable; they would undoubtedly corrode your spiritual soul and cause your spiritual death. Sins by their very nature are addictive,

it with pure pain and suffering. 2. Convince yourself of the urgency of removing this malignant cancer from your life by taking all measures such as listing all the negative things about such

Hope in the Mercy of Allah should be accompanied by regret and remorse of the heart upon the sins committed, sincerity, hastening in repentance and avoiding sins. for it is in the very nature of the carnal self to seek pleasure in sins. As Al-Busiri has rightly said, “The carnal self is a like a baby; if you neglect him, he will grow up clinging on to the breast-milk forever, but if you wean him off, he will be weaned off.” I suggest a few tips which

habits, and listing the verses and traditions about the gravity of sins. Remember it is far more serious than cancer attacking your body, since your soul survives you even after your physical body has disintegrated in the earth.

Allah says:“And whosoever does evil or wrongs himself but afterwards seeks Allah’s forgiveness, he will find Allah Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [Soorah an-Nisa (4): 110] you can use to empower yourself: 1. Visualize and meditate on the ugliness of this heinous sin and conjure up images of hell fire as painted in the Qur’an and the Sunnah as many times as possible until such time that whenever you are tempted to visit such websites or read such magazines, the scenes of hell fire will be playing in your mind. Thus, even as you have associated this addiction with pleasure, you will come to associate

3. Imagine how terrible a loss you will be facing were you to die while being addicted to this most heinous sin. 4. Seek strength from Allah by crying to Him for succor. But you can never seek the help of Allah unless you seek to establish connection with Him through regular Prayers, so never be slack in your Prayers. 5. Schedule your time in such a way that

you are never left with any time to think of such matters. Imam Ash-Shafiì said, “If you don’t occupy your mind with good works, your carnal self will make you busy in bad deeds!” 6. Surround yourself with spiritual and Islamic influences and virtually immerse yourself in them. 7. Always hang around with good Muslims who are busy doing good works; join a halaqah (study circle) where spiritual training is imparted together with the study of Islam. 8. Make your mind and tongue busy with dhikr (remembrance of Allah). Say the following words and others frequently: Subhan Allah; al-hamdu lillah; laa ilaha illa Allah; Allahu akbar; Wa laa hawla wala quwwata illa billah. Astaghfir Allaha al-azhim min kulli dhanbin wa atubu ilaihi. (Glory be to Allah; praise be to Allah; there is no god but Allah; Allah is Greatest. There is no power or strength except by the will of Allah. I ask forgiveness of Allah from all my sins and repent to Him.) 9. Once you have been weaned of these pernicious habits, you should seriously consider marriage; marriage is the protection against temptations. I pray that the Beneficent Lord of Mercy save us all from the evil inclinations of our souls and make us hate disbelief, transgressions and sins; and may He endear to our hearts faith and good works. Amen.” Excerpted, with slight modifications, from: www.muslims.ca

ISLAM | 13

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

A 12-step guide To Fight Pornography Addiction By Sound Vision Staff Writer Pornography consumption is not something that can easily be stopped. Once the appetite for it has developed, it actually increases. In his 1988 study Pornography Effects: Empirical and Clinical Evidence, Victor Cline, then with the University of Utah’s Department of Psychology noted that studies show pornography is progressive and addictive for many. It often leads to the user acting out his fantasy - often on children. For those who have been trained from a young age to lower their gaze and practice Islamic principles of modesty, this may not even be an issue. But for those who have sadly fallen into pornography addiction, there is a way out. Alcoholics’Anonymous is an organization that has fought the battle against alcohol addiction since 1935. Its “Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous” provides a clear, general guide on how to get out of the addiction of alcohol, which has killed people, ruined families and led to health problems. Sound Vision has adapted the 12 steps from this guide to offer some guidance on how those addicted to pornography can get out of it. Step One-Admit that you can’t give up

Admit that you are unable to get a grip on your consumption of pornography. It is uncontrollable. Every time you turn on the internet, go to the video store, turn on the television, you cannot say NO to yourself. You cannot NOT surf porn sites, or stop watching. You are no longer in control of your life.

possible) exactly where you went wrong. You did not make a general request for repentance. You speciﬁcally listed your mistakes, and in particular, your addiction to pornography.

Step Nine-Seek forgiveness of God

Step Six-You were open and ready to receive Allah’s help to change

Step Ten-You have completed nightly self-evaluations

Step Two-Admit only God can get you out of this

You know that your Tawbah (repentence to God) and being sincere, must be followed by action. You are ready to do what is necessary to change, no matter how difﬁcult or painful. Even if it means not even watching television for the news or never surﬁng the internet alone.

You continually, every night, have done an honest self-evaluation of your behavior, and were ready to admit your mistakes and thank Allah for the good you did that day.

You know, after trying using so many different ways to control your addiction and subsequently failing, that only Allah can help you out of this. You may have known it before, but you are convinced of it now without a shadow of a doubt. Step Three-Your life and death are all in Allah’s control You have decided to put your complete trust in Allah, who is in control of all aspects of your life and your death. You have chosen to seek His Help ﬁrst and foremost. Step Four-You have completed a selfanalysis You have done an honest, sincere, but often painful self-evaluation of your good points and bad points, analyzed your addiction, and tried to understand how you reached this point. Step Five-Made a speciﬁc repentance to Allah You have admitted to Allah, to yourself, and to another trusted Muslim (if

Step Seven- You have asked for the removal of faults You have asked Allah, with sincerity, humility and regret, to help you never repeat this action (i.e. looking at pornography) again and to help you avoid repeating sins committed in the past again. Step Eight-You have decided to seek others’ forgiveness You have made a list of everyone you had hurt through your addiction, whether it was your spouse, children or parents, and made the intention to approach them seeking forgiveness. You must not, however, disclose your addiction since whatever Allah has kept hidden must remain hidden. You just seek forgiveness for any possible act of harm and hurt. Allah does not like a sin to be advertised.

Seek the forgiveness and protection of Allah. Do sadaqah (charity) and fast as kaffarah if possible.

Step Eleven-You have prayed for greater God-consciousness You prayed and continue to pray ﬁve times a day, seeking closeness to Allah, and a consciousness of Him (Taqwa) wherever you are. You increase your reliance on Him to help you with this addiction to pornography and with all other matters in your life. Step Twelve-You practiced

preached

and

You have not just “moved on” after Allah blessed you to get out of this addiction. You helped others you knew with this problem with regular contact and sincere advice. By the grace of Allah, helping others helped you maintain control over your addiction and you helped another person get out of this destruction and misery.

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We Need Your Support The Muslim Link newspaper has served the Muslim communities in the Maryland, DC, and Northern Virginia region for over 10 years. Aiming to link masajid with one another and build bridges of understanding between area Muslims and the general public, the Muslim Link is a window into our community. Governmental agencies, politicians, and businesses wanting to interact with our community are increasingly doing so through the pages of the Muslim Link. As a non-proďŹ t project, the Muslim Link operates on advertising revenue and donations from readers like you. Whether its promoting a debate contest for young, aspiring Muslim youth, or standing up for local Muslims wrongly accused, we always stand by our community. On Saturday, March 27, we ask that you stand with us.

OPERATION BLACKOUT: TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 11th, TRUTH 2010ďż˝NEEDS A 26th - March

A VOICETML, - Saturday, March 27, 2010 Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010��

About Our Speaker Mike Prysner is an Iraq war veteran who came to realize the moral wrong of the US occupation and now campaigns against it. He describes a mission he took part in which his unit forced Iraqis out of half a dozen homes, with no compensation, so the US military could use them. “One family in particular, a woman with two small girls, very elderly man, and two middle-aged men— we dragged them from their houses and threw them onto the street, and arrested the men because they refused to leave.” Since he left, he has been plagued by guilt “anytime I see a mother with her children, like the one who cried hysterically and screamed that we were worse than Saddam as we forced her from her home, …anytime I see a young girl like the one I grabbed by the arm and dragged into the street.” Prysner also describes the physical abuse of a wounded prisoner, with a sandbag over his head and his hands tied behind his back. “We were told we were ﬁghting terrorists; the real terrorist was me, and the real terrorism is this occupation.” Prysner also accompanied British MP George Galloway on his international march to break the siege of the Gaza strip to get aid to the war-ravaged population. He joins us at “Operation Blackout” to share his experiences ﬁghting in – and now against – the Iraq war.

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

16 | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Arts & Entertainment Making Your Head Hurt Is Fun with Kalimaat By Erum Ikramullah

Muslim Link Contributing Writer Most of us are familiar with Baba Ali. We’ve watched his videos on Ummahfilms.com or Youtube or we’ve seen him live at a fundraiser or conference. We’ve laughed, sometimes almost so much that we’ve cried, while listening to Baba Ali’s comedic style of relating everyday experiences in the lives of American Muslims, while also imparting important moral lessons. What you might not know is that Baba Ali’s talents expand beyond comedy. In 2004, Baba Ali, whose real name is Ali Ardekani, released his first board game called “Mecca to Medina”. Last year he came up with a totally different game concept and released the “wacky word game” known as “Kalimaat”. Kalimaat, which means “words” in Arabic, is a word-guessing and memory game. In the game, there are two teams each composed of two players. In the first round, each team designates a cluegiver and a guesser. The clue-giver picks up a card listing ten words and has

gets one point. After the 30 seconds, the opposing team has a chance to recall any words not mentioned. After each team has done one round of clue-giving and guessing, the team players switch roles for the next round. The game continues in this fashion until either team reaches 15 points. The game sounds simple enough, right? WRONG! I played the game with several relatives and found it to be both fun and challenging. The words listed on the cards are fairly simple, including “DVD”, “entrance”, and “InshaAllah”. So, giving clues and guessing the words is not the most difﬁcult part of the game; rather, having to remember all of the words that one guesses correctly is quite a challenge. After playing the game, one participant exclaimed, “My head hurts!” I played with relatives ranging from ages 7 to 50 and all agreed it was quite a mental task. From my experience playing the game, I identiﬁed a couple of drawbacks. First, there is an option to use a deck of cards in which each card contains a “cultural”

While offering a good time to those who play, Kalimaat also provides mental stimulation and a chance to sharpen one’s short-term memory skills. one minute to give clues to his teammate who try and guess the words. When the guesser ﬁgures out a word, he does not say it out loud, rather, he remembers it in his mind. Once the one-minute time is up, the guesser has 30 seconds to call out all of the words he can remember. For each word he gets correct, the team

word from a Muslim country (the other deck of cards includes Islamic words). This could be problematic if one or both players are unfamiliar with that culture. Because you have the option not to choose those cards and only use the cards with “Islamic” words, this should not be a big problem. The second

drawback we noticed is that the game is made for exactly four players – no more and no less. This is a bit too restricitive. Because the game moves quickly and is relatively short (ends at 15 points), we came up with a solution in the case of too many players. I found that playing in a sort of tournament style would work best. So, if there are three teams of twoplayers, two teams would play ﬁrst and the winning team would keep playing until one of the other teams wins. . Despite these minor drawbacks, the game received positive reviews from all who played. Playing the game is a great way to bring relatives and friends of all ages together for some fun, quality time. In many instances, watching how others try various techniques to focus on memorizing their words or how others sigh and exclaim when the mental challenge becomes just

too much will cause lots of laughter and memories for the players. While offering a good time to those who play, Kalimaat also provides mental stimulation and a chance to sharpen one’s short-term memory skills. To all the huffazh and hifzh students, don’t assume this game will be a breeze for you – it was still quite a challenge for players with a lot of Qur’an memorized! Kalimaat is simple with not too many pieces or a board or too many rules. It’s a straightforward game that moves quickly allowing for a good time, whether you want to play for 10 minutes or 2 hours. Kalimaat is available online at www. babaaligames.com for $25.00. You can also purchase it at www.islamicbookstore. com.

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010 PROPHET >> continued from pg 11 who used me to save him from the Fire.” Then he turned to his Companions and said: “Hold the funeral prayer for your brother.” We should learn from this incidence how the Prophet (peace be upon him) conducted himself with people of different faiths. It is signiﬁcant that he chose a Jewish boy to be his personal servant. How many Companions must have longed for the honor of that position? How many Muslims would have been overjoyed to have their sons serve the Prophet? Nevertheless, the Prophet (peace be upon him) gave the job to a Jewish boy. This shows us that we should have

BELIEFS >> continued from pg 11 ﬁnd an absence of religion, nor that they were seeking something impossible. It simply shows us that the comprehension of the greatest of all realities is something that cannot take place within a single historical era.” He then goes on to present the opinions of various researchers regarding the origins of religious belief. Among those researchers are those who argue that the reason religious beliefs came about was on account of people’s weakness before the forces of nature. Other researchers focus on totems, arguing that some tribes would take an animal as a totem, claiming that it the father of their tribe. Others might take a tree or a rock and treat it as something sacred. Unfortunately, these and many other theories proposed by researchers in the West have been circulated by other Muslim writers like Mustafâ Mahmûd and have been embraced by a number of Muslims studying in this ﬁeld. They have fallen into error for various reasons: 1. They assume that people were guided to religious belief on their own without someone to guide them and teach them. Anyone who holds this assumption

a balanced, amicable, and normal attitude in our dealings with people of different religions, whatever they be Jews, Christians, or others. There was no tension or estrangement in the Prophet’s dealings with non-Muslims. Our Prophet (peace be upon him), when he came upon a mixed group of people, Muslims, Jews, and pagans, he would sit with them, speak with them, and call them to Islam. He would part company with them as amicably as he came. He would visit with non-Muslims in their homes. He accepted their invitations and opened his home to them. As we have seen, he even hired a non-Muslim to be his personal household servant.

This is a sign of strength, not of weakness. Mixing with others is the best way to make non-Muslims familiar with Islam and with the Muslims as people. It breaks down the barriers between people and creates opportunities for them to is forced to draw the conclusion that people’s concept of Allah developed in the same way that their scientiﬁc and technical knowledge developed. 2. When they researched into early religions, they found only those deviant and corrupted faiths and made those religions their focus of study. How could they arrive at the truth when all they were looking at were essentially examples of deviations from the true religion. The Qur’ân is the Only Source that Accurately Explains the Origins of Religious Belief There is no book on Earth that accurately describes the origins of religion besides Allah’s Book. The Qur’an provides us with an abundance of information on the topic. There are many reasons why we cannot hope to acquire accurate knowledge on this matter from any other source. 1. We know little about human history more than ﬁve thousand years ago. We know far less about what took place when we go back ten thousand years. Going back even further, our historical knowledge quickly drops to nothing. Therefore most of the information about the origin of religions is lost to us.

CONTINUED | 17 learn about Islam properly.

any prisoners of war we might capture.

This is why the boy accepted the Prophet’s suggestion to embrace Islam. He knew about Islam. He knew how the Prophet (peace be upon him) conducted himself. He saw his honesty and integrity. His close acquaintance with the Prophet is what made him realize that Muhammad was indeed God’s Messenger. This is why it was so easy for him to make such a momentous change in the arduous ﬁnal moments of his life.

When the funeral procession of a Jewish man passed by where the Prophet (peace be upon him) had been seated, he stood up in respect. When asked about why he stood, the Prophet (peace be upon him) replied: “Is he not a human being.”

We should observe in this incident the humanity that Muslims are supposed to exhibit in their dealings with nonMuslims. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was sent as “a mercy for all the worlds.” We are commanded to visit them when they are ill. In times of war, when we are being attacked by a non-Muslim aggressor, we are commanded in the Qur’an to bring food and provisions to 2. The facts that people have inherited from the past have been mixed with a lot of falsehood, submerged in oceans of forgery, additions, and alterations. We can see this clearly in that attempting to write a wholly accurate historical account of a person or a group of people of our present times is one of the most difficult of tasks. How much more difficult is it to try and deal with a topic that stretches back to the dawn of human history? 3. An important aspect of the history of religious belief is that it is not of Earthly origin. Its domain is with Allah. Therefore, the one who can give us an accurate account of this history without any doubt is Allah. “Nothing on Earth or in the heavens is hidden from Allah.” [Surah Al Ìmrân: 5] The Qur’âns Account: Allah teaches us that He created Adam as an independent and complete creation and then breathed in him of His spirit and made him to live in Paradise. Allah permitted him and his wife to eat of whatever they like except the fruit of one tree. Then Satan, their avowed enemy deceived them and convinced them to eat from that tree. In obeying their enemy, they disobeyed their Lord. Allah sent them out Paradise to the Earth. Before doing so, Allah promised them that he would send down to Adam and to

When the Prophet visited the boy at his home, he was not paying a visit to a prominent non-Muslim leader or ofﬁcial. The boy was just a servant. The Prophet (peace be upon him) valued him as a human being. These were the traits that the Companions and Successors learned from the Prophet (peace be upon him), and it was due to these noble qualities that so many hearts were won to Islam. Source: http://en.islamtoday.net/ artshow-434-3442.htm his progeny guidance from Himself, so that they would know their Lord, know the Law, and know what is expected of them. Allah also promised that those on Earth who respond favorably to His guidance will be guided and will attain everlasting felicity in the Hereafter. Likewise, he forewarned those who would be haughty and disobey that theirs would be wretchedness on Earth and disgrace in the Hereafter. Allah says: “We said: Go forth from this (state) all; so surely there will come to you a guidance from Me, then whoever follows My guidance, no fear shall come upon them, nor shall they grieve. And (as to) those who disbelieve in and reject My communications, they are the inmates of the ﬁre, in it they shall abide.” [Sûrah alBaqarah: 38-39] Allah also says: “He said: Go down hence, both of you, one of you a foe unto the other. But when there come unto you from Me a guidance, then whoever follows My guidance, he will not go astray nor come to grief. But he who turns away from remembrance of Me, his will be a narrow life, and I shall bring him blind to the assembly on the Day of

>> BELIEFS II Pg 20

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

18 | CIVIL RIGHTS

Civil Rights

Terrorism Law, the New McCarthyism Monday 22 February 2010 By Stephen Rohd The LA Daily Journal Tomorrow, the US Supreme Court will hear oral argument in the first encounter with the free speech and association rights of American citizens in the context of terrorism since the 9/11 attacks, and in the first test of the constitutionality of a provision of the USA Patriot Act. The “Material Support” law takes a sweeping approach to its ban on aid to terrorist groups, prohibiting the provision of cash, weapons and the like, as well as four more ambiguous categories “training,” “personnel,” “expert advice or assistance” and “service.” Opponents of the law say that when it comes to providing lawful legal advice or training in nonviolence, the law is nothing more than “guilt by association,” reminiscent of the witch hunts of McCarthyism. These are no paranoid fears. “Congress wants these organizations to be radioactive,” Douglas N. Letter, a Justice Department lawyer, said in a 2007 appeals court argument in the case, referring to the dozens of groups that have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the State Department. Letter admitted that it would be a crime for a lawyer to file a friend-of-thecourt brief on behalf of a designated organization or “to be assisting terrorist organizations in making presentations to the U.N., to television, [or] to a newspaper.” The Humanitarian Law Project, a nonprofit group that has a long history of mediating international conflicts and promoting human rights, brought the case in 1998. Two years earlier, passage of the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) had made it a crime to provide “material support” to groups the State Department had designated as “foreign terrorist organizations.”

dubious repression of dissent disrupted lives and disrupted political discourse.” Professor Davis refused to cooperate with the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1954, and was dismissed from his position at the University of Michigan. Unable to ﬁnd work in the United States, he moved to Canada. In 1991, the University of Michigan

The definition of material support included “training” and “personnel.” Later versions of the law, including amendments in the USA Patriot Act, added “expert advice or assistance” and “service.” service and certain types of expert advice were unconstitutionally vague, but upheld the bans on personnel and expert advice derived from scientific or technical knowledge. Both sides appealed to the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the consolidated cases in October. The cases are Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project, No. 08-1498, and Humanitarian Law Project v. Holder, No. 09-89. David D. Cole, a lawyer with the Center for Constitutional Rights, which represents the challengers, is arguing that the case concerns speech protected by the First Amendment “promoting lawful, nonviolent activities,” including “human rights advocacy and peacemaking.” A number of victims of McCarthy-era persecution filed a friend-of-the-court brief urging the Supreme Court to remember the lessons of history. “I signed the brief,” said Chandler Davis, an emeritus professor of mathematics at the University of Toronto, “because I can testify to the way in which the

established an annual lecture series on academic freedom in honor of Professor Davis and others it had mistreated in the McCarthy era. The material support law authorizes the secretary of state to designate “foreign terrorist organizations,” and makes it a crime to provide certain statutorily deﬁned “material support” for even the nonviolent and humanitarian activities of such groups. Similar to the Smith Act and federal executive orders in the 1940s and ‘50s, the law grants the executive branch unreviewable discretion to designate groups as “terrorist” and creates vague bans on providing “expert advice or assistance,” “training,” “service” or “personnel” to designated groups. It threatens, once again unconstitutionally, to interfere with the rights of free speech and association. The AEDPA’s vague ban on “assistance” and “advice” is essentially no different from the McCarthy-era attempt to root out association with and advocacy for groups unpopular with the government.

Starting in the 1930s, and through the 1960s, Congress and the executive branch identiﬁed organizations - the Communist Party and groups with ties to the Communist Party - as using illegal means, including terrorism, with the aim of overthrowing the US government by force and violence. The Smith Act and the Subversive Activities Control Act made it a crime to associate with these designated groups or to speak in support of these groups. These were crimes regardless of whether or not that speech or association supported or furthered the groups’ unlawful activities. Our society now recognizes that the McCarthy era was a shameful episode in American history, characterized by widespread abuses of executive and legislative power, fueled by demagoguery and overzealous government action, ultimately encompassing “loyalty” investigations of over four million American citizens. See, e.g., Ellen Schrecker, “Many Are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America” (1998), at x (the McCarthy era is “the most widespread and longest lasting period of political repression in American history.”). While few individuals were ultimately prosecuted under the McCarthy-era laws, thousands were persecuted. Among the latter, larger group were Amici and their relatives, none of whom intended to or actually did engage in violence against this country. Nonetheless, they were investigated, libeled, terminated from and unable to secure employment, blacklisted, prosecuted and imprisoned. One of the key lessons from this era is that when the federal government fans the ﬂames of public passion by enacting overreaching criminal statutes, staging Congressional hearings and investigating the loyalty of millions of American >> TERRORISM Pg 20

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

CIVIL RIGHTS | 19

Supreme Court Examines Limits Of Material Support By NINA TOTENBERG NPR – 2/23/2010 At the U.S. Supreme Court, it is rare that conservative and liberal justices team up to bludgeon lawyers for both sides with equal ferocity. But that is what the justices did on Tuesday. Before the court was a provision of the Patriot Act making it a crime to provide material support to any organization designated a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department. The definition of material support includes not just providing weapons, or cash, or bombmaking skills. It includes providing any sort of personnel, expert advice, or training — including advice on how to resolve disputes peaceably or training on how to make human rights claims before the U.N. The nonprofit Humanitarian Law Project has a long history of mediating international conflicts and training foreign groups like the Kurdish minority in Turkey in how to present their human rights grievances to the U.N. for resolution. But many Kurds are members of the Kurdistan Workers Party, known as the PKK, and the U.S. State Department has designated the PKK a terrorist group. So the Humanitarian Law Project stopped its activities for fear it could be prosecuted. Instead, it challenged the material support law as applied to advocacy of peaceful, lawful activity. I think it’s very unrealistic to compare these terrorist organizations with the Communist Party. Those cases involved philosophy. I don’t think any of these terrorist organizations represent such a philosophical organization. - Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia On the steps of the Supreme Court on Tuesday, its president, Ralph Fertig, said he “was afraid” that his advocacy for the Kurds, even though it was for a nonviolent resolution “could be interpreted as material assistance and that therefore I would be subject to arrest and conviction under the law,” and a penalty of 15 years in prison. Inside the Supreme Court, Georgetown law professor David Cole, representing

Fertig, told the justices that persuading foreign groups, and training them to resolve their conﬂicts peaceably and lawfully, cannot be a crime under the U.S. Constitution. Justice John Paul Stevens seemed to question that: “Don’t you agree that

difﬁcult case for me.” Suppose, he said, “the speech is tantamount to material support in that it legitimizes, encourages, or strengthens the organization.” Cole replied that more than a halfcentury ago, the Supreme Court held that membership and advocacy in the

I think it’s very unrealistic to compare these terrorist organizations with the Communist Party. Those cases involved philosophy. I don’t think any of these terrorist organizations represent such a philosophical organization. - Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia some of that speech can be regulated?” he asked. No, replied Cole. Advocating only lawful, peaceable activities is “core political speech” protected by the Constitution. Justice Anthony Kennedy asked about charitable contributions: “What about giving tsunami aid to one of these organizations?” “Money is different,” Cole said. “It’s conduct, not speech.”

Communist Party could not be a crime by itself. And that similarly peaceful advocacy for the Kurds, even for the PKK, cannot be a crime. Justice Scalia disagreed. “I think it’s very unrealistic to compare these terrorist organizations with the Communist Party,” he said. “Those cases involved philosophy. I don’t think any of these terrorist organizations represent such a philosophical organization.” Not so, responded Cole. Congress’s

Under the government’s deﬁnition, teaching these members to play the harmonica would be unlawful. – Justice Sonia Sotomayor

Justice Antonin Scalia noted that Cole’s clients are free to say anything they want; they just can’t say it in conjunction with a group designated as a terrorist organization. Cole responded that under that theory, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post could all be prosecuted for accepting, editing and publishing op-ed pieces written by Hamas leaders. Justice Kennedy conceded that “this is a

ﬁndings were not that the Communist Party “was a philosophical debating society, but that it was an international criminal conspiracy directed by our enemy to overthrow us.” Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg asked what the difference is between the PKK and al-Qaida or the Taliban. We are at war with al-Qaida and the Taliban, Cole said. Congress designated these organizations as our enemy after the Sept. 11 attacks. But we are not at war with the PKK. The PKK’s beef is

with the government of Turkey. Under the government’s deﬁnition, teaching these members to play the harmonica would be unlawful. – Justice Sonia Sotomayor Defending the material support statute on behalf of the U.S. government, Solicitor General Elena Kagan said the law is “a vital weapon in the nation’s continuing struggle against international terrorism.” Justice Sonia Sotomayor asked, “What in this statute could justify Congress from barring individuals to petition peacefully to world agencies or even U.S. agencies?” Kagan replied that individuals like Fertig can petition for themselves, but they cannot do it in conjunction with a group designated as a terrorist organization. Justice Ginsburg interjected: “You say they could meet and communicate with these groups, but they can’t communicate advice on how to pursue their goals through lawful means?” Responded Kagan: “Exactly right.” Justice Kennedy pursued the point: So you can persuade an organization to lay down its arms, “but you can’t tell them, here’s how to do it?” No, said Kagan, because “you’ve given them an extremely valuable skill.” Justice Kennedy then turned to an argument the government made in the lower courts. “Do you stick with the argument that ﬁling a friend of the court brief” in this country on behalf of the PKK would be a violation of the law? “Yes,” said Kagan. “That would be an illegal service.” Justice Stephen Breyer seemed incredulous: “You’re saying a group abroad that may have some American citizens in it can’t hire a lawyer” to

>> EXAMINES Pg 20

20 | CONTINUED BELIEFS II >> continued from pg 17 Resurrection. He will say: My Lord! Why have You gathered me (hither) blind, when I had sight? He will say: So (it must be). Our revelations came unto you but you did forget them. In like manner you are forgotten this Day.” [Sûrah TâHâ: 123-126] The First Generations Were upon Monotheism After Adam and Eve came to the Earth, they and their progeny were upon pure monotheism.

TERRORISM >> continued from pg 18 citizens, it implicitly condones and sanctions retributions against individuals, such as Amici. Eventually, our society and this court understood that these consequences were unacceptable. We should not make these mistakes again. It is against this background that this

EXAMINES >> continued from pg 19 ﬁle briefs in the U.S. on behalf of the group? Kagan tried to dodge the question, but ended up saying, essentially, “yes.” Justice Ginsburg followed up: “All the group wants to do is support lawful SUICIDE >> continued from pg 10

that will offer little protection. According to information sent to me, nine of the houses will be seaward of the Coastal Construction Control line. Apparently this was a result of the developer being represented by a former county attorney, who convinced the commissioners to allow the developer

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010 Allah says: “Humanity had been a single community, and Allah sent (unto them) Prophets as bearers of good tidings and as warners, and revealed therewith the Scripture with the truth that it might judge between people concerning that wherein they differed.” [Sûrah al-Baqarah: 123] When Allah says that humanity “had been a single community”, He is referring to a community of faith. All people were upon monotheism and the religion of truth. Abû Umâmah relates that once, a man asked Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and asked him: “Had Adam been a Prophet?”

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) answered: “Yes.” The man asked: “How much time passed between him and Noah?” Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) replied: “Ten centuries” [Sahîh Ibn Hibbân (6190). Mu`jam alTabarânî al-Kabîr (8/188-119 #7545). Mustadrak al-Hâkim (3093). Al-Hâkim says: “This hadîth is authentic according to the conditions set forth by Muslim.” Sheikh Muhammad Asad al-Dârânî says: “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” – marginal notes to Sahîh Ibn Hibbân (14/69)] Ibn `Abbâs said: “between Adam and Noah were ten centuries, all of which were upon Islam.” [Tafsîr al-Tabarî

(2/335-336)] If we assume that the century being referred to here is one hundred years, then we are dealing with at least 1000 years. It might even have been longer, since Ibn `Abbâs speciﬁes the meaning to be ten centuries “upon Islam”. There might have been more centuries wherein deviation had occurred. It is also possible that the Arabic word qarn that means “century” is being used here in this hadîth to mean “generation”. The word appears with this meaning in the Qur’ân. Source: http://en.islamtoday. net/artshow-262-3164.htm

court issued the decisions that are the controlling law that governs this case. In a series of landmark First Amendment decisions, this court struck down these statutes, restored freedom of speech and halted guilt by association. This court concluded that the Congressional and executive branch excesses were unconstitutional. The court held that punishing speech without showing incitement to crime and punishing association without showing speciﬁc intent to further illegal ends penalizes

These principles are equally applicable today, where the federal government (once again) has designated certain organizations as proscribed and purports to make it a crime to speak for or otherwise associate with such organizations. Now, when, once again, our safety and security have been threatened, this court should reafﬁrm the rights to free speech and association.

activity, but it can’t do that?”

afterward could be providing a service.

“You can’t provide material support, whether tangible or intangible,” replied Kagan.

All such activity is conduct, said Kagan, not speech. The words of the statute make clear what is legal and what is not.

Justice Samuel Alito asked several questions indicating skepticism about the government’s argument. “How can you argue that training and providing advice is not speech?” he inquired. At another point, he said that simply setting up the chairs at a meeting or cleaning up

Chief Justice John Roberts seemed skeptical: “I’m not sure that’s right. I mean, expert advice or assistance. I don’t know sitting here that I could tell you how to advocate for peaceful resolution, or whatever. Is that expert advice?”

to plan on the basis of the 1996 FEMA ﬂood plain maps instead of using the current 2007 maps. Since 1996 there have been a number of hurricanes, such as Dennis and Ivan, and the set back line has moved inward.

natural dunes could result in a breach through which storm surge can damage nearby properties. Instead of protecting people, government is allowing a developer to impose costs of his project on others.

public, thus creating a legally privileged class.

When state and local governments allow developers to set aside the rules governing ﬂood-plain development, they create insurance losses that drive up the insurance premiums for everyone in the community. The disturbance of the

Joseph Stack, Terry Hoskins, and 79 percent of the American population came to the realization that government does not represent them. Government represents monied interests for whom it bends the rules designed to protect the

This is what we call “freedom and democracy.”

innocents and chills the political freedoms at the very core of our democracy.

Stephen Rohde, a constitutional lawyer, was co-counsel with Arnold & Porter on the amicus brief ﬁled by victims of McCarthyism in Humanitarian Law Project v. Holder. © 2010 Daily Journal Corporation. All rights reserved. All republished content that appears on Truthout has been obtained by permission or license.

Justice Sotomayor opined that “under the government’s deﬁnition, teaching these members to play the harmonica would be unlawful.” To which Justice Scalia replied with an acidic puckishness: “Well, (Sept. 11 attacker) Mohamed Atta and his harmonica quartet might tour the country and make a lot of money.” [Source: NPR.org]

In contrast, as at the West end of Inlet Beach, ordinary citizens are being driven into the ground.

The writer was the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under the Reagan administration.

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

Request For Dua’s

OBITS & EVENTS | 21

Upcoming Events In Your Area

{ To Allah We B e l o n g , a n d t o H i m i s O u r R e t u r n }

“Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and good, and to Us you will be returned.” (Surah Al-Anbiya:35)” 2-5-10 Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon. The salaatul janaazah for our brother Abdul-Qayyum, resident of Woodbridge, VA, was held at at DarAlnoor Islamic Community Center in Manassas. VA. May Allah(swt) grant him a place among His slaves in Paradise and may Allah(swt) grant sabr for the family and freinds. Amin. (Source: Mohammad Mehboob) 2-6-10 Br. Mohammed Abudeyah passed away early in the morning in his house in Falls Church, VA. The board of directors, imam, executive director and the staff of Dar Al Hijrah and the Muslim community in Northern Virginia extend its deepest condolences to his wife, our sister Umm Abdulrahman Abudeyah, and her children for the death of our brother. May Allah grant him Jannah, and give the family patience. The janaazah was held at Dar Al Hijrah. (Source: Zuhair Shaath ) 2-10-10 Br. Choudhry Muhammed Anwar passed away in Multan, Pakistan due to a severe heart attack. He was the uncle of Br. Tauqeer Aslam, a resident of Gaithersburg, MD. Please make dua for the deceased. May Allah forgive his sins and enter him into Jannat-ul Firdaus. Aameen. (Source: ICM) 2-10-10 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Sis. Pyari Begum, the mother of Dr. Mohammed Aijaz. The janaazah was offered at ISB, followed by the burial service at King Memorial Park in Baltimore, MD. May Allah (SWT) forgive her sins, give her family patience, and enter her into Jannat-ul Firdaus. (Source: ISB) 2-11-10 The mother in-law’s aunt of Khaja Tanweer Ahmed has passed away. Her salaat-ul janaazah was held at ISB. Also, a very close family friend passed away in Chicago. Please make du’a for both of them and for all Muslims, for Allah to have mercy on them in the grave and on the Day of Judgement. 2-17-10 Brother Zia Rahman Ahmed passed away. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon. He was the father of Atiq Ahmed of Potomac Maryland and Laeeq Ahmed of Calabassas, California. May Allah forgive his sins and enter him into Jannat-ul Firdaus. Aameen. Salaat-ul-janaazah was held at the Islamic Center of Maryland , and he was buried at George Washington Cemetery in Adelphi, MD. (Source: ICM) 2-21-10 We are grieved to announce the passing of the father-in-law of our Br. Moin Khan, grandfather of Danish, Samir and Maher Khan. The janaazah prayer was offered at Dar-Unoor Islamic Community Center in Manassas, VA. He was buried in the Muslim Cemetery in Stafford County, VA. May Allah (SWT) shower His Mercy on him, accept his good deeds, and take him to al-Firdaus. We ask Him (SWT) to give patience to his family. (Source: PGMA) 2-22-10 With heavy heart we announce that Br. Mohammed Abdul Mannan, the father Br. Arif Mannan and father-in-law of Br. Mushtaq Salahuddin, passed away. We express our condolence and pray that Allah shower His mercy on him. May Allah also give patience to his family in this trying time. The janaazah was held at Dar Al Taqwa. (Source: Dar Al-Taqwah)

H1N1 Vaccine Clinic Feb. 19 2010 5:00pmp to 9:00 pm

The Fairfax County Department of Health will conduct a clinic to make the H1N1 (swine ﬂu) vaccine available to everyone on a walk-in basis for FREE to anyone who wants it as a service to the community. You do not need to bring any paperwork with you. Location: Dar al Hijrah, 3159 Rowe St, Falls Church, VA 22044 Contact: http://www.vdh.state.va.us.

PMP Certiﬁcation 4-Day Training Feb. 20-21 2010 9:30 am to 5:30 pm

This interactive training/coaching class is more than just exam preparation: Full PMBOK topics, practice problems, mini quizes, group activities, practical case studies, application of the PMBOK. Course cost includes workbooks, study materials, etc. Lunch and refreshments included. Mention code TML010 and get $100 off, plus we will donate another $100 to The Muslim Link Location: Laurel, MD. Contact: For details, info@intercontinentalnetworks.com or http://anassar-pmpfeb-2010.eventbrite.com/

Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement Feb. 27 2010 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

MAS Youth of DC invites you to “The Legacy of the Civil Rights Movement: Marching Toward Justice”. Join us as we discuss major events that set the path for the Movement, events that transformed the Movement, and lessons that we can carry forth as we continue struggling for social justice in our world today. We will be viewing clips of actual footage from the Civil Rights Movement, discussing events around it and listening to personal experiences of our own community members. Open to individuals 13 years and above. Event is free; RSVP at youth@masdc.org. Location: MAS Community Center, 6408 Edsall Rd., Alexandria, VA Contact: youth@masdc.org or 703-531-2908

Film Screening: “Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think” Feb. 28 2010 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) will co-host with 20,000 Dialogues a screening and interfaith dialogue about a new film on global Muslim public opinion. The new documentary by Unity Productions Foundation, provides an eye-opening view of global Muslim opinions on hot topics like terrorism, democracy, women and the West based on the findings of the Gallup Organization s first-of-its-kind opinion poll of the entire Muslim world. Location: Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5533 16th St. N, Arlington, VA. Contact: Aseel Elborno, E-Mail: aelborno@cair.com, or 919-696-7796

Inaugural Al-Alwani Lecture Mar. 11 2010 7:30 pm

You are cordially invited to the Washington Theological Consortium presentation of the Inaugural Al-Alwani Lecture in Honor of Dr. Taha Jabir Al-Alwani. We intend to present “Washington as a Site for Muslim - Christian Encounter”, and “Two Generations of Islamic Scholarship for Inter-religious Understanding”. Guest speakers are: Rev. Richard J. Jones, Al-Alwani Chair in Muslim - Christian Studies at the Washington Theological Consortium, and Dr. Zainab Alwani, Adjunct Professor of Islamic Studies, Wesley Theological Seminary. Please R.S.V.P. the Consortium ofﬁce. All are welcome. Location: Virginia Theological Seminary, Lettie Pate Evans Auditorium, 3737 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304 Contact: 202-832-2675 or wtc@washtheocon.org

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

22 | SALAAH TIMES Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan

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

Ofﬁce Manager : Jann McClary News Desk: Rashad Mulla

---Hadith in Sahih al Bukhari and Muslim

Layout & Design: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Farkhunda Ali Farha Marfani Rashad Mulla Sharia Advisors: Sheikh Salah as-Sawi Imam Safi Khan The Muslim Link (TML) is published on the first Friday of every Islamic month (Hijri calendar) 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-us-Salaam 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.

Salaah times for February 26th - March 11th, 2010 Day Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

Date 26 27 28 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Hijri 12/3 13/3 14/3 15/3 16/3 17/3 18/3 19/3 20/3 21/3 22/3 23/3 24/3 25/3

Sunrise 6:45 6:43 6:41 6:40 6:38 6:37 6:37 6:35 6:32 6:31 6:29 6:28 6:26 6:25

Dhuhr 12:21 12:21 12:21 12:21 12:20 12:20 12:20 12:20 12:19 12:19 12:19 12:19 12:18 12:18

Asr 3:29 3:30 3:31 3:31 3:32 3:33 3:33 3:33 3:35 3:35 3:36 3:36 3:37 3:38

Maghrib 5:57 5:59 6:00 6:01 6:02 6:03 6:03 6:04 6:06 6:07 6:08 6:09 6:10 6:11

Isha 7:10 7:12 7:13 7:14 7:15 7:16 7:16 7:17 7:19 7:21 7:22 7:23 7:24 7:25

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TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

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STAFF WRITERS WANTED

The Muslim Link newspaper is looking for full and part-time candidates to ﬁll upcoming staff writer positions. The ideal candidates are committed Muslims who have a penchant for good writing, are involved in community work, have a strong work ethic, and believe in establishing Muslim media. To join our team and start on a job which offers ground breaking opportunities and excitement, send your resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to the editor.

Start your involvement in Muslim media today! Email editor@muslimlinkpaper.com.

24 | MP - Professional Services/Travel/Restaurants

Now serving Frederick, Hagerstown and Eastern Shore, MD

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

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For all your Personal, Business, Tax, & Financial needs �� College Park Location: 4920 Niagara Road, Suite 216 College Park, Maryland 20740 Tel: (301) 345-5727 Fax: (301) 3t45-5525 Email: eidcpa@comcast.net Website: www.eidcpa.com

Columbia Location: * 6108 Morning Calm Way Columbia, MD 21045 Tel/Fax: (410) 799-8393 *Evening and weekend appointments available

MP - Accounting & Sevices | 25

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

26 | MP - Classified Ads

Place a personal classified ad. Call us at 301-982-1020 $1 per 3 words. You may place a classified on muslimlinkpaper.com free of charge. All classifieds run 3 months in the marketplace section. To place a classified, email office@muslimlinkpaper.com with the exact text of the classified, and send a check or money order payable to the Muslim Link to: The Muslim Link, 5301 Edgewood Rd, College Park MD 20740.

CHILDCARE EXCHANGE BABYSITTING IN MY HOME I am a licensed childcare provider available to babysit at my Silver Spring home. Children age 1 and up. Snacks provided. Overnights available. Can teach Qur’an and Arabic. For information. 301-593-4769. -----------------------------------------------LICENSED BABYSITTER For infant - 10 yrs. In my home in Annandale, VA. Flexible hours. 15 years experience. Call 703-256-1175, or 571308-4295. -----------------------------------------------LIVE-IN NANNY Need a live in nanny for 15 month girl. some light house work. Please contact 443 708 5183.

EMPLOYMENT SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE Great communications $. Typing skills needed to work on behalf of a company. This service representative will earn up to $2000 monthly. Any job experience needed. Email to representative1000@gmail.com -----------------------------------------------DOMESTIC HELP NEEDED Experienced house keeper and cook.

Live in McLean, VA. Tuesday-Saturday with ﬂexibility. Energetic, trustworthy, and gentle person with recent references. English-speaking preferred. Driving a plus. Starting salary from $350-400 a week. Call 703-851-7979 -----------------------------------------------HOME HELP AVAILABLE Helping hand/companion seeking work. Dependable, have own transportation. Part-time days or weekends in your home. Contact 202-450-4144

MATRIMONIAL WANT TO CORRESPOND Incarcerated Sunni Muslim, 49, looking for devoted Muslima for correspondence/ marriage. Please contact “Abdul Malik” Rudolph Barbot, #05A2129, Eastern NY Correctional facility, P O Box 338, Napanoch, NY 12458-0338 -----------------------------------------------SEEKING SALAFI SISTER Incarcerated Salaﬁ Muslim (28) in search of Sunni/Salaﬁ sister for marriage with good family values. Contact Tavon Sands, #310580, N.B.C.I. McMullen Hwy, S.W., Cumberland, MD 21502 -----------------------------------------------RARE BELIEVER WANTING RELIGIOUS WIFE Hello. How are you? I feel great because I’m reading Islamic books. After 21 months of my release, I plan to

continue to live a fully Islamic life. I was wondering if you have time to connect with someone wonderful. Think about it and when it’s appropriate send me a letter. Perry McDonald, #240535, RMSI Unit 6-B-204, 7475 Cockrill Bend Blvd, Nashville, TN 37209-1048 -----------------------------------------------BROTHER SEEKING WIFE Gentleman, 57, from Iran, no children. Non-smoker, taxi driver. Seeking Muslim lady for marriage. For more information call Ali from 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week. 202-669-5699.

MISCELLANEOUS LOOKING TO CONNECT Correctional inmate, Afro-American, physically ﬁt, 50, 5’10”, 200 lbs, who believes in Free Thinking, Harmony, Peace and Balance, with balance being a priority. Seeking anyone who can imagine how it feels to be loney. Age, race, unimportant. Lonliness is! LaVonn Macon, #108634, P O Box 900, Portage, WI 53901

RENTAL Room for rent in College Park close to Al Huda, University of MD, close to Greenbelt Metro. Call 240-271-9552 or qureshimahboob@hotmail.com

SERVICES LOVING HOME CARE ELDER CARE/ NANNY SERVICE At Loving Home Care we provide care you can trust and afford all from the comfort of your home! Our services are for seniors and loved ones needing assistance with activities of daily living. We also provide Mother’s Helpers for that mother in need. Companionship, Hygiene Care, Meal Preparation, Errands, Grocery, Light Housekeeping, Grooming, Dressing, Medication Reminders, Doctors Appointments. *Low Rates* *No Deposit* *Bonded & Insured* www.lovinghomecare.org FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION CALL: 301-490-1146 -----------------------------------------------HANDYMAN AVAILABLE Assalamu’alaykum! My name is Varga Syahroni. I am an experienced technician in D.C. and Maryland. I offer service and repair for cooling, heating, plumbing, refrigerator, dish washers, dryer machines and much more. Call me for reliable service! Free estimates (301) 792-1004 or email varga_syahroni@yahoo.com -----------------------------------------------Place a Classiﬁed ad Call 301-982-1020 or email us at ofﬁce@muslimlinkpaper.com

If you would like the Muslim Link to be available at your establishment give us a call.

301.982.1020

MP - Masjid Locator | 27

TML, Rabi Al-Awaal 1431 | February 26th - March 11th, 2010

M A S J I D LO C ATO R

ADAMS CENTER:

46903 Sugarland Rd, Sterling,VA 20164, Tel: 703-433-1325, www. adamscenter.org.

AVONDALE ISLAMIC CENTER: 4637 Eastern Ave., Hyattsville, MD, 20782, Tel: 301-779-9292.

BAITUL MUKARRAM: 2116 S Nelson St., Arlington, VA, 22204, Tel: 703-778-1550.

DAR AL HIJRAH:

3159 Rowe St., Falls Church, VA 22044, Tel: 703-536-1030, www.hijrah.org.

DAR AL-SALAAM:

15250 Dumfries Rd., Mannassas,VA 20112.

DAR AL-NOOR (MUSLIM ASSOC. OF VA):

5404 Hoadly Rd., Manassas, VA 20112, Tel: 703-580-0808, Fax: 703-2218513, www.daralnoor.org.

DAR AL-TAQWA:

10740 Rte. 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042, Tel: 410-997-5711, www.taqwa.net.

DAR UL ULOOM,

6334 Dogwoood Rd, Baltimore, MD 21207, 410-493-0785 Email:darululoommd@aol.com

DAR UL-GHURABA (Masjid ur Rahmah): 155 Baker St., Emporia, VA 23487, Tel. 434-348-786.

DAR-UL HUDA:

6666 Commerce St., Springﬁeld, VA 22150, Tel: 703-922-0111, www.darulhuda.org

DAR-US-SALAAM:

5301 Edgewood Rd. College Park, MD 20740, Tel: 301-982-9848, www.darussalaam.org.

FIRST HIJRA MUSLIM COMM. CENTER: 4324 Georgia Ave, NW Washington, DC 20011 www.ﬁrsthijrah.org.

Do you have additions, changes, or corrections to the event listings in the Muslim Link? Email us at events@muslimlinkpaper.com, or call us at 301-982-1020.

ICNA VA CENTER:

2913 Woodlawn Trail, Alexandria, VA 22306.

IDARA DAWAT-O-IRSHAD: 4803 Valley St, Alexandria, VA 22312 703-256-8622, www.irshad.org.

INDONESIAN MUSLIM ASSOC. IN AMERICA (IMAAM):

1611 Veirs Mill Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20851 Tel: 240-453-0808, e-mail: fkadir@imaamnet.org.

INST.OF ISLAMIC AND ARABIC SCIENCES IN AMERICA (IIASA): 8500 Hilltop Rd., Fairfax, VA 22031 Tel: 703-641-4890, www.iiasa.org

IRHSCA (ISLAMIC RESEARCH AND HUM. SERVICES CENTER OF AMERICA): Chambers Ave, Capitol Heights, MD Tel: 301-324-5040, www.irhsca.org.

ISLAMIC CENTER OF GREATER SOUTH EAST (FORMERLY MASJID ASHSHURA)

3109-B Martin Luther King Ave., S.E. Washington, DC 20032 202-506-7235

ISLAMIC CENTER OF MARYLAND (ICM): 19401 Woodﬁeld Rd. Gaithersburg,MD 20879 Tel:301-840-9440, www.icomd.org.

ISLAMIC CENTER OF NORTHERN VA TRUST (ICNVT): 4420 Shirley Gate Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030 Tel: 703-941-6558, E-mail: info@icnvt.org www.icnvt.org

ISLAMIC COM. CENTER OF LAUREL (ICCL): 7306 Contee Rd., Laurel, MD 20707 Tel: 301-317-4584, www.icclmd.org.

ISLAMIC FOUND. OF AMERICA (IFA):

6606 Electronic Dr., Springﬁeld, VA 22151 Tel: 703-914-4982, www.ifa.ws.

ISLAMIC HERITAGE CENTER (IHC): 262 A-3 Cedar Ln., Vienna, VA 22180 Tel: 703-206-9056.

ISLAMIC SOC. OF ANNAPOLIS (ISA):

2635 Riva RdSuite 110 Annapolis, MD 21401 Tel: 410-266-6660 www.islamannapolis.org, Email: info@islamannapolis.org

ISLAMIC SOC. OF FREDERICK (ISF): 1250 Key Parkway , Frederick,MD 21702 Tel: 301-682-6090, www.isfmd.org.

ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF GERMANTOWN (ISG):

MAKKAH LEARNING CENTER (MLC):

814 Brandy Farms Ln Gambrills, MD 21054 Tel: 410-721-5880 www.mlcmd. org, Email: info@mlcmd.org

MASJID AL-GHURABAA:

MASJID IBN TAYMIYYAH:

MASJID AL-HIKMAH:

MASJID ZAMZAM

8220 Washington St., South, Laurel, MD 20724. Tel: 301-604-3295.

11064 Livingston Road Unit L (101) Ft. Washington, MD 20744, Tel: 301 292-9009.

1510 Lynch Road, Dundalk, MD 21222 Phone: 410-284-2840

MEDINA CENTER: 9426 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda MD 20814 www.medinacenter.net

MASJID AL-ISLAM:

MUSLIM COM. CENTER (MCC):

514 Islamic Way (Wilson St. ), Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-728-1363.

MASJID AL-INSHIRAH:

ISLAMIC SOC. OF WESTERN MARYLAND:

8000 MLK Highway, Glenarden MD Tel: 301-461-9325.

MASJID UL-HAQ:

ISLAMIC SOC. OF SOUTHERN PG COUNTY (ISSPGC):

2701 Briggs Chaney Rd. Silver Spring, MD 20904 Tel: 301-879-0930, www.iswamd.org.

MASJID BAIT-ALLAH:

12950 Center Entrance Ct, Manassas, VA Tel: 703-257-5537.

4603 Benning Rd., SE, Washington, DC 20019 Tel: 202-581-1616, e-mail: imammusa@hotmail.com

ISLAMIC SOC. OF THE WASHINGTON AREA (ISWA):

1335 W. North Ave. Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-669-0655.

1910 Frederick Avenue (2 Floor) Baltimore, MD 21223 Tel: 443-224-4423, E-mail: info@masjidbaitallah.org. www.masjidbaitallah.org

MANASSAS MOSQUE:

19900 Brandermill Rd., Germantown, MD 20876 Tel: (301)-972-0504, www.isgtown.org.

P O Box 99, Clinton, MD 20735 5410 Indian Head Hwy, Oxon Hill, MD 20745 Tel: 240-253-4217

MASJID AS SAFFAT:

7832 Fairbrook Road , Windsor Mill, MD 21244 Tel: 410-298-2977, Fax: 410-2980266, www.al-inshirahweb.net.

MASJID AL-MUMINEEN: 2642 Harford Rd. Baltimore, MD 21218 Tel: 410-467-8798.

MASJID JAMAAT ALMUSLIMEEN: 4624 York Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212 Tel. 443-869-5233.

15200 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20904 Tel: 301-384-3454, www.mccmd.org.

MUSLIM SOC. OF WASHINGTON, D.C. (MSWDC):

Howard Center, Room 805 (Above HU Bookstore) Tel: 202-328-3236, www.mswdc.org.

MUSTAFA CENTER:

6844 Braddock Rd., Annandale, VA 22003.

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, imam@pgmamd.org.

2036 Day Rd., Hagerstown, MD 21740 Tel: 301-797-0922.

MASJID MUHAMMAD: 1519 4th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20001 Tel: 202-483-8832.

IVY CITY MASJID:

MASJID AL-NOOR:

SOUTHERN MARYLAND ISLAMIC CENTER(SMIC): 1046 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD, 20639. Tel: 410- 535-0000

MASJID AL-RAHMAH/ISB:

THE ISLAMIC CENTER: 2551 Mass. Ave. NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: 202-332-8343.

2001 Galludet St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 Tel: 202-529-3100.

LA PLATA MASJID: 111 Howard Street, La Plata, MD 20646 Tel: 301-609-8769.

10012 Harford Rd., Carney, MD 21234 Tel: 410-663-9637, Fax: 410-663-9817.

6631 Johnny Cake Rd. Baltimore, MD 21244 Tel: 410-747-4869, www.isb.org