The Muslim Link ~ July 4, 2008

UNBOUND

VIRGINIA Freeing a

Captive Audience

SATURDAY, 5

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JULY19, 2008

SAMI DAHR featuring AL-HAJJ JAMAIL MAHDI WAFA UNUS BRAY

See page 2 for details

Muharram . Safar . Rabi’ al-awwal . Rabi’ al-thani . Jumada Al-awwal . Jumada al-akhir . 01 RAJAB . Sha’aban . Ramadan . Shawwal . Dhu al-Qi’dah . Dhu al-Hijjah . 1429 A.H. FRIDAY, JULY 04, 2008

Activist DC Muslim Found Guilty of Concealing Identity

By Muhaafiz Khan Muslim Link Contributing Writer Last year, the Muslim Link printed an article a b o u t Darrick Jackson, b e t t e r known to the DC area Muslim community as Brother Abdul-Jaleel, who was tried in late November (The U.S. Government vs. Darrick M. Jackson, Sr.) for mistakenly leaving his non-legal Muslim name off of an

>> Guilty Pg 09

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

ABU ALI CONTINUES THE STRUGGLE FOR OUR RIGHTS

By Ali Sadiqi

Ahmed Abu Ali, a child of the community surrounding the street that bears Patrick Henry’s name, struggles today to uphold Henry’s other great contribution: The Bill of Rights.

Muslim Link Contributing Writer Respite will be granted until, when the Messengers give up hope and think that they were treated as liars There reaches them Our help, And those who We will are delivered into safety.

But never will be warded off Our punishment from those who are in sin.

Surah Yousuf, 12:110 There is a street close to Dar AlHijrah Masjid in Falls Church, Virginia. Everyone there knows the street; it is called Patrick Henry.

But many people don’t know the man for whom the street was named.

Patrick Henry was the first and sixth governor of the State of Virginia, and it was his speech to the House of

Ahmed Abu Ali Burgesses -- the legislature at that time -- that called Virginians to struggle for their freedom and civil rights.

His most famous words resound across time; a most compelling call to freedom. “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?

Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

Many readers may think they know the case of Ahmed. But few may truly understand that for which he is really striving. All of these court cases coming from our community are not simple criminal convictions involving only the individuals so indicted. They reach to the core of American values, American rights, American freedom. And they involve all of us!

Already Ahmed’s case has set binding precedents in the American court system. Decisions, such as that delivered recently by the Court

>> Struggle Pg 4

Only a Wall Separates Ashburn Muslims, Jews in Shared Building

By Wafa Unus Muslim Link Contributing Writer Syed Alam recognized the need in 2003.

Five years later it’s being realized, with a little twist.

Alam, a resident of Ashburn, Virginia has been with the All Dulles Area Muslim Society for many years, and when he moved away from the main center in Sterling, Virginia, his desire to help the ADAMS community moved with him.

“This was the time, when the main center was getting overcrowded on Fridays, and parking was getting backed up. At that time, I thought

>> Shared Pg 16

Pakistani Physicians Told to Use Power Summer’s Hottest Ticket: to Influence Policy at DC Conference Don’t Miss Out!

By Farha Marfani

Muslim Link Staff Writer

Keith Ellison shaking hands with attendees after the PAKPAC luncheon during the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America weekend conference.

(Photo by Farha Marfani)

Over the course of four days, approximately five thousand people (mostly physicians and their families) gathered in Washington DC for the 31st annual conference of the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America (APPNA).

The conference was held June 26-29 at the Marriott Hotel in Washington.

APPNA is a nationwide o rg a n i z a t i o n o f P a k i s t a n i

physicians, whose main goal is to support medical education and research and to facilitate a better understanding among Pakistani physicians and the people of North America. APPNA hosts an annual conference in various locations, with Washington DC hosting the conference every four years. The conference provides continuing medical education credits for physicians as well as opportunities for social and political networking.

>> Influence Pg 7

The ISB Summerfest will grow a lot this year, adding a laser tag area and a rock climbing wall to the annual classics, to the delight of ponies, like the one pictured here from the 2005 Summerfest. (File photo). >> Page 09

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INDEX

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

FRIDAY JULY 04, 2008

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Community News

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

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Islam

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Opinion & Editorials

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COMMUNITY NEWS

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The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

Community News Creating links through mutual understanding and cooperation

Elders, Youth Join Hands to Build Masjid in Alexandria

By Daniel Hayes Muslim Link Contributing Writer Another day, another mosque fundraiser. The trend of lacking space in houses of worship, and the funds to remedy the situation, appears to be a continuing one among Muslims in the metropolitan area, independent of the recessionary slump the nation faces.

This unremarkable brand of strife that has burdened Alexandria, Va. worshipers inspired the latest fundraising event in the area on Saturday, June 21, 2008. The Islamic Circle of North America hosted the event at West Potomac High School in an effort to acquire capital for the creation of a new mosque. The current venue for Friday prayers and other religion centered activities is a single family home that is pushed far past capacity, hence the longing for a new place of worship.

ICNA is a grass roots organization working primarily on providing social services and spreading Islam.

The June 21 fundraiser opened with the recitation of some verses from the second chapter of the Quran, which would prove to be thematic of the evening. The message, essentially, was to spend money in the way of Allah, for which a reward is promised.

ICNA leader, Khurshid Khan, who holds a doctorate in international and development education, urged the audience to join a unified effort to establish a new mosque. “As Muslims, we are all supposed to be a part of some group that helps Muslims,” he said. He continued to stress the importance of unity among Muslims. “When the sheep is out of the herd, it is easy for the wolf to devour it, but if the sheep is within the herd, it’s not that

easy,” he added.

T h e k e y n o t e s p e a k e r, Ahmad Sakr, president of the Foundation for Islamic Knowledge, then stepped up to the plate to hit a fundraising home run.

The $77,000 raised was testament to the success of the event, although this still did not meet the goal of $150,000.

“My name is no longer Ahmad Sakr, my name is catalyst,” said Sakr, identifying his role in the progression of this mosque building endeavor.

Sakr however, cannot be awarded all of the credit for affecting change.

ICNA leader Khurshid Khan urges attendees to support the building of a new masjid in Alexandria, Virginia. On the wall is a picture of the current masjid, a single family house.

(Photo by Daniel Hayes)

In prelude to the commencement of the June 21 affair, a group of youth established Project 500, a parallel effort with the focus of petitioning mosques across the country for donations to build a new one in Alexandria.

These youngsters took this fundraiser as an opportunity to showcase their efforts on stage.

Members of the group, all donning matching black T-shirts with their custom logo, walked across the stage in quick succession, each mentioning an accomplishment ranging from passing out flyers to collecting money. Every bullet point of their resume was succeeded by, “Now what about you,” coaxing those in attendance to follow in their footsteps and contribute for the cause.

Members of Project 500 even developed a short documentary style film, capturing the desperation for a new place of worship.

The film included footage of the dilapidated house’s faulty wiring, insect infestation, and poor ventilation, in addition to interviews with those who suffer from the overcrowding.

This project, “has taught us to be together, how to work things out in the real world, and how to be leaders in the real world,” said one Project 500 participant. The values instilled in these youths through their work on this project, appears to mirror those promulgated by the speakers of the evening, according to the aforementioned testimony.

Fundraiser attendants seemed to be pleased with the event. “I was impressed with how people responded to the call,” said Hassan.

“It was well organized and well attended,” he added.

Usmaan, who volunteered his time to sit at a table outside of the main auditorium and hand out Islamic literature, said, “There are so many Muslims on Route 1, they need a place for worship, a place to get together, and I think this effort will help that come forth.”

Usmaan has attended the current house of worship since its creation.

Abu Ali Continues the Struggle for Our Rights continued >> Struggle from pg 01

of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, bind all the courts below them and set the stage for any prosecution involving the same issues.

The case began with Ahmed’s arrest in Saudi Arabia while he was taking a final exam at the University of Medina, his brutal questioning

by Saudi authorities, and his detention without charge for about two years. In a quest to secure

his return, Ahmed’s parents filed a civil habeas petition before Judge Bates in the District of Columbia alleging that the United States had ordered Ahmed’s arrest and detention in Saudi Arabia and was keeping him there to deny him his due process rights. Judge Bates ordered discovery in the case, which led the US government to suddenly file charges ranging from aiding terrorism to an attempt to assassinate President Bush. These charges were based on a series of statements made under Saudi interrogation. During the trial, Ahmed testified that he was questioned after being whipped by Saudi Mabahith officers,

Respite will be granted until, when the Messengers give up hope and think that they were treated as liars There reaches them Our help, And those who We will are delivered into safety.

But never will be warded off Our punishment from those who are in sin. Surah Yousuf, 12:110 sleep deprived, threatened with beheading, and beaten. There is no corroborative evidence and no statements by any of the

>> Struggle I Pg 11

COMMUNITY NEWS

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

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ADAMS Hosts Night of 1,000 Conversations

By Wafa Unus Muslim Link Contributing Writer

Simply sharing a story can have a dramatic affect, she added.

It was a “Night of 1,000 Conversations.”

“Once you start relating [civil rights violations] to personal stories, people see how it ties to legislation.”

On Thursday, June 19th, thousands of people met in churches, mosques, synagogues, homes and coffee shops around the nation, for a chat.

And it’s legislation that the organization ultimately wishes to change, starting from coffee shops, conference tables, and congregations.

conference room.

MPAC, CAIR, MAS, and Muslim Advocates, were all represented in what became an exchange of ideas on their organization’s efforts to solve problems associated with the Department of Homeland Security.

“The conversations bring education and hopefully generate new ideas. They also bring people with like-minded concerns together

The topic: The Department of Homeland Security.

The Rights Working Group of Washington DC announced their “Night of 1,000 Conversations” event nationally and prepared as hundreds registered to host talks in their towns.

The Group is a coalition comprised of 250 community-based and policy organizations with a mission to ensure the government doesn’t overstep the boundaries set by civil rights.

Pabitra Benjamin, Field Director for the Rights Working Group, believes one of the best ways to ensure this, is to encourage the public to share their experiences and opinions about the government.

“It’s not just folks at home talking. They are able to share their stories and when people share their stories we’re able to capture them,” said Benjamin.

By documenting individual experiences, Benjamin believes her organization can further understand the kinds of violations that need to be addressed.

MPAC, CAIR, MAS, and Muslim Advocates, were all represented in what became an exchange of ideas on their organization’s efforts to solve problems associated with the Department of Homeland Security.

Hosts around the nation each received a kit advising them on how to hold an effective and focused conversation while maintaining a comfortable and open environment.

The All Dulles Area Muslim Society in Sterling, Virginia, was a location for one of the many “Night of 1,000 Conversation” events.

When the Rights Working Group announced their project, the Muslim Political Action Committee took the lead in organizing a local conversation. CAIR National quickly jumped on board as a co-sponsor.

Representatives from the nation’s largest Muslim organizations met in the mosque’s

“A face-to-face meeting with members or their staff is great,” he said.

“Everyone who has a political conversation at their dinner table should get in the habit of calling their elected officials and expressing their opinions to the people who actually set policy and law.”

Despite the discussion’s focus on the Department’s failures, Saylor prefaced his comments by making note of the good it does as well.

“It is a good Islamic habit to give credit where it is due,” he said.

Each conversation was intended to be a starting point for making the community comfortable with issues they might otherwise not talk about.

and that may lead to long-term partnerships to address the issues discussed.” said Corey Saylor, CAIR’s National Legislative Director.

Being comfortable with political issues, Benjamin said, might then make one comfortable with doing politically related things.

A hot button issue was immigration.

“You need a way for people to do it comfortably or the same people just do it every time,” she said.

Thousands of people wait in legal limbo, some for years, pending Department investigations into their backgrounds.

It’s a problem that some, like the Rights Working Group, say are far from legitimate checks but rather, a result of religious profiling by the Department.

Civil action can make a serious difference in this issue according to Saylor, who believes the best action is direct action.

The representatives shared one sentiment stronger than any other: A change in the political conditions effecting minorities and infringing on civil rights is dependent on the actions of Muslims and minorities alike.

“That first step is sharing and understanding,” said Benjamin.

Ali Chandia Transferred to Illinois Prison Some time has passed since we have written to you because Br. Ali Asad had been moved to a transitional institution in Lewisburg, Penna. While in transition, he was unable to make phone calls, receive mail or have visitors. We have just learned that he has been transferred once again to another facility, this one in Marion, Illinois. We understand that he may be able to make phone calls from there on or about June 30. That may also mean that he will be able to receive mail at that time.

If you would like to write you can use the following address: ALI ASAD CHANDIA #46811-083 USP MARION

U.S. PENITENTIARY P.O. BOX 1000 MARION, IL 62959 Admittedly, we know very little about whether Br. Ali Asad will be at this facility for a shortterm or long-term period of time. We are not even sure whether a letter sent today will actually reach him. At every turn it has been obvious that, no matter how much changes, one thing remains the same - the feds can and will do whatever they want to do regarding the where and when of housing the inmates.

Some part of that is logistics; another part of that is the nature of incarceration which has both a physical and psychological

dimension.

What we do know about the Marion facility is not good. The prison was built in 1963 and is located about 300 miles south of Chicago. When the maximum security facility at Alcatraz Island (in California) closeed, Marion took its place. It was one of two “supermax” facilities in the country as late as 2006. Marion became infamous during this period for a number of things: housing highprofile criminals, its “control unit” structure, implementation of behavior modification techniques, and inmate uprisings. In 2006, it was converted to a medium-security facility.

That said, the purpose of this email is to remind you to keep our brother in your du’as. No one has heard from him by phone or in writing for some time. Br. Ali Asad himself used to remind us that, “for the believer, there is only good.” We must be confident that Allah, in His infinite mercy, has provided Br. Ali Asad with this opportunity to come closer to Him. May Allah (s.w.t.) give him patience and perseverance during these trying times.

Insha Allah we will keep you abreast of any new developments. Take care and make du’a for us all.

Source: Ali Asad Support Committee, June

Write to us!

Stop venting at dinner parties and in masjid parking lots. Cool down, get your points together, and send us a letter to the editor or post a comment online.

editor@muslimlinkpaper.com http://www.muslimlinkpaper.com

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The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

Habitat for Humanity Benefits Needy Muslims Striving to Avoid Interest

By Daniel Hayes Muslim Link Contributing Writer Breaking ground without breaking the bank is what Habitat for Humanity is in the business of doing. This non-profit organization assists

Implementing this do-it-yourself brand of house building is key to keeping costs down.

Also, as a non-profit outfit, Habitat sells houses at cost, underselling commercial competition by a significant margin.

Nine of the 12 families that moved into Nurhussien’s complex were Muslim. Like Johari, Nurhussien was pleasantly surprised at the amount of Muslims benefiting from this ecumenical Christian housing ministry. in the building of new homes for families that are spending over 30 percent of their income on housing.

Using what Habitat for Humanity of Northern Virginia deputy director, Lisa Boccia, calls “sweat equity”, prospective home buyers have an opportunity to volunteer the labor required to fashion their own home. On site training for basic tasks is provided, but professionals, like master electricians, take care of the jobs that require a specialist.

Pleased with the work that the organization does, Imam Johari Abdul-Malik of Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center of Falls Church, Va. has coordinated a series of meetings between local mosques and Habitat for Humanity. “I’m familiar with the Habitat program, I know how it works, I know it’s good work, but I didn’t realize that there were so many Muslim families who are benefiting from the Habitat program,” said Imam Johari.

Nine of the 12 families that moved into Nurhussien’s complex were Muslim.

Like Johari, Nurhussien was pleasantly surprised at the amount of Muslims benefiting from this ecumenical Christian housing ministry.

One of these meetings took place June 22 at Dar Al Noor Islamic Center. Mohamed Nurhussien, an individual who is benefiting from the program and has helped build the condominium in which he lives, attended the meeting to explain how the organization can help Muslims. “We Muslims have two problems. First of all, we don’t have enough money to buy. The other is that, even if we have a little money, we have restrictions in regard to using interest,” said Nurhussien.

Habitat for Humanity approves zero percent loans for low income families to purchase houses. Referring to the dreary situation of Muslims who would like to become homeowners, Nurhussien said, “Either we have to break our own principles, or we don’t have any house.”

Nine of the 12 families that moved into Nurhussien’s complex were Muslim. Like Johari, Nurhussien was pleasantly surprised at the amount of Muslims benefiting from this ecumenical Christian housing ministry. “They see everyone as equal. People are selected randomly and the selection is based on need,” said Nurhussien.

“There are really three criteria that are followed by Habitat for Humanity as far as guidelines, and they are need, ability to pay, and willingness to partner,” said Traci DeGroat, executive director of Habitat’s Prince William affiliate. The group sets minimum and maximum income levels for potential buyers. It is designed to help those who cannot afford decent housing, but does not want homeowners defaulting on loans.

50 hours of volunteer work is required to be eligible for assistance. Once completed, several hundred more hours must be put in to receive a loan for a home, if selected. The precise number of hours varies by region and depends on family size.

The series of meetings coordinated by Imam Johari are designed to increase the involvement of Muslims with the program at the leadership level. “At the level of consumer, Muslims are doing a great job in the Habitat business. But when I look at the levels of support and leadership, I don’t see Muslim participation,” said Imam Johari.

Following the meeting, Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center plans to hold an information session with faith based guest speakers to educate attendants about the benefits of the program and to encourage involvement.

Habitat has also created an educational program called Habitours, expecting to bring people out to see what they are doing.

Perhaps the Dar Al Hijrah session, coupled with Habitours, will eliminate the problem of a lack of understanding about the program, but they are not expected to remedy another pressing issue that Habitat for Humanity faces.

The group has purchased a piece of land in Prince William County on Webster’s Way, a residential street near Dar Al Noor, and is facing strong resistance from the surrounding community. Residents are upset that the size of the Habitat for Humanity homes being built there are much smaller than the surrounding units. They fear that this may cause a drop in the overall property value. The Prince William County Board of Supervisors is like-minded and may do some rezoning.

“If it’s rezoned we’ll sell the property and buy foreclosure units,” said DeGroat. As a result of the housing market crash, it is in some cases less expensive for Habitat to purchase homes than it is to build them. The planning commission recommended denial for Habitat’s building venture at Webster’s Way, but the county board has the final say.

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

COMMUNITY NEWS

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Pakistani Physicians Told to Use Power to Influence Policy at DC Conference continued >> Influence from pg 01 Along with medical seminars, Thursday featured a day on the hill, where APPNA attendees had the chance to meet with senators and politicians at the capital. Friday was full of a variety of events, including a talk by Jamal Badawi, a film screening, entertainment, as well as medical school alumni dinners.

One of the highlights of Saturday was a luncheon hosted by the Pakistani American Public Affairs Committee (PAKPAC) with special guests Senator Joseph Biden, Congressman Andre Carson, Pakistani ambassador Husain Haqqani and Congressman Keith Ellison. This was Ellison’s first APPNA conference, and he mentioned that the focus was not only on issues abroad, but what’s happening right here in the United States.

During the luncheon and the conference, Ellison discussed organizing voters, getting involved in the political campaigns around the country, as well as issues of systemic poverty and healthcare. When asked about the role of Pakistani doctors in politics, he responded, “physicians have to be plugged into the political world as well. All kinds of decisions are made concerning medicine and health, everything from SCHIP to fixing Medicare to extending Medicaid moratoriums.

Just because APPNA’s membership is made up of doctors doesn’t mean they’re only interested in medicine,” he said. “The

Pakistani community is blessed with as much income and education as any segment of [the American] community and therefore they have a special leadership role to play. They have a lot of power, a lot of influence and therefore they can help guide the Muslim community,” said Congressman Ellison.

Khan University Alumni Association, attends the conference every year, particularly for representation of his alumni in the meetings as well as his involvement in the young physicians training and seminars. He enjoys attending, however, strongly believes that recently, APPNA has made entertainment and

“The Pakistani community is blessed with as much income and education as any segment of [the American] community and therefore they have a special leadership role to play. They have a lot of power, a lot of influence and therefore they can help guide the Muslim community,” said Congressman Ellison.

Overall, because of its good mixture of programs, including a huge bazaar, the conference appealed to many physicians and their families. Agha Haider, a practicing cardiologist from Philadelphia, was a first time attendee. He found it to be a wonderful experience for him and his family and he liked how he could introduce his family to so many Pakistani Muslims. “It’s a nice mix of medicine, religion, social issues, education, and a little bit of our real culture as well,” he said. Rizwan Khalid, a cardiologist from Georgia who is also president of the Aga

food top priorities at the conference and can do a lot to shift these priorities. Still overall, he mentions, “the conferences are really good, we come, we enjoy, we meet friends ... we do get things done.”

While some attendees strictly come for the continuing medical education credits and the social and political networking, others are ennobled by a sense of mission. Sarwat Iqbal, a Fatimah Jinnah Medical College Graduate, as well as the president-elect of its alumni association, wants to give back to her college as well as provide assistance

to women in Pakistan. “Given my expertise and my knowledge, I want to do something for others,” she said. “We are trying to give scholarships to the students at the university and arrange an education system where we can bring to our college what we have learned here. We heard the hospital doesn’t even have food for its patients, so we are helping with that. Also we have a project where we teach skills to empower women so that they can be self-sufficient. I believe APPNA can do a lot for Muslims over here and in Pakistan,” she added.

According to Hagerstown resident Liaquat Shafi, security head for APPNA and member of the host committee, approximately 1200 physicians registered for the conference.

“We are a very powerful group, we provide a lot of services to the American community,” he mentioned. Shafi echoed the opinion of Hamza Yusuf, who across the street at the Zaytuna Institute fundraiser luncheon, voiced, “The South Asian Muslim community is the most important community that’s come to the shores of this country.” Yusuf applauded APPNA’s efforts and membership, yet also said that the Pakistani community should not shy away from the power and influence that it has. At the same event, Hamed Omer, member of the board of directors of Zaytuna Institute said, “Pakistani doctors have been underwriting Islamic work in this country.”

Next year’s annual APPNA conference will be held in San Francisco, CA. For more information about

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COMMUNITY NEWS

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

Muslim Group Gives Congressional Testimony on Airport Laptop Searches

By Mariam Abu-Ali Muslim Link Contributing Writer More Americans returning from traveling abroad are finding themselves subjected to numerous violations of their rights by an over zealous government with presumably no limit to its authority.

Lawyers (NAML). As stated on their website, their mission is to “promote equality, liberty, and justice for all by providing leadership through legal advocacy, policy engagement, and civic education, and by serving as a legal resource to promote the full and meaningful participation of Muslims in American public life.”

On Wednesday June 25, 2008 Farhana Khera

The hearing, Khera said in the interview,

Some Muslims have been asked: ‘Do you pray? Which mosque do you attend?’ They have been questioned about associations with organizations as well as Muslim charities that have not been designated as terrorist organizations.

They are being asked to provide names, addresses, and birthdays of relatives who are oversees and in the US. The government shouldn’t have this unrestrained power.” was amongst several witnesses who testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution on “Laptop Searches and Other Violations of Privacy Faced by Americans Returning from Overseas Travel.”

Witnesses consisted of advocacy groups and corporate representatives criticizing invasive searches as well as lawyers and professors defending them, claiming that they are necessary for national security.

Farhana Khera is the president and executive director of Muslim Advocates, a nonprofit charitable organization that seeks to work with lawyers and non-lawyers of all faiths and backgrounds to ensure that all Americans are entitled to the same rights and protections guaranteed by the constitution.

Founded in 2005, it is the sister organization of the National Association of Muslim The following excerpts are from Farhana Khera testimony on Wednesday, June 25, 2008 before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on “Laptop Searches and Other Violations of Privacy Faced by Americans Returning from Overseas Travel.” Her organization, Muslim Advocates, said the testimony marked the first-ever appearance by a Muslim American organization in front of the Constitution Subcommitte.

“My testimony presents a number of incidents from across the country that suggest that the First and Fourth Amendment rights of innocent Americans are being violated. The circumstances of these incidents also suggest that racial, ethnic and/or religious

was a result of the court decision United States vs. Arnold. The Ninth Circuit panel rejected the argument that a laptop or other digital device searches were categorized as invasive and confirmed the government’s position that it is no different than the search of a “closed container.” While the Fourth Amendment is meant to protect citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures, on April 21st, the Ninth Circuit U.S Court of Appeals held that the Fourth Amendment does not require customs and border patrols to have reasonable suspicion in order to search laptops or any other digital devices at the border and international airports.

“This gives the government extremely broad authority.” Khera said in the interview.

“They can also seize and download data from your laptop, Blackberry, or digital camera without evidence that the person is engaged

profiling is taking place at the border.

Most of the complaints received involve experiences from 2007 to the present, at air and land ports of entry across the U.S., including Seattle, San Francisco, Houston, Detroit, Boston, and Newark.

Although these complaints are not the result of a comprehensive study or a systematic collection of incidents, there is reason to believe that these cases are indicative of a pattern of similar cases at the border. ...An American Muslim of Pakistani descent…practicing with a major law firm on the west coast, was interrogated by CBP agents at San Francisco International

With federal airport screeners now authorized to search laptops, many civil rights activists suggest you keep your laptop at home.

in criminal activity. The government is using its broad power to interrogate law-abiding citizens rather than focusing on those who actually pose a threat to US security.”

“Not only are digital devices being checked,” she continued “Muslims have been asked invasive and intrusive questions about their religious practices and political views. Some Muslims have been asked: ‘Do you pray?

Which mosque do you attend?’ They have been questioned about associations with organizations as well as Muslim charities that have not been designated as terrorist organizations. They are being asked to provide names, addresses, and birthdays of relatives who are oversees and in the US. The government shouldn’t have this unrestrained power.”

Security. When Sen. Feingold did not receive an answer, he decided to hold a hearing in order to understand the implications of these searches on civil rights and hear actual examples of people who have been affected.

“The invasion of privacy represented by a search of a laptop differs by an order of magnitude from that of a suitcase,” Sen. Feingold stated during the hearing.

Sen. Feingold also asked the Department of Homeland Security for a witness and was “extremely disappointed” when they refused his request.

“Once again, this administration has demonstrated its perverse belief that it is entitled to keep anything and everything secret from the public it serves and their

Muslim Advocates raised this issue with Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI), who in turn questioned Secretary Chertoff of Homeland

Airport after visiting relatives overseas in the Spring 2008.

Upon confirming her citizenship status, she thoroughly answered initial questions about her travels and identity. Nevertheless…the CBP agent arbitrarily insisted on searching her luggage, seized her digital camera and reviewed the images … The agent interrogated her about the identities of the people in her travel photos, their location, and her relationships to them. Upon seeing a book in her bag about a presidential candidate, the CBP agent then posed questions about her political views of candidates in the 2008 presidential election. ....A firefighter, 20-year former member of the National Guard, Gulf War veteran, and current member

of the local Homeland Security Emergency Response Team in Toledo, OH has been questioned on numerous occasions since 2006 while trying to visit family members in Ontario, Canada. He was detained at times for up to four hours. CBP agents have searched his car and his cell phone and have asked about why he chose to convert to Islam. In one encounter, CBP officials confronted him with a letter to the editor he wrote in a local Toledo newspaper criticizing U.S. foreign policy. CBP agents asked what inspired him to write it and whether he personally knew anyone mentioned in the piece. On at least ten occasions, he has been asked about any foreign associates he or his wife, who is of Lebanese descent, may have and his financial

>> Laptop Pg 16

transactions. ...A San Francisco Bay Area software engineer reported being questioned for almost 20 hours after three international trips, despite hearing a CBP agent explain to another agent that he was not an actual match to a watch list. This U.S. citizen was asked about his religion, whether he hated the U.S. government, whether he had visited mosques, and even told that he should “pray more.” When he offered to give one agent his wife’s phone number so the agent could verify his identity, he was asked, “Isn’t it rude in Islamic culture

>> testimony Pg 017

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

COMMUNITY NEWS

Summer’s Hottest Ticket: Don’t Miss Out!

By ISB Youth Group Members As we head into July, the Baltimore community looks forward to the annual summer festival held at Islamic Society of Baltimore.

The ISB Youth Group is organizing the event scheduled for July 26th at Masjid Al-Rahmah starting at 12 PM up to 8 PM. The youth have been planning this event for months and is in great anticipation for the big day.

This year’s Summerfest boasts big, new attractions such as laser tag and rock wall climbing! Classic kid-favorite carnival games and rides will also be featured as well as the staple of every cookout- ISB’s bangin’ barbecue with hot dogs, burgers, chicken and a lot more! Kids can enjoy their pony rides in the parking lot, while others can enjoy the entertainment session provided by some of our own local talent.

The festival will also include a grand bazaar with over fifty vendors from all over the tristate region. From hijabs to Islamic toys for the children, the bazaar will be another definite source of entertainment for the family. This year’s bazaar will topple anything we have seen thus far, and will be a true highlight of the festival.

Last year, everyone from the community was impressed by the management and organization of the festival by the youth. The activities will spread out through the premises to make things less crowded and more easily accessible. People of all ages had a great time and we are hoping to have another successful event.

Festival-goers can pre-purchase an all-day pass online via www.isb.org for $12, which includes entrance to all activities and rides as well as two tickets which can be used towards food, drinks, popcorn or cotton candy. All-day passes on the day of the festival will be $15, so hurry and buy your passes today!

The youth group would like to thank the following sponsors who have helped cover the cost of the event: Islamic Relief, Willoughby Beach Pediatrics, Access Dental Care, Edible Arrangements, Floral Fruit Company, GoRicksha.com, The Muslim Link, Amana Mutual Funds and Diamond Security.

Help sponsor this event and add your business to this list! Sponsor your business to thousands of Muslims in the Maryland, Virginia, DC areas. All sponsorships are tax deductible. If you are interested in sponsoring, please e-mail summerfest@isb.org.

Everyone is invited to stop by the youth group table where they will be selling samosas as well as other snacks and goodies to continue with their current theme “Finish the Construction Already”. For the past few months after Jumaah the youth at ISB have set up stalls where they have sold samosas as well as other food items and drinks to help raise money to give back to the masjid.

They plan on donating all proceeds raised on ISB’s Fundraising Night, which will be held on September 13th!

Mark your calendars for July 26th and get ready to soak up some sun with your family at the annual summer festival. For more information on the ISB Youth Group, visit youth.isb.org. For more information about vending, or sponsoring the festival visit www.isb.org/summerfest or e-mail summerfest@isb.org .

continued >> Guilty from pg 01

open about his Muslim identiry on the job.

The jury deliberated until Friday, June 27th. The following verdicts were given:

employment application.

That trial ended in a “hung jury”, which means the jury could not collectively come to an agreed decision. It was announced soon after that the U.S. Government would re-try the case. The re-trial began on Tuesday, June 24, 2008 and closing arguments were given on Thursday.

In closing arguments, Abdul-Jaleel was called a “liar” with a “hidden agenda” by government prosecutors. The defense noted that Abdul-Jaleel has worked for several years doing security, but has not once caused a stir-up, controversy, or anything of the sort.

As a matter of fact, he has an impeccable record. It was also mentioned (and shown by witnesses) that Abdul-Jaleel was very

NOT GUILTY: for intentionally concealing other name (Abdul-Jaleel Mohammad) to hide identity/other ties, to hiring agency GUILTY: for intentionally concealing other name (Abdul-Jaleel Mohammad) to hide identity/other ties, to Office of Personnel Management Investigator(s).

This charge is a federal offense/felony.

The second charge, which was added during the government’s re-trial, may result in any of the following: Fine, Term of probation, Term of probation with fine, and/or up to 5 years imprisonment.

Abdul-Jaleel and his family are scheduled to return to the courts on Monday, September 22nd for final decisions.

9

COMMUNITY NEWS

10

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

Palestinians’ Holocaust Discussed at Bethesda Brown Bag

By S. Junaid Hassan Muslim Link Contributing Writer On June 25th, The Minaret of Freedom Institute held a panel discussion on the book The Palestinians’ Holocaust as part of its brown bag lunch Series.

The panelists included the book’s author Mauri Saalakhan, founder of the Peace and Justice Foundation, sociologist and CAIRaffiliate Dr. Mohamed Nimer, and Dr. Imadad-Dean Ahmad as host and director of the Minaret of Freedom Institute.

The discussion began with a brief introduction

by Dr. Ahmad, who stated, “What is particularly unusual of the Palestinian people is that of all the people suffering in the world, their suffering is least often reported and discussed accurately in the United States.”

His introduction was followed by a summary of the book by Br. Saalakhan and his motivations for writing it. He said that though he actually

began writing the book more than 5 yrs ago, the subject began to crystallize when he first heard of the Arab-Israeli Conflict. He also stated that, “this book has been a true jihad in the pure sense of the word. No book that we have worked on needed more time, energy and resources.”

Br. Saalakhan went on to summarize recent events in the Arab-Israeli conflict, followed by reading the quotes on his book’s back cover to highlight the international voices calling for the conflict’s resolution. Contributors included people such as famous British commentator George Galloway, Imam Zaid Shakir, Archbishop [Emeritus] Desmond Tutu and other key international figures; indeed, the book’s breadth of contributors pays tribute to the research and work that was put into its compilation.

Br. Saalakhan was quick to mention that he was not an anti-Semite, “A disproportionate number of voices in this book are Jewish…As an activist I have known and befriended a number of people who are Jewish and are

deeply committed to an end to the Palestinian occupation.”

Dr. Nimer also commented on the book, pointing out key articles that helped illustrate the heart of the issue, a systematic effort of misinformation. He said afterward, “From a peace and justice perspective, while talking to a Western audience one must explain the distortions and bias with which people hear about the conflict.” He also spoke of Hamas’s election, “From an American Muslim perspective, we should assist Hamas in authoring a peace proposal. They haven’t done this and Israeli hardliners are using this against all Palestinians.”

During the question-answer session that concluded the event, Br. Saalakhan was first asked about the title of the book. He said, “We did choose the title for its provocative nature but also because as bad as the European Holocaust was, when you compare it to what has been taking place in Israel for over 60 years, the parallels are striking, and between the two, the weight of human devastation is far

greater in my humble opinion in the Middle East than it was in the second world war.” He then offered some evidence from his book to support his opinion.

Asked about his vision for peace in Israel, Br. Saalakhan said, “Peace and justice are indelibly intertwined. A good starting point for the international community would be to enforce the UN resolutions already made regarding the conflict.”

The Minaret of Freedom Institute (MFI) is an Islamic think-tank and policy research institute located in Bethesda, Maryland.

This book is a compilation of relevant articles with commentary by Mauri Saalakhan. It is available at the Peace and Justice Foundation, peacethrujustice.org May Allah Subhanawata’ala give Br. Saalakhan, Dr. Nimer, and Dr. Ahmad the opportunity to further their efforts for peace and justice throughout the world. Ameen.

See our program at

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The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008 continued >> Struggle I from pg 04

other alleged conspirators linking Ahmed to anything. However, the jury found Ahmed guilty and he was sentenced to 30 years, with 30 years probation to follow.

Clearly, there were many mistakes made at trial in the District Court in the Eastern District of Virginia under Judge Gerald Bruce Lee. On appeal, the defense, led by attorney Joshua Dratel and Professor Margulies of the MacArthur Justice Center, argued several major points, involving the Fifth and Sixth Amendments of the Bill of Rights.

These include violations of the Sixth

COMMUNITY NEWS remain silent and to have an attorney. That is still true if you were interrogated by US authorities. However, now the US can send you overseas in a so called ‘rendition,’ have you interrogated there and then admit the evidence here, in court. Previously, the rules of evidence regarding confessions obtained by a foreign authority require that the confession be voluntary and that the confession was not obtained through a joint venture with the US. So the rule was designed to prevent the ‘rendition’ technique. In Ahmed’s case, the United States law enforcements officers submitted questions to the Mabahith and watched through a two way mirror as Ahmed was being interrogated, which demonstrates their clear involvement in the case. But… this decision defined very narrowly what constitutes ‘joint venture’ so as to require that US authorities be involved at every step

In Ahmed’s case, the United States law enforcements officers submitted questions to the Mabahith and watched through a two way mirror as Ahmed was being interrogated, which demonstrates their clear involvement in the case.

Amendment’s Confrontation Clause through the introduction of secret evidence that was given to the jury but that was not made available to the defendant or his lead attorney; and by allowing the Saudi Mabahith who tortured him to testify under pseudonyms, outside U.S. jurisdiction, and without penalty of perjury. These also include violations of the Fifth Amendment through improper admission of a confession that was involuntary, and uncorroborated by other evidence; and improper admission of the confession due to failure to provide Miranda warnings in the case of a joint venture between the Saudi and US authorities. Finally, the District Court violated Ahmed’s Sixth Amendment’s right to trial by jury through the abuse of discretion in sentencing stemming from the use of terrorism enhancements.

To underscore the importance of these issues, on June 21, 2007, the 4th Circuit took an unprecedented three hours of public oral arguments on the non-classified portion of the case and then more time on the secret evidence. The court took almost a year to issue a decision, and released their 98 page explanation on June 6, 2008.

However, the time the court took for reflection

in the way; present, in the room and actually asking the questions. The potential for abuse is enormous.

Not everyone on the three judge panel would define joint venture so narrowly. Judge Motz, one of the judges in the three panel decision, dissented, and found that there was in fact a ‘joint venture.’ But, unfortunately, she agreed with the Majority opinion in the decision to uphold the conviction, citing harmless error.

Harmless error also figured prominently in the 4th Circuit decision on secret evidence.

The court found that the secret evidence was improperly admitted when it was given to the jury and not to the defendant and his lead attorney. If the whole idea behind making evidence ‘secret’ it to ensure it is not leaked to the enemy, then it makes no sense to give it to a jury of ordinary citizens who are free to wander where they please, and not give it to a defendant, whose contact with the outside world is limited. It merely results in a situation where the defendant is unable to contribute to his own defense, a clear violation of Fifth Amendment rights. How can that be ‘harmless”?

Perhaps the greatest flaw in Ahmed’s case and the greatest evidence that his statements were

They stained his shirt with false blood. He (Yaqub) said, “Nay, but your minds have made up a tale with you. For me is patience most fitting against that which you assert, It is Allah alone whose help can be sought. Surah Yousuf, 12:18

did not bear much fruit. The court upheld the District Court’s rulings on the admission of the confession. This sets a chilling precedent that will affect us all. You see normally, a confession is inadmissible if the defendant is not read his Miranda rights – the right to

a mere product of torture and are false is that they are uncorroborated by any independent evidence. The piece of evidence which the fourth circuit calls “the strongest” in the case is an email which the prosecution alleges was sent by Ahmed under an alias to an alleged co-conspirator, asking how the family is and

asking about the children’s sickness. The government claimed that the email was a coded reference to raids conducted by the Mabahith in Saudi Arabia prior to Ahmed’s arrest. Even assuming that this email in

11 threats’ state, “[a] person is guilty of a crime if he threatens to commit any crime of violence with the purpose to terrorize another or in reckless disregard of the risk of causing such terror.” (Kenneth Vercammen and Associates,

The court upheld the District Court’s rulings on the admission of the confession. This sets a chilling precedent that will affect us all. fact belonged to Ahmed, which there is no evidence linking it to him, that someone can be sentenced to thirty years in prison for writing an email asking about the family and children is both chilling and absurd. The district court also failed to instruct the jury on the need for corroboration. Amazingly, the Fourth Circuit found that this also constituted harmless error.

How could there be a more harmful error than failing to inform the jury that a confession should not be considered unless it finds there was corroborating evidence?

Finally, in a decision Judge Motz called “wrong headed,” the court defied clear judicial precedent and reversed Ahmed’s sentence.

They said that the District Court judge, Gerald Bruce Lee, failed to take into consideration the nature of the charge – terrorism, and so should have enhanced the sentence. They have sent the case back down the District Court for resentencing. They believe Ahmed should do more than the 30 years of jail and 30 years probation he is currently slated to serve.

The United States Supreme Court, in several landmark cases such as US v. Booker and

http://www.njlaws.com/terroristic_threats. htm, (6/30/2008). This definition is so broad as to include everything from shaking your fist at the driver who cut you off, to using a gun in a robbery. So can defendants in such cases be considered ‘terrorists’ and receive ‘terror enhancements?’ More than likely that will depend on the ethnicity and the financial status of the defendant. If we don’t fight for our rights now, then this may be so.

Ahmed has filed for the next step in a lengthy and costly process, the petition of an en banc hearing by the entire bench of the Fourth Circuit. The court will first rule on whether or not to hear the case. If it does, there will be a hearing and arguments presented on both sides. If it does not, Ahmed faces the next hurdle, the Supreme Court, which may or may not take the case. And even then, the case will not be over. The case may head back to the Court for retrial or other proceedings.

Finally, we await the day when torturers will be prosecuted in our courts rather than falsely accused citizens. In short, the road ahead is long, but with help of Allah, it will be victorious. As Ahmed’s mother states,

The district court also failed to instruct the jury on the need for corroboration. Amazingly, the Fourth Circuit found that this also constituted harmless error.

Gall v. U.S. has consistently ruled against sentencing enhancements. Judge Motz’s wellreasoned opinion laid out this precedent and supported the reasoning of the District Court in making the original sentence.

They stained his shirt with false blood.

He (Yaqub) said, “Nay, but your minds have made up a tale with you.

For me is patience most fitting against that which you assert, It is Allah alone whose help can be sought.

Surah Yousuf, 12:18 Such was the cry of father a long time ago, when his son was wrongly taken from him through lies and deceit. Such is the cry of Ahmed’s family today. May Allah grant them sabr jameel. For they are struggling for all of our rights to be free of forced confessions, to be free of the use of evidence we can not even see, to be free of rendition to somewhere else to avoid US laws, to free of arbitrary ‘enhancements’ in sentencing.

And if you think that ‘terror’ enhancements would never apply to you, consider this. New crimes are being created with terror labels that have nothing to do with politics or religion.

Statutes creating the new crime of ‘terroristic

“Allah’s destiny is for a reason. Allah is allwise and all-knowledgeable. We accept his destinies, we trust His choices for us, and we never give up hope. We will keep pushing and doing whatever we have to do until Allah brings victory for us.”

When Yousuf attained his full manhood, We gave him Hukman wa ‘ilman t h u s d o We r e w a r d t h o s e w h o a r e Muhsineen Surah Yousuf, 12:22 May Allah bless all of our ‘Yousufs,’ and grant their families sabr jameel. For they are the shining example of what it means to be a Muslim and an American. No greater citizen could a country ask than one who combines the character of Yousuf with that of Patrick Henry. Yousuf stayed true to his very soul, despite the greatest temptations and adversities. Perhaps, it is our ‘Yousufs’ who will return America to her soul.

--The writer is a part of a committee working on bringing justice to Ahmed Abu Ali.

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The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

Zaytuna Seeks to Inspire “Agents of Change”

By Cordelia Gaffar Muslim Link Contributing Writer Going into the twenty first century, Muslims need to be “agents of change”. That was the message on June 28, 2008 from California’s Zaytuna Institute, which held a local fundraiser in Washington DC’s Omni Shoreham Hotel.

Muslims should defend Islam by building alliances with local government leaders and being part of the solution to America’s social ills. By becoming part of the American society and not “just another immigrant” population living in America, Muslims can change common misconceptions of Muslims

continued >> Shared from pg 01

about helping the main center and also Ashburn Community by having an Ashburn Branch for at least Friday Prayer,” Alam said, ADAMS-Ashburn Chairperson.

It took years of driving around from place to place, collecting phone numbers and spreading the word about the need for a new center before he received a tip from the ADAMS, he said.

Meanwhile, Marshall Medoff, president of an Ashburn Reform Jewish congregation explained to his community that their center would be undergoing a renovation.

There was simply too much space for their modest congregation of 150 families and the unused space was to be rented out.

Medoff announced the availability and it wasn’t long before the news of the space reached the ADAMS Interfaith Director.

ADAMS then-president Rizwan Jaka and Alam, quickly jumped into negotiations with Beth Chaverim Jewish Congregation.

continued >> Laptop from pg 08

elected representatives, while Americans are not allowed to keep any secrets from their government,” he said. “That’s exactly backwards. In a country founded on principles of liberty and democracy, the personal information of law-abiding Americans is none of the government’s business, but the policies of the government are very much the business of Congress and the American people.”

James Jay Carafano, Ph.D, took a defensive stand and said that “searching laptops serve as an important layer for Department of Homeland Security’s counter-terrorism efforts. There have been numerous instances where information gathered from terrorist laptops has provided crucial information.”

and Islam, said speakers at the luncheon, held at the same venue as the annual Association of Physicians of Pakistani-descent of North America (APPNA) conference. APPNA also sponsored the luncheon.

Organizations like APPNA along with many individuals are helping to foster a relationship and connection with Americans. Zaytuna leaders Hamza Yusuf and Zaid Shakir travel 280 days a year to spread their message, and not only make media appearances but have an audience with world leaders, and non-Muslim westerner scholars such as Dr. Noah Feldman, Harvard University legal scholar and Dr. Scott Kugle, who teaches Islamic Studies at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania.

ADAMS however was not the only faith group to express interest in the space, but according to Medoff, they were one of the most impressive and that made choosing them as tenants an easy pick.

“There’s a lot of unknowns but the more we find out about the very good work that ADAMS does within their own community that also

Zaytuna Institute was founded in 1996 by Hamza Yusuf and Dr. Hesham Alalusi and incorporated in California as a non-profit, educational institute. Along with regular public speaking engagements, the recordings of the classes and lectures and quarterly journals are sold online. Zaytuna institute also offers distance learning. “There is a sister visiting here from Australia where there is an institute similar to Zaytuna. I think this is a good example of duplication,” said Yusuf.. So far only Australia and Germany have Islamic institutes duplicating Zaytuna in structure and vision.

The over 700 people in attendance mingled

result. We had, not just discussions, we had presentations and the end result was that this was the right thing to do. We felt that as a congregation that the community supported us for the time that we were in flux, that we were wondering along from location to location.” said Medoff.

Opening up their doors to a different faith was more than a sort of payback for Medoff and

What evolved from a convenient solution to both congregations’ needs has become a symbol of religious unity and hope that Muslims and Jews will share far more than a building in the future. extends out into the greater community, the happier we get that we made the right decision,” he said.

To some it seemed an unusual union.

Though members of both communities had hesitation about their community’s response to a shared Jewish and Muslim center, common experiences served to make the common ground a happy one.

“Questions were raised and you see the Susan K. Gurley, executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, criticized the decision and said “In today’s wired, networked and borderless world, one’s office no longer sits within four walls or a cubicle; rather, one’s office consists of a collection of mobile electronic devices such as a laptop, a Blackberry/PDA, and a cell phone.”

The seizing of laptops and cell phones poses economic hardship for business travelers, depriving them of needed business-related data, as well as the fact that such seizures could possibly violate a lawyer’s attorneyclient privilege, or impact the confidentiality of a journalist’s sources.

During her testimony, Khera cited specific examples of American citizens who were subjected to invasive searches, seizures and interrogations at airports and borders as well as the fact that these incidents suggest that racial, ethnic and religious profiling are taking place. The complaints were received from Muslim, Arab and South Asian Americans.

the BCRC, it was an act of faith.

“As a congregation of Reform Jews this is part of what our faith says should happen,” he said.

And it’s an act of faith that both communities hope will serve as an example not only here in the States, but abroad as well.

“We are pledging to work together for peace and better relationships overseas among different religious groups. We have set up

“We want to educate the people on how these policies are applied and whether they are really effective,” Khera said in the interview.

“Many Americans don’t realize that some of these questions that are asked by US patrols are protected by their First Amendment right and that they can object. The problem is that these questions are asked in an inherently coercive context in which people feel the need to answer”.

Khera found the committee to be very engaged and very concerned. She was particularly pleased that each of the witnesses was in agreement with Muslim Advocates, that people should not be singled out based on religion or ethnicity. The senators did not commit to any measures and no promises were made, but she remains hopeful.

“Given the high level of interest, I feel confident that there will be some measures taken, but they stopped short of making

in the reception area where Perrier, Evian and fruit punch was served as they browsed complimentary books and journals published by the institute. As the lights flickered announcing the start of the program, participants found their tables marked by about thirty local sponsors such as Al Qalam Academy, ADAMS, and the Sterling Management Group to name a few. Tickets for tables of ten were sold for $450 and individual tickets for $60. After a modest lunch, envelopes were discretely passed out as the lights dimmed for the beginning lectures. During desert and tea, they asked for two $25,000 contributors and for families to donate $100 – $500 per month for a period of two to three years to reach their goals.

an example, for the first time in the history of United States, or maybe in the world, that we are next to each other practicing religion peacefully and building good relationship,” said Alam.

The new ADAMS-Ashburn Branch opened on May 15th and is a 3,000 square foot space currently being used for daily prayers, and two Jummah prayers. The location will also provide weekend school, Qur’an classes for adults and children as well as various youth and community activities.

“This is a major milestone for ADAMSAshburn and has helped consolidate all the programs in one full time location and will help us get organized strategically to go forward,” said Jaka.

What evolved from a convenient solution to both congregations’ needs has become a symbol of religious unity and hope that Muslims and Jews will share far more than a building in the future.

“We’re banking on the future and having the future be a positive one for a Jewish-Muslim relationship,” said Medoff.

a promise,” said Khera. She concluded her testimony with recommendations for Congress, urging them to conduct a thorough investigation as well as considering legislative action.

Khera strongly encourages the Muslim Community to view the educational video found on Muslim Advocates website, www. muslimadvocates.org, titled “Got Rights?”

The video provides important information and tips to Muslims and Americans on protecting themselves at home and at the airport. She also encourages those who have faced excessive interrogation to share their experience by filling out a form that can also be found on their website.

The best thing you can do is to know your rights and to leave your laptop at home when you travel.

COMMUNITY NEWS

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008 continued >> Virginian from pg 18

Allah willing. It was then I researched the teaching of predestination more and saw just how much it made sense to me. There is no reason that Allah could or would not have planned our future for us before we were born because in the end everything that we do is the will of Allah.

of my life. It has given me a sense of peace and comfort that I had been searching for, for many years. It has lain before me the instructions that I need to know so that I can do my best to conform to Allah’s will. Never before has something been so simple and made so much sense to me as Islam has in the months sense converting.

The author lives in the Eastern panhandle of West Virginia, wrote to us last month using his Muslim name because his family still does not know he is Muslim. -- TML

For anyone else that has converted or is looking to convert I will tell you converting to Islam has been one of the best decisions

continued >> testimony from pg 08

to give a man a woman’s phone number?”

Customs agents inspected his company laptop computer, examined all the books in his luggage, recorded information on one book about the Quran, and interfered when he attempted to take notes about the screening. ....A California businessman has been detained, interrogated, and searched numerous times

upon his return to the United States. He has been asked what he thinks of Iran’s president, whether he supports terrorism, whether he met any terrorists during the Hajj pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia, and what he thinks about Jews and the state of Israel. This U.S. citizen’s laptop computer was removed from his presence for over two hours, and he was told that officers were examining all the files.

The privacy, security and liberty interests of law-abiding Americans are at stake.”

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Upcoming Events In Your Area Islamic Poetry Contest Friday, July 4, 2008 Creative Competitions present the first annual Islamic poetry contest. The deadline for submissions is The Independence day July 4th, 2008. The Awards ceremony will be on September 6, 2008. Valuable prizes at grade levels will be given to the 1st to 3rd winners. A celebration will be held in the Metro Washington area. Free dinner will be served for the participants. For more information contact Alameddine Kaddoura 703-856-7005 or email ipoetry@creativec ompetitions.net.

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Sacred Scrolls Friday, July 11, 2008 Taught by Imam Suhaib Webb and Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, AlMaghrib Institute presents Sacred Scrolls: 40 Hadith an-Nawawi, a one-weekend intensive course. Location: Falls Church - Fairfax, VA. Friday 710pm, Sat/Sun 10am-7pm. Limited Seating, reserve your spot today and enroll online. For Financial Aid and/or Babysitting, visit www.nurayn.com. For more info, contact Farhat Noor at ameer. thabt@gmail.com -------------------------

ISWA Fundraising Dinner Saturday, July 12, 2008 Save the date! Saturday, July 12, 2008 is ISWA’s annual fundraising dinner. Come out and help us continue to grow and see our construction project through! The dinner will be held at ISWA, 2701 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring MD 20905 from 6pm. There will also be a silent auction. For info call 301-879-0930.

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Salute to Islamic Sisterhood Sunday, July 13, 2008 In the name of the Most High. A salute to Islamic Sisterhood will be on July 13, 2008 at Howard University Ballroom in Washington, DC from 12pm-6pm. Join us for a celebration of Sisterhood for All Muslim Women. We are looking for Muslim Female Vendors and Poets to participate. Don’t forget to also submit the name of the sister you wish to nominate for a certificate of appreciation. ADMISSION IS FREE!!Vendors $25.00 Childcare provided $5 – 1st child $3 – second child + ...

C o n t a c t I n f o r m a t i o n : Ve n d o r s - Raheema Fontaine(301) 3567191cimarron49@yahoo.comPoetsShadai Jones(202) 276-8530shadai.aneesa@gmail. comCertificate Nominations -- Maryam Jones (202) 726-4544 or email peaceout_ mj@yahoo.com.

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GLOBAL MUSLIM DAY HIKE Saturday, July 19, 2008 Join Muslims from across the nation as we get outdoors and explore the creation of Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala).

Participation is Easy 1- Grab a friend or form a team 2- Choose a hiking trail 3- Spread the word 4- Hike the trail........

Share your experience! For more info, contact NOMAD CAMPS at 443-458-0921 nomadcamps@gmail.com -------------------------

Islamic Will Seminar Saturday, July 19, 2008 Al-Rahmah School Educational Trust (ASET) is Hosting a seminar titled “Islamic Will Preparation” On July 19th at 10 AM at the Islamic Society of Baltimore 6631 Johnnycake Rd Baltimore 21244. Guest Speaker: Dr. Yaqub Mirza, President & CEO of Sterling Management Group. For more info contact ASET at: board@alrahmahtrust .org or 410.988.4699 www.alrahmahtrust. org or email board@alrahmahtrust .org -------------------------

Israeli-Palestinian Confederation Panel Discussion Saturday, July 19, 2008 A panel of experts and scholars on the IsraeliPalestinian Conflict will debate the question of an Israeli Palestinian Confederation helping to solve this conflict. They will debate the feasibility and implementation of a novel proposal to help these long-time adversaries achieve peace. As the panel represents different backgrounds and points of view, the event promises to be lively, engaging, and controversial. At the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G Street. Washington D.C. All are invited. Contact: Josef Avesar, President, Israeli-Palestinian Confederation. Phone: (818) 783-2934, josefavesar@sbcglobal. net josefavesar@sbcglobal.net -------------------------

Muslim Link Unbound Virginia Saturday, July 19, 2008 The Muslim Link’s Unbound fundraising event comes to Virginia with guests AlJazeera journalist Sami Al-Hajj recently released from 6 years of unjust detention in Guantanamo via live tele-link, and award winning Iraq war reporter Dahr Jamail.

Help us unbind your media! For more info, contact the Muslim Link at 301-982-1020 or email office@muslimlinkpaper.com.

To advertise in the newspaper, or our online version, call 301.982.1020

COMMUNITY NEWS

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The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

A Recap of Yasir Qadhi’s Message at the ‘Construction Ahead’ Event Dar-us-Salaam held a summer fundraiser called “Construction Ahead” to help Al-Huda School prepare the building for the coming academic year. Al-Huda will open its second high school level class --- 10th grade – along with additional sections of Kindergarten and 1st grade. The gathering of about 400 supporters raised about $75,000; the target for the event – held at Spring Brooke High School in Silver Spring, Maryland – was $70,000.

What follows is one attendee’s reflections on the keynote speech by popular Islamic lecturer Yasir Qadhi. -- TML He’s about 5 ft 11 with a well-groomed beard, kufi on and fairly unassuming. He walked up to the podium at Dar Us Salaam’s Fundraiser, Saturday June 28 and brilliantly delivered a powerful three point message to Muslims encompassing a foundation for communities, parents and second generation Muslims.

Point one: Worldwide, Islam is experiencing

a resurgence – a new energy coupled with growth within a subsection of the general population that is quite remarkable and inspiring – this age group being under 30!

This was not true in the last two generations where the immigrant Muslim communities were carried on the shoulders of those in their 50s and 60s, alhamdulillah. Many readers are witnesses to this observable trend.

Second point: The current second generation of Muslims are birthing a subculture where they are becoming “American Muslims.” This subculture knows and lives its Islamic roots and foundations. “If we are not threatened by being Pakistani Muslims, Egyptian Muslims, Turkish Muslims, etc. why should we be sensitive to nurturing American Muslims. If we are to stay here, the subsequent generations must become American Muslims.” This second generation is stronger in practice than it’s previous generations even though they live as a minority culture; they are caught in the turmoil where their parents are not as practicing as they themselves are,

subhanAllah. They are much more aware of their Islam and direction than their parents ever thought to be. They are hijabbed while their mothers can’t seem to commit; they do their five times salah while their parents struggle; they memorize the Qur’an and their parents struggle with reading it; they live Islam daily while their parents try. Of course not every snapshot of this subculture fits this picture; in many households, parents and children alike are on the same level of practice mashaAllah while in others, practice is minimal.

Point three: Islamic Schools are critical for stable and committed community structures to nurture this generation and future ones so that American Muslims are equipped with Islamic values and practices as they move into their future taking reins of leadership in this land as He subhanaAllah wa ta’la would have them do. “They don’t need to be enclaved permanently, but they need to be firmly established in the practice and knowledge of the deen before heading out. Islamic

schools provide this environment” so Muslims grounded in practice are the ones who head out from these micro communities.

In these three points, Shaikh Yasir spoke with simplicity and passion as parents, community leaders, and the second generation he was talking about gained insight, encouragement and direction. He focused on what is working, how it needs to be nurtured and what tools to use. The faces of the second generation that found themselves in this majlis no doubt were fixed on the speech. What parent didn’t look over their shoulder to see their child as part of that second generation of Muslims while in their hearts resonated “how can I better prepare my child so he/she can do the work fi sabilillah.” May He subahana wa ta’la guide all of us and this second generation upon the straight path, may He subhana wa ta’la guide the current generation to set up institutions and communities that are the flourishing grounds of these minds….ameen.

West Virginian’s Path to Islam Started on 9/11

By Hakeem ibn Yusuf Muslim Link Contributing Writer The first contact I can remember having with the Muslim world was September 11th, 2001 when I was in the 6th grade. For the next three

The majority of my 11th grade year I began a search to find what it was God wanted me to do and it took me from being a Catholic to being a non baptized member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I was still attending the LDS church at the beginning of my 12th grade year when the sisters invited

I will never forget the moment that I decided I wanted to be a Muslim. It was like I had a sense of peace over me because I knew I had finally found what Allah had been directing me too all along. years I spent my time thinking that Islam was a religion of hate and that Muslims wanted to kill innocent Christians for whatever reason that was unknown to me.

That way of thinking was changed though when I entered the 9th grade and met two Muslim sisters. At first I began talking to them just out of curiosity about Islam, but then I wanted to know more. That year I decided to write a ten page research report on how Islam and Christianity were both similar though they had their differences.

In the 10th grade and after only a year of really beginning to understand Islam I began to think that there was some truth to the religion. I had a conversation about the possibility of converting to Islam with my friends at lunch.

While one of the sisters I had befriended the year before said that she thought it would be a good idea if I continued to look into the religion the majority of my friends told me that it was “just a phase” I was going through and that I should just put it out of mind.

Having almost no support from my friends I decided to relent and pushed the thought of becoming a Muslim to the back of my mind but that would only last for around a year.

me to an open house at their mosque in Hagerstown, Maryland during the month of Ramadan. At first everything seemed very foreign to me and it wasn’t just because the night began with a prayer in Arabic. While there I was able to take home a copy of the Nobel Qur’an translated into English and a book about the principles of Islam. I began to read the book and started to see that Islam was not only a religion but also away of life for Muslims.

It was with that idea in my mind that I began to work on a project focused solely on that principle. I began to research to do research on the Internet and at that same time began to stumble across many different sites that were dedicated to helping people convert to Islam.

It was through the help of one of those sites that I decided that I wanted to follow the path that Allah had laid out for me and submit to his will. I will never forget the moment that I decided I wanted to be a Muslim. It was like I had a sense of peace over me because I knew I had finally found what Allah had been directing me too all along. After reciting the shahadah I had joined the billions of people who had also decided to be obedient to the will of Allah.

The most difficult aspect since I converted has been prayer. While giving up only about half an hour in prayer each day is not much to ask of me it is praying in Arabic that trips me up.

I have been making every effort to try and be able to pray correctly including looking up transliterations of verses from the Qur’an. I have also been putting forth an effort to learn Arabic and will be continuing to study the language when I go to college.

Being a Muslim in the area I am from has been a test because the Muslim population is so small. While surrounding areas have high numbers of Muslims and mosques nearby the population has yet to spread to where I live.

This makes being a new Muslim all that more difficult because I feel that sometimes I really do not have someone I can turn to for advice on certain questions. While I do have to good friends who are Muslims there are some things that I feel I am unable to ask them and so I am forced to take to the Internet in search of answers which is not always the best source of information.

straight. Though I am not Arab and I do not have a long beard that does not mean I cannot be a Muslim. And though I am a Muslim it does not mean that I am any different then anyone else that you would meet walking down the street.

One of the things that I have tried to do since converting to Islam is try and continue to live my life as closely to how I did before converting to show that you do not have to completely change yourself or act a different way. I continue to go out to eat with my friends, but now I am more thoughtful of what I eat and always make sure that it does not contain pork or pork products. I still play sports and I use it as a way to show that I can still be active and go out there and have fun, and while playing in long pants in ninety degree weather took some getting use to I found it much more enjoyable then running around in the shorts that the uniform normally called for because I no longer had half of my thigh showing.

The greatest aspect of Islam for me is the

The greatest aspect of Islam for me is the sense that all things happen just as Allah has planned them to. When I first converted I knew very little about predestination and only looked into it more when my friend wished me luck and followed it by saying Allah willing.

Since converting to Islam the one question I most often hear from people is “Are you really Muslim?”. When I answered that yes I really am a Muslim a strange and puzzled look comes across their face. The next comment that leaves there mouth is “How are you a Muslim you don’t look like one?”. This is always where I feel like I need to set the record

sense that all things happen just as Allah has planned them to. When I first converted I knew very little about predestination and only looked into it more when my friend wished me luck and followed it by saying

>> Virginian Pg 17

COMMUNITY NEWS

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008 continued >> Opinion from pg 22

practices by receiving for example five patients for free who do not have insurances.

They could report those patients for tax purposes. They could also refer patients to the community based medical practice (incorporated business). These physicians could gradually work towards transitioning into the corporation, and freeing themselves from the previously established commitments such as office and equipment leases.

The new physicians could join the Company with a complete package of salary, vacation time, CME, insurance … at market match value.

SALAH AND ZAKAT GO TOGETHER Salah is the pillar of our ibada, worship. But our entire lives should be a form of ibada: in what and how we practice. Thus the same principle of ‘establishing’ can be applied to any ventures we may embark in our lives: our family life, our professions.

Since there is no salah without zakat (no establishing action without purifying such action with gratitude and humbleness); a fund could be created by the corporation with 0.5 percent of all physicians’ zakat money. This fund would be intended to support those community members financially incapable to pay for medical services. Part of such fund could also be used to give scholarships to top students so they can attend medical school in exchange upon graduation of committing to work as either full time employees or interns for the group practice/corporation or the hospital for a number of years. The benefits and ramifications of a fund of this type could be endless.

HOW TO DO IT? Having a fully run Muslim Physicians corporation, the practice would already have, from the start, a group of patients to come in right away from the Islamic communities. Their insurance money would come to be recycled into the Muslim practice, which would as well strengthen the local communities. The corporation as well as the hospital would serve both Muslims and non Muslim patients.

Different specialties should join in. The more Muslim doctors come into the hospital, the more patients, the more Muslim practices coming to be established around. The more the presence of Muslim patients, the more Muslim nurses and personnel may be employed.

The doctors from this practice, affiliated with the local hospital would increase the number of Muslim doctors in that hospital, as well as patients. The stronger the Muslim presence in the hospital, the need and facilitation would come by default to make Muslim friendly accommodations. By being a Private entity the Hospital could set its own preferences such as : Proper privacy for women, women/men sections, athan at salah time, halal food would be available in the cafeteria, the hospital could have its own small musallah for prayers. A Muslim Chaplain could be hired.

WHERE WOULD THE MONEY COME FROM? A Muslim hospital does not have to be built.

We do not need to spend money building a hospital. Hospitals are nothing but businesses.

If you have a large number of doctors who are Muslims, you can be part of the Board of Directors. We could also have more and more Muslims to be share holders in the hospital corporations.

By buying more and more shares of the existing corporation and by more and more of

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 at editor@muslimlinkpaper.com.

19

our physicians becoming part of the board of the hospital, in a matter of ten years we could end up taking over already existing hospitals insha’Allah.

THE BENEFITS OF HAVING A MUSLIM HOSPITAL By establishing hospitals we are guarantying the continuity of the Muslim patients care.

We would be financially self-sustained and profitable. We would be private, thus capable to make our own choices and decisions.

Through the mercy of zakat we would be able to facilitate services to those in need in a multitude of areas and specialties. We would be strengthening the bonds within our communities and with the non-Muslims in the field and patients. We could become by our mere existence as Muslim Physicians a source of dawah by simply applying the manners, professionalism and care that our religion teaches us.

We could gradually establish research initiatives and integrate much needed natural methods of prevention and healing as established by the sunnah of our Prophet (peace be upon him) together with the Western style of Medicine which is mainstream today.

By establishing a hospital, we would be fulfilling a very important principle: Do not take help from others to establish yourself, but establish yourself to serve others.

We just have to rely on Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala and read our history. We need to follow

the Prophet’s example on how to establish ourselves and serve others.

It seems difficult only because our mission in life is not understood well. We are not relying on Allah (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). We are not following our prophet’s way of establishing things. We are more spiritual but not practical and we underestimate our capabilities.

It may be far fetched, but this is only seed for thought. If anyone thinks deeply about it, we’ll see that to establish deen we do not need finances, we need tawaqul in Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala and then unity. We need eman not wealth, Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala has already given us wealth. The early Muslim generations were not looking for wealth but they were giving it away desperately to build something.

We want lo leave this dunnia to go towards something we have build in our akhirah. We do not want to leave to an akhirah we have destroyed because we have being too busy with this dunnia. As physicians, wouldn’t it be wonderful to leave behind a project or at least the seeds to it that could benefit immensely both our Muslim community as well as the entire American community at large?

If anyone out there would like to join efforts or brainstorm about this dream, please feel free to e-mail me at: muslim_hospital@yahoo.com --The author is the director of the Dar-usSalaam Family Medical Practice located in Greenbelt, Maryland.

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SPECIAL UNBOUND VIRGINIA SECTION

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

‘I Wanted to Report On Where the Silence Was’

Dahr Jamail.

Photograph: Graeme Robertson

By Stephen Moss The Guardian, May 8 2008 Texas-born Dahr Jamail was outraged that the US media were swallowing the Bush administration’s line on Iraq and so, with just $2,000 and no previous journalistic experience, he set off to find out what was really happening in the country. He talks to Stephen Moss In the spring of 2003 Dahr Jamail, a fourthgeneration Lebanese-American with a taste for adventure, was up a mountain in Alaska, climbing and earning a living by working as a guide. He was, though, following news of the invasion of Iraq, and what he read and heard made him so furious that he decided to leave the mountains - “my church”, as he calls them - and head for that newly subjugated land, armed only with a laptop and a digital recorder.

In a world of gung-ho, embedded, flak-jacketed US reporters telling the tale from the military angle, he had decided to try to find out what was happening to the Iraqis, who seemed absent from the story, which was odd considering there were 29 million of them in the country, dodging the bombs and the bullets. Or not.

by a young couple from the UK who intended to spend a few days there “for the experience”. The border was unguarded, US troops notable by their absence. The war had been fought at long range; now there was a vacuum.

Jamail visited hospitals and went to the town of Samarra, 50km north of Baghdad, to check out a “firefight” in which the US military said they had been attacked and had killed 54 Iraqi fighters. Jamail found the locals telling a different story: two Iraqi fighters had attacked a detachment of US troops guarding a delivery to a bank, and the soldiers had responded by firing indiscriminately, killing and wounding many civilians.

At first he had no intention of trying to compete with the mainstream media. “For the first two weeks [of a nine-week stay]

made this extraordinary gesture: was there something in his make-up that led him to take this stand? Born and raised in Texas, the son of a grocery store owner, he says that there is a streak of unpredictability in his family. He is the youngest of three: his sister is a pilot, his brother is a police officer. “My parents have always had their hands full and were broken in a bit, so I guess they weren’t completely shocked when I started to do my thing,” he says. He means climbing, but what about Iraq? How did they and others close to him react? “Most people thought I was crazy.

My closer friends supported it. They felt, ‘If this is what you think, and you really want to do it, then all power to you.’ I decided, wrong or right, not to worry my parents about it until I got in there, so I waited and wrote [to] them after I reached Baghdad.

Fortunately they were open to it; they were shocked, but they were open to it.”

could probably earn enough to live through his journalism he decided to go back.

The fact that the security situation was deteriorating and that other journalists were pulling out increased the marketability of his on-the-spot reports, but also underlined the personal risks. Did he worry about the dangers? “By then I felt like I really wanted to stay in there and cover as much of the story as I could. You get into the story and you want to stay on it. It had its limits, though, and I didn’t feel like I’d be able to stay in indefinitely.”

He entered Iraq for the second time in April 2004, on the very day that Falluja, the town 70km west of Baghdad that became the focal point of the battle between US forces and Iraqi fighters, was being sealed off. “We immediately started hearing these horrible stories of what was happening there,” he says. “I had a chance to go in and was really on the fence on whether I should do it or not, because I knew it was pretty crazy.

But it seemed like we had a reasonable chance of going in safely, so I decided to take it. I ended up reporting for a couple of days from this makeshift clinic, and saw women, kids and some men being brought in who were all saying the same thing: the US pushed in [to Falluja] as far as they could and then just lined up snipers and started shooting into the city. There was no water, no electricity, medical workers were being targeted. It was a turning point for me.”

“With a few exceptions, most of the US mainstream was just stenography for the state,” he says. “It wasn’t journalism; it was writing down what the Bush administration was telling them. I was amazed and outraged.”

“I wanted to report on where the silence was,” he says. “There’s this huge story going on and nobody’s talking about it. How are Iraqis getting by, what’s their daily life like?”

Jamail, a spruce 39-year-old who is the author of a new book, Beyond the Green Zone, says the supine nature of the US media encouraged him to act. “With a few exceptions, most of the US mainstream was just stenography for the state,” he says. “It wasn’t journalism; it was writing down what the Bush administration was telling them. I was amazed and outraged. I felt that the lack of clear information was the biggest problem I could see in the US, so I decided I should go over and write about it.”

It took him until November 2003 to get the money together - $2,000, everything he had - and make some contacts, via the internet, in Iraq. He flew to Amman in Jordan, found a driver and an interpreter - he spoke no Arabic - and took a car to Baghdad, accompanied

I was just sending emails back home,” he says. “I had a list of a little over a hundred friends, mostly in Alaska. I would go out in the day with an interpreter - I found someone to work with me who was really cheap because I didn’t have much money - and interview people, take amateur photos, and then go back to the hotel and write it up. It was essentially blogging, but I didn’t know what blogging was and I didn’t have a blog, of course. I was just sending out two, three, four, five pages a night with a few photos attached to friends.

“After about two weeks someone suggested, ‘Hey, you should post on this website electroniciraq.ne.’ They wanted posts from people on the ground. I did that for about a month and then towards the end of my trip, with about two weeks to go, I was contacted by the BBC to do a little bit of work with them. A start-up website in New York also contacted me to start doing some stories. I actually got paid to do some work, and that’s when it became clear I could actually come back and work as a journalist.”

I try to probe why Jamail should have

Before he headed for Alaska in 1996, Jamail had worked as a chemical technician on Johnston Island, an atoll in the Pacific where the US military had dumped parts of its obsolete stockpile of chemical weapons - no problem here finding weapons of mass destruction. Jamail was there to check air quality in a pilot plant designed for decommissioning the weapons, but became disillusioned when he thought results were being rigged and leaks covered up.

It is tempting to see that disillusionment as the key to his later engagement, but he insists that it wasn’t. He just packed in the job and went climbing - in Central America, South America and Pakistan, as well as Alaska. His journey to Iraq, he says, was born of anger and frustration; it was not a calculatedly political act. “I did it for more personal reasons,” he explains. “I felt if I went and did this, I’d be able to come home and sleep a little bit better at night.” He was wrong about that.

He had seen that first trip in the winter of 2003 as a one-off, but when he realized he

By now, Jamail was filing his reports predominantly for the Inter Press Service, an agency based in Rome that sets out to “give a voice to the voiceless” and promote a new global order based on equality, democracy and justice. It is reporting, but reporting with a purpose, a clear agenda. So is it objective?

Can someone who goes to Iraq convinced that the war is wrong and being fought for control of oil and strategic power offer unbiased reporting?

>> D.Jamail Pg 21

SPECIAL VIRGINIA SECTION SECTION SPECIAL UNBOUND VIRGINIA

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008 continued >> D.Jamail from pg 20

who were glad the Americans were here, were still hopeful and wanted to give them some time, and I wrote about that.”

“Objective journalism is a myth,” says Jamail. “Going into Iraq, I felt it was really important to read up on the history, find out what is the US security strategy, what is US foreign policy. Only then can you

In the introduction to his book, he quotes the story of an indigenous Canadian hunter who was called to give evidence at an inquiry into a planned dam that would flood his homeland and destroy his traditional way of life. The hunter was asked to swear on the Bible that

the US pushed in [to Falluja] as far as they could and then just lined up snipers and started shooting into the city. There was no water, no electricity, medical workers were being targeted.

It was a turning point for me.”

understand the facts and the nature of the US’s historical involvement in Iraq. If I’m guilty of something, I was guilty of going into it looking at it through that lens, as opposed to those who were looking at it through the lens of anonymous briefings from Bush administration officials. Any journalist going into a war zone is going to be looking through a certain type of lens. It’s a myth that you go in without opinions on the situation, or that you won’t feel emotions and that nothing that happens is going to affect how you report on it. I don’t buy that. I just don’t think it’s humanly possible.”

He immediately qualifies that, however, by saying that he was not so blinkered that he made every fact and opinion he encountered fit his preconceived view. “When I came across Iraqis who were happy that Saddam was gone - and there were plenty, especially seven months into the occupation, before

he would tell the truth, but he had never seen a Bible and wondered how this miraculous truth-telling instrument worked. “He spoke with the translator at length,” writes Jamail, “and finally the translator looked up at the judge. ‘He does not know whether he can tell the truth. He says he can tell only what he knows.’”

I take it that is how Jamail sees his own role: to give his view, to write down what he sees, to filter what he discovers at first hand through the knowledge he has gained from reading official documents; to tell what he knows rather than claim to be relaying some almost metaphysical “truth”, arrived at by being perfectly objective. He sees the war in Iraq as the direct consequence of the stated national security strategy of building a worldwide network of US military bases and “projecting power”. Talk of withdrawal from Iraq, he says, is a case of “putting the

His journey to Iraq, he says, was born of anger and frustration; it was not a calculatedly political act. “I did it for more personal reasons,” he explains. “I felt if I went and did this, I’d be able to come home and sleep a little bit better at night.” He was wrong about that. things had really started to degrade rapidly - I said so. I did run into things that challenged my preconceptions. I would from time to time run into a soldier who really believed in the mission. Early on, I met plenty of Iraqis

cart before the horse”; the whole strategy has to be rethought first. Iraq, in his view, is just a symptom of an endemic illness.

UNBOUND

VIRGINIA Freeing a

Captive Audience

21

What this role as an avowedly anti-war journalist means, however, is that Jamail’s political opponents can write him off as a propagandist. American TV networks have largely ignored him and his book. Even as the public mood has turned against the war, the mainstream media have not been able to disengage themselves from their view that, in time of war, the commander-in-chief and the boys in the field should be supported.

I was constantly thinking about Iraq, getting random visions of the times when I would go into morgues, and feeling guilty that I could leave the country but the friends I had made there couldn’t. I just felt numb a lot of the time. All of that put together made me realize that this was not the same guy that went over there, and that I needed some help.

I took counseling, and still do it off and on when necessary.”

“I certainly get accused of being an activist, but I don’t consider myself an activist,” he says. “I’ve never done any kind of activism or organizing. My response to my critics is to say, ‘Tell me which of my facts you dispute and I’ll give you my sources.’ I ask people, ‘Be specific.’ If you want to attack my personality that’s fine, but if you want to attack my work and my information, then tell me which of my stories you have a problem with and I’ll happily give you my sources.

I give talks in the US and people accuse me of being a conspiracy theorist, but I say, ‘No, it’s very rational, read these documents.’”

When he returned to the US after his fourth visit to Iraq, he decided it was time to digest his experiences. He attended a session of the World Tribunal on Iraq in Rome and, rather like the Canadian hunter, reported what he had seen in the eight months he had spent in the country. He told of Iraqis who had given him accounts of being tortured, of towns collectively punished by being deprived of electricity, water and essential medical supplies, and of ambulances being shot at

by US soldiers. “With 70% unemployment, a growing resistance and an infrastructure in shambles,” he concluded, “the future for Iraq remains bleak as long as the failed occupation persists.”

Jamail’s Lebanese name doesn’t help when he tries to argue that, while trying to fill the silence on the Iraqi side, he remains

Jamail also embarked on his book - part

“Objective journalism is a myth,” says Jamail. “Going into Iraq, I felt it was really important to read up on the history, find out what is the US security strategy, what is US foreign policy. Only then can you understand the facts and the nature of the US’s historical involvement in Iraq. committed to reporting what he sees and telling what he knows. “One time I was on this rightwing radio program, and the guy started out trying to describe me: ‘Dahr Jamail, you’re a Muslim, aren’t you?’ ‘No. Would it matter if I was? But no, I’m not.’

‘Where are you from, Dahr?’ ‘Anchorage, Alaska.’ It didn’t go real well for him. I didn’t even have a Middle-Eastern accent.”

Jamail made two further trips to Iraq, but hasn’t been back since early 2005.

The danger was now too great, and he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. “Having never reported in a war zone before, I was ignorant about PTSD,” he says. “I assumed that journalists didn’t get it. I thought you had to be a combat soldier to get it. When I got home after my fourth trip, I started having trouble sleeping.

SATURDAY, 5

reportage, part catharsis - and this summer plans to write another, this time on resistance to the war within the US military, based on the stories of soldiers he has met who engaged in sabotage and fake patrols (called “search and avoid” missions) to hamper the war effort. Then he plans to return to the Middle East and maybe even to Iraq, if the security situation allows him at least some degree of freedom to report. The return to the mountains will have to wait; his heart now is in the desert.

[Dahr Jamail will be the keynote speaker at the Muslim Link’s “Unbound Virginia” fundraiser on Saturday, July 19 at George Mason University. For tickets, call 301982-1020, or visit muslimlinkpaper.com.

-- TML]

PM

JULY19, 2008

DAHR SAMI featuring AL-HAJJ JAMAIL MAHDI WAFA UNUS BRAY

to purchase tickets call 301-982-1020 or visit www.muslimlinkp aper.com

22

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

Mission Possible: A Muslim Hospital Can Be Established

By Naseem Sharieff

meaningful in the service of this deen with our professions.

In the June 6, 2008 issue of the Muslim Link, an article was published titled “Muslim Doctors Abundant But Muslim Hospitals Non-Existent”.

Deen apart from every day life is not true deen.

Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) was the best example of it. He was a complete model and he proved it by establishing a living, working community in Medina.

Being a Muslim physician with 25 years of experience, I have some ideas on how Muslim doctors can serve this ummah and make a Muslim hospital a reality.

WHO IS GOING TO DO IT? Doctors could be classified as:

If you have a large number of doctors who are Muslims, you can be part of the Board of Directors. We could also have more and more Muslims to be share holders in the hospital corporations.

THE FIRST STEP The first step would be to find out how many committed Muslim physicians are in America.

If you are only a physician, driven solely by the aim of generating income and establishing yourself professionally, it will not happen.

However, if you are a physician committed to serving your Lord and the community at large, then this is the time for us to come together in thinking how to make our lives

Physicians who are Committed to the Muslim Community i.

Senior Physicians: . They have many years of experience, are done raising families, and are close to retirement. ii.

Physicians in the Middle of their Careers Life They are in the middle of their careers, tied up by previous financial commitments (ie: office and equipment leases, etc). iii.

New Physicians Coming out: New comers from Medical Schools, in their first

E V E RY B O D Y ’ S S TA K E O N T H E MATTER

This group would be core in initiating the establishment of a Muslim hospital since they have the knowledge, experience and have achieved settlement, as well as they no longer carry the heavier load of the responsibility of raising families.

Those under group “A” would clearly be the ones interested in achieving such high goal for the Ummah in this country.

The middle group could be the managed care referral physicians. They could benefit the communities while continuing their regular

The Senior Physicians responsibility would be to make a group of Muslim Physicians and start a corporation or a group practice.

>> Opinion Pg 19

two years of practice.

Non Committed Muslim Physicians (self committed)

WORLD PRESS

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

23

World Press

News you might have missed. News that might have missed you.

China demolishes mosque for not supporting Olympics: group Mon Jun 23, 2008 3:56am EDT BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese authorities in the restive far western region of Xinjiang have demolished a mosque for refusing to put up signs in support of this August’s Beijing Olympics, an exiled group said on Monday.

The mosque was in Kalpin county near Aksu city in Xinjiang’s rugged southwest, the World Uyghur Congress said.

The spokesman’s office of the Xinjiang government said it had no immediate comment, while telephone calls to the county government went answered.

“China is forcing mosques in East Turkistan to publicize the Beijing Olympics to get the Uighur people to support the Games (but) this has been resisted by the Uighurs,” World Uyghur Congress spokesman Dilxat Raxit said in an emailed statement.

Beijing says al Qaeda is working with militants in Xinjiang to use terror to establish an independent state called East Turkistan.

Oil-rich Xinjiang is home to 8 million Turkicspeaking Uighurs, many of whom resent the growing economic and cultural influence of the Han Chinese.

Dilxat Raxit added that the mosque, which had been renovated in 1998, was accused of illegally renovating the structure, carrying out illegal religious activities and illegally storing copies of the Muslim holy book the Koran.

“All the Korans in the mosque have been seized by the government and dozens of people detained,” he said. “The detained Uighurs have been tortured.”

The Olympic torch relay passed through Xinjiang last week under tight security, with all but carefully vetted residents banned from watching on the streets and tight controls over foreign media covering the event. (Reporting

by Ben Blanchard; Editing by Nick Macfie) ----------------------------------------------------

Islam’s holiest city set for 130skyscraper redevelopment

By Riazat Butt The Guardian, May 29, 2008 The holiest city in Islam is to get a £6bn facelift, it was announced yesterday, with homes and hills being flattened to make way for hotels, apartments, shopping malls and transport facilities for pilgrims. Six development projects ordered by the Saudi monarch, King Abdullah, will transform Mecca, which struggles to accommodate the millions of Muslims who pour into the city

every year to perform hajj.

The biggest change will be to the courtyards of the Grand Mosque, which can hold at least 100,000 worshippers during prayer times. An ambitious expansion programme has led to the demolition of 1,000 properties in the immediate Shamiya area and Saudi authorities have set aside an estimated £80m to compensate the homeowners.

There will also be a new residential district to the south-west of the mosque. Construction firms have begun to level hills to create a 230,000 square metre area that will include high-rise apartments and air conditioned prayer facilities for up to 120,000.

A new ring road, four kilometres (2.5 miles) long and 80m wide, will ease congestion and link to the Jeddah highway, while a project to the south of the mosque will increase prayer space from 1,170 to 30,000 square metres and provide parking space for more than 1,000 cars.

But Irfan Al Alawi, the founder and former executive director the Islamic Heritage Research Foundation, said: “It’s the Manhattanisation of Mecca. The Saudis want to build skyscrapers. The worry is that as they level hills and mountains they will destroy sites of cultural interest.”

A report by the Saudi British Bank, one of the kingdom’s biggest lenders, estimates that £15bn will be invested by local and foreign companies in construction and infrastructure in Mecca in the next four years. Up to 130 new skyscrapers are anticipated, including the Abraj Al Bait Towers, a seven-tower project that will be one of the largest buildings in the world, with a 2,000-room hotel, a 1,500person convention centre, heliports and a four-storey mall that will house hundreds of outlets.

The pilgrims already have the opportunity to stop at Next, TopShop and Starbucks in between their religious rituals.

For developers, Mecca is a concrete business investment, with the guarantee of millions of visitors each year. The world’s estimated 1.4 billion Muslims are obliged to complete hajj once in their lifetime if they have the means to do so. Last year up to 4 million people completed hajj, with millions more visiting during the rest of the year.

Next week Mecca - which is strictly off limits to non-Muslims - will host a three-day conference on the importance of dialogue with other religions. The event, to be opened

by King Abdullah, will feature scholars and academics from the Islamic world.

----------------------------------------------------

Update on Somalia Crisis from Somalia Diaspora Network

Fairfax, Virginia, USA, 22 June 2008: The Somali Diaspora Network (SDN) has always advocated for and emphasized the critical importance of inclusive dialogue and political reconciliation to resolve the crisis in Somalia. In that spirit, SDN welcomes the peace talks held in Djibouti earlier this month and the agreement between the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) and a faction of the Alliance for Re-liberation of Somalia (ARS). However, the agreement contains ambiguous language that may contribute to further escalation of the conflict and the continuation of the Ethiopian occupation of Somalia, as well as the continuation of the suffering of millions of Somalis who face the worst humanitarian crisis in Africa.

While the agreement sets a timeline for the withdrawal of the Ethiopian forces, it places an immeasurable and unverifiable condition on such withdrawal. This ambiguity in the language of the agreement has already resulted in conflicting interpretations of when the Ethiopian occupation will end. In public statements made to the BBC Somali service, the leaders of the ARS faction delegation that signed the agreement insist that the Ethiopians will withdraw in 120 days while members of the TFG downplayed the 120day deadline and insisted that the Ethiopian forces will withdraw only when ‘sufficient’ UN forces arrive. As Dr. Michael Weinstein points out, the timetable for withdrawal of the Ethiopian forces is dependent on “the unlikely deployment of a U.N.” force. (The West Wins a Pyrrhic victory in Somalia. June 12, 2008).This condition and the uncertainty surrounding it diminish the efficacy of this agreement.

The agreement also completely ignores the Human Rights violations that are being committed while Somalia is under Ethiopian occupation. This critical omission occurs at a time when Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have released extensive reports documenting grave violations of Human Rights and the war crimes that are being committed.

Viable and lasting peace requires that those who committed war crimes be brought to justice.

Despite the apparent shortcomings of the agreement, SDN strongly urges all Somalis to engage in a genuine political settlement and to establish an inclusive power sharing arrangement to bring about lasting peace and stability in Somalia. SDN also appeals to the international community to fulfill their promises made to the Somali people by ending the Ethiopian occupation of Somalia and by deploying the UN peace keeping troops without delay. Furthermore, SDN calls on both the Somalis and the international community to guarantee the safe delivery of emergency assistance to the innocent civilians who are suffering due to the severe humanitarian crisis.

ABOUT SOMALI DISAPOR NETWORK (SDN) – SDN is a grass-roots organization committed to advocate on critical policy matters pertaining to Somali-American interest and issues of concern through communication and information sharing, raising public awareness, and educating the public and government officials. CONTACT: Somali Diaspora Network (SDN) or (703) 888-5409 or by email contact@somalidiaspora.org -----------------------------------------------------

WashPost: Summaries of leading Supreme Court rulings The Associated Press Saturday, June 28, 2008 -- Brief summaries of the rulings from the leading cases before the Supreme Court in its just-ended term: GUN BAN Ruled that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense and hunting. It was the justices’ first major pronouncement on gun rights in history. The 5-4 ruling struck down the District of Columbia’s 32-year-old ban on handguns as incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment. The decision went further than even the Bush administration wanted, but probably leaves most firearms laws intact. Within two days, lawsuit were filed in San Francisco and Chicago challenging similar handgun bans.

The court had not conclusively interpreted the amendment since its ratification in 1791. The amendment reads: “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” The basic issue for the justices was whether the amendment protects an individual’s right to own guns no matter what, or whether that right is somehow tied to service in a state militia.

Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said an individual right to bear arms is supported by “the historical narrative” both before and after the amendment was adopted. The Constitution does not permit “the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home,” Scalia said. The court also struck down Washington’s requirement that firearms be equipped with trigger locks or kept disassembled, but left intact the licensing of guns. Joining Scalia were Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito, Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas. (District of Columbia v. Heller, 07-290) EXECUTION FOR RAPE OF A CHILD Outlawed executions for the nonlethal rape of a child. By a 5-4 vote, the court said a

>> World Press Pg 25

ISLAM

24

Islam

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

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

When Prayer is Forbidden Sheikh `Abd Allah b. `Umar al-Suhaybânî We need to start with a little clarification. In English, the word “prayer” is used for every supplication to Allah. With this understanding of prayer in mind, we must say that prayer is never forbidden. We may beseech our Lord at all times under all circumstances.

Allah always hears us.

When we speak about the times prayer is forbidden, we are speaking about the formal prayers that are prescribed to be carried out in a particular manner: with standing, bowing, prostrations, and sitting – each movement with its prescribed recitations.

In Arabic, the word for supplication is du`â while the word fro formal prayers is salâh. In English, the world “prayer” is used for both.

A Muslim may voluntarily offer formal prayers – above an beyond the five obligatory prescribed daily prayers – when he or she likes. However, there are certain times of day when offering such prayers is forbidden.

These times are, broadly speaking, three.

1. From dawn until the Sun has risen and ascended in the sky the height of a spear.

Scholars differ regarding what is meant by “after dawn”. Hanbalî

scholars are of the opinion that all voluntary prayers are forbidden from the time of dawn – in other words, from the time of the adhân for the Fajr prayer – except for the two Sunnah units associated with the Fajr prayer.

Other scholars disagree. They are of the opinion that voluntary prayers are only becomes prohibited after a person offers the obligatory Fajr prayer. A person may offer as many voluntary prayers as he or she likes after the adhân for Fajr but before offering the Fajr prayer. This opinion seems more likely to be the correct one.

In any event, it is better to suffice with the two-unit Sunnah prayer for Fajr and avoid offering extra voluntary prayers before the obligatory Fajr prayer, because that is in conformity with the Prophet’s practice. He would only offer two brief units of prayer after the adhân for Fajr before offering the obligatory Fajr prayer. He never prayed more than that during this period of time.

As for how long it takes after sunrise for the Sun to ascend to the height of a spear, it is roughly 12 minutes to a quarter of an hour after sunrise.

2. From the time the Sun reaches its zenith in the sky until it begins its descent.

When the Sun reaches its maximum height for the day, the shadows it causes objects to cast will be at their

shortest. When the Sun begins its westward descent, these shadows will begin to increase again. This period of time is quite brief. It does not exceed around ten minutes before the time of the Zuhr prayer.

3. From after the `Asr prayer until the Sun has set.

There is agreement in this case that voluntary prayer is only forbidden for a person after that person has offered the obligatory `Asr prayer. A person may offer as many voluntary prayers as he or she likes after the adhân for `Asr but before offering the obligatory `Asr prayer.

The Evidence `Umar relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) “prohibited formal prayers after the dawn prayer up until the time that the Sun had risen, and after `Asr until the Sun has set.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (547) and Sahîh Muslim (1367)] Abû Sa`îd al-Khudrî relates that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “There is no prayer after the dawn prayer until the Sun has risen well into the sky, nor after `Asr until the Sun has disappeared.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (551)] When the edge of the Sun first appears, leave off offering prayers until it has risen in the sky.

Wneh the Sun’s edge disappears, leave off offering prayer until it is fully set.” [Sahîh al-Bukhârî (548) and Sahîh Muslim (1371)]

DID YOU KNOW?

`Uqbah b. `Âmir al-Juhanî said: “Allah’s Messenger prohibited us form offering prayers and from burying our dead during three time periods: from when the sun rises until it is fully risen, from when it reaches its zenith until it begins to decline, and from the time it begins to set until it is fully set.” [Sahîh Muslim (1373)] Vo l u n t a r y P r a y e r s w i t h Reasons that Precede Them There are some voluntary formal prayers that are prescribed for particular reasons or on particular occasions. These reasons can occur during one of the timeframes wherein prayer is forbidden.

These include the eclipse prayer, the two units to be offered after circumambulating the Ka`bah, the two units to be offered upon entering the mosque, and the units offered after performing one’s ablutions.

Scholars differ regarding whether these formal voluntary prayers may be offered at the times when voluntary prayer is forbidden. The strongest view is that these prayers are permitted on the strength of the reason that they are prescribed for. The prohibition is for offering general voluntary prayers that are not preceded by a reason that is prescribed for them by the Sunnah.

And Allah knows best.

• that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world?

• that Islam is the fastest growing religion in the US? • that the fastest growing segment of the US Muslim population is women?

• that the largest Muslim nation is Indonesia?

• that Muslims worship only One God - the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Mary, and Jesus?

• that Muslims believe that all people are born pure, without sin?

• that only 12 percent of Muslims live in the Middle East?

• that Moses is the most frequently mentioned prophet in the Qur’an?

• that Muslims accept Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ, the Word of God, and that his mother was pure and righteous?

• that Muslims believe that Jesus will return at the End of Time to defeat an Anti-Christ?

• that Muslims do not worship Jesus or any prophet, but instead pray to the same God that the prophets prayed to?

• that during war Islam forbids the killing of women, children, elderly, men who aren’t fighting, animals, and even crops and fruitbearing trees?

• that by the year 2020 Islam is projected to be the largest religionin the world? *** For further info/questions on Islam please call 301-982-9463 or email info@learnaboutislam.com

Source: Islamtoday.net

‘But they will not cease to disagree…’ – Revisited

By Sheikh Salman al-Oadah “If your Lord had so willed he could have made humanity one people, but they will not cease to disagree, except those on whom your Lord has bestowed His mercy.” [Sûrah Hûd: 118-119] In an earlier article of mine under the same title, I wrote about this verse: …it is possible that Allah is not only referring to the fundamental disagreement between believers and unbelievers. He may also be alluding to the differences that exist within the ranks of the believers themselves. Some believers are pious and devout, avoiding sin to the utmost extent humanly possible.

Others are weak and easily fall victim to their base desires. In this context, Allah’s words: “Except those on whom your Lord has bestowed his mercy” refer to those Muslims who abstain from sin and only disagree with each other in matters wherein Islamic Law permits disagreement.

It is this topic of permissible and impermissible disagreement that I wish to focus on in the present article.

Allah has made disagreement a reality of life. In spite of how natural disagreement is to the human condition, people are clearly discomfited by it. How often have we heard these plaintive questions: When

will the scholars stop disagreeing with each other? How long will the Muslims persist in disagreeing on this issue?

The answer to these questions is: Disagreement will remain part of life until Allah inherits the Earth and everyone on it. We should not nurture the hope that people will come to some global consensus. Allah tells us: “but they will not cease to disagree.”

[Sûrah Hûd: 118] This verse tells us that disagreement is something Allah has decreed to exist in our world. It is a reality of life.

Indeed, from the perspective of Islamic teachings, disagreement is not always

bad. Sometimes it is praiseworthy, a n d s o m e t i m e s i t i s b l a m e w o r t h y.

The most blameworthy type of disagreement is division and disunity. Division and discord are never praiseworthy. This should be clearly distinguished from disagreements in point of view or in understanding, which might be praiseworthy or blameworthy depending on the circumstances surrounding the disagreement. It should also be distinguished from practical differences, where on person

>> Disagree Pg 25

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008 continued >> Disagree from pg 24

employs his or her efforts to a certain task while someone else focuses on another task.

Division where people become polarized into antagonistic groups is always bad. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned the Muslims against this when he said: “My community will divide into 73 sects, and all of them will be in the Hellfire save one.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhî, Sunan Ibn Mâjah (3991, 3993)] Allah says: “Be not like those who are divided amongst themselves…” [Sûrah Âl `Imrân: 105] This is a clear prohibition of becoming divided.

However, the verse continues: “…and disagree

continued >> World Press from pg 23

Louisiana law allowing the death penalty to be imposed in cases of child rape violates the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment. Four other states _ Montana, Oklahoma and South Carolina and Texas _ had allowed for the execution of a child rapist. But no state has executed a convict in 44 years for a crime that did not also include a killing.

ISLAM after clear evidence has come to them.” This indicates that disagreements encompass that which is acceptable and unacceptable – or at the very least, the disagreement might be excusable or inexcusable.

This is obvious when the disagreement has a sound basis for it. Any party to such a disagreement will either be in either a praiseworthy position, or in one where he or she at least has an excuse for adopting the particular stance.

It is because of this that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “If a judge gives a ruling, exercising his best judgment, and he is correct, the he will receive a double blessing If he gives a ruling, exercising his best judgment, and makes a mistake, then he will receive a single blessing.” [Sahîh alBukhârî (7352) and Sahîh Muslim (1716)]

“The death penalty is not a proportional punishment for the rape of a child,” Kennedy wrote for the court. The decision bans executions for non-lethal crimes, except for federal crimes such as treason and espionage.

(Kennedy v. Louisiana, 07-343) GUANTANAMO DETAINEES Found that foreign terrorism suspects held at Guantanamo Bay have rights under the Constitution to challenge their detention in U.S. civilian courts. In a 5-4 ruling, the majority also noted that the system the administration put in place to classify suspects as enemy combatants and review those

25

Observe how the Prophet (peace be upon him) explicitly says he “makes a mistake”. In spite of being mistaken, he receives a single blessing for exercising his best judgment (ijtihâd). This is Allah’s mercy. If a person who is sufficiently qualified in knowledge exercises his or her best judgment, then the effort is blessed, whether her or she gets it right or makes a mistake. In this way, Allah encourages us to exercise our judgment in matters wherein we possess sufficient knowledge and proficiency.

He encourages us by promising us blessings for doing so, even if we make a mistake.

Such disagreements are praiseworthy as long as they based on legitimate arguments and evidence, where those who hold differing opinions do so sincerely after exercising their best efforts to arrive at the truth. By contrast, disagreements based on vain desires, vested

decisions is inadequate.

The court has ruled twice previously that people held at Guantanamo without charges can go into civilian courts to ask that the government justify their continued detention.

Each time, the administration and Congress, then controlled by Republicans, changed the law to try to close the courthouse doors to the detainees. The White House maintains that detainees have no rights and contends its classification and review process is a sufficient substitute for civilian court hearings.

interests, and arrogance are blameworthy.

Such disagreements lead people to become polarized and divided among themselves.

There is, finally, another way that people differ which is certainly praiseworthy. This is where people opt to devote their efforts to various good things. Consider Islamic work. Some people focus on Islamic legal matters. Others engage in calling people to righteousness.

Some seek to reconcile people and bring about peace. Others deal with family matters and domestic problems. Still others engage in relief work. Some teach. Some build mosques. The list goes on. Such differences only serve to enrich and strengthen society.

And Allah knows best.

Source: Islamtoday.net

survive, and remain in force, in extraordinary times,” Kennedy wrote in the court’s opinion.

In dissent, Roberts criticized his colleagues for striking down what he called “the most generous set of procedural protections ever afforded aliens detained by this country as enemy combatants.” (Boumediene v. Bush, 06-1195, Al-Odah v. U.S., 06-1196) [Other summaries in this article can be read at washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/ article/2008/06/28/AR2008062801310_ pf.html ]

“The laws and Constitution are designed to

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OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

26

EDITORS DESK

Letters to the Editor

Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan

A Letter from a Younger Reader

Office Manager : Jann McClary

Assalamu’alykum,

News Desk: Umm ‘Abdullah (Events) Distribution: Elwaleed Elshowya Layout & Design: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Lensay Abadula Amina Ali Farkhunda Ali Fasiha Khan Farha Marfani Rashad Mulla Maryam bint DawudMussallihullah Sharia Advisors: Sheikh Salah as-Sawi Safi Khan The Muslim Link (TML) is published every other Friday on a Bi-Weekly Schedule and distributed throughout the Washington, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia Metropolitan Areas. TML is a non-profit publication and is based at Dar-us-Salaam in College Park, Maryland, USA. Staff and contributors are not necessarily affiliated with Dar-us-Salaam.

The views expressed in The Muslim Link do not necessarily reflect those of Dar-us-Salaam or TML management or their underwriters. Dar-usSalaam and TML are not responsible for the accuracy of information presented by advertisers, or for the religious compliance of events, products, or services published in TML.

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

I really enjoy reading the Muslim Link every issue. I also like the recipes in the cooking section. Insha’Allah the Muslim Link will be more popular. My mom and dad like the Muslim Link, too. I hope you like this letter.

--From Fatimah (my younger sister) and Khadija (age 6) Wa’alykum as salaam wa rahmatullah our young sisters! Your letter was very special to us. We are counting on you to make this paper the best newspaper in the country in the coming years. Keep reading, and keep writing, because reading and writing sharpens your mind. Insha’Allah, you might be a journalist or even an editor for the Muslim Link, so the ummah needs you to be very strong in reading and writing! -- TML ----------------------------------------------------

Be Careful with Matrimonials, Please!

Asalamualaikum, There was an ad in the classified section (matrimonial) by an Asian man named “Moe”. Just a comment, both my husband and I felt that this ad was inappropriate as the brother was giving a physical description of the wife he wanted (i.e. hair color/length, weight, skin color) and included items such as “playing piano” as a requirement, which is not even allowable in Islaam according to the majority of scholars. I realize your task is a difficult one, but I was just concerned about young people or nonMuslims who may read this and get the wrong idea, and Allah knows best.

--Sister CN, Baltimore Thanks for your nasiha sister, may Allah reward you. We will be more careful with the classifieds insha’Allah! -- TML -----------------------------------------------------

Article Helps Combat Depression Very good article you wrote (“Suffering Alone: Depression in the Muslim Community”, March 9, 2007). . The sister who has bipolar disorder..I believe I might have it to because I am seeing some symptoms of this illness.

I first started having waswasas( whisperings of shaytan about my imaan) and it was a long and hard battle. This article will inshallah give me the drive and motivation to get treatment for my illness, and to also start practicing Islam again. I realize that those who listen to shaytan’s thoughts will only become worse.

The best medicine is prayer and making heartfelt duas. May Allah protect us from severe illnesses and from the instigations of the devil, and may He keep us on the straight path as true believers, and let us die with the shahadah on our tongues and hearts, ameen yaa Raab!

--Sister G -----------------------------------------------------

Are Restaurants the Best Community Venture?

In response to your article “Area’s First Community Based Restaurant Opens in MD” from June 20, 2008, I think that this takes the traditional “bake sale” concept of fund raising to a higher level and that is a good thing.

Moving beyond dependency to proactive ventures is a great way for dawa.

and products that are more aligned with the core competencies of the community and the Islamic centers such as legal services, elderly care, and family counseling. Each of these tie into the Muslim message and have high growth potential.

Further, the Islamic community risks a lot with something like a restaurant. The quality of the restaurant reflects on the Muslim community and if something Allah forbid happens (as it inevitably does with restaurants), then it will reflect badly on us all.

--Brother DNA, Maryland -----------------------------------------------------

To ISA Protesters: Get Over Yourselves!

I went to the Islamic Saudi Academy in Fairfax, VA for 7 years of my life and have never heard of anything as ridiculous as these allegations of the school teaching “hate” (“Washington Post Report: Islamic Academy Protested”, Muslim Link June 20, 2008 issue).

ISA offers the same courses with the same textbooks as other schools, and has two additional classes (Arabic and Islamic). If these conservative Christians are so worried about religions being demonized, they should protest evangelicals for their open and abusive language towards Islam and Muslims. If they feel that ISA teaches that Christianity is not the “right” religion, I advise them to go to a Catholic or private Christian school and ask what they teach their students about Islam. Overall, I advise them to get over themselves.

--Fahad Khan, VA -----------------------------------------------------

However, it may be better to focus on services

This publication contains the names of ALLAH (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Please keep, recycle, or share it with others

Write to us! Stop venting at dinner parties and in masjid parking lots. Cool down, get your points together, and send us a letter to the editor or post a comment online.

The Muslim Link 5301 Edgewood Road College Park, MD 20740 Phone : (301) 982-1020 Fax: 240-209-0702 editor@muslimlinkpaper.com

editor@muslimlinkpaper.com http://www.muslimlinkpaper.com

Advertising: 301-982-1020 or email us at ads@muslimlinkpaper.com The Muslim Link. All Rights Reserved 2008

Attention Inmates:

While we read and appreciate all of your letters, we do not have the staff to to conduct investigations into your situations or to respond to those letters. For yearly subscriptions, please send a money order for $50 payable to the Muslim Link to: The Muslim Link, 5301 Edgewood Road, College Park, MD 20740. Inmates are responsible to notify us of a change in their mailing address. May Allah keep all of you firm and ease your situations. -- TML

The Muslim Link, JULY 04, 2008

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