The Muslim Link - September 24, 2010 Issue by The Muslim Link

The True History of the Qur’an in America PG16

Shawwal 15 - Shawwal 28, 1431 A.H.

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African American Muslim Leaders:

Opposition to Masjid is Racism By Farkhunda Ali

Muslim Link Staff Reporter

A newly formed group of conscientious Muslims formed the Coalition of African American Muslims (CAAM) to call their ﬁrst press conference at the National Press Club on September 2nd at 1PM in order to address the controversy of the Park 51 Project. Coalition members said the source of this disagreement is not new. It is an extension

of the overall racism imminent toward people of color in the US. While this public discourse has its peculiarity, it is sharing the same inﬂammatory rhetoric used previously for different minority groups. This was the ﬁrst time that Muslims from different sects of Islam unanimously addressed the ground zero Islamic Center discourse. According to Imam Johari

An event that took over a year to put together ﬁnally reached fruition on Saturday September 18, 2010. At the Muslim American Society (MAS) center, children could be seen jumping on moon bounces, riding ponies, blowing bubbles, bowling, playing in the waterpool, and getting their faces painted. The ﬁrst

of its kind, the celebration was one for children with special needs. Rasha Abulohom, the organizer, had wanted to have an Eid event speciﬁcally for special needs children for a very long time. She had always wanted her brother Mohammad, 10, who has Autism, to enjoy the Eid day like other children. “Even >> EID Pg 10

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

After Parking Lot, ICCL Looks to Building Expansion | pg 5 Spirit of Ramadan at the Johns Hopkins Campus | pg 6

MPAC Launches National Conversation on Islam | pg 7 Your Eid Coverage & Pictures from Around the Area | pg 8

>> SUPPORT Pg 13

A Special Eid for Special Children Muslim Link Staff Writer

PG 4

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September 24th, 2010 - October 7th, 2010

By Mariam Abu-Ali

Muslim Family Day

Muslim Candidates Lose in MD Primaries | pg 12 Soldiers Accused of Killing Afghans for Sport | pg 15 ISLAM - Hanging Out in Chat Rooms | pg 20

Children with special needs were given a special treat this year with a dedicated Eid celebration for them, organized by youth of the Muslim American Society in Virginia. All photos by Noor Al-Alami.

The Muslim Link

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September 24th - October 7th , 2010

INDEX |

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September 24th - October 7th , 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS

Community News Media, Rain Fail to Dampen Spirits at Muslim Family Day By Muslim Link Staff Despite attempts by Islamophobes to raise controversy over timing, the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) went ahead with plans to hold its annual Eid celebration, “Muslim Family Day”, just one day after the 9/11 anniversary. The celebrations, held at Six Flag theme parks in eight different major cities across the nation, began in New Jersey in 2000 and are organized by local ICNA chapters in conjunction with ICNA national. In the weeks leading to “Muslim Family Day”, right-wing and conservative media outlets aired interviews with critics of the celebration, some going as far as to say that American Muslims were celebrating the 9/11 attacks by having fun. Fox News interviewed Joe Kaufman on July 20, 2010, the founder of an anti-CAIR website, who said ICNA was “spitting in the face of Americans” by holding the Eid celebration on 9/12. ICNA representatives also appeared on several media outlets and defended the annual celebration, noting that one of the key founders of Muslim Family Day, Tariq Amanullah who worked on the 96th ﬂoor of WTC, Tower 2, was killed in the attacks. In the Washington area, what was shaping up to be the largest Muslim Family Day thus far with over 3,000 online tickets sold before the event became a weather

soaked celebration with about 4,500 Eid goers. Organizers expected between 8,000 and 9,000 attendees. “Over all it was very successful event – alhamdulillah -- and people had a lot of fun. Adults and kids of all ages enjoyed the Eid celebration together,” said organizer Arif Mannan, from Howard County, Maryland. ICNA reserved the entire park for the Muslim community, arranging for halal food vendors, a prayer area, and use of the park audio system to call the athan and play Islamic songs. Local halal restaurants – most who sold out of their offerings -- included Pizza Roma, Crown Kabob, Kabob On Wheels, and Medina Kabob. There were about 20 other vendors and non-proﬁt organizations including MAFIQ Foundation, Helping Hand USA, ICNA Relief, ICNA’s da’wa project WhyIslam, said Mannan. “We plan to have Muslim Family Day every year InshaAllah. It gives local Muslims [from the area] and neighboring states [a chance] to get together in a Muslim environment,” said Mahmood Aijazi of Virginia, one of the supervisors of the event. The light rain that forced the closure of popular thrill rides like the Batman and Superman roller-coasters tapered off around 3pm, giving attendees about 4

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September 24th - October 7th , 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS |

With Parking Lot Complete, ICCL Looks to Building Expansion

By Contributing Writers Congratulations all around – on Sunday, September 19th, over 600 people came together at the Islamic Community Center of Laurel, for their annual picnic. Combined this year with Eid festivities and celebrating the opening of the new parking lot, the double event was also a fundraising lunch, featuring special guest, Imam Siraj Wahhaj from New York. Two large tents gleamed under the bright sunshine as the program got under way. The day started out with a Jeopardy quiz competition between the youth, girls versus boys. Master of Ceremonies Ibrahim Zuberi hosted the game, asking questions on topics such as Qur’an, Prophets, and Math & Science. After the duel, contestants were awarded prizes and then Board Chairman of ICCL, Syed Yaqeen Hasan and President Hayder Qaadri addressed the community, congratulating them on their accomplishment of the new parking lot. “I’m really thankful to Allah ﬁrst and

then thankful to this community. We are here today celebrating this major accomplishment,” said Qaadri. “This event was planned for the community to enjoy a signiﬁcant accomplishment and seeing the success of the parking lot project, I know that our community will come through as we move forward towards the building expansion. “ Then, Imam Siraj Wahhaj also praised the community and expressed how he was very impressed to hear about and see the new parking lot. He made a special dua to one day come back to Laurel and pray in the new masjid. As he encouraged members to donate to the cause, he reminded them, “Never underestimate the ability of a Muslim. Never underestimate the generosity of a Muslim.” Imam Siraj talked about how Muslims today in America are facing a lot of adversity, like many other groups, races and nationalities throughout history. He remained optimistic, saying that ‘America eventually got it right’. He discussed the problems many masajid around the country are currently going through, and

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emphasized the importance of donating to and supporting the masjid. These places and the history behind it were not to be taken for granted. By the grace of Allah SWT, by the end of the day, ICCL collected over $100,000 at the event. The new parking lot, on the opposite side of the masjid, was filled to capacity of 150 cars. A shuttle transported the additional flow of attendees to the local hospital parking lot. After the fundraising event and lunch, picnic-goers joined in the activities, indulging in popcorn, cotton candy and ice cream. Kids excitedly went from face painting and pony rides to the various moon bounces. Sisters engaged in mehndi drawing and a bazaar in the basement of the masjid. The grand finale at 4 pm was a live reptile show for which adults and kids alike eagerly came close to the stage to watch. Overall, attendees agreed it was a funfilled and successful event. Zuberi reflected on the picnic, saying “Growing up at ICCL and watching the annual Sunday School picnic evolve to be where it is now, is heartwarming. The old

concept of a boring fundraising dinner is in need of a fresh and fun alternative and having a fundraiser outdoors at a picnic definitely provided a much needed change.” He continued, “To have the fundraiser right on the land that needs the money, with the parking lot in plain view for all to see was a very inspiring and effective method of fundraising because each and every donor knew exactly what the money was being used for. “ Construction of ICCL’s new parking lot started in April, 2010 and was completed and available for use by August 10, just before the start of Ramadan. A few items remain to complete the project, including installation of light fixtures, landscaping and final paving. ICCL is currently moving forward with plans to connect the masjid to public sewer and finalizing engineering and architectural drawings for the building. Muslims are encouraged to donate to the project. A PayPal link is available on ICCL’s website at www. icclmd.org.

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September 24th - October 7th , 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS

Remembering the Spirit of Ramadan at The Johns Hopkins Medical Campus Sarah Khasawinah and Amna Zeb Muslim Link Contributing Writers During the final week of Ramadan, Imam Safi Khan posed a question to an auditorium full of faculty, graduate students, doctors, and residents: What is the real purpose in life? Every year, the Johns Hopkins Graduate School Muslim Students Association hosts a Grand Ramadan Iftar Banquet to invite members of the medical and public health communities to experience Ramadan. This year, more members than ever attended, over-flowing the room with an energy of togetherness and interest in learning. Most guests represented faiths other than Islam, and, in explaining the spirit of Ramadan,

Imam Safi Khan spectacularly conveyed to everyone the meaning of Islam. Abdullah Khoja (MPH student, 2011) opened the ceremony with a recitation from Surah Al-Bakara on the rules of fasting during Ramadan. Shortly afterwards, the community partook in the ritual breaking of the fast, observed the Muslim prayers, and enjoyed a South Asian feast for the night. After iftar, the real treat ensued: Imam Safi Khan’s keynote address, “Ramadan: Mercy, Forgiveness, and Freedom.” Imam Safi Khan explained the point of Ramadan, “The idea is to sit back for a moment, and assess, what are we doing with our life. ...And come to the conclusion that I’ve been kind of negligent in my responsibilities towards God, and therefore, I seek His forgiveness. And

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A professor from the School of Public Health, who attended the Iftar for the first time mentioned that he learned about the open relationship that Muslims experience in submitting to the tenets of Islam. as I seek His forgiveness, I begin to taste true freedom.” The theme of freedom reverberated throughout the deliverance, as Imam Safi Khan shared the innermost yearnings of the Muslim heart to purify itself, to free itself from the shackles of this world, and to obtain boundless peace. This process of purification of the soul and achievement of ultimate excellence requires a Muslim to serve Allah always—alone and in groups, during Ramadan and after Ramadan. By mandating fasting for an entire month, Ramadan provides Muslims with a special opportunity to excel, as fasting encompasses far more than the mere abstention from food and water. Imam Safi Khan made this clear: “It’s not just the stomachs that fast. It’s the tongue that fasts also. The eyes must also fast. The ears must fast. The feet have to fast. The mind and the heart have to fast.”

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Upon experiencing this heartfelt lecture, guests were truly touched. Muslims received a powerful reminder about the importance of cleansing and humbling the body and soul. Guests of other faiths learned about the beauty of Islam, and our purpose in life—to serve God. A professor from the School of Public Health, who attended the Iftar for the ﬁrst time mentioned that he learned about the open relationship that Muslims experience in submitting to the tenets of Islam. He also added that the experience gave him a new perspective on Islam.

The banquet was organized by a small group of Muslim medical and public health students, and the staff at Hopkins. “It’s awe-inspiring to see how all diverse cultures learn from each other and come together annually during this Holy month to create awareness and educate the community of the many blessings bestowed upon us in this month. I attribute this year’s success to those brothers and sisters of the Hopkins Muslim community who each played an integral role and saw the event through completion,” commented Muzna Bachani, one of the lead organizers of the event. This year also saw the coming together of students from different faiths eager to volunteer to help the organizers in food set-up and serving and participate in the clean-up afterwards. For everyone, the experience provided a new perspective of a heightened sense of God-consciousness. For Muslims, we conclude with yet another question that Imam Saﬁ Khan raised at the JHU Grand Iftar: “If I can do it during the month of Ramadan, why can’t I maintain the same attitude towards Allah for the rest of the year?” -----------------------------------------------Members of the Johns Hopkins Graduate MSA also contributed to this report.

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS |

Labor Day Weekend Brings More Worshipers, Less Funds to ISB By Farha Marfani

500 people barely ﬁlled the gymnasium this year.

Anyone who attends taraweeh prayers at the Islamic Society of Baltimore will recognize the continued growth the masjid is experiencing, especially this past year. For long-time community member Sooﬁa Lodhi, there are deﬁnitely a lot more than a few new faces.

Similar to last year, the fundraiser attempted to raise money to finish the Community Learning Center expansion project, which started approximately four years ago, with a total cost of $3.5 million. To date, the lobby and musullah areas have been extended and a third floor mezzanine area, solely for sisters, is completed and approved for occupancy. Much work still remains, including installing the Audio/Visual and sprinkler systems and extending the elevator to the third floor.

Muslim Link Staff Writer

“Growing up we knew everyone’s names…we knew their whole family. Now there are so many new faces that now all you can do is pass by and say salaam, but…alhamdulillah the community has expanded, said Lodhi, who grew up in the Baltimore County community. However , the expansion of the community did not translate to increased participation at this year’s annual fundraising dinner, held on Saturday September 4th. Compared to a few years ago, when about 1,000 people attended this event, about

The target for the night was $500,000. Dr. Zulﬁqar Ali Shah, Director of Religious Affairs, Islamic Society of Milwaukee, and also the former National President of the Islamic Circle of North America, was the keynote speaker. Approximately $327,000 was raised – the ﬁrst time in several years that the goal was not reached, possibly

due to donor fatigue and the absence of several community members who had attended in previous years. Long-time community member and annual donor Dr. Malik Rahman commented, “Even though the community has grown, the participation in the fundraising dinner was not as strong as one would expect. I think the younger generation needs to get involved in contributing. Moreover, with new masjids forming in every corner of Maryland each vying for donors,only so much money can be collected by any one masjid.”

attracted about 1,000 people, ﬁlling the decorated gymnasium as well as the new musullah. This year, nine huffaz graduated, completing the memorization of the Quran which includes a year of post-completion revision. ISB huffaz lead Taraweeh prayers at several masjids across the state, including at Masjid Zam Zam, Islamic Society of Randallstown, Dar ul Taqwa and the Islamic Community Center of Laurel.

In contrast to the fundraising dinner, the expansion of the community, as well as the contribution of the younger generation to the masjid, was on display the following day September 5th, as ISB celebrated its Khatm-ul-Quran on the 27th night of Ramadan.

List of Graduated Huffaz: Nabeel Iqbal, age 12 Tahir Maqsood, age 13 Luqman Abdullah, age 12 Muhammad Muneer, age 13 Omar Shelton, age 12 Salih Shaﬁ, age 20 Ayman Herbert, age 15 Muhammad Ihtisam Javed, age 19 Bassam Kaleem, age 17

This annual event, which also features the Al-Rahmah Quran Academy graduation,

For more information about ISB or to donate, visit www.isb.org.

MPAC Launches “National Conversation” on Islam, Muslims By Yaman Shalabi

Muslim Link Staff Writer Due to the rising controversy surrounding Islam and Muslims in America, the Congressional Muslim Staffers Association hosted an event Aug 31, 2010 in Washington DC to discuss and shed light on the image of Islam in the U.S. The CMSA started in 2006 and is comprised of Muslims that work on Capitol Hill. The event “Islam: Myths and Realities”, was divided into three 15-minute speeches by Salam AlMaryati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, Aziza al-Hibri, president of KARAMAH: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights, and James Zogby, Arab American Institute president followed by a Q & A. The “national conversation”- as CMSA is calling it-regarding Islamic topics made its way into the mainstream media via CSPAN in the midst of the controversy surrounding the Islamic community center near the 9/11 site. More broadly, right wing conservatives have also been

to them by Islam.

“There is a negative stereotype about Islam…but they don’t understand that the Koran has principles of the First Amendment,” said Aziza Al-Hibri. questioning the role American Muslims play in the U.S. and the relationship between Islam and terrorism. Al-Maryati talked about the Muslim American community tying it in with the Ground Zero and Burn a Qur’an Day controversies. The duty of Muslims, he said, is to continue living as the Qur’an says following a path of good-will, dignity, and mercy. “We have to distinguish between truth and fact. The truth is it’s not on Ground Zero and it’s not a mosque, it’s a community center,” said al-Maryati. “The fact is it was called [a mosque] and as you repeat the facts it becomes a reality.”

Islamophobia is an American problem as well as a Muslim one, explains al-Maryati. “Anti-Muslim sentiment in America is basically a mirror of Anti-American sentiment on the global arena.” When one rises so too will the other. Al-Hibri explains that Muslims are not the ﬁrst to go through such hardships. Through the understanding of the constitution and by upholding the laws of this country, the process of acceptance will become easier, she said. Muslims are greatly misinformed about their religion and al-Hibri feels a sense of responsibility to educate Muslims, especially women, of their rights given

“There is a negative stereotype about Islam…but they don’t understand that the Koran has principles of the First Amendment,” she says. Through a number of anecdotes, Zogby tried to tell the American story, the trials and tribulations that immigrants from all faiths and backgrounds went through to reach their goals and dreams. “The Problem is not Islam,” said Zogby. “The problem is the people who use Islam to commit violent acts against our country and our people.” “Regardless of the adversity we face at home- and at times it’s been stiﬂingwhatever adversity we face, there can be no doubt that we are blessed to be Americans and blessed to be able to practice our faith in this country,” said Assad Akhter, president of CMSA. “Adversity is the key because without adversity there can be no progress. That’s the progress we are seeking here today.”

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September 24th - October 7th , 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS

Eid Al-Fitr 2010: Masjid Al-Islam in South East DC and begin to hear voices in unison crying out “Allahu akbar, wa lilahil hamd”. You enter the musalah brimming with men, women and an ever increasing amount of children.

The scene on Eid day at Masjid Al-Islam. After the prayer, the congregation enjoyed an Eid brunch cooked up by Imam Musa. Photo by the author.

By Bilal Siraj

Muslim Link Contributing Writer

to remove the insecurities and fears Muslims mayhave held.

An Islamic center being built in New York garners headlines for over a month, a pastor in Florida sponsors what has been called “Burn-a-Koran Day” and the anniversary of September 11th looming around the corner. Despite all of this, Muslims in the area carried on with their plans to celebrate the Eid with friends and family. At Masjid al-Islam in southeast DC the celebrations seemed

As you turn onto C Street from Benning Road, you see cars parked on either side of the street for as far as the eye can see. You enter the beige masjid, make your way through the corridor with elephant grey tiles and at the end of the hall, place your shoes on the ﬂoor; the shelf space is entirely full. You ascend stairs covered with emerald green carpeting

For two decades, Masjid al-Islam has been hosting Eid celebrations pulling Muslims (and some non-Muslims ) from the immediate metro area and from suburbs of northern Maryland to the suburbs of Southern Virginia. “There’s brotherly love and warmth in this masjid”, said Ibrahim al-Qabil who has been going to the SE center for nearly ten years. “You don’t feel isolated, everyone is a part of this.” Along with the usual masjid attendees are new faces. With the congregation numbers swelling to many times its normal Friday size, the prayer area becomes “comfortably” packed. Friends and acquaintances chat while strangers become less unknown. In the meantime many are joining in the Eid du’as being alternatively led by two crisply dressed men in the front of the masjid. The du’as being repeated in the background begin to die down as a

smiling, black and grey bearded Imam Abdul-Alim Musa walks towards the mimbar wearing his trademark black thobe and ﬂat top kuﬁ. After leading the salah he delivers the khutbah. Beginning with the situations in New York and Florida, the Imam exhorts the listeners to be aware of these situations but not distracted. Instead, this is a time of selfdevelopment and becoming better and true Muslims. Despite the glaring spotlight Muslims are in these days, the congregation was far from somber after the talk. “Imam Musa tells it how it is and doesn’t hold back for nobody, that’s why I come here”, Jamal Mobley, an attendee from Baltimore said. “Nobody wants to talk about the politics and history of everything that’s happening but Imam Musa will tell you about all of those things when everyone else is being quiet”. Topping off the khutbah was the famous al-Islam breakfast. Seasoned scrambled >> SE DC Pg 14

Eid Al-Fitr 2010: Calvert Mosque in Southern MD By Noor Tagouri

Muslim Link Staff Writer

brieﬁng on how to perform the prayer is said and the prayer begins.

Almost every Muslim has something they look forward to on Eid, whether it is applying their new “Ramadan habits” to their everyday lives, gifts, family, or taking a day off from school. Nonetheless, for the 500 people who attend the Southern Maryland Islamic Center, known as Calvert Mosque, the Eid prayer is the perfect ending for thirty days of fasting.

For most mosques, after the prayer and some “salams”, everyone goes about their day. However, for Calvert Mosque, the prayer is just the beginning of Eid morning. New and old faces crowd the downstairs area where everyone is enjoying their ﬁrst breakfast in a month. Smiles and laughter ﬁll the room as everyone socializes with friends they only see once a year, on Eid.

The table of various cultural foods was a reﬂection of the cultural diversity present at the mosque Eid morning. Some of them include, samosas, kheer, swaiyan and chaat; as well as, the Ghanan pastry, pikaso, a perfect blend of sweet and salty. Bagels, donuts, croissants, chips and cake were also served to add on to the celebratory spirit. As you walk up the stairs to arrive to the prayer room for Eid prayer, the traditional Eid takbeer is being recited in conﬁdent union. Afterwards, a

This day of celebration not only came after a long month of fast, it also was preceded by a month full of controversy and widespread “Islamophobia.” The ironic date of Eid Al-Fitr 2010 fell a day before 9/11, which is still associated with Islam by some. This has been evident in the past few weeks, as the media has widely covered the infamous “GroundZero Mosque” and its opposition. Dr. Emad Banna, who has been the Imam at Calvert since the opening in 1986,

believed that the attacks of 9/11 were also an attack on the Islamic faith; “Islam was hijacked. Muslim Americans share the grief caused by this tragedy and we condemn any act of terror.” Abdulhaqq Stephenson and Zadil Ansari, both American veterans and employees of the Department of Defense love the intimacy of having Eid at Calvert. When asked on how he felt about having Eid a day before 9/11, Stephenson commented, “Eid comes at the perfect time every year, a time to teach me lessons.” Numerous other events have aroused uproar in society around this time of year as well, including the ‘Ground Zero Islamic Center.’ Stephenson and Ansari both work for the Department of Defense at the Pentagon. They also pray Jum’ah and the obligatory prayers in the “9/11 chapel”, one of the ﬁrst rooms to be rebuilt in the Pentagon, post 9/11, located exactly where the plane

hit on the tragic day. “They are talking about [a mosque] two blocks away from the hit; we pray two feet away from the >> CALVERT Pg 14

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

COMMUNITY NEWS |

Eid Al-Fitr 2010: The Islamic Society of Baltimore By Umm Ahmad Muslim Link Contributing Writer The morning on September 10, 2010 was crisp and a bit overcast as we arrived at Masjid Al-Rahmah (Islamic Society of Baltimore) for the ﬁrst Eid prayer at 8:00 a.m. Al-Rahmah offers three Eid prayers (8:00, 9:30, and 11:00) to accommodate the large numbers of attendees. This was the ﬁrst Eid in which the newly constructed portion of the masjid was being used and I was excited to see the inside of the new structure, especially the new ladies prayer hall on the third mezzanine level, overlooking the main prayer hall for the men. As I entered the masjid through the old entrance for the women, I saw that the old prayer hall was already full with women waiting for the Eid prayer to begin. Passing through the short hall

that connects the old building to the new building, I took the staircase that leads to the third floor. Several skylights high above flooded the stairwell with warm sunlight that made the light yellow walls glow. I was pleasantly surprised to find the staircase wide, bright, and airy. I entered the upper level and was again impressed by the excellent planning and attention to detail. The first area was a large rectangular ante-room, closed off from the prayer area by glass doors. This area offers privacy for women with children, but at the same time a clear view of the prayer hall, as well as windows overlooking the gym. The glass doors then open upon a spacious balconied prayer area. Rich burgundy colored carpet covers the floor, while up above rises the high arching interior of the large dome. Sunlight streams in from every direction through the windows that run around its base. It is indeed a beautiful, inviting, and comfortable space. Looking around, I was overwhelmed at how far we have

come, from the small original prayer hall to this large well designed facility for our rapidly growing community. It seemed that most of the women were in the old hall, only around 20 had ventured up to the third ﬂoor. This perhaps may have been because many were not aware that the new area was available for use. From the windows overlooking the gym I saw that it was being used for the overﬂow from the mens’ prayer hall, with a projector set up to broadcast the Khutba. The prayer began promptly, and was followed by a Khutba by ISB president Maqbool Patel. The general topic was forgiveness and family. He took some time to speak about the planned Qur’an burning in Florida, seeking guidance for those involved. He then sited the example of Umar ibn Al-Khattab (Allah be pleased with him) and his converting to Islam after having intended to kill the Prophet

Muhammad (peace be upon him). The suffering of the ﬂood victims in Pakistan was also touched upon. Recognizing their endurance, forbearance, and dignity under the difﬁculty of their current conditions. After the Khutba everyone took some time to offer Eid greetings, then the halls and parking lots quickly emptied as everyone cleared the way for the next Eid prayer to begin. In the end, I was left with a renewed sense of the growth of Islam in America. I saw Muslims from every corner of the globe laughing together, greeting one another, and sharing their joy and celebration on this special day. I felt how each Muslim is a part of a greater Muslim family. The Muslims here in America represent so many different countries and cultural backgrounds that it reminded me of the diversity I had witnessed during Hajj. This diversity is a unique characteristic of the American Muslim Community, one that we should be proud of.

Entering Islam on Eid Day at Fed Ex Field Prince George’s Muslim Assocation Imam Ahmed Al-Kobeisy takes “Br Taj” through his testimony of faith immediately after the joint PGMADarussalaam outdoor Eid prayer on September 10, 2010. Despite the constant negative media coverage of Islam and Muslims during the weeks leading up to the anniversary of the September 11 attacks, Americans are still entering into Islam daily. The joint Eid prayer took place in the shadow of Fed Ex ﬁeld. Imam Kobeisy delivered the khutbah where he included some comments on the notorious ‘Burn the Qur’an Day’ event planned then canceled by Florida Pastor Terry Jones. “Don’t worry, because burning the Qur’an is a way of dealing with the Qur’an and expressing hate [towards it] without being able to deal with the challenges and arguments of the Qur’an. It expresses weakness on the part of those who are going to do that. … If he continues to burn [the Qur’an] we ask Allah to [punish him in this life] before he is [punished in hell] ... more people embrace Islam [through events like this],” Imam Kobeisy told the approximately 7,000 worshipers. (Photo by Muslim Link Staff)

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September 24th - October 7th , 2010

10 | COMMUNITY NEWS EID >> continued from pg 1 though I take Mohammed to the Eid prayer, I can’t take him to the convention center or to Eid celebrations because it is really difficult. People are not understanding; you have to constantly explain yourself and explain the child’s behavior. I don’t remember ever seeing any families with special needs children at any Eid events and I’m sure it’s because it’s overwhelming for the parents.” Through the MAS Youth Give program, whose motto is “we serve the Creator by serving His creations,” Abulohom along with other MYG organizers began planning by first reaching out to organizations to help her find Muslim families with special needs children. Around 36 children with special needs RSVP’d, and 30 attended. The event was also sponsored by EquallyAble foundation, ADAMS center, Dar AlHijrah Islamic Center, Add-A-Bounce. com, HawaDC.com, and Islamic Relief. In addition to the outdoor games, stations were set up inside the center where special needs children designed cupcakes, ate pizza, paint, and played with playdough amongst other activities. Volunteers gave the children the one-onone attention at every station. “The reason why we had the sandbox and the waterpool for example is because they are sensory activities. Kids with special needs love sensory activities. The ideas came from things Muhammad likes to do and from a special Ed teacher. We also had activities, such as painting, which parents probably wouldn’t have for their children at home because it requires too much effort.” Abulohom wanted to incorporate Islamic themes into the activities. “That’s why we had the painting station where kids painted a crescent with a star” she said. Additionally, Dawud Abdulrahman led the Duhr prayer and recited all the steps out loud for the children, then read a duaa. “The prayer was also meant for the parents to prompt their children to show them how to pray” said Abulohom. “Allah will not punish these children for anything. But just because they don’t need to learn Quran or pray, doesn’t mean we don’t teach them and make them feel that they are a part of the community.”

Parents of special needs children were overjoyed with the program. “This is the first time they do something for special needs kids. It’s fantastic to have this opportunity for them to celebrate Eid,” said Sahar Qudsi, mother of a special needs son. Many parents echoed her sentiments. “This is the first time I see the Muslim community recognize the disabled part of the community and I hope other centers follow the example of MAS. I salute MAS for taking initiative and having this special day” said Abdallah Arifi Osman, whose son Sufyan, 11, has Autism. The program “is not just for the kids, it is also for the adults, the families, and even for parents who don’t have children with disabilities, in order for them to be aware and prepared as there has been a rise in the cases of Autism in the past decade. It’s also for them to educate their children how to deal with special needs kids, to be nice, not to call them “weirdos” and not to label them,” said Osman. At the event, there were children with Down syndrome, Autism, speech impairment, developmental delay, physical disability, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, and blindness. “I hope next Eid we will have more participants. I encourage every parent who has a special needs child to attend next time” said Qudsi. Wandira Shierloh, a non-Muslim parent, heard about the event through the Parents of Autistic Children (POAC) listserv. She brought her son Matthew, 6, who has Autism and Fragile X Syndrome to enjoy the day. “He’s having a wonderful time. People are really nice…donating their time for children with disabilities. He’s enjoying everything sensory. They thought of everything possible for the children,” said Shierloh. Abulohom received an outpour of support and appreciation both before and after the event was held. “I had parents that called me and emailed me thanking me. Their emails were beautiful, they said: “Thank you for acknowledging our presence… making us feel like we exist.” These emails kept me going and touched my heart. The emails and calls I got after the event makes me want to do more for them. They’re a minority but they deserve it.”

“This is the ﬁrst time I see the Muslim community recognize the disabled part of the community and I hope other centers follow the example of MAS.”

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

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12 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Muslim Candidates Lose in MD Primaries By Muslim Link Staff Saqib Ali, who became a national ﬁgure among politically involved Muslims when he became the ﬁrst Muslim elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 2006, lost his bid to unseat incumbent Maryland Senator Nancy King in a hotly contest primary election September 14, 2010. Ali had to vacate his seat in the House of Delegates to vie for the Senate seat. There are 141 Delegates representing 47 Districts in Maryland; each district has one

representative in the MD State Senate. Ali and King competed for the District 39 seat, covering the Gaithersburg, Germantown, and the surrounding townships. Nancy King barely won with 51.77% of the votes compared to Ali’s 48.23%, a difference of 249 votes as reported by the MD State Board of Elections. King will face the Republican challenger in the November general election. Many Muslims who supported Ali in his 2006 House of Delegates victory did not support him in his race for the Senate

due to Ali’s open support of legalizing gay marriage. Ali told supporters he was undecided as to his future plans: “Right now I’m not sure what the future holds for me. I will take some time to pay attention to my (much neglected!) family and personal life. It has been the highest privilege to represent the residents of Maryland for the past 4 years and I look forward to serving out my current term as State Delegate until January. I do wish to stay in touch with all the friends I’ve met and made along the way,” he said in a post on his website.

In Charles County, Maryland, Attorney Hammad Matin ran a strong race for State’s Attorney – the top most prosecutor job in the county – but lost to Anthony Covington, 65% to 35%. In the Baltimore area, Dr. Hassan Jalisi ran for a position on the Democratic Central Committee. Elected members are tasked to organize support for Democratic candidates, and generally pursuing the interest of the Democratic party in Maryland. Results were unavailable at the time of this report.

Indian Muslims Recommend Relocating “Ground Zero Mosque” by Kaleem Kawaja The initiative of a set of New York City Muslims to build an Islamic Cultural Center, a couple of blocks from the site of the terrorist destroyed Twin Towers in lower Manhattan, New York City, has generated a super-heated controversy and much tension in US. In this tense situation a national debate is raging across America. It is very laudable that the New York

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City government headed by Mayor Bloomberg, the US government headed by President Obama, and a large segment of US intellectuals and community leaders have defended the religious freedom right of America’s Muslims to build their places of worship anywhere in US. However, it is time for the American Muslims to take the initiative and make a serious effort to resolve this unseemly controversy and diffuse this very divisive tension. With a view to respect the

sentiments of many Americans, New York City Muslims should voluntarily relocate this Islamic Center, to a new location in lower Manhattan that is further away from Ground Zero. In taking this initiative on their own they will earn much goodwill of the entire American nation, will resolve the current tense relationship between Muslim Americans and other Americans, and will build a very durable bridge of understanding between Muslims and others in America. On behalf of about

two hundred thousand American-Muslims with origin in India, we appeal to the Cordoba Institute and other promoters of this Islamic Center that in the interest of the larger good they relocate it. -----------------------------------------------Source: August 22, 2010 press release from Kaleem Kawaja of the Association of Indian Muslims of America (Washington DC). How do you feel about this statement from Indian Muslims of America? Write in your reactions to editor@muslimlinkpaper. com for a chance to air your views !

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

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

September 24th - October 7th , 2010 SUPPORT >> continued from pg 1 Abdul-Malik, member of CAAM, and outreach director of Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center in Northern Virginia, this is a “complex” issue which is more than racism. Abdul-Malik said this coalition will reach out to Afro-Americans in general. Coalition members share a common legacy from slavery with the loss of their ancestry religion and return to their faith, he said. “This arising tide of racism exists in this country whether it is directed toward immigrants to the later South, or people of the Middle East or just people who are different,” added Abdul-Malik. The New York Islamic Center opposition is a symptom of a deeper disease which manifests in America as a nation, said Imam Zaid Shakir, Co-founder of Al Zaytuna Institute. “We commit ourselves to work with anyone regardless of race or religion as a nation to address this disease. We as people can do better,” said Shakir. This coalition represents a broad spectrum of Afro-American Muslims who claim Islam as their religion and way of life. CAAM leaders said this group will share the missing perspective of Afro-Americans on emerging national issues. CAAM members said there are no other ethnic groups in the US more equipped to speak on issues of bigotry and racism but Afro-Americans. Historically, their perspective, which is based on experience with America’s societal context, has long been overlooked, said Mahdi Bray, member of the coalition, and executive director of Muslim American Society (MAS) Freedom Foundation. “We are for the Muslims building this mosque wherever they want,” said Minister Louis Farrakhan. Minister Farrakhan said a nation’s greatness is measured according to its “righteousness,” not skyscrapers, or industrialization. “America is a great nation, but we want to make it good,” he said. America started wrong with slavery and

COMMUNITY NEWS | 13

New Coalition of CAAM members said there are no other African-American ethnic groups in the US more equipped to Muslims Says speak on issues of bigotr y and racism but Racism Part of NYC Masjid Conflict Afro-Americans. dehumanization of people lasting over three hundred years, according to the Minister. During a time of affliction, Muslims need to get prepared for a “duty” they need to perform, he added. “This is our time not to be down in spirit,” said the Minister. CAAM said there were Muslims among the Americans who died during 9/11 attacks as well as first responders. Muslims from all over the world poured their condolenses to the American people after 9/11. They also claim Muslims were equal victims of 9/11 just as other members of society. American people of good will know Quran is the guiding light of the Muslim’s life. Minister Farrakhan said there should not be any problems for Muslims trying to establish a center which serves people who worship the creator of the world. He satirically said along hallowed ground, one can’t fail to see a strip club, and a sex shop. “But they have a problem with an Islamic Center,” said the Minister. Bray said American politicians need to focus on education, decreasing unemployment, and healthcare issues. The ground zero debate derives from the same “toxic soup” of hatred existing in America for many centuries but manifesting in a different way, he said. Coalition members reminded audience that America’s greatness is exposed through its people. CAAM claimed that Americans are being awoken to the truth about Islam. Their biggest concern is how America shapes the future perceptions of the younger generations. This coalition is advocating a fair representation and treatment of Muslims. “We are on Muslim lands to protect our freedom and then we desecrate Muslims from getting their religious freedom,” said Imam Abdul Malik, initiator of

Jummah on Capitol Hill. Imam Siraj Wahhaj, vice president of Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), the largest grassroots organization of Muslims in the US, said this “hatred against Muslims is good.” Wahhaj pointed to the history of Islam where Muslims became stronger during times of struggles. He said Muslims are coming together to organize, and mobilize. This debate has caused Muslims to do what they should have been doing. “We want justice and we want peace,” said Wahhaj. “We are glad that Muslims are learning to stand up for themselves,” said Imam Abdul-Alim Musa of Masjid Al-Islam in SE DC. Imam Musa is internationally known for his opposition to the government’s evasive foreign policies affecting Muslims. “We love the irony of it happening during Ramadan, because Allah has used the haters to bring Muslims close, and to cause people of good will to speak up more and with the Muslims. We love it,” said Hodari Abdul-Ali, executive director of Give Peace a Chance Coalition (GPAC). Shakir said Americans should not tolerate the ideas or public-speaking of burning of any religious texts. “It will not be too long until we hear talks about burning people,” said Shakir. “Islam can’t be removed from people’s heart no matter how many books are burned,” said Asma Hanif, member of the coalition. The coalition will expand its work to be the voice for all those who have been silenced. Members said they will network with other organizations and reach out to address other problems in American society.

A press conference by a new group calling themselves the Coalition of African American Muslims (CAAM) took place of September 2, 2010 at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The group, composed of national and local area African American Muslim leaders like Imam Johari Abdul-Malik and Sister Asma Hanif, addressed the conflict over the NYC masjid planned two-blocks from ground zero, saying it is “indicative of a general rise in racist bigotry” in the United States. The full text of the press release is below: “The controversy over the Park 51 Project (Islamic Center in Lower Manhattan) is indicative of a general rise in racist bigotry towards people of color in this country. While the issue has its particular and unique distinctions, it cannot be separated from the rising violence against African Americans and Latinos, or the increasingly inflammatory rhetoric and exclusionary politics driving the national debate on immigration. “As African-American Muslims, we feel our unique perspective has been missing from an emerging national discussion. We wish to join that discussion by first of all affirming that among our forbears are Muslims who have lived peacefully and productively in this country since its inception. They, and others among our people have sacrificed too much, both in enduring the horrors and brutalities of chattel slavery, and during the long march to freedom, civil and human rights for us to silently accept a return to Jim Crow exclusionary practices and policies that relegate either ourselves or our coreligionists from other ethnic backgrounds to second-class citizenry. “We commend all of those Jews, Christians and members of other faith

>> COALITION Pg 14

14 | COMMUNITY NEWS

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

DC Muslim Democratic Caucus Responds to Examiner Column The following is an email response from Talib I. Karim, Chairman of the Muslim Democratic Caucus of DC to a column which appeared in the Washington Examiner on September 16, 2010 by Harry Jaffe, “Deals with the devil might haunt Mayor Gray”. The Muslim Democratic Caucus endorsed Vincent Gray in the recent primary election for DC mayor. – TML DCist I read your article, “What’s So Threatening About The Muslim Democratic Caucus’ Endorsement?” and you’re correct; the column penned by Harry Jaffe was totally unfair and bordered on being Islamaphobic. Why else would a small political organization like the Muslim Democratic Caucus be listed right along with the DC Chamber of Commerce, the teachers unions, and Fraternal Order of Police as influential members of Chairman Gray’s coalition that threatened the “Adrian Fenty model of reform?” Quite frankly, I was actually proud that the Muslim Dems’ endorsement managed to get the attention of Howard Jaffe and that he would honor us by elevating our group to the level of the District’s political powerhouses. It appears that our two-year old organization, a mere toddler amongst DC’s political groups, has overnight

CALVERT >> continued from pg 8 hit,” Stephenson remarked. In response to the New York Times survey, released Friday, September 3, 2010, that reported 50 percent of New Yorkers are opposed the Islamic Center, Stephenson compared this current conﬂict to the Oklahoma City bombing of 1995, caused by a radical Christian

COALITION >> continued from pg 13 and ethnic communities who have raised their voices in defense of the

Despite our inexperience, we have clearly become a visible force that the District’s political leaders (and media pundits) understand are worthy of engaging. been hoisted into the major league. Yet despite our inexperience, we have clearly become a visible force that the District’s political leaders (and media pundits) understand are worthy of engaging.

mobilization of thousands of votes from our community, our tapping into the vast wealth for campaign contributions, and recruitment of scores of hard-working volunteers for our endorsed candidates.

And what’s the cause of this new found celeb? As they say inArabic, “Allahuallam” (only the Almighty knows for sure).

While I don’t know how we caught the ire of Mr. Jaffe, clearly the Muslim community has been catalyzed by recent cases of saddening bigotry such as the opposition to the Islamic center in NYC and the planned-and-thencalled-off-Quran burning in Florida. And now that our community, which has been a part of DC’s fabric since inception, has reawakened politically, I for one plan to do all I can to ensure that we remain actively involved in the political space of the nation’s capitol.

Perhaps it’s awareness by the political establishment that 20% of the District’s 550,000 or so residents have a Muslim in their household or are Muslim themselves. Or it could be the fact that the Muslim community in DC is amongst the most ethnically diverse in the District, having members from virtually every ethnic group; from the most chocolate of Africans to the most…vanilla of Europeans and each shade in between. Or perhaps it was the Muslim community’s sophisticated campaign for the Primary elections involving the selection of a slate (including ﬁve of the nine winning candidates), the

believer. Following the bombing, Christianity was not blamed for the action of Timothy McVeigh; therefore, American Muslims should not pay the price for the tragedy of 9/11. He also, optimistically, mentioned that every time there is a crisis regarding Muslims in America, Islam grows; “it’s like an uncontrollable da’wah.” Hammad Matin, who ran for State’s Attorney in Charles County this year but didn’t get elected said, “I think most

constitutional rights of all Americans. We also laud the work that other Muslim organizations have done in response the current situation. We add our voice to theirs and will work for a country that reflects the diversity of

Let me add that my own endorsement of Chairman Gray has come at great personal expense. As the eldest in a family of orphans (my mom passed away when I was 17, and my father followed 10 years

Americans know Eid is a joyous day for us, and they do not hold all Muslims accountable for that act of few,” regarding the date of Eid. Despite the controversy and the AntiMuslim sentiment that has been circulated by some, Muslims at Calvert did not allow this to take away from the joy of their holiday. They still gathered together for a little something called, “Eid tradition.”

its people and extends full and equal rights to all. “Ultimately, our success as a nation of diverse people will hinge on our ability to move beyond the limitations

later), my siblings and I have had to help raise ourselves. And we didn’t do too bad, out of six born to both my parents, four of us studied at Howard Engineering School, and three of us went on to earn both engineering and law degrees (also at Howard). One of my siblings is working as a computer engineer for one of the world’s largest energy companies and our youngest is a Ph. D-bound graduate of Banneker H.S. and Stanford University. Yet my parents’ early passing surely created a vacuum and left us without a ﬁgure who could have called my brother and me to the carpet when needed, thus perhaps steering us past the problems that have allowed our family name to be stained in the press. Again, the Almighty knows best. Alas, my unapologetic endorsement of Vince Gray is largely inspired by my late parents, who ironically met each other in DC just over 40 years ago as activists at Dr. King’s “Poor Peoples’ March for Jobs, Justice, and Housing.” Moreover, understand that I’m ultimately guided by my faith---a faith which commands one to enjoin what is right and stand up against wrong, without regard to the sacriﬁce.

SE DC >> continued from pg 8 eggs with tomatoes and onions, homefries, halal sausage and bacon and wafﬂes with no shortage of syrup. Eagerly awaited down home cooking in the SE made by Imam Musa himself to end the Eid festivities.

that our unique identities sometimes impose on us and claim the loftiest principles rooted in our common humanity.”

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

World Press

WORLD PRESS | 15

Members of Str yker Combat Brigade in Afghanistan Accused of Killing Civilians for Sport By Craig Whitlock

The Washington Post Saturday, September 18, 2010 AT JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, WASH. The U.S. soldiers hatched a plan as simple as it was savage: to randomly target and kill an Afghan civilian, and to get away with it. For weeks, according to Army charging documents, rogue members of a platoon from the 5th Stryker Combat Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, floated the idea. Then, one day last winter, a solitary Afghan man approached them in the village of La Mohammed Kalay. The “kill team” activated the plan. One soldier created a ruse that they were under attack, tossing a fragmentary grenade on the ground. Then others opened fire. According to charging documents, the unprovoked, fatal attack on Jan. 15 was the start of a months-long shooting spree against Afghan civilians that resulted in some of the grisliest allegations against American soldiers since the U.S. invasion in 2001. Members of the platoon have been charged with dismembering and photographing corpses, as well as hoarding a skull and other human bones. The subsequent investigation has raised accusations about whether the military ignored warnings that the out-of-control soldiers were committing atrocities. The father of one soldier said he repeatedly tried to alert the Army after his son told him about the first killing, only to be rebuffed. Two more slayings would follow. Military documents allege that five members of the unit staged a total of three murders in Kandahar province between January and May. Seven other

soldiers have been charged with crimes related to the case, including hashish use, attempts to impede the investigation and a retaliatory gang assault on a private who blew the whistle. Army ofﬁcials have not disclosed a motive for the killings and macabre

The Army has scheduled pre-trial hearings in the case this fall at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, home of the Stryker brigade. (The unit was renamed the 2nd Stryker Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, when it returned from Afghanistan in July.) Military ofﬁcials say privately that they worry the hearings will draw further

Wagnon has also been charged with possessing “a skull taken from an Afghan person’s corpse.” behavior. Nor have they explained how the attacks could have persisted without attracting scrutiny. They declined to comment on the case beyond the charges that have been ﬁled, citing the ongoing investigation.

attention to the case, with photos and other evidence prompting anger among the Afghan civilians whose support is critical to the ﬁght against the Taliban.

But a review of military court documents and interviews with people familiar with the investigation suggest the killings

According to statements given to investigators, members of the unit - 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment - began

The ‘kill team’

After word leaked that one soldier had spoken to military police, several platoon members retaliated, records show. were committed essentially for sport by soldiers who had a fondness for hashish and alcohol. The accused soldiers, through attorneys and family members, deny wrongdoing. But the case has already been marked by a cycle of accusations and counteraccusations among the defendants as they seek to pin the blame on each other, according to documents and interviews.

talking about forming a “kill team” in December, shortly after the arrival of a new member, Staff Sgt. Calvin R. Gibbs, 25, of Billings, Mont. Gibbs, whom some defendants have described as the ringleader, conﬁded to his new mates that it had been easy for him to get away with “stuff” when he served in Iraq in 2004, according to the statements. It was his second tour in Afghanistan, having served there from

January 2006 until May 2007. The first opportunity presented itself Jan. 15 in the Maiwand district of Kandahar province. Members of the 3rd Platoon were providing perimeter security for a meeting between Army officers and tribal elders in the village of La Mohammed Kalay. According to charging documents, an Afghan named Gul Mudin began walking toward the soldiers. As he approached, Cpl. Jeremy N. Morlock, 22, of Wasilla, Alaska, threw the grenade on the ground, records show, to create the illusion that the soldiers were under attack. Pfc. Andrew H. Holmes, a 19-year-old from Boise, Idaho, saw the grenade and fired his weapon at Mudin, according to charging documents. The grenade exploded, prompting other soldiers to open fire on the villager as well, killing him. In statements to investigators, the soldiers involved have given conflicting details. In one statement that his attorney has subsequently tried to suppress, Morlock said that Gibbs had given him the grenade and that others were also aware of the ruse beforehand. But Holmes and his attorney said he was in the dark and opened fire only because Morlock ordered him to do so. “He was unwittingly used as the cover story,” said Daniel Conway, a civilian defense attorney for Holmes. “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time.” Morlock, Holmes and Gibbs have each been charged with murder in the shooting. Attorneys for Morlock and Gibbs did not return phone calls seeking comment.

>> ACCUSED Pg 17

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

16 | WORLD PRESS

People of the Book | The True History of the Qur’an in America By Ted Widmer The Boston Globe, September 12, 2010 Nine years later, we are still haunted by Sept. 11, and in some ways it’s getting worse. All summer, a shrill debate over whether to build a mosque near the Ground Zero site was fueled by pundits on the right, who drummed up a chorus of invective that made it impossible to focus on the modest facts of the case. Then in the days leading up to the 11th, a church in Gainesville, Fla., sparked a firestorm — almost literally — by inviting Christians to come by on the anniversary for a ceremonial burning of the Koran. The Dove World Outreach Center — a misnomer if ever there was one — has made a cottage industry of its Islambashing, promoting its old-fashioned hate crusade with the most modern weapons — YouTube, podcasts, Facebook, and blogs (“Top Ten Reasons to Burn a Koran”). Obviously, this was an act of naked self-promotion as much as a coherent statement about religion. Its instigator, the church’s pastor, Terry Jones, based his crusade on a series of mind-bending assumptions, including his belief that Muslims are always in bad moods (he asks, on camera, “Have you ever really seen a really happy Muslim?”). But for all of its cartoonish quality, and despite his cancellation under pressure Thursday, the timing of this media circus has been a disaster for US foreign policy and the troops we ask to support it. At the exact moment that we want to act as the careful steward of peace in the Middle East, minds around the world have been filled with the image of Korans in America being tossed onto pyres. For better or worse, there is not much anybody can do about religious extremists who offend decency, yet stay within the letter of the law. The same Constitution that confirms the right to worship freely protects the right to worship badly. But September is also the anniversary of the 1787 document that framed our government, and in this season of displaced Tea Party anger, it is worth getting right with our history. There is nothing wrong with the desire to go back to the founding principles that made this nation great — but we should take the

was printed in Springﬁeld in 1806.

As usual, the Founders were way ahead of us. They thought hard about how to build a countr y of many different faiths. And to advance that vision to the fullest, they read the Koran, and studied Islam with a calm intelligence that today’s over-hyped Americans can only begin to imagine. time to discover what those principles actually were. For most Americans, the Koran remains a deeply foreign book, full of strange invocations. Few non-Muslims read it, and most of us carry assumptions about a work of scripture that we assume to be hostile, though it affirms many of the earlier traditions of Christianity and Judaism. Like all works of scripture, it is

than a single volume, tucked away deep within the citadel of Copley Square — the Boston Public Library. The book known as Adams 281.1 is a copy of the Koran, from the personal collection of John Adams. There is nothing particularly ornate about this humble book, one of a collection of 2,400 that belonged to the second president. But it tells an important story, and reminds us how worldly the Founders were, and how impervious to the

Reports of Korans in American libraries go back at least to 1683, when an early settler of Germantown, Pa., brought a German version to these shores. complex and sometimes contradictory, full of soothing as well as frightening passages. But for those willing to make a genuine effort, there are important areas of overlap, waiting to be found. As usual, the Founders were way ahead of us. They thought hard about how to build a country of many different faiths. And to advance that vision to the fullest, they read the Koran, and studied Islam with a

fanaticisms that spring up like dandelions whenever religion and politics are mixed. They, like we, lived in a complicated and often hostile global environment, dominated by religious strife, terror, and the bloodsport of competing empires. Yet better than we, they saw the world as it is, and refused the temptation to enlarge our enemies into Satanic monsters, or simply pretend they didn’t exist.

Why would John Adams and a cluster of farmers in the Connecticut valley have bought copies of the Koran in 1806? Surprisingly, there was a long tradition of New Englanders reading in the Islamic scripture. calm intelligence that today’s over-hyped Americans can only begin to imagine. They knew something that we do not. To a remarkable degree, the Koran is not alien to American history — but inside it. No book states the case more plainly

Reports of Korans in American libraries go back at least to 1683, when an early settler of Germantown, Pa., brought a German version to these shores. Despite its foreign air, Adams’s Koran had a strong New England pedigree. The ﬁrst Koran published in the United States, it

Why would John Adams and a cluster of farmers in the Connecticut valley have bought copies of the Koran in 1806? Surprisingly, there was a long tradition of New Englanders reading in the Islamic scripture. The legendary bluenose Cotton Mather had his faults, but a lack of curiosity about the world was not one of them. Mather paid scrupulous attention to the Ottoman Empire in his voracious reading, and cited the Koran often in passing. True, much of it was in his pinched voice — as far back as the 17th century, New England sailors were being kidnapped by North African pirates, a source of never ending vexation, and Mather denounced the pirates as “Mahometan Turks, and Moors and Devils.” But he admired Arab and Ottoman learning, and when Turks in Constantinople and Smyrna succeeded in inoculating patients against smallpox, he led a public campaign to do the same in Boston (a campaign for which he was much viliﬁed by those who called inoculation the “work of the Devil,” merely because of its Islamic origin). It was one of his ﬁner moments. Other early Americans denounced Islam — surprisingly, Roger Williams, whom we generally hold up as a model of tolerance, expressed the hope that “the Pope and Mahomet” would be “flung in to the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone.” But Rhode Island, and ultimately all of New England, proved hospitable to the strangers who came in the wake of the Puritans — notably, the small Jewish congregation that settled in Newport and built Touro Synagogue, America’s oldest. And in theory — if not often in practice (simply because there were so few) — that toleration extended to Muslims as well. This theory was eloquently expressed around the time the Constitution was written. One of its models was the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution, which John Adams had helped to create, and which, in the words of one of its drafters, Theophilus Parsons, was designed to ensure “the most ample of liberty of conscience” for “Deists, Mahometans,

>> QUR’AN Pg 17

September 24th - October 7th , 2010 QUR’AN >> continued from pg 16 Jews and Christians.” As the Founders deliberated over what types of people would ultimately populate the strange new country they were creating, they cited Muslims as an extreme of foreign-ness whom it would be important to protect in the future. Perhaps, they daydreamed, a Muslim or a Catholic might even be president someday? Like everything, they debated it. Some disapproved, but Richard Henry Lee insisted that “true freedom embraces the Mahometan and Gentoo [Hindu] as well as the Christian religion.” George Washington went out of his way to praise Muslims on several occasions, and suggested that he would welcome them at Mount Vernon if they were willing to work. Benjamin Franklin argued that Muslims should be able to preach to Christians if we insisted on the right to preach to them. Near the end of his life, he impersonated a Muslim essayist, to mock American hypocrisy over slavery. Thomas Jefferson, especially, had a familiarity with Islam that borders on the astonishing. Like Adams, he owned ACCUSED >> continued from pg 15

A father’s warning

On Feb. 14, Christopher Winfield, a former Marine from Cape Coral, Fla., logged onto his Facebook account to chat with his son, Adam, a 3rd Platoon soldier who was up late in Afghanistan. Spec. Adam C. Winfield confided that he’d had a run-in with Gibbs, his squad leader. He also typed a mysterious note saying that some people get away with murder. When his father pressed him to explain, Adam replied, “did you not understand what i just told you.” He then referred to the slaying of the Afghan villager the month before, adding that other platoon members had threatened him because he did not approve. In addition, he said, they were bragging about how they wanted to find another victim. “I was just shocked,” Christopher Winfield said in a phone interview. “He

WORLD PRESS | 17 a Koran, a 1764 English edition that he bought while studying law as a young man in Williamsburg, Va. Only two years ago, that Koran became the center of a controversy, when the first Muslim ever elected to Congress, Keith Ellison, a Democrat from Minnesota, asked if he could place his hand on it while taking his oath of office — a request that elicited tremendous screeches from the talk radio extremists. Jefferson even tried to learn Arabic, and wrote his Bill for Establishing Religious Freedom to protect “the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and the Mahometan, the Hindoo and infidel of every denomination.” Jefferson and Adams led many of our early negotiations with the Islamic powers as the United States lurched into existence. A favorable treaty was signed with Morocco, simply because the Moroccans considered the Americans ahlal-kitab, or “people of the book,” similar to Muslims, who likewise eschewed the idolatry of Europe’s ornate state religions. When Adams was president, a treaty with Tripoli (Libya) insisted that the United States was “not in any sense founded upon the Christian religion” and therefore has “no character of enmity against the laws, religion and tranquility of Mussulmen.”

was scared for his life at that point.” The father told his son that he would contact the Army to intervene and investigate. It was a Sunday, but he didn’t wait. He called the Army inspector general’s 24-hour hotline and left a voice mail. He called the office of Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), and left another message. He called a sergeant at Lewis-McChord who told him to call the Army’s criminal investigations division. He left another message there. Finally, he said, he called the Fort Lewis command center and spoke for 12 minutes to a sergeant on duty. He said the sergeant agreed that it sounded as if Adam was in potential danger but that, unless he was willing to report it to his superiors in Afghanistan, there was little the Army could do. “He just kind of blew it off,” Christopher Winfield said. “I was sitting there with my jaw on the ground.” Winfield said he doesn’t recall the name of the sergeant he spoke with. Billing

There was another important group of Americans who read the Koran, not as a legal sourcebook, or a work of exoticism, but as something very different — a reminder of home. While evidence is fragmentary, as many as 20 percent of African-American slaves may have come from Islamic backgrounds. They kept their knowledge of the Koran alive through memory, or chanted suras, or, in rare cases, smuggled copies of the book itself. In the 1930s, when WPA workers were interviewing elderly AfricanAmericans in Georgia’s Sea Islands, they were told of an ancestor named Bilali who spoke Arabic and owned a copy of the Koran — a remarkable fact when we remember that it was a crime for slaves to read. In the War of 1812, Bilali and his fellow Muslims helped to defend America from a British attack, inverting nearly all of our stereotypes in the process. In 1790, as the last of the original 13 states embraced the Constitution, and the United States finally lived up to its name, George Washington visited that state — unruly Rhode Island — and its Jewish congregation at Newport. The letter he wrote to them afterwards struck the perfect note, and drained much of the antiforeign invective that was already poisoning the political atmosphere, only records that he kept confirm that he called Army officials; he also kept copies of transcripts of Facebook chats with this son. He said he specifically told the sergeant of his son’s warning that more murders were in the works. Army investigators have since taken a sworn statement from Christopher Winfield, as well as copies of his phone and Internet records.

Other killings

Eight days after Winfield tried to warn the Army, according to charging documents, members of the 3rd Platoon murdered someone else. On Feb. 22, Marach Agha, an Afghan civilian, was killed by rifle fire near Forward Operating Base Ramrod in Kandahar province, where the 3rd Platoon was stationed. The Army has released few details about the slaying but has charged Gibbs, Morlock and Spec. Michael S. Wagnon II of Las Vegas with murder.

a year into his presidency. Addressing himself to “the children of the Stock of Abraham” (who, in theory, include Muslims as well as Jews), the president of the United States offered an expansive vision indeed: “May the children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and ﬁgtree, and there shall be none to make him afraid.” For democracy to survive, it required consent; a willingness to surrender some bits of cultural identity to preserve the higher goal of a working community. Washington’s letter still offers a tantalizing prospect, especially as his successor turns from the distracting noise of Gainesville to the essential work of building peace in the Middle East, for all of the children of the Stock of Abraham. -----------------------------------------------Ted Widmer is the Beatrice and Julio Mario Santo Domingo director and librarian of the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University.

Wagnon has also been charged with possessing “a skull taken from an Afghan person’s corpse.” He allegedly took the head sometime during January or February 2010, but court documents do not specify whether it belonged to the Afghan he is charged with killing. An attorney for Wagnon, who was on his second tour in Afghanistan and also served in Iraq, did not return a call seeking comment. More mayhem followed in March, when Gibbs, Wagnon and three other soldiers Staff Sgt. Robert G. Stevens, Sgt. Darren N. Jones and Pfc. Ashton A. Moore - opened ﬁre on three Afghan men, according to charging documents. The documents do not provide basic details, such as the precise date of the shooting, the identities of the victims or whether they were wounded. Members of the 3rd Platoon found their next victim on May 2, documents show. >> ACCUSED II Pg 19

18 | CIVIL RIGHTS

Civil Rights

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

Anti-Torture Activists Denounce the Denial of Due Process and Justice for the Victims of US Torture September 10, 2011, New York City — Witness Against Torture, a grassroots organization dedicated to closing Guantanamo and ending US torture, condemns the decision of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Mohamed, et. al. versus Jeppesen DataPlan, Inc. to accept the “states-secret privilege” as grounds for dismissing lawsuits brought by victims of CIA rendition and of torture – whether in CIA-run “black sites,” in countries to which they were rendered, or in Guantanamo Bay. Witness Against Torture likewise condemns the decision of the Department of Justice under the Obama administration to adopt the position of the Bush administration that fraudulent concerns over national security should over-ride

the plaintiffs’ right of due process and redress for the gross crimes committed against them. The Ninth Circuit Court’s decision grants the United States government effective immunity for the breaking of domestic and international law. It represents a profound violation not only of the rights of men who were kidnapped and tortured, but of also of due process and the rule of law. “When the law itself becomes an instrument for justifying and excusing torture, the law is meaningless,” says Matt Daloisio of Witness Against Torture. “The clear message is that no one will be held to account, that torture will not be punished.”

“The Obama administration may well have reached a point of no return on a dangerous path that both exonerates and continues the criminal policies of the Bush administration,” says Jeremy Varon of Witness Against Torture. “President Obama has betrayed his campaign promises, large parts of his Party, and millions of Americans who supported him in hopes of a decisive break with the Bush administration.” “Our hearts go out to Mr. Binyam Mohamed and the other plaintiffs in the case,” says Helen Schietinger of Witness Against Torture. “To the massive injury of rendition and torture is now added the grave insult of being denied a day in court. This isn’t the America I know.”

Witness Against Torture will continue to press for the closure of the detention facility at Guantanamo and for accountability for torture. Towards these ends, it is pursuing dialogue with high-ranking ofﬁcials in the Obama Justice Department. Witness Against Torture formed in December 2005 when twenty-five activists walked to Guantanamo to protest the detention camp. Since then, it has engaged in public education, lobbying, community outreach, and non-violent civil disobedience. -----------------------------------------------Source: Witness Against Torture press release. For more information or to get involved, visit www.witnesstorture.com.

Anti-Islamic Sentiment Cheered at Values Voter Summit By Nicole Allan The Atlantic.com September 17, 2010 In a ﬁery speech at Washington’s Values Voter Summit, conservative icon Gary Bauer offered his unflinching views on Islam. The former Reagan staffer, Family Research Council president, and Republican presidential candidate is known for his outspoken evangelical views and his vigorous defense of Israel. Days after the anniversary of 9/11, in a speech touching on the Ground Zero Islamic center controversy and the recent Koran-burning threat, Bauer did not worry about being politically correct. “The terrorists of 9/11 were not

created by poverty,” he said, soon after he took the stage. “They were created by radical Islam.” The crowd erupted in afﬁrmation. “We believe that all men are created equal and are endowed by their creator -- and by the way, folks, that’s not Allah -- with certain unalienable rights,” Bauer continued. He’s a small man, with what look like acne scars across his face. He spoke with passion and precision, building to well-timed climaxes and giving the crowd room to respond -which they did. They gave him a mid-speech standing ovation when he said, “Mr. President, it’s time for the Islamic world to prove to the rest of the world that they understand

human rights and that they will tolerate religious freedom.” Bauer suggested that rather than giving his speech on religious tolerance in Washington following the Ground Zero controversy, Obama should have given it in Mecca. Bauer went on to allude to contemporary persecution of Jews in Europe, where he claimed they were being beaten in the streets and Jewish cemeteries were being desecrated. Not long after this comment, he claimed that Barack Obama “is the most anti-Israel president in the history of the United States.” His audience apparently agreed. In case listeners thought his anti-Islamic sentiments were limited to radical fundamentalists, Bauer cleared up that

confusion by saying that “Islamic culture ... keeps hundreds of millions of people on the verge of violence and mayhem 24 hours a day.” This, too, was met with loud cheers. Bauer was the only major speaker today to venture into anti-Islamic territory, but he seemingly triggered a sentiment in the crowd that lurked just under the surface. Even so, he was quickly overshadowed by the much-anticipated Christine O’Donnell. -----------------------------------------------Source: http:/twww.theatlantic.com/ politics/archive/2010/09/anti-islamicsentiment-cheered-at-values-votersummit/63197/

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

CIVIL RIGHTS |

DOJ Official: ‘Unjustified Backlash’ Against Arabs And Muslims Continues Talking Points Memo September 22, 2010 Muslim-Americans “continue to struggle for acceptance in many communities” and “have not yet realized the full promise of equal opportunity and equal justice” the government’s top civil rights official, Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez, said Tuesday. Speaking at an event on Capitol Hill marking the 10th anniversary of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, Perez’s comments came in the midst of the heated debate over the proposed Islamic community center in lower Manhattan and of mosque construction projects around the country. “The timing if this anniversary is auspicious, as it gives us an opportunity to reflect on the values of our nation and the protection of our basic rights at a time when the national conversation about these issues has produced a great amount of heated rhetoric,” Assistant Attorney General Thomas Perez said at the event hosted by the American Constitution Society. Religious freedom and civil rights “are not Democratic or Republican values - they are American values; they are at the very core of our nation’s existence,” Perez said.

ACCUSED II >> continued from pg 17 Gibbs, Morlock and Adam Winﬁeld - the son of the former Marine who said he tried to alert the Army three months earlier - are accused of tossing a grenade and fatally shooting an Afghan cleric, Mullah Adahdad, near Forward Operating Base Ramrod. Winﬁeld’s attorney, Eric S. Montalvo, said his client was ordered to shoot but

One lawyer said that local townships are getting more savvy about masking their anti-Muslim views and asserting that their opposition is about logistical issues. “We see whether its manifested very overtly through these acts of violence or in other ways through the defacement of property or hateful rhetoric or in subtle fashions -- discriminatory land uses and zoning policies, barriers to religious liberties are a threat to our freedom and to our nation’s identity,” he added. Perez mentioned that a “very eclectic” group of various religious representatives met with Attorney General Eric Holder to discuss “very, very, troubling incidents” that have taken place in recent months. The Obama administration is “absolutely dogged” in its commitment to using every tool to protect religious liberty, Perez said. DOJ began monitoring almost as many alleged incidents of discrimination against Muslims under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act in the past ﬁve months as it has in nearly 10 years prior, according to a report issued Tuesday.

fired high and missed. He and Winfield’s parents say they can’t understand why the Army has charged their son, given that his father tried to warn officials about the platoon. Military police caught wind of the final killing a few days later, but only by happenstance. Records show they were coincidentally investigating reports of hashish use by members of the 3rd Platoon. After word leaked that one soldier had

In a panel following Perez’s speech on RLUIPA, one lawyer said that local townships are getting more savvy about masking their anti-Muslim views and asserting that their opposition is about logistical issues. “There certainly is a rise in those cases,” Roman Storzer, a partner at Storzer & Greene, said in response to a question from TPMMuckraker. “Often times, the religious organization will back down after they realize they’re not wanted in the community - that applies to a variety of minority faith groups.” But the actual number of times such cases are litigated in court -- a process which can stretch out over a number of years -- is probably at the same low level as it is with any faith or denomination, Storzer said. “All the incidences I’ve seen involved involve hostility and discrimination against that particular faith group,” Storzer said. “There’s the ﬁg leaf of some

spoken to military police, several platoon members retaliated, records show. They confronted the informant and beat him severely - punching, kicking and choking the soldier, then dragging him across the ground. As a last warning, the documents state, Gibbs menacingly waved ﬁnger bones he had collected from Afghan corpses. However, the informant talked to the MPs again and told them what he had heard about the slayings, according to court documents.

sort of neutral or generally applicable land use interest, but everybody knows what that regulation is all about.” But Marci Hamilton said that the law is unfair to local governments and homeowners, who have been labeled bigots even when debates are over issues like parking and traffic. Perez’s comments opening the panel discussion marked the second time he has addressed the recent flare up in antiMuslim incidents in the past few weeks. “For members of our nation’s ArabAmerican and Muslim-American communities, who have been subjected to an unjustified backlash - a backlash that continues today, nearly a decade after 9/11, as we’ve seen in recent weeks in communities across the country our nation’s promise has not yet been fulfilled,” Perez said in a speech last week. Polarized politics are standing in the way of continued progress, and “it often seems that many of our lawmakers have given up the art of compromise in favor of mastering the partisan sound-bite,” Perez said. “The prospect of long-term progress, too often, has been abandoned in an effort to dominate the 24 hour news cycle.”

Some members of his unit, he said in a statement, “when they are out at a village, wander off and kill someone and every time they say the same thing, about a guy throwing a grenade, but there is never proof.” This time, the Army acted quickly and made arrests. -----------------------------------------------Staff researcher Julie Tate in Washington contributed to this report.

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

20 | ISLAM

Islam

Hanging Out in Chat Rooms: Time Well Spent ? QUESTION: I hope you can advise me on the ruling on entering chat rooms and discussion boards. I only go there for fun and to see some of the topics under discussion, and you can well imagine the kind of bad talk that goes on in those places. Please advise me about this, may Allaah preserve you. -----------------------------------------------ANSWER: Praise be to Allaah. One of the things that the Muslim should do is discipline himself and seek to adopt the best of attitudes and etiquette. This requires a great deal of striving against bad inclinations and it needs a lot of patience. The most important thing that can help him to do that is avoiding places of evil and places that could lead to his doom. The scholars of personal development are unanimously agreed that man is inherently weak and inclined towards evil, and that it is the mind (or reason) that could controls his attitude and inclinations, and guide his energies. So if reason does not restrain one’s inclinations towards following whims and desires, then he will soon ﬁnd no means to turn back to the path of salvation. The same applies to gatherings of leisure and entertainment. They have always been – and still are, as they appear on the internet – a waste of energy and talent, where followers of falsehood who have no mission to work or succeed in their lives gather, and they waste their time and their lives which are the most precious things they own, and they spend their days exchanging gossip, and they waste a lot of time and do not achieve anything for their worldly or religious interests. When the Muslim has the blessing of free time with which Allaah has honored him, he can do no more than look for the best deeds with which to ﬁll his time, not just any good deed. Hence you see that the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in many ahaadeeth about the best actions by means of which they could attain a higher status before Allaah, and the Prophet (peace

and blessings of Allaah be upon him) answered their questions. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “There are two blessings which many people do not make the best of: good health and free time.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari (6412). Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allaah have mercy on him) said, speaking of regret about time: Regret for wasted time should be deep, for time passes quickly and it is difficult to make up what you have missed. Time for the worshiper is a time for worship and reciting awraad, and for the devoted Muslim it is time for turning to Allaah and focusing on Him with all his heart. Time is the dearest thing to him and he would feel very sad if time passes without him doing what he is meant to do. If he misses time, he can never make it up, because a second time has its own duties. So if he misses time, there is no way he can bring it back. (Madaarij al-Saalikeen 3/49) The most important things that will help you make the most of your time is to avoid futile gatherings and refrain from talking too much and keep away from lazy and idle people, and to keep company with those who are striving hard, clever, smart and aware of time, and those ho immerse themselves in reading for the purpose of increasing their knowledge. The wise man is the one who is guided to fill his time with useful, beneficial and good deeds; thus he will advance and rise in status. So you will find him always seeking knowledge, or writing lessons, or learning a skill, or visiting relatives or a sick person, or advising one who has gone astray, or earning a living so that he can spend on his dependents and save them from having to ask of people.

When Allaah asks you on the Day of Resurrection about this time that you wasted in idle talk and writing and conversing about things that are of no benefit, rather they will harm you, what will your answer be? ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: I would hate to see any one of you idle and not doing anything to help himself in this world or in the Hereafter. Quoted by Abu ‘Ubayd alQaasim ibn Sallaam in al-Amthaal (48). The Muslim has no time to listen to or look at sinful things. You know that these conversations include things that go against sharee’ah such as immoral talk and bad attitudes, so is entering these foul swamps something that will benefit a Muslim, or is it anything that he should seek in his life? It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Strive to do that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allaah.” Narrated by Muslim (2664). When Allaah asks you on the Day of Resurrection about this time that you wasted in idle talk and writing and conversing about things that are of no benefit, rather they will harm you, what will your answer be? It was narrated that Abu Barzah al-Aslami said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A person’s feet will not move on the Day of Resurrection until he is asked about his life and how he spent it, his knowledge and what he did with it, and his wealth, how he acquired it and how he spent it, and his body (health), and how he used it.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (2417), classed as saheeh by Shaykh al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb (126).

Finally, you should note: That these chat rooms have corrupted the morals of many people; they have caused rifts between loved ones, men have divorced their wives because of them, women have lost their honor because of them, and those who are weak in faith and lacking in knowledge have been deceived by the specious arguments and myths in them, and have thus been misled. If the Muslim hears of an environment that is filled with fitnah and sin, he should denounce the people involved and strive to set them straight – if he is one of those who are able for that – otherwise he should keep away from such environments and not be deceived by thinking that his faith is strong or that he knows what they really are, and that he is just having fun. Beware of indulging in chat rooms on the internet, and protect yourself from the immorality and evil that is in them, for they are gatherings that bring little benefit but cause a great deal of harm; they are of no benefit in this world and do not bring salvation in the Hereafter. If you find that you are getting drawn into fitnah and sin, such as speaking to women unnecessarily and speaking too much to this one and that one, then you should realize that you are in grave danger, and we hope that you will save yourself from it and resist falling into the trap of the shaytaan. We have discussed the danger of chat rooms in many answers on this site, such as 34841 and 78375. And Allaah knows best. Source: islam-qa.com

SALAAH TIMES | 21

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

Salaah times for September 24th - October 7th, 2010

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

Day Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu

Date Sep 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Oct 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Hijri 15/10 16/10 17/10 18/10 19/10 20/10 21/10 22/10 23/10 24/10 25/10 26/10 27/10 28/10

Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah

Sunrise 6:57 6:58 6:59 7:00 7:01 7:02 7:03 7:03 7:04 7:05 7:06 7:07 7:08 7:09

Dhuhr 1:01 1:00 1:00 1:00 12:59 12:59 12:59 12:58 12:58 12:58 12:57 12:57 12:57 12:56

Asr 4:25 4:24 4:23 4:22 4:21 4:20 4:18 4:17 4:16 4:15 4:14 4:13 4:12 4:11

Maghrib 7:02 7:01 6:59 6:58 6:56 6:54 6:53 6:51 6:50 6:48 6:47 6:45 6:44 6:42

Isha 8:16 8:14 8:12 8:11 8:09 8:07 8:06 8:04 8:03 8:01 7:59 7:58 7:56 7:55

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

Fasting the Six Days of Shawwal QUESTION: What is the ruling on fasting six days of Shawwaal? Is it waajib (obligatory)? -----------------------------------------------ANSWER: Praise be to Allaah. Fasting six days of Shawwaal after the obligatory fast of Ramadaan is Sunnah Mustahabbah (highly recommended), not waajib (obligatory). It is recommended for the Muslim to fast six days of Shawwaal, and in this there is great virtue and an immense reward. Whoever fasts these six days will have recorded for him a reward as if he had fasted a whole year, as was reported in a saheeh hadeeth from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him).

Fajr 5:46 5:47 5:47 5:48 5:49 5:50 5:51 5:52 5:53 5:54 5:55 5:56 5:57 5:58

be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadaan and follows it with six days of Shawwaal, it will be as if he fasted for a full year” (Narrated by Muslim, Abu Dawood, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nisaa’i and Ibn Maajah). The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) explained this when he said: “Whoever fasts for six days after (Eid) al-Fitr has completed the year: (whoever does a good deed (hasanah) will have ten hasanah like it).” According to another report: “Allaah has made for each hasanah ten like it, so a month is like fasting ten months, and fasting six days completes the year.” (alNisaa’i and Ibn Maajah. See also Saheeh al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb, 1/421). It was also narrated by Ibn Khuzaymah with the wording: “Fasting for the month of

Ramadaan brings the reward of ten like it, and fasting for six days brings the reward of two months, and that is the fasting of the whole year.” The Hanbali and Shaafa’i fuqaha’ explained that fasting six days of Shawwaal after fasting Ramadaan makes it as if one has fasted for an entire year of obligatory fasts, because the multiplication of the reward applies even to naaﬁl fasts, because each hasanah brings the reward of ten like it. Another of the important benefits of fasting six days of Shawwaal is that is makes up for any shortfall in a person’s obligatory Ramadaan fasts, because no one is free of shortcomings or sins that have a negative effect on his fasting. On the Day of Resurrection, some of his naaﬁl deeds will be taken to make up the shortcomings in his obligatory deeds, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of

Allaah be upon him) said: “The ﬁrst thing for which people will be brought to account on the Day of Resurrection will be their salaah (prayer). Our Lord, may He be glorified and exalted, will say to His angels – although He knows best – ‘Look at the salaah of My slave, whether it is complete or incomplete.’ If it is perfect, it will be recorded as perfect, and if something is lacking, He will say, ‘Look and see whether My slave did any voluntary (naaﬁl) prayers.’ If he did some voluntary prayers, [Allaah] will say, Complete the obligatory actions of My slave from his voluntary actions.’ Then all his actions will be dealt with in a similar manner.” (Narrated by Abu Dawood). And Allaah knows best. -----------------------------------------------Source: Sheikh Muhammed Salih AlMunajjid (www.islam-qa.com)

Combining Intentions with Voluntar y Fasting QUESTION: Is it permissible to observe a voluntary fast with two intentions, the intention of making up a missed Ramadaan fast and the intention of observing a Sunnah fast? What is the ruling on fasting with regard to those who are travelling or sick? If they are able to fast, will it be accepted from them or not?.

ANSWER: Praise be to Allaah. It is not permissible to observe a voluntary fast with two intentions, the intention of making up a missed fast and the intention of observing a Sunnah fast. It is better for the traveller who is travelling a short distance not to fast, but if he fasts that will be good enough. It is

better for one who ﬁnds it too difﬁcult to fast because of sickness not to fast. If he knows or thinks it most likely that fasting will harm him or lead to his death then he must break his fast, so as to ward off harm. Whatever the case, both the traveller and the one who is sick have to make up the fasts they missed in Ramadaan on other days, but if they fast even though that

causes them hardship, that is valid. And Allaah is the Source of strength. -----------------------------------------------Source: Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah li’l-Buhooth al-‘Ilmiyyah wa’l-Ifta’, 10/383

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

22 | Masjid Locator

MASJID LOCATOR

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

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

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

ALL MUSLIM BROTHERS ASSOCIATION 3900 King Street Alexandria, VA 22302 703-647-0515 Jumma Prayer ONLY - 1:15 p.m

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

AVONDALE ISLAMIC CENTER: 4637 Eastern Ave., Hyattsville, MD, 20782, Tel: 301-779-9292. BADR COMMUNITY CENTER OF DUMFRIES (BCCD) 17794 Main Street Dumfries, VA 22026 Tel: 703-585-1689, 703-5547983 www.bccd.org E-mail: info@bccd.org BAITUL MUKARRAM: 2116 S Nelson St., Arlington, VA, 22204, Tel: 703-778-1550. DAR AL HIJRAH: 3159 Rowe St., Falls Church, VA 22044, Tel: 703-536-1030, www.hijrah.org. DAR AL-NOOR (MUSLIM ASSOC. OF VA): 5404 Hoadly Rd., Manassas, VA 20112, Tel: 703-580-0808, Fax: 703221-8513, www.daralnoor.org. DAR AL-TAQWA: 10740 Rte. 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042, Tel: 410-997-5711, www.taqwa.net. DAR UL ULOOM, 6334 Dogwoood Rd, Baltimore, MD 21207, 410-493-0785 Email:darululoommd@aol.com DAR UL-GHURABA (Masjid ur Rahmah): 155 Baker St., Emporia, VA 23487, DAR-UL HUDA: 6666 Commerce St., Springﬁeld, VA 22150, Tel: 703-922-0111, www.darulhuda.org

ICNA VA CENTER: 2913 Woodlawn Trail, Alexandria, VA 22306. 703-660-1255 IDARA DAWAT-O-IRSHAD: 4803 Valley St, Alexandria, VA 22312 703-256-8622, www.irshad.org. IRHSCA (ISLAMIC RESEARCH AND HUM. SERVICES CENTER OF AMERICA): Chambers Ave, Capitol Heights, MD Tel: 301-324-5040, www.irhsca.org. ISLAMIC CENTER OF GREATER SOUTH EAST (FORMERLY MASJID ASH-SHURA) 3109-B Martin Luther King Ave., S.E.Washington, DC 20032 202-506-7235 ISLAMIC CENTER OF MARYLAND (ICM): 19411 Woodﬁeld Rd. Gaithersburg,MD 20879 Tel:301-840-9440, www.icomd.org. ISLAMIC CENTER OF NORTHERN VA TRUST (ICNVT): 4420 Shirley Gate Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030 Tel: 703-941-6558, info@icnvt.org | www.icnvt.org ISLAMIC COM. CENTER OF LAUREL (ICCL): 7306 Contee Rd., Laurel, MD 20707 Tel: 301-317-4584, www.icclmd.org ISLAMIC FOUND. OF AMERICA (IFA): 6606 Electronic Dr., Springﬁeld, VA 22151 Tel: 703-914-4982, www.ifa.ws. ISLAMIC HERITAGE CENTER

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

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

ISLAMIC SOC. OF ANNAPOLIS (ISA): 2635 Riva RdSuite 110 Annapolis, MD 21401 Tel: 410-266-6660 www.isamd.org, Email: info@islamannapolis.org

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

ISLAMIC SOC. OF FREDERICK (ISF): 1250 Key Parkway , Frederick,MD 21702 Tel: 301-682-6090, www.isfmd.org. ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF GERMANTOWN (ISG): 19900 Brandermill Rd., Germantown, MD 20876 Tel: (301)-972-0765, www.isgtown.org. ISLAMIC SOC. OF SOUTHERN PG COUNTY (ISSPGC): P O Box 99, Clinton, MD 20735 5410 Indian Head Hwy, Oxon Hill, MD 20745 Tel: 240 603 4618 ISLAMIC SOC. OF THE WASHINGTON AREA (ISWA): 2701 Briggs Chaney Rd. Silver Spring, MD 20904 Tel: 301-879-0930, www.iswamd.org. ISLAMIC SOC. OF WESTERN MARYLAND: 2036 Day Rd., Hagerstown, MD 21740 Tel: 301-797-0922. IVY CITY MASJID: 2001 Galludet St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 Tel: 202-529-3100. LA PLATA MASJID: 111 Howard Street, La Plata, MD 20646 Tel: 301-609-8769. MAKKAH LEARNING CENTER (MLC): 814 Brandy Farms Ln Gambrills, MD 21054 Tel: 410-721-5880 www.isamd. org, Email: info@mlcmd.org

MASJID AL-HIKMAH: 11064 Livingston Road Unit L (101) Ft. Washington, MD 20744, Tel: 301 292-9009. MASJID UL-HAQ: 514 Islamic Way (Wilson St. ), Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-728-1363. MASJID AL-ISLAM: 4603 Benning Rd., SE, Washington, DC 20019 e-mail: imammusa@hotmail.com MASJID AL-INSHIRAH: 7832 Fairbrook Road , Windsor Mill, MD 21244 Tel: 410-298-2977, Fax: 410298-0266, www.al-inshirahweb. net. MASJID AL-MUMINEEN: 2642 Harford Rd. Baltimore, MD 21218 Tel: 410-467-8798. MASJID JAMAAT ALMUSLIMEEN: 4624 York Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212 Tel. 410-891-8451 MASJID MUHAMMAD: 1519 4th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20001 Tel: 202-483-8832. MASJID AL-NOOR: 10012 Harford Rd., Carney, MD 21234 Tel: 410-663-9637, Fax: 410-663-9817. MASJID AL-RAHMAH/ISB: 6631 Johnny Cake Rd. Baltimore, MD 21244 Tel: 410-747-4869, www.isb.org MASJID AS SAFFAT: 1335 W. North Ave. Baltimore, MD 21217 Tel: 410-669-0655. MASJID BAIT-ALLAH: 1910 Frederick Avenue (2 Floor) Baltimore, MD 21223

Tel: 443-224-4423, E-mail: info@masjidbaitallah.org. www.masjidbaitallah.org MASJID IBN TAYMIYYAH: 8000 MLK Highway, Glenarden MD Tel: 301-461-9325. MASJID ZAMZAM 1510 Lynch Road, Dundalk, MD 21222 Phone: 410-284-2840 MEDINA CENTER: 11600 Falls Road, Potomac MD 20854 www.medinacenter.net MUSLIM COM. CENTER (MCC): 15200 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20905 Tel: 301-384-3454, www.mccmd.org. MUSLIM SOC. OF WASHINGTON, D.C. (MSWDC): Howard Center, Room 805 (Above HU Bookstore) Tel: 202-328-3236, www.mswdc.org. MUSTAFA CENTER: 6844 Braddock Rd., Annandale, VA 22003. PRINCE GEORGES MUSLIM ASSOC. (PGMA): 9150 Lanham Severn Rd. Lanham, MD, 20706, Tel: 301-459-4942, www. pgmamd.org. Imam’s Ofﬁce: 301-459-1441, imam@pgmamd.org. RANDALLSTOWN ISLAMIC CENTER 9019 Marcella Ave. Randallstown, MD 21133 Tel: 410 971 4018 www.ricbaltimore.org SOUTHERN MARYLAND ISLAMIC CENTER(SMIC): 1046 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD, 20639. Tel: 410- 535-0000 THE ISLAMIC CENTER: 2551 Mass. Ave. NW Washington D.C. 20008 Tel: 202-332-8343

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

Request For Dua’s

OBITS & UPCOMING EVENTS |

Upcoming Events In Your Area

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

“Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and good, and to Us you will be returned.” (Surah Al-Anbiya:35)” 9-10-10 Inna-Lillaahi Wa inna-ilaihi-Raaje’oon. It is with heavy heart and deepest sorrow we announce that our past President and Treasurer Dr. Salman Kazmi has passed away. May Allah (swt) reward him with the highest place in Junnah. Janazah prayer was in Adelphi, MD on Sept 11, 2010. Allaahhum-Maghfir Lahu. May Allaah forgive him, grant him paradise and provide comfort to his family in this trying time. Ameen. (Source: MCC) 9-11-10 Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un, to Allah we belong and to Him is our return. Shura Council mourns the passing of Dr. Fathi Osman from natural causes. Dr. Osman was a world renowned scholar and long-time resident of Los Angeles. We ask Allah to grant him eternal life in the Hereafter and grant his grieving family with much patience for their irrevocable loss. Burial was on September 11, 2010 in Whittier, CA. (Source: Islamic Shura Council of Southern California) 9-16-10 Inalilaahi wa ina illahi rajioon. From Allah we come, to him we return. The MCC Community regrets the loss of Br. Fouad Siddiqi who succumbed to a long illness this morning. Br. Siddiqi was the son of Sr. Rehana and the late Br. Iqbal Siddiqi. May he be embraced by Allah’s Love and Compassion and may he be granted Jannah tul Firdos,. May Allah (swt) strengthen his family and give them patience during this difficult time. Ameen Br. Siddiqi’s janazah was on September 17, 2010 in Silver Spring, MD. (Source: MCC) 9-21-10 To Allah we belong, and to Him we shall return. We regret to inform you of the passing of our elder, Sister Ulfat Ikram. She is the mother of Sister Tehmina Sajjad and mother in law of Brother Mohammad Sajjad. Salat ulJanazah was in Laurel, MD on Tuesday, September 21, 2010. We sincerely ask Allah SWT to forgive her, have mercy on her and grant her Jannat ulFirdous. And may He, SWT, give her family patience during these difficult times. Aameen. (Source: ICCL)

MANA Presents: Bridging the Generation Gap Sunday, September 26 2010 Muslim Alliance in North America (MANA) in collaboration with All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS) presents a Qur’anic approach to: Bridging the Generation Gap to Heal and Reconcile the Muslim Families. Featuring: Imam Talib Abdur Rashid, Deputy Amir of MANA. Additional speakers: Imam Qasim Ahmed, President Islamic Learning Institute; Imam Qasim Ibn Ali Khan, Director of Special Events MANA. Dinner at 6:00 P.M. Program following Salatul Maghrib. Tickets: $20. Babysitting available. Location: ADAMS Center; 46903 Sugarland Road; Sterling,VA 20164 Contact: For more information, call 773.557.9315; www.mana-net.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ICM International Food Festival & Bazaar Saturday, October 02 2010, 11:00am - 3:00pm

Alhamdulillah, ICM is excited to host the International Food Festival & Bazaar again this year, inshallah. For those who have not attended in the past, the festival will include booths representing cultures throughout the Muslim world from Morocco, Ethiopia, Palestine, Russia, Turkey, Iran, India, Malaysia, and many other countries, showcasing the richness and diversity in our foods, clothing, and handicrafts. In the past, this has been a very fun event, allowing our community to get to know each other, and just as important, allowing our non-muslim neighbors to get to know us as well. You can see photos of past events here…http://picasaweb.google.com/ahsun.dasti/Intl_Food_Fest09# http://picasaweb. google.com/ahsun.dasti/ICMInternationalFoodFestivalBazaar2008# Inshallah, we would like to get a number of volunteers to help make this year’s event a success. Please let us know if you would like to a) Help organize, b) represent your country or c) be a vendor in the bazaar. Location: Islamic Center of Maryland; 19411 Woodﬁeld Rd; Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Contact: For more information, please call 301 840 9440 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ISWA’s International Bazaar & Eid Celebration Sunday, October 03 2010, 11:00am - 5:00pm

Come out for a day of fun, bring your family, meet friends and support a worth cause. Activities include: international food and delicacies, cultural clothings, islamic books, videos and cds, children activities, games, entertainment for the whole family. Location: ISWA, 2701 Briggs Chaney Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905 Contact: 301 879 0930, Vendors welcome

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Girl Scout Troop Charity Book Sale Sunday, October 03 2010, 9:00am - 1:00pm

Girl Scouts Troop #2802 Charity Sale. All book proceeds beneﬁt: Dar-us-Salaam, PGMA, and Pakistan Flood Relief. Help us raise more, bring your own box to take purchases home! Something for everyone: home school resources, Islamic studies, health, ﬁction, children’s books and more. Over 4,000 books. Budget friendly prices from $.50 to $3.00. Story time for kids while you shop. Yummy bake sale. Location: Al Huda School; 5301 Edgewood Rd; College Park, MD 20740 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Muslimat Al Nisaa Annual Conference & Banquet Friday, October 08 To Monday, October 11 2010

Hosted by: Muslimat Al-Nisaa. The Muslimat Al-Nisaa Home Center was designed to assist homeless, Muslim females between the ages of 18 and 64. The strength of the organization is that its members are visible, active contributors in community projects, programs, and meetings relevant to the establishment, improvement and enhancement of positive growth and development for ourselves and future Muslim generations. This visibility and community participation will afford us varying resource opportunities in support of our programs and projects. 25th anniversary Banquet will be held on the evening of October 10th 2010. Contact Muslimat Al Nisaa for event and ticket information. Location: George Washington University; Washington, DC Contact: http://mnisaa.eventbrite.com/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

September 24th - October 7th , 2010

24 |

Ofﬁce Manager : Stephanie Benmoha

Letter to the Editor

News Desk: Rashad Mulla

Readers React to Ethnic Muslim Groups On NYC Masjid Conﬂict

Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan

Layout & Design: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Farkhunda Ali Farha Marfani Rashad Mulla Yaman Shalabi Sharia Advisors: Sheikh Salah as-Sawi Imam Safi Khan The Muslim Link (TML) is published on the first Friday of every Islamic month (Hijri calendar) and distributed throughout the Washington, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia Metropolitan Areas. TML is a non-profit publication and is based at Dar-us-Salaam in College Park, Maryland, USA. Staff and contributors are not necessarily affiliated with Dar-us-Salaam. The views expressed in The Muslim Link do not necessarily reflect those of Dar-us-Salaam or TML management or their underwriters. Dar-usSalaam and TML are not responsible for the accuracy of information presented by advertisers, or for the religious compliance of events, products, or services published in TML. This publication contains the names of ALLAH (Subhanahu wa ta’ala). Please keep, recycle, or share it with others The Muslim Link 5301 Edgewood Road College Park, MD 20740 Phone : (301) 982-1020 Fax: 240-209-0702 editor@muslimlinkpaper.com Advertising: 301-982-1020 or email us at ads@muslimlinkpaper.com The Muslim Link. All Rights Reserved 2010

Assalamu’alykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, I’m rather surprised and disappointed at the posture taken by the Indian Muslim Association towards the so-called “Ground Zero” mosque. I have been a big supporter of their good work on behalf of the Indian Muslims. We are Americans and Muslims. We have also paid our dues in terms of lives lost in the 9/11 outrage by terrorists. Please see the article published in NY Times on September 10, 2010, acknowledging the existence of not only a Mosque but many Musallas in and around the WTC which were destroyed. Don’t they deserve to have their loss memorialized? It is about time that we cast off our timid immigrant self image and stand for what is right and just. This also includes speaking up against the bad things done by the Muslims waving banners of Islam for their own twisted ends. I believe that the Cordoba Institute should be lauded and supported in their stand. Assalamu’alykum. Arshad Qureshi Silver Spring, MD -----------------------------------------------Assalamu’alykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh, So it seems that despite stark disparities in understanding what Islam is, this

group of African-Americans is taking a united stand based on ethnicity and put those religious differences aside to make a greater point. This alone is worth a lot of contemplation. However, that is another topic. Certainly a people with a history of being discriminated against and who have seen this same stuff many times in the past - just with a different face - are not hesitant to call a spade a spade. The ﬁght for civil rights was won through deﬁance and standing up, not sitting back. African-Americans with deep roots in this nation will no doubt be less likely to accept second class citizenship when their ancestors fought and died for their right to be viewed as equal human beings with the choice to be whatever they aspired to. African-American Muslims will be damned if the same tactics used then will be allowed to deter them now after accepting Islam! Whenever Muslims are referred to in the media, it is almost always in reference to the Indo-Pak community and then Arabs and they are easily cast as strangers or ‘the other’. Neither of those groups have the roots in the US that AfricanAmerican Muslims do and certainly not their political history. It is appalling when people talk about Muslims as though they did not exist before 9/11! They ignored Muslims as a fringe. You

will notice a distinct difference in the reaction of African-Americans in general to Muslims as opposed to others, although they have been viewed as the ‘odd ones in the family’. This coalition also highlights what some Muslims see as differences in treatment of one ANOTHER due to their varying ethnicity or cultural backgrounds and many African-American Muslims complain of feeling marginalized and not an integral part of those communities due a lack of regard for their contributions, talents and even credentials as Muslims. Again this is another discussion, but there is a legitimate concern that issues pertinent to them are not fully addressed by Muslim communities whose majority members are of other cultural backgrounds. you rarely see the boards of those masaajid or community organizations occupied by African-Americans and thus they form the types of groups that do have their ‘peculiarities’ and that sometimes disregard all other differences. Personally, it is sad that we cannot unite as a whole upon the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah and that we cannot even agree that to do so is even necessary when it is precisely that which is the source of our strength and true unity. Abu Abdillah Gaithursburg, MD

Subscribe to the Muslim Link! To get the Muslim Link print edition in the mail, send $5 for shipping and handling per issue using check or money order payable to: The Muslim Link, 5301 Edgewood Road, College Park MD 20740. To make payments over the phone using a credit card, call the Muslim Link ofﬁce at 301-982-1020. Subscribe to the online version of the newspaper so you get it in your email inbox FREE each issue. To subscribe for free, go to muslimlinkpaper.com. ATTENTION INMATES: As much as we would like to, we are unable to honor requests for free subscriptions at this time.

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