The Muslim Link ~ November 17, 2009 ~ Thul Hijjah Issue

FINDING HER WAY THROUGH A DESERT STORM PG 16

Thul Hijjah 1430 A.H. Issue

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w w w. M u s l i m L i n k P a p e r. c o m MD, VA, and DC. Metropolitan Area Monthly Newspaper | FREE

November 20, 2009 - December 17, 2009

Masjid Spokespersons Busy in Fort Hood Aftermath

By Muslim Link Staff The media descended with full force on a few local masajid as reporters learned Nidal Malik Hasan was part of the Greater Washington DC area Muslim community.

Most area Muslims first learned of Nidal Hasan’s ties to the local area after a Washington Post article quoted Imam Faizul Khan of the Islamic Society of the Washington Area (ISWA) in Silver Spring, Maryland.

At the Muslim Community Center, also in Silver Spring, Maryland, juma’ attendees exited the prayer service to cameras and requests for

interviews. Nidal Hasan volunteered on the MCC zakat committee.

At Dar Al-Hijrah in Falls Church, Virginia, outreach coordinator Imam Johari Abdul-Malik spoke at an on-site press conference after news outlets reported the masjid’s former imam, Anwar Al-Awlaki, praised the Fort Hood shootings, calling Nidal Hasan a “hero”. Imam Johari said he thinks “something changed” Al-Awlaki after his term at Dar Al-Hijrah from January 2001 to April 2002. He added this was not the “same person” who led the religious services at Dar Al-Hijrah and accompanied him on Hajj.

Muslim Council Event Draws 1000

Area Muslims Shocked at Shooter’s Familiar Face | pg 4 A Woman Among Warlords Comes to DC | pg 4 Group Supports Muslims in Indian Parliament | pg 5

After 9/11, the FBI claimed two of the 9/11 hijackers visited Dar Al-Hijrah and met with then Imam AlAwlaki. Consequently the masjid suffered negative publicity from right-leaning media outlets who called the largest masjid in the region the “9/11 mosque”. These allegations and linkages to

9/11 resurfaced with the Fort Hood shootings, and Imam Johari gave dozens of interviews on the radio, television, and in print publications to correct false reporting and make Dar AlHijrah’s stance clear.

In a November 16, 2009 >> AFTERMATH Pg 11

Life in Hell: Stories from a Journalist in Gaza

By Hiba Akhtar Muslim Link Contributing Writer Mohammed Omer told stories about Gaza.

Anwer Hasan receives a proclamation from the Maryland Governer Martin O’Malley at the event. see PG 15

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

His stories were about people he knew and people he did not know.

They were about the mothers who watched their young children bleed to death and the

little boys who were playing soccer, but who never lived to see the score of their game.

His stories were about homes. Little girls grew to become grandmothers in the homes which were demolished and destroyed within mere, unexpected moments. >> GAZA Pg 9

Potomac Islamic Center Under Federal Seizure Action | pg 6 Al-Azhar Silat Wins at Battle of Baltimore | pg 10 Army Underreporting Suicicides, Says GI Group | pg 18 The Quest of the Pilgrim | pg 21

Marketplace Your Guide to Products and Services for Your Muslim Lifestyle

PG 29

The Muslim Link Coupons PG 29

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

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INDEX | 3

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

THUL HIJJAH 1430 | Novemeber 23 - December 19, 2009

04 18

Community News

World Press

20 Health & Family 21 Islam 24 Opinion 27

Salaah Times

24

Marketplace

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

4 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Community News Creating links through mutual understanding and cooperation

Area Muslims Shocked at Shooter’s Familiar Face

By Muslim Link Staff Washington DC metropolitan area Muslims reacted like Muslim Americans across the nation as news reports came out that the Fort Hood shooter had a Muslim name: fearful, numb, or demoralized.

But when news sites posted images of Army Major Nidal Malik Hassan, the reaction of area Muslims turned to utter shock and bewilderment. Hassan’s face was familiar to masjid going Muslims across the region.

The Muslim Link spoke to several area Muslims who knew Hassan casually, and at least one who worked with him. All of their identities are being kept confidential in this report.

Imam Faizul Khan of the Islamic Society of the Washington Area (ISWA) knew Hassan as a regular attendee of both the Muslim Community Center (MCC)

and ISWA, and was quoted in the Washington Post’s coverage of the Fort Hood shootings.

According to a former MCC board member, Hassan was a volunteer member of the MCC zakat committee and would sometimes help needy applicants from his personal funds.

Muslims in Montgomery and Prince George’s County reacted with wide-eyes when photos became available, each recalling times they saw Hassan at their masjid. All the Muslims interviewed said Hassan was reserved, polite, came before the athan, prayed, and left relatively quickly.

“I would say [greetings of peace] to him and shake his hand, and he would smile and respond. He wouldn’t talk much. He

seemed like an organized person who put his trips to the masjid in his schedule, he did not hang around or socialize after the prayer,” said a Muslim in Prince George’s County.

Another local Muslim said he would see Hassan at Muslim events.

“I know he would go to major [Muslim] events, buy tickets and attend fundraisers, and even donate to different masajid.

I didn’t even know his name, but he’s been a familiar face for years to many of us,” said another Muslim who lives close to Laurel, Maryland. “None of us even knew he was in the military. He would come in wearing Pakistani cloths sometimes, so we thought he was from Pakistan.”

“It goes to show you that things might be happening in someone’s life who you pray next to all the time. If we don’t talk to one another, we will miss the opportunity to help our brothers and

sisters. [Nidal] was quiet. He never spoke to any of us about politics, the military, or violence. We had no idea he was even a doctor. He seemed very together yet humble,” said another Muslim who lives outside Washington DC. But some other community members told the Muslim Link that Hassan asked them about the permissibility of suicide bombings in the theater of war. Some community members engaged Hassan in debate, while others told him to worry about other things.

A female former co-worker said she worked with Hassan at Walter Reed Hospital for a few years.

“We knew him very well. He was a very nice person, and very religious. When I talked to [another co-worker] about this, she started crying,” said the former coworker, who now resides overseas.

A Woman Among Warlords Comes to DC

By Sana Javed

Muslim Link Contributing Writer “The first casualty in a war is the truth.”

With these words, former member of the Afghanistan parliament Malalai Joya, began to unveil her struggle to DC area residents assembled at Busboys and Poets on Sunday November 1, 2009.

Joya is currently speaking across the nation against not only the Taliban but also against the U.S. led occupation of her homeland.

Elected to the Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of Afghanistan’s parliament, in 2005, Joya became the youngest ever female member of the national assembly.

After criticizing other members of the Parliament and comparing the Wolesi Jirga to a “zoo”, Joya was suspended in 2007 for the rest of her term.

Joya outlines her arguments against Afghanistan’s power contenders in her

READER SURVEY 2009 Get free prizes for telling us what you think. www.muslimlinkpaper.com/survey

>> See WARLORDS on Pg 17

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

COMMUNITY NEWS | 5

Group Supports Muslims in Indian Parliament

By Zohra Lasania

pogrom in 2002.

Though not an Islamic nation, India has the third largest Muslim population in the world, after Indonesia and Pakistan.

“The IMC felt a dire need to stand up for human rights of Muslims in India,” said Husain, whose parents migrated to America from Hyderabad, India.

Muslim Link Contributing Writer

Muslims are the largest minority group in India, comprising 13.4 percent of the population. Yet, they face profound challenges from politicians and extremists alike and feel marginalized in the social, political, educational and employment spheres.

Concern for the plight of fellow Muslims in India gave rise to the Indian Muslim Council (IMC), a U.S.-based advocacy group with a platform to promote peace, pluralism and social justice. In its 7th year of operation, the Virginia-Maryland Chapter, with Saleem Ahamd as its president, held an annual fundraising event at the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, on October 31, 2009.

The keynote speaker, Northern Virginia’s Dr. Altaf Husain, traced the migration of Indian Muslims to the U.S dating back to the late 1800s and listed their many contributions to society and to the economy. Today many Indian Muslims are professionals in the fields of medicine, engineering and Information Technology. He emphasized the “power of collective action alone can bring changes.”

The rise of Hindutva Movement in India, (not to be confused with Hinduism) created anti-minority sentiments against Christians and Muslims alike. The social menace of Islamophobia in India existed way before it began in America, which resulted in the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992, and the Gujarat genocide, where at least 3000 Muslims were slaughtered under a state-monitored

IMC, with many like-minded organizations, successfully campaigned in 2005 to prevent India’s Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi, from entering the U.S. His business visa was revoked and diplomatic visa denied under the International Religious Freedom Act which bars entry to gross violators of human rights.

Ataullah Khan, the national general secretary said, “Indian Muslims have made profound contributions to the Indian heritage in the field arts, sports, business and education. However, they have fallen behind in the socio-economic sphere since independence due to an absence of a coherent approach to deal with the challenges.”

He narrated a recent incident where 54 Muslim youths were arrested without proper procedures in Hyderabad, 22 of them on charges of terrorism. The IMC addressed the issue with Hyderabad law and order authorities, and the government, through e-mails, faxes, and international calls. Finally the AP State Minorities Commission took up the case, and the mainstream media took notice. All the youths were acquitted.

The efforts of IMC volunteers and likeminded activists in Hyderabad bore fruit, explained Khan.

In yet another recent instance, the IMC alerted the Temple Boards in the U.S. when Sadhvi Ritamabara of the infamous Babri Masjid demolition incident was visiting. This raised awareness in the Indian community, especially among those born and raised in the U.S., about

CORRECTION The “Ramadhan Super Heroes” listing from our last issue (October 23, 2009) had a few entries which should not have been printed, in particular some toddlers who reportedly fasted the entire month. All of the entries were provided by parents who assured us the information was true. We appreciate the effort of all the parents and children.

Also, we left out a few entries which should have been printed.

Faizu T. Adam, Sameeha Khalil, 8, Age 7, Bowie, MD, fasted 22 days

from Ashburn, VA, fasted 2 days

Ataullah Khan, the national general secretar y said, “Indian Muslims have made profound contributions to the Indian heritage in the field arts, sports, business and education. However, they have fatllen behind in the socio-economic sphere since independence due to an absence of a coherent approach to deal with the challenges.” the politics of hate and the need to shun controversial figures in the future.

books, “Masawat Ki Jung,” and “Dalit Musalman.”

The highlight of the event was the presence of chief guest Ali Anwar Ansari, a Member of Parliament from India, who arrived at the event after attending the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York as a delegate. He is one of the 30 Muslim Members of Parliaments (MPs) in India. He expressed dismay over the declining number of Muslim representatives in the Parliament and explained the social justice system in India in terms of reservations, which is one of the ways to uplift the Muslim presence. He expressed his gratitude and happiness over the efforts of IMC’s advocacy work. He is author of two

“IMC’s major project at this time is to meaningfully engage Muslim parliamentarians in India to collectively work towards the common issues facing Muslims in India,” Ataullah Khan said.

The fundraiser benefits IMC’s advocacy projects. The event was well attended by the local community and concluded with an entertainment by Azhar Usman.

IMC is the largest advocacy organization of Indian American Muslims with chapters across the United States. For more info visit: www.imc-usa.org.

Imam Faizul Khan Awarded for Work Against Domestic Violence ISWA is pleased to announce that the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence awarded Imam Faizul Khan for his involvement and advocacy against Domestic Violence in the Muslim Community. Imam Khan has long been involved in these issues; this is his third award in this field. He has been published in The Journal of Religion and Ethics, and was

featured in a video on Domestic Violence in the Muslim Community by Faith Trust Institute. He is a Director of the Inter Faith Community Against Domestic Violence, a Director of Domestic Violence InterFaith Coalition of Maryland, and a member of the National Network Against Domestic Violence. The award was presented by the Governor of

Maryland at the annual meeting of the Maryland Network Against Domestic Violence in October. Imam Faizul Khan was also recently presented a Humanitarian Award while in Guyana presented by the President of the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana.

[Source: ISWA press release]

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

6 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Al-Rahmah Endowment Attracts Investments for the Future

By Farha Marfani Muslim Link Staff Writer An endowment or waqf, is a concept historically relevant to Muslims.

Baltimore area Muslims are resurrecting this important financial institution to help fund Islamic education for tomorrow’s community leaders.

The Al-Rahmah School Educational Trust (ASET) is the first Muslim-led endowment of its kind in the state of Maryland, and on Saturday, November 7, 2009 held its second fundraiser at the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB).

With a big name keynote speaker in Hamza Yusuf, the ASET event attracted approximately 250 people who helped raise approximately $35,000 for the fund.

An endowment is a gift that provides income for a specific institution for

a specific objective for a long time.

ASET is a non-profit, tax-exempt entity built to establish an endowment fund for supporting education at Al-Rahmah School and Nursery.

Formally established in 2007, the idea of ASET is as old as 2002, according to Faisal Abdul-Rahman, Vice President of Finance and Investment. “A lot of the behind-the-scenes work happened between 2002 and 2006. This included setting up the foundation of ASET, registering with the state and becoming a formal non-profit,” he said.

ASET is the brainchild of Dr. William Greenough, a long-time member of ISB. Having set up a successful endowment fund in Bangladesh, he saw the need and immense value that a fund at Al-Rahmah could have. “All leading schools have endowment funds. It’s a slow process and it grows like a tree. We’ll see it in

ten to fifteen years from now. The more you put in, the more it’ll grow,” he said.

An endowment fund collects money and then invests it for financial returns that can be used in the future. It preserves capital, and investments are not touched for the first five years. Since its formal establishment in 2007, ASET has raised $45,000; it has invested $35,000 and set aside $10,000 for reserves and operating costs.

ASET has invested in three Sharia-compliant investment companies – Amana Mutual Funds, Azzad Asset Management, and University Islamic Banking, and has received returns of 9.36%, 11.66% and 1.02% respectively.

In its short establishment, ASET hosted a will preparation seminar last year at ISB, donated computers and equipment to the school, and provided a total gift of $500 to last year’s 5th and 8th grade valedictorians of Al-Rahmah School.

The fund’s goals for the future include providing scholarships and financial aid to students, more equipment and training to the school, and moving the school towards self-sufficiency. Currently ISB bears most of the school’s operating costs.

Saturday’s fundraiser also marked the launch of the “Yes I Care!” monthly campaign, where individuals are encouraged to donate every month for a year. The monthly campaign currently brings in about $5,000 each month, which should add $60,000 to the endowment. Although cash donations are recommended, one can also donate appreciated stock, personal property or real estate, or even name ASET in his/ her will of trust. For more information about ASET, visit www.alrahmahtrust. org.

Potomac Islamic Center Under Federal Seizure Action US Says IEC, other centers assets of front organization for Iran

Source: DemocracyNow.org The Islamic Education Center (IEC) in Potomac, Maryland is under a seizure action by the US government, which alleges the center is among the assets of a front organization for Iran.

Under presidential order, the Iranian government is not permitted to conduct business in the United States, and any Iranian business assets are subject to seizure.

As of this report, services were continuing at the IEC, which also houses the Muslim Community School, a full-time K-12 school, and also a religious education program. It is unclear whether the US government will require the community, which practices Shiite teachings, to vacate the Montrose Road facility they’ve used since the early 1980s.

DemocracyNow reports: Federal prosecutors have moved to seize four mosques and a New York skyscraper belonging to a non-profit foundation with alleged financial ties to Iran. The Council on American-Islamic Relations warns that the seizure of places of worship may have

First Amendment implications for the American Muslim community.

Guest: Ibrahim Hooper, spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

JUAN GONZALEZ: Federal prosecutors have moved to seize four mosques and a New York skyscraper belonging to a nonprofit foundation with alleged financial ties to Iran. On Thursday, prosecutors in Manhattan began legal action seeking the forfeiture of more than $500 million in the assets of the Alavi Foundation, which describes itself as a charitable foundation.

And whenever you’re having the government seize houses of worship, whether it’s mosques or churches or synagogues, I think that has a chilling effect on the First Amendment freedom of religion, and I think it’ll send a ver y negative message to the Muslim world. foundation of violating the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, executive orders, and US Department of Treasury regulations.

Council on American-Islamic Relations warns the seizure of places of worship may have First Amendment implications for the American Muslim community.

Thursday’s action appears to be the latest move in an older case against the Alavi Foundation that began with a grand jury investigation last year.

Ibrahim Hooper is with us now, spokesperson for the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Preet Bharara, called the foundation a, quote, “front for the government of Iran.” He added, quote, “For two decades, the Alavi Foundation’s affairs have been directed by various Iranian officials, including Iranian ambassadors to the United Nations, in violation of a series of American laws,”

AMY GOODMAN: The properties seized includes land in Virginia, a Manhattan office tower, and Islamic centers housing mosques and schools in New York City; Houston, Texas; Carmichael, California; and Rockville, Maryland.

The complaint alleges that the Alavi Foundation illegally funneled millions of dollars in rental income back to Iran’s state-owned Bank Melli. It accuses the

The US attorney’s office say they don’t allege any wrongdoing on the part of tenants and occupants of the seized properties.

But in a press release late Thursday, the

We welcome you to Democracy Now! I mean, this is late breaking news. It was going down last night. We’re not far from the skyscraper that’s one of the targets owned by the Alavi Foundation. Talk about what you know.

IBRAHIM HOOPER: Well, the details of the case, I think, we’ll leave for the courts and for the lawyers. But what

>> See SEIZURE on Pg 15

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

COMMUNITY NEWS | 7

Robertson’s remarks put McDonnell in a bind Muslims seek repudiation Gov.-elect received donations from religious broadcaster

By Rosalind S. Helderman Washington Post Staff Writer 11/15/2009 Fresh off his landslide victory in the race for Virginia governor, Robert F. McDonnell is already being forced to confront how he plans to handle his friendship with minister Pat Robertson, a longtime ally but also a highly controversial figure, once he takes office.

Virginia Muslims are calling on McDonnell (R) to disavow comments made by the Virginia Beach religious broadcaster last week in response to the shootings at Fort Hood, Tex., in which Robertson asserted that Islam is “not a religion” but a “violent political system” and that those who practice it should be treated like members of a communist or fascist party.

Robertson has made similar assertions about Islam before, but the recent comments came only a couple of weeks after he made a late $25,000 donation to McDonnell’s campaign and just days after he attended McDonnell’s election night party. He told a reporter there that he would be visiting McDonnell in his hotel suite while awaiting election results.

During the campaign, McDonnell played down his ties to Robertson, whom he has known since he attended the law school Robertson founded in the late 1980s.

McDonnell tried during the race to convince Virginians that he was a social conservative who could speak more broadly to issues that cross party lines.

But Robertson’s comments last week suggest he might prove to be a continuing political liability for McDonnell as he seeks to turn his bipartisan campaign promises into a governing coalition. Now assembling his administration before his Jan. 16 inauguration, McDonnell is under close scrutiny from Democrats and others to see how he balances his allegiances to the social conservatives who helped elect him with his pledges to spend most of his time in office focused on jobs and the economy.

“McDonnell has tried to suggest he should be judged on his own actions and not on Robertson’s comments,” said Virginia political analyst Robert D. Holsworth. “But the fact of the matter is he does have a major contributor who has made these comments. My guess is that he will not be able to simply say ‘no comment,’ himself, forever.”

Hints of the future?

Like President Obama, who formally denounced remarks by his former

minister Jeremiah Wright, McDonnell will probably face continued questions about Robertson’s stands through his four-year term, Holsworth said.

McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin would not comment last week, saying only that McDonnell is “focused on the transition as he prepares to take office in January.”

The stance was disappointing to Mohamed Magid, imam of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society Center, a mosque in Sterling, which hosted McDonnell for lunch during the campaign.

Although McDonnell should not be held responsible for Robertson’s comments, Magid said, “I would rather see him say something in defense of Muslim Americans in Northern Virginia.

“He promised and campaigned to be the governor for all Virginians. Therefore, we expect him to distance himself from such remarks of hate toward very contributing, very loyal Americans in this area.”

Speaking on his television program “The 700 Club” on Monday, Robertson said the military had overlooked warning signs from Maj. Nidal M. Hasan, the suspect in the attack that left 13 people dead and dozens wounded, out of a politically correct refusal to face the truth about Islam.

“Islam is a violent -- I was going to say religion, but it’s not a religion. It’s a political system. It’s a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination,” he said. “I think we should treat it as such and treat its adherents as such, as we would members of the Communist Party or members of some fascist group.”

Not backing down Chris Roslan, a spokesman for Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network, said the minister stands by his position.

“It is a shame that the media are exploiting this now in a clear attempt to discredit Virginia’s governor-elect, who has absolutely nothing to do with Dr. Robertson’s position,” he said.

McDonnell attended law school at what was then called CBN University, the Virginia Beach institution founded by Robertson and named after the Christian Broadcasting Network, whose studios share the campus. After the school changed its name to Regent University, McDonnell served on the board of trustees for eight years and last year

“Islam is a violent -- I was going to say religion, but it’s not a religion. It’s a political system. It’s a violent political system bent on the overthrow of the governments of the world and world domination,” he said. “I think we should treat it as such and treat its adherents as such, as we would members of the Communist Party or members of some fascist group.” spoke at its law school graduation.

According to the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonpartisan group that tracks campaign giving, McDonnell received donations just before the election totaling $40,000 from Pat Robertson, his son and daughter-in-law. In all, Robertson donated $35,000 to his campaign for governor and $66,000 to his campaign four years ago for attorney general.

“Our motto at Regent is ‘Christian Leadership to Change the World,’ and this is the way we do it,” Robertson said in an interview for the law school’s blog on election night.

But McDonnell was also careful not to embrace Robertson too closely while running for office. At a dinner for the

Richmond news media last winter, an event at which politicians traditionally give humorous speeches, McDonnell cracked that he planned to call Robertson and request that he send a hurricane to hit the Democrats’ annual gala.

He also said in an interview this year that he and Robertson did not become well acquainted until years after he was first elected to office and that the two men speak only once or twice a year.

“I don’t think he wants to get into a back and forth with Robertson,” Holsworth said. “But ultimately, he may have to deal with this.”

Staff writer Anita Kumar contributed to this report.

8

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

| COMMUNITY NEWS

Palestinians Forced from Homes by Settlers Speak in DC Hiba Akhtar Muslim Link Contributing Writer On Tuesday evening, November 3, 2009 two Palestinian refugees gave personal accounts and testimony about home seizures and demolitions in Palestine to an audience of about 40 people, at the American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee’s Heritage Center in Washington DC. The Palestinian speakers were Sharihan Hannoun, 20, a psychology student at Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, and Nasser al-Ghawi, 46, the owner of a printing press. Both Hannoun and alGhawi now live in tents outside their former homes.

They were joined on the panel with Abed Ayoub, a legal adviser for the AmericanArab Discrimination Committee (ADC), and Suhail Khalileh, who heads the Settlements Monitoring Department at the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem.

that the ownership of the homes would be given to the families within three years, in return for food and medical aid the Israeli government received from UNRWA. Almost all 28 homes were gradually seized by two Israeli settler associations, the Oriental Jews Association and the Knesseth Yisrael Association, for various reasons, during the period between the ‘60s and the ‘80s. According to AlGhawi, the associations presented false documents to claim ownership in the case of some homes, occupied a tomb which they believed was that of a Jewish sage, and even occupied a home while a family was on vacation.

Al-Ghawi and his family have been fighting for property rights for years, but to no avail. He claims that Israeli authorities dismissed his owner documents as ‘outdated’ and ‘inaccurate,’ though they are original property documents. Al-Ghawi says he refuses to live in a tent for the rest of his life, and says that his situation is just one part of a

“At 5 am, police broke into my home.

We refused to open the door so they broke it with a gun. I screamed at them to leave and they hit me in the gut. ‘This is not your house,’ they screamed. ‘Leave the house.’”

Al-Ghawi began an explanation of his current housing situation with a brief history of his home in Sheikh Jarrah, a small town in Jerusalem.

In 1956, Al-Ghawi’s father accepted an agreement to be part of 28 families who were given homes in Sheikh Jarrah as part of an agreement Israel struck with the Jordanian government and the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA), to help provide shelter for those displaced Palestinians who lost their homes. These families were told

wider conflict, between Palestinians and Israelis.

“Let me live in peace,” said Al-Ghawi.

“There is no doubt that this issue is a political issue. We have nothing to do with politics. We just want our homes back.”

Hannoun described her eviction from her own home, which occurred on Aug. 2 of this year.

“At 5 am, police broke into my home. We

refused to open the door so they broke it with a gun. I screamed at them to leave and they hit me in the gut. ‘This is not your house,’ they screamed. ‘Leave the house.’”

She proceeded to give a chilling account of being forced to exit the house , without being given the time to collect belongings or even change clothes.

Hannoun, a university student, claims to have been laughed at when she asked to collect her textbooks. She now also lives in a tent with her family just outside of her former home.

“I feel helpless,” said Hannoun. “We all get together to hire attorneys, we plead with the judges to come to Sheikh Jarrah and see the injustice there, but nothing comes.”

Hannoun also described her appeal to members of Congress. She explained that she does not often get to meet with Congress members themselves, but still feels lucky to explain her situation to staffers. ‘ “It gets frustrating. They hear what I say and say ‘be strong.’ How long do I have to be strong? I am strong, but it is not helping. I still do not live in my house.”

Ayoub spoke generally about the situation for displaced Palestinians like al-Ghawi and Hannoun. He also addressed what Americans who support the displaced Palestinians can do to spread the news about their situation.

According to Ayoub, the first step is to educate friends, family, and neighbors

about the house demolitions in Palestine, and then take the issue to representatives in state delegation, Senate, and the House.

Ayoub was adamant in his theory that support from Americans could influence members of American government to do more to help displaced Palestinians.

“What happened to them is a reflection of what we aren’t doing,” said Ayoub. “If we care about these people, we should put forth an effort to spread awareness about them.”

Khalileh is a political analyst and expert on Israeli settlements and IDF policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). He agreed with Ayoub, and added, “Our immediate concern is to get these families back into their houses. If this works, it will open a Pandora’s box for other Palestinians in Shaikh Jarrah and throughout the area.”

Angela Godfrey-Goldstein is the Action Advocacy Officer for The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions, based in Jerusalem. She has been traveling with Hannoun and al-Ghawi throughout their tour of the US, and traveled with them to New York to appeal to the United Nations.

“We want to be the voice of reform and the face of the settlement for the US,” she said. “I support al-Ghawi and Hannoun because these are people, not just words. We have hatred where we should be having peace. People should know the truth of what’s going on.”

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

COMMUNITY NEWS | 9

Life in Hell: Stories from a Journalist in Gaza

On 6th January 2009 nearly 30 members of the Al-Samouni family were killed when a house was attacked by Israeli forces in the Hai Al-Zaytoun district of Gaza City. The area was inaccessible until Israeli troops withdrew about 2 weeks later, when rescue teams were able to recover the bodies and the full extent of the atrocity was revealed (see Al-Haq report: www.alhaq.org/etemplate.php?id=416). Pictured here are 10 year-old Mona AlSamouni and 13 year-old Shaima Al-Samouni with other siblings. Their parents did not survive the attack.

Families were left shattered and homeless. Now fathers, mothers, daughters, and sons are knee-deep in what’s left after the demolitions, lifting, tossing, and rummaging, to find the remnants of their lives left scattered among the rubble.

Mohammed Omer told stories.

His stories left few eyes dry on November 5, 2009 when Omar, 25, gave a speech to an audience of about 60 people during an event entitled “Life in Hell: A Journalist’s Account of Life in Gaza,” at The Palestine Center in Washington, DC. Photos of the Palestinians he spoke about were included with each anecdote. One is of a woman, wrinkled with age, staring at the wreckage which used to be her home. There is a bright blue sky in the background and nothing else, save for the crumbled rocks and debris. She looks wistful, her mouth downturned. According to Omer,

Israeli soldiers called this woman one morning at 3 AM and instructed her to leave her home immediately.

She had barely five minutes before a bulldozer demolished the house.

The woman survived, but one of her eleven children did not, and several of her grandchildren were injured.

Not everyone was explained Omer.

this

lucky,

“I think the Israeli soldiers make the phone call to clear their consciences before demolishing a home,” he said.

“There is a pattern. They call at three or four in the morning, and give five, maybe ten, minutes to evacuate. I have met parents who managed to survive the attack, but whose children all died in their sleep because there wasn’t enough time to wake them up.”

Photo after photo, Omar shared the stories of the Palestinians in Gaza.

There was an image of Ahmed, a

Laughter was scattered among audience members when Jacqueline Renee Owens, 30, asked Omer why he couldn’t give a presentation about Gaza to members of Congress. Omer responded that he would be more than happy to, if they would have him.

At one point during his presentation did Omer’s voice break ever so slightly, interrupting the otherwise straightforward and detached account he gave. teenage boy who was shot to death when he went to his roof to feed pigeons after the Islamic morning prayer. This switched to a picture of Huda Ghaliya, a young, smiling girl. She was killed on the beach by Israeli soldiers. Next was Hadeel Gabban, the round-faced six-year-old who was doing homework when an Israeli soldier stormed into his home and shot him. Omer managed to get in touch with Gabban’s assailant, who insisted he was acting in self defense to a Palestinian rocket attack.

When Omer asked why he shot the boy, the soldier muttered a quick “no comment” before slamming the phone.

At one point during his presentation did Omer’s voice break ever so slightly, interrupting the otherwise straightforward and detached account he gave.

“My older brother Hosam was 13 when he was killed by seven M-16 bullets in his head, neck, and chest,” said Omer. “He was killed while he was going to school. Our 34-year-

old neighbor tried to drag his body to the hospital. She was shot dead by an Israeli officer. Her husband tried to help. He was shot and is paralyzed to this day. His brother tried to help.

He was also shot. I saw my brother’s body in the hospital. I identified it.” >> GAZA Pg 14

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

10 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Al-Azhar Silat Wins at Battle of Baltimore

By Muslim Link Contributing Writers On a rainy October 18, 2009 morning, members of the Al-Azhar Silat martial arts team met at ADAMS Center to head out to one the most recognized Martial Arts tournament on the East Coast - the Battle of Baltimore.

The DC/VA based Martial Arts school competed last year along with over 1,100 competitors from 200 Martial Arts studios, representing 26 states and 12 countries. Al-Azhar Silat won numerous awards then, including the award for the most competitors attending the tournament. This year, however, due to the reduction of the entrance fee of the tournament, Al-Azhar Silat would face more intense competition. Competitors in this tournament are from various styles including Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu, Mauy Thai, Brazillian Jujistsu, and more.

The 23 students of the Al-Azhar Silat team were in good spirits, alhamdulilah.

The night before, Kak Terra Kurnia, one of the senior instructors of Al-Azhar Pencak Silat won 1st place in black belt extreme breaking, accepting his 3rd breaking champion award in a row. (Kak, pronounced “ka” is a term of respect meaning “older brother” in Indonesian).

Other students including Afra Nirar and Julia Kurnia won awards for breaking in the under-belt division.

When the students arrived in Baltimore CCBC-Essex Center for the main day of the tournament, they gathered together with instructors Kak Abdul-Malik Ahmad and Kak Terra Kurnia for a pretournament dua (prayer). Pencak Silat, a style developed by the Malay people in countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, has always placed high importance on self-discipline and spiritual development. Al-Azhar Pencak Silat, as well as many styles of Silat, was developed and spread by Muslims but welcomes students of all faiths. The AlAzhar Silat team prayed for success at the tournament.

Alhamdullilah, the team did well. The Al-Azhar Pencak Silat team won about a dozen first places and many more second and third place trophies. Hamza Ahmed, last year’s champion in intermediate forms won first place again in forms and second place in sparring. Tahmeed Ullah dazzled the judges by winning his sparring matches decisively and was awarded first place World Title belt.

Yusuf Ahmed, Shadman Hossain, and Tariq Ullah, Hameed Gheyaszada and Afra Nirar also received first place belts in their respective divisions.

The Al-Azhar instructors understand

that competing with students from other schools also teaches valuable lessons such as dedication and hard work to achieve success. Hamza Ahmed, Sakina Ahmad, Hadi and Urooba Khan gained valuable experience by competing in new divisions in the intermediate level.

Senior instructors Kak Abdul-Malik Ahmad and Kak Terra Kurnia also competed in the black belt divisions.

Although the Pencak Silat style is still unfamiliar to many of the judges, they both were able to win 2nd place in the black belt weapons division. Kak Terra Kurnia performed the “Kepas” or traditional fan and Kak Abdul-Malik Ahmad demonstrated the “Toya,” or rattan staff.

In the final event of the day, Kak AbdulMalik Ahmad competed in continuous sparring - which is similar to full-contact sparring with judges scoring the match at the end of the fight. Last year he won the World Title belt in the middleweight division and had been training to win the title again this year. After winning decisively in the preliminary round,

When the students arrived in Baltimore CCBCEssex Center for the main day of the tournament, they gathered together with instructors Kak Abdul-Malik Ahmad and Kak Terra Kurnia for a pre-tournament dua (prayer).

he injured his knee in the final match, winning second place. Although the match was ended prematurely because of the injury, he was thankful to learn later the injury was not as serious as he had feared.

Overall the Al-Azhar Silat team had an enjoyable time at the tournament.

Families of the students came to support and cheer on their children and other members of the Silat team. The Silat students took pictures with the promoter of the tournament, Master John Burdyck, who praised the students for their discipline and focus and congratulated

the instructors for their hard work in training the students. All students went home with valuable skills learned for their next tournament in January 2010, inshallah.

To view video and pictures of the tournament and for more info on AlAzhar Silat, go to http://va.al-azharsilat. org.

[This write-up and associated photos are courtesy of Al-Azhar Silat Martial Arts.

--TML]

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

COMMUNITY NEWS | 11

Local Martial Artist Takes World Title, Remains Unbeaten at Battle of Baltimore On Oct. 18,2009 the 27th Annual Battle of Baltimore was held in Essex, MD, one of the most anticipated martial art tournament on the east coast.

Competitors from all over the coast converge to Essex Community College in hopes of attaining a World Championship Title. One person in particular that was waiting all year was Brother Shakim Shabazz, 37, who was featured in the October issue of the Muslim Link for defending a 40-0 sparring record.

Bro. Shakim Shabazz, who attends the Bait-Allah Masjid in Baltimore City, has been studying martial arts since the age of 11. He has a background in Tae Kwon Do and Wing Chung and has found a permanent home at A - plus Taylor School of Karate. For the past 3 seasons Shakim Shabazz has been undefeated in point fighting with a record of 51 - 0 he completed the M.A.S.M.A.L. circuit in 1st place, with his eyes on a world title.

AFTERMATH >> continued from pg 1 interview with a Yemeni journalist working with the Washington Post, Al-Awlaki said he did not pressure or ask Nidal Hasan to harm Americans.

However, Al-Awlaki reiterated his belief that the shootings were justified, particularly because the victims were soldiers.

“America was the one who first brought the battle to Muslim countries,” alAwlaki said, according to the report.

“Al-Awlaki also denounced Muslims who condemned the attack. ‘They say American soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan should be killed,’ the imam argued, ‘so how can they say the American soldier should not be killed at the moment they are going to Iraq and Afghanistan?’,” the Washington Post reported.

On CNN’s Larry King Live, Abdul-Malik said of former imam Al-Awlaki, “this is a different person .. we categorically denounce him.” In other interviews, Abdul-Malik advocated that the Muslim community create a list of speakers parents should be wary of, adding AlAwlaki to the list. Al-Awlaki’s Seerah (biography of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him) lectures are among the top sellers among English speaking Muslims worldwide.

Islamic Society of Frederick, Maryland Imam Yahya Hendi, also a chaplain at National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland and at Georgetown University in DC, also made many appearances on television and radio,

Shakim studies American Kat - Sho Du with his Sensi Grandmaster Leroy “Superfeet” Taylor who was recently awarded the title for the 2009 World Champion.

“On the day of the Battle of Baltimore I was nervous from the excitement , the worlds best martial artists competitors came to compete. The division I competed was for ages 30 – 39 advanced men, and I was matched up with another Muslim named Hernan Abu Uthman Guadalupe from Aqabah Karate in College Park, Maryland who ended up getting a title in forms. A lot of people came to see our fight. This was the first time I competed against a fellow Muslim so I was really nervous and I knew Aqabah Karate was a well respected school. We gave each other the greeting and got down to business, Allah guided us both to a safe friendly fire sparring match,” explained Brother Shakim.

including on PBS and on the Diane Rehm show. Below is an excerpt from Hendi’s 11/13/2009 interview with anchor Bob Abernethy.

ABERNETHY: You have counseled a lot of Muslim soldiers and sailors and marines. Is there any conflict for some of them, at least sometimes, between being Muslim and then having to go some place where they are fighting Muslims?

HENDI: You know, overall most of the soldiers we have, Muslim soldiers in the US military, are loyal Americans and have joined the military, again, to defeat terrorism, to defeat extremism. After all, on September 11 we were attacked, and Islam gives Muslims and America the right to defend itself against terrorism and, therefore, Muslims should be proud and are proud of their service in the US military.

ABERNETHY: There’s a concept, if I understand it correctly, within Islam called the ummah, which is a sense of intense brotherhood with all other Muslims. Now does that conflict with having to go into Afghanistan?

HENDI: Actually, no. If I love my brother and when my brother does something wrong, Islam requires me to stop him from his wrongdoing. You know, Prophet Muhammad—and in the Koran we are told that we have to enjoin good and forbid evil. What happened on September 11 and the aftermath of that terrorism, extremism, what is happening in Pakistan, suicide bombing, and in Afghanistan is against the teachings of Islam, and Muslims are required to join any military in self-defense and to defeat terrorism.

Shabazz won the match 3 – 0, earning the world title and improving his unbeaten record to 52-0.

“I was unable to compete at the Battle of Baltimore in 2008 due to an injury so after [my health improved] I trained extra hard for this event,” he said. “This year has been very busy for me as a assistant instructor training two youth world champions to a title and also training myself took a lot of focus. Alhumduallh the Most High gave me the strength.

I love teaching especially seeing the look on the kids face when they are competing having fun. Much like Islam martial arts is a way of life that teaches me self - discipline with a great since of confidence,” added Shabazz.

Shakim Shabazz hopes to become a professional kickboxer and open his own school for men and women.

Frequent critic of the American Muslim community Asra Nomani wrote an article about Nidal’s discussions with some Muslims at the MCC in Silver Spring, Maryland. Posted on the internet, the article was titled “The Gunman’s Mosque”. Here is an excerpt with Nomani’s musings about an aspect of “extremist” Islam: It’s critical that we ditch the concept of the “ummah” with a capital “U” and recognize that we are an “ummah” with a small “u,” meaning our religious identity doesn’t have to supersede other loyalties and identities. This attempt to push an “Ummah” is the politics of ideologues of puritanical Islam who want to mollify dissent. Sadly, too many moderates have bought into it. – Asra Nomani, “Inside the Gunman’s Mosque”, The Daily Beast, 11/9/2009.

Area Muslims expect media attention to continue as details emerge from the FBI’s investigation in Nidal Malik Hasan.

Some community members who left comments on the Muslim Link website expressed concerns that spokesperson rushed to condemn Nidal Hasan without waiting for all the facts. “Is our brother who is accused of a crime, no less a victim of war?” asked one reader.

Another comment said Imam Hendi’s advocating Muslims join the military to “defeat terrorism” went “overboard”.

[Readers: send us your opinions.

Do you feel leaders in the Muslim community are adequately representing the Muslim community? Email editor@muslimlinkpaper.com or post a comment – TML]

Some Statements from the Region We know that the Islamic community and its many adherents here and across the country are the ones most likely to be attacked or harassed for being of the same faith community as the person who apparently caused this carnage. We commend the substantial commitment to interfaith work and to serving their neighborhoods of our member mosques, especially the Muslim Community Center in Silver Spring and the Dar Al Hijrah Islamic Center in Falls Church. Since Major Nidal Hasan, charged in the killing, attended both mosques they are the focus of much of the media coverage and investigations.

We urge all Americans not to be misled by those who encourage such attacks or harassment but to remain unified in this time of tragedy.

– Rev. Clark Lobenstine, Executive Director, InterFaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, 11/9/2009 It is time, I suggest, to stop the practice of allowing Muslims to serve in the U.S. military. The reason is simple: the more devout a Muslim is, the more of a threat he is to national security. Devout Muslims, who accept the teachings of the Prophet as divinely inspired, believe it is their duty to kill infidels. Yesterday’s massacre is living proof. And yesterday’s incident is not the first >> STATEMENT Pg 14

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

12 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Political Imprisonment Ties Mumia Abu-Jamal Supporters, Muslims Together at Rally

By El-Hajj Mauri’ Saalakhan

Muslim Link Contributing Writer On Thursday, November 12, 2009, a ground-breaking three part human rights mobilization convened at the historic New York Avenue Presbyterian Church, located in downtown Washington. Its purpose was two-fold: to call for a civil rights investigation into the [now] 27 year imprisonment of Mumia Abu-Jamal, and to educate the community on the growing specter of political imprisonment in America’s Muslim community.

The mobilization began with an 11:30 press conference co-sponsored by International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Free Mumia Abu Jamal Coalition, The Peace and Justice Foundation, Families United for Justice in America (FUJA), National Lawyers Guild (NYC Chapter), WESPAC, Riverside Church Justice Prison Ministry, Iglesia San Romero (UCC), Campaign to End the Death Penalty, International Action Center, Nat Turner Rebellion, Black August Planning Committee, and the National Jericho Movement, among others.

Among the speakers at the press conference were Pam Africa, International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal; Marvin “Doc” Cheatham, Sr., President, Baltimore NAACP; Fignolé Saint-Cyr, President of Autonomous Unions of Haiti; Thomas Ruffin, Washington-based civil rights attorney; El-Hajj Mauri’Saalakhan, Director of Operations for The Peace and Justice Foundation; Leija Duka, the 11 year old daughter and niece of three Albanian Muslim political prisoners (who received a standing ovation); Laura Moye, Director, Amnesty International’s Death Penalty Abolition Campaign; Joseph “Jazz” Hayden, Riverside Church Prison Ministry (NYC); Panama Alba, National Congress of Puerto Rican Rights and Campaign to End the Death Penalty.

A statement from the family of Dr. Sami Al-Arian, still under house arrest in Virginia awaiting a decision from U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema, was also read at the press conference. The statement read in part: “We the family of Dr. Sami Al-Arian, stand in solidarity with all those who have been targeted or persecuted because of their beliefs or political opinions…

We call on our public officials and fellow citizens to maintain our cherished freedoms and constitutional rights. A free society is one in which the whole society

is free, every segment of it, not part of it, nor even the overwhelming majority, but when every weak, vulnerable, unpopular, or marginalized member is also free.

In a truly free society, members of the minority are protected; their opinions respected. They are not punished for the dreadful actions of a few.”

The press conference was moderated

by Dr. Suzanne Ross of the New Yorkbased Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, who noted in her remarks: “At this critical moment in Mumia’s case, a civil rights investigation could mean the difference between life and death for Mumia. It could also open the door for his release.”

A large part of the press conference was carried live over Pacifica Radio, courtesy of the Peoples’ Media Center and the one hour news magazine “Voices With Vision,” which airs every Thursday over WPFW-FM. The press conference also featured a video presentation from the Free Mumia Committee of Berlin, Germany.

It should also be noted that the Peoples’ MEDIA Center in coalition with dcradiocoop.org recorded the entire press conference, audio from which will be posted on dc.indymedia.org and the video will be posted on youtube.

The call for a civil rights investigation follows the April 2009 U.S. Supreme Court decision that let stand the Third Circuit Court’s decision, which closed all doors for a new trial for Mumia Abu-Jamal. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is reportedly considering an appeal by the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to reinstate Mumia’s death sentence, which would trigger the immediate signing of a death warrant.

A host of international bodies – i.e.

Amnesty International, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, the European Parliament, city councils and national governments around the world, etc. - have argued repeatedly over the years that Mumia was wrongfully convicted in a widely denounced 1982 death penalty trial, for the December 1981 killing of Philadelphia police officer, Daniel Faulkner.

The press conference was followed by a march to the Justice Department.

Approximately 100 people of all ages and backgrounds marched down 14th street to Pennsylvania Avenue on a brisk day (about 45 degrees) that was accompanied by a light rain. They carried photos and banners of Mumia and a number of Muslim political prisoners –

Photo courtesy Joe Piette such as The Fort Dix 5 out of New Jersey and the “Shifa” campaign out of Atlanta, Georgia.

After the march and rally at the Justice Department, where thousands of petitions from around the world calling for a civil rights investigation into Mumia’s case were delivered to representatives from the Department (who came out of the building to formally receive them), some of the demonstrators re-convened back at the church for the concluding forum on Muslim political prisoners.

The eye-opening (and award-winning) documentary “Waiting For Mercy,”

by Ellie Bernstein – about the case of former Albany, NY, Imam Yasin Aref and Muslim businessman Mohamed Hossain - was shown, followed by discussion on the growing number of political imprisonment cases involving Muslims in America, and what could be done to turn back the tide.

A day or two after the initiative, Suzanne Ross of the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, one of the main organizers of the Nov. 12th initiative, sent out the

following online message: “Given how quickly we pulled Thursday together with you all, only one meeting (!), things worked remarkably smoothly among all of us. Our political unity was evident, and I thought we worked collectively in a very effective way. The commitment to Mumia was strong and evident, and the ability to build some bridges with the Muslim community in DC, focusing on the horrific situation of Muslim political prisoners, was an important effort. We were happy with the day ... although we should have had tens of thousands of people ... and Mumia is not yet free. The struggle will continue and I’m sure we’ll all be working again soon both on Mumia and the Muslim political prisoners.”

Indeed we will. The struggle continue.

--------------------The writer, El-Hajj Mauri’ Saalakhan, is the founder and director of the Peace and Justice Foundation which co-sponsored the event. – TML

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

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TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

14 | COMMUNITY NEWS

GAZA >> continued from pg 9 Omar even played a clip he shot from his cell phone last year. Children were playing outside with a Palestinian flag. One boy tried to hang the flag from a building in Rafah, but the flag never made it. Israeli soldiers shot the boy and several others. The clip continued. Now, the boy’s brother was lamenting in the streets for his dead brother.

Conflict with Israeli authorities has a devastating impact on all aspects of life, said Omar, who still lives in Rafah, just by the Egyptian border.

He explained that resources and supplies intended for inhabitants of the Gaza Strip are being held by Israeli authorities.

“The hospitals are empty,” said Omer. “They are flooded with gloves.

Essential supplies are not available.

The ones that are never make it past the border. Sometimes they will show up more than a year after they were first sent. At this point, some of the medicines are expired.”

Omer explained that Israeli forces demolish bridges in Palestine for no known reason, often take away electricity, and do not allow essentials such as food from humanitarian groups, cooking gas, and blankets in the Gaza border.

With each story, with each photo, with each anecdote, Omer’s message remained consistent. The situation was desperate. The relief was nonexistent. Ambulances, needed desperately, are nowhere to be found.

Those few that are serve no purpose; there is no gas to keep them going.

Exports have also been affected, he explained. Farmers who earned their

livelihood by exporting thousands of carnations to Amsterdam now feed their flowers to cows and donkeys.

He showed pictures of the animals devouring the colorful feast, pinks, reds, yellows, and whites, being devoured by the hungry cattle.

“The flowers are not allowed to leave Gaza,” said Omer. “This is their best purpose.”

Laughter was scattered among audience members when Jacqueline Renee Owens, 30, asked Omer why he couldn’t give a presentation about Gaza to members of Congress. Omer responded that he would be more than happy to, if they would have him.

After the event, when asked why she posed this question, Owens responded, “Among this crowd, there’s got to be someone who could make it happen.

We see pictures but we don’t here the stories. People were laughing, but the truth is that Americans don’t know what’s going on. We should. Congress should.”

Omer has not yet reached Congress, but has spread his story to governments in Greece, Sweden, and England.

Dressed casually in a blue shirt and jeans, speaking eloquently with a hint of an Arab accent, Omer looks like the typical 25-year-old. One would never guess his life has been the way it has.

He was born in the Rafah Refugee Camp and began reporting when he was about 18. Today he is a reporter for the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. Omer has dedicated his life to exposing the condition of Palestinians living in the West Bank.

His citation dubbed him “the voice of the voiceless.” The award came at a price.

Omer won £5,000 as part of the prize, and flew to England to accept it. His reentry into Gaza was preempted by Israeli authorities who detained him.

Intervention from the Dutch embassy in Israel did not help him. Omer’s personal accounts of being beaten and strip searched by Israeli authorities are posted on his Web site, www.rafahtoday.org.

“I hope to bring the story of Gaza to the world,” said Omer. “It is essential for people to know the stories brought forth by journalists. We have to build the bridges of understanding.”

His stories and photos revealed the dismal day-to-day life for Palestinians, but Omer insisted that all hope was not lost. This message was made clear through the example of Abdallah, a Palestinian boy who Omer woke from a nap to ask him what he was dreaming about.

“I dream of drinking a cold glass of mango juice,” he said.

STATEMENT >> continued from pg 14

fragging incident involving a Muslim taking out his fellow U.S. soldiers.

Of course, most U.S. Muslims don’t shoot up their fellow soldiers. Fine. As soon as Muslims give us a foolproof way to identify their jihadis from their moderates, we’ll go back to allowing them to serve. --- “No More Muslims in the U.S. Military”, 11/6/2009, Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association “It would be a shame — as great a tragedy as this was — it would be a shame if our diversity became a casualty as well.”

– General George Casey Jr., the Army chief of staff, in a 11/8/2009 interview with CNN “If he’s deemed not to be mentally ill, he should receive the maximum penalty.”

Dawud Walid, head of the Michigan branch of the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations, as reported 11/13/2009 by the Detroit Free Press

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[As this report went to press, journalism group Norwegian PENs announced their “Ossietzky-prize” for “outstanding achievements within the field of free expression” will be awarded to Palestinian journalist Mohammed Omer during the commemoration of the Day of the Imprisoned Writer. The prize will be awarded at an evening event at the House of Literature in Oslo on November 16, 2009. – TML]

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In 2007, Omer was awarded with the Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism.

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TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

COMMUNITY NEWS | 15

Muslim Council Event a Whose Who in MD Politics

By Muslim Link Staff

the most memorable impressions of the evening.

Over 1,000 Muslim attended the Maryland Muslim Council annual dinner on Sunday, October 25, 2009 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Baltimore City. The event brought together Maryland’s most politically active community members and families with around 80 elected officials, including Governor Martin O’Malley, Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, and County Executives from Prince Georges, Howard, Baltimore, and Harford Counties.

Coming from area high schools and colleges, the youth spoke of their motivations for political involvement, and their love for America. Several speakers including Governor O’Malley remarked how impressed they were by the youth speakers. “[These youth] show such poise, confidence, and optimism ..

I can almost feel them breathing down our necks,” he said, referring to all the elected officials sitting in the audience.

The theme for the evening was “Empowering American Muslims to Build a Stronger America”.

Part of the evening was dedicated to a panel discussion with area School Superintendents on issues faced by Muslim Community.

Eight county Muslim councils operate under the umbrella of the Maryland Muslim Council.

After opening the program with recitation of the Qur’an, guests rose for the singing of the national anthem.

Baltimore City Mayor Sheila Dixon welcomed the audience to Baltimore, saying she sees “respect for one another” to be a simple solution to many of the challenges faced in community building.

Despite the politically star-studded guest list, it was the youth who took their turns on stage introducing speakers who made SEIZURE >> continued from pg 6 we’re concerned about is not so much the skyscraper, but we’re concerned about the seizure of American houses of worship. And whenever you’re having the government seize houses of worship, whether it’s mosques or churches or synagogues, I think that has a chilling effect on the First Amendment freedom of religion, and I think it’ll send a very negative message to the Muslim world. Can you imagine?

And I’m already seeing them online, the headlines in Muslim media around the world, in the Arab world: you know, “US Government Seizes Mosques in America.”

Whatever the details are—and again, you know, these things are going to be fought out for years in court. The headlines send a very negative message and a very chilling message in terms of religious freedom.

JUAN GONZALEZ: And your understanding of the reputation of the foundation in the Muslim community?

IBRAHIM HOOPER: I just don’t have that much knowledge about the foundation.

But what I’m concerned about, for example, I saw a headline this morning out of California: “Local Mosque Tied to Terror.” Now, there’s about fifty families at a mosque in the Sacramento area, have nothing to do with terrorism, have nothing to—they just go to the mosque, pray. They

Each elected official spoke for a few minutes, appreciating the civic contributions of their Muslim constituents.

“My wife and I were very pleased to attend as we did last year. It was a great opportunity to learn more about the concerns and community efforts of the Muslims in Maryland, as well as to see longtime friends and meet leaders of the community. Many of my constituents are Muslim and I try to help them be full participants in civic life,” explained James Rosapepe, the MD Senator from District 21 covering Prince George’s and Anne Arundel Counties. have their kids maybe learn Farsi or Arabic or Koran or whatever. But the headline is “Local Mosque Tied to Terror.” You know, it that legitimate? Is that something that the government wants to send as a message to the American Muslim community?

AMY GOODMAN: The significance of what has happened to Muslim charities in the United States, Ibrahim Hooper?

IBRAHIM HOOPER: Well, we’ve seen charity after charity shut down, the assets seized. You know, there’s really not a lot left in terms of institutions for charitable giving in the United States, given the eight years of the Bush administration. And, you know, quite frankly, we haven’t seen a great improvement under the Obama administration.

JUAN GONZALEZ: And have any of these charities been able to prevail in court against these seizures?

IBRAHIM HOOPER: Well, there was an Ohio charity that was able to prevail.

Basically, the government came in and just administratively shut them down, seized their assets. And the judge, quite rightly, came back and said, “Look, you can’t just do that to people without giving them some kind of legal recourse.” So, you know, the case is moving forward.

AMY GOODMAN: The ACLU came out

“The seeds of Muslim engagement and image building that we cultivated eight years ago are coming to fruition,” said Anwer Hasan, who lives in Howard County. “Empowerment is our new approach,” he added.

He said two new councils – the Prince Georges County Muslim Council and the Harford County Muslim Council brought in “new talent” to the MD Muslim Council.

Announcing the goals for the coming years, Hasan outline for major areas: adding Muslim councils for Charles and Washington Counties, establishing youth leadership committees, adding Arabic as a second language to the public school curriculum, and transferring the MD Muslim County model experience to other states around the nation.

Asked how the MD Muslim Council managed to get about 80 elected officials to the event, Hasan said it was a “grass roots effort”.

“Maryland Muslim Council alhamdulilah has a strong reputation in the State of Maryland,” he said.

Governor O’Malley delivered the keynote address, running down a list of achievements in education and the economy, and thanking the Muslim community for their contribution, especially the Maryland Muslim Council under the leadership of Anwer Hasan.

Quoting from a Muslim scholar from the early days of Islam, O’Malley urged Maryland’s Muslims to keep >> COUNCIL Pg 19

with a big report on charitable giving and the so-called war on terror, talking about this effect, this chilling effect in the United States. Ibrahim Hooper?

and now the announcement of the alleged shooter being tried and facing the death penalty, has there been a backlash against the Muslim community?

IBRAHIM HOOPER: And it was designed, I think, under the Bush administration to have a chilling effect. And, of course, it worked. When you shut down charitable organizations, accuse them of ties to terrorism, seize their assets, you know, it all is going to have the effect that’s intended.

IBRAHIM HOOPER: Well, we had the police at our headquarters last night taking a report about death threats we’ve received. I mean, but, you know, as a civil rights group, you kind of come to expect those kinds of things. But, you know, we had an incident in Florida, where a Greek Orthodox priest was beat up by a Marine reservist who claimed he shouted “Allahu akbar!” even though the Greek Orthodox priest doesn’t speak Arabic. I just got a report yesterday of a Muslim schoolgirl in Texas. She had her work up on the wall with a photo of herself on the poster, and somebody defaced it with the word “terrorist” and an image of a gun pointing to her photograph.

A lot of hate emails, a lot of threats around the country. You know, it’s nothing on the scale, obviously, of the backlash that we saw after the 9/11 attacks, but I think the hate rhetoric that we’re seeing on rightwing talk radio and on the hate sites on the internet, I think it’s really pushing for some kind of backlash.

AMY GOODMAN: The report said, which was called—and we’ll link to it on our website—“Blocking Faith, Freezing Charity,” saying that “U.S. terrorism financing policies and practices are seriously undermining American Muslims’ protected constitutional liberties and violating their fundamental human rights to freedom of religion, freedom of association, and freedom from discrimination.”

IBRAHIM HOOPER: Yes, and we’re seeing that every day, as people—you know, even if we have a campaign to distribute Korans to 100,000 American leaders—political, religious, media leaders—and, you know, we’ll have a table at the mosque, and people say, “Well, I’ll give you cash, because, you know, I just don’t want my name anywhere,” you know, because of these kinds of things.

AMY GOODMAN: Finally, Ibrahim Hooper, after the mass killing at Fort Hood

AMY GOODMAN: Ibrahim Hooper, I want to thank you very much for being with us, spokesperson for the Council on AmericanIslamic Relations. Thank you for joining us.

[Source: democracynow.org. Reproduced with permission]

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

16 | COMMUNITY NEWS

Finding Her Way Through a Desert Storm

By Muslim Link Staff At times, the front office of Al-Huda School can be as hectic as an emergency room. With five hundred children coming through its doors each day, there are bound to be a few bumps and bruises, forgot my lunches, and I don’t feel wells.

The phone rings while the delivery man needs a signature, and while a late for her appointment parent waits to get their child for early dismissal. The phone hold light is blinking.

Among the sisters holding the front line is Halima Scott. Almost 20 years ago, the 39-year old mother of three held another front line. It was called Desert Shield.

One Path Out of Baltimore With her older brother in the Navy, and her step-father in the Army, the young Ms. Scott always assumed she would enter the armed forces after high school.

She joined the Airforce ROTC (Reserve Officers’ Training Corps) program at her high school, going through her day in a crisp uniform and learning about military ethics, virtues, and discipline.

Growing up in a Christian household – her mother was a Deaconess – Sister Halimah’s only exposure to Muslims were a few neighborhood children whose parents affiliated with the Nation of Islam.

“I was attracted by the loyalty in the army, but I can say that college and job training also played a role,” she said.

“I wanted to see the world outside the neighborhood.”

She graduated high school at age 17 and went straight into basic training, leaving Baltimore City for the first time. It was 1988.

Her aptitude test opened up several job paths for her, and the young Scott chose Medical Supply Logistics. She learned the important knowledge and skills needed in warehousing, purchasing, and keeping account of medical supplies and equipment.

Sister Halimah is a veteran and interspersed her answers to questions with military jargon. After “OJT” (On the Job Training), she went to a “duty station” in Missouri. She was assigned to an “evacuation hospital” – a three hundred person mobile medical unit capable of setting up and breaking down an almost fully functioning hospital. It was 1991 and Iraq had occupied Kuwait. Her unit was activated for Desert Shield.

Desert Sheild “Before deploying we received cultural

training from senior officers – none of who was Muslim – about what was OK and what was not OK in Saudi society.

Female soldiers were looked at as men because we wore the uniform. It did not really bother me, but others looked down on it,” recalled Sister Halimah.

Before boarding a C-10 transport plane for the flight to Saudi Arabia, a 3-star general met Sister Halimah’s company and told them how important their mission was. “It felt really important,” she said of the send off.

Within two hours of landing, a scud missile alarm sounded and the newly arrived American soldiers scurried for cover. “For the first time I was scared for my life. We had to go to Mach level 4 because of the Scud [missile attack], we had to put on our chemical suits, mask, gloves ... everything and seek shelter.”

Patriot missile batteries proved effective, shooting down most of the scud missiles.

“It looked like fourth of July fireworks,” recalled Sister Halimah, adding that airforce fighters flew overhead throughout the day.

Even after she returned from the Gulf War. Cars back firing would cause her to look for cover. She slept on the floor for a long time after the war. War is not hard to shake off.

Her company of soldiers from across America waited a few weeks for their hospital equipment to arrive at the Dhahran staging area. Then they would be headed to a city called Rafah near the Kuwaiti border. Their mission was to run an evacuation hospital. They would be the first to receive battle wounded soldiers.

The young girl from Baltimore did her job dutifully. “I turned 21 under the Saudi Arabian sky,” said Sister Halimah. The soldiers were mostly isolated so she did not have much interaction with Saudis, save for some Saudi army officers who treated her sternly.

“They would treat the Caucasian female soldiers differently. Once we were at a mall and a Saudi man gave her some money so she could buy a gift, and he did not give me anything. It did not bother me. I think I fit in more with the local people because of my skin color,” she explained. “The Saudi women I saw were treated with a lot of respect. The men spoke to them in a very soft tone,” she said.

At the border area, the 21-year old urbanized American girl slept in a sleeping bag in a tent. Sand was under her boots. She ran supply routes between units and stood guard duty.

French Legion soldiers operated their own project some distance away. She experienced death for the first time when

Photo by Doug “Lietmotiv”, Flickr.com a 19-year old American soldier died by drowning. It was raining and her unit was building bunkers. A bunker collapsed on the soldier, drowning him in the rain water that collected inside. Several of Halimah’s basketball buddies also died.

A scud missile hit their building. “During those times, I prayed to God ‘please don’t let me die here,” said Sister Halimah.

Desert Shield became Desert Storm when the fighting started. Ground fighting was minimal, as American jets bombed Iraqi positions who had little defense to offer.

Very few American soldiers ended up being treated at the evacuation hospital.

Instead, hundreds of Iraqi soldiers escaping from bunkers in the desert made their way to the border. With body lice, sores, and suffering from malnutrition, these Iraqi soldiers wanted nothing to do with the war.

“There were treated like human beings, they were not prisoners,” said Sister Halimah.

The 100 days labored on. But something was to come out of this Desert Storm.

“One day I was really [upset] because I just came off a supply run and my squad leader told me I had guard duty, so I missed the shower run and I had to wait another day or two until I could take a shower. I remember at the end of that guard duty, I go back to my sleeping bag and I hear this noise. Every time I’m getting ready to go to bed, I hear this noise. I got up [upset] and went outside and asked what the noise was. It just so happened that one of the Muslim soldiers named Aisha from Fort Bragg was there and said ‘that’s the athan’. I said whats that? She said the call to prayer. I said what prayer? Then she started explaining things to me,” remembered Sister Halimah. It was fajr athan.

“Now, I would hear it and it wasn’t just noise to me anymore. I could relate to it.”

Asked about what images she recalls from those 100 days of Desert Storm, Sister Halimah became emotional.

On another guard duty with Aisha, the young Scott experienced a sand storm.

Looking out across the desert, she saw a huge building.

“Some I care not to remember. Its been so long since I talked about this. I’m having some bad flash backs.” She paused as memories filled out in front of her.

“It was the first time I saw a masjid in my life. It was so huge but far away, but I felt I could just reach out and touch it,” she recalled.

“One of the American soldier had a picture of a bunker they just blew up. He had pictures of a mine field with body pieces all over the place. Torsos were twisted around so you could see the front of the [upper body] and the back [side].

There were women, children, soldiers. I don’t know if those were Iraqi bodies or Kuwaiti bodies. He just had those pictures from his travels. Some of the soldiers made a joke out of a truck they blew up.

The Iraqi soldier inside was burnt alive.

The [American] soldiers put a cigarette in his mouth and took a picture of it,” she said, unable to continue the description.

She said she was upset and asked the soldiers why they would do something like that.

Sister Halimah started asking more questions about Islam and meeting other American Muslims, some who were translators. More Muslims introduced themselves to her. News traveled fast among other American Muslim soldiers that she was asking about Islam.

On one supply run, in a 5-ton truck with full body armor and weapons at hand, her group came to a stop in the middle of the street. Cars pulled over and people everywhere got out and started praying.

Shops closed. The athan had been called.

>> DESERT Pg 28

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

COMMUNITY NEWS | 17

WARLORDS >> continued from pg 4 book, “A Woman Among Warlords”, exposing the dysfunction and corruption of the current U.S.-backed Afghan government using both investigations by NGO and also her own experiences as an Afghan living in a tortured homeland.

Joya tackled both the “alleged” democratic government of Afghanistan, currently led by Hamid Karzai, and the foreign occupation, drawing lines between the two entities showing how they were interdependent. Joya constantly referred to the Karzai administration as a “puppet regime” serving foreign interests and betraying Afghanistan and its people in exchange for power. Even after the Karzai government received $500 million, most Afghans still live under $2 a day, said Joya.

Joya said rampant corruption has crippled Afghanistan and placed it at the 181st position, out of 182 countries, in the 2009 United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Report.

In her talk at Bus Boys, Joya mentioned several points of concern within the Karzai regime, which she constantly labels as a government of “warlords, drug lords, and misogynists”. She mentioned how Karzai signed a law prohibiting women from going to the doctor without the permission from their husbands or fathers first. Joya adds solemnly that, “it is as easy to kill a women as it is to kill a bird”.

She also described how people untainted by foreign influences want to run for the presidency but because of how corrupt the election process is there is virtually no chance of victory. These leaders and activists are the people Joya believes will be able to change Afghanistan once foreign troops withdraw and the U.S. stops funding the corrupt government.

“It is not important who is voting, it is important who is counting,” said Joya, adding that the outcome is irrelevant because it is the “same donkey, new saddle”. She described the recent elections in Afghanistan won by sitting President Hamid Karzai as “the most fraudulent elections in the world”.

Joya was emphatic in relaying her people’s disdain for the foreign military presence.

the same war as former President Bush.

“This is not a war on terror, this is a war on innocent civilians,” Joya said. She dismissed the notion that Afghanistan is better off than Iraq.

“No nation can bring liberation to another nation. They have to liberate themselves,” she said. “Democracy does not come by bombs, white phosphorus, or by guns”.

Just miles from the White House, the ousted parliamentarian demanded three things of President Obama. He must first apologize to the people of Afghanistan.

Second, he must send former President Bush to the International Court for war crimes, and third, he must stop funding warlords.

To Joya, President Obama is conducting

The average Afghani is suffering, said

Joya. “The occupation forces [are hurting them] on one side, and Taliban forces on the other side,” said Joya.

Audience members asked several questions, some regarding the consequences of a withdrawal of American and NATO forces. Joya said foreign troops need to withdraw immediately from the country because their presence in Afghanistan has only further debilitated the country.

She instead encouraged U.S. to fund educational programs instead of bombs.

“From the sky NATO is killing us, but on the ground the Taliban is killing us.”

Malalai Joya’s life has become intertwined with the U.S. led occupation.

Since speaking out, she survived at least five assassination attempts. Even with all of this, Malalai Joya offered hope and warmth to the audience. Joya closed her talk that evening with lighter words of inspiration telling people that, “those who struggle may fail, but those who do not struggle have already failed.”

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

18 | WORLD PRESS

World Press News you might have missed. News that might have missed you.

U.S. Army Underreporting Suicides, Says GI Advocacy Group Thus far, 2009 is on pace to set another record for the number of suicides in the Army.

By Dahr Jamail November 16th, 2009 Inter Press Service ANCHORAGE, Alaska, Nov 16 (IPS) - According to a soldiers’ advocacy group at Fort Hood, the U.S. base where an army psychiatrist has been charged with killing 13 people and wounding 30 in a Nov. 5 rampage, the official suicide figures provided by the Army are “definitely” too low.

Chuck Luther served 12 years in the military and is a veteran of two deployments to Iraq, where he was a reconnaissance scout in the 1st Cavalry Division. The former sergeant was based at Fort Hood, where he lives today.

“I see the ugly,” Luther told IPS. “I see soldiers beating their wives and trying to kill themselves all the time, and most folks don’t want to look at this, including the military.”

Luther, who in 2007 became the founder and director of the Soldier’s Advocacy Group of Disposable Warriors, knows

underreported by the military.

“There are suicides of active-duty troops occurring regularly both on and off base,” Luther said. “One of them I knew personally since I served with him in Iraq and he was one of my soldiers, and they still have him listed as under investigation for suicide.”

“From what I know right now, there are at least three suicides they are not reporting at all. Most notably, there is a soldier who committed suicide that the Army confirmed through a press conference, and this is not being reported, and I’m working with the Pentagon to try to find out why that is not being reported,” he said. “The Army won’t even release his name.”

Yet Luther believes the situation is even worse.

“I definitely believe there are more than these. If this is what they’ve hidden from us that we know of, we can rest assured there are many, many more than this. We filed a FOIA [Freedom of Information

A 2008 court case in California revealed a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) email that revealed 1,000 veterans who are receiving care from the VA are attempting suicide ever y single month, and 18 veterans kill themselves daily. about these types of internal problems in the military because he has been through many of them himself.

Act] to get information from them [Army], but they bog you down in red tape,” he said.

Luther told IPS that he believes the real number of soldiers at Fort Hood committing suicide is being dramatically

Due to the military’s continued attempts to mask the true number of suicides in the ranks, along with an ongoing refusal

While Luther believes the number is far higher, Army officials at Fort Hood admit to at least 10 suicides on the base from Januar y to July of this year, and at least 75 “confirmed” suicides since 2003. to make the radical policy changes necessary to properly treat soldiers and psychiatric care providers exposed to secondary post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Luther fears the worst for the future.

killing other soldiers.”

“There will be more 5 November [referencing the recent Fort Hood tragedy] attacks on fellow soldiers, and they will likely be even more drastic,” he said.

According to official military statistics, Fort Hood already suffers the highest number of suicides among Army installations since the invasion of Iraq in 2003. While Luther believes the number is far higher, Army officials at Fort Hood admit to at least 10 suicides on the base from January to July of this year, and at least 75 “confirmed” suicides since 2003.

“Everybody has to outdo someone, so the next are likely to be worse. Violence breeds violence. I was trained to be very violent in combat as a scout…we killed or detained Iraqis before anyone else got there. Two months ago I warned the Army’s Chain of Command that before we had an attack by a soldier on other troops when they come home, we needed to make some dramatic changes.”

At the time of the interview, one week after army psychiatrist Major Nidal Hasan’s shooting rampage left 13 dead and over 30 wounded at Fort Hood, Luther informed IPS that in the previous three days at Fort Hood, “I’ve heard commanders tell soldiers requesting psychological help that they are full of c--p and don’t have PTSD…so if we can’t implement these needed changes quickly and rapidly we are going to have more loss of life on U.S. soil by soldiers

While not on the scale of the recent shooting incident, several other killings by soldiers have been reported at Fort Hood over the last two years.

Several years of repeated war-zone deployments are taking their toll, as Army personnel are experiencing record rates of PTSD, depression, other mental health problems, alcohol and drug abuse, and suicides.

According to the Army Suicide Event Report, a total of 99 soldiers killed themselves in 2006, the highest rate of military suicides in the 26 years the military has been keeping statistics on suicides. More than a quarter of them were by troops in combat postings in Iraq and Afghanistan. The figure does >> Suicide Pg 19

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009 SUICIDE >> continued from pg 18 not include post-discharge suicides by military personnel.

In 2007, at least 115 suicides were reported by the Army, another record.

Last year set another record, with at least 133 reported suicides, in addition to there being a record number of suicides in the Marine Corps that year.

The suicide rate for the Army for 2008 was calculated roughly at 20.2 per 100,000 soldiers, which for the first time since the Vietnam War is higher than the adjusted civilian rate.

Thus far, 2009 is on pace to set another

record for the number of suicides in the Army.

Private Michael Kern, an active-duty Iraq war veteran who is based at Fort Hood, served in Iraq from March 2007 to March 2008.

On Nov. 9, four days after the shooting spree at Fort Hood, Kern told IPS, “The 20th Engineering Battalion was hit hard in this rampage. They are scheduled to deploy in January to Afghanistan, and lost a lot of good folks on Thursday [Nov. 5]. I personally know a soldier in that Battalion who attempted suicide last night.”

Mental health problems and suicide appear to now be systemic in the military.

CONTINUED | 19

By October 2007, data within the Army’s fifth Mental Health Advisory Team report indicated that approximately 12 percent of combat troops in Iraq and 17 percent of those in Afghanistan were coping by taking prescription antidepressants and/ or sleeping pills to cope.

In 2008, the Daily Telegraph of London reported that two out of five suicide victims among troops in Iraq and Afghanistan have been found to be on antidepressants.

In April 2008, the RAND Corporation released a stunning report revealing, “Nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan - 300,000 in all - report symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slightly more than half have sought

treatment.”

A 2008 court case in California revealed a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) email that revealed 1,000 veterans who are receiving care from the VA are attempting suicide every single month, and 18 veterans kill themselves daily.

Source: Dahr Jamail’s MidEast Dispatches. http://dahrjamailiraq.com.

Reproduced with permission. See Dahr Jamail’s new book, The Will to Resist: Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Winner of the 2008 Martha Gellhorn Award for Journalism, Dahr Jamail was the keynote speaker at the Muslim Link fundraising event “Unbound: Freeing a Captive Audience” in 2008.

COUNCIL >> continued from pg 19 up their efforts at inter-faith and civic involvement.

“Hasan A-Basri said the world is just three days. Yesterday has vanished. Tomorrow is not promised to you. Today is yours, so work for it. Today is ours,” he said to applause. The governor present the MD Muslim Council with a proclamation, received by Anwer Hasan.

Join The Muslim Link fan page on Facebook to discuss TML with fellow readers.

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

20 | HEALTH & FAMILY

Health & Family Reflections on our lives and society

CDC Educates Minorities on H1N1 Virus

By Arjumand Yousuf

Muslim Link Contributing Writer According to the Center for Disease control (CDC) more than 200,000 individuals are hospitalized and close to 36,000 people die from seasonal flu complications each year. On Thursday October 29, 2009, New America Media partnered with the CDC for a news briefing in Washington, D.C to educate and inform the public about the seasonal flu and the new H1N1 flu virus (also known as swine flu).

The seasonal flu, a contagious respiratory illness triggered by influenza viruses, can cause symptoms ranging from stuffy or runny nose, muscle aches, sore throat, dry cough, fatigue, headache, fever and -- in extreme cases -- death. The new 2009 influenza virus called H1N1 (swine flu) first identified in humans in the U.S. in April 2009 has symptoms similar to seasonal flu, but can also cause diarrhea and vomiting.

Most medical experts say the best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated against the disease. In addition to the seasonal flu vaccine a second vaccine has been produced to guard against H1N1, because production of the seasonal flu shot had already begun when the new virus was identified. The CDC is urging

everyone -- especially high risk groups -- to get both the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines. For seasonal influenza individuals at high risk include: children aged 6 months to 19 years, pregnant women, those aged 50 or older, people of any age with certain medical conditions, and people who live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities. For the H1N1 virus the high risk groups include: pregnant women, healthcare workers, children, individuals under 25 and people aged 25-64 who have a chronic illness. Although it seems that adults over 60 may have antibodies against the H1N1 virus, those under the age of 25 are at increased risk for developing complications from H1N1.

Dr. Tyra Bryant-Stephens, Medical Director of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said anyone living in an urban environment, especially children and those of lower socio-economic status, are more susceptible to the flu because of exposure to pollutants and dust in the environment. People with asthma (a lower respiratory chronic condition) are especially vulnerable because their bodies “can’t mount as good of a defensive to the influenza virus” said Dr. Bryant-Stephens. This is why it is crucial that everyone get vaccinated, she said.

There are two ways in which the vaccine can be administered -- a “flu shot” or a nasal spray. The “flu shot” given with a needle contains an inactivated vaccine (killed virus) and can be given to individuals 6 months of age and older including healthy people and those with chronic medical conditions. The nasal spray which contains a live weakened vaccine can only be given to healthy people ages 2-49 who are not pregnant.

Both are equally safe and effective, say experts.

is committed to making information available, accessible, and understandable by translating information on their website in several languages.

Alan Janssen, the Health Communication Specialist at the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease (NCIRD) at the CDC, assured everyone that both vaccines are very safe. The seasonal flu vaccine has been produced for years and the new H1N1 vaccine is being produced exactly the same way with the same safety standards and testing in place so the public need not worry, assured Janssen.

Although the vaccines are the single best way to prevent the viruses, Dr. BryantStephens stressed there are simple steps one can take if you can’t get vaccinated.

These include washing your hands regularly with soap and water, covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze or cough, and avoiding close contact with those who are sick. Following these practices will go a long way in helping you protect yourself against the virus she emphasized.

“The CDC is committed to global health with no exclusions of any ethnic group or race” said Dr. Inzune Kim Hwang Chief Preparedness Officer, Influenza Division of the CDC, addressing minority media -- including the Muslim Link -- assembled for an H1N1 press conference specifically aimed at reaching out to minority communities. The CDC

The federal government is bearing the cost of producing and distributing the H1N1 vaccine and is making it available to local health providers free of charge, explained Dr. Hwang. But since production started late, supply is currently limited and high risk groups are being given priority.

For more information on the seasonal and H1N1 viruses visit the CDC on the web at www.cdc.gov. Or to find out where you can get vaccinated visit www. flu.gov.

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

ISLAM | 21

Islam

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

The Quest of the Pilgrim From the steppes of Caucasia and the lands of the Moors, from the smallest village in Xinxiang and the farthest in Brazil, from black Africa, brown Asia and white Europe, from all races...

From the steppes of Caucasia and the lands of the Moors, from the smallest village in Xinxiang and the farthest in Brazil, from black Africa, brown Asia and white Europe, from all races and languages, millions of people, men and women, old and young, rich and poor, individually and in groups, light and heavy, and using all means of transportation, set their faces every year at the same time toward the same specified destination seeking the same goal.

Their hearts aspire to connect and be accepted, dread being rejected, and hope to fill with Emaan (faith). With burning desire, every cell in their bodies twinges with the promise of dwelling for a few days in a “valley that is infertile” near the Sacred House of Bakkah, which they will so humbly and willingly circumambulate, as their Lord commanded, and trust that they shall be transformed.

These are the Hujjaj, the Muslim Pilgrims, who come every year, from every faraway passage to attest by their stark presence to their unwavering hope in the forgiveness of their Creator, and to renew, on behalf of us all, the undivided commitment of their Ummah (Muslim Nation) to its Lord.

Each year, only a fraction of us fulfill the

biggest ritual ambition in all of life. How many a Pilgrim spends his entire life saving pennies to join a countless number of others who have done the same? There in Makkah, at the Ka`bah, between Safa and Marwah, at Muzdalifah, on ‘Arafat, in Mina, he is divinely enlisted in the ranks of the chosen spiritual elite, not only in the present moment, but straight through to the first human past. For there have and will trod the greatest luminaries of all time: The Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, Ismaa’eel (Ishmael) and Ibraaheem (Abraham), Hajar, Nooh (Noah) all the way to the beginning, to our common mother Eve and the father of us all, Aadam, who himself’ established the Ka`bah as the unprecedented House of Allaah on Earth.

And, yes, when ‘Eesa (Jesus) returns, he shall make Hajj.

In a spiritual irony, unknown believers embark on a most sought after and spectacular journey, one that will confer upon them the illustrious distinction of no worldly distinction at all, for such is the nondescript mark of those who successfully visit the Ancient House to become “undefined” and, thereby, to recover their lost true identity: Believing man.

The Pilgrim wholeheartedly removes all trace of physical and worldly difference.

With everyman, he then unifies the primordial intention of abject and unequivocal affirmation of the Oneness of man’s only Lord. As a huge, humble body, he, they, then move in ritual as one, seeking to be forgiven and purified,

Hajj is about returning to roots, starting with the purpose of delineating the finish, and asking the two ultimate mortal questions: Where does it begin? Where does it end? a return to the original sinless state upon which man has truly been created. And forgiveness is exactly what they get, right at the outset of their worship, in ‘Arafaat.

How amazing is Allaah’s Grace! For every act one does in obedience, Allaah bequeaths a distinct reward, but only after it is completed—except for Hajj.

Its ultimate prize is gifted at the moment its first ritual is begun.

Hajj is unique in countless ways, and Muslims are encouraged in the Quran to give it our most rigorous contemplation.

For all acts of Hajj are laden with layered secrets, meanings, and unique outcomes.

Here is a sojourn that links earth with Heaven, history with geography, the past with the future. “Hajj,” as some knower of truth put it, “is estrangement from one’s self, with oneself, for oneself.

Hajj is of everything in this life and the next. It is a debt we owe to God and our journey to Him to forgive it.

Hajj is the most intense seminar in community, giving us permanent insight into establishing everlasting ones. In essence, it is about the family, magnifying its centrality, emphasizing the nobility of the mother, the beneficence of progeny the arduous, and often misunderstood, burden of fatherly leadership. For Hajj commemorates the family mission of Prophet Ibraaheem, rebuilder of the Sacred House, his wife Hajar, who emigrated with him for Allaah’s sake to the ends of the desolate earth, and his son Ismaa’eel, content with Allaah’s decrees, compliant with his father’s struggle to fulfill them.

Behold the fathomless value of family enshrined for all time in the sacredness of husband-wife, parent-child relationships!

Hajj is about returning to roots, starting with the purpose of delineating the finish, and asking the two ultimate mortal questions: Where does it begin? Where does it end? [Source: islamweb.net]

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TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | HEALTH Nov 20 &- Dec 17, 2009 FAMILY |

22 | ISLAM

The meaning and purpose of sacrifice on ‘Eed Al-Ad’haa What is AI-Ud-hiyyah?

The Arabic word Ud-hiyyah’ comes from the trilateral Arabic root daad • haa • alif, represented here as d • h • aa, signifying mid-morning. The linguistic meaning of al-udhiyyah is the animal that is slaughtered the day of ‘Eed-AlAd-haa. In Sharee`ah, divinely revealed Law, Udhiyyah means the ritual sacrifice performed with the intention of coming closer to Allaah, the sole Creator of all being, on specific days and fulfilling explicit conditions. Hence, anything slaughtered on other days for the sake of Allaah is not an Udhiyyah, and what is slaughtered on the designated days of sacrifice, but not directly for the sake of Allaah in fulfillment of the ritual of that day, such as a butcher slaughtering for sale, is not an Udhiyyah.

The prescription of Al-Ud -hiyyah The sacrificial slaughter (al-ud-hiyyah) on the days of slaughter (Ayyam anNahr, the 10th, 11th, 12th, and 13th of Thul-Hijjah, the 12th month of the lunar calendar) is something prescribed in Islam as part of the Hajj ritual. The Quran, the Sunnah and the consensus of Muslim scholars (Ijmaa`) establish its practice.

As for the Quran, Allaah, Splendid and Resplendent, states in verse two of

Surah 108, AI-Kawthar (The Abundant Goodness) what means: “So perform the salah for your Lord and slaughter (an animal).” This is a commandment to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, which makes it an injunction upon all believers since they must follow him. As for proof from the Sunnah of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, it was his established tradition as well as that of the Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, and those who followed them in faith to slaughter an animal (usually a sheep) on the Day of Al-Ad’haa. There are numerous reports of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, and his Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, making this sacrifice on ‘Eed and commanding others to likewise sacrifice.

The wisdom behind Al-Ud-hiyyah It is impossible for the human being to completely fathom the wisdom behind the Udhiyyah. We can, however, discern some of its wisdoms: a. It is an expression of gratefulness to Allaah for bringing one into existence. b. It is a revival of the primordial way of Ibraaheem, Father of Prophets, may Allaah exalt their mention. So when the believer slaughters an animal, he is

Photo by Mats Lindh reminded of how Ibraheem and Ismaa’eel, may Allaah exalt their mention, patiently obeyed the commandment of Allaah and put forward their own lives (in the case of Ismaa’eel) and the lives of their sons (in the case of Ibraaheem) as a sacrifice to Allaah, Most High and Exalted. Thus when the believer remembers this, he strives to follow in their footsteps. c. AI-Ud-hiyyah is an open act of refutation against those who say it is unlawful for human beings to slaughter animals and eat meat due to the pain it causes them or on account of the sacredness of their lives. d. Al-Udhiyyah establishes that the most humane method of killing an animal is to

slaughter it. e. Al-Ud-hiyyah increases our gratitude to Allaah as an overt demonstration of how He subjugated the earth to humankind and made moral the taking of the life of these designated beings for the human being’s own needs.

The nature of the Ud-hiyyah prescription The majority of scholars are of the opinion that the Ud-hiyyah is an emphatically recommended action following the Prophet’s, salallaahu alayhi wa sallam, >> SACRIFICE Pg 23

30 Ways to Improve Your Salah Today we have indeed come to treat the Prayer (Salah) as something insignificant in our lives. Very often we hear our elders say, “I will start praying when the time comes.” Others, specially the younger Muslims, do not find much comfort, and joy in their Prayers. Due to our treatment of Prayer as a burden, our love and passion for the Prayer has vanished. Our hearts have become hardened, and we have become a depressed and defeated people. As a result, many are searching for ‘cures and remedies’ to the distress in our lives, through any means available, but are unable to find any because they have ignored the greatest medicine Salah!

If we look deep into our daily lives and diagnose the causes of our spiritual, social and psychological illnesses, we will realize that probably something as uplifting, revolutionary, and empowering as Salah is missing. If we, the youth, realize the potential role of Prayer in changing our lives and as a constant source of hope, we would regret missing even a single Salah.

The Role of Salah in Changing our Lives

The whole purpose of Salah is to be ever conscious of Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of all things. Salah is indeed, one of the most comprehensive forms of Dhikr (Remembrance). No wonder, Allah states in a hadith qudsi: “Out of all the ways through which My servant gets closer to Me, Salah is the dearest to Me.” (Bukhari) It is unfortunate, therefore, that we do not always take full advantage of this gift.

We may compare the obligatory Salah to bathing five times a day. If after such frequent bathing, your body still remains dirty, then we may question the usefulness and efficacy of such bathing.

Similarly, if after regular observance of Prayer your heart remains unmoved and your morals remain corrupt, we may question the usefulness of your Prayer.

If you enter into Salah and come out of it the same person, then you have missed something great.

How can you improve the quality of your Salah? Remember, first and foremost, that as soon as you commence your Salah, Shaytan makes it his duty to fill your mind with anything and

everything but thoughts of Allah. He tries ceaselessly to disengage your mind and heart from such remembrance. It is this state of absentmindedness that destroys the quality of your Prayer. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said: “God does not accept the Prayers of an individual until his heart achieves in it what his body has achieved.” [AlGhazali in Ihya-Uloom ad-Deen] The ability to concentrate in Prayer may be improved by undertaking adequate psychological, mental and physical preparation before the Prayer and by utilising certain techniques during the Prayer.

This is not ‘just a good thing’ but an obligation on every Muslim male.

According to the Prophet, if we knew the good in praying in jama’ah we would not miss it even if we had to crawl to the masjid!

Avoid praying in a state in which you are mentally and physically fatigued.

Keep your mind free of worldly worries, evil thoughts, and ideas.

Plan what verses/duas you are going to recite.

If you do not understand Arabic learn the meaning of what you recite in your Prayer.

Remind yourself that engaging in Prayer offers you an opportunity to release yourself from the tensions of this world.

The Prophet has said that in Prayer was placed the comfort of his eyes. Therefore cherish the opportunity to remove the burdens of this world from your shoulders.

Use your Prayer to remain focused on your mission in life, which is to bring your entire being to serve only Allah.

Use your Prayer as a source of strength, inspiration and enthusiasm for your life and activities. ii. Physical Preparation Fulfill all your personal needs before you commence your Prayer, for e.g., thirst, >> SALAH Pg 23

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

SACRIFICE >> continued from pg 22 way, Sunnah Mu’akkadah. This was also the opinion of two of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, may Allaah be pleased with them both. Their proof that it was not obligatory (Fardh) was the statement of a the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, “If the 10 (first days of Thul-Hijjah) enter and one of you wishes to slaughter, then let him not take from his hair or skin anything” [Muslim]. The Hanafis say it is Waajib (obligatory) based on the previously mentioned verse from the Quran [Quran 108:2].

Furthermore, those who claim that it is Waajib say it is Fardh ‘ayn for every one upon whom its conditions duly devolve. However, those who say it is recommended hold that it is so for every household upon which its conditions duly devolve, not every person. The definition of a ‘household’ here is people living together whose finances are intertwined and who are related in one way or another, even if they are distant relations.

Conditions under which it is obligatory, according to those who hold it as an obligation, and under which it is Sunnah, according to those who hold that it is Sunnah

The Ud-hiyyah is not stipulated from a non-Muslim because it is an action to get closer to Allaah and one must submit one’s will freely to Allaah’s Will before trying to come closer to Him. b. That the one slaughtering be a resident, not a traveler. The traveler is not obligated to perform the Ud-hiyyah since it must be a sacrifice of an animal and it is a burden to have to carry an animal with one on a journey. c. That the one slaughtering be in a state of financial ease. The proof of this is the statement of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, conditioning the Ud-hiyyah for “One who has ample wealth…” d. That the one slaughtering be an adult of sound mind. This is a condition according to those who say the Udhiyyah is Sunnah. As for those who hold that is an obligation, some say that the Ud-hiyyah must be performed with the wealth of the insane, or the child if he is wealthy, on their behalf.

Conditions for the validity of Al-Ud-hiyyah. a. What is slaughtered must be of what is normally considered livestock, namely cattle, sheep, goats, camels, water buffaloes and the like. So slaughtering, for example, one or many chickens does not count.

a. That the one slaughtering be a Muslim.

SALAH >> continued from pg 22 hunger and calls of nature.

Pray in a pure physical state. Perform your wudu with care and perfection.

Although the whole earth is a masjid or a place of worship, choose a place that is clean.

Pray in an environment free of noise and one where there is no distraction. Adorn yourself with clean and respectable clothes. iii. Performing Your Prayer Assess your mental readiness for Prayer before its commencement, during the various postures, after each raka and ultimately at the end.

in your life - your Creator and Sustainer.

He is in front of you. You are facing Him and you are involved in a dialogue with Him. Commence your Prayer by seeking Allah’s help and protection from the influences of Shaytan.

Lower your gaze while praying and do not allow the physical environment to distract you. Anas related that the Prophet said: “My dear son, be sure to avoid being distracted during Prayer, for, to greater concentration and awareness.

Adopt a whispering technique in your recitation in order to remain focused on what you are saying, and not distract others.

Pray with humility both in your mental state and in your physical manner. Pray with hope and awe.

As you recite the Quran, translate it into your own language so that your attention is held. As you ponder upon the meaning and implications of the words, insha-Allah, all worldly thoughts will disappear.

Remind yourself continually that you are talking to the most important ‘One’

On each occasion that you recite the Sifat or attributes of Allah in ruku and

ISLAM | 23 b. It matters not whether what is slaughtered is male or female. c. The Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them, were never reported to have slaughtered anything other than the above mentioned animals for ‘Eed al-Ad-haa. d. A sheep or goat counts for one person, while a camel or cow can be shared by up to seven people. Jaabir, may Allaah be pleased with him, said: “We slaughtered with the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, in the Year of (the Truce) of Hudaybiyyah seven to a camel and seven to a cow. e. The animal slaughtered must be fully grown, about six months for a goat, one year for a sheep, three years for a cow, and five years for a camel. f. The sacrifice should also be free from defects, especially those which affect the meat.

The time of AI-Ud-hiyyah The time of al-Ud-hiyyah begins at Fajr (dawn) of the second ‘Eed. However, it must be performed after the ‘Eed prayer, permissibly before the Khutbah (sermon), but preferably after it. If one lives in an area with a number of ‘Eed prayers, it is sufficient for one of them to complete its prayer. If one lives in a place where the ‘Eed prayer is normally held but is delayed to the second day of ‘Eed for some reason, or is not held

sajda, consider how indebted you are and how grateful you should be to Allah and express your true emotions.

Utilize the occasion of sajda to make additional dua to Allah. The Prophet said: “A servant is nearest to his Lord when he is in sajda, so increase your supplication when in sajda.” (Muslim.)

Make your Prayer of moderate duration so that you do not become physically and mentally tired but be aware that while in Prayer you must take your time praying.

Give due regard to the proper performance of all the physical postures. Do not ‘peck like a crow’ when doing rukus and sajdas as every posture in Salah, even the rests, are important.

Pray as if it is your last Prayer. The Messenger of God said: When you stand up to pray, perform your prayer as if it were your last...’ (Ahmad) Performing your prayer in a satisfactory manner should lead to a radical change in the way you lead your daily life. Salah must be as the Quran states: Surely,

at all, then the time of slaughter begins when the due time for ‘Eed prayer on the first day ends, and that would be after the sun crosses its zenith. However, if one lives in a place where there is no ‘Eed prayer, then one can slaughter any time after sunrise. The time of sacrifice ends, according to the Hanafis, Maalikis, and Hanbalis, with sunset of the third day of ‘Eed. However, the Shaafi’is are of the opinion that the Days of Slaughter are four, including ‘Eed Day. Their proof is the reliable statement of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam: “All the days of Tashreeq (of laying out meat for jerking) are days of sacrifice.” Any sacrifice outside these times is not an Udhiyyah.

Distribution of the meat The Sunnah of al-Ud-hiyyah is fulfilled by letting the blood of the sacrifice flow, that is, by performing the sacrifice.

However, it is preferable that one distribute a third of the meat to the poor in charity, give a third away as gifts to neighbors, relatives, and friends, and keep a third of the meat for one’s household. Furthermore, they should be in equal proportions, one third each. If one’s own household is in need of the meat, the one slaughtering should keep most of it. If one has a needy relative and is not in need, one should give most of it to him or her. And if the one sacrificing and his or her relatives are wealthy, then one should give most of it away in charity. [Source:Islamweb.net]

Salah prevents indecency and evil [alAnkabut 29: 45.] Your improved and more disciplined life will in turn help the quality of your Prayer to increase even more. The two should continuously reinforce each other.

Remember, Salah is an obligation.

Whether your heart is attentive or not, it must be performed. You cannot give up Prayer because to you it appears useless.

There is punishment for a Prayer not performed satisfactorily. It will be a witness against you rather than a witness for you on the Day of Judgment. Don’t give up the obligation but try to infuse it with the purpose it seeks to serve remembrance of Allah. It is important to remember the saying of the Prophet (peace be upon him): “If a man performs two rakas of Salah without the distraction of any worldly thought, all his previous sins will be forgiven.” (Bukhari.)

Compiled from “In The Early Hours” by Khurram Murad

24 | OPINION

Opinion

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

Your Views on the News

How Eurocentric Is Your Day?

By M. Shahid Alam At the outset of the classes I teach, I always address the question of bias in the social sciences. In one course - on the history of the global econonomythis is the central theme. It critiques Eurocentric biases in several leading Western accounts of the rise of the global economy.

This fall, I began my first lecture on Eurocentrism by asking my students, How Eurocentric is your day? I explained what I wanted to hear from them. Can they get through a typical day without running into ideas, institutions, values, technologies and products that originated outside the West - in China, India, the Islamicate or Africa?

The question befuddled my students. I proceeded to pepper them with questions about the things they do during a typical day, from the time they wake up.

Unbeknownst, my students discover that they wake up in ‘pajamas,’ trousers of Indian origin with an Urdu-Persian name. Out of bed, they shower with soap and shampoo, whose origins go back to the Middle East and India. Their tooth brush with bristles was invented in China in the fifteenth century. At some point after waking up, my students use toilet paper and tissue, also Chinese inventions of great antiquity.

Do the lives of my students rise to Eurocentric purity once they step out of the toilet and enter into the more serious business of going about their lives? Not quite.

I walk my student through her breakfast.

Most likely, this consists of cereals, coffee and orange juice, with sugar added to the bargain. None originated in Europe. Cereals were first cultivated in the Fertile Crescent some ten thousand years BCE. Coffee, orange and sugar still carry - in their etymology telltale signs of their origins, going back to the Arabs, Ethiopians and Indians.

Try to imagine your life without these stimulants and sources of calories.

How far could my students go without the alphabet, numbers and paper? Yet, the alphabet came to Europe courtesy of the ancient Phoenicians. As their name suggests, the Arabic numerals were

brought to Europe by the Arabs, who, in turn, had obtained it from the Indians.

Paper came from China, also brought to Europe by the Muslims.

Obstinately, my students’ day refuses to get off to a dignified Eurocentric start.

In her prayer, my Christian student turns to a God who - in his human form walked the earth in Palestine and spoke Aramaic, a close cousin of Arabic.

When her thoughts turn to afterlife, my student thinks of the Day of Judgment, paradise and hell, concepts borrowed from the ancient Egyptians and Persians. ‘Paradise’ entered into English, via Greek, from the ancient Avestan pairidaeza.

Do the lives of my students rise to Eurocentric purity once they step out of the toilet and enter into the more serious business of going about their lives? Not quite.

When she uses coins, paper currency or writes a check, she is using forms of money first used outside Europe. Gold bars were first used as coins in Egypt in the fourth millennium BCE. With astonishment, Marco Polo records the use of paper currency in China, and describes how the paper used as currency was made from the bark of mulberry trees.

Of medieval origin, the college was inspired and, most likely, modeled after the madrasa or Islamic college, first set up by a Seljuk vizier in eleventh century Baghdad. In a nod to this connection, professors at universities still hold a ‘chair,’ a practice that goes back to the madrasa, where the teacher alone sat in a chair while his students sat around him on rugs.

At college, my student will learn about modernity, ostensibly the source and foundation of the power and the riches of Western nations. Her professors in sociology will claim that laws based on reasoning, the abolition of priesthood, the scientific method, and secularism hallmarks of modernity - are entirely of Western origin. Are they?

When she finishes college and prepares to receive her baccalaureate at the graduation ceremony, our student might do well to acknowledge another forgotten connection to the madrasa.

This diploma harks back to the ijaza Arabic for license - given to students who graduated from madrasas in the Islamicate.

During the eighteenth century, many of the leading Enlightenment thinkers were keenly aware that Chinese had preceded them in their emphasis on reasoning by some two millennia. By the end of this century, however, a more

Our student runs into fields of study - algebra, trigonometry, astronomy, chemistry, medicine and philosophy - that were introduced, via Latin, to Western Europe from the Islamicate.

She also encounters a variety of scientific terms - algorithm, alkali, borax, amalgam, amber, alembic, calibrate, azimuth and nadir - which have Arabic roots.

If my students play chess over the weekend and threaten the King with ‘check mate,’ that phrase is adapted from Farsi Shah maat - for ‘the King is helpless, defeated.’

muscular, more confident Europe chose to erase their debt to China from its collective memory.

Similarly, Islam, in the seventh century, made a more radical break from priesthood than the Reformation in Europe. In the eleventh century, an Arab scientist, Alhazen - his Latinized name devised numerous experiments to test his theories in optics, but, more importantly, theorized cogently about the scientific method in his writings. Roger Bacon, the putative ‘founder’ of the scientific method, had read Alhazen in a Latin translation.

When our student reads the sonnets of Shakespeare and Spenser, she is little aware that the tradition of courtly love they celebrate comes via Provencal and the troubadours (derived from taraba, Arabic for ‘to sing’) from Arab traditions of love, music and poetry. When our male student gets down on one knee while proposing to his fair lady, he might do well to remember this.

On a clear night, with a telescope on her dormitory rooftop, our student can watch stars, many of which still carry Arabic names. This might be a fitting closure to a day in the life of our student, who, more likely than not, remains Eurocentric in her understanding of world history, little aware of the multifarious bonds that connect her life to different parts of the ‘Orient.’

-------------M. Shahid Alam is Professor of Economics, Northeastern University, Boston. He is the author of Israeli Exceptionalism: The Destabilizing Logic of Zionism (Palgrave Macmillan: 2009), and several other books.

You may contact him at alqalam02760@yahoo.com.

[Source: Asia Times]

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

OPINION | 25

Being Proactive, Peaceful Community is the Best Answer to Fort Hood

By Faizul Khan Forty or fifty years ago the words Islam and Muslims were unheard of in the press. Seldom were Muslims mentioned, rarely was Islam publicly discussed, and not much was known about the Muslim presence in America.

Today, the situation is vastly different.

Muslims and Islam are covered almost daily. Many factors are responsible for this change.

A substantial Muslim presence in America combined with unstoppable forces of globalization require a new paradigm of engagement. Islam is as integral to America just as any other religion.

Rather than be viewed as cultural outsiders, Muslims need to be embraced as culturally enriching and economically benefiting society. The American Muslim

community has seen remarkable growth from one congregation in the mid 1920’s to more than 2,200 organizations of all functional types by the 21st century.

American Muslims today are experiencing life as part of an increasingly globalized system.

All indications suggest a growing momentum among Muslims in favor of integration into America’s civic and political life. Mainstream Muslims consider core American values to be consistent with normative Islam. Chief among these are the norms of hard work, entrepreneurship and liberty, and justice and freedom for all.

The American Muslim community has played crucial roles in almost every facet of American society and has exemplified its behavior by involving itself in civic, social, political, religious and humanitarian programs to benefit all Americans. Despite such a posture of integration, the rise of anti-Muslim

sentiments in our society creates tensions and hinders quicker integration of Muslims.

Many Americans unfortunately do not understand Islam, and have an unfavorable view of it, or have no knowledge at all.

The recent incident at Fort Hood, Texas did cause some Americans to once again turn an eye on Islam and Muslims.

What affect will this incident have on the American public perception of Islam? The answer lies not in reference to Islam and Muslims but to understand this incident in its context and know that this has nothing to do with Islam and Muslims.

Since September 11th the peaceful American Muslim community has been subject to all kind of accusations and persecutions. This is happening despite the fact since September 11th Muslims have organized more than 3,500 interfaith forums denouncing terrorism and loudly

condemning groups such as Al Qaeda.

I condemn the actions taken by the Muslim soldier at Fort Hood and would condemn any action by any Muslim who uses violence to destroy life and property in the name of Islam.

Perhaps the best investment at this time is to engage in projects and programs that are people oriented and that will project the humanitarian faith of Islam. As long as we uphold the values of justice and equal dignity for all and reach out to our fellow Americans who share the commitment to these values, we are destined by the grace of God to defeat all unscrupulous and mean spirited attacks.

----------The writer is the Imam of the Islamic Society of the Washington Area (ISWA) in Silver Spring, Maryland.

26 | OBITS & EVENTS

Request For Dua’s

{ 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)” 10-21-09 Br. Shahid Hussain has passed away. Please keep him and his family in your duas. May the Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive his sins, make him of the people of Jannah and grant his family sabr. Amin.

(Source: Mirza Baig) 10-22-09 It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Br. Farhat Ali, father of Syed Iqbal Farhat and Syed Waqar Farhat. The janaazah prayer was offered today at ISB. May Allah (SWT) forgive his sins, and enter him into Janaat ul Firdaus. (Source: ISB) 10-23-09 The Muslim Association of Virginia sends its condolences to the family of Sis. Kahkashan Ansari. Her father passed away in Florida.

May Allah have mercy on him and grant him paradise. May Allah give patience to his family in this time of difficulty. (Source: MAV) 10-24-09 This is to inform the passing away of Sr. Hamida Begum, aunt of Brs. Beraq Azeem and Waqar Jawaid. She passed away at Shady Grove Hospital. May Allah (SWT) forgive her sins, enter her into Janaat ul Firdaus and give sabr to the family to bear this loss. Aameen. Salaat ul janaazah was at the Islamic Center of Maryland. She was buried at AlFirdaus Memorial Gardens in Frederick, MD. (Source: ICM) 10-25-09 To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return. Islamic Center of Maryland announces the passing away of Br. Ilkhom Khashimov, son of Elena Vladislavovna Khashimova, in Virginia.

May Allah (SWT) forgive his sins, enter him into Janaat ul Firdaus and give sabr to the family to bear this loss.

Aameen. His salaat ul janaazah and burial was at Al-Firdaus Memorial Gardens in Frederick, MD. (Source: ICM) 10-30-09 Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’oon. It is with deepest sorrow that we announce that our dear brother Gulam Bhai Contractor has passed away. He had a heart attack and did not survive. His janaazah prayer was held at the MCC in Silver Spring, MD. The burial was at Maryland National Memorial Park in Laurel, MD. We do not find words to express our sorrow but are comforted that he was indeed a true servant of Allah and will insh-Allah be rewarded with Paradise. “Allaah-humMaghfir Lahu”. May Allaah forgive him, grant him Paradise and provide comfort to his family in this trying time. Ameen. (Source: MCC) 10-28-09 As some of you know by now, our friend and brother in law Hajj Abdel Salaam Ali passed after a long and difficult illness. His salaatul janaazah was at Dar Al-Hijrah in Falls Church, VA. He was buried at Maryland National Memorial Park in Laurel, MD. Please make dua for Br. Abdel, that his reward might be forthcoming immediately, and that he be granted mercy and comfort in the grave and beyond. Please make dua for his family and continue to pray for our ummah. (Source: Sharief and Huda Hashim) 10-31-09 Sr. Amina Khan has passed away. Janazah prayer for her was held at Dar Al Noor. Please keep her and her family in your duas. May the Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive her sins, make her of the people of Jannah and grant her family sabr. (Source: Mirza Baig) 11-08-09 Sis. Ruman, the mother of Hyatt Adem and mother-in-law of Br. Mansour Said, has taken her leave to return to Allah (SWT).

Her janaazah namaaz was held at PGMA (Prince George’s Muslim Association). Please keep the family in your du’aat. (Source: PGMA)

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

Upcoming Events In Your Area MAS HOSTS NUCLEAR WEAPONS FORUM NOVEMBER 19, 2009 2:00PM TO 3:30PM

Muslim American Society (MAS), will host and present a forum titled: “Faith, Fear and the Future of Nuclear Weapons: An Interfaith Response to the Global Crisis”.The forum will feature presentations from an expert panel on issues relating to the morality and legality of nuclear weapons in the modern age, and the ongoing work of people of faith in response to this crisis. Forum presenters to include: Jonathan Granoff, Esq., President, Global Security Institute, Dave Robinson, Executive Director, Pax Christi USA, and Ibrahim Ramey, Director of Human and Civil Rights, MAS Freedom. The event is free of charge and open to the public. Location:Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2168, Independence Ave. and South Capitol St., Washington, DC. Contact: Ibrahim Ramey (202) 552-7414, or (703) 642-6165, or email to ibrahim.ramey@masfreedom.org.

MCC FUNDRAISING DINNER NOV 21, 2009 5:00 PM TO 9:00 PM

You are invited to listen to Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf at MCC’s Fundraising Dinner, as he speaks about “Evolving from Muslims in America to Being American Muslims”. Imam Abdul Rauf is the author of What’s Right with Islam is What’s Right with America: A New Vision for Muslims and the West, and imam of Masjid al-Farah in New York City.

Tickets: $30 Location: MCC, 15200 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20904 Contact: 301-384-3454, or mccmd.org

SISTERS’ MEENA BAZAAR NOV 22, 2009 11:00 AM TO 7:00 PM

Sisters, get ready to get your shop on! Get to MCC where vendors will await to give you the opportunity to shop for Eid, insha Allah! Enjoy food, clothing, jewelry, books, threading, mehndi, and MORE! Vendors welcome! Location: MCC, 15200 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, MD 20904 Contact: 301-384-3454, or 301-879-2263

SISTERS’ NIGHT AT KHAN EL KHALILI WAREHOUSE NOV 25 2009 6:00 PM TO 10:00 PM

Come enjoy shopping for eid among your sisters in a special once-per-year Sisters’ Night! The brothers will have to wait outside while the sisters pick out tantalizing goodies for eid from this old-fashioned souq. Everything in the store is 25% off. Treats include free refreshments, raffles and giveaways, a henna artist, and a female massage artist for sisters only. Location: Khan el Khalili Warehouse, 5826-A Seminary Rd., Falls Church, VA 22041 Contact: Sis. Venetta 703-671-1286

PARENTING WORKSHOP AT DAR AL-TAQWA DEC 6 2009 11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM

Dr. Mohamed Rida Beshir, author of several best-selling books on parenting, is coming to the Washington, D.C. area to present the Parenting Workshop. Dr. Beshir’s books will be available to purchase at the workshop. Lunch will be available for purchase. This event is free, but seats are limited, so please register now at http://icnadc.org/?page_ id=245 . Location: Dar al-Taqwa, 10740 Route 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042 Contact: 410-997-5711

COMPETITION IN ARABIC READING DEC 12 2009 3:00 PM TO 5:00 PM

Creative Education and Publishing is pleased to announce an Arabic Reading Competition for youth ages 6-12. The competition is to encourage the learning and love of the Arabic language. Three levels of competition are; Level 1 - Grades 1 and 2; Level 2 - Grades 3 and 4; Level 3 - Grades 5 and 6. Readers will be given written test first. Stories for the competition are available at El Iman Learning Center. Register to enter. Registration: $11 (incl. stories and cost to mail them to you); $10 if you pick up stories in person. Prizes awarded for winners in each level! Location: El Iman Learning Center, 3431 Carlin Springs Rd., Falls Church, VA 22041 Contact: Alameddine at 703856-7005, or info@creativeeducationandpublishing.com

__________________________________________________ WANT TO INCLUDE YOUR EVENT IN TML’S UPCOMING EVENTS SECTION? EMAIL US AT

EVENTS@MUSLIMLINKPAPER.COM POST YOUR EVENTS ON OUR WEBSITE

WWW.MUSLIMLINKPAPER.COM

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

SALAAH TIMES | 27

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

Salaah times for Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009 Day

Date

Fri

20

Sat

Hijri

Fajr

Sunrise

Dhuhr

Asr

Maghrib

Isha

3/12

5:40

6:56

11:54

2:31

4:51

6:08

21

4/12

5:40

6:56

11:54

2:31

4:51

6:08

Sun

22

5/12

5:41

6:57

11:54

2:30

4:50

6:07

Mon

23

6/12

5:43

6:59

11:55

2:29

4:49

6:07

Tue

24

7/12

5:44

7:00

11:55

2:29

4:49

6:06

Wed

25

8/12

5:45

7:01

11:55

2:29

4:48

6:06

Thu

26

9/12

5:46

7:02

11:56

2:28

4:48

6:06

Fri

27

10/12

5:46

7:03

11:56

2:28

4:47

6:05

Sat

28

11/12

5:47

7:04

11:56

2:28

4:47

6:05

Sun

29

12/12

5:47

7:04

11:56

2:28

4:47

6:05

Mon

30

13/12

5:49

7:06

11:57

2:28

4:46

6:05

Tue

1

14/12

5:50

7:07

11:57

2:28

4:46

6:05

Wed

2

15/12

5:51

7:08

11:58

2:27

4:46

6:05

Thu

3

16/12

5:52

7:09

11:58

2:27

4:46

6:05

Fri

4

17/12

5:52

7:10

11:59

2:27

4:46

6:05

Sat

5

18/12

5:53

7:11

11:59

2:27

4:46

6:05

Sun

6

19/12

5:53

7:11

11:59

2:27

4:46

6:05

Mon

7

20/12

5:54

7:12

11:59

2:27

4:46

6:05

Tue

8

21/12

5:56

7:14

12:00

2:28

4:46

6:05

Wed

9

22/12

5:56

7:15

12:01

2:28

4:46

6:05

Thu

10

23/12

5:57

7:15

12:01

2:28

4:46

6:05

Fri

11

24/12

5:58

7:16

12:02

2:28

4:46

6:06

Sat

12

25/12

5:58

7:17

12:02

2:28

4:46

6:06

Sun

13

26/12

5:59

7:18

12:03

2:29

4:46

6:06

Mon

14

27/12

5:59

7:18

12:03

2:29

4:46

6:06

Tue

15

28/12

6:00

7:19

12:04

2:29

4:47

6:07

Wed

16

29/12

6:01

7:20

12:04

2:29

4:47

6:07

Thu

17

30/12

6:02

7:20

12:05

2:30

4:48

6:07

Prayer times generated from www.islamicfinder.com

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

28 | CONTINUED Editor-in-Chief: Minhaj Hasan

DESERT >> continued from pg 16

Office Manager : Jann McClary News Desk: Rashad Mulla Layout & Design: Fadlullah Firman Staff Writers: Farkhunda Ali Farha Marfani Rashad Mulla Sharia Advisors: Sheikh Salah as-Sawi Imam Safi Khan The Muslim Link (TML) is published on the first Friday of every Islamic month (Hijri calendar) and distributed throughout the Washington, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia Metropolitan Areas. TML is a non-profit publication and is based at Dar-us-Salaam in College Park, Maryland, USA. Staff and contributors are not necessarily affiliated with Dar-us-Salaam.

The views expressed in The Muslim Link do not necessarily reflect those of Dar-us-Salaam or TML management or their underwriters. Dar-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.

“I saw a unity there. I said I wanted to be a part of this.”

Several days later, Sister Halimah took her shahada, with fer fellow soldier Aisha and three other American Muslim brothers witnessing it. Out of her company of about 300 soldiers, five became Muslim. When she returned to the United States, she read an Army newspaper that said about 5,000 American soldiers became Muslim during Operation Desert Storm.

“Once I became Muslim it was like I was part of a network. We would hear about other soldiers becoming Muslim.

There was some resentment from other soldiers, people calling me traitor. I got into some physical fights with males and females. I didn’t complain to my higher ups . After I [beat up] a few soldiers, they did not bother me,” she said laughing. “It was handled on the spot.”

Some Saudis and Kuwaitis would invite

the American Muslim soldiers to their houses. Females were not allowed due to the customs.

When Sister Halimah wrote a letter to her mother about her becoming a Muslim, her mother though she was on drugs.

“I told her this is real, I can touch it, and its simple enough for me to comprehend.

It was very hard for her at first. She stopped talking to me for years. It took her about 7 years to accept this change.

We did not talk about religion for a while,” said the veteran Muslimah.

Sister Halimah remained in the military after Desert Storm, deploying to Germany for four years, and South Korea for over a year. With thousands of new Muslims in the armed forces, the military started making changes to integrate the faith, starting with adding Muslim chaplains. With a lack of Muslims to interact with and learn from n Germany and Korea, she didn’t start praying regularly until she was posted at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland where she met a local Muslimah who brought her into the local Muslim community.

STAFF WRITERS WANTED

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

In 2004, Sister Halimah’s mother accepted an invitation to a Ramadhan iftar at Dar-us-Salaam in College Park, Maryland. After seeing the diversity, the family atmosphere, and experiencing the warmth from Muslims, her mother finally accepted what her daughter brought back from the war. Now, she said, her mother reminds her children to pray on time. Some of Sister Halimah’s cousins also became Muslim over the years.

“Becoming Muslim was the best thing that ever happened to me in my life.”

Sister Halimah Scott medically retired as an Army Sargent in 2002 and continues to keep in touch with Aisha, also discharged. She still reads the worn-out Quran translation Aisha gave her almost 20 years ago in the midst of a Desert Storm.

[The photo on the cover show a gift then King Fahad gave to each of hundreds of thousands of American soldiers. It is 22-kt gold. – TML]

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.

Subscribe to the Muslim Link!

Advertising: 301-982-1020 or email us at ads@muslimlinkpaper.com

To get the Muslim Link print edition in the mail, send $5 for shipping and handling per issue ($60 for the year) 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.

The Muslim Link. All Rights Reserved 2009

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.

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

Marketplace | 29

Marketplace

Your Guide to Products and Services for Your Muslim Lifestyle

The Muslim Link

Coupons

• All existing customers who have an ad half page or larger in either the Main section or Marketplace section get a FREE coupon in each issue their ad runs.

• For businesses not currently in the paper, coupons are just $10 each issue, paid in advance.

• All coupons are one size (approximately half the size of an 1/8 page ad) and are text-only, no images.

• You tell us the deal you are offering, and the expiration date • The section will be promoted on the front page of the newspaper, directing readers to the actual coupon page inside.

Now is the time to take advantage of this great advertising savings. Drop us an email at ads@muslsimlinkpaper.com, or give us a call at

LIL’ ITALIAN CAFE McLearen Shopping Center, 3065-R Centreville Rd, Herndon, VA 20171

703-904-0023

Mon-Fri 9am to 10pm, Sat-Sun 11am to 10pm

ENJOY 25% OFF ENTIRE CHECK For Dine-In only (4pm -10pm Mon-Fri) Exp. Date: Nov. 30, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

KAMAL NAWASH, ESQ. ATTORNEY AT LAW

301-982-1020 to get in on it today!

KOSHER SUBWAY OF BALTIMORE 706 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21209 410-653-5782

Very Unique Subway - Local Handmade Meats, Even Fries and Baked Potatoes, Meat Pizza, Soy Cheese and Lots More.

5% off all Non-Sale Items With this Ad. Details at www.koshersubs.com Exp. Date: Dec. 31, 2009

brought to you by��Musl mL nk

SILVER SPOON RESTAURANT

1050 17th St., N.W., Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20036 202-776-7191

18530 Woodfield Rd., Gaithersburg, MD

kamal@kamalnawash.com Call for appointment

Open 7 Days 10:30am to 10:00pm

$100 off Minor Cases, $250 off Major Cases, With this coupon Exp. Date: Dec. 31, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

SARA BEAUTY AND SKIN CARE SERVICES

709-945-8229 www.sarabeauty.com

$5 off Facials, $2 off Henna

Located in Annandale, VA. Exp. date: JAN. 31, 2010 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

301-990-6868

BUY 1-GET 1 FREE!

Order 1 entree at regular price, get 2nd of equal or lesser value free.

Dine-in or Carry-out.

One coupon per customer. Exp. date: Dec. 31, 2009 brought to you by

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LAMBCO

722 GREEN VALLEY RD, NEW WINDSOR, MD 21776

www.lambcomd.org

10% off any purchase

(must bring coupon at time of purchase)

Contact us at 443-974-0543 or lambcomd@yahoo.com Exp. date: November 30, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

KHAN EL KHALILI The Largest Islamic Department Store on the East Coast

SISTERS SHOPPING DAY 1st, 2nd, & 3rd days of EID

20% discount

Off Everything in the STORE!

5826-A Seminary Road, Falls Church, VA 22041 Ph: 703-671-1286 Exp. Date: NOV 29, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

PHD SALON BARBER SHOP 216 Main Street, Laurel, MD 20707

301-604-6980

Mon - Fri 10am to 7pm; Sat 10am to 6pm; Sun 10am to 5pm

$10 with this coupon, (Regular Hair Cut) We Cut All Types of Hair!

Exp. Date: Dec. 31, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

DR. AFOLABI HAKEEM MARTINS, DDS

301-599-1119 & 301-770-2800

$100 incl. exam, 4 x-rays, and cleaning (first time patients only)

We do cleaning, exams, root canals, fillings, crowns, dentures, bleaching

Locations in Rockville, MD and Upper Marlboro, MD to serve you Exp. Date: Dec 31, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

MAURYA KEBABS & CURRIES WE SERVE HALAL MEAT 11444 Cherry Hill Road, Beltsville, MD 20705 301-937-2690

½ PRICE ENTREE Buy one at regular price, receive second entrée at ½ price. Equal or lesser value.

10% off on $25-$50 order (Valid Mon-Thurs only) Exp date: Jan. 31, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

CHICKEN BASKET 12951 Wisteria Dr. Germantown, MD 20874 301-515-4405 Mon-Sat 11am-9pm | Sun 12pm-9pm

$500 OFF

of any order $2500 or more Not valid with any other coupon Exp date: Dec. 31, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

LITTLE RIVER CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC

DR. RAMIN AFZALY, D.C., 703-941-4464

6601 LITTLE RIVER TURNPIKE, SUITE 310, ALEXANDRIA, VA 22312

FREE CONSULTATION, FREE EXAMINATION (For new patients only)

Auto accident? Sports or work-related injury?

We offer comprehensive imaging studies and rehabilitation Exp. date: December 31, 2009 brought to you by��Musl mL nk

30 | MP - Clothing Store/Grocery/Udhiya

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

NOW TAKING

EID ORDERS

MP - Education/Healthcare | 31

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

Najla Abdur-Rahman, M.D. Board Certified Johns Hopkins Trained Pediatrician

7001 Johnnycake Road, Suite101 Baltii more, MD 21244 (Intersection of Rolling and Johnnycake Roads near Masjid Al-Rahmah)

Phone: 410-719-0063

7658 Belair Road, Baltimore, MD 21236 (Exit 32A off 695 Towards Overlea in the Beltway Shopping Plaza near Masjid An-Nur)

Phone: 410-882-6841

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p: 709.945.8229 w: www.Sarabeauty.com e: Sadna@sarabeauty.com

32 | MP - Professional Services

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

MP - Professional services | 33

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

34 | MP - Professional Services/Travel

PLACE A COUPON! CALL NOW!

301-982-1020

VOLUNTEER TO DISTRIBUTE THE MUSLIM LINK IN YOUR AREA If you would like to earn blessings from Allah and help the Muslim Link, consider helping us with our distribution. To learn more, email ofďŹ ce@muslimlinkpaper.com or call 301-982-1020

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

RJ CAFE

MP - Restaurants | 35

We now hav e WI-FI availa ble!

, MD 20705 Court, Beltsville k ee Cr an di In 91 12111 or 240-264-19 240-264-1990 .rjcafeonline.com w w Visit us at w m afe1@yahoo.co or email us at rjc

aurant in the The only halal restia Metro area spec lizing in BBQ beef short ribs!

Home-made BBQ sauce

d

tyle Frie SPECIAL : Southern-sed potatoes,

Chicken Steak w/mash led veggies mushroom gravy, gril

10/30/09

$14.99+tax th SPECIAL : BBQ short ribs wigg ies

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NOw ServINrkG Strip Steak

-boonnee Rib, Eye or New Yo or vegetables •tt-b coli w/ baked potato and broc Mushroom •cchhiicckkeenn cordon bleu W/ li Gravy and Brocco

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PLACE A COUPON! CALL NOW!

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STAFF WRITERS WANTED

The Muslim Link newspaper is looking for full and part-time candidates to fill upcoming staff writer positions.

The ideal candidates are committed Muslims who have a penchant for good writing, are involved in community work, have a strong work ethic, and believe in establishing Muslim media.

To join our team and start on a job which offers ground breaking opportunities and excitement, send your resume, cover letter, and a writing sample to the editor.

Start your involvement in Muslim media today!

Email editor@muslimlinkpaper.com.

36 | MP - Restaurants

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

MP - Classified Ads | 37

Place a personal classified ad. Call us at 301-982-1020

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

CHILDCARE EXCHANGE TEDDY BEAR DAY CARE -Fairfax County permit, -First Aid/CPR Certified, -Food Program, -Multi-child Discount, -20 years caring, -Extensive Child Care training, -Computer Skills & games, -Near Pool & Playground, -Full-Time Opening for Infants to Age 12, -Emphasis on Language Arts, -Located in Annandale near

by Littler River Trnpk. and John Marr Dr. Call Mrs. Lodhi(703)941-0944. Also teaches Arabic.

-----------------------------------------------LICENSED CHILDCAREMARYLAND Licensed childcare provider in Bowie has openings for infants and up.

301-464-1473 -----------------------------------------------CHILDCARE IN BALTIMORE I’m offering education, fun, and affordable daycare for your child. I provide care for children in a familystyle setting. Your child will experience books, nursery rhymes, educational programs and exercise. Now enrolling 6 wks to 12 yrs. 7am to 6pm. Drop-in per hour. Weekend and evening care upon request. Before and after school care. Vouchers accepted. Located near 695, Windor Mills, Al-Rahmah masjid.

Contact 410-281-7155, 410-292-9274, or zahidy73@yahoo.com.

-----------------------------------------------HOME DAYCARE SERVICE Loving mom (License # 13-151804) provides daycare in her own lovely house in Columbia, Howard County. Excellent experience providing: balanced care, care-related guidance, and halal healthy food for ages 4 months to 5 years.

Non-curriculum language activities are available. References are available. We believe our care will match or exceed your little ones’ Moms Care. Call 410531-2970. Feel good as soon as you enter.

-----------------------------------------------BABYSITTING IN MY HOME I am a licensed childcare provider available to babysit at my Silver Spring home. Children age 1 and up.

Snacks provided. Overnights available.

Can teach Qur’an and Arabic. For information. 301-593-4769.

EMPLOYMENT MOTHER’S HELPER Looking for a sister to help a homeschooling mom during the day. Part time /Full Time. Should speak and read fluent English and be energetic. Duties include watching younger children and light housework. No teaching experience required, however, must love working with children. We are located in Greenbelt, MD. Willing to consider live in. Please call 301-328-1638.

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

FOR SALE HALAL PIZZAS, SUBS AND CHICKEN; AND MORE! Satisfy your hunger at Planet Pizza. Call us at 301-762-9400, visit us on line at www. planetpizzaandsubs.com, or stop in at 819 Hungerford Dr, Rockville, MD 20850. We’re in front of Montgomery College.

-----------------------------------------------RESTAURANT EQUIPMENT A recently closed restaurant has a full line of equipment for purchase -- grills, fryers, commercial utensils and machines, the works for a full sit down restaurant with tables and chairs, cash register, etc . Take everything. Some new equipment just a year old, all in good condition. Call 301257-6854 for a list of major items and to schedule an appointment.

-----------------------------------------------RESTAURANT BUSINESS Established restaurant, over 20 years in business in Montgomery County, MD. $115.000. Contact Adel, 301-956-6759.

-----------------------------------------------ICE CREAM BUSINESS Fabulous Hershey’s Ice Cream Parlor for Sale. Store is located next to cinema, in Food Wing of MARLEY STATION MALL. Priced for quick sell is $89,000.00 and Inventory, Gross sales are $180,000.00 with net revenue of $65,000.00 appx. Square footage is appx. 930 sq.ft. Monthly rent and CAM charges are $4,026.00+ Electric. Lease is good till 7/2011, could be renewed.

Call Sultan at 410-465-9129, or 703-307-5759.

MATRIMONIAL SEEKING DEVOTED MUSLIMAH Alhamdulillah. Incarcerated Sunni Muslim. Black male, 26. I’m seeking a devoted Muslimah who places Allah first, who’s studious, and who’s also ambitious. Age, race, and financial status unimportant. Allah’s the best planer.

Establish correspondence, leading to possible marriage. I’m an HIV peer counselor, and a freelance writer. Interested, write: Lemorris Jones, 03B0104, ENYCF, P O Box 338, Napanoch, NY 12456-0338.

-----------------------------------------------SEEKING MUSLIM LADY Handsome Pakistani Sunni Muslim male.

Age 41. U.S. Citizen. Funny, loving and caring. Seeks Muslim lady. Race/looks unimportant, because beauty comes from within. Salaam. Nadeem Khan, #227131, P O Box 860, Oakwood, VA 24631 -----------------------------------------------IN SEARCH OF SOUL MATE As salaamu alaikum. This ad is from a 6ft, 190lb African American, 51 yearold, in shape, strong Muslim of the sunnah! I’m childless, sincere, without

vices, compassionate and monogamous!

In search of a friend, companion, soul mate and wife! Shabazz Mohammad, #14064-053, F.C.I. Atlanta, P O Box 150160, Atlanta, GA 30315 -----------------------------------------------IN SEARCH OF MUSLIMAH Incarcerated Sunni Muslim in search of Muslimah who has the qualities set forth in Surah 33: 32-36. If this is you, contact David Ginwright, #228332, N.B.C.I., 14100 McMullen Hwy, S.W., Cumberland, MD 21502 -----------------------------------------------SEEKING RIGHTEOUS WOMAN Insha Allah, I am seeking a knowledgeable Muslimah for marriage and to help me propagate the deen upon my release. The Prophet (saw) said: Marriage is half of your religion. This world is just temporary conveniences, and the best comfort in this world is a righteous woman. Write: Winceslas Georges, #01A0873, Great Meadow Correctional Facility, P O Box 51, Comstock, NY 12821-0051

MISCELLANEOUS

-----------------------------------------------HOME SERVICES Licensed contractor. Home Improvement work , interior/exterior painting, drywall install/repair, brick/concrete repair .

Estimates done. Contact Br. Allen Scott at 443 538 7643 or 410 467 1259 -----------------------------------------------LAWN CARE SPECIALIST A lawn you will be proud of and services that are affordable, reliable and high-quality. We are “Badr Lawncare Services”. We are fully licensed and insured in the State of Virginia. Right now, we are offering: Needed Fall Services: Core Aeration, starting at $75 (1000 to 3000 square feet), $20 for every additional 1000 sqf. Seeding is also available starting at $53 for townhomes (1000 to 2000 sqf.), and $10 for every additional 1000 sqf. We also treat Weeds (Nutsedge, Broadleaves, clover, violets, Crabgrass, and other hard to control weeds...), and treat Lawn Diseases (fongus, moss, grub... etc). Call Noureddine @ 303-301-5657 and ask for our estimates and our 30% discount special for muslims.

COMMUNITY THRIFT STORE Donations accepted, or pick up. Slightly worn items only. Store hours MonSat 10am -6pm. 5115 Park Heights, Baltimore, MD 21215. Br. Allen Scott, 410-542-6925 or 443-538-7643. License #30385946.

RENTAL COLLEGE PARK ROOM FOR RENT Room for rent in house close to Al-Huda School, metro, and UMCP. Call 240271-9552.

SERVICES LOVING HOME CARE At Loving Home Care we provide care you can trust and afford all from the comfort of your home! Our services are for seniors and loved ones needing assistance with activities of daily living.

We also provide Mother’s Helpers for that mother in need. Companionship, Hygiene Care, Meal Preparation, Errands, Grocery, Light Housekeeping, Grooming, Dressing, Medication Reminders, Doctors Appointments. *Low Rates* *No Deposit* *Bonded & Insured* www.lovinghomecare.org CALL TODAY: 301-490-1146 -----------------------------------------------CLASS B DRIVING INSTRUCTION If you have a Class B learner’s and need training, or neeed to drive a Class B vehicle to MVA, then call me. Very reasonable rates. Will work with low budget. Kaba, 240-505-4225

Looking for a place for your ad?

Stop looking! try our classified section Call the muslim link now !

301.982.1020 Call Now . . . !

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

38 | MP - 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.

M A S J I D LO C ATO R

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): 19401 Woodfield Rd. Gaithersburg,MD 20879 Tel:301-840-9440, www.icomd.org.

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

ADAMS CENTER:

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

AVONDALE ISLAMIC CENTER:

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

BAITUL MUKARRAM:

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

DAR AL HIJRAH:

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

DAR AL-SALAAM:

15250 Dumfries Rd., Mannassas,VA 20112.

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

DAR-UL HUDA:

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

DAR AL-NOOR (MUSLIM ASSOC. OF VA): 5404 Hoadly Rd., Manassas, VA 20112, Tel: 703-580-0808, Fax: 703-221-8513, www.daralnoor.org.

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

ISLAMIC FOUND. OF AMERICA (IFA): 6606 Electronic Dr., Springfield, VA 22151 Tel: 703-914-4982, www.ifa.ws.

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

ISLAMIC SOC. OF ANNAPOLIS (ISA):

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

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

ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF GERMANTOWN (ISG): 19900 Brandermill Rd., Germantown, MD 20876 Tel: (301)-972-0504, 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: 240-253-4217

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 Tel: 202-581-1616, e-mail: imammusa@hotmail.com

MASJID AL-INSHIRAH:

7832 Fairbrook Road , Windsor Mill, MD 21244 Tel: 410-298-2977, Fax: 410-298-0266, www.al-inshirahweb.net.

MASJID AL-MUMINEEN:

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

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

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 TAQWA ANNOOR:

8000 MLK Highway, Glenarden MD Tel: 301-772-5969.

MASJID ZAMZAM

ISLAMIC SOC. OF THE WASHINGTON AREA (ISWA):

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

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

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

DAR AL-TAQWA:

ISLAMIC SOC. OF WESTERN MARYLAND:

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

DAR-US-SALAAM:

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

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

FIRST HIJRA MUSLIM COMM. CENTER:

IVY CITY MASJID:

4324 Georgia Ave, NW Washington, DC 20011 www.firsthijrah.org.

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

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

ICNA VA CENTER:

LA PLATA MASJID:

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

2913 Woodlawn Trail, Alexandria, VA 22306.

IDARA DAWAT-O-IRSHAD:

4803 Valley St, Alexandria, VA 22312 703-256-8622, www.irshad.org.

INDONESIAN MUSLIM ASSOC. IN AMERICA (IMAAM): 1611 Veirs Mill Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20851 Tel: 240-453-0808, e-mail: fkadir@imaamnet.org.

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.mlcmd.org, Email: info@mlcmd.org

MANASSAS MOSQUE:

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

MUSLIM COM. CENTER (MCC):

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.

MASJID AL-GHURABAA:

8500 Hilltop Rd., Fairfax, VA 22031 Tel: 703-641-4890, www.iiasa.org

8220 Washington St., South, Laurel, MD 20724.

Tel: 301-604-3295.

SOUTHERN MARYLAND ISLAMIC CENTER(SMIC): 1046 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD, 20639.

Tel: 410- 535-0000

IRHSCA (ISLAMIC RESEARCH AND HUM. SERVICES OF AMERICA):

MASJID AL-HIKMAH:

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

INST.OF ISLAMIC AND ARABIC SCIENCES IN AMERICA (IIASA):

Chambers Ave, Capitol Heights, MD Tel: 301-324-5040, www.irhsca.org.

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

TML, Thul Hijjah 1430 | Nov 20 - Dec 17, 2009

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