A joyous Islamic festival after British Muslims show enormous generosity during the month of Ramadan.
On behalf of the Muslim Council of Britain, I extend my Eid greetings to all Muslims and peoples of other faiths and communities in the UK. Times like Eid are special as they bring together in celebration our richly diverse and vibrant range of Muslim communities living in Britain.
Eid is a joyous and unique thanksgiving festival which Muslims celebrate all over the world. We praise and thank Allah, subhanahu wa ta’ala for the blessings of the holy month of Ramadan, where the Almighty showers His mercy and forgiveness, and an opportunity to reflect and enhance our understanding and commitment to Him and His creation.
Throughout this month we witnessed moving and humbling feats of spiritual devotion and solidarity. Men, women and children fasted long hours; thousands filled mosques in our towns and cities for the nightly prayers and many of our friends from other faiths joined us to experience the fast of Ramadan. This is inspiring and heartening at a time when many in our community are experiencing the rise of Islamophobia.
We celebrate Eid knowing also that the month of Ramadan was an opportunity to extend our hand of generosity to those less fortunate. Millions of pounds were raised to feed the poor around the world, particularly the victims of the Pakistan floods. In this country, Muslim families also brought food to their local parks in Leicester, Manchester and other towns to share with the homeless and hungry of all faiths and backgrounds.
Our festival of Eid al-Fitr is a culmination of this month of spiritual reflection, good works and charity. Let it be an opportunity to bring together families and communities, and share our joy to foster respect and understanding. I pray that Allah accepts all our good deeds and we continue to live the spirit of Ramadan throughout the rest of the year.
Source: http://islamonline.com
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Sunday, September 5, 2010
CAIR: Tenn. Lt. Gov. Questions Muslim Religious Rights
Gubernatorial candidate urged to meet with state's Muslim leaders
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/25/10) -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today called on Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey to meet with representatives of that state's Islamic community after the gubernatorial candidate seemed to claim that First Amendment religious rights may not apply to Muslims and that Islam may not be a real religion.
[To CONTACT Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, e-mail: lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov As always, be POLITE.]
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Ramsey's remarks came in response to a question on a recent campaign stop. The questioner said: "We've got a threat that's invading our country from Muslims. What's your stand?"
Ramsey responded by referring to a controversy over the expansion of a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He defended religious freedoms, but claimed "you cross the line when they start trying to bring shariah [Islamic] law into the state of Tenn. . .into the United States." He went on to state: "You could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion or is it a nationality, way of life or cult, whatever you want to call it. . .this is something that we are going to have to face."
SEE: Ramsey Argues Freedom of Religion Doesn't Apply to Muslims (Video)
"We see a disturbing trend in our nation in which it is suggested that American Muslims should have fewer or more restricted constitutional rights than citizens of other faiths," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "We urge Lt. Gov. Ramsey to meet with representatives of the Tennessee Muslim community who can offer him balanced and accurate information about Islam."
SEE: Does the Right View Muslims as Equal Citizens? (CAIR)
He noted that retired General William Boykin mirrored Ramsey's views when the general stated in a recent interview: "What we are not seeing first and foremost is the fact that Islam is not religion. It is a totalitarian way of life. There is a religious component. But we still treat it as a First Amendment issue when in fact it is a totalitarian way of life."
SEE: General Boykin Says Practice of Islam Not Protected Under First Amendment
Hooper said activists nationwide are seeking to restrict the right of Muslims to build or expand mosques, introducing anti-Islam legislation or resolutions, disrupting Muslim events, and even challenging the right of Muslims to live where they choose.
SEE: CAIR Rep on CNN to Discuss Opposition to U.S. Mosques (Video)
Okla. Legislator's Proposal Would Ban Use of Sharia Law
CAIR Video: Fla. Anti-Islam Group Seeks to Disrupt Muslim Event
CAIR Video: Okla. Neighbor Posts Yard Signs Opposing New Residents
A church in Florida is also encouraging Americans to desecrate the Quran, Islam's revealed text, on September 11.
SEE: Florida Church Hosting "International Burn a Koran Day" on 9/11
Yesterday, CAIR called on the FBI and Virginia's Tidewater Joint Terrorism Task Force to explain why a leader of an anti-Islam hate group was invited to offer training to state and federal law enforcement officers.
SEE: Anti-Islam Hate Group Leader Trains Va. Terror Task Force
Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
Source: http://islamonline.com/
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/25/10) -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today called on Tennessee Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey to meet with representatives of that state's Islamic community after the gubernatorial candidate seemed to claim that First Amendment religious rights may not apply to Muslims and that Islam may not be a real religion.
[To CONTACT Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey, e-mail: lt.gov.ron.ramsey@capitol.tn.gov As always, be POLITE.]
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said Ramsey's remarks came in response to a question on a recent campaign stop. The questioner said: "We've got a threat that's invading our country from Muslims. What's your stand?"
Ramsey responded by referring to a controversy over the expansion of a mosque in Murfreesboro, Tenn. He defended religious freedoms, but claimed "you cross the line when they start trying to bring shariah [Islamic] law into the state of Tenn. . .into the United States." He went on to state: "You could even argue whether being a Muslim is actually a religion or is it a nationality, way of life or cult, whatever you want to call it. . .this is something that we are going to have to face."
SEE: Ramsey Argues Freedom of Religion Doesn't Apply to Muslims (Video)
"We see a disturbing trend in our nation in which it is suggested that American Muslims should have fewer or more restricted constitutional rights than citizens of other faiths," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper. "We urge Lt. Gov. Ramsey to meet with representatives of the Tennessee Muslim community who can offer him balanced and accurate information about Islam."
SEE: Does the Right View Muslims as Equal Citizens? (CAIR)
He noted that retired General William Boykin mirrored Ramsey's views when the general stated in a recent interview: "What we are not seeing first and foremost is the fact that Islam is not religion. It is a totalitarian way of life. There is a religious component. But we still treat it as a First Amendment issue when in fact it is a totalitarian way of life."
SEE: General Boykin Says Practice of Islam Not Protected Under First Amendment
Hooper said activists nationwide are seeking to restrict the right of Muslims to build or expand mosques, introducing anti-Islam legislation or resolutions, disrupting Muslim events, and even challenging the right of Muslims to live where they choose.
SEE: CAIR Rep on CNN to Discuss Opposition to U.S. Mosques (Video)
Okla. Legislator's Proposal Would Ban Use of Sharia Law
CAIR Video: Fla. Anti-Islam Group Seeks to Disrupt Muslim Event
CAIR Video: Okla. Neighbor Posts Yard Signs Opposing New Residents
A church in Florida is also encouraging Americans to desecrate the Quran, Islam's revealed text, on September 11.
SEE: Florida Church Hosting "International Burn a Koran Day" on 9/11
Yesterday, CAIR called on the FBI and Virginia's Tidewater Joint Terrorism Task Force to explain why a leader of an anti-Islam hate group was invited to offer training to state and federal law enforcement officers.
SEE: Anti-Islam Hate Group Leader Trains Va. Terror Task Force
Become a Fan of CAIR on Facebook
Subscribe to CAIR's E-Mail List
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
Source: http://islamonline.com/
Take me out of your box, for humanity’s sake
Islamabad - Travelling alone as a Muslim Pakistani female hasn’t been all that easy in a post-9/11 world. In fact, being ”Muslim”, “Pakistani” and a “woman” simultaneously can be too many red flags attached to one identity.
While pursuing my education abroad I had many experiences dealing with airport security and immigration staff – particularly during my travels between Costa Rica, the United States and Pakistan. But I also learned through these experiences that sometimes a little act of kindness can go a long way in transforming our view of the ”other”, helping us to realise and appreciate the inherent good in people.
In my mind I had put airport authorities everywhere in a box labelled “Ruthless-officials-securing-their-country”. And the box they might have had for me was, well, “She-must-be-up-to-something”. My interaction at the airport served as a microcosm of the larger Muslim-Western relationship, rife with stereotyped ideas and deeply held, hardly questioned beliefs about the other, further polarising the two groups.
My box guided my behaviour in front of airport security officials. This meant no extra talking, only brief answers, doing what they said and praying in my heart to come out of the question-and-answer session alive and kicking, and not detained somewhere in Guantanamo. Though this box helped me control my behaviour for the situation at hand, deep down I developed bitterness, fear, mistrust and anxiety of entering any country other than my own, especially a Western one.
It also compelled me to judge security officials I came across during my international travels in a negative way – as the “other”.
There was one particular occasion that at first bolstered this sentiment. I was waiting for a flight to Pakistan with a ten-hour transit in a UK airport. My hand luggage included nothing extraordinary except for a very unusual umbrella that a friend had given me during a visit to the Harvard Art Museum in Massachusetts. A professor at Harvard, this friend showed me the university and bought me an umbrella with an image of Harvard and the Charles River painted on it. That umbrella signified her kind friendship, love and belief in me. To me, it was not just an umbrella, but a connection to the world of knowledge that I admired and wanted to immerse myself in.
Afraid that I might lose it, I kept the umbrella as part of my carry-on. Though it passed through all the security checks in the United States, it was declared a “security risk” in the UK. Security officials asked me to throw it away before boarding the plane to Pakistan.
Bewildered by the seemingly random changes in security standards between airports, I tried in vain to argue. But I was not allowed to board the plane with the umbrella, and had to throw it away.
As I walked away, wiping my tears, I heard a security official yell out: “Excuse me, Ma’am! I have a solution!”
He took the umbrella out of the trash, a Swiss Army knife out of his pocket and started cutting the ribs and stretchers off the canopy of the umbrella. He meticulously removed the canopy off the shaft of umbrella, neatly folded it and handed it over to me with a smile: “Now you can take this,” he said. “Please get it remade once you are back home.”
I certainly did not expect this kind of action from a white British security official. His act of kindness did not fit in the box I had created for him. I had cast him as the “other”. But he proved otherwise.
No matter how hard we try, today’s circumstances push us to box, stereotype, categories and judge individuals or groups who are different from us. In recent times stereotyping has become the most comfortable response mechanism while dealing with security issues, both for Muslims as well as Westerners. Such stereotyping widens the gap that exists between Muslim and Western worlds. It limits both groups’ ability to allow for individuality and critical judgment when faced with challenging situations, generating further mistrust.
This incident helped me realize that there are moments and spaces in which our individual actions can alter the stereotypes that we carry for one other. The action that I witnessed left an indelible impression on me, and a renewed belief in the inherent goodness of human beings. Individual actions that go beyond stereotypes might not be a panacea to problems that exist between the Muslim and Western worlds, but they are a step toward better understanding and harmony.
Source: http://islamonline.com/
While pursuing my education abroad I had many experiences dealing with airport security and immigration staff – particularly during my travels between Costa Rica, the United States and Pakistan. But I also learned through these experiences that sometimes a little act of kindness can go a long way in transforming our view of the ”other”, helping us to realise and appreciate the inherent good in people.
In my mind I had put airport authorities everywhere in a box labelled “Ruthless-officials-securing-their-country”. And the box they might have had for me was, well, “She-must-be-up-to-something”. My interaction at the airport served as a microcosm of the larger Muslim-Western relationship, rife with stereotyped ideas and deeply held, hardly questioned beliefs about the other, further polarising the two groups.
My box guided my behaviour in front of airport security officials. This meant no extra talking, only brief answers, doing what they said and praying in my heart to come out of the question-and-answer session alive and kicking, and not detained somewhere in Guantanamo. Though this box helped me control my behaviour for the situation at hand, deep down I developed bitterness, fear, mistrust and anxiety of entering any country other than my own, especially a Western one.
It also compelled me to judge security officials I came across during my international travels in a negative way – as the “other”.
There was one particular occasion that at first bolstered this sentiment. I was waiting for a flight to Pakistan with a ten-hour transit in a UK airport. My hand luggage included nothing extraordinary except for a very unusual umbrella that a friend had given me during a visit to the Harvard Art Museum in Massachusetts. A professor at Harvard, this friend showed me the university and bought me an umbrella with an image of Harvard and the Charles River painted on it. That umbrella signified her kind friendship, love and belief in me. To me, it was not just an umbrella, but a connection to the world of knowledge that I admired and wanted to immerse myself in.
Afraid that I might lose it, I kept the umbrella as part of my carry-on. Though it passed through all the security checks in the United States, it was declared a “security risk” in the UK. Security officials asked me to throw it away before boarding the plane to Pakistan.
Bewildered by the seemingly random changes in security standards between airports, I tried in vain to argue. But I was not allowed to board the plane with the umbrella, and had to throw it away.
As I walked away, wiping my tears, I heard a security official yell out: “Excuse me, Ma’am! I have a solution!”
He took the umbrella out of the trash, a Swiss Army knife out of his pocket and started cutting the ribs and stretchers off the canopy of the umbrella. He meticulously removed the canopy off the shaft of umbrella, neatly folded it and handed it over to me with a smile: “Now you can take this,” he said. “Please get it remade once you are back home.”
I certainly did not expect this kind of action from a white British security official. His act of kindness did not fit in the box I had created for him. I had cast him as the “other”. But he proved otherwise.
No matter how hard we try, today’s circumstances push us to box, stereotype, categories and judge individuals or groups who are different from us. In recent times stereotyping has become the most comfortable response mechanism while dealing with security issues, both for Muslims as well as Westerners. Such stereotyping widens the gap that exists between Muslim and Western worlds. It limits both groups’ ability to allow for individuality and critical judgment when faced with challenging situations, generating further mistrust.
This incident helped me realize that there are moments and spaces in which our individual actions can alter the stereotypes that we carry for one other. The action that I witnessed left an indelible impression on me, and a renewed belief in the inherent goodness of human beings. Individual actions that go beyond stereotypes might not be a panacea to problems that exist between the Muslim and Western worlds, but they are a step toward better understanding and harmony.
Source: http://islamonline.com/
Friday, September 3, 2010
Why We've Given Less To Pakistan's Flood Victims
By and large, Americans haven't opened up their wallets to help victims of the flood disaster in Pakistan. According to Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy, charitable donations by individuals, foundations and companies totaled just $25 million as of Aug. 30.
By comparison, the center's data show that Americans donated $900 million to relief efforts in Haiti within five weeks of the earthquake there.
Disaster relief experts were nearly universal in agreeing that there are at least three reasons why fundraising for this disaster has been challenging.
The first has to do with the nature of the disaster, says Randy Strash, the strategy director for emergency response at World Vision, a Christian relief agency with worldwide operations, including programs in Pakistan.
Fewer Donations For Floods
“Earthquakes, regardless of their location, under the same circumstances will raise 10 to 15 times more from the private donors than a flood,” Strash says
The slow-moving nature of floods, combined with typically lower death tolls, removes a sense of urgency in many donors’ minds, Strash says. He says many people use the number of dead as a "barometer" for the severity of a disaster.
Fewer than 2,000 people have been reported killed by the floods in Pakistan, compared with an estimated death toll of over 200,000 in the Haiti earthquake. But disaster experts warn that the humanitarian situation in Pakistan may be even more serious than in Haiti because millions more people have lost their homes and livelihoods in the flood.
The Media's Impact
The relatively lower amount of news coverage in Pakistan may be another factor.
“There hasn’t been that much media coverage relative to the kinds of coverage that we certainly saw in Haiti and many other disasters,” says Nan Buzard, senior director for disaster response at the American Red Cross.
The Project for Excellence in Journalism said there was 10 times as much U.S. news coverage of the earthquake in Haiti as of the floods in Pakistan.
Buzard said without a stream of stories and vivid images playing over and over on cable TV, public awareness of a disaster is low and donations are correspondingly weak.
Experts also point to donor fatigue. Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy estimates that about 40 percent of American households donated money to disaster relief efforts in Haiti.
“The fact that people were so generous with Haiti and we’re in a difficult economic environment at this time, I think makes it more difficult for people to give to Pakistan as a result,” says Michael Delaney, the director of humanitarian response for Oxfam America.
Lessons From The Past, Religious Contributions
But the experience of past disasters suggests that donors are sometimes capable of repeated, generous giving. After a large earthquake struck Pakistan in October 2005, Americans donated $150 million for relief efforts there, according to data from Indiana University.
Those donations came a little over a month after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, prompting nearly $2 billion worth of donations. Americans also gave about $900 million for relief efforts after the Indian Ocean tsunami that struck in late December 2004.
Only one charity contacted by NPR reported no difficulties raising money for Pakistan.
Islamic Relief USA doubled its fundraising goal to $10 million after a surge of donations, says spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed.
“The majority of our donors are Muslim and this happened right before the month of Ramadan, [which is] the time for Muslims to be generous and to give money to the people that are in need,” Ahmed says.
Religious and cultural affinity also very likely played a role in the strong fundraising efforts by charities in the United Kingdom, which has large Pakistani and Muslim communities. The Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group of 13 British charities, reported on Aug. 27 that its flood relief appeal had raised about $61 million.
But there are also concerns religion may have played a role in another way. The campaign to halt a planned Islamic cultural center in Lower Manhattan and anti-Muslim remarks by politicians may have made some Americans wary of giving money to Muslim Pakistan.
Una Osili, director of research for Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy, says religion “is a factor.” But she emphasizes that it’s difficult to measure its impact on fundraising. Americans’ perceptions of Pakistan probably also played a role in the relatively low level of giving, she adds.
“There is a strong association with Pakistan and terrorism right now and that may also explain the differential response that we have observed,” Osili says.
Dwindling Relief
With donations running low, charities operating in Pakistan say they may not be able to continue supporting their programs there. World Vision has raised $1 million in private donations but has a $20 million relief effort under way. The charity hopes to raise an additional $11 million and fund the difference from its reserves. But unless donations pick up soon, it may have to scale back its operations in Pakistan, says Strash, the group’s strategy director.
He says the low level of giving is discouraging, but adds: “At the same time, giving is voluntary. You can’t force people to give; you have to present the case as strongly as you can.”
United Nations officials warned this week that millions of weakened flood survivors could face disease and hunger. Strash hopes Americans will see the gravity of the situation and find a way to reach a little deeper in their pockets.
Source: http://www.islamicity.com
By comparison, the center's data show that Americans donated $900 million to relief efforts in Haiti within five weeks of the earthquake there.
Disaster relief experts were nearly universal in agreeing that there are at least three reasons why fundraising for this disaster has been challenging.
The first has to do with the nature of the disaster, says Randy Strash, the strategy director for emergency response at World Vision, a Christian relief agency with worldwide operations, including programs in Pakistan.
Fewer Donations For Floods
“Earthquakes, regardless of their location, under the same circumstances will raise 10 to 15 times more from the private donors than a flood,” Strash says
The slow-moving nature of floods, combined with typically lower death tolls, removes a sense of urgency in many donors’ minds, Strash says. He says many people use the number of dead as a "barometer" for the severity of a disaster.
Fewer than 2,000 people have been reported killed by the floods in Pakistan, compared with an estimated death toll of over 200,000 in the Haiti earthquake. But disaster experts warn that the humanitarian situation in Pakistan may be even more serious than in Haiti because millions more people have lost their homes and livelihoods in the flood.
The Media's Impact
The relatively lower amount of news coverage in Pakistan may be another factor.
“There hasn’t been that much media coverage relative to the kinds of coverage that we certainly saw in Haiti and many other disasters,” says Nan Buzard, senior director for disaster response at the American Red Cross.
The Project for Excellence in Journalism said there was 10 times as much U.S. news coverage of the earthquake in Haiti as of the floods in Pakistan.
Buzard said without a stream of stories and vivid images playing over and over on cable TV, public awareness of a disaster is low and donations are correspondingly weak.
Experts also point to donor fatigue. Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy estimates that about 40 percent of American households donated money to disaster relief efforts in Haiti.
“The fact that people were so generous with Haiti and we’re in a difficult economic environment at this time, I think makes it more difficult for people to give to Pakistan as a result,” says Michael Delaney, the director of humanitarian response for Oxfam America.
Lessons From The Past, Religious Contributions
But the experience of past disasters suggests that donors are sometimes capable of repeated, generous giving. After a large earthquake struck Pakistan in October 2005, Americans donated $150 million for relief efforts there, according to data from Indiana University.
Those donations came a little over a month after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, prompting nearly $2 billion worth of donations. Americans also gave about $900 million for relief efforts after the Indian Ocean tsunami that struck in late December 2004.
Only one charity contacted by NPR reported no difficulties raising money for Pakistan.
Islamic Relief USA doubled its fundraising goal to $10 million after a surge of donations, says spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed.
“The majority of our donors are Muslim and this happened right before the month of Ramadan, [which is] the time for Muslims to be generous and to give money to the people that are in need,” Ahmed says.
Religious and cultural affinity also very likely played a role in the strong fundraising efforts by charities in the United Kingdom, which has large Pakistani and Muslim communities. The Disasters Emergency Committee, an umbrella group of 13 British charities, reported on Aug. 27 that its flood relief appeal had raised about $61 million.
But there are also concerns religion may have played a role in another way. The campaign to halt a planned Islamic cultural center in Lower Manhattan and anti-Muslim remarks by politicians may have made some Americans wary of giving money to Muslim Pakistan.
Una Osili, director of research for Indiana University's Center on Philanthropy, says religion “is a factor.” But she emphasizes that it’s difficult to measure its impact on fundraising. Americans’ perceptions of Pakistan probably also played a role in the relatively low level of giving, she adds.
“There is a strong association with Pakistan and terrorism right now and that may also explain the differential response that we have observed,” Osili says.
Dwindling Relief
With donations running low, charities operating in Pakistan say they may not be able to continue supporting their programs there. World Vision has raised $1 million in private donations but has a $20 million relief effort under way. The charity hopes to raise an additional $11 million and fund the difference from its reserves. But unless donations pick up soon, it may have to scale back its operations in Pakistan, says Strash, the group’s strategy director.
He says the low level of giving is discouraging, but adds: “At the same time, giving is voluntary. You can’t force people to give; you have to present the case as strongly as you can.”
United Nations officials warned this week that millions of weakened flood survivors could face disease and hunger. Strash hopes Americans will see the gravity of the situation and find a way to reach a little deeper in their pockets.
Source: http://www.islamicity.com
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Iraqi Forces Capable of Taking Full Responsibility
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told Iraqis on Tuesday their own soldiers and police are up to the job as US occupation forces ended a combat role after seven years of fighting that has cost thousands of lives.
A major troop pullout over past months has left less than 50,000 US soldiers in Iraq while a simultaneous surge in car bombings and shootings, many targeting local security forces, has raised security concerns.
US President Barack Obama was to mark the symbolic end of combat operations in a speech from the Oval Office at 0000 GMT (3 am on Wednesday for Baghdadis), after visiting a base in Texas where he was to meet returned Iraq veterans. He was also expected to speak by telephone with former president George W. Bush who, backed by key ally Britain, took the decision to invade Iraq in March 2003.
In advance of Obama's speech, Maliki said on state television that Iraq was a "sovereign and independent" state and he was confident the last US forces would leave the country as planned at the end of 2011. "I reassure you that the Iraqi security forces are capable of taking full responsibility," Maliki said. "Unfortunately we are facing a campaign of doubt."
US Vice President Joe Biden landed in Baghdad on Monday night to mark the American military's change of mission from combat to training and advisory tasks for Iraqi forces, starting from Wednesday. He was due to meet President Jalal Talabani, Maliki and the former premier and March 7 election winner Iyad Allawi as well as other top politicians throughout Tuesday.
Tony Blinken, Biden's National Security Adviser, said the current caretaker administration in Baghdad was not a "durable solution." "There is some growing sense of urgency that government formation move forward, and certainly the vice president is going to urge the leaders to bring this process to a conclusion," Blinken told reporters.
Source: http://islamonline.com
A major troop pullout over past months has left less than 50,000 US soldiers in Iraq while a simultaneous surge in car bombings and shootings, many targeting local security forces, has raised security concerns.
US President Barack Obama was to mark the symbolic end of combat operations in a speech from the Oval Office at 0000 GMT (3 am on Wednesday for Baghdadis), after visiting a base in Texas where he was to meet returned Iraq veterans. He was also expected to speak by telephone with former president George W. Bush who, backed by key ally Britain, took the decision to invade Iraq in March 2003.
In advance of Obama's speech, Maliki said on state television that Iraq was a "sovereign and independent" state and he was confident the last US forces would leave the country as planned at the end of 2011. "I reassure you that the Iraqi security forces are capable of taking full responsibility," Maliki said. "Unfortunately we are facing a campaign of doubt."
US Vice President Joe Biden landed in Baghdad on Monday night to mark the American military's change of mission from combat to training and advisory tasks for Iraqi forces, starting from Wednesday. He was due to meet President Jalal Talabani, Maliki and the former premier and March 7 election winner Iyad Allawi as well as other top politicians throughout Tuesday.
Tony Blinken, Biden's National Security Adviser, said the current caretaker administration in Baghdad was not a "durable solution." "There is some growing sense of urgency that government formation move forward, and certainly the vice president is going to urge the leaders to bring this process to a conclusion," Blinken told reporters.
Source: http://islamonline.com
America and its core values compatible with Islam: US imam
DUBAI (AFP) - America and its core principles are compatible with Islam, the US imam behind a controversial initiative to build an Islamic centre near the site of the 9/11 attacks said Tuesday in Dubai.
"The American way of thinking, the American construct, is extremely co-congruent with the Islamic worldview," Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said at the Dubai School of Government
.
His visit to the United Arab Emirates is the last leg of a US State Department-sponsored trip that has already taken him to Bahrain and Qatar.
The aim of the visit was for Abdul Rauf to "talk about Muslim life in America" and his "work promoting inter-faith dialogue," according to a statement by the US embassy in Abu Dhabi announcing the visit.
The plan to build the Islamic centre that is to include a prayer space, near the site of the World Trade Center that was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks, has fueled a political furore in the United States.
Proponents say the centre would be a platform for promoting inter-faith dialogue and tolerance. Opponents, some of whom have termed the centre the "Ground Zero mosque," say it is insensitive to build it near the site of the attacks.
Planners say the centre will include an area for prayer, sports facilities, theatre and restaurant, and would be open to the public.
Construction of the centre, a 100-million-dollar (79-million-euro), 13-storey glass-and-metal building to be built on private property, has been approved by city officials.
Abdul Rauf has been the imam of a mosque twelve blocks from "Ground Zero" for the past 27 years, according to the website of the Cordoba Initiative, an organisation promoting inter-faith dialogue and understanding, which he founded.
Source: http://www.islamtribune.com
"The American way of thinking, the American construct, is extremely co-congruent with the Islamic worldview," Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf said at the Dubai School of Government
.
His visit to the United Arab Emirates is the last leg of a US State Department-sponsored trip that has already taken him to Bahrain and Qatar.
The aim of the visit was for Abdul Rauf to "talk about Muslim life in America" and his "work promoting inter-faith dialogue," according to a statement by the US embassy in Abu Dhabi announcing the visit.
The plan to build the Islamic centre that is to include a prayer space, near the site of the World Trade Center that was destroyed in the September 11, 2001 attacks, has fueled a political furore in the United States.
Proponents say the centre would be a platform for promoting inter-faith dialogue and tolerance. Opponents, some of whom have termed the centre the "Ground Zero mosque," say it is insensitive to build it near the site of the attacks.
Planners say the centre will include an area for prayer, sports facilities, theatre and restaurant, and would be open to the public.
Construction of the centre, a 100-million-dollar (79-million-euro), 13-storey glass-and-metal building to be built on private property, has been approved by city officials.
Abdul Rauf has been the imam of a mosque twelve blocks from "Ground Zero" for the past 27 years, according to the website of the Cordoba Initiative, an organisation promoting inter-faith dialogue and understanding, which he founded.
Source: http://www.islamtribune.com
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Key Quranic Values of Deen-ul-Islam
The word "Deen" is a significant term used in the Qur'an and could mean... way of life, framework for governance, recompense, reward, requital, judgment, dominion, obedience, religion or natural order. The word has been used in the Holy Qur'an in all these senses (Qur'an 4:125, 5:3, 12:76, 24:2, 3:85, 37:53, 3:83). The fact that over fifty percent of Islamic Law pertains to mu'amalah social relations, emphasizes social relations as an essential component of the Deen (Islamic Way of Life) and clearly indicates the significance of social relations to human existence.
Rituals and Values
When we look at the 'religious' dimension of Deen, we find that it consists of beliefs, dogmas, traditions, practices and rituals. A believer born in a religious tradition inherits all this and believes that every thing he or she has inherited is an essential and integral part of religion. For him/her rituals are as important and integral as the values. However, while rituals are performed regularly, values are often either violated, neglected or practiced merely symbolically. Rituals, however, are observed far more meticulously than adherence to the essential values which are in fact more fundamental to the Faith.
Key Qur'anic Values
Though many misconceptions about Islam prevail, both among Muslims and non-Muslims: these arise from dogmatism on the one hand, and from lack of information on the other. Getting familiar with the key values of the Deen as expounded in the Qur'an could clear much of the confusion.
Among the key terms used in the Qur'an that constitute major themes in Islamic ethos are ...rahmah compassion, 'adl justice, ihsan benevolence, 'aql reason and hikmah wisdom. These values are characteristics of the Divine and we have been commanded (takhallaqu bi akhlaqillah) to inculcate in ourselves these divine values; values which are all inextricably linked to each other.
Rahmah The words Rahman and Rahim are derived from the root rhm, which signifies tenderness, care, consideration, affection- requiring the exercise of beneficence, goodness, love, compassion, benevolence and mercy. Allah says in the Qur'an, "My rahmah encompasses everything." (Q 7:155). To indicate the intensity and comprehensiveness of the Mercy of Allah, two intensive forms of the word rahmah are used side by side and in opening verse of the Qur'an (Surah al- Fatihah) it is repeated in the third verse as an independent ayah (Ar- Rahman-ir-Rahim). As a matter of fact, no other attribute of Allah as so often been stressed in the Holy Book (over 300 times) than the Divine attribute of Rahmah. At the very threshold of one's study of the Sacred Scripture, one is ushered into the awareness of the Creator and made conscious of His Holy Presence and reminded of His boundless grace and limitless Mercy.
The Qur'an emphasizes the fact that the Revealer (Allah), the Messenger (Muhammad) and the Message (Qur'an) are embodiments of mercy. (Q1:1 & 6:12, 21:107, 17:82) and Believers are those who manifest mercy as the Prophet instructed that if you do not show mercy then no mercy wil be shown to you ; while Sayyidna 'Ali challenged us... How do you expect the complete mercy of the Most Merciful , when the Most Merciful is most merciful to those who are merciful to others?
'Adl Justice is paramount in Islam; 'Adl - Qist - Justice is...
*
A major mission of all Prophets (peace be upon them) was the "establishment of justice among people" (Q 57:25)
*
"Allah commands justice and goodness in everything" (Q 16:90)
*
Justice is an individual and collective responsibility. Allah inspired the Prophet with the saying ... "O my worshippers! I have made injustice unlawful for Myself, and have forbidden injustice among you; so do not be unjust."
*
We are divinely commanded "to stand up for justice as witnesses to Allah" under all circumstances and without any discrimination to any one whatsoever. (Q 4:135, Q 5:8)
*
Manifesting justice is equated to piety. "Be just, that is closest to piety" (Q 5:8)
*
Endearing to Allah. Allah loves those who are just (Q 60:8), and Allah sides not with the unjust (Q 3:57).
Ihsan Benevolence and justice are the most comprehensive commands of Islam after Faith. In the Qur'anic terminology, 'adl and ihsan go together (Q 16:90), for justice must be tempered with benevolence. Rigorous justice sometimes may have an adverse impact and hence requires the gentle influence of benevolence. Benevolence ihsan has its independent significance but is also complementary to compassion rahmah. Ihsan reinforces rahmah while also infusing human relationships with meaning. Since Allah is Muhsin/Benevolent, his servants must also be benevolent in their attitude and behavior and in all social relations.
Part of the fruits of faith is the commitment of the faithful to do good while avoiding the wrong and the harmful (Q 3:110).The very presence of the Believer should be a source of benefit, a resource for goodness whose every action reflects ihsan goodness (Q 16:90); and Allah surely loves the muhsinin those who manifest goodness (Q 2:195).
'Aql Divine revelation addresses the intellect (Q 2:242), the seat of understanding (Q 13:4). The Qur'an also uses synonymous terms such as tafakkur thinking (Q 30:21) and tadabbur reflection (Q 47:24). Reason is a gift from God, a faculty that plays a key role even in deciding right from wrong and good from bad. Qur'an addresses intellect (Q 12:2) Reason is not sufficient by itself and can be used both for good as well as for evil. One can use reason to promote self-interest also, as is often done. Reason, it must be noted, is an instrument, not a goal and the exercise of it is essential for understanding and implementing the Deen. The Prophet warned, that person who does not exercise the intellect has no Deen.
Hikmah Wisdom is reason synthesized with higher values of compassion, justice and benevolence. Hikmah (Q 16:125) is concerned with reason as an instrument for the promotion of higher values that lead to spiritual growth, inner peace and happiness. Allah thus informs us of the high estimation of wisdom by saying, whosoever has been granted hikmah has been granted tremendous good. (Q 2:269)
Synthesis of Values
A true Believer synthesizes all these values of rahmah compassion, 'adl justice, ihsan benevolence, 'aql reason, hikmah wisdom; and imbibes them as part of his or her character and manifesting these in all levels of his or her existence.
Source: http://www.islamicity.com
Rituals and Values
When we look at the 'religious' dimension of Deen, we find that it consists of beliefs, dogmas, traditions, practices and rituals. A believer born in a religious tradition inherits all this and believes that every thing he or she has inherited is an essential and integral part of religion. For him/her rituals are as important and integral as the values. However, while rituals are performed regularly, values are often either violated, neglected or practiced merely symbolically. Rituals, however, are observed far more meticulously than adherence to the essential values which are in fact more fundamental to the Faith.
Key Qur'anic Values
Though many misconceptions about Islam prevail, both among Muslims and non-Muslims: these arise from dogmatism on the one hand, and from lack of information on the other. Getting familiar with the key values of the Deen as expounded in the Qur'an could clear much of the confusion.
Among the key terms used in the Qur'an that constitute major themes in Islamic ethos are ...rahmah compassion, 'adl justice, ihsan benevolence, 'aql reason and hikmah wisdom. These values are characteristics of the Divine and we have been commanded (takhallaqu bi akhlaqillah) to inculcate in ourselves these divine values; values which are all inextricably linked to each other.
Rahmah The words Rahman and Rahim are derived from the root rhm, which signifies tenderness, care, consideration, affection- requiring the exercise of beneficence, goodness, love, compassion, benevolence and mercy. Allah says in the Qur'an, "My rahmah encompasses everything." (Q 7:155). To indicate the intensity and comprehensiveness of the Mercy of Allah, two intensive forms of the word rahmah are used side by side and in opening verse of the Qur'an (Surah al- Fatihah) it is repeated in the third verse as an independent ayah (Ar- Rahman-ir-Rahim). As a matter of fact, no other attribute of Allah as so often been stressed in the Holy Book (over 300 times) than the Divine attribute of Rahmah. At the very threshold of one's study of the Sacred Scripture, one is ushered into the awareness of the Creator and made conscious of His Holy Presence and reminded of His boundless grace and limitless Mercy.
The Qur'an emphasizes the fact that the Revealer (Allah), the Messenger (Muhammad) and the Message (Qur'an) are embodiments of mercy. (Q1:1 & 6:12, 21:107, 17:82) and Believers are those who manifest mercy as the Prophet instructed that if you do not show mercy then no mercy wil be shown to you ; while Sayyidna 'Ali challenged us... How do you expect the complete mercy of the Most Merciful , when the Most Merciful is most merciful to those who are merciful to others?
'Adl Justice is paramount in Islam; 'Adl - Qist - Justice is...
*
A major mission of all Prophets (peace be upon them) was the "establishment of justice among people" (Q 57:25)
*
"Allah commands justice and goodness in everything" (Q 16:90)
*
Justice is an individual and collective responsibility. Allah inspired the Prophet with the saying ... "O my worshippers! I have made injustice unlawful for Myself, and have forbidden injustice among you; so do not be unjust."
*
We are divinely commanded "to stand up for justice as witnesses to Allah" under all circumstances and without any discrimination to any one whatsoever. (Q 4:135, Q 5:8)
*
Manifesting justice is equated to piety. "Be just, that is closest to piety" (Q 5:8)
*
Endearing to Allah. Allah loves those who are just (Q 60:8), and Allah sides not with the unjust (Q 3:57).
Ihsan Benevolence and justice are the most comprehensive commands of Islam after Faith. In the Qur'anic terminology, 'adl and ihsan go together (Q 16:90), for justice must be tempered with benevolence. Rigorous justice sometimes may have an adverse impact and hence requires the gentle influence of benevolence. Benevolence ihsan has its independent significance but is also complementary to compassion rahmah. Ihsan reinforces rahmah while also infusing human relationships with meaning. Since Allah is Muhsin/Benevolent, his servants must also be benevolent in their attitude and behavior and in all social relations.
Part of the fruits of faith is the commitment of the faithful to do good while avoiding the wrong and the harmful (Q 3:110).The very presence of the Believer should be a source of benefit, a resource for goodness whose every action reflects ihsan goodness (Q 16:90); and Allah surely loves the muhsinin those who manifest goodness (Q 2:195).
'Aql Divine revelation addresses the intellect (Q 2:242), the seat of understanding (Q 13:4). The Qur'an also uses synonymous terms such as tafakkur thinking (Q 30:21) and tadabbur reflection (Q 47:24). Reason is a gift from God, a faculty that plays a key role even in deciding right from wrong and good from bad. Qur'an addresses intellect (Q 12:2) Reason is not sufficient by itself and can be used both for good as well as for evil. One can use reason to promote self-interest also, as is often done. Reason, it must be noted, is an instrument, not a goal and the exercise of it is essential for understanding and implementing the Deen. The Prophet warned, that person who does not exercise the intellect has no Deen.
Hikmah Wisdom is reason synthesized with higher values of compassion, justice and benevolence. Hikmah (Q 16:125) is concerned with reason as an instrument for the promotion of higher values that lead to spiritual growth, inner peace and happiness. Allah thus informs us of the high estimation of wisdom by saying, whosoever has been granted hikmah has been granted tremendous good. (Q 2:269)
Synthesis of Values
A true Believer synthesizes all these values of rahmah compassion, 'adl justice, ihsan benevolence, 'aql reason, hikmah wisdom; and imbibes them as part of his or her character and manifesting these in all levels of his or her existence.
Source: http://www.islamicity.com
Islam has long history downtown: Why the 'Ground Zero mosque' belongs in lower Manhattan
Rick Lazio, the gubernatorial candidate from Suffolk County, doesn't like it. Sarah Palin, though not exactly a New Yorker, has resoundingly "refudiated" it. More importantly, plenty of ordinary citizens vocally oppose the establishment of a Muslim community center and mosque near the World Trade Center site.
But no matter how offensive their presence may be to some people, Muslims have always been a part of lower Manhattan's past. In fact, Islam in New York began near Ground Zero. From an historical perspective, there could hardly be a better place for a mosque.
One of the first Arab-American enclaves in New York City was located on Washington St. in lower Manhattan - the very area in which the World Trade Center was later built. Founded by Arabic-speaking Christians and Muslims from Ottoman Syria in the 1880s, it was called Little Syria.
The heart of Little Syria was full of outdoor cafes where non-Arab visitors sometimes gawked at men smoking hookahs and trading gossip about the Ottoman Empire. In a 1903 article, the New York Times called the neighborhood "quaint," noting the "uniform politeness" of its inhabitants.
Source: http://islamonline.com
But no matter how offensive their presence may be to some people, Muslims have always been a part of lower Manhattan's past. In fact, Islam in New York began near Ground Zero. From an historical perspective, there could hardly be a better place for a mosque.
One of the first Arab-American enclaves in New York City was located on Washington St. in lower Manhattan - the very area in which the World Trade Center was later built. Founded by Arabic-speaking Christians and Muslims from Ottoman Syria in the 1880s, it was called Little Syria.
The heart of Little Syria was full of outdoor cafes where non-Arab visitors sometimes gawked at men smoking hookahs and trading gossip about the Ottoman Empire. In a 1903 article, the New York Times called the neighborhood "quaint," noting the "uniform politeness" of its inhabitants.
Source: http://islamonline.com
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Women IN Islam
At a time when the rest of the world, from Greece and Rome to India and China, considered women as no better than children or even slaves, with no rights whatsoever, Islam acknowledged women's equality with men in a great many respects. The Quran states:
"And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest and peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Certainly, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect." [Noble Quran 30:21]
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manners and kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]
Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were created from the same soul. Both were equally guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and Allah forgave both. Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the fact that the first person to convert to Islam was Khadijah, the wife of Muhammad, whom he both loved and respected. His favorite wife after Khadijah's death, Ayshah, became renowned as a scholar and one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature. Many of the female Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and throughout Islamic history there have been famous and influential scholars and jurists.
We might also mention that while many in the West criticize Islam with regard to the treatment of women, in fact a number of Muslim countries have had women rulers and presidents. To name a few: Turkey; Bangladesh and Pakistan.
With regard to education, both women and men have the same rights and obligations. This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:
"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer." [Ibn Majah]
This implies men and women.
A woman is to be treated as God has endowed her, with rights, such as to be treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of her own property and earnings, enter into contracts, even after marriage. She has the right to be educated and to work outside the home if she so chooses. She has the right to inherit from her father, mother, and husband. A very interesting point to note is that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of communal prayer, for a group of women.
A Muslim woman also has obligations. All the laws and regulations pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc., apply to women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to do with female physiology.
Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic law is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for marriage. The groom gives a marriage dowry to the bride for her own personal use. She keeps her own family name, rather than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman has the right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young children. She does not return the dowry, except in a few unusual situations.
Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have not always adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the ideal has been there for 1,400 years, while virtually all other major civilizations did not begin to address these issues or change their negative attitudes until the 19th and 20th centuries, and there are still many contemporary civilizations which have yet to do so.
"And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you from yourselves that you may find rest and peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Certainly, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect." [Noble Quran 30:21]
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manners and kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]
Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were created from the same soul. Both were equally guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and Allah forgave both. Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the fact that the first person to convert to Islam was Khadijah, the wife of Muhammad, whom he both loved and respected. His favorite wife after Khadijah's death, Ayshah, became renowned as a scholar and one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature. Many of the female Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and throughout Islamic history there have been famous and influential scholars and jurists.
We might also mention that while many in the West criticize Islam with regard to the treatment of women, in fact a number of Muslim countries have had women rulers and presidents. To name a few: Turkey; Bangladesh and Pakistan.
With regard to education, both women and men have the same rights and obligations. This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:
"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer." [Ibn Majah]
This implies men and women.
A woman is to be treated as God has endowed her, with rights, such as to be treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of her own property and earnings, enter into contracts, even after marriage. She has the right to be educated and to work outside the home if she so chooses. She has the right to inherit from her father, mother, and husband. A very interesting point to note is that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of communal prayer, for a group of women.
A Muslim woman also has obligations. All the laws and regulations pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc., apply to women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to do with female physiology.
Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic law is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for marriage. The groom gives a marriage dowry to the bride for her own personal use. She keeps her own family name, rather than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman has the right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young children. She does not return the dowry, except in a few unusual situations.
Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have not always adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the ideal has been there for 1,400 years, while virtually all other major civilizations did not begin to address these issues or change their negative attitudes until the 19th and 20th centuries, and there are still many contemporary civilizations which have yet to do so.
Friday, August 27, 2010
CAIR Asks Fla. Tea Party to Drop Anti-Islam Speaker
Keynote speaker is leader of hate group who says Muslims should be barred from public office
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/16/10) -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today called on a Tea Party group in Florida to drop an extremist anti-Islam speaker who has stated that Muslims should not be allowed to hold public office, that an American Muslim "cannot be a loyal citizen" and that Islam is the "real enemy."
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the group Emerald Coast Tea Party Patriots has invited Brigitte Gabriel, the head of the anti-Islam hate group ACT! for America, to be the keynote speaker at its "U.S. Constitution Freedom Rally" on August 21 in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
SEE: U.S. Constitution Freedom Rally
CAIR is also calling on political candidates scheduled to appear at the event, including GOP Senate candidate Marco Rubio, to cancel their appearances unless Gabriel is dropped as a speaker.
That request comes just a day after CAIR offered support for an NAACP resolution passed earlier this week asking the Tea Party movement to condemn racism within its ranks.
SEE: CAIR Backs NAACP Resolution on Tea Party Racism
CAIR has also learned that California "Tea Party activists" are scheduled to be trained by ACT! for America on July 20 about "how to be an effective activist against Political Islam and its threat to our way of life."
SEE: ACT! for AMERICA: Basic Training Class 101
"Now is the time for Tea Party leaders to clearly demonstrate that their movement will not allow itself to be associated with bigotry of any kind, including Islamophobia," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
Hooper noted that along with her stated desire to have Muslims barred from public office, Gabriel has also claimed that Arabs "have no soul" and that Muslims worship "something they call 'Allah,' which is very different from the God we believe [in]."
SEE: A Case Study in Sincere Hypocrisy: Brigitte Gabriel
Video: Brigitte Gabriel Says Arabs Have No Souls
Earlier this year, a person staffing an ACT! for America information table in Florida was caught on video bragging that he desecrated the Quran, Islam's revealed text, and urinates in the washing stations Muslims use to perform their ritual ablutions (wudu) for prayer.
SEE: Person at ACT! for America Table in Fla. Brags of Desecrating Quran
Gabriel told the Australian Jewish News: “Every practising Muslim is a radical Muslim.” She also claimed that “Islamo-fascism is a politically-correct word. . .it's the vehicle for Islam. . .Islam is the problem.”
When asked whether Americans should “resist Muslims who want to seek political office in this nation," Gabriel said:
"Absolutely. If a Muslim who has -- who is -- a practicing Muslim who believes the word of the Koran to be the word of Allah, who abides by Islam, who goes to mosque and prays every Friday, who prays five times a day -- this practicing Muslim, who believes in the teachings of the Koran, cannot be a loyal citizen to the United States of America."
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
Source: http://islamonline.com
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 7/16/10) -- A prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization today called on a Tea Party group in Florida to drop an extremist anti-Islam speaker who has stated that Muslims should not be allowed to hold public office, that an American Muslim "cannot be a loyal citizen" and that Islam is the "real enemy."
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the group Emerald Coast Tea Party Patriots has invited Brigitte Gabriel, the head of the anti-Islam hate group ACT! for America, to be the keynote speaker at its "U.S. Constitution Freedom Rally" on August 21 in Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
SEE: U.S. Constitution Freedom Rally
CAIR is also calling on political candidates scheduled to appear at the event, including GOP Senate candidate Marco Rubio, to cancel their appearances unless Gabriel is dropped as a speaker.
That request comes just a day after CAIR offered support for an NAACP resolution passed earlier this week asking the Tea Party movement to condemn racism within its ranks.
SEE: CAIR Backs NAACP Resolution on Tea Party Racism
CAIR has also learned that California "Tea Party activists" are scheduled to be trained by ACT! for America on July 20 about "how to be an effective activist against Political Islam and its threat to our way of life."
SEE: ACT! for AMERICA: Basic Training Class 101
"Now is the time for Tea Party leaders to clearly demonstrate that their movement will not allow itself to be associated with bigotry of any kind, including Islamophobia," said CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
Hooper noted that along with her stated desire to have Muslims barred from public office, Gabriel has also claimed that Arabs "have no soul" and that Muslims worship "something they call 'Allah,' which is very different from the God we believe [in]."
SEE: A Case Study in Sincere Hypocrisy: Brigitte Gabriel
Video: Brigitte Gabriel Says Arabs Have No Souls
Earlier this year, a person staffing an ACT! for America information table in Florida was caught on video bragging that he desecrated the Quran, Islam's revealed text, and urinates in the washing stations Muslims use to perform their ritual ablutions (wudu) for prayer.
SEE: Person at ACT! for America Table in Fla. Brags of Desecrating Quran
Gabriel told the Australian Jewish News: “Every practising Muslim is a radical Muslim.” She also claimed that “Islamo-fascism is a politically-correct word. . .it's the vehicle for Islam. . .Islam is the problem.”
When asked whether Americans should “resist Muslims who want to seek political office in this nation," Gabriel said:
"Absolutely. If a Muslim who has -- who is -- a practicing Muslim who believes the word of the Koran to be the word of Allah, who abides by Islam, who goes to mosque and prays every Friday, who prays five times a day -- this practicing Muslim, who believes in the teachings of the Koran, cannot be a loyal citizen to the United States of America."
CAIR is America's largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
Source: http://islamonline.com
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