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Jesus: The Perfect Sufi Master
February 28, 2010 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Sadia Dhlvi
Feb.15 : I grew up in an Irish convent boarding; regularly attending the school church and studying the Bible. Since then I have felt connected with Prophet Jesus and Virgin Mary. It is amazing how understanding another religion can bring one closer to one's own faith, traditions. I love Jesus for He is Ruh Allah, the Spirit of God, and like Adam carries the Breath of Divinity.
I love Mary, the beloved friend of God who in Islam stands at the summit of the hierarchy of women.
Every faith depends upon the Divine word, which may manifest itself in a book or man. In Christianity the word is Christ, and the New Testament is an inspired history of the Word made Flesh, whereas Judaism and Islam are based on the word made Book.
Today, if the followers of Jesus, Moses and Mohammad are at odds, it is not because of the their teachings, but despite their unifying message of the Oneness of God. Islam, the last of the three Semitic monotheistic religions, incorporates all the prophets from the lineage of Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and Isa (Jesus). According to the Quran there has never been a time when God did not send messengers who did not speak the language of the people. "Nothing is said to thee that was not said to the apostles before thee". (41:43) Interestingly, there exists more references to Mariam (Mary) in the Quran than in the New Testament.
Prophet Muhammad (s) said, "Both in this world and in the Hereafter, I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary. The Prophets are brothers of the same father with different mothers, and their religion is one. I am the closest in relationship to Jesus, the son of Mary, because there was no prophet between him and me. Jesus will descend. If you see him, then know him. He is a man of a moderately ruddy complexion. He will be wearing two faintly yellow garments. His hair will seem to have drops of water upon it, even though it will not be wet".
Sufis have forever expressed profound reverence for Jesus, regarding him a perfect Sufi Master and knower of Divine mysteries. Jesus said, "It is to those who are worthy of my mysteries that I tell my mysteries. I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I found all of them intoxicated; I found none of them thirsty. And my soul became afflicted for the son of men, because they are blind in their hearts and do not have sight; for empty they came into the world, and empty too they seek to leave the world. Whoever has come to understand the world has found only a corpse, and whoever has found a corpse is superior to the world. Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let him renounce the world. Become passers-by."
Jesus declared, "I am the Master, I am the way". As the Spirit of God, Jesus is pure compassion, a Godly attribute that Sufis seek to manifest in their own spirits. Through the centuries, Jesus and Mary have played significant roles in Sufi thought and poetry.
Rumi writes:
The hermitage of Jesus
Is the Sufi's table spread
Take heed, O sick one,
Never forsake this doorway.
Fariduddin Attar praises the Spirit of God:
When God shadowed grace on the breath of Jesus
The world was filled with passion.
Sadia Dehlvi is a Delhi-based writer and author of Sufism: The Heart of Islam.
BMUC Hosts Muslim Youth Pep Talk
February 4, 2010 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Adil James, MMNS
Bloomfield—January 29—What will become of the next generation of Muslims? The Bloomfield Unity Center (BMUC) held a session to host and encourage Muslim youths to use their Muslim identity to avoid becoming lost to forces of dissipation such as drugs, indolence, and undirected professional growth.
The focus of the seminar was "living with a purpose," and several speakers at the center spoke about the greatness of Sahaba for example, to build in the youth a love of Islam to shield them against the distractions which surround them.
Perhaps the most inspiring story of the seminar was one about the Companion Mu'adh ibn Jabal (ra), who was one of four Sahaba that Prophet (s) said to go to to learn Qur`an–the speaker explained that he had made ziyara to that Companion's maqam, and it had been filled with a smell of musk, but the imam of the mosque explained that although the mosque always had that beautiful smell of musk, in all his years working at the maqam he had never seen anybody put one drop of musk there.
Another was a quote from Imam Ghazali, who said that his most beloved thing was what goes into graves with you, namely good deeds.
The keynote speaker of the event was Sister Aminah Assilmi, who spoke on the importance of facing difficulties, and described how she faced serious difficulties that she encountered, symbolized by a stone that caused her to fall dangerously. Ms. Assilmi converted to Islam from a Southern Baptist family and faced brutal isolation from her family. Her conversion story is very funny–she first socialized with Arabs with the full intention of converting them from Islam to Christianity. Her sincere attempt to convert the Muslims resulted in her reading Qur`an carefully over a period of years and resulted in her eventually becoming Muslim.
43% of Americans Admit to Feeling Some Prejudice toward Muslims
February 4, 2010 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Analysis by the Gallup Center for Muslim Studies
WASHINGTON, D.C. — More than 4 in 10 Americans (43%) admit to feeling at least "a little" prejudice toward Muslims — more than twice the number who say the same about Christians (18%), Jews (15%) and Buddhists (14%). The findings are based on a new Gallup Center for Muslim Studies report, "Religious Perceptions in America: With an In-Depth Analysis of U.S. Attitudes Toward Muslims and Islam," released Thursday.
In a separate question asking Americans to express their overall view about each of the four religions evaluated, Islam is the most negatively viewed. Nearly one-third of Americans (31%) say their opinion of Islam is "not favorable at all" versus 9% who say their opinion is "very favorable." This stands in contrast to Americans' views of Christianity and Judaism, which are far more likely to be "very favorable" than "not favorable at all," while Buddhism draws almost equally positive and negative opinions at the extremes. Gallup conducted the nationwide U.S. survey between Oct. 31 and Nov. 13, 2009, spanning the Fort Hood shooting in which a U.S.-born Muslim military doctor killed 13 people on the Army base on Nov. 5.
The new report further explores variables that are associated with extreme prejudice ("a great deal") toward followers of Islam as well as variables that may be related to lack of prejudice. To download the full report, go to www.muslimwestfacts.com. Key findings from the report will also be released next month in Cairo, Egypt. The Gallup Center for Muslim Studies conducts its Washington, D.C., and Cairo launches with its Muslim West Facts partner, the Coexist Foundation.
Survey Methods
Results for this Gallup Panel study are based on telephone interviews with 1,002 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Oct.31-Nov.13, 2009. Gallup Panel members are recruited through random selection methods. The panel is weighted so that it is demographically representative of the U.S. adult population. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3.4 percentage points.In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.
The Muslim Population in Haiti
Pallbearers carry Royal Canadian Mounted Police Chief Superintendent Doug Coates in Ottawa January 27. Coates died in the Haiti earthquake. REUTERS/Chris Wattie |
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (Reuters) — Tucked away on a corner of the Haitian capital's dusty, congested Delmas Road, a modest white building bears a curious sign, painstakingly stenciled in green Western and Arabic script.
"Mosquee Al-Fatiha," it reads. "Communaute Musulmane d'Haiti."
An attendant splashing water on the ground greets a visitor who approaches the gate. "As-salaam aleikum [peace be upon you]," he says, breaking into a smile. "Welcome to the mosque."
Haiti, the Caribbean nation closely associated with the African-derived faith of voodoo, is home to a small but growing community of Muslims. Two Islamic centers in the capital of Port-au-Prince are among nearly a dozen around the country started by those who have converted to the faith.
Officials with the major Islamic groups estimate there are between 4,000 and 5,000 Muslims in Haiti, a nation of about 8 million people.
In the lanes of the historic Carrefour-Feuilles quarter, a neighborhood that snakes up the mountains surrounding Port-au-Prince, a plangent, timeless sound echoes.
Among the market women haggling over prices while portable radios blare popular Haitian "compas" music, the muezzin's call to prayer goes forth from a new Islamic masjeed, or prayer center.
"Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha ila Allah," — "God is greater, God is greater, there is no god but God."
Haiti is about 80 percent Catholic and 20 percent Protestant, according to State Department figures, while some 85 percent of its people regularly practice voodoo.
Muslims noticeable in cities
But followers of Islam have recently stepped into the public eye. Muslim men distinctive in their kufi headwear and finely groomed beards, and women in traditional scarves, are now seen on the streets of several cities.
Nawoon Marcellus, who comes from the northern city of San Raphael, recently became the first Muslim elected to the Chamber of Deputies, Haiti's lower house of parliament.
"I returned to Haiti in 1985 just to preach Islam," said Abdul Al-Ali, the Delmas mosque's white-bearded, commanding imam, or spiritual leader. "I converted while I was in Canada and we bought the space for the mosque in 1993."
"Haitians would like to have the truth and Islam will bring it to them. If we follow Allah, peace be upon him, I think things can change."
In impoverished Haiti, beset by a faltering economy, malnutrition, political violence and a two-year-old electoral dispute that has led to a freeze on $500 million of international aid, some converts find the attention Islam devotes to charity and social justice particularly appealing.
"If you see someone who is in need, the ones who need help, whether it's education, money or what have you, we Haitians as a whole tend to be very generous in helping with one another," said Racin Ganga, the imam of the Carrefour Feuilles center, who attended college and was introduced to Islam in New York.
"Those who don't have anything tend to help out. It is in some way inborn to us as Haitians, as well as Muslims, to help out. So that principle of responsibility, of helping those less fortunate, resonated very well."
Yacine Khelladi, an Algerian economist who has conducted an informal survey of the religion in Haiti, said in its idealized form, Islam could address many of Haiti's needs, including social justice, literacy and a sense of community.
"It even regulates business, land disputes, banking and other things — all of which could be perceived as attractive in Haiti as an alternative model," Khelladi said.
Inspiring revisionist history.
The study of Islam has also resulted in some provocative new theories about Haitian history, including a revisionist view of Boukman, a rebel slave who inspired other slaves to rise up against their colonial masters.
"Boukman was never a voodoo priest, like they say; he was a Muslim," said Samaki Foussoyni, a worshiper at the Delmas mosque.
"When they describe his name, Boukman, in English, as he was from Jamaica, they are really describing 'book man,' because of the book he was always reading, which the French here in Haiti always referred to as an "upside-down" book," Foussoyni said.
"They described it as such because it was the Koran, which you read left to right. When they say they had a voodoo ceremony at Bois Cayman, where Boukman lived, it was in fact 'Bwa Kay Imam,' or 'the woods of the house of the imam' in Creole."
Although the mosques are locally maintained and receive no assistance from Islamic charities abroad, the nascent faith got an international boost from the U.S.-led military force that entered Haiti in 1994 to restore exiled President Jean-Bertrand Aristide to power.
"The Pakistani and Bangladeshi soldiers came to our mosque to pray and enjoy our faith and they encouraged us with this belief," Al-Ali said.
Conscious of their status as outsiders in overtly voodoo and Catholic Haiti, a nation that endured decades of dictatorship and brutal military repression, Muslims are quick to stress the peaceful nature of their faith and to distance themselves from the September 11 attacks on the United States.
"Allah says that if a man kills another man it is as if he has killed all humanity," said Racin Ganga. "The people who did what they did in New York, they are not even human. Islamic people should use the weapon of their love, because violence, as we've seen here in Haiti, will not take us anywhere."
1st Annual IONA Islam Conference
January 9, 2010 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Adil James, MMNS
Warren–January 2–IONA held its first annual Islam conference this past Saturday evening at IONA.
Two speakers were invited to the event, Imam Dawud Walid, Executive Director of CAIR Michigan, and Amir Abdul Malik Ali, a Muslim activist from Oakland California.
They both spoke on secularism and American democracy, Dawud Walif focusing on how American democracy and history includes elements of Islam, and Ali focusing instead on distinctions and points of conflict between the Islamic and Western worlds and world views.
Both focused on Islam as a non-religion, which may be a thesis that most people would disagree with. The underlying argument is that Muslims must be involved in political life, because Islam is a "deen" which both speakers translated ast "way of life," rather than as "religion."
As a first such event from IONA, it was interesting that the underlying message echoed the previous speech at the center by a non-Muslim proponent of the thesis that Islam is not a religion, rather a kind of political awakening movement, Prof. Robert Shedinger (who spoke there on October 24th of 2009, reported on in TMO V11-I45). Shedinger argues that Jesus was Muslim, as a corollary to his argument that Islam is not a religion.
Shedinger's companion argument is that the effort to define Islam as a religion rather than a way of life was imposed by non-Muslims in an effort to stem the efforts of Muslims to be politically involved, for example in combating colonialism.
It is surprising that the radical idea of Islam's being just another worldly movement is gaining among Muslims, but apparently the IONA conference documents the spread of this idea.
Christmas Infectious in Middle East
By Sumayyah Meehan, MMNS Middle East Correspondent
Strands of colorful Christmas lights adorn the shop windows of too many stores to count, as employees decked out in red Santa hats greet customers with cheerful holiday grins. However, the setting is not in the suburbs of America but rather in the sand swept deserts of the Middle East. The majority of countries that make up the Middle East exercise religious freedom, which is in accordance with the religion of Islam. In many parts of the region Churches often reside on the same streets as Mosques and religious symbols, from Crucifixes to Buddhas, can be seen hanging from people's necks and even rear view mirrors.
However, freedom of religion is primarily tolerated in the more liberal Gulf States while other Middle East countries, like Saudi Arabia, have a zero tolerance policy for any religion other than Islam. Churches and other religious buildings, other than Mosques, are strictly forbidden while displaying religious symbols in public are considered to be crimes punishable by imprisonment, lashings or deportation.
The large Christian population residing in the Middle East is the main reason why Christian holidays like Christmas are celebrated with such fanfare. The region is renowned for its' hospitality towards guests. And encouraging a non-Muslim holiday to be celebrated in a Muslim country is just one of the many ways Gulf countries extend a hand of understanding to its non-Muslim inhabitants. Many Christians living in the Middle East put their own spin on Christmas and make it just as memorable as Christmases of the past back in their homelands.
In the city of Dubai, in the UAE, shoppers are greeted by a bedazzled 50-foot Christmas tree at Wafi City Mall which also boasts its very own 'Santa's Village'. In Kuwait, all of the 5-star hotels and restaurants offer a Christmas feast fit for a king as guests dine on roasted turkey with all the trimmings while Nat King Cole Christmas songs play in the background. The only thing missing from the menu is the Christmas ham, as pork is forbidden in most Middle East countries. However, it can still be found on the 'Black Market' most likely in an aluminum can or dried into meat jerky. In Bahrain, Christian members of the expatriate community often host their own Christmas parties and exchange gifts between one another. Christmas carols and singing programs are widespread in the western schools of most Gulf States.
And while Saudi Arabia forbids wanton public displays of religion, with the exception of Islam, the government does allow its expatriate community to celebrate Christmas within the privacy of their own homes. Granted, sticking a glittering Christmas tree in the front window could land any holidaymaker in the slammer, but an inconspicuous tree tucked safely away from being seen is acceptable. However, Christians in Saudi Arabia are hard pressed to find decorations for the aforementioned tree let alone the tree itself, although it is possible to find tinsel and baubles in the expatriate underground. Clever shopkeepers also do their part in offering a few Christmas items for their Christian customers. Tiny Christmas tree bulbs can often be found in the jewelry section of some stores and the odd plastic fir tree and even strands of lights can be found in the toy section, as many Asian expatriates use them year round to secularly decorate their homes. Many Christians in Saudi Arabia have also taken to making their own decorations, such as strings of popcorn and baked ornaments made of cinnamon paste.
The Prophet Muhammad (s) was an exemplar in religious freedom and never persecuted anyone based on his or her religious beliefs. So it is only natural for the holiday of Christmas to be welcome in the conservative Middle East, even though the degrees to which it is publicly celebrated varies as much as all those colorful bulbs strewn up on a tree.
Students Report on Islam in Unique Course
December 24, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Alexandra Carter, UPIU.com
Left: Students speak with Professor Geri Alumit Zeldes after the "Reporting on Islam" class at Michigan State University; Right: Professor Zeldes distributes graded story revisions for the "Reporting on Islam" course.
Photos by Alexandra Carter
EAST LANSING, Mich., Dec. 11 (UPI) — A new course at Michigan State University teaches students how to deal with the complexities of reporting on Islam in a post-Sept. 11 world.
This semester, students wrote about holiday celebrations and about how Muslim students feel about American university life. They also analyzed news reports on Islam from around the world in the new, "Reporting on Islam" course at Michigan State University.
"[The course] definitely made me uncomfortable at times, but honestly, that is how I know it was worthwhile," said Dan Redford, a student. "It helped me experience a part of the world and this country that I never had before."
Students uploaded the stories they wrote and the photos they took to UPIU.com, a service of United Press International for university students. Professor Geri Alumit Zeldes said that she wanted the class to submit its stories to UPIU to "have an outlet, other than me, to share their stories."
Of the 14 registered students in the course, half had at least one of their stories published online through UPIU. Student Andrew Norman's story on Islamic punk music was featured in blog in The San Francisco Sentinel and Wall Street Journal.
Student Brian J. Bowe said that using Web tools such as Skype to talk to people in other countries helped "shrink the world," an exciting aspect of the course.
"Those classroom interactions with people in places like Iraq, Iran and India enriched the experience for me," Bowe said. "One of the problems in media portrayals of Islam is that we're frequently talking about Muslims, but not to Muslims. Using technology, we were able to bridge cultures and have very profound dialogues."
Students also talked to Muslims who live in Michigan as sources for some articles.
"I found our visit to [the Islamic Center of East Lansing] highly beneficial. I would have been timid about going there alone," said student Jennifer Hoewe. "Since I was joined by my classmates and welcomed by those who attended the mosque, I felt comfortable enough to go again by myself later in the semester as part of an article I wrote."
The new class comes as students across the United States are showing more interest in Islam and in academic topics affiliated with the faith. Three of the students in "Reporting on Islam" studied Arabic, two of them through the university's Arabic department, which had roughly 150 students enrolled in classes this fall.
Several of the students in "Reporting on Islam" also are in the Muslim Studies specialization program, which was created by Professor Mohammed Ayoob after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. The reporting course was just one of many offered this semester under this specialization, along with classes in arts and humanities, public affairs, religion, political science, anthropology and sociology.
"Reporting on Islam" is a good first step for many students to continue learning about the topic, said Zahkia Smith, a student.
"I think what's most important coming out of this class is that the very best way to know how to report on Islam is to get involved and actually step into the Muslim community," Smith said. "The class gives you the right tools. The completion of the class is the signal to dig further."
"Reporting on Islam" is a pilot course offered jointly through Michigan State's School of Journalism and its Muslim Studies program. It was started with a grant from the Social Science Research Council, a national non-profit group. In addition, the course is part of the Islam, Muslims, and Journalism Education program, a project on the Internet funded by the same grant that has a goal to generate accurate and balanced reporting.
Similar courses have been taught at other American university campuses, Zeldes said. For example, Marda Dunsky, instructor of Islamic World Studies at DePaul University, teaches the "Reporting the Arab and Muslim World" course.
Muslim Revival in Chechnya
December 17, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Adapted by TMO from an article by Amie Ferris-Rotman, Reuters
GROZNY, Russia – Adam, 52, keeps his three wives in different towns to stop them squabbling, but the white-bearded Chechen adds he might soon take a fourth.
"Chechnya is Muslim, so this is our right as men. They (the wives) spend time together, but do not always see eye to eye," said the soft-spoken pensioner, who only gave his first name.
Hardline Kremlin-backed leader Ramzan Kadyrov is vying with insurgents for authority in a land ravaged by two secessionist wars with Moscow. Each side is claiming Islam as its flag of legitimacy, each reviles the other as criminal and blasphemous.
Wary of the dangers of separatism in a vast country, Moscow watches uneasily as central power yields to Islamic tenets. It must choose what it might see as the lesser of two evils.
Though polygamy is illegal in Russia, the region of Chechnya encourages the practice, arguing it is allowed by Shari'a law and the Koran, Islam's holy book.
By Russian law, Adam is only married to his first wife of 28 years, Zoya, the plump, blue-eyed mother of his three children, with whom he shares a home on the outskirts of the regional capital Grozny.
His marriages to the other two — squirreled away in villages nearby — were carried out in elaborate celebrations and are recognized by Chechen authorities.
The head of Chechnya's Center for Spiritual-Moral Education, Vakha Khashkanov, set up by Kadyrov a year ago, said Islam should take priority over laws of the Russian constitution.
"If it is allowed in Islam, it is not up for discussion," he told Reuters near Europe's largest mosque, which glistens in central Grozny atop the grounds where the Communist party had its headquarters before the Soviet Union fell in 1991.
"As long as you can feed your wives, and there's equality amongst them, then polygamy is allowed in Chechnya," he added.
Islam is flourishing in Chechnya which, along with its neighbors Dagestan and Ingushetia, is combating an Islamist insurgency which aims to create a Muslim, Shari'ah-based state separate from Russia across the North Caucasus.
Though Islam first arrived in the North Caucasus around 500 years ago, in Dagestan's ancient walled city of Derbent on the Caspian Sea, religion under Communism was strongly discouraged.
Kadyrov, like most of his region's one million people, is Sufi, a mystical branch of Islam which places a greater focus on prayer and recitation.
Political analysts say that in exchange for successfully hunting out Islamist fighters, the Kremlin turns a blind eye to Kadyrov's Muslim-inspired rules.
Today Grozny's cafes hold men sipping smuggled beer out of teacups as alcohol has been all but banned, single-sex schools and gyms are becoming the norm and women must cover their heads in government buildings.
Clad in a tight hijab, Asya Malsagova, who advises Kadyrov on human rights issues and heads a state council dealing with the rights of Chechen prisoners, told Reuters: "We believe every woman should have a choice — but we prefer she covers up."
Animals are also being used to reintroduce Islam at Chechnya's round-the-clock Muslim television channel, where 60 young bearded men and headscarved women create children's programs in large studios adorned with photos of Mecca.
A bevy of bumble bees joyfully scream "Salam Alaikum" (Peace be with you) upon entering the studio of Ruslan Ismailov, who is making a full-length cartoon on hi-tech Apple computers for the channel, which is called "Put," meaning "The Way" in Russian.
"The bees appeal to children, and they will teach them how to live properly by the Muslim faith," Ismailov said.
Set up two years ago by the state and broadcast to thousands across the North Caucasus, instantly becoming one of the top channels in the region, it also features programs for women on how to keep home and reading Qur`an throughout the night.
"It's no secret what Chechnya has been through," said the channel's general director Adam Shakhidov, sporting a ginger beard and traditional black velvet cap.
"Two wars, the Soviet Union and today's Muslim extremism… it's time to show the true beauty of Sufism and install the basis for Shari'ah," he said.
An-Nawawi's 40 Hadith
December 10, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Tomb of Imam-Al-Nawawi ra in Bosra- Nawa Town- Syria
Imam Nawawi complete names is Abu Zakaria Mohiuddin Yahya, son of Sharaf AnÄNawawi, and from the family of Imam Hassan and Hussain and Prophet Muhammad (Peace be Upon Him.)
Nawawi refers to Nawa, a place near Damascus, in the suburb of the city of Howran.
Imam Nawawi (ra) was born at Nawa in the year 631 A.H. His father, a virtuous and pious man, resolved to arrange for proper and befitting education as he had discovered the symptoms of heavenly intelligence and wisdom in his promising child at an early stage.
Imam's Simplicity and Niceness of Manners:
The learned persons, elite of the society and the public greatly respected the Imam on account of his piety, learning and excellent character.
He used simple dress and ate simple food. Devout scholars do not care about worldly chattels, they give preference to religious and academic pursuits, propagation of Faith etc.
They experience more heavenly delight and joy in such activities than those who seek satisfaction in luxurious foods, precious clothes and other worldly things. Imam Nawawi had a prominent place among the erudite notables of his age.
He was God-fearing person having illustrious and glorious aims regarding propagation of Faith. Celebrated Sheikh Mohiuddin expresses his impression about Imam Nawawi as thus:
"Imam Nawawi had three distinctive commendable qualities in his person. If anybody have only one out of these three, people return to him in abundance for guidance. First, having knowledge and its dissemination.
Second, to evade completely from the worldly inclinations, and the third, inviting to all that is good (Islam) enjoining Al-Ma'ruf [i.e., Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do] and forbidding Al-Munkar [polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden]. Imam Nawawi had all three in him."
Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) Convention
December 10, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Susan Schwartz, MMNS
With the twin scourges of Islamophobia and racism prevalent in the United States and with the media acting as an echo chamber, a great burden is placed on individuals and groups who seek to speak the truth about Islam and the nature of the crises that effect us domestically and internationally.
The Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), created in 1988, is one such organization. MPAC was formed to work for the civil rights of Muslim Americans and to facilitate their entry into American pluralism. MPAC works at the national as well as the grassroots level and has won the trust and respect of the Muslim and non Muslim community. MPAC has become an information source for those seeking to understand Islam and seeking also to put current events in their proper perspective.
MPAC held its ninth annual convention in Long Beach, Ca. this past Saturday. The event brought a capacity audience to attend workshops and listen to speakers, expert in their fields, and who provided insight and education into topics taken from today's headlines. The title of the convention was: "With Change come Challenges."
After thought provoking and informative workshops, the event ended with a banquet featuring Congressman Andre Carson (D,IN), awards, and entertainment.
Among the presenters (but not limited to) were Dr. Maher Hathout, a retired physician celebrated in the Muslim and non Muslim community for his dedication to peace and human rights and for his interfaith work. Dr. Hathout is the MPAC Senior Advisor, an author, and a sought after speaker.
Dr. Aslam Abdullah is the Editor-in Chief of The Muslim Observer, a weekly English language Muslim newspaper. He was recently elected vice president of the Muslim Council of America, a new organization which serves Muslims in the arena of policy and political affairs. Dr. Abdullah is active in Islamic affairs in Nevada which activity also includes being secretary of the Interfaith Council of Nevada.
Dr. Laila Al Marayati is a physician and the Chairperson of KinderUSA, an organization dedicated to the well being of children, focusing in particular on the children of Palestine. Dr. Al Marayati is also the spokesperson for the Muslim Women's League, a Los Angeles group which seeks to strengthen the role of Muslim women.
Haris Tarin of MPAC is that group's Community Development Director. Mr Tarin has traveled extensively and has spoken at various symposia on the topic of Islam and the Muslim community.
"Fort Hood: A Defining Moment" was the topic of an afternoon panel. Most of the audience spoke among themselves before the event began and indicated thoughtful interest in how the matter would be handled.
"I am so glad this is being discussed" said one young man to his companion.
"I know there is more than what the media say" said his companion.
When asked by panel moderator, Salaam Al Marayati, MPAC's Executive Director, whether Muslims should respond to this event, Dr. Maher Hathout declared that Muslims should not be apologetic because of the deranged acts of one man who happened to be Muslim. He reminded his audience that Major Nidal Hasan shouted "Allahu Akbar" before he began his killing spree. He said that if he used those two words now, every non Muslim would run out of the room.Yet Muslims use the same two words forty two times a day during their prayers. It is wrong to tar Muslims with a broad brush as the media have been wont to do. Non Muslims, most of whom do not understand the phrase, and its meaning, "God is Greater", automatically fear it. Muslims are an essential part of the solution to the problem of Muslim extremists. They are essential to the education of non Muslims about Islam and the only ones truly qualified to ascertain when there is extremism and to propose effective solutions.
Dr. Connie Rice, an attorney and activist and a second panel member, said that this incident indicates more than ever the essential role that MPAC and other moderate Muslim groups must play in partnering with law enforcement. This places a terrible burden on MPAC, she said, but one which they will willingly and efficiently carry out. She seconded the presentation of Dr. Hathout in presenting the necessity for groups such as MPAC to educate the community about Islam and to partner with law enforcement.
After the panel MPAC received an award from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. Dr. Maher Hathout accepted the award.
During a particularly timely panel on ""Rebuilding US-Muslim World Relations", a State Department official, Jonathan Morgenstein of the Department of Defense, commented that in Iraq and Afghanistan American soldiers were interacting with the local population. Dr. Laila Al Marayati commented that it would be so much better if these men and women were doing so in the capacity of peace corps volunteers and not as occupiers.
A bazaar was held in the main room and featured booths representing different Islamic groups. These booths include (the list is incomplete): CAIR; Islamic Relief; the Muslim Women's League; ACCESS; American Medical Overseas Relief (AMOR); the Islamic Center of Southern California (ICSC) Youth Programs, and Al-Madinah School. AMOR is dedicated to helping the medically needy in the Middle East with emphasis on children in Afghanistan. It may be accessed at: <www.AMORelief.org>. The Al-Madinah school in Los Angeles is currently engaged in building projects that will be in the heart of urban Los Angeles.
Those wishing to learn more about MPAC and/or to make a contribution may access it at: www.mpac.org.
Michael Jackson Lawyer Converts to Islam
Regarding Mark's visit to Masjidil Haram, Ustadz Muhammad Turkistani narrated: After Mark obtained his temporary certificate, we straight away departed heading for the noble Masjidil Haram. When he witnessed the Masjidil Haram, he face looked radiant and it emanated an extraordinary happiness. When we entered the Masjidil Haram and witnessed the Ka'bah for ourselves, his happiness increased. By Allah, I could not express that scene with words. After performing the tawaf around the noble Ka'bah, we performed the sunnah solat and went out of Masjidil Haram.
After Mark declared his Islamic faith, he had the chance to express his happiness in Al-Riyadh Newspaper saying: I could not express my feeling at this time but I am being reborn and my life has just started… then he added: I am very happy. This happiness that I am feeling could not be expressed in words especially when I visited the Masjidil Haram and noble Ka'bah.
Regarding his next step after his conversion to Islam, Mark explained: I will learn more about Islam, I will delve deeper into this religion of Allah (Islam) and come back to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj.
As to what impelled him into converting to Islam, Mark explained: I have already had information about Islam, but it was very limited. When I visited Saudi Arabia and personally witnessed the Muslims there, and saw how they performed the solat, I felt a very strong drive to know more about Islam. When I read true information about Islam, I became confident that Islam is a religion of haq (truth).
Sunday morning, 18th October 2009, Mark left the Airport of King Abdul Aziz Jeddah heading for America. When filling in the immigration form before leaving Jeddah, Mark wrote ISLAM as his religion.
Swiss Vote Betrays Enlightenment Ideals
By Juan Cole
This campaign poster was banned for being racist, but apparently the goal of the poster, now that is all right.
Swissinfo surveys the headlines in Switzerland Monday morning and finds that the press there universally condemned and expressed dismay at Sunday's vote. Editors expressed consternation at the inevitable tarnishing of Switzerland's image and worried about the consequences. Will there be boycotts? Sanctions? Appeals to the European Court of Human Rights?
I can anticipate right now arguments to excuse this outbreak of bigotry in the Alps that will be advanced by our own fringe Right, of Neoconservatives and those who think, without daring saying it, that "white culture" is superior to all other world civilizations and deserves to dominate or wipe the others out.
The first is that it is only natural that white, Christian Europeans should be afraid of being swamped by people adhering to an alien, non-European religion.
Switzerland is said to be 5 percent Muslim, and of course this proportion is a recent phenomenon there and so unsettling to some. But Islam is not new to Europe. Parts of what is now Spain were Muslim for 700 years, and much of the eastern stretches of what is now the European Union were ruled by Muslims for centuries and had significant Muslim populations. Cordoba and Sarajevo are not in Asia or Latin America. They are in Europe. And they are cities formed in the bosom of Muslim civilization.
The European city of Cordoba in the medieval period has been described thusly:
' For centuries, Cordoba used to be the jewel of Europe, which dazzled visitors from the North. Visitors marveled at what seemed to them an extraordinary general prosperity; one could travel for ten miles by the light of street lamps, and along an uninterrupted series of buildings. The city is said to have had then 200,000 houses, 600 mosques, and 900 public baths. Over the quiet Guadalquivir Arab engineers threw a great stone bridge of seventeen arches, each fifty spans in width. One of the earliest undertakings of Abd al-Rahman I was an aqueduct that brought to Cordova an abundance of fresh water for homes, gardens, fountains, and baths.'
So if the Swiss think that Islam is alien to Europe, then they are thinking of a rather small Europe, not the Europe that now actually exists. Minarets dotted Cordoba. The Arnaudia mosque in Banja Luca dates back to the 1400s; it was destroyed along with dozens of others by fanatics in the civil war that accompanied the break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
As for the likely comeback,that Muslims came to Europe from the 700s of the Common Era as conquerors, unlike Christianity, actually both were conquering state religions. It was the conversion of an emperor that gave a favored position to Christianity in Europe, which was a small minority on the continent at the time. And Charlemagne forcibly imposed Christianity on the German tribes up to the Elbe. In the cases both of European Christianity and European Islam, there were many willing converts among the ordinary folk, who thrilled to itinerant preachers or beautiful chanting.
Others will allege that Muslims do not grant freedom of religion to Christians in their midst. First of all, this allegation is not true if we look at the full range of the countries where the 1.5 billion Muslims live. Among the nearly 60 Muslim-majority states in the world, only one, Saudi Arabia, forbids the building of churches. Does Switzerland really want to be like Saudi Arabia?
Here is a Western Christian description of the situation of Christians in Syria:
'In Syria, as in all other Arab countries of the Middle East except Saudi Arabia, freedom of religion is guaranteed in law . . . We should like to point out too that in Syria and in several other countries of the region, Christian churches benefit from free water and electricity supplies, are exempt from several types of tax and can seek building permission for new churches (in Syria, land for these buildings are granted by the State) or repair existing ones.
It should be noted too that there are Christian members of Parliament and of government in Syria and other countries, sometimes in a fixed number (as in Lebanon and Jordan.)
Finally, we note that a new personal statute was promulgated on 18 June 2006 for the various Christian Churches found in Syria, which purposely and verbatim repeats most of the rules of the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches promulgated by Pope John Paul II.
That is, in Muslim-majority Syria, the government actually grants land to Christians for the building of churches, along with free water and electricity. Christians have their own personal status legal code, straight from the Vatican. (It is because Christians have their own law in the Middle East, backed by the state, that Muslims in the West are puzzled as to why they cannot practice their personal status code.) Christians have freedom of religion, though there are sensitivities about attempts to convert others (as there are everywhere in the Middle East, including Israel). And Christians are represented in the legislature. With Switzerland's 5 percent Muslim population, how many Muslim members of parliament does it have?
It will also be alleged that in Egypt some clergymen gave fatwas or legal opinions that building churches is a sin, and it will be argued that Christians have been attacked by Muslims in Upper Egypt.
These arguments are fallacies. You cannot compare the behavior of some Muslim fanatics in rural Egypt to the laws and ideals of the Swiss Republic. We have to look at Egyptian law and policy.
The Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar Seminary, the foremost center of Sunni Muslim learning, 'added in statements carried by Egyptian newspaper Youm al-Saba'a that Muslims can make voluntary contributions to build churches, pointing out that the church is a house for "worshipping and tolerance." ' He condemned the fundamentalist Muslims for saying church-building is sinful. And Egypt has lots of churches, including new Presbyterian ones, following John Calvin who I believe lived in . . . Geneva. Aout 6 percent of the population is Christian.
The other problem with excusing Switzerland with reference to Muslims' own imperfect adherence to human rights ideals is that two wrongs don't make a right. The bigotted Right doesn't even have the moral insight of kindergartners if that is the sort of argument they advance. The International Declaration of Human Rights was crafted with the participation of Pakistan, a Muslim country; the global contemporary rights regime is imperfectly adhered to by all countries– it is a claim on the world's behavior, something we must all strive for. If the Swiss stepped back from it, they stepped back in absolute terms. It doesn't help us get to global human rights to say that is o.k. because others are also failing to live up to the Declaration.
The other Wahhabi state besides Saudi Arabia, Qatar, has allowed churches. But they are not allowed to have steeples or bells. This policy is a mirror image to that of the Swiss.
So Switzerland, after centuries of striving for civilization and enlightenment, has just about reached the same level of tolerance as that exhibited by a small Gulf Wahhabi country, the people of which were mostly Bedouins only a hundred years ago.
Hajj Explained
By Imam Dr. Zijad Delic
Muslims – wherever they are geographically located — live in continuous connection with the sacred house called the Ka'bah, the symbol of their relationship with the Creator, the homeland of the Prophet (s), and the first Masjid on earth. Allah has chosen this Masjid as the place where His servants will make 'Ibadah (worship) to Him and glorify His Name.
The word Hajj means to make a resolve to visit the Ka'bah in Makkah (Mecca). This was the first House of Worship appointed for humanity. As Almighty Allah mentions in the Qur'an: "Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for humanity was that at Makkah, full of blessings, and a guidance for all 'Alams (worlds)." {Ali 'Imran 96}
Thus a visit to this sacred house, in the revered ancient city of Makkah, in this most sacred land, is the wish of every Muslim (brother) and Muslimah (sister).
This central pilgrimage of Islam, whose origin dates back to the Prophet Ibrahim (or Abraham, pbuh), brings together Muslims of all races, nationalities and tongues to share in one of life's most memorable spiritual experiences. In fact, for fourteen centuries, countless millions of Muslims from the four corners of the earth have performed the Hajj to Makkah, the birthplace of Islam.
In reality, Hajj is the greatest annual congress of believers anywhere on earth. Not only is it important to more than two billion Muslims around the globe, but to the whole of humankind. Hajj marks part of the Ummah's (Islamic world community's) preparation for the Qurbani, or sacrifice, which reminds us of the sacrifice that the patriarch Ibrahim was commanded to make of his son Isma'il, 'alayhimassalam. It reminds us of the mercy Allah extends to those who surrender themselves in complete trust to His Will just as Ibrahim and Isma'il did. As the Qur'an records the words of young Isma'il: "O my father! Do what you are commanded. If Allah wills, you shall find me … steadfast." {As Safat 102}
This Hajj is a vibrant proof of Unity among all Muslims around the one inalterable principle of Islam – Tawhid, the Oneness of Almighty Allah.
Hajj gathers millions of believers and calls upon all of them to unify their opinions, ideas and values, helping them collectively to support one another in upholding all that is good and decent. Islam stands for unity of the human race, teaching that all peoples in their global diversity were originally as one, deriving their existence from the sole Creator of All, and that the barriers now separating us — race, color, class, region, ideology, etc. — are really no more than constructed illusions.
In fact, the divisive ideologies based on negative human distinctions are among the most dangerous viruses on earth. Hajj, on the other hand, proves that the hope of unity can be a reality, for Islam removes all differences and evaluates or rates people by their conduct. Islam seeks to build an intellectual, moral, ethical and just ideology throughout international society – an ideology strong enough to stand its ground against existing tribal, racial, linguistic and national barriers which have turned the world into a sea of tragic conflict.
Hajj symbolizes an opposite movement, from chaos and conflict toward unity in Almighty Allah. It is a noble tradition that upholds the hope and potential of kindred love and solidarity among the people. In calling all believers back to the basic principles of Tawhid (which are expressed in the words of Talbiyyah during Hajj) it is the living response of Allah's servants; on this special occasion, all pilgrims are guests answering their Lord's personal invitation to visit His house in Makkah.
All Hujjaj (Hajj pilgrims) chant the following words: "Labbaykallahumma Labbayk, Labbayka La Sharika Laka Labbayk, Innal Hamda Wan Ni'mata Wal Mulka La Sharika Laka."
In English paraphrase, they mean: "Here I am at Your service, O my Lord. My humble submission is only to You, and I am here submitting to You who does not have a partner, for no one is worthy of worship except You. You are the Only One Who deserves every praise. You are the Only One Who has all power, so help me, O Allah, that I benefit from all the blessings that You have bestowed on humankind. This is the only way, for I have no other reason for existence."
This repeated statement is meant to re-awaken every Muslim's consciousness that Allah is the eternal Centre of their reality and the source of all meaning and blessing in life. With these words, believers fervently express their belief and their commitment to the Straight Path that Allah has set out for them. The journey to Hajj is purely for the sake of Almighty Allah who wants us to learn from the examples of the Prophets that He chose to be our teachers. Allah wants us to learn that Hajj is a spiritual training ground and a unique experience of worship which changes a person from the inside out, washing him/her clean and restoring his/her belief and attitude.
The discipline of Hajj has often been the key to awaken many Muslims to a fuller and deeper understanding of the concepts of Islam and its true Message. More than simply an annual institution or ritual, Hajj holds the potential to draw all believers, Insha'allah, into a future filled with blessings, among which the following are central:
1. Purification of the soul from all traces of sin. – Hajj provides the greatest opportunity for believers to seek forgiveness of sins accumulated throughout life and to make Du'as for others. This can happen when one has performed Hajj Mabrur, or done the pilgrimage in a proper way, as the Messenger of Allah mentions: "They will return from Hajj as newly born babies (free of all sins)." Hadith}
2. Unity and understanding. – Through Hajj, the believers come to know each other and are made more aware of the mutual affairs of their brothers and sisters from all over the world. In Hajj they feel more connection and kindred love for each other, irrespective of their geographical or cultural backgrounds. Thus, Hajj unites the believers of the world into one international community.
3. Confirmation of commitment to Almighty Allah. – Through demonstrating that they are ready to sacrifice all material possessions and values for the sake of their Creator, believers show their commitment to Allah; for unless a Muslim really loves Allah, he/she would never undertake such a long, costly and arduous journey to Makkah, leaving all their near and dear ones behind.
4. Reminding believers of complete trust in Allah. – Believers com efface to face with the deep faith and unshaken commitment of Ibrahim and his son Isma'il (peace be upon them) when they were called to make the ultimate sacrifice – of life itself — in His name.
5. Preserving important rites. – Hajj reminds us of the rites which were ordained for us by Allah and taught by His Last Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (s).
6. Walking in the Prophet's footsteps. – Hajj is a memorable and cleansing means of acquainting believers with the spiritual, historical and physical environment in which the last Messenger, Muhammad (S), lived and served Allah.
7. Spiritual blessing. – This is the greatest Hajj blessing of all, for pilgrims (Hujjaj) are encouraged to develop a greater consciousness of Allah in and to return home with a sense of uplifted spirit and fulfillment.
Therefore, during these important days of Hajj and Eid, let us remember the following:
1. There are many Muslims in North America and your own local area who need your help.
2. Your neighbors, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, need your support in different ways.
3. Millions of Muslims in Iraq, Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan, Kashmir, Palestine, and in other areas of the world need your ongoing help and support.
4. Your relatives and family value your support; never forget them or take them for granted.
5. During Eid, try to visit one another other on these blessed days.
6. Make a point of visiting those who are sick, hospitalized, in long-term care facilities, or shut-in.
7. Organize Eid dinners among yourselves and take time to ENJOY the occasion!
8. Share all the beauties and blessings of Eid with your children: give them gifts, take them on outings and visits; and participate with them in wholesome entertainment so they can feel proud of having such a great celebration of their own. At this time of year, many Muslim children feel left out when they see all the attention paid to the secular and religious aspects of Christmas; with Eid to celebrate, they have every reason to enjoy the season.
9. Life keeps moving on, and with it, our good intentions! Remember that you and I will be one year older next Hajj season … Now is the time to get serious about improving our lives.
10. Your mission in this great country of Canada is to educate yourselves, help yourselves in order to help all others around you. It all starts with family members and relatives, extending out to our neighbors, our communities, and the world large.
11. Lastly, remember always to be a good representative of Islam and a good citizen of this wonderful country – your homeland and mine – CANADA.
Happy HAJJ Season!
CIC Friday Magazine
Saudi Arabia Improves Hajj Security, Bans Protests
November 25, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Louisville Democrat Examiner, Timothy Morgan
On November 25-29, the holy pilgrimage to Mecca of the Hajj begins in the Islamic world. The Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam and a moral obligation under the religion for every able-bodied Muslim who can afford the journey must do so at least once in their lifetime.
The Hajj is the largest annual pilgrimage in the world, with 2.5 million Muslims expected to make the trip this year.
With such a large movement of people, the Saudi government has issued warnings that all protesting during the Hajj is banned. The government has also stepped-up security, with more than 100,000 Saudi military deployed during the pilgrimage.
While the Saudi Arabian security forces assert that they do not expect any troubles, the interior ministry official in charge of security, Gen Mansour al-Turki, said that "We will not allow any actions that might disturb any other pilgrims, or affect their safety."
In 1987, 402 people were killed when troops broke up a protest by Shia pilgrims. This year is also the 30th anniversary of the seizure of the Great Mosque in Mecca, home of the Kaaba and Islam's holiest site, by Sunni extremists.
The Kaaba is a cuboidal building in the center of the Great Mosque in Mecca that pre-dates Islam and is the holiest site in all of Islam. Muslim beliefs say that the original building on the site was built by Abraham. Thus, a mosque was built around the site and all Muslims, regardless of their location, must face the Kaaba during daily prayers, as well as take part in the Hajj if able.
Last month Iran's President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, warned that it would take "appropriate measures" if its citizens faced restrictions. Ayatollah Khamenei, the Iranian Supreme Leader, called for the Shia to show that they were dealing with challenges to their unity.
Thus, the Saudi government has responded by both warning Iran not to abuse the Hajj for political purposes, and by the ban on protests.
Authorities are also hoping to prevent a repeat of the deadly stampedes, such as in 2006 when 364 people were killed, that have afflicted the Hajj. In response, the Saudi Government has recently finished the rebuilding of the Jamarat Bridge at Mina, the 950m (3,135ft) long, 80m (260ft) wide five-story pedestrian walkway, which cost $1.2bn, and that authorities hope will prevent overcrowding.
Defining Muslim Work & Faith Based Institutions: Madrasah Islamiah of Houston
November 5, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Umme Abdullah
Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."
- Carl Jung
In the light of Islam, 21st century might be considered as the Platinum Era; and it is nothing but the blind faith in Allah that has resulted Islam to rank as the World's Largest Religion! And by no means is it also the fastest growing religion in the West. Here, only question to all the fellow readers is; what is driving the western world to accept Islam? Is anyone gripping a gun under their heads? Or are the "Extremists" studying under the roof of Madrasah's forcing these people to accept Islam?
Islam is not just a religion; it's a complete way of life! When an individual unfolds into the bounty of Islam, he enforces its fundamentals to instill within. Albert Einstein once said it is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. And, in order to fulfill this quest; Madrasah's are well known for its formal education and services towards Deen ul Islam. Creating the gateway to Madrasah's; I have the following for you………
Let's ponder, what exactly is a Madrasah? And have we witnessed one? Madrasah is derived from the root word d-r-s, which literally means "a place where learning/ teaching is done". In Arabic language, the word Madrasah simply means the same as school does in English language, whether that is private, public or parochial school as well as for any primary or secondary school whether Muslim, non-Muslim or secular. Unlike the understanding of the word school in British English, the word Madrasah is like the term school in American English, in that it can refer to a university-level or post-graduate school as well.
In Muslim states it is an instruction of higher education. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, "Madrasah functioned until the 20th century as a theological seminary and law school, with a curriculum centered on the Qur'an. In addition to Islamic theology and law, Arabic grammar and literature, mathematics, logic, and, in some cases, natural sciences were studied in Madrasahs. Tuition was free, and food, lodging, and medical care were provided as well. Instruction usually took place in a courtyard and consisted primarily of memorizing textbooks and the instructor's lectures. The lecturer issued certificates to his students that constituted permission to repeat his words."
Such being the layout of schools in the Islamic states; Madrasah Islamiah is one of the prominent authentic institutions, concentrating on Hifz course as the main stream of study in the United States. In the state of Texas, located in the southeast region of Houston; this unit servers as a moral structure that enhances the well-being of the Muslim community; locally and worldwide.
Hazrat Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal, founder of this sole Madrasah, initiated his journey to the state of Texas; in the city of Houston through an invitation by Sheikh Mehboob and Farkooh Malik of respected board members of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston in 1981 .Where he gave devout sermons and lectures to fortify Iman (faith) within the Muslim local community. Later in the years he spent a decade, serving Qur'an via home teaching; travelling 150 miles by car from one zone to another. His sincere dedication, services and spirit to raise a Madrasah that has structure in place for the transmission of knowledge of Deen, and that has institutional credibility in the community; where teaching would be carried out with commitment laid the foundation of Madrasah Islamiah in the month of Ramadan in 1989.
The city of Houston being blessed with one of the most prominent Ulema from Pakistan, a religious scholar and one of the most eminent religious figures, Hazrat Hafiz Muhammad Iqbal had authoritatively erected the initial building blocks of Madrasah Islamiah in 1991. In 1993, the construction of the Madrasah was completed. Since then, Madrasah Islamiah has produced 70 Huffaz & a Hafiza; which serve the local community especially during Ramadan leading Tarawih and Qaiyamm ul lail prayers. Tarawih are extra prayers offered by Sunni Muslims at night in the Islamic month of Ramadan. Qaiyam ul Lail are late night prayers on the last ten days of Ramadan. Services rendered by this institution for the welfare of the community are summarized as below:
Salat is the Arabic term for formal prayer of Islam. Salat being one of the obligatory rites of the religion, to be preformed five times a day by a Muslim; the Madrasah has the facility to offer these prayers in congregation at their prescribed times. Salat Al-Jumu'ah weekly congregational prayer; that is compulsory upon men is also offered in Madrasah Islamiah premises. Due to low capacity (800 people in one sitting) and huge participation of crowds; the Jumu'ah prayer is set twice, right one after the other. Madrasah Islamiah also puts forward Salat Al-Janaza; the funeral prayer held by Muslims, prayer performed in congregation to seek pardon for the deceased and all dead Muslims.
Christian Scholar: Was Jesus a Muslim?
By Adil James, MMNS
Warren–October 24–Jesus' being Muslim is a foundational belief of Islam, but not for Christians. All of the prophets were teachers of the one true religion, although each taught different aspects of it. But for Christians to think that Jesus (as) is Muslim is a very radical idea.
So true is this that the author and professor Robert F. Shedinger faced, predictably, some opposition when he published his book with the name Was Jesus a Muslim.
The author spoke about his book this past Saturday at the IONA mosque in Warren.
The essence of Mr. Shedinger's argument is that Islam is not a religion but rather a system of pursuing social justice. He argued that actually the reason non-Muslims call it a religion is in order to classify it in a way that has no relevance to social justice–in order to exclude religious people from involvement in controversies in the public square.
The underlying purpose of Western attempts to classify Islam as a religion, he argues, is to subvert the religious organizing principle and preempt a religious backlash against attempts to dominate or colonize a culture.
In fact, while it may sound offensive to think that Islam is not a religion, the professor couched this argument in very complimentary terms, arguing that in fact the idea of a religion being just a religion is a particularly Western concept that would have been foreign even to early Christians, let alone to the other peoples of the world and the other religions of the world.
Perhaps another way to state this argument would be to say that Islam is a complete system of life, not just a devotional practice restricted to certain days.
In accordance with his argument that Islam is not a religion, he argues that Christianity is also analogously not a religion, and he argues that Jesus (as) was in a sense a revolutionary and politically dynamic person, therefore not "just" a religious figure.
Shedinger argues that diverse Muslim scholars such as Iran's Ayatollah Khomeini and South Africa's Fareed Ishaq have argued along similar lines that Islam should not be separated from social justice. Shedinger quoted Tariq Ramadan also and his frequent calls to political justice of various sorts.
A different view might be that Islam is a religion the practice of which should be divorced from politics, except that it is a complete religion with implications in every avenue of life, including leadership. Beyond this, Jesus (as) was actually Muslim in submission to God's will, who will be Muslim when he returns.
ISPU Banquet Grosses $250,000
November 1, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Neda Farooqi, MMNS
ISPU annual dinner accentuates issues facing American Muslims; raises $250,000.
"It is not the building that makes us big, it is us, you and I, that make us big," said Imam Hassan al-Qazwini, referring to the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding, annual fundraising dinner in the banquet hall of the largest mosque in North America on October 24, 2009. "May Allah bless you all."
The Institute for Social Policy and Understanding (ISPU) is a nonprofit think tank organization, originated in Michigan that researches and evaluates US and foreign policy.
"ISPU's mission is to focus on education, research, and analysis with an emphasis on issues effecting the Muslim community," said Dr. Nauman Imami, Director of the Glaucoma Service at the Henry Ford Health System and member of ISPU Board of Directors.
Imami drew an analogy between Google and ISPU. "Google does one thing and it does it very well. It answers any questions posed to it." According to searchenginejournal.com, Google ranks as the number one search site in the United States.
Imami explained that a public policy is created when there is a defined problem, a perceived solution, and political alignment.
Imami posed the question: "How are Muslims in America portrayed?" ISPU's research has impacted many media products, such as the Newsweek cover story titled, "Islam In America," published on July 30, 2007. Other networks such as CNN, BBC, and The Economist compile studies and data from ISPU. Media outlets such as Christian Science Monitor and the Associated Press have referenced several ISPU reports.
"ISPU provides solutions based on evidence and data for American Muslims," said Imami.
"ISPU focuses on topics that are important to the community. Your concerns, your families, and domestic & foreign policy," said Farid Senzai, assistant professor in the political science department at Santa Clara University and Director of Research at ISPU.
ISPU released several policy briefs on foreign topics ranging from the Arab/Israeli conflict to the predicaments taking place in Pakistan. ISPU also examines domestic issues such as divorce in the American Muslim community, Muslim youth and ratification, and health clinics in the US.
ISPU has recently published a brief, "Death by Culture," that centers on domestic abuse. This publication exhibits violence that circulated around the Rihanna/Chris Brown case and Bridges TV case, whose founder decapitated his wife in their television studio.
Senzai informed the audience that ISPU policy briefs have a high impact on US & foreign relations. "Four distinctive ISPU reports on Pakistan translated into very direct impact in Washington," said Senzai. ISPU has also worked on topics of US & Iran relations, hosting a conference that invited scholars from Iran delegations and Egypt Sate Department Delegations. He was also invited to go to Egypt after the release of ISPU's publications on US and foreign policy.
A massive, two-year study on Muslim divorce is yet to be released, soon available to the public.
Apart from fundraising, ISPU recognizes scholars and philanthropists annually for their research and significant impact. The 2009 ISPU Scholar Award was presented to Dr. Juan Cole, Professor of History at the University of Michigan. "I shouldn't be getting an award for speaking the truth," said Cole, upon receiving the award. Dr. Anjum Shariff, a radiologist in St. Louis, was the recipient of the Distinguished Award for Philanthropy. His work entails helping refugee children attending struggling public schools and tutors high school students. Anjum Shariff has also formulated a program for students to shadow physicians at his workplace.
Soon after dinner and the award ceremony, keynote speaker, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf was invited on stage.
"It is nice to see chandeliers in the masjid, MashAllah, instead of lights flickering," said Hamza Yusuf. Hamza Yusuf Hanson is an Islamic scholar who teaches at the Zaytuna College in Berkeley, California.
Yusuf reminded the crowd that Islam is not a monolith. "There is only one Islam," he said. "But, there are multiple versions. Islam has many adjectives."
The religion of Islam consists of different types of Muslims ranging from classical, traditional, Salafi, Sufi, Hanafi, Malaki and many more eclectic backgrounds. "The first and strongest strengths of Islam is Unity among diversity," said Yusuf. "When you try to box people in narrow definitions, you are not acknowledging the depth of human beings."
Yusuf also focuses on the difficulties that loom amongst Muslim Americans. "We are not recognizing that unity is not uniformity. That is the real problem of our community."
Yusuf also spoke about western Muslim family and financial life.
"American Muslims have high levels of educations, with the average Muslim bringing in $70,000 [annually.]"
The Pew Research Center managed more than 55,000 interviews that were conducted in English, Arabic, Farsi, and Urdu. This information allowed the Pew to obtain a national sample of 1,050 Muslims, which assessed Muslim backgrounds, educational levels, and views on the western world. "We have potential to reinvigorate," said Yusuf.
"What is driving us as a community? Where are we going?" Yusuf informs the crowd that the community has a lack of professionalism and strategy. "This is the purpose of think tanks like ISPU- to provide strategy and professionalism."
Lastly, Yusuf directs the audience to avoid getting constricted in plots and conspiracies. Muslims know more about the conspiracies of September 11 than they do about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (s). "The Prophet never complained or played the victim card. The question is what are you doing, not what are they doing."
Yusuf advises the 750 attendees to stick to the truth. "Truth is such an extraordinary rare," he said. In addition, he recommends that American Muslims should not be judgmental and need to take advantage of the opportunities placed for them. "We have our own nutcases. We don't like to be judged, so don't judge others."
"I don't care what the enemy did to us, cause we wont be asked about that. What we will be asked about is how we responded," concluded Yusuf.
Among local residents, dignitaries, such as Charlene Elder, the first Arab-American female judge on Michigan's Third Circuit Court and Dearborn Heights Mayor Dan Paletko were in attendance.
The guests were given the opportunity to meet the speakers and take part in the book signing with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Dr. Juan Cole, and Dr. Farid Senzai.
The event raised $250,000, reaching ISPU's goal Saturday night. ISPU tackles social challenges with the support of donations. To learn more about ISPU and its upcoming events, please visit www.ispu.org.
Houstonian Corner V11-I45
November 1, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Atmosphere Of Fear & Terrorism Should Not Be Promoted In Pakistan – Change In Pakistan Is Expected In Few Months: Aneeq Ahmed
An Amnesty International Report of June 2007 had shown concern for the safety of seasoned journalist Aneeq Ahmed, formerly of Talk Show Alif on GEO and now Talk Show Aaghaz on ARYOne World, as he was on a hit list of 12 journalists, who were being threatened by a political party (Muttaihidah Qaumi Movement) and many people believe that it was being done in the background by the Establishment in Pakistan.
This past Monday evening, media personalities of Houston met with Aneeq Ahmed in an informal setting, when he was invited for dinner at Usmania Restaurant by Tahir Wafaqani of Urdu Times Houston. Aneeq Ahmed was on the tour of USA, delivering lectures on Pakistan and Islam in Chicago and New York to a group of dedicated Pakistanis working under the name of FOCUS. Later on he has been to Dallas and Houston meeting personal friends and family members.
Aneeq Ahmed has been elected a member as well as office bearer of the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, which has polished many talents of arts and literature in Pakistan. He has been famous for arranging many unforgettable events at Arts Council.
Over the years Aneeq Ahmed has come forward as one of the leading Talk Show Anchors, who's probing questions and excellent knowledge of the subject matter, makes his programs most informative and people are always looking forward to his next series. At times, some people feel he asks very tough questions to his guests to make them feel embarrassed, but actually that is not the case, as his aim is to bring out maximum useful information for his viewers from these experts of various fields.
His programs with people like Dr. Israr Ahmed, Zaid Hamid, Dr. Lal Khan, Justice Javed Iqbal, and many others, about contemporary issues of religion, economics, good governance, social justice, arts-&-literature; etc.; solutions of these problems from religious and other points of view; will always be most valuable pieces in the achieves of intellectuals of today and tomorrow. He has brought many taboo topics of the society, so as to enlighten the people. From one of his interviews to an Indian media, we have learnt that he believes in the ideology of Pakistan to be "Pakistan Ka Matlab Kia La Illaha IllAllah", but says that does not mean that a Muslim is an extremist or terrorist.
In the discussion session after dinner, Aneeq Ahmed informed that present political set-up has made mistakes over the past one year and has become weak to the extent that within the next one to two months, we can expect a change. "Best thing for Pakistan and stability of Institutions of Pakistan is that this change should happen within the parliament and President may have to leave the scene," added Mr. Ahmed.
Talking about his recent meeting in USA with Former President Pervez Musharraf, he said there is very little possibility that he will ever able to go back to Pakistan, due to the charges of murder against him in Bughti Baluchistan Case; hundreds of killings in Lal Masjid & Madrasae Hafza; breach of Article Six of Constitution of Pakistan which means death penalty; and other similar things. Even his former colleagues in Army, who have restored back the good image of the Army after much effort, want him to stay away from Pakistan.
Aneeq Ahmed said that nobody can deny that there are very serious problems of security, law-&-order, economic down-turn, and others. But solutions do not lie in panicking and creating an atmosphere of fear and more terrorism.
He said President Obama is facing tough choices to come out of Afghanistan or not. But if he does, it will be a big setback to India because of Indian involvement in Afghanistan.
Among those present at Houston Dinner with Aneeq Ahmed were Tahir Wafaqani of Urdu Times Houston; Tariq Khan & Jameel Siddiqui of Pakistan Chronicle / Pakistan Journal; Saeed Gaddi of Rajput Media Services (Pakistan Post and Sangeet Radio Houston); Saleem Syed of Radio Young Trang; Moin Pirzada of Radio Perdes Houston; Pervez Jafri of Aligarh Alumni Association; ILyas Hasan Choudry of Muslim Observer; and some relatives & friends of Aneeq Ahmed.
Aneeq Ahmed is a Karachiite and was brought up in North Nazimabad. His family later on moved to Gulshanae Iqbal in 1977. He did his Masters in International Relations in 1988 from the University of Karachi. Initially he started off as a journalist. Thereafter in 1990 he joined a Textile Mill as Factory Manager and worked there for 2 years. In 1992 he joined an advertising agency as a copywriter. He always had finesse for reading and writing. From 1999 to 2000 he worked for Interflow, again an Ad agency. He started working for GEO in 2002 and later on has been with ARY since 2005. He is an accomplished Anchor, Producer & Researcher.
Mumbai Terror Survivor Embraces Islam
October 22, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
NEW YORK – An American Catholic and survivor of a terrorist attack in Mumbai, India last November overcame hatred and opened his mind to learn and discover Islam and becomes a Muslim.
Dennis O'Brien Survivor of Mumbai Terror Attack ACCEPTS ISLAM
Dennis O'Brien, a Catholic, wanted to comprehend the basis of faith of people accused of committing the attack in Mumbai. He discovered in fact, the gunmen were certainly not following Islam at all. In fact, anyone who might take the time to open their eyes, open their minds and open their hearts would have to come to the very same conclusion.
Sunday, just after Eid salat and standing before a crowd of thousands, Dennis O'Brien embraced Islam.
He declared.. ..his belief – "There is only one God and the Prophet Muhammad is his last messenger".
O'Brien, who heads up the education committee of St Anthony's Catholic Church in Wilmington, Delaware, says this was a surprise, even to him. But said he was at peace with it.
"Today I feel free of sin," he remarked.
After several months of studies and asking questions of Muslim friends and associates, "I feel comfort in Islam," he said.
O'Brien also said he wanted to express solidarity with Muslims, even though extremists who say they practice the faith "tried to kill me".
Pastor John McGinley, of St Anthony's, said Sunday he had not heard of O'Brien's embrace of Islam. McGinley said he knew O'Brien is inquisitive and has expressed concern about the young men involved in the Mumbai attacks.
He would not say if the declaration of another faith would affect O'Brien's position at the church, noting he had not spoken to him about Sunday's events. "I think this is part of his journey of faith and we can work with that," McGinley said.
600 Chinese Working in Saudi Embrace Islam
October 22, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Gulf News
Riyadh, September 27: Over 600 Chinese nationals working on the Haramain Rail project have embraced Islam in a recent ceremony in Makkah.
They are workers of the Chinese Railway Company, which won the multibillion contract for implementing the 450km rail road linking the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah via Jeddah and Rabigh.
Dr. Abdul Aziz Al Khudhairi, undersecretary at the Makkah Governorate, said that this year's celebration of the Kingdom's National Day coincides with a number of auspicious and historic occasions.
These included launching of the prestigious international research university – King Abdullah University for Science & Technology (KAUST), celebration of Eid Al Fitr and a recent ceremony of Chinese workers pronouncing their Shahada.
Dr. Abdul Aziz, who witnessed the event, described it as a "direct response to critics of the government for contracting Chinese company."
Among the converts, there are 70 workers who are engaged in the construction of Makkah monorail project, which links the holy city with the holy sites of Mina, Muzdalifa and Arafat.
"Their conversion took place 24 hours after getting books introducing Islam in Chinese language at their worksite at Arafat, which is outside the Haram area," he said adding that the credit goes to the Office of the Call and Guidance for Expatriates in Makkah.
Efforts are underway to spread the message of Islam among some 5,000 Chinese nationals working on the Haramain train," he said adding that the major problem for the Call and Guidance Office is the lack of enough books on Islam in Chinese language.
It is noteworthy that the first phase of Haramain Rail consisting of 70km has well been started a few months ago. This represents expropriation of land, filling works, construction of bridges and tracks. The project is expected to be operational in 2012.-Agencies


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TORONTO – AlertDriving is pleased to announce that the launch of global Motorized Two Wheeler training will be at the NSC Congress & Expo in Orlando October 22-24. This new three module training package has been created specifically for drivers of two wheeler vehicles. It has been designed to reduce the risk of these drivers and provide clients with a more diverse set of training modules for their global fleet.
Comprised of three modules, the web-based training solution will be launched to 30 different countries in 37 different languages over the next six months, beginning with the first module, entitled 'The Defensive Rider'. This module will set the foundation for the training package; ensuring drivers understand the fundamental safety requirements for operating a motorized, two wheeler and life saving defensive driving techniques. The subsequent two training modules will emphasize 'Proper Scanning & Crash Avoidance' and 'Avoiding Collisions at Intersections & Failure to Give Way.'
"AlertDriving continues to add to our comprehensive set of training solutions for our global clients and their fleet of drivers," said Rob Martin – Vice President, Sales. Each country version contains fully localized content and video, ensuring cultural relevancy and creating an authentic user experience.
This latest module release adds to AlertDriving's global courseware inventory of more than 1,700 different modules, spanning 55 countries.
Established in 1998, AlertDriving pioneered web-based driver risk management and has trained over 1,000,000 drivers worldwide, providing driver safety training to more countries and in more languages than anyone in the world. The company's fully customizable, driver risk management platform, called FleetDefenseSM, has helped clients significantly reduce their collisions, injuries, costs and liability exposure.
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subset: commoncrawl


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Fri, Mar 16, 12 at 8:29
North Korea is celebrating one of it more irregular holidays the post diplomatic understanding test.
It seems to be a great tradition and may have actually been part of JUNIOR"S assent to power. His Uncles promised him a new Chinese IPad call the U Pay in honor of the occasion. I can't get Lou Reed's Satellite of love out of my head |
Here is a link that might be useful: Satellite of Love
Follow-Up Postings:
yes assent someone has to tell him how to run a country & work the west for a nickle! |
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Makes 24 Tacos
Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.
- 3 pounds skirt steak (about 3 long steaks)
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- coarse salt to taste
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste
If necessary, trim steaks, leaving some fat. In a shallow dish rub steaks with garlic and oil. Marinate steaks, covered and chilled, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 day.
Prepare grill.
Season steaks generously with coarse salt and grill on a rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 2 to 3 minutes on each side for medium-rare. (Alternatively, steaks may be broiled on rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler 3 inches from heat about 4 minutes on each side.) Transfer steaks to a cutting board and drizzle with lime juice. Let steaks stand, uncovered, 5 to 10 minutes and with a sharp knife cut diagonally across grain into thin slices.
Serve steak with accompaniments.
my notes
recipe at a glance
type: Kid-Friendly, Quick & Easy
main ingredients: Citrus, Garlic, Beef
cuisine: Mexican


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NEA Slashes Grants for PBS Shows and Gives More to New Media
National Endowment for the Arts grants announced Wednesday included sweeping cuts for PBS arts, news, and nonfiction film programs, according to The New York Times.
The federal agency eliminated funding for "Live From Lincoln Center," which received $100,000 in 2011, and awarded $50,000 each to "Great Performances," "Great Performances at the Met," "American Masters," and the documentary series "POV" and "Independent Lens," which got a combined $1.37-million last year.
Grants for the NEA Arts in Media program made significant grants for the first time this year to gaming, mobile, and online projects. From among 329 eligible applications—more than double last year's total—the agency made 78 grants worth $3.55 million.
PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger said she understood the agency's need to balance traditional and new media but said the program cuts were "disappointing" and will have a major impact on the network's efforts to "bring arts to every home across the country."
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The rapid increase of fraudulent internet crimes and other cyber-related offenses has consequently encouraged a growing number of individuals to pursue a computer forensics degree. While computers have become extensively available and technically advanced, cyber crimes have continued to be prevalent as felons take advantage of the electronic media for illegal and shady purposes. Due to the dynamic nature of digital technology, computer forensic jobs are apparently enlarging to meet newer and larger challenges in overcoming cyber crimes that have also turned elaborate and more complex. Unlawful undertakings in the internet have gone widespread, ranging from fraud to child pornography.
Over the years, forensic science — which has remained a fascinating approach in identifying and solving crimes through scientific and systematic means — has expanded to the digital domain. Digital evidences which are meticulously gathered by certified experts, who have undergone intensive computer forensics training, are currently proven to be authentic, reliable and admissible after following specific legal guidelines during civil and criminal court proceedings. The computer forensics degree focuses on the basic forensic principles of methodically collecting, recovering, preserving, identifying, analyzing, interpreting and reporting data or evidence for legal means.
Current trends in computer forensic science reveal that, despite the use of advanced technology in the investigative processes, there is still a steady need for more professionals with adept computer forensics training background and extensive experience in this field. Reputable universities, colleges and other educational institutions hold comprehensive computer forensics degree programs that provide a solid digital and legal knowledge base with extensive technical training. Aspirants and currently employed computer forensic technicians could further enhance their chances of attaining and maintaining more lucrative careers by acquiring computer forensics certification which ascertains proficiency and reliability.
Attaining a computer forensics degree does not only guarantee a future in law enforcement but also in the corporate and private business industry. Each piece of data stored in an electronic media will never be absolutely erased and will always leave an imprint that would later serve as pertinent clues during investigations in any criminal case or corporate violation. Computer histories, files, electronic mails and instant message archives which have been deleted either deliberately or accidentally can be retrieved through technical and systematic methods employed by computer forensics experts. Web server logs and internet caches can provide accurate information on every entity that has gained access to the sites. Information would include specified time and date of access, entity's current IP address, visited web page or link, HTTP referrer and codes, total quantity of served bytes, and user agents.
For the corporate and private business arena, computer forensics jobs focus significantly in maintaining the company's integrity and continuance in terms of safeguarding vital information and network security against illegal intrusions. Prevailing cyber crimes identified nowadays are hacking, identity theft, scam, spam, cyber stalking, credit card fraud, non-delivery of merchandise or of payment, child pornography, child grooming, espionage, intellectual property destruction and other forms of financial theft.
Basic in every computer forensic degree program are the established digital forensic methods of investigation generally divided into three major steps, namely acquisition, analysis and reporting. When conducting computer forensic procedures, various learned techniques are applied. Cross-drive analysis helps in detecting cyber anomalies by coordinating data stored in several hard drives. Live analysis is a method done inside an operating network, in which files that have been purposely encrypted to secure them from individuals who can access the system can be effectively opened and critically examined. Previously deleted files can be restored through forensic digital tools, such as a number of software capable of retrieving or extracting data layer by layer.
Computer forensic standards have been set reasonably high as unlawful cyber cases surge. A specialist who carries a computer forensics degree should be adept not only with the theoretical and technical aspects of the field but also with laws regarding computer security and safeguarding of privacy and information. Accredited learning institutions provide training and computer forensics certification necessary for thriving and high paying digital forensics careers.


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Sponsored by: Desert Diamond Casino
Nov 9, 2012 11:59 AM by Jeff Beamish
TUCSON - The Pima County Department of Environmental Quality is downgrading the particulate pollution advisory issued for today to an air quality watch for areas that did not receive rain.
Elevated wind speeds are still being forecasted for this afternoon, however areas that received moisture are likely to produce less wind-generated dust.
PDEQ monitors air pollution in our region at 18 air quality monitoring sites. Up-to-the-hour air pollution levels are available online at the PDEQ website www.airinfonow.org or by calling the PDEQ hotline at (520) 882-4AIR.
11 hours ago


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Today's coupon of the day is: Starbucks VIA Ready Brew, Any 5 Count Or Higher – $1.00/1
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Business Cards | Notecards | Letterhead | Envelopes | HS Presentation Folders | Children's Hospital Folders | Content Guidelines
The UVA Health System design system has been developed to help reinforce our brand and our message. It creates a distinctive appearance for all our communications, and because it is unique to UVA, it helps our employees, patients and the community immediately differentiate our materials from other competitive organizations.(to read more please see: www.uvabrand.com) If you are interested in an E-letterhead template, please Click Here
Please do not ask for alterations to these standard templates.
Before ordering, be sure to review the official UVA Health Systems Stationery Content Guidelines.
Please click on the Place Order button to order stationery
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As we continue to expand and evolve, UVA is committed to building a brand that mirror's the advanced level of care we provide. We help to achieve this by continually striving to deliver the best care and treatment options to our patients. But we also build our brand by consistently presenting an image of excellence to the public.
Every communication with the public -- every sign, letter, brochure newsletter, flyer, email or website -- contributes to the overall impression of UVA. When these messages are unified, they reinforce all activities of our health system, creating a perception of quality that truly reflects the exceptional level of medicine we practice everyday.
1. The complete department/division name will be used as space allows. Type size will not be adjusted for length. The words "Department of" and "Division of" may be eliminated. 2. An Individual's name should be set in capital and lower case letters. Do not use all caps. 3. Business Cards and Department Listing Letterhead ONLY: When used after a name, a title abbreviation is set off by a comma. In addition, a title using more than two periods should eliminate the periods all together.
If you have further questions about these guidelines, please refer to the complete content guidelines www.uvabrand.com or contact: Reecye Modny /Marketing Support / 434-924-0366
Email Comments to: Last Modified: Monday, 14-Oct-2013 14:33:56 EDT © Copyright 2015 by the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia


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Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Firefighters work on an early morning storm-related fire in the heavily damaged Brighton Beach neighborhood on October 31, 2012 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. It is believed the two alarm fire started due to widespread power outages and destroyed power lines. With the death toll currently at 55 and millions of homes and businesses without power, the US east coast is attempting to recover from the affects of floods, fires and power outages brought on by Hurricane Sandy. JFK airport in New York and Newark airport in New Jersey expect to resume flights on Wednesday morning and the New York Stock Exchange commenced trading after being closed for two days.
© The Seattle Times Company


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The Fine Print
Selection of the winner will be done on a random basis from the list of people who subscribe to The Video Journal.
When you enter a new subscription your name is automatically entered in the contest. Current subscribers through Issue #16 are automatically included. If your subscription expires with #16, you will need to re-subscribe to be eligible.
There is no cash equivalent to the prize. It must be accepted as given, or declined.
The winner agrees to allow his or her name to be published on the Luminous Landscape web site in association with the Contest promotion.
You are also made eligible by registering on the Luminous Landscape store. No purchase is necessary when registering. Your email address will be added to our database and you will revive occasional communications from us as new promotions are offered. Your name and contact information will not be provided to any other person or organization. Note that registration is only required by those who are not already registered on the new shopping cart as subscribers, pre Nov 25, 2005.
(Of course if you do purchase a subscription under this promotion you'll also be supporting this site, its continued growth and value to yourself as well as the entire photographic community. Not to mention also receiving one of the most exciting new photographic resources available. The choice is yours. Thanks.)
This contest is not sponsored by any product manufacturer and is a sole promotion by The Luminous Landscape Inc. Your name and contact information will not be provided to or used by any other person or company other than The Luminous Landscape Inc., regarding this promotion and The Video Journal.
I recently became a subscriber to your video journal, and what can I say? I just love it.
I have watched the back issues I ordered with great enjoyment. Makes me wish I started subscribing a long time ago.


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A full-line switch products catalog and companion CD from ITT features low-profile, surface-mount tacts, panel-mount rockers, navigation switches, and the C&K ELUM illuminated pushbutton. The CD also includes RoHS and application information on the company's full range of switch products. The CD contains technical data, such as soldering guidelines, contact material, drawings, and packaging information.
ITT Electronic Components


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Well, I'm sure that I'm not the only person with this problem, but I'm curious how everyone else handles it.
I have every current expansion of Talisman (as well as a bunch of 2nd & 3rd edition sets), and I often find myself bringing my set to friend's houses. As I don't want to bring a part of my beloved game, I am forced to either carry multiple boxes, or 2 overstuffed boxes. So, my question to you is how do you transport your game around?
I would LOVE it if someone created a carrying case for the entire game, because I'd be the first person to buy one. However, as I haven't found this "gaming unicorn" as of yet, I'm wondering if someone has a better idea.
Let me know!
P.S., if you happen to be an FF moderator or product specialist…HINT HINT!!!! There's a market for something like a carry case for the entire talisman set!


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Sponsored by: Desert Diamond Casino
Oct 8, 2012 8:48 AM by Nichole Szemerei, ADOT
ADOT seeks public comment for passenger rail, bus study connecting Phoenix, Tucson
Public can participate at community events or comment online
As the Arizona Department of Transportation continues to study the feasibility of a passenger rail line or bus service between Phoenix and Tucson, the agency is again calling on the public to provide input on the seven alternatives that have been selected for further study.
In the year since the first public involvement campaign last fall, ADOT has identified six potential rail alternatives and one express bus alternative that could link the two metropolitan areas, while meeting demands for future growth and travel options along one of the busiest interstate corridors in Arizona.
Beginning Oct. 6, ADOT will participate in a series of community events in Maricopa, Pinal and Pima counties to reach out to community members and get ideas and opinions on the seven options currently under evaluation. The public can also participate through an online survey.
The survey and the complete list of outreach events can be found at www.azdot.gov/passengerrail. The public comment period runs through Dec. 15.
Along with the seven potential alignments, ADOT is studying sites for station locations. The alignments include system hubs located near downtown Phoenix and downtown Tucson, and each includes extensions beyond the system hubs that would link to the west Phoenix metropolitan area, as well as Tucson International Airport.
Based on the technical analysis and this fall's public input, ADOT will then narrow the seven alternatives to two or three final alternatives in early 2013. Once the study ends in late 2013, ADOT is expected to select a locally preferred alternative.
Should the study conclude that a passenger rail line or bus service is feasible between Phoenix and Tucson, ADOT would complete further planning and environmental studies and development activities prior to construction of any segment in the corridor. There is currently no funding identified to build a passenger rail line. ADOT will work with the public, stakeholders and policymakers to identify a funding source, should the project move forward.
For more information about ADOT's Passenger Rail Corridor Study, visit www.azdot.gov/passengerrail.
1 hour ago