text:
Eid Mubarak from Pres. Obama
September 24, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
The President released the following statement to mark the end of Ramadan and the beginning of Eid-ul-Fitr:
"As Muslims in the United States and around the world complete the month of Ramadan and celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, Michelle and I would like to extend our personal greetings on this joyous occasion. Eid is a time to celebrate the completion of 30 days and nights of devotion. But even on this festive occasion, Muslims remember those less fortunate, including those impacted by poverty, hunger, conflict, and disease. Throughout the month, Muslim communities collect and distribute zakat-ul-fitr so that all Muslims are able to participate in this day of celebration. As I said in Cairo, my Administration is working to ensure that Muslims are able to fulfill their charitable obligations not just during Ramadan, but throughout the year. On behalf of the American people, we congratulate Muslims in the United States and around the world on this blessed day. Eid Mubarak."
Over the past month, the President and several government Agencies participated in events to mark Ramadan – the President continued the tradition of hosting an Iftar here at the White House while the U.S. Department of Agriculture hosted the first in their history. The Corporation for National and Community Service spearheaded "Interfaith Service Week" as part of the President and First Lady's Summer of Service initiative and many other groups and individuals came together to make this month a time of giving and reaching out to our neighbors in need.
The President and the First Lady extend their personal greetings on this special day. May you be well throughout the year.
Muslims and Climate Change
Muslims are 1/3 of the world. How can they contribute to saving the earth? I am trying to focus on world's one third population who are not paying attention about their claim in associating themselves with their beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) while He was the staunch advocator for the cause of environmental protection. According to Prophet (s) (hadith-by Al-Bukhari) "There is none amongst the believers who plants a tree, or sows a seed, and then a bird, or a person, or an animal eats thereof, but it is regarded as having given a charitable gift"[for which there is great recompense].
On various occasions, it's been reported that the Prophet (s) had given plenty of importance toward cultivation of land…
See better treatment for animals; special concern for the preservation of water, plant and birds.
Importance of Planting a Tree in Islam
Citing the Prophet's (s) concern about plants, Qumruzzaman Azmi-Secretary General of the World Islamic Mission, Manchester(UK), said that Prophet (s) says, if a person is dying and he or she gets the chance to plant a tree then do it before dying. Azmi further quoted the Prophet (s) "if the people knew the importance and benefit of planting a tree, there wouldn't be a single place on earth left treeless."
According to a prominent Muslim scholar, Dr. Al-Qaradawi, Prophet (s) said "He who cuts a lote-tree (without justification), God will send him to Hellfire.
(this is a much needed tree found in the desert area with scarce vegetation)
This Hadith gives value to even one tree so we can figure out that how much destructive it is in destroying millions of trees; spoiling the earth's resources; causing destruction for ozone layer etc.
Encouraging to Cultivate Wasteland
In order to protect the natural resources and preserve the balance existing between the diverse elements of nature in the environment, Al-Qaradawi further quotes the Prophet (s) who not only encouraged the sustainable use of fertile lands, He also told his followers of the benefits of making unused land productive: planting a tree, sowing a seed and irrigating dry land were all regarded as charitable deeds. "Whoever brings dead land to life, that is, cultivates wasteland, for him is a reward therein."
Essentially, it is prohibited by Islam to let the land set idle for a long time without working it out, quoted by Iqbual Nadvi from ICNA(Islamic Circle of North America).
Water Conservation
For the purpose of saving water, the Prophet (s) strictly abstained His followers from wasting a single drop of water while making Wadu( a ritual of removing impurity) . He also recommended repeating each thing not more than three times while performing Wudu, even if they are sitting near lake, river or a flowing spring.
In fact, there are innumerable instances which substantiate the intimate relation of the Prophet with Earth, Water, Land and Animal.
In the context of treating birds, He says "If anyone wrongfully kills even a sparrow, let alone anything greater, he will face God's interrogation" [Mishkat al Masabih].
Reducing Animal Cruelty
Prophet Muhammad (s) taught his followers to be gentle and cautious at the time of slaughtering animals. He advised to use sharp knives following a civilized method in slaughtering the animals so that it could minimize the risk of hurting and facilitating them to die quickly with little pain.
However, He forbade sharpening the knives and slaughtering any animal in the presence of other animals which, essentially, shows the dignity toward the animal. Prophet used to give special consideration to camel and horses as the most useful animal for journey and battle.
Obama's View
Addressing in Cairo, US President Barack Obama inspired the Muslim World by inculcating them:" As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam – at places like Al-Azhar University – that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment."
The Qur'an says, mankind holds a privileged position among God's creations on earth: he is chosen as khalifa (vice-regent), and carries the responsibility of caring for God's earthly creations. Each individual is given this task and privilege in the form of God's trust. But the Qur'an repeatedly warns believers against arrogance: they are no better than other creatures.
"No creature is there on earth nor a bird flying with its wings but they are nations like you
[Qur'an 6:38]
"Surely the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of man; but most people know not."
[Qur'an 40:57]
Protecting Eco-System
In the thesis, submitted into UNO, Professor Dr. Farooq Hassan-President
Pakistan Ecology Council, says: protecting the environment and eco-systems of the earth are a major concern of the Islamic Faith. If the situation of the environment keeps deteriorating at the present rate, there will ultimately be no life, no property and no religion left.
As we face the effects of pollution and water scarcity in some parts of the world and floods and violent storms elsewhere, now it's time for the world
community as a whole, Muslims, Christians and Jews, Hindus and Buddhists, atheists and agnostics, to take a leaf out of the Prophet's book and address the current environmental crisis seriously and wisely.
Life in Gaza… and the Peace Process
August 20, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Geoffrey Cook, Muslim Media News Service (MMNS)
New York City–August 12th–It is hard for the Muslim to realize that Jews are not the enemy for the atrocities within our mutual Holy Land, rather the perverted doctrine of Zionism is the culprit.
I was fortunate to be on a conference call with Mitchell Plitnick, the Director of the U.S. Office of B'Tselem, the Israeli Information for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. This independent Israeli Information Center documents abuses under their law, and has been able to make a difference legally and in the sight of public opinion.
This call was sponsored by Churches for Middle East Peace to examine the conditions on the ground especially in Gaza and how it impacts the larger peace prospects.
Mitchell Plitnick, the Director of the American Office of B'Tselem: the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories–is a highly respected analyst. He was born into an Orthodox Jewish family here in New York, and was educated in a Yeshiva (much like an Islamic Madrassa). Strangely, he had grown up in an extremist Jewish environment, and during his earlier career supported the Settler Movement until he began to question the status quo.
Plitnick's B'Tselem attempts to guarantee rights within the Occupied Teritories.
Yet Gaza itself, which is no longer under law "an Occupied Territory" although Israel still holds responsibility for it under International law due to its brutal blockade — has not changed since the War. Historically, the Strip has been a dependent district for centuries – Turks, Egyptians, British Israelis et al. At the moment it is legally beholden to Tel Aviv for supplies which responsibility the IDF (Israel Defense Force) has been ignoring.
There has been no post-War reconstruction of Gaza City and its hinterlands due to the blockade. Besides, little food or medicine is permitted by the Egyptian and Israeli Commands.
This blockade cannot be justified for Israeli security. "Gazan human rights cannot be bargained away for Israeli security!" The conditions are desperate! It is in Israel not Hamas' hands while the United States has not moved forward along the lines of our new Executive's rhetoric. The situation in Gaza has remained static since Hamas' 2006 election. Israel's raison d'être for the Blockade was to force the Palestinian Arabs to suffer and to overthrow Hamas. Well, "Collective punishment is illegal!" Plitnick, further, stated that "The condition on the ground can't be argued morally or legally. The International community should add the suffering of the people" into the equation!
On the other side of the struggle, "Most [Israelis] thought Operation Cast Lead [the Gaza War] was not a success… [for its] objectives were not met." Most of the post-conflict coverage center on how the War was conducted. Gaza's economy has been decimated by the Operation. The anger in Gaza, of course, is not against their government, but the Jews and Egyptians. There is a good chance that Hamas could carry the upcoming elections, too, on the West Bank.
The Egyptians are, further, fearful of the Hamas government because of their close relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood, the second largest party in Cairo's Parliament. Furthermore, Alexandria does not wish to see refugees overflowing from the Rafah boundaries where there was a revolt of a sub-sect two weeks ago who wished to spread an even more stringent form of Islam over the whole of Palestine than the Islamist Hamas. Although, at the same time, Egyptian businessmen feel they may be able to wrench the wretched electrical blockage away from the Israelis and to supply the Gazans to Egypt's economic advantage.
WHO (the World Health Organization) et al. has declared that medical supplies are grossly inadequate. The Israeli Branch of Physicians for Human Rights has been able to provide the bulk of medical relief in Gaza itself and, also, to much of the Occupied Territories.
To a question, Mr. Plitnick replied that Hamas would have a hard time to deny elections now although their relations are still confrontational with Fatah. Hamas is in firm control of their miniscule republic although the human rights situation is less than optimal (human rights can only arise and thrive in situations where there is political stability with no outside threat bearing down on the "commonwealth"). Yet their citizens overwhelmingly support their administration. Still, on the other hand, Gaza City is desperately attempting to discover an open door to the Obama Presidency.
The issue of the Israeli Cabinent's demand for the one missing Israeli soldier is a question of one to thousands of Palestinian prisoners. The Palestinians on the West Bank are desirous for change, too, while back in Gaza, none of President Obama's promises have come to fruition. In both areas, there has only been the ebb and flow of violence: In Occupation this is a constant!
Plitinck acknowledged that Iran was a major International supplier to Hamas for the Farsis own propagandistic purposes – to demonstrate their unwavering support of Palestine to the Islamic world, but Hamas itself is not an extension of Tehran's foreign policy agenda. If Persia and Gaza's ties were severed, the modern Philistines could and would find alternative aid and support. The regime in Gaza City is a Palestinian National Movement!
Speaking on the politics of his own country, Mitchell Plitnick stated that the sectarian (Foreign Minister) Lieberman, who is now under investigation for corruption, is one of the worst disasters to overtake his nation's body politic. Although our human rights NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) Director stated that he (Lieberman) was not listened to within the Cabinet, he represented a severe tilt towards the right in Tel Aviv, and that is why U.S. pressure must be applied to the government there. American Jews are much more liberal than Israeli officialdom as a whole, he argued; and, thus must let their voices be heard in American-Israeli debates while taking into account Israel's legitimate security concerns. (One of the problems in Israel's Commonweal is that they over accentuate their security requirements over what is reasonable.)
For instance, building materials should be permitted into Gaza; so, the Strip can be reconstructed!
Ottoman Palestine Pictures
August 13, 2009 by TMO · 3 Comments
From ottomanpalestine.com:
"Until 9 December 1917 for more 400 years the city and Palestine lived peacefully under Pax Ottomana. Despite this 400 year long rule of Turks in Jerusalem there are not many visible Turkish Architectural Works. No slender minarets or Royal Mosque as in Balkans was build. The reason for this was respect for the local traditions and because there was a congregational Mosque of Masjid el-Aqsa. No other Mosque could be built that could surpass the holy shrine. Never the less, the City of Jerusalem has still a visible Turkish Presence. "
Suleiman had a special relationship with Jerusalem. Evliya Çelebi describes Sultan Suleiman's special relationship with Jerusalem as follows:
"In the year 926/1520 Sultan Suleiman acceded to the throne and conquered the fortress of Belgrade 927/1521 and later on the island of Rhodes 928/1522 and accumulated thereby intense wealth. The Prophet Muhammed (s.a.w) appeared to him in a blessed night and told him: "O Suleiman you will make many conquests You should spend these spoils on embellishing Mecca and Medina, and for the fortification of the citadel of Jerusalem in order to repulse the unbelievers, when they attempt to take possession during the reign of your followers. You should also embellish its sanctuary with a water basin and offer annual money gift to the dervishes there, and also embellish the Rock of Allah and rebuild Jerusalem."
"Such being the order of the Prophet (S), Suleiman sends from his spoils one thousand purses to Medina and another thousand purses to Jerusalem. Together with required material he dispatched the master architect Koca Sinan and transferred Lala Mustafa Pasha from the governorship of Egypt to that of Syria, this latter having been ordered to carry out the restoration of Jerusalem, gathered all the master builders, architects and sculptors available in Cairo, Damascus and Aleppo and send them to Jerusalem to rebuild it and to embellish the Holy Rock."
Ottoman Soldiers in Palestine
Ottoman Passport Palestine
Palestinian Wedding Procession 1904
Visiting of King of Germany to Ottoman Palestine 1898
Ottoman Railway, First Train to BI'RšSSEBA BETWEEN HAIFA DER'A
Ottoman Railway Haifa Train Station, Opening Prayer 1905
Ottoman Jerusulem 1898
Modern Palestine:
Deputy Says Bin Laden Truce Offers Still Valid
By Maamoun Youssef (AP)
CAIRO—Osama bin-Laden's deputy said in a video message released Monday that the al-Qaida leader's offers of a truce with the U.S. and Europe remained on the table, though he ridiculed President Barack Obama as "the new face of the same old crimes."
In a video posted on an Islamic militant Web site, al-Qaida's No. 2 leader, Ayman al-Zawahri, scorned the American president over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the U.S. approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Nonetheless, al-Zawahri said "fair" truces offered by bin-Laden were still valid.
In 2004, bin-laden offered a truce to European countries that do not attack Muslims. Two years later, he offered the American people a "long-term truce" without specifying the conditions, though in that same audio recording he also warned that his fighters were preparing new attacks in the United States.
"These offers were dealt with impolitely but are still valid, and the offer is fair," al-Zawahri said. "But they (Americans) want a relationship with us based on suppression."
"Obama is like a wolf whose fangs tear your flesh and whose paws slit your face and then he calls on you to talk about peace," he said.
Al-Zawahri has been critical of Obama since his election, even releasing a message that referred to him as a "house negro," a slur for a black subservient to whites.
In the message released Monday by al-Qaida's media operation, Al-Sahab, al-Zawahri said Obama is seeking to mislead the Muslim world with calls for better ties and was doing so because wrath from the Muslim world had inflicted catastrophes upon America.
"We are not idiots to accept meaningless flexible words. Obama is the new face with the same old crimes," he said.
U.S. State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters Monday that the United States believes it has "turned a tide" in the struggle against extremists. He spoke of success in Afghanistan, "difficult as it is," and "meaningful steps" by the Pakistani government against al-Qaida and others.
"This is not a struggle that al-Qaida is destined to win," Crowley said. "As to a truce, I have no further comment."
Marwa Al-Sherbini
July 20, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Geoffrey Cook, MMNS
A thirty-one year-old Egyptian Muslim pharmacist plaintiff — four months pregnant with her second child — while wearing her traditional Hijab, was viciously stabbed eighteen times, and died in a Dresden courtroom on July 1st — by an alleged naturalized German attacker. Previously, he had accused her of being a "Terrorist" because of her Islamic dress, and ripping her hijab off her head. Unfortunately, such Islamaphobia is only too common in Europe even though Germany, with its horrendous history of instigating the Holocaust against the Jews and other minorities during World II, has some of the most stringent hate-crime laws in the world.
Her husband, who tried to intervene, was, also, stabbed by the attacker and, then, shot in the leg by a security officer who "mistook" him for the attacker. Al-Sherbini, who was not only pregnant, but was, also, cruelly murdered in front of her three-year old son!
She was about to testify against her impending murderer when this vicious assault took place. The prosecutor at the proceedings had just described the accused as having a deep hatred against Muslims.
Your reporter is a regular listener to Deutche Velle, but they and most of the German privately owned media there largely ignored or played down the incident. The BBC (the British Broadcasting Corporation) gave suitable examination of the episode as did the Islamic press and media.
In a press release from The Muslim Council of Great Britain (MCB), they "…urged political leaders and opinion formers to end their muted response to the recent wave of anti-Muslim violence…"
The Middle Eastern Institute's Editor's Blog noted that the case "…has been little noted in the Western media [especially in the U.S.]…the crime itself has outraged the Egyptian[s]…her body was met at [the] Cairo airport; thousands…turned out for her funeral in Alexandria……the opposition forces … [are]…particularly incensed [especially the Muslim Brotherhood who have called her the head-scarf martyr]…the official media as well…these popular…outcries… [have become a]…backfire on the unpopular [Mubarak] Regime…"
The Tehran Times described the unofficial response to the martyred Mother's death in Saxony with spontaneous demonstrations on the Streets of the Iranian capital which included protests in front of Deutschland's Persian Embassy, and a funeral in replication of hers in Alexandria both in protest and to honor to her soul. Officially, "….The Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned the German ambassador…to protest…the murder…of the woman. Iran criticized the German government for its slow response…and…that Germany is responsible for… insuring the security of minorities…including Muslims…"
In April 2007 I was privileged to attend a conference organized by Hatem Baziam of U.C. Berkeley on Islamaphobia. Your scribe has never had a chance to comment about the perceptions expressed there on the European version of the phenomenon which are different than the American practice in that, because of the former European form of Colonialism over Muslims lands– which for the most part the Americans did not follow – the social class on the other side of the Atlantic include more individuals – with the right to emigrate — in competition with the traditional nationalities of their new countries for working class jobs. This does not follow in the Sherbini case because they were professionals, but that in itself might been the issue that shot off her attacker to violence in a society where its brutal former right-wing is once again reasserting itself.
The Western scholar on Islam, Peter Gottscalk, noted that "Islamophobia is the making of Muslims into enemies." He talked about the Danish cartoon which so outraged the Islamic ummah by portraying the followers of Mohammed (PBUH) with hedonism in contrast to Occidental secularism. Political cartons, such as that are powerful negative weapons. This one was applied against Islamic immigrants. A cartoon's symbolism can caricaturize and stereotype another people. Fundamentalist Christians often associate Muslims with their (the "Christian's") simplistic theological concept of "Satan." Modern Islamophobia has re-manipulated the female into an oppressed one, too. This makes the violence done to Marwa totally illogical even in the relation to Islam-bashing, and, furthermore, it became no more than gratuitous aggression. Thus, on the whole, it is felt that Islam is an "… omnipresent…posing a threat;" therefore, "…violent
actions against…Muslims… [are made]…more palpable."
A Mohammed Tamigid pointed out that both Islamaphobia and Islamaphillia are both elements of the West's [neo-]Imperialism, and are part of a systemic racism. The cultural economy of the hate/love relationship here in the West have encouraged a carrot and stick methodology within contemporary Imperialism. This (trade) Imperialism (which includes Globalism and neo-liberalism) has been expanding about the planet. Even to Saxon province, where the former European Colonials are free to settle, to the resentment of the traditional citizens of the Nineteenth Century nation-state of that and other in other European regions, and with this crumbling worldwide economy can only lead to resentment, and to simplistic racist / sectarian blame – especially amongst the lower classes of the guest nations. Islam has had differences with Europe from the beginning – both in religion and imperialistic structures. Islamaphobia and Islamaphillia are two sides of the same coin. "Islamaphobia only gives reasons for the powerlessness" of the Metropoles (Centers of the Empire).
Repackaging Islamism
July 16, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Rafia Zakaria
Couched in a corporate structure that relies on savvy marketing, attractive rhetoric and smart, modern packaging, projects like IslamOnline represent the effort to change in appearance and language what remains the same in substance.
The headquarters of IslamOnline.net is palatial building located on the outskirts of Cairo. Away from the dirt and unrelenting traffic of the bustling Egyptian capital, its shiny and brand new campus is located across the street from an equally palatial mosque. If you've spent any time in Cairo, the glass ensconced air-conditioned office of this Qatari-funded online empire can be a welcome respite from the desert heat, undoubtedly for both the casual visitor as well as the nearly one hundred Egyptian men and women who work here.
According to its publicity materials, IslamOnline strives for "an Islamic renaissance" and envisions itself as becoming the largest and most "credible reference on Islam and its peoples". The website hosts a number of features from "news" to "politics in depth" to "family" and "art and culture". A whole section is devoted to "Euro-Muslims", even though the website is based in the Middle East; assumedly perhaps because much of traffic for the website comes not from Egypt itself but from Muslims living in Europe.
The technology is slick, the graphics trendy and the young, energetic staff quite committed to the avowed project of rebranding Islam. Words like "moderate" "diverse" and "plural" are recurrent in the vocabulary of the editors, used repeatedly to describe both their mission and their purpose.
These two facets of IslamOnline, its Egyptian staff and Western consumers and the conscious rebranding of Islam are worthy of attention.
Take first the savvy rhetorical repackaging that is insistent on the fact that the "Islam" it is peddling is both "moderate" and "diverse". When questioned regarding what constitutes "moderate" Islam, however, the editors are resolute in providing synonyms instead of concrete responses. Ignored thus is the idea that diversity, in essence, stands for the representation of a variety of views that include the extremes, while moderation stands for a particular selection which avoids the extremes.
Also ignored is the reality that selecting what is moderate therefore inherently invokes a judgement and an interpretation regarding what is considered to be so. For instance, on the issue of hijab, the editors of IslamOnline state that the moderate position is that all Muslim women are required to wear the hijab; this is also, they insist, the "majority" position but the process of enumerating what a "majority" means, or why conflicting interpretations are ignored is again left unexplained. The same women who denounce the intolerance of Europeans toward women who wear the headscarf are thus unwilling to tolerate that a Muslim woman can refuse to wear one and still practice her faith.
This lack of self-awareness among the editors of IslamOnline and the self-described promoters of the "correct" and "moderate" Islam is disturbing given the stated aims of the organisation. It is difficult indeed to discern whether the editors and staff of this web-based dawa organisation are being deliberately evasive regarding their project of proffering a particular definition of "moderate" Islam or truly ignorant of their own role in advancing a project whose strings are being pulled by their financiers.
The geographical dynamics of both the headquarters of IslamOnline as well as the constituents of its staff add further complications to the question. 180 Egyptians, men and women, some commuting up to two hours each way, brave the heat and dust of Cairo to work in this air-conditioned glass building reeking of Gulf money. Sitting in neat cubicles, they collect news articles and fatwas for Muslims around the world, most notably in the West.
Their writings say little or nothing at all about the rising unemployment in Cairo, the blatant poverty visible on every city street, or the lack of political process in their country. In fact, these proximate realities, experienced undoubtedly by editors and staff, are all not represented in the conversation and largely the content of IslamOnline. In the deliberate divorce of these two realities then, IslamOnline, in the real and not virtual sense, represents outsourcing at its best: the relegation of dawa to Egyptian Muslims propagating an Islam envisioned by their Gulf financiers.
The disjunction is obvious not simply in the economic disparity between the largely Egyptian producers of IslamOnline, its Qatari backers and its largely Western consumers, but also in the avowed rhetoric of diversity versus its project of propagating the "correct" Islam. The Sharia section, which according to their own statistics is the most popular section of the website, is run by a doctoral student from Al-Azhar University. In his words, the process of compiling the "diverse" and "moderate" views espoused by IslamOnline stands for the effort to combine "authentic" opinions on various subjects from all four Sunni mazhabs. Shiite schools of thought fail to make this authenticity cut and hence are not represented.
A similar conclusion could be reached about the propagators of "authentic" Islam of IslamOnline; a document retrieved from IslamOnline reveals that nearly ninety percent of the sheikhs recruited to provide fatwas are Arab sheikhs with little or no representation for Southeast Asians, South Asians and Muslims from other non-Arab ethnicities.
In conclusion then, the Islam of IslamOnline stands for Islam as understood largely by Sunni Arabs. There is indeed nothing wrong with such a project; Sunni Arabs just like Iranian Shiites or South Asian Sufis have the right to propagate and disseminate information about their particular take on the Islamic faith. Indeed, there is something laudable and commendable also about providing Egyptian Muslim youth with a well funded and inviting workplace where they can interact and earn good livelihoods while living their faith.
The pernicious aspects of projects like IslamOnline lie in the unsaid agendas that undergird their stated goals. Calling a website "IslamOnline" instead of "MuslimsOnline" makes a very particular claim about representing a single and correct doctrinal position whose truth is substantiated by a particular interpretation of religious text. Disguising such a claim in the glib rhetoric of "diversity" and "plurality" while simultaneously excluding entire swathes of Muslim practice such as Shiite theology suggests a deceptive condescension toward both Muslims and non-Muslims consumers of the website.
In larger terms, projects like IslamOnline represent a novel new turn taken by the Islamist project that consciously seeks to redefine itself as "moderate". Couched in a corporate structure that relies on savvy marketing, attractive rhetoric and smart, modern packaging, it represents the effort to change in appearance and language what remains the same in substance. This new and repackaged Islamism thus continues to privilege Sunni and Arab interpretations of Islam as ultimately authentic and correct but under the glib pretence of being committed to both moderation and diversity.
Rafia Zakaria is an attorney living in the United States where she teaches courses on Constitutional Law and Political Philosophy. She can be contacted at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Ban Racism And Not The Burqa
July 16, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Bindu Gurtoo, Countercurrents.org
So the French president has gone and done it. In the first presidential address in the French Parliament since 1848, the esteemed President talked about… the Burqa! By declaring, quite theatrically in the parliament that there was no place for the burqa in France, Mr. Sarkozy has undone the goodwill that President Obama so painstakingly earned for the West in Cairo last month. Not only that, by making a fatwa like declaration, he has given the Islamic hardliners another opportunity to raise the bogey of western cultural imperialism. Well, what else can one expect from a man who seems to have little clue on how to deal with global recession, or to tackle the rising unemployment in his country or even to get his countrymen and women to put in an honest day's labour without going on a strike. Bombastic statements such as these confirm the long held belief of the coloured world that liberty is the white man's concubine who uses her exclusively for his pleasure.
Pray, Mr. Sarkozy, how is burqa a garment of exclusion while the catholic nun's habit is not? Granted that the burqa condemns the wearer to a claustrophobic formlessness, but, what about the two piece bikini designed by a man for the voyeuristic pleasure of the male gaze? How can a culture which connives in forcing teenagers to attain impossible thinness and applauds bizarre garments as high fashion, or sit in judgment over others' attires? Come on Frenchies, tell us, as instruments of debasement and oppression, how are decadence, racism, substance abuse, bulimia, porn and pedophilia any less than the burqa? If, by banning the burqa you are trying to rescue Muslim damsels in distress, then may we suggest a more worthy alternative? How about giving the Muslims in your country genuine equal opportunities that are not sabotaged by racial snobbery?
While you rush to ban the burqa the way you banned the turban, why not ban a few other things such as tobacco, liquor and skinny fashion which have debased and destroyed a great many of your people? But we know you are not going to do that, Mr. Sarkozy for these are valued as expressions of the haute French culture. And one does not desecrate one's culture by rudely hiving off bits, does one? We suspect Mr. Sarkozy that you have learnt your lessons in governance from the redoubtable Robespierre whose guillotine had once worked overtime in the name of democracy.
Perhaps Mr. Sarkozy, it is time you stepped out of the Muslim woman's wardrobe and directed your attention to some real issues such as climate change, recession and the future of the European Union. Or do we conclude that it is because you are incapable of pondering over these problems that you take refuge in her cupboard? Do come away from her closet, President and let the Muslim woman decide for herself what she would like to wear. Ah! You are only trying to lend a helping hand, aren't you? Please desist! For history shows us that the helping hand often ends up slapping the helper. As the president of the nation that pioneered popular uprising, you ought to know that revolutions have to germinate in native soil and can never be successfully grafted. Instead, place your trust in the Muslims to decide on the destiny of their cultures for themselves.
Perhaps, Mr. Sarkozy, the time has come for France to follow the example from across the Atlantic of her once good friend and partner- in- revolutions and elect colored leaders? Though it may seem a daunting task for a man of your intellect, but think Mr. Sarkozy, think!
(The author is a member of Citizen News Service (CNS) Writers' Bureau. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com, website: www.citizen-news.org)
ISNA Convention 2009
July 13, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Rick Warren and Senior White House official visit 46th ISNA Convention
An image from a parallel session of this year's ISNA Convention, Turkish-American Muslims (TAM) — Status, Integration, and Future. |
(Washington DC – July 6, 2009) – Valerie Jarrett was the keynote speaker on Friday at the inaugural session of the 46th Annual Convention of the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA). Ms. Jarrett, who serves as a Senior Advisor and Assistant to President Obama for Public Engagement and Intergovernmental Affairs, was introduced to the Convention's participants by ISNA President Dr. Ingrid Mattson.
Citing President Obama's Cairo Speech, Ms. Jarrett acknowledged the Contribution of American Muslims to the overall development of American society and the strengthening of American institutions. She commended ISNA for addressing many critical issues in the convention: "increasing civic engagement and interfaith cooperation, protecting the rights of the disabled and elderly, addressing domestic violence, improving education and health care, expanding renewable energy, and protecting the environment."
Ms. Jarrett paid a tribute to the diligent work of Muslim Americans on behalf of the country.
"As this Convention demonstrates," she noted, " gone are the days of describing distinct sets of 'Muslim issues' and American issues.' Your work here is crucial in confronting the challenges that all Americans are facing. And you help advance the new beginning between the United State and Muslim communities around the world that the President called for in Cairo."
ISNA Convention attracted around 35,000 participants from around the country. The Convention featured 70 sessions, giving the participants the opportunities to address issues of Muslim and national concerns, plan future projects, and engage in interreligious and intergenerational discussions. In addition to Ms. Jarrett, guest speakers included the world-renowned Evangelical leader Pastor Rick Warren, and the popular singer Yusuf Islam (formerly Cat Stevens).
Hijab Martyr
July 13, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Egypt funeral for court stabbing victim
Sherbini's body was returned to Egypt from Germany for the funeral in Alexandria [AFP]
An official funeral has been held for a pregnant Egyptian woman stabbed to death as she prepared to give evidence in a German courtroom.
Several government representatives took part in the funeral for 32-year-old Marwa Sherbini in the northern city of Alexandria on Monday.
Sherbini was stabbed 18 times by a German man of Russian descent, formally identified only as Axel W, last week as she was about to give evidence against him as he appealed against his conviction for calling her a "terrorist" for her wearing the hijab.
Her three-year-old son, Mustapha, witnessed the knife attack on his mother, who was three months pregnant with her second child.
'Hijab Martyr'
Sherbini's husband, Elwi Ali Okaz, an Egyptian academic, was also critically injured as he tried to protect her.
Al Jazeera's Rawyeh Rageh, reporting from Alexandria, said that the case had attracted huge attention in Egypt.
"The local council here in Alexandria, the victim's hometown, has decided to name a street after her and the press is describing her as the 'Hijab Martyr'," she said.
"At least two protests are expected to take place in Alexandria and Cairo as this is being seen as a xenophobic and Islamophobic attack.
"People on the street and members of parliament are asking the government not to take the issue lightly."
Hundreds of mourners gathered for the funeral, some chanting "Down with Germany" and scuffling with police, witnesses said.
'Criminal act'
The German embassy in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, said that the attack was not a reflection of German attitudes towards Muslims.
"It is a criminal act. It has nothing to do with persecution against Muslims," Magdi al-Sayed, a press officer, told the state-run Egyptian Gazette.
"People are looking for victims and Muslims are sometimes seen as a viable option"
Sulaiman Wilms, European Muslim Union
But Sulaiman Wilms, the head of communications at the European Muslim Union, said that the incident was at least partly representative of the situation faced by Muslims across the continent.
"It definitely reflects a certain spillover from certain elements of the public-media discourse, but it also reflects the general violence and degredation of order which we have within European societies in these times of global crisis," he told Al Jazeera from Cologne.
"People are looking for victims and Muslims are sometimes seen as a viable option."
Sherbini's family have called for revenge following the deadly knife attack on Wednesday.
"If she was just stabbed once, I would have said this is a mad man, but the number of times she and her husband were stabbed reflects the extent of racism this man had in him," Tarek Sherbini, the victim's brother, said.
"Here in Egypt, we believe in 'an eye for an eye'. The least we expect is the death penalty for the murderer."
Source: Al Jazeera and agencies
My Father: Lion of the Desert
June 27, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
A Talk with Mohamed Omar al Mukhtar, son of the famous Omar al-Mukhtar.
By Khaled Mahmoud, Asharq Al-Awsat
Cairo–In this interview, Asharq Al-Awsat speaks to Mohamed Omar al Mukhtar, the son of Libyan resistance leader Omar al Mukhtar who fought against Italy's occupation of Libya in the 1920s and 1930s, which eventually led to his execution.
Mohammed al Mukhtar, 87, who accompanied Libyan leader Colonel Muamaar Gaddafi to Italy, spoke to Asharq Al-Awsat by telephone briefly before resorting to a mediator, Jalidi Khatrish, the Media Advisor to the Libyan Embassy in Rome, due to health reasons. The interview was conducted under the supervision of Hafed Gaddour, Libya's ambassador to Rome.
Q) How did you feel when you first landed in Italy and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was waiting for you?
A) I felt proud to be the son of a great Mujahid who was martyred after resisting the Italians. They admitted their crimes, in particular the crime of executing the Mujahid of all Mujahideen [Omar al Mukhtar].
Q) Has the matter of your father's execution been laid to rest with Italy?
A) This has been a good step and God willing it will be successful and mark the beginning of good ties based on equality and mutual interests.
Q) What does your visit to Rome represent and how do you feel?
A) It feels good.
Q) How did you feel when Berlusconi hugged you?
A) It was good.
Q) Gaddafi has a picture of your father pinned to his chest. How did you feel about that?
A) We were honoured by that.
Q) What is your message to the Italian people?
A) Now that there has been reconciliation, we are friends.
Q) Do you believe that all issues have been settled with the Italians?
A) Yes of course. They are not how they were in 1911 under [Benito] Mussolini. This is a new generation and we look forward to improved ties between Libya and Italy.
Q) How has your family responded to this visit?
A) The whole family is delighted at the visit.
Q) What is your message to the Italian people?
A) We hope that this visit and my presence alongside our brother leader [Gaddafi] will mark the beginning of new relations between the two countries after a dark chapter of Italian colonization of our country ended.
Q) It was the first time that an Arab leader has pinned a picture of an Arab martyr killed by Westerners to his chest. What does this mean to him and to you especially as the son of that martyr?
A) It is a good sign and we are proud of it. The leader Muammar Gaddafi is faithful to the martyrs and the Mujahideen who resisted the Italian occupation under the leadership of my father Omar al Mukhtar, may his soul rest in peace.
Q) What is your message to the Libyan people?
A) I would tell them that Italy's acknowledgment and apology is addressed to the Libyan people, and there is no doubt that this honours the entire Libyan nation and we can hold our heads high thanks to the revolution and to Colonel Gaddafi.
Q) How do you view Italian official and media attention that was paid to your visit to Rome?
A) I have been received well and this exceeds me to the entire Libyan nation, especially Colonel Gaddafi.
Q) It is as if Omar al Mukhtar's soul is being felt in Italy.
A) Yes, no doubt, and this of course pleases us.
Q) Is there anything you'd like to say to our readers?
A) I would like to wish them success in their work in the best interest of the entire Arab and Islamic world.
ACLU Condemns Charity Closings
June 27, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Duke Helfand
The federal government's crackdown on suspected terrorism financing since the 9/11 attacks has violated the rights of US Muslim charities and deterred Muslims from charitable giving, the ACLU said last Tuesday.
An expansion of laws and policies since 2001 has given the US Treasury in particular virtually unchecked authority to designate charities as terrorist organizations and freeze assets without adequate safeguards to protect against mistakes or abuse, the study concluded.
It said that such sweeping powers, combined with the FBI interviewing Muslim donors and putting mosques under surveillance, has created a climate of fear among Muslims. Donors have been reluctant to fulfill their religious obligation to give zakat, or charity, one of the "five pillars" of Islam, for fear of being arrested, deported, denied citizenship or prosecuted retroactively for donations made in good faith.
"Giving charity is a central part of being Muslim, so it weighs heavily on them that they cannot practice a key tenet of their faith," said ACLU researcher Jennifer Turner, who based her findings on interviews with 120 Muslim community leaders, donors and former government officials.
In a statement, the Treasury Department, which is responsible for oversight of charitable activity, said it attempts to help the charitable community protect against terrorist abuses.
"We're hopeful this ongoing communication will ensure all charitable groups, regardless of religious affiliation, have the ability to provide assistance where it's needed most, without empowering terrorist organizations," the agency said.
In his speech in Cairo this month, President Obama addressed the oversight of Muslim charities, saying the "rules on charitable giving have made it harder for Muslims to fulfill their religious obligation. That's why I'm committed to working with American Muslims to ensure that they can fulfill zakat."
Civil libertarians and Muslim advocates say the new administration has yet to actually address the problems. The ACLU said federal policies have led to closures of nine Muslim charities in Texas, Michigan, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon and other states.
The leaders of one former charity, Holy Land Foundation for Relief and Development, were convicted in November of funneling more than $12 million to the Palestinian militant group Hamas. The US designated Hamas a terrorist organization, making contributions to it illegal. Two founding members of Holy Land, once the nation's largest Muslim charity, were each sentenced last month to 65 years in prison.
Still, Muslim advocates and the ACLU said the government has seized the assets of other charities without charging them with a crime, driving charitable giving underground and undermined diplomatic efforts in Muslim countries, they said.
"This is an issue that not only goes to religious giving, but we see this as critical to our continued integration and participation in American public life," said Farhana Khera, executive director of Muslim Advocates, a legal advocacy and education organization based in San Francisco.
"To be engaged in public life, we need to feel comfortable supporting our community institutions," she said.
Chaos on Cairo Streets
May 7, 2009 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Sumayyah Meehan MMNS Middle East Correspondent
Cars on bustling Cairo streets compete with pedestrians, donkey carts, buses and motorcycles as they make their way down the ever congested and polluted roadways. And that's in addition to sharing the street with countless other vehicles. As a result of the chaos, Egypt is ranked as 2nd in the world for traffic fatalities. According to a World Health Organization report, there were an estimated 7,000 road fatalities in Egypt last year alone. The reasons for the deaths can be chalked up to several factors such as poor driving skills by motorists, a failing infrastructure with poor roadways and a general indifference by a population who is one of the poorest in the world.
Most drivers in Egypt do not even have to pass a driver's education course before they are licensed to hit the road. This is evident the moment you pull onto any street in Cairo. Driver's weave in and out of traffic and get off at exits without even turning on their blinkers. Since bus stops are few and far between, buses often stop in the middle of the roadway to dispense their passengers, who just might get hit by a speeding motorist the minute they get off the bus. The speed limit is too often ignored and even traffic stoplights serve as mere road ornaments as driver after driver blow through the red lights.
Taking a look inside a typical vehicle driven by an Egyptian citizen reveals a whole new world of hazards and violations. For one thing, most seatbelts are either missing or tucked down into the seat without even a thought to their purpose being taken into consideration. The occupants of the car are jostled about unrestrained, which includes children who often use the car as an excuse to jump around and play. A children's carseat in an Egyptian car is an unfortunate rarity. There are also countless distractions that cause the driver to keep his eyes off of the road, which includes hot beverages like tea, cell phones and the all too common cigarette balanced between fingers.
There are an estimated 4.4 million cars on Egyptian streets and the number is growing. The Egyptian government is fighting an uphill battle in combating the roadway mayhem. However, parliament has recently taken measures to punish those who break traffic safety laws and hopefully send a message to others that reckless driving is no longer acceptable. Last year a new traffic safety code was adopted in Egypt. Simple traffic transgressions, such as not yielding to pedestrians or driving in the opposite direction on a one-way street, are now punishable by jail time and a hefty fine.
The government has shrewdly turned to technology to maintain some level of road safety. Egyptian roads are now monitored by cameras, which are remotely manned by a control center that operates around the clock. A system of radars has also been established at congested intersections to catch traffic violators in the act. Policemen have also been equipped with portable digital devices to quickly issue citations. And the government plans to study traffic accident patterns to prevent future calamities.
The Ministry of Interior has also launched a media campaign to educate the public about the importance of road safety. This month the ministry plans to launch a monthly documentary about specific traffic accidents that resulted in one or more fatalities. The documentary will show viewers, up close and personal, the reason for the accident and how it could have been prevented. The ministry also plans to go a step further by interviewing family members of the deceased to see how traumatic their loss has been. The Egyptian government hopes that the programming will wake its' populous out of their slumber to take road safety seriously.
No Longer a Day at the Beach
October 9, 2008 by TMO · Leave a Comment
By Sumayyah Meehan, MMNS
Enjoying a day at the beach has always been something fun and affordable for families in Egypt. Who wouldn't want to take a dip in the Red Sea or frolic in the sun soaked sand? But for many residents of Egypt a day at the beach, like so many other commodities in their life, is becoming unaffordable. Now anyone wanting to spend the day at the beach must pay to play.
The reason being is that wealthy developers and governorates of the coastal property are turning public beaches into private ones, excluding the general public from setting foot on the property. Egypt, with its stunning scenery, is fast becoming a playground for the elite. Chalets and 5-Star hotels are going up seemingly over night. And while the public does have limited access to the now private beaches, in the form of an entrance fee of about $18, it is still an unaffordable rate for many families in a country where 65% of the population can barely make ends meet.
More than 100 meters of the Egyptian coast from Alexandria to Marsa Matruh have now been cordoned off from the public. There is not a single public beach in the whole stretch of land. The beaches have also been renamed to further woo tourists. Names like Oxygen, Paradise and Bianki don the most exclusive beaches whom in turn shell out thousands of dollars to the governorates to rent the space. Then the costs are passed on to visitors in the form of high entrance, food and comfort fees. Most of the private beaches will give beach-goers a chair for free, but if they want a towel, sunglasses or even a glass of water they should be ready to pay through the nose.
The private beaches are popular for several reasons. The Red Sea is close to Cairo, which is one of the biggest cities in the World with high-flying executives and wealthy Egyptians seeking to shed the city for the weekend. Another attraction is women's-only private beaches where women, who normally wear the face veil or burqa, can shed their everyday clothes in favor of a bikini so that they too can soak up the sun, sand and surf. And let's not forget about global tourists who visit Egypt year round to tour the Pyramids and enjoy activities like desert safaris.
The facilities and leisure activities on offer at Egypt's most prestigious private beaches are also a massive drawing point. Snorkeling, scuba diving, jet skiing, windsailing and parasailing are just a few of the activities on offer. There are also several resorts and private villages like La Hacienda, Marabella and Marina that offer live concerts, 5-star restaurants, bars and dance clubs.
With a favorable climate, especially in the winter months which is notably warm, more and more of the Egyptian coastline will be developed not for locals to enjoy but rather to cater to those guests who have more disposable wealth to pay for even the simplest entertainment.
The days of the remaining public beaches are most definitely numbered, with newly categorized private beaches going directly under lock and key.
Community News (V9-I16)
April 12, 2007 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Nabil Khan gets Fulbright
Nabil Khan, a senior at Swarthmore College, has been named a Fulbright Grantee for 2007. The son of Shafqat and Khalil Khan and brother of Mehreen and Hasan Khan, he is a 2003 graduate of the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., and also attended the International School of Choueifat in Abu Dhabi. Khan is one of three Swarthmore seniors to have won the Fulbright Grant this year.
Khan plans to use his Fulbright Grant to explore and elucidate contemporary understandings of mental "illness" in urban Morocco and of the cultural import of the psychiatric field in a place where it is governmentally sanctioned and is growing. "I am interested in understanding what mental health services and the worldviews they represent, so rooted in Western diagnostic and therapeutic traditions, mean to those from a country historically considered a frontier of the Islamic world," said Khan. "Given the country's eclectic background and demographic, I am interested in the political, religious and social dimensions of psychological understanding and how cultural currents inform daily mental healthcare practice."
Khan is a psychology major with minors in biology and English literature. He is a Thomas B. McCabe scholar, selected as an entering student based on leadership, ability, character, personality, and service to school and community, and has been active in Swarthmore for Immigrants' Rights, the Muslim Student group, Deshi (South Asian Students organization), and Forum for Free Speech and is co-editor of Remappings (the Asian/Asian-Diaspora literary publication). He was also a biology Writing Associate (peer tutor) and a member of the steering committee of the 2006 "Beyond the Box" conference on critical multiculturalism.
Administered by the Council for International Exchange of Scholars, the Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards full research grants to graduating seniors and young alumni after an extensive application process. Recipients receive a stipend to cover housing and living expenses.
Four Muslims named Truman scholars
Four Muslim students have been selected for the much coveted Truman Scholarships. Sixty-five students from 56 US colleges and universities have been selected as 2007 Truman Scholars. They were elected by eighteen independent selection panels on the basis of leadership potential, intellectual ability, and likelihood of 'making a difference.'
Each Scholarship provides $30,000 for graduate study. Scholars also receive priority admission and supplemental financial aid at some premier graduate institutions, leadership training, career and graduate school counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government. Recipients must be US citizens, have outstanding leadership potential and communication skills, be in the top quarter of their class, and be committed to careers in government or the not-for-profit sector.
Salmah Y. Rizvi, of John Hopkins University, who is from Laurel, Md., is a double-major in Anthropology and International Relations at the Johns Hopkins University, founded Vision XChange, a nonprofit organization which serves as a mechanism to create entertaining, opportunistic events while spreading awareness of important issues. She has traveled extensively as a student ambassador promoting peace and stability and teaching International Humanitarian Law. She is also an executive board member for the Johns Hopkins University Muslim Student Association and the Foreign Affairs Symposium. Currently, Salmah is a Department of Defence employee and hopes to continue her career in government.
As an active member of the Muslim-American community, Rizvi has also interned for the Muslim Public Affairs Council, published a number of papers regarding Islamic politics and volunteered with various Muslim organizations. She teaches Islamic history every Sunday at her local mosque, Idara-E-Jaferia Center in Burtonsville, Md.
Umair Iqbal was born in Pakistan and immigrated to America when he was nine. He is a junior pre-med student with a major in Biological Sciences and a minor in Political Science at the University of Anchorage Alaska. He conducts research at the Alaska Science Center on the Alaska Avian Influenza Project. After five years of avid participation in the Model United Nations of Alaska, he is Secretary-General of the 2007 conference, which focuses on the Emerging Global Pandemic. He also serves as president of the Pre-Med Club. After college he plans to study for an MPH and an MD in rural health, with the goal of working to reduce poverty and to improve access to health care for the poorest people in the world.
Asma Jaber is a junior anthropology and international studies major at the University of South Carolina. Her passions for helping immigrants and refugees continue to grow as she volunteers at advocacy centers for immigrants and with local Somali refugees. She also helps facilitate refugees' health care access. Asma plans to pursue a law degree and attain a M.P.H. in Health Policy in order to take on public interest work in the health field and improve the lives of immigrants and refugees.
Nazir is the founder and president of the Muslim Student Association at Seattle University. In 2005-2006 he lived in Cairo and studied classical Arabic. Currently Nazir is researching code-switching among Arabs in Seattle. Nazir enjoys traveling, reading, writing, and learning languages in his spare time. He speaks Spanish and Arabic and teaches Arabic twice a week in addition to organizing many cultural and educational events on campus.
Muslim radiologist sues hospital
BALTIMORE, MD–A radiologist who was kicked out of the University of Maryland Medical Center after he performed a Muslim ritual has filed a $30 million lawsuit against the hospital.
The suit says Doctor Mohammed Hussain was at the hospital last month to undergo surgery. He was washing his hands and feet in a sink in a lobby bathroom when a security guard came in and ordered him to get out "immediately or else."
Hussain's lawyer, David Ellin, says the guard made references to Hussain as if he were a terrorist and hurled racial epithets at him. He says Hussain was pushed down a hallway and into the custody of another security guard, who escorted him outside.
The hospital released a statement saying medical personnel reached out to Hussain after the incident. The statement says the hospital is "disappointed" that Hussain filed a lawsuit.
Evanston's first mosque to open soon
EVANSTON, IL–Evanston, Chicago's suburb and homes to the Northwestern University, will soon have its first mosque. The Bangladesh Islamic Community Center are converting a former Church and have already received approval from the city council council. The building will feature prayer area, offices, a kitchen and multi-purpose meeting rooms.
The construction expected to last from eight months to a year, according to center officials.
Ald. Delores Holmes (5th), who represents the ward in which the mosque will be located, said the center's presence would enhance the area's religious diversity.
"There's a variety of churches and different denominations," Holmes said. "This would just be a mosque. There are churches and temples, so why not a mosque?"
Arizona Muslims celebrate Prophet's birthday (s)
CHANDLER, AZ–Around 200 Muslims gathered at the Chandler Community Center to mark the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The event, organized by the Naqshbandiya Foundation for Islamic Education, was open to all interested and a number of non-Muslims also attended. Sheik Sayyed Muhammed, a religious scholar from Atlanta, was the featured speaker at the Chandler event.
Paul Eppinger, executive director of the Arizona Interfaith Movement, praised the Islamic group's efforts to build respect among people of all faiths living in the Valley.
"I am for interfaith dialogue so that people can begin to understand one another," said Eppinger, 74, a former American Baptist minister for 35 years.
Slain convenience store owner remembered
EAST WINDSOR, CT–Neighbours and community members paid moving tributes to convenience store owner Javed Akhtar,32, who was gunned down on Feb.28. More than 50 people gathered at the prayer vigil held in the parking lot outside the One Stop grocery where he was slain. He leaved behind his wife Rafia and twin children Humair and Hirra. His killers have not been identified yet, the Journal Inquirer reported.
Holding candles and gathering in a circle around Rafia and her children, members of the assembly spoke in turn, describing Javed as a gentle, caring man who they clearly missed.
"When we came and moved here, I needed to have a cup of coffee in the morning, and I came here just a few times, and Rafia and Jay were just so kind," said Bobbie Taravella, who has since moved away. "I have a coffeemaker, but I never used it because they were always so nice and made me a friend rather than a patron."
Robert Nicholas, who lives half a mile up the road, said he was in the store buying cottage cheese 45 minutes before Javed was shot. "I used to come down here just to talk, and when nothing was going on we'd play with the kids out in the parking lot – they made me part of the family," Nicholas added.
"He was definitely an asset to this community and well-loved," said Officer Bruce Everitt, community resource officer for Mill Pond Village.
As for solving the case, "it's progressing very well and progress is being made," Everitt said. "We're just making sure we cross all our T's and dot all the I's."
Akhtar was Muslim and a Pakistani-American. His death brought outrage to the community at large, with many groups calling for justice and a $5,000 reward posted for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the killer.
Canadian Muslims give $1m to hospital
TORONTO, CANADA–Muslim community of Toronto has provided a huge boost to the William Osler Health Centre Foundation by pledging $1 million to build Brampton's new hospital. The Muslim Friends of William Osler Health Centre, a group of community leaders,physicians and members of the public, announced their plans last week.
"This pledge represents a promise from the large and active Muslim community to ensure the best possible health care for all people who rely on William Osler to provide quality medical facilities and compassionate care," said Dr. Farooque Dawood, Muslim Friends of WOHC chair and president of Dafina Holdings Ltd. "The spirit behind (our organization) is to gather support from various Muslim communities in pursuit of excellence in local health care for now and for the future."
About 50 people gathered for the afternoon reception, held in an auditorium at Peel Memorial Hospital.
Many Arabs Favor Nuclear Iran
April 24, 2006 by TMO · Leave a Comment
Many Arabs Favor Nuclear Iran
By Jonathan Wright
CAIRO (Reuters) – The United States found little support in the Arab world when it invaded Iraq in 2003.
In a military confrontation with Tehran over Iran's nuclear program, it should not expect any more.
Some Arabs, mainly outside the Gulf, are positively enthusiastic about Iran's program, even if it acquires nuclear weapons, if only because it would be a poke in the eye or a counterweight to Israel and the United States.
Others, especially in countries closest to Iran, are wary of any threat to the status quo and the instability it might bring.
Most in the Arab world see the U.S. and European campaign against Iran as hypocritical, while Israel refuses to allow international nuclear inspections and is thought to have some 200 nuclear warheads.
"I want the whole region free of all nuclear weapons but if the West continues its double-standard approach on this issue then Iran has the right (to have them)," said Abdel-Rahman Za'za', a 29-year-old Lebanese engineer.
"This could provide some balance against Israel and help the Palestinians in their negotiations. We have to take our rights because they are not going to be given to us," he added.
The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest opposition group, said this week it saw no harm in Iran developing nuclear arms.
"That would create a kind of equilibrium between the two sides — the Arab and Islamic side on one side and Israel on the other," said deputy Brotherhood leader Mohamed Habib.
Arab League chief Amr Moussa said on Tuesday policies toward nuclear programs in the region needed thorough review.
"These policies which are based on double standards will blow up and escalate this issue and this escalation will not include only Iran and Israel," he said. The Arab League represents 22 Arab governments, from Morocco to the Gulf.
Iran says it has no intention of making nuclear bombs and wants enriched uranium only to generate electricity. The United States says it does not believe it.
Analysts said they detected a surprising level of sympathy and support for Iran in the region.
"It's amazing how encouraging people are of the whole thing. Some think the Iranians are on the way to acquiring it (nuclear weapons capability) and are quite excited," said Hesham Kassem, editor of the independent Cairo newspaper Al Masry Al Youm.
"There doesn't seem to be any awareness that it might be a calamity," added Kassem, who said he personally was afraid of an arms race bringing in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey.
Mohamed el-Sayed Said, deputy director of the Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, a Cairo think tank, said: "People are very very warm about it (Iran's nuclear program)."
"Anyone who challenges the United States will find a great deal of support. That's a very profitable enterprise in public opinion terms," he added.
"Even if it takes an arms race, people don't mind. What we have here is wounded dignity and revulsion about the lack of fairness and double standards."
Most Arab governments have called for a peaceful solution to the confrontation with Iran, in the hope that diplomacy will enable it to develop nuclear energy under U.N. supervision.
If they speak about nuclear weapons, they say the whole Middle East should be nuclear-free, implicitly including Israel. U.S. officials say they can only deal with Israel's nuclear activities after a comprehensive Middle East peace.
Analysts in the Gulf raised special concerns. "Gulf states are legitimately concerned about Iran joining the nuclear club," said Abdel-Khaleq Abdullah, a professor of political science in the United Arab Emirates.
"The possibility of a fourth Gulf war is just beyond our ability to manage. We don't want it. It will just make life miserable and hell," he added.
Saudi analyst Dawoud al-Sharayan said an Iranian nuclear bomb could give the United States a pretext to maintain its military forces in the Gulf and add to the tension.
Saudi Arabia would then have the right to think about having its own nuclear weapon, he added. –
(Additional reporting by Mohammed Abbas in Cairo, Alaa Shahine in Beirut, Miral Fahmy in Dubai and Andrew Hammond in Saudi Arabia)


text: Hi Guys, just joined the forum.. hopefully posted this in the right place. I own a Mondeo Titanium X Estate (2012), Silver. Recent convert from Vauxhall - just about had enough problems with my last car so decided to follow my old mans choice. Love the car and it drives like a dream.. :D

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Lost in Time and Space
FFG announces the cancellation of Arkham Horror Investigator Miniatures |
Arkham Horror | Published 15 October 2009 |
We have listened to your concerns and considered your valuable feedback regarding our announcement of the Arkham Horror Investigator Miniatures. Having weighed the desires of our fans and considered our manufacturing options, Fantasy Flight Games has opted to hereby cancel the release of this product.
"It was very clear from the vocal feedback that we received that the majority of our players were strongly unfavorable towards the price-point and packaging that we had planned for these figures," stated Christian T. Petersen, CEO of FFG. "Unfortunately, as it's not remotely feasible for FFG to produce quality painted figures in the assortments and at the price-point range suggested from our customer feedback, we've decided to cancel this product. For obvious reasons, we have no interest in creating product that does not match our customers' expectations, nor of pushing product into the retail channel that will not be successful for our professional partners. We apologize to the customers who were excited about the announced figures, and will continue to investigate avenues in the future to make the reality of painted miniatures for Arkham Horror a reality."
As always, we at Fantasy Flight Games would like to thank our loyal fans for their continued feedback and support.
Arkham Horror is a boardgame of mystery and madness set in Arkham in the 1920's. Players investigate the strange happenings about the town, and race to prevent ancient evil from surfacing. Playable with 1-8 players.
I'm with ColtsFan here, that it was the right choice...
That said, I also think the choice was not an altruistic or fanbase-supporting one. I think Christian Lindtke is right when he claims that FFG, having seen the dissatisfaction of his future Arkham-product-buyers (as an expansion like this would predominantly be a fan-bought one), opted to withdraw a product that it saw no reliable market for.
Yes, Fantasy Flight Games was listening to its customers. But to claim that this choice was purely for the good of the customer is walking into battle with the blinders on. In hindsight, the one who definitely profits most from this decision will most probably be FFg itself, as it foregoes shelved products because the majority of the peer group is dissatisfied with price and packaging...
It is the best choice, and they were listening, but a company like FFG, as any other company, is based on profit. Thats how it is.
Still, i have to say:
Thank you FFG for this decision. You saved me hundreds of dollars. I would have complained like any other fan about the price. And still I would have bought it anyway...
Personally, I would strongly vote against unpainted minis, having neither the time nor skill to paint them myself. I am willing to pay more for the painted kind. My problem with the product as described was with the packaging which seemed wasteful and especially in these days, not ecological. I'm disappointed these won't be coming out as they would have added a great deal to the gameplay, but like others, I applaud FFG's listening to their fans and paying attention to these boards. Makes me feel that we're not all just whistling in the dark when we write our thoughts here. So here's hoping other alternatives can be found that can bring painted minis to our game table in a way that serves all the needs by all the stakeholders, including the environment.
I'm glad to see this. Glad to see FFG recognize that they might take a bath on something, and pull the plug before it happens. Glad too to see that the company really does listen to the fans.
Hopefully these creative energies can be focused in some other way for Arkham Horror, kind of like that big ray gun at the university Science Building.
Yes, selling sets of unpainted plastic minis for each expansion is the way to go. And then rolling them into the core games for future editions. That would make everyone happy. New gamers who buy the eventual 3rd edition and current gamers could upgrade buy purchasing a set of unpainted plastic minis for low-cost for each expansion and the core game!
Please consider that FFG!
Looks like a sensible move... and a good sign that you listen to your customers...
What about release a box of unpainted minis? If the sculpts are done it would be a shame not to use them. And it is WAY more appealing to buy all the minis from each expansion in a complete set.
Looking forward to the minis... hopefully well see them!
Wow, I'm speechless. I'm not sure if this was good or bad, but I guess it means FFG at least watches the different message boards.
Having said that, I'd *love* to have AH minis, maybe not prepainted, or more mass bundled?
Wow, that's a bold decision. I actually have a tremendous amount of respect for that. Sorry I wasn't totally on board with the idea as is, but I'd hate to think the idea is just getting dumped.
Can you really not find an amenable alternative? More per package? Smaller box? One per package? If you provided them unpainted, three or four to a package, and let me paint em myself, I MIGHT let you make my inner nerd pick up a brush again and find a feasible but masculine way to explain it to my girlfriend. I'd give you a 20 for that.
Gamers whine too much. That is all. ;)
I am exceedingly disappointed in this news. I was very much looking forward to the release of these miniatures. The price point was not insignificant, but I understood that a lower production run and high standard would require a higher price. I was willing to pay.
I don't think it is "putting fans first" to cancel a product. It might be smart business. It might be good forecasting based on market feedback. But any customer who would direct ire at a company for offering a product they don't want to buy is a ridiculous person.
I don't get mad at Toyota for selling Lexus brand cars when I can only afford a Corolla.
From a "desire to purchase and use in pulp games" position, I am very disappointed in FFG.
From a market projection position, I think FFG might be a company that I would be willing to buy stock in (if they were public) as they seem to be able to determine whether a line will be profitable or not.
Thank you.
Doing miniatures is a fine idea, just find a better way to deliver them. I would love to have these and hope you do find a way to do them in the future.
Good move! Shows that FFG is not a deaf company and respect its customers {fans is a better word}.
Since we are on this subject:
The good:
FFG is my favorite boardgame company and every game they make even if I don't buy it {because someone else from my group has} I surely want and will play it! Keep up the good work!
The obligatory bad:
Only two complaints that I consider very minor compared to the good.
1} FFG has "buried" DOOM and discontinued support for it. I'm not talking replacing pieces and dice. I'm talking scenarios, game balance issues, new expansions, even online support, scenario database etc.
All in favor of DESCENT for which I don't care since DOOM is so much better. I'm hoping that Gears of War will be DOOM's "expansion"
2} Stop Days of Wonder's policy about BattleLore expansions. I want to see classic FFG box with a lot of stuff inside and not overpriced mini-boxes with a few minis and some cards. The Heroes expansion changes the gameplay in a profound way and I can understand selling it that way. The Dragons and Creatures expansions are WAY overpriced for what they offer to the game. I'd prefer a bigger box titled CREATURES having both expansions inside and even more goods for a bigger but more reasonable price than those offered now.
So in a few words, Bigger BattleLore expansions with more stuff in them, bigger price but overall cheaper.
I don't want to have to buy BattleLore piece by piece paying a lot of money every 2 months. One big expansion with everything inside every 6-8 months will be better.
That's my two "wish you do this" for FFG. Keep up the good work!
I'm disappointed. I was very much looking forward to these. I was hoping they would release at least the first wave and then evaluate whether to continue. I really thought that a lot of fans would give in and buy a few once they saw them in the stores.
I didn't think $6.50 a figure, or $13 a month, was that bad. The packaging they described was pretty small. A shame. Thanks for trying FFG. I know you've been listening as people have clamored for figs for years.