tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-80595833886713621462024-02-19T08:20:11.228-08:00MuslamicsMuslim activists sharing their thoughts on everything from politics to paradiseMuslamicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008333338402474706noreply@blogger.comBlogger653125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-44013362677841878582009-10-20T23:09:00.000-07:002009-10-20T23:10:09.091-07:00Members of Congress Blast Claims That Muslim Interns are 'Spies'<strong><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:100%;color:black;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"></span></span></b></strong><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">CAIR, America’s prominent national Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, applauded statements by members of the U.S. House of Representatives rejecting claims made by several of their GOP colleagues that Muslim congressional interns are "spies."<br /><br />On Oct. 14, four right-wing members of Congress, with a long history of fringe or bigoted statements, launched a book called "Muslim Mafia" and asked for an investigation of Muslim "spies" on Capitol Hill. <a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.politico.com%2fnews%2fstories%2f1009%2f28283.html" target="_blank">An article in Politico said</a> the alleged spying by Muslims was in fact a "fairly straight forward public relations and lobbying strategy," with the goals of "'placing Muslim interns in congressional offices' and registering people to vote."</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">In a statement, CAIR said:</span></span></b></strong><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /><br />"It is troubling that right-wing elected officials would serve as publicity agents for extremists who seek to bar an American minority from exercising its constitutionally-protected rights. We applaud those who stand up for the right of all Americans to participate fully in our nation's political system.” <br /><br /><br /></span></span><b><u><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;color:#333333;"><span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Watch these short media interviews on this issue:</span></span></u></b><u><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> </span></span></u></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;color:maroon;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">CAIR Video: Rachel Maddow Exposes Anti-Muslim Extremists (MSNBC)</span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dE271Es21vaM%26feature%3dplayer_embedded" target="_blank"><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;"><img id="_x0000_i1026" src="attachment.ashx?id=RgAAAAAXST55xIecSI%2bYJt549Bh9BwCUaNAedLtzRJrmabeGA7r6ABt2to1AAACUaNAedLtzRJrmabeGA7r6AIB3S8PyAAAJ&attcnt=1&attid0=EABDN7wu7gOsTZ2t6ZWxbx4u" border="0" height="150" width="233" /></span></span></a></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;color:maroon;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Round 2 of Rachel Maddow Exposes Anti-Islam Extremists in Congress (MSNBC)</span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial;"><a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dUkooiFiODb8%26feature%3dchannel" target="_blank"><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;"><img id="_x0000_i1030" src="attachment.ashx?id=RgAAAAAXST55xIecSI%2bYJt549Bh9BwCUaNAedLtzRJrmabeGA7r6ABt2to1AAACUaNAedLtzRJrmabeGA7r6AIB3S8PyAAAJ&attcnt=1&attid0=EADyInlSV1LzRIm9uowgoiTq" border="0" height="141" width="233" /></span></span></a></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> </span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;color:maroon;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; color: maroon; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">CAIR Rep Discusses ‘Manchurian Interns’ on CNN</span></span></b><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br /><a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3dqBcT33rJBFw" target="_blank"><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;"><img id="_x0000_i1032" src="attachment.ashx?id=RgAAAAAXST55xIecSI%2bYJt549Bh9BwCUaNAedLtzRJrmabeGA7r6ABt2to1AAACUaNAedLtzRJrmabeGA7r6AIB3S8PyAAAJ&attcnt=1&attid0=EADqa6U%2f6RnYTIXWgRwE4Eks" border="0" height="151" width="233" /></span></span></a></span></span></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />In response to the right-wing smears, the <a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fblogs.ajc.com%2fcynthia-tucker%2f2009%2f10%2f15%2fpaul-broun-and-dr-strangelove%2f%3fcxntfid%3dblogs_cynthia_tucker" target="_blank">Atlanta Journal called CAIR</a> a "mainstream, all-American civil liberties and advocacy group." <a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.salon.com%2fopinion%2fgreenwald%2f2009%2f10%2f15%2finvestigation%2findex.html" target="_blank">An article on Salon.com</a> called the actions of the elected officials who launched the anti-Muslim book the "most despicable domestic political event of the year."<br /><br />The demand for a probe of Muslim "spies" in Congress drew condemnation from other elected officials, one of whom called it a "witch hunt."<br /><br /><strong><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2ftpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com%2f2009%2f10%2fsanchez_on_muslim_intern_spy_hunt_i_am_appalled.php" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-CA) issued a statement</span></a>, which read in part:</span></span></b></strong> <br /><br />"I am appalled by this request [for an investigation of Muslim 'spies' in Congress], and the insinuation that Muslim-Americans are somehow conspiring against this country through their work on Capitol Hill. As a strong advocate for diversity and religious freedom, I find these claims to be outrageous and offensive. I urge the rest of my colleagues to join me in denouncing this witch hunt, which is clearly intended to create fear and distrust in our Capitol Hill community."<br /><br /><strong><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fthehill.com%2fblogs%2fblog-briefing-room%2fnews%2f63325-conyers-blasts-gop-lawmakers-accusations-of-muslim-spies" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: normal;">House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) issued the following statement</span></a> in support of American Muslim congressional interns:</span></span></b></strong><b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></b><br />"It shouldn't need to be said in 2009, and after the historic election of our first African-American president, but let me remind all my colleagues that patriotic Americans of all races, religions, and beliefs have the right - and the responsibility - to participate in our political process, including by volunteering to work in Congressional offices. Numerous Muslim-American interns have served the House ably and they deserve our appreciation and respect, not attacks on their character or patriotism."<br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwashingtonindependent.com%2f64117%2frep-honda-slander-of-muslims-is-slander-against-democracy-and-religious-freedom" target="_blank">Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), chairman of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, stated in part</a>:</span></b><br /><br />“These fallacious allegations implicate the existence of a society still struggling with anti-Muslim sentiment. My Muslim colleagues in the House of Representatives, along with the highly qualified, patriotic and committed Muslim staffers and interns that have worked with my office and with CAPAC, contribute mightily to our democratic process. Any slander against these fellow patriots is slander against democracy and religious freedom.”<br /><br />Dave Gaubatz, the anti-Islam blogger who co-authored "Muslim Mafia," <a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fmediamatters.org%2fresearch%2f200910150015" target="_blank">has a long history of bigotry targeting Islam and Muslims</a>. Gaubatz has called Islam an "evil ideology" and worked for a racist group that sought to make "adherence to Islam" punishable by a 20-year prison term. <br /><br /><strong><b><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">SEE ALSO:</span></span></b></strong> <span style="color:black;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2frs6.net%2ftn.jsp%3ft%3dzr47cbdab.0.0.8cuoxjcab.0%26ts%3dS0423%26p%3dhttp%253A%252F%252Fmediamattersaction.org%252Ffactcheck%252F200910150008%26id%3dpreview" target="_blank"><span style="color:black;"><span style="color: black;">Republican Lawmakers Leading Witch Hunt Against Muslim Group</span></span></a><br /></span></span><a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fmediamattersaction.org%2ffactcheck%2f200910150008" target="_blank">http://mediamattersaction.org/factcheck/200910150008</a></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><br />In the past, Gaubatz has been questioned by state and federal law enforcement authorities for actions that were perceived as those of a stalker. CAIR has filed a criminal report against Gaubatz over materials he and his son say they stole from the civil rights group's offices.<br /><br />Gaubatz has also called President Obama a "crack head" and wrote that <a href="redir.aspx?C=b2b788dde7ac4dc9a665adcffc2dcb60&URL=http%3a%2f%2fmediamattersaction.org%2ffactcheck%2f200910150008" target="_blank">"a vote for Hussein Obama is a vote for Sharia Law."</a> He also called Islam a "terminal disease that once spread is hard to destroy."</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">It is unfortunate that there is a fringe segment of Americans who wish to promote hatred against American Muslims and intimidate them from exercising their rights to engage politically. Despite the attempts of this new McCarthyism, CAIR and the American Muslim community remain committed to encouraging dialogue, protecting civil liberties of all Americans, and promoting justice and mutual understanding.</span></span></p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-34073611585721774582009-09-08T10:26:00.000-07:002009-09-08T10:29:26.278-07:00Kabad<p><strong>Submitted by Guest Blogger Lena Khan</strong></p><p>I was sending out today's Qur'anic word of the day, and found it particularly meaningful. I hope not to bore...</p><p>The word is "kabad." (كَبَد ). The ayah we most know it from is:</p><p>"La qad khalaqna al-insana fi kabad". It means, 'verily, we have created man in toil and struggle."</p><p>I have always used this ayah for my general life theory (which unfortunately I do not follow well enough) that we should all be working just as hard as people who are struggling for their daily food or lives or whatever, even though we are blessed with more comfort. But then I saw the word "kabad" comes from the verb "kabada" which means "to wound in the liver, affect anyone painfully, to purpose a thing, and from "kabida" which means "to face difficulty, struggle, reach in the middle."</p><p>And among those, it seems that what this verse is really telling us, is that man is not only meant to struggle here--but it is a struggle that hits at the heart of you--that really pierces the inside (middle) of you, and can pain you (aka wound in the liver).<br /><br />So I thought, if we are rich, we should give not just a comfortable amount, but in real struggle, one that makes us feel what it's like to not have the world on our plate. If we are working hard, we work till we feel what it is like to not have the time or energy to play 4 hours of Guitar Hero at the end. And if I am wrong in the actual effort part, at the least perhaps it means we should struggle to such an extent, that the fruits of our labor pierce the insides of us--sometimes with painful truths, perhaps about the sad state of our internal affairs--with the realities that inevitably such spiritual endeavors bring.</p><p>There is actually an urdu poetry couplet about this. It goes:<br />"Tundiye bade mukhalif se na ghabra ay uqab/<br />ye to chultihe tuje uche urranakaliye"</p><p>It means:<br />"Oh hawk, do not be afraid of the harsh opposing wind/<br />it runs only to make you rise above."</p><p>It seems so many of the things we are told to do, are for a beautiful purpose. One who properly follows Islam, and what it really means and asks for -- is allowed to reach the real beauty that is part of the human potential. In Surah Mulk, Allah tells us, he has created life and death, to test "those who are best in conduct." Life, and what He asks of us, is meant for those who will be best in conduct, and they are the ones who will actually take hold of what miracles a life of Islam can do to a person. What is more beautiful than a person who has reached the level of the Prophet (peace be upon him)? And that is what Islam allows through this struggle. The Prophet got to where he was not just by reading some Qur'an everyday...but because Allah made him struggle in such a way that it affected every part of his soul. He was orphaned so that He grew up realizing the only one he could rely on in this world was Allah, He endured the harshness of the Quraysh, He was made to endure more trials than we ever will...so that he could get to where he did. But I think the verse is telling us that to reach that...the deeds you do, have to reach you, and that is only through real struggle.<br /><br />Just giving in charity does not give you enough compassion...you have to know what it feels like to not be sure if you will have just the right amount of rizq the next day. It isn't enough that we go out once in a while to make some peanut butter sandwiches for the homeless, but rather we should be working so hard to help the less fortunate around us all week, that through our works we only increase in helping them because we realize--wow, as much as I am struggling right now, these unfortunate people are struggling ten times more than me every day. And we aren't working on yourself properly, till one mistake we make can so hurt us that we realize the magnitude of our frailty before other/better people, and Allah. Anyway, perhaps we can try to really struggle this Ramadan, and not just read Qur'an/help people/work on our goals for work or life when we feel the comfort to do so.<br /><br />To this end, some little known resources:<br /><br />-To join the Qur'anic word of the day mailing list, where you will receive one Qur'anic word and its definition every weekday, send an email to <a style="COLOR: rgb(54,84,82)" href="mailto:QWOTD-subscribe@yahoogroups.com" target="_blank">QWOTD-subscribe@yahoogroups.com</a> .<br /><br />-To find a place to volunteer, perhaps go to <a style="COLOR: rgb(54,84,82)" href="http://volunteermatch.com/" target="_blank">volunteermatch.com</a> , which offers plenty of local opportunities to directly help the homeless, the disabled, the underprivileged, and more.</p><p>-Find something better to do with your time, and your heart.</p>Muslamicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008333338402474706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-52215609583502061712009-06-04T15:42:00.000-07:002009-06-04T15:43:26.348-07:00Reaction to Obama Speech: Amusing and Insightful<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Submitted by Guest Blogger Faisal Qazi</span><br /><br />The coverage from today's speech in Cairo from our Media has it's usual array of amusing elements. The Yahoo headline stated Obama offering an "unclenched fist to the Muslim world", a poor attempt at sensationalization. The McClatchy News boasted "In speech to Muslims, Obama rejects Israeli settlements", projecting some sort of a unique link despite the fact that the settlement freeze notion is a longstanding although non-applied US policy and an international requirement. The Fox News after not getting any attention to it's rants about why Obama didn't visit Israel during this trip knowing full well that the objective of the trip was to address the Muslim world that would have not been possible in Tel Aviv and after not getting any substantial support for questioning why Muslim Brotherhood members were invited to the speech, something that US Embassy has done in the past when other officials (VP Cheney) have visited the Embassy, the headline today stated "Obama Embraces Islam". This one was really comic in nature.<br /><br /><br />What of the reaction of Muslims, Muslim leaders and their partners? Although not likely to get headlines, it may be the more substantive part of post-speech analysis.<br /><br />The expectations were constantly being lowered prior to the speech by most experts and one leader even suggested that it's the same play different actor. The overall excitement amongst the Muslims was simply under-reported and still is under assessed.<br /><br />One could gauge some of that excitement in commentary post speech where Tariq Ramadan suggested on NPR that President Obama has presented a "new vision" and Shibli Telhami noted a "new discourse" altogether. James Zogby called it an "effective speech". Arsalan Iftikhar in his commentary in CNN underscored more of the usual complaint that he hasn't visited a local mosque but also rightly pointed out that compared to prior years, Obama's speech was a "concert of enlightenment". It may also be worthwhile noting that previous Presidents including Bush have verbally recognized Islam's contribution to world civilizations but to most Muslims these just resonated as hollow words and mostly not believable.<br /><br />Nihad Awad from CAIR appreciated the courage of Mr. Obama to speak to billions of Muslims with "clarity, decisiveness and sincerity". However there was a noticeable difference between the African American commentators that seem to fully appreciate the message and immigrant Muslims. One African American Muslim female attendee at a gathering of Muslim leaders watching the speech in DC found it to be "very encouraging" while Rahim Jenkins at this same event suggested that "stage has been set for real atonement and reconciliation" and called on the world to "embrace the words of this leader".<br /><br />This optimism is in slight contrast to skepticism of others but may point towards a divergence in the world views of these two segments of Muslims in America, although it could be argued that the immigrant community has no real world view of their own, at least not yet.<br /><br />I think the critics of the President, both Muslims and non-Muslims have missed out on enjoying an event of historic proportions at least to the fullest. Those that contend that Obama kept a distance from the Muslims during the campaign, those that complaint that he didn't comment on the Gaza war during last days of Bush are left puzzled but certainly mesmerized with the nature of the initiative (even though they'd never admit it) hopefully should now be able to see that this man is measured in his approach and it's better to work with him to gradually achieve lasting results. And there are those that are left wanting of action to follow words but are fairly realistic of our domestic politics that is unlikely to allow Mr.Obama to make broad gains given the significant negative views that America holds against the Muslim world. Nevertheless they should also enjoy the moment and take a chance in believing that it could be made right just like the President took his chances in Cairo.<br /><br />(Sources for this paragraph includes various media websites and video clips)Muslamicshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17008333338402474706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-27948016632721457262009-06-02T10:48:00.000-07:002009-06-01T23:21:53.778-07:00Remember SeaQuest?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513D0ZFZBPL._SL500_AA240_.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 240px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513D0ZFZBPL._SL500_AA240_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I was a fanatic when it came to Seaquest. If you dont remember, it was Spielberg's made for TV sci-fi program that followed Seaquest- a submarine- trolling the Earths oceans after the world divided them up amongst economic confederations that were constantly on the verge of annihilating each other.<br /><br />Seems like a wonderful ocean twist on the space adventures of Star Trek, kept me entertained.<br /><br />Anyway, I started watching a couple of episodes on NetFlix and I wondered whatever happened to the actors that appeared on the show. To my sad surprise I found out Johnathan Brandis, the young computer whiz kid that found his way on to Seaquest committed suicide years after the show ended- in 2003 to be exact.<br /><br />It's quite sad to think that fame, money and that sort of lifestyle creates such a psychological state and expectations. I was reminded while reading this tid-bit about Abu Hamid Al Ghazzali (Tusi) from the voluminous <span style="font-style: italic;">"Alchemy of Happiness"</span> the chapter<span style="font-style: italic;"> "On the Treatment of Love for This World"</span>:<br /><br /><blockquote>"The Messenger (SAW) said: 'Whoever seeks the world for swagger and self-glorification will see God wrathful against him; but if he seeks it in order to be independent of others, he will come on the Day of Resurrection with a face shining like the full son' So, the world is that in which there is immediate pleasure of the self for which there is no need for the Hereafter. Everything that one needs for teh Hereafter, since it is for the Hereafter, is not of the world; just as the fodder for the beasts of burden on the road for the pilgrimage is a part of the provistions of pilgrmiage. God Most High has called whatever is worldly 'desire': ...In another place He has collected five things together and has said: <span style="font-style: italic;">(Know that) the life of this world is play, sport, adornment, self-glorification among you, and rivarly for wealth and children.</span> (Q. 57:20)...This is happiness of people in teh world."</blockquote>The idea is about balancing the needs of this world and the responsibility for the hereafter, and each person is responsible for his (or her) keep. Though I am not trying to reflect on Brandis's life, however, in his death and what those around him suggested as his depression and desolation from his inability to take his career anywhere, reflecting on the balancing of life and the hereafter is important, no matter how popular or simple folkish you maybe.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-20193931316392496592009-05-28T15:07:00.001-07:002009-05-28T15:07:51.244-07:00Americans Must Take a Loyalty Oath and Swear to never say ill of the United States<div>Imagine, if you will, for just a moment--longer if you can tolerate it--that you are a Native American living on your impoverished reservation in the dry badlands of the upper Midwest or the desert Southwest and reading in the newspaper or seeing on television that the Senate's <span>subcommittee</span> on patriotism of the Senate Homeland Security Oversight committee--or whatever its name may be--has just voted to send a bill to the full committee for debate.<br /><br />The bill says the following: that all Native American people, as well as Japanese Americans, African Americans, East Asian Americans, Arab Americans, Jewish Americans--that is to say, all Americans who are not White Christians--<wbr>must swear <span>allegiance</span> to the United States as a "Christian Democratic nation." Further, the draft legislation has a provision that if any American called <span>publicly</span> for the end of the United States as a "Christian" (and "democratic") state, they would be thrown into prison for one year. The bill additionally specified that commemoration of the Massacre at Wounded Knee, or the internment of Japanese Americans in 1942-43, or the mention of slavery during Black History Month, or Commemorations of the Holocaust, were illegal.<br /><br />All of us would support that truly democratic bill, don't you think? Especially strong in their support would be the governing party of the United States--let's pretend for the moment that John McCain and the Republicans had won the election. (I don't see the Democrats producing such a bill; at least not yet; no telling what might happen if we had another terrorist attack on the Democrat's watch).<br /><br />Well, that is exactly the kind of legislation that has gained traction in the Israeli Knesset. According to the <a title="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243346487389&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull" href="http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1243346487389&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull" target="_blank">Jerusalem Post</a>, the bill was sponsored by a member of the Israel <span>Beiteinu</span> party--the party of the racist foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman. It garnered 47 votes within the ruling coalition. It calls for a loyalty oath on the part of Palestinian Israelis to the "Jewish democratic" state, and provides a year of imprisonment fro publicly speaking out against the state (as in calling for a single state solution or a "secular" state); it contains further penalties and jail time for commemoration of al Nakba, the events of displacement and ethnic cleansing that took place at the time of the declaration of the state of Israel.<br /><br />Of course, opposition to the bill by the opposition parties has been strong and outspoken, but that the legislation is even contemplated and voted upon preliminarily, is not a good sign, and it does not speak well for Israel's self-proclaimed status as the "only democracy" in the Middle East. It's a new and more virulent form of the political infection we know in America as McCarthyism.<br /><br />Lieberman's party has had on its agenda since its beginning the transfer of the <span>Palestinians</span> who hold Israeli citizenship to other Arab countries or to the occupied territories. Of course, the presence of Palestinian citizens, who compose about 20% of the total population, has been a long-standing concern of the Israeli government. The government claims that they have full citizenship, but any one who studies the Israeli-Palestinian question learns quite early on that Palestinian Israelis have a second-class citizenship, receive far less services for their tax dollars than other Israelis, are kept in <span>segregated</span> neighborhoods, are spied upon and harrassed in a way that other Israelis are not. The right to vote is always trumpeted as proof of equal citizenship. Any Israeli citizen speaking honestly will tell you that equality is not the case.<br /><br />Over the last weekend I went to the 7<span>th</span> Annual Al-<span>Awda</span> Conference. Al-<span>Awda</span> is a mostly Palestinian- American group, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition. It is, so to speak, the conscience of the Palestinians in diaspora, steadfastly reminding everyone that the "right to return" to one's home is an inalienable right under international law, and constant in its reminder to all--including the PLO--that unless the right of return is an integral, primary issue to be discussed honestly and <span style="font-weight: bold;">at</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">the</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">start</span> of negotiations, Palestinians will not receive full justice. The Right of Return, because it is the most painful issue of all, has always been shelved for "final status negotiations." And why? Because if it is discussed honestly by Israel, Israel will be in the position of publicaly having to admit that they did in fact expel, transfer, or murder Palestinians in 1947-1949. They also will have to admit to the destruction of over 500 Palestinian villages in the territory originally assigned to Israel by the UN partition act of November, 1947.<br /><br />One of the speakers at the Al-Awda conference, an Israeli Palestinian doctor, <span>Hatim</span> <span>Kanaaneh</span>, has lived for years in his family home in <span>Gallilee</span>. Dr <span>Kanaaneh</span> is a gentle man, whose memoirs, A <a title="http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Galilee-Struggle-Palestinian-Isreal/" href="http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Galilee-Struggle-Palestinian-Isreal/" target="_blank"><span title="http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Galilee-Struggle-Palestinian-Isreal/" style="font-style: italic;">Doctor in Galilee</span></a>, is an excellent corrective to the stereotypical view, unfortunately perpetrated by staunch <span>champions</span> of Israel, that all Palestinians are terrorists. For many years, Dr. <span>Kanaaneh</span> was involved in public health matters, and he knows well how the second-class citizenship of the Palestinian Israelis has adversely affected the overall health of his minority.<br /><br />Dr. <span>Kanaaneh's</span> blog, with the same title as his memoirs, is a gateway to knowing what it is like to live as a Palestinian within the Israeli state. An April entry on his blog, an<a title="http://a-doctor-in-galilee.blogspot.com/2009/04/open-letter-to-presideent-barak-obama.html" href="http://a-doctor-in-galilee.blogspot.com/2009/04/open-letter-to-presideent-barak-obama.html" target="_blank"> "Open Letter to President <span title="http://a-doctor-in-galilee.blogspot.com/2009/04/open-letter-to-presideent-barak-obama.html">Barak</span> Obama"</a> will give you insight into just how threatening the Israel <span>Beiteinu</span> proposals are to Palestinian Israelis. Here are some excerpts from the full letter, and I urge you to go to the blog to read the full text:<br /><br /></div> <div class="gmail_quote"> <blockquote>Mr. Lieberman wants me transferred out of the country though I have lived on land I inherited legally from forefathers who almost surely have better claim to descent from the ancient Hebrews than his. And mind you, Mr. President, my residence in the home he wants me evicted from predates the establishment of the state he wants to appropriate as his, and his alone, while he is a recent immigrant from Moldova. Would you, Mr. President, take a loyalty oath confirming your second-class status?<br /></blockquote><br />And:<br /><br /><blockquote>You have to understand, sir, that I speak here of life-and-death issues for me and my family. Mr. Lieberman, Israel’s Foreign Minister, attained his impressive status through an openly racist election campaign that featured mass rallies at which calls of “Death to Arabs” were standard. Would you trust such a man with your future in the international arena, Mr. President? I surely hope not: but the majority of Israeli citizens seem to have done exactly that.</blockquote><br />We as Americans, pride ourselves on our democratic tolerance of free speech, we lament the thought that some citizens receive second-class treatment. Yet in this California <span>which</span> has just created a new class of homosexual second-class citizens, I also find a reluctance on the part of the main stream media even to acknowledge the racism and injustice and very undemocratic implications of new proposed legislation in Israel. Americans should know what is going on there and make their objections known to Lieberman's brand of discrimination.<br /><span style="color:#888888;"><br />--<br />Posted By Thone to <a title="http://turnandtrue.blogspot.com/2009/05/loyalty-oaths-for-second-class-citizens.html" href="http://turnandtrue.blogspot.com/2009/05/loyalty-oaths-for-second-class-citizens.html" target="_blank">Turnings and Truings</a> at 5/27/2009 02:59:00 PM</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-35415098539652585122009-05-14T14:25:00.001-07:002009-05-14T14:25:59.805-07:00FBI- Keeping Us Safe or Undermining our Liberties?<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zpPc68PPlI4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zpPc68PPlI4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-7903411033671345222009-04-11T08:39:00.000-07:002009-04-11T08:54:00.788-07:00Wearing your heart on your headHands-down one of the best articles about wearing hijab (jazaks Marya!)...whether you're trying to understand why women put it on or take it off this is the place to start. Chaudry not only captures a lot of the external and internal struggles Muslim women go through, she do so with amazing clarity and objectivity.<br /><br /><blockquote>After months of struggling to understand why so many American Muslim women are taking off their headscarves, I have come to this conclusion: that women of all shapes and sizes, cultures, and religious denominations undervalue themselves. And, contrary to Western feminists’ romanticized notions that the stripping off of one’s headscarf is inevitably a moment of rebellion against patriarchal institutions, I have found that, a great deal of the time, when an American Muslim woman takes off her headscarf it is likely a moment of surrender to a combination of social, political, cultural, and self-imposed pressures. Rather than it being a triumphant moment in which she seeks to define her spirituality beyond the confines of her wardrobe, or seeks to distance herself from a construction of her religious identity that seeks to contain her, it is most likely a moment in which she becomes overwhelmed by the growing weight of a society that labels her as an oppressed terrorist and a religious community that labels her as particularly virtuous and likely socially awkward.<br /><br />You see, if and when an American Muslim woman puts on a headscarf out of her own free will, <strong>it is a unique moment in which her private relationship with God is manifested in a very public way</strong>. Unlike prayer, fasting, or even reading the Qur’an, when a Muslim woman chooses to cover herself she is suddenly putting a piece of her religiosity on display. There is a saying that some people wear their hearts on their sleeves. Well, for an American Muslim woman who covers her hair as a personal choice, to some extent she wears her spiritual heart on her head. She bows her covered head in prayer five times a day in submission to God, and chooses to prolong these moments of prayer by keeping her head covered throughout the day. <br /><br />Although women of many religions cover their hair - including Orthodox Jews and Catholic Nuns - the idea that a woman’s spirituality is a function of how many yards of fabric she wears is an interesting concept, and one that does not sit well with mainstream society. In fact, in insisting on an increased modesty, an American Muslim woman who covers offends many Western sensibilities. And, adding to her challenges, she is also placed under a heightened level of scrutiny by a religious community that imposes an unrealistic construct of virtue upon her. Her community suddenly expects her to adhere to rigid rules and regulations, and she is in turn both resented and loved by her community as she struggles to adhere to these mandates.<br /><br />In the end, an American Muslim woman in a scarf really has only one place to go for solace, for strength, and for peace – back to God. The society that she lives in writes her off as complaisant to her own oppression and the community that she belongs to insists that her worth lies not in the personality that the scarf contains but in the scarf itself. In either arena she is reduced and the headscarf is misappropriated and misunderstood. As much as a Muslim woman’s headscarf is no one’s business but her own, the headscarf has become everyone’s business and is on everyone’s mind.</blockquote><br /><br /><br />Continue <a href="http://www.altmuslimah.com/a/b/a/2956/">here</a><br /><br />PS: The next time you hear a brother giving a lecture to sisters on wearing hijab, make sure he's read this. Many of them have great intentions but have no clue what it's all about.Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-53516686486320679802009-04-09T14:16:00.001-07:002009-04-09T14:16:44.233-07:00FBI: Waiting for Mercy<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/q_U7nDXrQT8&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/q_U7nDXrQT8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-78300575086111547252009-03-26T19:04:00.000-07:002009-03-26T19:09:16.172-07:00FBI: Less Drama, More National Security?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://masjidomar.com/flyer/KnowYourRights.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 218px; height: 197px;" src="http://masjidomar.com/flyer/KnowYourRights.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />FBI Spying on Mosques Draws Senate Attention; Rights Workshop Helps Local Muslims Deal With the Feds<br /><br />Thursday, Mar. 26 2009<br />By Matt Coker in A Clockwork Orange, OC Religion<br /><br /><a href="http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/a-clockwork-orange/fbi-spying-on-mosques-draws-se/">Orange County Weekly</a><br /><br /><br />A Senate Judiciary Committee questioned FBI Director Robert Mueller Wednesday about a Muslim coalition's consideration of breaking ties with the bureau following the highly publicized federal government spying on an Irvine mosque.<br /><br />Meanwhile, a workshop has been organized for this Sunday to help local American Muslims deal with this frightening new twist in the "Global War on Terror." Details on that in a bit.<br /><br />Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) told Mueller he was "disappointed" to learn of the AMT statement in light of recent discussions urging "the FBI to gain the trust of the American Muslim community to assist in the effort to stop terrorism."<br /><br />Reading from a news report where AMT claims the FBI has pressured Muslims to become informants, labeled civil rights advocates as criminals and spread misinformation, Feingold had a question for Mueller: "Can you determine and report to this committee whether mosques have been entered by FBI agents or informants without disclosing their identities under the authority of the attorney general guidelines and, if so, how many?"<br /><br />(New Justice Department guidelines that took effect in December have lowered the threshold for beginning FBI investigations, allowing race and ethnicity to be factors in opening a probe. The ACLU has a fact sheet on the guidelines here.)<br /><br />Replied Mueller: "I will say that we do not focus on institutions, we focus on individuals. And I will say generally if there is evidence or information as to individual or individuals undertaking illegal activities in religious institutions, with appropriate high-level approval, we would undertake investigative activities, regardless of the religion. But it would -- we would single that out as an exceptionally sensitive circumstance that would require much vetting before that occurred..."<br /><br />Feingold then asked if the new attorney general guidelines are helping or hurting the FBI's relationship with the U.S. Muslim community, and what the bureau plans to do in light of the AMT statement to improve relations. Mueller responded that his "expectation is that our relationships are as good now as before the guidelines" and he added that the Muslim community "has been tremendously supportive and worked very closely with [the FBI] in a number of instances around the country."Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-68685412137919370002009-02-28T05:17:00.000-08:002009-02-28T06:10:17.978-08:00Al-Hasan al-BasriIntro <a href="http://muslamics.blogspot.com/2009/02/great-muslim-revivors.html">here</a><br /><br />Unfortunately, after the passing away of <a href="http://muslamics.blogspot.com/2009/02/first-revivor-umar-bin-abdul-aziz.html">Umar bin Abdul Aziz </a>(may Allah be pleased with him), the Ummayid ruling family returned to it's old ways of lavishness and excessive love of worldly pleasures. However, Allah (swt) blessed the ummah of prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) with pious scholars and people of dawah who stood against this wave of materialism to remind the people of the true essence of their deen.<br /><br />Of those great scholars of that time, Sheikh Nadwi singled out Imam al-Hasan al-Basri (may Allah be pleased with him).<br /><br /><strong>His early days</strong><br />He was born 21 A.H. His father Yasar was the servant of Zaid bin Thabit, the companion of the Prophet (peace be upon him). His mother Khayyirah was the servant of Umm Salamah, the wife of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and it is in her house that al-Hasan grew up and met many of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and heard from them, making him of the greatest of the <em>Tabi'een</em> (followerd of the companions).<br /><br /><strong>His knowledge and passion</strong><br />He had vast knowledge of the Quran and Hadith. Moreover, he was attentive to the details of the society he lived in: its different classes, manners, illnesses and cures. He was also a very articulate and charismatic person, one who captures and moves people with his words. Most importantly, his passion, sincerity and eman were what made his words sink right into the hearts of the people. Al-Ghazali describes him as "one whose words are the closest to the words of the prophets (peace be upon them), and whose guidance is the closest to that of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them)."<br /><br /><strong>His method of dawah</strong><br />Al-Basri's advise to the people revolved around reminding them of the shortness and treachery of this life, and the ever-lastingness of the Hereafter. He described in his talks the times of the companions and compared it to his time, and how much the faith and manners of the Muslim ummah had deteriorated.<br /><br />He also displayed courage in facing the rulers with the truth and reminding them of their duties and responsibilities for which they will one day be held accountable by Allah (swt).<br /><br />Al-Hasan al-Basri was not just another scholar or man of dawah who lectured or gave classes. He combined practical <em>tarbiyah</em> (disciplining/upbringing) with spiritual <em>tazkiyah</em> (purification) and was able to guide many to live the true Islam and taste the sweetness of Iman.<br /><br /><strong>His death</strong><br />He passed away in 110 A.H. in Damascus. It is narrated that his funeral was after Friday prayers and that all the people were busied by it that day to the extent that 'asr prayer did not take place in the city's masjid that day because there was no one left there to pray.<br /><br />May Allah (swt) be pleased with him and bless us with some of his sincerity and passion for guiding the Muslim ummah to the straight path, ameen.Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-8882138188685345382009-02-21T07:00:00.000-08:002009-02-21T07:30:41.028-08:00The first Revivor: Umar bin Abdul AzizIntro <a href="http://muslamics.blogspot.com/2009/02/great-muslim-revivors.html">here</a><br /><br />Sheikh Nadwi mentions several key characteristics that marked the short Ummayid rule of the Muslim world. Those include the return of the tribalism mentality and the idea of the superiority of one race over another (particularly Arabs over non-Arabs), which the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) had worked hard to eradicate. Also, there was a very dangerous change in the drivers and motivators of people, for many no longer performed good deeds (fighting in battle, generosity to neighbours,...) to get closer to Allah (swt), but rather to be talked about amongst the people.<br /> <br />There was also the unjustness of the rulers who would take from the poor and spend on their lavish lifestyles. Thus came to existance a very pampered 'aristocratic' class of people who were preoccupied by worldly pleasures. Nevertheless, this did not affect the majority of the ummah who still had a great respect for scholars and rightoeous people.<br /><br />This is the world into which Umar bin Abdul Aziz was born and in which he was raised. It was said that his perfume could be smelt everywhere he went and that he had a particularly elegant walk which some of the women would try to learn. That was before his ascension to the 'throne' of khilafah.<br /><br />The first thing he did was replace the unjust rulers of the Muslim provinces. He stopped the opressive taxes and was strict about rulers not accepting gifts or bribes, and about them not spending lavishly of the people's wealth.<br /><br />On a personal level, he returned all the gifts he got to <em>beit al-mal </em>(the treasury of the ummah)and gave of his wealth and his wife's jewlery in charity. His <em>zuhd</em> and aversion of worldly comforts and pleasure was beyond that of any of the worshippers, let alone kings. He was also very conscious about not spending any of the ummah's wealth on himself. He would put off a candle which was fueled by money from the treasury if one busied him asking about himself (Umar's wellbeing). <br /><br />He opened his doors to the people and announced rewards to those who would bring him news of the true state of society, or would advise him on something of benefit to the ummah.<br /><br />He was able to embody the role of a true Muslim khalifah, one who takes responsiblity of the administrative and ruling affairs of the state, yet is also responsible for the knowledge and righteousness of the people (a role which had become restricted to the scholars of the time). He would send letters to the rulers of the Muslim provinces reminding them of their duties, guiding them to the straight path, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.<br /><br />Afterall, Umar bin Abdul Aziz was a knowledgable scholar of his own right. Mujahid (a famous scholar of the time) had said of him:"we came to him to teach him, but we did not leave until we learnt from him". <br /><br />One of the greatest favors of this revivor on the Muslim ummah is his attention to the Hadith of the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him). For although hadith was written as early as the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him), it was Omar bin Abdel Aziz who started the movement of collecting and preserving it by focusing the scholars' attention to it, just as his great grandfather Omar bin Al Khattab had encouraged the first khalifah Abu Baker al-Sideeq to do with the Quran (for more on Hadith collection, check out <a href="http://muslamics.blogspot.com/2008/07/know-your-hadith-part-vi-final.html">this</a> post).<br /><br /><strong>The effects </strong><br />The reforms which Omar bin Abdel Aziz began were not favoured by all, and some worried they would lead to financial crises and losses for the ummah. However, what happened was to the contrary. The Muslim ummah was blessed with prosperity and security to an extent that the rich did not know where to spend their zakat. Yahya ibn Saeed narrates that Umar bin Abdul Aziz sent him to collect zakat from Africa. He did so, but could not find any poor people deserving of the money so he used it to free slaves.<br /><br />The great khalifah passed away in 101 A.H., only two years and five months from the day he took responsibility of leading the Muslim ummah. May Allah (swt) have mercy on him and reward him for his great deeds.Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-25999558571075396902009-02-19T15:41:00.000-08:002009-02-19T15:51:16.122-08:00The Seven Modern "Deadly" Sins According to the Catholic Church<ol><li>Genetic modification</li><li>Experiments on the person</li><li>Environmental pollution</li><li>Taking or selling illegal drugs</li><li>Social injustice</li><li>Causing poverty </li><li>Financial greed.<br /></li></ol><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Source (and an interesting discussion on the sins of men versus women): <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7897034.stm">BBC News</a></span></div>Zahra Billoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09029341427575413053noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-42880431477196745572009-02-18T14:33:00.001-08:002009-02-18T14:33:42.301-08:00Got Kicked Out of School- Kuffiyah<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NUPr_27nUJY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NUPr_27nUJY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-35705100047541988682009-02-16T00:15:00.000-08:002009-02-16T00:18:56.717-08:00The [European] Left and Islamic ResistanceA follow up to <a href="http://muslamics.blogspot.com/2009/01/thoughts-on-international-gaza-protests.html">this</a> post, albeit from a different point of view.<br /><br />Excerpts below from a <a href="http://palestinethinktank.com/2009/02/11/the-left-and-support-for-anti-imperialist-islamist-resistance/">speech </a>by Nadine Rosa-Rosso, a Brussels-based independent Marxist, at The Beirut International Forum for Resistance, Anti-Imperialism, Solidarity between Peoples and Alternatives, held from January 16 to 18, 2009 ( full text also <a href="http://atheonews.blogspot.com/2009/02/left-and-support-for-islamist-anti.html">here</a>):<br /><br /><blockquote>The massive demonstrations in European capitals and major cities in support of the people of Gaza highlighted once again the core problem: the vast majority of the Left, including communists, agrees in supporting the people of Gaza against Israeli aggression, but refuses to support its political expressions such as Hamas in Palestine and Hezbollah in Lebanon.<br /><br />The Left not only refuses to support them, but also denounces them and fights against them. Support for the people of Gaza exists only at a humanitarian level but not at the political level.<br /><br />...<br /><br />At all the demonstrations I participated in Brussels, I asked some demonstrators to translate the slogans that were chanted in Arabic, and they did so with pleasure every time. I heard a lot of support for the Palestinian resistance and denunciation of Arab governments (in particular the Egyptian President Mubarak), Israel's crimes, and the deafening silence of the international community or the complicity of the European Union. In my opinion, these were all political slogans quite appropriate to the situation. But surely some people only hear Allah-u-akbar and form their opinion on this basis. The very fact that slogans are shouted in Arabic is sometimes enough to irritate the Left. For example, the organizing committee of the meeting of 11 January was concerned about which languages would be used. But could we not have simply distributed the translations of these slogans? This might be the first step towards mutual understanding. When we demonstrated in 1973 against the pro-American military takeover by Pinochet in Chile, no one would have dared to tell the Latin American demonstrators "Please, chant in French!” In order to lead this fight, we all learnt slogans in Spanish and no one was offended.<br /><br />...<br />If we would agree to stop staring blindly and with prejudice at the religious beliefs of people, we would perhaps "learn to understand" why the Arab and Muslim masses, who today demonstrate for Palestine, are screaming ‘Down with Mubarak’, an Arab and Muslim leader, and why they jubilantly shout the name of Chavez, a Christian-Latin American leader. Doesn’t this make it obvious that the Arab and Muslim masses frame their references not primarily through religion but by the relation of leaders to US and Zionist Imperialism?<br /><br />And if the Left would formulate the issue in these terms, would they not partly regain the support of the people that formerly gave the Left its strength?<br /><br />Another cause of paralysis of the Left in the anti-imperialist struggle is the fear of being associated with terrorism.<br /><br />On the 11th of January 2009, the president of the German Chamber of Representatives, Walter Momper, the head of the parliamentarian group of ‘Die Grüne’ (the German Greens), Franziska Eichstädt-Bohlig, a leader of ‘Die Linke’, Klaus Lederer, and others held a demonstration in Berlin with 3000 participants to support Israel under the slogan ‘stop the terror of Hamas’. One must keep in mind that Die Linke are considered by many in Europe as the new and credible alternative Left, and an example to follow.<br /><br />The entire history of colonisation and decolonisation is the history of land that has been stolen by military force and has been reclaimed by force. From Algeria to Vietnam, from Cuba to South-Africa, from Congo to Palestine: no colonial power ever renounced to its domination by means of negotiation or political dialogue alone.</blockquote><br /><br />Nadine's criticism is powerful because it comes from an athiest, European, leftist who is able to take a step back and point out the racist, islamophobic, and imperialist glasses through which the European 'left' views the world, wether they realize it or not.<br /><br />This is important to take into consideration when discussing not only global protests and resistance to Zionism/neocolonialism but also the status and 'integration' of Muslims in Europe.<br /><br />Finally, comments below from a I.K. (thanks for forwarding speech and comments!), in relation to US 'Left':<br /><br /><blockquote>One additional comment I would add, is that it is important to note that the author is characterizing major trends of the "European Left" specifically "traditional" Marxist/Communist political organizing which has a long history there. There are, however, some elements of "Third Worldist" leftists that view Islamists in a more positive way.<br /> <br />In the USA, this could be seen reflected in the differences between UFPJ (which has its organizing base in the much older Communist Party of the United States (CP USA) and ANSWER (which currently has its organizing base in the Party for Socialism and Liberation; but before the 2004 split, in the Workers World Party).<br /> <br />Traditional Marxists (like many in Europe) do not see beyond "class" as an organizing unit, neglecting the national aspirations of Third World nations that may very well organize beyond "class" including the use of religion.</blockquote>Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-16604566435256364152009-02-13T06:49:00.000-08:002009-02-14T08:08:55.655-08:00An inspiring read...It's called <em>Rijjal al-Fikr wa ad-Da'wah fi al-Islam</em> [Men of Thought and Dawah in Islam]. The book came about when the great Indian Muslim scholar <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syed_Abul_Hasan_Ali_Hasani_Nadwi">Abu al-Hasan Ali al-Nadawai </a>, may Allah (swt) have mercy on him, was invited to give a series of lectures at the University of Damascus. After much thought he picked the topic of revivors throughout Islamic history. The lectures were a huge success and were eventually turned into a very popular book. I've been trying to get my hands on it for a couple of years now and finally managed to borrow a copy, alhamdulilAllah. (Funny thing with books of knowledge, Allah (swt) sends them at the perfect time.)<br /><br />The book covers seven giants of Islamic history, may Allah (swt) have mercy upon them and be pleased with them: <strong>Omar bin Abd-el-Aziz </strong>(62-101 A.H.), <strong>al-Hasan al-Basri </strong>(21-110 A.H.), <strong>Ahmad ibn Hanbal </strong>(164-241 A.H.), <strong>Abul-Hasan al- Asha'ri </strong>(270-324 A.H.), <strong>Abu Hamid al-Ghazali </strong>(450-505 A.H.), <strong>Abdul Qadir al-Jilani</strong>(470-561 A.H.), <strong>Jalal ad-Deen ar-Roumi </strong>(604-672 A.H.).<br /><br />The power of the book lies in the fact that it is not simply a collection of biographies. Rather than focus on the lives of the great scholars, the author chooses to present their lives and achievements in the context of the larger historical events and the particular challenges facing the dawah movement and the Muslim ummah at the time, be them theological, societal, or political (usually a combination of the three).<br /><br />Although each reformer had his own personal characteristics and faced unique challenges, there is definitely a consistent theme throughout the book: particular traits that are common in all of the above named scholars.<br /><br />There are the obvious ones: Their solid knowledge of the deen which they acquired though spending years with great teachers of their time. However, their insatiable quest for knowledge did not distract them from their <em>ibadah</em> (worship) nor their work and worldly duties (ruling, teaching, working,...). <strong>This balance was essential.</strong><br />There was also their unparalleled <strong>motivation and sincerity </strong>to use their knowledge and abilities to benefit their ummah the best way they can. They all worked tirelessly for the sake of this deen until their very last breath, may Allah (swt) reward them for their efforts. <br /><br />There was also their <em><strong>zuhd</strong></em>, their complete disregard for the pleasures of this world. Not only did they refuse to sell their knowledge for worldly gains, or be satisfied with high-ranking positions in governmental institutions and universities, they stood against the tyrants of their time and were not afraid to speak out against the injustices committed by Muslim rulers, sometimes in the name of Islam.<br /><br />However, what really distinguished these inspirational figures was their ability to not only grasp the sacred knowledge and be famous scholars and leaders within academic circles, but to also <strong>understand the unique challenges of their times and societies well and be able to bring about a revolution of thought in applying the sacred knowledge to revive the people's faith and fight falsehood</strong>, which ever form it may have taken.<br /><br />Out of the many powerful points made in the introduction of the book, there was one key point which stood out. The Muslim ummah has gone through many turbulent times and been exposed to numerous external and internal threats, yet Islam remains strong and virtually unchanged 1400 years later. Why? First, it the vitality of this religion which Allah (swt) has made to be appropriate for all places and all times. The second is that Allah (swt) has promised to provide this ummah with strong, pious, knowledgable, fearless revivors to ensure the the continuity and regeneration of this deen till the end of time, a blessing which he has not provided to any other religion or group. <br /><br />The author goes on to point out that history books may only highlight a handful of individuals, thus it may seem that the lineage of revivors is scattered and discontinuous. However, for those who dive deep into the books of history and knowledge, it becomes obvious that the movement of Islamic revival is a continuous one, for there has never been a time which was devoid of righteous groups and individuals striving to call out to the truth, speak out against injustice, challenge tyranny and corruption, and open new windows of thought and reform.<br /><br />God willing, I hope to be able to post glimpses of the scholars lives from the book in the coming weeks...short stories which I found particularly touching and inspiring (if I get lazy please start nagging).<br /><br />May Allah (swt) make us of those whom He uses in His Way, ameen.Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-10365725932647249412009-02-10T06:52:00.000-08:002009-02-10T07:00:05.391-08:00Need more motivation to fast every week?If 70 years away from hell fire is not enough...<br /><br /><blockquote>Something about the way Americans eat isn’t working – and hasn’t been for a long time. The number of obese Americans is now greater than the number who are merely overweight, according to government figures released last month. It’s as if once we taste food, we can’t stop until we’ve gorged ourselves. Taking that inclination into account, some people are adopting an unusual solution to overeating. Rather than battling temptation in grocery stores, restaurants and their own kitchens, they simply don’t eat. At least not at certain times of the day or specific days of the week. Called intermittent fasting, this rather stark approach to weight control appears to be supported by science, not to mention various religious and cultural practices around the globe. <br /><br />...<br /><br />“There is something kind of magical about starvation,” says Dr. Marc Hellerstein, a professor of endocrinology, metabolism and nutrition at UC Berkeley, who studies fasting.<br /><br />Adds Mark P. Mattson, chief of the laboratory of neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging: “In normal health subjects, moderate fasting – maybe one day a week or cutting back on calories a couple of days a week – will have health benefits for most anybody.” Mattson is among the leading researchers on the effects of calorie restriction and the brain.<br /><br />...<br /><br />“We’re brilliant at this,” Hellerstein says, referring to humans’ physical reaction to not eating. “We’re not good at responding to too many calories, but we’re very good at responding to fasting...</blockquote><br /><br />Read more <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2009/02/02/features/he-fasting2">here</a><br /><br />Hat tip: Yasmin N.Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-19118675344677895132009-02-08T09:13:00.000-08:002009-02-08T09:30:21.255-08:00State of SeigeBy Mahmoud Darwish<br /><br /><blockquote>Tomorrow we will love life.<br />When tomorrow comes, life will be something to adore<br />just as it is, ordinary, or tricky<br />gray, or colourful…stripped of judgement day and<br />purgatory… and if joy is a necessity<br />let it be<br />light on the heart and the back<br />Once embittered by joy, twice shy<br /><br />[To a killer:] If you reflected upon the face<br />of the victim you slew, you would have remembered<br />your mother in the room full of gas. You would have freed<br />yourself of the bullet’s wisdom, and changed your mind: ‘I<br />will never find myself thus.’<br /><br />[To another killer:] If you left the foetus thirty days<br />in its mother’s womb, things would have been different.<br />The occupation would be over and this suckling infant<br />would forget the time of the siege and grow up a healthy<br />child reading at school, with one of your daughters<br />the ancient history of Asia.<br />They might even fall in love<br />and give birth to a daughter [she would be Jewish by birth].<br />What, then, have you done now?<br />Your daughter is now a widow<br />and your granddaughter an orphan.<br />What have you done with your scattered family?<br />And how have you slain three doves in one story?</blockquote><br /><br />Reem is one of 8 US lawyers visiting Gaza as reps of the US National Lawyers Guild...the devastation and horror she is witnessing is not just beyond words, it is beyond tears...but she has managed to share her words (and tears) <a href="http://deafwalls.wordpress.com/2009/02/07/66/">here</a>.Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-51658816162018323062009-02-04T17:41:00.000-08:002009-02-04T17:43:13.852-08:00Ha'aretz Took It Down, So We're Posting It<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Gaza residents: IDF troops posing as Hamas men </span><br /><br />By Amira Hass, Haaretz Correspondent<br /><br /><blockquote>The testimonies of Gaza Strip residents are revealing new details about the Israel Defense Forces' mode of operation there. In the past two days, Beit Lahia residents forced from their homes said soldiers were posing as members of Hamas' armed wing while advancing on the ground.<br /><br />The daily pauses in bombing allow Gazans to meet with the displaced - most of whom are housed in an UNRWA school - and hear their stories.<br /><br />Gaza resident S. told Haaretz he heard several people say they saw armed men wearing the uniforms and symbols of the Iz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, who "called out to each other in Arabic, as if they had caught a collaborator, and then, with the element of surprise, went into the houses."<br /><br />A Gaza radio station warned that troops posing as locals were driving a vehicle normally used by paramedics. Residents said the radio broadcaster listed the vehicle's license plate number and color.<br /><br />Haaretz has also learned that one of the army's methods for evacuating a home is to fire a missile toward its upper level. That is how B.'s house in Sajaiyeh was destroyed. It was bombed just a few minutes after a missile struck and 40 shell-shocked family members walked out of the house.<br /><br />The IDF has also forced at least 40,000 people to leave their homes in agricultural and border areas. In Rafah, most of the 20,000 people removed from their homes were lodging with relatives and not in UNRWA facilities.</blockquote> <div><br /></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Source: <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1054461.html">Ha'aretz</a></span><br /><br /></div>Zahra Billoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09029341427575413053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-72388406872960925932009-02-03T15:59:00.000-08:002009-02-03T16:01:06.802-08:00Gaza Agriculture Has Been Devastated<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DsKtD2cvouk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DsKtD2cvouk&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Yesi Kinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14018812833387122809noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-87607653149854418532009-02-02T09:24:00.000-08:002009-02-02T09:30:10.078-08:00Aid in one hand bible in the otherYes, it still happens...<br /><br /><blockquote>KHARTOUM - A US aid group has been expelled from Sudan's war-hit region of Darfur for having a large stock of Arabic-language bibles, the official SUNA news agency reported on Saturday.<br /><br />The Texas-based "Thirst No More" humanitarian group's Internet website says its work in Darfur focuses on "bringing clean, safe, and sustainable drinking water," with no reference to Christian missionary work or distribution of bibles in Muslim Darfur. <br /><br />A Sudanese official said members of the group have admitted possessing 3,400 bibles in Arabic in violation of laws and agreements governing the work of humanitarian organisations in the country.</blockquote><br />Continue <a href="http://www.middle-east-online.com/english/features/?id=30160">here</a><br /><br />Also, to find out why Save Darfur can't save Darfur, check out <a href="http://humanitarianrelief.change.org/blog/view/the_rumble_continues_-_save_darfur_cant_save_darfur">this</a> post.Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-73066055361304375372009-01-28T17:08:00.000-08:002009-01-28T17:28:14.893-08:00Ooooh the Propaganda[Apartheid] Israel Violated Cease-fire 7 Times<br />US Media Misreport Latest Gaza Violence<br />Please phone and ask for correction!<br /><br />[A FLYER about this can be downloaded at: IfAmericansKnew.org/download/gazacfv.pdf ]<br /><br />The American media is reporting violence that took place along the Gaza-Israel border on January 27th as, in the words of CNN, "the first incidents of violence since last week's Mideast cease-fire," telling the public that Palestinians broke the ceasefire. [1]<br /><br />The reality, however, is that Israel had already violated the cease-fire at least 7 times, the Israeli military killing 2 Palestinian civilians and injuring at least 5, at least one of them a child:<br /><br /><ol><li> [Apartheid] Israeli forces killed a Palestinian farmer in Khuza'a east of Khan Yunis on Jan 18</li><li>[Apartheid]Israeli forces killed a Palestinian farmer east of Jabalia on Jan 19</li><li>[Apartheid] Israeli naval gunboats shelled the Gaza coast line, causing damage to civilian structures on Jan 21</li><li>[Apartheid] Israeli troops shot and injured a child east of Gaza City on Jan 22</li><li>[Apartheid] Israeli gunboat fire injured 4-7 Palestinian fishermen on Jan 22</li><li>[Apartheid] Israeli shelling set a Palestinian house on fire on Jan 22</li><li>[Apartheid] Israeli tanks fired on the border town of Al Faraheen, causing damage to homes and farms on Jan 24<br /></li></ol><br />This list does not include two Palestinian children who were killed on January 20th by unexploded ordnance left from Israel's 22-day assault on Gaza.[2] (Additional details about the above cease-fire breaches and citations can be found in the timeline below.)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Media Contacts</span>: Most of the media seem to have reported this wrong. You should check your local newspaper and contact it if it reported the story incorrectly.<br /><br />Below are some national contacts:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Associated Press</span><br /> Phone: 212-621-1500 (Ask for International Desk or for Corporate Communications)<br /> Fax: 212-621-7523<br /> General Questions and Comments: info@ap.org<br /> The <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_PALESTINIANS?SITE=MAHYC&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT">AP article</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The New York Times</span><br /> Phone: 212-556-1234<br /> Fax: 212-556-3690<br /> Letters to the Editor (for publication): letters@nytimes.com<br /> Write to the news editors: news-tips@nytimes.com<br /> Corrections: senioreditor@nytimes.com<br /> New York Times Contact Information by Department<br /> How to Contact New York Times Reporters and Editors<br />The <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/world/middleeast/28mideast.html?_r=1&hp">NYT article</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Washington Post</span><br /> Phone: 202-334-6000<br /> Fax: 202-334-5269<br /> Letters to the Editor: letters@washpost.com<br /> Ombudsman: ombudsman@washpost.com<br /> Contact Washington Post Writers and Editors<br />The <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/27/AR2009012700260.html?hpid=topnews">Washington Post article</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">CNN</span><br /> Phone: 404-827-1500<br /> Fax: 404-827-1784<br />The <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/27/gaza.ceasefire.breach/?iref=mpstoryview">CNN article</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">NPR</span><br /> Phone: 202-513-3232<br /> Fax: 202-513-3329<br /> E-mail: Jeffrey A. Dvorkin, Ombudsman ombudsman@npr.org<br /> The <a href="http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99901347">NPR article</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">McClatchey Newspapers</span><br /> Main Phone: 916-321-1855<br /> The <a href="http://www.kansascity.com/451/story/1003705.html">McClatchey's article</a><br /><br />For more media contacts, visit <a href="http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=111">Fair.org </a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Timeline of Cease-fire Breaches & Important Events</span><br /><br />Sunday, Jan 18 – After a 22-day assault on Gaza in which over 1,300 Palestinians were killed and approximately 9 [Apartheid] Israelis were killed, [Apartheid] Israel and Hamas each declared a ceasefire. Within several hours, the first breach took place, when [Apartheid] Israel killed a Palestinian civilian:<br /><br />The UN reports: "One Palestinian farmer was killed on the morning of 18 January in Khuza'a east of Khan Yunis following the Israeli-declared cease-fire." [3]<br /><br />Monday, Jan 19 – Once again the ceasefire was breached when [Apartheid] Israel killed another Palestinian civilian. Palestinian militants did respond, but caused no damage or injuries:<br /><br />The UN reports: "On 19 January, a Palestinian farmer was killed by [Apartheid] Israeli gunfire east of Jabalia. The same day, Palestinian militants fired a number of mortars towards [Apartheid] Israel and also shot at Israeli troops still inside the Gaza Strip. No injuries or damage were reported." [4]<br /><br />Wednesday, Jan 21 – [Apartheid] Israeli naval boats fired at the Gaza coastline, causing some damage.<br /><br />IMEMC reports: "On Wednesday, the boats fired shells at the coast line, causing damage but no injuries." [5]<br /><br />Thursday, Jan 22 – A Palestinian child was wounded by gunfire from [Apartheid] Israeli troops, between 4 and 7 Palestinian civilians (fishermen) were injured when they were fired upon by [Apartheid] Israel's navy, and a home was set fire by shells from the Israeli navy:<br /><br />The UN reports: "Four Palestinians were injured on 22 January by a shell fired from an [Apartheid] Israeli gunboat off the Gaza coast. The same day, a house was set on fire by a shell fired from an [Apartheid] Israeli gunboat. No injuries were reported. Also on 22 January, IDF troops shot and injured a child east of Gaza City near the border." [6]<br /><br />IMEMC reports: "On Thursday of last week, [Apartheid] Israeli Navy forces opened fire at Palestinian fishermen just off the shore of Gaza City, injuring seven civilians." [7]<br /><br />Saturday, Jan 24 – [Apartheid] Israeli tanks fired on the border town of Al Faraheen, causing damage to homes and farms. Also, Aid agencies call on Israel to finally open all crossings into Gaza:<br /><br />IMEMC reports: "On Saturday, the [Apartheid] Israeli army opened fire at residents homes and farmlands located in Al Faraheen village located in the southern part of the Gaza strip. Local residents said that Israeli tanks stationed at the borders opened fire at their homes and farms; damage was reported but no injuries." [8]<br /><br />Maan News reports: "A coalition of international aid agencies urged the [Apartheid] Israeli government on Saturday to open the Gaza Strip's border to allow vital goods into the territory... The agencies, including Oxfam, Save the Children, and the Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO) held a news conference on Saturday at the intensive care unit of Gaza's Ash-Shifa Hospital to point up an ongoing humanitarian crisis stemming from [Apartheid] Israel's blockade." [9]<br /><br />Sunday, Jan 25 – [Apartheid] Israeli F-16s flew over Gaza, causing schools, government offices, and banks to close and causing Egypt to rapidly evacuate all of its personnel from the Rafah crossing in fear that an attack was imminent.<br /><br />Haaretz reports: "On Sunday [Apartheid] Israeli F-16s flew over Gaza, terrifying people who thought [Apartheid] Israel was launching a new offensive. A number of banks, government offices and schools were closed, occupants running to their homes as the [Apartheid] Israeli warplanes flew overhead." [10]<br /><br />Maan News reports: "Egypt suddenly and rapidly evacuated its personnel from the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on Sunday fearing a possible [Apartheid] Israeli airstrike on the Palestinian side of the crossing, Egyptian security sources said." [11]<br /><br />Violence on January 27th<br /><br />What appears to have happened today is that a remote device was detonated near or under an [Apartheid] Israeli patrol near the Kissufim crossing between Gaza and [Apartheid] Israel. It is not clear on which side of the border the attack took place. One soldier was killed and three were injured.<br /><br />(The New York Times is reporting this as "the first serious confrontations between Hamas and [Apartheid] Israel since each declared a tentative cease-fire 10 days ago."[12] However, there is no indication that Hamas was responsible for the bomb and seems, despite all the [Apartheid] Israeli violations, to be pushing for a cease-fire.)<br /><br />The [Apartheid] Israeli military then opened fire on the Palestinian farmland nearby, killing a civilian: a 27-year-old farmer was killed by tank fire.<br /><br />[Apartheid] Israel also closed the crossings into Gaza, denying the entire population (1.5 million) access to desperately needed shipments of food, medicine, and other humanitarian aid.<br /><br />An [Apartheid] Israeli drone fired a missile into the city of Khan Yunis, injuring a Hamas militant on a motorcycle. There are reports that 2 Palestinian children playing nearby were also injured.<br /><br />It has also been reported that [Apartheid] Israeli soldiers occupied a home near the town of Deir Al Balah.<br /><br /><br />[A FLYER about this can be downloaded at: IfAmericansKnew.org/download/gazacfv.pdf ]<br /><br />---<br /><br />1. <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/01/27/gaza.ceasefire.breach/?iref=mpstoryview">CNN</a><br />2. <a href="http://www.ochaopt.org/gazacrisis/admin/output/files/ocha_opt_gaza_humanitarian_situation_report_2009_01_22_english.pdf">UN OCHA</a><br />3. <a href="http://www.ochaopt.org/gazacrisis/admin/output/files/ocha_opt_gaza_humanitarian_situation_report_2009_01_19_english.pdf">UN OCHA</a><br />4.<a href="http://www.ochaopt.org/gazacrisis/admin/output/files/ocha_opt_gaza_humanitarian_situation_report_2009_01_21_english.pdf">UN OCHA </a><br />5. <a href="http://imemc.org/article/58644">IMEMC</a><br />6. <a href="http://www.ochaopt.org/gazacrisis/admin/output/files/ocha_opt_gaza_humanitarian_situation_report_2009_01_22_english.pdf">UN OCHA </a><br />7. <a href="http://imemc.org/article/58644">IMEMC</a><br />8. <a href="http://imemc.org/article/58613">IMEMC</a><br />9. <a href="http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=35251">Maan News</a><br />10. <a href="http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1058525.html">Haaretz </a><br />11. <a href="http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=35296">Maan News</a><br />12. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/28/world/middleeast/28mideast.html?_r=1&hp">The New York Times </a>Zahra Billoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09029341427575413053noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-83987279806024517572009-01-27T11:19:00.001-08:002009-01-27T11:21:45.531-08:00Today is the Memorial Marking the Holocaust<p><strong> January 27th is International Holocaust Memorial Day. This marks the anniversary of the day in 1945 that the Auschwitz death camp was liberated by Soviet troops.</strong></p><p>The horror of what was perpetrated there is well-known. </p><p>At least 1.1m people, mainly Jews from all over Europe, were killed, the majority in the gas chambers. </p>After the end of World War Two Auschwitz was turned into a museum and memorial.<br /><br />While the day is an auspicious day of reflection at the brutality and inaction of the conscientious, one can not but draw parallels, however far removed, to the present day concentration camp called Gaza.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-9398325553106947702009-01-23T01:48:00.000-08:002009-01-23T02:31:51.616-08:00What Gaza ChangedI have spent the last few days looking for a good opine on the conclusion of the Gaza War - declaring it to be over and the Palestinian resistance to be victorious. I didn't find anything. Maybe its because it's too early to declare victory yet. Plus, who feels like celebrating when thousands are lying in the hospitals of Gaza waiting for their wounds and burns to heal, not knowing what lies ahead.<br /><br />Below are a few interesting remarks from <a href="http://www.counterpunch.org/kolko01212009.html">Kolko's article </a>on CounterPunch:<br /><br /><blockquote>How will history describe the Israeli war against the Palestinians in Gaza? Another Holocaust, this time perpetrated by the descendants of the victims? An election ploy by ambitious Israeli politicians to win votes in the February 10 elections? A test range for new American weapons? Or an effort to lock in the new Obama Administration into an anti-Iranian position? An attempt to establish its military “credibility” after its disastrous defeat in the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006? Perhaps all of these…and more. <br /><br />But one thing is certain. Israel has killed at least 100 Palestinians for each of its own claimed losses, a vast disproportion that has produced horror in much of the world, creating a new cause which has mobilized countless numbers of people—possibly as strong as the Vietnam war movement. It has made itself a pariah nation—save in the United States and a few other countries. Above all, it has enflamed the entire Muslim world.</blockquote><br /><br />I hope it did...I really hope it did...<br /><br />Over the past weeks, I have gone from desperation to euphoria and everything in between, many times. One thing that finally brought me to my senses were the words of a wise teacher in one of her halaqas.<br /><br />She's not a politician, simply someone looking at the big picture and explaining things in terms of Quranic promises. The words she kept repeating were that the people of Gaza are being tested under severely unjust situations because of the sins and the weak state of the entire Muslim ummah. InshaAllah the people of Gaza will have dignity and honor in this world and the next. They are truely living Islam and are willing to sacrifice this world for the next. They will get their promised reward for their patience and courage inshaAllah.<br /><br />As for the rest of us, our jihad is over simpler things and we are still failing. How hard have we been trying to stop our nafs from back biting, over eating, over spending, over sleeping...? In fact, it is only a few of the Muslim ummah that are struggling against their nafs; many have either given up or never tried. <br /><br />The most important thing for the Muslim ummah to do at this time is to repent from our sins, change our ways, return to the book of Allah and the teachings of His Messenger. Of course, making dua, raising awareness, contacting political leaders all helps alleviate injustice, but at the end of the day it's all down to the spiritual status of the ummah and how close our lifestyles are to the teachings of Islam.<br /><br />The bombing in Gaza might be over, at least for now, but our work has just begun. The war should be a wake up call for each of us to take a deep look at our lives and make the long overdue changes. Time to get serious about our worship, our Islamic knowledge, our relationship with the Quran, and our responsibilities to our families and community. <br /><br />"...Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)..." [Holy Quran, ar-Raad, 13:11]Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-46776536473597603592009-01-20T12:04:00.000-08:002009-01-20T12:11:59.547-08:00Time To Boycott the Quran(in context- on your Cell Phones, if you live in Arab nations, and you download the service for Quran on the phone)<br /><br />With the Gaza Massacre just behind us, and talk rife about an Israeli goods boycott, we got a new company to boycott- <span name="intelliTxt" id="intelliTXT"><a href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459928,00.html">Pelephone</a>- news via Fox News:<br /><br /></span><span name="intelliTxt" id="intelliTXT"><blockquote>Pelephone has begun offering a Koran text service that enables users to tap into verses of choice from the Muslim Holy Book at will.</blockquote><br /><br /></span><span name="intelliTxt" id="intelliTXT">In the U.S., AT&T offers a similar MyFaith <a itxtdid="7747234" target="_blank" href="http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459928,00.html#" style="border-bottom: 0.075em solid darkgreen ! important; font-size: 100% ! important; text-decoration: underline ! important; padding-bottom: 1px ! important; color: darkgreen ! important; background-color: transparent ! important;" classname="iAs" class="iAs">application</a> for customers to get daily Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Islamic, Jewish and and Sikh updates, prayers and verses and offers a social networking FaithBase site for connecting Christians 18 and up.<br /><br />But from my understanding Pelephone will be targeting Arab countries largely and not the AT&T version which from what I read is similar to the Israeli company but not by the Israeli company.<br /><br />If your like most immigrant Muslims, then AT&T is just another Zionist controlled company and you will most likely be boycotting it already.<br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06317155582620782077noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8059583388671362146.post-78277362755345279992009-01-15T22:39:00.000-08:002009-02-02T09:31:13.447-08:00From the QuranA couple of days ago I got an SMS from a friend about verses in the Quran which reflect exactly what the Palestinian resistance is facing today in Gaza. Verses are below, from Surah Al-Imran (Chapter 3, verses 166-175). <br /><br /><blockquote>And what struck you on the day the two armies met was by permission of Allah that He might make evident the [true] believers. <br /> <br />And that He might make evident those who are hypocrites. For it was said to them, "Come, fight in the way of Allah or [at least] defend." They said, "If we had known [there would be] fighting, we would have followed you." They were nearer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah is most Knowing of what they conceal<br /><br />Those who said about their brothers while sitting [at home], "If they had obeyed us, they would not have been killed." Say, "Then prevent death from yourselves, if you should be truthful." <br /><br />And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, <br /><br />Rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His bounty, and they receive good tidings about those [to be martyred] after them who have not yet joined them - that there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. <br /><br />They receive good tidings of favor from Allah and bounty and [of the fact] that Allah does not allow the reward of believers to be lost <br /><br />Those [believers] who responded to Allah and the Messenger after injury had struck them. For those who did good among them and feared Allah is a great reward - <br /><br />Those to whom hypocrites said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allah , and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." <br /><br />So they returned with favor from Allah and bounty, no harm having touched them. And they pursued the pleasure of Allah , and Allah is the possessor of great bounty. <br /><br />That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers. </blockquote><br /><br />True today as it was 1430 years ago and forever to come. May Allah (swt) strengthen all those who fight in His way and make us of them, ameen.Huda Shaka`http://www.blogger.com/profile/18189454741786600084noreply@blogger.com2