Muslim American News Briefs, June 19, 2007

* Hadith: Acknowledge the Rights of the Poor
* Ohio Governor Speaks at CAIR Banquet
* CAIR-MI: Muslims Won't Fund Footbaths (Detroit News)
* CAIR-CAN Calls on Government to Scrap No-Fly List
            - CAIR-CAN: Scrap No-Fly List Until Flaws Fixed (CP)
* NJ: Muslims Enjoy First Family Fair (Record)
* VA: Muslim Girl Embraces Religion Through Writings
            - CA: Teen Mag Addresses Muslim Girls (SF Chron)
            - IA: Muslims Reach Out to Needy of Other Faiths
* New Book Refutes 'Clash of Civilizations'
* Airstrike Kills 7 Afghan Children (AP)
* Opinion: Cut U.S. Financial Aid to Israel

-----

HADITH OF THE DAY: ACKNOWLEDGE THE RIGHTS OF THE POOR - TOP

A man once said to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him): “I have plenty of property, a large family, a great deal of money, and I am a gracious host to my guests. Tell me how to conduct my life and how to spend (my wealth).” The Prophet replied: “Pay regular charity out of your property, for truly it is a purifier. . .and be kind to your relatives, and acknowledge the rights of the poor, neighbors and (those in need who seek your help)."

Fiqh-us-Sunnah, Volume 3, Number 3

-----

OHIO GOVERNOR SPEAKS AT CAIR BANQUET - TOP

(COLUMBUS, OH, 6/18/2007) - Ohio Governor Ted Strickland spoke last night at the tenth annual banquet of the Council on American-Islamic Relations chapter in that state (CAIR-OH).

Governor Strickland addressed the crowd of 350 people, saying: “On behalf of all Ohioans, [my wife and I] appreciate your vision to promote justice and mutual understanding. We gather under CAIR-Ohio's theme this year, ‘American Muslims: Connecting and Sharing,’ to do just that, to connect and share and get to know each other better.”

Governor Strickland also expressed appreciation for "the Muslim traditions of strong family, hard work, and education,” and presented a proclamation honoring CAIR-Ohio’s work.

CAIR Chairman Dr. Parvez Ahmed and several prominent imams also spoke at the event. Imams, local elected officials, and members of the interfaith community were among those in attendance.

"Our speakers were truly inspirational and left the audience with a renewed sense of commitment and motivation," said CAIR-Ohio President Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin. “We are grateful to have the support of the community and officials, and we will continue to work hard to participate in dialogue, improve understanding, and promote justice for all."

CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 33 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. CAIR-Ohio has three chapters – Columbus, Cleveland and Cincinnati. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.

CONTACT: CAIR-OH Legal Director Jennifer Nimer, 614-451-3232, jnimer@cair.com; CAIR-OH President Asma Mobin-Uddin, 614-451-3232, asma@cair-ohio.com

-----

CAIR-MI: MUSLIMS WON'T FUND FOOTBATHS - TOP
Leaders cite ACLU's decision not to oppose use of public money for UM-Dearborn project.
Karen Bouffard, Detroit News, 6/18/07
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070618/

METRO/706180361/1041/LIFESTYLE04

Muslim leaders in Metro Detroit have decided not to raise private money to pay for two footbaths at a local college campus now that the American Civil Liberties Union has said the plan doesn't pose constitutional problems.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn's plan to spend $25,000 on the footbaths was criticized on conservative blogs and radio shows this month. Critics said using public money for the project would violate the First Amendment, which says governments can't favor or subsidize religions.

Muslims are required to wash body parts, including feet, up to five times daily before prayers.

University officials say the floor-level wash basins are needed because some students at the 8,600-student campus wash their feet in the sinks.

Dawud Walid, executive director of the Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said his group was concerned a public outcry would cause the university to back down from the project.

"If the ACLU had decided to take legal action against the UM-Dearborn, we probably would have called for the university to raise the funds privately, just so that the UM-Dearborn wouldn't have to go through the trouble of having to defend its position against the ACLU," Walid said.

Kary Moss, director of the Detroit branch of the ACLU, said its review concluded the plan is a "reasonable accommodation" to resolve "safety and cleanliness issues" that arose when Muslims used public sinks for foot cleaning before prayers, which often spilled water on bathroom floors. (MORE)

-----

CAIR-CAN CALLS ON GOVERNMENT TO SCRAP NO-FLY LIST - TOP
Secret list lacks due process, open to profiling

(Ottawa, Canada - June 18, 2007) - The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) today called upon the government to scrap the Passenger Protect Program, Canada's no-fly list. With direction from CSIS and the RCMP, the undisclosed Transport Canada list will include names that are considered too dangerous to fly on domestic and international flights.

Passenger Protect has recently come under heavy criticism from MPs, rights groups and experts for its secrecy, lack of due process and violation of privacy rights.

In a recent CAIR-CAN submission to Transport Canada, entitled "Canada's Passenger Protect Program: Too Guilty to Fly, Too Innocent to Charge?” (available at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=962797), nine flaws of the no-fly list were outlined.

CAIR-CAN Executive Director Karl Nickner said in a statement:

"Passenger Protect leaves the door wide open for systemic profiling of Arab and Muslim travelers.

“How is it a person who is supposedly too dangerous to fly, is allowed to walk our streets, ride subways and drive cars? This is a clear violation of Canada's liberty and mobility rights.

"A program that so profoundly impacts our fundamental liberties, human rights and privacy must be thoroughly investigated and debated by Parliament. Until then Passenger Protect should be scrapped."

SEE: CP: Critics Swat Canada's 'No-Fly' List
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070617.

ca-fd7a-4e62-a3d6-96cc5d55523b&k=50487

The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations says Ottawa should scrap the no-fly list, which came into effect today, until it fixes major flaws in the program.

Spokesman Sameer Zuberi says the Passenger Protect program is fundamentally flawed and that it must be debated openly in parliament.

He says the federal government must also change the process by which people can apply for reconsideration if their names are mistakenly placed on the so-called Specified Persons list.

Federal officials say the list, which is compiled with the help of the RCMP and CSIS, is meant to safeguard domestic airline passengers by identifying individuals who may pose an immediate threat to aviation security.

But the council, which has long criticized the list, says it lacks due process and could lead to racial and religious profiling.

Starting today, airlines are required to screen each person's name against the list before issuing a boarding pass and to ensure every passenger who looks to be 18 years of age or older carries one piece of valid government-issued photo ID or two pieces without photo.

-----

NJ: MUSLIMS ENJOY FIRST FAMILY FAIR - TOP
John Chadwick, Bergen Record, 6/18/07
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFl

Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==

The hundreds of Muslims who packed a Teaneck park on Sunday weren't celebrating an Islamic holy day.

They had a decidedly secular agenda: fun.

The first Muslim Family Fair in Bergen County included a moonwalk and a giant slide, games of cricket and volleyball, and an indoor market where merchants hawked clothing and jewelry.

Even the cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants made an appearance, drawing bunches of children who pulled along their moms clad in Islamic head scarves.

Community leaders said the gathering at Votee Park was aimed at bringing together the growing Muslim community in Bergen County for something other than religious purposes.

"We typically meet only twice a year for the holy days," said Meer Ali of Paramus. "So this year we thought: Why not have a picnic for the community so we can have fun?"

The fair, which was expected to attract about 1,000 people, had something for everyone. (MORE)

-----

VA: MUSLIM GIRL EMBRACES RELIGION THROUGH WRITINGS - TOP
Irtefa Binte-Farid also wins two awards.
Venton D. Blandin, CBS19/ABC16, 6/18/07
http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/news/headlines/1430547.html

The attacks of September 11 affected so many in different ways.

CBS19/ABC16 would like to introduce our viewers to a high school student who is Muslim, and found a way to embrace her religion.

By most standards, the high school student would be considered remarkable for someone her age. In talking to her, it is obvious her faith plays an important role.

Take a look at Irtefa Binte-Farid, a sophomore at Albemarle High School. She looks like an average teenager except for the hijab on her head, but it's the hijab that's part of her story.

If you were a Muslim high school student from Bangladesh who arrived in the United States just two months after the attacks of September 11th, what would you do?

Irtefa wrote a letter about America's freedom of religion. All while wearing modest American clothing with the scarf on her head to embrace her own faith.

"As I was thinking about it, I thought it would be a good thing to write about it because it helped me sort my feelings out too," said the sophomore. Irtefa, who describes herself as reserved, reliable, and hard-working, wrote, "Freedom of Religion: My Right, My Responsibility."

"I thought that it was important to let people know, that though racial profiling had happened, I was allowed to practice my religion still," added Irtefa.

Her essay was awarded a Citation of Excellence from America's First Freedom, a non-profit organization based in Richmond. (MORE)

-----

CA: TEEN MAGAZINE ADDRESSES CHALLENGES OF BEING MUSLIM GIRL IN UNITED STATES - TOP
Joe Garofoli, San Francisco Chronicle, 6/18/07
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/06/18/MUSLIM.TMP

It's awkward for 17-year-old Yousur Alhlou when her girlfriends invite her to go to the movies. First, she has to ask them if any boys are going. If so, the devout Muslim politely declines the invitation; Islam doesn't allow dating or any kind of romantic interaction between men and women outside of marriage.

"I don't want to give one of them the wrong impression and you know, get things started," said the San Jose High School junior. "But at the same time, I don't want my friends to feel like they have to totally change their plans because of me." She looked down at her hands. "So there's a lot of times when I just stay home."

A few weeks ago, Alhlou picked up a copy of the 6-month-old Muslim Girl magazine, a bimonthly aimed at helping her with the challenges of being an adolescent Muslim girl in the United States. Like how to remain true to Islamic values in a media-driven culture saturated with sexual imagery and celebrity pap -- and few people dressed like you.

Inside the glossy magazine are stories and advice columns that address the issues and questions that Seventeen magazine won't tackle, at least from the perspective of religiously focused Muslim teenagers like Alhlou.

The magazine is an attempt to reach out to a racially and ethnically diverse audience that feels culturally isolated. Editors estimate that roughly 400,000 Muslim teenage girls live in the United States, part of the estimated 6 million to 8 million Muslims living in the country. The magazine's Toronto-based publisher, execuGo Media (some of the small editorial staff is in Chicago), believes much of its target market comes from affluent, well-educated families possessing untapped consumer spending power. . .

Muslim Girl is heavy on stories about strong female role models, like a feature on the first female presidential candidate in Afghanistan, and stories about how teenage Muslims, while maintaining their faith, are participating in typical American activities -- a Muslim Girl Scout troop in Mormon-heavy Utah; Muslim girls who are cheerleaders. . .

The editorial challenge, said Muslim Girl's Khan, is to be inclusive to the many different interpretations of Islam, in addition to showcasing the different racial and ethnic Muslims. (MORE)

-----

IA: MUSLIM AMERICAN SOCIETY REACHES OUT TO OTHER FAITHS - TOP
Mary Louise Speer, Quad-City Times, 6/18/07
http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/06/18//news/local/doc

4676055acfa64816524256.txt

The Muslim American Society Service Corps is reaching out to people of all faiths in need, nationally and locally.

Here, 500 pounds of meat was delivered Wednesday, which will be part of a monthly donation being distributed through Churches United of the Quad-City Area.

The boxes of meat are being distributed at four local food pantries administered through Churches United. The donation is part of the National Humanitarian Day relief drive to give sustenance to people in need across the United States.

“You are not a member of the community until you share with the community. Muslim Americans are part of the community and this is part of their responsibility to their community,” said Imam Ahmed Elkhaldy, president of Muslim American Society-Iowa. “To me it is divine obligation and I am doing my part to my neighbor and neighborhood.”

National Humanitarian Day is a fulfillment of the Qur’anic command to “feed the distressed ones in want.” The relief drive benefits disadvantaged people in their own communities, regardless of religious or ethnic backgrounds. The society is partnering with local organizations, like Churches United.

Churches United appreciates having an opportunity to partner with the society and ensure more people can receive emergency provisions, said Anne Wachal, program manager.

Churches United is an ecumenical organization that works with diverse groups and agencies on justice and social action issues in addition to its hunger ministries, radio show and other endeavors, she said.

The meat was slaughtered at a Muslim slaughterhouse, Elkhaldy said. “We hope this is only the beginning and we hope we’ll be able to contribute about 500 pounds of meat monthly through the Churches United,” he said. (MORE)

-----

MAJOR NEW BOOK REFUTES 'CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS,' SHOWS EARLY MUSLIM THINKERS HELPED RISE OF WEST - TOP
PR Newswire, 6/18/07
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,123550.shtml

While some Americans associate Islam with terrorism and strife in the Middle East, author Michael Hamilton Morgan counters with a resounding "no" -- by showing how much we all owe to forgotten Muslim thinkers and inventors in his new book LOST HISTORY: THE ENDURING LEGACY OF MUSLIM SCIENTISTS, THINKERS, AND ARTISTS.

Lost History tells the story of a once-brilliant civilization built on pure genius and innovation ... with a heavy dose of tolerance thrown in. The book shows how early Muslim breakthroughs in mathematics, astronomy, medicine, science, culture and leadership not only laid the cornerstones of the European Renaissance -- but how they reverberate even today -- in computation, digital appliances, surgery and pharmaceuticals, film and books, modern universities and global commerce.

"Only 1000 years ago," says Morgan, "Baghdad was the greatest and largest city on earth at 2 million people, churning out futuristic math, science, medicine and literature, while London and Paris were muddy towns of 30,000 or less. Cairo and Cordoba were other Muslim thought-centers. Rising cities in India, Persia, Central Asia and Turkey would soon join them."

Lost History was spurred by Morgan's concern after 9/11 that for Americans, not understanding Muslim contributions could intensify a sense of alienation, while for young Muslims, it meant they did not know their full heritage of invention, intellectual courage and tolerant societies.
Former President Jimmy Carter says "Lost History delivers a missing link to the story of an interconnected world," while King Abdullah II of Jordan writes in his foreword that, "Many available works paint too stark a picture of confrontation between civilizations, when the reality was often one of exchange and mutual dependence." (MORE)

-----

U.S.-LED AIRSTRIKE KILLS 7 AFGHAN CHILDREN - TOP
Fisnik Abrashi, Associated Press, 6/18/07
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/06/17

/international/i220133D44.DTL

Seven children were killed in a U.S.-led coalition airstrike targeting suspected al-Qaida militants in eastern Afghanistan, a coalition statement said Monday. The strike came hours after the deadliest insurgent attack since the Taliban fell in 2001.

Police said Monday they had detained a suspect in connection with the deadly suicide bombing that destroyed a bus full of police instructors at Kabul's busiest transportation hub, killing 35 people and wounding 52.

In an operation backed by Afghan troops, jets on Sunday targeted a compound that also contained a mosque and a madrassa, or Islamic school, in the Zarghun Shah district of Paktika province. Early reports indicated seven children at the madrassa and "several militants" were killed, and two militants detained, the statement said.

Coalition troops had "surveillance on the compound all day and saw no indications there were children inside the building," said Maj. Chris Belcher, a coalition spokesman. He accused the militants of not letting the children leave the compound that was targeted.

"If we knew that there were children inside the building, there was no way that that airstrike would have occurred," said Sgt. 1st Class Dean Welch, another coalition spokesman.

The U.N. Assistance Mission in Afghanistan said it has sent a team with the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission to investigate the incident. (MORE)

-----

CUT US AID TO ISRAEL - TOP
Israel can gain much by doing away with America's financial assistance
Roni Bart, Y-Net News, 6/18/07
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3414215,00.html

Unless developments in Gaza overshadow all the planned agenda for the summit meeting, Prime Minister Olmert and President Bush are set to discuss Tuesday, inter alia, Israel's request to increase American financial aid. A few months ago, Israel submitted a request to raise the annual sum over 10 years by 25 percent, from $2.4 billion to $3 billion. If implemented, this would reverse the course initiated by Prime Minister Netanyahu a decade ago, which gradually reduced American annual assistance by 20 percent, from $3 billion to $2.4. Doing so would be a mistake.

The underlying rationale for the Israeli request is to take advantage of the final two years of the firmly pro-Israel Bush Administration. Israel's main reasons for increased aid are fairly obvious: financial need for multiplying security threats, and reinforcing a powerful public symbol of American support. On the other hand, there are four reasons to continue the process of decreasing aid, perhaps leading to eventual elimination of it.

First, since 1976, Israel has been the largest annual recipient of US foreign assistance. In the past 55 years, Israel has received more than $84 billion in grants alone. Annual American aid to Israel per capita is more than $340, which is by far the highest in the world. Average global aid per capita is only $22! This comparison becomes all the more glaring, given that according to various indices Israel is ranked 27th or 37th on the "rich scale."

From a moral point of view, Israel's place at the top of the list of aid recipients, ahead of all poor and sick and malnourished Third World countries, is, to say the least, problematic. Furthermore, this is, or should be, also a matter of national honor. It was only a generation ago that the goal of "economic independence" was still mentioned in Israel, if only as a distant aspiration. The process initiated by Netanyahu inched Israel toward that goal; freezing the process, let alone reversing it, means forsaking the dream. (MORE)

-----

CAIR
Council on American-Islamic Relations
453 New Jersey Avenue, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel: 202-488-8787, 202-744-7726
Fax: 202-488-0833
E-mail: info@cair.com
URL: http://www.cair.com

Fair Use Notice

This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.