Muslim American News Briefs, September 10, 2007

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As Muslims throughout the area prepare for the holy month of Ramadan, which begins Thursday, many are also making efforts to share their customs and beliefs with the non-Muslim community.

Community meals known as interfaith iftars have emerged as a Ramadan tradition in Northeast Ohio. The iftar, or fast-breaking, is the meal observant Muslims enjoy at sunset during Ramadan after a day of abstaining from food and drink.

The community iftars invite people from all faiths to share dinner and learn about Islam.

"Taking part in an iftar is an excellent chance for people of all faiths to get to know their Muslim neighbors, to move beyond stereotypes and toward understanding," said Isam Zaiem, president of the Cleveland chapter of CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

CAIR will hold its annual Sharing Ramadan Community Iftar at 7 p.m. Saturday at Cleveland State University's Joseph Cole Center, 3100 Chester Ave.

Baby-sitting and children's games will be available. For reservations, call 216-830-2247. (MORE)

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DON'T HESITATE TO WISH JOY ON RAMADAN - TOP
Kiran Ansari, Chicago Tribune, 9/9/07
http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/q/chi-0909_ramada

n_jumpsep09,0,1351317.story

Ramadan and Eid have become American traditions since then- First Lady Hillary Clinton received Muslims on Eid in 1996. (Eid rhymes with deed and marks the end of Ramadan's fasting; this year Eid falls on Oct. 13.) White House iftaar dinners, which mark the breaking of the fast, have become an annual event. Mujahid said the council hosts annual interfaith iftaars, which this year will include Cardinal Francis George.

"During our interfaith work, we send and receive greetings on all holidays. The United Methodist Church even fasted last Ramadan for solidarity reasons," Mujahid said.

Mujahid offered some suggestions on the pending Muslim holidays:

*Include a message about the holidays in your company newsletter, calendar or on the notice board.

*Realize that most Muslims fast from dawn to dusk the entire month, so they might not be joining you for lunch as usual.

*Ask questions if you are intrigued and accept invitations for iftaar. Knowledge of each other's faith and traditions is the single most important block in building bridges and practicing tolerance.

*Visit a mosque. All mosques have open houses around sunset during Ramadan and welcome anyone who would like to come and perhaps share a meal.

*As with Ramadan, extend Eid greetings via a card or well wishes. Muslims might take the day off to celebrate with their families.

*Remember that alcohol and pork products are a "no" when it comes to gift-giving; most other gifts work well. (Kids get Eid gifts in the form of new clothes, toys or cash.)

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CAIR-MI PARTICIPATES IN PRE-RAMADAN EVENT WITH GAMBIAN MUSLIMS - TOP

(SOUTHFIELD, MI, 9/9/07) - The Michigan chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI) yesterday participated in a pre-Ramadan program with the Gambian Muslim Association of Michigan at the Muslim Center in Detroit, Michigan.

The event featured lectures regarding the importance of the month of Ramadan and the life example of the Prophet Muhammad regarding his ethical behavior toward all people and his charitable spirit.

Lecturers included the leaders of the Gambian Muslims Association of Michigan, the Tijani Sufi Order in Michigan and the Mouride Sufi Order in Michigan. Some 150 people participated in the event from the Muslim and broader community.

CAIR-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid was the lead presenter in the program giving a brief overview of the spiritual and intellectual benefits of Ramadan.

CAIR, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, has 33 offices and chapters nationwide and in Canada. 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-MI Executive Director Dawud Walid, 248.842.1418, dwalid@cair.com

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MD: MUSLIMS WORK TO CONNECT, EDUCATE - TOP
Food drives, events raise awareness, interaction in area communities
By Liz F. Kay, Baltimore Sun, 9/9/07
www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.muslim09sep09,0,2977919.story

The first time the Howard County Muslim Council held its food drive, the response was limited.

But last year, "I put up fliers in my neighborhood and people bring the food to my doorstep," said Anwer Hasan, a Clarksville resident and president of the Maryland Muslim Council. And as they handed out information at a local supermarket, people told them, "We'll be waiting for you on Sunday."

"We want that kind of connectivity and relationship," Hasan said, "so that the people feel comfortable with each other and not necessarily fearful of each other."

Muslims statewide are organizing councils on the county level to interact with their local leaders and to improve understanding of Islam within their communities. (MORE)

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CAIR: MORE AMERICANS CONVERTING TO ISLAM - TOP
Young people find stereotypes a challenge
SUMMER HARLOW, The News Journal, 9/9/07
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070909/

NEWS/709090362/-1/NEWS01

Drew Marshall could have been any of the dozen or so university students studying and sipping coffee at a Newark cafe.

About 6 feet tall, with a close beard and a light blue shirt, not much about him stands out.

Until he offers an Arabic greeting.

Marshall, or Ahmad, as the 23-year-old white American from Hockessin now calls himself, converted to Islam two years ago.

Wearing a dress shirt and slacks, carrying his school bag like a briefcase, Marshall looks more like a member of the faculty than a college senior.

People show him more respect when he dresses this way, he says. Changing his appearance along with his name was just another way to distance himself from his old life.

A senior majoring in international relations with a minor in Islamic studies, Marshall quotes hadiths and verses from the Quran, seamlessly switching between English and Arabic. Arabic is like a mathematical formula, he says, so it's not hard to learn.

Six years ago, as a senior in high school sitting in the cafeteria during his free period on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, learning Arabic was the last thing on his mind.

Like most everyone in America, Marshall remembers watching the Twin Towers collapse, recalls the fear, confusion and anger.

"I remember after 9/11 saying it was going to be World War III, and let's go get Bin Laden," he said. "I was on the bandwagon of revenge, definitely. We all blamed it on Muslim terrorists -- that's the default culprit."

That act of terror put thousands of Americans on the path to Islam.

"People want to know more about what they didn't know about before, and 9/11 piqued that. So as a result, people are becoming more aware, and perhaps getting to the point they realize there's something in Islam for them," said Ismat Shah, University of Delaware associate professor of physics and material science, and adviser to the Muslim Students Association.

Despite or perhaps because of Sept. 11, conversions to Islam have increased, making it the fastest-growing religion in the world, said Muqtedar Khan, associate professor of political science and international relations at the University of Delaware. About 23 percent of American Muslims are converts, about half of which turned to Islam before age 21, according to a May report from the Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan think tank.

"There's a curiosity about Islam today," Khan said. "Islam has become the major thing everyone in the world is talking about."

According to the Pew report, there are an estimated 2.35 million American Muslims, about 35 percent of whom were born in the United States. About 850,000 are under age 18.

But there are certain challenges American Muslims, especially new converts, must face, said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Washington-based civil rights and advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations.

It's fairly common for them to be accused of betraying their race or background, or rejecting their friends or family, when they accept Islam, said Hooper, also a convert. (MORE)

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SCHOOLS RETHINK HOLIDAYS - TOP
PATRICIA ALEX, Bergen Record, 9/9/07

Cliffside Park schools this year will be the first in Bergen County to close for a Muslim holiday -- a reflection of demographic shifts that are forcing North Jersey educators to rethink the school calendar.

The district joins a handful statewide -- including Paterson and Prospect Park -- that now close for some Islamic celebrations.

"School calendars reflect their communities and they are not just Judeo-Christian anymore,'' said Rich Vespucci of the state Department of Education. "In a state like New Jersey, which is a gateway into the United States, it's not unusual to see changes in the calendar." (MORE)

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CAIR-CHICAGO HOSTS YOUTH LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM - TOP
http://www.cairchicago.org/myls/

CAIR-Chicago yesterday hosted a Muslim Youth Leadership Symposium (MYLS) to cultivate a positive and refreshing outlook on what it means to be an American Muslim. The symposium encouraged youth to explore how Muslims, true to their own values, can become model citizens that help make America a better place.

The core mission of the Muslim Youth Leadership Symposium is three-fold: to provide American Muslim youth with a proactive agenda for positive activism, to empower them to guide their communities from the margin to the mainstream; and to foster a healthy American Muslim identity that fits comfortably within a pluralistic society.

More information about the symposium and this year's program can be found at: www.cairchicago.org/myls

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CAIR-NJ HOSTS SCREENING OF ‘A PRINCE AMONG SLAVES’ - TOP

CAIR-NJ last night sponsor the New Jersey premiere of "A Prince Among Slaves," a documentary about Abdul Rahman Ibrahima Sori, a West African Muslim prince who was enslaved in the American South before he won his freedom and returned home.

SEE: http://alexkronemer.com/work1.htm

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CAIR-MI: US MUSLIMS WARY OF GIVING CHARITY - TOP
Agence France Presse (AFP), 9/9/07

DETROIT, Michigan - As Ramadan approaches, many US Muslims are worried about how they will manage to fulfill their charitable obligations without raising the ire or attention of federal authorities.

The start of Ramadan sometime next week coincides with the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks which prompted anti-terrorism crackdowns that many here say unfairly target Muslims.

Six major Muslim charities operating in the United States have been shut down after being designated as fund raisers for terrorist organizations and several others have been raided or closed.

“These are indirect ways of having Islamic charities close down without due process,” said Dawud Walid, director of the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

“It scares away the donors and even some employees.” (MORE)

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CAIR-FL: FAMILY FINALLY REUNITED - TOP
Six siblings come home from Israel. A brother stays behind.
MEG LAUGHLIN, St. Petersburg Times, 9/8/07
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/09/08/Worldandnation/Family_finally_reunit.shtml

After a three-week struggle to leave the West Bank, six exhausted children of the Yacoub family in Lakeland were reunited with their parents and siblings during the wee hours Friday morning.

"Our main feeling is relief to be back," said Ibrahim Yacoub, 22.

Their ordeal in the Middle East began Aug. 18 when they returned with their mother and three young siblings to Tel Aviv, Israel, to fly home after spending the summer with relatives in Silwad, a small town in the West Bank. But after their luggage was checked, they were stopped by Israeli security officials and told they could not fly through Tel Aviv because their father, Steve Yacoub, an American citizen, had once held a Palestinian ID.

Israeli officials said this ID made the Lakeland-born children Palestinian, not American, in the eyes of Israel.

Their mother, Wedad, also a U.S. citizen, began crying and saying they were all Americans. As a partial concession, the security officers allowed her and her three youngest children to leave as U.S. citizens from Tel Aviv, but told her that her seven other children could not leave. They had to stay behind, obtain Palestinian IDs and leave through Jordan.

Since then negotiations involving officials from the United States and Israel have been ongoing.

On Friday, six of the Yacoub children arrived at their Lakeland home 48 hours after leaving the West Bank for the airport in Amman, Jordan.

"It would have taken much longer to get through the Israeli checkpoints to cross into Jordan but we got VIP treatment," said Ramy Yacoub, 18.

"It didn't hurt that our uncle, who escorted us, speaks Hebrew," said Jeanine, 16.

Ibrahim's twin, Danny, refused to get a Palestinian ID because of his U.S. citizenship. He stayed behind in the West Bank with relatives, intending to leave Tel Aviv eventually with his U.S. passport.

"We're hoping my brother will be treated like any other American when he does try to leave," Ibrahim said. (MORE)

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CAIR-FL: LAKELAND FAMILY REUNITED AFTER KIDS STUCK IN ISRAEL - TOP
Skip directly to the full story.
KEITH MORELLI and GEORGE WILKENS, Tampa Tribune, 9/8/07
http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGB8TCBLB6F.html

TAMPA - The Yacoub family is intact - well, mostly.

Six of seven children were home in Lakeland on Friday after being prohibited from boarding an airplane in Tel Aviv, Israel, more than two weeks ago because of their Palestinian heritage.

The last remaining child, 22-year-old Danny, remained in the West Bank, staying with relatives and refusing, his family said Friday afternoon, to bow to Israeli pressure to register as a Palestinian and get a Palestinian passport. All of the Yacoub children - there are 10 - were born in Lakeland and are U.S. citizens. Their mother and father were born in Palestinian territory but moved to the United States 30 years ago and obtained their citizenship more than 20 years ago.

Wedad Yacoub, the matriarch of the large family, flew to Tel Aviv on June 1 with her 10 children to visit family and attend a wedding in the West Bank. They have been making the trip every summer for five years, the family has said, and never had any problems.

On Aug. 18, the Yacoubs hit a snag. When the family tried to board an airplane at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, they were turned away by Israeli authorities who said that because Wedad Yacoub and her husband, Steve, who was not with the family, were born in Palestinian territory, none of the Yacoubs could leave the country without registering as Palestinians.

They were told they all needed to obtain Palestinian passports, even though they were U.S. citizens, said Jamila Baraka, community relations coordinator with the Council on American Islamic Relations, a Muslim advocacy group that is helping the Yacoub family. (MORE)

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CAIR-FL: FORGING INTERFAITH BONDS IN S. FLORIDA - TOP
ANA VECIANA-SUAREZ, Miami Herald, 9/9/07
http://www.miamiherald.com/367/story/229195.html

Whether they're ushering in Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, or the monthlong prayers and fasting of Ramadan or already shifting their thoughts toward the glimmer of Advent, South Florida religious leaders have stepped up efforts to help the faithful look beyond prejudice and discord and cross bridges of reconcilation, acceptance and understanding.

This morning, Altaf Ali, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), will participate in an interfaith service at Fort Lauderdale's Broward Center for the Performing Arts. (MORE)

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MUSLIMS PARADE IN NEW YORK, CONDEMN SEPT. 11 TERROR ATTACKS - TOP
KAREN MATTHEWS, Associated Press, 9/9/07
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--muslimpa

rade0909sep09,0,429153.story

NEW YORK - Hundreds of Muslims chanted and waved flags from around the globe as they marched Sunday in the 22nd annual American Muslim Day Parade.

About 20 protesters shouted anti-Muslim slogans from behind police barricades along Manhattan's Madison Avenue and sought to link the marchers to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. (MORE)

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CAIR-TX: MUSLIM PEACE MARCH - TOP
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Calendar?oid=oid:532892

Austin's Muslim community and friends unite today to take a stand against violence. The march begins at the Capitol at 9:30am, followed by speeches from Imam Mohammed Umer and Sister Sarwat Hussain [CAIR-San Antionio]. Sun., Sept. 9, 9-11am. Texas state Capitol, 1100 Congress, 305-8400. www.muslimpeacemarch.org

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NY: LI MUSLIMS BRING FUNERAL RITUALS INTO MOSQUE - TOP
BY JENNIFER BARRIOS, Newsday, 9/9/07
http://www.newsday.com/services/newspaper/printedition/sunday/lilife/ny

-vital095362364sep09,0,3229497.story

In the basement of the Bay Shore mosque, beneath the spacious green-carpeted prayer hall and next to the multipurpose room filled with Ping-Pong tables, is a small room with a wide doorway. It has two sinks and a row of cupboards.

It also has two metal tables, each about the size of a human body. In the corner sits a giant refrigerator with four square doors, each opening to reveal a long, sliding tray.

The room is a tiny morgue.

That might seem out of place in the Masjid Darul Quran, a serene, white mosque tucked into a residential neighborhood in Bay Shore. But for Dr. Hafizur Rehman, the little room is a dream come true, one that brings the rituals for the dead out of the funeral home and into the mosque.

"Our own people would rather pray and attend to the deceased and the deceased's family in the mosque," said Rehman, a pediatrician and president of Masjid Darul Quran.

The mosque's washing station - the first of its kind on Long Island - is an important first step toward giving Muslims control of the rituals of death and dying in their communities. But they have their sights set on something more ambitious: an entirely Muslim cemetery on Long Island. (MORE)

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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

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