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{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom (i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites (men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all." [Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
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http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org
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--- Begin Message ---In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the MercifulAMERICAN MUSLIM NEWS BRIEFS - 6/11/06
* Hadith: Treat Prisoners with Kindness
- We Serve God When We Serve Each Other
* CAIR Renews Call to Close Gitmo Prison Camp
- Saudis Allege Torture in Guantanamo Deaths (AP)
- Lawyer: 'Stench of Despair' Hangs Over Gitmo Prison
* CAIR-CAN: Muslims are First Line of Defense Against Terror
- CAIR-CAN Meets with Canadian Prime Minister (AP)
- Knife-Wielding Attacker Threatens Canadian Imam
* CAIR-LA: Faiths Find Common Ground Against Iraq War (LA Times)
- CAIR-St. Louis Hosts Workshop on Employment Bias
- OK: CAIR-LA Rep to Speak on 'Discontent in the Muslim World'
* UT: First Muslim Student President at U. Named to Board
* RI: Journalist Visits Mosque After Accusatory Column
* NJ: Outback Steakhouse, Subway Cater to Muslims (RNS)
* MS: A Muslim Woman in Mississippi (Clarion Ledger)
- Poll: Muslim Women Play Down Gender Inequality (RNS)
* DC: Anti-Muslim Ad About Kosovo in Roll Call
-----
HADITH OF THE DAY: TREAT PRISONERS WITH KINDNESS - TOP
After a battle, the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) noticed that one of the prisoners of war did not have proper clothing. He looked for a shirt for the prisoner and found that the shirt of one of his companions was appropriate. The Prophet then took off his own shirt and gave it to his companion as a replacement.
Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 4, Hadith 252
SEE ALSO:
WE SERVE GOD WHEN WE SERVE EACH OTHER - TOP
Mahmood Jawaid, Sunday Gazette-Mail, 6/11/06
http://wvgazette.com/section/Columns/200606109
According to Prophet Muhammad, God will complain on the Day of Judgment: "O son of Adam, I fell ill and you visited me not." He will say: "O Lord, and how should I visit you when you are the lord of the worlds?" God will reply: "Did you not know that my servant So-and-so had fallen ill and you visited him not? Did you not know that had you visited him you would have found me with him?"
God will again complain: "O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed me not." He will say: "O Lord, and how should I feed you when you are the lord of the worlds?" God will reply: "Did you not know that my servant So-and-so asked you for food and you fed him not? Did you not know that had you fed him you would surely have found that (the reward for doing so) with me?"
To learn more about the life and legacy of the Prophet Muhammad, go to: www.cair.com/Muhammad
-----
CAIR RENEWS CALL TO CLOSE GITMO PRISON CAMP - TOP
Congress urged to probe treatment of detainees
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 6/11/2006) - A prominent national Islamic civil rights and advocacy group today renewed its call to close the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay following reports that three detainees committed suicide at the facility.
The Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) demanded the closure of the camp earlier this year after the Committee Against Torture (CAT), the United Nations top anti-torture body, said such facilities were illegal and should be closed.
SEE: CAIR Supports Call to Close Gitmo
"Every day the Guantanamo Bay prison camp remains open permits further violations of international norms, damages our nation's image worldwide and weakens America's credibility in the promotion of democratic values and respect for human rights in the Muslim world," said CAIR Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper.
Hooper added that Congress should conduct a full investigation of the deaths and the treatment of detainees at the camp. He also urged Americans of all faiths to contact their elected representatives on the treatment of detainees. SEE: http://capwiz.com/cair/dbq/officials/
In April of last year, CAIR and other groups called for an independent 9/11 commission-style investigation into the use of torture by American military personnel. SEE: http://www.cair-net.org/antitorture/
CAIR, America's largest Muslim civil liberties group, has 32 offices, chapters and affiliates 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: Ibrahim Hooper, 202-488-8787 or 202-744-7726, E-Mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
SEE ALSO:
SAUDIS ALLEGE TORTURE IN GUANTANAMO DEATHS - TOP
LARA SUKHTIAN, ASSOCIATED PRESS, 6/11/06
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1107AP_Guantanamo_Saudis.html
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- The reported suicides of two Saudi detainees at Guantanamo Bay intensified Saudi anger at the camp, drawing questions Sunday about whether the men really killed themselves or were driven to it by torture.
The detention of more than 130 Saudis at the U.S. jail has long grated on people in the kingdom, and there was marked skepticism that the prisoners committed suicide.
"The families don't believe it, and of course I don't believe it either," said Kateb al Shimri, a lawyer who represents relatives of Saudis held at Guantanamo.
"A crime was committed here and the U.S. authorities are responsible," al Shimri said, echoing the general sentiment heard in the Saudi capital, Riyadh. (MORE)
SEE ALSO:
SUICIDES RENEWS CRITICISM OF GUANTANAMO - TOP
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1102AP_Guantanamo_Suicides.html
-----
CANADIAN MUSLIMS ARE FIRST LINE OF DEFENCE AGAINST HOMEGROWN TERRORISTS - TOP
KARL NICKNER, The Montreal Gazette, 6/11/06
http://www.pressdisplay.com/pressdisplay/showlink.aspx?bookmarkid=3Q791KXD9JD1
[Karl Nickner is executive director of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations.]
Despite the extensive media coverage of the alleged terrorist plot in the Toronto area, we have surprisingly few facts. Even though there is a dearth of real information, or perhaps because of it, there has been a considerable amount of speculation.
Many experts have commented on the phenomenon of the "homegrown terrorist," everyone's reaction is being solicited, and even our prime minister has seen it fit to comment on the motives of the young people allegedly involved ("they hate us because of our way of life").
As more information becomes available, it is imperative that we not lose sight of certain fundamental issues. Canada is not immune from terrorist attack. No country is. Radicals exist everywhere and that they exist in the Canadian Muslim community should be no surprise to anyone.
Whether these individuals are willing to translate their radical ideas into radical actions is another matter altogether. At this point, 17 individuals stand accused before the courts of engaging in such actions. It is essential that they be prosecuted fairly and transparently in the courts and not by the media or the public. This is the essence of the rule of law.
Our law-enforcement agencies have a difficult challenge and we need to be supportive of them as they seek to prevent the kind of carnage we have seen in Bali, Madrid and London. The challenges they face in pursuing leads and deciding on when to intervene must be difficult, indeed. The risks of waiting too long or ignoring a threat that might lead to something serious are too high.
Security agencies cannot achieve their goals of ensuring public safety without community co-operation. In that sense the Muslim community is effectively the first line of defence against this sort of extremism.
And Muslim communities throughout Canada have taken this role very seriously in recent years. The events of 9/11 have had a significant impact on Muslims around the world and especially in North America. In many ways, the events of 9/11 have forced positive action. Most mosques are open to the public more than ever before. Community leaders have actively sought to improve ties between Muslim communities and the broader society. Whereas in some cases extremist rhetoric was previously dismissed as just chatter, it is now more likely to be confronted. One of the men arrested is alleged to have repeatedly railed against Canadian forces in Afghanistan and we now know that the departing board of directors of the mosque in which he prayed warned the incoming board against his radical ideas.
However, if the Muslim community is going to be effective in the struggle against containing this type of extremism, there has to be a very strong relationship of trust between the community and security agencies.
This relationship was heavily damaged by the role security agencies were perceived to have played in the case of people like Maher Arar. The relationship was not helped by incidents like Project Thread when Muslim men were rounded up in Pickering, Ont., and the media reported they were plotting to blow up the local nuclear facility. The men were all ultimately deported on minor immigration infractions.
Finally, the use of secret evidence and the perceived unfairness of the security-certificate process have added to the erosion of trust.
Under the previous government, a strong effort was made to rebuild that relationship. The former prime minister met with representatives of the Muslim community. The minister for public safety initiated a roundtable group on security and representatives of the RCMP, CSIS and Canada Border Services Agencies met with many Muslim communities to listen to their concerns and establish contacts.
We must allow the courts to determine the fate of the individuals detained. The supremacy of the law and the equal access of all to its rule are our first defences against extremism. But irrespective of whether the charges are upheld, there is much work ahead for all of us to ensure our country remains safe.
The Muslim community has to continue the efforts that have been already started toward improving integration and the sense of civic responsibility. Government and security agencies have to build on previous efforts to improve that relationship of trust, which has been badly strained. We are, to use a cliche, all in this together.
SEE ALSO:
CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER HOLDS CLOSED-DOOR MEETING WITH MUSLIM LEADERS - TOP
Associated Press, 6/11/06
Prime Minister Stephen Harper held a closed-door meeting with Muslim community leaders to discuss the fallout from the recent arrests of 17 Muslim terror suspects in the Toronto area.
Participants at the meeting Saturday said academics, activists, and imams expressed a range of views about the possible motivations of the suspects, who are accused of plotting to bomb buildings and storm Parliament, take hostages and behead the prime minister unless Canada withdrew its troops from Afghanistan. . .
Muslims attending the meeting Saturday included professors from the University of Western Ontario and University of Toronto, as well as a representative of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations. (MORE)
---
'HATEFUL' ATTACK AT MOSQUE - TOP
Knife brandished at Imam. Muslim leaders denounce terrorism, pledge to oust radical elements
ALANA COATES, The Gazette, 6/11/06
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=4cb9ff12-d2e6-4343-a0cb-f6eedb99f3d6&k=32598
A Muslim clergyman was threatened by a knife-wielding man outside a St. Michel mosque Friday night, escaping uninjured but shaken.
Imam Said Jaziri was chatting with a friend as he locked the Al Qods Mosque after the evening prayers just before midnight.
Out of nowhere, a man appeared brandishing a butcher knife.
"He said: 'Do you want to die a martyr?'" Jaziri recalled.
"Then he asked: 'Are you carrying belts full of explosives?'"
In a telephone interview last night, Jaziri described his attacker as a seemingly ordinary man who was "full of rage," he said. (MORE)
-----
CAIR-LA: FAITHS FIND COMMON GROUND AGAINST WAR IN IRAQ - TOP
Religious leaders form Interfaith Peacemaking Project in an effort to affect U.S. policy.
Stephen Clark, Los Angeles Times, 6/10/06
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beliefs10jun10,1,533523.story
The buttoned-down Episcopalian minister was the first to stand up and introduce himself. Then came a Jew wearing a yarmulke. Then a Palestinian Christian attired in black clericals. Next, a Muslim cloaked in an aqua hijab.
On and on they went, 50 people representing three faiths, their clothing a reminder of their differences but their presence a sign of unifying goals: to oppose the war in Iraq, change U.S. foreign policy and find common ground among three religions.
They gathered in a large meeting room at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena on Monday as part of the Interfaith Peacemaking Project, a new initiative that aims to rally Christians, Jews and Muslims against the war. They began their work by critiquing a speech they heard the night before by James Carroll, an author, former Catholic priest and, now, antiwar activist.
Although the discussions remained largely polite and subdued, sparks occasionally flew. At the table where the mission statement was being written, the Rev. Ed Bacon, rector of All Saints, suggested saying that religious leaders were trying to reclaim their religions that had been hijacked.
"I'm not trying to reclaim religion. I'm trying to reclaim the discourse," said Hussam Ayloush, director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. He agreed that terrorists have received too much attention but didn't believe that Islam had been hijacked. "We just feel we don't have the same chance to express our views." (MORE)
SEE ALSO:
CAIR-ST. LOUIS HOSTS WORKSHOP ON EMPLOYMENT BIAS - TOP
(ST. LOUIS, MO, 6/11/06) - CAIR-St. Louis recently hosted a workshop on employment discrimination issues at Darul Islam Mosque. The seminar was co-sponsored by the Adult Education Committee of the Islamic Foundation of St. Louis.
EEOC District Director James Neely and Joan Suarez from Jobs With Justice offered presentations about employee rights and what should one do if he or she believes that any discrimination has occurred based on faith, color, race, age, or ethnicity. Neely and Suarez answered many questions from the workshop participants.
---
OK: FREE SERIES ON ISLAM SCHEDULED - TOP
Tulsa World (Oklahoma), 6/10/06
The Islamic Society of Tulsa will sponsor a series of free lectures titled, "Know Your Muslim Neighbor."
The first lecture will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday in the Al-Salam Mosque, 4630 S. Irvington Ave. The series will continue at the same time every other Thursday through July.
Topics of discussion will be:
June 15: "Stereotypes and misinformation about Islam and Muslims," with a youth panel -- Haajirah Cheema, Nour Habib and Osman Sheikh -- and an adult panel -- Khadijah Jandhli, Zaheer Arastu and Mohammed Ishwait.
June 29: "Muhammad: Prophet for Peace or Power?," with Nuredin Giayash, Michael Egan and Priscilla Khader.
July 13: "American Muslims -- Agents of Peace," with Kamlah Milad and a national speaker, to be announced.
July 27: "Uprisings and Discontent in the Muslim World," with Houssam Ayloush, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations -- Southern California.
-----
FIRST MUSLIM STUDENT PRESIDENT AT U. NAMED TO BOARD - TOP
Salt Lake Tribune, 6/11/06
http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_3924548
Ali Hasnain, the first Muslim student body president at the University of Utah, has been selected to represent public college students on the state Board of Regents. He replaces U. student Gaby Kingery.
As a student regent, Hasnain, 23, will serve a one-year term. He is one of 16 voting members on the 18-member board, appointed by the governor to set policy for the state's 10 public colleges and universities. (MORE)
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TERROR UN-ISLAMIC, LOCAL MUSLIMS SAY - TOP
Mark Patinkin, Providence Journal, 6/11/06
http://www.projo.com/lifebeat/markpatinkin/projo_20060611_mark11.82c2921.html
I sat down with four local Muslims whom I had recently insulted in print.
Not directly, but close enough. A month ago, I wrote a pointed column asking why moderate Muslims never protest terror. My implication was that most condone it with their silence.
Now I was in a mosque in Pawtucket with leaders of Rhode Island's Muslim community.
I looked at Dr. Ali Hassan, a Brown University Middle East studies professor who is president of the Rhode Island Council for Muslim Advancement (RICMA).
He had just finished showing me a stack of articles proving that he and others have frequently denounced terror.
I clearly had not given them credit. . .
Dr. Hassan said he'd noted that I specifically asked in print why no Muslim has said, "Not in our name."
In response, he had brought a July 11, 2005, UPI article about the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia using those exact words to tell terrorists: "Not in Islam's name." A second article was about the Council on American-Islamic Relations, CAIR, also saying that terrorist acts are "not in the name of Islam."
Tod McKenna added: "Those are two of thousands." (MORE)
-----
NJ: AT LAST, FAST FOOD FOR MUSLIMS - TOP
Outback Steakhouse, Subway in N.J. cater to strict dietary rules
SULEMAN DIN, Religion News Service
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/living/religion/14786132.htm
ISELIN, N.J. - There is one place in all North America where an observant Muslim can follow Jared's famous diet -- the two-sandwich-a-day plan that helped Subway pitchman Jared Fogel lose 245 pounds.
The Subway restaurant that adheres to Islamic restrictions is off Route 27, and it is indiscernible from other Subways -- except for a neon green sign in the window spelling out "Halal," the Islamic equivalent of kosher.
In the two years she has served halal food at her Subway, Ruhila Khan has built a following from across the tri-state area. The success can be seen in the Sales Volume awards on the wall behind the register.
"I don't have enough space to hang up all of them," Khan said, smiling. "I did something for Allah, and he has blessed us."
Rules from the Quran
Halal dietary restrictions are similar to kosher rules. Pork is forbidden and the slaughter of animals for meat is done under special guidelines, so the meat remains uncontaminated with blood. Halal rules are taken directly from the Quran.In New Jersey, which has one of the largest Muslim populations, restaurant owners and community members say it makes business sense for mainstream restaurants to cater to Muslims. (MORE)
-----
A MUSLIM IN MISSISSIPPI - TOP
Jean Gordon, Clarion Ledger, 6/10/06
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060610/FEAT04/606100317/1022
In a new book about Muslim women in America, Okolo Rashid's story is featured in a chapter called "The Changers."
It's a fitting title for a woman who helped launch the first museum in America dedicated to Muslim cultures - in Mississippi.
"To come from where I came from does take a certain kind of vision," said Rashid, 57, who converted to Islam 30 years ago.
Rashid's vision is evident in how the International Museum of Muslim Cultures in Jackson has helped educate Americans about Islam. The one-of-a-kind museum has drawn more than 30,000 visitors from throughout the country since it opened in 2001.
Her work with the museum recently gained the attention of Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Donna Gehrke-White, who featured Rashid in her new book, The Face Behind the Veil: The Extraordinary Lives of Muslim Women in America (Citadel Press, $22.95).
The book profiles 50 Muslim women who represent the diverse landscape of the faith in America. (MORE)
SEE ALSO:
IN POLL, MOST MUSLIM WOMEN PLAY DOWN GENDER INEQUALITY - TOP
Religion News Service, 6/10/06
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/09/AR2006060901460.html
Muslim women should be allowed to vote, drive and work outside the home, but gender inequality is not a primary problem, a majority of Muslim women said in a new Gallup poll.
The 2005 poll, released Tuesday, questioned 8,000 women about their perceptions of life in Muslim and Western countries. Women were polled in Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
A majority said women should be allowed to vote, ranging from 68 percent in Pakistan to 95 percent in Egypt. A majority also said women should be allowed to work at any job they are qualified for, serve in high levels of government and drive unaccompanied. Most of these countries allow women to conduct these activities, said Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. (MORE)
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DC: ANTI-MUSLIM AD ABOUT KOSOVO IN ROLL CALL - TOP
Washington Daybook
1 p.m. Media - News conference
SPONSOR: Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., and Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y.
TOPIC/SUBJECT: hold a news conference on an anti-Muslim ad regarding Kosovo in Roll Call newspaper.
DATE: June 13, 2006
LOCATION: Cannon Terrace, Cannon House Office Building
CONTACT: 202-225-2464 or 202-225-3965
-----
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: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
URL: http://www.cair-net.org
-----
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