'Exposing Dispatches' ? the East London Mosque replies to Gilligan's witch-hunt
Read it here
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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Manifesto commits Tories to banning Hizb ut-Tahrir
"A Conservative government will ban any organisations which advocate hate or the violent overthrow of our society, such as Hizb-ut-Tahrir...."
But not, of course, the BNP or the EDL.
See also Hizb ut-Tahrir press release, 13 April 2010
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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Double standards on terror counterproductive says CAIR
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), along with other national Muslim organizations, today held a news conference in Washington, D.C., to express concerns over a perceived double standard on the use of the label "terrorism" as it relates to acts of political violence committed by people who are not Muslims.?
CAIR's news conference was prompted by coverage of last week's politically-motivated airborne suicide attack on an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) office in Austin, Texas, which the Muslim civil rights and advocacy group called an act of "terror."
In a statement read at today's Capitol Hill event, CAIR Legal Counsel Nadhira Al-Khalili said:
"American law defines 'terrorism' as 'premeditated, politically motivated violence perpetrated against non-combatant targets' or as 'the unlawful use of force against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.'
"When an act that fits these definitions is carried out by a Muslim individual or group, there is and should be no hesitation in labeling that act 'terrorism.'
"Regrettably, when an act fitting the legal definitions of terrorism is carried out by someone who is not Muslim, there seems to be a general reluctance on the part of commentators, public officials and law enforcement agencies to use the term.
"Last week's attack on the IRS office in Texas perfectly fits either legal definition of terrorism, yet it has not been labeled as such. This apparent double standard only serves to render the term 'terrorism' meaningless and imbues it with a sense of religious and ethnic bias that is both counterproductive and offensive."
CAIR press release, 22 February 2010
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Top 10 Myths About Islam
Muslims are violent, intolerant Arabs who worship a moon-god, reject Jesus, oppress their women, and strive to kill all unbelievers... NOT.
Let's tackle Myth #1:
Myth: Muslims worship a moon-god.
Fact: Muslims worship One God, the same God worshipped by Abraham and Jesus.
Top 10 Myths About Islam originally appeared on About.com Islam on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 16:05:12.
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Did the 'war on terror' damage Muslims' support for Labour?
Yesterday's Comment is Free featured a piece by Nick Spencer on "Muslim voters' loyalty to Labour" which made the following bizarre claim:
"The Iraq war was supposed to have poisoned Labour's relations with British Muslims. Tony Blair's apparently unqualified support for a bellicose Republican administration despised around the Muslim world was deeply unpalatable. Years of anti-terror legislation were judged by some to have stigmatised Muslims and fanned Islamophobic flames. The government's attempt to outlaw religious hate speech was seen, by sceptics at least, as simply a desperate, ill-thought through peace offering with which they might woo disaffected Muslim supporters.
"According to new Theos/ComRes research, however, no wooing is necessary. If there were a general election tomorrow, 35% of voting Muslims (meaning those Muslims who claim they are more likely than not to vote) would vote Labour."
Spencer does not provide earlier figures that would allow us to determine whether Muslims' support for Labour has risen or fallen. He would have been advised to consult a Guardian/ICM poll from November 2004 which showed a dramatic decline in the number of Muslims who said they would vote Labour compared with the period before the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. The Guardian reported at the time:
"The Guardian/ICM poll confirms that political support for Labour has halved since the 2001 general election and the Liberal Democrats have emerged as the leading political party within the Muslim community.
"The role of Britain in the Iraq war and Tony Blair's strong support for the war on terror which is widely seen by the Muslim community to be an attack on Islam, has undoubtedly played a part in eroding Labour's support among British Muslims. In the 2001 general election it is believed that 75% of those who voted backed Labour.
"The voting intention figures in this poll show that support in the Muslim community for the government is slipping away fast. In March, ICM recorded Labour support at 38% and it has now fallen a further six points to 32% of Muslim voters."
And now the Theos/ComRes poll shows that 35% of Muslims would vote Labour. What that statistic quite clearly demonstrates is that Labour has failed to win back most of those Muslim voters who abandoned it in response to the government's support for the "war on terror".
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on Thursday, August 5, 2010
Quebec body rules against right to wear niqab
A woman wearing the niqab cannot demand to be served by another woman when dealing with the Quebec Health Insurance Board, Quebec's human-rights commission has ruled.
Concluding that religious beliefs cannot stand in the way of gender equality, the commission found that when a woman wearing the Islamic face covering is required to identify herself and proceed with the photo session needed to produce a health insurance card, the Health Insurance Board has no obligation to accommodate her request to be served by a woman.
"Since freedom of religion was not significantly undermined, there is no obligation to grant an accommodation," the order states.
The health board had previously agreed to such requests. But last fall critics argued that the health board was acceding to religious fundamentalism.
The decision was greeted with approval in Quebec's National Assembly yesterday by MNAs of all political stripes.
Immigration Minister Yolande James suggested the ruling will form the basis of new guidelines on religious accommodation for public services, following on the action taken last week to bar a woman from attending a free French language class for immigrants unless she agreed to take off her niqab.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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New York mosque plan stirs up 9/11 memories
BBC News presents a balanced and informed view of the 'Ground Zero mosque' controversy.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on Saturday, July 31, 2010
Dead Sea: Symbol of Destruction
With its high mineral and salt content, the Dead Sea is known as a place of healing. It is visited by thousands each year seeking spa treatments, therapies, and relaxation. According to Islamic tradition, however, it also stands as a sign of God's punishment. Should it be seen, then, as a prime vacation spot?
Dead Sea: Symbol of Destruction originally appeared on About.com Islam on Thursday, March 18th, 2010 at 04:30:25.
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Attempted Times Square Bombing Condemned
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on Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Police probe Facebook page attacking Wrexham 'super mosque'
Police are investigating a sick anti-Muslim website set up on Facebook to stir up tensions over fake claims a 'super-mosque' was being built in Wrexham.
The site "No to the super mosque in Wrexham" on the social network site wrongly claims permission has been given for a mosque at the Miners Institute in North Wales's largest town. And the website, which bears the Welsh Defence League logo, is also filled with hateful messages against Muslims, which North Wales Police are now investigating.
The web group has more than 2,800 members and this follows a march by the Welsh Defence League designed to stir up tensions in the town.
The Wrexham Muslim Association (WMA) has denied there are any plans to convert the town's Miners Institute building into a mosque but said there were plans to lease a small building in the town for worship.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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'Muslim police club nets £10,000 public cash', Express reports
An exclusive association for Muslim police officers, backed with £10,000 from the SNP Government, was extended across Scotland’s eight police forces yesterday. Despite having only 46 members, with just another 90 Muslims among more than 17,000 officers in the country, the association could get more taxpayers' cash.
Black and ethnic minority officers already have their own organisation, Semper Scotland, which has around 130 members – many of them Muslims – and receives £51,000 a year from the taxpayer. But the Scottish Police Muslim Association (SPMA), launched at the police training college at Tulliallan, Fife, is the only faith-based police group to get Government funding.
Harry Pearson, Strathclyde Police branch leader of the Scottish Christian Police Association, which has around 200 members, said: "There is a clear disparity between the way we are treated compared to Muslim colleagues. It would be nice if the Scottish Government treated us even-handedly. We have to manage on donations from our members."
Laura Midgley of the Campaign Against Political Correctness said: "I don't see why separate groups are needed. The police should be there to catch criminals, as simple as that. Setting up groups such as these simply creates tensions and division. Equality should mean equality. It flies in the face of everything politicians lecture us about."
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on Thursday, July 22, 2010
Muslim Americans Reject Al-Awlaki Call
CNN reports that Anwar Al-Awlaki, a U.S.-born radical Muslim cleric, has issued a call for "jihad against the U.S." and questioned American Muslim loyalties.
In response, several Islamic leaders and organizations in the U.S. have rejected his call and issued statements of condemnation of his views.
Who is Anwar Al-Awlaki? How have Muslim Americans responded?
Muslim Americans Reject Al-Awlaki Call originally appeared on About.com Islam on Friday, March 19th, 2010 at 10:15:30.
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'Britain must end the appeasement of Islamist terrorists: the Human Rights Act should be scrapped '
Nile Gardiner denounces the ruling by the Special Immigration and Appeals Commission that two terror suspects could not be deported to Pakistan on the grounds they might be tortured there.
His colleague Douglas Murray goes with "Why do al-Qaeda's rights trump those of the British people?"
Neither Gardiner nor Murray bothers to mention that the two individuals have not been convicted of any offence – or indeed allowed to hear, still less to challenge, the evidence against them.
See also ENGAGE, 19 May 2010
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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Andrew Gilligan ? not a harmless democrat
What is going on at the Guardian? Following on from the paper's full-page splash on the "hijab gates" myth, it now gives space to Andrew Gilligan at Comment is Free to continue his witch-hunt of the Islamic Forum Europe.
And speaking of the "hijab gates", over on his Telegraph blog Gilligan reports that Tower Hamlets Council has temporarily suspended plans for the Brick Lane arches, described by Gilligan as "a £1.85 million exercise in 'religious triumphalism'", pending further consultation. Gilligan interprets this as a sign that "cracks have started to appear" among the "Islamic fundamentalists" who have supposedly seized control of the council.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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'Pawn of Islamism' ? now Gilligan witch-hunts a Tory parliamentary candidate
In fact, if you read the leaflet advertising the meeting, you'll see that the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Respect candidates for Poplar and Limehouse have all agreed to speak there. The only candidate who has not accepted his invitation is Jim Fitzpatrick, the Labour candidate.
What this would seem to indicate is that, with the obvious exception of Fitzpatrick, not one of the main candidates in that parliamentary constituency has bought into Gilligan's campaign of smears against the East London Mosque.
This is not the first time that Tories have been condemned by right-wing Islamophobes over their links with the mosque. London mayor Boris Johnson has been attacked by Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens of the Centre for Social Cohesion on this issue, as has London Assembly member Andrew Boff.
We hesitate to give advice to our political opponents, but if Gilligan or Meleagrou-Hitchens possessed a grain of tactical sense they'd see how counterproductive this is from their own witch-hunting standpoint.
Denunciations of Ken Livingstone or George Galloway as pawns of Islamism might find traction in some quarters. But Boris Johnson, Andrew Boff, Tim Archer? In attacking these individuals Gilligan and Meleagrou-Hitchens destroy any shred of credibility they might have left.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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Quebec: 'secularists' demand that religion should be excluded from the public sphere
"We must not let other religious groups bring back religious practices," said conference organizer Djemila Benhabib, co-founder of the Collectif citoyen pour l'égalité et la laïcité (CCIEL). "The rights of women, children and homosexuals are threatened by the demands of reasonable accommodation," Benhabib told an audience of about 225 at the Bibliothèque Nationale.
Her group is part of a diverse coalition of feminists, Quebec nationalists, defenders of gay rights and anti-immigration activists calling on the government to ban all religious symbols and teachings from the public sphere.
Quebec's Conseil du statut de la femme helped pay for the conference along with the French consulate. The movement also has support from public-sector unions and media personalities including columnists Marie-Claire Lortie of La Presse and Richard Martineau of the Journal de Montréal, who moderated panels at the conference. In March, 100 intellectuals signed a manifesto calling for Quebec to adopt a charter of secularism that would ban all vestiges of religion from the public sphere.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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Ask your MP to sign EDM 1079
Please ask your MP to sign Early Day Motion 1079 – Muslims in Britain.
You can do this easily by clicking on this link. It takes less than two minutes.
The motion follows rising concerns about negative portrayal of Muslims in sections of the media and anti-Muslim demonstrations by extreme right wing groups such as the English Defence League, which recently marched on Parliament demanding the closure of the East London Mosque. If they had singled out a Church or Synagogue, there would rightly be an outcry.
We believe the targeting of communities in this way is creating a climate of fear and division, and undermines civil liberties and the right to freedom of expression. The motion welcomes the contribution of Muslim communities and their full participation in British society, including in politics.
EDM 1079 – Muslims in Britain:
"That this House opposes the increased demonisation of Muslims in sections of the media; expresses its deep concern at the recent visit to the House of Lords by the far right politician Geert Wilders; condemns the English Defence League demonstration outside Parliament in support of Geert Wilders and their slogans and placards inciting hatred, such as their demand for the closure of the East London Mosque, that will only lead to a climate of fear, division and disharmony; welcomes the participation and contribution of Muslims in British society, including in politics; believes that the full participation of all communities in the forthcoming general election is in the interests of democracy."
Take action and click here to urge your MP to sign this important motion.
Source: Islamophobia Watch
on Sunday, July 4, 2010
Ek Aarabi Allah Taala se Dua kar raha tha k A Allah mujhe sabr ata kr. Hazrat Muhammad(Sallallaho Alaihe Wa Aalihi Wasallum) ne is dua ko suna or farmaya”Allah Talah se sabr mat mang Q k sabr musibt par kia jata hai,pahly musibat aaygi,phir sabr ki tofiq milegi.Tu Allah se shukr [...]
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Student files complaint, claims hijab cost her fast-food job
Troy, Michigan — A 19-year-old college student has filed a federal complaint against the McDonald's after she says she was turned down for a job at the restaurant for wearing a hijab, a religious head scarf.
Nasihah Barlaskar said she went to a job interview on March 27 and was surprised when a white female supervisor asked if she intended to wear "that thing" at work, referring to the hijab.
"I said, 'Yes I do. It's part of my religion'," Barlaskar said. "She said I would not be able to wear it (the hijab) while working. I told her I could wear the (McDonald's) cap over my hijab."
Barlaskar said she was surprised by the treatment from the supervisor since she has friends who work at other local fast-food restaurants including McDonald's that allow female employees to wear hijabs.
Barlaskar said she needs to work to help pay for college expenses and to help her family since her father lost his cab driving job last fall. But Barlaskar found out she didn't get the job when she called the supervisor three days later.
She suspects she didn't get it because of her decision to wear the hijab at work. "She told me she decided to go with someone else but I think I was discriminated against because of the hijab," Barlaskar said.
The Equal Opportunity Employment Commission complaint was filed today by the Michigan Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations on Barlaskar's behalf.
"We urge McDonald's to take immediate action to bring its hiring policies into compliance with long-established legal guidelines on reasonable religious accommodation in the workplace," said Dawud Walid, CAIR-Michigan's executive director.
See also "EEOC complaint filed against Mich. McDonald's over hijab", CAIR news release, 13 April 2010
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on Thursday, July 1, 2010
Aminah Assilmi: A Leader Lost
To God we belong, and to Him we all return.
Aminah Assilmi, a prominent Muslim lecturer, writer and women's rights advocate in the U.S., died Friday morning in a car accident in Tennessee. She was returning with her son from a speaking engagement in New York. Sister Aminah was reportedly killed instantly; her son was injured and taken to hospital.
Sister Aminah, who was 65, served as the Director of the International Union of Muslim Women. Despite previous health setbacks, including battles with cancer, sister Aminah continued to be active and maintained a rigorous schedule of speaking engagements around the United States.
Sister Aminah is survived by her children Amber, Whitney, and Mohammad, and by several grandchildren. May Allah show mercy to sister Aminah, and strengthen her family in their time of sorrow. She will be sorely missed by Muslims in the U.S. and around the world.
Aminah Assilmi: A Leader Lost originally appeared on About.com Islam on Saturday, March 6th, 2010 at 13:41:47.
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Islam in Zimbabwe By Ali Risimati Mathonsi During the consultative conference of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) some years ago, it was indicated by the officials that Islam was a threat in southern Africa. This was followed by Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe’s slam on Islam. According to Umar Phiri of Iqra Ilm Center (Harare), [...]
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on Monday, June 28, 2010
Vote: Would You Seek Health Insurance Exemption?
read moreSource: Islam About Dot Com
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You Are A Muslim A man fell in a pit and could not get himself out. A self-pitying person came along and said: You have not seen anything until you have seen my pit. An optimist said: Things could have been worse A pessimist said: Things will get worse! A philosopher came along and said: You only think that you are in the pit. A [...]
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on Thursday, June 24, 2010
What Did Islam Do for the World? For decades many have discussed whether the Islamic ideology can return as a leading civilization, one that can bring nations out of illiteracy, war, poverty to advancement in education, peace, and economic prosperity as in the past. A civilization that can stand as an example [...]
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Wishing Non-Muslims "Happy Holidays"
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on Friday, June 18, 2010
Islamic Associations in Australia Nida’ul Islam magazine Islamic Youth Movement PO Box 216, Lakemba NSW 2195, Australia The Association of Islamic Charitable Projects Australia 2a Winspear Ave, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW, Australia Islamic Youth Movement PO Box: 216 Lakemba, NSW 2195 Australia Islamic Society of Australia PO Box. 808, Noble Park, Vic 3174, Australia Nabi Akram Islamic Center 36 Cowper Street, Granville, NSW, Australia. Islamic Council of New South Wales 405 Waterloo [...]
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Scottish Defence League flop in Edinburgh
Hundreds of police took to the streets of Edinburgh amid concerns that large numbers of SDL supporters would converge on the city at the same time as a rally by Scotland United, a loose coalition of politicians, Christian and Islamic faith groups, and trade unionists.
But only about 40 supporters of the SDL turned up, and they found themselves corralled into a pub at the bottom of the Royal Mile for several hours. There were five arrests for public order offences but the Scotland United rally, attended by about 2,000 people, passed off peacefully in Princes Street Gardens, about half a mile away.
The SDL members congregated in Jenny Ha's opposite the Scottish Parliament at about 11am yesterday, forcing police to erect two cordons on the Royal Mile, separating them from members of the Edinburgh Anti-Fascist Alliance.
While the majority of those in attendance – among them teenagers and women – said they refused to speak to the press for fear of being misquoted, others said they expected a considerable turnout from SDL supporters. "There's people up from Leeds, Stockport, Wolverhampton, London, all over. We're getting 3,000 bodies here," said a member of the English Defence League. We're coming in from everywhere – Spain, Gilbraltar, Bulgaria."
The group unfurled banners with slogans such as "Say no to fundamentalist Muslims" and sporadically raised chants, including "We want our country back" and "Muslim bombers off our streets". Despite attempts to break through the police cordon, they were contained in the pub, until two double-decker buses took them out of the city centre at about 4pm.
At the formal Scotland United rally, which included a march from Princes Street Gardens to the Meadows, speakers said the SDL had failed to gain support, but warned against complacency. Justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said: "Today is about making a stand against those who would seek to divide and saying to them that their views are not welcome."
Osama Saeed, of the Scottish Islamic Foundation and an SNP candidate for Glasgow Central, said it was a "further humiliation" for the SDL. "They only got ten minutes in the rain last November in Glasgow. They didn't even get that today."
Scotland on Sunday, 21 February 2010
See also News of the World, 21 February 2010
Update: The EDL reports that its "leadership team" were arrested on their way to the Edinburgh demonstration and their homes have been raided by the police. As a result, the planned EDL demonstration in Bradford on 30 May has been cancelled.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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Muslims in China However, it is certain that the advocating and spread of Islam was done by Iranian merchants and mainly through the Silk Road. This claim is supported by the fact that most Chinese Muslims are familiar with Farsi (Persian) words and use them in their everyday Chinese conversations. Even today, [...]
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on Tuesday, June 8, 2010
MCB brings experts and parliamentarians together to discuss Islamophobia
The event entitled "Tackling Islamophobia: Reducing Street Violence Against British Muslims" brought together distinguished Parliamentarians, academics, journalists, police, public servants, and community representatives who all endorsed calls for the establishment of an All-Party Parliamentary Committee on Islamophobia with a view to holding a parliamentary inquiry on Islamophobia in the UK.
The meeting took contributions from experts and responses from parliamentarians and was concluded with a Q&A session with the audience who comprised of individuals from over 80 organisations.
MCB news release, 5 February 2010
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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Islamic Centres in Canada Miraj International Investments Limited 800 René Lévesque Blvd. West, Suite 2450 Montreal, Quebec, H3B 4V7 Canada Center for Islamic Development 2728-2732 Robie Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia Canada B3K 4P2 Istiqamah Islamic Centre of Ontario (IICO) 3410 Semenyk Court, Unit 3 Mississauga, ON L5C 4P9 Canada The Canadian Council of Muslim Women Suite 513, 2400 Dundas Street West Mississauga, Ontario, L5K 2R8 Canada Jami Masjid of Toronto 56 [...]
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on Friday, June 4, 2010
Man behind Herouxville affair launches campaign against immigration and multiculturalism
But the recent storm over the niqab suggests l'affaire Herouxville was no anomaly. Drouin is now lending his support to a nascent coalition that aims to drum up opposition to immigration and multiculturalism in English Canada. "Three years ago, they thought I was a mad person, but right now I don’t think they think the same thing," Drouin said.
In recent months, Drouin has spoken to small groups in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver, where his tough talk on minorities strikes a chord with longtime critics of Canada’s immigration policy, such as Martin Collacott, a senior fellow at the conservative Fraser Institute.
Collacott and James Bissett, both retired diplomats who frequently write on immigration issues, and Drouin are among the founders of a new group that will push for a radical reduction in immigration and a tougher stand on minority accommodation.
Collacott said organizers are putting the finishing touches to a website and will launch the group, tentatively called the Centre for Immigration Policy Reform, in June.
Montreal Gazette, 12 April 2010
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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Islamic Associations in South-East Asia MALAYSIA Faculty of Islamic Studies National University of Malaysia 43600 UKM, Bangi, Malaysia Institut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM) 234432-H 2, Langgak Tunku, Off Jalan Duta, 50480 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur 50603 Malaysia The International Association of Muslim Psychologists (IAMP) P.O. Box 706 Jalan Sultan 46780 Petaling Jaya Selangor Malaysia Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia Jalan Lembah Perdana 50480 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human [...]
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on Friday, May 28, 2010
New York politicians rally in support of 'Ground Zero mosque'
New York politicians gathered Thursday afternoon to denounce Tea Party leader Mark Williams and support a mosque and community center planned near ground zero. The politicians were responding to Williams' blog rant against the mosque Wednesday, in which he said Muslims worshipped a "monkey god."
"His spewing of racial hatred reminds me … of Adolph Hitler," Borough President Scott Stringer said at Thursday’s press conference. "We reject him. We reject his bigotry."
Stringer and other politicians stood together outside the former Burlington Coat Factory building on Park Place, where the Cordoba Initiative hopes to build a 0 million, 13-story community center with Islamic, interfaith and secular programming, similar to the 92nd Street Y.
While the Cordoba House's location just two blocks north of the World Trade Center has sparked protests from some 9/11 family members and many others, the local politicians said Thursday that the location was fitting. "This is precisely where this kind of center for peace and place of worship should rise up," City Comptroller John Liu said.
In addition to Liu and Stringer, State Sen. Daniel Squadron, City Councilwoman Margaret Chin and Councilman Robert Jackson, the Council's sole Muslim, all spoke in favor of the plans.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
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FIFA: No Hijab at Youth Olympic Games
read moreSource: Islam About Dot Com
on Monday, May 24, 2010
Islamic Organizations in USA Harvard Islamic Society c/o Harvard College University Hall, 1st Floor Box # 61 Cambridge, MA 02145 USA Bilal Muslim Mission of Americas 429 Countrywood Circle, Lake Mary, Fl. 32746 USA El-Iman Learning Center 6715 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA 22003 USA The Muslim Association of Hawaii 1935 Aleo Place Honolulu, HI 96822 USA Islamic Society of Baltimore 6631 Johnnycake Road Baltimore MD 21244 USA Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge P.O. [...]
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Hazrat Hudhaifah Radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Noble Prophet Salla Allahu ‘alayhi wa Sallam said, ?There is an angel who before tonight had never come down to earth, asked permission from his Lord to offer salam (salutations) to me and to deliver the good news to me that Fatimah Radi [...]
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on Thursday, April 15, 2010
Attacks on City University Muslim students will not result in prosecutions
The three men, aged 17, 18 and 19, were arrested and released on bail until 4 January. The conditions of bail, stating the men were not to go within 100 metres of the university or to contact any City students or prosecution witnesses, are no longer enforceable as they have expired.
At the time the police said that they were treating the attacks against members of the university's Islamic Society as racially aggravated.
It remains unclear whether the police continue to carry out extra patrols around campus. The incident on 5 November started near the university's Gloucester Building which houses the Muslim prayer room. Fighting then continued on St John Street where the students were attacked with sticks and poles by a group of 30 white and black males.
Although the security services at the university were unaware of this development, Richard Mansfield, Security Services Manager, said that "there is no intelligence to suggest" that whoever was responsible for the attack would try to seek revenge. He added that he did not believe there was added threat to students.?
For details of the November attacks, see Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate Crime: a London Case Study by Jonathan Githens-Mazer and Bob Lambert.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on
The rising tide of Islamophobia
"Islamophobia does not appear to be being taken seriously by the Government, the media or the general public and the situation is becoming increasingly dire – why this is remains unclear. It could be because of a lack of understanding and recognition of the seriousness of Islamophobia; it could be because little 'hard evidence' exists; it could also be that anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic attitudes are becoming more socially acceptable. Whatever the reason though, it is clear that neither Islamophobia – nor indeed anti-Semitism – are going to quickly or easily disappear.
"Last week's bleak report on Islamophobic hate crime in London from the European Muslim Research Centre argues that fears and misunderstandings of Muslims were increasingly providing a basis for violent acts. The report found that Muslim Londoners face a threat of violence and intimidation from three primary groups: small violent nationalist groups with similar ideologies as the British National Party; street gangs with no allegiances to the far-right; and a small number of others who appear to be acting on prejudices gained via negative media portrayals of Muslims as terrorists and security threats.
"But hate crimes are just the tip of the iceberg. Anti-Muslim and anti-Islamic attitudes are also increasingly commonplace. As the British Social Attitudes Survey recently highlighted, not only are Muslims the least popular religious community in Britain today but over half the population would be bothered by a large mosque being built in their community. Neither of these attitudes are specifically Islamophobic but they do suggest a hardening of attitudes especially when Muslims and Islam are considered against other religions. As Professor David Voas provocatively put it, Muslims are increasingly being understood as posing a threat to British society."
Chris Allen in the Daily Telegraph, 12 February 2010
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on Sunday, April 11, 2010
The government and the MCB
Inayat Bunglawala reports on John Denham's move to restore links between the government and the Muslim Council of Britain, and the backlash against that decision.
read more
Source: Islamophobia Watch
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Family: Frontline Against Terrorism
A young man from a priveleged background finishes high school with honors, and goes off to college. Soon afterwards, he is a changed man... a radical who is intent on terrorism, violating the most fundamental tenets of the faith in which he was raised. What is it that changes these young men into dangerous criminals? This is something that families and Muslim communities struggle to understand and combat.
In recent weeks, we have seen at least two such stories emerge. Most recently, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from Nigeria was caught allegedly trying to blow up a Detroit-bound airplane. He had been studying mechanical engineering in the UK, and by all accounts was a good student from a priveleged background. Umar's father recognized the recent radicalization of his son, and contacted authorities to warn them. According to the BBC, he contacted both local and foreign officials to alert them that his son had gone missing.
Several Muslim families in Virginia recently faced the same difficult decision. When five young men disappeared, their parents were naturally worried and concerned for their safety. More importantly, they also feared for the safety of others, as the young men had also been giving signs of radicalization. So what did the relatives do? CNN reported that they immediately contacted the FBI and shared information which led to their arrest in Pakistan.
Young people who become entranced with radical preachings, and take that next mis-step towards performing acts of terrorism, often blend in with their surroundings. Mosques report that such men are not often known to the local, mainstream Muslim community. Most often, family members are the first people to become aware that something is wrong.
How difficult it must have been for these families to turn in their own beloved sons. However, the Qur'an reminds us that in order to do the right thing, we may have to sometimes stand up against those who are closest to us: "'Oh you who believe, stand up firmly for justice, as witnesses to God, even if it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be against rich or poor..." (Qur'an 4:135).
These Muslim heroes choose to protect the greater good, rather than stand by their loved ones' misguided and dangerous actions.
Read More:
- What does the Qur'an say about terrorism?
- What exactly does jihad mean?
- Does Islam teach its followers to "kill the infidel?"
Family: Frontline Against Terrorism originally appeared on About.com Islam on Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 06:51:00.
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read moreSource: Islam About Dot Com
on Thursday, April 8, 2010
Cairo
Salamu Alaykum
I'm going to Egypt in a few months and although I'm going for school, I would love to get my share of site seeing and meringue new people.
I'm staying in October city but I understand that it is 'a new suburb/city' so I'm worried I won't have places to tour and places to go InshALLAH.
Do you know of the city?
What are the best places to go?
Wasalamu alaykum
I'm going to Egypt in a few months and although I'm going for school, I would love to get my share of site seeing and meringue new people.
I'm staying in October city but I understand that it is 'a new suburb/city' so I'm worried I won't have places to tour and places to go InshALLAH.
Do you know of the city?
What are the best places to go?
Wasalamu alaykum
Source: Islamic Board
on
Sensationalised TV report provokes attack on Nashville mosque
Islamic leaders blame Channel 5's sensationalized two-night report about a crackpot organization's unfounded accusations of terrorist ties against a Middle Tennessee Muslim community.
"Muslims Go Home" and a Crusade-style cross were scrawled across the front of Al-Farooq Islamic Center on Nolensville Road, says Salaad Nur, a spokesman. He says the mosque, which primarily serves members of the Somali community, has contacted the police and the FBI.
"They also left a letter at the youth center that says Muslims are friends of Satan and we are here to destroy the United States and to destroy Israel and things of that nature," he says. "We're a little bit shaken up. I hope this is just a scare and things don't get any worse than this."
"It's unexpected," he adds. "The only thing I can think of is the sensationalized reporting [by Channel 5] over Sunday and Monday. That's the only thing I can think of. Even after 9/11 we have never had any vandalism."
Nashville Scene, 10 Fabruary 2010
Via LoonWatch
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on Monday, April 5, 2010
Share Your Hajj Story
Did you travel for Hajj this year? What tips do you wish you had known before leaving? How did you make the arrangements? Was there something you forgot to pack, and really missed? Share your experience, and help others be well-prepared for the journey of a lifetime.
More:
Share Your Hajj Story originally appeared on About.com Islam on Sunday, February 7th, 2010 at 14:42:53.
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read moreSource: Islam About Dot Com
on
Extraordinary Answers Of Sh Ibn Uthaimeen
Extraordinary Answers Of Sh Ibn Uthaimeen
=======================================
Questioner: Shaikh, my question is: About the young lady who has not reached adulthood, what is the ruling with regards to the following three situations: covering the face outside the house? And wearing pants in any form, situation, or reason? And the khimar in the Salah?
Answer: This man is intelligent. He combined three questions in one, may Allah forgive us and him�.
=======================================
Questioner: Is it allowed for a man to be with his female servant, and what can see of her?
Answer: If he marries her, then she can uncover her face in front of him, and this is the solution�. But I am afraid that if she becomes his wife, she will demand a female servant, and then this will be a problem!
=======================================
Questioner: Is it allowed for me to buy a rooster so that when it crows, I ask Allah of His bounty?
Answer: I don�t know about this! It�s ordained for a person that when he hears the crowing of a rooster that he ask Allah of His bounty, but I am afraid that your rooster will be silent! Alhamdulillah, you ask Allah for His bounty if you hear the rooster or not! Ask of His bounty always.
=======================================
Questioner: Shaikh, may Allah reward you with paradise. Many nights I see in my dreams as if I�m sitting in your class! I have certain questions, so I ask you and you give me the answer! So what�s the ruling with regards to those answers? [Questioner laughs]
Answer: I don�t remember this! I don�t remember this! I don�t notice in my sleep that you are asking me anything! [Shaikh laughs] Don�t depend on this. If you listen to a tape, that�s fine, but we don�t give lessons to those who are sleeping!
=======================================
Questioner: In the hadith: [There is no competition except in shooting arrows, foot-racing, or horse-racing] So what is your opinion if someone engages in rooster-racing or pigeon-racing?
Answer: Look, the Prophet SAWS said: [There is no competition except in shooting arrows, foot-racing, or horse-racing] , because these things are used in war. If your rooster is used in war so that you ride on it, then it�s allowed! Otherwise no�.
=======================================
Question: What is your opinion about these duas which are put in the car, like the dua for riding, the dua for traveling, etc. What�s the response to those who say that they are amulets?!
Answer: Amulets! I say that whoever says they are amulets are telling the truth, if the car is sick! The duas are attached to the car, not the rider, and to put them in the car is fine since the remind the riders for the dua for riding or traveling. Everything that helps to do good is good. There is no problem, and they are not amulets! Unless if someone said to you: If the car is sick, attaching the duas to it will cure it by the will of Allah!
=======================================
On the issue of killing a locust at the Haram
The Shaikh asked a student about the issue of killing a locust at the Haram since Allah SWT said: [the compensation is an offering, of a domestic animal equivalent to the one he killed] {Al-Maida 5:95}.
So the Shaikh said to the student: What is the closest thing to a locust?
The student said: A camel! [The shaikh laughed and all the students laughed as well]
Then the Shaikh jokingly corrected the student saying: The horse is the closest thing to a locust. So if he killed four locusts, he must give a horse for each locust!
The students were all shocked [and the narrator of the story mentions he was shocked as well because he did not know that the shaikh would joke]
Some of the students said, surprised: He then has to give four horses.
Then the shaikh laughed, rahimahullah.
Then he described the ruling: �The scholars say that the locust is a game animal, and it is prohibited to hunt it. But it has no domestic animal similar to it, so the penalty for killing it in the Haram is its price. If its price is 10 Riyals, or even one Riyal, he must give that price in Sadaqa. And these days it has no price whatsoever.
=======================================
[The narrator mentions] :
I asked the shaikh about the ruling of a woman looking at a man. (His view was that it is allowed if there is no fitna). I debated with him for a long time on the issue, and afterwards when I wanted to leave he said: Where are you going? The question seemed a little strange to me, so I laughed and said I�m going out. He said: Wear a khimar so the women don�t see you!
=======================================
The shaikh mentioned in the book of Hajj, at the end of the chapter on Mawaqeet:
�If he travels in the air and comes parallel to the meeqat he must put on the Ihram. Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiya said that it is not allowed for someone in the airplane to put on the ihram or to delay the Ihram until he lands. He said that the individual must wear the Ihram when he is parallel to the meeqat�
The students were shocked at this statement and wondered how it could be possible.
The Shaikh said that he was speaking about the magicians who would lie to the people and say: We will have the angels carry you to Makkah in one day, and we will go to Arafah in one day. He said they would err because the shayateen would carry them above the meeqat while they would not put on the Ihram. And this is exactly the same issue as the airplane.
=======================================
Questioner: What is the ruling on killing an insect in the Haram?
Shaikh: Which?
Questioner: What is the ruling on killing an insect in the Haram?
Shaikh: Like what?
Questioner: Like anything harmful!
Shaikh: LIke what?
Questioner: Like birds!
Shaikh: Birds! Pigeons?! The questioner asked about the ruling on killing insects in the haram, and I wanted an example, but he was unable to answer! And he said birds! Hmm �
Questioner: Anything!
Shaikh: Anything? Humans?!
Questioner: Humans?!!
Shaikh: You�re asking me?! You said anything!!
Questioner: Killing insects!
Shaikh: Like what?!!
Questioner: Like ants!
Shaikh: Ants?! I have never seen an ant in the Haram!! [Everyone laughs]
Questioner: I want the ruling!
Shaikh: Be specific. Now look - You just taught us that pigeons are insects!! [Everyone laughs, including the questioner]
Questioner: I have an example!
Shaikh: Which is?
Questioner: A mosquito
Shaikh: Mosquito, good�.
=======================================
Source: http://theauthenticbase.wordpress.co...-al-uthaimeen/
=======================================
Questioner: Shaikh, my question is: About the young lady who has not reached adulthood, what is the ruling with regards to the following three situations: covering the face outside the house? And wearing pants in any form, situation, or reason? And the khimar in the Salah?
Answer: This man is intelligent. He combined three questions in one, may Allah forgive us and him�.
=======================================
Questioner: Is it allowed for a man to be with his female servant, and what can see of her?
Answer: If he marries her, then she can uncover her face in front of him, and this is the solution�. But I am afraid that if she becomes his wife, she will demand a female servant, and then this will be a problem!
=======================================
Questioner: Is it allowed for me to buy a rooster so that when it crows, I ask Allah of His bounty?
Answer: I don�t know about this! It�s ordained for a person that when he hears the crowing of a rooster that he ask Allah of His bounty, but I am afraid that your rooster will be silent! Alhamdulillah, you ask Allah for His bounty if you hear the rooster or not! Ask of His bounty always.
=======================================
Questioner: Shaikh, may Allah reward you with paradise. Many nights I see in my dreams as if I�m sitting in your class! I have certain questions, so I ask you and you give me the answer! So what�s the ruling with regards to those answers? [Questioner laughs]
Answer: I don�t remember this! I don�t remember this! I don�t notice in my sleep that you are asking me anything! [Shaikh laughs] Don�t depend on this. If you listen to a tape, that�s fine, but we don�t give lessons to those who are sleeping!
=======================================
Questioner: In the hadith: [There is no competition except in shooting arrows, foot-racing, or horse-racing] So what is your opinion if someone engages in rooster-racing or pigeon-racing?
Answer: Look, the Prophet SAWS said: [There is no competition except in shooting arrows, foot-racing, or horse-racing] , because these things are used in war. If your rooster is used in war so that you ride on it, then it�s allowed! Otherwise no�.
=======================================
Question: What is your opinion about these duas which are put in the car, like the dua for riding, the dua for traveling, etc. What�s the response to those who say that they are amulets?!
Answer: Amulets! I say that whoever says they are amulets are telling the truth, if the car is sick! The duas are attached to the car, not the rider, and to put them in the car is fine since the remind the riders for the dua for riding or traveling. Everything that helps to do good is good. There is no problem, and they are not amulets! Unless if someone said to you: If the car is sick, attaching the duas to it will cure it by the will of Allah!
=======================================
On the issue of killing a locust at the Haram
The Shaikh asked a student about the issue of killing a locust at the Haram since Allah SWT said: [the compensation is an offering, of a domestic animal equivalent to the one he killed] {Al-Maida 5:95}.
So the Shaikh said to the student: What is the closest thing to a locust?
The student said: A camel! [The shaikh laughed and all the students laughed as well]
Then the Shaikh jokingly corrected the student saying: The horse is the closest thing to a locust. So if he killed four locusts, he must give a horse for each locust!
The students were all shocked [and the narrator of the story mentions he was shocked as well because he did not know that the shaikh would joke]
Some of the students said, surprised: He then has to give four horses.
Then the shaikh laughed, rahimahullah.
Then he described the ruling: �The scholars say that the locust is a game animal, and it is prohibited to hunt it. But it has no domestic animal similar to it, so the penalty for killing it in the Haram is its price. If its price is 10 Riyals, or even one Riyal, he must give that price in Sadaqa. And these days it has no price whatsoever.
=======================================
[The narrator mentions] :
I asked the shaikh about the ruling of a woman looking at a man. (His view was that it is allowed if there is no fitna). I debated with him for a long time on the issue, and afterwards when I wanted to leave he said: Where are you going? The question seemed a little strange to me, so I laughed and said I�m going out. He said: Wear a khimar so the women don�t see you!
=======================================
The shaikh mentioned in the book of Hajj, at the end of the chapter on Mawaqeet:
�If he travels in the air and comes parallel to the meeqat he must put on the Ihram. Shaikhul Islam Ibn Taymiya said that it is not allowed for someone in the airplane to put on the ihram or to delay the Ihram until he lands. He said that the individual must wear the Ihram when he is parallel to the meeqat�
The students were shocked at this statement and wondered how it could be possible.
The Shaikh said that he was speaking about the magicians who would lie to the people and say: We will have the angels carry you to Makkah in one day, and we will go to Arafah in one day. He said they would err because the shayateen would carry them above the meeqat while they would not put on the Ihram. And this is exactly the same issue as the airplane.
=======================================
Questioner: What is the ruling on killing an insect in the Haram?
Shaikh: Which?
Questioner: What is the ruling on killing an insect in the Haram?
Shaikh: Like what?
Questioner: Like anything harmful!
Shaikh: LIke what?
Questioner: Like birds!
Shaikh: Birds! Pigeons?! The questioner asked about the ruling on killing insects in the haram, and I wanted an example, but he was unable to answer! And he said birds! Hmm �
Questioner: Anything!
Shaikh: Anything? Humans?!
Questioner: Humans?!!
Shaikh: You�re asking me?! You said anything!!
Questioner: Killing insects!
Shaikh: Like what?!!
Questioner: Like ants!
Shaikh: Ants?! I have never seen an ant in the Haram!! [Everyone laughs]
Questioner: I want the ruling!
Shaikh: Be specific. Now look - You just taught us that pigeons are insects!! [Everyone laughs, including the questioner]
Questioner: I have an example!
Shaikh: Which is?
Questioner: A mosquito
Shaikh: Mosquito, good�.
=======================================
Source: http://theauthenticbase.wordpress.co...-al-uthaimeen/
Source: Islamic Board
on Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Migrants must renounce veil if they want to live in France, says minister
It would be added to an "integration agreement" that all newcomers already have to commit to, which also bans forced marriages and polygamy.
Nadine Morano said: "Equality between men and women is a fundamental principle of French society. "This applies to polygamy, forced marriages, female mutilation and the full-face veil."
Her proposal came at a government conference yesterday following a three-month debate on national identity. Last month a government committee said women who wear the garment should be barred from using public transport and outlawed from public buildings like schools and hospitals.
Ms Morano has the backing of many prominent MPs in her call to have immigrants who wear burkas banned from staying in France.
French interior minister Brice Hortefeux said in December that both women who wear veils and their husbands should be "systematically refused" French residents' permits. And President Nicolas Sarkozy has branded face veils "a sign of debasement" and said they were not welcome in France.
read more
Source: Islamophobia Watch
on
Cartoonist Targeted... Again
CNN and BBC News report that a man was shot by police as he tried to enter the home of the Danish cartoonist Kurt Westergaard on Friday. The man seemed intent on harm, as he allegedly carried with him an axe and a knife. Police shot the intruder, who was then hospitalized in stable condition. Mr. Westergaard was home at the time of the incident; he and his young granddaughter were unharmed.
Numerous death threats and complaints have been aimed at this Danish artist, who published a controversial cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad back in 2005. Mr. Westergaard says that he drew a bomb in the Prophet Muhammad's turban to show "that some people exploited the prophet to legitimize terror." That is certainly a valid and true criticism.
However, the cartoon was interpreted by others as calling the Prophet Muhammad a terrorist. Muslims began complaining. Some right-wing newspapers fanned the flames by re-printing the cartoon as a matter of "free speech."
Muslim protestors played into their hands by hosting angry rallies and making death threats. Such behavior is out of line with Islamic teaching, as this latest attempted attack is also. The Prophet Muhammad himself dealt with much greater insults and injuries during his lifetime. Through it all, he never lost his temper or dealt harshly with his critics.
Last year, Mr. Ibrahim Cooper of CAIR asked the question, "What Would Muhammad Do?" Muslims allow ourselves, as he said, "to be locked into a downward spiral of mutual mistrust and hostility based on self-perpetuating stereotypes." Rather than continue this path of negativity and self-fulfilling prophecy, we should stop, reflect, and condemn this attempted attack. Let's begin following the example of the Prophet whom we hold so dear.
Cartoonist Targeted... Again originally appeared on About.com Islam on Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 at 05:08:46.
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read moreSource: Islam About Dot Com
on Saturday, March 27, 2010
Getting married to someone less religious
:sl:
Im asking some advice for a friend who is marrying a man that she was arranged with years ago. His family is muslim and one of his sisters is covered so they are not completely in the dark but he isnt very pious as in he doesnt pray 5 times a day. However, her marriage to him is inevitable (two weeks away). What can she do to make it better? Is there ways for her to encourage him to be more religious without seeming bossy or rude?
Please any advice would be welcomed but please no advice on her leaving him because for sure there is no chance of her being able to break it off for many reasons I wont name.
Also, she would like to know if her husband not being pious enough is going to hurt her in the eyes of God even if she herself is pious.
Im asking some advice for a friend who is marrying a man that she was arranged with years ago. His family is muslim and one of his sisters is covered so they are not completely in the dark but he isnt very pious as in he doesnt pray 5 times a day. However, her marriage to him is inevitable (two weeks away). What can she do to make it better? Is there ways for her to encourage him to be more religious without seeming bossy or rude?
Please any advice would be welcomed but please no advice on her leaving him because for sure there is no chance of her being able to break it off for many reasons I wont name.
Also, she would like to know if her husband not being pious enough is going to hurt her in the eyes of God even if she herself is pious.
Source: Islamic Board
on
Michael Gove opposes mosque at centre of 'inflammatory' campaign
The shadow schools secretary, who warned that the west was facing a "total war" from Islamists in his book Celsius 7/7, had initially refused to take sides in the dispute over proposals to build a mosque next to Sandhurst barracks in Camberley, Surrey. But this week he said he had been convinced that the strength of feeling was threatening the area's "good community relations" and called on local Muslims to withdraw the application.
"The issue has become a flashpoint and people from inside and outside the community were making statements that I did not think would further community relations," he said. "It struck me that it was best to ask the Bengali Welfare Association to withdraw the application and to consider how to improve the facilities for worship for the Muslim community in a calmer environment."
A Facebook group set up to oppose the mosque has 6,834 "fans" and was criticised by one local organisation opposing the mosque as "inflammatory and offensive". The Facebook group is supported by the far-right English Defence League.
The local Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate, Alan Hiliar, said Gove had "lost all respect" over the issue. "I reject Michael Gove's decision to ask the community to withdraw their application on the ground that it's 'divisive'. To ask the Muslim community to withdraw the application is simply kicking the issue into the long grass; it resolves nothing."
read more
Source: Islamophobia Watch
on Monday, March 22, 2010
Valentine's Day
"I find the idea of having a special day to celebrate love is ridiculous since we should love every day of our lives. I would rather celebrate our anniversary with my husband if I want to specify a special day for love." - Haifa Salim, a Saudi woman commenting on Valentine's Day, Arab News
Muslims celebrate two major holidays each year, both connected in some way to Islamic faith and worship. Generally, Muslims do not participate in other celebrations, particularly those with pagan roots. You may be surprised to learn that Valentine's Day (which is named after a Christian saint) has its origins in a February 14th pagan Roman celebration, honoring love and fertility. About.com's Austin Cline explains.
Valentine's Day originally appeared on About.com Islam on Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 15:00:49.
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read moreSource: Islam About Dot Com
on
Halal burgers are discrimination - France
Salaam.
This is outrageous. :raging::raging::raging::raging::raging::raging::r aging:
A French council has lodged a complaint against a fast food chain that serves only meat that conforms with Islamic dietary laws at a local branch.
Read more:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8524056.stm
This is outrageous. :raging::raging::raging::raging::raging::raging::r aging:
A French council has lodged a complaint against a fast food chain that serves only meat that conforms with Islamic dietary laws at a local branch.
Read more:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8524056.stm
Source: Islamic Board
on Thursday, March 18, 2010
Siddique released after terror conviction quashed
A man branded a "wannabe suicide bomber" by prosecutors will not face a retrial on terrorism charges.
The Crown Office has said it does not wish to seek a fresh prosecution. Siddique has now been released.
read more
Source: Islamophobia Watch
on
Hijab May Trigger Airport Security Checks
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) today called on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to clarify whether Islamic head scarves, or hijab, will now automatically trigger additional security measures for Muslim travelers.
CAIR made that request after a Muslim woman traveler taking a flight Tuesday from Washington, DC to Los Angeles reported that TSA personnel first requested that she take off her hijab, then put her through a "humiliating" public full-body pat-down search when she refused. After the pat-down, the Muslim traveler's luggage, coat, shoes, laptop, and cell phone were searched and tested for bomb-making chemicals.
When the traveler, a resident of Maryland, questioned TSA staff about the way she was being treated, she was allegedly told that a new policy went into effect that morning mandating that "anyone wearing a head scarf must go through this type of search."
In a letter to TSA, Mr. Nihad Awad (National Executive Director of CAIR) wrote in part:
First, I would like to commend you on your efforts to maintain the safety of the travelling public. I would also like to offer the American Muslim community's cooperation and support in preserving that safety and security...
If this troubling new policy is indeed in effect, it represents religious profiling in its most egregious form. We respectfully request that you clarify whether Islamic head scarves will now trigger automatic secondary screening for Muslim travelers. If so, does this new policy apply to all those who wear religious head coverings, such as Sikh men, Catholic nuns and orthodox Jewish women, or will it apply exclusively to Muslim travelers? If the issue is concealment of potentially dangerous items, the clothing worn by travelers of all faiths, such as skirts, loose pants and sweatshirts, has more areas to hide items than hijab.
Awad noted that previous TSA policy placed hijab in the category of "bulky clothing" that would not automatically lead to additional screening. Under previous policy, even if that screening were to take place, it would be carried out in a "private screening location."
Hijab May Trigger Airport Security Checks originally appeared on About.com Islam on Thursday, January 7th, 2010 at 04:41:31.
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read moreSource: Islam About Dot Com
on Sunday, March 14, 2010
Islamic Parenting
When is parenting rewarding?
I've been meaning to ask this question for a while, but I keep forgetting.
Parents and non-Parents can answer. Just state whether you're a parent or not so I know how well to heed your words. :X
I've been meaning to ask this question for a while, but I keep forgetting.
Parents and non-Parents can answer. Just state whether you're a parent or not so I know how well to heed your words. :X
Source: Islamic Board
on
Gothernberg, Sweden
Assalammualaikum,
I'm traveling to Gothernberg, Sweden in Aug for a conference. I'm trying to find out more info about the place, any masjids around the area, halal food and is it safe for a female traveler wearing hijab.
Appreciate any info!
I'm traveling to Gothernberg, Sweden in Aug for a conference. I'm trying to find out more info about the place, any masjids around the area, halal food and is it safe for a female traveler wearing hijab.
Appreciate any info!
Source: Islamic Board
on Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The neo-Nazi who works for Richard Barnbrook
By a guest contributor
This is a crosspost from Socialist Unity
Under the headline "'Neo-Nazi gran' hired as aide to BNP member on London Assembly", the London Evening Standard has exposed the fact that the notorious far-right activist Tess Culnane is working at City Hall as a PA to Richard Barnbrook. There is also good coverage of the case by Adam Bienkov at Liberal Conspiracy. It is however worth examining Culnane's political record in more detail, since the employment of such an individual in the office of the BNP's most prominent London politician tells us a lot about the BNP's claim that it is now a mainstream party that has put its neo-Nazi past behind it.
read moreSource: Islamophobia Watch
on
Infertility Treatments
A woman I know recently gave birth to a child after eight years of heartache. She is overjoyed with her baby son, as any new mother would be. After researching all of the options for their particular situation, she and her husband chose to undergo IVF - In Vitro Fertilization. Upon hearing this news, some people criticized them for this decision, saying that if it were God's will for them to have a child, it would happen naturally.
What does Islam say about In Vitro Fertilization and other assisted reproductive technologies? Are they a rebellion against God's will, or a blessing for people who need help? If acceptable in Islam, are there certain guidelines to follow? Find out more.
Infertility Treatments originally appeared on About.com Islam on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010 at 04:02:11.
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read moreSource: Islam About Dot Com