Prominent Islamic cleric Dr Yousuf Al Qaradawi has urged Egyptian Christians to remain united and help build a new Egypt.

Delivering the Friday sermon at Al Azhar University Mosque in Cairo yesterday, he called on all Egyptians, Muslims and non-Muslims, rival political factions, the ruling elite as well as the opposition, to unite in the interest of their nation and to realise the goals of the January 25 revolution.

Al Qaradawi, who heads the International Islamic Scholars' Association, said: "Our religion orders us to remain united and discourage disunity."

His call for unity comes in the wake of President Mohammed Mursi facing challenges over the constitutional referendum.

The cleric said opinions can differ and this would enrich the nation, but to break national unity was not acceptable.

"The January 25 revolution has taught us to sacrifice for each other and we are all Egyptian and we are not angels. All of us, including the government and Muslim Brotherhood and the opposition, can commit mistakes, but we should not continue making mistakes," said the cleric.

"I have met many liberals and secularists and they are not infidels. They all believe in God. We need to cooperate with them," said Qaradawi.

The Peninsula, 29 December 2012

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Brighton Organisations and Leading Figures Launch Unity Statement Ahead of Far Right March

People of Brighton should show unity against a racist march according to leading local politicians, unions and other individuals and group who are supporting a Unity Statement, that is now online for members of the public to sign.

Supporters include Brighton Trades Council, the Brighton University branch of the UCU union, Brighton and Hove NUT,  University of Sussex Students Union, Brighton Unite Against Fascism, Brighton Love Music Hate Racism, and Sussex Labour Representation Committee. Individuals who are supporting it include Caroline Lucas MP, and ten Green and Labour members of the council; as well as Simon Burgess, the former Labour leader of the council, James Ledward, the editor of Gscene magazine and Itch, the lead singer of the band King Blues, who is a Brighton Resident.

The March for England march, organised by members and supporters of the racist organisation the English Defence League, has met growing opposition when it has attempted to parade through Brighton in the past few years. It has stated it will return in April 2013.

The march's opponents are now calling on residents of the city to add their support for the statement which concludes by saying: "In Brighton we all stand together. And when someone tries to threaten our community we must stand together even more firmly."

The full statement can be read at brightonuaf.org, where there is also a link to sign it.

Roland Ravenhill of Brighton Love Music Hate Racism said: "The diversity and unity of Brighton is something worth supporting, and racist marches do not sit well here. We encourage people to read and sign the statement."

Full statement and list of supporters:

Brighton is a brilliant and vibrant city where many people of different cultures, backgrounds, abilities and faiths come together. It has a positive and unique character which its residents enjoy and embrace. Brighton people live here in the knowledge that they will be valued and that the things which make each individual different are celebrated here - not despised. We take great pleasure and pride in being surrounded by humanity in all its exciting diversity.

Because of this it is very saddening to discover that the far right group March for England, which is a division of the violent and racist organisation the English Defence League, is to march in Brighton (in April 2013).

When groups like this come to Brighton it is because our multicultural city in all its diversity proves that their own doctrine of hate is wrong, and they want to damage our unity. That is why we stand together: black, white and Asian; people of all faiths and of no faith; trade unionists; people of different political persuasions; University, school and college students; people of all abilities; whatever our sexuality.

In Brighton we all stand together. And when someone tries to threaten our community we must stand together even more firmly.

Supported by:

Brighton Trades Council 
Brighton and Hove Unite Against Fascism 
UCU – Brighton University
Brighton and Hove NUT.
University of Sussex Students Union 
Sussex Labour Representation Committee. 
Brighton Love Music Hate Racism
Caroline Lucas, Green MP Brighton Pavillion
Itch – King Blues 
James Ledward – editor Gscene
Jason Kitkat, Green Party Councillor, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council 
Ollie Sykes, Green Party Councillor, Brunswick and Adelaide Ward 
Les Hamilton, Labour & Co-operative Councillor, South Portslade 
Liz Wakefield, Green Party Councillor, Hanover & Elm Grove 
Pete West, Green City Councillor for St Peter's & North Laine Ward 
Warren Morgan, Labour & Co-operative Councillor for East Brighton 
Phélim Mac Cafferty, Green Party Councillor for Brunswick and Adelaide 
Alexandra Phillips, Green Councillor for Goldsmid ward, Hove
Rob Jarrett, Green Party Councillor for Goldsmid ward
Ian Davey, Green Party councillor for St Peter's & North Laine ward
Simon Burgess, Labour, former leader, Brighton and Hove council.

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Joplin mosque burnes to the ground after suspected arson attack in August last yearAmong those assisting the Rebuild Joplin effort starting Monday will be Muslim and Jewish volunteers.

The volunteers will be from ICNA Relief, part of the Islamic Circle of North America; the Jewish Disaster Relief Corps; and Bridges, a Muslim-Jewish interfaith dialogue composed of New York University students. Shahid Farooqi, outreach director for ICNA Relief USA, said the groups are joining forces in a show of unity.

ICNA volunteers most recently have been volunteering to provide relief to victims of Superstorm Sandy. The group recently was named New Yorker of the Week by New York cable channel NY1. "Here in New York, they've been very active," said ICNA publicist Gail Tweedy. "They've handed out thousands of blankets and heaters. They've provided free health care services. They've cut down trees. They've provided grief counseling."

Farooqi said ICNA has worked with the JDRC on disaster relief projects in the past. He said ICNA came to Joplin following the May 22, 2011, tornado in Joplin. Its volunteers slept in the Islamic Society of Joplin mosque, which was destroyed in a suspicious fire on Aug. 6, 2012. Officials with ICNA also responded to the mosque fire.

"We helped to clean up debris," Farooqi said of the first visit. The initial post-tornado effort included Muslim volunteers from New York, Kansas, Oklahoma and St. Louis. "When a disaster happens, we help people based on their need, regardless of their religion or skin color," Farooqi said.

Mohammed Arif, assistant executive director for ICNA Relief, said he agreed. "Whoever helps another human being, God will help him on the day of judgment," Arif said. "This is inspiration to us."

He said when the Muslim and Jewish groups have worked together on relief projects, it has been a satisfying and rewarding experience. He said world politics don't come into play when people relate on a personal level. "There is no animosity," Arif said. "This demonstrates very clearly we are all Americans."

Farooqi said the volunteers will be traveling Saturday and Sunday and begin their work on the Rebuild Joplin houses on Monday. He said he didn't know how many volunteers there would be with each group.

Joplin Globe, 18 January 2013

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Rotherham will unite on Saturday to see off the racist English Defence League, who plan to march through the town. Trade unions, anti-fascists and faith groups came together at a packed public meeting on Monday to plan the town's peaceful counter-protest.

And it is rumoured that Rotherham United will play their Saturday home game on a weekday to head off potential trouble.

The EDL's march route ends 50 yards from a mosque, which locals see as a blatant provocation.

Sheffield PCS rep Martin Hickman said: "The public meeting was packed. The room held 100 people, it was standing room only and they were queuing outside." He said the "very mixed audience" included people from the town's Asian community and local unions.

"There was a vigorous debate. We came to agreement that we be united in Rotherham on Saturday," he said. "Everyone will stand together in unity against the fascists. My own union PCS is supporting us on their website."

"We have been told the police are going to allow them to march from the station to the old town hall, which is only 50 yards from a mosque," said Mr Hickman. "They are going to do everything they can to provoke an incident. Marching right next to a mosque, you couldn't have a worse act of provocation."

He said that having the Rotherham match switched to a weekday would avoid potential problems. Unite members spoke to the club's chairman, but the Millers have since refused to comment.

Between 100 and 200 EDL supporters are expected – nearly all of them from outside the town.

The anti-fascist protest will mobilise local people who will be supported by communities across Yorkshire and Humberside, including nearby Sheffield and Barnsley. "We are expecting a big turnout," said Mr Hickman.

The anti-fascist protest starts at 11 am at All Saints Square in the town centre. The EDL are expected at 1pm.

Morning Star, 9 October 2012

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Nihad Awad urged stand against IslamophobiaAfter a week dealing with the devastation that a fire caused at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo, members and friends of Toledo's Muslim community were able to gather for prayer. Congregants did so under a tent Sunday because on Sept. 30 an arsonist burned the mosque's prayer room.

The suspect in the case, Randy Linn, is now in custody and has been charged with two felonies.

Fire, heat, smoke, and water affected every room of the Islamic Center and damage totaled $1 million to $1.5 million, said Dr. Mahjabeen Islam, the Islamic Center's president. Although repairs to the building could take six months, Dr. Islam said, she announced that Friday prayers this week will be held in the mosque's social hall and the weekend school will be in session there.

The Juma service – traditional Friday prayers – on Oct. 5 was a special gathering of the area's combined Islamic communities, and Sunday a multifaith prayer service was held that included addresses from leaders of many religions in the Toledo area and words from officials important to the Islamic Center, including U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), who volunteered to put on jeans and be there herself to work hard in rebuilding; assistant U.S. attorney Ava Rotell Dustin; Nihad Awad, the executive director of the national Council on American-Islamic Relations in Washington, and Angela Zimmann, the Democratic candidate for the 5th Congressional District, who was there in her role as a Lutheran pastor.

Public officials including Toledo City Council members D. Michael Collins and George Sarantou attended without being part of the program.

Several Christian ministers wore their clerical collars. And, as Judy Wilcox of Maumee United Methodist Church said when presenting a prayer quilt to the Islamic Center, "I'm just a regular kind of person, but I figured there'd be others like me here." The applause confirmed she figured correctly.

Dr. Islam, who was master of ceremonies for the prayer service, opened with remarks that revealed the depth of her pain from the attack on the mosque, associating that feeling with losses in her family through which, she said, "I learned to make my God my world."

In this world, among other actions, Dr. Islam said, "We will galvanize with our brothers and sisters of all faiths to call out Islamophobia when we see it," and that the Islamic Center "will work with our legislators to make Islamophobia a crime under federal law."

Rabbi Moshe Saks of B'Nai Temple Israel issued a charge to the congregation: "When you see your friends," he said, "tell them you were here and ask them why they were not here. Don't be obnoxious about it, don't be smug," he continued, "get them to talk about what this meant here." He made the point that through conversation, differences that cause hate and create the perception of an "other" can be eliminated.

Prayers were offered by, among others, Judy Trautman of the MultiFaith Council of Northwest Ohio, Ajit Jaggi of the Hindu Temple of Toledo in Sylvania, and Imam Farooq AboElzahab, the religious leader of the Islamic Center.

Mr. Awad of the national council said that one person – an arsonist – came to the Islamic Center on a Sunday a week ago, but "600 people came on another Sunday" for the multifaith prayer service.

"I urge of you to be visible and not to be silent," Mr. Awad said. "This is the take-home message: 'Don't be silent.' If you see Islamophobia, stand up. Push back. You don't have to be the imam. You don't even have to be a Muslim. Push back. When you see some bad and negative and biased coverage, which is a lot, speak up and challenge stereotypes. Because when people hear you, when they see you, you are really lighting a candle in front of darkness."

Toledo Blade, 8 October 2012

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Hundreds turned out Saturday at Landreth Park in a show of solidarity with area Muslims after their mosque was destroyed in a suspected arson fire on Aug. 6. Neighbors-Joplin Mosque Rally, as it was called, was organized by Ozark Christian College student Ashley Carter.

Joplin Globe, 25 August 2012 

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