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.

DNAinfo, 20 May 2010

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Source: Islamophobia Watch

FIFA: No Hijab at Youth Olympic Games

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Source: Islam About Dot Com

Islamic Organizations in USA

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

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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Attacks on City University Muslim students will not result in prosecutions

The three men arrested last November after attacks on City University Muslim students will not face court proceedings. According to a police spokesperson, charges have been dropped "due to insufficient evidence and a lack of witnesses coming forward."

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.?

The Inquirer, 7 February 2010

For details of the November attacks, see Islamophobia and Anti-Muslim Hate Crime: a London Case Study by Jonathan Githens-Mazer and Bob Lambert.

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Source: Islamophobia Watch

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

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Source: Islamophobia Watch

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.

Islam Online, 8 February 2010

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Source: Islamophobia Watch

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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Source: Islam About Dot Com