the muslim link - 1 july, 2011

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ISWA Showcases Diversity at International Bazaar | pg 8

Washington Natl Cathedral Holds Interfaith Service | pg 5

VA Redistricting Dilutes Minority Voting Power | pg 5

CIVIL: New FBI Powers Push Privacy Bounds | pg 14

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>> KING Pg 10

>> MAS Pg 7

Peter King Says Radicalization of Incarcerated Muslims Threatens NationIslam in Prison Focus of Second House Homeland Security Committee Hearing On American Muslims By Kadija KamusMuslim Link Contributing Writer

The hearing room at the House Cannon Office Building was filled with emotion on June 15, 2011 as soon as Chairman Peter King (Rep-NY) called to order his second in a series of hearings focused on Muslim Americans.

“The Threa t o f Mus l im-American Radicalization in U.S. Prisons” hearing of the House of Representatives Committee

on Homeland Security addressed the issue of inmates converting to Islam in the prison system at the federal level.

The second hearing didn’t generate as much media coverage as the first but was just as contentious and controversial.

All the Congress members

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Dar Al-Hijrah Hires Nomad Camps Co-Founder As Youth DirectorBy Muslim Link Staff

On June 29, 2 0 11 , D a r A l - H i j r a h r e l e a s e d a s t a t e m e n t we lcoming the addition

of Jose Acevedo as their new full-time youth coordinator. The new hire would be only the

third full-time Muslim youth coordinator in the region; ADAMS Center in Herndon, Virginia hired Joshua Salaam a few years ago, and Dar-us-Salaam in College Park, Maryland hired Tawfeeq Aziz earlier this year. Most masajid across the nation recognize the

>> YOUTH Pg 12

By Muslim Link Staff

The Muslim American S o c i e t y ’s F r e e d o m Foundation announced its closure on June 17, 2011, citing “not having the resources that would allow [continuing] advocacy and

organizing work” in a final email to supporters.

MAS Freedom Foundation was founded and headed by Mahdi Bray, an outspoken activist who was often the target of right-wing I s l a m o p h o b e s . B r a y suffered a massive stroke last December, but the

Muslim inmates are known to have disciplined, productive behavior in prison, but some Republican lawmakers are saying they may be threats to the nation. Internet photo. Student Found Dead on

UMBC Campus| pg 9

ISLAM: Fearing Allah and Good Manners | pg 16

Drawing Closer to Allahin Ramadan

MAS Freedom Closes Due to Lack of Funding

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No Argument Over Success Of Debate CompetitionBy Fatimah WaseemMuslim Link Staff Writer

A coin was flipped. “Heads,” Judge Faraz Ahsan declared, locking into place the competing teams’ stances and setting into motion what would be a challenging, intellectual day of debates: Sunday, June 19th, 2011, the day of the Mafiq Foundation’s annual debate competition.

Event coordinators renovated Al-Huda School’s floor to make way for the floor of the British parliament as 16 middle and high school teams battled head-to-head in four rounds of eloquent argumentation, modeled after the parliamentary style of debating.

Contestants, eligible if in middle or high school, came prepared with proposition and opposition cases, a coin toss determining the team’s position seconds before the debate. Topics, both familiar and foreign to the young, ranged from the potential pitfalls of Facebook to the value of Tiger moms to cell phone bans during school.

As teams advanced to the semifinal

rounds, decisions became very difficult to reach, particularly in the high school debate between the Islamic Society of Baltimore and Muslim Ummah of North America (MUNA) youth. Judges dubbed it “a close call” while a judge for the middle school debate lauded, “You debated like high schoolers!”

After much deliberation, four teams advanced to the final round, held before an audience of approximately 125 community members at AL-Huda School’s College Park campus.

Al-Fatih Academy faced MUNA youth, debating the topic, “Lack of education, not mode of government, is the root

cause of problems in the Muslim world.” Proposition and opposition speakers sat on a slippery slope as they debated whether or not government inefficiency is the cause of lack of education. The heated argument culminated at an uncertain point as Mona Hagmajid, first opposition constructive speaker, thudded her hand against the table and cried, “Shame!” – a gesture, encouraged by the style of parliamentary debate, indicating an opponent’s misinterpretation of her team’s resolution.

The high school debate between the two MUNA teams was similarly riveting. The topic, “Peaceful living under a Muslim dictatorship is better than causing uncertainty through revolution” was well-grounded in current events, thus enriching the debate as contestants examined countries from around the globe including Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Libya. In many cases, opponents offered brief rejoinders to the point being made by the person speaking, formally called ‘points of information’ by the British parliament, keeping the audience on seat’s edge.

>> DEBATE Pg 13

Muaz Rahman, named overall top high school debate, carefully and eloquently lays out his arguments at the high school debate finals. Photo by Fatimah Waseem.

Community News

| 5July 1st - July 14th, 2011 COMMUNITY NEWS

>> REDISTRICTING Pg 13

Prince William County Redistricting Dilutes Minority Voting PowerBy Hiba AkhtarMuslim Link Staff Writter

For Muslims in Prince William County, redistricting is a term often heard but rarely understood. One Muslim Woodbridge, Va. resident summed it up well when he said, “redistricting... it’s always on the news but not something I need to know about. It doesn’t affect me.”

But the Virginia New Majority, an organization dedicated to the awareness and implementation of “pro-people policies,” would disagree with this outlook on the highly controversial issue. “This is an issue which affects all groups of people,” said VNM Deputy Director Tram Nguyen at an event dedicated to spreading the awareness of the redistricting issue last week. Executive Director Sandy

Close agreed. “If one minority group is put at a disadvantage, then really all minority groups are effected,” she said.

On June 13, the U.S. Department of Justice approved the new redistricting map proposed by officials in Prince William County, setting the stage for the needs of immigrants and minority populations in the county to be neglected and ignored for the next ten years. As minority Muslims, it is imperative that we educate ourselves on this issue and fully understand the role it plays in the future of our collective identity.

So what exactly is this issue anyway? Why is it controversial? Why should Muslim Americans care? According to New America Media, the issue stems from surges in the immigrant population

of Prince William County over the last decade. Since 2000, the Hispanic population increased by 204 percent, whereas the Asian population increased by 172 percent. A county which used to be predominantly white found itself abuzz with a flourishing immigrant and minority presence.

Every ten years, after the U.S. Census, elected officials come together to draw new political boundaries in each state to account for any changes in population. For the most part, these changes last until the next census takes place ten years later. The elected officials who draw these lines have the liberty to redistrict these political boundaries in a way which benefits them and keeps them in power, even to the disadvantage of the very people represented in these new districts. After

the lines are redrawn, the new redistricting map is submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice for approval, just two months before August primary elections.

In the case of Prince William County, the Department of Justice approved the final map submitted by the Board of County Supervisors in Prince William County, who all happen to be white. For the new map, the officials sliced and diced the county in such a way that stunts the voting power of those county areas which have a significant or majority immigrant or minority presence. For example, one new district, called Coles, covers a few areas around and in northern Manassas which

Washington National Cathedral Holds Interfaith ServiceBy Isaac Arnsdorf The Washington PostMonday, Jun 27, 2011

As worshipers entered Washington National Cathedral for Sunday morning’s service, some crossed themselves and some took photographs, some wore ties while others wore shorts and a few even wore yarmulkes.

In the center aisle, in place of the baptismal fountain, candle-lit stands bore three books: a Bible, a Torah and a Koran. When a visitor asked a nearby usher what to do, the usher replied: “This is a totally different service than what we usually do. There’s no wrong answer.”

Instead of Communion, the service featured readings from each of the three Abrahamic faiths, part of a project to promote religious tolerance through similar interfaith services at about 70 churches nationwide. The effort aimed to counteract negative stereotypes and hostile rhetoric targeting American Muslims in the past year, notably the controversy about plans for an Islamic center near Ground Zero in New York and the burning of a Koran by the Rev. Terry Jones in March in Florida.

“What we have done together in this great cathedral this morning, along with others in similar services in houses of worship across our nation, can alter the image and substance of our nation, as well as our religion,” said the Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, president of the Interfaith Alliance, one of the organizations that sponsored the project. “Today’s beautifully written liturgy, informed by Islam, Judaism and Christianity, declares unambiguously . . . we are not scripture burners, rather, scripture readers.”

A local rabbi and imam joined Gaddy and the cathedral’s Episcopal clergy on the dais to share their messages of mutual understanding and respect.

“For nearly a decade now, since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, we Americans have known without a doubt that any hope for a peaceful world will require profound engagement among the world’s religions,” cathedral Dean Samuel T. Lloyd III said.

The service began with a traditional call to prayer in the three religions’ terminology — a Hebrew “Bar’chu,” an Arabic “Azan” and a Latin “Spiritus Domini” — all sung in ethereal tones that swirled through the

cathedral’s soaring nave.

Then Rabbi Amy M. Schwartzman of Temple Rodef Shalom in Falls Church read a passage from Deuteronomy about showing kindness to strangers. Imam Mohamed Magid, the president of the Islamic Society of North America, chanted a passage from the Koran about the value of diversity.

“God could have made all of us look the same and go to the same temple or same church,” Magid explained. “But God willed that humans are diverse.”

Gaddy said he hoped the readings would underscore the commonalities among the three traditions, especially their shared message of tolerance and compassion.

“No one verse or one passage in any book of scripture should be allowed to hijack or hold hostage the central truth, the overarching as well as pervasive moral mandate, which emerges from the full sweep of truth in those books of scripture,” he said. “Cherry picking isolated texts . . . allows mean-spirited people to turn the scripture of our religions into weapons.”

Almost 1,000 people attended the service, an average turnout for a summer Sunday.

Among them were people actively involved in interfaith dialogue groups, as well as those who were surprised to find the Jewish and Muslim elements of the service.

Ken Bagley, who with his family was visiting the District from Connecticut, just happened upon Sunday’s service.

“It was a neat opportunity to hear all three perspectives in one service and to see how alike they are. You too often hear about how different,” Bagley said.

Alex Huddell, a 21-year-old student at American University, said she had never heard the Koran chanted, except “maybe in movies.”

“It was interesting and beautiful to listen, even if you didn’t understand, to the different rhythms and styles,” Huddell said. “I’m Christian, but I feel a lot of embarrassment about the way Christians sometimes marginalize other religions. So it’s nice to hear there are some leaders in the faith community who are trying to promote the same message of

>> INTERFAITH Pg 13


Silat Team Captures Over Twenty Trophies at DC TournamentBy Abdul-Malik AhmadMuslim Link Contributing Writer

One of the most exciting events for Al-Azhar Pencak Silat’s tournament team took place on June 18, 2011 in Sterling, Virginia.

The 2011Worldgate Open martial arts tournament consisted of hundreds of martial artist from around the DC area, and included competitors from well established schools such as Charlie Lee Karate, American Karate Academy, and more than a dozen other martial arts school. Styles included Karate, Taekwondo, Kungfu and many other styles.

Al-Azhar Silat team consisted of 12 competitors including Br. Terra Kurnia, one of the instructors in Pencak Silat. Abdul-Malik Ahmad, another of the senior instructors focused on preparing the students for the competition. Four younger members of the team had never competed in a tournament but were still placed to compete in an intermediate level division with up to a dozen competitors in each division.

Before the competition began, the Al-Azhar Silat team gathered together for a dua (prayer) for their success at the tournament. Silat (or more formally Pencak Silat), a martial art developed by Muslims of Malay heritage, is unfamiliar to many martial arts practitioners.

Al-Azhar Silat team competes at these tournaments against more well-known styles (Karate, Kungfu, Kickboxing, etc)

while being judged by practitioners of these styles.

Al-Hamdulillah, Al-Azhar Silat did very well. Hamza Ahmad, 9 years old, won two first place trophies in forms and sparring, and won 2nd place in sparring. Ahnaf Khan, 12, won first place in sparring and second place in forms. Fatiha Syed and Rayyan Syed, 8 and 6 years old respectively, won first place in sparring and forms respectively even though it was their first time competing. Julia Kurnia, a blue belt, won first place in continuous sparring against a black belt competitor. Overall the Al-Azhar Silat team won over 20 first, second and third place trophies.

Terra Kurnia competed in breaking, forms and weapons and won the grand championship in each of these divisions. The Al-Azhar Silat team was congratulated by many of their fellow competitors from other schools for their display of technique and skill at the tournament. Many individuals acknowledged they knew about Silat which is a positive indication that Silat is slowly growing in popularity in the USA.

Al-Azhar Silat is currently making plans to bring a full demo team from Indonesia to perform authentic Pencak Silat throughout the DC metro area in the fall, inshaAllah. To book the Indonesia Silat Demo team at an event or to learn about their tour schedule, please email [email protected] . To watch a video the Silat team in action, please go to www.silatva.com

The writer is an instructor at Al-Azhar Pencak Silat.

Dar Al Noor Fundraiser Paves Way For Parking Construction ProjectBy Fatimah WaseemMuslim Link Staff Reporter

Time was of the essence at the Dar-Al-Noor Community Center’s June 26, 2011 fundraiser as community members raised emergency funds for the masjid’s parking lot construction project.

In an email to the community, President Mohammad Mehboob urged brothers and sisters to support the masjid’s “effort

to avoid a shutdown of parking lot construction.”

The event, formally themed “Time is Of the Essence,” raised $91,700 of its $140,000 goal. The money will be used to finance phase four of the masjid’s five-phase project, which consists of asphalt paving, parking lights, and landscaping.

An estimated 250 community members attended the event, which began at 5:00

pm and ended at 8:30 pm. Food was donated by volunteers.

“It was beautiful,” event organizer Razi Ahmed told The Muslim Link as he reflected on how the community’s unity made the event come together. “The response has been generous… not just with the fundraising event,” said the event’s lead organizer and masjid treasurer, Ehsan Islam.

Parking problems have plagued the Manassas-based masjid since it opened in July 2007. Cars often overflowed into streets, igniting concerns among Prince William County residents.

“The situation was serious... money was needed,” Razi Ahmed recalled. Now, however, the outlook seems optimistic,

>> PROJECT Pg 13

Al-Azhar Pencak Silat, based in the Herndon area of Northern Virginia, has been growing steadily over the last several years. Top, the Al-Azhar Pencak Silat team poses with their trophies from the recent Worldgate Tournament. Bottom, the team supplicates to Allah for the best results. Photos courtesy of Al-Azhar Pencak Silat.


Aqabah Heads Home from VA with 12 MedalsBy Wendy DiazMuslim Link Staff Reporter

After much-needed fun in the sun and 12 medals won, Aqabah Karate headed back home on Sunday, June 26, 2011 from the annual National Championships at Virginia Beach, VA, hosted by the United States Goodwill Tang Soo Do Association and the World Dang Soo Do Union.

Nine participants from Aqabah Karate and their families traveled four hours to charming Virginia Beach, looking forward not only to the biggest USGTSDA/WDU tournament of the year, but also to a relaxing weekend at the seashore. The nine participants – ranging in age from 7 years to adult – brought home 3 gold medals, 5 silver medals, and 4 bronze medals.

The 2011 National Championships were held from Friday, June 24th to Saturday, June 25th on the campus of Virginia Wesleyan College in a 137,000 square foot facility. There was plenty of room for spectators and competitors to gather and it was a smooth, well-organized competition. It began with a ceremony to welcome the crowd and recognize the organizers, participants, and many high-ranking masters of traditional Tang Soo Do.

In a historic twist, during the ceremony Aqabah Karate received their framed Studio Certification directly from USGTSDA founders Grandmaster Steven Voelker and Grandmaster David Sgro. The certificate states: “Aqabah Karate, College Park, MD is a member in good standing of the Unites States Goodwill Tang Soo Do Association and is hereby recognized with Branch Certification of the United States Goodwill Tang Soo Do Association. This Registered Studio shall hereon be entitled to all of the honors, rights, and privileges as a registered member of the United States Goodwill Tang Soo Do Association.”

The certification is an official recognition for the hard work and dedication Aqabah Karate has demonstrated to their fellow Tang Soo Do practitioners. It is an added bonus to the already-established and escalating martial arts program at Dar-us-Salaam. “I think it gives validity and legitimacy to Aqabah. The fact that we are part of a bigger organization makes our studio more official and now we have new resources to depend on,” says Instructor Hernán Guadalupe. An example of this is Grandmaster Song Ki Kim’s upcoming visit to the studio July 30,, 2011. Kim is one of the earliest trainees of Tang Soo Do and now possesses a 9th Degree Black

Belt in the art.

Once the competition began, the Aqabah Karate team members spread out and ventured into their respective areas to compete in forms and sparring, once again capturing numerous medals and stepping up to the podium for proud parents and family members to take pictures. It was a quick tournament with many victories and satisfied faces. For supporters and contenders, the excitement

was multiplied by the anticipation of a possible celebration at the beach or other touristic spot that Virginia Beach had to offer.

Ayesha Akhtar, wife of Aqabah Karate founder and instructor Muhib Rahman, said, “It was a very long drive for us, but after the tournament and being able to spend time at the beach with my family, we realized it was all worth it.”

On right, Talha Muhib goes for his opponent’s head in a sparring match. Talha won first place in forms and second place in sparring in his division. Photo courtesy of Aqabah Karate.

MAS Freedom announcement signed by head of the Human and Civil Rights program Ibrahim Ramey did not cite Bray’s condition as a reason for the closure of MAS Freedom.

Over the last 10 years, MAS Freedom’s work included advocacy for such causes as worker’s rights and fair wages, discriminated Muslim employees and those unjustly detained or barred from travel by federal immigration agencies, and anti-nuclear proliferation. Mahdi Bray also hosted a radio call-in show called the “Crescent Report”. In addition, MAS Freedom Foundation took part in dozens of protests against the occupation of Palestine and other causes around the Muslim world. “It has been a blessing and honor from

Allah Subhanahu wa ta’ala, over the last

eight years, to work in defense of the human and civil rights of Muslims in America and throughout the world, and to

advance social justice work for all human beings, everywhere. All of us owe our highest thanks to Imam Mahdi Bray for his visionary leadership in creating the MAS Freedom program and guiding us in our commitment to work, and struggle, for justice,” wrote Ramey. “Rest assured that all of us a MAS Freedom remain committed to the work and vision of the Muslim American Society. We thank all those brothers and sisters in Islam who have worked for MAS Freedom over the years. We thank our friends and colleagues in the peace and human rights community of the United States of America who have stood shoulder to shoulder with the Muslim community, especially in the perilous times over the past ten years. And we thank MAS and our Muslim community for all of the encouragement and support that we have received over the years,” the letter stated.

MAS>> continued from pg 1

Mahdi Bray representing the MAS Freedom Foundation at a past event at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The last several years has seen dozens of press conferences organized as a collaborative effort by MAS Freedom, CAIR, and other local and national advocacy organizations on a variety of hot issues. Internet photo.


ISWA Showcases Diversity at International Bazaar

The Islamic Society of the Washington Area (ISWA) in Silver Spring, Maryland held its annual International Bazaar on Sunday, June 26, 2011. The event showcases the diversity of ISWA and the Muslim community at large. Volunteerism is a bedrock value at ISWA, and the International Bazaar is organized by the ISWA Sister’s Committee. All photos by Cardiff Andana.

Bibi Homed offers some freshly made Caribbean style “daal puri roti” to a shopper. Homed said all the baked goods including pastries, breads, and spongy Caribbean style fruitcake with raisins, prunes, cherries, and nuts were made in the homes of volunteers. “We sold out … and all the money goes to ISWA,” said Homed, who volunteers at the bazaar each year.

Hajja Rahma vends her colorful clothing at “Rahma’s Store”. Bargains on Islamic and cultural clothing for both men and women are always an attraction at ISWA’s International Bazaar.

“It’s our policy to have ISWA open to all. We want to give everyone an opportunity to celebrate and vend and get together,” said Imam Faizal Khan. Diversity and inclusion are values ISWA’s leadership actively promotes. Imam Faizul takes part in many inter-faith projects as part of ISWA’s bridge building efforts with the surrounding communities.

The flags of nations around the world welcome visitors to the ISWA International Bazaar. ISWA has significant numbers of members from African nations like Ghana and Caribbean nations like Trinidad and Tobago.

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UMBC Student Found Dead Had Planned to Graduate in AugustBy Penny Riordan and Nikki GamerCatonsville Patch – June 27, 2011

Salmaan Sultan was an economics major who had planned to graduate in August from UMBC and was commuting from his home in Ellicott City

over the summer to attend classes.

Sultan was found dead in Baltimore Monday after police said he jumped from a parking garage near Port Discovery in the downtown area. He was last been seen by his family on June 24, leaving his house on the 3500 block of Coventry Court Drive in Ellicott City. Howard County Police had issued a missing person alert for him last week.

In a letter to the campus community Monday afternoon, President Freeman Hrabowski said Sultan had lived on campus since 2007. He was active in campus life as a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and the UMBC club tennis team—memberships that Hrabowski said his family said he was proud of.

Sultan was an articulate writer who wrote a blog for a short while. In his first blog entry dated Sept. 5, 2007, he wrote about his background and his ambitions in life.

According to his blog, Sultan was born in San Diego but moved to Howard County with his family when his father got a job with a local company. He attended grade school in Howard County and was passionate about tennis. He also held part-time work as a DJ, and at a J Crew clothing store.

He noted he was interested in learning about d i fferent forms of media communication and that he hoped to eventually attend graduate school and earn a master’s degree.

Sultan also wrote that he knew Howard County really well and could show people the best places to go.

“If anyone ends up visiting Howard County in the near future I can steer you around pretty well,” he wrote.

According to his blog, among Sultan’s relatives are two brothers and a sister.

Sultan’s last blog entry is dated Oct. 19, 2007.

------------------------------------------------In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

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that were present and witnesses felt that the hearing was important and necessary, however, divisions were clear between those who felt the hearing was discriminatory at its root and those – like King – who felt the hearing was important to national security.

Much of the two and a half hour hearing focused on the vetting system for Muslim chaplains as well as the types of religious materials inmates are able to access. Some speakers used the term “Prislam” to describe the manner in which prisoners practice Islam, as well as the growing trend to convert in prison. Witnesses also testifi ed that many prisoners become Muslim as a way to receive the protection offered by the larger group.

When Carroll Malik from Muslim Chaplain Services of Virginia was asked about the radicalization of Muslims in prisons he said “there is a potential for that to happen in prisons” because inmates have limited access to Islamic knowledge and the state of Virginia has only a few volunteer Muslim chaplains. He also said that we “need qualifi ed chaplains”. When asked whether Muslim converts in prisons have a different view of Islam than people who converted outside of prisons Malik replied “probably” because

of the lack of resources inmates receive. Malik cited budget cuts in the prison system as a contributing factor to a lack of chaplains and educational options for Muslim inmates.

During the hearing Representative Bennie Thompson (Dem-Miss) said the “risk of terrorism originating from Muslim converts is small” based on the facts and the committee should look at other issues instead of focusing on one religion. “Clearly the willingness to use violence [to] undermine order” is not dependent on religious affi liations, said Representative Thompson. Like other Democrats on the committee, Thompson tried to broaden the reach of the hearing by saying the nation needs to focus on prisoners re-integrating into society upon release so they don’t commit crimes again.

Other members had similar responses such as Representative Hansen Clarke (Dem-Mic) who said that talking about how to change the sentencing process is a good step to fi xing the process “but to put it in the context of Islam distracts us”. Witness Michael Downing, the commanding officer of the Counter-Terrorism and Special Operations Bureau of the Los Angeles Police Department, shared similar remarks, saying federal security should “not profi le people but profi le behavior”.

Chairman King became hostile when Congress member Laura Richardson

(Dem-CA) asked him to look at terrorist groups as a whole instead of focusing on one specifi c group. King also said “Countering Islamic radicalization should not be a partisan issue”. King also questioned the Democrats on the committee, asking them why they had not brought up the issues of white supremacists and other hate groups in the prison system while they had control of the House of Representatives, choosing to bring these other groups up only at King’s hearing on Muslim Americans. “Countering Islamic radicalization should not be a partisan issue,” King said. In a confrontation similar to the fi rst King hearing on “Radicalization in the US Muslim Community”, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee (Dem-TX) shot back “information is welcome, condemnation is not.”

One major issue that was repeatedly brought up was the vetting system especially for religious materials made available to the inmates. Witnesses and Republican committee members said inmates can get almost any type of “jihadist literature” in prisons. When Chris Burke, the Public Affairs Specialist at the Federal Bureau of Prisons, was asked to describe the process by which materials are vetted before they reach inmates, he said the mail room staff read over the materials and the prison offi cials also scan it for contraband.

Burke also commented on the methods

by which “Muslim radicals” and gangs try to recruit members. He said the method that Muslim inmates use to try to convert people is similar to a gang trying to recruit members because both try to “convince other people that their way of life is better”.

Cory Saylor from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) said the talk of radicalization of Muslims in prisons is a distraction from other faults in the prison system, adding that Peter King decided to make the hearings on one specifi c group “for his own political gain”. Saylor also said if the hearing was broad based then it would have been benefi cial.

One Muslim from Howard County, Maryland who used to volunteer in a maximum and medium security Maryland state prison said the King hearings were “a sham”.

“Anyone who interacts with [Muslim prisoners] knows just how far Islam has changed them for the better. People who were robbers and killers, terrorizing city streets are now well mannered, law-abiding people who want nothing more than to live simply, raise a family, and engage themselves in study and worship. What better infl uence can be introduced into the prison system than Islam?” said the former volunteer who requested anonymity.

KING>> continued from pg 1

Muslim Law Group Submits Letter Opposing King Hearing on Muslim American Prisoners

The following excerpts are from a letter submitted to the House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security by Muslim Advocates, a national legal advocacy and educational organization founded and run by Muslim lawyers across the nation, in response to the Committee’s hearing on “The Threat of Muslim-American Radicalization in U.S. Prisons” held on June 15, 2011. The statement was submitted for the congressional record. – TML

“Despite the multitude and range of pressing national security issues facing our country, this Committee continues

to expend valuable time and resources by holding hearings that single out and focus entirely on one faith community, American Muslims. Indeed, today’s hearing on the threat of American Muslim radicalization in U.S. prisons is being held despite a lack of evidence that former or current American Muslim prisoners poses a special or particular threat. As a result, this Committee is poised to perpetuate and exacerbate hate and prejudice towards American Muslims, specifi cally American Muslim prisoners. “As with this Committee’s prior hearing

on the “radicalization” of American Muslims, this hearing does not feature witnesses that are the best situated to speak to the topic. The Committee has called no current officials from the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Department of Justice, or any other state or federal prison system. Offi cials from these agencies are most knowledgeable about potential threats from prisoners and whether current conditions in the prison system give rise to national security concerns.

“Rather than rely on facts and experts, the testimony of three of the witnesses

focuses on isolated, anecdotal instances of violent extremism by former or current inmates who are Muslim. This anecdotal testimony also makes broad unsubstantiated statements about the propensity of American Muslim prisoners towards violence. These statements are made without context of the threat of recidivism and violent extremism by all former or current inmates, regardless of faith or ideological background.

>> LETTER Pg 11


“Furthermore, as Bert Useem, the fourth witness and a professor of sociology who has actually studied the U.S. prison system, concludes, “U.S. prisons are not systematically generating a terrorist threat to the U.S. homeland.”

“The witness testimony does not demonstrate that Muslim prisoners pose a special or unique threat to our nation’s security that would warrant an exclusive congressional hearing. In fact, many of the plots discussed by the witnesses in their testimony as examples of Muslims who are being “radicalized” in prison, are akin to criminal activities organized and executed by white supremacist groups and street gangs – all groups that exploit and capitalize on the prison environment. As it would be inappropriate to hold a congressional hearing targeting the entire faith, ethnic or racial communities of Neo-Nazi prison gang or drug cartel members, so too is it inappropriate to extrapolate the criminal activity of a few Muslim prisoners onto the larger

American Muslim prison population and all American Muslims.

“This hearing will only feed the public’s fear and bias against American Muslims. Last year our nation experienced a marked increase in anti-Muslim sentiment, which continues to rise as American Muslims are targeted for scrutiny by politicians and officials looking for political gain.

“This anti-Muslim bigotry has real life and death consequences for Muslims and those perceived to be Muslim. American Muslims have been subjected to hate crimes and violence, including vandalism and arson of mosques, physical attacks, bullying of American Muslim children in schools, and attempted murder.

“American Muslim prisoners are not immune to this anti-Muslim sentiment and discriminatory targeting. Last year, the Center for Constitutional Rights (“CCR”) filed a lawsuit on behalf of Muslim federal prisoners challenging Communication Management Units – prisoner units designed to isolate and segregate certain prisoners, banning them

from any physical contact with visitors and severely restricting communication with other prisoners and individuals on the outside.

“Approximately 60-70 percent of the prisoners held in these units are Muslim, despite Muslims representing only 6 percent of the general federal prison population. CCR found that many prisoners are sent to these units for exercising constitutionally protected religious beliefs or unpopular political views, based on stereotypes, political scapegoating and religious profiling.

“This hearing will only perpetuate the myth that American Muslim prisoners pose a special threat to our national security and prison system that would justify discriminatory treatment.

“Additionally, we are concerned that focusing on American Muslim prisoners casts a net of suspicion that will follow them upon release, making their reentry and reintegration into society that much more difficult. Rehabilitation and reentry programs are vital for a

prisoner’s successful reintegration after incarceration, with faith based reentry programs and social and religious networks providing important resources for many prisoners. That is why unsubstantiated assertions that most of the programs for Muslims transitioning out of the prison system are sponsored by mosques with extremists leanings are detrimental; they cast suspicion on both the prisoner and the faith community that is helping decrease the chance of recidivism.

“Congress has a solemn duty to wield its power responsibly and take great care when spotlighting an issue for inquiry. Providing a public, government platform where erroneous and inflammatory views are promoted is not without consequence. The American public takes cues from Congress, and generating fear and hysteria can lead to hate-motivated crimes, harassment and discrimination. We urge the Committee to refrain from holding further hearings that single out a group of Americans based on their religious faith, and instead focus on serious examinations of the real threats to our national security.”

LETTER>> continued from pg 10

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dire need for full-time youth counselors and coordinators, yet very few are prepared to spend money on hiring qualifi ed full-time youth coordinators.

Acevedo, who lives in Maryland, is well

known for his counseling and educational programs for youth, particularly teenage youth. Along with long-time friend Ilyas Liggins, Acevedo ran several successful adventure camps for area youth involving hiking, white water rafting, and other sporting activities.

A masters degree holder in education, Acevedo is also a former vice-principal

of Al-Huda School in College Park, Maryland, a former Principal of the Washington Islamic Academy, and he also founded and ran an academic mentoring program called Al-Andalus. During the past two years, Acevedo worked as an administrator at a school for at-risk youth.

“We are very excited to work with brother

Jose Acevedo. He has shown great interest in our youth and the community as a whole. The Dar Al-Hijrah community is blessed to have someone who is as dedicated as brother Jose around our youth,” said the statement from Dar Al-Hijrah.

YOUTH>> continued from pg 1

RamadhanA Primer on the Month of Fasting from Your Muslim American Neighbors

Muslims around the world are abstaining from food and drink for an entire month. This special month in the 12-month Islamic calendar is called Ramadhan. During this month, your Muslim neighbors, friends, and co-workers are trying to focus on their relationship with their Creator. On top of their work or school schedule, Muslim Americans are spending their days fasting and their evenings at their houses of wor-ship praying and doing charitable work.

This special newsletter will help you understand what Ramadhan is all about.

Understanding

RamadhanUnderstanding

RamadhanRamadhanUnderstanding

“No thank you, I’m Fasting”}

from food and drink for an entire month. This special month in the 12-month Islamic calendar is called Ramadhan. During this month, your Muslim neighbors, friends, and co-workers are trying to focus on their relationship with their Creator. On top of their work or school schedule, Muslim Americans are spending their days fasting and their evenings at their houses of wor-ship praying and doing charitable work.

This special newsletter will help you understand what Ramadhan is all about.

INSIDE:• Why do Muslims Fast?

• Ramadhan – the Month of the Qur’an

• Frequently Asked Questions

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• Why do Muslims Fast?

• Ramadhan – the Month of the Qur’an

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• Frequently Asked Questions

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The Muslim Link aims to print and insert 6000 copies of a Ramadan

Primer for our non-Muslim neighbors this coming Ramadan.

Call 301-982-1020 to help fund this effort.

EACH ONE

REACH ONE.


DEBATE>> continued from pg 4

As the finals came to an end, judges locked in their scores. Teams representing MUNA, a Bang ladesh i Mus l im organization from Baltimore, crushed the competition, winning first place in middle and high school levels. The overall best high school debater, the most prestigious individual honor, was awarded to Muaz Rahman, a contestant also representing MUNA. Maryam Ahmad, representing Al-Fatih Academy, was named top middle school debater. Both contestants received Kindles for their achievements while first to fourth place teams received gift

certificates for the Islamic Bookstore in Baltimore, Maryland.

As contestants and family poured out of the main hall, participant Mona Hagmajid, representing Al-Fatih Academy in Sterling, Virginia, remarked, “Not everyone has the opportunity to engage on such an intellectual and social level with other [masajid] teams.” She remained behind to snap a few pictures with her peers, most of whom were from masajid far from hers. Teams came from as far as Fairfax, Baltimore, and Ellicott City, representing over seven masajid.

Under the guidance of longstanding lead instructor Faiza Alvi, the competition has improved greatly since its debut in

2006 where only two teams entered. Several days before the debate Alvi delivered workshops to educate judges and competitors on the particulars of the competition. Alvi, though impressed by the growth, remarked, “There’s still more room to grow.” The competition is in need of more professional judges, more high school level competitors, and more developed arguments, she added.

Kashif Munir, head of judging affairs, emphasized the importance of such forums. “We encourage our youth to participate in these forums to be better communicators – better speakers, better writers, better thinkers,” he said.

“Given the current social and political

climate of the United States, the American Muslim community is coming under increasing scrutiny, and we are in great need of articulate, active brothers and sisters who are able to positively represent their faith in society,” said Mostafiz Choudhury, the event coordinator for Mafiq’s growing Essay Panel Competition (EPC).

It is with this hope the Mafiq Foundation’s 5th annual debate competition began. The flip of a coin set it into motion, and by day’s end heads – the power of intellectual and rational thought – came out on top once again.

acceptance.”

Pete Carlson, a member of the cathedral’s

congregation, said he was inspired by the service and hopes to attend more interfaith events.

“It was even more moving than the normal service here on Sunday,” Carlson said. “It felt like we were a part of something much

bigger and much older.”

Lloyd, the cathedral’s dean, said a Muslim reading also will be part of the cathedral’s memorial service for the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

------------------------------------------------In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes.

INTERFAITH>> continued from pg 5

have strong concentrations of Hispanics and blacks. Two other surrounding districts cover other such neighborhoods. If these minority-rich neighborhoods were grouped together, rather than split between three districts, the voting population for the Hispanics and blacks who make up much of the region would be over 50 percent. Under the new map, this voting power is diluted between

these two districts, and this set up will remain at least until the next U.S. Census, in 2020.

For a Muslim American, this gives way to the outlook on the issue already voiced by a Prince William County Muslim resident- “doesn’t affect me.” Why should the Muslim population care? According to Rafi Ahmed, who serves as vice president of the Muslim Association of Virginia and vice chair of the Council of Muslim Organizations, the Muslim community in Prince William County absolutely

should. The Muslim Association of Virginia has a strong relationship with county officials and has worked with them before by participating in fundraising events, holding voter registration drives after jumah prayers, and explaining the meaning and nature of sharia law to state leaders.

Ahmed says it is this kind of proactive political dialog, electoral participation, and awareness of local issues, including redistricting, which will ultimately benefit the Muslim population of Prince

William County in the long run. “We need to embrace this country and truly become involved,” said Ahmed. “Muslim [leaders] needs to stand up and make their presence known.” According to Ahmed, being politically aware and involved is how county leaders will be motivated enough to make the welfare of Muslims an issue of concern when making political decisions or redrawing district boundaries. Establishing a relationship with local and state government should be a priority issue for Muslims across the country, he said.

REDISTRICTING>> continued from pg 5

Islam stated.

According to its website, the masjid is building 327 parking lot spaces using state of the art technology utilized for

underground storm water management. The project also features an entrance designed to ensure smooth and safe traffic flow. The masjid currently has only one entrance, used for both entering and exiting the premises.

“The county has been extremely helpful to complete this project. We have received

very strong support,” said Ahmad. The masjid hopes to raise the remaining $48,000 during Ramadan iftars, he added.

By community request, donations raised from last year’s construction project fundraiser were sent to aid Pakistan flood victims. This April, the masjid launched a

campaign designed to encourage people to sponsor parking spaces. “Alhamdullillah, we are on track,” Islam said.

The current expansion plan calls for parking spaces to be added during the coming months.

PROJECT>> continued from pg 6

July 1st - July 14th, 201114 | CIVIL RIGHTS

Civil RightsCivil RightsCivil RightsNew FBI Powers Push Privacy BoundsBy Fatimah WaseemMuslim Link Staff Writer

The Federal Bureau of Investigations expanded its domestic surveillance powers, granting agents more leeway to investigate people and organizations without predication of suspected criminal activity.

The new rules allow agents to proactively search private databases, infiltrate organizations, and use surveillance teams, the FBI’s latest operations manual details.

“It’s what you hear about in movies,” said Scott Crow, a self-described anarchist and anti-corporation political activist, in Democracy Now’s June 14, 2011 report on the issue.

Crow is among dozens of political activists across the country targeted by the FBI’s ballooning powers.

In 2008, Attorney General Michael Mukasey altered Department of Justice guidelines to create a category of investigations called “assessments,” allowing no factual basis for suspecting persons of criminal or terrorist activity. However, agents were required to open an inquiry prior to launching an investigation.

Now, agents may search databases without making a record of their decision.

Agents will also have increased latitude to search people’s trash, a technique specifically designed to pressure individuals into becoming informants. Trash often contains derogatory material, helpful for coercing an individual against neighbors or co-workers.

Agents have asked for that power in part because they want the ability to use information found in a subject’s trash to put pressure on that person to assist the government in the investigation of others. But Caproni said information gathered that way could also be useful for other reasons, such as determining whether the

subject might pose a threat to agents.

“The guidelines [have] so loosened the standards for FBI investigations that they’re basically nonexistent,” Mike German, a former FBI agent specializing in domestic counterterrorism and now lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) told Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman in the June 14 interview.

However, Valeria Caproni, the FBI General counsel, affi rmed the constitutionality and legal justifi cations of the FBI’s changes. “Each proposed change has been carefully looked at and considered,” she said in an offi cial statement to the The New York Times.

Crow’s kafkaesque tale of being on the receiving end of government spying was unveiled when a 440 page document, requested through the Freedom of Information Act, revealed he was the focus of an intense FBI investigation.

Agents set up a video camera outside of his home, recorded the arrival and departure of guests, searched his trash for bank and mortgage companies, and attempted to force the IRS to charge him with tax evasion.

“The FBI was opening these investigations with what they called factually weak predicates, sometimes even speculative predicates,” German told Democracy Now.

Uncovering such encroachments on privacy has become increasingly diffi cult, German continued. “The FBI and the Department of Justice have been interpreting a portion of the Freedom of Information act to allow them to falsely say they do not have responsive documents when they do,” he said.

While the battle may be tough and the fear gripping, the need to combat such unjustifi ed government spending is of paramount importance, German and Crow told Democracy Now.

German said, “[It] cripples people’s ability to be effective in their advocacy… [and] has a real serious effect on our democracy.”

“If we don’t come out and be open about this, then they’ve already won, and… the ‘war on terror’ wins against us,” Crow warned.

Caproni, the FBI General counsel, maintained that the changes are nothing but “fi ne tuning.”

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By Altaf Husain

You know the routine. Your body goes into shock the fi rst day of Ramadan.All of a sudden, one morning you wake up before the time for Fajr Prayer, devour your food up until the last second before the time for FajrPrayer comes in, pray your Fajr Prayer, and then, before anyone can say “Ramadan mubarak,” you’re back under your warm covers, dreaming about iftar. When you wake back up later that morning and go about your day, your body is in shock. It has no idea why all of a sudden you won’t quench your thirst. Or why you won’t grab that candy bar—you know, the one with the layers of chocolate, then caramel, then peanuts, then more chocolate, and yes, a wafer somewhere in-between. Your mouth waters, you are salivating uncontrollably, and yet you know you can’t eat because it’s Ramadan and you’re fasting!

That’s right, somehow you forgot to warn your body that for the next month you’d be experiencing a special routine of praying, fasting, reading the Qur’an, being more generous, and exercising self-restraint. News fl ash: Ramadan is but a few days away and we all need to start getting ready! So take this as a friendly reminder and begin to set aside Monday and Thursday, in the tradition of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), to keep fast. We are reminded by the Prophet’s wife`A’ishah that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) “used to fast for so long that we thought he would never stop fasting, and he would go without fasting for so long that we thought he would never fast again. I never saw the Messenger of Allah, may Allah

Want to know for sure something is a sin? I don’t mean missing Fajr prayer, or back-biting. These are clearly bad. No, I mean the things that you habitually do, that you kinda know might, perhaps, just m a a a a y b e wrong… but y o u r m i n d s o m e h o w makes okay. The litmus test: the month of Ramadan. If you feel truly uneasy doing this deed in Ramadan, it’s most likely a sin. If you have the self-control to give it up

completely, masha’Allah, it’s 99.9999% likely a sin, or at the very least, a waste of your precious time. So, really, let’s reflect on that for a

moment. If the above is true, then we should ideally never resume committing those doubtful a c t s a f t e r R a m a d a n , right? I mean, what’s a sin in Ramadan,

is still a sin on Eid day, and onwards still.

>> CLOSER Pg 18 >> RAMADAN Pg 20

Abû Dharr al-Ghifârî and Mu`âdh b, Jabal relate that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Fear Allah wherever you are. Follow up a bad deed with a good deed and it will blot it out. And deal with people in a good manner.” [ Sunan al-Tirmidhî ]

The importance of this hadith:

Ibn Rajab says: “This is powerful advice, bringing together the rights of Allah and the rights of His servants.”

The fear of Allah

The Arabic word for the “fear of Allah” is taqwâ . It comes from the root word meaning “to protect from something, to prevent”. Indeed, a person exhibits the fear of Allah by seeking to prevent Allah’s punishment by carrying out what Allah

has commanded of him and abstaining from what Allah has prohibited him.

Allah had called upon all people in every era to fear Him. Allah says: “And We had enjoined upon those who were given the Scripture before – as well as yourselves – to fear Allah.” [ Sûrah al-Nisâ’ : 131]

It is Allah’s right over His servants that they fear Him as He ought to be feared. Allah says: “O you who believe! Fear

Allah as He ought to be feared and do not die except as believers.” [ Sûrah Âl `Imrân : 102]

Ibn Mas`ûd explained what it means to fear Allah as He ought to be feared by saying: “It means that He is to be obeyed not disobeyed, remembered not forgotten, and shown gratitude not ingratitude.”

The fear of Allah is the path to forgiveness, salvation, and the attainment of Allah’s

mercy. Allah says:

“Indeed, Allah is with those who fear Him and those who do good.” [ Sûrah al-Nahl : 128]

“And My mercy encompasses all things, and I shall decree it for those who fear Me.” [ Sûrah al-A`râf : 156]

“He is worthy of being feared and worthy of granting forgiveness.” [ Sûrah al-Muddaththir : 56]

“And whoever fears Allah – He will pardon him his sins and grant him a great reward.” [ Sûrah al-Talâq : 5]

“Indeed, those who fear Allah will be

IslamFearing Allah and Good Manners

Drawing Closer to Allah in Ramadan

Ramadan: The Ultimate Sin-o-Meter

“Fear Allah wherever you are. Follow up a bad deed with a good deed and it will blot it out. And deal with people in a good manner.” [ Sunan al-Tirmidhî ]

>> MANNERS Pg 19


Interested and qualifi ed candidates should email a cover letter and a resume to offi [email protected]

WASHINGTON ISLAMIC ACADEMY

JOB OPENINGS4th Grade Home Room TeacherJob Type: Full Time position

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES• Planning and implementing les-

sons, develop lesson plans that support project based learning ensuring attainment of grade-by-grade regulated learning standards. Willingness to be held accountable for student results.

• Teach language arts, social stud-ies, mathematics, science, art, health, and physical education to students using appropriate learn-ing activities.

• Create lesson plans and in-structional materials to provide individualized and small group in-struction adapting the curriculum according to VA SOL standards.

• Foster student’s behavioral stan-dard to achieve a group learning atmosphere in the classroom and be able to differentiate student’s instruction.

• Evaluate students’ progress, keep records, and prepare semester progress reports to communicate with parents to discuss student’s progress.

• Cooperate with staff members to assess students in solving learn-ing problems and participate in curriculum development programs as required.

• Requisition books / instructional aids and maintain classroom inventory records.

• Knowledge of cultural difference of students and ability to incorpo-rate differences into teaching.

• Decorating and maintaining the classroom.

• Follow all State Health requirements.

Language Arts Teacher for 6th-8th GradeJob Type: Part Time position

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES• Planning and implementing

lessons, develop lesson plans that support project based learning ensuring attainment of grade-by-grade regulated learning standards. Willingness to be held accountable for student results.

• Ability to teach Language Arts to students using appropriate learn-ing activities.

• Create lesson plans and in-structional materials to provide individualized and small group instruction and be able to differentiate student’s instruction adapting the curriculum accord-ing to VA SOL standards.

• Foster student’s behavioral standard to achieve a group learning atmosphere in the classroom.

• Evaluate students’ progress, keep records, and prepare semester progress reports to communicate with parents to discuss student’s progress.

• Cooperate with staff members to assess students in solving learn-ing problems and participate in curriculum development programs as required.

• Requisition books / instructional aids and maintain classroom inventory records.

• Knowledge of cultural difference of students and ability to incorpo-rate differences into teaching.

• Decorating and maintaining the classroom

• Follow all State Health requirements.

Elementary/Middle School PrincipalDESCRIPTION OF POSITIONWashington Islamic Academy seeks a candidate for Principal who is competent, organized, and willing to lead our school to excel-lence, insha Allah. The candidate should be an excellent manager, communicator, mentor, and instruc-tional leader. We are looking for someone who can lead the students Islamically and academically. The candidate must possess strong pub-lic relations and networking skills.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES• Responsible for the day-to-day

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and curriculum direction.• Model and scaffold instructional

strategies for teachers.• Manage staff, focus on profes-

sional development.• Lead school marketing and

enrollment efforts.• Maintain regular communication

with parents.• Establish strong relationship with

Fairfax County Schools.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITSWe offer a competitive salarypackage that is commensurate tothe candidate’s experience.

REQUIREMENTS• Master’s in Education,

Educational Administration and/or Curriculum and Instruction

• Certifi ed teacher• 3+ years teaching experience• 3 years of experience as

Principal/Asst. Principal

Washington Islamic Academy, 4806 Edsall Rd. Alexandria, VA 22312Phone: (571) 366 9001 | Fax: (703) 941 6279 | www.wiaschool.org

Elementary/Middle School Assistant Principal

DESCRIPTION OF POSITIONThe candidate should be an excellent manager, communicator, mentor, and instructional leader. Candidate must display a strong Islamic character. The candidate must possess strong public relations and networking skills.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES• Responsible for the day-to-day

running of the school with the principal.

• Communicate effectively with board of directors.

• Focus on academic achievement and curriculum direction.

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• Manage staff, focus on profes-sional development.

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• Establish strong relationship with Fairfax County Schools.

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July 1st - July 14th, 2011 18 | ISLAM

bless him and grant him peace, fast for a complete month except for Ramadan, and I never saw him do more fasting in any one month than he did in Sha`ban” (Muwatta of Imam Malik, Book 18, Number 18.22.56).

It is beneficial to begin with a reminder about the significance of Ramadan from the Qur’an itself. Allah tells us in the Qur’an: [the month of Ramadan in which the Qur’an was revealed, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance of the Criterion between right and wrong. So whosoever of you sights the crescent for the month of Ramadan, he must fast that month] (Al-Baqarah 2:185). Based on this verse alone, we learn that

1. The Qur’an was revealed in the month of Ramadan.2. The Qur ’an is a guidance for mankind.3. It provides clear proofs for the guidance of the criterion between right and wrong.4. Once the crescent for the month of Ramadan is sighted, we have to fast that month.

Among the countless blessings associated with Ramadan,one that should not escape us is the fact that Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed. This beautiful book of guidance is ours, so let us strive this coming Ramadan to draw closer to Allah by increasing our reading of the Qur’an and increasing our voluntary prayers. This month is blessed because of the countless opportunities we have to mention the name of Allah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stated that “no people gather in a house from the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it amongst themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelops them, the angels surround them, and Allah mentions them to those that are with Him” (Sahih Muslim).

Reading the Qur’an

Think back to this past year, all the way back to last Ramadan. What has been your relationship with the Qur’an? How often were you reading the Qur’an? What efforts did you make to memorize

portions of the Qur’an? What specific surahs or verses had an impact on you this past year? Take some time to write down your responses to these questions as you prepare for Ramadan. Be frank with yourself because the responses are known only to you and Allah. Let your responses also be a checkpoint of some sort so that you can compare them with this Ramadan. Ramadan presents to all of us an opportunity to develop a personal routine as a result of efforts of maximizing self-restraint and enhancing self-development.

Why exactly is it important that we spend time reading the Qur’an? First, in Ramadan the mood around us is very advantageous for reading and reflection. Throughout the year, we might read on our own, sometimes in a rush, sometimes heedlessly. In Ramadan people are trying to complete reading the entire Qur’an in one month. In addition, abstaining from food and drink helps us to suppress our lowly desires in pursuit of higher level,

intellectual and spiritual desires such that we can actually reflect upon the meaning of the verses we are reading from the Qur’an. That reflection is intended to help us to internalize the teachings of the Qur’an to the degree that all aspects of our lives are aligned with those teachings.

Second, reading the Qur’an consistently in one month also helps us to establish a routine that we can use throughout the year, which has direct and practical implications on our daily lives. Think about routine activities such as eating and drinking or speaking and sleeping.

It is possible to imagine that in a state of hunger and thirst, one might be prone to be cranky or end up feeling a little impatient with people. But both Qur’anic teachings and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) direct us to focus on higher-level benefits of fasting.

One of the benefits that the Qur’an tells us of is that fasting helps us to strengthen our consciousness of Allah, and without that state of consciousness we could be prone to human error. But

combining physical self-restraint with reading and internalizing the teachings of the Qur’an allows us to attain ultimate consciousness of Allah. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) teaches us that “fasting is not merely abstaining from eating and drinking. Rather, it is also abstaining from ignorant and indecent speech. So if anyone abuses or behaves ignorantly with you, then say: I am fasting, I am fasting” (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah and Al-Hakim,

who authenticated it).

Finally, reading the Qur’an helps us to reinforce and review passages that we might have already memorized or passages that we are attempting to memorize. It is ascertained that during each Ramadan, the angel Jibreel used to review the Qur’an with Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). And in the last Ramadan that the Prophet observed, we know that Jibreel reviewed the Qur’an twice. There is a clear emphasis being placed on repetition and review as a source of reinforcing the retention of the

Qur’an. Develop a system to record what passages you are reading, which ones you are reviewing, and which ones you are memorizing. In sha’ Allah, by the end of Ramadan you will have a solid account of how well you performed!

Increasing the Voluntary Prayers

As noted above, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) increased many voluntary actions in the weeks preceding Ramadan such as fasting more, praying more, and giving more in charity. You have to understand that a marathon runner does not begin a race by showing up at the starting line and waiting to hear “on your mark, get set, go!” On the contrary, the race begins many days, weeks, and months before the actual race. The preparation is strenuous and helps to build stamina so that the runner can focus on the race itself and not be distracted by his legs feeling tired or his mouth feeling parched. Similarly, starting off Ramadan by going straight to Tarawih Prayers on the first night is like showing up for the marathon unprepared. And that is why it is important for us to begin now in engaging in individual voluntary prayers.

Learning to read lengthy passages of the Qur’an as we stand in prayer will help us to develop stamina as well as help us to focus on what we are reading. Indeed, we know from Abu Hurairah that “the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to encourage us to pray at night in Ramadan, without making it obligatory. Then he said, ‘Whoever prays at night in Ramadan out of faith and the hope of reward, all his previous sins will be forgiven.’ And who amongst us is not in need of having his or her sins forgiven?” As we pray daily in Ramadan,we end up developing the stamina that will, in sha’ Allah, carry us through the year until the next Ramadan.

One of the best ways to practice one’s own recitation is to engage in voluntary prayers and recite while holding the Qur’an. Of course, it is always recommended to have someone check your recitation, but if you already have sufficient reading skills in Arabic, reading passages in prayer will help you to improve your recitation. While praying by oneself is allowable, it is recommended that one

CLOSER>> continued from pg 16

>> CLOSER II Pg 20

Reading the Qur’an consistently in one month also helps us to establish a routine that we can use throughout the year, which has direct and practical implications on our daily lives.

S tarting of f Ramadan by going straight to Tarawih Prayers on the first night is like showing up for the marathon unprepared. And that is why it is important for us to begin now in engaging in individual voluntary prayers.

| 19July 1st - July 14th, 2011 ISLAM

among gardens and rivers, in a seat of truth near an All-Powerful Sovereign.” [ Sûrah al-Qamar : 54-55]

Allah promises those who fear Him that He will provide for their needs and grant them a way out of their worldly difficulties. Allah says: “And whoever fears Allah, He will make for him a way out, and provide for him from whence he could never imagine.” [ Sûrah al-Talâq : 2-3]

This is Allah’s promise. We should draw strength from it when we are tried in life with difficulties that tempt us to resort to what Allah has forbidden.

The relationship between knowledge and the fear of Allah

Allah says: “It is only those who have knowledge among Allah’s servants who fear Him.” [ Sûrah Fâtir : 28]

There are two ways in which knowledge and the fear of Allah are related. The first is that true fear of Allah comes about as the result of having proper knowledge of Allah and His perfect attributes.

Ibn Àbbâs said about this verse: “They are those who know that Allah is capable of all things.”

He also said: “The verse means: The only people who fear me are those who know My power, My might, and My dominion.”

Ibn Kathîr says in his commentary of this verse: “The only people who fear Allah in the true sense are those who are knowledgeable about Allah. This is because the more knowledge a person has about the Almighty, the All-Powerful

and All-Knowing, who possesses the attributes of perfection and the best of names – the more perfect and complete this knowledge is – the greater and more total his fear of Allah will be.” [ Tafsîr Ibn Kathîr ]

The second way that the fear of Allah and knowledge are related stems from the fact that the fear of Allah is to seek to prevent Allah’s punishment by carrying out Allah’s commands and abstaining from His prohibitions. Consequently, a Muslim needs to have knowledge of these matters in order to fear Allah properly. An ignorant Muslim may have a sense of fear, but he will not be able to fully carry out what that fear requires of him.

Ibn Àbbâs said: “To have knowledge of the Most Merciful is to be someone who associates nothing as a partner with Him, who deems lawful what He has made lawful, who prohibits what He has prohibited, who preserves what He has enjoined upon him, and who has certainty that he shall meet Him and that his actions will be accounted for.”

Follow up a bad deed with a good deed

The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us that the performing a good deed wipes away the sin incurred from perpetrating an evil one. Scholars have disagreed whether the “good deed” being referred to here refers specifically to the context of repentance or whether it is general for all good works.

The strongest view is that all good deeds can wipe away evil deeds. Allah says: “And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and at the approach of the night. Indeed, good works do away with evil deeds. That is a reminder for those who take heed.” [ Sûrah Hûd : 114]

A man once came to the Prophet (peace

be upon him) and informed him that he had contact with a woman like a husband has with his wife, except that he did not go so far as to fornicate with her. This man had just prayed the Fajr prayer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Have you prayed with us the Fajr prayer?” When he replied that he had, the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited: “Indeed, good works do away with evil deeds.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî (526) and Sahîh Muslim (2763)]

However, a believer should always repent for his sins. Allah says: “And those, who when they commit an indecency or wrong themselves, remember Allah and seek forgiveness for their sins – and who forgives sins except Allah – and then do not knowingly persist in what they have done, for them is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide forever. How great is the reward for those who work righteousness.” [ Sûrah Âl Ìmrân : 135]

A believer should follow up his sincere repentance with the performance of good works. This is what Allah wants from us. He says: “Indeed, I am Most Forgiving to whomever repents, believes, and works righteous deeds and then continues upon guidance.” [ Sûrah TâHâ : 82]

Allah also tells us: “Except for those who repent, believe, and work righteous deeds. For those, Allah will change their evil deeds into good deeds, and Allah is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [ Sûrah al-Furqân : 70] This is especially true for major sins. A Muslim must never leave a major sin to go without repentance, for Allah’s promise of forgiveness is for those who turn to Him in sincere repentance. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “A servant, if he acknowledges his sin and then repents, Allah will forgive him.” [ Sahîh al-Bukhârî (4141) and Sahîh Muslim (2770)]

And deal with people in a good manner

Allah tells us repeatedly in the Qur’ân to observe good manners in our dealings with others. He says: “Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad), and enjoin kindness, and turn away from those who are ignorant.” [ Sûrah al-A`râf : 199]

Allah says: “Nor can goodness and evil be equal. Repel (evil) with what is better. Then he between whom and you there had been hatred will become as though he were your dear friend.” [ Sûrah Fussilat : 34]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) is the perfect example of what it means to possess good manners. Allah says, describing him: “Indeed you are of a great moral character.” [ Sûrah al-Qalam : 4]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized how good manners are of paramount importance in Islam when he said: “I was sent only to perfect good manners.” [ Musnad Ahmad (8952)]

Indeed, he tells us that good manners are part of faith. He said: “The believers with the most complete faith are those who have the best manners.” [ Sunan al-Tirmidhî (1162) and Sunan Abî Dâwûd (4682)]

Among the good manners that we should cultivate is to be sensible in our dealings with others and not to react hastily when they do that which displeases us. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to Ashajj Àbd Qays: “You possess within yourself two qualities that Allah loves: discernment and forbearance.” [ Sahîh Muslim (17)]

Source: missionislam.com

MANNERS>> continued from pg 16

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July 1st - July 14th, 201120 | SALAAH TIMES

Salaah times for July 1st - July 14th , 2011If a person had a stream outside his door and he bathed in it fi ve times a day, do you

think he would have any fi lth left on him?” The people said, “No filth would remain on him whatsoever.” The Prophet (peace be upon him) then said, “That is like the fi ve daily prayers: Allah wipes away the sins by them.”

---Hadith in Sahih al Bukhari and Muslim

Day Date Hijri Fajr Sunrise Dhuhr Asr Maghrib IshaFri July 1 29/7 4:13 5:46 1:12 5:09 8:38 10:12Sat 2 1/8 4:14 5:46 1:13 5:09 8:38 10:12Sun 3 2/8 4:14 5:47 1:13 5:09 8:38 10:11Mon 4 3/8 4:15 5:47 1:13 5:09 8:37 10:11Tue 5 4/8 4:16 5:48 1:13 5:09 8:37 10:10Wed 6 5/8 4:17 5:48 1:13 5:09 8:37 10:10Thu 7 6/8 4:18 5:49 1:14 5:09 8:37 10:10Fri 8 7/8 4:18 5:50 1:14 5:09 8:36 10:09Sat 9 8/8 4:19 5:50 1:14 5:09 8:36 10:08Sun 10 9/8 4:20 5:51 1:14 5:09 8:36 10:08Mon 11 10/8 4:21 5:52 1:14 5:09 8:35 10:07Tue 12 11/8 4:22 5:52 1:14 5:10 8:35 10:06Wed 13 12/8 4:23 5:53 1:14 5:10 8:34 10:06Thu 14 13/8 4:24 5:54 1:14 5:10 8:34 10:05

join a congregation and be led in prayer by an imam. We know that the time for night prayer is between the ̀ Isha’ and Fajr prayers, preferably in the last third of the night culminating with WitrPrayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us that “Allah has added one more prayer for you, which is Witr, so pray it between ̀ Isha’ Prayer and Fajr Prayer.”Often, people wonder when exactly they should pray Witr, especially if they fear not being able to wake up at the end of the

night. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever is afraid that he will not get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the beginning of the night, but whoever feels that he will be able to get up at the end of the night, let him pray Witr at the end of the night, for prayer at the end of the night is witnessed [by the angels], and that is better.”

The key here is to make every effort to wake up and pray Witr at the end of the night, but there is fl exibility for those who fear not being able to wake up. Despite our best intentions, some of us will make mistakes and will not be able to wake up in time for the night prayers. And unfortunately, sometimes we might even

miss the Fajr Prayer. Allah knows best our intentions, but we should make sure we don’t become so relaxed that we don’t do our best to wake up, and then feel no remorse. If we keep in mind the ultimate goal is to please Allah and to have our past sins forgiven, in sha’ Allah, all of us will strive to increase our voluntary prayers.

Final Thoughts

If you have not yet asked yourself whether you’re ready or not, Ramadan is around the corner, so start today and prepare to welcome it. It is critical that you do your best to train yourself with fasting, praying, reading the Qur’an, and giving charity, so that, in sha’ Allah, when Ramadan

does come, you’ll be able to focus on the blessings of the month and not be distracted by your inability to exercise self-restraint, or your inability to stand for long periods of time in salah, etc. Being young, you might also be tempted to overdo the fasting, the reading of the Qur’an, and the praying to the extent that you put your physical health at risk. Exercise balance, and remember that you are trying to please a merciful Lord. Worship with faith and strive ceaselessly, hoping for Allah’s reward. Make this coming Ramadan better than your previous Ramadan, in sha’ Allah!


CLOSER II>> continued from pg 18

If gold, and diamonds, and oyster pearls are precious by their rarity alone, then it is clear that every moment we exist, every breath we inhale, then exhale after that, is pure gold dust, if only because they are all rarer than the rarest gemstones; never to be seen again, until the day that our deeds are played back to us on the ultimate cinematic, widescreen, surround sound, ultra high def experience of Yaum al-Qiyamah. So what makes those acts that seem

wasteful in Ramadan, suddenly become a good use of our time after the month has swiftly past through our fi ngers?

What validation do we put forth for our thinly veiled hypocrisy?

Weakness? Perhaps. We are made weak. But still… We have a month to train hard. To build up our spiritual muscles. Yes, you can get that emaan six-pack you always wanted - and in just THIRTY DAYS, insha’Allah!

So, take another look at that mental list you wrote; the one titled, “What I plan to give up during Ramadan”, and ask yourself: “If I can last 30 days without it… and with it, my Ramadan is tainted…

is it really that important to me? And do I really want it back in my life ever again?”.

May Allah guide us to the true answer to those questions, and make it easy for us all to do the right thing. Especially me, now that I am extra accountable after writing this blog entry (eep). Ameen!

From Imam An-Nawawi’s Forty Hadith collection: Al-Nawwas bin Sam’an, radiyallahu ‘anhu, reported that the Prophet, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, said: “Righteousness is good character, and sin is that which wavers in your heart and which you do not want people to know about.” [Muslim]

According to Wabisah bin Ma’bad, radiyallahu ‘anhu, who said: I came to the Messenger of Allah, sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, and he said: “You have come to ask about righteousness ?” “Yes,” I answered. He said: “Consult your heart. Righteousness is that about which the soul feels tranquil and the heart feels tranquil, and sin is what creates restlessness in the soul and moves to and fro in the breast, even though people give you their opinion (in your favour) and continue to do so.” [A good hadith transmitted from the Musnads of the two Imams, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Al-Darimi]


RAMADAN>> continued from pg 16

Prayer times generated from www.islamicfi nder.com for the

WASHINGTON, DC area.


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July 1st - July 14th, 201122 | OPINION

Gay rights is not a human right according to Islam, it is a civil right that can be conferred by the state on the basis of majority rule.

OpinionIslam, Gay Rights, and the Courage of One’s ConvictionBy El-Hajj Mauri’ Saalakhan

“O People! Those of you who live long will see great controversy, so you must keep to my sunnah and to the sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs...” - Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) The great controversies of which the last divinely sent Messenger and Prophet from Allah spoke (Salallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam) did indeed begin during the time of those companions who lived long, and they continue to this very day! Among today’s controversies is the question of what should be the position of people of true faith (irrespective of religious creed) on some of the great social and cultural issues of the day. One such issue is “gay rights.” Gay rights is not a human right according to Islam, it is a civil right that can be conferred by the state on the basis of majority rule. On Friday, June 24, 2011, lawmakers in Albany voted to legalize same-sex marriage in the state of New York (which now joins fi ve other states and the District of Columbia in such recognition); but just because a practice can be made legal (in the secular sphere) doesn’t make it right. The following ayah (verse) is one of many on the story of the Prophet Lut (peace be upon them): “We also sent Lut. He said to his people: ‘Do you commit lewdness such as no people in creation ever committed before you? For you practice your lusts on men in preference to women; you are indeed a people transgressing beyond bounds.’” – The Noble Qur’an (S. 7:81) Prophet Lut (aka, Lot in the English Bible), the nephew of Prophet Ibrahim (or Abraham) - may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them - was sent as a warner to the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, cities that were located (according to some of the religious

scholars) somewhere in the plains east of the Dead Sea. The inequities that occurred within those two ancient cities were considered so grave by Allah that the cities and their people were utterly destroyed by brimstone and fi re for their sins. “No calamity occurs except by the leave of ALLAH, and whoever believes in ALLAH, He guides his heart, and ALLAH knows all things.” – The Noble Qur’an 64:11

Two incidents, in close succession to one another, compels me to write this commentary at this time. Last night I attended a Muslim American Society (MAS) and Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) sponsored event in Charlotte, NC., that left me feeling a little disturbed. Before sharing the specifics on last night’s event, let me share a couple of opening paragraphs from a front page article in yesterday’s edition of the Charlotte Observer newspaper (“Unitarian Universalists Gather In Charlotte,” 6/25/11). “First, they honored the imam who’s in the middle of plans to build an Islamic center near ground zero. Then they rallied in uptown Charlotte to support gays, lesbians and same sex marriage... The country’s most liberal collection of congregations - with no creed, but a long history of social activism - is meeting this weekend in the Bible Belt, better

known for a Christian church on nearly every corner. “The 4,000-plus UUs, as they often call themselves, are in Charlotte from around the country to attend workshops, mingle with fellow delegates, listen to nationally renowned speakers; and stand up for their causes - especially the controversial ones.” Now, as to what happened yesterday at one of the Muslim community centers in

the Charlotte area.Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf [Abdul Rauf was involved with the ‘ground zero’ masjid – TML] was the featured speaker at the MAS-MLFA fundraising event last night, and during the course of his public address, he essentially made a plug on behalf of the gay rights lobby. Imam Rauf stated that transgender folk have always been a part of human society, and that Islamic law (Shariah) has always recognized their rights to inheritance. He opined that Islamic jurists in the past wrestled with the question of whether a transgender person (a person with observable male and female tendencies) should receive their inheritance according to a male or female calculation. While I am not an Islamic scholar, and have no knowledge of the particulars surrounding this argument, it sounds reasonable. Islam is a religion of compassion and justice; and thus, it stands to reason that any person who has a right to inherit, has a right to inherit. What

came next, however, was a giant leap, on the brother’s part, down a very dangerous slippery slope! The keynote speaker then argued that on the basis of the inheritance principle, the Muslim community needs to begin a dialogue on recognizing the transgender/homosexual community’s right to form families (essentially a call for Muslims in America to recognize, or accept, same sex marriage); a position which according to the primary Islamic sources is problematic on its face. After the program ended, I politely challenged him for an evidentiary basis (according to Al-Qur’an and Sunnah) to support the argument that he made in his address, and advised him that in the future if he chooses to put forward such a controversial argument in the course of a public address – especially before a predominantly Muslim audience -- he should present his sources for such a position right then and there. The thing that I found even more disturbing, however, was the fact that his hosts (and the few community leaders who were present, who had access to the mike) didn’t see the need to make any corrective statements to clarify the matter...and there were Muslims who departed confused! The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. noted over four decades ago: “Moral principles have lost their distinctiveness. For modern man, absolute right and absolute wrong are a matter of what the majority is doing. Right and wrong are relative to the likes and dislikes and the customs of a particular community. We have unconsciously applied Einstein’s theory of relativity, which properly described the physical universe, to the moral and ethical realm.” Dr. King’s observation was right then, and it’s even more accurate today.


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July 1st - July 14th, 201124 | OBITS & UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming Events In Your Area

MACCPAC YOUTH LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPTuesdays - July 12, 19 and 26, 2011 - 5:00pm - 10:00pmThree-day workshop at three locations around Metro DC. MACCPAC (Muslim American Citizens Coalition & Public Aff airs Council) is working to bridge the gap between the US Muslim community and the mainstream American society. As part of its youth empowerment program and support for emerging new leadership, MACCPAC is pleased to announce its 2011 YOUTH LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP to be held this summer around the nation’s capital. LIMITED SEATS. Interested youths are requested to submit their application by july 1, 2011. To learn more about the workshop and apply online, please visit www.Maccpac.Org. For more information, please contact education and research director dr. Farid ahmed at [email protected] (ph. 301-351-6727) Or media and communications director dr. Hashmat sikder at [email protected] (ph. 443-642-7984).---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Torch Bearers: Scholars of Islam with Shaykh Waleed BasyouniFriday-Sunday, 22 - 24 July , 2011Enter the most productive weekend of your life. This seminar will give you the benefi t of a double-weekend seminar, concentrated into a single weekend format – intensifying the knowledge and the energy to derive the ultimate benefi t bi idnillah! This seminar will give you the tools to analyze the habits and values that were the driving force behind the success of numerous scholars of the past – what did they do to achieve such greatness in ‘ilm? How were they able to lead masses of people to the Truth in times of such great fi tnah? LOCATION: University of Maryland, Bioscience Research Bldg, Room 1101, College Park, MD 20740. For more info visit www.almaghrib.org---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ISB Summer Fest 2011Saturday, 23 July 2011 - 12:00 pm - 07:00pm26’ Rock Climbing Wall, Bumped Cars, Obstacle Course, Dunk Tank, Lickety Split Mechanical Ride, Laser Tag, Basketball Contest, Wrecking Ball, Animal Show, Camel Rides, Moon Bounces, Bazaar and many more! LOCATION: ISB, 6631 Johnnycake Road, Baltimore, MD 21244. For more info for discounted rates, sponsorship or vending inquiries contact 443-904-6296 or email summerfest@isb.org---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Phenomenal Muslimah DaySaturday, 7 July 2011 - 2:00pm - 8:00 pmJump start your Ramadan. Workshops and activities include: Deen Corner, Health and Nutrition Tips, Henna, Muslimah Makeovers, Fashion Bazaar, Spoken Word, Fashion Show, Entertainment and many more! LOCATION: Dar-Al-Taqwa Masjid, 10740, Route 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042. For more information on Vending or Volunteering email [email protected] or visit phenomenalwomanday.blogspot.com

Request For Dua’sRequest For Dua’s{ To A l lah We Be long , and to Him i s Our Return }

“Everyone is going to taste death, and We shall make a trial of you with evil and good, and to Us you will be

returned.” (Surah Al-Anbiya:35)”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

6-20-11 Sajda Zafar, wife of Zafar Mahmood and mother of Nikhat Zafar passed away. May Allah forgive her sins, accept her good deeds and enter her in Jannat ul Firdaus, Aameen. Salaat ul Janaza was on June 20, 2011 in Gaithersburg, Maryland. (Source: ICM)

6-27-11 Inna Lillahe Wa Inna Ilaihe Rajeoon. Truly, we are from Allah, and to Him we shall return. It is with great sadness and heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of Brother Salmaan Sultan, 21-year old son of Yasmin and Sultan Ashraf. We ask Allah (SWT) to shower him with His mercy, compassion and forgiveness, and to grant his family patience and peace during these diffi cult times. (Source: DAT)

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July 1st - July 14th, 2011 26 | MASJID LOCATOR

ADAMS CENTER:46903 Sugarland Rd, Sterling,VA 20164, Tel: 703-433-1325, www.adamscenter.org. --------------------------------------------------------------ALL MUSLIM BROTHERS ASSOCIATION3900 King StreetAlexandria, VA 22302Tel: 703-647-0515--------------------------------------------------------------AVONDALE ISLAMIC CENTER:4637 Eastern Ave., Hyattsville, MD, 20782,Tel: 301-779-9292.--------------------------------------------------------------BADR COMMUNITY CENTER OF DUMFRIES (BCCD)17794 Main StreetDumfries, VA 22026Tel: 703-585-1689, 703-554-7983. [email protected] | www.bccd.org --------------------------------------------------------------BAITUL MUKARRAM:2116 S Nelson St., Arlington, VA, 22204, Tel: 703-778-1550. --------------------------------------------------------------Bilal Dawah Center, Inc: 1910 Frederick AvenueBaltimore, MD 21223Tel: 410-945-1515 --------------------------------------------------------------DAR AL HIJRAH:3159 Rowe St.,Falls Church, VA 22044, Tel: 703-536-1030, www.hijrah.org.--------------------------------------------------------------DAR AL-NOOR (MUSLIM ASSOC. OF VA): 5404 Hoadly Rd., Manassas, VA 20112, Tel: 703-580-0808, Fax: 703-221-8513, www.daralnoor.org.--------------------------------------------------------------DAR AL-TAQWA:10740 Rte. 108, Ellicott City, MD 21042, Tel: 410-997-5711, www.taqwa.net. --------------------------------------------------------------DAR UL ULOOM, 6334 Dogwoood Rd, Baltimore, MD 21207, 410-493-0785 darululoommd@aol.com--------------------------------------------------------------DAR UL-GHURABA (Masjid ur Rahmah):155 Baker St., Emporia, VA 23487--------------------------------------------------------------DAR-UL HUDA:6666 Commerce St., Springfield, VA 22150, Tel: 703-922-0111, www.darulhuda.org--------------------------------------------------------------

DAR-US-SALAAM:5301 Edgewood Rd. College Park, MD 20740,Tel: 301-982-9848, www.darussalaam.org--------------------------------------------------------------FIRST HIJRA MUSLIM COMM. CENTER:4324 Georgia Ave, NW Washington, DC 20011www.firsthijrah.org--------------------------------------------------------------ICNA VA CENTER:2913 Woodlawn Trail, Alexandria, VA 22306. 703-660-1255 --------------------------------------------------------------IDARA DAWAT-O-IRSHAD:4803 Valley St, Alexandria, VA 22312703-256-8622, www.irshad.org--------------------------------------------------------------IMAAM: (Jumuah ONLY)Jumuah Time: 12:50pm3201 Randolph Rd, Wheaton, MD 20906301-792-1004/ [email protected] | www.imaam.org--------------------------------------------------------------IRHSCA (ISLAMIC RESEARCH AND HUM. SERVICES CENTER OF AMERICA):Chambers Ave, Capitol Heights, MDTel: 301-324-5040, www.irhsca.org--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC CENTER OF LEXINGTON PARK22583 - B Three Notch RoadCalifornia, MD 20619Tel: 240-538-7839 or 561-414-0994www.iclpmd.org--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC CENTER OF MARYLAND (ICM):19411 Woodfield Rd. Gaithersburg,MD 20879Tel:301-840-9440, www.icomd.org--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC CENTER OF NORTHERN VA TRUST (ICNVT):4420 Shirley Gate Road, Fairfax, VA, 22030 Tel: 703-591-0999, [email protected] | www.icnvt.org--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC COM. CENTER OF LAUREL (ICCL):7306 Contee Rd., Laurel, MD 20707Tel: 301-317-4584, www.icclmd.org--------------------------------------------------------------

ISLAMIC FOUNDATION OF AMERICA6606 Electronic DriveSpringfield, VA 22151Tel: 703-914-4982--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC HERITAGE CENTER (IHC): 262 A-3 Cedar Ln., Vienna, VA 22180Tel: 703-206-9056--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF ANNAPOLIS (ISA): 2635 Riva RdSuite 110Annapolis, MD 21401 Tel: 410-266-6660 [email protected], --------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF FREDERICK (ISF):1250 Key Parkway , Frederick,MD 21702Tel: 301-682-6090, www.isfmd.org--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF GERMANTOWN (ISG):19900 Brandermill Rd., Germantown, MD 20876Tel: (240)-277-7758, www.isgtown.org--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF SOUTHERN PG COUNTY (ISSPGC): P O Box 99, Clinton, MD 207355410 Indian Head Hwy, Oxon Hill, MD 20745Tel: 240 603 4618--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF THE WASHINGTON AREA (ISWA):2701 Briggs Chaney Rd. Silver Spring, MD 20904Tel: 301-879-0930, www.iswamd.org--------------------------------------------------------------ISLAMIC SOC. OF WESTERN MARYLAND:2036 Day Rd., Hagerstown, MD 21740Tel: 301-797-0922 --------------------------------------------------------------IVY CITY MASJID: 2001 Galludet St. NE, Washington, DC 20002 Tel: 202-529-3100--------------------------------------------------------------LA PLATA MASJID:111 Howard Street, La Plata, MD 20646Tel: 301-609-8769--------------------------------------------------------------MAKKAH LEARNING CENTER (MLC):814 Brandy Farms Ln Gambrills, MD 21054Tel: [email protected] | www.isamd.org --------------------------------------------------------------

MANASSAS MOSQUE: 12950 Center Entrance Ct, Manassas, VATel: 703-257-5537--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-GHURABAA: 8220 Washington St., South, Laurel, MD 20724Tel: 301-604-3295 --------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-HIKMAH:11064 Livingston Road Unit L (101) Ft. Washington, MD 20744, Tel: 301 292-9009.--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-ISLAM: 4603 Benning Rd., SE, Washington, DC 20019imammusa@hotmail.com--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-INSHIRAH: 7832 Fairbrook Road , Windsor Mill, MD 21244Tel: 410-298-2977, Fax: 410-298-0266, www.al-inshirahweb.net--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-MUMINEEN: 2642 Harford Rd. Baltimore, MD 21218Tel: 410-467-8798--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AL-RAHMAH/ISB: 6631 Johnny Cake Rd. Baltimore, MD 21244Tel: 410-747-4869, www.isb.org--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AN-NUR: 5418 Ebenezer Road, White Marsh, MD 21162Tel: 410-663-9637, Fax: 410-663-9817--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID AS SAFFAT: 1335 W. North Ave. Baltimore, MD 21217Tel: 410-669-0655--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID IBN TAYMIYYAH: 8000 MLK Highway, Glenarden MDTel: 301-461-9325--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID JAMAAT AL-MUSLIMEEN: 4624 York Rd., Baltimore, MD 21212Tel. 443-622-2962--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID MUHAMMAD: 1519 4th St. NW, Washington D.C. 20001Tel: 202-483-8832--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID NOOR8608 Pohick RdSpringfield, VA 22153Tel: 703-451-7615--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID UL-HAQ:514 Islamic Way (Wilson St. ), Baltimore, MD 21217

Tel: 410-728-1363--------------------------------------------------------------MASJID ZAMZAM1510 Lynch Road,Dundalk, MD 21222Phone: 410-284-2840--------------------------------------------------------------MEDINA CENTER:11600 Falls Road, Potomac MD 20854www.medinacenter.net--------------------------------------------------------------MUSLIM COM. CENTER (MCC): 15200 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20905Tel: 301-384-3454,www.mccmd.org--------------------------------------------------------------MUSLIM SOC. OF WASHINGTON, D.C. (MSWDC):Howard Center, Room 805 (Above HU Bookstore)Tel: 202-328-3236, www.mswdc.org--------------------------------------------------------------MUSTAFA CENTER: 6844 Braddock Rd., Annandale, VA 22003--------------------------------------------------------------PRINCE GEORGES MUSLIM ASSOC. (PGMA):9150 Lanham Severn Rd. Lanham, MD, 20706, Tel: 301-459-4942, www.pgmamd.org--------------------------------------------------------------RANDALLSTOWN ISLAMIC CENTER9019 Marcella Ave. Randallstown, MD 21133Tel: 410-971-4018www.ricbaltimore.org--------------------------------------------------------------SOUTHERN MARYLAND ISLAMIC CENTER(SMIC): 1046 Solomons Island Rd, Huntingtown, MD, 20639.Tel: 410- 535-0000--------------------------------------------------------------THE ISLAMIC CENTER:2551 Mass. Ave. NW Washington D.C. 20008Tel: 202-332-8343--------------------------------------------------------------TURKISH AMERICAN COMMUNITY CENTER9704 Good Luck RoadLanham, Maryland 20706Tel: 301-459-9589www.taccenter.org--------------------------------------------------------------ZAKARIA ISLAMIC ACADEMYGalesbury Lane,Chantilly, VA 20151Tel: [email protected] www.ziacademy.org

Do you have additions, changes, or corrections to the event listings in the Muslim Link? Email us at [email protected], or call us at 301-982-1020.MASJID LOCATOR

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July 1st - July 14th, 2011 28 | |MARKETPLACE Restaurant Review

Dining Out: Everlasting Life Café

‘Everlasting Life Cafe’ is good for:

Selection Service Quality

TML SAYS:

By Fatimah Steffanoff Muslim Link Restaurant Reviewer

This month TML visited Everlasting Life Café near Howard University campus, which has been located there with the same mission of promoting greater human health for over 20 years.

ELC is a family owned establishment, focused on providing overall balanced nutrition to their clientele via their restaurant menu, catering services, nutritional consulting, and cooking classes.

The ELC menu offers ethnic cuisine to satisfy any palette by fusing healthy cooking to combine bright colors, full flavors, and great textures in a simple, quick and clean venue.

When you first approach ELC, you enter a large open café filled with tables, chairs, artwork and a juice bar across from the cashier counter. Through a hallway in the back is where you will find the foods in a cafeteria style setting, however your nose will guide you to it long before you even see the hallway. ELC is filled with the aroma of ethnic cuisine from the moment you enter, and happy welcoming faces greet you then guide you through the process of selection and ordering. The best surprise from the start was that we were told to ask for a sample of anything we wanted to try first. We had already seen the full menu online and were aware that it was going to be tough to make a decision, so this was great news. As we stood by, we observed the sandwich station where an employee was putting together the order for a customer

with obvious care and intention to please. When we placed our order at the juice bar, the employee asked as to how much ginger we would like in our “Roots Tonic” made of fresh beet and carrot juices, and referred to us as his “clients” – this place takes customer service and their specific roles seriously. After sampling several selections we settled on ordering from the Hot Bar the Pepper steak entrée with brown rice and savory bean with corn sides, and from the Raw Bar the Parsley salad, artichoke salad, live stir fry, marinated mushroom salad, all complimented by a “Roots Tonic” Fresh Juice and “Almond Joy” Smoothie. Servings we large enough that we reached our fullness but had plenty left to take home for a total of $32.84 and were already wishing we had saved room for their delicious looking home baked cinnamon rolls and cookies.

Everything on the ELC menu is completely Vegan; however, TML imagines that if you served it to someone without telling them, they would never have known the Pepper steak was meatless. ELC uses Tempeh and Seitan which are soy and wheat meat substitutes, offering texture and flavor in place of actual meat. But most impressive is how ELC uses ethnic influences to flavor their dishes – everything had fantastic flavor as vibrant as the bright colors of the ingredients used! No mistaking the distinct spices used to enhance the dishes whether they were Indian, Southwestern, Asian or American in origin, ELC got them all right. It’s amazing that something so tasty can be so good for you, too. Overall ELC is an always halal, healthy option, offering a great variety to please the whole family, leaving no one hungry, made of great quality and fresh ingredients served by friendly and helpful staff who considers you their “client”. Great for take-out, dine in and even catering an event, give Everlasting Life Café a try!

From top, pepper steak, raw salad bar, raw salads.

Cuisine: Vegan | Address: 2928 Georgia Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20001 | Phone: (202) 232-1700 | Website: www.everlastinglifecafe.comHours: Mon-Sat 11:00 am - 9:00 pm


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Prophet Muhammad’s [PBUH] favorite dates, Ajwa is black soft dates fruit from blessed land of Madinah Monawara. They are delightfully soft and with very fine white lines.

HADITH ON AJWA DATES

The Prophet [PBUH] said, "He who eats seven Ajwa dates every morning, will not be affected by poison or magic on the day he eats them." (Sahih Bukhari: Vol 7, Book 65, Number 356)

Aisha reported, Allah's Messenger [PBUH] said, "The Ajwa dates of Aliya (village near Madinah) contain heating effects and these are antidote in the early morning." (Sahih Muslim: Book 23, Number 5083)

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Dates contains calcium, sulfur, iron, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, copper, B6 & other vitamins, folic acid, proteins, sugar and are rich in natural fibers which contribute to a healthy body and mind.

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July 1st - July 14th, 2011 38 |

MONEY BACK GUARANTEE ��

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Honey-Based Healing for:Hair Loss, Hair growth, Itching, dandruff, and Scalp Psoriasis. Acne, Wrinkles, Psoriasis, Eczema, Dermatitis, and Rosacea. Plus Supplements for Diabetics, Immunity, and Liver Health.

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“Alhumdulillah, I found Honeyderm’s Dermatonic-P, and it is really, really a blessing for people with Eczema or other skin illnesses. I no longer wake up sweating at night! Allahu-Akbar!.” -- Br.Hasan, Maryland

AFTERBEFORE

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Every Muslim has read that the Prophet Sallallahu ‘alyhi wa sallam told his ummah about the wonderful nature of honey. In the Qur’an in Surah An-Nahl, Allah described honey as a “drink of varying color wherein is healing for men”.

Its no wonder that scientists are spending more and more resources examining, testing, and developing honey-based medical treatments. As early as December 26, 2007, the Associated Press ran a story titled “Honey makes medical comeback”.

One company that has believed in the restorative power of honey for a long time is HoneyDerm, Inc., a Lansing, Michigan based company that spent years bringing the healing power of honey to people suffering from hair loss, dandruff, and skin disease.

Their most famous product line is Hairback Lotion and Hairtonix Shampoo, that “helps stimulate new hair growth and thicken existing hair”. Honeyderm, Inc also claims the products solve dandruff and scalp psoriasis.

The Muslim Link requested access to some of Honeyderm’s customers, and Brother Mahmoud from Honeyderm gladly offered us some phone numbers.

Brother Hasan, in his late 30’s is from Maryland and suffers from the common skin disease eczema. “I’ve had eczema

since high school, and it got worse as the years went on. I went to a dermatologist and he recommended a cortisone-type prescription cream. It did stop the itch, but my skin was still dry and tight. I’ve tried lotions and shampoos from Aveeno, Lubiderm, Vaseline, and others. Alhumdulillah, I found Honeyderm’s Dermatonic-P, and it is really, really a blessing for people with Eczema or other skin illnesses. I no longer wake up sweating at night! Allahu-Akbar!.”

We called Abdurihman Khalil from Chicago. He did not know we were going to call. Abdurihman started losing his hair when he was about 28. He discovered the Hairback product line at a convention and decided to test its claims. “The hair loss stopped completely,” said Abdurihman. “It’s excellent, and I’ve been using it now for 6 years.”

We also called Brother Mustafa Al-Omary in Sterling Heights, Michigan. He decided to do something about his thinning hair at age 40 and tried the Hairback treatment. Asked how long it took for him to see results, he told us “Oh gosh, less than a month. My thin spots filled in within 3 months,.” He said he would “absolutely” recommend the product to anyone. “It’s not a fly-by-night product, its awesome,” said Mustafa.

We also called Najeebudheen Appat, a 30-year old living in

Los Angeles, CA. He’s had a severe dandruff

problem for a long-time, and had been searching for a solution. “I tried so many different products like tonics and shampoos, I can’t even remember them all, until I found this product around 2002. My problem was solved completely, the entire thing is taken care of. I even called [Honeyderm] with the great feedback,” recalled Najeebudheen. He told us that Allah creates shifa in many things, and Honeyderm’s products are a part of that. “For dandruff problems, this is the total solution,” he told us from his mobile phone.

On Honeyderm’s website, there are many more testimonials from Muslims and non-Muslims from around the nation and the world. There is also a gallery of “before and after” pictures of both hair loss treatments as well as skin treatments. And best of all, for those of us who’ve “tried it all”, there is a full money back guarantee.

Allah said honey heals. The Prophet Sallallahu’alyhi wa sallam said honey heals. The people we called said honey heals. With a money back guarantee, there is absolutely nothing to lose, and everything to gain – your hair and skin!

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P/F OFFICE ASSISTANT POSITION AVAILABLEPublisher, manufacturer, and distributor of Islamic Products located in Springfield, VA is looking for an energetic person with: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, Good organizational skills, Types a minimum of 45 wpm, Proficient in Microsoft office applications. Salary based on experience/capabilities. Send resume to hhegi@uficorp.com------------------------------------------------LINUX GURU WANTED !System Administrator/Helpdesk Specialist Needed. Immediate need for a Mid Level Linux/Windows Administrator for its 100+ user network. The qualified candidate must be a permanent US resident and legally authorized to work in the US. • 2+ years experience in Linux systems administration, network design and troubleshooting. • Ability to manage time and balance competing priorities. • Ability to document changes and

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SEEKING HUSBANDSunni Muslim Urdu-speaking Indian parents(UP) from religious family seek alliance for their daughter Pharm.D from USA,5’3’’, 33 years, family oriented, pious (performs hajj/umrah), never married , good natured ,beautiful, seeking educated professional from similar background. Pediatric Pharmacist in a prestigious hospital in Maryland. Contact: 91- 9323692722 OR 443-858-2605(MD)

SERVICES

HOME SERVICESLicensed contractor. Home Improvement work, interior/exterior painting, drywall install/repair, brick/concrete repair. License #30385946 Estimates done. Contact Br. Allen Scott at 410-467-1259 or 443-538-7643(cell) ------------------------------------------------LOVING HOME CARE Providing Senior and Child care you can trust and afford. Companionship, hygiene care, meal preparation, housekeeping, errands, shopping, doctor’s appointments. Loving, dependable caregivers for FT/PT or Live-In. Call: 301-490-1146.www.lovinghomecare.org.------------------------------------------------HANDYMAN AVAILABLEAssalamu’alaykum! My name is Varga Syahroni. I am an experienced technician in D.C. and Maryland. I offer service and repair for cooling, heating, plumbing, refrigerator, dish washers, dryer machines and much more. Call me for reliable service! Free estimates (301) 792-1004 or email [email protected]

Place a personal classified ad. Call us at 301-982-1020. [email protected] invite you to place a classified on the web FREE of charge at www.muslimlinkpaper.com. Classifieds in the print edition of the Muslim Link newspaper are only $1 for every 3 words. All classifieds run for 3 issues in the Marketplace section. Get started by emailing your exact text to [email protected] and then call in your credit card payment to 301-982-1020 or send a check or money order payable to: The Muslim Link, 5301 Edgewood Rd, College Park MD 20740.

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FULL TIME SCHEDULE: Monday - Friday

Fajr - 9:30am | 10:30am - Dhur | Maghrib - Isha

PART TIME/AFTER SCHOOL SCHEDULE: Monday - Friday

4:00pm - 6:00pm

Full Time Section: (Boys Ages 4 & up)

Part Time Section: (Boys Ages 4 & up)

For more information please contact Darul-Uloom MD at (410) 493-0785 or at [email protected]

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MP - CLASSIFIED ADS

ISB Summer Fest 2011!Saturday, July 23rd, 2011 12pm - 7pm

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For more information, sponsorship or vending inquiries please contact us at [email protected]

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www.irw.org

www.azzad.net

www.pizza786.com

www.accessdental.comDiamond Security

410.455.9791410-719-0063www.accessdental.comwww.accessdental.com 410-719-0063

the muslim link - 1 july, 2011

Documents

youth pg

king pg

mas pg

o p h o b e s

interfaith service pg

international bazaar

umbc campus pg

good manners pg