By Paul de Bendern

ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday he backed the Islamist-rooted government’s proposal to lift a ban on the wearing of the Islamic headscarf in universities, a move opposed by the secular establishment.

“Universities should not be places of political controversy, beliefs should be practiced freely at universities,” Gul, a former foreign minister in the AK Party government, told a conference in his home town Kayseri.

As head of state, Gul is expected to be neutral in political disputes but his support for the government on the headscarf issue is no surprise, given his past in political Islam.

Last year the secular elite, which includes army generals and judges, tried to block Gul’s election as president because of his past and the fact his own wife wears the headscarf.

The crisis forced Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan, a close ally of Gul, to call early parliamentary elections that their AK Party won resoundingly.

The popular pro-business, centre-right AK Party and a key opposition party agreed on Thursday to cooperate to lift the ban on women students wearing headscarves in universities.

The ban will still apply to teachers and to women working in public offices.

“It’s a good step but not sufficient because after graduating women will be faced with the same problem again. If they become doctors they won’t be able to wear the headscarf at state hospitals,” said Fatma Disli, a columnist at the English language newspaper Today’s Zaman.

“This is not a final solution,” she told Reuters.

The AK Party, backed by the nationalist MHP opposition party, is expected to present the constitutional amendments shortly to parliament. Together, they have sufficient votes to get the amendment approved.

The role of religion has been a polarizing issue in mainly Muslim Turkey since the founding of the secular republic in 1923 on the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. The current headscarf ban in universities dates back to a court ruling in 1989.

The move could increase political tensions in Turkey, a candidate for European Union membership, analysts say. Financial markets are closely watching the headscarf debate.

The secular elite views the ban as vital for the separation of state and religion in the mainly Muslim but constitutionally secular country.

The secularists accuse the AK Party of plotting to boost the role of Islam in Turkey, a claim Erdogan and his party deny.

“This trend is one towards religious dictatorship. Turkey’s problem is that religion is used as a tool in politics,” said Sabih Kanadoglu, a retired supreme court chief prosecutor, according to the CNN Turk broadcaster’s website.

Some secularists fear any relaxation of the ban would put pressure on women to wear the headscarf against their will.

“I don’t think we should make such predictions. If such things happen people can go to court or to the police to take action but we cannot deny people their rights because of predictions,” said the columnist Disli, who wears the headscarf.

The powerful military, which views itself as the ultimate guarantor of Turkey’s secular order, has not yet commented but is unlikely to welcome the latest moves.

The army has ousted four democratically elected governments in the past 50 years, most recently in 1997 when with public support it drove out a cabinet it viewed as too Islamist.

The AK Party insists that wearing the headscarf is a matter of personal freedom in a country where two-thirds of women cover their heads. Opinion polls show strong public support for lifting the ban.

An increasingly wealthy but pious middle class is emerging in Turkey and it wants to practice its religion more freely.

(Editing by Andrew Roche)

10-6

Courtesy Marisa Taylor, McClatchy Newspapers

Florence, Ariz. – Thomas Warziniack was born in Minnesota and grew up in Georgia, but immigration authorities pronounced him an illegal immigrant from Russia.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has held Warziniack for weeks in an Arizona detention facility with the aim of deporting him to a country he’s never seen. His jailers shrugged off Warziniack’s claims that he was an American citizen, even though they could have retrieved his Minnesota birth certificate in minutes and even though a Colorado court had concluded that he was a U.S. citizen a year before it shipped him to Arizona.

On Thursday, Warziniack was told he would be released. Immigration authorities were finally able to verify his citizenship.

“The immigration agents told me they never make mistakes,” Warziniack said in a phone interview from jail. “All I know is that somebody dropped the ball.”

The story of how immigration officials decided that a small-town drifter with a Southern accent was an illegal Russian immigrant illustrates how the federal government mistakenly detains and sometimes deports American citizens.

U.S. citizens who are mistakenly jailed by immigration authorities can get caught up in a nightmarish bureaucratic tangle in which they’re simply not believed.

An unpublished study by the Vera Institute of Justice, a New York nonprofit organization, in 2006 identified 125 people in immigration detention centers across the nation who immigration lawyers believed had valid U.S. citizenship claims.

Vera initially focused on six facilities where most of the cases surfaced. The organization later broadened its analysis to 12 sites and plans to track the outcome of all cases involving citizens.

Nina Siulc, the lead researcher, said she thinks that many more American citizens probably are being erroneously detained or deported every year because her assessment looked at only a small number of those in custody. Each year, about 280,000 people are held on immigration violations at 15 federal detention centers and more than 400 state and local contract facilities nationwide.

Unlike suspects charged in criminal courts, detainees accused of immigration violations don’t have a right to an attorney, and three-quarters of them represent themselves. Less affluent or resourceful U.S. citizens who are detained must try to maneuver on their own through a complicated system.

“It becomes your word against the government’s, even when you know and insist that you’re a U.S. citizen,” Siulc said. “Your word doesn’t always count, and the government doesn’t always investigate fully.”

Officials with ICE, the federal agency that oversees deportations, maintain that such cases are isolated because agents are required to obtain sufficient evidence that someone is an illegal immigrant before making an arrest. However, they don’t track the number of U.S. citizens who are detained or deported.

“We don’t want to detain or deport U.S. citizens,” said Ernestine Fobbs, an ICE spokeswoman. “It’s just not something we do.”

While immigration advocates agree that the agents generally release detainees before deportation in clear-cut cases, they said that ICE sometimes ignores valid assertions of citizenship in the rush to ship out more illegal immigrants.

Proving citizenship is especially difficult for the poor, mentally ill, disabled or anyone who has trouble getting a copy of his or her birth certificate while behind bars.

Pedro Guzman, a mentally disabled U.S. citizen who was born in Los Angeles, was serving a 120-day sentence for trespassing last year when he was shipped off to Mexico. Guzman was found three months later trying to return home. Although federal government attorneys have acknowledged that Guzman was a citizen, ICE spokeswoman Virginia Kice said Thursday that her agency still questions the validity of his birth certificate.

Last March, ICE agents in San Francisco detained Kebin Reyes, a 6-year-old boy who was born in the U.S., for 10 hours after his father was picked up in a sweep. His father says he wasn’t permitted to call relatives who could care for his son, although ICE denies turning down the request.

The number of U.S. citizens who are swept up in the immigration system is a small fraction of the number of illegal immigrants who are deported, but in the last several years immigration lawyers report seeing more detainees who turn out to be U.S. citizens.

The attorneys said the chances of mistakes are growing as immigration agents step up sweeps in the country and state and local prisons with less experience in immigration matters screen more criminals on behalf of ICE.

ICE’s Fobbs said agents move as quickly as possible to check stories of people who claim they’re American citizens. But she said that many of the cases involve complex legal arguments, such as whether U.S. citizenship is derived from parents, which an immigration judge has to sort out.

“We have to be careful we don’t release the wrong person,” she said.

In Warziniack’s case, ICE officials appear to have been oblivious to signs that they’d made a serious mistake.

After he was arrested in Colorado on a minor drug charge, Warziniack told probation officials there wild stories about being shot seven times, stabbed twice and bombed four times as a Russian army colonel in Afghanistan, according to court records. He also insisted that he swam ashore to America from a Soviet submarine.

Court officials were skeptical. Not only did his story seem preposterous, but the longtime heroin addict also had a Southern accent and didn’t speak Russian.

Colorado court officials quickly determined his true identity in a national crime database: He was a Minnesota-born man who grew up in Georgia. Before Warziniack was sentenced to prison on the drug charge, his probation officer surmised in a report that he could be mentally ill.

Although it took only minutes for McClatchy to confirm with Minnesota officials that a birth certificate under Warziniack’s name and birth date was on file, Colorado prison officials notified federal authorities that Warziniack was a foreign-born prisoner.

McClatchy also was able to track down Warziniack’s three half-sisters. Even though they hadn’t seen him in almost 20 years, his sisters were willing to vouch for him.

One of them, Missy Dolle, called the detention center repeatedly, until officials there stopped returning her calls. Her brother’s attorney told her that a detainee in Warziniack’s situation often has to wait weeks for results, even if he or she gets a copy of a U.S. birth certificate.

Warziniack, meanwhile, waited impatiently for an opportunity to prove his case. After he contacted the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, a group that provides legal advice to immigrants, a local attorney recently agreed to represent him for free.

Dolle and her husband, Keith, a retired sheriff’s deputy in Mecklenburg County, N.C., flew to Arizona from their Charlotte home to attend her brother’s hearing before an immigration judge.

Before she left, she e-mailed Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. After someone from his office contacted ICE, immigration officials promised to release Warziniack if they got a birth certificate.

After scrambling to get a power of attorney to obtain their brother’s birth certificate, the sisters succeeded in getting a copy the day before the hearing.

On Thursday, however, government lawyers told an immigration judge during a deportation hearing that they needed a week to verify the authenticity of Warziniack’s birth record. The judge delayed his ruling.

“I still can’t believe this is happening in America,” Dolle said.

Warziniack began to weep when he saw his sister. “They still don’t believe me,” he said.

Later that day, however, ICE officials changed their minds and said that he could be released this week. They said they were able to confirm his birth certificate, but they didn’t acknowledge any problem with the handling of the case.

The officials blamed conflicting information for the mix-up.

“The burden of proof is on the individual to show they’re legally entitled to be in the United States,” said ICE spokeswoman Kice.

Warziniack, 40, told McClatchy that he has no memory of telling anyone he was Russian. Instead, he recalled the shock of withdrawing from his heroin addiction after 18 years of drug abuse.

Katherine Sanguinetti, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Corrections, suspects that prison officials were relying on information that Warziniack gave when he was first taken into custody because they never received the Colorado court documents concluding that he was a U.S. citizen.

Even now, the prison records inaccurately show his current location as “the Soviet Union.”

In the end, Sanguinetti said, ICE is responsible for making sure that it detains and deports the correct person. Her prisons flag hundreds of prisoners a month as foreign-born, but can’t possibly verify the information, she said.

“Could it happen again? Sure,” Sanguinetti said. “But we would hope that ICE during their investigative process would discover the truth.”

Rachel Rosenbloom, an attorney at the Center for Human Rights and International Justice at Boston College who’s identified at least seven U.S. citizens whom ICE has mistakenly deported since 2000, believes that the agency should set up a more formal way of handling detainees when they appear to have valid claims of U.S. citizenship. At the very least, she said, ICE could release people such as Warziniack on bond while waiting for immigration judges to hear the cases.

“It’s like finding innocent people on death row,” Rosenbloom said. “There may be only a small number of cases, but when you find them you want to do everything in your power to make sure they get out.”

    ———-

Researcher Tish Wells contributed.

10-6

By Masood Rab, AMPEC

US Muslims and the Environment

The Muslim community issues that need to be presented to the political candidates for 2008 elections, after the issues of War in Iraq and Foreign Policy are – Economy, Healthcare, and Environment that cover the breadth and depth of the American spectrum of life. This article presents presidential candidate positions on “Environment.”

When asked in the AMPEC survey, “Global warming is not really a serious threat to our ecosystem”, the response was: Strongly Agree: 4%: Agree: 8%; No Opinion: 11%; Disagree: 29%; Strongly Disagree: 46%; with 2% no input.

Seventy nine percent (75%) of the American Muslim community members surveyed consider the current global warming occurring is a serious threat to echo system, with 12% disagreeing, while 13% had no opinion. This indicates the high level of information and understanding of the Muslim community about the global issues the human race is facing in today’s world. The threat posed by the global industrialization and the crazy race of capitalism in producing more and more goods with the least concern to the natural environment and basic elements of our echo system – air, earth, and water, is reaching an epidemic. The industrialized nations of the west are beginning to look into solutions for the causes of pollution, except our country. The US has refused to become an active member of the industrialized countries concerned about environment with the current administration shrugging the whole issue as the result of natural occurring phenomena.

Until now, the environment has not been a major issue for the presidential candidates to contest in a heated manner, being overshadowed by the behemoth issues of the war in Iraq and a potentially looming recession, not to mention smaller tactical campaign issues that have dominated the airwaves since primaries and caucuses began in Iowa a few short weeks ago.

The candidate position analysis regarding the environment as conducted by the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is provided below. Readers interested in complete details may check on line at www.lcv.org/voterguide/.

Among Republicans running for president, the LCV (League of Conservation Voters) guide says, “Sen. McCain holds the distinction of being the only candidate to make global warming a part of his campaign agenda and to regularly address it on the campaign trail.”

While nearly all of the GOP Candidates acknowledge that global warming is a problem, only Sen. McCain has proposed a comprehensive plan for addressing it. He supports reducing greenhouse gas emissions 65 percent by 2050. None of the other Republican candidates – Rudi Giuliani, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul – have offered any plan to address global warming. Mike Huckabee, while also not putting forward a plan, has expressed support of a cap-and-trade system and would mandate a 35-mpg standard for vehicles.

On the Democratic side, all of the candidates competing for the presidential nomination have shown strong commitment to addressing global warming, though the details of their plans differ. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have co-sponsored the strongest global warming bills in Congress. Each of the candidates has proposed comprehensive plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050, which is what science tells us we must meet or exceed to avoid environmental catastrophe.

John Edwards was the first candidate to propose a global warming plan, describing the crisis as “one of the great moral imperatives of our time.”

The lifetime LCV scores of the presidential candidates are: Hillary Clinton: 90%; John Edwards: 59%; Rudi Giuliani: Not Rated; Mike Huckabee: Not Rated; John McCain: 26%; Barack Obama: 96%; Ron Paul: 30%; Mitt Romney: Not Rated.

Super Tuesday

With Super Tuesday looming on February 5, 2008, it will behoove the Muslim community to pause and reflect on the progression of political events shaping the forthcoming national election. The race for Democratic Party nomination is down to two candidates and for Republican Party nomination is still too close to call. The past few weeks have also seen a resurgence of the pro-war candidate due to funding provided by pro war hawks, independent Senator Lieberman being one of them.

As a people of conscience, the Muslim community has always supported the candidates who are against war and opposed the candidates who are pro-war and gung-ho on law and order. The Muslim community does so with the understanding that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have been the major causes for the deterioration of economy, healthcare, education, environment, etc., in America. Maintaining a strong principled stand requires that the Muslim community carefully deliberate the course of actions required to strengthen the Republican candidate that has stood his ground against the Iraq war from day one and fighting to end it by voting against all budget amendments. That candidate is Ron Paul.

The Muslim community can make an impact in a limited way by speaking out through their ballots on Super Tuesday. A support for an anti-war candidate will keep the pressure on the war hawks and maintain the “War in Iraq” as a live issue.

10-6

By Nilofar Suhrawardy, MMNS

NEW DELHI – History was created last week with President Pratibha Devisingh Patil becoming the first woman head of state to unfurl the national flag and take the customary 21-gun salute at Rajpath, marking 59th Republic Day of the country. Patil (73) was elected as President in July last year. The president also being the supreme commander of armed forces took salute as contingents of the ceremonial parade marched down the Rajpath at India Gate. The country had declared itself a Republic on 26th January 1950, with the Constitution coming into force.

The preceding evening, in her maiden Republic Day address, Patil laid stress that all people should benefit from national progress. “Our efforts and our commitment, while pursuing the goal of high growth rates, should be to ensure that all people of our country benefit from it. Our pledge will remain unfulfilled until, as Gandhiji had said–we have wiped every tear in every eye,” she said.

Describing terrorism as a grave threat to the civilized world, she laid stress on the need to take collective action. Referring to corruption, Patil said: “We must strengthen measures for the removal of corruption by bringing about greater transparency.”

Drawing attention to problems faced by women, who constitute half the population, Patil said: “We also need to address social evils like child marriage, female feticide, female infanticide and dowry.”

Patil also touched on problems like alcoholism and drug addiction. Besides, she laid stress on country’s goal being achievement of universal primary education by 2010. Patil expressed concern about problems faced by farmers and need of a second green revolution. During her address, Patil also paid attention to country’s foreign policy saying that India was committed to establishing ties of friendship and cooperation with all countries. “India will continue to work with the international community to create a better world a world free of terror, poverty, disease, ignorance and inequality,” she said.

Before the start of the parade (January 26), Patil awarded the country’s highest peacetime gallantry award Ashok Chakra posthumously to four Army personnel who sacrificed their lives fighting extremists in Jammu and Kashmir. The families of Capt Harshan R, Naib Subedar Chunni Lal, Col Vasanth Venugopal and Major Raghu Raman received the medals.

Amid tight security, images of country’s military prowess and rich cultural heritage were showcased as the contingents marched down the Rajpath at India Gate, with the country’s first woman head Patil taking their salute.

Among the dignitaries watching the march-past were the French President Nicholas Sarkozy- who was the chief guest, Vice President Hamid Ansari, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the diplomatic community and the country’s top political and military officials.

The army contingent included personnel from Punjab Regiment, Grenadiers Regiment, Sikh Light Infantry, Assam Regiment, Mahar Regiment, 8-Gorkha Rifles and the Territorial Army. The armory showcased before the nation included indigenously developed frontline T-90 battle tanks, the Indian version of BrahMos and surface-to-surface Agni missiles. The Israeli-upgraded 155 MM artillery guns made their first appearance at the parade, with Dhanush Missiles and the long-range Smerch Rocket system.

The defense equipments included in the 105-minute event were the BLT T-72 (the Bridge Laying Tanks), 155 SOLTOM Guns, Tanguska Air Defense Gun System, Sarvatra Bridge, Mobile Network Connect Center, Infantry Combat Vehicle — BMP II K and the Carrier Mortar tracked Vehicle.

Experimental tanks and anti-submarine warfare tableaux were among columns of the Defense Research and Development Organization.

With its theme, “Indian Navy: Professional Team, Proud Force,” the naval tableau included all arms of the navy, surface, sub-surface and air. On display were also submarines, along with a model of INS Brahmaputra and INS Delhi.

The tableau of Indian Air Force (IAF) displayed the historic milestones of the country’s air prowess, beginning from 1932, marked by 1,732 kg single-engine fighter plane. This was followed by multi-role combat Sukhoi fighter jets procured by the force in early 2000. Also on display were the world-class frontline warships of Talwar Class Frigate. Besides, the IAF contingent included a model of fighter Sukhoi, a globe and a satellite depicting the aerospace command and having air superiority by the induction of the multi-role aircraft.

The parade also included a contingent of ex-servicemen, Border Security Force’s colorful camel contingent and tableaux from different states. The ones from Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Orissa, Railways and Central Public Works Department focused on various aspects of country’s independence movement. While Andhra Pradesh showcased celebration of harvest festival, Bihar displayed its fifth century Nalanda University, Gujarat depicted the 11th century “Rani ki Vav”- its oldest and grandest stepwell. With this year being birth centenary of revolutionary Bhagat Singh, his bust was carried by Punjab’s tableau, while 20th century tribal revolution was the theme of Jharkhand.

Before the grand parade began, the Prime Minister, Defense Minister A. K. Antony and chiefs of Army, Navy and Air Force laid wreaths at “Amar Jawan Jyoti,” the war memorial at India Gate where an eternal flame burns in memory of those who laid their lives defending the frontiers of the nation.

With there being intelligence warning about possible strikes by terrorists, a massive ground-to-air security apparatus was in place in the capital city. While around 20,000 security personnel were deployed across the city, commandos of Indo-Tibetan Border police and Delhi police were deployed at all high-rises throughout the parade route.

10-6

By Elder George

The efforts to stimulate the economy and promote more material gain for this nation and the world has reached the level of evangelical fervor. The Congress seems united in its efforts to enact a financial stimulus package, and the presidential candidates attempt to outdo each other in their call for lower taxes. The Federal Reserve has twice lowered interest rates and plans to do so again by the time this article goes to press; it decided to sacrifice long term inflation control for short term gain. The action of the Federal Reserve parallels the warning in Surah 2:86 “Such are those who buy the life of the world at the price of the Hereafter. Their punishment will not be lightened, neither will they have support.” The Federal Reserve does not sacrifice the now for the Hereafter; it sacrifices the now for later. Its punishment will not be lightened either, we will all pay the price.

The promotion of material gain reaches the highest levels of journalistic commentary. Fareed Zakaria, Newsweek’s Asian honkie, seems unable to assess the well being of any nation without referring to its gross domestic product (GDP). He fails to grasp the significance of the fact that nations with the highest GDP have the highest rates of mental illness, incarceration, divorce and adultery. He never mentions that Islamic nations have exceptionally low levels of mental illness, suicide, breast cancer, and illegitimacy. Fareed has strayed far into error and in the process leads people along its path.

The major attack on Islam does not come from the bombs bursting over Iraq, or the prejudice shown in various Western countries, it comes from the same source that it has always come from—the temptation of material accumulation and insatiable desire. The materialism of the Western culture has not only been extremely tempting, but it forces itself upon all peoples. The attack on Islam focuses on the core of its tenets—the existence of the unseen and the world to come—and attempts to lure Muslims into the world of the seen and its material pleasures. Paul is frequently misquoted as having said that money is the root of all evil. He did not say that. God knows that we have need for food, clothing and shelter. Paul said the love of money is the root of all evil. That love of money has been the undoing of many societies, especially Western societies. Now that Western thought has become the primary influence in the world, the entire world has fallen into the worship of matters material.

It is written, “Your worldly treasures are transitory, but God’s reward is everlasting.” These words, as the words of most scriptures, prophets, and ascetics, are not only ignored, but also not even remembered. We have lost our focus in life. Once the propagation and preservation of the species as a common goal (which can only be accomplished through a patriarchal structure) gives way to self-aggrandizement, all ethics and morals disappear and society plunges itself into a material abyss that separates it from the spiritual world necessary for its enlightenment and growth. We have fallen in love with the works of our own hands, and these works now crumble before us, as does the well-being of society.

Elder George’s website is www.mensaction.net and he can be reached at 212-874-7900 ext. 1329.

10-6

By Dr. Aslam Abdullah, TMO Editor-in-Chief

Geert Wilders’ ten-minute film attacking Prophet Muhammad (s) and the Quran has become the talk of Muslim circles. Some are suggesting an intellectual response and other are saying that a entire Friday Khutbah be dedicated to the subject to scientifically refute the allegations.

Wilder is a member of the Dutch parliament and a leader of a far right party that views in the growing hostility between Muslims and Christians in Europe an excellent opportunity for its success in the coming elections.

Wilder’s accusations are not different than those raised by many Europeans backed by religious and political groups in the last five hundred years. What is new is the way Muslims have chosen to respond to the issue.

Europe has produced more than 10,000 anti-Islamic and anti-Quran books in its long relations with Muslims. One can at least count more than 131 movies produced by various European filmmakers ridiculing Islam and the Quran. The passion play in Spain mocking Muslims and celebrating the victory of Christians over Moors is an annual reality. Yet, Islam has survived all the negatives spreading over a few centuries. Islam can certainly survive this new 10 minute movie. Muslims must never consider that their religion is so weak that its foundations can be demolished by a hatemonger’s 10 minute film.

How should Muslims respond to such provocations? The best response is silence. Ignore the movie and it would die on its own. The second best response is to produce films that highlight the true normative ethical framework of the Quranic teachings.

The third best response is to live the Quranic message of love and compassion where ever Muslims are. It is this response that can counter all the negatives produced by anti-Islamic forces.

We must realize that we have many people in the world who hate others for no reason. Don’t some Muslims in different parts of the world hate Americans simply because they are Americans? Don’t some Muslims hate Jews simply because they are Jews? Similarly, among Christians, Jews, Hindus, secularists are many who hate Muslims simply because they are Muslims. This does not mean that a majority of people belonging to different faiths have an inherent inclination to hate others. What is important is to realize that despite the hate mongers, people of different ethnic and religious and political groups have learned to live in peace and harmony with each other. The web of complex relations that exist among nations of the world in all aspects of life clearly demonstrate that.

Muslims should also realize that they do not enjoy a favorable reputation in most parts of the world. Because of the actions of a few, they are subject to all sorts of ridicule, biases and wrongs. Some among Muslims feel that by condemning anti-Muslim propaganda, they would win over the masses to their side. However, mere condemnation does not resolve any issue. What helps overcome the negatives is a consistent effort to change the perception by changing the reality.

If Muslims are seen by people around them as compassionate, kind and caring people, no matter how many films are released against the Quran, people would have a hard time to believe them. If Muslims are seen as part of campaigns to eliminate environmental hazards, nuclear arsenals, homelessness, poverty and other social ills of the society at all levels, there would not be many who would buy the anti-Quran propaganda. However if people find a different image of Muslims conforming to what they see in anti-Quran movies, they would not accept the Muslims’ claim that they are a kind and compassionate people.

There are several places in the United States and other parts of the world where Muslims have played into the hands of those who want to provoke them. For instance, the infighting among Muslims associated with in an Islamic center or mosque is a common scene in several mosques in the US. In other countries, of course, the murder of fellow Muslims inside mosques belonging to other sects (for instance in Pakistan and Iraq) is extremely bad. These and similar incidents may reconfirm some of the stereotypical images anti-Quran movies often tend to project.

The responsibility of improving their image lies upon Muslims and not others. Convincing themselves that they are a compassionate people is not enough to change the perceptions of others. Muslims have to speak with others and through action prove that their love and compassion are not confined to their religious texts but are reflected in their actions too. That is the only way through which films such as created by wilder will become meaningless.

10-6

By Adil James, MMNS

Detroit—January 27—“This is your mosque” was the underlying theme of a fundraiser held at the Davison Fwy Muslim Center this past weekend. African American and Gambian cultures came together there—the third of the flavors that traditionally comprise the American Muslim community, which are to a large degree composed of Arabs, Pakistanis, and people of African descent.

The event saw women dressed in beautiful and colorful traditional African clothing and also American Muslim women dressed in somewhat more Middle Eastern clothing of hijab and chador, and still others dressed in more contemporary American styles.

Present were many of the metro Detroit area imams, including Imam Achmat Salie, Imam Abdullah El-Amin of the Muslim Center, Imams Sylla, Tijani, Derrick, and Mamadou Ceesay.

Also present were in total about 125 members of the congregation, comprising members largely of the African American and Gambian communities.

With inspiring words Imam El-Amin introduced his intended goal of paying off the remaining $250,000 on the mortgage of the mosque—by the donations of 1,000 people each paying $250 towards the remaining balance.

“Where we are financially,” Imam El-Amin explained “—Allah blessed us to build this building against insurmountable odds. This is a 1.7 million dollar structure. We pay $18,000 a year just for insurance for the building…. We pay $3,000 a month just for water.”

“Allah blessed us. We only owe $250 thousand from that $1.7 million—that is great. That is a blessing from Allah—this is Allah’s mosque—He wanted it. Allah sends all that money, from believers. There are no benefactors, or the city—the money comes from believers.”

He focused on the extent of progress that had been made from the time that the Muslim Center began until the present—he pointed out the old brick wall which had been the end of the Muslim Center’s domain, but which is now only the Southeast boundary of a huge 4000 sf gymnasium and meeting center.

Imam El-Amin communicated a message of brotherly welcome, explaining that “there is no other place like this—a place where we can clean ourselves.” He spoke of the mosque as “a bridge between the brothers from here and the brothers from outside.”

Imam Sylla explained that when he first met Imam Abdullah El-Amin years ago, Imam El-Amin had spoken to him with his characteristic warmth and welcome, saying “You belong here.” This small piece of warmth may have been the germinating seed which grew into the strong sapling of mutual trust and goodwill that exists until today, the uncommon bond of friendship and cooperation that exists between the African and African-American communities at the Muslim Center—this bond shows in different ways, among them the doors swung open for traditional religious events celebrated in Western Africa, and also by the very fact of Muslims of African and African American descent congregating together under one roof during such events as the one described in this article.

Imam Sylla explained that this fundraiser was a special occasion, an event when “two communities are laying the groundwork to work and progress together.” “Gambians, West Africans, and the worldwide community of Islam—there is no difference between Muslims from different areas.”

Imams Sylla and El-Amin and some of the other speakers hinted at the prospective areas for cooperation in the future, only hinted at by them but spelled out in more detail by Sr. Sierra Deem, who listed such potential areas of cooperation as an exchange student program, a penpal program to expose kids in the Gambia to what life is really like in the USA, and “creating an educational program in this mosque—to teach the language and phrases in use in Africa” to American Muslims.

The event provided an opportunity also for Brother Omar to discuss in general terms the culture of Africa, and finally for Mr. Kemo Barrow to discuss in specific detail his plans to create an “Islamic Credit Union.” He advocated that Muslims create this credit union as a not-for-profit organization to circulate money inside the African American Muslim community in the same way that other communities hold onto money before letting it go back out to other groups—he explained that the Jewish community circulates money 8 times inside itself before that money comes out to the outside communities, the white community 5 times, the Hispanic community twice, and he said that the black community only circulates money inside itself once before that money escapes. He explained the many benefits of having a credit union, including making home loans available, and loans for cars, and explained the many benefits of working not in isolation but together—pointing out that if 600 families attend the Muslim Center, each family with an income of $30,000, then in total their spending power is an immense $18 million which would be vastly beneficial if focused together.

Note to those who contacted Sr. Tamara of DMUC about a janaza workshop: she has been unavailable recently because she was away at school studying for a license in mortuary science—she asked that TMO inform those people who contacted her that she has not forgotten them and intends to get back to them.

10-6

New President for Chicago’s oldest mosque

CHICAGO, IL–Tariq Malhance, City of Chicago’s former comptroller, was elected as the president of Muslim Community Center of Chicago. In a contentious vote process, which led to some members boycotting the election, Malhance emerged as a clear winner. The outgoing president Dr.Abdul Sattar, who had urged the boycott, has now offered his support to Mr.Malhance.

Tariq Malhance, an Islamic banker, brings decades of experience in the financial and administrative fields. He currently serves as Senior Vice President of Private Equity of Unicorn Investment Bank and President of UIB Capital in Chicago.

Mr. Malhance retired from the City of Chicago on November 30th, after an illustrious 25-year career, during which time he served in various positions in City Government, including City Comptroller, three years as First Deputy City Treasurer, Managing Deputy Comptroller for Debt and Asset Management, and Deputy Comptroller for Financial Policy. As City Comptroller he was tasked with managing the City’s cash flow, debt, and credit activities. He also had responsibility for the City’s accounting, auditing, and financial and compliance reporting. Mr. Malhance was responsible for overseeing the issuance of approximately $40 billion in bonds to support various City projects, such as the airport revenue bonds, water and sewer bonds and other specialised financing arrangements. Recently, he led the securitising of the Chicago Skyway, which is a seven-mile toll-way, for about $1.8 billion to Macquarie Bank of Australia and Cintra of Spain. This transaction was the first of its kind in the US. Mr. Malhance was an active trustee member of four of the City’s pension funds, which together control about $13 billion and invest in a variety of investment funds, including private equity funds.

Mr. Malhance is a graduate of the University of Karachi, Pakistan, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree. Subsequently, he earned a B.S. B.A. in Finance from Roosevelt University in Chicago, and two graduate degrees (an

M.B.A. in Finance from Roosevelt University and an M.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois, Chicago). He has also completed his post-graduate course work studies as a Ph.D. candidate in Public Policy Analysis at the University of Illinois, Chicago.

Student introduces Halal foods University of Pennsylvania

University Park, Pa., Jan.24, 2008 (Press Release) — Starting this month, Muslim Penn State students can dine on Halal certified food weekdays on the University Park campus, a press release from the university

Similar to kosher foods, Halal foods have restrictions regarding proper preparation, cooking and serving. Assisted by graduate student Muhammad Atiyat and other representatives of the Muslim Students Association (MSA), Penn State’s Campus Food Services will offer Halal sanctioned foods in Warnock Commons.

“It has been a group effort,” said Lisa Wandel, director of Food Services. “Muhammad has worked with us and we are excited to see how it works.”

Atiyat said that everyone from Food Services has worked very hard to put the program together, and he is pleased with the progress. As an undergraduate, he was involved in a similar program at Stony Brook University in New York. When he came to Penn State, he noticed there was only one restaurant in the area that sold Halal foods. He felt inspired to make a change.

“It’s an additional incentive for Muslim students to attend Penn State,” he said. “This highlights the importance of Halal foods for the students.”

The program will begin with a trial period during spring 2008. The World Beat station at BlueSpoon Deli will serve Halal dinners Sunday through Thursday. The World Beat is an a la carte eatery that specializes in international foods. Wandel said adding Halal dinners will be a welcome change for BlueSpoon.

“At night we are repeating the same meals from lunch,” she said. “With the Halal dinners, we can have Mediterranean menus at night — something different.”

Although restrictions in serving Halal foods are not as strict as kosher, a few challenges remain for Food Services. Wandel said Halal-approved products are not labeled like kosher foods are. This means Food Services must communicate with vendors to make sure they sell Halal certified food and follow approved procedures.

Meats that are Halal certified follow Islamic law regarding how livestock is slaughtered. In any Halal food, no pork and no items with alcoholic ingredients are allowed.

Atiyat said promoting diversity at Penn State is important for everyone. By offering these dining options, students can be exposed to a culture that they might not understand or know much about.

University employees have benefited from the change as well. “It’s a great learning experience,” said Curt Weisner, assistant manager of Warnock Commons. “We haven’t even made the Halal food yet and our cooks have learned a lot already.”

Not only does the program offer a change on the menu, but it also introduces a new way of cooking to those who work in the kitchen.

“This program benefits Penn State because it’s education,” Wandel said. “It educates other students that are not familiar with these lifestyles.”

Both Wandel and Weisner said working with Atiyat has been excellent and has done wonders for the program’s progress, and Atiyat said it would have not been possible without the help of Food Services — a true sign of teamwork, with results to show for it.

Muslim good samaritan attends Bush speech

WASHINGTON, D.C.–A Muslim teenager who came to the aide of a group of Jewish men from when they were being attacked in a New York subway attended President Bush’s state of the union speech. The incidence took place on the Q train in New York City on the night of December 7, 2007.

Askari has received numerous honours from officials in New York and US Congress earlier. The State of the Union feature is the first time for any Bangladeshi-American. Askari was invited by Queens Congressman Rep. Joseph Crowley.

Askari, a Bangladesh native, received two black eyes and a split lip while aiding the Jewish riders after they were attacked by 10 men and women who were insulted by their greeting of “Happy Chanukah.”

Crowley delivered a speech about Askari’s actions on the floor of the House of Representatives.

Minnesota mourns bridge builder

MINNEAPOLIS, MN– Hesham Hussein was a father, teacher, engineer, imam, founder of two Arab-speaking Islamic schools, spokesman for the state’s Muslim community and a man who could bring Muslims and Christians together for a potluck.

The 44-year-old Inver Grove Heights resident died Saturday in a car accident in Saudi Arabia, where he was visiting family, the Star Tribune reported.

He had been driving alone between Medina and Jedda when the accident occurred, said his cousin, Khalid Elmasry. Hussein, president of the Muslim American Society of Minnesota, was a major figure in shaping understanding of Muslims in Minnesota, say those who knew him.

Hussein founded a program called Taking Hearts that brought people from Twin Cities metro-area churches and mosques together to carry out service projects. Along the way, they learned that they shared similar perspectives on many topics, such as poverty.

Despite SeaTac Mosque concerns, shared parking for nonprofits approved

SeaTac, WA–Despite concerns about parking at a local mosque, SeaTac City Council members voted 4-2 on Jan. 22 to allow nonprofit organizations to share parking.

An amendment by Deputy Mayor Gene Fisher that would have postponed consideration of the parking ordinance for 30 days to allow city leaders to further negotiate with SeaTac Mosque officials was defeated by a 4-2 vote.

Action already had been delayed two weeks.

City Manager Craig Ward said city staffers have been talking to mosque officials about a use permit for parking at the old school site and other possible code violations. The city recently bought the property from the Highline School District.

While it was owned by the school district, people attending afternoon prayers at the mosque next door to the school at South 150th Street and 30th Avenue South parked on school grounds. That practice has continued since the city purchased the property.

Mosque officials had expressed interest in buying the school property before it was sold to the city.

Even with the new shared parking ordinance, mosque members must negotiate an agreement with the city to legally park at the school.

“The negotiations have not produced a fruitful outcome,” Ward noted. “ (A 30-day postponement) may help light a fire under negotiations that have stalled out.”

However, in an interview, mosque spokesman Aziz Junejo countered, “We thought our cooperation was pretty good.”

On Sundays, youth pick up litter at the school site left by mosque members and neighborhood residents who use the playfield.

The mosque also hosts a picnic every year at the school and invites neighbors and SeaTac officials. SeaTac police officers and firefighters have attended but no council members have accepted an invitation, according to Junejo.

The only time parking is a problem in the area is around noon on Fridays, Junejo, a Seattle Times religion columnist, said.

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By Inayatullah Ibrahim Lalani

My usually serene and unflappable friend Sayeed Siddiqui of Houston appeared visibly incensed as he walked out of the committee room. He had just finished participating in the proceedings of the Resolutions Committee of the Texas Democratic Party last summer. “Our party is rife with some very undemocratic shenanigans”, he seemed to be saying.

I suspect many Democratic activists are disconcerted by the way the party rules play fast and loose with the resolutions passed by the party members at various levels. Just because you bring a well-crafted resolution to the precinct or district convention or the County level resolutions committee and get it passed through your talents of persuasion or sheer logic and fairness of the resolution itself and even because a great number of precincts and districts place their stamp of approval on such or similar resolution does not mean it will eventually survive, let alone be incorporated in the party platform. The reason for such is that the powers that be assign a lone or at most a handful of individuals to sift through a large pile of them that eventually reach their desk. His or her or their job is to sift through, catalogue, clean up and bring before the state level committee all those resolutions for consideration and passage or rejection – in a very short time .The state committee’s decision in this matter is final.

Now the handler (or the handlers) of the resolutions is (are) not allowed to append a positive or negative recommendation concerning the resolution, let alone arbitrarily discarding them. But that is exactly what he often does and it is done quite arbitrarily with no accountability to the general membership of the party or even the State Executive Committee of the party. This kind of heavy handedness is more becoming of the Republican Party and cannot be allowed to go unchallenged in our Democratic Party.

The only way to remedy this intolerable hole in the otherwise very fair structure of the party rules is to persuade a few members of the Rules Committee to address the problem. If the issue is articulated properly and specifics of the mechanism for assuring the integrity of the resolutions processing system are clearly outlined, I doubt the suggestion will meet any resistance. If the rules cannot be amended (I will call it the Siddiqui Amendment), then trying to pass the resolutions will be mere spinning of wheels.

The set of resolutions we are currently crafting and hope to soon circulate among our readers through e-mail so that they can bring them up for consideration and debate at their respective precinct conventions/caucuses includes the one with Siddiqui Amendment. I am going to suggest that any resolution that has been approved by at least 15 precincts and at least one Senatorial District Convention MUST be brought for consideration by the state level Resolutions Committee and, additionally, that the power of the State Resolutions Committee to defeat such a resolution be severely curtailed (for instance, requiring 75% of the members present to vote it down). This would be at the heart of the Siddiqui Amendment.

If you agree that there is urgent need for this little reform, you should seek a position on the Rules Committee at every level. Remember, you cannot sit on any committee unless you vote in the primary election of your party.

Although above remarks relate specifically to the Texas Democratic Party, those of you who live in other states ought to scrutinize your own state’s party procedures and apply the same criteria to them. That goes for the Republican Party also.

Inayatullah Ibrahim Lalani is a freelance writer based in Benbrook Texas. He can be reached at assadiq@gmail.com.

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By Geoffrey Cook, MMNS

Boston–As I write (January 28th), the Egyptian border (i.e., the Israeli wall) to Gaza has been breached, and is still wide open! Many have already returned with groceries and other supplies although the Israelis worry that their enemies will return with weapons. Up to 700,000 individuals so far have escaped their mock country of Gaza that, instead, had become a prison. Despite the attempt of Tel Aviv to bulldoze (now a Hamas soldier reversed the order, and razed a wider hole in the border/prison fence!) the wall back into place, and Egyptian paramilitary police attempted to control the streaming humanity from that other poor country into theirs (too). In no circumstances were they in any position to humanely handle the state of affairs! Cairo has literarily failed to halt the exodus. The Arabs of the Levant were shocked at the lack of sympathy shown by their brothers on the Nile while Alexandria was shocked by the abuse that their soldiers received from their Arabic neighbors (over several days.)! Thursday, the Egyptians suffered a humiliating defeat! Forming human shields, the paramilitary police were overwhelmed; they retreated in disarray. As the average Palestinians threw their stones, and the descendants of the Pharaohs shot their guns into the air, the huge opening in the fence remained open! Both Egypt and Israel attempted to block the tide of humanity, but failed!

The Muslims and Christians (20% of the Egyptians are) were quite aware that to apply excessive force would be a public relations disaster within the Arab World. Overall, the situation has helped Hamas, who as President Jimmy Carter testified in his election observer report, on Gaza was one of the most free and fair he has scrutinized worldwide) to the point President Mubarak has invited both Hamas and Fatah for talks to heal their differences! At the same time, it was announced that Israel’s Olmert and Fatah’s Abbas leader of Palestine (excluding the Southern Costal Strip) were coming together for a talk. Mubarak’s initiative sounds much more promising, for no peace agreement can succeed without Hamas!

Besides the report of the current occurrences in the Gaza Strip, this article is a report of Noura Erekat, Esq.’s speech at the Boston Palestine Conference last fall. She is a young Palestinian-American who was educated (in her activism) at Berkeley all the way through Law School (Boalt Hall). Now, she is a Fellow at the U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation (USC) in the District of Columbia.

She began with her declaration that “Israel is the only State in the Middle East …that discriminates through their sanctions.” Tel Aviv has gained a higher profile in the States as a “trusty frontline” country in our “War on Terror! “The Palestine-Israel conflict has been contextualized into the West’s Terrorist War!”

She brought to our attention on how the Jews are mistreating Arab and other minority citizens within their own frontiers. The South African theory of Bantuization is empowering. The historical Southern African “Paradigm of Apartheid…can be empowering [for the Palestine struggle as well]. We can employ the same tools as the [Blacks] of South Africa did!”

Although the claim that the University Movements towards Divestments are dead. It is not true! Often local based orgs are easier to win over! Yet, Community-based Campaigns are harder to conduct. Still, “they can become effective allies” since “We are fighting,” for “Justice…at stake!”

The saintly Rachel Corrie was murdered by an Israeli soldier (IDF) driving a Caterpillar bulldozer made in the U.S.A. — bought with money gifted by D.C. — while she was attempting to discourage the Israeli Army from destroying a Palestinian physician’s home.

The battle against Cat (Caterpillar) was aimed at the moral consciousness of their shareholders and Divestment from the Company, but because of legal rulings it implies that a national struggle cannot be carried on behalf of Corrie’s martyrdom! This means that a national contest cannot be waged for a young woman so gorily slain! The IDF, the Israeli Defense Force, with their cohorts in Washington protect them from justice!

We have to keep an eye on Congress. Part of our aid to Israeli Jerusalem is against American domestic law! That is, it is illegal to use our donated weaponry for War Crimes or Crimes Against Humanity. The U.N. (United Nations) in New York has documented these very crimes besides other international bodies! Pro-Palestinian groups are as much as much grass roots as political in the States!

Thus, the U.S. must hold Israel to account!

The remarkable Medical Doctor, and Director of Gaza’s main hospital, Mona El-Ferra, M.D. on whom I wrote an article last week for another publication, confirmed that Israel has started to review the fuel situation it has forced upon the “Costal” Province. The much-needed material that the temporary emigrants bought and brought in from Egypt seems to have helped lift the citizens’ spirits, and “The border is still wide open!”

The Israelis are definitely seriously reconsidering their negative policy of continuing the energy embargo to Mona’s little country!

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