Houstonian Corner (V10-I38)

by

“59 Days”: MN Rep. Keith Ellison At Houston Iftar-&-Dinner

2008 - Congressman Ellison In Houston (11) Houston–September 6–“Fifty-Nine days are left in November 04 Elections. It is crucial that get into the White House Democratic Party President. Plus we need to work hard and have several Democratic Party Congresspersons elected or re-elected. People say Texas is 45% – 55% Democratic – Republican. I want to tell them, we have hardworking supporters of real change, who will be putting sincere efforts in registering people to vote. We will see many voters who have never voted earlier and will upset these percentages.”

These were the enthusiastic words of Congressman Keith Ellison, the first Muslim-American congressman as he addressed a group of upbeat Community Leaders, Professionals and Businesspersons at an Iftar-&-Dinner organized at a local hotel. He resiliently asked the participants to vote for Barrack Obama.

Rep. Ellison (D-MN-5th) came to Houston on the invitation of Mustafa Tameez of Outreach Strategies, LLC., who through the help of his host team raised funds for Ellison’s reelection campaign. Towards the end of the program, Mr. Tameez auctioned baseballs and DNC Credentials autographed by Rep. Ellison.

“Qur`an says that there is no coercion in religion, which is the foundation of USA, where we celebrate diversity.  The way the vote count is being projected; the Muslim vote will make a significant and most likely decisive difference in key states like Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Other significant states where Muslims will make an impression are Virginia and Florida. No matter who wins, Muslims need to continue advocacy at grassroots and all the different levels of government. Muslims should organize a Day on the Hill in Washington DC and their respective states, while those legislatures are in session; inviting and visiting several key decision makers, placing in front of them an agenda of four to six key issues, which should be finalized after joint diligent consultations among the Muslims. Also at local levels, an Annual  Concerned Citizens Group Function should be arranged by the Muslim Community, which in few years should become a spotlight of the community level political calendar. It should be clear to all Americans that Muslims care about the many concerns of the society; their participation is positive and they encourage all to come together for the common good.”

Earlier at a private VIP function, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Al Green paid rich tributes to Congressman Ellison for his uprightness and acumen. Later on at the fundraising Iftar-&-Dinner, Congressman Nick Lampson applauded the performance of Congressman Ellison.

“In order to gain respect, one should not shy away from what he or she is. The behavior of a Muslim in the public sphere is what the Muslims need to learn from Keith Ellison. We are proud that he is the first Muslim Congressman, who took oath on the Qur`an, and who is giving excellent services to all of his constituents and people of America without any discrimination,” said City Councilman M.J. Khan, one of the thirteen hosts of the event.

Mercy Center Serving God by Serving Humanity

Houston, Texas (September 05, 2008): “We work to help our fellow human-beings in areas of the city where others are afraid to go,” said Imam Wazir Ali, Resident Imam of the newly established Masjid al-Qur`an of the Mercy Center, located at 5922 Hillcroft in Houston. He was encouraging people to contribute towards the projects of Masjid Al-Qur`an.

“We have Muslims from 81 different countries of the world living in the USA. We are the most diverse community. We are unique, since our main objective in doing anything is to please God and that Muslims achieve by working towards human and community development. Mercy Center and Masjid al-Qur`an are doing those two things, making positive change in the lives of hundreds: They need all of the moral support and financial assistance,” said Sulayman Nyang, Professor of African Studies at Howard University, who was keynote speaker at this fundraiser of Masjid al-Qur`an.

Other guest speakers included Imam Hatim Hamidullah, resident imam of Masjid Al-Haqq, Orlando, Florida and Chaplain Robert Kidd, Senior Staff Chaplain of Methodists Hospital System. Both talked about the compassion and beneficence of God (Allah SWT), which mean that in order to be God’s worthy creation, human-beings need to show empathy to each other.

To contribute, visit www.mercycc.org

UK’s Brown Praises Obama

by

2008-09-08T160949Z_01_BRM16_RTRMDNP_3_BRITAIN LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Gordon Brown voiced support on Wednesday for U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, saying he would help Americans struggling with an economic downturn.

In a move seen by some British media as breaching a political convention requiring foreign leaders to remain neutral ahead of U.S. elections, Brown praised Obama as a fellow “progressive politician” who would help ordinary Americans in tough times.

Brown described the race for the White House as “electrifying” and said: “It is the Democrats who are generating the ideas to help people through more difficult times.”

Writing in The Monitor, a monthly political publication, he praised a proposal by Obama to help prevent people from losing their homes as a result of the credit crunch.

Asked later at a news conference with Italian PM Berlusconi whether his comments were an endorsement of Obama, Brown said he was proud to know both candidates and the decision was up to the American people.

“I met both Senator Obama and Senator McCain when I was in Washington, and enjoyed my conversations with both of them. I have got a great admiration for both of these very distinguished senators,” he said.

“It is a matter for the American people in their elections to make these decisions.”

A BBC poll of 22 countries around the world Wednesday showed all would prefer to see Obama elected president ahead of McCain. In 17 of the 22, people expect relations between the US and the rest of the world to improve if Obama wins.

10-38

Sailing to Gaza: The First Step to Liberation

by

By Susan Schwartz, MMNS

Readers of The Muslim Observer have followed the odyssey of the freeGaza  movement on these pages. After nearly two years of planning, two  ships, the  SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty left Lanarca, Cyprus and set sail for the coast  of Gaza on August 23. There they were greeted by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and thousands of cheering Gazans. 

Their arrival marked the first time in more than 40 years that an  international vessel docked at a Gazan port and the first time  in over 60 years that Palestinians freely entered and exited Gaza.

During their brief but busy stay there they accompanied Gaza fishermen to the 8 mile limit where the fishing boats caught  more fish than they had in anyone’s memory.  The Israelis have prevented Gazans from fishing in their  own territorial waters in  defiance of international law. This prevented the fishermen from feeding their own families with their catch; from selling their  catch to earn a  livelihood, and forced them into buying expensive Israeli fish. Ships from the  Israeli Navy fired on the boats carrying the internationals without injury to  the craft or the passengers. The shells tore into the fishing nets or into the  surrounding water.

“Will you come tomorrow? “Will you come and fish again?” the fishermen from Gaza asked the internationals.

Shortly after the internationals departed,  however, Gaza fishermen venturing out beyond the Israeli imposed limit were  not so fortunate. The Israeli Navy fired on them and wounded two, one of  whom is in critical condition.

The human rights workers visited hospitals and witnessed first-hand the suffering and death caused by Israeli refusal to let  seriously ill patients–including children–leave Gaza for specialized  treatment. Patients on life sustaining equipment are at risk because Israel  limits the number of hours in which electricity is available to hospitals.

The ships left Gaza to return to Cyprus on August 28, this time leaving nine human rights workers behind and carrying 9 residents of Gaza with them.

Those left behind would  monitor human rights violations and do media work. 

Paul Larudee of California, a long time peace and  human rights activist, and one of the leaders of the freeGaza movement, said:  “This endeavor has  been a huge success, far more significant and wide-reaching  than anyone ever dreamt it could be. It has had obvious beneficial effects in  the Palestinian people, but also on Israel. In fairness, credit must go where  credit is due–despite threats or obstacles, a responsible decision was made  by Israeli authorities not to interfere with our mission and this is a model for  the future.”

The nine Palestinians departing Gaza included children wounded by Israeli military action and family members reuniting in  Cyprus.  Among the  liberated Palestinians are Saed Mosleh, age 10, of Beit Hanon, Gaza. Saed lost his leg due to the actions of an Israeli tank and is  being accompanied by his father as they seek medical treatment for his  condition. Also aboard are members of the Darwish family who, after four years, will finally be reunited with their loved ones.

“I can’t believe we’re finally able to leave for medical treatment,” said Khaled Mosleh, Saed’s father. “This is a miracle of  God.”

The primary purpose of the trip was to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza and to open up that prison to international teams.  The freeGaza human rights workers also brought hearing aid batteries for children impaired by the frequent sounds of Israeli military actions; filters to provide the Gazans with potable water, and some medical supplies. The former two items are forbidden by the Israelis, who have labelled them dual  use.

In the wake of this incredible  journey, Scottish human rights activists have announced their  intention to take a land trip from Scotland to Rafah in mid-November.

The freeGaza movement has announced the beginning of  postal service to Gaza. At present all mail addressed to Palestine must go  through Israel.The Israelis block mail intended for Gaza on a regular basis. The  freeGaza movement has announced that its next mission will carry mail to Gaza and has issued the following instructions for those wanting to participate.

The mail must be placed in an unsealed envelope and must be addressed in both English and Arabic. This letter must then be  placed in a larger envelope and addressed to: Family and Friends Mail to Gaza;  Free Gaza movement; P.O. Box 5341; Beverly  Hills, Ca. 90209-5341, USA.  The freeGaza movement asks that you not send valuables, cash or  checks.

For readers who do not know anyone in Gaza, a pen pal club has been started. If you wish to be a part of this group,  please send a letter in an unsealed envelope and address the envelope with a  general description of the person you want to correspond with, e.g. a “12 year  old boy in Gaza”; “for a  teacher,” etc. Place that envelope in a larger one and send it to the  aforementioned address with the heading: Letters from the World  Program. Schools are encouraged to make this a class room effort. Any person  from anywhere in the world may partake.

As of this dateline at least four of the humanitarian workers who remained in Gaza have been denied exit.

The freeGaza movement has urged readers to contact the following to protest  their incarceration:

US Embassy/Tel Aviv Citizens’ Services: amctelaviv@state.gov

Kyle Kronmiller, US Consulate in Jerusalem: 011  972 0546660673;

US Consulate General, Jerusalem: phone  972-2-6227230/972-2-6253288; Fax: 972-2-6259270; uscongenjerusalem@state.gov;

US State Department: 1-888-407-4747 or  202-647-4000. Then please ask to speak to Kim Richter, Jenny Foo or Brooke Knobel.

The four human rights workers attempted  to leave Gaza both through Israel and through Egypt and were prevented from doing so by the Israelis acting alone and by the government of Egypt succumbing  to Israeli pressure. After announcing on August 25 that the boats broke no laws, the Israeli government now justifies the continued incarceration of these four  by claiming they broke the law.

Anyone in Israel who knows the telephone numbers  and email addresses of Israeli officials who can help those left behind, please  send them to: SpokaneProgressives@yahoogroups.com (mailto:SpokaneProgressives@yahoogroups.com).

Another trip is planned by the freeGaza movement for the end of September. Money is desperately need by this organization.

To  contribute or learn more about freeGaza, visit  www.freegaza.org.

10-38

Muslim scientists and thinkers–Abu Hamid al-Ghazali

by

By Syed Aslam

Imamghazali Abu Hamid  al-Ghazali,  also known in west as Algazel, was born at Tus, Iran in the year 1058 CE. His father died while he was very young. He received his early education at Tus and at the age of fourteen he went to Gurgan. Here he studied Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) and after seven years he moved to the city of Nishapur and became the student of famous scholar Abu Maali Juwayni.

He soon acquired a high standard of scholarship in religion,  philosophy and fiqh. The vizier of the Seljuk Sultan, impressed by his scholarship, appointed him as a Professor at the Nizamiyah University of Baghdad, which was the most reputed institution of learning at that time.

After a few years, however, he gave up his academic pursuits and worldly interests and became a wandering ascetic.

After spending  some time in Jerusalem, Makkah and Medina he came back to Tus and spent several years in seclusion. He finally ended his seclusion, opened a Sufi school khanakah and started teaching and lecturing. He remained in Tus until his death in December of 1111 CE.

Among the Muslim theologians, al- Ghazali was the most influential; in addition he was a philosopher, a Jurist and a Sufi mystic. He was a prolific writer, authoring more than 70 books. Probably his major work, the multi-volume Ihya ul-Uloom ud-Din, (The Revival of Religious Sciences), can be divided into four parts, which cover perhaps all aspects of Islam, including Islamic jurisprudence, theology and Sufism.

In this series he pointed out that the traditional teaching about Islam did not convince him in his adolescence. His conviction came later, through his Sufi mystical experience. In his autobiography; The Deliverance from Error, he recounts how his spiritual crisis was resolved by a light from God, the key to all knowledge. The Sufi mystical experience brought changes in his theological thought.

Al-Ghazali authored two books on Islamic theology, The Middle Path in Theology and The Jerusalem Epistle. In both books the theological position he expressed matches with the Asharite school of thought. He wrote three books on Aristotelian logic, The Standard Measure of Knowledge, The Touchstone of Proof of Logic and The Just Balance.

Al-Ghazali was  very much interested in logic and philosophy, and he studied intensively while he was teaching at Baghdad. He composed two books on philosophy; The Intention of the Philosopher, in which he has summarized his own conclusions about philosophy, and set the stage for the  second book; The Incoherence of the Philosophers. In this book he has used exhaustive logic against philosophers. He vehemently rejected Aristotle, Plato and all Muslim philosophers starting from eighth century who incorporated the ancient Greek philosophy into Islamic theology. The main among them were  al Kindi, al-Farabi and Ibn Sina. Point by point, he refuted their arguments.

For 100 years his arguments were unchallenged.  Ibn Rushd, an Andalusian  philosopher, made a counter-argument in his book The Incoherence of the Incoherence, but the epistemological course of Islamic thought had already been set by al-Ghazali.

Al-Ghazali divided knowledge into three categories; praiseworthy, permissible and blameworthy–which he has discussed in his book Ihya Ulum-id-Din (Revival of the Religious Sciences). All learning connected to religion is praiseworthy, but when mixed with other than religion sometimes becomes blameworthy. Learning medicine and mathematics he said are permissible and declared it as farze Kefayah, not ferze Ayin. If a man in a town or a locality acquires such knowledge, the whole community get absolved from the sin.

In his book al-Mustasfa which he wrote towards the end of his life, he stated that arithmetic and geometry are pure rational sciences and as such not recommended for study. They fluctuate between false and true knowledge that yield no practical application. He saw no usefulness in the study of physics and said some part of the subject as it was understood in his time contradicted the Shariah and thus were useless or blameworthy.

Al-Ghazali believed in the certainty of God which he experienced by mystic revelation, a phenomena he said was beyond logic or sensory perception. He argued that you can not prove the presence of God by logic or philosophy, and saw philosophy as largely a waste of time and inadequate for discovering the truth. Contingent events, he said, are not subject to natural physical cause, but are direct result of God’s constant intervention. This concept of God is consistent with the Asharite school of theology.   

Al-Ghazali’s work had a widespread influence on western medieval scholars especially Thomas Aquinas. He received wide recognition in the religious institutions of the Ottoman empire, southeast Asia, and Africa. In the Indian subcontinent, he enjoyed wide recognition both among the Deobandi school as well as the arch-rival Barelwi school.

Aslamsyed1@yahoo.com

Morocco “Goat Plague” Regional Threat: FAO

by

ROME (Reuters) – Millions of sheep and goats in Morocco could be killed by a virus, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Tuesday.

Morocco’s first ever outbreak of “peste des petits ruminants,” also known as PPR or “goat plague,” shows the virus has crossed the natural barrier of the Sahara Desert which had previously kept north Africa free of the disease, FAO said.

The spread of the virus could increase during the movement of animals during Ramadan. The virus passes from animal to animal and is 80 % fatal to livestock in acute cases, the Rome-based agency said. The virus causes fever, sores and lesions, labored breathing and diarrhea in infected animals.

“The economic impact might not be as great as in the case of rinderpest in cattle, but the social impact would be greater, considering the role played by small ruminants in the social life of the affected communities,” said Joseph Domenech, the FAO’s chief veterinary officer.

Morocco has an estimated 17 million sheep and 5 million goats. Restricting animal movements, quarantining affected farms and vaccinating high risk areas are the main ways to combat the spread of the disease, the FAO said.

10-38

Asphalt

by

ibn tufai 9-9-08 Asphalt is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits sometimes termed asphaltum. In U.S. terminology, asphalt (or asphalt cement) is the carefully refined residue from the distillation process of selected crude oils. Outside North America, the product is called bitumen. The primary use of asphalt (Bitumen) is in road construction, where it is used as the glue or binder for the aggregate particles. The road surfacing material is usually called ‘asphalt concrete’ in North America or simply ‘asphalt’ elsewhere. Within North America the apparent interchangeability of the words ‘asphalt’ and ‘bitumen’ causes confusion outside the road construction industry despite quite clear definitions within industry circles.

Asphalt can sometimes be confused with tar, which is a similar black thermo-plastic material produced by the destructive distillation of coal. During the early- and mid-twentieth century when town gas was produced, tar was a readily available product and extensively used as the binder for road aggregates. The addition of tar to macadam roads led to the word tarmac, which is now used in common parlance to refer to road making materials. However, since the 1970s, when natural gas succeeded town gas, asphalt (bitumen) has completely overtaken the use of tar in these applications.

Asphalt can be separated from the other components in crude oil (such as naphtha, gasoline and diesel) by the process of fractional distillation, usually under vacuum conditions. A better separation can be achieved by further processing of the heavier fractions of the crude oil in a de-asphalting unit, which uses either propane or butane in a supercritical phase to dissolve the lighter molecules which are then separated.

Further processing is possible by “blowing” the product: namely reacting it with oxygen. This makes the product harder and more viscous.

Natural deposits of asphalt include lake asphalts (primarily from the Pitch Lake in Trinidad and Tobago and Bermudez Lake in Venezuela), Gilsonite, the Dead Sea between Israel & Jordan, and Tar Sands.

Asphalt is typically stored and transported at temperatures around 150 degrees Celsius (300 °F). Sometimes diesel oil or kerosene are mixed in before shipping to retain liquidity; upon delivery, these lighter materials are separated out of the mixture. This mixture is often called bitumen feedstock, or BFS. Some dump trucks route the hot engine exhaust through pipes in the dump body to keep the material warm. The backs of tippers carrying asphalt, as well as some handling equipment, are also commonly sprayed with a releasing agent before filling to aid release. Diesel oil is sometimes used as a release agent, although it can mix with and thereby reduce the quality of the asphalt.

In the ancient Middle East, natural asphalt deposits were used for mortar between bricks and stones, ship caulking, and waterproofing. The Persian word for asphalt is mumiya, which may be related to the English word mummy. Asphalt was also used by ancient Egyptians to embalm mummies.

In the ancient Far East, natural asphalt was slowly boiled to get rid of the higher fractions, leaving a material of higher molecular weight which is thermoplastic and when layered on objects, became quite hard upon cooling. This was used to cover scabbards and other objects that needed water-proofing. Statuettes of household idols were also cast with this type of material in Japan, and probably also in China.

Poured bitumen has also been used as a damp-proof course in building.

10-38

Go-Ahead for Germany’s Biggest Mosque

by

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,druck-575170,00.html

cologne mosque

An artist’s rendering of the large proposed mosque to be built in Cologne.

After much controversy, Cologne’s city council has voted in favor of building Germany’s largest mosque. The opposition of a local far-right group wasn’t enough to stop plans that will change the city’s historic skyline forever.

Cologne’s skyline is not just any skyline. Silhouetted against the sky is the cathedral, the most famous gothic church in Germany. After a decision by Cologne’s city council, it will be joined by the country’s largest mosque.

On Thursday at Cologne’s City Hall, a crowd of demonstrators faced off. To the right of the entrance stood some 30 odd anti-mosque protesters carrying signs depicting stylized mosques with big red lines struck through them. To the left, about 100 people voiced their support for the mosque’s construction. Neither need really have bothered: The outcome was almost certain.

All parties except the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and the extreme right anti-mosque initiative Pro Cologne voted in favor of building the mosque, which will be Germany’s largest. Cologne’s Mayor Schramma, who has gone back and forth on the issue, in the end voted against his own CDU party in favor of the mosque’s construction Thursday.

The new mosque will now be built on a site in Ehrenfeld, an industrial section of Cologne where there is currently a working mosque operating out of an old factory. “They can start tearing down the old factory building tomorrow,” Josef Wirges, the local council member for Ehrenfeld and member of the Social Democrats (SPD) told SPIEGEL ONLINE.

The structure will cost between €15 billion and €20 billion, financed by private donations from more than 800 groups in Germany. Construction will be completed in 2010 by the locally based Turkish-Islamic Union for Religious Affairs (DITIB), which has close ties to Ankara.

The mosque, designed by German architects Paul and Gottfried Böhm, will be a domed building with glass walls and two minarets. The minarets will be 180 feet tall, one-third the height of the towers of the Cologne Cathedral. The mosque will also be flanked by tall office buildings. DITIB has agreed not to broadcast the call to prayer over loudspeakers.

“I think the new mosque will be such an architectural masterpiece that tour buses will take people to see it after they visit the Cologne Cathedral,” enthused Wirges.

But far-right activists have made a racket about this particular mosque since plans to build it were announced last year. The extreme-right Pro Cologne has held 5 of the 90 seats in the city council since 2004. They launched a vociferous campaign against the mosque — drumming up support from as far away as Austria and Belgium. Jörg Haider, head of the right-wing Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ), supports the Cologne protesters and has launched an attempt to ban mosques in his native Austria.

The anti-mosque campaign has been under observation by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, because of its “sweeping defamation of foreigners is suspected of violating human dignity.”

Although mosque supporters have won this battle, the war over integration in Cologne is not finished. Pro Cologne has planned a controversial “Anti-Islamization Congress” for Sept. 19. The city expects an influx of prominent far-rightists from around Europe — and 40,000 counter-protesters.

10-37

ISNA Convention 2008

by
2008 - Islamic Society Of North America Convention In Columbus Ohio (1)

ISNA President Ingrid Mattson addresses ISNA conference attendees during the 45th Annual ISNA Convention, on the theme, Ramadan, a Time for Change.

By Ilyas Choudry, MMNS

Columbus OH–September 1–Republicans and Democrats love conventions, but vying with them for attention is the annual ISNA Convention, held this year in Columbus Ohio.

This was ISNA’s 45th Annual convention, on the theme Ramadan–A Time for Change, at the Greater Columbus Ohio Convention Center.

Tens of thousands of guests from all over the US, Canada and overseas participated in the 45th Annual Islamic Society of North America (ISNA) Convention at the Greater Columbus Convention Center (SMG Managed) from August 29 through September 01, 2008. This Labor Day convention started off with  a press conference conducted by Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of ISNA, which ended with suhur and fajr prayers.

Some of the important programs at the weekend conference included: the Kashmir Resolution Forum with Lord Nazir Ahmed of British Parliament; a dynamic forum for Muslim youth called Open Spaces; an Islamic art exhibit Appreciate Beauty – Be Inspired; Entertainment sessions with Muslim artists and comedians; a film festival; a National Qira’at Competition; a Muslim Professional Network; a Meet the Author Program; Health Fare; Matrimonial Banquet; Halal Food-Court and A Time For Reflection: A Journey of 45 Years.

In attendance at the convention was Sada Cumber, the United States Envoy appointed by President George Bush to the 56 countries of the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC). Famous Islamic scholars were also present, including Sheikh Hamza Yusuf, Imam Zaid Shakir, Ustad Suhaib Webb, Yusuf Ziya Kavakci, Abd al’Hakim Jackson, Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Sulayman Nyang, Mokhtar Maghraoui, Yasir Qadhi and many others.

Dr. Ingrid Mattson introduced the theme of the convention, Ramadan: A Time for Change at the Press Conference. 

Said Ms. Mattson, “like the previous years, ISNA has organized a meaningful, educational and fun environment for the conference participants. Everyone can count on experiencing something new, since the Islamic Community brings so much diversity. We have over 500 booths in the Bazaar and that is one of the major attractions for the attendees. The booths are providing information, a film festival, matrimonial, entertainment, opportunities to network, shop and a forum for families to reunite with friends and loved ones.”

Following the press conference, a joint session of ISNA with Habitat for Humanity on “Housing and Poverty” was held. Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International, was the keynote speaker: “Through our presence at this gathering, we want to encourage people of every faith to work together and focus on housing as a way to overcome poverty”, said Mr. Reckford.

“The 45th Annual ISNA Convention is a significant family oriented event that our facility is pleased to host, enabling tens of thousands of attendees to enjoy the convention and our city during the holiday weekend,” said SMG Regional General Manager Craig M. Liston.

This year’s convention included an opportunity to celebrate health and life with the platform of 2008 ISNA Health Fair that featured free health screenings for blood pressure, diabetes and body mass index (BMI). The health fair with its blood drive attracted many to have free medical checkups and donate blood to benefit people. “After going through various medical tests and having received excellent information of my health state, I feel encouraged and empowered with knowledge to take good care of my health and of the people around me. One should have a healthy living as long as we are alive. It helps fulfilling our religious and social obligations,” said one of the participants.

“Our event is a gathering of families, youth and students in our community, with a bazaar simultaneous with the convention. There are speakers from abroad and throughout the United States. Those who did not come to this year’s amazing event, should not miss the next one in Washington DC over the long weekend of Independence Day, July, 2009,” said one of the main organizers, Basharat Saleem.

10-37

Hilal Sighting Committee of North America Weighs in on Moon Sighting

by

crescent-moon There were no authenticated Hilal sighting reports anywhere in North America on Sunday, August 31 evening. The National Ulema & Astronomers Conference declared Ramadhan start on Tuesday September 2nd. Ramadan Mubarak.

Hundreds of experienced observers scattered from Albany NY to Brownsville, TX and several places in California tried to sight the Hilal and confirmed that the Ramadan Hilal was not visible anywhere inspite of clear skies. The decision to start Ramadan Tuesday is UNAINAMOUS for all the Hilal Sighting Committees of North America including New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Texas, California, Toronto etc. and also endorsed by ICNA (Islamic Circle of North America), Zaytuna Institute, Shariah Board of America, Ulema Council of North America and many others Alhamdulillaah.

PLEASE ENCOURAGE ALL IN NORTH AMERICA TO REGISTER WITH THEIR EMAIL ADDRESS BY CLICKING THE LINK (http://www.hilalsighting.org/register.html) TO GET HILAL ALERTS Insha’Allaah. It only takes about 2 minutes and is Free. May Allaah SWT guide and help all Ummah with all the best. Aameen.

After the confusion in recent years about the correct Islamic dates from the Shariah perspective, with consistent efforts a consensus developed among the leading local Ulema (scholars) from multiple schools of thought and Muslim Astronomical Experts to establish the Hilal Sighting Committee of North America (www.hilalsighting.org ) in 1427H (2006G) Alhamdulillaah, following landmark meetings in New York, NY, San Jose, CA, Chicago, IL, Austin, TX and elsewhere.

Muslim unity can and should be achieved only on the basis of the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Allah says: Hold fast to the rope of Allah and do not get divided (3:103). The Rope of Allah is the Kitaab Allah (the Qur’an). According to the resolution by Ulema and Muslim Astronomical experts the Islamic month should begin in North America after a verifiable authentic sighting of the Hilal in North America. Muslim astronomical experts provide the sighting data and point out about the astronomical possibility of moon’s earliest visibility somewhere in the US and Canada. They deliver their recommendation after carefully evaluating the eyewitness accounts. The final decision, is made by Ulema in the Shura of the Hilal Sighting Committee of North America and conveyed to registered members through e-mails and announced on the www.hilalsighting.org website.

Our website www.hilalsighting.org gives more details and shows you the results for the last about one year, often with photographs of the Hilal. For accurate results in North America, there is no better website Alhamdulillaah. Our website is also the highest ranked for Searches for the words “Hilal Sighting” Alhamdulillaah.

English language Video by Hilal Sighting Committee of North America on Hilal Sighting and Islamic Dates – Issues and their Solution Insha’Allaah is available at  http://baytuliman.org/pdf/Moon_Sighting_&_Islamic_Dates_Solution.wmv.

Another on this topic is at www.hilalsighting.org/papers/salman.pdf website. Please review, forward, translate, post etc.

For Arabic language video, on Wednesday, January 2, 2008 at 19:00 GMT there was an excellent interview on AlJazeera TV “Belaa Hudood” program about issues with the Saudi announced Hejiri dates including the last Dhul-Hijja date. The program featured Mohammad Odeh of the Islamic Crescents’ Observation Project (ICOP), Abu-Dhabi, UAE, and many other scholars from several countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Qatar and Algeria. This video, which refers to www.hilalsighting.org the website of Hilal Sighting Committee of North America, Alhamdulillaah, is also posted at that website and can be seen directly at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=lx0rLtKPzbc

May Allaah SWT guide and help all Ummah to all the best in all affairs. Aameen. Jazakum Allaahu Khayran. WasSalaam.

Hilal Sighting Committee of North America www.hilalsighting.org

First Ever Muslim Democratic Caucus Meeting

by

The last seven years have been strange ones for American Muslims in politics. That much was evident at this morning’s first ever Muslim Democratic Caucus meeting. Aftab Siddiqui, a member of the Texas Democratic Muslim Caucus, walked me through the recent history. . .

So now many Democratic Muslims are trying to organize within the Democratic Party: hence the morning breakfast, which was kicked off by a Koranic invocation (in Arabic, then English), followed by the presentation of the colors by a boy scout group and a quite beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner. Keith Ellison, who was elected to represent Minnesota’s Fifth Dongressional District in 2006, and became the first Muslim ever elected to Congress, was the headliner. “America, our great country, needs the Muslim community,” he said. “The fact is we have achieved an amazing success simply convening this meeting.”

The theme for the day was involvement: get involved in local politics, vote, run for office. “Where are our Muslim congresswoman [with] hijab and without hijab,” said Indiana Congressman Andre Carson (the nation’s second Muslim elected to Congress). “Where are our Muslim city councilmen? We need more Muslims in the schoolboard.” . . .

10-37

Sami Al-Arian Freed on Bail in Virginia

by

Sami Al-Arian is out on bail in Virginia today, said his attorney Jonathan Turley.

“He is having a very cheerful reunion with four of his children in Washington, D.C.,” said Turley.

His wife, Nahla, and youngest daughter, Lama, returned to Egypt three days ago.

The former University of South Florida professor had been in federal custody for more than five years and was released this afternoon by the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement . Al-Arian had been held by ICE for 130 days and the legal limit is 90 days.

In July,? federal judge Leonie Brinkema ordered him freed on bail to await trial for a criminal contempt charge for refusing to testify before a a federal grand jury. Al-Arian had completed a 57-month sentence a year ago for helping associates of a Palestinian terrorist organization with nonviolent activities.

But he was never freed from federal custody. Instead, he was held in prison on a civil contempt charge by federal prosecutors in Virginia and then by immigration after his sentence ended. Then, he was charged with criminal contempt.

He is now at the apartment of his oldest daughter Laila, with four of his five children.

“We are delighted and relieved that Dr. Al-Arian is reunited with his family. He looks forward to addressing the remaining charges in court and securing his permanent release,” said Turley.

— Meg Laughlin, Times staff writer

10-37

Demand For Bajrang Dal & VHP’s Ban

by
2008-08-31T184340Z_01_DEL51_RTRMDNP_3_KASHMIR-PROTEST

Activists of Bajrang Dal, a hardline Hindu group, dance during victory celebrations in the northern Indian city of Chandigarh August 31, 2008. Hindus in Kashmir called off their two-month protest after the government allowed them temporary use of land at the centre of a religious row for an annual pilgrimage, officials said on Sunday.            

REUTERS/Ajay Verma

By Nilofar Suhrawardy, MMNS

NEW DELHI: The political card, being exploited by several Hindu extremist groups to turn the electoral frenzy in their favor in the forthcoming national and several assembly polls, has ironically turned against them. This is marked by Indians, cutting across religious differences, asking more and more loudly with each passing day, why aren’t such Hindu extremist organizations being banned? The question itself serves as an eye-opener to an average Indian’s stand, irrespective of his/her religious identity, against such extremist, radical groups.

Anti-Christian violence has once again erupted in Orissa, following the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others (August 23) in the state’s Kandhamal district. Some extremist Hindu groups blame Christians for his murder, while authorities hold Maoists as responsible. The manner in which radical Hindu groups, including VHP and Bajrang Dal, have targeted Christians in Orissa, has been described as a “national shame” by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. More than 12 people have been killed. In addition to several churches, orphanages and convents, over 2,000 Christians’ homes have been burnt down in this violence. Thousands of Christians have been forced to flee their homes.

In protest against the ongoing violence against Christians in Orissa, thousands of Catholic schools across the country remained closed on Friday (August 29). Demanding justice, the Christians staged a protest in the capital city against violence in Orissa. They carried placards and banners and chanted slogans saying: “We Want Justice.” Lashing at fanatic elements targeting Christians in Orissa, the Archbishop of Delhi. Vincent Concessao said: “The behavior of the fundamentalists and communal groups has rejected our Constitution. They have no regard for human rights, for constitutional rights, for freedom of conscience. Our people are feeling very insecure there (in Orissa). They are running away and their houses are being burnt by these people.”

A Christian delegation submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, appealing for “immediate intervention in Kandhamal District of Orissa which is again witnessing violence against the Christian community” (August 28). It described the atrocities against Christians in Orissa as “evil designs of fanatic fundamentalists,” in addition to “law and order machinery” not being of help to them. “This is the greatest disaster in the history of a Christian community in India and more so in Orissa,” according to the memorandum.

The memorandum also spelt out demands for an enquiry by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI); deployment of central para-military forces/army in adequate strength at all affected and sensitive places to prevent any further recurrences; compensation for the property damaged and to families of deceased and injured. Besides, according to memorandum, the culprits responsible for creating communal disharmony and damage “should be severely dealt with and those government officials found wanting or negligent in their duties be taken to task;” and a law should be enacted “to restrain such heinous communal crimes which have become so common in India.”

Earlier, the Kashmir-crisis evoked strong condemnation across the world and within the country too. What stood out was explicit note taken of the manner in which Kashmiri Muslims were facing hardships because of the curfew, economic blockade of the Valley, the ease with which they were targeted by the security forces stationed there. In contrast, the practically non-aggressive role displayed by forces against agitators in Jammu was also taken note of. Criticism similar to that of the discriminatory approach affecting Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir was also voiced regarding atrocities faced by Christians in Orissa.

Suggesting that state government was playing the role of a mute spectator to Christians being targeted, a Christian leader from the state said: “The state government says peace is being restored and people are returning to their homes. Which homes are they talking about? The ones that have been burnt down.” He was here in the capital city to appeal to the center government, along with other representatives of his community, to take constructive steps for return of normalcy in the state.

Though they received assurance from the Prime Minister, the Home Minister and others, the Christian leaders were doubtful on whether the center would take any concrete action to address their grievances. “I have my doubts that anything fruitful will come out of it. All that we keep getting are fine words that ‘this will be done and that will be done.’ In reality not only Kandhamal but many districts in Orissa are burning.” He also claimed that the number of death was much higher than that admitted by authorities. He declined to reveal his name as he had received several death threats.

Not only has the anti-Christian violence in Orissa been condemned across the world, it has added further strength to voices being raised demanding ban of extremist organizations responsible for the same. A recent report of two Bajrang Dal leaders being killed and two others injured while making bombs has prompted the common Indian to reiterate the same question:  “Why isn’t the government banning VHP and Bajrang Dal?”

Two Bajrang Dal members – Rajeev Mishra and Bhupinder Singh- were killed when a blast occurred in a house in Kanpur (Uttar Pradesh), while they were engaged in making bombs. The quantity of explosive material found at the spot included 3 kg lead oxide, 500 g red lead, 1 kg potassium nitrate, 11 country made grenades, several bomb pins, seven timers and batteries. It was enough to destroy half the Kanpur. “The recovery shows that a massive explosion was on the cards,” the police said.

Had the Kanpur-blast not occurred, the Bajrang Dal may have probably gone ahead with whatever terrorist attack they had been planning. Undeniably, there is substantial evidence about terrorist inclinations of Bajrang Dal and the group together with VHP targeting Christians in Orissa. With the government remaining practically silence against such groups, the common Indian has begun asking: Why aren’t such Hindu extremist organizations being banned? 

10-37

Hindu Mobs Ransack Villages as Christians Hide in Forests

by

Courtesy Gethin Chamberlain, The Observer

2008-09-03T125407Z_01_DEL04_RTRMDNP_3_INDIA-RELIGION

An activist from Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPI (M) attends a protest against the killing of Christians in Orissa, in New Delhi September 3, 2008. Hindu mobs have burnt at least four more churches in eastern India, officials said on Monday, as religious violence appeared to spread. Thousands of people, mostly Christians, have taken shelter in makeshift camps in Orissa state, where Hindu mobs went on the rampage last week after a Hindu leader was killed.  

REUTERS/Adnan Abidi

Thousands of terrified Indian Christians are hiding in the forests of the volatile Indian state of Orissa after a wave of religious ‘cleansing’ forced them from their burnt-out homes with no immediate prospect of return.

A mob of Hindu fundamentalists rampaged through villages last week, killing those too slow to get out of their way, burning churches and an orphanage, and targeting the homes of Christians. Up to 20 people were reported dead, with at least two deliberately set alight, after the murder of a Hindu leader last Saturday provoked the violence.

In some districts, entire villages lay deserted, abandoned by Christian populations who would rather shelter in the forests than return to face the risk of death. Some villagers attempted to return to their homes yesterday despite threats of further violence.

But Christian leaders who had spoken to those who have fled said that even among the trees they were not safe. Some of their tormenters have pursued them, trying to finish the job.

One of those hiding in the forest, Abalkora Diggal, described how a group arrived at Balkidadi village on Monday morning chanting anti-Christian slogans. ‘In the evening, a much bigger group of over 1,000 people fired in the air and warned us to leave if we wanted to stay alive,’ he told a local journalist.

They fled into the forest, emerging only when they saw an aid convoy arrive under heavy police protection. Afterwards, they returned to the forest, without food or fresh water. ‘I had a home and a tractor. I reared goats and hens. Now I have nothing,’ said Mr Diggal.

Babu Joseph, spokesman for the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India, told The Observer that many people were too frightened to return to their homes.
After speaking by mobile phone to some of those in hiding, he said: ‘They are living without food or drink and even there they are being hunted down by these people. I have spoken to nuns and priests who are hiding in the forests.

‘They said that it was a horrifying experience. Groups arrived at their villages carrying guns, swords and homemade weapons and even small bombs, which they used to blast the places. The groups targeted every Christian house in their villages. The people had a list of the Christian houses and institutions and none were spared.’ The Church said nearly 3,000 houses had been destroyed, most of them owned by Christians. More than 60 churches were burned down and at least half a dozen convents.

‘It is the result of a sustained hate campaign against Christians in Orissa,’ Rev Joseph said.

Manmohan Singh, the Indian Prime Minister, described the violence as a ‘national shame’, while Raphael Cheenath, the Archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar, called for an end to the ‘ethnic cleansing of Christians’.

The violence erupted after the murder of Hindu leader Swami Lakshmananda Saraswati at an ashram last Saturday night, along with four other activists from the hardline Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) party.

It was claims by the VHP that Christians were to blame for the deaths that acted as a trigger for the killing spree, although Maoist guerillas have since claimed responsibility for the murders. Reports said that about 30 Maoists opened fire on the ashram. A spokesman for the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army said it had targeted Saraswati, who had campaigned against conversions and the killing of cows, for ‘fascist activities’.

The revenge killings have been indiscriminate: a 19-year-old Hindu Rajni Majhi was burned to death by a mob who attacked the Christian-run Missionary Orphan Centre in the Bargarh district.

Some of the 150,000 Christians in the Kandhamal area have been sheltered by Hindu neighbours, but about 5,000 are believed to have sought refuge in the forests, with up to 10,000 under guard in camps set up by the government.

Underlying the violence is a long-simmering dispute between Hindus and Christians in the state over the conversion of low-caste Hindus to Catholicism. The success of the Christian churches has fuelled resentment among hardline Hindus. The Vatican has condemned the violence. Most of India’s billion-plus citizens are Hindu, while just 2.5 per cent of them are Christians.

Shoot-on-sight orders were issued to security forces in eight districts and a curfew remained in place yesterday in nine districts.

About 3,000 Christians demonstrated outside the Orissa state building in New Delhi yesterday, holding placards calling for peace and condemning the state government. On Friday about 25,000 Catholic schools were closed in a symbolic protest against the killings.

10-37

ATS Resorts to Terror Tactics

by

By Dr Sandeep Pandey

Rajasthan Police accompanied by Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police raided the house of Shahbaz Hussain, arrested in connection with blasts in Jaipur and now on Police remand there, in Molviganj, Lucknow for search past midnight on 29 August 2008 and house and office today, 30 August 2008, in the afternoon.

Shahbaz used to stay at his father-in-law Abdul Moid’s house along with his wife and three little children. The police took away all literature present in the house including newspapers, a cheque for Rs 15,000 in the name of ‘Zyna Computers’ given by one the students and Rs 1000 cash from the purse of Shahbaz’s wife Shadaf. Shahbaz used to run a computer training centre and a consultancy.

Today they took away a battery from the house and made Abdul Moid (father-in-law) sign on three blank papers. Upon receiving this information from Abdul Moid’s son some of us rushed to the shop where the search was going on.

When we enquired from the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Dy SP) Sangram Singh, who had come for conducting the search operations from Rajasthan, about the purpose of getting Abdul Moid’s signature on blank papers, he said they were going to draw the map of house and office on them. He didn’t explain what the third paper will be used for. When we requested him to give a copy of what is written or drawn on these sheets of paper to Abdul Moid he told us to come to the ATS office after a couple of hours.

When Abdul Moid and myself reached ATS office, the officer from Rajasthan was gone. We insisted that we would like to speak to the officer in-charge. When we communicated the purpose of our being there to this officer, who came out to see us at the reception, he particularly got mad at the charge Rs 1000 being taken away from Abdul Moid’s house. He raised his voice and said we were accusing him of theft. I suggested him not to raise his voice. He could have simply denied the charge. On this he ordered his men to throw us out of the office. I protested and said that he cannot take somebody’s signature on blank piece of paper.

After this we were abused and pushed out of the premises of ATS office by his men. The ATS and Rajasthan Police are obviously busy concocting evidence and using their unlimited powers arrogantly. Whether Shahbaz was involved in the Jaipur blasts or not will be decided by the investigation and the judicial process but the high handed behaviour of police and ATS makes one suspect of how they implicate people.

Contact Phone of Dr Sandeep Pandey: 0522 2347365, Mobile : 9415022772
Contact of Abdul Moid: 9792439090

Dr Sandeep Pandey

(The author is a Ramon Magsaysay Awardee (2002) for emergent leadership, heads the National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) and did his PhD from University of California, Berkeley in control theory which is applicable in missile technology. He taught at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur before devoting his life to strengthening people’s movements. He can be contacted at: ashaashram@yahoo. com)

10-37

Bostonians Learn About Darfur — Sorting Truth from Zionist Fiction

by

By Karin Friedemann

On August 10, 2008, Dr. Samina Khan gave a talk in a private home in Boston about her recent trip to Sudan, where she attended the Peace and Reconciliation Conference on July 25 and 26, 2008 in Al-Fashir, Darfur. Two representatives from Dorchester People for Peace, Jeff Klein and Hayat Imam, were among the attendees, as well as David Rolde and Elaine Antonia of BAZA (Boston Anti-Zionist Action).

Dr. Khan, a kidney specialist at Tufts Medical Center joined a Muslim delegation led by British parliamentarian, Lord Nazir Ahmed in collaboration with Sudan’s University of Science and Technology, to help resolve the inter-tribal conflicts in Darfur, which have killed tens of thousands and displaced millions. She represented “Claiming Our World,” an organization providing mentorship to women in underdeveloped countries.

While the Jewish-organized Save Darfur Coalition has focused on punitive economic measures and military intervention, the Muslim delegation aimed for a grassroots solution to regional problems without interference from foreign political agendas and oil companies.

The delegation met with 250 leaders and representatives of Darfur’s 178 tribes, the governor of Darfur, the city chairman of Al-Fashir, leaders of all the Sudanese political parties, including the former prime minister Imam al-Mahdi, representatives from Sudan Women’s General Union, representing 4 million members, and a Sufi religious organization. Professors from Sudan’s University of Science and Technology moderated the conference.

Dr. Khan toured Darfur’s oldest IDP (Internally Displaced People) camp near Al-Fashir, capital of North Darfur, which hosts over 50,000 people that fled their homes in surrounding villages four years ago. With the help from the UN and international charities, the Sudanese government provides water, sanitation, a daily meal, safety, health care and schooling for the children. She said most kids know basic English.

Nearby, foreign contractors are building fancy hotels and fast food joints with our tax dollars to service the UN aid workers. Supplies arrive via air transport because Darfur has no paved roads.

“People come from all over the world to cash money out of this,” said the doctor.

She reported that the general public and even the opposition parties fear that the frivolous genocide allegations against President Al-Bashir by the International Criminal Court before would invigorate foreign-aided rebels and derail the ongoing peace negotiations.

While visiting al-Fashir hospital, Dr. Khan asked the hospital superintendent for a list of needs. The Sudanese Health Ministry immediately released the money for new dialysis machines upon her request. She will return this year to set up a teaching program.

Dr. Khan visited the Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir at the president’s house in Khartoum. He was very enthusiastic about this tribal reconciliation initiative.

Dr. Khan was impressed with the eloquence and intellect of everyone she met in Sudan, and by the high level of women’s participation in Sudanese society. Women contribute significantly to the Sudanese work force. President Al-Bashir agreed to meet with the women from the British Muslim delegation and from the Women’s Union to discuss their concerns for the peace process. The women told the doctor that if the men won’t end the war, they would take things into their own hands.

A peace formula drawn up by local leaders at the conclusion of the conference, advised that the historic tensions between nomadic herders and farmers would decrease with more water access, human and veterinarian health care, disarming the citizenry and simultaneously creating an official local police force, and rural development projects.

Dr. Khan felt it important to counteract the media demonization stories about Sudan. He said there is no government militia called the “Janjaweed,” and there no ethnic conflict between black people and Arabs–they are all black people who speak Arabic.

“They have so many resources if you just take away the negative publicity. They need real guidance. Don’t leave them alone but don’t bash them all the time. Let the government and others take care of the people. [There’s] a lot of potential in that country,” said Dr. Khan.

10-37

Woman

by

By Elder George

The following advice for womanly conduct was taken from the book, Unto Thee I Grant, which contains writings purportedly from Amenhotep IV of ancient Egypt. Whether he wrote the following or not is less relevant than the wisdom it contains. I have taken the liberty to make a few modifications from the formal English translation in the hopes of bringing it closer to the modern idiom. There are not many texts that extol the virtues of womanhood, and of those that I am aware of, I find this the most extensive and timeless. I hope that you will find it enlightening and empowering.

Listen, fair daughter of love, to the instructions of prudence, and let the precepts of truth sink deep in your heart; so shall the charms of your mind add luster to the elegance of your form; and your beauty like a flower, will retain its sweetness when the bloom has withered.

In the spring of your youth, in the morning of your days, when the eyes of men gaze upon you with delight, and nature whispers in your ear the meaning of their looks; hear with caution their seducing words, guard well your heart, and do not listen to their soft persuasions.

Remember you are man’s reasonable companion, not the slave of his passion; your purpose in life is not merely to satisfy his desires, but to assist him in the toils of life, to soothe him with your tenderness, and acknowledge his care with soft endearments.

Who is she that wins the heart of man; that subdues him with love and reigns in his breast?

She walks in maiden sweetness with innocence in her mind and modesty on her cheek.

Her hands seek employment and her feet do not delight in gadding abroad.

She is clothed in neatness, and fed with temperance, and wears humility and meekness as a crown on her head.

On her tongue dwells music, the sweetness of honey dwells from her lips.

Decency is in all her words; in her answers are mildness and truth.

Submission and obedience are the lessons of her life, and peace and happiness are her reward.

Prudence walks ahead of her and virtue is at her right hand.

Her eyes speak softness and love, but discretion sits on her brow.

The tongue of the licentious is dumb in her presence; the awe of her virtue keeps him silent.

When scandal is busy, and the fame of her neighbor is tossed from tongue to tongue, either she speaks with charity and good nature, or the finger of silence rests on her lips.

Her breast is the mansion of goodness and she suspects no evil in others.

Happy is the man that shall have her for a wife, happy the child that shall call her mother.

She presides in the home and there is peace, she commands with judgment and is obeyed.

She rises in the morning, considers her affairs, and appoints to everyone their proper tasks.

The care of her family is her whole delight, to that alone she applies herself. Elegance with frugality is the decoration of her home.

The prudence of her management is an honor to her husband, and he hears of her praise with secret delight.

She informs the minds of her children with wisdom, and they learn manners from her own goodness.

The word of her mouth is the law of their youth, the motion of her eye commands obedience.

In prosperity she is not puffed up, in adversity she heals the wounds of misfortune with patience.

The burdens of her husband are alleviated by her counsels and sweetened by her endearments; he puts is head in her bosom and receives comfort.

Happy is the man who shall have her for a wife, happy the child that shall call her mother.

10-37

Investments–Sitting Still

by

By Bob Wood, MMNS

From time to time I like to look back on what I have advocated in this space to see if what I wrote has held up over time. Too often we hear a promoter in the financial media giving what sounds like smart advice, not remembering the dreadful advice offered in past months or years. I think accountability should be considered before acting on anyone’s advice, but it seems of little or no concern to too many.

What is somewhat amusing is how many bullish types assure us that the bottom is near in housing or the subprime mortgage debacle, while having assured us there was little to worry about in past years. They didn’t see it coming, denied it all along as it unfolded, and now offer advice that the bottom is near?

Much the same can be said for those same bullish types who have consistently recommended that domestic stocks be bought, while the markets here have just ended one of their worst ten year periods in modern times. Oh, and they kept telling us that inflation was not going to be a problem (last week we got the highest inflation reading in the Producer Price Index in 27 years).

Lastly, Morningstar just issued a report saying that of the 2,100 or so diversified mutual funds that it tracks, only 17 are in positive territory over the past 12 months, adding reason to doubt what so many managers have advocated in recent months.

I am sure that at least one of you is wondering whether I am in positive territory over that time period. In fact, the model account here is positive over the past year, though I remain fuzzy on how much I can disclose regarding past performance without getting a concerned phone call from my compliance advisor.

The main theme of the past few years has been to stay away from the domestic stock market and allocate instead to international and emerging markets. I think it is rather obvious that staying away from the domestic markets was the right call. And while the S&P 500 is down about 12% YTD as I write this at the end of August, remember that the index dropped about 10% in 2000, on its way to a much lower level in late 2002. Bullish prognostications were rampant in 2000 if you remember back that far.

As of late, some of the international and emerging markets have dropped a lot. One thing to keep in mind is that the economic fundamentals of many of those markets remain far stronger than what we see at home. Also remember that while those indices have fallen, they rose dramatically higher than the domestic markets over the past few years so investors are still well ahead of the game.

In my managed accounts I did hedge my exposure to those holdings and scaled back on those positions that had run so high that their valuations went higher than what seemed justified, so the damage was limited.

I advocated in past issues that I foresaw decoupling, where the domestic economy appeared vulnerable and stock valuations were simply too high to justify even if the economy here were truly in a “Goldilocks” state as was offered so often in the past, and still is by that overt promoter on CNBC. I predicted that international economies and markets would roll right along, and reward investors who remained patient.

Many astute observers have confidently debunked my idea based on what has been seen in the past few months as other economies have cooled and their stock markets have fallen along with ours here in the U.S. I think that anyone who doubts the decoupling theme has simply jumped the gun. I don’t believe that all stock markets will go there own way every day or every month.

I have a lot longer time horizon than so many others today, and am sure that over the next five to ten years, other emerging economies truly will have decoupled from ours, relying on sounder economic policies, export growth and internal consumption. It isn’t going to happen overnight, but I remain firmly convinced that it will.

Helping my assertion is that the average P/E for emerging markets are again lower than the domestic markets, and in some cases, far lower, offering better buying prices. Adding to those better valuations are stronger underlying fundamentals. I stand by my decoupling theme.

Two areas that are inflicting pain in my accounts now are two of my favorite long term sectors, energy and precious metals. I am so strongly positive on those sectors that I remained invested in them when oil was selling at almost $150 a barrel and was due for a fall after doubling in price over the preceding year.

What kept me holding energy shares was looking at the charts for the energy stocks in general and seeing that they hadn’t gone up in price nearly as much as the prices of oil and natural gas. Many of the strongest companies were selling at single digit earnings multiples and the long term fundamentals for oil and gas supply and demand look resilient to say the least. Sometimes you just have to ride it out through the inevitable downturns. Nothing goes up or down in a nice, smooth line. The secular bull market in energy looks well intact.

What has inflicted some pain in recent weeks is the other sector that I chose to remain invested in when the price of the underlying commodity rose to new highs and I chose not to hedge my exposure, the precious metals area. With gold having dropped rapidly in price from just over $1,000 an ounce to just under $800 in a matter of a few short weeks, those holdings took a rather solid beating.

Why gold prices would fall so dramatically in the face of underlying fundamentals that get better with each passing month can only be attributed to the overwhelming percentage of money invested according to short term performance goals. Another theory has to do with hedge funds that made aggressive bets on one thing or another, got caught on the wrong side of things and were forced to sell their stronger holdings in an effort to raise cash to meet redemption orders.

I have always advocated that investors seek out secular bull markets to allocate funds into. The long running bull markets in energy and gold seem well intact still, though all long running bull markets will suffer corrections from time to time. Those corrections can be sharp and have always managed to chase too many investors out of the best places to stay invested.

The fall in commodity prices reflects the rapidly rising value of the dollar in relation to other currencies, something the bulls are suggesting is a trend that will prove resilient. I beg to differ, noting that the dollar has been losing value for about 95 years and along the way saw other corrections to the upside, all of which failed. This one will too.

The hardest thing for many investors to do is to remain patient while those long term trends play out. Sitting and doing nothing is almost always the best thing an investor can do, though so many cannot get themselves to do just that.

I think it’s pretty easy to point the finger at Wall Street and their incessant calls to buy this or sell that. The opening bell at the major exchanges is referred to as “the start of trading,” and too many investors have been convinced that doing something is better than doing nothing.

Since I always look for secular bull markets, making changes is not a high priority. The hard part is sticking with your convictions when the markets turn against you. But remember back to when you first decided to take a position in whatever sector you like the most. If nothing has changed in terms of the underlying fundamentals, don’t allow yourself to get spooked out of your best holdings at just the worst time to do so.

The markets have an uncanny way of doing that to too many investors. Learn to sit patiently and ride along with the trend. Pay heed to the size of your exposure in relation to your overall account size and don’t be afraid to scale back on your positions when they get to be far larger than you originally intended. Secular bull markets are the stuff of investor dreams. But nobody ever said they would be easy to ride.

Have a great week.
Bob

Bob Wood ChFC, CLU Yusuf Kadiwala. Registered Investment Advisors, KMA, Inc., invest@muslimobserver.com.

MTV Arabia Drops Music Videos in Ramadan

by

Courtesy Andy Sambidge

QUIET PERIOD: MTV Arabia is dropping music videos during the month of Ramadan.

MTV Arabia, the Middle East’s youth entertainment and lifestyle channel, has announced it will mark Ramadan by dropping music videos.

The channel, which launched in November, has brought the Arab world cutting-edge international music as well as the best in Arabic pop and hip hop.

But its Ramadan fare will reflect the solemnity of the Holy Month, according to Samr Al Mazouqi, the channel’s manager.

He said: “The Holy Month is a time for introspection, and we would like to offer our viewers a break from the ordinary fare.

“Though part of a global brand, MTV Arabia is conscious of regional sensitivities and we are keen to respond to the needs and desires of viewers in the Middle East, the vast majority of whom will be fasting, spending time with family, and focusing on their spiritual lives.”

The channel will continue to play programs from MTV’s international roster of reality shows, celebrity news and pop culture documentaries.

As is customary with television channels across the region, MTV Arabia will air the call to prayer during Maghreb.

A free to air channel, MTV Arabia broadcasts from Dubai and is available on the Nilesat and Arabsat platforms.

10-37

Swiss Judge Upset Over Dropped Zardari Probe

by

The Associated Press

Thursday, August 28, 2008

2008-09-01T145120Z_01_ISL07_RTRMDNP_3_PAKISTAN

Supporters of Pakistan People’s Party celebrate the nomination of Asif Ali Zardari for presidential candidate in Multan September 1, 2008. 

REUTERS/Asim Tanveer 

GENEVA: A Swiss judge who investigated Asif Ali Zardari, a leading Pakistani politician and the widower of Benazir Bhutto, for alleged money laundering said Thursday he is disappointed the case has been dropped at the request of Pakistani authorities.

Daniel Devaud, the Swiss magistrate who brought charges in 1998 against Zardari and Bhutto, then Pakistan’s prime minister, said the probe should have continued, even if Pakistan was no longer interested in pursuing the case.

Zardari, who now leads one of Pakistan’s largest political parties, is widely expected to succeed Pervez Musharraf as president when the country’s lawmakers vote Sept. 6.

This week, Geneva prosecutor Daniel Zappelli announced he was dropping any further investigation of Zardari because authorities in Pakistan where the probe began were no longer pursuing the case, which they regarded as unneeded and politically motivated.

Zappelli also said Thursday that Geneva authorities will comply with a separate request from Pakistani officials to unblock some US$60 million in assets that have been frozen in Swiss bank accounts since the 1990s.

The accounts were not part of the Swiss money laundering investigation against Bhutto and Zardari, Zappelli said. He declined to identify the owner of the funds, citing privacy rules. But Hassan Habib, a consular official at the Pakistani Embassy in Bern, Switzerland, said his country’s government was not the beneficiary of the funds.

Whether the account belonged to “the late prime minister Bhutto, or her husband, or it was a joint account, I am not sure,” Habib said.
In an interview on Thursday, Devaud disputed Zappelli’s legal argument for dropping the case.

“The money laundering probe in Switzerland could have been continued,” Devaud said. “Politely put, it is hard to say there was nothing in the files to indicate corruption.”

Devaud, whose investigation took five years, found Zardari and Bhutto guilty in absentia in 2003 of laundering millions of Swiss francs (dollars). The verdict was appealed and the investigation reopened after new evidence emerged to challenge earlier findings.

Zappelli said Monday there were no grounds for Switzerland to pursue the case against Zardari since authorities in Pakistan ruled the original charges against him were politically motivated. No further evidence was uncovered by Swiss authorities to warrant an independent money-laundering investigation, he added in his interview with The Associated Press Thursday.

“There is nothing to prove,” Zappelli said. “The file we have does not contradict the final position of the general prosecutor of Pakistan.”

Pakistani judicial officials retracted their request for judicial assistance from Switzerland after then-President Musharraf issued a controversial order last year that largely quashed corruption charges against Bhutto and Zardari.

Zardari, who took charge of Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party after her assassination on Dec. 27, has since emerged as the front-runner to become the nation’s president.

10-37