Homeless in America....

On August 28th the students of Project Downtown-Tampa (www.PDTampa.org) had a great idea. Why not cook a delicious meal and break their Ramadhan fest with our homeless friends? Every Friday ,come rain or shine the Muslim students of our fair city bring their smiles and friendship along with sandwiches to feed the homeless, but this time PIEDAD our dawah group of American/ Latina sisters cooked Arroz con Pollo (Rice and Chicken). Over 12 trays of that fabulous dish arrived as the students and sisterhood spread out among them. Although, this was truly a night full of blessings we still left with a bit of pain in our hearts when we turned to walk away.

One of the most affluent society’s in the globe has an ever increasing problem; Violence towards the Homeless. Cliff was sleeping on the streets as he has done for several years. No one truly knows how he got there or why. But we do know that he loves his beer more than this sedentary world. Cliff often takes his daily walk either to look for work in Tampa’s downtown or seek nourishment. He was dreaming of a Turkey dinner with all the fixing’s and perhaps someone to give him seconds when he felt strange hands hold him down while another set of hands opened his eyelid and lit a firecracker on his eyeball. This was a senseless crime perpetrated against a human with no hate in his heart or ill will towards anyone. What would make anyone attempt to blow a human beings eye off? The criminals were just teens who played a joke on Mischief night which is as some called a celebration before Halloween night. Cliff felt blood all over his face and screamed in terror as he thought that they had blown off his face. No one seemed to care for this lonely man as he struggled with the teens or when he walked the streets in agony knowing well that no one would stop to help him.
Every year thousands of homeless men and women are treated like this. What kind of modern society do we live in where the homeless are not only forgotten and shunned but lured into situations that not only humiliate but also physically injure them?
What is astounding is the indifference that people feel towards this crime it’s as if they acknowledge its presence but deny culpability. Homeless men and women are subject to Physical and Sexual abuse in astounding numbers. This victimization must be halted now. To get more information please read the report by the National Coalition for the Homeless : http://nationalhomeless.org/publications/hatecrimes/hate_report_2008.pdf
“Florida leads the nation in violent attacks against our homeless neighbors for the 4th year in a row. What a shameful title.” Homeless coalition of Hillsborough County.
60% of homeless are African American and Latinos. The Latinos have traveled east looking for employment. Tampa is not the city for them to find work they need to travel a few more hours south to Miami. But the saddest numbers come from children. With 1.35 million homeless children across the nation it sends chills to the strongest for their safety in the streets.
“While some cities and states have taken positive steps, there are still many parts of the United States that continue to dehumanize homeless persons by creating and enforcing laws that criminalize their homeless status. These laws contain restrictions on sitting, sleeping, storing property, or asking for money in public spaces4. Laws that criminalize the homeless encourage the belief that homeless persons are not human, are unworthy of respect, and attacks against the homeless will go unnoticed.” Hate_report 2008

We need to make violence against the homeless a Crime and not just look the other way. Muslims should take the lead in their communities to protect the rights of those that cannot speak up for themselves. Seek out organization that fight for them and join their coalitions and protect God’s people as they are our brothers and sisters. Make abuse of the homeless a HATE Crime!

Dedicated to my pal Murphy (Pictured)who was beaten to death and found lying under a Palm tree in Downtown Tampa. No police investigation was conducted. Why?

Khadijah Rivera


Islam es para Todos!
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Convention: Latino Renaissance workshop

"Islam at a Crossroads to America"-
International Museum of Islamic cultures
Friday, July 10, 2009 at 9:00am
End Time: Saturday, July 11, 2009 at 10:00pm
Location: Jackson Convention Center , Mississippi
Street: 105 E. Pascagoula St.
City/Town: Jackson, Mississippi
Phone: 6019600440
Email: inmuseum@bellsouth.net

“Latino Renaissance workshop”

The Renaissance (from French Renaissance, meaning "rebirth";was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historic era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not uniform across Europe, this is a general use of the term. To the Muslim world, “Latino Renaissance” is a catch phrase for the ‘rebirth’ of Islam among Spanish-speaking people. For 700 years the glory of Muslim Spain was heard around the world. The fear that Islam would be a global power shook Europe into the most horrendous period in history the “Inquisition”. In response, genocide and torture worked hand in hand to destroy the art, literary works, medical contributions and architecture of a unique and vibrant society. Today from Cuba to Spain, Latino Muslims are taking charge of history by spreading Islam from East coast to West. They are involved with art, Hip Hop, and the political forefront, in addition to spreading the teachings of Islam and attending learning centers throughout the world. This workshop will touch upon the contributions of Hajj Malik Shabazz aka Malcolm X to present day.


Islam es para Todos!
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Historical trip to Puerto Rico unites islanders to the mainland.

For Imam Yusef making history seems to follow him everywhere. Although he converted to al Islam at the tender age of 16 he has constantly been among the movers and shakers of Dawah to Latinos.

Historical trip to Puerto Rico unites islanders to the mainland.

By Imam Yusef Maisonet and Sr Khadijah Rivera

A man may plan but ALLAH is still the best of planners. Everything comes at the time that it was meant to be. For over 25 years I had dreamed of returning to Puerto Rico. But my work as a Merchant seaman took me to ports in Central and South America with work turned into Dawah . All that time Puerto Rico was in the back of my mind.

Last year I prepared to take that ground breaking trip to Puerto Rico which was brought about by a New York Puerto Rican who felt that there was a lacking on the island of dawah among her people and a lack of Islamic education to the native Latino Muslims of the island. Although, I yearned to feel the rich Boriquen soil beneath my feett we felt some slight hostility there and some obstacles here on the Mainland. It was as if the native Puerto Ricans and the immigrant Muslims on the island could not figure me out. They thought I was out for some selfish reason. Little did they know this old man who had no illustrious reasoning behind going to Puerto Rico except to understand why the spread of Islam was not flourishing considering the rate of reverts here in the USA. But in December of “08 , a trip came about to accompany some Latina Sisters to the UAE for American Leadership Program.. And there under the Abu Dhabi dessert and under impossible odds three Latinos discussed our dreams for Puerto Rico. Face to face with Sr Shinoa who had written the initial letter and Sr Khadijah who had broadcast it nationally. We discussed the need and how we could make this trip benefit ALL Latinos.

On the 20th of March my dreams came to a reality as I took off to what we call the Island of Enchantment ( Isla Del Encanto) Puerto Rico. Did you know that there are more Puerto Ricans living outside Puerto Rico than there are on the Island? For starters , it was a well thought of and considered trip that I discussed and planned with the Latino Muslim Community of the mainland. We agreed that it was time for a Representative of the Latino Community to go on a fact finding Mission and see how we could bridge the gap between Puerto Rico and the Muslims in the U.S.A. The trip was planned with input from PIEDAD of Florida/Metro NJ , ALMA from Atlanta , LALMA from Los Angeles , the Latino Muslim Community of Chicago and Mobile, AL they fundraised to make this historical trip a reality.

I flew out off Mobile, AL and was later met by a dear friend: Diaab Ali from Shorter, AL who found out about my trip on a visit to Mobile and wanted to share this experience with me. We were met by brother Yasser Reyes and Hajji Wilfredo Amr Ruiz a Lawyer and a Chaplain in the Prison system in Puerto Rico , we had made Hajj together in 2007 but we never saw each other until that day in Puerto Rico. Subhannallah what a plan!
After our salat together we made proceeded to meet with the Muslim youth and the Muslims I had been talking electronically via phone and mail with, to address their concerns .

Palestinian refugees resettled in Puerto Rico and raised families. As their families grew they built Masjids and opened weekend schools for their children. Khutbahs are in Arabic but with little or no translation. Thus leaving an entire Muslim population in the dark in their own land.

Almost immediately we had our first meeting was with the youth in San Juan at the Islamic Center of Puerto Rico. They received me with warm and open arms they described their concerns which were
‘

1. Khutbas in Arabic only- The Latino Muslims would attend Khutbahs they could not decipher. With so many beautiful masjids throughout the island there were a seeming emptiness that accompanied them. Attending Salatul Jumaah without translation when it is a known fact that the khutbah must be in the language of the people. Puerto Rico is a commonwealth of the United States although most Boricuas as they are called speak English . Few speak Arabic.
2. No Puerto Rican imam is available on the entire island.
3. Urgent need for Islamic Literature mostly Qur'ans and Prayer Books.
4. Daiis and Daiyettes-Need for brothers and sisters willing to give Dawah in Puerto Rico , and wanting to have some kind of bridge between , the Indigenous Puerto Rican Muslims and Latinos in mainland USA..

Diaab Ali and myself we were invited to eat some of those delicious dishes that the island is so famous for. Salat followed and our next appointment for a Masjid in Vega Alta . Here a Palestinian , Imam Zaid offered Khutbahs in Arabic and Spanish and had just begun classes for the youth on Sundays.

After getting much needed rest that evening , we started our day with Fajr in Hatillo and we went to a Puerto Rican Restaurant , Later we went to the next town which is called Camuy to visit my friend Yasser Reyes and Wife Fatima who dared to cook an island delicacy of Fish soup followed by Halal Chicken with Spanish rice(Sabroso). As a Self proclaimed connaiseur of fine Latin dishes it was hard for me to keep all those dishes out of print to make room for our Islamic purpose.
Accompanied by Hajji Wilfredo Amr Ruiz and Siste Migdalia Rivera of Ponce,( Puerto Rico) we headed towards Vega Alta to Masjid Al Faruq to meet with the Imam Zaid. All of us were pleasantly surprised by his dedication and spirituality. While there we met with the sisters and the youth during some classes that were at the mosque and since our visit they have started Arabic classes for the Latinos on Sundays. He is a dedicated Imam and a beautiful human being, may Allah give him Jannah for all of his work. While in Puerto Rico I established him to be the only Imam that I found whole heartedly caring for the Latino Muslims.



After Camuy we headed for Mayaguez to visit some inmates that br. Wilfredo and br. Yasser had made arrangements for me to visit while I was in Puerto Rico. We went to the youth section first and we were able to give Da’wah to 6 inmates. We also noticed that the both the male and female guards were just as interested to learn about Islam. They treated us with the utmost respect and led us to the bigger population of awaiting inmates. These men were so happy to have a Muslim visitor from the states and gave us their full attention for over an hour for a taleem in Spanish. With Allah’s plan , three wonderful brothers took Shahadah , we gave them El Sagrado Coran (Quran) , prayer books and lots of other Islamic literature. I later visited several of the 12 mosques located throughout the island and found some to be abandoned. This wrenched my heart to see the possibilities vs realities of the fall of the empire so to speak.

After a fruitful day we went to another town called Hormiguero to visit my brother and sister from my father’s side and my brother had called Hajji Wilfredo to find out what to cook and what not to cook for the Muslims. My brother Miguel and my sister Edna just couldn't contain themselves, so while they cooked (Arroz con gandules with bisteak encebollado)rice with ganduls and steak with a lot of onions, brother Yasser and myself were able to make salat in total peace with plenty of love for Islam, after that my dear freind Yasser broke out with a little Dawah . It was received with warmth and believe me they loved it, the people in Puerto Rico are just waiting for someone to step forward to bring them some truth.
After spending a day like this is Puerto Rico my Brother and Sister just weren't ready to let me go so I had to drive brother Yasser back to Camuy , so that night we drank Puerto Rican coffee which I know to be the best coffee in the world and we exchanged stories about our father . That night I rested peacefully under the palm trees and moonlight of the Caribbean wonderful as it was Mobile, Al is my home.

As I woke and made my Fajr and remembered that I make a commitment to an incarcerated brother back in the states in Jessup, Ga that i would visit his mother who lives in Carolina, Puerto Rico. I started to get dress again, by this time my sister in law was making that Puerto Rican coffee and I just had to drink two cups and tell my brother the news that I was not going to be able to spend the day with him Alhamduillah that he understood and I was able to get on my way to Carolina which is next to San Juan it took me 2 hours driving to get to San Juan to my Hotel to change clothes and also to phone Ms Norma Rivera to let her know that I would visit her about 2 o'clock , it took me longer than I thought to get to her house but i finally found the house and was able to give her a hug and a big kiss from her son whom she had not seen in 18 years! I told her that her son found Islam while incarcerated and had acquired a PhD while in prison and would inshallah regain his freedom by the end of the Year . With this I could finally say” Mission accomplished “ on my trip to Puerto Rico.
At the airport I was shopping for some souvenirs, a young lady working there mistook me for a singer and was asking about my names origin , I took this as an opportunity for da’wah. She said she had always desired a Qur'an in Spanish. She also stated that she had never quite accepted the trinity and had secretly always believed in one G-d. It just so happened I had a Spanish / Arabic Qur'an in my briefcase and that was my final good deed in Puerto Rico.

Revisiting my homeland fortified my beliefs that Islam could change the face of our people. It could end racism, gangs and poverty. It could bring about positive changes in our attitude and way of conduct as a people. I love a little pic I found of this sister holding up some plaques and how Islam alters your personality in a positive way.

In order for Islam to flourish in Puerto Rico they need Spanish Language Islamic Literature on all levels . A library in Vega Alta would be a good start. Puerto Ricans need scholars to visit and teach Quran, Fiqh, Seerah, Aqeedah and Hadiths etc. They need the most sincere and bright minds to further their studies overseas and to prepare them to run the masjids and integrate the Muslims with the community at large. Whether we are speaking of interfaith work alongside Christians on service programs or Intrafaith among immigrants and natives. There is a lot of work to be done and it is ONLY the beginning. I would like to see the sisters participate and develop more Islamic weekend schools and possibly a Madrassa. To do this we need dedication and pure intentions to serve and seek ONLY the pleasure of ALLAH swt.

We need a united front with the Latino organizations in the mainland. I am speaking of the ones run by Latinos themselves. We need a concerted effort to make this happen now and by the end of the year to see definitive results. Anyone who wants to contribute books for the library or sponsor a scholar should contact me until we can get a working organization to bridge island to mainland Latinos.

On July 10-11, 2009 The international Museum of Islamic Culture in Jackson, Mississippi will be hosting a national conference workshop entitled “Latino Renaissance” . Join me and other Latinos who are reviving and working on the framework of this Renaissance. Be part of the journey!

Start a Library to benefit the Latinos on the island. Send your New or gently used Islamic literature, prayer rugs and videos .
For more information or to contact me at:

yusef1319@gmail.com

Latino Islam
Imam Yusef Maisonet
1319 Bay ave
Mobile, Al 36605

http://latinoislam.ning.com/

Immokalee Documentary.. in Tampa

By Nora Zaki... High School student in Tampa

When you eat a piece of fruit or some type of vegetable, do you think twice about where this sweet, scrumptious and healthful treat came from? Yes, it did come from God. But, what about the workers who grew and cultivated them? Perhaps one should think every time they choose to eat fruits or vegetables because they may very well be consuming products in which forced agricultural labor was employed so people such as ourselves could conveniently go to grocery stores and purchase them.
This forced agricultural labor isn’t in another far away country where we cannot understand the language of its people. Rather, this modern day slavery, as the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) has dubbed it, has taken place for nearly 12 years. And, this forced farm labor has happened in a city called Immokalee, a few hours southwest of Tampa, FL.
There have been state court cases revealing the barbarity faced by these farmers. Mostly of Hispanic descent, these men and women have endured work weeks of 10-12 hours per day, six days a week, for $20 per week, to quote some of the court case U.S. vs. Flores. But, it’s not so much the actual conditions that are deplorable but the coercion of having to remain, therefore being deprived of freedom. Several of the court cases, which are summarized by CIW, also note the following of those workers to try to escape their plight: pistol-whipped, assaulted, run down with a vehicle; enslaved by crack cocaine; receiving threats and violence; and repeated attempts by enslavers of holding these workers at gunpoint. These are just a sampling of the unfortunate abuse dumped upon the people of Immokalee who work under fear and subjugation to provide an abundance of produce for the consumers.
This can be changed, and speaking out is essential. The court cases were undertaken because of individuals who held high values of morality, respect, equality, and fairness towards other brethren, regardless if those who spoke out were of different heritages and religions as the agricultural laborers of Immokalee. Join the Muslim American Society, Project Downtown and PIEDAD on Wednesday May 20 at USF to learn more about the plight of the workers through a documentary, but to also take away hope. Yes, people may have the power to enslave other people. But, there are those who also have the power to fight back. Justice will prevail in the end. Educate yourself and learn about these workers who provide for us the fruits and vegetables that we enjoy so often.

Those dirty hands........ by Sr K

Today I saw your filthy hands.
I grimaced at the earth beneath your nails,
Your fingers were swollen,
Your knuckles bruised.
Hands shaped more like a shovel than a limb.
I saw you crawl on the dirt as you pushed your bucket
You picked the fruit and I looked away
as you winced in pain to lift it up.
You looked at me and with an ounce of strength and rose the bucket
over our shoulder ..
'Just once for your children you whispered to your self
'Just once for my wife and the baby soon to come.'
I turned away from those dirty hands, its Taco Bells problem or someone else.
So what if I make a salad for my houseguest.
I didn't bring him here or pay his bus.
He walks a hundred paces to drop the bucket to the truck.
In exchange he gets a ticket for a mere 45 cents
This makes no sense I shout.
To pay a man slave labor wage or see him lose his fingers to the dirt.
My eyes feel wet , I don't know why it hasn't rained in awhile
I only know that I too must fight,
not just for the man with the dirty hands but
with my dear brothers and sisters in Immokalee!

Our trip to Immokalee with the farmworkers!

On Saturday, April 4th a dozen Muslims drove two hours south from Tampa Bay to visit members from "Coalition of Immolakee workers" CIW in Florida. We spent the entire day learning about their exploitation and getting first hand education at the way they live and work. We met Nelly,Oscar and another leader. Most of the farm workers are from Guatemala, Mexico and Haiti. All suffering the same injustices.
SUB POVERTY WAGES.
No real raise in 30 years.
7 CASES OF MODERN-DAY SLAVERY UNCOVERED SINCE 1997.
I came out of interest for Latino migrant workers. I had no idea of the mistreatment that they were under. But I left with a indignation at their misery and a deeper sense of the impact it had not just on Latinos but human rights violations. It crossed racial and religious borders.
A few years ago a man escaped from a truck that had workers chained during the night and let out during the day to work for the same boss. He alerted authorities who had the owners arrested.
Another time a man who had been beaten by one of the growers contractors came to the coalition with blood streaming down his shirt after a beating. In response the entire town refused to board buses to go to work to show that if they beat ONE man they beat all of them. This unity strengthened the coalition and made the farm workers understand the meaning of "United we stand, divided we fall". Al hamdulilah

These workers come to the USA under different conditions , not all are illegal, some left their countries due to civil unrest, others for asylum while others have visas. All fall under the category of Economic Refugees. As Muslims we are ordered to support them. Our beloved Quran says in 4:135
"O ye who believe! Stand firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against ourselves, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor."

The come vulnerable and there only desire is to work and care for the their families. If everyone would just go to the website read more about their plight we could educate others and turn things around. This fight is not their fight this fight belongs to all of us. Muslims and non Muslims must understand that NO one has the right to mistreat another.

Special thanks to Unaiza Malik of USF for organizing the trip. It educating us on Modern Day slavery here in Florida. It also allowed Muslims to get involved. Not to fight for the farm workers but to join them as a Human Rights issue. I am so proud of Heather Vega taking a lead and all the wonderful people that fight for the right to work under respectful conditions with dignity. Imam Mohamed Al darsani of The Islamic center for Peace met us there and encouraged us to take the fight back to Tampa Bay and educate others. We won't let him down. Do expect to read more updates here and to see pictures from our historic Muslim trip to visit our brothers and sisters there. "None of you has faith unless you love for your brother what you love for yourself" Hadith
Khadijah Rivera.
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The Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) is a farm worker led organization in Florida made up primarily of people from Mexico, Guatemala, and Haiti. They organize to receive a higher wage for the work they do-- primarily picking tomatoes but also in the citrus industry-- and for better working conditions that exclude the threat of physical abuse and forced labor, i.e. modern-day slavery. The current pay and sweatshop working conditions are elements that give way to slavery.

Florida tomato pickers currently receive 40-45 cents for every 32lbs. of tomatoes they pick. This wage hasn't changed in the past 30 years. The CIW has assisted in the successful federal prosecution of 7 cases of modern-day slavery in the last 11 years. In these cases workers were held against their will to work, trapped into indentured servitude, and physically abused. Over the years, since the beginning of their formation which began approximately in 1995, the CIW has realized that those that have the most power to make these changes in the tomato industry are the large tomato purchasers (fast food, supermarkets, food service provider purchasers); and that they are largely responsible for these working conditions and pay. When the CIW started the Campaign for Fair food they began with Taco Bell; calling on them to take responsibility in their tomato supply chain and work with the CIW to make concrete changes in the tomato industry by:
1. agreeing to pay a penny more per lb. of tomatoes they purchase
2. enforce a code of conduct to the FL companies they purchase tomatoes from to ensure the human rights of the farm workers are protected. 3. that a three way dialog exist between the CIW the purchaser (Taco Bell for ex.), and the tomato company(supplier)

Since Taco Bell the CIW has reached agreements with McDonalds, Burger King, Whole Foods, and most recently Subway. Now the the largest buyers of tomatoes in the fast food industry have signed the CIW is now targeting the supermarket and food service provider (Aramark for example) industries to come to the same agreements.

ACMY by Al Hajj Yusef Maisonet

Dr. Raffas , Dr. Bassen , Dr. Bassam Alzain , Director Khalid Marzouki , with Khalid Ahmed
Twenty One American Sisters made this historical trip to Al AIN , UAE to attend this program,of leadership and cultural exchange thanks to Brother Khalid Ahmed and also to Khalid Marsouki the director of the program, they were so impress by how the brothers program went so well last year that they wanted to see how the American sisters would take advantage of this program,we had sisters from all corners of America and little by little they came to Washington D.C. ,Abimbola Bishi , Intisar Rashid , Lola Al-Uqdah , Michaela Elizabeth Corning , Anton Patricia , Shaakira Raheem , Erica Charves , Khadijah Shareef , Tahanie Aboushi , Vita Milagros Rivera , Zarinah Zakiyyah Shakir , Joann Skinner , Angelique Lynn Godley , Loretta Al-Uqdah , Shirley Cooper , Shelia Watson , Maryam Rashid Washington , Malika Rushdan , Shinoa Matos , Aseelah Rashid and Khadijah Rashid.


We visited while in Washington D.C. with the second Muslim Congressman Andre Carson of Indianapolis and with members of the ACMY American Congress of Muslim Youth and were able to share some good points of being involved in the American Process of changing for the better and getting to know a little about the Political vision that America is going. Our stay in Washington D.C. was very short as we got ready to depart to the UAE. We departed Thursday Dec. 11 at 10:00pm we flew Qatar Air Lines , the economy class felt like first class beautiful Airline its was a 12 hour flight to Doha, Qatar and another 55 minutes to Abu Dhabi, UAE, they were waiting on our arrival and they welcome the sisters like Queens , no waiting on lines all passports taken care of baggage everything, they just had to drive to AL AIN about an hour away, on arrival to AL AIN the sisters just had to decide who was going to be their room mates in Villas to accommodate 3 sister per Villa everything that they will need for the next 30 days was provided. The next morning after an Emirate style breakfast they were taken to Oasis Hospital for check ups and to issue them insurance cards for any medical needs that they would experience while attending the School. The United Arab Emirates was founded in 1971 by the late Shaykh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan( may his soul rest in peace). The Eastern Arabia peninsula has been predominately Muslim since the time of the Prophet Muhammed(peace be upon him)there are over 170 nationalities in the Emirates population.


Zayed House of Islamic Culture was reestablished by presidential decree in 2005 as center for Islamic culture a place for exchange and promotion of the values and ideas of Islamic culture, Zayed house is an independent government entity funded by the Crown Prince. And their goal is to teach moderate Islam to the American Muslims and to have an intercultural exchange with their friends and brothers and sisters in America. The visits that they have graciously attended have served to strengthens the friendship that these two countries share for the world (Peace). The sisters represented all aspects of Islam in America Latinos , Caucasian , Africans and Afro American sisters and myself that attended the Imam Training Program have to give it up for the sisters , they are learning all the knowledge they can get , and as Khalid Ahmed says we have to continue to educate our brothers and sisters in the United States Of America to make this world a better place for our children.

Imam Yusef Maisonet

American Muslim Women’s Leadership Training, United Arab Emirates (UAE)

By Malika Rushdan

It was an honor and a grand privilege to be chosen as a participant in the American Muslim Women’s Leadership Training, organized by Br. Khalid Ahmed, director of the Washington based American Congress of Muslim Youth. The program, funded by the UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, provided for 21 American Muslim women to travel to the UAE for an in depth Islamic studies program and cultural exchange for a period of 5 weeks. We were provided accommodations at the Zayed House for Islamic Culture (ZHIC), I beautiful campus in the Emirate of Al-Ain.
Before embarking on our journey to the UAE, participants traveled to Washington, DC where we were afforded the opportunity to meet and greet with our hosts and each other before making the 14 hour journey to the Emirates. A representative of the ZHIC, Br. Saeed Salim traveled to the US to accompany us during our travels and ensure that our needs were attended to. While in DC, we were received by the Congressional Muslim Staff Association on Capitol Hill, who congratulated us on being chosen as leaders and introduced us to their work on the Hill. Congressman Andre Carson graciously attended the reception and welcomed us as guest. Congressman Carson is an American Muslim convert representing Indiana-D.
Upon arriving in Abu Dhabi, we were escorted to a reception area where we were greeted by the Director General of the ZHIC; Br. Khalid Al Marzouqi and the glitz of cameras documenting our arrival. From the very moment we stepped foot on Emirati land we were treated as royal guest. Our host had arranged for refreshments in a relaxing atmosphere within the airport after our long journey, as they took care of our visas and baggage claim without the hassle of customs.
After a little over an hour drive, we arrived at the Zayed House for Islamic Culture in Al Ain, UAE our home for the next 5 weeks. Our accommodations were more than we had hoped for, on a beautiful campus with private villas well equipped with all the comforts of home. Classes began early the next day with a full schedule including; Fiqh, Aqeeda, Adab, Hadith, Seerah, Arabic Language and Tajweed. We were in classes 5 days per week taught by professional, diverse teachers including visiting scholars. Though the classes were fast paced, we welcomed the challenge and opportunity to study our Deen in an Islamic environment, without the distraction of our day to day lives.
Twice weekly we were treated to field trips, visiting government agencies and cultural sites throughout the UAE; in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Al Ain. At each visit we were greeted with formal receptions exhibiting the generosity of the Emirati people; Arabic coffee, sweets, fresh juice blends and gifts were presented at each reception. We were truly spoiled by our host which included the;
The Princess Haya Bint Al Hussain Cultural & Islamic Center; Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department
The Ministry of Foreign Trade
The Ministry of Foreign Relations (USA Division)
The Gov. of U.A.E. General Women's Union
Dubai Courts; Shariah Judge
U.A.E. Islamic Endowment Fund
The US Ambassador to the U.A.E. who presented us with our Graduation Certificates
A privileged meeting was at the home of Sheikh Ali Al Hashimi, Advisor in Religious and Judicial affairs to the President of UAE. We were afforded a personal Khutbah with Sheikh Hashimi advising us on religious tolerance and establishing a culture of Islam in America which takes into consideration our own individual traditions as long as they do not contradict Islamic teachings. He spoke about finding the middle ground and not going to extreme in our practice of Islam. I was impressed with his view that converts to Islam play an important role in reviving the true spirit of Islam.
Sister Rowda M. Al Otaiba of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; American Section welcomed us into her home where we shared an amazing dinner with her family. Sr. Rowda’s mother showered us with handmade gifts of Attar and Bakhoor, her father presented us with the book; Don’t Be Sad. It was a lovely evening where Sisterhood overcame language and cultural differences.
An additional high positioned female was the UAE Minister of Foreign Trade; Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi who we had the opportunity to meet with at her office in Abu Dhabi. Sr. Lubna is an amazing woman who is establishing the UAE as a major economic player. She has proven herself to be an asset to the UAE government with her major dealings with prime global companies.
In fact, Emirati women play major roles in all aspects of society in the UAE, from a newly appointed female judge, 2 district attorneys, several Ministers and numerous business women, Emirati women are respected and valued for their contributions. The founder of the UAE; Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan ensured women’s rights and education by establishing several universities dedicated to the empowerment of women and numerous foundations which ensure the fair and equal treatment of women. For a country which is only 37 years old, it is greatly advanced in women’s rights. Women in the UAE are assured equal pay as men while women in the West are still fighting to receive. Emirati women have been able to strike a healthy balance between having a career and raising a family due to Islamic family values being well intact.
I must say, Emirati women are very fashionable putting together sleek and eloquent styles. Modest attire in the UAE is high fashion black abayas with matching Shaylas which are extremely feminine and beautiful. The female staff of the ZHIC hired a tailor who came with various samples and styles, having custom abayas made for each of us. They have taken the traditional plain black abaya to a whole new level, pairing them off with custom bags and accessories, Emirati women take pride in Islamic dress.
A highlight of our trip of course was the safari in the desert. Four wheeling in SUV’s over the desert dunes beats any roller coaster at 6 Flags. However, the camel ride really made you reflect what it must have been like for the earlier followers of Islam. The slow clumsy stride of the camel must have been a difficult journey for the dedicated followers of Islam when making Hajj or Hijrah. I was humbled by the vast openness of the desert.
The culminating moment of our trip was the lavish graduation ceremony where the US Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Richard Olsen presented us with our certificates and beautiful ZHIC trophies. It was a bitter sweet ending, saying goodbye to all our Sisters and staff of the ZHIC. The experience will stay with me forever. I feel very humbled and blessed to have been a part of the American Muslim Women’s Leadership Training, while I owe great appreciation to Br. Khalid Ahmed for choosing me, it is Allah who made this opportunity possible at a time in my life when I needed some spiritual awakening.

A perspective from a sister in ACMY

A perspective from a sister in the American Muslim Women’s
Leadership Training Program from Zarinah Shakir


This was such a whirlwind journey for a planned five weeks of Islam from an UAE perspective starting from America in Washington, DC in December, 2008 with the night meeting at the Washington Plaza Hotel with a very ethnically, diverse group of professional sisters, two students (undergraduate and law), and invited guests to see the sisters off.
The next day started with a breakfast meeting of twenty sisters chosen for the program. The idea of the program germinated with Brother Khalid Ahmed from America for a group of imams who attended the Zayed House of Islamic Culture the previous year from America and it was through some cajoling that he decided to address the needs of sisters for this year. As the coordinator of the program, he greeted the “chosen” women along with Imam Yusef Maisonet from Mobile, Alabama (an attendee from last year’s Imam’s program and our resident photographer). Additionally, in the afternoon a gathering was arranged for the group to meet on Capitol Hill with Congressman Andre Carson (D-Indiana) and members of the Congressional Muslim Staffers Association before leaving the United States.
As we prepared to depart from Dulles Airport the sisters took time to get to know each other. The flight from Washington, DC to the United Arab Emirates was about twelve hours. Once we arrived at the Abu Dhabi Airport, we were greeted by our sponsors from the Zayed House of Islamic Culture located in Al Ain, part of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. Unlike most arrivals into another country, we received the “royal treatment” in a beautiful waiting room at the airport. We were treated with beverages, sweets and picture taking from the Zayed House and airport staff. And, we didn’t have to wait for the usual long line at customs.
Upon arriving at the Zayed House, we were all given villa assignments to room with several sisters. I chose to stay with three sisters (blood-related and African-American) originally from Jackson, Mississippi. I felt because I knew their mother, Okolo Rashid, the director and founder of The International Museum of Muslim Cultures, that I could act as a surrogate mother and get to know these delightful young ladies all with their own talents and individual personalities.
The first day in Al Ain we were all taken to a local hospital to have very, general health checkups. I was in the group with the older and more experienced sisters. Also, since I am the second oldest one on the trip, it gave us an opportunity to converse with one another, share “war stories,” and beginning to genuinely get to know each other.
The program was an experience of a lifetime designed with classes to enhance us with additional Islamic knowledge: fiqh, shariah, aqidah, hadith and, of course, Arabic and Tajweed in Quranic recitation. Some of the sisters were born into Islam and many of us converted/reverted as adults. I was exceptionally pleased with the structure of the curriculum. Although, it seemed to be highly accelerated and quite intensive, the pace was not beyond our capacities to be students again. For those of us who have procrastinated in learning some of the basics of the Arabic language it has been a dream come true. The instructors, staff and all were incredibly kind and thoughtful.
One of the highlights of this program was the opportunity to meet and peripherally get to know new sisters in Islam from America.  However, the star of our group was a young and upcoming leader, Tahanie Aboushi.  She not only participated in all the classes and other programs, but she took on the duties of "In residence" liaison for the sisters, Zayed House and Brother Khalid Ahmed.  She handled herself with the utmost of respect, dignity and sisterly adab while also dealing with the plight of her own people, the Palestinians and a mini-holocaust occurring only a few miles away.  Lookout New York and the world you have a Human Rights activist and lawyer preparing to take center stage, InshaAllah.

I want to thank the Zayed House of Islamic Culture for all of the outstanding programs and sessions both on and off premise that we participated in and enjoyed. Upon returning to America, requests for presentations have already been emailed for different audiences Muslim and non-Muslim. I am preparing to do press duties for the Muslim Inaugural Gala in Washington, DC and the advent of a new President, Barack Hussein Obama. Again, I am thankful to add this to my other interfaith travels abroad. This one has been especially grand.
Finally, this especially must be said, I thank Allah for this blessing and may Allah continue to bless us to assist in the spreading of this wonderful deen. Alhamdulillah.

Stress Management 101

A lecturer, when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a
glass of water and asked, "how heavy is this glass of water?" Answers
called out ranged from 20g to 500g. The lecturer replied, "The absolute
weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it."

"If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an
hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll
have to call an ambulance. "In each case, it's the same weight, but the
longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes."

He continued, "And that's the way it is with stress management. If we
carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burden becomes
increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on." "As with the glass of
water, you have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it
again. When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden."

"So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't
carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're
carrying now, let them down for a moment if you can." "Relax; pick them
up later after you've rested. Life is short. Enjoy it!

And then he shared some ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.

* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.

* Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.

* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their maker.

* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.

* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.

* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

* Never buy a car you can't push.

* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.

* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.

* Since it's the early worm that gets eaten by the bird, sleep late.

* The second mouse gets the cheese.

* When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.

* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.

* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world
to one person.

* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.

* We could learn a lot from crayons. Some are sharp, some are pretty
and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors,
but they all have to live in the same box.*********THIS ONE IS TRULY
WONDERFUL*******

* A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Journey into Islam by Akbar Ahmed

http://journeyintoamerica.wordpress.com/2009/01/25/latino-muslims-in-miami/

About The Journey
How do Muslims fit into contemporary American society? And how have the uniquely American ideals of pluralism, openness, and cultural integration held up in post-9/11 American society? Those are the driving questions behind “Journey into America,” a cross-country adventure led by Ambassador Akbar Ahmed, renowned Islamic scholar and author, and his team of enthusiastic young Americans. They will explore America and American identity in a post-September 11 world during their journey, which will take them to cities big and small, from Birmingham, Alabama, Nashville, Tennessee, and Salt Lake City to New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

A similar journey through the Muslim world resulted in the book Journey into Islam: The Crisis of Globalization. The result of this adventure will be a unique anthropological study of American identity as seen through the eyes of Americans—both Muslim and non-Muslim.

He's the Man

The USA has Obama fever!

Okay many of you did not vote for Obama or didn't vote at all. Well guess what we have a new President and there will be slow changes but they will happen in spite of all our sentiments. I personally campaigned for him and am so proud of the economic reform policies he is working on. We need it and someone in Capitol Hill will be there directing it to the us.. the American people. Latinos are happy too and I can vouch for the thousands perhaps millions of mixed minority votes sent his way.
On my trip to Dubai we had a most wonderful visit to Washington DC. I met the Second Muslim Congressman and his staffers. I also got to see displays of affection for Barack Hussein Obama everywehre. Large welcoming portraits of the President Elect and the feverish aspirations of a district awaiting a new administrator to make workable solutions for a country in dire need of help.
I got caught in the fever aswell. Everyone I met talked about having a send off party for the Bush Administration "End of an ERROR!" and on the opposite end attending Inaugaral balls all over the country. My friend Khadija of Indianopolis is getting a pimped out Abaya tailored for this purpose specifically here in Al Ain. She will proudly dress islamically and look like the first lady herself.
No doubt this country is preparing for a new administration and the excitement is hitting us here as the question on everyones mind is: Will Obama make a good President for the USA and how will his Administration effect foreign policy? I love being a Muslim Latina American!

My month long journey to UAE

Assalamu alaikum my sisters and brothers
Out of over 200 applicants 20 American women were invited by
the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to an Intensive Islamic training program
with the intention that we would return home and spread the knowledge.
For more information on this exciting trip www.acmy.org (imam training
program)
I am writing to you from the desert on my quest to further my Islamic
studies. I will be keeping a journal with detailed lessons to bring
back to the states, but here I will attempt to give you some insight
on our exciting cultural exchange and fun activities I will
participate in throughout our month long stay.
In all honesty I feel humbled to be among these amazing women.
The women are activist in their own right and solidly grounded in
their Islam. Each woman would deserve her own chapter to describe what
she brings to the table. Al hamdulilah I feel honored to be among
these good sisters. The sisters are from across America and they are
varied as sunflowers in a garden of roses. Mashallah.
Our first day we were welcomed with a dinner fit for a king at the
Washington Plaza hotel followed by delicious tidbits of our journey
from Zayede house for Cultural Exchange that made the trip possible.
At breakfast the following morning I felt haunted by the ghost of
George Washington, for some reason I kept seeing his face following me
throughout the day. I soon realized I was not halucinating but that
the hotel decoration was based on no other than George himself. There
were hundreds of portraits of George throughout the hallways, suites
and dinning area. I later felt quite justified to take this picture
with old George!

A light shines from within Congressman Keith Ellison

A light shines from within Congressman Keith Ellison

Tampa Bay had the honor of meeting a man who has more than once made history in America. A man who's swearing in at his investiture sparked hatred and respect nationally. He refused a bible which is traditional but rather chose his beloved Quran. A mere man who is approachable to all yet a living legacy among American Muslims and in the Middle East. I listened to his words carefully as if he was talking to me directly.
This weekend was amazing as it was a culmination of months of work within my Community to engage in the Political system, Interfaith, and our Youth Conference. I learned some valuable lessons for my blog and I wish to express them here with all their faults.

As a community 'Engagement” is vital to the core of our existence. This means that we need to impact our society on all levels. We live in the USA and it is our home whether we are immigrants or nationals we should love it as the Prophet learned to love new lands when faced with all odds.

Mosque Community
First and foremost as Muslims our priority is the mosque , it is the center of community life. Our Haqiqahs and Janazas are celebrated here among our peers. We bring our babies into this jumaah and wash them to leave. In order for our Imams to do a dynamic job of servicing our community we must provide the means for them to be successful. This means volunteering to service it as well as financial support. If the electric bill is not paid we will be in the dark not just physically but spiritually. Our mosques have boards that sometimes do not reflect the interest nor cultural diversity of the people it serves. Irregardless we should attempt to work with them rather than without them. The annual Open house is one example of working from within.

Political engagement
From that is our political engagement in order to participate in the American process. Ideally this allows us leverage in this land where we live. Organizations like United Voices and CAIR offer parallal ways to engage in the political system . They are the brain of our community. Without their pulse we are merely numbers and useless at that . Whether we are American citizens or immigrants we should demand an equal voice in this government. Voting is a right that we should not only participate but promote.
With our new President Elect we have four years to get our points across. But silence will not work, in order to have our voices heard Congressman Keith Ellison expressed his wish that we move on this great opportunity to have our wishes and needs heard by seeking active participation in government on all levels. This is the strategic plan for us as Muslims in America. Not to fight but join hands and work in unity. Together we can make this work.

Our woman
Women are our mothers, wives and daughters. Behind every successful man is a woman or two. There are so many great hadiths referring to the place of women and mothers in the Quran that they do not need discussion here only recognition.
Stop talking about womens place in Islam. Stop telling me she is not oppressed or abused. Give her honor and respect by putting her on the boards of the mosque or community program. Challenge her and give her the means to unify the community and families. Stay home and watch the children when she needs to address the school etc. Don't let her raise the children alone while you leave to earn money. Make her your partner and the center of your home life.

Interaction among Interfaith communities
Being proactive vs reactive is the ONLY answer. In order to stop asking others to assist us or attempt to poorly understand us.
Additionally interaction among faith based churches may be an avenue to build bridges. We must join hands on programs to help the needy. This may be an avenue with which Muslim charity can shine. Priority is that it should not be limited to the Muslim but to all who need us.
For the past 9 years Al Qassem mosque has been an active participant in an interfaith organization which works to relieve the pain of the poor and middle class in Hillsborough County. HOPE has been a vital community activist organization to engage local politicians in making changes to benefit citizens. I ask you WHY aren't we all engaged here?

The next generation
Tampa youth are taking on roles that in some cases their parents lack. How many youth did you see holding posters for voters or walking at the Life Strides for Cancer walk? In many cases their parents were not the community activist but they were! How can we serve the needs of our community without directing our youth? What legacy do we leave other than a horrendous national debt or more wars with death and poverty?
Mas Tampa ,Care Youth and Muslim Girl Scouting are vital parts of the puzzle , one that must be carefully built to last this generation and the next.
Our schools whether Muslim or not should reflect these Islamic principles or fail us entirely. Build more Islamic schools and support the ones we have.
Some would say that we are faced with too many challenges in Americaand that we are the NEW MINORITY , to them I say that our numbers do not reflect this. It is our lack of Passion to work together as a unit and listen to the VISION of a few lone trailblazers.
Again I say use these five challenges as if they were your fingers and unify them as a fist. Then send them off as a sign of MUSLIM POWER. Congressman Ellison says we have it in our hands to grasp.
He shone a light and I say ... Follow it!

By Khadijah Rivera
PIEDAD

An Apology by Azhar Usman

An Apology
Heartfelt reflections on the passing of a legendary Blackamerican Muslim leader


On September 11th, 2008, while countless American flags whipped in the wind and the television and radio waves were dominated by remembrances, recordings, and stories about the terror attacks of seven years ago, I attended the funeral of Imam W.D. Mohammed (may God be pleased with him). For me, it was a somber day, but I found myself mostly lost in thought: about African-American Muslim communities, about the challenges ahead in American Muslim institution- building, and about the future of Islam in America. If you don't know who Imam WDM was, you should look him up. The Sufis say: "The true sage belongs to his era." And of the many gifts given to Imam WDM by God,20perhaps the most obvious and beneficial one was the Imam's profound understanding of the principles of religion, and his adeptness at intelligently applying those Islamic principles in a socially and culturally appropriate manner befitting the everyday lives of his North American followers. While carefully respecting sound, traditional jurisprudential methodologies of the Islamic religion, and the collective religious history and time-honored scholarship of classical Islam, he promulgated creative ideas and dynamic teachings across many domains of human endeavor, including theology, law, spirituality and even ethics and aesthetics, that together articulated a vision for a quintessentially "American Muslim" cultural identity. And he did all of this before anyone else, with quiet strength and unending humility—a true sage indeed.

So I stood before his final resting place, brokenhearted. And I suddenly began to feel the weight of the moment, realizing that when God takes back one of his dearly beloved friends, those who are left behind should cry not for the deceased, but rather for themselves. For the fact that they are now without one of God's friends in their midst, and, in a sense, they are orphaned. And the tears began to well up, for I became acutely aware that I was standing in front of the grave of my spiritual grandfather, who was himself a spiritual descendant of Bilal al-Habashi (may God be pleased with him), the mighty and beloved companion of the Prophet himself. Bilal was the first Black African to convert to al-Islam at the hands of the Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and keep him) in the sands of Arabia nearly a thousand and a half years ago. Undoubtedly, some measure of that love, mercy, compassion, and spiritual stature that inhabited the heart of Bilal has found its way down through the ages, and I found myself begging God to transfer to my own heart some glimpse of these realities now laying before me.

Almost five years ago, my business partner, Preacher Moss (who is a member of the WDM community) founded the standup comedy tour "Allah Made Me Funny," and he invited me to be his co-founder. Needless to say, it has been nothing less than an honor to work with him on the project. But to many, it was an unusual pairing: a Black comic and an Indian comic? Both Muslims? Working together? And before we ever even announced our partnership publicly, we met privately and swore an allegiance to one another—a blood oath of sorts—which was this: No matter what happens, in good times and in bad, we have to be the brothers no one expects us to be. And bui lt on this promise (and premise), we brought on our first collaborator, Brother Azeem (who is a member of Minister Farrakhan's NOI), with whom we toured for over two years (2004-2006) before parting ways amicably. Then we brought Mohammed Amer onto the team in the fall of 2006 (a Kuwaiti-born Palestinian refugee who grew up in a Sunni Muslim family in Houston, Texas). Mo, Preach, and I are still going strong together, and we are grateful for the unqualified support, love, and blessings that Imam WDM and the entire community have always given us.

But today, as I observed the funeral proceedings, I felt sad and heavy-hearted. Something wasn't sitting right. Something was physically paining my heart, and it felt like remorse, shame perhaps, maybe even guilt. I began to realize that the tears flowing from my eyes were as much a function of these feelings as they were any lofty spiritual aspirations of mine.

You see, I attended an interfaith event a couple of years ago on 9/11. A group had assembled to commemorate the tragic event, to honor those who perished that day, and to pledge ongoing in ter-community support and bridge-building to fight ignorance, hate, and intolerance. At that event, there was this short, middle-aged, sweet, extremely kindhearted, White Christian woman.. When she took the microphone to speak, she was already teary-eyed, and I assumed that she was going to make some comments about the victims of 9/11, as so many others already had that night.

But she didn't do that. Instead, she explained that she had become utterly grief-stricken by the constant barrage of news stories she witnessed about Muslims and Arabs being harassed, profiled, and mistreated after 9/11. She explained that she felt powerless to do anything about it, and that it made her sick to her stomach to hear of hate crimes against Muslims and Arabs, and especially to hear of Christian preachers denigrating Islam and its Prophet. She started to cry, and so did many others in the room, humbled by the magnanimity of this simple woman.

And then she did what I thought was a strange thing: she apologized. She prefaced her apology with all the logical disclaimers, such as "I know this may mean nothing to20you," and "I know that I am not the one who did these horrible things," and "I know that you may dismiss this as empty rhetoric until you see some follow-up action on my part, but anyway," she continued, "I want to apologize on behalf of all the Christians and all non-Muslims and non-Arabs who have been attacking your communities, harassing your people, and accusing your religion of all these horrible things. I'm sorry. I'm very, very sorry." I was stunned. Speechless, in fact. Though all of her disclaimers were true, and my skeptical mind knew it, her apology melted our hearts. Here was this powerless servant of God sharing some of her most deeply felt emotional vulnerabilities, and she was apologizing to Muslims for something she didn't even do? Jesus (may God bless him and keep him) once famously remarked: "Make the world your teacher," and so I immediately took this woman as a lesson in humility. Admitting her powerlessness made her incredibly powerful.

And this brings me to the point (and title) of this essay. I would like to unburden myself of something that has been sitting like a ton of bricks on my heart for my entire life. I want to apologize to my Blackamerican brothers and sisters in Islam. I know that this apology may not mean very much; and I know that our American Musli m communities have a LONG way to go before we can have truly healthy political conciliation and de-racialized religious cooperation; and I know that I am not the one who is responsible for so much of the historical wrongdoing of so-called "immigrant Muslims"—wrongdoings that have been so hurtful, and insulting, and degrading, and disrespectful, and dismissive, and marginalizing, and often downright dehumanizing. .

But anyway, for every "Tablighi" brother who may have had "good intentions" in his own subjective mind, but behaved in an utterly insensitive and outrageous manner toward you when he suggested that you need to learn how to urinate correctly, I'm sorry.

And for every Pakistani doctor who can find money in his budget to drive a Lexus and live in a million-dollar house in suburbia, and who has the audacity to give Friday sermons about the virtues of "Brotherhood in Islam," while the "Black mosque" can't pay the heating bills or provide enough money to feed starving Muslim families just twenty miles away, I'm sorry.

And for every Arab speaker in America who makes it his business to raise millions and millions of dollars to provide "relief" for Muslim refugees around the world, but turns a blind eye to the plight of our very own Muslim sisters and brothers right here in our American inner cities just because, in his mind, the color black might as well be considered invisible, I'm sorry..

And for every liquor store in the "hood" with a plaque that says Maashaa' Allah hanging on the wall behind the counter, I'm sorry.

And for every news media item or Hollywood portrayal that constantly reinforces the notion that "Muslim=foreigner" so that the consciousness of Blackamerican Muslims begins even to doubt itself (asking "Can I ever be Muslim enough?"), I'm sorry.

And for every Salafi Muslim brother (even the ones who used to be Black themselves before converting to Arab) who has rattled off a hadith or a verse from Koran in Arabic as his "daleel" to Kafirize you and make you feel defensive about even claiming this deen as your own, I'm sorry.

And for every time you've been asked "So when did you convert to Islam?" even though that question should more properly have been put to your grandparents, since they became Muslims by the grace of God Almighty back in the 1950s, and raised your parents as believers, and Islam is now as much your own inheritance as it is the one's posing that presumptuous, condescending question, I'm sorry.

And for every time some Muslim has self-righteously told you that your hijab is not quite "Shariah" enough, or your beard is not quite "Sunnah" enough, or your outfit is not quite "Islamic" enough, or your Koranic recitation is not quite "Arabic" enough, or your family customs are not quite "traditional" enough, or your worldview is not quite "classical" enough, or your ideas are not "authentic" enough, or your manner of making wudu is not quite "Hanafi," "Shafi," "Maliki," or "Hanbali" enough, or your religious services are not quite "Masjid" enough, or your chicken is not quite "Halal" enough, I'm sorry.

And for every Labor Day weekend when you've felt divided in your heart, wondering "When will we ever do this thing right and figure out how we can pool our collective resources to have ONE, big convention?, " I'm sorry.

And for every time a Muslim has tried to bait you with a question about the Honorable Elijah Muhammad, trying to force you to condemn him—turning it into some sort of binary litmus test of true iman—with reckless and irresponsible disregard for the historical fact that he was among the first Black men in America to ever do anything meaningful for the upliftment and betterment of Black people, I'm sorry.

And for every20time you've heard of an African-American brother who tried to bring home a South Asian or Arab sister to meet his parents, only to learn that her parents would rather commit suicide than let their daughter marry a "Black Muslim" (a/k/a "Bilalian brother"), even as they cheer hypocritically at stadium style speeches by Imams Siraj Wahhaj, Zaid Shakir, Johari Abdul Malik, or others—or get in line to bring one of them to speak at their multi-million dollar fundraiser for yet another superfluous suburban mosque, I'm sorry.

I'm sorry. I'm very, very sorry. From the bottom of my heart, I want every African-American Muslim brother and sister to know that I am ashamed of this treatment that you have received and, in many cases, continue to receive, over the decades. I want you to know that I am aware of it. I am conscious of the problem. (Indeed, I am even conscious that I myself am part of the problem since curing hypocrisy begins by looking in the mirror.) I am not alone in this apology. There are literally thousands, if not tens of thousands of young American Muslims just like me, born to immigrant parents who originate from all over the Muslim world. We get it, and we too are sick of the putrid stench of racism within our own Muslim communities. Let us pledge to w ork on this problem together, honestly validating our own and one another's insecurities, emotions, and feelings regarding these realities. Forgiveness is needed to right past wrongs, yet forgiveness is predicated on acknowledging wrongdoing and sincerely apologizing. Let us make a blood oath of sorts.

When the bulldozer came to place the final mounds of dirt over the tomb of Imam WDM, I was standing under a nearby tree, under the light drizzle that had just begun (perhaps as a sign of mercy dropping from the heavens as the final moments of the burial were drawing to a close), and I was talking to a dear friend and sister in faith, whose family has been closely aligned with Imam WDM for decades. She shared with me a story that her father had just related to her about the passing of the Honorable Elijah Muhammad in 1975 (the same year I was born, incidentally) . She told me that her father described the scene in the immediate aftermath of Elijah's demise: utter confusion and chaos within the NOI and the communities surrounding it. There was much debate and discord about what direction the NOI would take, and many were still in shock and denial that the founder had actually died. Out of the midst of that confusion arose Imam WDM, and along with his strong leadership came an even more, perhaps20surprising ly courageous direction: the path away from the Black nationalism, pan-Africanism, and proto-religious beliefs of his father, and instead the unequivocal charge toward mainstream Islam, the same universal and cosmopolitan faith held and practiced by over a billion adherents worldwide. In this manner, her father explained, the death of Elijah Muhammad became a definitive end to a chapter in our collective history, and the resulting re-direction by Imam WDM marked the beginning of the next, far better, chapter in that unfolding history.

Maybe I am just an idealistic fool, or maybe Pharaoh Sanders was right about the Creator's Master Plan, but I sincerely believe that all we have to do—all of us together: Black folks, South Asians (Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis) , Arabs from every part of the Middle East and North Africa, Southeast Asians (Indonesians and Malaysians), Persians, Turks, Latinos, assorted Muslims of all stripes, colors, and backgrounds, and yes, even our White Muslim brothers and sisters—is live up to a simple promise to one another: No matter what happens, in good times and in bad, we have to be the brothers and sisters no one expects us to be.

It is hoped that the passing of Imam WDM will also mark the end of a chapter in our collective American Muslim history, and perhaps now, in earnest, we can all look together toward The Third Resurrection.

May God mend our broken hearts, lift our spirits, purify our souls, heal the rifts between our communities, unify our aims, remove our obstacles, defeat our enemies, and bless and accept our humble offerings and service.

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

© 2008 Azhar Usman | 10 Ramadan 1429 | 11 September 2008

About the Author
Azhar Usman is a Chicago-based, full-time standup comedian. He is co-founder of "Allah Made Me Funny—The Official Muslim Comedy Tour," which has toured extensively all over the world. He is frequently interviewed, profiled, and quoted in the press, and he is an advisor to the Inner-city Muslim Action Network's Arts and Culture programs. Mr. Usman is also a co-founding board member of The Nawawi Foundation, a non-profit American Muslim research institution. He considers himself a citizen of the world and holds degrees from the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Minnesota Law School. Born and raised in Chicago, his parents originally hail from Bihar, India.

DISCLAIMER: The views and emotions expressed in this essay are those of the author and are not necessarily held, advocated, or even endorsed by any of the institutions with which he may be affiliated.

For more information, please visit:
www.allahmademefunn y.com
www.nawawi.org
www.imancentral. org
www.azhar.com


##### END #####

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Take care, Stay strong and keep your heart looking up but your head to the ground!

Your loving brother in Islam

Yusuf Abdullah ibn Isa Mendez

Muslims' America - Women in Islam player

Muslims' America -Women in Islam Part 3

: September 05, 2008
Before leaving Florida, VOA spends one last day with the sisters of Piedad, an organization for Muslim-American Women. Between preparing for a wedding and visiting with a group of Burmese students, Imran Siddiqui learns just what being American means to this diverse group of women. "As an American Muslim woman, what does America mean to you?" asks VOA's Imran Siddiqui to the women of Piedad, an Islamic women's organization in Tampa, Florida. The answers, he finds out, are just as diverse as the women of Piedad's mosque. "We have Arabs in our group, in Piedad. We have Arab sisters. We have Palestinian sisters. We have Indian sisters. Even though it is geared towards us for support, we also know that we can benefit from the knowledge of the other sisters. We all try to be a little community within the community, but not apart from the community," says Jill Mraida. As Muslims' America finds out, this community prides itself on its in-depth understanding of Islam, along with the freedom they have to worship and explore their faith in the United States.
Summary : Gary Butterworth VOA News

Muslims' America - Women in Islam Part 2 video

Muslims' America - Women in Islam Part 2

Muslims' America - Women in Islam 2.1

"The Latino Muslim in America is doing a renaissance," says Khadija Rivera of Piedad, a Muslim women's organization in Tampa, Florida.

But, as VOA's Imran Siddiqui finds out, this renaissance is about more than just Koran study. The women of Piedad reach out to their community at large, regardless of religion, by showing them the true spirit of Islam through acts of charity.

Some people avoid the homeless. Others react negatively towards Muslims. But in Tampa, Florida, the local Muslim community is working to improve the lives of their city's disadvantaged residents. The way these two often-misunderstood groups interact shows that perception isn't everything

But between cooking for the homeless and offering prayers at their mosque, Piedad's sisters live lives similar to other Americans. This week's Muslims' America learns that these women, while practicing Islam, are still living the American dream.

Summary - Gary Butterworth VOA New